Yellow Prawn Curry over Rice Noodles

Time for a new blog post!!!  After our time in America, then having a baby girl (now 7 weeks old), I'm finally getting back into it!  And, of course back into doing in home demonstrations as a Consultant.

This is a recipe that came about because of a favourite dish at a Thai restaurant where we lived in California.  I'm not sure that it's even authentic in any way (I found a lot of Thai restaurants seemed to have slightly different versions of the Thai that we have in Australia typically), but I do think it is very tasty!!  Obviously, a yellow curry would usually use yellow chillies but I have not found them here.  So it's basically a green curry with other non-Thai-ish spices added!  And I think it's nice served with the rice noodles as a change from rice.  Here it is, I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

1 packet of Rice Noodles (whichever size)
1 lemongrass stalk cut into pieces
3 cloves garlic
2 spring onions
3 Kaffir lime leaves
2 yellow or green chillies, deseeded (or not if you want very spicy)
400g Can Coconut Milk
10g Olive Oil
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp rapadura or sugar
150g broccoli florets
150g mixed veg (e.g., zucchini, peas, capsicum)
400g prawns (I usually just have frozen ones in freezer, so have based cooking time on that)


Method:

Prepare boiling water for rice noodles, and add as many rice noodles as your family will eat.

1.  Chop lemongrass, garlic, spring onions, Kaffir lime leaves, and chillies 6 seconds, Speed 6.

2.  Add a dash of oil, sauté 3 mins, 100C, Speed Soft.

3.  Add 100g Coconut milk, cumin, coriander, turmeric and rapadura, Cook 2 mins, 100C, Speed 1.

4.  Add rest of coconut milk, blend 1 min, Speed 9.

5.  Add veg, broccoli and prawns, cook 7-8 mins, 100C, Reverse + Speed Soft.

6.  Add 2 tbsp fish sauce, cook 3 mins, 100C, Reverse + Speed Soft, making sure the prawns are fully cooked.

Serve over Rice Noodles!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Banana Date loaf

It's been a long time, yes.  Our trip to America, then settling back in in Australia, and now expecting Bub number 4 in a few weeks!!!  But I do have a few recipes I have been trialling and hopefully will post soon once I am happy, including dairy free salted macadamia ice cream, naturally sweetened.... yum and hooray!!!

In Thermomix Australia news, September purchases receive the Thermomix Kitchen Toolkit for free!!!  It's fantastic, I don't even have one but would love one!!!  I am still doing Thermomix consulting, so if you are interested in purchasing a Thermomix or know someone who is, then please contact me via email!  I would love to finalise any deliveries in September if I can before the bub arrives in October.

Anyway, lately I have moved to completely gluten free for one of my sons.  I have been thinking of healthy recipes that are still yummy and easy to eat that I can make and put in the freezer and eat when needed!  So this is based on my Spelt banana bread, but is gluten free.  I trialled it with coconut flour, but as I am very new to cooking with it, I just couldn't get the mix right, so tried what I came up with below, and I think its a winner!!  Again, it just makes a relatively small loaf (I rarely have enough bananas that get to very ripe stage to make a larger loaf!) so you can try to increase quantities for a bigger loaf.  Here we go!

Ingredients:

100g Brown Rice (organic if you can find it)

50g almonds (again, organic is great!)

3 Very Ripe bananas (I measured approx 300g)

1 egg

40g Macadamia oil (could use coconut as well)
45g raw honey

65g dates, cut in half (preservative free)

25g desiccated coconut (I actually used large shredded coconut and it was nice - preservative free)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch Himalayan salt

1/2 teaspoon Bicarb Soda

1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder (or homemade in the Thermie)

Method:

1.  Put 100g Brown rice into Thermomix.  Grind for 1 min, Speed 9.

2.  Add 50g almonds, Grind 30 seconds, Speed 9.  Scrape down sides of bowl.

3.  Add egg, macadamia oil, honey and bananas, mix 15 seconds, speed 5.

4.  Add dates, shredded coconut, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarb soda and salt, mix 5 - 10 seconds Reverse, Speed 4.

5.  Pour into loaf tin, bake 45 - 50 mins approx 180 Degrees (my oven is new and so it may need a little less or little more time if your oven is cooler/hotter).

Enjoy!!!  This would be nice with nuts added too.

Spelt Banana Bread

I have been wanting to find a yummy healthy banana bread for ages that I didn't feel bad about eating for breakfast or morning tea.  I think this is yummy, however I have only done it once so may need to test again and tweak the recipe if required!  But seriously it was really nice and healthy.

I like to try to use spelt flour wherever possible instead of normal refined white wheat flour.  It is better for you and your body digests it a lot easier.  It is a lot more readily available now too, because more people are looking for the healthier options.  Check in the Health food aisles in bigger supermarkets or health food shops.

I always like it when I have a good dairy free recipe too.  I added oats in because they fill you up more and are good for helping with cholestrol (family history of high cholestrol).  Oh and they are cheap!! That helps!  I used PURE maple syrup as the sweetener, again, better for you!

This is not very sweet so you could add a little more sweetener if needed, but is YUMMY fresh or toasted with just a bit of butter on top (if you aren't worried about the dairy or cholesterol!!!!)

It also makes just a smallish loaf.

So here goes!

Ingredients:

45g Coconut oil (could use other flavourless oil)

45g Pure Maple Syrup

3 Very Ripe Bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla

170g Spelt flour

25g dessicated Coconut (without preservatives if you can find it)

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons Bicarb Soda

1 Egg

small pinch salt

30g Wholegrain Oats (could use walnuts or whatever you like instead!)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C

1.  Add broken up bananas, coconut oil, vanilla and pure maple syrup, mash for 10 Seconds, Speed 4

2.  Add spelt flour, bicarb soda, cinnamon, coconut, oats, salt, and egg, mix for 15 Seconds, Reverse + Speed 4 (or until combined).

3.  Pour into small loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes at 180C (or until skewer comes out clean).  Don't overcook and dry out!

How easy is that!!!  Yummy breakfast on the go option!

Yummy creamy Sundried tomato chicken pasta

We are finally settling into life in the US!  I am gradually getting to know where I can find certain foods.  I just found the Asian Market for the first time yesterday, so we finally enjoyed a DELICIOUS homemade green curry and it was wonderful!  I had been looking for chillies, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves everywhere and couldn't find them!

But here is a post about another yummy recipe!

This is a dish that my sister in law found.  It's delicious and really easy.  Although I increased the quantities and changed the steps to make it even easier and quicker!

The recipe is from the recipecommunity and can be found here: http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/recipes/sundried-tomatochicken-and-linguini-cream-sauce/30603

I have included my steps below.  However I used 650g chicken thighs.  You could use breast, but when you sautée breasts by themselves (instead of steaming as in the recipe), I find they do break down a little sometimes.  I also added frozen green prawns because I was making this for a larger group of people (4 adults, 3 children).  And I like prawns!  I think I cooked around 400g pasta or more.  But we did have leftovers.

I was running short on time so I cooked the pasta on the stove while I got this dish going in the Thermomix.

Grate cubed Parmesan 10 seconds, speed 9 and set aside.

1.  Chop garlic, 3 seconds Speed 8
2. Chop spring onions, basil and sundried tomatoes 3 seconds, Speed 8.
3. Add oil, sautée 2 minutes 100C Speed soft.
4.  Add  650g cubed chicken.  Cook 5 minutes, Reverse + Speed 1 at 100C.
5.  Add 200g (add more if desired) frozen green prawns.  Cook 3 minutes, Reverse + speed 1 at 100C. It might need more or less time, make sure they are close to cooked, you will be cooking a little more in next step too.
6.  Add water, white wine (if using), cream and stock, cook 7 minutes, Reverse + Speed 1 at 90C.  It's still yummy without the wine!

Serve in your beautiful oval 2.5l Thermoserver (if you're lucky enough to have one ;) over linguine pasta.

Have you heard the special promotion if you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a consultant in Australia?  For October you can start your own business with your Thermomix, or even try to earn your Thermomix for free  (or discounted if you don't have one yet), by signing up for 60 days and selling 3 to qualify for a FREE 2.2l round Thermoserver and FREE 2.5l oval Thermoserver!  That's on top of your commission and any monthly incentive!  This is the first time there has ever been an extra incentive for signing up, so let me know if you would like any more information!  I am naturally not a salesperson at all, I never even worked in retail, but I love the Thermomix so much I find it easy to show others and share my passion!!  This is a limited time offer, so best to get the info as soon as you can so you can make a decision!  It doesn't matter where you live, just let me know if you would like to look into it.  Email mixingituptm31@hotmail.com.

Enjoy!

Missing in action

Hi all!

Just a quick note for those that don't know, we moved to America as of 2 weeks ago, so life has been a little hectic!  We were packing up getting ready for the move, and until now, have been living in hotels since we arrived!

Currently we have just been approved for a house to rent while we are here for the next 9 months, so hopefully we will be in and settled very soon!

We are eating the terrible American take out food, and feeling very poorly for it!  I already have a Thermomix waiting for me to use, so I am busting to buy some fresh food and cook and detox and hopefully feel better quickly!!

I have already made some exciting food discoveries here in California, so am looking forward to sharing them and getting back into preparing quick and easy meals and snacks and posting more recipes!

Thank you for your patience!!

Can you really call it Apple Crumble?

I know lots of people who are on a low fat diet.  Some of those people are in my family.  And I keep feeling bad even using good fats because oil, fat and butter are in a lot of foods.  And high cholesterol runs in the family.

Anyway, so I was looking for a nice apple crumble recipe, MINUS the butter and refined flours.  Because I do enjoy a nice warm apple crumble on a winter's night.  And I don't want to feel guilty about it!

So I came up with this little combination and thought it was really yummy.  I mean, you have to remove yourself from the expectation of cakey or floury and buttery crumble.  But yummy cinnamon apples and sweet nutty crumble!

Apple filling:

Ingredients
Approx 450g apple slices - 3 large apples or 4 smaller apples, peeled and in slices.  I used Granny Smith
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Approx 100g water

Preheat oven to 160C
1. Place apples in Thermomix, sprinkle with cinnamon and add water.  Cook for 10 minutes, 90C Reverse + Speed 2.  Add another 2 minutes if they need to soften more.
2. Once the apples are cooked you have 2 options.  You can drain the excess liquid, or leave it in.  Then chop apples to desired consistency - around 4 seconds about Speed 3 will come to the following pic.  But it depends on how cooked they are, thickness of slices etc, and if you like more pureed then bump up the speed and add some extra time - watch through lid until you are happy.  Add to oven proof dish (this just makes about 6 servings)

Clean out bowl and start "crumble"

Ingredients:

30g almonds

80g walnuts (pecans could work if preferred)

20g desiccated coconut

40g oats (leave out for gluten free)

10g rapadura

50g raw honey

Method

1.  Chop almonds for 2 short seconds Speed 5

2.  Add walnuts.   Chop another 2 seconds Speed 5.  Check consistency and chop a second or 2 longer if a finer crumble is desired.

3.  Add coconut, rapadura, oats and drizzle honey evenly around the top of ingredients.  Combine for about 20 Seconds, Reverse + Speed 3.

4.  Add crumble to top of apples.

Cook in oven for about 15 - 20 minutes until gently browning.  Serve with Dairy Free Custard for dairy free or ice cream! Yummy!

Tips!
1.  This really is a "do it how you like it recipe" (if that wasn't obvious!)
2.  This is not very sweet to the sweet tooth, so add more sugar or honey if you like it sweet - I kept it down for health conscious :)
3.  You could probably add other stuff in, but also could leave out oats and add some more coconut for gluten free too.
4.  Would I sound weird if I said I would eat this with some milk for breakfast??!!

Spaghetti Bolognaise... or not?

I quickly made up this recipe tonight.  I have never actually made the bolognaise out of the Everyday Cookbook (shame on me), I guess I'm just not typically a bolognaise girl.  I have heard some say they don't LOVE the version in the EDC... but tonight I had planned to make Shepherd's Pie but realised my cookbook with the recipe in it was in hubby's car.  SO!  I decided to make an easy, tasty and filling merge of bolognaise and Shepherd's pie mince!  And I think it was really tasty!  It is definitely NOT traditional bolognaise, it really is just a mish-mash of everything.  Here 'tis:


Ingredients
350g lamb (I found the stirfry strips on special)
300g beef, cut into 2cm pieces (rump, casserole, chuck, whatever preferred for mincing)
400g Organic tin diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon TM Vege Stock
2 cloves garlic
1 onion 
1 carrot
20g oil
150g frozen peas and corn (optional, or more if wanted!)
60-70g water (if adding frozen veggies... just add what you think it needs!) 

1.  Make mince from lamb pieces (Press Turbo button 3 or 4 times, 1 second each, checking texture - don't "over mince"! Set aside  

2.  Make mince from beef pieces and set aside

3.  Chop onion, carrot and garlic, 4 seconds Speed 6. Add oil, saute 3 minutes, 100C, Speed Soft

4.  Add mince. Saute 6 minutes, 100C, Reverse + Speed Soft.

5.  Add tomatoes, paste, and stock. Cook 15 minutes, Varoma Temp,  Reverse + Speed Soft. 




Add frozen veggies and water with 5 minutes remaining. 

Serve with spaghetti (or whatever pasta you have left in the pantry! As I said, not a true bolognaise this one!)




I hope you like it!!






And topped with a very hurried iphone pic - hey, I'm doing this for the info, not the photography (that's what I'm sticking with!).