I was thrilled to collaborate with McCain foods to promote their new range of ready frozen sides and the stir fry mixes. I love a food challenge and always look forward to developing new recipes with new products.
McCain’s range of products are freshly frozen using the finest ingredients and is so quick and easy to heat up. It tastes so delicious and is very easy to cook with. You will be amazed with the new and exciting dishes you could cook in a flash, and you would certainly impress your guests with your fabulous creations .
The items that I chose to use were the Banting stir fry mix, mashed butternut and creamed spinach sides. Hope you enjoy trying out these recipes and they are so much easier to make with McCain.
McCain’s Mashed Butternut
McCain’s mashed butternut is deliciously smooth and mildly spiced with butter and cinnamon. The ideas of dishes to create with this convenient product are endless, and I have chosen my favourite 2 to share with you. A sweet and savoury treat which the kids and adults would enjoy. These dishes are a great way of sneaking in veggies into your child’s diet as well.
Tuna and butternut croquettes
1 tin shredded tuna, drained
250g McCains mashed butternut
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 chopped Chilli, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour, for dusting
1 egg
Panko breadcrumbs
Oil, for shallow frying
Mix all the ingredients together and form into balls and allow to chill in a fridge for about 30 minutes. Dust in flour, dip in egg and coat in crumbs.
Heat a pan with shallow oil or alternatively fry in your airfryer . Place balls in the oil and allow to brown on all sides. Serve immediately with mayonnaise swirled with sriracha.
Spiced Butternut Cupcakes
1 cup McCain mashed butternut
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup castor sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Beat the wet ingredients and sugar together. Add in the dry ingredients and mix lightly. Pour batter into cupcake pans. This recipe makes 12 cakes. Bake for about 20 minutes until done. Cool before decorating with a cream cheese icing or serve them as a muffin with tea.
Deliciously light, egg free and mildly spiced.
McCain’s Banting Mix
The McCain Banting stir fry mix is a delicious combination of green beans, red onions, cabbage and broccoli.
Even though my family isn’t on the carb-free diet, this stir fry mix is a freezer staple and can be enjoyed in non-Banting meals as well.
This fried rice is packed full of flavour and is so divine, you won’t even miss the carbs.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
1 cup McCains Banting stir fry mix
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 green/red Chilli, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
4 tblsp soy sauce
Chopped spring onions
Optional : cubed chicken/beef
Place cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse until it is fine and rice-like.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the garlic and veggies and sauté until softened.
Add in the cauliflower and steam until cooked, but not mushy.
Make a well in the middle of the pan, turn the heat down, and add the eggs. Stir gently and continuously until the eggs are fully cooked. Stir in the soy sauce and spring onions just before serving.
This recipe could easily be made with rice or couscous if you are not on a carb-free diet.
McCain’s Creamed Spinach
Today’s recipe is made using McCain’s ready frozen Creamed Spinach. There are two varieties available, the original creamed spinach and the other has feta in it. Either can be used for this recipe. The creamed spinach is so delicious, others would think that you have freshly prepared it, spending hours in the kitchen.
Spinach and Mushroom Frittata
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 tblsp olive oil
1 small punnet sliced mushrooms
1/2 pkt McCain ready creamed spinach
6 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tblsp cream cheese
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped coriander
Sauté the onion in the oil until translucent, add in the garlic and mushrooms. Allow to soften and then add in the creamed spinach, lower heat and allow to steam.
Whisk the eggs, milk, seasonings and herbs. Raise the heat of the pan and add in the eggs, mix lightly with the spinach mixture and allow the bottom of the frittata to set. Dollop the cream cheese over the top and place under a hot grill to brown the top of the frittata. If you enjoy green herbs, this frittata is definitely for you. It’s moist and light and full of flavour, and the secret is the creamed spinach, ready packed by McCain.
