This year I just haven’t had time to make my own hot cross buns… We wanted treats to take out but had no time to wait for 2 rises!
So instead these ones start with a modified scone dough and come together very quickly!
Dough:
2.5 cups SR flour* (plus extra for rolling out)
1/2 cup almond meal**
80g cold butter (or nuttelex)
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup milk of choice (I use high protein almond milk)
Filling:
1 large Apple, finely diced
8 medjool dates, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts (optional), finely chopped
2 tsp butter (or nuttelex), melted
1/2 tsp mixed spice
Icing:
2 heaped tsp butter (or nuttelex), melted
4 heaped tbsp pure icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp milk of choice
*To make this gluten free: swap the flour for 2 1/4 cup SR GF flour mix and add 1 tsp of psyllium husk **To make this nut free: swap out the almond meal for an extra half cup of flour and omit the walnuts
Place the flour, almond meal and sugar in the food processor and pulse to combine.
Add in the butter and pulse numerous times until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
Add in milk then process until dough is well combined (speed 4, 6 seconds).
Tip the dough into a well floured surface, bring together with your hands and then roll into a rectangular shape, about 1/2cm thick.
Mix together the Apple, dates, Walnuts, mixed spice and melted butter and spread over the dough.
Roll the dough over on top of each other to form a log.
Cut the log into slices about 2cm wide and then lay on a lined baking tray.
Place them fairly close together and into a preheated 200C oven for about 20 minutes.
Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before icing.
For the icing- mix together the melted butter, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and then add in the milk to thin it out before drizzling over the top of the scrolls.
Packed with veggies and flavour. We love this dinner because we both leave it thick and chunky for the adults, and also put some through a quick spin in the food processor to give a ‘chicken bolognese style sauce’ for the less, ah, amenable kiddos!
It’s a pretty forgiving and flexible dish so the quantities are pretty rough!
5-6 Chicken boneless thighs, skin removed
1 tbsp garlic flavoured olive oil
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
Fresh thyme, basil and rosemary, finely chopped (or about 2 tsp dried Italian Style herbs)
1/2 tsp dried chill flakes (optional)
1 large eggplant (about 800g), diced
1 tsp salt
12-15 button mushrooms, or 6-8 larger field mushrooms, diced
1 cup passata
1 heaped tbsp tomato paste
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
ground black pepper to taste
Start with the eggplant – it needs some time to draw out the moisture to stop it going rubbery when you cook it.
Dice the eggplant, and place it in a draining sieve. Sprinkle it with the salt and leave to sit for 30 minutes. You will see lots of moisture on the surface and dripping down into the sink. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add in the onion and cook over medium heat until it starts to brown. Add in the diced chicken, sprinkle with herbs and chilli then cook over a medium heat until the chicken starts to brown.
Add in the eggplant and stir well to combine.
Now add in the mushroom and stir them through. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until the eggplant and mushrooms cook down.
Now add in the passata and paste, stir well and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add in the spinach and stir well to combine.
You only need to cook down the spinach for another 2 minutes before you’re ready to serve.
Serve the stew on its own, over pasta or zucchini noodles. Our kids eat this best when we pop in in the food processor and roughly process it so it is less chunky and more of a sauce. They enjoy it with pasta and little bit of grated cheese.
Makes about 6 adult serves. It freezes and defrosts fairly well, but also keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days for left over lunches.
Very simple, inexpensive, easily sourced ingredients. Amazingly good at feeding your super gut bugs. Quick to make, cooks in bulk and freezes well for weekday lunches. Allergy friendly ….. AND YUMMY!!!
400g Broccoli (1 medium size), roughly chopped
600g Cauliflower (1 large), roughly chopped
1 small brown onion (about 120g), diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp veggie stock paste
8 cups boiling water
150g cream cheese (*dairy, soy or nut based – you can even use a light silken tofu here)
If you don’t have stock paste you can use 2 cups liquid stock and then only 6 cups water.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan then add in the onion and cook, stirring, until it is soft and golden.
Add in the cauliflower and broccoli plus the stock paste and stir well. Cook down for about 3 minutes then add in the boiling water.
Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are very soft. *If you need a quicker cooking time you can give them veggies a quick blitz in your food processor first.
Remove from the heat and add in the cream cheese.
Use an immersion blender to blend until the soup is very smooth. If you are using a blender/thermo cooker/bullet machine to blend – BE VERY CAREFUL! Allow it to cool quite a bit first and then do small batches.
Serves 8.
If Macros are important to you, here they are for 1 serve.
I love this slice because it is fragrant and lightly sweet, uses only the things that I always have in my cupboard so it is inexpensive, you can have it in the oven in 5 minutes flat and it is really simple to make it allergy friendly.
And even better … my kiddo who has an Oral Allergy Syndrome reaction to raw apple can tolerate some cooked apple so everyone in our family can share!
**See below the main recipe for allergy friendly swaps and more options**
2 large apples
2 cups of flour (I use spelt and do half wholemeal)**
2 tsp GF baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar (I like coconut sugar for the caramel taste)
3/4 cup rolled oats
185g melted butter
Mix together all of the dry ingredients.
Add in the melted butter, then core and dice (but don’t peel) the apples and mix them through.
Press them mix firmly into a greased 20×20 baking dish and place in a preheated 180C for about 25 minutes.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tin before moving to a wire rack.
Cut into about 16 squares and serve warm or cold.
To change it up:
Gluten Free – replace the flour with 1 3/4 cup of a gluten free flour mix plus 1 tsp of psyllium husk. Then replace the oats with shredded coconut or puffed rice.
Dairy Free – use a plant based butter
Can’t do apples? Pears are a great switch
Want something a bit fancier? Crumble some chopped almonds over the top and sprinkle with a tsp of extra sugar before baking and serve warm, with custard.
Got a super sweet tooth? Add in 6 chopped medjool dates or 1/2 cup of sultanas
Not sending it to school? Replace 1/2 a cup of the flour with almond meal
I did not grow up in a family that ate lasagne much – but my husband did! It was my lovely mother-in-law’s go to dish!
He has missed it since we were married, so I’ve worked hard at making a dish that we both enjoy AND fits all of our dietary needs. This one is also a winner with the kids – and the left overs taste even better the next day!
Heads up – this is in no way a traditional lasagne, I’m not event pretending it is … in fact I have had friends tell me that I am not allowed to call it lasagne if it doesn’t have either pasta or cheese … sorry … I’m going do it anyway!!
**Check out below the main recipe to see how I make this one completely plant based**
This is a meal that takes a little more time and fiddling in the kitchen than I normally like, but the end result is worth it and it does make 10 large and very filling servings, so I’ll allow it!
1 tbsp garlic olive oil
1 small brown onion, diced (about 125g)
OPTIONAL: 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1kg beef mince
400g tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed
1 medium zucchini (about 1.5 cups chopped)
150g fresh spinach
200g button mushrooms
400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
70g tomato paste,
1 tsp dried oregano
salt to taste
Large egg plant (about 1kg)
spray olive oil
125g grated cheese (dairy or vegan)
For the Sauce:
1 large cauliflower (approx 900g-1kg), roughly cut up
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp dried garlic flakes
1 cup high protein almond milk (or soy or dairy milk if they suit you)
1 cup hot veggie stock
4 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast
Salt to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add in the onion and garlic flakes. (Steam Temp, speed 1, set for 15 minutes)
Then add in the cauliflower and stir well to coat in the oil. (Turn up to speed 2)
Add in the milk and stock and cover, allowing to come to a gently simmer. (Leave in Steam temp, speed 2 with the m/c off)
Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is soft and you can easily pierce it with a fork.
Add in the nutritional yeast and then use an immersion blender to mix until smooth – you can transfer to a blender if you need to but be VERY careful! (Start by turning off the temperature function and gradually build to speed 8 until very smooth).
Taste the sauce and add a little salt to taste (dairy cheese is quite salty and when you remove it you need to add in a little salt to help with flavour). Set the sauce aside.
Onto the meat mix:
Start by creating the veggie mix you’ll stir in to the meat.
In your food processor or thermo cooker, add in the zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, kidney beans and tomato paste, then blitz until quite fine. (Speed 6, 8 seconds, scrape down and repeat until you get your desired consistency). Set aside.
In a large frying pan heat the olive oil then add in the diced onion and cook, stirring until translucent.
Add in the beef mince and herbs/spices. Break it up well and when it has roughly browned, add in the lentils and mix well.
Now add in the whole processed veggie mix to the meat mix and stir very well.
Bring to a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes.
Now the egg plant while the meat is simmering:
Slice finely. Lay on a baking tray, spray with a little olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and place under the grill in your oven.
Once the top side is golden brown (it only takes a few minutes), turn over and cook the other side.
The remove from the oven and set aside.
Now build the layers:
Lightly grease a large baking dish (I actually use 2 – awesome for freezing one too!)
Layer half of the meat mix into the bottom, then lay down half of the egg plant, then half of the cheese sauce and then repeat.
Then sprinkle either dairy or vegan grated cheese over the top.
Pop into the preheated 180C oven (fair warning …. you’re best to place it on a baking tray to catch any drips or bubbling sauce!) for about 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling – a quick minute under a grill at the end really helps to give you golden cheese, especially if you are using a plant based cheese.
Slice and serve…. and Enjoy!
**If you want to make this meal completely plant based: I use my lentil bolognese recipe but I omit the pasata (other wise there is too much liquid)**
*Of course, if you just want dairy free but you still love your pasta, then go ahead and use whichever lovely, fresh sheets suit you.
*And if you are not an eggplant fan but you still need a Gluten Free option, then I have used both of these Orgran and San Remo Lasagne sheets in the past.
If Macros are important to you here are the details for 1 serve – that is 1/10th of the meat based meal (I have kept the cauliflower ‘cheese’ sauce separate as I know people like to use it in other dishes!). You will just need to additionally factor in whichever cheese you use on top.
This is a soup-er simple meal, really inexpensive and delicious. A pretty mild soup, so it is very kid friendly too.
400g Cauliflower (1 medium size), roughly chopped
1.2kg Butternut pumpkin roughly chopped
1/2 small brown onion (about 60g), diced
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
2 tbsp veggie stock paste
10 cups boiling water
225g cream cheese (*dairy, soy or nut based – you can even use a light silken tofu here)
If you don’t have stock paste you can use 3 cups liquid stock and then only 7 cups water.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan then add in the onion and cook, stirring, until it is soft and golden.
Add in the cauliflower and pumpkin plus the stock paste and stir well. Cook down for about 3 minutes then add in the boiling water.
Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are very soft. *If you need a quicker cooking time you can give the veggies a quick blitz in your food processor first.
Remove from the heat and add in the cream cheese. Use an immersion blender to blend until the soup is very smooth. If you are using a blender/thermo cooker/bullet machine to blend – BE VERY CAREFUL! Allow it to cool quite a bit first and then do small batches.
I love to serve mine topped with roasted pumpkin seeds and pine nuts (switch hemp seeds for nut free) …. Just pop the seeds in a hot, dry frying pan and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until they are golden brown. Sprinkle on the soup and if you want a little extra kick … sprinkle on a little pinch of chilli flakes!
Serves 12.
If Macros are important to you, here they are for 1 serve (roughly 2 ladles of soup) , worked out for the dairy based cream cheese – not including the seed topping.
This will last several days in the fridge, or it freezes and defrosts well.
Well, these are easy, have only a few ingredients, freeze well, pack in a heap of good stuff to stretch the meat further aaaaand… they’re delicious!
Plus I kind of feel like they’re a complete meal in one. Protein, veg and grain … All right there! Which means that if I’m in a hurry and grab a couple of these from the freezer, I’ve got everything I need for a balanced meal. Winning 👌
4 medium chicken thighs (about 485g), skinless and boneless
200g broccoli
1/2 cup tricoloured quinoa (110g)
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1/4 cup (15g) Nutritional yeast
1 birdseye chilli or 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (you can skip the chilli if you’re not a fan!)
Start by bringing a small saucepan of water to the boil and cooking the quinoa. Rinse it well first, then it should take about 15 mins. Drain it, rinse it again and set aside.
Wash the broccoli well and shake dry (too much water and your patties will be soggy). Break into chunks and add to your food processor. Process until fine (Speed 4, 8 seconds, scrape down then Speed 5 for 5 seconds).
Whilst still processing (speed 4), add the nutritional yeast and chicken through the top chute and process until it is finely chopped and well combined. (Up to Speed 5 for 8 seconds once it is all added)
Continue processing (Speed 4) and add in the chilli and coconut aminos.
Add add in the (very well drained) quinoa and process until it is evenly combined.
Scrape mixture into a bowl, cover and place in the fridge for 2 hours, or up to over night. I usually make the mix in the morning before work and then form the patties in the afternoon.
Use tablespoons of mixture to form patties with slightly oiled hands and place them on a lined baking tray.
So pretty!
Spray with a little olive oil, then place into a 200C oven for about 20 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until cooked through (you can use a thermometer to check that the centre has reached 75C) and golden.
Makes 12. These freeze and defrost well – use a little kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture when defrosting and reheating.
Serve warm with extra veggies, and an extra drizzle of coconut amino sauce – or use them the next time your build your own burgers!
Enjoy
If macros are important to you – here are the details per patty (1 /12th of the recipe):
We don’t heat a huge amount of red meat, but a few months back, my biggest boy was reading and the characters in the book described the Lamb Koftas they were eating.
Will had never heard of them before so he asked me about them and then asked me to make them.
They were very simple to make and a winner of a meal with 6 empty plates, so they have been added to the menu and we hope you like them as much as we do!
500g lamb mince
120g chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 small brown onion
2-3 clove cloves garlic
1 tsp tahini
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1 medium carrot
1 large handful spinach
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp dried paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2-1 tsp dried chilli flakes (depending on the amount of bite you like)
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
good pinch salt
Optional: Dressing of Minted yoghurt (see below the recipe) and crunch of toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
Into your food processor/thermo cooker, place the onion, garlic, chick peas, lemon, seeds, tahini, carrot, spinach and all of the herbs and spices.
Process until they are finely chopped (Speed 4, 8 seconds, scrape down and repeat)
While the machine is still processing, add in the lamb in through the top opening and process until the mixture is very well combined and quite smooth.
Place the mixture into a bowl, cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour (over night is fine). This will help the mixture to hold together without egg as a binder.
Divide the mixture into 12 and form in to small fat sausage shapes.
Place on a lined baking tray, spray or brush with a little olive oil and bake at 180C for about 40 minutes, turning them over after 30 minutes.
We like to serve ours with ribbons of carrot and cucumber.
We also used minted yoghurt as a dressing (you can used which ever kind of unflavoured yoghurt fits your dietary needs). About 4 tbsp mixed with 2 tsp of finely torn fresh mint.
Top with toasted pine nuts (or pumpkin seeds).
If Macros are important to you here are the details. Each serve is 1 kofta (that is 1/12 of the mix)
So simple to make. Quick and delicious … and you can adapt it to whatever fruits you have lying around.
1 cups frozen berries*
1 medium apple or pear, finely diced
Lemon peel (peel into strips for easy removal)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Optional: 1-2 tsp maple syrup
*if you are using fresh berries and not frozen, you’ll need to add a little splash of water when you first start cooking.
Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and turn on to a low heat.
Stir regularly until the juices from the berries release.
Allow the mix to come to a simmer and then leave to a very gentle simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Leave the saucepan partially covered with the lid to stop it splattering!
It is ready when you can very easily slide a fork through the apple and the juices in the pan are becoming thick and sticky.
Remove the lemon peel and if you want a smoother compote, use a potato masher to crush down the fruit.
Thermo Cooking instructions:
Place all ingredients into a bowl and turn on to Speed 2, 100C. For about 10-12 minutes.
Remove the lemon peel. If you want smoother compote, turn off heating, increase speed to 4, in 5 second bursts until you are happy with the texture, scraping down the sides as required.
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Serve warm on cakes, scones or pancakes, or allow to cool and serve with yoghurt, custard or ice cream … or just eat it on it’s own!!
Itchin' Kitchen 