PRAWN, ZUCCHINI & TOMATO PASTA

I am trying to incorporate more seafood into my diet as I know how good it is for me! My husband unfortunately does not really care for it so this will be interesting! First up: a very simple but delicious and hearty prawn pasta. The prawns should be fresh from a supermarket deli or a butcher. I like to purchase them already cooked with their shells removed as it is a real time saver. You often cannot buy them sans tails, however it only takes a few seconds to remove the tails and I quite enjoy this task! When I'm not in a big rush I cook the pasta first, drain it and then use the same saucepan for step 2, however you can have both step 1 and 2 going at the same time (just make sure the water has boiled in step 1 before you start step 2, so that the pasta will be cooked by the time you need it to be!). 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g gluten-free pasta (or regular pasta if not allergic/intolerant)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped into 2cm cubes
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped or 1/2-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 300g cooked prawns, shells removed, with or without tails
• 250g cherry tomatoes, washed & halved
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil and / or fresh parsley 
• 40g reduced-fat feta, crumbled or 40g shaved paramesan (or if dairy free, 40g goats or sheep's feta)

COOKING 

1. Bring a large, lightly salted saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Remove from heat and drain in a colander, reserving 1/2 a cup of the pasta water. 

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep fry pan over medium heat and swirl to coat. Add the zucchini pieces and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and stir all together for another 2 minutes. Pour in the tomato paste and chilli and stir well to combine. Gradually pour in the 1/2 cup pasta water you reserved, just a couple tablespoons at a time and continue stirring until the water is absorbed. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cooked pasta, prawns, cherry tomatoes, herb/s and cheese. Stir until the pasta is warmed through and all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat. 

Divide pasta evenly into 4 bowls and serve with extra herb/s on top, as well as a generous pinch of ground black pepper, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / around 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 15-20 minutes 

x Emily 

ZUCCHINI PASTA with GRILLED CHICKEN

My beautiful friend surprised me last year with a fruit & vegetable twister-processing device, after we had attended a raw cooking class and saw one of these babies in action. You can make anything into spaghetti with these nifty circular devices. The best news is that whilst they may cost up to $80 to buy in a store, they are only around $8 on ebay or on selective websites. I have used mine on several occasions, the majority being to create extremely healthy zucchini pasta. These twisting devices are quite simple to use, however if I give you one tip it is to be patient when starting out for the first time. Make sure you buy smaller zucchinis as the bigger ones will not fit into the device and halving the zucchinis will not result in nice-looking pasta. Do not try to jam the vegetable up in the cylinder or the twisting just will not happen (guilty). This zucchini pasta tricks both my and my husband's minds into thinking that we are eating actual pasta! and that's saying something as we loveeeee the real deal. If you are vegetarian, substitute the chicken for some steamed broccoli, some toasted nuts or if you are pescetarian prawns go great with this! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 small to medium zucchini, ends removed and cut into half
• sea salt
• 250-300g free range chicken breast or thighs, cut into small, even pieces
• 1 heaped teaspoon miso paste
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• the juice of 1 medium lime
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 a medium ripe avocado, diced
• Optional- a handful of fresh coriander, shallots and/or chives, finely chopped
• Equipment- a twister fruit & vegetable processing device (I used the device above) or a vegetable spiraliser or two-bladed Julianne peeler. 

PREPARATION & COOKING

1. Combine the chicken pieces, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons water and miso paste in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine, adding more water if the paste does not mix well with the chicken. Place in the refrigerator to marinade whilst you prepare the pasta. 

2. Twist the zucchini through the twister device, one half at a time and let the noodles fall into a large bowl. When all the zucchini has been made into noodles lay them out on an absorbent paper towel or tea towel. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt and leave for a few minutes whilst you grill/fry the chicken. This will give the salt time to absorb some of the water from the zucchini so you are not serving watery noodles. 

3. Remove the chicken from the fridge. Heat a grill plate or medium frying pan over medium heat and add the chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until all the chicken is cooked. Remove from heat.  

Optional step: Once the chicken has been removed from the pan, dry fry the zucchini pasta gently for a few minutes, just to warm them up and improve the texture. This is optional, but I find I prefer the noodles very lightly fried. 

4. Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, sesame seeds and a tablespoon of water in a small jug or bowl. Stir to combine and taste, adding more water if it is too tart for you. Place the noodles, chicken or extra vegetables, tomato, avocado and herbs (if using) in a medium bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Divide into two bowls.  

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time (inc. making the noodles) 20 -25 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes 

x Emily 

TOMATO, ALMOND & BASIL PESTO PASTA

This deliciously quick pesto pasta recipe is sadly not one of my own. My favourite cooking magazine, Feast, published this recipe in its March 2015 edition. Unfortunately, the magazine is no longer in business. I was devastated to hear of this, as I learnt so much of what I know about cooking through pouring over my monthly Feast fix. Over the 30 editions of the magazine in my possession, the eating traditions and recipes of almost every single culture of the world was brought to light. I intend to treasure this incredible magazine through replicating its diverse recipes every so often on my blog. Thankyou for all you taught me Feast magazine, you truly instilled in me a deep love and respect for good food. 

Ingredients

• 400g gluten-free pasta (any type of pasta, however spaghetti works well)
• 60g almonds, roughly chopped
• 400g tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 cup densely packed basil, roughly chopped
• 50g feta
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley or chives (chives must be roughly chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Cooking 

1. Bring a large saucepan of boiling and lightly salted water to the boil. Once boiled add the pasta and cook until pasta is to your liking. Drain pasta in a colander over cold running water, keeping 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. 

2. Meanwhile, put all the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until the ingredients make a textured paste. 

3. Return the pasta to the saucepan over low heat and pour in the reserved cooking liquid. Add the paste and stir well to combine. Season with ground black pepper and serve with extra basil leaves, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 15 minutes 

x Emily 

MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER PASTA

I really love pasta, however for many years I used to consume a massive amount in one sitting (I'm talking almost a whole 500g package cooked!). Over recent years and particularly in the last few months my relationship with food and portion control has changed greatly. I have learnt that I do not have to completely avoid certain foods, such as pasta, but instead I have to cook a lot less and relish every single bite. Hence pasta has been allowed back into the house (the gluten-free variety) and my waistline and mental battles with food are becoming quite miniscule. 'Mediterranean summer pasta' is a very loose term for this meal, as I have gone for simple, fresh, available ingredients found in my kitchen and have avoided olives, red onion and cheese (due to Chris and my allergies and likes & dislikes). I urge you to make this pasta your own with what you have in your fridge. 

Ingredients

• 150g gluten-free pasta
• coconut oil spray
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 150g zucchini, chopped into small even pieces
• 100g green capsicum, deseeded & chopped into small even pieces
• 1 large handful baby spinach
• 55g ready to eat calamari, roughly chopped
• 200g tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives and/or parsley and/or basil, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil 
• salt & pepper

Cooking 

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil over high heat. Once boiled, add the pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes or until the pasta is just tender. Remove from heat and drain, reversing 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid. 

2. Spray a large, deep frypan with coconut oil and warm over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and spring onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until the garlic and onion is soft but not burnt. Pour in the reserved pasta liquid and add the zucchini and capsicum. Cook for 5 minutes, covered, over medium heat or until the vegetables are tender. 

3. Remove the lid from the pan, add the baby spinach and cover again for one minute or until the spinach has wilted. Remove the pan from the stove and add the calamari, tomatoes, herbs, olive oil and a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Toss well to combine and divide into two bowls to serve. 

Serves  / two

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / approx. 20 minutes 

x Emily 

PASTA with PUMPKIN, SPINACH & ALMONDS

Not every healthy meal plan allows one to eat pasta, however I believe in moderation. Deprivation of all the foods you love often results in some pretty intense binging. Luckily, Michelle Bridges allows a few pasta recipes throughout her body transformation program. This recipe was kept quite simple to its original, however I used gluten-free pasta as I find it less heavy than regular pasta. No cheese was used in my dish as compared to the original (which allowed for 115g ricotta), which gave way to slightly more pasta per serve for the same calorie amount. Roasted sweet potato would also go wonderfully here in the place of pumpkin. I've made this dish three times in the last few weeks and the only problem I've encountered with it is that you want to eat more than your serve! 

Ingredients

• 300g peeled pumpkin, cut into 1-2cm cubes
• 5g (1 teaspoon) olive /rice bran oil
• 150g gluten-free pasta shells/spirals
• 30g almonds, chopped in half or flaked
• 2 large garlic cloves (10g), peeled & thinly sliced
• 50g baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 210 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

2. Toss the chopped pumpkin with 1/2 of the oil (1/2 teaspoon) and a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper. Spread the pumpkin in a single layer on the prepared tray. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is golden and soft. 

3. Whilst the pumpkin is roasting, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and add the pasta. Lower the heat slightly and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until the pasta is just tender (or al dente (slightly hard) if you prefer). Remove from the stove and drain the cooked pasta under cold running water. Reserve (keep) a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to use in step 5.  

4. Meanwhile, toast the almonds over low heat in a small frying pan for a few minutes until they become fragrant. Shake the pan frequently to allow all almonds to toast evenly. No oil is required. 

5. Once the pasta is cooked, use the same pan to add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil and stir to coat over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until just soft. Add the baby spinach and the reserved pasta water to the pan and cook, stirring, until the spinach is just wilted. 

6. Combine the pumpkin, the pasta, the almonds and the garlic & spinach in a large serving bowl. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top and toss well. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

Approx. calories / 515 per serve 

x Emily 

ZUCCHINI & CHICKEN PASTA

My beautiful friend surprised me with a fruit & vegetable twister-processing device a few weeks back, after we had attended a raw cooking class and saw one of these babies in action. You can make anything into spaghetti with these nifty circular devices. The best news is that whilst they may cost up to $80 to buy in a store, they are only around $8 on ebay or on selective websites. I used mine just this morning to create extremely healthy raw zucchini pasta (however the chicken ruined that ‘raw’ title for this dish). These twisting devices are quite simple to use, however if I give you one tip it is to be patient when starting out for the first time. Make sure you cut the vegetable in half or even into thirds so that you can fit the zucchini/carrot/whatever into the device comfortably. Do not try to jam the vegetable up in the cylinder or the twisting just will not happen (guilty). I’m hoping that this zucchini pasta will trick my mind into thinking I am eating actual gluten-free pasta and will cure me of my dangerous portion control issues when eating the real deal...

INGREDIENTS

• 4 small to medium zucchini, ends removed and cut into half
• sea salt
• 250-300g chicken, cut into small pieces
• 1 heaped teaspoon miso paste
• sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white & 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1 tomato, sliced into thin wedges
• Equipment- a twister fruit & vegetable processing device (I used the device above) or a vegetable spiraliser or two-bladed Julianne peeler. 

PREPARATION & COOKING

1. Combine the chicken pieces, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon water and miso paste in a medium bowl. Stir well to combine, adding more water if the paste does not mix in well with the chicken. Place in the refrigerator to marinade. 

2. Twist the zucchini through the twister device, one half at a time and let the noodles fall into a large bowl. When all the zucchini has been made into noodles, sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt & toss well. Leave the salt to absorb some of the water. 

3. Remove the chicken from the fridge. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat and add the chicken. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until all the chicken is cooked and browning slightly. Remove from heat and add to the pasta. 

4. Combine the lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a small jug or bowl. Whisk to combine and then pour onto the noodles and chicken. Add the sesame seeds and toss well to mix all the ingredients together. Add sliced tomato as a garnish. 

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time (including making the noodles) / 15- 20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 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 

SUGO ALLA BOLOGNESE / BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Another recipe as promised from the Iuliano family, available in the April edition of the SBS Feast magazine. I must stress that I did adapt their beautiful traditional recipe, to omit the pork ribs and minced pork. The 1 cup of basil and chilli made this Bolognese shine, as each bite was more aromatic than the last. You could replace the chives with parsley and the chilli powder with finely chopped red chilies if you prefer. Another superb Italian dish that was polished off in my home at warp speed considering that only 2 of us live there. Thankyou Feast magazine for adding culture and depth to my cooking and to many readers all across Australia!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 kilogram extra lean beef mince
• 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve 
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 2 x 700ml passata (tomato puree)

COOKING 

1. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add leek and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until leek is slightly transparent but not burnt. Add mince and cook for 6-7 minutes or until browned, breaking up any lumps in the meat with a strong spatula. Add basil, chives and chilli powder and stir well to combine with the meat. Add the passata and bring to the boil. When boiled, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover, cooking for 30 minutes or until the bolognese has thickened and the mince is tender. Season with sea salt & ground black pepper and remove from heat and serve on top of gluten-free pasta sprinkled with extra basil leaves, if you desire. 

Serves / 8 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 45 minutes 

x Emily 

BACON, ZUCCHINI & CHILLI PASTA

The drizzling weather in Brisbane yesterday led me to creating this comfort food Pasta dish. I wanted something warm, slightly spicy and colourful in my belly. The picture above does not do the dish justice, as the golden green of the zucchini, the light purple of the red onion and the seared pink of the bacon are lost in the flaming red of the chilli, pasta sauce and tomato paste. Nonetheless  it was a very tasty, filling gluten and dairy-free meal. This was actually the first time I have ever worked with raw chilli and I must say that I really enjoyed their fiery flavour in the end product. What I did not enjoy was the fierce hotness I felt for 1 hour on my upper lip after I touched my chilli fingers to my mouth. But you live and learn. I now know not to do that ever again...

INGREDIENTS

• 400g gluten-free penne pasta
• 60g weight watchers bacon, finely chopped
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped into 2cm cubes
• 1 red chilli or 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup tomato pasta sauce (any type will do; I used bolognese)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 125g cherry tomatoes, washed & halved
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/8 -1/4 cup sheep's pecorino cheese, finely grated 

COOKING 

1. Bring a large, lightly salted saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add gluten-free pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Remove from heat and drain in a colander. 

2. Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and swirl to coat pan. Add bacon and zucchini pieces and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or until bacon and zucchini is golden brown. Add cherry tomatoes, red onion and garlic and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in pasta sauce, tomato paste and 1/2 cup water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Add drained pasta and a pinch of sea salt to the pan and stir until pasta is warmed through and all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat. 

Divide pasta evenly into 4 bowls and serve with sheep's pecorino cheese sprinkled on top or another cheese if not dairy intolerant. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 12 - 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 15 minutes 

x Emily