Miso chicken

1 small chook

Olive oil

5 or more shiitake mushrooms sliced in half

5 or more shimeji mushrooms sliced in half

3 or more oyster mushrooms sliced in half

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 small red chillies, chopped

1 cm piece of ginger, chopped

5 sprigs thyme

1 lemon zest

1 heaped Tbsp miso

4 torn sheets of nori

1L chicken stock

2 cups jasmine rice

1 cup coconut milk

2 cups water or chicken stock

Coriander

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wipe the chicken dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat and add the chicken, breast side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, until browned, then remove and set aside.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, chillies, ginger, thyme and lemon zest. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in the miso paste, sea spinach or nori and the chicken stock. Return the chicken to the pot breast side up and bake uncovered for 60 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.

Cook rice in a rice cooker with the extra nori, coconut milk and stock. Fold through the coriander and serve with the chicken.

Leftovers are grea with soba noodles, peas etc.

Tuna, rocket & lemon pasta

For 2.5:
350g pasta

1/4 cup EVO oil

1 clove garlic

Juice & zest one lemon

2 x 185g tins tuna

Small red chilli

Bag of rocket

Pork burger with chipotle mayo

Enough for: 2
takes: 30 minutes
100g (3.5oz) chipotle chillies in adobo sauce
100g (3.5oz) mayo + 2-3 tablespoons extra for slaw
450g (1lb) minced (ground) pork
50g (2oz) grated parmesan, plus extra
1/4 medium red cabbage
small bunch coriander (cilantro)

1. First make the mayo by chopping chipotle chillies and mixing with the mayo. Taste and season with salt if needed.

2. Combine pork and parmesan and form into 4 burger patties. Heat a large frying pan on a medium high heat. Add a little oil. Reduce heat to medium and then cook the burger patties for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until well browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle.

3. While the burgers are cooking, shave the cabbage using a mandoline or sharp knife. Finely chop coriander stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Toss shaved cabbage and chopped coriander in a bowl with the 2-3 tablespoons of extra mayo.

4. When the burgers are cooked, divide chipotle mayo between two plates smearing into an off centered circle. Top with cooked burger patties. Add slaw on the side and finish with an extra grating of parmesan.

Chicken with olive chimmichurri

enough for: 2
takes 30 minutes
200g (7oz) green olives, pitted
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoon lemon juice
4 chicken thigh fillets
2 large handfuls green beans or green salad, to serve

1. For the chimmichurri, place the olives, parsley, oil, garlic, lemon juice and 4 tablespoons water in a small bowl or jug. Using your stick blender puree to a chunky paste. OR puree in your food processor or regular blender. Taste and season with salt if needed (you might not depending on how salty your olives are). Set aside. If using beans, trim to remove stalks but leave the tails intact.

2. Cut chicken thighs into 2-3 pieces then using your fist, a meat mallet, small saucepan or potato ricer (as I do) bash the chicken until each piece is about 1cm (less than 1/2 inch) thick. Rub chicken with oil and season with salt.

3. Heat a frying pan or BBQ on a high heat. When the pan / BBQ is hot add chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until well browned and no longer pink in the middle. Divide between two plates.

4. If using beans, return pan to the heat and add beans with a splash of water. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes, stirring every minute or so until the beans are bright green and no longer super crunchy.

5. Divide cooked beans or the salad leaves between plates and drizzle over chimmichurri.

Cheesy Tuna & Spinach bake

enough for: 2
takes 30 minutes
2 onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 packet frozen Spinach (250g), defrosted
2 medium cans tuna (200g), drained

Large handful frozen corn
1/2 cup sour cream
2 handfuls grated cheese

1. Heat a little oil in a medium oven-proof frying pan on a medium high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often until onion is soft and golden. Add garlic.

2. Preheat your oven to 250C. When the onion & garlic is cooked, remove from the heat. Stir in spinach, tuna and sour cream. Smooth the top and sprinkle over cheese.

3. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and everything is hot.

Ma’s yoghurt ice cream

Whisk:
1 cup milk
1/2 Cup castor sugar
2 tsp vanilla paste
big pinch salt

Then:
1 Cup thickened cream
1 Cup Greek yoghurt

For added strawberry awesomeness:
Microwave 1 punnet chopped strawberries
Squeeze lemon
Pinch salt
Spoon caster sugar

Chocolate beetroot cakes

75g cocoa powder
180g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
250g caster sugar
250g cooked beetroot
3 large eggs
200ml olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4. Arrange paper muffin cases in a 12-mould muffin tin.

Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in the sugar, and set aside.

Purée the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla and oil and blend until smooth.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the beetroot mixture and lightly mix. Pour into the muffin cases.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is firm when pressed with a finger.

Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Steak with smashed olives & fetta

enough for: 2
takes: 20 minutes
2 small steaks
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
large handful black olives pitted and smashed
100g (3.5oz) goats cheese or feta, crumbled
salad or steamed veg, to serve 

1. Cut steaks into 2-3 pieces each. Then using your fist, a small saucepan, a meat mallet, rolling pin or potato ricer bash each piece of meat until it’s about 1/2cm (1/4in) thick. Rub steak with oil and sprinkle with salt.

2. Heat a large frying pan, griddle pan or your BBQ. When it’s super hot add steaks and cook for 1 minute on each side or until well browned. Add rosemary to the pan and remove from the heat.

3. Divide steaks between two plates. Top with olives, cheese and a good glug of your best peppery extra virgin olive oil.

Chickpea chilli

takes 10 minutes
1 jar tomato pasta sauce (500g /1lb)
2 cans chickpeas (400g / 14oz, each)
1-2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes or powder
sour cream, to serve (optional)
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), to serve

1. Place pasta sauce in a medium saucepan on a high heat. Add chickpea and chilli and bring to a simmer.

2. Simmer for 2 minutes. Taste. Season with salt and extra chilli if needed.

3. To serve, divide chickpeas and sauce between 2-3 bowls. Top with generous dollops of sour cream (if using) and finish with coriander leaves.

Silverbeet gratin

Enough for: 2-3
Takes: 30 minutes
1 bunch silverbeet, stems finely chopped, leaves sliced
200ml (1 1/4cups) double cream
3 eggs
2 large handfuls grated gruyere or other melting cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 160C and bring a pot of water to the boil. (No need to fill the pot, about 2cm deep is fine).

2. Plunge stems and leaves of chard into the pot. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Drain well and squeeze out any excess moisture.

3. Return drained chard to the pot or place in an ovenproof dish. Mix together cream and eggs. Season and pour over the chard.

4. Scatter over the cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Serve warm.