Monthly Archives

May 2022

May 27
0

Ultimate Beef Burger

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You can enjoy these ultimate beef burgers straight away or make and freeze them for sunny days when you want to fire up the barbecue.

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1kg good-quality beef mince
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Small handful chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
  • 1 large dill pickle gherkin, finely chopped
  • 1 large free-range egg yolk

To serve

  • 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
  • 200g good melting cheese, such as Cheddar or Gruyère sliced
  • 8 burger buns
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Tomato and red onion, sliced
  • Lettuce leaves
  • Dill pickles sliced (optional)

Method

  1. Place all the ingredients for the burgers in a large bowl. Season and mix well. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
  2. Using wet hands, shape the mixture into 8 burgers. If you want to cook them straight away skip to step 4.
  3. If you are freezing them; place flat between sheets of baking paper in a rigid freezerproof container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, defrost the burgers completely in the fridge; this will take 3-4 hours.
  4. Heat a griddle pan or barbecue to hot. Brush both sides of the burgers with oil and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until well browned and cooked.
  5. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium hot. Top each burger with a slice of cheese and grill for 2 minutes until bubbling. Toast the burger buns until lightly golden.
  6. Mix the mayonnaise with the mustard and spread over the base of each bun. Add some tomato, lettuce and avocado slices, then the burger, red onion slices and the other half of the bun.
  7. Serve with a small bowl of ketchup and fries, if you like.
May 26
0

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

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Delicious Baked Sweet Potato Fries! These are a healthier alternative to the deep fried original. They have a tempting, lightly browned, sweet and salty flavor, and they are easy to make. They’ll be a sure hit with the whole family!

Total Cook Time: 30 minutes

Here’s what you’ll need to make homemade sweet potato fries:

  • 1kg sweet potatoes (use orange variety) peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick sticks
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

How to Make Sweet Potato Fries

  1. Heat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Grease two 45cm by 30cm baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
  2. Mix seasonings: In a small mixing bowl whisk together cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
  3. Add sweet potatoes to bowl: Place sliced sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Toss them with oil then seasonings: Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil then pour cornstarch mixture over sweet potatoes and toss to evenly coat.
  5. Spread onto baking sheets: Divide sweet potatoes among the two baking sheets, then spread out evenly.
  6. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes, then remove from oven and turn fries to opposite side.
  7. Turn fries, continue to bake through: Return to oven (preferably on opposite rack the were on prior) and bake until until fries are golden brown in spots, about 10 minutes longer.
  8. Serve right away with desired dipping sauce.

 

Note about Time to Bake Sweet Potato Fries

  • Usually sweet potato fries need to bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes in total (turning around halfway). But keep in mind each oven varies. 
  • You may find it works better to do only 10 minutes per the two sides if your oven browns very well or bakes hot.

 

Do you have to peel sweet potatoes?

  • For every application, you don’t have to peel sweet potatoes but here I highly recommend peeling sweet potatoes for fries.
  • The skins can be somewhat tough and unpleasant to chew.
May 11
0

Grilled Chicken Breast

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Tender and juicy Grilled Chicken Breast, with 30 minute marinade and simple ingredients. This weeknight staple turns out delicious every time and can be used in a variety of ways – serve on to of a salad for a light lunch or with your favourite sides at dinner time.

Total Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1kg boneless & skinless chicken breasts
1 large lemon zest and juice of
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves grated
2 tsp oregano dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Cut chicken breasts into halves lengthwise to make them thinner.
  2. Marinate 30 mins-24 hrs. Place in a large bowl along with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir with tongs and let sit for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat grill on medium-high (230-260 degrees C) and rub with oiled paper towel. Place chicken on the grill, close the lid and grill for 8-10 minutes turning once. Do not overcook. Chicken is done when instant read thermometer reads 75 degrees C. Or I usually cut in with a knife and if juices are no longer pink – grilled chicken is ready.
  4. Remove from the grill, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. This allows juices to settle inside the meat and not outside on our plate. Making juicy grilled chicken.
May 11
0

Grilled Halloumi

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Grilled halloumi cheese is perfect for adding to salads, sandwiches or to simply add extra protein to a vegetarian dish.

Total Cook Time: 10min

Ingredients

225g halloumi cheese

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

Optional – chopped mint or oregano

Directions

  1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat or heat a grill to medium heat.
  2. Slice the halloumi into 1cm thick strips.
  3. Brush the halloumi slices with the olive oil, coating both sides of the cheese.
  4. Place the halloumi on the grill pan or grill and cook on each side for 2 to 3 minutes or until grill lines form and the cheese has slightly melted.
  5. Once the halloumi has cooked, remove it from the heat and squeeze some lemon juice on it.
May 10
0

Macadamia Crusted Barramundi with Pineapple Slaw Salad

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Crunchy and sweet, the tropical flavours will be sure to please everyone in the family. Serve this Macadamia Crusted Barramundi with Pineapple Slaw over coconut rice or solo. It’s a quick and satisfying meal that’s a breeze to make on a week night.

How long will it take?

40 minutes

What’s the serving size?

Serves 4

What do I need?

500g Barramundi fillets
1 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Slaw

2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, grated or cut into fine matchsticks
1 cup canned or fresh pineapple, drained and diced
¼ cup spring onions, diced
1 handful chopped coriander, stems removed
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce

How do I make it?

Combine cabbage, carrot, pineapple, spring onion, coriander, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a large bowl and set aside. Let flavours combine for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Use paper towel to pat each barramundi fillet very dry.

In a food processor, chop macadamia nuts until the consistency of bread crumbs. Mix together nuts, panko and cayenne pepper. In a separate small bowl whisk egg with coconut milk. Season both sides of the barramundi fillets with salt and pepper.

Fill the bottom of an ovenproof frying pan with the olive oil and place on stovetop over med-high heat. Once the oil is heated up, dip fish in egg mixture then coat both sides with panko nut mixture. Place fish in hot pan and cook 3 minutes on each side.

Squeeze lime over the fillets and place cast frying pan in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until firm.

Once fish fillets are finished baking, plate the meal by adding a cup or two of the pineapple slaw salad to a plate and top with the macadamia crusted fish. Enjoy!

Recipe and image from Fresh Mommy Blog.

May 10
0

Lobster with Chilli Butter

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Summer, West Australia and Lobster are an awesome combination. The subtle flavours of chilli, parsley and garlic are the perfect additions to fresh West Australian Lobsters.

How long will it take?

10 Minutes

What’s the serving size?

Serves 2

What do I need?

1 cooked crayfish
30ml olive oil
Lemon wedges to serve

For the Chilli Butter

150g unsalted butter, softened
2tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Zest of one lemon

How do I make it?

Cut crayfish in half and remove stomach sac and intestinal vein.

Place crayfish halves, flesh-side up on a lined baking tray drizzled with olive oil.

In a bowl, add all Chilli Butter ingredients and mix to combine.

Spread crayfish flesh with the Chilli Butter. Cook under a grill for 5-6 minutes or until the crayfish starts to char.

Serve hot with lemon wedges.

 

May 10
0

Strawberry, Pistachio and White Chocolate Biscuits

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These beautiful biscuits are just the thing for a Mother’s Day high tea, or they also make a stunning homemade gift.

How long will it take?

2 hours

What’s the serving size?

Makes about 40 biscuits

What do I need?

230g unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
40ml milk
1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 cups plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

To decorate

170g white cooking chocolate, melted
½ cup freeze-dried strawberries, chopped
½ cup crushed pistachios
½ cup candied citrus, diced

How do I make it?

  1. Use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugar until pale. Slowly add milk, egg and vanilla and mix well.
  2. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. Add flour mix to butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
  4. Gently knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth. Cut dough into two discs, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  5. Lightly flour a clean surface. Roll out 1 disc of dough to ½ centimetre thickness. Use a 7-centimetre round cookie cutter to cut out biscuits.
  6. Place biscuits on a baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving a couple of centimetres between them. Bake for 10 minutes or until the biscuits just start to brown at the edges.
  7. Remove from oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
  8. Repeat process for remaining dough or you can freeze dough to use later if desired.
  9. Once biscuits have cooled completely, melt chocolate. Dip the top of each biscuit into the melted chocolate, allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. While the chocolate is still soft, top each biscuit with a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberries, crushed pistachios, and candied citrus.
  10. Set biscuits aside in a cool place to allow the chocolate to set fully before serving.
May 09
0

Grilled BBQ Corn Ribs

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Grilled BBQ Corn Ribs, the ultimate side dish or a delicious entree. 🤤🌽

Total Cook Time: 55min | Makes 4 to 6

Ingredients

BBQ Seasoning Blend:
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt

BBQ Sauce:

1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
3 tbsp packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp hot sauce
salt

Corn Ribs:

4 ears corn, shucked
Canola or vegetable oil, for the grill grates
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. For the BBQ seasoning blend: Stir to combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

2. For the BBQ sauce: Whisk together the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, hot sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of the BBQ seasoning blend in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. For the corn ribs: Using a large chef’s knife and a large steady cutting board, cut off the ends of the corn cobs to make them flat. Using your hands, break the cobs in half crosswise. Stand a cob on one flat end and carefully and slowly cut down through the core, rocking the knife back and forth if necessary, to split the cob in half lengthwise. Repeat with all the cobs. Lay a split corn cob on its flat side on the cutting board and cut lengthwise through the cob, pressing down and rocking the knife back and forth if necessary, to make 2 long corn ribs. Repeat with the remaining cob halves. (You should have 32 ribs total.) Place on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

4. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Sprinkle the corn ribs with 1 tablespoon of the seasoning blend. Brush the ribs with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce.

5. Place the corn, cut-side down, on the grill and close the lid. Cook until the cut edges are beginning to char and caramelize, about 8 minutes. Flip the ribs to the second cut side, close the grill lid and cook until the edges are caramelized and the corn kernels are crisp-tender, another 6 to 8 minutes.

6. Transfer the corn to a platter. Brush with more sauce and season with a pinch of the BBQ seasoning blend (reserve the remaining blend for another use). Sprinkle with the scallions and serve with the remaining BBQ sauce.

May 09
0

6 reasons why you should eat avocados daily

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6 reasons why you should eat avocados daily

Avocados are the only fruit that provides a significant amount of  “good fats” – healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, and they are loaded with nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, as well as other important nutrients. Here’s how this translates to real health benefits.

1. They’re good for your heart, because they contain beta-sterol, an important regulator of cholesterol levels.
2. They’re good for your eyes, due to their lutein and zeaxanthin content, which are both antioxidants which will protect your eyes from damage, including damage from ultraviolet light.  Their mono-unsaturated fatty acids also support the absorption of beta-carotene, which may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
3. Half an avocado will give you 25% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin K, which is good for bone health and can assist in warding off osteoporosis.
4. They contain folate, which appears to offer protection against some cancers, such as breast, colon, stomach, pancreatic and cervical cancer, although the role of folate in this is as yet unclear.  Also folate is proven to be important in preventing neural tube defects in babies when taken during pregnancy.
5. They might cheer you up – not only because they are delicious but because folate has been linked to assisting in depression, by reducing homocysteine levels which interfere with serotonin and dopamine production, both important regulators of mood, appetite and sleep.
6. The high fibre in avocados is good for digestion and gut health, as well protecting against other chronic disease such as heart disease, stroke, obesity and hypertension.

May 04
0

Homemade Fruity Muesli Bars

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Enlist your kids to help you make these delicious fruit-filled muesli bars

How long will it take?

40 minutes

What’s the serving size?

Makes approx 10 – 12 bars

What do I need?

  • 180g unsalted butter

  • 1/3 cup golden syrup

  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats

  • ¾ cup self-raising flour

  • ¾ cup brown sugar

  • ¾ cup shredded coconut

  • ¾ cup sultanas or raisins

  • ¾ cup dried apricots, chopped

  • ¾ cup dried apples, chopped

  • ¾ cup dried currants

How do I make it?

  • Preheat oven to 180C.
  • Grease and line a 20 cm x 30 cm slice tin.
  • Add butter and golden syrup to a small saucepan. Heat, stirring over a gentle heat until the butter has melted.
  • Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Pour butter mixture into the bowl and mix to combine all ingredients.
  • Press mixture into the slice tin and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or golden brown. Remove from oven, allow to cool and then slice into bars to serve.