1. Place the lamb in the slow cooker.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 3-6 hours.
3. Serve with vegetables of your choice.

1. Place the meat in the slow cooker.
2. Add the other ingredients. The water should be just enough to cover the meat.
3. Cover and cook on a low heat for 8 hours.
4. Serve with the vegetables of your choice.

1. Place all ingredients except the fish and seafood in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low.
2. Add seafood, turn heat up to high and cook for 30 minutes, stirring gently occasionally.
3. Thin with water if desired.
4. Serve with an extra green vegetable if desired or dunk some wholegrain sourdough bread into the sauce.

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, celery & pancetta & cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until onion softens.  Add the stock, tomato and zucchini and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until soup thickens slightly.  Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes or until tender.
2. Add the peas and borlotti beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, place all pesto ingredients in a food processor to combine.  Season with salt and pepper and serve the soup with a dollop of pesto.

NOTE: The hot stock will continue to cook the vegetables while eating.

1. Spray a non-stick pan or BBQ with oil and heat to medium-high heat.  Cook the steak in 1-2 large pieces until cooked medium rare (approx 3-4 mins per side) or until cooked to your liking.  Place on a plate, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 mins while making salad.
2. On 4 plates, scatter spinach leaves, kidney beans, corn kernals, tomato, avocado, cucumber, capsicum and coriander.
3. Slice beef across the grain and layer on top of salad.  Top with yoghurt and serve.

1. Combine  thyme, 2 tblsp balsamic, 1 tblsp oil in a glass dish, add steak and turn to coat.  Cover and refirgerate for 30 mins.
2. Toast bread until crunchy and brown.   Rub cut garlic on toast while still warm and cut in to bit size pieces.
3. Heat oil in non-stick frypan or BBQ until medium-high heat.  Cook steaks 2-4 mins or per side or until cooked to your liking.  Place on a plate, cover with foil and rest for 5 mins.
4. Add onion to pain with extra oil if required and cook for 8-10 mins until softened.
5. Meanwhile, divide rocket, tomatoes, parmesan between plates.  Scatter over bread croutons.
6. Place steaks and onions on plates, serve.

600g lean beef strips

1. Heat a frying pan with olive oil.  Brown the beef strips.
2. Combine onions, capsicum, tomatoes, snow pea sprouts, salad greens and noodles in a bowl.
3. Put all dressing ingredients in a screw top jar and shake to combine.
4. Add beef strips and dressing to salad mixture and toss to combine.  Scatter with mint leaves.

2 tblsp currants

1. Blend the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, chilli, garlic, ginger, coriander, oils and soy sauce until finely chopped.
2. Thread the prawns on to skewers (3 per small skewer) and place in a glass dish.  Cover the prawns with the spice mixture and turn to coat.  Marinate for 30 mins in the refrigerator.
3. To make the dressing:  whisk all ingredients and season to taste.
4. Heat a BBQ or char-grill on high.  Cook prawns for ~4 mins, turning occasionally until they change colour.
5. Can be served with a salad of baby Asian greens mixed with fresh mint if desired.

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Spray an oven tray with oil and lay eggplant in one layer over tray.  Spray again with oil.  Roast eggplant for 20 mins or until golden.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Place the eggplant, beef, parsley, mint, garlic, lemon rind, fetta and pepper in a bowl.  Stir until well combined.
3. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls.  Spray a non-stick pan with oil over medium heat.  Add the meatballs and cook for 3-4 mins or until browned.  Repeat with all meatballs.
4. Place on a baking tray and cook for 5-6 mins or until cooked through.
5. Serve with tzatiki and a salad if desired.

Joseph’s favourite recipes – Entertaining with a Healthy Kick!

Eat Smart’s Joseph enjoys cooking savoury meals and foods with a hot chili kick!  They are always a hit with friends at BBQ’s and for those who only like a mild heat you can use a sweet red chilli instead.
Expert Tip: “Light Mozzerella” has less fat than a regular Light Cheese, and only a small amount will add the texture required.

Try these next time you are hosting a BBQ or watching the Footy (perfect timing for Origin this week!)

Jalapeno Stuffed Beef Burgers                                     (Serves 4)

4 Whole Grain bread rolls

500g lean beef mince

1 egg

100 g Pickled Jalapeno Chilies (+ one Habanero for those looking for extra heat and flavour!)

¼ cup Light Philadelphia cream cheese

¼  cup Light mozzarella cheese

1 tsp Cummin

1 tsp Paprika

1 tabspoon worstershire sauce.

Salads to top the burger (Tomato, cucumber, lettuce, pineapple all go well.

1. To make burger filling: roughly chop jalapenos and combine with mozzarella philli cheese into a thick paste. (Add habanero to taste/heat tolerance)
2. To make Burgers:

• Combine beef mince, cumin, paprika, worstershire sauce and egg in a large mixing bowls. Mix well with hands until all ingredients are uniform, and divide into 4 allotments
• Take each allotment and further separate into approx. 2/3 “base” and 1/3 “lid
• Kneed the base of the burger out to approx. 5mm 10cm diameter, and spoon ¼ of the chili mixure onto it.
• Apply the mince lid and pinch corners to seal.
• Puncture lid with a fork to allow steam to escape whilst cooking.
• Repeat for remaining burgers

3.  Cook burgers on a medium heat for 3-5min on each side. Allow to rest covered in foil for 5min (the molten centre will retain a lot of heat).

4.  Construct burger with Multigrain bread rolls and lots of salad.

 
Author: Joseph Spelta

As the temperature drops, there is nothing better than coming home to a slow cooked meal all ready to warm you up. Try these Eastern European influenced recipes for a healthy change!

Borscht Soup Serves 6

1.2kg lean chuck steak, diced
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 fresh beetroots, peeled and cut into wedges
½ small cabbage, diced
3 tblsp low salt tomato paste
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
375mL salt reduced beef stock
2 tblsp white or malt vinegar
6 tblsp extra light sour cream
2 tblsp horseradish (optional)
Squeeze lemon juice
2 tblsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Place beef, vegetables, paste, tin tomatoes, stock and vinegar in slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
2. Remove the lid and cook on high for a further 1-2 hours or until the borscht reaches a thick casserole consistency. Season to taste.
3. Combine the sour cream, horseradish and lemon juice in a bowl and season to taste. Serve the soup garnished with horseradish mixture and parsley.

Chicken Goulash Serves 4

700g chicken thigh, skinless
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 green capsicums, seeded and sliced
1 tblsp sweet paprika
125g (1/2 cup) tomato passata
1 sprig marjoram
125mL white wine
250mL salt reduced chicken stock
125g extra light sour cream
1 tblsp cornflour
1 small handful flat leaf parsley

1. Trim chicken of fat and cut thighs into quarters. Combine chicken, onion, garlic, capsicum, paprika, passata and marjoram in the slow cooker. Pour in the wine and stock and cook on high for 4 – 5 hours (low for 8-9 hours) or until chicken is tender.
2. Combine the sour cream and cornflour in a small bowl. Add to the slow cooker and cook for a further 5-10 minutes uncovered until thickened. Season to taste.
3. Stir in the parsley and serve the goulash with extra vegetables and potato, rice or pasta for a higher carbohydrate meal.