Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Gluten-Free Savoury Muffins


I adapted this recipe from www.taste.com.au and really enjoyed the results.  You don't have to use gluten-free flour, but if you do use standard self-raising, just lower the milk quantity a bit.  Add anything to these - carrot, corn, other herbs, or whatever you like!  They freeze well, so they're a handy little lunchbox snack.


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups gluten-free self-raising flour
2 cups grated tasty cheese
100g milk salami, chopped
1 zucchini, grated
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup fruit chutney

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and/or line a 12-hole muffin pan or 24-hole mini muffin pan.

Sift flour into a large bowl. Add cheese, salami, zucchini and basil. Whisk milk, egg and chutney in a jug until well combined. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients. Pour in milk mixture. Using a large metal spoon, gently mix until just combined. Spoon into muffin holes.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 3 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Whole Orange Cake


This recipe is brought you by Aldi and dedicated to my dear workmates Liam & Robbie, who said to me in no uncertain terms last week, that my cooking has become too healthy and they want more butter and sugar!  This was super easy to make, it's really moist and delicious too!

You'll get the best oranges from Charlies!

Ingredients
2 medium navel oranges
200g butter (softened)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup almond meal

Icing
50g butter (softened)
2/3 cup icing sugar
3 tsp fresh orange juice

Method
Preheat oven to 180°c (or 160°c fan forced)and grease and line a 20cm round spring
form baking tin (or two loaf tins).

Cut whole oranges (with skin and all) into bite-sized pieces and place in a small bowl or container.
Blend using a stick blender until puréed.

In a separate large bowl, beat eggs, soft butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and thick. Add orange purée, and beat quickly to combine.

Fold in sifted flour and almond meal, and once well combined, pour into prepared cake tin.

Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes (or about 40 minutes for loaves)or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tin.

To make icing, beat butter with electric mixer until pale and creamy, add icing sugar and beat for 2 minutes. add fresh orange juice to the mix, and beat briefly until just combined.

Smooth icing over the top of the cake once it is completely cooled, and serve.

Friday, May 24, 2013

No-Bake Brownie Bites


Here's a recipe from one of my most favourite chefs, Dominique Rizzo.  She's a regular on 96five, and she is always so lovely and makes us AMAZING food!  These brownie bites a sugar-free, dairy-free and gluten-free - and a perfect healthy treat for the whole family!

Grab your nuts and sultanas from Charlies Fruit Online!


Ingredients (makes 20)
130g fresh dates, pitted
2 lady finger bananas or 1 ripe Cavendish banana
¼ cup cocoa nibs ( optional)
4 tblsp of raw cocoa powder ( unsweetened) or you can just use normal cocoa powder
¼ cup coconut flour
½ cup almond meal
1 cup raisins
½ cup raw macadamia nuts, chopped

Method
In a food processor combine all the ingredients except the macadamia nuts until smooth.

Fold through the nuts and press the mixture into silicone mini-muffin pans

Refrigerate for a few hours until firm and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Caramel, Pear & Almond Cakes


Today's post is in honour of the Cancer Council's Biggest Morning Tea!

It's happening right around the country today and for the next month or so, and is SUCH a worthwhile cause, AND celebrating it's 20th year!  Amazing!  So if you're hosting a morning tea, or just want an excuse to have a yummy treat, here's a lovely little recipe - and don't forget to send a few dollars the Cancer Council's way!

The recipe is initially from Stay At Home Mum and I just made a few adjustments :-)

Ingredients
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups pears (cored, peeled and chopped)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked almonds

Method
In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon and sugar. Add oil, eggs, pears and vanilla.

Mix until just combined.

Pour into muffin pans then sprinkle almonds on top.

Bake at 165 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Breakfast Quinoa


As you know, I've been trying out a few new recipes with quinoa and loving it, so I was really curious to try it at another time of day - breakfast!  I adapted this recipe from Happy Healthy Mama and really loved it.  It's such a nutritious and delicious start to the day - and it can easily be intolerance-friendly by using almond milk (which also gives it a slightly different flavour) - yum!

Get all your freshness from Charlies Fruit Online!

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 cups milk or almond milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
zest from 1/2 an orange
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
generous pinch nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped cashews

Method
In a small saucepan, bring the milk, orange juice, and orange zest to a boil. Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and quinoa. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, dry toast your cashews in a small skillet pan.

Remove quinoa from heat and stir in maple syrup. Sprinkle with nuts and cranberries and serve.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Chocolate Tarts (with a twist!)


This recipe is a Kim McCosker (4 Ingredients) one, which appeared in a recent Super Food Ideas magazine.  I was curious as soon as I saw it and knew it would be a perfect dessert for when my gluten-free, dairy-free sister came to stay on the weekend.  It actually exceeded my expectations - this is one DELICIOUS dessert!

It's no-bake, and so easy to make.  And it's right up there with any other cheesecake or tart I've made when it comes to taste.  The filling could easily just be serve by itself as a mousse, but the two parts together just complement perfectly.  Not to mention it has NO dairy, NO gluten, NO refined sugar, and is made up completely of real, raw, whole ingredients!  The filling is so smooth and thick and creamy...so delicious!

You could easily substitute part of the almonds and dates for other nuts or dried fruit to make up the quantities.  I just used a standard silicone muffin pan - it made about 9 tarts, and they were a perfect size (because despite the no sugar, they are quite sweet and rich!)  Give this one a go, you'll be amazed!



Ingredients
Base
250g raw unsalted almonds
200g fresh pitted dates
1/2 cup coconut

Filling
2 avocados
1 large banana
1 cup gluten-free raw cacao powder
1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Method
Place base ingredients in a food processor and blend for 5 minutes or until quite fine and mixture comes together ( you may need to scrape the mixture down).

Press into one large or several small tart tins. Chill for about 1 hour.

Make filling: scoop avocado flesh into a food processor, add the banana, cacao and maple syrup and blend until smooth.

Spread over base/s and refrigerate until set.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Real Food for Real Families: Week 4


Here's the next and final instalment of Real Food for Real Families.  This is a really great meal plan, as it uses a lot of ingredients in a couple of recipes, which helps keep the cost down.  For example, just buy 1 packet of rice noodes, and split them between the Rice Paper Rolls and the Asian Market Noodles.  I also omitted the baby corn from the Asian Market Noodles and used 1/2 tin corn instead.  A couple of the recipes also serve 6, so if you're serving a family of less than that, you'll have plenty of leftovers for lunch, or even for an extra dinner.

I hope you've enjoyed keeping it real for the month - it's been a great challenge for me and very eye-opening in some cases.  I also think it's really formed some good habits for me, in reading labels more and being more picky about some of the food I buy for the family.  I hope it's given you some food for thought also, and helped you to make some healthy changes along the way!

Monday: Shepherd's Pie
Tuesday: Rice Paper Rolls
Wednesday: Minestrone
Thursday: Brown Fried Rice
Friday: Asian Market Noodles
Saturday: Sausage & Cous Cous Salad
Sunday: Leftovers/throw-together meal/go out to dinner

Breakfast: Porridge (sweeten it naturally with fruit or honey) or Healthy Breakfast Crumble
Lunch: Home-made wraps with salad and egg; leftovers
Snacks: Nuts, sultanas, rice cakes, cheese, home-made yoghurt, Pizza Scrolls (use wholemeal flour), fruit, carrot & celery sticks

Shopping List:

In the pantry:

cinnamon
30g butter

tomato paste
dried and/or fresh herbs
oil
vegetable stock
soy sauce
cumin

Fresh:

pears                       $3
2 capsicum              $3

500g sweet potato   $2
bag of onions          $2
red onion                 $1
1kg carrots              $1
bag zucchini           $3
bean sprouts           $3
1 cucumber             $1
garlic                       $1
celery                      $2
1/2 cabbage             $3
lemon                      $1

Dairy/Meat:

100g mild salami     $3

400g beef mince      $3
6 sausages (try and get nice, less processed ones from the butcher) $5
1kg cheese              $6
3L milk                   $3  
1 chicken breast      $3
shaved parmesan    $3

Groceries:
oats                           $1

fruit, nut & seed mix $4
honey                        $3
coconut                     $2
rice cakes                  $1
wholemeal SR flour  $2
3 tin diced tomatoes  $3
1 packet rice noodles $4
peanuts                      $2
rice paper rounds       $3
hoisin sauce               $2
wholemeal pasta        $2
1 tin white beans       $1
1 tin corn                   $1
eggs                           $3
cous cous                   $2
1 tin chickpeas           $1
raisins                        $3
brown rice                 $2
frozen vegetables       $2

Extras:
1kg plums                     $3
1kg apples                     $3
1kg bananas                  $2
1kg grapes                     $3
mineral water                $1

Total:                          $108

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Brown Fried Rice


This recipe is a favourite of mine, now that I call myself a "runner".  It is so easy, and using frozen veges means you always have the ingredients on hand.  Brown rice is fantastic -  it keeps you fuller for much longer than white rice does, is much less processed and is perfect fuel for a long run.  Great for the kids too!

Ingredients
1 cup brown rice
olive oil spray
2 eggs, beaten
dash of milk
1 brown onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 cups frozen veges (I like peas, corn & carrot)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
salt & pepper

Method
Cook rice according to packet.

Heat a wok over medium heat.  Spray with olive oil.  Combine egg and milk and beat together.  Pour into the wok and cook as an omelette for a couple of minutes, until set.  Flip if necessary.  Remove from the pan and cut into strips.

Meantime, spray wok with more oil if needed.  Add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until tender.  Add vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add rice and sauces and mix well, cooking for another 5 minutes.  Season and serve.

Healthy Mother's Day: Paleo Beetroot Cake & Fruit Cupcakes


This recipe is taken from a blog called The Saffron Girl...I wanted a healthy, real food treat to make my mum & mum-in-law for Mother's Day.  I LOVE that it is gluten, dairy & refined sugar-free - and the taste is simply divine!  I added some frozen raspberries on top and that make it just amazing.  Unfortunately, I had big issues with it sticking to my silicone heart-shaped cupcake pan, so I nearly didn't blog it - but they really do taste so good! The photo doesn't really do them justice...but these are definitely worth a try (and make sure you line your pan with baking paper, or grease it really well!)

Ingredients
3 cups of grated, cooked beetroots
4 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup raw honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup raw 100% cocoa powder
1/3 cup coconut flour (for a slightly fluffier and dryer cake, use 1/2 cup coconut flour)*

Process
Preheat oven to 170C (350F).

In a food processor or blender, beat the beetroots, eggs and olive oil.
Add the honey, vanilla extract, baking soda, sea salt and spices. Blend well.
Add the cocoa powder and coconut flour and mix until well incorporated.
Pour into a greased cake pan of choice. I used a 9-inch diameter tart pan.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely before cutting and serving. Garnish as desired.

*I’ve made this cake both ways, with more and less coconut flour. I really can’t say which I prefer, as I love both. I would suggest making it both ways and deciding for yourself too!



AND here is my contribution for family brunch tomorrow!  I was on fruit duty, but wanted something a bit fancier than just your usual platter!  Very happy with the result  - I just used cookie cutters for the watermelon and a knife for the rest.

Raw Chocolate Beetroot Cake


My sister Fiona has done a bit of experimenting with raw foods and made this delicious raw beetroot cake on a recent visit.  It was rich and sweet and amazing, and it's hard to believe it's raw!  This is not the exact recipe she used, but it is very similar - I got this one from Dawn's Raw Kitchen.  This is definitely worth a go for something different, delicious and healthy!

Base:
1 1/2 cups Cashew Nuts (unsoaked)
1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1 1/2 cups pitted Medjool Dates
1/2 cup Cacao Powder

Place all base indredients in a food processor fitted with an S blade, process until coarsely ground, should be slightly sticky. Line the base of a 9inch drop bottom cake tin, press the ingredients in to form a flat. Set aside.

Cake Filling:
3 cups Almond Meal
1/2 cup Beetroot Juice, (from 2 Beets)
Pulp from juiced Beets (optional – give a slight earthy taste)
8 Pitted Medjool Dates
3 Tablespoons Cacao Powder
Pinch of Sea Salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with an S blade, process until smooth. Add to cake base and smooth out.

Fudge Topping:
1 cup Medjool Dates
6 Tablespoons Cacao Powder
4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1/2 cup melted Coconut Oil

Place all ingredients except coconut oil, in a food processor fitted with an S blade. Process until smooth and creamy, add coconut oil and mix at a low speed to combine. Spread onto cake filling and around sides.

Maple Soy Chicken


I got this recipe from a blog I really enjoy called The Moodie Foodie and we all loved it. It was easy for a weeknight, but also felt a bit fancy! As you can see, I chopped the chicken, rather than keeping the thighs whole - it was so tender and the marinade was delish!

Ingredients
500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Marinade
½ tsp sesame oil
¼ cup salt reduced soy sauce
1 tbsp shao xing wine or dry sherry (optional)
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, crushed

Oil spray
2 cups (250g) sugar snap peas
4 large spring onions, sliced
Small knob (30-40g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced into matchsticks
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
110g rice vermicelli noodles
Coriander for garnish

Method
Combine marinade ingredients together and pour over chicken thighs. Cover and pop into the fridge to marinate for 15 minutes (but if you’ve got more time, give it 2 or more hours).

Cook noodles according to the pack (probably soak in boiling water or place in boiling water for a couple of minutes). Drain, and keep warm.

Place stock and ginger into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and keep warm, allowing the ginger to infuse.

Heat oven to 180°C. Roll each chicken thigh and secure with a toothpick or two. Heat large non-stick frying pan on medium, spray lightly with oil. Add chicken thighs and cook for 1 minute per side before placing in the oven for 12 minutes. While chicken is cooking, bring ginger stock back to the boil. Add sugar snap peas and cook for 1 minute before adding spring onions. Simmer for 1 minute before removing vegetables and serving with chicken and noodles with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and coriander leaves. Spoon over a little of the ginger stock.

Some additional notes:
Toast sesame seeds by place them in a small frying pan, heating on low and gently cooking them until they’re golden and fragrant. Keep and eye on them though as they burn easily.

You can replace the sugar snap peas with any vegetable you like – other great options are green beans, sliced broccolini, zucchini, bok choy.

I cook the chicken in the oven because the sauce has sugar in it which burns easily. It’s very difficult to cook the chicken properly, keeping it cooked but moist without it burning the outside when done on the stovetop.

Rainbow Coleslaw


My mum made this for a family gathering and it was AMAZING!  It tastes as good as it looks!


Ingredients
1 tablespoon sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup bean or mixed sprouts
1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 bunch watercress
1 cup carrots, grated
3 red radishes, cut into half moons
1/2 cup yellow capsicum or zucchini, julienned
1/2 to 1 cup of fresh herbs (eg dill, fennel, thyme, parsley, coriander or mint)
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate

Dressing
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons ground mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2.5cm piece fresh ginger, minced

Method
Lightly toast seeds in a small saucepan until slightly browned.

In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients, except toasted seeds and pomegranate seeds.

In a small bowl, mix oils, vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic and ginger.

Before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss gently.  Sprinkle with toasted seeds and pomegranate and serve.

Red Bean & Beetroot Salad


This recipe is from a leaflet by McKenzie's Legumes that my mum has had for years.  It was a really pleasant surprise - raw beetroot is really good, and it was really enhanced by the flavours.  Perfect as a side for a barbecue, or salad-fest, like we did below :-)

Ingredients
400g tin red kidney beans
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 brown onion (I left this out for the kids' sake)
2 medium beetroot
1 tablespoon low-fat natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Method
Chop onion finely.  Peel beetroot, then grate.  Combine onion, beetroot, beans, garlic, cumin, yoghurt and vinegar.  Mix well.  Season with salt & pepper, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

A delicious, real food & super healthy lunch we enjoyed with friends & kids!
Also featuring Wholemeal Pasta Salad and Zesty Quinoa Salad.

Zesty Quinoa with Broccoli and Cashews


When I found this recipe online at Whole Foods Market, I could wait to try it. And it definitely pulled through with the goods! It's a delicious mix of flavours & textures (and the cashews on top were a fantastic addition) - and super healthy too :-)

Ingredients (serves 4, 340 calories per serve)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup finely chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups small broccoli florets
1/2 cup roasted cashew pieces
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Method
Soak sundried tomatoes in hot water to cover for 15 minutes to soften them, then drain and chop. 

Bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add chopped sundried tomatoes, broth, wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. 

Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Arrange broccoli on top of quinoa, cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from heat and toss gently to combine. Serve garnished with cashews and green onions.

Wholemeal Pasta Salad


This is a super simple salad that is amazingly delicious!  The wholemeal pasta is so good - try making the switch!


Ingredients
olive oil spray
600g butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 red onion, chopped
200g wholemeal pasta
200g feta cheese
fresh herbs, chopped

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees fan-forced.

Combine pumpkin, sweet potato and onion in a baking dish.  Spray with oil.

Roast for about 30 minutes, until brown and tender.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water for about 10 minutes.

Drain and transfer to a bowl.  Add vegetables, feta and herbs, and toss to combine.  Add a dash of oil if desired.  Season with salt & pepper.


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Healthy Breakfast Crumble


Here's a fantastic Mother's Day recipe that your mum is sure to love!  You can make all of the elements from scratch, or just buy them, and bring it all together for a delicious and nutritious breakfast (brownie points for serving it in a heart-shaped bowl!)  This recipe has no added sugar, just sweetened naturally, and incorporates the most amazing flavours and textures!


Ingredients (serves 2)
2 pears, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup water
250g low-fat natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup natural muesli
1/8 of an orange, sliced

Method
Combine pears with spice, vanilla and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until tender.

Mix the honey into the yoghurt.

Place pears and yoghurt in a bowl, sprinkle with muesli and garnish with orange.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Real Food for Real Families: Week 3



Firstly, I have to apologise for the lateness of this post - last week turned out to be ridiculously busy, with a sick little boy, lots to do and a marathon to train for, so this blog had to take a backseat.  But hopefully I can stay on top of things this week and finish linking all the recipes below and get you more healthy, delicious, family-friendly REAL meals!

So, without further ado, here's the next meal plan on our Real Food for Real Families Campaign.

Enjoy :-)

Monday: Red Bean & Beetroot Salad
Tuesday: Chicken and Basil Rissoles
Wednesday: Moroccan Apricot Chicken
Thursday: Chili Con Carne with Home-made wraps
Friday: Tuna & Sweet Potato Cakes
Saturday: Zesty Quinoa with Broccoli & Cashews
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; leftovers
Snacks: Nuts, sultanas, rice cakes, cheese, home-made yoghurtvegie muffins (use wholemeal flour), fruit, carrot & celery sticks

In the pantry:
olive oil spray
tomato paste
chilli sauce
garlic
curry powder
stock
cumin
red wine vinegar
dried herbs
moroccan seasoning
honey

Fresh:
1kg brown onions   $2
1 red onion              $1
300g pumpkin         $1
lettuce                      $1
basil                         $2
1 sweet potato         $2
eggs                         $3
2 beetroot                 $2
broccoli                    $2
1kg capsicum           $4
cucumber                 $1
tomato                      $2
lemon                       $1

Dairy/meat
200g mince              $2
450g chicken mince $5
natural yoghurt (or make your own!)  $5
400g chicken breast $5

Groceries:
3 tins tomatoes         $3
2 tins kidney beans  $2
tin corn                     $1
425g tin tuna            $4
breadcrumbs             $2
sesame seeds            $2
sundried tomatoes     $3
quinoa                       $3
cashews                    $4
dried apricots            $3
tin chickpeas             $1
cous cous                  $3
brown rice                 $2
wholemeal flour        $1
chutney                     $3

Extras:

1kg plums                     $3
1kg apples                     $3
1kg bananas                  $2
1kg grapes                     $3
fruit, nut & seed mix     $4
mineral water                $1
rice cakes                      $2
3L milk                         $3
1kg oats                        $1


Total:                        $100

Friday, May 3, 2013

Chicken & Basil Rissoles


I don't use chicken mince much, but after making these tasty little rissoles, I think I'm a convert!  The recipe is from a Rosemary Conley book I got from the library.  It literally takes 5 minutes to mix together the ingredients, then you just whack it in the oven, chop up a salad, and dinner is on the table in no time!

These are just 90 calories per rissole, or would also make fantastic meatballs if you rolled up smaller balls.  I served them with some home-made relish and they were absolutely delicious!


Ingredients (makes 8 rissoles)
450g lean chicken mince
1 red onion, finely chopped,
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons curry poweder
1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons stock powder
1 tablespoon mango chutney

Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Mould the mixture into 8 equal pieces.  Using wet hands, shape into palls and place a non-stick baking tray.

Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

Serve hot or cold with salad and extra chutney if desired.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Moroccan Apricot Chicken


 My mother-in-law ripped this recipe out of the newspaper for me a little while back and it's been on my "wanting to try" list for ages. I finally got around to it and was really happy with the result! It's actually a Super Food Ideas recipe, and I made a few tweaks (adding some extra vegetables of course!) It was a winner with the whole family (although I'd definitely add some extra chilli if I wasn't making it for the kids) - give it a go!




Ingredients
olive oil spray
400g chicken breast, sliced
1 medium brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon Moroccan seasoning mix
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons honey
400g can whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup dried apricots
400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1 small red capsicum, chopped
1/2 400g can corn kernels
cous cous, to serve

Method
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for a few minutes or until browned.  Transfer to a bowl.

Add onion to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and seasoning. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomato paste and honey. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stock, apricots, chickpeas, capsicum and corn. Bring to the boil.

Return chicken to pan. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Serve chicken mixture with couscous.

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