Oooh its exciting to enjoy the Melbourne Cup especially with Kiwi horse tipped to take the cup this year!  Unfortunately, most of us have to work throughout the day and end up having a couple of crisps and dips during the lead up and celebrations.

So to spice up your afternoon spread try a couple of these dishes, that take minimal time, effort and money!

Pumpkin Horopito Hummus 

500g crown pumpkin • 2 crushed garlic cloves • ½ can butter beans • Rhayne *horopito wild herb seasoning • 3 Tablespoons Avocado oil • 50g pumpkin seeds, roasted • squeeze of lime

METHOD

1. Cut the pumpkin into small sized chunks and roast in an oven at 180 celcius with a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and Rhayne horopito seasoning until tender.

2. Remove skins from the garlic and puree the pumpkin mix along with the butter beans , avocado oil and add a squeeze of lime. To thin the hummus use some hot water.

3. Taste and adjust horopito seasoning to your liking. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds. Enjoy.

Recipe by Belinda MacDonald and Neena Truscott 

Horopito rump steak (simples).

3 Tablespoon of Rhayne *Horopito Seasoning

6 large beef rump steaks

METHOD

1. Coat Rump Steaks' in "Rhayne" horopito wild herb seasoning, leave at room temperature.
2. Heat frying pan to smoking hot. Cook one side for 1 minute then turn every minute for 6 minutes in total (turn off heat).
3. For those that like their steaks rare - give them the thickest one, repeat to serve a well-done steak (usually the thinnest steak)

*Horopito is an ancient shrub that grows only in New Zealand.  The plant is highly medicinal, with power antioxidants, flavonoids and fatty acids - has a unique peppery taste.