Thai Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Simple and yet delightful!

 INGREDIENTS

1 Medium sized Jap Pumpkin cut into chunks (I leave nice skin on)

1 large onion, diced

1-2 tablespoons grated ginger

2 cloves Garlic, crushed

6-8 fresh Kaffir lime leaves*
The inner soft part of 1-2 lemongrass sticks, finely chopped (I often leave this out but it does add a lovely flavour if available)

1tsp Celtic sea salt

1tsp herb salt or 2tsp vegetable stock powder

1 can coconut cream

4-6 Cups water

Olive oil

METHOD

Place the pumpkin on trays and drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Roast in the oven on 200 degrees Celsius for approximately 40 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

While the pumpkin is roasting, sauté the onion, ginger, garlic and Kaffir lime leaves until soft and then add about 4 cups water. Leave to simmer 

Once pumpkin is cooked remove the Kaffir lime leaves. Then add pumpkin along with the remaining ingredients.

Blend with a stick blender adding water as needed (I like it nice and thick) 

Serve with freshly chopped coriander.

*Kaffir lime leaves are what give thai dishes that wonderful flavour. You can get them from some green grocers and suppermarkets. Best of all, grow your own. My Mum has a tree in her backyard and I am spoiled with a constant supply. You can dry them or keep them fresh in the freezer once picked. I find that I use more when the leaves are dried.

 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  (Psalms 37:4)
 

Posted By: Natasha Mansour

Rich Tomato Spaghetti Pizza

 

If you are a fan of pizza you will enjoy this. It is quick and easy to make and tastes delicious. If you have a bread machine make your pizza base according to the recipe suited to your machine then follow rest of instructions for the topping.  If you do not own a bread machine follow each step as outlined below, you wont be sorry.

For this recipe I used a kitchen Aid standard mixer with dough hook to knead the dough. If you do not have an electric mixer the dough can be kneaded by hand.

Makes 1 large pizza (6-8) people

Pizza base

1 cup wholemeal bakers or stone ground flour

1 cup unbleached plain flour

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 Teaspoon sugar

1 Teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons olive oil

luke warm water to mix (if temperature of water is too hot it will kill the yeast)

Method

Place all ingredients except the water into a mixing bowl. Attach dough hook. Slowly add the water and knead until dough clings to dough hook and sides of mixing bowl become clean. This is usually done on a low speed or according to manufacturers instructions for your machine. Continue to knead dough for about 4 minutes.  If you are doing this by hand. Add water slowly a little at a time until a soft dough is formed. Knead for about 10 minutes.

 

The method of rising bread as follows is very simple. With this method the dough rises within 30 minutes and is then ready to be used. This method works well during the winter months when the room temperature is a lot cooler.

 Remove dough from mixing bowl and place in a large lightly oiled bowl to rise. Take a sheet of glad wrap, spray with oil on one side and cover bowl. This prevents dough sticking to plastic when you remove it.

Place the bowl over a dish rack. Place this over your sink. Put in the plug. Boil a jug of water and pour into sink.

 Place a hot wet tea towel over the bowl

Then cover with a towel, making sure the sink area is completely covered by the towel so no steam can escape. Leave until dough has doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. In the summer months the dough will rise quicker.  Keep an eye on it. After the dough has been rising 15 minutes turn the oven on to 200C to preheat.

Dough is risen and ready to use

Lightly spray a pizza tray with oil. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use your hands or a rolling pin to form dough into desired shape and thickness. Take a fork and prick the base and edges of pizza crust. this allows steam to escape and even rising while cooking.  Place in preheated oven at 200C middle rack. Cook pizza base for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven.

Rich Tomato Spaghetti Topping 

(make this while dough is rising)

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

3 medium size garlic cloves, minced

1 400g tin Italian diced tomatoes 

2 Teaspoon light tasting honey or agave or your choice of sweetening

1/2 to 1 Teaspoon salt or according to taste 

1 40g tomato paste

1 400g tin spaghetti in tomato sauce or make your own

Method

Add small amount of oil to a pan and place on medium heat. Add onion, saute until soft then add minced garlic cook further 2 minutes. Add diced tomatoes with juice, sweetening and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, turn down heat and simmer until mixture has cooked down and thickened. Adjust flavor if needed.

Spread tomato paste over cooked pizza crust. Add tomato topping and spread evenly over crust. Then add spaghetti. Place pizza back in oven for a further 15 to 20 minutes until edges of pizza crust just start to lightly brown.

 

 

ENJOY

Proverbs 3:6  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thin own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Posted by Yiannoulla Burness

Rocket Pesto Pasta Salad with Roasted Pumpkin, Leek and Mushroom

It has been rather hot here in Cooranbong NSW lately, and the last thing you feel like doing is eating and preparing a hot meal. My pregnancy cravings came up with this rather scrumptious lunch meal.

Ingredients:

5 cups diced pumpkin (large 2 cm cubes)

1 leek, sliced thinly

500g mushrooms, quartered

2 Tbs tamari (soy sauce)

2 Tbs olive oil

1 packet of Penne pasta

•   Mix the cubed pumpkin together with a little olive oil and place on a lined baking tray. Roast in the oven for approx 30-40 minutes (this could vary a lot - my oven is VERY old) until soft and browned. Set aside to cool.
• Fry together the leek and mushrooms in the tamari and olive oil. Set aside.
• Cook the pasta until just cooked. Immediately drain and rinse and let sit in cold water.

Pesto:

3/4 cup Tamari Almonds (if you cannot find tamari almond you may use regular almonds, adding a little tamari to the pesto)

4 cloves garlic

1/8 cup olive oil

1 tsp celtic salt

3 cups Basil leaves

1/4 cup sundried tomato, sliced

•  Place all pesto ingredients into a food processor and process until well combined. You may add a little lemon juice or water if it needs to be thinner. We enjoy a little lemon juice for an extra bite.

TO SERVE: Drain the pasta and then mix through the pesto. Add the roasted pumpkin and mushrooms, and 2 large handfuls of rocket leaves. Mix well and serve! 

Proverbs 3:27  "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it."
 

Posted by Melissa Awde