Lamb’s Lettuce with Sesame Crusted Feta
Monday, June 21, 2021This simple salad featuring lamb's lettuce and warm, salty, and tangy Feta cheese encased in a crispy golden sesame crust. Lamb’s lettuce, also known as corn salad, has a mild, almost nutty flavour. (Feldsalat, Ackersalat, Schafmaul, Mäuseöhrchen, Rebkresse or Rapunzel - this green salad has plenty of names in Germany. Nüsslisalat in Switzerland and Vogerlsalat in Austria.) The unusual name reputedly comes from the lettuce’s resemblance to the size and shape of a lamb’s tongue. Feel free to substitute baby spinat for lamb's lettuce, and halloumi for Feta.
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette and Salad | Sesame Crusted Feta |
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- Thoroughly and properly rinse, wash and dry lamb's lettuce. (I usually soak them in water for 8-10 minutes, so the dirts and sand sink to the bottom. Rinse them under water and dry them in a salad spinner.) Arrange them on two plates with grape tomatoes and dried cranberries.
- For the dressing, add white balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard to a jar, and blend shortly. Slowly stream in olive oil and blend again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For the crusted Feta, dry the cheese with kitchen paper and cut into 16-18 squares. Whisk the egg in a soup plate and sesame seeds in another.
- Dip the cubed Feta in egg and then coat with sesame seeds. Heat the lard or oil in a pan over a medium-high heat until hot. Gently place in Feta in 2-3 batches and fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on a piece of kitchen paper.
- Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and top with a few pieces of sesame crusted Feta.
Cumin Roasted Baby Carrots with Spiced Buckwheat Granola
Saturday, June 19, 2021If you can find tender baby carrots, they are wonderful to roast whole. Just give them a good scrub—no peeling required. Save the greens for the pesto. Otherwise, regular carrots are okay too. Don't over cook the baby carrots or they would get mushy.
The sweet and savoury buckwheat granola makes the BEST topping for roasted vegetables, salads or soups. You can of course use other seeds, or spices to make this to suit your taste. Quinoa is another great alternative.
Spiced Buckwheat Granola | Cumin Roasted Carrots |
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- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix all the ingredients for the granola in a bowl then spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in the middle of hot oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Wash carrots, peel and trim off tops, leaving some small stems if desired. Preheat oven to 200C/400F.
- Spread carrots onto a baking tray. Drizzle with avocado oil to coat them. Sprinkle with cumin seeds, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss to coat thoroughly.
- Roast for 18-22 minutes, depending on size, until tender when tested with the point of a knife. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with spiced granola and chopped carrot greens.
Crumbed Meatballs with Green Pea Salad
Thursday, June 17, 2021A deliciously different way to enjoy meatballs. Beef mince (or any other kinds of mince), Parmesan cheese and herbs are formed into meatballs, coated in breadcrumbs, fried and served with a baby Romaine lettuce and pea salad tossed with a herb dressing. The crumbed meatballs are crunchy on the outside and so tender and tasty on the inside. Don't skip the Parmigiano-Reggiano as it adds so much more flavours to the meatballs. Next time I will add some grated Parmesan in the breadcrumbs too. They can be served stuffed into pita pockets with tzatziki or over some pasta with marinara sauce.
Pepper Crusted Eye-of-Round Roast
Tuesday, June 15, 2021For this roast beef recipe I used an eye of round roast. This budget-friendly cut of meat comes from the hind quarter, or round, and is very lean and flavourful. This usually means that you want to cook the meat low and slow, but in this recipe, you should start the roast at a high heat, then turn off the oven and leave it for 1 hour 30 minutes or longer if your roast is heavier. The eye of the round is best (for me) when it's cooked to medium-rare, which is a range between 54.4C/130F or 57.2C/135F. But someone in the house prefer it medium-well, so I had to comproise. So if you prefer medium-rare, take it out of the oven once it hits 54.4C/130F as the roast continues to cook from residual heat.
Carrot Cake Bliss Balls #refined-sugar free#gluten free#dairy free
Monday, June 14, 2021These bliss balls or energy bites take the flavours of a traditional carrot cake and turns it into a healthy pick-me-ups. They are natually sweetened with dates and pineapples and coated with desiccated coconut or anything you like. Chia, hemp or poppy seeds are all great for the coating. They really are the perfect little snack to keep stored in a container in the fridge for whenever you need something easy and healthy to eat.
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- Process carrot, date, pineapple, oats, almond butter, rum or pineapple juice and spices in a food processor until almost smooth and well combined.
- Roll the mixture into balls. Roll in coconut to coat. Place on a lined tray in fridge for 1 hour or until set. Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week.
Pearl Barley Balls with Spiced Yoghurt Dip
Saturday, June 12, 2021These baked pearl barley balls are healthy, delicious, nutty and super easy to make! Plus, you can make them ahead and freeze for later. They are awesome for an appetizer, or as a side, or main dish---an easy dish that never fails to satisfy. This recipe will leave you with some dressing leftover, but it keeps well in the fridge to use for other salads.
Pearl Barley Balls | Spiced Yoghurt Dressing |
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- Cook the pearl barley according to the package instructions. Rinse under cold water to remove the starch and leave to drain until cool enough to handle.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Mix together the rest of the ingredients, excpet the olive oil, with cooled pearl barley. Shape the mixture into golf-ball sized balls or patties. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil, once hot add the balls and fry about 4 minutes until lightly golden brown. Finish them in the oven for 10 minutes.
- While the pearly barley balls bake, prepare the dressing. Place cumin, coriander and turmeric in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Combine spice mixture, Greek yoghurt, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring to combine.
- Arrange the pearl barley balls on a bed of salad, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds over. Serve with the prepared spiced yoghurt dressing.
White Bean Dip with Sundried Tomatoes and Cashews
Friday, June 11, 2021A deliciously healthy, creamy and flavourful white bean dip with sundried tomatoes and cashews comes together in minutes and is packed full of nutrients. It can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Serve with crudités and toasted slices of bread as a snack, light lunch or as part of a picnic. It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
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- Place white beans, sundried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, cashew nuts, lemon juice, hot water, smoked paprika, pink salt and black pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth, or less if you prefer a coarse texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoining as necessary. Transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle the top with extra olive oil. Top with a few piece of sundried tomatoes and sprinkle some chopped parsley over. Serve with toasted slices of bread and crudités.