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 

OPEN PUMPKIN and SAGE LASAGNA

I will willingly admit that I am still trying to get over the end of My Kitchen Rules. Having never watched it before, I got involved in season 3 like a crazy addict. This dish is loosely based on the Open Pumpkin Lasagna that the contestants Josh & Andy made. Of course I did not make my own pasta like them, opting for the more convenient store bought gluten-free lasagna sheets. Sage and butter do go well together, so free feel to use that instead of coconut oil if you have it on hand, however it will not be quite so good for you. Fresh sage leaves are a must for this dish! If you cannot digest the garlic and onion due to a fructose allergy, just omit it and fry the oil with the sage. And as a major plus this dish will photograph beautifully due to its deconstructed form.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g pumpkin, thinly sliced into even-sized slices or wedges
• coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
• sea salt & ground black pepper
• 1 medium to large red onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 35 - 40 fresh sage leaves, torn in half 
• 300g gluten-free lasagne sheets
• 80-100g goat's feta, crumbled into small pieces

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. In a large bowl mix the pumpkin slices, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (in liquid form), maple syrup, and a decent sized pinch of sea salt & pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking tray and roast for 13-15 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Keep warm in the oven until step 4. 

2. Whilst the pumpkin is roasting, bring a medium to large covered saucepan of salted water to the boil. When water has boiled, cook the lasagne sheets in batches until al dente or just tender. Remove from the pan and drain with cold water. Cut lasagne sheets in half. 

3. Whilst water is boiling, place 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a medium frying pan. When melted add garlic and red onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until onion is soft. Add torn sage leaves to the pan and add slightly more oil to the pan if you need. Stir until sage leaves have just wilted and are covered with oil and remove from heat. 

4. Arrange the lasagne - you can really do this whichever way you want. I started with half a lasagne sheet, then topped that with a few pumpkin slices, a tablespoon or two of the sage, garlic and onion mixture and a few crumbed pieces of goat's feta. Repeat this arrangement twice more times to form a serving. Top with fresh sage leaves, if you desire. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 35 minutes 

x Emily 

PASTA WITH BROCCOLI & BALSAMIC

Since discovering gluten-free pasta, I try to cook it once a week or once a fortnight. I have more fun than I’d like to admit creating new recipes and fixings for the pasta. Tonight I felt like broccoli, the superfood, as I feel the flu coming on. I come from a half Russian family, who believe strongly that vinegar is vital to the diet and staying healthy. Hence, the balsamic vinegar was thrown in. Feta was added as I love cheese, but do take note of the small amount of feta and that it is reduced fat, making this recipe health conscious. I added 1 tablespoon of oil to the dressing, but I would suggest just adding 1 teaspoon, as the lemon and vinegar is very strong and flavoursome. Pine nuts & pepitas were added to give the dish a bit of a bite. And lemon was added as I am feeling like a zesty kick today. So there you go, all the ingredients explained!

INGREDIENTS

• 500g gluten-free pasta 
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into even sized florets
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons toasted pepitas (sometimes more commonly called pumpkin seeds)
• 20-30g reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled and lightly sprinkled 
• a pinch of sea salt 

Dressing 

• 1 large clove of garlic, finely diced
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed/olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (it will taste much nicer if the lemon juice is squeezed from a fresh lemon)
• a small pinch of chilli flakes 
• a pinch of sea salt 

COOKING

1. Bring a large saucepan of water with sea salt to the boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring for 7-8 minutes or until the pasta is slightly tender. Remove from the pan and drain well, rinsing with cold water so the pasta does not stick. 

2. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli by bringing a small saucepan of water to the boil. When boiled, place a colander or steamer on top with the broccoli and steam for around 6 minutes or until the broccoli is just tender (A fork should be able to slide through the broccoli without too much resistance). When cooked, remove and drain well. 

3. Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together to combine. 

4. To toast the pine nuts & pepitas; place them in a small frying pan over medium heat and move the nuts constantly, until they become lightly brown. This will take around 4 minutes. (Make sure you do not walk away from the stove, as next thing you know the nuts will have burned!) Remove. 

5. Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, top with the toasted pine nuts & pepitas, add the cooked broccoli and drizzle the dressing over. Toss well and add the scant feta cheese on top. 

Serves / 4 

Total preparation time / 5 minutes 

Total cooking time / 20 minutes 

x E

ARTICHOKE & FETA FRITTATA

The inspiration for this frittata came from none other than Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress and founder of GOOP.com as well as the author of some scrumptious cookbooks. Say what you will about Gwyneth but this woman clearly knows how to cook a delicious frittata. Whilst it’s not my style to regurgitate recipes exactly as I find them, I did follow Gwyneth’s stern rule to stick the frittata in the oven for exactly 8 minutes. This has given me a whole new perspective on frittata’s, as I realized that I have been overcooking them for months! No matter what unique ingredients you put in your frittata at home, follow Gwyneth’s cooking instructions and you cannot go wrong. To give you some idea, I also like using other vegetables & herbs in my frittatas including silverbeet, leek, tomato, broccoli, different types of potato, rosemary, thyme, basil etc. Frittatas are my go to dish when I get home late at night from work, as they are a low carbohydrate dream! I make this recipe with and without chicken and it is filling either way. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil / coconut oil 
• Optional- 250g chicken breast, cut into small 3cm pieces
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mixture of fresh chives and shallots (green onion), finely chopped, plus extra, to serve 
• 1 x 400g tinned artichokes, rinsed, drained & roughly chopped
• 1 large handful baby spinach, washed
• 7 eggs, preferably free range
• 3/4 cup milk of choice (unsweetened almond, oat, full cream)
• 50g reduced-fat feta, crumbled or cut into small pieces

COOKING 

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius fan-forced. 

2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until all pieces have just turned white. Remove from the heat. 

3. Add the garlic, shallots, chives, artichokes and baby spinach to the now empty pan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often so that the ingredients do not brown. 

3. Meanwhile, whisk the 7 eggs, milk and 1/2 cup water together in a large bowl or large jug (a large jug works very well). Pour this egg and milk mixture over the pan ingredients. Let it cook, covered, for around 5 minutes, or until the edges of the frittata are set but the middle is still runny. 

4. Scatter the feta cheese evenly on the top of the frittata and place in the pre-heated oven, covered, for exactly 8 minutes; this is all the time that the frittata needs to set perfectly. Remove from the oven and scatter with extra herbs, if desired. Serve warm, accompanied with a salad. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x Emily

FETTA & SWEET POTATO FRITTATA

This is easily one of the best tasting frittata's I have ever cooked. Whilst sweet potato and feta may sound a little strange as a combination, they work incredibly well together in this dish. It may have something to do with the honeyed taste of the sweet potato and the sharp flavour of the cheese. You know what they say, opposites attract. After cooking countless frittatas (the majority which will never appear on this blog due to their dodgy appearance!) I am happy to say that I think I have finally mastered the skill of making them, which I believe is two-fold. Step 1- use a few tablespoons of a fresh herb, such as parsley, chives or coriander. Step 2- cook the frittata on the stove until the edges have set, then place in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the egg has just set. 

INGREDIENTS 

• 800g sweet potato, peeled and sliced into thin, even slices
• 9 eggs, free-range preferably, beaten
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley and/or chives, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil / coconut oil 
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed 
• a handful of baby spinach, washed and roughly chopped 
• 50g reduced-fat feta, crumbed or cut into small pieces

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-force oven to 160 degrees. 

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add sweet potato and cook for around 5 minutes or until almost tender. Drain in a colander.

3. Meanwhile, combine the beaten eggs, 3/4 cup of water and the parsley and/or chives in a large bowl or jug. Season with a pinch of ground black pepper. 

4. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the spinach to the pan and cook until it has wilted. Add the cooked sweet potato to the pan, scattering it around evenly. 

5. Pour the egg mixture over the top of the vegetables in the pan. Scatter the pieces of feta over the top of the egg. Continue to cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until the edges of the frittata have set. 

6. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes or until egg has completely set. Serve whilst warm. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / around 25 minutes 

x Emily