There are family recipes that never leave us: this is one of mine. It always reminds me of the book ‘Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant‘, because it’s the kind of meal that you crave without realising, and that fills you in more ways than one. When I was a kid, my family would often go
If you’re anything like me, you have an abundance of pumpkins during the growing season (in fact it’s way beyond abundance, but that’s a whole other story). I’m always on the lookout for fun ways to make good use of my harvest, and what better way than a pie that can be shared with friends
When it is cold and snowy outside, I always crave old-school Dutch dishes like this traditional stamppot. I grew up eating things like stamppot and splitpea soup during winter, and they will continue to be staples in my home. Meals that are wholesome plus easy to make, I think I will always keep making. Translating
This spinach & pumpkin lasagna is excellent yet unconventional. Taking inspiration from classic Italian cuisine and using ingredients I had on hand, this dish almost created itself. I like this style of cooking. Just seeing what is in my fridge, what I can use and creating a dish with my cooking instincts & intuition alone.
The melt-in-your-mouth texture of a sorbet is all the more delicious when you’ve made it from fresh home-grown fruit. Pretty enough for a dinner party and good enough for every day, this dragonfruit and finger lime sorbet makes a great guilt-free snack. Quick and easy to whip up after school, it’s a nice summer treat
When you want to make an apple cake, but just a little different in flavour, than this almond apple cake is perfect! Its richness is so comforting, what’s not to love? This almond apple cake is a different take on a traditional apple cake. Instead of the classic apple/cinnamon/raisin combination, I’ve switched out the raisins
While okra isn’t exactly the new kid on the block, most Australians are only fairly recently learning to grow and cook with it. Okra is versatile in the kitchen and can be cooked as a side dish, a main, or a snack. Here we give you a recipe for each of these options. Okra has
Eggplant parmigiana is a classic Italian dish my Sicilian grandmother used to regularly make for my father (because apparently, no-one else made it just right). Regions of Italy such as Parma, Campania and Sicily all claim parmigiana as their own. In truth, the origins of this dish are decisively uncertain– either way, it is now
There are certain foods eaten while on holiday overseas that were so good, we never forget them. For me, it’s chicken skewers with peanut satay sauce. A mainstay of my street food-based diet on numerous trips to Thailand, the punchy flavours never disappointed. Or, if I’m honest, it was more like me fist-pumping the air
If you are like Mark and have more pumpkins than you know what to do with, this pumpkin and carrot puree is a very nice recipe to try. Unfortunately I’m not that lucky- I only ever seem to grow one pumpkin per plant. And sometimes even that pumpkin is as small as my hand, even
This Thai-inspired stir fry is a staple in my home. I come back to it time and time again because it is so simple to make, yet is healthful & packs a great flavour punch. So try it and see for yourself if you agree. When it is very much winter here in The Netherlands,
This traditional Sicilian chickpea and spinach braise is a resourceful meal derived partly through tradition and partly through need. My grandparents came to Australia in the early 1950s armed with gardening knowledge but little else. While they quickly established a productive vegetable garden, grandads fledgling fishing business didn’t always bring home the catch of the
A great new way with pumpkin which is ideal at a dinner party or on a festive table! This appetising dish is easy to make, and will work as a side or a main. Sure to please vegans and vegetarians too, honey roasted hasselback pumpkin with blueberries and toasted coconut has just 7 ingredients which
There’s nothing like a big Christmas dinner with all the trimmings- and stuffing is always high on the trimmings list! Whether it’s vegan, vegetarian or contains meat, is cooked inside meat or on its own, there’s a stuffing to please everyone. Here are 3 of my favourites; sage & onion, thyme & parsley, and cranberry
This middle eastern-inspired chard carrot casserole combines the earthy taste of rainbow chard with the sweetness of carrots. Chickpeas & cumin provide the protein and base notes, while parsley, mint and lemon juice round out this beautiful looking and tasting dish. When I see Swiss rainbow chard I always sigh because it is so beautiful!
This veggie lasagna is so good and packed with nutrition- but by no means is it a traditional lasagna recipe! I have to say this up front, because I really don’t want all the Italian nonnas of the world coming at me to knock me on the head with their wooden spoons! Of course traditional
This traditional lemon & passionfruit butter tastes like nostalgia- and don’t we all love a bit of that?! Many of us remember our grandmothers making these sorts of spreads, and there’s no reason not to continue the tradition. And don’t think that there’s magic or trickery involved because Nana made it- it’s really very simple!
Hearty, delicious, spicy & full of goodness: this tasty beetroot soup with chive dumplings & hazelnut dukkah has it all! The velvety soup texture and soft dumplings contrast perfectly with the crunch of the nutty topping, while the chilli, coriander & cumin add deep, spicy base notes. Whether you simply love the taste or have
A tasty & low-calorie meal that makes great use of your garden herbs, this herb and pine nut pilaf is one of those fantastic make-something-out-of-nothing dishes. It cooks easily in one pot, and only needs rice, fresh herbs, stock, nuts and an onion. Though to have originated in India or Iran, pilaf is a rice
There’s nothing more refreshing than a cool drink on a hot day- especially when it’s home-made from your own produce! Sweet, tart and delicious all at the same time, this old-fashioned lemon balm lemonade makes excellent use of a few lemons plus highlights one of the most under-used herbs, lemon balm. Lemon balm is highly
Self Sufficient Me is a blog about self-sustainment by growing our own produce (plant/animal), and self-fulfilment by looking after our health (physical/mental) through exercise and slowing life down a little.
