As all my friends know i'm a bruschetta freak! I order it everywhere we go (if they sell it).
Whilst out with my sister-in-law for lunch the other day the menu had an avocado version. Now I've tried avo once when i was about 19 and i hated it (mind you i did eat it unseasoned).
​So i order this avo bruschetta (in hopes my taste buds have changed) and IT WAS AMAZING! so of course i had to re create it at home, and here is my version.

Ingredients:

4 thick slices Italian-style crusty bread
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Spring onion, finely chopped
1/2 ripe avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled, chopped
100g Danish Feta
Balsamic reduction, for serving
Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat grill. Place the bread on a baking tray and cook under preheated grill for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden. 
Place the tomatoes, onion, avocado and feta in a medium bowl, and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the tomato and avocado mixture over the toasted bread, drizzle with balsamic reduction and serve immediately. 
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This Capsicum & pumpkin dip is the perfect dish to take to bbq's. We had some friends over and they brought this dip over with some cauliflower crackers, and i was converted! Its super tasty.

Entertaining has never been easier with this delicious crumbed haloumi and dressed salad. Ready in 10 mins and looks a treat too!

Ingredients:

1 Packet Haloumi
2 Tablespoons Plain Flour
1 Large Egg, lightly whisked
1 Cup Breadcrumbs (I just blitzed up day old bread)
80g Salad Leaves
1/4 Red Onion, sliced thinly
1/3 Cup Kalamata Olives, quartered
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Oregano Leaves (this is to scatter over after)

Method:

Cut the haloumi into 1cm strips. Place flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Place egg and breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip the haloumi in the flour and shake off excess. Dip in egg, then in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to coat well.
Place the salad leaves, onion and olives into a large bowl. Combine vinegar and oil together in a small bowl. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. 
Heat a tiny bit of olive oil in a large non stick frying pan. Add the haloumi and cook for 2 mins each side until the crumbs just start to get crispy and golden. Divide the haloumi along with the salad onto plates. Serve with a scatter of fresh oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.

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.

These ricotta dumplings are a slightly lighter and faster that your traditional potato gnocchi. Soft fluffy pillows of ricotta coated in a warm tomato sauce. I love this recipe because it is meat free and super filling. 

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons
1 Garlic clove, chopped
1 small Red Chilli, finely chopped
400g can of Tomatoes
500g Fresh Ricotta
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons Self Raising Flour
1/4 cup Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
1/3 cup Breadcrumbs
sourdough bread and mixed leaf salad to serve

Method:

Place oil , garlic and chilli in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Cook for 1 min, until fragrant. Reduce heat to low, add tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 5mins until tomatoes softened and reduced slightly.
Mean combine 2 teaspoons oil with all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls (at times i've had to add a bit more breadcrumbs and flour to make it pliable).
Gently place ricotta balls into the tomato sauce, cover and simmer for 10mins. Turn dumplings and cover and simmer for another 10mins. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with warm crusty sourdough and a lightly dressed mixed leaf salad. 

Note: The consistency of your balls will depend on what type of ricotta you use, smooth of crumbly.
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I came up with this recipe when i had a half loaf of bread that was going stale. I hate wasting food and i was super hungry so i created this super easy and crunchy toasted bread, flavored with a few lugs of oil and some stock seasoning. Perfect for salads or simply just as a snack.

Ingredients:

1/2 loaf bread
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
​2 Tablespoon stock seasoning r 2 stock cubes ( I use Vege-Spice)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 'c. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Cute bread into 1cm cubes. Mix oil and seasoning into bread until its well coated (i find scrunching the bread helps mix it) and spread onto your baking tray in a single layer. Bake for 10-12mins or until golden and crispy.

Note: The amount of oil and spice can vary depending on how much flavor you want, you can definitely use more or less seasoning.
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When we go out to this restaurant near us called sizzler, you always get a tray of cheese bread. This moorish starter is a piece of bread smothered in butter and parmesan cheese and fried. Simple and delicious!

Ingredients:

2 Slices Bread
60g Butter
40g Parmesan Cheese, grated
​Pepper (optional)

Method:

Mix together the butter and parmesan cheese. Spread thickly over one side of each slice of bread. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the bread butter side down till golden and crusted. Season with pepper and Serve.

A simple yet tasty omelette is sometimes just what you need after a busy day or before you start a chaotic day. I got inspired after watching the movie 'The Hundred foot journey'. If you haven't seen the movie, please do, its amazing! The oil in this recipe creates a fluffy outer shell that i adore, and gives it great texture.

 Ingredients:

2 Eggs
Dash of milk (maybe a tablespoon)
1/4 Cup Cheese, Grated
1/4 Spring Onion, Diced Finely
1 teaspoon oil

Method:

Beaten all the ingredients together. Heat oil in a non stick frying pan. Pour into the pan and cook slowly until the top is just starting to cook. Slowly start folding over the omelette until it's wrapped up. Serve with a sprinkling of cheese and spring onions.

Believe it or not i never used to like polenta! That was until i had it cooked the right way. This soft, cheesy polenta is delicious and i usually have it with a piece of grilled lightly seasoned chicken, but its amazing simply by itself. 

Ingredients:
​
4 Cups Water
1 Chicken Stock Cube
1 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups Polenta
3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
3 Tablespoons Butter 
​Baby Basil Leaves (Optional)

Method:

Bring the water and stock cube to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt and gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the polenta is soft (make sure you keep stirring) for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the cheese and butter. Stir until the butter and cheese have melted. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve with torn baby basil leaves (if wanted).

Note: Great with a swirl of balsamic glaze through it.

This baked feta with tomatoes, olives and red onion will soon become your favorite dish to take to parties. Not only is it delicious but its so easy to make! I used a mixture of tomatoes to visually make it more appealing to my family of eaters. You can serve as a dip with some crackers or as we simple do, straight from the foil to our mouths! If you don't like feta you can substitute for halloumi cheese.

Ingredients:

​1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved ( big ones quartered)
1/4 cup chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion 
2 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar (I used white Balsamic so it didn't stain the tomatoes, but you can use normal brown balsamic)
Freshly ground black pepper
1  block feta (I used hard australian feta as i like the firmer texture better)

Method:

Preheat oven to 200’c.
In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, olives, onion, and garlic, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, oregano, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a few grinds of pepper.
Set the feta block in the middle of a piece of foil in a dish. Pile the tomato mixture on top of the feta. Fold up the edges of the foil so that it will hold in any liquid as it cooks. Place the sealed packet in the oven for 15 minutes to warm it through. Remove from oven and transfer to plate or serving dish. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
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Note: The feta will not melt, but go soft. Once feta cools down it will harden back up. To fix this just pop it back in the oven to warm thru.