Everyone loves mom's meatpies. She makes the dough from scratch and so i wanted to share with you this special recipe. It requires work, but so worth it. You can make in batches and freeze. Just heat in the oven when you want to eat. These are so delicious, a batch doesn't last long.

For the filling, follow the samosa recipe and keep aside. It's the same filling that she uses. Alternatively you can also use the taquitos or beef/chicken taco recipe for the filling.

Ingredients for dough:
1 kg all purpose flour (2.2 pounds)
2 teaspoons baking powder
500 grams of butter (1 pound)
2 pinches salt
1/2 cup of cold water
1 egg

1) Add flour and baking powder and salt to a mixing bowl and mix well.
2) Chop butter into little bits and crumble into the mixture with hand. Use your fingertips to mix butter into the flour until it becomes crumbly.
3) Add water in little quantities to the mixture and knead the mixture into a ball of dough.
4) Leave dough covered for about 10 mins.

5) Break egg and and add a drop or two of water and mix well.
6) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

7) Break some dough and roll out to about 5 mm thickness in a round circle.

8) Cut into quarters.

9) Fill one quarter with pre-made filling.

10) Fold each quarter in half.

11) Using a fork, mark the edges to get a pattern and seal each pie.

12) Brush with egg mixture on top and using fork poke some holes on the top of pastry and bake for 35 minutes until golden brown.

Mom makes this great paak made out of vermicelli (sev). Its delicious and not too bad in terms of calories when you compare to other Indian deep fried sweets. The nuts and shredded coconut are optional but when added make for a full bodied dessert.

Ingredients:
2 packets of vermicelli (sev), 150g each packet
1/4 cup of unsalted, butter
1 can of sweetened condensed milk, 300 ml

Optional:
3 tablespoons of unsweetened, shredded coconut (some for garnish as well)
2.5 tablespoons of chopped walnuts
1 tablespoons of chopped pistachios (some for garnish as well)
1.5 tablespoons of chopped almonds
1 tablespoons of chopped cashews
1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds

1) Start by breaking vermicelli into small pieces in the bag with your hand or rolling pin.

2) Melt butter in saucepan on low-medium heat.

3) Add broken vermicelli into melted butter and cook while stirring until vermicelli is golden brown.

4) Add shredded coconut and nuts into vermicelli mixture and mix and roast for a few minutes.

5) Add condensed milk and stir or low heat until mixture is sticky.

6) Remove from heat and add to baking dish and pat flat.

7) Garnish with shredded coconut and chopped pistachios.

Makes approx 27 pieces:
Calories per piece: 123, Fat: 5.1g, Carbs: 16.2g, Fiber: 1.3g, Protein 3.4g, Sugar: 8.2g, Sodium: 19.5mg

My kids love these basic burgers. I make a huge batch at a time and freeze individually so that I can make it for them easily when they want. These work great for school lunches and I feel good knowing that there aren't any chemicals or additives in them. I've included an option to make these tandoori style so you can try them another way.

Ingredients:
1.8 kg of lean ground beef
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
2 medium sized chopped onions
1.5 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of black pepper
1 teaspoon of onion powder

options:
add cumin powder, paprika, cinnamon, chopped cilantro and chopped green chillies for a tandoori taste and garnish with mango chutney and/or raita.

for a Greek version top with feta, olives, tzatiki.

for a Mexican version top with salsa, cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, jalapeño or banana peppers, corn relish/salsa.

You can stuff the burgers with cheese in the middle when you form the patty as well.

1) Chop onions and add to mixing bowl.

2) Add ground beef and spices and chopped garlic.

3) Mix well.
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4) Using a quarter pound burger press, press each burger patty.

5) Use wax or parchment lay on parchment and stack with wax/parchment in between making a stack that you can freeze.

6) Broil in oven for 5-7 mins per burger. Top with cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mustard, mayo, jalapeño.

Makes approx 6-8 burgers
Calories per burger: 245, Fat: 7.1g, Carbs: 3.6g, Fiber: 0.6g, Protein: 42.7g, Potassium: 229.1mg, Sugars: 1.4g

We love fondue! It's such a treat to partake in fondue, however it does require a few hours and good company. Tempura fondue is definitely not low fat or low carb, but your food options are fresh and the key is to offer a variety of sauces and dips.

Ingredients:
grape seed oil (enough to fill the fondue pot half way)
peeled, tail off shrimp
broccoli heads
cherry tomatoes
firm tofu
whole mushrooms
red pepper chopped in slices or chunks
asparagus

Tempura Coating:
1 cup brown rice flour
​1 Egg
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup ice cold water

Sauces/dips:
low sodium soy sauce
hoisin sauce
chimichurri sauce
sriracha
​mayonnaise mixed with chopped garlic
red pepper flakes or red chilli paste
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1) Mix all batter ingredients in mixing bowl and mix well.

2) Mix until it forms a batter like consistency.

3) Set batter aside and prepare vegetables and meat. Chop and wash veggies. Wash shrimp and wash and chop tofu. Put each ingredient in separate bowls and set on table.

4) Add grape seed oil into fondue pot and fill half way and turn on the pot. Set to 450 degrees.
5) Use you fondue fork and pierce into a vegetable or tofu or shrimp. Dip into batter and put in the fondue pot to cook.
6) Pull out after a few minutes when golden brown. Enjoy with a variety of dips and sauces.

Batter serves 6-8
Calories per serving: 163, Fat: 2.9g, Carbs: 29.9g, Fiber: 1.3g, Sugar: 1.2g, Protein: 3.1g, Sugars: 1.2g, Sodium: 16mg