RETRO MANGO FROGURT

RETRO MANGO FROGURT

A delightfully fruity frozen yoghurt.

Ingredients

Frozen plain Greek yoghurt (see above, simply freeze in a snap lock bag)

Frozen diced mangoes (see above)

Honey

You can make as much or as little as you like, just have equal parts of fruit to yoghurt and sweeten with honey to your taste.

Directions

Blitz in thermomix or blender on speed 10 until smooth and glossy. Serve in a retro glass with a fresh cherry or strawberry on top!

EGGPLANT AND ZUCCHINI CURRY

EGGPLANT AND ZUCCHINI CURRY

This delicious curry is inspired by my beautiful mentor

Jenny from http://two-days-at-a-time.blogspot.com/

Jen has a glut of eggplant at the moment, so I hope she can use this recipe to use them up!

Ingredients

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam marsarla

2 dried chillies

4 curry leaves crumbled

1 thumb of ginger grated

Oil for frying and for baking eggplant

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 onion diced

6 small zucchini

1 eggplant

5 Vine ripened tomatoes

1 tin organic coconut milk

1/2 a cup of vegetable stock

Directions

Lightly fry onions, garlic, ginger and spices

Meanwhile, peel the eggplant and slice in to bite size pieces, bake in a 250 degree oven drizzled with olive oil until tender - turn every 8 minutes to ensure they are evenly cooked.

Slice zucchini in to rounds and cut tomatoes in to quarters. Add coconut milk and vegetable stock to the onions, garlic and spices, warm through. Place cooked eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes in to a casserole dish and cover with the curry sauce, bake in a hot oven for about 25 minutes. Allow to sit in the oven for a further 15 minutes then serve with fluffy rice, Greek yoghurt and fresh coriander.

PIZZA NIGHT

PIZZA NIGHT

Home made pizza is soooo good, if you have the time!

My Dough ingredients are as follows:

280g skim milk

1 Sachet instant yeast

20g Olive Oil

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon sugar

500g Self Raising Flour

Allow at least 30 minutes for the dough to rise, then roll it out in to pizza type shapes - should make 4 fairly large pizza's

Top with delicious fresh ingredients, mushrooms, zucchini, capers, pine nuts, cherry tomatoes...the choice is yours, I added a drizzle of truffle oil to the mushroom one which was outstanding!

NOT SO NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS TREATS

NOT SO NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS TREATS

100g Nuts - I used macadamias

250g pitted dates

100g shredded coconut

Blitz in a food processor and roll in to balls.

Simple, tasty, healthy, Christmas treats.

POLENTA APPETISER

POLENTA APPETISER

I always feel very clever when I make these little polenta rounds...they are great for cocktail parties and you can let your creative side go wild with toppings.

Simply prepare polenta according to packet insturctions - but use a little less water, add some olive oil and some Parmesan cheese. When polenta is cooked, pour it in to a greased tray, let it cool, cover and place in the fridge for a few hours to set. I use a champagne glass to cut rounds in to the polenta then top them with sliced cherry tomatoes, goats feta and herbs with a dash of balsamic glaze.

SESAME BERRY BLITZ

BERRY BLITZ

The berries are so beautiful and affordable at the moment, I can't get enough of them! I have also saved some in ziplock bags in the freezer for when the price rises again. 

Frozen fruit makes great icy cold smoothies right through the year.  

Ingredients

1/2 a cup almond or soya milk

1 frozen banana

2 large strawberries chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

10 blue berries

Directions

Throw everything in to a blender and blitz well. Serve with a few fresh berries on the side.

BEAUTIFUL BREAKFAST BREAD

BEAUTIFUL BREAKFAST BREAD

Ingredients

290g Milk

1 Sachet yeast

20g Olive Oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

500g organic self raising flower

Directions

Throw all ingredients together and knead.... I used my fancy thermomix

to do the kneading on this bread - but it can absolutely be done

in a normal food processor, or by hand,

just take your frustration out on the dough and

knead, knead, knead!

Form the dough in to a ball and let it rest for 30 minutes in an oiled bowl.

When the mix has risen (the self raising flour plus yeast makes it really rise!) punch down, knead a couple more times, then shape in to a fancy loaf - I split the dough in to 3, rolled out long sausages and plaited them. Brush the top of the loaf with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in a hot oven - 220 degrees for about 25 minutes. Keep an eye on it as you don't want to burn it.  You can test if the bread is ready by poking a wooden skewer in to the middle of the loaf, if it comes out clean, it is ready! Serve the bread hot with organic butter and preserves.

Happy baking everyone.

BUTTERNUT, ALMOND AND SUNDRIED TOMATO CANNELLONI

BUTTERNUT, ALMOND AND SUNDRIED TOMATO CANNELLONI

This recipe is for my beautiful friend Irene. It is a great vegetarian option for Christmas Dinner parties if you serve it with loads of salad and garlic bread.
INGREDIENTS
1 packet of Latina fresh lasagna sheets (or make your own if you are super clever)
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup drained sundried tomato strips
1 butternut, peeled, diced and baked in the oven with a little olive oil until soft
1 red onion diced and baked with the butternut
1 tub low fat cottage cheese
Cheese for the sauce and to top the bake
Home made cheese sauce (I use 2 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons of cornflour, 2 cups of milk a dash of salt and pepper and one cup of low fat cheese - i forget to stir it enough and it always goes lumpy, so I let it cool and whack it in the blender and blitz it for a couple of seconds until it is silky smooth!)
METHOD
Once everything has been prepared, it is super easy to construct your dish. Mix the butternut, onions, almonds, sundried tomatoes and cottage cheese together - don't mush up too much, you want it kind of rough, season the mix as much as you like.  Spoon some cheese sauce in to the base of your baking dish. Cut the lasagna sheets in half, dip them in some water, place the butternut mix along the one end and roll, place the cannelloni in the dish with the open side down, repeat until you have a full dish (I like to stick to one layer) Pour over the rest of your cheese sauce and top with further grated cheese if you like. Bake in a hot oven for 40 minutes or until brown and bubbling on the top. A little bit naughty - but nice for a treat!
Irene...ring me if you need assistance :)

ITALIAN FLAG STICKS

ITALIAN FLAG STICKS

Tasty little snacks - simply cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls and basil on toothpicks drizzled with good quality olive oil and balsamic glaze.

CRUNCHY KALE "CHIPS"

CRUNCHY KALE "CHIPS"

Kale is a beautiful dark leafy vegetable, which makes the most delightfully, light and tasty crunchy treat instead of fatty deep fried chips!

If you are in Perth check out Subi farmers market on a Saturday

8am - 12pm for great organic Kale http://subifarmersmarket.com.au )

Ingredients

1 bunch of Kale, wash very well, dry very well, chop in to slightly larger than bite size pieces

Garlic or herb salt

Good quality olive oil

1 Lemon

Directions

Place grease proof paper on the bottom of your oven tray, place an oven rack on top of that and spread the kale evenly over the rack. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic or herb salt. Bake in a warm oven, about 200 degrees, for about 15 - 20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes, and shuffle the pieces around a bit. Don't let the kale burn, but you do want it to be crispy, so test a piece every now and then, you will know when it is ready! Serve with a wedge of lemon. Happy crunchy munching everyone.

HUNGRY HULK JUICE

HUNGRY HULK JUICE

Freshly squeezed juice of one orange, 1 small hand full of baby spinach, 1 small mango, peeled and diced, 3 ice cubes. Pop all ingredients in your blender, whizz them up and drink straight away (don't let it sit because the ingredients begin to separate!). Make sure your blender can handle ice cubes, they are quite essential to the recipe. I don't currently have a hangover...but if I did, I'm pretty sure this juice would cure it!

ASPARAGUS SALAD

Asparagus Salad

Need something simple for lunch? Try this quick and health salad of asparagus, tomatoes and avo - drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice. I was lucky enough to get all the fresh organic ingredients from the Subiaco Farmers Market. Non vegans can add some fetta.

VEGAN BREAKFAST FRY UP

VEGAN BREAKFAST FRY UP

Sweet potatoes (cooked), red pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, coriander...fry in a little olive oil....yum, breakfast is ready. 

MAGNIFICENT MUSHROOMS!!!!!

MAGNIFICENT MUSHROOMS

I am so delighted with these mushrooms, purchased from the Subiaco Farmers Market this morning! The farmer was so proud....now, what to make with them?

CRUNCHY COUSCOUS CRUSTED EGGPLANT

Crunchy Couscous Crusted Eggplant

Slice eggplant length ways and bake in a hot oven until soft, remove from oven and slightly cool. Make a mixture of cottage cheese and herbs and spread it on a piece of eggplant then top with another...just like a sandwich. Dip the eggplant sandwich in to cornflower, then egg, then couscous (I prepared the couscous with boiling water and some herb salt). Fry in some hot olive oil (or try baking)

Broccoi Soup

BROCCOLI SOUP

1 Large broccoli chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

1 large onion

2 ruby red potatoes, peeled and diced

Olive oil, black pepper and basil to serve

Lightly fry onions, add broccoli, potatoes and stock. Cook until potatoes are tender. Blend and serve with a dash of olive oil, black pepper and torn basil.

QUICK POTATO AND ROSEMARY PIZZA

QUICK POTATO AND ROSEMARY PIZZA

Cut super thin slices of potatoes, arrange on a plate, cover with cling wrap and microwave for a 4 minutes. Using a tortilla wrap as the base, top with the par cooked potatoes, drizzle over olive oil, salt and dry rosemary, bake in the oven on high for a few minutes (until it starts to sizzle) then change to grill for about 2 more minutes...remove and serve with fresh salad.

OPEN MUSHROOM AND ZUCCHINI PIE

OPEN MUSHROOM AND ZUCCHINI PIE

Make a square pie base using vegetarian puff pastry. Bake for 15 minutes then top with some grated cheese and bake for a further 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make your pie topping - this one was simply; onions, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms and seasoning. Place the pie base in the middle of your plate and pile with the topping...serve immediately.

BAKED SPUD WITH LOADS OF SALAD

Take the time to bake your potatoes in the oven (instead of the microwave) you will be so glad you did. My oven is quite slow - so it took just over an hour - but I baked 4 potatoes to feed the guests, so we just sat drinking wine while the oven did all the work. Serve piled with salad such as avo, tomato and rocket - drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and a blob of yogurt if desired.

EGGPLANT AND PINE NUT SAVORY MUFFINS

EGGPLANT AND PINE NUT SAVORY MUFFINS

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour

1/4 cup grated cheese

1/2 cup of yogurt

2 tablespoons extra vigin olive oil

2 eggs

Dash of milk if required

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup of chopped marinated eggplant

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Grease a muffin tray (should make about 12)

Mix all ingredients together and bake in a hot oven for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve hot with cream cheese or butter if desired

STUFFED BUTTERNUT WITH VEGETABLES

BROCCOLINI AND BABY SQUASH PASTA BAKE

BROCCOLINI AND BABY SQUASH PASTA BAKE

Pasta bakes are a great option for Sunday nights...they make a perfect lunchbox treat on a Monday! Simply mix cooked pasta with steamed veggies and stir through some cheese sauce (butter, cornflour, milk and grated cheese) and bake in the oven until browning on top.

Serve with a beautiful mixed leaf salad.

MUSHROOM AND CELERIAC RISOTTO

MUSHROOM AND CELERIAC RISOTTO

I have never claimed to make a brilliant risotto - but oh my goodness, I surprised myself with this one - it was outstanding! As always, it was the freshness of the ingredients that made all the difference, I will give you the ingredients and leave the method up to you - basically put it all in a pot and stir until the rice is almost cooked, then cover and let sit for about 10 minutes to absorb - then serve with a little grated Parmesan on top. The Celeriac in this dish was a winner!!!

3 Cups vegetable Stock

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Brown Onion

½ a celeriac bulb

1 Glass white wine

A few sprigs of thyme

1 bag of brown mushrooms

A handful of dry mushrooms – soaked in boiling water

1 Garlic clove crushed

1 Red Chilli

1 Red Pepper

2 cups Risotto Rice

RUSTIC MUSHROOMS WITH HOME MADE BREAD AND BUTTER

RUSTIC MUSHROOMS WITH HOME MADE BREAD AND BUTTER

Ingredients

Mushrooms - different shapes and sizes!

Grape tomatoes

Shallots or red onion

Garlic

Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper & fresh thyme

Directions

Line a baking tray with silver foil, then baking paper, place all ingredients in to the dish and cover with another layer of foil - scrunch the edges and make in to a silver foil bag. Bake in a hot oven for about 25minutes. Serve with hot bread and organic butter.  (I am lucky enough to have a bread maker, if you don't have one, warm a rustic bakery loaf in the oven) 

AFRICAN PEANUT BUTTER CASSEROLE

AFRICAN PEANUT BUTTER CASSEROLE

This nutty savory dish takes me back to childhood. It is sooo good served piping hot in front of a wood fire! Cue someone who can play the guitar and enjoy it with dark beer.

Ingredients

1 Large sweet potato (use the one with the pink skin)

1 Large bunch of silverbeet or similar dark leafy veg

3 tablespoons peanut butter

250mls boiling water

2 Vegetable stock cubes

1 tin chopped tomatoes

Directions

Mix the boiling water, stock cubes, peanut butter and tomatoes in a jug. Slice potatoes in to half moons and layer on the bottom of a casserole dish, top with chopped green veg, layer potatoes and green veg again then pour over the peanut sauce. Cover and bake in a medium oven for up to two hours - slow cooking intensifies the flavours. Serve hot in bowls, add a dollop of fresh yogurt if desired.

GARLIC AND HERB MASH WITH BALSAMIC MUSHROOMS

GARLIC AND HERB MASH WITH BALSAMIC MUSHROOMS

Boil blue potatoes and mash with garlic, herbs & plain Greek Yogurt

Cut mushrooms in half and saute in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and add a little balsamic towards the end of the cooking.

Pile the mushrooms on to the mash and eat with your best friends on a cold winters night.

STIR FRY VEGETABLES WITH SWEET CHILLI TOFU AND CASHEWS

STIR FRY VEGETABLES WITH SWEET CHILI TOFU AND CASHEWS

Ingredients

Red cabbage

White Cabbage

Onion

Mung bean sprouts

Carrots

Tofu

Sweet Chili Sauce

Soy Sauce

sesame oil

Cashew Nuts

Directions

Stir fry veggies in a little soy sauce and sesame oil very quickly and place in to bowls. Stir fry tofu and cashew nuts in sweet chili, soy sauce and place on top of the vegetables. Serve immediately

BUBBLE & SQUEAK

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK

Another fun weekend - another hangover breakfast!

Ingredients

1 Tin Butter beans

2 red potatoes chop in to small cubes

1 Onion

1/2 a cabbage chopped finely

1 tin tomatoes

Spring Onions

Yogurt

Olive Oil

Paprika, salt and pepper

Directions

Saute the vegetables in a little olive oil, sprinkle on some paprika, salt and pepper.  

Cook until the vegetables are slightly golden.
Serve sprinkled with chopped spring onions or other herbs, yogurt and paprika.

BRUCHETTA WITH WATERCRESS, MUSHROOMS, FETA AND TOMATOES

BRUCHETTA WITH WATERCRESS, MUSHROOMS, FETA AND TOMATOES

Simple Friday night TV dinner. Slice Turkish bread in half, drizzle with olive oil and rub with garlic, toast under the grill and pile with whatever ingredients you have handy. The Watercress on this particular bruchetta gave it a stunning peppery flavour which was enhanced by the lemon juice and peppery olive oil drizzled on top. Delish.

TOFU KEBABS

Ingredients

Marinated tofu chunks

Mini Squash (patipan's)

Cherri toms

Basting sauce - Olive Oil, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Lemon Juice

(any other vegetables you have like peppers, onions, zucchini etc)

Directions

Thread ingredients on to skewers and cook on BBQ or grill pan as shown, turn and drizzle with basting sauce every couple of minutes. Serve as a snack or with rice and salad for a meal.

BROWN MUSHROOM AND PEA PASTA

BROWN MUSHROOM PASTA

Ingredients

1 bag brown mushrooms

1 cup of frozen peas

4 cups pasta shells

Garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, green Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Simply saute your mushrooms in a little olive oil while you are cooking your pasta, throw the peas in to the pasta pot at the last second and then drain well. Add plenty of fresh garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, green Tabasco, salt and pepper and fresh herbs to taste.

If you are not vegan, add cheese just before serving.

SWEET POTATO & MUSHROOM MELT WITH GOLDEN KIWI SALSA

SWEET POTATO & MUSHROOM MELT WITH GOLDEN KIWI SALSA

This was our Friday night TV dinner.

Ingredients

Wholegrain tortillas

1 large sweet potato

1 bag brown or white button mushrooms

Olive oil

Grated cheese

Golden Kiwi fruit

Chillies

Lime

Fresh Coriander

Yogurt to serve

Directions

Chop sweet potatoes in to cubes, season and toss in olive oil. Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes, then shake around and bake for a further 20 minutes. Prepare your mushies, thinly slice them, season and fry in a little olive oil. Place one tortilla on a sandwich press, top with the roasted sweet potatoes, mushrooms and cheese and place another tortilla on top. Toast until golden brown. Meanwhile, prepare your salsa, very simple, just dice the kiwi chop in some fresh coriander and chili and squeeze over some lime juice. Serve the melts with yogurt and the salsa plus some lime wedges, fresh tomato and pickled chillies if you have them.

Eggplant Couscous Bake

Eggplant Couscous Bake

 This dish has lots of layers of delicious goodness.

Perfect for cold winter nights.

Ingredients

 1 Large Eggplant – slice in to12 thin rounds

Olive oil

500g couscous (about 2 coffee cups full)

Boiling water for couscous

100g slivered almonds (lightly toasted)

Chopped parsley or any other fresh herbs

2 carrots grated

1 onion finely chopped

3 tins of tomatoes

1 glass of white wine

Salt & pepper

3 cups of grated cheese

Directions

Eggplant: Heat your oven to 180 degrees. Fry eggplant slices in a little olive oil – just be patient and only do a couple at a time, keep the cooked eggplant pieces on a plate until ready to make up the dish.

Almond Couscous: Prepare the couscous according to the packet instructions, add the slivered almonds and parsley.

Tomato Sauce: Cook onions and carrots in a little olive oil, then add the tomatoes, wine, salt and pepper and some herbs to taste.

Now that you have all the components – you are ready to layer the bake as follows:

Eggplant

Almond Couscous

Tomato sauce

Cheese

Eggplant

Almond Couscous

Tomato sauce

Cheese

Bake in the hot oven for about 40 minutes. Turn the oven off and let it sit for a further 20 minutes before serving. Serve with a fresh salad.

STEWED RHUBARB WITH GREEK YOGURT

STEWED RHUBARB WITH GREEK YOGURT

Ingredients

5 stalks rhubarb

5 tablespoons of water

4 tablespoons raw sugar

Good quality Greek yogurt

Directions

Clean and slice rhubarb in to small pieces, place in a pot with the water and sugar, cover and cook, turning every couple of minutes, until the rhubarb is soft. Let cool and serve on top of yogurt, or make in to a crumble.

CRUNCHY CORN ON THE COB

CRUNCHY CORN ON THE COB

Simple but delicious corn is great for a quick dinner or serve as a starter.

Ingredients

Fresh corn cobs, leaves removed and broken in to halves

Olive Oil

Herb or garlic salt to season

Directions

Place corn in a big pot of water and bring to the boil. Let them bubble for about 2 minutes - no longer. Place in an oven proof dish. Pop under the grill until they start to brown. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a herb or garlic salt. Serve to your drooling guests.

SILVERBEET CALZONE

SILVERBEET CALZONE
Ingredients
1 bunch of silverbeet (or other dark leafy vegetable)
1 celery stalk
1 small red chili
1 small red onion
Olive oil
Milk
Lemon Wedges
1 cup grated cheese
Salt and pepper
Pizza dough - (I bought this from my local pizza guy as I didn't have much time, but you can easily make your own)

Chop all vegetables finely and cook in a frying pan with olive oil until soft. Roll out the pizza dough and place a pile of veg on one half, top with a little cheese and fold the other half over. Brush with milk and bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven. Serve with lemon wedges.

TURKISH BREAD SALAD

TURKISH BREAD SALAD

Ingredients

Mixed Salad leaves

Black Olives

Turkish bread

Red Peppers

Red Onions

Tomatoes

Ingredients

Red wine vinegar

Olive Oil

Dijon Mustard

Directions

Soak sliced red onions in a mixture of water and red wine vinegar for at least an hour to reduce the harsh flavor. Tear the bread in to bite size chunks and bake in a hot oven for about 15 minutes - just to dry it out. Layer all salad ingredients in a bowl, top with the bread and dress well (trick with the dressing is to mix the vinegar and mustard first, then add the olive oil).

SOUL FOOD PESTO

SOUL FOOD PESTO

I just bought a mortar and pestle, and I am delighted with it! The first thing I made in it was this delightful pesto. A lot of commercial pesto's have cheese in them and it sometimes overpowers the delicious taste of fresh basil and pine nuts.

Ingredients

1 big bunch of basil

1 small garlic clove

1 70g bag of pine nuts

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 tablespoons of olive oil

Directions

Lightly toast the pine nuts on the stove top, this should take about 4 minutes maximum, watch them because you only want a very slight brown tinge. Remove the leggy stalks from the basil and roughly chop the small stalks and leaves (with scissors) in to the mortar, add the pine nuts while they are still warm, and throw in the garlic, olive oil, sea salt, and lemon juice. Give it all a good bash and grind....this is the part that is good for the soul. Obviously this would be good for pasta, but I decided to serve this for breakfast on toast with a grilled tomato on top.

CHAR GRILLED MUSHIES

CHAR GRILLED MUSHIES

Ingredients

1 large field mushroom per person - thickly sliced as shown in the picture

Turkish bread

Baby rocket leaves

Feta

Chillies

Garlic clove

Olive oil and balsamic to dress

Directions

Heat a grill pan, brush Turkish bread slices with olive oil and cook face down for about 1 minute (careful, it is very easy to burn these!). Remove and cook mushrooms the same way. Rub garlic on the hot bread (enjoy the aroma!) top with baby rocket leaves, feta, mushrooms and chillies, dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

HONEY RED APPLES WITH COCONUT AND ALMOND CRUMBLE

HONEY RED APPLES WITH COCONUT AND ALMOND CRUMBLE

Need something to warm you up?

Ingredients for the apple part

6 Apples

5 tablespoons of honey

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tablespoon margarine

Ingredients for the crumble part

5 tablespoons honey

1/2 a cup of shredded coconut

1/2 a cup of whole oats

3 tablespoons of margarine

1/2 a cup of chopped almonds (I put whole almonds in to a bag and bashed them until they were the right size - most satisfying!)

Directions

Chop apples in to decent size chunks and cook on the stove top with margarine, honey and lemon juice. I only cooked mine for about 10 minutes, turning often - because I am not a fan of mushy apples - but it is up to you how much you cook them!

In the mean time, prepare the crumble by mixing all the dry ingredients & binding with the honey and margarine. Grease an oven proof dish, fill with the apples and top with the crumble.

Serve with cream or custard.

BUTTER BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

BUTTER BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Perfect for winter nights!

Ingredients

2 stalks of celery

1 box of vegetable stock

3 carrots

2 potatoes

1 turnip

1 thumb of ginger

2 large cloves of garlic

lemon zest

parsley

1 tin butter beans

2 tins chopped tomatoes

Directions

Dice all the vegetables, start cooking the onions, garlic, ginger and celery first, then add the stock, and root vegetables. Next add the tins of tomatoes and cook on a medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add the butter beans, lemon zest and fresh parsley. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

SAVORY BUTTERNUT PIKELETS

SAVORY BUTTERNUT PIKELETS

Ingredients

1 medium butternut, cooked and mashed

1 teaspoon curry powder

4 eggs

1/2 a cup of wholemeal flour

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 a cup of cheese

Olive oil for frying

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and then shallow fry. Can be kept in a warm oven until ready to serve. Note, these do take patience, you need to stand over them and go slowly! Only turn the pikelets when you see little bubbles form in the middle of the pikelet. Serve on a bed of spinach leaves with a savory yogurt dipping sauce.

APPETITO - SYDNEY RESTAURANT

APPETITO - DELICIO!

I am on holiday so no cooking for me this weekend, it made me think of adding some vegetarian friendly restaurants to my blog. Here is the first....Appetito in "The Rocks" Sydney. I had delicious lemon infused lentils with gnocchi and a Greek Salad, and my man had hand made saffron tagliatelli with zucchini flowers and OMG all fantastic. Thanjks Appetito. Webste below FYI. 

www.appetito.com.au/

BANANARAMA MUFFINS

BANANA MUFFINS

Don't let your banana's go to waste!!!  Make a banana cake or muffins or something.

They are like gold at the moment.

Ingredients

2 cups self raising wholemeal flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons margarine
2 bananas, mashed
2 eggs, beaten
4 Tablespoons yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla
Black sesame seeds or poppy seeds to top

DirectionsPreheat your oven to about 200 degrees

Mix sugar, margarine, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and mashed bananas

Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Fill muffin cups with mixture and bake for about 20 minutes or until you can poke a knife in to one and it comes out clean :)

WHOLEMEAL ROSEMARY, GARLIC AND OLIVE BREAD

WHOLEMEAL ROSEMARY, GARLIC AND OLIVE BREAD

This one is for those of you who have bread makers! I just followed the wholemeal pizza dough recipe  instructions. Roll out and brush with olive oil, top the bread with fresh rosemary, garlic, whole green olives & sea salt and bake in the oven until just turning brown on the edges. Serve as a starter.

POLKA DOT PIE

POLKA DOT PIE

Ingredients

25 Brown and White button mushrooms

1 cup of Peas

1 packet of Mushroom soup

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 cup of Milk

Pastry

1.5 cups of wholemeal flour

3 tablespoons margarine

5 tablespoons ice cold water

Directions

Make the pastry first by rubbing the margarine in to the flour until breadcrumbs form, then add water and mix quickly - don't fiddle with it too much. Roll out and bake in the oven blind. Keep some left over pastry for making the polka dots on the top.

Once the base is in the oven, fry the mushrooms in the olive oil, mix milk and mushroom soup and add to the mushrooms, add peas and cook for about 3 minutes or until thickened. Fill the pastry case and add the polka dots on the top of the pie. (I used a champagne glass to make the dots) Brush dots with milk. Bake for 15 minutes.

ROLLINI WITH BABY ZUCCHINI, TOMATOES, BASIL & PINE NUTS

ROLLINI WITH BABY ZUCCHINI, TOMATOES, BASIL & PINE NUTS

I think the name of this one is pretty much enough for an average cook to work out how to make it! A couple of tricks though....have lots more veggies than pasta. I used rollini pasta because it is pretty...but any pasta will do. Use very fresh baby zucchini & don't over cook everything! The tomatoes were simply quartered and cooked in a hot pan (much like I did for the hangover breakfast) which made quite an impact on the dish. Don't be shy to add fresh garlic and lemon juice & chili if you enjoy a zesty zingy pasta!

VEGETARIAN HANG OVER BREAKFAST

VEGETARIAN HANG OVER BREAKFAST

A lot of friends ask me what we eat when we have a hang over...well this vegetarian "fry up" worked a treat on Sunday!

Ingredients

Whole Grain toast - 1 or 2 slices each

Brown or button mushrooms - about 6 each

Tomatoes - about 2 each

Banana's (1 between two)

Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper

Fresh herbs to serve (I used basil)

Directions

The trick is to have a really hot pan and fry each ingredient separately, placing in a warm oven until it is time to plate up. Start with mushrooms, then tomatoes and finally the banana. Pile on toast, grind on pepper, sprinkle on salt and top with a few fresh herbs.