Zucchini Fritters

I have to share this zucchini fritters recipe with you all because it is one of my absolute favourites. For me, it's a meal in itself. From the first time I made these, they became a favourite of my husband and I.

I think I may have sprinkled these with Parmesan, but usually I just sprinkle a little sea salt
over them as they come out of the fry pan and they taste delicious!

The recipe can be found over at Delicious. By Ana, one of my favourite food blogs. Ana definitely inspired me to follow my passion for food. However, whilst Ana calls hers Corn Fritters, I call mine Zucchini Fritters because they have more zucchini than corn in them. That is my only change to the recipe. Instead of a large can of corn kernels, I only add a small 125g can of sweet corn kernels. The haloumi cheese though is definitely the star of this dish and sets it apart from any other zucchini fritters I've had before.

Serve them for lunch with a salad, but make sure you eat them straight away. I find they're far yummier warm than cold. Enjoy :)

Pistachio and Apricot Biscotti

These biscuits need to come with a warning label! They are addictive. This recipe was inspired by my mum's almond biscotti which are also hard to stop eating once you start. I decided to make them with pistachios and dried apricots because I love those two things and because I love the colour. You could really substitute any type of nut or dried fruit that you like. Next time I may try some cranberries.

These are a perfect little morning or afternoon snack with coffee or tea. Or for something a little fancier, serve them as an accompaniment to ice-cream. They are super easy to make and can be mixed by hand.

Pistachio and Apricot Biscotti

Makes 100-120 biscuits

5 eggs
1 cup white sugar
2 cups plain flour
120g pistachios*
120g dried apricots, chopped into quarters*

* These are approximate measurements.

1. Combine eggs and sugar in a bowl and mix with a spoon.

2. Add flour, pistachios and apricots and mix well, until all combined. Batter will be similar to a thick dough, although not dry.

Love the colour! Just throw everything in and mix together well.

 3. Pour dough out into a flat tin. The tin I used was approximately 26 x 17cm and 3cm deep.

4. Bake in 160 degrees Celsius fan forced oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.



Just out of the oven.
 

 5. Leave to cool for 20 minutes and whilst waiting, turn oven down to 120 degrees Celsius fan forced.

6. After leaving to cool for 20 minutes, slice the slab up and place individual biscuits on lined trays. I cut the biscuit slab in half lengthwise first and then sliced each row up. You need to slice carefully so that you end up with thin biscuits. I think my mum may use an electric knife for this but I managed with an ordinary one. I started off with a large serrated knife but found that the best job was done by a small serrated steak knife. It gave a cleaner cut so that biscuits were left with a smooth, rather than crumbly, surface.

7. Return each tray to the oven for 20 minutes, turning biscuits over half way through.

 8. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Then place in an airtight container. These biscuits keep for quite some time, but I have no idea exactly how long because they get eaten pretty quickly! Enjoy xx

Magic Bean Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

I first heard about the "Magic Bean Cake" from a Thermomix consultant. I found various versions of it on the Thermomix recipe site and the rest is history - we all love it! One of the best parts about serving it to someone for the first time is having them guess the key ingredient. They won't believe you when you tell them it is made with red kidney beans! If you want to make yourself feel even better about indulging in this delicious chocolate treat, just have a quick read about the benefits of eating kidney beans. You definitely need this cupcake in your diet!

 

I have included both the Thermomix and traditional versions of the recipe below. Feel free to experiment with ingredients as well. I know some people have made it dairy free by replacing the butter with oil, and some have replaced the caster sugar with natural sugar alternatives. However, the recipe below is the one I've tried and enjoyed. It is super moist and very yummy :)

 

Regarding the decorating of the cupcakes, you can do this any way you want. Pipe the frosting or spread it and add any decorations you wish.

 

 Magic Bean Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting (Thermomix)

Makes 12

Cupcakes
400g tin of red kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
70g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
125g butter
5 eggs
150g caster sugar*

* Original recipe had 180g sugar but I reduced it and still found it okay, especially since frosting also adds sweetness.

 1. Place beans, water, one egg and vanilla paste in Thermomix bowl and puree until smooth, then set aside. I blend for 50 seconds on Speed 7.

2. Beat the butter and sugar for 30 seconds, Speed 5.

3. Add the 4 remaining eggs and beat for 20 seconds, Speed 4.

4. Add the reserved bean mixture and beat for 5 seconds, Speed 4.

5. Add the cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate soda and salt and blend for 10 seconds,
Speed 4.

6. Pour batter into individual cupcake cases (I use an ice-cream scoop to make this easier) and bake in 160 degree Celsius fan forced oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer/toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

Frosting

60g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
100g icing sugar
100g butter, softened

1. Place chocolate into mixing bowl and grate for 3 seconds, Speed 8.

2. Melt chocolate for 3-4 minutes, 50 degrees, Speed 1.

3. Add icing sugar and butter and whip for 10 seconds, Speed 5.

4. Decorate cooled cupcakes.

 

Magic Bean Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting (Traditional)

Makes 12

Cupcakes
400g tin of red kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
3 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
125g butter
5 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar


1. Place beans, water, one egg and vanilla paste in food processor and puree until smooth, then set aside. Below is a photo of the bean puree as blended in the Thermomix, to give you an idea of what it should look like.

2. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined.

3. Add the 4 remaining eggs and beat on medium speed until all ingredients combined.

4. Add the reserved bean puree and give it a quick mix on medium speed to incorporate it into the mixture.

5. Add the cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate soda and salt and mix until all combined.

6. Pour batter into individual cupcake cases (I use an ice-cream scoop to make this easier) and bake in 160 degree Celsius fan forced oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer/toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

Frosting

60g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1/2 cup icing sugar
100g butter, softened

1. Place icing sugar and butter in a cake mixer and whip until combined.

2. Melt chocolate over low heat and add to icing sugar and butter mixture.

2. Mix well on medium speed until frosting is fluffy.

4. Decorate cooled cupcakes.

Cinnamon Apple Chips

These crispy cinnamon apple chips are very yummy - and healthy too, which is always a great bonus. My son and I were munching away on them last night during the NSW Blue's great Origin win! They are super easy to make, although they do take a bit of time. My advice would be to stick them in the oven whilst you have other things to do (dreary housework and the like) and before you know it, they will be ready and able to be enjoyed. I haven't included any quantities in this recipe because you can basically make as little or as many as you want.

Cinnamon Apple Chips

  

Apples*

Ground cinnamon

Caster sugar

* I used Pink Lady variety apples, however you can use other types.

1. Preheat oven to 100 degrees Celsius fan forced. It is better to cook the apples at a lower temperature for longer so as to gain the crispiness you're after.

2. Slice apple into very thin pieces. Try to keep them as uniform as possible. If you have an apple corer and slicer all the better, however I had no trouble slicing an apple with a large, sharp knife.

3. Lay apple slices in a single layer on a lined baking tray.

4. Sprinkle apples with either cinnamon or a combination of caster sugar and cinnamon (my favourite).

Apple slices, ready to be baked.

4. Place tray with apples into pre-heated oven and cook for approximately 2 hours, turning over once about half way through the cooking process. It is up to you whether you add more cinnamon to other side of apples once turned over (I did choose to add more).

5. Once cooked, turn oven off and leave apples in oven to cool. I only left mine in for about 10 minutes and once pulled out, they were nice and crunchy. 

 

Minestrone con Lenticchie e Fagioli (Vegetable Soup with Lentils & Beans)

Sydney's cold spell called for an old favourite - Minestrone con Lenticchie. Minestrone is a traditional Italian vegetable soup that usually includes rice or pasta. You can mix this recipe up as much or as little as you like. Add more, less or different vegetables. Add rice instead of pasta. Add beans instead of lentils. The combinations are endless, but you are guaranteed a delicious and hearty soup that is the perfect comfort food on a cold winter's night. My boy's weren't overly keen on this dish, however in their own words, they "struggle with vegetables" lol! My husband and I loved it and there was plenty for lunch leftovers which is always a bonus! Next time, I think I'll add extra lentils and make it even thicker :)

Minestrone con Lenticchie

Serves 6-8

1 clove garlic, crushed
2 potatoes, chopped into small cubes
2-3 baby carrots, sliced thinly
1 stalk of celery, sliced
3-4 silver beet spinach leaves, sliced/shredded
Light olive oil
1 cup dry green lentils, pre-soaked for approx. 2 hours
3/4 x 400g tin Borlotti Beans
2 tablespoons tomato paste/homemade tomato sauce
1 vegetable stock cube/vegetable paste
Approx 3.5 litres of water
250g short pasta
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Place garlic and chopped vegetables in a large saucepan. Add a dash of olive oil and stir over medium heat for a few minutes so that vegetables become coated in oil and the smell of garlic starts to permeate.

2. Add drained lentils to the saucepan, along with tomato paste and crushed stock cube. I use vegetable stock paste made in the Thermomix. My current batch is quite salty so I put less than I normally would.

3. Fill saucepan with water (approximately 3.5 litres) and bring to the boil.

4. Once the soup is boiling, turn down the heat and let it simmer gently for at least 1 hour. The longer it is left, the better it tastes.


5. Add pasta along with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until pasta is to your liking.

6. Garnish with a  drizzle of oil and some shaved Parmesan. It's delicious served with some crusty bread!

Chocolate Mousse

Not surprisingly, this dessert earned a 10/10 perfect score from my sons. They've grown up in an era of reality food shows so they always rate my new dishes :)

I love this mousse because the recipe has no gelatin in it! I'm always weary of using gelatin because I have this fear that I won't dissolve it properly and will be left with lumps. I have used it successfully before, however if I can avoid it, I do.

The Thermomix version of this recipe will be familiar to Thermomix owners as it features in the Everyday Cookbook that comes with the machine. Below, I've converted the recipe to its traditional form.

Chocolate Mousse

Serves 6

200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
50g caster sugar
200g thickened cream
4 eggs, room temperature, separated
pinch sea salt
strawberries or other berries (optional)
extra chocolate to garnish (optional)

1. Melt chocolate over low heat and then add caster sugar and 50g of cream and stir for 1-2 minutes until ingredients are combined and melted. Ensure you do not boil or burn the chocolate mixture. Take off the heat.

2. Place chocolate mixture in a mixing bowl. Add egg yolks and mix until combined. Set aside. Clean and dry mixing bowl before next step.

3. Place remaining cream into mixing bowl and whip until thickened. Again, set aside and clean and dry mixing bowl.

4. Place egg whites and salt into mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.

5. Add the reserved chocolate mixture and whipped cream to the bowl and fold mixture until well combined.

6. Place into serving bowls/glasses and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. The longer it is left to set, the "airier" and more "mousse-like" it will be.

7. Garnish with strawberry/berries and grated chocolate to serve.

Pasta e Broccoli

Most Italians, or at least Southern Italians, will recognise this traditional dish - pasta e broccoli (pasta and broccoli). As a child, you either loved it or hated it. As an adult, you will love the simplicity of this dish and the amount of time it takes to cook (it's very quick). My children all eat it, but best of all, my youngest and fussiest child eats it every time! Hallelujah!

 

 

Pasta e Broccoli

 

Serves 4-6

 

1-2 heads of broccoli

1-2 potatoes

300g spaghetti

oil

salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

 

1. Clean broccoli and chop up into small pieces. I usually discard the thicker parts of the stem. Apparently, the florets are packed with the most nutrients anyway so this is okay. The florets cook the fastest, and that is why I prefer to just use them and not the thicker stems. However, there is no reason you can't include the stems.

 

2. Peel and chop potatoes into small bite size pieces.

 

3. Place broccoli and potatoes in a saucepan with water. Ensure the saucepan is large enough to also cook the pasta in. Place on stove top on high and bring to the boil. Leave it boil for at least 10 minutes so that the potatoes and broccoli become half cooked.

 

4. Meanwhile, break or snap your spaghetti into 2-3cm pieces. You don't need to be precise, so long as they are short enough to be picked up with a spoon. You can buy spaghetti already cut into smaller pieces but sometimes it's therapeutic to stand there snapping pasta!





The snapped pasta

5. Add the pasta to the half cooked broccoli and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add a touch of olive oil. Continue boiling until the pasta is cooked to your liking.

 

6. Then, simply dish out ready for eating. It is lovely served with fresh grated Parmesan on top.

 

 

Notes:

 

Some people mash the broccoli and potatoes up completely before adding the pasta. I have done this in the past when my children refused to eat broccoli, but I'm now able to leave it a little more intact :)

 

Amounts of pasta and other ingredients are easily adjustable and will depend on how many adults/children are eating and whether you are having this dish as a meal on its own or as a starter.

 

Are you familiar with this dish? Do you make it in a different way?