Tasty warm pasta easy dinner

This is one of those dishes that’s a bit different every time you make it. Quick. Easy. Tasty. Veggies too.

Serves 2

Half a bag/250g of cooked pasta (spirals or shells or anything you like)

Half a 375g tub of ricotta (or cooking cream or cream cheese or sour cream or a combination)

1 cup of cauliflower/broccoli (or spinach, or zucchini or peas or a combination)

1/2 cup Parmesan

4 slices of shortcut bacon – grilled and shredded (or tuna or roasted salmon or smoked salmon or probably pan fried l/rotisserie chicken)

1/3 cup of spring onion (or basil or parsley or a combination)

Fold together, sprinkle with more Parmesan and some salt and pepper. Quick. Easy. Enjoy!

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Banana bread (no egg)

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups (375g) self-raising flour

1 cup (85g) desiccated coconut (I prefer to use coconut flakes)

1 cup (250g) brown sugar (I used CSR Low GI raw sugar)

1/2 cup (65g) pecans – roasted and roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 cup (250ml) mashed banana (I used 3 regular bananas)

1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil

1 cup (250ml) of smooth natural yoghurt

1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk (I made my own using full cream milk and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and left it to sit for 10 mins)

METHOD

Preheat a fan forced oven to 170 degrees Celsius.

Line your tin/loaf with baking paper. Then spray with oil – I like to use coconut oil spray.

In a large bowl – mix all the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine evenly.

In a medium bowl – mix all the wet ingredients. Stir well with a fork to combine evenly.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Pour into your prepared tin.

Place in the oven.

Close the oven door.

Reduce to 160 degrees Celsius.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. 

Turn off the oven, leave in the closed oven for a further 10-20 mins then remove and leave to cool. You could flip it onto a wire rack to cool, but I honestly didn’t bother.

Serve warm with a generous layer of salted butter.

Veggie bake

I whizzed these all through the food processor with the grating function.

3 potatoes

1 sweet potato

3 zucchini

2 small onions or 1/2 large onion

The fold through –

4 eggs

2 cups self raising flour

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 finely chopped spring onions

Handful of fresh mint

Salt and pepper

Pour into a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Bake at 160c in a fan forced oven until cooked through and golden brown on top.

Leave to cool for at least 20 mins before cutting.

Creamy tuna and veggie pasta bake

1 zucchini – grated

1 head of broccoli / small florets and finely sliced stalks

3 serves of pasta (shells or spirals or macaroni)

125g Philadelphia cheese – from the block, cubed

4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan

185g tin of tuna – drained

200ml sour cream (I used sour lite cream)

1/2 cup ‘pizza cheese’ or 1/4 cup tasty + 1/4 cup mozzarella

1/3 cup cornflake crumbs

Salt and pepper

*optional – 1 or 2 finely sliced spring onion

*you could add a bag of frozen spinach or peas

*you could use bacon as an alternative to tuna

Method

Preheat oven to 160c fan forced

Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the packet in plenty of salty water

3 mins before the end of cooking, add the broccoli

Drain the parsley and broccoli

In a large bowl/pot/dish – mix the pasta, broccoli, zucchini, cream cheese, sour cream, pepper, Parmesan, tuna (and optional spring onion)

Top with the ‘pizza cheese’ and cornflake crumbs

Bake until golden (approx 30-40mins)

Enjoy!

Ottolenghi inspired cauliflower breakfast tortilla

1 bag of frozen cauliflower

(Optional – one drained tin of chickpeas)

Olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3 tablespoons of za’atar

1 teaspoon paprika (any kind)

Salt and pepper

Then

Hummus thinned out with extra lemon and olive oil

4 soft boiled eggs

Parsley and Coriander

Dukkah

Tortillas

Method

Mix the cauliflower (and optional drained chickpeas) with oil, garlic powder, paprika, za’atar, salt and pepper

Roast at 160c until golden and tender

In a large bowl layer –

Cauliflower

Then hummus

Then eggs

Then herbs

Then dukkah

Wrap in a tortilla

Enjoy!

White bean hummus

2 tins cannellini or butter beans – keep the liquid

3/4 cup smooth tahini

Juice of two large lemons

2 cloves of finely minced garlic

4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of paprika (plain or smoked or sweet or hot is up to you) + 1/2 teaspoon for dusting before serving

Salt and pepper to taste

Blend until smooth in a good processor

Add the bean water until you are happy with the consistency.

Enjoy!

Tangy carrot salad

Quick. Delicious. Great for salary lunch and alongside bbq meats or roast fish.

Ingredients

3 large carrots – peeled and grated – I use the grating attachment on my food processor to save time

1 teaspoon for roasted caraway seeds

The juice of 1 large or 2 small lemons

Freshly chopped parsley and or coriander

Salt and pepper

A drizzle of olive oil

Toss together and serve!