‘‘With a simple change-up, weeknight dinners transform into flavour-forward crowd pleasers. If I can add a burst of freshness and some pantry magic into a crumb, filling or pattie you can enjoy all your take-out favourites in super-yum better for you ways - and faster than it takes to order in.’’
As usual the book features Hay’s trademark beautifully styled and photographed dishes which make you want to eat off the pages.
The savoury dishes include chapters on everything from spaghetti, meatballs, curries, noodles, salads and rice bowls while the sweet dishes include flourless cakes, better-for-you treats, fruity desserts and instant puddings.
To add interest to dishes, there are recipes for noodle toppers to up the crunch in noodle dishes, different flavoured crouton combinations, fresh Middle Eastern inspired dips or clever grain salads as sides.
She has also included QR codes for many of the recipes so you can watch Hay make the recipes herself.
Sticky ginger chicken bowl
Serves 4
Ingredients
6×125g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and cut into thirds
4 cups (560g) cooked quinoa
1/4 cup (70g) store-bought pickled ginger, chopped and 2 Tbsp pickled ginger liquid reserved
2 bok choy, halved and blanched
700g broccolini (sprouting broccoli), trimmed, halved and blanched
To serve
Thinly sliced green onion, shiso leaves and extra store-bought pickled ginger
Sticky ginger sauce
½ cup (125ml) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce
2 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, finely grated
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 tsp sesame oil
Method
Preheat oven to 220degC.
To make the sticky ginger sauce, combine the maple syrup, soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic, grapeseed oil and sesame oil.
Place the sticky ginger sauce in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook for 45 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, add the chicken and mix to coat.
Place the chicken on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and top with any remaining sticky ginger sauce.
Drizzle with the extra oil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and starting to caramelise.
Combine the quinoa, pickled ginger and pickled ginger liquid.
To assemble, divide the pickled ginger quinoa between bowls.
Top with the sticky ginger chicken, bok choy, broccolini, green onion, shiso and the extra pickled ginger.
Chicken and pumpkin korma
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
2 onions, cut into thin wedges
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 Tbsp desiccated coconut
1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
2 long green chillies, sliced
800g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into small chunks
1 cup (250ml) good-quality chicken stock
4×180g chicken breast fillets, trimmed and cut into thirds
To serve
Plain thick yoghurt, chopped roasted salted cashews, coriander, extra sliced long green chilli and spiced pistachio rice (see recipe, below).
Method
Heat a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, garam masala, cumin and turmeric and cook for two minutes or until fragrant.
Add the coconut and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes and chilli and cook for five minutes. Add the pumpkin and stock and stir to combine.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin starts to soften. Remove the lid.
Add the chicken and cook for eight to 10 minutes or until cooked through, turning halfway.
Divide the curry between bowls and serve with yoghurt, cashews, coriander, the extra chilli and spiced pistachio rice.
TIP
Use sweet potato instead of pumpkin if you already have some at home.
Spiced pistachio rice
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Add 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, 2 teaspoons garam masala and one-third of a cup (50g) salted pistachios and cook for 1 minute.
Add 4 cups (520g) cooked brown basmati rice and stir to combine.
Cook for 2 minutes or until warm.
Remove from the heat, drizzle with 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses and stir to combine.
Banoffee brulee tarts
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup (120g) almond meal (ground almonds)
1 cup (100g) flaked almonds
2 egg whites
¼ cup (55g) raw caster (superfine) sugar
2 bananas, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ cup (35g) coconut sugar
To serve
Coconut caramel sauce (see recipe below)
Whipped vanilla cream
½ cup (125g) mascarpone
½ cup (125g) plain thick yoghurt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Method
Preheat oven to 180degC. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Place the almond meal, flaked almonds, egg whites and the caster sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Divide the mixture into four. Place on the prepared tray and press out into rough 12cm rounds. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden around the edges.
To make the whipped vanilla cream, whisk the mascarpone, yoghurt and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Place the banana slices on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and sprinkle with the coconut sugar. Using a kitchen blowtorch, cook until the banana starts to caramelise.
To assemble, divide the whipped vanilla cream between tart bases. Top with coconut caramel sauce and caramelised banana.
TIP
If you don't own a kitchen blowtorch, use the grill in your oven (broiler) to caramelise the banana.
Coconut caramel sauce
Makes 200ml
Place 1 cup (250ml) coconut cream, ¾ cup (110g) coconut sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat and cook for two minutes, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is boiling.
Cook the caramel over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, paying close attention as it can stick to the bottom of the pan.
Continue stirring for six minutes or until it has thickened. It should leave a trail when you run your spoon or spatula through it.
Allow to cool slightly, before pouring into sterilised jars or clean glass storage containers.
