🌽 Feta Corn Salad
10 Delicious Things To Cook This Week + Bonus Coconut & Jam Sheet Scone Recipe
Hello community!
It is Sunday evening and we are about to watch the F1 Grand Prix at Suzuka in Japan (from the comfort of our couch here in Sydney of course!). Did I mention that I ended up bingeing the entire 4 seasons of F1 Drive To Survive on Netflix recently. I have never been a car person, but this has completely won me over. Maybe because it is something I can chat and bond with my boys over. I also recently watched the last season of Sex Education which although was good, it wasn’t as good as the previous seasons.
Earlier this week, Nick and I had a date night and we watched a late night showing of the Kenneth Brannagh directed “A Haunting in Venice”. A staunch Agatha Cristie fan, I gew up reading Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple books. This third offering of the Hercule Poirot series felt a little flat compared to Murder on the Orient Express and Murder On The Nile. The somber mood of the film and the old-timey portrayal of Venice and the cinematography were brilliant.
Currently, I am going through this pile of books and really enjoying cooking and reading from them.
And that’s all from me today folks! Let’s cook, shall we?
New Recipe
Feta Corn Salad
One of my favourite ways of boosting “extra veggies” at meal times is a chopped salsa-like salad. It is something I grew up with. Although back home, the chopped salad was always onion, tomato, cucumber and coriander (sometimes cabbage). But I love to mix things around and inject tiny bursts of flavours or ingredients to make it more exciting and varied. This Feta Corn Salad is absolutely divine. It takes 8 minutes to make. It has salty creamy feta and pops of sweetness from the corn.
But it is no ordinary corn. It has been cooked in the microwave in its husk. It is such a cool cooking hack. The corn becomes a deep golden colour, and softens just ever so slightly .. enough to make it buttery and sweet while still retaining its crunch. Full Recipe Here »
Watch my Instagram Reel to see how easy it is to make this salad!
I recently bought a couple of the most beautiful hand turned bowls on Etsy. Stephen is a master craftsman and the bowls are pieces I will treasure forever. You can see one of them in this video above. Check out Stephen’s Etsy Shop.
In My Kitchen
I have been really busy with client work these last couple of months but have still managed to test and shoot many delicious recipes for the blog and newsletter that will be dropping in the coming weeks. This is just a little snapshot of what is to come. I thought I’d give you a little peek.
What To Cook This Week
It’s time to “Shop My Recipes!” (yes, just like the idea behind “Shop My Closet”; I like to hop onto my EXTENSIVE and ongoing online 600+ blog recipe collection and 55+ Newsletter Veg recipe collection and pick what to cook and prep for the week)
This week, I am focusing on lighter recipes and trying to get more colour in. I am also sectioning my meal prep based on the time of the day starting with mueslis, granolas, banana bread and smoothies. School holidays are on and these four things take the hassle out of breakfast giving everyone more time to sort out their days.
This is a staple in our home. It is our favourite thing to top lean, unsweetened, high-protein yoghurt along with seasonal fruit (berries, berries, berries!). My recipe makes the biggest chunks of granola that you can break like shards.
I have exactly 30 bananas that nobody has eaten these last two weeks. We ate bananas but maybe I bought too much? So this week I am making multiple loaves of my Coffee Banana Bread to eat and freeze. This is a gorgeous loaf, with high-top, bitter coffee granules running through the crumb. When toasted, it makes your home smell like a cafe and bakery rolled in one.
The easiest breakfast to make with a big pay-off. I love that I can just mix a bunch of random things in a bowl and the next day it becomes the most luscious, creamy, yoghurt and oat-based breakfast that tastes like pudding but is so healthy and nourishing. This bircher muesli has citrus and spice and everything nice. A must-try!
Mangoes are in season and this year (just like every year!) I plan to eat my weight in sweet, juicy mangoes. This Mango Ginger Lassi is a wonderfully tangy drink packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is amazing for your skin and eyes and great for your digestion.
Lassi, a traditional Indian drink made with yoghurt is really good for using up seasonal fruit and give yourself protein boost in the process. This Blueberry Chia Lassi is an energizing mix of plump, juicy blueberries and nourishing chia seeds.
Did you know the word “chia” means “strength” in the Mayan language? Ancient Aztec warriors ate chia seeds for energy and endurance. Chia seeds also provide almost 39% of your daily fiber intake and are an amazing source of protein and iron.
Another overlooked ingredient at the produce department, the glorious orange rockmelon is one of nature’s highest sources of Beta-Carotene (yes! more than oranges, mangoes, grapefruit or peaches). It is dense in fiber, folate, potassium and vitamin A and is delicious in this honeyed smoothie. You will love it!
Warmer days call for fresh, briny salads. Big, meaty Kalamata olives pair beautifully with sweet cherry tomatoes and sharp salty feta in this classic Greek Salad. Just chop and mix. I prep and store veggies and dressing separately and then toss them with feta when it is time to eat. Really easy and delicious.
Fresh caught wild fish fillets cooked and mixed with boiled potatoes, aromatics, herbs and spices for a delicious snack that doubles up as a fish burger that you can enjoy smooeshed in a bun with pickled cucumber or gherkins, avocado, tomato, mayo and hot sauce. A good one for the weekend when you just want to chill in the garden with a cold drink.
Have you tried my beetroot, quinoa burger? It is a hot favourite on the blog and is insanely delicious. It has so many good things - beetroot, quinoa, dill, onion, garlic, fennel, mustard … and it is vegan and gluten free too. I love wrapping this in a tortilla with my chimichurri sauce.
It has been a couple of months since I last made this DELICIOUS cake. I am baking it tonight. If you haven’t tried it yet, please do yourself a favour and make it ASAP. You dump all ingredients in the blender, blend, pour in a cake tin and bake! 25-30 minutes to a gloriously burnt top that offsets the most luscious, silky, custard like middle.
If you have tried any of the recipes before, I’d love it if you left a comment and rating on the recipe on the blog. It really helps others discover new recipes to cook and try out!
Thanks x
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My paid section of this newsletter is filled with delicious, vegetarian recipes for everyday cooking and eating. Fresh, vibrant, produce-driven meals are guaranteed to make you eat more fruit and veg every week. These are the special recipes I have been saving up for my next cookbook and are sent out every week via email. You can also access them all here in one place! If you are able to, please consider a monthly or annual membership! The recipes are worth it!
Thank you to my lovely members for their support and love!
”Made the cauliflower tacos last night with the green salsa and they were delicious. You are right - the onions are truly divine and so “meaty” in these. I thought the green salsa was very original and a nice change from the typical tomato one. It went perfectly in these. Definitely recommend giving this recipe a go :)” - Cristel on Best Cauliflower Tacos
“Your food, recipes, stories and photography are so inspiring. Every recipe of yours I’ve tried is delicious and healthy. I especially love that you have so many interesting and tasty vegetarian options. Thanks so much for your generosity in sharing all of this over the years :)“ - Esther
Bonus Recipe
Coconut & Jam Sheet Scones
Serves 6-8 / vegetarian, egg-free
These gorgeous scones are rustic and laziness personified. But also a lot of fun! A good scone becomes even more amazing when served with jam and cream. So why not bake it with jam to begin with? Sometimes when I am pressed for time, I’ll make the scone dough and then roll it out in two sheets, place them one on top of another sandwiched by my favourite jam and bake. Voila! Jam baked scones ready for you to devour with cream. (This recipe first appeared in my cookbook Tasty Express)
Ingredients
3 cups (450g) self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (90g) desiccated coconut
30g butter, cubed
1 cup (250ml) lemonade
1 cup (250ml) thickened cream
1/2 cup (165g) blueberry jam (or your favoutite flavoured jam)
milk, for glazing
fresh whipped cream and extra jam, to serve
extra flour, for work surface
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
Combine flour, salt and 3/4 cup (70g) coconut in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the lemonade and cream. Using a wooden spoon, mix gently until the dough comes together.
Scatter a clean work surface with the extra flour (about a tablespoon). Place dough on the flour and knead gently for 30 seconds until it forms a smooth dough. Divide it in half. Place each half on a large rectangular piece of baking paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out each porrtion into a rectangular shape about 1.5cm thick.
Spread jam evenly on one of the rolled halves. Sprinkle the remaining coconut over the jam. Peel the other half from the baking paper and place on top of the jam surface.
Lift the assembled scone with the baking paper and place on a rimmed baking tray. Brush the top with milk to glaze. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Remove from oven and cool until just warm. Use a sharp bread knife to cut the scones into long thin or square pieces. Serve with whipped cream and extra jam.
Some other jams to try - Rhubarb Strawberry Balsamic Jam, Rhubarb And Vanilla Jam.
Over To You
Did you enjoy today’s newsie? The easiest way to help spread the love about my newsletter is to share it with a food-loving friend. Until next time, Eat Well, Be Well! x