Sesame Seed Meatballs

Ingredients

• 400 gm (20) Woolworths Traditional Beef Meatballs (or similar GF meatballs)
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sake or dry sherry
• Non-stick Canola cooking oil spray

Method: Pre-Cook Meatballs

• Pre-heat oven to 200 C
• Spray baking tray with canola oil
• Roll meatballs in sesame seeds, coat evenly
• Place coated meatballs on baking tray
• Spray meatballs thoroughly with canola oil
• bake in oven for 30 minutes
• Allow to cool then store in fridge in a sealed container until required (bake sure the container is large enough to store them in one layer so they don't stick together)

Method: Prepare Sauce

• To a small container which can be sealed, add tomato sauce, olive oil, soy sauce and sherry/sake
• Seal & shake well. Store in refrigerator until required

Method: Stir-fry Meatballs

• Just before serving, shake prepared sauce in container, add to a wok and heat until it just starts to bubble
• Immediately add meatballs and toss until all are evenly coated with sauce
• Reduce heat so they don't burn and leave in wok until they are heated through
• Serve

Bolognaise Sauce

Ingredients

• 400 gm mince (beef or lamb)
• 1 medium onion roughly chopped
• 1 tsp chicken stock powder mixed in 1/2 cup water hot water from tap
• 1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes with tomato paste chopped roasted capsicum
• 1 x 400 g can diced tomatoes
• 1 stick celery, diced
• 2 small carrots, finely diced or julienned
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Heat oil in non-stick pan, then add onion
2. Add mince sauté until just starting to brown
3. Add vinegar and stir until reduced
4. Add carrots & celery and sauté until begin to soften
5. Add cans of chopped/diced tomato
6. Swirl the stock in the "empty" cans to remove the last bits of tomato & add to pan
7. Bring to boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes

Gnocchi in Bolognaise Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 x 500 gm pkt GF gnocchi ¹
• Bolognaise sauce ²

Method

1. Prepare bolognaise sauce² in a non-stick pan
2. 3/4 fill a large saucepan with water, bring to boil, add gnocchi
3. When gnocchi floats to surface, leave a further two minutes then tip into a colander to strain off the water
4. Add gnocchi to simmering bolognaise sauce, stir carefully until evenly distributed through sauce, serve

---

Footnotes

1. GF gnocchi is available in the health food section of most supermarkets. If you have difficulty locating any, contact Momentum Foods Australia
2. Most often I make my own bolognaise sauce from scratch, click here for recipe.

Bolognaise Sauce [quick version]

Ingredients

• 400 gm mince (beef or lamb)
• 500 gm pasta sauce
• 1 tsp chicken stock powder
• 1/2 cup water hot water from tap

Method

1. Brown mince in a non-stick pan
2. Stir in a pasta sauce
3. Add chicken stock powder to the empty pasta sauce jar along with the hot water, shake & add this to the mince
4. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes

Stir-Fried Prawns in Tomato Marinade

Ingredients

Hint: Use a Half-Moon for "mincing" the ginger & garlic - it creates an uneven texture giving a more intense taste sensation.

• 1 kg large prawns (tiger if possible), peeled (leave tail on) & de-veined
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp "minced" ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, "minced"
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp rice-bran oil
• 1 cup jasmine rice

Method: Marinade Prawns

1. In a bowl large mix the tomato paste, ginger root, garlic and olive oil to create marinade
2. Add the prawns and, using a chop-stick, stir the prawns until evenly coated with marinade
3. Cover bowl with cling-wrap and store in fridge for at least two hours, preferably overnight

Method: Cook Rice

1. Add 1 cup rice & 2 cups water to microwave rice-cooker
2. Cook on high for 4 minutes & 20% power for 15 minutes

Method: Cook Prawns

1. While rice is cooking, add rice-bran oil to wok
2. When oil is hot enough to bubble when a chop-stick is inserted to test temperature, add marinaded prawns
3. Stir & toss continually until cooked (when they turn white)

Serving Suggestion

• Serve the rice and prawns in large separate bowls
• Provide individual small Asian-style bowls for people to serve themselves prawns on a bed of rice

Prawn Salad

This was a real hit at Christmas lunch this year!

---

Ingredients

• 1 kg cooked prawns, peeled (tails on) and de-veined (store in fridge)
• 1 pkt rocket lettuce leaves, washed & dried (store in fridge in plastic bag)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 medium sized ripe avocados, cut in eights length-wise and skin (store in fridge in a sealed container with the lemon juice sprinkled over)  
• 2 limes, 1 juiced & 1 quartered
• 1 small red chilli, seeds removed & finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 heaped tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 cup Praise, or other GF, mayonnaise

Method

1. Dressing:
• In a small jug, mix together mayonnaise, tomato sauce, line juice, chilli and Tabasco sauce. 
• Cover with cling-wrap & store in fridge  
2. To Serve:
• Evenly spread rocket on a medium to large serving plate
• Arrange avocado & prawns evenly over the lettuce
• Serve on individual plates with a wedge of lime--allow people to add their own dressing to taste

Polenta-Pumpkin Cake

Great taste! Slices of this go well with meat or bean dishes.

Ingredients

• 1kg pumpkin (Japanese squash recommended) skinned, seeded, cut into small pieces for boiling
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 eggs + four extra egg whites lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt
• 2 flat tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 flat tsp nutmeg
• 1 flat tsp ground cloves
• 200 gm (approx 1 cup) low fat, plain yoghurt
• 2 cups polenta

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175 C & grease (spray with oil) a 20 cm cake dish 
2. Boil pumpkin until very soft and then mash
3. Add all ingredients, except the yoghurt  & polenta to a blender or food processor. Process until evenly mixed.
4. Add mixture to a bowl
5. Stir in polenta and yoghurt
6. Add to cake dish and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
7. Cool slightly before slicing