Tag: nutritious meals

Cucumber Avo Salad

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Cucumber Avo Salad
Cucumber Avo Salad

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.

Green Quiche

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Green Quiche
Green Quiche

Pastry:
360g flour
150g butter, cubed
1 egg
100g cheddar cheese, grated

Filling:
45ml vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch of Kale, chopped
125ml chicken stock
6 eggs
125ml cream
5ml salt

For the pastry:
Add the flour and butter to a mixing bowl and rub together with your fingers until the lumps are the size of peas.
Add the egg and cheddar and mix to bring together.
Knead the pastry by hand. It is very flaky and falls apart but push it together as best you can.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a loose-bottom cake tin or pie tin with cooking spray.
Roll the pastry into a rough circle shape even if it breaks apart and transfer (even if it is pieces) to the pie tin. Gently push the pastry out on the base and sides of the baking tin. It is okay to “patch” the pastry as long as there are no gaps for the filling to leak out.
Line the pastry with baking paper and dried beans.
Bake for 7 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake a further 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the filling:
Add the vegetable oil to a saucepan set over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the kale and stir-fry until slightly softened and bright green.
Spoon the mixture into a blender, add the stock and blitz until smooth.
Add the eggs and cream to a mixing bowl and whisk to blend.
Add the kale mixture to the eggs and whisk to combine.
Pour the mixture into the pastry shell and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the quiche to rest for 15 minutes before serving with whipped goats cheese.

Fish Parcels

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Fish Parcels
Fish Parcels

4 portions of hake
2 sweet peppers, sliced
100g green olives, pitted
30ml capers, roughly chopped
60ml peppadews, chopped
2 lemons, quartered

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Cut 4 pieces of baking paper to more or less 30cm x 30cm.
Place a portion of hake in the centre of each paper square and season with salt and pepper.
Add the sweet peppers, olives, capers and peppadews to a small bowl and mix through. Divide the mixture equally and spoon onto the fish.
Squeeze the juice of a quartered lemon over.
Bring the two opposite sides of the paper together and fold over twice.
Now twist the ends to enclose the filling.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve the fish in its paper parcel.

Italian Herb Chicken

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Italian Herb Chicken
Italian Herb Chicken

This is one of the most rewarding meals and it is put together in LESS THAN 30 MINUTES!!

6-8 chicken breasts, bone- and skinless
125ml olive oil
half an onion, chopped
60ml lemon juice
30ml apple cider vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
125ml cup packed with basil leaves
60ml cup packed with mint leaves
15ml rosemary, chopped
3 anchovy fillets/15ml anchovy spread

Preheat your oven to 220℃.
Place the chicken on a baking sheet and drizzle over some olive oil. Rub the oil all over the breast and season with salt and pepper.
Roast the chicken for 15-20 minutes, remove from the oven and cover with aluminium foil to rest. Set aside.
For the herb dressing:
Add the oil, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, herbs and anchovy to the cup of a blender and blitz at high speed for one minute.

Arrange the chicken on a serving platter and spoon over the herb dressing.

Panzanella Salad with Burrata

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Panzanella Salad with Burrata
Panzanella Salad with Burrata

Traditionally panzanella/Italian bread salad is not served with cheese but the creaminess of the burrata adds a deliciousness beyond words!

4 x 2cm thick slices of sourdough bread
6-8 ripe tomatoes, room temperature
half a cucumber
1 burrata cheese
1 small red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
125ml olive oil
60ml balsamic vinegar
juice of one lemon

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the sourdough slices into cubes of 1,5-2cm – they should look like chunky croutons.
Spread the bread on the prepared baking sheet and liberally drizzle with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the croutons are golden and crisp.
Remove from the baking sheet and set aside.
For the dressing:
Chop 3-4 tomatoes into very small pieces. The chopping is best done in a shallow bowl so that you can preserve all of the tomatoes’ juice.
Add the tomato and its juice to a mixing bowl.
Chop the onion as finely as you can, mince the garlic and add to the tomato.
Now add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.
Mix the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.

Slice the remaining 3-4 tomatoes into chunks and place in a large bowl.
Slice the cucumber into chunks and add to the tomato.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through.
Scatter the croutons and basil over and mix again.
Spoon the salad onto a serving plate and place the burrata on top.
Serve with a cold Babylonstoren Rosé.

Tomato and Plum Tart

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Tomato and Plum Tart
Tomato and Plum Tart

1 roll butter puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg and 15ml water beaten together
3 large tomatoes
3 ripe plums
15 thyme leaves
15ml honey
250g flavoured cream cheese (I used chive flavour)

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Lay the pastry on the baking paper and cut a 1,5cm strip off each side.
Brush the pastry with some egg wash and lay the strips onto the pastry border.
Prick the inside of the pastry with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the tomatoes and plums into wedges and place in a mixing bowl.
Drizzle with the honey, season with salt and pepper and scatter the thyme leaves over.
Brush the entire pastry sheet with the rest of the egg wash.
Now spread the cream cheese onto the inside block of the pastry, using the back of a spoon.
Arrange half the tomato and plum mix onto the cream cheese.
Bake the tart in the oven for 30 minutes.
Top the warm tart with the remaining tomato and plums and season once more.
Serve slightly warm.

Fresh Summer Tart

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Fresh Summer Tart
Fresh Summer Tart

1 x 400g pastry
5 eggs
185ml cream
100g baby spinach, chopped
250ml frozen peas
100g ricotta cheese
100g feta cheese, crumbed
80g rocket leaves
125g sugar snap peas
3 zucchini, shaved into ribbons

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with cooking spray.
Roll the pastry to a 3mm thickness and line the bottom and side of the cake tin. Set aside.
Add the eggs and cream to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the chopped spinach, peas and cheeses and mix through. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake for 30 minutes.
Cool the tart for 30 minutes.
Top the tart with the rocket leaves, sugar snaps and zucchini shavings.
Drizzle over some olive oil to serve.

Minestrone Soup

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Minestrone Soup
Minestrone Soup

2 onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 carrots, chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g tin of butter beans (or any other white bean, cooked)
4 x 250ml vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
5ml dried thyme
250ml small pasta, e.g. elbows, shells, vermicelli
125ml fresh parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper

Add some olive oil to a saucepan set over medium-high heat and fry the onion until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Now add the carrots, tomato, beans, stock, bay leaves and thyme. Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in the pasta and cook uncovered until done – about 10 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the soup and serve piping hot.

Spicy Mexican Soup

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Spicy Mexican Soup
Spicy Mexican Soup

3 litres chicken stock
1,5kg chicken breasts, skin removed
5ml black peppercorns
5ml salt
2,5ml smoked paprika
3 x 400g tins chopped tomato
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 x 400g jars sweet jalapeño, drained
30ml + 30ml vegetable oil
120g spaghetti
fresh coriander
lime wedges

Add the stock to a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Cut the chicken breasts into chunks and add it to the stock.
Add the black peppercorns, salt and smoked paprika and simmer together for 30 minutes. Set aside.
Add the tomato, onion, garlic and jalapeño to the bowl of a blender and process until smooth.
Add 30ml oil to a large saucepan set over medium-high heat and add the tomato mixture to it.
Bring to a low simmer and cook half-covered for 10 minutes.
Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the stock and finely shred the meat.
Pour the stock into the tomato mixture.
Simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.
Now add the shredded chicken and cook for another 10 minutes.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning – salt, black pepper, smoked paprika.
Place a frying pan over medium-high heat, add 30ml vegetable oil and add the spaghetti to the pan.
Stir continuously while frying the spaghetti until it is a golden brown colour – about 3 minutes.
Drain the pasta on paper towel and then add it to the soup.
Simmer the soup for about 8 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.
Serve the soup immediately with fresh coriander and lime wedges.

Leek and Cheese Soup

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Leek and Cheese Soup
Leek and Cheese Soup

45ml butter
15ml vegetable oil
2 large leeks, sliced
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
600g potato, peeled and diced
2litres chicken stock
5ml salt
black pepper
200g mature cheddar cheese, grated
80g cheese and onion potato chips

Add the butter and oil to a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Add the leeks and onion and cook while stirring until completely wilted and soft.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the diced potato, stock, salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Lower the heat to a slow simmer, cover the saucepan with a lid and cook for about 30 minutes. Check on the soup every now and then and adjust the heat as you go. The potato must be very soft.
Decant the soup into a blender and blitz together until smooth and silky.
Pour the soup back into the saucepan and place over a low heat.
Add the grated cheese and stir the soup until the cheese has melted.
Spoon the soup into individual bowls.
Crush the potato chips in the packet and sprinkle a generous amount onto each bowl of soup.
Serve immediately.