Warm Chicken Salad. A Varoma recipe

Start this recipe 30 minutes before you wish to serve the meal.
It is all prepared in the Varoma except the salad leaves.
This serves 4.
The recipe is adapted to the TMX from Melbourne Age, Good Food .

2 fresh Bay leaves
1 sprig of thyme
2 smashed cloves of garlic
1 full large chicken breast, skin and bone free.  Sliced into flat serving pieces about 6x3 cm.
Chicken stock, enough to cover the chicken, ( I used 1. 1/2 cups)
Salt and pepper to taste.150 mls of best EVOO
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup of lightly roasted pine nuts
1/2 cup sultanas
200 g green beans topped and tailed
2 large handfuls of salad greens.

Method

Place 1 liter of cold water in TMX bowl.
Place sliced chicken, bay leaves, thyme , stock ,garlic. and S and P in heat proof dish that will fit into Varoma.  An oven bag can also be used.  Cover dish with lid or plastic wrap.
Place an egg ring or 2 bamboo skewers in Varoma  (to allow steam to circulate)  place dish on top and cover with Vatoma lid.
Place green beans on top of cover on chicken.
Steam 30 minutes, removing beans after 10 minutes and refresh in cold water.
While chicken is steaming, place salad leaves in serving bowl and top with blanched beans.
Mix EVOO and lemon juice in a bowl and add saltanas and pine nuts.
When chicken is Cooke, remove from Varoma and set aside and empty  out water from bowl.
Tip in EVOO mixture and mix on reverse  for 5 seconds.  The residual heat will warm this mixture.
Strain the Chicken and place over salad leaves and tip the mixture from the TMX bowl over the salad.
Serve immediately.

Notes
Slivered almonds can replace the pine nuts.
The poaching liquid can be prepared earlier.
I served this with fresh crusty bread.

Tahini biscuits

Morning Tea in new Cafe in Kyneton.  Piper StreeT Food Store.  Lovely coffee and I enjoyed a Tahini biscuit, made in house .
I thought it was a bit like an Anzac but a bit more substantial and probably no butter.   Could also be made gluten free.  Also no nuts,  so good for school lunches.  How healthy is that!
Ingredients , in order of use.

Set oven at 160o C

120 g of Tahini, mix jar well so oil is incorporated.  For a thinner crisper biscuit,  increase to 150g.
2 generous Tablespoons of Golden Syrup,  increase to 3 T for a crisper biscuit.
125 g brown sugar
3 Tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon of Carb Soda
50 g coconut
150g mixture of sesame seeds and sunflower seeds.
160 g rolled Oats


Method

Combine Tahini, Golden Syrup and brown sugar in TMX bowl and mix on speed 5 until all comes to form a soft paste.  Scrape down bowl and mix again speed 5 / 10 seconds
Add water and Carb Soda, mix on speed 5/ 10 seconds.
Add coconut and seed, TURBO twice
Scrape down bowl. TURBO once.
Tip mixture into a large bowl and add oats.
Fold oats into mixture,   It will be very stiff.
Use a small ice cream scoop to make balls the size of a walnut.
Place on a lined tray and press firmly with wet fingers.
Bake 20 minutes at 160 oC. Turning trays after 10 minutes.
Leave on trays for 10 minutes to set up and remove to wire rack to cool

If you like your biscuits crunchy on the outside,  after 10 turn them over and pop back in oven until they have dried out, 5 to 10 minutes.

Makes 24 to 30, depending on size of icecream scoop.

Lentil Dip

This recipe is a very tasty variation on "lentil and Sun dried Tomato dip", from"Worlds Best Diet" cook book. I have adapted it to TMX.

1 cup , 200grams, cooked lentils, ( I used brown but any colour could be used.) Well drained and rinsed , canned would also be ok.
35 g of semi dried tomatoes , in oil ok.
Juice of 1 lemon
1 generous Tablespoon of olive oil. 
Pinch of chilli powder
2 teaspoons of ground Cumin
I large clove of garlic.

Place all in TMX and mix , speed 7 until tomatoes are well chopped.
Scrape down and add more oil or Greek Yoghurt and mix again until desired consistency is reached.

Notes.

I used yoghurt as I am watching calories.   But did make a batch with additional oil and it was equally good. ( visitors took this lot home)
Added some to a cheese sandwich, good.
Could add olives.
Could be served with carrot, celery sticks or cucumber slices.
Don't be put off by the look because the taste is amazing.