Old Fashioned Beef Curry

There are days when I crave rather plain childhood dishes, and one memory I have of good substantial food was the Maggi 'hotpot' curry that mum would cook for me after dance class. I made this dish earlier this year and it tasted pretty much exactly the same! Huge sigh of relief :) This recipe was originally for a slow cooker but I tend to think you don't need to simmer the !@#$ out of it. If you have extra time, all good, but don't worry too much.

INGREDIENTS

800g lean stewing steak, such as chuck, gravy beef or blade
1 tablespoon chutney (any sort)
2 onions
1 tablespoon apricot jam (if you are worried about sugar, some fruit puree would do)
2 carrots
1 1/2 cups water or stock
1/2 small parsnip
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon coconut flour (optional)
Steamed greens for serving

METHOD

- Trim all visible fat from the meat and dice
- Spray a pan with oil and brown meat, one small batch at a time
- Peel and dice the onions. Peel and slice the carrots and parsnip
- Mix the curry powder, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, chutney, jam, stock and salt, stir well to combine
- Place all in a large saucepan with a lid
- Simmer with lid on for 1/2 an hour minimum, preferably 1-2 hours, top up liquid with water or stock as required
- If necessary, mix the coconut flour with approximately 2 tablespoons cold water to a paste and use a little or all of it to thicken the dish
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Serve with steamed greens

Adapted from: http://www.abc.net.au/local/recipes/2009/09/22/2693077.htm

Roast Eggplant and Bean Salad

I don't make salad quite enough and normally save it for the height of Summer... usually it's easier to zap some frozen peas in the microwave, knowing that all will be ok and my husband will clean his plate. This salad however, was a pleasant surprise! So I'm parking it right here so I can find it easily.

INGREDIENTS

Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
Olive oil spray
1 smallish eggplant, sliced (say, around the size of 2 tennis balls)
1 tablespoon whie wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Handful fresh mint leaves (larger leaves chopped or smaller leaves left whole)
Handful green beans, trimmed
Handful fresh basil leaves
Sliced lettuce (I used butter lettuce, but any would do)

METHOD

- Spray eggplant slices with olive oil and grill over high heat until a little charred on both sides, then place in a large bowl. Mix together extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and toss through the eggplant, along with the mint. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper and set aside for the flavours to develop for a little while, say a minimum of 20 min.

- Cook green beans in microwave for 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Add tomatoes, beans, lettuce and basil to eggplant mixture. Gently toss and serve.

Adapted from: http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/food/recipes/recipe/-/5346887/roast-tomato-green-bean-and-eggplant-salad/

Silky Caulifower and Chicken Soup

I wasn't well yesterday and after getting over the worst of it I needed something fast and nutritious. I'm a big fan of the Smitten Kitchen blog, and adapted this recipe to my needs.

INGREDIENTS
1 head cauliflower
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
4 cups of chicken stock
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan (I buy Grand Padano from Fratelli Fresh)
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
- Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop, and reserve.

- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.

- Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes.

- Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup

- Add the Parmesan and stir until smooth

- Stir in chicken breast, season with salt and pepper

- Keep warm until ready to serve.

Roost

As you might notice my blog right here is a 'slow burn' project for me; it's more a place to store the healthy recipes in my life where they belong (together)!

Occasionally I hop across someone else who is doing a much better and more regular job of it all, some beautiful photography and description can be found here on this blog.

More focused on a gluten/lactose/starch/grain free diet, there are lots of goodies and inspiration to be found on this website.

You can visit Roost here.

Chicken Larb

I love chicken larb because it's all about the fresh and spicy flavour. It's also great to eat in Summertime when you don't quite feel like a salad, you still want to eat something warm and a little more substantial. It also doesn't heat up the kitchen too much!

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil spray
500g chicken mince (I just buy a tray from Woolies)
1 stem lemon grass, pale section only, finely chopped
2 tsp of minced chilli
1 lime, juiced
Grated rind of 1 lime
1 tbs fish sauce
Pinch of brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/3 cup chopped mint leaves
1/2 small red onion, thinly chopped
40g (1/4 cup) finely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts (if I have time I toast them in a pan)

Lettuce of your choice, to serve.

METHOD
- Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mince, lemongrass and chilli and cook, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until the mince changes colour. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and set aside for 15 minutes to cool.

- Combine the lime rind, lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add to the mince mixture along with the mint leaves, coriander leaves and onion. Gently toss to combine.

- Serve on a bed of leaves. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.

Chicken with Chorizo and Cannellini Beans

This is such a fantastic midweek meal - simple and delicious with very little preparation. Nigella recommends using any available cold cut of meat and I agree. If the chorizo is too fatty for you I would substitute with a nice trim, smoky piece of bacon.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 chicken breasts
- Approx. 125g of spincah leaves / rocket
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil (not extra-virgin)
- 100g chorizo, sliced then chopped (I just buy one sausage from the deli counter)
- 410g tin cannellini beans, drained
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- A little chicken stock (1/4 - 1/2 cup)
- smoked sweet paprika for sprinkling

METHOD
- If you have the time, marinate the chicken breasts for at least half an hour in a little stock with a tablespoon of paprika. I also throw in a table spoon of the chopped chorizo, just to instill that smoky flavour in the chicken. Sometimes I put in a little herb I have growing on my windowsill, such as parsley or rosemary.

- Cook the chicken breasts on a griddle or in a frypan, approx 5 minutes each side.

- While the chicken is cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan, throw in the chopped chorizo, add the drained cannellini beans, frozen peas and, stirring, warm everything through, moistening with a couple of tablespoons or so of the chicken stock - or more if you want this soupier.

- Arrange the spinach/rocket in 2 x bowls and tip the beans and chorizo mix on top, allowing the greens to wilt a little.

- place cooked chicken on top and sprinkle each chicken breast with a little paprika.

Adapted from: http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chicken-with-chorizo-and-cannellini-beans-187

Cocopure

I'm really excited about cocopure. My neighbour gave it to me as a gift in return for looking after her apartment while she was away recently. I dipped into it straight away, and I think I've found my new favourite thing!

Cocopure has the consistency of nutella, and is generally considered as a mix of raw coconut oil and cocoa. It has a sweet bite, but has no added sugar! I find it especially satisfying on a nice piece of seeded toast, in the afternoons when I am having that chocolate / sweet thing craving.

My trainer Joe even approves! (And he can be a tough customer...)

You can buy it online, and also at health food stores (I go to 'Health Nuts' in the small shopping centre underneath the Coca Cola sign in Kings Cross.)

You can visit the website here.

Chicken and Bacon Chowder

I knew this recipe was a winner when I reheated it at work and no less than three people asked me something along the lines of 'what is that delicious smelling soup you are eating?'
A step away from the usual, chowders are not so popular in Australia. This is a refreshing recipe to try when you become a bit tired of other soups.

INGREDIENTS
175g packet of lean bacon, chopped into strips
I sweet potato, peeled, chopped into cubes
2 tbs coconut flour
4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
2 chicken breast fillets, cut into 2cm pieces
2 cups (290g) frozen corn kernels
4 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
1/2 cup (125ml) milk

METHOD
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until lightly brown. Add the sweet potato and flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until well combined. Add the chicken stock and chicken. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until chicken and potato are tender.

2. Add the corn, green onions, celery and milk, stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes or until heated through. Ladle the soup evenly among serving bowls.

Adapted from: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/22801/creamy+chicken+and+corn+chowder

Chicken and Pea Soup

The weather in Sydney is cooling again and of course I'm looking at building on my Soup recipes for a bit of variety. The excellent news is this particular soup tastes much like a roast chicken dinner in a bowl! I keep making jokes that I'll be eating it through a straw in my old age... thing is, it's actually a nice, chunky, substantial soup.

INGREDIENTS
- 400g (approx) sliced chicken breast (I just buy a stir fry tray to save time)
- a little flour for breading (I use coconut flour for my health)
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 medium-size onion, chopped
- 1 sweet potato, cubed
- 1/2 kg frozen green peas, thawed
- 2 sticks of celery sliced
- 4 cups chicken stock (I tend to use more stock if I have it as I like more watery soup)
- 1 tsp each pf dried thyme and oregano leaves
- salt and pepper

METHOD
- Heat up a little olive oil in pan, enough for browning the chicken pieces.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, dredge with flour and brown all sides in hot oil. Set aside.
- Saute garlic and onions in the same pan until tender.
- Replace browned chicken pieces with all the nice juices that leaked out of the meat.
- Add potatoes, peas, stock, celery, and the dried herbs.
- Simmer until the chicken and potatoes are done. Check seasoning and serve.

Adapted from: http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chicken-and-pea-soup-598

Lentil, Roast Pumpkin, feta and rocket salad

I went looking for this recipe this morning and can't believe I hadn't added it earlier! This salad is just all-round excellent, it certainly is a crowd pleaser at any bbq or get together, give it a go!


INGREDIENTS
1/2cup (100g) green or brown lentils, rinsed well*
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
*If you don't want to have the trouble of cooking the lentils, just buy a can and rinse well.

750g butternut pumpkin, seeds removed and cut into 3cm wedges
Olive oil spray
1 pkt (80g) baby rocket
200g feta, crumbled (You can use low fat feta if you're worried)

Dressing
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place lentils, onion, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium saucepan over high heat with 4 cups of cold water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain and discard onion and garlic.

2. Place pumpkin on a baking tray lined with baking paper, spray lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk oil, lemon juice and mustard until combined and season to taste. In a large bowl toss the warm lentils, pumpkin, rocket and crumbled feta together gently.

4. Divide between plates and drizzle with the dressing.

From: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/14104/lentil+roast+pumpkin+feta+rocket+salad

Braised broadbeans, peas and leeks

This is a recipe I made last year and it raised many eyebrows at my work lunch table - Australians sort of forget broadbeans exist but think they are a wonderful idea. The photo below is from taste.com.au; as shown in the picture I normally serve this dish with grilled lamb.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
2 cups shelled broadbeans (I use frozen)
1 cup peas
1 tsp marjoram leaves, chopped
1 tsp oregano leaves, chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chicken or vegie stock
salt and pepper
4 tbsp parsley, chopped

METHOD
1. Heat olive oil in saucepan, gently fry onion and garlic for 30 seconds.
2. Add leeks, stir fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add broadbeans, peas, marjoram, oregano and tomatoes, stir for 1 minute until some liquid comes out of the tomatoes.
4. Add stock and a good few pinches of salt, simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add chopped parsley and finish seasoning to taste, remove from heat and let it come to room temperature before serving.

From: The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum section, November 6-7 2010.

Asian-style chicken salad

Happy new year! I'm still lazing my way through the NSW school holidays, life will be sure to catch up with me again soon and the crazy routine will be there in full force once more.
This is a fabulous Summer dish as other than cutting and chopping, not much electricity (i.e. heat) is needed and the kitchen stays nice and cool. Important when you live in small digs like me. This is a great main, side or lunch! Tastes fine the next day too.


INGREDIENTS
2 single chicken breast fillets
Chicken stock (or water)
1 carrot, peeled, cut into matchsticks
150g snow peas, trimmed, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, deseeded, thinly sliced
1/2 wombok (Chinese cabbage),hard core removed, finely shredded
3 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

Dressing*
2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 tbs fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded, chopped
* I made this dish for two people but found I needed the full serve of dressing.

Serves 4

METHOD
1. Poach chicken in 4cm of chicken stock for 10min. Cool, shred.
2. Place carrot and snow peas in a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside for 1 minute or until bright green and tender crisp. Refresh under cold running water.
3. Place chicken, carrot, snow peas, capsicum, wombok, shallot and coriander in a bowl. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and chilli in a jar. Pour over salad and combine. Divide among serving bowls to serve.

NUMBERS
Protein: 34g
Fat: 3.5g
Carbohydrate: 14g
Fibre: 7g

From: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/14140/asian+style+chicken+salad