BEEF MASSAMAN NOODLE BOWL

This dish may seem to hot to eat during summer, but it has gone down a treat the last few times I have made it for dinner. The second time I used very ripe zucchini and broccoli which gave the dish some vegetable power. I need to again thank Heidi Swanson, a Californian cook and blogger, for this delicious recipe (the combination of flavours in the broth is one of the tastiest fusions of ingredients I have ever had the pleasure of eating). This dish is a cross between a curry and a soup and is a delightfully filling meal. Heidi makes her noodle bowl with tofu, however my fella demanded some meat. Substitute the 500g beef mince for 350g extra-firm tofu, cut into small pieces.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/2 large brown or red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon massaman curry paste
• 270g dried udon noodles
• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped into small cubes
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets and stalk cut up into small pieces 
• 1 x 400ml tin light coconut milk
• 2 cups gluten-free vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce or tamari sauce
• 1 heaped tablespoon ground turmeric
• the juice of 1 large lime 
• 1/2 cup green shallots /green onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup crushed peanuts

COOKING 

1. Heat the oil in a large deep pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and curry paste to the pan and mash the paste until it is evenly combined with the other ingredients. 

2. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package instructions. (Usually this involves one boiling saucepan of water, placing the udon noodles in the pot and stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft but not mushy). Remove from heat and drain with a colander or large sieve. 

3. Once the paste has been mashed and the garlic and onion are fragrant add the beef mince.  Stir the mince with a large metal spoon, breaking up any lumps that may occur as the beef cooks. Once the beef is brown and is mixed in with the paste, add the zucchini and broccoli and stir for a few minutes to combine and soften the vegetables slightly. Pour the coconut milk, stock, soy sauce and turmeric into the pan. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover with a lid and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked. 

4. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the beef 'soup' into a large serving bowl. Add the noodles and lime juice and stir well to combine. Serve each noodle bowl topped with green shallots and crushed peanuts. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 10-15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 20 minutes 

x Emily

BANANA ESPRESSO MUFFINS

A wonderful cook and friend once told me that it can take several attempts in the kitchen to construct a good sweet treat. Often when baking is concerned, it is trial and error and numerous muffins, cakes and slices get made before the right amount of each ingredient is found. This was exactly the case with this recipe. These Banana Espresso Muffins were adapted from a favourite cookbook of mine; 'Super Natural Living' by Heidi Swanson. Heidi is an all natural ingredient kind of gal and is the author of the very popular culinary websites 101 Cookbooks and Mighty Foods. I dug up her book out of my moving boxes and was eager to create something of hers. This is my gluten and dairy free take on her very wholesome banana espresso muffins (tried and tested several times).

INGREDIENTS

• coconut oil, to grease 
• 1/2 cup gluten-free flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 cup gluten-free self-raising flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts & almonds (around 3/4 cup of each nut)
• 1 heaped tablespoon fine espresso coffee powder
• 6 tablespoons nutalex, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup organic maple syrup
• 3 large free-range eggs, beaten lightly 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1/2 cup coconut yoghurt
• 1 1/2 cups mashed over-ripe banana (around 3 large bananas)

BAKING 

1. Heat a fan-force oven to 190 degrees celsius (375 degrees F). Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin with coconut oil. 

2. Place the flours, salt, baking powder, 3/4 cup of the mixed nuts and espresso powder in a large bowl and stir well to combine. 

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk the nutalex until it takes on a fluffy consistency. Pour in the maple syrup and the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla, yoghurt and mashed banana and stir well to combine. Gently stir in the dry ingredients slowly, trying not to over mix the ingredients (or you will find yourself with tough muffins). 

4. With a large spoon, spoon the batter evenly into the muffin tin holes. Note that this recipe makes quite a decent amount of batter so you can make oversize muffins if you want by filling the muffin holes to the brim. Top with the remaining 3/4 cup of mixed nuts and place the tin in the lower part of the oven. Bake for 50 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 5 minutes before placing the individual muffins on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Makes  / 12

Total Preparation / Baking time / 25 minutes / 50 minutes 

x Emily 

FRUIT FIGHTING FIT

Fruit is excellent for you, in moderation like everything else. Don't be scared of the amount of fructose in fruit! Our tip is to just make sure that you are eating more servings of vegetables than fruit each day. Below we give you the low down on our favourite summer fruits and some tips for keeping them fresh as long as possible. 

Mango

How could mango not make the list? It is a Queensland summer staple. Freeze mangoes to enjoy all year round by removing the peel when they are ripe and wrapping each mango cheek into glad wrap and placing in the freezer. 

Did you know: consuming as little as 100g of fresh mango a day for 12 weeks has been linked to decreasing blood sugar levels. 

Cherries 

This little stone fruits need to be stored unwashed in an airtight container in the fridge, as water lessens their lifespan. Pick plump, firm cherries with green stems to make sure they last as long as possible. 

Did you know: Eating a few cherries on a regular basis can lower your risk of gout by 35%. 

Blueberries

This fruit is one of my favourites as its health properties are endless. Blueberries assist in protecting the body against heart disease and diabetes, are ridiculously high in antioxidants (antioxidants help prevent free radicals (oxygen particles) from destroying or affecting cells) and they also contain elements that block the development of fat cells. 

Did you know: Baking or boiling blueberries does not reduce their high antioxidant content, but microwaving them does. If blueberries are placed in a microwave for just five minutes they lose almost all of their health benefits. Don't do it! 

Watermelon

People in the fitness industry love watermelon, as the juice of this fruit can assist in the body bouncing back after a tough workout. This is because this melon is full of the amino acid l-citrulline which fights hard to lessen muscle soreness after exercise. In addition, some L-citrulline from watermelon is converted into l-arginine in the body, which is another amino acid that regulates blood pressure. 

Did you know: Food-saftey experts advise that you clean the rind of a watermelon very thoroughly before eating the flesh of the fruit, even if you are not planning to consume the rind. 

Figs

I see more and more recipes that contain figs every day. Studies show that consuming figs on a regular basis is linked to a healthier and more balanced digestive system. 

Did you know: the colour of a fig can be used to determine how ripe it is. Ripen fresh figs at room temperature and do not eat until they have completely lost their green colouring. The colour change from green to purple is directly related to the fig's antioxidant content increasing. 

x Emily 

Information found in February's 'Good Health' magazine. Picture by nzgirl.co