Cauliflower and broccolini fried rice served with pickled cucumber

A vegetable hack I've been using a lot lately is to mix in half cauliflower rice with our brown basmati.  Tonight I'm sharing my cauliflower fried rice which is a huge hit. I serve it with quickly pickled cucumber, a fried egg and some tamari almonds. I did wonder how the "rice" would be received - see picture below, but mixed in with aromatic ginger and coriander plus the colour somewhat disguised by turmeric no-one gave it a second thought!

Cauliflower is a fantastic vegetable being a source of cancer-fighting agents (glucosinolates).   I've been using a lot of turmeric in my recipes recently as the active ingredient -curcumin - as it has been linked to warding off dementia and preventing cancer.  The AIS is investigating the anti-inflammatory properties for use as a sports supplement.

(I am listing this a vegetarian, but you'll need to take out the ham)

Cauliflower and broccolini fried rice with ginger and turmeric

Serves:

4

Ingredients

• 1/2 head of cauliflower

• 1 bunch broccolini

• 200g packet of pre-cooked brown basmati rice

• 2 french shallots

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 cm piece of ginger

• 1 red chilli (seeds removed)

• 1 bunch of coriander

• 100g ham

• 2-3 tab tamari

• 2-3 tsp tomato sauce (I use sugar free)

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp paprika

• shallots to serve

• fried egg to serve

• cucumber pickle to serve

method

1. In a food processor or by hand pulse together the cauliflower florets and broccolini. Remove and set aside.

2. In food processor or by hand chop the shallots, garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander.

3. In a heavy bottom frypan or wok fry the processed shallot mixture in a tsp or so of coconut oil or olive oil. Stir fry for 3 minutes then add ham and fry for another minute or so.

4. Add pulsed cauliflower, broccolini and rice and fry for another minute.

5. Add turmeric, paprika, tamari and tomato sauce and fry for a few minutes.

6. I like to serve with a fried egg, some pickled cucumber, a squeeze of lime and some tamari almonds

7. Make a quick cucumber pickle by slicing up 2 cucumbers, pour over a little rice wine vinegar, a squeeze of lime juice and a tsp of sugar.

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Simon's baked beans

Having a rustle around in the freezer I found the ham bone I had saved from Christmas.  I asked my husband to make his amazing baked beans and he also wrote down the recipe as we can never quite remember how he makes them.  These make a delicious breakfast, lunch or easy dinner.  You can cook an egg in the bean mixture as well.  If you don't have a frozen ham bone left over from Christmas then you can get a ham hock from the butcher or make a vegetarian version. A diet rich in legumes such as cannellini beans  is associated with lowered blood sugar and reduced harmful LDL cholesterol.   They’ve been linked to reduced risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon and other cancers, as well as improved weight control.  Plus my kids love eating them!

Ingredients

• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 red onions roughly chopped.
• Splash of olive oil
• Ham bone (frozen from after Christmas) or ham hock.
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 x 400gm tin of crushed tomatoes
• 3 tbsp of maple syrup
• 2 tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp of smokey paprika
• 1 tsp of dried chilli flakes (this gives it just a hint of heat but up to you)
• 1 tsp of dry mustard powder
• 4 x 400gm tins of Cannellini Beans (drained and rinse beans from 3 of the tins, but use liquid and beans from 4th)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C.
2. Fry up garlic, onions and oil over a medium to high heat (choose a big pot that is also able to go in oven). Whack in the ham bone. Pour in 2 tins of tomatoes and the bay leaves. Then add the maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, and spices.
3. Drain the beans in a sieve and rinse off the briney liquid from 3 of the tins, but chuck liquid and beans from the 4th. Give it all a stir.
4. Check seasoning but probably could do with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Cover and put the pot in the oven for a 1 1/2 hrs.
6. I like to cook it the beans long enough so that the meat has fallen off the ham bone but not so long the dish becomes too dry. I switch off oven and just leave the pot in until I'm ready to serve.
7. Dish it up with crusty bread and green salad

You can also cook this in the slow cooker on low for 4 hours.  

Serves 8

Roasted tomato and white bean soup

Today I've got two sick children so I'm making soup for dinner.  Soup, particularly vegetable based soups are a great option nutritionally as they combine lots of key nutrients including vitamins and minerals for relatively few calories.  Tonight's soup is full of tomatoes, my son is happy to eat this although he will "never, ever eat a tomato". Tomatoes are a wonderful source of vitamin B6, C, K, beta-carotene, potassium and manganese. The lycopene in tomatoes has been linked to lower rates of heart disease and cancer.

Ingredients

• 1kg tomatoes, quartered or halved depending on size. I like a mixture of truss and romas.

• 1 red onion, peeled and quartered

• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 tab maple syrup

• 400g tin cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

• 250 - 500 ml water to taste

• Pesto to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200degrees.

2. Put tomatoes, garlic and onion in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup. Season to taste.

3. Roast for 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft

4. Squish garlic out of skin, and discard skin. Add all vegetables and juice to saucepan.

5. Add the canellini beans and process the mixture with a stick blender.

6. Add water (I tend to use closer to 250 ml as I like a thick soup) and heat through gently.

7. Serve with a dollop of pesto

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Chicken, barley and lentil soup

This soup needs to be cooked when you have a bit of time on your hands as it takes about an hour to put together but you can just taste how nourishing it is.  I cooked it on a hot summer day in Sydney that had started off with a cool, overcast morning, can't wait to enjoy it on a cold winter's day.  This soup was based on a recipe by Jane Strode.

lentil

Chicken, barley and lentil soup

Author:

rachel

Prep time:

15 mins

Cook time:

1 hour

Total time:

1 hour 15 mins

Serves:

4

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil

• 2 brown onions, finely sliced

• 6 cloves garlic, finely sliced

• 1 cup pearl barley

• 1.5L chicken stock

• 1 cup French green (puy) lentils

• 6 dried bay leaves

• 20 sprigs thyme

• 4 chicken thigh fillets, sliced

• 2 handfuls baby spinach

Instructions

1. Sear the chicken until browned all over for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Place oil, onions and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Season with pepper and cook until soft and starting to colour, about 20mins.

2. Add barley and stock, bring to a simmer and cook a further 10mins. Add lentils, bay leaves and thyme; cook a further 20mins or until lentils and barley are tender. Add chicken and season with salt. Cook a further 5mins or until chicken is just cooked through.

3. To serve, warm soup over medium heat, add spinach and cook until just wilted. Garnish with a dollop of pesto (see note).

4. TIP:

5. Place leftover soup in small zip-lock bags and freeze – the single serves are convenient for work lunches or a quick dinner. Add extra spinach and pesto just before serving. Will keep for up to 6 weeks.

Notes

To make pesto, place 1 cup basil leaves,  ½ cup pine nuts, ¼ cup grated parmesan and 2 cloves garlic in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Gradually add 1/4 cup (70ml) extra virgin olive oil, processing to combine. Place in a clean container, cover with a little extra oil and refrigerate. Will keep for up to 4 weeks.[br]Prep: 20mins. Cooking: 1hr 5mins. Makes 2L.

3.2.2929

NIgella's moonblush tomatoes

Here's a Nigella Lawson recipe that I use to turn supermarket tomatoes into gorgeous tomatoes.  I love to serve them on some salad leaves with slices of chevre and a few basil leaves.  Or delicious on the side of some grilled fish.  They take no time to prepare but it's best to make them the day before (or the morning before) you plan to eat them.  However I've had great results just from 30 minutes in the oven rather than overnight.

Ingredients

• 500g (about 24) on-the-vine cherry or other baby tomatoes

• 2 teaspoons Maldon salt or 1 teaspoon table salt

• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 x 15ml tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7.

2. Cut the tomatoes in half and sit them cut side up in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the salt, sugar, thyme and olive oil.

3. Put them in the oven, and immediately turn it off. Leave the tomatoes in the oven overnight or for a day without opening the door.

White bean puree - a mashed potato substitute

This is a very easy to make white bean puree which the whole family enjoys.  We have it with quickly cooked steaks and grilled asparagus.  It works as a mashed potato substitute and I am always happy to find ways  to use more legumes.

White bean puree - a mashed potato substitute

Serves:

2 (generous)

Ingredients

• 1 can cannelini beans (I always use the italian ones - they seem softer and also don't contain additives)

• 1 clove garlic

• 1/3 cup chicken stock

• 1 slice lemon rind

Method

1. Simmer the beans,garlic and lemon rind in the stock for about 5 mins.

2. Remove the lemon rind and puree with a stick blender. Once blended add 1/2 tab olive oil and quickly whiz again.

Cauliflower 'rice'

If you've overindulged on the bread, cheese, wine or chocolates on the weekend, why not have a lower-carb day and add some extra vegetables to your plate.  The marvellous Jane Kennedy came up with cauliflower rice in her book "cooking without the boombah".  I was extremely dubious about it, but served with something saucey you really don't miss the rice.  For the kids I mix in the cauliflower rice with their basmati. Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous family, like broccoli.  It contains sulforaphane, an anti-cancer compound.

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Cauliflower 'rice'

Author:

rachel

Serves:

2

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Take half a head of cauliflower. Break into florets and place into a microwave dish with a lid. Don’t add water. Turn on high for (approx) 4 minutes. Whizz the cauliflower with a Bamix or food processor until it resembles cous cous. It should be light and ‘fluffy’, not mushy.

2. The ‘rice’ soaks up the juices and flavours of whatever dish you’re serving….without the added calories.

3.2.2929

Italian country soup

This soup is based on a Bridgette Hafner recipe which I have added more veggies to.  I usually double the recipe as it freezes well and is great for tired children.  If you are vegetarian you could omit the pancetta. Cannellini beans are a great source of protein and fibre.  If you are a fan of having a "meat free Monday" this is a great recipe to make.  The original recipe used dried beans which were soaked overnight and added earlier in the recipe - I have tried it both ways and we like the tinned beans more.

photocredit https://www.flickr.com/photos/38467745@N02/

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 leeks, washed and sliced

• 100g flat pancetta, thinly sliced (optional)

• 2 carrots, diced

• 2 zucchini, diced

• 2 sticks celery, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small potato, peeled and chopped into small dice

• Sprinkle of dried oregano

• 2 tins of cannellini beans

• Splash of white wine

  1 tin Italian tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 4 cups water or chicken stock

• Salt and pepper

• 1 sprig rosemary

• Small handful of risoni (dried pasta shaped like rice) or small pasta shapes or broken fettuccine

• Two or three generous handfuls of baby spinach or kale

• Parmesan cheese, grated

• extra virgin olive oil, to serve

METHOD

1. In a heavy-based pot, gently cook the leeks, carrot, zucchini, celery, pancetta and garlic in the olive oil until softened and lightly golden. Add the potato and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the oregano, white wine, tomatoes and water or stock, season with salt and pepper and add rosemary.

2. Bring to the boil, skim the surface and simmer for 40-50 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the drained and rinsed breans, risoni and, if the soup has become a little thick, more water. Cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the baby spinach or kale.

3. Serve with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a dash of extra virgin olive oil.

Calories:286  Fat:7g Carbs:41g Fibre:8g Protein:13g