Super Healthy Protein Muffins

I have so many recipes on my list to write about but this one just jumped the queue.  A tasty treat that ticks all the right boxes.  It’s healthy (high in protein, fibre and even omega 3’s), low allergy (nut free, dairy free, egg free), child friendly (low in sugar, bright in colour) and like most muffins is really quick to make especially in a Thermomix.  And what’s most important is the kids keep coming back for more!

Super Healthy Protein Muffins

It started as a quest for healthy carrot cake muffins to make for a last minute morning tea gathering to find no carrots in the fridge.  But I found a beetroot and a zucchini calling out to me.  I was also on a tofu craving (which I strangely often get) so with a little Google searching I found the idea of using silken tofu as a replacement for the liquid component of healthy muffins.  So it really is a hidden goodness muffin with protein from the tofu, fibre from the veggies (you could use carrots instead but who can resist the colour from the beetroot), and omega 3s from the chia seeds.

Nothing better than licking the batter...

Call the savoury, call them sweet, just try them or your own version and you can call them whatever you like.

Super Healthy Protein Muffins

Zest and juice from one orange

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

50g rapadura sugar

1 beetroot peeled and roughly chopped

1 zucchini roughly chopped

300g silken tofu

1 tbls chia seeds

60g grapeseed or other light flavoured oil

150g wholemeal flour

150g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

• Preheat oven to 180° and grease 12 large hole muffin tray or 24 small (or use silicon cupcake liners)
• Place orange peel into Thermomix bowl and zest on speed 9 for 10 seconds or until finely chopped
• Add cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, beetroot and zucchini and chop for 4 seconds on speed 5
• Add tofu, chia seeds, orange juice and oil and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4
• Add flours and mix until just combined – around 5 seconds on speed 4
• Pour into muffin trays and bake for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when pressed

Enjoy!

Little Finn after a long walk and a piggy back home...

Thai Green Tofu Curry

Ahh, memories of Thailand... It was our honeymoon nearly 5 years ago... our first truely relaxing holiday (pre children naturally)... in the seaside towns of Krabi and Koh Samui... lazing by the pool... a bit of adventure with kayaking, elephants and underwater exploration...  and most importantly, simple, authentic, delicious food.

Gourmet vegetarian feast in a shanty on the river

 
So any recipe that can take me close to that memory (as well as being quick and easy to feed the kids after work) is more than welcome in my home.

 

I found the original version on mythermomixhints and tweaked it by making it vegetarian with tofu instead of chicken and soy sauce instead of fish sauce.  I reduced a few of the elements as I wasn’t sure how it would be for the kids but I can assure you it was just right.  And was enjoyed by all.

Thai Green Tofu Curry

50g cashew nuts
1 Green Chilli de seeded
2 cloves of garlic
1 Lemon Grass stem roughly chopped
2 Coriander roots with stems
2 pairs Kaffir Lime leaves
20g rice bran oil (or olive oil)
440g tin organic Coconut Milk
2 tbsp soy sauce (or fish sauce if you prefer)
1 tbsp palm sugar
350g firm tofu cubed
Assorted veggies (eg; 1 carrot julienned, ¼ red capsicum, handful green beans, ½ zucchini, ½ broccoli chopped)
a few thai basil leaves
Handful bean shootsCoriander leaves to garnish

Steamed Jasmine rice to serve (see Thermomix EDC)

 

• Place nuts in bowl and mill for 5 seconds speed 9 then set aside
• Chop chilli, garlic, lemon grass, coriander root, kaffir lime leaves Speed 7 for 10 seconds
• Scrape down and add oil and sauté 3mins on 100 degrees at speed 1
• Add coconut milk and cook for 4 mins at 100 degrees on speed 1
• Blend 20 secs on speed 9 for a smoother sauce
• Add  tofu and vegetables and cook for 7 mins at 100 Degrees, reverse, speed soft (I prefer to pan fry tofu in a little oil seperately to give it a golden, crisper coating)
• Add sauce, basil, sugar, bean shoots and ground nuts  and cook 2 mins at 100 degrees reverse speed soft
• Serve with steamed rice and garnish with coriander

Enjoy!

Vegetarian "fried" rice

Do you ever almost feel guilty that good food can be so quick and easy when cooking in your Thermomix? This version of a “fried rice” (well steamed actually) is seriously quick (20 minutes to be precise), really tasty and did I mention healthy?  It’s the ultimate show stopper of Thermomix cooking at it’s best, especially for vegetarian cooking, where you use all components including the steam basket and Varoma at once.

 

There are plenty of “fried rice” Thermomix recipes out there but thanks to Jo at Quirky Cooking I love this version the best.  Adding the coconut milk to the steaming water adds so much flavour.  You can use any combination of veges you have on hand just be careful to overfill the Varoma or it can require a little longer to cook (if so just remove your rice and steam for a few more minutes).  You could steam your tofu but I find a quick pan fry of some marinated tofu gives a nice bit of texture to the softer dish.

I’m not often one to post recipes based on those  previously published but this is just too good not to share (and it’s a little unique with the tofu and the jasmine rice). I almost forgot to mention this recipe makes heaps so great for when visitors drop in or as we do, leftovers for my work nights.  So what are you waiting for?  Give it go and it will become a regular at your house too!


Vegetarian “fried” rice

400g jasmine rice
500g water
400g coconut milk
200g tofu in your favourite marinade

A combination of veges.  I used:
   1 small broccoli including stem chopped
   1 carrot diced
   1 zucchini diced
   Handful of beans chopped
   1 corn cob with kernels removed
   6 sliced mushrooms
   1 bunch bok choy / choy sum
   Handful of bean shoots
   Coriander
   2-3 eggs
   ½ MC milk
(other great veges include cauliflower, capsicum, snow peas, peas)

• Place steamer basket into Thermomix bowl, and weigh in rice.  Remove basket and rinse rice then set aside
• Pour water and coconut milk into bowl then return basket of rice and start cooking at Varoma temp for 20 minutes on speed 4 with Varoma in place on top
• Start chopping harder veges first and adding them to Varoma followed by softer so they are all completed cooking at the same time
• Either steam tofu with veges or pan fry for a crisper texture
• With 5 minutes to go lightly whisk eggs and milk and add to Varoma top tray which has been lined with wet baking paper
• Check that veges and eggs are cooked and if not remove rice with aid of spatula then steam for a further 2 minutes
• Remove Varoma (with lid underneath to catch drips) and tip rice, chopped eggs and tofu into Varoma and toss though
• Season with a little soy sauce or kecap manis and top with coriander

Enjoy and I guarantee you can’t stop at one bowl!