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 

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 

GRILLED TUNA BROWN RICE SALAD

Creating more recipes that use fish has been a fun challenge for me. I have found myself loving tuna steaks and wanting to cook with them a couple times a week. This salad includes a small amount of brown rice, however you can omit the rice for a super light meal. Just make sure that without the rice you do not get hungry after dinner and snack on something else! 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 2 large handfuls of lettuce or baby spinach or mixed 
• 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
• 100g green beans, trimmed and chopped into small pieces
• 120g continental or Lebanese cucumber, diced
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 30g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 
• 250g tuna steak, cut in half 
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• aluminium foil 

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1 spring onion or 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons water 

Cooking 

1. Bring the rice and 1 and a 1/4 cups of water to the boil, covered, then simmer for 8 minutes or until all water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat. 

2. Meanwhile, prepare the salad by chopping and tossing the lettuce, tomato, beans, cucumber, spring onion and feta in a large serving bowl. 

3. Make the dressing by pouring all ingredients into a small bowl and stirring. 

4. Stir the tuna steak with the olive oil. Bring either a grill plate or a frying pan to high heat. Add the tuna and leave to cook for 2 minutes each side. After this rest the cooked tuna for 2 minutes wrapped loosely in the al foil. Once the 2 minutes are up, carefully slice the tuna. 

Add the brown rice and tuna to the salad and lightly toss. Drizzle the dressing on top and divide into 2 bowls. 

Serves / two 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / max 20 minutes 

x Emily 

BAKED BARRAMUNDI with MUSTARD & LEMON

In my effort to cook more fish, I created this baked barramundi dish. Super simple to make, it requires next to no time in the kitchen as the 1 hour prep and cooking time is made up of 25 minutes of marinating, 25 minutes of baking in the oven. Therefore it is a great recipe for those who are time poor or who do not like the kitchen. In addition it is a very healthy, super light dish, perfect for dinner. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• the juice of 1 medium lemon
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• a generous sprinkling of ground black pepper
• 500g barramundi fillets, skin & bones removed
• a baking dish, around 25cm x 15cm or bigger

Side Salad

• 1 large tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 2 generous handfuls of lettuce
• 100g green beans, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, diced 

COOKING 

1. Combine the mustard, lemon, oil, spring onion, pepper and a tablespoon of water and stir well to combine. Brush or pour onto the barramundi fillets then marinate in the fridge for 25 minutes. 

2. Preheat a fan forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. 

3. Whilst the barramundi is marinating, make the salad by combining all ingredients and tossing well. 

4. When 25 minutes is up, place the marinated barramundi in a single layer in the baking dish. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven after this time and check that the fish is cooked by lightly shredding the biggest piece with a fork; if the flesh is white in the middle of the piece, the fish is cooked. 

Divide the salad and barramundi into 4 servings and serve the fish on top of the salad. Season with extra pepper if desired. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 1 hour, including the 25 minutes marinating time and the 25 minutes cooking time. 

x Emily 

PRAWN SALAD with GREENS

Even though it is only the beginning of spring, I'm already feeling like making meals fit for summer! This is a perfect meal for a late dinner, as it is incredibly light and healthy. I'm really getting used to making seafood a few times a week and I feel like I'm reaping the health benefits already. Prawns are a complete & great source of protein, as they contain all nine amino acids and 100g of prawns contains a whooping 25g of protein, around the same amount as chicken & beef contain. This seafood is very low in calories (always nice to hear!). 100g of prawns contains a mere 115 or so calories. Whilst prawns do contain higher than average levels of cholesterol, they are made up of GOOD cholesterol due to their healthy fats (Omega 3 fatty acid). Prawns are also a rich in Vitamin B-6, B-12, iron and zinc. They may not be the cheapest meat option, but who isn't willing to spend some money on their health? 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3cm fresh ginger, grated 
• 200g green beans, trimmed & cut into 3em pieces
• 1/2 a bunch buk choy, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a bunch pak choy, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 300g raw or cooked prawns, shelled & tails on or off 
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Optional- fresh coriander leaves, torn and 1 spring onion, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Heat olive oil in a medium fry pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 

2. Add the cut beans to the pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring, before adding the buk choy & pak choy. Add the soy sauce to the pan and stir well, then cover for 2 minutes or until the buy & pak choy are tender (the beans can still have a little crunchiness to them). 

If the prawns are raw: remove the vegetables from the pan and add a small splash more olive oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they become cloudy in colour. 

If the prawns are cooked: remove the vegetables from the pan and place them in a medium bowl with the cooked prawns. Drizzle the lime juice on top and add the coriander and spring onion, if using. Toss well and serve. 

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / under 10 minutes 

x Emily

SEARED TUNA with ASIAN GREENS

In my effort to eat more fish, tuna has become the star meat! I love how the taste of tuna steak is not the least bit fishy, especially when combined with Asian flavours. Here is my latest tuna creation; Seared Tuna Steak with Asian Greens. I really like adding edamame to stir frys, however if you are not a fan of soy beans or do not have access to them, you can use 1/2 a head of broccoli instead. I stress that everyone has different stove heatings and likes their tuna cooked differently, so cook it to your liking. In this recipe this tuna is cooked medium rare, not rare. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup brown rice 
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2cm fresh ginger, grated
• Optional- 5cm lemongrass, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 x 150-200g tuna steak
• 1/2 a bunch pak choy, end removed and roughly chopped
• 1/2 a bunch buk choy, end removed and roughly chopped
• Either 1/2 a head of broccoli, finely chopped into even sized florets OR 100g edamame beans, shelled (weighed after shelling)
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, to serve 

COOKING 

1. Bring the brown rice and 1 cup of water to the boil in a small to medium saucepan over high heat, covered. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and cook for around 10 minutes or until all water is absorbed and the rice is just tender. 

2. Meanwhile, pour the kecap manis, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, ginger, lemongrass if using and 2 tablespoons of water into a mug or small jug and stir to combine. Set aside near the stove. 

3. Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat, swirling to coat. Add the tuna steaks and cook for 2 minutes each side. After this time return the tuna to the original side and pour the sauce mixture from step 2 over the top of the tuna. Cook the tuna for 30 seconds each side, making sure to cover it with the sauce. Remove the tuna from the pan, leaving the sauce in the pan and placing the cooked tuna onto your serving plates. 

4. Add the pak choy, buk choy and broccoli or edamame to the pan and cook, stirring often so that the sauce does not stick to the pan, for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. 

Serve each tuna steak with half of the vegetable sauce mixture and half of the rice. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds and half of the chopped spring onions on top of each dish. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time / max 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 15 minutes 

x Emily 

TUNA STEAKS with STEAMED CORN & SALAD

A client recommended the 'Ocean Chef' brand of frozen fish to me recently, available at Woolworths supermarkets. In an effort to introduce fish into my diet (and having not been a fan of seafood for most of my life!) I decided that it was time to bite the bullet and make some fish meals. Tuna is a great source of protein, is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and is available for Pestacarians to eat! The Yellowfin Skinless Tuna Steaks that I used are often on sale, as are the other types of frozen fish from Ocean Chef, and feature 8 steaks to a pack, 1 per single serving, hence they are very reasonably priced. I was very pleasantly surprised by how delicious the tuna steak was and how easy and quick it was to cook. You can add any healthy sides that you would like to your tuna steak, I have listed my two accompaniments below. 

INGREDIENTS

Tuna Steaks 

• 2 similar sized (in thickness and weight) frozen or fresh tuna steaks, completely thawed if frozen
• paper towel
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped

Steamed corn 

• 2 corn cobs, hulks and silks removed and cut into even rounds
• ground black pepper 
• Optional - fresh herbs, such as chives or basil, finely chopped 

Basic Salad

• a generous handful of washed mixed lettuce 
• 1/2 a small avocado, diced 
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 a lebanese cucumber or 1/4 of a continental cucumber, diced 
• 20g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 

COOKING 

1. Wash & rinse the tuna steaks, then pat dry with paper towel. 

2. Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, then combine the remaining steak ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the steaks and place in the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 1 hour. 

3. Meanwhile, make the steamed corn by bringing a medium saucepan filled halfway with water to the boil. Add the corn rounds and steam for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and drain well with cold water, then dry well and toss with ground black pepper & fresh chives, if using. 

4. Whilst the corn is steaming make the basic salad by combining all the ingredients and tossing well. 

5. Once the steaks have marinated for over 15 minutes, warm a grill plate over medium heat and cook the steaks for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the fish starts to flake when tested with a fork. You want the tuna to still be pink in the middle. I like tuna quite pink in the middle, hence if you do not, leave it on the grill/in the pan for longer! 

**NB: If you do not have a grill plate, you may pan-fry the tuna steak by cooking them over medium heat in a medium frying pan, for 2-3 minutes each side, turning the steak over once during cooking. You can test if the tuna is cooked by using the same fork method as above.  

6. Arrange the 1 steamed corn,1/2 of the salad and a tuna steak on a plate. Serve warm. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time & Cooking time / minimum of 20 minutes (based on a 15 minute marinating time) 

x Emily 

PRAWN, ZUCCHINI & TOMATO PASTA

I am trying to incorporate more seafood into my diet as I know how good it is for me! My husband unfortunately does not really care for it so this will be interesting! First up: a very simple but delicious and hearty prawn pasta. The prawns should be fresh from a supermarket deli or a butcher. I like to purchase them already cooked with their shells removed as it is a real time saver. You often cannot buy them sans tails, however it only takes a few seconds to remove the tails and I quite enjoy this task! When I'm not in a big rush I cook the pasta first, drain it and then use the same saucepan for step 2, however you can have both step 1 and 2 going at the same time (just make sure the water has boiled in step 1 before you start step 2, so that the pasta will be cooked by the time you need it to be!). 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g gluten-free pasta (or regular pasta if not allergic/intolerant)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped into 2cm cubes
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped or 1/2-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 300g cooked prawns, shells removed, with or without tails
• 250g cherry tomatoes, washed & halved
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil and / or fresh parsley 
• 40g reduced-fat feta, crumbled or 40g shaved paramesan (or if dairy free, 40g goats or sheep's feta)

COOKING 

1. Bring a large, lightly salted saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Remove from heat and drain in a colander, reserving 1/2 a cup of the pasta water. 

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep fry pan over medium heat and swirl to coat. Add the zucchini pieces and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and stir all together for another 2 minutes. Pour in the tomato paste and chilli and stir well to combine. Gradually pour in the 1/2 cup pasta water you reserved, just a couple tablespoons at a time and continue stirring until the water is absorbed. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cooked pasta, prawns, cherry tomatoes, herb/s and cheese. Stir until the pasta is warmed through and all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat. 

Divide pasta evenly into 4 bowls and serve with extra herb/s on top, as well as a generous pinch of ground black pepper, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / around 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 15-20 minutes 

x Emily 

MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER PASTA

I really love pasta, however for many years I used to consume a massive amount in one sitting (I'm talking almost a whole 500g package cooked!). Over recent years and particularly in the last few months my relationship with food and portion control has changed greatly. I have learnt that I do not have to completely avoid certain foods, such as pasta, but instead I have to cook a lot less and relish every single bite. Hence pasta has been allowed back into the house (the gluten-free variety) and my waistline and mental battles with food are becoming quite miniscule. 'Mediterranean summer pasta' is a very loose term for this meal, as I have gone for simple, fresh, available ingredients found in my kitchen and have avoided olives, red onion and cheese (due to Chris and my allergies and likes & dislikes). I urge you to make this pasta your own with what you have in your fridge. 

Ingredients

• 150g gluten-free pasta
• coconut oil spray
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 150g zucchini, chopped into small even pieces
• 100g green capsicum, deseeded & chopped into small even pieces
• 1 large handful baby spinach
• 55g ready to eat calamari, roughly chopped
• 200g tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives and/or parsley and/or basil, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil 
• salt & pepper

Cooking 

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil over high heat. Once boiled, add the pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes or until the pasta is just tender. Remove from heat and drain, reversing 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid. 

2. Spray a large, deep frypan with coconut oil and warm over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and spring onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until the garlic and onion is soft but not burnt. Pour in the reserved pasta liquid and add the zucchini and capsicum. Cook for 5 minutes, covered, over medium heat or until the vegetables are tender. 

3. Remove the lid from the pan, add the baby spinach and cover again for one minute or until the spinach has wilted. Remove the pan from the stove and add the calamari, tomatoes, herbs, olive oil and a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Toss well to combine and divide into two bowls to serve. 

Serves  / two

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / approx. 20 minutes 

x Emily 

LEMON PEPPER RISOTTO with CALAMARI & BABY SPINACH

Another Coles food magazine recipe. I have never cooked with calamari before as I tend to not be too adventurous with food from the sea. I just think of it as unknown territory. But I put on my beautiful matryoshka (Russian doll) apron this afternoon and felt brave, therefore I decided to give calamari a try. It’s common knowledge that lemon and seafood go well together and this recipe is proof of that. If you love lots of lemon with your seafood, add more than 1 tablespoons of lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Risotto can sometimes be bland, so a good sea salt & black ground pepper are a necessity here. I was lacking fresh herbs in my kitchen today, but some fresh finely chopped parsley, basil or dill would go nicely stirred into this risotto at the step 4 stage. All in all, a very satisfying ending for my first calamari cook off.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups vegetable stock, preferably Massel brand 
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 a brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 3/4 cups arborio rice 
• 1/2 dry white wine 
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest 
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 250g cleaned calamari rings, cleaned & ready to cook (can be frozen as long as they are thawed)
• 25g crumbled goats cheese, finely grated sheep's pecorino cheese or finely grated parmesan
• a generous handful of baby spinach, washed, drained & roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

COOKING 

1. Heat coconut oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, stirring for one minute or until transparent. Add onion and cook for 1-2 minutes or until just softened. Add rice and stir well to coat. Add the wine and stir until it has evaporated, then stir in the lemon zest, lemon pepper seasoning and dried basil. 

2. Meanwhile, combine stock and 3 cups water and cover to keep warm. After step one reduce heat to a medium simmer and add 1 cup of hot stock and water at a time to rice mixture. Stir consistently until liquid is absorbed, then add another cup of stock and water. Repeat until stock and water mixture is all absorbed and rice is creamy; this will take around 16-18 minutes. 

3. Stir the calamari in the rice mixture for around 4 minutes or until calamari is tender. Remove the pan from the heat and add baby spinach, cheese, lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. Stir well to combine and serve warm, with extra lemon zest and baby spinach on top, if you desire. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes 

x Emily 

PRAWN, CELERY & PARSLEY RISOTTO

I have to give a great deal of thanks to my mother and her mammoth cookbook collection for my inspiration in the kitchen. I swear every time I go to my parents’ house, my mother has a new cookbook that she’s obsessed with. She has dog-eared the pages, placed post-its on every recipe she wants to make (which is 100 out of 105 recipes most of the time, so I have never fully understood the point of this) and is bursting at the seams to tell me about the meals that she has / is planning to make. Its really sweet. The idea for this risotto came from a recent Weight Watcher’s ‘Takeaway’ cookbook that was shared with me as mum’s ‘new favourite’. Now, I adore risottos however they often are too rich or heavy for me to eat at night. This is why I particularly love this dish. No cream, no cheese, no butter and no fuss.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g peeled prawns, tailed removed
• 3 stalks celery, washed & finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups arborio cup
• 3 cups gluten-free vegetable stock 
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• sea salt 
• coconut oil 

COOKING 

1. Bring vegetable stock to the boil and simmer, covered, until required. 

2. Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, adding onion and garlic when pan is heated. Stir for 4 minutes or until onion is soft. Add rice to the pan and cook, stirring, for one minute. Reduce the heat to low and add the hot stock, one ladle (1/2 a cup) at a time, stirring constantly until all the rice is absorbed. (This should take around 15-20 minutes depending on the heat of your stove). 

3. Stir in the prawns and celery and season with sea salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until prawns are pink in colour and are cooked and heated through. Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley, stirring this through if you like. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 12 minutes (add more time if you are peeled & de-tailed the prawns yourself)

Total Cooking time / 27-32 minutes 

x E