Recipes

Try these at home! I hope you love them as much as I have...

Gluten Free Pasta and Tuna Salad

(Low GI, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Low Fat, Vegetarian Option)

 

¾ cup uncooked gluten free pasta (San Remo)

½ cup tuna – choice your favourite flavour

½ tomato – roughly diced

½ cucumber – roughly diced

1 small handful washed salad greens

½ avocado roughly diced

1 Tbs lemon juice

  

1.       Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packet. Set aside to cool.

2.       Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.

3.       Season with salt and pepper. Toss through and add the lemon juice. Serve immediately. Serves 1.

 

I hope you really enjoy this light lunch that can be enjoyed any time during the year. You can also serve it hot or cold. My personal favourite flavour of tuna is the John West’s Ginger and Chilli in oil. You can try this out, but feel free to add whatever protein you would like. I suggest you use tuna or chicken or even add some chickpeas as a vegetarian option.

Some fresh herbs would go really well with this recipe! Really add whatever you think it good. Play around with different flavour combinations.

Enjoy xx 

 

Mince and Quinoa Dish

(High Fibre, Gluten Free, Serves of Vegetables, Low Fat)

 

500g lean beef mince

1x 250g tin chopped tomatoes

1 brown onion diced

1 large Garlic clove finely diced

3Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp minced chilli

1 cup diced pumpkin

1 cup diced capsicum

1 cup diced eggplant

1 large zucchini roughly diced

2 Tbs tomato paste

½ cup roughly diced fresh herbs (coriander, parsley)

1 cup uncooked quinoa

Salt and pepper to season

 

1. Saute the onion, garlic and oil in a large frying pan. Once the onion is translucent in colour, brown the mince until almost cooked through.

2. Stir through the chopped tomatoes, chilli and vegetables. Cover and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked through.

3. Cook the quinoa are per the instructions on the packet. Serve the mince dish on top of the quinoa and season with salt and pepper. Garnish the meal with the herbs. Serves 4.

What a great gluten free way to eat heaps of vegetable whilst getting a great protein hit. Make sure that you rinse the quinoa as the surface of quinoa contains a chemical called saponin. This has an unpleasant bitter soapy taste. Most quinoa packets will already be washed and have the saponin removed but it’s a good idea to rinse it just before you use it; just in case!

Quinoa is a great source of protein that is from ‘a species of goosefoot, is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudo cereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the true grass family.’ It can come in many different types. This recipe uses red quinoa. Try some today! xx

The Three ‘S’s’ - Steak, Slaw and Salad

(Low Fat, Gluten Free, High Protein)

Steak:

 

4 x 100g lean steak fillets

2 Tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper  

Slaw:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs red wine vinegar

2 Tbs honey

2 tsp dijon mustard

4 cups Coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage, carrot, spring onions)

 

Salad:

2 cups Mixed salad greens

I ripe tomato – roughly diced

½ cucumber – roughly diced

½ avocado – roughly diced

 

1. Coat the steak fillets in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a grill until blood runs to surface. Turnover and cook until a desired pinkness in centre. Allow to rest for 10 minutes covered with aluminium foil.

2. Combine all ingredients of slaw recipe in bowl and set aside.

3. Combine all the ingredients of the salad recipe.

4. Serve immediately.

 

This is a fantastic summer dinner. I hope you really enjoy it. Sometimes it is nice not to have heavy carbohydrates that tend to weigh us down but just to have a few light salads and some meat. Feel free to add some tasted nuts to the slaw or salad to add a final touch. xx

 

Fruit and Nut Trifle

(Low GI, Tasty!)

 

½ cup fruit and nut muesli

1 ripe kiwifruit – roughly diced

2 Tbsp walnuts and almonds - toasted

¾ cup low fat passionfruit yoghurt 

1. Layer the ingredients in a tall glass, one after the other. Finish with the nuts.

 

Feel free to add whatever ingredients you would like. You could have any type of fruit. Banana, pear, mango or peach would work great.

Also have fun experimenting with different yoghurt flavours and different nuts.

This is a great alternative to a heavy and high saturated fat dessert such as pie or ice-cream.

Enjoy it any day or just as a fun snack. The kids will have heaps of fun making their own. xx

Chicken, Mushroom and Chickpea Summer Meal

 

(Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Low Fat)

 

Chicken:

1 chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced into 4

1 egg

1 teaspoon Middle-Eastern spices

5-6 slices Gluten Free multigrain bread (e.g Country Life Brand)

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 

Mushroom and Chickpea Salad:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs red wine vinegar

2 Tbs honey

2 tsp dijon mustard

400g button mushrooms, halved

300g fresh beans, trimmed

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

250g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved

400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed 

1. Whisk olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons to a small bowl and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the large bowl and stir to coat. Cover and set aside 1 hour to absorb the marinade.

2. Meanwhile wash the beans and place onto a microwave safe plate. Cover with damp paper towel and microwave for 1-2 minutes until bright green and just tender. Refresh in iced water, drain and pat dry. Halve the beans if necessary.

3. Add the beans, tomatoes and chickpeas to the mushrooms. Pour over the reserved dressing and toss to combine. Spoon onto a platter.

4. Meanwhile coat the chicken in a layer of beaten egg that has been seasoned with the spices, salt and pepper. Then coat the chicken in bread crumbs that have been made from the bread in a food processor. Pan fry the chicken until just cooked through and juicy!

5. Serve the chicken with the salad served next to it!

Hey there, I really hope you enjoy this recipe. I promise you that it is actually really tasty! I special thank you to the powerofmushrooms.com for the inspiration for the recipe. Did you know that 'mushrooms have more protein than most vegetables and a carbohydrate content similar to zucchini and tomatoes? They are also known to be cholesterol-free and with virtually no fat, the mushroom is a very low kilo joule food.' - thepowerofmushrooms.com

So why not enjoy this great recipe today?

This is a great recipe that is gluten free and really light and tasty! Enjoy it as a yummy summer meal.

Have a great day! xx

Mushroom, Cranberry and Pine Nut Rice Salad

(Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Low Fat)

 

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

1 1/2 cups cranberries

100g pine nuts

3/4 cup shredded coconut

3 tbs olive oil

600g button mushrooms, sliced

1 long red chilli, finely chopped

8 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 lemon, juiced

1 cup chopped fresh herbs (like Thai basil, mint and coriander)

 

1. Rinse rice then cook following the absorption method on the packet. Drain and rinse well. Spread onto a tray, cover and refrigerate until cold.

2. Cover cranberries with boiling water and stand for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Toast pine nuts in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat until light golden. Add coconut and cook for a further 1 minute until lightly toasted.

3. Heat a deep large frying pan over high heat until hot. Add oil and mushrooms and cook, shaking pan often for 5 minutes until golden and tender. Add chilli and onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, cranberries and rice. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes until warmed through.

4. Add the pine nuts, coconut and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, toss to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I hope you really enjoy this tasty recipe! I sourced it from a mushroom leaflet of powerofmushrooms.com.au. Thanks so much for continuing to follow me on 'Know What You're Eating'!

You can enjoy this salad as an accompaniment for chicken or fish or as a light summer lunch!

xx

 

Tuna and Vegetable Rice Paper Rolls

(Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Vegetarian Option, Low Fat)

 

6 rice paper rolls sheets

2 small tins John West – Chilli, Lime and Ginger

(or your favourite tuna flavour) – Drained and flaked

½ avocado - finely sliced

200g snow peas – finely sliced

1 large carrot – finely sliced into batons

1 large cucumber – finely sliced into batons

1 cup coriander - finely chopped

1 large red capsicum – finely sliced into batons

1 cup alfalfa – pulled apart

 

1. Place the rice paper roll sheets in warm – boiling water for 3 minutes.

2. Arrange all the ingredients on the rice paper in the centre but slightly towards one edge.

3. Wrap up the rice paper as follows (it is much similar to a burrito):



You can serve them with a chilli and hoisin sauce or just eat them as they are! Yummmo! These rice paper rolls are dairy-free, gluten free and can have a vegetarian option if you would like them without the tuna. Feel free to add your own ingredients or protein. Some ideas might be chicken, pork, tofu or other great vegies. You could try grated apple for a sweet crunch!

I hope you love these as a great treat for the lunchboxes, a light lunch or a summer dinner. They can also be great as a started at a dinner party or nibbles at a picnic!

xx

Vegetarian Asian Style Stir-Fry

(Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Low Fat)

375g Rice Stick Noodles or 1 packet of your favourite rice noodles

300g Hard Tofu or ‘Stir-Fry’ style Tofu sliced

250g Chilli, Soy and Ginger Kikkoman Marinade and Sauce Bottle (Needs to be Gluten Free)

1 large Carrot sliced into batons

1 medium stick of celery sliced into batons

125g Baby corn sliced length ways

200g Snow pea sprouts

I large Capsicum sliced into batons

150g Beans sliced into batons

150g Snow peas sliced into batons

1 large Brown Onion finely sliced

1 large Garlic clove finely diced

3Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

1. Sauté onion and garlic in large wok on medium heat with olive oil until onion is tender and garlic is fragrant.

2. Add sliced tofu and cook through for 5 minutes.

3. Add all vegetables and sauce. Cook through until tender continuing to stir.

4. Cover the noodle with boiling water for 5-10 minutes until just cooked through.

5. Combine the vegetable mixture and noodles together and serve. Serves 4 large portions.

This stir-fry is a great healthy vegetarian option that is jam packed with heaps of fantastic vegies! If you would like to make this a meat dish you can substitute the tofu for chicken, pork or beef. I hope you enjoy!

Kate

xx

Vegetarian Frittata

(Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Low Fat)

 

 

2 free range eggs - lightly beaten

1/4 cup low fat milk

Salt and pepper

2Tb corn kernels

1/2 roasted potato - roughly chopped

1/2 roasted sweet potato - roughly chopped

1/2 roasted butternut pumpkin - roughly chopped

1/2 steamed beans - roughly chopped

1/2 steamed broccolini - roughly chopped

Shaved parmesan

                                                                                    Coriander and parsley - roughly chopped

 

1. Combine all ingredients, with the exception of the herbs, in a lined (line with baking paper) frying pan. Ensure the baking paper reaches over the edges of the pan.
2. Cook the frittata on a low to medium heat until the egg mixture if cooked through and the cheese has melted.
3. Top with chopped herbs and serve. Serves 1 or 2 as a side dish.

Enjoy this dish as an easy vegetarian meal. You could serve this with a small side salad with a light dressing in the summer months. Feel free to add your own ingredients - really whatever you find in the fridge. I suggest using tomato, mushroom, capsicum or zucchini to add flavour. This is a great meal for getting all your required daily intake of vegetables!

Enjoy...

xx





Homemade Cranberry and Almond Muesli Bars
(Vegetarian, Low GI, Low Fat)

50g unsalted margarine
2Tb raw sugar
1/4 cup natural honey 
1/4 blanched almonds
1/4 dried cranberries
1/2 pepitas
1/2 multigrain rolled oats
2Tb shredded coconut
1/2 self raising flour

1.      Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm square cake pan with non-stick baking paper.

2.      Place the butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.

3.      Combine the dry ingredients; almonds, cranberries, pepitas, oats, coconut and flour in a large bowl. Stir to combine.

4.      Pour the butter, sugar and honey mixture over the dry ingredients.

5.      Spoon the mixture into the lined pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden. Set aside in the pan for 30 minutes to cool completely.

6.      Cut into slices to serve! Keep them in an air tight container until they are gobbled up! Serves 8 bars.

As found in this recipe oats are important for a healthy balanced diet. Oats contain soluble and insoluble fibres that are vital to help lower blood cholesterol levels. Oats help maintain healthy blood sugar levels already within the normal range.

These muesli bars are packed for of healthy goodies including almonds which provide monounsaturated fats that help in successful weight management. Confused? These are particularly good fats. You must avoid saturated fats, but foods that contain monounsaturated fats are surprisingly good for your health.

These muesli bars will satisfy hunger due to their high fibre content, so enjoy one as a mid morning or afternoon snack to last you through until your next main meal.

These are also great for kid’s lunch boxes, hungry teenagers and coffee with the girls.


Enjoy...

xx