PUMPKIN, BROCCOLI & TOFU FRITTATA

This frittata was inspired from a quiche recipe I found in a Weight Watchers book a few weeks ago. I am a big fan of tofu and am making a big effort to add it to more dishes for added protein. Even my meat-loving husband loved this frittata! Which sadly meant less for me. A delicious, simple and filling vegetarian meal. 

Ingredients

• extra virgin olive oil 
• 450g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into small even pieces
• 1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets and stalk chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 6 eggs, preferably free range, whisked 
• 300g firm tofu, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat cows milk (or if dairy intolerant or allergic, substitute for lactose-free, soy or unsweetened almond milk). 
• 1/4 cup grated light / reduced-fat cheese
• ground black pepper 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius or 200 degrees for a non fan-forced oven. Lightly grease a circular cake mould with olive oil. 

2. Bring a medium saucepan filled halfway with water to the boil, covered. Use this time to cut the pumpkin and broccoli. Once the water has boiled add the pumpkin and cook for seven minutes, then add the broccoli and cook for 1-2 minutes or until bright green. Remove from heat and drain the pumpkin and broccoli in a colander under cold water. 

3. Meanwhile, cut up all the herbs. Combine the whisked eggs, tofu, milk, herbs, cheese and a generous pinch of pepper in a large bowl. Add the cooked vegetables and stir well to combine all ingredients. 

4. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared mould and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the egg is almost set and the top of the frittata is lightly golden. Remove from heat and leave to cool before cutting into slices. Serve with extra herbs on top, if desired.

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 50 minutes 

x Emily 

BEEF VEGETABLE RAMEN

A simple ramen soup choc full of vegetables with a salty soup. Dashi is a type of soup and cooking stock used in Japanese cuisine. It is made from large dried, smoked and cured bonito flakes; bonito being a type of tuna. I used bonito flavoured seasoning, which can be found at all Asian supermarkets, however if you do have time to buy this, beef stock will work just fine. 

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons dashi (bonito flavoured seasoning) or 1 litre beef stock
• water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons miso paste
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 star anise
• 1 spring onion, plus extra to serve
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets and stalk chopped
• 2 medium carrots, cut into rounds
• 1 bunch buk choy, end removed and roughly chopped
• 100g ramen / soba / somen / rice vermicelli noodles
• 225-250g eye fillet beef, thinly sliced

Cooking 

1. Combine the dashi with 4 cups of water and pour this or the beef stock into a large saucepan. Add the garlic cloves, star anise, miso paste, spring onion, sesame oil and 2 more cups of water to the pan and bring to the boil, covered. 

2. Once boiled, reduce the heat to medium, add 2 more cups of water as well as the broccoli, carrot and buk choy. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until the carrot is just tender. Turn off the heat, add the beef strips and noodles and leave, covered, for 5 minutes. 

Remove the star anise from the broth. Divide into 4 soup bowls and serve warm, garnished with extra spring onion, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

MEXICAN POTATO, BEEF & BEAN BAKE

I love almost all Mexican cuisine and really enjoy making healthy alternatives at home. This is one such alternative dish, that was adapted from a pasta bake to a Mexican vegetable and beef bake. To make vegetarian, omit the mince and add another tin of refried beans or you could add drained & washed 4 bean mix, red kidney beans etc, from a tin. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand to make this delicious bake. I love that it is such a simple meal; just fry in a pan and let the oven do the rest of the work. 

Ingredients

• 400g sweet potato, peeled and cut into small, even pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 1 red or green capsicum (around 200g), cut into small, even pieces
• 400g tomatoes, roughly chopped
• a generous handful of baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 x 435g tin of 99% fat free refried beans
• 2 tablespoons taco / mexican seasoning
• 1/2 cup light grated cheese
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Make sure you have an ovenproof casserole dish or pan to use; the one I used is around 25 cm x 30 cm, however that is very large for the recipe. 

2. Place the sweet potato in a medium saucepan and just cover with water. Bring to the boil, covered, then continue to cook for minutes or until the sweet potato is tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and drain over running cold water in a colander. 

3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep fry pan or a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and swirl to coat the pan. Next add the garlic and cook for one minute or until just fragrant. Add the mince to the pan and cook, stirring often to break up any lumps, for five minutes or until the mince is brown and cooked. Add the capsicum, tomatoes, spinach, beans and seasoning and stir well for two minutes or until combined and warm. Pour the meat & vegetables into the dish / pan and gently stir in the cooked sweet potato so that it does not become mushy. Sprinkle with cheese and 1/2 of the spring onions. 

4. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the top is golden. Serve warm, sprinkled with the remaining spring onions. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / under 1 hour 

x Emily 

STUFFED VEGETARIAN MUSHROOMS

I have been trying to eat mushrooms for a few years now, however I find them very hard to get down! My good friend Tahnee told me to fry them in oil, thyme and garlic, hence this recipe was born. I also shared a delicious breakfast of Portobello mushrooms with her a few Sundays ago and was inspired to make my own version of stuffed mushrooms. Three things surprised me when I made this dish: 

1. How filling mushrooms are,

2. How much my husband loved it (and he usually hates anything that does not contain meat) and

3. How much I liked these mushrooms! 

It is a very simple recipe and the finished product looks very cute or at least I think so! I think I've successfully cured myself of my mushroom hatred, which I am very proud of! 

Ingredients

• baking paper
• 4 Portobello / Flat mushrooms, washed & stalks removed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 6 sprigs thyme, leaves removed & sprig discarded
• 1 carrot, grated 
• 20 almonds, halved
• 1/4 cup grated light cheese 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, optional- extra to serve 
• ground black pepper
• 1 egg, preferably free-range

Cooking 

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

2. In a small fry pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat and brush this sautéed mixture onto the outside of the mushrooms so that they do not stick to the paper. Place the mushrooms on the baking paper, cap side down. Spoon the leftover sautéed mixture into in a medium bowl. 

3. Add the carrot, almonds, cheese, basil and pepper to the medium bowl and stir well. Add the egg and stir again to combine. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the mushrooms, making sure to use all the mixture, even if it overlaps the mushrooms slightly. 

4. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the mushrooms are brown and the cheese is golden. Serve warm, alongside a fresh salad. 

Makes / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes max 

x Emily 

TURKEY & POTATO SALAD

Summer has almost come to Brisbane! Time to crowd the beaches, work on our tans and host Sunday afternoon bbq’s.  Time, as well, for many of us to change our palates. I don’t know about you, but if the temperature outside is above 30 degrees, I cannot stomach hot food very well. All my meals have to be refrigerated and take on the form of ‘salads’. Simple to prepare, this turkey & potato salad would make an excellent dish for a lazy bbq on a Sunday afternoon.

INGREDIENTS 

• 550g (1 large) sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 400g turkey breast/fillet, cut into even 3-4cm pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
• the juice of 1 lemon 
• 150g pickles, roughly chopped 
• 1-2 handful/s of fresh spring onions, chives, parsley and/or coriander, finely chopped 
• 40g reduced-fat feta, crumbled

COOKING 

1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan half filled with water and bring to the boil. Boil for around 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Drain well in a colander over cold running water. 

2. Whilst the potatoes are cooling, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium to large frying pan over medium heat and add the garlic. Stir for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, then add the turkey. Cook, stirring often for around 6 minutes or until all pieces are coloured and no pink flesh remains. Turn off the heat and leave the turkey in the pan, covered, to rest for 5 minutes. 

3. Stir the remaining teaspoon of oil, lemon juice, ground paprika and a splash of water in a small bowl or cup. 

4. Place the potato in a large serving bowl and add the turkey, pickles, fresh herb/s, feta and a generous pinch of ground black pepper. Drizzle the dressing from step 3 over the top and divide into four bowls. 

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

x Emily 

BEETROOT DIP with SPICES

There is nothing tastier than homemade dip. Supermarket processed guacamole, hummus and tzatziki pale in comparison. I have wanted to make my own beetroot dip for a long time as being Russian beetroot is one of my major food groups. Adding the ground cumin and coriander added a beautiful depth to the dip. You can use any spices you like for making beetroot dip, but lemon juice and yoghurt are a must. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large fresh beetroot, peeled & cut in half 
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 cup 99% fat free natural yoghurt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

COOKING 

1. Preheat fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius and wrap the beetroot halves in foil. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until beetroot is tender (that is, you can slice the beetroot with a knife easily). Remove from oven and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes, then slice beetroot into small pieces.

2. Meanwhile, dry fry the garlic in a small frying pan (That is, do not add any oil to the pan) for 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat. 

3. Place beetroot pieces, garlic, cumin, coriander, lemon juice and yoghurt in a blender or food processor. Blend/process ingredients until smooth and no lumps of beetroot remain (this should only take 30 seconds or so). 

Serve dip with crackers. 

Serve as a snack
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 45 minutes 

x E

BAKED ZUCCHINI CHIPS

I’ve finally found a way to cook zucchini and make it taste relatively delicious to me. Being such a bland vegetable, I struggled with eating it during my childhood as it always seemed to end up on our dinner table at least three times a week, whether it was hidden in a stir-fry, roasted or baked. My theory is that if you put garlic, a little bit of oil and fresh herbs with anything, you can make it appetizing. Add a sprinkle of chilli for those that like it fiery and a once flavourless vegetable is no more!

INGREDIENTS

• sea salt
• 1 large zucchini, very thinly sliced into rings 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes (or more, depending on how hot you want it)
• 1 large garlic clove, very finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 heaped tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Lay the zucchini rings on a few paper towels in a single layer. Lightly toss salt over the zucchini and leave to sweat for a minimum of 25 minutes, then pat the zucchini dry with more paper towel to remove the salt and excess water. 

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

3. Combine oil, zucchini slices, chilli and garlic in a medium bowl and toss well to combine. 

4. Place the zucchini chips in a single layer on the prepared tray. Bake in the oven for around 30-35 minutes or until the chips are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before handling. 

Serve alone or with a sprinkle of fresh herbs! 

Serves / 2 as a side dish 

Total Preparation time / around 35 minutes (including the 25 minutes for the zucchini to 'sweat')

Total Cooking time / 35 minutes 

x Emily 

VEGETARIAN (or not) OMELETTE

Eggs are a great way to get your protein and good fat hit. I don't think of omelettes or eggs for that matter as exclusively for breakfast; they are a wonderful late night dinner idea, as they are low in carbs and full of flavour. I have always been a little apprehensive about cooking omelettes, however after several attempts over the years I am confident with my recipe below. The finished product may not look as fancy as what would appear on your plate at a cafe, but it is tasty, nutritious and simple to make. I prefer this omelette sans meat, however I do realise that will not like this, hence the optional addition of bacon or ham. Ground or smoked paprika is also optional- if this is not in your pantry just use more ground black pepper. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 small red onion (30g), finely chopped 
• 1/2 a small red capsicum, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a small green capsicum, roughly chopped
• Optional - 1/2 teaspoon ground or smoked paprika 
• Optional- 80g bacon or 100g ham, trimmed of fat, roughly chopped
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup water 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, roughly chopped, plus extra, to serve 
• ground black pepper 
• 20g reduced-fat feta, crumbled 
• a small handful of baby spinach 

COOKING 

1. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 2 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the capsicum and the paprika and/or meat if using and stir for 2 minutes or until well combined and the capsicum is just al dente (still slightly crunchy). If you are cooking bacon or ham this step may take slightly longer, depending on how you like your meat cooked. Remove from the pan when cooked and keep warm. 

2. Whisk the eggs, water, chives and a generous pinch of pepper in a deep bowl or jug. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a medium frying pan on low to medium heat and swirl to coat. Pour in half of the omelette mixture and leave until the egg is set around the edges; this should take around 2-3 minutes. Carefully fold one half of the omelette over the other and leave to cook for another minute or until the the omelette has just set.  Remove the omelette from the pan, place on a serving plate and add half of the capsicum mixture, topping with feta and half of the baby spinach. Repeat the cooking process with the remainder of the egg mixture. 

Serves / 2 
Total Preparation time / max 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / around 15 minutes 

x Emily 

PRAWN & MANGO WRAPS

This is a light and easy meal that screams 'summer' to me. I like to buy prawns all ready to be cooked, but sometimes I do the dirty work myself; peeling, deveining and removing their tails. It's up to you which way you go. I can see myself eating a lot of these wraps over the hot months! 

INGREDIENTS

• 250g prawns, peeled, deveined & tails removed, uncooked 
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce 
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 8 small tortilla wraps or mountain bread wraps 
• a handful of mixed or green lettuce, washed and roughly shredded
• 100g cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced thinly
• 1 small mango, cut into cubes, around 100g 
• Optional- a handful of fresh coriander leaves

COOKING 

1. Combine the prawns and sweet chilli sauce in a small bowl. 

2. Heat and swirl the oil in a medium fry pan over medium-low heat. Add the prawns and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 - 3 minutes or until the prawns are pink and no longer translucent. Remove from heat immediately so they do not continue to cook. 

3. Lay a wrap down flat on a plate or chopping board. Arrange 1/8 of the cooked prawns, lettuce, cucumber, avocado, mango and coriander if using in the middle of the wrap and fold to wrap. Repeat until all wraps and ingredients are used. 

Serves / 4 / 2 wraps per serving 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / max 15 minutes (this does not include prepping the prawns)

x Emily 

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 

OMELETTE with CHICKEN & GREENS

A large portion of the recipes I make up come from experiences I have eating out. I had a delicious Asian Chicken Omelette at a Brisbane cafe recently which is where the inspiration for this versatile lunch or dinner omelette comes from. You can make each omelette individually, so that each serving has their own omelette (which is very cute) or you can make one big omelette in a large frying pan and then divide it into four even portions. You could make this omelette vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding more vegetables, such as carrot, wombok (Chinese cabbage) and / or Chinese greens, such as buk choy and pak choy. 

Ingredients

• 500g chicken breast, preferably free-range, fat trimmed and cut into small even pieces 
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 8 eggs, preferably free-range
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce 
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup water 
• 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 150g green beans, trimmed and cut into small even pieces
• 1 head of broccoli, stalk and florets cut into small pieces
• Optional- a handful of fresh coriander leaves, to serve 
• Optional- 1 extra spring onion, finely chopped 

Cooking

1. Combine the chicken, garlic, ginger and oyster sauce in a medium bowl. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, make the omelettes. Whisk 2 eggs, 1/4 cup water, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1/4 of the spring onions in a tall glass.  Heat a medium frypan over medium-low heat and add 1/2 teaspoon oil. Swirl to coat the pan then pour in the egg mixture. Cook for around 2 minutes on the first side or until the egg is almost set on one side. You can either flip the omelette in half so that it overlaps or you can flip the entire omelette over, however the latter method is quite tricky! Cook the omelette on the second side for only 1 minute or until set. Remove from heat and place each individual omelette on a serving plate. Continue this process until all four omelettes are cooked. 

3. Once the omelettes are cooked, heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in the fry pan over medium-low heat and swirl to coat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for around five minutes, stirring often, or until the chicken is cooked (the test: the middle of the largest piece of chicken is white, not pink). Remove the cooked chicken from the stove and divide evenly between the four plates, keeping the chicken liquids in the pan. Place on top of each omelette or to the side. 

4. Add the beans and broccoli to the pan and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for around 4-5 minutes or until the broccoli is just starting to become tender (the test: you can slide a fork into the stalk of the biggest broccoli floret and encounter just a little resistance). Remove from the heat and divide the cooked vegetables evenly between the four plates. Place the vegetables on  top of each omelette or to the side. 

Serve warm, topped with extra spring onions and/or coriander, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / max 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

BROWN RICE with TOFU & BROCCOLI

I love creating and eating vegetarian meals. Brown rice with tofu & broccoli is a favourite of mine, as it is so easy to make and very filling, due to the plentiful amount of protein that tofu contains. Make sure to follow step 1 and 'dry out' the tofu first or it will not hold its shape when cooking. If you are not a fan of tofu, you could substitute for 2 eggs and make an omelette or cook 400g chicken breast. 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g firm tofu, halved 
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 head of broccoli, stalk & florets roughly chopped 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• paper towel
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

COOKING 

1. Place the halved tofu between two chopping boards or plates with a weight on top (I used a jar of nuts). Raise one end (I placed a small scale underneath one side of the chopping board) and sit for 25 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, bring the rice and 2 1/2 cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, covered with a lid. Once boiled, reduce to a simmer and place a small colander or sieve with the broccoli florets & stalk on top of the pan, covered. Leave to steam for around 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 continue to cook the rice, covered for another 10 minutes or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. 

3. Once the tofu has sat for 25 minutes, chop into slim, even strips. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat, swirling to coat. Add the tofu strips and cover the pan. Cook for around 3 minutes on each side or until the tofu is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and place on a few paper towels, then pat with another few paper towels to remove the excess oil. 

4. Lower the heat on the stove to low, then add the 2 spring onions and garlic, stirring to cook for 2 minutes. Next add the cooked broccoli, cooked rice, cooked tofu and soy sauce and stir gently over low heat until all ingredients are combined. 

Divide the rice into 4 bowls, then sprinkle extra spring onions on top, if desired. 

Serves / 4

Preparation & Cooking Time / around 35 minutes 

x Emily 

ORANGE & POPPYSEED PANCAKES

I love using citrus zest in place of sugar to add flavour to otherwise bland ingredients. Take these Orange & Poppyseed pancakes. Without the orange rind and poppy seeds, this recipe is are dangerously close to producing standard, run of the mill pancakes. Add some orange zest & juice with a sprinkling of poppy seeds and enter the flavour. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup self-raising flour (or gluten-free self-raising flour if intolerant)
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon natural maple syrup (not 'flavoured' maple syrup)
• 1 cup reduced-fat cows milk (or lactose-free, soy or unsweetened almond or oat milk if intolerant to dairy)
• a dash of vanilla essence 
• 1 free range egg, lightly beaten
• the zest and juice of a medium orange 
• extra virgin olive oil spray or 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 

COOKING 

1. Combine the flour and poppy seeds into a large bowl. Make a well or hole in the centre. Pour the syrup, milk, vanilla, egg and orange zest & juice in a medium bowl into the well and stir well to combine. 

2. Heat a pancake pan or medium non-stick frying pan on medium-low heat and add cooking oil spray or 1 teaspoon olive oil. Using a 1/4 cup as a measurement, spoon the mixture into the pan in droplets and create circles. (However big you want to make the pancakes is up to you- I find that it is easier to cook them if they are slightly bigger than pikelets but smaller than pancake size). Turn each pancake over when bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Keep the pan on medium-low heat. Cover to keep warm and repeat until all batter has been used. 

These pancakes have enough flavour so there is no need to serve with any syrup! You can reserve some of the orange zest and poppy seeds and serve with these sprinkled on top, if desired. 

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

x Emily 

MAPLE SYRUP PANCAKES

Pancakes: not always bad for you! They can be, if you serve them alongside ice cream, chocolate, pure cream and knobs of butter. However, just a couple homemade pancakes with a side of fruit can be healthy and delicious at the same time. I like adding the maple syrup to the batter as it gives it more flavour. Also, when you put the syrup in the batter you do not need to add maple syrup to the cooked pancakes, which can result in a lot of extra calories when the maple syrup is poured on at liberty! Cooking pancakes are a great way to cook for both your kids and yourself on a weekend morning. I have very fond memories of my Dad making pancakes and pikelets for us every Sunday morning when I was growing up. I'm sure my mum would have loved when Sunday rolls around, as it was only of the only times he cooked! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup self-raising flour / gluten-free self raising flour for the intolerant or allergic 
• 1 egg, lightly beaten 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 
• 1 cup reduced-fat cows milk (or soy, lactose-free, unsweetened almond or oat milk if intolerant to dairy)
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 200g fresh strawberries, halved 
• extra virgin olive oil spray or 2 teaspoons 

COOKING 

1. Pour the flour, egg vanilla essence, milk and maple syrup in a large bowl and whisk well to combine until the batter contains no lumps. 

2. Heat a medium to large frying pan over medium-low heat and add 1 teaspoon of oil. Pour 1/4 cup of the pancake batter into the pan per pancake and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Carefully flip the pancake and cook on the other side until the pancake is browned to your liking. Remove from the pan and cover, keeping warm whilst you repeat this process until no batter remains. The batter should make around 8 large pancakes. 

3. Serve with strawberries 

Serves / 4  = 2 pancakes each 

Preparation & Cooking Time /  30 minutes maximum 

x Emily 

BEEF VERMICELLI SALAD

I have a strange obsession with rice vermicelli noodles. I could eat them every single day if I allowed myself. Here's a very fresh and simple beef vermicelli salad that I love to make. You can use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand! This is a beautifully light, fresh and vibrant salad, perfect for Spring or Summer! 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g lean eye fillet beef, cut into thin strips
• 2cm fresh ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 100g rice vermicelli noodles 
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 medium capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 continental cucumber, finely chopped
• 2 shallots/spring onions, finely chopped
• Optional- 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander, finely chopped 

Dressing 

• the juice of half a lime (around 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 1-2 tablespoons water 

COOKING 

1. Combine the beef strips with the ginger, garlic and oyster sauce and marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Place the vermicelli noodles in a medium heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over noodles. Stand for 2-3 minutes or until noodles are tender, then drain well in a sieve or colander. Pour cold water over the noodles and drain again. 

3. Preparing the salad: In a large bowl toss the cooked vermicelli noodles with the carrot, capsicum, cucumber, shallots and coriander, if using. 

4. Preparing the salad: Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring.  If the dressing is too strong, add more water, just a splash at a time. 

5. Once the 10 minutes of marinating is up, heat the oil in a medium frying pan over low-medium heat. Add the beef strips and cook, stirring often, for around 5 minutes or until the beef is browned to your liking. Remove from heat. 

4. Add the cooked beef to the salad and drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss well and serve. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time & Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

SWEET SUMMER SLAW VERMICELLI

The name and adaptation of this recipe comes from one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s amazing vegetarian creations. Yotam likes to make this ‘slaw’ as he calls it, with caramelised macadamia nuts and lots of papaya, green cabbage, mint and coriander. Not being a fan of caramelising ingredients due to the high quantity of butter and sugar used, I decided to opt for a relatively small amount of peanuts and raw shallots. You could serve this salad naked, or with vermicelli noodles like myself to make it more filling. Definitely a summer salad for the hot steamy Brisbane weather! 

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

• the juice of 2 small limes 
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons water 

Salad

• 150g rice vermicelli noodles
• 1/2 a red cabbage, washed & finely shredded
• 2 large carrots (around 300g), finely grated
• 1 medium mango (around 100g), diced 
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil / coriander, torn 
• 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• Optional- 1 ripe avocado, diced 

METHOD 

1. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl. 

2. Fill a large heatproof bowl with boiling hot water and place the raw vermicelli in it. Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then drain well with cold water. Place the cooked vermicelli in a large serving bowl and toss the red cabbage, carrot, mango, spring onion, basil, peanuts, dressing and avocado, if using, in the bowl. Serve cold. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 10 minutes 

x Emily 

BLACK BEAN & CHEESE QUESADILLAS with AVOCADO SALSA

I have a slight obsession with black beans, as some of you may be able to tell (they have appeared on this blog many times!). The recipe below is loosely based on a Bill Granger recipe and is a favourite lunch and dinner meal of mine. These quesadillas are quite filling and are such an easy vegetarian recipe to whip up. I like to make them on mountain bread as they are lighter and lower in calories than flour tortillas. Black beans are now readily available at all major supermarkets; just make sure to read the labels and buy a brand with a low sugar content! 

INGREDIENTS

Quesadillas 

• 2 x 400g tin black beans, drained & rinsed
• 100g light tasty cheese, grated
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons taco seasoning 
• 8 flour tortillas or 8 mountain wraps 
• rice bran / olive oil 

Avocado Salsa

• 1 ripe avocado, mashed 
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely diced
• 100g cucumber, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

COOKING 

1. Combine the black beans, cheese, spring onion, coriander, taco seasoning and a generous amount of ground black pepper in a large bowl and mix well. 

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, adding 1 teaspoon oil. Swirl oil to coat the pan, then place 1 tortilla or mountain wrap in the oil and swirl to coat. Spoon 1/4 of the black bean mixture onto the tortilla and spread it towards the edges, then cover with another tortilla/wrap, pressing down the edges so that they stick together (or also do). After 2-3 minutes, carefully flip the quesadilla and brown the other side for the same amount of time or slightly less. When cooked place on a plate and cover to stay warm. Repeat this process until all tortillas/wraps are used, adding more oil only when needed. You may need to turn the heat down to medium-low from medium once the pan heats up, as the quesadillas will brown much quicker. 

3. Whilst the quesadillas are cooking make the avocado salsa by combining all the ingredients and adding ground black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. 

Cut the quesadillas into quarters and serve the quesadillas alongside 1/4 of the avocado salsa. 

Serves / 4 (4 quarters per person = 2 tortillas / 2 mountain wraps)
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

x Emily 

TURKEY, EGG & LETTUCE CUPS

I really love turkey and often find myself craving unhealthy white bread sandwiches filled with turkey, cranberries, brie and mayonnaise! It's not something that I ever allow myself, so instead I came up with these turkey lettuce cups which are much, much healthier and do not add centimetres to my waistline. My husband likes to use bacon instead, which you can substitute for turkey or ham, as long as you remove the fat. 

INGREDIENTS

• 150g shaved lean turkey breast or ham, roughly chopped
• 4 eggs (preferably free-range)
• 250g low carb kestrel potatoes, peeled & chopped into small pieces
• 150g cucumber, roughly chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
• 1/4 iceberg lettuce or a baby cos lettuce, washed 
• Optional- 1 tablespoon of reduced-fat grated cheese per serving 

COOKING 

1a. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, with the potatoes in the water. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender, then drain well in a colander with cold water.

1b. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil with the eggs in the pan. Boil for 3 minutes, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain under cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel the eggs from their shells and roughly chop the eggs. 

2. Combine the cooked potatoes, chopped eggs, turkey, cucumber, chives and a generous amount of ground black pepper in a medium bowl and toss gently. 

3.  Spoon the potato, egg & turkey mixture into the lettuce cups and serve warm or cold. Add 1 tablespoon of cheese per serving, if desired. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time /  
Total Cooking time / 30 minutes

x Emily 

PUMPKIN, SILVERBEET & SWEET POTATO MASHUP

This meal was loosely based on a delicious breakfast I had at Elk cafe at Broadbeach. I loved my meal so much that I endeavoured to remember the flavours and recreate this mashup of sorts in my own kitchen. This mixup of hearty winter vegetables is so tasty that the bacon or ham is completely optional and can easily be omitted without reducing the flavour. This is a true winter meal that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato (600g), peeled and roughly chopped
• 450g pumpkin, peeled & seeds removed, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 a large leek, white part only, finely chopped
• Optional - 120g bacon or ham, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a bunch of silverbeet, shredded 
• 2 tablespoons of fresh basil and / or fresh parsley, finely chopped 

Cooking 

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the sweet potato and cover with a lid. After 5 minutes add the pumpkin and cover. Remove from the heat after 5 more minutes and drain well. 

2. Once the sweet potato has been added to the boiling water heat a large, deep fry pan over medium heat and add the oil, swirling to coat. Add the leek to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until the leek becomes brighter in colour. Next add the bacon to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the silverbeet and stir well to combine, then cover and leave for 2-3 minutes or until the silverbeet has completely wilted. 

3. Remove from the heat and stir the cooked sweet potato and pumpkin, herbs and a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper into the silverbeet mixture. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 15-20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 15-20 minutes 

x Emily