Just Add Yoghurt

Mexican is a staple in our household. It is quick, fresh and tasty. Growing up, I wasn’t a big fan of Mexican food. However after a hiatus my love of Mexican was rekindled at my favourite Mexican Restaurant in Sydney – Baja Cantina in Glebe. The spice, slow cooked, tender pork and chicken blew my mind. Ever since I’ve tried to cook Mexican at every chance I get. These yoghurt Mexican beans with minced beef is a quick, perfect after dinner dish.  Ingredients: 1 onion 2 cloves garlic 1.5 teaspoons of cumin 1 teaspoon of dried coriander 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional – can add more if you like it hot) 250 grams minced beef 1 x 400g can of kidney beans 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes 2/3 cup of beef stock 1 carrot, finely grated 1/3 cup Greek yoghurt 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper. Method: Cut onion and garlic finely Heat oil in a pan Add onion and cook until starting to brown ...

I love chocolate and peanut butter individually but when combined they make my tastebuds work in overdrive. If I could, I’d eat peanut butter chocolate ice-cream every night. But I think my waistline (and wedding dress) would hate me. So these peanut chocolate fudge bliss balls are an excellent alternative. They are nutty, moist and a perfect 3.30itis snack. I don’t know about you but every time it hits 3.30pm at work I need my afternoon tea and snack to get through the last part of the day. Ingredients: ½ cup almonds 1/3 cup oats 8 dates 1 teaspoon cocoa 1 tablespoon natural 100% peanut butter 2 tablespoon natural Greek yoghurt 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey – add a little more if you like it extra sweet). Method: Put the almonds and oats in the food processor until finely crushed Add the dates and process until fine Add the cocoa until well incorporated Add the Greek yoghurt, peanut butter and maple syrup and process until the entire mixture comes tog...

In an attempt to reduce the amount of white carbohydrates in our diets, Mr BBall and I would have chicken and a side salad or veggie fritters almost every week. To avoid turning dinner into a mundane experience, I was keen to experiment with how the chicken was marinated, spiced or cooked. So when a friend at work told me she marinated chicken breast in yoghurt I cursed…how had I never thought of that! I am the yoghurt lady after all.   Ingredients: 1 clove garlic diced finely 2 chicken breast 4 tablespoons Greek yoghurt ½ lemon 1 tablespoon dried oregano Salt and pepper to taste Method: Remove fat off chicken breast and cut each chicken breast into fifths To make the marinade mix together the yoghurt, garlic, lemon, dried oregano, salt and pepper Add the chicken to the marinade and put it in the fridge for around 2 hours Heat the pan cook on high Cook chicken on both sides until brown and cooked through – approximately 4 minutes...

When I was a little girl the small family bakery down the road from my Grandma and Grandpa’s house was my home away from home. The smell of sweet and buttery cakes, the crunch of chocolate chip cookies and salty and peppery filling of fresh meat pies would consume my thoughts. However my secret desire every time I’d walk past to go to Foodland and buy milk, was those small soft, vanilla infused, melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes with hard icing that would crack as soon as you put it in your mouth. So every time I see a cupcake now my mind drifts to those days walking hand in hand with my cousin, almost running to just get a whiff of that cupcake aroma. I’ve written about the power of food to conjure memories and this is no exception. The simple smell of cupcakes in 2010, when the cupcake craze hit Sydney, would send me into a spin. Every morning I would walk through the train station, using every ounce of my will power to ignore the sweet, alluring aroma of freshly baked cupcakes. ...

Swedish tarts is (as the name suggests) a Swedish inspired café known for its diverse and exciting breakfast menu. Potato pancakes with bacon, breakfast flatbreads and mushrooms with polenta are all featured on this vintage inspired café’s menu. A beachside feel, you can find Swedish Tarts at Henley Beach and Semaphore. Mr Bball and I went for a nice beach walk followed be breakfast at Swedish Tarts – a common weekend occurrence. This time it was a hot day so I opted for a breakfast smoothie instead of my usual large, extra hot, skim flat white. The ingredients: Banana Yoghurt Berries LSA Apple juice. The good: Tart, refreshing and healthy. Not creamy like I expect of a banana and yoghurt breakfast smoothie but perfect for a 38 degree day. Its initial bite is followed by the natural sweetness of the banana. Plus the rich purple colour makes me want to go back for more. The addition of LSA, linseed (flaxseed) sunflower seed and almond, means I've had my nut...

I love cooking for my family but I always get a little nervous about having enough food. So when I had my family over for a burger night I decided to make a hearty salad as a side dish. This couscous salad is colourful and flavoursome. It’s also healthy and very flexible – a great, whatever is in my fridge weeknight meal. Ingredients: 3/4 cup couscous – I used wholemeal ¾ cup vegetable stock 2 tomatoes diced 100g baby spinach ½ cup roasted pumpkin (room temperature) ½ cup corn 2 tablespoons yoghurt 1 teaspoon tomato Kasoundi 100g feta Method: Poor boiling vegetable stock over the couscous and cover with a plate Let stand for 5 minutes or until cooked and fluff up with a fork Spread over a platter to cool Once cooled top with diced tomatoes, baby spinach, roasted pumpkin and corn Mix the yoghurt and kasoundi together – add some water if too thick Spoon the yoghurt dressing over the salad Crumble the feta over the salad,  A si...

I love chilli on everything – except sweets. I’m not partial to the chilli chocolate combination (don’t throw stones!) however when it comes to all things savoury, that bite really sets it apart. I don’t mind that burning, sweating, almost can’t taste feeling. As soon as it gets to that can’t taste feeling, that’s my limit. So for me chilli and yoghurt is the perfect combination – they mellow each other out. I made this fiery yoghurt sauce to dress up a what use to be boring weeknight meal – meat and three veg. Ingredients: 4 tablespoons Greek yoghurt 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1.5 – 2 tablespooons sundried tomatoes 1 ½ red medium chilli Method: Mix all the ingredients together with a hand held blender. This easy sauce is creamy, punchy and will take your next dinner party to a whole new level. Perfect with BBQ meat and grilled vegetable skewers, it’s a perfect BBQ accompaniment.  Fun farewell yoghurt fact: “many historical acc...