Kitchen Organizer

Easter is just around the corner and it really is a time laden with sugar, fat and generally very unhealthy treats.  So this week, I'm endeavouring to bring you super-healthy Easter alternatives, to prove that you can celebrate this time of year without putting on 10kg!

To kick it off today, I'm sharing a recipe I based on one from Spark Recipes.  It is a paleo recipe, using raw ingredients.  The taste is not like your standard Easter egg - it is a bit more bitter and definitely not as sweet, but if you think of it as a twist on a Coconut Rough, it really is quite pleasant!  I also find it satisfies that sweet craving, but doesn't make you want to binge on it.

I like this recipe as it isn't full of really expensive, very "out-there" ingredients - most things you will probably have on hand.  My chocolate-loving kids ate these up, but my sweet-tooth husband wasn't so keen! Another note, I got my Easter chocolate molds from a $2 shop a couple of years ago - always handy to have!

You can also add some variety by putting in chopped nuts (like cashews or macadamias), or dried fruit (preferably something like dates with no added sugar).  Enjoy!

PS Did you know Charlie's Fruit Market sell nuts & dried fruit?!?

Ingredients
4 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon raw peanut butter (optional)

Method
Mix the dry ingredients together.  Blend together coconut oil and maple syrup, then combine all until mixed well.

Press into chocolate moulds (or a silicone mini-muffin pan) and chill for 30 minutes.

Optional: put 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter in between layers of chocolate.

This is an easy, delicious, low-calorie lasagne that is perfect to pack full of veges!  I've adapted it from a Women's Weekly recipe - instead of the usual fatty, creamy sauce, this lasagne uses one made with chicken stock.  It's easy and flavoursome, freezes well, and will be a hit with the whole family!

Thanks again to Charlie's Fruit Market for inspiring healthy, tasty, family meals!


Ingredients (serves 6, 300 calories)
50g butter
1 leek, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 head broccoli, chopped finely
1/4 cup plain flour
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cups chicken stock, warmed
300g barbecue chicken, chopped
4 fresh lasagne sheets
100g cheese, grated

Method
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add leek and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Add broccoli and cook for another few minutes, until soft.

Add flour and cook for a minute, then stir through mustard, followed by stock.  Bring to the boil while stirring until sauce has thickened.

Reserve two thirds of leek mixture.  Stir the chicken through the remaining mixture.

Grease a lasagne dish.  Line with 1.5 lasagne sheets, trimming to fit.  Top with 1/2 of the chicken mixture.  Top with another 1.5 sheets.  Spread remaining chicken mixture over.  Top with final lasagne sheet, then put remaining leek sauce on top.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes, covered.  Cook for another 20 minutes uncovered.  Serve.

I've previously posted this gozleme recipe here, but I have a new, delicious flavour to share!  I got the inspiration from seeing them sold at some markets recently and it didn't disappoint!  A perfect weekend meal to share with friends :-)

I've halved the original recipe here - it still makes 4 good-sized gozleme. Experiment with your own flavours and let me know!  The picture above is the caramel used onion as well as the spinach & feta - made, of course, with the freshest ingredients from Charlie's Fruit Market.


Ingredients
Olive oil spray
2 large onions, sliced
3 cloves black garlic, sliced (see footnote*)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
250g self-raising flour
200g Greek yoghurt
100g mozzarella cheese, grated

Method
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and spray with oil.  Add onion and garlic and cook stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until quite soft and brown.  Add spices and cook for one minute.  Add vinegar and cook for about another 10 minutes, until dark and soft.

Meantime, make the dough:  mix the flour and yoghurt together.  Knead for 2-3 minutes on a floured surface.  Break into 4 equal pieces and roll into balls.  Use a rolling pin to roll into 25cm circles.  Spread onion mixture evenly onto half of each circle and sprinkle with mozzarella.  Fold over and press edges together.  Spray both sides with oil.

Preheat frying pan to medium.  Cook gozleme for a few minutes each side, until brown and "eyes" appear.  Slice and serve.

*Black garlic is an amazing product I'd never even heard of, until introduced to it by Charlie's Fruit Market.  It is similar to regular garlic, but has a much milder, sweeter taste.  It is also softer.  It's perfect for adding that extra flavour, without the strong hit of garlic or the after taste.  Give it a go!

Firstly, I have more exciting news to share - a new partnership with a local business called Deagon Bulk Meats.  They are a fabulous family-owned business, who sell quality meat and great prices.  I'll be showcasing some of their great products and it's a win for you, because if you mention Mums in the Kitchen, you can get a special deal on the meat used in today's recipe!  They're offering 800g of beef strips for $8, if you mention this blog in store, between now and next Tuesday.


So, onto the recipe...I adapted this from Super Food Ideas.  I LOVE Thai food and the flavours in this are divine!  The textures of the crispy vegetables (from Charlie's Fruit Market) and soft rice noodles complement perfectly, and when you add in the tender beef - it's just delicious!  You'll enjoy this one!


Ingredients (serves 6)

Nam Jim Dressing:
2 long green chillies (I used mild ones for the kids)
2 garlic cloves, quartered
2 spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

Salad:
200g dried rice stick noodles
800g beef strips
olive oil spray
1 green capsicum, cut into matchsticks
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 green onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh coriander leaves

Method
Cook noodles in a medium saucepan of boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until tender.  Rinse under cold water.

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and spray with olive oil.  Cook beef until browned.

Place noodles in a bowl with capsicum, carrot, onion, coriander and half the nam jim dressing.  Combine.

Top with beef and remaining dressing.  Serve