Mediterranean Chicken

This is a new and favourite meal of ours.  I love the flavour combinations and better still, it takes no time to whip up on a busy week night.  I could eat this every night but we never seem to have any leftovers.

Enjoy,
Amanda

Mediterranean chicken

• Olive oil
• 700g chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup sundried tomatoes (chopped)
• 1/4 cup olives
• large handful of spinach leaves

1. Heat oil in pan and fry chicken until cooked through.   

2. Add garlic into the hot pan and toss.  

3. Add stock, balsamic vinegar, sundried tomatoes & olives. Stir to combine ingredients. Allow to simmer for 5 mins or until sauce starts to reduce down.  

4. Add spinach leaves and toss through.  Serve with mashed potato and veges of choice. 

Pikelets

It is very wet here today and after getting soaked with school pickup, the best thing I could think of to warm us up was a big plate of pikelets.  Just mix it up by hand with one bowl and you have enough mixture for about 20 pikelets.  If you like them sweeter, just add a little more sugar.

They are also great for the lunchbox so make a double batch and freeze some.

I encourage you to make them over the weekend,
Amanda xx

Pikelets 

This is my grandmas's recipe for soft & fluffy pikelets. Makes approx 20.

• 2 cups self raising flour
• 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda 
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 30g butter, melted
• spray oil

1. Sift flour & bicarb of soda into a large bowl. 

2. Add sugar & stir to combine.  Add eggs.  

3. In a cup, warm milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add vinegar to the milk.  Then add this to the pikelet batter & whisk.

4. Add melted butter & whisk until smooth. 

5. Heat a non stick frypan over medium heat.  Spray with oil.  Spoon small amounts of batter for each pikelet into the pan.

6. Cook for 2 mins or until bubbles appear on the surface.  Flip pikelets over. Cook for a further minute or until cooked through.

7. Transfer to a plate & cover.  Repeat with remaining mixture.

Serving suggestions include maple syrup, strawberry jam & cream or lemon juice & sugar. 

Breakfast muffins

I always run out of time in the morning to have breakfast.  Of course, I feed everyone else in my house except for myself so these are a great option when you don't have time.  Instead of cooking up an omelette full of vegetables, just take 2 of these out of the fridge and heat in the microwave.  You can add whatever ingredients you like including - grated cheese, leftover rice, bacon, and your vegetables of choice. I added some chicken to keep me full until lunch time.

This is what I'll be eating for breakfast for the next week.

Cheers,
Amanda

Breakfast muffins

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup skim milk (or any milk you prefer)
• salt to taste
• 2  ½ cups finely chopped veges
• 1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  

2. In a large bowl, add eggs, milk & salt and whisk to combine.

3. Add veges and chicken into the egg mixture and stir to combine.  NOTE: I used capsicum, shallots, mushrooms, broccoli & corn.

Finely chopped veges

Chopped chicken

4. Grease a muffin tin or use paper cases to line the cups.  Scoop the mixture into each cup and pour over remaining egg mixture.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 mins or until golden and cooked through.  The tops will be firm to touch when they are ready.  Eat warm or cold - YUM!!

Can be kept covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Quick & simple quiche

I love quick & simple meals and this one ticks all the boxes.  It is an extremely cheap meal and is delicious served with a side salad and garlic bread. You can adapt it to suit your families taste but I love adding bacon, spinach, leek & mushrooms.  

Enjoy,
Amanda xx

Quick & simple quiche

• spray oil
• 5 eggs
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 50g butter, melted
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 ½ cups grated cheese
• 2 ½ cups diced filling of your choice (can include mushrooms, bacon, spinach, ham, onion, corn, zucchini, leek etc.)
• salt & pepper to taste

Step 1
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Spray a quiche dish or medium baking dish with oil. 

Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, butter & flour until well combined.

Step 3
Stir in cheese, filling, salt & pepper.  

Step 4
Pour into quiche dish & bake in preheated oven for 40 mins or until cooked through.  

Vegemite & cheese scrolls

Only 4 ingredients go into making these delicious vegemite and cheese scrolls.  They don't take very long and all use ingredients that you can easily have on hand.  Whip them up for yourself or your little ones this weekend.

Enjoy,
Amanda

VEGEMITE & CHEESE SCROLLS

• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 2 cups natural Greek yoghurt
• 1/4 cup vegemite (or less if you don't want this much)
• 2 cups grated cheese

Preheat oven to 200°C.  Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.

In a large bowl, add flour and yoghurt. Mix with a spoon to combine.  The mixture may appear a little crumbly but if you turn it out onto a heavily floured surface, you can bring it together with your hands. Knead gently. 

Roll out dough to a large rectangle approx.  ½ cm thick. The rectangle should be approx. 45cm x 30cm.

Spread vegemite evenly all over the rectangle. To make this easier, warm the vegemite in the microwave first and spread using the back of a spoon.  Sprinkle cheese over the top. 

Roll up the long end of the rectangle to form a large sausage. Cut into pieces approx. 2½ cm thick.  

Lay scrolls flat on the tray. Bake in preheated oven for 15 mins or until golden. EAT!!

10 minute banana bread

Banana bread is a great lunch box item as it is not as delicate as a cake and can handle a bit of rough treatment when it is thrown around in your child's school bag.

I have been making this one for a long time now and it has become a favourite with those who have a copy of my cookbook.

It is easy to make, doesn't use many ingredients and makes your house smell amazing when it is in the oven.  Bananas are cheap at the moment so stock up and when they start to get a bit too ripe to eat, they are perfect for making banana bread. You can also throw in some choc chips to make it a bit sweeter.

Enjoy
Amanda

10 minute banana bread

• 2 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice

1)    Preheat oven to 160 degrees (fan forced).  Grease & line a loaf tin                    (approx 15cm x 25cm) with baking paper.

2)    In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer until        smooth. 

3)    Pour into loaf tin & bake for 1 hr or until cooked through.  Check if centre is cooked by inserting skewer/toothpick.  If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.

4)   Leave to cool in tin for 5 mins then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  

  

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Choc coconut balls

I simply love this recipe!!  It is simple, healthy and best of all - my kids LOVE them!  Perfect for lunchboxes and even your little ones can help you make them.

It is adapted from a recipe from https://wholefoodsimply.com/

Choc coconut balls

• 200g medjool dates, pitted - approx 17 dates  (you can use ordinary dried dates also)
• 2 1/2 cups desiccated coconut 
• 1 Tbspn cocoa
• 1 Tbspn water
• Extra coconut for rolling balls

1. Add all ingredients into a food processor and process until the mixture forms a sticky dough. 

2. Using your hands, roll into tablespoon size balls.  

3. Roll in extra coconut.  I handed them to my little helper to roll and he did the job by himself.  Store in airtight container and refrigerate until set.

Enjoy,

Amanda & Harvey xx