PUMPKIN, BROCCOLI & TOFU FRITTATA

This frittata was inspired from a quiche recipe I found in a Weight Watchers book a few weeks ago. I am a big fan of tofu and am making a big effort to add it to more dishes for added protein. Even my meat-loving husband loved this frittata! Which sadly meant less for me. A delicious, simple and filling vegetarian meal. 

Ingredients

• extra virgin olive oil 
• 450g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into small even pieces
• 1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets and stalk chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 6 eggs, preferably free range, whisked 
• 300g firm tofu, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat cows milk (or if dairy intolerant or allergic, substitute for lactose-free, soy or unsweetened almond milk). 
• 1/4 cup grated light / reduced-fat cheese
• ground black pepper 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius or 200 degrees for a non fan-forced oven. Lightly grease a circular cake mould with olive oil. 

2. Bring a medium saucepan filled halfway with water to the boil, covered. Use this time to cut the pumpkin and broccoli. Once the water has boiled add the pumpkin and cook for seven minutes, then add the broccoli and cook for 1-2 minutes or until bright green. Remove from heat and drain the pumpkin and broccoli in a colander under cold water. 

3. Meanwhile, cut up all the herbs. Combine the whisked eggs, tofu, milk, herbs, cheese and a generous pinch of pepper in a large bowl. Add the cooked vegetables and stir well to combine all ingredients. 

4. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared mould and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the egg is almost set and the top of the frittata is lightly golden. Remove from heat and leave to cool before cutting into slices. Serve with extra herbs on top, if desired.

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 50 minutes 

x Emily 

VEGETABLE MEDLEY ON SOURDOUGH

I don't like I could ever completely give up bread, as I love it so much! I have gotten myself to a place that when I eat bread I consider it a decadent treat, therefore I do not eat it often but when I do I enjoy the hell out of it. This simple sourdough was adapted from a vegetarian sourdough toast I had whilst out for breakfast a few weeks ago. I love the addition of hummus and basil, however you can go without if you do not have any. And what do you know, mushrooms made an appearance again (for those out there that do not know, I am trying my hardest to consume mushrooms and get over my dislike of them!). 

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 200g pumpkin, skin & seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 1 small red or green capsicum, thinly sliced 
• 100g mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 8 slim slices of sourdough bread, toasted to your liking
• 1 small avocado, halved
• the juice of 1 lemon
• 1 handful baby spinach
• Optional- a few basil leaves per slice of bread
• Optional - 4 teaspoons of hummus

Cooking 

1. Preheat a medium frying pan over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon oil. Once the pan is warm add 1 garlic clove and stir for 1 minute. Next add the pumpkin and cook for around 2 minutes per side or until just cooked. Remove the pumpkin and add the capsicum and cook for a few minutes or until lightly cooked. Remove the capsicum from the pan and place it with the cooked pumpkin. 

2. Pour the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and 1 garlic clove into the pan. Lower the heat if the garlic starts to burn. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly or until the mushrooms are cooked to your liking. Remove the mushrooms and place them with the capsicum and pumpkin. Mix the cooked vegetables.  

3. Spread 1/8 of the avocado onto each slice of sourdough. Lightly drizzle lemon juice on top. Top each slice with 1/8 of the baby spinach, 1/8 of the cooked vegetables, basil (if using), 1/2 teaspoon of hummus and another drizzle of lemon juice. Serve warm. 

Serves / 4 / 2 slices per serving 

Total Preparation time / around 12 minutes 

Total Cooking time / around 15 minutes (including assembling the slices)

x Emily 

BEEF VEGETABLE RAMEN

A simple ramen soup choc full of vegetables with a salty soup. Dashi is a type of soup and cooking stock used in Japanese cuisine. It is made from large dried, smoked and cured bonito flakes; bonito being a type of tuna. I used bonito flavoured seasoning, which can be found at all Asian supermarkets, however if you do have time to buy this, beef stock will work just fine. 

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons dashi (bonito flavoured seasoning) or 1 litre beef stock
• water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons miso paste
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 star anise
• 1 spring onion, plus extra to serve
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets and stalk chopped
• 2 medium carrots, cut into rounds
• 1 bunch buk choy, end removed and roughly chopped
• 100g ramen / soba / somen / rice vermicelli noodles
• 225-250g eye fillet beef, thinly sliced

Cooking 

1. Combine the dashi with 4 cups of water and pour this or the beef stock into a large saucepan. Add the garlic cloves, star anise, miso paste, spring onion, sesame oil and 2 more cups of water to the pan and bring to the boil, covered. 

2. Once boiled, reduce the heat to medium, add 2 more cups of water as well as the broccoli, carrot and buk choy. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until the carrot is just tender. Turn off the heat, add the beef strips and noodles and leave, covered, for 5 minutes. 

Remove the star anise from the broth. Divide into 4 soup bowls and serve warm, garnished with extra spring onion, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

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 

RICE PUDDING

This rice pudding has been adapted from a 4-Ingredient Recipe by Kim McCosker. I make a big batch of this rice pudding at the beginning of the week and it provides my husband and I with breakfast for four days each (it serves 8!). It can also be served as a dessert! The touch of cinnamon really makes the dish so don't leave it out! 

Ingredients

• 2 cups arborio rice
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups milk or milks of your choice - reduced fat cows milk if you can tolerate dairy or choose from soy, lactose-free, oat or unsweetened almond milk as alternatives
• 1/2 cup sultanas 
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Optional - 1-2 servings of fruit of your choice, such as 1 banana, sliced, a handful of blueberries or strawberries 
• Optional- a handful of shredded or flaked coconut, lightly toasted 

Cooking 

1. Bring the 2 cups of rice and the 4 cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan, covered. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, lid askew. 

2. Cook until water has almost all absorbed, then add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Keep heat low. Once the milk has been absorbed into the rice, remove from heat. Add the sultanas and cinnamon and stir well. 

Top with fresh fruit and/or coconut and serve warm. 

Serves / 8 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 15 minutes 

x Emily 

SIMPLE STEAMED CORN

Sweet corn is a superb source of fibre and vitamin C and is one of the rare vegetables that gives you long-lasting energy for hours. A word of warning - do not store corn for too long in the refrigerator as the sugar changes to starch, leaving the kernels tough and tasteless. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge for around two days.

Get creative with your corn. I often use a lemon pepper seasoning (available from all major supermarkets), as I love the zesty taste, however if you do not have that on hand you can certainly use ground black pepper. You could serve steamed corn with any combination of herbs & spices, such as paprika, chilli flakes, chives, basil, parsley and many others. For true summer style, grill corn on the bbq.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 corn cobs, hulks and silks removed and cut into even rounds
• ground black pepper 
• 20-30g reduced-fat feta, crumbled
• Optional- fresh herbs, such as chives, or basil, finely chopped 

COOKING 

1. Bring a medium saucepan filled halfway with water to the boil. Add 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, feta and fresh herbs, if using.  

Serves / 4 as a side

Total Preparation time / 5 minutes 

Total Cooking time / approx. 10 minutes 

x Emily