HEALTHY ANZAC BISCUITS

Anzac biscuits are delicious but are usually filled with golden syrup as well as other types of sugar and tonnes of butter and oats, which means coeliacs or gluten intolerant people have to stay away from them. This recipe has reduced sugar, butter and uses quinoa flakes. It is also dairy free! 

Ingredients

·      Baking paper

·      1 ½ cups quinoa flakes

·      ½ cup shredded coconut

·      ½ cup roughly chopped unsalted nuts (I used pistachios and almonds, however you could also use macadamia nuts, cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, etc.).

·      ¼ cup natural maple syrup

·      1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·      50g Nutalex, melted

·      1 egg

·      Pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine. (If the mixture is a little dry pour water into a mug and wet your hands before rolling each ball). Roll the mixture into small balls (about the size of a heaped tablespoon) and place them on the tray a few centimetres apart. Pat the biscuits down gently with your hand.

3. Bake in the oven for around 25 minutes or until the biscuits are golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Makes / 15-16 biscuits

Serving size / 1 biscuit

Total Prep & Cooking time / 40 minutes

ZUCCHINI AND STRAWBERRY SALAD

Spring is just around the corner! This warmer weather means many things, including salads, as putting on the oven and heating up the house is a no go when its super warm. I love this bright colourful salad as a side dish of vegetables. It has lots of texture with the vegetables, feta and pumpkin seeds. You can add or omit whatever vegetables and ingredients you like. Toasted almonds or cashews would be a nice addition as well or raspberries or blueberries in place of strawberries. If you are like me and don't have much patience in the kitchen, cut the zucchini and carrot into batons instead of peeling them. Peeling does take longer however it is more aesthetically pleasing! 

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini, peeled in long ribbons or cut into thin batons
• 1 medium carrot, peeled in long ribbons or cut into thin batons
• a large handful of baby spinach
• a large handful of rocket
• 60g reduced-fat feta, crumbled
• 1 punnet (250g) strawberries, halved or quartered
• 1 avocado, cut into even small pieces
• 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss well. 

Serves / 4 as a side 

Total Prep time / around 15 minutes 

PANKO & HERB COATED SALMON

After years of trying to introduce salmon into my life, I've finally been able to! Between you and me I always felt like a bit of a fraud, being a fitness instructor and an advocate of clean & healthy eating who DETESTED all fish and seafood! I was and am most definitely aware of the amazing health benefits of seafood, I just didn't like the taste at all. Over time I started to like and then love prawns, scallops and then several types of white fish, however the taste of salmon continued to repulse me. A few months ago a friend of a friend suggested that I coat salmon in panko breadcrumbs with lots of herbs and lemon and bake it. I tried it about a month ago, slathering the salmon with mustard as a means for the breadcrumbs to stick to the fish and adding delicious herbs from my garden. I tentatively bit into the baked salmon, then quickly chased it with a bite of steamed broccoli and sweet potato chips. And you know what?? It wasn't bad at all...it was actually good! It didn't taste like any salmon that I had tasted before. In addition, I was incredibly full and satisfied after finishing my fillet. Since that fateful day of experimenting, salmon has appeared in my diet once a week. Even more surprising, this recipe got my husband, a HATER of most things seafood, onto salmon! So for all those salmon lovers and more importantly haters out there, give this recipe a go!n 

INGREDIENTS

1/2 to 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, to brush 

2 salmon fillets, skin on

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

several sprigs of thyme, stems discarded

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

zest and juice of a small lemon

a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper

2 heaped teaspoons dijon, wholegrain or hot mustard

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line a small baking tray with baking paper and lightly brush with the olive oil. 

2. Combine the parsley, thyme, breadcrumbs, lemon zest & juice and salt & pepper in a small bowl and stir well to combine. 

3. Place the fillets, skin down, onto the prepared baking tray. Spread the mustard evenly on top of the fillets, then spoon the breadcrumb mixture on top, taking care to gently press the mixture down onto the fillet. 

4. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the salmon is cooked. I like to cook my salmon medium, therefore I place a knife in the salmon and check that the flakes have separated and that the meat is a cloudy/opaque colour! 

Serves / 2 

Total Prep & Cooking time / under 20 minutes 

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SIMPLE VEGETARIAN CHILLI

Disclaimer: this is a VERY mild chilli! If you want to crank up the heat, add more dried chilli, slice up a real chilli/s and/or add some cayenne pepper to the mix. I opted for a milder dish as my husband is very slowly coming around to chilli, however it can only be consumed in very mild quantities. If opting for a hotter version add a dollop or two per serve of natural yoghurt on top of the chilli. I love using potato instead of starchy white rice or tortillas. 

INGREDIENTS

Chilli

• 2 medium (500g) sebago potatoes, peeled & diced into 3cm pieces
• 2 medium (700g) sweet potatoes, peeled & diced into 3cm pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon - 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 350g passata
• 1 x 400g tin red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 x 400g tin five bean mix, drained & rinsed

Salad

• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/2 continental cucumber, finely chopped
• 2 handfuls mixed lettuce, roughly chopped
• 1 medium avocado, diced into small pieces
• the juice of 1 lime 
• Optional- a few tablespoons of coriander, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Bring a large saucepan half filled with cold water to the boil, covered. Add the two types of potato and cook, lid half on, for 10 minutes. Drain the cooked potato under cold water. Return the saucepan to the stove.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the salad by combining all the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss well. 

3. Stir the oil in the now empty potato saucepan, swirling to coat. Add the onion, chilli, garlic, spices and a pinch of ground black pepper & sea salt. Stir for 2 minutes or until very fragrant. 

4. Add the passata, beans and 1 cup of water to the pan and bring to the boil. Once boiled, lower to a simmer and return the potato to pan. Leave to warm for one minute, then remove from the stove. 

Divide the chilli into four bowls and serve alongside the salad. Add a dollop of natural yoghurt or a tablespoon of reduced-fat grated cheese to each bowl if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Prep time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 25 minutes 

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BROCCOLI & BEETROOT QUINOA SALAD

I am a big fan of eating salads during summer, as its too damn hot to eat anything else! I like my salads to be packed and full of ingredients as my stomach growls a mere hour after eating if they are not satisfying enough. I whipped up this very vivid salad a few weeks ago in the middle of steamy February. This salad lasted several days and served as a lovely light snack around 3pm when I wanted something naughty. If you want the salad to be fast and fuss free, buy cooked beetroot and don't bother making the dressing as the salad holds its own without it. Remember to ALWAYS rinse and drain quinoa twice before cooking to remove the grittiness. 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 2 medium beetroot, skin peeled & cut in half OR to save time use 500g cooked beetroot from a package (not from a tin as extra sugar is added to preserve it)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil - Omit if not roasting beetroot
• 1 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed & drained TWICE
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets and stalk diced 
• 100g reduced-fat feta, crumbled finely 
• 3 generous handfuls of mixed salad leaves
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• Optional- 1/2 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped- I used a combination of chives, parsley & basil

Dressing

• the juice and zest of one medium ripe lime
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed or very finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• sea salt & pepper 

COOKING

1. If roasting the beetroot yourself follow this step. If not, proceed to step 2. Preheat a fan forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Wrap each beetroot half in foil and place in a medium deep baking tray with 2-3cm of water and 1 tablespoon olive oil in it. Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the beetroot halves are tender (that is, a knife can easily slide through them). Remove from the oven, remove from foil when cool enough to handle and leave to cool for a few more minutes. Once the beetroot is cool, slice the beetroot to your liking. 

2.  Meanwhile, bring the quinoa and 3 cups of water to the boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, covered. Once boiled reduce to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa grains look like they have sprouted little tails! Remove from heat and place the quinoa in a large serving bowl. 

3. Fill the now empty saucepan halfway with water and bring to the boil again, covered, over high heat. Add the broccoli pieces to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the broccoli is just tender but not mushy. (I like to do the fork test: if a fork slides into the broccoli stalk with a little bit of resistance, the broccoli is blanched perfectly). Remove from the heat and drain the broccoli over cold running water. 

4. Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and adding a splash of water. Stir well to combine. 


5. Add the cooked broccoli, feta, spinach leaves, carrots, herbs, beetroot and dressing to the quinoa. (If you are working with already cooked beetroot, slice it to your liking). 


Serves / 6 
Total Preparation time / 
Total Cooking time / if roasting beetroot: extra 30-35 minutes  / if not roasting beetroot: 25 minutes 

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GLUTEN-FREE CHOC-CHIP BANANA PANCAKES

Most Sunday mornings I make breakfast for myself and my husband, as we don't get a chance to eat breakfast together during the week (unless you count downing some cereal super quickly at 5am in separate rooms!) I try to be creative and make different types of pancakes most Sundays. A few Sundays ago I tried to make pancakes with no flour and just almond meal...they ended up being muffins as the pancakes wouldn't flip without breaking! I often do not get it right when I trying a recipe of my own and usually end up with a massive mess! However last Sunday I hit the nail on the head with these babies. You do not have to make them gluten-free or dairy-free if you do not want to; you can use regular flour and/or cows' milk. I just love how much flavour these pancakes have and how thick and tasty they are. Plus, eating chocolate for breakfast seems very naughty!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup gluten-free self raising flour
• 1 ripe medium banana, mashed
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs, preferably free-range
• a pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or whatever milk you choose)
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 

COOKING

1. Combine all the ingredients, except the oil, in a large mixing bowl and stir well. If the mixture is too dry for your liking, add a splash more milk at a time. As these are meant to be quite thick pancakes the mixture should not be runny. 

2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil to a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Pour in 1/4 cup of batter and flip when little bubbles appear on the surface, around 3 minutes for the first pancake. Flip over and cook for 2 minutes on the other side, or until the pancake is golden-brown on both sides. Continue to cook each additional pancake for around 2 minutes each side. 

NOTE: as the pan can get hot very quickly, you may need to lower your heat down to a very low setting after cooking the first pancake so that the remaining do not burn. The mixture should make 6 quite large pancakes. You do not need maple syrup on top of these thick pancakes, however you can add sliced banana or some more dark choc chips! 

Makes / 6 large pancakes 

Serves / 3 - 4 

From Prep to Plate Cooking time / under 30 minutes 

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PAPRIKA CHICKEN with COUSCOUS SALAD

The inspiration for this salad came from a Farro & Quinoa Chicken Salad I had on a Qantas flight a few weeks ago. Whilst farro is delicious and has many health benefits, it is not as easily accessible as couscous, hence the change. I have made many salads with quinoa and wanted to mix things up with couscous, however you could substitute 1 cup couscous for 1 cup quinoa (make sure to thoroughly rinse the quinoa before cooking under cold water using a sieve, then bring the quinoa and 2 cups water to the boil over high heat, covered. Once boiled simmer for around 10 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave the quinoa in the pan, covered, for 5 minutes, before fluffing with a fork). Nigella seeds are hard to come by in supermarkets, so I have used sesame and poppy seeds as an alternate. If you wanted to make this salad vegetarian, omit the chicken and add 400-450g lightly pan fried tofu. 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 500g chicken breast, preferably free-range, cut into even strips
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 heaped teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 cup couscous or 1 cup quinoa (then substitute 1 cup water for 2 cups)
• 1 cup water 
• a dash of sea salt
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 large tomato, finely chopped 
• 1/2 a continental cucumber, diced 
• 2 generous handfuls of baby spinach, washed
• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Dressing

• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• a generous sprinkle of ground black pepper
• the juice of 1 lime
• water 
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds & 1 teaspoon poppy seeds OR 2 teaspoons nigella seeds 

COOKING

1. Combine the chicken strips, 1 tablespoon oil and paprika in a medium bowl. Heat a grill plate or a large fry pan over medium high heat until warm, then add the chicken. Cook for around 5-6 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over after 2-3 minutes so that both sides of each strip are cooked. Turn off the stove and leave the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then cut the largest strip in half to see if the chicken is cooked. (If the inside of the strip is white and no pink remains the chicken is cooked). 

2. Meanwhile, cook the couscous by combining 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon oil and a dash of sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, covered, over medium-high heat, then remove from heat. Add the 1 cup couscous and stir vigorously until the ingredients are combined. Cover the pan and leave to stand for 2 minutes, then gently separate the grains with a fork. 

3. Place the cooked chicken and couscous in a large serving bowl, then add the tomatoes and baby spinach. 

4. Using the saucepan that the couscous was cooked in, fill it up one quarter of the way with water. Bring the water to the boil over high heat, covered, then add the peas and cook for 1 minute or until peas are tender but not mushy. Drain over cold running water, then add the peas to the salad. 

5. Whilst the water is boiling in step 4, make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and a splash of water in a cup. Stir well to combine and add more water if you would like a thinner consistency. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. 

Serves  / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / max 20 minutes 

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PRAWNS with GREENS

Even though it is only the beginning of spring, I'm already feeling like making meals fit for summer! This is a perfect meal for a late dinner, as it is incredibly light and healthy. I'm really getting used to making seafood a few times a week and I feel like I'm reaping the health benefits already. Prawns are a complete & great source of protein, as they contain all nine amino acids and 100g of prawns contains a whooping 25g of protein, around the same amount as chicken & beef contain. This seafood is very low in calories (always nice to hear!). 100g of prawns contains a mere 115 or so calories. Whilst prawns do contain higher than average levels of cholesterol, they are made up of GOOD cholesterol due to their healthy fats (Omega 3 fatty acid). Prawns are also a rich in Vitamin B-6, B-12, iron and zinc. They may not be the cheapest meat option, but who isn't willing to spend some money on their health? 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3cm fresh ginger, grated 
• 200g green beans, trimmed & cut into 3em pieces
• 1/2 a bunch buk choy, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a bunch pak choy, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 300g raw or cooked prawns, shelled & tails on or off 
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Optional- fresh coriander leaves, torn and 1 spring onion, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Heat olive oil in a medium fry pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 

2. Add the cut beans to the pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring, before adding the buk choy & pak choy. Add the soy sauce to the pan and stir well, then cover for 2 minutes or until the buy & pak choy are tender (the beans can still have a little crunchiness to them). 

If the prawns are raw: remove the vegetables from the pan and add a small splash more olive oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they become cloudy in colour. 

If the prawns are cooked: remove the vegetables from the pan and place them in a medium bowl with the cooked prawns. Drizzle the lime juice on top and add the coriander and spring onion, if using. Toss well and serve. 

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / under 10 minutes 

EGGPLANT PIZZA

I love this 'clean' form of pizza. I even got my husband eating it, who initially turned up his nose at the mere idea of a pizza without a flour base. Eggplant pizza's are a great idea for a party as well, as they are easy to assemble and spend all of their cooking time in the oven unassisted. I like making these pizzas when I know a late dinner is on the cards, as they are so light and low in complex carbs. If you are vegetarian or not a fan of ham, add some pitted olives, artichokes or another vegetable to the pizzas. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large eggplant (around 700g), ends trimmed and thinly sliced into rounds 
• sea salt
• paper towel or clean tea towel
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 medium red capsicum, roughly chopped 
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/2 a small red onion, finely chopped
• a generous handful of baby spinach, chopped
• 4 tablespoons grated reduced-fat cheese or 40g reduced-fat feta, crumbled
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
• Optional- 150g lean ham, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with paper paper. 

2. Place the eggplant rounds on the prepared baking tray then sprinkle salt on top to draw out the vegetables' moisture. Leave for 10 minutes, then rinse well in a colander and pat dry with a paper towel or tea towel. 

3. Whilst the eggplant is 'sweating', chop all the remaining ingredients. Combine the oil, tomato, capsicum, garlic, onion, spinach, cheese, basil and ham (if using, or add the other vegetable/s) in a medium bowl and mix well. Sprinkle with ground black pepper if desired and stir again. 

4. Once the eggplant rounds are rinsed and dry, return them to the prepared baking tray. Spread the tomato paste thinly on top of each round. Next, top each little pizza with the vegetable mixture, trying to place an even amount of toppings onto each eggplant round. 

5. Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes or until the eggplant is just brown and tender. Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly before handling. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation & Cooking time / 30-35 minutes