Sydney Sunrise Smoothie

This yummy little breakfast treat came to me from a great cookbook I picked up while living in Australia in 2000, called Sydney Food, by Bill Granger, who runs Bills Restaurant in Sydney. It's so simple, and now that I have a great mango-slicing gadget, chopping up mangoes is a cinch!

(handy mango slicer)

All you need is:

1 cup/8 fl oz./250ml orange juice

1/2 of a mango, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 ripe banana, sliced

2 tablespoons yogurt, any variety (30ml)

- we used strawberry probiotic yogurt

Place all ingredients in a blender (or glass if using an immersion blender) and blend until smooth. Serves 1-2.

Lamb Kabobs with Warm Chickpea Salad

I made this one a few months ago, but am thinking about trying it again as it would be good during this cold weather. This recipe came from one of my cookbooks, Easy Summer Food:

Lamb kabobs with warm chickpea salad (serves 4)

1 1/2 lb. (750g) lamb tenderloin

1 recipe Minted Yogurt Marinade (see below)

Warm chickpea salad

1 c. dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked overnight in cold water, drained and rinsed

1 bay leaf

1/2 onion

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon

handful fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

a pinch of paprika

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 metal skewers

Using a sharp knife, cut the lamb into bite-size pieces and put into a shallow dish. Add the marinade and stir well to coat the lamb. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. Thread onto the skewers.

Prepare the chickpea salad about 1 hour before cooking the lamb. Put the soaked chickpeas, bay leaf and onion in a heavy saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes or until the chickpeas are tender, skimming off the foam from time to time.

Drain the chickpeas and transfer to a bowl. Remove and discard the onion and bay leaf. Mash coarsely with a fork. Stir in the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill, then cook the kabobs over hot coals (or a hot grill) for 6 to 8 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender. Serve the kabobs on a bed of chickpea salad, sprinkled with a little extra olive oil. Excellent served with warm pita or flatbreads.

Minted Yogurt

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 cup plain yogurt

2 Tbsp heavy cream (double cream in UK)

freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbsp e.v.o.o. (extra virgin olive oil)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

1/4 tsp ground chili flakes

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and aromatic, then let cool. Transfer to a spice grinder or mortar bowl (or clean coffee grinder) and crush to a coarse powder. Put the spices in a bowl, add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Set aside to steep until ready to use.