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 

CHICKEN & NOODLE ASIAN SOUP

This recipe is adapted from Annabel Langbein's recipe 'Mushroom & Chicken Tom Yum'.  Langbein is a free-range cook and makes the most delicious meals using fresh and sustainable ingredients. What I love about this soup is that the broth is created without using any stock, so no sneaky salt is added. I love poaching chicken, as it is also much more tender than pan-fried chicken. A very simple soup loaded with protein and lots of vegetables. 

Ingredients

• 400g chicken breast, preferably free range, thinly sliced evenly
• 1 star anise 
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• the juice & zest of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 200g whole mushrooms, quartered
• 3 medium tomatoes (around 400g), diced
• 1 bunch pak choy, chopped
• 1 broccoli head, cut into even-sized florets and stalk chopped
• 90g soba noodles or 100g rice vermicelli noodles
• Optional - 1 spring onion, finely chopped, to serve 

Cooking 

1. Place the chicken breast in a large saucepan and cover completely with water (you will need around 9-10 cups to achieve this). Add the star anise, chilli, juice & zest of the lime, soy sauce, fish sauce, oil garlic and tomato paste and stir to combine. Bring to the boil over high heat, covered. Once boiled, simmer for 5 minutes, covered, then remove the chicken breast from the pan and leave to rest for at least 5 minutes. Discard the star anise. 

2. Change the stove to medium-high heat and add the mushrooms, tomatoes, pak choy and broccoli to the broth. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes, then add the noodles to the pan and stir well for 1-2 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Remove from the heat and add a generous amount of ground black pepper. Thinly slice the cooked chicken breast and add it to the broth. 

Divide the soup into 4 bowls and add spring onion, if desired. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time / max 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / max 25 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 

SHEPHERD'S PIE

This recipe is actually quite simple to my Bolognese recipe, plus & minus a few ingredients and the pasta of course. The sliced potatoes on top are different from the traditional mashed potatoes, however I wanted to make the top layer fuss-free. You can add some cheese to the sliced potato and rosemary for some calcium. Shepherd’s pie is the ultimate meat dish for my husband and perfect for a winter's night.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced or minced
• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 4 small to medium tomatoes (around 500g), diced 
• 2 medium carrots, peeled & diced
• 4 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 500ml (2 cups) salt-reduced beef stock
• ground black pepper
• 1 cup peas, fresh or thawed if frozen
• 2 large or 5 small Sebago potatoes (around 500g), peeled & sliced
• 40g reduced-fat grated cheese

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Lightly grease a deep ovenproof pan or casserole dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil. 

2. Heat a large, deep frying pan over medium heat, adding the remaining teaspoon of oil and swirling to coat the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the onion is starting to soften. Add the beef mince and cook, breaking apart the lumps with a metal spoon, for around 5 minutes or until all mince is browned. Add the tomatoes, carrots, 2 tablespoons of rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and a generous pinch of pepper and stir well. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, add the peas and simmer, covered for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat. 

3. Meanwhile, place the potato slices on a large plate and cover with glad wrap. Place in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. Remove from the microwave. (If you do not have a microwave or do not want to use on, steam the potatoes in a boiling saucepan of water for just a couple of minutes as you want the potato to be just warmed up, not mushy). 

4. Once step 2 has been completed pour the beef and vegetable mixture into the prepared ovenproof pan and top with the sliced potatoes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of rosemary and the grated cheese (if using) on top of the sliced potatoes. Cook for 50 minutes in the oven or until potatoes are slightly golden brown. Remove from heat and serve warm. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / around 20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 1 hour 25 minutes 

x Emily 

BEEF OR VEGETARIAN TACOS

Mexican food ranks in my top favourite cuisines. I think its all the bright colours that incite me, as well as the exquisitely seasoned food. I love making tacos on the weekend, as it is easy, inexpensive and always brings a big, goofy smile to my husbands' face! I have made and eaten both the meat and vegetarian taco options listed below and highly recommend both. 

INGREDIENTS

Taco Mince / Vegetarian Beans

• 500g extra-lean beef mince 
• 1 x 435g tin of 99% fat free refried beans - for a Vegetarian Option add 2 of these tins and omit the mince 

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 2 teaspoons ground cumin & 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
• OR 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 

Fillings

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped into thin slices
• 1 medium red capsicum, seeded & cut into thin slices
• 1 medium green capsicum, seeded & cut into thin slices
• 12 taco shells, warmed up in a 200 degree celsius oven (fan-force) for around 8 minutes 
• 1 large or 2 small ripe avocado/s
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 large tomato, finely diced 
• 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
• Optional - 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat grated cheese 

COOKING 

Taco Mince / Vegetarian Beans 

1. Combine all ingredients together and marinade in fridge for 10 minutes. For the meat option: combine the mince, 1 tin of refried beans and either the spices or taco seasoning. For the vegetarian option: combine 2 tins of refried beans and either the spices or taco seasoning. 

2. Use this marinating time to prepare the guacamole by mashing the avocado in a medium bowl. Add the lime juice, tomato, garlic, ground coriander (if using), a pinch of ground black pepper and sea salt. Taste and add more of one ingredient if need be. 

3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the onion slices to pan and cook for 1 minute before adding the capsicum slices. Stir frequently for around 3-4 minutes or until the onion and capsicum are lightly charred. Remove from heat and keep warm. 

4. After the marinating time is up, remove the mince/beans from the fridge and heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the mixture to the pan and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up lumps with a large spoon. When all beef is browned and no red flesh remains or when the refried beans are smooth and not lumpy, remove from heat and cover to remain warm. 

Serve the toasted tacos with taco mince or beans, topped with the cooked onion & capsicum and guacamole. Sprinkle with grated cheese. 

Serves  / 4 or 3 tacos each 
Total Preparation & Cooking time / 30 minutes 

x Emily 

PUMPKIN, SILVERBEET & SWEET POTATO MASHUP

This meal was loosely based on a delicious breakfast I had at Elk cafe at Broadbeach. I loved my meal so much that I endeavoured to remember the flavours and recreate this mashup of sorts in my own kitchen. This mixup of hearty winter vegetables is so tasty that the bacon or ham is completely optional and can easily be omitted without reducing the flavour. This is a true winter meal that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato (600g), peeled and roughly chopped
• 450g pumpkin, peeled & seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 a large leek, white part only, finely chopped
• Optional - 120g bacon or ham, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a bunch of silverbeet, shredded 
• 2 tablespoons of fresh basil and / or fresh parsley, finely chopped 

Cooking 

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the sweet potato and cover with a lid. After 5 minutes add the pumpkin and cover. Remove from the heat after 5 more minutes and drain well. 

2. Once the sweet potato has been added to the boiling water heat a large, deep fry pan over medium heat and add the oil, swirling to coat. Add the leek to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until the leek becomes brighter in colour. Next add the bacon to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the silverbeet and stir well to combine, then cover and leave for 2-3 minutes or until the silverbeet has completely wilted. 

3. Remove from the heat and stir the cooked sweet potato and pumpkin, herbs and a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper into the silverbeet mixture. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15-20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 15-20 minutes 

x Emily 

BEEF, TOMATO & BEAN STEW

Some would say that it’s not truly winter without a hearty and filling meat stew. My finance goes nuts for meat; I put it in any meal and he instantly thinks that said meal is tasty. This beef, bean and tomato stew is very simple but tastes like it has been slow cooked for a few hours. If you don’t have 5 bean mix on hand you could use red kidney beans or butter/cannellini beans. Bay leaves are imperative to this recipe and can be purchased for under $2 at any major supermarket.  I used fresh rosemary, however dried rosemary would work just fine as well.  If you like spice, add smoked paprika or chilli powder when adding in all the remaining ingredients. I enjoyed eating this on its own, but you can add it to a bed of brown rice to increase the portion size from 2 to 4. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon rice bran oil 
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g lean beef, thinly sliced
• 1 x 400g tin 5 bean mix, rinsed & drained
• 3 medium (400g) tomatoes, diced
• 2 bay leaves 
• Optional- 1 teaspoon ground chilli and/or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary 
• 1 cup salt reduced beef stock 

COOKING 

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and swirl to coat the pan. Add red onion and garlic, stirring often for 2 minutes or until the onion & garlic has softened. Next add the beef strips, cooking for 3-4 minutes or until brown. 

2. Add the beans, tomatoes, bay leaves, spices if using, rosemary and beef stock to the pan. Stir well, then cover and bring to the boil. When boiled reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has absorbed. Turn off the stove, then remove the 2 bay leaves from the stew. Stir in a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper and serve warm, sprinkled with fresh rosemary if available.

Serves / 2 / Serves 4 if 1 cup of cooked brown rice is added 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes 

x Emily 

CHICKEN SOUP

Chicken soup; good for the soul and for those hard-to-shake winter sniffles.  Its been such a windy week that soup was a must this Sunday night. Another reason for a nutritious soup; I attended an amazing hens party last night which included the works: great company, a stripper and mountains of junk food and alcohol. I woke up feeling hungover from chocolate, cheese and a delectable coconut, raspberry and lime cake. So a vegetable packed soup was greatly needed for dinner tonight. As this soup serves 4-6, myself and my husband can eat this for the next days and will hopefully stay away from those nasty winter flus that are going around. If you want to make this soup vegetarian, skip the poaching step and instead add all the ingredients to the saucepan including a 400g tin of chickpeas and a 400g tin of lentils, rinsed and drained. Cook for the same amount of time as you do the vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g free-range chicken breast, fat removed 
• 1/2 medium red chilli, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ground black pepper
• 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme and/or parsley 
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken salt-reduced stock 
• 2 medium carrots, cut into even cubes
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into even cubes 
• 300g pumpkin, cut into even cubes
• 1/2 cup of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

COOKING 

1. Place the chicken breasts, chilli, garlic, pepper, thyme and/or parsley, stock and 7 cups of water in a large deep saucepan and cover well with water. Bring to the boil, covered, then simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the saucepan stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the poached chicken from the pan and leave to cool for a few minutes before 'shredding' the chicken (I do this with 2 forks and pull in separate directions, as you would when 'pulling' pork). 

2. Whilst the chicken is poaching cut up all the vegetables. Once the chicken has been removed from the saucepan add the carrot, zucchini and pumpkin to the poaching liquid and bring to the boil. Lower to a medium simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and remove the sprigs of thyme and/or parsley. Stir the fresh 1/2 cup of parsley into the soup and sprinkle some extra ground black pepper, if desired. Serve warm. 

Serves / 4-6 

Total Preparation time / 5 minutes

Total Cooking time / approx. 40 minutes 

x Emily 

NOURISHING VEGETABLE SOUP

There is nothing more that I love in winter than warm, hearty soup. I adapted this recipe from one I found in Yoga Girl's (Rachel Brathen's) book. Brathen lists some delicious recipes at the end of most of her chapters, all vegetarian, all super healthy and all very easy to make. I adapted her 'Carrot & Ginger Soup' to include more vegetables, particularly some that were on their last legs in my fridge. To spice up this soup you could add some ground or fresh chilli or more garlic or ginger. The amount that I used below of both garlic & ginger is subtle, however if you are fighting off winter bugs I'd suggest a bit more of each. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg of carrots, peeled and cut into similar sized rounds
• 5cm of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 large or 4 small to medium garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 400g potatoes, peeled and cut into similar sized sliced
• 1 large zucchini or 2 small to medium, cut into similar sized rounds
• 3 large celery sticks, cut into similar sized pieces
• 1 large brown onion, cut into similar sized pieces
• 2 litres of low salt vegetable stock
• 1 x 400ml can of coconut milk 
• salt & ground black pepper
• Optional- a large handful of fresh finely cut parsley

COOKING 

1. Place the carrots, ginger, garlic, potatoes, zucchini, celery and brown onion in a large, deep saucepan. Pour the stock over the top and season with a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper. If the stock does not just cover all the vegetables, add a bit more water, 1/2 cup at a time. Cover and bring to the boil over high heat, then simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened considerably. 

2. Pour in the coconut milk then return the pan to the boil, covered and over high heat. Once boiled, remove from the stove and leave to cool slightly for a few minutes before blending or processing in a blender or a food processor. Make sure to blend/process a little of the vegetables and liquid at a time. 

Serve warm, with extra ground black pepper, a touch of ground chilli and/or some fresh parsley on top. 

Serves / 8 

Total Preparation time / 20-30 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

SPICED PUMPKIN & SWEET POTATO with POLENTA

I love to make this roast vegetable dish in winter. As our little 40 plus year-old abode has no insulation whatsoever, I have spent the past few wintery days standing in the kitchen hovering near the warmth of the oven. I love winter as roasted spiced vegetables are one of my favourite things. Add in some hearty polenta and you have a substantial meal to warm your insides. Readers of this blog will know that ground coriander and cumin are some of my choice spices and I adore them with roasted vegetables, especially sweet potato. No need to add salt or cheese of any sort to the cooked polenta, as the flavour of the spiced vegetables is tasty enough. You can add a scant amount of crumbled feta on top of the dish to serve, however. Such a hearty vegetarian meal. 

Ingredients

Spiced Pumpkin & Sweet Potato

• 700g pumpkin, skin & seeds removed and chopped into 2cm even pieces
• 700g sweet potato, peeled & chopped into 2cm even pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 heaped teaspoons ground coriander
• 3 heaped teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons rice bran oil
• Optional - 40g feta, crumbled

Creamy Polenta 

• 2 cups vegetable stock (gluten free and low salt)
• 1 1/2 cups water 
• 3/4 cup polenta 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan force oven to MAX (240 degrees celsius). Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Toss the chopped pumpkin & sweet potato with the garlic, coriander, cumin, oil and a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper in a large bowl. Spoon the vegetables onto the prepared tray, trying to form a single layer of vegetables if you can. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkin & sweet potato are tender and golden. 

3. Meanwhile, make the polenta by bringing the stock and water to a gentle boil in a small saucepan. Spoon 1/4 cup of the polenta into the pan at a time, stirring constantly until the polenta has absorbed most of the water, then repeat with the additional two 1/4 cups. Add more water if needed. When all the polenta is cooked, remove from heat. 

4. Spoon 1/2 cup of the cooked polenta into a bowl and top with one quarter of the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle 10g of feta onto each bowl. Serve warm and enjoy. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 20-25 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25-30 minutes 

SWEET POTATO & BROCCOLI CURRY

I’m loving the cooler weather we are having at the moment, as it means that I get to use my stove without sweat in profusely. I have had so much sweet potato to get rid of this week that I decided a big curry would be the best way to utilise it. A very simple curry to make, the spices really are essential here as otherwise this dish could be considered bland. Garam masala is a strong blend of spices that is used in Indian cuisine. The spices that are often used to make this fusion are coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. I usually use around 1/2- 1 teaspoon of this spice with every 500g of meat or vegetables I cook as it is an intense combination of flavours. You can find ground garam masala, ground turmeric and ground coriander from your local big supermarket.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 tablespoons coconut or rice bran oil 
• 1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
• 700g sweet potato, peeled & chopped into even cubes
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground garam masala 
• 2 cups water
• 400ml light coconut milk
• 1 large head of broccoli, florets cut evenly and stalk roughly chopped
• Optional: coriander leaves, to serve 

COOKING

1. Rinse the quinoa over cold running water throughly, using clean hands to remove any grit. Then place the quinoa in a saucepan with 2 cups of water, cover and bring to the boil over high heat, then simmer once boiled for 8-10 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked and the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. 

2. Whilst the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. After 1 minute add the leek and stir, cooking for 2 minutes. 

3. Add the sweet potato and stir to coat in with the oil. Lower the heat and add the ground coriander, ground turmeric and ground garam masala to the pan. Stir vigorously to combine so that the spices do not stick to the pan. 

4. Pour in the water and coconut milk and bring to the boil, covered. Then reduce the heat to a simmer for 4 - 5 minutes. After this time add in the chopped broccoli, stirring to the combine with the curry sauce and cover again for another 5 - 7 minutes. After 5 minutes check the tenderness of the sweet potato and broccoli by sticking a fork into the vegetable (if the fork slides in smoothly, then the curry can be taken off the stove; if the fork meets resistance, keep simmering for another few minutes before checking again). When the vegetables are tender remove from heat. 

Serve the curry on a bed of quinoa topped with coriander leaves, if desired. 

Serves / 6

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 25 minutes

x Emily 

POTATO & LEEK SOUP

I’m wishing autumn away and hoping that winter comes soon with this leek & potato soup. Whilst I love the sun, there’s nothing I love more than hearty winter meals. Leek & potato may sound like a bland combination, but when paired with thyme it is just magical. Thank you to Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans for the inspiration and for all your hearty & humble recipes. I love a filling meat-less dinner and what better way to start a week than with a filling, wholesome vegetable meal. Evans makes his own vegetable stock for this recipe, which I greatly admire (but did not 2 plus hours to do yesterday!). Hence I used water and unsweetened almond milk instead of stock, due its high sodium content. I further adjusted the recipe with a chunk less butter, less oil and less ingredients for a no-fuss soup.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small tablespoons Nutalex or rice bran oil 
• 2 leeks, white part only, washed & finely chopped
• 1 handful of fresh thyme springs, stems discarded or 2 tablespoons dried thyme 
• 2 heaped tablespoons garlic or regular chives, finely chopped 
• 700g low-carb potatoes, such as Kestrels, peeled & chopped evenly into small cubes
• 1 handful of fresh thyme springs, stems discarded or 2 tablespoons dried thyme 
• 1 litre (4 cups) water 
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk 
• a generous pinch of ground black pepper 
• roughly chopped almonds & finely chopped thyme & chives, to serve 

COOKING 

1. Melt the Nutalex or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When just melted add the leeks, thyme and garlic chives and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until the leeks are soft but not burnt. 

2. Add the potato cubes, water, almond milk and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer, lid on, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and are falling apart when touched with a utensil. 

3. Pour the soup into a blender / food processor and blend / process into a puree. 

Serve with a few almonds, thyme and/or chives sprinkled on top. 

Serve warm or cold. 

Serves / 4 as a main 

Preparation time / 15 minutes 

From pot to plate  / 35 minutes 

x Emily 

SWEET POTATO and COCONUT SOUP

As soon as slightly cooler weather arrives in Brisbane, I crave soup. Perhaps this intense desire to cook soup stems from the knowledge that the winter weeks are fleeting in this town. The chilly mornings hit this past Tuesday am, as I reached for a jumper when I woke at 4:30am for work. At that moment, I knew in my very bones that it was time for soup. 

Sweet potato (kumara) lends itself beautifully to soup, hence my first soup of 2015 was a no brainer. If you do not have fresh thyme on hand, use dried thyme. Fresh or ground sage works wonderfully as well, as would fresh basil. The function of whatever herb or herbs you use to is assign a strong flavour to the soup, as sweet potato and coconut can be a tad bland without any help. Some days I use coconut cream for a thicker consistency and sometimes I use coconut milk for a slightly more liquid soup. I try to never use stock in my soups, unless I make the stock myself, as it is almost always drowned in salt. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
• 1 small leek, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chilli flakes 
• 800g sweet potato, peeled & cut into even cubes
• 2 cups water
• 400ml light coconut cream or milk
• 2 tablespoons of whatever herb you choose to use, stems removed and washed  (I used fresh thyme) 
• ground black pepper 

COOKING

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add leek, garlic and chilli flakes. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes or until the leek is transparent. Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. 

2. Pour in the water, coconut cream/milk, herb/s and a generous pinch of ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover, cooking for 10 minutes or until the sweet potato is quite tender.

3. Pour the soup into a food processor or blender and process/blend on high for just a few seconds until smooth (or almost smooth if you like a little more texture in your soup). Ladle into 4 soup bowls and top with more herbs and extra chilli flakes, to garnish. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / maximum 25 minutes 

x Emily 

CHILLI BEEF & BEAN BOWL

This was pure heaven for my very hungover fiancé on Sunday night. He looked terminally ill when he arrived home from an epic Saturday day & night bachelor party  and I knew that a Kale & Quinoa salad, however hearty it may have been, would not cut it for this boy. He needed meat and lots of it. Hence Chilli Beef & Bean Bowls was on the menu for Sunday night and Monday night, as I chose to make 4 servings. The amount of rice per serve is small and did shock me at first, however as this is based on a Michelle Bridges recipe calories must be counted and the sizeable amount of beef mince, tomatoes and beans does not leave much room for starchy carbs. I suggest you use brown rice over white, as brown rice fills you for longer. Don’t be tempted to rack up more calories by adding a dollop of sour cream or cheese on top of this bowl, as there is flavour enough without adding in dairy.

Ingredients

• 2.5g rice bran oil / olive oil (1/2 teaspoon)
• 3 garlic cloves (9g), finely chopped or crushed
• 1 medium red capsicum (200g), finely chopped
• 400g lean beef mince
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (20g)
• 2 x 400g can diced tomatoes 
• 1 x 400g tin red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 x 400g four bean mix, rinsed & drained
• 1/4 cup brown rice
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil or coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup of fresh lettuce (iceberg, cos, butter), washed, drained & roughly chopped
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Cooking 

1. Bring a small saucepan of rice and 1 cup of water to the boil with a pinch of sea salt. Once boiled reduce to a simmer and cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. Set aside. 

2.  Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the garlic and capsicum to the pan and cook, stirring often for 2-3 minutes, until the capsicum is just becoming soft. Be careful not to overcook the garlic and burn it. 

3. Increase the heat to high and add the mince and taco seasoning. Cook, breaking up the lumps in the mince with a strong large spoon, for 4-5 minutes or until the beef is brown. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup (250ml) of water, then cover and bring to the boil. Once boiled reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. 

4. After 10 minutes, remove the lid, add the beans to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes or until the tomato sauce has reduced (thickened) slightly. 

5. Divide the cooked rice into 4 bowls, then add the chilli beef & beans. Place 1 lime wedge, the chopped lettuce and the basil on top of each chilli bowl. Serve warm. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

Calories / approx. 570 per serve / recipe makes 4 serves 

x Emily