CHICKEN BAKED in a SALT CRUST

Chicken baked in a salt crust. My most time consuming endeavour in the kitchen yet, I do believe. Thank you to the Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans for this beautiful, rustic recipe. I had never even had the guts to roast a whole anything before this dish. A word of warning - whilst the dough/pastry will look incredibly appetising after it has been cooked - do not eat it! The almost 2 cups of salt makes it completely inedible- and believe me, myself and my partner Chris know as we both tried it and both spit it out very daintily. You may be wondering then why a salt crust is included in the recipe but not allowed to be eaten? Preparing a salty crust is a simple, easy way to cook a tender and succulent chicken in an oven, says Evans. Whilst this recipe takes up to 3 hours, if you have the time or want to make a meal to impress, this is well worth it. I can’t recall ever experiencing such flavorsome and tasty chicken.

INGREDIENTS

• 600g (4 cups) gluten-free plain flour, plus extra to create a floured surface
• 400g (around 1 2/3 cup) table salt
• 4 egg whites, preferably free-range
• 1.2 - 1.4 kg chicken, preferably free-range
• 1 tablespoon dairy-free spread, such as Nuttelex, at room temperature 
• 1/2 a lemon 
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
• kitchen string

PREPARATION 

1. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl and stir in egg whites. Slowly add 250ml (1 cup) of water to the mixture, forming a stiff dough as you go. (If you need to add more water that is fine, just use sparingly). Cover dough with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes. 

2. Whilst chicken is resting, use your fingers to rub the nuttelex and sage around the chicken and inside the chicken cavity. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and place the lemon half inside the cavity. 

3. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Use kitchen string to tie the chicken legs together and twist the wings so that they lie underneath the chicken. 

4. Make the pastry by rolling the dough out on a floured surface. Try to make the dough as close to 1cm thick and 38cm wide by 50cm long. Place the chicken in the middle of the pastry, breast-side up and carefully fold the dough over the chicken; first fold the pastry lengthways so that the chicken is covered and then fold widthways so that the pastry overlaps. Seal the edges of the dough by pressing together firmly. 

COOKING 

1. Gently lift the chicken and place it in a lightly greased deep heatproof baking dish (I used a deep casserole dish). Place the dish on a low shelf of the oven for 90-120 minutes, checking now and again to make sure that the crust of the pastry is golden brown and cooked through. Once pastry is cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes. There is no need to season the chicken, as it will have absorbed some of the salt from the crust. Serve warm, with steamed or grilled vegetables. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 45 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 110-130 minutes (1 hour 50 minutes - 2 hours 10 minutes)

x Emily 

SHEPHERD'S PIE

Today was a blissful day. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming and I was cooking up a storm. I have been wanting to make a Shepherd’s Pie for a few weeks now, but have not had enough time to form a recipe and bake. This recipe is actually quite simple to my Bolognese recipe, minus /plus a few different ingredients and the pasta of course. The sliced potatoes on top are different from the traditional mashed potatoes, however I wanted to avoid using any milk, cheese or butter / margarine. Shepherd’s pie to me is the ultimate comfort food and perfect for a frosty night like tonight.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 3 large sebago potatoes, peeled & sliced
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced or minced
• 1 x 800g tin diced tomatoes
• 1 medium carrot, peeled & finely chopped
• 1 cup peas, fresh or thawed if frozen
• 500ml (2 cups) beef stock
• 2 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary, plus extra to sprinkle over potatoes
• sea salt & black pepper
• coconut oil (liquid form)

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. 

2. Heat a large, deep frying pan over medium heat, adding 1 teaspoon coconut oil (liquid form) and swirling to coat pan. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until onion is soft. Add beef mince and cook, breaking apart lumps with a metal spoon, until all mince is browned. Add carrots, tomatoes, rosemary and beef stock and stir well. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, add the peas and simmer, covered for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat. 

3. Meanwhile, place potato slices in a large plate and cover with glad wrap. Place in the microwave on high for 8 minutes. Remove from the microwave.

4. Lightly grease a deep ovenproof pan with coconut oil. Pour the beef and vegetable mixture into the pan and top with the sliced potatoes. Sprinkle more rosemary on top of the potatoes if you desire. Cook for 40 minutes in the oven or until potatoes become golden brown. Remove from heat and serve warm. 

Serves / 4 - 6

Total Preparation time / 17 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 1 hour 25 minutes 

x E 

BACON & TOMATO BAKED BEANS

Do you have someone in your life who thinks that a meal is not really complete without ample amounts of meat in it? My boyfriend Chris is such a person and it aggravates me so much, particularly when I was going through my various failed attempts at being a vegetarian.  Whenever Chris comes home from work at night, he opens the apartment door and smells the kitchen air expectantly to see if meat made the dinner menu. It’s infuriating! I do understand that we all need meat, or at least need the protein and particularly iron that we get from meat products. I just don’t see why I have to cook it every meal. Last night I was running late to see a dear friend and needed to whip up dinner fast. Homemade baked beans seemed like a simple, no-fuss touch. The preparation time was minimal and I threw all the ingredients in a frying pan and left it to stew and become flavourful for 30 minutes. For something so modest, the beans tasted smoky, slightly spicy and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• 100g weight watchers or low-fat bacon, fat removed, cut into small cubes
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
• 1 teaspoon grape seed oil
• 1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans
• 1 x 400g tin of mexican chilli beans 
• 1 x 810g tin of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water 
• 2 tablespoons honey 
• sea salt & black pepper
• Optional - chopped fresh parsley to serve 

COOKING 

1. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat and add onion & garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until onion has softened. Add bacon pieces, beans, tomatoes, honey and water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally so that beans do not stick to the pan. Remove from heat and season with sea salt, pepper and fresh chopped parsley if you desire. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 7 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 40 minutes 

x E

POTATO, LEEK & CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP

This recipe was inspired from a Coles Winter Magazine that I picked up the other day during my grocery ventures. Whilst the temperature at night has dropped substantially in Brisbane, there is only a small window for soups before spring arrives. Now is the time to make soup, the true winter comfort food. I somehow manage to accumulate ample amounts of potato, sweet & regular, every week, hence they were thrown into the soup, along with some fresh garlic, market leeks and a can of cannellini beans that had been in my pantry for the better part of 2012. It made a delicious soup that really should feed 6 instead of 4! As far as soups go, this one is quite easy to make. Enjoy. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large leeks, washed & finely chopped
• 1 medium leek, washed & finely chopped
• 1/2 a large garlic bulb, cloves finely chopped
• 2 medium regular potatoes, peeled & roughly chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled & roughly chopped
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups water 
• 400g cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• coconut oil 

COOKING 

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Add 2 of the chopped large leeks and the garlic, stirring for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add chopped potato, sweet potato and dried thyme and stir to coat. Pour in stock and water, bringing to the boil. When boiled, reduce to a simmer and add the beans. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potato is tender. 

2. Remove soup from heat. Using a blender or food processor, blend/ process soup until smooth (this should only take a few seconds). 

3. To make fried leek, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the medium leek pieces and cook for 2 minutes, or until crisp. 

4. Pour soup into bowls and add fried leek on top if you desire. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 35 minutes 

x E

GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA

Before I became dairy-free, I thought that a pizza was simply not a pizza without cheese. In fact, pizza was one of the many foods that I thought I would have to cease eating earlier this year. Now I haven’t eaten fast-food pizza for years; I’m referring to delicious homemade pizza, without bucket loads of oil and flour in them. With a few busy nights last week, I was at a loss for what to make for dinner. My gorgeous mother had stocked my pantry with potatoes and gluten-free pizza bases just that morning (I love living close to her), hence came my idea for Potato & Rosemary pizza. The Antipasto pizza is similar to my past homemade pizza creations. Without tooting my own horn at all, I think these pizza’s tasted better without cheese. If you are dairy-free and can’t live without cheese on pizza, try grating some hard goat’s cheese on the pizza or some goat’s or sheep’s feta. Unfortunately the images are not my own as my pizza photos are having a hard time loading but they will be up soon. 

Potato, Rosemary & Garlic Pizza

Image by http://www.cooktj.com/files/node_images/144/potato%20pizza.JPG

INGREDIENTS

• 1 gluten-free pizza base (Old Time Bakery does a great GF base)
• 2 medium potatoes, washed, peeled & cut into thin slices
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 
• sea salt & black pepper

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Heat the potato slices in a microwave for 7 minutes, making sure to cover the slices with glad wrap. 

3. Spread the minced garlic on the pizza base, then add the potato, covering the base. Sprinkle the rosemary, sea salt & pepper on top. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the base and the potato are slightly golden. 

Image by https://www.organicbuyersgroup.com.au/shop/images/OTB_Gluten_Free_Pizza_Bases.jpg

Antipasto Pizza

INGREDIENTS

• 1 gluten-free pizza base (Old Time Bakery does a great GF base)
• 200g artichokes (from a tin works best), drained well & cut 
• 1 teaspoon pine nuts
• 1/2 a small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

COOKING 

1. 1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Spread tomato paste evenly over the pizza. Add the cut artichokes, red onion and pine nuts. Sprinkle the mixed herbs over the pizza. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the pizza base and pine nuts are slightly golden. 

Serves / 4 (both pizzas) 

Total Preparation time / 8 minutes Antipasto Pizza / 15 minutes Potato Pizza 

Total Cooking time / 10-12 minutes 

x E

CHICKEN & SPINACH RISOTTO

There is nothing better than warm, toasty food in winter. Last winter I made several risottos and I think as a result I tired of them all too quickly. The other night I asked my boyfriend what he wanted for dinner (which is usually a mistake as 99% of the time he pleads for red meat). He quietly mentioned that he had not been served with a risotto for sometime. Hence my Sunday dinner risotto dish. My dear mother had purchases some very crisp, fresh baby spinach which I used for the vegetable component along with leek and fresh chives. If you wish to upp the vegetable intake, adding artichokes would be delicious and/or some low-fat sundried tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g chicken breast fillets, cut into even strips
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock (preferably Massel brand)
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice 
• 80g baby spinach, washed and drained
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon liquid coconut oil
• sea salt & black pepper
• Optional (if not making dairy-free) 2-3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

COOKING 

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, adding coconut oil and swirling to coat pan. Add leek and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until leek has softened slightly. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is coloured and no pink flesh remains. Add rice to the saucepan and stir well, then add stock and wine. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes or until rice is absorbed and no liquid remains. 

2. Remain from heat and place rice in a large serving bowl. Toss in baby spinach, chives and parmesan if you wish. Add sea salt & pepper, tossing well, and serve warm. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 35 minutes 

x E

VEGETABLE & BEEF BOLOGNESE

Whenever I have a super busy or crazy day, I enjoy winding down by making bolognese. My recipe always changes slightly depending on the mood I am in, and I have picked ingredients up along the way from various cookbooks, friends/family and of course, trial and error. My fiancee and I try to rarely eat pasta hence there is no mention of pasta in the ingredients list! I challenge you to eat this bolognese sans your usual pasta base! You may also see that there is no cheese listed and I would like you to drop that as well from your homemade bolognese. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised with how full and light you feel at the same time with my simple, low calorie and complex carbohydrate bolognese. Remember, this is a healthy cooking blog designed to provide you with meals to assist in weight maintenance and loss, not weight gain!  Super simple, this recipe is comfort meets healthy food made easy.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon rice bran oil 
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed 
• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 medium (around 315g) tomatoes, roughly diced 
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled & finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano or mixed herbs 
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Optional- fresh herbs to serve such as chives, parsley, basil 

COOKING 

1. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is soft but not burnt. Add mince to the pan and cook, stirring and breaking up the lumps. When meat is browned and no red flesh remains (around 5-7 minutes), add the tomato paste. Stir well to combine paste with the mince. 

2. Add the tomatoes, celery, carrot, oregano or mixed herbs, worcestershire sauce, a pinch of black ground pepper and 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until the liquid has almost been absorbed and the vegetables are soft but not mushy. 

3. Divide into 4 bowls and top with fresh chives, if desired. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily