I have been doing quite a bit of recipe improvisation lately. That is – not following a recipe when making something new, but just using what I know to make up new dishes. I must admit, it’s quite exciting not quite knowing how something may turn out, but oh so satisfying when something like this is the result!

I used all fresh and delicious ingredients and a few staples such as broccoli, tomato, soy sauce, and chilli. This was super easy for a mid-week dinner and high in omega-3 thanks to my friend the salmon fillet.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Juice from ½ lemon
• 2 Salmon fillets
• handful of sugar snap peas
• handful of broccoli
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach leaves
• 1 large tomato, seeds removed and chopped
• ½ avocado, sliced
• small handful of parsley, chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded

Dressing:

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Juice from ½ lemon
• Spring onions, sliced
• 1 red chilli, sliced

Method:

1. Marinate salmon in soy sauce and lemon juice for 20 minutes, then grill to your preference.
2. Blanch the broccoli and sugar snap peas for 1 minute in boiling water, then refresh under cold water and shake to dry.
3. Combine with rest of salad ingredients.
4. Make dressing with soy sauce, spring onions, chilli and lemon juice and toss with salad.
5. Serve with salmon on side.

Mmmmmmm warm, cheesy vege’s. Enough said. Can be served as a side dish to complement Chilli coriander salmon or as a meal on its own.

Cheesy broccoli and cauliflower bake (Serves 4-6 as a side)

½ cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

small head of broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets

25g butter

25g plain flour

½ tsp mustard

250ml milk

75g cheddar, grated

pinch of cayenne pepper

1.   Blanch the cauliflower florets in a pan of well salted hot water for 2-3 minutes, until just tender when pierced with the tip of a small knife. Drain, reserving the water and refresh in iced water (or under a cold running tap) to stop the cooking. Use the reserved hot water to soak the broccoli for a few minutes. Alternatively you can microwave the vege’s for 2 minutes.

2.   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Melt the butter in a saucepan and, as it begins to foam, add the flour and mustard. Blend into a paste and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, to cook out the rawness of the flour.

3.   Gradually whisk in the milk and continue to stir for about 5 minutes until thickened to a smooth sauce. Add the cheddar, cayenne and some seasoning and stir until the cheese has melted.

4.   Arrange the broccoli and cauliflower in a baking dish and spoon the sauce over the top.

5.   Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot from the oven.

I absolutely love love love Salmon. Knowing that it is packed full of Omega 3’s somehow makes it taste better knowing that it is good for me too. For a quick weeknight meal after a PUMP class when I want to have some protein to rebuild my tired muscles I cook this. I use a chilli coriander sauce from Costi’s to make it really quick. If it isn’t a school night and I have more time I sometimes make my own sauce but this marinade/ sauce is awesome. It tastes great and saves a lot of time.

Chilli Coriander Salmon (Serves 2) 

2 salmon fillets

¼ cup Chilli coriander sauce from Costi’s (pictured above)

 Spoon sauce over the top of each fillet.

Seal foil package tightly. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on how you like your salmon. Serve with whatever vege’s take your fancy.  This time I made a cheesy broccoli and cauliflower bake, which BRW loved. Usually I bake some red capsicum, zucchini and squash at the same time so it’s nice and colourful and very healthy.

I like my salmon well done so I bake mine for 20 minutes. I use the white juices as an indicator for when it’s ready.

I read an article on Annalise Braakensiek a few months ago and was extremely impressed with both the types of food she eats as well as her business initiatives. She eats similar foods to what I eat and she has her own garden including a kaffir lime tree. Awesome!

Annalise has an organic catering company, Love lunch, which specialises in delicious organic, low fat, dairy, gluten and meat free recipes. Just after I discovered Love lunch Annalise went on holidays and since she has been back is looking for a new kitchen so I am yet to taste one of her lovely creations.

However she shared one of her recipes in a local magazine I received in my letterbox so without hesitation I cooked up a storm, especially since I already had a Rogan Josh curry sauce waiting to be used. It was very easy to make, packed full of flavour and knowing that it was fat free and healthy made it even better. I simply love kaffir lime leaves. They brighten and take food to a whole new level. I’ve never used organic chickpeas before. They are smaller than normal chickpeas and just as tasty.

Thank you Annalise for sharing this recipe. I will definitely be cooking it again and I look forward to tasting more of your beautiful creations packed full of love.

This is an easy, cheap vegetarian dinner that suits this cold Sydney weather quite well. Even BRW, who is a meat eater, was reluctant to eat it but said ”It was very good for a non-meaty dish”.  It is a hearty and warming adaptation of the classic Greek dish.

The recipe is from a cookbook I am minding for my sister whilst she is overseas, the vegetarian student cookbook.  It doesn’t have any pictures but is well organised and is packed with heaps of easy recipes.

Lentil moussaka (Serves 4)

125g red lentils

400g canned tomatoes

1 garlic clove, crushed

½ teaspoon dried oregano

pinch of ground nutmeg

150ml vegetable stock

1 Tb vegetable oil

1 large eggplant sliced

1 onion

Cheese topping:

1 egg

150 soft cheese ( I used ricotta)

nutmeg

salt and pepper

1.      Put the lentils in a saucepan with the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, nutmeg and stock, then simmer for 20 minutes.

2.      Meanwhile heat the oil and lightly fry the onion until brown and grill the eggplant.

3.      Heat the oven to 200C.

4.      Layer the eggplant and lentil mixture alternatively in an overproof dish.

5.      Make the topping. In a bowl beat together the egg, cheese and nutmeg with a good dash of salt and pepper. Pour over the moussaka and cook in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.