Healthy Chocolate Banana Muffins

Todays recipe has been an ever evolving process and usually consists of what I have in my pantry.  Healthy Chocolate Banana Muffins.  Now, I know the words healthy and chocolate don't tend to go in the same sentence, but these guys are!  With chia seeds and quinoa flakes, agave nectar and almond milk these muffins are super healthy - gluten free and essentially dairy free (you can substitute the butter with Nutellex).

1 1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup gluten free self raising flour
1tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar

2tbs chia seeds

3tbs quinoa flakes

2 organic eggs, lightly beaten

50g butter, melted

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup agave nectar
1tsp vanilla bean paste
100ml almond milk
125g dairy-free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease a 12- hole muffin tray with melted butter or line the holes with paper cases.  Sift the almond meal, flour and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl.  Stir in the sugar, chia seeds and quinoa flakes and make a well in the centre.  In a small mixing bowl combine the eggs, butter, banana, agave nectar and vanilla.  Add to flour with the almond milk to the flour mixtures, stir until just combined.  Add the chocolate chips and stir until fully combined.  Divide the mixture into the prepared muffin holes.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted to the centre comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tin before allowing to cool completely on a wire rack.

These muffins are best eaten on the day, but will keep for 4 days in an airtight container.  They can also be frozen.

Jambalaya: A taste of the South

So I'm back and I promise to get my extra bake on this week to make up for those few missed days!

On the menu tonight was a taste from the South (and my Man's specialty).. his take on the Jambalaya!  Chorizo and prawn jambalaya is a no-fuss dinner recipe that takes your tastebuds to New Orleans.  It's full of all the spices and strong flavours that you would expect from any deep South meal.  He claims that "Jambalaya is a lazy meal, you can throw everything and just let it do it's thing.  This means you get little burnt bits, but they're my favourite part!"

2 tbs olive oil
2 chorizos, chopped into large chunks
2 tbs paprika
1 tbs ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tomatos, largely chopped
1 large capsicum, largely chopped
4 sticks celery, roughly chopped
1 1/2 arborio rice (or brown rice)
3 cups chicken stock
12-24 prawns

Pour oil, spices and chorizo into a large saucepan and cook on a high heat until fragrant or all the spices have been absorbed, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes until they have broken down.  Add capsicum and celery and cook for another 5 minutes until it begins to tender.  Add rice and stir to combine.  Add chicken stock and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally until the rice absorbs all the liquid, about 20 minutes (depending on your rice, we have definitely waited an hour for brown rice before).  Prepare prawns and add at the end, allowing a few minutes for them to cook and turn pink.

So there you have it!  As easy as just throwing in ingredient after ingredient and leaving it to do it's thing!

Coconut Mango Sorbet

Summer is definitely here.  This week is expected to cross into the 40s and hang there for a few days, so here is a recipe to help you get through until this heatwave breaks.

If Summer hails the memory of sandy toes, the smell of sunscreen and insect repellant than I know this recipe will hit the spot!  Coconut Mango Sorbet.

This recipe doesn't require you to have a food processor or blender, however to have a smoother texture sorbet using one is recommended.  This recipe is also great for vegans!

3 medium mangoes
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbs cointreau
1 tbs agave nectar * (or more if a sweeter taste is desired)

Chill a metal bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.  Remove flesh from the mango and turn into a puree (I used a fork but you could use a processor).  Stir through the coconut milk and cointreau until thoroughly combined.  Add the agave nectar a tablespoon at a time until desired sweetness is reached.  Pour into chilled bowl and place in the freezer for 2-5 hours, stirring with a fork occasionally until set.


Just to let you guys know (and I'm sure you can sympathise)... it's way too hot to be in the kitchen at the moment!  I am still interstate but will be home on Friday, so I'm going to take a little break with recipes until I am home.  Next week I promise to give more recipes and sink my teeth into some baking goodness!

Cafe Review: Penny University, Kingston Canberra

So today I let someone else do the cooking for me and ventured out to where everyone in Canberra seems to be talking about.. Penny University - a new coffee roast house, brunch spot in Canberra's inner south.  With an in-house coffee roaster, a terrific range of succulent sweets and a modern breakfast and lunch menu Penny University has something for everyone!

We timed our arrival for the cross over between the breakfast and lunch menu so as to satisfy the brunch and more traditional lunch lovers of the group.  But our timing seemed to be the same as half of Canberra.  The 25 minute wait was expected though and we walked around the growing Kingston precinct sticking our noses into the old favourites and the booming hip new places (that seem to be popping up all over Canberra).

After receiving the phone call that the table was ready, we took a seat and began perusing the menu.  For a coffee lover, like myself, it's always a simple drinks order.. not at Penny University.  With salted caramel milkshakes, homemade cordial, house-roasted coffee and a large variety of smoothies and juices the choice was a little harder.  And that was only the beginning!  The menu was a totally different mission!

Avo Dish - yum!

With so many great options on the menu we spent about 15 minutes looking at the menu, asking the waitress three times to give us "two more minutes" to finalise our order.  In the end, none of us were disappointed.  I chose the Avo Dish; avocado on toasted rye, charred corn and quinoa tabouleh , chevre, chilli oil and poached egg.  Others chose the McPenny; a breakfast burger of fluffy cheddar scrambles, streaky "Pialligo" smoked bacon, spinach and Pennys tomato salsa, the Low GI Breakfast Pudding with black sticky rice, char-grilled mango and coconut and the Steak Sanga on gluten-free bread featuring a grain-fed sirloin steak, egg and all the trimmings you could imagine!

Mc Penny

Then to top today's brunch/lunch feast we tried some of Elliane's dessert cabinet.  And these bad boys were off the CHAIN!  There were homemade croissants, tarts, muffins, cronuts, friands.. there were options for the gluten-free, dairy-free.  Really, the options seemed pretty endless and they all looked amazing!

So to give each of these reviews a little context I thought I would make specific comments on a few aspects of each of the places, rating them on decor, service, menu, desserts, coffee and price.  So lets start with:
Decor: With mismatched chairs, tables, re-loved cabinetry and brick and timber finishings Penny University ticks all the boxes at nailing that hipster eclectic look.  My favourite aspect are the quirky artworks stickered on the walls.

Wall Decor

Service: Other than the wait (which on a Sunday in Canberra is now something to expect), the service was great.  Our orders were taken promptly (or as quickly as we could decide) and our food was the same.

Menu: Penny University really does offer something for everyone.  They were flexible to cater to the intolerances and requests made at our table and had something for the savoury and sweet tooth diners.

Desserts (this is my favourite category): The desserts offered at 
Penny's were great!  We only tried two, but the two we did try were mouth-wateringly good.

 

Blueberry and Orange Frangipani

Coffee: Now as mentioned in previous posts.. I like my coffee strong and I take it with soy - which is usually pretty hard to pull off and a baristas worst nightmare (as the soy milk tends to get lumpy when the coffee is stronger).  With this in mind, Penny's didn't do a bad job at all!  I think that if it was a little bit less busy it would have been off the charts (as the coffee had a wonderful flavour) but they were really busy and the barista was busy pouring out endless coffees from when we got there to when we left.  Today they were pouring from either a Guatemalan or Papua New Guinean blend.  Which ever it was that I had, was rich and nutty!

Price:  Their prices are on the slightly higher side of your standard coffee shop - where depending on your order you might be close to hitting the $5 mark for a cup of coffee.  But with that in mind their quality is higher than that of a standard coffee shop and so you are paying for what you get.

Overall guys -- you need to check this place out!!! It's an adorable, delicious gem in the inner South of Canberra, I know it won't disappoint!

Molten Chocolate Cupcakes - Gluten and Dairy free!!

So as some of you know.. my Man is baked-food-intolerant.  And by that I mean he has intolerances to both gluten and dairy making almost every traditional baked good off-limits (not that he doesn't enjoy eating them).  So every now and then I try something new with those restrictions so he can join in with dessert or other tea-events.  Now working with substitutes can be a little hit and miss, particularly when you are new to the science that is working with intolerances and food allergies, but this recipe nailed it! The almond meal gives these sunken little chocolate cakes a beautifully moist texture and the warm melting centre makes it perfect when teamed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a handful of fresh berries!

1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup agave nectar
2 eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate chips (check for milk solids)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease a 12 hole muffin pan using nutellex or cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl sift together the almond meal, cocoa, baking soda and salt until combined.  In a separate bowl whisk together the agave nectar, eggs and vanilla using an electric beater on a low speed.  Once combined gradually add the wet ingredients to the almond mixture on a medium speed until just combined.  Finally, add the dark chocolate chips, stirring by hand.

Pour approximately 1/4 of a cup of mixture into each prepared muffin tin mould.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out just clean.  If you want a gooey-er cupcake bake for less time as the longer you bake it, the drier it becomes.  Cool for 5 minutes in the tray before serving.  Best served warm.  Will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Healthy in a Hurry

So for dinner tonight I was cooking for one.  And to be honest, I would have loved to just curl up in bed once I got home from work and eaten my next meal tomorrow morning after a long nights sleep.  But I didn't.  I made something that shouldn't take more than 20 minutes to prepare and cook and really doesn't have any nasties in it!  It's healthy in a hurry!!

3 shallots, finely chopped
3 birdseye chillies, finely chopped 
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
300g beef rump steak, diced
1 red capsicum, finely sliced lengthways
15 snow peas, cut in two
2 tbs soy sauce
1tbs olive oil

On a high heat, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, making sure you coat the sides of the pan.  Throw in your shallots, chilli and garlic and saute for a minute or until fragrant.  Add half the soy sauce and meat and toss until the meat is browned, approximately 4 minutes.  Throw in the capsicum and snow peas and the remaining soy sauce and cook for a further 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, serve with rice.

Seriously guys, it's that simple.  Next time I would use less chillies, as these ones were quite hot and have killed off about half of my taste buds.

Good news: on Saturday I will have access to an oven, so expect some sweets! Until tomorrow..

Zucchini and Feta Fritters

This recipe comes from the 80th Anniversary Australian Women's Weekly 'Best Ever Collection Cookbook' on page 108.  I think that you would find in some shape or form an Australian Women's Weekly cookbook in almost every kitchen in Australia.  Their recipes are easy to follow and triple tested to insure they are successful every time, made of easy to source ingredients in Australia and their food photography is absolutely divine.  Flicking through this recipe book it is one great looking recipe after another.  Every page makes me salivate - the photography is so good you could almost smell it through the page.

These fritters are just what I felt like this evening.  I wanted something light, easy, healthy and filling and these fritters tick all the boxes.  The only thing I would change?  Maybe a squeeze of lemon juice - though I don't know if it would make it too wet so maybe just a little drizzled over the top after cooking...  Next time!

So here it is; straight out of the book!

3 large zucchinis (450g)
200g feta, crumbled finely
5 green onions (scallions), sliced thinly
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.  Line an oven tray with baking paper.
2. Coarsely grate zucchini, squeeze firmly to remove excess liquid with paper towel.  Place zucchini in a large bowl with feta, green onion, egg, herbs and flour, season; stir to combine.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat; cook level tablespoons of zucchini mixture, in batches, for 2 1/2 minutes each side or until brown and cooked through.  Drain on paper towel.  Place fritters on oven tray; keep warm in oven between batches.

The cookbook suggests for it to be served with a tomato salad - for dinner this evening I had mine with some freshly cut up tomato and it complimented the fritters perfectly!

The benefits of... Coconuts!

So currently my oven is not running hot.  In fact my proximity to an oven that can get hot is pretty limited.  

I am currently interstate and staying with family who are in the process of renovating and don't have a kitchen - let alone a functioning oven.  So my blog posts are going to be a little more informative and a little less oven-orientated for a few days until I get myself organised.  So today I am taking the opportunity to tell you about one of my favourite foods.  The coconut.  The coconut is one of my favourite foods to cook and bake with.  What is great about the coconut is that it is very versatile: there is coconut milk, coconut water, coconut flour and my favourite coconut oil (not to mention the fleshy part too that can be eaten fresh or dried)!

Coconuts have been wrongly labelled as unhealthy due to their high saturated fat content for a long time.  However, coconuts are highly nutritious and full of great health benefits, including being particularly rich in fibre, loaded with vitamins and minerals and have lots of traditional as well as modern medicinal benefits.

So let's start by looking at coconut milk and coconut cream.  Coconut milk (a thinner liquid) can be found in many Asian recipes particularly in curries and soups and coconut cream (a much thicker liquid) is primarily used for sauces and desserts.  The creamy taste and texture counterbalances the chilli and spice used in the dish or adds a lovely sweet and nutty flavour to desserts.  Coconut milk is lactose free so it makes a great dairy-free alternative for cooking and baking.  It is made when the coconut flesh (the white part) is grated and soaked in hot water.  The coconut cream is then skimmed off the top and the remaining liquid is squeezed through a cheesecloth to get the coconut milk.  Coconut milk and coconut cream have a bit of a bad wrap, and without getting too technical, here's why...  They do contain a higher saturated fat content, however, they provide fat that is mostly in a form called 'medium chain saturated fatty acids (MFCAs) and are high in a particular one called lauric acid.  The body converts lauric acid into a highly beneficial product that helps destroy a wide variety of diseases, viruses and infections.  MFCAs are easily turned into energy by the liver and are used up quicker by the body and less likely to be stored as fat.  With all these great things in mind - it is still a fat and high consumption can still lead to heart disease.  So use coconut milk and cream in moderation!

Coconut water contains fibre, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and is great for rehydration (rebalancing your isotonic electrolyte levels).  It has been called "Mother Natures Sports Drink" and, as you can see in our supermarkets, is really in fashion at the moment.  Coconut water is a clear liquid that is very refreshing has a subtle sweet and nutty flavour.  It has also has low carbohydrates that are easily digested.  Coconut water should not be confused with the higher-fat content of the coconut milk or cream, or coconut oil.

Coconut flour is great for baking cakes, cupcakes and muffins.  It is a great substitute for gluten-free cooking and makes the baked goods soft and fluffy.  It has low carbohydrates, high fibre content and imparts a slightly sweet flavour.  Many people think that using coconut flour will result in a much sweeter and very coconut tasting baked good, however, this has not been my experience.  Coconut flour is very dry, meaning that it will suck up a lot of moisture and will require a tremendous amount of liquid to be added.  When baking, only use up to about 50% coconut flour as using too much results in a dense and very dry mixture.  To help alleviate this problem, the ratio of wet to dry ingredients is very high and adding extra eggs will help to make it lighter.

Lastly, for my favourite.. Coconut oil.  I use coconut oil very frequently when I bake as I love the subtle coconut flavour it imparts as well as the health benefits that it contributes.  The list of nutritional benefits coconut oil has is huge and keeps expanding with plenty of new studies being published every year.  Studies have shown that it can help prevent our bodies from catching viruses and infections, help balance our hormones and our blood sugar levels, aid digestion, lower cholesterol, improve our memory as well as give us healthier looking skin, hair and nails.  Now that's a long list as it is!  So how can we incorporate coconut oil into our diets?  By replacing butter, milk and other oils with it when baking, a teaspoon drizzled over your morning muesli, or even eating it straight off the spoon.  The best thing about coconut oil is that it does not leave you with an oily mouth and it has a sweet taste!  Now for the last few years I have been buying my coconut oil from health food and nutrition stores - but just last week I was doing my regular grocery shop and noticed that Coles are now stocking it in the health food aisle!  It is important to be sure to use virgin unrefined coconut oil (as it has the most health benefits) - so be sure to read the label and to store it at room temperature and to melt it over a low heat.

So what did I eat today?  A cranberry muesli bar, a piece of coffee cake, an apple, a carrot and a big vegetarian laksa. 

Vegetable Laksa, extra spicy filled with.. COCONUT MILK!

Guacamole!

I got this recipe from a friend who grew up in the South of America.  She always said that the South had the best guacamole outside of Mexico.  She brought this recipe with her to Australia and I copied it down as soon as I put one dip covered chip in my mouth.  The original recipe has a few ingredients that are hard to source so here is my favourite way of making it.  Please bare in mind though that it is a recipe that can come down to personal taste.  I love being able to taste all the ingredients - but I am also a big fan of garlic, lime and chilli - so what I recommend is to start with the flavours you know you like and add more of what you like.

Guacamole
1 1/2 avocados
1 tbs red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 small tomato (half a large one)
1 birdseye chilli, finely chopped
2 tbs fresh coriander, finely chopped
Big splash of lime
Salt to season

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and smash the avocado.  Don't over mash so that it still has some chunky bits.

Pavlova and Meringues

Pavlova and meringues are kind of my specialty.  I don't mean to brag, but they are seriously good.  And what makes them even better is that they are really simple especially if you follow my few little tips!  When making a pavlova I use vanilla creme and I like keeping the fruit simple - just berries or passionfruit but you can decorate it however you like!

Pavlova with Vanilla Creme and strawberries

Meringue

6 egg whites

300g castor sugar

A pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 150 degrees.  Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on medium speed until light and frothy.  Gradually add the sugar and pinch of salt to the egg white mixture a tablespoon at a time.  Continue mixing until the mixture is white and glossy and smooth when the mixture is rubbed between your fingers, approximately 5 minutes.

To make meringues: Spoon big dollops of the mixture on a baking tray lined with baking paper spaced two inches apart - they expand as they bake!  Bake for an hour or until lightly coloured.

To make pavlova: Spoon big dollops of mixture in a circle making sure they just touch.  Spoon some mixture into the middle and spread it over the bottom - about an inch.  Bake for an hour or until lightly coloured.

Leave to cool on tray before removing from the baking paper.

Vanilla Creme

250g creme frais

250g mascarpone cheese

1 tbs castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl until combined.  It's that simple!  Spoon the vanilla creme into the centre of the pavlova and cover in fruit.

Meringues in the oven

My helpful meringue hints:

#1 It's all about the eggs.  If possible, always use fresh eggs!  I buy my eggs the day I am going to use them and try and get them local and organic.

#2 If you get a chance, use a metal mixing bowl and chill the bowl in the refrigerator before using it.

#3 Rubbing the mixture between your fingers is vital - otherwise you will end up with grainy meringues.

#3 Open the oven after about 30 minutes to let out the steam.

Brooklyn Apricot Jam Drops (Dairy-Free)

The recipe for today makes my travel bug itch.  Through my years at university I have spent many holidays travelling, with many trips to the USA, in particular New York City.  This one is from a wonderful bakery in Brooklyn, NYC called One Girl Cookies.  I stumbled into this one-stop cookie shop on my second trip to NYC in the Fall of 2012 when I got lost trying to find my train station.  It was cold and the funky wall decor, aroma of coffee and friendly faces welcomed me in.  I got 3 different cookies, the "Penelope" (Apricot Jam-Filled Almond Butter Cookies), the "Alice" (Decadent Chocolate Coins) and a Chocolate Whoopie Pie.  I loved the cafe - but I didn't live in Brooklyn so my visits back here and across the bridge were limited.

Christmas rolled around and I organised with some friends to do a present swap.  Five of us were all living or travelling all over the world, away from our families and I thought it would be nice to have something underneath our trees to open come Christmas morning (my first real tree! It's usually a little hot in Australia and they drop their needles a little too soon).  So come Christmas morning I was absolutely overjoyed that a friend had found the One Girl Cookie cookbook in a remote little bookstore in Melbourne, Australia and had sent it all the way to me without even realising that the cafe was in 'ma hood' (well, across the bridge...).

I have been loving recreating all their wonderful, easy to follow recipes and tweaking them a little to what I have in my pantry.  Today we have the "Penelope" - however these guys are dairy-free and a little different with Australian ingredients!

Even now I'm working out plans to travel overseas again and I'm sure somewhere along the way I will make my way back to One Girl Cookies in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

1 3/4 cups of plain flour

Good pinch of salt

1 cup (225g) of Nutellex

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 organic egg yolks

1 tsp of vanilla bean paste (though extract/essence is completely fine)

1/2 cup whole raw almonds

1/3 cup of walnuts

1 cup of good quality apricot jam

* In a large mixing bowl sieve the flour and salt together and set aside.

* In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or hand beater), beat together the brown sugar and Nutellex on a medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the egg yolks one at a time followed by the vanilla and mix on a medium speed for 1 minute.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture.  Remove bowl from mixer, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.  This recipe does not contain the usual butter so it is not as vital to refrigerate as the mixture will remain sticky, doing so just makes it a little easier to roll into balls.

* Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Place almonds and walnuts on a baking tray covered with baking paper and roast for 10 minutes or until golden and fragrant.  Remove from oven and leave to cool.  Once cooled chop nuts until just thicker than almond meal.  I like doing this process by hand as it gives the cookies a different texture, however, blitzing them in a food processor is a faster option.

* Remove the dough from the refrigerator.  Using approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of mixture roll into small balls using your hands.  Dip each ball into the chopped nut mixture and then place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.  Space each cookie approximately 2 1/2cm apart.

* Using the tip of your ring finger, make an indentation into the middle of each cookie, pushing almost through to the baking tray.

* Bake the cookies for approximately 10 minutes or until starting to golden.  Remove baking tray from oven and using two spoons carefully spoon small amounts of jam into the indentation holes in the cookies.  Return cookies to oven for approximately 4 minutes or until golden.  Then remove again from oven and cool completely on tray before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

Fresh out of the oven.

Rustic Spaghetti Meatballs

Today we had dinner guests.  We had friends staying with as they passed through town from a Summer festival on their way back home.  They arrived unshowered, full of "festival food" (apparently this is a mix of satay sticks, nachos and over-priced drinks) and had spent the last 10 hours driving in a badly air-conditioned car.  Safe to say they were keen for a big feed - and no other country quite gets that 'home comfort' food like the Italians.

So another savoury one for you today - Rustic Spaghetti Meatballs.  These guys are super super delicious!  The secret.. the zest of one lemon and a good handful of chopped fresh parsley.

Rustic Spaghetti Meatballs

Meatballs

500g Organic Beef Mince

2 eggs

1 tsp Dried Basil Leaves

Rind of one lemon

1 tbs of lemon juice

3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used 3 slices of gluten free bread and crumbled it by hand)

A good handful of parsley (about a quarter of a bunch)

Salt and Pepper to season

1 tbs Olive Oil

1tbs Butter

Sauce

1/2 red onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic

700g Passata Tomato Sauce

Salt and pepper to season

A packet of dried spaghetti

Parmesan and extra chopped parsley to serve

In a large mixing bowl combine the mince, eggs, basil, lemon rind and lemon juice and mix well with your hands.  It should feel quite wet and gooey - I love this part - I love working with my hands when cooking!  Add the breadcrumbs and the fresh parsley and stir until just combined.  Set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the mixture has chilled.

Remove from fridge and roll into small balls and set aside- I tend to make mine on the slightly smaller side as it produces more meatballs and takes less time to cook.

In a large frypan heat the oil and butter.  Cook your meatballs in batches making sure that they are brown all over before removing them from the heat and placing on a plate covered with paper towel.  Meanwhile fill a medium saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil.  Once boiling add your spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick.

Meatballs after being cooked waiting to be added to the tomato sauce.

Once all of your meatballs have cooked, return the frypan to the heat and saute the onion and garlic until clear.  Pour in the Passata sauce and bring to a simmer before returning the meatballs to the sauce and cooking for approximately 10 minutes.  Drain pasta and put in a big serving bowl.  Pour meatballs and tomato sauce on top. Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with extra parsley and shaved parmesan cheese.

The Humble Crouton

So day two strikes and how do I tackle it?  With the humble crouton.  The delicious little chunks of bread found in soups and Caesar salads all over the world.  But I wanted to do something different to jazz up my salad this evening.  So here are three different recipes for croutons - and one is gluten free!

Garlic Croutons - my personal favourite!

Using a bread knife slice up a baguette into pieces about half a centimetre thick.  Place slices without overlapping onto a non-stick baking tray.  Cover with a good drizzle of good quality olive oil - enough to make sure that each crouton gets at least a little.  Then cut a head of garlic in half and scatter amongst the croutons - to get a really strong taste try squashing garlic cloves onto a chopping board with the back of a knife.  Place in an moderately hot oven - between 180 and 200 degrees and let them toast in there for about 10 minutes or until crunchy.  Leave to cool on tray.

Brown Butter Croutons

Same as above in preparing the bread.  Brown a good dollop (at least a tablespoon) of butter in a saucepan on high heat and allow the butter to change from a yellowy colour to brown.  This process is called browning the butter.  Doing this makes the butter have a more nutty and solid flavour.  Place croutons in the butter and toss quickly to make sure they are covered on both sides - they will absorb the butter very quickly!  Allow to cook slightly in the pan before removing croutons and placing them on a non-stick pan.  Repeat this step enough times to cover and cook all your croutons.  Sprinkle croutons with Herbs De Provence Sea Salt - a mix of salt, thyme, rosemary, basil, tarragon, lavender and fennel (you can get this at most supermarkets or at specialty food stores).  Bake croutons in a moderately hot oven - between 180 and 200 degrees for 10 minutes or until browned and crunchy.  Leave to cool on tray.

Gluten-Free Croutons with Sea Salt

When I make anything gluten-free I try to find great products.  Gluten-free baked goods have a reputation of tasting and having the texture of cardboard - if you do a little research and are happy to spend a few extra dollars there are some great gluten-free alternatives out there!  For this recipe I used Lifestyle Bakery's White loaf.  Rip up approximately 6 slices of the bread into smaller chunks and place on a non-stick baking tray.  Cover bread with good quality olive oil and a very generous pinch of coarse sea salt and dried rosemary.  Place the tray in a moderately hot oven - approximately 180 to 200 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until golden.  My experience with gluten-free croutons is that they tend to take a little longer in the oven - so keep an eye on them!

Tonight I had the Brown Butter Croutons with a very basic and thrown together Caesar Salad.

Basic Casear salad with Brown Butter Croutons.

2014 The Year of "What Liz Ate"

Happy New Year!

I hope that your 2013 was filled with great food, strong coffee, grand adventures and wonderful company.  My 2013 was filled with just that.. I started this website and sharing my food experiences, found fantastic cups of coffee in over 20 different cities in three different countries and shared all this with my beautiful family and friends.

So how can 2014 top that? With a new post every day.. Yes.. You read correctly. I'm giving myself the challenge of a new post everyday for 365 days.  New recipes, trialled recipes from cookbooks and well known chefs and cafe/product reviews are coming your way, everyday! It's going to be a year of "What Liz Ate".

So what makes this blog different to others out there? Well firstly it's going to be all Australian and focused on seasonal and organic product.  I am going to take on the challenges of the food-challenged (intolerances) as well as vegetarian and vegan recipes.  I am going to hold dinner parties every month with new recipes and share my finds with those around me.

I'm also taking requests - is there a recipe you want me to try?  Or something that you just can't seem to get right?  Or a cafe you recommend? Leave me a comment and I will try and get to it!

So where should we start - it is the first day of 2014. Day One of this project..

Just something simple for the New Year:

Vegeroni Spiral Pasta - yum yum!!!

Vegeroni Spiral Pasta with Chilli Tuna and Olives
Serves 2

200g (approximately half a packet) of Vegeroni Spiral Pasta (you could easily use regular pasta)
1/2 Red Spanish Onion finely sliced
1tbs Olive Oil
180g Can of Chilli Tuna (I use Sirena Tuna)
100g Grape Tomatoes halved
10+ Olives (I used a mix of green and black)
100g Danish Feta
Salt and Pepper to taste


Fill a medium saucepan with water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil.  Meanwhile in a small frypan lightly saute the onion in the olive oil until cooked, remove from heat.  Once water is boiling pour in the pasta and give it a quick stir.  The pasta will take about 6 minutes to cook - though this can vary depending on the type of pasta you use so make sure you check regularly.  Once cooked, remove from heat.  Using a colander drain pasta and return to saucepan.  Add the onion, tuna, tomatoes and olives to saucepan and stir until combined.  Season well with salt and pepper.  When ready to serve crumble the feta on top of pasta.

Bon Appetit!