Tag Archives: GF

Leek and Potato Soup

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Super easy dinner, have this on the table in 30minutes! Perfect warmer for those cold autumn days. As we near closer to winter its nice to warm your self up with soups, slow cookers and comforting dishes. This soup is sure comforting on a cold night!

Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2 agria potatoes, small cube
1 1/2 cup leek, sliced
1/2 onions, diced
1 clove garlic
4 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 tbsp chives, chopped
1 tbsp cream, garnish

Method:

  1. Place medium size pot on medium heat, add 1 tbsp canola oil followed by onion. leek and garlic. Saute until lightly brown, season.
  2. Add potatoes and stock. Bring to boil and reduce to a simmer for 30minutes until potato is tender.
  3. Blitz with stick blender or in stand blender.
  4. Check flavour add salt and pepper to your liking.
  5. Serve with a drizzle of cream and chopped chives.

Serves: 2-3

Serving suggestions: -Add crispy chopped bacon to your bowl when serving for a little extra. – Or keep it vege and add spinach right when your serving!

Summer Stunner

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SUMMER STUNNER

Spice roasted broccoli and lentil salad.

This salad sure does pack a punch, lightly spiced broccoli with creamy avocado and bursts of coriander. Full of all things fresh, healthy and seasonal!

This may be on the table this Christmas it sure was delicious!

 

Ingredients:

¾ head broccoli, florets cut in half

3 tsp rice bran oil

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

¼ tsp cinnamon

Pinch chilli powder

Pinch cayenne pepper

½ zest of lemon

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

Salt and pepper

 

1 avocado, thick slices

1 can lentils, rinsed and drained

¼ cup coriander, roughly chopped

3 tbsp sultanas

3 tbsp sunflower seeds

½ lemon, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Combine all spices, lemon zest, garlic and salt and pepper together. Pour over broccoli and bake for 20 minutes.
  3. In large bowl add lentils, sultanas, coriander, sunflower seeds toss together.
  4. Once broccoli is cooked add to bowl followed by avocado, lemon juice and salt and pepper, toss gently.
  5. Serve on its own or goes perfectly with bbq or cooked meats.

 Serves: 4-6

Almond Orange and Rosemary Cake

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Almond Orange and Rosemary Cake

Orange, rosemary caramel with delicious lemon and orange scented almond cake these are flavours that pair perfectly against each other!!
It turned out simply divine, served it just warm with mascarpone and rereduced orange vanilla bean syrup and a cup of Earl Grey this was the perfect sunday baking treat! Yum

Would you like to try this recipe out?
Comment below for the recipe.

P.S Did I tell out this beauty is Gluten and Dairy Free!!!

Rustic Chicken Laksa

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 Rustic Chicken Laksa has to be one of my favourite asian soups. Slightly spicy coconut broth with rice noodles and seasonal veges, finished with a wedge of lime and  bursts of fresh coriander, this one is super good and can be whipped up for dinner within 30 minutes.

Rustic Chicken Laksa

Ingredients:

1 small onion, fine dice
4 garlic cloves, fine dice
1 tsp. root ginger, finely grated
1 tbsp. peanut oil
1 230g jar thai style laksa paste
400g boneless chicken thigh, cut into strips
1 can coconut cream
1/4 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp. palm sugar, shaved
300g rice stick noodles, cooked
1 carrot, peeled and cut into match sticks
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 pak choy, washed and chunky slice
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
4 tbsp. fresh coriander, rough chop
4 tbsp. crispy shallots*

Method:

  1. Heat a large pot over a low to medium heat, add peanut oil and onions. Sweat for 5 minutes until translucent, add garlic and ginger cook for a further 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Add laksa paste and cook for 2 minutes, add sliced chicken cook until chicken starts to turn white.
  3. Add coconut cream. Fill  laksa and coconut cream tin with water add to the pot. ( Fill coconut up twice, this makes sure you don’t leave any laksa paste or coconut to waste.)
  4. Add palm sugar and fish sauce simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. While your laksa is simmering, cook noodles and rinse in cold water, blanch all vegetables until just tender, drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
  6. In each of the serving bowls evenly divide rice noodles and top with vegetables. ( when you add the hot laksa they will heat up.)
  7. Fill each bowl with hot laksa and chicken, sprinkle with crispy shallots and coriander plus a wedge of lime to serve.

Serves: 2-4

* Crispy Shallots can be found at any asian supermarket or in the international isle at your supermarket.

Use thick rice noodles, see back of packet for cooking instructions

Use thick rice noodles, see back of packet for cooking instruactions

Simple base ingredients to a good laksa.

Simple base ingredients to a good laksa.

Sweat onion in peanut oil, add ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant.

Sweat onion in peanut oil, add ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant.

Add laksa paste and cook out for 5 minutes.

Add laksa paste and cook out for 2 minutes.

Add chicken strips.

Add chicken strips.

Once the chicken has started to turn white add coconut milk.

Once the chicken has started to turn white add coconut milk.

Fill laksa jar with water add this to the pot.

Fill laksa jar with water add this to the pot.

Followed by 2 cans of water. I've used the coconut cream and laksa jars for measures, plus you don't leave any goodies behind.

Followed by 2 cans of water. I’ve used the coconut cream and laksa jars for measures, plus you don’t leave any goodies behind.

Once noodles are cooked rinse under cold water and leave to drain.

Once noodles are cooked rinse under cold water and leave to drain.

Divide evenly between serving bowls.

Divide evenly between serving bowls.

Slice the stalk end of the pok choy quiet thin.

Slice the stalk end of the pok choy quiet thin.

Slice the leaves into large slices, cooks extremely fast.

Slice the leaves into large slices, cooks extremely fast.

Divide blanched vegetables between serving bowls.

Divide blanched vegetables between serving bowls.

After laksa has simmer for 15 minutes its ready to serve.

After laksa has simmer for 15 minutes its ready to serve.

Top with chicken.

Top with chicken.

Ladle over hot laksa.

Ladle over hot laksa.

Finish with crispy shallots, coriander and lime wedge.

Finish with crispy shallots, coriander and lime wedge.

Mexican Twice Baked Potatoes

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Another week has come to an end and I felt like having something fun for dinner, I’ve been craving nachos for a while now but wanted to put a fun take on them. Well do I have the recipe for you!

This recipe is perfect for a week night meal or more meal prep for dinner or lunches during the week. You can bake your potatoes in advance or hot on the day. Either way it does not jeopardise the flavour in any way! This was such a cheap and affordable dinner only using 200 grams of mince, can tomatoes and a can of chilli beans it bulks it out so far and makes 4 huge baked potatoes or 6-8 small ones, perfect for a small or large family eating on a budget. One of the best things about this dinner is you don’t really need anything else to go with it I must say if I had a side salad like id planned I wouldn’t have finished this beauty of a meal.

Twice baked mexican potatoes with tomato and jalapeno salsa and sour cream

Oven baked potato split in half and topped with my special mince chilli beans, tomato jalapeno salsa and a generous dollop of creamy sour cream. This was a fiesta of flavour in my mouth!!

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes or 6 medium
200gm mince
1 onion, small dice
4 garlic cloves, fine dice
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. fried oregano
1 can mild chilli beans
1 can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 cup cheese, grated

Salsa
2 tomatoes, chunky dice
1/2 red onion, fine dice
1/4 green capsicum. small dice
1 tbsp. jalapeno, fine chop*
1 lime zest and juice
3 tbsp. coriander, roughly chopped
salt and pepper

sour cream to serve

Method:

  1. You will need 4 baked potatoes either use this slow cooker recipe or follow the steps below. The potatoes can be cooked the day before to reduce time the next day.
  2. Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees.
  3. Wash and remove any blemishes from potatoes wrap individually in tin foil add a small amount of oil and good pinch of salt to each parcel.
  4. Bake for 1 hour until tender and knife slides through easily.
  5. While your potatoes are baking its time to make the salsa.
  6. Combine all salsa ingredients in a bowl and toss, taste to check the seasoning adjust if necessary. Set aside, salsa is best left to sit it develops the flavour.
  7. Heat heavy based fry pan over a medium to low heat, add oil followed by onions sweat for 2 minutes until translucent.
  8. Add garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, coriander and cinnamon stir well and cook for 5 minutes.
  9. Turn up the heat and add mince, once brown add chili beans and tomatoes. Stir well to combine and drop the heat to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes until mixture has reduced and turned glossy.
  10. remove potatoes from oven open tin foil and roll back to create a parcel around the potato. Cut a cross in the top of the potato and push to spread open.
  11. Fill split potato with chilli mince mix followed by generous amount of grated cheese.
  12. Baked for 2-25 minutes at 180 degrees until golden brown.
  13. Remove from tin foil and serve with a huge dollop of sour cream and tomato jalapeno salsa.

Serves: 4-6 people

*Jalapenos; i brought a jar and just drained of some liquid and chopped them up seeds and all.

Remove any brushing or imperfections from potatoes.

Remove any brushing or imperfections from potatoes.

Individually wrap in tin foil add pinch of salt and drizzle of oil to each.

Individually wrap in tin foil add pinch of salt and drizzle of oil to each.

Place on wire rack in oven and bake in 170 degrees for 1 hour until tender.

Place on wire rack in oven and bake in 170 degrees for 1 hour until tender.

Combine diced tomatoes, red onion, capsicum and japaneo in a bowl, stir to combine.

Combine diced tomatoes, red onion, capsicum and jalapeno in a bowl, stir to combine.

Add chopped coriander, lime zest and juice plus a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside,

Add chopped coriander, lime zest and juice plus a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside,

Sweat onion, garlic, cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon and oregano in fry pan.

Sweat onion, garlic, cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon and oregano in fry pan.

Turn up the heat. Add mince and brown.

Turn up the heat. Add mince and brown.

Once browned add chilli beans, tomatoes and good pinch of salt and pepper.

Once browned add chilli beans, tomatoes and good pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir well simmer for 15 minutes until glossy and reduced, stirring often.

Stir well simmer for 15 minutes until glossy and reduced, stirring often.

Cut a cross int the top of the potato and spread open slightly.

Cut a cross int the top of the potato and spread open slightly.

Fill each split potato with the chilli bean mince.

Fill each split potato with the chilli bean mince.

Top with grated cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Top with grated cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Remove potato from tin foil.

Remove potato from tin foil.

Top with a generous dollop of sour cream and tomato jalapeno salsa.

Top with a generous dollop of sour cream and tomato jalapeno salsa.

Easy Asian Noodle Salad

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Here is a recipe for a super easy asian noodle salad, with lots of fresh veges and rice noodle plus crunchy peanuts and shallots you can’t go wrong! . Simple powerful range of delicious flavours that take you on a journey, reminds me of being back in  Asia!

Easy Asian Noodle Salad 

Ingredients:

150 gm instant rice vermicelli*
1 tsp garlic granules
1 cup cabbage, shredded
1 cup carrot, julienne (finely sliced into match sticks)
1 cup mung beans, rinsed
1/2 cup coriander roughly chopped
2 heaped dessert spoons chopped peanuts*
2 heaped dessert spoons crispy shallots*
1 dessert spoon white sesame seeds

Dressing
3 dessert spoon light soy sauce
1 dessert spoon oyster sauce
2 dessert spoon sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp. palm sugar, shaved*
3/4 tsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 lime, juice and zest
1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

some extra crispy shallots and peanuts for garnish
1 tsp black sesame seeds

Method:

  1. Bring medium pot to a rapid boil, add vermicelli and garlic granules cook  for 5 minutes until tender.
  2. Rinse under cold water and toss 1 tsp sesame oil over cold noodles.
  3. Add cabbage, carrot, mung beans, peanuts, shallots and white sesame to a large bowl.
  4. In a small bowl combine all ingredients for the dressing, stir well.
  5. Cut cooked noodles with scissors in half add to vegetables in bowl, pour in dressing.
  6. Toss together with your hands.
  7. Serve with a slice of fresh lime, sprinkling of black sesame seeds, shallots and peanuts.

Serves: 1-2 people for lunch or 1-4 as a side salad.

Rice vermicelli is thicker than usual, but you could substitute it for the thin vermicelli.

Rice vermicelli is thicker than usual, but you could substitute it for the thin vermicelli.

Add garlic and noodles to boiling water, cook for 5 minutes.

Add garlic and noodles to boiling water, cook for 5 minutes.

Drain and rinse under cold water, add sesame oil.

Drain and rinse under cold water, add sesame oil.

Combine all vegetables and shallot, peanuts and white sesame seeds in a large bowl.

Combine all vegetbales and shallot, peanuts and white seasme seeds in a large bowl.

Add noodles.

Add noodles.

Followed by dressing, toss with hands until well combined.

Followed by dressing, toss with hands until well combined.

Sprinkle with black sesame seeds, shallots, peanuts and a slice of fresh lime.

Sprinkle with black sesame seeds, shallots, peanuts and a slice of fresh lime.

Seasonal Salad

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Roast Cauliflower, Quinoa and Spinach Salad

Simple winter salad recipe goes perfectly alongside any grilled meats, roast or just by itself. I served mine with some chicken and leek potato cakes, the depth of  flavours in this salad is perfect as a side to mid-week dinner or lunch time snack.

Ingredients:

1/2 cauliflower, shaved *see picture below
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1 lemon zest and juice
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1 cup spinach, finely sliced
3 tbsp. sultanas
1 tsp. black sesame seeds
3 tsp. sunflower seeds
2 tsp. italian parsley, rough chop
salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degress.
  2. In oven prof dish place shaved cauliflower, garlic, lemon juice and oil. toss to combine and bake for 25-30 minutes until browned. Stir halfway through the cooking process.
  3. Remove from oven and scatter over grated parmesan, leave to melt.
  4. In a bowl combine cauliflower, spinach, quinoa, lemon zest, parsley, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Serves: 1-3

Shave cauliflower on an angle.

Shave cauliflower on a angle.

Stir halfway through the cooking process.

Stir halfway through the cooking process.

Sprinkle over finely grated parmesan.

Sprinkle over finely grated parmesan.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss.

Enjoy

Enjoy

Crunchy Chicken Lettuce Cups

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Creating healthy dinners is always something I enjoy doing. Making something tasty yet healthy and satisfying don’t always go hand in hand. However I think I may have just discovered a recipe that achieves all of that.
This is a great recipe suitable for all ages its a great gluten-free way to have dinner.

My girlfriends where coming over for dinner, they are both fit and healthy young women who enjoy good food. I was thinking something fun interactive and had a lot of flavour, I had made these before but a Asian inspired version with sticky soy and hoisin pork mince.

Polenta crumbed crunchy chicken lettuce cups with chipotle tomato salsa, sour cream,  guacamole, cinnamon pickled red onions and slice of fresh lime

Ingredients:

1 kg boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
4 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. oregano
1 tbsp. garlic granules
salt and pepper
5 tbsp. canola oil
1/2 cup fine polenta
1 iceberg lettuce
1 avocado
cinnamon pickled onions
4 tomatoes, core removed chunky dice
1/4 cup. fresh coriander, rough chop
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp. peanut oil
1/2 tsp chipotle sauce
1/2 zest and juice lemon
1 lime, cut into wedges
lite sour cream to serve

Method:

  1. In a bowl add sliced chicken followed by cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper and oil. Toss until chicken is well coated, refrigerate overnight for best flavour results.
  2. The next day; Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees fan bake.
  3. Remove every lettuce leaf as intact as possible from your iceberg lettuce, rinse and set aside.
  4. Combine chunky diced tomatoes, spring onions, 3 tbsp. fresh coriander, zest and juice of lemon, chipotle sauce, peanut oil and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  5. Pour polenta into a rectangle dish. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and tip into polenta. Toss and coat evenly.
  6. Place coated chicken onto a lightly oiled tray and bake until golden brown, around 30-45 minutes.
  7. In bowl combine avocado, salt, pepper, squeeze lime juice and 1 tbsp. fresh coriander. Stir and mash, check seasoning.
  8. Arrange salsa, sour cream, pickled onions, limes, lettuce leafs  and guacamole in different bowls. Add spoons to each so I makes it an interactive dinner for all.
  9. Place chicken into a bowl and sit down at the table and enjoy.

Serves: 4-5

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Marinate chicken overnight

Coat evenly polenta.

Coat evenly polenta.

Arrange things in small bowls with spoons to make it an interactive dinner for all.

Arrange things in small bowls with spoons to make it an interactive dinner for all.

Start building your lettuce cup.

Start building your lettuce cup.

 

I served mine with some chunky kumara chips.

I served mine with some chunky kumara chips.

Would you like the recipe for my special cinnamon pickled onions or oven baked kumara chips??

COMMENT BELOW!!

 

Refined sugar free Energy Balls

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Date, Coconut, Chia and Cocoa Energy Balls

These are a great way to get your daily energy intake with a bite size snack. They are gluten, dairy and refined sugar-free. Only containing 5 ingredient’s they are simple and easy to make. Perfect wee snack to take on a mountain bike or a run and even to keep you going till lunch time after that mid morning meeting.

Ingredients:

2 cups dates
3/4 cup boiling water
1 cup shredded coconut
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 cup chia seeds

extra coconut for rolling

Method:

  1. In a metal bowl place dates and boiling water, cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
  2. In another bowl combine coconut, cocoa and chia seeds mix to combine.
  3. Remove 1/4 of water from the dates and set aside.
  4. Place dates and remaining water in food processor and pulse until a paste has formed.
  5. Add coconut mix, and pulse until combined. (the mixture should be sticky)
  6. Using a measuring spoon, measure table-spoon amounts roll into balls and then into extra coconut.
  7. Place in air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Makes: 28- 30 balls

Place 2 cups dates in metal bowl, add boiling water.

Place 2 cups dates in metal bowl, add boiling water.

Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

Combine coconut, cocoa and chia seeds in a bowl.

Combine coconut, cocoa and chia seeds in a bowl.

Pour out 1/4 of the liquid from the dates.

Pour out 1/4 of the liquid from the dates.

Process dates and remaining water until a paste has formed.

Process dates and remaining water until a paste has formed.

Add coconut mix.

Add coconut mix.

Pulse until well incorporated.

Pulse until well incorporated.

Measure tbsp. amounts, roll into a ball and then in extra coconut or leave plain.

Measure tbsp. amounts, roll into a ball and then in extra coconut or leave plain.

Makes 28- 30 energy balls.

Makes 28- 30 energy balls.

Rhubarb and Custard

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Whilst at the farmers market I stocked up some lush red rhubarb which I have started to love. At the time of purchasing it I wasn’t really sure what I was going to make with it but I did want to make some rhubarb cordial, rhubarb frozen yoghurt bites and possibly a pie of some sort.

Now back home and unpacked I  decided I was just going to stew some rhubarb and then decided where from there. With a pot fill of sweet, red stewed rhubarb I decided I would make a crumble top pie and what makes rhubarb even better? CUSTARD of course.

So it is now rhubarb and custard crumble top pie.

Rhubarb and Custard Crumble Pie

Ingredients:

6 rhubarb stalks, washed cut into chunks
1/2 cup. white sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, scrapped
1/2 cup. water
2 tbsp. custard powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup. ground almond
1/4 cup. gluten-free flour
1/2 cup. white sugar
6 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. thread coconut

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees.
  2. In medium pot combine rhubarb, vanilla bean, 1 st measure of sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until rhubarb is tender and falling apart.
  3. Place tin foil pie tin on a flat oven tray.
  4. Fill a tin foil pie dish half way up with the stewed rhubarb, set aside.
  5. In small pot combine sugar and custard powder, add 1/4 of the milk to form a paste and remove the lumps. Add the remaining milk and vanilla
  6. Stir over a medium heat until mixture thickens cook for 2 minutes once thickened. ( if the mixture becomes lumpy just beat out using a whisk.)
  7. Add to the pie tin covering the rhubarb mixture.
  8. In food processor add ground almond, flour, sugar and butter, pulse until rough sand texture is achieved.
  9. Add coconut and stir this through, pile the crumb onto the custard and rhubarb filled pie tin.
  10. Bake in oven for 30 minutes until golden brown and custard is bubbling.
  11. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
Wash and dice rhubarb into 3cm chunks.

Wash and dice rhubarb into 3cm chunks.

Add rhubarb, sugar, vanilla bean and water to pot.

Add rhubarb, sugar, vanilla bean and water to pot.

Simmer for 8 minutes until tender and falling apart.

Simmer for 8 minutes until tender and falling apart.

Half fill tinfoil pie tin with stewed rhubarb.

Half fill tinfoil pie tin with stewed rhubarb.

Top with custard.

Top with custard.

Add all dry ingredients to food processor.

Add all dry ingredients to food processor.

Pulse until rough sand texture is achieved, stir in coconut.

Pulse until rough sand texture is achieved, stir in coconut.

Pile pie tin with crumb.

Pile pie tin with crumb.

Nice and high.

Nice and high.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Rhubarb and Custard Crumb Pie

Rhubarb and Custard Crumb Pie

This perfect pie is sweet, tart, creamy and crunchy it has a beautiful balance of a classic combination of rhubarb and custard and will please any pie loving person.