Mexican lamb shoulder with pomegranate glaze

September 3, 2015 · 33 Comments

Today I am so thrilled to share with you a recipe from Lee Holmes’ new cookbook, The Renewable Table.

I am a long-time fan of Lee and her amazing recipes. I actually think this cookbook might be her best yet (well, for time-poor mums anyway!) Lee Holmes is a certified holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher, wholefoods chef, best-selling author and a mum.

The reason I love this book so much is that the recipes use the concept of ‘continuum cooking’. I have been doing this for years and I didn’t even know there was a name for it! Basically you make one meal with extra food and then subsequent meals use components of that meal, but re-imagined into something a bit different.

As well as saving you time and money, it’s a very sustainable and eco-friendly way to cook with no wastage! Lee also gives us loads of information, shopping lists and tips on meal planning, storage, reheating and stocking the pantry. It’s designed to give you the basic skills of continuum cooking and then inspire you to make up your own ideas.

There are 50 recipes that are gluten free with some dairy free to get you inspired (and salivating).

Today I am sharing Lee’s yummy Mexican Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate Glaze. It’s a gorgeous slow roast, full of flavour. You can then make Mexican Fajitas and Lamb Nachos with as your next two renewable meals with the leftover lamb.

Mexican lamb shoulder with pomegranate glaze

Vital Stats: gluten free, grain free, egg free, nut free

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 lemon halved and pips removed
1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
1 tsp black pepper
2kg bone-in lamb shoulder joint
2 brown onions, cut into wedges
1 whole quorn of garlic unpeeled
1l pomegranate juice
1 lemon juiced
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp rice malt syrup
250g full fat natural yogurt
Seeds from 1 fresh pomegranate
Small handful mint leaves, chopped

Method:

To make marinade place garlic, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, lemon and rind, salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Place the lamb in a large baking dish and spoon the mixture on top and massage in with hands. Let marinate in fridge for between 2 and up to 24 hours.

Heat oven to 160°C/140°C fan/ gas 3. Place lamb into pan and garlic and onions surrounding the lamb, then pour over the pomegranate juice and lemon and apple cider vinegar.

Cover the lamb with foil and cook for approx. 4 hrs checking every hour and re basting with the juice. When ready and after four hours, remove pan from the oven and carefully remove lamb and pour juice into a saucepan on the stove over a medium heat. Replace lamb into baking tray and place back into the oven whilst you are making the syrup.

Add rice malt syrup and cook until bubbly and a thick syrup is formed adding more rice malt syrup if necessary. This should take about 20 minutes. Once it is ready, remove foil from lamb, pour it over the lamb and return to oven for 20 mins until the lamb becomes crispy on top.

To make the dressing:

In a small bowl mix yogurt, pomegranate seeds and mint. Serve lamb with dressing and a side of green vegetables.

Some other recipe books from Lee that I love and recommend:

Love List – August 2015

September 1, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Love List – August 2015

The month’s just seem to be flying by! Here we are at the end of August and winter all ready. Although we haven’t really had much of a cold winter here, who doesn’t love the start of Spring?

Anyway, here is my monthly round up of awesome things!

♥ Oxfam Spring Catalogue.

I am a huge fan of The Oxfam Shop and their Spring catalogue has some nice new things. There are great Christmas gift ideas (oh yes, I went there) and if nothing else, their fair-trade, recyclable, biodegradable coffee pods are a must have if you want to ease the eco-guilt of having a pod machine!! 🙂 When you spend over $80 you can get FREE shipping with this code: YV54T7.

Check it out here.

♥ Rolled Paper Beaded Bracelet

I love this easy and eco-friendly idea by Mandy at Sugar Bee Crafts. Use old magazines or paper and upcycle them into a pretty bracelet. A great activity for the kids these school holidays!

Find the tutorial here.

♥ The Fabulous Woman Project

Doors open today for this awesome 12 week online course from Sam Cannell, nutrition and lifestyle coach. I am loving the access to materials before the course starts, the easy payment plan and the lifetime access so you can go at your own pace.

Sam and her team of experts are going to be covering subjects to improve your health and happiness. Nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, meditation, motivation, reducing toxins, getting to know yourself and more!

Find out more details here.

♥ Golden Milk

Golden Milk is so hot right now! The always amazing Cyndi O’Meara has a great recipe for you. Pick the milk of your choice and infuse it with turmeric and other yummy things to make a super duper drink that eases inflammation in your body.

Get the recipe here.

♥ Lady Girl Vintage Blog

I am loving this blog! Lady Girl Vintage takes dowdy old dresses from the opshop and upcycles them into something modern and cute. As a sewing challenged person, I think this is remarkably clever (and eco-friendly).

Check it out here.

♥ Happy Gluten Free Kids

Without a doubt, one of the biggest challenges I hear from parents is when their child has to go gluten-free for health reasons. Bridget Pennington’s new book Happy Gluten Free Kids is the answer! Bridget has been through this herself and is also a clinical nutritionist and educator. So she is perfectly placed to help you with strategies from shopping to sleepovers and make the transition smooth and painless!

Find out more here.

♥ Mizpah

I am a self-confessed word nerd! I came across mizpah this month and I love it. Isn’t it amazing that there is a word to describe that deep, deep connection we feel with certain people. Do you have anyone you feel mizpah with?

♥ Small Steps to Wholefoods

Yes, Lisa Corduff is back with another round of her amazing online course, Small Steps to Wholefoods. As the name suggests, this course gives you small steps to eating more wholefoods for the whole family. Lisa has a great knack at being able to resonate with women all around Australia struggling to get their family eating well. She has a seriously star-studded line up of special guests helping out as well. PS I am going to be the Community Manager (sounds fancy doesn’t it?) for the course Facebook page so I will see you in there!

Find out more here. HURRY! Earlybird price ends tonite (1/9/15)

What have you discovered this month that you are loving? Share with us!

10 Zesty Lemon Recipes

August 14, 2015 · 5 Comments

10 Zesty Lemon Recipes

Lemons are a universally loved fruit and feature in cuisines all over the world.

They are so versatile – you can use them in sweet or savoury meals, drinks and baking. Never ever throw away a squeezed lemon because you can use them for cleaning too.

A glass of hot water with lemon in it is a great habit to get into as soon as you get up.

Here are ten amazing recipes from whole foodies around the internet (and me). Enjoy!

♥ Lemon Yoghurt Cake by Natural New Age Mum

♥ Coconut, Lemon Chicken Soup by Jo at Quirky Cooking

♥ Lemon, Honey and Thyme Sorbet by Emma at My Darling Lemon Thyme

♥ Lemon Squares by Collette at Cut out the Crap

♥ Lemony Balls by Monique at The Nourished Psychologist

♥ Flourless Lemon and Plum Pudding by Kelly at Bonnie Delicious

♥ Chicken with Fennel, Apple and Lemon from Eleanor at Petite Kitchen

♥ Lemon Macadamia Cookie by Georgia at Well Nourished

♥ Raw Lemon Coconut Butter by Jules Galloway, Naturopath

♥ Lemon Butter Chicken by Damn Delicious

♥ Grow a mini lemon tree for the yummy smell!

Do you have a kick-ass lemon recipe??? Leave us a link!

Roasted Cauliflower

May 14, 2015 · 5 Comments

I love cauliflower!

It’s one of those really versatile veges that can be used in so many ways. My favourite way to do it though is roasted. The beautiful caramelization is just so tasty and it’s so easy to do.

I use olive oil as it takes a higher temperature than most other oils. Coconut oil is delicious but I find my kids aren’t fond of the flavour when it’s roasted. Duck fat or tallow would be amazing if you can get your hands on some great quality stuff. If you like some zing, add some chilli or spices to the mix!

Cauliflower has some amazing health benefits including:

* cancer fighting

* improving blood pressure and kidney function

* fighting inflammation in your body

* a digestive aid

* rich in vitamins and minerals

* good for brain health

* full of antioxidants

Roasted Cauliflower

Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, nut free, egg free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo

This is what you need:

1/2 head of organic cauliflower

3 tablespoons good Aussie olive oil

2-3 cloves organic garlic

Pink salt or celtic sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

This is how you do it:

Preheat the oven to 220ºc.

Cut the cauli into smaller florets.

Toss everything together in a bowl (I like to massage it all in with my hands).

Whack it into a roasting pan and cook the oven for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Hot Tips:

If you want to get extra fancy, sprinkle your roasted cauliflower with some fresh herbs, chilli, lemon juice and/or freshly grated parmesan cheese after it’s roasted.

Leftovers? It’s also delicious cold in a salad or whizz it up and add to hummus.

Easy Coconut Biccies

April 22, 2015 · 13 Comments

I am loving these Easy Coconut Biccies.

They are perfect for lunchboxes as they have no nuts! Also great when you have a bare pantry – you only need four ingredients and they are so, so easy to throw together.

Feel free to add in your own bits and pieces – I have made them before with a mixture of dried fruit and some healthier choc chips would be yummo too. You may want to add in a little drizzle of honey and maple syrup if you like a really sweet biscuit, but I think the sultanas make them sweet enough.

Easy Coconut Biccies

Vital Stats: grain free, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, refined sugar free, paleo

Okay, this is what you need:

2 cups organic dessicated coconut

2 organic eggs

1 cup organic sultanas

1 teaspoon organic cinnamon

1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

HOT TIP: Using organic coconut and fruit means you don’t have to worry about added sulphur dioxide. Read more here.

Okay, this is how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 180°c on a gentle setting. Fan force is too harsh for these little babies.

Mix everything together – I like to get my hands in there and give it a good massage to distribute the egg properly.

Squeeze into round biccies, about the size of a walnut. It will make about 15.

Whack on your baking paper lined tray and fling into the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until they are just set and lightly brown. Keep an eye on them!

Leave to cool on the tray to firm up. Enjoy!

HOT TIP: I love the If You Care Baking paper to cook with. It is unbleached and 100% chlorine free. I even wash it and reuse if it’s not too yucky. Your regular baking paper can contain chromium (a heavy metal).

Moroccan Chicken Salad

March 19, 2015 · 2 Comments

I conjured up this salad one hot summer night and the family loved it. The spicy chicken with the creamy dressing and the pops of freshness from the pomegranate worked so well together. I hope you all enjoy it too.

Moroccan Chicken Salad

Vital Stats: Gluten Free, Egg Free, Nut Free, Sugar Free, Grain Free

Serves 4

Okay, so this is what you need:

4 large organic chicken thigh fillets

1 tablespoon organic Moroccan spice blend*

2 tablespoons macadamia oil (or your choice of fat)

6 cups of organic mesculin mix (or greens of your choice)

1/2 large cucumber, sliced

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

1 large organic avocado, chopped

1/2 pomegranate

3-4 tablespoons chopped mint

1/2 cup organic greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons organic tahini

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Herbamare and black pepper to taste

*If you don’t have a Moroccan spice blend, use a combination of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and ginger. I like the Gourmet Organics Middle Eastern Blend.

Okay this is how you do it:

Rub the spice mix over the chicken fillets. Fry in a pan with oil until just cooked through.

While that’s cooking, assemble your salad ingredients on a nice big platter (love this one).

To get the pomegranate seeds out, cut the fruit in half, horizontally, turn upside down and bash it with a wooden spoon – the lovely little seeds just pop out!

To make the dressing, just combine the yoghurt, tahini, lemon juice and seasonings in a bowl and mix well.

Slice the cooked chicken and arrange on top of the salad. Drizzle with the dressing, pop a few more pomegranate seeds on top and you are done!

This salad would also go really well in some wraps!

Lunchbox Felafel

January 19, 2015 · 4 Comments

Today on the blog, gorgeous mums Micheline and Anita are sharing a recipe from their new cookbook, Sandwich Free Packet Free Lunchboxes. I am thrilled to have been a contributor to their amazing cookbook – look out for my muffin recipe!

Have you ever looked at your children’s lunch boxes and asked for the inspiration of healthy, real foods that they will actually eat and enjoy? Micheline and Anita who are both friends and mothers that offer you exactly that. Both are passionate about real whole foods and sharing easy to prepare, realistic alternatives to replace the standard bread and packet foods that have become the “lunchbox”.

In their new cookbook they share ideas, recipes and inspiration to demonstrate how easy nutritious food can be in everyday lunchboxes and the wonderful vibrant effect making these simple recipes has on our children’s bodies and lives.

Lunchbox Felafel

(Gluten free, Dairy Free, Nut free, Egg Free, Sugar Free, Vegan)

1 can chickpeas (mashed with fork)

3 cloves garlic (crushed)

½ onion (chopped finely)

1 tsp cumin

2tbs chopped coriander

1 ½ tbs flour (besan/rice/coconut)

Mash together in a bowl with a fork. Shape into patties and add to oil or a good fat in the fry pan.

Cook over a moderate heat until brown and crispy.

Use it with a salad or in a wrap with some tzatziki!

Thermomix: Place all ingredients into bowl chop 10 secs, sp 6.

About the Book:

Sandwich Free Packet Free Lunchboxes is a guide to simple, inexpensive real food lunch box ideas. The health, development and behaviour of children is often influenced by the foods they consume. This book shows how to time effectively prepare healthy foods for the week to nourish our children and enable them to thrive.

Get it online here.

About Anita and Micheline:

Micheline and Anita are both mums. Between them they have 5 kids of varying ages and different dietary requirements ranging from a very sporty teenager to a preppie!

They met at a talk given by Cyndi O’Meara early on in their health journey. They had both thought that we were feeding our families well until this event.

Roll forward a couple of years and they felt there was such a need for a book which took things back to basics. As a society we live ridiculously busy lives which is why it has become so easy to pack lunches with packets and quick “foods”. But are we really giving our children the most nutritious options for optimal health, learning and energy? We actually need to ask the question especially about packet foods if it is even really food.

Find the girls at their Website or Facebook.

Mushroom and Haloumi Kebabs

January 6, 2015 · 2 Comments

Simple summer eating!

I am back with my next recipe in the Australian Mushroom Growers “Summer Mushrooms” campaign! It’s such fun to be involved in creating Aussie mushie recipes alongside some great foodie bloggers. You can find their recipes here.

Mushrooms are such a great superfood. They are nutrient rich, flavour rich, high in bioactive compounds (that means they are really good for you), easily available and affordable.

This recipe makes a great starter for a barbeque – hand around a platter and use the herby sauce as a dipper. You could also pop them on a big bed of rocket and drizzle with the sauce and serve as a side dish.

It takes no time at all to whack everything onto a skewer and whizz up the sauce while you are waiting for them to cook. Get the family involved in helping you – kids love skewers!

Mushroom and Haloumi Kebabs

Vital Stats: Vegetarian, grain free, gluten free, nut free, egg free, sugar free

Okay this is what you need:

24 Aussie button mushrooms

100g haloumi

1 large red capsicum

olive oil for brushing

1/2 bunch basil

1/2 bunch mint

2 tablespoons extra virgin Australian olive oil

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon lemon juice

black pepper and pink salt to taste

Okay this is what you do:

Soak 8 small or 4 large bamboo skewers in water.

Wipe the mushrooms gently with wet paper towel or a microfibre fruit and vegetable cloth.

Cut the haloumi and the capsicum into cubes, a similar size to the mushrooms.

Thread the mushrooms, haloumi and capsicum onto the skewers.

Brush with olive oil. Cook under a hot grill or on the bbq – about ten minutes or until soft and starting to brown.

While that’s cooking, make the herby sauce. It’s actually called a pistou – sort of like pesto but without the cheese and nuts!

Throw the herbs, oil, garlic, juice, salt and pepper into a food processor or thermomix and blitz until combined. I like mine a bit chunky but keep processing if you like it smooth.

To serve, just pour the herby sauce over the kebabs or put it on the side in a dipping bowl.

For more info and amazing recipes using mushrooms, check out the Australian Mushroom Growers website or Facebook page.

Do you cook mushrooms on the barbie? Share your ideas with us.

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Walnut and Fetta Stuffed Mushrooms

December 15, 2014 · 2 Comments

Simple Summer Eating!

The lovely people at Australian Mushroom Growers asked me to be a part of their “Summer Mushrooms” campaign and I jumped at the chance to do a bit of recipe creation using real, whole foods with Aussie mushies as the star.

My first thought was my vegetarian friends. How often they are neglected at barbeques and gatherings, left eating a green salad! Mushrooms are an amazing food for vegos (as well as the rest of us).

Mushies have a really rich, satisfying flavour and are good at leaving you feel satiated. They also are full of nutrients including Vitamin D and B12 and loads of antioxidants. You can find out more nutrition info here.

This recipe is perfect for summer entertaining.

Mushrooms just cry out to be stuffed with something yummy – they are nature’s pastry shells! Perfect for people that are avoiding gluten and grains. You can serve them as an appetizer on a big platter with wedges of lemon. Or find some of the big field mushrooms to stuff and you have a lovely vegetarian main course. This recipe makes ten mouthful size mushrooms -double the recipe if you are cooking for a crowd.

Walnut and Fetta Stuffed Mushrooms

Vital Stats: gluten free, grain free, egg free, sugar free, vegetarian

This is what you need:

10 medium Aussie mushrooms

4 tablespoons chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons thyme

70g goats fetta or soft fetta

2 teaspoons lemon zest

cracked black pepper and pink Himalayan salt to taste

olive oil

This is how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 200ºc.

Wipe your mushrooms with damp paper towel or a microfibre fruit and vege cloth.

Push the mushroom stalk gently forward until it snaps out of the mushrooms. Set aside.

Chuck the mushroom stalks, walnuts, thyme, fetta, lemon zest, salt and pepper into a food processor or thermomix.

Pulse or turbo gently a few times until combined well. Don’t make it too mushy (see what I did there?)

Using a spoon, gently stuff the mixture into the mushroom caps.

Throw your mushies into a heatproof dish and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and the stuffing is just going brown.

Enjoy!

[box] HOT TIP! This recipe is baked in the oven but if it’s way too hot to turn the oven on, whack them on the barbeque in a heatproof dish and put the hood down. [/box]

For more info and amazing recipes using mushrooms, check out the Australian Mushroom Growers website or Facebook page.

Keep an eye out next month, I have another recipe for you! Do you have a favourite way of preparing mushies? Share with us and spread the mushy love!

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Macadamia Chocolate Fudge

December 11, 2014 · 4 Comments

This fudge is so quick and easy to make.

Once you have the base sorted, you can top it with anything you like! Try all different types of nuts, coconut, goji berries, ginger or any dried fruit. For a supercharged nutrient boost, add some Superfoods for Kidz powders.

It’s not sickly sweet and it’s packed full of nutrients. Enjoy!

Macadamia Chocolate Fudge

Vital Stats: Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free

This is what you need:

2 cups sulphur-free dates ( I like the Honest to Goodness brand)

2 cups organic cashews

1/2 cup organic raw cacao

2 tablespoons organic maple syrup

1 vanilla pod, scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 cup organic macadamias, chopped

This is how you do it:

Soak the dates in some boiling water for ten minutes or so. Squeeze the excess water out.

Place into a food processor or thermomix with all the other ingredients (except the macadamias).

Pulse or turbo until smooth and well combined. I like it with a little bit of cashew still showing, but do it to your preference.

Using wet hands, press into a small slice tin that is lined with baking paper.

Sprinkle the chopped macadamias over the top and press down gently into the mix.

Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Keep refrigerated or freeze.