Citrus Semolina Syrup Cake

 Recipe from Super Food Ideas magazine, November 2003 issue, page 50

Ingredients

2 oranges 

3 lemons

250g unsalted butter, softened

2¼ cups caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
5 eggs
2 cups semolina
2 teaspoons baking powder
200g ground almonds
¼ cup orange juice or Grand Marnier (see note)



Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 2 litre-capacity, 26cm (top) gugelhopf (ring) pan.
2. Finely grate rind of 1 orange and 2 lemons. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, 1¼ cups of sugar, rinds and vanilla together until light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add semolina, baking powder and almonds. Mix gently to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
4. Shred rind from remaining orange and lemon. Juice fruit. Combine juice, remaining sugar and Grand Marnier or orange juice in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until syrup comes to the boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half.
5. Using a skewer, pierce holes in surface of warm cake. Pour three-quarters of syrup over cake. Add shredded rind to remaining syrup. Stand cake in pan for 15 minutes before turning onto a plate. Spoon over remaining syrup, serve the cake in slices with a dollop of crème fraiche.

Notes & Tips

Semolina is coarsely ground durum wheat. You'll find it in the health food section of your supermarket.

Grand Marnier is an orange-flavoured liqueur. Substitute with orange juice for a non alcoholic version

Choc Chip Banana Muffins

Recipe from Fresh Living Magazine, September 2004 issue, page 7

Makes 12

Ingredients

60g unsalted butter
2 cups self-raising flour
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup milk
2 eggs, room temperature
2 ripe bananas, mashed (approx. 1½ cups)
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a medium muffin tray (12 sections) with paper cases. Melt butter in a small saucepan or heat-proof bowl in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients. 
3. Using a whisk, lightly beat milk, eggs and butter in a jug. Add to dry ingredients, along with mashed banana. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix ingredients until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Don't beat the mixture or the muffins will be tough. 
4. Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cases. Bake for 20 minutes or until firm on top when lightly touched. Leave in the tray for 5 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack to cool.

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.

Panfried Salmon on Garlic Mash and Green Beans

Salmon is considered to be one of nature's superfoods as it is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. Just two serves per week provides the recommended intake of omega 3 which research has shown is beneficial for heart health and a range of diseases & conditions.

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon baby capers
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup olive oil
4 salmon fillets
250g steamed green beans
extra virgin olive oil, for dressing
Garlic Mash, for serving

Method

Combine extra virgin olive oil together with lemon rind, juice, capers and season to taste. Season salmon fillets and pan fry in hot olive oil for 2 minutes on each side until golden on the outside but still slightly pink in the centre. Dress beans with extra virgin olive oil and season. Serve salmon on garlic mash drizzled with caper and lemon oil and accompanied with beans.

Garlic Mash

800g potatoes
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup hot milk
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Place potatoes and garlic cloves in a large saucepan and cover with cold salty water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Cook potatoes for 20 minutes or until very tender but not falling apart. Drain and mash potatoes and garlic together with milk until smooth. Season to taste.

Notes & Tips

To heat milk, pour into a microwave-safe jug or cup. Heat, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes on HIGH (100%) power or until hot. Using milk instead of butter and cream makes this a healthier potato mash.

For really smooth potato mash, use an electric mixer to mix for a minute and then pass mash through a drum sieve, gently pushing with the back of a wooden spoon.

Choc Orange Cupcakes

Recipe from White Wings

Makes 15 cupcakes

Ingredients

370g White Wings Moist Chocolate Cake mix
2 eggs (59g each), at room temperature
1 orange
½ teaspoon orange essence (optional)
60ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
choc orange balls

Chocolate Frosting

1½ cups icing sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
125g soft butter
2 tbsp milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C conventional or 140°C fan-forced. Grease and line muffin/cupcake pans.
2. Finely grate the rind of 1 orange (approx. 2 teaspoons) then juice orange into a measuring cup.
3. Add water to the orange juice to make up to 250ml (1 cup) of liquid in total.
4. Place cake mix, eggs, orange zest, orange juice mix, orange essence and vegetable oil into a medium mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer beat on low speed for 30 seconds to combine. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Spoon approx 2 tablespoons of cake mixture into cupcake cases and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make chocolate frosting by using an electric mixer on low speed to beat together soft butter, milk, sifted icing sugar and sifted cocoa powder until well combined.
6. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, adding a few drops of milk if required.
7. When cupcakes are cool, ice each one with chocolate icing and decorate each cupcake with a choc orange ball. 

Notes & Tips

To retain freshness, store cupcakes in an airtight container. 

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.

T-Bone Steak with mushroom sauce and vegetables

Ingredients

½ cup frozen sliced carrots
¼ cup frozen peas or beans
½ teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
1 bag oven fries
4 (about 350g each) beef T-bone steaks
1 tablespoon oil

Mushroom sauce

200g mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ cup red wine
½ cup beef stock
¼ cup cream

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place oven fries onto a baking tray. Cook, following packet directions, until golden and tender.

Place frozen vegetables in a shallow microwavesafe dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon butter and some garlic salt. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 3 minutes or until just tender. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a small, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush steaks with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook steaks for 4 to 5 minutes each side for medium rare or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil. Set aside for 5 minutes to rest.

Add onions and mushrooms to frying pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden and all moisture has evaporated.

Add wine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Add stock and cream. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until reduced by half. 


Place steaks on plates. Spoon over mushrooms sauce and sprinkle with chives. Serve with vegetables and fries

Notes & Tips

You can substitute the potato fries with potato mash for a healthier version

Pan-Fried Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 chicken pieces
• 4 thick rashers rindless bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, halved and finely sliced
• 200g small mushrooms, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• 100ml dry white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup (125 ml) chicken stock
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream
• sea salt and pepper
• 50g baby spinach
• 1 tsp paprika
• 
  

Method

Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat and panfry the chicken for 5 minutes on each side until golden. Remove to a warm plate, and add the bacon and onion to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the mushrooms and thyme, tossing well, then add the wine and bay leaves. Boil for 2 minutes, then return the chicken to the pan and add the stock. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Just before serving, remove the chicken to a warm plate, and whisk the cream and mustard, salt and pepper into the mushrooms over gentle heat. Return the chicken to the pan, scatter with baby spinach and heat through. Dust with paprika and serve. 

Teriyaki Beef

Tasty, versatile and easy to clean up afterwards, this meal with mince is perfect for the weeknights.

Recipe adapted  from Super Food Ideas Magazine, September 2010 issue, page 64

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 600g beef mince
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• ½ cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 150g snow or sugar snap peas, trimmed, sliced
• 3 green onions, thickly sliced
• Toasted sesame seeds and steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add brown onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion has softened. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
2. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add teriyaki sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add snow peas and green onion. Cook for 2 minutes or until snow peas are tender. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

Meatball Cacciatore with Polenta

Recipe adapted from Recipes +, April 2011 issue, page 56-57

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
2 x 420g packets beef meatballs
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
200g button mushrooms, sliced
500g bottle tomato pasta sauce
1.25 litres (5 cups) chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 cup milk
1½ cups instant polenta (cornmeal)
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley

Method

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over moderately high heat. Add meatballs; cook and turn for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a heatproof plate. Add onion and mushroom to pan; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add pasta sauce, ½ cup of the stock and 2 tablespoons of basil. Season with pepper. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly and meatballs are cooked.
2. Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to the boil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Use a wire balloon whisk to stir the stock. Gradually add the polenta in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly until all the polenta is incorporated into the liquid (whisking ensures the polenta is dispersed through the liquid as quickly as possible). Don't add the polenta too quickly or it will turn lumpy. 
3. Reduce heat to low (cook the polenta over low heat otherwise it will cook too quickly and you will need to add extra water/stock). Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and the polenta is soft. (To test whether the polenta is soft, spoon a little of the polenta mixture onto a small plate and set aside to cool slightly. Rub a little of the polenta mixture between 2 fingers to see if the grains have softened. If the grains are still firm, continue to cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until the polenta is soft.)  
4. Remove from heat. Add the milk and parmesan cheese, and stir until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon polenta into shallow serving bowls. Add cacciatore; sprinkle with chopped parsley and pepper. Serve immediately.