Blog
March 7, 2019
Can you believe Quirky Cooking is now in its' 10th year?? I'm kind of amazed it's already been 10 years, but part of me also feels like it surely must've been longer - so much has happened in that time! My own personal health journey (and that of my family) has taken me in directions I never imagined 10 years ago, and the blog has come along for the ride...
December 4, 2018
It's nearly Christmas! If you are feeling inspired to make something extra special for the holidays, you can try your hand at Fouad's recipe for Sayadiyeh, which he recently demonstrated on SBS Food Safari! However, this year, we are keeping things much simpler. In the absence of an army of assistants, and in the heat of the Australian kitchen, simpler dishes are a must. Today we are sharing a recipe for Lebanese-style herb crusted fish. This recipe is adapted to use a Thermomix® method - you will find the original 'conventional' method in our cookbook, Life-Changing Food. We love that this dish can be prepared ahead of time and eaten at room temperature, or even cold. A perfect addition to the Christmas banquet!
August 18, 2018
What happens when you want to make chocolate but you have no cacao butter, so you use butter instead? FUDGE!! This fudge was a delicious accident, and we couldn't be happier with the result! Use whatever nut butters and nuts you prefer - we thought we'd revisit our childhood with this peanut butter version. It's so creamy and delicious, we've had to taste test it quite a few times!! ;) Check out the recipe notes for dairy free, nut free, and reduced sugar variations.
August 9, 2018
Lasagne is a comfort food that pretty much everyone adores. You'll notice that when someone changes their diet to eat gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, GAPS, keto... whatever it is... they madly search for a substitute for their beloved lasagne! Well, we feel like we've found the epitome of all lasagnes... using lasagne sheets made with our famous Grain-Free Dough/Pastry! A decadently delicious recipe for those wanting a gluten-free, grain-free, whole food lasagne - with dairy-free, nut-free and Paleo variations.
June 29, 2018
I wanted to create a cake that is made entirely out of whole foods: ingredients with intact cells; and since my daughter gets itchy skin from eating eggs and dairy, the cake not only needed to be free from starches such as rice flour, but also needed to be egg and dairy free. Have you ever seen a recipe for a gluten-free, grain-free, starch-free, egg-free, dairy-free cake that is made entirely out of whole foods? I haven’t, and so, I came up with what I now term, the Impossible Cake. And it tastes delicious!
May 29, 2018
Who doesn't love a tangy, moist, lemon cake, with sticky lemon syrup drizzled over and cream or ice cream on top, and a cup of tea on the side? You guys obviously agree with me, because when I shared this recipe in our newsletter a few months ago it went crazy! Well, good news, here it is on the blog so it's easier to find now... AND my sister and I played with the recipe and improved on it, so it's even better now! Woo hoo!!
April 19, 2018
Recipes like this one are a mainstay in our family, because once you've chopped up the veggies you don't have much more to do except wait for it to cook! Slow cooking is such a great time-saver for busy families and the result is rich and delicious, the ultimate comfort food, full of nourishing goodness. Not to mention, it's an economical way to cook, as you can use the cheaper cuts of meat that are often overlooked. Then there's the benefits of slow cooking meat on the bone, and the resulting flavour which will have your family begging for more! You can't lose, right?
March 23, 2018
by Fouad Kassab
This year I took it upon myself to make the impossible possible. The challenge was, could I create a gluten-free maamoul - Lebanese Easter Shortbreads - that's as good as the real deal? Inspired by my macadamia and currant shortbreads which I included in our cookbook, Life-Changing Food, I have created this recipe for gluten-free/grain-free maamoul. The result, I promise you, is as good if not better than the originals. And if you don’t believe me, bake a batch and see for yourself. The only thing is, do you have the self-control to wait until after Easter to dig in?
March 20, 2018
In episode #94 of A Quirky Journey Podcast, Fouad interviews Joel Salatin from Polyface Farms in Virginia, USA. Joel is featured in Michael Pollan’s best-selling book, The Omnivore’s dilemma, where Pollan proposes Polyface Farms as the model farm for the future. Joel is considered a revolutionary in the agricultural world as he brings attention to the ability of animals to regenerate damaged land. Joel’s focus is on using nature to heal nature, and his farming practices produce large yields of food, which yes, surprisingly, has a net positive gain for the ecology.
March 15, 2018
I now have cheesecake back in my life, and I'm so happy that I just had to share this recipe with you all - a healthy revamp of the old Aussie favourite, Raspberry Jelly Cheesecake Slice. :) Can't have dairy? Don't worry, there's a dairy-free, vegan version of the recipe as well!! WOO HOO!!
