Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

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.

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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.

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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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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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Vegetable, Blue Cheese and Pine Nut Bake
Serves 4 (as a side dish)
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 55 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray.
2 desiree potatoes, peeled, sliced thinly.
1 large onion, sliced thinly.
350 grams butternut pumpkin, sliced thinly.
1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
60 grams mild blue cheese, chopped finely.
60 grams reduced-fat ricotta cheese.
1/3 cup pine nuts.
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped.

Method
Preheat oven to 200 C.
Spray a loaf tin with olive oil cooking spray.
Layer the potato, pumpkin and onion in the loaf tin.
Add stock and garlic to a small jug, and stir to combine.
Add to vegetable layers, and cover tin with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender, and remove from oven.
In a small bowl add blue cheese, ricotta and pine nuts. Lightly toss to combine.
Spoon cheese mixture over vegetables and season with pepper.
Bake for a further 10 minutes, until golden.

Serving
Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

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Gado Gado
Serves 6
Prep time : 12 minutes
Cooking time : 25 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
3 large sebago potatoes, peeled, halved, sliced thickly.
3 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces.
200 grams green beans.
1 bunch broccolini, chopped roughly.
1/4 cabbage, chopped roughly.
200 grams tofu.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
1 small onion, chopped finely.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
2 small red chilies, deseeded, chopped.
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter.
1 cup light coconut milk.
2 tablespoons soy sauce.
Steamed basmati rice, to serve.

Method
Cook carrots and potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, for about 10 minutes.
When tender, remove to a plate.
Add broccolini and green beans to the saucepan and cook for 4 minutes, until just tender.
Add cabbage and cook for a further 60 seconds.
Drain and rinse under cold water.
Arrange vegetables and tofu on a serving platter.
Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add the oil.
Add onion, chili and garlic, and cook stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is opaque and tender.
Add the peanut butter, coconut milk and soy sauce and cook stirring for 3 minutes until the sauce is smooth and heated through.

Serving
Serve vegetables hot with sauce and steamed rice.

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Saganaki
Makes 8 skewers
Prep time : 7 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons plain flour.
2 eggs, beaten lightly.
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs.
2 x 180 gram packets haloumi cheese, cut into 3cm cubes.
Olive oil, for shallow frying.
Lemon wedges and rocket leaves, to serve.
8 pre-soaked bamboo skewers.

Method
Place flour into a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Place bread crumbs and beaten eggs into separate shallow bowls.
Toss haloumi cubes into flour, shaking off excess.
Dip into egg, then finally coat in bread crumbs.
Thread onto bamboo skewers.
Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil until 2cm deep.
Cook haloumi skewers in batches, until golden.

Serving
Serve with lemon wedges and rocket.

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Chorizo and Chickpea Pasta
Serves 4
Prep time : 5 minutes
Cooking time : 18 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
400g spirali pasta.
Olive oil.
3 chorizo sausages, sliced thinly.
1 onion, sliced.
700g tomato passata. Tomato puree will also do.
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme.
1/2 teaspoon sugar.
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar.
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained.
125g baby spinach leaves.

Method
Cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet instructions until al dente.
Add a little oil to a non-stick frying pan and place over medium heat.
Add the chorizo and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until the chorizo is golden and the onion is soft.
Add the tomato passata, thyme, sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.
Drain the pasta, return to the pan and cover to retain warmth.
Add the chickpeas and spinach to the chorizo mixture.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serving
Divide the spirali evenly among serving plates and top with the chorizo and chickpea sauce.

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

Ingredients
400 grams butternut pumpkin, chopped.
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.
3 cups vegetable stock.
2 lemons.
1 onion, chopped finely.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 1/2 cups arborio rice.
300 grams broccoli, cut into florets.
1/4 cup thickened cream.
50 grams parmesan cheese, grated.
1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped.

Method
Preheat oven to 200 C.
To a roasting pan, add pumpkin and drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper, and turn to coat.
Ensure pumpkin is spread evenly over base of pan.
Roast for 20 minutes until tender.
Place a large saucepan over high heat and add stock and 3 cups cold water.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer.
Finely grate rind of 1 lemon, then juice.
Cut remaining lemon into wedges.
Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add onion, garlic, lemon rind and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until onion is opaque and soft.
Add rice and stir until completely covered in oil.
Add simmering stock, one cup at a time, stirring, until all of the liquid has been absorbed. (This process will take approximately 30 minutes).
Add the pumpkin and broccoli with the last cup of stock.
Cook, stirring until broccoli is tender and remove from heat.
Stir in the cream, parmesan and parsley.

Serving
Season with freshly ground black pepper and lemon wedges.

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