Beef and Broccoli Stirfry

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

It’s nice to every now and then to dial back the fancy, and make something super simple and super yummy to keep your family fed.  This one is a long time favourite of mine, where the focus is on good quality ingredients, loaded with classical flavours.

This is a bulk recipe, but keeps and reheats fantastically well, so perfect for hungry mouths for work lunches, or a snack to keep the kids happy after school.


Beef and Broccoli Stirfry

1.2kg Rump or Topside steak, thinly sliced
2 large onions, peeled, cut into wedges
2tbsp cornflour
1/4c vegetable oil
1kg broccoli, chopped into florets
2 red capsicums, thinly sliced
500g water chestnut slices
3 cloves garlic
4tsp crushed ginger
300g snow peas, topped and tailed and chopped in half lengthways
1/4c kecap manis
1/4c honey soy marinade
1/4c sweet chilli sauce
6 spring onions, chopped into 4cm battons
500g Udon noodles

  1. Combine your cornflour with a light seasoning of salt and pepper.  Place in a ziplock bag with beef strips and shake to coat thoroughly.
  2. Prepare and cook udon noodles as per packet directions, whilst cooking, prepare stirfry as follows;
  3. Heat 1tsp oil in hot wok and swirl to coat, cook beef in 4-5 batches, for 2-3 minutes until just browned, before transferring to a heat proof bowl. Add another teaspoon of oil and reheat between each batch.
  4. Heat remaining oil, add onion, garlic, ginger and broccoli to the wok, stirfry for 2 minutes.  Then add capsicum, snow peas and water chestnuts.
  5. Return beef to pan with spring onions, sauces and any resting juices from beef bowl.  Toss to coat, and warm through.
  6. Add cooked and drained udon noodles.  Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh thinly sliced chilli.

Happy Cooking! ~LC

Nutella Bomb Cupcakes

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

The name says it all. Rich, chocolaty cupcake, topped with fluffy Nutella buttercream. Whats not to like?? Another spin on a Taste favourite!

Prep time – 15 minutes Cooking Time – 25 minutes
Plus cooling and decorating time!

Nutella Bomb Cupcakes

2/3c Brown Sugar, firmly packed
100g butter, room temperature, chopped
75g dark chocolate, chopped
1/2c water
2 eggs
1c Self Raising Flour
1/3c Plain Flour
2tbsp Cocoa Powder
1/2c Nutella
12 Ferrero Rocher chocolates

Nutella Buttercream (this will make a little more than needed)
125g butter at room temperature
1/2c Nutella
pinch salt
2c Icing Sugar
1tbsp Thickened Cream

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Line 12 hole 1/3c muffin pans with large paper liners.
  2. Place the sugar, butter, chopped chocolate and water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted, combined and smooth. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Add eggs to the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift in flours and cocoa and gently fold together.
  4. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, then drop a small teaspoon of Nutella into the centre of each cupcake.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until just firm on top or a skewer into the edge comes out clean (centre is Nutella filled!)
  6. Frost with Nutella buttercream (below) and top with a Ferrero or as desired.

Nutella Buttercream

  1. Beat the butter until smooth before adding Nutella and salt and combining.
  2. Add icing sugar in batches until thoroughly combined before adding thickened cream and beat until fluffy.

Happy Baking!! ~LC

Five Spice Caramel Pork Ramen

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

When it comes to super yummy weeknight dinners, this Caramel Pork Ramen is a standout. Packed with delicious flavour, and easy to make, even the inexperienced campaigner can create fully bellies, clean plates and happy faces (yes, we even tested our theory on this one!)

The original recipe was inspired by a recipe from Hello Fresh, with a few changes for an extra kick of flavour!

If you’re looking for high quality, Australian made organic Japanese noodles for any recipes, not just this one, we highly recommend Hakubaku Noodles

Five Spice Caramel Pork Ramen

Olive Oil
600g Pork loin fillet cut into 1.5cm cubes
2 red onions, finely sliced
2 large carrots unpeeled, cut into 5cm matchsticks
4 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp ginger (fresh grated, or from tube)
250g sugar snap or snow peas, ends trimmed and cut into thirds
4 spring onion, finely sliced
1 long red chilli (optional), seeds removed and finely sliced
2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
4 tbsp brown sugar
1/2c warm water
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce (for caramel)
270g pack Ramen Noodles
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/4c soy sauce, extra (for noodles)
black sesame seeds (optional)

  1. Bring large saucepan of water to the boil
  2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat, add pork cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes until just brown.  Remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. Heat a little more olive oil in the same pan, add red onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until starting to soften, then add five spice powder and stir, cooking for another minute.  Reduce heat to low
  4. Add the brown sugar, water, fish sauce and soy sauce for caramel to the pan with the onion.  Season with a pinch of pepper and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Simmer for 10 minutes over low heat until the caramel has reduced and started to thicken slightly.  Add the pork cubes back to the caramel and cook for a further 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside in pan.
  5. While caramel is reducing, place the ramen noodles into boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes ONLY, before draining and rinsing with cold water in colander.
  6. Heat drizzle of olive oil in wok, add the carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes until just softened.  Add garlic, ginger, sugar snap peas and chilli (if using) cooking for 3 minutes.
  7. Add noodles, sesame oil and extra soy sauce to the pan and toss together.  Add spring onion, pork and caramel to wok with noodles and veg. Combine well and stir until noodles are warm (should only take a minute or so)
  8. Serve with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds if desired.

Tim Tam Baileys and Iced Vovo Truffles

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

These little guys were inspired from a recipe in the Christmas Taste magazine – one of my most recommended coffee table additions for any self respecting foodie!  

They make a welcome addition to any Christmas spread, be it at home, or to share at work. If you’re making these for work, be careful not to get too heavy handed with the alcohol!

My personal favourite  are the White Tim Tam variety, but they’re all wickedly good.

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Tim Tam Baileys and Iced Vovo Truffles

290g white chocolate melts**, melted

290g milk chocolate melts**, melted

290g dark chocolate melts**, melted

Pink food gel

**Being a bit of a baking snob, I prefer to use Nestle Baking melts for this, as they give a much smoother, shiny finish to your truffles, but any quality baking chocolate is fine**

Tim Tam Truffles (3 individual flavours)

1 packet Tim Tam White Biscuits (chilled)

1 packet Tim Tam Gelato Messina Iced Coffee Biscuits (chilled)

1 packet Tim Tam Original Biscuits (chilled)

1/2c Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/4c Baileys Original Liqueur (allow a little more if you’re heavy handed like me)

Iced Vovo Truffles

1 packet Arnott’s Iced Vovo Biscuits

1 tbsp Raspberry Jam

2 tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 tbsp White Coconut Rum (eg. Malibu) – again allow extra!

Tim Tam Truffles

  1. To make the Tim Tam truffles, process a single packet of Tim Tams in food processor until finely crushed
  2. Add 2 tablespoons condensed milk, and 1 tablespoon Baileys and process until mixture comes together.
  3. Line baking tray with baking paper and roll 1.5 teaspoon portions of mixture into balls and place on the lined tray.  Refrigerate until set.
  4. Repeat the above steps with the remaining Tim Tam flavours.

Iced Vovo Truffles

  1. To make Iced Vovo Truffles, process the Iced Vovo biscuits in a clean food processor until finely crushed.
  2. Add jam, condensed milk and rum and process until the mixture comes together.
  3. Line baking tray with baking paper and roll 1.5 teaspoon portions of mixture into balls and place on the lined tray.  Refrigerate until set.

Coating Truffles

  1. Line two baking trays with baking paper
  2. Divide white chocolate into two portions, colouring one with pink food gel.
  3. Place milk and dark chocolates into separate bowls
  4. Dip Tim Tam truffles alternately into plain white, milk or dark chocolate, shaking off the excess before placing onto lined trays.
  5. Dip Iced Vovo truffles into pink tinted white chocolate, shaking off excess before placing onto lined trays.
  6. Using the remaining melted chocolates, place into piping bags and drizzle over the coated truffles (using contrasting chocolate to the colour of the truffle)
  7. Set aside to set.  Truffles can be stored up to 3 weeks in an air tight container, however they usually wont last that long!

Quick Waffles

/ Amy / Leave a comment

Just about every time I visit my Mum we have either pancakes with blue berries or waffles with blue berries and ice cream. With Mother’s Day just around the corner why not treat your Mum to some home made waffles?

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie and anyone with a waffle maker can master this one.

Let me know what you think in the comments below, especially if you try this to treat your Mum!

Prep time – 5mins, Cooking time – 3mins, Makes 4

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Quick Waffles

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 cup self raising flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

  1. Preheat your waffle maker
  2. In a bowl beat the eggs until frothy, then add the milk, oil and all dry ingredients until smooth.
  3. Spray your waffle maker with a light oil and then add 1/2 cup of the batter to the hot waffle maker and close the lid.
  4. Remove from waffle maker when golden brown or after about 3mins.
  5. Serve with your favourite berries, ice cream and maybe syrup.
  6. Enjoy! 😃

~A

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Chia Pudding & Cherry Berry Bliss Smoothie Bowl

/ Amy / 2 Comments

I love fresh fruit for breakfast, but sometimes depending on the time of year you just can’t get the good stuff like Cherries, Raspberries, Mangoes etc. So where the season fails me, the freezer section at the grocery store does not! I love buying frozen fruit, especially living in North Queensland where it’s always a thousand degrees hot, using frozen fruit is the best way to start the day on a cool note.

One of my favourite ways to prepare said fruit for breakfast is as a smoothie. They are quick to make and eat (which is great when you have to be at work early in the morning) and best of all they are filling. When I have more time I like to make a bit more of an effort and create smoothie bowls. This is one of my latest creations. Let me know what you think in the comments below 🙂

Prep time – 5 mins + over night for the Chia pudding, Serves 1.

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Chia Pudding & Cherry Berry Bliss Smoothie Bowl

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup milk (almond milk, coconut milk, cow’s milk, the choice is yours)

1 tsp cinnamon sugar

1 handful frozen raspberries

1 handful frozen cherries

1 handful frozen diced mango

1 cold banana

  1. To make the chia pudding you will need to start the day before as the chia seeds take time to soak up the milk. In a glass place your chia seeds, milk and cinnamon sugar, mix well and leave in the fridge over night. The next morning you should have a thick pudding of chia seeds. Add more milk and stir if too thick.
  2. In a food processor or blender ( I used my old magic bullet) place banana, raspberries, cherries and mango and top with cold water. If you wish you may also at this point add some protein powder or other supplements. Blend until smooth.
  3. In a shallow bowl pour your smoothie and top with chia pudding. I also like to place a few additional fruits on top for some more interest and the fact that its delicious!
  4. Enjoy!

~A

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Heritage Tomato & Pesto Spaghetti

/ Amy / Leave a comment

There is nothing quite like a yummy bowl of pasta to satisfy a hunger!

Today we are keeping it light, this time with fresh heritage tomatoes and zesty lemon basil pesto this pasta is great eaten warm or cold the next day as a pasta salad.

This colourful dish is great for a midweek dinner or a quick meal after a busy weekend.

Prep time – 5 mins, Cooking time – 20 mins, Serves 6

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Heritage Tomato & Pesto Spaghetti

500g spaghetti

1tsp olive oil

100g of prosciutto – sliced

350g cherry tomatoes, halved – I used heritage tomatoes for the colour

50g semi sundried tomatoes – chopped

60g baby spinach leaves

150g basil pesto – I used my Lemon Basil Pesto

Shaved parmesan and cracked pepper to serve

  1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan following the packet instructions. Cook until al dente. Drain, but reserve about 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
  2. Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and lay the slices of prosciutto evenly over it. Bake untill just crisp and set aside.
  3. In a frying pan add the oil, when hot add the tomatoes, string often. Cook until the tomato starts to soften, should take about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until it just starts to wilt. Add the spaghetti to the pan along with the reserved liquid and pesto, tossing to combine.
  4. Break the prosciutto into shards, and add to the pasta tossing again to combine.
  5. Plate up and top with freshly shaved parmesan and pepper.
  6. Enjoy!

~A

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ANZAC Biscuits with a Twist

/ Amy / Leave a comment

Here in Australia it is the ANZAC day long weekend, and for us Aussies that means 3 things. First and foremost it’s an opportunity to honour our fallen soldiers and those still serving to protect our country. Secondly it’s a public holiday which is never a bad thing, and lastly it’s the perfect time of year to make ANZAC biscuits.

To me these biccies have to be soft and chewy, golden brown and super sweet, and that’s just how this recipe turns out.

To add a little bit of a twist, and to appease the chocolate fanatics out there half of this recipe was turned into chocolate chip ANZAC biccies 🙂

If you enjoy this post, please be sure to like it and subscribe to our mailing list, and feel free to share this recipe with your friends 🙂

Prep time – 10 mins, Cooking time- 10 mins, Makes 20

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This weekend I have been fortunate enough to spend with my Husband and his Parents who live in a little village called Paluma which sits on the top of a mountain range. During the Second World War, Paluma was established as a major radar station, being used first by the American Army and then by the Royal Australian Air Force. Throughout the war years Paluma was used as a rehabilitation hospital site, and was also used for “jungle training” as conditions were similar to those in the South Pacific.  Timber was also cut in Paluma to aid the war effort (https://palumaeec.eq.edu.au/Aboutus/Pages/History-of-Paluma.aspx).

Paluma RAAF Base 1943-1946
Paluma RAAF Base 1943-1946

Paluma RAAF Base, in service from approx 1943-1946

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Historical Ivy Cottage – still in use today as a tea house at the top of the Paluma Range

Left: Cottage used by Medics, still in use today    

Right: Log cabin built  by the American Army around 1943 to escape the weather

Today, looking at the village only a few remnants of the war remain. Only a few igloo style radar stations, some concrete slabs, and a few of the homes still used to this day which were built back then for use as barracks. If you didn’t know any better, the peace and quiet of this beautiful place now, would trick you into thinking it was always like this.

This time each year should be a reminder to us all that we should be kind to each other and aim to keep our beautiful country as peaceful as possible. Lest we forget.

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ANZAC Biscuits

125g butter

1 cup plain flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup desiccated coconut

¾ cup raw sugar

1 tbs golden syrup

1 tps baking powder

2 tbs hot water

Optional -1/2 cup finely smashed chocolate chips

  1. Heat oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
  2. In a small microwave safe bowl melt the butter and golden syrup.
  3. In a cup, mix the baking powder with hot water, be sure to stir well to remove any lumps, and add to the butter mixture.
  4. In a large mixing bowl mix together the flour, coconut, baking powder sugar and oats. Once mixed, create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the butter mixture. Combine well until mixture will clump together and not crumble.
  5. Roll mixture into small walnut sized balls and flatten slightly. If using real butter these should spread out when baked, if you are using a butter substitute like margarine, you will need to flatten them more as they will not melt in the oven.
  6. Bake biscuits until they are golden but still soft in the centre, about 10mins. Remove from the oven and let stand until cool.

Enjoy!

~A

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Salted Caramel Banoffee Tart

/ Lauren / Leave a comment

An age old classic, gooey caramel, sweet fresh banana, whipped cream and the crunch of a biscuit shell.  Banoffee is hard to beat normally, add a sneaky sprinkle of salt flakes and it goes from yummy, to amazing!

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Salted Caramel Banoffee Tart

250g Digestive Biscuits

125g Butter, melted

380g can Nestlé Top’n’fill Caramel

1/4tsp Sea Salt Flakes

3 large ripe Bananas

600ml Thickened Cream

3tbsp Icing Sugar

1 Flake chocolate, crumbled

1. Place biscuits into food processor, and blend until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and process until well combined. Press into 23cm loose base tart tin. Chill for 1 hour.

2. Remove tart shell from tin, and place onto serving plate. Spread caramel into shell. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Layer sliced banana over top of caramel.

3. Place cream in bowl with icing sugar and whip until thick and soft peaks form.

4. Top banana with whipped cream, and spread, sprinkle with crumbled Flake.

5. Serve chilled and enjoy.

If you’re not a fan of salted caramel, leave out the salt, it’s still yummy regardless

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Happy eating,

~LC

Pomelo Cupcakes

/ Amy / Leave a comment

The nice thing about citrus fruits is that even when they have gone a bit soft and you wouldn’t eat them fresh out of their skin, they are still perfect for baking!

A few weekends ago one of my best friends gave me a few delicious home grown pomelos. I’d never had them before so I was pretty keen to give them a try and to find something yummy to add them into. So tonight after I had finished dinner and wanted something sweet I decided to try putting these citrusy delights to the cupcake test, and oh boy oh boy am I happy with how these turned out!

Pomelos are kinda like a grapefruit in flavour, not too sweet but also not too sour. If you wanted to you could substitute the pomelo in this recipe for your favourite fruit. The basic mixture is very versatile and would even taste great with chocolate chips thrown in. So don’t feel like you have to use pomelos, but if you have them I would recommend giving this one a try 🙂

Prep time – 10 mins, Cooking time – 20/25 mins, Makes 9

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Pomelo Cupcakes

2 cups plain flour

3tsp baking powder

1/4tsp salt

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

3tbs vegetable oil

2tsp vanilla essence

Juice of 1 pomelo

Plus 1 additional pomelo sliced for decoration

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and prepare a muffin tray, set aside. In a large mixing bowl sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  2. Making a well in the centre of the flour mix, crack in the egg and add the milk, vanilla, oil and pomelo juice.
  3. Mix well until all ingredients are combined and there are no lumps.
  4. Into your prepared muffin tray spoon about 3 table spoons of batter and top with a slice of pomelo.
  5. Bake for 20-25mins or until a skewer comes out clean. If you find your fruit browning place a sheet of aluminium foil over the top while baking.
  6. When cooked through, remove cakes from the tray and set aside to cool.  If you like them warm, I suggest serving with a sprinkle of icing sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream 🙂
  7. Enjoy!

~A

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