CHEESE, ROSEMARY & POPPY SEED BISCUITS

As featured in Ciao! Magazine April 15, 2016

Rosemary has a special significance for Australians. We know it as a symbol of remembrance – its use has even been shown to boost memory – and it also grows wild on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Zucchini and feta fritters

I made this up today, inspired by my recent success with amazingly simple and delicious zucchini and haloumi fritters. These are low in sugar and carbs and are of course low GI as well.

The texture of these is lovely, light and slightly crisp; somewhere between a pikelet, an omelette and a fritter. I recommend serving simply with a squeeze of lemon, or some crispy bacon and tomato chutney for something more substantial.

Easy egg-based breakfast bites

For me, the hardest time eating low-carb/low-GI is at breakfast. My usual breakfast involves leftovers of some kind, but occasionally I need something a bit more traditional. These little breakfast ‘bites’ are really simple to make and keep well for a few days once cooked.

A ‘recipe’ as such isn’t really needed. You just need a non-stick muffin/cupcake tin, one egg per hole, and something to make them taste delicious…

Japanese spinach with sesame

Ok, this is not authentic, but it’s a very quick and easy approximation to the delicious horenso no goma ae I always have to order at Japanese restaurants. The classic recipe calls for boiled sake and hand-ground sesame seeds, but hello, it’s Tuesday.

Blossom Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant, Newtown

Green Palace is one of many, many Thai restaurants on Newtown’s King St strip. However, it stands out from others because of three things: it’s vegan, it’s cheap, and it’s really REALLY delicious. I know, it surprised me too!

Mushroom & chèvre ravioli with walnut & butter

Sometimes, just occasionally, I like to indulge myself. Today I brought home a very indulgent bounty from my local markets on Addison Road in Marrickville: a bag of beautiful mixed brown mushrooms, Pepe Saya butter and some delicious chèvre. Oh, the possibilities!

Pumpkin and smoked pork soup with crispy sage leaves and chevre toast

It’s a mouthful I know, but the beauty of this dish is in the combination of all elements. The soup is sweet, clean and slightly smoky, the crispy sage adds earthiness, and the goats cheese toast provides a hit of salt as well as a contrasting texture.

Dragon Den, Darlinghurst

I recently organised a birthday dinner for two of my loveliest friends at Dragon Den, near the Green Park Hotel in Darlinghurst. Planning a dinner for 20 odd people is not always easy, but the staff at Dragon Den were amongst the most helpful, accommodating and flexible I’ve encountered (along with Javed and the team at Delhi O’ Delhi).

Eggplant and goats cheese involtini

These delicious little parcels make a perfect canape, or they can be baked with a peperonata sauce for a hearty vegetarian main. The recipe has also been featured in Oxfam’s new cookbook Stop Hunger Start Cooking. If you make it, post a picture on Twitter, tag it with #stophungerstartcooking, and you could win some delicious Oxfam prizes! 🙂

Fennel baked with lemon and parmigiano reggiano

I like to cook according to the seasons. Not only is it environmentally and economically sound, it provides a lovely sense of connectedness to nature. And cold weather vegetables such as pumpkin, zucchini and fennel tend to suit roasting, baking and stewing. Nice work, Mother Nature.