Lived Experience Forum

[Arizona]

I have decided to put all my recipes in one thread so I can find them more easily. Tonight I made chilli beef and it was delicious!

This is my favourite chilli beef recipe. I have another longer chilli beef recipe which takes over 2 hours to make. When you are tired and depressed you don't want to be cooking for 2 hours so I made this shorter recipe. It is really easy to make. 

Easy Chilli Beef Recipe

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
500g extra lean minced beef (5% fat) 
1 tbsp dried onion flakes 
1/2 tsp onion powder 
1/2 tsp garlic powder 
1/2 tsp dried oregano 
1/2 tsp dried parsley 
1/2 tsp dried basil, thyme or mixed herbs
1/2 tsp coriander seed powder 
1/2 tsp cummin seed powder 
1/2 tsp sweet paprika 
1/2 tsp Gourmet Garden semi dried chilli flakes* 
1/4 tsp sea salt 
Ground black pepper 
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce 
400g can Mutti Polpa finely chopped tomatoes 
1 sachet Leggo's no salt tomato paste 
1/2 cup water 
50g frozen kale
250g packet Sunrice pre-cooked organic brown rice 
400g can organic kidney beans, thoroughly rinsed 
2 tbsp Gourmet Garden semi dried coriander leaves

Cook minced beef with the olive oil in a medium sized, 3 litre saucepan for 5 minutes. There is no need to brown the beef. You just want to cook it until it is no longer pink. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon to break down the mince into finer bits.

Thoroughly rinse and drain the kidney beans.

Add the herbs and spices, sea salt, black pepper, Tabasco sauce, finely chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, water and kale. Simmer for 20 minutes on a medium low heat with the lid on, stirring occasionally.

Add the brown rice and gently break it up with the wooden spoon (the rice will be all stuck together). 

Add the kidney beans and coriander and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I like to have Grana Padano cheese with mine.

*If you are using dried chilli flakes, ie. Hoyts, use 1/4 tsp. They are hotter than the Gourmet Garden chilli flakes.

[Swansong]

Hi,  consider making a recipe book... You have good recipes.  Has anyone ever made one for people dealing with mental health?  Can a mental health service sponsor you?  If you have a talent you should use it. 

[Arizona]

Hi @Swansong 

Thank you for your kind words. 

Maybe I could write a recipe blog for people who have depression. 

[MIFANTCARER]

Hi @Arizona 

I think you should do a recipe book forpeople who have depression.

xx

[LostAngel]

well done @Arizona for making this thread cooking can be helpfull as a creative outlet Ive recently tried to get creative with cooking again although Ive been doing simple dishes that are quick to make as I dont consider myself the best of cooks but also was trying to budget a bit better this wek by cooking whatever I find in the pantry rather than just order takeawy too often by habit and lazyness but tnight Im ordering takeaway after spending last few days cooking 2 minute noodles,hot dogs,meat Pies and Veggies,as well as toasted sanwiges,I would like to try cooking some chicken or pasta dishes again,who knows maybe this thread will help with some ideas so thank you 

[Arizona]

Baked brown rice risotto recipe 

This is where I got the idea from...

https://cookieandkate.com/easy-brown-rice-risotto-with-mushrooms-and-fresh-oregano/#tasty-recipes-23...

This is how I make mine...

1 tbsp olive oil

100g brown onion

75g carrot

50g celery 

2 cloves garlic 

1 tsp dried thyme or

1 tsp dried basil or

1/3 tsp dried basil and

1/3 tsp dried oregano and

1/3 tsp dried parsley 

1 tsp Herbamare organic seasoning salt

Ground black pepper 

300g uncooked brown rice 

1 litre water 

Olive oil spray

50g frozen baby peas

50g frozen kale

2 tbsp olive oil, extra

75g Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese 

 Then choose from...

200g poached, shredded chicken breast* or 

100g asparagus and

100g Beretta prosciutto di Palma or

200g tuna in olive oil (drained) and

Juice of 1/2 a lemon or 

200g roasted pumpkin or

200g Swiss brown mushrooms 

Or whatever you like.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a large baking dish with olive oil spray (you can just use oil if you don't have spray). I use a 23cm x 32cm Pyrex baking dish. 

Finely chop the garlic in a mini food processor. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery (you can chop that in the food processor too if you like).

Cook the onion, carrot and celery with the olive oil on a medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes. You don't want to brown the onion etc. Just soften it.

Take off the heat and add the brown rice, dried herbs, seasoning salt, ground black pepper and water (and lemon juice if you are using it). Stir well.

Pour everything into the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 70 minutes.

While it is cooking steam the frozen baby peas and kale for 5 minutes. (If you are using asparagus, steam for 3 minutes.) Grate the cheese in a mini food processor.

When it is ready it will be very hot, so be careful. Use a spatula to transfer it to a large bowl. You might need another person to hold the baking dish while you scrape it into the bowl.

Add the olive oil and cheese and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes. This will give you the consistency of risotto.

Add your other ingredients and stir well to combine.

Also, sometimes I just use 1 brown onion if I don't have any carrot or celery. And sometimes instead of dried herbs I use 1 sachet of Gourmet Garden semi dried herbs.

*I can tell you how to make the poached, shredded chicken breast. This is very easy to make as well.

[Dimity]

Looks yum @Arizona I made risotto on top of the stove the other night with some left over roast chicken. I just bought some arborio rice for next time. I sometimes do a vegetarian one with leeks pumpkin and mushrooms that needs a good freshly grated sharp cheese 

I used to make a nice baked rice pudding - inspired by my grandma's - really good with stewed fruit or baked apples

[Historylover]

@Arizona  I have an abundance of mushrooms and can't decide how to use them for tonight's dinner. I was thinking of soup. Any better ideas?

[Arizona]

Hi @Historylover 

How many grams of mushrooms do you have and what kind are they?

I have a recipe for a tuna and mushroom pasta bake that uses 200g of white cup mushrooms. 

[Historylover]

Hello @Arizona About 325 gm. large cup mushrooms - so plenty. It's just for me. I'm well used to dividing up all the ingredients into quarters etc. Thanks! 👩‍🍳 Hope you're feeling good today!