JulieBhosaleAchive

This is a little taster for you of one of the most popular recipes from my first cook book, Healthy Easy Dinners for Busy Mums. This meat loaf is an old school recipe with a bit of jazz. The spices and herbs can be easily adjusted to your liking and according to what you have in the cupboard. This can be made in the morning and re-heated for dinner and any leftovers make a great lunch option. Ingredients: 500 grams mince (beef or lamb would work best) 1 Egg 2 carrots grated 5 button mushrooms chopped finely 1 small red onion finely chopped 1 tbsp each of crushed garlic and ginger 1 tsp crushed chilli (optional) 4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander ¼ Cup fresh parsley (can also add dried) Salt and pepper to taste Topping 3 tbsp of rolled oats (optional) 3 tbsp of tomato sauce (I recommend Get Real Food sauces) 2 tbsp of chopped parsley and coriander Ground pepper to your liking Method: 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and press into a loaf tin. Make the topping and s...

From raw vegetables to warm, healthy soup in less than 8 minutes? It is possible with the amazing NutriBullet ! It's fair to say I am a little more than obsessed with this with this must-have kitchen appliance...you will see why when you watch the vlog on Facebook tonight! I love pumpkin soup - it is really cost effective, an important source of potassium and the color is always amazing! The following is a version of my Pumpkin Soup with a Twist recipe but NutriBullet style! Ingredients: 1/4 of pumpkin, chopped roughly 1-2 potatoes 1 cup of chicken stock 2-3 slices of onion 1 small glove of garlic 1 carrot (optional) 1 tsp of paprika Directions: Place all ingredients into the Souper Blast pitcher. Place on the NutriBullet and hold down the main button until it turns red (this is what turns on the soup heating function). After exactly 7 minutes it will stop automatically. Done! It really is that easy! And it's the perfect temperature to enjoy straight away! P.S We hav...

This is one of my favourite ways to combine two of natures super foods - egg and avocado!  Besides anything with 'smash' in it just sounds cool, especially to a toddler! Personally, I find putting this on top of   Nairns Oatcakes to be a sure way to get the approval of my littlest food critics! Nairns Oatcakes are one of the few high quality packaged products available in the supermarket that I recommend to busy parents - you can read my full review here . Also, if my logo didn't giveaway just how much I love avocado you can check out my blog on this over here . Ingredients:   4 eggs, boiled 1 medium avocado 1/2 tbs of dijon mustard 1/2 tsp of paprika 1/4 cup of finely chopped green onion A dash of red wine vinegar (optional) Directions: 1. To boil eggs: place into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and then turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 12-15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a bowl place the avocado, mustard, paprika, chopped onion, vinegar and mash to...

Liver is one of the most nutrient dense foods available. Packed full of iron, B-vitamins and folate plus a great source of protein. However, it can be tricky including this in a meal the whole family will enjoy! This recipe is a great way to sneak in liver in a tasty yet simple way - with hidden vegetables as well! Just allow time to prepare the liver (either over night or a few hours prior).   Ingredients 100-200g Beef liver 1/2 Lemon Olive oil 500g Beef mince 1 Onion 1 Tb crushed garlic 2-3 Tb paprika 1 Carrot, grated 3-4 Button mushrooms, chopped Dash of Worcestershire sauce 3 Tb pasta sauce 4-5 Sheets of flaky puff pastry Milk (for pastry wash) Directions: 1. Prepare the liver by neutralising with lemon (over 6 hours) and process to resemble the same texture as the mince (see my previous blog for more details if needed.) 2. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a tray with baking paper. Prepare the vegetables in bowls (to be able to add to the pan quickly). If the pastry is...

Kids love individual portions...ok to be fair....big people do as well! These mini bacon and egg pies will be a huge hit with all family members. The filo pastry makes them nice and light, bacon and eggs are always a winning combination and I even managed to sneak a tiny bit of vegetables in there too! These will make a great meal option for both lunch and dinner - and work especially well for lunch boxes as they taste just as good cold! I am sure you will win some brownie points when you pull these out of the oven! Ingredients 1 Packet of Filo Pastry 1/4 Cup butter, melted 3 Rashers of bacon 1/3 Cup of corn kernels 8 Eggs 1/4 Cup of milk 1/2 Cup grated cheese (for top) 6 Cherry tomatoes Note:  In regards to use pastry (as you can tell) I use pre-made pastry, you can read more on this in my blog ' Homemade Vs Pre-Made Pastry '. Directions: 1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tray. 2.  In a medium sized fry pan, cook the bacon until crispy. Remov...

Eggplant is very versatile, packed full of nutrients and a great soft food for babies to try! This is my easy roasted eggplant dish...with an Indian twist - inspired by the traditional Indian dish Bharit . Our Sumshie (10-months) tried this for the first time today and loved it! Ingredients: 2 Eggplants 1 onion, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 tsp of cumin Extra virgin olive oil   Directions: 1. Roast the eggplants (skin on) - you can do this on the BBQ, stove top or in the oven. You want to roast them until soft and the skin just cracks (they will look a bit deflated and that's a sign they are ready). 2. While the eggplants are roasting, chop the onion and garlic. Grind the garlic well  in a mortar and pestle (you can skip this step it just helps to bring out the flavour). 3. When the eggplant is ready, peel all the skin off. You want to make sure all skin is removed or the dish will have a bitter taste. Just watch your fingers the eggplant will be hot! 4. Heat a fry pan on ...

  These fritters are nothing fancy but are very versatile, you could have them any time of day and are super easy to pop into a lunch box. Plus they are a good way to sneak in some good greens and include mint which is especially beneficial for keeping your immune system strong and aiding digestion. I actually created these fritters very pregnant with Smushie and I cooked up extra to pop in the freezer for his impeding arrival!   Ingredients: 2 cups of frozen peas (I used mint flavoured frozen peas) 2 Eggs 1/2 C Milk 1 C of whole-meal flour 3 tsp of baking powder 100g (approx) of feta cheese, cut into small cubes 2-3 large spinach leaves chopped finely 1/4 c (approx) of fresh mint leaves, chopped Handful of grated Edam cheese (optional, or a good substitute if you do not have feta in the house!) Directions: 1. Defrost peas in a bowl of water in the microwave, drain and set aside. 2. In a large bowl add eggs, milk, flour and baking powder, whisk together (a hand whisk is perfec...

Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamins A and C and folic acid. They contain a wide array of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, including alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene, choline, folic acid, beta-carotene and lutein. Alpha-lipoic acid helps the body to convert glucose into energy. Lycopene is the antioxidant that gives tomatoes their rich red color and is our major source of this micro-nutrient. Choline is an important nutrient found in tomatoes that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory. Choline also assists in the absorption of fat (a fat-soluble vitamin). I have a recipe for you, adapted from one of Jamie Oliver’s, which I hope provides you with a different (and tasty way) to include tomatoes into your diet. This is a slightly ‘more complicated’ recipes, especially if you have not worked with filo-pastry before but after you have made it a couple of times it’s a great little meal to make up on the weekend and have last the week for lunches and/or fast dinners. Ingre...

This wonderful pure & simple recipe has come from the Marist Kitchen Cook Book ! A very easy dish which includes vegetables and protein in a child-friendly way and something different from sandwiches for lunch or a very fast dinner option for those hectic nights!!   Ingredients: 375g zucchini (about 4 large) 1 onion, diced 4 rashers of bacon, chopped 1 and 1/2 cups of tasty cheese, grated 1/2 cup of olive oil 5 eggs 1 cup of self-raising flour Salt and pepper to season   Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 170° C and grease a lamington dish (either a square or circular baking dish will work fine) 2. Grate the zucchini and place into a large bowl. 3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, seasoning with salt and pepper to your desire. 4. Pour into your greased tin. Personally, here I would also top with some extra grated cheese but this is optional :) 5. Bake for 30-40 minutes and allow to cool just slightly before slicing :) The Marist Kitchen is  an amazing fundraising co...

You have probably noticed by now I tend to add a little flavour twist to a lot of my dishes and this soup is no exception. I have my husband to thank for that, born and raised in India he has introduced me to a whole new world of spice and flavour. He has always encouraged me to be liberal with my spices and that too much flavour is better than none at all. I have learnt you cannot really go too wrong except adding a little too much chilli!! This recipe has been so popular I included it in my book Slow Cooked available both as an ebook and spiral-bound copy . This soup uses the ever so humble pumpkin, a very cost effective vegetable high in essential vitamins, minerals (especially Vitamin A and Potassium) and contains valuable anti-inflammatory properties. It leaves a glorious smell in the house and is a perfect meal for the whole family. You will need a food processor/stick blender and a slow-cooker (or you can cook on low heat in a large pot). Ingredients: Olive oil or gee (to fry) ...