The traditional Muesli Bar turned 'real food' snack

Muesli bars are a happy past time from the good old school days. As a child, I remember my translucent pink lunch box filled to the brim with packets, most noteworthy of all was the muesli bar. My mum did her best to feed us a real food diet at home, but school was a different story all together. Parents were under the impression back then that kids needed readily available energy from carbohydrate-rich and calorie-dense foods, hence the traditional muesli bar... (packed full of sugar and refined carbohydrates).

Lamb kofte, baba ghanoush and barbeques

I can't have a barbeque without feeling like I am on holiday.  There is something so lovely about sitting outside with friends while dinner cooks.  I know the weather hasn't been the best of late, but never fear- I have checked the forecast and there are better days ahead!  

We would thoroughly recommend that next time you encounter barbeque weather you give these little gems a go.  They are extremely tasty, very quick to pull together, and far more affordable than a lamb loin.

Ginger and Lime Salmon, Avocado Vegetable Medley, and Cauliflower Coconut Couscous

Camilla and I hit the drawing board this past weekend to discuss what Pantry Narrative’s menu should look like this December (please make suggestions in the comment box below). There was one thing in particular that we agreed on: New Zealand’s delectable fresh seafood and the sun-drenched vegetables that saturate our country’s summer. 

We are beyond blessed in New Zealand to have access to a bounty of seasonal fruits and vegetables.We wanted this dish to present a Vegetable Medley of some of New Zealand’s most colourful nourishing morsels. Our Vegetable Medley consists of spring onions, cherry tomatoes, fresh coriander, lemon zest and juice, avocado, and cucumber - all of course on a fluffy bed of cauliflower coconut couscous.

Teriyaki chicken with crispy shallots

Amongst my most favourite cuisines would be Japanese.  I used to work with a couple of Japanese chefs and found myself constantly in awe of the precision and calm with which they would cook (and the staff meals that they would create).  I remember once someone telling me that in Japan you have to practise your knife skills for a year before you are allowed to cut sashimi.  There is probably no real law or code around this but it makes a great story and somewhat demonstrated to me the gravity with which cuisine is taken.  

Herby Cider Dressing

Camilla and I created this blog out of our love of food, cooking, and hospitality, and our shared desire to see people live healthy lives. When friends and family members heard about our collaboration; Pantry Narrative, many said, "finally!" or, "of course!" As though "it was about time" we got together to create something out of our joint passion. 

The particular enthusiasm I most want to touch on today is our desire to see people live healthy lives - that is what we are doing here. Of course we won't get it right all the time, but we are trying our best to understand what we read, discuss its viability, and interpret it into easily accessible information for our community. It's a slow slog and we appreciate your patience.

Fish N' Chips, a kiwi classic...

There is one thing I am adamant to prove - that following a 'real food' or 'plant-based' diet isn't boring, it doesn't lack 'fun,' and it doesn't leave you with a feeling of 'missing out.'

There are obviously foods you will choose not to consume as much of any more, or at all - if that's how you roll - but once you jump on the 'bandwagon' of making healthy food choices, after some time your taste buds start to crave the food that makes your body thrive. The very food that is the result of healthy food choices.

One 'kiwi' classic we don't have to say 'sayonara' to is good-old Fish n' chips. For those of you who did not grow up in New Zealand, Fish n' Chips is the Friday evening summer dinner that is enjoyed on the beach during sun-set.

In this recipe I used gurnard for my fish, but almost any white fish will be fine. And it is crusted with Parmesan, which is always going to be a good time.

These kumara fries are out of this world as well - so follow the recipe exactly.

Mexican "Caesar" salad

Technically, a Caesar salad is "a salad of romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and black pepper."

This is therefore not a Caesar salad, however having a creamy dressing, romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese and some lime juice gives it some similarities.

One cool supermarket discovery I recently made is jarred chargrilled capsicums (the ones that aren't stored in sugar or any strange ingredients).  They are such a handy item to keep in your refrigerator and a heap cheaper (and easier) than chargrilling fresh ones yourself at around $6 a jar.  If you would like to roast your capsicums yourself though, feel most free!

This dish was inspired by about ten different recipe books of mine ranging from What Katie Ate (thanks Jessie and Saz), to Annabel Langbein's new book Cook through the seasons (thanks Mum).  I tend to go a little overboard on the research at times!

Green Carbonara

Searching for a way to up your vegetable intake - zucchini noodles or "zoodles" are a fun option.  These may not be for everyone but we love them and felt like being a bit creative with our cooking this week.  You can use zoodles in place of any pasta, they are easy to prepare and much lighter on the stomach.  There are various tools out there to make zoodles.  Most people recommend using a 'spiralizer' which creates lovely curly noodles.  I can't quite afford one of those, and don't much like appliances so have a julienne peeler similar to this one which I picked up for $11 (which comes in very handy for making salads).  I've even seen someone use a grater to achieve them!

Quinoa and Almond Crusted Chicken Tenderloins with Coriander Yoghurt Sauce

I feel within my rights to say that fried food is one of the joys of summer. There is nothing like enjoying a bottle of cider - with something fried on the side – on a Friday afternoon post work.

It is an unfortunate reality that a lot of fried food these days can compromise our health due to the oils and the batters frequently used. With this in mind, I was determined to recreate one of my husband’s favourite past times – fried chicken – eliminating common harmful oils and batters full of refined flours.

The Goodness of Chocolate Bark and What to Fuel Your Body When

Here’s an idea for a gift, a dinner party, or a casual Sunday afternoon treat: Salted Chocolate & Almond Bark. If you’re not a fan of salted sweet food, then eliminate the salt for straight and pure Chocolate and Almond Bark – who wouldn’t like that?!

What I especially love about this recipe is that it isn’t only an ‘alternative’ to chocolate, it actually benefits our bodies when consumed in moderation (1 - 2 pieces per day, if not having other chocolate). These benefits are found in the raw cacao, coconut oil, and cacao powder. Maple syrup is present to sweeten the bitter cacao, but doesn’t have many health benefits unfortunately.

Smoked paprika mexican-inspired salad

As wonderful as warm soups, slow cooked meals and fruit crumbles are, by the time September rolls around I'm well and truly over winter and usually stop eating anything that reminds me of it . Around about this time I start looking out for ideas for slightly more substantial salads that will carry me through the gap between winter and summer. When I was in Wellington recently I went to the Maranui Café in Lyall Bay, a vibrant joint with fantastic views and a delicious menu. I tried a couple of their cabinet salads which ended up mixing together a bit and the resulting flavour was pretty fantastic. Here is a little creation inspired by my lunch at Maranui, which makes a perfect packed lunch. It's very filling, has lovely warm flavours and you can create it from fresh or canned corn if corn isn't yet in season.

BBQ Pulled Pork Wraps (without the nasties)

Suffice to say, I am a big fan of pulled pork. The kind of pulled pork that has been tossed through rich tomato sauce, and spiced with paprika and ground cumin. In the past, when searching out a recipe for this unparalleled deliciously tender cut of meat, I’ve raided blogs for tips and tricks with no luck. Almost all recipes I’ve found have been studded with hints (or blasts!) of refined sugar. Not something I want to feed my family often.

Asian-style chicken soba salad

Summer is coming and we are starting to get experimental with salads! We were inspired to create this Asian-inspired number after a friend ordered a similar salad from a charming and beautifully presented cafe called L'oeuf ('the egg' in french) in Mt Albert.

Soba noodles are a wonderful base to create a slightly more interesting salad. Our packet of soba noodles uses the tagline ‘quick & Japan-easy every night of the week’. We think that marketer did pretty well in summing up the soba noodle. They are ridiculously fast to prepare, are very versatile and, a bonus, are most delicious. We should note here that some soba noodles aren’t gluten-free, and are made with a mixture of wheat and buckwheat flour, we prefer using 100% buckwheat flour soba noodles.

This salad is fresh and tasty and great for a packed lunch. You don't need to stick strictly to the recipe (we never do!), feel free to experiment with different seasonal greens. You don’t need the pickled ginger, but we think that it’s one of the stand out components and is worth a try!

Bacon Buckwheat Breakfast Tarts (with sour cream)

 In our house we’re pretty big on having a nourishing breakfast that offers quality fats, moderate protein, and food that can be found in the garden, usually spinach, mushrooms, or some avocado. Sometimes I have to think pretty hard about what to make, especially if I want breakfast to be a tad more interesting than the standard eggs, bacon, tomato, and greens.

Today it felt as though all my hard thinking has actually been worth it. My husband came home from work and told me that he would be happy to eat this for breakfast… always.

Herby pistachio falafel

I have recently moved out west and have finally found time to visit the Avondale farmers market. It was quite fabulous - I don't think I have ever seen so many vegetables in one place in Auckland before, or so many people buying vegetables for that matter - it does pay to get there early! After walking up and down the rows of stalls, trying to figure out who was doing the best deal, I eventually decided to stop worrying about prices and just buy the most beautiful produce instead. I think it worked out alright... especially because we managed to make a tasty dish out of the expedition.

The Infamous Chia Pudding and Raspberry Chia Jam

I’m no rice pudding or porridge girl… which is why I was pleasantly surprised by my first taste of chia pudding. This delectable breakfast (or dessert) is creamy, smooth on the tongue, and incredibly satisfying. I had it before a day of work and it took me through till lunchtime.

In all honesty, I was particularly dubious about the health food craze around chia seeds. A tiny quantity of small seeds soaked in liquid overnight to be demolished the next day, didn’t exactly represent a meal in my mind, but had more in common with a smoothie. How wrong was I?! 

Moroccan meatballs and cauliflower couscous

Meatballs are a sort of soul warming food,  especially today when the weather isn't quite warm enough for comfort.  I have always found meatballs somewhat difficult to pull off, namely the "ball" part.  Despite tasting fine, mine always seemed to turn out a little bit more like mini meat patties.  It turns out that one way to achieve effortless, low-mess meatballs (that look like meatballs) is to cook them in the oven. This takes (most of) the worry out of ending up with a charred or flattened product. 

When I was a university student in Dunedin, I along with most Scarfies, became pretty good at finding different ways to use mince.  Moroccan spices are a great option to bring beef or lamb mince to life.  These gluten-free beauties are flavoured with cumin, coriander and cinnamon making them aromatic, warm and oh-so-tasty.  We served them up with a cauliflower 'couscous', a great natural alternative to normal couscous, which is made from durum wheat.  

Feel free to experiment with flavours here, we've come across recipes that have dried apricots in the meatball sauce- something we'll have to give a go!

Quinoa, Buckwheat, Maple Nut-ola and a Lesson on FAT…

I make this once a fortnight, store it in a large jar, and slowly watch it reduce in volume. It’s seriously that good. But not only is it worth the taste buds of an exceptional palette, when accompanied by a good quality fat, it acts as great fuel for the body.

There has been a lot of flak given to fat in the past few decades, which has impacted our understanding around the many advantages of ingested fat.

We are here to advocate fat!

Side series: the humble brussel sprout

Oh how we hated these all as children.  I remember my brother used to hide his in a little cavity inside our family table.  The main reason I remember this is because I was the one blamed when my father found them there.  I felt this was particularly unjust because I had already suffered the punishment of eating my brussel sprouts in the first place.

Two theories on why brussel sprouts tasted so bad when you were 7 years old:

1) The average adult reportedly has approximately 10,000 taste buds, but children have more.  Infants seem to arrive hard-wired to react to bitterness because most natural poisons also have a bitter taste.  So it is really a survival mechanism.  After time we learn that bitterness won't kill us and learn to enjoy the flavour more, and some of our taste buds die off.

2) Boiling brussel sprouts in water until they are translucent really doesn't do them much justice.

Brussel sprouts are actually a delightful vegetable when cooked well.  Here is one way you can do it but there are many more.  Some particularly tasty versions involve bacon.

First Times with Apple and Prune Cake

This Tuesday my dad is having dinner at our house for the first time. We moved into our new home only three months ago, and it has taken this long to get our A into G and haul over the parentals.

I recently discovered that something he has never experienced before is a wholefoods, unrefined cake…. So, out come my cake pans, bell domes, and wooden spoons for an evening of first times.

This delicious dessert is most complimented by a side of coconut cream or Greek yoghurt. It is perfect during the colder winter months as it has that cosy nourishing feel to it, especially when served straight from the oven.

If you have a particular fancy for apples you can always add another one to the batter.

Here goes dad....

Winter Vegetable Beef Lasagne with Flourless White Sauce

Childhood is characterized by the rich scent of beef Bolognese bubbling away on the stove, and cheesy white sauce being poured from a large Pyrex bowl over layers of beef mince and lasagne sheets. It’s a happy space, and one I want to relive from time to time with what new skills I’ve learned since then.

So when we had friends over the other day I relished the opportunity to create a meal designed for more than just two people. Out came my Pyrex jug and baking dish… only to realise this version of Beef Lasagne didn’t require a Pyrex jug after all! With the help of The Healthy Food Chef, I managed to adapt a recipe for white sauce made with cauliflower, and still make it taste like my mother’s. It was a small, but happy feat, and was made in the bowl of a food processor – how modern can I get?!

Another adaptation to the classic lasagne in my recipe, is what I used instead of pasta. This recipe calls for layers of thinly sliced vegetables. Nourishing, protein-rich, and with all those good fats!

This meal makes a happy family, at least in my experience anyway…

Winter warmer: spicy lentil and butternut soup

It can be hard work satisfying one's appetite in winter.  One seems to want bigger portions of everything and salads don't seem to cut it.  I find that pulses such as lentils really help to fill you up in the colder months.  Pulses are high in protein and fibre and, my favourite part... quite affordable.

This soup is warming in all kind of ways.  I love using whole cumin seeds- it just makes the spice a bit more noticeable.  It's a pretty simple all round soup, but it's a goodie. You have probably seen lots of versions of it so don't be too worried if you don't have one of the ingredients- this one is definitely not a science.

Nature’s Banoffee Chocolate Tart

Some of nature’s most delectable basics are the banana, cocoa, and coconut cream.

This is what you will see here. An amalgamation of these three loves, plus a few extras.

Come summer or winter, Banoffee Pie is my favoutrie dessert. With this recipe, I invite you to revisit fond memories of childhood as you sat outside in your tree house, dishing spoonfuls of this divine dessert into your mouth. “Mmmmm,” you may recall saying, because with Banoffee Pie, there just aren’t any words.

I’ll say just one more thing. I won my brother-in-law over into the wholefoods world with this recipe….

Leftovers: Chicken Marbella with Sautéed Greens

I often find that my hungriest time of the day is between lunch and dinner. I was relaying this to a friend recently when she suggested I include more protein in my lunch to sustain me until dinner.

Of course! It’s so simple, so obvious, and yet I had completely forgotten such an acknowledged fact. So… although this recipe is technically for dinner, as leftovers it serves as a delectable lunch.

More than that, the main advantage of this dish is that it is so completely easy to prepare. Seriously, throw everything into one dish, and… that’s it. I should warn you that this is a classic; there’s nothing gourmet or gastronomic about it. But your body will love you for it.

Salmon and leek tart and a chat about wholefoods

You probably have heard the term wholefoods thrown about quite a lot recently but as you are probably aware, there is nothing too new about it.  This is primarily because our grandmothers were all on a wholefoods diet and secondly, because it turns out that the term was actually coined in 1960.  A wholefood approach simply meaning using ingredients that are as unprocessed as possible.  Think less white food with the exception of onions and cauliflower.  The theory goes that in general the more processed a food is, the more the nutrients are stripped away.

I find it quite interesting that something that used to be so normal is now considered hip and counter-cultural.  It has become quite an art to put a meal on the table that doesn't contain any form of preservative or added sugars thanks to the industrialization of food production.  Although I find it most enjoyable to put in a little more effort and cook from scratch, I realise that wholefood cooking can be much harder for people that are pressed for time and on a limited budget. That is why in general, we are aiming to share recipes that don't contain ingredients that are too hard to get your hands on, aren't too expensive and don't require too much effort.  In saying that from time to time we will put in recipes that might cost a little more than others or take a little bit more time just for a little bit of fun.  This in one of those times as salmon and goats cheese can be a little expensive at times.  We assure you it does taste good though.