July Loves

July 29, 2015July 29, 2015Leave a comment

It feels like only last week I was typing up my last ‘Loves’ post, although I know it has been awhile. A baby will do that to you! I send my apologies to all who were wandering aimlessly around the supermarket wondering if there was anything new and tasty to try. Never fear, I have rounded up some new and delicious products below for you to chomp on.

Oh, and I promise [~~fingers may or may not be crossed behind my back]~~ that I will be more diligent with my next ‘Loves’ post.

Alana’s Pantry by Alana Lowes, Spicy Sauces, RRP $5.50 each – OMG these sauces are seriously good! Full of flavour, packing a seriously spicy kick, and made with no weird shit. These guys have been getting a definate work out in my kitchen of late. Seriously though, I caught Ben using the Spicy Morocco sauce for 7 meals straight. This includes 2 breakfasts. All of the sauces in the range are delicious, I personally cannot get enough of the Spicy Vietnam. It is a heavenly marinade that takes me instantly to South East Asia. Oh, and for those of you playing along at home you may remember the lovely Alana from season 3 of MasterChef Australia.

Alana’s Pantry, Spicy Sauces – RRP $5.50

Carpineto, Dogajolo, Toscano Rosso, RRP $17.00 750ml – is this not one of the most beautiful bottles of wine you have ever seen? I’m not going to lie, I totally judged a bottle by its label and bought this wine because it looked super cool. And, I have never been happier with my slightly superficial tendencies than ever before, because this is seriously a good drop. Big flavours, spicy notes of raspberry, vanilla, coffee and cherry shine through from this terrific Tuscan blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet. The palate is lean and lively with red berry fruits, plum flavours and notes of spice from wood-aging.

Carpiteno, Dogajolo, Toscano Rosso – RRP$17

Mamee, Chef Premium Instant Cup Noodles, RRP $2.29 each -remember Mamee Noodles? You know, the ones with the monster on the packet that you’d chomp on dry, from the pack, in the play ground at school? Well, cue nostalgia, these guys and back; and this time it’s with something for us oldies. Their new range, Chef, is perfect for busy adults looking for quick and convenient lunch and snack solutions. They are ready in 3 minutes, which when you have a baby hanging off you is a god send! I was pleasantly surprised with the the flavour of these. They honestly tasted like noodles I have had from market stalls in Asia. Folks, you don’t need to substitute quality for speed! The pastes are made from real ingredients and there is a freeze dried veggie sachet that’s packed with slices of chilli, shallots and other delicious treats like shrimp or tofu depending on flavour. Giving you restaurant quality taste. Available in three delicious flavours; Curry Laksa with Dry Tofu and Vegetables, Tom Yam with Tasty Shrimp and Vegetables, Spicy Chicken Shiitake with Shiitake Mushrooms and Vegetables. Available in Woolworths supermarkets nationally. mamee.com.au | facebook.com/mameechef | #MameeChef
TIP: look out for an upcoming recipe on here using the Mamee Chef Noodles to make a super quick and super tasty family dinner!

Mamee Chef Noodle Range, RRP $2.29 each

Enjoy!

Mexican Prawn Salad

April 30, 2015April 23, 2015Leave a comment

Smokey paprika, sweet corn, spicy chilli and tangy lime combine to make this salad as filling as it is fabulous.

Ingredients – Salad

2 cups of McCain Corn Kernels – cooked as per packet instructions
400g of green prawns – peeled, deveined and tails intact
400g tin of red kidney beans – drained
200g of heirloom or grape tomatoes – halved
1 bunch of coriander – stalks removed
1 small red onion – halved and finely sliced into half moons
1 long red chilli – halved, seeds removed and finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic – crushed
½ tsp of sweet paprika
2 tbs of olive oil
Lime cheeks for serving

Ingredients – Dressing

The juice and rind of 2 limes
1 tbs of fish sauce
2 tbs of rice wine vinegar
1 tbs of sweet chilli sauce
1 tbs brown sugar

Method

Combine prawns, garlic, chilli, sweet paprika and ½ the olive oil in a bowl. Toss to coat. If time permits, cover and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to marinate.
Meanwhile, combine McCain Corn Kernels, tomatoes, red kidney beans, coriander, red onion and remaining oil in a large bowl. Place all ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and whisk briskly to combine.
Preheat a barbecue or char grill to a medium-high heat, add remaining olive oil, place prawns on the grill and cook, turning, for 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
Divide McCain Corn Kernel salad mixture among serving plates and top with prawns, drizzle with salad dressing, and serve with fresh lime cheeks.

Enjoy!

Banana Bread

March 11, 20151 Comment

Recently a friend came over for morning tea, having a new bub I find it next to impossible to get out of the house, let alone have the time to whip up a morning tea treat! After rummaging through the cupboards I decided I had almost enough ingredients to make banana bread. I was down the eggs, but, I’d make it work. And, work it did! This is one of the fastest, easiest and tastiest banana breads I have ever made. Cafe style, moist and moreish. YUM!

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas – mashed
1 banana – halved length-ways
2 cups sf flour
1/2 tsp bi carb soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup of desiccated coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp of cinnamon

Method

Preheat a fan forced oven to 180℃ and grease a loaf tin with a little olive oil.
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl, mix wet ingredients together in a medium bowl. Fold wet and dry ingredients together until combined just combined.
Pour mixture into a greased loaf tin, place decoration banana on top, and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

Enjoy!

February Loves

February 3, 2015February 3, 2015Leave a comment

A monthly roundup of the best foodie finds.

Barilla, Gluten Free Pasta – tastes as good as the real wheaty deal but suitable for the coeliac’s among us. Dont worry folk, Barilla’s got your back. Barilla Spaghetti Gluten Free RRP $4.07.

Barilla Gluten Free Pasta

Five Tastes, Thai Red Curry Paste – as a general rule I’m pretty skeptical of curry pastes from a jar, however this is the shiz. Real ingredients, no weird shit and honest flavours. Try it with chicken breast or my favourite, slow cooked beef. Five Tastes Thai Red Curry Paste RRP$4.14.

Five Tastes Thai Red Curry Paste

Slow cooked beef in Five Tastes Thai Red Curry Paste

Jazz Apple Sparkling Apple Juice – tastes like you’ve just bitten into an apple, YUM.

Jazz Apple Sparkling Apple Juice

McDonalds, Big Mac Sauce – one upon a time my friend made me go to drive through McDonalds so she could purchase an unholy amount of Big Mac sauce for her to smoother on her upcoming meals. I have now learnt that she mustn’t have been the only person doing this as Micky D’s have announced that they will be selling their famous sauce in store, but for a limited time only so hurry in! In addition to the small tubs, McDonalds have released 200 500ml bottles one of which will be auctioned off on eBay with all proceeds going to Ronald McDonald House Charities. McDonalds Big Mac Sauce 25ml, 50¢

McDonalds Big Mac Special Sauce

Rhubarb – in season and amazingly delicious. Don’t just think sweets, try a spicy rhubarb relish with grilled pork or fish tacos with rhubarb and coriander salsa.

Rhubard – Image: http://www.lolaberry.com

Persian Feta and Green Pea Bruschetta

January 29, 20152 Comments

Bruschetta is an exercise in getting the basics right; balancing the flavour, and texture of simple ingredients to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

The flavours of my Pea and Persian Feta Bruschetta are perfection. The creamy peas, are accentuated with fresh mint, then hit with the sharpness of garlic, parmesan and lemon, and finished with crunchy bread and smooth Persian Feta. So good.

Ingredients

10 slices of sourdough bread
2 cups of McCain Peas
¼ cup of fresh mint leaves
2 tbs of olive oil
2 tbs of freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
1-2 cloves of garlic – crushed or grated
250g of Persian Feta
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh mint sprigs and lemon cheeks to serve

Method

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add McCain Peas and cook 3 minutes or until tender. Scoop peas out of the pot, into an ice bath to cool. Drain. The ice bath will help the peas retain their bright colour, juiciness and plumpness.
Add McCain Peas, mint leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan and garlic to a food processer and blitz for 1 minute or until roughly crushed. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Preheat a chargill pan over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of bread with oil and chargrill, in batches, for 3 minutes each side.
Spread pea mixture over grilled bread and serve scattered with Persian Feta, mint leaves and lemon cheeks.

Enjoy!

Beef, Bean and Bagel Nachos

October 29, 2014October 29, 20141 Comment

Did you know that Abe’s Bagels – Bagel Crisps contain 70% less fat than regular crisps? And, their scrumptious flavours contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. ~~Hells yeah!~~ Meaning now you can have your crisps, and eat them too.

While chomping on these crisps, I thought I would try something different with my crisps, rather than cracking a packet and plonking on the couch or serving them with dip. Enter, Beef, Bean and Bagel Nachos; by replacing the standard nacho corn chips with bagel crisps not only will you be reducing your families fat intake, but the sturdy nature of the bagel crisps gives you superior scooping power as your crisp wont buckle under topping pressure or go soggy. Win.

Ingredients

1 packet of Abe’s Bagels – Marlborough Sea Salt Bagel Crisps
500g beef mince
1 brown onion – halved and finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic – crushed
1 tbs of oil olive
420g tin of four bean mix – rinsed and drained
¼ cup of tomato paste
½ cup of water
1 tsp of sweet paprika
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of Moroccan spice mix
½ tsp of cinnamon
½ cup of tasty cheese
1 avocado – diced, to serve
Fresh coriander leaves, sour cream, and sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Method

Heat oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook stirring for 2-3 minutes until onion begins to soften.
Add beef mince, bean mix, tomato paste and herbs. Cook, using a fork to break up the mince, for 3-5 minutes or until beef mince is browned and herbs are fragrant.
Add water and allow to simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until sauce has reduced and thickened.
Pile Abe’s Bagels – Marlborough Sea Salt Bagel Crisps on an oven proof serving dish, top with beef and bean mix, top with cheese and grill under a medium grill to melt and brown.
Top with fresh coriander leaves and diced avocado, and serve immediately with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce.

Enjoy!

In Season – September

September 2, 20142 Comments

Nourish the Roots – Coloured Cauliflower – http://bit.ly/1A0KuDi

Spring sprung and there’s a new crop of fruit and vegetables coming into season and onto your plates this September. This month, you’ll find some interesting fruit and vegetables on your green grocer’s shelves and will attain the best value and quality by cooking with:

Fruit

Blood Oranges
Grapefruit
Lemons
Mandarins
Oranges
Pineapple
Red Papaya
Rockmelon
Strawberries
Tangelo

Vegetables

Artichoke
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Broccoflower – a Broccoli x Cauliflower hybrid
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Chilli
Chinese Greens
Gai Lan
Garlic
Ginger
Green Beans
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onion
Peas
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Silverbeet
Spinach
Shallots
Vine Sweeten Mini Caps – the tiny colourful capsicums

Remember, if there is a specific ingredient you’d like to know how to use,m or dish you’d like to know how to make, just pop it in the comments section below.

Enjoy!

Golden Crumb Pasta

August 13, 2014August 13, 2014Leave a comment

This dish is a modern take on the classic Italian dish of Spaghetti with Pangrattato. “Pangrattato” is basically Italian for breadcrumbs – but so much more romantic! Coming from the Calabria district, like me! Traditionally this is seen as ‘peasant food’, given the cheap and readily available ingredients of bread and pasta; and was eaten during lent or at Christmas when Catholics avoid meat.

In this dish I have chosen to mix it up a bit and use Abe’s Bagels – Bagel Crisps, for their crunch and in this case their roasted garlic flavour. This dish is easy and delicious, with the subtle hum of the anchovies, the kick of chilli and crunch of the garlic bagel crumbs.

Ingredients

1 packet of Abe’s Bagels – Roasted Garlic Bagel Crisps
1/3 cup of oil olive
2 long red chillies – halved, seeds and membrane removed and finely sliced
10 anchovies – finely diced
The juice of 1 lemon
500g of thin spaghetti – I recommend Barilla
¼ bunch of flat leaf parsley – roughly chopped

Method

Place Abe’s Bagels – Roasted Garlic Bagel Crisps into the bowl of a food processor and process until roughly chopped.
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of cooking liquid.
Heat oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium heat. Add chilli and anchovies and stir cooking for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add parsley and Abe’s Bagels – Bagel Crisp crumbs and cook for 1-2 minutes or until bagel crumbs are golden and parsley is beginning to crisp. Add pasta and lemon juice to the pan and toss, adding enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
Divide between bowls and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

August 7, 20144 Comments

Salted. Caramel. Cheesecake. Need I say more?

To many, plain cheesecake is decadent enough. For me, this amazingly delicious Salted Caramel Cheesecake, is gluttonous heaven. A buttery, crunchy, salted bagel crisp crust that sits beneath a smooth and creamy caramel cheesecake filling, topped with praline shards that hold notes of caramel, salt and bagel crisp crunch. Wow.

Ingredients – cheesecake

2 packets of Abe’s Bagels – Marlborough Sea Salt Bagel Crisps
150g of butter – melted
800g caramelised condensed milk
500g block of cream cheese – at room temperature
¼ cup of boiling water
3 tsp of powdered gelatin
½ tsp of salt – or to taste

Ingredients – praline

½ packet of Abe’s Bagels – Marlborough Sea Salt Bagel Crisps
½ cup of caster sugar
2 tbs of cold water

Method

Place 2 packets of Abe’s Bagels – Marlborough Sea Salt Bagel Crisps into the bowl of a food processor and process until it resembles a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and process until combined. Press the crumbs evenly over the base and sides of a lined, 20cm springform pan using the back of a metal spoon and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Place cream cheese and caramelised condensed milk into a large mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat until smooth.
Place boiling water in a heatproof bowl and sprinkle with the gelatin. Stir until gelatin dissolves. Add gelatin mix and salt to the cream cheese mixture and process until well combined.
Pour the cream cheese filling mixture over the bagel crumb base and refrigerate overnight, or for a minimum of four hours.
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil, and boil, without stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the mixture turns golden. Remove from heat. Set aside for 2 minutes to allow bubbles to subside. Roughly break ½ a packet of Abe’s Bagels – Marlborough Sea Salt Bagel Crisps into halves and quarters and arrange on prepared tray, pour over sugar and allow to cool before breaking into praline shards.
Carefully remove cheesecake from spring form pan, arrange praline shards on top and serve.

Enjoy!

Easy Pea-sy Risotto

July 28, 2014July 17, 20142 Comments

This risotto is fabulous any time of the year, you can use either frozen or fresh peas, when they are in season. It’s a simple and nourishing meal that is purely delicious comfort food and makes you feel great from the inside out.

The one pot, all liquid in, absorption approach means it’s quick and easy to make, which is perfect for after a long day at work! Great as a main meal topped with some roasted cherry tomatoes and crispy prosciutto, or the perfect side to slow cooked meat.

Ingredients

1 tbs of butter
1 tbs of olive oil
1 brown onion – finely diced
2-3 cloves of garlic – diced, dependent on taste
3 cups of Arborio rice
4 cups of hot chicken stock – you can use vegetable stock if you would like to make this meal vegetarian friendly
2 cups of boiling water
½ tsp of dried rosemary
½ tsp of ground dried oregano
2 ½ cups of McCain Peas
2 bunches of asparagus – cut into 5cm lengths
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup of grated parmesan
¼ cup of shaved parmesan, to serve
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Heat oil and butter in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 3-5 minutes or until softened and translucent.

2. Add rice and herbs and stir to coat. Add stock and 1 cup of boiling water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 12 minutes or until rice is tender.

3. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and add 1 cup of boiling water, McCain Peas, asparagus, lemon and 1 cup of grated parmesan. Stir well and cover for 5 minutes.

4. Remove lid, stir well and serve in bowls topped with shaved parmesan.

Enjoy!