Spicy Pork & Lettuce Cups

So after doing some hardcore blogging for a few months, I decided last month it was time to take a bit of a break and get re-inspired.  I'm feeling much more refreshed now and ready to get back into blogging a bit more again!  Anyway, these pork & lettuce cups are what we had for dinner here tonight.  I'm always reluctant to call things by their traditional names (ie san choy bau for this one) because I never know exactly how authentic my recipes are!  So I just call them something that I feel more comfortable calling them!  Either way, dinner tonight was delish!

Ingredients (serves 4):
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce, leaves washed and separated
- 1 onion, peeled
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 thumb ginger, peeled
- 1 thumb fresh turmeric, peeled
- 1/2 red chilli, deseeded (the rest sliced for garnish)
- 2 anchovies
- 2 tbsp cooking fat
- 500g free range pork mince
- 1/2 red capsicum, diced
- 100g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1/2 cup cabbage, shredded
- 4 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I used Lea & Perrins brand)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Juice of half a lime
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Garnish: sliced red chilli, toasted peanuts or cashews, sesame seeds, sprouts

Method:
1.  In a saucepan on medium heat, add diced onion, crushed garlic, finely chopped ginger, turmeric root, chilli, anchovies and cooking fat.  Cook, stirring, until softened.

(Thermomix: add halved onion, garlic cloves, ginger, turmeric, chilli and anchovies.  Chop 2 sec/sp7.  Add cooking fat and cook 2min/Varoma/sp1)

2.  Add pork mince and cook, stirring, until browned.  Stir through veggies and cook for a few more minutes.

(Thermomix: add pork mince and cook 2min/100deg/rev+sp1.  Add veggies and cook another 3min/100deg/rev+sp1)

3.  Add sauces and seasonings.  Turn the heat down to simmer for 10 minutes.

(Thermomix: add sauces and seasonings and cook 10min/100deg/rev+sp1)

4.  Serve the mince in lettuce cups, topped with sliced chilli, toasted nuts, sesame seeds and some sprouts.

Pea & Ham Soup

It's starting to cool right down in Perth so it's definitely feeling a lot more like soup weather!  Both my kids love this soup, which is always a great sign that whatever I have cooked is a winner!  Also, make sure that you use nitrate-free ham or bacon in this recipe.  I get mine from a farmers market not far from where I live, and it's also available at some IGA supermarkets and some butchers.  So it's worth asking around and finding out!

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp duck fat (or other cooking fat)
250g nitrate-free bacon, rind removed, cut into chunks
1/2 zucchini, peeled, cut into chunks
1 cup yellow or green split peas, rinsed
1L vegetable stock (Campbell's) OR 1L water + 1 tbsp Thermomix vegetable stock concentrate
Herbamare, sea salt & pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley and extra cracked pepper to garnish

Method:
1. Heat a large pot on medium heat and add the cooking fat, diced onion and minced garlic.  Cook, stirring, until onion has softened.

(In Thermomix, add halved onion and garlic cloves.  Chop 5sec/sp6.  Add cooking fat.  Cook 2min/100deg/sp1).

2.  Add chunks of bacon and zucchini and cook, stirring, until bacon is slightly browned.

(In Thermomix, add zucchini and bacon.  Chop 5sec/sp7.  Cook 1min/100deg/sp1).

3.    Add split peas and stock.  Bring to the boil, stirring.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for around 25 minutes or until peas are soft and cooked through.

(In Thermomix, add split peas and stock, ensuring that the liquid level does not exceed the 2L mark.  Cook 25min/90deg/sp2.  Check that the peas are soft and cooked through).

4.  Season with salt, pepper and Herbamare.  Puree the soup with a stick blender.  Adjust seasonings if necessary.  Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and extra cracked pepper.

(In Thermomix, season with salt, pepper and Herbamare, then puree for 30 seconds by slowly turning the dial to speed 7.  Adjust seasonings if necessary and serve with chopped fresh parsley and extra cracked pepper).

Mini Quiches

These little quiches are great for kids' party food and I also make them regularly for the kids' lunchboxes.  I always sneak in some veg and also some Superfoods for Kidz Vital Veggie Power for extra added goodness.  These quiches are good to make ahead as well as they freeze well.  

Ingredients (makes 18)

2 sheets Pampas butter puff pastry

80g cheddar cheese

1/2 zucchini, peeled

2 rashers nitrate-free bacon

3 free range eggs

200mL pure cream

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of pepper

Optional - 1 tbsp Superfoods for Kidz Vital Veggie Power

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease cupcake trays with butter.

2.  Cut each pastry sheet into 9 squares.  Place pastry squares into greased cupcake tins.

3.  In a food processor, process the cheese, zucchini and bacon until finely chopped.  Distribute evenly amongst pastry shells.

(In Thermomix, add cheese, zucchini and bacon and chop 5sec/sp6.  Distribute evenly amongst pastry shells). 

4.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, nutmeg, pepper and Superfoods for Kidz powder (if using).  Pour into pastry shells.   

(In Thermomix, whisk together eggs, cream, nutmeg, pepper and Superfoods for Kidz powder (if using) for 10sec/sp3.  Pour into pastry shells)

5.  Bake for 15 minutes or until quiches are golden on top and cooked through.  Take out of the oven and let them cool slightly in the trays before turning out onto a wire rack.   

Creamy Pumpkin & Bacon Soup

This is another family fave that allows me to get more veggies into my kids.  Super quick to make and it's dairy free. 

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp duck fat
1 potato
1 carrot
100g sweet potato
300g pumpkin
2 rashers nitrate-free bacon
1L water + 1 tbsp Thermomix veggie stock concentrate
(OR 1L Campbell's vegetable stock)
1 tsp Herbamare
200mL coconut cream
Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
1.  Melt duck fat in a pot on medium heat and add diced onion and crushed garlic.  Cook until softened.

(In Thermomix, add halved onion and garlic.  Chop 2sec/sp7.  Add duck fat.  Cook 2min/100deg/sp1).

2.  Peel vegetables, cut into chunks and add to pot.  Add stock and chunks of bacon.  Cover and bring to the boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for around 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft.


(In Thermomix, add chunks of veggies, bacon and stock ensuring the level does not come up above the 2L mark.  Cook 15min/100deg/sp1.  When finished, check to ensure that the veggies are soft).

3.  Add Herbamare, coconut cream and season with salt and pepper.  With a stick blender, puree the soup until a smooth consistency is reached.


(In Thermomix, add Herbamare, coconut cream and salt and pepper.  Puree for 1 minute by slowly turning the dial to speed 7). 

4. Garnish with a drizzle of coconut cream and chopped fresh parsley. 

Mexican Style Baked Pork Meatballs with Brown Rice

I have 2 kids under 6, one of whom is a very fussy eater, particularly when it comes to eating veggies!  So I'm always looking for any opportunity to "hide" veggies in whatever I cook.  This is one of those dishes - and it was a hit with the whole family!

Ingredients (serves 6-8)
350g brown rice, soaked for at least 6 hours prior to cooking (soaking wholegrains prior to cooking makes them easier to digest and also quicker to cook)

Avocado slices and chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Meatballs:
500g free range pork mince
Handful or 2 of mushrooms, finely chopped
1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
1 free range egg
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp celtic salt
1 tsp rapadura sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder

Sauce:
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp butter
1 large green capsicum, sliced
300g tomato puree
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients.  Mix with your hands and shape into about 12 meatballs.  Put the meatballs in a large baking dish, cover and set aside into the fridge while you prepare the sauce.

2.  Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat.  Add diced onion and minced garlic.  Cook for a few minutes until softened.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for a few minutes.  Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

(In Thermomix, add halved onion and garlic cloves.  Chop 5sec/sp5.  Add butter and cook 2min/100deg/sp1.  Add remaining ingredients and cook 5min/100deg/rev+sp1).

3.  While the meatballs are in the oven, cook the brown rice as per the packet directions.

(In Thermomix, put 1L of water into the TM bowl, place pre-soaked rice into the rice basket and cook for approximately 30min/Varoma/sp4).

4.  Serve the rice topped with meatballs and sauce.  Top with avocado slices and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.