The Hangry Chef

I always have something like these in my freezer, they're really a no-rules snack and go great in lunchboxes, for on-the-go breakfast or just some afternoon tea. You can eat them cold, reheat them in the oven or microwave and they're goooood! You will need.. 2 medium zucchinis 2 medium carrots 1 garlic clove 1/2 brown onion 1/2 cup of chopped spinach 2 sprigs parsley, chopped 6 cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup of feta 4 eggs 1 tsp lemon zest (optional) 3 Tbsp olive oil salt and pepper Method... Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan forced) and grease a 12-hole muffin tray with cooking spray (you can also use oil or butter if you prefer)  Wash all the veggies and herbs. Cut the ends off the zucchini and carrot and grate (don't bother peeling the carrot) squeeze out excess liquid. Peel the skin off the onion and hold by the root, grate it finely. Crush the garlic Combine the grated vegetables with the garlic, chopped spinach and parsley, a...

You will need... 12 green banana prawns, peeled 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 3 medium zucchinis 3 cloves garlic 1 lemon, zest and juice 1 shallot, washed 2 sprigs basil salt pepper olive oil Method Prepare your zucchinis, wash and trim the ends then spiralize them to your desired thickness (I prefer to keep them thicker as they stay crisp and don't go soggy so quickly Zest and juice your lemon, removing any pits Crush the garlic, slice the shallot Wash, pick and chop the basil Mix the garlic, a Tbsp olive oil and half the lemon zest with the prawns, add a pinch of salt and pepper (you can do this in advance if you would like to marinate them!) Heat a pan on high. Add the prawns and let brown before turning. While pan is still on high, add the shallots and tomato and toss to coat.  Quickly add the zoodles and then the lemon juice, salt, pepper and another dash of olive oil. Toss and allow to cook briefly for 3-5 minutes until zucchini is just warmed. Sprink...

I will admit that the first time I heard the term 'Lactation Cookies' I was a bit confused. Like, are they biscuits made out of breast milk that you give to children? While I'm sure that recipe exists, I'm happy to report that these biscuits are actually to aid in increasing breastfeeding mothers milk supply.  I got a couple of different recipes from a few different sources and combined them to make my own frankenrecipe. They turned out to be delicious and I ended up making about 4kgs worth, rolling into logs and freezing so I could defrost a log at a time, cut and bake 10-12 biscuits and eat them fresh as I went. Long story short, I didn't get the benefit of them and my breastfeeding journey was woefully short but I know this recipe has helped other breastfeeding mothers and they definitely taste delicious and are an excellent snack for those early days when you crave sugar and easy food to keep you going through early parenthood. This recipe cont...

You will need... 1 kg chicken thigh, bone out, skin off 1 tin diced Italian tomatoes 1/2 cup water 1 pkt taco seasoning (30gr) or you can make your own recipe link at bottom of post. 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp white sugar 1 tin black beans 1 brown onion olive oil Method Preheat slow cooker to high Peel and dice the onion. In a non-stick pan, sweat off the onion over a low heat in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until transparent Remove the onion and then turn pan heat to high. Add the chicken, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Sear until brown on both sides then transfer to slow cooker with the onion. Drain and rinse black beans, add to slow cooker, add remaining ingredients then stir to coat thighs. Cook on high setting for 1.5-2hrs. This will depend on your slow cooker, ideally you want the thighs to easily be pulled apart with tongs or a fork. Remove chicken thighs, place in a tray and pull into desired sized chunks. Leave sauce to simmer in slow cooker if you would lik...

If you are new to cooking salmon, heres a great little resource for pan-frying a really good bit of fish----> http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-perfect-salmon-fillets-230150 I would recommend using this method for most fish and meats. Bringing seafood or meat to room temperature before cooking and using a hot pan is key for ensuring your protein doesn't 'seize' up and go tough while cooking. Also, I recommend resting EVERYTHING before you serve it. Most people know to rest meats like beef and lamb but not many people know that fish and chicken also require a good rest time to ensure tenderness and juiciness. Always cook the side you intend to serve facing up first (chef trick), and if you are a fan of crispy salmon skin then ensure you salt the skin (just like you would crackling) and cook it first in a good bit of oil. As you can see from my images, I didn't serve skin side up as we passed on the skin this time- but it always adds a nice bit of crunchine...

I recently found a couple of rogue tomato plants that had somehow taken root in my garden beds. Now it has to be said that I have tried and failed many times to grow my own fruit, herbs and vegetables,  so I have given up and now only keep hardy succulents that I know I can't kill. But when I saw these tomato plants growing out of nowhere, I decided to leave them and see how they fared without my grey thumb touching them. So, surprise surprise, I now have two large tomato vines, both baring fruit to the tune of about 30-40 tomatoes. These beauties have thrived on my neglect and I was able to pluck two ripe ones yesterday. WINNING! In honour of the first fruit I have ever grown from a seedling in my own backyard, I decided to make the most traditional tomato dish ever- Tomato Bruschetta! Bruschetta, meaning 'toasted bread' has no limits it seems, with most restaurants serving all different incarnations of the delicious Italian snack. There is only one true brusche...

No more boring breakfasts! No one should have to start the day with cold toast or soggy cereal! Eating a tasty, nutritious breakfast is not only a great way to start your day but its also a good way to keep you eating better throughout the day. The breakfast quesadilla isn't a new thing, and in my opinion its really a no-rules meal. You can put whatever you like in it, as long as you have cheese in it then you're on the right track! You will need (one serve)... 1 12-inch tortilla ( Mission brand are my favourite and this time I bought wholegrain) 1/2 zucchini 2 cauliflower florets 5 cherry tomatoes a handful of low fat cheddar cheese (or full fat if you prefer) 1 shallot, diced 1 clove garlic sprinkling of paprika salt and pepper canola spray for cooking 1/4 avocado sriracha or preferred chilli sauce for serving Method... 1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius 2. Slice the zucchini, the cauliflower and the shallots. Halve the cherry tomatoes and crus...

I have a basic pizza dough recipe that I usually use, but in keeping with the healthy eating plan I adapted a new recipe that I found in the Women's Weekly Eating Well cookbook, which uses spelt flour instead of plain white flour. It was a total success and the wonderful flavour that the spelt lends to the dough, I will definitely be making this from now on! While the original recipe uses Kumara, Pepitas and Goats Cheese, I changed it to utilise ingredients I had at hand- you can always do the same! You will need.. (makes 2, medium crust pizzas) For the base; 2 tsp (7gr) dried yeast 2 cups plain spelt flour (I used organic wholemeal) 1 cup warm water 2 Tbs olive oil 1/4 tsp honey (I used Manuka, but you can use whatever you have at hand) 1/4 tsp of ground Himalayan rock salt For the topping; 2 large brown onions 2 Tbs of red wine or balsamic vinegar 1 tsp brown sugar 1/4 large sweet potato 100gr low-fat ricotta cheese 1-2 large kale leaves, washed paprika ...

Hello my readers! I have added some posts today but before that I know I have been a little bit quiet! As you all would have gathered from other posts of mine, I'm quite often on the health-wagon (and then off again, and then on again!). I recently saw my doctor about some issues with fatigue and after a little bit of testing he has told me I have slightly elevated cholesterol. This was no surprise after our epic culinary journey across the U.S that consisted of, but was not limited to, eating our way through several states. Also, I have an unfortunate genetic predisposition for such things! So anyway, long story short, I've spent the better part of the last few months juicing and trying to avoid cooking overly unhealthy food. The two previous posts are obviously an exception as I made these before my diagnosis..... I will also mention that I have recently had a birthday and have some newly acquired cookbooks- Nigellissima , Guillaume: Food for Friends and one that I p...

Caesar salad is definitely my go-to salad if I'm out for a light lunch. I love it with some grilled chicken, and its only good if its put together the traditional way- I've seen it served with whole lettuce leaves and  slices  of sourdough bread. NO. The lettuce needs to be chopped, it needs crisp squares of bacon and proper croutons. The egg can be coddled, poached or boiled, but if it has a hard yolk I like it added at the end as a garnish and not mixed through because that chalky yolk through my salad does nothing for me. As you can see I'm quite particular about my caesars and to be honest I was a little apprehensive when I embarked on this journey of making a vegan caesar dressing. The Thug Kitchen Cookbook  is vegan so the recipe is basically just lettuce and croutons with this dressing, and while I went to the effort of making the vegan dressing my husband wasn't going to be content with a bowl of lettuce and toasted bread so I did the boiled eggs, parmesa...

I have adapted this recipe from several different poached chicken salad recipes over the years. I like to utilise the poaching liquid with all its flavour and coconutty goodness as part of the salad dressing. Image Taken From Karenmartini.com This recipe is great for family-style eating on a warm spring or summers day, and goes beautifully by itself or along side other Vietnamese dishes such as Banh Xeo (Viet Crepes), Stir Fry , or grilled fish or other  seafood dishes . You will need... For the poached chicken 2 cups coconut milk 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 lemongrass stem, bruised 2 kaffir lime leaves 2 tbs fish sauce 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp white pepper 300gr chicken breast or thigh, trimmed For the salad 1 small packet of vermicelli rice noodles 1 Tbs sesame oil 1 bunch of fresh vietnamese mint, washed 1 bunch of fresh coriander, washed 1 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated 1 large red chilli, thinly sliced 1 large green chilli, thinly sliced (optional) 150gr...

http://www.thugkitchen.com/cookbook Ok, so after the U.S eat-a-thon I've decided to be healthy again. Don't stress, I have plenty of occasions coming up that call for unhealthy eating (birthdays, parties, Anzac day, weekends in general), but for now I'll be cooking stuff out of my latest cookbook. Everyone's been going nuts about Thug Kitchen. For those of you who don't know, Thug Kitchen started out as a blog with recipes for healthy eating. It's far from your cookie-cutter, stay at home mum or hipster urban farmer posting about kale and quinoa- it's a crass and hilariously offensive take on healthy eating. I will be trying some recipes from the Thug Kitchen cookbook over the coming months, and as I normally do, I will alter them to suit myself, my ingredient preferences and availability. If you're not afraid of a little (or a lot) of swearing, check out the hilarious trailer for the Thug Kitchen Cookbook   *WARNING* language used may be offen...

Again I'm going with the healthy theme, this is a great dish I made up to utilise some of the absolutely delicious organic veggies I purchased. You can add whatever vegetables you like to this Pad Thai, and if you don't like pork you can always use chicken instead. This is a great way to get more serves out of a small amount of meat, and cramming as many veggies as possible into your meal. You will need.. (serves 4) 2 trimmed pork cutlets (again, free range), use any kind of pork you like, I opted for cutlets and trimmed off the fat for a leaner cut of meat (you could just buy the eye fillet if you like, 300gr would suffice) For the pork rub... 1/2 tsp peppercorns 1/2 tsp coriander seeds 1 large garlic clove 2 tsp lemongrass (1 inch piece of stalk) 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes (or fresh chilli if you prefer) For the stir fry... 1 packet Pad Thai rice noodles 2 tsp peanut oil (feel free to use coconut or an alternative oil if you have an allergy) 1/4 head broccol...

Hello to anyone who is reading this right now!! It's been a little while since I posted any recipes. I had been on holidays for a couple of weeks and I have been avoiding sitting at the computer! Instead I traded my trusty laptop for the TV and my exercise bike. I watched so many movies and shows in the holidays, I'm definitely getting my monies worth of Foxtel! More importantly, I've started delving into the scary world of documentaries and books about diet and food. I've always had an awareness of what I eat, this doesn't mean I eat well though. I go through cycles of healthy eating which for me consists of calorie counting, upping my intake of fresh food and limiting processed foods. This is usually short-lived until I get stressed, bored or tired of constantly thinking of food or cooking healthy meals so then I give up, start binging and really not caring about what I put into my body... Until I start feeling sick or look at the scales and realise I need...

Yes it's healthy... But not bad! It definitely has the cruciferous taste (think Brussels sprouts and broccoli) but with the seasoning and texture they're quite delicious! You will need... 1 bunch (250gr) fresh kale 1 tsp smoked paprika 1/4 tsp garlic salt 1/4 tsp chilli flakes 1 Tbs olive oil Method... 1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius (160 degrees fan-forced), line two trays with grease proof paper. 2. Trim any thick stalk bits off the kale and dice into bite-sized pieces, rinse under cold water and pat dry really well. 3. Mix with the other ingredients and toss with your hands to coat really well 4. Spread the kale over the trays in one even layer, place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, kale should be crisp but not browned. 5. Enjoy immediately. If storing, make sure you keep it in a super airtight container because any moisture in the air will cause it to soften again.

Ban Xeo is the quintessential Vietnamese fare, using fresh ingredients and combining flavours that are fundamental to any Viet dish in an easy-to-manage parcel. In Vietnam, flavours are categorised into 5 elements, Wood- Sour, Fire-Bitter, Earth-Sweet, Metal-Spicy, Water-Salty and a balance of these elements in their food is about as close to perfection as you can get in life. I learnt this years ago in my training and have utilised the principal in any Asian cooking I undertake- if you refer to any of my stir-fry recipes you'll see I add citrus juice, fish sauce, sugar, chili and soy to obtain a balance of flavours, the trick is getting the right ratio of these flavours so that they all reach the different parts of your palate and come together harmoniously... Listen to me, I sound like a foodie or something. Anyway, now you know about flavour balance, I'll give you the recipe. http://www.vietnamesefood.com.vn/vietnamese-recipes/vietnamese-dish-recipes/banh-xeo-vietn...

You will need... (2 portions) 1 chicken breast, cut into small cubes 1 tbs lemongrass paste* 2 garlic cloves 1 red chilli pinch salt 2 tbs rice-wine vinegar 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp fish sauce 2 tbs peanut oil 200gr noodles - I used a Hokkien style even though Hokkien are Chinese, but you could use thin rice noodles if you prefer to keep to a more Authentic Viet style stir fry. 8 green beans, top & tails removed, cut into 1in lengths 1 carrot, peeled, cut into 1inch matchsticks a few small broccoli florets capsicum, baby corn, bamboo- whichever veggies you like really! 1/2 cup coriander and mint, washed and roughly chopped 2 large iceberg lettuce leaves 8 slices cucumber more red chilli and coriander for garnish Method... 1. Crush the garlic and roughly chop the chilli, mix with the lemongrass paste and rub all over the chicken, season with some salt and sprinkle a little bit of the rice vinegar over. Cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for ...

I know I've been a bit slack this year with my posts, I've been super busy with doing a course (Training and Assessing if anyone is wondering), and the new year at work has been totally insane! I've been working like a powerhouse to make sure I'm super organised for the next 3 months so I can cope with my extra workload. On top of all that I've dedicated a lot of time to the preparation and organisation of one of my closest friends hens weekend (which is interstate mind you). It's going to be awesome! So needless to say I haven't had too much time to get on here and have a good crack at posting more recipes, not to mention actually having the time to cook new and exciting dishes. I've still been making a conscious effort to eat better though which isn't really paying off because I don't really exercise, but I guess I have been feeling a bit more energetic (except for today because I didn't sleep enough and it's rainy and miserable whi...

I didn't take a pic of this because it was a gross brown colour. But it tastes amazing so I thought I'd share it. You will need... (For one person) 2 royal gala apples, cored, skin still on 1 small celery stick (I used a 4 inch thin piece) 80gr or so of peeled pineapple 1/2 a lime, skin removed 2cm knob of ginger, peeled 1 carrot, ends removed (not peeled unless its home grown and covered in dirt) 1 decent handful of Kale, washed Needless to say, there's not much to the method of this one, just throw it all in the juicer. I would recommend having a few ice cubes with it to keep it chilled. Also, for those who cringe at the thought of savoury juices, I was one of those people! I never really wanted to try celery in a drink, it just sounds wrong! But this has such a crisp, refreshing flavour and the sweetness of the apples, pineapples and carrot tend to balance out the cruciferous-taste of the kale and the savoury flavour of the celery.

This is a great, hearty start to the day! It's got some good stuff in it, like Almond Milk which is a dairy substitute. It's great if you're watching out for your cholesterol and want to stay away from lactose, and is enriched with plenty of  fibre, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, manganese, zinc, potassium, iron, phosphorus, tryptophan, copper, and calcium. So yeah, pretty good for you. Then you've got banana which is also a great source of potassium which is great for your heart and circulation (get leg cramps? You may need to eat more potassium-rich foods!) and blueberries which are full of antioxidants, vitamin C and fibre. Enough blabbing, here's the recipe- You will need... 1 large over-ripe banana 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (use fresh if you prefer) 1 1/2 cups almond milk 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp honey (optional) Throw all the ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. If you like it super cold, crush some ice in there too. Altern...