Herbed Wholemeal Rolls

And as I didn't have enough carbs. I decided to bake some rolls! lol. John has been working so hard and I thought that maybe some hot buns with butter will do the trick.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups wholemeal plain flour
• 1 tbs dried yeast
• 1/2 tsp sat
• 1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tbs olive oil
• Olive oi extra to grease
• 1/2 cup finely shredded fresh chives
• 1 tbs polenta 
• Polenta, extra to dust

Method:

1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add water and oil. Use a wooden spoon to sitr until combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together in a bowl. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
2. Brush a bowl with extra oil tl lightly grease. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
3. Punch down the centre of the dough with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 minutes or until smooth. Divide into 8 portions. Roll out each portion, sprinkle with chives. Roll up dough portions to enclose herbs.
4. Preheat oven to 250C. Sprinkle 2 baking trays with polenta. Place rolls, seam side down on prepared trays. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in a warm draught-free place to prove for 15 minutes.
5. Brush with water and sprinkle with extra polenta. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until golden.             

Tuna and Pasta Bake

So after an eventful peanut butter banana sandwich for breakfast I decided that heck more carbs will do me some good. lol. After all I am pregnant..and so Pasta and tuna bake it is!

Honestly we don't eat too much pasta at home..and even if we do we go with either the wholemeal types, organic types or those gluten and wheat free types.

Ingredients:

• 300g dried organic penne pasta
• 40 g butter
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 2 cups full cream milk (I got the A2 brand)
• 3/4 cup mozarella cheese
• 425g can tuna in springwater, drained and flaked.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220C / 200C fan forced. Lightly grease an 8 cup capacity ovenproof dish. 
2. Cook pasta in a medium saucepan of boiling, salted water, following packet directions, until tender.
3. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
4. Return pasta to pan
5. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then add flour. Cook, stirring for 1 minute or until bubbling.
6. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk until combined. Return to heat.
7. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Season with pepper.
8. Add to pasta with tuna and reserved cooking liquid. Toss to combine. 
9. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
11. Serve                  

Banana and Peanut Butter Sandwich

Woke up this morning and decided that I feel like having peanut butter. Hah..So here's what I came up with.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of rye bread 
• 1 tbs organic peanut butter
• 1 banana, sliced
• 2 tsp organic honey

Method:

1. Spread 1 slice ryde bread with 1 tbs peanut butter. Top with 1 banana, sliced, and drizzle over t tsp honey. Top with another slice of bread. Cut in half.    

Steak Diane

Ingredients:

• 170g oven wedges
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 x 140g piece beef fillet steak
• 20g butter
• 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbs brandy, optional
• 1/4 cup thickened cream
• 1 tbs fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Place oven wedges onto a baking tray. Bake following packet directions, or until golden and tender.
2. Heat oil to a small, non stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 mins each side for medium or until cooked to your liking. Remove steak to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to frying pan. Stir until melted. Add Worchestershire sauce, brandy, cream, parsley and salt and pepper to frying pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring or until sauce just comes to the boil.
4. Place steak onto serving plate. Spoon over sauce.         

Brown sugar & lime glazed salmon

Ingredients:

• 110g brown sugar
• 2 limes, juiced (I ran out of limes, so I used lemons instead)
• 2 x 220g pieces salmon fillet
• 80ml vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 2cm piece ginger, cut into julienne
• 2 bunches baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
• 2 tbs vegetable or chicken stock or water
• 60ml soy sauce
• 2 bunches long beans

Method:

• To marinate salmon, place sugar, lime juice and 1 tbs water in small pan. Cook, stirring over high heat for 5 minutes  or until sugar dissolves and mixture is syrupy. Transfer to a small bowl, then cool in freezer for 10 minutes.
• Place syrup and salmon in a large bowl and turn to coat well. Stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to marinate.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs oil in a large wok over high heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 1 1/2 minutes or until starting to brown. Reduce heat to medium high - add carrots and stock, then stir fry for 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and long beans and stir fry for another 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender but still crunchy. Remove from heat.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove salmon from marinade and drain on paper towel. Place salmon and remaning 2 tbs oil in a large non stick frying pan, then place pan over medium high heat. Cook for 4 minutes, turn salmon over, then cook for a further 2 minutes for medium rare or until cooked to your liking. Remove pan from heat, season, then rest salmon in pan for 5 minutes.
• Divide vegetables among plates and top with salmon.       

          

Beef and Eggplant Stew

Its been a while since I made stew and so I decided to make some with steak and the remaining eggplant I found in the fridge. Thank God it turned out ok, but I think the next time I'll slow cook the stew instead. 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 600g beed chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 800g vine ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 long red chilli, halved lengthways
• 4 (300g) baby eggplant, chopped
• brown rice to serve

Method:

• Heat 2 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beef. Cook, stirring for 6-8 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and cumin. Cook stirring for 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Add tomatoes, chili and 1/2 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered for 1 hour. Rmove lid, cook for 20-25 minutes or until beef is tender and sauce has thickened.
• Meanwhile, heat half the remaining oil in a frying pan. Add half the eggplant. Cook, turning occassionally for 5-6 minutes or until golden. Repeat with remaining oil and eggplant. Set aside.
• Add eggplant to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Serve with couscous or brown rice.