Omelette

I LOVE OMELETTE!

It is easy, quick, filling and high in protein. Which is exactly what i want for breakfast, cereal is just not filling enough.
This picture above is 2 pieces of dark rye, hummus, a 2 egg omelette, 1 sliced tomato, shaved turkey and lots of grated pepper. YUM.

Mexican Dinner

This is how we do Mexican at home, it's not traditional really but it is totally delicious.

Tapioca and Mango Pudding

This is an old fashioned pudding with a modern twist. I adapted it from the recipe on the back of the Tapioca packet. I didn't have any limes on hand when I made it so it is shown with some toasted shredded coconut on top but the texture of the coconut is wrong for the pudding. I think that the brown colour from the palm sugar is not ideal - perhaps you could pour a thin layer of sweetened coconut cream on top but this would increase the calories unnecessarily, for those who care about calories.

Cajun Spice Mix

2 tblsp sweet paprika (generous)

2 tblsp onion salt

½ tblsp finely ground black pepper

1–2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp sumac

Mix together and use to coat fish or chicken.

Blacken fish or chicken in a non-stick pan with a little oil added then bake in oven at ~200C to finish cooking.

Vegetable and Lentil Curry with Whole Spcies

Ingredients & Method:

2 large onions, chopped
In a heavy based pan (preferably enameled cast iron), brown onion slightly in 2 tblsp oil over low heat

4 tsp cummin seeds
3 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
24 fresh curry leaves
Add whole spices to the pan, turn up heat a little and fry until the spices are fragrant and start to pop

3 cloves garlic, chopped
2-4 cm ginger, chopped
Turn down heat, add garlic and ginger to the pan and heat through

2 tsp ground tumeric
3-4 dried chillies, seeds removed then chopped
Stir tumeric and chillies though the onion and spices mix


2 cups red lentils (or use 1 1/2 cups red and 1/2 cup French lentils)
6 fresh tomatoes, each chopped into 8 pieces
Large wedge of Jap pumpkin, chopped into large pieces
Add lentils and vegetables to the pan and stir though, add enough water to cover the lentils then put the lid on the pan and cook over low heat. Stir occasionally and cook until the lentils are soft and the vegetables are tender.

Fresh baby spinach or rocket, roughly chopped
1/2 a bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
Stir the spinach or rocket though just before serving then scatter the fresh coriander on top

This is a great accompaniment to dry beef curry 

Barramundi with Fresh Fennel

Ingredients:
Barramundi fillets (enough for the number of serves required)
1 fennel bulb with green top
1/2 a lemon
olive oil
black pepper

Method:
I like to cook this on the Weber Q but you can use the oven.
Choose thick barramundi fillets and cut into serving portion size.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Drizzle with virgin olive oil then lay the fillet portions in a single layer.
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fish.
Chop the green tops of the fennel bulb and scatter over the fish.
Slice the fennel bulb into fine wedges and place on top of the fish.
Drizzle with a little more olive oil.
Season with plenty of freshly ground pepper.

Place on a baking trivet in the BBQ on low heat and bake for approx 30 minutes or until cooked (check to see if it flakes).

Serve with potato salad (boiled baby potatoes with chopped chives or spring onions, dressed with half/half mix of Greek yoghurt and real egg mayonnaise such as S&W) and a green salad of cos lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, fresh basil plus pitted Kalamata olives and crumbled fetta cheese. The creaminess of the potato salad and the saltiness of the olives and fetta plus the aroma of fresh basil are perfect accompaniments to the fish.

Deep south Chocolate Cake (Pumpkin, Chocolate and Orange Cake)

Nothing to say, this cake is delicious. YUM.

Ingredients:
125g butter
1/2cup caster sugar
1cup warm, mashed cooked pumpkin (just dice boil and mash)
1 egg
1T. golden syrup
1 1/2cup Self Raising Flour
1t. baking soda
2t. custard powder
1T. cocoa (i usually just chuck a heap in)
rind and juice of one orange
optional (100g chocolate finely chopped added to the cake, and whipped cream and chopped banana to serve)

Method:
Preheat oven to 180. Boil pumpkin, mash and let to cool.
Cream butter and sugar, add warm pumpkin gradually.
Beat in egg, golden syrup and grated orange rind.
Sift dry ingredients together and fold in, then fold in orange juice.
Add chocolate chips if you would like then place mixture into a 20cm square tin lined with baking paper and bake for 40minutes.

This is best sandwiched with whipped cream and sliced banana and dusted with icing sugar.