Parsnip Chips

These crisp fried vegetable treats are an easy and delicious alternative to potato chips. Recipe serves 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

6 parsnips
Oil for frying

Method:

1. Peel parsnips or scrub and leave skins on. Cut as for thin chips.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan or deep fryer until very hot, but not smoking.
3. Carefully immerse parsnips in the oil and cook until golden.
4. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot.

Macadamia Nut Cookies

These favorite bush nuts add richness and crunch to these easy to make cookies. Recipe makes 30 cookies.

Ingredients:

4 ounces (125 g) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
4 teaspoons coffee and chicory essence
1 1/4 cups self-rising (raising) flour
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease 2 large baking trays with melted butter.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and creamy in texture.
3. Add the macadamia nuts and coffee and chicory essence and stir to combine. Sift the flour and ginger over the mixture; mix well until evenly combined.
4. Roll the mixture into pieces the size of a walnut with clean cold hands. Place the pieces 2 inches (5 cm) apart on prepared trays. Press each piece down with the tines of a fork to flatten into a neat round.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Stand the baking trays on wire cooling racks for a few minutes until the cookies are firm, then transfer them to the rack with a palette knife, to cool completely.

Tip: Store macadamia nuts in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. Their oil content will turn stale and rancid if the nuts are stored at room temperature.

Pork, Rice and Lentil Salad

This high-protein salad is easy to make, and you cook it in just one pot, so there is hardly any cleaning up. Recipe serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

3 cups water
1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 strips lemon zest, 2 inches (2 cm) long by 1/4 inch (5 mm) wide
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup frozen green peas
6 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
4 ounces (125 g) cooked pork, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, bring the water to the boil. Add the lentils, garlic and lemon zest. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the rice, cover and simmer for 17 minutes, stirring occasionally with a fork. Add the peas, cover and simmer for a further 3 minutes or until the rice, lentils and peas are tender.
2. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the radishes, pork and lemon juice. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Will keep, refrigerated, for 2 days.

Bocconcini, Tomato and Pesto Sandwich

If you prefer, you can substitute low-fat mozzarella cheese for the bocconcini and roasted red pepper (capsicum) for the sun-dried tomatoes in this delicious Italian-style sandwich. Recipe makes 4 sandwiches.

Ingredients:

For the Pesto:
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Black pepper, to taste
For the Sandwich:
2 loaves (10 inch/25 cm long) French or Italian bread, preferably wholemeal
4 ounces (125 g) sun-dried tomatoes, blanched and patted dry on paper towels
8 ounces (250 g) bocconcini or low-fat mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Method:

1. To prepare the pesto, combine the basil, garlic, oil and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend for about 40 seconds or until smooth.
2. Cut each bread loaf in half horizontally. Spread each bottom slice with half of the pesto; top with half of the tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Cover with the top slice of the load and cut in half.

Caramelized Sweet Potato

These rich and crunchy sweet potatoes will soon become one of the family's favorite side dishes. Recipe serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound (750 g) white sweet potato
1 ounce (30 g) butter
3 ounces (90 g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Method:

1. Peel potatoes and boil in water until almost cooked. Drain and cut into quarters.
2. Melt butter in a large fry pan. Add sweet potatoes and sprinkle with the sugar and orange zest. Coat the potatoes and cook for about 7 minutes. In this time the sugar should dissolve and melt and form a crunchy coating over the potatoes.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

Green Pepper and Spring Onion Spread

Bursting with vitamin C, peppers (capsicum) have crunchy, moist flesh that makes them an ideal raw component in spreads. Recipe makes 1 1/4 cups.

Ingredients:

2 spring onions, sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper (capsicum)
1 cup Creamy Yogurt Spread or thick Greek yogurt
Black pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the spring onions, pepper and yogurt spread. Stir in the pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Spicy Red Pepper Variation: Substitute 1/4 cup red pepper for the green capsicum and 2 drops Tabasco or chili sauce, or to taste, for the black pepper.

Chinese Cabbage with Ham

This easy Chinese vegetable stir-fry is perfect for using up leftover cooked ham. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 small leek
10 ounces (315 g) Chinese cabbage
11 ounces (345 g) cooked ham
2 cloves garlic
3/4 inch (2 cm) fresh root (green) ginger
1/4 cup sunflower or corn oil
Salt to taste
Freshly milled pepper
1 tablespoon medium sherry
2 teaspoons cornflour
1/2 cup vegetable stock
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Method:

1. Trim leek, slit length-wise and wash thoroughly under cold, running water to remove grit and mud between layers. Shake dry. Cut into thin rings.
2. Separate Chinese cabbage leaves. Wash each leaf thoroughly under cold, running water and drain. Cut leaves into thin strips, discarding stalks.
3. Cut ham into thin strips, removing any fat and gristle.
4. Crush garlic on to plate with garlic press. Peel, slice and finely chop ginger.
5. Heat oil in wok until hot, but not smoking. Add ham, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute.
6. Mix in leek and strips of Chinese cabbage leaves and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Moisten with sherry.
7. Mix cornflour with stock and soy sauce until smooth. Add to vegetables in wok. Bring to boil. Reheat until piping hot, stirring. Adjust seasoning to taste.
8. Serve straight away with rice or rice noodles.