I haven't done this yet, but how fabulous does it look?

 

I dont have time this week... but I am going to try to do something with this.... whodathunk?? :wacko:

I think they need to be stuffed with broccoli and cheese first!! 

I dont have time this week... but I am going to try to do something with this.... whodathunk?? :wacko:

I think they need to be stuffed with broccoli and cheese first!! 

Then maybe you need this idea!

 

  Hummus Recipe

Another altered and amended recipe by Scott..

Gluten, Soy & Corn Free!

Prep time:  10 mins     Cook time: no cook  

 

This is probably the easiest thing in the world to make that is both good and good for you.

 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (59 ml) tahini - home made or store bought
• juice from 1/4 lemon (approx 2 tablespoons)
• 1or 2 med size garlic clove, diced & minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or safflower oil,
• 1/8 teaspoon salt of choice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• One 15-ounce can (425 grams) chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water

Instructions

Start with the tahini (see note 2 below) and the lemon juice in the food processor, process for 30 seconds and scrape down the sides, do this three times..... then add the garlic, oil of choice, salt cumin and process again for 30 seconds, scrape sides down, again do this 3 times.... Open the can of chick peas, rinse in a colander and add them to the processor. ( I do 1/3 process for 30 secs, add the second 1/3 process for 30 secs, Then the rest ) Process the hummus until it is very smooth and the mixture is evenly mixing in the bowl of the processor. ( See Note 1 below ) If not moving evenly in the processor bowl, add a little more oil, but just enough until the mixture is blending smoothly in the bowl. At this point you have hummus. You be the judge of the consistency, If not smooth enough keep blending, if too thick add water a table spoon at a time and process, also salt and pepper if you like till it is the consistency and taste you prefer.

 

When serving, put into a bowl and drizzle a tablespoon or so of oil over the top.

Enjoy on crackers, chips, etc. I like to dip celery sticks in mine.

 

Note 1: If you are going to add a flavor, this is where you do that ( before adding the additional oil & water ). For my spinach and artichoke hummus, I added about 1/3 cup of artichoke hearts, and 1/3 to 1/2 cup prepared spinach. ( I like spinach better, lol ) Processed until smooth. Next time I am going to try doing caramelized onions.

 

Note 2:  If you want to make your own tahini, it is very simple. I start with a cup of sesame seeds ( you can do as much as you want, I use a small processor ) bake the sesame seeds at 350 degrees for about 6 minutes ( preheat! )... put the seeds into the processor and start processing.  Process as long as the mix keeps moving, add a little oil if needed a bit at a time until you have a smooth runny paste. Don't be in a hurry to add the oil, It takes up to 10 minutes of processing to get to the desired consistency.... Note...  the sesame seeds do not have to still be warm from the oven when you are processing them.

 

 

Hummus Recipe (cont'd)

 

Disclaimer: My recipes are not really mine, they are just altered versions of somebody else's that I tried and did not like. I am not sure if it is because the gluten free flours are so temperamental , but I have yet to try a recipe and have it come out right. So what you get from me is a recipe that works for me, I hope it works for you too.  But if you tell me you had to alter something too, I will not be surprised or offended.

 

 

Notes

 

FYI, I don't think you can over process this. the more you blend the smoother it gets.......

 

Work on making up your own flavors... I am going to try a tomato basil next time. 

 

I think that after I make it and put it into the fridge, the beans are still absorbing the oil. when I pull it out of the fridge it seams a little dry so I just mix in a little more oil and water with a spoon. When serving your are suppose to drizzle  a little oil over the top, but I prefer mine to be a little thicker.  Make yours how you want it!

 

 

I may not always specify it, but all of my ingredients are Gluten, Soy & Corn free.

 

I am not big on beans, especially chick peas, but I am really liking roasted red pepper hummus for some reason!

I need to make this...

 

 

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken salad:
1/4 avocado
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup shredded chicken, precooked

For the sandwich:
1 whole wheat English muffin
Handful of lettuce or sunflower sprouts
2 slices tomato

 

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, mash the avocado together with yogurt and lemon juice until completely combined.
2. Add the chicken to the bowl, and mix with a spoon until all the chicken is coated.
3. Serve your chicken salad on top of a bed of lettuce, or split on top of two English muffins with a tomato slice and sunflower sprouts (as pictured).
4. 

 

@Linda Thomas ... this is just one recipe thread... we have a whole foody forum (food for thought) as a sub forum of the exercise one.... I love to cook so often post things... soups are really only winter food but they are usually quick.

 

so just above the topic name you will see the forum listings, just click back on the one called food for thought and you will see all the recipe threads.

@notsmokinjo Well I should have known you would have one.  I think you have covered everything on this forum.  I love to cook too and my husband loves the cooking channels and not the sports channels (yah!)  I'm always looking for things to cook for my 103 year old lady I take care of.  She loves soups.  Thanks - I am off to the food for thought area.

@Linda Thomas I think I listed a vegan soup I do in the vegan recipe section... it is surprisingly good and you can add most herb mixes you want to it. Most of the soups I do at the moment are pureed because its the only way my kid eats vegies but in the olden days I used to make a heap of different ones. Soups are great for winter.

@notsmokinjo my kids were the same way.  I always had to hide the veggies.  I am shocked at how they eat them all as adults.  I love soups in the winter

Here is the ANZAC bickie's recipe I use.....(I popped it in the vegetarian thread with only 1 change and it's vegan)

 

ANZAC Biscuits

 

(These are crispy on the edge and chewy in the middle...and should never, ever be called cookies...biscuits or bickie's yes, cookies NO. More proof that Aussies make the best food in the world)

 

1 cup SR flour

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup sugar

60g melted butter

(If you want a thin crisp biscuit you should use 125g of butter..but they spread heaps when cooking and the dough will be sloppy)

2 TBL spoons golden syrup*

4 TBL spoon boiling water

1 teaspoon bi-carb soda**

 

Preheat oven to 160 C.

 

A. Mix first 4 ingredients together on bowl, make a well in the centre.

 

B. Mix melted butter and golden syrup in a seperate bowl (or the saucepan you melted the butter in) until golden syrup blends. Add boiling water, mix, add bicarb..mix.

 

C. Add wet mix to flour mix, stir with wooden spoon until combined.

 

D. Spoon dough onto baking sheets and bake for 10mins.

(These can spread so I usually only do 6-8 per tray at a time...if you are making the thin ones, I'd use a tablespoon of 'dough' and do 5 per baking try...they will spread a shit load)

 

Will harden as they cool.

 

* Golden syrup is not easily available in the US....it's like a cousin to mollases except it tastes nice, kinda like caramel and about the consistency of honey. You could use honey but the taste won't be the same. Apparently you can get Lyle's brand online or at World Traders or Trader Joe's. Golden Eagle syrup is NOT the same.

**I think the US call this baking soda.

@QuittingGirl ... it seems like a lot of steps but it's actually really easy. Times are spot on for perfect textures on the seafood so just follow those. Longest time is cleaning and boarding the mussels..if it's too much work skip them and add more prawns or fish.

 

Spicy Seafood Stew

Ingredients

 

Rocket (Arugila) and orange zest pesto:

Fresh rocket - 2 cups
Zest of 1 large orange
Pinch of salt - ¼ Tsp
Pine nuts – ¼ cup (I give mine a quick toast first in a dry pan)
Parmesan cheese (can Pecorino), grated - ½ cup
Crushed garlic - ½ to 1Tsp, or use a small garlic clove if crushing fresh
Pure extra virgin olive oil - ½ cup
1-2 tbl sps of the juice of one half of the orange

 

Spicy Tomato Seafood Stew:

Extra virgin olive oil - ¼ cup
Brown onion, finely diced - ½ cup
Celery - finely diced - ½ cup (I use fennel (the stalk parts and some bulb because my daughter gets sick with celery)
small pinch salt - ⅛ Tsp
White wine (I used a Pino Gris but a Sauv Blanc might work better) - ½ cup
Butter - 1 TBSP
Chicken, vegetable or seafood stock - 1 ½ cup
Red chili flakes - ¼ Tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 Tsp
Ground white pepper - ⅛ Tsp
Thickened crushed tomatoes  - 1 tin

1 tbl spoon tomato paste
Scallops  - 500g (about 15 pieces)
Large prawns (shrimp)(I used banana prawns), cleaned and peeled - 8 to 10 pieces
Mussels, scrubbed and cleaned and debearded  – 500g (about 15 pieces approximately)

Rockling (or similar firm white fish, snapper?) fillets cut into chunks – 300g (this is optional and not from the original recipe, you can add more and skip one of the shellfish if wanted)

To make the pesto:

1. Place rocket, orange zest, salt and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor already attached to its base. Pulse for a bit less than a minute to get the rocket and pine nuts roughly chopped. (I just use a stick blender and do this in a bowl because I don’t have a food processor**)

2. Add the cheese and garlic and pulse for 5 seconds two or three more times (maybe two more times if using the whole clove of garlic). 3. With the processor running, pour the olive oil in a fine stream through the lid opening.l

4. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and drizzle it with the orange juice, Stir and refrigerate.

* It can be done several days in advance, just let it come up to room temperature before serving, so take it out 10mins early.

** I blend mine until it’s a smooth paste/dip consistency because my daughter wont eat lumpy pesto. Tastes fine this way too.

 

To make the spicy tomato seafood stew: 

1. In a large, deep pan or wok with a lid heat the ¼ cup of olive oil over medium-high heat for one minute.

2. Add the onions and celery and sauté for about 3-5 minutes stirring or tossing frequently, until celery is soft and onions are soft and translucent. Sprinkle the ⅛ teaspoon of salt and mix.

3. Pour the ½ cup of white wine and stir until liquid has almost evaporated and the remaining liquid looks thicker, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the butter and toss/stir. As soon as the butter has melted pour the 1 ½ cup of stock. Lower the heat to medium and mix in the ¼ teaspoon of red chili flakes, the ¾ teaspoons of fennel seeds and the ⅛ teaspoons of white pepper. Boil for 2 minutes.

5. Add the tinned tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and boil about 5 minutes.

5.5 (if using fish, add the fish to the liquid and cook for 1minute)

6. Add the scallops to the liquid and cook covered for 2 minutes.

7. Add the prawns and cook covered for about 1 minute.

8. Add the mussels and cover again to cook for two minutes.

O. Remove the lid and stir the content to distribute all the seafood within the sauce. Cook uncovered 3 to 5 minutes to reduce a bit the sauce.

 

Serve immediately over plain rice, mashed potatos or polenta and drizzle with pesto and don't forget some chunky bread. I also serve with a Rocket salad (rocket, finely sliced fennel and onion, drizzle of citrus juice and some seasoning) and sauteed green beens or asparagus with toasted sliced almonds. (can use broccolini here too… should be just cooked so still crunchy for some texture. Have the pesto on the table to add more as you go.

Thanks @notsmokinjo  I am going to copy it into my computer.  It looks really good.😃

I know it's still summer, but I was going through my recipes and I absolutely love this one for Fall.  It's so delicious and would be perfect for Thanksgiving.

 

 

Pumpkin Soup

Estimated Times:

Preparation - 10 min | Cooking - 20 min | Yields - 6

 

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup (1 small) chopped onion

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

3 cups chicken broth

1 can (15 oz.)  100% Pure Pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling

1 can (12 fl. oz.)  Evaporated Milk

 

Directions

MELT butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute.

 

ADD broth and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk. Transfer mixture to food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); cover. Blend until smooth. Serve warm.

 

 

4 hours ago, QuittingGirl said:

I know it's still summer, but I was going through my recipes and I absolutely love this one for Fall.  It's so delicious and would be perfect for Thanksgiving.

 

 

Pumpkin Soup

Estimated Times:

Preparation - 10 min | Cooking - 20 min | Yields - 6

 

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup (1 small) chopped onion

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

3 cups chicken broth

1 can (15 oz.)  100% Pure Pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling

1 can (12 fl. oz.)  Evaporated Milk

 

Directions

MELT butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute.

 

ADD broth and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk. Transfer mixture to food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); cover. Blend until smooth. Serve warm.

 

 

 

You could make it vegan, and give it a lovely Thai twist by... 

Swap the evaporated milk for a can of coconut milk (or cream), add a little chilli, some coriander and a squeeze of lime.

 

Or...

Give it some spice and add ginger and nutmeg (still switch out the evaporated for coconut to keep it vegan)

Yeah you could do that since you are a vegan, I think it would work.

I make pumpkin soup a fair bit but I just roast the pumpkin in the oven first. We don't have canned pumpkin down here or even pumpkin pie filling. 

Best way to have pumpkin is roasted. So yum.

1 hour ago, notsmokinjo said:

I make pumpkin soup a fair bit but I just roast the pumpkin in the oven first. We don't have canned pumpkin down here or even pumpkin pie filling. 

Best way to have pumpkin is roasted. So yum.

Gday 

Yum

My bros just moved up to the Burnett. Visiting  him I picked up a couple of Qld “blue pumpkin. Only seem to get butternut or Kent’s round here so a blue pumpkin it didn’t last long. 1/2 went to a neighbour the rest got baked. Can’t wait to visit him and pick up another.

 

I also have a recipe for Butternut Squash soup without any dairy in it but it's so creamy that you would think it has milk or cream.  Should I post it?  I used to run a food blog online so I have lots of recipes.

1 hour ago, QuittingGirl said:

I also have a recipe for Butternut Squash soup without any dairy in it but it's so creamy that you would think it has milk or cream.  Should I post it?  I used to run a food blog online so I have lots of recipes.

Yes please

15 hours ago, Cbdave said:

Gday 

Yum

My bros just moved up to the Burnett. Visiting  him I picked up a couple of Qld “blue pumpkin. Only seem to get butternut or Kent’s round here so a blue pumpkin it didn’t last long. 1/2 went to a neighbour the rest got baked. Can’t wait to visit him and pick up another.

 

I miss the Queensland blue, they used to be everywhere. They are 100% the best for flavour and texture. Can grab one at the Vic market sometimes. Otherwise it tends to be butternut, Kent or Jap. But I'll always bue a blue when I see one. 

1 hour ago, QuittingGirl said:

I also have a recipe for Butternut Squash soup without any dairy in it but it's so creamy that you would think it has milk or cream.  Should I post it?  I used to run a food blog online so I have lots of recipes.

Yes please. I love trying new recipies.

Ok, I just have to go and find it and then I will post it.  I have it up on Google Drive somewhere.  I also have a picture of it.

Here you go folks.

 

Butternut Squash Soup

 

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 tbsp. butter or neutral oil

1/2 large onion or 1 small, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 potato, peeled and cubed

2 small-medium butternut squash

4-6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with non stick tin foil and place the squash on the tray. Stick it with a fork and make a few small holes for venting. Roast the squash for about an hour and a half to two hours until very soft. Turning occasionally. When the squash are done, take out of the oven and let cool.

Meanwhile melt the butter or oil in a large non stick soup pot and cook the vegetables until lightly browned. About 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken stock so it covers the vegetables and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer and cook for approximately 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

When the squash are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off and take out the seeds and stringy bits. Add it into the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Working in batches add the soup to a blender or food processor with more of the chicken or vegetable stock and puree. When all of the soup is pureed add it back into the pot and taste to see, if it needs more salt and pepper. For a thinner soup add more broth.