Review – Sadhana Kitchen, Bondi

March 26, 2016Leave a comment

Sadhana Lasagne and Carrot Walnut Falafel Plate

Sadhana Kitchen, Sydney’s first organic, vegan, raw, wholefoods café has officially opened their second store location on Warners Avenue, the doorstep of Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach.

Sadhana Kitchen Menu

The raw, vegan and organic foods culinary trend is quickly gaining momentum across Sydney, with the opening of Sadhana Kitchen Bondi cementing its place in mainstream dining. The new café is set to become a population fixture among locals and visitors alike.

“We always knew there was a demand for our food here in the Eastern Suburbs,” says Sadhana Kitchen Founder and Director, Maz Valcorza. “We had a lot of customers from the Bondi area travelling to our flagship store in Enmore and telling us how much of a hassle it was. Now we can service the inner west and the east as well.” said Valcorza.

It has taken two years for Valcorza to find the ideal beachside location, which has been found at the site once occupied by Nina Ploy’s Thai restaurant. They have kept the space’s industrial feel, showcasing the exposed brick and harnessing the chic appeal of bare copper piping, while incorporating bursts of colour from plants and deep ocean blue tiling.

The Sadhana Kitchen, Bondi store will provide a range of in-house and takeaway dining options including their signature raw, vegan high-tea and 7 course, raw, vegan degustation. The café will also offer a daily menu of breakfast, lunch, sweets, juice, smoothie and cocowhip x SK dessert items. The menu is packed full of Sadhana favorite’s including the pitaya bowl of dragon fruit blended with frozen strawberries and banana, served with fresh fruit and Sadhana’s original blend granola (featuring buckwheat, goji berries, cacao nibs and shredded coconut); and the “Cheezeburger” made with a nut-free vegan patty (also known as “Neatloaf”) and topped with homemade vegan cheddar cheeze.

“I want to make vegan food more accessible. Sadhana Kitchen exists to make organic, plant-based wholefoods and raw food accessible to everyone, no matter your background. By making these foods and services available, I hope that people will cultivate a mindful connection to what they are putting into their bodies. I want them to have the knowledge, and experience to make kinder, healthier, and more ethical choices for themselves, and our world.” said Valcorza.

All Sadhana Kitchen menu items are crafted from raw, plant-based ingredients with everything prepared at temperatures below 40 degrees Celsius. “We wanted the least amount of refinement to our dishes. We work hard to make sure that everything we serve is still hearty, familiar and indulgent. I don’t want people to feel like they’re just going out for a salad,” says Valcorza. “When people leave here, they’re going to feel full.”

Sadhana Kitchen Bondi

Sadhana Kitchen Bondi, 132 Warners Avenue, Bondi Beach
Open Daily 8am–4pm

www.sadhanakitchen.com

Broccoli Tots

March 3, 20161 Comment

If you love tatter tots/ potato gems / potato nuggets / delicious food – but you’d like to give it a healthy makeover, then check out this baked [not fried] Broccoli Tots.

This recipe is super easy, quick and child friendly – so they can get involved in the creation and sample their results once the oven beeps. The broccoli flavour isn’t overpowering and they make a great kids snack and are perfect for child-led weening.

Serves – makes 25 tots

Prep Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups of McCain Broccoli – cooked as per packet instructions
1 small brown onion – quartered
2 eggs
1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
1/3 cup of grated tasty cheese
1-2tsp of Italian Herbs
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 210°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Place onion into a blender and blend until finely chopped. Add McCain Broccoli and blend until chopped into small pieces.
NOTE: this can be done with a knife if you don’t have access to a blender.
Transfer the broccoli mixture to a large mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients, mix until well combined, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Take a tablespoon sized scoop of the mixture and use your hands to form it into a shape that resembles a McCain Potato Nugget. Place onto the lined baking tray and repeat. This mixture will yield approximately 25 Broccoli Tots.
Place the Broccoli Tots into the oven and cook for minutes, turning halfway, or until golden.
Serve immediately or pop into a lunchbox for a healthy school or work snack!

Cauliflower ‘Rice’ and Citrus Salad

January 12, 2016December 17, 2015Leave a comment

The gluttonous Christmas period is over. Step away from the cheesecake, put down that last potato and for the love of god get out of cookie jar! We have all had our fair share of over indulgence as is customary at this time of year but now it’s time to embrace the warmer months, dish up the salads and give your heart time to recoup for next December.

This salad features the hot trend of cauliflower ‘rice’ and it’s amazing just how, well, un-cauliflowery it tastes. It really does make you feel like you’re giving into those carby cravings but it’s good for you. Win, win, right?

Serves – 6-8

Prep Time – 15 minutes

Cook Time – 7 minutes

Ingredients

1kg of McCain Cauliflower – well thawed
1 orange – zested and segmented
¼ cup pistachios – toasted
½ cup fresh parsley – coarsely chopped
½ cup fresh mint – coarsely chopped
½ cup fresh coriander – coarsely chopped
¼ cup dried apricots – quartered
½ Lebanese cucumber – quartered lengthways and cut into chunks
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs honey
½ tsp chopped garlic

Method

Place ½ of the McCain Cauliflower into a food processor bowl and pulse until it resembles rice. Be careful not to over blend or it will become too mushy. Repeat with remaining cauliflower.
Place cauliflower rice into a clean tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze well to remove excess moisture. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick pan over a high heat and add strained cauliflower rice to the pan. Use a spoon to breakup any chunks and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Place olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey and garlic in a small bowl and mix well to combine.

Place cauliflower rice into a large mixing bowl, add dressing and, remaining ingredients and toss well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Crispy Potato and Chorizo Tacos

January 4, 2016December 17, 20153 Comments

Carb on carb paired with spicy chorizo, hells yeah.

The potatoes are crispy, while the chorizo has a range of textures, it’s juict with crisp caramel pieces, the perfect combination. The mixture is then stuffed into soft warm tortillas and topped with and a slew of garnishes. It’s one of the simplest and most delicious tacos you can make.

Serves – 4

Prep Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 packet of McCain Traditional Roast Potatoes – cooked as per packet instructions
2 chorizos – sliced
1 Spanish onion – cut into wedges
1 bunch of coriander
1 green chilli – sliced
1 red chilli – sliced
Sour cream, to serve
Lime, to serve
Corn or flour tortillas – prepared according to packet instructions

Method

Heat a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, add sliced chorizo and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until chorizo is golden and heated through.
Remove McCain Traditional Roast Potatoes from oven and halve/quarter them according to size.
Serve McCain Traditional Roast Potatoes, chorizo, tortillas, onion, coriander, chilli, lime and sour cream immediately on a large chopping board and allow guests to build their own tacos.

Enjoy!

Pea and Pomegranate Salad

December 21, 2015December 17, 2015Leave a comment

This is a quick, easy salad that is tasty, refreshing and the perfect vegan option to serve at Christmas. But don’t stop there, take this along to BBQ’s as it pairs perfectly with chicken or lamb.

Serves – 6

Prep Time – 15 minutes

Cooking Time – 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup of McCain Peas – cooked as per packet instructions
1 ½ cups cous cous
1 cup hot vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup boiling water
1 tbs butter – melted
¼ cup flaked almonds – lightly toasted
1 cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 pomegranate – seeds (arils) only, membrane discarded
2 shallots – ends trimmed and finely sliced
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsp ground cumin

Method

Place melted butter and cous cous in a medium heatproof bowl, add liquid, cover and let sit for 2-5 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed. Remove cover and use fork to fluff and separate the cous cous grains.
Meanwhile, place olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and cumin in a small bowl and mix well to combine.

Place McCain Peas, almonds, mint leaves, cranberries, shallots and pomegranate seeds into a large mixing bowl, add cous cous and dressing, toss gently to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve

December Loves

December 17, 20151 Comment

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – it’s December!

It’s Christmas time, summer time, beach time, pool time, picnic time, time to be run off your feet! With that in mind I have rounded up the very best life hacks to get you through the silly season without you looking, well silly.

Dyson V6 Absolute, RRP $899

Dyson, V6 Absolute, RRP$899 – I love vacuuming, I know it sounds odd but I find it incredibly soothing and rewarding. I have long known Dyson to be the pinnacle of the vacuum industry, and have wanted one for my very own. The stuff us Mother’s dream of, huh, speed, suction and power, oh my! The mess made by babies, husbands and pets would be match for this animal! Not to mention the mess I make when I’m 45 minutes into a Jamie Oliver 15 minute meal. I need all the help I can get!

Introducing the Dyson V6 – the only engine I’ve ever dreamt of revving. The lovely folk at Dyson and Kids Business sent me this bad boy as an early Christmas gift (you hear that everyone, Dyson + Christmas = great present) and I put it to the test. It effortlessly went from cleaning up shedding pet hair, to a carton of couscous loving sprinkled over the kitchen tiles, carpet and a shag rug by a certain toddler, to a trail of sultana’s Hansel and Gretel would be proud of. And let’s not even talk about the extra gunk it removed from what I thought was my ‘clean’ rug : /

The Dyson V6 Absolute comes with two heads – one for hard floors and one for carpet, along with all the attachments you would need to keep your every corner of your house looking fine. It’s cordless and has a 20 minute battery life which allows you to zip around the house with it and pull out the big guy for a clean every few weeks. Click here to get yours now!

Dyson V6 Absolute, RRP $899

Cardini’s, Original Caesar Dressing, RRP$5.30 – All hail Caesar, the creator of the Caesar Salad. But really, did you all know he was a real person? I mean the inventor of the salad, not the Roman Emperor. Anyway, it was at Caesar’s Place on 4 July 1924, that Caesar Cardini created the Caesar Salad. Unprepared to feed the number of guests the restaurant had, Cardini, improvised gathered up some staples available in all good Italian kitchens and decided to give his dinner guests a show as well as a meal. So, on a service cart in the middle of the dining room, Cardini went to work with cos lettuce, olive oil, lemons, coddled eggs, parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, fresh croutons, salt and pepper, combining the ingredients with such a flourish, it left his spectators in awe. The Caesar Salad was born!

Made from all natural ingredients, with no added sugar or preservatives, Cardini’s ‘The Original Caesar Dressing’ delivers a punchy taste with zero without the effort. Perfect to keep in the cupboard for a super quick throw together lunch over the holidays or even as a sauce for the BBQ.

Cardini’s Caesar Dressing, RRP$5.30

Food for Health, Muesli Pod, RRP$3 – Food for Health, one of Australia’s leading muesli brands, has launched their new range of grab and go muesli pods, full of nutrient-packed superfoods. Each muesli pod contains a shot of milk powder and a spoon, so the only thing to do is add water, stir and enjoy! What more can you want? A tasty, nutritious and healthy breakfast without having a lift a finger. Thank you!

Food for Health, Muesli Pod, RRP$3

Merry Christmas all! Have a safe and Happy New Year. X

Christmas Roast Turkey with stuffing

December 11, 2015Leave a comment

Serves – 8 people

Prep – 30 minutes

Cooking – 3 ½ hours

Ingredients

3kg fresh or thawed whole turkey
1 packet of McCain Sliced Mushrooms
3 rashes of bacon – rind removed and diced
½ cup of pecans – roughly chopped
¼ cup of dried cranberries
1 medium onion – diced
2 celery stick – finely diced
3 cloves of garlic – crushed
1 tbs of fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbs of fresh thyme leaves
1 tbs of fresh parsley leaves
2 ½ cups of sourdough bread – cut into 1cm cubes
2 eggs – beaten
50g butter
1 tbs of olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method

Heat butter and olive oil in a medium pan over a high heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, bacon, rosemary and thyme and cook for 3-5 minutes or until onion is tender and bacon is golden.
Add McCain Sliced Mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and mixture is dry.
Add sourdough, cranberries, pecans and parsley to a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Add McCain Sliced Mushroom mixture to the dry ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add eggs and mix well to combine.

TIP: if you’re making the stuffing the night ahead simply add the eggs to the mixture the following day, prior to stuffing the bird.

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 160°C. Wash the bird and cavity and pat dry with paper towel. Stuff the bird with the McCain Sliced Mushroom stuffing, ensuring you leave room for the stuffing to expand, and secure the legs with kitchen twine. Cover the breasts, wings and leg tips with oiled al-foil to ensure they don’t burn during cooking.

TIP: if you have leftover stuffing, wrap it in al-foil and place in the oven for the last 30 minutes of the birds cooking.

Place the bird in the oven and for 55minutes per kg. 30 minutes before the bird is cooked, remove from the oven and remove al-foil and pierce skin with a skewer to allow for self-basting.
Remove the bird from the oven, check that the bird is cooked by seeing that the juices run clear and the internal temperature of the bird reaches 80°C and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with McCain Potato Roasts, McCain Baby Carrots, McCain Super Juicy Corn Cobbettes and McCain Peas.

Remember: never thaw a turkey on the bench or in the sink. Always thaw in the refrigerator and allow 13 hours per kg.

Spicy, Crunchy Peas

December 1, 2015November 21, 2015Leave a comment

Crunchy peas are the perfect healthy snack and so nutty in taste that you don’t even realise you’re eating peas. These little guys are a popular snack food in south-east Asia but they lend themselves to any kind of flavouring, like onion, garlic + chilli powder. They will keep in an air tight container in the pantry for 3-5 days so they are great to keep on hand over the festive season for drop-ins.

Ingredients

2 cups of McCain Peas
1 tsp olive oil
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp ground coriander seeds
½ tsp salt
Optional – ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Method

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Completely thaw McCain Peas, and bloat with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This will ensure your roasted peas are crunchy.
Combine spices and salt in a mixing bowl, add McCain Peas and toss to coat. Evenly spread peas on lined roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30-40 minutes, shaking the tray every 10 minutes so they roast evenly.
Remove peas from oven and allow to fully cool before serving. The peas will crisp up as they cool down.

Enjoy!

Paprika and Parmesan Corn Cobs

November 24, 2015November 21, 2015Leave a comment

This corn is bad-ass. It’s spicy, tangy, cheesy and zesty; and dipping it in the spiked yoghurt makes for a refreshing mouthful. For a delicious twist, whack the corn cobs on a hot BBQ or char-grill plate for a minute or two each side, at the end of step 3.

Serves – 8
Prep – 5 minutes
Cook – 15 minutes
Ingredients

1 packet of McCain Super Juicy Corn Cobbettes – approx. 8 cobbettes
50g butter
4 tbs sweet paprika
4 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
4 limes – quartered
1/2 cup Greek Yoghurt
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves + full sprigs to serve
Salt and pepper

Method

Cook McCain Super Juicy Corn Cobbettes according to packet instructions.
In a small bowl combine yoghurt and coriander leaves, set aside.
Combine sweet paprika and Parmesan in a bowl, rub each cobbette with butter, and sprinkle with paprika and Parmesan mixture.
Place cobbettes onto a serving plate, season with salt and pepper, and top with any remaining paprika and Parmesan mixture. Scatter plate with lime wedges and remaining coriander sprigs. Serve with coriander yoghurt.

Enjoy!

November Loves

November 23, 2015November 21, 20152 Comments

Pitango, Meal Pots for One, RRP$5 – Did you know that 75% of people eat their lunch at their desks each day, and that they are often unhealthy, boring + uninspired? I am guilty of this, and from my life in offices I know the stats are true! Gone are the days of tinned tuna, four bean mix, burnt toast and cup-a-soups thanks to the new range of Pitango Meal Pots for Ones. These bright pots are tasty and full of flavour. Zap in the microwave for 3 minutes and hey presto, lunch! These bad boys are surprisingly filling and wholesome which is always a winner on days when dreams of lunch are the only thing getting you through. Oh, and share your boring lunch on Piango’s Facebook page to go into the running to win a prize pack valued at $1,500. Visit facebook.com/pitangofoods and share a snap of your lacklustre lunch to enter.

Pitango, Meal Pots for One, RRP$5-

Swig Flasks, Harris Tweed Hip Flask, RRP$145 – Want swag? Get Swig. Damn, these flasks are on point. More than just a hip flask, the body of these luxury flasks are seamless and made from one piece of stainless steel – so there is absolutely no risk of leakage. In keeping with its ergonomic design, the base of the flask is flat, so it can be stood up straight for easy filling. This range is housed in Tweed pouch, handmade on the Isle of Skye using exclusive Harris Tweed sourced direct from the weavers and mills on the Isle of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Swig offer a lifetime guarantee on their flasks and have never had a return! These guys are made to last. Available from swigflasks.com with worldwide shipping + engraving, which makes them perfect for Christmas!

Swig Flasks, Harris Tweed Range, RRP$145-

Yumi’s, Anytime Range, RRP$4.59 – The good folk at Yumi’s have created a new Anytime range of squeezy pouches that are perfect for topping, dressing, or spreading. This throw in your bag and go range features some classics like curried egg and tuna pate, with the squeezy pouch designs combating the odour issue that can arise if your lunch is left to sit and sweat in your bag/work fridge all day, eggcellent.

Yumi’s, Anytime Range, RRP$4.59