Gordan Ramsay's Broccoli Soup

This is by the far the most easiest soup I've ever made! Yummy and super healthy- it's also a great way to get some greens into your diet

Ingredients

2 medium broccoli
1.5L water
1 tablespoon salt
olive oil

Method

1. Bring water to a boil in a large sauce pan. Add salt. Add broccoli and boil rapidly for 4 minutes. Your broccoli is ready when you can piece it with little or no effort.
2. Remove broccoli using a slotted spoon and put into a blender. Pour the broccoli water to fill the blender half way. Add a pinch (or more) of salt. Use several pulses on your blender to break the broccoli up and then puree for several seconds.
3. Pour soup into a bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve at once!

Gluten Free Banana Bread

I had some leftover ripe bananas sitting in my fruit bowl today. Not wanting them to go to waste nor put them in the freezer since I often forget about the things I put in there, I decided to make banana bread. Since I'm trying to cut out wheat and refined sugars from my diet at the moment, I made a gluten-free version. This banana bread is much lighter in texture and healthier to eat. It's also very simple to make and very tasty. Making this at the start of the week means I now have something healthy to snack on for morning or afternoon tea. Especially since I still enjoy eating desserts :)

Recipe adapted from Teresa Cutter's The 80/20 Diet recipe book

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
3 eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup coconut oil
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups almond meal
2 teaspoons chia seeds
chopped walnuts, to decorate (optional)
1 extra banana, sliced, to decorate (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease base and sides of a 7cm deep, 11cm x 21cm (base) loaf pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at both long ends. 
2. Combine the mashed banana, eggs, rice malt syrup, vanilla extract, coconut oil, cinnamon, baking soda and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the almond meal and chia seeds. Mix well until combined. 
4. Pour batter into loaf pan. Decorate the top of banana bread with sliced banana or a handful of chopped walnuts. 
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Lift onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 10 even slices.

Notes & Tips

• Cover the top of the cake with foil if over-browning
• Keeps in the fridge covered for up to one week

Hummus Dip

Ingredients

1x 400g can chick peas, drained, rinsed 

½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons tahini paste (sesame paste)

Up to ½ cup olive oil

Method

Blend all ingredients together in a mini food processor until smooth. Add oil last, a little at a time. Depending on the taste and consistency you like, add as much as necessary up to the 1/2 cup.

Serve with paprika sprinkled on top and extra olive oil drizzled over the top.

Roasted Carrot Dip

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, Episode 38, aired on 18th October 2013

Ingredients

500g carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cinnamon quills
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoon cream cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of white pepper
dukka, to sprinkle
crackers, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Place carrots, unsalted butter, cinnamon and water into a roasting pan. Cover with foil. Poke some holes through the foil. 
3. Roast carrots for 1¾ hours, cool for 15 minutes. Discard the cinnamon quills then transfer the carrots into a food processor. Add honey, cream cheese, salt and pepper. Blend till smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl.
4. Sprinkle the dukkah and serve with crackers

Notes & Tips

Healthy alternative: substitute the cream cheese with cottage cheese

Indian Fish Curry

Recipe adapted from Coles Magazine, July 2013 page 55

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 brown onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
½ teaspoon ginger, grated
2 bird's eye chillies, chopped
750g white fish fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
500g jar Patak's Korma simmer sauce
¼ cup water
200g Perino tomatoes
1 cup frozen baby peas
¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted, to serve
¼ cup coriander leaves, to serve
Naan bread, to serve

Method

1. Cook rice following packet directions
2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, add almonds and toss or stir for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the oil to pan and increase heat to medium-high. Add the onion, garlic, chillies and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until onions are soft. Add fish, simmer sauce and water. Cook for 5 minutes or until fish is opaque. Add tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes or until soft.
4. Top curry with almonds and coriander and serve with rice and naan bread.

Christmas Biscotti

Last Christmas, a friend of mine gave me some home baked biscotti as a Chrissie pressie. Hubby and I loved eating them so much that we devoured it in a matter of minutes. I was really inspired to create my own version but never got around to it until today. This was also my first time at baking biscotti :)

Recipe adapted from Super Food Ideas Magazine, December 2008 issue, page 43

Makes 30 pieces

Ingredients

½ cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 ⅓ cups plain flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder, sifted
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup dried Greek fig, chopped
¼ cup glace cherries, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1½ teaspoon orange zest

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper and lightly grease.
2. Place sugar, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add flour, baking powder, Greek fig, glacé cherries, orange rind and dried cranberries. Stir to combine. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Shape into a 30cm log. Place on prepared tray and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on tray for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 140°C/120°C fan-forced. Using a serrated knife, slice log diagonally into 5mm-thick slices, discarding ends.
4. Place slices, in a single layer, on 2 baking paper-lined baking trays. Bake for 20 minutes, turning over halfway or until dry and crisp. Stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes & Tips

Place biscotti into clear cellophane gift bags tied with ribbon to give away as gifts

Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals Fettuccine, Smoked Trout, Asparagus & Peas

Recipe adapted from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, page 188

* Ingredients out * Kettle boiled * Medium pan, high heat * Large lidded pan, high heat * Stick blender

Pasta
1 small bunch of spring onions
1 bunch of asparagus (300g)
olive oil
300g frozen baby peas
1 big bunch of fresh mint
1 tablespoon plain flour
385ml evaporated milk
320g dried fettuccine
250g hot-smoked trout (or salmon)
Parmesan cheese, to serve

Salad & dressing
50g mesclun salad leaves
a few sprigs of fresh tarragon
2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 heaped teaspoon runny honey
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
1 heaped tablespoon fat-free natural yoghurt

Method

Roughly slice the trimmed spring onions and asparagus stalks, leaving the tips whole. Set aside the asparagus tips. Put the trimmed spring onions and asparagus stalks into the medium pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the peas. Roughly chop most of the top leafy half of the mint, and add it to the pan. Stir in the flour, pour in the milk and bring to the boil, then simmer. Put the pasta into the large pan, cover with boiling salted water and cook according to packet instructions.

Empty the salad leaves into a salad bowl. Pick over the tarragon and the remaining mint leaves. Spoon the mustard and honey into a small bowl, add the extra virgin olive oil, the juice of ½ a lemon and the yoghurt, mix together and season to taste.

Using the stick blender, purée the asparagus sauce until fairly smooth. Turn the heat down to low, flake in the trout, add the asparagus tips and simmer for a few more minutes, then squeeze in the rest of the lemon juice and season to taste. Drain the pasta, reserving a cupful of starchy cooking water, then toss the pasta with the sauce, loosening with a splash of cooking water, if needed. Serve straight away, with a grating of Parmesan and the salad, dressing it at the table.

Smoked Salmon and Ricotta Fettuccine

Recipe modified from Latina Fresh

Serves 4

Ingredients

375g fresh egg fettuccine 
finely grated zest and juice of a large lemon
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup baby capers
200g smoked salmon, cut into strips
½ small bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly torn
125g fresh ricotta
cracked black pepper

Method

1. Place a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta. 
2. In a bowl whisk together the lemon juice and oil until it becomes creamy. 
3. Add the grated lemon zest, capers, salmon strips and parsley. 
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to pack directions. Drain and toss with the salmon mixture.
5. Spoon on the ricotta and gently stir through the pasta, season with freshly ground pepper.
6. Divide between bowls and serve immediately

Tip: Try dill instead of parsley for a flavour variation

Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals Green Tea Salmon with Coconut Rice & Miso Greens

So I've been watching Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals on TV recently and have been quite impressed at what he has been able to achieve in such little time. So I've decided to give it a go. That's right. This week for every day of the week, I'm going to cook a Jamie Oliver recipe. I'm going to put it to the test and see if it really does take me 15 minutes to cook and whether it tastes nice.

Today is day 1 of my Jamie Oliver challenge.

I started off by making sure I was prepared- that all my ingredients and equipment were out on the kitchen bench and that I had read through the recipe. Then the kitchen timer was set- 15 minutes, Ready? Set. Go!

Found myself multi-tasking, whizzing and moving around the kitchen very quickly, which was something I wasn't quite used to since I generally like to take my time when I'm coking. I actually felt slightly stressed- it kinda felt like being in a Masterchef kitchen with the clock ticking down behind you. Don't know how Jamie did it with such breeze!

My first attempt at this 15 minute meal recipe actually took me about 25 minutes in total but I'm confident that next time I'll be able to cook it in 20 minutes.

This is such a quick and clever recipe, where the ingredients have been thoughtfully combined and it doesn't taste like something that takes 15-20 minutes to cook. I can see why Jamie's cookbooks have been so popular- they're great for all those time poor people out there that still want to eat healthy home cooked meals that are quick and easy to prepare.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, page 138

Ingredients

Salmon
4 x 120g salmon fillets, skin-on, scaled and pin-boned
2 green tea bags
olive oil

Rice
1x 400g tin of light coconut milk
300g basmati rice
½ a lemon

Greens
½ fresh red chilli
1 small thumb sized piece of ginger
1 heaped tsp miso powder or 1 tbsp miso paste
½ a bunch of fresh coriander
½ a lemon
2-3 tbsp low salt soy sauce
1 heaped tsp runny honey
200g sugar snap peas
200g tenderstem broccoli (broccolini)
1 bunch of asparagus (300g)
1 lime

Method

* Ingredients out *Kettle boiled *Large frying pan, medium-high heat * Large lidded pan, medium heat * Medium lidded pan, medium heat *Liquidizer/mini food processor

Place the salmon on a plate, rip open the green tea bags and scatter the contents over the fish, season with salt and pepper and rub in. Put into the frying pan, skin side down, with 1 teaspoon of oil, turning until golden on all sides. Pour the coconut milk, 1 tin's worth of rice and 1 tin of boiling water (use a tea towel) into the large pan. Add ½ a lemon, stir well, cover and cook for roughly 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then turn the heat off.

Finely slice ½ the chilli for garnish and throw the rest into the liquidizer with the peeled ginger, the miso powder or paste, most of the coriander, the juice of ½ a lemon, the soy sauce, honey and a small splash of water (about 1 tablespoon), then whiz until smooth. Pour the rest of the kettle water into the medium pan. Add the sugar snaps, trimmed broccoli and asparagus and a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes, until just tender.

Remove the cooked salmon from the pan, gently pull the skins off and put back soft-side down to crisp up for 30 seconds. Pour the dressing into a bowl or on to a serving platter, then quickly drain the greens and place nicely on top. Fluff up the rice, then flake the salmon over the top, sprinkle with the chilli and the rest of the coriander leaves, then serve with the crispy salmon skin and lime wedges.

Notes & Tips

If sugar snap peas are unavailable, you can substitute with snow peas or green beans

Jamie Oliver's Festive Fiesta Tacos

Recipe adapted from "Jamie Oliver's Christmas with Bells On" TV show aired on 20th December 2012

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
200g pork belly, skin off and cut into 1cm dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ripe avocado, halved and destoned
1 large ripe tomato
1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded (optional)
200g tinned haricot beans, drained
1-2 limes,
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon honey
6 taco shells
½ bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked and chopped
Fat-free natural yoghurt, to serve

Method

In a bowl, combine the sweet smoked paprika and fennel seeds then toss with the diced pork belly.
Pop a large pan over a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and the spiced pork and fry for 5 minutes, or until crispy and golden. Jiggle the pan every so often.
Meanwhile, use a spoon to scoop out the avocado flesh, then chop up into rough 1cm chunks with the tomato. Finely chop the chilli, then toss it together to make a sort of crude salsa.
By this point the pork will be lovely and gnarly so drain and add the haricot beans, and cook for a further 2 to 4 minutes, or until thick and combined.
Squeeze the juice from one of the limes over the salsa, season well and toss to dress. Check on the pork – add the honey at this point, if you like, to give it an incredible shine, then season and toss everything together.
Get yourself a big board or plate for serving, and ruffle up a tea towel to hold your taco shells. Divide the meat between them. Mix the coriander through the salsa then dot some over each taco, along with a dollop of yoghurt and an extra squeeze of lime juice, then tuck in.

Notes & Tips

If haricot beans are unavailable, substitute with navy beans or white beans. I used a tin of Ol El Paso Mexe-Beans

Glazed Lamb Rumps

Recipe from Coles Magazine, November 2012 issue, page 44

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons rosemary, chopped

8 lamb rump steaks

¼ cup maple syrup, plus extra to serve (optional)

200g green beans, trimmed, blanched

White Bean Mash

2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained

¼ cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

1. To make white bean mash, process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Season. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat on low.
2. Mix together oil, garlic and rosemary. Rub over lamb. Heat a large frypan on high and cook for 2-3 minutes each side, for medium, or  until cooked to your liking. Pour over maple syrup and swirl to coat.
3. Serve lamb steak with bean mash and green beans. Drizzle over pan juices, serve with extra maple syrup, if using.

Pork Cutlets with Mango Salad

Recipe adapted from Coles Magazine November 2012 issue, page 18

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 small red onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice
¼ cup lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 pork cutlets, fat trimmed
1 large or 2 small mangoes, diced
80g Four leaf Salad Mix

Dressing:

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ teaspoon finely grated ginger
pinch salt
pinch brown sugar

Method

1. Combine in a small food processor onion, garlic, spices, lime juice and oil (until smooth paste). Rub over cutlets, and marinate in fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before cooking.
2. Preheat a char-grill pan, barbecue grill or fry pan on medium-high. Cook cutlets for 5 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place dressing ingredients in a small screw top jar and shake to combine.
4. Arrange mango and salad leaves on serving plates, drizzle with dressing. Serve with pork.

Short Soup with Dumplings (Cheat's Version)

Recipe from Coles Magazine, October 2012 issue, page 43

Ingredients

1L chicken stock
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup water
2x 200g pkts Crazy Dragon Dumplings
1 cup shredded wombok
3 spring onions, sliced

Method

1. Heat stock, soy and water in a saucepan on high, until boiling. Reduce heat to low. Add dumplings and cook according to packet directions.
2. Remove from heat. Stir through wombok. Ladle into bowls and top with sliced spring onions.

Easy Lamb Cutlets

Recipe adapted from Coles Magazine

Ingredients

500g potatoes (par boiled)
500g frozen baby carrots
olive oil spray
16 lamb cutlets
3 tbsp mint sauce
2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs
250g frozen green beans

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Arrange potatoes and carrots in a baking dish. Spray with oil and bake for 20 mins. Reduce heat to 200°C.
2. Sear lamb cutlets in batches, in a hot non-stick frying pan, until just brown on each side. Arrange over vegetables and brush with mint sauce. Scatter rosemary sprigs over dish.
3. Return to oven for 15-20 minutes to cook the meat. 
4. Serve with green beans, cooked according to packet directions.

Chicken and Zucchni Stir Fry

Ingredients

450g chicken thigh fillets, cut into strips
2 tablespoons corn flour
2 tablespoons oil
2 small zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced (unpeeled)
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
50ml white wine
1-2 teaspoons chicken stock powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Method

1. Coat the chicken strips with cornflour. Heat up the oil in a wok over high heat and fry half the chicken strips. Once the meat starts turning golden in colour, remove from the wok and set aside covered. Repeat with remaining chicken.
2. In the same oil, cook the zucchini briefly.
3. Add chicken and ginger to the zucchini. Cover with wine and stir through.
4. Sprinkle chicken stock powder and cook for a few minutes. Just before serving drizzle with sesame oil. Serve with steamed rice.

Notes & Tips

An easy way to cut chicken strips thinly is to freeze the meat lightly and cut. Then ensure it is completely thawed out prior to cooking.

Coconut Jelly

Ingredients

• 400ml can light coconut milk

• 1 cup hot water

• 1 tablespoon gelatine

• ½ cup caster sugar

Method

Heat coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat for 6 minutes or until hot (do not boil). 

Add gelatine to hot water. Stir with a fork until gelatine has dissolved.

Pour gelatine into warm coconut milk. Add sugar. Heat, stirring, for 3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool.


Pour jelly into five ½-cup capacity jelly moulds. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Invert onto serving plate. Serve cold.

Alternatively, pour jelly into a rectangular container. Refrigerate until set. Cut jelly into cubes. Serve cold.

Sweet Chilli Chicken Wings

This is one of my mum's recipes. It's super easy to make and very tasty.

Ingredients

1kg chicken wings
½ cup sweet chilli sauce
½ cup tomato sauce
3-4 tablespoons light soy sauce

Method

Add the sweet chilli sauce, tomato sauce and light soy sauce together into a large saucepan. Bring to boil then add the chicken wings. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Cannoli with ricotta, chocolate and orange

This simple dessert tastes sensational, yet it is quick and easy to prepare.

Recipe from Australian Good Taste Magazine, April 2007 issue, page 58

Serves 4

Ingredients 

250g fresh ricotta
100g caster sugar
¼ cup grated dark chocolate
2 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
8 cannoli shells
Icing sugar mixture, to dust

Method

Place the ricotta, sugar, chocolate, orange rind and vanilla in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to mix until well combined. 

Spoon the ricotta mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm diameter fluted nozzle. Pipe the ricotta mixture evenly into the cannoli shells.

Arrange 2 cannoli on each serving plate. Dust evenly with icing sugar and serve immediately (otherwise shells will become soggy)

Notes & Tips

Cannoli shells are from Italian delis and gourmet food shops. If unavailable, use the ricotta mixture to fill waffle baskets or waffle ice-cream cones.

Filling can be made ahead up to 24hours prior to filling the shells. Keep covered and refrigerated.

Fresh ricotta cheese is drier than tub ricotta and will give the correct consistency in this recipe. Ricotta cheese is the main ingredient in the filling and should always be dry. If the cheese is not dry, place it in a colander which is placed in a large bowl. Cover this with a moist cloth and place it overnight in the refrigerator so that all the moisture drains out. Make sure that the cheese is dry or else the filling will not turn out thick and soft, ruining the cannoli and your efforts.

Using an electric mixer to combine the ingredients will make it nice and fluffy

Tofu Panna Cotta

Ingredients

300g silken tofu
10g or 1 envelope powdered gelatin
3 tbsp hot water
½ cup caster sugar
1 cup soy milk

Method

1. Whisk the powdered gelatine and hot water together in a small bowl. Set aside the gelatine for 5 minutes to bloom.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the silken tofu, sugar and soy milk. Blend on high until smooth.
3. Transfer the tofu mixture to a small saucepan. Bring the tofu to a simmer while stirring constantly, but not to a boil, just until the mixture begins to bubble, then add gelatine. Whisk mixture until gelatine has completely dissolved then remove saucepan from the heat.
4. Pour the tofu mixture through a strainer when adding into moulds, to remove any lumps.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.
6. To unmould the panna cotta, briefly dip the bot­tom of each mould in a bowl of hot water. Invert the panna cotta onto a dessert plate and care­fully lift off the mould (shake gen­tly if necessary).

Notes & Tips

You can also spray moulds with a little oil prior to transferring the tofu mixture to help the panna cotta come out easily when ready to unmould

If you are having difficulty removing the panna cotta from its mould, run a thin knife around the inside edge of the mould to loosen the panna cotta.

Tropical Fruit Salad

Just the other day, hubby and I had a real craving for fruit so we headed to our local fruit shop, picked up a stack of fresh fruits and made ourselves a refreshing fruit salad. All in all, we included 10 different types of fruit in this salad! See if you can spot them all!

The possibilities for fruit salad recipes are endless as you can use any combination of fruits. One of the best things about warmer weather is that many tropical fruits are more readily available, so mix and match to whatever suits your palette.

Ingredients

½ pineapple, peeled, chopped
800g seedless watermelon, chopped
½ honeydew, peeled, chopped
2 mangoes, peeled, chopped
2 oranges, peeled, chopped
3 kiwifruit, peeled, chopped
3 nectarines, halved, stone removed, cut into wedges
250g strawberries, hulled, quartered
x2 punnet blueberries
200g blackberries
200g raspberries

Method

Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve chilled

Notes & Tips

When making a fruit salad use fruits that are in season
Fruit salad is best eaten the day it's made otherwise it will become soggy and the fruit will lose its sweetness.