Kangaroo Con Carne.
Shepherd's Pie with Kangaroo Mince.
From what I've read, it appears you can substitute roo mince for beef mince in any recipe where there will be extra moisture added (eg. a tomato-based sauce). Because of the low fat content, I would be wary about trying to make rissoles or burgers, although making smaller meatballs which are cooked in sauce would probably also work.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Bacon and Mushroom Quiche
I just made this for dinner and it was so scrummy I have to write down the recipe pronto before I forget. The quantities given for the filling were too generous for the size of the pastry, so I cooked the overflow in a loaf tin lined with baking parchment.
Ingredients:
1 sheet of short crust pastry
3 eggs
milk
1 onion, diced
1/2 tub of silken tofu
1-2 tsp garlic
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
100g bacon pieces
1 cup diced mushrooms
3/4 cup grated cheese
basil and black pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C. Line a square quiche dish with the pastry, fill with beans, and blind bake until puffed and beginning to go golden. Fry bacon until browned and crisp, cool slightly, then combine with mushrooms and cheese. Put three eggs into a blender and make up to 250mL with milk. Add diced onion and blend until smooth. Add tofu, garlic and balsamic vinegar and blend until smooth. Combine with bacon, mushroom and cheese, and pour into pie dish. Cook for a bloody long time until browned on top and mostly firm in the middle. Turn oven off and leave quiche to firm up for fifteen minutes. Feed to your fussiest child and discover that she actually likes it!
Ingredients:
1 sheet of short crust pastry
3 eggs
milk
1 onion, diced
1/2 tub of silken tofu
1-2 tsp garlic
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
100g bacon pieces
1 cup diced mushrooms
3/4 cup grated cheese
basil and black pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C. Line a square quiche dish with the pastry, fill with beans, and blind bake until puffed and beginning to go golden. Fry bacon until browned and crisp, cool slightly, then combine with mushrooms and cheese. Put three eggs into a blender and make up to 250mL with milk. Add diced onion and blend until smooth. Add tofu, garlic and balsamic vinegar and blend until smooth. Combine with bacon, mushroom and cheese, and pour into pie dish. Cook for a bloody long time until browned on top and mostly firm in the middle. Turn oven off and leave quiche to firm up for fifteen minutes. Feed to your fussiest child and discover that she actually likes it!
Friday, March 09, 2007
Yummy!
New recipe to try. I have made a crockpot chicken and apricot tagine before to a different recipe, but this one looks quite similar and pretty simple.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Cake!
I've been annoyed at not finding a basic cake recipe which I can use for topping pie fruit as a quick dessert, so tonight I made one up. I grabbed a 1/3 cup measurement (what came to hand) and made sure that everything was in increments of 1/3 so I would find it easier to remember. The recipe was as follows:
2/3 cups plain flour
1/3 cups wholemeal plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cups milk
1 egg
cinnamon (for an apple cake)
I poured it over a small tin of apple pie fruit, and cooked it at 180 til cooked through. It could probably have come out a little earlier as it was a bit dry. To make it into a plain cake, I'm going to try doubling the quantities, adding 2/3 c applesauce in lieu of any fat (whick I forgot about in the above recipe), and make it in a baking tray so I can cut it into squares.
2/3 cups plain flour
1/3 cups wholemeal plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cups milk
1 egg
cinnamon (for an apple cake)
I poured it over a small tin of apple pie fruit, and cooked it at 180 til cooked through. It could probably have come out a little earlier as it was a bit dry. To make it into a plain cake, I'm going to try doubling the quantities, adding 2/3 c applesauce in lieu of any fat (whick I forgot about in the above recipe), and make it in a baking tray so I can cut it into squares.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Tuna Pasta Sauce
Made a very yummy tuna pasta sauce last night which I think will be a request in the future. I think I will double the quantities and make tuna lasagne sometime as well.
Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup water
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1.5 cups mushrooms, finely diced
1-2 tsp garlic
1 425g tin tuna in springwater, drained
1 440g tin diced tomatoes, with juice
1.5 cups corn kernels
black pepper
Blend onion with water until frothy and liquid. Saute mushrooms and capsicum until soft, add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add tuna, tomatoes, onion water and corn, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer until liquid has evaporated and sauce is thick. Serve over pasta with freshly grated Parmesan.
Next time I might try blending the capsicum along with the onion, because of course Beth whinged about having that in her food as well, although at least she did actually eat a fair amount! There was enough left for E to be able to take one serving for lunch on Monday as well.
Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup water
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1.5 cups mushrooms, finely diced
1-2 tsp garlic
1 425g tin tuna in springwater, drained
1 440g tin diced tomatoes, with juice
1.5 cups corn kernels
black pepper
Blend onion with water until frothy and liquid. Saute mushrooms and capsicum until soft, add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add tuna, tomatoes, onion water and corn, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer until liquid has evaporated and sauce is thick. Serve over pasta with freshly grated Parmesan.
Next time I might try blending the capsicum along with the onion, because of course Beth whinged about having that in her food as well, although at least she did actually eat a fair amount! There was enough left for E to be able to take one serving for lunch on Monday as well.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Not a success...
The pumpkin and spinach lasagne recipe I linked to below was not received with approbation by my family. Nobody finished their serving except me, and I didn't like it all that much! I ended up making it for dinner instead of for the freezer as originally intended, because I very cleverly missed a bag when I was putting the frozen foods away yesterday afternoon, and the bag of spinach portions sat on the floor with the non-perishables for about six hours before I finally put everything away. By that stage, of course, it was well and truly defrosted, so I slung it in the fridge and bumped up my lasagne production date to use it all up. Now to figure out what to do with the big bunch of silverbeet I actually bought for that purpose...
Next time, I won't bother with the ricotta sauce (I've never understood the appeal myself but I figured I'd stick with the recipe at least the first time), and make my usual cheese sauce. To appease Beth's tastes, I'll mix the spinach into that layer instead of leaving it separate. And I will try to be very careful about not overcooking the pumpkin - it was tasteless and watery, and even though I seasoned it quite generously with ginger and garlic powder, black pepper and a little salt, you couldn't taste any of it. I just wish I knew the recipe for the one they make at the Coffee Club in the Mall, because that stuff is quite seriously addictive!
Next time, I won't bother with the ricotta sauce (I've never understood the appeal myself but I figured I'd stick with the recipe at least the first time), and make my usual cheese sauce. To appease Beth's tastes, I'll mix the spinach into that layer instead of leaving it separate. And I will try to be very careful about not overcooking the pumpkin - it was tasteless and watery, and even though I seasoned it quite generously with ginger and garlic powder, black pepper and a little salt, you couldn't taste any of it. I just wish I knew the recipe for the one they make at the Coffee Club in the Mall, because that stuff is quite seriously addictive!
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Cooking for the Freezer: More Frustrations
We finally managed to get out and do our monthly shop today, but discovered (after circulating through half the supermarket filling the trolley) that they didn't have the right kind of large foil trays! Bah. I visited so many places looking for the darn things last time that I forgot where I actually bought them. I think it was Home and Variety. We had two trolleys full of bags and a bunch of frozen stuff, so couldn't really go past and pick some up afterwards. Will have to go back to the mall yet again before I can finally make this darned lasagne. Curses...
Still, I got everything else on my list. More food for freezer cooking, and some more jars and tins for can't-be-arsed-cooking nights. One of those occurred tonight, but we got takeaway Chinese from King Fook instead. Yum!
Still, I got everything else on my list. More food for freezer cooking, and some more jars and tins for can't-be-arsed-cooking nights. One of those occurred tonight, but we got takeaway Chinese from King Fook instead. Yum!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Cooking for the Freezer: Progress Report 3
I made a tuna casserole in the last of the large aluminum trays the other day, and will have to buy more of them before I can make the pumpkin and spinach lasagne which I finally have all the ingredients for. I was planning to do my monthly shop this week, but Katy being sick has meant that I haven't been able to. We did make it out to the markets this morning, where I bought lots of fruit and veges, and also some more lentils, stewing steak, mince and chicken breasts for freezer meals. I haven't decided what to do with them yet, but I think I will make beef and brown lentil stoo in the crockpot for a start. That, of course, means that now I have to empty it and clean it. Yesterday I put another batch of pumpkin and lentil soup on, and then forgot to turn it off until after I got home from my ABA meeting about 12 hours later, so it was horribly overcooked. Chook food *sigh* Disappointing, but at least it was just using up odds and sods from the bottom of the vege crisper. I would have been really pissed off with myself if I'd bought the veges especially for the recipe and then wasted them like that... We were also lucky enough to find a big stack of the really yummy rectangular tomato-glazed pizza bases marked down to $1 each at the markets, and bought six, which are now in the deep freeze. I also bought poppyseed bagels for Beth to try, although I somehow doubt that they are destined for the freezer!
Forgot to mention that on Monday night I also made a gorgeous crockpot dhal with yellow split peas, sweet potato, capsicum and onion, seasoned with curry paste and lots of garlic. It cooked down into a gorgeous orange slurry after six hours or so, and along with 2 cups of brown rice, made up one meal for E, K and myself, and three lunches for E. Will have to make again, but a bigger batch next time. I will also need to make another batch of samosas, since we ate some with our dhal (so that Beth would have something to eat) and I parceled the rest of them out for E's lunches, alongside the dhal. Must induce food-related envy in E's co-workers wherever he goes, of course *g*
Forgot to mention that on Monday night I also made a gorgeous crockpot dhal with yellow split peas, sweet potato, capsicum and onion, seasoned with curry paste and lots of garlic. It cooked down into a gorgeous orange slurry after six hours or so, and along with 2 cups of brown rice, made up one meal for E, K and myself, and three lunches for E. Will have to make again, but a bigger batch next time. I will also need to make another batch of samosas, since we ate some with our dhal (so that Beth would have something to eat) and I parceled the rest of them out for E's lunches, alongside the dhal. Must induce food-related envy in E's co-workers wherever he goes, of course *g*
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Cooking for the Freezer: Progress Report 2
I didn't manage to make the vegetarian lasagne until today, but it is now cooked and ready to go into the fridge tonight to cool down. Poor Beth was disappointed again... although she was pleased with the fact that I cooked extra white sauce so that we could have spinach sauce for dinner! Bizarrely, that was the only thing she ate - a plateful of spinach sauce. She didn't even want her sausages. That girl is downright eccentric when it comes to her food choices. I made lentil burgers for dinner the other night, and had five left over which are now in the deep freeze. I have also made a vat of pumpkin soup, and have a dinner-size serving in the freezer for later. Katy and I have been eating the rest of it for dinner last night and lunch today. Yummy!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Cooking for the Freezer: Progress Report 1
After a late night dash to the supermarket, I am now set to make up a vegetarian lasagne tomorrow with the lentil sauce which is in the fridge, and to experiment with the new recipe for pumpkin and spinach lasagne as well. Today I finally made up the meat sauce into lasagne, thus raising the hopes of Beth who was very disappointed to get a baked potato for dinner instead! I also cooked banana bread, using the two mushy bananas in the fridge, and applesauce muffins since I had a jar of applesauce to use up. Most of the muffins will go in the freezer for my beloved's lunches, but I doubt the cake will last that long since between us, Katy, Eric and I have eaten half already *g*
Last week I put up about 18 lamb samosas, of which a few have since been eaten. I need to buy the biggest size of ziplock bags and decant the frozen samosas from the 9L container, so I can use it to freeze other things in. Other recipes I have in mind include freezing the base for lentil shepherd's pie if I have any sauce left after making the lasagne, cooking lentil burgers with the leftover lentils (need to buy mushrooms), and seeing whether I can freeze pre-stuffed enchiladas (without the sauce) without it going soggy. Once I've finished up all the already-cooked stuff in the fridge, I might try tuna or salmon casseroles, and meatballs.
Last week I put up about 18 lamb samosas, of which a few have since been eaten. I need to buy the biggest size of ziplock bags and decant the frozen samosas from the 9L container, so I can use it to freeze other things in. Other recipes I have in mind include freezing the base for lentil shepherd's pie if I have any sauce left after making the lasagne, cooking lentil burgers with the leftover lentils (need to buy mushrooms), and seeing whether I can freeze pre-stuffed enchiladas (without the sauce) without it going soggy. Once I've finished up all the already-cooked stuff in the fridge, I might try tuna or salmon casseroles, and meatballs.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
QRTT: Salmon, Baby Spinach and Couscous salad
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 3
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
1 1/3 cups (300ml) vegetable stock or water
1 cup (200g) couscous
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp grated lemon rind
210g can pink or red salmon, drained
8 cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped Italian parsley
2-3 green onions (shallots), finely-chopped
Freshly-ground black pepper
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
METHOD
1. Boil stock in a medium sized stock pot. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous. Cover and leave to swell for 2 minutes. Stir again with a fork to separate the grains.
2. Spoon into a shallow bowl. Fluff with a fork to separate. Place in the refrigerator to cool for 5 minutes. Add juice, oil and rind.
3. Flake salmon and place in a salad bowl with halved tomatoes, parsley, onions (green and white stems) and pepper. Spoon couscous mixture into bowl. Mix all ingredients well.
4. Serve on spinach leaves, topped with pine nuts.
Tip
You will need 1 lemon for the rind and juice for this recipe.
Recipe courtesy of Catherine Saxelby, from Nutrition for the Healthy Heart. Found here.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Lamb Samosas
I have been seized with the urge to do some cooking for the freezer, in the hope that we find out that I'm pregnant soon and I can get on with the morning sickness and general whinging without having to cook too! These were drier than the vegetarian samosas, but still quite yummy. Next time, I might add some very finely grated potato to help combat the dryness.
600g lamb mince
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
1/4 tsp chilli (could add more if not cooking for Beth)
1/2 tsp ginger
1 cup frozen peas (omit if cooking for Beth because she is a fussy bugger)
5 sheets shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 190C. In a large frying pan, saute the onion in a little oil until translucent. Add spices and fry until fragrant. Add lamb and cook until brown, breaking up clumps as much as you can (I use a potato masher). Fry gently until no pink remains, adding a little more oil if it seems dry. Add the peas and warm through as you prepare the pastry. Cut sheets into quarters, fill and fold, pressing down on two sides to make a triangle. Brush with beaten egg and cook for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Makes 18-20.
600g lamb mince
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
1/4 tsp chilli (could add more if not cooking for Beth)
1/2 tsp ginger
1 cup frozen peas (omit if cooking for Beth because she is a fussy bugger)
5 sheets shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 190C. In a large frying pan, saute the onion in a little oil until translucent. Add spices and fry until fragrant. Add lamb and cook until brown, breaking up clumps as much as you can (I use a potato masher). Fry gently until no pink remains, adding a little more oil if it seems dry. Add the peas and warm through as you prepare the pastry. Cut sheets into quarters, fill and fold, pressing down on two sides to make a triangle. Brush with beaten egg and cook for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Makes 18-20.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Scrumptious Samosas
Inspired by making mushroom pastries all day for the St Valentines feast on the weekend. Simple and incredibly moreish!
Ingredients:
1 large onion, finely chopped
1-2 tsp curry paste
1-2 tsp crushed garlic
1 large potato, finely diced
1.5 teaspoons each of red lentils, brown lentils, blue lentils, and yellow split peas
water
2 sheets shortcrust pastry, thawed but still cold
1 egg, beaten [omit for a vegan recipe, and glaze with soymilk]
Saute onion until tender, add seasonings and cook until fragrant. Stir in potatoes and lentils, add water, and bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes and lentils are cooked, adding water as necessary. Cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated off. Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 190C and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Cut the pastry sheets into four squares. Arrange a generous dollop of lentil filling on one half, leaving about one centimetre free at the edge. Fold pastry over to make a triangle and pinch the sides firmly to seal. Glaze with beaten egg and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Serve with mango chutney, and a side serving of chickpea and vegetable curry over brown rice.
Ingredients:
1 large onion, finely chopped
1-2 tsp curry paste
1-2 tsp crushed garlic
1 large potato, finely diced
1.5 teaspoons each of red lentils, brown lentils, blue lentils, and yellow split peas
water
2 sheets shortcrust pastry, thawed but still cold
1 egg, beaten [omit for a vegan recipe, and glaze with soymilk]
Saute onion until tender, add seasonings and cook until fragrant. Stir in potatoes and lentils, add water, and bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes and lentils are cooked, adding water as necessary. Cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated off. Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 190C and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Cut the pastry sheets into four squares. Arrange a generous dollop of lentil filling on one half, leaving about one centimetre free at the edge. Fold pastry over to make a triangle and pinch the sides firmly to seal. Glaze with beaten egg and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Serve with mango chutney, and a side serving of chickpea and vegetable curry over brown rice.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Menu Plan - January
Mon 1st Laksa with Tofu Nuggets
Tue 2nd Tuna Pasta Bake
Wed 3rd Vegetarian Couscous
Thu 4th Chicken Parcels
Fri 5th Fritatta
Sat 6th Lentil Burgers
Sun 7th Roast Chicken
Mon 8th Spaghetti/Lasagne
Tue 9th Fish Parcels
Wed 10th Enchiladas
Thu 11th Chicken Chowder
Fri 12th Risotto
Sat 13th Eric's Party - Potluck
Sun 14th Nachos
Mon 15th Laksa with Tofu Nuggets
Tue 16th Salmon Pot Pie
Wed 17th Enchiladas
Thu 18th Chicken Parcels
Fri 19th Frittata
Sat 20th My birthday - NOT COOKING!!!!!
Sun 21st Roast Chicken
Mon 22nd Spaghetti
Tue 23rd Chicken Pot Pie
Wed 24th Enchiladas
Thu 25th Fish Chowder
Fri 26th Risotto
Sat 27th Lentil Burgers
Sun 28th Butter Chicken
Mon 29th Nachos
Tue 30th Fish? baked with toppings?
Wed 31st Egg and Bacon Quiche
Tue 2nd Tuna Pasta Bake
Wed 3rd Vegetarian Couscous
Thu 4th Chicken Parcels
Fri 5th Fritatta
Sat 6th Lentil Burgers
Sun 7th Roast Chicken
Mon 8th Spaghetti/Lasagne
Tue 9th Fish Parcels
Wed 10th Enchiladas
Thu 11th Chicken Chowder
Fri 12th Risotto
Sat 13th Eric's Party - Potluck
Sun 14th Nachos
Mon 15th Laksa with Tofu Nuggets
Tue 16th Salmon Pot Pie
Wed 17th Enchiladas
Thu 18th Chicken Parcels
Fri 19th Frittata
Sat 20th My birthday - NOT COOKING!!!!!
Sun 21st Roast Chicken
Mon 22nd Spaghetti
Tue 23rd Chicken Pot Pie
Wed 24th Enchiladas
Thu 25th Fish Chowder
Fri 26th Risotto
Sat 27th Lentil Burgers
Sun 28th Butter Chicken
Mon 29th Nachos
Tue 30th Fish? baked with toppings?
Wed 31st Egg and Bacon Quiche
Friday, December 15, 2006
Menu Plan - rest of December
16th Salmon Pot Pie
17th Roast Chicken
18th Enchiladas
19th Frittata
20th Tuna Pasta Bake
21st Chicken Parcels
22nd Vegetable Curry
23rd Lentil Burgers
24th Home-made Pizza
25th meal with Margaret/Dennis
26th Creamy Pumpkin Soup
27th Nachos
28th Risotto
29th Chicken Doner Kebabs (Recipes for Health and Beauty p. 11) and salads
30th Spaghetti and Meatballs
31st Egg and Bacon Quiche
17th Roast Chicken
18th Enchiladas
19th Frittata
20th Tuna Pasta Bake
21st Chicken Parcels
22nd Vegetable Curry
23rd Lentil Burgers
24th Home-made Pizza
25th meal with Margaret/Dennis
26th Creamy Pumpkin Soup
27th Nachos
28th Risotto
29th Chicken Doner Kebabs (Recipes for Health and Beauty p. 11) and salads
30th Spaghetti and Meatballs
31st Egg and Bacon Quiche
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Beth did not eat this. Foolish child.
Ingredients:
2 sm-medium chicken breasts
chicken stock cube
2-3 cups water
1 red capsicum
7-8 spring onions
7-8 button mushrooms
1-2 cloves garlic
7-8 sun-dried tomatoes (oil free)
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup parsley, shredded
1/2 cup snow peas, snapped into 2-3 pieces
100mL lite sour cream
1 tsp cornflour
black pepper
Method:
1. Gently poach the chicken in enough water to cover until cooked through (add stock cube to boiling water). Remove chicken from stock and cool. Reserve stock. When cool enough to handle, slice into bite sizes pieces.
2. Slice red capsicum into large flat pieces and place on a baking tray which has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Grill under a high heat until black and bubbling. Remove from heat, cover with a clean teatowel, and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Remove skins and slice.
3. Saute spring onions and mushrooms for five minutes, then deglaze pan with a little chicken stock. Add carrots, broccoli florets, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted capsicum, pour in about a centimetre of stock, cover and simmer very gently for 6 minutes. Add chicken, snowpeas, parsley and seasonings and simmer for another minute or so. While chicken is heating through, whisk together sour cream, 2 tbsp stock and cornflour. Add to pan and heat until warmed through and slightly thickened.
4. Serve immediately over wholemeal pasta, with parmesan cheese.
Ingredients:
2 sm-medium chicken breasts
chicken stock cube
2-3 cups water
1 red capsicum
7-8 spring onions
7-8 button mushrooms
1-2 cloves garlic
7-8 sun-dried tomatoes (oil free)
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup parsley, shredded
1/2 cup snow peas, snapped into 2-3 pieces
100mL lite sour cream
1 tsp cornflour
black pepper
Method:
1. Gently poach the chicken in enough water to cover until cooked through (add stock cube to boiling water). Remove chicken from stock and cool. Reserve stock. When cool enough to handle, slice into bite sizes pieces.
2. Slice red capsicum into large flat pieces and place on a baking tray which has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Grill under a high heat until black and bubbling. Remove from heat, cover with a clean teatowel, and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Remove skins and slice.
3. Saute spring onions and mushrooms for five minutes, then deglaze pan with a little chicken stock. Add carrots, broccoli florets, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted capsicum, pour in about a centimetre of stock, cover and simmer very gently for 6 minutes. Add chicken, snowpeas, parsley and seasonings and simmer for another minute or so. While chicken is heating through, whisk together sour cream, 2 tbsp stock and cornflour. Add to pan and heat until warmed through and slightly thickened.
4. Serve immediately over wholemeal pasta, with parmesan cheese.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Chicken Parcels - another customisable meal
2 large chicken breasts, halved (about 100g each)
mushrooms, sliced
bacon rashers (1 per parcel)
tomatoes
Place the mushroom and tomato on squares of alfoil and top with the chicken and bacon rashers (if using). Seal the foil parcels and cook in a pre-heated oven at 200C for twenty minutes or until cooked through. Serve with salad or vegetables.
I made this for dinner last night and it got five stars from all of us. I was serving it with pretty substantial salads so I left the vegetables simple, but this could be served with any quick-cooking vegetables you like. Vary the cooking method for different vegetables, by putting some on top to steam and others underneath to absorb juices. Suggestions:
buk choy (on top)
sun-dried tomato
yellow squash or zucchini slices
roasted capsicum
sweet potato (par-boiled or roasted)
mushrooms, sliced
bacon rashers (1 per parcel)
tomatoes
Place the mushroom and tomato on squares of alfoil and top with the chicken and bacon rashers (if using). Seal the foil parcels and cook in a pre-heated oven at 200C for twenty minutes or until cooked through. Serve with salad or vegetables.
I made this for dinner last night and it got five stars from all of us. I was serving it with pretty substantial salads so I left the vegetables simple, but this could be served with any quick-cooking vegetables you like. Vary the cooking method for different vegetables, by putting some on top to steam and others underneath to absorb juices. Suggestions:
buk choy (on top)
sun-dried tomato
yellow squash or zucchini slices
roasted capsicum
sweet potato (par-boiled or roasted)
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Yummy Vegetable Soup; Fruity Couscous Salad
My success rate with vegetable soups is usually pretty hit-and-miss, so I figured I'd write this one down since the seasonings really came together nicely.
Ingredients:
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 tbsp cornflour
4 cups water (measurement is very approximate!)
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large potato, diced
1 cup diced mushrooms
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup frozen peas
~1 cup short noodles, uncooked
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
black pepper to taste
Method:
Saute onion until translucent, add garlic and fry for one minute. Dissolve cornflour in 1 cup of water, add to the pan. Stir over medium high flame until it begins to thicken, gradually add the rest of the water. Bring to a gentle boil, then add carrot, sweet potato and potato and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary. Add capsicum, mushrooms, short noodles and seasonings and cook for five minutes, then add zucchini and green peas and cook for a couple of minutes or until zucchini is just tender. Serve immediately.
The rest of dinner was my favourite zucchini loaf, and an experimental fruity couscous salad of my own devising. I tried one from the deli counter at Coles on the weekend and it was all wrong (not to mention containing the bulbous purple fruit of Satan, which MrBat will not permit to pass the threshold of this house), so I was inspired to attempt my own. Here's the recipe, as far as I remember.
Ingredients:
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3/4 cup couscous
1/4 cup currants and diced dried apricots
1 cup water
1 generous scoop of margarine or butter
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 red capsicum, diced
ground black pepper
juice of half an orange
1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Method:
Saute onion until transparent, add garlic and fry for one minute. Pour in water and bring to boil. Add couscous, dried fruit and butter, stir to combine, then cover and take off the heat. Leave for 5 minutes. Return pan to heat and fluff couscous with a fork to separate all the grains. Cool in the fridge. When cool, stir through chickpeas, capsicum and black pepper. Whisk together orange juice, vinegar and olive oil, pour over salad, and stir to combine. Rest in fridge for a couple of hours before serving to allow flavours to blend.
For a first attempt it wasn't half bad, but it still needs tweaking. I think probably some more greenery should be involved, and also toasted slivered almonds.
Ingredients:
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 tbsp cornflour
4 cups water (measurement is very approximate!)
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large potato, diced
1 cup diced mushrooms
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup frozen peas
~1 cup short noodles, uncooked
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
black pepper to taste
Method:
Saute onion until translucent, add garlic and fry for one minute. Dissolve cornflour in 1 cup of water, add to the pan. Stir over medium high flame until it begins to thicken, gradually add the rest of the water. Bring to a gentle boil, then add carrot, sweet potato and potato and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary. Add capsicum, mushrooms, short noodles and seasonings and cook for five minutes, then add zucchini and green peas and cook for a couple of minutes or until zucchini is just tender. Serve immediately.
The rest of dinner was my favourite zucchini loaf, and an experimental fruity couscous salad of my own devising. I tried one from the deli counter at Coles on the weekend and it was all wrong (not to mention containing the bulbous purple fruit of Satan, which Mr
Ingredients:
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3/4 cup couscous
1/4 cup currants and diced dried apricots
1 cup water
1 generous scoop of margarine or butter
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 red capsicum, diced
ground black pepper
juice of half an orange
1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Method:
Saute onion until transparent, add garlic and fry for one minute. Pour in water and bring to boil. Add couscous, dried fruit and butter, stir to combine, then cover and take off the heat. Leave for 5 minutes. Return pan to heat and fluff couscous with a fork to separate all the grains. Cool in the fridge. When cool, stir through chickpeas, capsicum and black pepper. Whisk together orange juice, vinegar and olive oil, pour over salad, and stir to combine. Rest in fridge for a couple of hours before serving to allow flavours to blend.
For a first attempt it wasn't half bad, but it still needs tweaking. I think probably some more greenery should be involved, and also toasted slivered almonds.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Dhal with Greens
I am feeling ethically conflicted about eating meat/dairy again, so am making more of an effort to eat veg*n. This was our fabulous meal last night, which I am recording for posterity because otherwise I will never remember what I did...
Dhal
1/2 cup yellow split peas
1/2 cup red lentils
1 onion, diced
1 dessertspoon mild curry paste
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 tub (~70g) tomato paste
1/2 cup passata
1/2 red capsicum, diced
water
Saute onion til golden then add curry paste and saute til fragrant. Add yellow split peas and at least one cup water, bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes. Add red lentils, sweet potato and more water and simmer until the red lentils have begun to disintegrate, adding water as necessary. Roughly mash down some of the sweet potato, add diced capsicum, and continue to simmer gently until dhal is thick. Serve with:
Greens with Coconut
1/2 large leek
1 medium zucchini, julienned
1 bunch choy sum
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
~20 cardamom pods
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
~1 tsp ea cumin and coriander
1 tbsp coconut milk
Slice leek into rings and saute until wilted. Add zucchini and saute until beginning to soften, then add spices and fry for a minute, or until fragrant. Chop choy sum roughly across leaf, cut some of the thinner stems into inch long pieces. Wash thoroughly to remove grit and add to pan. Stir fry/steam gently in the water clinging to leaves until beginning to wilt, add coconut milk and heat through, then serve immediately over brown rice.
Both Mr B and I enjoyed it, and Katy devoured her entire serving plus some of her Dada's. She particularly liked the choy sum, and the sweet potato.
Dhal
1/2 cup yellow split peas
1/2 cup red lentils
1 onion, diced
1 dessertspoon mild curry paste
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 tub (~70g) tomato paste
1/2 cup passata
1/2 red capsicum, diced
water
Saute onion til golden then add curry paste and saute til fragrant. Add yellow split peas and at least one cup water, bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes. Add red lentils, sweet potato and more water and simmer until the red lentils have begun to disintegrate, adding water as necessary. Roughly mash down some of the sweet potato, add diced capsicum, and continue to simmer gently until dhal is thick. Serve with:
Greens with Coconut
1/2 large leek
1 medium zucchini, julienned
1 bunch choy sum
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
~20 cardamom pods
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
~1 tsp ea cumin and coriander
1 tbsp coconut milk
Slice leek into rings and saute until wilted. Add zucchini and saute until beginning to soften, then add spices and fry for a minute, or until fragrant. Chop choy sum roughly across leaf, cut some of the thinner stems into inch long pieces. Wash thoroughly to remove grit and add to pan. Stir fry/steam gently in the water clinging to leaves until beginning to wilt, add coconut milk and heat through, then serve immediately over brown rice.
Both Mr B and I enjoyed it, and Katy devoured her entire serving plus some of her Dada's. She particularly liked the choy sum, and the sweet potato.
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