Mushroom Cauliflower "Risotto"

Did you know that Australia has just released an updated food pyramid?  I don't want to get into any sort of debate around exactly how the food pyramid should look (because I know plenty of people that would disagree completely with this model) but I do want to say that it is a major improvement on its predecessor. What I am most excited about is that it's now recommended that one eat more vegetables than bread (and there are so many more beautiful greens on there!) I think we can all agree that our diets should be packed with veges.

Before I moved out west I was flatting in a lovely brick villa in Mt Eden that  had a fantastic vegetable store one minutes walk away. It really did mean that we were never lacking our five plus a day, and that we became increasingly creative with vegetables.  This dish is an example that, minus the cheese it doesn't have much else other than vegetables.  It is extremely light so if you are particularly hungry may need a few additions. Take the recipe as a bit of inspiration.  Play with it.  I think it would be a great accompaniment to oven-baked chicken.

Banana bread for breakfast

Winter is fast approaching us, the days are getting shorter and the mornings darker.  I find at this time of the year it is all the more hard to get going in the morning and fitting in breakfast before leaving for work becomes even more tricky than I normally find it.  I have studied nutrition for over five years and I know that eating breakfast is important.  I have even taught school children that eating breakfast is important as well as their teachers. As a classic case of knowledge not transferring into action,  I remain an average-to-poor-scoring breakfast eater.  I blame this on seldom designate enough time in the morning for creating something I actually want to eat.  Some would put it all down to poor planning and those people would be entirely correct.

I have recently stumbled upon a sure-fire solution.  This scrummy banana bread is nutritious, fantastically filling and the preparation of it (in its simplest form), only requires a few easy strokes with a good quality bread knife.  If you want to put a bit more effort in, its quite lovely toasted and served with yoghurt, maple syrup and a few berries. 

Cauliflower Crusted Moroccan Shepherd's Pie and a PN update

Hello!  Well, you may have never believed it but Pantry Narrative is back in business. Apologies for the rather long break if you missed us.   As you may or may not be aware, up until now Pantry Narrative has been the work of both Danielle and Camilla, a couple of friends going about our lives in Auckland.  However, last month the lovely Danielle and her husband boarded a jet plane for two years of travel adventures.  They will be settling down in London where Danielle plans to continue to explore her passion for nutrition and wellbeing.  Because of pure logistics, I (Camilla) will be continuing on with PN and Danielle will be creating recipes from the Northern Hemisphere over on http://www.danielleheyhoe.com/
so be sure to save her website in your favourites!  I most certainly shall be missing her and her amazing creativity in the kitchen however it is reassuring to know we will still be getting her recipe updates.


To add to the bad news I, along with what seems like everybody else in Auckland have been struck down by a cold and have been cooped up inside all day.  On the upside, it has given me some time to
play in the kitchen and create a few dishes to warm the soul.

This version of shepherd's pie is a mix between a Moroccan tagine and your traditional version.  I topped it off with a goats cheese cauliflower mash that makes it slightly lighter, however traditional mashed potato/kumara or any root vegetable would be just as delicious.  If you make it do tell me how it goes!

Eggplant, lamb and pistachio "pizza"

Feel like a different spin on pizza?  How about you try using an aubergine base -  it's just as easy and less processed than your normal pizza base.  You can top aubergine bases with whatever you like. One recipe we recently stumbled upon had a tomato base, bacon, spinach and mozzeralla topping.

This recipe is something a little bit different, but just as delicious and it adds a bit of a Moroccan spin pizzazz.  Feel free to adjust ingredients as you like.  We were considering using sliced lamb fillet but went for a slightly more affordable option > mince.

We are sad to say we didn't have any pomegranate seeds to sprinkle on top of the pizzas pictured above, but just imagine how great they will look and taste if you have some!

Enjoy and experiment!

The Almond and Egg Pancake

Behold! The Almond and Egg Pancake.

Each Sunday morning, upon awaking, my husband and I prepare for a sit-down brunch together. This is a time each week we set aside to reflect on life, love, and good food.

Hence, more often than not, I vouch for the Almond and Egg Pancake topped with full-fat yoghurt, goji berries, blue berries, and coconut flakes.

These pancakes are completely void of sugar and sweetener and are therefore great for children as well and adults. You could say they are fit for the whole family, especially considering how easy they are to make.

I'll also take this time to suggest alternative toppings: grilled bananas, berry compote, or if you want something particularly decadent, a homemade cacao coconut syrup.

Classic Kiwi Chicken Curry on Sunday

Camilla and I had a great Sunday afternoon preparing some delicious meals for the blog last weekend. The sun was out, we had a full kitchen to ourselves, and let’s just say, creativity flowed. There is a little “behind the scenes” shot of us cooking in the kitchen over on instagram @rachael_courian. It’s pretty much like this every time we cook.

This simple recipe goes out to a good friend of ours who requested a curry to go with our Cauliflower Coconut Couscous recipe – see here. Curries make a great ‘inter-season’ dish as they retain fresh flavours as well as warm the soul, and considering summer in New Zealand has been looking a bit drizzly recently, to say the least, we thought it would be appropriate. We love to take on requests, so if you would like to see a certain kind of recipe up here, please let us know.

This recipe is incredibly simple and best of all, you’re likely to have most of the ingredients sitting in your cupboard. Here goes…

Little Quinoa and Kumara (sweet potato) Cakes

I love a good poached egg.  It's my go-to when I'm out for breakfast.  Why I pay $13 for someone to crack two eggs into a pot of boiling water and put them on a slice of Vogel's when there are far more original options available,  I do not know.  But I do, almost every time, because they are awesome.

These little cakes are a lovely, slightly more interesting, slightly less refined, alternative to toast (and a little bit of a twist on a potato rosti).  The quinoa and hazelnuts add a lovely crunchy texture to these sweet treats.  They are versatile and can be used in place of falafel, feel free to add them to  a salad, a wrap, anything your little heart desires! Please play around with the ingredients (I've added a few alternatives).

Pan-fried Turkey Meatballs on Parsnip and Cauliflower Mash with Lemon Tahini Yoghurt

Summer is often the season of creating delectable dinners in my kitchen as the cool breeze flows in and out of our open windows. My kitchen is a happy place in summer, and so are my family's tummys!

Over the last year I was particularly inspired by Middle Eastern and Jewish food as I had the privilege of living in Paris the year before, where Jewish food is a phenomenon. The Jewish Quarter in Paris, Le Marais, is stacked full of un-heard-of spices and questionable cuts of meat. I came home with a desire to learn a new way of cooking and could only think of buying 'Jerusalem' by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. You must get it.

Bacony Mushroom Egg Muffin sans bread

These are a staple in our house. Every Sunday morning I stumble out of bed, throw back a glass of water, and head to the freezer to commence the defrosting of bacon rashers. I cut out three or six circles of baking paper, line a muffin tray with them, place a rasher of bacon around each base, toss in half a mushroom, and crack two eggs over each muffin cup. Thirty minutes later these bad boys are ready to chill on the bench before being stored in the fridge. It's really as simple as that.

Week mornings used to be much more complicated. When you're on the run or in need of a quick chow-down, it's unbelievably difficult to consume a nourishing breakfast. Toast, muesli, bagels, scones - all these quick and easy modern day breakfast ideas - unfortunately leave you under-nourished and hungry in a matter of hours.

Thank the brilliant homecook!, who at some point in time created the "Paleo Muffin" or "Bacon and Egg Muffin." What ever name you give it, it remains the same compact, healthy, delicious, easy breakfast that goes swimmingly with half an avocado and a handful of spinach.

If you're hoping to start a "health kick" after the "everything goes" silly season, this is a great way to begin.