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Blueberry yoghurt ice-creams

<p>We can’t think of anything nicer than blueberry ice cream pops on a hot summer’s day. Become the most popular grandparent this summer with this recipe. </p><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Ingredients:</span></strong></p><ul><li>2 cups of blueberries</li><li>2 tablespoons of honey</li><li>2 cups of vanilla Greek yogurt</li></ul><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Method:</span></strong></p><ol><li>Blend your blueberries in a food processer until they are in a smoothie-like consistency.</li><li>Pour the thick blueberry liquid into a large bowl and stir in the honey.</li><li>Add yogurt and gently mix together.</li><li>If you would like the recipe to be sweeter, add more honey.</li><li>Pour mixture evening into your ice-cream moulds.</li><li>Freeze for two hours, then put a wooden popsicle stick in the middle.</li><li>Freeze for an additional four to six hours.</li><li>Run the popsicle moulds underneath warm water for easy removal. </li></ol>

Lifestyle

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Strawberry and rhubarb pie

<p>There’s not much nicer for dessert than a slice of a sweet fruit pie. Combine this strawberry and rhubarb filling recipe with your favourite flakey pastry for a decadent treat you’ll be raving about</p> <p><strong><span>Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>3 ½ cups chopped rhubarb</li> <li>3 ½ ups strawberries, sliced</li> <li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li> <li>½ cup granulated sugar</li> <li>¼ cup brown sugar</li> <li>⅛ cup cornflour</li> <li>¼ teaspoon salt</li> <li>2 tablespoons butter</li> <li>Raw sugar</li> <li>1 egg</li> <li>1 tablespoon water</li> </ul>

Lifestyle

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Thai beef salad

<p>This tasty Thai beef salad is delicious, quick, and relatively cheap.</p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> 2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>1 large piece rump steak (or half a kilo of mince if you're stretched)</li> <li>Salad veggies (I use a bag of ready-mixed, plus what I have in the fridge)</li> <li>⅓ cup toasted seeds or peanuts</li> </ul> <p><em>Dressing</em></p> <ul> <li>⅓ cupolive oil</li> <li>2-3 tsp sesame oil</li> <li>1 tsp honey, or golden syrup, or soft brown sugar</li> <li>1 dessertspoon fish sauce</li> <li>⅓ cup good soy sauce (I use Pearl River)</li> <li>⅓ cup lemon or lime juice</li> <li>Salt and pepper to taste</li> <li>½ tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste)</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>1. Assemble salad ingredients in a bowl.</p> <p>2. Mix dressing ingredients together and set aside.</p> <p>3. Panfry the steak (or mince) to your taste, and slice in strips.</p> <p>4. Add to salad ingredients, add dressing, toss and serve.</p> <p>NOTE: To make this recipe go further, boil the kettle and cook some noodles while the meat is cooking. Add to the whole salad and toss, or serve the salad on top of the noodles. </p> <p><strong><em>This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></a></em></strong></p>

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Sweet and tangy lemon and blueberry cheesecake

<p>Time to prepare 1 hr 10 mins |Serves 10</p> <p><strong>Lemon and blueberry cheesecake</strong></p> <p>Bringing together sweet blueberries and tangy lemons, this simple cheesecake is light but luscious. It’s the perfect end to a lazy summer meal!</p> <p><strong>Ingredients </strong></p> <ul> <li>Melted butter, extra, to grease</li> <li>375g cream cheese, at room temperature, cubed (see Tips)</li> <li>3 eggs, at room temperature</li> <li>185g (3/4 cup) sour cream</li> <li>125ml (1/2 cup) thin (pouring) cream</li> <li>165g (3/4 cup) caster (superfine) sugar</li> <li>1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest</li> <li>2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice</li> <li>200g fresh or frozen blueberries (see Tips)</li> <li>Icing (confectioners’) sugar, to dust</li> </ul> <p><strong>Biscuit base</strong></p> <ul> <li>100g plain sweet biscuits</li> <li>60g butter, melted</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line the base of a 20cm spring-form cake tin with baking paper. Brush the side of the tin with a little melted butter to grease.</p> <p>2. To make the Biscuit base, process the biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Sprinkle the mixture over the base of the tin and use the back of a metal spoon or the base of a glass to press down to cover evenly. Put the tin on a baking tray and place in the fridge.</p> <p>3. Clean the food processor bowl and process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and process until smooth. Add the sour cream, thin cream, sugar, lemon zest and juice and process until well combined and smooth, scraping down the side and base of the bowl when necessary. Pour into the tin over the base. Scatter the blueberries over the top.</p> <p>4. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until the cheesecake is just set but the centre trembles slightly when the tin is shaken gently. Turn off the oven, use a wooden spoon to keep the oven door ajar and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour (this helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking). Transfer the cheesecake, still in the tin, to the fridge and chill for at least 3 hours or until well chilled. Dust with icing sugar and serve.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <p>Having the cream cheese at room temperature means it will easily become smooth and creamy in the food processor. If you use it straight from the fridge it will take longer and you’ll need to scrape the side and base of the food processor frequently so that no lumps are left after processing.</p> <p>If using frozen blueberries, use them straight from the freezer – do not thaw.</p> <p><strong>Variations</strong></p> <p><strong>Orange &amp; Raspberry Cheesecake</strong> – Replace the lemon zest and juice with orange zest and juice. Replace the blueberries with fresh or frozen raspberries.</p> <p><strong>Blueberry &amp; White Chocolate Cheesecake</strong> – Replace the lemon zest and juice with 1 1/2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract or essence. Melt 180g good-quality white chocolate and cool to room temperature. Add to the bowl of the food processor just before transferring the mixture to the tin and process until just combined.</p> <p><strong>Individual Lemon &amp; Blueberry Cheesecakes</strong> – Line a 12-hole 80ml (1/3 cup) capacity muffin tin with paper cases. Divide the biscuit base, cream cheese mixture and blueberries evenly among the cases. Bake at 160°C for 30 minutes. Cool as per the recipe, then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before removing the paper cases and serving.</p> <p>Recipes and images from Bake Class by Anneka Manning ($39.99, Murdoch Books).</p> <p><em>Republished with permission <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/lemon-and-blueberry-cheesecake.aspx">of Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Lifestyle

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Pear upside-down cake

<p>One thing I love about social media is its ability to bring people together who share similar passions. I met Jess of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jess_mycleantreats/">@jess_mycleantreats</a> on Instagram and after scrolling through her feed of healthy desserts I was dying to try them for myself.</p> <p>Jess doesn't follow any particular diet, she just loves food and prefers to make healthier choices. She particularly loves desserts, so much so that she says "I may have spent the previous year heaping 3 teaspoons of Nutella into my mouth every night before I went to sleep (and also heaping on 3 kilos while I was at it)." So she decided to start experimenting with creating her own healthier treats using natural ingredients. She shares her creations on her blog, My Clean Treats, and says "if you pair these treats with a healthy lifestyle of fresh meals and regular exercise, I’d say you’re on the right track." Agree!</p> <p>I tried out Jess's Pear &amp; Date Upside-Down Cake and it was delicious. Her original recipe included chopped dates, which would be really tasty but I left them out to make a Pear Upside-Down Cake (because I can't eat a lot of dates). I also used brown rice flour instead of wholewheat or spelt to keep the cake gluten-free and it worked out nicely! The recipe for my adapted version is below and you can check out Jess's original recipe here. I loved the mixture of pear and cinnamon.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients </strong></p> <ul> <li>4 pears</li> <li>6 x 20ml tablespoons coconut oil, melted</li> <li>1/2 cup rice malt syrup</li> <li>3 large free-range eggs</li> <li>1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract</li> <li>1 2/3 cup brown rice flour</li> <li>2 tsp (gluten-free) baking powder</li> <li>1 tsp cinnamon powder</li> <li>1 cup unsweetened almond milk</li> <li>Extra cinnamon powder for dusting</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Peel and core the pears and cut them into halves. Poach the pear halves in simmering water for about 30-40 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool.</p> <p>2. While the pears are poaching, preheat your oven to 170°C (fan-forced) and line the base and sides of a 20cm circular cake tin with baking paper.*</p> <p>3. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil over the base of the tin, then arrange the pear halves cut-side down to cover the base.</p> <p>4. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil, rice malt syrup and vanilla together until creamy. Add one egg at a time to the mixture, beating until well combined.</p> <p>5. Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking powder over the liquid mixture, then gently fold everything together. Add the almond milk and beat lightly to combine.</p> <p>6. Pour the mixture over the pears, then bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour - 1 hour 20 minutes (mine took 1 hour). Allow to cool. To serve, flip onto a plate and dust over some extra cinnamon. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.</p> <p>Serves 8.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <p>* I used a springform cake tin, which meant that the coconut oil dripped through the tiny gaps in the base while in the oven causing a bit of a mess. So I ended up wrapping the tin in two layers of foil to stop the dripping. I'd recommend doing this from the start or using a normal cake tin (without a removable base).</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/pear-upside-down-cake-ld.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Lifestyle

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Healthier sweet potato and spelt carbonara

<p><em><span>Recipe by Magdalena Roze for Australian Sweet Potatoes</span></em></p> <p><span>I</span>’<span>ve made this recipe for one serve because it</span>’<span>s the perfect meal to make for one when you have leftover sweet potato mash or puree. To cook for more people, simply double, triple etc the quantities. It</span>’<span>s also easily adapted for vegetarians by simply omitting the bacon. In this healthier version of carbonara, I</span>’<span>m using delicious sweet potato as a substitute for cream, and wholesome spelt pasta.</span></p> <p><em><span>Serves 1</span></em></p> <p><strong><span>Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span>100 grams spelt spaghetti</span></li> <li><span>1 tablespoon olive oil</span></li> <li><span>1 garlic clove, crushed</span></li> <li><span>30 grams bacon or pancetta, diced</span></li> <li><span>150 grams sweet potato, pureed</span></li> <li><span>30 grams parmesan cheese, grated</span></li> <li><span>1 whole free range egg, beaten</span></li> <li><span>Salt and pepper to season</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span>Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li><span>Cook the spelt pasta according to the packet instructions, usually around 10 minutes, and reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water for your carbonara sauce.</span></li> </ol> <ol start="2"> <li><span>In the meantime, place the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat, add the garlic and bacon/pancetta, and cook for about 5 minutes or until it</span>’<span>s crisp and golden, then set aside.</span></li> </ol> <ol start="3"> <li><span>Put the sweet potato, parmesan, egg and half the pancetta/bacon in a bowl. When the pasta is ready, remove it from the water with tongs and place it into the bowl along with a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water. Using the tongs or a couple of forks, toss the pasta with all the ingredients until it</span>’<span>s well coated and all ingredients are well combined. The hot pasta will lightly cook the egg.</span></li> </ol> <ol start="4"> <li><span>Top with remaining bacon/pancetta, extra parmesan and a generous amount of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.</span></li> </ol> <ol start="5"> <li><span>Enjoy!</span></li> </ol>

Lifestyle

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Sweet potato crusted shepherd’s pie

<p>Take out your casserole and try this recipe for the weekend.</p> <p><em>Serves 4 </em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients: </strong></p> <ul> <li>1kg sweet potato, peeled, diced</li> <li>150g butter</li> <li>Salt and black pepper</li> <li>3 tbsp olive oil</li> <li>1 onion, finely sliced</li> <li>1 carrot, finely diced</li> <li>1 stick celery, finely diced</li> <li>2 clove garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>500g lamb mince</li> <li>2 tbsp tomato paste</li> <li>2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>½ cup red wine, optional</li> <li>1 cup chicken stock</li> <li>1 x 400g tin tomato</li> <li>1 cup frozen peas</li> <li>½ cup grated cheddar cheese</li> <li>Green leaf salad, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Steam or boil the sweet potato until cooked and soft then drain, mash and mix with the butter, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.</li> <li>Heat a medium saucepan over a high heat, add the olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and lamb.</li> <li>Season with a little salt and cook over a medium to high heat to colour the lamb and cook the vegetables, stirring to break up with a spoon as it is cooking. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute then add the Worcestershire sauce, red wine, chicken stock and tinned tomato and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for approx. 30 minutes.</li> <li>Preheat the oven to 190C. Adjust the seasoning of the lamb ragu then spoon the lamb mix into a baking dish, stir through the peas and top evenly with the mash sweet potato. Cover with the cheddar then bake for 15 -20 minutes before serving with a green salad if preferred.</li> </ol>

Lifestyle

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Takeaway containers shape what (and how) we eat

<p>Home cooks have been trying out their skills during isolation. But the way food tastes depends on more than your ability to follow a recipe.</p> <p>Our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25713964/">surroundings</a>, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/485781">the people</a> <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/25/7/471/952605">we share food with</a> and the design of our tableware – our cups, bowls and plates, cutlery and containers – affect the way we experience food.</p> <p>For example, eating from a heavier bowl can make you feel food is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329311000966?via%3Dihub">more filling and tastes better</a> than eating from a lighter one.</p> <p>Contrast this with fast food, which is most commonly served in lightweight disposable containers, which encourages <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666312001754">fast eating</a>, <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f2907">underestimating</a> how much food you’re eating, and has even been linked to becoming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23773044/">impatient</a>.</p> <p>These are just some examples of the vital, but largely unconscious, relationship between the design of our tableware – including size, shape, weight and colour – and how we eat.</p> <p>In design, this relationship is referred to as an object’s “<a href="https://jnd.org/affordances_and_design/">affordances</a>”. Affordances guide interactions between objects and people.</p> <p>As Australian sociologist <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/how-artifacts-afford">Jenny Davis writes</a>, affordances:</p> <p><em>…push, pull, enable, and constrain. Affordances are how objects shape behaviour for socially situated subjects.</em></p> <p>Designed objects don’t <em>make</em> us do things.</p> <p><strong>The colour of your crockery</strong></p> <p>When you visit a restaurant, the chances are your dinner will be served on a plain white plate.</p> <p>But French chef Sebastien Lepinoy has staff <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=-5gCBAAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PT118&amp;lpg=PT118&amp;dq=Sebastien+Lepinoy+paint+plates&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=8jc3yBavYd&amp;sig=ACfU3U0jRwMOQtM_NmOspLXcyXp9SiVTuQ&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjqzNzj3MPpAhUOxjgGHQnvDlEQ6AEwCnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&amp;q=Sebastien%20Lepinoy%20paint%20plates&amp;f=false">paint the plates</a> to match the daily menu and “entice the appetite”.</p> <p>Research seems to back him up. Coloured plates can enhance flavours to actually change the dining experience.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22128561">one study</a>, salted popcorn eaten from a coloured bowl tasted sweeter than popcorn eaten from a white bowl. In <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Does-the-colour-of-the-mug-influence-the-taste-of-Doorn-Wuillemin/476e322e1de2c705e8691e14c72c814fd79e5e09">another</a>, a café latte served in a coloured mug tasted sweeter than one in a white mug.</p> <p>This association between colour and taste seems to apply to people from Germany to China.</p> <p>A review of <a href="https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-015-0033-1">multiple studies</a> conducted in many countries over 30 years finds people consistently associated particular colours with specific tastes.</p> <p>Red, orange or pink is most often associated with sweetness, black with bitterness, yellow or green with sourness, and white and blue with saltiness.</p> <p><strong>The size of your plate</strong></p> <p>The influence of plate size on meal portions depends on the dining experience and whether you are <a href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/897365/DUBELAAR-JACR-Plate-Size-Meta-Analysis-Paper-2016.pdf">serving yourself</a>. In a buffet, for example, people armed with a small plate may eat more because they can go back for multiple helpings.</p> <p>Nonetheless, average plate and portion sizes have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/25/problem-portions-eating-too-much-food-control-cutting-down">increased</a> over the years. Back in her day, grandma used to serve meals on plates 25cm in diameter. Now, the average dinner plate is 28cm, and many restaurant dinner plates have expanded to <a href="https://www.nisbets.com.au/size-of-plates">30cm</a>.</p> <p>Our waistlines have also expanded. Research confirms we tend to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666311006064">eat more calories</a> when our plates are larger, because a larger capacity plate affords a greater portion size.</p> <p><strong>Plastic is too often ignored</strong></p> <p>The pace of our busy lives has led many people to rely on those handy takeaways in disposable plastic food containers just ready to pop into the microwave. And it’s tempting to use plastic cutlery and cups at barbecues, picnics and kids’ birthday parties.</p> <p>In contrast to heavy, fragile ceramic tableware, plastic tableware is <a href="https://discardstudies.com/2019/05/21/disposability/">designed to be ignored</a>. It is so lightweight, ubiquitous and cheap we don’t notice it and pay little mind to its disposal.</p> <p>Plastics have also changed how we eat and drink. An aversion to the strong smell of plastic containers that once might have caused people to <a href="https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/0747936042312066?journalCode=desi">wrap their sandwiches before placing them in Tupperware</a> seems to have disappeared. We drink hot coffee though plastic lids.</p> <p>Australian economic sociologist Gay Hawkins and her colleagues argue lightweight, plastic water bottles have created entirely new habits, such as “<a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/ics/news/news_archive/2015/history_of_bottled_water_focus_of_new_book">constant sipping</a>” on the go. New products are then designed to fit and reinforce this habit.</p> <p><strong>Aesthetics matter</strong></p> <p>Healthy eating is not only characterised by what we eat but how we eat.</p> <p>For instance, eating mindfully – more thoughtfully and slowly by focusing on the experience of eating – can help you feel <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster-20101019605">full faster</a> and make a <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/351A3D01E43F49CC9794756BC950EFFC/S0954422417000154a.pdf/structured_literature_review_on_the_role_of_mindfulness_mindful_eating_and_intuitive_eating_in_changing_eating_behaviours_effectiveness_and_associated_potential_mechanisms.pdf">difference</a> to how we eat.</p> <p>And the Japanese cuisine <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/dining-out/kaiseki-cheatsheet-sg">Kaiseki</a> values this mindful, slower approach to eating. It consists of small portions of beautifully arranged food presented in a grouping of small, attractive, individual plates and bowls.</p> <p>This encourages the diner to eat more slowly and mindfully while appreciating not only the food but the variety and setting of the tableware.</p> <p>Japanese people’s slower eating practices even apply to “fast food”.</p> <p>One <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00346651211277654/full/html">study</a> found Japanese people were more likely to eat in groups, to stay at fast food restaurants for longer and to share fast food, compared with their North American counterparts.</p> <p>Affordance theory is only now starting to account for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0270467617714944">cultural diversity</a> in the ways in which designed objects shape practices and experiences.</p> <p>The studies we have reviewed show tableware influences how we eat. Size, shape, weight, colour and aesthetics all play a part in our experience of eating.</p> <p>This has wide implications for how we design for healthier eating – whether that’s to encourage eating well when we are out and about, or so we can better appreciate a tastier, healthier and more convivial meal at home.</p> <p><em>Written by Abby Mellick Lopes and Karen Weiss. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/plates-cups-and-takeaway-containers-shape-what-and-how-we-eat-137059">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em> </em></p>

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Butter chicken and sweet potato

<p>Looking for something wholesome and fulfilling for dinner? Try out this comforting butter chicken and sweet potato dish as a winter’s warmer.</p> <p><em>Serves 4</em></p> <p><em>Prep time: 15 mins + 1-hour marinating (optional)</em></p> <p><em>Cooking time: 40 mins</em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tbs tandoori curry paste</li> <li>¼ cup Greek yoghurt</li> <li>700g small chicken thigh fillets, trimmed                      </li> <li>1 tbs ghee or vegetable oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>1 long green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped</li> <li>800g sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthways, cut into 3cm pieces</li> <li>420g jar butter chicken sauce</li> <li>400g can finely chopped tomatoes                   </li> <li>150ml thickened cream</li> <li>Warm naan, to serve</li> <li>cucumber raita &amp; coriander sprigs (optional), to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Combine curry paste and yoghurt in a bowl. Cut chicken in half crossways (if chicken is large cut into thirds). Stir into tandoori mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour only if you have time.</li> <li>Preheat oven 230°C fan forced. Remove chicken from marinade. Place on a greased tray. Roast 10 minutes in hot oven.</li> <li>Meanwhile, heat ghee or oil in a deep-frying pan or wok. Add onion and chilli. Cook stirring 4 minutes until soft. Add sweet potato, cook 5 minutes. Add butter chicken sauce and tomatoes. Bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until sweet potato just tender. Stir in cream. Add the chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes until chicken cooked through.</li> <li>Serve with warm naan, raita and coriander.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> Ghee is clarified butter, its available in the Indian section of the supermarket. Once opened, store in the fridge. It’s great for cooking curries, pancakes, pikelets and cooking over high heat as it won’t burn like regular butter.</p>

Lifestyle

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Miguel’s mushroom sweet potato gnocchi

<p>When it comes to cooking, celebrity chef Miguel Maestre has a surprising favourite ingredient – mushrooms.</p> <p>“Mushrooms are a brilliant and versatile ingredient that make meal times tastier and healthier,” the restaurateur and TV presenter said.</p> <p>Here’s one of Miguel’s mushroom recipes.</p> <p><strong>Recipe by: </strong>Miguel Maestre for Australian Mushrooms</p> <p><em>Serves 2-3</em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 medium sweet potatoes</li> <li>2 cups all purpose flour</li> <li>2 teaspoons salt flakes</li> <li>flour for dusting</li> <li>250g Swiss brown and button mushrooms, chopped in quarters</li> <li>10 sage leaves</li> <li>2 tbsp toasted pinenuts (optional)</li> <li>1/2 lemon</li> <li>50g butter</li> <li>Grated Parmesan</li> </ul> <p> <strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork, and then bake them for at least 1 hour on a bed of rock salt in the oven until they are tender and the skin starts to look wrinkly.</li> <li>While the potato is still warm, peel the skin away from the flesh and set aside to cool slightly.</li> <li>If you have a potato ricer, put the sweet potatoes through this. Otherwise you can use a fine sieve and push the potato through with a ladle or wooden spoon.</li> <li>Place the flour on a board, or your kitchen bench. Make a well in the centre and add the riced / sieved sweet potatoes to the well.  Season with salt and pepper.</li> <li>Using your hands, work the sweet potato into the flour until it’s fully combined. You don’t want the dough to be sticky so keep adding flour gradually until you get a nice dry dough. This could take quite a bit of extra flour.</li> <li>Once fully combined, roll the dough into a ball and cut it into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a long sausage, each about a finger in thickness.</li> <li>Cut the rolls of dough into 2cm little pillows of gnocchi, and gently toss each piece into some flour on your work bench to ensure that it’s dry. At this point you could also use a gnocchi board or fork to press grooves into each piece of gnocchi to make it more professional looking but this is optional and tastes just as good without!</li> <li>To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the salt. Blanch the sweet potato gnocchi in salted boiling water until they all float. Then drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.</li> <li>In a large frying pan, over a high heat, add a splash of olive oil and a teaspoon of butter, add the quartered mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until golden. Spoon out the mushrooms into a bowl.</li> <li>Using the same frying pan, add the cooked gnocchi and sear until crispy. Add the remaining butter, pine nuts, sage leaves and mushrooms you just set aside. Cook until the butter starts to burn.</li> <li>Then add lemon juice and Parmesan and serve.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tip: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Putting the potatoes through a sieve or potato ricer is a vital step to making gnocchi, as this breaks down the starch.</li> <li>If you make gnocchi often, a potato ricer is a fairly inexpensive kitchen tool that is handy to have.</li> </ul>

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Tropical papaya refrigerator cake

<p>End your mealtime with a bang and serve up this juicy dessert. The tropical fruit flavours blend well with the dairy to create a dessert to remember.</p> <p><em>Serves 12</em></p> <p><em>Prep Time: 25 minutes</em></p> <p><em>Refrigerator Time: 8 hours</em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>250 g cream cheese (one block)</li> <li>300 ml pure cream</li> <li>1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk</li> <li>1 tsp lemon juice</li> <li>1/2 tsp vanilla paste or extract</li> <li>1 1/2 packets Nice biscuits</li> <li>300 g papaya, thinly sliced</li> <li>1 x 440 g can crushed pineapple in juice, drained</li> </ul> <p>To garnish</p> <ul> <li>Extra sliced papaya</li> <li>1/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted</li> <li>1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>With a hand-held mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add cream, beating to incorporate well as you pour, then continue to beat for one to two minutes until it thickens and holds soft peaks.</li> <li>Add the condensed milk, vanilla and lemon juice to the cream and beat until the mixture begins to re-thicken and the beaters leave trails in the surface. Spoon 1/2 cup of the cream into a separate dish, cover and place in the fridge for toping the cake when it’s ready to serve.</li> <li>Line a 1.5 litre loaf tin with cling-wrap to cover the base and over-hang on all four sides. Spread 1/2 cup of the remaining cream in the bottom of the prepared tin and arrange a layer of biscuits on top, cutting a few into smaller pieces to fill any gaps. Dollop over a quarter of the cream (about 1/2 cup again) and spread to cover the biscuits. Top cream with a third of the papaya slices and a third of the drained pineapple.</li> <li>Repeat with biscuits, cream and fruit for two more layers, then finish with a final layer of biscuits and the remaining cream.</li> <li>Cover the surface of the cake with the over-hanging cling-wrap. Press gently to compress and refrigerate eight hours or overnight – giving the biscuits plenty of time to soften.</li> <li>When ready to serve, peel the cling-wrap off the top of the cake and invert onto a serving platter. Remove all cling-wrap and discard. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the reserved cream. Decorate with the coconut, almonds and extra papaya. Keep cake refrigerated until ready to slice and serve.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tips:</strong></p> <ul> <li>To toast coconut and almonds, spread over a tray and bake for 5 - 6 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C, or toss in a hot pan until just golden.</li> <li>As long as the cream is thick enough to stay on the biscuits without running quickly off the edges it will do the job perfectly, however if you feel it’s too thin at the end of Step 2 you can refrigerate it for an hour and beat again.</li> <li>To cut biscuits into smaller pieces use a serrated knife in a sawing motion so they don’t shatter or crumble.</li> </ul>

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3 baking powder substitutes you can use in recipes

<p>All home cooks know what it’s like to work on a recipe only to find out that an ingredient is out of stock in the kitchen. Baking powder is a common offender in this case, and its absence could not be ignored – as a chemical leavener, it adds lightness and volume to baked goods.</p> <p>However, plenty of other ingredients can act as a substitute. So before you head out to the store, see if you can replace the baking powder with any of the following alternatives.</p> <p><strong>1. Baking soda and acid</strong></p> <p>Contrary to popular beliefs, baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable. To create a teaspoon of substitute baking powder, mix a quarter teaspoon of baking soda with half a teaspoon of an acidic ingredient such as cream of tartar, vinegar or lemon juice.</p> <p><strong>2. Self-rising flour</strong></p> <p>Out of both baking powder and baking soda? Self-rising flour is a combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt, and can thus replace all-purpose flour in recipes.</p> <p><strong>3. Club soda</strong></p> <p>Soda water contains sodium bicarbonate or baking soda. It can be used to replace any liquids in recipes such as milk and water. While it works to add extra lightness, it only has a small amount of the leavening agent, so only use it if the recipe doesn’t call for a lot of added volume.</p>

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Woman shares genius cereal storage hack

<p>A new kitchen hack has taken over social media by storm, with people praising the food storage trick as “brilliant”.</p> <p>Cereals are commonly stored in a plastic container or simply left in the packaging box. However, a UK woman has revealed the way to properly store cereal boxes to minimise the risk of going stale.</p> <p>In a Facebook post, Becky Holden-McGhee wrote: “It’s only taken me 40 years, but I now know the correct way to close a cereal box.</p> <p>“Genius. It takes seconds, no more dried up cereal and ugly torn boxes to greet me every morning.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbecky.holden.923%2Fposts%2F10163890423985508&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=552&amp;height=706&amp;appId" width="552" height="706" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>Holden-McGhee told <em>Metro.co.uk</em> she adopted the trick from an American woman on her online feed. ”I was like, ‘that looks amazing but I don’t think I’m going to be able to do that’,” she said.</p> <p>“Because you see these hacks don’t you, but in reality they’re not that easy to do.”</p> <p>Her post has received hundreds of comments and been shared more than 110,000 times.</p> <p>“I can’t keep up with every single comment now because it’s gone a little bit crazy, but everyone has just been like ‘wow’ and ‘who knew?’” she told the outlet.</p> <p>“Loads and loads of people have shared pictures of their own cereal boxes, which is so cute.”</p> <p>The trick to sealing a cereal box is to fold the two small flaps on the sides and one of the long sides inside. Pinch the two sides of the box so that the sides fold in to close like a milk carton. From then, the remaining long side can be folded into the box.</p> <p><em>Image: Becky Holden McGhee/Facebook </em></p>

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The controversial cooking question on everyone’s lips

<p>As garlic is a common staple in many dishes around the world, there’s been a controversial question on everyone’s lips who use the spice in their dish.</p> <p>How much minced garlic equals one clove?</p> <p>Although the question might sound simple, the answer is anything but.</p> <p>It depends on how finely minced the garlic is as well as whether the chop is standardised and how big the clove of garlic is.</p> <p>This question has confused many as it depends on the chef’s personal preference. One person says that clove is a “useless measurement”.</p> <p>"clove" [is] a useless measurement. Look at the variation on this page—anywhere from 1/4 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon—that's a variation of 1200%. I use the conversion of 1 clove equals 1 teaspoon. I believe Cook's Illustrated does the same,” he said to<span> </span>Hotline<span> </span>in a<span> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://food52.com/hotline/13423-how-much-minced-garlic-equals-one-clove" target="_blank">thread</a>.</p> <p>However, others have disagreed. The answer that was “voted the best” in the thread says that minced garlic is a waste of time.</p> <p>“Sorry, I would toss the "packaged" garlic that has chemical preservatives in it in favor of spending the 20 seconds it takes to chop or mince fresh real garlic cloves,” they wrote.</p> <p>Others agreed with the best voted answer, saying “you will never get the flavour of fresh garlic from a jar so there is no equivalent”.</p> <p>One person commented explaining that they were from New Zealand and therefore preferred using pre-minced garlic as fresh garlic is quite expensive and they use it a lot in their cooking.</p> <p>One final commenter just praised anyone who was getting into the kitchen and trying to use garlic, as well as giving an answer to the question.</p> <p>"Yes, fresh garlic is best. Applause to anyone that is trying to be a better home chef, no matter what kind of garlic you are using."</p>

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Papaya, goat cheese and honey toast

<p>Give your morning breakfast a twist with freshly sliced papaya on toast. Fresh and delightful!</p> <p>Serves 1</p> <p>Prep Time: 2 minutes</p> <p><em>Recipe by:</em> <em><a href="http://www.australianpapaya.com.au/">Australian Papaya</a></em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 piece sourdough bread, toasted (50g)</li> <li>1/4 cup or 60g crumbled goat cheese</li> <li>75g thinly sliced papaya</li> <li>1/2 tbsp honey</li> <li>1tbsp Fresh mint, shredded</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Top toasted sourdough with goat cheese and papaya to taste.</li> <li>Drizzle over honey and sprinkle with mint to serve.</li> </ol>

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Papaya lime bars

<p>In the mood for baking? These tangy, juicy bars will be a perfect snack for the whole family.</p> <p><em>Serves 12</em></p> <p>Prep time: 10 minutes</p> <p>Cook time: 30 minutes</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <p>For the crust</p> <ul> <li>100 g butter, melted</li> <li>1 cup flour (130 g)</li> <li>1/2 cup icing sugar mixture (60 g)</li> <li>1/4 tsp baking powder</li> <li>zest from 1 lime – approx. 1 tsp</li> <li>pinch sea salt</li> </ul> <p>For the filling</p> <ul> <li>1/2 cup mashed papaya (125 g)</li> <li>1⁄3 cup lime juice (80 ml)</li> <li>2 eggs</li> <li>1/4 cup caster sugar (60 g)</li> <li>2 Tbsp cornflour (20 g)</li> <li>zest from 1 lime – approx. 1 tsp</li> <li>1⁄4 tsp sea salt</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly coat a 20cm x 20cm pan with cooking spray, then line the base and two sides with a single strip of baking paper.</li> <li>In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients for the crust (flour through salt) and mix well. Add melted butter and stir to create a soft dough. Turn dough into the prepared pan and press evenly across the base.</li> <li>Par-bake the crust for 12 mins until just golden. While it’s baking, make the filling.</li> <li>Add papaya and lime juice to a blender jug and puree until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients (eggs through salt) and pulse to combine.</li> <li>Remove pan from the oven, pour filling over the hot crust and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 18 - 20 mins, until bars are puffed and firm to the touch in the centre.</li> <li>Allow papaya bars to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the slice and using the paper to lift it out onto a rack. Cool completely, then cut into bars to serve.</li> </ol>

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Plant-based Goan curry

<p>Warm up your dinner table with this gluten-free, dairy-free curry.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <p> Spice blend</p> <ul> <li>1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander</li> <li>2 teaspoons ground cumin</li> <li>3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric</li> <li>1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger</li> <li>5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed</li> <li>1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar</li> <li>1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar</li> </ul> <p>Curry</p> <ul> <li>3 tablespoons coconut oil</li> <li>2 (300g) brown onions, peeled and cut into quarters, leaving the base of the onion intact</li> <li>250g cherry tomatoes, some halved, some left whole</li> <li>600ml coconut milk</li> <li>2 green chillies, slit lengthways in quarters, seeds removed</li> <li>400g firm organic tofu, cut into 2cm pieces</li> <li>1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds</li> <li>1 cup coconut flakes</li> <li>To serve: fresh coriander or toasted curry leaves, basmati rice, extra steamed vegetables</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>To make the spice blend: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.</li> <li>To make the curry: Place a sauce pan on low to medium heat, add coconut oil and spice blend and cook, stirring frequently for about 90 seconds.</li> </ol> <ol start="3"> <li>Add the coconut fat from the top of the coconut milk can (this is the solidified part of the coconut milk, under which you’ll find more watery substance) with the onion and cook with the lid on for about 5-6 minutes, stirring every now and then. Add the remains of the coconut milk (the more watery part), chilli and mustard seeds, cover and bring to the boil for about 5 minutes.</li> </ol> <ol start="4"> <li>Add tofu, tomatoes and 1/4 cup water, cover and bring to the boil, then remove lid and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Just prior to serving, gently stir through the coconut flakes, garnish with your choice of coriander or curry leaves (make sure you give these a quick dry fry in a pan if you choose to use them), season with sea salt and black pepper and serve with basmati rice and extra steamed vegetables.</li> </ol> <p><em>Recipe by Jacqueline Alwill</em></p>

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Satay chicken jacket potato

<p>Caught in a pinch with just the basic ingredients? This satay chicken jacket potato dish can keep your dinner exciting with flavoursome spices and sauces that you should already have in the pantry. Pre-cut, frozen and pre-packaged vegetables can also easily take the place of fresh ingredients and herbs where needed.</p> <p>For those with peanut allergy, replace the peanut butter with the equally tasty tahini.</p> <p><strong><span>Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span>2 large sweet potatoes</span></li> <li><span>1 tablespoon coconut oil</span></li> <li><span>400g chicken mince</span></li> <li><span>2 cloves of garlic, crushed</span></li> <li><span>1 teaspoon ginger</span></li> <li><span>2 tablespoon tamari</span></li> <li><span>4 tablespoon Mayver’s <a href="https://mayvers.com.au/product/mayvers-dark-roasted-smooth-peanut-butter/">Dark Roasted Peanut Butter</a>or <a href="https://mayvers.com.au/product/mayvers-hulled-tahini/">Tahini</a></span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span>To serve:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span>2 spring onions, thinly sliced</span></li> <li><span>1 chilli, thinly sliced (optional) </span></li> <li><span>Micro herbs to garnish</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span>Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray. Cook the potatoes whole, for 60 minutes or until tender and soft when cut with a knife.</li> <li>When there is 20 minutes to go, start making the chicken satay.</li> <li>Heat the coconut oil in a fry pan and brown the chicken mince. Add the garlic, ginger, tamari and peanut butter or tahini and mix to combine. Allow to simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. If your mince is getting a little bit dry, add a splash of chicken stock to help keep the moisture in.</li> <li>Cut the sweet potato in half and add half the satay to each potato. Garnish each with half the spring onion, half the chilli and half the micro herbs.</li> </ol> <p> </p> <p><em><span>Recipe by Monica of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/monicayateshealth/">@monicayateshealth</a>.</span></em></p>

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Quinoa pilaf stuffed white onions

<p>Who knew simple ingredients could make for a show-stealing side dish? Serve this gluten-free, vegetarian delicacy with your protein of choice for a delightful dinner.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>4 medium white onions, peeled and cut in half</li> <li>1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>1/2 (80g) red capsicum, seeds removed, diced</li> <li>2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander</li> <li>2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley</li> <li>3/4 cup quinoa</li> <li>2 cups (500ml) vegetables stock</li> <li>1/4 teaspoon cinnamon</li> <li>100g feta</li> <li>2 tablespoon pinenuts, toasted</li> <li>2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds</li> <li>Extra herbs for garnish</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Take each white onion half and trim a small portion from the base so you can push the inner layers through and out of the onion, leaving about 3 layers to create the onion cup to hold the pilaf. Do this with each white onion and set aside about 120g of white onion to dice for the pilaf.</li> <li>Set the rest of the inner white onion pieces aside to use in another recipe or pop in the freezer and store for when you need next.</li> <li>Add finely chopped white onion, extra virgin olive oil, capsicum and herbs so a small saucepan, place on medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.</li> <li>Add quinoa, 1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock and cinnamon to pan, stir, cover to bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, the pilaf at this stage will still be relatively loose in nature but the quinoa should be cooked.</li> <li>Heat oven to 180C, and pour the remaining 1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock into a shallow baking dish. Arrange white onion cups around the dish so they are snug, then fill each half way with the pilaf. Sprinkle about half the feta in each cup and repeat finishing with the feta on top.</li> <li>Cover with foil then place in oven to cook for 20 minutes, the stock from the base of the dish will steam the onion cups in this time.</li> <li>Remove the foil, change oven to grill and pop back under to make a little more golden on top for 5-6 minutes.</li> <li>Sprinkle pinenuts, pomegranate and extra herbs over the top and serve as part of a shared meal.</li> </ol> <p><em>Recipe by Jacqueline Alwill.</em></p>

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Spiced lamb skewers with pomegranate yoghurt

<p>These lamb tender spiced lamb skewers are the perfect meal in cold weather. Before you even have a taste, the aromatic smell will have you and everyone you are cooking for sold.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water overnight</li> <li>400g lamb mince</li> <li>2 tsp crushed garlic</li> <li>1 tsp pomegranate molasses</li> <li>Mint leaves to serve</li> <li>Pomegranate seeds to serve</li> </ul> <p><em>For the spice mix</em></p> <ul> <li>1 tspground cumin</li> <li>2 tsp ground oregano</li> <li>1 tsp sumac</li> <li>1 tsp paprika</li> <li>½ tsp sea salt</li> <li>Pinch ground black pepper</li> </ul> <p><em>For the pomegranate yoghurt</em></p> <ul> <li>½ cup (125g) plain yoghurt</li> <li>2 tbsp pomegranate molasses</li> <li>2 tbsp chopped fresh mint</li> <li>1 tsp sumac</li> <li>1 tbsp <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.fountainsauces.com.au/fountain-products-variety.php" target="_blank">Fountain Thick Mint</a></strong></span> Sauce</li> <li>Salad of your choice to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>1. Combine lamb with garlic, pomegranate molasses and spice mix.  Mix well.  With damp hands shape lamb around skewers and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set before cooking.</p> <p>2. Combine yoghurt, pomegranate molasses, mint, sumac and thick mint sauce.</p> <p>3. Pre-heat a barbeque hot plate to medium. Add the skewers and cook for 4 minutes, then turn and cook for a further 4 minutes or until cooked through.</p> <p>4. Serve with yoghurt sauce, pomegranate seeds, mint and salad. Drizzle a bit more pomegranate molasses over lamb skewers.</p> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/FountainSauces/?fref=ts" target="_blank">Fountain</a></strong></span>.</em></p>

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