Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

Roast Beef Wraps
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1/4 cup whole egg mayonnaise.
1 clove garlic, crushed.
4 whole meal wheat wraps.
1 bunch trimmed rocket.
12 slices rare roast beef.
8 sliced cornichons (pickled cucumbers).
3 sliced roma tomatoes.
8 slices Swiss cheese.

Method
Add mayonnaise and garlic to a small bowl and stir to combine. Spread mayonnaise mixture over each of the wraps.
Evenly divide rocket, roast beef, cornichons, tomatoes and Swiss cheese among each wrap.
Roll up firmly and fold in the ends to enclose the filling.
Chill for at least 30 minutes prior to slicing.

Serving
Slice each roll on the diagonal and serve.

Bookmark it!

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

Ingredients
600 grams chicken breast fillet.
2 medium brown onions, finely diced.
4 cloves of garlic, crushed or thinly sliced.
1 tablespoon dried thyme.
1 bunch english spinach, washed, stalks removed and thinly sliced.
2 cups of arborio rice.
1 cup white wine.
1.75 litres of chicken stock. Why not try our easy to make chicken stock recipe?
2 tablespoons olive oil.
30 grams butter.
1/4 cup grated parmesan.
Extra parmesan to serve.

Method
Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy based pan.
Thinly slice chicken breasts. Using your knife, work it through the chicken to turn the slices into a coarse mince.
Add the onion to the pan, cook for 4-5 minutes or until soft.
Add garlic, cook for a further minutes.
Add the chicken and cook until done, 4-5 minutes.
Remove from pan and set aside.
Add butter to the pan and melt over low heat.
Add the arborio and cook until rice becomes translucent.
Increase heat to medium high.
Add the thyme, wine and 1 litre of the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.
Remove lid and stir thoroughly. Cook for a further 5 minutes, adding little amounts of stock if the arborio appears to be drying out.
Add the spinach and reserved chicken mix and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add as little stock as needed to keep the risotto moist. Rice is done when it offers only slight resistance to your teeth when you chew it.
Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of parmesan.

Serving
Mound into bowls, top with extra parmesan and serve with good crusty home made garlic bread.

Bookmark it!

Honey-glazed Pork
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1/3 cup mandarin or breakfast marmalade.
2 tablespoons honey.
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
1 tablespoon olive oil.
4 pork loin cutlets.
10 sprigs thyme.
4 firm pears, quartered.
500 grams baby carrots.

Method
To a jug add marmalade, honey, mustard, oil, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Pour half of the marinade into the base of a glass or ceramic dish.
Add pork and thyme and turn to coat.
Cover and chill for 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 230 C.
Preheat barbecue plate to a high heat.
Line a large roasting pan with baking paper.
Place pear pieces and carrots in prepared roasting pan, and pour over remaining marinade.
Turn to coat.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden.
Reduce barbecue heat to medium and cook cutlets for 2 minutes each side, until golden.
Place cutlets on top of pears and carrots and roast for a further 10 minutes. Pork should be just cooked through.

Serving
Serve with a leafy salad and crusty bread.

Bookmark it!

Hasselback Potatoes
Serves 10
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 55 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2kg sebago potatoes, peeled.
2 tablespoons butter, softened.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, chopped finely.

Method
Preheat oven to 220 C.
Place potatoes, one at a time on a large metal spoon.
Slice the potato at 5mm intervals, without slicing all the way through – the metal spoon will assist in keeping the depth even.
Place prepared potatoes in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
Dry potatoes and place cut side up in a roasting dish/pan.
Place butter, oil, garlic and rosemary in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Brush the potatoes with 3/4 of the mixture, and place in the oven.
Roast for 20 minutes.
Remove and brush potatoes with butter mixture that remains.
Return to the oven and roast for a further 30 to 35 minutes, until golden.

Bookmark it!

Lemon Feta Roasted Chicken
Serves 4
Prep time : 8 minutes
Cooking time : 40 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
4 desiree potatoes, sliced thinly.
2 teaspoons olive oil.
2 teaspoons lemon rind, grated finely.
2 tablespoons lemon juice.
100 grams feta cheese.
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped.
4 chicken drumsticks.
4 chicken thigh cutlets.
250 grams truss cherry tomatoes.
3/4 cup drained pitted kalamata olives.
Fresh oregano leaves, to serve.

Method
Preheat oven to 220 C.
Arrange potato slices in a single layer in a large roasting dish.
Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.
To a small bowl, add lemon rind, lemon juice, feta and oregano. Stir to combine.
Using your fingers, gently lift the chicken skin away from the meat.
Spoon 2 teaspoons of feta mixture under the skin of each piece of chicken. Rub skin to smooth out evenly.
Place chicken pieces on potato, and Roast for 30 minutes.
Add tomatoes and olives to roasting dish, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Roast for 10 minutes further, until chicken is cooked through.

Serving
Serve, topped with fresh oregano.

Bookmark it!

Celery and Silverbeet Pie
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 70 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil.
1 medium onion, chopped finely.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 medium red capsicum, chopped finely.
6 stalks celery, chopped finely.
1/2 bunch silverbeet, trimmed, leaves shredded.
8 sheets filo pastry.
Olive oil cooking spray.
5 eggs.
1/2 cup milk.

Method
Grease an ovenproof dish, 6cm deep 22 x 30 cm base.
Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat, and add oil.
Once to temperature, add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring until the onion is tender.
Add capsicum and celery and cook for 5 minutes, while stirring.
Add silverbeet and cook until wilted.
Remove mixture to a colander, and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180 C.
On a board, place a sheet of filo, and spray with oil.
Repeat, layering with 3 sheets of filo and oil.
Line prepare dish with filo layers.
Prepare the remaining filo sheets with oil, and place to one side, covered with a damp towel.
To a jug add the eggs, milk and salt and pepper, and whisk until well combined.
Spoon the celery mixture into the pastry lined dish.
Pour the egg mixture over the celery mixture.
Place the reserves filo layers over the filling, and scrunch the edges to enclose filling.
Spray the pastry with oil.
Bake for 30 minutes until golden.
Cover with foil and bake for a further 30 minutes. The filling should be set.

Serving
Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Bookmark it!

Portuguese Drumsticks with Fried Rice
Serves 4
Prep time : 8 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1/4 cup Portuguese dry blend marinade.
8 medium chicken drumsticks.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
1 onion, chopped finely.
1 cup long-grain rice.
125 gram can corn kernels, drained, rinsed.
420 gram can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed.
1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped.
Lime wedges, to serve.

Method
Reserve 2 teaspoons of marinade.
Place remaining marinade into a shallow bowl and coat the chicken.
Place a frying pan over medium heat and add half the oil.
Once to temperature, cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes until browned all over.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until cooked through.
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add remaining oil.
Add onion and cook, stirring for 3 to 5 minutes, until opaque and tender.
Add rice and reserved marinade.
Cook for about 30 seconds and add 2 cups of cold water.
Bring to the boil and reduce heat to medium-low.
Allow to simmer for 12 minutes, covered.
Add corn, beans and coriander to the rice and cover.
Leave to one side for 5 minutes, then stir with a fork to separate the grains.

Serving
Place chicken on plates, with rice and lime wedges.

Bookmark it!

Snapper with Apple and Cabbage
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 25 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil.
1 large red onion, halved, sliced.
2cm piece ginger, peeled, grated.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1/4 red cabbage, shredded.
2 sweet apples, cored, sliced.
1/2 lemon, juiced.
40 grams butter, chopped.
4 snapper fillets.

Method
Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon oil.
Add the onion and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, until opaque and tender.
Add garlic and ginger, and cook for about 1 minute.
Add cabbage, apple and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occaisionally. Cabbage should have wilted and apples should be tender.
Stir through half of the butter and season with salt and pepper.
Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining oil and butter.
Once butter is frothy, add the fish and cook for 2 minutes each side, until cooked through.

Serving
Serve fish with cabbage and apple.

Bookmark it!

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.

Bookmark it!