Healthy and easy dinner recipes to get you through Winter

With the weather getting cooler and the nights becoming darker, the only thing that’s on our minds is putting on our comfy clothes and cooking up a warm and nutritious dinner. Westfield North Lakes has wrapped up 3 easy dinner recipes for the time poor.

Purchase all your fresh food ingredients from: Health Shop, Pacific Catch Seafood, Willows Quality Meats, Aldi, Coles or Woolworths.

Plus, all the kitchenware of your dreams from Robins Kitchen, House, IKEA, Bed Bath N Table, Adairs and Kmart.

Creamy Pesto Aubergine and Olive Pasta

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 Birch & Waite Creamy Pesto Fresh Finishing Sauce
400g pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium aubergines (eggplants), cubed
3 cups button mushrooms, sliced
½ cup black olives, pitted
¼ cup pine nuts, roasted
Fresh basil leaves and shaved parmesan, to serve

Method:

1. Place aubergine in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente.
3. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy based saucepan over medium heat. Add eggplant and sear on all sides, then add the mushrooms and gently sauté.
4. Pour the Creamy Pesto Fresh Finishing into a saucepan. Warm on the stovetop on medium heat and stir occasionally until warmed. Or to heat in the microwave, pour the sauce into a microwaveable container or jug and heat on high for 60 seconds. Remove sauce from microwave carefully and stir contents.
5. Drain the pasta and add to the large saucepan with the aubergine and mushrooms. Stir through olives and Creamy Pesto Fresh Finishing Sauce.
6. Serve immediately sprinkled with pine nuts. Top with fresh basil and shaved parmesan.

Recipe credit: Birch & Waite

Citrus Herb and Butter Pan Fried Salmon with Steamed Vegetables

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 12 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 Birch & Waite Citrus Butter and Herb Fresh Finishing Sauce
4 salmon fillets
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon fresh dill
Salt and pepper
steamed vegetables to serve

Method:

1. In a small bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, zest, dill and pepper. Pour over salmon and marinate, covered in the fridge, for about 2 hours
2. Remove any excess marinade from the salmon and season with salt.
3. Heat a pan on the stove top to medium heat and cook skin side up for 2-3 minutes until lightly caramelised. Turn salmon and cook skin side down for a further 3 minutes. Remove from pan allow to rest for a few minutes.
4. Add fennel to the hot pan and gently sauté until cooked
5. Pour the Citrus and Herb Butter Fresh Finishing Sauce into a saucepan. Warm on the stovetop on medium heat and stir occasionally until warmed. Or to heat in the microwave, pour the sauce into a microwaveable container or jug and heat on high for 60 seconds. Remove sauce from microwave carefully and stir contents.
6. Spoon Birch & Waite Citrus and Herb Butter Fresh Finishing sauce over the salmon.
7. Serve with extra dill sprigs and steamed vegetables.

Recipe credit: Birch & Waite

New York Steak with Creamy Parmesan and Pepper Sauce

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
serves 4

Ingredients
1 Birch & Waite Creamy Parmesan and Pepper Sauce
6 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into even chunks
1½ tablespoons butter (plus extra for the pan)
2 tablespoons cream
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
4 medium steaks (New York, Rump or fillet) at room temperature
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
Black pepper, freshly ground
Sea salt
1 cup Swiss brown mushroom, quartered
2 bunches broccolini, trimmed

Method

1. Add potatoes to a pot of cold water with 1 tsp salt, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce temperature and simmer until just soft when tested with a skewer. Drain well. Add butter and cream and mash until smooth. Add parmesan and season to taste.
2. Meanwhile, pat steak dry with a paper towel, brush with oil and sprinkle with pepper & salt. Sear in a hot pan for 3-4 mins each side (medium rare) or until desired level of doneness. Place on a warm plate, cover and rest for approximately 10mins.
3. Add a generous knob of butter to the hot pan and gently sauté the mushrooms.
4. Steam broccolini in the top of a double boiler until just tender.
5. Slice steak and arrange on plate with mash, broccolini and mushrooms.
6. Heat Birch & Waite Creamy Parmesan and Pepper Sauce according to instructions and drizzle over the steak.

Recipe credit: Birch & Waite