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Roasted broccoli, lentil & corn salad with miso dressing
This roasted broccoli, lentil & corn salad with miso dressing is a great salad or side dish for the cooler months. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy free and vegan. It does contain some protein from the lentils but I recommend you add more protein to make it a meal. My personal favourite is eggs, but you can add tofu as a vegan option. Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese condiment that usually contains chilli powder, citrus zest and sesame seeds. If you don’t have it you can sub regular chilli flakes plus sesame seeds, or just sesame seeds if you don’t like spicy food.
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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: 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: Roasted pumpkin and sweet potato soup
This roasted pumpkin and sweet potato soup is an easy meal packed with Southeast Asian flavours. If you roast the vegetables in advance, you can put it together in no time on a busy weekday. Both pumpkin and sweet potato are a good source of beta-carotene (a precursor of vitamin A) and also contain potassium, dietary fibre, among other micronutrients. This soup is gluten-free and dairy-free. It can be made vegetarian/vegan by substituting the fish sauce for salt or soy sauce. As always, make sure you are adding some protein to make it a more satisfying meal.
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Product review: Hart & Soul broth soups
Hart & Soul broth soups are a great source of nourishment for the colder months of the year. They are low in calories and shelf-stable. Hart & Soul broth soups The million dollar question is: are these broths or soups? Well, they are soups made with broth. Don’t think about them as your typical minestrone or chicken soup, though. They contain vegetables but are mostly broth. These soups come in 350g pouches containing 1 serve per pouch. They are available in major supermarkets and come in 3 flavours: beef, chicken and vegetable. Hart & Soul broth soups are low in energy, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-fat and relatively low-carb. Ingredients As you…
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Recipe: Smoky eggplant dip
This smoky eggplant dip is essentially a shortcut version of one of my favourite dips ever: baba ghanoush. Specially formulated for those days when you don’t have the time or equipment to make the real deal. Instead of imparting a smoky flavour by actually charring the eggplant, this recipe relies on smoked paprika and smoked salt, two of my favourite ingredients. This dip is gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, vegetarian and vegan. You can enjoy it with veggie sticks or crackers (such as Carman’s or Olina’s) or as a sauce to serve with Middle Eastern fare.
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Recipe: Papa rellena pie
Papa rellena pie is a casserole dish similar to shepherd’s or cottage pie with a Peruvian twist. Papa rellena (stuffed potato) is a typical Peruvian dish consisting of a mashed potato “dough” stuffed with a beef mince filling. The original papa rellena is shaped like a rugby ball and deep-fried. Instead, this version in pie format is baked similar to other mash-topped dishes, saving you oil, hassle and extra calories from fat. As many other Peruvian dishes, papa rellena is usually served with rice and salsa criolla. I like to serve mine with salad instead of rice and splash some hot sauce on top. The filling is made with the…
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Recipe: Roasted fennel and lentil salad with radishes and citrusy dressing
Roasted fennel and lentil salad with radishes and citrusy dressing is a great dish for lunch or dinner. Its protein and fibre content will satisfy your appetite without packing on too much energy. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free and can be made vegan by omitting the eggs. Just make sure you are having enough protein in your day. This salad is also a great source of fibre. Lentils contain haem (plant-based) iron, which is less bioavailable than haem (animal-based) iron. Its absorption is enhanced if you have vitamin C or haem iron in the same meal, hence the lemon juice in the dressing. Other citrus options such as orange…
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Recipe: Tacu tacu (Peruvian rice and beans)
Every developing country has a traditional rice and beans dish. In Perú we call it “tacu tacu” and it involves a little more than just rice plus beans on a plate. If eaten by itself, tacu tacu is gluten-free and vegan. However, tacu tacu is normally eaten as a side dish or with some add-on toppings. Common toppings include a fried egg, a fried egg + fried plantains (“a lo pobre” or poor style), a fried egg + fried plantains + steak, grilled or fried fish, seafood sauce, etc. I prefer to serve it with some protein and a salad and have included a list of traditional topping ideas in…
