Salmon Patties

I have been making these patties for quick some time now, and created the recipe as a way of getting more calcium into my kids diet (we eat little dairy and don’t drink milk) and help the family move away from eating tuna on a regular basis (tuna is higher in mercury due to their large size).

For me, eating tinned salmon with the bones and skin is the ultimate in reducing waste, using the ‘whole’ animal and boosting the nutrition of meals. One of the questions I get asked every.single.time when I talk about reducing consumption of dairy or encounter clients with dairy intolerances or allergies, is where will I get calcium?

Calcium is an important nutrient, not only for bone health but also for cardiovascular, muscular and nervous system function. Yes, dairy is a source of calcium, but it is not the only source nor is it the best source. Many foods, including plant based foods, are abundant in calcium, including:

• salmon and sardine bones

• broccoli, kale and leafy greens

• almonds, cashews and other nuts

• tahini

• tofu

• chia seeds

• legumes

• dried figs

These salmon patties are an absolute sinch to make, my kids have NO IDEA there are salmon bones in them and you can make them in advance and reheat or freeze for another day. Enjoy!

xRenee

Tinned salmon bones are an excellent source of calcium

INGREDIENTS

• 400 g tin pink or red salmon, drained (keeping the skin and bones)

• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped

• 1 cup almond meal

• Juice of half lemon

• 2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• handful fresh parsley and chives, finely chopped

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 eggs

• coconut oil for cooking

1. Heat a little coconut oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion, garlic and celery for 5 minutes or so.

2. Mash the salmon with the bones, getting in there so that all bones are broken down. This is particularly important for fussy eaters who may notice the bones!

3. Add the remaining ingredients, except the coconut oil, in a bowl and combine until it all sticks together. Form into golf ball sized balls.

4. Heat 1 tbs coconut oil in a non-stick pan and add 3-4 patties. Flatten with the back of a spatula and cook until golden brown and then flip to the other side. If they stick when trying to flip, you just need to cook that side a bit longer.

5. Serve with salad and/or steamed veggies

Homemade Vegemite

Vegemite is an Australian staple, but the downside of this spread is that it is packed full of salt, and made with added colour 150c from the manufacturing process of fructose, malt syrup and other sweeteners. It also contains unspecified  'flavours' - which can be anything from from a naturally-derived food (animal or plant source) or synthetic flavours made in food chemical laboratories.  

At Westside Renee and I prefer to make our own 'Vegemite' - it's easy to make, stores well in the fridge and the kids love it!

Ingredients

• 120g Black Tahini

• 100mL tamari (or coconut aminos)

• 3 x tbs nutritional yeast flakes

• 1 x tbs apple cider vinegar

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

2. Store in jar in the fridge.

Makes 1 x jar. Keeps for 2 months refrigerated.

Quick & Easy Baked Eggs

In a lot of ways, I can't believe I didn't create this recipe sooner! It contains pretty much most of my favourite ingredients, and I bloody well love a hearty savoury breakfast!

Although it seems indulgent and time consuming, I reckon that baked eggs is something you can enjoy any day of the week, as it only takes a few minutes to prepare and is then baked in the oven for 20 minutes. Prep it, wack it in the oven, get ready for work or your day then enjoy!

There's so many variations for this too, you could add chopped leafy greens or mix in our 'Hidden Veggies Baked Beans'. If you eat dairy, a little feta or goats cheese would be absolute perfection as well. I hope you enjoy my baked eggs as much as I do x

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 4 eggs (organic and free range is always best)

• 1 medium sweet potato, sliced into 1 cm thick disks

• 6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped

• salt and pepper to taste

• drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Optional toppers: sliced chilli, chopped fresh chives and parsley, feta, goats cheese

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a deep baking dish with a little olive oil and set aside.

2. Place the sliced sweet potato into the baking dish, close together without overlapping.

3. Crack the eggs on top of the sweet potato, fairly close together.

4. Sprinkle the cherry tomatoes, drizzle on some balsamic vinegar, add a few cracks of salt and pepper and place baking tray in the oven.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until whites are cooked and a glaze is over the whole egg.

6. Add any of the additional toppers on top when serving.

Hidden Veggies Baked Beans

When I was a poor vegan student, baked beans were an absolute staple for me (realistically, they were always a staple, I love baked bean jaffles as a kid!), and luckily for me they are a great source of protein because at the time I was uneducated about nutrition and ate very little protein.

Fast forward a few years and I realised how much sugar and thickeners were in baked beans and instead of giving them up I decided to work on my own recipe that tasted just as good as store bought baked beans. Over the years I've tweaked this recipe to get to the one that follows, which I can safely say is one of my favourite recipes and is loved by my whole family. And I love how much they love it because I know they're eating veggies they normally wouldn't eat and are getting a great hit of protein, magnesium, iron, zinc and complex carbohydrates.

I generally double this recipe and keep half for breakfasts for the week and the other half for more hectic weeks when I don't have time to cook.

I hope you enjoy my hidden veggies baked beans. x Renee

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 2 tbs reduced salt tomato paste
• 1 tin diced tomato, no added salt
• 2 tins navy beans, drained and rinsed well
• ½ tsp dried thyme or marjoram 
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbs ACV (apple cider vinegar)
• pepper to taste
• ½ zucchini grated
• 2 handfuls baby spinach or other leafy green, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 tbs olive oil

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil over a low flame, add onion and cook until translucent, around 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, tinned tomato, thyme/marjoram, oregano, ACV, pepper and zucchini, combine well and cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes.
2. Add the leafy greens, then allow to cool for a minute. Puree the mixture using a stick mixer, or by adding to a food processor. Place back in the pan, add the navy beans and cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Will be good for in the coldest part of your fridge for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Grain & Refined Sugar Free Granola

My go to breakfast pretty much 7 days a week is eggs in some form or other, but every now and then I really want crunchy granola with a bit of fruit and natural yogurt. I'm finding myself eating fewer grain based meals due to digestive issues, it really helps to cut down that stodgy and bloated feeling post eating that I often experience with things like oats. I'd been working on a grain free granola recipe in my head for quite a few months before I finally whipped out the ingredients and had a crack at making it, and boy is it delicious (and easy to make)!

I have this as a snack in the arvo when I need a little pick me up as crunchy foods are great for improving focus and concentration due to the work of our jaws having to chump those harder foods, and the protein and good fats give that slow burn that maintains energy for the rest of the day.

This grain and refine sugar free granola can be enjoyed with yogurt, fruit and milk (dairy free or otherwise), but its also great as a topper for fruit and yogurt or even eaten like trail mix. Enjoy! x Renee 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups buckwheat groats
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup rice malt syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla essence/extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line two baking trays with baking paper or silicon baking mats and set aside.
2. Roughly chop the almonds and hazelnuts and place in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients.
3. Combine well until thoroughly mixed. Scoop half the mixture on each baking tray and spread across thinly and evenly.
4. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then swap the trays in the oven and stir the mixture around to ensure even baking.
5. Bake for a further 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before placing in an airtight container.