Chicken Broccoli and Quinoa Balls

Chicken and Broccoli Bites or Broccoli and Cheese Bites have been trending on food blogs for a while now, and I have been wanting to try them for a while. 

Mr 11 months dinner platter.
The chicken broccoli and quinoa
balls were demolished!

However my 'fussy eater' is weird about meat (unless it's pulverised into a puree, masked with pumpkin or kumara), and is not a big fan of cheese. He'll eat his ham and cheese sammies okay, but won't eat cheese on it's own, and didn't seem too pleased with the cheese and veggie fritters that I made (but he loves my Lasagne and Tuna Pasta Bake, go figure?). Regardless, I was hesitant to try something, which was too 'meaty' or 'cheesy', but I am wanting to introduce more finger food, so I came up with these tasty morsels: Which he devoured, and completely ignored everything else which was on his plate. Luckily these are basically a complete meal in one, so he can just eat these for the rest of his life for all I care and I know he'll be getting a balanced diet. 

Best of all, they're a hit with adults as well as children! Little ones can enjoy them plain or with a little tomato sauce, and for adults, add a teaspoon of chilli sauce to the tomato sauce for a flavour kick. Alternatively, you could serve them with spaghetti and a tomato sauce. 

Ingredients (makes 40 balls): 

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 1/2 cups of roughly chopped broccoli (florets and stalk - just remove the skin of the stalk) 
• 400 grams skinless boneless free range chicken 
• 100 grams haloumi cheese 
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (1/2 cup dried + 1 cup water, simmer for 10-15 mins) 
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp dried thyme 
• 1 tsp paprika 

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line two baking trays with grease proof paper. 

Combine all ingredients in a food processor (depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to do a few ingredients at a time, then finish up the mixing in a large bowl. 

Using wet hands, shape ping-pong sized balls of the mixture and drop them onto the lined trays. 

Bake for 25 minutes, swapping the trays around halfway to ensure even cooking. 

Cool and serve: with a tomato sauce (chilli optional), or with spaghetti and a cooked tomato sauce. 

Baby Panang (for parents too!)

As of late I have been adapting our adult meals to make a potful to freeze down for baby. I'm also aware that as he gets older, he needs to be exposed to more flavours, textures and tastes. 

For this Thai Panang Curry, each time I make it will gradually increase the amount of Panang curry paste which is added, therefore increasing babies tolerance of the different herbs and spices. Obviously stopping once I have achieved a mild flavour, I don't expect the poor kid to eat super spicy food like his Mum! The half a teaspoon used in this batch wasn't detectable to my palate, and therefore happily gobbled down by Mr 8 months. 

Depending on where your child is at with their eating, you could puree this, or pulse so still a bit chunky, or just roughly mash. We're still at the blitzing stage, also I add the rice in after a few blitzes so that it stays fairly chunky still. Feel free to use cooked rice, ground Only Organic Iron Fortified Baby Rice or a combination of the both. The good thing about adding the rice at the end is that it helps you to gain the right consistency; simply add more rice to make it thicker. 

This recipe includes everything that you need to make a meal to serve four adults (dinner and the next day's lunches for us), and 6-10 serves for baby. I freeze baby's portions in silicone ice-trays or muffin trays, then pop them out and store in a zip-lock bag in the freezer, defrosting as much as is needed each day. The first ingredient list is the total ingredients that you will need. The second is the portions which go into baby's pot. 

Ingredients (4 adults and 6-10 baby serves):

• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 parsnip, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 a squash or pumpkin, peeled and diced
• 1/2 a head of broccoli, florets, and stem peeled and cut into sticks 
• 1 apple
• 1 small kumara, peeled and diced 
• 1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced 
• 1 400g tin of coconut cream
• 1 tbsp oil
• 50 g + 1/2 tsp Mae Ploy Panang Curry Paste*
• 600 grams free range chicken breast or thigh, diced**
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• juice of 1 lime or lemon
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups rice + 4 cups of water

*Any Panang Curry Paste will work, however adapt the amount used according to the packet directions. 

**Use protein of choice including Beef, Tofu or Pork

Begin by preparing your vegetables, as you do measure out the following amounts to go into a separate 1.5L capacity pot for baby.

• 120 g carrot
• 50 g parsnip
• 80 g broccoli
• 200 g squash or pumpkin
• 100 g kumara
• 80 g apple 

All remaining vegetables, prepare and pop aside. 

Add to baby's pot: 100 g chicken (or other protein), 1/2 tsp curry paste, 1/4 cup of coconut milk and two cups of water. 

Cover and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Remove lid and leave to cool for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, begin cooking your rice, according to packet directions. 

In a large frying pan (with a lid), heat the oil and over a low heat stir in the 50 g curry paste till aromatic, add the remaining coconut cream, then fill the tin with water and pour that in too, stir to create a sauce. Add the fish sauce and sugar. Add the chicken, carrot, parsnip, squash and any kumara or apple that was leftover. Stir, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes till chicken is cooked through and vegetables are nearly softened. Add the broccoli and onion, stir and cover for another 5 minutes. 

Serve the Panang Curry in bows on top of the cooked rice. 

As for baby's pot, it should be cooled enough now. Blend or blitz in a food processor till at the desired consistency. To make it thicker, add up to 1/2 a cup of Only Organic Iron Fortified Baby Rice, or up to 1 cup of cooked rice, or as I did a combination of both. Decant this into ice-trays or muffin tins to freeze, then store frozen cubes in labelled zip lock bags in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Spring Spaghetti with Garlic Almond Crumb

This is one of my favourite ways to eat spaghetti, aside from bolognaise or puttanesca. Okay, I love spaghetti, but this one is pretty special. It's a dry style as opposed to a sauce. Served with lightly fried broccoli, spring onions, add poached eggs, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and then covered in the crunchy, spicy breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs can be made in advance and set aside to cool. 

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic 
• 1/2 cup of almonds 
• 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs - try panko crumbs if possible
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 400 grams dried spaghetti
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 - 4 spring onions, finely chopped on an angle
• 2 cups of broccoli florets
• 4 or 8 eggs
• 1 tbsp white vinegar 
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan (optional) 
• salt, pepper and olive oil, to serve

Peel and crush the garlic, roughly chop the almonds, then heat first measure of olive oil in a heavy based saucepan over a low heat. Add the garlic and almonds and sizzle, stirring for a few minutes, till cooked, but not burnt. Add the chilli, oregano, breadcrumbs and next measure of olive oil (approx 2 tbsp), and continue to cook on a low heat till they are golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In a pot of boiling water, cook the broccoli florets for 1 or 2 minutes, drain and set aside to cool a little. Fill the pot with more water and bring to the boil for the eggs. 

Cook the spaghetti in another pot, according to the packet directions. 

Meanwhile, in the same pan that you cooked the breadcrumbs, add another tbsp of oil, and the broccoli, spring onions and spinach. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes on a medium-high heat till a little crispy. 

To begin plating the pasta, drain and toss through with a little more olive oil. Separate into serving bowls. Top each bowl with a spoonful of the broccoli mix. 

When the egg water is at a low simmer, add the vinegar, crack eggs in one at a time and with a slotted spoon, gently make sure they are not stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until whites are done. Scoop out with the slotted spoon and place 1 or 2 eggs on the top of the broccoli, sprinkle with a little parmesan and a quarter of a cup of breadcrumb mixture. 

Salt, pepper, and yes, more olive oil. 

You won't regret it. 

Enjoy. 

Friday night = Pizza night

Pizza is one of those things that's always satisfying. Especially, when it's homemade. Sure you can buy a plethora of pizza bases ready to go, and sure, they taste good enough, but homemade, homemade is always so much more satisfying. Tonight I split the base in two and made one, a vegetarian favourite, broccoli and feta, the other, spicy chorizo and mushroom, with homemade tomato sauce. 

Friday pizza night is a bit of a tradition in my house. One that began about 4 years ago, when I was flatting with other pizza and beer enthusiasts. We'd each do our own toppings, and share to see who could come up with the best combination. Tonight was the best night to bring the tradition back to life, firstly because I finally have a new oven (YUSS!!) and secondly, the rugby's on. 

I like to keep my base quite no frills, using the edmonds pizza base ratio, that way I let the toppings shine. The boys, both meatlovers, decided the broccoli was "all good!" and struggled to pick a favourite. 

Base

• 1 tbsp Edmonds active yeast
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup of warm water - it should be body temperature, mix half a cup of boiled water with cold water
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups of plain flour
• 1 tbsp oil

Mix yeast, sugar and warm water in a bowl. Set aside, somewhere warm and draught free (a 35 degree oven works well for this if its a cold day) for about 15 minutes till yeast has become frothy. Meanwhile get started on making on the toppings, as below. 

Mix in sifted flour, salt and oil. Combine with a knife till the dough starts to come together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. You'll feel the dough become smooth and elastic. 

Oil a large bowl, place the dough in and cover with a tea towel. Put back in the draught free warm place for about an hour till it's doubled in size. 

Preheat your oven, and pizza stone to 220 degrees celsius Punch the dough down and knead again before splitting it in half (or quarters if you want smaller pizza's). 

Roll gently, or press into 30cm pizza tray. Or if you have a pizza stone, roll the dough out on greaseproof baking paper - this makes it easier to get it off the bench and on the stone pre cooking. 

Once rolled, oil the base. 

Broccoli Feta and Red Onion Pizza 

• 2 red onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Oregano, salt and pepper
• 60g feta

Heat oil in a saucepan and on a low heat, sauté the onion, balsamic and garlic for about 10 minutes till softened, stirring often. Set aside

Prepare broccoli by lightly steaming or microwaving for 2 minutes

To assemble spread sautéed onion onto prepared base, sprinkle grated cheese and arrange broccoli florets over the top. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. 

Bake 15 - 20 minutes till golden. Remove from heat and crumble feta over top. Slice. Serve. 

Spicy Chorizo and Mushroom Pizza 

Tomato Base 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1/2 tin crushed tomatoes (or 6 fresh) 
• 1/2 cup water or stock
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp each of dried marjoram, thyme, chilli flakes and pepper
• 1 tsp each of dried basil, oregano, and salt

Toppings

• 1 chorizo finely sliced
• 6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• handful of jalapeños (optional) 
• handful of marinated eggplant - artichoke, sun-dried tomato, olives or other antipasto veggies would also work well, just don't go overboard, simple is best. 

To make the sauce heat oil in a saucepan, add herbs and spices till they start to sizzle, reduce heat and add garlic, celery and carrot. Sauté for 5 minutes till softened. Add tomatoes and water or stock, increase heat, and cook, stirring every couple of minutes till sauce is thick. You can puree it, or leave it chunky, I like it chunky to be honest. 

Once base is ready, spread the sauce over, then half the grated cheese. Arrange mushrooms, chorizo, marinated veggies, and jalapeños on top. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes. Slice. Enjoy.