My "Fried" Chimichangas

A chimichanga is a traditional Mexican dish which is usually deep fried.

However, I prefer the healthier low fat option of oven baking these crispy chimichangas.

This is a great meal for a busy day: fast and delicous.

 

INGREDIENTS

500g Lean Beef Mince
3 Shallots, finely sliced
¼ Cup Slivered Almonds
1/2 Cup Tasty Cheese, grated

1 Can Refried Beans

For the seasoning for a very quick simple recipe:

1 Burrito Seasoning Packet mixed with 1/4 cup of water.

OR Combine the following ingredients for your own flavoursome seasoning:

1/4 Tsp Chilli Powder

1/2 Tbsp Paprika 

1/2 Tbsp Cumin

1/2 Tsp Oregano

1/4 Tbsp Garlic Powder

1/2 Tbsp Onion Flakes or Onion Powder

1/8 Tsp Cayenne Powder, adjust according to your tastebuds

1/4 Tsp Salt.

8 Tortillas

To Serve:
1/4 cup slivered almonds, extra, toasted

1 green shallot, extra, finely sliced diagonally

Taco Sauce

Avocado & Tomato Salsa

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add mince and cook until well browned.

Stir in burrito seasoning, refried beans, shallots and ¼ cup almonds. Simmer for a further 3 minutes.

Remove from heat, then fold through cheese.

Warm to separate tortillas.  Follow the instructions on the packet.

Spoon 1/3 cup of mince mixture onto centre of each Tortilla.

Moisten Tortilla edges lightly, fold all ends in like a parcel and turn over.

Brush or spray chimichangas lightly with oil, place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve topped with taco sauce, extra almonds, shallots and chunky tomato and avocado salsa.


Chunky Salsa Recipe link:
http://beccannonsrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/11/chunky-tomato-avocado-salsa.html

HINT: Prepared Chimichangas can be chilled to allow the edges to seal and then deep-fried or shallow-fried until parcels are crisp and golden.

Chunky Tomato & Avocado Salsa

A chunky and extremely flavourful salsa.

Great served with corn chips.

Or even better accompanying your favourite Mexican meal.

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 Avocado, diced small
1/4 Cup Onion, chopped small
2 Tbsps Coriander, coarsely chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 Lime, juice of
2 to 4 Tbsps Feta, crumbled (optional)
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

For the chilli lovers: Add 1 Small Red Chilli, seeded and minced



METHOD

In a medium bowl, gently combine all the ingredients.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir again to combine.

Serve.

NOTE: If you’d like a less chunky salsa, chop the tomatoes and avocado even smaller.

Citrus Tuna Kebabs

The garlic and citrus marinade gives a great flavor

to the tuna and makes it very tender.

 This meal is ideal for a hot summer night when you don't feel
like doing a lot in the kitchen but still want a satisfying, healthy meal.

INGREDIENTS

2 x 250g Tuna Steaks, cut into 3cm cubes (swordfish is also great in this recipe)

1 Yellow Capsicum, cut into 2 to 3cm squares

10 Large Button Mushrooms

Marinade Ingredients

2 Tbsps Oil, olive or avocado

1 Lemon, juice of

1 Orange, juice of

1 Tsp Thyme (fresh or dried)

1 Tsp salt

1/2 Tsp black pepper

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

METHOD (Makes 10 Skewers)

If using wooden skewers, soak in water for approx 20 minutes.

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

To assemble skewers:

Thread the cubes of tuna, capsicum and mushrooms on to the skewers and place in a shallow dish. 

Pour over the marinade. Turning skewers to coat well.

Cover and leave to marinade for only 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to high and oil the BBQ grill rack or char grill pan.

Brush the kebabs with the reserved marinade from the shallow dish.

Grill for 2-4 minutes on each side, brushing them with more marinade when you turn the kebabs.

Serve immediately with my couscous salad and tzatziki. ( And for the chilli lover: Red Harissa+)

Couscous Salad Link:
http://beccannonsrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/08/couscous-salad.html


+ Harissa is a Tunisian hot chilli sauce commonly eaten in North Africa whose main ingredients are piri piri (type of chili pepper), and other hot chilli peppers and spices such as garlic, coriander, caraway as well as some olive oil. This is chilli is not for the faint hearted. 

Lemon Chilli Garlic Chicken Thighs

In this dish chicken thighs are baked with chilli, lemon and garlic.

The chilli is optional, as the Lemon and Garlic Chicken is superb too.

You can make this dish with any of your favourite chicken pieces.

I choose thigh fillets because they stay very moist when baked.

 

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 to 6)

8 Chicken Thighs, skin on (score the skin on the diagonal 1cm apart like pork crackling; as it bakes to be crispy, and allows the flavours to infuse into the chicken thigh meat.)

1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 Cup White Wine Vinegar

3 Lemons, juiced

Hot Chilli Sauce, 1 Tbsp to ???, depending on your taste buds (optional)

6 Garlic Cloves, crushed

1 Tbsps Dried Oregano

1 Tbsps Dried Parsley

1/2 Onion, minced

Sea Salt and Pepper to season

 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Arrange the thigh pieces in a large baking tray.

Combine the vinegar, chilli, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, parsley, onion, salt and pepper with the oil in a small mixing bowl and pour this mixture over the chicken.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, basting the chicken with the sauce mixture.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and serve hot with rice and asian greens.

Asian Green Recipe:

http://beccannonsrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/07/asian-green-side.html



Creamed Spinach - Great American Steakhouse Side Dish

Creamed Spinach is a delicious "American Steakhouse" side dish.

It is also a great side with a Sunday roast dinner.

Tonight I am serving this with a piece of steak,

roast potatoes and hot english mustard.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 as a side dish)

400g of Baby Spinach, washed

3 Tbsps Onion, finely grated

1 Tsp Sea Salt

1/4 Cup of Thick Cream

1 Tbsp Butter

2 Eggs, hard boiled and sliced (optional)

Pinch of Nutmeg

METHOD

Heat spinach in saucepan;

Add onion, salt, nutmeg, cream, and butter.

Mix well and heat through.

Spoon with a slotted spoon (to reduce any extra liquid) into a serving dish and top with hard-cooked egg slices.

Serve immediately.

You can also top this spinach dish with a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Homemade Sweet Chilli Chicken Schnitzel Burgers

This burger is really delicious!

Chicken Schnitzel

sandwiched between toasted hamburger buns,

drizzled with sweet chilli and mayonnaise,

topped with shredded lettuce, red onion rings 

and slices of vine-ripened truss tomatoes.

It's as healthy as a burger can be, using lean chicken breast fillets,

coated in fresh breadcrumbs and oven baked, not deep-fried!

They were also a winner with the kids and make a great

(and healthier) alternative to chicken nuggets.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 4)

If you are time poor: you can buy prepared Chicken Breast Schnitzels, and forget about the next 7 ingredients.)

2 Chicken Breast Fillet (about 300g each), escalloped (this gives you 4 pieces)

6 Pieces of Stale Bread, torn into pieces (or alternatively 2 Cups Japanese Panko Breadcrumbs)

2 Tbsps Parsley, finely chopped

1 Large egg, lightly beaten with 1 Tbsp Milk

Plain Flour for coating

Sea Salt

 

Freshly Ground Pepper

Hamburger Buns, halved and buttered each side and lightly toasted in a fry pan

2 Large Truss Tomatoes, sliced

1 Cup of Iceberg Lettuce, shredded

 

1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced into rings

Mayonnaise ( I use Japanese Kewpie Doll Mayo)

Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce (optional)

 

 

 

METHOD

 

Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.

 

Using a meat mallet, flatten the chicken into thin escallopes, from which you will get 4-5 pieces. Cut them in half if they are too big for the burger.

 

In a food processor, combine stale bread with some parsley, rosemary and thyme, and season with a good amount of salt and pepper. Using the pulse button, process into breadcrumbs. Pour out onto a plate.

 

Dip the chicken escallope into the flour (shake off excess), then into the egg mixture, and into the breadcrumbs and coat both sides.

 

Then dip it in egg again and back into the breadcrumbs for a double coating (optional).

 

Throw breadcrumbs over the top and all over the chicken and press the crumbs in firmly to ensure a thick and even coating.

 

Line a oven tray with baking paper. Place the chicken on the tray, and put into the the oven for 20 minutes, turning once after 10 minutes.

 

After turning the chicken, prepare your hamburger buns.

 

To assemble the burger:

 

Top the bottom halves of the toasted hamburger buns with one piece of the schnitzels, then drizzle over a generous amount of sweet chilli sauce.

 

Top with the shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, onion rings and squeeze some mayonnaise over, and then top with the hamburger bun tops.

 

Serve with some oven baked chips or oven baked hash browns with hot chilli sauce. (Do not knock until you have tried it! So Yummy!)



Vietnamese Prawn Rice Paper Rolls

Vietnamese prawn rice paper rolls are so delicious

that it's hard to believe that they're also really healthy.

They make a lovely change for a summer party served with the hoisin-peanut dipping sauce.

Well worth the effort - these are fantastic!

INGREDIENTS (Makes 8)

60g Rice Vermicelli Noodles

8 Rice Paper Wrappers

32 Small Cooked Prawns, peeled, and deveined

1 1/3 Tbsps Fresh Thai basil, chopped 

3 Tbsps Fresh Mint Leaves, chopped 

3 Tbsps Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped 

2 Iceberg Lettuce Leaves, chopped

Hollow Green Leaves of Shallots, cut into 5cm pieces (optional for garnish)

Dipping Sauce

6 Tbsps Hoisin Sauce

2 Tsp Roasted Peanuts, finely chopped 

METHOD

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Boil rice noodles for 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain. Rinse thoroughly with cold water so they don't stick together.

Fill a large shallow bowl with warm water.

Instructions to wrap rice paper rolls

Dip one wrapper into the water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper on the bench and place 4 prawns, a handful of noodles, basil, mint, coriander, lettuce, and green shallot leaves in a row across the centre, leaving about 5cm of the wrapper uncovered on each side.

Fold in uncovered sides of wrapper, then tightly roll to enclose the filling. Repeat with remaining rolls.  

In another small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts.

Serve the rice paper rolls with the hoisin-peanut dipping sauce.