FINYS FABULOUS FOODS AND FINDS

This is a family meal, and a good way to get children to eat vegetables, as they are hidden!  If need be, cut them up very small so they do not actually see them.  This is healthy, as it has tuna in it which is rich in Omega 3's. The taste of this meal is extra delicious, and quite easy to make with only 30 minutes of cooking time.  It can also be heated up easily in the microwave if you are making it for less people than five - I generally only cook for about 2 people but had visitors when I made this meal. I generally use John West large tins of tuna in spring-water, however tuna in brine will also be OK - I do not use much salt in cooking due to high cholesterol problem! Preparation Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Makes: 5 servings Ingredients 50 g butter 1 medium onion, sliced thinly ¼ cup plain flour 2 cups milk 150 g baby spinach leaves 425 g can tuna in spring-water, drained 2 tbsp lemon juice Mushrooms (optional) POTATO AND CELE...

This is a rich, very yummy tasting family pie, which is easy to make, and cannot fail! Pies are so much nicer when home made as against buying them, and particularly as you know what is going in them. You could use this as a buffet style meal where everyone helps themselves, or you could cut it into squares and serve. I served this pie with some rocket, spinach leaves, lettuce and mini tomatoes. Preparation Time : 20 minutes Cooking Time: 60 minutes Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients 1 sheet Puff pastry 1 onion, chopped 1 potato, sliced thin (optional) 4 short cut bacon rashers, diced 250g pack frozen chopped spinach 5 eggs or 4 extra large 300 ml cream ½ cup grated cheese 100 g Australian style feta Cooking oil spray Instructions Preheat the oven to 170°C or 150° if it is a fan forced oven.  Spray a 20 cm pie dish with the oil.  Defrost the pastry and put it into the dish, bringing it up the sides - use 1 ½ sheets if you prefer thicker pastry....

 Once a week I eat just 500 calories in a day for health reasons.  This is on the 5/2 diet and I do not do it to lose weight. This is a filling meal you could make and still be within your 500 calories for one of your two fasting days. I am always on the lookout for ideas for these days as a salad gets a bit boring after a year or so of being on this diet. This egg white omelette is ideal for this, or if you want an easy, low fat, low calorie meal.  It has approximately 235 calories in the whole meal! You can add whatever vegetables you like, and I have used what I had left in my fridge. I used the spinach that I grow in my garden as this climbing type variety is ideal for cooking or eating in a salad. Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Makes: 1 omelette Ingredients 3 large egg whites A handful of spinach ½ stick celery, chopped fine ½ onion, chopped 25 g Mozzarella cheese (or any tasty cheese) oil, or spray 10 g parsley, chop...

Gnocchi is often eaten in Italy as a first course, however I always serve it as a main meal. Gnocchi is another versatile food as there are so many toppings you can make to go with it.  I generally make my own gnocchi however on this particular day I had been out all day, and was in a hurry so used a packet variety. Of course these are not as nice as home made ones, however I will do home made gnocchi in another recipe. There are several variations of gnocchi, and the softest is made with potatoes. Other types tend to be firmer whereas the potato ones have a softer texture.  They are therefore far more pleasant to eat , and if you can get the brand in the picture, I find this brand is very nice. Spinach is one of the easiest vegetables to grow yourself, and I use the variety pictured.  This one has a slightly more "peppery" taste and works well in most dishes.  It is a climbing spinach and keeps coming up year after year, and can be eaten raw in salads or coo...

This is a one pot recipe that can be served for any occasion as a meal, or even as an accompaniment to something else. I have added a hint of chili making it slightly spicy, however this can be left out if you are making it for the whole family, as it is still very tasty with the flavours of chorizo, prawns and vegetables. I like food that has a bit of a "kick" in it, and often add chili or a hot sauce to recipes I am making.  I also have fresh chilis on hand often as a friend grows these and has an abundance of them. This recipe is served on a bed of wilted spinach and is a balanced meal having the vegetables and prawns all together.  I hate washing up, so I love to make recipes that use only one pot! Spinach is another vegetable I generally have growing in my garden, as it is very easy to grow most of the year round.  Spinach also complements many other ingredients including both vegetarian meals, and meat meals.  It is also high in antioxidants and mineral...

The word roulade means "rolled" and was adapted from the French.  Traditionally, a roulade has a meat filling, however I have made this as a vegetarian roulade, and also used roasted peppers. You could make these peppers yourself by grilling them skin side up until they burn and then letting them cool, and peeling off the blackened skin.  However, in this instance, I used a jar of the roasted peppers. This roulade would do you proud at any dinner party! It is also made from several cheeses, and looks very professional when served up on a long plate with one slice cut. I used the spinach I grow in my garden, however baby spinach can be used if you do not grow your own. It is best to prepare the chopped ingredients before you start the recipe, and have it all ready. Preparation Time: 50 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes Makes: 8 servings Ingredients 60g butter 50g plain flour 1 cup milk 3 large eggs, separated (or 4 medium) ½ cup grated hard cheese or p...

Spinach is one of the few vegetables where the health benefits increase after cooking. I generally have spinach of some sort growing in my garden, as it is very easy to grow and seems to grow for a large part of the year here.  I actually grow several types of spinach and these are:  silver beet as well as a climbing spinach which has a bit more "zing" to it than the silver beet.  This variety grows well at certain times of the year (starting in the cooler months of autumn), and it seems to come up new each year. If you can, use fresh spinach in this recipe, as freezing spinach diminishes the health effects. This recipe was very popular with our visitors however will also last well in the fridge Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes Makes: 4 servings Ingredients 20g butter, preferably unsalted 1 tbsp olive oil 2 leeks, chopped 250g spinach leaves (or baby spinach) Pinch of ground nutmeg 1 ½ cups milk 5 large eggs or 6 small ¾ cup grat...