Keeping warm and cozy in the cooler months means a lot more time at home to prepare food to pop in the freezer. These croquettes are a favourite in our house and the zucchini salad is a go to dish that is quick and easy to assemble. I like to make a double batch of the croquettes as they freeze really well and they are time consuming to make. You can use regular breadcrumbs or gluten free ‘breadcrumbs’ which are made from rice. I like the panko crumbs because they are crispier. Note that the gluten free breadcrumbs don’t freeze well because they absorb a lot of water making the croquette soggy.

When it takes time to prepare something that is methodical and repetitive I find it quite therapeutic because you can just be in the moment or get lost in thought. The worlds worries and deadlines seem distant and unimportant. I hope you enjoy making and eating these delicious recipes!

TUNA, SWEET POTATO, CAPSICUM AND PARMESAN CROQUETTES WITH RED PEPPER AIOLI

Makes approximately 24 croquettes

INGREDIENTS

425 gm tin of tuna in springwater, drained

1 kgs sweet potato, mashed

3/4 cup cooked white quinoa

1/2 small red capsicum (pepper), finely diced

1/2 cup cooked corn kernels (frozen is fine)

1/2 cup caramelised onion

1/4 cup tasty cheese, grated

1/4 cup parmesan, grated

1 3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 clove garlic, minced

1 stick shallots, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp grated lemon rind

1 tbsp paprika

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp ground chilli

salt and pepper to season

1 egg, whisked

rice bran oil for deep frying

CRUMBING MIXTURE

2-3 cups panko breadcrumbs

1 1/4 cups spelt flour

2 eggs

2 tbsp water

AIOLI

1/2 cup homemade aioli or a good store bought brand

1/4 cup roasted red peppers

METHOD

(1) In a large bowl, combine tuna, sweet potato, quinoa, capsicum, corn, caramelised onion, shallots and garlic. I like to use my hands for this to ensure all the ingredients are combined evenly. Gradually add the cheeses and breadcrumbs. Followed by the chia seeds, lemon juice, lemon rind, paprika, oregano, thyme and chilli. Finally add the whisked egg and salt and pepper to season.

(2) With your hands mould the mixture into long oval shaped croquettes. Approximately 7cm in length and a diameter 3cm. Place them on a tray lined with plastic freezer bags so the croquettes don’t stick to the tray.

(3) Crumbing croquettes – Add the water to the 2 eggs and beat well. Place the spelt flour, breadcrumbs and egg mixture into separate bowls for crumbing. Coat the croquette in flour, then dip into the egg mixture making sure that it is completely covered and then cover with breadcrumbs.

(4) Deep fry with oil heated to 180C cook until golden brown. Place on paper towel to drain excess oil.

(5) Place the roasted peppers and aioli into the blender and give it a quick whiz. Garnish with sprigs of continental parsley.

They are great for lunches – either on a roll with lettuce and mayo for the kids or with carrots and cucumber sticks. Serve them on a platter or on those lovely bamboo boats as a canape for your next party. 

ZUCCHINI, FETA, ALMOND, PEPITA, MINT, CHIA SALAD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 zucchinis, grated

125 grams feta or goats cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped

2 1/2 tbsp pepita seeds

handful mint, chiffonade (set a few mint leaves aside for garnish)

1 tsp black chia seeds

olive oil

salt and pepper to season

TO ASSEMBLE

Spread the grated zucchini evenly on a medium sized serving plate, sprinkle the feta, mint, almonds, pumpkin seeds over the zucchini. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chia seeds over the salad and garnish with the remaining mint leaves.

In all things beautiful.
Lyn xx

The post {Tuna and Sweet Potato Croquettes} + {Zucchini, Feta, Almond, Pepita, Mint, Chia Salad} appeared first on in all things beautiful.

My darling husband and I had a few lovely days in the peaceful and picturesque Kangaroo Valley over Christmas. Greg’s parents were away and his kids were with their mum and my family were working. Yay! We were not responsible for anyone else except for Oscar our loving furry baby. Without wasting a minute I jumped onto the airbnb website to find a gorgeous little place in the country.

The Dairy at Broger’s End has been thoughtfully restored with a vintage rustic farmhouse feel, a vegetable garden, chickens and it has a pet friendly policy. It ticked all our boxes. Our only disappointment was the curtains needed a good airing and the vegetable garden was pretty lean. The local town was a short 7 minute drive. Quaint shops including a few selling vintage wares, jewellery and a local wood turner. We hired dvd’s at the convenience store and picked up our Barossa Fine Foods nitrate free bacon from there. They also do a nitrate free ham, organic pastrami and organic roast beef – you can shop online of find a local stockist.

We celebrated our family Christmas’s before and after the holiday season. Cooking for fourteen took a lot more time and planning than cooking for two! So an easy roast was the perfect meal for just the two of us. I wanted to stuff the chicken with the colours and flavours of Christmas, cranberries and pistachios are so pretty together not to mention delicious! Cooking a roast chicken in our house is a team effort I prepare the chicken until it goes into the oven then my husband takes over from there. He checks that it is not undercooked or overcooked, places it on the serving board, makes the gravy and carves it up! This recipe could easily feed a family of four or two for lunch with leftovers for dinner.

ORGANIC ROAST CHICKEN WITH QUINOA, CRANBERRY, PISTACHIO, BACON AND ROSEMARY STUFFING SERVED WITH ROASTED CHAT POTATOES, JAPANESE PUMPKIN, ONION AND PURPLE GARLIC

Serves 4 or 2 with plenty of leftovers!

INGREDIENTS

1 x 1.6kg organic free range chicken

3-4 tbsp of olive oil for roasting chicken and vegetables

salt and pepper to season vegetables and chicken

1 tsp rice bran oil for cooking stuffing

1 small onion, diced

3-4 rashers of nitrate free bacon, chopped

1/2 cup breadcumbs (I used organic rice breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup chopped cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pistachios

1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped

1/2 tsp grated lemon rind

1 cup cooked white quinoa

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to season

1 egg, whisked

ROAST VEGETABLES

8-10 chat potatoes

6 x 1 inch wedges of japanese pumpkin

3 medium onions, cut in wedges

12 cloves purple garlic

STUFFING BALLS

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup breadcumbs

salt and pepper to season

GRAVY

juices from roasting pan

1-2 tablespoons of spelt flour

1 cup organic chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon of vegemite to add colour and taste

METHOD

(1) In a non-stick frypan, on medium heat add rice bran oil. Fry onions until golden brown, add bacon, once the bacon is cooked take pan off heat. Mix through breadcrumbs, cranberries, pistachios, lemon rind and rosemary to fried onion and bacon. Cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally add quinoa and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for a further 2 minutes. Take of heat and stir through egg to bind together. Set aside.

(2) Preheat oven to 180°C. Stuff the chicken cavity with the prepared stuffing. Cross over the legs and tie with cooking twine. To make the Stuffing Balls, add the remaining stuffing to beaten egg, breadcrumbs and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roll into 6 balls (the size of a golf ball). Set aside.

(3) Scatter potatoes, pumpkin, onion and garlic over the bottom of the roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. On both sides of chicken rub in olive oil, salt and pepper. Sit chicken on top of the vegetables. Nestle stuffing balls amongst the vegetables.

(4) Place in the preheated oven. For a 1.6kg chicken cook for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. To test whether the chicken is cooked through insert a metal skewer into the thickest part of the thigh, if the juices run clear the chicken is ready. If there is any sign of pink the chicken needs more time in the oven. Once cooked through cover the chicken with foil and set aside for five to ten minutes to rest before carving.

(5) To make the gravy place the roasting pan with leftover juices over a low heat, stir in flour and sizzle until you have a light brown paste. Gradually pour in stock, continuously stirring, until the sauce is thickened. Season to taste with vegemite. Strain the gravy. Serve in a jug.

Tip: As a guide, 1.5kg whole stuffed chicken takes about 30 minutes per 500g of weight to cook in a pre-heated oven to 180°C. 

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

The post {Christmas Day} Organic Roast Chicken with Quinoa, Cranberry, Pistachio, Bacon and Rosemary Stuffing appeared first on in all things beautiful.