Turmeric spiced zucchini salmon patties with a zesty dill yoghurt

Easter is a great time to enjoy the company of friends and family, and celebrate with good food.

Although my family are not particularly religious we have always embraced the tradition of no red meat on Good Friday. Considering my dad is a bit of a fisherman and I was lucky enough to grow up on beautiful Lake Macquarie in NSW, we have always been spoilt with an abundance of fresh fish and seafood. Living in Adelaide, I am equally spoilt for great seafood.

Although fresh is often on the menu, salmon patties using tinned salmon often featured during our Good Friday celebrations. Tinned salmon is a fantastic alternative to fresh fish, providing a convenient and versatile option with the added benefits of oily fish.

Oily fish like salmon, tuna and sardines and other seafood (such as mussels and squid) supply omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fats help to lower circulating levels blood fats called triglycerides. They also help to reduce inflammation, which damages blood vessels, increasing a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Recommendations for most of the Australian population are to enjoy two to three 150g servings of oily fish weekly. Some recent studies have also suggested that supplementing these omega-3 fats instead of eating the real thing do not provide us with the benefits as once thought...

Food has a complex nature and you just can’t beat the real thing!

As we approached this Easter break I was thinking about the salmon patties that we used to have barbecuing during our Good Friday celebrations. I thought it would be nice to recreate these old favourites in my kitchen. So here is a modern twist to an old favourite.

This nutrient dense recipe is also gluten free for those who require a gluten free diet. Breadcrumbs can be substituted for the almond meal if desired; however this option will not be gluten free.

Other health benefits of some of the ingredients include:

• Salmon – high in omega-3 fats to reduce inflammation, triglyceride levels and improve your overall cardiovascular health
• Salmon and almond meal – high in protein to help build and repair muscles and tissues and enhance satiety after meals
• Turmeric – may help to reduce inflammation
• Zucchini – is currently in season (Summer and Autumn months) and will be providing you with antioxidants and fibre
• Greek yoghurt and the bones in the salmon – will help to bump up your daily calcium intake, and
• Dill (herb) – may help to relax muscles and fight bacteria.

Ingredients for patties

Large can (415g) of salmon

1 cup of almond meal

1 egg

1 large zucchini, grated – use paper-towel to absorb water from the grated zucchini

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of turmeric

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup of parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to season

Olive oil to cook

Method

Put salmon in a bowl and mash until skin and bones have been crushed and mixed through – this will increase the calcium and omega-3 content of the recipe.

Add ¾ cup of almond meal, egg, zucchini, lemon juice, turmeric, garlic, parsley and season with salt and pepper, mix until combined.

Use a 1/2 cup measurement to measure out and make 6 salmon patties.

Dust in remaining almond meal.

Put in fridge for about half an hour to firm if desired.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over low-medium heat.

Cook each side over low-medium heat for approximately 4 minutes each side.

Zesty dill yoghurt

Ingredients

½ cup of low fat Greek yoghurt

Juice from ½ a lemon

½ cup of finely chopped dill

Pepper to season

Method

1. Mix all ingredients and season with pepper.

2. Use as a dipping sauce or top each pattie with some zesty, dill sauce.

Mediterranean vegetable & ricotta frittata

Finally, a new recipe on the blog!

Time has been very limited these days, which means my blog hasn’t been getting the attention it deserves AND my lovely followers haven’t had a new recipe for a little while.

Part of my time limitation has been due to my training for the Melbourne marathon. Unfortunately my training has been a little ineterrupted (just weeks out!) due to injury. This means that my HIGH carb eating days are few and far between and I have opted for lighter options such as this lovely Mediterranean Vegetable & Ricotta Frittata. This does not mean that I have been following a low carb diet – nor is this recommended.

My point is, carbohydrate requirements vary for each individual and even when we look at the carbohydrate requirements for one person, this varies from day-to-day depending on what they are up to. When I make recommendations for athletes, each day could be different depending on their stage of training and the type, intensity and duration of the training session.

Just another reason why blanket nutrition statements and ‘one size fits all’ approaches don’t work. Food and nutrition is complex.

All I wanted to do was point you in the direction of this new recipe, so here you go….ENJOY!

Three words to describe this recipe…simple, nutritious & delicious…

Please enjoy as a light meal served with salad or cut into smaller pieces for a filling snack.

Ingredients

1 small to medium sweet potato – sliced, making 1 cm thick circles

1 small zucchini, cut in half then cut into thick strips

1 red capsicum – cut into eights

½ an eggplant – cut into long, strips

1 cup of ricotta

½ cup of grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese

7 eggs

1/2 cup  chopped basil

1/2 cup of chopped parsley

 Method

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees.

Line a baking dish with baking paper, add vegetables, sprinkle with a little salt and drizzle enough olive oil for roasting.

Cook in the oven for approximately 40 minutes or until tender.

When vegetables are done whisk eggs in a bowl and add ricotta, cheese, basil, parsley and season with pepper.

Over a low heat, brush a 20cm x 20cm frying pan with some olive oil then line the bottom of the pan with the sweet potato, then spread the other vegetables evenly over the sweet potato.

Next, pour the egg, cheese and herb mixture evenly over the vegetables.

Cook over a low heat for approximately 10 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat a grill ready to cook the top of the frittata for approximately 3-5 minutes until the frittata is cooked through and starting to brown on top.

Once ready, knife around the edge to separate it from the pan and flip onto a plate.

To serve, cut it in quarters and add a teaspoon of your chutney/jam to the top of each piece – I like caramelised onion jam.

I like to serve this with a tomato, basil and rocket salad or grainy toast on an active day.

* For an alternative cooking method, place in an oven proof dish and cook for 20-30 minutes in an oven at 180 degrees. 

Leftover Roasted Veggie Slice

Starting the week with some roasted veggies always sets us up for a week of nourishing eats. If you plan to cook your traditional Sunday roast or enjoy roasted veggies with a lovely lean protein source, why not cook extra for the week ahead?

Left over roasted vegetables can be very versatile.

Toss them with some fresh herbs, lemon, olive oil, legumes or grains for a lunchtime salad, add them to a toasted sandwich with a scrape of pesto and a crumble of feta, mix with eggs for an omelette or frittata, or in this case, make a lovely, tasty veggie slice.

This veggie slice is so simple and quick to prepare and  can be enjoyed as a snack or as a light meal with some salad or extra vegetables.

How to roast the veggies

My favourite vegetables to roast are pumpkin, red capsicum, eggplant, zucchini, red onion and squash. When roasting these vegetables I usually preheat the oven to 200 degrees, cut up the pumpkin, red capsicum (nice and chunky) and eggplant (cubed) and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary (depending on what I am preparing).

After about 20 minutes of these vegetables in the oven I add the zucchini, squash and red onion (drizzle some extra olive oil if required) and roast for another 20 minutes or until cooked through. If the vegetables are packed in tightly they can end up soft and a little soggy. For this veggie slice that really doesn’t matter.

 How to make the veggie slice

This recipe makes 4 light meal servings of slice, however you can cut it up in smaller pieces for a lovely nourishing snack.

Ingredients

3 cups of already roasted vegetables – for example pumpkin, zucchini, eggplant, squash and red capsicum (however use what ever your palates desire or what ever is leftover)

½ cup of pitted kalamata olives if desired (to add a salty flavour)

½ cup of wholemeal self-raising flour

4 eggs

¼ cup of fresh herbs such as parsley (if you haven’t roasted the vegetables with rosemary)

¼ cup of grated cheddar cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2. Place roasted veggies and herbs in a large bowl.

3. Toss flour through vegetables.

4. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl then add to the vegetables and flour.

5. Mix all ingredients together and season with pepper.

6. Line a shallow baking dish with baking paper.

7. Pour the ingredients evenly into the baking dish.

8. Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until set.

9. Cut into 4 light meal serve sizes or smaller snack sizes

Bon Appetit

MEXICAN BAKED EGG RAMEKINS

I currently have a total obsession with eggs. I enjoy them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are often quick to prepare, versatile and lets not forget, nutrient dense.

Baked eggs have become quite a trend so I thought I would develop my own recipe based on my favourite flavours, which of course includes Mexican spices!

I used ramekins that hold approximately 1 cup of filling to make individual serves, however you can use a large oven proof dish to make this recipe.

In regards to serving size, 1 ramekin served with a slice of sour dough or crusty grain bread (topped with avocado and lemon of course) would make a nice light meal or have 2 ramekins for a larger meal.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 large red capsicum, diced

1 large red onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped

1 long red chilli or 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes

1 cup (or 170g) of cherry tomatoes, halved

I cob of fresh corn, kernals removed from the cob

400g can of kidney beans (or black beans)

400g can of diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon of paprika

2 teaspoons of cumin

2 teaspoons of ground coriander

An egg for each ramekin - this amount of mixture makes about 5 ramekins worth for me, therefore I use 5 eggs. If you serve this in a large oven proof dish use 5-6 eggs

Fresh coriander, chopped, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Heat oil in a large skillet over a low-medium heat.

Add the capsicum, onion, garlic and chilli and sauté, stirring occasionally, for approximately 2-3 minutes.

Add fresh cherry tomatoes and corn kernels and stir through for approximately 1-2 minutes.

Add tinned tomatoes, kidney beans, paprika, cumin and ground coriander and stir through then remove from heat.

Fill the ramekins or small oven proof bowls with mixture.

Make a small well in the middle of the mixture and crack an egg in each ramekin.

Cook in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Once cooked scatter with chopped coriander.