Farmer's Pie

So my dearest friends... here's the much awaited recipe!  And it turned out every bit worth the effort and the hype! Interesting fact... did you know that a Shepherds pie is only called a Shepherds pie if cooked with Lamb? If you use beef it's a Cottage Pie! I used chicken.  Still figuring out what that'd be called! 

INGREDIENTS

500 gms mince
2 medium onions chopped
2 tbs butter
4 tbs flour
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1.5 tsp rosemary
1.5 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 tbs ketchup
2 cups water
2 sachets instant yakhni
3 carrots chopped
1 cup peas

5-6 large potatoes peeled and cubed
1 tsp black pepper crushed
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 tbs butter
3 slices cheddar or mozeralla
1/4 cup milk
1 egg yolk

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil potatoes till tender. Drain and return them to pot.
2. Take oil in a pan. Add butter to it. Add onions and mince. Cook till meat has browned thoroughly.
3. Add flour to the meat. Cook fr 5 minutes till flour is fragrant. Add minced garlic and all spices.
4. Add water and instant yakhni and bring to a boil. Add carrots and cook till gravy is thick.
5. Remove from heat and add peas. 
6. Mash the potatoes in the pot. Add black pepper, salt and paprika. Add the cheeses and mash well. The mixture should be warm and not hot. Add yolk and milk. Mix using a whisk till light and fluffy.
7. Grease a baking dish. Press down the mince first.
8. Scoop out the mash and drop dollops all over the mince layer. Using a fork smooth out the layer.
9. Preheat oven to 210 C. Bake the pie for 40 minutes or until the top is golden and gravy us bubbling.

Hearty & Filling Vegetable soup

Soups are love! They are comforting and they love you right back! Of the many varieties this particular vegetable soup is one of our all time favorites. It's easy to concoct and is full of antioxidants. It's great for detox and for the calorie conscious! Personally I've lost up to 4 kgs in a month simply by replacing my lunch with this marvellous soup.

It can be made in bulk and stores well in refrigerator for up to a week.

INGREDIENTS 

3 spring onions with bulbs chopped 

1 can of mushrooms sliced

6 medium carrots sliced into circles 

1 large capsicum chopped into bite sized pieces

1/2 head if cabbage sliced 

5 sachets/cups of Instant Yakhni (chicken broth)

1 tbs white vinegar

2 tbs soya sauce

2 tsp freshly crushed black pepper

1/2 tsp red chili powder

2 tbs olive or coconut oil

DIRECTIONS 

1. Saute onions in the oil.

2. Add mushrooms and cook till soft.

3. Add carrots, cabbage and capsicum. Saute.

4. Add 5 cups of chicken broth.

5. Add 3 ltrs water.

6. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to lowest. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. 

VERY BERRY BREAKFAST BAKE

Interesting fact... Did you know that Bananas are actually berries and Stawberries are not? Well you know now! Nonetheless they make such a classic and mouth-watering combo that it's a must to have a few recipes where this couple takes the limelight! The Strawberry season has just started which gave us the perfect excuse to start putting them in delish desserts! So here we are with the first recipe of spring...

Strawberries and Banana Oatmeal Bake!

It has a soft cake like texture but it's way healthier than your everyday cake with fraction of flour and half the amount of sugar and brown sugar at that! The sweet and sour flavour of the fruit really shines through and makes this an excellent item for breakfast and/or hi tea snack. Warm up a slice and serve it with a scoop of vanilla froyo and you've great after dinner party pleaser!

Without further ado... here's our recipe for the most amazing Stawberries Bananas Oatmeal Bake. ..

INGREDIENTS

2 cups oatmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 egg beaten
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla essence

2 cups strawberries chopped
2 bananas chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all dry ingredients 
2. Beat together all wet ingredients in another bowl. 
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Don't over beat.
4. Fold in fruit.
5. Pour mixture in 9x13 inch greased baking dish.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 40 minutes or till the sides are golden.