Sunday dinner with my family – sharing recipes, stories & special moments
I love a good pasta salad and this one is not only delicious, it’s easy to make. The first time I made this was for a family Sunday dinner. If you follow my blog, you will know I only cook gluten free on Sundays so my biggest dilemma in making this salad was finding good…
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A deliciously creamy and comforting winter soup you can easily make mid-week. What you need What to do Preheat oven to 200°C (450°F). Place cauliflower in a large bowl; drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, and add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Place in a baking dish in a moderate oven…
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Hummus not only tastes great, it’s good for you. It’s fast and easy to make and once you have made it at home, you will never go back to eating store-bought hummus again. What you need 1 x 400g jar or tin of chickpeas 3 tablespoons tahini 1-2 garlic cloves crushed ½ tsp sea salt 5…
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I came across this delicious Spring salad recipe in the October ’21 edition of a Coles magazine. It’s a nice change to the standard potato salad. You can easily switch it up by replacing the radish with soft-boiled eggs, which makes it a delicious lunch or light dinner. What you need 1kg kipler or baby…
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This Spring Green Salad with Peas and Broad Beans not only looks like Spring, it also has the aroma, flavours and crispness of a Spring morning. It’s a light, fresh, tasty salad that goes perfectly with fish, chicken or meat. The hero of this salad for me, are the homegrown broad beans that I lovingIy…
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When a dinner plate ends up looking like this you know it was a delicious meal. And yes, it was very delicious indeed! This meal consisted of a very tasty fennel-crusted pork cutlet pan fried and finished in the oven, served with creamy potato mash and a crisp fennel, rocket and apple salad. I really…
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This is the cake that I will always remember as the cake I made when I visited my son and daughter-in-law to welcome home my new granddaughter Alia two months ago. I wanted to celebrate the arrival of the new addition to my family by baking something sweet, tasty and deliciously satisfying, just like the…
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This salad is not only a great accompaniment to any meal, it’s delicious and hearty enough to eat on its own for lunch or a light dinner. There is such a great contrast of flavours and textures in this salad with the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes and capsicum, saltiness of the halloumi, crispiness of…
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The first time I made these fritters, I used zucchini grown in my own garden that were picked by my grandson. Like most kids, my grandson is not keen on green vegetables. He has this weird habit of analysing food and picking out bits he doesn’t like before he takes a bite. This usually means…
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Nothing screams summer louder than Caprese salad. The sweetness of sun ripened juicy tomatoes is enhanced by the aromatic basil and creaminess of the burrata mozzarella. This is such a simple salad and, it’s that simplicity, that makes it so delicious. This traditional Italian summer salad originates from the Isle of Capri in the Gulf…
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This Cypriot Grain Salad by Hellenic Republic is really delicious and definitely healthy. As I do with most dishes, I’ve tweaked the recipe just a little by adding wild (black) rice for extra goodness, and the zest and juice of one orange for some extra zing! Oh…and this version is gluten free, making it lighter on…
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Moussaka has always been a favourite Greek dish of mine, not only because it tastes so amazing, but because it reminds me of where I came from. For me, it’s a quintessentially Greek dish that, when I bake it, it fills my senses with the flavours and aromas of my grandmother’s and mother’s kitchen. It’s…
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What do you do when you stagger in the door on a Friday night after a long week and can’t work out what to have for dinner because all you have in your fridge are some eggs and leftover pieces of vegetables and salad? I’d say most people would order takeaway. Personally, I prefer to…
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Hi Reader I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’m not posting as frequently as I used to, so I thought I might explain why. It’s quite simple really – not enough time 😦 Six months ago I took on new employment (unrelated to food, unfortunately) which has kept me extremely busy and left very little time to…
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Who would have thought that brussels sprouts could become a family favourite? Like many people, brussels sprouts have not been a vegetable that I would seek out intentionally, that is, until I discovered the way they taste when they are baked. Baking, rather than boiling brussels sprouts (which is how I was taught to cook them),…
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How do I describe this soup? It’s sweet, spicy, velvety, rich, flavoursome and hearty, with a touch of crunchiness – YUM! I don’t know about you, but this Roasted Pumpkin Soup has everything I need to warm up on a cold winter’s day. To be totally honest, I love this soup any time of the…
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Like most grandmothers, I am always worried that my grandson P has not had enough to eat when he spends the day with me, so I constantly try to create new recipes for him to try and these Chicken and Leek Patties are a recent addition. He is quite picky with his food, so when…
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When I walk into my greengrocer during the cold winter months, and see heads of beautiful bright white cauliflower encased in tender green leaves on the shelf, I get the undeniable urge to make a pot of silky Roasted Cauliflower Soup. Roasting the cauliflower transforms it from a delicate, mild to a more robust earthy…
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This dish reminds me of summer; warm, colourful and fragrant, which is exactly what I need to get through the bleak months of winter. The spices add such a delicious depth of flavour to this dish, that your mouth will water even while its baking, let alone when you serve it up! Add a crisp…
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Do you love eggs and bacon for breakfast, but don’t like the idea of having to slave over a hot frypan to make them? I guess you could go out to a cafe to eat them, but that means having to get out of your PJs and who wants to do that early on a…
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Are you looking for a quick and versatile healthy snack that your children will love and your guests will enjoy with pre-dinner drinks? How about these Corn Fritters?Served on their own, these fluffy, cheesy Corn Fritters make a great snack that kids will love. I know because, like most toddlers, my little grandson is a fussy…
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What’s not to love about these Sweet Potato and Quinoa Cups! They are sweet and savoury, soft and crispy, all at the same time. The flavour and texture combination makes these savoury cups very delicious and the ingredients make them a really healthy snack, hot or cold 🙂 I especially love the creamy tangy flavour of …
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One on my favourite ways to spend time with family and friends is to have a glass of wine with dips, cheese and crackers and these seeded crackers are a real ‘cracker‘, pardon the pun! I came up with these deliciously healthy crackers one day when I needed some GF crackers for Sunday family dinner.…
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With winter on the way, I can’t help but think about delicious warm soups and Greek lentil soup, or fakes, (pronounced far-kes) is the quintessential Greek winter soup. It’s hearty, delicious, and very nutritious! This is no ordinary soup! Eating fakes on a cold winter’s day, is like wrapping yourself with a cosy warm blanket.…
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Cabbage and Potato Bake would have to be my family’s favourite vegetable dish. It’s a dish they wouldn’t get sick of, even if I made it every week for Sunday dinner! This cabbage and potato bake is one of those comfort foods that people crave for on a dreary cold winter’s day, because eating it makes…
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It’s been a long time since I last cooked Kakavia, or Greek Fishermans Soup, and a recent dinner with a beautiful family who are in our circle of closest friends, reminded me how delicious this soup is so I wanted to share it with you, but we’ll get to the recipe later. Although the soup we…
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Since I posted my FALFEL recipe, I’ve been looking for a great tabbouleh recipe to make for our Sunday family dinner, but found most I came across used bulgar wheat. Now, if you follow my blog, you will probably know that Sunday dinner at our place is usually a gluten free meal and, if you’re…
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It’s now week 6 of my challenge to replace white sugar with healthier alternatives in my cooking and this week it’s all about creating healthier cookies! So stick with me and I’ll tell you all about it. Now, like most young parents these days, my son and his wife are very careful about what they…
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Hi and welcome back! This morning I was pinged by Instagram that thesmallthing.com.au had mentioned meatballsandmuffins.com in a post about making the bliss balls I’ve shared over the past few weeks (thank you Krystina) and, that got me wondering if others have tried making any of them. So I thought I’d ask you and, if…
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I love my One Pot Fragrant Chicken Stew even in Summer for two reasons. Firstly, the vegetables used in this dish are my favourite summer vegetables. They add so much flavour, sweetness and delightful colour to this dish – they make it look so appetising. Oh, and did I mention how good the aroma from the vegetables…
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This is a special post for Krystina from thesmallthing.com.au, a fabulous children’s decorator and stylist who does amazing work – just check out her website and you’ll see what I mean. Krystina wrote a comment on my Instagram post for RASPBERRY BLAST BLISS BALLS last week and asked if I could create some “lunchbox friendly”…
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Hey there! Thanks for checking in on my progress. I am really happy to report that I am going great guns with my self-inflicted challenge to replace white sugar with healthier alternatives! And do you know what I am finding? The more I stick to this challenge, the more I realise it’s not that hard…
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Have you eaten homemade falafels? If you love chickpeas and haven’t ever made your own falafels, you are truly missing out! I promise you, that once you make them at home, you will never again want to eat store-bought falafels. Not only do they taste fantastic when they are just cooked, but they are incredibly easy…
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If you’ve been following Meatballs and Muffins the past couple of weeks, then you’ve probably read my other posts on healthy balls and bars I’ve been creating. If you haven’t, then just scroll the HOME page and you’ll easily find then. This is a new combination I came up with yesterday that I really liked…
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Today is Day 6 of my personal challenge to replace refined white sugar with healthier alternatives in the food I cook. It’s been an interesting challenge so far and in the process I’ve gone a bit mad on making healthy bars and little balls of yumminess. Well, the fact is that I can’t help myself…
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How about a quick and easy, but oh so very delicious Thai Beef Salad? The question of ‘what to cook for dinner‘ is one that many mothers agonise over every day. This is especially true for working mums – I know because I am one of them, but it doesn’t have to be so difficult.…
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It’s still early days, but I’m pleased to say my challenge to replace refined sugar with healthier options in the food I cook is going great so far! Well … the fact that I haven’t actually “cooked” any sweets yet may have something to do with that 😮 But, I have been doing some research and…
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My husband called me from work yesterday and said “Can we eat something light for dinner tonight? I’m feeling really uncomfortable and I’ve reached my limit, so you have to stop me from eating bread and sweets”. “That’s easy!” I replied, “Just don’t buy any of that stuff when you do the shopping!” Realistically, I…
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Have you used Amaranth grains to cook with? If so, how do you use it and what do you think about it?Recently, I came across a packet of Amaranth grains that my daughter-in-law gave me some time ago. It’s been sitting in my pantry for ages mainly because I wasn’t sure what to do with…
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Chicken Caesar Salad would have to be one of my all-time favourite salads. It has everything I need and want for a delicious hearty lunch or light healthy dinner when I’m not so hungry. Although it’s a little more work, I make my own croutons and dressing from scratch because it makes all the difference…
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Summer berries make the most delicious smoothies. I love the combination of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries any time of the day, but especially after a pilates workout when my body is screaming for something refreshing and nutritious and this Berry Nutty Smoothie does it for me! I know you’ll love this smoothie because, not only…
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If you read my last post, then you’ll know this is the Summer Fruit Salad that I promised to share with you. It’s topped with Greek yoghurt, a sprinkling of toasted muesli and a drizzle of honey. It’s so simple it’s almost embarrassing, but if you’re after something refreshing, delicious and very nutritious, then this is…
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Well hello, Thanks for visiting! If you’re a mum who’s looking for a healthy snack to add to your child’s lunchbox, then you MUST try these delicious muffins. They have just enough feta to add a little saltiness and the pinenuts add a delicious nutty flavour, making them a great way to get kids to…
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If you are looking for a simple but very fresh and delicious salad, this is it! The star ingredient in this salad is fennel, a crunchy, slightly sweet vegetable that adds a refreshing taste to any dish. Fennel’s aromatic taste is often described as reminiscent of liquorice and anise. Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin…
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What do you cook for dinner on a warm Spring night that doesn’t require slaving over a hot stove? PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS, PANCETTA & CHERRY TOMATOES – what else! If you’re like me and you want to provide a great tasting healthy dinner for your family, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen…
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Hi Reader, Here is another asparagus recipe as part of my Spring series that I know you and your family will enjoy. This is a ‘no brainer’ dish to make during the working week when you come home after a long day at work and need to cook something quick and easy for dinner. This…
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This is another dish that celebrates Spring! This delicious tart has a creamy filling and light buttery pastry. It’s one of those recipes that you will go back to again again because it’s easy to make and so delicious to eat. It makes a perfect lunch served with my BABY LEAVES & HERB SALAD on…
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I came up with this dish recently quite by accident and I loved it so much that I decided to share it with you as part of my series of asparagus dishes. But, there is a story behind this dish. It was last Friday when I had gone shopping to pick up a few things,…
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You don’t need to do very much to asparagus to make it any more delicious than it already is. Simply lightly grilling it on the BBQ or baking it, then drizzle over a really really good extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar and sprinkle a little sea salt, brings out the unique earthy…
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After what seems to have been one of the longest and coldest winters, it’s such a relief to see evidence of what looks like spring. Birds are once again singing, rose gardens are blooming and, best of all, my greengrocer has started stocking fresh spring vegetables -YES! Now don’t get me wrong, I love winter…
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Meatballs and Muffins 