Ground Sausage  and Spinach Bake

I had some smoked salsa to use up so put this casserole together. This takes a little extra time to prep but it makes 6 generous adult portions and keeps for up to 3 days. Turn this into something of your own, vary the ingredients and have fun! You can’t mess it up!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef and pork mix (plain beef would work too)
  • 2 large onions
  • Large bunch spinach, washed well
  • 1 jar smoky salsa or tin of cooked tomato onion mix, add 1 tsp each smoked paprika and taco seasoning if you are using plain canned tomato mix
  • 6 large eggs
  • ½ cup cream or half and half
  • Fresh cilantro, green onions, 3 large garlic cloves, diced
  • 2 cups grated sharp cheddar
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Fry diced onion until translucent
  2. Turn on oven to 350⁰F (180⁰C)
  3. Add ground beef mix to fried onion crumbling the mince well, and cook for about 5 minutes or until cooked through
  4. Grease a large flat casserole dish well and pour the meat and onion mix into the casserole dish and spread out out evenly
  5. Chop up washed spinach, drain well and re-use the pot you cooked the ground beef/onion mix
  6. When wilted, spread the spinach over the meat and onion in the casserole dish
  7. Sprinkle over a little onion powder
  8. Beat 6 eggs with a pinch of salt and ground pepper to taste
  9. Beat a ½ cup of cream into the eggs
  10. Pour the egg custard over the meat and spinach mix
  11. Spoon over the salsa or canned tomato mix evenly
  12. Bake at 350⁰F or 180⁰ C for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling
  13. Top with the grated cheese, cilantro, chopped green onions, diced garlic and any other herbs or cheese you enjoy.
  14. Grill until cheese is melted and bubbling.
  15. Serve hot or room temperature and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

The cheese didn’t bubble and melt as expected. It was a delicious smoked organic WI cheddar but it refused to grill and had such a low fat content did not melt. It was actually deliciously crispy, cheesy and smoky. This was a first time non-melty experience for me. Weird. 

I do hope you are well. It feels as if my efforts are focused on self care these days. Writing a blog post takes such discipline and effort. I think with all the events happening in our world drains the hours in the day and what I used to accomplish.

Be kind to yourself, nurture the light in your heart and the people that light up your life. This is the flicker and then the flame that builds the bonfire of love and endurance that unites us.

With love and stay well until next time.

💜

We have our dining nook back! My partners office is gone and we’re loving this sunny spot to spend time in and invite friends to share a meal again.

Lastly … Quick carrot and radish pickles.

Dressing: mirin, rice vinegar, light soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds and seaweed flakes.

Veggie Thai Curry with Chicken Thighs

Hello! Are you still here? I hope you have been well! It’s been a while, but life has been happening at a pace!

Veggie Chicken Thai Curry

Ingredients

  • 2 tblspn avocado oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 thumb-sized fresh ginger, match-sticked
  • 4 tblspn Thai curry paste (red or green is fine)
  • 4 tblspn fish sauce
  • 400ml can coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tblspn turmeric root and lemon grass paste (or sub ½ tsp turmeric with zest of ½ a lemon)
  • 2 chicken thighs, sliced (optional)
  • ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
  • ¼ Napa cabbage (or any type, bok choy too)
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced or 1 daikon radish to cut on carbs
  • 2 celery sticks, diced
  • ⅓ of a head of cauliflower flowerettes
  • 12 baby tomatoes
  • 2 small carrots, cut into medallions
  • ANY veggie alternatives you’d like to add
  • 2 diced chillies

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Naked Spring Roll Pork Stir Fry

I miss Spring Rolls. That wrapped crunchy goodness! Here’s a little recipe of what (probably) goes in them… and a little bit extra…without the roll.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 lb/500g ground pork
  • ½ a cabbage, green or red
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • Contd.

Keto Cauliflower Soul Soup

I absolutely love cauliflower and autumn!

Cauliflower Soul Soup with a Touch of Spice

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter (4 oz, 113g)
  • 1 large or 2 small onions
  • 1 bunch of celery
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 thumb of fresh ginger
  • 4 to 8 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp dill dried or fresh
  • 1 tsp herb salt
  • ½ tsp dill seeds
  • ½ tsp saffron threads
  • Chicken, beef or onion stock to cover veg, about 4 to 5 cups (1 litre)
  • ½ cup heavy cream

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Cranberry Rum Orange Red Onion and Brie Galette

This is wonderful as an appetiser to start a special meal or as a main dish served with green veggies or a salad. We had it as our Christmas eve dinner starter.

If you’re making this for a dinner party I suggest you make the pastry and filling a day ahead to assemble and bake on the day.

Cranberry Orange Red Onion and Brie Galette

Pastry Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 stick butter (4 oz or 120g)
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 ½ cups almond flour
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • 1 tblspn xantham gum
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Ingredients

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Tender Buttermilk Chicken Curry with Summer Veg

We’ve had a cool start to summer, it’s been more of an extended spring. I’m not complaining as it meant I could make a late seasonal curry with some local farm chicken.

I tried slow roasting one of these chickens, but the good outdoor life made them strong, tough and healthy, just like chickens should be! Tasty but a tad chewy!

In South Africa we call these chickens “scratchy fowls” meaning they have had a free happy life, scratching in the fields for bugs. Nothing happier than the a vision of a happy scratching fowl roaming free!

So, as buttermilk tenderises chicken meat beautifully,

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Keto Empanadas

Worth the time and these are delicious. I think a Keto version is such a win, as it’s meat wrapped in a cheese dough. I mean, how can that not be good?!

If you have leftover savoury ground beef these would be the perfect leftover plan. Also, I would suggest making the ground beef filling ahead and let it cool off completely as it’s easier to work with in the dough. Hot filling in a cheese dough is not fun to work with – I found that out as this was one of those spur of the moment “I need empanadas – after 3 years of none – in my life” now! Also let your dough chill in the fridge at least 30 minutes. It’s possible to make these in one go but you’ll see how hard it was to work with fresh warm dough and filling in my pics below.

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Eggplant Parmesan Bake

Aubergine, brinjal, eggplant … whatever you call it, this beautiful vegetable is the perfect keto veggie fat bomb. High in fiber to negate the carbs, it has a wonderful sponge tendency of soaking up oils and seasonings and delivering a delicious meal. You’ll need a large aubergine, sliced in thick disks, marinated in herbs and garlic, brushed with pesto and tomato paste and topped with mature parmesan, then oven baked.

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Roasted Squash Boats with Goats Cheese

We bought some lovely goats cheese at the farmers market recently. We took a 2 hour train trip to a university town where there is an amazing art and craft market too. Included in this recipe is the lemon and basil goat cheese we had left over.

Autumn is here and that means winter squash!

Winter squash are wonderful and I love their flavour, especially the Delicata variety. When I bought this beauty I had no idea what it would end up as, I never actually plan a menu and nor do I shop with a recipe in mind. I just purchase what looks delicious in that moment. I tend to create recipes on the fly, they evolve from what is in the fridge or cupboard.

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Pork Butt Roast crowned with garlic

This is a recipe born of necessity. We’re expecting a meat delivery and need freezer space!

The garlic crown is just a pointed knife poked in the top and many many slivers of garlic pressed in the top. Well worth the effort and super delicious result.

One more thing … your home will be fragrantly infused with spices, apples, lemon and roast for a day or two.

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