curried chicken meatballs + yoghurt dipping sauce

I am not a patient person. So I'm often deterred from rolling things into little balls (unless it's bliss balls or a dessert, in which case I suck it up). So why the meatball recipe? Well, these are baked. You roll them into balls, place on a tray, then it's into the oven and that's it. No fiddling around trying to turn them in a frypan without breaking them (which usually leaves me cursing).

The meatballs are nice warm or cold, so handy as a starter dish if you're having a dinner party. I also pick at them from the fridge as a snack or post-workout protein source. Leftovers are also good thrown into a roast vegetable salad, with some of the yoghurt sauce drizzled on top. If you can't do dairy, you could use tahini in place of the yoghurt.

To make the meatballs, I use free-range chicken thigh mince (from Cannings Free Range Butchers) and Ayam Curry Powder. I'm a fan of Ayam Curry Powder because it doesn't contain any fillers, preservatives, sugar or MSG (which can often be found in off-the-shelf spice mixes). It just contains coriander seed, dried chilli, aniseed, cumin seed, turmeric, cinnamon, star anise, white pepper, fenugreek, nutmeg and cardamom. I keep a tin of it in my pantry for times when I can't be bothered concocting my own mix of spices.

ingredients

For the meatballs

• 500g free-range chicken mince
• 2 tsp curry powder or spice mix
• 1 egg
• pinch of sea salt

For the yoghurt sauce

• 1/2 cup thick Greek or natural yoghurt, organic if possible
• 1/4 - 1/2 clove of garlic
• squeeze of lemon juice
• sea salt

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 200�C and line a baking tray with baking paper.  

2. To make the meatballs, mix the mince, curry powder, egg and sea salt in a large bowl until everything is well combined. I start off with a spoon and then get my hands in there to really massage it all together. Wet your hands first so they don't get too sticky. 

3. Roll the mixture into balls (about a tablespoon of mixture per ball) and place on the tray. I wet my hands after rolling every couple of balls to stop the mixture from sticking to my hands.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until browned.

5. To make the yogurt sauce, tip the yoghurt into a bowl and grate or crush about a 1/4 clove of garlic into the bowl. Go easy on the garlic to start with, as it can sneak up on you. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of sea salt and stir together. Taste and add more garlic, lemon juice and sea salt if needed. 

cumin roasted cauliflower + tahini + herbs

This is one of those flavour combinations that just works. I'm not a huge cauliflower fan but when it's charred under the grill and combined with big flavours like cumin and tahini, something special happens (in my opinion). Add some fresh herbs, and you've got a winner.

This recipe works well as a side dish alongside grilled meat, chicken or fish. You can serve it warm or cold. If you're vegetarian or vegan, it could be a good lunch option with some raw nuts and seeds tossed through for added nutrition. The tahini adds creaminess without any dairy and it's full of flavour. All good things.

I haven't given exact quantities in the recipe below, as it doesn't really matter. You just chop up as much cauliflower as you want and then dress with the other ingredients accordingly. If you're not familiar with tahini, it's a paste made from ground sesame seeds.  You can buy it at most supermarkets and at health food stores. I prefer hulled tahini (made from hulled sesame seeds) because unhulled tahini has a slightly more bitter flavour.

ingredients

• cauliflower
• ground cumin
• sea salt
• tahini
• fresh parsley 
• extra virgin olive oil (optional)

preparation

1. Preheat the grill in your oven to a high heat.

2. Chop the cauliflower into florets and lightly steam until just tender.*

3. Tip the cauliflower onto a large baking tray and sprinkle generously with cumin and a good pinch of sea salt (I use a couple of teaspoons of cumin and one teaspoon of fine sea salt for one large head of cauliflower). Toss well so that all the florets are nicely coated. Spread the florets out on the tray so that they form one layer.

4. Place the tray under the grill (making sure that the tray is on the rack closest to the grill element). Once the cauliflower florets are starting to char, take the tray out of the oven, flip the florets over and return to the oven to char the other side.

5. Once the florets are nicely charred, tip them into a bowl, toss in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional) and then drizzle over some tahini and top with chopped parsley to serve.

* You could skip steaming the cauliflower and just char it under the grill, but I prefer to steam it first as cauliflower is a goitrogenic vegetable that may interfere with thyroid function when eaten raw. Steaming or boiling goitrogenic vegetables apparently reduces the the goitrogens (and will also make the vegetables easier to digest).

middle eastern spiced cauli-rice

Have you tried cauliflower 'rice'? I know I'm a bit late to the party (it's been a long-time favourite in the paleo community), but it's so good! It's made by whizzing cauliflower in a food processor to break it up into little rice-like pieces. If you cook it up in some coconut oil and spices, it's delicious. And great for soaking up juices from curries or stews. 

It's is a nice low starch alternative to normal rice. It also provides more nutrients. I'm happy to eat normal rice when I feel like it, but I'm just as happy with this spiced cauli-rice. And who's going to complain about getting some more vegetables into their diet?

As a side note, I'm careful not to go too low carb with my eating. I make sure I get enough starchy carbs from vegetables like sweet potato, peas, carrots and butternut squash (particularly when I'm exercising a lot). I don't mind a bit of quinoa or oats on occasion either.

In the recipe below, I've given approximate measurements for the spices and salt. The amount will depend on the size of your cauliflower (some are small, others are enormous). I would recommend starting with the lower measurement and then tasting and adjusting accordingly.

Turning the cauliflower florets into 'rice'.

ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 tbsp raw virgin coconut oil
• �-1 tsp ground cinnamon
• �-1 tsp ground cumin
• 1-2 tsp fine Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
• Fresh parsley or coriander to serve

preparation

1. Wash cauliflower and break it into florets. Throw the florets into a food processor and whiz until it resembles rice. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your food processor. If you have one of those killer fancy food processors, you can probably get away with leaving the florets pretty large. I only have a little stab mixer, so I chop the florets into slices before whizzing and do it in a few batches (see photo above).

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large frypan over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the spices and stir into the oil. Tip the cauliflower into the pan and move it around in the oil and spices until evenly coated. Season with the salt and stir again. I then leave it for about a minute, then come back and stir again, repeating this until the cauliflower has softened and lightly browned. Taste for seasoning (being careful not to burn your mouth) and add more salt or spices if needed.

3. Tip the cauliflower into a bowl and top with fresh herbs, such as parsley or coriander, to serve. It would also be nice with some chopped, toasted almonds stirred through for crunch. I store it covered in the fridge for a couple of days to add to my meals.

chia fish cakes

These Chia Fish Cakes are a quick, easy and palatable way to get the nutritional benefits of a particular fish that many people hate...sardines. Before you go "ugh, disgusting" and swiftly hit the back button, I encourage you to give these a chance. My boyfriend (and taste tester) has a severe dislike of sardines but loves these - even after I told him that the 'mystery' fish was sardines.

 

Sardines are high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iron and very low in mercury, which makes them one of the best fish to eat. The chia seeds provide a crispy crunch and they are deliciously salty, so perfect with some avocado spread on top. They would also go nicely with some poached eggs for a protein-packed breakfast.

ingredients

• 190g sardines, drained (about 5 large fillets) *
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp coconut flour
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• Black pepper
• Coconut oil or butter for frying

preparation

1. Place the drained sardines in a bowl and mash well with a fork. Sometimes it's the 'insides' of sardines that puts people off, but once they are mashed, you won't notice them.

2. Stir through the eggs, coconut flour, chia seeds and some cracked black pepper until everything is well combined. Leave the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes so that the chia seeds absorb any excess moisture and thicken the mixture. If the mixture is still too runny, add a little more coconut flour and/or chia seeds.

3. Heat a little coconut oil or butter in a pan over a medium heat. Form the mixture into patty shapes with your hands (they will feel slightly wet) and place in the pan. Fry on both sides until lightly golden. You may need to do this in a couple of batches.

Makes 6 cakes.

* It's best to get sardines that are canned or bottled in olive oil (rather than vegetable/seed oils, which I avoid for the reasons discussed here). Check the ingredients list - sometimes the labelling states 'in olive oil' but when you read the ingredients list you see that it's actually a blend of olive oil and vegetable or seed oils.

roast chicken with garlic

Have you ever spatchcocked a whole chicken? It sounds wrong. But spatchcocking (which involves �flattening� out the chicken) is a great technique to speed up the cooking time when roasting a chicken and it exposes more skin for crisping potential.

I roast a chicken like this quite often. It's what I call 'laissez-faire' cooking because it requires minimal preparation and then you just throw it in the oven, leaving you free to do other things. I love the addition of roasted garlic. The flavour permeates the chicken while it�s cooking and then you�re left with the little cloves of soft and sweet roasted garlic (which you can just squeeze out of their skins to enjoy with the chicken).

ingredients 

• 1 whole chicken * 
• 1-2 heads of garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Salad leaves (or other vegetables) to serve

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 180�C.

2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken breast-side down on a chopping board with the legs facing you. Cut down both sides of the spine and discard the spine (or keep it for making stock). I do this using a pair of sharp kitchen scissors. Turn the chicken over and press down on the breastbone to flatten.

3. Separate the cloves of garlic, but leave them in their skins. Place the cloves in a roasting tray (large enough to fit the flattened chicken), drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Place the flattened chicken, breast-side up, on top of the garlic. Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken, rub it into the skin and season with salt and pepper.

5. Roast in the preheated oven for about 1 hour - 1 hour 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy. The cooking time will vary depending on the weight of your chicken. A 1.8kg chicken takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes in my oven. Towards the end of the cooking time, push the cloves of garlic out from under the chicken to the sides of the tray (you�ll need to carefully lift up one side of the chicken with tongs or a spatula to do this � take it out of the oven if you need to, just make sure you don�t burn yourself!).

6. Serve the chicken with the garlic cloves and some salad leaves, which I dress with the garlicky chicken juices from the tray.

* I have an embarrassing confession - the first time I bought a whole chicken and held it in my hands to start preparing it, I randomly started crying . It had hit me that it was a real animal before it ended up in my kitchen (of course my boyfriend got home right at that moment to find me standing at the sink, crying while holding the chicken. It was a bit awkward to explain). It's easy to forget where your meat has come from when you're just dealing with the separate parts. I eat meat because personally, my body requires it to function well. I buy meat that I feel confident has been raised and killed as humanely as possible. Free-range and grass-fed (without any added hormones or antibiotics) is best. 

frittata with greens + lemon

The combination of green vegetables and lemon (zest and juice) in this frittata gives a light, summery vibe. It�s quick and easy and generates leftovers for breakfast or lunch the next day.

I used zucchini and green beans here, and served it with a simple salad. But you could easily substitute whatever greens you have on hand. Once it�s cooled, I cut the leftovers up into wedges and store in the fridge.

ingredients

• 1 red onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 zucchini
• Large handful of green beans
• 1 lemon
• 12 eggs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil 

preparation

1. Preheat the grill in your oven to high. 

2. Heat a 26cm ovenproof frypan* on a medium heat. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Use a vegetable peeler to finely slice the zucchini lengthways. Top and tail the green beans and chop in half. Grate the zest off the lemon and set aside (keeping the lemon for its juice later). Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and whisk with a fork to combine.

3. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and fry the onion until starting to soften. Add the garlic, then the green beans and fry for a few minutes. Add the zucchini, lemon zest and squeeze the juice of the lemon into the pan. Stir everything around for about a minute.

4. Pour the whisked eggs into the pan over the vegetables and turn the heat up to high. Keep pulling the egg mixture from the sides of the pan into the centre, moving it around the pan until the bottom of the frittata starts to set.

5. Once the bottom and sides of the frittata are set, place the pan in the oven for a few minutes until the top is set.

6. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil over the top.

Serves 4-6.

* You can use a difference sized pan - it will just vary the thickness and cooking time of the frittata (i.e. if you have a larger frypan, the frittata will be thinner and will cook slightly faster).

smoked trout with avocado + greens

This salad doesn't really need a recipe, but I love the combination of flavours so I thought I'd share it as a bit of inspiration. It's the kind of meal you can throw together when your brain has given up for the day (often at lunchtime).

I always keep a packet of smoked trout or smoked salmon in the fridge for quick meals like this. Smoked fish has so much flavour, so it's the perfect ingredient to make an otherwise boring salad tasty. It also adds a good dose of healthy fats and protein (useful for brain function, if you're having one of those days).

ingredients

• 50-100g smoked trout (or smoked salmon)
• Half an avocado
• Various greens, such as a couple of handfuls of rocket or baby spinach and some leftover broccoli
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• Black pepper

preparation

1. Grab the bowl you want to eat from. Scoop out the avocado, in chunks, into the bowl. Throw in the greens. Drizzle with some olive oil and a little pinch of salt. Toss to combine (with your hands - if you want to keep washing up to a minimum).

2. Top with the smoked trout and season with cracked black pepper.

Serves 1.

zucchini noodles with tomato, olives + rocket

Thanks to two lovely friends from my CrossFit gym, I was given some homegrown zucchini and loan of a vegetable spiraliser. So I had a go at zucchini noodles. Zucchini noodles, or 'zoodles', can be used as a substitute for spaghetti (to the horror of many Italians, I'm sure). You just push the zucchini through the spiraliser and watch the string of zoodles come out the other end. 

As it's summer here in Australia, I decided to do a fresh uncooked 'sauce' for the zoodles. I like the combination of peppery rocket, sweet tomato and salty olives, but you can add/substitute ingredients to suit what you have in your fridge. I've given rough quantities to serve one, but you can easily multiply the quantities for more people. You could also add some flaked tuna or salmon if you want to up the protein.

You can eat the zoodles raw or blanch them by pouring some hot water over the top (if you heat them too much they will go to mush). If you don't have a spiraliser, you can just use a simple vegetable peeler to slice the zucchini lengthways into fettuccine-like strips.

ingredients

• 1 zucchini
• Handful of mini Roma or cherry tomatoes
• Handful of black olives
• Handful of rocket
• Handful of fresh parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil
• White wine vinegar

preparation

1. Pass the zucchini through a spiraliser or slice it into strips with a vegetable peeler. Place the zoodles in a colander or sieve and put some water on to boil.

2. While the water is coming to a boil, chop up the tomatoes and olives, roughly chop the rocket and parsley and place it all in a bowl. Drizzle with some olive oil and a splash of vinegar and toss to combine.

3. Pour the boiled water over the zucchini, draining well straight away. Toss the zucchini with the tomato, olive and rocket mixture and serve.

Serves 1.

sardines with pumpkin + silverbeet

This makes a wonderfully nutritious and filling lunch or dinner (or breakfast if you're like me and enjoy slightly unusual breakfasts). I made it for lunch today with my leftover Paprika Roast Pumpkin. 

It doesn't really need a recipe, but I thought I'd share it as more of an idea for you to play with because I really love the flavour combination. Sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and are also low in mercury, so they're one of the better fish options. I use sardines tinned in olive oil. 

ingredients

• Tin of sardines in olive oil
• A couple of large handfuls of silverbeet
• Leftover Paprika Roast Pumpkin

preparation

1. Remove the stalks from the silverbeet and roughly chop the leaves. Steam or boil the leaves until just tender, then drain well.

2. Remove the sardines from the tin, draining the oil. Place the silverbeet in a bowl and top with a handful of the leftover Paprika Roast Pumpkin and the sardines. (I don't dress the silverbeet with any oil as the sardines are quite oily).

Serves 1.

paprika roast pumpkin

This is one of my favourite ways to eat pumpkin. I regularly roast a tray of it to go with dinner, then add the leftovers cold to eggs in the morning or a salad at lunch.

I usually use butternut pumpkin (butternut squash) because its texture is smoother and less fibrous than other varieties of pumpkin. I haven't given exact quantities because it will depend on the size of your baking tray. You want enough pumpkin to cover your baking tray in a single layer, without overcrowding.

ingredients

• Butternut pumpkin
• Paprika
• Salt
• Coconut oil, melted

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 200�C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Remove the skin and seeds from the pumpkin. Cut the remaining flesh into 2cm cubes. (I cut the pumpkin into small cubes to reduce the cooking time and also to improve the paprika coating to pumpkin ratio). 

3. Place the pumpkin cubes in a bowl and shake over a generous amount of paprika, some salt and a good drizzle of melted coconut oil. Toss everything together so that each pumpkin cube is nicely coated.

4. Spread the cubes out onto the baking tray in a single layer, allowing a little bit of space between each cube. 

5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 - 30 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked through. If you have cut the pumpkin into larger cubes, it will need longer in the oven. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

coconut, almond + flax loaf

This grain-free loaf was born out of a need to use up some coconut flour. It has a subtle sweetness and dense texture that reminds me a bit of corn bread. It's delicious warm with some really good quality butter,* or you could just have it by itself alongside a big salad.

It's incredibly quick and easy to make. I had it on the table in 30 minutes (including baking time). Perfect for the days when you feel like something bready but don't want the gluten and grains. It's not a light loaf: coconut flour gives a dense texture and requires quite a few eggs to hold it together. But it's nutrient dense and very filling, so a little goes a long way. I like to use an extra virgin olive oil in the loaf to give it a savoury flavour, but you could substitute coconut oil.

ingredients

• 1� cups coconut flour
• 1 cup ground almonds
• � cup ground flaxseed
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 6 eggs
• � cup olive oil    

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 180�C and line a loaf tin with baking paper (I use a 23 x 7 cm loaf tin).

2. Combine the coconut flour, ground almonds, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, baking power and salt in a bowl.

3. Lightly beat the eggs and olive oil together to combine, then stir through the dry ingredients until everything is well combined.

4. Press the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting. 

* I go for organic, grass-fed butter. 

quick lemon + garlic chicken with kale

This meal takes me 15 minutes to make and it only uses one pan. Sometimes the thought of having to wash multiple pots and pans puts me off cooking, and I'll end up eating a less than ideal "picked from the pantry" dinner consisting of handfuls of whatever I can find (usually eaten whilst still standing in the pantry). 

When I'm in a cooking mood, I'm all for marinating a chicken for a few hours. But when you need a quick dinner, this recipe provides the lemon/garlic flavour in a very short amount of time. I like to serve it with kale because it's incredibly nutrient dense (I used curly kale in the photo above), but you could substitute silver-beet or spinach. 

I cook this meal in olive oil because I cook it over a medium heat only and I prefer the flavour of olive oil with lemon and garlic. (When cooking over a higher heat, I use saturated fats like coconut oil because they remain stable at high temperatures).

ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (or a few thighs)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Half a lemon
• Salt
• Pepper
• Bunch of kale
• Handful of flaked almonds
• Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• Olive oil

preparation

1. Cut the chicken into strips about 2cm thick (this speeds up the cooking time).

2. Heat a frypan over a medium heat and finely slice the garlic. Fry the garlic in a teaspoon of olive oil in the pan for a minute or so, then add the chicken. 

3. Sear the chicken pieces on both sides, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid or some foil and leave it to simmer until the chicken is just cooked through. 

4. While chicken is cooking, remove the stalks from the kale and tear the leaves into bite sized pieces.

5. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove the chicken and the garlic from the pan, leaving the juices in the pan. (I tip the chicken and garlic onto the plate I'm going to eat off - more saving on dishes).

6. Throw the kale into the pan, adding a little more olive oil if needed, and move it around the pan in the chicken juices until it is slightly tender and wilted. Throw the chicken and garlic back into the pan and stir everything around. Top with the flaked almonds and parsley.

Serves 2.

salmon cakes with smashed broccoli

I love these salmon cakes for dinner, breakfast, lunch...pretty much at all times. I get three meals out of them: I have them hot for dinner with broccoli, cold with avocado for breakfast, then crumbled up over a salad for lunch. Win, win, win.

I usually use canned salmon to make the cakes. I buy Fish4Ever brand wild Alaskan red salmon, which includes the skin and the bones (the bones are really soft so you don't notice them at all and they are a great source of calcium). But if you have leftover salmon steaks, they would work well too.

ingredients

for the salmon cakes:

• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 x 213g tins of salmon (or equivalent weight of cooked salmon steaks)
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt
• Pepper
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Coconut oil for frying

for the smashed broccoli:

• 1 head of broccoli
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

preparation

1. Separate the broccoli head into florets, then roughly chop the green tops and finely slice the stalks. Boil or steam until just tender and set aside.

 

2. Heat about half a teaspoon of coconut oil in a fry-pan and finely chop the onion and garlic. Saut� the onion in the coconut oil until it starts to soften, then add the garlic and saut� for a further minute or so.

3. Tip the salmon into a large bowl and break it up with a spoon. Stir through the cooked onion and garlic, eggs, parsley, coconut flour and paprika. Season with a good pinch of salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. If the mixture is too runny at this stage, add a little more coconut flour.

4. Heat some more coconut oil in the frypan. Form the salmon mixture into patties and fry on both sides until browned. You will need to do this in a few batches (depending on the size of your fry-pan).

5. Dress the broccoli in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and serve on top of the salmon cakes.

Makes 10 salmon cakes.

grain-free tacos

These grain-free tacos are a regular on my dinner circuit. They aren't authentic, but you get all the nice fillings and flavours without the grains. I keep it quick and simple with spicy beef, red cabbage, seasoned mashed avocado and fresh herbs. But if you have more time, you can get creative with different meats, marinades and a proper guacamole.

ingredients

 

• 400g beef mince *
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more if you like things really spicy)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 baby gem lettuces
• � red cabbage
• 1 ripe avocado
• Handful of fresh parsley or coriander
• Fresh lime wedges to serve (optional)

 

preparation

 

1. Heat a frypan on a high heat. Once hot, throw in the mince and start breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Continue to fry until the mince is cooked through.

 

2. Snap off the gem lettuce leaves and give them a good rinse. Finely slice the red cabbage and roughly chop the parsley or coriander. Mash the avocado in a bowl with a fork, then season with salt.

 

3. To serve, place a gem lettuce leaf on a plate and top with some of the spicy mince, then some red cabbage, a dollop of avocado and a sprinkling of the fresh parsley or coriander. They're also nice with a squeeze of lime. I find it easiest to put all the ingredients out on the table so everyone can construct their own tacos.

 

Serves 2

(Potentially with some leftover mince, which could be added to an omelette, frittata, salad or scrambled eggs for breakfast the next morning).

 

* Grass-fed meat is best if you can get it.

 

green eggs

 

My version of green eggs is scrambled eggs pimped with greens and served with a fresh green salad for added textural interest. It's a great way to add extra nutrients to eggs in the morning. I also often eat it for a quick lunch or dinner.

It's so simple it barely needs a recipe. If you have any leftover vegetables in the fridge, throw them into the scramble too. Kale is a great addition. Or spinach that is starting to pass its prime. Just chop it up and saut� with the zucchini before adding the eggs.

ingredients

for the scramble:

• 1 tsp raw virgin coconut oil
• 2-3 eggs
• 1 zucchini
• Salt *
• Pepper
• Fresh parsley, roughly chopped

for the green salad:

• Large handful of leafy greens, such as baby spinach, rocket or valeriana
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt *

 

preparation

 

1. Heat the coconut oil in a frypan over a low heat.

 

2. While the frypan is warming up, beat the eggs together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Grate the zucchini.

 

3. Throw the grated zucchini into the pan and saut� in the oil until it starts to soften and the moisture starts to evaporate.

 

4. Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and stir into the zucchini. Keep moving the egg and zucchini mixture around the pan until the eggs are just cooked through. I usually take the pan off the heat just before the eggs are done and finish them off with the residual heat in the pan. This way you're less likely to overcook the eggs.

 

5. For the salad, simply toss the leafy greens in a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt.

 

6. Serve the scramble on a plate with the salad, and top with the fresh parsley.

 

Serves 1.

 

* I use Himalayan crystal salt because it's high in minerals.

grain-free olive crackers

 

These grain-free crackers are great by themselves, with a drink or with antipasti. They work well with black or green olives, particularly if the olives have been marinated in herbs and spices.

 

ingredients

• 1� cups almond meal
• 1 egg
• 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• � cup marinated olives, finely chopped
  

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 180�C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Mix the almond meal, egg and olive oil together in a bowl until well combined. Fold through the chopped olives.

3. Rub your hands with a little olive oil and press the mixture out flat onto the lined baking tray about � cm thick in a rough rectangular shape (or shape them into little biscuit shapes now, which means you won't have to cut them later).

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until evenly browned. Allow to cool then cut into pieces with a sharp knife.

Makes about 20 crackers.

basic frittata

I'm a frittata fiend. I make them a lot because they are easy, portable, nice hot or cold, cheap to make (although I always buy organic, free-range eggs for ethical reasons), they result in leftovers (unless you're ravenous or have an unusually small frypan) and you can throw in whatever you have lying around. 

 

I like to add vegetables into the mix and often mince, chicken or salmon as well for added flavour and protein. This one includes broccolini, beef mince and artichoke. But throw in whatever you have. The frittata is very forgiving.

ingredients

• 400g beef mince *
• Bunch of broccolini, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 8 eggs
• 4-5 marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• Salt
• Pepper

preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 180�C and heat an ovenproof frypan on a medium heat. I use a 24cm frypan. Once the pan is hot, throw in the beef mince and fry, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through. I don't use any cooking oil, but if your mince is very lean, you could fry it in a teaspoon of coconut oil.

2. Remove the mince from the pan, then throw the broccolini into the pan and briefly saut� it in the leftover mince juices.

3. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the mince back into the pan and stir it around with the broccolini so that everything is evenly distributed.

4. Pour the whisked eggs over the mince and broccolini, tilting the pan slightly to evenly distribute the eggs. Leave the pan on a medium heat for about 10 minutes.

5. Sprinkle the chopped artichoke hearts over the frittata, then place the pan in the preheated oven for a final 10 minutes until the top of the frittata is set.

* Grass-fed meat is best if you can get it.