Brekky Smoothies

So my News Years resolution this year was to start eating breakfast especially after one of my kids said to me, after nagging him to have breakfast,  "why should I, you don't!" I thought yeah good point, so, I'm starting off small and making my own smoothies.  We all know that a delicious smoothie can be a meal in itself, rich in protein, fibre, vitamins and antioxidants. and sweeten naturally with berries oh and of course honey it's a pretty good way to start the day :)

Here's a few I like:


Berry Banana Brekky Smoothie
Serves 1-2

• 1/2 Banana (full of vitamins and potassium)
• 1/4 cup frozen mixed Berries (antioxidants)
• 1/2 cup Rice Milk (or any milk of your choice soy, almond better off not to be cows milk)
• 1 tsp honey (proven health benefits)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (boosts metabolism)

Blend with a stick mixer or in a blender, pour into a glass and enjoy!



For those who need more sustenance

Muesli Smoothie

Serves 1-2

• 1 frozen banana (freeze peeled in glad wrap or zip lock bag)
• 1/2 cup toasted muesli
• 3 tbsp. fruit yoghurt (or any of your choice)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (boosts metabolism)
• 1/2 cup Rice milk  - only if you find it too thick

 
Blend with a stick mixer or in a blender, pour into a glass and enjoy!


And for those of you who don't want any milk or some mornings its just to darn hot!!

Apple & Orange Smoothie  
Serves 1-2

• 1 apple, peeled core removed and rough chopped
• 1 orange, peeled and seeded, rough chopped
• 1/2 cup grapes (seedless)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 10 ice cubes (optional)

Blend with a stick mixer or in a blender on low for 15 seconds, then blend on high until smooth, pour into a glass and enjoy!      (
best enjoyed straight away of the apple liquid will start to separate in the smoothie)

Chocolate Pudding (self saucing)

This Chocolate pudding is a winter favourite in our house, it's incredibly rich and satisfying on a cold wintery eveing, this is definitly a once in a while treat Mmmmm

  

INGREDIENTS

• 60g butter
• ½ cup (125ml) milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
• 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• ¾ cup (165g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, extra
• 2 cups (500ml) boiling water

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease 1.5-litre (6-cup) ovenproof dish.
2. Melt butter with milk in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in extract and
3. caster sugar then sifted flour and cocoa. Spread mixture into dish.
4. Sift brown sugar and extra cocoa over mixture; gently pour boiling water over mixture.
5. Bake pudding, uncovered, about 40 minutes or until centre is firm. Stand 5 minutes before serving.

Upturned

Homestyle



To be a little fancy serve in nice white ramekins!

Couscous & Roasted Vegetable Salad

This amazing salad is great any time as it can be served warm or cold and the combinations are endless as ANY vegetable can be used.  I sometimes like to mix things up a bit by adding fresh herbs from the garden or using lemon juice instead of balsamic in the dressing. We have it as a main dish or as side dish to grilled chicken..... enjoy

Keeps in the fridge for a few days too :)

Serves 2 - 4

 

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil + 1tbsp for roasting
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 cup Chick Stock or Water – HOT
• ½ red onion, fine diced
• 1 (small) Sweet potato, Large dice
• 1 zucchini, Large dice
• ¼ Pumpkin, Large dice
• 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
• ½ Cucumber – Diced
• S & P

Method

1. In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, Salt and Pepper; set aside.
   
2. In large baking pan add pumpkin, sweet potatoes coat with olive oil, salt & pepper and place in hot oven for 15 mins, remove from oven and add the zucchini and return to the oven for about 10 minutes or until roasted
   
3. In large bowl, combine couscous with stock/water cover and let stand for 5 - 7 minutes. When ready fluff with a fork.
   
4. In a large bowl add the fluffed couscous, the warm roasted vegetables, the fresh tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, mix gently and pour over dressing, mix gently again and serve.
   
   

Naan Bread

Makes 12 -14

Ingredients

 

1 teaspoon dried yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup plain natural Yoghurt

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 tablespoon salt

3 cups plain flour

80g butter, melted (for brushing during cooking)

A splash of Olive oil (spray oil is great)

Halve all ingredients for a smaller batch.

Method

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water (add a pinch of sugar to get the yeast going), cover with a tea towel and put aside for about 10 minutes, when it's nice and frothy 
2. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg yolks, yoghurt, milk, salt and then add the flour, mix with your hands to make into a soft dough. On a floured surface knead for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth .
3. Put the dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Leave for at least 30 mins but preferably 1 hour until the dough has doubled in volume.
4. Punch (literally) the air out of the dough. ++  Tear off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a cloth, and again allow to rise until doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.
5. Roll one ball of dough at a time out into a thin circle about 5mm thick.
6. Place rolled dough on an oiled grill (spray works best), and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, you should see air bubbles appearing, brush the uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been cooked.

++at this stage I like to spilt the dough in two and to half add a head of roasted garlic and chopped parsley, this makes the most delicious garlic naan... (see photo's)

Wrap a cut head of garlic in foil

Place in hot oven or 20 - 30 mins

 

Roasted

Squeeze out the garlic and discard skin

Garlic

Fresh Parsley (any herb would do)

Mix garlic and parsley well

Ready to mix

Bring all wet and dry ingredients together

Knead for 6 -8 mins

Cover and allow to rise in a warm spot

Half plain Naan Half Garlic and Herb Naan

Plain Naan Bread                                     Garlic and Herb Naan Bread

Crispy Pork Belly Roast

Ingredients 

• 1kg fresh pork belly
• sea salt & black pepper
• 4 - 6 potatoes, peeled, halved or quartered depending on size
• 2 - 4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and cut into large chunks
• 1 head of garlic, skin on, broken into cloves (optional)
• 500ml stock     

Method

1. Preheat oven to at least 220°C.
2. Place your pork on a clean board, skin-side upwards. With a sharp knife
   make scores about a centimetre apart through the skin into the fat, but not into the meat.
3. Rub salt right into all the scores you’ve just made, turn it over and season the underside of the meat with a little more salt and black pepper.
4. Place your pork skin side-up, in a roasting tray big enough to hold the meat and the vegetables (later), and place in the hot oven.
5. Roast for 30 - 40 mins until the skin has started to blister and you can see
   it turning into crackling.
6. Turn the heat down to 180°C and roast for another 45 mins.
7. Remove  from the oven and baste with the fat in the bottom of the tray then lift the pork out and transfer to a chopping board.
8. Add the potatoes, carrots & garlic to the tray.  Place the pork on top of the vegetables and return the tray back in the oven. Roast for another hour.
9. Now the meat should be soft and tender. Remove the pork to a board, cover with tin foil tent and leave to rest while you make the gravy.
10. I like to add about 8 -10 ice cubes to the tray to remove any excess fat, as the fat sticks to the ice cubes, just gently remove, then add the stock and place the tray on the hotplate, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the tray. When you’ve got a rich gravy, pour it through a sieve into a gravy boat.
11. Place all the vegetables and meat on a platter and serve.





Pork 1/3rd cooked and the veg added

Pork rested and sliced

Ready for the table

Chilli Crab

Ingredients

• 2 -3 Blue Swimmers/Mud Crab cleaned and cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 - 4  Red chillies sliced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 420g can chopped tomatoes
• 50 - 100mls water
• Crusty bread

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wok, add the garlic and chilli and stir fry for a couple of minutes,
2. Add the sugar, salt, tomatoes and oyster sauce, plus a little water and bring to the boil,
3. Add the crab, cover the wok and cook for 5 minutes or until the crab is hot and cooked through.
4. Serve with Crusty bread..

Serve with plenty of paper towel and a bowl of warm water and lemon for cleaning hands!!! 

Mussels

Tomato Chilli Mussels

Serves 4
Ingredients

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 lrge brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 x 450g can tomatoes, diced
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1 Red Chilli, diced or 1tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2kg mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• crusty bread, to serve 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large, deep pan, Add onion and garlic and cook gently over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add white wine and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes.
2. Add tomato, tomato paste, chilli and sugar. Stir well and bring to the boil.
3. Add mussels to pan. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes over high heat, shaking pan occasionally. Removes lid and using a slotted spoon, remove mussels as soon as they open and place in a serving bowl.      Discard any mussels that do not open.
4. Remove pan from heat, add parsley and stir well. Pour sauce over mussels and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Creamy Garlic & White Wine Mussels

Servings: 2

 

Ingredients:

• 2kg mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 cups of white wine
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 small onion
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup of cream

Method

1. Finely chopped onion, celery and garlic. Place into a large pot and gently sauté in butter.
2. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Drop in mussels, stir once and place on the lid. Steam until they open.        Discard any mussels that do not open.
3. Remove pot from heat, add cream and serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices!!

 

 

Pork Kofta's

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g Pork mince
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1/3 cup Chutney or a Tomato Relish
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180*c
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated.
3. Divide mixture into about 8 - 10 depending on size required, roll into oval shaped balls and thread through (pre-soaked in water for 20mins) bamboo sticks.
4. Bake in the oven for 20mins until golden, turning once during cooking,
5. Serve with steamed rice, curried peas and poppadoms!

Autumn

Autumn is a great time of year, we still have the lovely warm days to enjoy outdoor activites and then slightly cool nights to start enjoying warm meals again and snuggling up!  The rains also start and the dry summer garden is replaced with greenery and life. 

Below you will find a list of the produce available in Perth during Autumn to help you decide what you and your family eat, don't forget all these foods will be at there best price and best taste right now!!

Fruits

Apples (Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Hi Early,)	Autumn
Bananas	All Year
Bananas	All Year
Custard Apples	Autumn
Figs	Autumn
Grapes	Autumn
Guavas	Autumn
Kiwifruit	Autumn
Kumquats	Autumn
Mandarins	Autumn
Melons (Rockmelon, watermelon)	Autumn
Nashi Pears	Autumn
Olives	Autumn
Passionfruit	Autumn
Pawpaw	All Year
Pears	Autumn
Quinces	Autumn

Vegetables

Artichoke (Jerusalem)	Autumn
Beans (Climbing)	Autumn
Beans (Dwarf)	Autumn
Beetroot	Autumn
Broccoli	All Year
Cabbage	All Year
Capsicum	Autumn
Carrots	All Year
Cauliflower	Autumn
Celery	All Year
Chillies	Autumn
Cucumber	Autumn
Eggplant	Autumn
Kale	Autumn
Kohl Rabi	Autumn
Lettuce	All Year
Onions	Autumn
Parsnips	All Year
Peas	All Year
Potato	All Year
Pumpkin	Autumn
Radish	All Year
Rhubarb	All Year
Silver Beets	All Year
Spring Onions	Autumn
Squash	Autumn
Swedes	Autumn
Sweet Corn	Autumn
Sweet Potatoes	Autumn
Tomatoes	Autumn
Turnips	All Year
Zucchini	Autumn

Herb/Vege Patch taking off!!

Capsicum turning red - almost ready!!

Creamy Mushroom Penne

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 500g button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• White pepper (est. 1/2 teaspoon)
• 375g Penne pasta

 

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the button mushrooms and sprinkle with salt to taste. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high, uncover and cook for 4 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with the flour, stirring until absorbed. Gradually add the milk and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in pepper to taste.
4. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water according to the packet directions, until firm-tender. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl.
5. Add the sauce to the hot pasta, tossing well to coat.
6. Serve with crusty bread or a side salad.
 
 
 

Cauliflower Fish Bake

This Fish Bake is very similar to a Fish Pie although its sooooo much better for you, the cauliflower replaces the old style white sauce and tastes so much better, there is no cream, butter or cheese in this recipe and the crusty top is fantastic,you will not even miss the cheese and I guarantee once you try it, this will be on your family's "go to" list for sure :)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 600g Cauliflower cut into florets
• 400g Fish cut into 3cm pieces (choose a firm white fleshed fish)
• 2 1/2 cups milk,
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, peeled, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 small carrots, peeled, fine diced
• 1 celery stick, fine diced
• 1 tablespoon Dill
• 4 slices bread
• S & P
  

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200*c
2. Place cauliflower and milk in a medium saucepan bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins until soft, strain the cauliflower (keeping the milk) and with a blender, blend, adding back some of the reserved milk to make a smooth puree. Season with S&P to taste.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan over medium heat, add the onion cook for 2 mins, add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook for a further 5 mins.
4. Add to the pan the fish pieces, cauliflower puree and dill, gently stir to combine.
5. Transfer to an oven safe dish, in another bowl rip the bread into small chunks and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil, scatter the bread mix over the top of the fish.
6. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 20 mins till golden and bubbly.

We like to make ours in individual large ramekins and serve with a side salad.

Devilled Sausages

Throw the packet mix away!! this recipe is so easy and not much more preparation than the packet mix version but you'll be saving your family a whole heap of additives and preservatives they don't need, and I must say this version is heaps tastier!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g beef or pork sausages
• 1 large onion sliced
• 1 large apple peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Method

1. Cook the sausages fry pan/bbq (I like to cook them in a 200* oven for 15- 20 mins)
2. In a large pan add olive oil and saute the sliced onion and apple until soft,
3. Add the cooked chopped (to whatever size you like) sausages to the apple and onion,
4. In the meantime combine all other ingredients together to make the sauce and add to the sausage, apple and onions after the sausages have been added, stir until sauce begins to boil then reduce heat to a simmer for about 15-20 mins. Stirring occasionally. 

Serve with Rice or our favourite, Mashed potato.

Not the most photographic meal but the kids LOVE it!!

Cheese, Bacon & Chive Muffins

This super tasty, super easy savoury muffin is a fantastic afternoon tea, a quick snack on-the-go and is great for school lunchboxes!  Be adventurous and try new flavour combinations like Cheese & Leek, Spinach & Cheese, Olives, Mixed Veg, any combination you like!

Makes 12

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoon chopped chives
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  

Method

1. Cook bacon until crisp, allow to cool. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 220*c.
3. Melt butter over medium heat in a small pan or in microwave safe bowl, Remove from heat and add chives. Cool to room temperature.
4. In a medium bowl combine eggs and milk using a whisk.
5. Add butter/chive mixture, cheese and bacon.
6. In another small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir to mix.
   
7. Add to egg mixture, stirring only until blended thoroughly.
   
8. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full.
   
9. Bake 20- 25 minutes, or until muffin tops just begin to brown.
   
10. Cool them on a wire rack.
    

Serve as afternoon tea, a snack on-the-go or great for school lunchboxes!

Banana Cake

Not only is this a great way to use up bananas, this cake is a family favourite of ours, it 's so delicious that it needs nothing more than a slight dusting with icing sugar.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Butter
• 3 Eggs
• 3 mashed Bananas
• 1/2 cup Caster Sugar
• 1tsp Vanilla
• 1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 50mls Milk
• 1 1/2cups Self Raising Flour

Method

1. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer
2. Whilst beating on low speed add eggs one at a time
3. Add the mashed Bananas and mix well
4. Dissolve the Bicarbonate of Soda in the milk,
5. Add the milk and flour in small batches alternatively until well combined.
6. Pour into a pre lined tin and bake at 180*c for 40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool and dust with icing sugar before serving, or in winter serve warm with a knob of butter.

Sesame Chicken Cakes

A different version to the traditional Fish cake, great for lunches or make them smaller and use as a canape!

Makes
8-10 patties

Ingredients

• 350g Chicken mince
• 1tbsp chopped Coriander
• 50g Breadcrumbs
• 2tbsp Sweet Chili sauce
• 100-200g Sesame Seeds
• (Oil for frying) Sunflower Oil, Veg Oil or a light Olive Oil

Method

1. Combine chicken, coriander, chili sauce and breadcrumbs together.
2. Roll into balls then flatten out a little to form patty shape,
3. In a flat bowl or plate pour out sesame seeds and then gently roll the patties through to cover on all sides.
4. Shallow fry in your choice of Oil  until golden brown and cooked throughout (8-10 min's)
5. Serve with a dipping sauce or in a flat bread with salad.

Tuna & 3 Bean Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 medium tin of Tuna
• 2 Broccoli florets
• Small handful Cherry Tomatoes
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 1 tin 3 Bean mix
• 1/2 Avocado (optional)
• 1/2 Cucumber
• 1/2 Red Capsicum
• 1 Spring Onion
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Method

1. Chop all the veges up into small bite size pieces, add to a large bowl
2. Add washed and drain beans to the bowl,
3. Drain and add the Tuna to the bowl,
4. In separate bowl whisk Balsamic and Olive Oil together (I like to add a pinch of Salt and Pepper) then pour over vege/bean/tuna mix and mix gently to coat (the avocado adds to the dressing to when mixing)
5. Serve and eat!

Hint: this lasts for up to 2 days in the fridge and just gets yummier!

Sausage Rolls

Sausage rolls are a fantastic "go to" dish for a quick afternoon tea, a great party favourite, an easy lunch served with salad or simply great on their own!

These particular Sausage Rolls are my kid friendly egg free ones (for the adults I omit the veg (or not), and to the onion mix add finely chopped Chorizo or Bacon and would probably brush with an egg wash at the end and sprinkle with poppy seeds).

The flavour combinations you can create are endless as long as you follow the basics of the recipe.

Makes 6 long rolls - 30 small rolls 

Ingredients

• 3 Sheets Puff Pastry (cut in half length ways)
• 500g Sausage meat
• 1 Onion
• 1 Garlic clove (crushed)
• 1 large Carrot
• 1 Celery stick
• 1/2 Zucchini
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup Sauce (Tomato/BBQ or mixture of both)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 50mls milk (for brushing)

Method:

1. In a fry pan heat the Olive Oil,
2. Grate the Onion, Carrot, Celery, Zucchini and add to the pan on a low heat and gently saute along with the garlic until very soft and tender (whilst cooking add 1/2 teaspoon of salt for flavour and to release the liquid in the veg). When soft allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl combine Sausage meat, cooled veg mix, sauce, breadcrumbs and remaining salt and mix well, clean hands work best!
4. Lay out pastry sheets and in a log shape cover the bottom third with sausage mix and roll over to create your Sausage Roll, (the plastic sheet the pastry comes with is also great for wrapping them in whilst storing/waiting) 
5. Cut each log into 5 brush with milk and bake in a hot oven (220*c) for 20 - 25 mins or until golden brown.

hint: they can be wrapped in plastic and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months!!



Lots of fresh grated veges

after 25mins of slow cooking - soft and yummy



Mix all ingredients together

Add the meat mix to pastry

Roll up your Sausage Rolls