In the Kitchen

v egie sou P

1 lge brown onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 celery sticks, diced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, sliced

2 potatoes, peeled, large dice

300g sweet potato, peeled, diced

1 cup cauliflower florets

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

2 cups vegie stock

400g can diced tomatoes

100g red lentils, rinsed, drained

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Place the onion, garlic and celery in a large heavy-based saucepan with olive oil and sauté, stirring, until lightly coloured.

Add the carrot, potato, sweet potato, cauliflower, rosemary, stock, diced tomatoes, lentils and 2 cups of water. Stir well to combine.

Cook on a medium heat for 30–40 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lentils are cooked.

Stir the lemon juice into soup. Season. Serve soup sprinkled with parsley. Serves 4.

B roc & s P inac H quic H e

1 tbsp olive oil

1 head broccoli, cut into florets

1 sml onion, finely chopped

3 cups chopped fresh spinach

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 pieces frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped salt and black pepper

180g fetta, crumbled

1/2 cup vintage cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 180ºC.

Using a large frypan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and onion to the pan and cook and stir until crisp and tender. Stir in spinach and garlic, cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted. mac, veg and c H eese

Grease a 22cm fluted loose-bottomed tart pan. Roll out pastry, line pan with pastry, line with baking paper and fill with pastry weights, then bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is dry. Remove from oven.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir in fetta. Pour mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake 30–35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

250g wholemeal pasta

1/ 2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 cup broccoli florets

1 zucchini, diced

1 carrot, diced

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp plain flour

11/2 cups milk of choice salt and black pepper

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook pasta in a large pot according to packet instruction. In the last 5–6 minutes of cooking, add the cauliflower and broccoli florets and zucchini and carrot to the pot of boiling pasta. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté onions for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add the flour to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Gradually start adding the milk while stirring. Warm the milk first to get a smoother sauce. Bring the sauce to the boil, then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and stir in grated cheese.

Combine the pasta, vegies and sauce.

Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a separate bowl.

Put pasta, vegies and sauce in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture and place under the grill for 5–10 minutes until golden and crunchy. Serves 4.

g F r H u B ar B mu FF ins

185ml rice malt syrup

150g butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 eggs

2 thin rhubarb stalks, trimmed

1 cup gluten-free SR flour

1 cup almond meal

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 12-hole muffin pan and line with large paper pattie pans.

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat syrup, butter and vanilla until thick and pale. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Finely chop 1 rhubarb stalk. Fold into batter along with flour and almond meal.

Spoon batter into prepared pattie pans in muffin tray. Halve remaining rhubarb stalk lengthways, then cut into 8cm pieces. Press these into the mixture in the pattie pans to top the muffin.

Bake muffins for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving. Makes 12. T