More recipes from the folder...

All of these turned out to be definite keepers!  We had some friends over for dinner on Saturday evening so I tried these four recipes:


Broccoli and Chickpea salad - inspired by Taste.com.au....

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 600g broccoli, trimmed, cut into florets
• 2 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 6 spring onions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
• 1 long fresh red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 75g baby spinach leaves
• 2 tbs toasted pine nuts

Method

1. Cook the broccoli in a large saucepan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until bright green and tender crisp. Refresh under cold running water. Drain.
2. Place the chickpeas in a bowl. Whisk together the vinegar and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add to chickpeas and stir to combine.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the spring onion, chilli and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until heated through and the broccoli is coated in the mixture.
4. Add the broccoli mixture and spinach to the chickpea mixture. Season with pepper. Toss to combine.
5. Place into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the pine nuts to serve.

Peruvian Quinoa Salad  - recipe from Honest to Goodness

Ingredients  1 cup organic quinoa2 1/4 cups water3/4 cup organic pepitas (roasted) 2 green onion/shallots, finely sliced½-1 red capsicum, diced 1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned10 med size, sun-dried tomatoes, finely sliced3 tbsp red wine vinegar3 tbsp olive oilPinch organic cayenne pepperSalt and cracked pepper to taste Method   Dry roast the organic quinoa grain in a saucepan, stirring constantly over medium heat for about 5 minutes until it just becomes aromatic.  Be careful not to let it burn. Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.  The water will be absorbed, but if cooked before the water is absorbed, then drain in a colander. Allow to cool (place in fridge if necessary). Dry roast the organic pepitas in a sauté pan over medium heat until fragrant. This takes about 3 minutes. Remove from heat when the pepitas start to pop.  Toss all the ingredients together & enjoy Serves 6-8 as an accompaniment

Moroccan-style marinade - from Taste

I used this to marinate some chicken tenderloins which we then cooked on the barbie...

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

1. Combine all ingredients, and pepper. Mix well. Cover. Refrigerate until required.

Mum gave me some beautiful plums off her tree so I made this for dessert:

Upside-down plum cake - also from Taste

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 175g butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 800g firm blood plums, halved, stones removed
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 6cm-deep, 22cm (base) round cake pan. Line base with baking paper.
2. Melt 50g butter. Drizzle evenly over base of pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Place plums, skin side down, in pan to cover base.
3. Using electric beaters, beat remaining 125g butter, caster sugar and vanilla on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in almond meal and flour. Spoon mixture over plums. Smooth surface.
5. Bake cake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a serving plate. Serve with ice-cream.

Sorry there is no photo of this one....and now it's all gone!

I am hosting book club this Friday so I am thinking this may make a reappearance then.