Recipes from Michelle Bridges' Powerful Living

Stir-fried beef with ginger

Serves 2

1 teaspoon peanut oil

250 g lean rump steak, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

3 cm piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

½ cup (80 g) fresh corn kernels

1 bunch choy sum, trimmed and cut into 4 cm lengths

¼ small red cabbage, trimmed and shredded

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

Heat half the oil in a wok on high. Stir-fry the steak for 2 minutes, or until browned. Remove from wok and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the same wok over high heat. Stir-fry the onion, ginger and corn for 2 minutes, or until golden. Add the choy sum and cabbage, and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until just wilted.

Return the beef to the wok along with the soy sauce and oyster sauce, and stir-fry until hot. Serve immediately.

TIP:  When stir-frying always make sure you pre-chop all the ingredients, so they are ready to go straight into the wok.

Barley, roasted cauliflower & broccoli salad

Serves 2

100 g (½ cup) pearl barley

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

250 g cauliflower, cut into florets

olive oil spray

250 g broccoli, cut into florets

1 teaspoon ground cumin

60 ml (¼ cup) low-cal natural yoghurt

2 teaspoons tahini

1 tablespoon lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

100 g red cabbage, trimmed and finely shredded

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon lightly toasted pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Cook the barley in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 25 minutes, or until al dente. Add the lemon zest for the last minute of cooking time. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place the cauliflower on a baking tray lined with baking paper and lightly spray with olive oil. Roast for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli to the tray. Sprinkle the cauliflower and broccoli with cumin. Roast for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are golden and tender.

Meanwhile, combine the yoghurt, tahini, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Season with pepper.

Add the roasted vegetables, cabbage, mint, pine nuts and dressing to the salad. Gently toss to combine.

TIP: Tahini is a sesame seed paste with a delicious nutty taste. Look for it in the health food section of your supermarket.

Ricotta quinoa pancakes with banana

Serves 2

75 g (½ cup) plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

25 g (¼ cup) quinoa flakes

100 ml low-cal milk

1 egg

½ teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

oil spray

1 tablespoon low-cal ricotta cheese

1 small banana, sliced

40 g fresh raspberries

Sift the flour and baking powder together into a medium bowl. Stir in the quinoa flakes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, honey and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Set the batter aside for 10 minutes.

Spray a medium non-stick frying pan with oil and place over a medium heat. Spoon ¼ of the batter (about ¼ cup) into the pan and spread it out with the back of a spoon to form a circle, approximately 12 centimetres in diameter. Cook for  2 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for 30 seconds more, or until golden. Repeat to make four pancakes.

Place two pancakes on each plate. Top with ricotta, banana and raspberries.

VARIATION:  Replace the raspberries with 40 g fresh blueberries