Baked eggs, spinach and ricotta in prosciutto cups

These make a delicious brunch and are perfect for lunch boxes.  My children enjoy them after an early morning swim squad or netball session and I love knowing I've got them in the fridge or freezer for an easy lunch.

Baked eggs, spinach and ricotta in prosciutto cups

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 eggs

• 6 slices of prosciutto

• baby spinach

• ricotta

• chopped herbs - parsley, basil and oregano (or herbs of choice)

• sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

• muffin liners - optional but does help with cleaning up

method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2. If using, line 6 muffin pans.

3. Cut each slice of Prosciutto in half and wrap into each cup to hold the egg mixture.

4. Put a few baby spinach leaves on top of the prosciutto

5. Crack in an egg to each muffin cup. Add a heaped teaspoon of ricotta.

6. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and chopped herbs.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until done.

Calories: 188 (792kJ) Fat: 12 Saturated fat: 5 Carbohydrates: 3 Sugar: 0 Sodium: 776 Protein: 19

Lamb with lentils, feta and mint

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Given the choice I am sure everyone in my family would be able to eat at least 4 or 5 lamb cutlets at a go.  However they are expensive and we just don't need to be eating such large amounts of protein at the expense of vegetables and pulses.  Lentils are a great way to balance out the proportion of meat to non-meat on your plate.  This is a delicious quick dinner and if you are having vegetarian guests you can increase the lentil salad size.  While you are prepping dinner you can add another tin of lentils and increase the quantities of tomatoes, cucumbers and feta and prepare a quick lentil salad for lunch the next day.

Lamb with lentils, feta and mint

Author:

rachel

Prep time:

10 mins

Cook time:

15 mins

Total time:

25 mins

Serves:

4

Ingredients

• 250g punnet cherry tomatoes

• 2 tab olive oil

• 12 kalamata olives, pitted

• 12 lamb cutlets, frenched

• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

• 400g can lentils, rinsed, drained

• 1 lebanese cucumber diced

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 50g sheeps' milk feta, crumbled

• 2 tablespoons mint leaves

• 200g baby spinach

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.

2. Toss tomatoes in 2 teaspoons oil, season and place on a baking tray. Roast for 15 minutes until soft.

3. Meanwhile, rub lamb with rosemary and 2 teaspoons oil. Season, then cook in a frypan over medium-high heat for 4 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook for a further 3 minutes for medium-rare, or until done to your liking.

4. Rest the lamb, covered loosely in foil, while you warm lentils in a small pan of simmering water for 5 minutes. Drain lentils and toss with diced cucumber, lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of oil. Season.

5. To serve, place baby spinach on platter, scatter lentils on top, top with slices of lamb and scatter with feta, tomatoes, olives and fresh mint.

Calories:

405 (1704 kJ)

Fat:

25

Saturated fat:

7

Carbohydrates:

13.7

Sodium:

382

Fiber:

6.3

Protein:

29

3.3.3077

Chicken, barley and lentil soup

This soup needs to be cooked when you have a bit of time on your hands as it takes about an hour to put together but you can just taste how nourishing it is.  I cooked it on a hot summer day in Sydney that had started off with a cool, overcast morning, can't wait to enjoy it on a cold winter's day.  This soup was based on a recipe by Jane Strode.

lentil

Chicken, barley and lentil soup

Author:

rachel

Prep time:

15 mins

Cook time:

1 hour

Total time:

1 hour 15 mins

Serves:

4

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil

• 2 brown onions, finely sliced

• 6 cloves garlic, finely sliced

• 1 cup pearl barley

• 1.5L chicken stock

• 1 cup French green (puy) lentils

• 6 dried bay leaves

• 20 sprigs thyme

• 4 chicken thigh fillets, sliced

• 2 handfuls baby spinach

Instructions

1. Sear the chicken until browned all over for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Place oil, onions and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Season with pepper and cook until soft and starting to colour, about 20mins.

2. Add barley and stock, bring to a simmer and cook a further 10mins. Add lentils, bay leaves and thyme; cook a further 20mins or until lentils and barley are tender. Add chicken and season with salt. Cook a further 5mins or until chicken is just cooked through.

3. To serve, warm soup over medium heat, add spinach and cook until just wilted. Garnish with a dollop of pesto (see note).

4. TIP:

5. Place leftover soup in small zip-lock bags and freeze – the single serves are convenient for work lunches or a quick dinner. Add extra spinach and pesto just before serving. Will keep for up to 6 weeks.

Notes

To make pesto, place 1 cup basil leaves,  ½ cup pine nuts, ¼ cup grated parmesan and 2 cloves garlic in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Gradually add 1/4 cup (70ml) extra virgin olive oil, processing to combine. Place in a clean container, cover with a little extra oil and refrigerate. Will keep for up to 4 weeks.[br]Prep: 20mins. Cooking: 1hr 5mins. Makes 2L.

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Lamb cutlets with chili and black olives

Today I thought I'd share another gorgeous Nigella recipe from her Express Kitchen cookbook.  I marinate these in 2 bags, one with chili for the adults and one without for the kids.

Lamb cutlets with chili and black olives

Author: rachel

Ingredients

• 12 lamb cutlets

• 1 x 15ml tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for frying

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

• 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• Zest and juice of 1 small lemon

• 1 teaspoon Maldon salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt

• 15 black olives, pitted and sliced

• 1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Layer the lamb chops between clingfilm and flatten gently with a rolling pin or mallet. Unwrap and place the chops in a large dish, so that they all fit in a single layer.

2. Pour the 4 tablespoons of oil over the chops and add the sliced garlic, chilli flakes, oregano, lemon zest and juice. Sprinkle with the salt and the olives, then turn the rib chops in the marinade so that both sides are coated.

3. Cover and leave the lamb to marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature.

4. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy-based frying pan, and add the chops, scraping off the marinade before you put them in the pan. (Reserve the marinade.) Fry them for a couple of minutes a side on quite a high heat so that they take on some colour.

5. Turn the heat down to medium and pour the reserved marinade into the pan over the now coloured chops. Add 2 tablespoons or so of water and cook for about 5 minutes for rare cutlets or a little longer if you like your lamb well done (this will also depend on the thickness of the chops).

6. Transfer the chops to a serving plate, pour over the juices from the pan and sprinkle with the chopped red chilli, should you feel like enhancing the dried chilli with the pep of fresh.

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NIgella's moonblush tomatoes

Here's a Nigella Lawson recipe that I use to turn supermarket tomatoes into gorgeous tomatoes.  I love to serve them on some salad leaves with slices of chevre and a few basil leaves.  Or delicious on the side of some grilled fish.  They take no time to prepare but it's best to make them the day before (or the morning before) you plan to eat them.  However I've had great results just from 30 minutes in the oven rather than overnight.

Ingredients

• 500g (about 24) on-the-vine cherry or other baby tomatoes

• 2 teaspoons Maldon salt or 1 teaspoon table salt

• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 x 15ml tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7.

2. Cut the tomatoes in half and sit them cut side up in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the salt, sugar, thyme and olive oil.

3. Put them in the oven, and immediately turn it off. Leave the tomatoes in the oven overnight or for a day without opening the door.

White bean puree - a mashed potato substitute

This is a very easy to make white bean puree which the whole family enjoys.  We have it with quickly cooked steaks and grilled asparagus.  It works as a mashed potato substitute and I am always happy to find ways  to use more legumes.

White bean puree - a mashed potato substitute

Serves:

2 (generous)

Ingredients

• 1 can cannelini beans (I always use the italian ones - they seem softer and also don't contain additives)

• 1 clove garlic

• 1/3 cup chicken stock

• 1 slice lemon rind

Method

1. Simmer the beans,garlic and lemon rind in the stock for about 5 mins.

2. Remove the lemon rind and puree with a stick blender. Once blended add 1/2 tab olive oil and quickly whiz again.

Cauliflower 'rice'

If you've overindulged on the bread, cheese, wine or chocolates on the weekend, why not have a lower-carb day and add some extra vegetables to your plate.  The marvellous Jane Kennedy came up with cauliflower rice in her book "cooking without the boombah".  I was extremely dubious about it, but served with something saucey you really don't miss the rice.  For the kids I mix in the cauliflower rice with their basmati. Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous family, like broccoli.  It contains sulforaphane, an anti-cancer compound.

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Cauliflower 'rice'

Author:

rachel

Serves:

2

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Take half a head of cauliflower. Break into florets and place into a microwave dish with a lid. Don’t add water. Turn on high for (approx) 4 minutes. Whizz the cauliflower with a Bamix or food processor until it resembles cous cous. It should be light and ‘fluffy’, not mushy.

2. The ‘rice’ soaks up the juices and flavours of whatever dish you’re serving….without the added calories.

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Italian country soup

This soup is based on a Bridgette Hafner recipe which I have added more veggies to.  I usually double the recipe as it freezes well and is great for tired children.  If you are vegetarian you could omit the pancetta. Cannellini beans are a great source of protein and fibre.  If you are a fan of having a "meat free Monday" this is a great recipe to make.  The original recipe used dried beans which were soaked overnight and added earlier in the recipe - I have tried it both ways and we like the tinned beans more.

photocredit https://www.flickr.com/photos/38467745@N02/

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 leeks, washed and sliced

• 100g flat pancetta, thinly sliced (optional)

• 2 carrots, diced

• 2 zucchini, diced

• 2 sticks celery, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small potato, peeled and chopped into small dice

• Sprinkle of dried oregano

• 2 tins of cannellini beans

• Splash of white wine

  1 tin Italian tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 4 cups water or chicken stock

• Salt and pepper

• 1 sprig rosemary

• Small handful of risoni (dried pasta shaped like rice) or small pasta shapes or broken fettuccine

• Two or three generous handfuls of baby spinach or kale

• Parmesan cheese, grated

• extra virgin olive oil, to serve

METHOD

1. In a heavy-based pot, gently cook the leeks, carrot, zucchini, celery, pancetta and garlic in the olive oil until softened and lightly golden. Add the potato and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the oregano, white wine, tomatoes and water or stock, season with salt and pepper and add rosemary.

2. Bring to the boil, skim the surface and simmer for 40-50 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the drained and rinsed breans, risoni and, if the soup has become a little thick, more water. Cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the baby spinach or kale.

3. Serve with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a dash of extra virgin olive oil.

Calories:286  Fat:7g Carbs:41g Fibre:8g Protein:13g