A very Aussie lunch: 5 light & easy recipes to try

A top of the morning to you. I mentioned last year that over the next few months I’ll be working with Coles to bring you some meal ideas, and recipes each month, in hopes that it gets your taste-buds dancing and tummy grumbling. So this is what I’m doing today. You’ll need to let me know if at the end of it all your tummy is grumbling.

This month I wanted to do something a little bit light and a little bit social and a little bit Aussie. Because there’s only so much my body can handle after all the chocolate pavlova I consumed over Christmas. It was fun, but I think my family was about to stage an intervention. And Australia Day is just around the corner, so this Coles-inspired menu would be perfect. But this menu would also be perfect any day in summer.

THE AUSSIE SUMMER MENU: TASTE-BUDS, GET READY TO DANCE

Lamb burgers with tzatziki yoghurt.

Quick side story. Lacey had never eaten a hamburger until this day. She asked for one minus the sauce and rocket, and she ate it. We fist pumped because suddenly life got a little easier. I grabbed some lamb and mint patties from Coles {if lamb and mint aren’t your thing, definitely try Heston’s Remarkable burger patties instead}, added some sliced tomato, some rocket and a little homemade tzatziki. To up the health-factor, use seeded wholemeal buns from the bakery section at Coles  {my dietitian lady tells me they make your body work harder to break them down, and it keeps you fuller longer. I love seeds, but I’m also a sucker for a squishy white bun}.

Rainbow salad. This is just like coleslaw without the creamy dressing. Use a precut classic coleslaw mix {or just shred some red cabbage}. Peel some strips of carrot and cucumber. Add some shallots. Some coriander. Some English spinach. A handful of fried noodles. And then dress with dressing {2tbs light olive oil, 2tbs sweet chilli sauce, and 2 tbs lime juice}. Toss and serve.

Flavoured water. So easy. Half-fill a jug with ice, and then water. Place sliced lemon, lime and strawberry inside {it’s strawberry season, go hard!} and leave for fifteen minutes before serving. If you’ve got mint, throw some of that in too. I’ll throw mint in anything to be honest, it’s my favourite.

Potato salad. My Ma makes the BEST potato salad. It’s smothered in mayo and so super naughty. This one isn’t so much. I grabbed some of the small red potatoes {near the salad leaves in the fruit and vege section at Coles} and boiled them whole with the skin {yay for extra fibre}. Once boiled, chop into bite-sized pieces. Make a dressing with 3 tbs of light sour cream {I used Coles Simply Less Sour Cream}, 3 tbs of mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tsp of Dijon Mustard. Drizzle over your potatoes. Add some chopped chives and tarragon. Serve!

Grilled pineapple with minty yoghurt. Remove the outsides of a fresh pineapple, and slice into chunks. Place on a skewer. Drizzle with a little brown sugar {around 1 tablespoon}. Heat a frying pan or BBQ, and once the plate is hot, place pineapple and grill until caramelised and warmed through. Serve with Coles greek style yoghurt with a little mint stirred through.

I know this might look like an epic effort, but I’d decided on the menu, shopped and cooked within a few hours {during the holiday period! So half of that time was spent looking for a parking spot}.

So, are those taste-buds dancing? How are you spending Australia Day this year?