Slow cooking, stovetop cooking, thermomixing and Lamb ragu . . .

Slow-cooking to the non-Thermomix owner, probably looks like a convenient way to feed your family a nutritious meal. You just need to prepare your ingredients in the morning, throw them in the slow cooker and allow them to cook all day until you are ready to eat your meal at night . . but hold on, does this sound nutritious to you? To me it sounds more like a slow death to nutrients!

Although both a slow-cooker (and also a Thermomix), typically cook food at less than the boiling point of water, which is considered a healthier way of cooking . . . surely the prolonged heat exposure to vegetables in particular, as a result of hours and hours of slow-cooking, has to put the integrity of the more unstable water-soluble vitamins and phytonutrients at unnecessary risk? Of course, there are always exceptions, such as the antioxidant lycopene, a red pigment carotenoid, which actually becomes more bioavailable when tomatoes are cooked. But shouldn't we also be concerned about the other more fragile micronutrients in tomatoes? 

As a general rule, the longer a food is exposed to heat and the higher the cooking temperature, the higher the subsequent nutrient loss. Preserving nutrients as best you can using cooking methods is definitely a tricky science, especially on the stovetop where timing is crucial if you wish to preserve the nutrients in the foods you are cooking. 

Steaming has long been recommended as the most favourable method of stovetop cooking to reduce nutrient loss and thankfully we can look to our trusty Thermomix to help us out with this method of cooking in the Varoma. But rest assured, we can also look favourably at the TM bowl method of cooking in comparison to stovetop cooking methods such as simmering, boiling and frying which all expose foods to higher temperatures which are difficult to control. This is just another way that the Thermomix comes into it's own, not only are foods cooked quickly (less time) and at comparably low temperatures which are preset and controlled, they are cooked to perfection if you follow well-tested recipes, ensuring that nutrient loss is kept to a minimum.  In terms of nutrition, quick methods of cooking at low temperatures has to be more superior, and any Thermomix owner understands the concept of 'fast' in comparison to other methods of cooking. 

Traditionally a lamb ragu is slow cooked for hours to develop flavours and tenderize meats. Using a heavy based pan and my thermie, I believe that I have achieved that lovely richness of flavour and melt in the mouth texture to the lamb in much less time, preserving more of the nutrition in your lamb and vegetables :)

ingredients

lamb ragu
700g diced lamb
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground fennel
1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tbsp organic butter or ghee
2 large cloves garlic
1 onion, halved
1 large carrot, cut into chunks
20-40g extra virgin olive oil
50g tomato paste or concentrate
1 tbsp TM vegetable stock paste
400g can BPA-free tomatoes (or your own TM cooked tomatoes)
100g tomato passata or sauce
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves and/or parsley
1 dry bay leaf
1/2 cup dry red wine

method

1. Make a spice rub for the lamb by combining the coriander, fennel and cumin in a small bowl with the diced lamb. Mix well to cover and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. TIP: It does pay to freshly grind your spices from the whole variety so that your finished dish will be more fragrant and flavoursome. Also, your lamb should be evenly diced for successful shredding later. 

2. Melt the butter or ghee in a heavy based pan (cast iron and not non-stick preferably) over moderately-high heat. In two batches, sear the lamb on all sides until deeply browned, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove the meat to a plate and repeat with the remaining lamb. The lamb should still be rare inside. DO NOT clean the pan!

3. Now add the spiced lamb to the TM bowl and shred for 2-4 seconds on reverse speed 5 to break up slightly. The lamb will break up further as it simmers, so don't over-do this step and turn your lamb into mush. Remove to the plate. 

4. Add the garlic cloves, onion and carrot to TM bowl. Chop on speed 7 for 5 seconds. Add olive oil and sauté at Varoma temp for 3 minutes on speed 1. Scrape down sides of bowl, add tomato paste and cook a further 2 mins at Varoma temp.

5. Add dry red wine to the frypan and deglaze, simmer on the stovetop until the liquid thickens. Then scrape contents of the frypan into the TM bowl.

6. Return the shredded lamb to the TM bowl and add the remaining ingredients (stock paste, canned tomatoes, passata, fresh herbs and bay leaf) to the TM bowl. 

7. Simmer the ragu at 90°C, speed soft, reverse for at least 15 minutes. . . or longer if you prefer in which case you may need to add some water. . . . just don't cook it all day :) 

Meanwhile cook your pasta or lightly steam or sauté your zucchini spirals. I like to serve with a side of green salad or steamed broccoli to ensure that we are getting our daily greens quota :)  

Raw berry coconut & dark chocolate slice

This recipe has long been on my 'create a healthy version' to-do list, owing to the fact that my hubby is a big fan of Cherry Ripe bars and I too have fond memories of enjoying the homemade slice version growing up. I remember making homemade cherry ripe slice for family gatherings from glace cherries, sweet plain biscuits, vegetable shortening (Copha) and dark chocolate. In those days we didn't understand that vegetable shortening was bad for us, being plant-derived we thought it was all good. These days of course, we know better!

Copha is made from coconut oil, the very oil that is receiving so much positive attention these days, and rightly so . . but do not confuse this product with something nutritious . . . the coconut oil in vegetable shortening has been stripped off all it's therapeutic and preventative power during the processes of refining, bleaching and deodorising (which involves the use of high temperatures and chemicals), and then finally hydrogenation. 

Coconut oil is already largely saturated, which explains why it is a semi-solid at temperatures below room temperature. But during the process of hydrogenation, the remaining polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are flooded with hydrogen gas and their molecular structure rearranged such that the melting point of the fat is increased and you end up with a solid block of fat at room temperature. Not only is the coconut oil turned rancid during the process of extraction and refining, and vitamins and antioxidants destroyed, but trans fats are also formed. I have briefly discussed trans fats here in a recent post. 

Unfortunately sweet commercial biscuits are usually also a source of trans fats or at the very least, highly refined vegetable oils. Not to mention a source of refined sugar and flour!  One of the great things about 'baking' at home is that you control the ingredients and in this case my healthier version features genuine healthy fats with nothing to hide . . . organic cold pressed virgin coconut oil, raw cacao butter and pesticide-free raw almonds. Rather than using sweet biscuits in this recipe to provide bulk to the bottom layer in combination with desiccated coconut, I have utilised freshly ground raw almonds. 

I have also departed from using glace cherries to flavour this slice, because for me glace cherries are too far removed from the real thing, which is usually candied in fructose syrup and sugar with added colourings. Dried cherries unfortunately do not pack enough colour for the result I wanted to achieve with the base layer, so I decided to try a combination of goji berries, which always add a lovely vibrancy to my 'baking', and freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries which are beautifully red in colour and fragrant. If you can source freeze-dried cherries you could try these too!  

Freeze drying causes less damage to the fruit than other drying methods which involve higher temperatures, such that the flavour, aroma and nutritional content remain largely unchanged. This is also the method used to produce many of the new 'super' fruit products on the market these days that have travelled half way across the globe to make it to your table, for e.g. freeze dried powders of acai and camu berries which are readily available in speciality health stores. As a whole food product, the phytonutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are preserved and concentrated in these wonderful powders. So if your budget allows it, adding a tablespoon or so a day to your breakfast, smoothie, juice or raw dessert is a great way to boost nutrition. Now let's get to the recipe finally! I hope you like it :)

ingredients
20g dried goji berries + 20g filtered water
50g freeze dried berries (strawberries, raspberries, cherries or a mix)
100g raw almonds
80g raw cacao butter, chunks
2 tbsp coconut oil
180g desiccated coconut
40g coconut flour
100g fresh medjool dates, pitted
1tsp vanilla bean paste

topping
120g coconut nectar
2 tbsp cacao powder
120g coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (optional)

method
1. In a small bowl combine goji berries and filtered water. Meanwhile add freeze dried raspberries to the TM bowl and grind into a powder for 10-20 seconds on speed 9. Decant and put aside in a bowl.

2. Add raw almonds to the TM bowl and grind for 10-15 seconds on speed 7 and decant into the same bowl as the raspberry powder.

3. Add raw cacao chunks to the TM bowl and grate for 5-10 seconds on speed 7. Add coconut oil and heat for 3 minutes at 37°C or until melted, on speed 2.

4. Return raspberry powder and ground nuts to the TM bowl with the remaining ingredients, including the water soaked goji berries, and mix on speed 8 until well combined for 15-20 seconds. 

5. Press the mixture evenly into a lined 20x20cm square pan and set aside while you make the topping. Wash & dry the the TM bowl ready to make the chocolate topping.  

6. To prepare the topping: combine the topping ingredients in TM bowl and combine at 37°C for 2 minutes on speed 3 or until the coconut oil has melted and the mixture is well blended. Pour immediately over the base and refrigerate until set. Cut into slices to serve. 

variations
- use 50g of a super fruit powder in place of the freeze-dried raspberries, but keep in mind that it will influence the flavour and colour of the base
- try using hazelnuts in place of the almonds


no thermomix?
Try using a powerful food processor or blender to make the base and low-heat on a stovetop, or a microwave to make the raw cacao topping.

Find me on Facebook at Mixing it up in HK 

Ginger, cinnamon apple chips

My Excalibur deydrator is almost 2 months old now, and in my own tradition of getting the most out of all kitchen gadgets bestowed onto me, (although I must admit that some have gone into retirement since my Thermomix came along), my dehydrator has been working very hard indeed!. . .  I have been busy soaking, activating and/or dehydrating nuts, seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables and making my own raw crackers, sweet biscuits, granola, fruit leathers and so on :) Of course, a bit of trial and error has been involved, but this is an evolving list as I experiment with and become more familiar with my machine and all it can do . . sound familiar? :) But what a team my Thermomix and Excalibur are making so far! Here is a quick and fun recipe which highlights this relationship. If only my thermomix could slice the apples too! Aren't they pretty?! 

I employ the thermomix to make a lemon, ginger dipping solution for the apple slices. The natural acidity and vitamin C content of the lemon juice combined with icy cold water helps to prevent enzymic browning which will work to retain the light, bright colour of your apple slices very successfully (see photo above) . . . the fresh ginger will give the apple chips a lovely zingy taste . . . and married with cinnamon, this is a gorgeously aromatic flavour combination. 

ingredients

1kg Pink Lady apples, unpeeled (organic or soak in a vege-fruit wash & scrub well)

juice of 1-2 lemons (about 80g)

40g fresh ginger, peeled - or more if you like a strong ginger zing! 

250g icy cold filtered water

3 tsp ground cinnamon (or grind your own from cinnamon sticks!)

method

1. Add fresh ginger, lemon juice and filtered water to the TM bowl and blend on speed 9 for 30 seconds with the MC cup in place. 

2. Turn each apple onto it's side on a chopping board and with a very sharp knife (I like to use a ceramic knife), slice the apple into rounds of about 1-2mm thickness so that the core creates a star shape in the centre, (or use a mandoline if you have one). Discard the very top and bottom slices. The apple seeds should fall out when dried, so don't be concerned with leaving them in. 

3. Add the apple slices to a large bowl, and as you do so pour over a little of your lemon and fresh ginger juice at a time. Ensure that all slices of apple are fully immersed or dipped before you remove them to lay out on dehydrator trays. 

4. Lay your apple slices out on dehydrator trays and sprinkle with cinnamon. I like to use a small sieve for a finer sprinkle :) Set your deydrator to 135°F (57°C) and dry for about 24 hours or until crisp. This drying process will also generate a beautiful perfume for your home :) 

Voila! Gorgeous, wholesome, sweet and zingy cinnamon apple chips which your children will adore I promise :)

Find me on Facebook at Mixing it up in HK

Chicken & vegetable sausage rolls with spelt pastry

I adore this recipe, so much so I am even a little hesitant to let you all know about it :)  But it's a bit late now to be precious about my recipes!!  It does make my day when somebody leaves me a little comment down below, so please don't be shy if you are enjoying something here on my blog. . . . .

I pull out either this recipe, or my pork and beef sausage rolls for birthday parties, and they are always a hit :) I always have sausage rolls on hand in my freezer and regularly serve them up for a quick, easy and nutritious evening meal for my girls who devour them with veggie sticks or their favourite steamed veg on the side :) 

I have made several adjustments to this recipe over the years, my most recent is to add TM made stock paste, which adds a deliciously rich flavour to all of my dishes, plus I love to make my own rough puff pastry rather than use the commercial variety. It is very easy to make in the Thermomix if you haven't tried before, and it just adds something very special to a homemade sausage roll. Please let me know what you think :)

ingredients

Pastry: 
185g white spelt flour
190g wholemeal spelt flour
300g unsalted butter - I buy unsalted to avoid commercial salt then add Himalayan
1.5 tsp Himalayan (or sea salt)
150g filtered water, chilled
3 tsp lemon juice 

Filling:
1 sml sweet potato, peeled & thickly sliced (about 250g)
80g fresh wholegrain homemade bread, broken into pieces 
30g tasty cheese, cut into chunks (optional)
1 large clove garlic
1 sml handful your choice mixed fresh herbs, e.g. parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano
1 sml or half a large onion, quartered
1 medium carrot, cut into chunks
1 sml zucchini, cut into chunks
600g thigh or breast chicken, skinless, cut into 1-2cm cubes
1/4 tsp each of dried sage, cloves and nutmeg - I like to freshly grind my nutmeg & cloves
good grind black pepper
2 tbsp TM tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 tbsp TM chicken or vegetable stock paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

To finish:
1 large egg + a little water
poppy seeds, to sprinkle

method
1. First follow the EDC rough puff pastry method to make 1.5 x qty batch of spelt rough puff pastry using the proportions of ingredients listed above. Make this ahead, wrap well in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to use. 

2. Peel and slice sweet potato into 2cm thick rounds and place in the Varoma dish. Add 400g of water to the TM bowl and set the Varoma dish into position. Steam for 15 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1. Set aside the sweet potato and rinse and dry the TM bowl.

3. Add fresh bread, tasty cheese (optional), garlic and fresh herbs to the TM bowl and chop on speed 7 for 5 seconds. Decant into a bowl. 

4. Add onion, carrot and zucchini to the TM bowl and chop on speed 5 for 5-10 seconds or until evenly  chopped.

5. Return the breadcrumb cheese and herbs mixture and add the cubed chicken, sweet potato and all remaining ingredients to the TM bowl and chop on speed 6-8 until finely minced and well combined. You will need to use the spatula to assist. Stop mixing to scrape down the bowl once or twice. 

6. Remove the slab of puff pastry from the fridge and slice in half, then in half again so that you have four equal sized pieces. Keep aside one quarter and return the remaining pastry to the fridge to keep cold. Roll out the pastry piece on a floured surface or your TM mat, to a rectangular shape of about 15 x 45cm, and 2mm thickness. 

7. Spoon a quarter of the mixture along the centre of the pastry. Turn one side over the filling and roll, seam side down, brush the edge with a little milk or water to seal. I like to then cut each roll in half and then lift each piece off the TM mat onto a chopping board, so that I can use a serrated knife to carefully cut each roll into 6 equal pieces. This creates a clean cut which doesn't flatten your sausage rolls as you cut which can happen if you use a blunt knife, (or use a butter knife on the mat so you don't slice it up!) 

8. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal slashes into the tops of your little sausage rolls, glaze with a whisked egg and water wash, then sprinkle with poppy seeds. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling, making 48 sausage rolls in total.

9. When you're ready to cook the sausage rolls, pre-heat oven to 220°C and bake on prepared oven trays for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve with Thermomix tomato sauce (ketchup). If freezing to reheat later, cook until the pastry is just cooked through or lightly golden, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. I like to freeze the sausage rolls in a single layer and when frozen solid, later transfer them to ziplock bags for easy storage. 

You can reheat your chicken & vegetable sausage rolls straight from the freezer. Just preheat your oven to 180°C and cook for 15 minutes or until piping hot. 

variation ideas

• for a nutritional boost use chia seeds in place of about half of the fresh bread or add some to the puff pastry!
• I usually mix up my fresh herbs according to what I have on hand. I'm really enjoying growing our own thyme, basil and rosemary quite successfully on our balcony these days . . . I love just thyme in a sausage roll and rosemary goes really well with it too!
• If you have Quirky Cooking's chicken stock paste on hand, this is the better stock paste choice for any chicken dish in my opinion. Thanks Jo! :)

no thermomix?
Prior to owning a thermomix, I would make this recipe using my food processor. I would buy ready-made puff pastry but no more! All pastries I have made in my thermomix turn out amazing, so I will never look back :)

Find me on Facebook at Mixing it up in HK

Not just pumpkin soup!

I'm back in Hong Kong after spending our Christmas break 'home' in Australia, and we are having some cool days right now, yes Hong Kong does get cold! So homemade soup is back on the menu! I've been making this pumpkin soup for as long as I can remember and before I was making it my mum was! This is an adaptation of mum's recipe and it's always a favourite when I serve it up for friends and family, so I thought I'd better thermi-fy it and blog it :)

I call this one 'not just pumpkin' because it's not your typical pumpkin soup. I toss in some extras along with the usual suspects plus a bit of spice . . . coriander and cumin which go so well with pumpkin, and it makes for a very flavoursome twist on the common favourite which is thick and very wholesome. I hope you like it!

As I have discussed before on this blog, soup-making is a joy when you own a Thermomix . . . . so easy and fun! It is so simple to adapt your favourite soup recipes. There are some great tips in the Everyday Cookbook for those of you who may be new to soup-making Thermomix style. So there's no excuse not to convert your favourite soup recipe :)

ingredients
1 large brown onion, halved

3 cloves garlic, peeled

20g olive or coconut oil

½ butternut pumpkin (about 500g), peeled & cut into large chunks

1 med-large sweet potato (about 300g), peeled & cut into large chunks

1 large carrot, cut into chunks

½ large or 1 sml zucchini, cut into chunks

1 stick celery, cut into chunks

3 tsp ground coriander

3 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp TM vege stock concentrate

approx 500g filtered water

200g full-cream organic milk (or plant-based alternative)

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

handful fresh coriander leaves (optional)

a little natural yoghurt

method

1. Place garlic and onion into TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula.
2. Add olive oil and sauté for 3 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.
3. Add pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, zucchini, celery (the bowl will be almost full) and chop for 10-15 seconds on speed 5. Use the spatula to assist if necessary so that the vegetables are chopped fairly evenly.
4. Add the spices and TM vegetable stock concentrate and filtered water (do not fill above the 2L mark on the bowl). Cook for 25-30 minutes at 100°C on speed 1 or until vegetables are tender. You'll need to place the basket on the lid to prevent a mess :)
5. Add a handful of fresh coriander leaves and season with freshly ground black pepper. Puree by gradually turning the dial to speed 7 and blending for about 15 seconds (with the MC cup in). 
6. For a creamy pumpkin soup, add 100-200g of milk and heat for a few minutes further at 100°C on speed 1 or simply blend on speed 3 and serve. 
7. Ladle into bowls to serve and garnish with a dollop of natural yoghurt and a sprig of fresh coriander. Enjoy!

nutrition tid bits

The pumpkin, sweet potato and carrot in this soup are very good source of carotenoids which are a group of brightly coloured pigments responsible for the orange colour of these vegetables, but also the red and yellow colours of others, including some fruits. Beta-carotene is a well-known pigment from this group which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Carotenoids are potent antioxidants, which when eaten in their whole food form protect against cancer and other degenerative diseases. 

For the most part, vegetables rich in carotenoids are best eaten raw or lightly steamed or sautéed to preserve their carotenoid content. That's why you should only cook your soup vegetables until 'just tender'. Tomatoes are an exception to this rule as their carotene content is intensified as a result of cooking. So your Thermomix tomato ketchup, tomato paste, pizza sauce and any other cooked dishes which contain tomatoes are a great source of the carotenoid lycopene. Other fruits and vegetables high in carotenoids include butternut squash, apricots, mangoes, oranges, papaya, watermelon and the less obvious leafy greens including spinach and kale.

Did you know that carotenoids are fat-soluble and should therefore be consumed with healthy fats to be absorbed by the digestive system? So don't attempt to make this soup fat-free and do make your own oil-based salad dressings from healthy oils like olive, avocado and macadamia nut oil, or add fresh avocado and a sprinkle of nuts and/or seeds to your summer salads to ensure that you are not missing out the health benefits of carotenoid-rich foods. 

Instant, dairy-free, raw cacao mousse with chia!

I just had to share this quick one! An instant and nutritious, rich chocolate dessert fix . .  . if you're thinking of reaching for some chocolate you must make this instead! So easy and soooo great!! I get to enjoy this dessert all to myself tonight . . .I promise I won't eat the whole lot :) . . but I'm sure it will be a hit with my girls too. The ground chia goes to work to provide instant thickening power for this recipe, owing to the gelation properties of the soluble fibre contained within the seeds which is released immediately on grinding. 

ingredients
4 tbsp (50g) chia seeds
1 can organic coconut milk (choose one which is additive free & avoid low-fat)
5-6 fresh dates, pitted
3 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 drops liquid stevia (or to taste)
4 ice cubes 

method
1. Add chia seeds to the TM bowl and grind on speed 9 for 20 seconds into a fine powder.

2. Add remaining ingredients and blend on speed 9 for 30 seconds or until smooth, with the MC lid in place. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. . . and there you have it! Guilt-free, rich, chocolate-y deliciousness! 


Serves 2-4 depending on your appetite :)

This chocolate dessert will even keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It retains it's mousse-like texture very nicely :) 




variation ideas

• add a few drops of orange or peppermint essential oil for a choc-orange or choc-mint flavour
• grind some hazelnuts with the chia for a 'Baci' inspired flavour
• add 1 tbsp of a superfood powder blend for an antioxidant boost
• if you have a sweet tooth add a couple more dates or another drop of liquid stevia :)
• don't try flaxseeds in place of chia for this recipe, they have a stronger taste

nutrition tid bits
There's nothing better than the feeling you get from satisfying that chocolate craving, whilst fueling your body with a nutrient dense treat! This dessert is packed full of nutrition from chia and raw cacao in particular, which combined provide you with a high-quality dose of omega-3 fats, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, magnesium, protein and a range of beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants. 

You'll also notice how just one small bowl of this dessert fills you up very nicely :) This is the fibre in chia working to absorb liquid and gel up, not only in your bowl of chocolate goodness, but also in your stomach. Of course, the fibre in chia also helps with your digestion and even slows the conversion of carbohydrates to glucose, reducing blood sugar spikes. All in all, there are many reasons to treat yourself with this dessert every night :) Why not? I say. 

no thermomix?
If you don't own a Thermomix, you'll need a coffee grinder to grind up the chia seeds and a good blender to do the rest :)

source: unfortunately I can't take full credit for this amazing recipe . . . Erin from Earth Energy Yoga is the miracle worker. I have simply made a couple of tweaks and adapted it for the Thermomix. Thank you Erin! Thank you also to the lovely Thermo Bel for sharing this recipe with us on her Facebook page. 

Mexican tortilla pies

I decided to have some fun with my first ever batch of TM made spelt tortillas! Thank you Quirky Cooking :) I made them with 200g white and 100g wholemeal spelt flour, but I'll add more water next time as they were probably a little too thick (as you can see in the photo below) . . . . anyway I'm sure I'll get better with practise! I've added a tortilla press to my wish list too :)

To fill my tortilla pie crust, I wanted to make a taco-type filling completely from scratch, i.e. no commercial taco seasoning in sight! I am also liking that I now have a gorgeous healthier alternative to corn taco shells . . . I avoid corn and corn derived ingredients these days due to the controversy surrounding it and other genetically modified crops, (read more here). If you like tacos, you should enjoy these. They are both fun and nutritious for your children, with hidden veg inside :)

The filling for these pies makes heaps, so you'll most likely need two batches of tortillas or a full bag of purchased ones, (but if you are still buying it's time to try TM made!). You can make the homemade tortillas ahead of time. Simply store them in a large ziplock bag or freeze them, if you are making more than one-day ahead. You can also prepare the pie crusts up to a day ahead from your freshly made tortillas. Just follow step 1 & 2 below, and store them in an airtight container. They will remain crisp and ready to use. 

I topped our Mexican tortilla pies with freshly made guacamole and grated cheese, but you could also add fresh tomato salsa and sour cream. 

ingredients
TM made spelt tortillas
3 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp dried coriander (cilantro) leaves
1 1/2  tsp oregano leaves
3 tsp paprika
1 sml dried red chilli - or use chilli powder to taste
1 medium carrot, cut into chunks
1/2 punnet mushrooms
1/2 green capsicum or zucchini, cut into chunks
500g beef rump steak, trimmed & cut into chunks
1 sml red onion, halved
2 large cloves garlic
30g EVOO
1 x can organic BPA-free crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 x can organic BPA-free red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
2 tbsp TM vegetable stock paste
handful fresh chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

guacamole topping
1-2 ripe avocadoes
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
grated tasty cheese, to taste


method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced. Grease 6-8 holes, 3/4 cup capacity texas muffin pan with oil. You could also use large ramekins. 

2. Microwave tortillas on HIGH about 10 seconds each or until warm to soften (if needed) and form the pie crust by pressing one into each muffin hole, (you will need to fold in the sides of the tortilla a couple of times to make it fit). Spray or brush with coconut oil and bake for about 8 minutes or until golden & crisp. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile add all of the dried spices to the TM bowl. Grind for 30 seconds on speed 9 or until finely ground. Decant and set aside. This is your additive-free taco seasoning!

4. Add vegetables (except onion) and chop for 5 seconds on speed 5. Decant and set aside in a separate bowl to the spices.  

5. Place red onion and garlic (+ fresh chilli if using) into TM bowl and chop for 6 seconds on speed 7. Add the beef and set dial closed lid and mince by pulsing Turbo button 2-3 times. NOTE: Don't overdo the pulsing, remember that your mince will break up more during cooking. 

6. Add the oil and return the ground spices to the TM bowl and sauté for 4 minutes on 100° C, on reverse + speed 1. 

7. Return the chopped vegetables and add remaining ingredients, except the fresh coriander to the TM bowl.  Cook for 15-20 minutes at 100°C on reverse + speed 1. Stir through the chopped fresh coriander using the spatula. Pour the mince mixture into a thermosaver and clean the TM bowl ready to make the fresh guacamole . . . or use your second bowl if you have one :)

8. To make a basic guacamole, add avocado flesh and lemon juice to the TM bowl. Season well and mix on speed 5 for 5 seconds or until a desired consistency. 

9. To assemble the tortilla pies . . . spoon the Mexican mince mixture into the tortilla cases. Dollop with guacamole and sprinkle with grated cheese. Enjoy!

variation ideas

• I have also prepared mini versions of these using smaller tortillas in a muffin tin - a fab finger food or children's party idea!
• If you have leftovers, you could whip up some spelt bread dough and make bread pockets with the taco mixture as a filling.
• Enjoy gluten-free by serving up the taco mixture with rice  :)

no Thermomix?

• grind the spices in a coffee grinder
• use minced beef & cook on the stove top
• use 2 stock cubes in place of the TM vegetable stock

The inspiration for my TM Mexican tortilla pies comes from this recipe.

Find me on Facebook at Mixing it up in HK

Bacon, red lentil & coconut soup

Thermomix soups are the perfect solution for a night in. I often make one as a quick and easy, wholesome and nutritious mid-week meal. Find out why I love the Thermomix for soup-making here.

This recipe is based on one that I found in the Delicious 2012 diary. It's just gorgeous and so easy to make in the Thermomix . . . as all soups are of course!  My family loves a tasty soup and this one fits the bill. I have added it to our list of favourites, in which Quirky Cooking's chicken & brown rice and creamy smoked salmon soups feature prominently :) 

I must admit, that it does look a little anaemic in the photo below!? Think I'll add a carrot to the mix next time :) But don't let looks deceive you . . . this soup is deeelicious I promise! It goes a long way too. . . I usually end up taking the leftovers into work for a yummy lunch :) 

Bacon, red lentil & coconut soup

ingredients
180g red lentils, rinsed, drained
400g middle bacon, trimmed (organic if possible)
20g coconut oil
4 garlic cloves
2 leeks, trimmed, chopped
1/2 - 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1.5 - 2 tbsp TM chicken or vegetable stock paste
700g filtered water
400g coconut milk
juice of 1 fresh lime (or to taste)
chopped fresh coriander & spring onion, to serve

method
1. Weigh red lentils in the rice basket, rinse well and set aside.
2. Place garlic, leek and bacon in the TM bowl, set to closed lid and pulse 3-4 times until evenly chopped. Add your carrot here . . ha ha
3. Add oil and sauté for 3 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.
4. Add rinsed lentils, chilli flakes, chicken stock paste, water and coconut milk to the TM bowl. Cook for 15 minutes at 100°C, speed 1.
5. To blend: Put the MC lid in place and slowly wind up the dial to speed 5 for 20 seconds.
6. Add lime juice to taste, then season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve garnished with spring onion and fresh coriander. 

nutrition tid bit
Wondering if it's OK to eat bacon? For a discussion which may surprise you, read this. 

Find me on Facebook at Mixing it up in HK

Wholesome & tasty chicken nuggets

I have always preferred to crumb my own strips of chicken, great for children's parties and relatively quick to make as part of an easy dinner dished up with colourful veg for my girls. But, I must admit, I do usually have of a box of supermarket bought, frozen chicken nuggets on hand for the convenience factor . . . they are the organic variety, 'made from chicken breast' . . . but still, buying a processed product like this to serve up to my girls has never really sat comfortably with me. So, needless to say, I have finally got around to developing my own nutritious Thermomix version, which freeze really well by the way! They are easy to make, (albeit a little messy) and so great to have on hand, ready for a quick and easy, child-friendly dinner. . . and what mummy is not on the look out for this?! 

To help retain the moisture during oven baking, I have incorporated ground flaxseed into the chicken mixture, plus I have also enlisted Quirky Cooking's chicken stock paste as an ingredient, for it's delicious flavour :) This is a basic, yet very tasty recipe. I don't try to hide any veggies inside, (there's just onion for flavour and apple for moisture and sweetness). But, that's OK because I serve steamed veg on the side for mine, together with a generous helping of Thermomix made tomato ketchup of course! If you haven't got around to making your own tomato ketchup (tomato sauce for the Aussies), you just have to try it! 

ingredients
2 tbsp organic golden flaxseeds
50g parmesan, chunks
1 large thick slice homemade wholegrain spelt bread, toasted, broken into chunks
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
600g organic chicken breast or thigh fillet, skin off, cut into cubes
1 heaped tbsp TM chicken stock paste
1/4 onion
1/2 small apple
1 clove garlic
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp (60ml) milk
splash of coconut oil (liquefied)

method

1. Preheat fan-forced oven to 180°C.
2. Add golden flaxseeds to TM bowl and grind for 30 seconds on speed 9. Decant into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Add parmesan cheese, chunks of toasted wholegrain bread and a good grind of black pepper to the TM bowl. Chop on speed 8 for 10 seconds, or until breadcrumbs form. Decant and set aside in a shallow dish (separate to the flaxseeds), ready for crumbing the chicken mixture.
4. Add onion, apple and garlic to TM bowl and chop on speed 8 for 5-10 seconds, or until finely chopped. 
5. Return the ground flaxseeds to the TM bowl with the cubed chicken and chicken stock paste. Mix on speed 8 for 20 seconds, or until well minced and blended. The mixture will be very moist and sticky but this is exactly what you want :) If you are not ready to shape the mixture into nuggets at this stage, the mixture can be stored in the fridge until later. 
6. To a medium-sized bowl add one egg, milk, and a splash of coconut oil. Whisk well to combine.
7. Now for the messy part . . . pick up a heaped teaspoonful of the chicken mixture and dollop or scrape off the spoon into the egg mixture. Shape into a ball using two teaspoons (or your fingers), then transfer to the breadcrumb and parmesan cheese mixture. Roll to coat well, then place on an oven tray lined with a baking sheet. Flatten and shape to resemble chicken nuggets as best as you can! I shape into a flat oval first, then gently press in the sides at the middle :) 
8. Cook the chicken nuggets in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over halfway during cooking. I sprayed the nuggets with a homemade oil spray made from 1 part coconut oil & 4 parts filtered water for extra crispiness, but the splash of oil mixed into the egg dip should be sufficient. 

If you plan to freeze the nuggets to have them on hand for quick and easy mid-week dinners, cook until lightly golden (about 20 minutes). Reheat as needed from frozen at 200°C for about 10-15 minutes or until piping hot. 

variation ideas

• Add fresh parsley to the breadcrumbs at step 3. 
• If you so desire, try hiding some vegetables inside, such as a small carrot or half a zucchini. Finely chop with onion and apple at step 4. 

no thermomix? 

Grind the flaxseeds using a coffee grinder and make the mince mixture using a food processor.

For more child-friendly dinner ideas check these out . . . 

rice, fetta & spinach fingers

red soup with alphabet pasta

Find me on Facebook at Mixing it up in HK