Mackerel with Coriander & Lemon Chickpeas

My husband is generally and meat, potato and veggie kind of guy, but whenever I cook something like this he asks when I'll do it again!

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 onion - finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves - crushed
1 lemon - zest and the juice of one half
2 x 400g cans chickpeas - drained and rinsed
150ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g can tomatoes
4 mackerel fillets
1 large bunch coriander (cilantro)


Heat a little oil in a pan.  Add the onions, crushed garlic and lemon zest.  Cook until onions are just soft.

Add the chickpeas and stir until well coated.  Add the stock and tomatoes, stir well, then simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat a little more oil in a large frying pan.  Season the mackerel fillets on both sides and fry for approx. 3 mins on each side.

Add the coriander and lemon juice to the chickpeas, stir well and season to taste.

Serve the chickpeas onto plates and top with the mackerel fillets.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Ham, Broccoli & Kale Flan with Chia Seed Pastry

Having opened the fridge door and finding just a handful of ingredients, this flan was born. :)

First, prepare the easy Chia Seed Pastry, as instructed at - In Caryl's Kitchen: Chia Seed Pastry.

Filling Ingredients

1 onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1 small head Broccoli - cut into very small pieces
1/2 bag Kale - roughly chopped
6 slices of ham - roughly cut into pieces
4 eggs - beaten
1/2 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
3/4 cup milk
strong cheese - grated


Fry the onion and garlic together in a little olive oil.  Add the broccoli and stir gently until it just starts to soften.  Add the kale and a drop of stock, or water, stir well.  Cover the pan with a lid for a minute or so, then stir again when kale has just started to cook down.  Stir in the ham and add seasonings to taste.

Mix together the eggs, creme fraiche and milk.

Spread ham mixture evenly into pastry case.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Pour over the egg mixture.  Note:  It is best to do this part after placing the flan on the oven shelf, to avoid spilling over.  (Especially important if you've been drinking while cooking! ;))

Bake in 190 degree C oven for approx. 30 mins.

Serve with a salad and a nice crisp white wine.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Roasted Ratatouille

Roasting veggies is such an easy way to cook, especially when you've got other things to do.  I love experimenting with different ways of putting them together and this my version of a roasted ratatouille.

Ingredients

2 medium aubergine (eggplants)
3 courgettes (zucchini)
1 red pepper (capsicum)
1 orange pepper (capsicum)
1 large onion
1 bulb garlic - peeled and cloves separated
Olive oil
Salt
Rosemary
5 tomatoes - roughly chopped
Parmesan - grated


Cut the aubergines, courgettes, peppers and onion into large pieces.  Put them into a large bowl, with the garlic cloves and pour a nice glug of oil over them.  Sprinkle with salt and rosemary and stir well.

Spread the veggies out onto two oven trays and place in the oven at 200 degrees C.  Roast for approx. 45 minutes.  Divide the roughly chopped tomatoes between the two trays, stir well and return to oven for a further 30 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the other vegetables are browned.  Add a good sprinkling of grated parmesan and stir again.

Serve warm, with baked fish, or anything else for that matter!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Chia Seed Pastry

I've been playing around with this simple pastry recipe and now use it for all types of quiches and flans etc.  There is no chilling, or rolling, or shaping with this recipe.  It really is so easy, you won't go back to the ready-roll stuff again!

(This photo shows what it looks like just before chilling.)

Ingredients - (this recipe makes a good 9 inch pie shell.)

120g Butter
65ml milk
salt
1/4 cup Chia seeds
1-1/4 cup Self-raising flour
3/4 tbs Baking powder

(For a sweet pastry, simply add 2-3 tsp sugar and dissolve with the butter and milk.)


Put the butter and milk in a pan over a low heat, just until the butter melts.

Finely grind the chia seeds.  (I use my little coffee grinder).  Mix the ground seeds with the flour and baking powder, then add the flour mixture to the butter and milk.  Stir well, to form a ball.  Gently pat into a lightly buttered pie plate, keeping it as even as possible and building up the sides.  (I like to keep it very thin on the bottom and then allow the sides to be a little thicker).

Put aside, in the fridge, while preparing your choice of filling.

When filled, bake in a moderately hot oven - 190 degrees C - for approx. 20-30 mins, or until the top is browned.

Let me know what great fillings you come up with. :)

Caryl ♥

Coconut Seed Cookies

Having successfully introduced chia seeds into the household, hubby has recently been asking me to come up with a biscuit or cookie recipe.  So ..... here's my first attempt, which I must say has been rather successful.  

I will definitely do these again, but may add a little rice flour next time.  They are delicious, moorish and full of goodness!


Ingredients

185g butter
3 tbsp Agave syrup (you could use honey instead)
1 large egg
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup wholemeal self-raising flour
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup Goji berries


Melt butter and syrup together. Transfer to small bowl, add egg and whisk together.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  Make a well in the centre and add the melted butter mixture. Stir well until completely mixed together.

Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto lightly greased oven trays, allowing some space between each biscuit, as they will spread slightly during cooking.

Bake in a moderate oven (approx. 180 degrees C) for 10-15 minutes, or until a light golden colour. Cool on trays.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥