Cheesy bean quesadillas
Ingredients
400g can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar
2 green onions, sliced thinly
8 x 15cm gluten-free white corn tortillas
lime wedges, to serve
Method
1. Combine beans and paprika in a medium bowl; use the back of a fork or a potato masher to coarsely mash. Add cheddar and green onion; mix well, season.
2. Place four of the tortillas on a clean chopping board. Spoon bean mixture evenly over tortillas. Top with remaining tortillas.
3. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat; cook one quesadilla at a time, pressing down firmly with a spatula, for five minutes or until the tortilla is crisp and golden brown. Turn over; cook for a further three minutes or until cheddar has melted and tortilla is crisp. Transfer to a plate, cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
4. Cut quesadillas in halves and wedges to serve. Accompany with lime wedges and micro coriander leaves, if you like.
Tips: White corn tortillas are available in supermarkets or in health food stores. You can also cook the quesadillas in a sandwich press.
Serves 4.
Stroganoff fingers
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
400g minced lean beef
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, crushed
100g mushrooms, chopped finely
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp plain flour
3/4 cup salt-reduced beef stock
12 sheets filo pastry
cooking-oil spray
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup Greek yoghurt
Finely chopped chives, to serve
Method
1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion, garlic and mushrooms; cook, stirring, for five minutes or until browned all over. Add in paprika, tomato paste and flour; cook, stirring, for one minute. Add stock; bring to the boil, stirring for two minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, allow to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 200C. Line two large oven trays with baking paper.
3. Layer two sheets filo pastry with oil spray; cut crossways into thirds. Spoon heaped tablespoons of beef mixture along short ends of pastry and roll up, enclosing ends to form rolls. Place on oven tray. Repeat twice more until you have nine rolls. Layer another two sheets pastry with oil spray; cut crossways into four strips. Spoon tablespoons of mixture along short ends of pastry and roll up; you should have 12 smaller rolls. Lightly spray rolls with oil.
4. Bake fingers for 20 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Serve with combined sour cream and yoghurt sprinkled with chives for dipping.
Keep: Store filling, covered, in the fridge for up to one day. Freeze the fingers in a single layer on a tray, then place into airtight containers or snap-lock bags and freeze for up to two months.
Makes 9 large and 12 small.
Fruity soft serves
You will need to start this recipe at least 4 hours ahead.
Ingredients
Avocado and lime:
3 large avocados, halved, stones removed, chopped
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp finely grated lime rind, to serve
Banana and raspberry:
200g frozen raspberries
800g over-ripe bananas, peeled, chopped coarsely
Mango and passionfruit:
900g frozen diced mango
1/4 cup passionfruit pulp
Method
1. To make avocado and lime soft serve, process avocado, lime juice and sugar until very smooth. Pour into a large snap-lock bag; seal. Freeze flat for four hours or until puree is solid. Break frozen puree into chunks and process until smooth. Spoon soft serve into a piping bag fitted with a star tube. Immediately pipe mixture into cups or ice-cream cones; sprinkle with lime rind to serve.
(Makes 2 1/2 cups.)
2. To make banana and raspberry soft serve, place frozen raspberries in a food processor; pulse quickly and briefly to roughly crumble. Remove a quarter; reserve in the freezer until ready to serve. Add banana to the remaining raspberries, process until very smooth. Pour into a large snap-lock bag; seal. Freeze flat for four hours or until puree is solid. Break frozen puree into chunks and process until smooth. Spoon soft serve into a piping bag fitted with a star tube. Immediately pipe mixture into cups or ice-cream cones; sprinkle with frozen crumbled raspberries to serve.
(Makes 2 1/2 cups.)
3. To make mango and passionfruit soft serve, process mango until very smooth. Add half the passionfruit; pulse until well combined. Pour into a large snap-lock bag; seal. Freeze flat for four hours or until puree is solid. Break frozen puree into chunks and process until smooth. Spoon soft serve into a piping bag fitted with a star tube. Immediately pipe mixture into cups or ice-cream cones. Top with remaining passionfruit to serve.
(Makes 3 1/2 cups.)
Tips: You will need three disposable piping bags and three star tubes. The soft serve can be stored in the piping bags in the freezer for up to two hours before becoming too firm to pipe.
Tropical oat balls
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup linseeds
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups fresh dates, pitted
225g can pineapple pieces in natural juice, well drained
1 medium pear, chopped
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup desiccated coconut, extra
Method
1. Process all ingredients, except the extra coconut, in a food processor until well combined.
2. Using damp hands, shape heaped tablespoon of mixture into 38 balls. Roll balls in extra coconut. Place on a baking-paper lined tray; cover, refrigerate for two hours or until firm. Transfer to an airtight container.
Keep: Store balls in the refrigerator for two days or freeze for up to three months. Enjoy straight from the freezer.
Makes 38.
- Kids' Kitchen: Get kids cooking with easy savoury and sweet recipes, by the Australian Women's Weekly. Are Media Books. $14.99.