‘Rice’ To The Occasion!

Karina’s Low-Gi and High Protein Fried Rice!

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 cups of brown rice

– 350 g chicken thai fillet, fat removed, then cubed small

– 1 tablespoon of sesame oil

– 1 1/2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce

– 1 1/2 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce

– 1 1/2 tablespoons of oyster sauce

– 2 cloves of garlic, minced finely

– 2 shallots, chopped roughly

Method:

Grab a medium-sized pot, then pour water into it, until it reaches 3/4 of the way with water. Place the lid on your pot. Turn the heat to ‘high,’ then bring this water to a boil. Once the water has boiled, remove the lid and stir in 1 1/2 cups of brown rice. Turn the heat to ‘medium,’ then cook, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes. Once your rice has cooked, turn the heat to ‘off,’ then drain your rice, and return your rice to your pot.

Place the rest of your ingredients, except for the shallots, all together in that pot, along with your brown rice, then cook on ‘low,’ for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked. Make sure you stir your rice every few seconds, to prevent it from burning.

Once your chicken has cooked, add your shallots, then cook for one minute only. Stir occasionally. Once your shallots have cooked slightly, turn the heat to ‘off.’

Compiling the Beauty:

‘Rice’ to the occasion, by piling your rice in your bowl. Simple 🙂

Enjoy!

Karina x

Serves 3

Copyright © 2015 by Karina Teuma

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Light and Ch-Easy!

Karina’s Low Gi and Low Fat Spaghetti Carbonara!

Ingredients:

– 200 g gluten-free pasta (Spaghetti)

– 30 g low-fat tasty cheese, grated

– 1 – 1.5 cups of light milk (depending upon how much sauce you like)

– 6 rashers of bacon, all the fat removed, sliced thickly

– 200 g chicken breast, fat and skin removed, cubed small

– 1 large pinch of white pepper

– 20 g olive oil spread

– 20 g wholemeal flour

– Fresh rocket to serve

– 1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

Cook your pasta as per the packet directions, strain, then set aside with the lid on.

Make your low-fat carbonara sauce. On medium heat, melt your olive oil spread in a medium sized pan, then add your wholemeal flour. Stir together constantly with a wooden spoon, until a ball forms. Once this little ball forms (after 1 minute of constant stirring), then you will need to grab your whisk. Add your milk to the mixture, one little pour at a time, then whisk constantly until all the milk has been incorporated and the sauce has thickened. At this stage, it is entirely up to you whether you like a lot of sauce with your carbonara, or a light coating. If you prefer a light coating on your spaghetti carbonara, then only use one cup of light milk. If you prefer more sauce, then you will need to add one and a half cups of light milk. Once your sauce has thickened, then you will need to add all your low-fat cheese, using the whisk to incorporate all the low-fat cheese into the sauce, then add a large pinch of white pepper. Whisk well until the pepper has been incorporated. Turn the heat to ‘off’.

Using a separate frying pan, turn the heat to a medium heat, then add your 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once your olive oil has warmed through, add your bacon and chicken pieces to the pan, then fry on both sides, until slightly caramelised and fully cooked. Turn the heat to ‘off’.

Compiling the Beauty:

Add your cooked chicken and bacon pieces to your low-fat carbonara sauce, then stir well to combine. Stir your cooked pasta in with your low-fat carbonara sauce, chicken and bacon, then serve on a plate. Top with fresh rocket!

Serves Two!

Enjoy!

Karina x

Copyright © 2015 by Karina Teuma

That’s ‘Saucy’!

That’s ‘Saucy’!

That’s ‘Saucy’!

Karina’s ‘Saucy’ Chorizo, Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli!

Ingredients:

– 1/2 a Chorizo Sausage, sliced thinly

– 2 x 400g cans of Chopped Tomatoes

– 1 tablespoon of Tomato Paste

– 1 pinch of Cracked Black Pepper

– 1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar

– 2 tablespoons of Dried Mixed Italian Herbs

– 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced finely

– 1 large handful of Fresh Basil, roughly torn

– 400g Reduced Fat Fresh Ricotta

– 100g Fresh Spinach, roughly torn

– 50g Shaved Fresh Parmesan (30g for filling and 20g for garnish)

– 2 tablespoons Olive Oil for Pasta Dough and 1 tablespoon Olive Oil for Sauce

– 300g Wholemeal Flour and 3 Large Eggs (this is for Option 1)

– 1 packet of Gow Gee Pastries (this is for Option 2)

Method:

Making your Fresh Ravioli Filling:

Fill your kettle with 1.5 litres of water, then bring to the boil. Once water has boiled, place your torn spinach into your heatproof bowl. Cover your spinach with boiling water, then drain immediately. Rinse your blanched spinach in cold, fresh water,  then squeeze your spinach well with your clean hands, to remove excess water. Place your cooled, blanched and squeezed spinach into your mixing bowl, then add 30g of shaved fresh parmesan, cracked black pepper and fresh reduced fat ricotta. Mix well to combine evenly.

Making your ‘Saucy’ Chorizo Pasta Sauce:

On medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-sized pot, then wait until oil has heated. Once oil has heated, add your chorizo sausage. Allow your chorizo sausage to caramelise on one side, for approximately 2 minutes. Once caramelised on one side, flip your chorizo sausage pieces over, to allow to caramelise for 1 minute on the other side, then turn the heat to a low heat. Add your minced garlic and allow to cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the inside bottom of your pot, by placing your balsamic vinegar in with your caramelised chorizo sausage. Wait only 15 seconds, then pour your chopped tin tomatoes in with the chorizo sausage. Add your dried mixed italian herbs, along with your tomato paste, then stir to combine. Allow your sauce to simmer for 30 minutes, keeping the heat on low. Tip: you can have your sauce simmering while you are making your pasta 🙂 Just ensure your sauce does not burn, by stirring occasionally and keeping the pasta sauce on a very low temperature.

Once your ‘Saucy’ pasta sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, turn the heat to off, then add your torn fresh basil to your sauce. Stir briefly, then set aside to infuse these fantastic flavours!

Option 1: Making Fresh Pasta Dough:

Combine all the flour into a large bowl and make a large indent in the middle. Add the eggs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the centre. Use a fork to mix the eggs until combined, then use your fork to gradually bring the flour in from the outside. After most of the dough is roughly combined, flour your clean hands and bring all the dough together to form a big ball. Knead on a floured surface for approximately 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and slightly resilient.  If your dough is too wet, add more flour. If your dough is too dry, add more olive oil. Wrap your large dough ball in cling wrap, then leave in your refrigerator to relax for 1 hour.

If you’re angry and you have more time, choose this option: ‘Hard Yakka.’ 

For the ‘Hard Yakka’ option, you’ll need to ensure you are angry, or, at the very least, would like to burn off energy. You’ll also need to ensure you have a very large rolling pin 🙂

Cut your pasta dough into three even sections, keeping one section in front of you. Wrap the other two sections in cling wrap, then place in your refrigerator. Using a very large rolling pin and a large, flat surface, roll out your first pasta section, ensuring the dough is about 1.5 mm in thickness.

Cut your dough into square pieces. Place one square pasta piece on a flat and floured kitchen bench, then place a level tablespoonful of your fresh ravioli filling into the middle of one piece of pasta. Brush the entire boarder with water, then place your other square piece of pasta over the filled one. Press both pasta squares together, around the boarder, to form a solid bond. Repeat with your remaining pasta squares and filling.

Repeat this process with your other two pieces of pasta dough, placing your completed ravioli batches in a container in the refrigerator to keep moist and to prevent from drying. Place cling film to separate the pasta from each layer of pasta, in order to prevent your pasta ravioli from sticking to one another.

If you would like a more professional result, with less fuss, choose this option: ‘Rolling in Happiness.’

For the ‘Rolling in Happiness’ option, you’ll need a pasta machine.

Cut your pasta dough into three even sections, keeping one section in front of you. Wrap the other two sections in cling wrap, then place in your refrigerator. Flatten your first piece of pasta dough by hand, then run it through the thickest setting on your pasta machine. Put the pasta rollers down two settings, then run the pasta dough through again to make it thinner. Fold your pasta dough in half, then run it back through the thickest setting again. Repeat this process two more times, or until your pasta becomes silky-smooth.

Roll your beautiful pasta sheet down through each setting, dusting with wholemeal flour before using each setting. Roll your beautiful pasta sheet to your desired thickness, which is about 1.5mm for wholemeal pasta dough. You don’t want wholemeal pasta dough rolled too thin, otherwise it may crack due to the wholemeal grains.

Cut your dough into square pieces. Place one square pasta piece on a flat and floured kitchen bench, then place a level tablespoonful of your fresh ravioli filling into the middle of one piece of pasta. Brush the entire boarder with water, then place your other square piece of pasta over the filled one. Press both pasta squares together, around the boarder, to form a solid bond. Repeat with your remaining pasta squares and filling.

Repeat this process with your other two pieces of pasta dough, placing your completed ravioli batches in a container in the refrigerator to keep moist and to prevent from drying. Place cling film to separate the pasta from each layer of pasta, in order to prevent your pasta ravioli from sticking to one another.

Option 2: Using Gow Gee Pastries:

Place a gow gee pastry on a flat and floured kitchen bench, then place a level tablespoonful of your fresh ravioli filling into the middle of one pastry. Brush the entire boarder with water, then place your other gow gee pastry over the filled one. Press both pastries together, around the boarder, to form a solid bond. Repeat with your remaining wrappers and filling.

Compiling the Beauty:

For your Beautiful Fresh Pasta:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Once your water has boiled, add your beautiful and fresh ravioli to the boiling water. Stir once then cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, or until your ravioli float. Drain, then divide among 4 deep bowls. Serve with your ‘Saucy’ pasta sauce, along with your grated fresh parmesan and a fresh sprig of basil.

For your Easy Gow Gee Pasta:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Once your water has boiled, add your ravioli to the boiling water. Stir once then cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, or until your ravioli float. Drain, then divide among 4 deep bowls. Serve with your ‘Saucy’ pasta sauce, along with your grated fresh parmesan and a fresh sprig of basil.

Serves 5

Enjoy!

Karina x

Eggcellent!

Eggcellent!

Eggcellent!

Karina’s Eggcellent Spanish Chorizo, Basil and Parmesan Omelette!

Fancy a flavour explosion? Then look no further. To enjoy Karina’s Eggcellent Omelette, you will need to grab your favourite breakfast drink, a comfortable chair and perhaps read up on some of my recipes 🙂

Ingredients:

– Two Large Eggs (free range are best)

– Cracked Black Pepper

– 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil (I like to use garlic infused olive oil for maximum flavour)

– 1 small handful of finely grated Parmesan Cheese (you can use finely grated Cheddar Cheese if you prefer a less sharp flavour)

– 1/4 of one Spanish Chorizo, skin removed and sliced thinly.

– 1/2 of 1 handful of Fresh Basil Leaves, torn.

N.B – You can make your own garlic olive oil, by dry roasting garlic cloves either in a pan, or in the oven until it’s golden brown (it should only take a few minutes). Allow the roasted garlic to cool slightly, then place the roasted garlic into a jar of olive oil to infuse. Keep it in the olive oil for about one week, then fetch the garlic out with a long skewer. You can then use this beautiful garlic oil in any of your favourite recipes which calls for a hint of garlic. Enjoy the flavour sensation!

Method:

Add your Spanish Chorizo to the pan, along with your olive oil. Fry over a high heat until the bottom side is crispy and golden brown. Flip your Spanish Chorizo to allow the other side to turn golden brown. When both sides of your Spanish Chorizo are crispy and golden brown, turn the heat down to a low heat.

Crack your eggs into a bowl, with a pinch of pepper, then beat well with a fork until combined. Add your eggs to the pan, along with your Spanish Chorizo. Wobble your pan with your eggs, until the bottom surface of your pan is coated in egg.

Now, pop your favourite wholemeal or grain bread into your toaster. Boil the kettle to get your favourite cup of tea or coffee going.

Wait about 1-2 minutes, or until you see the eggs are slightly cooked. Grate your parmesan cheese on top of your eggs. You don’t need to wait for the cheese to cook, since it would have already melted into your eggs slightly. Flip one side of your omelet onto the other, by using a spatula.

Compiling the Beauty:

Turn the heat to off, then you should be able to slide your silky, flavourful omelet onto your plate. Cut your toast to your liking. Pour out your favourite cup of tea, coffee or whatever you like. Relax and enjoy your beautiful omelette!

Enjoy this wonderful breakfast!

Serves 1

Karina x

Lamb Forequarter Chops with Rosemary, Garlic and Thyme Jus!

Ingredients:

– 3 Lamb Forequarter Chops, (130 g each) Fat Removed

– 4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

– 3 Thyme Sprigs, kept whole

– 2 Rosemary Sprigs, kept whole

– 1 Rosemary Sprig, diced finely

– 3 Garlic Cloves, diced finely

– Black Pepper

– 1 Regular size Zucchini, cut into two, then cut into wedges

– 8 Baby Carrots, parboiled for 8 Minutes

–  2 Long and Thin Orange Sweet Potatoes, cut into chunky pieces, then parboiled for 8 Minutes

– 1 Baby Red Capsicum, optional

– 1 Tablespoon Sherry Vinegar

– 1 Standard Glass of Red Wine

– Parsley to Garnish and to eat (optional)

Method:

Remove all the fat from the three lamb forequarter chops, buy chopping it off with a knife. Use a knife to score the surface of the flesh of the three lamb forequarter chops. Place one tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl, along with the three sprigs of thyme, two rosemary sprigs and three garlic cloves. Season all these ingredients with black pepper, then massage all these wonderful ingredients into the beautiful and lean Lamb. Don’t worry if the lamb forequarter chops have fallen apart after removing the fat, as this is what will help make it look nice in the end, as the Lamb will look naturally segmented. Allow all these beautiful flavours to get to know each other for around 2-4 hours.

Heat the oven to 220 Degrees Celsius. Boil two small pots of water: one pot for the orange sweet potato and the other pot for the baby carrots. Once the water comes to the boil in both of these pots, place the orange sweet potato in one pot and the baby carrots into the other pot. Cover with lids until water comes to a boil again, then continue to boil both pots for a total time of eight minutes each. Once the eight minutes is over, turn the heat to off. Strain both the orange sweet potato and the baby carrots, then place on a lightly olive-oiled large baking tray. Place your zucchini wedges onto the same tray, along with your baby red capsicum.  Place One rosemary sprig in one hand, using your other hand to slide all the rosemary leaves off onto the chopping board. Once on the chopping board, finely chop the rosemary leaves. Sprinkle the finely chopped rosemary leaves all over all the vegetables, then add one tablespoon of olive oil to the vegetables. Massage in gently.

Next, you’ll need to heat a medium-sized fry pan, then add one tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the lamb, keeping the lamb spread out in the pan. Caramelise the lamb, by keeping the lamb exactly where it is for approximately 2-3 minutes. Turn the lamb to the other side, caramelising the lamb on the other side for 2 minutes, then turn the heat to off. Add this beautifully caramelised lamb to the baking tray, by introducing the lamb and vegetables to one another. Roast all the vegetables and lamb in a 220 Degrees Celsius pre-heated oven, for 15 minutes, allowing them to mingle and flavours to be exchanged. Once 15 minutes are over, turn the heat to off, then lift all the vegetables and lamb onto a plate to relax. Think of it this way, after a huge event, you are soo run-down, you need to relax, right? Well, this is a similar principle. The meat needs to relax, otherwise it will be tough.

Add the sherry vinegar to the roasting pan, scraping the caramelised bits from the baking tray and mixing these beautiful flavours into the premature jus. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the colour changes and the jus has reduced a little.

Compiling the beauty:

When you removed the fat from the three lamb forequarter chops, you would have noticed that some segments of the lamb would have naturally broken away. This is a good thing! This means you don’t need to chop the lamb at all now! Spoon all the vegetables onto the plate, arranging the vegetables to your liking. Now, lay the lamb to rest, either on top, or in front of the vegetables. Allow the rosemary, thyme and garlic jus to rain on the vegetables and lamb, until you have a shallow moat on your plate! This moat is the jus, which allows your construction to shine! Enjoy!

Serves 2

Karina x