Heirloom Radish and Garden herbs

After spending a week in the Blue Mountains I am starting to get back in the swing of things. I have been taking care of chickens, ducks and the most amazing garden, I defiantly miss it! This is a beautiful salad  I made from the garden and the local co op. I saw these heirloom radishes at the co op grown by local growers and I just had to buy them. I used fresh garden herbs and rocket and the combination is a perfect mix of bitter herbs. The slight bitterness of the salad help to digest fats and simulate digestion. Serve this with a fatty friend like meat or cheese and you will not feel bloated after.

Radishes are an undervalued vegetable in my eyes. This humble root veg is packet full of vitamin C and is a powerful anti congestive.  This means is helps with asthma and other respiratory conditions. It also improves metabolism and improves blood circulation. A fun fact is that it is a great breath freshener, so no need for nasty breath mints that are loaded with aspartame.I have always loved radishes, it bring back memories of my child hood. My mum used to make sandwiches with cottage cheese and radishes when I came home from school. Coming from europe  she grew up with it so she used to it all the time in her cooking. The nostalgia of them make my heart warm and fuzzy. Include a little radish into your life you will be delighted with the taste and health benefits.

Ingredients

2 large handfuls of rocket

1 handful of parsley

1 handful of mint

Handful of dandelions

Couple of butter head lettuce leaves  

1 bunch of heirloom radishes

Method

Pick herbs from garden :)

Cut radishes into thin slices.

Toss and serve with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Zucchini and Asparagus Cake

After finding some beautiful fresh ricotta and not knowing what to do with so much of it,I found this recipe and tweaked it slightly and added my own touch. This is a perfect little spring dinner idea. The freshness of the ricotta mixed in with fresh green flavours is refreshing. You can make this and eat it warm or cold the next day for lunch.

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh ricotta

2 cups of grated zucchini

1 bunch of asparagus

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 tsp of feta cheese

1 shallot

1/4 lemon

1 organic egg, beaten

Drizzle of olive oil

Fresh basil

Freshly ground salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.

2. Butter or oil a medium sized baking dish.

3. Grate 2 cups of zucchini(roughly three large ones) and finely chop asparagus. Add to a large bowl.

4. Beat egg and add to the mixture.

5. Add a squeeze of lemon, fresh basil, salt and pepper and mix well.

5. Sprinkle feta cheese and gently fold in the ricotta cheese till well combined.

6. Place in an oven proof tray and spread evenly. Cook for about 40 minutes, you will know it's ready when you shake the tin and the middle barely moves. Serve with a side of salad.

Spring Breaky

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus

1 organic egg
Dash of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Bring water to the boil in a medium pot and cook eggs for 6 minutes. This will give you the perfect egg that is not to runny and not to hard. If you do like it more runny then cook on a rapid boil for 4 minutes.

2. In the same pot blanch asparagus for 5 minutes, till tender.
3. Plate it up with olive oil and some freshly cracked salt and pepper.If serving more then one, boil a few more eggs and another bunch of asparagus. 

Beet Salad

This recipe is courtesy of my friend who brought this dish over the other night when I invited her over for dinner. It was so delish I had to post it. 

1 cup of quinoa (soaked overnight)

1 large beetroot

1 medium onion

Handful of sunflower seeds

2 handfuls of rocket

1/2 bunch of coriander

Coconut oil

Splash of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Bake beetroot in the oven for about an hour or till tender

2. While the beetroot is baking, chop onions into thin stripes and gently caramelise on a low heat with a spoonful of coconut oil.

3. On a dry pan, pan fry  pre-soaked sunflower seeds till they start to pop like pop corn. Keep your eye on these, they don't take long and burn quickly.

4. Boil a cup of water and place quinoa in rapid boiling water. Boil for 5 - 10 mins.

5. When the beetroots are ready cut into small pieces and chop coriander.

6. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. This can be served warm or at room temperature if you want it served at room temperature wait till ingredients have cooled down then toss.

7. Dress with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Chia Pudding

If you haven't heard of chia seeds you are seriously missing out. These beautiful little seeds come from the aztecs and have been used for hundreds of years for their healing qualities. This recipe is super easy. I love how you can just spend a minute making this at night; and you have the most perfect breakfast that is plant-based, raw and extremely good for you. Here a few benefits of chia seeds:

• They are very high in omega 3 fatty acids which is the same substance thats in fish that helps with brain function. Being that omega 3's are a lot harder to come by then omega 6's this is a very very good thing. 
• Chia seeds are also high in calcium. This is a plant based form of calcium for all those who are lactose intolerant.
• High in protein, containing almost all the amino acids needed to sustain you
• When you soak chia seeds you create a gelatinous texture around the seed. This is the same thing that happens in your gut. So it soothes your gut lining, making it easier for food to pass and break down. It is also great for breaking down carbohydrates making it perfect for weight loss.

Ingredients

 1/2 cup of chia seeds

1/2 cup of coconut cream

Method

Add the chia seeds and coconut cream into a bowl or cup and stir vigorously till well combined.

Make sure there are no clumps of chia seeds in the mixture.

Put in the fridge and let it soak overnight.
And there it is - the easiest breakfast ever.
If you want you can add some yogurt or nuts and seeds on top.

Breakfast Muffins

I do not usually bake but I am on a constant mission to get my other half to eat breakfast. He usually is in a rush and does not make anything to eat. I have tried everything to get him to make the time in the morning to nourish his morning and reep the benefits throughout the day. His favourite meal is a big egg breakfast with the lot but does not have time to make such a thing in the morning. So as a last attempt to make something quick he can eat on the run I came up with this.

You can freeze these muffins to keep for later. They work well for breakfast or a afternoon treat. The best thing is you make as much as you like, by doubling the recipe and defrost every morning to take to work or school.

Ingredients

2 cups of whole flour, I used rice but you could use spelt or buckwheat

1/2 cup of orange juice

1/3 cup of butter

1 cup of rolled oats, soaked overnight

1/3 cup of honey or maple syrup

1/3 cup of cocoa

2 tsp of tahini

1 banana

1 cup of berries fresh or frozen, thawed

1 cup of nuts and seeds of your choice, soaked

(I used, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees 

2. In a food processer, blend the nuts and seeds

3. Sift flour into a large bowl, then mash banana and berries.

 4. Mix wet ingredients till well combined. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients till well combines.

5. Combine the two by folding in the mixture together, the fewer stokes the better.

6.Spoon batter into a muffin tray, filled up only 3/4. Cook for roughly 30 minutes.

Thai Fish Curry

	This curry is just divine! I love the different kinds of flavours and smells this bring to my kitchen. Don't be alarmed by the long lost of ingredients, once you have bought all these beautiful spices they will keep for a long time and is good to have on hand for those times you come home and have no idea what to cook. You know that you are few spices away from a perfect dinner. This curry is more "thai style" rather then a thai curry, it is not the most authentic recipe out there but sure does taste good.  Ingredients ¼ cup sesame oil
	1 onion, finely chopped
	3 garlic cloves, crushed
	1/4 cup ginger, cut into julienne
	Lemongrass stalk, white part only, finely chopped
	1/2 pumpkin 1 cup shitake mushrooms 1/2 bunch of kaleBunch enokitake mushrooms (long mushrooms)
	3 tsp finely chopped fresh turmeric
	1 tsp sweet paprika 1 tsp ground chilli
	1 cup coconut milk
	2 fresh curry leaf sprigs
	2 tsp tamari sauce
	3 cups of water
	1 tsp honey
	2 firm white fish fillets, such as coral trout or barramundi with skin on
	Juice of 1 lime, or to taste Method 1. Heat sesame oil on a large pot and over a medium - high heat gently saute garlic, ginger and onions for 10 minutes. 2. Add turmeric, paprika and curry leaves until fragrant then add pumpkin, mushrooms simmer till mushrooms are starting to get soft and flavours mould together. 3. Add coconut milk, honey, lime, tamari and water and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. 4. Once is has started to boil reduce heat to a simmer on a low to medium heat.  5.When the heat has been turned down add the fish and cook for an hour. 6. When it is ready serve with kale and enokitake mushrooms.