Fifteen Minute Feast

We needed a quick meal with limited supplies in the pantry. I never thought it would end up on the blog but it tasted so good and I had friends ask for the recipe. We all need a last minute hearty meal at times so here is an idea. Try it for yourself.

INGREDIENTS

2 400g cans chickpeas, drained

1 400g can diced tomatoes

1/2 can coconut cream

1 large onion/ four shallots. finely diced/sliced

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

2 generous tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp mixed herbs

1 tsp Celtic salt

fresh coriander (optional)

METHOD

This dish is served on quinoa, rice or couscous so the first thing I did was put the rice/quinoa on to boil or couscous on to soak in boiling water.

Saute the onion in a little oil till soft

Add garlic and seasonings and saute for a further 30 seconds

Add chickpeas, tomatoes and coconut cream

Bring to the boil and then turn down to simmer while you wait for the rice/quinoa/couscous 

Make a toss salad while you wait.

Once everything is ready stir through a little fresh coriander if desired and serve.

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
(Proverbs 31:10&27)

Posted by: Natasha Mansour

Better Than Butter Spread

A dairy free alternative for butter, that is healthy and nutritious.  Spreadable like butter, even looks like butter. The mild flavor of this spread blends well with sweet or savory. Use in place of butter or margarine, except in baking. It will keep up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Makes 3/4 of a cup

Ingredients

2 cups water

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup macadamia nut pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Method

1) Place water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

2) Mix cornmeal with a little water to form a thick paste, add to boiling water. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring continually until mixture thickens.

3) Wash macadamia nuts to remove any shell particles. Drain off water and place in a blender.

4) Add hot cornmeal and salt to nuts. Blend until smooth as butter.   

5) Pour  better than butter spread into a butter dish to cool.

 It is important to make sure cornmeal is hot when adding it to the nuts so it will set when cooled. 

John 15:7 If ye ABIDE in me, and my words ABIDE in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Posted by Yiannoulla Burness

Sushi

Sushi is a favourite with my boys. Every time we head to the shops the boys are pleading for "Susi!" It is very hard to find sushi made with healthful ingredients, so at home we make our own brown rice sushi. It is ultra easy and anyone can do it with the right utensils. So get out your nori sheets and sushi mat and start rolling!

Makes 20 approx.

Ingredients

1 packet of Nori Sheets
2 1/2 cups of Brown rice, uncooked
300g block of firm Tofu, sliced in long 1/2cm rectangles
Lettuce
Avocado, sliced in lengths
Cucumber, sliced in lengths thinly
Carrot, julienned

Step 1: Cook the brown rice in double amount the water. Bring to the boil and lower to a simmer and let cook for 45 mins. Add a tsp of Celtic salt and 1 tsp of Tamari to the rice mixture. Let the rice cool down before using on the nori sheets.

Step 2: Fry the Tofu strips in a little smear of olive oil and tamari until browned on both sides. I use my sandwich press for this, or you can use a fry pan (non-stick is preferable).

Step 3: Have all the vegetables cut up and ready to use.

Step 4: Place a nori sheet on your sushi mat. Moisten your hands with water before handling the rice. Press the brown rice onto the nori sheet making it a little less then a centimetre in thickness. Leave about an inch free from brown rice at the further end.

Step 5: Place all your ingredients in a long row. Tofu first, lettuce, avocado, carrot and cucumber.

Step 6: When you are ready to roll, quickly turn in the first end of the sushi mat around the vegetables and press firmly. Lift up the sushi mat a little and continue to roll the sushi until almost at the end. Wet the end of the sushi with water and roll over the edge  to stick. This is quite complicated to explain so if you can search 'sushi making' in youtube you should be right.

Cut the Sushi Roll in half and enjoy!

Posted by Melissa





'Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.'     Psalm 127:3

Scrambled Tofu

This is a lovely breakfast recipe. I have made it many times. It was fun when we were sitting at the Awde table one day and our friend who didn't like tofu said "these eggs are really good, Melissa! How did you make them?"

Here is a basic recipe but feel free to experiment with your favourite flavors. I often do.

Ingredients

1 medium onion

1-2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 red capsicum (optional)

1 tablespoon mixed herbs

1/2-1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp vegetable stock powder or herb salt (for a yeast free alternative)

350g firm tofu, chopped fine in food processor or mushed between your fingers.

oil for frying

Method

Saute onion, garlic and capsicum until soft

Add seasonings

Add tofu and fry for about 5-10 minutes. If you use a non-stick pan and leave it on the stove, stirring about every 5 minutes, the tofu will clump together somewhat and will get browned in places. It is not essential but gives a nice flavour and texture.

Serve on toast with avocado, fresh greens, tomato, cucumber etc. Also lovely with breakfast lentils or homemade baked beans.

 

  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits... Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.  Psalm 103:1 & 5

Posted By: Natasha

Power Packed Basil Pesto

A power packed easy to prepare recipe. Made in minutes. Enjoy the many health benefits provided by the simple ingredients.

Basil pesto is a wonderful tasting accompaniment to pasta. Great as a dipping sauce for fresh cut vegetables. Use it on pizza instead of cheese.

Variation

For raw pesto, soak pine nuts for 6 hours or overnight, then add to recipe. For a more creamy pesto add the flesh of an avocado. For hot and spicy add 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Use macadamia, almond, walnut or cashew nuts in place of pine nuts.

Makes 1 ¾ cups

Ingredients

  

1 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

4 medium size cloves of garlic

2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed

1 cup baby spinach leaves, tightly packed

¼ cup fresh parsley (flat or curly leaf)

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons salt

Sprinkling of olives for garnish (optional)

Sprinkling of baby spinach or basil leaves for garnish

Method

1) Toast pine nuts lightly, set aside to cool. 

 

2) Wash basil, spinach leaves and parsley. Remove excess water using a salad spinner or towel dry.

 

3)  Peel and roughly chop garlic

4) Place all the ingredients in a food processor, except the olives. Process on high speed until smooth.

 

Best prepared just before serving as basil loses its flavor easily.

Serve over pasta and garnish with olives and baby spinach or basil leaves.

Pesto will keep up to 4-5 days in the fridge. When kept in the fridge the top tends to oxidize. Just scrape off a thin layer before use.

 

Health benefits of this recipe

Fresh leafy spinach known for its high nutritious content, will provide you with a high dose of folic acid. An adequate intake of folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects in pregnant women. Our body loves it because it helps produce and maintain new cells, especially red blood cells. Deficiency in this vitamin causes anemia. It is high in vitamins A & C and minerals of iron and magnesium.
  
Basil calms nervous digestive disorders. Eases migraines caused by or associated with poor digestion. Increases production of milk in breast feeding women. Known to ease menstrual pain.

  
Parsley provides a rich source of Vitamin A, C & K, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium. High in antioxidants. Helps control blood cholesterol levels as well as your heart rate and blood pressure.

Pine nuts are rich source of amino acids ( used to help build the proteins in our body). A source of vitamin A, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, thiamin, niacin and riboflavin.

 Psalms 104:14   He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth

  Posted by Yiannoulla Burness

 

LAST MINUTE Sausage Rolls

I am sooooo excited to be back online and posting! We had such a wonderful time in Fiji, the Lord truly blessed our trip. We enjoyed wonderful food whilst over there and we REALLY MISS the pineapples, papaya and coconuts, but we are blessed with beautiful food here in Australia too.

Today it was hot and steamy and not the perfect weather for spending too much time in the kitchen, so I had to come up with something quick and easy.

Ingredients:

1 packet of Lebanese Bread

Filling:
1 cup Quick Oats
1 cup Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Cashew, Brazil, etc)
300g Silken Tofu
1/2 cup Soy/Rice Milk
1 Tbs Tamari
1 tsp Celtic Salt
1/4 cup Sundried Tomatos, chopped
3 cloved garlic, crushed
1 cup fresh Coriander/parsley

STEP 1: Place all the filling ingredients together into a food processor and process well.

STEP 2: Split the Lebanese Bread

STEP 3: Place the filling across one edge of the Lebanese bread and then roll.

STEP 4: Cut the roll into 4 equal portions. Place on a lined tray and bake at 180 degress celsius for 20 mins.

Serve with homemade Tomato Sauce and ENJOY!

Posted by Melissa Awde

'Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!'     Psalms 133:1

Raw Vegan Cheezy Kale Chips

Eat your greens as a crispy crunchy snack and enjoy its health benefits at the same time. Kale is bursting with goodness, and is an excellent source of manganese, iron, calcium, copper, vitamin A C E & K. Also high in dietary fiber.

 Kale chips are dried out at a very low temperature in a dehydrator. This helps retain vitamins, minerals and enzymes which can be destroyed when cooking. If you do not have a dehydrator you may use an oven. Oven temperature needs to be set at its lowest. Put kale chips on sheets of baking paper and set on trays in oven. Dry out 12 – 14 hours, or until crisp. The dehydrator used in this recipe is an Excalibur. If you have a different make follower manufacturers instructions.

Ingredients

400g of kale leaves, (dinosaur, curly or Russian kale)

 

2 cups raw cashews, soaked and drained

80g raw carrot peeled and chopped

1 1/2 tablespoon onion powder 

(make your own onion powder by taking dried onion and blending in a high speed blender. 1 1/2 tablespoons dried onion equals 2 tablespoons powder)

2 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoon savoury yeast flakes

 1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup water

½ teaspoon agave

1-2 teaspoon salt

Method

1) Put raw cashews in a glass bowl or jar, cover with water and soak 8-24 hours.

Rinse well before using in recipe.

2) Wash and remove the stems from kale, tear or cut into large pieces. Dry kale in a salad spinner or between two towels, then set a side in a large bowl.

3) Place the rest of ingredients, including the cashew nuts into a high speed blender. Blend until well blended and creamy. Add extra water a little at a time if required. Mixture should resemble a thick batter consistency, without any trace of nut particles.

4) Pour cashew cheez mixture over kale leaves. Using your hands, massage the cashew cheez into the kale until well incorporated, (you may want to wear gloves).

5) Take the kale and spread out onto mesh pollyscreens.  Place screens on trays and put into dehydrator. 

Dehydrate at 135 degrees for 3 hours then turn down temperature dial to 115 and continue to dehydrate 12 more hours. Kale chips are done, when they are crisp and crunchy.

6) Store chips in air tight containers, preferably glass. 

Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Posted by Yiannoulla Burness

Carob Crunch Squares

 

 Carob crunch was made using whatever ingredients I had in the pantry at the time. You can do the same. Let your imagination run wild. Add dried fruit to replace some of the liquid sweetener.  Try different nut butters and whole nuts. Use puffed wheat or millet instead of rice. Shredded coconut instead of fine coconut.

Ingredients

1 cup desiccated coconut

¼ cup sesame seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

1 cup almond slivers ,roasted

½ cup brazil nuts, roughly chopped

¼ cup crunchy peanut butter

¼ cup tahini

300g carob unsweetened buttons

1 ¼ cup agave* or other sweetener

1 tablespoon carob powder, heaped

1 cup rice puffs

½ teaspoon salt

Method

    - Roast almonds 15 minutes in hot oven, watch the nuts do not  burn. Set aside until cool. 

    - Put nuts and remainder of ingredients in a large mixing bowl, except carob buttons.

    - Place carob buttons in a medium size stainless steel bowl. Fill a saucepan with 2cm water, bring to boil. Place bowl over top of saucepan so it acts like a double boiler. Let water simmer gently under bowl, helping to melt carob. When carob is almost melted, add 1-2 tablespoon of water to thin the melted carob.

     - Add melted carob to rest of ingredients. Stir until well combined.

     - Place a sheet of baking paper inside a baking dish 28 x 20cm. Spoon carob mixture into dish, press down firmly with a large spoon.

       - Place in the refrigerator and allow to set.

     - Lift carob crunch out of dish holding onto the baking paper. Peel off paper. Cut into squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

 ENJOY

Psalm 199: 103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea sweeter than honey to my mouth! 

 

Posted by Yiannoulla Burness