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Nadia Lim’s My Food Bag “Easy Weeknight Meals” Book Launch + Lamb Recipe
Glad the stormy weather from last week is finally over. During the crazy mother nature being oh so harsh to Sydney, I decided to have a lunch date with 2011 MasterChef New Zealand Winner Nadia Lim to celebrate the launch of her third cookbook, “Easy Weeknight Meals“. This book showcases Nadia’s passion for everyday good food cooked at home. The book includes a delicious, well-balanced, nutritious, yet simple recipes that anyone can follow, including myself. Teehee.
Easy Weeknight Meals Book Launch
When I mentioned to my Kiwi friends that I was going to see Nadia Lim…they went ballistic. Nadia Lim is seriously a household name in New Zealand. She’s basically like Poh Ling Yeow in Sydney, except based in New Zealand (I hope I didn’t offend anyone). Nadia hosts her own TV show on the Asian Food Channel and has her own online healthy food community called The Healthy Food Channel.
Congratulations to Nadia Lim and My Food Bag
Arriving super early to the My Food Bag Head Quarters, I managed to have the whole charcuterie platter to myself…well almost.
Charcuterie platter
Nadia Lim is not only an award-winning cook and champion of Master Chef NZ but she’s the Head Chef, dietitian and co-founder of My Food Bag. My Food Bag has just been recently landed in Australia as it originated from New Zealand 2 years ago. The idea of My Food Bag is making healthy eating as simple, easy and delicious as possible at home. So I heard from a birdie that you don’t have to do the grocery shopping because My Food Bag does that ALL for you and they deliver straight to your door on Sundays. WINNING on saving time and carrying all the grocery bags to and from the car.
My Food Bag Sample Bag
Loved the decor
When I was told that I was going to be sitting next to a MasterChef winner you should have seen the look on my face…it was like someone had just asked me to their school formal. My hands were all sweaty and my heart was beating so fast. I couldn’t contain my excitement.
Can you guess who was Nessy Eater Girl sitting next to?
But before my date sits next to me, Co-Founder of My Food Bag–Theresa Turmeric Gattung and Nadia Lim tells us more about My Food Bag and asks us all to give ourselves a nickname with our favourite fruit or vegetable. I named myself Vanny Mango Tang causes I love mangoes. I mean who doesn’t like mangoes?! If you don’t then I don’t think we can be friends…KIDDING!
Co-Founder of My Food Bag-Theresa Turmeric Gattung and Nadia Lim
Did you know? Nadia Lim started her passion for food when she was 12 years old and all because of one guy, Jamie Oliver. In the television series The Naked Chef, Nadia truly believed she would one day write her own cook book and perhaps call it “Foodie in a Nudie“. Although all three books did not have the word foodie or nudie in the one sentence, I’m sure it will be coming soon. Fingers crossed her fourth book would be called that.
2011 MasterChef New Zealand Winner Nadia Lim
Time for lunch and we have a delicious green mix salad with slices of shepard avocado, sprinkles of pomegranate seeds. Did you know? Shepard avocado have a smooth green skin and golden buttery flesh which doesn’t turn brown when cut like a hass avocado. Crazy! I think I’m converting to a shepard avocado from now on.
Eat your greens kids!
It’s pretty intense seeing Nadia cook in the My Food Bag Head Quarters Test Kitchen. Was awesome to see her in action whip up the Chermoula Chicken Drums with Moroccan Couscous and Yoghurt Dressing. The chicken was ridiculously flavoursome and married so well with the couscous. I had to sneakily grab another piece of chicken because it was just everything a girl could ask for.
Chermoula Chicken Drums with Moroccan Couscous and Yoghurt Dressing
After graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Science in Human Nutrition and Post Graduate Diploma in Dietetics, Nadia spent a few years as a clinical dietitian. When MasterChef NZ came up, she thought she’d give it a go and BAM 2011 MasterChef New Zealand Winner. Fast forward a few years Nadia is now writing recipes and nutritional articles to developing and testing recipes for My Food Bag. She jokingly tells us that “My Food Bag saves marriages” and for the adults “Better sex life too“. I can’t confirm or guarantee that because I’m not married nor am I an adult. HAHAHA!
Nadia making our DESSERT
Our next dish was awesome too that it blew my mind. My face went blank when Nadia told me what was in the Chocolate Mousse. Only three ingredients she tells us and they are dark chocolate that’s 70% melted, coconut milk and avocado. Whhhaaaaaat?! Are you reading it wrong…AVOCADO in chocolate mousse. No sir you are not reading it wrong. There was avocado in my chocolate mousse and I couldn’t even taste it at all! It was light and I would certainly re-eat this again.
There’s avocado in this chocolate mousse!
And I thought meeting Nadia Lim was enough…nope there was more dessert. She offered all of us a slice of her easy peasy pear tart that’s made with puff pastry, maple syrup and bosc pears. I admit this dessert lingers on the palate and in a good way off course. Before we all waved our hands to say good-bye to Nadia and the My Food Bag Team, each guest received a My Food Bag mystery gift bag (see first image) that contains a variety of herbs, spices, fruits, veggies and two thick pieces of lamb. The My Food Bag team challenged their guests to cook something using these ingredients. Keep scrolling to see what I made…
Pear tart
Applause for scrolling down. Well we all know Australians love their lamb and for me to be honest it’s never been easy cook lamb. I’ve always had difficulty trying to find the right recipe and luckily I managed to cheat my way through using only the My Food Bag mystery gift bag (see first image). Yes, I cheated…using herbs and spices. I hope you all enjoy this dish.
Nessy Eater’s Easy Peasy Lamb Recipe Challenge
The following ingredients you will need for Nessy Eater’s Easy Peasy Lamb Recipe:
10 mins to prepare
30 mins to cook
2 servings
100 grams of Cherry Tomatoes
60 ml Olive Oil (3 tablespoons)
300 grams Lamb Striploin
3 Tablespoons Red Meat Spice (Prefer Sami’s Kitchen)
2 Tablespoons Rosemary (Chopped)
100 grams French Style Lentils
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
4 Fresh Mint Leaves
2 Sage Leaves (Chopped)
Challenge Bag thanks to My Food Bag
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200c. Cook 100 grams of French Style Lentils in pot of boiling water for 15 minutes or until medium-soft.
- Meanwhile rub lamb with 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary and sage, then add 2 tablespoons of oil. Continue to rub until the oil and herb is absorbed to the lamb. Add 3 tablespoons of red meat spice. Continue to rub until lamb is covered in spice. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the meal.
- Toss 100 grams of cherry tomatoes in 1/4 tsp, season and wrap tomatoes loosely in foil. Place foil on baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes until soft. Make sure to check every 3 minutes.
- Cook marinated lamb in a frypan over medium heat for 3 mintues or until browned. Turn and cook for a further 4 minutes.
- Rest the lamb, cover tightly in foil and place it in oven for 12 mintues for medium, or until done to your liking.
- Drain lentils and toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season.
- To serve, scatter lentils in the middle of the plate, top with slices of lamb. Scatter tomatoes and 4 mint leaves. Drizzle the remaining lamb juice from the foil onto the plate.
Final product of Nessy Eater’s Lamb Recipe. What do you guys think?
It was a fantastic experience meeting the one and only Nadia Lim and celebrating her launch of her new cookbook “Easy Weeknight Meals“. I learnt a lot about My Food Bag using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients to create delicious, healthy meals that are not only good for your body but at the same time should also look and taste great. I really look forward to seeing My Food Bag bring energy and enthusiasm to Australian couples and families.
2011 MasterChef New Zealand Winner Nadia Lim
Photos by Vanny Tang
Disclaimer: Nessy Eater attended “Easy Weeknight Meals” Book Launch thanks to Porter Novelli.
Nessy Eater received challenge bag thanks to My Food Bag.
Opinions are however, Nessy Eater’s own.
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