Steak stuffed Mushrooms

 This recipe is a great for lunch with a side salad and you could make it vegetarian by omitting the steak.  Great when having friends over for a meal, because it can be pre prepped and popped into the oven at the last moment.

Ingredients

200g Sirloin steak

4 large mushrooms

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil spray

3/4 cup diced capsicum

3/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup sour cream (light)

2 Tablespoon mayonnaise (light)

150 g grated cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Slice the steak into this strips, season with salt and pepper

Heat a griddle pan to a high heat, spray with oil

Fry steak slices quickly for approx. 1to 1 1/2 minutes until nicely browned.

Take to a board and slice into pieces, set aside

Add a little more oil spray and then add diced onions and capsicums

Clean the mushrooms, remove the steam

Gently remove the gills with a spoon 

Spray the mushroom with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place on an oven tray

Combine all ingredients in a bowl (apart from cheese)

Spoon mixture into each mushroom

Top with grated cheese 

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until the mushroom is tender and the cheese melted.

Tasty

Mamma Marmalade

Avocado, Cannellini and Basil Dip

The addition of cannellini beans and fresh Basil leaves makes a great alternative to regular avocado dip with the added bonus of being dairy free and gluten free (be sure to check beans are not tinned with any wheat etc) easy to take to picnics or gatherings and a delicious base for sandwiches. Combine it how you like!  Serve it with your favourite veggies - radishes, celery, carrots, tiny tomatoes or your favourite crackers.  Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis Italian dip recipe - a fresh, simple, summery spread.  Enjoy! Colleen

Avocado Cannellini dip by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation      10 minutes
No Cooking
Makes a very generous serve - plus keeps well in airtight container in fridge (4-5 days)

Ingredients
400 gram tin Cannellini beans. Rinsed well, Drained.  NB if gluten free check label
2 avocados - peeled, deseeded and flesh roughly diced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (approx 1 lemon)  plus the zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt  
tiny pinch ground white pepper (adjust to your preference)
1/3 cup fresh basil - roughly chopped.  You might need more depending on basil "oomph"

Your choice of sliced vegetables, chips, breads to serve

Method
Using a food processor - pulse the ingredients together in short bursts until smooth. 
Taste and adjust to your taste - maybe a dash more lemon, basil or salt?
I find flavours improve if refrigerated for 20 minutes or so in an airtight container then serve cool but not fridge-cold.  
                                                Enjoy!     Colleen

Thinner choc chip cookies

On our quest to have our favourite foods a little thinner we have found these chocolate chip cookies from fellow blogger "Chocolate covered Katie". These 2 bite biscuits are around 60 calories depending on the size. Just enough to satisfy any sweet cravings without "blowing" the calorie budget.  Perfect with a cuppa for a midmorning break.

Ingredients


1 cup of plain flour (minus 1 tablespoon of flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups of milk (light, almond, soy - your choice)
2 tablespoon Oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and combine to form a dough. It may take a little stirring to incorporate all ingredients, but they do come together.

Roll into small balls and pop on a greased oven tray.  Slightly flatten with a fork. Leave room between each as they will swell a little when cooked.

Bake for 15 minutes, then leave on the tray for a further 10 minutes.

When cool store in a glass jar.

Mamma Marmalade

Zucchini, Dill and Haloumi Fritters – thank you Belinda Jeffery

Vegetable fritters with a tiny crumble of oozy cheese are always a great option for dinner on a hot summer night or easy lunch. Mint can easily be substituted for dill if you prefer. We love Belinda Jeffery's beautiful books - filled with recipes bursting with produce from her Northern New South Wales haven – inspiring, nutritious and utterly delicious.  If you are travelling through the NorthernTweed area be sure to pop into the township of Uki and lovely Handmade Uki shop at Uki Buttery is filled with handcrafts and artisan temptations.  Cheers!  Colleen.  
ps. sorry - so delicious - fritters were eaten before I had a chance to take a photo - next time!

Zucchini from our garden. Feed Your Inner Cook 

Preparation           10 - 15 minutes

Cooking                 10 minutes

Makes approx.       12 fritters – enough for 3 or 4 depending on salad accompaniment

Ingredients

Splash olive oil

500 gram zucchini – coarsely grated and remove excess moisture

2 eggs – lightly beaten

1 lemon – reserve wedges to serve but you need the zest for recipe

3 tablespoons finely chopped dill

1 clove garlic – crushed

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

 Lots of freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons freshly grated good parmesan

½ cup plain flour – sifted.  NB will be added bit at a time to avoid lumps

50 gram Haloumi (or feta or goat’s cheese) crumbled – this is added during cooking process

Yoghurt and Dill Sauce

1 cup thick Greek-style yoghurt

2 tablespoons finely chopped Dill - or mint if you are not a Dill fan

Sea salt to taste

Garnish

Lemon wedges

Extra dill sprigs

Black olives

Side salad or tomatoes

Method

First make the sauce – stir the herbs and salt into the yoghurt, cover and refrigerate.

In a large bowl – combine the beaten eggs, lemon zest, dill garlic, salt, pepper and parmesan.

Stir in the grated zucchini

Using a fork thoroughly stir through the flour.  Add in 3 or 4 batches to avoid lumps.

On medium - heat a splash of oil in a frypan

Spoon approx. 2 tablespoons of zucchini batter per fritter onto the frypan. They spread slightly.  NB.  Reserve some of the batter as you will be spooning a little over to cover the cheese later.

Cook approx. 2-3 minutes until pale golden on base.

While each fritter is cooking gently make a little hollow in the top and pop in a little of the crumbled cheese into each fritter.

Spoon a little of the reserved batter over each fritter to cover then turn them over and cook until this side is golden.

Remove and allow to drain on paper towel.

Serve with your choice of a salad along with black olives, ripe tomato wedges, herb garnish and lemon wedges.  Crusty bread would be fine too.

Enjoy!   Colleen