chili flakes

Low carb chili minced beef and creamy cabbage creation

Posted by Gary

The only meat I had in the refrigerator this evening was about 300 g of ground or minced beef. I also had some cabbage and mixed leaves which I’ve been using for lunches. Add to that some slivered almonds, pine nuts, various condiments, white wine, cream and cheese and I had dinner.

Chili beef with creamy cabbage
Chili beef with creamy cabbage

I like that some of the bits of beef look like little worms. If only they moved. Then it would be like eating Gagh. Apparently gagh is best eaten live 

Low carb chili minced beef and creamy cabbage creation
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Australian
Author: [url href=”https://about.me/garydlum” target=”_blank”]Gary Lum[/url]
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • Ground or minced beef
  • Butter
  • Shredded cabbage leaf
  • Mixed leaves (spinach, rocket, chard)
  • Slivered almonds
  • Pine nuts
  • Chili flakes
  • Nutmeg
  • Chicken salt
  • White wine
  • Cream
  • Grated cheese
  • Fried shallots
Instructions
  1. Cook the beef in a frying pan until all the meat is brown and cooked through
  2. Add the shredded cabbage and mixed leaves and a good handful of chili flakes
  3. Cook in high to wilt and soften all the vegetables
  4. Add in a good wedge of butter
  5. Toss in a handful of nuts
  6. Shake in the chicken salt and nutmeg
  7. Add a splash of wine and reduce
  8. Add the cream and stir through and ensure it’s incorporated throughout
  9. Take off the heat
  10. Add some fried shallots and grated cheese
  11. Plate up and shoot a photograph
  12. Eat the meal
  13. Wash the dishes
  14. Write the recipe
  15. Blog (verb)

 

Chili beef with creamy cabbage
Chili beef with creamy cabbage

Sorry the parsley is out of focus. This was really nice. It had heat from the chili flakes, texture from the nuts, healthfulness from the greenery and manly happiness with red meat 

This is the sort of meal anyone can just put together with stuff that is in the refrigerator. It’s cheaper than takeaway and tastier I reckon. There wasn’t a lot to clean up afterwards either. In my mind it’s a winner.

What are your favourite ways to use ground or minced beef?

Salmon and hot and spicy avocado rice with chia

Posted by Gary
Salmon and hot and spicy avocado rice

I’ve never mixed avocado and rice before but I’ve no reason not to think avocado rice can’t work. In fact after trying it I’m convinced it should be a thing. It was really good, really tasty and seriously went well with the salmon.

Salmon and hot and spicy avocado rice with chia
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Australian
Author: Gary Lum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • Salmon
  • Panko crumbs
  • Golden syrup
  • Grape seed oil
  • Brown rice
  • Chia seeds
  • Avocado
  • Lime juice
  • Butter
  • Chili flakes
  • Pepper
Instructions
  1. Put the salmon in a plastic bag and add some oil and Panko crumbs
  2. Rub the fish and ensure the fish is coated with oil and crumbs
  3. Place the fish on some baking paper on a tray and then add some pepper
  4. Drizzle a little golden syrup on the salmon
  5. Bake for 15 minutes at 220 °C
  6. Cook the rice and chia together
  7. Mash the avocado in some oil and lime juice
  8. Add 1 teaspoon of chili flakes (add more than you are usually comfortable with)
  9. Mix thoroughly
  10. Slowly add in the hot rice and chia and mix through to form a smooth rice mixture
  11. Add a dollop of butter for flavour and to glisten
  12. Lay on a plate some spinach leaves and chard
  13. Add the salmon fillet
  14. Add the avocado rice
  15. Shoot a photograph
  16. Eat the meal
  17. Wash the dishes
  18. Write the recipe
  19. Blog (verb)

I was surprised how the rice and avocado mixed so well. The addition of a little oil helped give it an almost risotto type feel. The lime juice adds zest and zing. Mixing chili flakes and lime juice always goes well and the rice carries the flavours really well.

For someone living alone this is a quick and easy meal you can make within 30 minutes, have the dishes done and be ready to watch the news on TV. If you drink wine or beer I image an alcoholic beverage (bevvie) would go down well with this meal. Sadly I can’t drink alcohol.

The golden syrup and Panko crumbs go really well together on the salmon. A lovely sweet crunchy mouthfeel.

If you make this, please let me know how it goes and how you might improve it.

Salmon and hot and spicy avocado rice
Salmon and hot and spicy avocado rice

Would you try avocado rice?

Delicious spam and roast vegetables

Posted by Gary

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It’s been ages since I’ve eaten spam! Well at least a week. I thought some roast vegetables would be nice for dinner tonight and I pondered what meat to eat. I thought about no meat and then thought bacon. Then I realised I could have spam. The real question was would I use one of the cans I brought back from Hawaii and the recipe book I bought there. 

In the end I chose the classic SPAM® and made up the recipe. 

Delicious spam and roast vegetables
 
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Australian
Author: Gary Lum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • Potato
  • Sweet potato
  • Capsicum
  • Chili flakes
  • Pepper
  • Curry powder
  • Salt
  • Cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Sesame oil
Instructions
  1. Cut the potato and sweet potato into batons
  2. Slice the capsicum into batons as long as the potato and sweet potato
  3. Dice the Classic SPAM®
  4. Add everything to a large mixing bowl and then add in everything else
  5. Mix with your hands
  6. Pour into a baking tray and place into a preheated oven (150 °C) for 45 minutes
  7. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes
  8. Serve in a large bowl
  9. Shoot a photograph
  10. Eat while watching #MasterChefAU and tweeting
  11. Wash the dishes
  12. Write the recipe
  13. Blog (verb)
 

 

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How do you enhance your roast vegetables? 

Avocado pea smash smoked salmon wrap

Posted by Gary

This morning I was reading blogs and one that caught my eye was “Keeping up with the Holsbys” by Danielle Colley. Danielle had posted a recipe using avocado pea smash for breakfast. I wasn’t sure what I would prepare for dinner and this recipe spoke to me.

I think it was just the notion of adding some more vegetable matter to my meal and this seemed so easy. The line of potato gems for crunch is my homage to Mavi and its special breakfast wrap which contains an hashed brown. I also thought my Essential Ingredient lemon agrumato was a nice touch. You can see it dripping from the leading lower edge of the top half of the wrap in the photograph below. Lemon and avocado goes so well together. 

Yummy Lummy's avocado pea smash smoked salmon wrap
Yummy Lummy’s avocado pea smash smoked salmon wrap
Avocado pea smash smoked salmon wrap
 
Recipe Type: Dinner
Cuisine: Australian
Author: Gary Lum
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • Helga’s flatbread wrap
  • Essential lemon agrumato
  • Shepard avocado
  • Frozen peas, carrot and corn
  • Chili flakes
  • Cracked black pepper
  • Smoked salmon
  • Mayonnaise
  • Potato gems
Instructions
  1. Start cooking the potato gems at 220 °C for 25 minutes
  2. Microwave the frozen peas, carrot and corn
  3. Smash a ripe avocado along with the peas, corn and carrot
  4. Lay out the flatbread and add a splash of the lemon agrumato (I got mine from the Essential Ingredient in Kingston)
  5. Spread on the avocado pea smash
  6. Add some chili flakes and cracked black pepper
  7. Break up some smoked salmon and add that to the wrap
  8. Spoon on some mayonnaise
  9. Add a line of potato gems
  10. Roll the wrap as tightly as you can
  11. Cut diagonally like a fancy man
  12. Plate up and shoot a photograph
  13. Eat the wrap for dinner
  14. Wash the dishes
  15. Write the recipe
  16. Blog (verb)
 
Helga's flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato
Helga’s flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato
Helga's flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn)
Helga’s flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn)
Helga's flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn) seasoned with black cracked pepper and chili flakes
Helga’s flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn) seasoned with black cracked pepper and chili flakes
Helga's flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn) seasoned with black cracked pepper and chili flakes topped with smoked salmon
Helga’s flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn) seasoned with black cracked pepper and chili flakes topped with smoked salmon
Helga's flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn) seasoned with black cracked pepper and chili flakes topped with smoked salmon and some mayonnaise
Helga’s flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn) seasoned with black cracked pepper and chili flakes topped with smoked salmon and some mayonnaise
Helga's flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn) seasoned with black cracked pepper and chili flakes topped with smoked salmon and some mayonnaise. With a line of potato gems for crunch.
Helga’s flatbread wrap with Essential Lemon Agrumato plus avocado pea smash (plus carrot and corn) seasoned with black cracked pepper and chili flakes topped with smoked salmon and some mayonnaise. With a line of potato gems for crunch.
Yummy Lummy's avocado pea smash smoked salmon wrap
Yummy Lummy’s avocado pea smash smoked salmon wrap

Have you ever made avocado pea smash? What were you inspired to cook for dinner tonight?

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