Lemon, mint & tzatziki salad

This one is inspired by a recipe at

http://www.biggestloserclub.com.au/recipe/379/lemon+and+thyme+lamb+cutlets+with+tzatziki+cucumber+salad

half cup of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of honey
sea salt to taste
2 cucumbers, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
2 carrots, sliced into ribbons
4 handfuls rocket leaves
1 small red onion, finely sliced
6 tablespoons fresh mint
4 tablespoons tzatziki

Put cucumber, carrot, salad leaves, onion and mint into a salad bowl. In a screwtop jar, combine lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, honey and salt. Give it a good shake, shake, shake baby! Now pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently.

To serve, add a teaspoon-sized dollop of tzatziki on top. Have more tzatziki on the table so diners can add more as they much!

Chilli Sweet n Sour

The chilli adds a nice kick to this meal, but don't worry, it's not too strong!

First, prepare your sauce by mixing together:

1/4 cup lime juice
3 tsp of dried parsley
2 Tbs light soy sauce
2 Tbs honey
1 tsp fish sauce

Then get 440g of thin hokkien noodles soaking in boiling water.

Slice up 2 large red capsicums and 400g of green beans. Drizzle 1 tsp oil on your fry pan and get it preheating on high while you chop 2 chicken breasts into small cubes.

Toss the chicken into the frypan, along with 2 minced cloves of garlic and half tsp of dried chilli flakes. Stir fry until almost cooked, then remove from the pan while you work on the rest.

Stir fry the veg for 3 minutes, then drain the noodles and add them to the pan, along with the sauce and a 400ml can of pineapple pieces. Stir them together quickly, then add the chicken and stir fry until cooked through.

Serve topped with chopped peanuts, if you are of a nutty persuasion ;)

Cajun-Hawaiian Skewers

This is a quick, easy and tasty discovery of Jeffrey's. We are both fans, try them and you also will be a fan (unless you're a vegetarian, in that case, please accept our condolences) ;)

First. get 10 rashers of bacon browning. Meanwhile, mix together:

2 Tbs peanut oil
2 Tbs Cajun seasoning
400g diced chicken

Now, stir fry the chicken until it is almost cooked.

Chop your rashers of bacon into cubes, and drain a can of pineapple chunks.

Thread the chicken onto bamboo skewers, alternating with pineapple pieces and bacon. Place the skewers on the fry pan and rotate until thoroughly cooked and warm. Enjoy! 

Apple berry crumble microwave magic

We tried this one out with Dave and Wyn last night - a warming winter dessert with mostly healthy ingredients. The ingredients are long-life, multipurpose items you can keep handy for anytime you suddenly want to whip up a warm dessert, and since it is cooked entirely in the microwave, no need to worry if your oven is dodgy or non-existent!

Step 1: Fruit base

Spread 400g canned pie apple over the base of a 20cm glass dish, then top with 1 cup frozen strawberries.

Step 2: Add creamy layer
In another bowl, pour 3/4 cup plain greek yoghurt, 1 tablespoon castor sugar, and 1 egg - mix together with a fork until just combined. Pour this mixture over the apple and berry dish, and microwave on medium for 6 minutes.

Step 3: Prepare crumbly layer
Combine 40g butter and 1 tablespoon honey, microwave on high for 1 min 30 sec (remember to cover the bowl so you don't end up with a splattered microwave).

Then, stir the following into the honey butter melt:

3/4 cup toasted muesli
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
2 tablespoons wholemeal self raising flour
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Microwave the crumbly layer on high for 1 minute 30 sec, stirring at the halfway point.

Step 4: Finishing touches

Let the crumbly layer stand for 5 minutes, then spread it over the fruity-creamy layer, then cook the whole concoction on high for 2 or 3 minutes until heated to your liking. Then enjoy!

Lemon Chicken

Tasty, fast and healthy, this recipe ticks so many boxes!

First, get 2 cups of rice cooking according to the packet instructions.

Mix together the sauce ingredients, stirring over heat until the sauce boils and thickens

4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp chicken stock (we recommend the vegeta brand)
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp cornflour dissolved in 1/2 cup water

Next, heat 1 tsp of peanut oil in a large pan and stir fry 2 crushed cloves of garlic, and 450g chicken thigh fillets until chicken in browned lightly (not quite cooked, you will finish it off at the end). Remove them all from the pan.

Then, use the same pan to stir fry 600g frozen veg for about 5 mins. Add the chicken and lemon sauce into the pan and continue to stir fry until cooked through. Serve with rice.

This is such a yummy meal we couldn't wait to take a photo, hence the random lemon-coloured-chicken pic with this post. So....YOU are invited to cook this meal and email your photo to bondingmeals at gmail dot com. We'd love to see your handiwork and update this post with your pic, and then every time we make lemon chicken we will think of you fondly.

Sweet n Sour Pork

400g can unsweetened pineapple pieces
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion
1 large red capsicum, julienned
3 tbsp peanut oil, divided
500g pork loin chops, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cup grated carrot
1 cup jasmine rice

Cook rice according to packet instructions. Drain pineapple, reserve juice, set pineapple aside in small bowl.  Blend together the cornflour, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic and reserved pineapple juice.

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir fry onion and red capsicum in 2 tbsp oil for 5 mins or until tender.  Remove and keep warm.  In the same pan, stir fry pork in the remaining oil for 3-4 mins or until no longer pink.

Stir sauce mixture and add to the pan.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 mins or until thickened.

Stir in the carrots, onion, capsicum and reserved pineapple, heat through.

Serve with rice and a smile, because it's delicious! Special thanks to Julez for sharing this recipe with us on our wedding day!

Tuscan Bread

We tried following an internet recipe to make garlic bread, but it ended up too garlicky! So then we tried making herb bread using our existing seasonings...and tuscan bread was a hit!

Start by preheating the oven to 200 degrees.



Chop a french bread stick lengthways and put it in the oven with the cut side facing up, it will need about 5 mins til it becomes slightly toasted. (we usually put the other half of the French bread stick in the freezer wrapped in foil).


Melt a tablespoon of butter (try 60 secs in microwave), and spread it over the cut side, then sprinkle Tuscan Seasoning over the top. Put the bread in the oven for 5-10 minutes until crisp, then slice into pieces the width of 2 fingers and enjoy!

Maybe next time we will try mixing the Tuscan seasoning in with the melted butter and spreading them over the bread together.....or if someone would like to test it for us, let us know how you go!!

Rainbow Veg and Cous Cous Salad

This started from a meal Ann-Elise brought to a picnic, and has developed extra ingredients and seasonings over time.

You will need:

half a pumpkin
2-3 lebanese eggplants
300g green beans
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
2 cups (dry) cous cous
balsamic vinegar for dressing
400g lamb or chicken, stir fried (or you can omit these for a vegetarian option)

set oven to preheat to 180 degrees

chop the pumpkin into 1cm cubes, brush/spray with oil and sprinkle chicken salt over the top
chop the eggplants into 1cm pieces, brush/spray with oil and sprinkle garlic salt over the top

roast these veg in the oven until soft (about 20 mins)

200g of green beans chop them in half, then plunge them in boiling water for 2 mins, then move them into ice water to keep them green and crisp

Cook up your cous cous, following the instructions on the packet

Chop the cherry tomatoes in half

Combine all ingredients together and dress with balsamic vinegar to taste

Meringue Deluxe

This recipe was an invention of Deb's, a combination of a few dessert-ish things she happened to have in the house at the time. The first tasting was enjoyed by Sarah and Jeffrey, and the second tasting by many friends including Brendon, who usually does not bother with dessert....but with the meringue deluxe, he went back for seconds!! Super easy but looks and tastes a treat, and so safe and simple young kids could make it too! (Any Dads out there take note as Mothers Day is coming up!)

Open a packet of meringue nests, top each meringue with a couple of spoonfuls of chocolate custard (or yogo, whichever is handier for you), then continue the 'stacks on' of yumminess with strawberry halves and a sprinking of white chocolate chips.

Enjoy!

Panaeng Marinated Steak & Minted Noodle Salad

Our first published recipe is a great all-rounder: simple to make, healthy, and of course it tastes DELICIOUS! Also, because it is served cold it’s a great option for picnics and hosting guests (just in case they are held up in traffic, or even if they aren’t, you can prepare it in advance so you can spend your time being with them rather than popping in and out of the kitchen). Inspired by Company’s Coming Healthy Recipes “Minted beef & noodles” but we have added and substituted several ingredients and quantities.

Combine the following ingredients to make a marinade:

1 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp panaeng curry paste
1 tsp grated ginger
2 minced garlic cloves
400g beef steak, cut into 5mm slices

Leave the steak to soak up the marinade a few hours or overnight (in the fridge, unless you live in a very cool climate).  Then stir fry the steak and allow it to cool while you prepare the following:

200g Hokkien noodles – soak in boiling water then rinse in cold water and allow to cool.
2 continental cucumbers, halved lengthwise then in 5mm slices
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 cup bean sprouts
half bunch mint leaves, finely chopped
400g can of corn kernels (drained of course!)
5 green onions, in 5mm slices

and put the following ingredients in a screwtop jar that you can shake to make the dressing (this will make plenty of dressing, you might adjust the quantities depending on how much of a flavour kick you like):

half cup of lime juice
quarter cup of sweet chilli sauce
2-3 Tbsp of panaeng curry paste (amount depends on how hot you like your food)
1 Tbsp peanut oil

To serve, toss the veg and noodles together, then top with steak, dressing, and chopped peanuts. Yum!!

We’d love to hear your comments on how you go making this, and also any suggested tweaks.