Ingredients – serves 4

• 1 cup brown rice soaked overnight in warm water with 1 teasp. salt
• 2 tablesp. olive or coconut oil
• ½ cup finely chopped peppers (opt.)
• ½ cup thinly sliced onion
• ½ cup thinly sliced celery
• 2 cups water with 2 teasp. vegetable or chicken stock powder
• 1 tablesp. dark, strong flavoured honey-Manuka/Native bush blend is delicious. Alternatively, Wanganui City Gardens would be nice.
• 1 tablesp. Shoyu sauce
• 1 tablesp. tomato paste (or sauce)
• 1 teasp. each of ground cumin, fenugreek seeds and turmeric

Method

• Preheat oven to 180ºC
• Place the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
• Add the drained and rinsed rice, onion, celery and peppers and spices and sauté until golden brown.
• Turn the mixture into an oven dish and add all other ingredients and mix well. Honey may be stirred in at the end of the cooking time if you prefer.
• Cover dish with a lid or with foil.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
• Fluff with a fork before serving.
• Delicious served with a lentil dish and salad.

Ingredients

• 150gms cashews
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
• 2 teaspoons Tamari Sauce
• 2 teaspoons runny honey

Method

• Preheat oven to 170ºC.
• Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
• Spread ingredients evenly over a baking dish lined with baking paper.
• Roast for 10-15 minutes, turning them over at least once during that time.
  Because of the honey in this mixture, the nuts can more easily burn.
• The nuts should go a dark brown colour as they caramelise.
• Nuts will be soft and sticky when you take them out but will soon harden up.
• Store when cool in a sealed glass jar.
• Enjoy! This is becoming a family favourite snack.

This recipe is adapted from “The Happy Kitchen” by Rachel Kelly

Are you like me when it comes to choosing a menu for a special dinner for family or friends? It’s always tempting to try something new!

Recently I tried out Baked Honey Pumpkin, served with roast lamb and baked kumara, which was a real hit with our family. 

Ingredients – serves 4

• 500g pumpkin
• 1-2 tbsp. liquid honey, warmed. Try a light, mild honey like clover, or a stronger flavoured Native Bush type.
• A few nobs of butter or coconut oil
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped rosemary, or ½ tsp. dried rosemary
• Salt

Method

• Preheat oven to 190ºC.
• Cut the pumpkin into 5mm slices (see photo).
• Place slices into a bowl and pour over the slightly warmed honey. Toss to coat well.
• Arrange the pumpkin, overlapping the pieces, in a baking pan or in a large shallow ovenproof dish.
• Drizzle the honey syrup left in the bowl over the pumpkin.
• Dot the pumpkin with butter or coconut oil.
• Sprinkle with rosemary and a little salt.
• Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, until pumpkin is tender and lightly caramelised.