Carrot Sambal

Carrot Sambal

1 lb carrots, grated
1 Tbs dried chile flakes
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs minced ginger
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar

Grind cardamom and chile,  then place all ingredients except vinegar into pot and cook for 30 minutes.  Add vinegar and cook for a further 30 minutes until thick.  Chill for one hour before serving.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar (I used half this amount with no problem)
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
2 T oil
2 t vanilla
2 c rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 c chocolate chips (optional)

Beat peanut butter, sugar and honey together, blend in egg and egg whites, along with oil.  Mix in remaining ingredients.  Scrape into greased 9X13 pan and bake at 350*F (180*C) for 20-25 minutes.  Cut into 24 bars when cool.

Choc Orange cookies

1 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa
170g butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 T orange zest

Sift together dry ingredients.  Cream butter and sugar together.  Add vanilla and zest.  Mix in flour.  Form into two rolls and wrap in waxed baking paper  Chill till firm.  Cut into thin slices and lay on baking sheet.  they are quite crumbly so press together if they start falling apart. Bake at 325*F for 13-15 minutes, just until starting to firm.  Excellent to freeze and take on a picnic!

Artichoke Strudel

Artichoke Strudel

1 400g can artichokes
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup sliced spring onion
1/2 cup chopped red capsicum
1 tsp dry Italian herbs or 1 TBS fresh
1/2 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 sheets filo
2oz butter

Drain artichokes and cut into quarters, combine with cheeses, egg, onions, capsicum, breadcrumbs and pepper. Mix well.  Lay out one sheet of filo, brush with melted butter, repeat for all sheets.  To save on calories, two sheets may be used at a time, use half the amount of butter.  Spread filling on top, leaving 3 inches on one end and one inch each side.  Begin to roll then turn in the sides.  Brush final edge of pastry with a little water to stick.  Place on baking sheet joint down.  Bake at 200*C for 20 - 25 minutes. Stand for 5  minutes before cutting.

Pumpkin Curry

Pumpkin Curry

500g (1 lb) pumpkin
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1" knob ginger, grated
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs chili flakes
8 -10 fresh curry leaves
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 Tbs curry powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp black mustard seeds (optional)
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup coconut milk


Peel pumpkin and cut into 5cm or 1" cubes.  Heat oil in large pan and add onion, saute until soft, then stir in garlic and spices, cook until soft,  then add pumpkin.  Stir until beginning to brown, then add stock and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes, remove curry leaves.  Stir in coconut milk and serve with rice.

Note: If you open a full tin of coconut milk freeze the rest for later use - it freezes beautifully.

For an optional mixed vegetable curry, add 1 cup lentils or chick peas, 2 chopped potatoes, 1 cup frozen spinach 1 granny smith apple diced and increase curry powder to 2Tbs, and use a full cup of coconut milk..

Chicken breasts stuffed with brie, snowpeas and capsicum

Chicken Breasts stuffed with Brie

2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, split
10 snow peas, cut into four diagonal pieces
1 small or 1/2 large red capsicum, cut into thin strips
100g brie cheese
1 Tbs flour
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine

Place chicken breasts between two slices of  wax paper and pound with a mallet until 2cm or half an inch thick.   Divide the cheese into four portions and place one piece in the center of each chicken breast.  Lay the snow peas and capsicum over the brie.  Roll each piece of chicken into a thick sausage shape and secure with toothpicks.  Roll in flour, then saute for a few minutes in olive oil until a nice brown crust is formed. Lay in an ovenproof casserole dish and pour the chicken stock and white wine mixture over.  Bake at 180*C (350*F)  for about 15 - 20 minutes or until juices run clear.

For the variation similar to my stepsons recipe stuff with 100g feta mixed with 1/2 cup chopped mushroom and 2 Tbs mixed herbs.   Use 3/4cup beef stock mixed with 1 TBS keecap manis for the cooking sauce.

Tom Yum Soup - thai vegetable soup

I love to make a soup like this and use up whatever bits of vegetable or fish or chicken is hanging around, so do be sure to adjust to whatever you have on hand.  We found the rotisseried chickens half price so bought 5 and hubby cheerfully removed the meat from the bones and packed them into small ziplock bags. Those are great for adding to the top of a salad or wrapping up into a tortilla. I dumped all the bones and skin into the crockpot (minus the stuffing) and cooked for several hours.  Once strained and left to cool so that I could scrape off the fat, it makes the most delicious chicken stock.  This can be frozen, and used as desired.
I am also incredibly lucky to have lemongrass and kaffir lime in my garden.

 this is an assortment of vegetables that went into our soup, but use whatever is on hand.

4 cups chicken stock
about 1/2 cup coarsely chopped and bruised lemongrass stalks
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp dried chili flakes or more to taste
4 cloves garlic, chopped.
4 Tbs fish sauce
2 Tbs lime juice
An assortment of prepared vegetables - brocolli, snow peas, carrots, beansprouts, mushrooms
Small pieces of chicken or prawns, or both.
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)

Mix seasonings in with the stock and simmer gently for about 15 minutes to infuse the flavours.  Taste and adjust seasonings. Strain liquid and discard solids. I like to stir fy the vegetables and fish or chicken and then add to the infused stock just before serving so that they remain crisp and brightly coloured.  Stir in coconut milk and serve.