Three Dips w/ Thyme & Pepper Pitta Crisps

Now that the warmer weather is greeting us with open arms (well, in the Southern Hemisphere anyway!) entertaining is back on the agenda. BBQ's, picnics, arvo drinks...ya gotta love them and who doesn't want something quick, easy and home-made to put on the table at the start of the gathering to get your guests tastebuds singing? Well if you don't, then you're probably reading the wrong blog! Anywho....these three homemade dips couldn't be simpler. They taste fantastic and look stunning and best of all when you make them yourself you know that there are no nasty preservatives, flavours or colours lurking in there that you don't know about. And there is something so satisfying about hearing your guests ooh and aaah about your culinary creations that it makes the time spent in the kitchen more than worthwhile!

So give these a go next time you have some friends over or if you head out for an afternoon at the beach or park they travel really well in some airtight containers. If you're gluten free you can serve them with some lavosh crackers and/or some crudite (fancy word for chopped up vegies!) instead of the pitta crisps. So get stuck in and enjoy!

Three Dips w/ Thyme & Pepper Pitta Crisps

Three Dips
You'll Need:

Pumpkin, Nutmeg & Fetta
500g pumpkin (peeled and cut into 3cm chunks)
1 tbs nutmeg
100 grams fetta
olive oil

Creamy Beetroot, Dill & Cumin
425g tin of beetroot (drained well)
1 tbs sour cream
1 tsp chopped dill
1 tsp cumin

Pea, Parmesan & Garlic
500g pkt frozen peas (blanched in boiling water and then cooled in cold water)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 clove garlic
olive oil
1 tbsp chopped mint

Pitta Crisps:
1 pkt pitta bread (wholemeal or white)
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
olive oil spray

To Make:
Pumpkin, Nutmeg & Fetta
1. preheat oven to 160 degrees (fan forced)
2. place pumpkin on a baking tray, sprinkle with nutmeg, S&P and drizzle with olive oil
3. bake for approx 25 mins or until tender, tossing around in the tray once or twice
4. place in a blender with 1 tbs olive oil and blend until almost smooth
5. add the fetta and pulse until just combined
6. place in a serving bowl and sprinkle w/ some extra nutmeg and drizzle w/ a little extra olive oil

*dips can also be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days

Creamy Beetroot, Cumin & Dill
1. place all ingredients and some S&P in a blender
2. blend until almost smooth
3. place in a serving bowl and top w/ some extra sour cream to serve

Pea, Parmesan & Garlic
1. place blanced peas, garlic, parmesan and some S&P in a blender w/ 1bs olive oil
2. blend until almost smooth
3. add ming and pulse until combined
4. place in a serving bowl and sprinkle w/ some extra parmesan

Thympe & Pepper Pitta Crisps
1. separate the pitta bread around the edges with a knife so that each one makes 2 pieces
2. tear it into chunks or shards
3. place it in a single-ish layer (it doesn't matter if some overlaps!) on a baking tray
4. spray generously w/ olive oil and sprinkle with thyme & black pepper
5. bake in the oven for about 5 mins or until crisp and golden (you may need to shake them around half way through)
6. repeat w/ remaining bread until all cooked
7. store in an airtight container for up to a week or serve immediately

Enjoy separately or together....a great starter/nibble for any casual gathering or as part of a middle eastern banquet!

Kids Can Cook...Honey Soy Chicken Sticks w/ Apple Coleslaw

My regular kids cooking classes present me with a great opportunity to come up with recipes that are healthy but yummy and that little hands can make themselves with very little assistance. This is a great one for a weekend lunch or a quick dinner and the adults will love it too. Why not let your little ones loose to make it for you...they'll be so excited to serve it up at the end for everyone to share. Cooking is such an amazing learning opportunity for kids...they are immersed in literacy and maths through reading recipes measuring and weighing; not to mention the confidence it builds when they know they make something themselves. It's fantastic! Why not add this recipe to your weekly dinner menu this week and let your munchkins have some fun in the kitchen? I promise you won't regret it!!

Honey Soy Chicken Sticks w/ Apple Coleslaw (serves 4)

Honey Soy Chicken Sticks
You'll Need:
500g diced chicken breast (or you can buy whole skinles chicken breast and dice yourself - K w/ supervision)
1 large sweet potato (peeled - K, quartered lengthways and chopped into 1.5cm chunks - A)
1 red capsicum (slice the 4 sides off and cut into 2cm sqaures) - K w/ supervision
16 button mushrooms (stalks removed and halved) - K
1 large zucchini (half lenthways and chopped into 1.5cm thick chunks) - K w/ supervision
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbs honey
8 bamboo skewers (soaked in cold water)

Apple Coleslaw
You'll Need:
1/2 savoy cabbage (finely shaved with a sharp knife) - K w/ supervision
2 large carrots (peeled and grated on the fat side of the grater)-K
2 large apples (quartered w/ seeds removed- A  and grated on the fat side of the grater -K)
squeezy bottle of mayonaise


To Make:
1. preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan forced or 200 normal
2.place the soy sauce and honey in a medium bowl and mix to combine well (you also add some seseame seeds but beware of allergies first!) - K
3. add the chicken to the bowl, mix to coat, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 20 mins - K
4. place all ingredients, except mayonaise, for the colelsaw in a mixing bowl and mix well until combined - K
5. cover w/ cling film and place in the fridge - K
6. spray a large baking tray with cooking spray and line with baking paper - K
7. thread veggies & chicken onto skewers, making sure you get a mixture of all the ingredients on each skewer - K
8. place them onto the baking tray and use a pastry brush to paint them all over with the honey/soy marinade left in the bowl - K
9. put them in the oven for about 20 mins - A
10. serve your coleslaw onto the plates or into little side bowls and squeeze the mayo over them in a nice patter - K
11. add the chicken skewers to the plate and serve with some nice crusty bread - K
12. Yummo!!