RECIPES

Usually, my meal plan revolves around finding a recipe that looks delicious and IMPROVISING with my pantry. And of course we know college classes don't teach you basic life skills, such as: supermarket shopping 101, poaching eggs for beginners, laundry skills 202, and renting economics. To think, what a waste. But I guess its more entertaining for the parents to watch your kids jump into the quicksand. So good news kids. I'm going to be the guinea pig. So sit back, relax, and have a few chuckles.


You may actually get some useful tips out of these recipes.


25/5/11

Yogurt-drizzled Chickpea Pizza

Ingredients:

2 pizza bases (its best to prepare more than one, leftover pizza is 'da bomb' haha)

1 can of chickpeas

1 medium onion

2 medium capsicum (bell pepper)

sesame seeds (optional)

1 tbsp hoisen sauce

1 tsp of balsamic vinegarette

1/2 cup of feta cheese

corriander

olive oil and flour

Sweet tomato yogurt pizza sauce:

1/2 cup of plain unsweetened yogurt

1 handful of cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp sweet chili sauce

sprinkle of paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper


Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C or roughly 400 F.

2. Lay a thin layer of flour on baking tray or cooking stone and place pizza bases on top.

3. Lightly grease the crust of the pizzas with olive oil and place to the side.

4. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and dump in a wok with a 2 tsp of oil and the hoisen sauce. Next, thinly slice the bell peppers and onion and add to the chickpea mixture. Also, toss in sesame seeds if you are keen.

5. Cook until lightly softened and place to the side.

6. In a separate bowl, mix together the ingredients for the tomato yogurt base and evenly distribute between pizza pies. These are easy to spread out with the back side of a spoon.

7. Once you have them drizzled in your homemade sauce, evenly pour the chickpea mixture over the pies.

8. Sprinkle with feta and fresh corriander.

9. Slid into the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes

10.. Kia Makona! Bon Appetit!

21/5/11


Toasted Apple-Banana Cookies 


So these are easy-as kids.  I actually made them the night before my Half Marathon for a Carb-a-thon that me and a few mates were doing.  To be completely honest, I chose this recipe because I was completely out of butter, eggs, chocolate, and sugar.  Pretty much all the ingredients you need for a good batch of cookies.... WRONG!  haha.  Serious!  I know they may sounds way too healthy for some and gross, but my flatties and running mates gobbled em up!


Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup diced apples
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon spice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in oats, dates, oil, and vanilla. Mix well, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown.

6/5/11
Made this tonight with some friends!  Took 15 minutes and was delicious! 


Sticky Hoison Sesame Chicken with Rice Noodles

A sweet, salt and spicy chicken served with a noodle-style salad brings authentic Chinese flavours to the table. Ingredients ·         1/3 cup hoisin sauce ·         12 (400g) chicken tenderloins, trimmed ·         125g dried noodles ·         3 spring onions, trimmed, sliced ·         100g snow peas, trimmed, thinly sliced lengthways ·         1 medium carrot, peeled, cut in matchsticks ·         1/4 small Chinese cabbage, shredded ·         1 medium red capsicum, thinly sliced ·         1/2 cup bean sprouts, trimmed ·         2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds ·         1 tablespoon soy sauce ·         1/2 tablespoon sesame oil Instructions Step 1 Place hoisin sauce and 2 tablespoons cold water in a medium bowl. Add chicken. Toss to coat. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook chicken, pouring over any remaining marinade, for 4-5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Step 2 Meanwhile, place noodles in a small heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes or until noodles are tender. Separate noodles with a fork. Drain. Refresh under cold water. Step 3 Combine noodles, two-thirds of the onions, and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Serve chicken with sesame coleslaw and sprinkle with the remaining onion.

17/4/2011

Carrot Cake

2 large grated carrots
70 grams chopped walnuts
¾ cup sultanas
1 ½ cups sifted flour
1 tsp mixed spice
2 eggs
Pinch of salt


Directions:
Mix together, sugar flour, baking soda, spice and salt. Add oil,
eggs and vanilla essence. Combine well. Sir in carrots, lemon
rind, walnuts, pineapple, and sultanas. Tip into 22cm tin lined
with baking paper. Bake at 175c for 45 / 50 minutes.


Icing
¼ cup lite cream cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
1 ½ cups of icing sugar
50grams slightly warmed butter
Mix all ingredients together to a smooth consistency.


grated rind of 1 lemon
½ cup crushed pineapple
¾ cup white sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ cup oil, (canola or grape)
1 tsp vanilla essence




6/4/2011


I made this delicious meal tonight but added some curried venison sausage and roasted potatoes and kumara from the night before.  Give it a try.  Don't be afraid to IMPROVISE kids!

Yoga Pot

Serves 4

1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1 yellow onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tbsp fresh ginger (chopped)
1/2 tsp dried chili
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 broccoli (in large pieces)
2 large carrots (in large pieces)
1/2 fennel (sliced)
1 small zucchini(in large pieces)
2 cans plum tomatoes
1/2 cup red lentils
1 handful fresh spices, coriander (cilantro) and timian
1 can kidney beans or chickpeas

Heat coconut oil in a pot, add onion, garlic, ginger and all the spices. When soften add broccoli, carrots, fennel and zucchini and let it saute for around 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, lentils and the fresh spices and let it boil for at least 45 minutes. Add beans and let it boil for 5 more minutes. Eat as it is or serve it with brown, black or red rice!

5/4/2011

ISLAND-TIME MUFFINS (ANYTIME MUFFINS)

Finally a delicious muffin you shouldn’t have to punish yourself for.  No spanking necessary.  These warm coconuty-raisin bran muffins will add 75 degree weather and fruitiness to your winter.  In fact, they are perfect all year around and will make up for the tan you may be missing dearly.  They are super easy to make and require a tiny shopping list.  So grab your ingredients and get on with your vacation.

¼ cup of coconut milk

¼ cup of soy milk

1 ¼ of bran or bran cereal

¼ cup of apple juice

1 tsp of cinnamon

2 tsp of baking soda

4 shakes of salt

1 egg

1 tbsp of oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
2. Mix all of the ingredient in a large mixing bowl.
3. Equally distribute in a 12-cup muffin tray (non-stick)
4. Get your tan on island kid!  You deserve it!  

21/3/2010

Vegetarian Pad Thai

Ingredients (Feel free to improvise)

-1 can of chickpeas (rinsed)

-1 cup of peas (frozen is fine)

-1 cup of bean sprouts

-3 or 4 bundles of dried noodles, udon, or rice noodles

-2 tbsp. of peanut or almond butter

-1 cup of grated carrots

-1 finely diced chili pepper

The sauce: 

-1/4 cup of sweet chili sauce

-1 tsp. of honey

-1 freshly squeezed lemon

1/2 a cup of plain unsweetened yogurt

1 egg (beaten)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to packaging.  Usually Boil for 2-3 minutes then drain and place to the side. 

2. Mix together ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and have it ready to add in later. 

3. Drain and wash the chickpeas and lightly fry them along with the sprouts and peas til golden brown.  Then gradually add the grated carrots, chopped tomatoes, chili pepper, noodles, along with the delicious pad thai sauce.  

4. Kia Makona!

Quesadilla Pie Recipe 

Ingredients:

tortillas

butter
chesse

black beans

tomatoes

onions

salsa
jalepenos
mango or pineapple
cilantro/corriander

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. 

2 Creatively build your pie.  Separating layers with tortilla shelves. 

3 Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Put in oven for 30 minutes on 350°F. Then remove the foil and increase the heat to 400°F. Cook for another 15-20 minutes. 

24 January 2010

Alright first off, I'd like to start off on a good note with 2 of my latest accomplishments. The SUMO SOFT BOILED EGG and the PRISTINE POACHED EGG. Right, laugh it off. Laugh it off. I know these sound simple-as. But if you are not careful they most definitely bite you in the butt. And let me tell you its the most frustrating thing. So I will break down the instructions as best as I can here.

The Sumo "Soft-boiled" Egg

8 minutes.

What you will need:

1 small pot

1 size 6 or 7 egg

1 thumbtack/needle/or safety pin

1 large spoon

1 egg stand

a kitchen timer or cell phone stopwatch

1 slice of bread

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Fill a small pot with 3 inches of water, or just enough to cover the egg's height and place on the burner, bringing it to BOIL.

2. Take an egg out of the fridge, and let it warm up while the this is happening.

3. Extra fun touch: Whip out your permanent markers and give it a name and face. My suggestions go with Gr(egg), T(omelette), etc.

4. Carefully poke a small hole in the butt of the egg (the larger end) with a needle, safety pin, thumb tack, or anything that will do the job easily (this will protect your egg from cracking under pressure from the heat).

5. Once the water is bubbling, give it a quick stir. Then carefully lower your little friend into the water. Don't worry he will float. And begin your timer.

6. Alright, "4:00" is your Magic Number. Let the egg roll around in the wave pool for just about four minutes.

7. While this is happening, drop your piece of bread in the toaster on medium-high. You will want it a little crispier than normal. When it pops, cut the toast into 5-6 long strips and place on a plate.

8. The egg should just be about finished by this time, so once it's ready, fish out with a spoon and place in your egg cup (bottom side down). Grab a small tea spoon, your toast strips, salt n pepper, your sumo egg, and take a seat.

9. Draw an small imaginary circle on the top end of the egg and gently tap around this outline with your tea spoon (cracking through the shell layer). Then peel off the cap.

10. Next, you are going to slice through the remaining white bit, so you are left with a pool of egg yolk to dive into.

11. Sprinkle some salt and pepper in the yellowy mixture, and bombs away. Dunk that toast. Remember, one at a time folks.

Waaaa Lah. Kapish. Mission Accomplished.

CAMERON's PROMISCUOUS PESTO

Just moved it from the main page so you can enjoy it twice.

Nah actually I'm just a little OCD. hah sorry

Fresh Pesto

2 cups of basil

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup of Parmesan

1/4 of crushed pine nuts or walnuts

1/2 cup of olive oil

It sits nice with a mixture of:

-Udon noodles

-diced tomatoes

-feta cheese

-grilled onion

-and a kick of hot sauce

28 January 2011

The ((ABSOLUTE)) Best Banana Bread in the WORLD

I was given this recipe from my favorite client at the physical therapy unit I worked at in Wilmington, NC. Must give Nina credit for this one. I can't tell you how many recipes I tried that failed when I gave them a go off the google search. Don't even bother making banana bread unless you use this recipe. HONEST!

There you go.  I'm actually quite nervous about sharing this secret.  So please don't abuse it.  Thats all I ask.

And finally, if you're feeling gutsy, try adding:

• chocolate morsels
• vanilla essence
• walnuts
• cinnamon
• an extra banana

You're welcome :o)