Cauliflower Sandwich Thins

 I got this recipe from this website and thought it was definitely worth a try!  Following last week's Cauliflower Pizza Base, it might seem I'm a little obsessed with using cauli at the moment...but hey, I'm just giving things a try!  This is another bread alternative, and it's super healthy and easy to make.  You can see how I've used it a couple of different way.  Like the grain-free focaccia, it's not something I'd do all the time, but it's a nice change now and then. The kids & husband didn't love it, but didn't hate it either...so it might not be one for the picky eaters.

Ingredients
4 cups grated or processed raw cauliflower
4 eggs
1tsp celtic sea salt
a few grinds of black pepper
3-4tbsp ground flaxseed or chia seed

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.

Whisk everything together very well (using a big whisk or fork)

Place in 1/4 cup mounds on a parchment lined baking sheet sprayed with olive oil.

Using your hands shape into flat rounds, like sandwich thins

Bake for 10-12 minutes, flip and bake another 5.

Use as a burger with fresh salad & tuna

This was the kids' lunch - as a cheesy tuna melt, with corn & tomato on the side.

Cauliflower Pizza Base

A big thanks today to reader Karen Howarth, who told me about the idea of a cauliflower pizza base.  It might sound a little strange, but it's definitely worth a go!  It's easy to do, takes less time than sitting around waiting for your yeast dough to rise, and is completely gluten-free.  And it's surprisingly tasty!  You can add any of your favourite toppings.  Mine wasn't quite as firm or crisp as I would've like, so next time I'll try making it on the pizza stone, as opposed to my silicone baking mat on a tray.  Try and mix it up for your next Pizza Night!

All of the delicious veges used in this recipe are from Charlies Fruit Market :-)

Ingredients
1 small head cauliflower, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1.5 cups grated cheese
1 egg
2 teaspoons dried herbs
pizza toppings (I used a tomato paste/home-made tomato sauce base, along with roast pumpkin, red onion and capsicum, crumbled feta and fresh basil)

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Place cauliflower florets in a food processor and "rice" until it is finely chopped.  You could also grate it.

Transfer to a frying pan/wok/saucepan, add garlic and saute for about 8 minutes, until tender.

Let it cool slightly and add cheese, egg and herbs, and mix well.

Turn onto a tray lined with baking paper, or a well-floured pizza stone.  Form into an 8-inch circle.  Bake for about 20 minutes.

Spread with tomato paste, then place toppings on.  Bake for another 10 minutes.  Serve.

After baking the base

Ready to go in the oven!

Spiced Cauliflower & Quinoa Pilaf

I first made this recipe from this blog a couple of weeks ago and it's become a new family favourite!  I just love the Middle-Eastern spices and it's hearty but low calorie, packed with flavour and great for the whole family.  It's also really easy to adapt - I made it this week using red onion, broccoli instead of cauli and corn instead of peas - it was colourful and delicious - you'll love this one!

Ingredients (serves 4 at 250 calories per serve)

olive oil spray
1 head cauliflower, finely chopped
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoons turmeric

1/4 teaspoons garam masala

1/2 teaspoons salt (to taste)

1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

400g tin diced tomatoes
1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chicken stock or veggie stock or water

1 cup frozen peas

Method
Heat a medium sized stock pot or wok over medium heat. Heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes and then add the cauliflower and all the spices and salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until the cauliflower has softened up.

Add the tomato, quinoa, stock, chickpeas and peas. Stir well. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low. Cover and cook on low for about 25 minutes. Serve.

Indonesian Beef

I adapted this recipe from Super Food Ideas and it is a real winner!  The flavours are amazing and the meat is so tender.  It comes in right on 300 calories per serve, but you could also add some brown rice if you wish.  Try this one, you'll love it!

And don't forget to grab your supplies from Charlies Fruit Market & Deagon Bulk Meats!  Mention this blog to get your chuck steak for just $5 - so budget-friendly for feeding the whole family!

Ingredients (serves 4)
olive oil spray
500g chuck steak, chopped into cubes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup kecap manis
1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
4 tomatoes, chopped
300g sweet potato, peel and cubed
100g frozen peas, defrosted

Method
Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over high heat (I do it in my cast-iron dish).  Cook beef for about 5 minutes or until brown.  Transfer to a plate.

Reduct heat to medium0high.  Add garlic.  Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Add cumin and cook for 10 seconds.  Return beef to pan.  Stir.  Add stock, kecap manis, cinnamon and half the tomato.  Bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to low.  Simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until tomatoes have collapsed and liquid has reduced.

Add sweet potato and 1 cup cold water to beef mixture.  Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for a further 30-45 minutes, or until beef is tender, adding extra water if sauce is too thick.  Stir through the peas, about 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

Sprinkle with remaining tomatoes and serve.

Grain-Free Focaccia

 Since getting back to basics and cooking more whole and real foods, I've been using a few bread alternatives.  I'm not cutting out bread completely, but have definitely cut down.  A friend shared this recipe from this website and I really enjoyed it.  It's a quick and easy recipe that's a perfect bread substitute (and takes nowhere near as long as baking a loaf of bread!).  It's not something I will make all the time, but just here and there to mix things up a bit.  I've included some serving ideas below!

Ingredients (makes about 6 pieces)
¼ cup flax seed, ground
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup Greek yogurt
4 eggs
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius.

Mix ground flax, coconut flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

In a smaller bowl, beat the yogurt, eggs, and honey together until combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients, mix to combine. Let sit for 1-2 min, allowing the coconut flour to soak up the excess liquid.

Spread about ¾ inch thick on a tray lined with baking paper.  Sprinkle with chopped rosemary.

Bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven.

Breakfast idea: Grain-free focaccia with omelette (eggs from our chooks!), baby spinach & home-made relish

Lunch idea: Grain-free focaccia with smoked salmon, bocconcini cheese, home-made peach chutney & salad

Real Food for Real Families: Week 2

Real Food for Real Families continues with another meal plan, shopping list and cost breakdown.  I'd love to hear your feedback, ideas or recipes - so please get in touch!  Again, the cost breakdown is approximate - some things will give you leftovers, some things I just averaged the price for the amount you'll use.  Happy real food eating!

Monday: San Choy Bau
Tuesday: Cauliflower Quinoa Pilaf
Wednesday: Slow-cooked Indonesian Beef
Thursday: Lentil Bolognese
Friday: Hearty Chicken Soup
Saturday: Roast Pumpkin & Feta Pizza with Cauliflower Base
Sunday: Leftovers/throw-together meal/go out to dinner

Breakfast:  Porridge; home-made foccaccia with boiled egg & home-made relish
Lunch: Leftovers, home-made foccaccia with salad/tuna/egg
Snacks: Healthy Anzac Biscuits, carrot & celery sticks, sultanas, nuts, rice cakes, fruit.

Shopping List & Cost Breakdown:

Already in pantry
Onion
Garlic
Oil
Spices
Vegetable stock
Tomato paste
Dried herbs
Salt
Honey
Vanilla

Fresh
1kg carrots        $1.20
bag of zucchini   $3
2 red capsicum  $4
lime                   $1
lemon                $1
lettuce               $2
2 cauliflower      $6
1 leek                $2
1 bunch celery   $1.50
Broccoli             $3
500g pumpkin    $1
1 red onion         $0.50
300g sweet potato $2
Tomatoes           $2
Cucumber          $1

Groceries
Oyster sauce                $3
Soy sauce                    $3
Kecap manis                $3
quinoa                         $4
400g chickpeas           $1
dry soup mix               $3
Chicken stock             $2
400g tin lentils             $1
2 tins diced tomatoes  $2
Rolled oats                 $1
Flax seed                    $1
Coconut flour              $2
Coconut                      $2
Almonds                     $2
Can corn                     $1

Dairy/meat
300g mince                   $3
1kg chicken drumsticks $4
500g beef, diced           $5
1kg cheese                    $6
Eggs                              $3
200g feta                       $3
3L milk                          $3

Extras I bought:
1kg plums                     $3
1kg apples                     $3
1kg bananas                  $2
1kg grapes                     $3
fruit, nut & seed mix     $4
mineral water                $1
rice cakes                      $2
tinned tuna                    $3

Total                             $110

Healthy Anzac Biscuits

This week will see celebrations and tributes for Anzac Day - and of course, eating Anzac Biscuits is a big part of that!

As part of my shift towards real foods, I went on the hunt for a healthier Anzac Biscuit recipe.  This one fits the bill perfectly - it's dairy-free, refined sugar-free and gluten-free (for those who can eat oats).

I admit, it doesn't taste the same as your traditional Anzac Biscuit, but as an Oat and Coconut Biscuit Alternative, it's definitely a winner!

You can buy raw, organic honey from Charlie's Fruit Market :-)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup almond meal, or chopped almonds

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water

Method

Combine oats, coconut, almonds and spice into a food processor.  Add the oil, honey and vanilla.

Mix well for about 30 seconds or until combined.

Add the water and process again.

Form into about 12 biscuits and place onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Flatten down with a fork (they don't spread anywhere near as much as traditional Anzac Biscuits).

Bake for about 20-25 minutes in a low 150 degree celsius oven, or until golden brown.

Chicken Stir Fry

I can't believe I've never posted my basic Chicken Stir Fry before, as it's one of my most regular "go-to" meals.  It's perfect for later in the week, when you have bits and pieces of veges to use up.  I'll just type up what I used in the one picture, but you could replace any of these veges for others, like broccoli, snow peas, beans, zucchini, baby corn - or whatever's in the fridge!  So tasty and so easy.

Ingredients (serves 4)
Olive oil spray
1 brown onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
400g chicken breast, sliced
1 carrot, cut into strips
1 capsicum, cut into strips
100g mushrooms, chopped
1/4 savoy cabbage, shredded
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock

Method
Heat a wok over medium heat.  Spray with olive oil.  Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Add chicken, and stir fry for about 5 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Add carrot and celery, along with sauces and stock.  Cook for 2 minutes.

Add mushrooms and cabbage and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until veges are cooked to your liking.

Cheesy Green Quinoa

This was not the original recipe I intended it to be - but this is just how it ended up! (Does that ever happen to you?!?)  I nearly didn't post it because it doesn't look that appealing and is nothing fancy - but the taste is really nice and it's healthy, easy and low-calorie (290 calories per serve), so it ticked too many boxes not to share!

I only had some white sweet potato on hand, so I used that - but would generally use orange.  Or pumpkin would be a great option too.

Grab the freshest veges from Charlies :-)

Ingredients (serves 4)
300g sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 clove garlic, crushed
olive oil spray
3/4 cup quinoa
1 cup vegetable stock
250g frozen spinach, defrosted (or use fresh!)
100g ricotta cheese
185g tin tuna in springwater, drained

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius, fan-forced.

Put sweet potato in a baking dish and mix with the garlic, then spray with oil.  Roast for about 25 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, place quinoa in a small saucepan with stock and 1 extra cup of water.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and small tails have appeared on the quinoa.

Mix spinach with ricotta (if the spinach is quite stringy, I blitz it with the hand-held blender).

Combine spinach mixture with quinoa and tuna.  Add sweet potato and mix to combine.  Serve.

Hearty Lentil and Vegie Soup

Easy, healthy, tasty and amazingly low in calories (just 150 calories per huge serve!), this is a great one to have on high rotation, especially as the weather cools down.

Nice to serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Ingredients
olive oil spray
1 brown onion,diced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400g can lentils, drained, rinsed
400g can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
450g savoy cabbage, shredded

Method
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and spray with oil.

Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add tomato paste.  Stir to coat.  Add lentils, tomatoes, stock, cabbage and 2 cups cold water.

Cover.  Simmer for 40 minutes or until cabbage is tender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve.

Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

I found this recipe on my new favourite blog, 100 Days of Real Food.  I just love all the spices in it, and the pumpkin gives it a nice moist texture, as well as some extra sweetness.  These are dairy-free and refined sugar-free, hooray!  I made a second batch of these using gluten-free flour and 1 finely grated carrot instead of the pumpkin, and they were delicious as well.  It also works to just use wholemeal self-raising flour (just omit the baking soda and baking powder).

Ingredients

1 ½ cups wholemeal plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup oil (I used coconut oil)
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin, pureed
½ cup chopped walnuts/seeds (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.

Make a well in the center and throw in the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla. Stir together thoroughly with a fork, but do not overmix.

Fold in the pumpkin puree and nuts (if using).

Generously grease a large loaf pan or put muffin liners in a muffin pan and then pour in the batter.

For a loaf bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes and for muffins bake for approximately 18 – 22 minutes.

Mexican Beef Wraps

You can mix up these fabulous weeknight Mexican wraps - I made small wraps to make them a bit like soft tacos, or you could just pile the mince mixture into one big wrap.

And of course, get all the fresh ingredients from Charlie's!

It's so easy and low in calories (just on 300 calories per serve).  I've linked to the recipe for the wraps themselves, but you can always use bought.

I also love how budget-friendly this meal is - about $6 for 4 serves - you can't get much cheaper than that!

The official verdict from my kids was this:
Miss 3: "That was yummy, mummy - BIG thumbs up"
Mr 1: "More meat!  More meat!"

The whole family will love these - enjoy!

Ingredients
Olive oil spray
1 red onion, diced
400g lean beef mince
1 tablespoon Mexican spice mix
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 carrot, grated
1 zucchini, grated

To serve:
1 tomato, diced
1/4 avocado, diced
1/2 cup corn kernels
squeeze lime juice
4 large wraps/8 small wraps

Method
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and spray with olive oil.  Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, until soft.  Add mince and cook until browned.

Add spice mix and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup water with carrot and zucchini.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

Serve on wraps, with the salad.

Wholemeal Flat Breads

Since shifting to "real foods", I've been trying out a few bread alternatives.  I'm still happy to eat wholegrain bread, but I've definitely cut down - and am interested in other things that do the job.

We all love wraps in our family and I usually buy them from the shop at a pretty good price of $2 for 8 wraps.  But, as I'm starting to read labels a bit more, I realised that this is what we've been eating:

Compare that list, to the ingredients below!  I know what I'd rather put in my body :-)

This recipe was on the side of the Coles Wholemeal Plain Flour packet.  It's really easy - a little time consuming with the rolling and individually frying, but not that long overall.  I've put down olive oil, as per the original recipe, but I've been using coconut oil for its health benefits, and it works perfectly.

And get this - 10 wraps will cost you about 50 cents to make yourself!  How good is that?!?

I also tried baking some of these wraps in a moderate oven for about 2-3 minutes each side - it worked fine, but didn't get the same brown bits as in the pan.  Careful not to overcook or they become quite crispy and then you can't really wrap anything up!

These are just 90 calories per wrap :-)

Ingredients (makes 10)
1 1/4 cups Wholemeal Plain Flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup hot water
olive oil spray

Method
Combine flour and salt in a bowl.  Make a well, add oil and hot water and mix with a knife.

Knead on a lightly floured bench for 3-4 minutes or until smooth and elastic.  Cut into 10 balls.  Place onto a plate, cover with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

Roll each ball out with a rolling pin to a 20cm thin round.  Spray a large frying pan with oil.

Cook each round for 1-2 minutes on each side or until brown bubbles appear and bread becomes pale golden.  Remove to a plate.

Serve with curries or with dips or use as a homemade wrap.

Home-made Yoghurt

It gave me so much joy to eat this breakfast - home-made muesli with home-made yoghurt - absolutely delicious!

I got a yoghurt-maker late last year, and I thought making my own yoghurt would be a nice healthy and cheap option for the family.  I've been making it ever since, using the sachets from the supermarket.  It's easy and everything - but it's not that much cheaper than buying the tubs.  One day, a couple of weeks ago, I was making up a batch of vanilla yoghurt.  I was emptying the sachet into the canister and thought how it was a distinct colour - and how, even though I'm "making it myself", most sachets still contain additives and colours and preservatives and who knows what else!

So, onto Google I hopped and found out that it's not actually hard to make your own yoghurt from scratch.  I also received some wisdom from my friend Naomi, who has also recently started making yoghurt herself.  I've done a few batches now - it has such a smooth and mild taste, and none of the tang that you often get from natural yoghurt.  We definitely prefer it strained, and therefore thicker and creamier. I often just dollop it on some chopped up fruit for the kids, or have it with muesli.  Sometimes I'll add vanilla or cinnamon or honey, or just enjoy it plain.

I'm a pretty busy person, but with a bit of planning, I really don't find it any hassle to make yoghurt from scratch.  I usually do it while I'm cooking dinner or something else, so it's no extra time in the kitchen.  It's so cheap, because you only use milk - so you can make this for as little as $1/litre!

I've had to do a bit of trial and error as a couple of batches didn't have the same creamy consistency as others - but it's worth even checking out other recipes or You Tube clips and getting some ideas.  It's also interesting to read about the bacteria and why you heat it and cool it to a certain temperature.  And how satisfying to give your kids a real, sugar-free, additive-free, home-made product.

Ingredients:
1 litre milk (can be skim or full-fat)
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt (with live cultures)

Method:
Pour milk into a large saucepan and heat gently until it reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit/80 degrees celsius.  I use a thermometer so I know I'm getting it right!  Hold at that temperature for a few minutes then remove from heat.

Cool the milk to 115 degree Fahrenheit/45 degrees celsius.  You can simply leave it out, or help the process along by putting the saucepan in a sink of cold water.

Remove 1 cup of the milk and thoroughly mix in the yoghurt.  Then add back to the milk and mix it all together well.

Pour into jars or canister and keep warm - I use my Easiyo maker for this (it uses boiling water in a thermos-type contraption) - or you can keep it in a warm oven, or look online for more ideas!  Keep warm for about 7 hours, until it starts to thicken.

Refrigerate until cold and set.  You can either use it at this stage, or strain through piece of cheesecloth or muslin (I cut up an old baby wrap), until thick and creamy (about 2 hours in the fridge - put strainer over a bowl to catch the whey).  It's a good idea to take out 2 tablespoons of your finished yoghurt straight away and put in an air-tight container, ready to use for your next batch.

Real Food for Real Families: Week 1

I've been teasing you for a week about some changes I'm making in my family and consequently, on the blog.  A few weeks back I really started thinking about the food we're eating and was coming across various articles and information about things like "raw", "real" and "whole" foods.

I'm also training for a marathon at the moment (read all about it here!) and so I'm being conscious about giving my body the best fuel for running long distances.

So, I decided to embark on my own "real food" challenge - to cut down on processed and pre-packaged foods.  I think this is especially important for kids, because there is so much convenience food out there, and we're made to believe we need things like pre-packaged snacks.

Take something like processed cheese marketed to kids.  Not only is it way more expensive than buying a block and cutting some off, it's full of additives and preservatives, it uses so much more plastic and is simply not a "real" food.

Some of the changes I've made are:
- not buying anything packaged that has more than 4 ingredients in it
- cutting out white rice and pasta, replacing with wholemeal alternatives
- cutting down on bread and making some of my own alternatives
- making my own yoghurt - SO cheap, really easy and NO added nasties
- cutting out refined sugar and using alternatives like maple syrup and honey

I really love this blog (thanks to my friend Gemma for getting me onto it!) which has a great explanation and plenty of ideas and resources.

One thing I haven't done is cut out any whole food groups.  My family is fortunate enough to not suffer any allergies or intolerances, so we can eat pretty much anything.  I don't feel the need to go gluten-free or dairy-free or sugar-free, because I firmly believe that they're all fine in moderation.

I also don't do well when there is something I really enjoy (like dairy), and try and cut it out completely.  I don't like the mindset of "you can NEVER have that EVER again".  I like to be able to have a small piece of cake when celebrating a friend's birthday on the weekend, or sitting by the water and having an ice-cream with the kids.  I always try to be quite strict with my food during the week, but make a few allowances on the weekend - and I really like that balance for myself.

I also have no problem still using my home-made jams and chutneys, even though they have white sugar in them.  We only eat small amounts of these, so I don't believe it's doing us any harm - plus I made them myself, so I know there are no added extras like flavours, colours or preservatives.  I'm also still using spices and certain sauces, because again, it's only in small quantities and I think they really enhance a lot of vegetable and whole food-based meals.  I also often swap olive oil for coconut oil, because of the health benefits.  A lot of recipes I've kept as olive oil, but feel free to try the change for yourself.

I'm really enjoying getting back to basics with our food.  It's not hard, it's not expensive and it's not time-consuming.  And I'm feeling fantastic.  The kids are enjoying the food too.

I have heaps of recipes to share, but I want to go one step further and share with you my full meal plans and snack ideas.  I really want to spread the word that cutting out processed food is easy and cheap.  Let's bring up our kids on real foods with nutritional benefits, not pre-packaged food that's filled with nasties.  If they get a taste for real food from the start, they will enjoy and appreciate it and grow up with positive food habits.

I would love to hear from you if you have any ideas or recipes of your own, or it you are keen to try something similar in your family.  I'll be posting a Meal Plan each week for the next 4 weeks.  I've put a list below for Week 1, and will add links to the recipes each day.  At the end of the week, I'll even include a shopping list and rough budget guide, so you'll have everything you need.

Thanks for reading this far!  I look forward to bringing some Real Food ideas to Real Families :-)

Week 1 Meal Plan

Monday: Brown Rice & Carrot Bake
Tuesday: Balsamic-Roasted Ratatouille
Wednesday: Mexican Beef Wraps
Thursday: Cheesy Green Quinoa
Friday: Chicken & Cabbage Stir Fry
Saturday: Lentil & Vegetable Soup
Sunday: Leftovers/throw-together meal/go out to dinner

Breakfast: Porridge (sweeten it naturally with fruit or honey) or Muesli
Lunch: Home-made wraps with salad and egg; leftover Brown Rice & Carrot Bake
Snacks: Nuts, sultanas, rice cakes, cheese, home-made yoghurt, Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread, fruit, carrot & celery sticks

Notes:  This shopping list is approximate prices, based on my shopping at Charlie's Fruit Market and Aldi.  I rounded most figures, as of course there'll be variations between stores.  This will also give you plenty of leftovers - for example, I got the 2kg bag of brown rice, but only used a small amount, so you won't need to buy rice again for a while.  There are also things like lettuce, avocado, tomato and corn, of which you'll have plenty of to cover lunches.  I've also included a few things that you probably already have in your pantry.  But this list will cover a family of four, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for a week, for just over $100.  It's NOT expensive to feed your family nutritious, tasty meals!  Get back to basics and enjoy real, whole foods :-)

Shopping List & Cost Breakdown:

Fresh:
1kg carrots                     $1.20
1kg onion                       $2
2 red onions                   $1
1kg butternut pumpkin    $1.20
2 red capsicum               $4
bag of zucchini                $3
1 medium eggplant          $2.50
150g button mushrooms  $2.50

tomatos                           $2
avocado                          $2

1 lime                              $0.50

300g sweet potato           $1.50
garlic                               $1

celery                              $1.50

1/2 savoy cabbage          $2.50

lettuce                             $1.50

Groceries:

2kg brown rice                $4

1 dozen eggs                   $3

coconut oil                      $6
balsamic vinegar              $1

3 tins crushed tomatoes   $3
can corn kernels              $1

400g canned chickpeas   $1

400g can lentils               $1

Mexican spice mix          $2

1kg wholemeal plain flour$1

vegetable stock               $2

3/4 cup quinoa                $3

250g frozen spinach        $1

tomato paste                   $2

185g tuna in springwater $3

1kg rolled oats                $1

Dairy/Meat

3 litres milk                     $3
1kg cheese                     $6

100g ricotta cheese         $2
400g lean beef mince      $3

400g chicken breast        $4

Total:                             $80

Already in the pantry:
Oil

Spices
Baking soda
Baking powder
Salt
Honey
Vanilla

Extras that I bought this week:

1kg sultanas                   $4

1kg mandarins                $2.50

1kg grapes                     $3

Mineral water                 $1

1kg plums                      $2.50

1kg apples                     $3

Unsalted cashews           $4

Rice cakes                     $2

1kg bananas                   $1.50

Total:                             $24

Cauilflower and Blue Cheese Soup

The weather's getting cooler and soup season is nearly upon us!  Today we have a very special guest post from my friend and workmate, Liam Renton.  He's a great cook and wanted to share this favourite with you! Thanks Liam :-)  And don't forget to get your fruit & vegetables delivered fresh from Charlies!

"It's an honour to be allowed to post my favourite recipe on Vanessa’s Mums in the Kitchen Blog, as I know she has an exceptionally high standard when it comes to easy recipes that are quick to make. This soup is amazing. I wish when I was advanced to the Top 200 of Nation Wide Materchef Hopefuls out of 10,000 applicants back in its first season that I had this recipe in my bag of tricks to call on."

Ingredients

1 Litre of Pre Bought Chicken Stock

1 Large Cauliflower

3 Onions

2 Cloves of Garlic

2 Tablespoons of Butter

1 Standard block of Blue Vein Cheese

Method 

Dice the onions and Garlic and sweat them down in a pan with the butter for 10-15 minutes

Add those to the stock and bring them to the boil

Dice the Cauliflower and boil for 15 minutes

Take off the heat and add 2/3 of the block of Blue Cheese

Blend till smooth

This will give the entire family a bowl each plus a container or two to freeze for work lunches

I find if you bulk up the meal with crusty bread and maybe a few pre-bought meatballs it’s a meal on its own

Choc-Mallow Jelly Slice

I made this for a family birthday gathering - it was a real blast from the past as my mum used to make one that was similar. It was a huge hit - absolutely delicious - but does take some time, as you have to allow for a fair bit of setting in between layers. This was from the March edition of Super Food Ideas.

Choc-Mallow Jelly Slice
Ingredients
250g Nice biscuit
150g Butter melted
200g Block Milk Chocolate chopped
1/3 cup Thickened cream
360g White only marshmallows
2 Tbsp Milk
85g Raspberry jelly

Method
Place all the biscuits in a food processor. Process them until they are all crushed. Add the melted butter and process until all combined.

Grease and line baking paper in the pan making sure to cover all sides and leaving an extra 3cm of baking paper over the edges.

Press the biscuit into the pan making it all even. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Place chopped chocolate and thickened cream in to a microwave bowl. Microwave on high for 40 seconds. Stir and repeat until all chocolate is melted.  Evenly pour and spread the chocolate over the biscuit. Refrigerate for 1 hour until chocolate is firm.

In a pan over medium-low heat melt the marshmallows and milk together. Stir it constantly until the marshmallows are melted. Pour over the chocolate. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

With one hour left waiting for the marshmallow to cool and set, make the jelly as by the packet. Leave it in the bowl in the fridge for 1 hour.

Pour the jelly over the marshmallow and refrigerate over night or for 4 hours until jelly sets. I suggest to try and pour the jelly on the marshmallow while the pan is still in the fridge if it is possible. This is so you don't have to transfer it back to the fridge and have the possibility of spilling the jelly mix.

Pull the slice out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice it up into squares and serve.

Teddy Bear Biscuits

We recently had a Teddy Bears Picnic theme at our Mainly Music group, so I was keen to make something to suit.  I ended up making these cute little bears and they were really easy to do.  This recipe is one I've previously posted here, but I'll copy it again for you.

You can buy circle cutters of all different sizes, but I just found round things around the kitchen and use them!  Enjoy!

Ingredients
110g softened butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup self-raising flour

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

chocolate icing, to decorate

Method
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius. Grease baking trays or line with paper.

Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and vanilla. Add sifted flours and mix to a dough.

Separate dough in half and add cocoa powder to one half.  Knead in until well combined.

Roll out each half separately.  From the chocolate half, cut rounds about 6cm in diameter.

From the plain half, cut rounds about 2cm and 1cm in diameter (you'll need double the number of 1cm).

Put chocolate rounds on baking tray, then press the ears gently into it.  Position the 2cm rounds on top.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Decorate faces with icing.

Marinated Lamb Chops

As a mum with young kids, budget-friendly meals are a real priority.  When I meal plan, I always look for ways I can cut costs and keep the budget in check.  Even though I cook a couple of vegetarian meals each week, I always include meat as well, as part of a balanced diet for the kids and for hubby & I as runners.

I've not had much experience with lamb chops, so I searched around for a recipe that would suit the whole family, and settled with this one from Best Recipes.  It was so easy to do on the BBQ and lamb really is one of my favourite meats.  I'm not normally one to chew the bones, preferring just to eat what I can get with my knife and fork - but I have to confess, we all had sticky fingers by the end of this meal!

The kids loved it and I'm glad I know how cheap & easy lamb chops are now!  The meal pictured above came in at just 340 calories.

And if you live in the area, make sure you pop down to Deagon Bulk Meats - you can get lamb chops this week for just $7.99 a kilogram if you mention Mums in the Kitchen - bargain!

Ingredients
4 lamb chops
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1cm fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Method
Combine the sauces, honey, ginger, garlic, mustard and paprika.   Stir well to combine.

Pour over chops in a bowl and marinate in the fridge for anywhere from 30 mins to 6 hours.

Heat barbecue to medium and grill chops until cooked to your liking.

Take remaining marinade and heat in a small saucepan.  Add a little flour to thicken, stirring well.  (Or add flour and then microwave for a couple of minutes).

Pour sauce over chops and serve with steamed vegetables.

Popcorn Cake

While I'm in decorated cake mode, I thought I'd also share with you my dear husband Dean's birthday cake from this year. His and Hope's birthdays are only 1 day apart, so it's always a busy week in the kitchen! He is a film-maker and this cake was inspired by a photo of him that was in the paper ages ago. He is in a movie cinema with a box of popcorn, and the kids absolutely LOVE the photo, so that's why we chose this cake! He loved it and it was delicious...this recipe is from www.taste.com.au.

Equipment
You’ll need a 30cm x 40cm cake board.

Ingredients
2 x 340g packets golden buttercake mix or 2 quantities Homemade buttercake (see related recipe)
10 strawberry sour straps
12 x 4cm pieces strawberry licorice twists
1 1/2 cups caramel-flavoured popcorn
1/4 cup white chocolate melts, halved
White chocolate writing fudge, to decorate

Buttercream icing
250g butter, softened
3 cups icing sugar mixture
2 tablespoons milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 11cm x 22cm (base) loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing 4cm overhang at long ends.

Prepare packet cakes following packet directions, or homemade cakes (see related recipe). Pour three-quarters of batter into prepared pan (see tip). Smooth surface. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through. Stand cake for 5 minutes in pan. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make icing: Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.

Using a serrated knife, level top of cake if necessary. Cut cake into 2 pieces crossways, 1 piece measuring 10cm (base) and 1 piece measuring 12cm (base). Taper cut-side of 10cm piece so base measures 8cm. Taper cut-side of 12cm piece so base measures 10cm (see Cooking class, below). Secure larger piece of cake onto smaller piece (cut side of small piece facing left and cut side of large piece facing right) with a little icing.

Transfer cake to board. Reserve 2 tablespoons icing. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Cut 11 sour straps into 2cm-wide lengths, reserving trimmings. Starting from 1 bottom corner, press 1 piece of wide sour strap up side of cake to form a stripe. Repeat process with remaining cut pieces, alternating wide pieces with thin trimmings.

Using a little reserved icing, secure licorice twists to top of cake to form a border, trimming to fit. Insert melts under twists to form a scalloped edge, using icing to secure if necessary. Arrange popcorn on top of cake within licorice border. Cut remaining sour strap into a 5cm-long piece. Using writing fudge, pipe 'POPCORN' onto sour strap. Set aside for 5 minutes to set slightly. Using remaining icing, secure to front of cake. Serve.

Easy Castle Cake

I have put a teaser on the Mums in the Kitchen Facebook page about some changes I've been making in the kitchen - and I really can't wait to share them with you!

But FIRST, I was scrolling through some photos and realised I never shared with you my best and proudest mummy cake-making achievement ever!  My little Miss Hope turned 3 back in February and requested a Castle Cake (with an angel on it).  I had SOOOO much fun looking at ideas and researching and creating...and here's the finished product!

I have to say I was pretty impressed with it - not just because it's pink and sparkly and gorgeous - but because it was also really easy!  So here it is step-by-step...

Ingredients

1 x 20cm square cake of choice (I used the butter cake from the Women's Weekly Birthday Cake Book)

5 ice-cream cones

1 jam roll

1 packet pink musk sticks

1 packet  pink sprinkles (I used "Fairy 5s" which gave me a few different types)

1 packet marshmallows

2 quantities butter cream icing

pink and green food colouring

Method

Gather your supplies.

Slice the jam roll - you will need 4 slices about 3cm thick and 1 slice about 10cm thick.

Position jam roll and upside down ice-cream cones on cake.

Tint 3/4 of buttercream pink.  Ice cake and cones with pink.  Use a smear of icing to secure jam roll onto cake.  To decorate cones: spread icing over cone (hold it on the inside so you cover the whole cone), then put sprinkles on immediately (do it over a plate and re-use the dropped sprinkles).

Position everything in place.

Use musk sticks and marshmallows to decorate castle.  Pipe rosettes around the cones and castle.  Use some plain buttercream to pipe a door and window at the front.

Tint remaining buttercream green and pipe rosettes around the castle and a pathway to the door.  Use a small, plain nozzle to pipe vines on the castle.

Make "trees" by sticking marshmallows on top of musk sticks, then positioning with icing.

Use little flags on toothpicks (I found some at a $2 shop) and put one on the tip of each cone.

Your princess will love it!

Pumpkin Spinach Bites

This recipe is taken from www.losebabyweight.com.au and it's really great for something light, healthy and different!  They are moist, tasty and very easy - forget about the high-calorie baked goods next time you take along a morning tea!

Ingredients (makes about 18 balls, 80 calories per ball)
4 cups butternut pumpkin, cut into chunks
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves, rinsed and torn into pieces
1/2 cup almond meal
olive oil spray
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
1 tbsp parmesan, grated
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric

Method
Preheat oven to 180C.

Spray pumpkin lightly with olive oil and place in the oven to roast for 45 minutes or until soft.

Spray a bit more oil in a large frying pan.  When hot, add baby spinach leaves.  Cook, stirring frequently, until spinach has wilted.

When pumpkin is cooked through, remove from oven (leave oven ON) and mash with a fork or use a food processor to blend until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl or food processor, combine almond meal, sesame seeds, parmesan and chia (if using).  Add mashed pumpkin and spinach.  Stir in spices.

Roll mixture into balls.  Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and pop into the oven for approx 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Vanilla Pear Almond Cake

I made this to take to dinner with some old friends - it was just divine!  The flavour of the vanilla bean really shines through, and the syrup over the top makes it deliciously moist.  Thanks to Women's Weekly for another amazing recipe!

(Make sure you get your pears from Charlie's!)

Ingredients
8 small corella pears (800g)
1 vanilla bean
2½ cups (625ml) water
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 strip lemon rind
125g butter, chopped
¾ cup (165g) caster sugar, extra
3 eggs
2/3 cup (160g) sour cream
2/3 cup (100g) plain flour
2/3 cup (100g) self-raising flour
¼ cup (40g) roasted almonds, chopped finely
40g dark eating chocolate, chopped finely
½ cup (60g) almond meal

Method
Peel pears, leaving stems intact.

Split vanilla bean in half lengthways; scrape out seeds. Combine vanilla bean, seeds, the water, sugar and rind in small saucepan. Stir over heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Add pears; simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until pears are almost tender. Remove pears from syrup. Boil syrup, uncovered, until reduced to 1 cup (250ml); cool. Trim bases of pears to sit flat.

Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced. Grease 26cm springform pan; line base with baking paper. Insert base of springform pan upside down to make the cake easier to remove.

Beat butter and extra sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined. Add cream; beat until just combined. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the syrup. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in sifted flours, nuts, chocolate and meal.

Spread mixture into pan; arrange pears around pan edge, gently pushing to the bottom of pan. Bake about 50 minutes. Remove ring from pan.

Serve cake warm or cool with remaining syrup.

Chicken Stroganoff

I love a good stroganoff and I was excited to find this recipe from Annette Sym's book "Symply Too Good To Be True".  It was easy, tasty, quick and perfect for a family weeknight meal.  You wouldn't even know it's low-fat, coming in at 250 calories per serve!  It's nice served with rice, but keep your portion small so those calories stay in check :-)

If you head down to Deagon Bulk Meats and mention Mums in the Kitchen, you can get chicken for this recipe (or any other!) for $8.50 until next Tuesday (usually $9.99).

Ingredients (serves 4)
400g chicken breast (cut into strips)
1 brown onion, sliced
3 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 x 375ml can evaporated light milk
2 teaspoons beef stock powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon paprika
2 gherkins, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon cornflour
salt and pepper to taste

Methodd
Coat a large non-stick frying pan with oil spray, add garlic and chicken strips, tossing until brown.

Add onion to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, add mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add gherkins, stock powder, tomato paste and paprika; stir well.

Blend cornflour into milk, add to pan, stirring continuously until sauce boils.  Add salt and pepper to taste.