Many of my clients think that when transitioning to healthier lifestyle, completing a challenge or adopting one of our meal programs, entertaining and having friends over for dinner goes out the window - but this is so wrong! A common misconception that we're working to debunk is that 'healthy means boring', which is exactly why I work to create delicious, healthy dinner recipes you can enjoy with friends and family and never feel like you're missing out. Meals just like this one from our Weeknights Made Simple four-week dinner program. Whether for a weeknight, dinner party or weekend lunch, this Caramelised Onion & Goats Cheese Tart is an absolute crowd-pleaser every time and will have you achieving your health goals without sacrificing flavour and enjoyment.
Fast and simple to whip up, this recipe uses my three-ingredient Caramelised Onion recipe which you can check out here. Combined with tender steamed pumpkin, a creamy, eggy centre with baby spinach and goats cheese atop a crisp homemade base bursting with flavour, these tarts are so incredibly moreish and delicious. So tasty in fact, no one would ever guess the goodness hiding inside. Rather than a traditional pastry base of processed wheat flour and butter, this recipe uses a combination of buckwheat groats (a gluten-free hulled seed of the buckwheat plant that's a complete protein loaded with essential amino acids and high levels of zinc and iron), sunflower and sesame seeds (both containing essential vitamins like E, B and B6, magnesium, fibre, and zinc) and almonds (one of the most high protein nuts and loaded with healthy fats and fibre).
I use pumpkin in this recipe as I not only love its sweet flavour against the tang and creaminess of the goats cheese, but it's considered a complete superfood with an impressive nutrient profile of beta-carotene for skin and eye health as well as a strong immune system, vitamins B, C and E, antioxidants, potassium and is a good source of fibre. It's also quite low in calories so is one of the best nutrient-dense weight loss foods. NB – When making the caramelised onions for this recipe, add the Varoma dish on top with the cubed Pumpkin to steam it. Follow the recipe for Caramelised Onions here.
Filling and satisfying, this dish is one of my favourite gluten-free Thermomix recipes and is perfect served warm at dinner with a side salad or even cold for an easy work lunch the next day. For more healthy dinner ideas, check out our range of meal plans like our Weeknights Made Simple four-week plan or our Healthy Thermomix Recipes Ebook.
METHOD
1. Preheat Oven to 180 degrees fan forced.
2. Add Buckwheat, Sunflower Seeds and Almonds into the Mixing Bowl and MILL / 15 SEC / SP 9. Scrape down sides. Add Sesame Seeds and Water. MIX / 15 SEC / SP 3.
3. Take a piece of baking paper a bit larger than the size of the dish you will be cooking in and lay it out on the bench. Put the base mixture on top of the baking paper and add another layer of baking paper the same size over the top. Push down and spread out with hands first. Then use a rolling pin to roll the mixture out to half a centimetre thickness and roughly the shape of the tart/quiche dish. Transfer to the tray and tidy the edges to make it even to all the edges.
4. Add Baby Spinach into the Mixing Bowl and CHOP / 2 SEC / SP 5. Scrape down sides and add Eggs, Salt, Pepper and Herbs. MIX / 12 SEC / SP 4.
5. Add the Caramelised Onions to the Egg mix and MIX / REVERSE / 10 SEC / SP 2.5.
6. Arrange steamed Pumpkin cubes and Goats Cheese to the Tart dish on top of the base then pour the Egg mixture over everything dividing out as evenly as possible.
7. BAKE for 20-25 Minutes until Egg is cooked through. Serve each serve with a side salad.
NOTES:
• When making the Caramelised Onions for this recipe add the Varoma dish on top with the cubed Pumpkin to steam it. Follow note instructions on the Caramelised Onion recipe.
