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Chicken, corn and noodle soup |
Ingredients (serves 6)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 stalks silverbeet, stems finely chopped, leaves shredded
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 small chicken breast fillets, trimmed, diced
• 80g egg vermicelli noodles
• 3 fresh corn cobs, kernels removed (see note)
Method
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and silverbeet stems. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until soft.
- Add stock and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to the boil. Add chicken and noodles. Stir until noodles have separated. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 minutes.
- Add corn and silverbeet leaves. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until corn is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
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Cooking Time
45 minutes
Ingredients (serves 6)
• Melted butter, to grease
• 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 2 tbs cocoa powder
• 125ml (1/2 cup) milk
• 50g butter, melted
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• Thickened cream, to serve
• Chocolate sauce
• 155g (3/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 2 tbs cocoa powder
• 375ml (1 1/2 cups) boiling water
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 1.5L (6-cup) capacity ovenproof dish with melted butter to lightly grease.
- Combine the flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre. Combine the milk, butter and egg in a large jug. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until well combined. Pour into the prepared dish and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
- To make the chocolate sauce, sift the sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Sprinkle over the pudding mixture in the dish. Gently pour the boiling water over the cocoa mixture.
- Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes or until a cake-like top forms and a skewer inserted halfway into the centre comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Serve with thickened cream, if desired.
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Roast pumpkin and pesto risotto |
Cooking Time
30 minutes
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 500g pumpkin, peeled
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2/3 cup prepared basil pesto
• 30g butter
• 100g baby spinach
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut pumpkin into 2cm cubes and toss in a roasting pan with half of the olive oil and the garlic. Roast for 30 minutes until soft and golden.
- Meanwhile, place stock in a small saucepan, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer. Heat remaining oil in a saucepan and cook onion for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in rice and cook, for 3 minutes until pale golden. Add 1 cup of stock to the rice, stir constantly over medium heat until stock has been absorbed. Continue adding stock and stirring until all of the stock has been used and rice is tender.
- Stir through roasted pumpkin, pesto and butter. Season to taste. Serve topped with baby spinach and shaved parmesan.
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Ingredients (serves 6)
• 250g vermicelli noodles
• 200g Thai marinated tofu, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled, shredded
• 200g snow peas, trimmed, shredded
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Method
- Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Stand for 15 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve. Transfer to a large bowl. Add tofu, carrots and snow peas.
- Whisk soy sauce, oil, sugar and garlic powder in a bowl until well combined. Pour over noodle salad. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Toss gently. Serve.
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Ingredients (serves 4)
• 650g beef boneless rib steak or beef scotch fillet, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1/3 cup massaman curry paste
• 600g potatoes, peeled, cut into 2.5cm pieces
• 400ml can coconut milk
• 1 cup beef stock
• 125g green beans, trimmed, cut into 5cm lengths
• 1 small red capsicum, quartered, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 bunch English spinach, washed, dried, leaves removed
Method
- Cut beef across the grain into 5mm thick strips. Heat wok over high heat until hot. Add 2 teaspoons of oil and swirl to coat. Add one-third of the beef. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until sealed. Remove to a plate. Repeat in 2 batches with oil and remaining beef.
- Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and onion to wok. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add curry paste. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until light golden.
- Add coconut milk and stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil for 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Return beef to wok. Add beans and capsicum. Cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Stir in spinach. Remove from heat. Serve.
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Ham & capsicum muffin pizzas |
Preparation Time
10 minutes
Cooking Time
5 minutes
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 4 wholemeal English muffins, split
• 80ml (1/3 cup) pizza sauce
• 1 small red capsicum, deseeded, thinly sliced crossways
• 100g shaved ham, thinly sliced
• 100g (1 cup) mozzarella, coarsely grated
• fresh basil leaves to serve
Method
- Preheat grill on high. Place 4 wholemeal English muffins, split, on a baking tray. Cook under grill for 1-2 minutes each side or until toasted.
- Spread 80ml (1/3 cup) pizza sauce over the cut side of the muffins. Top with 1 small red capsicum, deseeded, thinly sliced crossways, 100g shaved ham, thinly sliced, and 100g (1 cup) coarsely grated mozzarella. Cook under grill for 1 minute or until the mozzarella melts.
- Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves to serve.
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Preparation Time
15 minutes
Ingredients (serves 6)
• 2 firm large ripe avocados, halved, stones removed, peeled, finely chopped
• 1 x 410g can corn kernels, drained
• 3 shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
Method
1. Combine the avocado, corn, shallot, coriander and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Serve. |
Cooking Time
15 minutes
Ingredients (serves 4)
• Olive oil spray
• 500g single chicken breast fillets, halved horizontally
• 4 lean bacon rashers, excess fat trimmed, cut into thirds
• 1 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated, washed, dried
• 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced
• 1/2 avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled, thinly sliced
• 80ml (1/3 cup) low-fat caesar salad dressing
Method
- Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray to lightly grease. Heat over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook for 3 minutes each side or until cooked through. Thickly slice the chicken across the grain.
- Add the bacon to the pan and cook for 4 minutes or until crisp.
- Divide the lettuce, tomato, avocado, chicken and bacon among serving bowls. Drizzle over the dressing. Serve immediately.
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Banana cake with cream cheese frosting |
Preparation Time
30 minutes
Cooking Time
60 minutes
Ingredients (serves 8)
• Melted butter, to grease
• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 315g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
• 1 1/4 cups mashed overripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100ml buttermilk
• 225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 banana, extra, to decorate
• Fresh lemon juice, to brush
• Cream cheese frosting
• 125g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 230g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 1 1/2 tsp buttermilk
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base and side of the pan with non-stick baking paper.
- Place the butter, sugar, banana, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor, and process for 2 minutes or until well combined. Add the buttermilk and process until combined.
- Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda, and process until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Shake the pan to settle the mixture. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly, before transferring the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, to make the cream cheese frosting, use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add the buttermilk and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy.
- Place the cake on a serving plate. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake.
- Peel and thinly slice the extra banana. Lightly brush 1 side of each slice of banana with lemon juice. Arrange the banana slices, lemon juice side up, around the edge of the frosting to serve.
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