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.

"Kung Pao" chicken

enough for: 2
takes: 15 minutes + marinating
450g chicken
1 tablespoon soy sauce + 2 tablespoons for sauce
1- 4 fresh or dried red chillies
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
2 green onions, chopped
steamed rice or cauliflower ‘rice’, to serve


1. Slice chicken into bite sized strips and place in a bowl with 1 tablespoon soy. Cover and stand for a few minutes or if possible refrigerate for a few hours but no longer than 24.

2. Heat a little oil in a frying pan or wok. Add half the chicken and cook, stirring until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Place cooked chicken in a clean bowl and add the remaining chicken and the chilli. Continue to stir fry.

3. When the second batch of chicken is browned and cooked through. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Stir.

4. Remove from the heat and add the additional 2 tablespoons soy sauce and the vinegar and stir well. Taste and add more soy or vinegar if you think it needs it.

5. Serve chicken on a bed of rice (or cauliflower ‘rice’ – raw cauliflower grated in the food processor) with green onions sprinkled on top.

Basil beef

Enough for 2
Takes: 15 minutes
2 bunches broccolini, or 2 heads broccoli chopped
500g minced beef
1 red chilli – fresh, chopped, optional

Soy sauce
1-2 lemons
1 bunch basil, leaves picked

1. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan or wok. Cook broccolini, stirring until no longer super crunchy.

2. Remove veg from the pan. Add a little more oil and cook the meat and chilli (if using) on a high heat until well browned.

3. Return the broccolini to the pan. Taste and season with soy and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with basil leaves on top and lemon halves.

Red lentils & bacon

enough for: 2

6 streaky bacon rashers
200g (1 cup) red lentils, rinsed
1/2 – 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tin tomatoes (400g / 14oz), chopped
150g (8 tablespoons) natural yoghurt, to serve

1. Heat oven to 200, chop bacon & roast.

2. Place lentils, chilli, cumin, tomato and 2 1/2cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.

3. Cover and boil for 9 minutes or until lentils are cooked to your liking.

4. Taste and season. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt.

Coconut lentils

serves 2
takes: 20 minutes
1 can tomatoes (400g / 14oz)
1 can coconut milk (400mL / 1.5 cups)
200g (7oz) red lentils
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes or 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, optional
1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves picked, to serve, optional

1. Place tomatoes, coconut milk, lentils and chilli, if using, in a saucepan. Bring to the boil.

2. Simmer, covered for 10-15 minutes or until lentils are ‘al dente’. Taste. Season.

3. Serve topped with coriander leaves if using.

Thai mince curry with eggplant

Enough for: 2
Takes: 20 minutes

1 red onion, diced

1 clove garlic, sliced

2 tsp Thai red curry paste
400g minced chicken, turkey or pork
3 long baby eggplant, sliced into bit sized pieces
2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 tin coconut milk
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves picked

Heat a little oil in a large pot. Cook the onion, then garlic, then meat, stirring often until browned and no longer pink.

Add the curry paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until everything smells amazing.

Add the eggplant, coconut milk and the fish sauce. Bring to a simmer.

Cook, covered for 5-10 minutes or until eggplant is very tender. Taste, season and serve with coriander leaves on top.

Lentil bolognese with cauli mash

Red onion
Mushrooms
Garlic
Passata
Rosemary
2 tins lentils
Tbsp balsamic

Parsley

Cauli mash

Cheesy roast capsicum

enough for 2.5
takes: 30 minutes
3 red capsicum

1 red onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 handfuls mozzarella
1 tablespoon sherry or wine vinegar
1 bag baby spinach

1. Preheat your oven to 250C (480F). Slice peppers into thick strips, discarding the seeds and white membraney bits.

2. Divide peppers and onion between two oven proof dishes and drizzle with some olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.

3. Sprinkle over cheese, garlic and vinegar. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

4. Serve hot from the oven with baby spinach sprinkled over.