No cook, no fuss – perfect for when life gets super busy as it always does!
Just grab:
- store bought hot smoked salmon
- avocado
- raw coleslaw mix
- baby spinach
and place on a pumpkin chive GF bread roll. Tasty!
Tag: active living
Vegan Pumpkin Soup
Warms the soul as well as the belly!
Ingredients (serves 2-3)
- 200g butternut pumpkin
- 4 large carrots
- 125g can coconut cream
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- Chives to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200*C and roast the pumpkin and carrots until soft and golden. Allow to cool slightly.
- Place the roasted pumpkin and carrot, sage, rosemary, stock and coconut cream in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, place the mixture in a large bowl or saucepan and blend with a stick blender until smooth.
- Serve hot with chives on top.
Pie Maker Savoury Muffins
After a recent baking spree for night shift, I can now truly appreciate why people are going nuts over these pie makers!
You’d be surprised at what people can create in such a short space of time with one of these (a real bargain considering they’re only $29 from Kmart). For some epic recipe ideas, definitely look up the Australian Kmart pie maker recipe group on Facebook!
As part of my experimentation, I made an old recipe of mine, a cross between a muffin and a frittata – a fruffin if you will (because mufftata sounds a bit risky).
I made two different flavours of these by changing the spice, otherwise the base recipe is the same!
Ingredients (makes 12)
- 1 cup self raising flour (can use GF)
- 1 cup low fat milk
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
- 150g baby spinach leaves
- 3 large slices of Gouda, quartered
- Spice mix of your choice – I tried the Smokey BBQ and tangy turmeric dip bases by Morlife
Method
- Turn on the pie maker.
- Beat the eggs, then add the milk, flour, yogurt and spice mix and stir well to combine.
- Place spinach leaves at the base of the pie mould, then pour 1/8th cup of filling mixture on top. Place a small piece of cheese, then add another dollop of filling mixture to cover.
- Cook in the pie maker until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes). These will cook more evenly the more full the mould is.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge if they don’t all get eaten!
Lemon quince Pterodactyl wings
Sorry for the radio silence! Between studying for fellowship and moving, I’ve barely had time to function this year.
Now, I know this is not my normal kind of recipe, but if these make dinner easy and delicious for anyone else who’s busy like me then I’ll be happy!
These enormous turkey wings were cooked in my brand new oven, and what can I say, I’m impressed!
Ingredients
- Turkey wings (about 800g which was 5)
-
- 2 tablespoons lemon infused olive oil (I used
- )
- 2 tablespoons quince paste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170*C.
- In a bowl, mix the lemon olive oil and quince paste together. Spread the mixture on top of the turkey wings.
- Wrap the turkey wings all together in a parcel of baking paper (so that the quince doesn’t burn) and bake until cooked through (about an hour). Allow to rest before serving with your favourite greens!
Pumpkin Spiced Porridge
It’s only cold here for about 3 months of the year, which means there are 12 weeks of prime-pumpkin-porridge-tasting time to be enjoyed!
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 200g butternut pumpkin
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup quinoa flakes
- pinch of pumpkin spice (I use 1 tsp cinnamon with 1 tsp cardamom, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
- coconut or Greek yogurt and flaked almonds to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200*C. Skin and chop the pumpkin into small pieces and roast until soft and golden (approx 20-30 minutes).
- Place the pumpkin, spices and almond milk in a blender and process until smooth.
- Use the ‘pumpkin smoothie’ as a base to cook the quinoa flakes, on a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously (particularly the bottom so it doesn’t stick) until the flakes are soft and the mixture is thick and creamy. If you need to add more liquid, add more almond milk as you go.
- Top with yogurt and flaked almonds just before serving.
Tip: The most time-consuming part is roasting the pumpkin. So, roast a large pumpkin early in the week so that there’s plenty on hand to make porridge whenever you fancy!
Granola-Crusted Salmon
I know, it sounds ridiculous, but trust me, it works! The trick is to use a granola that’s nut-based and doesn’t contain added refined sugars.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 2 salmon fillets, skin off
- 1 small sweet potato
- 100g baby spinach
- 1 bunch asparagus (I prefer raw, but it can also be blanched in boiling water for 1 minute just prior to serving)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200*C. Chop the sweet potato into rough chunks and place on a lined baking tray. Bake until soft (20 minutes).
- On another lined baking tray, place the salmon and bake for 10 minutes. Crust the granola in a small bowl, and while still hot, place the salmon skin side down into the granola and press firmly to stick. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, and allow to rest before serving.
- Serve the salmon with potato, spinach and asparagus.
Roast Pumpkin and Eggplant Bake
This is one of my favourite meal-prep dishes ever, and I have been known to exist off it when I’m on a week of night shift. This is vegetarian soul-food at it’s finest – packed full of veggies and unbelievably tasty, plus easily adaptable to suit the vegans, dairy-free and coeliacs among us!
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 250g kent pumpkin
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 tin of diced tomatoes
- 4 fresh basil leaves or 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 clove of garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 cup salt-reduced stock (use either veggie or chicken – use a gluten free stock to make this coeliac friendly!)
- 1 yellow capsicum
- 2 large carrots
- 150g bag of baby spinach leaves (can also substitute for green kale)
- shredded mozzarella for sprinkling on top (portion dependent on how cheesy you like it, can be substituted for dairy-free cheese instead)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200*C. Slice the pumpkin into 1cm thick slices and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake until just soft (about 20 minutes – continue the rest of the recipe in the meantime!).
- Prepare the sauce: Place the tomatoes, stock, garlic and herbs into a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. If you like your sauce thicker, you can also add 1 tbsp tomato paste or substitute the tinned tomatoes for passata instead.
- Prepare the rest of the veggies: Slice the eggplant width ways into discs. Dice or slice the capsicum into small strips. Also slice the carrots length ways into small discs.
- In an oven-proof baking dish, start by laying down a layer of eggplant slices. Top with the spinach leaves, then a layer of pumpkin, followed by the capsicum and carrots, then half the sauce and a small sprinkle of cheese. Repeat the process with another layer of eggplant, then spinach, pumpkin, capsicum and carrot, with the rest of the sauce spooned over the top and sprinkled with cheese to your liking.
- Bake until the eggplant is soft and the cheese on top is golden brown (about 20-30 minutes). Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Note that even when it has been cooked, the eggplant skin can be a little tough to slice, so go slowly with a big knife! Also feel free to experiment with different types of cheese – I have used combinations of Jarlsberg, Edam, feta, mozzarella, ricotta, goats cheese and provolone with great success!
Vegan Mushroom and Cauliflower Soup
Soup-er easy, nourishing, heart-warming and vegan – it’s just like a big hug in a bowl!
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 250g mushroom cups
- 1 small whole cauliflower
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 litre stock of your choice (vegetable if you’re vegan, chicken if you’re not)
- 150g shimeji or enoki mushrooms
- brown rice to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200*C. Chop the cauliflower and the mushroom cups into small pieces of roughly equal sizes. Leave the shimeji mushrooms whole. Spray the vegetables with olive oil, and roast on a lined baking tray until the mushrooms are squishy and the cauliflower is browning / crispy around the edges (approximately 15-20 minutes).
- Cook the brown rice as per directions on the packet.
- Place the roasted mushroom cup pieces, cauliflower, garlic and stock in the blender, and blend until smooth. Top with the brown rice and shimeji mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meal Prep for Professionals # 2
As a busy shift worker, I am a fan of making and freezing meals in bulk, particularly when I know I have a hectic week or two of work ahead. Following on from my original Meal Prep for Professionals post, here is another collection of make-ahead ideas!
Healthy Fish and Chips – Salmon with Sweet Potato and Pretty Tahini Slaw
Ingredients (makes 4 servings)
- 1 large sweet potato
- 300g dry coleslaw salad mix
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 200g spinach
- 4 x salmon fillets, skin off
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180*C. Roughly chop the sweet potato into wedges, spray with olive oil and bake until just soft (15 minutes). Add the salmon onto the same tray and return to the oven until the salmon is baked through (12 minutes).
- Place the coleslaw mix, tahini, salt and mustard in the food processor and blend until finely chopped and mixed through.
- Serve the slaw with the spinach, salmon and sweet potato.
Broccoli, beetroot and balsamic salad
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 large head broccoli
- 200g fat-reduced feta cheese
- 200g tin beetroot slices, drained and rinsed thoroughly (or alternatively, roast and slice 2 large beetroots yourself)
- 200g can chickpeas, drained
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds
- 200g spinach
- balsamic vinegar (I used Pukka Estate fig balsamic for this recipe)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200*C. Chop the broccoli into florets and bake until soft and slightly charred around the edges.
- To assemble the salad, place the spinach on the bottom, followed by the beetroot, broccoli, chickpeas and feta. Drizzle with balsamic and add the almonds just prior to serving to ensure they stay crunchy!
Chicken with Teriyaki Quinoa and Greens
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 bunch pak choi
- 1 bunch bok choi
- 4 large kale leaves
- 1 glove garlic, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 cup tricolour quinoa
- 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
- 4 chicken breasts (skin off)
- Nori seaweed to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180*C. Place the chicken breasts on a tray, season with salt / pepper to your liking, and roast until cooked through (~ 15 minutes). Set aside.
- Roughly chop the vegetables and sautee in a fry pan over medium heat with a small amount of olive oil and garlic until just wilted. Set aside.
- Place the quinoa and 1 cup of water in a microwave proof dish and cook for 12-15 minutes until the quinoa is soft.
- To serve, place the vegetables on the bottom, top with the quinoa, drizzle with teriyaki sauce, then add the chicken (sliced) and top with crushed nori seaweed or bonito flakes.
Spiced Potato and Pumpkin Salad
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 large potato, skin on
- 1/4 large pumpkin
- 300g can corn kernels, drained
- 1 bunch kale, roughly torn apart with stems removed
- 200g feta or goat cheese
- Moroccan style seasoning (I used Sahara by Mingle Seasoning)
- Dukkha to serve (choose something earthy and ideally sesame / tomato based here)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200*C. Slice the potato and pumpkin into small chunks, coat in a spray of olive oil and seasoning, and bake until soft and golden (~ 20 minutes).
- To assemble the salad, place the kale on the bottom, then layer the corn, pumpkin and potato on top. Add the cheese and sprinkle with the dukkha.
Gluten Free Cacao Banana Bread
All the taste of chocolate and banana bread without the nasty hidden sugar! Adapted from Sarah Wilson’s iQuitSugar gluten free banana bread recipe with the added deliciousness of cacao.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 very overripe bananas
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup of yogurt (I used plain Chobani but coyo or flavoured greek yogurt also works)
- 1/8 cup cacao nibs
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180*C and line a loaf pan with baking paper.
- Mash the banana together with the yogurt and the oil.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the banana mixture and stir until well combined.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Eat while still warm with your favourite peanut butter on top!
Oats and Cheesecake 