Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

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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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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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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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.

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Asian Fish Hot Pot
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 37 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons peanut oil.
1-2 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste.
400ml coconut cream.
2 cups fish stock.
1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, bruised.
4 finger eggplants, sliced.
100 grams green beans, trimmed.
750 grams firm white fish fillets, cut into large pieces.
3 teaspoons fish sauce.
3 teaspoons lime juice.
Steamed rice, to serve.
Lime wedges, to serve.

Method
Place a large saucepan or wok over medium heat and add the oil.
Add the yellow curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut cream, stock and add the lemongrass.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Uncover, add the eggplant and beans and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the fish, fish sauce and lime juice and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Remove the lemongrass.

Serving
Serve with steamed rice and extra lime wedges.

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Flathead with Crispy Potatoes
Serves 4
Prep time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 35 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
600 grams baby chat potatoes, halved.
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled and bruised.
Salt & pepper.
Olive oil.
650 grams flathead fillets, cut into thick strips.
Flour.
1 tablespoon chives, chopped.

Method
Preheat oven to 210°C. Line a tray with baking paper.
Steam the halved potatoes for 10 minutes or until just tender.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Transfer potato to tray, press down lightly in the centre of each potato with a fork to flatten and crumble them slightly.
Add the garlic, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little oil.
Bake for 25 minutes or until crispy and golden.
Toss the fish in a little flour seasoned with salt and pepper, shaking off any excess. Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add a little olive oil.
Cook the fish in batches for 4 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Serving
Sprinkle the chives over the potato and serve immediately with the fish.

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Salt and Pepper Squid
Serves 4
Prep time : 5 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
700 grams small squid hoods, cut into 0.5cm rings.
2 1/2 tablespoons mixed dried peppercorns.
1 1/2 tablespoons salt flakes.
3/4 cup ground rice flour.
1 egg white.
Olive or canola oil for deep-frying.
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice.
1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise.
Hot chips to serve.

Method
Combine lime juice and mayonnaise in a small bowl.
Cover and chill.
Place a small frying pan over medium heat and add peppercorns.
Cook for about 3 minutes, keeping the peppercorns moving, by tilting the pan.
Remove to a spice grinder (or similar) and add salt flakes and grind.
Place flour in a bowl.
Place egg white into a bowl and whisk until frothy.
Preheat the oven to 160 C.
Place a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the oil until up to a third full.
Drop squid rings into egg white and then toss in flour, shaking off the excess.
Deep-fry the squid for 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly golden.
Remove to a wire rack over a lined baking tray, and keep warm in the oven, while cooking the remaining squid.

Serving
Sprinkle squid with salt and pepper mix, and serve with hot chips and lime mayonnaise dressing.

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Fish with Mustard Butter
Serves 4
Prep time : 5 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1kg desiree potatoes, chopped roughly.
50 grams butter, chopped.
1/2 cup milk.
2 tablespoons plain flour.
4 firm white fish fillets.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
125 grams butter, softened.
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet mild mustard.
1/2 small lemon, juiced.
1 green onion, chopped finely.
Baby rocket, to serve.

Method
Place 125 grams softened butter, mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and chopped green onion in a bowl.
Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Place the mustard mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a 2cm wide log.
Chill for 15 to 20 minutes, until firm.
Remove plastic wrap, and slice into 1cm thick slices.
Chill until ready to serve.
Cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water until tender.
Drain and place potatoes back into saucepan.
Add milk and butter, and roughly mash.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add oil.
Cover fish fillets in flour.
Once oil is to temperature, cook fish fillets for 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Serving
Serve fish topped with mustard butter, mashed potatoes and rocket.

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Chive Omlette with Smoked Salmon
Serves 8
Prep time : 5 minutes
Cooking time : 10 to 12 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons plain flour.
1 cup milk.
6 eggs.
2 tablespoons chives, chopped finely.
Olive oil cooking spray.
1/2 cup sour cream.
1 lemon, rind grated finely, juiced.
1 tablespoon fresh dill leaves, chopped.
400 grams smoked salmon.

Method
Place flour in a medium jug and add 2 tablespoons milk.
Stir until a smooth paste forms.
Whisk in eggs, remaining milk and chives.
Once mixture is smooth, place a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat and lightly spray with oil.
Pour 1/4 cup of batter into pan and tilt to cover the base.
Once set (about 1 minute), remove to a plate.
Repeat this process with remaining batter to make 8 omelets.
In a bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon lemon rind, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and dill.
Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange salmon on top of omelets, and spoon over sour cream mixture.

Serving
Roll up omelets, and cut on the diagonal to serve.

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