healthy cooking

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Tempeh Red Curry : Doctor’s Kitchen 3-2-1 – Dr Rupy Aujla

Doctors Kitchen 3-2-1

Dr Rupy Aujla

Harper Collins Australia

ISBN: 9780008395414

RRP $34.99

Tempeh Red Curry

PREP 10 MINUTES/COOK 20 MINUTES

2 tbsp coconut oil

200g tempeh (or firm tofu), broken into 2cm pieces

160g red onion (about 1 medium), thinly sliced

1 tbsp red curry paste (or any curry paste)

50g piece of root ginger (about 5cm), grated

160g mangetout or sugar snap peas

160g asparagus spears, roughly chopped

2 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

400g tin coconut milk

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE

juice of 1 lime

20g fresh coriander, chopped

30g unsalted peanuts, chopped

1 Melt half the coconut oil in a large casserole dish over a medium heat, add the tempeh and fry for 3–4 minutes until browned all over.

2 Remove and set aside, then add the onions to the same dish with the rest of the oil and sauté for 3–4 minutes.

3 Add the curry paste and ginger and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes until coloured.

4 Add the mangetout, asparagus, peanut butter and coconut milk, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 7–8 minutes.

5 Return the cooked tempeh to the dish for the last 2 minutes of cooking.

6 Serve with the lime juice and garnish with the chopped coriander and peanuts.

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Brown Rice Kitchari: The Energy Guide – Dr Libby Weaver

The Energy Guide

 

The Energy Guide by Dr Libby Weaver is published by Macmillan Australia, RRP $39.99

 

Prep ahead:
• Soak rice and dhal
• Chop or grate broccoli
• Remove kernels from corn cob
• Grate zucchini and carrot
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus overnight soaking

 

Brown Rice Kitchari

 

BROWN RICE KITCHARI
Serves:6
1⁄2 cup (110 g) medium-grain brown rice
1⁄2 cup (105 g) split mung dhal (see Glossary)
2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
1⁄3 cup (80 g) ghee (see Glossary)
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons grated fresh turmeric or 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric (see Glossary)
1 cup (85 g) grated or finely chopped broccoli
1 corn cob, kernels removed (1 cup/200 g)
2 zucchini, grated
2 carrots, grated
1.25 litres boiling water
sea salt
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
chopped coriander leaves, to serve

“Kitchari is considered a food medicine, and this nourishing
meal is very gentle on the digestive system. It is delicious
reheated and can also be served as an accompaniment to
other dishes. Basmati rice can be used instead of the brown
rice and this will reduce the cooking time.”p.197
Wash the rice and dhal, then place in a bowl, cover with cold
water and leave to soak overnight. The next morning, rinse
and drain well.
Melt the coconut oil and half the ghee in a large deep frying
pan over medium heat, add the onion and ginger and cook for
10 minutes or until the onion is soft and golden – don’t rush this step
as the gently cooked onion adds a lovely sweetness to the dish.
Add the seeds and turmeric and cook for 1 minute or until the
seeds start to pop. Add the broccoli, corn, zucchini and carrot
and stir until the vegetables are well coated in the spices.
Stir in the drained rice and dhal, then add the boiling water and
a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil over high heat and boil for
20 minutes or until tunnels form in the rice and most of the liquid
has been absorbed.

Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook gently for 5 minutes or until the rice is soft and there is no liquid
left in the pan. Stir through the remaining ghee, then finish with a good squeeze
of lemon and a scattering of coriander.

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Roast Chook ‘Bo Ssam’: The Natural Cook – Matt Stone

The Natural Cook

 Images and recipes from the Natural Cook by Matt Stone (Murdoch Books) photography by Matt Roper available from 1st August $39.99

Roast Chook Bo Ssam

Roast Chook ‘Bo SSam’

“This is the ultimate ‘got no time to cook’ dinner. This recipe is inspired
by the bo ssam, an Asian shared meal. You can use up any pickles or vegetables that are in your fridge. It’s basically whatever you like wrapped in a lettuce leaf with sauce and pickles.

It’s a great dish to use up leftover roast meats and other bits lying around. The notion behind this chicken version is to grab a whole roast chook on your way home and have a fresh, healthy meal ready in 10 minutes.” ( p.159)

 

SERVES 3-4

 

1 roast chicken

2 small lettuces (I like to use baby cos/romaine but any lettuce will do)

1 avocado, sliced

300 g (10½ oz) Kimchi (see page 63)

200 g (7 oz) pickles

2 handfuls bean sprouts, trimmed

150 g (5½ oz) mixed fresh herbs

Hot Sauce (see page 221) and Mayonnaise (see page 216), to serve

 

Pick and shred the flesh from the chook (keep the frame for broth-making purposes). Place the flesh in a serving bowl. Pick
and wash the lettuce leaves. Place the lettuce on a platter and top with the chicken, avocado, a pile of kimchi, pickles, bean sprouts, herbs and sauces on the side.

 

This dish looks great as it’s full of vibrant colours and the part that took the most effort was probably swinging past the shops to pick up a roast chook.

 

 

Hot Sauce

My version of Sriracha sauce only has a few ingredients, but the depth of flavour comes from the fermenting of the chilli. Use it as you would Sriracha – that is on a lot of things and particularly leftover pork-belly sandwiches.

 

Makes about 350 ml (12 fl oz)

 

Ingredients

1 cup Fermented Chilli Paste

1 large garlic clove

2 tablespoons honey

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) vegetable oil

 

Method

Place the chilli paste, garlic and honey in a jug-style blender. Start the blender and gradually increase the speed. Slowly pour in
the oil, season to taste with salt and you’re good.

 

This sauce will keep for weeks in the fridge. If it sits dormant for a while, the ingredients might start to separate a bit – just give it a good shake and it will come back to life.

 

 

Mayonnaise

The only thing that beats a good homemade mayo is a sandwich made with homemade mayo. I encourage you to double this recipe – it will easily last in the fridge for a week and it’s great to use not only on sandwiches, but in salads and on the side of meat and veg dishes. It can quickly be flavoured with spices or you can add capers, chopped cornichons, herbs and lemon to make a simple tartare sauce.

 

4 egg yolks

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) vegetable oil

 

Note: Turning your homemade mayo into homemade aioli is a cinch. Finely dice the rind from 1 preserved lemon and finely chop 2 garlic cloves, then add to the mayo at the same time as the mustard and vinegar.

 

 

Twist up a tea towel (dish towel) and place in a circle on the bench. Place a mixing bowl in the middle of the towel. (The tea towel should help keep the bowl from moving around too much while
you whisk away with one hand.)

 

Put the egg yolks, mustard and vinegar into the bowl and whisk together. Slowly pour the oil into the mixture while whisking as fast as possible (use a jug if you have one – it needs to be a slow stream of oil flowing in, and pouring from a jug is an easy way to control it). If the oil is added too quickly, it won’t be incorporated and will split from the eggs. It sounds a bit tricky, but just take your time and everything will be fine.

 

Once all the oil is whisked in, add some salt to taste. Store in a jar in the fridge. It will last up to 2 weeks.

 

Spread. Enjoy. Be merry.

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Post Script: Quick. Easy. Healthy. – Callum Hann & Themis Chryssidis

Quick.Easy.Healthy

Quick. Easy. Healthy.

Callum Hann & Themis Chryssidis

Murdoch Books

ISBN: 9781743367261

 

Description:

The first cooking class ever conducted by Callum Hann and Themis Chryssidis at their cooking school, ‘Sprout’, was called Quick, Easy & Healthy, and to this day it remains their most popular course.

Why? Because it is what people want. Good, healthy food with limited effort. Achievable food that people are happy to serve to their family on any given weeknight. Callum and Themis present over 70 simple, quick and convenient recipes for fresh, healthy, flavoursome food. Dishes that use easy to find, seasonal ingredients; that represent good value for money; and which require minimal preparation and clean-up time. Nutritional information is given for every recipe.

 

The book is divided into four seasonal chapters, each with a collection of recipes using readily available ingredients in season, with suggestions for variations and substitute ingredients.

 

My View:

I like the principals this cook book is based on:

  • Food that doesn’t cost a fortune.
  • Food that doesn’t require expensive equipment to prepare.
  • Food that is simple and convenient to make.
  • Food that the whole family will enjoy.
  • Recipes that are about cooking delicious food that is good for you.

This book is a little different in design – it lists its recipes by order of the seasons –  buying seasonal foods is good for the budget; when foods are in season they are  usually plentiful and therefore cheaper to source. And when foods are “in season” they are bursting with flavour – another reason to buy and enjoy fresh, in season produce.  I am already sold on this idea; as many of you may know we grow a lot of our own fruit and vegetables. I am always looking for healthy and delicious recipes to use up the abundance of home grown veggies – when something is in season we have it by the ton!  (This week sweet potatoes and pumpkins plentiful and we see the finish of the capsicum, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and onions).  I can’t wait to start making some of the recipes here, I think I will start with the Moroccan Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Chicken Salad (p.128) or maybe the   Chicken Korma with Cumin Naan, I have plenty of homemade passata I can use up in this. (p.142)

 

Pick up a copy and start cooking NOW!

 

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Post Script: The Healthy Cook – Dan Churchill

Fresh and tasty healthy meals.

The Healthy Cook - Dan Churchill

The Healthy Cook – Dan Churchill

The Healthy Cook

Dan Churchill

Simon & Schuster Australia

ISBN: 9781925184136

 

Description:

How often do you find yourself grumpy or angry because you are starving? How much do you love going out to dinner, lunch or breakfast? How good is the feeling when your big plate of food arrives in front of you with the smell going straight into your nostrils? Sound familiar?

 

It is through this passion and love for food that we get a true rush of happiness thanks to the relationship with our hormones. By eating, you create a sense of enjoyment and this is well supported by the release of endorphins and serotonin from your glands. In my opinion some of the best times of the day revolve around our food.

 

Widely-acclaimed cook, certified physical trainer, and a dynamic new voice on health and fitness issues, Dan Churchill rose to fame in 2013 when, at the age of 23, he gained international attention and legions of fans after appearing on MasterChef Australia which aired in over 90 countries.

 

His recipes have since been featured in publications like Men’s Health, Women’s Fitness, and on websites like PopSugar and Lululemon’s blog. Churchill has a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Management, and a master’s in Exercise Science (Strength & Conditioning). He speaks on a number of food and health-related topics and consults for athletes and sports teams worldwide to help optimize their performance through nutrition.

 

My View:

Beautifully designed (I particularly love that the book has a “page marker” ribbon- so useful), fresh, exciting recipes that are beautifully and realistically photographed and when I trialled some of these recipes they actually looked as good as those in the book and tasted fantastic. These are healthy recipes that taste so good you won’t even think about them being good for you, that are easy to make, with most of the ingredients stocked in your pantry; you cannot go wrong with this recipe book, there is a recipe in this book that will appeal to all members of your family and some that will quickly become your family favourites.

 

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Cook Book – The Healthy Cook – Dan Churchill

The Healthy Cook by Dan Churchill is the first cook book I will  be trialling and reviewing in the next week . Just received this book in the mail – it is fantastic – full of mouth watering photos, healthy insights; snapshots of the amount of Protein, Fats and Carbs in a recipe and the skill level/time needed for the recipe all in a easy to read table.  My only problem is deciding which recipe to make first. The Country Chicken Sweet Potato Top Pie has been highly recommended to me, the Green Masala was a huge hit on Masterchef and sounds fantastic too and the Sweet Strawberry and Coconut Muffins and the Protein Balls sound divine or maybe the slow cooked Pull Apart Lamb – something here for everyone.