BBQ carrot salad

ENOUGH FOR 4

1 bunch baby carrots

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (caramelised even better)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp EVO oil

4 handfuls mixed salad leaves

100g fresh goats cheese (or cottage)

1. Heat BBQ.

2. Meanwhile trim and discard carrot tops. Halve carrots lengthwise.

3. Rub with a little oil.

4. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until carrots are a little burned and charred in places.

5. Meanwhile, combine balsamic, soy and 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.

6. Turn the carrots and cook for another minute or until cooked to your liking.

7. Scatter leaves over a serving platter. Top with hot carrots, drizzle with dressing and finish with little chunks of the cheese

Chipotle chicken

400g chicken breast, diced

1 red onion, diced

1/2 tsp cumin

400g tin tomato

Pinch brown sugar

1 Tbsp chipotle in adobe

Salt

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and quickly fry your chicken pieces until they turn golden. Set aside.

In the same pan, add another small splash of olive oil and fry your onion until it softens.

Add your tomatoes, cumin, sugar and chipotle and simmer for around 15 - 25 minutes until the tomato sauce starts to thicken around the edges of the pan.

Add the chicken back into the sauce and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

Give the chicken a good spritz of lime juice. This freshens things up and amplifies the flavours.

Crunchy Thai chicken sausage rolls

Makes 24

3 tsp grated palm sugar or brown sugar
1 Tbsp fish sauce (use to dissolve sugar first)
350g chicken mince
3/4 cup toasted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp red Thai curry paste
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, shredded
2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 Tbsp chopped coriander
2 sheets puff pastry
1 egg
sesame seeds

Oven at 180.
Combine sausage ingredients. Shape into 4 logs on the pastry. Roll, glue with egg wash, cut. Egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake 20 minutes or until crisp & golden.

Serve with extra sweet chili.

Eggplant & oregano pasta

2ppl:
1 large eggplant
1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 cloves garlic
2 anchovy fillet
Handful fresh oregano
15 ml capers
1/2 cup white wine
40ml balsamic vinegar
40g parmesan, grated
150g fresh ricotta (or cottage cheese)
250g dried pasta (like orecchiette)

1. Cook the eggplant in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain well, gently pressing out any excess moisture.

2. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until just al dente.

3. Meanwhile, in a wide-based pot over medium heat, heat 2 Tbsp O oil for two minutes. Add the garlic, chilli, capers, anchovies and oregano and cook for two minutes. Add the eggplant, stir through, add the wine and cook until almost dry. Drizzle over the balsamic and cook out for a couple of minutes.

4. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, and add to the pot. Stir through the pasta, adding a little of the cooking water and/or oil if needed. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, and stir through half the parmesan.

5. Serve in shallow bowls with the ricotta crumbled over the pasta and the remaining parmesan on the side.

Served with green beans.

Orange French toast

Mix:

2 eggs

60ml milk

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Zest 1 orange

Soak 2 thick slices of bread, 2 mins each size

In a small saucepan simmer 2 Tbsp marmalade, juice of orange & Tbsp sugar till thick.

Heat butter in frypan & cook bread few mins each side. Serve with syrup & yoghurt.

Quick rissoles

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

Amaretti

Makes approx 22:

200g raw almonds

1 cup caster sugar

2 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain flour

Oven at 180C.

Blitz almonds & sugar. Add remaining ingredients & blitz again. Roll 1 Tbsp balls onto baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until slightly brown.

Miso dressing

1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon miso paste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Banana cream pie oats

Yield: 2 serving

 

 

 

2/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats & rye

2 tsp. chia seeds

Pinch of salt

2 Dash of ground cinnamon

1 Dash of grated nutmeg

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Seeds scraped from ½ vanilla bean

2 ripe banana, divided

Chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans, for serving

Directions

In a jar, combine the oats, chia seeds, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add in the milk, yogurt, vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds (if using).  Divide the banana into thirds.  Mash two thirds of it well with a fork and add to the jar with the oats. Slice the remaining third and add this to the jar as well. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until the mixture is evenly combined (this may take a minute or two). Refrigerate overnight.

Remove the jar lid, sprinkle nuts and/or sugar over oatmeal as desired. Serve.

 

Beetroot brownie

enough for 6:
150g unsalted butter
150g dark chocolate 70%, chopped (OR 100g dark, 50g white)
150g  cooked beets
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, optional
150g (5oz) brown sugar
150g (5oz) almond or hazelnut meal

2 pinches salt

 

1. Preheat your oven to 180C and line a loaf pan with baking paper.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add chocolate. Stand.

3. Meanwhile, whizz beets in a food processor until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, sugar and nut meal and whizz again until mixed.

4. Add melted butter and chocolate and again whizz until combined.

5. Spread mixture over the base of your pan and bake for 30 minutes or until firm on the top but still squidgy in the middle.

6. Cool in the tin and serve sliced with vanilla ice cream or double cream.