Green Vegetable Soup with Quinoa

This delicious vegetable soup is perfect all year round and can be adapted to use whatever vegetables are in season. By including quinoa it becomes a satisfying and healthy option for either lunch or dinner.

What you will need:

• 2 medium brown onions, finely diced
• olive oil
• a small fennel bulb, finely sliced
• fresh celery leaves (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• fresh herbs - use a combination of thyme, oregano and a few sprigs of rosemary
• small clove of garlic
• a pinch of fennel seeds
• 2 litres of either chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 sticks of celery, sliced
• cauliflower florets (about 2 cups)
• kale - shredded ( several leaves)
• 1 cup of frozen peas (or fresh if available)
• 1 cup of quinoa 
• 1 - 2 tsp lemon juice (to taste)
• fresh parsley
• black pepper

What you need to do:

1.  Fry the onions in olive oil for about 5 minutes or until soft. 

2.  Add the fennel seeds and stir for another 30 seconds. Add the bay leaf, fresh herbs, fresh fennel and celery leaves and cook for another 30 seconds.

3.  Add the stock and reduce heat to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

4.  Cook the quinoa (use 1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly, and 1 1/2 cups of water)  

4.  Add the celery, cauliflower, kale and peas. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.

5.  Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.

6.  Place some cooked quinoa into each serving bowl.  Ladle the soup over the quinoa. Serve with freshly group black pepper and fresh parsley.

Healthy Gluten-Free Pikelets

Often after picking up my girls from two different schools we don't get home until about 4pm, and it's tempting to reach for packaged food as a quick option. I was determined to come up with ideas that were healthy, quick, easy and that my girls would actually eat without complaining. These pikelets tick all the boxes. They are high in both protein and whole grains, and so simple to prepare that I can have them on the table ready to eat almost by the time the girls have unpacked their school bags. They are basically sugar free because serving with a sweet topping like jam or honey is more than enough to sweeten them up.

What you will need:

• 1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of dairy free milk (I used a mix of soy and almond)
• 2 teaspoons of maple syrup
• 1 egg
• Vegetable or rice bran oil, for cooking

What you need to do:

1. Add the flour, almond meal and baking powder to a mixing bowl and mix together.

2. Add the milk, egg and maple syrup to the bowl.

3. Whisk until all ingredients combine to form a fairly thick batter.

4. Heat a frying pan and add a small amount oil.

5. Add spoonfuls of the mixture to the pan. Cook until bubbles appear and then flip and cook for a minute or so more on the other side. Remove to a serving plate.

6. Continue until you have used all the mixture. You will need to add more oil throughout the process. 

7. Serve with honey, jam or your favourite topping.

Lentil and Broccolini Salad

This delicious and tasty salad is quick and easy to prepare. It can be eaten either warm or cooled and is perfect to take along to barbecues or picnics. While it is an excellent side dish, it can also be enjoyed as a meal on its own. High in iron, vitamin C and protein it's definitely a superfood salad.

What you will need:

For the salad

• 3 - 4 bunches of broccolini, cut into 5cm pieces
• 2 400g tins of lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 punnet of orange or red cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
• 1/3 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds

For the dressing

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

What you need to do:

1.   Add all the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake well to mix. Alternatively, whisk in a small jug.

2.   In a hot pan, cook the chopped pistachios until very slightly browned. Set aside in a small dish to cool.

3.   Place the drained lentils into a salad bowl.

4.   Heat some oil in a pan and gently fry the fennel seeds for about 30 seconds. Add the broccolini pieces and cook gently for a few minutes, adding a splash of water to the pan. You want the broccolini to still be firm. Remove from the pan and add to the salad bowl with the lentils.

5.  Very quickly toss the cherry tomatoes in the hot pan and cook for about 30 seconds before adding to the salad bowl.

6.  Add two thirds of the roasted pistachios to the bowl. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining pistachios on top.

Gluten Free Pineapple and Cinnamon Muffins

For many years I have been trying to make the perfect gluten free muffin without a great deal of success. My daughter came home last week and said she needed to make a breakfast muffin for her food technology class. We put our heads together and came up with a delicious result reminiscent in taste and texture of a good cinnamon doughnut. Because it is designed to be a breakfast muffin the recipe is fairly low in sugar, contains whole grains and fruit and is also dairy free.

What you will need:

Dry Ingredients-

• 1 cup sweet sorghum flour
• 1 cup commercial gluten-free self-raising flour *(see note at the end of post)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup raw castor sugar

Wet Ingredients-

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup soy milk (or alternative non-dairy milk)
• 1/4 cup vegetable or rice bran oil
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice (drained from the tin of crushed pineapple)
• 1/2 cup of tinned crushed pineapple (juice drained)

Crumble Topping (optional) -

• 1/8 cup quinoa flakes
• 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp coconut sugar (or soft brown sugar)
• Olive oil spray

What you need to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare a muffin tray by spraying with olive oil spray.

2. Prepare the topping mixture by combining quinoa flakes, cinnamon and coconut sugar and mix well. Set aside.

3. Sift the flours into a bowl with the baking powder and cinnamon. Add sugar and mix until combined.

4. In a jug or bowl, add all the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined. Don't overbeat or this will result in a tough muffin.

6. Spoon mixture in to the muffin tray. Sprinkle a teaspoon of the crumble topping mixture and then spray lightly with olive oil.

7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

* Note - the commercial gluten-free self-raising flour mix can be substituted for a combination of other flours with at least 1/3 starch, such as tapioca or potato, as well as 1/3 white or brown rice flour, and 1/3 sorghum flour. In this case you will also need to add an additional 2 teaspoons of baking powder to the dry ingredients.

Asian Slaw

The festive season in Australia coincides with some of our hottest weather and often when attending gatherings with friends and family it is usual to be asked to bring along a salad. Tired of the standard fare, my husband discovered an Asian Slaw recipe by Jill Dupleix and decided to give it a try. He made a few changes to fit with our dietary needs and the result was absolutely delicious. It became our salad of choice this summer and we’ve already had multiple requests to make it again.

Aside from being tasty it is also extremely healthy. Full of fresh vegetables, herbs and antioxidant goodness with cashews to add extra protein.

What you will need:

For the salad

• Small wombok cabbage (about 500 grams)
• Small red cabbage (about 100 grams)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled
• 1 – 2 green (spring) onions
• Snow peas (about 100 grams)
• 1 cup of coriander leaves
• 1 cup of mint leaves
• 1 cup of Thai basil leaves
• ¼ cup of roasted cashews, roughly chopped

For the dressing

• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon of gluten free sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

What you need to do:

1.  Finely shred the wombok and red cabbage by cutting crosswise.

2.  Use a vegetable shredder to cut the carrot into long thin matchsticks. (Alternatively use a peeler to peel long shavings and then cut them into thin strips).

3.  Cut the spring onions and snow peas into long matchsticks.

4.  Place the vegetables into a large bowl and toss with the herbs.

5.  Add all the dressing ingredients to a dish and whisk together. Alternatively use a glass jar and shake together.

6.  Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Scatter the cashews over the top.

Delicious on it's own or as a side.

Notes:

·         For a spicier salad, cut a red chilli into long thin matchsticks and add with the vegetables.

·         If you don’t have a vegetable shredding peeler, use a normal peeler to peel long shavings and then cut them into thin strips.

·         Dress the salad just before serving otherwise the cabbage will go soggy.

Kale Chips

Without any doubt, kale chips are my absolute favourite snack. They are super healthy and so incredibly delicious that I never seem to be able to make enough. The good news is that they are also extremely simple to prepare.

What you will need:

• Kale
• Olive oil
• Salt

What you need to do:

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

2. Rinse off the kale leaves and pat them dry with a tea towel.

3. Tear the kale into smallish pieces and place on a baking tray,

4. Pour over some olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt.

5. Use your hands to massage the oil and salt through the kale, making sure each piece is well coated.

6. Place in the oven to cook. Cooking times vary and you need to keep a very close eye on your kale as it can very quickly burn. Usually 10 to 15 minutes is all it takes. I usually take it out two or three times to mix and turn as necessary.

7. When the kale is crisp, but still quite green, remove from the oven and eat immediately.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

This recipe may be the simplest and healthiest dessert I have ever made. For anyone who is dairy free or vegan, it is always exciting to discover a delicious and creamy dessert. Chia seeds have a long list of health benefits and are high in fibre, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. As a result, this dessert is so nutritious you can eat if for breakfast.

The secret to a thick and creamy pudding is to use a canned coconut milk rather than the coconut milk now sold in cartons, which is much more watery. It will still work with any dairy free milk, but will be less creamy and far runnier than this version.

What you will need:

1 400ml can of coconut milk (organic if possible)
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
3 tablespoons of raw organic cacao powder
4 tablespoons of white chia seeds
  
What you need to do:

1. Push cacao powder through a sieve to make sure there are no lumps. Add the coconut milk and maple syrup and whisk until combined.

2. Add the chia seeds and stir well. Leave to sit for about 15 minutes.

3. Stir again to mix the seeds through. They will have started to absorb the liquid and swell. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least for several hours.

White Chia Seeds

Lebanese Style Spinach and Lentil Soup

This delicious soup is simple to prepare and packed with nutritious ingredients. It is the perfect soup if you need to build up your iron levels. Both lentils and green veggies are high in iron, and the lemon juice will help with absorption.  This soup is wonderful all year round, but is especially good as the nights begin to cool down.

What you will need:

• Olive oil
• 2 medium brown onions
• 2 cups of green or brown lentils
• 2 litres of water
• 2 litres of vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• A large bunch of Swiss chard OR English spinach OR kale
• Juice of half a lemon
• Coriander or mint, or a combination of both.

What you need to do:

1.  Roughly chop the brown onions and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes.

2.  Add the crushed garlic and stir quickly, add the cumin and cinnamon stick and stir for about 30 seconds.

3.  Add the rinsed and drained lentils and mix well before adding the stock and water.

4.  Bring soup to the boil and then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for about 30 to 40 minutes until the lentils are tender but still firm.

5.  Rinse the chard or spinach and chop into 1 cm strips and then add to the soup. Simmer gently for a further 5 minutes if using spinach, 10 minutes if using chard or 15 minutes if using kale.

6.  Add lemon juice and chopped herbs. Season to taste.

Cauliflower Soup

I love this recipe because it is so simply, and also so delicious.  Cauliflower can be very inexpensive when in season and so often I'll buy two, one to eat during the week and the other I turn straight into this wonderful soup.

What you will need:

1 medium to large head of cauliflower (at least 750 grams)
1 - 2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (if cauliflower is bigger, just add another 1/2 to 1 cup of stock)
salt and pepper to taste

What you need to do:

1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the cauliflower and stir for about 3 - 5 minutes, until the cauliflower has just started to soften and turn golden-brown.

3.  Add the stock to the pot. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.

4.  Use a stick blender to process until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  (You can use a food processor by transferring the soup in batches and then returning to the pot).

5.  Serve with freshly ground black pepper.  If you eat dairy products, you can also grate some fresh parmesan cheese on top.

Kale and Brown Rice

This really isn't a recipe at all but rather, it's a quick showcase of my favourite comfort foods, brown rice and kale.  My husband jokes that I have the most boring taste and after 17 years together still can't understand how I can be content to eat plain boiled brown rice.  He was the one who first named it my 'comfort food'.  When I was in my early 20s and saving up for my first overseas trip, I at brown rice for lunch every day while my workmates feasted on an array of delights from the nearby food court.  The rice served me well and I was soon jetting off to the UK while my colleagues were still stuck in their cubicles, albeit with tasty lunches.  It was many years later that I discovered kale and thankfully it is now readily available in supermarkets here.  How I lived without it so long I don't know.

Often, for a quick lunch, I'll serve brown rice with sautéed kale.  My girls and I absolutely love it.  A quick 'recipe' follows.

What you will need:

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of brown rice
• lots of fresh kale
• small clove of garlic (I often use just half)
• 1 tsp chilli in soy bean oil (from Chinese supermarkets, not spicy at all)
• Peanut oil
• about a tablespoon of good quality gluten free oyster sauce

What you need to do:

1.  Put the brown rice on to boil, usually takes about 25 to 30 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, wash the kale, remove from stems and chop roughly.

3.  When the rice is about 5 minutes from being ready, heat the peanut oil in a wok.

4.  Add the garlic and chilli in soy bean oil and stir quickly.

5.  Add the kale and mix well, stirring constantly.  Add a little water and cover to steam.  Cook until the kale softens, but is still green.

6.  Add the oyster sauce and mix well.  Cover and let sit while you drain the rice.

7.  Serve the rice and kale side by side.  If you want to really go wild, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a taste sensation.

Dad's Super Gluten Free Pancakes

Pancakes are a favourite breakfast/brunch in our home and for years my husband has been working to perfect a healthy gluten and dairy free version for the girls and I.  He has finally happy with his mix and has agreed to let me share his recipe at last.

What you will need:

• 2 cups of gluten free flour (see note below for options)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp bi-carb soda
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 tbsp rice bran or vegetable oil
• 2 cups non-dairy milk (we use soy)
• pinch of salt

A note about the gluten free flour mix:

When it comes to gluten free flours there are a huge array of possibilities, with greatly varying results. The standard supermarket bought flour mixes are predominantly starch with little, if any, nutritional value. Our aim has been to use a mix of flours that give a finished product that is light, delicious and highly nutritious. Here are a few possibilities you can try:

Flour option 1 - one cup of a starchy type of GF flour like a commercial blend or tapioca, and one cup of a more nutritious flour like sweet sorghum.

Flour option 2 - 3/4 cup of starchy GF flour, 1/4 cup brown rice flour, 1/4 cup sweet sorghum flour and 1/8 cup of high protein GF flour like quinoa or teff.

Flour option 3 - the Superfoods option, and the one we use for best results - 1/2 cup starchy GF flour (commercial or tapioca), 1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour, 1/3 cup brown rice flour, 1/3 cup quinoa flour, 1/3 cup teff flour.

You can play around with the flour mix as long as you end up with 2 cups of flour. 

Gluten free flours are now readily available in supermarkets and health food stores.

What you need to do:

     1.  Sift the flours, baking powder and bi-carb into a large mixing bowl. 

     2.  Separate the eggs and add the egg yolks to the flour mix. Set the egg whites aside

     3.  Add the golden syrup, oil, milk and salt to the bowl and mix together.

     4.  Whist the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Slowly fold egg whites into the pancake 

           batter.

   

     5.  Heat a frypan to medium and lightly oil before cooking batter in batches.

   

     6.  Enjoy with maple syrup, fresh berries or whatever toppings your prefer.

Sweetcorn Fritters

Everyone loves a fritter.  Well, everyone except my children.  They are finally coming around after years of rejection.  This is the recipe that seems to have won them over.

What you will need:

• 3 cobs of corn, steamed and kernels removed
• Chopped fresh parsley, roughly quarter of a cup
• 2 organic eggs
• 1/4 cup non dairy milk (I use soy as it is less sweet than some others but unsweetened almond would be fine too)
• 1/3 cup quinoa flour
• 1/3 cup brown rice or sorghum flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil for cooking

What you need to do:

1.  In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs and add the milk.

2.  Mix in the flours, cumin and salt and pepper to make a smooth batter.

3.  Add the cooled corn kernels and the chopped parsley and mix well.

4.  Heat a non-stick pan and add a little olive oil.

5.  Place heaped spoons of the mixture into the pan.  Cook for a few minutes before flipping.  Ensure that the fritters are golden brown and cooked through.

6.  Keep fritters warm in the oven while you cook the remaining batter.

7.  You can serve the fritters with green salsa, a quinoa salad or any other salad or vegetable side dish.

Notes:

• You can substitute a can of corn kernels but the result is nowhere near as tasty as using fresh corn.
• Any combination of gluten free flours will work.  I use quinoa to increase the nutrient profile and provide additional protein.
• If you can tolerate dairy products, regular cows milk would be fine.
• If the batter is too thick, just add a little extra milk to the mixture.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Chunky Green Salsa

I suppose this recipe is more of a salad than a salsa, but in our family we know it as 'Mum's green salsa'.  It works well served with sweetcorn fritters and is fantastic with grilled seafood or as a side dish with almost anything.

What you will need:

•  3 - 4 Lebanese cucumbers
• 2 medium avocados (ripe, but with firm firm flesh)
• Fresh parsley, small handful
• Fresh mint, small handful
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Olive oil\
• Salt and pepper

What you need to do:

1.  Chop the cucumbers into 1cm squares.  Do the same with the avocado.

2.  Rinse and then finely chop the parsley and mint.  Mix together in a bowl.

3.  In a small jar or dish, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice (use equal parts).  Add salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Dress the salsa and leave to sit for about half an hour before eating.  Stir gently several times to mix the salad and herbs through the dressing.

Gluten Free Apple and Cinnamon Mini Muffins

I had been wanting to have a go at making some gluten free muffins for awhile now and today I took the plunge.  I don't like using commercial gluten-free flours as they are almost all starch and have little, if any, nutritional value.  For this recipe I've used my own combination which worked well and the muffins were nice and light.  The big stamp of approval came from my girls who are notorious for not eating anything I bake.  This time they were begging for more!

What you will need:

Dry Ingredients-

• 1 cup quinoa flour
• 1 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar

Wet Ingredients-

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (rice, almond, soy)
• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 eggs

Extras-

• 2 small or one large apple, peeled and grated

What you need to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Spray a mini-muffin tray with olive oil spray or equivalent.

2.  Sift the flours, cinnamon and baking powder into a mixing bowl.  Stir in brown sugar.

3.  In another bowl or large jug combine all the wet ingredients and mix well.

4.  Tip the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

5.  Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray and bake for 12 minutes or until cooked.

These muffins are delicious right out of the oven, are great in lunch boxes and also freeze well.

Variations:

• To make larger muffins just increase the cooking time to about 20 minutes.
• For a vegan version use an egg replacer instead of the eggs.
• The sugar could be reduced to 1/2 cup if desired.
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts could be added at step 4, or you could put some chopped walnuts on the top of each muffin before baking.

Mediterranean-Style Chicken Soup

The last couple of weeks have seen the temperature dropping and a lot more people coming down with the coughs and colds often associated with this time of year.  It may be an old wives tale, but there is a lot to be said for a bowl of homemade chicken soup.  In many traditional cultures cooking broths from bones was said to help heal and strengthen the body.  There is also the obvious comfort you get from consuming a steaming hot bowl of soup.  This recipe is one that I have adapted from a book called 'Trupp's Wholefood Kitchen' and is a slight variation on the 'typical' chicken soup recipe.  You can make this as a vegetarian/vegan soup by substituting seasoned tempeh or smoked tofu for the chicken.

What you will need:

• 8 chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup of white wine
• 2 litres of stock (chicken or vegetable)
• 4 medium-sized, firm fleshed potatoes
• 1 large leek, finely sliced
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 1 handful of green and black olives
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp salted baby capers
• 2 tablespoons of butter (substitute with oil for vegan version)
• 1 pinch of saffron
• few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

What you need to do:

1.  Rinse the chicken legs (remove skin if desired) and place into a stockpot.  Cover with wine and water, bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer.

2.  Peel potatoes and cut into 1cm cubes.  Remove the dark green leaves and cut the leek in half, and then into 1cm squares.

3.  Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add potatoes, leek, garlic and capers.  Cook for 5 - 6 minutes over medium heat, and then add to chicken in stock-pot.

4.  Chop tomatoes into 1cm cubes.  Add tomatoes and saffron to stock-pot and bring to the boil.  Cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

5.  Meanwhile, chop thyme and parsley.  Pitt olives if not already done.

6.  Remove chicken legs from stock.  Get rid of any remaining skin and discard.  Remove all meat from the bones and return the meat to the stock.

7.  Add thyme, olives, parsley and season with salt and pepper.

8.  Serve drizzled with olive oil.