The cooler months are now upon us, which means we've got plenty of belly warmers in this week's recipes, as well as some great new produce.
The purpose of these recipes is to give you some inspiration for the week ahead. We’ve suggested meal ideas based on our produce selection and they can all be enjoyed on their own, or with any protein that suits your appetite.
Enjoy!
Fennel and apple scones
These apple and fennel scones are a great breakfast treat, or even work well to serve with a cheese board for an afternoon tea.
- 1 cup (150 grams) all purpose flour, plus more sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon granulated natural cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
- ½ Granny Smith apple, peeled & chopped fine
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (50 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 teaspoons butter, melted
- Freshly grated orange zest, to garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Line a small baking pan with parchment paper.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, crushed fennel seeds, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Scatter the butter over the flour mixture, and rub together quickly with your fingers, until it forms a sandy-looking texture with some pebble-sized pieces.
Stir in the apple.
Using a fork, lightly beat the egg yolk and 3 tablespoons of cream together in a small bowl. Pour over the flour mixture, and stir to combine.
Knead the dough in the bowl once or twice until it forms a shaggy-looking dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Knead it once or twice to give the dough a smoother appearance. Using your fingertips, press the dough out into a thick circle. Cut the dough into 4 triangles.
Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, and brush with tops with the remaining teaspoon of cream.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until bottoms are deep golden and the tops are golden. Remove from oven and rest tray on a wire rack. Let cool completely before adding glaze.
To make the glaze, combine the sugar, orange juice, and butter in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth, and sugar is completely dissolved. Drizzle over the scones. Sprinkle some orange zest on top, if using. Let the glaze set for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Red Cabbage Slaw
Rich in vitamin C and folate, this red cabbage slaw is a great addition to your weeknight dinner. It’s super easy to put together and can last a few days in the fridge too.
- 1 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced and chopped
- ½ cup grated carrot
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon milk, or more as needed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white sugar, or more to taste
Combine cabbage, carrot, mayonnaise, cranberries, walnuts, milk, cider vinegar, and sugar in a bowl; stir well. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours.
Wilted Endive Lettuce with Orange, Dates, and Almonds
This tasty salad includes a few things that make it different from the rest! The dates give it a sweet bite, while the orange zest adds a delicious tang. Have it along side dinner, or as a big salad for lunch.
- 1 head endive lettuce greens
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tsp crushed chili flakes
- 2 tbsp almonds toasted and chopped
- 2 tbsp pitted dates chopped
- salt to taste
Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, and cook until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add lettuce, orange zest and juice. Saute until stems are tender and leaves are bright green. Add chili flakes and season with salt.
Remove from heat and toss in almonds and dates. Serve warm.
Sweet Potato Bake
This sweet potato bake is an alternative to your traditional white potato bake and is the perfect comforting meal or side dish for Autumn.
- 550g white or purple sweet potato, scrubbed or peeled, thinly sliced
- 700g orange sweet potato, scrubbed or peeled, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 leek, trimmed, thinly sliced
- 150g crème fraîche
- 150ml milk
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 55g parmesan, finely grated
- 50g vintage cheddar, coarsely grated
- Fresh baby herbs, to serve (optional)
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced. Lightly grease a 6.5cm-deep, 20 x 30cm baking dish.
Place the sweet potato in a large microwave-safe bowl with 60ml (1/4 cup) water. Cover with 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Cook in the microwave on High for 8 minutes or until just tender. Remove and drain. (Alternatively, you can steam the sweet potato.)
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until the leek is softened and lightly golden. Remove from heat.
Whisk together the crème fraîche, milk, garlic and sage in a jug. Season.
Layer the sweet potato, leek and parmesan in the prepared dish until all the ingredients have been used. Sprinkle with the cheddar. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the top. Season with pepper.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden and cheese has melted. Set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with baby herbs, if you like.
Zucchini Banana Muffins
Thinking of ways you can add some greens in without noticing? Then this is the recipe for you. These zucchini and banana muffins are delicious, and you won’t even notice that you’re eating an entire zucchini! These are perfect for your kids lunch boxes or an afternoon snack.
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- ¾ cup (157 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 ½ cups (341 g) mashed ripe banana, about 3 bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (145 g) shredded zucchini, about 1 medium zucchini
- banana chips, optional
Preheat the oven to 220°C Spray 14 muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir with a whisk to combine. Make a well in the centre; set aside.
In a separate bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk the oil, sugar, banana, and vanilla together until well combined. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into the centre of the dry ingredients. Use a silicone spatula to fold the batter together just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in the zucchini
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan; filling each cup ⅔ full. Top each with a banana chip if desired. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the pan immediately and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Slow Cooker Porridge
Porridge is the perfect breakfast meal now that the weather is getting cooler, and the great thing is, that you can make it in a slow cooker, and then store it for a few days!
- 250 g (3 cups) rolled porridge oats
- 1 pint (2 cups) milk
- 2.5 pint (5 cups) water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp salted butter
Wipe the inside of the slow cooker with a little butter or oil to stop your porridge sticking whilst it cooks.
Put the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker, stir well, then cook on low for 8 hours.
Serve with raisins, a drizzle of honey and plenty of chopped fruit!
Potato and fennel fry
Cooked in the slow cooker, this potato and fennel fry up is a delicious side dish and works with pretty much any meal. It also requires little effort with the inclusion of the slow cooker.
- 1 small fennel bulb
- 1 leek, trimmed, thinly sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 1kg potatoes, very thinly sliced
- 100g (1 cup) grated cheese
- 300ml Cooking Cream
- 40g (1 ⁄2 cup) finely grated parmesan
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1/4 cup small fresh parsley leaves
Lightly grease the bowl of a slow cooker and line with baking paper. Arrange one‐third of the potato, overlapping slightly, in the base of the prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle with one‐third of the fennel mixture and one‐third of the cheese blend. Drizzle with one‐third of the cream. Season.
Repeat layering the remaining potato, fennel mixture, cheese and cream. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours 30 minutes or until the potato is tender. Sprinkle with the parmesan, cover and cook for a further 20 minutes or until cheese has melted.