Lamb Roast for Autumn

I love a roast. During my five years as a vegetarian the only meat I missed was mum's roast lamb. As the weather grows colder and the evenings become darker earlier I thought it would be the perfect meal to share with my friends.

Driving back from my trip to the supermarket with a large lamb leg sitting beside me I called my sister and said 'so I've bought a leg of lamb ... how do I roast it?'

You see, I had only ever roasted lamb in a convection oven which would do all the weighing and adjusting heat and length of time. It would even beep at me and tell me when I needed to turn the meat over. Now in my lovely new home I have an oven which sometimes acts like it has a mind of its own but it certainly doesn't communicate with me.

So with a little help from my sister here is what I did.

Ingredients

• 2.35kg leg of lamb
• bunch of rosemary (direct from my garden)
• some Australian garlic (several cloves)
• Pepper and salt

Could it be simpler that that?

Now to put it all together

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
• Chop up the rosemary into bits
• Chop garlic cloves into quarters
• pierce the lamb with a sharp knife to make enough space to press a garlic piece inside. Do this several times and on both sides of the leg
• Then sprinkle salt, pepper and the rosemary over the meat and rub in - like you are giving the lamb an exfoliating rub. Be warned if you have any cuts ... you'll know about it!
• Do this until the entire lamb is covered (both sides)
• Place your lamb in a baking tray . I don't have a fancy roasting tray with a doovalacky that drains the juices off so I just put my cooling rack over a normal baking tray and put it into the oven in the middle. 
• Now this is when things are dependant on your oven. I've been told that you roast 1 hour for each kg of meat. So that would mean 2.35 hours. In my oven it actually took closer to 3.5 hours. 
• Pull your roasted lamb out of the oven and cover with foil and let it rest for ten to twenty minutes. 
• Carve and serve with roasted veggies - YUM!

Additional experiment
After carving up my meat (and I think I need some lessons to dramatically improve my technique there) I looked at all the juices that remained in the tray. Why not make some gravy? Can't be that hard right? So I looked in my cupboard and found some arrowroot flour which I added to the juice I now had heating in a saucepan on the stove.

I might need to work on the gravy. I ended up with something which was tasty but seriously salty. Not something I would serve up to guests unless I also offered comprehensive health cover. 

Result

Delicious is a word that comes to mind. I had so much meat it fed me for over a week after the meal I shared with my friends. As someone who struggles to get red meat into her diet and in addition to that has low iron, I got quite a boost that week.

The meat was tender, the garlic pieces were roasted to perfection and the rosemary flavour was infused throughout.

Verdict

I would definitely do this again. It certainly takes time which I'm not usually good at but it's well worth the wait. Mind you, I might try and source a smaller leg of lamb next time!

The perfect meal to make when I'm in writing mode.

Almond banana breakfast bonanza

This recipe comes to my blog thanks to a friend of mine. She introduced me to this concoction when we were travelling through Kangaroo Island SA. I was especially excited by this dish as I saw another opportunity to use the precious by-product of my almond milk.

What's in it?

• 3/4 cup of almond meal (or meal remaining from 3/4 almonds for milk)
• 1 tbsp psyllium husks
• 1 very ripe mashed up banana
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 egg

How it works

• Place all ingredients in a bowl
• Mix well ensuring you don't have a clump of psyllium husks
• Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil
• Spread mixture into the pan
• When base has browned, carefully turn over (hardest part of this recipe)
• Once other side is browned take out of pan
• Serve with berries

 

Result

Okay, so the mixture is a little difficult to flip in the pan (hence the reason I haven't go a photo of that). And as a result it isn't going to win any prizes for its looks ... but this dish is YUMMY!  Since giving it a go after coming home from SA I have made this four times. I love that I have no added sweetener (the banana is enough) and I love that it's dairy free and has the added fibre of the psyllium husks.

Verdict

This is a definite winner. I have tried a few variations when I didn't have a full banana such as adding berries or grated carrot. These attempts definitely fell into the TBNP bracket - that's Tasty But Not Presentable. Latter uses of this recipe I have made four small patties rather than one large one. A little less messy when flipping.

Quick & easy Vietnamese inspired salad

We have had some very hot weather in Melbourne. My little house with all its charm and potential is a hotbox in the heat. The last thing I want to do when the house feels like an oven is to turn any cooking appliance on to make my dinner. One such night I opened my cupboards looking for inspiration and my gaze rested upon a packet of rice vermicelli. I hadn't made the salad in years but the recipe is simple and for the past three weeks I've had it at least five times. At a friends request I'm posting the recipe on this blog.

Rice vermicelli often comes divided up in serving sizes. This following recipe serves two (and as per usual it's a little relaxed in it's quantities). I think the traditional salad that this is based off is called Goi Ga. I've cheated a bit with the dressing but when it's hot, I'm bothered which means a few shortcuts.

Ingredients

Wombok (Chinese)
cabbage

• Rice vermicelli
• 1 - 2 carrots grated
• a handful of snow peas sliced thinly
• 1/2 red capsicum sliced thinly
• 2 cups of finely chopped cabbage (wombok cabbage works best)
• handful of herbs chopped (coriander &/or Vietnamese mint)
• poached chicken shredded or your preferred unflavoured canned fish

Dressing

• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• chopped coriander

Pulling it together

• Soak the rice vermicelli in boiling water for 4 - 5 minutes
• Prepare the remaining salad ingredients
• Toss together the 'dry' ingredients (including the soaked rice vermicelli)
• In a small bowl mix the dressing ingredients to taste (depending on the fish oil and your lime juice you may prefer different ratios of ingredients)
• Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad but not all of it. I usually put half of the dressing in a little jug for people to add more to their own taste.

Result

This really is quick, easy and as a bonus is also really fresh tasting and healthy. The ingredients are not expensive and the only part which can make the experience go awry is the dressing. You really do need to taste test it as you go.

I use poached chicken most often and as I poach chicken a lot I always seem to have some cooked in the fridge. I'll post a blog soon about my method of poaching chicken with is fool proof (as it proven that I can do it), healthy, delicious and super super easy.

Variations

The beauty of this dish is it's easy to adjust based on what you have in your kitchen or what you want it to look like. Try purple cabbage for something a little more eye catching. You can use common mint and Greek basil if you don't have any coriander or Vietnamese mint. You can use just about any vegetable. You can use grated zucchini or add chives or thinly sliced cucumber. If you can eat it raw you can try it in this salad.

Faux lemon 'cheesecake'

For Christmas I decided to experiment on my family. I had found a recipe for 'Hail Merry Lemon Tart Knock-Off' which intrigued me. But not enough to try it twice. So rather than make a test batch I decided to throw caution to the wind and just make it the first time for Chrismtas dessert. I figured that there is always too much food at Christmas so if it was a disaster we wouldn't all go hungry.

This recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free

Recipe

In a rare moment of discipline I stuck to the recipe so rather than write out what I did I direct you to the original website recipe found on tessadomesticdiva.com: http://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2011/07/hail-merry-lemon-tart-knock-off.html 

A woman after my own heart this Tessa Domestic Diva has created this recipe herself and adjusted it as she learned more about the ingredients. 

As I've already mentioned I stuck to the recipe with the only exception being that I didn't not go with the stevia options. I went with the coconut milk rather than nut milk and I used paper cupcake moulds which worked rather well.

Results:

It wasn't much like a lemon tart but more a lemon cheesecake. I nervously waited to see if anyone would take one and then if anyone would it on their plate with only one bite taken out of it. Success! It was well received by both adults and children.

Verdict:

This is a dessert which would be worth doing again but like cheesecake it is incredibly rich. For that reason I think it unlikely I'll make this again but I'm glad I gave it a go and enjoyed the results. 

Bircher inspired creamy goodness

I love breakfast. I don't like to be rushed in the morning because I like to start my day with a wholesome meal with wholesome thinking. I don't just want to kick start my digestive system but also kick start my approach to the day.

This following recipe is a variation of what I have pretty much every day. Why the variation? Because usually I soak my Bircher style concoction in water in preparation for a quick cooking in the morning. As it's been rather hot in Melbourne the idea of cooking my breakfast is not appealing. So to find a yummy variation on my standard was my plan.

I'm not that keen on the more popular type of Bircher muesli preparation which has apple and usually yoghurt and fruit juice. I find it too sweet. This recipe that follows is still creamy and very good for you. Those who like more sweetness in their breakfast can achieve this by adding honey. The recipe is simple but it does require some forethought. I prepare my breakfast the night before.

Ingredients

• 1/4 raw rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 5 - 8 almonds
• 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 handful of raspberries (I use frozen for convenience)
• Almond milk

Method

• Put all but the almond milk into a bowl that you will be able to cover. I use a Pyrex bowl which has a lid.
• Pour in enough almond milk to cover most of the ingredients
• Cover and place in the fridge overnight
• In the morning take it out when your ready, grab a spoon and dig in! Add honey if you want a little sweetness but it's so creamy and lovely I don't think it needs it. 

Results

I'm sold on this! My breakfast was creamy with just the right amount of crunch and there is nothing like knowing that the yummyness you are eating is also good for you.

Of course variations on the fruit/berries used and spices is endless. I've made this with lemon thyme instead of cinnamon and with mango in place of raspberries. 

A note on oats:

The reason for using rolled rather than quick oats is purely to try to use the least processed of options. Oats are an awesome food. Aside from the practical nature of keeping us regular, they can help reduce our bad cholesterol. It is also classified as a low GI food, meaning that it is slow to release sugars so you stay satisfied for longer.

Soaking them overnight makes them even easier for your body to digest.

Gluten: Oats are free from wheat gluten. However, there is a gluten which is found in oats. Also, oats are often 'cut' on the same food production lines a wheat so some gluten 'contamination' could be present. If you have to have a completely gluten free diet you will have to make your decision based on the information provided. The Coeliac Australia site has some information worth reading.

Almond biscuits - not bad for a by-product

After making my almond milk (it's now a weekly event) I am left with something akin to almond meal. I've been trying various ways to use the meal. I've had some rather impressive disaster experiments which I won't bother recording but my last concoction was actually quite good - not spectacular but then spectacular only comes along occasionally. As I only use 3/4 cup of almonds per batch (I found that the results of a cup of almonds went off before I finished it) I am left with about half a cup of this almond meal type stuff and most recipes I found for stuff required a cup or more.

So one night, I threw caution to the wind and decided to try making biscuits. I didn't really measure out what I was doing so the following is more of an estimate of what I did.

Ingredients

• Almond meal stuff (based on 3/4 cup for almond milk)
• 1 1/2 tbsp softened coconut oil
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
• 1/4 tsp xantham gum

Method

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
• In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients until you have a soft dough (you may need to adjust flour)
• Ball in your hand approx 1 heaped teaspoon of dough and place on prepared tray (I put down baking paper because it means I have less to clean)
• You'll see in the photo that there are some biscuits that are flat and with stripes. These were made when I rolled the dough into a log and wrapped in glad wrap in the fridge for about half an hour. Then I sliced the log and forked them for effect (that sounds a little wrong).
• Chuck into the oven for 6 to 10 minutes
• Make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom
• Take out and let cool
• Make a cuppa and enjoy

Result:

A cuppa is kind of important because these biscuits are a tad dry. But with a cuppa they are quite enjoyable. Certainly enough for me to make it again. I don't feel it needed any more sweetener than I had. Coconut oil is quite sweet anyway as is honey.

Verdict:

I'll definitely make these again and play around with other additives such as spices. As I know I'll be regularly in stock of the almond meal stuff I need to have a repertoire of ways to use - this is the first success I'll be adding to that repertoire.

Kale chips - nutritious and delicious

I had heard of kale chips from two sources. A friend in England a year or so ago made some crispy kale for dinner one night which was simply delish. At that time I had no idea what kale was so promptly forgot about it in the way of other exciting culinary adventures. But a month or two ago I was talking with my naturopath about sources of calcium when she mentioned kale.

What exactly is kale?

According to Wikipedia 'Kale or borecole is a form of cabbage, with green or purple leaves, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms.' Because of the high amounts of omega 3 and vitamin K it is known as a vegetable with strong anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to this it is high in antioxidants and glucosinolates (help with body detoxification). For more information about the nutritional benefits of kale visit: WHFoods website

Ways to eat

Well, as I introduced kale into my kitchen in winter it became my perfect addition to soups. As the weather started to warm and my trusty vitamix came into it's own for smoothies and other breakfast beverages I began adding kale. Then I was talking to a work colleague and she mentioned one of her family favourites was kale chips. When she mentioned a dehydrator I had a vague recollection of my brother dehydrating things when I was a kid for his many expeditions into the bush and up mountains. He dehydrated all sorts of weird and wonderful things.

It turned out he still had the dehydrator tucked away in his garage so I acquired it to experiment. I obtained the recipe from my work colleague, bought a bunch of kale from the market near my work and even had a social gathering at my place where I could serve up my experiment.

Kale chips

Equipment

• Dehydrator
• Large bowl

Ingredients

• A bunch of kale
• Olive oil
• Finely ground Celtic sea salt
• Lemon juice
• Fresh herbs: lemon thyme and rosemary

Method

• De-stalk the kale and tear into manageable pieces - that means into large chip-size
• In a deep bowl mix together some olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt and finely chopped fresh herbs. I used the juice of one lemon and about the same amount of olive oil.
• Put the kale into the bowl and massage. Yep, that's right. You massage the kale. When my work colleague first mentioned this I thought she was joking but there are actual Youtube videos on how to massage kale. I was almost too scared to click on the link in case it was something kinky. The idea is that you massage the oil mixture into the kale leaves until the leaves relax and they really do! For the full effect I put on some calming essential oils and played relaxation music. I always knew my massage studies would come useful one day.

• Once the kale is relaxed you then
  lay them out in the dehydrator making sure the leaves don't touch each other. 
• I turned the dehydrator up to it's highest setting which for the retro machine I've got reads 'beef and meat jerky'
• It was in the dehydrator for about four hours. 
• During this time I managed to clean the house, go shopping for food, prepare said food and assemble three chairs after a quick trip to my sisters to borrow some tools to assemble the chairs (IKEA was wrong - I needed more than the allen key). Please note, these activities are not necessary to the results of the experiment with kale. 

Results

The kale chips were a hit. Very lemony - almost to the point of causing that trademark sour eye twitch. But they were enjoyed by all. One friend in particular apologised for eating most of them. Now that's the kind of result you want!

Verdict

I'd definitely do this again even though it took quite a while. As the dehydrator is like having an oven on it would be best to avoid making them on a hot day (again) but I'm intrigued to try a few other flavours. After trying the real thing I bought a packet of kale chips from my favourite health food store. I hardly had any of the chips because they were simply not nice. Real food made by real people in real time comes up gold again.

Warning

For those with dogs who will eat just about everything. I would advise not letting your dog near kale in any form. My dog managed to snaffle a rogue chip and I experienced the pungent results for almost four hours the following day. How do I know it was the kale? Let's just say that the fragrance was as distinctive as it was unpleasant.