Homemade Muesli Bars

I hate buying muesli bars!! Partly it's the cost and packaging, but mainly it's all the sugar and fat that they pack them with. I'm not saying that these ones are fat and sugar-free, but at least there is so much goodness packed into them that they don't need to be. In our house these are strictly rationed for lunchboxes, otherwise Craig would eat them all in an evening.

I should say that this recipe is adapted from the Super Musesli Bars in Alison Holst's Meals Without Meat cookbook. :-)

1/4c oil
1/4c peanut butter
1/2c honey

Bring to boil in saucepan stirring frequently, turn to low heat and simmer until it forms a soft ball when you drop a little in cold water.

Prepare dry ingredients while wet ingredients cook.

1 and 1/2c cereal of choice (I used 1c rolled oats and 1/2c flaked amaranth but I've also used wheatgerm, puffed quinoa, even rice bubbles).
1c seeds (I like a mix of sunflower seeds. sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds)

Toast cereal and seeds on a baking tray under the grill. Stir frequently to ensure it doesn't burn.

1/2c dried fruit (eg apricots, raisins or dates) - chopped into small bits

Once honey mixture is cooked quickly mix in cereal, seeds and fruit and press into a baking dish lined with baked paper.

Wait to it's cooled slightly (but not completely) set before cutting into bars. Keep in fridge.

Kids Nacho Bites

Maia so loved these individual nachos that I made for her that I took a photo so I could remember this one again. The corn chips are the plain Mexicano brand - they are large enough to hold the toppings and are the only ones at the supermarket without all the nasty artificial flavours. At 2.5yrs she was easily able to eat each chip without dropping the toppings.

On each chip I layered: grated cheese, Mexican Beans, plain greek yoghurt, guacamole, and ground almond/sesame sprinkle.

Mexican Beans

Everyone has a tomatoeee bean recipe but the secret of this one is cumin seeds (thanks Alison Holst). We love these beans served on plain nacho chips and topped with plain greek yoghurt or cheese or guacamole or all three - but could just as easily be popped in tacos, tortillas or just over rice. Check out my kid-friendly nachos - Maia finished all of hers and then asked for more.

2T olive oil
2 chopped onions
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 large carrots diced
2t cumin seeds
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
2T tomato paste
2T tomato sauce
1T balsamic vinegar (or wine vinegar)
salt and chilli sauce to taste

Heat oil and sauté onions for about 5 mins and add garlic, carrots and cumin seeds. Continue sautéing until carrots and onions are well cooked (about 15mins),

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 20mins.

Taste and adjust salt and chilli to taste.

Kumara Falafel

This has become one of my favs - it's so easy and I love the fact you don't have to fry these tasty baked falafels.

The recipe comes from the wonderful blog 101cookbooks.com and is called Baked Sweet Potato Falafels.

Try these wrapped in pita bread with salad, as a nibble with yoghurt and mint dip, or on a anti-pasta or meze plate.

If you haven't cooked with chickpea flour before - you'll find it either in your local health foods shop or an even better bet is an Indian grocers - it may be called Chana Flour.


2 large kumara (orange is best but yellow or purple work to)
1 cup chickpea (chana) flour
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1t ground cumin
1t ground coriander
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
1T olive oil
Handful of chopped fresh coriander
Sesame seeds

Bake kumara at 200oC until well cooked. Remove from oven and peel off skin.

Mash kumara and with all other ingredients except sesame seeds.

Leave in fridge for at least an hour. Mixture should be firm enough to form into balls - if it is still to sloppy add a little more chickpea flour (the moisture level of the kumara can vary hugely).

Use a teaspoon to make balls on oiled baking tray and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake at 180oC for 15-20mins - until browned (watch as the sugars in the kumara mean the bottoms burn easily).

Verrry Yummy Indian Fish Curry-type Dish

My very lovely friend Lucy included this recipe in a very special book of 'Recipes for a Successful Marriage' that was complied on my Hens Night. I believe that she got it from her sister-in-law, Susan, and who knows where it came from before that. My version is only slightly changed to accommodate what I regularly have in my pantry.

I love it cos I can make the sauce and fish coating at any stage during the day and then throw it altogether in about 10mins when dinnertime rolls around. Plus I just leave the sauce off the kiddies plates and both Maia and Jake love the fish.

Sauce - mix together all ingredients and simmer for 15-30mins and then let stand until you need it.
3T tomato paste
1t garam masala or fish masala
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1t grated ginger
1/2t salt
3/4c water
1 bay leaf
1T oil
Cracked black pepper
1/2 stick cinnamon
1t chilli powder (optional)

Just before serving add 1T fresh coriander and/or fresh mint (optional)

Fish - I like to use a firm white fish (eg wharehou, lemonfish, moki) and cut it into small-ish chunks. Mix coating ingredients in a plastic bag and shake fish pieces to coat.

2T rice flour (or corn flour)
1t salt
1t ginger powder
1t fennel powder
1t coriander powder

Pan fry or grill in a little olive oil.

Serve on a bed of rice with sauce over top and green beside.

Pad Thai

This one won't win an prizes for beauty and I'm sure it's not authentic in the slightest but it was easy to make and for a change it passed the fussy 2.5yr old test.

I'm not going to get to specific with the ingredients here cos one of the beauties of stir fry type dishes is you can use whatever you have to hand. I would also add chilli to it if it wasn't for the toddler in the house (although it is quite cute when she tries something hot and says 'spicy' and tries to pull it off her tongue).

For this one I used tofu - I tossed this in cornflour, sesame seeds and salt before I shallow fried till crispy.

Sauce - mix together:
1/4c rice vinegar
1/4c white sugar
3T fish sauce
2T tomato paste
1 large kaffir lime leave (sliced) - optional

Rice noodles (any width) - cook as on package

3c sliced veges eg carrots, courgettes, spring onions
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/2c peanuts or cashew nuts
Protein eg shrimps, prawns, tofu or chicken
Bean sprouts and coriander - optional

Heat oil in wok and stir fry veges.

Add sauce, protein and nuts and stir fry till protein is cooked.

Mix in noodles and bean sprouts / coriander and serve.

Lemon, Pea and Seafood Risotto

Not much to say about this one - mostly I can't be bothered with rissottos and it's hard to find a good dairy-free recipe - but the lemon gives this one that yummy freshness. The smoked salmon can be replaced by shrimps or other fish.

2T olive oil
1 small onion (finely diced)
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/3c wine wine (or stock if you don't have wine)
6 cups vege stock (pre-warmed)
1 and 1/2c aborio or sushi rice
1T dried dill (or handful of fresh)
cracked black pepper
1c frozen peas
200-300g seafood
2t lemon rind
2T lemon juice
fresh parsley

Saute onion in olive oil till soft

Add garlic and cook a minute more

Add white wine and reduce for a couple of mins

Cook in rice for about 3min till slightly brown

Add dill and black pepper

Add stock cup by cup till all absorbed

Add peas, once tender add seafood, lemon rind and lemon juice

Finally sprinkle fresh parsley over the top

Saucy Eggplant and Peanut Curry

This one was never going to make the cut but it surprised us with it's moreish saucy-ness and Craig begged to to add it to the site. Inspired by the fresh Kaffir Lime leaves and an eggplant purchased today at the sunday market,I went for the thai flavours. i left the chilli out so that the fussy toddler might be persuaded to try it but I shouldn't have bothered cos she turned her nose up and ate a dinner of cherry tomatoes, broccoli and bread.

1 large eggplant
3T cooking oil (peanut would be great)
1 onion
1T grated ginger
2t cumin
2t coriander
1/2t turmeric
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves (roll and cut into thin slivers)
1/3c tomato paste
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 c water
1/4c crunchy peanut butter
Handful of fresh coriander leaves
To taste
1T brown sugar
1T lime or lemon juice
Fish sauce or salt
Fresh or dried chilli


Cut eggplant into cubes around 1.5cm, fry in wok or large pot with a couple of sluggs of oil - cook until browned (about 10 to 15 mins - you will need to stir so they don't stick. Put to one side when cooked.

Add another slug of oil and fry chopped onion, tumeric, cumin, coriander, kaffir leaves, and ginger until onion is transparent.

Mix tomato paste into onion and spices and cook for another minute.

Add eggplant, tomatoes, water and sugar and cook for about 15mins.

Put peanut butter into a bowl and mix with a little of the liquid from the curry, then add to curry in pot and cook for another 5 mins.

Turn off heat and add fresh coriander, lime (or lemon juice) and a splash of fish sauce or salt.

Now taste and adjust the sweet, salt, heat and sour to suit our palate.

Tasty Vege Stew

i thought my first recipe would be fresh and summery given that it is mid Jan - but instead a southerly storm is blowing through wellington and I felt more like something warming and hearty. Craig gave it 4/5, Maia picked the sausage, beans and peas out and ate them, Jake loved it all but managed to drop most of it on the ground where Sophie did the doggy thing and cleaned it all up.

1 large onion (diced)
2T olive oil
1t cumin seed
1t thyme
2 bay leaves
2t vege stock powder
1/4c red wine
3c water
1 can tomatoes
4 vege sausages
3 carrots (diced)
1 large potato (diced)
1 large kumara (diced)
1/2c brown or puy lentils
1/2c peas
1 can kidney beans

Brown onions in oil in large pan
Add thyme and cumin and stir for another couple of minutes
Mix in red wine
Add water, tomatoes, lentils, bay leaves, carrots, potatos, kumara, vege stock
Slice sausages into 2cm rounds and brown in a pan, add to stew
Simmer for at least 30mins (longer the better)
Add peas and kidney beans and cook another 10mins
Serve with yoghurt and crusty bread.

let's get started

ok so i'm new to this - but everyone else seems to do it! i'm not a great one for writing but the purpose of this blog is to collect, index and make notes on the many recipes that i experiment with on a daily basis. there are so many wonderful sources of recipes on the net bt i'm not one for sticking to a recipe or printing it out for later so hopefully this will help me keep track. perhaps i can even share these recipes with others.