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 

BROWN RICE, CHICKEN & CHINESE BROCCOLI

This is a very simple dish, inspired by my husband saying that he wanted 'chicken, brown rice and broccoli' for dinner. I had bought some Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli) from a farmers market on the weekend which I absolutely love with oyster sauce and soy sauce. Gai lan has thick green stems and dark green leaves, both of which can be eaten. You can certainly fry the chicken breast with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil and 1 finely chopped garlic clove, however I prefer poaching chicken as it uses no oil and does not dry out, hence this is the method I used in the recipe below. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken breasts, even in size (around 450-500g in total)
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled & sliced 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 head of broccoli, florets and stalk chopped into even pieces
• 1 bunch of Gai lan (Chinese broccoli), ends of stalks removed (these are too tough to eat) and stalks and leaves separated 
• Optional - 1/4 cup green shallots, finely chopped, to serve 

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sushi vinegar or mirin
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

COOKING 

1. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water, add the chicken breasts, garlic and soy sauce. Bring to the boil, covered, then simmer for 10 minutes. After this time turn off the stove and leave the chicken to sit for 5 minutes, before removing the chicken and placing it on a chopping board to cool for 5 minutes before shredding it. 

2. Meanwhile, add the brown rice to another medium or small saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to the boil, covered. Reduce to a simmer, still covered, and cook for 15-18 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed. 

3. Prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl or cup/mug. Add a few tablespoons of water to thin out the sauce and stir vigorously to remove any lumps. 

4. In a third saucepan (or if not available wait until the chicken or rice is finished to use that saucepan), fill with around 10cm of water and bring to the boil, covered. Once boiled add the gai lan stalks and the broccoli, as these take longer to cook than the leaves. When the stems have become bright green, or have been cooking for 2 minutes, add the leaves to the water and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the leaves are wilted. Remove from heat and drain the vegetables until cold water in a colander. Roughly chop the gai lan leaves. 

Combine the chicken, rice, sauce and vegetables in a large serving bowl, stirring well. Divide into 4 serving bowls and top with finely chopped green shallots, if desired. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / around 30 minutes 

x Emily 

BROCCOLI with BACON & LEEK

A client gave me the idea for this dish when she told me about a meal she had made a few weekends ago, featuring broccoli, bacon, walnuts and herbs. You can add any herbs you like to this dish; I just kept it nice and simple as I was (and am) running a few minutes behind today! If you do not eat meat, replace the bacon with 3 hardboiled eggs for your protein. 

Ingredients

• 1 head of broccoli, stalk & florets chopped into even pieces
• 1/4 cup almonds, halved 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 a leek, white part only, finely chopped
• 100g bacon, fat removed and chopped into even pieces 
• paper towel
• 30g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 
• ground black pepper

Cooking 

1. Bring a small to medium saucepan filled 1/4 with water to the boil, covered. Once boiled, remove the lid and replace with the broccoli in a small colander or sieve, then cover with the lid. Leave to steam for around 4-5 minutes, then check to see if the broccoli is tender by placing a fork into a stalk. If the fork slides in with just a little bit of resistance, the broccoli is tender but not mushy. Remove the colander or sieve with the broccoli and discard the pan. 

2. Meanwhile, dry fry the almonds in a medium fry pan over medium-low heat for just 2 minutes or until the nuts are fragrant but not burnt. Remove from heat. 

3. Using the fry pan from step 2, swirl the oil to coat the pan over meidum heat. Add the leek to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove the leek from the pan and add the bacon to the pan, covering with a lid. Cook for around 2-4 or until the bacon is cooked to your liking. Remove the bacon from the stove and pat the excess oil out of the meat with a few paper towels. 

4. Toss the broccoli, almonds, leek, bacon, feta and a generous pinch of pepper in a large serving bowl. 

Serves / 2 
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes
Total Cooking time / around 10 minutes 

x Emily 

BROWN RICE with TOFU & BROCCOLI

I love creating and eating vegetarian meals. Brown rice with tofu & broccoli is a favourite of mine, as it is so easy to make and very filling, due to the plentiful amount of protein that tofu contains. Make sure to follow step 1 and 'dry out' the tofu first or it will not hold its shape when cooking. If you are not a fan of tofu, you could substitute for 2 eggs and make an omelette or cook 400g chicken breast. 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g firm tofu, halved 
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 head of broccoli, stalk & florets roughly chopped 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• paper towel
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

COOKING 

1. Place the halved tofu between two chopping boards or plates with a weight on top (I used a jar of nuts). Raise one end (I placed a small scale underneath one side of the chopping board) and sit for 25 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, bring the rice and 2 1/2 cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered with a lid. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and place a small colander or sieve with the broccoli florets & stalk on top of the pan, covered. Leave to steam for around 5 minutes, then check to see if the broccoli is tender by placing a fork into a stalk. If the fork slides in with just a little bit of resistance, the broccoli is tender but not mushy. Remove the colander or sieve with the broccoli and continue to cook the rice, covered for another 10 minutes or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. 

3. Once the tofu has sat for 25 minutes, chop into slim, even strips. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat, swirling to coat. Add the tofu strips and cover the pan. Cook for around 3 minutes on each side or until the tofu is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and place on a few paper towels, then pat with another few paper towels to remove the excess oil. 

4. Lower the heat on the stove to low, then add the 2 spring onions and garlic, stirring to cook for 2 minutes. Next add the cooked broccoli, cooked rice, cooked tofu and soy sauce and stir gently over low heat until all ingredients are combined. 

Divide the rice into 4 bowls, then sprinkle extra spring onions on top, if desired. 

Serves / 4

Preparation & Cooking Time / around 35 minutes 

x Emily 

SOBA NOODLES with PORK & BROCCOLI

I'm not a massive fan of pork, however I do like to eat it occasionally, as I find it even more filling than chicken. I am, however, a huge fan of all things noodles and have an immense love of broccoli, which explains how those ingredients found their way into this dish. I've recently started to use apple cider vinegar to tenderise and marinate meat prior to cooking instead of using extra oil. Do not be put off by the smell of apple cider vinegar, as you do not taste it after cooking. This dish was able to spread itself over both lunch and dinner for 2 very hungry people so you know its going to be filling!

 
Ingredients

• 270g soba noodles 
• 400-430g lean pork fillet, fat removed and cut into even sized 3cm pieces 
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons salt reduced soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon rice bran oil 
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed 
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into small, even sized florets and stalk chopped 
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (or if cannot find, add another tablespoon of white sesame seeds)
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves 

Cooking 

1. Combine the pork pieces and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl and toss well. Place in the fridge to marinate for 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil and then add the soba noodles for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice to make sure they do not clump. Drain and rinse the noodles in a colander under lukewarm water. 

3. Whilst the pork is marinating, whisk the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and 2 tablespoons water. 

4. Heat the rice bran oil in a large, deep fry pan or wok over medium heat and swirl to coat. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add the pork to the pan and toss the pork frequently so that all pork pieces become white in colour. This will take around 5 minutes. (If the pork starts to stick to the pan, add a splash of water at a time). Remove the pork from the pan and place in a medium empty bowl. 

5. Add the broccoli to the pan and continue to stir often. If the broccoli starts to stick to the pan again use a small amount water. Cover the pan for 5 minutes or until the broccoli has become less hard. Return the pork to the pan and pour in the liquid sauce from step 3. Toss the pork and broccoli with the sauce until combined. Add the cooked noodles to the pan and toss well. 

Remove from the stove, add the shallots, fresh coriander and sesame seeds and stir to combine. Divide between four bowls and enjoy! 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 10-12 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

GRATED BEETROOT, EDAMAME & BROCCOLI SALAD

Another grated salad for this week, this time featuring one of my favourite vegetables: Beetroot. I used to think that beetroot was a bit of a bitch to cook, however the health benefits of this root vegetable make its cooking time well worth it. 

Beetroot contains magnesium, iron, potassium, fibre, protein, antioxidants, vitamins A, B6, C and folic acid, among other vitamins and minerals! This purple vegetable plays a part in reducing blood pressure and the risk of heart attacks and strokes due to its high content of nitrates, which create a gas called nitric oxide in the blood that increases the size of blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. Beetroot also reduces the risk of osteoporosis, as it contains the mineral silica that supports the body to use calcium. This wonderful vegetable is basically fat free, low in calories and has a very low GL index, which means that it transforms into sugars very slowly in the body, hence stabilising blood sugar levels. Beetroot is comprised of soluble fibre, which has been shown to lower cholesterol. Beetroot also contains carotenoids and flavonoids, which prohibit bad cholesterol from accumulating in arteries. And an astounding benefit: a recent study revealed that the immense amount of nitrates in beetroot may be responsible for fighting the advancement of dementia, as one of the functions of nitric oxide in the blood is to increase blood flow to the brain.

So after that considerable list of only a few of beetroot's numerous health benefits, I suggest you get some in you!  

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 medium beetroot, skin peeled and cut in half
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• al foil
• 1 broccoli head, chopped into even-sized florets & stalk chopped
• 200g edamame, shelled & pods discarded
• 20g coconut flakes, toasted or raw
• 15g sunflower seeds
• 15g pepitas

Tahini Sour Dressing

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 heaped tablespoon tahini
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Wrap each beetroot half in foil and place in a medium deep baking tray with 2-3cm of water and 1 tablespoon olive oil in it. Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the beetroot halves are tender (that is, a knife can easily slide through them). Remove from the oven, remove from foil when cool enough to handle and leave to cool for a few more minutes. Once the beetroot is cool, grate the beetroot using gloves. 

2. Whilst the beetroot is roasting / cooling, make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients and whisking well. If the tahini is still clumpy after whisking, add a splash or two of water. 
ng the broccoli and steaming it; bring a medium half full saucepan of water to the boil and place the broccoli florets and stalks in a sieve or colander on top of the pan. Steam for around 5 minutes, covered, or until the broccoli is just tender but not soggy. Remove from heat. 

4. Place the grated cooked beetroot, cooked broccoli, edamame, coconut, sunflower seeds and pepitas in a large serving bowl and toss to combine. Drizzle the tahini dressing over the top. 

Serves / 4 as a light meal
Total Preparation & Cooking time (as the preparation can be done whilst the cooking is happening) / around 1 hour. 

x Emily 

SWEET BROCCOLI SALAD with QUINOA & EDAMAME

This recipe is straight from the Arthur Street Kitchen cookbook ‘Community’ and is the tastiest way I have ever eaten quinoa! Initially I did not fancy quinoa much, so I have tried my hand with this grain in various ways, so trust me when I say that I have eaten it a lot. The sweet sauce is a revelation and whilst the ingredients may sound strange together, they work beautifully to create a slightly sweet, faintly sour and a somewhat nutty dressing. I have kept the recipe very similar to the original, just omitting all the oil and nigella seeds (as they are difficult to source). Black sesame seeds are delicious and can be found in all health food stores. Mirin is a sweet rice wine, similar to sake but with a lower alcohol content and a slightly sugary taste. Mirin seasoning is much more accessible, hence why I used it and is available from all major supermarkets. If you cannot find it, you can substitute it with rice wine vinegar. The edamame quality may look odd (227g), but it is exactly half of a standard packet of edamame that you can buy from all major supermakets (454g) in the frozen food aisle. This unique salad is great as a filling lunch and is impressive enough to be served as a vegetable dish at a dinner party. I myself ate it for dinner last night with a boiled egg on top.

P.S- Probably a good idea to explain what edamame is as well! Edamame is a type of bean commonly found in Taiwanese  Chines, Japanese, Indonesian and Hawaiian cuisine. It is a green soybean that are boiled or steamed and served with salt. They have recently found increasing popularity as a healthy food item, due to it's high iron (for a plant food), it's protein content and its substantial levels of vitamin C & A. 

Ingredients

•   1 cup quinoa (170-200g) 

•   1g (a pinch) of stevia

•   2 heads of broccoli (around 1kg), cut into similar-sized florets, with the stalks cut into small pieces

•   227g frozen edamame beans, thawed & podded

•   2 heaped tablespoons white sesame seeds

•   2 heaped tablespoons black sesame seeds

•   a handful of fresh coriander leaves, washed 

Sweet sauce

•   3 tablespoons tahini

•   1 medium garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped

•   1 teaspoon soy sauce

•   a pinch of sea salt

•   1 heaped tablespoon honey

•   1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

•   2 tablespoons mirin seasoning 

Cooking 

1. Rinse the quinoa well with cold water. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil with the quinoa. Once boiled, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. Turn off the heat and leave the quinoa in the pot for 8 minutes, covered. After this time remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. 

2. Meanwhile, bring another medium / large saucepan of water to the boil, adding a pinch of sea salt and the stevia to the water. When boiled add the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes or until just tender. Add the podded edamame beans to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute, then remove the vegetables from the heat and drain in a large colander under cold water. 

3. Make the sweet sauce by whisking all the sauce ingredients together as well as a few tablespoons of water. You want the consistency of the sauce to be quite runny and easy to pour onto the salad, so carefully add more water as you see fit. The sauce should taste slightly sweet from the honey, slightly sour from the vinegar and a tad nutty in flavour from the tahini. 

4. Place the quinoa on a large serving plate or in a large bowl. Add the broccoli edamame mixture and 1/2 of the sesame seeds and toss well to combine. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds and coriander leaves over the salad and pour the sauce on top. Enjoy! 

Serves / 4 - 6

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes maximum 

x Emily 

BROCCOLI SALAD with CHICKPEAS, CANNELLINI BEANS, LEMON & HAM

A client loaned me the most amazing cookbook; ‘Community; Salad Recipes from Arthur Street Kitchen’ by Hetty McKinnon. It is a beautiful collection of recipes that will enthrall any reader and will make you think about salads in a much more extensive way than you probably ever have before. It is not a vegetarian cookbook, however all the salad ingredients are vegetables, spices & herbs. Below I have adapted one of Hetty’s popular brassica recipes to include some ham and some extra beans for protein. Hetty offers each reader of her cookbook and taster of her Arthur Street Kitchen salads a chance to discover more meaningful ways to bond and relate through food, which to me is the absolute point of eating (besides avoiding starvation, of course!). 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (liquid form)
• 2 heads of broccoli (1 kg), cut into even-sized florets & stalks thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
• 100 -150g good quality ham, finely chopped
• 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, washed & drained well
• 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans, washed & drained well
• 1 generous handful of mixed lettuce, washed & drained well
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• the zest & juice of 1 large lemon 
• sea salt & ground black pepper 

COOKING 

1. Combine the oil, broccoli and garlic in a large bowl and toss well. 

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the broccoli-garlic-oil mixture. Keep stirring the broccoli, garlic and ham frequently so that they do not burn. Add a few splashes of water to the pan if the ingredients start to stick. Continue to stir until the broccoli is just soft and the garlic and ham are lightly golden. 

3. Combine the broccoli mixture with the chickpeas, beans, lettuce, parsley and zest & juice in a large serving bowl. Toss well to combine all ingredients and add sea salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves / 4 for a main meal 

Total Preparation time / 10 - 15 minutes 

From pan to plate  / 10 - 15 minutes maximum 

x Emily 

PUMPKIN, BROCCOLI & MISO SOUP

This recipe came to be after my inventive friend Tahnee told me that she paired soba noodles with pumpkin the other day. Soba, udon or ramen noodles work beautifully with this dish, as do rice vermicelli noodles that I have used here. I like using these noodles as they are gluten-free friendly, very inexpensive and light. The pumpkin and broccoli work nicely together and add texture and flavour to the miso broth. One piece of advice - go easy on the miso paste. Start dissolving 2 tablespoons of paste in 5 cups of water and taste. If it is too weak slowly add more miso paste but at a tablespoon at a time rate rate; different brands of miso paste can vary widely in their saltness. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil / coconut oil
• 3-4cm fresh ginger, finely grated
• 3 green shallots, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 
• 400g pumpkin, skin cut off and cut into small even pieces
• 1 head of broccoli, chopped into even sized florets & stalk thinly sliced 
• 3-4 tablespoons miso paste 
• 100g rice vermicelli noodles 
• Optional - fresh coriander, to serve  

COOKING 

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the ginger and shallots to the pan and stir for 2 minutes, until the air is fragrant. Add the pumpkin to the pan and stir well to combine, reducing the heat to low. Leave to cook for 4 minutes. 

2. Whilst the pumpkin is cooking, place the miso paste in a large bowl and add 5 cups of boiling hot water. Stir well with a large spoon to combine the paste and the water and taste test. It is really up to you how much miso paste you use. As a general idea I use 3 tablespoons of miso paste and around 7-8 cups of water. 

3. When the paste has completely dissolved add the miso water to the pan and change the heat to a medium-high. Add the broccoli florets and stalks to the pan. Make sure that the water just covers the vegetables. Cover the saucepan and bring to the boil. 

4. When the water has boiled, add the noodles to the pan and stir, making sure the noodles do not stick together. The rice noodles should be tender 1-2 minutes after placing them in the pan. Make sure that the pumpkin and broccoli are just tender (they should be by this stage) and then remove the pan from the heat. 

Serve warm and sprinkled with extra shallots and coriander, if desired.  

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 15 minutes 

x Emily