Where there is food there is love
Please enjoy some of my favourite healthy recipes.
Tania’s Pasta Sauce
Healthy and adaptable version of pasta sauce that I've been feeding my family since grating veges into toddler meals!
Ingredients
- Olive oil for greasing pan
- Low fat beef mince (or chicken mince or tinned red kidney beans) – I generally use 500g of mince
- Onion – chopped
- Leek – chopped
- Carrot – grated
- Zucchini – grated
- Broccoli – grated
- Baby spinach (or spinach) – chopped
- Fresh tomatoes – chopped small (approx 5)
- Tin of crushed tomatoes (can use more tomatoes instead of a tin)
- Tomato paste (I use a 140g tub)
- Splash of Balsamic vinegar
- Dried Italian herbs
- Fresh basil (or dried if not available)
- Fresh pasta (or dried if preferred)
Instructions
- Heat oil in pan
- Cook onion until carmelised
- Add meat if using (add red kidney beans near end if using beans) and cook until browned
- Add a splash of balsamic vinegar (I twirl it round a couple of times)
- Add tomatoes, tinned tomatoes and tomato paste and stir
- Add all other vegetables
- Turn down the heat to simmer, add some water to your desired consistency (may have to add more water as it cooks)
- Ideally simmer for at least 30mins (preferably 40-45mins) to allow the flavours to develop – stir regularly and add extra water as needed
- Add dried herbs and fresh basil
- Cook pasta as per instructions
- Serve with grated cheese if desired
Notes
- Generally this recipe feeds my family of 4 adults with some leftovers. It’s something we generally have once per week (pasta night) as everyone eats it and it has loads of veges.
- This is the type of pasta sauce I’ve been cooking since my kids were little and I grated veges into everything. I’ve simply just continued with this process and works well. You can get a lot of vege bang for your buck by grating them in!
- One thing I try to do is add more vegetables than meat.
- I haven’t given specific measurements as I really just throw in things according to how I’m feeling or what I have available on the day. I recommend experimenting to find the right mix of vegetables for you.Â
- Cooking the sauce until the tomatoes are nice and soft makes it taste better – ie the longer the better (ideally around 40mins of simmering).
- TIP: Often while the sauce is simmering, I’ll do a workout and stir the sauce in between sets.
Easy Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp garam marsala
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 brown onion, chopped
- 1/2 leek, choppped
- 1 cup butternut pumpkin, peel & chopped into small cubes
- 1 sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
- 1 cup cauliflower, chopped into pieces
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 400 g tin diced tomatoes
- 400 g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- baby spinach to serve
- coriander to serve
- greek yoghurt to serve
- 1 lime to serve
Instructions
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heath
- Cook onion, leek and garlic stirring for 2-3mins
- Add pumpkin, sweet potato, garlic and spices – cook for 1min or until fragrant
- Add stock and tomatoes, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10mins
- add cauliflower and chickpeas and simmer for a further 10mins or until vegetables are just tender
- spoon the curry into bowls, add rice and top with baby spinach, yoghurt, coriander and lime
Notes
- Add or subtract vegetables as you please – my goal is always to add more.
- If you forget to cook the rice or are short on time, utilise microwave rice.
Kindof Anzac Biscuits
A slightly healthier version of the classic
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
- 1 cup wholemeal flour
- 1/4 cup linseeds (ground up a little)
- 1/2 cup macadamia oil
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/2 tsp bicarb soda
- 3 tbsp hot water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175oC
- Combine oats, coconut, flour in a mixing bowl
- Combine oil, maple syrup, vanilla essence and bicarb in a small bowl
- Add hot water to liquids and stir
- Add liquids to oat mixture and combine
- Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on lined trays
- Gently press each ball to flatten slightly
- Bake for 12-15mins until slightly golden
- Cool and rack and enjoy (they taste nice warm!)
Notes
- Definitely not as melt in your mouth as traditional Anzac biscuits that contain a lot of butter and sugar but I really liked this more subtle taste.Â
- I love trying to incorporate ingredients like linseeds (that are great for menopausal women) into cooking
- With this first try, I could have ground up the linseeds a little better, so the nutrients were exposed more.
- I love vanilla and I think it gives this recipe a really nice flavour.
- The biscuits are a little flaky but still delicious!
Red Lentil Dahl
Ingredients
Dahl
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 red capsicum, chopped into small pieces
- 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 large potato, chopped
- 1 small sweet potato, chopped
- 4 tsp curry powder
- 2 tsp tumeric
- 300 g red lentils
- 4 cups vegetable stock
Garnish
- coriander
- natural yoghurt
- lime
Instructions
Dahl
- Heat oil in large fry pan
- Add onion, leek, garlic and red pepper for a few minutes until softened
- Add tomatoes, cook for a few minutes
- Add curry powder and turmeric
- Add stock and bring to a boil
- Add potato and sweet potato
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for approx 20-30 minutes until lentils and potatoes are soft, adding a little water if necessary
Serving
- Serve dahl in bowls
- Add a large spoonful of yoghurt
- Garnish with coriander and wedges of lime
Tofu Peanut Bowl
A delicious tofu meal that's full of goodness
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
Tofu & cauliflower
- 1 block firm tofu
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1/4 cauliflower
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
Peanut sauce
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Bowl
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 red peppers
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Marinade
- Mix together soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil
Tofu & Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 190 degree celsius
- Drain tofu and press with paper towel to remove any moisture
- Cut tofu into small cubes
- Add to a bowl with marinade
- Marinate for approx 20mins
- Chop cauliflower into pieces
- Add cauliflower to a baking tray lined with baking paper
- Sprinkle cauliflower with garlic powder and paprika
- Toss marinated tofu with plain flour
- Add tofu to a baking tray lined with baking paper – leave space between pieces
- Bake tofu and cauliflower for 25-30mins or until brown
Peanut Sauce
- Mince or chop garlic
- Add all ingredients except for water and whisk together until smooth
- Slowly pour in water
- Note – can re-heat in microwave before serving
Bowl
- Slice red peppers into thin strips
- Add to pan with 1tbsp oil and saute for 10mins
- Add in kale cook for 1-2mins until wilted
- Assemble bowls with rice, cauliflower, tofu, red peppers and kale
- Drizzle with peanut sauce