Email subscriber update from July 2021

 Thank you so much for supporting our blog ... "Feed your Inner Cook"

This Advice is for our existing Email  subscribers

Did you previously subscribe to our blogger email mailing list and  receive our recipes via Email?  If so, please be advised:

Our blog website, Blogger, advises they will soon stop  forwarding emails.

Therefore,  when blogger stops the email service, we plan on continuing the email service from our G-Mail address in addition to our Facebook and blog website.

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Any queries - please contact us via email.

Thank you and happy cooking!

Cheers Colleen

Warming Vegetable and Barley Soup

Barley recipes remind me of my dear Nana.  I remember feeling very special holding the handle of a small ramekin bowl filled with steaming nourishing vegetable and barley soup or stew  - simple childhood pleasures!

Protein options can easily be added to this soup if you wish - shredded cooked chicken, mushrooms, pancetta, bacon or tofu pieces will add protein and variety.  

I prefer to freeze the vegetable barley soup base in small portions for easy thawing then add fresh herbs, protein if using - and a squeeze of lemon to refresh the flavours.   A great freezer standby - Enjoy!  Colleen

Preparation     15 - 20 minutes

Cooking           approx 1 hour

Serves             6 - 8 approx      (good to freeze cooked soup base)

Ingredients

Olive oil

2 onions - chopped

2 carrots - chopped

1/2 sweet potato - cubed

1 - 2 potatoes - cubed

3 celery stalks - chopped plus some of the inner leaves for later

4 garlic cloves - crushed

6 or so sage leaves - sliced

pinch dried mint leaves (optional) 

6 or so stalks thyme and 1 stalk rosemary - leave whole, leaves drop off in soup

2 -3 fresh bay leaves

pinch sea salt flakes

1 cup pearl barley - rinsed very well 

10 gram dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 1 cup warm water (15 min) NB you will be using the (strained) soaking water too AND roughly chop soaked porcini before adding to soup

2 litres salt reduced vegetable stock  OR  beef or chicken stock if you prefer NB  MIGHT need more stock or warm water to add later

handful dried red lentils - rinsed

handful sliced green beans   AND/OR   frozen peas

couple of handfuls Baby spinach leaves OR some finely chopped silverbeet 

Finely chopped parsley and mint  leaves

Freshly ground Black pepper

squeeze lemon juice

OPTIONS  cook and add shredded chicken, bacon or cubed tofu, mushrooms.

Method

Use a large deep pan, heat the oil and add the onion, carrot, sweet potato and potato pieces cooking for approx 10 -15 minutes until begin to soften and golden.

Add the celery, garlic, herbs and salt and stir through.

Stir in the rinsed barley, stock, chopped porcini mushrooms and the strained soaking water

Pour in the stock and add the red lentils. Stir well to combine.

Simmer for approx 35 - 40 minutes until barley is soft and tender. Check during simmer and add additional water / stock if needed.

Taste and add pepper and extra salt if needed.  

Remove the herb stalks and bay leaves.

Add the chopped celery leaves, green beans and peas and simmer until tender.

Add the baby spinach leaves and simmer until wilted.

Remove from heat and add the parsley and mint leaves and squeeze of lemon juice.

Stir in any of the protein options if using

Serve.

Freeze soup base (without the protein options or fresh herbs) then thaw, reheat and add fresh  herbs and squeeze of lemon juice. 

Enjoy!   Colleen

Janelle's bliss balls

 I stumbled upon this recipe whilst looking for healthy snack ideas for my daughter in law who has a newborn and a toddler.  Great for snacking on when time is at a premium and you need a sweet fix but not necessarily a sugar high. 

    

Ingredients

I cup rolled oats (not instant)

1 Tablespoon of ground flax seed and 3 Tablespoons warm water

1/4 cup roasted almond butter

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

3 soft Medjool dates, pitted (or substitute 2 additional Tablespoons of Maple syrup)

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cups chopped pecans

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Method

In a frypan toast the oats over a low heat until just browned at the edges.  Toasting the oats makes them more digestable.  

In a small bowl combine flaxseeds and warm water, set aside for about 5 minutes until it thickens.

In a food processor combine almond butter, maple syrup, dates, coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Add flaxseed mixture and blend until smooth.

Add the pecans, pulse to combine, Add the oats and coconut, pulse to combine. Add the choc chips and pulse until evenly incorporated.

Using wet hands roll the mixture into balls and chill until firm (at least 30 minutes).  If the mixture is too sticky to roll, place in the refrigerator for several minutes before attempting to roll into balls again.

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Guaranteed delidous

Mamma Marmalade

bliss

Eggplant and Spinach Dhansak

 We have a family lunch on the first Sunday of the month and June's theme was Indian.  So on with the Bollywood dance music and prepare an Indian feast including this lentil dish.  Flavours were mild but very tasty.  Great vegetarian option.

Ingredients

100g red lentils

1 large onion, grated

400g tin cherry tomatoes

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 large eggplant, cut into 3 cm pieces

6 leaves of silverbeet or half a bunch of english spinach

2 Tbsp oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp ground coriander

4 cardamon pods, split

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

small bunch of coriander, chopped

1 tsp garam masala

Method

Combine in a pan the lentils, onion, tomatoes, turmeric and 1 tsp salt in a pan, add one tomato tin full of water. Bring to the boil, turn down heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft.

Note: I did this stage the day before and popped in the fridge.

Put chopped eggplant in a bowl and toss with oil and salt and pepper.

Heat a large frypan, add a little more oil and cook eggplant in batches until golden brown and softened.

Add spinach and cook until wilted.

Put all eggplant back into the pan and add the spices (not garam masala) and cook for 2 minutes. 

Stir in the garlic and cook for a few minutes. 

Tip in the lentil mix and 200ml of water. 

Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly.

To finish add coriander and garam masala, cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve.

Mamma Marmalade

Make ahead chicken vegetable tray bake

Tray bakes are a simple toss together meal that also deliver great flavour. I  like to prep this meal either in the morning or the night before. Leftovers are delish and great base for another meal. Simple,  satisfying.  Enjoy! Colleen 

Preparation   15 20 minutes

Baking             45 minutes approx 

Serves              4 -5

Ingredients 

8 - 9 chicken pieces on the bone, eg drumsticks 

2 onions, peeled, sliced into quarters and part cooked 

1/2 sweet potato,  peeled, cut into chunks, part cooked.  OR thick slices of carrot

2 celery sticks thickly sliced

Options, some wedges potato , fennel slices

Marinade 

2 cloves garlic crushed

2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds

2 teaspoons dried oregano 

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon, or more, dried chilli flakes 

Good pinch salt flakes

Pinch celery salt

Good amount cracked pepper to taste

1/2 cup passata, but might need more

4 tablespoons olive oil

To add in final 20 minutes 

prepare this when  oven preheating, then set aside: 

Approx 1 1/2 sourdough bread rolls torn into generous chunks mixed with more olive oil with Handful grated parmesan cheese, pinch More dried oregano, fennel

Plus later

Cherry tomatoes,  halved

Handful black pitted olives

Option: drained rinsed butter beans

More passata if needed  

Some dried fennel seeds 

Then before serving

Fresh chopped parsley for garnish 

Squeeze lemon juice prior to serving 

Method

Combine all the marinade dried herbs, spices, tomato passata, oil in a lidded container or bag .

Add the chicken pieces and smootch, squeeze until coated.  Pop in fridge overnight.

Next day

Oil a large tray with inch or so sides.

Place part cooked sweet potato,  onion wedges etc in base.

Nestle chicken pieces in and pour over remaining marinade juices.  

When ready to bake

Preheat oven to 190 oC fanforced

Pop into middle of oven and bake approx 25 minutes,  turning chicken at halfway. Add a little more passata if drying out. 

Add the butter beans, olives,  cherry tomatoes, fennel seeds 

and the prepared parmesan herb oil tossed sourdough chunks go on top.  

Bake approx 20 minutes until bread golden crunchy and chicken thoroughly cooked.

Taste and add more salt, pepper if needed.

Just prior to serving,  scatter with chopped parsley and squeeze of lemon.

Serve with lots of greens or a salad.

Enjoy! Colleen