Family Mess Hall - whole food meals dinners recipes

Festive stuffed pumpkin with rice, bacon, dried fruit and spice This stuffed pumpkin with rice, bacon, dried fruit and spice is absolutely delicious and luscious.  It's an amazing addition to your festive spread and can be served either warm as a salad or hot from the oven.    Ingredients: Roasted pumpkin 1/2 large pumpkin (approx 4kg) ((ie. use 2kg of pumpkin) ) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp ground coriander Rice stuffing 1 cup rice 1 rasher fatty bacon ((chopped) (optional)) 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp honey 1 onion ((finely diced)) 1/4 cup mixed dried fruit ((raisins, currants, sultanas, citrus peel)) 1/4 cup chopped nuts ((almonds, pecans, walnuts)) 1 cup water / stock 1 cup plain greek yoghurt ((for dressing)) 1 cup fresh coriander leaves ((for garnish)) Method: Preheat oven to 180C / 350F Slice your 4kg pumpkin in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds to create a bowl shaped cavity.  Driz...

Roast pumpkin, romaine and miso salad I love this salad so much.  The combination of sweet roasted pumpkin with lemon and miso is a delight.  This dressing is not for the faint hearted though.  It's deeply sour, salty and umami and perfectly complements the caramelly pumpkin.   Make the lemon miso dressing Ingredients: 1/2 lemon ((juiced and zested)) 1 sachet instant miso soup ((or pure miso paste for vegetarians)) 1-2 tsp sugar 1 tsp sesame oil Method: 1. Mix together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.  If you find it too strong, you can add a teaspoon of hot water. The salad Ingredients: 750 grams pumpkin or butternut squash (cut into thin 1cm (1/2 inch) slices) 1/2 lemon ((juice only)) 2 spring onions ((chopped)) 1/4 head cauliflower (in florets) ((microwaved steamed for 6 minutes)) 1 - 2 baby romaine / cos lettuce 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup roasted almonds ((roughly chopped or flaked)) 1 tsp roasted sesame seeds 1/4...

Korean bibimbap - vegetarian rice bowl Ingredients: steamed rice for four people 1 cup zucchini (julienned) 1 cup red capsicum (julienned) 1 cup butternut pumpkin (julienned) 2 cups shredded silverbeet or spinach 5 dried shiitake mushrooms 4 eggs Korean bibimbap sauce ((store bought ok)) sesame oil salt 1-2 tbsp kimchi per person (optional) Homemade bibimbap sauce (less spicy to be child friendly) 1 tbsp gochujang ((add up to three tablespoons as you prefer)) 1/2 tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp sugar 2 tbsp hot water 1 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp rice or apple cider vinegar 1 tsp sesame seeds Method: Prepare steamed rice as per packet instructions. In a fry pan, separately stir fry batches of vegetables in a tsp of sesame oil until fragrant and wilted.  Season each batch with a little salt to taste. Serve rice in large bowls.  Place cooked vegetables in little piles on top of the rice keeping each vegetable separate from the other. Fry eggs in oil keeping yolks running. Top rice and vegetab...

Mini lunchbox pumpkin frittata Ingredients: 1 tsp olive oil 6 eggs 1 tbsp plain flour 1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash ((<1cm cubes)) 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese 2 tbsp chopped parsley (or other fresh herb) Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F.  Grease your silicone muffin tray with 1 tsp of olive oil. Dice pumpkin into cubes (<1cm). Divide diced pumpkin into 12 muffin cups and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 min in the oven. Whisk eggs with plain flour and 2 tbsp water until combined.  Remove muffin tray from the oven and evenly pour egg mixture into muffin cups. Top with parsley and parmesan cheese. Return tray to the oven. Bake mini frittata for approximately 10 more minutes or until the egg is puffed and set.

Mini lunchbox macaroni cheese Ingredients: 250 grams elbow macaroni 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/2 cup chopped bacon (optional: for non-vegetarians) 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 tsp dried oregano 1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin (other leftover vegetables can be used) 1 tsp olive oil 1 cup thick bechamel (white) sauce (see below) 3 eggs (whisked) 1/2 cup grated cheddar / tasty cheese 1/2 cup panko crumbs (optional) Beschamel sauce 1 cup milk 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp all purpose flour Method: Make a bechamel sauce In a small pot, melt butter then whisk in flour to make a roux (paste).  Whisk and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.  Add milk and continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened. Make mini lunchbox macaroni cheese Par boil your pasta until 80% cooked.  I do this in my microwave pasta container.  Pour boiling water over pasta and microwave on high uncovered for 9 minutes. Stir half way through.  Rinse and drain pasta to help it cool faster. Stir parmesan chee...