Veggie Bake Protein Punch

Trying to be healthy. Trying to up the protein and the veggies. The chickpea flour means it’s Gluten Free, high in fibre, high in protein. Great for vegetarians too, but not vegans unless you take out the cheese. Here we go…

Ingredients:

1 cup zucchini – grated

1 cup carrot – grated

1 medium potato – grated

2 spring onions – finely diced

1/2 leek – halved or quartered, finely sliced

1/2 cup grated cheese (I used Tasty Cheese, also an extra 1/4 cup for sprinkling)

3/4 cup chickpea flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

Salt and pepper

*I could have thrown some sweet corn in there too, but I’m trying to keep it low GI

Method:

Grate all and slice all the veggies and put in a large bowl.

Add the flour and baking powder and cheese.

In a separate bowl, crack the eggs and whisk gently. Add salt and pepper.

Combine the egg and veggie mixture.

Place in a lined brownie tray. Smooth out the mixture evenly. I sprinkled a little extra cheese on the top (about 1/4 cup)

Bake at 170c for about 45 mins or until cooked through.

Cool for at least 20 mins before turning on to a board and cutting in to generous cubes.

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My version of Puttanesca

When your dinner date cancels on you 90mins before, there are two options –

1. UberEats

2. Make something from what you’ve got in the cupboard.

Serves 2.

I love the story behind it –

Spaghetti alla puttanesca (pronounced [spaˈɡetti alla puttaˈneska]; literally “spaghetti in the style of a whore” in Italian) is an Italian pasta dish invented in Naples in the mid-20th century. Its ingredients typically include tomatoes, olive oil, anchovies, olives, capers and garlic. After a long night of walking the streets, it was quick and tasty dinner for these ladies to make with pantry staples.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

• 400g tin crushed tomatoes

• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved, pitted

• 3 anchovy fillets, chopped

• 2 tablespoons drained capers

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon each of chopped basil leaves & stalks, parsley leaves & stalks.

• a pinch each of hot chilli flakes, salt flakes

• 2 serves of the pasta of your choice, I prefer spaghetti

• Grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Heat oil in large pan over medium heat.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes with puree, olives, anchovies, capers, oregano, parsley, basil and crushed hot chilli flakes.

Simmer sauce over medium-low heat until thickened, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, about 8 minutes. Season with salt.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite.

Before draining the pasta, spoon 4-6 tablespoons of pasta water in to your sauce.

Drain pasta; return to same pot. Add sauce and any left over fresh herbs. Toss over low heat until sauce coats pasta.

Serve with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Creamy Bacon Broccoli Spinach and Mushroom pasta

Makes 3 generous serves

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli, broken in to small florets, steamed for 5 minutes

200g lean bacon, finely sliced and pan fried until crispy

250ml cooking cream (I use the Philadelphia cream for cooking light)

5g (half a bunch) of chives, finely sliced

200-250g sliced mushrooms, sautéed in 1tsp of butter until tender

150g baby spinach leaves (put these at the bottom of the colander and pour the boiling pasta water over the top to quickly cook the spinach leaves)

250g pasta (I used spelt spirals, but any pasta you crave will work)

1/4 cup Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Method

Prepare all the ingredients as above.

Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packet.

Reduce the stove to a medium heat.

Drain the pasta over the spinach leaves, the return to the pot.

Add all the other ingredients and gently stir through until well combined.

When the mixture has return to an acceptable temperature, serve with a garnish of more parmesan and fresh pepper.

Enjoy!

Grilled Zucchini and Rocket Salad

Ingredients

1/3 cup shelled hazelnuts (roasted)

3 zucchini

2 cups of rocket leaves

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup mixed green and purple basil leaves (if available – if not, just use green basil, particularly the tiny leaves and flowers)

1/2 cup mint leaves (individual of small, shredded finely if large)

1/2 cup Parmesan (use a potato peeler to make Parmesan ribbons

2 teaspoons hazelnut oil or olive oil for dressing.

Method:

Hazelnuts – Let them cool down before chopping roughly or just crushing lightly with the side of a large knife.

Place a ridged griddle pan on a high heat and leave it there until it’s almost red-hot — at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim the ends of the zucchini and cut them on an angle into 1cm thick slices. Place them in a bowl and toss with half the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place the slices in the hot grill pan and char-grill for about 2 minutes on each side; turn them over using tongs. You want to get distinct char marks without cooking the zucchini through. Put in the fridge to cool.

Put rocket leaves and herbs in to a mixing bowl, toss together and scatter in a shallow bowl for presentation.

Once the zucchini have cooled down, layer them over the leafy mix, then scatter a few extra herbs, the Parmesan ribbons, and the hazelnuts. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Cheesecake Berry Danish

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry

300g ricotta

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 cup berries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup white chocolate bits

1 egg – beaten

1/3 teaspoon caster sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 180c fan forced.

Sprinkle half the shire chocolate down the centre third of the pastry sheet.

Mix the ricotta with the vanilla bean paste.

Lay over the white chocolate evenly.

Sprinkle over the remaining white chocolate.

Lay the berries on top.

Slice along the pastry from the filling to the outer edge to create ribbons. Then alternately bring a ribbon in from each side to created a plaited effect.

Brush with egg and then sprinkle with caster sugar.

Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tray and serving.

Enjoy!

Practically healthy easy Danish

Ingredients

2 large apples. Peeled, cored, large chunks

2 tablespoons dried currants or saltanas

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

125g cream cheese or ricotta

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1 sheet puff pastry

1 egg. Whisked

1/2 teaspoon of caster sugar

Oil spray

*serves 3-4

Method

Preheat oven to 180c

In a small bowl mix the apples, currants, and cinnamon. Cover and cook on high in the microwave for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

Line a baking tray with baking paper and spray lightly with oil. Put aside

Mix cream cheese, vanilla, lemon zest in a bowl. Spread down the centre third of the pastry. Lay the apple mixture on top.

Seal the pastry. I like to cut strips either side and then alternate folding them towards the centre to create a plaited appearance.

Place the pastry on the tray. Brush with the egg. Sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake for 25/35 minutes until golden.

Enjoy!

Bill Granger’s Japanese Cucumber and Avocado Salad with Edemame

Ingredients

2 telegraph cucumbers (he smashes them, I like to chop them roughly after removing 1/2 the dark green skin with a potato peeler)

1 cup blanched edamame

2 finely chopped spring onions

10 mint leaves, finely shredded

1 or 2 large, ripe avocados (scooped or diced or however you like)

* combine in a large bowl

Dressing

1/4 cup sesame oil

2 tablespoons mirin

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

A pinch of sea salt

Juice of half a large lemon

*whisk together

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds before serving.