Italian meatball soup

Ingredients

• 400g lean beef mince
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 large carrots, finely diced
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 potatoes, finely diced
• ½ cup risoni pasta
• 2 cups salt reduced beef stock (*see tip)
• 4 cups water
• 4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon no-added-salt tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shaved, to serve

Method

1. Combine beef mince, dried oregano, dried rosemary, breadcrumbs and egg in a bowl and mix well to combine. Roll level tablespoon of mixture into balls.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs, in batches, turning, for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate.
3. Using the same saucepan, add onion, carrot, celery and potatoes, cook stirring regularly, for 6-8 minutes or until onion has softened. Stir in risoni pasta, stock, water, tomatoes and tomato paste, bring to the boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and risoni is cooked.
4. Add parsley and meatballs to the saucepan, and simmer for a further 10 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. Divide soup between 4 bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving.

Tip: Make your own healthier beef stock using our simple recipe.

Baked eggs with grainy toast

Ingredients

• Spray olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced
• 2 medium red capsicums, halved, seeded, thinly sliced length-ways
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 4 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• 300g can no added salt kidney beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoon parsley, to serve
• 4 thick slices multigrain bread, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic to the pan cook for 1-2 minutes, or until just softened.
3. Add capsicum, cumin, coriander and paprika and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
4. Add tomato, kidney beans and spinach and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Divide tomato, capsicum and kidney bean mixture between 4 large ramekins.
6. Use a spoon to create a well in the centre of each ramekin. Crack 1 egg into each well.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until egg white is set and yolk remains soft. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with grainy toast.

Tips:

Tip:

• The tomato, capsicum and kidney bean mix can be made ahead of time and reheated in the morning before adding the egg.

Banana bread with blueberries

Ingredients

• ​Canola oil spray
• 2 cups self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup reduced fat milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed (see Tip)
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Method

1. Preheat oven 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Grease a 13.5cm x 24cm (base measurement) loaf pan with cooking spray and line with baking paper.

2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spice into a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar. Combine the milk, eggs and banana in a bowl then gently stir into the flour mixture until just combined.

3. Spoon into loaf pan, scatter over the blueberries and gently poke them into the batter with your fingertips, smooth the surface.

4. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes in the pan before lifting onto a wire rack. Serve warm, toasted or at room temperature.

Tip: 2 large ripe bananas should yield 1 cup of mashed banana.