Great Places To Visit.

Winter is still very chilly.  Time for another heart warming, soul soothing curry!!!!  It's vegan friendly, vegetarian, yummy, high in fibre and nutrition and tastes great! Really! You don't need meat to feel full and satisfied. Just try this curry. You will find it very satisfying and filling.

Vegan Friendly Curry. Serves  4-6                                                   Dairy Free, Gluten free, Oil free. Mild to Medium Curry.    Adjust Thai Curry Paste and Curry powder to your liking. Ingredients: 4 x tablespoons water 1 x red onion peeled and diced 3cm knob ginger peeled and finely diced 1 x tablespoon Thai Red Curry Paste 1 x dessertspoon Curry Powder 1 x heaped teaspoon finely diced garlic (approx. 2 cloves) 1 x heaped teaspoon powdered turmeric or fresh when in season 1 x 700gm jar of Passato Tomato Cooking Sauce or equivalent. 200g water or vegetable stock - rinse out your sauce jar and add to curry. 1 x 400gm can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well. 1 x 400g...

Only 2 weeks old and busy working out their menu's and time frames, Power Plant Cafe in Templestowe proved to be a good choice for a lunch "catch-up" with a dear friend I haven't seen for many years. We both decided on the crunchy salad for lunch and it was delicious as well as crunchy.  Couldn't stop at that so then had the raspberry & green tea cake (shared one) for dessert as well as beautiful coffee.  Cost about $17/head. Can't complain about that. If this is an indication of the quality of food that's going to be on the menu here then I strongly suggest you put it on you list of "must eat here" places. The Cafe itself is lovely with it's polished timber floors, timber furniture, casual chairs, and 2 outdoor areas.  They do intend to eventually be open for weekend meals as well. Do yourself and your family and friends a favour and give it a try. Your won't be disappointed. Here's a little preview of Power Plant Cafe and...

One Pan Chili Beans .  I just love them. Who knew? I didn't until recently. Now they are a staple part of my eating program. Thanks to my Nutritionist Kathy Ashton who has taught me how to eat as much as I want and be healthy. Wish I had know this years ago, but guess I wasn't open to looking then. Now I like learning about how to use food as my medicine instead of relying on medications from the doctor. Mind you, I go to him for check ups and he is encouraging me to continue with my learning as the results are in the blood tests! No longer do I have any problems with Type 2 Diabetes,  my blood pressure is coming down (may be able to come off my current medication down the track). My cholesterol is good, it was heading the wrong way, and my liver is happy again. I've lost 12 Kilos in 12 months.  I haven't been focused on my weight, just what I put in my mouth. I like that I don't have to eat tiny little meals, I really like food, so a big bowl of chili, guilt free...

Wasn't sure about this recipe as I'm not a big fan of tofu. Decided to give it a go.  It's surprisingly tasty. Would make it again. Naturally the "Creamy" sauce is made with tofu not cream as it is a dairy free, vegan recipe. I also used gluten free pasta as I like to keep my gluten intake low. Give it a go.  

This is a delightful dish that anyone can enjoy especially if you always loved Cauliflower Au Gratin but now can't have diary.  This Cashew Sauce is a delicious alternative to dairy.  I enjoy making a melody of whatever vegetable I have in the refrigerator and garden, blanch them, put them in a casserole dish and make the Cashew Sauce in my Thermomix! (Use your blender if you don't have a Thermomix).  It's healty, delicious, and guilt free!! Eat to your hearts content.  If like me your man wouldn't go without meat, simple cook him a steak or a chop etc on the bar-b-q and put that on the side of his plate.  I also like to add jacket potatoes, yummy, just don't fill them with butter! Split them open and fill them with your vegetable mix instead!  Hope you enjoy this dish, it's a staple of mine. I also like it over steamed brown rice.

Chilli Beans are something I really enjoy making and eating in an assortment of ways.  Here is another twist on chilli beans that is a heart warming, soul satisfying soup. Served with torn basil leaves and your favourite crusty bread, you will find yourself going back for seconds! This dish is so satisfying in so many ways. Give it a go, it's well worth it.  Use only dried beans and soak them overnight, this makes a rich broth for your soup base the next day.  If you wake up in the morning and hadn't planned ahead to have this dish for dinner, then it's not too late. Put your beans and stock on after breakfast and gently simmer throughout the day, adding more stock or water if it evaporates too much. Add your remaining ingredients about 1 1/2 hrs before dinner that night and cook them.  Your beans should be softened and your lentils dissolved into the rich stock just as if you had soaked them overnight.  Another thought I just had is if you have a slow cooker, p...

It turned at bit cool the other day and my thoughts on food went straight to home made soups! I love the variety of hearty soups you can easily make at home and enjoy with family or friends.  This one I designed from a basic favourite Pumpkin Soup recipe  and added a twist to it.   Pumpkin, Carrot and Ginger Soup. While I was in the thought mode for soup, I thought up a couple of variations as well. Not necessarily Vegan or Vegetarian, but not everyone needs them to be. So a bit of this and a bit of that, you choose which one you like. Enjoy!!!

Roast Pumpkin & Mushroom Risotto. Decided I wanted a risotto for dinner that tasted great and was good for me. Mmmmmm, so that means, oil is out, dairy is out, gluten is out, fat is out, meat is out.  Geez, what's left? Let's check out what's in the refrigerator.......Pumpkin, celery, red capsicum, Portobello mushrooms, red onion, garlic, vegetable stock, white wine, etc mmmmm. Ok, in the pantry I've got risotto rice etc. So, I made up this recipe below. Hope you like it as much as I do.  Sorry about the photo.  I started eating before I remembered to take a photo, it smelled so good. I had already mixed in the baby spinach and rocket although you can't see them in the photo, I think they went to the bottom!  Anyway, I enjoyed it, so even though the photo isn't as pretty as it could be, the proof is in the eating. Give it a go. Ingredients: 450g pumpkin - cut into cubes and roasted with a sprinkle of water and then Mexican seasoning.  Set aside...

I love beans.  Yes, I know lots of you don't. But, if you've never tried them give them a go sometime. They're nicer than they sometimes look.  I've created this recipe to taste good and look pleasing to the eye. Give it a crack! Quick Baked Beans. 1 x small red onion - diced 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic 1 x 400g can Cannellini Beans 2 x 125g cans Four Bean Mix 1 x stick celery - diced 3 tablespoons water for skillet instead of oil 1 x 400g can Italian diced & peeled tomatoes 1 x 50g sachet tomato paste 1 x cup water 2 x teaspoons demerara or brown sugar 2 x teaspoons fish sauce 6 x Basil leaves chopped 1 x teaspoon ground Cumin Ground black pepper and basil leaves to garnish. Method: Put 3 tablespoons water into skillet, add onion, and garlic and saute.  Add celery. (I like my celery still a bit crunchy) Put beans into a colander and rinse well under cold water, drain add to skillet with rest of the ingredients except for you...

Baba Ganoush. (Eggplant Dip) This recipe is delicious with vegetable sticks, turkish bread, or your favourite dry discuits.  I also like it as a condiment for saute' mushrooms, hash browns, grilled tomatoes. (Vegetarian mixed grill) It is probably equally as good although I haven't tried it on an assortment of steamed vegetables, or jacket potatoes. Ingredients: 1 large Eggplant 1/2 cup Tahini paste 3 cloves crushed garlic 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 pinch ground cumin sprinkle of sweet paprika salt & pepper to taste 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Method: Char grill your eggplant until slightly blackened, then place it on ovenproof paper on a tray and bake it until very soft at about 200C. Cool slightly. Scoop out flesh, discard skin. If you like a rough, rustic texture, use a fork and mash it.  If you like a smooth, paste type consistency, put it in your Thermomix or Food processor. Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, cumin salt & pepper and 1/2 parsley. ...

Things don't get much simpler than this lovely recipe. Steam an assortment of your favourite veges to your desired doneness!  Cook a packet of pasta (your choice, I like gluten free). Mix the two together in a large bowl and add seasonings of your choice and a salad dressing if you want. To be healthy use an oil free dressing.  Enjoy! Veges I used this time were: Shallots, carrots, celery, corn, peas, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage. Seasoned with Herbamare.  I didn't add any dressing whilst it was hot, just ate a plate full! May add dressing when it is cold as it will be dryer, or else I will put some in the microwave and warm it up again. If like me, your man wants meat, just cook a small steak or a couple of lamb chops etc and put on the side of his plate. Then my man will happily eat this, and just pick out the veges he doesn't like. Saves me cooking two separate dinners. Vegetable, Gluten/Egg free pasta.

This is a quick, tasty and healthy recipe. it can be made from scratch, but I'm going to give you the quick, simple version. You will need 1 x pkt of Coles Coleslaw.  1 x bunch fresh Corriander, parsley and mint. 1 x bottle Vietnamese Dipping Sauce. ( The spring roll kind). 1 x bunch shallots. 9 x cutlets. 1 x lemon cut into quarters. 1 x pkt baby spinach leaves and baby rocket leaves. 1 x iceburg lettuce (or another you like). Cook all cutlets on BBQ. Place coleslaw into a bowl. Add finely chopped parsley, mint, and corriander. (To your liking. I like lots). Finely chop one spring onion and add. Sprinkle with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce. Mix well. Should be nice and glossy, not drowned. Add more if too dry. Shred some lettuce leaves finely. On your plate arrange in a circle the lettuce, top with spinach and rocket. On one half spoon on coleslaw mix. Arrange cooked cutlets on the other half. Serve garnished with more corriander and lemon wedges. Squeeze lemon over everything. ...

Lunch time and the worms were biting! What to eat that's satisfying but not too fattening? Mmmmmmmmmmmm Got it! "Smash". One of my favorites! You'll need:   1  x  large egg, 1 bread roll of your choice, 1/2 Avocado, 1/2 lemon, approx 6 leaves fresh mint, small piece of low fat feta, salt & pepper.  Extra: either 1 chorizo sausage cut in half, or some bacon. If your having the extra: put your bacon or sausage under the grill to cook out as much fat as possible, and if it's bacon I like it crispy. Heat water in a saucepan with salt & vinegar for your egg to poach in. Slice your roll in half and lightly toast it. While your water is heating up for your egg, "smash" your Avocado in a bowl, chop your mint and add, then crumble your feta and mix it in. Put your toasted (not buttered) bun on your plate and sit it in a warm oven to keep it warm. Keep an eye on your meat and keep turning it. When done place on paper towel to absorb as much fat ...