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Showing posts from November, 2013

Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie

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It wasn't too long ago that I posted my No-Bake-Brownie recipe... But seriously, this recipe makes that recipe look like poop in a pan. And I'm not afraid to admit it. This brownie is almost like a cake, it's that soft and moist. And when you eat it you can easily forget that it's gluten-free. I'm warning you now though, its definitely not fat or sugar free! You will need... 3 eggs 200gr sugar 100gr gluten-free plain flour, I used ORGAN all-purpose plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 100gr margarine 150gr cooking chocolate, I used Callebaut dark chocolate 100gr walnuts (optional) Method... 1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius. Grease and line a 13 x 9 inch brownie pan with greaseproof paper. 2. Beat the eggs and sugar together on high for 5 minutes until light and creamy 3. Sift the baking powder together with the flour and fold into the eggs and sugar 4. Melt the chocolate and margarine together in the microwave, should only take about 20 seconds.

Fancy Lamb Salad Sandwich

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This title is a little bit misleading.. I'm sure I've done a variation of this recipe at one of the restaurants I worked at as a chef, if I'm mistaken then I have no problem with claiming the glory of coming up with this all on my own haha.... It's basically a puff-pastry square, cooked until golden brown, then split in the middle and filled with whatever you like really. The flakey, crispy outer shell creates a lovely texture to compliment more soft textures of roast vegetables, even braised or slow-cooked meat, fish, you name it! I did a marinated lamb salad with baby spinach, goats cheese, roast beetroot, parsnip and carrot and of course some caramelised balsamic glaze to finish. You will need... 4 serves 1 sheet puff pastry, cut into 4 squares canola spray 300gr lamb, whichever cut you prefer (backstrap is obviously a winner, but you could use rump or round steaks) 1 cup red wine 1 garlic glove 1 sprig rosemary 4 small beetroots 2 small parsips

Recipe Roundup: Thanksgiving Salads | Williams-Sonoma Taste

Look at these gorgeous salads! Just what I've been looking for leading up to Christmas! Inspiring :-) Recipe Roundup: Thanksgiving Salads | Williams-Sonoma Taste

Hot smoked salmon salad with pesto, peas and mint

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This is a recipe from Delicious Cookbook, I'm so glad I made it because everyone loved it and it was so simple! The recipe called for trout, but salmon was easier to find and I felt I'd already gone to enough trouble braving the xmas hoards at the shopping centre so I wasn't going trout hunting too. You will need... for 6-8 serves 1 cup rice- I used Basmati but you could use Jasmine or plain long grain 1/2 lemon, zest and juice 1 1/2 cups of fresh peas 250gr hot-smoked salmon or trout salt and pepper 1 large sprig of mint to garnish For the pesto... 1 clove garlic 100gr toasted pine nuts 1 bunch basil (roughly 3 cups picked basil leaves) 2 sprigs picked mint (3/4 cup leaves) 100gr freshly grated parmesan 100ml olive oil salt and pepper Method... 1. Cook the rice according to the packet absorption method- 1 cup of rice normally to 1 1/2 cups cold, salted water, bring to the boil, then simmer covered for 10-12 minutes, then remove from the heat and le

Lemon Syrup Cake

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Lemons are about to make a comeback... Apparently... I didn't know they'd gone anywhere? We all know that food fashion is a fickle thing, and that we seem to have sent our cafe food scene back in time to the 1890's. With 'trendy' cafes packed to the brim with hipsters holding mason jars filled with old school cocktails, rustic decor and bearded waitstaff as far as the eye can see (not that I'm complaining)... Anyway, I'm off topic, this is actually quite a late 60's-early 70's dish, from a time when Good Housekeeping and Julia Child were the pinnacle of food fashion. But I thought, if we're making comebacks then why not a bundt cake?  You will need... 250g butter 1 Tbs grated lemon rind 1 cup (220g) castor sugar 3 eggs, separated 2 cups (300g) S R flour 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk or skim milk LEMON SYRUP 1/3 cup (80ml) lemon juice 3/4 cup (185g) sugar 1/4 cup (60ml) water Method... 1. Preheat oven to 180

Intro to American Food + Oreo Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes

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Soooo I know I try to cook a variety of food. But lately I've tended more towards the healthy, easy, family-friendly options, mainly because Matt (hubby) and I are trying to eat a little bit healthier and I like to make things that I can pack into my lunchbox for work. It might be hard for you to believe but I am a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge lover of American-over-the-top-fattening-how-many-calories-can-you-get-into-one-meal food. We will be travelling to America for Christmas/New Year 2014 (bank account permitting), and I want to start sharing a few totally ridiculous recipes to get us revved up for the trip, and also just because I'm fat. Before we delve into the world of the American-heartattack-inducing-cholesterol-feast, I wanted to introduce you to a few of my favourite American foodies and one of their most disgustingly delicious Canadian Neighbours. Firstly, I love love love Adam Richman. Man v. Food  is not only a show about one mans quest to take on every food challe

Larb Moo

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This is a Thai pork salad recipe. It's light, easy and if you have kids they'll enjoy making a huge mess putting the lettuce-cups together! It reminds me a bit of the Chinese San Choy Bow, but the flavours are much cleaner. You can use whichever mince you like. I used extra lean pork mince, I added some water and braised it for 10 minutes to soften the mince as the low fat content tends to make these things quite dry. If you use a premium mince you don't have to do this as the fat in the mince will keep the dish moist. You will need... 1 Tbs peanut or sesame oil 500gr pork mince 1 Tbs lemongrass paste 2 cloves garlic 2cm knob of ginger, peeled, sliced 4 drops fish sauce 1 Tbs soy sauce 1 tsp chinese barbecue sauce (my new favourite asian condiment!!!) (2/3 cup of water if braising) cracked black pepper 1 lime, juiced & zested 2 shallots, sliced finely 2 sprigs of coriander, washed and chopped 4 mint leaves, washed and chopped 1 lebanese cucumber, t

Low-Fat Vegetable Quiche

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Ahh the good old-fashioned quiche. Is there anything more homely? It's quite easy if you're willing to cheat and buy the pastry, it's filling and can be good for you (depending on what fillings you put in!). You will need... 8 serves 2 sheets reduced-fat puff pastry, I used Pampas 5 eggs 1/2 cup skim milk 2 Tbs Philadelphia low fat cooking cream 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1 small brown onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 5 button mushrooms, peeled and diced 1 sprig thyme, picked 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 small zucchini, grated and excess liquid strained out 1/2 a small head of broccoli, cut into florets 1 small carrot, grated salt & pepper Method.. 1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius fan-forced 2. Grease and then line a 23cm fluted quiche pan  (one with a removable base) with the pastry, press into the corners and then trim off the excess. Prick the base several times, then cover with greaseproof paper, then

Carrot Cake with Vanilla Yoghurt Frosting

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Perfect for afternoon tea! You will need... 1 cup self-raising flour 1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour 1 Tbs ground cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup milk 1/6 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 3 medium carrots (240gr), peeled and finely grated 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup pitted, chopped dates Icing... 1 cup low-fat Greek Yoghurt 2 Tbs Philadelphia light cooking cream 2 Tbs sifted icing sugar 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out Method... 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius fan-forced. Grease a 20cm cake pan, or a rectangular slice or brownie tin (I did this so I could cut even squares for my lunchbox :-)). 2. Mix the milk, eggs, oil and sugar together using a wooden spoon, then mix the carrot into the wet ingredients. Add the chopped dates and walnuts 3. Sift** the flours and spices together then fold into the wet mix to form a smooth batter. Pour into the greased tin and place in the oven for 40 minutes o

Spinach, Goat Cheese and Tomato Muffins

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I saw this recipe on taste.com and thought it was too pretty not to try. They're simple, delicious and look impressive! The original recipe called for fresh spinach but I used frozen chopped spinach, I also added some diced ham, but you could omit that and keep it vegetarian if you like. You will need... (8 larger serves or 10 small serves) 25gr salted butter 200ml milk 1 cup chopped frozen spinach (or fresh baby spinach) 1 2/3 cup of self raising flour 2/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese 1 egg 100gr ham, diced salt and pepper 80gr soft goats cheese (I used ash-coated Chevre) 8-10 vine-ripened cherry tomatoes Method... 1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius fan-forced. Grease a 8 or 10 hole muffin pan (I actually filled 10, and made smaller serves) 2. Place milk, butter and spinach together in a microwave-proof bowl and heat on high for 30 or 40 seconds, until the milk is warmed, butter is melted and spinach is wilted. 3. Use a stick blender to process until

Christmas Fooooooood

I know it's died down in Hangry-town, I've been super busy at work coming up to the end of the year. I have planned out meals for the next few weeks so don't fret! I'll have a bit of everything, all aspects of menus that you can use for the coming Christmas season. For entree I'll be doing a hot smoked salmon salad, Larb Gai (which is like a Thai San Choy Bow-chicken or pork mince with flavourings served in lettuce cups), pasta primavera and healthy savoury muffins. For mains I've got some yummy venison dishes lined up for the coming weeks. I think it's an underrated meat! It's lean and good for you, if you've never tried it, its easy to find nowadays. I picked mine up from Coles- they keep it in the game section next to the Kangaroo meat (which I plan to cook in the coming months also). For those who don't like game, there'll be some chicken dishes with Middle Eastern influences, make-your-own chicken nuggets and a vegetarian quiche.

Corn and Zucchini Fritters

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Serve with Cured Salmon, click image for recipe You will need... 1 large whole corn cob (or 1 420gr tin corn kernels) 4 medium zucchinis 1 medium potato (I used Desiree) 2 large eggs 1/3 cup wholemeal flour 1/2 brown onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 sprigs coriander, chopped 1 sprig mint, chopped 2 sprigs parsley, chopped salt and pepper olive oil for cooking Method... 1. Wrap the corn in foil and toast over a hot char grill/barbecue plate or toast in a pan (unwrapped with husk removed) over the stove. Cook through and allow to brown, then remove and cut the corn off the cob using a sharp knife. 2. Grate the zucchini and potato together into a colander and squeeze over a bowl or sink to remove excess liquid. Add the chopped herbs. 3. Heat a little oil in a large, non-stick frypan and saute the onion and garlic until transparent. Add to the zucchini mix, season and mix well. Add the cooled corn, eggs and combine well, then fold in the flour right at the

Roast Vegetable Puff Pizzas

It's coming up to the catering season and whether you're attending a party or throwing one, we all tend to cater to the masses at one point or another at this time of year. It can be quite difficult placating everyone at a party, especially when you're family or friends have an array of different dietary requirements (Aunt Mildred is allergic to garlic, Cousins Paul and Claire don't let their children eat anything with sugar, salt, dairy, eggs, artificial colouring or get wet after midnight otherwise they turn into Gremlins) so it can really be a nightmare trying to decide what to make. This is a recipe that can be as simple or as difficult as you like, you can use whatever toppings suit you*, but I've decided to give you the roast vegetable recipe because it is truly delicious and will have everyone coming back for seconds. You will need.... (27 small serves) 8 roma tomatoes, quartered fresh oregan & brown sugar            4 cloves garlic,