Mains

Pumpkin, Thyme & Goat’s Cheese Mini Quiches

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These little quiches are the perfect thing to put into lunch boxes! Protein, veggies, and a little carb, they are an excellent source of protein, fat and carbohydrates.
They make for the perfect adult or childs lunchbox, party or barbecue or gathering where you need to take a plate! They also make the perfect go-to in the fridge for busy mums! And even better they freeze well.

I use wholemeal and white spelt flours in these, however you can use plain wheat flours interchangeably with spelt.

I like to use spelt in my kitchen as it’s a more ancient form of wheat and is less modified and processed and is easier to digest.

A recipe testers for The 4 Blades Magazine says “They looked really nice and we all loved the flavours of the filling. They make a nice tasty summer meal to have on their own or with a salad.” Tina

You can substitute the filling around with ingredients in your fridge. If you don’t have pumpkin you could use sweet potato and any choice of herbs you like.

The egg mixture is the same as the other savoury tart recipes. It works a treat for so many things!

Enjoy!

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Roast Pumpkin, Thyme & Goat’s Cheese Mini Quiches

These delicious quiches make the perfect addition to a lunchbox for kids and adults!

  • Author: Kitch'n Thyme - Gabrielle Tobin

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry

  • 100g Wholemeal Spelt Flour
  • 100g White Spelt Flour
  • 100g Organic Butter
  • 1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  • 40g Water

Filling

  • 400g Butternut or Jap Pumpkin, peeled and cubed into 1-2cm pieces
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • few sprigs thyme leaves
  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 Med Brown Onions, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar or White Wine
  • 1 Tbsp Rapadura Sugar
  • 100g Baby Spinach
  • 100g Goats Cheese of Feta
  • 4 Organic Eggs
  • 60g Sour Cream or Coconut Cream
  • 60g Milk or Almond Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Celtic Salt
  • 1/2 Bunch Onion Chives, finely chopped
  • few sprigs Italian parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

Pastry

  1. To make the pastry place the flours, butter and salt into the Thermomix and process 10 Sec/Speed 6 or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  2. Add the water and knead 10-20 Sec.
  3. Transfer the dough to a sheet of clingfilm, press the dough together, cover in clingfilm, flatten into a disc and place into the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Lightly grease the muffin tin and set aside.
  5. Roll out the dough to approx 2mm thick, and using a 9cm round pastry cutter, cut 14 rounds from the pastry. Press the pastry rounds into a non stick muffin tin sprayed with oil. Place into the freezer for 15 minutes to firm.
  6. Cut 14 very small baking paper rounds to one the pastry base, before topping with baking beads and blind baking for 15 minutes.
  7. Cool for 5-10 minutes before removing the baking beads, Set aside in the tins until you are ready to proceed with the filling.

Filling

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Place the pumpkin, salt, thyme and olive oil onto the tray and toss together. Spread the pumpkin out evenly over the tray and roast for 15 minutes or until just tender.
  3. To make the caramelised onions, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat and add the onions.
  4. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally until very well browned. The thinner the onions are sliced the batter the caramelisation you will get. Add the vinegar and sugar right at the end and stir to combine.
  5. Push the onions over to one side of the pan and dd the baby spinach, stirring until just wilted. It should retain it’s vibrant green colour! Take off the heat and set aside.
  6. Place the eggs, sour cream, milk, salt, chives and parsley into the Thermomix bowl and mix 10 Sec/Speed 4.
  7. To assemble, scatter the onions evenly over the base of the quiches, follow with the cooked pumpkin, spinach and goat’s cheese.
  8. Pour the egg mix over to complete the fillings Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just set and golden brown. Cool for a few minutes in the tray before cooling completely on a wire cooling rack. Serve warm or cold.

Notes

  • You can substitute spelt flour for regular wheat flour.
  • You can substitute pumpkin for sweet potato or any other favourite vegetable you have!
  • You can also substitute the herbs according to your likes as well.

Roast Fennel & Zucchini, Cavalo Nero & Pea Soup

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Roast Fennel & Zucchini, Cavalo Nero & Pea Soup
Serves 4
This delicious soup will nourish you on those cold winter or spring days. It's warming but also very light and refreshing!
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 Red Onions, halved
  2. 2 Garlic Cloves
  3. 30g Olive Oil
  4. 200g Fennel (1-2 Bulbs)
  5. 500g Zucchinis (2-3 Large)
  6. 2 Tbsp Vegetable Stock Paste
  7. 500ml Chicken Stock/Bone Broth
  8. 2 Stems Cavalo Nero or Kale, stalks removed
  9. 200g Frozen Peas
  10. 2 Sprigs Mint
  11. 2 Sprigs Coriander
  12. 2 Sprigs Italian Parsley
  13. Extra Peas for garnish
  14. Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream for topping
  15. White Truffle Oil or Olive Oil
  16. Salt & Pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180º C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and place the fennel and zucchini onto the tray. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and place into the oven to roast for 20-25 minutes or until the veggies are browning on the edges.
  2. Place the onion & garlic into the Thermomix and chop 3 Sec/Speed 7.
  3. Scrape down the sides, add the olive oil and cook 8 Mins/100º/Speed 1.
  4. Place the roasted vegetables, the stock paste & chicken stock into the Thermomix and cook for 5 Mins/100º/Speed 1.
  5. Add the remaining vegetables and herbs and cook 2 Mins/100º/Speed 1.
  6. Gradually increasing the speed, blend 40 Sec/Speed 8.
  7. Pour into bowls to serve and top with peas, creme fraiche, salt and pepper and drizzle with truffle oil. Serve immediately.
Kitch'n Thyme http://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Organic Italian Shakshuka w Coriander Pepper Black Salt

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Shakshuka
Ever wondered what to do with that leftover bolognaise sauce? Turn it into these gorgeous baked eggs! I love baked eggs! It’s such a lovely way to eat eggs when you’re bored of fried, poached and scrambled! With all the other wonderful flavours combining with runny yoked eggs there’s not much not to love! and packed with veggies, herbs, olives and topped with feta etc they make the perfect start to any day! My kids even love this and that’s a winning start to the day being packed with great nutrition for growing minds!

I’ve made many versions of baked eggs over the years! When I worked at the health retreat fulltime I used to make a delicious creamy spinach baked eggs, or sometimes a beautiful Moroccan capsicum & lamb sausage shakshuka! I’m salivating right now thinking about the options!

I was dreaming this morning of serving this with a fresh zesty avocado, finger lime and green chilli salsa! Yum!…But then I realised I had left my bag of finger limes in the fridge at work and the avocados aren’t quite ripe enough! So there…a more simple yet delicious coriander, pepper & black salt had to suffice!

Obviously I did this with leftovers, however I’m going to give you the recipe for my Bolognaise Sauce. It’s totally delicious and well worth making whether for bolognaise sauce or baked eggs!

And no, I don’t cook it in the Thermomix. You see, I ain’t no Chef if I don’t have a pan in ma hand! I seriously love my Thermomix, but there are just some things that must be done on the stove! And for me this is one of them! My Thermomix is my apprentice here, so it does the chopping! I prefer getting a nice caramelisation on the onions and garlic with loads of olive oil for a bolognaise sauce. It’s really important to do this otherwise the onions will be bitter and not reduce their sweetness. I could do it in the Thermo but it will take longer than a frypan where there is more surface area! You can of course leave the Thermomix to cook for longer and eventually you will get a better caramelisation but there’s just something about stirring a pot that I love at times too! Its theraputic! And you know what??? That is AOK! If you like to roast a chook or beef in the oven, then do so, make your gorgeous gravy or a salad in the Thermomix and call it a night. You don’t have to use your Thermomix for everything! If it is helping you in some small way to find more time to do the things you love, save you money, keep you healthier, etc etc then my job is done!

Shakshuka 2

For making my organic lasagne, I don’t mind doing the meat sauce in the thermomix. I don’t mind if that is a bit runnier in consistency. It will continue to cook down and reduce in the oven to get the correct balance of sweetness and flavour.

Ok, so lets get on with it! I must go and remove my toddler from standing on my bench where he is walking softened butter everywhere!….Look he’s only trying to reach the sourdough bread dough! He loves to cook with me!…Yes all day long!….I’ll strive to embrace the chaos today, for oneday they will wake and move mountains! Enjoy!

Organic Italian Shakshuka
Serves 8
My beautiful Bolognaise Sauce leftovers turned into perfect Baked Eggs! Reader Kylie says: "We loved this recipe - the kids devoured it with toast for dipping. A delicious twist to the traditional Bolognese that the whole family will love. Can be made in one big pot for convenience and don't leave off the garnishes as they are essential." The 4 Blades Magazine, July 2016
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
35 min
Bolognaise Sauce
  1. 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil
  2. 2 Brown Onions, halved
  3. 6 Cloves Garlic, peeled
  4. 1 Zucchini, chopped into 3-4cm pieces
  5. 2 Medium Carrots, chopped into 3-4cm pieces
  6. 2 tsp Dried Basil
  7. 2 tsp Dried Oregano
  8. 1 tsp Dried Italian Herbs
  9. 500g Organic Beef Mince
  10. 60ml Organic Red Wine (optional)
  11. 2 Tbsp Vegetable or Beef Stock Paste
  12. 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  13. 500ml Roast Tomato Pasta Sauce
  14. 10 Kalamata Olives, pitted and halved
  15. 8 Sundried Tomatoes, roughly cut with scissors
  16. 4 Large Tomatoes, halved
  17. 2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
  18. 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  19. 4 Sprigs Fresh Basil or Italian Parsley
Shakshukas
  1. 16 Organic Eggs
  2. Extra Olive Oil for drizzling
  3. 100g Feta Cheese
  4. 1 Green Chilli, sliced on a diagonal
  5. 1/2 Bunch Coriander leaves, for serving
  6. Organic Crusty Sourdough, for serving
Coriander, Pepper Black Salt
  1. 1/2 Bunch Coriander Stalks, sliced very finely
  2. 1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  3. 1 Tbsp Black Salt Flakes
Bolognaise Sauce
  1. In a large frypan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the onions into the Thermomix bowl and chop 3 Sec/Speed 7. Add the onion to the pan, cooking for 4-6 minutes or until the onions are translucent and caramelised nicely. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or two. Just be careful not to burn the garlic as it will become bitter.
  2. Place the zucchini and carrots into the Thermomix and chop 5 Sec/Speed 4-5 (or until fairly finely chopped). Add to the pan and sweat off until translucent.
  3. Add the dried herbs before adding the mince to the pan and stirring, cook for a further 2 minutes or until browned.
  4. Add the wine (if using) and sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until the liquid is reduced.
  5. Reduce the heat to low, add the stock paste, tomato paste, pasta sauce, olives and sundried toms.
  6. Place the fresh tomatoes into the Thermomix and chop 5 Sec/Speed 5 before adding to the frypan and reducing the sauce for 20 minutes.
  7. Towards the end, place the herbs into the Thermomix and chop 3 Sec/Speed 7 or finely chop with a knife. Stir through the sauce to finish.
Shakshuka
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and place an even amount of sauce into 8 mini cast iron frypans.
  2. Using a spoon, make indents in the mince, then crack 2 eggs into each mini frypan.
  3. Place into the hot oven and cook for 15-17 minutes or until the whites have just set.
  4. Remove from the oven, drizzle with oil, top with crumbled feta, chilli, fresh coriander and the black salt and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
  1. *This is my full bolognaise sauce recipe which is why it serves 8. I can usually make 3-4 shakshukas with our leftover bolognaise sauce.
  2. * Make my Roast Tomato Pasta Sauce here!
Kitch'n Thyme http://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Chicken, Quinoa & Chickpea Salad

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Chicken, Quinoa & Chickpea Salad
This salad is delightfully fresh, zesty and punchy! The fresh herbs really make it!

My sister-in-law and I always used to make this salad with cous cous. It’s merged over the years to have quinoa instead as its a healthier option & of course gluten free. It’s delicious with the cous cous, however I think it’s better with quinoa!

I love quinoa, it’s little nutty tasting, soft textured balls make for a delicious bowl of goodness!

I sear the chicken in a pan and then if necessary finish in the oven. It gives the breast some nice caramelisation which I really love! You can do this too, or if you like the chicken steamed you can steam it on the Varoma tray 17-20 Mins/Varoma/Speed 2, whilst you are cooking the quinoa.
Or if you have 500g pre-cooked and shredded chicken you can toss that into the salad!

The fresh herbs are integral to this awesome salad! They add the flavour and freshness.
Chicken, Quinoa & Chickpea Salad 2

My kids love this salad, especially my little 17 month old! As you can see by the picture she really loves to eat it right when mummy wants to take photos! Of course…it’s much too yummy to be looked at, it is to be eaten after all!

Enjoy! xx

Chicken, Quinoa & Chickpea Salad
Serves 6
This delicious fresh flavour-packed simple salad makes the perfect addition to any bbq, celebration or simply for weekday lunches or kids lunchboxes! Reader Heidi says: "This is a flavoursome simple recipe which is divine on your taste buds!."
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Prep Time
15 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
15 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 Organic Chicken Breasts
  2. 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  3. 1 tsp Italian Herbs
  4. 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  5. 1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  6. 1/2 Lemon, zested
SALAD
  1. 170g White Quinoa
  2. 800ml Water
  3. 400g (1 Tin) Cooked Chickpeas
  4. 250g Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
  5. 1/2 Red Onion, sliced into thin wedges
  6. 1 Bunch Fresh Italian Parsley, leaves only, chopped roughly
  7. 1/3-1/2 Bunch Fresh Mint, leaves only, chopped roughly
DRESSING
  1. 60ml Olive Oil
  2. 20ml Lemon Juice
  3. 1 tsp Italian Herbs
  4. 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  5. 1 tsp Onion Powder
  6. 2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Soak the quinoa 30 minutes prior to cooking this recipe.
  2. Toss the chicken in the herbs, spices and lemon. Heat a fry pan over medium heat and sear the chicken breasts until golden brown on each side. If not fully cooked through, place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover with foil and finish cooking in the oven 10-15 Mins/180°C.*(Alternatively, you can slice the breast into strips before marinating and cook in the Varoma tray above the quinoa for 17-20 Mins/Varoma/Speed 2.)
  3. Once the chicken is cooked and cooled sightly, shred the chicken into pieces by hand or place into the Thermomix and shred 3-4 Sec/Speed 4-5/Reverse (keeping a close eye on it that it doesn't turn into paste!) Set aside.
  4. Place the soaked quinoa into the simmering basket. Place the water into the mixing bowl and insert the basket. Cook for 20-25 Mins/Varoma/Speed 2. Remove the simmering basket and set aside to drain. Place the quinoa into a large mixing bowl to cool down.
  5. Once cooled, add the chicken along with all the remaining ingredients.
  6. Place the dressing ingredients into the Thermomix and mix 3 Sec/Speed 5. Pour over the salad just prior to serving and toss to combine! Yum!
Notes
  1. *When cooking the chicken breast, if you have really thick breasts you can slice them horizontally to make them a little thinner so that the meat will cook more evenly.
  2. * This makes an awesome salad in a jar too! Place the dressing on the base of the jar, followed by the chicken, quinoa, tomatoes, onion, and herbs on top!
Kitch'n Thyme http://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Roast Tomato Pasta Sauce

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You won’t ever buy a jar of pasta sauce again!!! Delicious lick the spoon type scenario right here!
**January 2019 update!** This recipe was originally posted in November 2015. I really felt that the photos needed updating, so i’ve rephotographed the finished product. All the ingredients remain the same! The story below and one photo of before it’s cooked is as it was from 3 years ago (I coudn’t delete that pic as it has the heirloom tomatoes from my bumper garden crop that year🙈)!!**

Alrighty! For those of you who haven’t stopped buying jars of Dolmio or some Organic pasta sauce, then now’s the time to stop!!!

Look no further than THIS post! And make sure you continue scrolling to the bottom – save, pin, print the recipe….just make sure you have it ready for when you’re needing to make a batch of sauce!

I do this sauce partly in the oven and partly in the Thermomix. Roasting the tomatoes and aromatics first gives a much better end product. It gets the onions a little caramelised, sweeter, the tomatoes sweeter and the garlic roasts up and gets a beautiful depth of flavour to it!

Roast Tomato Pasta Sauce 2

If you don’t have a Thermomix, you can do the second step of cooking them down on the stove, and blending over so lightly at the end.

If you blend a tomato sauce on too high a speed it will turn the sauce orange. So to keep that beautiful rich red colour you mustn’t whiz it too much!

I add some Passata in this recipe. You will find that you will get a much better sauce if you use some Passata in addition to fresh tomatoes, rather than using more crushed or fresh cut tomatoes. Passata is made from tomatoes that have been picked at the best time of the year, when they are at their ripest and most full in flavour, it’s pureed and is then strained of skin and seeds and bottled to preserve for sauces throughout the year.

 This recipe makes 2 Litres. I make a batch and preserve it in 500ml portions in my Mason Ball jars and then store in the pantry like I would bought pasta sauce.

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Roast Tomato Pasta Sauce

Beautiful flavoursome pasta sauce to bottle up as pantry stock! Reader Kylie says: “Wow – such intense tomato flavour. This recipe will become a staple in our house. The roast tomatoes and veg make this amazing!”

  • Author: Kitch'n Thyme
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 120
  • Total Time: 130

Ingredients

  • 2kg Tomatoes
  • 2 Medium Red onions, sliced
  • 6 Cloves Garlic
  • 4 Sprigs each Thyme, Basil, & Italian Parsley
  • 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt, pepper
  • 500ml Passata (You can add the whole 700ml bottle if it will fit in the Thermomix)
  • 100g Tomato Paste
  • 50g Honey
  • 20g Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp Celtic Salt
  • 2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 tsp Italian Herbs
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Boil the kettle. Cut a small cross into the base of the tomatoes and place them into a large mixing bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 1-2 minutes to soak, before peeling the skins off and cutting into quarters.
  3. Place the tomatoes, onions, garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper onto the prepared baking trays. Give a really good toss then spread out evenly on the baking trays and roast 60 minutes.
  4. Place the roasted mixture into the bowl of the Thermomix and add all the remaining ingredients. Cook for a further 60 Mins/100°/Speed 1.
  5. Then once cooked, blend 10 Sec/Speed 5. (Be careful not to go over with the speed or the sauce will go an orange colour.)
  6. Place into airtight jars (mason jars work fabulously as they seal really well) and cool. If you’ve preserved them by getting an adequate seal you can store them in the pantry for months, otherwise you can freeze the sauce in portions in the freezer.

Roast Pumpkin & Dukkah Spiced Quinoa Salad w Garlic Yoghurt Dressing

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Roast Pumpkin Quinoa Salad

Let me just paint a picture for a moment of life as a mummy blogger!!….

You have a toilet training toddler and a newly walking baby that are both into everything!!!…albeit, cute and as adorable as anything!…Well, after 3 hours of working on the same thing, you finally get to finish it and EAT!….If any of you out there relate, this salad is worth waiting for!

The weather is heating up and this salad makes the perfect addition to a lunchbox with some boiled eggs, to a BBQ, a picnic or to dinner! Beautiful with Roast Lamb or Grilled Chicken, I’m sure you will enjoy it!

I use my delicious Hazelnut & Macadamia Dukkah. I love how easy it is to make in my Thermomix, including dry roasting the spices first in the same machine! So handy!

Roast Pumpkin Quinoa Salad 2

Quinoa is such a nutritious pseudo-grain! It’s high protein content makes it a really healthy option for kids and adults alike. Its yummy nutty flavour, really makes it so suitable for fresh salads, especially this dukkah spiced one!

The salad ingredients are honestly quite flexible. If you don’t have cucumber, try snowpeas. If you don’t have pumpkin, both carrot or sweet potato will be nice. Radishes would also go beautifully!

To make it completely Dairy Free, use Coconut Yoghurt in the dressing instead of Greek yoghurt.

I’m sure many of you are beginning to pencil ideas for outdoor and festive season entertaining, so add this one to list, it won’t disappoint!

Roast Pumpkin & Dukkah Spiced Quinoa Salad w Garlic Yoghurt Dressing
Serves 6
Beautiful middle eastern flavours combined to make one yummy salad! Make my delicious Hazelnut & Macadamia Dukkah for this salad!
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 170g White Quinoa (500g cooked)
  2. 800g Water
  3. 350g Pumpkin, peeled & diced into 1cm cubes
  4. 2 Tbsp Hazelnut & Macadamia Dukkah
  5. 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  6. 1 Medium Red Onion, cut into thin wedges
  7. 2 Cloves Garlic, peeled & crushed
  8. 100g Cherry Tomatoes, halved
  9. 2 Lebanese Cucumbers, halved lengthways and sliced diagonally
  10. 1/2 Bunch Watercress
  11. 1/4 Bunch Coriander, leaves
  12. 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  13. 1 1/2 tsp Celtic Salt
  14. 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  15. 30g Roasted Almonds, halved
  16. Extra Hazelnut & Macadamia Dukkah for sprinkling
  17. Black Pepper, for grinding
Garlic Yoghurt Dressing
  1. 1 Clove Garlic, peeled
  2. 150g Greek Yoghurt
  3. 1/4 tsp Celtic Salt
Instructions
  1. Soak the quinoa 30 minutes prior to cooking this recipe.
  2. Place the soaked quinoa into the simmering basket. Place the water into the mixing bowl and insert the basket. Cook for 20-25 Mins/Varoma/Speed 2. Remove the simmering basket and set aside to drain. Place the quinoa into a large mixing bowl.
  3. Line a medium baking tray with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the pumpkin on the tray and add the dukkah and 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Toss with your hands to coat the pumpkin thoroughly. Place into the oven to roast for 15 minutes or until just tender with a knife. Place into the mixing bowl with the quinoa.
  4. Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a medium frypan over medium heat. Cook the onion & garlic, stirring for 3 minutes. Add to the large mixing bowl.
  5. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, watercress & coriander. Add the olive oil, salt and lemon and toss well to combine all the ingredients.
  6. For the yoghurt dressing, place the garlic into the Thermomix and chop 3 Sec/Speed 7. Scrape down the sides, add the yoghurt and salt and mix 5 Sec/Speed 3.
  7. Serve the salad on a large platter, topped with the roasted almonds, the yoghurt dressing, extra dukkah if you desire and a generous grind of black pepper.
Notes
  1. You'll need to make a batch of my delicious Hazelnut & Macadamia Dukkah for this recipe!
Kitch'n Thyme http://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Butter Chicken

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Butter Chicken 3

BUTTER CHICKEN!!!!!!! A nut free version.

Yes it’s finally here!!! My Butter Chicken recipe has made it up onto the blog! I’ve been wanting to share this one with you for a loooooonnnng time! But do you think I could get around to it!!! Let’s just say that I’ve been taking my time perfecting the recipe to which I now think is pretty pretty amazing!!

I don’t use cashews in my butter chicken. Some recipes and restaurants do and many don’t. Rumour has it that nuts started being introduced to Butter Chicken in the 1970’s in New Delhi for one reason or another, but it wasn’t like the traditional curry. I prefer not to because I think it changes the sauce in a number of ways. It makes the sauce thicker, and changes the flavour. It gives it a very thick mouth feel. I myself prefer a more authentic smooth tomato cream sauce….albeit with absolutely no change to the flavour!! I like to leave the nuts for a beautiful Korma curry!

It’s important in a butter chicken and in any curry for that matter, to cook off the aromatics well. So that’s the onion and garlic etc. If not cooked off enough, they will leave a bitter aftertaste and also won’t release all their intended sweetness.

Butter Chicken 1

The spices also need to be thoroughly cooked off too! If not, you can end up with quite a powdery mouth feel, not nice! So whether you’re making a curry in a Thermomix or in a saucepan, make sure you cook off the onions and spices well…please! I try to keep the spices fairly straight forward in this recipe without compromising flavour…so that you don’t have to buy a trillion different packets! You can add more cayenne if you like your curry a little hotter.

I also cook the tomatoes off for a few minutes too. This will help the tomatoes to release their sweetness and cook of any tart element.

You won’t get a butter chicken quite the colour of the one you eat at the Indian restaurant unless you use tandoori food colouring. They also marinate the chicken in the colour before grilling in the Tandor (you can grill the chicken first if you like before adding in to the sauce to finish cooking). I prefer not to use colours in my cooking, so we just have it a little more orange in colour!

I choose to use chicken thigh. I prefer it for its superior flavour and tenderness. You can use breast if you would prefer, just reduce the final cooking stage to about 10-12 minutes.

You can very easily make it completely dairy free by replacing the butter with coconut oil and the cream with coconut cream.

You can serve the curry with my Cauliflower Rice (which I keep plain with no coriander and capsicum etc for this recipe) or Basmati Rice and of course a good dollop of Cucumber Raita. (I’ll definitely put up my recipe for that soon too!)

This recipe feeds 6-8, so more than what my young family needs for 1 meal, so we eat half and freeze the other half for a rainy day or for a friend in need! I love having meals in the freezer for when you get in the door late or have a crazy day at home etc, it makes such a difference in helping the home to run smoothly!

I really hope you love my family favourite curry as much as we do!

Butter Chicken
Serves 6
Beautiful tender chicken cooked in a spicy tomato cream sauce.
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Cook Time
35 min
Cook Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 800g-1kg Organic Chicken Thigh, diced into 4-5cm pieces
  2. 1 tsp Cumin
  3. 1 tsp Coriander
  4. 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  5. 15g Olive Oil
  6. 20g Lemon Juice
Sauce
  1. 1 Medium Brown Onion, halved
  2. 3 Cloves Garlic, peeled
  3. 15g (3cm knob) Ginger
  4. 100g Organic Butter
  5. 30g Olive Oil
  6. 2 tsp Garam Masala
  7. 1 tsp Cumin
  8. 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  9. 1 tsp Turmeric
  10. 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
  11. 1/2 tsp Coriander
  12. 1/8-1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  13. 5 Cardamon Pods
  14. pinch chilli powder or cayenne pepper
  15. 200g Crushed Tomatoes
  16. 30g Tomato Paste
  17. 300g Organic Cream
  18. 2 tsp Celtic Salt
  19. 1 tsp Honey
Instructions
  1. Place the chicken, spices, olive oil & lemon into a medium bowl and mix well to combine. Place in the fridge to marinate for 3 hours or overnight.
  2. Place the onion, garlic & ginger into the Thermomix bowl and chop 3 Sec/Speed 7.
  3. Add the butter & olive oil and cook 7 Mins/120°/Speed 1/MC Off.
  4. Add the spices* and cook a further 3 Mins/100°/Speed 1/MC Off.
  5. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and cook 5 Mins/100°/Speed 1, then blend 1 Min/Speed 8.
  6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the lid. Add the pre-marinated chicken, cream, salt & honey and cook 17 Mins/100°/Speed 1/Reverse.
  7. Pour into a Thermoserver and garnish with fresh Coriander. Serve with steamed basmati rice or cauliflower rice and cucumber raita.
Notes
  1. *Once you've cooked the spices off and cooked the tomatoes, you can choose to take out the cardamom pods before blending, or leave them in for an extra punchy spice flavour.
  2. If you're using canned tomatoes, you can use the whole 400g tin, but it will just encourage a little more of a tomato flavour. I choose to freeze the other half for another meal of butter chicken.
  3. This recipe feeds 6-8, so more than what my young family needs for 1 meal, so we eat half and freeze the other half for a rainy day or for a friend in need! I love having meals in the freezer for when you get in the door late or have a crazy day at home etc, it makes such a difference in helping the home to run smoothly!
Kitch'n Thyme http://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Thai Chicken Salad with Creamy Coconut Dressing

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Thai Chicken SaladI’ve been wanting to get this salad up on the blog for many months! Now before I go any further I just need to enlighten you on the reality of running a blog with 2 small children!  Of course the day I do decide to try and photograph the salad is the day one of my babies won’t sleep in her bed – only on mum! So she’s on my back in the Ergo carrier so she won’t attack the photo set and she promptly goes to sleep! I line everything up, ready to snap away! I go to take the photo and my storage is full! Ok, so I spend 5 minutes making some storage space on my iPhone….yes I do take all of my photos on an iPhone!…So now we are all ready to go again!

Then I hear little footsteps walking down the hallway! Oh yes that would be my 2.5 year old!…At this point, I wonder whether there is point in battling through!! He comes over “What’s this Mum?” I tell him its a yummy salad! “Mmmm it looks good Mum”. He proceeds to sit down and start feeding himself forkful after forkful along with the occasional forkful to mum “Open wide Mum!”. By this time I think it’s safe to say I’m no longer in photo taking mode, but deciding to relish this wonderful moment with my precious little human! We had a great little picnic! Let’s just say that there was about a teaspoon of salad left on the plate after his visit! And alas, I think that must be a very good sign! If a 2 year old will eat it I’m happy….my job is done! haha 😉

My saving grace was the rest of the salad in the kitchen! I could replate and have another go! So by the end of the day I finally had a photo!

Some days it’s easy to lose focus on what this is all about! My aim is to share the things I’m doing to nourish my family…and that was today! 

This is another recipe from a number of years ago. I used to serve this somewhat regularly at the health retreat as a perfect lunch option. And it makes the perfect option for me and obviously my 2 year old at home too! Good protein, good carbs and good fats from the dressing too!

Over time, I’ve done a couple of different dressings. I couldn’t work out which one to share, so I’ve gone with the Creamy Coconut Dressing. I’m happy to share the other one which is a more traditional tamari sesame dressing! Both delicious!

I often make this salad and serve it with my yummy Sticky Sesame Chicken for a delicious dinner!

Thai Chicken Salad w. Creamy Coconut Dressing
Serves 4
A perfect one bowl meal for a light lunch or dinner.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1.25L Water
  2. *250ml Coconut Cream
  3. 2 Organic Chicken Breasts
  4. 1 Red Chilli, deseeded
  5. 1 Stem Lemongrass
  6. 2 Coriander roots & stems
  7. 4 Kaffir Lime Leaves
  8. 1 tsp Celtic Salt
SALAD
  1. 1/4-1/2 Wombok Cabbage, finely sliced
  2. 1 Bunch Choy Sum or Bok Choy, finely sliced
  3. 1/2 Red Capsicum, thinly sliced
  4. 1 Continental Cucumber, cut diagonally
  5. 1 Carrot, julienned
  6. 4 Spring Onions or 1 Red Onion, sliced thinly
  7. 1/4 Bunch Coriander Leaves, roughly chopped
  8. 1/4 Bunch Thai Basil Leaves, roughly chopped
  9. 100g Roasted Almonds or Cashews
CREAMY COCONUT DRESSING
  1. 1/4 Bunch Coriander, inclu roots & stems
  2. 2cm knob of Ginger
  3. 2 Kaffir Lime Leaves, de-stemmed
  4. 1 Tbsp Lime Juice
  5. 1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  6. 1 Tbsp Tamari
  7. 2 tsp Sesame Oil
  8. 250ml Coconut Cream
Instructions
  1. Place the water and coconut cream into the Thermomix bowl and insert the simmering basket. Place the chicken, chilli, lemongrass, coriander, lime leaves and salt into the basket.
  2. Cook the chicken 20 Mins/100°/Speed 3. Remove the basket with the spatula and set the chicken aside for 5 mins to cool slightly. Discard the aromatics in the basket and the cooking water. Tear the chicken into a few chunks and place back into the Thermomix bowl. Shred the chicken 5 Sec/Reverse/Speed 4. Place into a large mixing bowl.
  3. Place all the salad veges and the nuts into the large mixing bowl with the chicken and toss to combine.
  4. For the dressing, place all the ingredients into the Thermomix bowl and blend 30 Sec/Speed 8.
  5. Drizzle over the salad and toss to combine if serving straight away or serve on the side so the salad doesn't get soggy.
Notes
  1. *You can cook the chicken in all water to save on coconut cream if desired.
Kitch'n Thyme http://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Chicken Thyme & Vege Sausage Rolls

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Chicken & Vege Sausage Rolls 2
I used to make these from time to time before I had the children and take them to work with a big salad! A number of work colleagues really wanted the recipe!!…..I could never get around to giving the recipe to them, so the joke became ‘before christmas’…do you think I even got to it for Christmas!!!…No!!!….So here it is about 4 years later!

Nevermind, a good recipe is certainly worth waiting for!…And I can assure you that these are good….yummy, delicious in fact!

The filling is really pretty straightforward! Just a whole lot of veggies, herbs and chicken mixed together that packs a punch!

If you don’t have the time to make your own rough puff pastry, just please make sure you buy an All Butter Puff. You definitely don’t want any nasty margarine pastry!

Here’s a couple of images to show you what I mean with placing the filling on the pastry sheets.
Sausage RollsSausage Rolls 2

These are quite a treat in our house as I try to keep gluten fairly low in our diet. Spelt is a better option, as its higher in protein and lower in gluten, however still quite carby, so a once in a while thing for us!

Fabulous in a lunchbox or for parties or large gatherings! Yummo!

Chicken, Thyme & Vegetable Sausage Rolls
Yields 24
Ideal for lunches, picnics, parties or large gatherings! Also great for freezing!
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Prep Time
50 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Prep Time
50 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hr 20 min
Spelt Rough Puff Pastry
  1. 400g Organic Butter, 1-2cm dice & frozen
  2. 400g White Spelt Flour
  3. 1 tsp Celtic Salt
  4. 180g Water, chilled
Filling
  1. 1 Medium Brown Onion, peeled & halved
  2. 1 Clove Garlic, peeled
  3. 4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  4. 4 Sprigs Fresh Parsley
  5. 1/4 Bunch Fresh Coriander
  6. 1 Large Carrot, cut into 3-4 cm lengths
  7. 1 Large Zucchini, cut into 3-4cm lengths
  8. 500g Organic Chicken Breast, cut into 3-4cm pieces
  9. 1 Tbsp Italian Herbs
  10. 2 tsp Celtic Salt
  11. 1/2 tsp Cumin
  12. 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  13. 50g Almond Meal or Breadcrumbs
  14. 1 Organic Egg
  15. Extra egg for brushing
  16. Sesame Seed for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. For the pastry, place all the ingredients into the Thermomix and mix 20 Sec/Speed 6.
  2. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work into a ball. Halve the dough so you have 2 even portions, then flatten and wrap each portion of pastry in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  3. Unwrap 1 portion of pastry and place onto the Thermomat. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough into a long rectangle 3 times as long as it is wide. (approx. 60cm x 20cm) Fold dough into thirds and give folded dough a quarter turn to the left. Repeat rolling and folding process twice, then return to the fridge for 20 minutes. Repeat with the other portion of pastry.
  4. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Set aside.
  5. For the filling, place the onion, garlic and herbs into the Thermomix and chop 3 Sec/Speed 7, then place into a large mixing bowl.
  6. Add the carrot and zucchini and chop 10 Sec/Speed 4. Add to the mixing bowl.
  7. Add the chicken breast to the Thermomix bowl and chop 5 Sec/Speed 5. Add to the mixing bowl.
  8. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.
  9. Roll the 2 portions of pastry into 2 large rectangles. Cut the rectangles in half to get 4 sheets approx. 20cmx30cm. (You might want to give them a little trim to neaten the edges.)
  10. Divide the filling evenly between the 4 pastry sheets, placing onto one long edge of the pastry. Roll pastry tightly, enclosing the filling. Cut each roll evenly into 6 sausage rolls. Brush with extra lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  11. Place onto the ready prepared baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and nicely puffed.
  12. Serve warm with homemade tomato sauce or freeze for later.
Notes
  1. These are great frozen and tossed straight into a lunchbox!
  2. If you don't have time to make the pastry yourself, make sure you buy an All Butter Puff Pastry. you don't want any nasty margarine in your pastry!
Kitch'n Thyme http://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Feta & Walnut Meatballs

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IMG_9465MeatballsI’m pretty positive you will LOVE these meatballs!!! They make the perfect weeknight meal, or part of an elaborate Italian feast, or more simply the perfect protein hit for a quick lunch or lunchbox!

I made a bit batch of these for my friend when she had her baby earlier this year! They went down a real treat and her husband wanted the recipe…SO you’re all super lucky, because otherwise I might not have shared this favourite recipe of mine!

The walnuts just add such a lovely texture to the meatball and compliment beef in flavour so well! You could substitute other nuts with what is in your pantry though!

I do use Panko breadcrumbs sometimes for rolling….I know – Japanese & Italian! Say again?!! Yes, just this once, I’m mixing up the cuisines! These breadcrumbs are a real treat in my home! But they really do make them so yummy and crunchy on the outside! I’ve used ordinary breadcrumbs, gluten free breadcrumbs, or some crushed nuts (for Paleo) and they all work fine too! If using Panko crumbs, you may need to gently press the crumbs into the meatballs to help them stick sufficiently.

When cooking the meatballs, be really gentle when turning them over in the pan. Just gently turn them, as they may have the potential to crumble, depending on how wet your mix is. If you have cooked off the onions and veggies sufficiently, they shouldn’t fall apart though, but just be mindful of it!

You can absolutely leave the feta cheese out of them if you are dairy free or Paleo. They are still delightfully delicious without!

The sauce here, is a really quick pasta sauce. Sometime I’ll share with you my yummy-licious Roast Tomato, Garlic & Thyme Pasta Sauce! But this one is perfect for meals on the table fast! Just use whatever herbs are in your garden or what you have in the fridge! When I cook I don’t get too hung up on being exact with these things. If a recipe says 1/2 and onion, I’d chuck the whole one in! If you think some rosemary or oregano would be nice then stick it in! I’ve used both before and they are yum! Just whatever flavour hits you in the moment will work perfectly!

Enjoy!

Feta & Walnut Meatballs
Serves 4
My delicious meatballs make for the perfect dinner or for a fantastic ready-to-eat snack from the fridge! Get cooking!
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Meatballs
  1. 1 Large Red Onion
  2. 1 Clove Garlic, peeled
  3. 4 Sprigs Italian Parsley, chopped finely
  4. 2 Zucchini, cut into 3-4cm pieces
  5. 2 Carrot, cut into 3-4cm pieces
  6. 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
  7. 100g Walnuts
  8. 500g Organic Beef Mince
  9. 100g Feta, crumbled into rough pieces
  10. 1 Tbsp Italian Herbs
  11. 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
  12. 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
  13. 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  14. 2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  15. 100g Panko Breadcrumbs or preferred breadcrumbs
  16. Ghee or Coconut Oil for shallow frying
Quick Pasta Sauce
  1. 1 Brown Onion, halved
  2. 2 Cloves Garlic, peeled
  3. 2 Sprigs Fresh Basil
  4. 4 Sprigs Fresh Italian Parsley
  5. 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  6. 50g Olive Oil
  7. 800g Organic Tinned Diced Tomatoes
  8. 1 tsp Honey
  9. 1 tsp Celtic Salt
  10. 1/2 Lemon, zested
Meatballs
  1. Place the onion, garlic, parsley and olive oil into Thermomix mixing bowl and chop 5-7 Sec/Speed 5.
  2. Heat a non-stick fry-pan over medium heat. Place 1/2 the olive oil in the pan to heat a little.(Being careful not to overheat it.)
  3. Scrape the onion mix into the pan and sauté until it starts to go golden brown and the moisture from the onions has cooked off.
  4. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Leave the pan on the heat and add the remaining oil to heat.
  5. Place the zucchini and carrot into the mixing bowl and chop 10-15 Sec/Speed 4.
  6. Scrape into the pan and sauté until all the moisture has cooked off from the veggies. Add to the large mixing bowl with the onion mixture.
  7. Place the walnuts into the mixing bowl and chop 10 Sec/Speed 4, or until roughly chopped and add to the large mixing bowl.
  8. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.
  9. Roll the mixture into tablespoon sized balls before rolling in the breadcrumbs. You may need to gently press the panko crumbs into the meatballs so they stick sufficiently.
  10. Heat a large non-stick frypan over medium heat with the ghee or oil, and cook in batches, turning frequently, for about 4 minutes, or until golden brown all over. Please take when turning the meatballs, they need to be handled with care.
  11. Remove from the heat and serve with tomato pasta sauce, fresh zucchini or parsnip pasta or traditional spaghetti.
Quick Pasta Sauce
  1. Place onion, garlic, herbs and olive oil into the mixing bowl and chop 5 Sec/Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of mixing bowl and sauté 7 Mins/120°/Speed 1.
  2. Add the tomatoes, honey, salt and lemon zest and cook 20 Mins/100°/Speed 2.
  3. Serve hot over the meatballs.
Kitch'n Thyme http://kitchnthyme.com.au/