Thai Green Curry

You will need
1 cup of chopped pork
1 cup of broccoli
1/2 cup of red/green capsicum
5 mushrooms, sliced
Juice of half a lime
1tbsp fish sauce
1 stalk lemongrass, bashed
2 red chillies, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
3-4tbsp green curry paste - my preference is Aroy-D
1 tin of coconut cream
2tbsp oil for frying the veg (preferably coconut)
1tbsp white pepper/salt
1tbsp soy sauce
-------------------------------------------------------
*Stirfry the pork in oil till browned but not cooked through then add the curry paste, chillies, lemongrass and vegetables and soy sauce, frying for a further 3-4 mins till fragrant.
*Add coconut cream, fish sauce, lime juice and salt/pepper then simmer for around 5 mins. Taste and add more lime juice/fish sauce/soy sauce as required. Beautiful!

Easy Cheesy Veggies

You will need -
Chopped veggies (I use cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, cabbage and capsicum)
Sliced chorizo or diced bacon
Big handful of cheese, preferably a blend of mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan (Pizza Plus)
1tsp cracked black pepper & garlic salt
20g chunk of butter
--------------------------------------
* Heat butter in a non-stick fry pan till frothy then add chorizo/bacon and mushrooms. Fry for 3-4 mins before adding remaining veggies.
*Stir-fry for a further 3 mins then add salt/pepper, cheese and stir till cheese has melted and serve immediately. Makes a wonderfully tasty breakfast!

Raspberry and Coconut Cheesecake

You will need -
BASE
1 x 100g bag of almond meal
1/2 cup of melted butter
1/4 cup of xylitol or preferred sweetener
1tsp coconut essence
1tbsp coconut oil (optional but binds the base together nicely)
TOPPING
2 x tubs of full fat cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 sachet of sugar-free raspberry jelly crystals
1/4 cup preferred sweetener
1tsp coconut essence
GARNISH
-------------------------------------
Blend base ingredients together then press into a greased or lined cake tin. Refrigerate till cold
Preheat oven to 180c
Whisk all topping ingredients together until smooth and creamy. I add the crystals and sweetener a little at a time to get it perfect
Pour over base and bake in the oven for around 45mins (possibly a little more of less depending on your oven) Open the oven door and leave to cool
Garnish with toasted coconut and fresh raspberries (optional), refrigerate and serve preferably the next day.
Dry toasted unsweetened dessicated coconut

Ginger Prawns

You will need -
12 raw prawns
1tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
1tbsp sesame oil
1/4 red onion
Handful of basil, shredded
1tsp white pepper
1 red chilli, sliced
1/4 tsp garlic salt

*Heat wok on high till smoking then add sesame oil
*Add ginger, onion and chilli then stir-fry for 30 seconds before adding the prawns
*Stir-fry for a further 3-5 mins adding remaining ingredients, when prawns have turned pink and are cooked through, remove and serve.

Eggplant bolognaise lasagne

You will need...........

2 medium egglants (600g)
200g baby spinach leaves (I used thawed frozen spinach)
150g ricotta
1 egg white
1/2 cup (50g) grated mozzarella
1/3 cup (25g) grated parmesan

Bolognaise Sauce
2tbsp olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 small red capsicum, coarsely chopped
1 small green capsicum, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
250g beef mince
1 large tomato (90g) chopped coarsely
1tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup (125ml) dry red wine
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2tbsp fresh, coarsely chopped basil
1tbsp fresh oregano

Rocket Salad
100g rocket
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
----------------------------------------------------------------

1. Preheat oven to 180c, then make bolognaise sauce

BOLOGNAISE SAUCE
Heat oil in a medium frying pan, cook onion, capsicums and garlic until onion softens. Add beef to pan, cook, stirring, until beef is browned all over. Add coarsley chopped tomato and the paste, cook for 3 mins. Add wine and cook for a further 2 mins, stirring all the time. Add undrained tomatoes, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for around 25 mins or until mixture thickens slightly. Add fresh herbs and season.

2. Carefully cut eggplants into 2mm slices, then cook on an oiled griddle pan until tender
3. Boil, steam or microwave spinach until tender, drain and press as much liquid as possible from spinach and cool for 10mins. Combine spinach, ricotta and egg in a bowl.
4. Spread one cup of the sauce over the base of a baking dish. Top with layers of eggplant, then some spinach mixture, then another cup of sauce, remaining eggplant and spinach mixture
5. Sprinkle top with cheeses and bake uncovered for around 20mins or until top is slightly browned (I finished mines off in the grill) then let it stand for 10mins
6. Make rocket salad and serve!

SERVES 4
PER SERVE -
16.2g carbs
20.3g fat
30g protein
390 cals

***If you want to make it lower carb, use half an onion, omit the capsicum and use 1/2 the tin of tomatoes, omit the red wine. I also added a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and chilli to the bolognaise mixture***

STEP BY STEP

Cajun chicken skewers with lime, mint & chilli dip

You will need...........
1 chicken breast, cut into chunks
1/2 chorizo sausage, sliced thickly
1 green capsicum
4 cherry tomatoes
2 bamboo skewers
Olive oil
Few tbsp cajun seasoning
1tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Salt/pepper

*Rub the chicken pieces with the powders and seasoning then fry till golden but not cooked through on each side, also add the chorizo slices in at the same time.
*Remove from the heat, add the capsicums and put the pan into a preheated oven (180c) for 7-8mins or till chicken is cooked through

Lime, mint & chilli dip
1/4 cup of full fat mayonnaise
Juice from 1/4 of a lime
1tbsp dried mint (you can use fresh of course)
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes or chilli powder
1tbsp unsweetened dessicated coconut (optional)
*Mix together

Remove pan from the oven and thread contents onto skewers along with cherry tomatoes. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

Lamb chop curry with coconut scented 'rice'

Curry
8 lamb chops
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced ginger
2 finely chopped green chillies
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp tumeric powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
Butter, ghee or coconut oil for frying
Grind of black pepper
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped tomato
Handful of freshly chopped coriander

*Fry the onion on a low heat in the butter/oil for around 15-20 mins taking care not to burn the them, they should be slighty browned.
* Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and tomato then fry for a further 5 mins
* Add all the spices (except garam masala) and salt/pepper, the cook for a further 5 mins till the mixture is a fragrant paste
*Add the lamb chops and brown them lightly on each side, tossing in the sauce
*Add enough boiling water to cover the chops (this can be adjusted depending how much sauce you like) then cover tightly, turn the heat down as low as possible and simmer gently for around 1 hour or till the sauce is the right thickness.
*Turn the heat off, sprinkle with garam masala and fresh coriander - leave to stand for 10 mins before serving

Coconut scented 'rice'
1/4 head of riced cauliflower (you can do this in a food processor or by using a knife to shred it very finely)
1 tsp coconut essence

* Mix riced cauli & coconut essence in a heat-proof dish and microwave for 3-4 mins. It should be tender and fluffy
Serve together (I ate mines with homemade ginger and chilli pickle)

NOTES - You can add cream to your curry or make a minted sour cream 'raita' to go with the lamb

Herbed lamb burgers with red onion and avocado salsa

Lamb Burgers
500g minced lamb
4 springs onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped,
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
3 tbsp mixed chopped fresh mint & parsley
1 tsp ground cumin, roasted
Salt & pepper

*Mix together the lamb, springs onions, garlic, chilli, cumin, salt/pepper and 1/2 the herbs. Form mixture into 8 patties and set aside for 30 mins

Avocado & Red Onion Relish
1 avocado, diced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 small Lebanese cucumber, finely chopped
1/2 green chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp splenda
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley sprigs
Salt/pepper

*Mix all ingredients together - add more lemon/splenda as necessary

*Cook the burgers on a preheated bbq or griddlepan for 10-15mins, turning once. Dollop with herbed sour cream.

Eggplant melts

You will need......

2 eggplants preferable European (the long, thin ones)
Tomato salsa - you can make your own or buy sugar-free store bought salsa
1 cup of sour cream
4tbsp chopped jalapenos
1 cup of mixed grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan)
Olive oil

*Slice eggplants in half and drizzle generously with olive oil and roast in a pre-heated oven at *200c for 15-20 mins
*Add tomato salsa and cheese then roast for a further 10 mins or until cheese has melted
*Top with sour cream and jalapenos then serve

Spicy pork meatballs in a creamy tomato sauce

You will need.......

MEATBALLS
600g good quality pork mince
2 cloves garlic, minced
2" piece of ginger, minced
1 green chilli, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 onion, minced
Freshly ground salt/pepper
*Combine all ingredients together and roll into small meatballs, fry in oil until meatballs are browned and cooked through (around 10 mins)
SAUCE
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
Large handful of basil,
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp peri-peri or hot pepper sauce
1 tbsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp ground cumin powder
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp white pepper
Freshly ground salt and pepper
*Fry off the tomatoes and red onion in olive oil for 10 mins then add remaining ingredients and simmer till reduced and thick and combine with the meatballs
SERVE OVER ZUCCHINI PASTA (shred one zucchini with a potato peeler into long, thin strips and boil till tender, drain and serve)

Chocolate mousse

You will need..........

1/2 cup of thickened cream
1tsp artificial sweetener
2tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened) or 3tbsp melted chocolate (85%)

You can adjust these measurements till you get the creaminess/chocolatey-ness or sweetness you prefer

*Whizz up in a blender - it's as simple as that! Garnish with mint

Satay beef

You will need..........

1 onion, finely chopped
2 red chillies, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1tbsp peanut or olive oil
250g crunchy peanut butter (I used Sanitarium 100% peanut butter)
1tbsp soy sauce
2tsp sweetener
1tbsp fresh lime juice (you can also use lemon)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk or cream
------------------------------
1tsp soy sauce
Freshly ground salt/pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp oil
250g beef, cut across the grain into strips
OPTIONAL bamboo skewers soaked for an hour

*To make the sauce, fry onion, garlic and chilli in oil until onion is transparent then add remaining ingredients , stir to blend and cook gently for around 10 minutes until sauce thickens.
*Taste and add more soy sauce/lime or lemon juice as required - if sauce seems to thick, add a little water. Set aside

*Combine soy, salt/pepper, cumin, coriander, lemon juice & oil, marinate beef in this sauce for at least 30 mins.
*Oil griddle pan or bbq till medium-hot. Thread beef onto skewers and bbq/griddle for 5-10mins , turning once. Rest the beef for 10 mins, covered with foil - this will ensure that it's soft and tender.
You can serve with sauce in a seperate dish or drizzle the sauce over the skewers.

Mini cheesecakes

You will need.........
BASE
1 packet of almond meal
1/2 cup melted butter
2tbsp splenda

TOPPING
1 tub of Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 cup splenda
1 egg
Few dashes of vanilla essence
1tsp cinnamon powder

*Combine almond meal with melted butter and splenda, spoon into mini pattycake cases and refrigerate for 30 mins
*Whisk cream cheese, splenda, egg and vanilla together till smooth, empty on top of almond base, sprinkle with the cinnamon powder and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180c for around 15 mins.
*Let them cool in the oven for a few hours then refrigerate and eat the next day

Sizzling prawns

You will need..........
Large raw prawns
5 cloves garlic, minced
Handful of parsley, chopped
1tsp nutmeg
1tbsp chinese rice wine (shaoxing) or dry sherry
2 red chillies, diced
Freshly ground salt and white pepper

*De-vein the prawns
*Fill a small, deep baking dish with 2inches of olive oil
*Add the garlic, parsley, nutmeg,chillies, salt, pepper & prawns
*Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220c for around 10 minutes or until oil is bubbling and serve

Stir-fried asparagus and snake beans with chilli jam and kaffir lime

Chilli Jam:

* 1 2-inch square seedless tamarind pulp (from 16-ounce block; there may be some seeds), cut into pieces
* 1/2 cup (or more) hot water
* 1 1 1/4-inch-long piece fresh galangal or peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
* 3 cups vegetable oil
* 2 cups thinly sliced red onions
* 18 garlic cloves (about 3/4 cup), chopped
* 10 small dried red chillies soaked in water 30 minutes, drained
* 1/2 cup small dried shrimp (about 2 ounces), soaked in water 30 minutes, drained
* 1/2 cup palm sugar (use equivalent)
* 3 tablespoons fish sauce


Asparagus and snake beans:

* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths
* 6 ounces snake beans (Chinese long beans) or green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths
* 4 kaffir lime leaves
* 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
* 1 teaspoon sugar (use equivalent)



For chilli jam:
Remove any seeds from tamarind pulp and place pulp in mini processor. Add 1/2 cup hot water and puree until smooth, adding more hot water if mixture is thick. Using rubber spatula, press enough tamarind mixture through fine sieve to measure 1/3 cup. Set aside.

Heat heavy large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add galangal and dry roast until charred and tender, stirring often, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl. Heat oil in same wok over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions to paper towels to drain. Add garlic to same oil. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with galangal. Add chillies to same oil. Cook just until slightly darker in color, about 10 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer chillies to bowl with galangal. Add shrimp to same oil. Cook 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve oil in wok.

Combine galangal, garlic, and chillies from bowl, onions, and shrimp in processor. Blend until paste forms (paste may not be completely smooth). Transfer paste to heavy medium saucepan. Mix in 1/4 cup reserved oil from wok and stir over medium heat until very hot. Add palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind pulp. Stir chilli jam to blend. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Transfer to bowl, cover, and chill.

For asparagus and snake beans:
Heat oil in large wok or heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add asparagus, beans, and lime leaves; toss to combine. Add broth, sugar, and chile jam. Stir-fry until vegetables are tender and sauce thickens enough to coat, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl and serve.

Marinades and sauces

Good for jazzing up meat and fish!

Moroccan marinade for fish

1 red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2tbsp chopped coriander
2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp ground sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground chilli
3tbsp olive oil
2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

*Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well, or, for a more paste-like texture, process briefly in a food processor
Pour over fish, turning to coat well and marinade for at least 2 hours

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Salsa Verde

1 cup firmly packed fresh-leaf parlsey
1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed
2tsp Dijon mustard
2tbsp lemon juice
8 anchovy fillets, drained
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

*Put all the ingredients into a blender and process to a chunky paste
Transfer to a bowl or jug and whisk just before serving
The sauce is dense, green, pungent and goes well with fish and chicken
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Roasted tomato sauce

500g cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2tbsp olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1tbsp basil, torn
1tbsp chopped flat-leaf parlsey
1tbsp red wine vinegar
1tsp splenda (optional)
extra 3tbsp olive oil

*Place tomatoes in a bowl, add oil, salt, pepper and toss gently to coat. Cook on pre-heated BBQ or griddle pan for 2-3mins each side or until lightly charred. Mash or blend tomatoes with remaining ingredients, leaving sauce a little chunky. Serve at room temperature
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Piquant yoghurt sauce with horseradish

2tbsp mayonnaise
4tbsp Greek yoghurt
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2tbsp horseradish
2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground pepper

*Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine
A delicious and quick sauce for cold bbqd seafood, beef or burgers, keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge, covered.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spring-onion sauce

4 spring-onions, finely chopped
2tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
150ml extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs (eg. basil, flat-leaf parsley, oregano)

*Combine the spring-onions with the vinegar and season generously with salt/pepper. Set aside for 10 mins to allow the flavours to blend. When ready to serve, add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve drizzled over bbqd meat or veggies
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ginger, chilli, lime and coriander butter

250g butter, room temperature
5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
small bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped (leaves only)
3-4 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic
4tbsp olive oil
1tbsp fish sauce
grated zest of 1 lime
juice of 2 limes

*Put all the ingredients an electric mixer and beat together until smooth.
Excellent with fish
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saffron and capsicum butter

1tbsp white wine or sherry vinegar
Generous pinch of saffron threads
250g butter, room temperature
2tbsp roasted red capsicum strips
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2-3 drops tabasco sauce

*Heat the vinegar and steep the saffron in it for 5mins. Place in food processor with all the other ingredients and whiz until mixture is very smooth
Particularly good with grilled scallops and other bbqd seafood
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lime pickle

10 limes, each cut into 6 segments
100g salt
1tbsp fenugreek seeds
1tbsp black mustard seeds
1tbsp chilli powder
1tbsp ground tumeric
300ml (1/2 pint) vegetable oil
1/2 tsp asafoetida (indian spice)

*Put the limes into a sterilized jar and cover with the salt.Dry-fry the fenugreek and mustard seeds in a small fry-pan then grind them to a powder. Add the ground seeds, chilli powder and tumeric to the limes and mix well.
Heat the oil in a small fry-pan util smoking, add the asafoetida and fry for 30 secs. Pour the oil over the limes and mix well.
Cover the jar with a clean cloth and leave to mature for 10 days in a bright, warm place. Transfer the pickle to a tightly sealed container and store up to 2 months.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aromatic confit salt

100g wet salt
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 garlic cloves
4 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 bay leaf
1 star anise
2 peppercorns
4 coriander seeds

*Place all the ingredients in a mortar, pound well until well crushed and aromatic. Salt will keep in fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Salt and chilli chicken wings

You will need........
12 chicken wings
Freshly ground salt and white pepper - vital that it's fresh
3-6 fresh green & red chillies, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Spring onion for garnish
Lime wedges for garnish
Oil suitable for deep frying

*Cut all the wings at the joint
*Score each of them at an angle a few times
*Rub them in a lot of sea salt
*Deep fry them in very hot oil
*Remove when golden brown and sprinkle liberally with more salt
*Fry some garlic, red/green chillies and spring onions and garnish wings with them, then serve with a wedge of lime and white pepper to taste

They should be very salty (in a good way) and with crispy skin and very juicy tender flesh.

Chargrilled garlic & pepper prawns with green chilli dipping sauce

I spent a day at a Thai cooking school in the sunshine coast a year or two back (lovely xmas pressie from my mum) Thought I'd share the this recipe with you guys...........they are gorgeous!

1kg green prawns, deveined
2 coriander roots, cleaned and scraped
12 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp whole white peppercorns
1 tbsp palm sugar (use equiv. splenda)
1 tbsp fish sauce

*Pound white peppercorns, coriander root & garlic to paste
*Dissolve splenda & fish sauce, stir into the paste
*Add prawns, toss and marinate for 2 hours minimum
*Cook prawns 1 min each side on the BBQ (or griddle)

Dipping Sauce
1 tbsp coriander root & stem
2 cloves garlic
5 small green chillies
1/2 cup lime juice
2 tsp palm sugar (use equiv.splenda)
1 tbsp fish sauce

*In mortar, crush coriander, garlic and chillies.
*Add lime juice, splenda and fish sauce

Thai chicken burgers

You will need........
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup flaked coconut, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 pounds ground chicken
1/2 cup Thai peanut sauce
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons minced green onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lime juice


*In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, coconut, and mint. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
*In a large bowl, mix together ground chicken, Thai peanut sauce, curry paste, green onion, parsley, soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice & lime juice. Be careful not to over-mix. Divide into 8 equal size balls. Flatten into patties about 1/2 inch thick.
*Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.
*Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill burgers for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until well done. Serve with coconut-mint mayonnaise & side salad