MEXICAN SWEET POTATO POCKETS

This recipe was adapted from one I found in the 'Lookbook Cookbook', a very hip cookbook filled with Vegan & Gluten-free meals. This book was surprisingly given to me by my meat-loving husband for my birthday! I've adapted this recipe to include dairy in the form of feta cheese, however if you wanted to keep it lactose-free and / or vegan, substitute the cheese for 1 medium avocado. Remember that whilst avocados are incredibly amazing, they do contain a lot of fat, so you have a bit of a Sophie's choice decision on hand: either avocado or feta cheese! Or perhaps half half! 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into eight even pieces or 4 medium sweet potato, each cut in half, washed and dried (need around 1.2 kilo of sweet potato)
• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 of a large red onion, finely chopped 
• 1 x 400g tin of four or five bean mix, drained & rinsed
• 150g green or red capsicum or a mixture of both, diced
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 
• 100g reduced-fat feta, crumbled or finely diced
• 1/4 - 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 large tomato, diced
• the juice of 1 lime 

COOKING 

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Using a knife poke several holes into each piece of sweet potato (this will speed up the roasting process). Lightly brush the whole of each piece of potato with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the potato pieces are tender. 

2. Meanwhile, make the potato pocket filling. As the potato takes a while to cook, use this time to cut and prepare all the vegetables. Then combine the onion, beans, capsicum, 1 spring onion, feta,  chilli, paprika, tomato, lime juice and a generous sprinkle of ground black pepper. Stir well to combine and place in the fridge to marinate. NB: if you are using avocado do not add to the sweet potato until the last step. 

3. Once the potatoes are tender, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly so that you are able to handle them. Leave the oven on if you want to further roast the potatoes; see step 5. 

4. Once cool, scoop out the potato 'flesh', leaving just the skin of the potato. Take the filling out of the fridge and stir the cooked sweet potato in, chopping up the pieces if they are too big. 

5. You could now serve the sweet potato pockets by filling each potato skin with the filling and topping with extra spring onion and avocado, if using. Or if you would like your potato skin crisper, fill each potato skin with the filling and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potato skin is crispy. Remove from the oven and top with spring onion and avocado, if using. I've eaten these pockets both ways and I honestly like them both ways; it often comes down to how hungry you are!

Serves / 8 

Total Preparation time / just a few minutes as most of the prep is done during the cooking time. 

Total Cooking time / 1 hour - 1 hour 20 minutes 

x Premium Pilates 

ZUCCHINI, CARROT & PEA FRITTERS

I have made fritters a few times, however never without corn. I was initially concerned about how these fritters would cook, as all I had in my pantry was chickpea flour (besan flour). I was pleasantly surprised at how well they turned out and how little oil I needed to use (just 1 tablespoon for around 19 fritters, therefore 4 batches in the pan). I've turned down a bit of a vegetarian path recently and whilst I am still cooking and eating meat, I am loving getting creative with vegetables, herbs and spices. These vego fritters are a great option for lunch, dinner or a healthy snack. 

INGREDIENTS

• 500g or 3-4 medium zucchini, grated
• 300g or 3 carrots, grated 
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 50g reduced-fat feta, crumbled or finely chopped
• 3 eggs, preferably free-range, beaten
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped, such as chives, basil, parsley, corainder
• 3/4 cup of any type of flour other than self-raising, such as plain, gluten-free plain, rice, millet, besan etc - I used besan flour (chickpea flour) 
• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat cows milk, or if intolerant or allergic opt for lactose-free milk, unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, rice milk. 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• Optional sides / toppings - avocado, baby spinach, extra herbs, tomato, cucumber, etc. 

METHOD 

1. Wrap the grated zucchini in a thin tea towel or muslin cloth and squeeze out the excess moisture into a bowl or sink. 

2. Place the zucchini, carrot, peas, feta, eggs, herbs, flour, soy sauce, milk and a pinch of ground black pepper in a large bowl and mix well to combine. 

3. Heat in a large frying pan over medium heat, add 1/2 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat. Scoop a heaped 1/4 cup of mixture out of the bowl for each fritter. Place each scoop of mixture in the pan and pat down well with a spatula. Make sure not to crowd the fritters or you will have trouble flipping them. I cook four at a time in a large frying pan. Cook on each side for around 3 minutes or until quite brown in colour. Remove from heat and repeat until all the fritters are cooked, only adding the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil if needed. Serve warm with any or all of the toppings listed above in the Ingredients section. 

Total Prep time / around 20-25 minutes (need to grate the vegetables etc)

Total Cooking time / approx. 25 minutes 

Makes / around 18 - 20 

Serves / 6 / 3-4 fritters each 

x Premium Pilates Studio 

VEGETARIAN BUDDHA BOWL

I learnt about this amazing bowls from a vego friend. I love the fact that you can combine any type of grain or bean, lentil or legume and as many cooked and raw veges as you want and call it a 'Buddha Bowl'. It is such a perfect way to use up whatever vegetables that are reaching their use-by date in the fridge. I have made this recipe twice in the last week and each time this dish lasted me 4 plus serves and left me feeling full but not stuffed. I encourage to get creative and use whatever you have on hand. Here's a few ideas: 

Protein - can be a grain, seed, bean, lentil, legume or soy product. You can throw 1 or 2 of the following:

Tofu, Tempeh, Chickpeas, any type of Lentil, Cannellini beans, Four Bean Mix, Red Kidney Beans, Any type of Rice (Brown, Wild, Black, Red), Quinoa, Couscous, Farro, Freekeh, Amaranth.  

Cooked Vegetables: roast pumpkin, sweet potato, potato, mushrooms. 

Raw Vegetables: tomato, cucumber, red cabbage, capsicum, baby spinach, kale, any type of lettuce, avocado. 

And a dressing that you have made or 1 medium avocado, cut into small pieces. I often go for the avocado option, as it really rounds out the salad! 

Heres my recipe: 

INGREDIENTS

• 350g sweet potato, cut into even, small pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 heaped teaspoons ground cumin, coriander or smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 cup water 
• 1 head of broccoli, stalk and florets evenly chopped
• 1 cup of frozen peas, thawed 
• 225g firm tofu in a block 
• 1/2 a medium red capsicum, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 a medium green capsicum, cut into thin strips
• 2 generous handfuls of baby spinach, baby kale and mixed lettuce
• 1 medium avocado, cut into small pieces 

COOKING

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

2. Place the tofu between two chopping boards or plates with a weight on top (I used a jar of nuts). Raise one end (I placed a small scale underneath one side of the chopping board) and sit for 25 minutes to drain. Once drained, cut into even thin strips. 

3. Whilst the tofu is draining, toss the sweet potato in a medium bowl with one tablespoon oil and one of the spices. Arrange the potato pieces in a single layer on the prepared tray. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender and golden. 

4. Once the sweet potato is in the oven, place the brown rice and water in a medium saucepan, covered, and bring to the boil. Once boiled, reduce heat to a simmer and leave to cook for around 10 minutes or until all water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and place rice in a large serving bowl to cook. 

5. Return the same saucepan to the stove, filled halfway with water and bring to the boil, covered. Once boiled add the broccoli and leave to steam for four minutes before pouring in the peas. Leave to steam for one further minute, before draining in a sieve/colander over cold running water. Pour the cooked vegetables into the serving bowl with the cooked rice. 

6. Swirl the remaining one tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the tofu pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, covered. Remove from heat and place in the serving bowl. 

7. By now the sweet potato should be cooked. Remove from the oven and place in the serving bowl. Add the raw vegetables; in this case the capsicum, baby spinach, kale and lettuce and avocado pieces or dressing, if using, and toss well to combine. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time / around 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 30-40 minutes 

x Premium Pilates Studio 

SUSHI SALAD BOWL

I love fresh, bright and quick to prepare meals, hence this Sushi Salad Bowl is a favourite of mine. Having tried my hand at making sushi before, this is a much quicker and less painstaking process which tastes like the inside of my ideal sushi roll. You can play with the ingredients and add lemon, daikon, salmon, toasted seaweed, coriander etc or remove any ingredients below that you do not like/have on hand. I like to opt for a very simple, easy bowl. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup brown rice 
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil / sesame oil 
• 2 green shallots, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 
• Optional - 15cm stick fresh lemongrass, finely chopped
• 3cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 300g free range chicken breast, cut into 3cm even pieces 
• 150g green beans, cut into 2cm pieces 
• 150g red cabbage or wombok or a mixture of bowl, shredded 
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated
• 1 Lebanese cucumber or 1/2 continental cucumber, diced 
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced 
• 4 teaspoons white /black or a mixture of both (1 teaspoon for each serving) 

Dressing

• the juice of 1 medium lime 
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

COOKING 

1. Place rice and 2 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cover for around 12-15 minutes or until all water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Remove from heat and add the rice wine vinegar, then fluff the rice with a fork to stir it in. 

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, lemongrass (if using) and ginger and stir for 2 minutes, taking care not to burn the ingredients. Then add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring often for approximately 4-5minutes or until the chicken is cooked. 

3. Remove the chicken with the shallots, lemongrass and ginger from the pan and now add the beans and cabbage. Stir for around 3 minutes or until beans are slightly tender. 

4. Pour the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or mug along with 2 tablespoons water and stir well. 

5. Distribute the rice, carrot, cucumber, avocado, chicken and beans & cabbage into four bowls. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds over each bowl and drizzle dressing over the top and serve. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / maximum 25 minutes 

MAPLE PANCAKES

Pancakes: not always bad for you! They can be, if you serve them alongside ice cream, chocolate, pure cream and knobs of butter. However, just a couple homemade pancakes with a side of fruit can be healthy and delicious at the same time. I like adding the maple syrup to the batter as it gives it more flavour. Also, when you put the syrup in the batter you do not need to add maple syrup to the cooked pancakes, which can result in a lot of extra calories when the maple syrup is poured on at liberty! Cooking pancakes are a great way to cook for both your kids and yourself on a weekend morning. I have very fond memories of my Dad making pancakes and pikelets for us every Sunday morning when I was growing up. I'm sure my mum would have loved when Sunday rolls around, as it was only of the only times he cooked! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup self-raising flour / gluten-free self raising flour for the intolerant or allergic 
• 1 egg, lightly beaten 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 
• 1 cup milk (regular, skim, lactose-free, unsweetened almond or oat milk)
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 200g fresh strawberries, halved 
• Rice bran oil / olive oil 

COOKING 

1. Pour the flour, egg vanilla essence, milk and maple syrup in a large bowl and whisk well to combine until the batter contains no lumps. 

2. Heat a medium to large frying pan over medium-low heat and add 1 teaspoon of oil. Pour 1/4 cup of the pancake batter into the pan per pancake and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Carefully flip the pancake and cook on the other side until the pancake is browned to your liking. Remove from the pan and cover, keeping warm whilst you repeat this process until no batter remains. The batter should make around 8 large pancakes. 

3. Serve with strawberries 

Serves / 4  = 2 pancakes each 

Preparation & Cooking Time /  30 minutes maximum 

BAKED SEA PERCH with STEAMED BROCCOLI & SWEET POTATO FRIES

I was very lucky to be given several Sea Perch fillets from my father-in-law, who caught them fishing up in Northern QLD earlier this year. Sea Perch is often called Red Emperor, however it is not a true Emperor fish. As I am not an avid fish eater but have decided to become, due to the numerous health benefits fish provides, I did some extensive research regarding how to cook fish before diving in. I chose baking the fish as apposed to grilling or pan frying, as it seemed a better way to keep the moisture in the fish. I was surprised to learn that Sea Perch is one of Australia's most highly regarded fish...lucky I have a whole freezer full of them! 

INGREDIENTS

Baked Fish 

• the juice of half a lemon
• the juice of half a lime (or the juice of 1 lemon or 1 lime)
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 sea perch fillets, skinned
• al foil 
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
• shallow oven tray or baking dish 

Sides

• 1 medium sweet potato, washed, peeled & cut into thin even wedges
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 head of broccoli, separated into florets and stalk chopped

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius. Toss the sweet potato wedges with the oil and spices, then place on a lined baking tray. Place at the very top of the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until fries are lightly browned and cooked to your liking. Remove from heat. 

2. Combine the lemon and/or lime, garlic, chilli and parsley in a small bowl, mixing well. 

2. Place the fish in separate al foil, then brush the oil over the front and back of the fish fillets. Pour half of the marinade over the top of each fillet and wrap the fish like a parcel in the foil. 

3. When the fries have been in the oven for 15 minutes, bake the fish in the oven in a shallow tray or baking dish for 10-12 minutes, using a knife to see if the fish is cooked (if it is cooked, the fillet will flake slightly when the knife enters). Remove from the oven. 

4. When the fish has been placed in the oven, bring a small saucepan to the boil over high heat, covered. Remove the lid and place a sieve or colander in place of the lid with the broccoli florets & stalks inside. Steam for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat and toss with ground black pepper. 

Serve fish alongside 1/2 of the steamed broccoli and 1/2 of the sweet potato fries. 

Serves / 2

Total Preparation time & Cooking time / around 35 minutes  

x Emily 

 

HEALTHY FRENCH TOAST

Who says that all French toast has to be fatty and sugary with copious amounts of ice-cream, maple syrup and chocolate? Yes that first sentence may sound like a dream to you, but it is no friend to your waistline or your organs! French toast can be healthy, as my mother taught me growing up. She used to make French toast for me on occasion, whenever I requested it in the morning (such a spoilt little girl I know!). I believe she had learnt how to make this delicious breakfast food from my Babushka (Nanna), who used to own a little restaurant in Melbourne’s Chapel Street. Babushka’s and dedushka’s (grandfather) restaurant served beautiful Russian food and filling breakfasts; such as french toast and eggs. I have adjusted the recipe somewhat to omit the extra sugar that they used (sorry for all you sweet people out there!) Trust me when I say that this french toast still tastes incredible sans sugar, due to the vanilla essence, the lemon, the fresh strawberries and the spicy hit of cinnamon. 

INGREDIENTS

• 150g strawberries, cut into halves or quarters 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract /essence (organic and natural if available)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 free range eggs, beaten well 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 pieces of multigrain, wholemeal or gluten-free bread 
• 1 teaspoon rice bran oil

COOKING 

1. Place the cut strawberries, vanilla essence and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss well to combine and leave the flavours to soak whilst you prepare and cook the toast. 

2. Place the beaten eggs, milk and cinnamon into a medium bowl and whisk well to combine. Soak each slice of bread in the egg mixture. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat and add the oil, swirling to coat the pan. When oil has heated add the 4 slices of bread and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until egg is cooked and the bread is golden in colour. Remove from heat and top with the marinated strawberries. Serve warm. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes maximum

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes maximum

x Emily 

PANKO CHICKEN NUGGETS

I love to make recipes that contain no added oil. It just makes me feel so much healthier. I decided not to fry these chicken nuggets prior to baking them in the oven for this very reason. If gluten intolerant, polenta or gluten-free breadcrumbs would work nicely as a substitute for panko. I like adding ground paprika and chives, however you could change the seasonings and add ground chilli, lemon pepper seasoning, dried oregano, fresh coriander, the possibilities are endless. 

Ingredients

• 500g chicken breast fillets, fat removed 
• 1 free range egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan force oven to 180 degrees celsius. 

2. Cut the chicken into small, even sized nuggets/pieces. 

3. . Whisk the beaten egg with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl and place at the start of your assembly line, after the chicken pieces. Combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, chives and pinch of salt & pepper (optional) in a medium bowl and place this next to the egg. Place a baking tray lined with baking paper at the end of the assemble line. 

4. The fun part - making the nuggets! Dunk each piece of chicken into the egg, then let the extra egg drip for a second off the chicken before placing the chicken piece in the panko seasoning bowl. Cover the nugget with the breadcrumbs by turning it over on each side and then place on the baking tray. Continue this process until no chicken remains. 

4. Bake the chicken nuggets in the oven for 15 minutes or until just lightly brown. Remove from the oven and leave the chicken to cool and continue cooking for 5 minutes before serving. 

Serves / 4 with a side dish 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x Emily 

HAM & TURKEY DIJON SALAD

I've become a great fan of super light dinners, as I do not get home any earlier than at least 8:45 four nights a week. This simple salad is such a dish. It is light, full of protein and vegetables and has a very zingy dressing. Even my salad hating fiancee Chris ate it and loved it! 

This salad is also great to eat on a terribly hot summers day, as the prep time is minimal and you don't have to slave in a hot kitchen. If you have other lean meats on hand you are welcome to use them. The mustard dressing is my favourite part of this dish. Ever since my dad started to make his own salad dressings, I have enthusiastically followed suit. The difference between homemade and store bought dressing is vast, as homemade dressing tastes a million times fresher. Try it out for yourself!

INGREDIENTS

Dijon Dressing 

• the juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon water 

Salad

• 100g lean sliced turkey breast, chopped roughly into small pieces
• 100g lean sliced ham, chopped roughly into small pieces
• 100g cucumber, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced 
• 2 generous handfuls of baby spinach 
• 1 handful of iceberg lettuce, torn 
• 50g low-fat feta, chopped into small pieces
• Optional- garnish with fresh herbs, such as finely chopped chives 

METHOD  

1. Place all dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well to combine. 

2. Place all salad ingredients in a medium serving bowl and toss well to combine. Drizzle mustard dressing over the top of the salad and enjoy! 

Serves / 2 
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes max

SALT & PEPPER TURKEY QUINOA SALAD

Recipes come from the oddest places, if you keep your eyes and mind open. I was relaxing on the beach this Saturday after a brutal but rewarding week of work and renovating and stumbled upon this summery recipe. Where did I find it, you may ask? To answer this question you need to understand one thing about me. I hardly ever read gossip websites, I never watch reality tv shows (unless they are renovation or food related!) and I am about 5-10 years behind which celebrity is dating whom. That being said, when I am truly in need of relaxing, I buy a gossip magazine (usually Who or OK) and sit alone on the beach reading it cover to cover. Call it an indulgence, a guilty pleasure, whatever you wish. I cherish this time of escapism. And in this pages of Who's most recent addition was one recipe, which turned out to be delicious, packed with protein and healthy. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained twice
• salt & pepper 
• 400g turkey fillets, cut into 2 even portions
• 1 tablespoons coconut oil 
• 2 large handfuls of kale, shredded 
• 1/4 large iceberg lettuce,  shredded
• 200g green beans, trimmed & cut into small pieces
• 1 pink lady apple, thinly sliced
• Optional - 1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint and/or coriander 

Dressing

• the jest & juice of 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

Cooking 

1. In a saucepan cover the quinoa with 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until the water is almost all absorbed. Add the kale to the pan and cover, cooking for a further 2 minutes. Remove the quinoa & kale from the stove and rinse well with cold water, then drain and set aside. 

2. Whilst the quinoa is cooking, prepare the turkey by massaging a small amount of salt and pepper into each fillet. 

3. In a medium frypan heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the fillets and cook for 2 minutes each side, then add 1/3 cup of water, cover with a lid, turn the heat down to low and cook for 5 minutes. After this time, turn off the heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. 

4. Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and whisking well to combine. Season to taste and a splash of water at a time if the dressing seems too thick. 

5. Slice the cooked turkey into thin strips. Place the quinoa and kale in a large serving bowl, then top with the shredded lettuce, beans, apple slices and herbs, if using. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss well to combine. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

EM'S FAVOURITE GREEN SMOOTHIE

I love this smoothie and make it most days for myself and Chris. I often use frozen mango (when fresh mango is not in season) however I recently substituted this for pineapple which tastes just as nice. I like buying bananas in bulk, removing their skin and glad -wrapping them individually to use for smoothies, ice cream and other sweet treats. I use Hawaiian Coconut Energy sachets as it contains no sugar, is extremely low in calories and is full of calcium, minerals, potassium and electrotyles. You can buy this coconut water at Premium Pilates Studio or at alohahealth.com.au

Ingredients

• a large handful of washing baby or english spinach 
• 2cm knob of fresh ginger, grated 
• 1 stalk of celery, washed & chopped
• 1 kiwi fruit, skin removed 
• 1 mango, cut into small pieces or a handful of pineapple pieces
• 1 frozen banana
• 250ml no sugar coconut water 

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients into a blender and blend for a minute or until combined. Add more water if you want a thinner consistency. 

Serves / 2 

from the PPS team 

CORN, CARROT & ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

I love eating corn fritters whenever I am out for breakfast. Whenever I spy them on a menu, I cannot be persuaded to order anything else. After eating a delightful lunch of corn & zucchini fritters at a restaurant in Kirra last Friday inspiration struck me on Sunday to create my own. I have made my fritters gluten and dairy free, however you could use dairy milk and flour that is not gluten free. If you do not like corn you could use chickpeas or more zucchini and/or carrot as a filler. The herbs below are just a suggestion as is the ground coriander. I would recommend using a spice or two when you make corn fritters or you do run the risk of them tasting a little bland. 

Ingredients

• 175g zucchini, grated
• 1 x 400g canned corn or 260g fresh corn 
• 100g carrot, grated
• 2 free-range eggs, lighten beaten
• 3/4 cup almond milk or other milk
• 3/4 cup gluten-free plain flour
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, coriander and/or chives 
• rice bran oil 
• Optional toppings: diced avocado, baby spinach, extra herbs, diced tomato. 

Cooking 

1. Wrap the grated zucchini in a thin tea towel or muslin cloth and squeeze out the excess moisture into a bowl or sink. 

2. Place the zucchini, corn, carrot, eggs, milk, flour, ground coriander, herbs and sea salt & ground black pepper in a large bowl and mix well to combine. 

3. Heat 1 tablespoon rice bran oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and swirl to coat. Use a 1/4 cup as a measurement for each fritter. Place the mixture in the pan and pat down with a spatula. Make sure not to crowd the fritters. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat and add more oil if needed. Repeat until all the fritters are cooked. Serve warm with any or all of the toppings listed above in the Ingredients section. 

Makes / 12 fritters

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes

Total Cooking time / around 20 minutes 

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD

This is the type of food that I love to eat. Fresh, filled with vegetables and light. My family often jokes that I (and most of them) were Asian in a past life as we could eat Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The idea for this grated / shredded salad was born from the Sarah Wilson 'I Quit Sugar for Life'. She has dedicated 2 pages to grated salads and I thought to myself 'what a great idea; I can feed these types of salads to Chris (my fiancé) without him really catching on that they are in fact salads, due to the various textures and potential for meat in the dishes. If you are looking for a heartier meal, toss in some rice vermicelli noodles. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 x 250g (or similar size) chicken breasts
• 3 cups finely shredded red cabbage
• 2 cups finely shredded wombok
• 2 medium carrots, finely grated
• 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• Optional- a generous handful of finely chopped coriander, mint, chives and/or green shallots

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• the juice of 1 large lime
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed 
• 2 tablespoons water

Cooking

1. Place the chicken breasts in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, covered, then simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the saucepan stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the poached chicken from the pan and leave to cool for a few minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. 

3. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into small pieces. 

4. Combine the chicken pieces, cabbage, wombok, carrot, sesame seeds and herbs if using in a large serving bowl. Drizzle the dressing on top and toss well to combine. 

Serves / 4 as a light meal

Total Preparation time / 10 - 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes approx. 

x Premium Pilates 

BROWN RICE VEGETABLE LOAF with PUMPKIN MASH

This is one of my favourite recipes in the entire Michelle Bridges program and has got a great response from my Food blog (soulful sandwiches.blogspot.com). It is wholesome, filling and packed to the brim with goodness. I love pumpkin and broccoli together and here is no exception. I have altered the recipe slightly by adding and changing a few ingredients. Just a splash of almond milk will do to bring out the sweetness of the pumpkin in the mash. I have added garlic and removed ginger as I am a sucker for garlic and soy sauce together. The extra egg on top of the brown rice assists in helping the loaf to hold its shape (which it does extremely well). Definitely a recipe I will make again and again and many more times after that.  

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup brown rice (150g)
• 1 head of broccoli (around 150g) cut into florets and stalk roughly chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 300g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
• 30g baby spinach 
• 60g avocado, scooped into small pieces

Cooking 

1. Place the rice and 2 cups of water (500ml) in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil, covered. Once boiled reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 25 minutes or until the rice is absorbed. Add the broccoli florets on top of the rice for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove from heat. 

2. Whilst the rice is cooking, grease a loaf tin (with a base of approx. 20cm x 10cm) with oil and line the base and sides with baking paper. Once the rice is almost cooked preheat a fan-force oven to 180 degrees celsius. 

3. Remove the broccoli from the rice and finely chop. Transfer the rice to a large bowl to cool. 

4. Combine the broccoli, garlic, 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, 1 egg and ground black pepper with the rice, stirring well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the surface with a wet tablespoon. Pour the other egg on top and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is just golden. Remove from the oven and let stand for a minimum of 5 minutes to cool. 

5. Whilst the loaf is cooking, bring the pumpkin pieces and enough water to cover them to boil over high heat. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Remove from the stove, drain the pumpkin and mash until smooth, adding the almond milk as you mash. 

6. Toss the baby spinach, avocado and 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce in a small bowl as a side salad. 

7. Once the rice loaf has cooled slightly, carefully remove it from the tin and cut into 4 slices. Drizzle the 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce remaining over the top of the loaf. Serve 2 slices of brown rice loaf with half of the pumpkin mash and half of the salad. 

Serves / 2 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 65 minutes 

Approx. calories / 515 per serve

x Emily