Cornflake Cookies

Makes approximately 24 Biscuits

Ingredients:
200g sugar
250g butter (or for dairy free/vegan use nuttlex)
5 cups of cornflakes (check that they are gluten free). You can use Kellogg's, Woolworths home brand, or freedom foods
2 no egg (egg replacement - I use Organ no egg)
300g of gluten free SR flour (I use Organ)
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Method:
1. In your thermal cooker blitz the sugar for 5 seconds on speed 5 to make caster sugar.
2. Add the butter and vanilla extract and mix on speed 4-5 for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides.
3. Add the no egg (4 teaspoons of the powder to 4 tablespoons of water) and mix on speed 4-5 for 30 seconds again.  Scrape down the sides again.
4. Add the flour and salt and mix for 45 seconds on speed 4-5 scraping the sides with the spatula as you go.
5. Once it is well mixed in add the cornflakes and mix on speed 1 for 10 seconds.  If it needs further mixing you may need to do it by hand so you don't crush the cornflakes.
6. Using a dessert spoon to portion the biscuits roll them into round flat balls in your hands and put on a tray lined with baking paper. (You will need 3 trays.)
7. Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes.
8. Allow to cool on the tray and then transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool and harden.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe like I did rediscovering it. :)

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Recently I realised that I have not eaten chocolate pudding since before I had to go gluten free.

I wanted to rectify that, but didn't want a pudding for 20 people!!!

So I found a mug cake recipe, and as I do, changed it a lot!

Ingredients

Pudding:

3 tablespoons of GF SR flour
1.5 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of milk of choice (e.g. dairy, rice,  soy, nut)
1/2 teaspoon cocao or cocoa

Sauce:
1 tablespoon Brown sugar
1 teaspoon Cocao/cocoa
1.5 tablespoons Boiling water

Method:

1. In a mug measure your dry pudding ingredients.
2. Mix well with a fork to ensure that there are no pockets missing something or clumps of flour or sugar.
3. In a second container (I use another mug) mix the dry ingredients for the sauce. Mix them together well with the fork being extra sure to get all the lumps out of the brown sugar.
4. Add the milk to the pudding and mix well.
5. Smooth over the top.
6. Gently sprinkle the dry sauce ingredients over the top.
7. Add hot water to cover the top. If you run out of water and still have some of the pudding uncovered add a little more.
7. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute.  (If you have added extra water you may need an extra 30 seconds.)
8. Wait for it to cool a little before eating it.

It tastes beautiful with cream. (Or coconut vanilla ice cream if you are dairy free.)

Mint Jelly

I don't know about you, but I can never find gluten free mint sauce or mint jelly for Christmas. In the last few years I've made my own, which has been quite successful.

Ingredients:

375ml white wine vinegar
One gelatin sachet
125 ml boiling water
3/4 cup fresh mint about 3-4 sprigs from the garden
2 tsp caster sugar*

1 large sterile jar (big enough to hold 2.5 cups)

*If you are diabetic you can leave the sugar out.

Method

Assemble your items. Once you pour the boiling water you will need to move quickly.
Chop your mint finely. Once you are happy with the size I put the kettle on to boil with the minimum amount of water allowed, as you will be only using 1/2 a cup.
Have your gelatin sachet and caster sugar ready to go straight in!!!
Pour your boiling water into the heat proof mixing bowl and add the gelatin, stirring with a whisk until it is dissolved.
Add the caster sugar and mix in well.
Once that is dissolved add the finely chopped mint and and white wine vinegar.
Mix thoroughly and then pour into your glass jar.
Seal it and leave it to set in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

I hope you enjoy that. I find it very quick and easy to make. :)

Soy Yoghurt Updates - Even Better Soy Yoghurt

Even Better Soy Yoghurt

I've had more hits on my blog for my soy yoghurt recipe than everything else put together.

In the last 2 years the recipe has had some tweaking to make it better. While my friends have been informed about those tweaks (that is, if they asked), no-one else has.

So, since I'm on holidays I thought I might add the additions.

It all started when one of my friends commented that the yoghurt was very runny. I didn't really care before she brought it up, but I decided to have a play and see if I could fix it up a bit and make it better.

Thicker double batch (2 litres of soy yoghurt)

Ingredients:

2 Litres of Soy milk

3 tablespoons of gluten free cornflour

60 grams of rice malt syrup

Small scraping of culture.

Method:

After boiling the water to sterilise everything add 1/3 of the soy milk (if using 1 litre- if you are making 2 litres use 1/2 a litre of soy milk) and 1.5 tablespoons of gluten free cornflour per litre of soy milk.

Heat this at 75-100 degrees C. (75 is quicker, but 100 is thicker.) Once it gets up to temperature give it 5 minutes to break down the starch and make it thicker. 

Then add the rest of your milk and 30 grams of rice malt syrup and mix it for 4 minutes on speed 3 or 4 (some thermocookers only go to speed 3 with hot foods). 

You'll need to let it cool down to 37 C before adding the culture so that it doesn't kill your culture. I recommend that you put the lid on the jug and surround the jug with ice packs to cool it quicker or if you can plan ahead put the milk cartons in the fridge 12 hours prior so they are cool to help quickly cool the hot mixture when you add them to it. Let it cool for about 30 minutes, then it should be cool enough to use again.  Check the actual temperature with a food thermometer.

Once the temperature is below 40 add your culture, mixing at speed 4 for 4 seconds. 

Empty the easiyo containers of the hot water if you haven't already; then pour the mixture into them. Seal them tightly and put the containers into the easiyo hot water bath to keep it warm and pop the bath's lid on. I recommend getting them as close to 24 hours as possible as the yoghurt will be nice and thick then.

If you're like me and want to make a double batch don't forget that you will need 2 easiyo sets to make a double batch but it's well worth it in my opinion.

Enjoy! :)

Pumpkin Chili Soup

Ingredients

1 large butternut pumpkin or 2 smaller ones
1/6 bunch of parsley
1 red chili (This makes it quite hot - don't add the chili if this is for people who have a low tolerance for hot food, or if there is a mild tolerance use half of the chili.)
1/2 bunch of spring onion (green tops only for low FODMAP)
Dash of oil (you could use garlic infused olive oil)
500 ml of chicken or vegetable stock - I used Sue Shepherd's low FODMAP stock.  (Obviously, use vegetable stock if you are making this vegetarian/vegan.
1 cup of almond milk (you could use coconut or soy if you need it nut free)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 pinches of salt - optional

 Method
Wash all veggies
Put the parsley, chili and spring onion in the bellini and blitz for 20 seconds starting on speed 5 and going up to speed 7.
Peel and chop up the pumpkin into small cubes.
Add the pumpkin, stock, oil, paprika, salt and almond milk.

Cook on speed 1 at 100 degrees for 30 minutes
Using a tea-towel on top of the lid to prevent any blow out slowly increase the speed from 3-6 - but wait until it has cooled somewhat so you don't accidentally get 2-3 degree burns!  Alternatively, leave this step out, and just let it take it's time to break the pumpkin up by stirring.
Cook again on speed 3 at 90 degrees for another 10-30 minutes with the clear top out to allow it to reduce.

Very yummy.  If you need to keep protein up add some cooked chicken to the soup when you serve it.

Serve with hot multi-grain toast.

Sweet Chili Chicken Nuggets

This chicken nuggets need a bit of refinement but if you're game to try now feel free to go ahead, and I'll modify this recipe down the track.

Ingredients

1/4 cup plain GF flour (you can use whole grain if you have it to make these lower GI)
1/2 cup rice crumbs
Pinch of salt
Sprinkle of parsley
*Sprinkle of garlic - Adding garlic here is not Low FODMAP.  If you need low FODMAP eliminate this step and use garlic infused olive oil.
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 sprinkle of black pepper
1-2 teaspoons of chili (mine wasn't very strong so you could add more or leave it with less for a non-spicy chicken nugget.
500 grams diced chicken breast (thawed)


1/2 cup Rice Malt  Syrup

Oil for frying - if you want low FODMAP use garlic infused olive oil.  Otherwise any other cooking oil will work.

Method

Mix all the flour and herbs together in a bowl until all your spices are well mixed in.

Melt your rice malt syrup either in the microwave (faster, but needed to be watched carefully and it started to harden like candy) or in a bain-marie (which will probably work better for this purpose).
As soon as your rice malt syrup is melted roll the chicken nuggets in it and transfer to the flour mix.
Coat in the flour and spice mix then transfer to the frying pan.

Cook immediately on high for about 6 minutes, then turn and cook for about another 4 minutes

As always with chicken check to make sure it is cooked before you eat it so you don't get food poisoning!  I usually break open one large piece to check the pink is gone, when I'm thinking they should be ready soon, as you don't want to over cook them either.

Serve with tomato sauce. - make sure it's a low FODMAP option for those who need it.  :)

Schnitzels

I used to love eating schnitzels, but after going gluten free I found that it was nearly impossible to find gluten free schnitzels.

A few weeks ago I decided to remedy this by going online and finding something I could modify.  And this recipe is the result.


1 cup quinoa flakes
lemon rind of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of chives (fresh or dried) - if it's fresh dice them finely
2 tablespoons of basil (fresh or dried)
2 tablespoons of psyllium husk for psyllium husk "egg"*
4 tablespoons of boiling water
1/2 cup gf flour
1/2 cup rice crumbs

2-4 cuts of defrosted meat

• for chicken get butterflied chicken breast
• for beef get veal cutlets or a thin cut low fat and gristle meat

Garlic infused olive oil for frying.

Method

Boil the kettle
If you are using fresh basil and/or chives chop these finely.
Grate your lemon rind
Thoroughly mix flours in with the spices and lemon rind.
Place meat on a plate/3rd bowl out of the way, but close at hand.
Prepare your frying pan with oil.
In a second bowl add your psyllium husk, and add 4 tablespoons of boiling water mixing constantly with a fork.

As soon as you get a sticky gel consistency add the meat slices and coat with the psyllium mixture.
Immediately transfer to the bowl of spices and flour and coat.
Quickly transfer to frying pan for cooking.

Repeat the coating process for each slice of meat.

The psyllium may become extremely gelled, and if so, add a dash of hot water to it an mix again, then repeat the process.

Fry for approximately 7 minutes on a medium-high setting before turning to the other side for approx 5 minutes to finish it.

Enjoy!

PS for a gluten free gravy use massels lucky 7s or Sue Shepherd's chicken stock with gf cornflour.  (I'll try to provide a recipe for that soon.)

Easter - Hot Cross Buns and Other Treats

This Easter I was determined not to make food that made me need to run to the bathroom and/or left me doubled over with stomach cramps.  I also didn't feel like pretending Easter didn't exist as I have previously tried for special occasions.

To help me out I steeply modified a recipe from Jo Whitton of Quirky Cooking for Hot Cross Buns. Hers have egg and dried fruit and the mixture is also really sloppy.

These are my very modified babies before they went in the oven, as might be noted by the fact the crosses haven't melted yet.

I got some ideas of Jamie Oliver's Food Tube (of course it was from Jamie.  I love Jamie.  *cough* anyway...) and added both xanthan gum and psyllium husk instead of only one of the two.  I switched choc chips for the dried fruit (Sweet William for those who can have soy, the allergy free ones from iherb for those who can't), and wished I had put in less cloves.  But overall it tasted pretty good despite tasting suspiciously like clove zone.

I won't bother with my icing sugar mix since it didn't work well, but don't use just plain flour for the crosses - that is disgusting as I know well from last year.  Use some icing sugar as well (50/50 plain flour and icing sugar).  Don't add nuttelex like I did though, because it melts in the oven and the buns looked pretty stupid.  But, hey, it tasted great.  A couple of drops of vanilla essence gave it a better taste too.  I used egg replacer as per normal.  I don't know, my buns looked pretty stupid afterwards, but they definitely are an improvement on last year, as mentioned.

Next time I will let them rise in the buns rather than shape them after they have risen, because, surprise, surprise, they didn't rise any further.  The chocolate kinda exploded everywhere too, so be careful when making.

(Well, it melted then stuck to everything that came near it, and made a jolly mess.  It *looked* like an explosion though.)

As food tube suggested, I used a bowl of boiling water in the bottom of the oven to create a moist and warm environment for the buns to rise.  It certainly seemed to work well for them.  It also gave my oven a bit of a steam clean.

Because Jo's recipe seemed to think you needed to leave it overnight at least to get flavours other than cloves to permeate the mixture I added the zest of a second orange, figuring that I was altering the recipe so much it wouldn't matter if I did that too, and it might add the flavour I needed without the extra time that I didn't have.  I couldn't taste the difference really, but it wasn't bad.  Maybe it did mask the cloves a little bit.

Next time I also think I should make more glaze.  It didn't go as far as I planned this year.

Also a side warning with this, they take far to long to make - so if you are Martha Stewart, you'll be fine, but for everyone else, either convince your boss that everyone needs another holiday on the Thursday before Easter, or clear your weekend and make them on the weekend before.  They freeze okay, and if you're like me, and used to eating gluten free treats if you even get a treat it will taste amazing.  Never mind those naysayers who think they would die without gluten.  IMHO gluten isn't worth killing over.  Yourself, or others to test if they actually can't eat gluten without it making them sick.  Chances are if they aren't flipping between gluten and gluten free they really can't eat the crap.

If you happen to be reading this and can eat gluten and other crap* yourself but are making these for someone who can't eat gluten and friends, I just want to say you are a special person.

By the way, chocolate wise, Target and David Jones are selling Kinnerton eggs again this year, and Sweet William has bunny heads somewhere that I haven't found apparently.  If you are inclined to gorge yourself on chocolate I hope those options help you out next year or tomorrow when you run to the shops to buy all the cheap chocolate.  I also brought some Haigh's dark chocolate eggs, which were popular with a lot of people.  :)

As for me, later this week I need to restock on cinnamon because not only am I out, but so is Coles apparently.  I still have enough cloves though, because unfortunately, last time I used cloves I thought I had none, so I brought a new container of the stuff and I only use it once a year - so I now have two fairly full containers**.

*This is a term coined to represent all the foods I can't eat - FODMAPS, dairy, egg, etc.

**They were just 'full containers', but I used copious amounts from one container in the recipe as you may have noticed.  Don't do what I did there.  Use it up in apple crumble (or something else if you can't eat apples anymore because of the FODMAP content).

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Mustard Powder
2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
2.5 Tablespoons of Honey
1/2 Teaspoon of Rosemary
2 Chicken Breast Fillets (fresh not frozen)

Instructions:

Place everything except the chicken in a small bowl and give it a good stir until it is well mixed.

Pour over chicken fillets in an oven proof dish.

Cover with alfoil and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes take the alfoil off and cook for another 15-20 minutes until well cooked.

Serve hot with steamed vegetables.

Soy Yoghurt

Several people have asked about my Soy Yoghurt.

I do have a few aids for this:

1. An easy yo maker (I highly recommend you invest in one of these if you will be making yoghurt regularly, as it's not that expensive and makes it really easy.)
2. Bellini (BIKM) - but anything else that mixes and heats would do the trick.

Following is my foolproof recipe.

Ingredients:
1 litre Bonsoy or Pureharvest Soy Milk.  (Both are non GMO - Pureharvest is organic) *1

30 grams rice malt syrup (normal sugar or honey would also work, but honey will alter the flavour.) *2

Tiny flick/shake of Greenliving Australia Dairy free culture *3

Method:

Using a Bellini, Thermomix, Kogen, etc al.

Fill jug with water, cook at steaming heat/veroma on speed 2-3 for 20 minutes or until it has reached the max temperature for at least 5 minutes to ensure it kills all other bacteria.

Once that is done, empty water into the easy yo container to also kill the bugs in it. *4

I do this utensil less, but any utensils you use need to be heated to kill bacteria too.

Place the jug on kitchen scales and measure in rice malt syrup

Add soy milk.  Mix on speed 3 for 7 minutes at heat of 37 degrees C.  Do not heat hotter than this or it will kill the culture.

Pour hot water from the tap into the base of the easy yo maker as per instructions.  (I don't use boiling water because I don't want to kill my culture.)  Set this aside somewhere it won't get bumped or disturbed.  Empty out the water from the easy yo container.

When your milk and sugar mix is heated perfectly add your culture.  I do 2-3 small taps on the side of it to shake a few grains in.  If you want it thicker, definitely go for 3-4 taps.

Mix on speed 4 for 4 seconds.

Pour into easy yo container.  There will be a little more than you have space for due to the froth.  You may as well put it in a glass and drink it.  It's basically probiotic milk.  ;)  Put the lid on, the easy yo container, pop in the easy yo maker, put that lid on, and leave it to set for 8-24 hours.

It needs to be undisturbed for this time, once it has been disturbed, take it out the hot water bath in the easy yo maker and put in the fridge.

The longer you leave it the thicker it gets, and as this soy yoghurt is sans thickener, leaving it longer is better.

* Kitchen tips:

1. You may use either.  I find bonsoy tastes better and is thicker, but it costs about x2 the price, and Pureharvest is Australian and organic.  I personally use Pureharvest in yoghurt for cooking, but prefer bonsoy with my breakfast.
2. The culture needs simple sugars to feed off of, so don't use agave or skip this step.
3.By the way, I don't get anything for giving a promo to green living Australia (or anyone else), I just know they worked for me and I was pretty happy with them.
4. Ensure that you thoroughly wash and rinse out your easy yo containers prior to using as any contamination or detergent could wreak the yoghurt.

Slow Cooked Beef Stew

Ingredients:
Approximately 1 kg (plus or minus 250grams) of beef - with bones is fine.
4 teaspoons of beef style stock (ensure this meets your dietary requirements - I use massells)
1 Large brown onion
A mix of chopped vegetables (I use carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, beans, baby spinach, pumpkin, zucchini, egg plant, leek, etc. You could use sweet potato and corn also but they are very high in carbs so I avoid them.)
Water to cover.
Optional- gravy mix (I use organ)
Garlic minced- dry

Method:
Put the beef and onion in the slow cooker and cover with water (ensure there is plenty of water in the cooker) and cook on high for 8+ hours. (Longer is fine providing you have plenty of water.)

Add in vegetables except for fresh spinach. You may need to add (boiling) water again. Cook on high for 90 minutes.

For gravy, on the stove create a very thick gravy, and remove from the heat as soon as it starts bubbling. Skip this step if you're not having gravy.

Add both gravy and baby spinach at the last 5 minutes and gently mix through.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

To make this a soup emit the gravy and up the water.

This serves quite a few... depending on if you're feeding teenage boys or not. ;)

Slow Cooked Apricot Chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast fillets
1kg of apricot halves (canned or jar is fine)
3 teaspoons of chicken stock (ensure the stock is appropriate for any dietary requirements)
1 large brown onion, chopped
Water to cover.

Method:
Place chicken in the slow cooker.
Add onion and apricot on top.
Cover with water.
Add stock, sprinkling it around so that it is mixed through.
Cook on high for 5 hours.
Serve with steamed veggies.

Fruit Choc Mini Cakes

Fruit Choc Mini Cakes

Ingredients:
1 packet of bakers flour (I used Bob's red mill)
1/3 cup sultanas
1/3 cup raisins
150 grams chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Make bread according to packet instructions, but add cinnamon and nutmeg with the flour. At the last minute when mixing add in the fruit and chocolate chips.

Place on a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper. 

Drop generous sized spoonfuls. I aimed for almost a bread roll size.  Let it rise as per instructions and cook.

However with the cooking time be aware, I halved it and that was about right.

Try not to burn your mouth...

Apple Crumble

Ingredients:
7 apples

2 Teaspoons of cinnamon
1 Teaspoon of nutmeg
1 cup GF flour (I use organ)
1/2 cup organic raw sugar
1/4 cup rice bread crumbs (check they are GF)
2/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup rolled quinoa
3/4 cup psyllium husk
2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Method:

Core and chop apples into small chunks. Boil on a low heat on the stove just covered in water for 10 minutes.

An apple corer that chops it too is an amazing tool for this job.

While that is cooking add all other ingredients to a bowl and mix well.  I mix by hand - its that easy.

When the apple is cooked take it off the stove and put it in the bottom of an oven dish.  Spread topping over the apple.

Put in preheated oven for 15-30 minutes at 180 C.  Let it cool before you eat it, as it will be very hot!!!!

Upside down Feijoa

Tonight I am at a friend's home and we made some cake for our many allergies.

Ingredients
150 grams of coconut oil
3/6 cup agave nectar/ rice malt syrup/ honey (as 1/3 cup and 1/6 cup)
25 large feijoas, sliced
1 egg or 1 organ egg replacer egg
Juice of 1 lemon or half an orange (lime may also work - but we didn't try it).
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (for IQS diet may try rice malt syrup)
1 1/2 cups gluten free self-raising flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut milk

Method

Melt 100 grams of the coconut oil with 1/3 cup agave nectar on a low heat whisking constantly to make a toffee base.
Pour into a medium sized cake tin (we used a spring form)
Place sliced feijoa over the toffee covering the whole base of the cake tin.
Mix the rest of the oil and agave til fluffy
Add the egg replacer/egg, lemon juice (or other citrus) and maple syrup and mix again.
In a separate bowl mix the flour and spices.
Add 1/3 of the flour and spice mix and 1/2 of the coconut milk, mix in well.
Add the second 1/3 of flour and spice mix with the second 1/2 of milk and mix.
Finally add the last of the flour and mix.
Pour over the feijoas.
Put in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes at 170 C.

Can be served with a yoghurt of choice.

Pineapple Strawberry Mint Sorbet

It's been a hot day, and I cooked up a fabulous pizza for tea, but that was hot too.

While I was outside picking some of my happy greens for my pizza I had this marvellous idea.  I could make strawberry mint sorbet.  I was trying to think of what other flavours I should include... I have lemons, that could give it a bit of zing.  But then I saw the pineapple - yes!  Perfect.  It was better than I imagined it would be.

Approx 400 grams of frozen strawberries.
1/3 a large pineapple, with the peel cut off
5-6 fresh mint leaves.

Blend for approx 2 minutes on speed 9.  Check for no lumps, but otherwise - that's it!

Try not to eat too quickly as it will give you a cold headache.  ;)  This makes 3-4 serves.  I think.  Depending on how hot it is, how hungry you are, and your ice cream eating habits.  I know males who could have easily eaten the whole lot themselves!

If you don't have a Bellini, Thermomix, Kogan, al, etc. a good blender should do the trick, but be careful that you don't kill it.

Homemade Pizza

Tonight I was going to hang out with some friend and celebrate end of exams - or at least end of my exams, but we was all too tired.  So instead of eating out I decided I had better create my own delicious dinner.

I've been dying to try homemade pizza since I saw this recipe for the base on Jo Whitton's blog, Quirky Cooking.  It was amazing.  Just in case you were wondering.  ;)

Crust as per Jo's instructions.  Be careful though, I burnt my top base because it was too hot in the oven, and I sliced 10 minutes off the cooking time too!  I would stick with putting them on bottom shelves, and don't accidentally splash too much oil on them - I think that makes it worse.

Joy diced up 3 cloves of garlic for me (speed 9, 5 seconds), I then added 8 small tomatoes (speed 9, 10 seconds), and cooked on steam temperature for two minutes, I added 1/2 small brown onion.  This took about 4 minutes to get from watery, to tomato paste.

Spread 1/2 of tomato paste on base, add olives and 1/2 onion, cook for 5 minutes while you clean up the mess you just created... (oven temp 180C)

Pull it out and add other toppings (mushroom, parsley, mixed herbs, baby spinach, spring onion, and the rest of the tomato paste to hold it on.)

Cook for 10 more minutes... delicious!!!  Mmmmm, the whole house smelled wonderful.

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
Dash of Macadamia Nut Oil
3 cloves of garlic
3 tins of coconut milk
3 carrots
1/2 bunch of kale
1 brown onion
1/2 bunch of spring onion
1 capsicum
2 small zuccini

1 broccoli head
1/2 cauliflower
Additional dried garlic, curry, tumeric - to taste

Method:

Chop and cook the chicken in a wok or huge frying pan.

After a few minutes add the onion and 1 tin of coconut milk.

Blitz the garlic and add.

Blitz the carrot, broccoli and cauliflower in a blender until they are fairly small chunks, but not tiny, add them, stir in a bit.

Blitz kale and add.

Add another tin of coconut milk.

Add other herbs and spices.

Blitz capsicum, and zuccini and add (if you wanted more veg then you could add eggplant and/or mushroom here - especially if you want a vegan version.)

Stir in final tin of coconut milk.

Cook for a few more minutes, and then it should be done.  (taste test - curry amounts vary on the strength of the curry and the stomach of the person eating it.)

This can easily be vegan, just skip the chicken, and it should still be just as delicious.

Shepherd's Pie

One of my favourite recipes is Shepherd's pie.  The normal version has potato and butter and milk and nasty things I can't eat, but this version is amazing and contains none of those things.  You can make this using leftovers or you can make it from scratch.

Ingredients:
500gm of mince - preferably lamb
1 onion (finely chopped if using stove, not if using a kitchen aid)
Half a cauliflower
Approx 2.5 kg of other veggies (carrots, peas, beans, cabbage - green or purple, zucchini, eggplant, spinach, broccoli,pumpkin etc.)
Organ veggie gravy
Gluten free beef stock (I use Massels)
Cheese, soy cheese or a nut based replacement cheese

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Keeping cauliflower separate, cook vegetables on the stove by either boiling or steaming for approx 15-20 minutes until soft.

If you have a Bellini, Thermomix or Thermochef, etc. you can cook the mince and onion in that on speed 3, heat 90 - 100, with a good dash of water and oil each, for 20 minutes.  After about ten minutes add gravy and 2 teaspoons of stock.  You can add other flavourings if you like such as garlic, rosemary, or whatever herbs suit your fancy.  So easy as it cooks it for you and you don't have to worry about stirring.

On the stove method: cook mince in a pot on a lowish heat with a small dash of oil and/or water. Once it has browned a little, add the herbs, etc and onion.  When it is fully cooked add gravy stirring continuously until it has thickened, and then take off the heat.

Assemble veggies into your oven dish in layers.  I usually put chunky stuff at the bottom, but really veggies can go in any order or even mixed through except your cauliflower.

Add mince with gravy on top of veggies.

Mash the cauliflower well and add a dash of olive oil to it for texture.  You can add salt and pepper to it also or leave that out if you're keeping the salt low.

Add the cauliflower mash to the top and smooth over.

(If you want to freeze it unmade this is the best point to do so)

Put your cheese or fake cheese on, and zip in the oven.

If everything is already hot it will only take a few minutes, but if you have prepared ahead and then stored in the fridge or freezer then it will take 40 minutes in the oven from defrosted.  Just check it has heated all the way through.

Delish!

Roast Capsicum and Semi-dried Tomato Dip

This dip is another great starter, and fairly easy if you just buy the ingredients from a jar, however if you had leftover roast capsicum that would also work quite nicely in here.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup roast capsicum
1/3 cup semi-dried tomato

Method:
Blend well with a stick mixer or in a blender.

If you're unsure about it you can sample it at this point to check you are happy with the taste combination.

Serve with crackers or veggie sticks.