Recipes | Leah Itsines

I love a good side salad - and this one is perfect for summer when beans are cheap! It's a great way to have them a little different then normal. It's SO delicious and is set to be a new fave! Serves: 4Ingredients:500g green string beans, topped and tailed 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1/4 cup shredded coconut2 tablespoon crushed nuts  Dressing: 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon hoisin tamari2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 small red chilli, de-seeded and finely diced 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 table spoon brown sugar  Directions:  Blanch the string beans or steam until just tender (you still want a little bite!) Combine all ingredients under "dressing" in a bowl and mix well.  Place the beans, onion, coconut and nuts into a bowl and pour over dressing.  Eat warm or cold! 

LOUKOUMADES! Oh my yiayia is going to be SUPER excited about this one - this has come straight from her you guys!! I've partnered with @woolworthsau for this recipe and got my SAME DAY DELIVERY groceries and I was so pumped haha! If you order before 1pm and have a minimum spend of $50, you can get your groceries the same day (how good is that for forgetful people like me haha). Yiayia would be so proud of all of us! These little honey donuts are ALWAYS at our christmas parties, and I want them to be at yours too! Makes roughly 25 puffs. Ingredients: 1/2 a teaspoon dry yeast2 cups of warm water2 cups plain flour1/2 teaspoon salt4 tablespoons of Honey1/4 teaspoon cinnamonRice bran oil - for fryingDirections:  Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water (don’t use boiling, just lukewarm from the tap) Sift flour into a large mixing bowl and add salt and combine.  Add dissolved yeast and the remaining warm water.  Mix throughly, the batter will appear watery (almost like a pancake mixture) and super sticky but thats what you want!  Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1-2 hours.  Heat rice bran oil in a small pot (at least 5cm of oil) and wait until its super hot!  Using a soup spoon, scoop around 1 tablespoon of the batter (small balls bcuase they puff up once in the oil!) and carefully place it into the oil.  Repeat until you have 4/5 puffs in at one time.  Using a slotted spoon, turn the puffs constantly until they reach a beautiful golden colour.  Take them out using the slotted spoon and place onto a dry cloth to catch all the excess oil.  Warm the honey in the microwave or on a hot pan and pour over the puffs.  Sprinkle cinnamon over the top and dig in!  Hope you absolutely love this recipe! If you do make it, Please come and show me over on Instagram or Facebook! Love Leah x

Have you ever had white Christmas? We LOVE! When we were younger, this was my aunties dish - she made it every year and when it came to dessert time, it was the most exciting time! It's seriously delicious and super easy to make. Makes: 12-16 small bars Ingredients: 3 cups rice puffs or rice bubbles1 cup milk powder ½ cup icing sugar1 cup desiccated coconut 1 packet red and green glazed cherries, chopped1 packet dried apricot,chopped300g copha, melted  Directions:  Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. This mixture needs to be worked a little to get it to a consistency that is a little softer. This needs to be mixed for around 2-3 minutes.  Press the mixture into a lined brownie pan (depending on how thin or thick you like it) and then place into the fridge for 1 hour. Slice and serve! 

CHRISTMAS HAM! Do you guys LOVE a Christmas ham like me? I swear, they are the most satisfying thing to make EVER becuase they just get more and more beautiful as it comes out the oven haha. I've partnered with @woolworthsau for this recipe and got my SAME DAY DELIVERY groceries and I was so pumped haha! If you order before 1pm in the month of december and have a minimum spend of $50, you can get your groceries the same day! Makes that Christmas shopping much easier when it can come to you, instead of you trying to find a park for an hour am i righttttt!! haha. MAKE THIS HAM THIS CHRISTMAS! Ingredients:6-8kg leg ham, bone in2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated1 cup blackberry jam1⁄2 cup soy sauce2-3 star anise1 small chilli, sliced 1⁄2 cup apple juiceOlive oilDirections: Preheat the oven to 150C. Meanwhile, prepare the ham. Remove the skin by sliding your fingers between the rind and the fat. You want to keep some of the fat, so peel back the skin carefully. Score the fat in a criss-cross pattern down, but try not to go any deeper than the fat layer. Place onto a lined baking tray, lay flat side down. In a small pot, add ginger and chilli with a small splash of olive oil over a medium heat. Cook for one minute before adding black berry jam, soy sauce, star anise and apple juice . Bring ingredients to a simmer for10 minutes. Generously brush the ham all over with glaze and bake for 2 1/2 hours, brushing with more glaze every 30 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and carve.

My goodness me, yiayia is throwing out these recipes to us lately! Check out these incredible little cheese triangles that you will absolutely LOVE!  Makes: 20-50 cheese triangles (depending on size)Ingredients:  350g Ricotta cheese, crumbled or grated 350g Feta cheese, crumbled or grated2-3 Eggs Salt and pepper, to taste 2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped1 packet filo pastry (375g) 1 250g stick butter, melted Directions:  Pre-heat oven to 180°C and line a tray with baking paper. In a large bowl, add ricotta, feta, parsley, salt, pepper, eggs and combine well. Ensure there are no large chunks of feta. Lay all of the filo pastry sheets on top of each other and slice in half lengthways so you have two strips. Slice each strip again in half lengthways so you have four long strips. Place one long strip on a clean bench or chopping board, and using a basting brush, lightly butter. place another strip on top and base again.   Using around a tablespoon of mixture, place at the bottom of the strip. You are now going to flag fold towards the other end. This requires you to fold one corner to the opposite edge, and then repeat with the bottom corner to the opposite edge. Place the ready made cheese triangles onto the baking tray. Baste with melted butter once more and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Tip: These can be frozen and cooked straight from the freezer! Once you've basted the triangles with butter, you can freezer from here and add them straight into the oven. This might require your cooking time to change by 5-10 minutes, but keep an eye out for that golden colour!  

AIRFRYER PINWHEELS! You guys know these are EPIC and your kids will LOVE (and you haha). I've partnered with @philipshomeliving and their incredible Airfryer XXL with Smart Sensing Technology! This is the one I have at home and you guys know how much I genuinely love it! I have the XXL because with air fryers, bigger is always better!! These pizza pinwheels are amazing becuase everyone can make their own flavor and then everyones happy! Make this TODAYYYY in your air fryer, you won’t regret it. Thank you @philipshomeliving for partnering with me on this! We LOVE air fryers here!! Serves: 4 Makes: 8 Cook time: 15 minutes  Ingredients: 1 x puff pastry ½ cup Napolitano sauce/pizza sauce4 large Salami slices ¾ cup shredded cheese Small pinch chilli flakes 5-6 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped  Directions: Spoon napolitana over puff pastry sheet and spread out evenly from edge to edge. Lay the salami down onto the puff pastry and top with cheese, chilli and olives.  Roll up from one end to the other, wrapping as tightly as you can. If your puff pastry is still a little frozen, this can really help!  Cut the roll into 8 rounds and place into the airfryer basket and change the setting to chips and press go! The smart sense technology will take care of the rest. If you do not have a smart sensing machine, turn it to 180 degrees for 15 minutes.  Serve! Tip: These are incredible for kids! Purchase different ‘pizza’ toppings and everyone can make their own toppings to their liking. These can be frozen pre-cooked or frozen once cooked for a super quick and easy snack. 

Potatoes are seriously AMAZING! Not only are they the most versatile veggie but you just can't have a bad potato meal - right!!  This is my mums Crazy potato bake, and while it's all gooey and delicious, it's defiantly something that's always at our family events (no matter the weather!). It's going to be a popular one this christmas, I can't wait!  Heres the recipe.  Serves 6Cook time: 1 hour Prep time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 6 rashers bacon, sliced thinly 1kg white potatoes, sliced in thin rounds (around 10 medium)1 medium onion, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 600ml thickened cream 1 cup of  shredded mozzarella cheese Olive oil, for cookingSalt and pepper, for cookingPaprika to sprinkleDirections: Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a large non-stick pan, heat olive oil over a medium to high heat. Add bacon, onion and garlic into the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, until bacon is cooked and onion is translucent. In a large mixing bowl, add potatoes, 1 cup of cheese, cream and bacon mixture. Mix to combine. Place this mixture into a deep baking tray and sprinkle the paprika on top.  Cover with alfoil and place into the oven for 1 hour. Remove alfoil after the first 30 and place back into the oven for the remaining 30.  Allow to slightly cool and 'set' before serving.  Tip: Place your sliced potatoes into the dish that you are wanting to use before to ensure you have enough! 

HERE IT IS! Woolworths Delivery Unlimited! You guys have seen me rave about how exciting It was to start getting my groceries delivered, and you have told me to do it forever but I've finally listened and partnered with my fave @woolworthsau!! My goodness, why didnt I listen earlier?!! I'm LOVING this! I at first was a little worried about the freshness of the fruit and vegetables, or that I wouldnt get things like 'soft' avocado etc if I needed it urgently, but I was pleasantly surprised and I also really LOVE how you can write little notes and directions for the picker/packers. I SERIOUSLY love it. Here I made a delicious Gluten Free Spinach and ricotta cannelloni, which you can make at home with Woolworths Delivery Unlimited (and we can both get excited about delivery day haha!). If you want to try Delivery Unlimited, Click the link in my bio (that is an affiliated link!) and you can get unlimited grocery deliveries for under $15 a month (A MONTH!!!!) on subscription. One delivery is typically $15 so, to get unlimited for the same or less.....what are we waiting for?! If you are wanting to check out delivery unlimited - click this link!  supermarkets.4emhls.net/mgoPW1 Cook time: 55 mins -1 hour. Serves 6Ingredients:  2 large zucchinis, sliced thinly lengthways 1 eggplant, sliced thinly lengthways2 garlic cloves, crushed500g ricotta100g dodoni feta200g fresh spinach  1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp chilli flakes 5 basil leaves + more to serve  Salt and pepper to taste Olive oil - for cooking 2-3 cups Napolitana sauce4 tbsp parmesan cheese Directions:  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Heat a large pan with a spray of olive oil over medium-high heat. Lay the zucchini and eggplant strips down onto the pan and cook until lightly brown on each side - this will give the dish a better taste & is easier to roll. Continue cooking until all slices are cooked through.   In a large mixing bowl, add ricotta, spinach, feta, garlic, nutmeg, chilli, basil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well.   Lay one piece of the zucchini flat on the bench and place 1 tbsp of mixture at one end. Roll towards the other end, wrapping tightly. Toothpick shut (or leave seam side down). Repeat with all zucchini and eggplant.  Lay the rolls into a deep baking tray (zucchini ends side down so it doesn't unravel) and repeat with the rest of the mixture.  Pour Napoletana sauce over the top and sprinkle the parmesan. Place into the oven for 30 - 40 minutes. Thank you to Woolworths Delivery Unlimited for partnering with me on this recipe! 

AIR FRYER WHOLE CHICKEN?! You best believe that when I first made this - It was probably the best day of my life hahahaha. I've partnered with @philipshomeliving and their incredible Airfryer XXL with Smart Sensing Technology! This is the one I have at home and you guys know how much I genuinely love it! I have the XXL because with air fryers, bigger is always better - especially if you have a family or guests over. I used the whole chicken Smart Setting to make this whole chicken and it is UNREAL and super juicy on the inside, with that crispy delicious skin on the outside (sorry about the stuffing visual, it just makes everything better haha). Make this TODAYYYY in your air fryer, you won’t regret it. Thank you @philipshomeliving for partnering with me on this! We LOVE air fryers here!! Get this recipe on my website today - www.leahitsines.com Serves: 4  Ingredients: 1 x whole chicken (size 20 fits in the airfryer perfectly)2 spring onion stalks, sliced thinly 10 basil leaves, chopped finely 2 thyme sprigs, chopped finely 4 tbsp tomato paste2 large garlic cloves, crushed1 lime, juiced1 tsp paprika1/4 tsp cayenne pepperGenerous amount of salt and pepper2 tbsp olive oil Directions: In a mixing bowl, add the spring onion, basil, thyme, tomato paste, garlic cloves, lime juice, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix well.  At the tip of the chicken breast, lift up the skin and separate from the breast (without tearing!) Pull gently to separate. This is an icky thing to do, but it really flavours the meat.  Divide the tomato mixture into 4 and place one quarter down one half of the breast, and then repeat down the other half. With the remaining mixture, coat the entire chicken. Place the lime rinds inside the carcass of the chicken.  This next part is optional, but makes for an easy and even cook. Time to tie up your chicken! Using some twine, tie up together the drums, pulling them right towards each other. The name for this is to ‘truss’ a chicken.  With a generous hand, sprinkle salt ALL over the chicken. This helps the skin to get crispy and have that delicious salty taste. Place the chicken breast side down in the airfryer basket, and change the setting to chicken and press go! The smart sense technology will take care of the rest. If you do not have a smart sensing machine, turn it to 165 for 1 hour. Flip half way. To crisp up at the end, change the temp to 180 degrees celsius for 10 minutes.  Slice and serve! 

Oh how I love potatoes....They are a vegetable that will forever never let you down! These I made on Instagram stories over the weekend and you guys absolutely loved them! So, of course I needed to chuck them on the website and give them a permanent spot! They are SO easy to make, and par-boiling them makes for a really soft potato on the inside, but then adding them to the oven makes the outside crunch and it's just perfection.  If you don't want to use your oven, you could throw them in the air-fryer for that extra crisp (ok fine you don't HAVE to use an air-fryer but...I just am in love with mine... haha!). 20 minutes on 180 degrees would do the trick perfectly after they are par boiled.  Anyways, how did I start talking about air fryers??! Let's get into the recipe! Serves: 6 Cook time: 50 minutesPrep time: 10 minutesIngredients: 1kg white potatoes, left whole3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked3 garlic cloves, grated 1 lemon, juiced 1-2 tsp paprikaSalt and pepper Olive oil, for drizzling Directions:  Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper.   Fill a large pot of water and salt well. Place the potatoes into the cold water and bring to a boil. These potatoes don't need to be peeled, but give them a good wash before they go into the water. Boil until you can easily poke a sharp knife through, around 20 minutes (depending on the size).  Remove potatoes from the water and onto a chopping board. Slice in half lengthways, and then half again. Now slice into small bite sized pieces.  Once this is done, place them into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the rosemary, garlic, paprika, lemon, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and a generous drizzle of olive oil (think of me when you're doing this! "a Leah pinch and a Leah drizzle") Shake the bowl and mix well, without mashing the potatoes. This will ensure everything is coated well, and you can season accordingly.  Place onto the baking tray and place into the oven for 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown. When they come our of the oven and are piping hot, squeeze a little more lemon over the top!  Serve as a delicious side to dinner.   I hope you absolutely love this one and make it for your family and they love it as much as I do :)  Big love!  Leah x 

I've recently discovered Biscoff, and I'm obsessed and it's something I now can't live without haha!  Time for some epic cookies!!    Makes:  14 cookies  Ingredients: 160g butter (room temp!) 1 cup of caster sugar 2 eggs 3 cups of self raising flour 2 tbsp biscoff spread  10-15 biscoff cookies  Directions: Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Combine butter and sugar together using an electric mixer.  Add eggs and beat again until combined.  Add 3 cups of self-raising flour and the biscoff spread and combine well. With gloves, make sure the mixture is well combined with your hands and add more flour if necessary. Roll into small balls with your hands and set aside.  In small plastic bag, add the cookies and using a meat tenderiser, crush the cookies.  Using one ball at a time and a handful of the crushed biscuits, roll the ball between your hands and get as much biscuit on as possible! Repeat with all other balls.  Place on a lined baking tray and slightly press down on each ball for more of a cookie shape (not too much, they expand!) bake at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Honey and salmon just go SO well together, it's crazy how many people haven't tried it! This is a thai based fish with a hint of honey, which makes the flavours pop!  Serves: 2Cook Time: 15 minutesIngredients:2 salmon fillets – Skin off2 garlic cloves – crushed2cm fresh ginger – grated1 fresh chilli – deseeded and finely chopped2 Tbsp. Soy sauce1 Tsp sesame seeds1 fresh spring onion – finely sliced1 Tbsp. Organic honey ½ a Lime – Juiced 1 Tbsp. Coriander – OptionalDirections:1. Add garlic, ginger, chilli, soy sauce, spring onion, coriander lime juice and honey into a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Add salmon to bowl and coat thoroughly. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.2. Place the fish onto a lined baking dish and spread any leftover sauce on top.3. Grill or broil for 15 minutes or until cooked to your liking.  4. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve with a side of rice or salad!  Hope you love this recipe!  Love, Leah x