This delicious pad Thai recipe comes from my 'foodbank' course. Its filled with tasty veg and succulent chicken. Pad Thai is one of the most popular Thai dishes, but i never knew what went in it. This is a more basic recipe but doesn't compromise on flavor. 

Ingredients:

1 packet Pad Thai Noodles
4 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
1/4 Cup Water
1 Lime
4 teaspoons Sugar
2 Small Chicken Breasts
Spray Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Carrots
1 Red Capsicum
12 Snow Peas
1/2 Packet Bean Spouts
4 Tablespoons Crushed Nuts
Coriander/Chilli to serve (optional)

Method:

Add 6 cups of boiling water to a large bowl, add noodles and soak for 5mins. Pour noodles into a strainer to drain water.
Mix fish sauce, 1/4 cup water, juice from the lime and the sugar in a small bowl. Cut chicken into small strips. Turn frying pan onto a medium heat and spray with a little oil. Cook chicken for 5mins until brown. Transfer to a plate.
Slice garlic, carrots, capsicum and snow peas into thin slices. Spray oil into a frying pan on a high heat, add vegetables and saute for 5mins. Add sauce, chicken, noodles and bean sprouts to the frying pan, mix together and turn the frying pan off. Sprinkle with nuts on top, season well and serve.

Tip: Mix together 1/4 Cup of coriander and 1 diced red chilli and sprinkle over the top for extra flavor.

This rainbow rice is a super quick and easy fried rice dish using cold, leftover rice. Its full of vibrant and healthy veggies, so great for the kids (and adults). We cooked this rainbow rice at my foodbank course and id definitely recommend it.

Ingredients:

1/2 Red Capsicum
1/2 Green Capsicum
2 Spring Onions
2 Cups Frozen Veg
4 Cups Cooked Rice
Small bunch Parsley or Basil
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Sweet Chilli Sauce
1 Omelette, chopped

Method:

Chop capsicum and spring onion into small pieces. Heat frying pan to a medium heat, add a little spray oil. Cook capsicum and spring onion until soft. Add frozen veggies and stir until cooked. Add cooked rice and omelette and stir until heated through. Chop herbs, add to the frying pan with soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce. Stir to combine.

Tip - Cold, cooked rice works best in this recipe as the grains get firm once cool and you wont get a mushy fried rice.

This easy one pan dish is great for that weeknight meal when you don't have much energy and want to have something delish for tea. I used the leftover wine in the fridge for this dish ( always cook with a wine you would drink). Serve with a salad or be naughty and serve with potatoes. 

Ingredients:

olive oil, for cooking
8 chicken thighs
1 Spring Onion, finely chopped
2 medium sized leeks, thoroughly washed and chopped into rounds
250g Button mushrooms, diced
several stems fresh thyme, de-stalked
zest of half a Lemon
1/3 cup dry White wine
1 cup (250ml) Chicken stock
200ml Cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
flat leaf parsley to serve

Method:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large deepish frying pan. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Brown on both sides until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the spring onion and leeks to the pan and sauté for several minutes or until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook on a medium-high heat until all the liquid has reduced. Season with salt, black pepper, thyme and lemon zest. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Reduce down by half and then add the chicken stock and cream. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, cover partially with a lid and simmer for about 40 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through. Scatter with plenty of flat leaf parsley and serve immediately.

I was looking through my food days app and i came across this day called 'Boston cream pie day', having no idea what this was i starting to do some research. Boston cream pies are infact a cake filled with a custard or cream filling, topped with chocolate.
I was running low on time to make a cake from scratch so i used a packet one (don't make me feel guilty, we all do it!) and vanilla pudding in a pack (this one) it makes life a little easier than standing over a stove stirring custard constantly (whilst i have a son who loves to climb atm! lol) anyways if you want to make either of these elements from scratch i have recipes for them in my backing and dessert section. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the cake
1 box vanilla cake mix
1/2 cup Salted butter, melted
2 large Eggs
For the topping
2 packages instant vanilla pudding
3 cups whole milk
For the chocolate topping
1/2 cup Milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup Heavy cream
3 tablespoons Honey

Method:

Preheat oven to 175c. Line an 8x8 square pan with foil, spray with nonstick spray and set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer (i use my kitchen-aid), beat cake mix, melted butter, and eggs on medium low speed until combined. Mixture will be thick. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until edges are set  and golden and center is puffy. Remove from oven and let cool completely. While bars are baking, prepare topping: In a large bowl, whisk together pudding mixes and milk until thick, about 3 minutes. Place in the refrigerator to thicken until bars have finished baking and have cooled completely.
Spread filling over bars evenly and place in the refrigerator while you prepare your chocolate topping.
In a microwave safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and heavy cream for around 2 minutes, stopping to stir every 20 seconds until smooth. Stir in honey and let cool until thick and no longer warm. Spread over bars. Keep bars in refrigerator until time to serve.

These patties are suitable for vegetarians because they contain no meat. Flavor them with anything you like. I used carrot and leek because i had quite a few in my fridge i needed to use up. 

Ingredients:

2 cups Quinoa
1 large Leek
1 large Carrot
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 smallish Eggs or 1 large
Small handful of Parsley
salt, pepper

Method:

Rinse quinoa under cold running water. Cook in a pot of boiling salted water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Wash and finely chop the leeks. Peel and grate carrots. Wash, pat dry, and chop the parsley. In a non-stick frying pan, heat oil, Stir fry the leeks and carrots for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Combine quinoa, carrots, leeks, eggs and parsley. Form small patties. Place onto a tray lined with grease proof paper, put in freezer for 10 mins (this helps them not fall apart when you fry).
Heat your frying pan and cook the patties for 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels and transfer onto a serving dish.

This recipe came about when i needed a side dish for our taco's. Mexican rice is cooked in the juice from tinned tomatoes and stock. Its super delicious and you can add all your favorite Mexican goodies to make it super special.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 Tin Kidney Beans
Handful Chives to serve

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in rice until toasted, about 2 minutes.
Stir in Diced tomatoes and chicken stock, and bring to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Stir in peas and kidney beans and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked through, about 13-16 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired.

This Rainbow salad is the perfect dish to serve with any protein. Its full of vibrant colours which makes it fun for the kids to eat (or at least try). This salad is from the 'Foodbank' recipe book from my class.

Ingredients:

Choose one ingredient from each colour:
Green - Lettuce, celery, snow peas, spinach
Red - Tomatoes, capsicum, tomato salsa
Yellow - Corn, Capsicum, 100g Cheese
Orange - Carrot
Purple - Cabbage, Kidney Beans

200g Low Fat Sour Cream
1 Cup Low Fat Greek Yoghurt
1 Packet Multi-grain crackers or 1/2 Bag Corn Chips

Method:

Chop the green vegetables and spread across the base of the bowl for the first layer. Chop red vegetables and add to the bowl of top of the green layer. Spread salsa over the top of the red layer. Repeat steps for yellow, orange and purple layers, by grating cheese and chopping vegetables. Add each coloured layer to the bowl.
Mix sour cream and Greek yoghurt in a small bowl. Spread mixture over the top of the purple layer. Crush crackers or alternative in a snap lock bag. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the salad.

This recipe is from the 'foodbank' healthy recipes for all book #3

This zucchini slice is quick, easy and cheap! I cooked this in my foodbank class. For those who dont know who Foodbank are, they are a non-denominational, non-profit organisation which acts as a pantry to the charities and community groups who feed the hungry. It was first established in 1992 in NSW and now has a presence in every state and the Northern Territory with distribution centres in all state capitals as well as a number of regional centres.

Ingredients:

1 Carrot
1 Zucchini
3 Spring Onions
Spray Oil
150g Reduced fat Cheese
small bunch Parsley
400g Tin Peas & Corn
8 Eggs
1/2 Cup Natural Greek Yogurt
1 Cup Wholemeal Flour
2 teaspoons Garlic Powder

Method:

Grate the carrot and zucchini. Chop the spring onions. Turn the frying pan on to a medium heat and spray with oil. Cook carrot, zucchini and spring onion for 5 mins or until soft. 
Meanwhile, grate cheese, chop parsley, crack eggs into a large bowl and whisk eggs together.
Add cheese, parsley, peas and corn, yogurt, flour, garlic powder and pepper into the eggs. Remove cooked veggies from the frying pan and add to the eggs, stir to combine.
Place baking paper onto the bottom of the frying pan. Pour mixture over the baking paper, spread evenly.
Place lid on the frying pan, turn heat to medium and cook for 15 mins or until slice is set on top. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Note: If you want to bake your slice, bake in a 180'c oven fro 25-30 mins.

Recipe from the 'foodbank' healthy recipes for all #3 book.

Yes you're right i said 'cup of soup' and believe me its amazing! I had this idea last night when i wanted to make a creamy potato bake at minimum effort. I was searching my pantry for inspiration and i came across some chicken and corn cup of soup packets. I thought why not, ill give it ago! and BAM! amazing creamy potato bake with gooey melted cheese on top at not much more than 30c per serve. Dinner sorted!

Ingredients:

3 Medium Potatoes, sliced 
1 packet 'chicken and corn cup of soup' (or any you prefer)
1/2 Cup Milk
Grated cheese for sprinkling on top (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180'c.
​Boil potato slices in salted water for 10 mins then drain, layer and arrange in a baking tray. Mix together the Cup of soup and milk, and pour over the potatoes. Top with cheese and bake for 30 mins until golden brown and bubbling. YUM!

I've always want to make this Polish dumplings from when i first saw them a few years ago in a cookbook. Well what more of a perfect day to make them than today 'national pierogi day'. Pierogies are kind of in between a pasta and a dumpling. Traditionally they do not use eggs, but in some houses in Poland they do. There are so many variations to this tasty treat you can really play around with it.
These delicious dumplings are great for any time of the day. And pierogies are only limited to your imagination. They can be sweet or savory and can either be boiled, fried or baked (depending on how your feeling). They dough can also be flavored as well using fruit juices.  
Pierogies are very cheap to make as they do not use alot of ingredients and they can be frozen so you can make a big batch even when your on a budget and that's the type of cooking i love!

Ingredients:
Dough
1 1/2 Cups Plain Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Boiling Water
2 Tablespoons Cold Water
1/4 teaspoon Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric (optional)
Filling
1 Potato, peeled and cubed
1/4 Cup Peas
1 teaspoon Curry Powder
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
1/4 Onion, sauteed until soft
Burnt Butter Sauce
1/4 Cup Butter
A few Oregano leaves (maybe 10 to 12)
a squeeze of Lemon Juice

Method:
Create your filling but placing the potato and peas into a pot of water and bringing to the boil, cook until tender. Drain and Mash well, add curry powder, turmeric and onion, mix well until fully combined.
To make the dough, pour flour and salt into your thermocook and pulse for 3 secs. Add boiling water and mix until a crumbled dough appears. leave for 5 mins. Add cold water and mix for 10 sec on speed 4, it will still resemble a small lumps. Leave for 15 mins. Add oil and mix until combined. Turn dough onto your bench top and knead for 5 to 10 mins until dough is soft and smooth. Now the dough is ready to roll out. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until you reach the thickness of 2-3 mm. Cut circles of the dough out using a cup (i used a pint glass). Place some of the filling into the middle of the disc and fold in half to create the pierogi. Collect the scraps of the dough and repeat rolling, cutting and filling until all the dough is used. Place onto a piece of baking paper whilst you make the butter sauce.
To make the burnt butter sauce add the butter to a frying pan, Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until butter is lightly browned, stirring occasionally and skimming foam as necessary, add the oregano leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice (this stops the butter cooking further) and remove from heat. Place 3-4 pierogies into a pot of boiling water until they float (3-4 mins), then put the pierogies into the burnt butter sauce to coat before serving.

Note: If you don't have a thermocook, just use your hands to mix or a kitchen-aid with the mixer attachment.

Tip - To make sweet pierogies, omit half the boiling water for milk and fill with berries and sugar or strawberry mousse.