Perfectly cooked Chicken Skewers with the most flavourful Manuka Honey Satay Sauce and fragrant Rice. You just may find yourself making this recipe on repeat as it is simple to make and the flavour rewards are spectacular! Helpful Tips ABOUT THIS RECIPE AND ITS INGREDIENTS: In addition to being delicious, I find this meal to be healthy. I use chicken tenderloins which are from the chicken breast and instead of using sugar, I have substituted it with Manuka Honey. For my Satay Sauce, I have combined peanut butter with soy sauce, red curry paste, lime and Manuka Honey. Now, you will have to trust me on this one. The curry gives this meal a real Indonesian flavour, the kind you taste from a restaurant and it is spectacular. Manuka Honey is native to New Zealand. Its antibacterial properties is what sets it apart from traditional honey. Additionally, it has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. TIPS AND VARIATIONS: What skewers should I use? If you're using wooden skewers for your chicken satay, soak the wooden skewers in water for an hour beforehand, so they're less likely to burn. How long should I marinate the chicken? You can marinate the chicken for 20 minutes and for up to 5 hours. Can I use a different cut of chicken? You can use chicken breast or even the chicken thigh fillet. You will just need to change the cooking time depending on the cut and thickness of the meat. What else can I serve these Chicken skewers with? Other than the rice, you can add or swap it for steamed vegetables, an Asian style salad, or even cauliflower rice. There is an Asian salad my family loves to pair it with here: https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/crispy-noodle-salad-in-a-jar-with-quinoa - just serve it on a bowl instead of making it for meal prep in a jar. Can I store the leftovers? Definitely! Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and store them for up to 3 days. Reheat well before serving. HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE To make this recipe is pretty straightforward. Marinade the chicken and in meantime cook your rice. You can choose to cook it on the stovetop, in a rice cooker, or buy ready-made microwave rice. Then prepare the satay sauce by combining the ingredients and heating, so they can blend and combine well together. Finally, cook the skewers over a grill or pan and bring it together. Watch How to Make It Other Chicken Recipes Miso Honey Chicken with Pickled Cucumber https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/miso-honey-chicken-with-pickled-cucumber Chicken Provençal with Olives and Artichokes https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/chicken-proven%C3%A7al-with-olives-and-artichokes Chicken and Halloumi Tray Bake https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/chicken-and-haloumi-tray-bake Spaghetti with Chicken in Red Sauce https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/spaghetti-with-chicken-in-red-sauce-aka-makaronia-me-kokkinisti-kota Easy Chicken Curry Soup https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/easy-chicken-curry-soup And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you. Happy Cooking, Margaret x Satay Chicken with Manuka Honey and Jasmine Rice Serves 4 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes INGREDIENTS: Chicken Marinade: 500g-600g Hazeldenes chicken tenderloins, approx. 10 pieces 150ml coconut milk, canned 1 tablespoon red curry paste ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 8-10 skewers Satay Sauce: 150g peanut butter 150ml water 2 tablespoons Manuka honey 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon red curry paste 1 teaspoon soy sauce Rice: 1 cup Jasmin rice 1 3/4 cups boiling water 1 teaspoon salt To Serve: Crushed peanuts Wedges of lime Sliced chilli Fresh coriander leaves METHOD: 1. Soak skewers in water for at least 10 minutes to prevent burning. 2. Combine the coconut milk, red curry paste, salt, pepper the chicken to marinade. Coat well, cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 3. In the meantime, cook the rice. Place rice and salt into a 20cm diameter pot. Add boiling water and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for 6 minutes, without the lid on. When the majority of the liquid has been absorbed and the surface of the rice is bubbly, place the lid on, and then turn off the heat, and allow it to steam for 14-15 minutes. Do not lift the lid to check. Fluff using a rice paddle or fork and serve. 4. Next prepare the sauce. Add to a saucepan the satay sauce ingredients and over medium heat bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes or until forms a slightly thick sauce. Turn off heat, cover to keep warm, and set aside. 5. Thread chicken tenderloins onto skewers. Heat a tablespoon of oil on a grilled pan and over high heat cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden. 6. Serve the rice between plates, top with satay skewers and drizzle with plenty of satay sauce (if the sauce has thickened, add a tablespoon of boiling water and stir). Top with crushed peanuts, chili, coriander and wedges of lime.

Jewelled Rice with Pomegranate is a celebration of colour and texture. There are many versions of this rice dish that is popular in Middle Eastern cultures, however, my version was created specifically to be loved by young ones. As most children prefer less spicy rice, I wanted to create a subtle version of the traditional Jewelled Rice I have cooked over the years but trust me, we all agree, this version is just as flavourful. Helpful Tips Rice Make sure you use long grain rice, not medium or short grain as they will stick. The long grain rice remains fluffy and the grains do not stick together. Do not lift the pot lid once the rice is steaming. The steam helps the rice cook and absorb the remaining liquid. Allow the rice to cool down for 7-8 minutes with the pot lid off before combining in the remaining ingredients. Hot Water Make sure you have the kettle boiled when adding water to the sautéed rice. Do not add cold water or warm. Cubed Feta Do not crumble the feta into too small pieces as it will melt through the rice. You want to be able to see some small chunks. Watch How to Make It And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. I am available here via email or you can catch me daily on Instagram and Facebook. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you. Happy Creating, Margaret Jewelled Rice with Pomegranate Serves 4 as a side dish Cook 30 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup long grain rice / basmati rice, rinse and drain 2 cups boiling water 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 100g feta, crumbled ½ cup pomegranate seeds ¼ cup pistachios ¼ cup currants ¼ - ½ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped Sea Salt and Pepper (generously add seasoning) Instructions: 1. Place rice into pot with extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt. Fry for 2 minutes stirring often and then add the boiling water. Stir through the currants and boil for approximately 6 minutes or until the steam holes form. 2. Once this happens, cover with a lid and then turn off heat. The steam will continue to cook the rice and absorb the remaining water. Do not lift the lid for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, uncover and allow to cool a little and use a fork to fluffy the rice. 3. Pour into the rice the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, mint leaves, and feta and season. Gently combine. 4. Pour into a serving bowl. If needed add more crumbled feta and mint leaves to garnish.

This One-Pan Roast Beef and Vegetables is my take on an Australian classic. It is so easy to prepare and cook that it may turn into a mid-week meal rather than only a Sunday roast. You'll notice I've added my own twist by combining an olive oil and herb marinade that gives the beef a juicy and aromatic flavour, whilst the root vegetables are sweet, earthy, and flavourful. What is Roast Beef? Roast Beef is when a section of beef, is roasted at high heat and served as a main meal. The more popular cuts of beef used are Rump Roast, Topside, Sirloin, Blade, Eye Fillet or even Rump. It is traditionally a national dish of England and is usually served on a Sunday, hence the term "Sunday Roast". A Sunday Roast consists of roast meat, roasted potatoes, and gravy. Watch How to Make It Helpful Tips INGREDIENTS AND VARIATIONS Beef Variations - Even though I have used a more expensive cut of beef for this recipe, it will also work well with a more economical cut such as the Oyster Blade Roast. A middle-of-the-range cut is the Rump Roast or Topside Roast. An even more tender cut is thought to be the Scotch Fillet Roast. I have chosen the New York Roast as it is tasty and has a good amount of fat on it to keep the beef tender and juicy and prevent it from drying whilst roasting. If the Oyster Blade, Rump, or Topside are chosen, I would suggest allowing the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4+ hours prior to roasting then take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to roasting. You want the beef to be as close to room temperature as possible. This allows the beef to cook more evenly. Vegetable Variations - Potatoes, carrots, and parsnips are roasted vegetable crowd-pleasers, however, you can use any combination of root vegetables like turnips, daikon, sweet potatoes, and even beetroot. They all have similar baking times so they can easily be substituted (just make sure they are somewhat similar in size so they can roast evenly). Seasoning - I like to keep my seasoning simple and let the ingredients shine, therefore I have used complementing herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, and garlic. For more flavour use your culinary imagination and add marjoram or oregano. What to serve alongside this recipe Roasted vegetables Steamed quinoa or rice Simple green salad (lettuce and green onions with a lemon and olive oil dressing) Greek salad Fresh crusty warm bread Gravy (see details below) How to Make this Recipe Prepare the marinade and coat the beef. Prepare the vegetables. Cut into similar size pieces and drizzle with olive oil and season. Place all ingredients into a baking tray. Bake. Allow resting before slicing (this is important as it allows the beef to draw back in its juices) In the meantime, make the gravy. Serve. Other Roast Recipes Lamb Leg Roast Kleftiko Style https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/lamb-leg-roast-kleftiko-style Lemon Garlic Chicken and Potatoes https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/lemon-garlic-chicken-and-potatoes Roast Pork with Apple Sause and Dutch Carrots https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/2018/10/26/pork-roast-with-apple-sauce-and-dutch-carrots Baked Salmon with Peas and Butter Beans https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/baked-salmon-with-peas-and-butter-beans Halloumi and Vegetable Bake https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/halloumi-and-vegetable-bake And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you! Happy Cooking, Margaret x One Pan Roast Beef and Vegetables Serves 8 Prep 15 minutes Cook 90 minutes INGREDIENTS Roast Beef: 2kg whole New York Strip Roast / Strip Loin Roast ½ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup chopped parsley 2 tablespoons thyme leaves 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon American mustard 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Root Vegetables: 8 medium-size Desiree potatoes, cut into quarters (800g) 3 parsnips, cleaned and cut in half or quarters (600g) 1 bunch of Dutch carrots, cleaned (400g) ½ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves Sea salt and pepper INSTRUCTIONS 1. Pat dry whole strip roast with a paper towel and place into a roasting tin lined with baking paper. 2. In a bowl combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, thyme, and parsley. Massage all over and allow to sit for 15 minutes. 3. In the meantime, place all vegetables in a bowl and season with sea salt, pepper, rosemary, and olive oil. Place around strip roast in a baking tray. 4. Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced. Place strip roast into the oven and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes (this gives you a medium roast and the internal temperature should be around 50-55C) 5. Once baked, cover the entire tray to keep warm and rest for 15 minutes. 6. In the meantime, make gravy (see note and recipe below). 7. Using a sharp knife, slice beef into 1cm thick slices and serve with roasted vegetables and gravy. Note: I have used Mingle Roast Beef Gravy. https://shop.coles.com.au/a/rouse-hill/product/gravy-beef It is all-natural, no sugars, dairy-free and soy free, and full of clean ingredients. It is very handy and tastes amazing. If, however you want to create your own gravy from scratch, this is my go-to recipe. Gravy Beef: 2 cups beef broth or stock ¼ cup beef pan drippings 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder ¼ cup cold water 3 tablespoons gluten-free corn flour Sea salt and pepper to taste 1. In a saucepan, bring to boil the beef broth/stock, and then add the pan drippings, garlic, and onion powder. 2. In a small bowl whisk together the cold water and corn flour until dissolved and also add to the saucepan along with a good amount of pepper and some salt. 3. Bring to boil and stir continuously until thickened. Serve immediately. Have you tried this recipe? Share it with me at @createcookshare on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok!

Fasolakia, also known as Green Beans Stew, is a traditional Greek dish, cooked in the summer months, that is simple, cooked in one pot, healthy and flavour packed. It combines velvety green beans, diced potatoes, carrots and zucchini that are slowly cooked in a rich olive oil and tomato sauce until they all soften and flavours are infused. First Published Dec 2020 Revised Jan 2023 What are Fasolakia Fasolakia is green beans stewed in a good amount of olive oil, tomatoes, and onion. This Greek dish belongs to the category of 'LATHERA', which is a whole category of Greek recipes where vegetables are cooked in extra virgin olive oil and tomato. LATHERA foods are traditionally eaten with bread that is used like a spoon, to "scoop up" the tomato-olive oil sauce. The meals are often served with olives and feta cheese. Watch How to Make It Helpful Tips Green Beans There are 2 types of green beans that can be used for this recipe. The traditional round green beans or the flat and wide green beans. This recipe works the same, regardless of which green beans are chosen. It is recommended that if you choose the flat green beans, a potato peeler is used to peel both string sides of the beans, as they can be hard to chew. Swapping Vegetables Traditionally, onions, potatoes, and carrots are added to fasolakia and this enhances the rich and velvety sauce. However, this is not limited to only these vegetables. I have swapped potato for cauliflower florets and carrot for sweet potato. This changes the flavour of the fasolakia, but the meal still falls in the food category of LATHETRA. Vegetable Stock If homemade vegetable stock is available, then this is a wonderful addition to the dish. However, I have found to really enjoy SAN ELK certified organic artisan stock. It is gluten and dairy free, made with real ingredients and one container makes about 12 litres of stock as the ingredients are finely ground. You can find them HERE What to Serve with Fasolakia Fasolakia is eaten as a main meal and served with feta, olives and bread, however, here are some ideas to serve it with, if made as a side dish. Roasted Leg of Lamb Lamb Cutlets with Sage and Chickpeas Chicken and Halloumi Tray Bake Deconstructed Chicken Souvlaki Rice Stuffed Vegetables Below shows how feta can be crumbled over the top and fresh herbs added. And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. I am available here via email or you can catch me daily on Instagram and Facebook and don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board! Happy Creating, Margaret Fasolakia, Green Bean Stew Serves 4 Prep 15 minutes Cook 45 minutes INGREDIENTS 500g round or flat green beans 400g can diced tomatoes 60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil 1 heaped tablespoon of tomato paste 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 medium size potatoes, 4cm cubed 2 medium size carrots, 2cm thick 2 medium size zucchinis, 3cm thick 1 cinnamon stick 2 teaspoons sea salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper Vegetable Stock: 700-800ml boiling water 1 tablespoon organic vegetable stock powder* (see notes below) To serve optional: Feta Olives Bread INSTRUCTIONS 1. Prepare all ingredients and have them ready to cook. If the green beans are very long, then using a potato peeler, peel the string ends on each side of the beans and cut them into 10cm long pieces. Bring to boil the kettle or heat the vegetable stock if using a ready-made liquid stock. Please see below* for vegetable stock options. 2. In a wide base pot heat the extra virgin olive oil and then add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. 3. Next add the carrots and green beans and sauté for a further 2 minutes before adding the potatoes and zucchini. Combine. 4. Add the tomato paste and combine so that it evenly coats all the vegetables. Sauté for a minute before adding the diced tomatoes, boiling water, vegetable stock, sea salt and pepper, and cinnamon stick. There should be enough water to just cover most of the beans and vegetables. 5. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 35 minutes. Halfway through gently stir making sure all beans and vegetables have been covered and cooked in the liquid. 6. After 35 minutes, remove the lid and cook over heat for a further 5 minutes, to allow the sauce to thicken and reduce. Turn off the heat, cover again with the lid and allow sitting to further absorb liquid for at least 5 minutes. 7. Take the pot to the table and serve warm with crusty bread, feta and olives! *Options for vegetable stock Homemade vegetable stock Add a tablespoon of vegetable stock concentrate or finely ground vegetable stock powder to boiling water and combine well to create vegetable liquid stock. Store-bought liquid stock

A healthy and fresh-tasting meal with Lemongrass Chicken Tenderloins and Vietnamese Salad that is served as a noodle bowl mixed with herbs and several garnishes. About this recipe: This flavourful noodle salad is not only the perfect meal but a cheap option. You can prepare the ingredients ahead of time and cook them last minute as it only takes 20 minutes to bring the bowl together. I can not - not mention, however, the stand out flavours of the chicken tenderloins. The marinade is fantastic with earthy warm flavours from the lemongrass, coconut sugar, curry and ginger. For me, these complex and aromatic flavours really stand out and I am sure you will think so too. Before we get to the recipe, here are a few tips and options for you and be sure to watch my video below to see how easy it is to make! Enjoy! Watch How to Make It TIPS AND VARIATIONS: Can I use another type of protein? I have only ever used chicken as it is our family's favourite way to create this dish, however, I am sure thinly sliced beef, green prawns or even tofu would work really well with these flavours. Can I use other Vegetables? Yes of course. I am not the biggest fan of edamame beans but this is the bowl I put together for my daughter who really loves them. I used instead peas for myself, so, pretty much any equivalent vegetable can be swapped. Can I make this for a crowd? This is a fantastic recipe to serve for a gathering of family or friends. My suggestion is if you cook up the noodles and salad and then assign a friend to BBQ the protein, this comes together in no time at all. In the meantime, place and lay out all your components and garnishes and each guest can help themselves and assemble their own noodle bowl. It is fun and entertaining and the perfect crowd-pleaser. And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you. Happy Creating, Margaret x Lemongrass Tenderloins with Vietnamese Salad Serves 4 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes INGREDIENTS: Chicken: 500g tenderloins (approx. 8-10 pieces and as usual I use The Bare Bird chickens) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass, the white inner part of the stalks 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use Tamari or Soy from Chang's Asian Food) 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon coconut sugar 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon red curry paste (I used 'Ayam') 1 teaspoon ginger, grated Cucumber Salad: 3 Lebanese cucumbers, shaved lengthways with a vegetable peeler 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon honey Warming Garlic Noodles: 250g rice vermicelli noodles (Chang's is the best as they do not fall apart) 1 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter (dairy-free alternative) 4 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons soy sauce/tamari sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons chilli flakes To Garnish: Crushed peanuts (Nut free - toasted sesame seeds) Fresh chilli sliced Edamame Beans Coriander and Mint Carrot sticks Wedges of Lime INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a wide bowl where you will marinate the chicken. Toss the chicken making sure it is evenly coated and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the noodles. 2. Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions, drain and set aside. Add to a pan the butter, olive oil and garlic and lightly sauté. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and noodles. Toss to combine well and top with chilli flakes. Cover pan to keep warm and set aside. 3. Heat a large skillet pan with some oil (or BBQ), add the chicken tenderloins and cook for 3 minutes a side over high heat. Allow to rest, covered to keep warm, for 5 minutes before slicing. 4. In the meantime, in a bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and honey. Pour over the cucumbers and garnish with crushed peanuts. 5. Bring altogether by arranging the warming garlic noodles, topped with slices of chicken, cucumber and suggested garnish.

Hot Cross Buns are an Easter classic. They can be enjoyed as a snack, toasted for breakfast or made into a quick and easy dessert. Regardless of which way you enjoy them, they are a must-have at our Easter celebrations all week long! This Hot Cross Bun Pudding recipe is one of the ways we enjoy them and believe you will too! Why not cook this one-tray bake recipe on Easter Sunday or any day of the week as a fun and delicious breakfast or dessert. Helpful Tips INGREDIENTS AND VARIATIONS Hot Cross Buns are the superstar ingredient in this recipe. You can choose to use traditional wheat-based, or as I have, gluten-free hot cross buns. There 4 buns only needed to make this recipe which will give you enough dessert for 8 people if served with ice cream. You can swap the flavour choice of hot cross buns to fruitless or even apple and cinnamon however, choc chip flavour will not pair up well with the lemon curd. If you are a chocoholic and love chocolate hot cross buns, then I suggest you swap the lemon curd for a berry jam and keep the remaining ingredients the same. It should work out just as delicious. Lemon Curd: As we have made this recipe using gluten-free hot cross buns, I was worried I would not find gluten-free lemon curd. Worst case scenario, I would have to make it myself but luckily I found this brand https://www.barkers.com.au/shop/jams/lemon-curd/ . It was delicious and had a perfect consistency. I purchased it from Woolworths, however, if you find another brand that is gluten-free, please let me know as I would love to find out what else is available. Flaked Almonds are a suggestion but I highly recommend them. You could use instead slithered almonds, crushed pistachios, or even crushed walnuts. Coconut Sugar: if you prefer to keep the sugar reduced add golden monk fruit instead. The sugar over the buns adds a delicious coating. Thickened Cream: believe it or not I recipe tested this 3 times. Firstly using milk only, then half milk and half cream and finally cream on its own and even though we loved each variation, the whole family prefered the third recipe test - using only thickened cream. In saying that, using half cream and half milk was pretty close to perfection also! Feel free to try both variations. HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE This recipe has 4 basic steps: Butter the dish and arrange the bottom layer of hot cross buns to fit snuggly. Top this with the lemon curd, raspberries, almonds and the top half of the buns. Whisk the custard mixture and pour over the buns along with the remaining raspberries and almonds. Bake and serve. Watch How to Make It Other Sweets Gluten-Free Melomakarona aka Honey and Walnut Biscuits https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/melomakarona-gluten-free-lower-carb Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/cranberry-and-pistachio-greek-biscotti Tiramisu with Honeycomb Chocolate https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/tiramisu-with-honeycomb-chocolate Sonhos aka Portuguese Sweet Fritters https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/2018/10/18/sonhos-aka-portuguese-pumpkin-fritters And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you. Happy Cooking, Margaret x Hot Cross Buns Pudding with Raspberries and Lemon Curd Prep 15 Cook 40 Serves 4 (8 with icecream) INGREDIENTS: 1 packet Gluten-Free Fruit Hot Cross Buns (4 buns in a packet from Woolworths) 200g lemon curd, gluten-free (I used Barkers Lemon Curd) + 2 tablespoons extra 300ml thickened cream 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons raw sugar or coconut sugar 250g fresh raspberries Butter for greasing the dish ¼ cup flaked almonds (optional) METHOD: 1. Butter a baking dish that will snugly fit the 4 hot cross buns. 2. Slice each hot cross bun in half and place the bottom halves in the baking dish. Spread a generous amount of lemon curd, half the raspberries, and flaked almonds over the bottom layer, then place the top half of the hot cross buns in the dish, cross side up. Sprinkle over the hot cross buns the sugar. 3. Whisk until well combined, the eggs, 2 tablespoons of lemon curd, and cream. Then pour the custard mixture evenly over the buns. Evenly distribute around the dish the remaining raspberries and almond flakes. Set aside for 15 minutes to soak. 4. While they are soaking, preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced and then bake for 40 minutes or until the custard is just set. Allow cooling for 10 minutes before serving. Optional to serve on its own or with ice cream. NOTE: This recipe can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. Hard to believe but my family enjoyed it, even more, the next day cold from the fridge! Best to store in an air-tight glass container such as a pyrex dish. #hotcrossbuns #breadandbutterpudding #lemon #raspberries #easterdessert #recipehack #onetraybake #onebowlbaking #glutenfreedessert #glutenfreehotcrossbuns #entertaining #easterentertaining #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreeeaster #glutenfreebaking #createcookshare #glutenfreepudding

This Bread and Berry Pudding is not only the perfect way to use leftover slices of bread, but it is also an easy and quick dessert to whip up. There is vanilla custard on the inside, berries in between, and a golden crunchy top. It is irresistable and delicious and the only question is whether you serve it with maple syrup, ice cream, or both. Helpful Tips Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, you can! Prepare everything, including the custard mixture. However, do not pour the mixture over the bread as it will absorb it and may become dry over time. Simply prepare steps 1-3 and then follow steps 4 onwards once your guests arrive. Can I use frozen berries? Yes, you can! You’ll find most of the ingredients are in your pantry and fridge so substituting is easy. Can I serve it in the summer? Yes, you can! Serve it at room temperature and add a scoop of ice cream. Everyone will love it. What if the bread is not all soaked and sitting in the custard mixture? Remember when pouring it over the bread, make sure all the bread corners are coated in the milk mixture which helps keep it moist. If you have used a tray that is bigger then add an extra half cup of milk. Follow these easy steps Step 1: Prepare the bread by cutting on the diagonal and arranging in a fan pattern. Combine the custard ingredients. Step 2: assemble and ready to bake: Bread and Berry Pudding Serves 6-8 Prep Time 15 minutes Cooking Time 30 minutes INGREDIENTS 1x Gluten Free Traditional White Loaf 125g blueberries 125g strawberries, sliced in quarters 3 cups whole milk of choice (dairy-free option) 2 tablespoons salted butter + 1 teaspoon for greasing the tray (dairy-free option) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 5 eggs, whisked 4 tablespoons sugar (coconut, raw, white, or monk fruit) ¼ cup slivered almonds INSTRUCTIONS 1. Add to a saucepan the milk, butter, vanilla, and sugar. Warm over low heat or until the butter melts. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. 2. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced / 200°C conventional oven / 400°F and prepare the baking tray and bread. Butter the baking tray (approximately 20 x 25cm in size) with a teaspoon of butter. Prepare the bread by slicing each slice on the diagonal and placing them in the baking tray in a fan pattern. 3. Scatter the blueberries and strawberries over the bread and tuck half in between. 4. Add the whisked eggs to the milk mixture. Whisk until well combined and pour over the bread evenly. Allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture for 10 minutes at room temperature and then place into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. 5. Sprinkle slivered almonds over pudding and bake for a further 15 minutes or until custard is set but still has a slight wobble in the center. Once baked allow to cool for 10 minutes. 6. Optional to dust with icing sugar and serve with maple syrup and ice cream.

These SPINACH AND RICOTTA STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS are filled with creamy stuffing and the perfect amount of herbs and lemon zest to balance the flavours in your mouth. Served alongside crispy baked potatoes, it is a light, flavourful, comfort food meal that will be sure to please even the pickiest meat-eater! It has been a while since I bought sweet peppers which in Australia we call ‘Banana Peppers’. For many years, I used to add them to our salad or just slice them into sections and chomp on them throughout the day as you would carrot sticks. However, this time, when I saw them at my local IGA supermarket, in an act of mild spontaneity, I decided to do what my neighbour had once told me. She would grow her own banana peppers every year so that she could make stuffed peppers for her family just the way her parents did for her. I probably should have asked her for the recipe but since I love to experiment, I decided to just ‘wing-it' and make them with spinach and ricotta. I posted this experiment in my stories on Instagram and so many responded asking for the recipe. To my surprise, they had not seen these banana peppers stuffed this way and so that is how this recipe came about. Since I also have an abundance of parsley, green onions, and lemons in my garden, I added these ingredients to the recipe and I will say, it is a MUST! The lemon zest is what you will notice in that first bite and then the creamy ricotta and fresh greens. Be aware that yes, it is a little bit of a pain to get that mixture all the way down into the crevasses but I have suggested making a slit which helps this process, and trust me, it is so worth the effort when you take that first bite. This is also a fantastic meal to make for guests as you can assemble the sweet peppers and stuff them ahead of time and just keep them covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add the potatoes last minute. And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. I am available here via email or you can catch me daily on Instagram and Facebook. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you. Happy Creating, Margaret Watch How to make It Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Sweet Peppers Serves 4 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour Sweet Peppers: 8 large sweet peppers/banana peppers 500g fresh ricotta 2 heaped tablespoons of parmesan cheese 1 egg, whisked 120g baby spinach, finely chopped 2 green onions, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ cup parsley, finely chopped ¼ cup dill, finely chopped Zest of 1 whole lemon Sea salt and pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Potatoes: 6 medium potatoes, sliced into quarters 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 heaped teaspoon dried Greek oregano Sea salt and pepper 1. Combine well in a bowl the ricotta, parmesan cheese, egg, baby spinach, green onions, garlic, parsley, dill, zest of lemon, sea salt, and pepper. Set aside. 2. Cut off the tops of the sweet peppers and make a slit lengthwise down each pepper to slightly open it up. This makes it easier to get the stuffing all the way in from top to tip. 3. At this stage preheat the oven to180°C fan forced / 200°C conventional oven / 400°F and line a baking tray with baking paper. 4. Stuff the peppers with the spinach and ricotta mixture and bring the opening slits together so that the stuffing holds the two sides together (it is okay if the peppers are not completely closed). Arrange on the baking tray with the opening facing upwards. 5. In a separate bowl add the potatoes, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and dried Greek oregano. Combine well and add to the same baking tray, in between the sweet peppers. 6. Drizzle over the sweet peppers and the 2 tablespoons of EVOO and place them into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes then cover loosely with baking paper and cook a further 15 minutes. 7. Serve immediately. Optional to garnish with fresh parsley leaves and serve with fresh crusty bread. #spinachandricotta #spinach #ricotta #stuffedpeppers #stuffedcapsicum #traybake #mediterraneandiet #mediterraneanfood

Create, cook and share this easy version of a traditional Spanish Paella. It is loaded with fresh seafood, juicy chicken, smokey chorizo, and most importantly arborio rice that has been infused with saffron. It serves a crowd and would be the most perfect centerpiece at your next dinner party! Who else enjoys the caramelised scrapings on the bottom of the paella pan? Yes, me too! It’s the best part, isn’t it? Well, my Easy Paella will give you just that - a delicious caramelised base, fluffy rice, and the perfect amount of spices to make you feel like you’re in Spain. My Easy Paella is a colourful dish bursting with flavours of fresh seafood, saffron, paprika, and smoky chorizo. You don't need much else except a light and fresh salad to complete the dining experience. My Orange and Olive Salad is the perfect accompaniment to my Easy Paella. It is refreshingly light, enhances the paella's flavours, and only takes 10 minutes to put together. It's the most perfectly refreshing side to any rice, pasta, or protein meal so you'll want to keep this salad recipe handy. For me, it's the combination of citrus with salty-sweet olives and the crunchy fennel that makes this salad a winner. The dressing is fresh, sweet, and light, combining extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a good drizzle of honey. After I took the photos I also added a little orange zest for extra ZING but that is totally optional - the salad is phenomenal just as is! Helpful Tips SPECIAL INGREDIENTS REQUIRED: Paella Bomba Rice is the most sought-after for paella. However, if you can't find Bomba Rice then the second best is Arborio Rice which is a short Italian Rice. It has a creamy chewy texture due to its higher amylopectin (one of two components in its starch) content. The rice in paella is cooked uncovered - this is a specific cooking technique for a paella. Saffron Threads: Saffron is one of the most expensive spices. You will find it in either threads or powder form. The saffron threads are the whole stigma from the saffron crocus, while saffron powder has been gently dried and ground. You can not just add the saffron threads to a meal - they need to be activated to release their flavour and colour - hence why we add them during the cooking process rather than at the end. Good quality saffron will give a sweet, earthy, and floral taste to your paella so make sure you purchase from a reputable company as there are cheap imitations that can make the paella taste bitter and metallic. HOW TO MAKE A PAELLA Paella is made in only 5 simple steps: Fry off the onion, garlic, capsicum, and chorizo. Add the tomatoes and spices. Add the chicken, rice, and stock. Allow cooking. Do not combine or stir from this point onwards. Add the seafood and allow to cook further and rest before serving. COOKING TIPS What pan you should use to make Paella. The best pan to use for paella is a paella pan because they are wide and shallow. They are made like this so that the pan has as much contact with heat as possible so the liquids are absorbed and evaporated equally. This is how the golden crust is formed at the bottom of the paella. I personally have 2 varieties. I have a smaller enamel streel pan and a larger polished steel paella pan and I am extremely happy with both. For this recipe, I used this paella pan https://www.house.com.au/baccarat-autentica-paella-pan-42cm?SearchID=45260017&SearchPos=6 Do Not Stir! Unlike risotto, a paella should NOT be creamy. This is why once we add the stock and give it a once-off stir, we then do not stir any again. Stirring activates the statch and creates a creamy and gluey texture. HOW TO SERVE A PAELLA My favourite way to serve a paella is to place it in the centre of the table for everyone to dig in, alongside a salad, drinks and (this is controversial now....) some buffalo mozzarella. I think I may have just caused chaos in Spain by writing that! But yes, I absolutely love some shredded pieces of buffalo mozzarella on the side of my paella. Now, this is NOT traditional but all I can say is give it a try before you judge it. BRINGING IT TOGETHER While the paella is simmering, prepare the salad. By the time the rice cooks (takes around 15 minutes) you will have the salad and dressing ready. Place onto the dining table alongside any other tapas you want to add and all that needs to be done is complete the paella. If organised with your ingredients, you can have this Easy Paella and Orange and Olive Salad ready in no time at all. Check out my video below and see how easy it is: Easy Paella: Watch How to Make It Orange and Olive Salad: Watch How to Make It And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you. Happy Cooking, Margaret x Easy Paella Serves 8 for 42cm size paella pan (halve the recipe for smaller pan) Prep 20 Cook 40 INGREDIENTS: 3 cups Arborio Rice 8 cups chicken broth / stock, heated 250g chorizo, sliced 5mm thick 3 chicken thigh fillets, sliced 1cm 16 prawns, peeled with heads and tails intact 16 calamari rings 3 roma tomatoes, diced (or 400g diced tomatoes canned) 1 large red capsicum, diced 1 cup green peas 2 brown onions, diced 6 garlic cloves, chopped ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ cup parsley, finely chopped 1 teaspoon saffron threads 1.5 teaspoons paprika Juice and Zest of 1 lemon Generous amount of salt and pepper METHOD: 1. Add EVOO, onion, garlic, capsicum and chorizo and cook until onion is translucent. 2. Add tomatoes, paprika, saffron and cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. 3. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes then add the rice and heated chicken stock. Season generously and stir making sure the rice is evenly distributed and in an even layer. 4. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. 5. Nestle into the rice the calamari and prawns and sprinkle the peas over the top. Cook for 2 minutes and then turn over the prawns and calamari and cook a further 2 minutes. 6. Turn off heat, cover with foil and allow to sit for 5 minutes. 7. Garnish with lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh parsley. Serve immediately Orange and Olive Salad Serves 6-8 as a side Prep 10 INGREDIENTS: Salad: 1 head red oak lettuce 100g baby rocket 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons flaked almonds 2 oranges, peeled, cut in half and sliced ¾ cup mixed olives, kalamata and green Dressing: ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 heaped tablespoon honey Salt and pepper METHOD: 1. Place lettuce, rocket and fennel into a serving bowl. Drizzle half of the dressing over and toss to evenly coat. 2. Add the olives, oranges and almonds and remaining dressing and toss again to combine. Serve immediately. #paella #glutenfreepaella #orangeandolivesalad #familyrecipes #entertainingathome #glutenfreerecipes

These lusciously creamy mini cheesecakes topped with crunchy chocolate nests are not only the perfect size for a treat but also an eye-catching dessert for any Easter table. Mini cheesecakes are almost too good to be true. When decorated, they look so pretty and stand out on any table setting. They are perfectly creamy and sweet with just the right amount of crunch in the base. We love them topped with a strawberry jam glaze, pecan and caramel swirl or when it's the festive season, with these adorable (and really delicious) Easter nests. Helpful Tips INGREDIENTS AND COOKING TIPS: The Crust / Base: The wonderful thing about this recipe, is that it can be made gluten free or using traditional wheat based ingreients. It is a 1:1 swap. I have used a combination of Chang's Asian Food Fried Noodles (comes in Original and Gluten Free) plus a handful of sweet plain biscuits. The combination gives it a unique texture and flavour compared to a tradional cheesecake, however, you can use only the biscuits in the base if you prefer to do so. These are the noodles I used https://www.changs.com/products/noodles/ and these are the biscuits I used https://ledanutrition.com/shop/arrowroot-biscuits/ Cheesecake Filling: You will notice white chocolate is added to the filing. Making sure this has cooled before adding, is important. Another important tip is making sure the cream cheese is at room temperature and when whisking with the other ingredinets, making sure to combine well until it is completely smooth, so as to not end up with lumps of cream cheese. White Chocolate Nest: Only 3 ingredients are needed to make these cute nests. Melt the white chocolate and add the fried noodles to the chocolate. I added a couple of spoonfuls to cupcake papers which made it easy to create the nest shape. Add the chocolate eggs in the centre while the chocolate is still melted and warm so the eggs can set in the nest. Watch How to Make It Other Dessert Recipes Melomakarona (Greek Honey and Walnut Biscuits) https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/melomakarona-gluten-free-lower-carb Bread and Berry Pudding https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/bread-and-berry-pudding Tiramisu with Honeycomb Chocolate https://www.createcookshare.com/single-post/tiramisu-with-honeycomb-chocolate And now it’s time to start cooking! As always, if you make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback. Don’t forget to save it on your Pinterest board as well! I have a board named CreateCookShare that you can follow and save. Can’t wait to hear from you. Happy Cooking, Margaret x Easter Nest Mini Cheesecakes Prep: 20 minutes Refrigeration: 3 hours or overnight Makes 12 large muffin size cheesecakes INGREDIENTS Crust: 4 plain sweet biscuits (Arrowroot traditional or gluten-free) 2 packets Chang’s Fried Noodles, Original or Gluten-Free 120g melted unsalted butter GRAMS Cheesecake Filling: 1 tablespoon strawberry jam ½ cup icing sugar 250g cream cheese, at room temperature 250g thickened cream, whipped 100g white chocolate, melted and cooled down White Chocolate Nest: 1 packet Chang’s Fried Noodles, Original or Gluten-Free 200g white chocolate, melted Mini Easter Candy Coated Eggs, for topping METHOD: 1. Line 12 large muffin tins with muffin or cupcake liners. 2. To make the crust, pulse in a food processor the fried noodles and biscuits, until resembles crumbs and combine in a bowl with the melted butter. Divide equally into the and press down. It is helpful to use a shot glass to press down the mixture. Set aside. 3. To make the cheesecake filling, whisk the cream and the icing sugar until it thickens. Then add the cream cheese and the strawberry jam until well combined and finally the white chocolate, making sure it has cooled down. 4. Divide filling evenly between the tins, leveling out the top, and place into the refrigerator overnight (alternatively add to the freezer for 3 hours) 5. In the meantime, make the nests by combining in a bowl, Chang’s Fried Noodles with the melted chocolate. Using a fork and spoon create as many nests are needed and place them onto baking paper to harden and set. Alternatively add to mini cupcake cases which create the shape on its own. Add the candied eggs to the nests while the chocolate is still setting so they can stick to the nest. Place into the refrigerator for 2 hours. 6. Once all ingredients are set, remove cheesecakes from muffin liners, place nests on top and serve. 7. Optional to make these ahead of time; simply assemble, store in an air-tight container and refrigerate until needed. Stores for up to a week. Have you tried this recipe? Share it with me at @createcookshare on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok! #cheesecake #minicheesecake #glutenfreecheesecake #bitesizedesserts