Wendy Polisi's Italian Baked Quinoa Casserole - Adapted

Last week as I was perusing internet for quinoa recipes, I found one that included all of my favourite things - meat, cheese and tomatoes!

As the recipe is from American cook and author Wendy Polisi I did have to adapt it a wee bit to reflect Australian ingredients.

The original recipe can be found here.

Ingredients

beef mince

onion, cubed 

zucchini, cubed

red capsicum, cubed

mushrooms, sliced

tomatoes, cubed

cooked quinoa

mozarella

fresh garlic

cheddar cheese, grated

red wine vinegar, 

olive oil

oregano

salt

pepper

passata

topping

olive oil

red wine vinegar

dried basil

minced garlic

cherry tomatoes, halved

spinach

I don't really follow recommended amounts, I guestimate a lot with my ingredients, although I did use 500g of mince.


Method
* over a medium high heat, add olive oil, onions, zucchini, capsicum, mushrooms to a frypan (I used one with high sides) cook for around 5 minutes.
* add mince, and cook until brown. You may want to drain the mince before adding the next ingredients.
* add half - 2/3 bottle of passata, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, oregano, pepper and salt. I cooked all this together until the sauce was bubbling.

* in a separate bowl, combine quinoa with mozzarella and the rest of the passata.
* pour the mince mixture into a oven safe dish. Top with the quinoa mixture, and top it all with grated cheese.

I followed Wendy' directions with the Fresh Tomato Topping, although I replaced the fresh basil with dried and added spinach.




I'm hoping it will taste as good as it smells and looks, but of course, the real test is if my mum will eat it!
update: Mum didn't like the quinoa aspect, but I have had 3 separate servings of it! Yum!



> All vegetables and fruit (hello tomato!) were bought fresh this morning from my local Farm Direct Market

Turtle Bay

So anyone that has access to either my Facebook or Instagram accounts will know how much I love food. Cooking it, eating it, photographing it. Food in general.

Last month a couple of friends and I discovered Turtle Bay. The thing that attracting us in the first place had to be the 2 4 1 Cocktails Happy Hour (I swear we're not alcoholics!). But it wasn't just any Happy Hour. It was a SEVEN HOUR HAPPY HOUR!

                                    

    


The decor was warm and inviting, a 'beach hut' served as the bar and the kitchen was placed in a shipping container at the back of the restaurant. The bathrooms continued with the same hip scene.


                                                     

Turtle Bay have a really good allergen menu. It was colour coded between meat, vegetarian and vegan and all the allergens in each dish were marked. Super easy to find what was gluten free. 

After a morning of shopping on a bit of a hangover I wasn't feeling all that hungry so opted for the Goats Chesse, Aubergine and Butternut Salad. 



I did think it was a bit weird that it came with a side of watermelon, but it added a refreshing burst of flavour after the spicy chickpeas. 

We had wonderful food, amazing cocktails and great service from our waitress. 

Turtle Bay can be found at 16 High Street, Ealing, London. It's open from 1130 till midnight with Ealing Common being the closest tube station and Ealing Broadway Train Station. 

Dinner at Work - Cauliflower Pizza

Looking for a healthy, gluten-free alternative to Pizza Hut or Dominos?

Look no further than your own kitchen! 

I've cooked this cauliflower pizza recipe a few times for my clients, and every single one of them love it!

Ingredients

Base

1 whole cauliflower

mozzarella ball

1- 2 eggs

Toppings

(This one is entirely up to you!)

tomato paste

onion

mushrooms

tomato

capsicum (aka red pepper)

cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius

Grate the cauliflower into a bowl

Put the cauliflower into the microwave for about 7 minutes until the

cauliflower is soft

(alternatively, you can spread the cauliflower over an over tray and roast for 15 minutes at 180 Celsius - try and drain as much moisture out as you can once it is cool enough to touch)

In a mixing bowl, combine the mozzarella, cauliflower and egg together (if you think one egg isn't enough, crack the other one in as well)

*You can add salt and pepper to taste if wanted*

Spread the base out over an oven tray, trying to get it as even as possible

Pop it in the oven for around 20 minutes or until you get a nice golden colour

Now it's time for the toppings!

Once they're all on top and looking fantastic, put it back in the oven for another 15 - 20 minutes

Plate up and scoff it down!

* I first got this recipe from my mate Mrs BFH at breakingfreehomestead.wordpress.com

Dinner at Work - Smoky Carrot and Broccoli Soup

Soup has seemed to be the theme of the week with the colder weather coming in. 
Yesterday we had a bag of carrots and quarter head of broccoli in the fridge that need to be used. 

Solution: 

Smoky Carrot and Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

1 onion sliced

5 medium carrots
Spring onion

Quarter of a brocoli

2 cloves garlic

Veg stock

Cinnamon

Pepper

Dried chillis

Garic granules

Smoked paprika

Method:

fry onion with cinnamon until golden

add chopped carrots

add 1 litre of veg stock and chilli

add chopped spring onions and stalk of broccoli

put lid on and bring to the boil

add the paprika, garlic granules, salt and pepper 

taste and adjust

stir, and garlic cloves, then take of heat to blend

add the broccoli florets

 replace lid and back on heat for a few minutes to cook broccoli 

serve and eat

Dinner at Work - Not-Peanut-Butter and Spinach Curry with Basmati and Wild Rice

One of my main duties in my job as a live-in carer is cooking. 
Some of my clients are cool to sit back and let me work my magic and some others like to make kitchen magic with me! 


Since the end of August I have been paired with a guy in Norwich who is a wizz in the kitchen. 
Due to the fact that I absolutely loath peanut butter with a vengeance and he really wanted a peanut butter curry he thought of a way to still make the curry, but delete peanut butter from the process.

I give you.....

Not-Peanut-Butter and Spinach Curry

with basmati and wild rice

Ingredients:

                             Blender:

Pumpkin seeds

sunflower seeds

linseeds

fennel seeds

ground almonds

garlic cloves

olive oil

red wine vinegar

salt

Pot:

onion, sliced

veg stock

salt

spinach (we used 6 frozen cubes)

tomato, diced

hot curry powder

garlic granules

chilli powder

pepper

cinnamon

garam masala

Cooking is very much a trial and error process, so we tend to just play it by ear with the amounts used. 

Don't forget your rice!

Method:

Put all of the ingredients into the blender and blend. You may need to add a dash of water to get it into that 'paste' consistency.

In the pot fry the onion with a coating of cinnamon. 

Add in a cup and a half of veg stock (you will get steam burn if you're not careful!)

Add in the spinach and tomato

Add in the pepper, salt, chilli powder, curry powder, garam masala and garlic granules

Stir and adjust for your taste

Once the paste is consistent add it to the pot and stir. It will thicken out and look a bit like baby's poo thanks to the spinach.

While that is infusing together, get your rice on to boil. 

Once your happy with your rice and curry serve it up and enjoy!