Monday 8 April 2013

CHILLI CON CARNE WITH CAULIFLOWER WRAPS

CHILLI CON CARNE WITH CAULIFLOWER WRAPS
Serves 4













Feeling a little uninspired by our recent paleo meals (standard meat and veg) I decided to try something new! I have read a lot about cauliflower wraps and pizza bases but most of them use a shit load of cheese to make them stick! Don't get me wrong, that sounds bloody delicious, but I'm trying REALLY hard to cut dairy out of my diet (Waaaaaaa). So I had a look and found these amazing, yummy wraps online. They use eggs to hold them together so they are a little 'eggy' but only slightly and they are super scrumptious!!

The Chilli Con Carne aspect is straight from the Everyday Cookbook (with a slight adjustment as I find it comes out a little runny from the recipe)

I hope you enjoy!!!

Ingredients
Wraps
1 head cauliflower (cut into florets)
4 eggs
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tsp mixed dried herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, thyme)

Chilli Con Carne
500g beef mince (make your own in the TMX with chunks steak)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red chilli
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp olive oil
Can red kidney bean (drained and rinsed)
Can chopped tomatoes
Dried mixed herb (to taste)
2 beef stock cubes
2 tbsp tomato paste
Pinch of sugar


Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

1) Place cauliflower into the TMX bowl and make some cauliflower rice by 'whacking' the cauliflower for 7 seconds on reverse speed 5.

2) Place the 'cauliflower rice' into the simmering basket. Fill your TMX bowl to the first line (500g) with water. Place the simmering basket in with the cauliflower. Cook cauliflower rice for 14 minutes at Varoma Temperature on Speed 3. (It may over boil. If this starts to happen and the measuring cup begins bouncing off, turn the speed down).

3) While the rice is cooking, mix eggs, herbs and garlic in a large mixing bowl.

4) Once cauliflower rice is cooked and tender, take the simmering basket out using the spatula as a handle. Take over to the sink and use the spatula to squeeze out the water from the cauliflower. Next you will need to ensure that the cauliflower is as drained as possible. Scrap the cauliflower rice onto a clean, dry tea towel. (You will need to either let it cool or use gloves here or you will burn yourself). Roll up the rice and squeeze all of the excess moisture out.

5) Add strained cauliflower rice into the bowl with the eggs and herbs and mix all together.

6) Line baking trays with baking paper. Using a large spoon, form circles of the 'dough' and press them out. (this makes 4- so either one per tray and then repeat/or 2 per tray, depending on how big or small your oven and trays are)
*Keep the wraps compact, there should be no paper showing through the wrap. Get them as thin as you can without seeing breaks in it.

7) Bake for 20 minutes or until dry and pliable. Cool on a wire rack so that they don't go soggy.













8) While the wraps are in the oven, it's time to make the chilli con carne... Clean out the TMX bowl.

9) Place onion, garlic and chilli into TMX bowl and chop for 6 seconds on Speed 7.

10) Add mince and oil and saute for 2 minutes at 100 degrees on reverse speed soft.

11) Add remaining ingredients and cook for 15 minutes at 100 degrees on reverse speed soft. (Half way through I crank the heat up to Varoma and take off the measuring cup. This, along with the beef stock cube, helps thicken)

12) Season with salt and pepper.

Serve Chilli Con Carne with Cauliflower Wraps, Seriously DELISH!!!!!


Saturday 6 April 2013

Macadamia Banana Bread Squares

MACADAMIA BANANA BREAD SQUARES













These treats are straight off of Paleomg.com (I have just converted them for the Thermomix). They aren't super sweet but they are yummy! A great little breakfast filler if you are on the run. I also added a little agave syrup to make them a tiny bit sweeter. I also doubled the quantity to make two pans worth.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients
260g macadamia coconut butter
150g macadamia nuts
2 bananas peeled and cut into chunks
2 tsp organic vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
Tblsp Honey
Drizzle of Agave Nectar

Method
1) Preheat the over to 180 degrees

2) Place macadamia nuts into TMX bowl and process for 4 seconds on Speed 7.

3) Place all other ingredients into the TMX bowl and mix for 30 seconds on Speed 7 or until smooth.

4) Grease 2 square loaf tins with spray oil. (Line with grease proof paper)

5) Pour batter into the pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned on top and cooked through. Allow to cool completely in the pans then cut into square and store in an airtight container.

Done!!


Popeye's Juice!

POPEYE'S JUICE



















On a recent trip to the amazing Chinta cafe for breakfast, I had two of these DELICIOUS juices. I tried to replicate it but have made a few little changes! This juice is YUMMY and SUPER healthy. One thing I have been trying to do on my recent health kick is add more green vegetables into my diet. Why you ask???

Well...

Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, probably the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.
Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important than we once thought (the current minimum may not be optimal), and many people do not get enough of it.

Vitamin K:
  • Regulates blood clotting
  • Helps protect bones from osteoporosis
  • May help prevent and possibly even reduce atherosclerosis by reducing calcium in arterial plaques
  • May be a key regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthitis
  • May help prevent diabetes
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, so make sure to put dressing on your salad, or cook your greens with oil.

I personally don't get nearly enough green vegetables into my diet. Juices are the perfect way to ensure this! Perfect!!


Ingredients
3 Kiwi Fruits (Peeled and Halved)
2 Green Apples (Quartered and Cored)
Bunch of Spinach
1/2 Bunch of Kale
Handful fresh mint
480g Water
1 1/2 Trays Ice

Method
1) Place all ingredients into the TMX Bowl. Put lid and measuring cup on top.

2) Mix for 40 seconds on Speed 10.

3) Serve over ice.

Serves 4

ENJOY!!!