By Brett McGregor
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients
​Gluten free

• 90g Sweetas! Kumara, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cm knob of ginger, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, quartered
• 4 tbls vegetable or avocado oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
• 3 tsp tumeric
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tspd ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 - 1 tsp chilli powder to taste
• handful of fresh coriander, (leaves and stalks chopped)

Method
Blend together the onion, garlic and tomato until smooth. Heat the oil in a large  non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin and mustard seeds. Once the cumin starts to darken, add the onion mixture. Cook for 1 minute before adding the ground spices and chilli and season to taste. Saute gently for 2 minutes or until it becomes aromatic. Tip in the Kumara and cook for 3-5 minutes to absorb the flavours. Check seasoning, stir in the coriander and serve.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Serves: 6

​A yummy winter soup that everyone will love. Serve with some crusty bread… and for a little extra magic, add a swirl of coconut, a few green leaves of coriander and lastly a sprinkle of diced salami or bacon.

Ingredients
       1 tbsp butter
       1 tbsp oil
       1 onion, diced
       4 cloves garlic
       5cm knob of ginger, grated
       1 carrot
       2 stalks of celery
       1 orange capsicum
       ½ pumpkin
       1 orange kumara
       2 chicken stock cubes
       ½ can coconut cream
       ½ tsp nutmeg
       Garnish (optional)
       4 tbsp Coconut cream (enough to swirl on top of each bowl)
       Few sprigs of Coriander
       4 tbsp Salami – diced (fried bacon would do the trick too) Leave out for vegetarians.

Instructions

1. Heat saucepan on medium add butter and oil. Add onions and cook 5 minutes, add garlic and ginger and combine. After a minute or so add carrot, celery and capsicum.
2. After about 3 minutes add pumpkin & kumara and sauté for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and enough water to cover vegetables then bring to the boil.
3. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until pumpkin and kumara soft. Remove from heat and using a stick blender blend.
4. Return to heat and add ½ can coconut cream and season with some salt to taste. Grate over the nutmeg, remove from the heat and blend one more time.
5. Serve in bowls. For a little extra magic, add a swirl of coconut, a few green leaves of coriander and lastly a sprinkle of diced salami or bacon.(leave out last sprinkle for vegetarians)

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Prep time 10 minutes

Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp palm sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp pineapple juice
1 tbsp tamari soy sauce

Salad
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp lime juice
2 cups finely shredded orange kumara
2 cups finely shredded carrot
1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup coriander, sliced

Add garlic, chillies to a mortar and pestle and crush to make a paste. Add sugar and continue to work. Add lime and pineapple juice, tamari and stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavour as needed, adding more sugar for sweetness, tamari for saltiness, lime juice for acidity, or chilli for heat. Set aside. Place shredded carrot, red onion, almonds, and coriander into a bowl and add the sesame and lime juice, then add dressing and toss to coat.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

8 SERVINGS COOK TIME 60-70M
 
Hazelnut pastry
1¼ cups skin-on hazelnuts
1 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
¾ tsp salt
110g chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
 
Tart filling
Pinch of cream of tartar
1¼ cups sugar, divided
1 cup cream
1 cup orange kumara purée*
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1½ tsp ginger, finely grated
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp salt
3 eggs
 
Whipped cream to serve
 
Method
 
The crust
Preheat oven to 180°. Toast hazelnuts on a baking sheet, tossing once, until fragrant and slightly darkened, 8–10 minutes; let cool. Using a kitchen towel, rub hazelnuts together to remove most of the skins.
 
Pulse flour, sugar, salt, and ¾ cup hazelnuts in a food processor until the consistency of coarse meal. Reserve remaining ½ cup hazelnuts for filling. Add butter to dry ingredients and pulse until large breadcrumbs. Transfer mix to a bowl; drizzle with up to 1-3 tbsp of ice water over and mix, just to bring dough together.
 
Using your fingers, press dough evenly up the sides and then into the bottom of a 20cm pan; compact and smooth with a flat, straight-sided measuring cup or glass.  
 
Bake crust until golden but not totally baked through, 15–20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes.

Getting things together
 
Meanwhile, bring cream of tartar, sugar, and 2 tbsp water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, swirling pan occasionally until caramel is a deep amber colour, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisking constantly, carefully add cream and whisk until smooth. Let caramel cool slightly in pot.
 
Whisk kumara purée, brown sugar, flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually add caramel and eggs, whisking until well blended. Scrape filling into prepared crust. Bake tart, rotating halfway through, until filling is set around edges and centre barely jiggles, 30–35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in dish.
 
Meanwhile, coarsely chop remaining hazelnuts and cook in a small pan over medium heat with remaining ¼ cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. water, until sugar caramelizes and evenly coats hazelnuts. Transfer caramelized hazelnuts to a sheet of baking paper and let cool completely.
 
Break hazelnut praline over the top and serve with whipped cream.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Baked kumara, spiced chickpeas with kumara hummus dressing
Serves 4 as a side Prep time 10 mins Cook time 30 mins
 
2 medium orange kumara, washed, sliced in half lengthwise
425 g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon each cumin, coriander, smoked paprika
 
Dressing
1/4 cup Kumara hummus
1 tablespoon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Water to thin a little
 
To garnish
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
½ red onion, sliced finely
small handful parsley and coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
 
Method
 
Preheat oven to 200 Degrees c. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Toss rinsed and drained chickpeas with olive oil and spices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Rub the kumara with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, place on the same baking sheet and bake for 25 - 30m.
 
Meanwhile prepare your dressing by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine, add enough water to thin so it’s pourable. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
 
For the topping, simply combine the tomato, onion, parsley and coriander with lemon juice and set aside. Once the kumara are fork tender and the chickpeas are golden brown - roughly 30 minutes - remove from oven.
 
For serving, place kumara flesh-side up and gently fluff with a fork. Top with chickpeas, sauce and garnish. Serve immediately.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Prep time 20 Cook time 55-60
 
 1 cup butter, softened
 2 cups white sugar
 2 cups Orange and gold kumara, cooked until soft then mashed
 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 4 eggs
 3 cups flour
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 1/4 teaspoon salt
100g butter, softened
 2 ½ cups icing sugar
125g cream cheese, room temp
 Zest and juice of half a lemon or to taste
 A little hot water to thin
 
Method
 
Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Grease and flour a 25cm round pound cake tin. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add kumara and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture to kumara mixture. Beat on low until combined.
Pour mix into round pound cake tin. Bake at 175 degrees C for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool cake for 20 minutes in the pan, then invert onto wire rack.
To make the icing: in a small bowl. Beat the butter and cream cheese together combine with icing sugar. Add lemon juice and a touch of hot water to achieve drizzling consistency. Spoon over warm cake and sprinkle with zest.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Prep time:20 mins
Cook time:15 mins 
Serves: 6

​The perfect start to any weekend - Kumara Waffles! The kids will love them, and so will you!

Ingredients
       2½ cups all-purpose flour
       ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
       2¼ tsp baking powder
       1 tsp baking soda
       ½ tsp salt
       2 tsp ground cinnamon
       1 tsp ground ginger
       ¼ tsp ground cloves (optional)
       4 large eggs
       1 cup milk
       1 cup buttermilk
       1 cup Orange Kumara, boiled, mashed (cooled)
       6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
       Chopped pecans, for serving
       3 tbsp Maple syrup
       1 cup sour cream
       2 pears, sliced

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
2. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, buttermilk, Orange Kumara and melted butter. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients, folding just until combined. The mix will be slightly lumpy.
3. Combine the maple with the sour cream and set aside.
4. Preheat the waffle baker and lightly grease it with butter. Add a portion of the batter to the waffle baker, close the lid and cook until fully baked. Remove the waffle then repeat with the remaining waffle batter.
5. Top the waffles with pear, chopped pecans, maple and sour cream. Serve immediately.
   

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

A fragrant and filling warm salad in honour of National Nut Day on October 22nd. You’ll love the colour and crunch the pistachios add to this dish!

Pistachio & kumara couscous

Prep time    10 mins     Cook time      20 mins      Total time  30 mins

Cuisine: Kiwi, Middle Eastern
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 1 cup chicken stock, almost boiling
• 1½ tbsp olive oil, divided measure
• 1 orange kumara
• ½ cup broccoli, broken into small florets and blanched
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• ½ tsp each cumin, coriander and turmeric
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 100g pistachio nuts, dry toasted with 2 tbsp sunflower seeds and ½ tsp paprika
• ½ cup mixed parsley and coriander,
• Sliced zest of a lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place couscous into a bowl and pour in hot stock. Add ½ tbsp oil and combine. Cover and let steam for about 3 minutes. Remove cover and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
2. Roll the kumara in a paper towel and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Peel and dice. Place into a med bowl with the blanched broccoli. Set aside.
3. Heat a pan on a med heat and add the oil. When hot add the onions, carrots and cook until sweet, about 5 minutes, then add the tomato then cumin, coriander, turmeric, season and combine. Add 3 tbsp of water and combine.
4. Add the chickpeas and cook for a further 2 minutes or until heated through. Remove. Add the warmed chickpeas to the fluffed couscous and combine, now add the broccoli and kumara. Add the fresh herbs with the zest and gently combine.
5. Season, finally sprinkle over the roughly chopped pistachio and sunflower mix to serve.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Be kind to yourselves…blend yourself up this kumara and berry smoothie – your body will thank you for it! Up the Anti - Kumara and Berry smoothie

Author: Brett McGregor
Cuisine: Health
Serves: 500ml

Ingredients

• ⅛ Orange kumara, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup mixed berries
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup of coconut water
• 1 tsp wild blueberry blend (optional)

Recipe created by Brett McGregor

Kumara Cakes with Italian Meringue 
Makes 12

Kumara cakes
1/2 cup kumara puree – bake kumara for 1 hour at 180dc or until super soft, puree flesh in food processor until smooth
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
 
Mapled Italian meringue
 2 large egg whites
 ¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
 
Method
Heat oven to 180dc.
Line a Baking tray with baking paper or silicone baking mat.
 
Beat the kumara puree, maple syrup, and brown sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add in extract and egg, and beat until well combined.
 
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until fully incorporated.
 
Using a small spoon, scoop mix onto prepared tray (the mix doesn’t spread out, but does puff up). Bake until cakes have puffed up and are dry to the touch, about 8-10 minutes. Let cakes rest on baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
To make the meringue - in a medium-sized saucepan combine the sugar and water. Heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to medium-high and allow the syrup to come to a boil.
 
In the meantime, add the egg whites to a medium-sized, heatproof bowl and using electric beaters beat until foamy and the whites are almost able to hold soft peaks.
 
Once the syrup is boiling, clip on a thermometer. Cook until the syrup reaches 116°C (or the soft ball stage), then take the pan off the heat and slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the bowl with the foamy egg whites, mixing continuously to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
 
Once all the syrup has been added, keep mixing until the bottom of the bowl feels cool to the touch and the meringue has cooled down to body temperature.
Use immediately.
 
To make…
Spoon 1 tsp of the marshmallow mixture on top of half of the cooled cookies. Top with remaining cookies, gently pressing down to stick together. Chill assembled kumara cakes until filling has set.

Recipe created by Brett McGregor