Health Tips & Tricks

Soft & Chewy Avocado, Apple, Banana, & Oatmeal Cookie

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup whole wheat flour + 2 Tbsp.
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ ripe, fresh avocado, halved, pitted, and peeled
½ cup mashed ripe banana (from 1½ medium bananas)
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup finely chopped peeled sweet red apple (such as Gala, Fuji, or Honey Crisp)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet and set aside.

Place the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well combined.

Place the avocado in a medium-size bowl, and mash until smooth. Add the banana, egg, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped apple.

Drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet using a spoon, and gently flatten until round and about ½-inch thick. Bake until slightly brown and firm around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool before serving.

Roast mushrooms with spinach and ricotta

INGREDIENTS
8 large (750g) field mushrooms, wiped clean.
1/2 cup fresh continental parsley leaves, lightly packed.
2 tbsp pepitas.
1 tsp lemon rind, finely grated.
2 tbsp parmesan, finely grated.
120g baby spinach leaves.
125g (1/2 cup) fresh ricotta.
150g chargrilled red capsicum, sliced.
150g sugar snap peas, trimmed, sliced.
400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained.
2 tsp balsamic vinegar.
Shaved parmesan, to serve.
Baby herbs, to serve (optional).

DIRECTIONS
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place mushrooms on prepared tray. Spray lightly with olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until mushrooms are golden and tender.

Step 2
Meanwhile, process parsley, pepitas, rind, grated parmesan and 40g spinach in a small food processor until finely chopped. Add ricotta. Process until well combined. Season.

Step 3
Spread pesto over top of mushrooms. Roast for a further 5 minutes. Combine capsicum, peas, chickpeas and remaining spinach in a bowl. Drizzle with vinegar. Toss to combine.

Step 4
Divide salad and mushrooms among plates. Top with shaved parmesan and herbs, if using.

Apricot chicken for two

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil.
300g skinless chicken thigh fillets, fat trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces.
1 small onion, halved, thinly sliced.
1 stick celery, thinly sliced.
1 carrot, peeled, cut into chunks.
1 garlic clove, crushed.
2 tsp wholegrain mustard.
60ml (1/4 cup) Massel salt reduced chicken style liquid stock.
125ml (1/2 cup) apricot nectar.
1 1/2 tbsp chopped dried apricots.
1/2 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained.
Steamed snow peas, to serve.
Broccolini, to serve.

DIRECTIONS
Step 1
Preheat oven to 170C/ 150C fan forced. Heat half the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over high heat. Cook the chicken , in 2 batches, for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate.

Step 2
Heat remaining oil in same dish over medium heat. Add the onion , celery and carrot and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Return chicken to dish. Stir in the mustard , stock , apricot nectar and dried apricots and bring to the boil. Cover dish with a lid or foil.

Step 3
Bake for 40 minutes, adding cannellini beans for last 10 minutes of cooking time. Serve with steamed snow peas and broccolini .

Slow-Cooker Brisket

INGREDIENTS
BRISKET
1 tablespoon paprika
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 (4- to 4½-pound) beef brisket
2 medium onions, sliced
1 (2-pound) bag carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

GRAVY
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot flour
2 tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS
FOR THE BRISKET:

1.In a small bowl, mix together paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Rub spices on brisket, coating all sides, and place in slow cooker with fat side facing up (toss any seasoning that's left behind into the slow cooker).

2.Add the onions and carrots on top. Pour on the broth, then add the tomato paste and soy sauce. Use spoon to mix the tomato paste around the veggies and broth. Cover slow cooker and cook for 8 to 9 hours on low, or until brisket is fork-tender.

3.Transfer the brisket to a serving platter. Using a slotted spoon, add the onions and carrots to the serving platter and arrange them all around the beef. Leave the remaining liquid in the slow cooker on the warm setting (as you'll use it to create gravy). Allow the brisket to rest for 20 minutes and then thinly slice against the grain.

FOR THE GRAVY:

Add cornstarch or arrowroot to a small bowl and mix with the water until completely dissolved. Add to the simmering liquid in the slow cooker and stir until the sauce develops more body and slightly thickens, about 3 minutes or so.

TO SERVE:

Spoon some gravy over the sliced meat and transfer the rest to a gravy boat or small pitcher and serve alongside your brisket.