Recipes
Speedy Pho Ga (Vietnamese chicken noodle soup)
Pho is one of those rare meals which is delicious, super cheap and healthy. As myself and the majority of my friends are trying to stick to a budget and/or ‘diet’ (pre best friend’s wedding) pho is something that we have been opting for a lot of late. Recently, however, I have bought a house and unfortunately even good ol’ budget Pho has had to become a little less frequent…but I am determined not to deprive myself and so set out to find an economical, quick-to-make, healthy and tasty recipe so that I could make it at home. Most pho recipes are quite time consuming, as they require a stock to be made from scratch. In the interest of turning pho into a speedy and wholesome weekday meal, I have used a ready-made chicken stock which is not quite as delicate in flavour but it does the job. This recipe was adapted from a beautiful vegetarian pho by Brett Sargent, and major tweaks include adding in a whole bunch of veggies and some chicken to produce a more filling result.
Raw chocolate tofu mousse tart
A deliciously decadent tart that can be whipped up in under 45 minutes. Please do not let the tofu in this tart put you off, when combined with melted chocolate tofu makes the best textured mousse I have ever tasted. There is not even the slightest hint of tofu flavour in this dessert and I guarantee you will be eating the tofu mousse straight out of the food processor. This tart is very rich, and is best eaten when paired with fresh or preserved berries or stone fruit. You can use whatever nuts you have available at home to make the base. This tart is vegan friendly, just be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips.
Vanilla & honey yoghurt panna cotta
Unlike the traditional panna cotta which is comprised mainly of cream, this version consists mostly of yoghurt. Yoghurt boasts all the nutrients offered in milk, but in condensed form. The average small tub of yoghurt (approx. 200g) contains all the calcium of a 250ml glass of milk. Protein is also utilised to a greater extent when consumed in yoghurt rather than milk, AND yoghurt is a great source of beneficial gut bacteria or probiotics. When selecting your yoghurts make sure you watch out for those containing aBc cultures, which help to restore your gut microflora thereby aiding digestion, immune function and vitamin and mineral synthesis. Our gut microflora can get upset by illness and sometimes lifestyle factors, and we can replenish friendly bacteria by consuming aBc culture-containing yoghurts. This recipe is one delicious way to incorporate more yoghurt into your diet, and it is perfect for dessert on a warm night or even as a healthy breakfast.
Healthy Banana Fritters
Having fallen in love with the banana fritters I wolfed down at the Adelaide Night Noodle Markets, I felt compelled to make a healthy alternative which I could consume on a daily basis at home. I admit I am using the term ‘fritters’ here rather loosely as these bananas are coated in cinnamon and vanilla extract rather than oil, but they still have that delicious cooked-banana texture and taste even better with a drizzle of honey yoghurt.
Wholemeal three-cheeses vegimite scrolls
Last weekend I made the trek over to beautiful Kangaroo Island. Time really slows down on the island, and mostly I just spend it reading Harry Potter or taking way too many photos of my dog running on the beach. This time I was determined to make use of my free time by making cheesymite scrolls which I have wanted to make for ages but can never seem to find the time. These scrolls are made using 100% wholemeal flour, so they have a decent fibre content compared to your typical cheesymite scrolls. Thanks to mum we only ever have the ultimate gourmet style cheeses in our fridge, so naturally I got a bit excited and used three of them, namely Paris Creek Organic and Biodynamic Cheddar, Gouda and Norwegino. I recommend going fairly heavy-handed on the Vegemite for good flavour.
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Vegetarian Moussaka
If you have ever seen ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’, you will have heard of Moussaka. Poor Toula is laughed at by her class mates for eating ‘moose-kaka’ whilst they all enjoy their ‘white wonder bread sandwiches’. If I was Toula, I would have laughed in their faces for having crappy lunches. Moussaka trumps a limp white bread sandwich every day of the week in my books. This Moussaka recipe was adapted from food genius and love of my life Jamie Oliver’s beautiful veggie moussaka. I bought this dish to a dinner with vegetarian friends, and we wolfed it down whilst playing cards against humanity with lots of wine. This recipe puts a veggo spin on a classic Greek dish, yet being packed with brown lentils and chickpeas it still has all the ‘meatiness’ of your typical moussaka. It is time consuming to make, so if you are planning on cooking this meal make sure you have a good 2.5-3 hours up your sleeve. I can promise you the time spent making this moussaka will be well worth it.
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Baby date and nut loaves
Last Sunday I brunched with two of my lovely dietitian friends. You may currently be envisioning my friends and I squabbling over a lettuce leaf, but in reality sharing brunch with dietitians is the exact opposite. We love our food, and consequently this brunch saw the table overflowing with cupcakes and dip platters. I bought along these delicious baby date and walnut loaves, which we served warm with cinnamon infused ricotta, although for a vegan option it does taste lovely by itself.
Baked doughnuts with dark chocolate glaze
Having grown up in South Australia, I love a good doughnut – preferably from the Port Elliot Bakery, preceded by a pie and a long day at the beach. This recipe (adapted from Delicious magazine) provides a healthier alternative to your typical doughnut. Rather than being deep-fried, they are baked, and contain much less fat as a result. They are also seriously delicious, especially when paired with melted dark chocolate, flaked almonds and a light cinnamon and sugar rub.
Beetroot, chickpea and quinoa burgers
Health By Harriet 