Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

Low-fat chicken strips with sweet chili yoghurt
Serves 4
Prep time : 8 minutes
Cooking time : 15 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 cup stale bread crumbs.
1/3 cup instant polenta.
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves.
1 teaspoon garlic salt.
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese.
12 chicken tenderloins, trimmed.
2/3 cup Natural Style yoghurt.
Canola oil cooking spray.
Mixed salad, to serve.
Sweet chili yoghurt
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt.
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce.
1 garlic clove, crushed.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander.

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
To a bowl add bread crumbs, polenta, parsley, garlic salt and parmesan and stir to combine.
Place yoghurt in separate bowl.
Dip chicken in yoghurt, shaking off excess.
Coat chicken in bread crumb mixture and arrange in a single layer on prepared trays.
Spray chicken with oil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Combine yoghurt, sweet chili sauce, garlic and coriander in a small bowl and mix well.

Serving
Serve chicken with sweet chili yoghurt and a leafy salad.

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Thai-style Seafood
Serves 4
Prep time : 8 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
450 gram packet fresh thick rice noodles.
Canola oil cooking spray.
1/4 cup Thai red curry paste.
270ml can coconut cream.
1 tablespoon fish sauce.
2 tablespoons lime juice.
600 grams seafood marinara mix.
1 medium red capsicum, chopped.
4 green onions, cut into 5cm lengths.

Method
Prepare noodles according to packet instructions, then refresh under cold water.
Spray a saucepan with oil and place over medium-high heat.
Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
Add coconut cream, fish sauce and lime juice and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add seafood, capsicum and onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, covered. Seafood should be cooked and tender.
Add the noodles and stir to combine.

Serving
Cook until heated through and serve.

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Sweet and Spicy Chicken Fried Rice
Serves 4
Prep time : 12 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed.
6 chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, sliced thinly.
1/4 cup plum sauce.
1 teaspoon chilli.
1/4 cup peanut oil.
2 eggs, lightly beaten.
100 grams bacon, chopped.
6 green onions, sliced thinly.
3 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 carrot, chopped finely.
2 tablespoons kecap manis.
1/4 small Chinese cabbage, shredded finely.
1/2 cup frozen peas.

Method
Cook rice according to the absorption method on the packet.
Drain.
Spread the rice out on a baking tray and allow to cool to room temperature.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
In a small bowl, combine the plum sauce and chilli.
Place the chicken in a bowl and add the plum mixture.  Toss to coat and cover bowl.
Chill for 2 hours.
Place a wok over medium-hgih heat.
Once to temperature, add 2 teaspoons oil and tilt wok to coat.
Add half the chicken and stirfry for 2 minutes, until sealed.
Transfer to a plate and cover with a piece of foil to keep warm.
Repeat process with oil and remaining chicken.
Using a clean wok, reheat to medium heat.
Add 2 teaspoons oil and tilt wok to coat.
Add egg and swirl to make a thin omelette.  Cook until egg sets.
Slide out onto a board, and roll up.  Slice omelette thinly.
Place wok over high heat and add remaining oil.
Add bacon, green onions, garlic and carrot, and stirfry for 1 minute.
Add rice, kecap manis, cabbage and peas.
Cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes, until rice is heated through.
Add chicken and sliced omelette and stirfry for another minute or two, until hot.

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Witlof, Nectarine and Blue Cheese Salad
Serves 4
Prep time : 12 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 witlof, trimmed, leaves separated.
3 yellow nectarines, halved, cut into thin wedges.
125 gram punnet fresh raspberries.
80 grams creamy blue cheese, crumbled.
1/3 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped.
1/4 cup walnut oil.
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar.

Method
Arrange witlof leaves on a platter.
Top with slices of nectarine, sprinkle with raspberries, blue cheese and walnuts. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
To make dressing, add walnut oil, raspberry vinegar, salt and pepper to a jug. Whisk to combine.

Serving
Drizzle dressing over salad and serve immediatley.

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Blue Eye with Garlic Spinach and Beans
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
4 blue eye fillets.
Salt and cracked black pepper.
2 x 400g cans white beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed.
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock.
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves.
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind.
50 grams unsalted butter, softened, roughly chopped.
2 small cloves garlic, crushed.
150 grams baby spinach leaves.

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Place the fish in a large baking dish lined with non-stick baking paper.
Lightly spray fish with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the beans.
Add the stock and cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Mash with a fork or potato masher.
Stir through thyme, lemon rind, and season with salt and pepper.
Add half the butter and mix well.
Cover with foil and set aside until needed.
Heat the remaining butter in a deep non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the spinach has wilted.
Season with salt and pepper.

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Rice and Fetta stuffed Capsicums
Serves 4
Prep time : 7 minutes
Cooking time : 40 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
4 red capsicums.
350 grams marinated fetta.
2 x 250 gram packets Basmati Pre-cooked rice.
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped.

Method
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Cut capsicums in half lengthways, trim all of the membrane and remove the seeds.
Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Drain the fetta, reserving 2 tablespoons of the marinade, and chop roughly.
place the fetta in a bowl together with the rice and parsley.
Fill the capsicum halves with the rice mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the capsicums are tender.

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Bouillabaisse
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
Pinch of saffron threads.
1 tablespoon olive oil.
1 leek, pale part only, sliced thinly.
750ml fish stock.
3/4 cup white wine.
500 grams tomato passata.
400 gram can diced tomatoes.
300 gram firm white fish fillets (such as ling), cut into 3cm cubes.
12 green king prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact.
Salt and cracked black pepper.
1/4 cup chopped parsley.
Capsicum Rouille (sauce)
4 slices white bread, crusts removed.
100 grams roasted capsicum, drained.
1 birdseye chili, deseeded.
2 large garlic cloves, crushed.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
Salt & cracked black pepper.
Crusty bread, to serve.

Method
Place the saffron in a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon hot water.
Set aside for 5 minutes.
Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil.
Add the leek and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender.
Add the fish stock, wine, tomato passata and canned tomatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
To make the capsicum rouille, place the bread in a large bowl and cover with cold water.
Allow to soak for 2 minutes, then using your hands, squeeze the excess water from the bread.
Place soaked bread in the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Add the capsicum, chili, garlic, oil, salt and pepper, and process until smooth. Remove to a serving bowl.
Add saffron mixture to the tomato broth and cook for 5 minutes.
Add fish and prawns and cook for a further 3 minutes until seafood is just cooked.
Add the parsley and gently stir through.

Serving
To serve, divide the bouillabaisse among serving bowls and top with a dollop of capsicum rouille. Serve with sliced crusty bread.

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Grilled Lavash with Rosemary and Garlic
Serves 4
Prep time : 5 minutes
Cooking time : 2 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil.
2 clove garlic, crushed.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary.
3 sheets of lavash bread.
Sea salt.

Method
Preheat a grill or barbecue grill over high heat.
Place olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Brush oil mixture evenly over lavash bread.
Place bread on grill and cook on both sides for 2 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Serving
Break bread into large pieces and sprinkle with sea salt.

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Pork and Asparagus Stir fry
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 12 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
650 grams pork fillets.
100ml sweet chili sauce.
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice.
2 teaspoons fish sauce.
500 grams fresh hokkien noodles.
2 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil.
3 green onions, cut into 5cm lengths.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
125 grams snow peas.
100 grams water chestnuts, sliced.
Lime wedges to serve.

Method
Slice pork fillets across the grain, thinly, and place in a shallow glass or ceramic bowl.
To a small jug add the sweet chili sauce, lime juice and fish sauce, and stir to combine.
Pour half of the marinade over the pork and gently toss to coat.
Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Reserve remaining marinade.
Prepare noodles according to packet directions.
Place a wok over high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil.
Once to temperature, add the pork and stir fry in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes, until sealed.
Remove to a plate.
Stir fry remaining pork and 1 tablespoon oil.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil to wok and add green onions, garlic, asparagus, snowpeas and water chestnuts.
Stir fry for 1 minute, until the asparagus is tender.
Return the pork and its juices to the wok.
Add reserved marinade and prepared noodles.
Stir fry for 2 minutes, until heated through.

Serving
Serve with lime wedges.

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