sides

Asparagus & Lemon Spaghetti

serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 150g spaghetti
  • bunch of asparagus
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 leeks, cut into strips
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 160g frozen peas
  • 90 ml fresh cream
  • 1 lemon (zest and juice, plus wedges to serve)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vegetables: trim ends of asparagus, slice into lengths. Rinse and then slice the white part of the leeks. Deseed and finely chop the chilli. Peel and grate the garlic clove.
  2. Boil the spaghetti for 10 mins.
  3. Add the asparagus and cook for another 3 mins.
  4. While this is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan, add leeks and chilli and cook for 5 mins.
  5. Stir in the garlic, peas, cream and lemon zest and juice and cook 3 more minutes.
  6. Drain and add the pasta to the pan toss together until combined.
  7. Serve with lemon wedges.

Optional: Add 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind to cheese mixture

Asparagus Rolls

serves 6

Ingredients:

  • bunch of asparagus
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp water
  • lemon juice
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • 1 loaf bread, crusts cut off (you need as many slices as you have asparagus spears)
  • 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (tasty or mild)
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 50 g melted butter

Instructions

  1. Prepare the asparagus – snap off the woody ends near the base.
  2. Heat the oil in a frypan, toss the asparagus through.
  3. Fry on a medium heat, tossing from time to time.
  4. Once nicely browned (around 7 mins) add the 1 tbs water and put a lid over the pan.
  5. Steam for 4 minutes, cool.
  6. Mix the grated cheese, lemon juice and sour cream.
  7. Spoon onto the bread slices, add 1 spear asparagus, and roll up.
  8. Place in fridge for 30 mins.
  9. Brush with melted butter then bake at 200C for 15-20 mins until golden, turning once.

Optional: Add 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind to cheese mixture

Basic Asparagus

serves 6

Ingredients:

  • bunch of asparagus
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp water
  • lemon juice
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the asparagus – snap off the woody ends near the base.
  2. Heat the oil in a frypan, toss the asparagus through.
  3. Fry on a medium heat, tossing from time to time.
  4. Once nicely browned (around 7 mins) add the 1 tbs water and put a lid over the pan.
  5. Steam for 4 minutes.
  6. Serve with freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Optional: Add 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind when cooking

Chickpea Falafel

Makes 20

Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas (240g) soaked overnight
1 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup roughly chopped onion (optional)
1 large lemon, juiced, save rind for end
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 2/2 tsp salt (+ more to taste/for serving)
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 tsp flour, regular (or chickpea for gluten free)
6 tbsp water
oil for frying
olive oil for drizzling at the end

Instructions

  1. Soak the chickpeas overnight, in a bowl of water. Store in the fridge.
  2. Add fresh herbs to the blender and blend till finely chopped.
  3. Add onion to blender, pulse a few times,
  4. Drain the chickpeas, add to the food processor with remaining ingredients.
  5. Pulse a few times, till combined but still chunky.
  6. Roll into patties and put in the fridge for 30 mins or longer.
  7. Heat oil in pan, and fry the patties till brown, 2 mins each side, transfer to a baking dish.
  8. Bake at 180 C (xx) for 7-10 mins.
  9. Serve drizzled with the olive oil, lemon rind and some coarse sea salt.

Serving Suggestion: with wraps including tomato, onion and tabbouleh, tahini or tszatziki.

Autumn Vegetable Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
4 tbs oil
6-7 small sage leaves, finely sliced
1 medium onion, quartered
1 parsnip, cubed
1 carrot, cubed
1 medium potato, cubed
1/2 capsicum, diced
4 mushrooms, diced
5 cups water
1 bay leaf
2x Chicken (or vegetable) OXO cubes (or similar stock)
1 tbs flour + 3 tbsp cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
OPTIONAL – 1/2 cup wild rice

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, heat the oil, add the sage, the onion, parsnip, carrot, potato & capsicum. Fry until just tender (around 20 mins), stirring from time to time.
  2. Add the mushrooms, fry 10 more minutes.
  3. Add veggies to a pot with the water, bay leaf and stock cube, salt and pepper, cover and bring to the boil.
  4. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, remove bay leaf.
  5. Mix flour with cold water, to a slurry, add to soup mix stirring all the time. Cook 5 mins more. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
  6. Serve topped with a swirl of cream.
    OPTIONAL – if you want to add rice, add it in step 2, then add an additional 2 cups of water. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes until rice is done.

Topping suggestions: cream, toasty bread.

Caramelised Onion & Courgette soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
3 tbs oil
2 medium onions, peeled, sliced
1/2 tbs brown sugar
2 courgettes, skin on, sliced
1x Chicken or Vegetable OXO cube (or similar stock)
5 cups milk
1 tbs butter
10 sage leaves (approx)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a pot, heat the olive oil, then add the onion, cook till translucent, around 15 minutes.
  2. Add 1/2 the sage leaves, and the brown sugar, toss together and cook 5 mins more.
  3. Add to a pot with the courgette, milk, stock cube, salt and pepper, cover and bring close to the boil. Do not boil or milk will seperate.
  4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
  5. Blend soup until smooth using a stick blender.
  6. Make burnt sage butter: Melt butter in a pan, and add remaining sage leaves, fry until crispy and butter has taken on a light brown colour.
  7. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
  8. Serve topped with a swirl of burnt sage butter and a spoonful of yoghurt or cream.

Topping suggestions: cream, toasty bread.

Tzatziki

Makes 1 large bowl (2 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:

2 cups greek yoghurt
1 cucumber, cut in half
1 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 lemon – zest and juice
2 tbs fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt extra
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice the cucumber lengthwise, scrape the seeds out with a spoon, then grate it. Add the cucumber to a mesh strainer over a bowl. Stir in the 1 tsp salt, sit for at least 30 mins.
  2. Squeeze the cucumber with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible, then add to a bowl.
  3. Add all the other ingredients and mix to combine.
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Stir cool, will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Topping suggestions: add a pinch of paprika.

5 Seed Crackers – Gluten Free

Makes 1 large tray (around 50 small crackers)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup white or black sesame seeds
2 tbs white or black chia seeds (can replace with poppy seeds)
1 cup cornflour
1 1/2 tsp salt plus more for topping
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups boiling water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200C.
  2. Mix all the seeds, cornflour and salt together, until combined.
  3. Add the olive oil and boiling water, mix with a knife, the mixture will be pasty and thicken as you are stirring.
  4. Let sit for 15 mins, so flax seeds can soften.
  5. Lay one sheet of baking paper on a flat tray.
  6. Add 1/2 the mixture in a blob on the tray.
  7. Top with another sheet of baking paper, then use your hands to smooth the mixture out into a flat rectangle.
  8. Remove the top sheet of baking paper, score the crackers. Sprinkle with a little extra salt. Repeat on a second tray.
  9. Bake for 30-35 minutes, cool on a baking rack, or simply slide paper off the tray onto the bench for a bit, then crack them at the score lines.
  10. Store in a jar once cool.

Tip: you can premix everything to step 2, then store in a jar ready to make for surprise guests. You can also sub in any combination of seeds if you are short one kind.

Cheats Spinach and Feta Gozleme

Serves 6

Ingredients:
6 tortillas
2 tbs olive oil
2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 block feta cheese, finely chopped/crumbled
1/2 lemon or lime to serve

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tbs oil in a frypan on medium heat, add the onion and cook until translucent.
  2. Add the chopped spinach, toss through the onion and remove from heat, the spinach will wilt.
  3. After the mixture has cooled, add to a bowl and mix in the feta cheese.
  4. Wipe the frypan clean, add oil to fry pan and warm on medium heat.
  5. Place 1 tortilla in the frypan, top with 1/6th of the mixture, and spread to edges of tortilla with a spoon or fork.
  6. Add another tortilla on top, fry until lightly browned (around 4 minutes) then brush oil on top, flip and fry other side.
  7. You can also use a sandwich grill toaster, but you may want to use a single tortilla, with filling, folded in half, depending on the size of your grill.
  8. Serve warm, drizzled with lemon juice.

Topping suggestions: hummus

Hummus

Makes 2 large jars, 1 to eat, 1 to share!

Ingredients:
2 cups dried chickpeas
1 bay leaf
1 large lemon, juice and rind
4 tbs tahini (can replace with any nut butter)
2 cloves garlic (optional)
2 tsp salt (+ more to taste)
1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. Soak the chickpeas overnight, in a bowl of water. Store in the fridge.
  2. Drain the chickpeas, add to a pot with the water, salt and bay leaf.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer till soft, around 60 minutes.
  4. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid, and let cool.
  5. Using a food processor or stick blender, pulse the lemon juice, chickpeas, garlic, tahini, 1/2 the olive oil and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid.
  6. Add additional cooking liquid, to get the consistency you like, discarding the rest.
  7. Serve drizzled with the remaining olive oil, lemon rind and some coarse sea salt.

Topping suggestions: add a pinch of paprika or cumin.