Let's cook - Zucchini 'Pasta'

I'm not a huge fan of real pasta as it makes me tired and lethargic so I tried out zucchini pasta and I loved it. I've cooked it a few times now, each with varying degrees of success. The past two times have worked the best as rather than grate the zucchini I julienned it.

I cook mine with prawns and a tomato sauce, but of course you can use anything you like. 

To make the zucchini in to a pasta like meal, I peel my zucchini then cut it in to thin slices (thick enough so it doesn't turn to mush later). From there, I cut the slices in to thin pasta like pieces. 

Mine were a little too thick last night, but after cooking it still turned out ok so that's a win.

After cutting up your zucchini, I sautee it in a pan in 2 batches depending on how much you make. The first time I made it, I sauteed in water but it turned out really sloppy so now I just use a touch of oil and it does the trick. I like mine to still be a touch crunchy when done, and this takes about 10 minutes. 

I made a homemade tomato sauce that had tomato, a handful of basil, bacon, salt, pepper, onion and garlic in it that I cooked on the stove for about an hour. I also cooked prawns to put in the sauce. Of course, considering it is 'pasta' you can put whatever topping you like on there. I'd love to try basil pesto with chicken next time.

The finished product. It was delicious and healthy and I wasn't tired afterwards. Also, make sure you hold the knife properly so you don't slice your finger open like I did. Lucky S was there to help....

Salted Caramel Chocolate tart

I found this recipe on a blog many moons ago (I can't remember who's - if it is yours, please do tell me!). I remember making it when I first saw it and the ganache being too bitter as I used two blocks of Lindt 70% dark chocolate, so this time I changed up the recipe and used some Lindt milk chocolate and Lindt 70% dark chocolate. 

The recipe is really easy and perfect if you are whipping it up at the last minute like me. Since I rarely forward-think, I am often looking for last minute ideas for sweets/savouries to take to parties. My neighbour hosted a little Christmas get together with the only request being for everyone to bring a sweet or savoury snack.

You will need: 

A sweet pie base (frozen section of coles)

180grams of chocolate

1/4 cup thickened cream

A tin of caramel top and fill (or you can use condensed milk, but I don't know how to make that in to caramel and like I said - I had  little time)

Salt (preferably sea salt)

To make: 

- Put your pie base in the oven and cook it for 10 minutes on 180 degrees celcius. I am sure you seasoned bakers would put pie weights, but I however did not. 

- Pull it out of the oven and fill it with the whole can of the caramel mix and bake it for a further 30 minutes on 180.

- While that is cooking (and not too soon), prepare your ganache. I use the old two saucepan with hot water trick on the stove top as I don't have a microwave. Mix your chocolate and cream together and mix it until the chocolate has melted. The consistency should be smooth.

- When the caramel has cooked, crack some salt over it (you can choose how much or how little.

- Pour the chocolate over the top and put it in the fridge to set. Mine took about 3 hours, but you can leave it longer. 

- When it is set, sprinkle some cocoa over the top and it is done!

I forgot to get a finished product photo, so you will just have to use your imagination. I hear the tart was a hit with everyone!

Cauliflower Pizza - Recipe

This is a recipe of a meal I make at least once a week. It is easy, delicious and healthy. It take about an hour to make, so is probably best to make on the weekend or when you have time to spare. It is gluten free - so good if you are gluten intolerant or just eating less carbs.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons almond meal

1 whole cauliflower (medium size)

2 eggs. 

1. Preheat your oven to about 200 degrees celcius. This could vary from oven to oven - mine is about 100 years old (Maybe more like 50) and is the type that has the flame at the back, so who knows if 200 degrees actually means 200 degrees.

2. Chop the cauliflower up roughly and either zap it in the microwave for a few minutes or steam it. I don't have a microwave, so I steam it. I have read that you don't need to add water but I am sure you can figure that out. I steam mine until it is about 80% cooked.

3. Whiz the cauliflower until you have a fine consistency. You can also mash the cauliflower which is what I used to do before I remembered I had a whizzer in the cupboard.

4. Wrap the cauliflower in a tea towel and squeeze out about 80-90% of the water. You should almost get about a cup of water, so make sure you squeeze it well. If the cauliflower is too watery, it won't stay together properly and you will have a floppy base.

5. Put the cauliflower in a mixing bowel and mix in the almond meal and eggs. Mix together.

6. Get 2 baking trays and line with baking paper (DON'T use foil, the base sticks and you will have a fun time removing that from your dinner). 

7. Divide the 'dough' in two and create a base on each of the trays. 

8. Sprinkle with herbs if you so please.

9. Stick in the oven and bake until it is golden on top. This is supposed to take about 15 minutes, but seems to take about half an hour in my ancient oven.

10. Pull out the bases, top with goodies and lots of cheese and put back in the oven to bake until your cheese is melted.

11. Enjoy!

Sesame Pork

I am forever trying to find new recipes that I can make on weeknights to break up my usual dinners. I like something that isn’t too involved, doesn’t have too many ingredients and doesn’t take too long to make. On weeknights, time is scarce and to be able to fit in Uni work, going to the gym and making dinner, my meals can’t take longer than about 40 minutes to make.

I was searching the other day and came across this recipe which I subsequently tried (and altered a touch).

This was so delicious! The marinade for this pork is simple to put together and the result was really good. I thought I would share it as I know a lot of people have little time in the evenings to cook and also because it is a really simple recipe, so you don’t have to be a wonder-cook to re-create it.

I should also add, that I only used my pan to brown the meat and then cooked it in the oven.

Sesame Pork

Ingredients

4 pork cutlets (I don’t know what mine were called but they didn’t have bones on them)

2 tbs honey

2 tbs tamari (I used normal soy-sauce)

1 tbs tomato paste (I used pizza sauce since I forgot to get tomato paste)

1 tsp finely grated ginger

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tbs fresh chopped coriander

1 tbs sesame seeds

Oil (to cook)

Method

1.    Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius

2.    Combine honey, soy sauce, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, coriander and sesame seeds and mix well.

3.    Place your pork in an oven proof dish where they can sit flat (i.e. don’t pile them up)

Marinating

4.    Pour your marinade over the pork and let sit for about ten minutes (or longer if you have the time)

5.    Brown your meat in your pan (but leave some of the marinade in the oven proof dish). I used sesame oil here for added flavour.

6.    Place your pork back in the oven proof dish and spoon the left over marinade over it. I also sprinkled more sesame seeds over the pork at this point.

7.    Pop it in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until cooked. Remember to turn the pork about halfway so one side doesn’t dry out

8.    Serve over some Asian greens or rice. I used Bok Choy and some capsicum which I cooked in the pan with some soy sauce and sesame seeds.

And there you have it. All up it took me about 40 minutes to prepare and cook and it is certainly something I will make again! I altered the recipe a little bit, but I am sure everyone will have their own alterations.

Done

Sugar-free Banana and Date Loaf

I have made this banana and date loaf 4 times since I found the recipe three weeks ago. I also have bananas at home right now ripening enough so I can make another loaf!

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

4-6 bananas

6-7 dates

2 eggs

2 tablespoons rolled oats (I use oatmeal)

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

about 1/4 cup of butter

To make:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius

1. Combine all dry ingredients (using a sieve) and mix well

2. Add bananas, eggs, butter and dates to a blender and blend until smooth (I don't have a blender, so I just mash the bananas and chop the dates really finely and then mix it together in a bowl

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.

4. Pour the mixture in to a loaf tin and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes (until cooked)

(A couple times I haven't used dates and it still works fine)

It is the best! I love it.

Frittata

I love a nice frittata so I was very happy when S's brother who is a chef gave me this recipe.

Asparagus, Pancetta and Coriander frittata.

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus

100g Pancetta

Half a bunch of shallots cut up

6 eggs

A dash of milk

salt and pepper to season

Half a cup of cut up Coriander

To make:

1. Take a piece of pancetta and wrap it around a stalk of asparagus and repeat with all of the asparagus.

2. Fry the asparagus/pancetta in a pan to seal the pancetta (so it doesn't fall off)

3. Take that out of your pan and then fry up your shallots

4. Whisk together your eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper

5. Cut up the asparagus/pancetta so that there are 2cm pieces.

6. Place the pieces and the shallots in an oven baking dish and pour the egg mixture over the top

7. Sprinkle the coriander over the top

8. Cook in the oven for about 10-15 minutes on about 200 degrees celcius (I have a really old oven, so we have to use it at about 200 for anything to cook)

 

It tastes devine.. Hopefully my recipe isn't too confusing!

Apologies about the crappy pic!