Mains

• Beef
• Beef Taco Filling
• Black Bean Noodles (짜장면)
• Mongolian Beef
• Royal Rice Cakes (궁중먹볶이)
• Chicken
• Black Bean Chicken
• Chicken Fajitas
• Spring Chicken Pasta
• Chicken Risone Salad
• Fish and Egg
• Egg Curry
• Fish Curry
• Curried Sausages
• Pasta Carbonara
• Meat-Free
• Aloo Gobi
• Chickpea Red Curry
• Chickpea Tortilla Filling
• Glass Noodles (콩나물 잠채)
• Green Lasagne
• Potato Dill Stew
• Peanut Stew
• Spring Veg Stew
• Vegan Bolognese
• Vegetable Bake / Greek Ratatouille (Μπριάμ)
• Orzo Salad
• Palak Tofu (Palak Paneer)

Beef

Beef Taco Filling

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb ground beef
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp oregano

Method

1. Mix all together.
2. Fry.
3. Serve with taco shells, corn, lettuce, cheese, et cetera.

Notes

Fills 12-15 hard-shell tacos.

Black Bean Noodles (짜장면)

Ingredients

• 3-4 servings of udon (wudong) noodles
• 300g / 10oz ground beef or crumbled tofu
• 1 cup beef or vegetable stock
• 5 tbsp black bean paste
• 1/4 head of cabbage
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine (mirin)
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• sesame oil

Method

1. Mix ground beef or crumbled tofu with mirin, ginger, salt and pepper to marinade, and put a pot of water to boil.
2. Finely chop onion, roughly chop cabbage, and quarter and slice zucchini.
3. Sauté beef (or tofu) until browned, adding soy sauce halfway through.
4. Add finely chopped onion and cook until soft.
5. Push onion and beef to one side and add black bean paste and sugar. Heat while stirring for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add vegetables and stock, and simmer until vegetables are soft.
7. Cook noodles according to package directions; usually this is add to water when boiling, cook for 3-4 minutes, drain and run through cold water.
8. Thicken the sauce and add the noodles, stir together and then serve.

Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb beef (minced or thinly-sliced)
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 10 snow peas, thin-sliced
• 1/2 red capsicum, diced
• 3 spring onions, thin-sliced
• 1/4 cup beef stock
• 2 tbsp rice syrup
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• sesame oil
• soy sauce
• cornflour

Method

1. Mix beef with 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp cornflour, and marinade at least 1 hour.
2. Mix stock, rice syrup, and 4 tbsp soy sauce.
3. Heat wok with oil on high heat and sear each side of the meat.
4. Push the meat to one side, briefly sauté ginger and garlic in oil, and then add sauce and simmer.
5. Thicken with cornflour and add vegetables, and mix well.
   

Notes

Serve over rice or wudong noodles.

Serves 2.

Royal Rice Cakes (궁중먹볶이)

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb rice cakes (tteok 떡), sliced
• 150g / 4oz thinly-sliced beef
• 1 zucchini
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin (rice wine)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
  
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Method

1. Mix together soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, and pepper and use a tablespoon of it to marinate the beef.
2. Bring water to boil in a saucepan and then add the rice cake pieces until they all float. Drain and coat them with a tablespoon of the sauce.
3. Thinly-slice all the vegetables.
4. Cook the beef in a frying pan, and then add the vegetables.
5. Add the rice cakes, pine nuts, and sauce.

Chicken

Black Bean Chicken

Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken thigh fillets
• 1 large onion
• 1 yellow capsicum
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp white wine
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the sauce:

• 3 tbsp black bean paste
• 1 tbsp white wine
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method

1. Dice chicken fillets and toss with 1 tbsp wine, 2 tsp corn starch, and a pinch of salt, and set aside for 1-2 hours.
2. Stir-fry the chicken in sesame oil until the edges are cooked.
3. Finely dice onion and capsicum, and add to chicken pan with ginger and garlic.
4. Mix together all the sauce ingredients and add to the pan once the onion is soft.
5. Serve over rice once the sauce thickens.

Notes

Makes 3-4 serves.

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken fillets, sliced
• 2-3 capsicums, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Mix all ingredients together in tupperware and shake.
2. Fry until cooked and serve in tortillas with salsa, spinach, et cetera.

Spring Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken thigh fillets, diced
• 250g /  1/2lb small pasta
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 cups chopped spinach and basil
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• olive oil
• Greek seasoning

Method

1. Fry chicken cubes in oil and Greek seasoning until just cooked through, then remove from pot and set aside.
2. Fill the same pot with water and boil the pasta, carrots, and peas.
3. Drain the pasta, and return it to the pot along with chicken, garlic, chopped greens, and lemon juice.
4. Stir together and serve warm or cold.

Notes

Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Risone Salad

Ingredients

• 3 chicken fillets
• 2 cups risone (orzo)
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 red capsicum
• 6oz / 200g sugar snap or snow peas
• 2 spring onions
• 5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp dill
• 1/2 tsp honey
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Method

1. Season chicken with 1/2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
2. Finely dice the red onion and capsicum, and fry it with the chicken and garlic.
3. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, cut the sugar snap peas and spring onions on the diagonal, and finely chop the dill.
4. Cook and drain the risone.
5. Make a dressing from 1 tbsp olive oil, 4 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp honey, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Mix everything together.

Fish and Egg

Egg Curry

Ingredients

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 onion
• 5 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup flour

Or substitute all spices for 4 tsp baharat seasoning.

Method

1. Soft-boil eggs, drain, run under cold water, and refrigerate until ready to add.
2. Finely slice onion and sauté with garlic until translucent.
3. Add coconut milk.
4. Mix spices and flour and add to pot. Stir well.
5. Add diced tomatoes and eggs.
6. Simmer until it thickens.

Fish Curry

Ingredients

• 700g / 1.5lb fish (4-5 whiting or tilapia fillets
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 capsicum, chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced thin
• 1 zucchini, sliced thin
• any other vegetables, e.g. spinach
• 2 cups coconut milk or unsweetened yoghourt
• 2 tbsp yellow or red curry paste

Method

1. Sauté onion and capsicum until soft.
2. Add carrot and zucchini and fry for several minutes.
3. Add coconut milk and curry paste and mix well.
4. Add fish and any soft vegetables like spinach or peas.
5. Simmer until cooked.

Notes

Serve with rice.

Makes 4 serves.

Curried Sausages

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb sausages
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 cup peas
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp gravy powder
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp cornflour

Method

1. Peel and thinly-slice the onions, then brown the onions and sausages.
2. Chop the sausages into bite-size pieces and dice the carrots, then put in crock pot with peas and onion.
3. Stir gravy powder, curry powder, and cornflour into chicken stock, and pour over sausages and vegetables.
4. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours.

Notes

Serve over pasta or mashed mpotato.

Makes 4 serves.

Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients

• spaghetti or linguine
• 6-8 rashers bacon
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk (or soy or almond milk)
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (or 1/2 cup cheese)

Method

1. Set pasta to boil until al dente.
2. Finely chop bacon and sauté with garlic until crispy.
3. Drain pasta and add it to the bacon.
4. Mix the egg, milk, and nutritional yeast or cheese in a cup and add it slowly to the pan, stirring as you do.
5. Stir on low heat until the egg is cooked, and then serve.

Notes

Makes 4 serves.

Meat-Free

Aloo Gobi

Ingredients

• 2-3 potatoes
• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 onions
  
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
  
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Method 

1. Peel and dice potato, and immerse in boiling water.
2. Sauté ginger, garlic and cumin seeds.
3. Finely chop 1 onion and add to pan until onions turn translucent.
4. Drain and add the potatoes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add a little water, cover, and cook until fork-tender.
5. Chop cauliflower head into bite-size florets and finely slice the second onion, and add to pan along with the remaining spices.
6. Stir for a few minutes to mix well and then cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked.

Chickpea Red Curry

Ingredients

• 1/2 butternut pumpkin
• 1/2 head of cauliflower
• 1 onion
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika

Method

1. Peel and roughly chop the pumpkin, then steam and blend to make purée.
2. Finely chop onion and capsicum and sauté with garlic until soft.
3. Add tomatoes, curry paste, cumin and paprika, and sauté for several minutes.
4. Cut cauliflower into small florets and add along with coconut milk and pumpkin purée, then simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.
5. Add the drained chickpeas, chopped spinach, and lemon juice, and cook until the spinach is wilted.

Notes

Makes 6 servings as a main over rice.

Chickpea Tortilla Filling

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/2 cup green split peas, soaked
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 capsicum, finely chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Method

1. Mix all together, can store in fridge before cooking.
2. Fry until warm and soft.
3. Line a tortilla with spinach, top with chickpea mix, wrap and eat.

Glass Noodles (콩나물 잠채)

Ingredients

• 250g / 8oz bean sprouts
• 125g / 4oz sweet potato starch noodles
• 2-3 scallions, chopped diagonally
• 1/2 red capsicum, julienned
• 1/2 yellow capsicum, julienned
• 1/2 carrot, julienned
• 1/2 zucchini, julienned
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to boil, then cook the bean sprouts covered for 2 minutes.
2. Remove the bean sprouts and use their water to cook the noodles for 6-7 minutes, then drain and cut to shorter lengths (use scissors and snip randomly at the colander).
3. Mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and seeds, and pepper together until sugar is dissolved.
4. Add julienned vegetables and noodles to pan with a small amount of the sauce, and stir-fry until slightly wilted.
5. Add the bean sprouts and the rest of the sauce, and toss until well combined.

Notes

Makes 2 servings.

Green Lasagne

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb box of lasagne noodles
• 4 zucchinis
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 onions
• 2 tsp parsley
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup pesto
  
• 3 cups white sauce

Method

1. Finely chop or gently blend broccoli and finely dice zucchini, then sauté in a pan with finely chopped onion, salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano.
2. Cook lasagne noodles and drain.
3. Mix the broccoli mix with the pesto.
4. In a baking dish, layer: pesto/broccoli mix, noodles, white sauce and repeat until all are used up, with the final layer being noodles and white sauce.
5. Bake for 30 minutes at 180C / 350F.

Potato Dill Stew

Ingredients

• 3 potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 cup peas
• 1 onion
• 4-5 stalks of fresh dill
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Method

1. Finely chop onion and sauté with olive oil until translucent.
2. Add finely-chopped dill, salt, pepper, diced carrots, and peas, and sauté for several more minutes.
3. Dissolve tomato paste in 1/2 cup of hot water, and add to pan.
4. Peel potatoes and dice to 1" cubes, and add to pan with 3 cups of water.
5. Bring to boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender.
6. Turn off heat and rest for 1-48 hours before serving.

Notes

For freezer meal prep, stop after adding the potatoes in Step 4 BEFORE adding water. Stir all ingredients together and transfer to freezer bags. When ready to use, defrost and add to crock pot in the morning along with 3 cups of water.

Peanut Stew

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes, diced to 1"
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp cumin

Method

1. Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and cumin.
2. Add to crock pot with all other ingredients except spinach.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Add spinach half an hour before serving.
5. Serve over quinoa.

Notes

Makes 4 serves.

Spring Veg Stew

Ingredients

• 4 carrots, sliced
• 3 leeks, sliced
• 2 zucchinis, sliced
• 3 tsp garlic
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 2 cups / 500mL vegetable stock
• 200g peas
• large handful of spinach
• 1/2 cup / 150g unsweetened yoghourt
• 1/4 cup cornflour

Method

1. Sauté leeks and garlic, and then stir through the cornflour.
2. Add leeks, stock, carrots, and zucchini to crock pot and cook for 2-4 hours.
3. Add the yoghourt, mustard, peas, and spinach, and cook for another 1-2 hours.
4. Serve with bread.

Vegan Bolognese

Ingredients

• 1 cup walnuts
• 10-12 button mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 4 carrots
  
• 1 zucchini
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 2 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
  

Method

1. Blend walnuts and mushrooms until coarse.
2. Sauté walnut-mushroom mixture, diced onion, and garlic until browned.
3. Add grated carrots and zucchini and continue sautéing.
4. Add spices and herbs, then tomatoes; break up tomato pieces with spoon.
5. Simmer until ready to serve over pasta.

Vegetable Bake / Greek Ratatouille (Μπριάμ)

Ingredients

• 2 zucchinis
• 2 yellow squash
• 1 eggplant
• 2 onions
• 2 dozen grape or cherry tomatoes
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 600g / 24oz jar pasta sauce

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C / 400F.
2. Quarter the eggplant lengthways and slice to about 1cm, then sauté with chopped onion and garlic until the onion turns translucent.
3. Halve the zucchinis and squash lengthways and slice to about 1cm, then add to frying pan, continuing to stir occasionally until the begin to soften.
4. Slice tomatoes in half and add to frying pan with pasta sauce.
5. Place frying pan in oven and bake for 1 hour.

Notes

Makes 6 servings as a main over rice.

Also very good with fish.

Orzo Salad

Ingredients

• 250g / 8oz dry risone (orzo)
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 cup grape or cherry omatoes
• 1/2 cup sliced kalamata or black olives
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Method

1. Cook the risone.
2. Finely chop the spinach, quarter the tomatoes, and drain the chickpeas, and then place all in the bottom of a colaner.
3. Drain the risone through the vegetables.
4. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
5. Toss all ingredients together to combine.

Notes

Makes 4 servings as a side.

Palak Tofu (Palak Paneer)

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb tofu (or paneer, halloumi, cheese curds, etc)
• 1kg / 2lb fresh spinach
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 1/4 cup garam masala
• coconut milk (or milk, or Greek yoghourt)

Method

1. Wash spinach and then sauté until wilted. You may need to do this in batches. Set aside in a large bowl.
2. Sauté onions with garlic, ginger, and garam masala.
3. Add tomatoes and a little water and cover until the onion is soft.
4. During Step 3, cut tofu (or cheese) into cubes.
5. Transfer onion/tomato/spice mix into the bowl and blend. Add milk gradually as you do this until you reach your preferred sauce consistency.
6. During Step 5, sauté tofu (or cheese).
7. Add sauce back to tofu and cook on low until it begins to bubble.

Notes

Serve over rice.

Makes 10-12 servings as a main over rice. To meal prep, freeze after Step 5. When ready to eat, defrost, sauté tofu, and complete Step 7.