Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

Chorizo and Broccoli Risotto
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

You will need a non stick pan with a fitted lid for this recipe. This recipe utilises our no fuss method of cooking a perfect risotto.

Ingredients
400 grams smoked chorizo sausage, quartered lengthways and finely sliced into quarter rounds.
1 cup broccoli florets, washed and cut into small pieces.
1 large red capsicum, diced.
1 onion, peeled and diced.
2 cloves of garlic, crushed.
2 sticks of fresh thyme.
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley.
1/4 cup grated parmesan.
1 cup arborio rice.
3 cups chicken stock.
1 cup dry white wine.
Salt and pepper to season.
Extra parmesan to serve.

Method
Heat a non stick pan over medium heat.
Add chorizo and once fat begins to render, add the thyme and stir while cooking for 5 minutes.
Remove thyme from pan.
Add garlic and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until onion becomes soft.
Add the rice and stir until it starts to become translucent, about 1 minute.
Add the wine and 2 cups of stock, stir in then fit lid to the pan and let simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Remove lid, add half a cup of stock and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add broccoli and capsicum and stir through.
Taste test for seasoning and adjust to suit.

Note:
For the remaining 5 minutes you will need to regularly stir the risotto and add some stock in small amounts if needed to prevent it catching.
Risotto is cooked when the rice offers only slight resistance as your bite through it.
Cooked risotto should still be slightly wet in the pan.

Turn off the heat, stir through parmesan and parsley.

Serving
Mound into bowls, top with some extra parmesan and serve hot.
Serve with some crusty toasted bread, you’ll need something to mop up the last juices from your bowl.

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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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Vegetable Rolls
Serves 6
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 25 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 red onion, halved.
2 cloves garlic.
2 medium carrots.
2 small zucchini.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
1 corn cob, kernels removed.
3/4 cup cottage cheese.
1 1/2 cups rolled oats.
2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs.
3 teaspoons hot chili sauce.
2 eggs, beaten lightly.
3 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, partially thawed.
1 tablespoon sesame seeds.

Method
Using a food processor, coarsely grate the onion, garlic, carrot and zucchini.
Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add oil.
Once to temperature, add the grated vegetables and corn kernels.
Cook stirring occaisionally for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
Drain, and transfer to a bowl.
Add cottage cheese, oats, herbs, chili sauce and half the beaten egg.
Season with salt and pepper and set to one side for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 220 C.
Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Place a pastry sheet on a board and cut in half.
Spoon one sixth of the mixture along the long side of one of the halves. Brush the opposite edges with egg.
Roll up to encase the filling.
Cut the roll into thirds and place on prepared tray.
Repeat with remaining pastry and vegetable filling.
Brush tops of rolls with remaining egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Serving
Serve with leafy salad and sweet chili sauce.

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Sesame, Haloumi and Pumpkin Tarts
Makes 16
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 25 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 sheets frozen ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, partially thawed.
1/4 cup olive oil.
500 grams butternut pumpkin, cut into 1cm cubes.
3 teaspoons sesame seeds.
1 tablespoon brown sugar.
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar.
180 grams haloumi cheese, cut into 1cm cubes.

Method
Preheat oven to 200 C.
Grease a 16 hole, round based, 1 1/2 tablespoon capacity tin.
Using a 6.5cm round cutter, cut 8 rounds from each pastry sheet.
Press a round into each hole in the prepared tin.
Prick each base with a fork 2 or 3 times.
Bake for 12 minutes, until golden, and allow to stand in the tin for 3 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool.
Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add pumpkin.
Cook for 10 minutes until tender.
Add sesame seeds and cook for 2 minutes, until they have just turned golden.
Stir through the sugar and vinegar and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Add the haloumi to the pan.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the haloumi begins to brown.
Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the pastry cases and serve.

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Roast Tomato Pasta
Serves 4
Prep time : 8 minutes
Cooking time : 30-35 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
500 grams cherry tomatoes, halved.
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar.
2 tablespoons brown sugar.
400 grams pasta (spaghetti, or fettucine).
200 grams baby spinach leaves.
2 tablespoons basil pesto. Why not try our pesto recipes ?
120 grams feta, crumbled.
Parmesan cheese, shaved, to serve.

Method
Preheat oven to 200 C.
In a roasting pan, place tomatoes in a single layer.
To a small jug add vinegar and sugar, and stir until the sugar has almost dissolved.
Pour the vinegar liquid over the tomatoes and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until softened.
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, following packet directions.
Drain and return pasta to the pan.
Add spinach, pesto and feta and toss gently over low heat until well combined.
Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Serving
Spoon pasta into bowls and top with parmesan.

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Traditional Beef Chili
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 120 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
800 grams beef chuck or blade steak, cut into 3cm pieces.
Olive oil.
1 onion, chopped roughly.
3 teaspoons ground cumin.
2 teaspoons ground coriander.
1/2 teaspoon ground chili.
1/4 teaspoon ground smoky paprika.
4 cups beef stock.
2 x 400 gram cans whole tomatoes.
400 gram can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
Salt and cracked black pepper.
2 tablespoons coriander, chopped.
Sour cream, to serve.

Method
Place a large deep frying pan or heat proof dish over medium high and add a little oil. Add the steak, and cook in batches for 2-3 minutes until browned.
Return all the meat to the pan.
Add the onion, cumin, coriander, chili and paprika and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the stock and tomato and stir through until well mixed.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 1 1/4 hours, stirring frequently.
Uncover and cook for another 30 minutes until the meat is very tender.
Add the kidney beans and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Season with salt, pepper and stir through the coriander.

Serving
Top with a dollop of sour cream, and serve.

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Pumpkin and Fennel Baked Risotto
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 40 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 cups arborio rice.
850g butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm pieces.
1 large or 2 baby fennel bulbs, trimmed, sliced thinly.
1 onion, chopped.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
75g unsalted butter, chopped roughly.
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock. Why not try our easy to make chicken stock recipe?
1 cup white wine.
1/4 cup parmesan, grated.
Salt and cracked black pepper.
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped.
Shaved parmesan, to serve.

Method
Preheat oven 170°C.
Place the rice, pumpkin, fennel, onion, garlic, butter, stock and wine in a large ovenproof dish.
Cover and place in the oven.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and stir for 3-4 minutes until rice mixture has thickened.
Add the parmesan, salt, pepper and parsley and stir for 1-2 minutes or until well mixed.

Serving
Top with shaved parmesan.

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