Spinach Feta Pie

Not in the mood to cook? But still in need to prepare a healthy meal for the familiy (or just for yourself?) Try this super easy Spinach Feta Pie. 
Everything you need can be bought well in advance. So you can keep this in the backhand in case of unexpected guests or for a day you really don't have time for grocery shopping.

Spinach Feta Pie (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 packs of frozen spinach
4 eggs
1 pack of feta cheese, cut in little pieces or crumbled
1/2 cup of light sour cream, cream, cream cheese or similar
pinch of nutmeg, grated
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper, if you like it spicy
8 sheets of filo dough.

Method:
Heat oven to 180 degree C.
Thaw spinach (in the microwave).
Combine all ingredients except the filo sheets in a large bowl.
Put 4 sheets of filo into a 32 cm tarte or pie form partly overlapping (see pic).

Put half of the filling on it. Layer with the other sheets and add the rest of the filling.
"Close" the Pie by folding up the overlapping parts of the filo sheets.

Put it into the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. 
Cut in pieces and serve hot or at room temperature (or anywhere in between).
A large bowl of mixed salad makes it an easy healthy vegetarian meal.

Enjoy this easy and healthy vegetarian dish. Leftovers are a great in kids or mums lunch box.

Hearty Capsicum Mungbean Soup

I have to admit I really love soups, especially all kinds of veggie soups. They are my absolute lunch favourite. Most times accompanied by a slice of rustic bread, freshly toasted. Yummy. 

This week I discovered a beautiful Capsicum Mungbean Soup. It is rich and smoothy, warms the tummy and the heart. And the best of all: It is absolutely healthy. What else do you want from an easy everday dish. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Capsicum Mungbean Soup

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

150 g split mung beans 

1 brown onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 red capsicum

1 tbsp dried majoram or some fresh one

1 tbsp olive oil

1 l veggie stock

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

optional: 4 tbsp sour cream

Method:

Wash and drain the mung beans in a sieve. 

Peel and cut onions and garlic in little cubes.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan, add onions and garlic and cook till they are slightly transcluent. Add capsicum and mung beans. Cook for another minute. 

Then add stock, majoram and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove bay leave and mix soup with a blender stick until evenly smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream if you like or enjoy pure. Goes very well with a slice of rustic bread.

Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Broccolini

Yesterday I was lucky enough to get a "reduced for quick sale" surprise veggie bags from Woolworths. For  2$ I got 2 big bunches of Dutch carrots which went strait into the oven accompanied by two handful of baby potatoes and some rosemary sprigs. An hour later we had aneasy dinner dipping our veggies into a delicious sour cream dip. But this is another story.

The question this morning was: What to do with the 3 bunches of broccolini which where also part of my surprise bag. My youngest one didn't make it easier by strongly demanding spaghetti for dinner. Inspired from food blog Recipris I did 

Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Broccolini(15 - 20 minutes)

Ingredients (serves 4):

3 tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
3 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tbsp. lime juice
2 gloves of garlic
250 g diced chicken breast
1/2 tsp. crushed red chili flakes (optional)
2-3 bunches broccolini (substitute with broccoli florets)
1 bunch of spring onions
2 tbsp chinese cooking wine (substitute with dry white wine or vegetable stock)
500 spaghetti noodles
2 tbsp. cooking oil
salt, pepper, sugar

Method:
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
Meanwhile place peanut butter, 2 tbsp soy sauce and lime juice and 2 tbsp of water in a bowl and mix till well combined. 
Now cut chicken breast in 1 cm pieces. Marinate with 1 tbsp. soy sauce and some pepper.
Cut broccolini in smaller pieces (stems 1 cm, florets 2cm).
Cut spring onions in 1cm rings . 
Crush garlic.
In a deeper frypan (or a wok) heat 1 tbsp of  oil on high heat.
Add chicken, and let cook for about 2-3 minutes until the chicken begins to brown.
Remove from pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil in the frying pan and add broccolini, spring onions and garlic.
After 2 minutes add 2 tbsp of cooking wine and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add spaghetti and peanut sauce and mix well.

Tortilla Muffins - an easy Crowd-Pleaser

"Bring a plate to share." This little sentence always racks my brain. Especially if you meet in the park. Don't misunderstand me - I really admire these great mums bringing not only food but little plates, napkins, fork and spoons. It's just not me. And as I am a little bit vain I want to see my food disappearing quickly into the mouths of the hungry kids and adults.

For that reason I'm always looking for fresh ideas for easy finger food. Yesterday I decided to give this one a go. Kids liked it - adults loved it. And it is healthy too. There is nothing else to say but the tray was empty by the end of the party. 

Tortilla Muffins (makes 12-15 muffins)

Ingredients:

750 g potatoes, cooked and cooled

2 brown onions

1 tbsp olive oil

250 g ham cubes

8 eggs

1 cup (250 ml) milk

salt and pepper 

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

Peel onions and cut into fine slices. Heat olive oil in a pan and cook onions till they just start to get light brown.

Peel and cut potatoes in 1 cm cubes.

Put eggs and milk in a large bowl, add salt and pepper to taste and mix them until well combined. Add potato cubes, onions and ham cubes. Combine gently.

Put muffin cases (or pieces of baking paper) into a muffin tray and fill it with the mixture (the muffins don't expand much while baking - so fill the cases properly to get a nice result). If you decide to go without muffin cases or baking sheet moulds make sure you grease the tray really well otherwise you won't get the muffins out of.

Put muffins into the oven (middle rack) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. 

You can serve them warm or cold. 

If you like them try some variations. Add red capsicum cubes or peas or sprinkle with pizza cheese.

Speedy Pea Soup

Today was one of these days where I had the feeling I have abolutely no time to cook lunch. But unfortunately there are not many attractive options around here. No Deli around the corner. No nice Cafe I could walk to - so I took a deep breath and had a look in the fridge and freezer if there is anything which could make a quick and healthy lunch. The word "effortless" came to my mind - when I discovered a pack of  frozen peas. Placed them into a pan - added some water and a stock cube and put it on the stove.
10 Minutes later I put the soup in the blender and served it with a handful of franks cut in slices.
Mission "Speedy Lunch" completed. If you want to go for a healthier option, add ham cubes instead.

Pea Soup with Franks

Preparation time:  ~15 min (5 min if you thaw the peas beforehand)

Ingredients (serves 2-3):
500 g of frozen peas
2 stock cubes of your choice
300 ml water
salt and pepper to taste
1 pair of frankfurts
optional: a few leaves of fresh basil

Method:
Put peas, stock cubes and water in a saucepan, bring to boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Add basil if using and blend soup until it is very smooth.
Season to taste.
Cut up frankfurts in 5 mm slices and add them to the soup - they warm up within seconds.

Serve with a rustic toasted bread.

Zucchini Salad with Eggs and Parmesan

It's the same story every summer - we are getting to the point when all our kids are fed up with the zucchini we proudly farmed in our garden beds and bought - they are so cheap - on our local farmers market. And to some point we are, too. And so we are again looking for new Zucchini dishes - in the hope to convince our families to eat a little more of these healthy, cheap, wonderful, boring veggies.

Here is my very own latest try to satisfy my family with a new Zucchini dish. I served it with some toasted baguette for a light lunch.

Zucchini Salad with Eggs and Parmesan

Ingredients (for 4):

3 zucchini (medium sized)
2 eggs, boiled
50 g parmesan
2 tbsp balsamico
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

Method:
Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin slices using a potato peeler.
Peel the eggs and cut it in small pieces'
Grind the parmesan.
Put everything in a big bowl.
Put balsamico, olive oil and salt into a jam jar and shake vigorously.
Pour dressing over salad and mix well.

Super Simple Pumpkin Soup

Although having nearly 30 degrees outside I felt today is the right day to have a nice creamy soup. As I didn't want to spend too much time with cooking I decided to make this super simple pumpkin soup. The only important ingredient is a really tasty butternut pumpkin. You don't even have to peel it. Just wash it, cut in big pieces, add some water and a stock cube. Then you just have to put it on the stove and wait. An hour later you blend it - and have lunch.

pumpkin soup with pumpkin seed oil

Roast some pumpkin seeds in a dry pan or put some pumpkin seed oil if you like. Toasted rye bread is a beautiful side dish for this creamy healthy soup.

Ingredients (for 4):
1 kg butternut pumpkin
2 -3 stock cubes 
1 l water


Optional:
4 Tbsp pumpkin seeds 
4 tsp pumpkin seed oil 
4 slices of rye bread 

Method:
Wash and cut the pumpkin in halves.
Discard the seeds..
cut the pumpkin in 4-5cm pieces (no need to peel it).
Put pumpkin, water and stock cubes in a saucepan and bring to boil.
Simmer for 1 hour (if you are in a hurry: Cut smaller pieces - this will reduce the cooking time).
Blend it - and serve it.

If you go for any extras:
Pumpkin seeds: Dry roast them in a pan for a couple of minutes. Take care - at some point they get burnt quickly. 

Pumpkin seed oil: Put 1 tsp on top of each serve.

Rye bread: Toast it.