5 Minute Food Fix

Avocados being as cheap as they are right now (May 2024) feels like a TREAT. So what can we do with them and how do we get our kids to eat them? Yumi has a couple of ways to get them into your body! And your kids! And Simon knows about what the different varieties mean and how much a local cafe can charge for Smashed Avo these days. JAPANESE ABSORPTION METHOD RICE You need a relatively small, good quality saucepan with a lid that fits. You also need kitchen scales. Weigh out your rice. Rinse rice in cold water twice. Allow the rice to sit for at least half an hour, no more than 16 hours. Cook on your smallest stove element, on HIGH for 7 minutes. Turn the heat to the stove's lowest settings for another 7 minutes, then switch off the heat and allow the rice to steam. (Don't remove the lid.) Some portion options... I use this quantity most often. It's enough for a modest portion for 3-4 people. 240g rice + 360g water = 600g total weight (not counting the saucepan) Single serve? 150g rice + 220g water = 370g Bigger family? 300g rice + 440g water = 740g Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're taking a break from the old routine. I've got a recommendation for you that is NOT food related. Check out the podcast "Can We Be Real?" hosted by two of my friends - Meshel Laurie and Simon Baggs. We've known each other for years, I love them both dearly, but more important than that, they're fantastic broadcasters. Can We Be Real is a weekly show that delivers laughs. If you like it, it's available on all major podcast platforms. I highly recommend it. XX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From bolognese on toast for one, to a GLORIOUS tuna and tomato on toast for 2 - 4, today's episode is a chance to shed shame around picking the easy route to dinner. Toast is FINE. Toast is GOOD. And if you want to elevate your dinner toast? Listen up. 5 good tomatoes 1 medium tin of tuna in springwater 1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper 1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano fresh basil 4 slices of excellent sourdough Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A share plate of steak is a great way to centre this nourishing ingredient while keeping it light - and dare I say - digestible? Based on a recipe by the wonderful Sabrina Gahyour, this is a beautiful platter that gets one steak in front of the whole family! Using a dressing of 200ml pomegranate molasses, 75ml balsamic vinegar, 1tbs olive oil and 2tsp Dijon mustard. Cook the steak (whichever you like, eg., sirloin) hot and fast for rare. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing finely. Serve the slices circling a nest of rocket leaves, drizzle with the dressing and top with a gorgeous tousle of pomegranate seeds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I love VEG FRITTERS but the frying process is a drag. Bee Wilson is an English food writer and author of the column Table Talk. Her cookbook THE SECRET OF COOKING is genuinely wonderful and from it Simon and I have both drawn huge amounts of inspiration. 400g potatoes, grated 500g zucchini, grated 1 small onion, finely diced 1/2 clove garlic, finely grated salt, pepper and a soft herb like mint, chopped 3 eggs 75g self-raising flour (gluten-free = ok) Sprinkle the potato-zucchini mixture with a teaspoon of salt, toss then leave in a sieve while you prepare everything else. Turn the oven on to 180C. Add about 4 tbs of olive oil to each roasting pan and put in oven to heat. Combine all the other ingredients. Squeeze, wring and throttle the grated vegetable to get out as much liquid as possible. Mix it in with everything else, then portion out to fritter size portions (like a crumpet but thinner) into the hot oil, which should sizzle. Cook for 10 mins per side, check for doneness. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once you let the sugars in a humble, rudimentary vegetable like the CARROT caramelise, they can really strut their main character energy in a dish like today's. 1 x 2kg bag of carrots, cut on the angle about 1 inch thick 1 - 1.5 tbs cumin seeds salt olive oil Rub the oil, cumin and salt into your chopped carrots while your oven warms. Roast the carrots at 200C for about 25 mins until fudgy and sweet. Meanwhile whisk the juice of a lemon with a few spoons of honey, tahini optional. Serve with freshly chopped dill, a crumble of fetta or some (sloppier) goat's cheese, a generous drizzle of your lemon-honey dressing and a sprinkle of nigella seeds. YEP. YOU DID THIS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A friendly reminder that in Australia, Mother's Day is REALLY SOON, ie., May 12. So don't be caught snoozing! And since we're talking about nailing food that Mum actually likes... is it time to all collectively admit that filled chocolates ...are trash? METHOD Cut your peeled sweet potato into fries. Soak the potato in cold water for at least half an hour. Pre-heat the oven to 220C. Drain off thoroughly on a clean tea towel. Dust with 1 tbs of corn flour and a light sprinkle of salt. Space the fries out on a tray and drizzle with olive oil (I forgot to mention this in the episode!) Cook for about 20 minutes. Turn over and cook a bit more, probably less - 15 mins but use your senses to get the info on what your fries need for ultimate yumminess. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Body maintenance is all about getting enough protein! Boring, but also - real. So how, in our busy lives, do we go about getting enough? Simon and Yumi get excited over boiling a couple of eggs as you make breakfast, and having them in the bank for the day ahead. What if you go one better and prepare a curried egg sandwich for Later Today Me? 3-4 boiled eggs 1 - 1.5tsp of Keen's Curry Powder pinch salt 3 tbs mayonnaise (I use Kewpie) anything else, eg., snipped chives, a quarter cup of peas that you've tossed in with the eggs for the last few minutes, shelled edamame, parsley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] We’ve talked no-stir risottos before, but there’s a whole FAMILY of oven-baked rice dishes out there that do a great job of unchaining you from the stove and putting you back into where you need to be! This one is a sort of riff on all things summer salad, in rice form. Bit weird, but it kind of works. It makes use of short-grain rice here – the squat, stubby, starchier cousin of the rice family that’s great for stir-fries, rice balls and sushi or creamy dishes such as rice pudding and risotto. PS - Simon’s feeling SUPER SMUG here because he’s using olives from his own olive tree! You could add a bit of fried crispy chorizo to this if you wanted to but, well, I don’t. Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. Recipe Serves 4 2 tbsp olive oil 30g butter 1 x 400g tin butter beans 2 medium red onions, peeled and finely diced a few big handfuls of basil, leaves picked, stalks very finely chopped sea salt and black pepper a punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced 280g short-grain rice 200g feta 140g black olives Heat the oven to 2OOC. Put the oil and butter in an ovenproof pan for which you have a lid and put it in the oven to heat up. Drain the liquid from the butter bean can into a large measuring jug, then add boiling water to bring it up to 840ml. Pour this into a saucepan on a medium heat, and keep it hot. Stir the onion, basil stalks and a good pinch of salt into the hot casserole, cover and return to the oven for 15 minutes, until the onions soften. Stir in the tomatoes, cover again and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until they, too, soften and release some of their liquid; stir once halfway, to check how they’re getting on and to give them a little mash up to encourage those juices to flow. Stir in the garlic and return to the oven uncovered for three minutes. Stir the rice into the pot, so it’s all well coated in the tomato mixture. Pour in the hot bean liquid, give everything a good stir and return to the oven uncovered for 20 minutes. By this point, the rice should have absorbed two-thirds of the liquid, so add a little more boiling water if there’s less than that left. Stir in the butter beans and return to the oven for 12 minutes, by which time the liquid should have all been absorbed and the rice should be cooked; it’s not meant to be entirely dry, so add some more boiling water if you prefer it wetter. Take out of the oven, stir in the feta and olives, cover the pan with a clean cloth and leave to rest and settle for five minutes. Tear in most of the basil leaves, stir them through the rice, then spoon into warm bowls and serve with the remaining basil scattered on top. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] Simon *loves* a yoggurty sauce. So much so that he's turned me onto it and the humble Greek Yoggurt As Sauce has PERMANENTLY found a place in the Stynes household. So let's talk about how to make the classic (and delicious) Tzatziki! Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] "Incredibly easy" is Simon's promise here, but it also has the word "slow" in it, so this isn't the pasta sauce you make when in a rush. One thing I like about talking food with Simon is that he knows the origins of foods and food ideas. This particular recipe came from a game-changing Italian restaurant from England way back and let's be real, this sounds freakin delicious. Get it in your ears now, and maybe your mouth later. Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. Recipe 2 tbsp olive oil 5 or 6 Italian spiced fresh pork sausages, meat removed from skins and crumbled (if you can’t get them easily – just use good quality pork sausages) 1 small red onions, peeled and chopped. 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped. 2 small dried chillies, crumbled or a good tbsp or two of crushed dried chillies. small handful of fresh rosemary 2 bay leaves large glass of a good red wine 2x 400g tins peeled plum tomatoes, drained. sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 120g parmesan, freshly grated 150ml cream Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan, and fry the crumbled meat of 5 or 6 Italian spiced sausages, stirring and breaking up the pieces. After the juice from the meat has evaporated and the fat begins to run, add 1 small chopped red onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 2 chopped small dried chillies, a small handful of fresh rosemary and 2 bay leaves. Cook gently for almost 30 mins until the onions are brown. Pour in a large glass of red wine, increase the heat and cook until the wine evaporates. Now add 2 tins of plum tomatoes, lower the heat, and simmer gently until you have a thick sauce, about 45-60 minutes. Season with salt (and pepper, if the sausages were not spicy), and add 120g grated parmesan and 150ml of cream. Cook your pasta (penne) and drain well. Add the pasta to the sauce, mix and serve. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] I hope you're a regular here because there are some in-jokes that might be baffling if this is your first time tuning in. One in-joke is that Simon LOVES, ADORES and tends to USE ALL THE TIME, Greek "Yoggurt" as an ingredient, to the point where we started doing a count-o-meter of every time he said the word "yoggurt", (hard 'G' emphasis = deliberate). This ep does have actual food chat in it though. Like, do know how witlof is grown?! It's so weird! And how can you max out your umami allocation? Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. Recipe ANCHOVY DRESSING 50g anchovies 1/4 garlic clove, finely grated 1 tbs red wine vinegar 1 tsp fish sauce 4tbs best olive oil 1 tsp sugar salt and pepper See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] It's always a fun episode when Yumi gets indignant about something stupid she's seen in a restaurant. This is one of those episodes. Your food lovin hosts will also get enthused about what you can do with some BBQ roasted corn! Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. Recipe 1/2 cup toasted nuts 6 X corn cobs, BBQd in their husks for 10 mins until blackened all over, peeled, kernels removed then combined with fresh chopped green chilli, a couple of limes squeezed over, a cup of feta cubes, olive oil, salt and pepper! Bulk it out with halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red capsicum, or diced red onions. There’s no need to refrigerate this grilled corn salad; it’s best at room temperature or still warm. PERFECT for packing up as part of a potluck or for serving at home with some fish or BBQ after a busy day by the ocean. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONFESSION: I had brought something into the studio today to show Simon and Alyssa (our glorious producer). It was a food I'd cooked that had FAILED. And I'd been in a rush to get to the recording session that I didn't think it through but the gross food fail really triggered poor Simon's gag reflex! The situation was worsened by the fact that he'd had a yeehah driver on his way into work and had spent the wild ride looking down at his phone! So the already slightly carsick guy was then confronted by the foul food and then me talking about food here which seemed to set him off. A KINDER co-host probably wouldn't have found this funny. Anyway. I laughed my ass off. I hope you do too. Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] Today, Simon talks me through a recipe that is a Moroccan tagine dish big enough to serve a whole celebration of your friends, and it does NOT require a tagine. (If you don't know what a tagine is, don't worry, we explain in the show.) TRIGGER WARNING: You may drool! Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. Recipe Serves 8 juice of 2 lemons 6 tbsp olive oil 1½ tsp ground turmeric 1½ tsp ground ginger 1½ tbsp honey 250ml dry white wine 1 whole head garlic, cloves chopped 16, bone in, skin-on chicken thighs 4 tbs drained capers in brine 200g pitted green olives 1 large or 2 small preserved lemons, cut into pieces, discarding the pips 1 bunch coriander, leaves chopped salt and black pepper Preheat the oven to 180C. In a large bowl, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, turmeric, ginger, honey, wine and some salt and pepper, beating well. Add the garlic and turn the chicken pieces in the mixture so that they are well coated. Arrange the chicken thighs in a large roasting tin or baking dish in which they fit snugly, putting the capers, olives and boiled lemon pieces in between, and pour the liquid contents of the bowl all over. Bake for 1 hour or until the chicken is well browned and cooked through. Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miso soup is so common as a takeaway food, but for a lot of people cooking it at home can feel tricky. It's not! (Here's another 5 Min Food Fix motto: "If Japanese housewives can do it, so can I!") To make miso soup, you need to buy "white" miso. Tricky detail: in the tub, it doesn't look white, it looks honey-coloured, like a Cliff Richard leather jacket. To share my Mum's miso soup hack, I absolutely had to study her while in the kitchen, which could've been alarming for her but was actually fine as this is where we do most of our hangs. Listen to this ep for her slightly suss hack. Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] If your partner thinks tinned tuna is "cat food" and makes a 🤮face at the smell, then tuna may *also* be YOUR shame food. But Simon and I are in agreement that tinned tuna is an EXCELLENT ingredient. Inspired by Antonio Carluccio, this recipe is completely nothing to be ashamed of! CONTENT WARNING: Yumi uses the word "swol" in this episode. Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. Recipe While your pasta is cooking (and Simon suggests you use linguine – for no real reason other than the fact it’s traditional with seafood pastas like this, spaghetti would be fine) get on with preparing the sauce. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add a few tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 small chopped red chilli, and a thumb of finely sliced ginger (or 1 tbsp of the jarred stuff – I won’t judge) and cook until fragrant and softened and amazing. Add a carton of passata (1/2 large jar) and simmer for a few minutes, then stir through the tuna and season with salt. Drain the pasta, add to the pan with another few tablespoons of finely chopped parsley and season with freshly ground black pepper. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] Inspired by an old Jamie Oliver cookbook, this recipe gives permission to cook the hell out of the beans! Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. Recipe 500g French beans, woody ends removed and composted 3tsp French mustard 2tbs white wine vinegar 7tbs olive oil 1 tbs chopped capers lots of freshly ground pepper salt, to taste optional: 1/2 clove finely grated garlic optional: the fresh herb you have available, eg., mint, chrvil, russian tarragon, etc BOIL the beans for 4-5 minutes, until well-cooked. Combine all the dressing ingredients, tasting and being careful not to add too much salt. (MOTTO: You can always add more but you can't take it away!). Drain the cooked beans well, then dress them while hot and serve while warm. Leftovers are excellent (for single babe dinners) but DON'T eat fridge cold. That's for miseryguts. It'll taste grand room temp or warmed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] Not the Enid Blyton type of brownies...! No! Today on the show we're talking those chocolatey, delicious pan baked treats... and Simon - a bona fide food EXPERT - reckons they can be over-complicated. So let's keep it SIMPLE but mystically good. ("What the hell is she talking about?" - - you'll need to listen to understand.) Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. Recipe Line a 20cm square cake tin. Put the oven on to 180C Melt in a bowl over hot water 125g chopped butter and 125g dark chocolate - melt those 2 together. Remove from heat Quickly add in 3 beaten eggs 335g (1 1/2 cups) white sugar 115g (3/4 cup) plain flour 30g (1/4 cup) Dutch cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt Bake for 30 mins. Eat with a spoon in front of the TV (Yumi's suggestion) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[RECIPE IN SHOW NOTES] I overcome my dread of puff pastry for this episode of 5MFF, and it's because I am steering my favourite seasonal vegetable to a bed I will make from said puff pastry. The mattress on the bed is made from goat's cheese mixed with whatever herbs you have at hand. This recipe is from a wonderful cook and food writer Belinda Jeffery, who recommends cutting the puff pastry into pieces 12cmX18cm, then baking for 10-12 mins in a 200C oven. Allow to cool then top with the goat's cheese filling (below), and 5-6 lightly blanched and dried asparagus spears. GOAT’S CHEESE FILLING 280g soft goat’s cheese 1/4 cup finely chopped dill 2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon finely snipped chives Want more food tips? Check out the 5 Minute Food Fix Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.