Mind Your Feed

Using a new blog site

2012-04-10T09:12:00.001+10:00

Hi to all my followers. I am not happy with "Blogger" so I have moved my blog over to Wordpress, http://mindyourfeed.wordpress.com/, I am much happier with this site and would love for you all to come on over and follow me there. I will be deleting this blog over the next 2 weeks. Cheers

Cauliflower and pomegranate salad

2012-04-03T13:17:00.000+10:00

The big boys are at their father's for the first week of the holidays so the Failsafe eating goes on holidays too and we eat whatever the hell we like! On the weekend, we were out shopping for food and I found a huge, delicious looking pomegranate and decided I must have it for a salad during the week. Once I got it home, I really didn't quite know what to do with it so Google, once again, was my friend. I looked up pomegranate salads and came across a recipe by Angela Hartnett, a British Michelin Star rated chef who has worked for the likes of Gordon Ramsay. It sounded so delicious apart from a couple of ingredients, so in true Schana form, I tweaked the recipe and came up with my own.

1 cauliflower
1 medium red onion finely sliced
3 oranges peeled and segmented
1 pomegranate
2 tbsps of roughly chopped fresh mint

60 mls of red wine vinegar
20 mls of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp of French or Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Remove the stalk from the cauliflower and cut into smallish florets. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil then add the cauliflower. Cook until just tender. Drain and run under cold water. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil and mustard then stir through the onion and set aside for about 10 minutes to "cook" the onion slightly. In the meantime, cut the pomegranate in half and remove the "jewels". You can either painstakingly pick them out one by one or holding the pomegranate half in your palm cut side down and over a bowl, beat it with a wooden spoon until all the jewels come out. Pick through it to remove any of the hard, inedible white stuff (much easier and quicker than picking out the jewels). Once the cauli has drained well, toss all the ingredients together and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Deep fried whitebait

2012-03-30T17:12:00.002+11:00

"Ooh, everything we eat is a delicacy mum!" was what my oldest son said to me last night. I had planned to just have mussels with some fresh bread for dinner but when I went to our wonderful fish monger, he had fresh whitebait and I just couldn't resist! It's amazing how something that is so simple can be so delicious. Admittedly I have to block out of my mind that I am eating fish that still have their heads and guts intact. Never in a million years did I ever think that I could bring myself to eat something like this but after trying it in a restaurant a couple of years ago, it is one of my favourite treats. We eat them just as they are but they are also yummy dipped in a little mayonnaise.

There is no precise recipe for this so all quantities are approximate.

250g of fresh whitebait
2 tbsps of garlic powder
1 tsp of salt
1 cup of all purpose gluten free plain flour
Oil for deep frying

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl then toss the whitebait through until well coated. Heat the oil in a saucepan or deep fryer until bubbles form when the handle of a wooden spoon is dipped in. Carefully place handfuls of the whitebait in and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

moules en mirepoix bouillon

2012-03-30T14:02:00.001+11:00

This is such a simple but tasty dish that I thought it deserved a fancy name, mussels in mixed vegie broth just doesn't do it justice. Besides, as I was cooking it, my dad and my oldest son were playing with the translator app on dad's iphone, translating English sentences into French. It seems to be the entertainment every Thursday evening when mum and dad visit.

3 kgs of fresh mussels in their shells
2 medium carrots finely diced
2 large shallots finely diced
1 celery heart finely diced (the heart is the sweet, pale centre of the celery)
2 tsps of citric acid
8 cloves of crushed garlic
2 tbsps of oil
1/3 of a cup of finely chopped fresh parsley

Clean the mussels by removing their beards and rinsing under water. Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Toss in all the vegetables including the garlic and sautee for about 5 minutes. Stir through the citric acid and then add the mussels and cover with a lid. Cook for several minutes, shaking the pot or stirring a few times throughout. I can't give a time because every time I cook mussels, the timing is different. The trick is to keep checking them and when they just open, they are done. Once cooked, stir through the parsley. (You may find it takes a little practise to perfect it but it's certainly worth it. I often find that quite a few don't open so I remove the open ones and cook the unopened ones a little longer). Contrary to popular belief, there is no need to discard any mussels that don't open, you just prise them open with a knife, carefully of course. Serve with some good crusty bread.

They're certainly not the most attractive food now are they?

Basic gluten free bread, that actually tastes good

2012-03-30T12:56:00.002+11:00

I did it!! I developed a recipe for some seriously yummy gluten free bread. It's not light, white and fluffy like bread made from wheat flour but I guess those of you who live gluten free have come to realise that there really is no such luxury with gf bread. As long as it's tasty and not too dry and heavy is all we can ask for really. The best thing about this bread is that both my big guys liked it. I have had so much trouble finding a bread that they will both eat. Even my parents, who pop in to see their grandsons every Thursday, enjoyed it and said they would eat it again (they're not gluten free so that's a pretty big call) and dad said it was delicious with just butter! Wow, I was chuffed :o)

I followed no recipe, just my own flour blend that I stumbled across by chance a few weeks back when making pastry. Admittedly I ended up making 2 loaves as the first was a little dry and doughy but all it needed was a little more water. Next time I think I will play around with it a some more too, see if I can get it a little lighter and fluffier.

1 quantity of savoury flour mix
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking powder
1 tbsp of maple syrup
1 1/3 cups of lukewarm water
4 1/2 tsps of dried yeast
2 tbsps of oil

Stir the yeast and maple syrup into the water and set aside for a few minutes until frothy on top. In a largish bowl, combine the flour mix, salt and baking powder and gently whisk to aerate. You could sieve it if you like but I'm a little lazy and find that whisking does the same job. Make a well in the centre. Once the yeast blend is ready, mix in the oil then pour into the dry ingredients. Using your hands, mix until a soft dough forms. You will find it very sticky and you may find it easier to turn it onto a lightly floured bench (I use rice flour for this) and knead it gently. Place into a lightly greased loaf tin or onto a lightly grease baking tray (it depends on whether you want a free form or uniform loaf). Cover loosely with cling film and set aside in a warm spot for about an hour to prove. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 45 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

The loaf on the left is the not so successful one

It looks like bread, it smells like bread and it even tastes like bread!

Savoury flour blend

2012-03-30T12:39:00.001+11:00

I stumbled across this mix a few weeks back when I was making some pastry. It tasted soooo good that I decided to try it again when I made pizzas. It worked a treat and I thought it was the best tasting pizza base I had ever had. So now I will use it time and time again but certainly not for cakes. It makes approximately, but not exactly, 500 grams of flour.

1 cup of besan (also called chick pea or gram) flour
175g of arrowroot (tapioca flour)
1/2 cup of quinoa flour
1/2 cup of rice flour
1 1/2 tsp guar gum
1 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum

Mix all ingredients together really well.

Asian style chicken noodle soup

2012-03-28T10:40:00.000+11:00

Another recipe I have posted before, but so yummy it deserves its own bill. We eat this often as it's so delicious and easy. It is also great all year round as it's warming in winter and refreshing in summer. I also find it fantastic for modifying with ease for those who aren't food sensitive. For myself and my partner, I add sesame oil and harissa to the bowl before serving. Sometimes I'll also add a splash of soy sauce or chilli flakes and some fresh Asian herbs, it really just depends on my mood.

2 litres chicken stock

1 kg chicken mince (I use half breast and half thigh)

6 spring onions roughly sliced on the diagonal

2 cloves garlic crushed

¼ small cabbage shredded

1 bunch Chinese broccoli or other Asian greens, roughly chopped (optional)

1 cup mung bean sprouts

1 cup green beans roughly chopped

2 stalks celery finely sliced

Tin of bamboo shoots, don't drain as the liquid adds flavour

1 cup roasted cashews

Salt to taste

¼ tsp citric acid

250g packet rice vermicelli noodles (larger pack if you really like noodles)

Bring stock to the boil in a medium saucepan. Add chicken mince and garlic and stir to break up mince. Cook about 5 – 10 minutes. Add celery, broccoli stalks, cabbage and citric acid and simmer for 2 minutes. Add remaining vegetables (except sprouts and spring onions) and simmer for 2 – 5 minutes until vegies are just tender then season to taste with salt. Whilst soup is simmering, prepare noodles according to packet directions, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop them sticking together. Place a good handful of noodles in each bowl along with some spring onions, mung bean sprouts and cashews then pour over soup. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. This recipe feeds at least 4. I usually get 2 serves of left overs as well....perfect for lunch the next day.

Stock piling

2012-03-27T09:39:00.004+11:00

With winter on our doorstep I decided it was time to make a big batch of stock. Soups are a staple here in the colder months and I wanted to make sure I have plenty of stock in the freezer. The recipe below is really just a guide, you can add more or less of any of the ingredients if you wish. I freeze a lot of offcuts from vegies so when it comes to making stock, it costs me next to nothing and is so quick and easy. I guess doing this serves 2 purposes, cheap, easy stock and the spring onions and celery fit in my fridge better with the tops removed. Of course I also add a few fresh things to the pot. For those who are less sensitive, you can add peeled carrots and other moderate vegetables if you wish.

8 chicken carcasses

2 leeks chopped roughly

Tops of 9 bunches of spring onions

Tops of 2 celeries

1 bulb of garlic, smashed and peeled

¼ white cabbage

1/2 a celery, leaves and all, roughly chopped

Stalks of a bunch of parsley

2 swedes, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tsps citric acid

1 tbsp Salt

Water

Place all ingredients into large boiler (20 litre) and fill just below the rim with water. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer no less than 2 hours. Scoop off a little of the fat that sits on the surface and store in 1 litre containers in the freezer (I also like to fill a few smaller containers just in case I cook something that needs only a little stock). For ease and safety, I carefully ladle it into the containers, making sure I don't get any of the vegies and chicken in with it. Only when it gets right down do I strain it. A 20 litre pot is VERY heavy when full!

Poppy seed and saffron chicken bake

2012-03-27T09:12:00.001+11:00

I know I've posted this before but it is so yummy it deserves to be posted again on its own separate page. With the weather really cooling down here now, it's perfect for firing up the oven and cooking warm, hearty meals and this one is my favourite. I have also cooked it without the poppy seeds and saffron which is really nice too, but they just give it another dimension and make it look a little more special.I know a lot of people gasp at the thought of using saffron as it is so expensive but if you buy it from an Indian grocer, it will cost you a fraction of what it costs at one of the big chain stores. I got at least 4 times as much for half the price.

8 Marylands, skin removed (or whatever joint you prefer. I often use just drummies, or a mix of drummies and thigh chops)
2 leeks, chopped
1 celery heart, finely sliced (leaves and all)
4 cloves of garlic
as much saffron as you can afford
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp citric acid
salt
1/2 cup canola, sunflower or rice bran oil
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley
1 large swede, diced into cubes about 1 1/2 cm
2 large carrots, diced into cubes about 1 1/2 cm

Grind the saffron in a mortar and pestle with a little salt then crush the poppy seeds in there too. Place the saffron, poppy seeds, 1 leek, the celery, garlic, parsley, maple syrup, citric acid, oil and water into a large dish and mix well. Add the chicken, stir to coat well then cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place remaining vegetables into a baking tray then add the chicken and marinade. Cover and bake for about an hour and a half, or until chicken is cooked through, turning the chicken pieces once during cooking. Remove the cover for the last 10 minutes.

Practically Perfect Pizzas!

2012-03-23T13:02:00.000+11:00

Pizzas have been a no go in this house for some time. I haven't been able to find a gluten free pizza base that both the kids like and also one that the other half would happily eat, the gluten fiend. A few weeks back I decided to make some GF pies and after having an absolute disaster with the packet pastry I bought that ended up in the bin, I tried my hand at making my own. I am not the worlds best baker by any means but I have to say that the pastry I conjured up was a total triumph and the pies even got my mum's nod of approval. Of course I hadn't started blogging at that point so the pies will be included in here at some stage down the track, although luckily I did write down what I put in the pastry, just not the filling and I have CRAFT disease.....can't remember a frigging thing.

Since the pastry was soooo delicious, yesterday I decided to use the same flour blend to make some pizza dough. I have, sorry correction, I had never made pizza dough without following a recipe before because I don't trust my baking skills, but this stuff was, and I don't like to use this word in this context but it really was.....awesome! We decided that it could very easily become a staple and I might even see if I can adapt the recipe into a bread of some sort.....especially now that I know I should never underestimate my baking abilities. Perhaps I have a hidden talent I never knew about....best I explore that then hey?

The topping posed a challenge to my brain too. There aren't many failsafe pizza toppings, especially when one child can't have dairy, now are there? So I got creative and improvised. For the meat I used "sizzle steaks" that I get from Woolworths. They are very thin slices of beef, about 2mm thick. Not batted out flat like a schnitzel, sliced like cold cuts. In fact, during summer, we used them as cold cuts and they are so versatile since they only take 20 seconds to cook. Yes, just 20 seconds....I timed it last night. I was putting 4 in the pan at a time and by the time I had the fourth piece in I had to turn the first and by the time I had turned the fourth, the first was done. I let them cool then sliced them into strips. Perfect pizza topping!

For the base:

1 cup of besan (chickpea) flour
175g of arrowroot
1/2 cup of quinoa flour
1/2 cup of rice flour
2 1/2 tsp guar gum
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried yeast
1 cup of lukewarm water
60 ml of oil

Mix all the flours, guar gum and salt in a large bowl and mix really well. Whisk the flour gently to aerate. (I'm a little lazy and never sift but you could if you prefer). Dissolve the sugar in the water and stir in the yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes or until it's a little frothy on top. Add the oil to the yeast mixture, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet stuff. Using your hands, slowly incorporate all the dry ingredients in with the yeast mixture and knead gently to form a dough. Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm place until required. Please note that it does not puff up like dough that is made from regular wheat flour. Divide the dough into 4 and roll out to about 2 or 3mm thick. I found it easier to handle by placing the dough on some baking paper before rolling, then picked up the paper and flipped the dough onto a greased tray.

For the topping:

There's no real recipe for this, just whatever you like really but here is what I did.

1/2 of a butternut pumpkin, roasted
1 potato sliced and cooked in the microwave for about 5 minutes
sizzle steaks cooked and sliced (you could use whatever meat you like as long as it's cooked and sliced)
1/2 a leek sauteed in a little oil until tender
pear sauce
mozzarella cheese
salt
garlic powder

To assemble, spread some pear sauce on the base. If using cheese, sprinkle a little over the sauce then add the other toppings in whatever order you desire. Finishing off with a little extra cheese. Still yummy if no cheese is used though, the toppings just don't stick as well. Bake at 180 degrees until the base is golden and crispy around the edges......I forgot to time how long it took, my bad.

Lettuce Delight

2012-03-21T10:23:00.002+11:00

This is a failsafe take on the good ol' san choy bau. I can't bring myself to call it that because it really tastes nothing like any that I have ever had, besides, it has no Asian flavours in it. The bean shoots I use were from our little kitchen garden. I let the mung bean sprouts go a few extra days and lo and behold, we had full blown bean shoots...mind you, a fair bit greener than what you buy in the shops but much tastier! I'm now wishing I had taken a photo of them because they looked so impressive, but my head was thumping last night and it was an effort just to cook the meal.

I serve this in a large bowl in the middle of the table and everyone fills their own lettuce cups. Of course you could fill the cups and serve them on individual plates. My kids love the involvement of making up their own.

1 1/2 kgs of lean mince (you could use chicken mince if you prefer)
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 celery stalk finely diced
8 - 10 onions, finely sliced and the white and light green firm bits separated from the darker green bits
2 cups of wombok, finely cut
2 cups of bean shoots
3 - 4 cloves of crushed garlic
3 tsps of salt
3/4 cup of pear juice
2 tbsps of maple syrup or brown sugar
3 tsps of citric acid
3 tbsps of oil
1 iceberg lettuce

Gently separate the lettuce cups and wash, then set aside to drain. In a wok or large fry pan, heat the oil over high heat until smoking hot. Add the celery, carrot and firm parts of the spring onions and stir fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir fry another minute then toss in the mince and brown. Add the pear juice, salt, citric acid, maple syrup and wombok and simmer, stirring regularly for about 15 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Stir through the bean shoots and remove from heat then add the greens of the spring onions.

Chick pea dip

2012-03-20T14:56:00.000+11:00

Kiddywink 2 is not just a keen gardener, he also likes to get in the kitchen and help me cook. Yes, he is often more of a hindrance than a help but it's nice that he shows such an interest. On our way back from the green lipped mussel trial introductory session, we decided we'd get in the kitchen together, after school, and make some dip. He always feels such a sense of achievement when he helps me, even if all he does is pop a couple of things in the food processor and turn it on then do the "taste test", reminding me the whole time to measure the ingredients for the blog (such a thoughtful little mite) than telling me that I need more "citriss" acid (he can't quite get his tongue around citric).

1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 clove of crushed garlic
2 roughly chopped spring onions
3 - 4 tbsps of oil
1/2 tsp citric acid (or to taste if you don't like things too tart)
1 tbsp of water
salt to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small pan and quickly sautee the onions for a minute or 2, just to take the raw edge off. Pop all the ingredients into a food processor and whiz until smooth. Add more oil or water if it is too thick.

Sprouting madness

2012-03-20T14:36:00.001+11:00

It seems that every meal this last few days has contained sprouts as the main ingredient. Let me reflect for a moment.....yes, I think the only time we haven't had sprouts was when the kids were at their father's. I'm amazed at how much cheaper our family meals have been though. Growing our own sprouts has not only been fun and interesting but very economical and delicious, not to mention how it has challenged my mind to come up with ideas.

Last night's dinner contained sprouts once again. I decided in the morning that we would have home made chicken burgers and salad. On the way into Hawthorn to Swinburne University where my middle son is participating in a green lipped mussel trial for kids with ADHD, we were discussing some ideas for dinner and he suggested I put some sprouts in the burgers. It sounded interesting so that's exactly what I did. Perhaps he is a chef in the making at the tender age of 7!

I had some cooked quinoa left over from the night before so I came up with another salad to use that up. We don't like wastage!

Chicken and sprout burgers

1 kg chicken mince (I find a combination of 500g breast and 500g thigh works best)
6 - 8 spring onions, cut in half lengthways and sliced finely
2 cups of sprouts
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup of rice crumbs
1 egg
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1 tsp salt
extra crumbs for rolling burgers in

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Using your hands will achieve a better result so if, like me, you don't like getting your hands in raw meat, wear a pair of disposable food safe gloves. Roll into balls of whatever size you prefer and toss through the extra crumbs. We cook ours on the bbq but you could fry them in a pan with a little oil until cooked through. Make sure you flatten them once you get them in the pan or on the hotplate.

Creamy quinoa and sprout salad

3/4 cup of quinoa, cooked the same as for the quinoa and mixed sprout salad
4 spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal
2 cups shredded wombok (Chinese cabbage)
garlic mayonnaise (see below)

Place all ingredients in a bowl with as much mayo as you desire and mix well.

Whole egg garlic mayonnaise

I find that if I use just the yolk, it becomes too thick and doesn't disperse through a salad properly. If you're making mayonnaise to have on sandwiches, use just the yolk but you'll need 2 eggs. Using the whole egg makes a nice runnyish mayo. Which ever one you make, it really only keeps for up to a week or so in the fridge. Admittedly, the citric acid acts as a preservative but I don't like to take the risk when dealing with raw egg. Anyway, it's so yummy you'll use it all pretty quickly I'm sure.

1 egg
1 cup of oil
1/2 tsp of citric acid
pinch of salt (to taste)
1 clove of crushed garlic (optional)

Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk until well combined and creamy (save your arms and use the whisk attachment of a stick blender). Gradually pour in the oil, whisking continually (I find pouring it in a very fine stream works best) until thick and mayonnaisey. Add the garlic, citric acid and salt and whisk a little more to combine.

Green lipped mussel trial

2012-03-20T13:17:00.000+11:00

Late last year, someone read something in the paper and thought it might be of interest to me. It was about a trial that Swinburne University of Technology were going to be running to test the effects of naturally occurring omega 3s on kids with with hyperactivity and inattentiveness. Of course I was interested! Anything natural that could help my son is always of interest to me. I sent the appropriate email and waited for a response. It took a few months for me to hear anything back, aside from the confirmation message I received after shooting off my email. Last Wednesday I received a call and after answering a few questions, we were accepted into the trial. We went into the university yesterday to meet the researcher and to learn more about the trial and we will be back there next Wednesday to begin.

The purpose of the trial is to look at the effects that a naturally occurring combination omega 3s has on kids who have symptoms of ADHD, whether formally diagnosed or not. Omega-3 fatty acids are lipids found in the cell membranes, mostly in the human nervous system. Since our bodies are unable to synthesise these fatty acids, we can only obtain them through diet, but the "typical" western diet is rather deficient in them. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential in maintaining proper tissue level throughout our bodies, including our heart and brain and they have been used for sometime to help manage arthritic complaints. Numerous studies have been done on omega 3s and they have been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of ADHD also.

The formula being used in the study are extracted from the New Zealand green lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus). They are made up of several compounds, triglycerides (forming the biggest portion), free fatty acids, phospholipids and sterols. The fatty acids in them are mostly polyunsaturated, the majority being omega-3, but they also contain omega-6 fatty acids. It is hoped that this naturally occurring combination will reduce the symptoms of ADHD.

I'm really interested to see if they make any difference in our lives. Of course there will be 2 test groups, one will be on the supplement and the other group will be on a placebo and we won't know which group we are in until the end of the trial. I guess we'll be able to work out which group we're in if we notice an improvement in my son but if we notice nothing, we'll really be none the wiser. At the end of the trial we will be given a 4 month supply of the treatment which will be fantastic. If we notice an improvement, we'll certainly be staying on them!

I'll keep you all updated as we progress through the trial.

Another sprout recipe

2012-03-19T08:21:00.001+11:00

Well this little kitchen garden of ours is really earning it's keep. We may have to give it a name at this rate! I think the growing conditions in our house are ideal as we have sprouts ready to eat within 3 days! It's kind of like having sprouts on tap. So it seems, with this warm weather, we'll be having a new salad every night....at least until Wednesday when the weather turns cold, then I'll have to come up with some warm dishes to use the sprouts in.

Quinoa and mixed sprout salad

I used red and white quinoa, mainly for aesthetics, but you could use just one variety if you wish. I also cooked it in my rice cooker, following the directions for rice. If you don't have a rice cooker, follow the directions on the quinoa packet.

1/2 cup of white quinoa
1/2 cup red quinoa
water
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
good pinch of saffron, ground in a mortar and pestle
2 1/2 cups of mixed sprouts
a handful of green beans, cut into 1 cm pieces
2 tbsp chopped chives
1 celery stalk, cut in half lengthways and finely sliced
basic dressing, but add 1 tsp of maple syrup

Cook the quinoa in the water, following either your rice cooker directions or packet directions, with the saffron, oil and salt. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

A Sunday morning treat

2012-03-18T09:10:00.001+11:00

We've decided to take Kiddywink 2 completely off dairy again to see if it helps reduce his ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) symptoms. Currently we all drink lactose free milk and use lactose free cream but I'm beginning to think that the proteins in the dairy could be affecting him also. I broke the news to him this morning and he had a mini meltdown....tears, screaming and wanting to die. Yes, rather a terrible thought for a child so young to have, but that's just part and parcel of the disorder from which he suffers. Thankfully this was just a mild meltdown and lasted only a few minutes. Once he was calm, I suggested I make him some cashew milk, something he had never heard of so was rather dubious about it. Fortunately he's the sort of kid who will happily try almost anything, so I got to work. It can be used hot or cold and makes a delicious hot cocoa or carob.

1 cup of raw cashews
3 cups boiling water
2 tsps white sugar

Process the nuts until they are almost pasty. Transfer to a bowl and add the water and sugar. Whisk until well combined. Voila! Cashew milk. If you don't like the "grainy" texture, you can strain the milk through a very fine sieve or some muslin. Store in a bottle in the fridge, and I would suggest to use it within a week.

Marvellous marinara

2012-03-17T21:14:00.000+11:00

As a treat, I sometimes splurge and make a marinara for dinner. The kids really love it, the little seafood fiends. When I make it without the boys around, I really go all out and as a result we have nicknamed it the "Million Dollar Marinara", but with them around we are much more limited with the seafood we can include in this delicacy. We have a brilliant fish monger so we can always be guaranteed the freshest and finest seafood and he will always get in anything we want, if it is seasonally available of course. Always be very wary when buying seafood if you or someone in the family has food sensitivities as a lot of suppliers freeze their produce which causes the levels of natural chemicals, like amines, to increase, besides, it doesn't taste as good.

For those of you local to the South/South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, we go to "Fish Tales" in Aspendale Gardens Shopping Centre, Narelle Drive, Aspendale Gardens. If you go, tell them Schana sent you.

200g scallops with the roe removed (a good fishmonger will do this for you)
1 octopus (about 400g) or 2 squid tubes, cut into bite sized pieces (make sure they haven't been frozen as they often are)
2 kg fresh mussels
2 large shallots (not spring onions) finely diced
1 bulb of garlic finely chopped
2 tbsp of finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp citric acid
pinch of salt
4 tbsp oil
500 g gluten free pasta

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Once smoking hot, throw in the cleaned mussels and cover with a lid. Shake the pot occasionally and cook until the mussels just open then remove from the heat immediately. Allow to cool slightly then pick all the meat out of the shells and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Just before the water reaches boiling point, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a fry pan. Add the shallots and sautee until translucent. At this point, add about a teaspoon of salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook as per the packet instructions. Add the garlic and octopus to shallots and cook until opaque then add the scallops. If using squid, cook for just a minute before adding the scallops. Cook the scallops until they are only just opaque. Stir through the parsley, citric acid and salt. Remove from heat.

Drain the pasta and toss through the sauce.

The sprout fest continued

2012-03-16T09:57:00.002+11:00

So, continuing on from the sprout fest, I made another sprouty salad to go with our barbecued meat. The kids were excited that there were leftovers to take to school for lunch, regardless of the fact that other kids think they're a little odd because of the "strange" food they eat. It's great they don't care, I'm sure they think the other kids are just jealous ;o)

Asian style sprout salad

1 heaped cup (or more, you don't have to be precise) of mixed sprouts
1/4 of a wombok (Chinese cabbage) finely shredded (again, add as much or as little as you like)
2 - 3 spring onions finely sliced on the diagonal
1 firm pear, pealed and sliced thinly
basic dressing

Toss all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to coat with dressing.

Baby rusks, first attempt

2012-03-16T09:34:00.005+11:00

So I was a little inspired by the empty box of baby rice rusks this afternoon. We have a lactose intolerant and suspected gluten intolerant bubba so finding baby food that is free of these two things is quite a challenge and not very cheap. I had no idea where to start really so I did a quick google of home made rice crackers and found a few idea. Obviously everything had all sorts of non failsafe ingredients so I really had to improvise. The result isn't quite as I had hoped but certainly pretty good for a first effort, besides, the big guys like them so I must have done something right. I guess I know that if bubs doesn't eat them his big bros will. Next time I will experiment with over cooked rice and perhaps some potato flour, this time I tried quinoa flakes and rice flour.

1 cup quinoa flakes
2 cups boiling water
1/2 tsp salt (I actually used a full teaspoon but personally I think they're just a little salty, not the kids though)
1 cup rice flour
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 150 degrees celsius. Mix the quinoa flakes with the water and salt and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and place into a blender or food processor. Add rice flour and baking powder and whiz until well combined and sticky. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and sprinkle liberally with rice flour. Using 2 teaspoons, scoop teaspoonfuls onto the tray (using the second teaspoon to scrape the dough off the first), roll them into little logs in the flour and then gently press flat (flour your fingers first). Bake for about 30 minutes then remove from tray and cool on a cake rack.

The first bite

So far so good

Yep, we have success

Haystacks

2012-03-14T20:18:00.002+11:00

These are another family favourite. Here, corn chips are tolerated in moderation but sometimes I will use deli style plain chips instead, depending on a certain someone's symptoms. Haystacks are such a quick, easy, no fuss meal and another great thing about them is they are easily adaptable for family members who aren't sensitive to food and like food with a bit more guts (I'll include some ideas for the less sensitive people too). The quantities given serve 2, so if you require it to serve more, obviously adjust quantities accordingly.

1 large pack of plain corn chips
1 quantity of baked beans or quick baked beans (if using the quick baked beans, I like to heat them up)
2 cups of shredded lettuce
2 spring onions, finely sliced
shredded mozzarella to taste, if tolerated

Sometimes, if I can be bothered with the mess, I'll put everything in bowls on the table and let the kids assemble their own, otherwise I place a couple of handfuls of chips on a plate, tops with beans, then cheese (if tolerated), lettuce and spring onions. It's that simple!

Now for something a little less friendly to have with the corn chips and salad. This is what I did for tonight's dinner (for the adults) but you can really add any herbs or spices you like. I sometimes omit the chorizo and use Mexican seasoning, or throw in some oregano, thyme and basil. Use your imagination and have some fun.

2 tins of beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion diced
1 chorizo cut into small cubes
1 finely chopped chilli
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onion and sautee for a minute or 2. Add chorizo, garlic and chilli. Cook for a few minutes until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes and bring to the boil. Stir in the beans and bring back to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Serve as per the recipe above and add any other salad bits you like.....avocado, tomato, cucumber.....yum.

That's a 10 out of 5 mum!

2012-03-13T21:15:00.001+11:00

Wow! I got a 10 star rating tonight. I asked how many stars out of 5 for tonight's dinner of "eggy rice" with chicken and it was a 10! So that means this one is off the charts with deliciousness. Even the other half raved about it.

I was inspired by something I saw on "Jamie's 30 Minute Meals" over the weekend. My mind instantly went into overdrive to work out how I could adapt it for a family meal. I jotted down a few ideas and couldn't wait to give them a try.

I cheat and use a rice cooker for all my rice and why wouldn't I when it is fool proof and so easy? I highly recommend purchasing one...it is my most used appliance in the kitchen, aside from the the kettle and microwave. All quantities given for the rice are based on my rice cooker's guidelines. If you don't have a rice cooker and don't plan on getting one, use the same amounts and cook as per the packet instructions for the absorption method.

Eggy rice

2 cups white long grain rice
2 cups quinoa (if you don't like quinoa, what is wrong with you? No seriously, just add 2 extra cups of rice)
water
pinch of saffron
pinch of salt
5 eggs
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp oil (Failsafe of course)
1/2 tsp citric acid
pinch of salt
3 to 4 spring onions finely sliced
3/4 cup of defrosted frozen peas (fresh would be nice too if you have them)

Place rice and quinoa in rice cooker and fill to 4 with water. Grind the saffron in a mortar and pestle with the salt and add to the rice water. Turn on cooker.

In a bowl or jug, lightly beat the eggs with the water, oil, citric acid and salt. Add the onions and peas and mix well. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it gently and pour the egg mixture over, stirring very lightly through the top quarter of the rice. Close the lid and set aside.

Stir fried chicken slices

4 chicken breasts sliced thinly

1/4 cup of water

1/3 cup of oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp citric acid

1/4 tsp salt

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 - 3 spring onions finely sliced

2 tbsp oil for frying

Place all ingredients, except the chicken, in a non metallic dish and mix well. Add the chicken, cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. stirring occasionally.

Heat a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the oil and heat through. Drain the marinade off the chicken and in about 5 batches, stir fry the chicken until cooked through. The wok will caramelise but don't worry about it as it really adds to the flavour.

To serve

Spoon rice into bowls then top with the chicken. Pour a little of the chicken juice into each bowl and serve.

Beautiful beets

2012-03-13T16:14:00.001+11:00

Last night's dinner wasn't ALL about sprouts, I also made a very simple yet delicious beetroot salad. I was tempted to put some sprouts in it but I realised that might be going a little overboard, yes? Yes. So I remembered that old saying, "Keep it simple, stupid" and did just that. I used the same dressing that I put on the pear and sprout salad, I only needed one quantity of it for both.

Beetroot salad

5 medium to large beetroot
3 spring onions, sliced finely on the diagonal
basic dressing

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Wrap beets individually in foil and bake in oven for about 45 minutes or until just tender when poked with a knife. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly then peel and cut into wedges (about 12 wedges per beet). Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

"Tinned" beetroot

My guys just love tinned beetroot, so after discovering their intolerance to additives, they were devastate that they could no longer eat one of their favourite salad ingredients. After a quick analysis of ingredients, I realised that I could achieve a similar result with all natural, Failsafe ingredients. I don't add sugar to mine as I find the beets are sweet enough, plus I'm a little opposed to my kids having too much sugar, but some people like the extra sweetness. The "pickled" beetroot lasts in the fridge for about 2 - 3 weeks.

5 beets
2 tsps citric acid
salt to taste
sugar to taste
water

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Wrap beets individually in foil and bake about 45 minutes or until just tender. Allow to cool slightly then peel and cut into slices about 1/2 centimetre thick. Mix citric acid, salt and sugar with enough water to dissolve then add sliced beetroot. Top up with enough water to cover then refrigerate.

The sprout fest (NO, not the Brussels variety!)

2012-03-13T15:17:00.001+11:00

With so many sprouts from our kitchen garden, I sprouted an idea and got creative. I had originally planned to make some lentil patties but with so many sprouts looking me in the eye from the kitchen bench, I thought adding them to the patty mix might be interesting. This then led me to have an epiphany about a sprout salad. Really, I was sprouting ideas left, right and centre!

Lentil and mixed sprout patties

I cooked these on the BBQ but they are just as yummy cooked in a fry pan. I do find these are a little dry, but I have always found that any home made lentil patties are. Nothing a dollop of sauce or mayo can't fix. My boys love them with my pear sauce but personally, I can't go past the good ol' sweet chilli. If you can tolerate cheese, add a cup of your favourite to the mix, grate it first of course.

1 1/2 cups of mixed sprouts (if you're not growing your own, any Failsafe sprouts will do, mixed or not)
400g tin of lentils, drained and rinsed well
4 or 5 spring onions cut in half length ways and sliced finely
2 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup of besan flour (also known as gram or chickpea flour)
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk (I use Zymil lactose free but you can use soy, rice or regular moo juice)
salt to taste
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp Failsafe oil
Oil for frying

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Heat oil in a fry pan over high heat. Place tablespoonfuls into the pan and cook until golden then flip and cook some more. Yes, they're really that simple!

Pear and sprout salad

I was getting sick of the usual salads I've been making all summer so I was straining my brain for some inspiration, which seems to be a regular thing for me. Once again, the sprouts were staring me in the face, mocking me and saying, "Go on, we dare you". So I did, I turned them into a salad. So I can now see that this will become a favourite and I'll make it until I am sick of it I'm sure, but it WAS yum.


My well established black lentil sprouts

1 heaped cup of well established sprouts
1 firm pear, peeled and cut into straws
1/2 celery stalk sliced very finely

Bung it all in a bowl and mix well. Throw over enough "basic dressing" to make it glisten.

Our little kitchen garden

2012-03-13T14:20:00.000+11:00

My middle son, the one with ADHD, is a fanatic about gardening. On a recent trip to Bunnings he came across a "Kitchen Seed Sprouter" by Mr Fothergill's (http://mrfothergills-seeds-bulbs.com.au/Kitchen-Seed-Sprouters/), so I bought it for him, realising how wonderful it would be to grow our own sprouts. I couldn't find any "Failsafe" sprout seeds at Bunnings so decided I'd try my luck with lentils and a few other legumes from the supermarket and local spice bazaar. They were all a success, except for the chickpeas which went mouldy. The kids just love taking care of the little garden and get great delight in watching the sprouts grow. The best thing about it is they sprout within a day or 2 and most varieties are ready to eat in about 3 days. Needless to say, we have had a "sprout fest"!


Our kitchen seed sprouter in full flight

Black lentil sprouts from the supermarket

Good old regular green lentis

Mixed salad, not Failsafe so they're for me

Mung (Moong) bean sprouts. I got the beans from an Indian spice bazaar

Something different

2012-03-11T11:04:00.001+11:00

Well it's Sunday morning and the kids are at their father's so I decided to cook something different and not allergy friendly for brekky. It was such a success that I have decided to put it on here. I think us parents of sensitive kids need a bit of "mind food" every now and then too. I was inspired by something I saw on the box during the week and in true Schana fashion, toyed with the original recipe. It serves 2 and really could be served for brekky, lunch or dinner. Since cooking and eating it, my mind keeps thinking of other things I could add in future, although it really needs nothing more. A finely diced red onion could be yummy in with the sauce, or a little fresh oregano or basil. For a lunch or dinner dish, a bit of extra chilli would be great too.

Schana's Spanish inspired tomatoes with mushrooms

2 large tomatoes
1 chorizo sausage, diced into small pieces
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 finely chopped chilli
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 eggs, free range of course
extra virgin olive oil for frying

4 large flat mushrooms, cut in half and sliced
1 chorizo sausage cut in half and sliced
1 clove chopped garlic
extra virgin olive oil for frying

Heat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Cut top off tomatoes and scoop out the centres (really just the seeds) without going too close to the edges so the tomatoes don't collapse. Even off the bottoms a fraction just so they sit securely and place into a small baking dish. Heat the oil in a frying pan and toss in garlic and chilli. Sautee for just a moment then add the chorizo. Cook until the fat renders out of the sausage then add the tomato juice and cook until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer. Crack the eggs into the tomatoes (obviously 1 in each) then spoon the chorizo mix on top, don't worry if it overflows a little. Any left over sauce, set aside for plating. Pop them in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until the egg white is just set.

While the tomatoes are cooking, wipe out the pan and return to the heat with some oil. Toss in the garlic and chorizo and cook for about a minute or 2. Add the mushrooms and cook a further 5 minutes. Spoon onto plates (I put them in a ring around the edge, leaving the middle for the tomato to sit in). When the tomatoes are done, carefully remove them form the baking tray and set on the plate. Spoon the remaining sauce over everything and serve with some nice thick crusty bread. YUM!