Easy Read Recipes by Leanne Foreman

Real food recipes in an easier format that makes it as easy as possible for as many as possible to read and follow a recipe.

Madras Beef Curry

by Leanne Foreman

Forget packet or bottled Madras spice mixes! Cook this well-known Madras Curry from scratch! It is made more simple for you by using the same measure for most of the spices.

Madras Curry Ingredients Shopping

This may look like a long list of spices, however, once you start cooking from scratch you will find that your spice collection will naturally increase. I use these spices over and over. See the recipe for my Super Easy Slow Cooker Moroccan Beef.

Skirt or chuck steaks are cuts of meat suitable for stewing. Stewing requires a long, slow, moist method of cooking in order to break down the muscles fibres of these cheaper cuts of meat. Each country has its own unique names for stewing cuts of meat. If you can’t find “chuck” or “skirt” then look for “flank”, “blade”, or “round”. These are all suitable for the stewing method used in this Madras Beef Curry recipe.

If you use Stock or Broth powder to add more flavour, for the sake of the health of you and your family, avoid the stock cubes that have MSG disguised as “yeast extract”.  I use a premium powdered bone broth from Broth of Life.

Tomato Passata is a bottled tomato puree. I always have a bottle or two on hand to add extra nutrition and flavour to a number of dishes such as my Italian Zucchini Boats. Passata is also my secret ingredient for making more flavourful and moist taco meat.

Cooking Tips

In order to cater for different pots and stovetops, I have been generous with the amount of liquid used. If you like curry with a thicker consistency, simply remove the lid after an hour of cooking. Keep checking that it doesn’t get too thick.

 

Keto-Friendly Vegetable Frittata

by Leanne Foreman

I really enjoy a good hearty frittata, especially for Sunday brunch. A frittata is basically a quiche without a base. This keto-friendly frittata uses keto allowed vegetables, bacon and fresh cream, however, you can customise it for your own taste preferences.

For non-keto, a frittata is still a good way to use up any sad vegetables in the refrigerator. I’ll often add grated sweet potato and put grated parmesan cheese on top.

If you prefer a vegetarian diet, then the bacon can be left out without sacrificing the flavour.

Another Keto and Vegetarian breakfast or brunch dish is my Shakshuka Poached Eggs.

 

Frittata Cooking Tips

An ovenproof frypan makes the job more convenient but if you don’t have one, transfer the frypan cooked ingredients to your usual baking tray. Due to the loss of the residual heat of the frypan, it may take a little longer for the frittata to cook.

 

Baked Jalapeño Poppers

by Leanne Foreman for Millen Farm

The story behind these Baked Jalapeño Poppers

Millen Farm gave me the challenge of developing a recipe for their crop of jalapeños. As I had never eaten a jalapeño, this challenge had me definitely outside of my comfort zone. I had assumed jalapeños were too spicy for my palate.

When I went to buy some, I saw a woman grabbing about a dozen. I had to ask her what she was about to make. “Jalapeño Poppers” was her reply. I had never heard of them but her description had me curious.

After a bit of research, I discovered that Jalapeño Poppers are a popular party appetizer in the USA. Fresh Jalapeños are filled with a herbed and spiced cheesy mixture, topped with crumbs, and then usually deep-fried. I never deep-fry anything, so I concentrated on developing my own baked version.

I was so very surprised at how delicious they were. Yes spicy, but tasty without being too hot. My beloved was also totally impressed.

Make up a batch for the next barbeque or the next time a crowd is sitting down to watch a sporting match on television. I hope you find these Baked Jalapeño Poppers as hard to resist as we did, especially when served with homemade Aioli!

 

Dietary preferences

I try to give ingredient options in all of my recipes so that they can be adjusted according to dietary preferences.

For these Poppers to be grain-free choose the nut option, and for nut-free, choose the breadcrumbs (gluten-free if necessary). If you follow a vegetarian diet, these poppers will still taste good with the bacon left out.

 

Grain-free Oven Fried Chicken

by Leanne Foreman

Oven Fried Chicken is so much healthier and more convenient than deep fried. In order to make the coating even tastier, this particular oven fried chicken recipe has the addition of parmesan cheese. I’m sure it will become a favourite for dinner or eaten cold at a picnic!

If you are looking for a dairy-free version of crumbed chicken, try the Paleo Chicken Cutlets.

 

Oven Fried Chicken Cooking Tips

I have been as confused, as I’m sure you have been, about what oils to use for cooking at different temperatures. At one stage, we were told not to cook with extra virgin olive oil, yet the chefs on cooking shows were still using it with abandon.

After hours of research about smoke points and extra virgin oils (the only ones I use), I have come to the conclusion that I can very safely use extra virgin olive and/or coconut oil for pan-frying and baking. However, I ensure I don’t go over a medium heat (halfway) on the stovetop, or over a moderate oven (175 degrees C or 350 degrees F) in the oven. I never deep fry food so I don’t have to worry about what to use there.

I mostly use olive oil as it is the cheapest but also use coconut oil when I prefer that flavour. Having said that, I have discovered a wonderful non-aerosol avocado oil sold in the Australian supermarket Woolworths. Though, drizzling the oil over the chicken works well too.

 

Oven Fried Chicken Ingredients Shopping

The more I learn about the way our food is manufactured by big companies, the more I am trying to buy organic. I want my eggs and meat from happy chickens that were free to roam and feed in a field, not cooped up in a small space. Hence, I keep my eye out for specials on organic products. Also, I now do most of my fresh food shopping at Farmer’s Markets. It may not be all organic but at least I feel better buying directly from a local farm.

I also don’t want to buy the meat or eggs from chickens that have been fed GMO corn. Do you know that one of the main reasons that most corn is genetically modified is to make it resistant to the herbicide glyphosate (think zero and roundup)?  This herbicide is said to kill our beneficial gut bacteria and cause developmental and reproductive issues. If you are interested, you can read a short WebMD article about “Herbicides and Your Health” here.

 

Eggplant and Tahini Dip

by Leanne Foreman for Millen Farm

This Eggplant and Tahini Dip is delicious paleo and keto-approved hummus that uses eggplant instead of chickpeas. You can also find a Pumpkin Hummus recipe here.

The recipe can also be Low FODMAP if you use garlic-infused oil and don’t eat more than one tablespoon of tahini in one day, which equates to a third of the whole amount of dip. This would be a lot, no matter how delicious it is.

If you don’t have an oven grill to char the eggplant skins, then use a barbeque grill.

 

Marinated Roasted Eggplant

by Leanne Foreman for Millen Farm

The lemon and herbs help this Marinated Roasted Eggplant go so well in an Italian panino (sandwich), or as a side dish for a picnic lunch. One of my friends, who usually doesn’t like eggplant, likes it heated up as a side dish with Roast Chicken.

This recipe is the first of the year for Millen Farm, where I am now volunteering as the recipe developer for the beautiful organic foods in season.

 

Ingredients

Globe eggplants are usually big, black, and bulbous like a light globe. They should be firm and shiny with a green, not shrivelled, stem.

Lemon juice can be substituted with Apple Cider vinegar for a stronger pickled flavour.

Thyme can be replaced with oregano leaves.

I have used mild green chillies, however, the choice is yours as to whether you prefer it hotter. Red chillies give a pleasing colour contrast.

 

Cooking Tips

Instead of roasting in the oven the eggplant can also be pan-fried on the stovetop or barbequed on a grill. In fact, the grill lines make this a more attractive dish.

 

Gluten Free Swedish Meatballs

A flavoursome Swedish Meatballs recipe that avoids gluten by including the added protein in almond meal instead of using bread. There are also dairy and grain free options.

Hints and tips for this recipe:

Step 1 – Using an unrefined cold pressed extra virgin oil is the best for your health. The more processed oils have had petroleum based chemicals used in the extracting process or have been heated to temperatures that make the oil unhealthy. Heat the unprocessed oils to a medium heat (on my electric stovetop I go no higher than 6) so that they don’t burn and smoke.

Step 2 – If you like nutmeg, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg here.

Step 3 – Using a guide like a measuring tablespoon makes the job so much easier. I bought online a cookie dough scoop which is much like the old ice-cream scoops. I have found it invaluable for getting even meatballs, protein balls, and cookies. This step is also a great place to get the kids involved.

Step 4 – Be gentle with the meatballs in this step, so that they don’t break apart.

Step 5 – This is the step where you can choose your cooking fat depending on what diet you may follow.

Step 6 – If you are using a starchy thickener, by coating the starch grains in oil, it helps to separate them and prevent a lumpy sauce.

Step 7 – By mixing in your liquid a little at a time, it also prevents lumps. But don’t be worried, as mixing it in off the heat makes it pretty foolproof.

Step 8 – A mixture that is being thickened needs to simmer for at least 1 minute in order to burst the cell wall of the starch grains and prevent a “floury” taste.

Step 9 – Let the meatballs simmer for 5 minutes to get them nice and hot again, then taste to see if you want to stir through more salt or pepper. In order to get more nutrients than are found in the traditional mashed white potato that these meatballs are traditionally served over, I serve them over mashed sweet potato or cauliflower.

Enjoy!

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