EAT - Australian Unity

Wellplan EAT

CONTENTS

Filling the belly is a great way to clear the mind.

A few weeks ago, our team put this theory to the test. We messed up the kitchen and did nothing more than cook, eat, chat and laugh. And do you know what? We think we discovered that there’s certainly some truth to the idea.

So much so, we simply had to share all of our hard work. Just on the off-chance you were searching for that perfect excuse to hunt down delicious ingredients and bust out the pots and pans.

Though, we must be honest. While we tried our best to keep things healthy, we learnt that scrumptious can come in all shapes and sizes. And since we’re only human, you’re soon to find that some dishes in this recipe book are treats that are probably more for those ‘special occasions’ (annoyingly).

As a valued Australian Unity member, we can only hope you have as much fun blitzing the kitchen and cooking up a storm with this book as we did.

Enjoy!

Eat Well. Be Well.

Smoothies: Green, Berry & Choc-Banana

Cacao & Cashew Butter Protein Balls

Breakfast Baked Beans

Cracked Wheat Porridge

Chicken & Beetroot Sprout Salad

Middle Eastern Carrot & Feta Salad

Sweet Potato Wedges with Coriander Pesto

Roast Chicken, Spinach & Basil Salad with Yoghurt

Thai Pumpkin Soup with Coriander Pesto

Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower Soup

Zucchini & Yellow Squash Pasta

Swordfish Pasta

Moroccan Chicken

Lemon Oregano Lamb with Cucumber & Yoghurt Salad

Master Stock Chicken with Stir-Fried Wombok

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INGREDIENTS

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 cup kale

400ml pure coconut water (no added sugar)

½ green apple

1 kiwifruit

1 stick celery

2cm fresh ginger, peeled (optional)

INGREDIENTS

1 banana

½ cup fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries – whatever you like!

2 tsp gogi berries

2 tsp chia seeds

400ml almond milk – feel free to substitute with your choice of milk

2 tsp honey (optional)

INGREDIENTS

1 banana

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tbsp LSA (linseed, almond, sunflower seeds)

4 pitted dates

400ml almond milk – feel free to substitute with your choice of milk

Green Smoothie

Berry Smoothie

Choc-Banana Smoothie

METHOD

Add spinach, kale and coconut water in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add apple, kiwifruit, celery and (if using) ginger and blend until smooth.

For a colder smoothie use frozen fruit or add ice.

Serves 2.

METHOD

Add banana, berries, gogi berries, chia seeds, almond milk and and (if using) honey into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.


Serves 2.

METHOD

Add banana, cacao powder, LSA, dates and almond milk into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.


Serves 2.

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INGREDIENTS

120g fresh pitted dates

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup desiccated coconut

2 tbsp cacao powder

1 tbsp protein powder

150g cashew butter (or peanut, almond or macadamia butter)

A little water if needed

Extra desiccated coconut, for rolling

Roughly chopped almonds, for rolling

Cacao & Cashew Butter Protein Balls

METHOD

Combine the dates, oats, coconut, cacao and protein powder in a food processor or blender and mix until the mixture looks like crumbs. Remove and place in a bowl and mix through the cashew butter, adding a little water if needed. Roll the dough into small balls.

If needed, wet the outside of the protein balls before rolling in coconut and chopped almonds.

Store in the fridge for optimum freshness. They'll keep for 7 days.

Makes 20.

These are a delicious guilt-free snack for those 3pm cravings when you usually reach for the chocolate. Kids also love them and have no idea how healthy they are, which is a bonus.

TIP

Add a pinch of cinnamon to mix it up.

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INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

800g crushed canned tomatoes

2 tbsp brown sugar

4 tbsp hot smoked paprika

4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1½ cups water

500g smoked bacon ribs

600g canned cannellini beans

Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Sourdough bread, sliced

Breakfast Baked Beans

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish add onion and cook for 6 minutes over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, water and bacon ribs and bring to boil. Reduce to a low to medium heat and simmer for 2 hours with the lid on. Add more water if needed.

Add the cannellini beans and cook for a further 30 minutes. Remove the bacon bones and once cooled strip as much of the meat off the bones and add back to the beans.

Serve on sourdough toast.

Serves 6.

This recipe is a winner. Don’t just limit it to breakfast – it also works well as a quick dinner. Consider doubling the batch and freezing in smaller portions, so you can always have a quick and healthy meal on hand. To go that extra mile, try serving with a poached egg.

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INGREDIENTS

½ cup cracked wheat

1 cup water

1½ tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

400ml almond milk

1 banana, sliced

Walnuts (optional)

Cracked Wheat Porridge

METHOD

Place the cracked wheat and water in a medium sized saucepan on a medium to high heat. Bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer.

Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the wheat kernels are completely tender. Remove the saucepan from the stove and stand for 5 minutes with the lid on. The mixture will slightly thicken.

Fold the sugar, cinnamon and almond milk into the cooked cracked wheat. Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed.

Place the saucepan back on the stove at medium to low heat and gently simmer for 2 minutes. Do not allow the porridge to boil. Remove from stove and serve hot with fresh sliced banana, walnuts and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon.

Serves 2.

This breaky is one we made up on the day. We found we had plenty of cracked wheat left over from our salad recipes. Who would've thought cracked wheat could be so versatile!

TIP

For a variation, try adding a tablespoon of cacao powder and serve with freshly sliced strawberries, chopped almonds

and a drizzle of honey.

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INGREDIENTS

500g mixed sprouts (sprouting chickpeas, lentils, peas, mung beans, etc)

100g snow pea shoots

1 bunch watercress (or rocket if you can't find watercress)

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 cup roasted beetroot, cubed

1 avocado, peeled and cubed

1 cup almonds, roasted and roughly chopped

150ml olive oil

100ml verjuice (or 50ml white wine vinegar)

Juice of half a lemon


Poached chicken3 chicken breasts (use 4 if they are small)

750ml of water

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

6 peppercorns

Chicken & Beetroot Sprout Salad

METHOD

Poached chicken To poach the chicken breasts, bring the water to a boil before reducing to a low heat. Add the chicken, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes depending on their size. Remove from heat. Stand chicken in liquid for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken. Allow to cool before shredding.

To roast the beetroot, preheat the oven to 220ºC. Wrap each beetroot bulb in foil, place on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes or until tender. Remove and cool. Use gloves to remove the skin before cutting into cubes.

Mix all of the salad ingredients (except the beetroot) together with the shredded chicken.

In a separate bowl, add the olive oil, verjuice, lemon juice & salt. Mix well then dress over the salad.

Season well with salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss through the beetroot. This will prevent the rest of the salad ingredients from colouring.

Serves 4-6.

This healthy and delicious salad is a favourite in the Australian Unity Café. If you've never used mixed sprouts or snow pea shoots, they're usually found in the supermarket refrigerators where the chopped salads and bean shoots are, while watercress can often be tracked down in the herb section.

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INGREDIENTS

3 bunches of baby carrots, ends removed

1 tbsp honey (microwave for 10 seconds to make it easier to pour)

3 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp sweet paprika



1 small handful coriander, chopped

1 small handful flat parsley, chopped

60g pine nuts, toasted

Feta to serve, optional

Middle Eastern Carrot & Feta Salad

METHOD

Preheat oven to 210ºC.

Place carrots in oven-proof dish and add honey, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cumin seeds. Mix through to coat. Try to keep carrots in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until carrots are softened. Set aside.

Dry fry cinnamon and sweet paprika in small frying pan until fragrant then remove from heat. Add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and give it a good stir. Mixture will bubble and become quite dark.

Add the dark liquid to the carrots in the oven dish and mix to coat.

Transfer to serving plate, season to taste. Top with herbs, pine nuts and crumbled feta. Can be served either warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8 as a side dish.

TIP

If using a fan-forced oven, as a general rule, drop the temperature by 20°C to imitate a

conventional oven.

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INGREDIENTS

2 large sweet potatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika


Coriander pesto

1 bunch of coriander

1 green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp caster sugar

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

Sweet Potato Wedges with Coriander Pesto

METHOD

Coriander pesto To make the coriander pesto, add all ingredients, (except the olive oil) into a food processor and pulse into a coarse paste. Stir in the oil, adding more if necessary.

Preheat oven to 200ºC. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into wedges and place in a bowl. Add in olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Toss to coat.

Spread a single layer of the wedges over baking trays lined with baking paper. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and cooked through, flipping once at the halfway point.

Serve immediately with pesto.

Serves 4 as a side.

We were trying to think what we could create with our leftover coriander pesto from the Thai Pumpkin Soup (page 20) and thought it would marry perfectly with sweet potato wedges. Try this dish at your next BBQ – it'll be a crowd pleaser.

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INGREDIENTS

1 cup cracked wheat

8 tbsp Greek yoghurt

6 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp mixed spice


½ red onion, finely chopped

1 bunch handful basil leaves, shredded

4 large handfuls baby spinach leaves, shredded

100g pine nuts, toasted

1 store bought free-range roast chicken, shredded


Roast Chicken, Spinach & Basil Salad with Yoghurt

METHOD

Cook cracked wheat to the packet instructions.

Combine the yoghurt, olive oil, vinegar, mixed spices, lemon and onion in a large bowl. Stir until combined.

Add the cracked wheat, basil, spinach and half of the pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Add the shredded chicken and toss gently to combine. Serve and scatter with the remaining pine nuts.

Serves 4.

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INGREDIENTS

Coriander pesto1 bunch of coriander

1 green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tsp ginger, grated

1 tsp caster sugar

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

Pumpkin soup3 tbsp of olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp ginger, grated

1 tbsp Thai red curry paste

1kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into small cubes

2 cups of chicken stock

400ml canned light coconut milk

Red chilli and fried shallots for garnish

Thai Pumpkin Soup with Coriander Pesto

METHOD

Coriander pesto To make the coriander pesto, add all ingredients, (except the olive oil) into a food processor and pulse into a coarse paste. Stir in the oil, adding more if necessary.

Pumpkin soup

To make the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and stir for 1 minute. Then add the ginger and the red curry paste and stir for another minute. Add the pumpkin and stock and bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is cooked through and soft. Cool slightly and blend until smooth. Return to the clean saucepan and add the coconut milk. Add a bit at a time. Stop if the mix is getting too thin and you prefer a thicker soup.

To serve, place the soup in the bowls and swirl in a spoonful of the coriander pesto. Garnish with thin matchsticks of red chilli and fried shallots.

Serves 4.

This delicious soup puts a nice twist on a winter favourite and also inspired our Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Coriander Pesto recipe (page 16).

TIP

Fried shallots can be found at most Asian supermarkets and grocers.

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INGREDIENTS

1 cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp hot paprika

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp olive oil


1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2½ cups chicken stock

2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to serve

Natural yoghurt, to serve

Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower Soup

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Place a quarter of the cauliflower florets in a bowl. Combine the cumin, paprika, coriander and cinnamon. Add 2 teaspoons of the spice mix to the cauliflower and mix with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season and toss until evenly coated. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on an oven tray and roast for 20 minutes or until golden. Turn off the oven and leave, keeping the cauliflower warm until the soup is ready to serve.

While the cauliflower is in the oven, heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Add the remaining cauliflower, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is softened. Add the remaining spice mix and cook for 1 minute. Add stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from the heat and add in chopped parsley.

Blend the soup until smooth. Season to taste. Add a dollop of the natural yoghurt to each bowl, then top with roasted cauliflower and scatter over the extra parsley.

Serves 4.

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INGREDIENTS

400g casarecce pasta

3 zucchinis, grated

3 yellow squash, grated

45g tin anchovy fillets in olive oil (about 6 fillets)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp sea salt flakes

Dried chilli flakes

Ground black pepper

Parmesan, finely grated

Zucchini & Yellow Squash Pasta

METHOD

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, grate the zucchini and squash and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the anchovies, crushed garlic and sea salt, using a wooden spoon to break up the anchovies.

Fry for about 3 minutes, stirring continuously until the anchovies start to soften.

Sprinkle in the chilli flakes and freshly ground pepper, followed by the grated zucchinis and squash and a dash more olive oil. Stir for a further 2 minutes.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the sauce. Toss the pasta through the sauce and spoon onto plates.

Grate fresh Parmesan over the top and finish with freshly ground pepper.

Serves 4.

This pasta is the one to cook when there's nothing in the cupboard. If you're not a fan of anchovies, please trust us and try this recipe at least once. They dissolve into the sauce and add the most incredible flavour.

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INGREDIENTS

1 packet fettuccine

2 swordfish steaks

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

5 fresh tomatoes, peeled

45g tin anchovy fillets in olive oil (about 6 fillets)

3 x 400g cans of crushed tomatoes

2 chicken (or vegetable) stock cubes

2 bay leaves


Swordfish Pasta

METHOD

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

In a large saucepan, cook the onions over a gentle heat for about 6 minutes or until they become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Chop the fresh tomatoes and add to the mixture. Add the tinned tomatoes and the whole anchovies. Crumble in the stock cubes. Add the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Allow the sauce to gently come to the boil. After 15-20 minutes, remove the bay leaves and add the swordfish and allow it to poach for 20 minutes. Once the swordfish is cooked use two forks to flake it into the sauce. Toss the sauce through cooked fettuccine and serve.

Serves 6.

This dish has been the centre of many lazy family lunches for one of our team members, who got this recipe from her Italian brother-in-law. The swordfish makes for a nice change to a classic tuna pasta.

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INGREDIENTS

600g skinless chicken casserole pieces, cut into halves

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp ground cumin

2 tbsp ground coriander

1½ tsp ground cayenne pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, grated


100g pitted prunes

100g dried apricots

25g flaked almonds

1 tbsp clear honey

½ tsp saffron strands, soaked in warm water

500ml chicken stock

400g can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Moroccan ChickenMETHOD

Heat the oven to 150ºC. Place the ginger, black pepper, salt, cinnamon, ground cumin, ground coriander and cayenne in a small bowl and mix. Tip half of the mix into a large bowl, add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated.

Heat a large casserole dish and add half the olive oil. Cook the chicken in small batches until evenly browned. Put the browned chicken on a plate and keep to one side.

Add the remaining olive oil to the casserole dish and stir in the remaining spices and the onion. Cook over a low to medium heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is softened but not browned.

Add the prunes, apricots, almonds, honey, saffron mixture, chicken stock and crushed tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours until the sauce has thickened. Add the chicken and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

To serve, sprinkle the dish with the coriander and parsley. Serve hot with couscous and mint and cumin yoghurt.

Serves 6.

TIP

For extra sweetness, swap the prunes for pitted dates.

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INGREDIENTS

Lemon oregano lamb

600g lamb backstrap fillets

3 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped

Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated


1 tsp honey

2 tsp olive oil


Cucumber & yoghurt salad

1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 4cm lengths

2 Lebanese cucumbers, seeds scooped out and sliced

1 small garlic clove, crushed

200g Greek yoghurt


1 tsp ground cumin

Sea salt to taste

Lemon Oregano Lamb with Cucumber & Yoghurt Salad

METHOD

Combine the oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey and oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in the lamb and set aside.

For the salad, blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and refresh under cold water. Combine in a bowl with the remaining ingredients.

Heat a lightly oiled pan and cook the lamb. To avoid overcrowding the pan, cook in batches if necessary. Cook for 3 minutes each side for medium. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and rest for 4 minutes. Slice the lamb and serve with the salad with a cheek of lemon.

Serves 4.

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INGREDIENTS

2 skinless chicken breasts

Master stock4 red Asian shallots, coarsely chopped

5 garlic cloves

15 star anise

50ml vegetable oil

300ml Shaoxing wine

1 cup caster sugar

200ml light soy sauce

300ml dark soy sauce

4 cardamom pods

1 tbsp fennel seeds

100g ginger, thinly sliced

4 spring onions, roughly chopped

4 litres water

Coriander, ginger and spring onion oil 3 tbsp ginger, grated

4 spring onions, white/light green, thinly sliced

1 green chilli, diced

¼ bunch of coriander

½ tsp of sea salt

3 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil

Stir-fried wombok ¼ of a Chinese wombok cut into large chunks


2 tbsp of Shaoxing wine

1 tsp of sesame oil

1 tbsp of peanut oil or vegetable oil

Master Stock Chicken with Stir Fried Wombok

METHOD

Master stockUsing a food processor blend the shallots, garlic and 5 of the star anise until a rough paste forms. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-based stockpot over medium–high heat and fry the paste until golden and crispy (about 5 minutes). Deglaze with the Shaoxing wine and then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, then lower the temperature and simmer for about 2 hours, skimming off any scum that may collect on the surface. Strain the solids out of the stock.

Master stock chicken Bring the master stock to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the chicken breasts and cover tightly. Let it stand for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken breasts are cooked through.

Coriander, ginger and spring onion oil Place the ginger, spring onion, chilli, coriander and salt in a mortar and pound to a rough paste. Heat the oil in a saucepan until smoking. Turn off heat and pour oil over the coriander mixture. Mix well and allow to stand until ready to serve.

Stir-fried wombok Heat the oil on a high heat and add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the wombok and stir-fry for 2 minutes, add the Shaoxing wine and stir-fry for another minute, then add sesame oil and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

TIP

After poaching the chicken bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool, then pop the stock back in the freezer for next time. The stock will get better

after each use. Try and use every 2 weeks or so.

Australian Unity Health Ltd ABN 13 078 722 568

114 Albert Road, South Melbourne, Victoria 3205

Eat Well. Be Well.

EAT - Australian Unity

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