Lemon Polenta Custard
Between 450 g to – 1 litre of rice or almond milk (depending on what consistency you prefer your custard we like ours quite thick as opposed to runny so used around the 450 – 500mls mark but next time will use a little more as it thickens up on baking if you are using it in a baked dessert like I was)
20 g of raw sugar or sugar of choice
50 – 60 g of polenta (once again the higher amount if you like thicker custard
Zest of one lemon
1/ Place sugar, polenta and lemon zest in Thermomix bowl and grind on speed 9 for 30 seconds, scrape down
2/ Add milk and cook for 15 mins at 90 deg speed 3 (less time is needed if using the lesser amounts mentioned here)
3/ Speed 9 for 30 – 60 seconds until you have a smooth creamy custard
The above can be done on the stove stop and with a stick blender if you don’t have a thermomix, cooking times will vary though.
Just remember thin custard requires more liquid and less polenta and thick custard less milk and more polenta :) so play with the amounts till you are happy with the consistency .
Monday, December 10, 2012
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Summer Sunflower Smoothie
Makes 1 big drink or 2 smaller serves.
¼ cup of organic sunflower seeds
1 ripe banana
1 ripe mango
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
3-4 slices of canned pineapple (or if you can tolerate the
enzymes in fresh pineapple use fresh. Some people are sensitive to fresh
pineapple and it can cause a allergic reaction)
250 mls coconut water
- Put sunflower seeds in Thermomix and grind on speed 9 for approx 10 seconds (till you have a powder)
- Place all remaining ingredients in and slowly work your way up to speed 9 until processed and smooth and creamy. Serve immediately
If you are not nut free you could
try Macadamia nuts in place of the Sunflower this would make the smoothie quite
creamy too.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The most versatile bolognaise sauce ever!
This is a regular make in our house as it has so many uses and I always have a few tupperware containers of it in the freezer in 2 little people portions for quick lunches/dinners.
You can use it as humble spag bol sauce, Shepard's pies, tacos, burritos, jacket potatoes, serve with rice, etc etc
I get asked quite often what my recipe is so here it is based very loosely on the Ragu recipe/method in the Thermomix EDC.
400 - 500g of chicken breast cut into cubes
(slightly frozen is best) and then on turbo for a few pulses till you get a mince like consistency (you can use less mince and bulk with lentils as per tip below*)
1 onion quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 organic carrot roughly chopped (SKIN ON)
1 organic zucchini roughly chopped
2 bottles of Pasatta (700ml bottles I use - check ingredients to make sure no additives should just be tomatoes and salt)
Pink salt & pepper to taste, dried oregano
30g of EVO (extra virgin olive oil)
* 1/2 can of organic lentils (optional - can use this to bulk out the meal if you don't have much mince) and is a great way to get reluctant legume eaters eating lentils!
1. Place onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini (and really whatever other vegetable you like) in TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6.
2. Add oil and saute 3 mins 30 seconds at 100 deg speed 1
3. Add mince and cook for 8 - 9 mins on Varoma reverse speed soft. Once timer goes off give it a quick stir to break up the mince as it tends to bunch up
4. Add 2 bottles of passata, salt, pepper and oregano to taste and if using lentils add.
5. Cook for 15 mins Varoma reverse speed soft and leave the MC in lid on a inclined position as the sauce does spit as you are using the machine at it's full capacity.
This makes 1 thermoserver full of sauce, you can freeze in smaller batches for quick dinners/lunches or use it to make other dishes such as Shepard's pie of which I add a couple of cups of cooked frozen peas/carrots with the sauce and then make a batch of EDC dairy free potato (or a mix of potato/sweet potato mash) and put in the oven for about 30 mins till bubbling (you can add cheese on top if you are not dairy free)
You can use it as humble spag bol sauce, Shepard's pies, tacos, burritos, jacket potatoes, serve with rice, etc etc
I get asked quite often what my recipe is so here it is based very loosely on the Ragu recipe/method in the Thermomix EDC.
400 - 500g of chicken breast cut into cubes
(slightly frozen is best) and then on turbo for a few pulses till you get a mince like consistency (you can use less mince and bulk with lentils as per tip below*)
1 onion quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 organic carrot roughly chopped (SKIN ON)
1 organic zucchini roughly chopped
2 bottles of Pasatta (700ml bottles I use - check ingredients to make sure no additives should just be tomatoes and salt)
Pink salt & pepper to taste, dried oregano
30g of EVO (extra virgin olive oil)
* 1/2 can of organic lentils (optional - can use this to bulk out the meal if you don't have much mince) and is a great way to get reluctant legume eaters eating lentils!
1. Place onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini (and really whatever other vegetable you like) in TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6.
2. Add oil and saute 3 mins 30 seconds at 100 deg speed 1
3. Add mince and cook for 8 - 9 mins on Varoma reverse speed soft. Once timer goes off give it a quick stir to break up the mince as it tends to bunch up
4. Add 2 bottles of passata, salt, pepper and oregano to taste and if using lentils add.
5. Cook for 15 mins Varoma reverse speed soft and leave the MC in lid on a inclined position as the sauce does spit as you are using the machine at it's full capacity.
This makes 1 thermoserver full of sauce, you can freeze in smaller batches for quick dinners/lunches or use it to make other dishes such as Shepard's pie of which I add a couple of cups of cooked frozen peas/carrots with the sauce and then make a batch of EDC dairy free potato (or a mix of potato/sweet potato mash) and put in the oven for about 30 mins till bubbling (you can add cheese on top if you are not dairy free)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Mango, cucumber and chicken rice paper rolls
Serves 4
Prep time - 20 mins
1 x Roasted Chicken (you will use about half) - if you can roast your own that's always best as store bought BBQ chickens contain milk products and other nasty additives & numbers and MSG.
4 crisp iceberg lettuce leaves
1 large Lebanese cucumber
1 medium just ripe mango
2 cups of cooked shredded chicken
8 x 22 cm wide rice papers
Optional - 2 tbls sweet chilli sauce/soy sauce etc (We had ours plain)
Firstly you need to get your fillings sorted as you have to work fast with the rice papers otherwise they dry out.
Break lettuce leaves into large bites size pieces.
Cut cucumber in half and then halve lengthways and cut into very thin strips
Cut flesh of the mango close to the stone and remove skin and cut mango into thin strips
In a shallow bowl place some warm water, dip a rice paper wrapper in for about 30 seconds (check the back of packet as some brands differ) until just tender.
Place rice paper on a damp cloth.
In the centre arrange 3-4 strips of mango then top with 3-4 cucumber strips and 1/4 cup or so of chicken and a few pieces of lettuce.
If you are using soy sauce/sweet chill sauce drizzle 1 tsp of it over and then fold over one edge of the rice paper to cover filling, tuck in the sides and roll up tightly to enclose the filling.
Rice paper rolls dry out quickly so as your making place the finished ones on a plate and cover with a damp towel or cling wrap. Cut rolls in half if you wish and serve with sweet chilli sauce if desired.
Of course the above is just a guide as to what to put in, these where made using everything in season at the moment and a fun yummy way to use up some of our mangoes!
You could use grated or julienne carrots, sprouts, thin vermicelli noodles, avocado, prawns the list goes on just use whatever is in the fridge. You can make them completely vegetarian/vegan too if you wish.
They are also fun for getting kids involved in the kitchen assembling foods.
If you are grain free or watching your carb intake you can make these using the lettuce leaves as your rice paper wraps. Perfect snack or light lunch/dinner.
Prep time - 20 mins
1 x Roasted Chicken (you will use about half) - if you can roast your own that's always best as store bought BBQ chickens contain milk products and other nasty additives & numbers and MSG.
4 crisp iceberg lettuce leaves
1 large Lebanese cucumber
1 medium just ripe mango
2 cups of cooked shredded chicken
8 x 22 cm wide rice papers
Optional - 2 tbls sweet chilli sauce/soy sauce etc (We had ours plain)
Firstly you need to get your fillings sorted as you have to work fast with the rice papers otherwise they dry out.
Break lettuce leaves into large bites size pieces.
Cut cucumber in half and then halve lengthways and cut into very thin strips
Cut flesh of the mango close to the stone and remove skin and cut mango into thin strips
In a shallow bowl place some warm water, dip a rice paper wrapper in for about 30 seconds (check the back of packet as some brands differ) until just tender.
Place rice paper on a damp cloth.
In the centre arrange 3-4 strips of mango then top with 3-4 cucumber strips and 1/4 cup or so of chicken and a few pieces of lettuce.
If you are using soy sauce/sweet chill sauce drizzle 1 tsp of it over and then fold over one edge of the rice paper to cover filling, tuck in the sides and roll up tightly to enclose the filling.
Rice paper rolls dry out quickly so as your making place the finished ones on a plate and cover with a damp towel or cling wrap. Cut rolls in half if you wish and serve with sweet chilli sauce if desired.
Of course the above is just a guide as to what to put in, these where made using everything in season at the moment and a fun yummy way to use up some of our mangoes!
You could use grated or julienne carrots, sprouts, thin vermicelli noodles, avocado, prawns the list goes on just use whatever is in the fridge. You can make them completely vegetarian/vegan too if you wish.
They are also fun for getting kids involved in the kitchen assembling foods.
If you are grain free or watching your carb intake you can make these using the lettuce leaves as your rice paper wraps. Perfect snack or light lunch/dinner.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Thai Fish Cakes (Kid friendly recipe)
400g boneless firm white fish fillets (I used Ling) roughly
chopped
2 cloves garlic (roughly chopped if not using a Thermomix)
1 tblsp lime juice
2 spring onions, roughly chopped
3 tblsp fresh coriander finely chopped
100g green beans finely chopped
1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup of rice bran oil
Freshly ground pepper and Himalayan pink salt for seasoning
1. Place garlic in Thermomix speed 7 for 5 seconds
2. Add fish and lime juice and turbo a couple of times until
combined
3. Put all other ingredients in the TMX bowl and mix on speed 2-3 reverse until all combined
4. Using wet hands shape the mixture into patties (makes about
12-14 depending on the size you make them)
5. Place in fridge for about 30 mins to help firm them up
6. In a large pan heat oil on medium to high heat and cook the
cakes in batches until cooked through (Roughly 3-4 mins on one side and less on
the other) Try not to turn them too early and allow the crust that seals in the
moisture to form. Drain on kitchen paper.
Serve with rice or salad for a lunch/dinner or sweet chilli
sauce for appetisers etc.
No Thermomix? Just place the items in a food processor and then transfer fish mix into a large bowl and combine with your hands the rest of the ingredients.
(Excuse the photo - had to hungry boys calling for their food so only got a quick shot!)
ps. Since making these last year I now use Coconut oil for cooking - new research on rice bran oil found it to be no better than vegetable oils (and also we are now rice free due to DS2's eczema)
ps. Since making these last year I now use Coconut oil for cooking - new research on rice bran oil found it to be no better than vegetable oils (and also we are now rice free due to DS2's eczema)
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Bean & Veggie Fritters
Ingredients
1 tbls olive or rice bran oil (Rice bran oil has a higher smoking point so better for frying)
1 small onion, diced
1 tbls coriander stems, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup corn (1 fresh organic cob) - Please use organic corn due to GMO
1 cup sweet potato, grated
1 zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
1 can canellini beans
½ cup mint leaves, chopped finely
½ tbls sea salt (or to taste)
½ cup of rice flour or besan (chick pea) flour (I made my rice flour in the Thermomix, 100g organic rice on Speed 9 for 1.5 mins)
2 tbls rice bran oil
1 lime, quartered
Now the above can all be done in the Thermomix, saute, blitzing of the beans and mixing or you can do as follows below.
1. In a heavy based pan sauté your onions and coriander stems in the oil over a medium heat until translucent. Now add and garlic and stir for a few seconds. Now add the veggies and stir to coat. Remove from the heat.
2 . In a processor/Thermomix place the beans and blitz for a few seconds. Now add the veggie mixture, mint and salt. Slowly add the flour until you have a firm mixture. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO OVER PROCESS YOU WANT A BIT OF CHUNKINESS otherwise you will end up with a sloppy mess!
3. Heat a large, heavy based pan with the rice bran oil. Make balls about the size of a walnut, then press into a pattie. Fry these until golden on each side. Drain on a kitchen towel
1 tbls olive or rice bran oil (Rice bran oil has a higher smoking point so better for frying)
1 small onion, diced
1 tbls coriander stems, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup corn (1 fresh organic cob) - Please use organic corn due to GMO
1 cup sweet potato, grated
1 zucchini, grated and squeezed dry
1 can canellini beans
½ cup mint leaves, chopped finely
½ tbls sea salt (or to taste)
½ cup of rice flour or besan (chick pea) flour (I made my rice flour in the Thermomix, 100g organic rice on Speed 9 for 1.5 mins)
2 tbls rice bran oil
1 lime, quartered
Now the above can all be done in the Thermomix, saute, blitzing of the beans and mixing or you can do as follows below.
1. In a heavy based pan sauté your onions and coriander stems in the oil over a medium heat until translucent. Now add and garlic and stir for a few seconds. Now add the veggies and stir to coat. Remove from the heat.
2 . In a processor/Thermomix place the beans and blitz for a few seconds. Now add the veggie mixture, mint and salt. Slowly add the flour until you have a firm mixture. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO OVER PROCESS YOU WANT A BIT OF CHUNKINESS otherwise you will end up with a sloppy mess!
3. Heat a large, heavy based pan with the rice bran oil. Make balls about the size of a walnut, then press into a pattie. Fry these until golden on each side. Drain on a kitchen towel
Gluten Free “Muesli”
Gluten Free “Muesli”
1 cup puffed amaranth (if you can’t find it use quinoa)
1 & ½ cups of puffed millet
2 cups organic corn flakes
¼ cup of sunflower seeds
¼ cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup of dried cranberries or blueberries etc
Mix it all up and place in airtight container. Does not need
any sweetened in my opinion the organic cornflakes tend to be sweetened with
organic apple juice but if you wish honey or golden/maple syrup (if vegan) will
be a nice touch drizzled over the top.
Serve with your choice of milk - we use rice milk or almond
milk.
For more protein and if not nut allergic add ¼ cup of roughly chopped hazelnuts/almonds etc
You can add more dried fruit (organic apricots,
figs, sultanas . goji berries etc) I prefer to add these in on serving but you
could chop them up and add them to the mix and store for a quick breakfast)
Some quick facts on some not so well known gluten free grains
Amaranth originates
from South America like quinoa does.
The most notable nutritional quality of
amaranth is its high protein content. It is a complete protein, which means
that it contains all of the essential amino acids (different types of protein)
required by the human body. This is not commonly found in a non-animal food
source. The mix and quantities of the amino acids in amaranth make it easy to
digest. And the good news doesn’t end there. It is a good source of calcium,
fibre, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and iron. It is also a good source of
polyunsaturated fatty acids and it contains vitamin E in similar amounts to
olive oil.
Puffed Millet
Once again high in protein and also
provides a range of vitamins thiamin, niacin, folate and vitamin B-6 you need each day as well as magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and selenium.
As always try and use organic
where possible especially for the Corn flakes.
Anything not labelled GMO free
or Organic will more than likely be genetically modified.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Baby steps to a healthier you!
I often have people message me asking what changes they should make in their diets to "get healthier".
It's no secret getting rid of pre made processed foods is essential if you are committed to eating clean and it's not as difficult as many people think.
It takes a little more preparation but once you have done it for a week or two it will become second nature. When you start seeing results in the way you feel, being less lethargic, your skin clearer and brighter and your body functioning the way it should be and niggling little pains, bloating etc is gone you will think why on earth did I not do this earlier!
I found this great chart the other day from the Hungry for Change website http://www.hungryforchange.tv/ and I think it's a great quick tool for people looking at changing their eating habits to stick up on the fridge or pantry door and remind themselves there is always another option to processed food!
If you stock your fridge & pantry with good food options you will eat well!
These small changes are getting easier to make with organic produce becoming more readily available at your major supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles (for those who are time poor and cannot make it or do not have local farmers markets) - yes it's a more expensive option but really can you put a price on your long term health? How many times have we been told chemicals and medications that where deemed safe for us 20-30 yrs ago only to be told now they where not as safe as they originally thought. I don't want my children or myself for that fact used as guinea pigs thankyou!
Interestingly enough the markup on supermarket produce is quite high so when comparing their organic produce to their conventional produce with the new unit system 9 times out of 10 you are only paying a $1 - 2 more for the organic produce which for me is worth it. I personally try and support my local growers markets first and my bulk dried organic goods supplier but there is of course times I do have to pop into Coles or Woolies for something having two small children who eat like horses and our markets only being weekly.
I find Woolworths is far exceeding Coles these days with dried organic goods (sultanas, figs, nuts, seeds, organic flours etc) whilst Coles does better in the organic produce department (for eg: Coles is the only place I can personally find organic Corn which is the only way I will let my family consume corn due to the GMO factors).
In this post I want to focus on Wheat/gluten, sugar, caffeine and dairy cconsidering the majority of western society addicted to these 4 items. There are some small fairly easy changes to make that your body will thank you for!
(I personally can put my hand up to say I was completely wheat addicted to the point I craved it daily but I am no more. Taking part in a 21 day wheat/gluten free diet I did in September (part of an elimination we all did with Lachlan) showed me how much i relied on bread especially in my diet, I no longer do and consume bread quite rarely now and if I do it's organic spelt sourdough. It's been very liberating actually and opened my eyes to so many other options!)
Wheat/gluten
Small changes to make - swap normal white bread or even your wholemeal/multi grain bread to a sourdough bread (spelt is easier to digest than regular wheat flour).
Pastas there are a whole range of gluten free rice, corn (check they are GMO free), buckwheat, millet pastas out there and of course rice, quinoa, and all the other great grains that are all gluten/wheat free meaning you will have less bloating and that heavy full feeling that you get after eating wheat based breads/pastas. We like to change it up (and yes we still consume normal pasta on occasions) but with all the other varieties available we get a good mix in our diets.
Sugars
For sugar use rapadura, honey, coconut sugars, pure maple syrup (stevia or agave if you wish - I personally am still a bit up in the air about these two) etc as opposed to over processed white sugar which is highly addictive.
Coffee/Caffinated soft drinks
Now coffee I'm told is a different story, I can't go from personal experience here as I've never consumed it - the smell alone makes me sick and I don't consume Coca Cola or any other form of caffinated drink purely because if it can clean a toilet I refuse to put it in my body so I cannot personally understand the addition people have to a drink.
(I have my mum to thank for this, soft drinks where banned from our home as kids and hey I turned out alright and wasn't deprived nor do I have a mouthful of fillings!). Thanks Mum!
Anyway back to the coffee/caffinated soft drinks - I'm sure it will be hard but cutting back for starters will do you wonders in the long run, so if you are a 2, 3, 4 cup a day coffee drinker take baby steps and replace 1 coffee with some tea or water or a juice/coconut water based smoothie and keep going from there. Your body will thank you!
Dairy
We as Western society consume far too much dairy. I've never been a milk drinker and neither have my children, (regardless the fact that Lachlan's has a dairy allergy, Riley my eldest never drank milk after he weaned from breastmilk and he is a thriving 4 year old who has never had an ear infection either. It's well documented that dairy consumption leads to many ENT issues and in my opinion many children have had unnecessary surgeries when trialling a dairy free diet could have been one of the steps taken to see if the reoccurring infections could be eradicated - surgery should be the last option we are taking.
I personally don't believe drinking milk is essential it's what we have been "taught" to believe by the dairy industry. It's also no secret that a very large percentage of Western society is actually to some degree lactose intolerant and don't even know it.
I personally believe there are far too many children out there filling up on milk and not eating real foods of which their bodies need the nutrients, vitamins and proteins from simply because they are having huge amounts of milk each day giving their tummies a full feeling. I know if I had 500mls (the average a child would drink in my research 2 glasses/bottles a day roughly) I wouldn't be all that hungry for food either! So many people look at me in shock and ask but where are they going to get their calcium from? and when I start to give them options they look at me stunned as they never knew you could get calcium from any other source other than dairy products.
So if you must consume milk switch to organic milk (once again very easy to find in supermarkets these days) or if you are lucky enough to have "raw" milk available to you then this is a better option. There are many other types of milks once again now more readily available goats milk , sheep's milk (harder to get) or you can do as we do and not consume any animal milk and have rice, oat and almond milks which are a great alternative. You can substitute creams for coconut milks in cooking and "ice creams" (we make our Fruity dreams in the Thermomix using coconut cream or milk) and use coconut milk /cream in many recipes giving the food a nice taste which kids love.
We still use cheese in our house (a habit I will never break for my husband) and that's fine, I try and buy organic cheeses or the least processed cheese I can find.For me cheese hasn't really been all that hard to give up (I went dairy free (amongst other things) to breastfeed Lachlan as a baby so I don't really "miss" these things now. I will have cheese maybe once a week if I do a pizza and use only a little. Riley still consumes cheese a few times a week but once again he could go without it one week and not worry at all.
Yoghurt is a little harder to give up I understand (especially in my morning CADA) but we now buy Organic (sometimes Biodynamic organic) yoghurts and use them sparingly. Once again these are becoming so much easier to find in supermarkets in fact Woolworths has 4 brands including their own Macro brand in the organic range in the majority of stores. They are generally $1-2 more than the non organic yoghurts.
Take time to have a closer look at this chart and see what small changes you can make to your diet to make it that much better for you.
For us the picture below is how our weekly shop (from the farmers markets) starts and then we build from here with grains, pastas, proteins (animal and legumes).
If your home is full of wonderful produce like this you will eat it - I promise!
Especially if you take the time to chop up a few carrots (bonus of buying organic - no peeling!) and some cucumbers, baby tomatoes etc and have them in the fridge for snacks served on their own or with a homemade dip (which can be as simple as a guacamole - (avocado, lemon juice and some seasoning and mash not really that hard is it!)
So try it, one thing a week and you will start to see a difference in the way you feel and look.
Remember BABY STEPS!
~ Kat
Once again I have my mum to thank for this as my father had some health issues whilst I was growing up and a complete change in our diet (which was a very healthy Mediterranean diet to start with) saw my Dad healed and never to touch another medication again when all the Dr's where trying to give him drugs for conditions he didn't even have. I personally question and research everything especially when I have a "health professional" telling me I should be using steroids and drugs on my child daily when in reality I have no need to and am controlling it with diet and the assistance of probiotics and vitamins.
Friday, October 12, 2012
CADA - The best breakfast (or snack!)
CADA - for those who aren't familiar with it it's
1 handful of coconut (organic desiccated or shredded)
1 handful of almonds
1 handful of dates
1 apple chopped in quarters
in the Thermomix and turbo one or twice (less obviously if you want it chunky)
My personal favourite is replace the dates with dried organic apricots and use a green apple instead of red.
(If possible you should try and buy organic apples as apples are one of the highest sprayed fruit and also non organic ones are covered in wax)
Eat as it or top with organic greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt for dairy free option) and some more fruit like bananas, strawberries etc and you have a filling protein filled breakfast.
If you are nut free (like my boys) are just leave out the almonds and use pepitas/sunflower seeds etc
Pumpkin & Chicken risotto (with "hidden" brocolli & mushrooms)
I use the EDC method & saute my garlic and onions then
put in homemade chicken stock (liquid to about 500-600mls add diced pumpkin a
handful of brocolli chopped & mushrooms sliced very small & about 200g
aborrio rice cook for 20 mins as per EDC method.
Beauty of thermie risotto once
you have the method down you can add whatever you wish :)
Allergy friendly Potato Rostti
Allergy friendly Potato Rostti
Simple as hand grating a few organic potatoes (I find hand grating is much better than in the Thermomix in this case), squishing out the
excess water with your hands & into a medium heat fry pan with oil of choice
& flatten with a spatula. Sure beats the egg and flour laden versions around!
The boys love these, you could also try with sweet potato and add onions etc
Honey Mustard basting
Great simple basting for chicken or pork
1/2 tblsp dijon mustard
1/2 tblsp wholegrain mustard
1 tblsp honey
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Mix together, cook chicken through & baste with sauce mix for the last 2 mins or so
Honey mustard basting - for 4
1/2 tblsp dijon mustard
1/2 tblsp wholegrain mustard
1 tblsp honey
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Mix together, cook chicken through & baste with sauce mix for the last 2 mins or so
Porcupine Meatballs - Oven baked
These are a novel idea for kids and a great way to have them help out in the kitchen.
Porcupine Meatballs
500g mince of choice (chicken, beef, lamb, pork) we use chicken
½ cup of rice
1 onion finely grated
1 carrott grated
1 stick celery thinly sliced (I don’t use as I hate the taste!)
1 tsp salt (optional)
3 shakes of pepper
1 x batch of tomato Napolitana sauce (I make mine in the tmx onion sautéd for about 3 mins on 100 spd 1, add 1 x jar or sometimes 2 jars of tomato pasatta, herbs cooked on 100% spd 1 for 12 mins)
Now the recipe I adapted used a 1 x 425g can of tomato soup – but check the ingredients I don’t know whats in store bought soup!
Preheat oven to 200 deg (can also do in an electric frying pan) Grease a casserole dish (if using oven)
Put the mince, rice, onion, veggies salt & pepper in a bowl, using your hands combine well and then shape mixture into small balls, place meatballs into prepared dish or frying pan. Pour over sauce (if using the canned soup you need to mix with 1 cup of water in the same bowl the meat was mixed) in and pour the liquid over the meatballs.
Cover and cook for 1 hr. Serve with mash or roasted potatoes and steamed veggies.
You can add more veggies to the mince mixture grated zucchini, mushrooms, capsicum, broccoli etc.
Tuna or Salmon Risotto (Thermomix)
This is one of the boys most favourite dishes, it's also great for sneaking in veggies and it's so quick and easy it's often my "go to meal" when I've been out all day and come home and have to have dinner made in a hurry! Now for non Thermomix owners your probably thinking risotto - quick and easy??? She is crazy! but that is one of the many brilliant things the Thermomix does, no stir risotto and also can do them completely dairy free which is not only great of allergies but also your waistline!
This version is cheap, easy and tasty filling meal using stuff you normally have in the pantry, fridge and freezer and it feeds the masses as it makes so much with just a few simple ingredients.
Tuna Risotto
1 onion (quartered)
1 garlic clove
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 zucchini roughly chopped
Seasoning – Pepper
180 g aborio rice
370 mls water + 1 tblsp Veggie Stock Concentrate
400g diced tomatoes (tinned or fresh)
190 – 200 g of tuna (I used in oil drained but you can use in springwater, I find the oil gives it a bit more flavour) or canned wild alaskan salmon in springwater
2 tbls parsley chopped
4 tblsp frozen peas
15g oil for sauté
Method
1. Chopped parsley in TMX spd 5 for 2 – 3 seconds – set aside in bowl
2. Add onion, garlic, carrot & zucchini into TMX bowl and chop for 5 seconds speed 7
3. Add oil and salt /pepper if using and sauté on 100 2 mins speed 1
4. Insert butterfly, Add remaining ingredients’ (expect frozen peas) and cook for 20 mins at 100 deg on reverse speed soft. 5 mins before cooked add frozen peas.
5. Optional stir through grated parmesan cheese (if not dairy free) and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top.
This version is cheap, easy and tasty filling meal using stuff you normally have in the pantry, fridge and freezer and it feeds the masses as it makes so much with just a few simple ingredients.
Tuna Risotto
1 onion (quartered)
1 garlic clove
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 zucchini roughly chopped
Seasoning – Pepper
180 g aborio rice
370 mls water + 1 tblsp Veggie Stock Concentrate
400g diced tomatoes (tinned or fresh)
190 – 200 g of tuna (I used in oil drained but you can use in springwater, I find the oil gives it a bit more flavour) or canned wild alaskan salmon in springwater
2 tbls parsley chopped
4 tblsp frozen peas
15g oil for sauté
Method
1. Chopped parsley in TMX spd 5 for 2 – 3 seconds – set aside in bowl
2. Add onion, garlic, carrot & zucchini into TMX bowl and chop for 5 seconds speed 7
3. Add oil and salt /pepper if using and sauté on 100 2 mins speed 1
4. Insert butterfly, Add remaining ingredients’ (expect frozen peas) and cook for 20 mins at 100 deg on reverse speed soft. 5 mins before cooked add frozen peas.
5. Optional stir through grated parmesan cheese (if not dairy free) and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top.
Moroccan spiced Fish with couscous
We love fish in our house and try and eat it 2-3 times a week. Not only is it healthy but its also loaded with Omega 3's which are essential for your wellbeing. But not all fish is created equal! Look for species that are high in Omega 3's (salmon is a great one) as this helps greatly with maintaining your skin so for us this is perfect for Lachlan and his eczema.
Serves 4
Prep & cook time about 10 mins – so easy!
1 cup of couscous
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp of lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
A handful of chopped coriander
Handful of organic sultanas
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 & ½ tablespoons of Moroccan seasoning if you can find additive free premade one (or use a mix of ground turmeric, cumin & coriander to create your own mix)
4 x firm white fish fillets (i used Flathead) about 180g each
1. Place couscous in medium sized heat proof bowl (thermoserver is perfect for this) stir in one cup of boiling water (I also added a sprinkling of HERBMERE (organic vegetable seasoning salt found in the health food section of Woolies or some Coles) and cover with Clingwrap for 5 mins or until liquid is absorbed, Using a fork fluff and separate the grains and stir in lemon juice, onion, sultanas, coriander and half the oil.
2. Meanwhile combine the seasoning, zest and remaining oil and rub the spice mix over fish, heat a large fry pan over moderate heat and add pan cook for 2 – 3 mins each side of until browned and cooked.
3. Spoon couscous onto plates top with fish and serve with steamed broccoli (not very Moroccan but we love green veggies!!)
Serves 4
Prep & cook time about 10 mins – so easy!
1 cup of couscous
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp of lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
A handful of chopped coriander
Handful of organic sultanas
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 & ½ tablespoons of Moroccan seasoning if you can find additive free premade one (or use a mix of ground turmeric, cumin & coriander to create your own mix)
4 x firm white fish fillets (i used Flathead) about 180g each
1. Place couscous in medium sized heat proof bowl (thermoserver is perfect for this) stir in one cup of boiling water (I also added a sprinkling of HERBMERE (organic vegetable seasoning salt found in the health food section of Woolies or some Coles) and cover with Clingwrap for 5 mins or until liquid is absorbed, Using a fork fluff and separate the grains and stir in lemon juice, onion, sultanas, coriander and half the oil.
2. Meanwhile combine the seasoning, zest and remaining oil and rub the spice mix over fish, heat a large fry pan over moderate heat and add pan cook for 2 – 3 mins each side of until browned and cooked.
3. Spoon couscous onto plates top with fish and serve with steamed broccoli (not very Moroccan but we love green veggies!!)
Roasted Capsicum & Eggplant Dip
Always a winner in our house, especially with children that don't like eggplant and capiscum in their natural state, serve with bread sticks, toasted mountain bread/lebanese bread or veggies such as carrots to dip with.
Roast Capsicum Dip
4 red capsicums cut in half and deseeded
1 small eggplant (optional) thickly sliced
1 clove of garlic
1 hot or mild chilli (optional – I used chilli flakes)
100g Olive Oil
Salt to taste
Grill or bake capsicum and eggplant in the oven at 200 deg for 20 mins. Remove their skins. (I find it easiest to put them in a glass bowl cover with gladwrap and let them sweat a bit)
Place garlic and chilli in TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6
Add capsicum, egg plant and oil and salt and cooked for 8 mins on speed 4 - 100 deg.
Pepita, sunflower & cranberry bars
50 g nuttelex (dairy free margarine) or coconut oil
½ cup of raw sugar
¼ cup of golden syrup or honey
¾ cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
¾ cup of sunflower seed kernels
1 Vita Brit or Weet bix crushed (For Gluten free use quinoa flakes)
½ cup of rolled oats
½ cup of SR flour (GF is needed)
½ cup of cranberries (or use any dried fruit you have chopped dates, sultanas, apricots etc just make sure they are sulphur/preservative free - Organic is always best!)
Preheat oven to 170 deg, line a deep 20cm square baking tin with non stick paper and let the paper overhang on two sides so you can lift it easily out.
Place Nutelex, sugar and syruop or honey in Thermomix for 2 to 3 mins on 60 deg speed 2 till sugar is dissolved.
½ cup of raw sugar
¼ cup of golden syrup or honey
¾ cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
¾ cup of sunflower seed kernels
1 Vita Brit or Weet bix crushed (For Gluten free use quinoa flakes)
½ cup of rolled oats
½ cup of SR flour (GF is needed)
½ cup of cranberries (or use any dried fruit you have chopped dates, sultanas, apricots etc just make sure they are sulphur/preservative free - Organic is always best!)
Preheat oven to 170 deg, line a deep 20cm square baking tin with non stick paper and let the paper overhang on two sides so you can lift it easily out.
Place Nutelex, sugar and syruop or honey in Thermomix for 2 to 3 mins on 60 deg speed 2 till sugar is dissolved.
If you don’t’ have a Thermomix put on stove top in
medium saucepan and stir over a medium heat till sugar dissolves. Cool mixture
for 5 mins.
Add all other ingrediants and mix until well coated and combined or on Interval speed for about 20 seconds in the Thermomix.
Press mixture evenly in the
prepared tin and bake for 25 mins or until set and golden.
Cool completely in
pan (I like to cut mine while still warm so it dosen’t crack) Store in airtight
container.
If you can use sesame seeds add about 2 tbls to the recipe for extra crunch and flavour
If you can use sesame seeds add about 2 tbls to the recipe for extra crunch and flavour
Now you have been warned these never last long in our house, very hard to stop at one!
Salmon Rice Balls
A quicker version of sushi style food that kids will love!
Depending on how many you need to feed work with different quantities – for the three of us for lunch I used the following
1 x 200g Salmon steak – cooked in a 220 deg oven for 20 mins then flaked
If you can tolerate sesame seeds you can add these to the mixture before forming the balls.
You can pre make these ahead of time and put in the fridge – they will hold firmer when serving. If you can tolerate tamari or soy sauce this is a added flavour enhancer.
Salmon Rice Balls
Depending on how many you need to feed work with different quantities – for the three of us for lunch I used the following
1 x 200g Salmon steak – cooked in a 220 deg oven for 20 mins then flaked
Approximately
290g of Sushi rice (washed and cooked in the themomix)
in the TMX bowl with about 400g of water for 10 mins
on Varoma temp speed soft then left to rest in bowl for 15 mins.
Add the flaked salmon steak and rice in a bowl and season with sea salt.
Tear a piece of cling wrap which is the size of an A4 piece of paper and scoop two teaspoons of the mixed rice and twirl the cling wrap until the mixed rice becomes the shape of a ball.
Add the flaked salmon steak and rice in a bowl and season with sea salt.
Tear a piece of cling wrap which is the size of an A4 piece of paper and scoop two teaspoons of the mixed rice and twirl the cling wrap until the mixed rice becomes the shape of a ball.
If you can tolerate sesame seeds you can add these to the mixture before forming the balls.
You can pre make these ahead of time and put in the fridge – they will hold firmer when serving. If you can tolerate tamari or soy sauce this is a added flavour enhancer.
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