Recipes | Finding Feasts

Spinach Saag with Handmade Paneer

Spinach Saag with Handmade Paneer, Who doesn’t love Indian, especially when it’s so easy to make a feast of food to satisfy anyone.

As my family chooses to have at least one meat free day a week (part time flexitarians if I choose to hop onto a bandwagon) coming up with tasty, satisfying meals is always fun and inspiring.

What I find though, when doing a cuisine like Indian or asian food, I need to have several dishes – at least two curries with samosas or dumplings and condiments. When I cook with meat I seem to be happy to plate up just one bowl. I don’t know why that is but no one’s complaining 🙂

This spinach saag is creamy, spinachy and full of delicious spices, including my absolute favourite herb, fenugreek aka methi. The aroma is just insane… it gets added to most of my Indian meals. Add the golden panfried, handmade paneer and you have meal that will sit pride of place at the dinner table.

Enjoy with family and friends… Blondie

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Scrumptious Prawn and Chicken Laksa

Scrumptious Prawn & Chicken Laksa, this dish is more than scrumptious, it’s actually mood altering.

Amazing flavours perfectly balanced in a soothing, creamy broth makes this soup a must for when you feel like something uplifting or comforting.

One tip I’m always banging on about is that if you are making a paste from scratch, double or triple the recipe and freeze it in portions. This basically means you have a meal from scratch ready to go when you want it next time. There is barely any extra time involved in making one or three portions but saves you a good amount of time when you have a craving but are completely unmotivated to do the prep work.

Another tip is to never leave your rice noodles to cook in boiling water. I have never been able to get a good result from this method. I prefer to place them in a bowl and pour the hot water over them to soak. They are less likely to go soggy and when they are at your preferred texture, drain them and rinse under cold water. They can sit like this for ages so do it early and they are ready to go when you are.

Slurping permitted! Blondie

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2 Cheese & Spinach Rolls

2 Cheese & Spinach Rolls, I love these sooo much that I make a big batch of them and freeze them for lunches. They work really well as a dinner also! Just leave them the full size rather than cutting them in half or thirds and serve with a crisp garden salad and a Balsamic Mustard Dressing.

Good eating… Blondie

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How to make home made crackers from Flax seed

These home made crackers made from whole flax seeds are super easy to make and best of all healthy.

I love to snack at work, particularly on crackers. I normally take a handful each day to munch on either as a morning snack or afternoon ‘take me through to dinner, little pick me up’. As I get older I have been trying to monitor my salt in take to keep the blood pressure level low as opposed to eventually having take blood pressure medication. My family has a history of hypertension. Don’t get me wrong if the Doc says I need to have the medication then so be it. But in the mean time lets see what I can do naturally to maintain healthy blood pressure levels without having to take nasty medication.

The majority of store bought crackers have heaps of salt and other unhealthy additions. A few crackers daily and you are looking at several grams of salt weekly so this weekend I decided to make my own crackers and was surprised how super easy it was.

I borrowed this recipe from Chef, Pete Evans.

Flax seeds are high in dietary fibre, rich in antioxidants, vitamin B. It can lower cholesterol and blood pressure, prevent arthritis and some cancers. Flax seed has one of the most potent sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Research shows that omega 3 fatty acids can kill human cancel cells on the same culture. Flax seed is also good for the heart!

Health benefits aside, these flax seed crackers were super easy to make. I omitted the sprinkle of salt, added 1 tsp of smoked paprika and ta da, yummy crispy, crunchy crackers that last in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks although judging by how quickly they are disappearing I doubt they will last more then a few days. I have teamed up my flax seed crackers with home made garlic hummus.

Enjoy – Bella 🙂

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We’re back! Hello 2018

Well, it has definitely been some time between posts for us at here at Finding Feasts so a huge hello to all! 🙂

2017 went at the blink of an eye. One minute I am making final preparations for the first day of year 6 and the next I find myself attending the year 6 graduation camp, purchasing a high school uniform, putting up the Christmas tree and saying farewell to Blondie and her family as they make a city change and move to our nation’s capital, Canberra! Pour me a wine already!

2017 left us with some amazing experiences and adventures in our own back yard:

South Rosedale Beach on the NSW South Coast

Early on in the year I made numerous visits to the South Coast of NSW where the sunsets are amazing.

Sun setting over South Rosedale beach – photo by Bella

Whilst Blondie holidayed with her family in equally stunning Huskisson, also on the NSW South Coast.

Continue reading “We’re back! Hello 2018” →

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best ever Mushroom sausage rolls

Finding Feasts Mushroom Sausage Rolls — Click on image for full recipe

Mushroom sausage rolls – and these are definitely the Best Ever Mushroom Sausage rolls you will taste. Growing up I was one of those kids that was discouraged from eating canteen food at primary school by my parents. We very rarely went out to restaurants and we most certainly didn’t buy take away food. Mum cooked every night. My parents were of the opinion that if food was ‘fast’ that it had little nutritional value for me plus why spend money on food when you can cook twice as much yourself.

They could not understand why a kid would sacrifice fresh, home made sandwiches on rye bread for soggy school sausage rolls and meat pies. Dad always reminded me of how bad they were for us and that they contained all the ‘off cuts’ from the worst bits of meat. I kept on arguing and arguing with dad only to learn with time, how right he was!

These sausage rolls are the complete opposite. There are no dodgy off cuts, just good quality meat, veggies and herbs and my hand picked wild mushrooms!

What is your go-to fast food?

Bella

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how to make Labneh in olive oil

Labneh in olive oil – I am a self-confessed cheese-a-holic. I am yet to come across a cheese that I haven’t liked! Very happy to be offered a cheese tasting challenge to be proven wrong.

Several weeks ago I tried my hand at making farm cheese so I thought I’d have a go at making Labneh, a yummy Mediterranean cheese from natural yogurt which is hung in a muslin wrap for several days. This recipe requires no cooking and I am very proud to say that I succeeded!

Labneh cheese is perfect as part of a Middle Eastern mezze platter with dips, marinated vegetables and warm pita bread.

I tasted my first Labneh at the Sydney Good Food & Wine Show in 2006. It was marinated in oil with some herbs and spices. I loved how the cheese just melted in your mouth, little soft white clouds bursting with flavour.

Now I can make my own! One simple rule, use good quality natural yogurt and olive oil.

Happy Labneh making 🙂

Bella

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