Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

Banana Coconut Loaf
Serves 8
Prep time : 7  minutes
Cooking time : 70 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 cup desiccated coconut.
1 cup caster sugar.
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted.
1 cup mashed banana.
1 cup coconut milk.
1 egg, lightly beaten.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Method
Preheat oven to 170 C.
Grease and line a loaf tin, 6cm deep 10.5 x 20.5cm.
To a large bowl, add coconut, sugar and flour.
Add mashed banana, egg, coconut milk and vanilla to a jug, and whisk with a fork to combine.
Por the banana mixture over the flour, and gently stir through.
Transfer mixture to prepared tin, and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes in the tin.
Remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.

Serving
Serve sliced with butter, jam or cream cheese.

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Fettuccini with Olive Sauce
Serves 4
Prep time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
400 grams Fettuccini.
400 gram jar Olive sauce.
20 cherry tomatoes, halved.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
100 grams red capsicum, cut into strips.
100 grams yellow capsicum, cut into strips.
4 anchovy fillets, torn into pieces.
Salt, sugar and thyme to taste.

Method
Preheat oven to 100 C.
Line a tray with baking paper and arrange the cherry tomatoes, cut side up on the tray.
Sprinkle with salt, sugar and thyme, and bake for 30 minutes.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, following packet directions.
Drain, and return to the pan.
Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the oil.
Once to temperature, add the capsicum strips and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the olive sauce and anchovy pieces, and cook stirring for 1 minute.
Add the pasta and cook until heated through.

Serving
Serve the pasta in bowls, topped with caramelised cherry tomatoes, and grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

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Ricotta and Herb Tart
Serves 8
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 40 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour, sifted.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
Pinch salt.
100 grams butter, chilled, chopped.
5 eggs.
650 grams ricotta cheese.
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated.
1/4 cup pitted black olives, chopped.
4 slices prosciutto, chopped.
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves, chopped.
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped.

Method
Preheat oven to 200 C.
Place a baking tray on the lowest shelf in the oven.
To the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, salt and butter.
Process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add 1 egg and 1 tablespoon cold water and process until the pastry comes together.
Transfer to a floured board, and knead gently until smooth.
Shape into a 10cm disc, and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for 15 minutes.
To a bowl add ricotta, parmesan, olives, proscuitto, rosemary, parsley, 3 eggs and salt and pepper.  Stir until well combined.
Reserve one third of the pastry, and roll outthe remainder into a 32cm round.
Line the base and sides of a flan dish/tart pan 21cm in diameter with the rolled out pastry.
Spoon the ricotta filling into the pastry case.
Crack remaining egg into a small jug and lightly whisk.
Brush the edge of the pastry with egg.
Roll out reserved portion of pastry and place over filling.
Trim the edge, and pierce a cross in the top.
Brush with egg.
Place onto preheated tray and bake for 40 minutes, until golden.

Serving
Allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
Serve with a leafy green salad.

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