Reuben bowl

Leave a comment 16th Dec 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

Starting the year with a bowl

Last Christmas, I spent some quality time with friends playing Unstable Unicorns, Settlers of Catan and Exploding Kittens. To go with all of the fun games, there were a lot of drinks and good food to keep us going. One of my favourite dishes was the trusty Reuben bowl. It is always a crowd pleaser, and on long, hot summer days, it is perfect for grazing between fun activities.

Switching up the traditional Reuben

I’m a big fan of the Reuben sandwich, the combination of pastrami, sauerkraut and dressing is always a winner in my book. While I love the traditional flavours, I swear there is something wrong with my brain; it always looks for ways to adapt recipes to make them more interesting or change them up in some way. This recipe is an excellent example of my brain doing what it does best. My corned beef has a great crust and flavour, thanks to the seared outside and brine. It is a worthy replacement for pastrami and is much easier to get than brisket. To switch out sauerkraut was easy. I know from experience that corned beef and cabbage go together perfectly, so that was a no-brainer. The challenge was finding a flavour that could replace the tang of the sauerkraut without overpowering the corned beef. It took a few tries before I landed on sesame seed oil; it may appear to be an odd flavour to go with, but trust me, it works. The sesame seed oil adds a rich, nutty flavour to the cabbage that complements the other flavours without being overpowering. While this recipe doesn’t look anything like the traditional Reuben, I promise that if you give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Reuben bowl recipe

Ingredients

1kg corned beef, cooked
1 head cabbage, cut into strips
3 tbsp. Sesame oil
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
250g mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup thousand Island dressing

Instructions

Cook your corned beef, you can check out my recipe for corned beef.

Take a large pot and place it over a medium heat.

Heat a little of the sesame oil and sauté the cabbage in batches with some of the garlic.

Take care not to burn the garlic while the cabbage is cooking.

Season the cabbage as it is cooking.

Place the sautéed cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle over half of the cheese.

Spread the corned beef on top of the cabbage and top with the remaining cheese.

Drizzle with dressing, then serve.

“Reuben

Prep Time: “10
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

“Another

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

1kg corned beef, cooked
1 head cabbage, cut into strips
3 tbsp. Sesame oil
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
250g mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup thousand Island dressing

Directions

Take a large pot and place it over a medium heat.
Heat a little of the sesame oil and sauté the cabbage in batches with some of the garlic.
Take care not to burn the garlic while the cabbage is cooking.
Season the cabbage as it is cooking.
Place the sautéed cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle over half of the cheese.
Spread the corned beef on top of the cabbage and top with the remaining cheese.
Drizzle with dressing, then serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 424 calories; 19g fat; 20g carbohydrates; 26g protein

Equipment

Knife
Chopping board
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Kitchen scale
Large pan
Tongs

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Caprese Skewers

Leave a comment 12th Dec 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

Updating as we go

Early in 2021, I relocated and started updating my website; I’ve been making changes and improving everything as I go. This recipe is one of the many things I’ve tried to improve.

Simple and fancy looking

Who doesn’t love something that looks fancy, tastes delicious, and is so simple to make that you could leave the kids to make it? I know that I do. These caprese skewers are one of the easiest recipes ever, and they always gather compliments when I make them. No cooking is needed; you need some chopping and skewers, and you are good to go. Did I mention how cool they look on the plate?

Ideal for company

I first made these skewers for a UFC pay-per-view event when I was hanging out with friends. Making food for fights isn’t as easy as you might think. You spend half the day with your eyes glued to the action and afraid to look at what you are eating because you know you will miss that knockout shot. The main appeal of these skewers is that they are finger food, and you don’t need to take your eyes off the fights while you eat them. Grab, munch and repeat. The first time I made them, the plate was cleared in a single round, which usually means they are a hit. They have been on the menu for pay-per-view parties ever since.

Caprese skewer recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic glaze
10 cherry tomatoes
5 mini mozzarella balls
10 fresh basil leaves
mini skewers

Instructions

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

Cut in half any of the large basil leaves.

Cut in half the mozzarella balls.

Take a mini skewer and thread on a piece of mozzarella, then a basil leaf and a piece of tomato, repeat to fill up the skewer.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Lay out the skewers and drizzle them with the balsamic glaze before serving.

Caprese skewers

Prep Time: “15
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

“Simple

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic glaze
10 cherry tomatoes
5 mini mozzarella balls
10 fresh basil leaves
mini skewers

Directions

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Cut in half any of the large basil leaves.
Cut in half the mozzarella balls.
Take a mini skewer and thread on a piece of mozzarella, then a basil leaf and a piece of tomato, repeat to fill up the skewer.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Lay out the skewers and drizzle them with the balsamic glaze before serving.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 50 calories; 2.6g fat; 3.2g carbohydrates; 3g protein

Equipment

Knife
Chopping board
Skewers
Plate

Nutritional disclaimer

Courgette crust pizza

Leave a comment 28th Nov 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

Fancy a slice?

Yes, yes, I do, but I won’t be eating any of the tasty pizza available from your local pizzeria. I think I’ll go for the low-carb, tummy-friendly option of courgette pizza crust. There is nothing better than getting a sneaky treat without having to deal with that horrible, bloated, and sick feeling.

Eat more it is good for you!

To make this recipe as healthy as possible, I have packed in heaps of courgettes. The eggs help bring up the protein content, which is a nice bonus.

Courgette can be soggy

When working with courgettes in this kind of recipe, it is crucial to remove as much moisture as possible. If you can wring the crap out of your courgettes, you don’t end up with a sloppy meal. To get the liquid out, I like to finely grate the courgette into a clean kitchen cloth. Next, create a ball and squeeze it as hard as possible. I like to squeeze in batches to ensure I don’t miss any liquid that’s still hanging around. This means you end up with a dry base that will bind together and give you a crisper pizza base.

Homemade pizza sauce

To complement this tasty pizza base, I like to use my homemade pizza sauce, topped with some fresh basil from the garden, which makes this the perfect pizza.

Courgette crust pizza recipe

Ingredients

8 cups courgette, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup coconut flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. basil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
Pi z za sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Pizza toppings of choice

Instruction

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees C/ 550 degrees F.

If you have a pizza stone put it in the oven while it preheats.

If you do not have a pizza stone put a baking tray in the oven to heat up.

Grate the courgette and press it to remove any excess liquid, I like to use a clean cotton dishtowel.

In a large bowl, combine the courgette with the cheese, flour, garlic, oregano, basil, eggs, and salt.

Mix everything together with your hands; make sure it is evenly combined.

Cut a piece of baking paper that fits onto your pizza stone or baking tray.

Put the baking paper onto a chopping board so that it is easy to transfer the pizza crust to the oven.

Lay out your pizza dough mix onto the baking paper or a silicone liner.

Use your fingers to spread it out; you should spread it out to a thickness of about 1 cm.

Transfer your pizza crust on the baking paper to the preheated pizza stone/baking tray.

Bake until the crust starts to brown, usually between 8 15 minutes, it will depend on your oven.

Once cooked take the pizza out of the oven, be sure to leave it on the baking paper when you take it out of the oven.

Top your pizza then put it back into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes.

“Courgette

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

“These

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

8 cups courgette, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup coconut flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. basil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Pizza toppings of choice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees C/ 550 degrees F.
If you have a pizza stone put it in the oven while it preheats.
If you do not have a pizza stone put a baking tray in the oven to heat up.
Grate the courgette and press it to remove any excess liquid, I like to use a clean cotton dishtowel.
In a large bowl, combine the courgette with the cheese, flour, garlic, oregano, basil, eggs, and salt.
Mix everything together with your hands; make sure it is evenly combined.
Cut a piece of baking paper that fits onto your pizza stone or baking tray.
Put the baking paper onto a chopping board so that it is easy to transfer the pizza crust to the oven.
Lay out your pizza dough mix onto the baking paper or a silicone liner.
Use your fingers to spread it out; you should spread it out to a thickness of about 1 cm.
Transfer your pizza crust on the baking paper to the preheated pizza stone/baking tray.
Bake until the crust starts to brown, usually between 8 15 minutes, it will depend on your oven.
Once cooked take the pizza out of the oven, be sure to leave it on the baking paper when you take it out of the oven.
Top your pizza then put it back into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 277 calories; 26 g fat; 27 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein

Equipment

Grater
Kitchen cloth/ dishtowel
Bowl
Spoon
Pizza stone/baking tray
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Kitchen towel
Baking paper or a silicone liner

Macros

The macros as for the pizza base only not for any toppings

Nutritional disclaimer

Avocado tuna melts

Leave a comment 25th Nov 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

Do we have tuna?

For a long time on a weekend, when I asked the question, ‘What do you want for lunch?’ The answer was ‘Do we have any tuna?’. I won’t go into how much I dislike it when people answer a question with a question. Let’s focus on the recurring request for tuna every weekend. Every week, the same request is made for a tuna cheese melt. I don’t have any issues providing tuna for lunch; I get bored with the leftover tuna in the fridge and don’t want to eat it. Life is too short to eat that much tuna.

How to make tuna interesting

I find tinned tuna very difficult to eat on its own. I know it is good for me, but it is so boring! I looked for an alternative to the standard tuna melt to make tuna more interesting. I came up with these avocado tuna melts.

Two birds with one grill

I figured that if I had the grill on to make tuna melts on bread for kids, there would be no downside to having a different kind of tuna melt myself. A quick rummage in the fridge later, and the avocado tuna melt was born. Avocado is the perfect ingredient that makes the tuna less dull and adds a creamy texture that stands up to the grill’s heat.

If you want to use up those uneaten bits of tuna or that can in the pantry, give these melts a go.

Avocado tuna melt recipe

Ingredients

1 avocado
2 cans of tuna
2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated
2 tbsp. Chives, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the grill on the highest setting.

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit.

Scoop out the avocado flesh into a large mixing bowl.

Put the avocado skins on a lined baking tray.

Mash the avocado with a fork.

Add the tuna to the avocado and mix.

In a bowl, add the parsley, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper.

In a the bowl add the parsley, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Mix well.

Add the tuna avocado mix back into the avocado skin.

Grill for 5 minutes so that the tuna and avocado start to colour.

Top the tuna mix with the cheese and grill again to melt the cheese.

Garnish with chopped chives and serve.

Avocado tuna melt

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

Avocado is the perfect ingredient that makes the tuna boring, adds a creamy texture that stands up to the heat of the grill.

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

1 avocado
2 cans of tuna
2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated
2 tbsp. Chives, chopped

Directions

Preheat the grill on the highest setting.
Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit.
Scoop out the avocado flesh and coarsely chop it.
In a bowl, mix together the avocado, tuna, parsley, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Add the tuna avocado mix back into the avocado skin.
Grill for 5 minutes so that the tuna and avocado start to colour.
Top the tuna mix with the cheese and grill again to melt the cheese.
Garnish with chopped chives and serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 240 calories; 17 g fat; 8 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein

Equipment

Knife
Chopping board
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Fork
Baking tray
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons

Nutritional disclaimer

Tandoori chicken skewers

Leave a comment 21st Nov 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

Spicy on the BBQ

The weather has been warming up, and I want to spend more of my time outside enjoying the beauty New Zealand has to offer. When the weather warms up, I want to spend less time hanging out in a hot kitchen; what an excellent excuse to get the BBQ cleaned and fired up. I love cooking over real flames, and the added flavours from cooking over charcoal are hard to beat.

Fire + spicy + meat = awesome!

Op shop inspiration

I bought a backyard BBQ cookbook a few years back on a trip to the Op Shop up in Whangarei. I loved that it was a Man’s cookbook, all about Manly cooking over an open flame without the womenfolk getting in the way. The recipes are all simple and don’t have heaps of prep. They are designed to let the good ingredients and smoke do all the work. While I found the idea of manly cooking requiring no women other than to bring out beers highly amusing, the cooking style and simplicity of the recipes felt like a good fit for me; easy and clean. While skimming through the cookbook, I found the good old chicken and veg skewer recipe, and it got me thinking: Could you make the standard meat and veg skewer better? Yes, you can, or I wouldn’t be posting this recipe.

Tandoori skewers

My backyard BBQ cookbook got me thinking about other foods that use smoke and flames to add more flavour to the food; the answer was reasonably obvious: tandoori. While the tandoor is made of clay and doesn’t use charcoal, the principles are the same- smoke, flames, and meat give you amazing flavours. I always have a jar of tandoori-style spice mix in my pantry to add a bit of extra spice to dinner when needed. I decided to combine BBQ and Indian inspired flavours to deliver something spicy and new for dinner.

Not to hot

While I have nothing against the gas BBQ, I prefer the charcoal BBQ results. Charcoal BBQS take longer to set up and start cooking with, but once they are up and running, they are straightforward to use and can look after themselves and cook your food without too much effort from you. I am not a BBQ expert, but I know what works well for my cooking style and the recipes I have created or used. For this recipe, I set my BBQ up for indirect heat and put the skewers on to cook once all the charcoal had burned and was white. The BBQ internal temperature was around 300 degrees C or 600 degrees F, meaning the meat and veggies were cooked in minutes. Getting the temperature right before you put your food on the BBQ is key. If you put the food on when the BBQ is too hot, you end up with meat that is burned on the outside and raw in the middle. This is dangerous when you are cooking chicken.

Tandoori chicken skewers recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup tandoori spice powder
1 tbsp lime juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 chicken breast, cubed
1/2 green pepper, cubed
1/2 red pepper, cubed
1 red onion, cubed-quartered, then halved
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions

Mix together the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, lime juice, and tandoori spice powder in a bowl.

Place the tandoori spice powder in a large bowl.

Add the garlic and oil a little at a time.

When you have added all the oil you will have a smooth paste.

Add the chicken to the bowl with the tandoori paste, mix to coat the chicken.

Get the vegetables and chicken together to start building the skewers

Thread the chicken, onion, pepper and peppers onto soaked bamboo skewers.

Keep adding chicken, onion and peppers to the skewer

Repeat with the remaining vegetables and chicken

Brush the extra paste onto the skewers.

Cook the skewers on an oiled BBQ or in a chargrill pan, turning occasionally.

The chicken should be cooked through in about 10 minutes.

“Tandoori

Rating: ★★★★★
Print

“A

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

1/3 cup tandoori paste
1 tbsp lime juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 green pepper, cubed
1/2 red pepper, cubed
1 red onion, cubed, quartered, then halved
1/2 cup Olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions

Mix the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, lime juice, and tandoori paste in a bowl.
Add the chicken to the bowl with the tandoori paste and mix to coat the chicken.
Thread the chicken, onion, pepper and peppers onto soaked bamboo skewers.
Brush the extra paste onto the skewers.
Cook the skewers on an oiled BBQ or in a chargrill pan, turning occasionally.
The chicken should be cooked through in about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Per Serving: calories; g fat; g carbohydrates; g protein

Equipment

Knife
Chopping board
Mixing bowl
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Fork
Spoon
Wooden skewers

Nutritional disclaimer

Tuna lettuce wrap

1 Comment 14th Nov 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

For a long time, tuna was a staple of a weekend lunch menu; tuna cheese melts were all I could make to satisfy hungry children. While I was happy to provide a high-protein lunch to the kids, I quickly got over eating leftover tuna or munching on tuna melts each week.

Mixing things up

In an effort to make tuna more interesting and easier to eat (every weekend), I came up with these tasty wraps. Anyone who knows me knows I love salad, so what could be better than mixing tuna and salad? Introducing fresh vegetables adds much-needed texture and new flavours to some boring tuna, while the avocado dressing is a great replacement for mayo. A simple solution to a repetitive problem. Now I get to choose when to eat tuna (and it isn’t every weekend), these tuna wraps are always my go-to option.

These lettuce wraps are the best way to eat tuna if you ask me.

Tuna lettuce wrap recipe

Ingredients

4 lettuce leaves
120g tinned tuna, drained
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup carrot, grated
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
2 tbsp. Avocado Dressing

Instructions

Take a large mixing bowl.

Mix the tuna, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and red onion in the bowl.

Mix everything together — Mixing everything together.

Place lettuce leaves on a plate.

Add the avocado dressing.

Add two tablespoons of avocado dressing.

Mix well.

Divide the mixture between the lettuce leaves.

Divide the tuna mixture between the leaves.

You can drizzle each wrap with a bit more avocado dressing before serving.

Serve and enjoy!

Tuna Lettuce Wrap

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

“These

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

4 lettuce leaves
120g tinned tuna, drained
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup carrot, grated
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. Avocado Dressing

Directions

Take a large mixing bowl.
Mix the tuna, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and red onion in the bowl.
Add the avocado dressing.
Mix well.
Place lettuce leaves on a plate.
Divide the mixture between the lettuce leaves.
You can drizzle each wrap with a bit more avocado dressing before serving.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 111 calories; 2 g fat; 9 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein

Equipment

Grater
Knife
Chopping board
Fork
Spoon
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons

Nutritional disclaimer

Corned beef

1 Comment 11th Nov 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

I never had any interest in corned beef when I was younger. I thought of corned beef as something nasty that came in a can and smelled a bit gross. While I still think that the corned beef in a can is gross, I do like a nice chunk of corned beef cooked just right. As with all things, learning how to do something right is a key to success; cooking the meat right is no exception.

A good crust

The first few times I made corned beef, I simply plopped the meat in the pan with some water and boiled it. Boring, I know. I decided to see what would happen if I seared the meat before boiling. The difference in flavour was amazing. I could not believe how much better the corned beef was. I know I shouldn’t be surprised that searing meat makes such a difference, but I was. The simple step adds a depth of flavour to any dish and brings out the best in your meal.

Instant Pot vs Cooker top

A few years ago, I decided to buy an Instant Pot when my old slow cooker died. It was a game-changer for slow cooking, but it changed my life thanks to the pressure cooker function. I remember the 1980s pressure cooker in my Nan’s kitchen with the valve that sounded like a jackhammer when it was time to release the pressure, and it scared the crap out of me. Thankfully, the Instant Pot pressure cooker setting is easy to use and has a beep to let you know when it is ready to release the pressure, not a jackhammer. When it comes to making corned beef now, I always break out the Instant Pot, mainly because it is so easy to use and I get perfectly cooked meat every time. On the rare occasions when my Instant Pot is in use and my corned beef is cooking on the stove, I have found that the cast iron pot is the best for simmering the meat. Whatever option you are going with, just make sure that you have enough water to completely cover the meat to make sure it ends up tender and juicy.

Corned beef

Ingredients

2kg Corned beef
2 bag leaves
12 peppercorns
2 tbsp coconut aminos

Instruction

Preheat a heavy-bottomed or cast-iron frying pan.

Sear all sides of the beef to create a golden crust.

If using an Instant Pot, place all the ingredients in the pot with water up to the minimum water line.

Set the Instant Pot to cook on the pressure cooking setting, on high for 90 minutes.

Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Alternatively

Place the peppercorns, bay leaves, coconut aminos and seared meat in a large stockpot.

Cover the meat with boiling water.

Bring the water to a rolling boil.

Reduce the heat to allow the meat to simmer, and cover the pan gently.

Simmer the meat for 40 minutes per 500g of meat.

Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the pan.

Let it rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

Corned beef

Servings: 12
Prep Time: “10
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

“Easy

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

2kg Corned beef
2 bay leaves
12 peppercorns
2 tbsp coconut aminos

Directions

Preheat a heavy bottom or cast won frying pan.
Sear all sides of the beef to create a golden crust.
If using an Instant pot place all of the ingredients in the pot with water up to the no higher than the minimum water line.
Set the Instant pot to cook on the pressure cooking setting, on high for 90 minutes.
Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Alternatively
Place the peppercorns, bay leaves, coconut aminos and seared meat in a large stockpot.
Cover the meat with boiling water.
Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Reduce the heat to allow the meat to gently simmer, cover the pan.
Simmer the meat for 40 mins per 500g of meat.
Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the pan.
Let it rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

Nutrition

Per Serving:196 calories;5 g fat; 2 g carbohydrates; 35 g protein

Equipment

Cast iron frying pan
Tongs
Stockpot with a lid

Nutritional disclaimer

Carrot taco shells

Leave a comment 31st Oct 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

Everything is awesome

I feel like Taco Tuesday has been a thing for a long time, but it seems to be a new regular feature in people’s lives now (thank you, Lego Movie). #everythingisawesome

Taco Tuesday is a regular feature in my house, mainly because I love tacos, and what could be better after a day in the office and a monster workout?

Extra veggies for the kids

I enjoy using egg wraps with my tacos, and while traditional corn taco shells are great, I sometimes want to increase my vegetable intake. In the past, I was quite creative in sneaking vegetables into my children’s diets. Carrot taco shells were one of my sneaky ways to get kids to eat veggies without complaint, and now they are my go-to method for using up those carrots in the fridge before they start looking sad.

Worth the effort

I will be honest, these taco shells take a little bit of effort; they probably aren’t an easy option for a weeknight, but if you make them on the weekend, they will keep well in the fridge in an airtight container. If you are making them ahead of time, they are easy to re-crisp in the oven or in the trusty air fryer.

Carrot taco shells recipe

Ingredients

200g carrots, cooked and grated
75g cheese, grated
2 eggs
3 tbsp. Oat flour

Peel the carrots and cook them in boiling water for about 10 minutes.

Drain the carrots and let them cool before grating the carrots.

Squeeze out the excess water from the grated carrots, so the taco shells are not too soggy.

Place the carrots into a bowl, add the cheese eggs and flour, and then mix everything together.

Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/ 390 degrees F

Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the carrot mix onto the lined baking paper, use your fingers to flatten out each portion into a thin disc.

Bake at 200C for 15 minutes or until crispy around the edges.

Allow the discs to cool for a few minutes then gently remove the shells from the baking paper or a silicone liner. If you would like to shape the shells, you can lay them over a bottle or rolling pin.

As the shells cool, they will harden slightly.

Fill the shells with your choice of taco filling and they are ready to go.

Carrot taco shells

Servings: 10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

These taco sheels are ideal for a low carb taco Tuesday

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

200g carrots, cooked and grated
75g cheese, grated
2 eggs
3 tbsp. Buckwheat flour

Directions

Peel the carrots and cook them in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
Drain the carrots and let them cool before grating them.
Squeeze out the excess water from the grated carrots, so the taco shells are not too soggy.
Place the carrots into a bowl, add the cheese, eggs and flour, and then mix everything together.
Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/ 390 degrees F
Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the carrot mix onto the lined baking paper, and use your fingers to flatten out each portion into a thin disc.
Bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes or until crispy around the edges.
Allow the discs to cool for a few minutes, then gently remove the shells from the baking paper or a silicone liner. If you want to shape the shells, you can lay them over a bottle or rolling pin.
As the shells cool, they will harden slightly.
Fill the shells with your choice of taco filling, and they are ready to go.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 64 calories; 3.8 g fat; 4.4 g carbohydrates; 3.5 g protein

Equipment

Grater
Knife
Chopping board
Bowl
Baking tray
Spatula
Ice cream scoop
Cooling rack

Nutritional disclaimer

Jalapeno burgers

1 Comment 17th Oct 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

Who doesn’t want to have simple and tasty meals?

Maintaining a clean eating lifestyle is all about keeping things simple; if it is complicated, you make it harder for yourself. My focus recently has been on creating recipes that can be prepared and cooked quickly on a busy weeknight.

We all struggle to make healthy and tasty meals while keeping on top of everything else in life. This recipe is healthy, delicious and easy to make. You can cook on a single tray in the oven, and it is cooked in under 30 minutes. The preparation takes no more than 20 minutes, involving all the slicing, dicing, and mixing. Each meal is portioned to feed four adults.

Takeaway alternative

We all love a naughty takeaway, but we can all live without the extra calories and the expanding waistlines. You don’t need to live without your takeaway; swap it out for a delicious and healthier fakeaway. These burgers have quickly become one of my favourite burgers to make. During the many months of COVID lockdown here in Auckland, these burgers were my go-to cheat meal. Even with lockdowns a distant memory, I still break these burgers out when I’m craving something naughty but don’t want all the processed crap that comes from real takeout. The best thing about these burgers is the cheese-filled open top; the filling delivers a light cheese crust with a beautifully creamy and spicy filling.

Jalapeno burger recipe

Ingredients

1 jalapeno pepper
1 tbsp. yoghurt
4 tbsp. mozzarella cheese, grated
30g Goat cheese
180g minced beef
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tbsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Sea salt
Ground pepper

Slice jalapeño in half, remove the seeds and finely chop them.

In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, mozzarella, goat cheese, and jalapeño.

Take a small muffin tray and divide the cheese mix between 6 cups of the muffin tray.

Place the muffin tray in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / 360 degrees F

Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner

While the cheese is chilling, start on the burger mix.

Take a large mixing bowl and add the meat, garlic, cumin, sea salt, and ground pepper.

Mix the meat well and divide it into six portions.

Remove the muffin tray from the freezer and remove the cheese mix from the tray.

Take one portion of meat and flatten it out into a pattie.

Add a cheese portion to the centre of the pattie and bring the meat up around the cheese gently.

You should have enough meat to cover most of the cheese; leave a small opening at the top of the burger.

Bake at 180 degrees C / 360 degrees F for 20 minutes.

The outside of the burger should be brown, and the cheese is bubbling out the top.

Serve on a bed of lettuce or between two quick rounds.

Jalapeno burger

Rating: ★★★★★
Print

“An

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

1 Jalapeno pepper
1 tbsp. yoghurt
4 tbsp. mozzarella cheese, grated
30g Goat cheese
500g minced beef
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tbsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Sea salt
Ground pepper

Directions

Slice jalapeño in half, remove the seeds and finely chop them.
In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, mozzarella, goat cheese, and jalapeño.
Take a small muffin tray and divide the cheese mix between 6 cups of the muffin tray.
Place the muffin tray in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / 360 degrees F
Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner
While the cheese is chilling, start on the burger mix.
Take a large mixing bowl and add the meat, garlic, cumin, sea salt, and ground pepper.
Mix the meat well and divide it into six portions.
Remove the muffin tray from the freezer and remove the cheese mix from the tray.
Take one portion of meat and flatten it out into a pattie.
Add a cheese portion to the centre of the pattie and bring the meat up around the cheese gently.
You should have enough meat to cover most of the cheese; leave a small opening at the top of the burger.
Bake at 180 degrees C / 360 degrees F for 20 minutes.
The outside of the burger should be brown, and the cheese is bubbling out the top.
Serve on a bed of lettuce or between two quick rounds.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 158 calories; 8 g fat; 1 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein

Equipment

Knife
Chopping board
Fork
Small mixing bowl
Large mixing bowl
Measuring spoons
Kitchen scale
Silicone muffin pan
Spoon
Baking tray
Baking paper or silicone liner

Nutritional disclaimer

Avocado burger buns

Leave a comment 14th Oct 2025 cath@easycleaneatsnz

Ready for more grain-free bread, please

It’s time to break out the BBQ down here in the Southern Hemisphere, which means lots of burgers being made in the sunshine. I’m not looking to add all the carbs that go with the beef burgers, so I’ve been whipping up quick bread with a twist.

Avocado abundance

Whenever avocados are in season, I try to make the most of them. We all know that avocados have a small window of perfect ripeness, and they all hit that point simultaneously. So as not to waste them, I buy and then freeze the avocado pulp. To make my quick break a little more interesting, I’ve used some avocado pulp to make my burger buns extra. If you have fresh avocados, they also work for this recipe. If you use frozen avocado pulp, make sure it is completely thawed before folding it into the mix.

Burger buns recipe

Ingredients

4 egg whites
2 avocados
4 tbsp. buckwheat flour
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Instructions

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C/ 320 degrees F.

Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites for 30 seconds using an electric whisk or stand mixer.

Add the cream of tartar and keep whisking on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Place the avocado flesh into a food processor, and blend until you get a smooth puree.

Add the avocado puree to the egg whites.

Add the buckwheat flour and baking soda to the bowl with the egg whites.

Use a spatula to combine the ingredients together; fold the ingredients together, don’t stir them.

You want a smooth, fluffy batter.

Divide the batter into 12 rounds on the baking tray.

Bake the buns for 15 – 20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.

Remove the buns from the oven and transfer the buns on the baking paper to a cooling rack.

Let the buns cool for 10 minutes before filling them up with burgers.

Remove the buns from the oven and transfer the buns on the baking paper to a cooling rack.

Let the buns cool for 10 minutes before filling them up with burgers.

“Avocado

Prep Time: “5
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rating: ★★★★★
Print

“What

Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

4 egg whites
2 avocados
4 tbsp. buckwheat flour
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C/ 320 degrees F.
Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites for 30 seconds using an electric whisk or stand mixer.
Add the cream of tartar and keep whisking on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Place the avocado flesh into a food processor, and blend until you get a smooth puree.
Add the avocado puree to the egg whites.
Add the buckwheat flour and baking soda to the bowl with the egg whites.
Use a spatula to combine the ingredients together; fold the ingredients together, don’t stir them.
You want a smooth, fluffy batter.
Divide the batter into 12 rounds on the baking tray.
Bake the buns for 15 – 20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
Remove the buns from the oven and transfer the buns on the baking paper to a cooling rack.
Let the buns cool for 10 minutes before filling them up with burgers.

Nutrition

Per Serving: calories; 4g fat; 4g carbohydrates; 2g protein

Equipment

Baking tray
Whisk
Food processor
Spatula
Mixing bowl
Cooling rack

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