Have you ever planned a weekly meal using non-perishable food items?
Well, that was my blogging challenge for the Food For Families appeal. This week I had to come up with a recipe using only non-perishable food items.
Everyone knows that Christmas is an exciting time for many families, but for others, it can be a difficult time with some not being able to put food on the table. That’s why for the last 23 Christmases, Wesley Mission Victoria’s Food For Families appeal has been collecting non-perishable food donations for families in need.
Last year the campaign collected 45 tonnes of non-perishable items and helped 20,000 families throughout 2015. This year Wesley Mission Victoria is aiming to bring non-perishable food donations front of mind with the public by demonstrating how they can become important meals for families in need.
Okay, so I hear you asking what do you classify as a non-perishable item. It is everything apart from the fresh and frozen food aisles in the supermarket.
Here are some examples of non-perishable food items: Any tinned fish, pasta, rice, jars of vegetables (capsicum, etc.), jars of olives, couscous, soups and there is so much more. As I was putting together my recipe and having a few wanders around the supermarket, I came upon Lite Cooking Cream on the shelf. I didn’t know that existed as I have always ventured straight to the cold dairy section and bought fresh cream. I was very happy to find another alternative to fresh cream!
So now I would like to share with you the recipe for this delicious Couscous and Salmon with a Creamy Mustard Sauce. And yes it all came together using only non-perishable food items!
- 500g Couscous
- 2 teaspoons of Olive Oil
- 1-2 teaspoons of granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon of onion powder
- 300ml Nestle Carnation Lite Cooking Cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 cup bottled Lemon juice
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 270g jar of Chargrilled Capsicum
- 2 x 200g tinned Premium Salmon
- 1-2 teaspoons of Dill for sprinkling on top
- In a medium frying pan add the oil, granulated garlic and onion powder and gently heat through on a low to medium heat.
- Add cream, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle boil then gently simmer until sauce reduces and thickens slightly.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- While the sauce is simmering, in a small frying pan add the salmon and capsicum. Gently heat through. Don’t break up the salmon too much as you still want chunky pieces.
- In a large saucepan, make the Couscous according to the directions that are on the packet.
- Serve up the Couscous then place the salmon mixture on top. Drizzle the creamy mustard sauce over the salmon then sprinkle some dill on top.
- Enjoy!
After perusing the supermarkets to find ingredients for this recipe, I found that there is a large selection of non-perishable food items that you can make great nourishing and delicious family weekly meals with – it’s not all just baked beans and tinned fruit!
I would love you to give this challenge a go. Put your chef hat on and get creative in the kitchen.
What delicious family meal could you make with non-perishable food items? You will be surprised what you will find on those supermarket shelves!
