old chris new tricks

I quite often throw this together in the Thermomix for a quick lunch, especially if I have tired-looking mushies in the fridge and I want to use up some potatoes, even leftover cooked ones.

To make it family friendly, omit the chilli and to make it really creamy, chuck in the whole 300g pack of silken tofu. Mmmm…creammmy mmmushroom soup!

1 onion, peeled and halved
2-3 cloves garlic
Knob of fresh ginger, peeled
Sprig of rosemary, leaves only
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
20g EVOO or oil of choice
1 frozen vegetable stock cube (see recipe for PP Veggie Stock in Back to Basics)
500g mushrooms
175g potatoes
600g water
200g silken tofu (or more to taste)

Place onion, garlic, ginger, rosemary leaves and chilli if using into TM bowl. Chop 5 sec/speed 5. Add oil and sauté 3 min/120°C/speed 1. Add stock cube, mushrooms and potato. Chop 5 sec/speed 5, scrape down sides and repeat if necessary. Add water and cook 15 min/100°C/speed 1. Blend 30 sec/speed 5-9 increasing speed gradually. Add tofu and blend a further 30 sec/speed 5-9 increasing speed gradually.

• 1 orange including peel, washed, no pips
• 2 carrots (approx. 150-180g) washed or peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/8 lemon including peel, no pips
• Small knob fresh ginger
• Small knob fresh turmeric
• 1 tablespoon CLAPS (DIY LSA + see recipe in Back to Basics)
• 2 teaspoons honey or pure maple syrup (optional)
• 400-450g coconut water

Place all ingredients in TM bowl and blend 2 min/speed 5 increasing to speed 10. Serves 2-3.

This luscious sugar-free jam is sweetened with pure maple syrup, which contains lots of antioxidants and is also fodmap friendly.

The chia seeds not only help thicken it naturally but are also a great source of fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins and minerals. In fact, Aztec warriors ate chia seeds to boost their energy and stamina – in the Mayan language chia means ‘strength’ and the seeds were known as runners’ food.

So now you can slather this super seedy, berry nice jam on the kids’ toast or sandwiches and feel guilt-free.

1 red apple such as Pink Lady, cored and roughly chopped
2 punnets strawberries (approximately 475-480g after hulling)
40g pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons white chia seeds

Place apple in TM mixing bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5. Add strawberries and maple syrup. Cook 10 min/105°C/soft speed using simmering basket instead of MC on lid.

Check for consistency. If you’d like it smoother, chop 10 sec/speed 4.

Add chia seeds. Cook a further 5 min/105°C/speed 1 using simmering basket instead of MC on lid. Pour into sterilised jars and seal. Always store in the fridge.

Make this meal the way you and your family like it – animal-free, dairy-free, gluten-free or spicy-free (omit the chilli)! Also fuss-free – use up stuff that’s already cooked, open a couple of cans or jars, even toss in frozen veggies.

If cooking pasta as your carb, do it in the ThermoServer! (See Pot-Free Pasta in Back to Basics.)

If using potatoes, instead of dicing and mixing through the sauce, slice and layer half in the prepared baking dish, top with half the sauce, then the rest of the potatoes and sauce before adding topping.

YOUR SAUCE
1 onion, peeled & halved
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 frozen vegetable stock cube (see recipe for PP Veggie Stock in Back to Basics)
20g EVOO or oil of choice
Pinch of Italian mixed herbs
Small teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
400g diced tomatoes or passata
OR
Instead of all of the above, just use a jar of ready-made pasta sauce

PLUS
2 eggs, beaten
OR
2 flax or chia eggs

YOUR VEGGIES
450-500g mixed fresh vegetables such as carrots, celery, capsicum, zucchini, mushrooms, roughly chopped
OR
500g packet mixed frozen vegetables

YOUR PROTEIN
425g can of tuna in springwater or brine, drained
OR
415g can of salmon, drained
OR
400g can of beans such as red kidney, cannellini or borlotti beans

YOUR CARBS
2 cups cooked pasta such as penne, shells, spirals – gluten-free if required
OR
2-3 cups cooked rice or quinoa
OR
500g lightly cooked and diced or sliced potatoes or sweet potatoes

YOUR TOPPING
100g tasty cheese
OR
Melty Mockzarella (see recipe in Back to Basics)
PLUS
Herby Breadcrumbs (see recipe in Back to Basics)

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and spray or line a large baking dish.

2. If using cheese that’s not already grated, put into TM bowl and grate 10 sec/speed 7. Set aside.

3. If making your own sauce, put onion, garlic and stock cube into TM bowl and chop 5 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides and add oil, herbs and chilli. Sauté 3 min/120°C/speed 1, then add tomatoes or passata.

4. If using ready-made pasta sauce, pour into TM bowl and skip Step 3. Now add veggies. If using fresh, chop 5 sec/speed 4, then cook for 5 min/100°C/REVERSE speed 1. If using frozen and you’re happy with the size of the pieces, there’s no need to chop or cook.

5. Add protein, carbs and eggs of choice, then mix through for 10 sec/REVERSE speed 3. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

6. Sprinkle top with grated cheese or dob/spread with Melty Mockzarella, then sprinkle with Herby Breadcrumbs. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden.

150g cashews
Water for soaking
50g tapioca pearls or 50g tapioca flour
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes (or to taste, see tip)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon EVOO
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
320g hot water

Cover cashews with water and soak for a few hours or overnight, then drain. The longer you soak them, the creamier the ‘cheese’.

If using tapioca pearls, weigh 50g into TM bowl and mill 30 sec/speed 9. If using tapioca flour, simply place in bowl. Add drained cashews and remaining ingredients. Blend 30 sec/speed 8, then cook 4 min/75°C/speed 4.

TIP
Some other recipes only use 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast flakes but we like our faux cheese to be quite cheesy. Please vary the amount of ‘nooch’ to suit your taste.

Oh crumbs – these are great sprinkled on gratins and bakes or used to coat things like tofu, veggie patties, fish or chops and burgers if you’re a meat eater. Plus you can store them in the freezer.

We freeze our leftover crusts or bits and pieces of bread to use for just such a purpose. You could even have regular and/or gluten-free versions to suit different dietary requirements.

200-240g bread or crusts (the equivalent of 5-6 slices depending on type and size of bread)

A big handful of fresh herbs such as parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
(Did you just sing along?)

10-12 chives (optional – only if you have on hand)

Roughly tear bread and place in TM bowl. Add herbs – leaves and soft stalks only – and chives if using. Chop 10 sec/speed 9. Repeat for 5 seconds if you like your crumbs finer.

Store in the fridge or freezer.

You can cook short pasta or small shapes, such as macaroni, shells and spirals, in the ThermoServer.

First pour boiling water into the ThermoServer to pre-warm it. Ensure it is sitting on its black base and the lid is on while you boil the kettle again.

Empty water from the ThermoServer, weigh in pasta and cover well with the fresh lot of boiling water. Once again, make sure it’s on the black base and replace the lid. Leave for the time indicated on your pasta packet, strain and place back in ThermoServer to keep warm until ready to use.

Creepy, crispy and child’s play to make. Hand ’em around, haha!

2 sheets ready-rolled
shortcrust pastry

Raw almonds

Nudie Nuttie Butter
(see recipe in Spread it Around)
OR
nut or seed butter of choice

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Cut each pastry sheet into 3 rectangles and each rectangle into 4 slices. Roll each slice into a ball and then into a log shape – just like making ‘snakes’ with playdough!

Squeeze in a little towards the top of each finger to make it look knobbly and use a knife to score marks to create wrinkly knuckles. Push an almond into the end as a fingernail.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove any almonds that haven’t already popped off during cooking and, while the pastry is still soft, use the end of a knife to recreate the nail bed. Dob a little nut butter into each and replace almonds.

Packet of 6 pre-split English muffins

‘Multi-Mato’ Sauce (see recipe in Sauce ‘n’ Dippity)

Sliced black olives

String cheese

Preheat oven to 190°C. Separate muffins into 12 halves. Place, split side up, on tray lined with baking paper and spread with tomato sauce.

Put two olive slices in place for eyes. Pull string cheese into strips and lay randomly on muffins to look like mummy wrappings.

Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

This multi-purpose sauce is soooo versatile and soooo easy to make in the Thermomix. You get to sneak in some hidden vegetables plus it freezes well.

Add it to your favourite pasta … as is, use to cook whatever veggies you have lying around, or stir through canned tuna, salmon or legumes like lentils, kidney beans or chickpeas.

It makes a great pizza spread, a base for tomatoey soups or even a dipping sauce for crackers and crudités.

If you need to make runnier, water it down with a bit of stock, a glug of red wine or even…water!

Handful of fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, oregano (optional)
1 red onion, halved
2 cloves garlic
1 frozen vegetable stock cube (see recipe for PP Veggie Stock in Back to Basics)
½ red capsicum, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk or 1 zucchini, roughly chopped
25-30g EVOO or oil of choice
1 pinch mixed Italian dried herbs
400g fresh or canned tomatoes, diced
4 tablespoons tomato paste (or more to taste)

Place fresh herbs, onion, garlic, stock cube and vegetables into TM bowl and chop 5 secs/speed 5. Scrape down sides and repeat.

Add oil and sauté 3 min/120°C/speed 1.

Add dried herbs, diced tomatoes and tomato paste to TM bowl. Cook 15 min/100°C/ speed 1 using simmering basket instead of MC on lid. Check the sauce is tomatoey enough. If not, add a little extra tomato paste and cook a further 5 min/100°C/ speed 1 using simmering basket instead of MC on lid.

Replace MC and puree 20-30 secs/speed 4-7 increasing speed gradually.