Pumpkin & Ricotta Gnocchi

I've been wanting to make home-made gnocchi for some time, so while I have a temporary Thermomix, I decided it's the perfect time!  Gnocchi can have a tendency to be heavy, gluggy and flavourless, but I love the flavoured variety (plus it sneaks some extra veggies into the kids!)  It's pretty easy and my kids loved helping out with rolling the dough and cutting the pieces.  There are a few steps to the process, but it's not difficult and this was a hit with all of us.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
olive oil spray
250g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded & chopped
400g ricotta
400g plain flour

Method
Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius/200 fan-forced.

Place pumpkin in a baking dish and spray with oil.  Roast for about 30 minutes, until tender.  Cool.

Place pumpkin in Thermomix bowl and mix for 5 seconds/speed 5.

Add ricotta and flour and mix for 5 seconds/speed 5.

Knead for 40 seconds, closed lid, interval setting.

Turn out onto a floured surface.  Add more flour if needed - mixture should be soft and not too sticky.

Roll out into long, thin sausages and cut into even-sized pieces.  Press lightly with a fork.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.  Drop pieces of gnocchi in, and remove with a slotted spoon when they rise to the top.  Serve with pasta sauce and parmesan cheese.

For the sauce...

Ingredients
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used basil and parsley)
1 stalk celery
1 carrot, top & tailed
1 tablespoon olive oil
800g tinned or fresh tomatoes

Method
Place onion, garlic, herbs, celery & carrot in Thermomix bowl.  Blitz for 5 seconds/speed 7.

Add oil and saute for 3 minutes/60 degrees/speed 2.

Add tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes/100 degrees/speed 1.

Mexican Baked Eggs

I love love love Mexican food and had been wanting to try out this type of dish for a while.  It was delicious and I would happily eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner - how versatile!  It's healthy and is a great little vegetable sneak - the kids would also think you're pretty amazing if you served it up with corn chips.  Try it!

Ingredients
olive oil spray
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Mexican/taco seasoning or spice (bought or home-made using cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano and chilli) to taste (anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons!)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tin crushed tomatoes
500g grated, hard vegetables (I used carrot, purple carrot, sweet potato and pumpkin)
1 cup vegetable stock
400g tin kidney beans
4 eggs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
coriander, jalapeños and corn, to serve (optional)

Method
Heat a wok or large pan over medium heat.  Spray with oil, then add onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft.

Add seasoning and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.  Add tomato paste and mix, then the tomatoes, vegetables, stock and beans.  Mix well, bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender and sauce has reduced.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Spoon into individual ramekins (or one large baking dish).  Use the back of a spoon to create an indent in the mixture.  Crack an egg into each indent.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes until eggs are cooked to your liking.

Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for another 2 minutes, until melted.

Serve with extras, if desired.

Ratatouille

This is a real favourite of mine - it's packed full of vegetables, is tasty, easy to make and so good for you!  It usually uses eggplant, but the man of the house is not a fan, so I don't use it - but feel free to add it in, or substitute it for the mushrooms or zucchini.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
400g mushroom, chopped
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 red capsicum, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tins crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons mixed herbs
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
400g tin chickpeas, drained

Method
Heat a large saucepan or wok over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes, until soft.

Add mushroom, zucchini, capsicum and carrot, along with tomato paste, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until vegetables have softened slightly.

Add tomatoes, herbs, vinegar and chickpeas.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, until veges are tender and liquid has reduced.

If you wish, serve with wholemeal pasta, cous cous or brown rice.

Chicken, Mango & Macadamia Salad

This delicious salad just screams all things Summer!  Mango is the absolute favourite food in our house right now - the kids can't get enough.  So imagine their delight when it was actually part of their dinner!  This is fresh, fast, healthy & scrumptious - throw it together and take it for a picnic tonight...good times, great food!

Ingredients
300g barbecue chicken or poached chicken breast, shredded
100g mixed salad leaves
1/2 continental cucumber, chopped
1/2 punnet mini roma tomatoes, halved
100g low-fat feta, crumbled
1 mango, peeled and sliced
50g macadamia nuts, toasted
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method
Combine honey, mustard and vinegar in a small bowl.  Mix well to combine.

Toss all salad ingredients together in a bowl.  Drizzle with dressing.  Serve.

Tuna Picnic Slice with Coriander Pesto

I've been pulling out my picnic set at every opportunity over the past month - it's just the perfect weather for it!  This tuna slice is perfect picnic food, and super versatile.  It's pretty simple on its own, but the pesto definitely takes it to the next level.  You can use any veges you like, or even bake it in muffin pans for individual serves.  A new picnic staple for our family!

Ingredients
375g tin tuna, drained, broken into small pieces
500g mixed vegetables, fresh or frozen, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Pesto
1/2 bunch fresh coriander
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup light olive oil

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius/180 fan-forced.

Steam vegetables and onion in a saucepan or in the microwave until tender.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, then add herbs, flour and milk.  Whisk until well combine and there are no lumps left.  Add tuna, vegetables and half of the cheese.

Spoon into a lightly greased round pie dish or muffin pan.  Top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 40 minutes (large) or 20 minutes (small) until golden brown.

Make pesto: processor all ingredients in a blender or food processor until it reaches desired consistency.

Serve warm or cold, dolloped with pesto.

Thai Chicken and Ginger Soup

Have I told you yet about the meal swap group I'm part of?  It's the best!  We meet about every 6 weeks, and the theory is that we bring along 5 meals, each serving 4 people (so basically, we do 1 big cook-up) - then we swap and go home with 5 different freezable meals for our families!  It's a great way to try new things and wonderful to have meals on hand in the freezer for those days when we're too busy to cook.

Anyway, this one was made by my friend Kristen, also a mum of 2 young kids - and it was so delicious, I had to get the recipe from her and share it with you!  I've never made a Thai soup before, so I'll definitely be trying this one out for myself - great flavours, super healthy and easy too - win!

Ingredients:
2 x 5cm piece ginger
500 ml coconut milk
250 ml chicken stock
4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
1 tblsp finely chopped coriander root, well rinsed
1 thai chilli (small, red chilli)
500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 tbsps fish sauce
1 1/2 tbsps lime juice
3 tsp grated palm sugar or soft brown sugar
coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:
Put the ginger, coconut milk, stock, half the lime leaves, coriander root and chilli in the slow cooker. Simmer on low for 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the chicken. Trim off any fat and then cut the chicken into thin strips. Add the chicken strips, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar to the slow cooker and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir through the remaining lime leaves.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with coriander leaves.

Sausage Stroganoff

We all know and love the tradition beef stroganoff, but here's a simple variation using the humble sausage.  It's easy to do, the kids love it and of course, the mum in me couldn't help but add the vegetables at the end - but I know that stroganoff purists would keep the recipe without!  This is a perfect weeknight meal that freezes well and tastes great.

Ingredients
olive oil spray
6-8 beef sausages
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
250g mushrooms, chopped
3 rashers bacon, rind removed, chopped
2 teaspoons paprika
1 cup stock (vegetable or beef)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
*optional* 1 cup frozen vegetables

Method
Spray a large frying pan with olive oil and cook sausages on medium heat for about 10 minutes, until cooked through (pierce skins if necessary).

Remove to a plate.  Add garlic, onion, mushrooms and bacon to pan and cook for 5 minutes, until soft.

Add paprika and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.  Add stock and tomato paste and vegetables, if using.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.  Slice cooked sausages and add to the pan, simmering for another 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir through parsley and sour cream and serve.

Risotto Balls

Risotto Balls are the ultimate recipe for repurposed leftovers.  It's the perfect way to reinvent your dish and not get bored with the same meal two nights in a row.  The good thing about risotto is that the flavour options are endless, which means it's the same deal for these little delights too.

Most risotto balls are deep fried, but I wanted the oven-baked option so it was a bit healthier.  The kids LOVED the cheese surprise in the middle and they were a delicious Sunday night almost home-made takeaway kind of meal.  Enjoy!

Ingredients (makes 12 balls)
1/2 batch risotto (try this Leek & Bacon Risotto or this Pumpkin Risotto), cooled
12 small cubes cheese (you can use tasty, mozzarella or bocconcini)
3/4 cup plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried herbs
olive oil spray

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan-forced.

Place plain flour, eggs and breadcrumbs (mixed with herbs) in separate, shallow dishes.

With wet hands, take large handfuls of risotto.  Place a cube of cheese in the middle.  Roll in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.  Place on a lined baking tray.

Repeat for the rest of the risotto to make 12 balls.  Lightly spray with oil.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden and crunchy on the outside.

Moroccan Stuffed Capsicums

Capsicums were on special this week, so I decided to try something new and stuff them.  Originally, I'd been thinking a bit of a Mexican-style, but went down the Moroccan path instead (stay tuned, I still want to try Mexican ones soon!)

I loved the result, as did the whole family!  Beautiful flavours, something different for presentation and the crunch of the nuts and seeds really lifts it.  These are super healthy too and packed full of vegetables from Charlies - give them a go!

Ingredients (serves 4)
4 medium-large capsicums (any colour is fine!)
olive oil spray
1 onion
1 clove garlic, crushed (or 2 teaspoons of this amazing product I've found called "garlic love"!)
2 teaspoons Moroccan seasoning
1 tomato, chopped finely
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup seed & nut mix (mine was pepitas, sunflower seeds and almonds)
1/4 cup cranberries or currants

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

Slice tops off capsicums and scoop out seeds and flesh.  Place on a tray lined with baking paper.  Spray lightly with olive oil.  Bake for 20 minutes, until soft and golden.

Meanwhile, heat a wok or medium pan over medium heat.  Spray with olive oil.  Add onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, until soft.

Add Moroccan season and cook for 1 minute.  Add tomato and cook for a further minute.

Add cooked rice, carrot and corn and stir well to combine. If the mixture is fairly dry, add up to 1/2 cup water.

Stir through seeds, nuts and dried fruit, then scoop into capsicums.  Replace the tops and serve.

Salmon & Ricotta Quiche

I threw this one together as I had a few leftovers and it was a fabulous result!  I made the shortcrust pastry with my friend's Thermomix, but you can easily make your own with a recipe like this - or buy it, of course.  I didn't blind bake mine, but you can if you wish.  It's suitable to freeze and would suit breakfast, lunch or dinner - how versatile!  You could also add other vegetables, like peas, pumpkin or sweet potato (make sure you get them from www.charliesfruitonline.com.au!) and they would be great in mini-form for a party or afternoon tea.  And it's worth making your own relish to go with - yum!

Ingredients
1 sheet shortcrust pastry
3 eggs
200g ricotta cheese
100g sour cream
1/4 cup milk
60g smoked salmon, chopped
1/2 cup corn kernels
2 teaspoons fresh or dried herbs, chopped

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 fan-forced).

Line a flan tin with pastry.

In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Mix well (use a stick blender or similar if you wish, to combine the eggs, ricotta, sour cream and milk).

Pour into pastry.  Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until golden and set.

Serve warm or cold.  Delicious with beetroot, tomato or capsicum relish!

Crunchy Brown Rice Salad

Perfect for a lunch, dinner, picnic or BBQ - add or subtract any ingredients you like!  This is versatile, healthy, colourful, delicious and easy - try it out :-)

Ingredients
3 cups cooked brown rice
200g corn kernels
1 red capsicum, deseeded, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
50g baby spinach, shredded
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken (or BBQ chicken), chopped - optional

Dressing
1/4 cup light olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt & pepper, to taste

Method
Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix together dressing ingredients, then add to the salad and toss well to combine.

Healthy Cheesy Fish Fingers

I rarely do a separate meal for the kids - I just don't have the time to be cooking multiple meals each night!  But hubby & I were having simple herb & garlic baked fish with steamed veges and I didn't think the kids would be too keen.  So I whipped these up and they got devoured!  You can use any veges you want and you can also make them into any shape, or even bake them in muffin pans or the like.  Get creative!  These are infinitely better than store-bought "fish" fingers (who knows what's actually in them?!?) - so get cooking!

Ingredients
150g firm white fish fillets (I used basa)
1 cup cooked, chopped vegetables (can use frozen or fresh)
1 egg
1/2 cup grated cheese
2 teaspoons fresh/dried herbs
1 cup breadcrumbs (adjust according to consistency)

Method
Place fish and vegetables in a food processor and process until smooth.  Add egg, cheese, herbs and breadcrumbs and mix until combined.

Shape into logs and place on a tray lined with baking paper.  Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 7 minutes, then turn over and bake for another 7 minutes.

OR

Spray a frying pan with olive oil spray and pan-fry logs for a few minutes each side until golden-brown and cooked through.

Chicken Cacciatore

Another fantastic weeknight meal from Food Before 5 - this was a huge time-saver for me, because it lasted us for 2 nights, so gave me a day off cooking!  It's delicious, packed with veges, cheap, easy and quick to prepare.  PLUS, without any rice or extras, comes in at just 244 calories per serve!

Ingredients (serves 6 - 244 calories per serve)

1 tablespoon olive oil

600g chicken thighs

1 brown onion

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

200g button mushrooms, chopped

100g bacon, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 x 400g tins crushed tomatos

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 teaspoons mixed dried herbs

250mL chicken stock

Method

Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Brown chicken over medium-high heat, then remove from pan.

Add onion, celery and carrot to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft.

Add mushrooms, bacon and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes.

Serve with steamed brown rice or cauliflower "rice".

Chicken Skewers with Cauliflower Pilaf

I really enjoyed this meal - it's got delicious, strong flavours and is super healthy too!

Ingredients (serves 4)

Chicken skewers:
400g chicken breast, cubed
1/2 bunch coriander, chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
200mL (1/2 can) coconut milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce

Cauliflower pilaf:
1/2 head cauliflower
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, grated

Method
Take 8 bamboo skewers and soak them in water for about 15 minutes.  Thread chicken pieces onto skewers.  Arrange in a shallow dish.

Combine coriander, lime juice and zest, coconut milk, garlic and ginger in a food processor.  Process until well combined.  Pour marinade over chicken skewers and leave for at least 2 hours (up to overnight).

To make the cauliflower pilaf: chop cauliflower and place in a food processor.  Pulse until finely chopped.  Transfer to a frying pan or wok over medium heat, lightly sprayed with olive oil.

Saute for a few minutes, until starting to soften.  Add spices and onion, and continue to cook for another minute.  Add carrot and cook, stirring regularly for 5-10 minutes.

Preheat barbecue or grill pan over medium heat.  Spray with olive oil.  Cook chicken skewers, turning when needed, until cooked through.  Take remaining marinade and put in a small saucepan with 2 teaspoons brown sugar and a dash of sweet chilli sauce.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly and thickened.

Arrange skewers over pilaf and spoon sauce over the top.

Pumpkin & Feta Pastry Roll

I brought this Sausage Roll in to my workmates to taste test this morning and was told in no uncertain terms that it was not, in fact, a Sausage Roll at all.  They thought it was a very misleading label, and as a "Sausage Roll" they scored it a 0/5!  However, as a Pumpkin & Feta Pastry, I was scored 4.5/5 - so apparently, it's all in the name!

I whipped these up after making a Pumpkin & Feta Pizza on the weekend and having leftover ingredients.  They are delicious and a really great alternative to your standard sausage roll.  Just perfect with some home-made relish and a side salad.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
400g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cubed
1 tin lentils, drained
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (or substitute dried herbs)
1 egg, lightly beaten (reserve a little bit for brushing)
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
100g feta cheese, crumbled
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.  Roast pumpkin for about 20 minutes, until soft and lightly browned.

Reduce oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Place in a bowl with lentils and mash.  Add herbs, egg (don't forget to reserve some!), sauce and feta and mix well.

Lay out the puff pastry and cut each piece in half.  Spoon 1/4 of the filling mixture on each piece, in a log.  Roll up and place, seam down, on a lined baking tray.

Brush with reserved egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden.

Roast Vegetable Frittata

This was a bit of a throw-together meal that turned out really well!  Super easy - a bit time-consuming because of the cooking times, but the actual prep time is not much.  Loved by the whole family and would suit breakfast, lunch or dinner - it comes in at just 265 calories per serve.

Ingredients (serves 4)
300g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and chopped
300g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
olive oil spray
2 tablespoons relish/chutney (I used this home-made capsicum & onion relish)
100g feta cheese, chopped
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons dried herbs

Method
Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius/200 fan-forced.

Combine pumpkin, sweet potato and onion in a baking dish and spray with olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender and golden. Reduce oven to 180 degrees Celsius/160 fan-forced.

Add relish to vegetables and mix until combined. Top with feta.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs and milk and whisk well.  Pour over the vegetables then sprinkle the herbs on top.

Bake for about 30 minutes until egg is set and top is golden brown.

Sausage Casserole

This is a new recipe from a fabulous cookbook called "Food Before 5" by Amanda Arnold, which I highly recommend you check out!  The book is full of family-friendly, budget, easy, delicious meals which are suitable to make ahead.  She's a mum living on the Sunshine Coast and has some great recipes.  This is one of the most delicious sausage dishes I've ever had and the kids absolutely LOVED it.  I will definitely make it again!

Ingredients
6-8 sausages
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup beef stock
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons mixed herbs

Method
In a large saucepan, add sausages and cover with water.  Bring to the boil then reduce to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove sausages from water & whilst still hot, peel off sausage skin.  Slice thickly and place in slow cooker.

Add all remaining ingredients and stir.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.  Serve with rice, mashed potato and/or vegetables.

OR

Cook in a large saucepan over medium heat for 25 minutes.

Leek & Bacon Risotto

I don't usually make risotto, mainly because it's often so high in calories.  Until I came across this Martha Stewart recipe!  It's only 254 calories per serve, it's creamy and delicious and you can pop in whatever veges are your family's favourite (I used corn instead of peas)  I'd made some chicken stock after roasting a chicken the other day, so the flavour was rich and delicious.  It's a bit time-consuming (use a Thermomix if you can!) but a great result at the end.

Thanks Charlie's for the always fresh and delicious veges!

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 leek, white and light-green parts only
6 cups chicken stock
2 slices bacon, cut crosswise into strips
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup frozen peas (optional)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Method

Halve leek lengthwise; rinse thoroughly. Pat dry; thinly slice. In a saucepan, bring broth to a simmer over medium. 

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy pan, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned but not crisp, about 5 minutes. 

Add leeks; cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 1 minute.

Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup stock. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until broth is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Repeat process, gradually adding stock, until rice is al dente and risotto is creamy (you may not need all the stock), about 25 minutes. Stir in peas (if using) after the final addition of broth.

Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan. Cover and let stand 2 minutes. Season risotto with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with extra Parmesan.

Roast Pumpkin & Feta Quinoa Salad

A deliciously healthy weeknight meal - I really loved this (unfortunately, my kids did not!)  The flavours balance perfectly and it's really simple to put together.  Best of all, it comes in at just 330 calories per serve!

Ingredients (serves 4)
800g pumpkin, peeled & cubed
4 baby beetroot, peeled & chopped
olive oil spray
1 leek, sliced
150g quinoa
25g baby spinach
100g feta, cubed
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 220 degrees celsius.

Place pumpkin and beetroot on a baking tray and spray with oil.  Roast for 10 minutes.  Add leek and roast for another 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, place quinoa in a saucepan with 2 cups water.  Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until "tails" have appeared and quinoa is cooked through.

Toss quinoa with vegetables and baby spinach.  Top with combined vinegar and sugar, then sprinkle with feta to serve.

Rainbow Pasta

I was recently at a deli with the family and Miss 3 was quite fascinated by some colourful pasta we saw.  But it was super expensive, and of course I told her I could make it for MUCH cheaper than that. So I did!

Now first of all, I have to put out a disclaimer that this is a Thermomix recipe.  I have been lucky enough to borrow my neighbour's machine a bit recently, and WOW!  I'm super impressed!  Things like breads and doughs are so easy, I've also loved making soups, batters, jams and so much more, this thing really is amazing.

Anyway, pasta dough was soooo easy in the thermo.  And it was really easy to blend up the colours with it.  Of course, you could always do it by hand or in a food processor.

I found the actual rolling out of the dough fairly time consuming, and I wished I had another pair of hands (and the kids lost interest pretty fast!)  I borrowed my mum's pasta maker, and the rollers are just not very sharp, so I had a bit of trouble trying to separate my strands.  But despite those technical issues, I loved the result!

I love that it was coloured with vegetables, with no added nasties, and I kept it super simple, just mixing through a home-made pasta sauce (in the Thermomix of course!) and sprinkling with parmesan cheese to serve.

It was a big hit, and this recipe made HEAPS!  If I was to make pasta again, I'd do it on the weekend, when I have more time and/or some help, because it would make the process a whole lot easier.

Anyway, the kids love it - give it a go!

(You know you'll vegetables will be fresh & bright for that natural colour if you get them from Charlie's)

Ingredients (serves 6-8)
150g pumpkin, roasted
100g frozen spinach, thawed, with excess water squeezed out OR fresh spinach, steamed & drained
4 baby beetroots, roasted & peeled
3 eggs
300g baker's flour, plus about 200g extra
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method
Place the pumpkin in the thermomix bowl with 1 egg.  Mix for 10 seconds/speed 8.  Scrape down the sides, and mix for a further 5 seconds/speed 8.

Add 100g of the flour, along with 1/3 of the oil and mix 15 seconds/speed 5.  Check the consistency - because of the added vegetables, you'll probably need to add more flour.  You don't want the dough too sticky, so don't be shy about adding more flour.  It shouldn't be sticky to touch.  Knead for 2 minutes (use the kneading function).  Remove from bowl and wrap in cling wrap.

Wash the bowl and repeat the process with the spinach, then with the beetroot.

Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes (or you can leave it in the fridge for a few days).

Divide each colour into 4 balls.  Pass through a pasta machine until thin, then through the spaghetti or fettuccine function.  Again, add more flour if necessary - sticky pasta will go gluggy.  As you can see in the photo below, I put a broom between two chairs and hang the pasta over as I go.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.  Drop in the pasta, in batches (stick to one colour at a time so it doesn't run).  Cook for about 2 minutes or until al dente (fresh pasta doesn't need long!)

Drain and toss together when it's all cooked.  Stir through a pasta sauce, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.