Recipes
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Recipe: Roasted cauliflower and capsicum salad with fish
Roasted vegetable salads are a great addition to your repertoire when you get bored of the same raw ingredients and/or when you want a meal that feels more substantial. This roasted cauliflower and capsicum salad with fish is the perfect Mediterranean-inspired weeknight lunch. Yes, there is a bit of work involved in roasting vegetables but in many cases the results are totally worth it. In addition, using canned fish saves you a lot of effort and potentially money. Lately, I have been using Sole Mare mackerel in olive oil (pictured below) or Sirena tuna in extra virgin olive oil (which comes in 2-serve glass jars). You can sub any other…
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Recipe: Lentil and radish salad with salmon and tahini dressing
This Middle Eastern-inspired lentil and radish salad with salmon and tahini dressing is packed with fibre, protein, and most importantly, flavour. The salad by itself is vegan, gluten-free and high in fibre. In addition, it has a decent amount of protein (18.6 g per serve) thanks to the lentils. With the salmon, the total protein content is about 45 grams per serve. I smoked the salmon using smoker boxes filled with cherry wood chips in my gas grill. As indicated in the recipe, you can pan-fry the salmon if you don’t have the gear to smoke it. Don’t eat salmon? You can substitute other protein source (e.g. grilled or roasted…
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Recipe: Sous vide pork with fennel and orange salad
This sous vide pork with fennel and orange salad is deceptively easy to make, provided you have the right gear. The flavours are inspired by classic Italian dishes. Can you make it without a sous vide device? Yes, but the end result will not be exactly the same in terms of texture. That’s it, so feel free to cook the pork like you normally would if you don’t have the means to sous vide it. The recipe instructs you to segment the orange. This means peeling the orange (cutting off the top and bottom first, then peeling top to bottom) and then cutting the orange in segments avoiding the membranes.…
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Recipe: Chicken Caesar salad for one
This chicken Caesar salad for one is a great weekday lunch you can put together in very little time. It also scales well to share with your partner or family. Caesar salad is not the most nutritious salad when it comes to veggies as the only one is cos lettuce. Feel free to substitute your favourite salad leaves, preferably on the sturdy side, such as radicchio or massaged kale. To save time, I use ready-made mayonnaise, which I usually make with cold pressed walnut or macadamia oil. If can also use pre-boiled eggs to save some more time. For the toasted “croutons” you can use any kind of bread you…
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How to make poke-style bowls
Poke-style bowls can be a delicious and healthy meal option. You can save some money by learning how to make poke-style bowls. While not 100% authentic, poke-style bowls have become widely popular worldwide. They can be a healthy option depending on the ingredients, usually containing plenty of vegetables and fish. However, they can be quite expensive and are not always customisable. What are poke bowls? Hawaiian Airlines tells us that poke bowls are basically a serve of poke on rice to transform it “from a snack into a meal”. Poke originated as “freshly caught fish massaged with sea salt, seaweed and crushed inamona or kukui nuts”. Influences from other cuisines…
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Recipe: Grilled vegetable and pesto frittata
This grilled vegetable and pesto frittata highlights the versatility of the mighty frittata when it comes to ingredients, eating occasion and cooking technique. I made the entire recipe in a Weber gas BBQ and a BBQ pan, but you can use an oven and oven-safe pan or baking dish instead. While this frittata takes more time to make than the ones that use uncooked or pre-cooked vegetables, the result is definitely worth it, in particular if you enjoy Mediterranean flavours. Having said that, you can cook the vegetables in advance or use leftover vegetables from another meal. You can also use store-bought pesto but I have not found any that…
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Recipe: Gluten-free banana bread
Much like brownies, there are different kinds of banana bread. Some people like them dense; while some enjoy the cakey, airy variety. This gluten-free banana bread falls in the second category and is great either fresh or toasted. Besides being gluten-free, this banana bread does not contain any added sugar. The riper the bananas you use, the sweeter the bread will be. Having said that, if you are used to commercial banana breads, you might want to add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey on top prior to eating. Of course, toppings are optional, we usually enjoy ours with butter but peanut butter is also a great option. If…
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Recipe: Beetroot and quinoa bowls with chèvre and eggs
These beetroot and quinoa bowls with chèvre and eggs are delicious, nourishing and very filling. They are great for brunch but can be eaten any time of the day. This recipe is gluten-free, low in energy and high in protein and fibre. It is naturally low in glycaemic index, so can be enjoyed by individuals with blood sugar regulation issues, such as those with insulin resistance or diabetes. You can substitute the chèvre for your favourite dairy or plant-based cheese. Likewise, you can omit the eggs if you are a vegan, but make sure you add a good source of protein instead (e.g. lentils or chickpeas).
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Recipe: Octopus salad with quick chimichurri
This octopus salad with quick chimichurri is the perfect option when you want a tasty lunch that looks fancy and takes little effort to make. The preparation time for this recipe varies depending on how many shortcuts you use. I used three: I used pre-cooked octopus slices bought at my local Woolies. You can cook your own octopus if you prefer. For the quick chimichurri I used Bondi Heat Carolina Reaper chilli oil as it contains extra virgin olive oil, chilli and garlic. If you don’t have any available, you can use the same amount of extra virgin olive oil plus chilli flakes and minced garlic to taste. I used…
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Recipe: Carrot and orange muffins
These carrot and orange muffins are a healthy treat you can bring to your next picnic. They also make a great alternative to store-bought muffins and cakes. Keeping with Nutrition Australia’s Try For 5 campaign, this recipe can help you sneak in some carrots to your daily intake. Make sure you also try the purple sweet potato brownies recipe from last week. These muffins are free of gluten and added sugars. They do contain butter but you could use oil to make them completely dairy-free. The basic recipe does not call for any spices but you can add a pinch of any of all the following spices, which work well…
