Cajun Pile-ups with Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 of 16-ounce loaf multigrain Italian bread, cut into 8 slices
4 cups (about 2 ounces) loosely packed, torn romaine pieces
2 tablespoons (1-2 ounces) pickled mild banana pepper rings, drained
1 medium tomato, cut into 4 slices and then halved
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 lb deli-sliced lean ham
2 thin slices (1-1/2 ounces) reduced-fat Swiss cheese, cut in half

Sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons Louisiana-style hot sauce
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Method

1. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir until completely blended.
2. Drizzle one side of each bread slice with sauce.
3. Top four bread slices (sauce side up) with equal amounts of filling ingredients in the order listed, beginning with torn lettuce.
4. Place remaining bread slices (sauce side down) on top of filling.
5. Press down slightly, and cut each sandwich in half diagonally before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Heart-smart Diabetes Kitchen

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Greek-style Lamb Meatballs

Ingredients

1/3 cup instant couscous
1/3 cup chicken stock
300 g ground lamb
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves
sea salt and cracked black pepper
80 g feta, coarsely chopped
flatbread, hummus, baby spinach leaves, mint leaves and halved cherry tomatoes, to serve

Method

1. Place the couscous in a bowl and pour over the hot stock. Cover with plastic wrap and stand until the stock has been absorbed.
2. Combine the couscous, lamb, honey, rind, rosemary, salt and pepper and mix well. Stir in the feta.
3. Shape the mixture into 1/3-cup flat patties.
4. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 4-5 minutes each side or until cooked through.
5. To serve, place flatbread on serving plates and spread with hummus. Top with spinach, mint, tomato and the meatballs.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Donna Hay

Grilled Portobello Burger

Ingredients

4 portobello mushroom caps (4 to 5 inches in diameter), gills removed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry and chopped
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 (1/2 inch-thick) slices red onion
4 kaiser rolls, split and toasted
1 ounce (1 cup) baby arugula

Method

1. Cut 1/16 inch-deep slits on top of mushroom caps, spaced 1/2 inch apart, in crosshatch pattern. Combine mushrooms, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in 1 gallon zipper-lock bag, seal bag, and turn to coat. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
2. Combine feta, red peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes in bowl. Whisk mayonnaise and basil together in separate bowl. Push 1 toothpick horizontally through each onion slice to keep rings intact while grilling.
3. For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
4. For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-high.
5. Clean and oil cooking grate. Remove mushrooms from marinade, and brush onions all over with remaining mushroom marinade. Place onions and mushrooms, gill side up, on grill. Cook (covered if using gas) until mushrooms have released their liquid and are charred on first side, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip mushrooms and onions and continue to cook (covered if using gas) until mushrooms are charred on second side, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Transfer onions to platter and discard toothpicks. Transfer mushrooms to platter, gill side up, and divide feta mixture evenly among caps, packing down mixture. Return mushrooms to grill, feta side up, and cook, covered, until heated through, about 3 minutes.
7. Return mushrooms to platter and tent with aluminum foil. Spread basil mayonnaise evenly over roll bottoms and top each with 1 mushroom and 1 onion slice. Divide arugula evenly among burgers, then cap with roll tops. Serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: America’s Test Kitchen

Fried Eggs with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp cumin seeds
cooking oil spray
4 eggs
1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt, warmed
1 tbsp Japanese seven-spice powder
2 tbsp loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 to 3 whole-grain pitta breads about 170 g, char-grilled

Method

1. Place the yogurt in a covered microwave-safe bowl, warm in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.
2. Heat oil in a 9-inch frying pan over medium heat. Cook garlic, dried mint and spices, stirring for 1 minute or until fragrant. Transfer spiced oil to a small bowl.
3. Wipe out pan with paper towel. Lightly spray pan with cooking oil. Heat pan over medium heat, cook eggs for 4 minutes or until whites are set and yolks remain runny.
4. Add yoghurt to pan. Rmove from heat.
5. Sprinkle eggs with seven-spice powder and fresh mint. Drizzle with spiced oil. Season. Serve with pitta bread.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Source: The Australian Women’s Weekly

Grilled Breakfast

Ingredients

4 portobello mushrooms, sliced
16 cherry tomatoes, on the vine
olive oil spray
2 good-quality pork sausages, skins removed
4 rashers of good-quality lean smoked back bacon, fat trimmed
2 free-range eggs
1 tsp white-wine vinegar
2 slices of sourdough bread, cut on the diagonal
150 g blueberries
2 x 1-cup glasses of orange juice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C.
2. Lay the mushrooms and tomatoes on a foil-lined tray. Spray with the oil and roast in the oven for 15 minutes until they have browned and are cooked through.
3. While the vegetables are cooking, heat the grill to very hot. Shape the sausages into 2 patties. Lay these onto the grill pan and place under the grill for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked.
4. Spray the bacon with oil and grill for 2 minutes on each side.
5. Meanwhile, fill a small pan three-quarters full of water and bring to the boil.
6. Crack one egg into a cup. Add the vinegar to the pan then, using a wire whisk, swirl the water around to create a whirlpool. Slowly tip the egg into the centre of the whirlpool. When the water comes back to the boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for 2-3 minutes, then remove the egg with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Repeat with the second egg.
7. Lay the bread on the griddle pan and cook until crisp, about 1 minute each side.
8. Split everything between two plates and serve with the blueberries and orange juice.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Gizzi Erskine