Neat Balls

So this isn't my idea....but well worth sharing! I had dinner at my friend Cat's house the other night - and she shared the idea with me, I loved it so much, I made my own version for dinner last night. Mine just included some baby zucchini in the sauce as I'm craving more greens (funny isn't it...a vegetarian, who eats loads of greens, but still craving more!)

Here is the link to the recipe.

http://www.vegangela.com/2010/10/05/vegan-meat-balls/

Thanks to my darling friend Cat and her boyfriend Jez for a delicious and satisfying Vegan winter dinner party xo



SAVED BY A SUNDAY MARKET

One challenge of eating, fresh, healthy food, direct from the farmer, is that if I miss my Saturday round of the markets - I starve for a week! I simply refuse to buy vegetables from the supermarket, so I was delighted to find a Sunday market in Stirling. There is also one in Kalamunda in the hills - but I will  have to try that on a Sunday when I have more time. It's off to climb Jacobs Ladder stairs in Kings Park for me now.

http://www.facebook.com/Stirling.Farmers.Market

MUFFINS FOR DINNER

Sometimes a vegetarian simply runs out of ideas...and when this happens, they end up making something that you would normally eat for breakfast turn itself in to dinner....enter the dinner muffin! A savory muffin of your choice topped with a creamed spinach sauce and served with a hearty salad.

Muffin Recipe

2 Eggs

4 table spoons olive oil

3/4 cup milk

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup normal flour

Salt, pepper, and other seasoning like grated onion & diced herbs

1 cup grated cheese

4 table spoons Greek yoghurt

Mix all ingredients together well, spoon in to greased muffin tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

FRIDAY FEAST

FRIDAY FEAST

Friday nights are the best! I love to chill out with my friends and family and eat simple vege food. Something like this...home made pita pockets and yummy fillings like salad, tomatoes, halumi cheese, pesto, avo, pumpkin etc etc. Serve with a bottle of white wine!

PAM'S PERFECT CHOC-RASPBERRY CUPCAKES

PAM'S PERFECT CHOC-RASPBERRY CUPCAKES

I can't bake to save my life - but my friend Pamela sure can! Even though I couldn't get the secret recipe out of her...I thought I would share the pic. Thank you Pam...can you make me some more? 

MINI SPINACH AND PINE NUT PIES

MINI SPINACH AND PINE NUT PIE

I cheated and used bought puff pastry for these, but you can make your own home made pastry if you have time. The filling was a delicious mix of chopped spinach, pine nuts, cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs. I cut the pastry in to small squares and sliced each corner of the square - you place the filling in the middle, then wrap the edges up and around the filling...making a beautiful rose shaped pie. You can fill these pies with so many things...

try pumpkin and pine nut, butter beans and cheese etc, etc.  

BEAUTIFUL CREAMY SWISS CHARD ON RYE TOAST

BEAUTIFUL CREAMY SWISS CHARD ON RYE TOAST

Make a simple white sauce with 50g butter or marge, 50g corn flour and 450g milk. Meanwhile chop Swiss chard and lightly cook in a little olive oil until tender. Mix the Swiss chard through the white sauce and serve on toast. I have plenty left over so I am busy adding other yummy vegetables and will make a pasta bake.

Apple and Nectarine Tarte Tartin

Apple and Nectarine Tarte Tartin

This sort of pie is my favorite last minute dessert. Melt butter in a pan (one with metal handles so that it can go in the oven) and add sliced fruit and a few tablespoons of brown sugar, let it bubble and go a little bit brown. Meanwhile make a simple pastry with butter, flour and ice cold water. Roll in to a roundish shape. Place the pastry over the fruit, poke a hole in the middle and bake in the oven until the pastry is golden brown. When you are ready to serve your tart, place a plate over the pan and

flipsy-flopsy the pan over....if you are lucky, it will turn out looking most impressive.

Serve with ice cream if you like!  

HBF Run For A Reason

Started training for the HBF Run for a reason...

all money going to the fantastic work of The Smith Family :)

Thank you to my friends and family for your support :)

http://hbfrunfundraising.com.au/susan_schofield

http://hbfrunfundraising.com.au/susan_schofield

BEAUTIFUL BEETROOT

BEAUTIFUL BEETROOT

Thanks to my darling friend Val for another delicious dinner last night! Check out this stunning starter of beautiful beetroot and fresh salad greens on a garlic infused ciabatta drizzled with a totally tasty dressing. Val...you rock in the kitchen!

MIXED HERB AND CASHEW PESTO

MIXED HERB AND CASHEW PESTO

100g Unique Organique Raw Crunchy Cashews

3 cups fresh mixed herbs - I used Basil, Parsley and Mint

1/2 a teaspoon sea salt

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 a cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

The above ingredients are for the Vegan version, Vegetarians may want to add 100g hard cheese.

Blitz all ingredients in a food processor or smash up in a mortar and pestle. Delicious served as a dip or mix through piping hot spaghetti.

Check out http://www.uniqueorganique.com.au/activated-nutsnseeds.php for the cashews.

FANTASTIC FRESH FIGS

Figs are such a delight, on their own, in a tart, on top of ice cream, or in a salad. I teamed these delicious fresh figs with crunchy cos lettuce, pears, goats cheese and activated pecans, I made a slightly sweet dressing with lemon juice, a dash of maple syrup and flax seed oil. On the subject of activated pecans.... check out the amazing products by http://www.uniqueorganique.com.au/ their products are changing my life, one bite at a time!

TROPICAL FRUIT PLATE ANYONE?

Okay, I will admit, this is not one of my creations - it was served for dessert after a delicious meal in Koh Samui, Thaliand. I simply wanted to add it to this blog because it reminded me that we don't need to spend all day baking calorie full sticky date pudding to impress our guests at dinner parties...a carefully prepared and presented tropical fruit plate will do just fine!

YUMMY FRUIT AND VEG MARKETS IN PERTH

I think it is really important to buy local, everyone who knows me, knows that I am "at the market" every Saturday morning. In recent years, a number of great farmers markets have opened.

Below are links to some great places to try:

http://www.mtclaremontfarmersmarket.com.au/

http://perthcityfarm.org.au/

http://subifarmersmarket.com.au/

http://www.midlandfarmersmarket.com.au/

I will add more as I make my way around them. Happy shopping and healthy eating everyone!

TEMPEH, FETA AND MINT SALAD WITH MARINATED CUCUMBERS

Armed with delicious fresh mostly organic ingredients from

http://www.mtclaremontfarmersmarket.com.au/

I made this salad. Basically add some mint in to your lettuce mix, add some tomatoes, feta, spring onions and chopped tempeh (my favorite tempeh is Tallyho Farm Organic Tempeh). Finish the salad with marinated cucumbers and your favorite home made dressing.

Marinated Cucumbers are simple, peel and slice a fat cucumber and marinate in white wine vinegar with a little salt and pepper.

ORGANIC TABOULEH

ORGANIC TABOULEH

All these ingredients were purchased from the organic market in East Perth

 http://perthcityfarm.org.au/.

Wow, they have done an amazing job to update that place!

Ingredients

Big bunch of flat leaf parsley VERY finely chopped

Small bunch of mint finely chopped

4 spring onions finely chopped

lots of cherry tomatoes finely chopped

1 cup organic bulghur - soaked for 2 and a half hours

Juice of one lemon

Olive oil if you want it - I felt it didn't need it.

Serve with delicious flat bread and feta for a simple light lunch or use it as a side dish with any meal.

Two Days at a Time: Red Curry Sweet Potato Soup

Two Days at a Time: Red Curry Sweet Potato Soup: I used some of our recent crop of Sweet Potato to make this soup. Recipe 500 Grams of Sweet Potato slowed cooked in the oven with the sk...

SIMPLY DELICIOUS MOZZARELLA, TOMATO AND OLIVE STARTER

SIMPLY DELICIOUS MOZZARELLA, TOMATO AND OLIVE STARTER

The key to serving a simple dish like this - is to make sure you have the best ingrediants one can buy! Look for organic products and get creative with presentation, the colours do most of the work for you. Add some olive tapenade and good quality olive oil for extra colour and delightful flavour.

PIMP MY PASTA

A simple dish of Mediterranean vegetables, olives and tofu mixed through pasta. Tofu Tip - break up firm organic tofu and fry in hot rice bran oil to get a great "browning" effect. 

Cool and pack in to Tupperware containers for an easy to take to work lunch.

BIG MAMA BAKED BEANS

BIG MAMA BAKED BEANS

Home made baked beans are simple, delicious, cost effective and full of superb vegetable protein. I used "butter beans" - which are also known as "lima beans". The beans must be soaked over night and then boiled in a large pot with water - but no salt. These beans took about an hour to become soft, keep an eye on your beans though, you don't want them to go mushy. In the mean time I made up a simple chilli tomato sauce using onions, garlic, chilli and whole peeled tomatoes. When the beans are ready drain well and add to the tomato mixture. Let cook for a further 10 minutes.

Serve on mashed potato or whole grain toast. 

VEGO BURGERS IN SUBIACO, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

TEMPEH BURGER - FROM JUS BURGERS IN SUBIACO (WESTERN AUSTRALIA)

I love that Jus burgers has the balls to make a veg burger! In fact they had 4 vegetarian options which makes me so very happy. They even know to cook the patty on a separate grill. The whole burger was delightful, with it's garlic aioli, house made relish, fresh salad and crunchy Turkish bun.

Thank you Jus!

Surprise dish from The Golden Peacock Hotel in Malawi

It is often a challenge finding healthy vegetarian options when one is travelling - I was pretty impressed by this dish by the Chef at The Golden Peacock Hotel in Malawi Africa. A simple stir fry with vegetables and egg.

VAL'S VEGETARIAN VALENTINES

My beautiful friend Val went to a huge effort to make a delicious vegetarian fest for Valentines Day - the starter was STUFFED ZUCCHINI ROLLS -  little parcels of joy stuffed with sheep's feta, beetroot and home made pesto, they were outstanding. I forgot to get a picture of the delicious main dish which was an EGGPLANT & ZUCCHINI TAGINE  - served with LEMON AND PEACH COUSCOUS. I did manage to snap the Chef and her pudding - a MANGO AND BERRY MASU. Thank you Val, every part of this dinner was fantastic - especially the company!

EASY PICNIC COUSCOUS

EASY PICNIC COUSCOUS

I find the trick to a good couscous is to use a good quality vegetable stock instead of plain water for the couscous to soak up, I also add crushed garlic and lemon juice during the soaking stage. Once you have prepared the couscous, add all your favorite vegetables, nuts and cheese. This is a very quick and easy dish to prepare for picnic in the park.

SAVORY PUMPKIN PIKELETS

SAVORY PUMPKIN PIKELETS

Ingredients

2 cups cooked and mashed pumpkin

1 cup self raising flour

3 eggs

1/2 a teaspoon mixed spice
Salt and pepper to taste

Canola oil for frying

Chutney and plain yoghurt to serve

Directions
Mix all ingredients well. Heat oil in frying pan and drop spoonfulls of the mixture on to the pan, when you see bubbles on the surface of the pikelet, it is ready to turn over. Serve with spicy chutney and plain yoghurt for a light lunch, snack or starter.

NUTTY, CRUNCHY, CRISPY, TASTY - SALAD FOR THE HUNGRY

NUTTY, CRUNCHY, CRISPY, TASTY - SALAD FOR THE HUNGRY

This salad was so satisfying, the tastes all go so well together and the crunch satisfies the "crisp" lover in me - all with out guilt.

Salad Ingredients

Baby spinach leaves

Broccolini - thinly sliced

1 can organic chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry

A hand full of slivered almonds

Salt, pepper, chilli pepper

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Dressing ingredients

1 tsp wasabi paste

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Half a tsp of honey

6 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil or flax seed oil

Directions

In a bowl mix your chickpeas with a tablespoon of olive oil and season to your taste, spread on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven for about 35 minutes. In the mean time slightly stir fry your broccolini (or you can keep it raw if you prefer) once the chickpeas are ready you can construct and dress your salad. Happy Healthy Weekend Everyone!



PAPRIKA BEANS WITH TAGLIATELLE

PAPRIKA BEANS WITH TAGLIATELLE

Prepare beans as per the below post
http://suevegetarian.blogspot.com/2012/01/paprika-chilli-beans.html
- and serve with your favorite pasta :)

PAPRIKA CHILLI BEANS

PAPRIKA CHILLI BEANS

This looks and feels like you are eating something naughty - but it is actually full of great vegetable protein and as long as you limit the nachos - and don't be tempted to put a pile of cheese or sour cream on top you will be eating a very healthy meal.

It is also super easy to make, it is my favorite "no think" dish.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients

1 carrot

1 onion

1 red pepper

1 red chilli

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon turmeric

3 tablespoons premium paprika

1 vegetable stock cube

2 tins kidney beans drain and rinse well

2 tins chopped tomatoes

Fresh coriander to garnish

Directions

Chop the veggies and saute in the olive oil until tender, add the tomatoes, stock, seasoning and kidney beans cook on a low heat for about 25 minutes. Serve with plain nachos.

p.s. This recipe will make loads - so invite your mates to dinner

or you will be eating it for the next week.

ROASTED CARROT DIP WITH CRUNCHY SEED AND APPLE CRACKERS

ROASTED CARROT DIP WITH CRUNCHY SEED AND APPLE CRACKERS

This whole dish was a delightfully tasty experiment,

and I have leftovers in the fridge for low carb snacking.

Carrot Dip Ingredients

6 carrots pealed and chopped

1 tablespoon organic coconut oil

Juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon of tahini

Mixed spice and other seasoning to taste

Directions

Roast carrots until they are turning slightly golden - blitz in a food processor or blender with a tablespoon of tahini, 1/2 a teaspoon of mixed spice - I also added some herb salt and half a squeeze of lemon - but just taste it and add whatever you like!

Cracker Ingredients

1 cup flax seeds

1 cup sunflower seeds

juice of half a lemon

1 green apple - cored and diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Blitz in a food processor or blender, I made my mixture quite smooth - almost a paste, once you have the right consistency (kind of like a dry cake mix) spread it out on grease proof paper and bake in the oven or follow your dehydrator instructions. I used my dehydrator - but they would work perfectly well in an oven, just keep the temp low - like 60 degrees C and keep a very close eye on them - you want crunchy but not burned crackers! 

AVOCADO AND PISTACHIO PESTO PASTA

AVOCADO AND PISTACHIO PESTO PASTA

Thank you to my friend Sarah for testing out this creamy, garlicky mid week pasta dish!

Pesto Ingredients

2 Avo's

2 tablespoons of pine nuts

4 tablespoons of pistachio's

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 a lemon juiced

1 hand full of basil leaves

1 Garlic clove crushed

salt, pepper

Add all ingredients to a blender and chop - don't over do it as you want some texture to the pesto.

Mix the pesto through hot drained pasta and serve immediately.

THE GREAT KIWI VEGE ROAD TRIP

THE GREAT KIWI VEGE ROAD TRIP

Thanks for my birthday pressie mum, can't wait to try these recipes out, and one day - we will do our own "Great Kiwi Road Trip"

RAW ZUCCHINI "PASTA"

RAW ZUCCHINI "PASTA"

Okay, I will be honest - the zucchini does not taste like "pasta" but this dish was extremely delicious and perfect for hot weather.

For the "pasta" simply grate an organic zucchini

For the sauce, I blended up the following ingredients (NB; all raw)

3 large ripe tomatoes

1 red pepper

1 garlic clove

1/2 a cup of sunflower seeds

Salt and pepper

BREAKFAST PITA

BREAKFAST PITA

I call this a breakfast pita - but it would be delicious any time of the day. Fill a home made or store bought pita with poached eggs, tomatoes herbs, hummus and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve with a smile and a hot cup of coffee.

DELICIOUS QUNIOA BREAKFAST

DELICIOUS QUINOA BREAKFAST

This high protein breakfast was full of tasty nutty goodness, I guess it would be best served in winter - but who says we can't eat porridge when it is summer? My trainer will be delighted that I have found an alternative to toast for breakfast.

Ingredients

Quinoa

Water

Mix of seeds and nuts

(I used; crushed almonds, sunflower, almonds, pistachio's sesame seeds, coconut pieces)

Maple Syrup

Milk to serve

Directions

Prepare a mix of nuts and seeds, spread on a baking sheet and toast in a hot oven for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Prepare Quinoa according to the instructions on the pack, then drain, mix through some maple syrup to taste and spread on a baking sheet and pop in the oven to dry out a little - takes about 5 minutes in a warm oven.

Mix quinoa, nuts and seeds and some chopped prunes or other dried fruit

and serve with your favorite type of milk

BREAKFAST BASKETS

BREAKFAST BASKETS

These little tasty breakky baskets are perfect for an easy breakfast, or picnic.

Ingredients

Sliced bread, crusts removed - 1 per basket

Free range eggs - about 1 per basket

Grated Cheese - about a teaspoon per basket

Chopped fresh herbs, salt & pepper

Directions

Use a rolling pin to roll out and flatten the bread

Make bread baskets by moulding in to a greased muffin tray.

Place a teaspoon of grated cheese at the bottom of each basket.

Mix eggs as if you would for scrambled eggs - or crack whole eggs in to each basket,

top with fresh herbs, salt and pepper.

Bake in a hot oven until egg part has risen and has a turned a touch golden.  

It took about 18 minutes in my oven.  

RAW PIZZA ATTEMPT

RAW PIZZA ATTEMPT

Now, I assure you - I am no raw food guru, but since I am on holiday and I have the time, I decided to try a "Raw Food" pizza. The base was a mix of flax seeds, red pepper, garlic and sundried tomatoes, whizzed up in a blender, I dried this in my newly purchased dehydrator - but it could easily be done in the oven on a very low heat for a few hours. In the mean time, I made Cashew "Cheese" which is really more like a cashew nut dip - soak your cashews overnight then blend with a clove of garlic, half a red pepper and some herb salt. When your pizza base is ready, cut in to pizza type slices, spread the nut sauce over and then top with lots of fresh salad type ingredients. It really was quite yummy and I felt so proud eating it.

MINI CRUST LESS QUICHE WITH SALAD

MINI CRUST LESS QUICHE WITH SALAD

These quick and easy quiches are so yummy, they can be kept in the fridge so that you can take a couple to work for high protein snacking or easy lunches.

Ingredients

6 Eggs

3 small zucchini grated

1 cup grated vegetarian cheese

3 tablespoons self raising flower

1 Tin creamed corn

1 tin corn

3 spring onions chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients and bake in a muffin tray for about 25 minutes in a medium oven.

Serve hot or cold  with salad.

CHINESE CABBAGE SALAD WITH HONEY ROASTED PEANUTS

CHINESE CABBAGE SALAD WITH HONEY ROASTED PEANUTS

Ingredients

1/2 a Chinese Cabbage thinly sliced

1 and a half cups of bean sprouts

1 cup of sugar snap peas sliced

1/2 a red pepper sliced

1/2 a cup of honey roasted peanuts

Dressing Ingredients

4 tablespoons peanut oil

a few drops of sesame oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic crushed

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and toss through the salad dressing,

this should be enough to serve 3 or 4 - depending on how hungry your guests are!

If you are preparing the salad ahead of time, hold off on adding the dressing

until just before you serve.