PRAWN & MANGO WRAPS

This is a light and easy meal that screams 'summer' to me. I like to buy prawns all ready to be cooked, but sometimes I do the dirty work myself; peeling, deveining and removing their tails. It's up to you which way you go. I can see myself eating a lot of these wraps over the hot months! 

INGREDIENTS

• 250g prawns, peeled, deveined & tails removed, uncooked 
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce 
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 8 small tortilla wraps or mountain bread wraps 
• a handful of mixed or green lettuce, washed and roughly shredded
• 100g cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced thinly
• 1 small mango, cut into cubes, around 100g 
• Optional- a handful of fresh coriander leaves

COOKING 

1. Combine the prawns and sweet chilli sauce in a small bowl. 

2. Heat and swirl the oil in a medium fry pan over medium-low heat. Add the prawns and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 - 3 minutes or until the prawns are pink and no longer translucent. Remove from heat immediately so they do not continue to cook. 

3. Lay a wrap down flat on a plate or chopping board. Arrange 1/8 of the cooked prawns, lettuce, cucumber, avocado, mango and coriander if using in the middle of the wrap and fold to wrap. Repeat until all wraps and ingredients are used. 

Serves / 4 / 2 wraps per serving 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / max 15 minutes (this does not include prepping the prawns)

x Emily 

CORN, CHICKPEA & CHICKEN SALAD

I fed this salad to my dad and myself after we had spent a gruelling few hours in my garden on a hot day, as I wanted to pump us full of protein! Hence the chicken and the chickpeas. You can get creative with this corn salad and use different meat, such as turkey or ham and/or toss other vegetables in to the mix; capsicum, beans, tomatoes, herbs, etc.  To me, this is a perfect summer salad! If you have a bbq or a grill plate take the opportunity to grill your corn cobs, as they taste superb. 

INGREDIENTS

• 500g chicken breasts, fat removed and cut into even 5cm strips
• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, washed & drained
• 1 small red onion, cut into thin strips
• 1 large or 2 small ripe avocado/s, diced into small pieces & combined with a few teaspoons of lemon juice 
• 40g feta cheese, crumbled 
• 2 generous handfuls baby spinach or mixed lettuce
• 2 medium corn cobs, cut in half and ends removed 
• 200g mango pieces 

COOKING 

1. Cook the corn by bringing a medium saucepan of water to the boil, covered. Once boiled add the corn and steam for 4 minutes or until the kernels are just tender. 

2. Remove the kernels by standing the cooked corn round on its end and using a sharp knife to run down the length of the round. Place in a large serving bowl. Add the chickpeas, red onion, avocado, feta, lettuce/spinach and mango pieces (or leave the mango separate as the photo shows).  

3. Toss the chicken strips with the oil. Heat a grill plate or a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the chicken until grill marks appear or until the chicken is golden in colour. 

Add the chicken strips to the salad bowl, tossing well to combine or leave separate as the photo shows. Serve warm or cold. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x Emily 

FRUIT ICEBLOCKS

What better than another popsicle/ice block recipe to celebrate the very first day of summer in Australia?! Regardless of the fact that Queensland has been feeling the summer heat for the past two months, I except this December, January and February to be absolute scorchers! And what better way to cool down than with a refreshing, guilt-free fruit ice block? Besides jumping in the pool that is;) Below are my four favourite fruit iceblock recipes! I encourage you to get creative and blend whatever fruit you have in the fridge with some no sugar coconut water for a low calorie treat! 

Mango Coconut 

Ingredients

• 200g fresh or frozen mango 
• 2 tablespoons shredded coconut 
• 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened almond milk / coconut milk / whatever milk you wish
• 1/2 cup water 
• 6 popsicle/ice block moulds

Method

1. Place the mango, coconut, milk and water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mango mixture evenly between the 6 moulds.

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6 iceblocks 

Watermelon & Kiwifruit 

Ingredients

• 200g fresh or frozen watermelon, no black seeds
• the flesh of 2 medium kiwifruit or 100g 
• 1 cup coconut water 
• 6 popsicle/ice block moulds 

Method 

1. Combine the watermelon, kiwi and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6 iceblocks 

Tropical

Ingredients

• 150g fresh or frozen mango 
• 150g fresh or frozen pineapple
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 1/2 cups no sugar coconut water 
• 6-7 popsicle/ice block moulds 

Method 

1. Combine the mango, pineapple, banana and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mango mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. This recipe fills a little more than 6 moulds; if you do not have any more iceblock moulds you can freeze it in a small bowl. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes / 6-7 iceblocks 

Raspberry & Rockmelon

Ingredients 

• 100g raspberries, fresh or frozen 
• 200g rockmelon pieces, fresh or frozen 
• 1 cup coconut water 

Method

1. Combine the raspberries, rockmelon and coconut water in a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. Pour the mixture evenly between the 6 moulds. This recipe fills a little more than 6 moulds; if you do not have any more iceblock moulds you can freeze it in a small bowl. 

3. Freeze for a few hours (minimum of 4) before serving. To remove the popsicle from its mould, run under boiling hot water for a few seconds. 

Makes 6 / 7 iceblocks 

x Emily 

SWEET SUMMER SLAW WITH RICE VERMICELLI

The name of this recipe comes from another one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s creations. Yotam likes to make this ‘slaw’ as he calls it, with caramelised macadamia nuts and lots of papaya, green cabbage, mint and coriander. Not being a fan of caramelising ingredients due to the high quantity of butter and sugar used, I decided to opt for a relatively small amount of peanuts and fried shallots. You could serve this salad naked, or with vermicelli noodles like myself to make it more filling. Definitely a summer salad for the hot steamy Brisbane weather! 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 1/2 a red cabbage, washed & roughly shredded
• 1 large mango, cut into even strips
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup roasted unsalted crushed peanuts
• 1 large carrot, finely grated
• 100g rice vermicelli noodles
• 20g fried shallots 

Dressing

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

COOKING 

1. To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and let cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the dressing has slightly thickened. Remove from heat and strain, then set aside to cool. 

2. Fill a large heatproof bowl with boiling hot water and place raw vermicelli in it. Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then drain well with cold water. Place cooked vermicelli in a large serving bowl. Place the red cabbage, mango, spring onion, basil, peanuts, carrot, fried shallots and dressing in the bowl. Toss well to combine. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes 

x E

MANGO CHILLI PRAWN SALAD

Prawns and mangos are going to be my focus this summer. I just adore them. So why not put them together? Feeling a little lazy the other night I did purchase a mango chilli salad dressing, however I fully intend to make my own before spring become summer. A super easy and quick light lunch or dinner, this dish can be served with couscous or as a side to become more filling. If you are fortunate enough to have a BBQ, chargill the prawns and serve with some lemon drizzled on top.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 large tomato, roughly chopped
• a handful of iceberg lettuce, washed and roughly shredded
• 125g prawns, peeled & deveined
• 1/4 cup Coles Simply Less or other brand Mango Chilli dressing 
• Optional- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Combine prawns, half of the mango dressing and chives (if using) in a small bowl, tossing well. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut up and place the cucumber, tomato and lettuce in a small bowl. 

2. After 15 minutes, cook prawns in a small frying pan over medium heat, stirring often until prawns are pink in colour. Remove from heat, place on top of salad and serve with the rest of the mango chilli dressing drizzled on top. 

Serves / 1 

Total Preparation time / 17 minutes (including refrigeration time)

Total Cooking time / 5 minutes 

x E

CHICKEN & MANGO SALAD

This protein packed salad is both iridescent and extremely refreshing. When my dear friend Bec told me she was going to make this salad for us, I admit that I had high expectations for the meal. Mostly due to the fact that she is an excellent cook, but also because I had a feeling that chicken, avocado and mango would be divine together. I was not disappointed.  I loved the salad so much that I made it the very next day for dinner. My partner scoffed at the idea of salad for dinner, and then ate his words as he became full after just one bowl. If you not are going to serve this salad immediately after making it, combine the juice of 1/2 of the lime with the cubed avocado in a small bowl. This will stop the avocado from going brown. 

INGREDIENTS 

• 500g chicken breast, roughly chopped into 3-4cm pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground or smoked paprika
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon rice bran oil 
• 1 mango, cut into cubes and stone discarded
• 300g iceberg lettuce, roughly shredded
• 1/2 medium avocado, cut into cubes 
• 100g celery, finely chopped 
• the juice of 1 medium lime 
• Optional- fresh coriander leaves

COOKING

1. Place chicken, paprika, garlic and oil in a medium bowl and toss well to combine. Place chicken in the fridge to marinade for 10 minutes. 

2. Heat a medium fry pan over medium heat. When pan is hot, add the marinated chicken and cook until it is lightly coloured and cooked through, around 5 minutes. Remove chicken from stove. 

3. Place the cooked chicken, mango, lettuce, avocado, celery and coriander (if using) in a large serving bowl. Drizzle the lime juice on top and toss well to combine. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 5 minutes to chop chicken & garlic  (as you can do all the remaining preparation whilst the chicken is marinating) 

Total Cooking time / max 20 minutes (including 10 minutes to marinate)

x E