Saturday, July 10, 2010

Kylie’s Chai Latte Cookies

Ingredients
2 x sachets of Instant Chai Latte
1 tbsp boiling water
125g butter, softened
165g brown sugar
1 egg
225g plain flour
 
Directions
1) Blend contents of latte sachets with boiling water
2) Beat butter, sugar, egg and latte paste with an electric mixer until combined
3) Stir in sifted flours in 2 batches
4) Knead dough on floured surface until smooth
5) Roll dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick
6) Slide onto tray keeping between the baking paper, cover with a tea towel, and refrigerate for 30 minutes
7) Preheat oven to 180° (160° fan forced)
8) Cut dough into squares with a knife (can use cookie cutters if you like)
9) Bake 12-15 minutes (mine took 14 mins in a fan forced oven)
10) Cool on wire racks
11) Eat & Enjoy!

Polka Dot Cookies

Ingredients
250g butter, softened
165g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
335g plain flour, sifted
Smarties or M&M’s to decorate
 
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 180° (170° fan forced)
2) Place butter and sugar in a bowl and mix with electric mixer until pale & creamy
3) Add the vanilla and egg yolk and beat until well combined
4) Add the flour and mix until a smooth dough forms
5) Roll 1 tbsp of dough at a time into balls and place on prepared baking tray, allowing room to spread
6) Flatten slightly and press smarties/M&M’s into each cookie (Smarties lose their colour and the M&M's crack, so it is up to you which you use)
7) Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light golden (mine took 14 minutes in fan forced)
8) Cool on wire racks
9) Eat & Enjoy!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients
1 ¼ cups plain flour
1 tsp bicarb soda
1 heaped tsp baking soda
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup sunflower oil
1 egg
400ml buttermilk
salt
 
Directions
1) Sift flour, bicarb of soda and baking powder
2) Add sugar, egg, oil, buttermilk and a pinch of salt
3) Blend together with a hand mixer until smooth
4) Cook as per normal pancakes
5) Serve with maple syrup or your favourite pancake topping
6) Eat & Enjoy!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Peanut Butter Choc Chip Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup (260g) crunchy peanut butter
1 cup (200g) brown sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (185g) dark choc bits
 
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 200°C
2) Combine peanut butter, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and egg in a bowl.
3) Stir in choc bits.
4) Roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on the prepared tray. Press lightly with a fork.
5) Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden (watch this as my oven only took 7 minutes)
6) Leave to cool on the trays then place into an airtight container.
7) Eat & Enjoy!

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
500 g unsalted butter
125g good quality dark cooking chocolate
2 cups icing sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
4.25 cups flour
½ cup white sugar (in a separate bowl for later)
 
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 165 degrees
2) Melt the butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly
3) Once melted, stir smooth and transfer to a large mixing bowl
4) Add the powdered and white sugar and stir thoroughly. Set aside to cool
5) When the mixture is cool enough that it won’t cook the egg, add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition (you can use the electric mixer for this part)
6) Mix in the vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
7) Add flour 1 cup at a time mixing thoroughly with a wooden spoon
8) Once dough is completely mixed through, roll in dough balls of approx 2.5 cms
9) Dip the balls into the bowl of white sugar and coat
10) Place dough balls on baking tray and flatten slightly with your hand - even though they are small only put 12 to a tray as they will spread out
11) Bake for 10- 15 minutes, depending on your oven. Mine took about 13 minutes
12) Allow to cool on a wire rack
13) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTES:
- This recipe makes between 8 and 10 dozen cookies, depending on the size, so allow a lot of cooking time
- for added chocolate flavour remove 1 Tbsp of flour and replace with 1 Tbsp of powdered cocoa
- mix through a handful of chopped nuts for that extra crunch

Kylie’s Green Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
1.5L of vegetable stock
2 large leeks, roughly chopped
6-8 spring onions, roughly chopped
2 large potatos, cubed
10-12 large silverbeet leaves chopped
2 sprigs of fresh spearmint leaves
Handful fresh parsley leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup cream
Handful tasty or parmesan cheese
 
Directions
1) Put all ingredients other than the cream and cheese into a pot and bring to the boil.
2) Simmer until all vegetables are cooked through
3) Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender
4) Put back on heat and add cream and cheese
5) Simmer until cheese melted
6) Eat & Enjoy!

Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding

Ingredients

The Pudding
200g dates, stoned and chopped
1.25 cups water
1 tsp bicarb soda
60g unsalted butter
¾ cup castor sugar
2 free range eggs
1.25 cups self raising flour
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp ground mixed spice

The Sauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
125g unsalted butter
1 cup cream
Few drops vanilla essence
 
Directions

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2) Butter an 18cm square cake tin and line base with baking paper
3) Combine dates and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil., Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes or until dates have softened
4) Remove from heat, stir in bicarb of soda and allow to cool
5) Sift the flour and spice together
6) In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
7) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition
8) Fold in the flour, dates and vanilla gradually
9) Pour into prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked (test with skewer)
10) In a saucepan combine all the sauce ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes
11) Pour a little of the sauce over the hot cake and put back in the oven for a few minutes to let the sauce soak in
12) Remove cake, cut into squares, and serve with the extra sauce
13) Eat & Enjoy!

Lentil & Rice Pilau

Ingredients
1 cup long grain rice
200g lentils (I used brown) (they need to be ‘nearly cooked’ before starting)
3 tblsp vegetable oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
 
Directions
1) Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add rice & lentils, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until they’re tender. Drain and set aside.
2) Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add garam masala, cumin & coriander and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes
3) Add rice & Lentil mixture and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes longer.
4) Eat & Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Croquettes with Tangy Salsa

Ingredients

The Croquettes
1.5kg of sweet potato
1.5 cups basmati rice
0.5 cup wild rice
6-8 spring onions, finely chopped
2 Tblsn grated fresh ginger
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup cashews, lightly toasted and finely chopped (using a food processor is fine)
Polenta
Olive oil
Good salt & Freshly ground pepper
Good pinch chili powder

Tangy Salsa
Grated rind and juice of 4 lemons
½ bunch chopped coriander leaves
4 Tbsp desiccated coconut
2 green chillis, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tomatos, very finely diced

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2) Peel and chop sweet potatos into even sized chunks approx 4-5 cms
3) Toss through with some olive oil, sat, pepper and chili powder.
4) Lay out in a baking pan and bake for 45 minutes till soft and just starting to caramelise at the edges.
5) Remove from oven and allow to cool
6) Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add 1/5 tsp salt and the rice and return to the boil
7) Leave to simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is tender. Drain in a colander, rince with cold water, and put aside in a large bowl
8) Mix salsa ingredients together and set aside
9) Mash the cooked potato
10) Add the potato to the rice along with the spring onions, ginger, garlic and cashews. Season with salt and pepper. Mix together well.
11) Form the mixture into flat croquettes and coat with the polenta
12) When ready to cook, heat a frypan and add enough oil to coat the bottom lightly and heat till the oil is hot
13) Add a couple of croquettes. Fry on one side till crisp and brown the repeat on other side.
14) Serve with tangy salsa
15) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTE: This mixture makes a lot of croquettes, but can be frozen either cooked or uncooked.

Classic Salad Dressing

Ingredients
½ cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp sea salt
A few grinds black pepper

Directions
1) Put all ingredients in a screw top jar
2) Shake well
3) Serve over favourite salad
4) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTE: Can be stored n fridge or cupboard
Shake well before each use

Chocolate Crackles

Ingredients
4 cups rice bubbles
1 cup icing sugar
200g copha
4 tbsp cocoa powder
Various sprinkles

Directions
1) Put all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir through till completely combined
2) Put copha in a saucepan and melt over a low heat
3) Remove from heat and allow to cool
4) Pour over dry mixture and stir until well combined
5) Put into patty pans and put favourite sprinkles on top
6) Allow to set in fridge - approx 30 minutes
7) Eat & Enjoy!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Parsnip Soup

Ingredients
4-5 medium size parsnips, woody cores removed, chopped into 2cm pieces
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp butter
1Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp whole cumin seeds
½ tsp cardamon seeds
½ tsp ground garam masala
½ tsp turmeric
1.5 litres vegetable stock
1 heaped Tbsp plain flour
50g cream
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1) In a mortar & pestle grind the whole spices
2) Add the other ground spices and set aside
3) Heat oil & butter in a large pot
4) Saute onion on moderate heat for several minutes until tender
5) Add spice mix and cook for another minute until they become fragrant
6) Add parsnips and cook for a few minutes more
7) Add the flour, mix through and cook for another minute
8) Add the stock a bit at a time, stirring after each addition
9) Add salt & pepper then bring to the boil and then simmer gently for about 45 minutes
10) Using a stick blender, blend soup until smooth
11) Stir in cream and leave on heat for a couple more minutes
12) Serve with choice of fresh parsley or coriander, croutons, or parmesan
13) Eat & Enjoy!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Kylie’s Vegetable & Ricotta Lasagne

Ingredients
Oil
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
250g mushroom, chopped
1 red capsicum, chopped
1 green capsicum, chopped
2 Bok Choy Heads, chopped
Herbs - Parsley flakes, basil, tarragon, salt & freshly ground black pepper
500g soft ricotta
Baby spinach leaves, blanched
Lasagne sheets, soaked in hot water for 1-2 minutes each
Jar of pasta sauce (Paul Newman’s)
Tasty cheese, grated

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 180°
2) In a large pan, heat oil
3) Lightly sauté garlic
4) Add mushrooms and cook for several minutes
5) Add capsicums, bok choy and herbs, and cook for 5 more minutes
6) Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly
7) Stir in ricotta
8) In a large lasagne dish prepare lasagne layers as follows:
- spinach leaves
- lasagne sheets
- ½ ricotta mix
- lasagne sheets
- spinach leaves
- ½ jar of pasta sauce
- lasagne sheets
- ½ ricotta mix
- lasagne sheets
- remainder of pasta sauce
- grated cheese
9) Put in oven and cook for 40 minutes or until pasta sheets are cooked through
10) Eat & Enjoy!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Spinach & Mushroom Quesadillas with Lentils

Ingredients - makes 3
Oil
250g mushrooms
1 can lentils, drained and washed
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp parsley flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste
75g fresh baby spinach leaves
6 tortillas
salsa
Parmesan cheese, grated
Fetta, crumbled
 
Directions
1) Heat oil in a pan
2) Add mushrooms, lentils, cumin, chilli flakes, parsley flakes and salt & pepper and cook through (approx 10 minutes) then remove from heat
3) While mushroom mix is cooking, planch spinach with boiling water
4) Lay out 3 tortillas and spread salsa over them leaving about 1cm around the edge
5) Place a layer of spinach, then cover with the mushroom mix. Top with parmesan and fetta
6) Put another tortilla over the top
7) Heat frying pan and spray with a cooking spray (low heat)
8) Place 1 prepared quesadilla in the pan for a few minutes, then turn and cook the other side
9) Serve hot
10) Eat & Enjoy!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Lemon & Broccoli Risotto

Ingredients
1 lemon
1.625L (6 1/2 cups) vegetable stock
450g broccoli, cut into small florets, stems cut crossways into thin slices (keep the florets & the stems separate)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
20g (1 tbs) butter
8 green shallots, trimmed, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
440g (2 cups) arborio rice
60ml (1/4 cup) dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
2 tsp butter, extra
35g (1/3 cup) finely grated parmesan
 
Directions
1) Use a zester or grater to remove outer layer from lemon. Set aside until required.
2) Juice the lemon and reserve 2 tbs.
3) Place stock in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil over high heat.
4) Reduce heat to medium-low.
5) Stir in broccoli stems, season with salt and pepper, keep at a gentle simmer.
6) Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat until foaming.
7) Add the green shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
8) Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
9) Add the rice and stir over medium heat for 1 minute or until well coated with oil and butter, and the grains are slightly glassy in appearance.
10) Add wine and use a wooden spoon to stir until all liquid is absorbed.
11) Add a ladleful of simmering stock and stir until absorbed.
12) Continue to add stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more.
13) Add broccoli florets with second-last ladleful of stock. Stir until all liquid is absorbed and the broccoli is tender - it will take about 30 minutes to cook until the rice is tender yet firm to the bite and the risotto is creamy.
14) Remove from heat. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, extra butter and parmesan.
15) Season with salt and pepper.
16) Spoon into serving bowls and serve immediately sprinkled extra parmesan if desired.
17) Eat & Enjoy!

Caramel Muffins

Ingredients
100g caramel-filled chocolate block
2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
80g butter, melted
 
Directions
1) Place chocolate in freezer for 1 hour or until frozen.
2) Preheat oven to 180°C.
3) Grease a non-stick, 12-hole, 1/3 cup-capacity muffin pan.
4) Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
5) Add sugar and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre.
6) Combine milk, egg and butter in a jug and pour into well.
7) Using a large metal spoon, stir until just combined.
8) Chop frozen chocolate and fold into batter.
9) Three-quarters fill muffins holes with batter.
10) Bake muffins for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
11) Allow muffins to cool in pan for 1 minute. Carefully transfer to plates.
12) Eat & Enjoy!

Chocolate Risotto

Ingredients
1.25L (5 cups) milk
40g butter, chopped
220g (1 cup) arborio rice
100g dark chocolate (Plaistowe brand), finely chopped
60g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
 
Directions
1) Bring the milk just to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2) Reduce heat to low and hold at a gentle simmer.
3) Heat the butter in a medium heavy-based saucepan over medium heat until foaming.
4) Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the grains appear slightly glassy.
4) Reduce heat to medium-low and add a ladleful (about 125ml/ 1/2 cup)of the simmering milk to the rice and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until all the liquid is absorbed.
5) Continue to add the milk, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly, allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. The rice will take about 40 minutes to cook.
6) Once the last ladleful of milk is just absorbed, add the chocolate and sugar, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is well combined.
7) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTE: Served immediately this is soft & risotto-like in texture. However to serve later you can reheat in the oven. It tastes the same, however the texture becomes more like a thick rice pudding.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Quick & Easy Vegetarian Spag Bog

Ingredients
Pasta - whatever you have in the cupboard
Jar of pasta sauce - whatever you have in the cupboard (I used Raguletto Sicilian Mushroom)
Tin of Sanitarium Vegetarian Casserole Mince
Herbs & spices to blend with your pasta sauce (I used basil, parsley, salt & pepper)
 
Directions
1) Cook pasta
2) While pasta is cooking mix your pasta sauce and casserole mince
3) Add herbs & spices
4) Heat sauce mixture
5) Serve up & top with cheese to taste
6) Eat & Enjoy!

This took me 15 minutes and truly tasted like a good quality spaghetti bolognaise. The trick is to add herbs to the pasta sauce so you get the taste you enjoy.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Tiramisu

Ingredients
1 cup freshly brewed coffee
¾ cup castor sugar
125ml Frangelico liqueur
6 eggs, separated
500g mascarpone
425g savioardi biscuits
150g good quality dark chocolate, grated

Directions
1) Place hot coffee in a bowl, add 2 Tbspn caster sugar, and stir till sugar dissolves
2) Add Frangelico, then allow to cool
3) Using an electric mixer, whisk remaining sugar and egg yolks until very thick and pale
4) Add mascarpone and whisk until smooth like softly whipped cream
5) In another bowl whisk eggwhites until stiff peaks form
6) Fold 1/3 of egg whites into mascarpone mixture to loosen, then gently fold in remaining eggwhites till just combined
7) Dip savoiardi biscuits into coffee mixture, one at a time, turning once, allowing biscuits to soak up coffee mixture without becoming soggy
8) Place half the soaked biscuits over the base of a 22x26cm ceramic/glass dish
9) Cover with half the mascarpone mixture
10) Sprinkle with half the chocolate
11) Repeat with remaining biscuits, mascarpone mixture and chocolate
12) Refrigerate overnight
13) Eat & Enjoy!

Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients
Pastry
1.5 cups plain flour
¼ tsp salt
125 g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small chunks
¼ cup iced water
NOTE: You can pre-prepare this and freeze it

The Filling
30g butter
1 cup cream
3 eggs
salt
 
Directions
Pastry - first part should be prepared the day before
1) Using a food processor whiz the flour and salt together
2) Add butter and whiz again until mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs
3) With the machine running pour in the iced water until the mixture forms a ball around the blade
4) Remove the pastry and reshape into a ball. Flatten slightly, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (overnight if possible)
5) Preheat oven to 200°C
6) With a little flour over the work surface, roll out pastry and line a 20/22cms deep tart dish or loose bottomed flan tin with the pastry
7) Return dish to fridge for a further 20-30 minutes - this prevents shrinkage
8) Take pastry dish from fridge and prick base generously with a fork
9) Blind bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is cooked
10) Remove from oven and allow to cool a little before adding filling

Filling
1) Increase heat on oven to 220°
2) Beat the eggs with the salt
3) Beat in the cream
4) Cut the butter into small pieces and lay over the pastry in the flan tin
5) Pour in the filling and cook for 20 minutes or until custard is set
6) Allow to cool a little
7) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTE: Baking blind - cover pastry with a piece of foil or baking paper and weigh down with a good layer of pie weights or dry rice

Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients
olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
2 x 400g tins navy beans or cannellini beans
¼ cup white wine
½ cup water
1 cup tomato pasta sauce (Paul Newmans original is best)
2 dessertspoons brown sugar
2 dessertspoons molasses
1 dessertspoon wholegrain mustard
2 dessertspoons bbq sauce

Directions
1) Heat olive oil in a large pot over moderate heat
2) Add the onion and capsicum and saute for a few minutes
3) Add the cumin and saute for a further minute
4) Drain and rinse the beans
5) Add beans and remaining ingredients to the pan with a little water and stir through
6) Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to develop
7) If beans start sticking can add a little more water
8) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTE: Picture is showing beans served over soy sausages - delish!

Tofu Balls

Ingredients
700g Tofu (firm)
80 gm raw rolled oats
1 egg beaten
2 egg whites
1 onion chopped and browned
2 Tbspn soy sauce
30 pecan halves chopped, but not too finely. Needs that CRUNCH
2 grated carrots
2 cup grated zucchini
SPICES: coriander flakes, cumin, chilli powder, salt/pepper (you can use any spice you like to create whatever flavour you like)
 
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 190°
2) In a large bowl, mash tofu
3) Add all other ingredients and mix well
4) Form into balls using a soup spoon. This mixture should make at around 24-28 balls
5) Place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 30 mins
6) Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce, or a tomato based sauce, with rice etc
7) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTE: These are great with my Mexican Lentils

Sushi

Ingredients
Sushi Rice
225g sushi rice
250ml water
2Tbspn sushi vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbspn sugar
¾ Tbspn mirin or dry sherry
Fillings
2 or 3 fillings to taste, options include avocado, cucumber, capsicum, tofu, pickled ginger, egg etc
 
Directions
Sushi Rice
1) Put rice into a pan, cover with plenty of water and stir till water becomes cloudy. Drain & repeat 4 or 5 times until water is clear. (this is cleaning the rice)
2) Put washed rice into saucepan with water on high heat and bring to the boil
3) Cover the pan and reduce to very low heat and continue cooking for exactly 15 minutes more (no need to stir).
4) Leave lid on and remove from heat for another 10 minutes
5) Mix the sushi vinegar, sugar, salt and mirin until the sugar has dissolved.
6) Put the rice into a large bowl and stir through vinegar mixture.
Note: To cool the rice quickly “cut” the rice by folding a spoon through until it cools to body temperature - it should be sticky in texture. Use immediately
Making the Sushi
1) Toast nori sheet by heating in a dry fryong pan a few seconds on each side
2) Place nori sheet on sushi mat, rough side up, long side facing you
3) With damp hands spread approx ¼ of the rice over the nori approx 1cm away from the front edge. Nori should be approx 5cm wide and approx 1 cm thick
4) Make a groove along the middle for the filling to sit in
5) Put fillings in but don’t overfill
6) Using the mat as a guide, lift the edge closest to you and roll firmly away from you into a neat cylinder.
7) Repeat until all rice is used
8) Let rolls rest for approx 10 minutes then cut into desired sizes with a sharp wet knife
9) Eat & Enjoy!

Tofu with Peas

Ingredients
1 onion, diced
1.5 Tblspn Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp tumeric
350g pack firm tofu, diced into 1.5cm cubes
3 medium tomatos, chopped
½ cup frozen peas
1 Tblspn lemon juice
 
Directions
1) In a medium pan over moderate heat, heat the oil
2) Add onion and cook for a few minutes until soft
3) Add the garlic, ginger, cumin and tumeric and cook an extra minute or so
4) Add the tofu to the pan and stir into the spice mixture so the tofu becomes golden
5) Saute a couple of minutes then add the tomatos and peas
6) Stir through and cover with a lid for 5 minutes
7) Add lemon juice and season with salt & pepper if desired
8) Serve with rice
9) Eat & Enjoy!

Indian Style Beans

Ingredients
1 tbspn olive oil
20g ghee
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 long green chilli, seeds removed, finely diced
1 tsp turmeric
400g can crushed tomatos
½ cup water
Salt, pepper & ½ tsp sugar
2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
 
Directions
1) Heat the ghee and olive oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat
2) Add onion and cook a few minutes until softened
3) Add the garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, turmeric & chilli, and stir through for 1 or 2 minutes until fragrant
4) Add the tomatos, water, salt, pepper and sugar and bring to the boil
5) Turn heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened
6) Add the cannellini beans and simmer an extra 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
7) Serve hot
8) Eat & Enjoy!

Serving suggestions
* Serve hot spooned over ripe avocado
* Serve with rice or some Indian bread, like naan, and yogurt and chutney
* Serve with polenta or corn chips

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Snow Pea & Couscous Salad with Feta and Mint Pesto

Ingredients

Couscous Salad
1.5 cups couscous
1 tspn Chili sauce
1 tblspn olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
3 cups vegetable stock
150g frozen baby peas
250g snow peas, trimmed
200 g feta

Mint Pesto
½ cup mint leaves
¼ cup flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup grated parmesan
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
 
Directions

1) Pour boiling stock over the Couscous. Stir once and cover with a tight lid. Keep couscous covered and off the heat for 7-8 minutes. The stock should then be completely absorbed.
2) Add the chilli sauce, oil and salt and fork through couscous
3) In a food processor whiz together all the mint pesto ingredients. Alternatively, use a mortar & pestle.
4) Boil water in a saucepan.
5) Put peas in and boil for 1 minute
6) Add the snow peas and boil for another 1 minute
7) Refresh under cold water, drain, and toss through the couscous with the minted pesto.
8) Scatter the crumbled feta over the top of the couscous.
9) Eat & Enjoy!

Roast Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients

Vegetables
500g sweet potatos, peeled and chopped
1 red capsicum, left whole
2 potatos, chopped into small bite sized pieces
Pinch oregano
Pinch thyme
½ tspn tumeric
Pinch chilli flakes
Small amount of olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Frittata Mixture
6 eggs
1 cup cream
½ cup grated parmesan
2 tblspn fresh herbs eg basil, parsley, dill, thyme
Salt & pepper to taste

Extra
Handful baby spinach
 
Directions

1) Preheat oven to 200°°
2) Using a large freezer bag, place the vegetable ingredients, including oil and all herbs into the bag and tie off. Smoosh the vegetables around in the bag until all they are all covered in oil and the herbs have spread evenly.
3) Put onto a baking tray and place in oven for 45 minutes
4) When cooked, carefully remove the capsicum and place into an airtight container or a paper bag for at least 10 minutes.
5) Take out the capsicum peel the skin off and remove the seeds. Cut into nite sized pieces.

NOTE: Vegetables can be cooked the day before and put into fridge to cool. Don’t peel the capsicum until you are about to use it.

6) Preheat oven to 200°
7) Whisk together all the frittata ingredients
8) Grease an oven proof dish or oven proof frying pan.
9) Spread the vegetables evenly in the greased oven dish. Add spinach. Pour over the frittata mixture.
10) Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden and puffed (depending on oven may need to cook for a little longer)
11) Remove from oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Then cut and serve.
12) Eat & Enjoy!

Variations: Add some chopped, cooked broccoli or cooked peas for extra flavour and nutrition.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Baked Tofu


Ingredients
1 pack firm tofu
Jar hoisin sauce
Parsley flakes
Salt & Pepper
 
Directions
1) Cut tofu into chunks and marinate in hoisin sauce
2) Preheat oven to 180°
3) Spread tofu and sauce in a baking dish
4) Bake for 15 minutes
5) Using another baking dish take the tofu out (leaving sauce behind) and place baked side down into new tray
6) Bake for a further 15-20 minutes
7) Eat & Enjoy!

Pasta Free Vegetable Lasagna


Ingredients
(serves 8)
2 jars pasta sauce
Baby spinach
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Pumpkin
Capsicum
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Bok Choy
Spring onion
Grated Cheese
Basil
Tarragon
Salt & Pepper
(use vegetables you have available in the quantities you choose)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 180°
2) Pour a layer of pasta sauce over the base of a large lasagna dish
3) Spread a layer of spinach leaves covering the entire base
4) Grate zucchini and spread a layer over the spinach
5) Pour a think layer of pasta sauce over the zucchini
6) Chop all remaining vegetables and spread over the mixture
7) Pour pasta sauce completely covering the vegetables
8) Sprinkle grated cheese over the top
9) Bake for 45-55 minutes, until all vegetables are cooked through
10) Eat & Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Lentil & Tomato Pasta Sauce


Ingredients
oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100g dried lentils, cooked and drained
2 cans chopped tomatos
1 sachet salt reduced tomato paste
1.5 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp chili flakes
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
1)  Heat Oil & saute garlic
2)  Add all ingredients and simmer till heated through
3)  Serve over pasta
4)  Eat & Enjoy!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Mexican Lentils


Ingredients
oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tin Sanitarium Veggie Delight Casserole Mince (could substitute with real mince or other TVP)
1/2 cup dried red lentils, cooked & drained (substitute with a can of lentils drained)
1 can chopped tomatos
1 sachet tomato paste
1.5 tsp cumin seeds, ground
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chilli flakes
1.5 tsp oregano
salt & pepper

Directions
1)  Heat oil in deep pan
2)  Saute garlic until starting to go clear
3) Add remaining ingredients and simmer until starts to thicken
4)  Eat & Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions
Use as burrito or taco filling
On nachos
In toasted wraps
On toast with cheese and avocado (pictured)
Serve over pasta as a bolognaise type sauce
Refrigerate and serve cold as a dip

Serves 4 - Nutritional Info per serve
Calories - 223
Fat - 5g
Protein - 21.2g
Carbs - 20.1g
Sodium - 588mg

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Grilled Polenta


Ingredients
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup fine polenta (cornmeal)
herbs & spices to taste
Option of parmesan

Directions
1)  Bring stock to boil
2)  Add polenta (cornmeal) in a steady stream stirring continuously until thick (consistency of smooth mashed potatos)
3)  Add herbs/spices to taste - can also add grated parmeson - and mix in

For soft polenta serve now

4)  Line a baking tray with glad wrap and pour polenta mix in.  Smooth out so baking tray is evenly covered.
5)  Place in fridge until cool and set (about 30 - 45 minutes)
6)  Grill for 10 minutes on each side
7)  Eat & Enjoy

This photo is the grilled polenta with basil and paprika added. We served it with Sweet chilli sauce and sour cream