Easy Healthy French Onion Meatballs

Date Published: Aug 9th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 9th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: < 15mins, appetizers, easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, quick and easy, snacks
Serves: 24 meatballs | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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This meatball recipe will probably not be the best meatballs you’ve ever had, but they will probably be the most healthy and without compromising on flavour! High cholesterol runs in my family so I’m always looking for ways to lower fat, cut the grease, and sneak in some veg or oats – this meatball recipe does just that, by incorporating zucchinis, rolled oats, and 95% lean beef mince as the bulk of the meatball.

The one down side about a healthy minimal fat meatball is that it has a tendency to become dry when cooled, therefore they must be served asap when hot or tossed in a sauce or soup to absorb extra moisture. I like to add it to a pasta sauce and serve it with zoodles (zucchini noodles).

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

French Onion Seasoning:
- 1/4 cup onion flakes
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed into a powder
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp celery salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup rolled oats
500g extra lean beef mince (95%)
1 egg
1 zucchini, grated with liquid squeezed out

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the seasoning ingredients (onion flakes, onion powder, garlic, beef bouillon, dried parsley, celery salt, black pepper). Next add in the rolled oats, beef mince, egg, and zucchini to the bowl and combine.

The cooked meatballs will be darker when cooked in the oven.

Form the mixture into even-sized meatballs – any size you like, as long as they’re all the same size. Makes about 50 x 3cm meatballs, or 24 x 5cm meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20mins or until cooked (the timing will depend on how large your meatballs are). Serve immediately, toss in a sauce, or add into a soup.

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Healthy French Onion Meatballs

Ingredients:

French Onion Seasoning:
- 1/4 cup onion flakes
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 beef bouillon cube, crushed into a powder
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp celery salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup rolled oats
500g extra lean beef mince (95%)
1 egg
1 zucchini, grated with liquid squeezed out

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the seasoning ingredients (onion flakes, onion powder, garlic, beef bouillon, dried parsley, celery salt, black pepper). Next add in the rolled oats, beef mince, egg, and zucchini to the bowl and combine.
Form the mixture into even-sized meatballs – any size you like, as long as they’re all the same size.
- Makes about 50 x 3cm meatballs, or 24 x 5cm meatballs.
Arrange the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20mins or until cooked (the timing will depend on how large your meatballs are). Serve immediately or toss in a sauce.

August 9, 2022

Abby2 Comments

Unintentionally Amazing Soft Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Date Published: Aug 8th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 8th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, sides, snack, appetizers, healthy, low cal
Serves: 8 eggs | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 5-10 mins + resting overnight

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The empty bottle of the brand of sweet vinegar I used. Any sweet vinegar should be fine.

I’ve had a bottle of Chinese sweet black vinegar in the back of my pantry for the past 2 years that has gone untouched and collecting dust. I have no idea what I originally bought it for but whatever it was, I only ever used a small amount. Toby says I bought it originally because I couldn’t find regular black vinegar and tried to use this as a substitute and failed – I have no recollection of this 😅🤷🏻‍♀️. I’ve tried to look for recipes to use up this bottle over the years but I can only ever find it used in a very specific Chinese pork knuckle dish. This bottle has become an eye sore and in a desperate attempt to clean out my pantry before we hit the road again, I decided to try adding it to a marinade for tea eggs. I had very low expectations for this – I just wanted to make something somewhat edible so I’m not wasting it. The end result turned out so much better than I could have ever hoped for! It gave the egg a subtle sweetness along with the saltiness. In fact, it was so good that I ended up buying another bottle of sweet black vinegar just so I can keep making these tea eggs, which is now my favourite way to eat them.

Chinese sweet black vinegar isn’t as tangy as regular vinegar. It’s more subtle and has a light sweetness with a star anise/liquorice flavour. When mixed with the rest of the marinade ingredients, it makes a slightly sweeter tea egg that’s lighter on the palate compared to the classic tea egg that’s usually only soy sauce based. Soft boiled eggs are my favourite style of eggs and perfect for this recipe. The yolk remains soft and jammy which allows some of the marinade to penetrate through giving it more flavour. Make sure you set a timer to cook them perfectly. I’ve included cooking times for medium and hardboiled eggs as well if that’s your thing.

What is a tea egg?

If you’re unfamiliar with tea eggs, it’s a classic Chinese side dish commonly made of hardboiled eggs marinated in a soy-sauce based concoction with black tea leaves. The eggs are cracked before marinating and as a result you get a beautiful marbled appearance on the eggs with a savoury umami flavour with a hint of tea. I remember getting a few of these in a baggie from the local 7-11 in Taiwan before hopping on a train and having these as a snack. I’ve never had them soft-boiled until I started playing around with this recipe. It’s a total game changer and I think this will be the only way I’ll be having my tea eggs from now. 😛

Tips for using up leftover marinade:

Sauté with garlic, cabbage, splash of shaoxing wine until the cabbage cooks down, then stir in chilli paste like lao gan ma or leftover red chilli oil wonton sauce.
Reuse the marinade again! Make sure you reboil the liquid and let it cool before using it again.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Marinade:
- 1/2 cup Sweet Black Vinegar
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 2 Tbsps dark soy sauce
- 2.5 Tbsps soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 Tbsps (or 2 tea bags) extra strong black tea leaves
- 1 cup water
8 large eggs

Directions:

Make the marinade: Mix all the ingredients of the marinade (vinegar, soy sauces, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, tea leaves, water) in a saucepan and heat on MEDIUM until it boils, then turn the heat down to LOW-MED and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.

Make the eggs: While the marinade cools, boil a pot of water (use a pot large enough to allow all the eggs to submerge in the boiling water without crowding). Once the water boils, carefully lower the eggs into the water – be careful not to crack them. Start a timer and boil for 5 minutes and 30 seconds for soft-boiled eggs, 7 minutes for medium eggs, or 10 minutes for hard boiled eggs.

Dunk them in an ice bath or under cold running water until cooled

Prepare an ice bath for the eggs while they are boiling. Once the timer goes off, immediate transfer the eggs to the ice bath to cool. If you don’t have any ice, run the eggs under cold water until completely cooled.

Once the eggs are cooled, use the back of a spoon and gently crack the egg shells around the entirety of the egg. You want the egg shells to be cracked and broken without breaking the actual egg. This allows the marinade to get through the shell and create a marbled effect. Be careful not to hit them too hard, especially for soft-boiled eggs.

If your container doesn’t immerse the eggs, rotate the eggs 6 hours later or next morning for even marinating

Once the marinade has fully cooled, transfer the marinade with the ingredients to a container or a large ziplock bag and add in the cracked eggs. Ensure the eggs are submerged in the marinade. Choose a container or a bag big enough to fit all the marinade and eggs. It’s better to use a deeper container than a wider one so the eggs submerge better.

Let the eggs marinate in the fridge overnight, or best for 24 hours (or longer!).

Serve the eggs either cold, room temperature, or slightly warmed. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Unintentionally Amazing Soft Tea Eggs (茶葉蛋)

Ingredients:

Marinade:
- 1/2 cup Sweet Black Vinegar
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 2 Tbsps dark soy sauce
- 2.5 Tbsps soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 2 Tbsps (or 2 tea bags) extra strong black tea leaves
- 1 cup water
8 large eggs

Directions:

Make the marinade: Mix all the ingredients of the marinade (vinegar, soy sauces, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, tea leaves, water) in a saucepan and heat on MEDIUM until it boils, then turn the heat down to LOW-MED and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
Make the eggs: While the marinade cools, boil a pot of water (use a pot large enough to allow all the eggs to submerge in the boiling water without crowding). Once the water boils, carefully lower the eggs into the water – be careful not to crack them. Start a timer and boil for 5 minutes and 15 seconds for soft-boiled eggs, 7 minutes for medium eggs, or 10 minutes for hard boiled eggs.
Prepare an ice bath for the eggs while they are boiling. Once the timer goes off, immediate transfer the eggs to the ice bath to cool. If you don’t have any ice, run the eggs under cold water until completely cooled.
Once the eggs are cooled, use the back of a spoon and gently crack the egg shells around the entirety of the egg. You want the egg shells to be cracked and broken without breaking the actual egg. This allows the marinade to get through the shell and create a marbled effect. Be careful not to hit them too hard to break the eggs inside, especially for soft-boiled eggs.
Once the marinade has fully cooled, transfer the marinade with the ingredients to a container or a large ziplock bag and add in the cracked eggs. Ensure the eggs are submerged in the marinade. Choose a container or a bag big enough to fit all the marinade and eggs. It’s better to use a deeper container than a wider one so the eggs submerge better.
Let the eggs marinate in the fridge overnight, or best for 24 hours (or longer!).
Serve the eggs either cold, room temperature, or slightly warmed. Enjoy!

August 8, 2022August 8, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Easy Beef Curry Puffs

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: appetizers, snacks, easy, pastry
Serves: 14 curry puffs | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

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Who doesn’t love a good curry puff??? This super quick and easy version is adapted from Sarah Tiong’s (my favourite Masterchef contestant) recipe. All you need are a few basic ingredients, 10 mins to stir-fry, then wrap it up and bake. Easy!

You can use either thawed pre-made puff pastry dough or make your own rough puff dough.

This recipe is meant to be a quick and easy version of a curry puff. Feel free to add in your own veg or extra seasonings to your liking. Sometimes I like to toss in some cooked diced potatoes and peas with the beef to bulk it up.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 small brown onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
250g beef mince (can substitute with pork, chicken, turkey, potatoes and peas)
2 Tbsps curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 puff pastry dough, defrosted and ready to use (store bought or make your own)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional for decoration)

Directions:

In a skillet on medium-high heat, sautée the garlic and onions in some oil until the onion starts to become translucent (~2mins). Add in the mince meat and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces and cook until brown and cooked through.

Add in curry powder and stir-fry for another couple minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before wrapping.

When the filling has cooled, roll out your puff pastry dough to a 3-5mm thickness and divide it into squares of equal size. I usually make them about 10cmx10cm squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Place a tablespoon of filling (or more or less depending on your pastry size) in the middle of your square and fold the pastry diagonally in half into a triangle. Crimp the edges together so it seals well. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.

Place the pastry puffs on a baking tray and brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).

Tip: alternatively, if you don’t plan on eating them all, you can freeze them at this stage before you put the egg wash on.

Bake at 180˚C for about 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Beef Curry Puffs

Ingredients:

1 small brown onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
250g beef mince (can substitute with pork, chicken, turkey, potatoes and peas)
2 Tbsps curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 puff pastry dough, defrosted and ready to use (store bought or make your own)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional for decoration)

Directions:

In a skillet on medium-high heat, sautée the garlic and onions in some oil until the onion starts to become translucent (~2mins).
Add in the mince meat and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces and cook until brown and cooked through.
Add in curry powder and stir-fry for another couple minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before wrapping.
When the filling has cooled, roll out your puff pastry dough to a 3-5mm thickness and divide it into squares of equal size. I usually make them about 10cmx10cm squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Place a tablespoon of filling (or more or less depending on your pastry size) in the middle of your square and fold the pastry diagonally in half into a triangle. Crimp the edges together so it seals well. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.
Place the pastry puffs on a baking tray and brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).
- Tip: alternatively, if you don’t plan on eating them all, you can freeze them at this stage before you put the egg wash on.
Bake at 180˚C for about 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown. Serve!

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Smoked Salmon Spread

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, <15 mins, appetizers, on the go, quick, dips, snacks
Serves: 1 large bowl or 6 bagel spreads | Prep time: 10 mins | Mix time: 2 mins

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This is one of my all time favourite dips. I’m surprised it has taken me this long to write it up! A good cream cheese bagel has always been one of my weaknesses. When I did a vet student placement in New York years ago, there was a bagel cart parked outside of the American Medical Centre. Every morning I’d get an ‘everything bagel with cream cheese’ and it was always the best part of my morning because he loaded it with so much cream cheese 😛. One day I walked up to the cart and before I even spoke, he already started apologizing that he had sold out of the ‘everything bagel’. Although I was disappointed, I was more surprised that he actually remembered me and it was nice the have a bagel guy that knows my “usual”. (Don’t worry guys, I got a plain bagel instead, and it had just as much cream cheese 😜). Aaaaanyways, I digress. The point of that story is that I really fucking love bagels and cream cheese – but what’s even better? Smoked salmon and cream cheese! You’ll commonly find “lox” on the menu of a bagel shop in New York (lox and cold smoked salmon are often used interchangeably, although lox isn’t always smoked). It’s usually served on a toasted bagel with cream cheese, capers, dill, and red onion. Mmmmmmmmm. This recipe is essentially all of those ingredients blended together to make a quick and easy salmon spread.

This dip is perfect to serve as a dip at a party served with some fancy crackers, or as a quick and easy snack or breakfast spread over a warm toasted bagel.

What type of salmon?

I prefer to use cold-smoked salmon for this recipe (the fancy pieces of sliced pink heaven). I usually buy them in big packages from Costco so it’s a little cheaper and it’s also a great way to use up the remainder of the smoked salmon before it goes off. Blending it with the cream cheese and other ingredients preserves it a little longer. It also gives you a break from eating straight up smoked salmon because you bought too much from Costco because it was so cheap… You can also use smoked trout which is a little cheaper and to me, they taste very similar.

You can also used canned smoked salmon instead which will make this recipe even cheaper to make, however the canned version will have a more robust fishy taste so you’ll either have to use less of it in this recipe or increase the rest of the ingredients. It also won’t have the pretty pink colour so your dip won’t have the blush pink colour, but flavour wise is similar.

Happy cooking!

Recipe originally adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/233564/the-best-smoked-salmon-spread/

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 package (8oz/226g) cream cheese, softened
150g smoked salmon (cold smoked sliced or canned*)
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsps fresh dill, (leaves only, no stem)
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 drops hot pepper sauce (ie Tabasco) OR 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsps green onion, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy/smooth.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or best overnight before serving. Enjoy!

Serve spread on a toasted bagel or as a dip with crackers.

Notes:

Halve the recipe if you’re making it for yourself for breakfast. It’s a large portion and you’ll end up eating it for a week trying to finish it before it goes off. Speaking from my own experience 😜.
*If you’re using canned smoked salmon, the fish flavour will be more robust and you may have to use a little less of it or increase the other ingredients to adjust.

Summarized Recipe:

Smoked Salmon Spread

Ingredients:

1 package (8oz/226g) cream cheese, softened
150g smoked salmon (cold smoked sliced or canned*)
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsps fresh dill, (leaves only, no stem)
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 drops hot pepper sauce (ie Tabasco) OR 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsps green onion, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy/smooth.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or best overnight before serving. Enjoy!
- Serve spread on a toasted bagel or as a dip with crackers.

Notes:

Halve the recipe if you’re making it for yourself for breakfast. It’s a large portion and you’ll end up eating it for a week trying to finish it before it goes off. Speaking from my own experience 😜.
*If you’re using canned smoked salmon, the fish flavour will be more robust and you may have to use a little less of it or increase the other ingredients to adjust.

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Avocado Fries

Date Published: Oct 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Oct 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, healthy, snacks, appetizers, low-cal, sides, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 35 mins

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I could eat these all day everyday! Avocado fries are a great way to snack healthy. They’re easy to make, but I’ll admit a little time-consuming since you have to bread each one separately, but they’re SO worth it. You can change up the spices for different flavours but I prefer to keep them simple and let the dipping sauce create the extra flavour. They’re crunchy on the outside and soft & creamy on the inside. Serve it as an appetizer, a snack, or a side to a burger.

To keep with the healthy profile, these fries are baked in the oven instead of deep-frying. The secret to keeping them crispy and crunchy is to bake them on a wire rack so both sides get evenly cooked without any liquid pooling and softening the breading. You can also cook them in an air-fryer but I find it easier to make large batches in the oven. Pair it with any dipping sauce you like! Our favourite is sriracha mayo or toum mixed with Greek yogurt. Mmmmmm. To change it up, you can make zucchini fries using this exact same recipe too – in fact, the steps are identical so I’ve just duplicated the blog post and changed up the ingredients.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

5 large hass avocados
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs
1.5 cups panko
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1.5 tsps Italian seasoning
1.5 tsps paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200˚C (425˚F). Prepare a greased cooling rack over a baking sheet (see photo).

Slice each avocado in half. Remove the seed and use a spoon to scoop out the avocado from the skin. Then slice the avocado halves into strips.

I made zucchini fries at the same time and forgot to take a photo with avocado instead so pretend the zucchinis are avocados 😅

Prepare 3 bowls and put the following in each bowl: 1) Flour, 2) Beaten eggs, 3) Panko, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and paprika.

Bread the avocado strips one at a time by first covering it in flour, then dredging it into the beaten eggs, then finally tossing it in the panko/parmesan mixture and pressing down so the coating sticks well to the avocado strip. Place the breaded avocado strip onto the greased cooling rack prepared earlier. Repeat for the rest of the avocado.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let them cool slightly on the rack before transferring it to a serving plate. Enjoy!

You can alternatively put them in the air fryer at 200˚C for 8-10 minutes.

Summarized Recipe:

Avocado Fries

Ingredients:

5 large hass avocados
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs
1.5 cups panko
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1.5 tsps Italian seasoning
1.5 tsps paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200˚C (425˚F). Prepare a greased cooling rack over a baking sheet (see photo).
Slice each avocado in half. Remove the seed and use a spoon to scoop out the avocado from the skin. Then slice the avocado halves into strips.Prepare 3 bowls and put the following in each bowl:
1. Flour
2. Beaten eggs
3. Panko, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and paprika
Bread the avocado strips one at a time by first covering it in flour, then dredging it into the beaten eggs, then finally tossing it in the panko/parmesan mixture and pressing down so the coating sticks well to the avocado strip. Place the breaded avocado strip onto the greased cooling rack prepared earlier. Repeat for the rest of the avocado.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let them cool slightly on the rack before transferring it to a serving plate. Enjoy!
- You can alternatively put them in the air fryer at 200˚C for 8-10 minutes.

October 10, 2021October 17, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Zucchini Fries

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I could eat these all day everyday! Zucchini fries are a great way to snack healthy. They’re easy to make, but I’ll admit a little time-consuming since you have to bread each one separately, but they’re SO worth it. You can change up the spices for different flavours but I prefer to keep them simple and let the dipping sauce create the extra flavour. They’re crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Serve it as an appetizer, a snack, or a side to a burger.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 medium sized zucchinis
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs
1.5 cups panko
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1.5 tsps Italian seasoning
1.5 tsps paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200˚C (425˚F). Prepare a greased cooling rack over a baking sheet (see photo).

Cut the top end of the zucchinis off and discard. Then slice each zucchini in half horizontally and then slice each half into about 6 sticks (see photo).

Prepare 3 bowls and put the following in each bowl: 1) Flour, 2) Beaten eggs, 3) Panko, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and paprika.

Bread the zucchini strips one at a time by first covering it in flour, then dredging it into the beaten eggs, then finally tossing it in the panko/parmesan mixture and pressing down so the coating sticks well to the zucchini strips. Place the breaded zucchini strip onto the greased cooling rack prepared earlier. Repeat for the rest of the zucchini strips.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let them cool slightly on the rack before transferring it to a serving plate. Enjoy!

You can alternatively put them in the air fryer at 200˚C for 8-10 minutes.

Summarized Recipe:

Zucchini Fries

Ingredients:

4 medium sized zucchinis
1/2 cup flour
2 large eggs
1.5 cups panko
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1.5 tsps Italian seasoning
1.5 tsps paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200˚C (425˚F). Prepare a greased cooling rack over a baking sheet (see photo).
Cut the top end of the zucchinis off and discard. Then slice each zucchini in half horizontally and then slice each half into about 6 sticks (see photo).
Prepare 3 bowls and put the following in each bowl:
1. Flour
2. Beaten eggs
3. Panko, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and paprika
Bread the zucchini strips one at a time by first covering it in flour, then dredging it into the beaten eggs, then finally tossing it in the panko/parmesan mixture and pressing down so the coating sticks well to the zucchini strips. Place the breaded zucchini strip onto the greased cooling rack prepared earlier. Repeat for the rest of the zucchini strips.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Let them cool slightly on the rack before transferring it to a serving plate. Enjoy!
- You can alternatively put them in the air fryer at 200˚C for 8-10 minutes.

October 10, 2021October 10, 2021

Abby1 Comment

So Easy Healthy Chocolate Mousse

Date Published: Oct 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Oct 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: quick, easy, healthy, vegetarian, dessert, low-cal, <15mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 5 mins | Blend time: 1 min

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Get ready for a quick, easy, healthy, vegan, sugar-free, low-carb chocolate mousse! Sounds too good to be true, right? I promise it’s worth a try. Chocolate mousse is one of Toby’s all-time favourite desserts and although this isn’t quite as good as his favourite version, it still got his official stamp of approval for being pretty damn good especially since it’s a healthy alternative! He can gorge on this guilt-free and better yet, it’s SO easy to make.

This mousse isn’t as fluffy and light as a traditional chocolate mousse but it’s still packed with chocolatey flavour and just as creamy because it uses avocados as the main ingredient. You can eat this on its own with some diced strawberries or alternatively choose to use it as a frosting on a cake or as a stuffing in a pastry.

What makes this recipe so amazing?

Quick and easy – Just blend all the ingredients together. It comes together in 15 minutes, perfect for a quick snack or last minute dessert plans.

Vegan – No dairy products are used. Avocados are the main ingredient that gives this mousse its creamy velvety texture.

Sugar-free – Medjool dates are the best kept secret to replacing sugars in a recipe without adding any extra flavour! You can alternatively use honey or maple syrup if you don’t have any dates on hand.

Low-carb – Compared to a regular chocolate mousse, the only ‘carb-y’ ingredient in this recipe are the dates. No extra added sugars

Healthy – avocados, dates, and soy milk make up the bulk of this recipe!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

24 pitted dried Medjool dates
4 ripe hass avocados, pitted with the flesh scooped out (~500g of flesh)
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
1/2 cup dutch cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup soy milk (or any milk alternative)

Directions:

Soak the dates in hot water for 10 mins until soft (this will help the dates blend easier).

Drain the dates and blend the rest of the ingredients (avocados, cocoa powders, salt, vanilla, soy milk) together until you get a smooth mousse texture. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Add more soy milk if too thick, or more soaked dates if not sweet enough. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

So Easy Healthy Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

24 pitted medjool dates
4 ripe hass avocados, pitted with the flesh scooped out (~480g of flesh)
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
1/2 cup dutch cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup soy milk (or more to your liking)

Directions:

Soak the dates in hot water for 10 mins until soft (this will help the dates blend easier).
Drain the dates and blend the rest of the ingredients (avocados, cocoa powders, salt, vanilla, soy milk) together until you get a smooth mousse texture. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Add more soy milk if too thick, or more soaked dates if not sweet enough. Serve!

October 10, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Baba Ghanoush

Date Published: Sept 27th, 2021 | Last Updated: Sept 27th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: dips, appetizer, easy, healthy, snacks, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 (1 medium sized bowl) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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Baba ghanoush is a Lebanese dish that is typically served as a starter or a side to a meat dish. It’s made with charred eggplants, tahini, garlic and lemon. It tastes similar to a hummus but with an extra smoky flavour from the grilling of the eggplants. The ingredients to a baba ghanoush and hummus are nearly identical but instead substitute the chick peas with eggplants. Comparatively, hummus is much easier to make because you skip the step of grilling eggplants, but flavour-wise I prefer baba ghanoush for the smokiness. If I’m feeling lazy and wanting a whip up something quick for a party or a side, I’ll go for the hummus (you can check out my hummus recipe here).

There are many ways to char an eggplant. Traditionally the eggplant is placed over an open flame until the skin wrinkles and the flesh softens, but I find this method more time-consuming to constantly watch the eggplant and I also find it harder and messier to peel. My preferred method is to slice them in half and char them in the oven on high heat. You can then simply scoop out the eggplant flesh instead of having to peel it.

You can simply serve it with some sliced veg and pita chips, or slathered in a wrap with a chicken shawarma.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 medium sized eggplants
2 Tbsps olive oil for brushing
1/4 cup tahini
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsps lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Directions:

Roast the eggplants: Preheat oven to 220˚C (430˚F). Cut the tops off of each eggplant and then cut them in half. Arrange the eggplants skin side up on a baking sheet and brush each one with olive oil. Roast in the preheated oven until the skin wrinkles and the flesh is very soft.

I was making enough for a party. There’s about 6 eggplants in this photo.

Prepare the eggplants: Once the eggplants are done, set them aside to cool. Once it is cool enough to hand, use a spoon and scoop out all of the flesh. Discard the eggplant skin. Place the eggplant flesh in a strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. You can let it rest for another 30 mins to let more juices drip out.

Blend it all together: Add the eggplant flesh and the rest of the ingredients (tahini, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, salt) in a blender or food processor and blend until you get a smooth texture. Taste and adjust salt and lemon to your preference. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients:

2 medium sized eggplants
2 Tbsps olive oil for brushing
1/4 cup tahini
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsps lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Directions:

Roast the eggplants: Preheat oven to 220˚C (430˚F). Cut the tops off of each eggplant and then cut them in half. Arrange the eggplants skin side up on a baking sheet and brush each one with olive oil. Roast in the preheated oven until the skin wrinkles and the flesh is very soft (~30-45 mins).
Prepare the eggplants: Once the eggplants are done, set them aside to cool. Once it is cool enough to hand, use a spoon and scoop out all of the flesh. Discard the eggplant skin. Place the eggplant flesh in a strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. You can let it rest for another 30 mins to let more juices drip out.
Blend it all together: Add the eggplant flesh and the rest of the ingredients (tahini, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon juice, salt) in a blender or food processor and blend until you get a smooth texture. Taste and adjust salt and lemon to your preference. Done!

September 27, 2021

Abby1 Comment

Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Fritters

Date Published: Sept 26th, 2021 | Last Updated: Sept 26th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains, sides, snacks, easy, healthy, < 15mins, appetizers, low cal, vegetarian
Serves: 8 large fritters | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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This past weekend Toby and I discovered a discount produce market only 10 mins near our new place in Western Australia. The market is held every Saturday at a large produce distribution centre and at the end of every week they sell BOXES of leftover produce that didn’t get sold to the shops for CHEAP. We got an entire box of zucchinis (that’s ~40 zucchinis!) for only $5. We also got a box of 45 red bell peppers (known as capsicums in Oz) for only $10. The deals were insaneeeeee. Toby and I love a good market and even better yet we LOVE a good deal. So now we have a shit ton of zucchini and capsicums that we have to use up – we just can’t pass a good deal. For the past week I’ve been researching and experimenting with different zucchini and capsicum recipes. I decided to roast most of the capsicums so they keep longer and its just so versatile to use in sauces, spreads, topping in salads, marinades…etc. With the zucchinis I’ve made a few soups that have turned out pretty well and of course this fritters recipe has definitely been a winner. I’m sharing this recipe as the first of many capsicum/zucchini recipes that is to come. We’ve made these twice now and they’ve turned out great each time. They’re so easy to make, packed full of vegetables, healthy, and quick to make.

This recipe makes 8 large patties. You can eat these on their own, in a burger, or served with a dipping sauce. Our favourite is to have it with a side of garlic aioli. You can even form them smaller and serve it as an appetizer or a snack. They store pretty well in the freezer as long as you cook them first. To keep it healthy, we’ve air-fried them (which was actually a bit of a pain to do them in batches because we only have a small air-frier 😅), but you can also shallow-fry them for optimal crunch, or bake them.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

5 cups (~3 medium) zucchini, grated* (see note)
3 roasted red peppers, diced small (you can buy them in jars to roast them yourself)
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cups panko
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 large eggs, beaten

*Grate the zucchini with a food processor if you have one so the zucchini retains its moisture. If you grate it by hand, the zucchini becomes watery and your batter will be more wet. If you don’t have a food processor and only have a box grater, then add a couple tablespoons of flour to your batter until you get a consistency thick enough to form into patties.

Directions:

Combine everything except for the eggs in a large bowl and mix well: zucchini, roasted red peppers, red onion, panko, parmesan, salt, and white pepper.

2. Once everything is combined, add in the beaten eggs and form the batter into 8 evenly-sized patties. (If your batter is a little wet, add in a few tablespoons of flour to thicken it up.)

3. Air-fry at 180˚C for 10-15mins until crispy on the outside. Alternatively you can fry them with some oil in a shallow pan until crispy or bake them at 200˚C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Serve on its own or with a dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients:

5 cups (~3 medium) zucchini, grated* (see note)
3 roasted red peppers, diced small (you can buy them in jars to roast them yourself)
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cups panko
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 large eggs, beaten

Directions:

(Preheat the oven to 200˚C if you’re going to be baking them.)
Combine everything except for the eggs in a large bowl and mix well: zucchini, roasted red peppers, red onion, panko, parmesan, salt, and white pepper.
Once everything is combined, add in the beaten eggs and form the batter into 8 evenly-sized patties. (If your batter is a little wet, add in a few tablespoons of flour to thicken it up.)
3. Air-fry at 180˚C for 10-15mins until crispy on the outside. Alternatively you can fry them with some oil in a shallow pan until crispy or bake them at 200˚C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Serve on its own or with a dipping sauce. Enjoy!

September 26, 2021September 26, 2021

Abby1 Comment

Easy Classic Falafel

Date Published: June 27th, 2021 | Last Updated: June 27th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains, sides, easy, vegetarian, healthy
Serves: 10 falafels | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins

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This quick and easy falafel recipe is fantastic and so versatile. You can serve it as an appetizer, a part of a salad, inside a wrap with veg, or even on its own as a quick snack. My favourite way is to put it in a pita pocket with some iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and hummus. It pairs perfectly with any yogurt-based sauce such as a tzatziki or a creamy mint yogurt sauce, or better yet a garlicky hummus.

Falafel is a popular middle eastern dish made of chickpeas and spices then deep fried – think of it as a chickpea fritter. Falafel is commonly deep fried in kebab/shawarma shops for an extra crunch, but you can make it healthier by either pan-frying it, air frying it, or even baking it in the oven. This recipe is pretty easy. The most laborious part is mashing the chickpeas but microwaving them first to soften it or pulsing it in a food processor first makes it much quicker. The rest is just mixing and forming them into patties. Toby and I ate them all in one sitting with a small side salad for lunch the other day, so I’d recommend doubling the recipe if you’re serving a few people or stash them in the freezer for a quick weekday meal or snack.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained
1 onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup dry bread crumbs (panko or regular)

Directions:

In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas until they’re all crushed and pastey. I like to use the back of a ladle. You can also microwave them first to soften it to make it easier to mash. Do not use a blender – the consistency will be too thin and you’ll end up with mushy falafels. (You can also put it in the food processor and pulse it a few times then mash it to quicken the process.)

In a food processor, add in the onion, parsley, and garlic. Pulse until chopped into small pieces. Add it to the mashed chickpeas.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the bread crumbs to the chickpea mixture: egg, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, baking powder, and olive oil. Mix until everything is combined.

Add the breadcrumbs into the mixture half cup at a time until you get a thick paste, thick enough to form patties. If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs. If you add too much breadcrumbs the mixture will be too dry and crumble while cooking. If this happens to you, add in another egg.

Form the mixture into large golf ball sizes then slightly flatten them. You want about a 2cm thick patty. (Tip: If you want more texture and crunch, roll them in more breadcrumbs before cooking.).

Warm a skillet on MED-HIGH heat and pan fry the falafel in a drizzle of oil until golden brown on both sides (~3-4 minutes per side). You can also bake them at 180˚C (350˚F) for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy! Serve on its own, in a wrap, or tzatziki.

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Classic Falafel

Ingredients:

1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained
1 onion, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup dry bread crumbs (panko or regular)

Directions:

In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas until they’re all crushed and pastey. I like to use the back of a ladle. You can also microwave them first to soften it to make it easier to mash. Do not use a blender – the consistency will be too thin and you’ll end up with mushy falafels. (You can also put it in the food processor and pulse it a few times then mash it to quicken to process.)
In a food processor, add in the onion, parsley, and garlic. Pulse until chopped into small pieces. Add it to the mashed chickpeas.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the bread crumbs to the chickpea mixture: egg, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, baking powder, and olive oil. Mix until everything is combined.
Add the breadcrumbs into the mixture half cup at a time until you get a thick paste, thick enough to form patties. If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs. If you add too much breadcrumbs, the mixture will be too dry and crumble when you cook it. If this happen to you, add in another egg.
Form the mixture into large golf ball sizes then slightly flatten them. You want about a 2cm thick patty. (Tip: If you want more texture and crunch, roll them in more breadcrumbs before cooking.)
Warm a skillet on MED-HIGH heat and pan fry the falafel in a drizzle of oil until golden brown on both sides (~3-4 minutes per side). You can also bake them at 180˚C (350˚F) for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy! Serve on its own, in a wrap, or tzatziki.

Feel free to make these ahead of time and freeze them!

June 27, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment