Lean, clean & green mid-week meals

Pea, spinach and ricotta gnocchi

• 2 eggs
• 2 green onions (scallions), finely chopped
• ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan
• ¾ cup (100g) buckwheat flour+, plus extra for dusting
• 5 cups (150g) baby spinach leaves, blanched, drained and chopped
• 2 cups (300g) frozen peas, thawed and crushed
• 1 cup (240g) fresh ricotta
• dried chilli flakes, to serve
• micro (baby) mint leaves, to serve

Mint and pistachio pesto

• 2 cups mint leaves, plus extra to serve
• ½ cup (70g) toasted pistachios, plus extra, chopped, to serve
• 1 green onion (scallion), chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup (125ml) water
• sea salt and cracked black pepper

To make

1. Place the eggs, onion, parmesan, flour, spinach and half the peas in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the ricotta and mix until just combined. Roll heaped teaspoons of the mixture into balls and set aside on a lightly floured oven tray.
2. To make the pesto, place the mint, pistachio, onion, lemon juice, lemon rind and oil in a small food processor and process for 1–2 minutes or until combined. Add the water, salt and pepper, process to combine and set aside. Cook the gnocchi, in batches, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 3–4 minutes or until firm and floating to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon, place on an oven tray lined with non-stick baking paper and keep warm.
3. Divide the gnocchi and remaining peas between 4 bowls. Top with the pesto, chilli, micro mint, extra mint and pistachio to serve.

Serves 4

Source: Donna Hay

Super green cauliflower pizza

• 2 zucchini (courgettes) (350g), thinly sliced
• 4 brussels sprouts (160g), trimmed and leaves separated
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• ½ cup (125g) tomato passata
• shaved parmesan, to serve
• ½ cup (130g) store-bought kale pesto or basil pesto+
• baby (micro) basil leaves (optional), to serve
• pizza bases
• 600g cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
• ¾ cup (90g) almond meal (ground almonds)
• ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• sea salt and cracked black pepper

To make

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). To make the pizza bases, place the cauliflower in a food processor, in batches, and pulse until it resembles fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl, add the almond meal, parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper and mix to combine.
2. Divide the mixture in half and place each half on a lightly greased 30cm pizza tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Press out each piece of dough into a 30cm round and bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden and crisp.
3. Place the zucchini, brussels sprouts, oil, lemon rind, salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to combine. Spread each base with the passata and top with the zucchini mixture.
4. Bake for 5–10 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp. Top with the parmesan, pesto and baby basil to serve.

Makes 2

Grilled chicken and watercress salad  

• 4 x 200g chicken breast fillets, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 4 cups (60g) watercress sprigs
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 400g can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch watermelon radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthways
• ¼ cup (35g) toasted pistachios, chopped

To make 

1. Preheat a char-grill pan over high heat. Brush the chicken with the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 4–5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Remove from the heat and thinly slice.
2. Place the watercress, avocado, chickpeas, radish, cucumber and chicken in a large bowl and toss to combine. Divide the salad between 4 bowls, top with the pistachio and sprinkle with pepper to serve.

 Serves 4

Lemon herb salmon burgers

For the Salmon Burgers

• 1 shallot
• ½ cup fresh herbs (basil and parsley are great)
• 16 ounces wild caught raw salmon, skin removed
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 egg + 1 egg white
• ½ teaspoon seasoning mix
• a big squeeze of lemon juice - about a tablespoon
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Dressing

• 2 tablespoons minced herbs and shallot (reserved from burgers)
• ¼ cup oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon honey

To make 

1. Mince the shallot and herbs. Set aside two tablespoons of the shallot/herbs for the dressing. Saute the remaining shallot and herbs in a little olive oil over medium high heat for a few minutes to remove the bite.
2. Pulse the salmon 2-3 times briefly in a food processor until well chopped and a little bit sticky. Stir together with the quinoa, eggs, seasoning, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and the shallots and herbs from step one. Shape the mixture into four patties.
3. Heat a small drizzle of oil in skillet over medium high heat. Fry the patties one at a time (unless you have a huge griddle that can fit more), flipping once after 3-4 minutes. The patties should be golden brown on the outside and fully cooked on the inside.
4. Place all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake until combined (don't forget the reserved shallot and herbs from step one). Set a little bit aside and toss the rest with the salad ingredients.
5. Serve burgers over salad.

Serves 4

Source: Pinch of Yum

Prawn, pink peppercorn and avocado salad

• 12 large green king prawns, heads removed, peeled, tails intact
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• sea salt flakes
• 1 cup watercress sprigs
• 1 cup snow pea shoots
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, crushed
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind

To make 

1. Place the prawns, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, the olive oil and salt in a large bowl and mix to combine. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the prawns and cook for 1–2 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through. 
2. Divide the watercress, pea shoots, avocado and prawns between serving plates. Sprinkle with the peppercorns and lemon rind, and drizzle with the remaining lemon juice and extra oil to serve.

Serves 2

Source: Donna Hay

Courgette ‘spaghetti’ with rocket pesto

• 4 courgettes (zucchinis) 
• 70-100 ml olive oil , plus an extra splash
• 100 g almonds
• 1 clove of garlic
• a few sprigs of fresh basil
• 50 g Parmesan cheese
• ½ a lemon
• 300 g rocket

To make 

1. Trim and julienne the courgettes, then pop the courgette ‘spaghetti’ in a colander with a splash of oil and a pinch of sea salt. Toss, then set aside over a bowl to drain for 10 minutes.
2. For the pesto, toast the almonds, then pulse with the garlic in a food processor. Pick in the basil leaves, grate in the parmesan, squeeze in the lemon juice and most of the rocket (saving some to serve) and pulse to form a paste.
3. Slowly add the oil and pulse again until smooth. Season and toss the pesto through the courgette. Scatter over the saved rocket and serve.

Serves 4

Source: Jamie Oliver

Chicken, broad bean and quinoa

• 2 cups (380g) cooked quinoa*
• 400g chicken breast, cooked and shredded
• 1.2kg broad beans, shelled, blanched and peeled
• 100g radishes, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup (20g) flaked almonds, toasted
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 cup mint leaves
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To make 

1. Place the quinoa, chicken, beans, radish, almonds, parsley, mint, salt and pepper in a large bowl and toss to combine. 
2. Place the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle over the salad and toss well to combine. Divide the salad between 4 plates to serve.

* You’ll need 1 cup (200g) uncooked quinoa to get the 2 cups cooked quinoa required for this salad.

Source: Donna Hay

Miso-poached chicken

• 1 litre chicken stock
• ¼ cup (80g) white miso paste
• 4 x 220g chicken breast fillets, trimmed
• 3 bunches (600g) broccolini, trimmed
• 1 small bunch (150g) radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted micro (baby) coriander leaves, to serve

1. Place the stock and miso in a medium deep-sided frying pan over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the chicken, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 12–15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to cool. 
2. Return the stock to high heat and bring to the boil. Add the broccolini and cook for 1–2 minutes or until tender. Drain and refresh under cold water.
3. Slice the chicken and place on top  of the salad.

Serves 4. 

Source: Donna Hay