Summary: Try this Mediterranean-inspired recipe for salad of barbecued or baked lamb with beetroot, pomegranate, watercress, fetta and pine nuts.

Body:
p(intro). Try this Mediterranean-inspired salad for a twist on the trusted lamb and fetta combination.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 1 large lamb backstrap (approx. 200g)
• 1 beetroot (steamed or baked), roughly chopped
• 1/2 bunch watercress
• Seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
• 3 tbs pine nuts (toasted in dry pan)
  *80g fetta, crumbled

Dressing

• 3 tbs walnut or macadamia oil
• 1 tbs raspberry vinegar

Method

1. Barbeque or bake the lamb; medium rare is best. After 5 minutes, slice meat on an angle.
2. Combine all ingredients, add dressing.

Simply succulent!

Summary: Lunch or light dinner recipe for chicken and pomegranate salad with cress or baby spinach leaves and avocado. Raspberry oil vinegar complements the pomegranate.

Body:
p(intro). Try this for a low stress light dinner à deux

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 350g chicken meat, breast or thigh. Barbequed, steamed or left over
  roast chicken.
• 1/2 avocado, cubed
• 3 shallots, the white bit, chopped
• 8 walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 a pomegranate, seeds
• Handful fresh cress or baby spinach leaves

Dressing

1 tbs raspberry vinegar
2 tbs walnut oil

Method

1. Add salad ingredients together in bowl.
2. Drizzle with dressing and stir it in.

An easy lunch or light dinner, this is perfect for the end of the week. What about taking it to share at a picnic?

This salad is colourful, delicious and great for you – perfect for barbecues. It’s full of vitamins and antioxidants, and very good for your digestion.

Ingredients

• ½ red cabbage (also known as purple cabbage)
• ½ Chinese cabbage
• 2 medium carrots (grated)
• ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tbs sesame seed oil
• 1 tbs rice bran oil
• 1 tbs Tamari (Japanese wheat-free soy sauce)
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbs toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Slice both cabbage types finely, grate carrots and roughly chop coriander leaves.
2. Place raw sesame seeds into a non-stick pan, with no oil, and toss over a medium heat until slightly brown. Allow to cool.
3. Place cabbages, carrot and coriander into a large dish or bowl to which you can fit a lid and mix, or toss, ingredients to blend well.
4. Add the oils, Tamari and balsamic vinegar. Stir or toss to blend.
5. Add the toasted sesame seeds and blend again.
6. Place lid over the salad and refrigerate for about 3 hours to let the flavours permeate.

This salad keeps for days in the fridge, due to the pickling effect of the vinegar and sauce; however, there is seldom any left after a few days at most!

This spicy take on tabouleh is perfect for those ‘bring a plate’ occasions such as summer barbecues. Prepare it before you get dressed and whip it from the fridge when you’re ready to go.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 200g quinoa
• 7 tbs flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped
• 5 tbs mint, finely chopped
• 1 red capsicum, deseeded and diced
• 4 large ripe tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• 4 spring onions, green part discarded, finely chopped.
• 80g walnuts, toasted and chopped

Ingredients - dressing

• 1 tsp salt flakes
• 1 tsp each of:
  ground black pepper
  ground cumin
  ground paprika (hot)
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 4 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 5 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Toast walnuts. Put them on a baking tray in the oven, pre-heated to 180ºC for 5–8 minutes. Allow to cool then chop.
2. Place quinoa in heat-proof bowl.  Add 200mls boiling water.  Cover the bowl and leave to absorb.
3. In the meantime, create the spicy dressing by mixing together cumin, hot paprika, salt, pepper, tomato paste and lemon juice until well blended.
4. Stir the dressing into the quinoa.  Leave until cool.
5. Once cool, combine the dressed quinoa with tomatoes, capsicum, spring onions, walnuts and herbs.
6. Allow to stand for half an hour to encourage the flavours to permeate. 

Serve with grilled lamb, chicken or falafel and hummous for a Middle Eastern treat.
 

With the festive season approaching, many people find the thought of preparing the Christmas dinner terrifying, or a complete chore. Don’t let this frazzled, exhausting and ‘over Christmas’ mania get to you this year.

The best way to approach the Christmas meal – whether it be luncheon or dinner – is to keep it simple! Let this Christmas be a return to the humble roast chook.

Appetiser
Dips and crudités

Give everyone time to mingle while partaking in a Snacks recipe of your choice. Dipperiffic with some easily made crudités and easy to consume with a drink in hand.

Main course
Roasted free range chicken with fresh thyme and lemon

Ros Royal gave us this scrummy recipe. You could serve it with wild rice or golden roasted potatoes and pumpkin.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 x fresh free range chicken 1.2-1.4 kg.
• 2 lemons
• fresh thyme…from your herb garden! (I like to use lemon thyme, to give that wonderful extra lemon tang.
• extra virgin olive oil
• pepper
• sea salt

Method

1. Set oven to 220°C
2. Rinse chicken under cold water (including the cavity) and dry with kitchen paper.
3. Cut lemon in half lengthways, and place inside cavity, along with a nice sized bunch of thyme.
4. With a long piece of string, tie the lower ends of the legs together. Do the same with the wings.
5. This will keep the extremities of the chook close to the body, and therefore not overcook the lower legs, or the wings.
6. Place in stainless steel baking dish. Pour a dash of etra virgin olive oil over the bird, and sprinkle liberally with sea salt, and a grind of black pepper.
7. Place in hot oven, and cook at this temperature for half an hour.
8. Reduce oven temperature to 200°C, and continue cooking for another hour approximately, basting occasionally. The chicken will exude wonderful juices, so be sure to keep basting these over the chicken, to keep the bird moist, and packed with flavour.
9. Test whether the chicken is cooked by inserting a skewer into the point between the breast and the leg: if cooked, the bird will exude clear juice. If there is a touch of pink the chicken needs a little more cooking.
10. Remove cooked chicken to a baking tray, and cover very loosely with foil.
11. Meanwhile, place the pan with the juices onto the stove, and heat until the juices bubble. Add a splash of white wine, and half a cup of water, and stir vigorously. Simmer gently for a couple of minutes, then strain into a serving jug.
12. Return to the chook. Untie string and gently carve the legs, wings, and breast.
13. Place attractively on a serving platter, or, if serving individually, place on individual dinner plates.
14. Serve with the pan juices, wedges of lemon, baby potatoes, and my old favourite – a rocquet and avocado salad.

Wine suggestion Roast Chicken marries beautifully with a grassy young Semillon, or a delicious Pinot Noir.

Easy and stress-free, and kind to the digestive system.

Merry Christmas!

Dessert
Mixed berries in blackcurrant jelly

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 300g frozen mixed berries
• 1 cup blackcurrant juice
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3 teaspoons gelatine
• 20 fresh mint leaves (the little leaves on top of the stalks)
• 4 tablespoons fresh cream
• A little extra mint and a couple of fresh or frozen currants for garnish (optional…or go the whole hog with a cake decoration: Santa, reindeer or sprig of holly)

If you like a stronger blackcurrant flavour, use only 1/4 cup boiling water and fruit juice for the rest.

Method

1. Portion berries and mint leaves into 4 glass tumblers.
2. Dissolve 3 teaspoons gelatine in 1 cup boiling water.
3. Add 1 cup blackcurrant juice to the water and gelatine mixture, mix well.
4. Pour the fruit juice mixture over the berries. Refrigerate until jelly sets.
5. Serve berries in jelly with a tablespoon of fresh cream on top, and your Christmas garnish positioned in the ‘snow’.

Roasted free range chicken recipe from Ros Royal. Mixed Berries in Blackcurrant Jelly recipe from FeelGood Food by Mim Beim with Gül McCarty. You can find this dessert and others in Treats

Warmer weather is upon us! A simple and delicious favourite, perfect for summer.

There are many and varied versions for this timeless salad – but this is one that I use and prefer. Traditionally, potatoes were not used – but I find the addition of the humble spud gives that certain extra ‘oomph’ to the dish, and also makes it a meal in itself.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 1 baby cos lettuce – washed, and broken into goodish sized pieces
• 200g green beans, freshly steamed
• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 × 185g tinned tuna in olive oil
• 2 free range hard boiled eggs, quartered
• 3 new or chat potatoes, cooked, and sliced
• 100g small black olives (Sicilian for example)
• 4 x anchovie fillets – chopped finely (optional)
• A handful of chives from your herb garden

Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
• 1 teaspoon Champagne or wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon
• sea salt

Method

…Simple!

1. Place half of the cos lettuce on a serving platter.
2. Gently add the tomatoes, tuna, beans, egg, and potatoes.
3. Mould the remaining lettuce through the previous ingredients, then scatter with the olives and the (optional) anchovies.
4. Dress with the vinaigrette, and finish with a sprinkle of chopped chives.

Serve with Crusty Sour Dough, and a glass of Pinot Grigio. Voilà!!!

Quinoa, a superfood, high in iron and protein, is the main ingredient in Ros Royal’s Super Salad. Delicious AND healthy… and gluten free!

Ingredients

• 1 cup red Quinoa
• 60g Ricotta cheese
• 1 avocado, chopped into small pieces
• 12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 100g snow peas, lightly cooked to retain crispness
• 2 tblsp chopped parsley
• 2 tblsp chopped coriander
• sea salt, ground pepper

Vinaigrette

• 180ml extra virgin olive oil
• 60ml balsamic vinegar.
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard.
• Mix all Ingredients in a jar and shake well - EASY!!!!

Method

1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water and drain.
2. Add to a saucepan with twice the amount of water (2 cups).
3. Add sea salt and bring to the boil.
4. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until all water is absorbed (about 18- 20 mins). Whilst cooking fluff occasionally with a fork.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Transfer to a large bowl and add tomatoes, snow peas, avocado, and herbs.
7. Lightly crumble through the ricotta and add the shaken vinaigrette.,

Serve with fish or chicken, or simply with a green salad as a vegetarian alternative.

A lovely summer entree, or salad, perfect for the warmer weather… really tasty, healthy and easy.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 2 bunches asparagus, washed and trimmed.
• 1 bunch beetroot, roasted (See below. Prepare beforehand. Will keep well in refrigerator for 5 days.)
• 1 avocado, peeled, sliced and cut into medium pieces.
• 250g Greek fetta.
• 125g Tasmanian walnuts
• 200g or more, to preference, of mixed leaf salad..
• vinaigrette (See below.)

Method

1. Remove ends from beetroot. Wash whole beets thoroughly and cut into half, lengthwise. Place cut side down.
2. Sprinkle with sea salt and glaze with extra virgin olive oil.
3. Cover lightly with foil and bake at 200 deg for approx 1 and a half hours, basting often. (You may need to add a little water, as the juices evaporate.)
4. When cooked allow to cool, then slice into quarters.
5. Steam asparagus lightly so it still retains crispness.
6. Refresh in cold water and drain. Slice into thirds, on an angle.
7. Make vinaigrette, by order of two thirds olive oil, to one third vinegar.
   (I like wine or champagne vinegar. I also add the juice of half a lemon.)

To Serve

1. Arrange asparagus on individual plates and add sliced beetroot attractively.
2. Place avocado around, then mixed leaf salad. Add more asparagus and beetroot.
3. Crumble with fetta and add walnuts.
4. Drizzle all with dressing, a grind of pepper and a sprinkle of sea salt.
5. Serve immedietly.

An easy and very tasty recipe containing that all important protein, for a stay-at-home cafe style breakfast or lunch, from Caterina of Kangaroo Valley.

Ingredients (Serves 8-10)

• 2 red capsicum
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 leeks sliced and washed
• 10 eggs
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh garden herbs: Continental Parsley, Basil, Rocket,
• 250g fresh Ricotta, crumbled
• 40g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan

Method

1. Cook capsicum under a preheated high grill until charred and blistered or roast whole until blistering.
2. Place in a sealed plastic bag for 10 minutes. Peel and cut into strips.
3. Heat oil in a heavy fry pan and cook leek over medium heat for 15 minutes or until tender but not coloured.
4. Whisk eggs until well combined.
5. Add capsicum, leeks, herbs, Ricotta and Parmesan. Season generously with cracked pepper and mix well.
6. Pour into a well oiled baking dish and bake at 160 degrees C for 30-40 minutes or until just set.
7. Stand in the dish for 30 minutes to cool slightly.
8. Cool to room temperature and chill until required.

To Serve

Serve at room temperature cut into wedges.

This delicious recipe is the creation of Ros Royal – caterer, yoga teacher and olive grower.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1.5kg Japanese pumpkin
• sea salt
• pepper
• 1 tbs honey

Method

1. Cut the pumpkin into 2.5cm (1 inch) slices. Do not peel. Place in stainless steel baking dish, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
2. Sprinkle pumpkin with sea salt, a grind of pepper, and a drizzle with good large tablespoon of honey.
3. Place into a 200-degree oven, and roast for approx 30 mins, basting regularly. Add a little water as the oil evaporates, and the honey starts to caramalise. Scrape any congealing juices from the bottom of the dish, and pour over the pumpkin.
4. Pumpkin is cooked when a metal skewer spikes soft flesh.

Serve warm as a side vegetable, or allow to cool, and store for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Flavour will improve daily. Best dressed with your choice of a lime vinaigrette, or a balsamic and olive oil dressing. Delicious served with rocquet, fetta and avocado, or as an accompaniment to roasted chicken or lamb.

And eat the skin…healthy and delicious!