Term 3 Week 2 2015

This week in kitchen we are continuing our virtual culinary journey which started in Asia. We migrated further west across the world map and looked at the Middle East. We talked about different foods, spices and ways of cooking and serving food. Our menu began with a mezze selection which included spiced pita crisps, falafel, hummus, pickles and dolmades. We also made a tomato based soup using various spices such as cinnamon, cumin and smoked paprika and we added couscous to this broth. We talked about tabbouleh and Middle Eastern salads and then made our own ‘Australian’ version of quinoa tabbouleh using lots of herbs and vegetables from the garden. Another station was a very popular Jewelled Rice dish where we cooked vermicelli with the rice and added lots of fragrant spices and then caramelised onions, ruby red cranberries and toasted pumpkin seeds as the ‘jewels’. For our final dish, we made use of the wonderful citrus fruit we have been harvesting and baked cookies fragrant with mandarin zest as well as cardamom, nutmeg and ginger.  All in all a very enjoyable cook and feed for the kids and wonderful parent volunteers. Next week we move further across the globe to the Mediterranean…

Tomato & Couscous Soup

 Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 large carrot, grated

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 bottle of tomato passata (or 2 can chopped tomatoes)

8 cups vegetable stock (3 cubes + 8 cups water)

125g Israeli couscous

2 teaspoons sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

chopped parsley to garnish

 

Method

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and carrot and cook on a low heat until onion is glassy. Add cumin, cinnamon and smoked paprika and cook for a few minutes.

Add tomatoes, stock and couscous and simmer 20 minutes.

Add sugar and season with salt and pepper.

Stir well. Serve and garnish with parsley.

 

 

Mezze Platter

Hummus (see recipe)

Pita Crisps (see recipe)

Falafel – cut in half and divide into 3 bowls

Pickles – cut in hales or pieces and divide into bowls

Dolamades – open can, cut dolmades in half, arrange in bowls and squeeze over fresh lemon juice.

 

Arrange mezze platters to each have 1 bowl hummus, 1 bowl pita crisps, 1 bowl pickles, 1 bowl falafel, 1 bowl dolmades

 

Pita Crisps

Ingredients

1 packet of pita flat bread

olive oil spray

1 teaspoon of cumin

Maldon salt

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

Line a few trays with baking paper.

Cut pita into half and then into pizza slice shapes.

Spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and a tiny bit of cumin.

Bake for about 7 minutes or until golden.

Allow to cool and serve with yummy dips (or another time broken up into a salad).

 

 

Hummus

Ingredients

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup of tahini paste

juice of 1 lemon

1 garlic clove

2 teaspoons Maldon salt

1 cup of very cold water

 

to serve

olive oil

small handful of parsley (finely chopped)

a teaspoon of paprika

 

Method

Place everything but the cold water in a food processor and blend until smooth. With the motor still on, slowly add the water through the chute until you get the hummus to the desired consistency (you may not need all the water). Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

To serve, remove the blade from the food processor. Use a spatula to spoon the hummus into 3 bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over paprika and parsley.

 

 

Jewelled Rice

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed well and drained

200g egg noodles

2tbspn rice bran oil

1 tspn Maldon salt

I tspn cinnamon

1 tspn cumin

1 tspn ground coriander

4 cups of water

1 chicken stock cube

1 large onion, halved then finely sliced

1 cup chopped parsley

½ cup dried cranberries or barberries

½ cup pumpkin seeds

 

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the noodles until they are golden. Add the rinsed rice, spices and salt and stir well to combine.

Add the water and crumbled up stock cube. Cover and allow to simmer on low until all the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, fry the finely sliced onion in 1 tbspn on rice bran oil over medium heat until it is golden and caramelised. Do this slowly to prevent the onion burning.

Toast the pumpkin seeds in 1 tspn of oil until they are puffed and golden.

When the rice is ready, stir through the onion, cranberries (or barberries), pumpkin seeds and parsley and serve.

 

 

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

1½ cups water

1 tspn salt

 

2 cups chopped parsley

1 large handful of mint leaves, chopped

1 cucumber peeled and diced

1 carrot, grated

2 spring onion, finely chopped

1 beetroot, grated, rinsed until water runs clear, and dried

2 tomatoes, diced

salt and pepper

zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2 lemons

¼ cup olive oil

Method

Rinse quinoa and place into a pot with water and salt. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes then fluff up grains with a fork and transfer to a large bowl or tray to cool.

Add veggies and herbs and lemon zest to quinoa. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss.

 

 

Orange (Mandarin) & Cardamom Cookies

Ingredients

3 cups plain flour, plus extra

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon cardamom

250g butter, softened

1½ cups brown sugar

1 orange, zest and juice (or 3 mandarins)

1 egg, separated

¼ cup granulated sugar

 

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Line baking trays.

Finely zest the orange, then cut in half and juice.

Sift the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom into a large bowl.

Place the butter and brown sugar in the mixer and beat until pale and creamy.

Add 3 teaspoons of the orange juice and all the zest and mix well.

Using a large spoon, slowly fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.

Sift some extra flour over a clean dry surface and knead the dough for 30 seconds.

Roll the dough out to 5mm thick and cut the biscuits into shapes. Or alternatively, roll into logs and use a knife to slice rounds.

Crack the egg and place the white into a small bowl. Lightly whip the egg white with a fork, then use a pastry brush to coat the biscuits with the egg white then sprinkle over some granulated sugar.

Place the biscuits on the baking trays with enough room between them and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool on a wire rack.

Term 3 week 1 2014

Homemade Hummus

Ingredients

2 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 small cloves garlic

500g tahini paste

½ cup lemon juice (approx 4 lemons)

100ml cold water

2 teaspoons salt

Method

Place all of the above ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more water if mixture is too thick.

Serving

Scoop onto 3 shallow plates. Make a small well in the middle and let the kids drizzle with olive oil and garnish with paprika or parsley.

 

Tabbouleh

 Ingredients

2 bunches flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped

1 bunch of coriander, finely chopped

1/2 bunch spring onions, finely chopped

25 mint leaves, finely chopped

1 cup fine bourghul/cracked wheat

1/2 large Spanish onion, finely chopped

6 tomatoes, diced

dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

3 lemons juiced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon cracked pepper

1 tablespoon salt

method

Place salad ingredients in a bowl.

Combine salad dressing ingredients.

Pour over salad and toss well.

Adjust seasonings if necessary and serve.

 

Cauliflower and egg salad with a tahini dressing

Ingredients

2 cauliflowers, cut into small florets

Herbamare

8 eggs, hard boiled and chopped

6 spring onions, finely chopped

Toasted sunflower seeds

Dressing:

¼ cup tahina paste

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons whole egg mayonnaise

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vinegar

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 180

Line 2 trays with baking paper. Place cauliflower in a single layer on tray and spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with herbamare and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Whisk dressing ingredients together.

Gently toss cauliflower, egg and spring onions in a bowl. Add dressing and mix.

Serve and top with sunflower seeds.

 

Falafel salad with a tahini dressing

Ingredients

1 cos lettuce, roughly chopped

4 pickled cucumbers, cut into strips

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 red capsicum, cut into strips

¼ red cabbage shredded

25 falaffel balls halved

Handful crunchy noodles to garnish

dressing:

¼ cup tahini paste

1/3 cup olive oil

¼ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place all salad ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Whisk dressing ingredients and drizzle over salad .

Toss well and serve.

 

Mini orange and dark chocolate muffins

Ingredients

 2 cups self raising flour, sifted

¾ cup brown sugar

100g dark chocolate

zest and juice of 1 orange

½ cup sunflower oil

1 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

canola oil spray

Method

Preheat oven to 180°.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, chocolate and zest. Add orange juice, oil, milk and egg. Gently combine using a metal fork.

Spray a muffin tin with oil and fill with mixture.

Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked.

Place on a wire rack to cool.

 

 

Term 4 week 3 2013

Broad bean, spinach and rice soup

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
10 stalks of silverbeet (or spinach)
3 zucchini, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 litres chicken stock
Juice of half a lemon
2 cups double podded broad beans
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion for 5 minutes or until glassy.

Add garlic, silverbeet, zucchini and cumin. Cook stirring for 1-2 minutes, until starting to soften. Stir in tomato paste and rice. Cook 1-2 minutes.

Add stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until rice is almost tender.

Add lemon juice, broad beans and silverbeet. Cook for 2 minutes or until leaves are wilted and beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Caramelised beetroot and goat’s cheese pizza

 

Ingredients (this should make 3 large pizzas)

3 medium sized thin pizza bases
4 medium beetroot, washed
2 Spanish onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
200g goats’s cheese
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

Method

Preheat oven to 220.

Place beetroot in a pot of water and boil, covered, for 1 hour or until tender. Drain when cool enough to handle, peel and grate.

Place butter and oil in a medium pot. Add onions and cook until glassy. Add beetroot and cook, covered, over a medium low heat for 30 minutes. Stir regularly. Add sugar and vinegar.

Cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes or until very soft. Allow to cool.

Spread caramelised beetroot over pizza bases. Top with crumbled goat’s cheese, drizzle with oil and scatter over rosemary.

Bake pizza directly on oven rack for 10 minutes or until base is crisp.

 

Rhubarb, poppyseed and orange cupcakes

Ingredients

500g self raising flour
250g soft butter
11/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
100g poppy seeds
2 oranges, zested and juiced
4 sticks of rhubarb, trimmed and washed and cut into 3cm pieces

Method

Preheat oven to 190

Cream butter and sugar in a mixer. Add flour and eggs and mix for 2 minutes. Add orange juice, orange zest and poppy seeds and mix until combined. Spoon into patty cases (2/3 full).

Top with a few  pieces of rhubarb.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Homemade Hummus

Ingredients

 2 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 small cloves  garlic
500g tahini paste
½ cup lemon juice (approx 4 lemons)
100ml cold water
2 teaspoons salt

Method

 Place all of the above ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.  Add more water if mixture is too thick.

Serving

Scoop onto 3 shallow plates. Make a small well in the middle and let the kids drizzle with olive oil and garnish with paprika or parsley.

 

Creamy potato salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 kg potatoes (8 medium), unpeeled
salt and pepper to taste
5 spring onions, finely chopped
3 eggs, hard boiled and roughly chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
3 pickled cucumbers, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped  parsley

Method

 

Cut potatoes in 1/2 and boil until tender when pierced with a knife.  Drain, peel and dice the potatoes.

Whilst still warm, season with salt and pepper.

Add spring onions, gently toss and set aside to cool.  Add eggs, mayonnaise and pickled cucumbers.

Toss well and sprinkle with parsley.

Term 4 week 1 2012

Crunchy garden salad with the best ever salad dressing

 Ingredients

1 portion of salad greens
1 avocado, diced
2 tomatoes,  chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped
2 red peppers, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 corn cobs, cooked and kernels removed
3 eggs, hard boiled and grated  (to garnish)

dressing:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup soy or whole egg mayonnaise
1 teaspoon tamari
coarse-ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon mustard powder
1 clove garlic, crushed

Method

Place all salad ingredients in a bowl.
Whisk dressing ingredients together.
Just before serving pour dressing over salad and toss well. Top with grated egg.

Curried pumpkin soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons  butter
1 heaped tablespoon curry powder
4 onions finely chopped
2 butternuts, peeled and cut into chunks
8 cups prepared chicken stock
1 teaspoon  brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley (to garnish)

Method

Heat butter in a pot and cook onion until glassy.  Add curry powder and cook for 2 minutes. Add butternut and stock.  Bring to the boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is  soft. Add sugar.
Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with parsley.

Potato and spinach frittata

Ingredients

9 eggs
1/3 cup milk
6 small potatoes, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leaves silverbeet, sliced finely
2 spring onions, sliced finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheese

Method

Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Cook potatoes for 5 minutes or until tender. Add silverbeet, spring onions and garlic. Cook until wilted.
In a bowl beat egg with milk and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the veggies and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5-10 minutes until almost set. Place under grill to brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Cut into pieces and serve.

Homemade Hummus

Ingredients

 2 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 small cloves  garlic
½ cup tahini paste
Juice of 2 lemons
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

 Place all of the above ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.  Add more water if mixture is too thick. Taste and add salt and pepper.

Serving

Scoop onto 3 shallow plates. Make a small well in the middle and let the kids drizzle with olive oil and garnish with paprika or parsley.

Rhubarb, poppyseed and orange cupcakes

Ingredients

500g self raising flour
250g soft butter
11/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
100g poppy seeds
2 oranges, zested and juiced
4 sticks of rhubarb, trimmed and washed and cut into 3cm pieces

Method

Preheat oven to 190
Cream butter and sugar in a mixer. Add flour and eggs and mix for 2 minutes. Add orange juice, orange zest and poppy seeds and mix until combined. Spoon into patty cases (2/3 full).
Top with a few  pieces of rhubarb.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Term 3 week 1 2012

Minestrone soup

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 potatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500ml tomato puree/crushed tomatoes
Can 4 bean mix
12 cups veggie stock
120g small pasta
salt and pepper to taste
parsley to garnish

Method

Heat oil in large pot.  Add onions, celery, carrots and potatoes and cook for 8 minutes stirring often. Add garlic and silverbeet and cook for another minute.  Add tomato puree and stock. Bring to the boil.  Add pasta. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

Homemade garlic bread

Ingredients

1 french stick
100g butter (softened)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Method

Preheat oven to 180 fan forced.

Cut French stick into 2cm slices – be careful not to cut right through to the bottom. On a plate mash butter, garlic and parsley with a fork until soft. Spread slices (both sides) with butter mixture. Wrap bread in foil leaving the top open to crisp. Bake for 10 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Baked veggie slice

Ingredients

2 zucchinis grated
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated
1 potato, peeled and grated
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 leek, finely chopped
11/2 cups grated cheese
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup self raising flour
salt and pepper to taste
extra cheese for sprinkling

Method

Preheat oven to 180°.

In a large bowl combine zucchini, potatoes, carrot and onion. Add cheese and mix well. Add eggs, oil and flour. Seeason with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
Spray a large ovenproof dish and fill with mixture. Sprinkle with a little extra cheese and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Couscous and roasted veggies with a tahini dressing

Ingredients

¼ pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 sweet potato peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Couscous
3 cups instant couscous
3 cups water
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup chopped parsley
Juice 1-2 lemon

Tahini dressing
½ cup natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons tahini paste
½ clove garlic, crushed
Juice 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 180°.
Combine all veggies in a large bowl. Add oil, salt and pepper  and toss well to coat. Bake for 30 minutes until veggies are cooked. Place couscous in a large bowl and pour over 3 cups boiling water. Allow to stand for 5 mins until couscous soaks up all water. Fluff with a fork. Add olive oil, parsley and lemon juice. Whisk all tahini ingredients together and drizzle over salad.

Mini orange and dark chocolate muffins

 Ingredients 

2 cups self raising flour, sifted
¾ cup brown sugar
100g dark chocolate
zest and juice of 1 orange
½ cup sunflower oil
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
canola oil spray

Method

Preheat oven to 180°.
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, chocolate and zest.  Add orange juice, oil, milk and egg.  Gently combine using a metal fork. Spray a muffin tin with oil and fill with mixture.
Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Term 2 week 5 2012

Butter lettuce and orange salad with a citrus and parmesan dressing

Ingredients

Large bowl butter lettuce
2 oranges, diced
2 avocados, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped parsley
3 spring onions, finely sliced
½ cup toasted sunflower seeds to garnish

Dressing:

½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Arrange salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad.
Toss gently. Garnish with sunflower seeds.

Roasted potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes with homemade herb mayo

Ingredients

1 kg potatoes scrubbed and cut into bite sized pieces
500g  Jerusalem artichokes peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 sprigs rosemary

Mayonnaise:

3 egg yolks (room temp)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
300ml sunflower oil
½ lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped herbs(parsley, chives,tarragon)

Method

Preheat oven to 200.
Combine all vegies in large ovenproof dish.  Add oil and toss well to coat. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss again.
Loosely cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove foil and toss gently. Bake for another 20 minutes or until vegies are crunchy.

Mayonnaise:

Combine egg yolkes and mustard into the food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds. SLOWLY add oil in a slow steady stream. Add  honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse briefly.  Adjust seasoning and serve in small bowls with potatoes.

Spanakopita – spinach pie

Ingredients

6 large leaves silverbeet, washed and chopped finely
4 spring onions, finely chopped
200g feta cheese
200g ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
10 sheets filo pastry
Olive oil spray
Toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 180.

In a large mixing bowl combine silverbeet,spring onions, feta, ricotta, parmesan, eggs and parsley. Mix well.  Cover filo pastry with a clean, damp tea towel. Spray an ovenproof dish and lay down the first sheet of filo. Lay down 4 more sheets, spraying in between each layer.  Pile the spinach mixture on top of the filo and spread evenly. Layer 5 more sheets of sprayed filo over the mixture. Tuck in the edges and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes, until top is crisp and golden.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Mini Rhubarb and Coconut Crumbles

Ingredients

20 stalks rhubarb chopped into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon water

topping:
1 cup self raising flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 cups shredded coconut
150g butter, softened
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle

Method

Preheat oven 180°.

Place rhubarb, sugar, zest and juice of orange and  water into a pan and cook on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently. Spoon evenly into ramekins.

Topping:

Combine flour, brown sugar, coconut, oats and butter to make topping.  Spread evenly over fruit.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes, until crumble is crunchy.

Homemade custard

Ingredients

2 cups milk
2 cups cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 egg, yolks
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour

Method

Heat milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan over a medium heat. Simmer but do not allow to boil.  In a large bowl whisk egg yolks, caster sugar and cornflour until well combined.  Pour warm milk over egg mixture whisking continuously until smooth.  Return mixture back into pot and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens.

Serve with compot.

Term 3 – week 4

Bruschetta with a mixed bean salsa

Ingredients
2 cans mixed beans, drained and rinsed well
1 red onion chopped finely
1 red capsicum, deseeded and diced finely
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 sourdough french stick (cut into approx 30 slices)
1 clove garlic cut in half

Method
In a large bowl mix together all ingredients for the bruscetta. Make sure it’s seasoned well. Brush the sourdough with olive oil and grill on both sides until lightly golden. Rub the garlic over the bread (to impart garlic flavour). Top the sourdough slices with the bean mixture and serve.

Chop chop tuna salad

Ingredients
400g tuna in oil, drained
4 eggs, hard-boiled and finely chopped
2 red peppers, diced
2 cucumbers, diced
4 tomatoes, diced
Small bowl mixed lettuce from the garden, chopped
8 pickled cucumbers, finely chopped
Small bunch dill chopped
Parsley chopped
1 cup whole egg mayonnaise
juice 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Homemade pasta with broccoli, silverbeet garlic and chilli

Ingredients
Pasta dough:
500g plain flour
3 teaspoons salt
5 eggs, lightly beaten

Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
100-150g butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets
6 stalks silverbeet, chopped
1 chilli finely diced
parsley, oregano, basil (any herbs from garden)
Grated parmesan to sprinkle

Method
Bring a large pot of water to the boil ready for the pasta.

Pasta dough:
Combine the salt and flour in a food processor. With the motor running add the eggs. Process until the dough starts to cling together and forms a ball. Tip the dough onto the bench and knead for a few minutes. Wrap it in glad wrap and leave to rest for an hour. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Pass it through each setting 2 times until you get to number 3. Once at number 3 lay onto a tray until all the pieces have passed through the machine.  Pass all the pasta through the machine on the pasta cutter and lay onto a tray. Once all pasta has been cut it is ready to cook. Place pasta in boiling water and simmer for 4-5 minutes until al dente.
Sauce:
Place olive oil, butter and garlic in a large saucepan and sauté for a few minutes. Add broccoli, greens and herbs and chilli  and stir for a few minutes until wilted. Pour over pasta and mix until well combined. Serve straight away.

Roasted carrots and parsnips with rosemary and honey

Ingredients
6-8 parsnips, peeled and diced
10 carrots, scrubbed and diced
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
4 sprigs rosemary
Herbamare

Method
Preheat oven to 190.
Place diced veggies in a bowl. Pour over oil and honey and mix well.  Season with Herbamare Add rosemary and combine well. Place in an ovenproof dish and roast for 20-25 minutes until cooked and slightly golden.

Mini orange and dark chocolate muffins

Ingredients
2 cups self raising flour, sifted
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup dark chocolate chips
zest and juice of 1 orange
½ cup sunflower oil
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method
Preheat oven to 180.
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, chocolate and zest.  Add orange juice, oil, milk and egg.  Gently combine using a metal fork. Spray a muffin tin with oil and fill with mixture. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked.
Place on a wire rack to cool.

Term 2 – week 4

Cauliflower and egg salad with a tahini dressing

Ingredients
2 cauliflowers, cut into small florets
Herbamare
8 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
6 spring onions, finely chopped
Toasted sunflower seeds
Dressing
¼ cup tahina paste
11/2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons whole egg mayonnaise
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
Salt and pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 180
Line 2 trays with baking paper. Place cauliflower in a single layer on tray and spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with herbamare and bake for 20 minutes or yntil golden brown. Whisk dressing ingredients together. Gently toss cauliflower, egg and spring onions in a bowl. Add dressing and mix.
Serve and top with sunflower seeds.

Majadara – rice with lentils and onions

Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
3 cups water
½ cup vegetable oil
2 onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon cumin
2 x cans lentils, rinsed and drained
Method
Place rice and water into a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cover for 20 minutes or until rice is soft and all water is absorbed. Heat oil in a saucepan and gently fry onion until golden brown. Add cumin, cook for 2 minutes. Add lentils to the pan and gently stir. Add the lentil mixture to the cooked rice and combine well.

Chickpea, pumpkin and date salad

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ butternut pumpkin, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup water
2 x 400g can chickpeas, well rinsed and drained
8 dates, roughly chopped
large handful rocket, roughly chopped
½ cup chopped parsley
½ cup chopped coriander
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Method
Heat oil in a small pan.  Add garlic, cumin and coriander.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add pumpkin, sugar and water.  Simmer uncovered on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until pumpkin is cooked but still firm (all water should have evaporated).  Set aside to cool. In large bowl, combine chickpeas, dates, rocket and herbs.  Add pumpkin, lemon juice, olive oil and balsamic. Season with salt and pepper.  Gently toss.

Moroccan carrot and potato fritters

Ingredients
250g carrots, grated
250g potatoes, grated
¼ cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Oil for frying
Method
Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Place spoonfuls of mixture into oil and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Cook for 1 minute on each side or until golden.
Drain on paper towel.

Rhubarb, poppyseed and orange cupcakes

Ingredients
500g self raising flour
250g soft butter
11/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
100g poppy seeds
2 oranges, zested and juiced
4 sticks of rhubarb, trimmed and washed and cut into 3cm pieces
Method
Preheat oven to 190
Cream butter and sugar in a mixer. Add flour and eggs and mix for 2 minutes. Add orange juice, orange zest and poppy seeds and mix until combined. Spoon into patty cases(2/3 full). Top with a piece of rhubarb and press  down a bit. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.