VEGETARIAN OR NOT STUFFED CAPSICUMS

People seem to have the opinion that making stuffed capsicums is fiddly and an ordeal. I am here to smash that belief. I love making stuffed capsicums as it is an incredibly filling and nutritious meal. I often use quinoa, however brown rice works well too. The bacon is only optional and added for my fiancee's benefit. I like adding some form of lentil or legumes to the stuffing, as well as a variety of herbs (I often use fresh chives, basil, thyme and parsley) as these really bring a punch of flavour. Don't forget to add vegetables to the stuffing as well! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium to large sized red or green capsicums
• 3/4 cup quinoa 
• Optional- 80g bacon, finely chopped
• 1 small zucchini and / or carrot, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons of a mixture of fresh herbs, finely chopped (such as chives, parsley & thyme) or 2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 75g feta cheese, crumbled into small pieces
• 1 large lime, quartered 

COOKING 

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, twice, with your hands. Bring the quinoa to boil in a medium saucepan over high heat with 1 1/2 cups of water, covered. Once boiled, lower to a simmer and continue to cook until all the water is absorbed, around 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, slice the top part of the capsicum off to make lids (around 3cm in thickness). Remove the seeds and membranes and discard. Heat a large saucepan over high heat of just enough water for the capsicums bottoms to be covered. Once the water has boiled add the capsicum bottoms and lids and cook for 5 minutes. Drain. 

3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

**Optional step if using bacon - Dry fry the bacon (use no oil) for a few minutes or until cooked how you like it, stirring regularly. 

4. Add the zucchini and / or carrot, herbs, chickpeas, feta cheese and a generous pinch of ground black pepper to the cooked quinoa and mix well to combine. 

5. Stuff the capsicum bottoms with the quinoa mixture. If you have extra quinoa left over try to compact the mixture in the capsicum and add more. Place the lids next to the capsicums. Bake for around 15-20 minutes or until the filling is cooked and the feta cheese has started to melt. 

Serve warm, with lime juice drizzled on top. 

**If you have any brown rice mixture left over, add a handful of washed lettuce to this and serve separately as a salad the next day/ meal. 

Serves / 4 / 1 stuffed capsicum per person

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 40 minutes 

x Emily 

FOODS TO FILL UP ON for a LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE

An email in my inbox caught my eye earlier this morning; USA Men's Health pick of the 10 top foods to live a longer life. Below are my favourites out of the 10 and are foods that I think we are quite capable of incorporating into our daily diet. These superfoods truly do have super powers; they can fight diseases, lower cholesterol and blood sugar and boost your metabolism. 

Almonds are the chosen nut, as around 28 grams (1 ounce) of almonds will supply your body with almost 9 grams of heart-healthy oleic acid. Peanuts, walnuts and cashews unfortunately do not stack up in this department. Almonds contain monounsaturated fat in the form of oleic acid, which is proven to improve memory (many studies on rats being feed oleic acid has confirmed this). Snacking on almonds also make you feel fuller for longer, as a quarter of the calories in almonds come from protein and fibre. 

Capsicum. Who can go past these brightly coloured red, yellow, orange and green vegetables? These colours are not just for show; they are the result of concentrated carotenoids, organic pigments found in plants and vegetables which have a bucketload of benefits. These include a decreased risk of many types of cancer, increased immune function, protection against sun damage and a heightened communication between body cells. People who consume food containing carotenoids regularly also have a substantially lower mortality from several chronic illnesses. Fun fact - these carotenoids are what give carrots, grapefruit and tomatoes their vivid hues. The cousin of capsicum, chilli, is also loaded with carotenoids as well as vitamin C. Chilli has the added benefit of containing capsaicins, a type of natural chemical that boosts metabolism, battles headaches and reduces arthritis pain. 

Eggs are not everyone's cup of tea and I can understand that. However, if you don't mind these little babies I'd read on. Eggs contain only 72 calories and are filled with 6.3 grams of protein and essential nutrients. Many surveys and studies have been conducted concerning eggs, with overwhelming results. A study that was published in the International Journal of Obesity revealed that people who swapped carbohydrates for eggs at breakfast lost weight 65% quicker than people who stuck to toast and cereal. Studies in Michigan demonstrated that frequent egg eaters had much vitamins and minerals in their diets than non or irregular egg eaters. Surveys of over 25,000 people found that egg eaters were half as likely to be lacking in vitamin B12, 35 % less likely to be insufficient in vitamin E and 24% less likely to be deficient in vitamin A. And here's some data to blow the common argument that the yolk of eggs contains too much cholesterol out of the water. Participants who ate four eggs a week had substantially lower cholesterol levels than people who ate fewer than one. 

Avocados. They so often get portrayed as full of fat and therefore become a food to avoid. The truth is this; more than half of the calories in avocados come from one of the world's most healthiest fats, monounsaturates. These fats are different from saturated fats, as they contain one double-bonded carbon atom. I know that this slight difference seems minuscule, however this individuality at the molecular level results a much healthier food. Monounsaturated fats have been proven to lower the number of triglycerides (other types of fat) in your blood stream as well as improving your cholesterol profile, which in turn can potentially decrease the risk of stroke and heart disease. Concerned about weight gain from eating avocados? There is no proven link between monounsaturated fats and body fat, so go ahead and enjoy this creamy green fruit. 

Grapefruit is a food that I wanted to include on my condensed list, as I did not know much about it before reading this article. To be honest I'm not even sure if I have ever tasted a grapefruit, however North America seems to have been preaching its health benefits for years. Here's why; this fruit is packed with lycopene, a cancer-preventing antioxidant (also found in tomatoes). In a study of 100 obese participants conducted in California, those who consumed half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 1.63 kilograms (3.6 pounds) over 12 weeks, with some participants losing as much as 4.54 kilograms (10 pounds). In comparison, the study's control group lost only 0.23 kilograms (1/2 a pound). In addition, grapefruit can reduce insulin levels, which was proven by the participants' increased ability to metabolise sugar. If you cannot face eating a grapefruit by itself, try to incorporate it into a green juice or into a salad packed with many other ingredients. 

Off to do my weekly shopping now and I can tell you I'll be purchasing a grapefruit or two! 

x Emily 

VEGETARIAN JUNGLE CURRY

Spring is well and truly in my neighbourhood and I am beyond happy about its reappearance. My daily walks with my energetic pups involve passing deep purple and bright yellow flowers blossoming and I can’t help but walk past them with a goofy smile on my face. Saying this, on my walk this morning all I could think of was curry and how I could not recall making one single curry dish this past winter. So I raced home and got cooking, throwing every bright vegetable into my large pot that I could find. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 5cm fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder
• 900g sweet potato, peeled & cut into 4cm even pieces
• 400ml light coconut milk
• 3 cups (750ml) water 
• 1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets and stalk roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, washed & chopped into small pieces
• 1 red capsicum, seeded removed and cut into small pieces
• 125g bean shoots
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
• 3 cups cooked basmati rice 

COOKING 

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and swirl to coat the base. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and chilli powder and stir quickly to prevent sticking. Add the sweet potato and stir until the potato is well coated with the spices. 

2. Add the coconut milk and one cup of water to the pan and bring to the boil, covered. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes before adding the broccoli, carrot and capsicum to the pan. Add two cups of water, cover and bring to the boil again, then reduce to a simmer for 8 minutes, or until the broccoli and sweet potato are tender. Add the bean shoots and stir well to combine. 

Remove the curry from the stove and serve on top of rice with coriander leaves sprinkled on top. 

Serves / 4 - 6

Total Preparation time / 20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes 

x Emily 

LAMB KEBABS / SKEWERS

I am endeavouring to cook with lamb more, as it is a red meat and therefore high in iron. A word to the wise; be careful with lamb as it can be super fatty if fat is not removed before cooking. Last week when I made this recipe, I needed some brightening up. Life can sometimes get us down and we all have our own unique ways of dealing with stress, anxiety or restlessness. Some people choose to drink, others to paint, shop, read, write, kick things…I choose to cook. My purple, green, red and brown lamb skewers served the all-important purpose of cheering me up on my blue day. As a plus, they were super tasty.  

INGREDIENTS

• 400g lean lamb fillet, all fat removed and cut into even 3cm pieces 
• 1 medium green or red capsicum, seeds removed & cut into even 4 - 5cm pieces
• 1/2 red onion, chopped into thin 4cm pieces
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil (in liquid form)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice 
• 8 skewers 

COOKING 

1. Combine lamb pieces, capsicum, red onion, sumac, oil and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Toss well to combine and marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, place skewers in water for 30 minutes to soak (do not skip this step or your skewers will break whilst cooking in the oven). 

3. Preheat a fan forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Thread lamb and vegetables onto the skewers, alternating with each ingredient or making whatever pattern you like. Place skewers in the oven for 10 minutes or until lamb is cooked through and capsicum and onion are just slightly char-grilled. 

Serve warm with a yoghurt dressing or my tomato & parsley dressing (1 tomato, finely chopped, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley, tossed well). 

Serves / 4 (2 skewers each)

Total Preparation time / 12 minutes (plus 30 minutes to soak & marinade)

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes 

x E

BLACK BEAN TACO BAKE

I’ve gone crazy for black beans recently. I’m so glad they have come in my life as they are fast becoming my substitute for rice or other grains. Today’s dinner was a dish I invented whilst walking my little puppy Buddy this afternoon. I suppose it’s similar to nachos. Whilst the recipe does seem detailed and time-consuming, there are a few shortcuts that you can take- for example, you can buy already cooked black beans instead of soaking them for 4 hours first and then cooking for 30 minutes. You can buy pre-made taco seasoning if you do have the spices to make your own. You can add cheese and/or light sour cream if you do not have a dairy allergy, however this does increase the calories. One tip- keep an eye on the oven as the taco shells do crumble quickly and can become mashed. Do not watch sex and the city and leave them for a whole episode- whoops!

INGREDIENTS


Filling

• 8-10 jumbo tacos, roughly torn 
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium green capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 x 800g tin diced tomatoes 
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• coconut oil, liquid form
• 1 cup black beans (either raw black beans or 400g tin cooked black beans)
• 3 cups vegetable stock 
• Optional- light grated cheese
• Optional- a few slices of gluten free ham, finely torn

Taco seasoning 

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/4 sea salt 

Guacamole

• 1 ripe avocado, 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• sea salt to season

COOKING 

1. If using raw black beans, soak in a large saucepan overnight or for at least 4 hours, making sure that there is three times as much water as beans. After soaking, drain well. (If you are using already cooked black beans, skip step 1 & 2). 

2. Heat 3 cups vegetable stock in a medium saucepan with the black beans. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes or until beans are cooked and tender. Remove from heat and drain. (Tip- taste 4-5 beans to make sure that they are all tender). 

3. Whilst performing step 1 & 2, preheat fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Lightly grease a deep overproof pan with coconut oil. Add torn taco shells, tomatoes, red onion, ham and capsicum. Make taco seasoning or use pre-made taco seasoning. Combine taco seasoning with drained black beans and toss to combine. Pour beans over the vegetable mixture and toss well. Sprinkle cheese over the top, if not dairy intolerant. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then serve with homemade guacamole and shallots sprinkled on top. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 4 hrs 30 minutes (if cooking black beans from scratch) / 30 minutes

Total Cooking time / cooking black beans from scratch - 50-55 minutes / already prepared black beans - 20-25 minutes

x E

BEEF 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. The  recipe below is gluten and dairy free, but cheese and sour cream can be added (just make sure it is light!). Flour wraps can be used instead of tacos as well. If not a big fan of tacos, you can buy Byron Bay Corn chips or any other lightly salted corn chips and use them as the base with meat and fillings on top, like make-shift nachos. This is a perfect weekend night meal whilst watching the AFL….hold on I live in Queensland…of course I meant Rugby Union/League...

INGREDIENTS


Taco Mince 

• 600g extra-lean beef mince 
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 3 tablespoons lime juice 
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Fillings

• 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
• 10 taco shells, warmed up in a 200 degree celsius oven (fan-force) for around 8 minutes 
• 1 ripe avocado 
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 large tomato, cut into small pieces
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
• a pinch of sea salt 

COOKING 

Taco Mince

1. Combine all ingredients together and marinade in fridge for at least 30 minutes. 


2. After 30 minutes, remove from fridge and heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add taco mince to pan and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up lumps with a large spoons. When all beef is browned and no red flesh remains, remove from heat and cover to remain warm. 


Fillings 


1. Keep the frying pan used to cook the taco mince on the stove and add the capsicum and red onion. Stir frequently for around 4 minutes or until onion is soft and fragrant and capsicum is soft but not soggy. Remove from heat and keep warm. 


2. Make the avocado topping by combining the avocado, lemon juice, tomato pieces, garlic, ground coriander and sea salt in a small bowl. Taste and add more of one ingredient if need be. 


3. Serve toasted tacos with taco mince and fillings, layering each filling on top of the other to fill the taco. 


NB- If not gluten/dairy intolerance, feel free to add light sour cream, little grated cheese or use wraps instead of tacos. 


Serves  / 4 
Total Preparation time / 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes refrigeration) 
Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x E

BEEF MEATBALLS

I have never been a huge fan of meat, particularly red meat. 

However, when doctors, friends and family all hassle you relentlessly to eat more of something, you do end up listening to them. My challenge is to make red meat cooking fun and taste unlike a dead poor cow. I was reading a food magazine last weekend when I came across an article in a food magazine titled ’10 Top Meatballs’. Looking through this wide selection of pork, veal, chicken, lamb and beef meatballs, I formed my own recipe. I've kept it very simple, however you could certainly add more herbs and spices, if you have these on hand. 

INGREDIENTS

• 500g lean beef mince
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (amounts to 2 slices of gluten-free bread or 1 multigrain/wholemeal roll, processed in a blender)
• 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 free range egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano 
• pinch of ground black pepper
• Optional- 30g feta cheese, chopped or crumbled into small cubes
• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil

COOKING 

1. Combine the beef, garlic, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, egg, oregano, pinch of ground black pepper and feta, if using, in a large bowl. To shape the meatballs, take around 2 tablespoons of mixture and shape into a circular ball. This is best done with your hands. Repeat to make around 24 (6 per serve) meatballs, placing them on a large plate. 

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the oil . Place as many meatballs as you can without crowding them into the pan and cook, for around 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden-brown and no red flesh remains. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to cool and remove excess oil. Repeat this process until all meatballs are cooked.

Serve with a filling salad. 

Serves / 4 

Makes / approx 24 meatballs

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes

Total Cooking time / 10-15 minutes 

x Emily