Keralan vegetable curry with rice noodles

 

Serves three

Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Spice Tailor Keralan curry pack
• 1/4 can coconut milk
• 300ml water
• 1 sweet potato
• 1/4 head broccoli
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1/2 green pepper
• 40g rice noodles
• 2 shalots

Method

1. Chop the vegetables and prepare the spices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Fry the spices (from the Spice Tailor package) for 30 seconds

3. Add all of the vegetables and coat well in the oil and spices. Fry for 5 minutes.

4. Add the sauce mixture (from the Spice Tailor package) and stir well.

5. Add the coconut milk and water, stir well. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Add the rice noodles and remove from the heat. Put a lid on the saucepan and leave to soak for 5 minutes or until the noodles are cooked.

Serve and enjoy!

Avocado and Chocolate Smoothie

Ingredients:

Serves two

• 1 avocado
• 150ml coconut milk
• 300ml soy milk (alternative milks work just fine as well)
• 2 tbs cocoa powder

Method:

1. Put it all in a blender and blend!
2. Serve with ice and enjoy

Vegan, Chocolate Flapjacks

No sugar, no dairy, high protein and packed with vitamins…

Preparation time: 10 – 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20-15 minutes

Makes about 20 flapjacks

Ingredients

• 360g oats
• 30g raw cocao powder
• 2 bananas
• 6 tbsp maple syrup
• 6 tbsp cashew, almond or smooth peanut butter (use organic)
• 4 tbsp coconut oil. plus extra for greasing

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
2. In a saucepan, mash the bananas with a fork then add the maple syrup (or honey), nut butter and coconut oil. Allow to simmer until a smooth paste forms.
3. Add the oats and stir well so that they’re fully covered.
4. Grease a baking tray with coconut oil and transfer the flapjack mix into the baking tray, pressing it down firmly with a spatula so that it’s very compact.
5. Bake for 15-20 mins until the top starts to brown.
6. Once it’s cooked, remove the tray from the oven and leave it to fully cool before slicing the flapjacks.
7. Serve with a nice cup of chai tea!

Blackened Salmon with Kale and Asparagus

Blackened Salmon with Kale, Asparagus and Feta

These Salmon filets are dredged in a flavorful spice mixture, cooked to perfection and served over sautéed kale and asparagus. The perfect healthy lunch or dinner – serve over noodles, rice or quinoa, cauliflower rice for Paleo options.

Serves 2

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

• 2 tsps Paprika
• 1 tsps Dried Parsley
• 1 tsps Dried Oregano
• ½ tsps Salt
• ½ tsps Black Pepper
• ¼ tsps crushed chilli flakes, optional
• 2  Salmon Filets
• 1tbs Olive Oil, divided
• 2 handfuls of kale
• 6 pieces of asparagus
• 2 Oranges
• 100g Noodles cooked to packaging directions
• tsp soy sauce
• Sprinkling of feta

Method

1. In a bowl, combine the paprika, dried parsley, chilli flakes and oregano with salt and pepper. Press the flesh (topside) of the salmon filets into the spice milk, pressing to make sure they are well coated.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat half the olive oil until very hot. Add the salmon filets flesh side down and cook for 3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and place until the grill at 160 degrees for 10 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through and flaky.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same pan and add in the kale and asparagus. Season lightly with salt and pepper and stir it around the pan until it begins to wilt. Squeeze the juice of two oranges over the vegetables.
4. Cook the noodles to package instructions.
5. Assemble your bowls! Add your base – in this case noodles with a drop of soy sauce; top it with a generous portion of kale and asparagus and then top with a filet of salmon and sprinkle with a generous helping of feta.
6. Enjoy!

Healthy, Vegetarian Curry

Vegetarian Curry with Brown Rice

 

Serves Two

Cooking time: 30 minutes – 1 hour

Ingredients 

• 200g can of coconut milk
• 100ml water
• 2tbs madras curry paste (alternative pastes can also be used)
• 1 large carrot
• 1/4 broccoli head
• 1 large onion
• 1 sweet potato
• 100g brown rice cooked to packaging instructions
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Cook the brown rice to packaging instructions in water with a pinch of salt 
2. In a large wok or frying pan, heat the curry paste for 1 minute before adding the coconut milk and water.
3. Chop all of the vegetables to desired thickness and add to the curry broth. N.B The larger the vegetables, the longer the curry will takes to cook. I like to keep my onions in quite large chunks, rather than finely chopped.
4. Boil until the vegetables have cooked, for around 20 minutes. Season well and serve in a bowl.

 

 

 

Fruits of the Forest Smoothie

Fruits of the Forest Luxury Smoothie

This is such a quick and easy recipe and tastes absolutely delicious. All you need is one pint glass,  blender and the ingredients.

Serves two

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 pint Frozen Fruits of the Forest (Blackberries, red currents, raspberries, blackcurrants)
• 1 Vanilla pod (It might not be from our forest, but it is from a forest…)
• 1.5 pints of non-dairy milk (soy milk / almond milk / rice milk) My favourite is almond milk.
• Sprinkle of dried coconut flakes
• Sprinkle of walnut pieces to taste

Method

• Add the frozen fruit, vanilla pod seeds and milk into a good blender (as the fruit is frozen it will need a beating).
• Blend until smooth (if you berries are really frozen, you may need to add some more milk or water, as it could become more like a sorbet!)
• Sprinkle your desired amount of dried coconut flakes and walnut pieces on top.

Black bean ‘meat’balls in red pepper soup

For the soup:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 medium onion, sliced
• 1/2 cloves garlic
• 2 roasted or slow cooker red peppers
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 2 sprigs of thyme (or about a tablespoon dried)
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• dash of your favourite hot sauce

“meat”ball

• 1 cup slow cooked black beans
• fresh basil, chopped
• some bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp paprika
• pinch salt
• pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a wide-bottom pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions when it is nice and hot. Cook until they are starting to get soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Crush the garlic with the side of a knife. Add them whole to the onions and continue to cook until the onions and garlic are starting to brown, about another 5 minutes.
3. Add the roasted red peppers. Don’t worry about chopping them.
4. Add stock and thyme, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes.
5. Remove the soup from the heat and discard the thyme stems. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup very well.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Add a dash of hot sauce if you want (taste it first).
7. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the drained black beans, basil, bread crumbs, egg, paprika, salt, and pepper. Use a potato masher to combine the mixture and smoosh the beans.
8. Form the bean mixture into “meatballs.” In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the “meatballs” when it is hot, cooking in batches if necessary. Cook for a minute or two, until browned, then gently turn them with a spatula. Continue cooking and turning until all sides are browned. Repeat with the remaining “meatballs.”
9. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and top with meatballs. Garnish with fresh basil, thyme, sour cream, or Greek yogurt.

Yum Yumm

Healthy Coffee Shake: Walnut Cinnamon Mocha

Coffee Shake: Walnut Cinnamon Mocha
vegan, serves 1-2

5 “coffee” ice cubes
5 non-dairy milk cubes (almond milk used) (about 1 cup loose cubes)
2 water ice cubes (or for stronger coffee flavour, 3 more coffee cubes)
1 large frozen banana
1/2 cup non dairy milk (add more as needed to blend)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp raw walnuts, chopped (about 1 small handful)
1 tsp cacao powder

Options:
* Add any “coffee syrup” flavour can be added (hazelnut, vanilla, pumpkin spice)
* vanilla bean instead of cacao
* For a richer “milkshake” substitute coconut milk in place of the added non-dairy milk for ice cubes
* Add 1 Tbsp pumpkin and 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice for a pumpkin spice latte shake

Directions:

1. To make your coffee cubes, you can either freeze strongly brewed coffee in ice cube trays. Or use espresso. If using espresso, I would water down each shot of espresso with one shot of water. These will be your coffee cubes in your shake.

2. Blend the ice cubes and all other ingredients in a blender until thick, creamy and frosty. Serve immediately.

Apple Pie Smoothie

The taste of this smoothie is reminiscent of an apple pie but with the added benefit of super foods and spices for your health!

The smoothie contains ginger and cinnamon which are anti-inflammatory spices with powerful health benefits. They are both an ideal remedy for digestive distress, reducing  gas, bloating and nausea. Cinnamon is good for blood sugar regulation helping you to have stable energy throughout the day.

The smoothie contains two very healthy fats, avocado and walnuts which support the health of your brain.

Ingredients

• 2 Apples. Pealed and de-cored
• 1/2 Avocado
• Handful of Walnuts (or soaked almonds. DO NOT blend unsoaked almonds)
• 1 and a half cups of almond milk
• Half a cup of water
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1 tbs maple syrup

blend!

Buddha Bowls

The Buddha Bowl is filled with pure simple food and  is all about gratitude and nourishment.

Firstly, it is important to find the perfect bowl, that to you can grow accustomed to to appreciate the food within.  You might even want to use chop sticks for the ‘mood’.

There are four key components to the Buddha Bowl:

1. Raw Organic Greens
   • (e.g. Kale, Arugula, Watercress, Avocado)
2. Raw or Steamed Vegetables
   • (e.g. Asparagus, Sweet Potato, Carrot, Butternut Squash)
3. Vegan Source of Protein
   • (e.g. Garbanzo, Black or Kidney Beans. Quinoa, Brown Rice. Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Chia Seeds )
4. Dressing the Buddha Bowl
   • This can be as varied from a edible flower arrangement to dressings.
   • (Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar, Lemon Juice and Sea Salt, Hot Pepper, Garlic and Olive Oil are a few of my favourites)

Pick two from each section and combine. You will soon begin to learn what you do and do not like!