Parsley Pesto

This pesto is quick and easy. It goes well with fish and it's handy to have in the fridge to add to soups and stews etc, instead of fresh parsley if you don't happen to have any. You will need:

A bunch of parsley
olive oil (about 1/4 cup-depending on how oily or dry you like it)
1 or 2 cloves of garlic(depending on how you like it)

Method

Put parsley in a blender with the garlic and start whizzing it up. Drizzle the oil in, a little at a time, until the parsley mixture resembles pesto. Check to see that it's not too dry, add more oil if it is. Put into a jar and refrigerate.

Tuna Cakes

These delicious patties are a regular dish in our house. The recipe comes from Julie Stafford’s book Taste of Life. It is very low in fat. In the recipe it says to use egg whites. I use the whole egg instead for dipping before rolling in the breadcrumbs (I also add the whole egg to the tuna cake mix). Be aware though, that egg yolks are high in cholesterol.

Makes 12

250g tuna in water, drained
4 large potatoes
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, grated
1/2 lemon
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg white unbeaten
black pepper to taste
wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 extra egg white and water

Peel potatoes and boil until tender. Drain most of excess moisture away and mash. Leave to cool. Add tuna to potato and squeeze lemon juice over. Add spring onions, carrots, ricotta cheese, unbeaten egg white and black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Take spoonfuls and roll in hands, then dip in egg white and water and roll in breadcrumbs. Shape into round cakes approximately 7cm in diameter. Set the cakes to chill and firm in the refrigerator for 2 hours prior to cooking. This should prevent the cakes from losing the breadcrumb mixture in the cooking. Dry bake in a non-stick frying pan on moderate heat for 4 minutes either side or until golden brown.

* I use just a tiny bit of good quality olive oil to lightly fry these patties, I don’t like dry frying

*Serve with a salad of your choice

Jacqui's Lamb Stew

This dish is simple to throw together, nutritious and delicious. It’s a variation of what my mother used to make when I was a kid growing up in Brisbane. After you’ve got it on the simmer, you can just wander off and do other things for an hour or so while it cooks. The vegetables listed are only a guide, you can use whatever you like really.

Serves 3-4

1-2 tbsps olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced or crushed
1-2 stalks of celery (cut into chunks)
2 lamb leg chops (with all visible fat removed)
2 cups chicken stock (low salt, low fat variety is best)
1-2 bay leaves (depending on size)
1-2 tbsps tomato paste (no added salt variety)
1 large carrot (cut into chunks)
2 zucchini (cut into chunks)
300 grams pumpkin (peeled and cut into chunks)
150 grams green beans
Black pepper (to taste)
fresh oregano (or dried if that’s all you have)

Method

Heat oil in a large, heavy based pot, then add onion and garlic and fry until onion is soft/transparent. Add celery, then leg lamb chops and brown on both sides. Add stock, bay leaves, oregano and tomato paste then bring to the boil. Add the vegetables and simmer until the meat is tender and easily pulled away from the bone. Do not stir the pot while the stew is simmering as some of the softer vegetables will break up. When cooked, remove the chops from the pot and pull the meat away from the bone. Return the meat to the pot.

* I serve this stew with a small amount of wholemeal pasta and a touch of some really hot chilli paste or sambal

Tomato pasta with spinach and lentils

A healthy, tasty dish that is economical and quick and easy to make.

You will need:

1-2 tblspns olive oil
1 onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tin of crushed tomatoes (with no added salt)
2 tbspns tomato paste (with no added salt)
a big handful or two of chopped spinach
About 1 cup cooked brown lentils
1-2 bay leaves
some basil (fresh or dried)
pepper (to taste)
fresh grated or shaved parmesan cheese
wholemeal pasta
abt 1/3 - 1/2 cup chicken stock (low fat, low salt variety)
abt 1/3 - 1/2 cup red wine

* The amounts of wine and stock will depend on how dry or saucy you like your sauce, so the measurements given are an approximation or a starting point (you can have more or less). I prefer mine pretty saucy. I always add more wine and stock after I’ve added the spinach and lentils to bring it back to being well saucy.

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan then add the onion and garlic and fry until soft/transparent. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, wine, bay leaves, pepper and basil. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1/2 - 1 hour. Add the cooked lentils and spinach (and add more stock and wine until you have the desired consistency). Cook for a while longer or at least until the spinach is well wilted and serve with the cooked wholemeal pasta and top with parmesan cheese

(* I also add hot chilli paste to my pasta sauce before eating)