WHAT YOU NEED:

*You can use any variation of non-starchy vegetables






3 zucchinis cut into long wedges
1 bunch of asparagus
15 button mushrooms
1 punnet of tomatoes
1 red capsicum roughly cut
1/4 cup Kalamata olives 
3 cloves of garlic
small bunch of rosemary thinly sliced
2 chicken breasts (or thighs) sliced into quarters
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray
*You could add green beans, yellow squash, carrot or any vege you have in the fridge
Serve with red wine vinegar and cracked pepper.

WHAT YOU DO:

Preheat oven at 190 degrees and chop all the vege into rough shapes and throw into a roasting pan. 

Place the chicken on top of the vege and crush 3 cloves of garlic over the top. I threw the remnants of the cloves into the pan for extra aromatics.

Sprinkle rosemary and olives over the top. Spray a generous amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the top. 

Cook for approximately 45 min at 170 degrees - Cook until browned. 

Serve with red wine vinegar and some cracked pepper. :)

I was inspired to make this Orange Quinoa Salad after having a chat to my friends about this remarkable little seed. If you've had quinoa before and thought it tasted like 'wet grass', give it another try. We had this salad with a beautiful piece of salmon and the flavour combinations were brilliant.











WHAT YOU NEED:

3/4 cup of quinoa
1.5 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (you may need more)
1 orange
1/2 a lime
1 red capsicum diced finely
2 cups of salad greens (chopped roughly)
2 carrots grated
1 tbs dried cranberries
1 tbs almonds thinly sliced

WHAT YOU DO:

Pour the quinoa into a deep pan and lightly toast over a low heat until you hear a seed 'pop'. NOTE: I kept an eye on it as I've never done this before and kept 'swirling' the seeds to ensure they didn't burn!

Pour the stock into the pan and let the quinoa simmer for about half an hour, or until it becomes a translucent and the seed 'tails' appear. Transfer to a salad bowl and allow the quinoa to cool.

Dice the capsicum, grate the carrots and juice the orange and lime. Stir the carrot, capsicum and 'juice' into the quinoa and let it chill in the refrigerator. 

Whilst waiting for the quinoa to chill and soak up some of the juice, I recommend cooking a piece of salmon to serve alongside the salad. 

Before serving, slice up some salad greens and stir through. Garnish with some plump dried cranberries and thinly sliced almonds. Delish-wah!

Forget 'Pea and Ham Soup', try this variation using smoked salmon!







WHAT YOU NEED: 

500g dried green split peas

500g frozen fresh peas

Half bunch celery

3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 carrots

400 to 500g smoked salmon
2 stock cubes

6 cups boiling water
2 tbsp (or a drizzle) canola or rice bran oil

WHAT YOU DO:

Always check dried legumes (split peas) for stones/grit and rinse thoroughly. Put split peas into water to soak in the morning before work (or overnight). No need to measure the water, just drown them. If you haven't had time to soak them just follow the cooking suggestions on the packet.

Drain and rinse the soaked split peas. Add to saucepan or pressure cooker with 6 cups boiling water (quickest to put 6 cups into kettle), stock cubes and smoked salmon. If using saucepan, simmer for 30 minutes, or until the peas disintegrate, stirring occasionally. If using pressure cooker, bring to pressure then simmer for 15 minutes, turn off heat and let the pressure subside naturally.  

While split peas are cooking, chop the washed celery into roughly one inch bits, leaves and all. 
Mince the celery in a food processor
. Grate or mince carrot. 
Fry crushed garlic in oil until lightly golden.

Put frozen peas into blender. Add enough hot soup to cover them and blend until puréed.

Add purée, celery and carrot in the soup pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring continuously.

Serve with natural yogurt, garnished with celery leaves. Yummo & very hearty! 

This meal was dead easy and very delicious. Using shortcuts like ready shredded cabbage and carrot (i.e. dry coleslaw mix) makes a meal like this FAST in prep. It took just over an hour to gently cook, but this ensured a moist and tender meatloaf.  This is how I did it!

WHAT YOU NEED:
​
1 packet dry coleslaw mix
2 cloves garlic
1TBS seeded mustard
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
3-4 eggs (depending on size)
Any herbs/spiced you have in fridge (I used lemongrass and a little chili)
Olive oil spray
500g turkey mince
1TBS psyllium husk

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat oven 160 degrees.

Saute your pack of dry coleslaw mix for a few mins in some garlic, a light spray of olive oil and any herbs you would like to use up.

In the meantime cook 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of stock. I did this in the microwave (10-15 mins) in a rice cooker container, but you could do it on the stove top.

In a big bowl stir through cooked coleslaw mix, 500g raw turkey mince, 1 generous tablespoon of seeded mustard and when ready the cooked quinoa. Crack in 3-4 eggs and sprinkle with 1 TBS psyllium husks - the eggs and psyllium will bind it all together.

Pop mix into a loaf tin (sprayed with olive oil so it doesn't stick) and press down. Cook gently for 60-70 mins at 160 degrees.

It is delicious hot, but also great cold for picnics/lunches.

ENJOY!

Pizza is one of those foods that tastes amazing but often leaves you feeling a little heavy afterwards. In a creative twist, this base is uses predominantly cauliflower, a non-starchy vege that is very low in calories.

One of my injured clients decided to reduce the amount of carbohydrate energy she was consuming at night and decided to give this a go.

Here is an amended recipe for you to try at home!

WHAT YOU NEED - BASE ONLY:
1 whole cauliflower head
1/4 cup light mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup parmesan cheese
1 whole egg
1/4 cup almond meal (optional ~ may need later depending on how well you drain cauliflower)
Sprinkle of oregano, basil & thyme
Sprinkle of pepper & chili flakes (optional)

WHAT TO DO - BASE ONLY:
Preheat oven to 180*c. 

Chop all florets off the cauliflower. Put in a food processor, and pulse for 30 seconds until in rice consistency (not mash). Alternatively use a grater and finely grate the cauliflower to form that same rice consistency.

Transfer into a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 4 minutes. Then transfer cauliflower mix onto absorbent paper towel or a dry tea towel, let cool before next step.

Wrap tightly in towel and wring out ALL the water that has formed (this is critical, otherwise you’ll have a soggy base) – try get all the water out until becomes semi-dry and light. Place back into bowl.

Add cheeses, herbs & spices. Then add the whole egg. Mix with hands until thoroughly combined. (Add the almond meal if you think mixture is too wet)

Grab half the mixture and flatten with hands on a lined baking tray.  Do the same with other half.

Bake for 10-12 mins, or until brown and looking firm.

Pull out of oven and cool slightly.

Add desired pizza toppings. I recommend loads of vegetables, some quality lean meat and just a tiny amount of cheese. After all, there is cheese in the base.

Go and return to oven for a further 10 minutes until ready to be eaten!

Enjoy!

This recipe is simple and gluten free for our GF FEEDies. A delicious hot as a Sunday breakfast option or as a cold lunchbox snack. Enjoy!







WHAT YOU NEED

145 g milk (any low fat type)
50 g buckwheat flour
50 g ground almond meal
20 g ground flaxseed (linseed)
10 g sunflower seed
10 g pumpkin seed
half teaspoon bicarb soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

WHAT TO DO

1.     Mix milk, buckwheat flour, almond meal, flaxseed, baking soda and vinegar to form a batter

2.     Add pancake batter in dollops of 2 TBS to hot pan

3.     Sprinkle with pumpkin/sunflower seeds

4.     Cook on low heat for about 2 minutes until lightly browned

5.     Turn pancake over and leave until cooked through

6.     Fresh fruit, honey, ricotta etc can be eating with the pancakes