Quinoa Salad

This salad is so nutritious and low GI

Friday 4 November 2011

Tuna frittata

Frittatas are so quick and easy - you can make a frittata with any leftover vegetables.

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
185g can tuna, drained and flaked
1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 teaspoons baby capers, drained
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat butter in a small frying pan (about 20cm base) over medium to low heat.
Add onion and garlic and cook until softened.
Add tuna, peas and capers.  Pour over egg and sprinkle with chives.  Season with salt and pepper.
Cook for 15-20 minutes or until just set.
Place under a grill and cook until frittata is golden and puffed.
Serve with a green salad.

Monday 24 October 2011

Corn patties

Makes 12

2 large corn cobs, husks removed
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup self-raising flour
3 eggs
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped *(see tip)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, to cook
cream cheese, smoked salmon and rocket, to serve

Remove corn kernels from cobs using a sharp knife.
Place half the corn in a food processor.  Add parsley, flour and eggs.  Pulse until well combined.
Transfer mixture to a bowl.  Stir in remaining corn, green onions and chilli.  Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat.  Add heaped tablespoons of mixture and flatten with a spoon.  Cook patties in batches for 2-3 minutes each side to until puffed and golden.
Serve with cream cheese, smoked salmon and rocket.


Tip:  you can substitute 1 teaspoon chilli flakes for fresh chilli

Sunday 9 October 2011

Indonesian chicken and noodles

2 noodle cakes (I used Chang's long life noodles)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 chicken thigh fillets, diced
3 eschallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small red chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped
2 long red chillies, seeds removed and sliced
1/4 cup kecap manis
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 bunch choy sum, washed, trimmed and chopped

Place noodles in a bowl.  Pour over boiling water and leave to soak for 15 minutes or until tender.  Drain.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Stir-fry chicken in batches until golden and cooked.  Remove.
Heat remaining oil over medium heat.  Add eschallots, garlic and chillies.  Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until onion is soft.  Add kecap manis, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chicken and choy sum.  Stir-fry until choy sum wilts.  Add noodles and stir-fry until heated through.
Serve.




Monday 3 October 2011

Risoni and roast pumpkin salad

Serves 4-6
400g butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1 1/2cm pieces
3/4 cup risoni dried pasta
125g can corn kernels, drained
3 green onions (shallots), thinly sliced
2 slices chargrilled red capsicum, diced (you can buy from deli in woolies or coles)
1 slice chargrilled eggplant, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/3 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon juiced

Preheat oven to 220C fan-forced. Place pumpkin on a baking tray lined with baking paper.  Cook pumpkin for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Remove and set aside.
Cook pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water according to packet directions.  Drain, rinse under cold water and place in a large bowl.
Add corn, green onions, capsicum, eggplant, parsley, oil and lemon juice.  Toss well to combine.
Serve risoni with barbecue lamb chops.

Tuesday 13 September 2011

Roast pumpkin, chicken and leek risotto

I buy italian arborio rice which can be bought from a deli or fruit market.
I use a fan-forced hot oven to roast vegetables, if your oven in large roast on 200C

600g-700g butternut pumpkin, skin removed and cut into 2cm cubes
olive oil spray
4 cups chicken stock (you can use massel stock powder if you like)
1 tablespoon olive oil
500g chicken thigh fillets, diced
1 leek, halved lengthways and sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 3/4 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (to thaw peas stand in boiling water for 1-2 minutes)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
serve with grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 220C fan forced.  Place pumpkin on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Cook pumpkin for 20-25 minutes or until golden.  Remove from oven.
Place stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Simmer over low heat.
Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium to high heat.  Cook chicken for 2-3 minutes or until just golden.  Add leek and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until soft.
Add rice and stir to coat in mixture.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Add wine and stir until wine is absorbed.  Add a 1/3 cup stock and stir from time to time until liquid is absorbed.
Continue add stock 1/3 cup at a time until 1/2 cup stock remains.
Stir in peas, parsley, pumpkin and remaining stock.  Stir until heated through.
Serve risotto with grated parmesan.

Tip:  I add parmesan when serving because if stirred through before can make the risotto cluggy.

Monday 5 September 2011

Mediterrean chicken hot pot

This is a delicious meal for the whole family!  This will serve 6-8 people.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1kg chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and halved
1 red  onion, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, seeds removed and thinly sliced
1 small eggplant, roughly chopped
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthways and sliced
150g mushrooms, sliced
550g jar tomato pasta sauce (I used tomato with basil)
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved (optional)
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
risoni pasta, to serve

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat.  Brown chicken in batches.  Transfer to a plate.
Heat remaining oil and cook onion until soft.  Add vegetables and stir to combine.  Add pasta sauce, chicken and 1/3-1/2 cup water (vegetables will create more liquid as they cook down).  Bring to the boil.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
Stir through olives and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with risoni pasta.

Monday 29 August 2011

Chicken pad thai

I haven't made pad thai for a few years, but making it yourself tastes so much fresher.  Enjoy!!!
Use your left over tofu in a stir fry.

200g pkt thai rice noodles
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small red chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
175g firm tofu (I buy soyco brand)
4 green onions (shallots), thinly sliced
1 cup bean shoots, trimmed (I soak them in cold water so they are nice and crunchy)
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
sweet chilli sauce and limes wedges, to serve

  1. Place noodles in a bowl.  Pour over boiling water and leave to soften for 15-20 minutes.  Drain.
  2. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and chilli in a jug.
  3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok over high heat.  Add eggs and stir-fry until egg has scrambled.  Transfer egg to a bowl.  Heat remaining oil and stir-fry chicken until just cooked.  Add sauce, tofu, green onions, bean shoots, coriander and egg.  Stir-fry until heated through.
  4. Serve noodles with chilli sauce and lime wedges.




Thursday 25 August 2011

Pumpkin Soup


This recipe is South American.  If you don't like it spicy and just want basic pumpkin soup omit the chilli, tomato, cream, mint and coriander.  Replace this with 1 large potato, 1 carrot and flat-leaf parsley.  I add potato and carrot to my basic soup just to give extra flavour.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 kg butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
5-6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (sometimes I use Massel stock powder)
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander 
1 tablespoons freshly chopped mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1.    Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook onion, garlic and chillies until soft.
2.    Add pumpkin, tomatoes and 5 cups stock.  Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
3.    Puree soup until smooth.   Return soup to the heat.  Add remaining stock and stir through cream, coriander and mint.  Season with salt and pepper.
4.    Serve soup with grated parmesan cheese. 

Serves 4-6

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Agnolotti with bacon, mushroom and tomato sauce

This recipe is for Carly & Brooke who have no time to cook - just a quick meal during the week - no need for take-away!!!

375g pkt fresh agnolotti pasta (you can use ravioli or tortellini)
1 tablespoon olive oil
125g pkt short cut bacon, chopped
150g-200g mushrooms, sliced
500g jar tomato pasta sauce
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (use can also use basil)
Grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling water according to packet directions.  Drain.
Heat oil in a frying pan and cook bacon until golden.  Add mushrooms to bacon and cook until mushrooms are soft.
Return pasta to saucepan.  Add bacon, mushrooms and pasta sauce.
Stir pasta over a low heat until heated through.
Serve pasta with parmesan cheese.



Yummy meat patties

I have been asked to show the cooked meat patties, so here you go.


Will add pumpkin soup recipe to blog in the next 2 days.

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Yummy meat patties

I love making meals with mince it is very cheap and you can combine it with leftover herbs you have.
If you don't have fresh herbs just use dried herbs you will probably only need 2 tablespoons.
I only spent $6.00 at coles and bought meat, onion and 1 lemon.  The rest of the ingredients I used from the fridge and pantry.

500g pork & veal mince
1 eschallot, finely chopped
1 egg
1 lemon, rind finely grated (juice half the lemon) (use the other half of lemon to serve)
1 cup breadcrumbs (I used stale italian bread - 2 slices and processed)
1/2 cup mixed herbs (I used flat-leaf parsley and mint), finely chopped
salt and pepper

Place the mince in a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients.
Mix with your hands to combine well.
Roll mixture into 12 even patties.
Place on a plate lined with baking paper and place in the fridge until ready to cook.
Cook these patties on a barbecue or frypan with a little oil.
Serve with cous cous and remaining lemon.  I am also going serve these with barbecued mult-grain tortillas. (Just spray tortillas with oil and barbecue until toasted and crisp).
You can also serve with hummus and salad.




























Monday 22 August 2011