CHICKPEA, BACON & ALMOND SALAD

This salad initially started off as a Lentil & Bacon salad, made with tomatoes, red onion, sheep's pecorino cheese and a vinegary dressing. Having none of these ingredients in the kitchen the other day, I opted for a green type of salad with cooked bacon and toasted almonds thrown in. My little secret to avoiding salad dressings is to toast nuts or seeds and scatter them on top of salads for a bit of texture and a whole lot of flavour. I use sunflower seeds, pepitas, coconut chips, almonds, cashews, you name it. You could serve this salad sans (without) bacon and add a hard boiled egg or some more chickpeas to buff it up. I try to add meat to salads as it is a sneaky way for me to get my partner Chris to eat salads. Also omitting the lettuce makes him more partial to them. As the weather cools down at night, this warm salad is perfect for a light fall dinner. 

INGREDIENTS

• 80g bacon with fat removed, finely chopped
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, washed & drained
• 1/2 a large green capsicum, finely chopped 
• 1 lebanese cucumber or 1/2 a continental cucumber, roughly chopped
• 1/2 an avocado, finely diced 
• 1/4 cup almonds, whole or halved, toasted 
• Optional-a handful of watercress

COOKING 

1. Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon pieces when pan is hot and dry fry (using no oil) for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the bacon is golden. 

2. Meanwhile, combine the chickpeas, capsicum, cucumber and avocado in a medium to large salad serving bowl. 

3. When the bacon has cooked, remove from heat and leave to cool for a few minutes before adding to the salad. Dry fry the almonds in the bacon pan over medium heat until toasted (you will be able to tell this when the air is fragrant with the smell of almonds). Remove from heat and toss the almonds and bacon in the salad bowl. 

Serves / 2 for a very substantial meal 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 5 minutes 

x Emily 

PANKO CHICKEN NUGGETS

I love to make recipes that contain no added oil. It just makes me feel so much healthier. I decided not to fry these chicken nuggets prior to baking them in the oven for this very reason. If gluten intolerant, polenta or gluten-free breadcrumbs would work nicely as a substitute for panko. I like adding ground paprika and chives, however you could change the seasonings and add ground chilli, lemon pepper seasoning, dried oregano, fresh coriander, the possibilities are endless. 

Ingredients

• 500g chicken breast fillets, fat removed 
• 1 free range egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan force oven to 180 degrees celsius. 

2. Cut the chicken into small, even sized nuggets/pieces. 

3. . Whisk the beaten egg with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl and place at the start of your assembly line, after the chicken pieces. Combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, chives and pinch of salt & pepper (optional) in a medium bowl and place this next to the egg. Place a baking tray lined with baking paper at the end of the assemble line. 

4. The fun part - making the nuggets! Dunk each piece of chicken into the egg, then let the extra egg drip for a second off the chicken before placing the chicken piece in the panko seasoning bowl. Cover the nugget with the breadcrumbs by turning it over on each side and then place on the baking tray. Continue this process until no chicken remains. 

4. Bake the chicken nuggets in the oven for 15 minutes or until just lightly brown. Remove from the oven and leave the chicken to cool and continue cooking for 5 minutes before serving. 

Serves / 4 with a side dish 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x Emily 

HOMEMADE SEED CEREAL

Below is a muesli recipe I made up in 10 minutes before rushing out of the house on a Sunday am. You can make this cereal gluten-free by using puffed corn instead of oats. I tend to steer clear of dried fruit in my cereal or muesli, due to its high sugar content. I like to use several different seeds and one or two types of nuts to fill me up at breakfast time. I have tried to keep the ingredient list small here, as I know that the idea of making your own cereal can seem time consuming and daunting. However I urge you to try, as this homemade cereal takes a maximum of 10 minutes! I know that flax, chia, sunflower and pumpkin seeds can appear to be expensive, but if they are bought in bulk they last for a very long time and consuming them comes with numerous health benefits. 

For example, did you know that chia seeds expand in your stomach, making you feel full for longer and therefore resulting in you eating less?  Flaxseeds are acclaimed for burning body fat, as they speed up your metabolism and are full of fibre and omega-3s. Sunflower seeds contain copious vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, B1, B6 & B3 as well as magnesium and folate. Pepitas or pumpkin seeds contain a very wide diversity of antioxidants including vitamin E and are a great source of the minerals zinc, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. This is a very small snapshot of only a few of the many benefits these seeds provide you with, hence my use of them in this muesli and in every different muesli I make.

Ingredients

• 200g rolled oats or 170g puffed kamut or 170g puffed corn (for a gluten-free option)
• 100g puffed rice
• 50g flaxseed or LSA 
• 50g sunflower seeds
• 50g pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 50g chia seeds
• 150g almonds, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine. 

Store in a sealed container and serve with 1/2 cup (125ml) milk of your choice (I like unsweetened almond milk) or 100g full-fat greek yoghurt 

Serving size / makes 10 serves 

Total Preparation time / maximum 10 minutes 

x Emily 

FREEKEH VEGETARIAN SALAD

Move over quinoa, theres another grain on the block; Freekeh (pronounced free-ka). Freekeh is a wholegrain wheat cereal that has rapidly become popular in the western world, even though it has been considered a staple in the Middle East for over 2000 years. 

Freekeh, which translates ''to rub'' in Arabic, is made by roasting the young grains of durum wheat and threshing them to remove the chaff (the dry, scaly casings of the grain). What remains is a toasted/roasted grain with a nutty and slightly smoky taste. Because Freekeh is made from wheat, it is therefore not gluten or wheat free. 

This ancient grain is very high in nutrients, as the grains are still green when they are harvested. As a result, freekeh contains more protein, vitamins and minerals that other more mature grains. Some of the vital nutrients that this grain contains include calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and magnesium. Freekeh has a low GI rating of 43, which means that a serving of this grain leaves you feeling fuller for longer as it is a slow-release energy food. Freekeh also contains FOUR times the fibre of brown rice! 

You can use this humble grain as a breakfast cereal, as a replacement for rice or pasta or served cold in a salad (see recipe below). The cooking time is similar to that of brown rice, as is the cooking process. 

I used vegetable stock to cook my freekeh, as the added flavour meant that I did not have to prepare a dressing for the salad. You can add any vegetables you have on hand to this salad; such as cooked artichokes, cucumber, capsicum etc. The vegetables in my ingredients list were what was in my fridge. Make sure you add some beans or lentils for added protein. 

INGREDIENTS

• 5 cups (1.25 litres) Massel vegetable stock or water 
• 2 cups (350g) roasted wholegrain freekeh 
• 1/2 bunch of kale, washed & torn into small pieces
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• sea salt
• 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 small roasted beetroot, finely chopped or 1/2 tin of beetroot slices, finely chopped
• 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans, washed & drained 
• 1 ripe avocado, scooped into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons of parsley, roughly chopped

COOKING 

1. Bring the stock / water and freekeh to the boil over high heat in a small covered saucepan. When boiled, reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to cook with the lid slightly askew. Simmer for around 35 - 45 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the freekeh is tender to taste. Remove from heat and leave to cool for a few minutes. 

2. Whilst the freekeh is cooking, use this time to chop the tomatoes, beetroot, avocado, parsley and wash & rinse the beans. 

3. Once you have prepared the ingredients in step 2, heat a fan-force oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Toss the torn kale, garlic, oil and a few sprinkles of salt until combined and lay the kale on the prepared tray. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the kale has shrivelled up slightly but is not burnt. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. 

4. Toss the remaining ingredients in a large bowl with the cooked freekeh, then serve equally into four bowls. Place the kale carefully on top of each serving, so that it stays crispy. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 40 - 50 minutes 

x Emily 

SWEET POTATO BOATS with LIME CORN SALSA

This is one of my favourite dinners to eat when I know that I am going to be eating late. I love baked sweet potato and have never cared about the carbohydrate content of these; as they are low in GI (much lower than other types of potato) and therefore keep you feeling fuller for longer. Preparing corn kernels from a corn on the cob can be a little fiddly, but taste much nicer (and have a much smaller sugar content) than using canned. I know this taste article on preparing corn kernels very useful - http://www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/810/how+to+remove+corn+kernels. I make the salsa and bake the sweet potato during the day so that this meal is ready for me when I get home at 9pm most nights. The sweet potato do not get soggy as I wrap them individually in aluminium foil once they have cooled. And on a side note; this is one of the only vegetarian dishes that my fiancee does not complain about! So that's a win all in itself. I kept the salsa very simple as I wanted to keep the recipe low-fuss, however you could add all types of herbs to it, such as fresh chives, coriander, basil and/or spices such as ground sumac, paprika and/or pepper. 

INGREDIENTS

Sweet potato boats 

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, washed and cut in half 
• coconut oil
• sea salt 

Lime corn salsa

• 4 small to medium corn cobs, husks / silks stripped and kernels removed (see website link above)
• 1/2 large green capsicum, seeds & membrane removed, roughly chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 medium lebanese cucumber, roughly chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• the juice of 1 medium lime
• sea salt

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan force oven to 220 degrees celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 

NB: If you want to decrease the time the sweet potato cooks in the oven place the sweet potato halves on a plate covered with glad wrap in the microwave for five minutes. 

2. Lightly brush the cut part of the potato with coconut oil and sprinkle a small amount of salt on top. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, until the potato is golden and/or a fork can be inserted in the middle of the potato with little resistance. (The baking time will be longer if you do not use a microwave first or if your sweet potato halves are bigger than mine were). Remove from the oven when cooked to your satisfaction.  

3. Whilst the sweet potato is baking, bring a small to medium pot of lightly salted water to the boil over medium-high heat. When the water has boiled add the corn kernels and cook for just a few minutes, making sure to taste the corn every so often. When the corn is tender but not mushy remove from the heat and drain with cold water. Place the corn, capsicum, tomato, cucumber, spring onion and lime in a medium bowl and sprinkle a small amount of salt on top. Toss well to combine. 

4. Leave the sweet potato halves to cool for just a few minutes so that they are able to be handled. Scoop out some of the now soft flesh of the potato and scoop the corn salsa into this hole until overflowing. The scooped out flesh of the sweet potato can be mixed in with the salsa or can be eaten as a side. 

Serves / 4 / 1 sweet potato half per person

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 40 minutes maximum 

x Emily 

NO-FUSS LEEK & POTATO SOUP

I’m wishing autumn away and hoping that winter comes soon with this leek & potato soup. Whilst I love the sun, there’s nothing I love more than hearty winter meals. Luckily, this soup actually tastes just as good cold as it does steaming hot (if not better). Leek & potato may sound like a bland combination, but when paired with thyme it is just magical. Thankyou to Gourmet Farmer Matthew Evans for the inspiration and for all your hearty & humble recipes. I love a meat-less Monday and what better way to start a week than with a filling, wholesome vegetable meal. Evans makes his own vegetable stock for this recipe, which I greatly admire (but did not 2 hours to do yesterday!). For Matthew’s recipe, pick up a copy of Feast magazine, April edition. I adjusted the recipe with a chunk less butter, less oil and less ingredients for a no-fuss soup.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small tablespoons Nutalex or coconut oil 
• 2 leeks, washed & finely chopped
• 600g low-carb potatoes, such as Kestrels, peeled & chopped evenly into small cubes
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1.5 litres Massel vegetable stock or homemade 
• roughly chopped almonds & finely chopped thyme & chives, to serve 

COOKING 

1. Melt the Nutalex or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When just melted add the leeks and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until the leeks are soft but not burnt. 

2. Add the potato cubes, thyme sprigs and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer, lid on, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and are falling apart when touched with a utensil. 

3. Discard the thyme sprigs and pour the soup into a blender and blend into a puree. 

Serve with a few almonds, thyme and chives sprinkled on top. 

Serve warm or cold. 

Serves / 6 as a side / 3-4 as a main 

Preparation time / 15 minutes 

From pot to plate  / 35 minutes 

x Emily 

SILVERBEET & CHICKPEAS with TAHINI DRESSING

Janella Purcell’s Wholefood Kitchen is one of my all time favourite cookbooks. It got a little misplaced in our big house move, so I was so happy to dig it up the other day and immediately started tagging away at the recipes I wanted to make. First up is this vegetarian delight Silverbeet & Chickpeas with Tahini Dressing. If you are not a fan of silverbeet or have none on hand, Janella suggests using kale. Purcell writes that this dish has Lebanese origins and is one that she grew up on. The spices & salt really liven up the taste of the silverbeet and chickpeas, so make sure to use them. 

INGREDIENTS

Silverbeet & Chickpeas

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 brown onion, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 5 generous handfuls of silverbeet, stems removed, washed & roughly chopped
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, washed & drained
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Dressing

• 1/2 cup hulled tahini 
• juice of 1 medium lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• sea salt 
• water 

COOKING 

1. Heat a large deep frying pan or saucepan over medium heat and swirl the oil to coat. When the oil is warm add the onion and garlic, stirring frequently until the onion is transparent. Add in the cumin and coriander, adding a few splash of water if the spices stick to the pan. Stir in the spices, then toss the silverbeet into the pan. Toss the silverbeet in with the other ingredients until it is well combined. Place the lid on the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the silverbeet has wilted. Change the stove to low heat, add the chickpeas to the pan and mash a little until the chickpeas are slightly deformed. Remove from heat, add the salt and season to taste. 

2. To make the tahini dressing; first stir the tahini so that the oil no longer separates from the tahini paste. Combine all ingredients except for the water and stir/whisk to combine. Add small splashes of water (or more lemon juice if you like a sour taste) until the dressing is smooth and runny. 

3. To serve; place the silverbeet and chickpeas in a bowl/plate and drizzle the tahini dressing on top. 

Total Preparation time / 12-15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 15 minutes 

Serves / 4 

x Emily