nutritious – Page 6 – My Whisk and I

Asparagus Pea Salad

March 11, 2022March 10, 2022by Karen Claassen1 Comment

1bunch asparagus, blanched and cooled
250ml frozen peas, blanched and cooled
1 punnet sugar snap peas, blanched and cooled

For the dressing:
1 egg yolk
5ml dijon mustard
250ml olive oil
50 grated parmesan cheese
15ml lemon juice

Add the yolk and mustard to a medium mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add a few drops of the olive oil and whisk to incorporate – repeat, adding only a few drops of oil at a time, until you have about half of the oil left.
Slowly drizzle the oil into the mixture while whisking continuously. Keep going until all the oil is incorporated.
Add the parmesan and lemon juice and whisk to combine. Season will salt.
Arrange the asparagus, peas and sugar snaps on a serving plate and add a few dollops of the dressing to serve.

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Aubergine and Halloumi Vegetable Bake

March 2, 2022March 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4 aubergines
1 onion, chopped
8 celery sticks, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomato
600-800g halloumi cheese
250ml olives, pitted
a bunch of thyme
a bunch of basil leaves

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and grease a 18cm x 28cm baking dish.
Cut the aubergine lengthwise into 3mm thick slices.
Pour some vegetable oil into a saucepan set over medium-high heat and fry the aubergine on both side, until golden.
Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Add the onion, celery and garlic to the same saucepan and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the tomato and cook the sauce for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Cut the halloumi into sticks that are more or less 8cm x 1,5cm. You need the same amount of cheese sticks and aubergine slices.
Place a cheese stick on an aubergine slice, roll it up like a pancake and place in the prepared baking dish.
Pour the tomato sauce over the aubergine rolls and scatter the olives and thyme leaves over.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Scatter the basil leaves over the baked dish and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Blueberry Quickbread

February 28, 2022February 27, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml wholewheat flour
250ml cake flour
250ml blueberries
125ml sugar
7,5ml baking powder
2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
2,5ml salt
250ml buttermilk
zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
62ml vegetable oil
5ml vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 23cm x 13cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the two flours to a mixing bowl and stir to mix with a spatula.
Place the blueberries in a separate bowl and sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the flour over the fruit. Mix through so that the blueberries are coated with flour. Set aside.
Add the sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt to the flours and stir through.
Add the buttermilk, lemon zest, egg, oil and vanilla to a wide-mouthed jug and whisk together.
Pour the liquids into the dry ingredients and stir together until all the flour has been incorporated and you are left with a shaggy, wet batter.
Add the blueberries and stir through.
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf tin and pat it into the corners.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the bread, comes out clean.
Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Remove the bread from the tin and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Slice to serve.

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Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)

February 25, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is without doubt my favourite salad! If you are a fan of tomato, this is a must-try.

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

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the sourdough slices into cubes of 1,5 – 2cm.
Spread the bread cubes on the prepared baking sheet and liberally drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.
Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the bread is golden and crisp.
Remove from the baking sheet and set aside to cool.

Dressing:
Chop 3-4 tomatoes into very small pieces. The chopping is best done in a shallow bowl so that you preserve all of the tomato’s juice.
Add the tomato and the juice to a small 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 these ingredients together and seasonal with salt and pepper. Make adjustments according to your liking.

Slice the remaining 3-4 tomatoes into chunks and place in a large mixing bowl.
Cut the cucumber into chunks and add that as well.
Pour the dressing over the tomato and cucumber and mix through.
Scatter the croutons and basil on top of the salad and mix through.
Transfer to a serving platter.

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Basting Sauce for Grilled Vegetables

February 15, 2022February 15, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Whether you choose to cook your vegetables on an open fire or in roast them in the oven , this is the sauce to boost that flavour and have everyone coming for seconds!

30ml butter, melted
15ml vegetable oil
15ml wholegrain mustard
20ml lemon juice
30ml thyme leaves
1ml salt

Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk together.

Flame grill:
Place your selection of vegetables on the griddle over medium hot coals.
Baste and turn the veg every 1-2 minutes for about 12 minutes in total – this of course depends on the veg you chose!
Remove from the heat and serve as a side.

Oven roasting:
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and place your selection of vegetables on a roasting tray.
Liberally baste the veg with the sauce and place in the oven for 7 minutes.
Open the oven and baste and turn the vegetables before roasting for another 5-7 minutes more, depending on the vegetables you have chosen to roast.
Serve immediately.

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Roasted Cauliflower Salad

February 10, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is my adaptation of the delicious Donna Hay salad with roasted cauliflower. Serves 4 as a main.

For the avocado dressing:
half an avocado (taken from the 2 avocados you need for the salad)
125ml greek yoghurt
15ml lemon juice
60ml water

Add all the ingredients to a mixing jug and blitz together with a stick blender.
Season to taste and set aside.

For the salad:
1kg cauliflower florets
2 x 400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed under cold water
60ml olive oil
5ml salt
2 avocado pears, halved and sliced
12 radishes
a handful of mint leaves

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Arrange the cauliflower and chickpeas on the lined baking tray and drizzle with the oil.
Sprinkle the harissa and salt over.
Roast for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Spoon the cauliflower and chickpeas onto a serving platter and top with the avocado slices, radishes and mint leaves.
Drizzle the salad with the avocado dressing and serve.

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Loaded Salad

February 7, 2022February 3, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

As with most salads this is a combination of ingredients rather than a recipe.

hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
pan-fried halloumi cheese (see recipe for Pan-Fried Halloumi)
butter bean hummus (see recipe for Butter Bean Hummus)
rocket leaves
olive oil
lemon juice
sesame seeds

Arrange the halved eggs, halloumi slices and rocket leaves on a serving platter.
Spoon the hummus into a small mixing bowl and thin it down with equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice. Taste as you go and adjust the consistency to your liking.
Dress the salad with the hummus dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

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Pan-Fried Halloumi

February 3, 2022February 3, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Halloumi cheese, cut into 0,5cm slices
vegetable oil

Dressing:
2 red chillies, very finely chopped
20ml parsley, very finely chopped
15ml lemon juice
30ml olive oil
a pinch of salt

Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and stir together. Put aside.

Place a heavy frying pan on medium to high heat and wait for it to become hot.
Add about a teaspoon of oil to the pan and give it a swirl.
Now lay the halloumi slices down in the pan without them touching.
Fry for about one and a half minutes before flipping and frying the other side. Do not move the cheese around when frying as you will lose the caramelisation and beautiful golden crust!
Keep going until all the cheese is fried.
Place the halloumi on a serving dish and spoon over the dressing while still hot.
Serve immediately.

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Butter Bean Hummus

February 1, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is the creamiest hummus you will ever taste and I love it for its versatility!! Keep it in the refrigerator and use as a spread on crackers on sandwiches, as a dip with veg or thin it down and use it as a salad dressing.

1 x 400g can butter beans
30ml tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
the juice of one lemon (30ml)
30ml olive oil
5ml salt

Add all the ingredients to a liquidiser and blitz together until completely smooth.

Store in the refrigerator.

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Chicken Salad

January 27, 2022January 25, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

More of an idea than a recipe but absolutely fabulous and delicious!!

Dressing:
45ml olive oil
15ml grape vinegar
2,5ml mustard
15ml honey
a pinch of salt

Per portion/person:
1 fresh mango, peeled and sliced
1 smoked chicken breast, sliced
a handful of rocket leaves

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and whisk until amalgamated.
Dress the rocket leaves with half the dressing and set aside.

Layer the salad by arranging the mango slices on a plate, the chicken slices on top of that and finally top it with the rocket leaves.
Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing and serve.