Chinese chicken and greens

enough for 2
6 chicken drumsticks
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground)
chilli flakes
1 bunch bok choy or other Asian greens or broccolini

1. Preheat your oven to 180C

2. Combine soy, honey & ginger. Place chicken in a baking dish and cover with the sauce. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

3. Remove foil and turn the chicken. Return to the oven. Wrap bok choy in foil and place on a lower shelf in the oven.

4. Bake for another 20 minutes or until chicken is well browned and the bok choy has wilted.

Served with boiled udon noodles.

Notes: Use less soy (try 1/3 cup) and a larger dish so the sauce can thicken?

Zucchini Cupcakes

Makes 12
1 ripe banana
3 organic eggs
5 tbsp maple syrup or other sweetener of choice
1 1/2 cup spelt flour
1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cloves
0,5 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
75 g organic butter
1/2 cup raw walnuts nuts, coarsely chopped

Zucchini & Lime Frosting:
200 g plain cream cheese (choose an unsalted or lightly salted cream cheese)
3 tbsp maple syrup or liquid honey
1/2 organic lime, juice and zest

Making the muffins: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mash the banana in a bowl, add eggs and maple syrup and beat it together, using an electric mixer. Melt the butter and add it to the egg mixture. Sift all dry ingredients together add to the wet mixture, while stirring. Then add shredded zucchini (gently shake off any excess moisture) and nuts and mix well. Spoon batter into muffin cups or a cupcake pan and bake for around 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm.

Making the Frosting: Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Place in the fridge while baking the muffins.

Serving: When the muffins have cooled, serve them with two spoonfuls of frosting

Butter Sage Fish en Papillote

Two ppl:
2 fish fillets (snapper)
2 tablespoons butter
sea salt
ground pepper
6 fresh sage leaves
4 thin lemon slices

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 200 C.

Tear off two foot long sheets of parchment paper. Fold each sheet in half then open back up and place each fillet at the crease of the fold.

Top each fillet with slices of butter, a generous sprinkle of sea salt and pepper, fresh sage leaves and lemon slices.

Fold over the parchment paper and tightly roll edges of paper to seal the fish into a packet. This allows the fish to steam cook in its own juices.

Place fish en papillote on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for approximately 10 minutes. Bake times will vary depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Served with lemony wild rice & steamed green beans.

Red lentils with sausage

ENOUGH FOR 2
1 onion, peeled & diced
2-3 thick pork sausages, skins removed and crumbled
1 cup red wine
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
200g red lentils, washed
2 handfuls grated parmesan + extra to serve

1. Heat a little oil in a medium saucepan and add onion. Cover and cook on a medium low heat, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes or until onion is soft.

2. When the onion is soft, increase the heat to medium high, add the sausages and cook for a few minutes until browned.
3. Add the lentils. Stir for a minute.

4. Add red wine and the stock. Stir well then simmer for 20 or until the stock is absorbed and the lentils are tender and oozy. If it gets too dry before the lentils are cooked, add a little water.

5. Add cheese and stir until combined. Taste and season (carefully!) . Serve with
extra parmesan shaved over.

Soy roasted cashews

300 grams (2 cups) unroasted, unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari if gluten is an issue)

In a medium container with a tight-fitting lid, combine the cashews and soy sauce. Stir well to coat.
Close the container and let rest on the counter until the next day, shaking the container every once in a while so the cashews absorb the sauce evenly. The next day, the cashews should have soaked it all up.
Preheat the oven to 150°C. Arrange the cashews in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the cashews are golden brown.
Let cool completely before serving. These cashews keep for a month in an airtight container at cool room temperature.

Asparagus & goats cheese frittata

2 spring onions, sliced
2 handfuls of chickpeas
1/2 bunch of asparagus, sliced
4 eggs
1/2 pack chevre, crumbled
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Smoked sea salt

Cook at 200C for 20 minutes.

Chilli oil to serve.

Quick rissoles

450g beef mince
2 spring onions
1 garlic clove
Sprinkle smoked salt
Tbsp mirin
1 egg
handful of panko

Coconut Croissant Pudding with Kaya

(serves 6)

About 4 or 5 small croissants, torn into chunks
2 large eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2cup coconut cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup kaya
Coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 150°C and butter a small, heavy baking/gratin dish . In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, salt, coconut milk and coconut cream and vanilla. Add croissant pieces and allow to soak in mixture for about 10 minutes. Pour contents into prepared dish, layering with large dollops of kaya throughout the dish. Sprinkle coconut over the top and place in the oven.

 Bake for 50-60 minutes or until puffed and golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Serve immediately with ice cream.

(Nashville night.)