Recipes | Leah Itsines

This treat is something my mother used to make ALL the time at special occasions - and everyone LOVED IT! I mean, whats not to love about peanut butter and chocolate together?!  Ingredients:200g Fried Noodles2 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter400g milk or dark chocolate2 tbsp desiccated coconutDirections:Microwave chocolate, coconut and peanut butter for 60 seconds, or until melted. Mix well until paste is smooth. Add noodles into the chocolate and coat them well.Using heaped teaspoons, spoon the mixture onto grease-proof paper, or into individual paper cases.Place in the refrigerator for around 1 hour or until until set. The spiders can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!  Hope you LOVE this recipe! If you do, come over on Instagram and let me know!  Love, Leah x 

These sausage rolls are so easy - they'd make a great party nibble idea because everybody will LOVE them! Mushrooms are super super good for your health - they're absolutely packed full of nutritious vitamins and minerals, so they REALLY pack a punch! For this summer sausage roll recipe, I used yummy button mushrooms and mixed it through with delicious pumpkin (to give a little sweetness) and yummy spices that really bring out the flavour.  Makes: 20 rollsCook time: 30 minutesIngredients:1kg pumpkin, skin removed and chopped into bite sized pieces350g White button mushrooms, sliced thinly4 Puff pastry sheets, defrosted1 brown onion, finely diced2 garlic cloves, crushed1 Tablespoon of rosemary, chopped roughly1 egg, whisked (for basting)2 tablespoons of olive oil1 Tablespoon of sesame seeds½ teaspoon of ground coriander½ teaspoon of ground cumin½ teaspoon of ground turmeric½ teaspoon garlic salt¼ teaspoon of chilli flakes½ teaspoon of paprika  Directions:Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.On a lined baking tray, add chopped pumpkin and cover with olive oil, rosemary and a pinch of salt and pepper.Leave to roast in the oven for 40 minutes or until soft. *Don’t steam – It gives a very different taste.In a large nonstick pan, use a small amount of olive oil and heat on a high heat. Add mushrooms, onion andgarlic into the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes or until they have softened and onion is cooked through.In a small bowl, Add all spices together and mix.Once pumpkin is ready, add it to a large mixing bowl.Mash pumpkin until smooth.Add mushrooms mixture and the spices.Mix thoroughly. Using one puff pastry sheet at a time, spoon some of the pumpkin mixture to one end of the pastry sheet andshape into a sausage-like roll.Grabbing the end of the puff pastry, roll forwards wrapping tightly, moving towards the opposite end.Always face the seam side down on the sausage rolls, as they can puff up and un-do in the oven!Repeat this with all pastry sheets and the pumpkin mixture.Once all done, cut the rolls using a super sharp knife into small 3-5cm rolls.Place all the rolls onto a lined baking tray. Using a basting brush, brush the egg over the top of each roll.Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top and place into the oven for 25-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown.Serve while hot with some tomato sauce!

These banana protein pancakes are soooo good for breakfast and are my favourite thing to cook when I have a little bit of extra time in the mornings. What's even better is that they are 3 ingredient pancakes, making life just that little bit easier!Bananas are a great source of vitamins such as potassium and vitamin C. There are MANY benefits to bananas - and they are my absolute favourite addition to any breakfast.    Banana Protein Pancakes Makes: 6 PancakesIngredients: Pancakes:4 Ripe Bananas2 Scoops Vanilla Protein2 Eggs1 Teaspoon Cinnamon (optional)1 Punnet Blueberries (optional)1 Punnet Rasberries (optional) Topping:2 Tablespoons Coconut Yoghurt1 Tablespoon Natural HoneyDirections: In large bowl, mash 4 ripe bananas together Add Protein Powder, Eggs, Cinnamon to the bowl and mix together Add a handful of blueberries, raspberries to the mix and mix together (if you choose too!) Place on a hot pan and cook until golden Add Coconut Yoghurt, honey and the remaining blueberries, raspberries on top of the pancake

FIFTEEN MINUTE MEALS are the BEST kind of meals! They take little time and little effort, especially when you've just got home from a long day of work. These prawns have that incredible Thai inspired flavour with the delicious coconut milk - I'm in LOVE!  Ingredients: 300g raw green prawns1 400g Can of coconut cream1/4 cup Parsley, chopped4 garlic cloves, crushed1/2 a medium sized broccoli, cut into florrets10 snow peas, chopped into halves4 white button mushrooms, quartered1/2 fresh long red chilli, deseeded and chopped1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper2 tablespoons of olive oilBasmati Rice to serve 4Directions: Cook rice according to packet instructions. In a large frying pan (or small pot), heat olive oil on a medium to high heat for 1 minute. Add chilli and garlic into the frying pan and fry for 2 minutes. Add the prawns into the pan and cook for 4 minutes or until almost cooked through (they will turn an orange colour!)Add coconut cream into the pan and bring to a simmer. Add broccoli, mushrooms and snow peas into the pan and leave for 2 minutes (you don't need these to cook for long!)Add salt, pepper to taste here (generous pinches!!) and add parsley. Read to serve! Add on top of rice, or more veggies!  Hope you absolutely loved this recipe! If you do, leave me a comment below or come and show me on Instagram! Cant wait to see your incredible creations.  Love, Leah x

Mouth.....watering.....cant....stop....looking.... AHH! These brownies are DELISH and super great as a cheeky dessert if you're having that chocolate craving! #balance right?! RIGHT! These are seriously an ANY TIME someone comes over dessert. You cant tell me that you don't want to lick the screen a little right now...Ingredients: 1 cup plain flour2 Tablespoons of shredded coconut100g Fresh raspberries 125g butter (unsalted)1 1/2 cups caster sugar 1/2 cup cacao powder 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 Tsp baking powderDirections:  Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius In a small saucepan, melt the butter on a medium heat. Once all butter has melted, stir in the sugar, cacao and the vanilla essence.  Remove from heat and leave to cool for five minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Add in eggs (all parts!) and ensure it has mixed through throughly.  Sift the flour into the bowl along with the baking powder.  Mix throughly, to ensure there are no big clumps of flour. Id recommend using a whisk here to really mix it through.  Lightly fold through the raspberries and the coconut, you don't want to damage the berries too much!  Working quickly, line a deep baking dish with baking paper. Pour mixture into the dish and place into the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through.  Poking a fork through the middle of the brownie will tell you if its ready! If it comes out clean its ready, if it comes out dirty, leave it for a few more minutes!  Cut up into bite sized pieces and eat!  Hope you guys absolutely love this recipe! If you did, come share it with me over on Instagram! I love seeing all your posts!LOVE Leah! xx

Cold rolls are SUPER easy and SO good for a healthy lunch! The best thing about them is that they're packed with loads of veggies, noodles, and whatever meat you choose! The combinations are endless! In this recipe I used; THE BASE: fried tofu, Teriyaki Chicken & fresh cooked king prawns.  THE VEGETABLES:  purple cabbage, carrots, cucumber and red capsicum. FRESH HERBS:  that were used were coriander and mint. CARB: I used vermicelli rice noodles. WRAPPER: 22cm round rice paper sheets Directions: Chop up ALL vegetables into thin strips - the smaller the better (chunky vegetables are super hard to wrap! Submerge 1 round rice paper sheet in warm water for 15 seconds.Place onto a plastic chopping board. Start ADDING YOUR FAVES! This is the part where your creativity comes in! Add a small amount of each veggie into bottom half of the circle. Add some meat/fish and a small amount of noodles!Begin to roll forward, keeping everything tightly inside.  Once you get half way, pull in the sides whilst continuing to roll. Keeping a very tight grip is super important because they can fall apart easily.See video below for more on how to wrap and roll! 

Such a simple, yet tasty side dish! This rice is light, easy and quick to make. It's also great because you can change up the ingredients depending on what you have in the fridge, the more veggies the better! Ingredients:1 Cup of cooked, peeled baby prawns2 Eggs, scrambled1 Spring onion stalk, finely sliced1/2 long red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced4 Broccoli Florets, cut into small pieces1/2 medium carrot, peeled and cut into small cubes1/2 cup of Frozen peas1/2 cup of bean sprouts1 1/2 Cups of uncooked Basmati Rice, washed thoroughly2 Tablespoons of sesame oil1 Tablespoon of grated ginger1 Garlic clove, crushed3 Tablespoons of sodium reduced soy sauceSprinkle of pepperDirections: Pour frozen peas into a bowl of warm water to help them thaw.  Cook rice according to packet instructions.  Heat a wok over medium-high heat and begin to heat the sesame oil.  Once oil is hot, Add chilli, ginger, garlic, broccoli, carrot, spring onion to the wok and let fry for 2-3 minutes.  Add peas, bean sprouts and continue to fry until the beansprouts are beginning to wilt.  Add egg and prawns to the mixture, cook for 3 minutes to ensure all ingredients are hot.  Add cooked rice to the mixture and stir thoroughly so all ingredients combine.  Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Pour over the soy sauce and mix!  Serve hot, or pack away for the next day! 

Are you a mushroom lover? I AM and you absolutely should be! Mushrooms are my favourite addition to any meal - because they are SO versatile Mushrooms can be super good for your health - they're absolutely packed full of nutritious vitamins and minerals so REALLY pack a punch! For this summer burger recipe, I used a big Portobella mushroom in place of the meat. This mushroom is large in shape, but once cooked is has a similar texture to meat, which is why it is such a great option for vegetarians and vegans! My favourite ways to cook them are;Panfried: These are best cooked with some Moroccan spice! Add bread, eggs and some tomatoes are you've got yourself an incredible brekky! Roasted: Mushrooms are fantastic in the oven, they can soak up all the juices of the other veggies and the flavour is incredible! I always season my veggies with salt, pepper, dried oregano, lemon & a pinch of garlic! Barbecued: Whenever we have a bbq, mum brings out the Portabella/flat mushrooms! We add parsley, olive oil, salt, pepper, chilli and garlic to the mushrooms and wrap tightly with al foil. Let them cook on the bbq for 15 minutes and they taste INCREDIBLE! Serves: 1Cook time: 10-15 minutesIngredients:1 Large Portobella or Flat Mushroom1 Ciabatta roll (or burger bun of your choice!)½ brown onion, sliced thinly2 lettuce leaves, chopped roughly2 tomato slices, sliced thinly¼ teaspoon of chilli flakes½ teaspoon of chopped parsley2 tablespoons of olive oilSprinkle of Salt & pepper1 Tablespoon of whole egg mayonnaise1 Tablespoon of Basil Pesto60g Haloumi, sliced thinly  Directions:Cut the stem of the mushroom and brush any excess soil with a damp cloth.Into a small bowl, add olive oil, parsley, chilli flakes and a small pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.Using a basting brush, brush olive oil mixture all over the mushroom, make sure it’s all covered!On a small nonstick pan, heat over a medium heat. Cook mushroom for 4-6 minutes on each side, covering itwith a lid to steam.Whilst this is cooking, on another small nonstick pan, splash a small amount of olive oil and heat on high. Addonions into the pan with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes (or until cooked to your liking!)Take onion out of the pan and add haloumi. Cook until lightly golden brown on each side.Toast the bread under the grill for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted.In a small bowl, add pesto and mayonnaise into a bowl and mix.It’s time to STACK! On the bottom of the burger bun, smear mayonnaise mixture edge to edge.Add mushroom, onions, haloumi, tomato and lettuce leaves.Eat as soon as its ready! Hope you LOVE this recipe! If you do recreate, I'd love for you to come and show me over on Instagram! Hashtag #leahitsines for a chance to be featured on my pages! Love, Leah xx

Everyone has been asking for a VEGGIE meal prep - so HERE IT IS! I used 3/4 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of bean mixture and divided the pumpkin into 3's (roughly 1 cup each!) and used that as the meal prep. Of course, change the amounts to suit your dietary requirements.  Turmeric Rice Ingredients: 1/2 small brown onion, diced3 whole all spice balls3 whole cloves1 tsp. Turmeric Powder1 1/2 cups of basmati rice3 cups vegetable stock1 Tbsp. Butter Directions: Preheat a deep pot over medium/high heat. Once hot, add butter to the pan and let melt for 1 minute.Wash basmati rice thoroughly until water runs clear.Into the pot, add cloves, all spice and onion to the pan and cook until onions are translucent.Add the basmati rice to the pan and mix thoroughly for 1 minute.Add the vegetable stock and turmeric to the pot and mix. Add a lid to the pot and wait until stock begins to boil. Once boiling, turn to a low heat and set a timer for 12 minutes. Once times goes off, take off the heat and use a fork to separate the rice.  Roasted Pumpkin Ingredients: 600g raw peeled pumpkin, chopped2 Tbsp. olive oil1 Tsp. curry powder1/2 tsp. dried rosemary1/2 tsp paprika Salt & cracked pepper  Directions: Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius Chop pumpkin into small bite sized pieces. Placed pumpkin onto a lined baking tray, and pour over olive oil. Sprinkle all the dried spices and mix thoroughly, to ensure each piece of coated well. Place into the oven for 35 minutes or until soft and lightly golden. Bean Mix Ingredients: 400g canned chickpeas, drained200g black beans400g kidney beans1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1 fresh garlic clove, crushed)1/2 tsp Cayenne pepperSalt & Pepper1/2 tsp olive oil Directions: Drain all beans from can. On a large frying pan, heat olive oil and add chickpeas, black beans and kidney beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until they're beginning to warm. Add cayenne pepper, garlic, sprinkle of salt and pepper and stir.  Hope you loved this recipe! Meal prep really is a fantastic way to keep on track! I'd love to see your creations, so come and show me over on Instagram! #leah itsines or tag @leah itsines in the image for a chance to feature! I can't wait to see it :) LOVE LEAH X

This is my absolute GO TO meal! Its soooo easy and super filling! And it's also a greeeeat way to get all those extra veggies into a busy day!    Brown Rice Stir fry INGREDIENTS: 4 Mushrooms - Cut into quarters1 Broccoli – Cut into florets2 Carrots – Sliced into thin strips1 Red Capsicum – Sliced into thin strips1/2 a cauliflower – Cut into florets1/4 of a purple cabbage – Sliced thinly2 garlic cloves – Crushed1 Brown onion - Diced3cm fresh ginger – Grated1 Fresh red chilli2 Cups brown rice – Cooked2 Tbsp. Oyster sauce (add more soy for vegan!) 1 Tbsp. Soy sauce2 Tbsp. Olive oilSalt and pepper1/2 Tsp Dried oregano DIRECTIONS: In a hot work, add in olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger and chili and cook for two minutes. Add broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and carrots and cook for 3 minutes. Place the rest of the veggies into the pan and cook for a further 5-10 (or until cooked to your liking). Add brown rice to the pan and mix thoroughly. Add oyster sauce and soy sauce and mix through. Serve with some fresh coriander!   Hope you LOVED this! IF you did, let me know! Share a snap on Instagram or Facebook and tag @leahitsines OR Tag me IN the photo! I cant wait to see!! Love, Leah x

Gnocchi is something that's SOO fun to make, but can actually be a little hard to get it right!   A lot of the confusion comes down to the type of potatoes you use and how you cook them. Like for this recipe, I'm using "Spud Lite" Potatoes, which are light and creamy with a super soft inside when cooked which is so lovely for gnocchi.   The other thing to factor in is FLAVOURRRRR! I'm talkin' hints of rosemary, chilli, black pepper.. to make it go from ordinary to INCREDIBLE! Keen to give it a go?? Recipe below! Rosemary & Chilli Gnocchi Serves: 4Ingredients: 800g Spud Lite potatoes1 egg yolk2 cups of plain flour, sifted1/4 cup parmesan (optional)1 Tablespoon of dried rosemary, finely chopped1/4 tsp red chilli flakesextra flour for kneadingSmall Pinch Salt & Cracked pepperSauce: 1 400g can of crushed tomatoes1 cup of Pasaata sauce2 garlic cloves, crushed1 brown onion, diced1/2 small fresh red chilli, deseeded and chopped3 Basil leaves, chopped2 tablespoons of Olive Oil1 teaspoon of dried oreganoSprinkle of salt and pepperDirections: Peel potatoes using a vegetable peeler. Using a large, deep saucepan, add potatoes and enough cold water to cover completely.  Boil the potatoes in water until soft (around 15 minutes). Once potatoes are cooked, drain them from the water and mash until super smooth. *Be careful not to over cook them, you don't want them to be flooded and become super watery. Add parmesan, rosemary, chilli flakes, salt and cracked pepper to the potatoes and mix thoroughly. Leave these to cool completely before moving to the next step. One cooled, Add the egg yolk, plain flour and mix (this is where you need to use your hands!). Transfer mixture to a floured surface and continue to kneed until it has formed into a soft dough (you don't want super sticky dough!) Roll the dough into a circle. Cut the circle in quarters. Using one quarter at a time, roll out into a sausage like figure. Cut the long roll into 2cm pieces. Using each little piece individually, roll into a small ball. Using a fork, press the fork into the gnocchi to give it that ridged look. This isn't necessary, but it sure makes it look good!  To cook the gnocchi, boil some water with a pinch of salt! The gnocchi only needs to be cooked for 1-2 minutes. They should float to the top of the water once they are almost ready!  After you've done all of that hard work, start making the sauce!  Into a deep saucepan, heat olive oil over high heat. Add garlic, onion, chilli and leave to simmer until the onion is translucent. Place the crushed tomatoes and Passata sauce and mix through. Add oregano and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Add basil leaves and leave to simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened. Pair the sauce with the gnocchi and Serve hot! These can also be frozen for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container.  Hope you LOVED this recipe! Thank-you to the Spud Lite potatoes for being the perfect potato to use! If you do love this recipe, I'd love to see your recreations over on Instagram! Love, Leah x

Peaches are now in season, YAY! It's a summer fruit here in AUS and its one of my favourites to have in a big fruit salad, or something easy like this parfait!  Warm Peach Parfait:Ingredients:2 ripe, yellow peaches¼ tsp. coconut oil½ tsp. honey½ cup homemade muesli (see below for recipe)1 cup natural Greek yogurt2 tbsp. waterDirections:Peel peaches and remove pip, then cut into small pieces.Using a small non-stick pan, heat coconut oil in the pan over medium heat. Add peaches and cook for 10minutes or until peaches are soft.Mash peaches in the pan as they soften.Remove peaches from heat and let sit for 5 minutes to slightly cool.Using a tall glass, sprinkle a small amount of the muesli on the bottom, then layer with yoghurt and thepeach puree. Continue layering until you’ve reached the top!Eat right away, or leave overnight for the morning! Homemade Muesli recipe (this makes 3 cups of muesli so you can store for next time!)Ingredients:2 cups of rolled oats¼ cup chia seeds¼ cup sun flower seeds¼ cup pumpkin seeds¼ cup of slivered almonds½ cup warm honey Directions:  Pre-heat the grill to a high heat (180 degrees or a high setting)Line a large baking tray with baking paper.In a large bowl, mix the rolled oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds and warm honey. Pour mixture onto the lined baking tray and place under the grill for 1-2 minutes at a time. Ensure to check on it constantly as it can easily burn. Stir constantly, to ensure that all ingredients get a beautiful golden-brown colour. Once nice and golden, take out of the grill and leave to cool. Store in an airtight container for 4 weeks.