I am always looking for new lunch ideas, so when my sister and I thought of salmon patties I knew I had to do something a little different! Combining it with the sweet potato gives it a deliciously sweet flavour and hide some of the ‘fishy’ taste – so it is sure to be a favourite with everyone! Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them and take them out for lunches when you need!
Peel and roughly chop the sweet potato. Steam in the microwave or over the stove for 15mins or until soft. Then place into a large bowl and mash. Add in salmon and mash together with a fork. Add in remaining ingredients to form a thick, but wet mixture.
Roll mixture into the size of golf balls and flatten slightly on a lined baking tray. Bake in the oven for 15-20mins, turning over once.
Notes
Nut Free version, swap the almond meal for ½ cup plain flour
- Swap the tuna for salmon for something different.
Pizza has NEVER been so easy!! With just 2 ingredients and 5mins you can make your very own dough. So there is no reason not to whip it up for a Friday night family pizza night!
I like to set out all the toppings and make mini pizza’s so that everyone can choose exactly what goes on theirs! This not only stops the fights, but also empowers your kids to have choice over what they eat!
Pizza has always been one of the foods referred to as ‘bad’ or ‘unhealthy’ but this is anything but! So this is the perfect meal to practice quitting the negative talk, If you have no clue what I am talking about watch this youtube clip!
You can choose your own but I have also included some of my favourite topping variations to get you started:
With just 2 ingredients and 5mins you can make your very own pizza dough! Never think pizza is unhealthy again!
Course Dinner, lunch, Snack
Cuisine American, Australian
Keyword pizza, savoury
Prep Time 5minutes
Cook Time 15minutes
Servings 3people
Ingredients
1cupyoghurt
1cupSR flour
Toppings – Choose your own:
¼cupPesto
¼cupPizza sauce
50gHamshredded
50gchicken breastcooked and shredded
50gtin Pineapple pieces
½Red onionthinly sliced
100gMushroomthinly sliced
1Zucchinishaved
1cupmozzarellagrated
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 230C. Place a pizza stone or baking tray in the oven to start heating up. This is the key to a crisp base.
In a bowl combine the yoghurt and SR flour. Use a wooden spoon to start, but as it comes together it is best to use your hands.
Tip the dough out onto a flour surface. There is no need to knead this dough! Cut the ball of dough into 3 pieces. Roll each piece out to 7inch wide. Carefully place them on baking paper.
Now its time to top them with your favourite things! My suggestions:
Classic Ham and pineapple: Spread the pizza with 1 tbsp of pizza sauce, top with 1/3 cup mozzarella, Ham, Pineapple and red onion.
Pesto Chicken: Spread 1 Tbsp pesto on the pizza, top with 1/3 cup mozzarella, mushrooms, shredded chicken, zucchini ribbons
Veggie Loaded: Spread with 1 Tbsp pizza sauce, top with 1/3 cup mozzarella, mushrooms, red onion, zucchini ribbons. After cooking drizzle with pesto.
To cook place on a hot pizza stone or baking tray in the oven and bake for 10min, until the cheese is golden and base is crisp.
Notes
*Alternatively if you have a mix master with a dough hook you can use that.
** if you have a pizza stone, you can also cook these in the bbq.
Like this recipe? Why not try some other delicious lunch box additions!
Ham and Tomato – Name a more iconic duo. I dare you!!
It is delicious on crackers, sandwiches, why not in a quiche. Buttery flakey (cheesey) pastry topped with a light and delicate eggy filling. There is a reason Quiche’s are so popular.
Instead of all the cream and cheese in traditional quiches, I like to keep it light! Substitute milk for cream, and cottage cheese for the cheddar. Every tried baked cottage cheese? NO – well then you are seriously missing out!
Simple flavours but a delicious combo all the same! Make this super easy quiche from scratch for a delicious dinner and take leftovers for lunch!
Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Australian
Keyword Dinner, easy, ham, home cooking, quiche, tomato
Prep Time 20minutes
Cook Time 50minutes
Resting Time 30minutes
Servings 6People
Ingredients
Short Crust Pastry
1 2/3cupPlain Flour
125gButtercold and cubed
PinchSalt
5-6TbspChilled water
Filling
150gHam
1Tomato
2spring onions
6eggs
¾cupmilk
salt and pepper to taste
½cupcottage cheese
Instructions
Combine flour, salt and butter in food process and process until it forms a fine crumb. Then add in 1 tbsp of chilled water at a time. Until the dough comes together. Wrap dough in glad wrap and refrigerate for 30mins.
Preheat the oven to 180Roll out pastry on a floured surface until it is 0.5cm thick. Carefully pick it up using your rolling pin and then lay it in the pie dish. Don't worry if it breaks and you can push it together. Press the pastry into the dish. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork 5-6 times. Top with baking paper and spread baking weights or rice over the base and bake in the oven for 15mins.
Meanwhile prepare the filling. Roughly chop ham, slice tomato. In a jug, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper until light and fluffy.
Remove from the oven pastry, discard baking paper and weights. Then spread ham and tomato over pastry base. Pour the egg mixture over the base. Use a tablespoon to spoon cottage cheese over the top. Bake in the oven for 20-30min until golden and set.
This is one of the last recipes I developed in celebration of the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution. Together with 9 other ambassadors, we had the privilege of putting our twist on 10 of Jamie Oliver’s Recipes and sharing them over on his website (ekkk!!!). Still one of my proudest achievements to date!
I have to say this is one of my favourite recipes… But I have something to confess. It is stolen. Stolen from my Mother. My mother taught the fundamentals of cooking and now a lot of the recipes you see on here are a twist of recipes that she used to cook for me every day, as well as a lot of original goodies I have created with the skills she taught me.
No, I didn’t make my own curry paste, I rarely do. The food revolution is all about encouraging people to cook wholesome nourishing meals at home. When you cook from home you limit the number of processed foods you consume and often eat a much healthier diet. So why did I use a store bought curry paste?
Because its a hell of a lot easier, especially when I am time poor. There is nothing wrong with taking the easy route now and then, just ensure you check the label for ingredients.
Here are my top tips for buying a curry paste:
If it has palm sugar, don’t touch it.
Make sure sugar is not one of the top ingredients (most curry pastes will contain a little sugar, this is partly to preserve it, partly to balance the flavours).
Buy a large jar and freeze it in ice cube trays so you always have it on hand (and cut the costs!)
Lastly, do your self a favour and head to your local Asian grocer. Not only will it be cheaper, they will be the ‘real’ curry pastes, will out all the nasties.
My favourite brand for Thai curry pastes are Mae Ploy (I get it from an Asian grocer, but it is now stocked in some coles!
A super easy curry for an easy mid week meal! Plenty of leftovers for lunches or to pack some away for the freezer!
Course Dinner
Cuisine thai
Keyword Chicken, Curry, Dinner, green curry
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 40minutes
Servings 6people
Ingredients
1tbspolive oil
1brown onion
2chicken breasts
2large carrots
4potatoes
100gGreen Curry Paste
2tspfish sauce
2x 400mL Light coconut cream
100gBamboo Shoots
2cupsof greensI like to use green beans and broccoli
Instructions
Firstly prepare all ingredients to make the cooking process quick and easy. Roughly chop the onion, and cut the chicken breasts into 1inch pieces. Slice the carrots into 0.5cm thick discs and chop the potatoes into 2 cm pieces.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based ban. Then add in onions, allow to cook for 2 mins on a medium heat before adding chicken and cooking for a further 5 mins on low heat (the aim is not to completely cook the chicken, as it will poach further in the liquid). Stir in carrots and potatoes. Then mix in the green curry paste, break up the paste with the back of a wooden spoon and stir to coat all the chicken and vegetables. Then add in fish sauce and 2 cans of coconut cream. Place a lid on the pan ensuring a 1-inch gap on one side (to make sure it doesn't boil over). Allow the curry to simmer for 30mins, at this stage, you just be able to put a knife through the potatoes and carrots.
If you plan on freezing the mixture (which it does very well, for up to 3 months). This is the point to stop.... the high water content of green vegetables means they will go mushy when frozen and defrosted...
But, if you plan on eating it straight away continue to add the greens. Cut the greens into small pieces and then stir through the curry. Allow to simmer with the lid off for 5 mins and then remove from heat.
Serve with rice and top with chopped coriander.
Looking for other delicious winter meals? Try these favourites!
Delicious and super easy winter dinner in under 30mins. I have been eating this Minestrone Soup for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – its that good!
I might live on the sunshine coast now, but our house is FREEZING!! So when it comes to meals I love to pick this that fill me up and warm me up!
This easy healthy Minestrone soup is exactly that! It is loaded with veggies, but you really can put any of your favourites (or old sad veg in your crisper) into this soup!
Heat the oil in a large heavy based saucepan. Then add in the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook on a medium heat for 3-4min until it begins to soften.
Then add in the chickpeas, cannelloni beans, passata, stock and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10min. Finally add in the pasta, 2 cups water and zucchini. Cook for 10mins or until pasta is just tender.
Top with parsley and parmesan to serve.
Looking for other delicious nourishing winter dinners? Try out these:
In winter there is nothing better than soup for dinner. I have always been a fan of pumpkin soup, but what I am not a fan of is the lack of protein in soup as a main meal!
Protein is key to helping you feel fuller for longer with a steady release of energy. That is why when I make pumpkin soup I love to add in chickpeas for a little extra volume and protein!
Roast the pumpkin and other veg for even extra flavour then top it off with yoghurt (or cream!) and delicious crispy chickpeas to add a bit of crunch. Fun fact: crunchy food actually increases your satiety after a meal!
This soup is an absolute staple for winter dinners (and leftovers for lunches). It is super quick and easy to make and best of all freezes exceptionally well!
2cans chickpeas1/2 cup chickpeas reserved for crispy chickpeas
3cupschicken stock
Crispy Chickpeas
½cupchickpeasfrom above
1tbspolive oil
2tspcumin
2tsppaprika
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200Cut the pumpkin and carrot into large chunks. Peel the onions and slice in half. Cut the top off the garlic bulb and then place it all on a large baking tray. Drizzle with oil and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40min.
Once vegetables are cooked, remove the peel from the pumpkin and then add in pumpkin, carrot, onion in to a large pot. Squeeze the garlic out of its casing into the pot. Stir through chickpeas and chicken stock. Bring to the boil and then allow to simmer for 10min.
Remove from the heat and add to a blender to process until smooth, or use a stick blender to blend in the pot.
Meanwhile prepare the crispy chickpeas. Heat the oil in a fry pan and then add in chickpeas and spices. Toss to combine and crispen for 3-4min.
Divide the soup among bowls and then top with yoghurt and crispy chickpeas.
Notes
Serve with yoghurt and garlic bread
Looking for other delicious nourishing winter dinners? Try out these:
Food and Nutrition are my absolute jam and bringing them to you is an easy, bite sized way is what I live for!
I am the clumsiest person you will ever meet, often finding myself on the floor – usually a result of tripping over my own feet. This might have something to do with the fact that I am 6’3 (or 190cm) aka a giant amongst most of my friends.
I love to make a mess in the kitchen, writing isn’t really my thing, but I have vowed to get better so that I can share my journey and passion with all you of amazing people!!
I like to set out all the toppings and make mini pizza’s so that everyone can choose exactly what goes on theirs! This not only stops the fights, but also empowers your kids to have choice over what they eat!
In winter there is nothing better than soup for dinner. I have always been a fan of pumpkin soup, but what I am not a fan of is the lack of protein in soup as a main meal!
