Recipes
Tahini Dressing
Creamy, tangy, and full of flavour, this tahini yoghurt dressing is a versatile staple that pairs perfectly with salads, roasted vegetables, or grilled meats. Fresh, zesty, and easy to make—it’ll quickly become a go-to favourite. Time: 10 mins Makes ¾ cup INGREDIENTS: ½ cup hulled tahini ¼ cup water 3 tbsp lemon juice ½ tbsp maple syrup ¼ tsp cumin, ground INSTRUCTIONS: Start with the tahini in a small bowl. Add the water and whisk with a fork until smooth. The tahini will thicken first, then start to smooth. Add the lemon juice and maple syrup and continue to whisk with the fork until smooth. Finally add the ground cumin and stir through. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Prior to serving, give the dressing another whisk and add some extra water if it has started to thicken. This dressing will become a staple in your household. The combination of tahini, lemon and cumin pairs well with roast vegetables, meat or a green salad. It is best made fresh, but any leftovers you can keep in the fridge for a day or two.
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Winter Beef Stew
Italian inspired flavours in this beef stew provide a delicious warmth and comfort on a winter’s evening. Serves 6 - 8 INGREDIENTS: 1 kg beef (chuck or gravy) ¼ cup plain flour 3 carrots, peeled and chopped 3 potatoes, peeled and chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ cup fresh sage, chopped ¼ cup fresh rosemary, chopped 1 can of tomatoes, crushed 2 cups beef stock ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup apple cider vinegar Cracked pepper To serve Parmesan cheese, grated Garlic bread or crusty sourdough INSTRUCTIONS: Trim any excess fat, toss the beef in the flour, set aside Add the carrots, potatoes, garlic and herbs to the slow cooker. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large fry pan over a medium-high heat and quickly sear the beef to seal it on all sides. Add the beef straight into the slow cooker, then pour the tomatoes and stock on top. Mix the brown sugar and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl so the brown sugar begins to dissolve and then add to the slow cooker as well Top with fresh cracked pepper, then put the lid on and set the slow cooker to low for 8 hours. Stir a couple of times if possible across the cook time, or even just closer to the end will do. Prior to serving, remove the lid and let cook for another 30 minutes as the sauce begins to thicken. The sauce of the stew will be quite thin on the day of cooking and will continue to thicken once cooled and kept in the fridge. Serve immediately into warm bowls, top with grated parmesan and serve with either garlic bread or crusty sourdough. NOTES: The sauce of the stew will be quite thin on the day of cooking and will continue to thicken once cooled and kept in the fridge. You can make this ahead (overnight) and then reheat at dinner time. The stew will be a lot thicker the day after cooking. This stew also can be frozen. To freeze make sure the stew has cooled completely then portion into freezer friendly bags or containers. Remember to label and date.
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Thai Style Pumpkin Soup
Creamy, fragrant, and gently spiced, this Thai-inspired pumpkin soup is the ultimate comfort in a bowl. With coconut milk and green curry paste, it’s full of warmth and flavour—perfect for cosy nights or easy entertaining. Serves 6 Time 50 mins INGREDIENTS: 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 onion, chopped 1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional) 3 tbsp green curry paste 1 kg pumpkin, chopped to 5cm pieces 1 large sweet potato (orange), chopped to 5cm pieces 2-3 cups water 1 can coconut milk To serve: Natural yoghurt Coriander Chilli flakes (optional) INSTRUCTIONS: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat Add the onion and crushed garlic and chilli (optional) and saute until the onion is soft Add the green curry paste and stir to form a thicker paste Add the pumpkin and sweet potato and fill with 2-3 cups of water or until ¾ of the vegetables are covered Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin and sweet potato is cooked through Remove the pot from the stove and use a potato masher to combine the vegetables into a chunky soup, or use a stick blender to puree the soup smooth Place the soup back on a low heat and stir in the coconut milk Serve topped with natural yoghurt, coriander and chilli flakes (optional)
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Chocolate Baked Oats
Rich, fudgy, and wholesome, these chocolate baked oats are a treat that feels indulgent but stays nourishing. Perfect for mornings when you want something cozy with a touch of sweetness. INGREDIENTS: ½ cup rolled oats 1 banana 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 tsp honey ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon cocoa powder INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 180. Grease a ramekin or oven-safe pan with cooking spray. In a blender combine all the ingredients except the apple. Blend until smooth and pour into the greased ramekins. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean
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Apple and Cinnamon Baked Oats
Warm, comforting, and naturally sweet, these baked oats are like apple pie for breakfast. They’re simple to make, full of goodness, and the perfect way to start your day. INGREDIENTS: 1 cup rolled oats 1 banana 2 egg 2 tsp honey 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ apple, grated INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 180°C Grease two ramekins or an oven-safe pan. In a blender combine all the ingredients except the apple. Blend until smooth. Stir through the grated apple and pour evenly into the greased ramekins. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean Serve with some yoghurt of your choice.
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Slow Cooker Beef Tacos
The slow cooker does a great job of turning cheaper cuts of meat into the most delicious dish. This recipe uses gravy beef and with the addition of apple cider vinegar and brown sugar, breaks down into the most tender beef perfect for layering into soft taco shells. Mexican food is the ultimate combination of salt, fat, acid & heat to get the perfect meal. Serves 6-8 Time INGREDIENTS: 1 tbsp olive oil 1 kg gravy beef 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup beef stock ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup apple cider vinegar Salt & pepper to taste Spice mix 1 tbsp chipotle chilli 2 tsp oregano, dried 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp coriander, ground ½ tsp cumin, ground To serve: Soft shell tacos Lime wedges Coriander Shredded cabbage Guacamole Sour Cream INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all spices into a small bowl and mix well. Heat oil in a fry pan over a high heat, sear beef in batches quickly on each side and sprinkle with some of the spice mix. Transfer the beef straight into the slow cooker. Continue this step until all pieces of beef are done. Add the garlic, beef stock and remaining spice mix into the slow cooker pot. In a small jug, mix the brown sugar and apple cider vinegar together, until brown sugar starts to dissolve. Pour this over the beef. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Once the time is up, take a slotted spoon and spoon the beef into a bowl. Take two forks and gently break up the beef mixture. Pour a few spoonfuls of sauce from the slow cooker over the beef and you’re ready to serve. To serve: Soft shell tacos Lime wedges Coriander Shredded cabbage Guacamole Sour Cream NOTES: If you’re short on time, you can cook this on high in the slow cooker for 4 hours. If you’re serving for a dinner party, I suggest making this the day before and reserving extra liquid from the slow cooker at the end. Add the extra liquid to the beef just before re-heating to prevent it drying out.
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Tomato, Chorizo and White Bean Soup
Hearty, smoky, and full of rich flavour, this soup combines spicy chorizo with tender beans and a tomato base for the perfect winter warmer. Serve with crusty bread for a simple, satisfying meal. Serves: 6 Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 30 min INGREDIENTS: 1 tbsp oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 3 red capsicum, diced 2 tsp smoked paprika, ground 2 cans of tomatoes, crushed 1 L vegetable stock 6 chorizo sausages, sliced 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed Fresh parsley to serve INSTRUCTIONS: Heat oil in a large pot over a low heat. Add garlic and red capsicum, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add smoked paprika, and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add canned tomatoes and stock and simmer until capsicum has softened Whilst simmering the tomato mixture, heat a fry pan over a medium heat and cook the chorizo on all sides so each piece is sealed. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Remove the tomato mixture from the heat and blend with a stick blender. Return the pot to the heat and add the chorizo and beans Simmer for 5-10 minutes and season to taste. Top with some parsley and serve with crusty bread
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Baked Eggs with Spicy Homemade Beans
Hearty and full of flavour, this dish turns your homemade baked beans into a deliciously satisfying meal. With runny eggs, crumbled feta, and crusty bread, it’s the perfect brunch or cozy weekend breakfast. Serves 4 INGREDIENTS: 1 batch of homemade baked beans 4 eggs 50g feta Handful of chopped parsley Bread to serve INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 180°C Cook the homemade baked beans as per the recipe instructions in an oven-proof fry pan Once you’ve finished the beans, make 4 small circles in the bean mixture Crack an egg into each of the small circles and sprinkle with feta Cook on the stove top then once the egg white is set around the edges, place into the preheated oven under the grill Cook in the oven until the tops of the egg are set but the yolk is still runny Remove from the oven and scatter with fresh herbs to serve Serve on toasted bread of your choice
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Loaded Kumara Fries with Spicy Bean
This recipe combines the natural sweetness of kūmara with the robust flavors of spicy beans, melted mozzarella, and creamy guacamole, making it a satisfying meal. Serves: 4-6 Time: 45mins INGREDIENTS: 900g kūmara (purple), cleaned and sliced into fries 420g can spicy beans Mozzarella cheese, grated Guacamole (for topping) Fresh coriander, chopped (for garnish) INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Place the sliced kūmara fries on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spread the fries out in a single layer on the tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake the kūmara fries in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, turning them halfway through, until they are golden and crispy. While the kūmara fries are baking, heat the spicy beans in a small saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. Once the kūmara fries are done, remove them from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Spoon the heated spicy beans over the top of the fries. Sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese generously over the beans. Place the dish back in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. To serve: Top the loaded kūmara fries with dollops of guacamole and a sprinkle of fresh coriander. Serve immediately and enjoy this delicious, hearty dish!
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Raspberry and Chocolate Oat Biscuits
These raspberry, chocolate and oat cookies are just what you need! Packed with tangy freeze-dried raspberries and rich chocolate chips, these cookies are both soft and chewy, making them the perfect indulgence for any time of day. Plus, they're gluten-free and easy to make! Makes 15 (2 tbsp each in size) INGREDIENTS: 1 ½ c rolled oats 1 c gluten free flour ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp baking soda ½ c butter or olive oil spread ⅓ c brown sugar ¼ c sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 c chocolate chips ½ c freeze-dried raspberries INSTRUCTIONS: In a large bowl combine rolled oats, flour, cinnamon and baking soda and mix to combine In a bowl, beat the butter and both sugars for 1-2 minutes until well combined. You can do this in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer Add the egg and vanilla extract and keep beating, scraping down the side of the bowl so everything is combined Add the dry ingredients and continue to mix, slowly. Once just combined, mix in chocolate chips and raspberries, until just combined. Stop mixing just as the raspberries are mixed through Cover the bowl and refrigerate to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes Preheat the oven and prepare a baking tray with baking paper or a reusable baking sheet Take 1.5-2 tbsp of mixture and roll into a ball. Space them out on the baking tray and flatten with a spoon Bake for 10-15 minutes until the tops of the cookies are set Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool
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Homemade baked beans
Homemade baked beans are comforting, hearty, and full of flavour. Once you’ve made your own, you’ll never go back to the canned version again. Serves: 4 Prep time Cook time INGREDIENTS: 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground chilli 1 can cannellini beans, drained 1 tbsp tomato paste 1 can diced/crushed tomatoes 1 tbsp worcheshire sauce 1 tbsp maple syrup INSTRUCTIONS: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat Add garlic, smoked paprika and chilli and stir as flavours release. Add the beans, stirring to coat in spices. Add tomato paste and canned tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and add worcester sauce and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10-15 minutes until tomato sauce thickens and sticks to the beans. Serve hot with toasted bread.
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Easter Brownie
She’s a fudge brownie recipe this one! Perfect to use any leftover Easter eggs or try any chopped chocolate. INGREDIENTS: 225g butter 1 ½ cup sugar 2 tsp vanilla 4 eggs ⅓ cup cocoa powder ½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1 ½ cup plain flour 1 cup Easter eggs, chopped INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 180c and line a 11 x 7 inch pan with baking paper Melt the butter over a medium heat, stir in the sugar and vanilla. Remove from the heat and beat in the eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl, mix cocoa, baking powder and salt together and mix well. Stir in flour and fold through chopped Easter eggs Pour into the lined pan and bake for 20-25minutes or until centre is slightly firm to touch Cool in the pan and then cut into squares NOTES: This brownie mixture is better when slightly underdone.
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