Easiest and quickest quinoa salad

I have a confession, I don't ALWAYS feel like cooking. There are times where I just wish dinner was there waiting for me but, on the nights this isn't possible, this is a quick and healthy meal that always satisfies.

Ingredients:
1 cup of quinoa
1/2 x cucumber
1 x carrot
4 thick slices of haloumi cheese
1/2 Tsp dried coriander
1/2 Tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
1/2 Tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp rice bran oil
1/2 lemon
1 x tomato

Directions:

1. Boil the quinoa with water in a pot over medium heat for 15 mins (or as the back of the packet suggests)
2. Drain water from quinoa once cooked and set quinoa aside in a bowl
3. In a frying pan add the rice bran oil and leave it for 30 secs over a medium heat so the oil gets hot
4. Add the haloumi slices into the pan and cook on each side until nice and golden
5. Chop cucumber into small squares and place into quinoa
6. Chop tomato into small squares and place into quinoa
7. Peel the carrot and then grate it finely - add the grated carrot to quinoa mix
8. take the haloumi out of the frying pan and cut into cubes the same size as you did the cucumber, then place in with quinoa
9. To dress the quinoa add the olive oil, sea salt, dried coriander, lemon juice and black pepper into the bowl
10. Mix all the ingredients together and then plate up!

Lamb ribs with beansprout avocado salad

While I have bouts of vegetarianism, it is difficult for me to give up meat. But if you are vegetarian, you can simply have the salad in this dish as it is wholesome and filling.

So this recipe makes one serving. Obviously double if it's for two people.

Ingredients:

3 x lamb ribs (they come in a pack of 6 usually)
100g organic beansprouts
1/2 red pepper (also known as capsicum for the Australians out there)
1 lebanese cucumber
1/2 avocado
1 x handful of chopped fresh coriander
1 x lime
2 Tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
1 Tsp paprika
1 Tsp all spice
2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Lamb ribs

1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees celcius
2. On a tray place the lamb ribs, coat with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tsp of salt, 1 Tsp all spice, the juice of half a lime and mix around using clean hands (optional: 1/2 tsp chilli flakes) 
3. Place lamb ribs in the oven and cook for 15-20 mins or until browned

Salad

1. Place washed beansprouts in a bowl with the chopped fresh coriander
2. Cut avocado into little squares and place in bowl
3. Do the same for the cucumber and red pepper, squares should be around 1cm thick all around but don't be too worried about precision
4. Add the juice of half a lime, a Tsp of salt and 1 Tbsp of olive oil
5. Mix together and place on flat plate
6. Take out lamb ribs and serve on top of the salad. Enjoy!

Bunless turkey burger

This is a recipe for those who enjoy a burger but their stomachs just can't handle the bread.
 

Ingredients:
  250g turkey mince
1 x onion finely diced
1 x egg
1 Tbsp mixed spice
2 x Tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
1 x handful of finely chopped parsley
1 x large aubergine
50g feta
2 Tbsp rice bran oil
 
Directions: 

1. Chop the aubergine into circles 1 cm thick and add a pinch of salt. Set aside
2. In a bowl add the turkey mince, onion, mixed spice, sea salt, parsley and egg
3. Mix well
4. Grab a heaped tablespoon full of the mix and flatten into a Pattie and place on a greaseproof sheet of paper
5. Once you have turned all the mix into patties place into the fridge
6. Heat fry pan and add oil
7. Place aubergine in hot oil and fry on both sides for 10-15 mins or until cooked through
8. Place aubergine on a paper kitchen towel to drain excess oil
9. Remove turkey patties from fridge and place in hot frying pan
10. Cook on both sides for 10 - 15 mins until completely cooked through. Place onto a plate
11. Chop feta lengthways 1cm thick
12. Place feta in frying pan and cook for 2 mins on each side

 
Assembling the burger:

1. Lay one slice of aubergine on a plate, followed by a turkey pattie and grilled feta
2. Top with another slice of aubergine

You can also add cranberry sauce before you put the top aubergine on (optional)
 
Bon appetit!

Aubergine and tomato sauce with konjac noodles

While I enjoy eating meat, I like to take a break from it a couple of times a week as meat can take more time to digest and can cause strain on your digestive system. 

Here is a really easy to make vegan recipe that is full of favour and doesn't make me crave meat. It's also carb free for those watching their sugar intake or are coeliac.

Ingredients:

1 x aubergine

1 x diced tomato

2 x garlic cloves minced

1 x finely diced onion

2 cups of filtered water

1 Tbsp olive oil or rice bran oil

1 Tsp Himalayan pink sea salt

1 Tsp dried parsley

1 Tsp dried oregano

1 Tsp creamed basil (or fresh basil if you prefer)

1 x pack of Slim noodles/ Konjac 

Directions:

1. Char-grill a whole aubergine by putting it whole on a gas stove and rotating every 30 seconds for 5 mins (It doesn't have to be cooked all the way through as it will finish off cooking later)
2. In a frying pan add oil, onions and garlic and let them sweat down for 2 mins on a medium heat
3. Chop up aubergine and add to frying pan
4. Stir for 2-3 mins until aubergine softens a bit further
5. Add diced tomatoes, oregano, salt, parsley and creamed basil and stir for another 2 mins
6. Add 1 cup of water gradually so it begins to form a sauce, don't put it all in at one time as it will take longer to reduce
7. Turn down the heat to simmer for 5-10 mins, if it reduces down too much just add slightly more water
8. While this is cooking, boil 1 cup of water in a small pot and add the Slim noodles - they will cook within 2-3 mins
9. Drain the noodles and pour into the frying pan, mixing the noodles and the sauce together for 1 minute
10. Serve in a bowl and enjoy!

Vegan cauliflower soup

It's been a while since I have posted, I've been travelling a lot so haven't had much time on my hands for cooking. Until now that is! Here's a super easy recipe for Cauliflower soup and it's suitable for vegans or those who are intolerant to dairy.

Ingredients:

1 x large head of cauliflower
2 x cups of water
1 x onion finely diced
2 x minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 x parsley leaves
1 Tsp cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a pot and cook onions on low heat until they have sweated. This should take around 10 mins
2. Add garlic and cook for a further 5 mins, don't let the garlic burn
3. Chop up cauliflower and place into pot
4. Mix all the ingredients together and add nutmeg and cinnamon
5. Add 2 cups of water, put the lid on the pot and cook on a medium heat for 20 mins or until cauliflower is soft
6. Add salt to the pot, stir and put into the blender
7. Blend until smooth
8. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of cracked black pepper and a few parsley leaves

Pan-fried salmon with chilli garlic prawns

Seafood is my joy and this dish always put a smile on my dial. It takes about 10-15 mins to make so there's no excuse in terms of having no time to cook.

Ingredients: 

1 x salmon fillet

50g shelled king prawns

4 x cloves of crushed garlic

1 Tsp chilli flakes

1 Tsp Himalayan sea salt

1/2 lemon

2 Tbsp rice bran oil

Directions:

1. In a frying pan pour in 1 Tbsp rice bran oil
2. Season the skin of the salmon with 1/2 a tsp of salt
3. Place salmon skin-side down in a sizzling pan
4. Cook for 2-3 mins on this side until the skin is nice and crispy
5. Turn the salmon and cook for a further 2 mins, then take out of the pan and set it aside somewhere warm
6. Add 1 Tbsp rice bran oil to frying pan and add in crushed garlic and the prawns
7. After 2 mins add the chilli flakes and cook for a further 3 mins
8. Turn off the heat and squeeze lemon juice into the pan
9. Immediately place prawns on top of salmon
10. Serve with green salad or broccoli cooked with oyster sauce

Low sugar luxurious chocolate mousse

This is one of my favourite desserts and it perks me up after a bad day. It is an occasional treat but careful it is addictive. For those avoiding caffeine you could make this with carob but for this recipe I have used dark chocolate.

Ingredients:

3 eggs
150g dark chocolate (I usually use chocolate that is over 70% as it has a lower sugar content but this is at your discretion)

Directions:

1. Place dark chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Make sure the water doesn't touch the bowl
2. Separate the eggs, with one bowl holding egg whites only and the other the yolks
3. Use an electric blender to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. You know they are done when you can place the bowl over your head and nothing falls on you :P
4. Turn the heat off the pot of boiling water once the chocolate is melted 
5. Place the egg yolks into the chocolate and mix quickly
6. Remove the bowl from the pot and grab 2 tablespoons of the egg white mixture and fold into the chocolate gently
7. Once this is done fold the rest of the egg white mixture into the chocolate but be sure not to overwork as you still want it to be light and airy
8. Place the mixture into little cups and place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight
9. You can serve with shavings of chocolate or any red berry

Healthy sugar free "Nutella"

So I don't touch Nutella any more. After reading the ingredients in it I was seriously put off by the amount of sugar in it and the fact they use modified palm oil. I decided to make my own version as essentially it's cocoa and hazelnuts, however I try to avoid caffeine so I made mine with carob. Carob tastes like chocolate but you can tell the difference, so if you're not avoiding caffeine then stick with raw cacao, which has been touted as better than cocoa.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 x cup of shelled and skinned hazelnuts (taking the skin off is a pain otherwise)

2 Tbsp carob powder (or raw cacao)
1 x vanilla pod
1 Tbsp of xylitol (or 1/2 Tbsp liquid stevia)

Directions:

1. Roast hazelnuts in the oven for 5-10 mins or until they get a nice colour on them. Make sure to watch them because if they burn your spread is ruined
2. Let cool for 5 mins and then place hazelnuts in food processor
3. Scrape out beans from vanilla pod and place in food processor along with the xylitol 
4. Scrape down hazelnut mix in food processor and keep it on for 10 mins until it starts to become like a spread consistency
5. Add the carob powder into the hazelnuts and allow to mix
6. Once the mixture is the same consistency as regular Nutella it's ready

Flourless chocolate brownies - gluten free and no sugar

Tonight was my first attempt at a flourless chocolate brownie. Was delicious and I tweaked it from a recipe I got from allrecipes.co.uk for a flourless chocolate cake.

Ingredients:

100g 85% Lindt dark chocolate
150g organic unsalted butter
80g Greens and Black Organic Cocoa
2 x vanilla pods
3 x eggs
150g Xylitol (this is a sugar alcohol that I used to replace sugar)
100g strawberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C (gas mark 2). Grease an 20cm round cake tin, and dust with cocoa powder.
2. Separate the eggs and set aside the yolks for later
3. Whisk the egg whites until they are soft peaks
4. In a bowl over lightly simmering water, melt chocolate and butter
5. Scrap vanilla beans out of pods
6. Once melted remove chocolate and butter from the heat and let cool for about a minute
7. Stir in egg yolks, xylitol, cocoa and vanilla
8. Gently fold in a heaped tablespoon of the beaten egg whites into the mix
9. Put mix into bowl of remaining egg whites and fold gently until egg whites can no longer be seen
10. Pour into the prepared cake tin.
11. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely
12. Serve with slices of strawberry, you could also serve with melted dark chocolate or raspberries