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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.