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

Pat's Christmas Cake Muffins

Here is a 'paleo-diet' version of Christmas cake muffins. My trainer Joe would be oh-so happy to know I'm making these, even though I'm doing plenty of naughty eating and drinking this Christmas - it's been a great year.

Cheeky thing I'm doing with this recipe is I'm soaking the fruit in a little brandy, it is Christmas after all :)

INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened crushed pineapple
1-1/2 cups almond flour (I used coconut flour as I could not get almond flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (NOT baking powder)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried currants
3/4 cup dates or pitted prunes, chopped
1-1/2 cups sliced blanched almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat your oven to 135 degrees celcius.
2. Line muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.
3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.
4. Fill each cupcake liner almost full with batter.
5. Bake for 45 minutes.
6. Allow to cool before removing the paper liners.

From: http://cavemancuisine.blogspot.com/2009/06/pats-christmas-cake-muffins.html

Roast lemon chicken with pea puree and chorizo

This is kind of a naughty-nice recipe. Although the fat gives flavour, reduce it and peel the skin off the chicken for a kinder meal. We ate this for Saturday night dinner and it is sort of 'special' - I'd defintely make it for guests!

Serves 2
2 chicken thighs, skin on
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 pkt chorizo slices (approx 125g)
2 lemon wedges
2 sprigs of mint for serving

Pea Puree
300g frozen peas
1 tbs mint leaves
1 tbsp butter, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp grated parmesan

METHOD
1. Heat over to 200 degrees celcius.
2. Place lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a ziploc bag, marinate for 45 minutes if possible.
3. Bake for 45minutes or until golden and cooked through.
4. Add lemon wedges and chorizo for last 10 minutes, until chorizo is crisp and lemon warm.

1. Cooke peas in salted water for 2 minutes, drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water and 3 tbsp of peas.
2. To make puree, place remaining peas in a food processor with the mint, butter, garlic, parmesan, salt and pepper.
3. Puree, adding cooking water by tablespoonful until the nix is light and creamy.

Adapted from: Terry Durack, GW Living Food, Good Weekend Magazine, October 30th 2010

Green Ratatouille

Hello Spring! I'll be glad to be moving away from soups and casseroles and back towards grilled meats and sides... here is an old favourite I like to fall back on when I'm feeling a bit jaded, after all the slicing and dicing this is very quick cooking, a Bill Granger recipe, thanks Bill!


INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large zucchini, diced
1 white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
4 celery stalks, diced
2 green capsicums (peppers), seeded, diced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5—6 minutes or until light golden. Remove from the heat and tip into a large ovenproof dish.

Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery and capsicum and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6—7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Add to the ovenproof dish and sprinkle with thyme leaves and salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 25—30 minutes.

from: http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/food/freshtv/790283/green-ratatouille

Chicken, corn and ginger soup

After the more filling, scrummy soups of dead winter I am pleased to find something slightly more refreshing and delicious as we approach the Sydney Spring. I have added shredded chicken for protein, this really is a cheap and easy dish to create!

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup shallots (finely sliced)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cups of frozen corn kernels
4 cups chicken stock (you can use more, I think up to 2 cups)
1 tablespoon rice wine
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cooked and shredded chicken breast

to serve
sliced spring onions
coriander
1 tsp sesame oil

METHOD
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat
- Add spring onions and ginger, stir for 1 minute
- Add corn, stir for another minute (or longer if corn is still frozen)
- Pour in stock, bring to boil
- Season with rice wine, salt, pepper, sugar, soy sauce
- Simmer for 5 minutes
- Stir in shredded chicken breast

- Ladle into bowls
- Top with coriander, shallots and coriander
- Drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil

From: Bill Granger: bills SYDNEY FOOD, Murdoch Books 2004.

Chickpea and Leek Soup

Here we are at the end of the Australian Winter, and I readily admit that it is soup that has helped me stick to my eating plan in the colder weather! Sure, cravings come and go but it is soup that sustains me and gives me the energy I need to get through the day... this one is a keeper, it is silky and satisfying with lots of leek and garlic flavour...

INGREDIENTS
1 x can of chickpeas, drained
1/2 a large sweet potato, peeled and diced
4 leeks (white bit only, finely sliced)
1 tablespoon olive oil
small knob of butter (less than 20g)
2 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper
4 cups of chicken stock
handful of parmesan (I use grana padano)
1 x cooked chicken breast, shredded
Serves 6

METHOD
- Place chickpeas and sweet potato in a medium saucepan, cover with water, cook for 20min
- Heat a large saucepan, add oil and butter over medium heat
- Add leeks, garlic and a pinch of salt to the saucepan, cook 5-6 minutes until tender
- Add drained chickpeas and sweetpotato, cook for 1 minute
- Add 3 cups of stock and simmer for 15 minutes

- Using a handheld stick blender puree some of the mixture so it is smooth, but be sure to leave some chucks and whole chickpeas for texture
- Add remaining stock, throw in the shredded chicken and heat
- Stir through parmesan and serve

Adapted from: Jamie Oliver, 'The Naked Chef' Penguin Group, 1999

Bean and Pumpkin Stew

Here we are in the dead of Winter and my food diary has fallen by the wayside. I've been eating relatively well lately but it would be good to keep my eyes 'on the numbers' more closely. I found this recipe on taste.com.au today and will be serving it up after training and yoga tonight, I'm sure Joe will be pleased I'll be filling out my diary more regularly, starting with this recipe! I will be adding some poached chicken for extra protein...

INGREDIENTS
250g butternut pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
olive oil cooking spray
1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons moroccan spice blend
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400g can diced tomatoes
1 zucchini, diced
1 red capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces
150g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded
1/2 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese / sprinkling of Grano Padano cheese (I prefer as it has more flavour and you need less of it)
Serves 4

METHOD
1. Cover pumpkin, add a little water and microwave for 3 minutes or until almost tender. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, spray a saucepan with oil. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add onion. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and spice blend. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic.

3. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, zucchini, capsicum and mushrooms. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until thickened.

4. Add beans and pumpkin. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve with poached chicken (I slice it up and mix it into the saucepan) / steamed greens of your choice.

NUMBERS (per serve, without chicken)
Protein: 16.5g
Fat: 3.6g
Carbohydrate: 29.3g
Fibre: 9.7g

Adapted from: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/603/bean+and+pumpkin+stew