Italian baked meatballs with buffalo mozzarella

Serves 4- you can use 750g mince and serve 6

Ingredients

500g pork and veal mince

2 browns onions finely chopped

5 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 carrot, ½ cm dice

1 stalk of celery ½ cm dice

1 cup of tomato passata

1 cup of beef or chicken broth

2 tsp dried basil- if you have fresh basil and oregano you can use that, just use a small handful of each and chop- or as much as you would like to use.

2 tsp dried oregano

250g tub of buffalo mozzarella, sliced thinly- you can find this in this nice cheese section at the supermarket, it’s a fresh mozzarella and is white in colour, will be in brine or most likely oil. If you can’t find it you can use normal mozzarella which is yellow and firmer or you can use grated mozzarella.

Method

Preheat your oven to 200c or 180 c fan forced.

Season the mince really well with salt and pepper, knead together until sticky and form tbsp sized balls and set aside. In a large pan heat some olive oil and fry off your meatballs for 1-2 minutes until browned. Then put in your onion, garlic, carrot, dried herbs and celery, passata and broth- simmer, stirring a further 1-2 minutes until the broth is hot. Transfer to an oven proof dish and bake for 30 minutes, uncovered.

When done-If you are using fresh buffalo mozzarella just slice and put on top of your meatballs and bake a further 5 minutes or until melted. This doesn’t take long.

If you are using the normal mozzarella which is more yellow in colour and firmer put under a hot grill on and cook for 5-8 minutes until melted and golden brown. This takes a little longer to melt than the fresh mozzarella.

Serve this with some nice crusty Italian ciabatta bread to mop up the juices, or some zoodles (zucchini/vegetable noodles) some thick cut pappardelle pasta, or pasta of your choice, or no pasta, you could even have with some creamy polenta. Also have with extra steamed vegetables or a nice big salad.

Roasted chicken drumsticks with balsamic vinegar, thyme and maple syrup

Serves 6

Ingredients

12 chicken drumsticks

600-800g potatoes, peeled or scrubbed, 2cm dice

3 carrots, cut into quarters

2-3 red onions, cut into quarters

1 tbsp fresh turmeric, finely chopped- if you don't have fresh you can use about 1-2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ginger finely chopped

1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar

1-2 tbsp maple syrup

1 x 10g pack of fresh thyme

2-3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and white pepper to season with

2 heads of broccoli, cut into small florets

Method

Preheat the oven to 200c or 180c fan forced

In a large oven proof dish or 2 small ones put everything except your broccoli in, and using your hands toss so the chicken is coated, don’t forget to season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, and then give your chicken a quick toss and then add your broccoli and bake another 30 minutes (1 hour altogether). You can bake the broccoli in a separate dish if you don’t have room, or just steam it on the stove nearer to when you serve up. You can serve with more steamed vegetable if you like!

Meatloaf cupcakes with pea sprinkles

Makes 8 cupcakes

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g mince

2 zucchinis, grated, squeeze out excess liquid

Salt and pepper

8 cubes of cheese- you can leave the cheese out of you prefer

Method

Preheat oven to 200c

Mix the mince, salt and pepper and zucchini together. Place in 8 x ½ cup muffin tin. Push your cube of cheese in each muffin and press the mince over the cheese to cover. I have used silicon muffin tray so they come out really easy.

Peel and 2 cm dice 1 kg potato (you only need 500g or so but I double to use for another meal)- this can be a mix of pumpkin sweet potato, celeriac, broccoli, cauliflower carrot etc, fill the pot with warm water and cook for about 15 minutes until tender. Remember if you are wanting dinner quick the smaller the dice the quicker it cooks!

Put the meat muffins in the oven at the same time you put the potatoes on and bake the muffins for 15 minutes, the potatoes should take the same amount of time.  After 7 minutes I put 2 cups of peas in the steamer above the potatoes, you can also boil in a separate pot. You may have liquid in the bottom when you take out the muffins that’s just water and fat from the zucchini/mince.

When the spuds are cooked mash with butter, milk and plenty of salt. Put the meat muffins on your plate get an ice cream scoop and put a scoop of mash on each one and put over your pea sprinkles

Chicken, Vegetable & Saffron Pilaf

The smell from this cooking was so good! Even the smell can start your digestion, your mouth may water and begin the process!
What I like about cooking in the oven as opposed to on the stove, is that while its cooking you can go and do whatever you want to do and you don't risk burning it! You only need to stir once (if you remember!) This is a pretty cheap, easy and also very tasty dish!

This can be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken and using 1 x 400g can chickpeas.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

350g chicken thighs, 1.5cm dice

1 cup of white basmati rice

1 brown onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

500ml chicken broth or other broth to suit

2 carrots, small dice, about 1cm

2-3 stalks of celery, sliced small

½ small cauliflower, chopped small

2 tsp dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh thyme

1 big pinch saffron threads

2 tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika

Method

In a large pan or pot put a knob of butter/olive oil and fry off your onion, garlic, carrot, cauli, celery and chicken, until the chicken is just browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add your spices and toss through. Then add your broth and rice, season with salt and pepper, heat your broth in the pan/pot and then transfer it all to an oven proof baking dish. Cover tightly with foil or a lid (I use another tray). Bake at 200c for 35-40 minutes, check it half way and stir. The rice should be tender. I like to serve this by putting a handful of baby spinach on each plate, the heat from the pilaf will wilt it. I also served with sour cream and chopped parsley.

Meatballs with hoisin gravy, vegetables & a cashew/sesame sprinkle

Serves 4

Ingredients

500 mince, I used pork mince

1 tsp Herbamare or a really good shake of salt and pepper

¼ cup of hoisin sauce

1 tsp chinese 5 spice

1 tsp minced ginger

2 cups of beef/chicken bone broth or beef/chicken stock

4 celery stalks, sliced thin on an angle

2 capsicums, sliced

2 bunches of bok choy (or other Asian veg) washed, ends sliced off and chopped into

3 cm slices

¼ cup of roughly chopped cashew nuts

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

In a bowl mix the mince with the herbamare/salt & pepper, mix with your hands until it is a little sticky then roll into 20 balls. This is about 1tbsp each. Put in fridge until you need them.

Hoisen gravy

In a large pan mix the hoisin sauce, ginger, chinese 5 spice and broth. Simmer for 5 minutes until has reduced by about half and has thickened like gravy. Set aside. Alternatively you can just add 1 cup of broth and use a sprinkle of tapioca flour until you achieve the thickness you want. By reducing the 2 cups of broth though you get a more intense flavour.

Method

 

In a pan heat a little coconut oil and brown your meatballs, this takes about 2 minutes, then add your hoisen gravy and simmer for 5-7 minutes. While that is simmering cook your vegetables.

In a wok heat 1 tbsp coconut oil and stir fry your celery and capsicum for 1-2 minutes, add your bok choy and stirfry for a further 1-2 minutes, until it has wilted. Serve up the veg and top with 5 meatballs and spoon over the gravy then sprinkle over your cashew nuts/sesame seeds. You can serve with some coriander if you want.

Chicken Mi Goreng with a fried egg (bean thread noodles)

These are similar to mi goreng noodles that you buy in packs but without all the additives, msg, artificial anything! Super quick, cheap and very tasty!

These noodles are grain/ gluten free/nut/dairy free
This makes 4 big serves



Ingredients

250g pack of bean thread noodles, can be called glass or cellophane noodles-from the supermarket-soaked in boiling water for 2 minutes until softened, cut up a little with a pair of scissors or the noodles will be too long, and then drain.

400g chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced thinly

½ green cabbage, I like to use ¼ red & ¼ of green cabbage- sliced nice and thin

3 carrots, peeled, and using the peeler keep peeling the carrot so you get thin strips of carrot

1 tbsp tamari (or light soy if tolerated)

3 tsp each of onion and garlic powder (not salt)

4 fried eggs to put on top

Coriander/chilli to garnish

Method

In a wok or large pan heat 1 tbsp coconut oil and stirfry your chicken for 2-3 minutes until cooked. Take out and set aside. Put a little more oil in your wok and add your cabbage and stir fry for 2 minutes until wilted a little add your carrot and cook another 1 minute, add back your cooked chicken and your cooked drained noodles, powders and tamari. Toss well to combine; I use 2 spatula type instruments to toss up with. Serve up with your fried egg on top and garnish with coriander and chili.

Mild Indian spiced mince, with green beans, capsicum and peas

Serves 4

This is just a mildly spice Indian dish, as well as no chilli, you could definitely add ½ -1 chilli into the paste and just double the spice component if you like more pungent flavors. Good dish for children who do not always like lots of spices.

Ingredients

500g lamb mince, or other mince

1 capsicum, 2 cm dice

2 cups of frozen peas

400g green beans, top and tailed

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 can(400g)of tomatoes, you could also use 1 (270ml) can coconut milk

Paste

½  brown onion

5 cloves garlic

1 tbsp ginger

2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp garem masala

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

Method for paste

Put paste ingredients in a food processor and blitz, add 1 tbsp water at a time (you can use coconut oil) till it makes a nice thick paste, season with salt. If you do not ave a food processor you can just finely dice your onion, ginger and garlic and add your spices to just add to your pot.

Method for mince

 

In a large pot add 1 tbsp coconut oil and put in your paste (or separate paste ingredients) and cook for 1 minute then add your mince and brown-3-4 minutes. Then add your tomatoes/coconut milk and simmer for 7 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Put your beans on to steam (5 minutes to cook approx.) then add your peas, capsicum and lemon juice to your mince and simmer another 5 minutes until your peas are cooked. You can serve this with your green beans and rice, yoghurt dressing, poppadums, naan bread etc..no yoghurt for dairy free and no rice for grain free, rice is ok for gluten free though.