Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

Chicken Laksa
Serves 4
Prep time : 12 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
250 grams vermicelli rice noodles.
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil.
3 chicken breast fillets, sliced thinly.
1/2 cup laksa paste.
4 cups chicken stock.
3 teaspoons palm sugar, grated or brown sugar.
1 tablespoon fish sauce.
2 cups coconut milk.
1 bunch bok choy, sliced thinly.
1 cup beansprouts.
1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled, cut into thin strips.
1/2 cup mint leaves.
1 lime, cut into wedges.

Method
Prepare noodles according to packet directions. Drain and set to one side.
Place a wok over high heat and add 3 teaspoons of oil.
Tilt the wok until the surface is covered in oil.
Add half the chicken and stir fry for 1 minute until sealed.
Remove to a bowl.
Repeat the process with the chicken that is left.
Add laksa paste to the wok and cook for 1 minute.
Add stock, sugar and fish sauce. Bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the coconut milk.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring until heated through.
Add the bok choy and cook for a further 2 minutes, until the bok choy has wilted.

Serving
Arrange noodles in bowls and ladle the soup over.
Top with bean sprouts, cucumber and mint.
Serve with lime wedges.

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Tomato, Bean and Sausage Soup
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 32 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil.
6 pork and fennel sausages.
1 baby fennel, sliced thinly.
1 red onion, sliced thinly.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
150 grams shortcut bacon, chopped.
2 tablespoons tomato paste.
400 grams can diced tomatoes.
2 x 400 gram cans butter beans, drained, rinsed.
2 cups chicken stock.
100 grams baby spinach leaves.

Method
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add oil.
Add sausages and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until heated through.
Remove to a plate, and allow to cool slightly.
Slice into thin pieces.
Place fennel, onion, garlic and bacon to pan and cook stirring for 5 minutes, until tender.
Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute further, stirring to combine.
Add tomatoes, beans, stock and 2 cup cold water.
Cover and bring to the boil.
Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Soup should thicken slightly.
Add sausage slices and spinach, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until heated through.

Serving
Serve hot, with crusty bread.

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Cream of Celery Soup
Serves 4
Prep time : 6 minutes
Cooking time : 42 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil.
1 medium onion, chopped.
1 bunch celery, chopped.
1 medium celeriac bulb, chopped.
250 grams coliban potatoes, peeled, chopped.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 1/2 litres chicken stock. Have a try with this delicious chicken stock recipe.
3/4 cup pure cream.
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped.

Method
Over medium heat, place a large saucepan and add oil.
Add onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Once the onion starts to soften, add celery, celeriac, potatoes and garlic.
Cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
Increase heat to High and add stock.
Cover and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to Low and allow to simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Celery should be tender.
Remove from heat and set to one side for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Using a blender or stab mixer, process soup in batches until smooth.
Return soup to the pan and place over medium heat.
Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until heated through.

Serving
Serve hot, topped with parsley

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Thai Fish Noodle Soup
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 40 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
6 cups chicken stock. Try our delicious home made stock recipe.
3cm piece fresh ginger, sliced.
2 whole star anise.
2 tablespoons soy sauce.
2 teaspoons brown sugar.
750 grams, boneless firm white fish fillets, skin removed, chopped roughly.
1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped.
1 teaspoon rind of lime, grated finely.
1 clove garlic, crushed.
250 grams dried pad Thai noodles.
100 grams snow peas, sliced finely.
Fresh coriander leaves to serve.

Method
To a saucepan add stock, ginger, star anise, soy sauce, and sugar.
Heat over high heat and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 15 minutes, or until reduced slightly.
Place, fish, coriander, lime rind, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor.
Season with salt and pepper.
Process until combined.
Using a teaspoon of mixture at a time, roll into balls.
Prepare noodles according to packet directions. Drain.
Strain the stock mixture into a jug, and return to pan over a medium heat.
Add fish balls to pan, and cook while stirring for about 8 minutes. The fish balls should be cooked through.
Add the snow peas, and cook for 1 minute further.

Serving
Divide noodles between bowls and ladle the soup over the top. Serve topped with coriander leaves.

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

Ingredients
6 square fried bean curd puffs.
1/2 cup peanut oil.
400 ml coconut milk.
1 tablespoon sugar.
800 ml chicken stock. Try our stock recipe.
500 grams yellow wheat noodles.
150 grams bean shoots, scalded.
1 chicken breast fillet, steamed and sliced.
150 grams small fresh prawns, steamed and peeled.
2 stalks lemongrass.
4 cloves garlic.
1 teaspoon turmeric.
1 tablespoon fresh grated galangal.
5 peanuts.
1 medium onion, chopped.
8 fresh long chillies, seeded.
1 tablespoon shrimp paste.
1 tablespoon fresh grated piece ginger.

Method
Soak the curd puffs in hot water for 5 minutes. Squeeze to remove excess, cut into triangle quarters.
Combine the lemongrass, garlic, turmeric, galangal, peanuts, onion, chili, shrimp paste and ginger in a blender, blend until smooth.
Add some of the oil to combine into a paste if needed.
Heat remaining oil in a wok over medium heat.
Fry the spice paste for at least 5 minutes, or until the highly fragrant.
Add the prawns and chicken, fry for 2 minutes.
Add coconut milk, sugar and stock and bring to the boil. Add puffs and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a seperate pan , boil the noodles for 2-3 minutes, add the shoots then remove and drain.

Serving
Split the noodles and shoots between bowls, top with meat and laksa liquid.
Top with fresh picked coriander leaves.

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Refreshing Tomato Soup
Serves 4
Prep time : 5 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 kilogram cherry tomatoes, halved.
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced.
1 teaspoon brown sugar.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
2 brown onions, diced.
6 cups of chicken stock. Shop bought is OK, or use our easy to make chicken stock recipe.
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped.
Salt and pepper to season.

Method
Preheat oven to 220C.
Place tomatoes cut side up on a greased baking tray.
Spread garlic slices over tomatoes and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Drizzle a little of the oil over the tomatoes, then bake for 15 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to collapse.
In a saucepan heat the remaining oil and cook the onion slowly until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and tomatoes and any pan juices.
Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
Stir in the thyme, blend with a stab mixer until smooth.
Season to taste.

Serving
Serve with good crusty bread. Excellent when served cold.

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Curried Potato Soup
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 40 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 kilogram sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed.
250 grams waxy potatoes, peeled and cubed.
1 brown onion, diced.
2 cloves of garlic, crushed.
1/2 cup coconut cream.
1.25 litres of chicken stock. Shop bought is OK, or use our easy to make chicken stock recipe.
3 teaspoons mild curry powder.
2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Method
Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat.
Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add the curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
Add the potatoes and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the stock, cover and bring to the boil.
Reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
Set aside and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
With a stab mixer (or blender) process the soup until it is smooth and glossy.
Return to heat, and over low heat gently reheat the soup without boiling it.
Stir in the coconut cream.
Season to taste.

Serving
Nice with a crusty toasted sourdough bread.

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Creamed Cauliflower Soup
Serves 6
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 40 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
1 large brown onion, diced.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
2 teaspoons ground cumin.
1.5 kilograms of cauliflower florets.
1 litre of chicken stock. Shop bought is OK, or use our easy to make chicken stock recipe.
1 cup pouring cream.
1 bunch chives, washed and chopped.

Method
Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat.
Add the onions and garlic, cook until onion begin to colour.
Add cumin and cook for further 2 minutes.
Add the cauliflower and sautee for 5 minutes.
Add stock, cover pot and bring to the boil before reducing to a gentle simmer.
Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
Blend with a stab mixer until soup is smooth and glossy.
Stir in 1/2 of the pouring cream, return to heat and return to near boiling, but do not allow to boil.

Serving
Ladle into bowls, add extra cream if desired. Season and top with chopped chives.

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Smoked Trout with Bean Soup
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
800 grams of tinned 3 or 4 bean mix, drained and rinsed.
400 gram tin of diced tomatoes.
400 grams chat potatoes, quartered.
300 grams smoked trout, deboned and skin removed.
150 grams green beans, trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths.
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
1 red onion, finely diced.
1 red capsicum, diced.
1.5 litres of vegetable stock.

Method
Heat oil in a heavy based pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and capsicum, cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock and potatoes.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
Cook for 5-1o minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in bean mix and green beans, cook for further 3-4 minutes.

Serving
Flake the trout with a fork, divide between bowls and gently ladle soup over the top.
Serve with good crusty toasted sourdough bread.

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