quick and easy meals – My Whisk and I

20-Minute Tuna Spaghetti

September 25, 2023September 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250g spaghetti
45ml olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 spring onion, finely sliced
2 tins of shredded tuna, drained
1 lemon, zest and juice
125ml sour cream
30ml capers, roughly chopped
30ml chopped parsley
15ml chopped chives
parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
Drain the pasta and keep it in the pot too stay warm.
Place a large pan over medium heat, add the oil and wait for it to heat up.
Add the garlic and spring onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Now add the tuna, lemon zest and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the cream and cook for 1 minute.
Add the spaghetti, capers, parsley and chives and stir until the spaghetti is well coated in the sauce.
Grate over a generous amount of parmesan cheese and stir through.
Now grate over some more parmesan, stir again and serve.

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Green Soup

June 20, 2022June 14, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1,5litre vegetable stock
750g frozen peas
250g broccoli
300g baby spinach
60g almond meal
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
a small handful of mint leaves
plain yoghurt, to serve

Pour the stock into a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add the peas and broccoli and simmer until the broccoli is tender – about 5 minutes.
Add the spinach leaves, almond meal, lemon zest and juice and mint and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Season the soup with salt and pepper. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Blend the mixture with a stick blender until smooth.
Simmer the soup for another 2 minutes, spoon into serving bowls and serve with a dollop of yoghurt.

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Avocado Pear with Cheese and Pangrattato

May 2, 2022April 2, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Pangrattato:
15ml olive oil
15ml butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
125ml panko breadcrumbs
30ml thyme leaves
60ml cashew nuts, chopped

2 avocado pears
60ml cream cheese, room temperature
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, seeds scooped out and cut into small cubes
250ml grated cheddar cheese
balsamic vinegar reduction

foil nests to rest the halved avocado pears in while baking

For the pangrattato:
Add the oil and butter to a frying pan set over medium heat and allow the butter to melt.
Fry the garlic for 1 minute while stirring.
Add the breadcrumbs, thyme and nuts and stir around in the pan until toasted and golden.
Take the mixture off the heat, spoon it into a bowl and allow to cool.

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Prepare foil baking nests for the avocado pear by scrunching strips of aluminium foil into circular shapes where the avocado can rest without tilting. Be careful not to cut your hands!!!
Place the nests on a baking tray.
Cut the avocado pears in half and remove the stone.
Place each half on an aluminium nest and spoon 15ml cream cheese into the hollow.
Mix the chopped onion, tomato and cheddar cheese and divide the mixture in four equal portions. Pile the mixture onto the avocado halves.
Place the baking tray in the oven for 10 minutes or until the avocado is warmed throughout and the cheese has melted.
Spoon a generous amount of pangrattato onto each avocado portion.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction and serve slightly warm.

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Quick Creamy Chicken

April 12, 2022April 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250g bacon, cut into small pieces
45ml butter
83ml flour
6-8 chicken breasts
15ml garlic powder
250ml chicken stock
15ml lemon juice
250 ml cream

Place a frying pan on medium-high heat, add a very small amount of oil and fry the bacon pieces until just crispy on the edges.
Remove the bacon pieces from the pan but keep the fat and keep the pan on the heat.
Mix the flour and garlic powder together and dredge the chicken in the flour.
Add the butter to the warm pan and brown the chicken breasts on both sides – about 3 minutes per side.
Pour in the stock and allow the chicken to cook for about 8 minutes before turning and cooking for another 8 minutes.
Add the cooked bacon, lemon juice and cream to the pan, give it a stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Serve the chicken breast on a starch of your choice.