Gluten free pasta, brown lentils and PEA PESTO!

I found this gluten free pasta today when i was at our local Whole Foods store (not the US chain - but a store that sells "whole foods") and I couldn't resist.

So beautiful pasta, some brown lentils and home made pea pesto! With fresh parmesen and it was DELICIOUS!

Pea Pesto

Cook up two cups frozen or fresh peas

Into a food processor

• half the peas


• half cup grated GOOD parmesan


• 1/4 cup olive oil


• 1/4 cup pinenuts


• a good handful of basil


• 2 cloves garlic

Cook pasta, drain and return to pan. Stir through 2 cups brown lentils (cooked)

Stir through pesto.

Serve. Garnish with remaining peas and more parmesan if desired.

YUM! and gluten free!

And the girl loved it because the sauce was green. go figure.

Maple Syrup Spelt Muffins

You can tell by the smile that she likes them!

1 cup sultanas

2.5 cups wholemeal spelt flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs beaten

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff - not that flavoured junk)

1 1/2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 190C

Combine dry ingredients

Add all other ingredients

Mix gently

This makes quite a wet mix

Pour into muffin tins (I use the silicone ones - they don't stick!)

Bake for 25min

I'm so excited! I made crispbreads!

I loves me some crispbreads for lunch. With cheese. Some fresh fresh tomato ... lettuce... pretty much anything.

They sit better in my stomach than bread. And taste so much better.

But the ones you buy ... OUCH - have you checked out the salt?? And white flour. MORE white flour. The world is full of the stuff.

So I tried to make my own.

With spelt flour. And anything "nutty" or "seedy" in my cupboard.

And they are GREAT! Tomorrow I am going to try to make them gluten free

But in the meantime ...

175g spelt flour (I used unbleached of course)

150g oats

75g oat bran or wheat bran

a good dose of sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, linseeds (I think mine had pinenuts in it too)

1 tsp salt (I used no salt)

1 tsp baking powder

350ml water

It makes a batter - like pancakes

Line some flat trays with baking paper. Press mix in thinly.

Bake at 190C (fan forced) for 10min.

Cut with pizza cutter into size you want.

Bake for 30min.

Break up crispbreads and EAT!

How easy is that???!!!

Oh - and if you want to keep them in an airtight container for a bit put them back in the oven. 75C for a couple of hours to dry out. YUMM!

Bread.

I love bread.

But I LOATHE what people pass off as bread nowdays.

White. Bleached. No fibre. Bland. UGH. And the SALT!

This is one of our breads.

It is a wheat bread - but only uses whole wheat flour.

Mixed together in about 5 min last night.

Baked this morning. Fresh for Miss E's lunch

Whole grains. No sugar. (It does have a little honey), low in salt. Always with extra seeds (like pepitas, or linseeds)

And it tastes GOOD. It is SO filling. Full of fibre.

This is what real bread is like!

(and yes - it is from Artisan bread in 5 min a day again!)

My pet peeve

Miss E and I spent a few days away.

Which leads to my PET PEEVE!!!


I



HATE


Kids menus.


I hate them with a passion.

What is it with them?

Nuggets and chips??? (nuggets isn't even a real food!)

Chips

Chicken and chips (normally glorified nuggets)

Fish and chips (um - yeah - crumbed and deep fried. Or fish fingers. UGH)

Pizza and chips (ok - even I like a good pizza. But these normally aren't good. And WHY THE CHIPS???)

Once in a while I will score and get a spaghetti dish.

And I am still waiting for the day I see wedges and chips on the menu.

Because EVERYTHING COMES WITH CHIPS!

I ask for veges. I get a funny look.

And then I pay extra.


And then I get all the "wow! does she eat that? " comments.

Um yeah. serve a kid real food and only real food and they WILL eat! And love it!

Kids menus. UGH.

(don't get me started on the "free" glass of sugar (I mean softdrink). I swap it for milk.

Madras Beef Curry

Curry Paste

Mix together 2 tablesppons of ground coriander,1 tablespoon of ground cumin,1 teaspoon of tumeric.

Add black pepper (freshly ground) and chilli to taste. (I used about 1 teaspoon).

Add 2 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons grated ginger and the juice of half a lemon.

Stir and set aside

To make curry

Brown onion and diced beef in a frypan with olive oil. Put aside in a bowl.

Put curry paste in same frypan and cook off for about a minute.

Add 2 tablespoons good quality tomato paste.

Return beef to pan and stir to coat with paste.

Add 1 cup beef stock. And a good handful of fresh chopped tomatoes.

Cook covered on low for an hour or so.

Cook uncovered for a further half hour. Again just at a simmer.

Serve on brown rice with a good dollop of fresh yogurt.

ENJOY!

Excited even before I start cooking ...