Orange Cake

Ingredients

2 oranges
4 eggs
200g sugar
125g marge
275g sr flour

Orange Frosting

25g marge
135g icing sugar
2 tbsps orange pulp, reserved from cake

Method

Place the oranges in a saucepan and cover with water, then bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and repeat for another 15 minutes. Chop the oranges and remove any pips, then blend into a pulp. Set aside 2 tbsps of it.
Whisk the eggs, sugar and marge, then fold in the flour and orange. Pour into two lined cake tins and bake at 180 for 25-30 mins, then leave to cool.
To make the frosting, cream the marge and sugar, then mix in the orange pulp. Spread on one of the cakes to sandwich them together.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

40g marge
60g brown sugar
Pineapple rings

115g marge
125g sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
210g sr flour
125 mls water

Method

Melt the marge and mix with the brown sugar, then pour into a cake tin. Arrange the pineapple slices over the sugar.

Cream together the marge and sugar, then beat in the eggs and vanilla essence. Mix in the flour and water alternately. Pour over the pineapple and bake at 190 for 45 mins.


Honey-Pear Cake: 
Slice 3 pears in half and place in a saucepan with 2 tbsps honey and enough water to cover them. Cook until tender. Melt 40g marge and mix with 60g brown sugar and 1 tbsp honey. Pour into a cake tin, arrange the pear halves on top, then make the cake mix as above.

Peanut Butter Biscuits

Ingredients

115g marge
170g brown sugar
125g peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups sr flour (175g)

Method

Cream together the marge and sugar. Mix in the peanut butter, egg and vanilla, then add the flour. Place small balls of the dough on lined trays and flatten slightly with a fork dipped in cold water. Bake at 190 for 15 mins.
Makes about 24.

Variation:
For softer cookies, change the quantities to:
- 1 1/4 cups sr flour (150g)
- 180g peanut butter
- Add chocolate chips
Method as above, but drop teaspoonfuls on a lined tray instead.

Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

650g blueberries
2 tbsps sugar
200g sr flour
75g marge
100g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
100 mls water

Method

Place the washed blueberries in the bottom of an ovenproof dish and stir in the 2 tbsps sugar.
In a mixing bowl, rub together the flour, sugar and marge until it forms crumbs, then mix in the vanilla, egg and water to make a dough.
Place spoonfuls of the dough over the blueberries - it doesn't have to cover them completely - and bake at 190 for 30-35 mins.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or custard.

Jam Crumble Bars

Ingredients

150g marge
75g sugar
225g plain flour
1/2 cup jam
Flaked almonds

Method

Cream together the marge, flour and sugar until it forms crumbs. Press 3/4 of the mixture into a dish. Heat the jam to thin it, then pour it over the base. Sprinkle over the rest of the crumble mix, and some flaked almonds. Bake at 170 for 25 mins.

Chocolate Covered Shortbread

Ingredients

100g marge
175g plain flour
55g caster sugar
200g dark chocolate chips

Method

Cream together the marge, flour and sugar until it forms crumbs. Press it into a dish and bake at 160 for 25-30 mins.
When it's done, melt the chocoate in a saucepan over low heat. Once the shortbread has cooled, spread the chocolate on top and leave in the fridge until set.

Chicken Chilli

Ingredients

400g chicken breast fillets, chopped
1 shallot
Chopped ginger
400g chopped tomatoes
50g red lentils
1 red pepper, diced
400g kidney beans, drained
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp chilli sauce

Method

In a large wok or pan, fry the chicken with the shallot and ginger for 5 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown on the outside. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with rice.

Microwave Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

100g marge
225g sr flour
200g sugar
55g cocoa
2 eggs
8 tbsps cold water

125g brown sugar
55g cocoa
300mls hot water

Method

Melt the marge and mix with the flour, sugar, cocoa, eggs and water. Pour this into a very large microwaveable bowl (there needs to be room for the pudding to rise, and for the sauce not to bubble over as it cooks)
Mix the brown sugar and cocoa and sprinkle over the batter. Then pour over the hot water.
Place the bowl on a plate in case the sauce spills over, and microwave on high for 7-8 mins.

Chocolate Sauce Pudding

Ingredients

80g sr flour
2 tbsps cocoa
115g sugar
115g marge
2 eggs

50g brown sugar
2 tbsps cocoa
400mls hot water

Method

Beat together the flour, cocoa, sugar, marge and eggs. Spoon into a dish and sprinkle the brown sugar over. Mix the hot water and cocoa, then pour this over the mixture.
Bake at 170 for 45 minutes.

Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate
75g marge
200g light brown sugar
2 eggs
25g ground almonds
150g sr flour
125g chocolate chips

Method

Melt the chocolate over a low heat.
In a separate bowl, cream together the marge and sugar. Mix in the eggs, then the flour and ground almonds, then stir in the melted chocolate. Lastly, add the chocolate chips.
Place spoonfuls on lined trays and bake at 180 for 10 mins.

Marbled Jam and Almond Cake

Ingredients

150g sr flour
100g ground almonds
150g marge
125g sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsps water
1 tsp almond essence
150g jam (cherry/raspberry/strawberry)
Flaked almonds

Method

Whisk together all the ingredients apart from the jam, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Spoon half the mixture into a lined tin, spoon the jam evenly over the top, then cover with the remaining cake mixture. Use a knife to swirl the jam through. Scatter over some flaked almonds and bake at 160 for about 1 hour.

Oat and Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

100g marge
150g sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
200g oats
110g sr flour
150g cranberries

Method

Cream the marge and sugar. Stir in egg and vanilla, then flour, oats and cranberries.
Form into balls, place on lined trays and bake at 180 for 10-15 mins.

Sweet Potato And Spinach Bake

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 tbsps oil
3 leeks
2 tsps crushed garlic
350g frozen spinach

Cream Sauce
400 mls single cream
1 tsp crushed garlic
Thyme or rosemary

Method

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and saute the leeks and garlic for 8 mins until softened. Add salt and pepper.
Meanwhile slice the sweet potatoes and toss with 2 tbsps oil. Put the spinach in a colander, pour over boiling water and drain, then mix with the leek.
Arrange 1/3 of the sweet potato slices in a dish, then spoon over half of the leek and spinach mix. Top with another layer of sweet potatoes then vegetables, and finish with a layer of sweet potato slices.
Bring the cream to the boil with the garlic and herbs, then pour it over the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle cheese over the top.
Bake at 200 for 45 mins.

Broccoli, Cranberry & Cashew Salad

Ingredients

2 heads broccoli (about 600g)
1-2 shallot
3/4 cup cashews, chopped
3/4 cup cranberries

Dressing
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsps vinegar
2 tbsps sugar

Method

Mix together the ingredients for the dressing. Chop the broccoli and shallot, mix with the cranberries and cashews, then stir in the dressing.

Pizza Puffs

Ingredients

225g sr flour
300 mls milk
2 eggs
1/2 tbsp basil
1/2 tbsp oregano
Salt
1/2 cup chopped onion, leek or shallot
1 cup chopped vegetables of your choice (pepper, mushroom, tomato, sweetcorn)
1 cup grated cheese

Method

Whisk flour, milk, eggs and seasoning. Mix in the vegetables and cheese. Pour into muffin cases. Sprinkle some more cheese on top and bake at 190 for 20 mins.

Meatball Tagine

Ingredients

800g minced beef
2 eggs
100g matza meal
1 onion
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
Salt & pepper
Parsley/rosemary/oregano

Sauce
800g chopped tomatoes
1 onion
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 tbsps vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
125 mls stock

Method

For the meatballs, fry the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes, then mix with the remaining ingredients. Form into small balls (makes about 50) and place on baking trays. Cook at 180 for 15 mins.

For the sauce, fry the onion and garlic then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 5 mins, then add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 10 mins.
Serve with rice or spaghetti.

Penne Fiorentina

Ingredients

750g pasta
2 tbsps oil
2 red peppers, chopped
350g spinach
Grated cheddar

Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
400g chopped tomatoes
400g sieved tomatoes (passata)
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley/oregano/basil

Method

To make the tomato sauce, fry the onion and garlic in the oil  in a saucepan until the onion is soft. Add the remaining ingredients except for the herbs, and cook uncovered for 15 mins. Stir in the chopped herbs.
Fry the peppers in the oil, and add them to the sauce.
Meanwhile cook the pasta. When it's done, add the spinach to the pan and leave for a minute. Drain and return to the pan, then stir in the sauce.
Transfer to a baking dish, sprinkle with cheese, and grill until browned.

Caramel Chicken

Ingredients

3 chicken breast fillets, cut into strips
1 tsp oil
Spring onion, chopped

Sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tbsps duck sauce
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsps crushed garlic
1/2 tbsp grated ginger

Method

Whisk together the sauce ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Heat the oil in a wok and stir in the chicken.
Pour 1/3 cup of the sauce over the chicken and cook for 6-7 mins. Add the remaining sauce and cook for another 5 mins or until the chicken is cooked through.
Stir in the spring onion pieces, and serve with rice.

Malaysian Beef Curry

Ingredients

Curry Paste
3 tbsps oil
1 onion, chopped
grated ginger
3 tsps crushed garlic
2 chillies, sliced
1 tsp turmeric

1 kg beef, cubed
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cardamom
200 mls stock
400 mls coconut milk
Rice, to serve

Method

Cook the onion in the oil until softened, then blend with the other paste ingredients.
Cook the paste in a pan for a couple of minutes, then add the beef, curry powder and cardamom. Cook for 2-3 mins until the beef is browned. Add the stock and half of the coconut milk, then cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add the rest of the coconut milk and cook open for another 1/2 an hour.
Serve over rice and garnish with coriander.