MEXICAN POTATO, BEEF & BEAN BAKE

I love almost all Mexican cuisine and really enjoy making healthy alternatives at home. This is one such alternative dish, that was adapted from a pasta bake to a Mexican vegetable and beef bake. To make vegetarian, omit the mince and add another tin of refried beans or you could add drained & washed 4 bean mix, red kidney beans etc, from a tin. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand to make this delicious bake. I love that it is such a simple meal; just fry in a pan and let the oven do the rest of the work. 

Ingredients

• 400g sweet potato, peeled and cut into small, even pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 1 red or green capsicum (around 200g), cut into small, even pieces
• 400g tomatoes, roughly chopped
• a generous handful of baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 x 435g tin of 99% fat free refried beans
• 2 tablespoons taco / mexican seasoning
• 1/2 cup light grated cheese
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Make sure you have an ovenproof casserole dish or pan to use; the one I used is around 25 cm x 30 cm, however that is very large for the recipe. 

2. Place the sweet potato in a medium saucepan and just cover with water. Bring to the boil, covered, then continue to cook for minutes or until the sweet potato is tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and drain over running cold water in a colander. 

3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep fry pan or a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and swirl to coat the pan. Next add the garlic and cook for one minute or until just fragrant. Add the mince to the pan and cook, stirring often to break up any lumps, for five minutes or until the mince is brown and cooked. Add the capsicum, tomatoes, spinach, beans and seasoning and stir well for two minutes or until combined and warm. Pour the meat & vegetables into the dish / pan and gently stir in the cooked sweet potato so that it does not become mushy. Sprinkle with cheese and 1/2 of the spring onions. 

4. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the top is golden. Serve warm, sprinkled with the remaining spring onions. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / under 1 hour 

x Emily 

STUFFED VEGETARIAN MUSHROOMS

I have been trying to eat mushrooms for a few years now, however I find them very hard to get down! My good friend Tahnee told me to fry them in oil, thyme and garlic, hence this recipe was born. I also shared a delicious breakfast of Portobello mushrooms with her a few Sundays ago and was inspired to make my own version of stuffed mushrooms. Three things surprised me when I made this dish: 

1. How filling mushrooms are,

2. How much my husband loved it (and he usually hates anything that does not contain meat) and

3. How much I liked these mushrooms! 

It is a very simple recipe and the finished product looks very cute or at least I think so! I think I've successfully cured myself of my mushroom hatred, which I am very proud of! 

Ingredients

• baking paper
• 4 Portobello / Flat mushrooms, washed & stalks removed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 6 sprigs thyme, leaves removed & sprig discarded
• 1 carrot, grated 
• 20 almonds, halved
• 1/4 cup grated light cheese 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, optional- extra to serve 
• ground black pepper
• 1 egg, preferably free-range

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a medium baking tray with baking paper. 

2. In a small fry pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat and brush this sautéed mixture onto the outside of the mushrooms so that they do not stick to the paper. Place the mushrooms on the baking paper, cap side down. Spoon the leftover sautéed mixture into in a medium bowl. 

3. Add the carrot, almonds, cheese, basil and pepper to the medium bowl and stir well. Add the egg and stir again to combine. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the mushrooms, making sure to use all the mixture, even if it overlaps the mushrooms slightly. 

4. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the mushrooms are brown and the cheese is golden. Serve warm, alongside a fresh salad. 

Makes / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes max 

x Emily 

CHICKEN, CASHEW & CURRY PIZZA

I love making pizza on days & nights when I'm pressed for time. I do sometimes make my own pizza base, however the point of my recipes are to be fast, simple & easy so I often use wholemeal pita bread as a pizza base. The recipe below uses 2 larger Lebanese pita breads (around 80-85g each) to serve 4 (therefore 1/2 a pizza per person). If you are only able to find the 4 pack of smaller pita bread (around 45g in size), each serving would equal 1 pita bread and the quantities below would be split into quarters. This pizza was conjured out of thin air the other week and took on a random but delicious direction with the addition of baby spinach, spring onions and cashews. 

INGREDIENTS

• baking paper
• 500g chicken breast, preferably free-range, sliced into even 3-4cm pieces
• 1 heaped tablespoon curry powder 
• Optional- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 garlic clove, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 x Lebanese wholemeal pita breads (around 80-85g each)
• 1/4 cup lightly packed reduced-fat grated cheese
• a generous handful of baby spinach, washed & drained 
• 1/2 a small red onion, finely diced
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted cashews, either whole or roughly chopped 

COOKING 

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius fan-forced. Line a large oven tray with baking paper. 

2. Place the chicken strips, curry powder, smoked paprika (if using), garlic, and olive oil in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat and cook chicken, stirring constantly, until no pink flesh remains (this will take around 5-7 minutes, depending on how thick the chicken pieces are). Remove and cover to keep warm until the next step.  

3. Spread 1 tablespoon of tomato paste over each of the 2 breads. Next evenly distribute the cheese, red onion, baby spinach, cooked chicken, spring onion and cashews to each pita bread. 

3. Bake in the oven for around 10-12 minutes or until the base browns and the cheese is melted. 

Serves / 4  

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

SALMON and VEGETABLE MUFFINS

I've finally found a way for myself to enjoy salmon! I really hate that I cannot stand salmon fillets, as I know how healthy they are for me. After eating red salmon in a sandwich that a lovely friend's mum made for me a while back, I realised that I didn't mind salmon in a tin! I figure that if I start eating salmon in these muffins I will be able to gradually work my way towards salmon fillets! I eat these with a side salad for a light dinner. You can top the muffins with extra herbs and a dollop of reduced-fat sour cream, if desired. 

INGREDIENTS

• extra virgin olive oil spray or 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 eggs, preferably free-range
• 1 can (210g) red salmon, drained, flaked & any bones removed
• 1/4 cup reduced fat cows milk (or if intolerant/allergic to dairy substitute for lactose-free, soy or unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/4 cup water 
• 1/2 red or green capsicum, deseed and finely chopped
• a generous handful of baby spinach, chopped
• a small handful of dill and / or parsley, finely chopped
• 30g reduced fat feta, crumbled
• a generous amount of ground black pepper

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 180 degrees. Spray or brush all holes of a 12 standard muffin tray. 

2. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl, then add the salmon, milk, water, capsicum, spinach, herb/s, feta and pepper. Mix well to combine and add more water if the mixture is too thick for your liking. 

3. Pour the salmon & egg mixture into the prepared muffin holes. I like to make big muffins, therefore I usually make around 9 muffins. If you want to make 12 muffins, pour a little less into each muffin hole. 

4. Bake for around 25 minutes or until egg is just set and golden. Remove warm, topped with extra herbs, if desired. 

Makes / 9 

Total Preparation time / under 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

BAKED SEA PERCH with STEAMED BROCCOLI & SWEET POTATO FRIES

I was very lucky to be given several Sea Perch fillets from my father-in-law, who caught them fishing up in Northern QLD earlier this year. Sea Perch is often called Red Emperor, however it is not a true Emperor fish. As I am not an avid fish eater but have decided to become, due to the numerous health benefits fish provides, I did some extensive research regarding how to cook fish before diving in. I chose baking the fish as apposed to grilling or pan frying, as it seemed a better way to keep the moisture in the fish. I was surprised to learn that Sea Perch is one of Australia's most highly regarded fish...lucky I have a whole freezer full of them! 

INGREDIENTS

Baked Fish 

• the juice of half a lemon
• the juice of half a lime (or the juice of 1 lemon or 1 lime)
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 sea perch fillets, skinned
• al foil 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• shallow oven tray or baking dish 

Sides

• 1 medium sweet potato, washed, peeled & cut into thin even wedges
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 head of broccoli, separated into florets and stalk chopped

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Toss the sweet potato wedges with the oil and spices, then place on a lined baking tray. Place at the very top of the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until fries are lightly browned and cooked to your liking. Remove from heat. 

2. Combine the lemon and/or lime, garlic, chilli and parsley in a small bowl, mixing well. 

2. Place the fish in separate al foil, then brush the oil over the front and back of the fish fillets. Pour half of the marinade over the top of each fillet and wrap the fish like a parcel in the foil. 

3. When the fries have been in the oven for 15 minutes, bake the fish in the oven in a shallow tray or baking dish for 10-12 minutes, using a knife to see if the fish is cooked (if it is cooked, the fillet will flake slightly when the knife enters). Remove from the oven. 

4. When the fish has been placed in the oven, bring a small saucepan to the boil over high heat, covered. Remove the lid and place a sieve or colander in place of the lid with the broccoli florets & stalks inside. Steam for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat and toss with ground black pepper. 

Serve fish alongside 1/2 of the steamed broccoli and 1/2 of the sweet potato fries. 

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time & Cooking time / around 35 minutes  

x Emily 

THYME TURKEY with ROAST PUMPKIN

I love cooking with turkey as I actually like the taste more than chicken. I found a wonderful butcher at Greenslopes- Rock N Roll Butcher- that sells turkey steaks at a very reasonable price. This meal was created as I was walking my big kelpie; I tend to get my best cooking ideas when I am walking him, so we walk together everyday! 

Ingredients

• baking paper 
• 450g turkey steak, fat removed and cut into even pieces
• 1 heaped tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 heaped tablespoon lemon thyme or thyme leaves, fresh or dried, stems discarded 
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 400g pumpkin, deseeded, peeled and chopped into even 3cm pieces
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• a generous pinch of ground black pepper
• 1/2 a leek, white part only, finely chopped
• 4 handfuls of mixed lettuce, washed and roughly torn/chopped 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 220 degrees celsius. Line a medium to large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Combine the turkey, mustard, thyme, vinegar and 1 teaspoon oil in a medium bowl, stirring well. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 

3. Once the turkey is marinating, toss 1 teaspoon oil, pumpkin pieces, maple syrup and pepper in a medium bowl. Place in a single layer on the prepared baking tray and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and / or just starting to become golden. 

4. Once the turkey had marinated for 8 minutes, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in a medium frypan over medium-low heat and swirl to coat the pan. Add the leek and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant and just starting to become golden. Remove from heat and add the turkey to the pan, keeping the heat over medium-low. Cook the turkey for 4 minutes, stirring often, then turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave the turkey to sit in the pan for 5 minutes. After this time pick the biggest few pieces of turkey and cut them in half, checking that the turkey is white and no longer pink. If it is still slightly pink, cook for another minute. 

5. Toss the cooked turkey, leek, pumpkin and lettuce in a large serving bowl. Serve with extra thyme leaves, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / around 40 minutes 

x Emily 

VEGETARIAN POTATO PATTIES TWO WAYS

There is something so fun and enjoyable in making patties. I've made these vegetarian patties a few times and after careful experimenting I have split them into two different, yet quite similar, recipes; Potato & Lentil Patties and Sweet Potato & Chickpea Patties. I like to make both recipes so that I have a large batch of 16 patties to serve for lunch and dinner for several days. Whilst this recipe does take over one hour to prepare and cook, if you've got the time it is a great way to use up old potatoes and is a very hearty vegetarian meal that can be frozen for later use. As for the tinned chickpeas and lentils, this is all I'll say; whilst it would be wonderful if we could all take an extra 45 minutes to one hour out of our days to cook legumes from scratch, this is first and foremost an easily accessible blog, hence the recipes should reflect that and therefore I have gone with the shortcut option out of a tin. 

INGREDIENTS for Potato & Lentil Patties 

• 800 sebago potatoes, roughly chopped into small pieces
• 1 x 400g tin of brown lentils, rinsed & drained 
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1/2 brown onion (60g), chopped finely
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 egg, preferably free range
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

INGREDIENTS for Sweet Potato & Chickpea Patties 

• 800 sweet potato, roughly chopped into small pieces
• 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed & drained  
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1/2 brown onion (60g), chopped finely
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 egg, preferably free range
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

COOKING

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius fan-force. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with the type of potato you chose, covered. Once boiled, cook for around 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain well in a colander with cold water. Mash in a large bowl until smooth. 

3. Add the chickpeas OR lentils, carrot, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, tahini and a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper. Mash well to combine, then add the egg and mash again. 

4. Taking around a heaped 1/3 of a cup of the combined mixture, shape into 8 individual patties. 

5. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil at a time. Cook patties in two batches, 4 at a time (replenishing the oil each time), for around 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Make sure to press the patties down with a spatula when you first place them in the pan. NB: Take extreme care when flipping the patties, as they are fragile and can break easily. 

6. When all patties have been browned, place on the prepared baking tray and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes or until they are heated through. Serve with a side salad. 

Makes / 8 large patties 
Serves / 4 = 2 large patties each alongside a side salad 

x Emily 

EGGPLANT PIZZA

I love this 'clean' form of pizza. I even got my husband eating it, who initially turned up his nose at the mere idea of a pizza without a flour base. Eggplant pizza's are a great idea for a party as well, as they are easy to assemble and spend all of their cooking time in the oven unassisted. I like making these pizzas when I know a late dinner is on the cards, as they are so light and low in complex carbs. If you are vegetarian or not a fan of ham, add some pitted olives, artichokes or another vegetable to the pizzas. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large eggplant (around 700g), ends trimmed and thinly sliced into rounds 
• sea salt
• paper towel or clean tea towel
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 medium red capsicum, roughly chopped 
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/2 a small red onion, finely chopped
• a generous handful of baby spinach, chopped
• 4 tablespoons grated reduced-fat cheese or 40g reduced-fat feta, crumbled
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
• Optional- 150g lean ham, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with paper paper. 

2. Place the eggplant rounds on the prepared baking tray then sprinkle salt on top to draw out the vegetables' moisture. Leave for 10 minutes, then rinse well in a colander and pat dry with a paper towel or tea towel. 

3. Whilst the eggplant is 'sweating', chop all the remaining ingredients. Combine the oil, tomato, capsicum, garlic, onion, spinach, cheese, basil and ham (if using, or add the other vegetable/s) in a medium bowl and mix well. Sprinkle with ground black pepper if desired and stir again. 

4. Once the eggplant rounds are rinsed and dry, return them to the prepared baking tray. Spread the tomato paste thinly on top of each round. Next, top each little pizza with the vegetable mixture, trying to place an even amount of toppings onto each eggplant round. 

5. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes or until the eggplant is just brown and tender. Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly before handling. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 30-35 minutes 

x Emily 

STUFFED TANGY QUINOA CAPSICUMS

I’ve made stuffed capsicums on several occasions over the years, mostly with couscous or rice as the foundation. I have ample amounts of quinoa in my pantry after buying up big at Costco (2kgs to be exact) hence this ingredient was chosen as the filler. Depending on how hungry you are, you can add some grilled chicken and/or lentils to the capsicums for more protein. I love the tanginess of the lemon, sumac spice and tomato as a topping. A sprinkle of whatever chopped/crumbed cheese you have on hand and finely chopped garlic will provide the quinoa with some added flavour. I love eating these capsicums as a light dinner. I do slightly prefer green capsicums over red for this recipe, however red always seems to be in much greater supply as my green grocer! 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cups quinoa (any sort will do)
• 3 medium red / green / or a mixture of the two capsicum, deseeded & membranes removed and cut in half 
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 20-30g goat's feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 large tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 heaped teaspoon sumac
• the juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (i.e parsley, basil, chives)

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-force oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Rinse the quinoa twice in cold water, then strain well. Pour the quinoa into a small saucepan and add 1/2 cups water with a generous pinch of sea salt. Cover the pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes or until all water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked (taste to check). 

3. While the quinoa is cooking, heat the coconut oil in a medium to large frypan over medium-high heat. Add the halved capsicums and cook on their round sizes for 5-6 minutes or until lightly scorched. Remove from the heat and place cut side up on the prepared baking tray. 

4. Once the quinoa is cooked, combine with the garlic and goat's cheese and spoon the mixture into the hollow part of the capsicums. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove. 

5. Whilst the capsicums are in the oven, combine the tomato, sumac, lemon, fresh herbs and a pinch of sea salt. Once the capsicums have finished baking, top them with this tomato mixture and serve warm. 

Serves / 2 hungry people

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 35 minutes maximum 

x Emily 

TERESA CUTTER'S PUMPKIN BREAD

I stumbled across this recipe by the Healthy Chef, Teresa Cutter, while looking in a House & Garden magazine for renovation inspiration. I’ve come across Teresa in the past and have tried out some of her gluten-free, often dairy-free and health-conscious desserts and treats. I am sure we are all guilty of thinking of allergy free and low sugar sweets as dry, bland and uninteresting at one point in time, but the Healthy Chef blows this falsehood out of the water with her full flavoured, moist and easy-to-make cakes, muffins and breads (among other recipes). Here is her Pumpkin Bread, adapted very slightly. Even if you are not a fan of pumpkin I suggest making it- the warm bread is delightful with a dollop of butter, dunked in a steaming bowl of soup or eaten solo. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 heaped cups (450-475g) grated raw pumpkin 
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 4 eggs, preferably free-range 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1/6 - 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 3 cups (300g) almond meal
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free baking powder, sifted 

COOKING / BAKING

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a narrow but deep loaf tin with baking paper. 

2. In a large bowl place the grated pumpkin, syrup, eggs, salt, nutmeg and oil. Mix to combine and add almond meal and baking powder, stirring well. 

3. Pour/spoon the pumpkin mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer or knife inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to rest for 1 hour before lifting out. 

Makes / 1 loaf

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes

Total Cooking time / 1 hour 10 minutes 

x Emily 

OPEN PUMPKIN and SAGE LASAGNA

I will willingly admit that I am still trying to get over the end of My Kitchen Rules. Having never watched it before, I got involved in season 3 like a crazy addict. This dish is loosely based on the Open Pumpkin Lasagna that the contestants Josh & Andy made. Of course I did not make my own pasta like them, opting for the more convenient store bought gluten-free lasagna sheets. Sage and butter do go well together, so free feel to use that instead of coconut oil if you have it on hand, however it will not be quite so good for you. Fresh sage leaves are a must for this dish! If you cannot digest the garlic and onion due to a fructose allergy, just omit it and fry the oil with the sage. And as a major plus this dish will photograph beautifully due to its deconstructed form.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g pumpkin, thinly sliced into even-sized slices or wedges
• coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
• sea salt & ground black pepper
• 1 medium to large red onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 35 - 40 fresh sage leaves, torn in half 
• 300g gluten-free lasagne sheets
• 80-100g goat's feta, crumbled into small pieces

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. In a large bowl mix the pumpkin slices, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (in liquid form), maple syrup, and a decent sized pinch of sea salt & pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking tray and roast for 13-15 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Keep warm in the oven until step 4. 

2. Whilst the pumpkin is roasting, bring a medium to large covered saucepan of salted water to the boil. When water has boiled, cook the lasagne sheets in batches until al dente or just tender. Remove from the pan and drain with cold water. Cut lasagne sheets in half. 

3. Whilst water is boiling, place 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a medium frying pan. When melted add garlic and red onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until onion is soft. Add torn sage leaves to the pan and add slightly more oil to the pan if you need. Stir until sage leaves have just wilted and are covered with oil and remove from heat. 

4. Arrange the lasagne - you can really do this whichever way you want. I started with half a lasagne sheet, then topped that with a few pumpkin slices, a tablespoon or two of the sage, garlic and onion mixture and a few crumbed pieces of goat's feta. Repeat this arrangement twice more times to form a serving. Top with fresh sage leaves, if you desire. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 35 minutes 

x Emily