nutritious meals – My Whisk and I

Mexican Bowls

November 7, 2024November 6, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomato
1kg minced/ground beef
250ml beef stock
1 x 400g tin of red/black beans
1 chilli, finely chopped

avocado pear, sliced
baby corn
tomato, diced
cos lettuce, quartered

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat, add some olive oil and fry the onions until soft.
Add the garlic and sweet pepper and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped tomato, minced beef and stock to the pan and stir through.
Season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Drain the beans and add it to the saucepan with the chilli. Cook for another 5 minutes or so while stirring.
Remove from the heat.

Put your bowls together by incorporating:
* the fried minced beef mixture
* avocado pear
*baby corn
* chopped tomato
* lettuce

Serve while the beef is still warm.

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Roasted Pumpkin Stew

May 28, 2024May 21, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
10ml salt
1kg beef chuck, cut into 3cm pieces
1 x 385g tin of chopped tomatoes
250ml beef stock
1 small pumpkin, 500g cubed and the rest cut into wedges
15ml cornflour
1 x tin coconut milk

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a roasting tin with baking paper.
Place large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and onion and cook until the onion is soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the sugar, cinnamon and salt and stir through.
Now add the beef cubes, chopped tomatoes and beef stock and bring to a simmer. Gently cook the meat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the pumpkin wedges to the roasting tin and brush vegetable oil all over. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast the wedges for 15 minutes, flip them over and roast for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
Add the cubed pumpkin to the saucepan and simmer for another 20-30 minutes until beautifully soft.
Mix the cornflour with 45ml of the coconut milk and drizzle the mixture into the saucepan.
Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve the pumpkin stew on steamed rice with a wedge of roasted pumpkin on top.

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Aubergine Frikadelle/”Meatballs”

March 12, 2024March 11, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml uncooked lentils
1 onion, chopped
2 large aubergines, cut into small dice
4 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml chopped parsley
200g white bread (about 5 slices)
30g parmesan cheese, grated
10ml salt
2 x 400g tins chopped tomato
5ml salt
45ml sugar
30ml Worcestershire sauce
a handful of basil leaves, chopped

Cook the lentils according to packet instructions, drain and set aside to cool.
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Place a saucepan on medium heat and add some olive oil to it.
Add the chopped onion and cook until soft.
Add the diced aubergine, a pinch of salt and another drizzle of olive and stir-fry until really soft.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Take the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Break the bread into chunks and add it to a food processor. Whizz to crumbs.
Remove 125ml of the crumbs and set aside. Pour the rest of the crumbs into a large mixing bowl.
Add the aubergine mixture, lentils, parmesan, parsley, salt and a few grindings of black pepper to the food processor and whizz to a paste.
Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning.
Roll into 18-22 balls, place on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until crisp.
Add the chopped tomato to a saucepan and add the salt, sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
Simmer until reduced – about 15 minutes.
Turn your oven onto the grill setting.
Pour the tomato sauce into an ovenproof dish, place the aubergine balls on top and sprinkle over the reserved bread crumbs.
Drizzle with olive oil and grill in the oven for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle over the chopped basil and serve on steamed rice.

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Tomato and Peach Salad

February 20, 2024February 20, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300g mixed, heritage tomatoes
200g mixed cherry tomatoes
4 peaches
1 small, red onion
1 Burrata cheese
a handful of basil leaves

Dressing:
30ml olive oil
30ml lemon juice
15ml balsamic vinegar
a pinch of salt
a few grindings of black pepper

Slice the tomato into quarters/thick slices and place on a serving plate.
Half the cherry tomatoes and add to the heritage tomatoes.
Wash and dry the peaches and then slice into wedges.
Slice the red onion and add to the tomato and peach.
Break the burrata into chunks and place on top of the other ingredients.
Chop the basil leaves and sprinkle over the salad.

Dressing:
Add all the ingredients to a cup and whisk together.
Drizzle over the salad and serve.

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Simple Chicken

February 6, 2024February 5, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6-8 chicken breast, cut into small pieces
15ml chicken spice
15ml turmeric
10ml salt
375ml cooked rice
250ml frozen peas

Place a large pan on medium-high heat and add some oil to it.
Add the onions and fry until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle over the chicken spice, turmeric, salt and a few grindings of pepper.
Place a lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring every now and then for another 10 minutes.
Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes or so until warm.
Serve a fresh tomato salad.

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Breakfast Tortilla Bake

November 26, 2023October 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 large tortilla
1 onion, sliced
1 sweet pepper, sliced
100g + 100g cheddar cheese, grated
100g baby spinach
4 eggs

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Lay the tortilla flat in a cast iron (or any other oven-friendly)pan and press it down slightly so that it covers the bottom and comes about halfway up the sides.
Sprinkle 100g of the cheddar cheese over the bottom of the tortilla.`
Spread the sliced onion over the cheese and then scatter over the sliced sweet pepper.
Place the spinach onto and spread it out evenly to cover the rest of the ingredients.
Break the eggs on the spinach leaves and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the remaining 100g cheddar over and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Serve the tortilla with a good, crusty bread.

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Brown Rice Salad

November 11, 2023October 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml brown rice, cooked according to packet instructions
1 red onion, finely diced
400g cocktail tomatoes, quartered
120g mozzarella cheese, cubed
30g coriander leaves, chopped
30ml pumpkin seeds
30ml sunflower seeds

Dressing:
60ml olive oil
30ml thick, sweet soya sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced

Add the cooked and cooled rice to a large mixing bowl.
Now add the diced onion, tomato and mozzarella and give it a good mix.
Sprinkle over the coriander, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and stir through. Set aside.

For the dressing:
Pour the olive oil and soya sauce into a cup and add the garlic.
Whisk the dressing with a fork until it is amalgamated.
Drizzle over the brown rice salad and give everything a very good mix.
Serve the salad at room temperature.

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Open Vegetable Pie

September 11, 2023August 30, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

350g sweet potato, cut into 1-1,5cm cubes
350g potato, cut into 1-1,5cm cubes
1 small cauliflower head, 350-400g, cut into florets
45ml olive oil
3 eggs
250ml cultured buttermilk
5ml salt
100g mature cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and spray a 20cm x 20cm baking dish with cooking spray.
Spread the cubed sweet potato, potato and cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast in the oven until cooked but not mushy.
Set aside to cool.
Add the olive oil and eggs to a large jug and whisk together.
Pour in the buttermilk and salt and whisk until the mixture is amalgamated.
Add the grated cheese and stir through.
Place the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a square.
Line the prepared baking dish on the bottom and sides and trim the edges.
Spoon the cooled vegetables in the pastry shell and pour the buttermilk mixture over.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
Serve as a side dish or as a vegetarian main with a salad.

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Tomato and Leek Soup

September 8, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml butter
30ml olive oil
4 leeks, washed and sliced in coins
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomato
15ml sugar
5ml salt
500ml vegetable stock
60ml cream
a handful of basil leaves

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil.
Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until just before the leaks start to caramelise.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the tomato, sugar, salt and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Blitz the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and place it back on a medium-high heat.
Pour in the cream and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
Scatter over the basil leaves and serve with toasted cheese sandwiches.

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Cucumber Avo Salad

May 22, 2023May 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g cucumber (about half an English cucumber)
2 avocados
30ml lemon juice
2 salad onions, finely sliced
chilli flakes

Peel the cucumber in alternating strips in its length.
Take out the seeds with a teaspoon, cut into bite-sized pieces and put it in a colander set in your sink.
Sprinkle 5ml salt over, toss together and leave to drain for about 20 minutes.
Slice the avocado in half, remove the pip and scoop out the flesh.
Cut in to 1,5cm cubes.
Add the avocado to a mixing bowl, sprinkle over the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Shake the cucumber pieces in the colander to get rid of any moisture.
Add to the avocado.
Add the sliced salad onions and mix again.
Now stir the salad vigorously until the avocado breaks down a bit.
Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Scatter over some chilli flakes and serve.