NUTTY, CRUNCHY, CRISPY, TASTY - SALAD FOR THE HUNGRY

NUTTY, CRUNCHY, CRISPY, TASTY - SALAD FOR THE HUNGRY

This salad was so satisfying, the tastes all go so well together and the crunch satisfies the "crisp" lover in me - all with out guilt.

Salad Ingredients

Baby spinach leaves

Broccolini - thinly sliced

1 can organic chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry

A hand full of slivered almonds

Salt, pepper, chilli pepper

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Dressing ingredients

1 tsp wasabi paste

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Half a tsp of honey

6 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil or flax seed oil

Directions

In a bowl mix your chickpeas with a tablespoon of olive oil and season to your taste, spread on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven for about 35 minutes. In the mean time slightly stir fry your broccolini (or you can keep it raw if you prefer) once the chickpeas are ready you can construct and dress your salad. Happy Healthy Weekend Everyone!



PAPRIKA BEANS WITH TAGLIATELLE

PAPRIKA BEANS WITH TAGLIATELLE

Prepare beans as per the below post
http://suevegetarian.blogspot.com/2012/01/paprika-chilli-beans.html
- and serve with your favorite pasta :)

PAPRIKA CHILLI BEANS

PAPRIKA CHILLI BEANS

This looks and feels like you are eating something naughty - but it is actually full of great vegetable protein and as long as you limit the nachos - and don't be tempted to put a pile of cheese or sour cream on top you will be eating a very healthy meal.

It is also super easy to make, it is my favorite "no think" dish.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients

1 carrot

1 onion

1 red pepper

1 red chilli

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon turmeric

3 tablespoons premium paprika

1 vegetable stock cube

2 tins kidney beans drain and rinse well

2 tins chopped tomatoes

Fresh coriander to garnish

Directions

Chop the veggies and saute in the olive oil until tender, add the tomatoes, stock, seasoning and kidney beans cook on a low heat for about 25 minutes. Serve with plain nachos.

p.s. This recipe will make loads - so invite your mates to dinner

or you will be eating it for the next week.

ROASTED CARROT DIP WITH CRUNCHY SEED AND APPLE CRACKERS

ROASTED CARROT DIP WITH CRUNCHY SEED AND APPLE CRACKERS

This whole dish was a delightfully tasty experiment,

and I have leftovers in the fridge for low carb snacking.

Carrot Dip Ingredients

6 carrots pealed and chopped

1 tablespoon organic coconut oil

Juice of half a lemon

1 tablespoon of tahini

Mixed spice and other seasoning to taste

Directions

Roast carrots until they are turning slightly golden - blitz in a food processor or blender with a tablespoon of tahini, 1/2 a teaspoon of mixed spice - I also added some herb salt and half a squeeze of lemon - but just taste it and add whatever you like!

Cracker Ingredients

1 cup flax seeds

1 cup sunflower seeds

juice of half a lemon

1 green apple - cored and diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Blitz in a food processor or blender, I made my mixture quite smooth - almost a paste, once you have the right consistency (kind of like a dry cake mix) spread it out on grease proof paper and bake in the oven or follow your dehydrator instructions. I used my dehydrator - but they would work perfectly well in an oven, just keep the temp low - like 60 degrees C and keep a very close eye on them - you want crunchy but not burned crackers! 

AVOCADO AND PISTACHIO PESTO PASTA

AVOCADO AND PISTACHIO PESTO PASTA

Thank you to my friend Sarah for testing out this creamy, garlicky mid week pasta dish!

Pesto Ingredients

2 Avo's

2 tablespoons of pine nuts

4 tablespoons of pistachio's

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 a lemon juiced

1 hand full of basil leaves

1 Garlic clove crushed

salt, pepper

Add all ingredients to a blender and chop - don't over do it as you want some texture to the pesto.

Mix the pesto through hot drained pasta and serve immediately.

THE GREAT KIWI VEGE ROAD TRIP

THE GREAT KIWI VEGE ROAD TRIP

Thanks for my birthday pressie mum, can't wait to try these recipes out, and one day - we will do our own "Great Kiwi Road Trip"

RAW ZUCCHINI "PASTA"

RAW ZUCCHINI "PASTA"

Okay, I will be honest - the zucchini does not taste like "pasta" but this dish was extremely delicious and perfect for hot weather.

For the "pasta" simply grate an organic zucchini

For the sauce, I blended up the following ingredients (NB; all raw)

3 large ripe tomatoes

1 red pepper

1 garlic clove

1/2 a cup of sunflower seeds

Salt and pepper

BREAKFAST PITA

BREAKFAST PITA

I call this a breakfast pita - but it would be delicious any time of the day. Fill a home made or store bought pita with poached eggs, tomatoes herbs, hummus and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve with a smile and a hot cup of coffee.

DELICIOUS QUNIOA BREAKFAST

DELICIOUS QUINOA BREAKFAST

This high protein breakfast was full of tasty nutty goodness, I guess it would be best served in winter - but who says we can't eat porridge when it is summer? My trainer will be delighted that I have found an alternative to toast for breakfast.

Ingredients

Quinoa

Water

Mix of seeds and nuts

(I used; crushed almonds, sunflower, almonds, pistachio's sesame seeds, coconut pieces)

Maple Syrup

Milk to serve

Directions

Prepare a mix of nuts and seeds, spread on a baking sheet and toast in a hot oven for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Prepare Quinoa according to the instructions on the pack, then drain, mix through some maple syrup to taste and spread on a baking sheet and pop in the oven to dry out a little - takes about 5 minutes in a warm oven.

Mix quinoa, nuts and seeds and some chopped prunes or other dried fruit

and serve with your favorite type of milk

BREAKFAST BASKETS

BREAKFAST BASKETS

These little tasty breakky baskets are perfect for an easy breakfast, or picnic.

Ingredients

Sliced bread, crusts removed - 1 per basket

Free range eggs - about 1 per basket

Grated Cheese - about a teaspoon per basket

Chopped fresh herbs, salt & pepper

Directions

Use a rolling pin to roll out and flatten the bread

Make bread baskets by moulding in to a greased muffin tray.

Place a teaspoon of grated cheese at the bottom of each basket.

Mix eggs as if you would for scrambled eggs - or crack whole eggs in to each basket,

top with fresh herbs, salt and pepper.

Bake in a hot oven until egg part has risen and has a turned a touch golden.  

It took about 18 minutes in my oven.  

RAW PIZZA ATTEMPT

RAW PIZZA ATTEMPT

Now, I assure you - I am no raw food guru, but since I am on holiday and I have the time, I decided to try a "Raw Food" pizza. The base was a mix of flax seeds, red pepper, garlic and sundried tomatoes, whizzed up in a blender, I dried this in my newly purchased dehydrator - but it could easily be done in the oven on a very low heat for a few hours. In the mean time, I made Cashew "Cheese" which is really more like a cashew nut dip - soak your cashews overnight then blend with a clove of garlic, half a red pepper and some herb salt. When your pizza base is ready, cut in to pizza type slices, spread the nut sauce over and then top with lots of fresh salad type ingredients. It really was quite yummy and I felt so proud eating it.

MINI CRUST LESS QUICHE WITH SALAD

MINI CRUST LESS QUICHE WITH SALAD

These quick and easy quiches are so yummy, they can be kept in the fridge so that you can take a couple to work for high protein snacking or easy lunches.

Ingredients

6 Eggs

3 small zucchini grated

1 cup grated vegetarian cheese

3 tablespoons self raising flower

1 Tin creamed corn

1 tin corn

3 spring onions chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients and bake in a muffin tray for about 25 minutes in a medium oven.

Serve hot or cold  with salad.

CHINESE CABBAGE SALAD WITH HONEY ROASTED PEANUTS

CHINESE CABBAGE SALAD WITH HONEY ROASTED PEANUTS

Ingredients

1/2 a Chinese Cabbage thinly sliced

1 and a half cups of bean sprouts

1 cup of sugar snap peas sliced

1/2 a red pepper sliced

1/2 a cup of honey roasted peanuts

Dressing Ingredients

4 tablespoons peanut oil

a few drops of sesame oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic crushed

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and toss through the salad dressing,

this should be enough to serve 3 or 4 - depending on how hungry your guests are!

If you are preparing the salad ahead of time, hold off on adding the dressing

until just before you serve.