Recipe - Moroccan Quinoa Salad

Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") is apparently an ancient grain that has been rediscovered and found to be a super food, because it has a low glycemic index and is full of protein.  So immediately we were skeptical as to its taste. 

So after obsessing about it for a few days we bit the bullet and wondered where keeen-wah had been all our lives?  What a tasty little grain you are, keeen-wah!  Try this Moroccan Quinoa Salad, we guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Kind to the waist too, if you don't eat the lot ;-)

Ingredients - Salad

1 1/2 cups fresh chicken stock

1 1/2 cups water 

3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dried)

1 1/2 cups canned black beans (from health food stores or you can substitute borlotti or kidney beans)

1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh is best but you can use canned or frozen)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

1/4 cup fresh chopped mint

1/4 cup fresh chopped coriander

Ingredients - Dressing

2 teaspoons ground cumin seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (juice from about 2 lemons)

Method

Cook quinoa in chicken stock and water for around 12-15 minutes depending on the directions on the pack, it generally needs 3 times the amount of liquid to dry ingredient. Stir to ensure it doesn't stick to the saucepan.  

While quinoa is cooking, whisk together lemon juice, cumin, salt & sugar into a small bowl.

Combine cooked quinoa with remaining ingredients (except fresh herbs) into a medium sized bowl & refrigerate for an hour so the flavours combine.  Add fresh herbs just prior to serving.

The whole salad contains 1340 calories and will serve 5 people easily.  So that's around 258 calories per serve.  We served with a healthy green salad.

Bircher Muesli: the healthy version

I’ve been making this bircher muesli for a few years now and still love it.  In fact, anyone who tries it becomes instantly hooked.  As it’s made the night before with a lot less yoghurt than its traditional friend, its a super-quick & healthy breakfast.  If you're rushing to work, take it with you for a guilt-free desk-breakfast.  And because it contains strawberries & blueberries, its high in anti-oxidants.  Anti-wrinkle & cancer fighting. Yeah!

Ingredients

1/2 cup natural (untoasted) muesli (172 cals)
1 large apple, grated (106 cals)
1/2 tub low fat, fruit yoghurt (83 cals)
3 strawberries, diced (21 cals)
1/2 cup blueberries (39 cals)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice (27 cals)
2 dates, chopped (52 cals)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (negligible)
TOTAL cals (500)   

 Serves 2.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  It should be quite wet.  Cover with cling film overnight in the fridge.  Serve in a bowl the next morning. Dead easy!

TIPS: when berries aren’t in season experiment with other seasonal fruit, like cherries, nectarines, or mango in summer; pears in winter.  Anyone not watching their weight  can drizzle honey over the top to make it extra-special & add some extra fruit.  Enjoy!!

Back in the kitchen! Healthy jaffa bombs

Truth be told, we never really left the kitchen, but our blogging and eating out was temporarily put on the Miele back-burner because we launched our new Bondi Junction Village Markets in Sydney and all our energies were focused on launching 3 consecutive weekly markets.

What a ride it has been.  However, this post isn't about our Sydney market journey, its back to what we love most: food!!!

Whilst we love all types of wonderfully indulgent, fresh seasonal food, we're always on the look out for banging healthy recipes that are good for our bodies but also taste better than a cardboard box.  And after we discovered & fell truly, madly & deeply in love with Emma & Tom's Orange & Cacao Live Fruit & Nut bars, we decided to have a little dabble in the kitchen to see if we could make something that was just as healthy and half as delicious.  And something we could make with the ankle-biters.  Result?  Our Healthy Jaffa Bombs are truly da bomb!

Can we just say how excited that we are to have found something so yummy, sweet & chocolatey that isn't bad for us??  Doing a little jaffa happy dance....

Healthy Jaffa Bombs

Ingredients

10 medjool or California dates, pitted
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup seedless raisins or sultanas

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

20 drops sweet orange oil (available from good health food stores, usually in the aromatherapy section). You could also substitute peppermint oil if you were keen on choc-mint bombs.

Olive oil

Method

Using a food processor or hand held whizz stick, process cashews until finely ground, but with still a few smallish pieces in the mix.  Set aside in a separate bowl.  And while you're looking at the photo, pause a moment and take in the glory of our new Kitchenaid Food Processor . Its our new baby and we love it ;-)

Pit 10 dates and place in food processor.  Add raisins & orange oil.  Process until thick and smooth.  Then add cocoa and blend again. 

Finally, add cashews, leaving some aside to roll the balls in, and process again for a minute or two.

Add a little olive oil to your palms.  Using a teaspoon, take teaspoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls.  The oil will stop the mixture from sticking to your hands, although you may need to 'oil-up' a couple of times. Makes about 20 balls

Refrigerate for several hours so they harden a little. Voile!  You now have a scrumptious, healthy snack that everyone can eat, sans the guilt.  They're also a bit of fun to make.  Enjoy! About 70 calories each.

Recipe - Haloumi, fig & pomegranate salad

On the same page of the Donna Hay cookbook, Seasons, as the Fig & Goats Cheese Tarts, is this recipe for a haloumi, fig & pomegranate salad.

Ingredients

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
250g haloumi, thinly sliced
1 cup mint leaves
100g rocket (or arugula if you're American)
8 green figs, halved (I used ripe lovely brown ones)
1 pomegranate, seeds & juice removed (Warning: wear an apron!! Pomegranate seeds jump further than beetroot)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar (I used the fabulously delectable Italian vino cotto)
2 tbsp olive oil, extra

Method

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat.  Cook the haloumi for 2-3 minutes each side or until crispy.  Place the haloumi, mint, rocket, figs, pomegranate seeds & juice in a bowl, drizzle with vinegar and extra olive oil and toss to combine. Serves 4.

Recipe - fig and goats cheese tarts

 I reckon Eve was tempted not by an apple or a pomegranate, but a fig.  If Adam was waving one of those babies at me I'd think that original sin was a good idea too.  I love figs and I love goats cheese, so when I saw this recipe in Donna Hay's beautiful Seasons cookbook I had to make it.

All the ingredients are available at our wonderful farmers markets (bar the frozen pastry). Figs are in season NOW so make the most of their availability, I promise you won't regret it!

Ingredients

2 x 200g sheets store-bought shortcrust pastry.  I used puff and it worked just fine
125g goats cheese
4 black figs, halved
3 eggs
3/4 cup (185ml) single (pouring) cream: next time I will just use organic milk & see what happens
1 tbsp chopped chives
1/4 cup (20g) finely grated good quality parmesan cheese
sea salt & cracked black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (355F).  Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares. Line 8 lightly greased 8cm-round, fluted tart tins with pastry.  I had a pie maker with ceramic tart cases so I used those instead.  If you have them, you should ensure they're dusted with flour so they don't stick.  I had to spear mine out with a sharp knife....

Trim excess pastry and lightly prick bases with a fork.  Divide the goat's curd and fig halves among the cases.  Place the eggs, cream, chives, parmesan, salt & pepper in a bowl and whisk until well combined.

Pour the egg mixture into the cases and bake for 25 minutes or until puffed and set.

 The recipe says to cool to room temperature, but I like them a little warm.  Makes 8.  Serve with rocket, parmesan and pine nut salad.