Moussaka with Cauliflower Béchamel

A few years ago we had an amazing holiday in Greece and although it was the height of summer I still enjoyed ordering moussaka.  It was absolutely delicious but also very rich and filling.  The other day across my Facebook feed came a "paleo moussaka" from Australia'a favourite Paleo Chef Pete Evans.  As a Nutritionist there are a few things I don't agree with about paleo eating (the exclusion of wholegrains and dairy) but there are a few things I love (plenty of veggies and lean protein).  I loved how the paleo recipe included cauliflower in the béchamel sauce and the layer of silver beet (swiss chard).   Cauliflower and silver beet are both a great source of Vitamin C.  Combining this with zinc from the lamb makes this a great immune boosting recipe for winter. I decided to combine the paleo recipe with a more traditional Greek recipe from George Colombaris to create a beautiful healthy moussaka.  

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MOUSSAKA WITH CAULIFLOWER BÉCHAMEL

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplant (about 450 g), sliced 1-cm thick
• sea salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ bunch of silverbeet or kale (about 200 g), central stalks removed and leaves chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 600 g lamb or beef mince
• 1 red capsicum/red pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried organo
• 2 crushed cardamon pods
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 400g tins of crushed tomatoes

Cauliflower béchamel

• ½ head cauliflower (about 550 g), processed into "rice"
• 500 ml (2 cups) milk
• 3 tablespoons arrowroot (see note)
• 80g parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Cook the eggplant in batches in a frying pan with a little olive oil over med-high heat until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean, add a little more olive oil and sauté the silverbeet or kale over medium heat for 2 minutes or until wilted. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the lamb or beef mince and spices, breaking up any lumps with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the meat is browned. Add the tinned tomatoes, mix to combine and simmer for 15 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, to make the cauliflower bechemal, bring half the milk to the boil with the cauliflower rice and simmer  for 15 minutes until very soft.  Process with a stick blender.  Whisk the arrowroot with the remaining  milk until combined. Turn the heat down to low and whisk in the milk and arrowroot mixture. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly.
5. To assemble, lay half the eggplant slices in a single layer in a large baking dish. Spread the silverbeet or kale on top, then pour on the mince mixture. Add the remaining eggplant slices. Finally, pour over the cauliflower béchamel.  Sprinkle with extra parmesan.
6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving with a simple green salad

Serves 6

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One pan Mexican Quinoa and Black Bean bowl

This is my new favourite dinner that I could eat every day for a month and not tire of.  You will desperately hope there will be enough for leftovers for lunch!  This recipe is full of veggies, black beans and quinoa so it delivers plenty of fibre and plant based protein which is a winner for preventing lifestyle diseases such as some cancers, cardiovascular disease and stroke plus it tastes amazing and will keep you full for ages.

This recipe was inspired by marin mama cooks but I've increased the veggies and beans a bit and "Australianised" the ingredients.  I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced

• 1 red chilli, half the seeds removed and sliced

• 1 cup well-rinsed and scrubbed quinoa

• 1 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 2 rinsed and drained cans of black beans

• 1 can tinned diced tomatoes

• 1 medium zucchini diced

• 2 red capsicums, diced

• 1 tablespoon Mexican spice powder (I used Herbies but masterfoods do one too or use 1/2 tsp chilli, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander)

• pinch of salt

• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

• juice of one lime

• chopped fresh coriander leaves, greek yoghurt and shredded sharp cheese to serve

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a large frypan over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and fresh chilli and cook for one minute stirring well.

Add in the chicken stock, quinoa, black beans, tinned tomatoes, zucchini, capsicum, salt, and spices.  

Stir well, then bring to the boil.  Reduce heat, cover and leave to simmer for 20 -25 minutes until cooked.

Before serving stir through the lime juice and chopped coriander.  Serve with a sprinkle of cheese and a dollop of greek yoghurt.

Serves 6

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Gado-gado with Chicken sates

I adore chicken sates and gado-gado, both firm favourites from learning Indonesian at school and many many visits to our northern neighbour.  I love gado-gado as a fantastic way of having a filling salad at dinner with plenty left over for lunch the next day.  Here's my recipe, adjust it to suit your favourite veggies.

I also have a low FODMAP satay sauce recipe which you can access here.

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Ingredients

• 600 gm, chicken, cubed

• 1 onion

• 2 tab lemon juice

• 2 cloves garlic

• sml knob of ginger peeled

• 1-2 fresh red chillis (seeded if you don’t want it too hot)

• 1/3 cup tamari

• 1 tab brown sugar

• 270ml coconut milk

• ½ cup 100% crunchy peanut butter

• 3 handfuls baby spinach

• 4 soft boiled eggs

• 6 new potatoes, boiled until soft, about 10 mins

• 2 carrots

• big handful of green beans

• 2 lebanese cucumbers, cut into long batons

• bean shoots

Method

1. In a food processor blitz the onion, garlic, ginger, chili. Mix in the tamari, lemon juice and sugar. Add to a ziplock bag with the chicken pieces. Leave to marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge. Soak 12 bamboo skewers.

2. Prepare your gado-gado salad by assembling the veggies that you like, I’ve included a suggested list in the ingredients, but use the gado-gado to clean up your fridge. You can also include quickly fried firm tofu pieces.

3. Remove the chicken pieces from marinade (reserve the marinade) and thread onto the skewers.

4. Pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan, add the coconut milk and peanut butter. Bring to the boil and heat through until thickened. Taste and adjust for lemon juice, tamari and chili.

5. Barbecue the chicken for 6 minutes or so until they are browned and cooked through. Serve sates with the gado-gado salad.

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Wholemeal Spelt Pizzas

I love homemade pizza on a hot summer night.  I use a wholemeal spelt flour in my pizza base to improve the fibre content, and because I find the wholemeal spelt gives better results than wholemeal flour.  If you have a sensitive tummy spelt can sometimes be better tolerated than a traditional wheat flour as it has less gluten (but it is NOT gluten free).  If you're pushed for time you can use wholemeal pita breads - however a Thermomix or stand mixer means the making the dough is very painless as long as you have time to let it rise.

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ingredients

• 200 grams wholemeal spelt flour
• 200 grams bakers flour
• 125 grams semolina
• 5 grams salt
• 1 sachet dry yeast (7 grams)
• 300 ml mineral water
• 15 ml olive oil
• passata
• a mix of grilled veggies, I like eggplant and capsicum
• fresh bocconcini, drained
• prosciutto
• A big rocket and spinach salad, with sliced pear and parmesan shavings, dressed with lemon and EVOO to serve

Thermomix recipe

1. If the mineral water is fridge cold, cook for 50 seconds at 90 degrees on speed 1
2. Place the water, yeast, oil and salt in TM bowl. Mix for 5 seconds on speed 3.
3. Add flours, mix for 6 seconds on speed 8.  Set dial to closed lid position. Knead the dough for 2 minutes on Interval speed.

Stand mixer recipe

1. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, add the flour, semolina and salt. Whisk the yeast, mineral water and oil in a separate bowl. Turn the mixer to slow, add the liquid all at once, and bring together to a soft dough. Once combined, turn the speed to high and mix for a further 6 minutes until you have a smooth, silky, springy dough.

METHOD

1. Cover and allow to prove for 45 minutes in a warm spot.
2. Preheat oven to 220°C.
3. Knock back dough and shape into 4 small balls. Allow to rest for another 5 minutes, then roll out thinly. 
4. Top with passata and pizza toppings bake for 10-15 minutes.
5. Serve with a big green salad.

Spanish gazpacho - drink your veggies

A couple of years ago we had a beautiful holiday in Andalusia, Spain.  We'd sit out in the garden and start our meal with short glass of gazpacho which you could buy in tetra packs from the supermarket.  I've come up with this recipe which gets some veggies into everyone before the meal has started.  I tend to use tomato juice (no added salt or sugar), it would be better to use real tomatoes but I can't get that lovely rich tomato flavour from the disappointing supermarket tomatoes.  The advantage of tomato juice is there is no de-seeding or peeling.  Think of it as a red green smoothie!

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Ingredients

• 2 slices crusty bread

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1/2 small garlic clove, crushed

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• 1L tomato juice

• 1 red capsicum, seeded, chopped

• 1 lebanese cucumber, seeded, chopped, plus extra finely chopped as a garnish

• 1/2 long red chilli, seeded

• 3 green onions, chopped

• 2 tabs olive oil

METHOD

1. Break bread into large pieces and place in a bowl (or your thermomix bowl). Pour over red wine vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes

2. Place bread in a blender or food processor. Add garlic, sugar, tomato juice, capsicum, cucumber, chilli and green onions, and blend until combined (1 minute speed 10 in thermomix). With processor running, pour in olive oil in a thin stream

3. Transfer gazpacho to a large jug, cover and refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, stir well with ice cubes and add extra finely chopped cucumber as a garnish.

Chicken fajitas

The weather is warming up in Sydney so I am making some quick chicken fajitas featuring lime and capsicum (peppers).  This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson's "Kitchen".  Capsicums (red peppers) are low in fat, carbs and calories and high in antioxidants such as beta-carotene a precursor to vitamin A, helping to promote vision and support a healthy immune system.  Capsicum is also packed full of vitamin C and their sweet flavour means they are a favourite with kids.

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 ingredients

• 2 skinless chicken breasts, sliced into long strips (or you can use precut stirfry chicken)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tab extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 capsicums (red, yellow or orange) cored and cut into strips
• hot chilli sauce, avocado, baby spinach, coriander leaves, 4 soft wholegrain tortillas (to serve)

METHOD

1. Combine the chicken with the oregano, cumin and lime juice. Leave to marinade while you slice up the onion and capsicum. Pop the tortillas in a low warm oven
2. In a frying pan, saute the onion over medium heat with a little olive oil and one crushed garlic clove for five minutes.  Add the capsicum to the frypan and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and put in a bowl.
3. Add the remaining 1/2 tab of olive oil and other crushed garlic clove to the pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and its marinade. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Check that the chicken is piping hot and cooked through, then add the onions and capsicum. Stir together, then transfer them to a serving dish.
4. Take the warmed tortillas out of the oven and put them on the table alongside the chicken mixture, chilli sauce, avocado, baby spinach leaves and chopped coriander for everyone to assemble.

Thai style beef salad

This is how I like to eat in summer - a big salad topped with delicious steak.  I discovered this salad when I was pregnant as I was trying to increase my iron stores and eat lots of leafy greens.  It's now a firm family favourite and perfect for my teenage children who need zinc and iron for growth, energy and immunity.

GF, LF, FF - see below for notes

ingredients

• 400 g lean beef (I like sirloin or porterhouse)
• plenty of black pepper
• olive oil
• 2 large handfuls asian salad mix or baby spinach leaves
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 20 green beans, sugar snap peas or snow peas, blanched
• 2 red capsicums,sliced
• 2 Lebanese / Japanese cucumbers sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 small bunch coriander picked
• 1 small bunch mint picked
• Cashews to sprinkle over

Dressing

• juice from 2-3 limes
• 1 sliced red chilli (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoon palm sugar (or castor sugar)

METHOD

1. Season the steak with the pepper and cook in a hot pan with a little olive oil until medium rare. Remove from the pan, cover loosely and allow to rest for about 5 minutes then slice thinly.
2. Combine the salad leaves, tomatoes, green beans, capsicum, cucumber, onion and herbs.
3. Add the sliced beef.
4. Make the dressing by mixing the lime juice, chilli, fish sauce and sugar.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through. Top with a small handful of cashews.
6. Divide between serving bowls and enjoy. Lean chicken breast, grilled fish or grilled firm tofu can be used in place of the beef.

Serves 4

GF - check fish sauce,

FF (FODMAP friendly) - substitute green tops of spring onion for onion, limit portion of snow peas to five pods, substitute peanuts for cashews

Cauliflower and broccolini fried rice served with pickled cucumber

A vegetable hack I've been using a lot lately is to mix in half cauliflower rice with our brown basmati.  Tonight I'm sharing my cauliflower fried rice which is a huge hit. I serve it with quickly pickled cucumber, a fried egg and some tamari almonds. I did wonder how the "rice" would be received - see picture below, but mixed in with aromatic ginger and coriander plus the colour somewhat disguised by turmeric no-one gave it a second thought!

Cauliflower is a fantastic vegetable being a source of cancer-fighting agents (glucosinolates).   I've been using a lot of turmeric in my recipes recently as the active ingredient -curcumin - as it has been linked to warding off dementia and preventing cancer.  The AIS is investigating the anti-inflammatory properties for use as a sports supplement.

(I am listing this a vegetarian, but you'll need to take out the ham)

Cauliflower and broccolini fried rice with ginger and turmeric

Serves:

4

Ingredients

• 1/2 head of cauliflower

• 1 bunch broccolini

• 200g packet of pre-cooked brown basmati rice

• 2 french shallots

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 cm piece of ginger

• 1 red chilli (seeds removed)

• 1 bunch of coriander

• 100g ham

• 2-3 tab tamari

• 2-3 tsp tomato sauce (I use sugar free)

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp paprika

• shallots to serve

• fried egg to serve

• cucumber pickle to serve

method

1. In a food processor or by hand pulse together the cauliflower florets and broccolini. Remove and set aside.

2. In food processor or by hand chop the shallots, garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander.

3. In a heavy bottom frypan or wok fry the processed shallot mixture in a tsp or so of coconut oil or olive oil. Stir fry for 3 minutes then add ham and fry for another minute or so.

4. Add pulsed cauliflower, broccolini and rice and fry for another minute.

5. Add turmeric, paprika, tamari and tomato sauce and fry for a few minutes.

6. I like to serve with a fried egg, some pickled cucumber, a squeeze of lime and some tamari almonds

7. Make a quick cucumber pickle by slicing up 2 cucumbers, pour over a little rice wine vinegar, a squeeze of lime juice and a tsp of sugar.

Have you been thinking for a while that you would love to find out more about your gut health or why your weight won’t shift no matter what you do? Or maybe you just want to feel less bloated, have more energy and understand what food you are meant to be eating?

I’m offering a free 15 minute call to work out a nutrition action plan to get you feeling your best. There are no commitments just a friendly chat so we can work out if I’m the right person to help you reach your health goals.

Rachel is a university qualified Clinical Nutritionist based in Balmain.  She is also the busy working mum of two teenagers, so is practical and realistic with her advice . Rachel offers private online or in person consultations to improve your family's health and well-being. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram for more healthy tips and tricks. 

Simon's baked beans

Having a rustle around in the freezer I found the ham bone I had saved from Christmas.  I asked my husband to make his amazing baked beans and he also wrote down the recipe as we can never quite remember how he makes them.  These make a delicious breakfast, lunch or easy dinner.  You can cook an egg in the bean mixture as well.  If you don't have a frozen ham bone left over from Christmas then you can get a ham hock from the butcher or make a vegetarian version. A diet rich in legumes such as cannellini beans  is associated with lowered blood sugar and reduced harmful LDL cholesterol.   They’ve been linked to reduced risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon and other cancers, as well as improved weight control.  Plus my kids love eating them!

Ingredients

• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 red onions roughly chopped.
• Splash of olive oil
• Ham bone (frozen from after Christmas) or ham hock.
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 x 400gm tin of crushed tomatoes
• 3 tbsp of maple syrup
• 2 tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp of smokey paprika
• 1 tsp of dried chilli flakes (this gives it just a hint of heat but up to you)
• 1 tsp of dry mustard powder
• 4 x 400gm tins of Cannellini Beans (drained and rinse beans from 3 of the tins, but use liquid and beans from 4th)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C.
2. Fry up garlic, onions and oil over a medium to high heat (choose a big pot that is also able to go in oven). Whack in the ham bone. Pour in 2 tins of tomatoes and the bay leaves. Then add the maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, and spices.
3. Drain the beans in a sieve and rinse off the briney liquid from 3 of the tins, but chuck liquid and beans from the 4th. Give it all a stir.
4. Check seasoning but probably could do with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Cover and put the pot in the oven for a 1 1/2 hrs.
6. I like to cook it the beans long enough so that the meat has fallen off the ham bone but not so long the dish becomes too dry. I switch off oven and just leave the pot in until I'm ready to serve.
7. Dish it up with crusty bread and green salad

You can also cook this in the slow cooker on low for 4 hours.  

Serves 8

Salmon, mussel and fennel stew

I love a fish stew and this is my simple one.  After watching a documentary last year about the fish farms in Vietnam I only buy Australian fish that has been sustainably farmed.  You can buy cleaned bearded mussels in the supermarket.  Mussels are a good source of omega -3 fatty acids.  These fats have many beneficial effects, including improving brain function and reducing inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis. Mussels are also a great source of vitamins such as zinc which helps build immunity.  Plus they are fun to eat, the kids love them! http://gty.im/175816512

Salmon, mussel and fennel stew

Author: rachel

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 bulb of fennel

• 1 red onion

• ½– fresh red chilli

• 2 cloves of garlic

• olive oil

• 125 ml white wine

• 700 g passata

• 1 small bunch of fresh basil

• 400 g mixture of fish fillets, scaled and pin-boned. I used salmon but snapper or whiting would be good. Cut into large chunks

• 1kg mussels scrubbed, clean and debearded

Instructions

1. In a large, deep frypan (with lid) heat a splash of olive oil. Finely slice the fennel, onion, chill and garlic and add to the pan. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

2. Add the white wine and let it simmer for a couple of minutes then add the passata and most of the basil (chopped). Simmer for a few minutes.

3. Add the fish and simmer for a couple of minutes

4. Add the mussels. Put the lid on the frypan and allow the mussels to open. When the mussels have opened (throw away any that remain closed), the fish will be cooked through (roughly four minutes).

5. Serve with crusty bread and a big green salad.

3.3.3077

Oven baked sausages with ratatouille

This is a fabulous recipe for a night where you are tired - the oven can do all the work.  Our oven has a reliable oven timer so I often pop this on to cook while I am driving around to pick the kids up from rugby practice etc.  It won't spoil if you leave it in the oven for 10 more minutes.  You can vary the veggies depending on what the team will eat and also add a tin of cannellini beans to make a cheats' cassoulet.

This is lactose-free and gluten-free, but I also have a low FODMAP ratatouille recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 red onion

• 1 whole head garlic

• 1 medium eggplant

• 2 zucchinis

• 2 red capsicums

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 x 400g tins canned tomatoes

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme and rosemary leaves

• sea salt

• black pepper

• 6 good quality pork sausages

• 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans (optional)

• 12 kalamata olives, unpitted

• fresh rosemary and thyme for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200C

2. Cut the onion into quarters, and the head of garlic in half crosswise.

3. Cut the eggplant into half and then rounds, the zucchinis into diagonal slices and the capsicums into thick slices, discarding core and seeds.

4. Arrange all the veggies except the zucchinis in a large oiled baking tray, burying the garlic halves cut-side down. Add the canned tomatoes and their juices, and a dash of water.

5. Tuck in the pricked sausages, drizzle with olive oil and scatter with thyme and rosemary, sea salt and pepper.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, then add the zucchini and cannellini beans (if using) and turn the sausages. Cook for another 15 minutes, until the veggies are cooked and sausages are browned.

7. To serve, scatter with olives, rosemary and thyme. Squeeze the roasted garlic on top, and drizzle with the pan juices.

Serves 4

Calories: 290 Fat:16g Saturated fat:4 Carbohydrates:28g Fiber:9g Protein:12g

Roasted tomato and white bean soup

Today I've got two sick children so I'm making soup for dinner.  Soup, particularly vegetable based soups are a great option nutritionally as they combine lots of key nutrients including vitamins and minerals for relatively few calories.  Tonight's soup is full of tomatoes, my son is happy to eat this although he will "never, ever eat a tomato". Tomatoes are a wonderful source of vitamin B6, C, K, beta-carotene, potassium and manganese. The lycopene in tomatoes has been linked to lower rates of heart disease and cancer.

Ingredients

• 1kg tomatoes, quartered or halved depending on size. I like a mixture of truss and romas.

• 1 red onion, peeled and quartered

• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 tab maple syrup

• 400g tin cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

• 250 - 500 ml water to taste

• Pesto to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200degrees.

2. Put tomatoes, garlic and onion in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup. Season to taste.

3. Roast for 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft

4. Squish garlic out of skin, and discard skin. Add all vegetables and juice to saucepan.

5. Add the canellini beans and process the mixture with a stick blender.

6. Add water (I tend to use closer to 250 ml as I like a thick soup) and heat through gently.

7. Serve with a dollop of pesto

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Lamb with lentils, feta and mint

IMG_4519

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

Rosemary chicken with pesto pasta

My basil plant is looking very healthy at the moment and as soon as I brush past and smell it I immediately think of pesto.  A huge bowl of pasta topped with an oily pesto isn't a great dinner, but in his "15 minute meals" Jamie Oliver has a wonderful pesto pasta served with chicken and a wide variety of veggies which is a much better balance for dinner.  I have changed this recipe around a bit as I find in the 15 and 30 minute meals Jamie jumps all over the place and I need to cook in a more orderly fashion!  This is a meal that my children adore and I like to serve it the night before a cross country carnival or rugby comp.  I often add in some zucchini noodles along with the pasta. Green beans and spinach are a wonderful source of dietary fibre which help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and helps prevent bowel cancer, diabetes and heart disease.  Best of all fibre helps you feel fuller for longer, helping you manage your weight more easily.   Chicken breast, almonds and parmesan are all good sources of protein which keeps you feeling fuller for longer.

taken from Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals

Rosemary chicken with pesto pasta

Adapted from Jamie Oliver 15 Minute Meals, Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2x 200g skinless chicken breasts

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 4- 5 cloves of garlic

• punnet ripe cherry tomatoes

  Pasta & Pesto

• 250g green beans

• 1 big bunch of fresh basil

• 50g blanched almonds

• 50g parmesan cheese

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 lemon

• 1 clove of garlic

• 250g dried pasta, pappardelle is nice

• 200g baby spinach

METHOD

1. Put the basil leaves, almonds, parmesan, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice into a food processor and blitz until smooth. You might need a spoonful of pasta cooking water (see step 5) to loosen.

2. Cut the chicken breast horizontally in half so that it is butterflied out. Season your chicken with salt, pepper, fennel seeds and rosemary leaves over greaseproof paper and then bash to flatten with a rolling pin. Put it in to the frying pan with your olive oil and the bashed, unpeeled garlic cloves. You will need to turn it after about 4 minutes and cook until golden.

3. Cook your pasta in a large saucepan according to packet directions. Trim your beans, and add them to the pasta for the last 5 minutes.

4. Halve your cherry tomatoes, add them to the chicken and shake the pan. Stir the spinach into your pasta pan and drain but reserve a little of the water.

5. Return everything to the pan, pour in your pesto and splash in the water until smooth and silky. Slice your chicken breasts in half and serve with the tomatoes on top.

Rachel is a university qualified Clinical Nutritionist based in Balmain.  She is also the busy working mum of two teenagers, so is practical and realistic with her advice . Rachel offers in person or online consultations to improve your family's health and well-being. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram for more healthy tips and tricks. 

Teriyaki salmon with soba noodles and greens

My children are really not great fish lovers, to get them to eat fish I need to come up with a sauce that disguises the flavour somewhat.  We all love teriyaki flavour and the fish is delicious served with soba noodles made from buckwheat flour.  Salmon is high in healthy long chain omega-3s essential fatty acids that are needed for heart and brain health.  The body can't make essential fatty acids so you have to eat them, I try to serve fish a couple of times a week. Be careful when you buy mirin, a lot of brands are full of high fructose corn syrup - I found the spiral brand doesn't contain HFCS.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/shutterbean/4642551334

Teriyaki salmon with soba noodles and greens

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp tamari or salt reduced soy sauce

• 2 tbsp sake

• 1 tbsp mirin

• 4 salmon fillets (about 120g each)

• 2 tsp olive oil

• greens of your choice, I like a mixture of asparagus, sugar snap peas and broccollini

• 270 g packet soba noodles

• 2 greens onions sliced on the diagonal

METHOD

1. Combine the tamari, sake and mirin in a small saucepan and bring to the boil for a minute or so. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes

2. Place the salmon in a glass or ceramic bowl. Pour over soy mixture and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Drain salmon from marinade, reserving marinade. Add salmon and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate.

4. Stir fry mixed greens for 2 minutes or until just tender. Add reserved marinade and bring to the boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

5. Meanwhile, cook noodles following packet directions. Drain. Divide noodles among serving bowls. Top with veggie mixture and salmon. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately.

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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