Smoked Salmon Dip

This dip is so versatile and easy to make. It's great with some vegetables or crackers, or if you want to add some to pasta it also makes a great sauce.

Here are the ingredients:

- 120g smoked salmon
- 500g ricotta
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- handful flat leaf parsley
- cracked black pepper

Method:

Simply slice all you smoked salmon, and then add this with all your other ingredients to a food processor. blend until smooth with only small chunks of smoked salmon. 

Cabbage, Kale and Caramelised Onion Rice Salad

I found a recipe for caramelised onion in delicious magazine recently and it was so good.
 However I didn't get to use it all for the original recipe so I wondered how I could use it.

I decided to use it in a brown rice salad of my own. I am trying to lose weight and find the right diet/lifestyle change because I am too much of a foodie to cope with a restrictive diet and plain bland foods. Also I don't believe in calorie control as life is too short to do math every time I eat. I am going to try and practice portion control. Therefore I am trying the whole gluten free/ food combining rules, as when I went meat free and gluten free I lost some weight, however I went back to eating meat, which is ok if you just have a little but fell of the gluten free diet.

Anyway here are the ingredients;

Ingredients:

- Caremelised onion ( it's kind of like a sweet chutney, I am sure you can find your own recipe on the internet, or google it on the delicious magazine website, or buy it if you really can't be bothered).
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1/8th shredded red cabbage
- 8 leaves of kale finely chopped
- 1/4 of a large cucumber finely diced
- 2 small chili's finely chopped and diced
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- black pepper to taste
- Large handful of coriander, chopped



Method:
Basically all you have to do is mix everything together, you can add more chili's if you want it hotter. It's a great simple salad that you can add other ingredients to or adjust. You can add more of the greens or cabbage if you wish.

XX J

Cashew Pesto

This is a delicious substitute for normal pesto, it's also cheaper too as pistachio nuts are really expensive.
You'll need:

- 200g roasted cashew nuts
- Large bunch of basil, 
- 3/4 cup robust olive oil 
- Salt to taste 

Method: 

In a food processor blend together until all ingredients until nuts have been chopped and all basil blended and it resembles normal pesto. Remember not to blend to much, you're not making sauce!

Gluten Free Bruschetta with Cashew Pesto, Rocket, Spinach and Fresh Basil!

This is what I am planning on making as one of my favourite afternoon teas.

The gluten free bread is sooo low in calories it's unbelievable, and when you whack it under the grill and toast it each side for a couple of minutes it perfectly toasted and ready for your toppings. i

I used the following on mine:

- Fresh Basil
- Rocket
- Baby Spinach
- Diced Tomato
- Diced Cucumber
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Cashew nut Pesto
- Gluten free bread ( i used sliced loaf, but you could use a roll cut in half)
I will post my recipe for a cashew nut pesto later on, but basically it's a mixture of cashew nuts, olive oil and basil with salt and pepper.

 

Pea and Corn Quinoa Salad

This is a lovely salad hot or cold, as a main or side.

Ingredients:

- can of peas, liquid drained

- can of corn, liquid drained

- small bunch of coriander ( or as much as you like) chopped finely

- small bunch of mint ( or as much as you like) chopped finely

- 4 Shallots, chopped
- 2 cups cooked quinoa

- Juice of 1 lemon

- cracked pepper and rock salt.

Method:

It's simple really, cook your quinoa and place into a bowl with your can of peas, corn, mint, coriander and shallots and mix together. Then drizzle all of your lemon juice on top with enough salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly together.

Sugar Free Health Muffins - #1

In my quest to become fit and fabulous, I have come up with a super healthy version of the regular muffins.

I have several health muffin recipes, so the is recipe #1.

These muffins are sugar free, using only natural ingredients such as cinnamon, banana, honey and apple to sweeten the mixture. It also loaded with fibre and super foods.

Try them and let me know what you think?

Ingredients:

- 1 very large very ripe Banana

- 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds

- 70g of Dried Whole Cranberries, then chop them in half after measuring

- 4 Tablespoons of Honey

- 1 large red apple, skinned and diced

- 3 Tablespoons of Organic Quinoa Flakes

- 100g Wholemeal Plain flour

- 250g Wholemeal Self Raising Flour

- 1/2 Tablespoon of Cinnamon

- 70g of Walnuts, roughly chopped after measuring

- 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder

- 1 Organic Egg

- 3 Tablespoons of Grapeseed Oil

- 150ml of Milk

Method:

Mix your flours, chia seeds, cinnamon, walnuts and baking powder together in a bowl.

Then take your cut cranberries and add 3 tablespoons of water to them and microwave for 30 seconds, to moisten and re-hydrate them.

Then take your banana and mash with your honey, place this with your dry mixture and add your cranberries ( with any water that did not evaporate with them ), oil, milk, chopped apple and egg and mix together.

If you find your mixture is a bit dry you could add a little  more milk.


Place the mixture evenly in 12 muffin cases, and drizzle honey on each one.


Place into an oven set at 180C for 15-20 minutes or until they have risen and look golden.

Enjoy xoxo 

SPICY CAJUN MEATBALLS

These are amazing.... have them on their own with salad or veggies, add them to soup, turn them into a stew and they even make a great party snack.

 You could even make them into burger patties!

Ingredients:

-          2 Tablespoons of Cajun Spice mix

-          ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika

-          410g crushed or diced tinned tomatoes

-          50g grated carrot

-          ½ brown onion

-          500g of organic minced beef

-          1 egg

-          Pepper to taste

-          ¼ teaspoon vegetable salt (from health food store, made from dried herbs & natural salt)

-          Chilli flakes (optional)

Method:

Mix everything but the meat and the egg together. Once you have mixed everything together into a sauce have a quick taste and add more spice or pepper if you like. You could even add chilli flakes if you wanted an extra kick.

Once you are happy with the sauce then add the meat and egg and mix all together until properly combined.

Take mixture and place into the palm of your hands and roll into balls and place in a tray in the oven or cook in a fry pan or casserole dish.

Strawberry Rice Milk Smoothie

Not all food on my blog has to be unhealthy, I have a favourite Strawberry smoothie recipe. 

It it light on the dairy side, but if you are lactose intolerant you can leave the yoghurt out and top it up with some more rice milk or chia seeds.  

Ingredients:

- 1 tsp chia Seeds

- 3 tbsp yoghurt

- 1 punnet strawberries

- 1 tsp honey

- 1 cup rice milk

Blend all together and enjoy xoxo

Turkish Delight Hot Chocolate

I have a deep love for the flavour of turkish delight.

Good turkish delight is amazing to cook with and of course we all know it goes well with chocolate, so why not drink it?

So here is my recipe for a beautiful turkish delight hot chocolate

Serves 2

Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon of the softest best Turkish delight you can get ( I prefer the kind you can get from traditional lolly shops at the markets) 
- 4 Teaspoons of Rosewater ( not essence)
- 1 teaspoon raw sugar
- 2 Tablespoons the best coco powder you can get
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 1/2 Cup of milk

Method:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan on a medium heat and stir until all dissolved, do not let boil.
You can add any little chunks of turkish delight left over that didn't get time to melt into each glass if you like.


Enjoy xoxo 

Eggplant Pizza

This is a great recipe for those of you who are eating gluten free or trying to stay away from bread.

It also is a much healthier way to try and get your pizza like fix without eating the real thing!

This recipe creates 4 slices!

Ingredients:

1 Eggplant
Cheese ( light tasty cheese or a parmesan )
chopped tinned tomatoes ( use this as your tomato base, not a tomato paste as that has to much salt and sugar)
your favourite choice of pizza toppings
Oven set to 180'C

Method: 

Simply wash and cut the top of your eggplant, then cut into 4 from top to bottom length ways.
Put each slice on a tray to put in the oven and place a decent amount of tinned tomato on each slice of your eggplant then place your toppings on top then your cheese, basically your doing the same thing as you would normally for a pizza.
Then place in the oven to cook, take it out when your eggplant is sizzling and all the cheese has melted nicely.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Chilli and Chive Chicken with Pesto Covered Greens

* Please note the Pesto Covered Greens are the reason why I have added the label vegetarian. 

Lately I have been trying to eat more healthy, of course without the loss of flavour.

So here is my recipe, you can tweak it by adding more or less chilli, depending on how hot you like it.

Serves 1

Chilli and Chive Chicken:

Ingredients:
- 3 Tablespoons of German style cottage cheese
- 1 Heaped tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- 1 large pinch of finely chopped fresh red chillies
- Chicken Breast

Method: 

Mix the above ingredients together thoroughly then completely coat over chicken breast and place in a non-stick pan on medium to high heat. Cook Either side.

The cottage cheese should slowly simmer away until you are left with the chives and chillies coating the chicken. use your spatula to hold down and press on the chicken, this makes it cook quicker.

If you notice that some sauce has started to stick or burn to your pan, remove it from your pan immediately.

Once the chicken has been cooked all the way through, place on your place to rest while you are getting your veggies ready.

Pesto Covered Greens:

Ingredients:

- Handful of green beans
- Handful of snow peas
- 4 or five broccoli florets
- several tablespoons of pesto (preferably home made)
- some water

This is really simple, I made my own home made pesto, using basil, parmesan, olive oil and a little bit of salt and pepper. I followed a recipe I found from a Women's Weekly Cook Book.

Basically all you have to do is stir fry your snow peas, green beans and broccoli in some water until they are soft enough to eat. Then place them in a bowl with several tablespoons of your pesto, mix thoroughly and place on your plate with your chicken, you can add another pinch of freshly chopped chilli on top if you want to really taste that punch.

Enjoy xoxo J

Garlic, Herb and Olive Potato Salad

This is a nice side dish to any main meal. It contains no animal product so its great for vegetarians and vegans!

Ingredients: 

- 1330 grams white potatoes - (or about small white 16 potatoes)
- 3 tsp chicken salt, vegan friendly, MSG free
- 1 heaped tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped basil leaves
- small handful of fresh watercress leaves, stems removed
- 12 green olives, the kind found in deli's that are kept in olive oil or brine, must have their stones still
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- some whole cracked pepper
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed

Utensils:
- Fry Pan
- Pot to boil potatoes
- chopping board
- large enough bowl to toss all ingredients in
- spoons to toss ingredients

Wash and chop your potatoes into quarters, add to pot of good water with 1 teaspoon of your chicken salt, bring to the boil and cook until potatoes are just tender enough to put your fork into without them being hard.

Once cooked drain water and put your potatoes into a bowl that will be big enough to toss everything in.
Then pull out your fry pan, in it add your 12 green olives and begin to toast them on a medium heat. Once this is done, take them off, let them cool and then begin to cut the flesh off the stone and add that to your potatoes. Do not toss your potatoes until the end, as they will begin to break down if you mix them to much.

With the same pan add your two garlic cloves that have been crushed with 1 tablespoon of your olive oil and cook the garlic until it is just golden brown. Once this is done add it to your potatoes with your herbs and 2 teaspoons of your chicken salt, 5 tablespoons of olive oil and as much cracked pepper as you like.

This is best when left overnight to develop in flavour.

Enjoy !

Allspice Pumpkin Soup

This is a lovely healthy pumpkin soup recipe. Add some brown rice to it and it gets very filling very quick.

Ingredients:

- 1kg pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons organic pumpkin seed oil
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 cube beef stock or beef flavoured stock ( you can get these vegan friendly)
- 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper

Method: 

Boil kettle with at least 3 cups of water. In a medium pot, add chopped onion and sauté until brown and caramelised in rice bran oil. Turn off once done. Once kettle has boiled add 2 cups of water to your beef stock cube. Stir until dissolved. Add chopped pumpkin to onion and add stock, then add more water until covered over pumpkin. Cover with a lid and cook until pumpkin is falling away from skin and can be mashed with spoon in pot.

Turn off and let cool for about 5 minutes. Then add to blender with 2 tablespoons organic pumpkin seed oil, ground paprika, ground all spice and mixed spice. Blend together until completely smooth.

Add to bowls with some brown rice if desired, enjoy.

Seasoned Potato Chips

Sometimes, you just need a good ol' bowl of seasoned potato chips, here is my recipe!

Ingredients:

- 6 large white potatoes,
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons rice bran oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
- 1 tablespoon dried crushed onion
- 1 teaspoon Herbamare original salt

Utensils: 

- Foil
- Oven proof dish used for roasting.
- Oven set at 180'C Fan Forced temperature

Method:

Chop potatoes into chip size lengths, keep the skin on, as this helps make them crispy (and is also better for you). Place into an oven proof dish, the kind that is used for your roasts. Add the water and mix all over your chips, making sure they are evenly coated, then add your rice bran oil and mix that so it is evenly coated all over your chips. Place foil over your tray and place into oven for 30 min.

In another bowl, add your dried onion, tumeric, smoked paprika and salt. Mix together evenly.  Set aside.

After 30 min take out your chips, remove foil and using a spatula, turn the chips over and loosen from tray and mix evenly in juices. Take all of your seasoning and sprinkle over the top of your chips and VERY gently toss until evenly coated all over your chips. Place back into the oven without the foil until golden brown and crispy.

Enjoy xoxo Jane 

Wholemeal bacon, herb and tomato pasta

This pasta is a nice light basic dish. It has a subtle flavour of herbs, bacon and tomato and uses my new favourite spice- smoked paprika, which gives it a wonderful subtle smoky flavour with the bacon.

The amount of herbs I use is a guide, feel free to add more if you like.

Ingredients:

- 4 Bay Leaves
- Pink Murray River Salt flakes
- 2 1/2  tablespoons dried onion
- 8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- Palm full of fresh oregano, roughly chopped with any woody stems removed.
- Medium bunch of chives, chopped
- 450g Cherry Tomatoes
- 8 rashers of bacon, preferably frozen
- smoked paprika
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you will need a total of about 9 tablespoons
- 1/2 teaspoon Hot English mustard
- 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Herbamare Vegetable Health salt
- 300g wholemeal pasta

Method:

In a pot add enough water to cook pasta with 4 bay leaves, and a large pinch of salt flakes, bring to the boil.

While you are waiting for the water to boil to add your pasta, get a large mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon of dried and shredded onion, the chopped basil leaves, chopped oregano and chopped chives.

At this point your water should be boiling, so add the pasta to cook. Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain and add ( including the bay leaves) to your herb mixture and mix to coat herbs evenly over pasta.

Take your 450g of cherry tomatoes and divide them in half. Take one half of your tomes set aside and cut each tomato in half and add to you herbs in the bowl. take the other cherry tomatoes you set aside and puncture them with a knife (so the juices leach out when cooking) then add them to a fry pan, preferably non stick. Take your 8 rashers of frozen bacon ( they can be a little thawed at this point ) and dice them.
Add to the pan with the tomatoes and start to cook, the juice form the tomatoes and frozen bacon should be enough to cook them in so you will not need oil.

Once bacon is starting to cook add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika and stir until paprika is mixed evenly and the bacon and tomato turn a beautiful red colour. Then add 1 tablespoon dried onion to the pan and cook for one more minute or so. Once this is done, take off heat and add to pasta dish with 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon hot English mustard, 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese and 4 pinches of Herbamare vegetable salt. Stir, then let sit in the fridge overnight for flavours to develop.

The next day take out of fridge and stir so that the juices that have collected at the bottom coat the pasta evenly, then add 1/2 tablespoon dried onion, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 pinches of Herbamare salt and 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Mix together and enjoy.

Enjoy

Cous Cous Salad - Vegan

This makes a great side dish with a salad or veggies, or even if you want to eat it with meat.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of Cous Cous
- 4 dried Bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- cracked whole pepper
- 1 teaspoon tumeric
- small pinch saffron
- 1/2 teaspoon vegetable salt  the kind you get from the health food shop)
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 1 baby zuchini
- 1 small carrot
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil

Method:

Place the cous cous into a bowl. Add Bay leaves, paprika, oregano, cracked pepper and tumeric. Mix dry ingredients together until the spices have evenly coloured the dry cous cous. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into a measuring jug with a small pinch of saffron and 1/2 a teaspoon vegetable salt.

Add to cous cous and stir, then leave to absorb.

In another small saucepan add chopped zuchini and carrot with 1/2 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil. Stir fry until nicely sautéed.

After or while your veggies are sauting, fluff cous cous ( add a little more water if needed, say another tablespoon or so) and add chopped cherry tomatoes. Add Sauted veggies and stir into cous cous.

Enjoy!

Avacado and Chive Dip

A simple, healthy and delicious dip, perfect with crackers or raw vegetable sticks.
This could also be used as a substitute for mayonnaise on your sandwiches, mmmmmmm!

Ingredients:

- 1 Ripe Avocado
- 3/4 cup No fat Greek yoghurt
- small bunch of fresh chives, chopped
-  1/2 teaspoon vegetable salt ( the kid you get from the health food store)
- whole cracked pepper

Method:

Scoop out the inside of the avocado and mash in a bowl with salt and pepper.
Add yoghurt and chopped chives.

4 Herb Garlic Bread

This herb garlic bread is delicious, a bit different from your usual parsley and garlic bread.

It is perfect as a winter snack or when you want to make something a bit more special to go with a meal such as a roast. It also makes great cocktail finger food for a party or a family gathering.

Ingredients:

- Rustic Baguette
- Small bunch fresh chives
- 5 Fresh Basil Leaves
- Small bunch fresh parsley
- Small bunch of fresh oregeno
- 3 Cloves of garlic
- 100g Unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Murray River pink salt flakes (or any quality salt flakes, preferably pink)

Method:

Using a fork, crush butter in bowl, add crushed garlic cloves.
Chop chives, basil leaves and parsley and add to butter. Remove fresh oregano leaves form stem and add to butter - do not chop them, leave them whole.
mix all together until herbs are even distributed throughout butter and garlic mixture.
Cut baguette in half and spread butter on both of the insides.
 Place into 160C oven until butter has melted and bread has just started to turn crusty and golden on the edges.

Remove from oven and half teaspoon of salt flakes on each baguette half.
Cut into however many pieces or sizes you wish.

Enjoy with loved ones. 

Peach and Passion fruit Icy Frozen Yoghurt

This Frozen Yoghurt is not quite as icy as the strawberry version, and it is more creamier. A tip for keeping your frozen yoghurt as smooth as possible, is when scooping it out of the container, try and stay away form the liquid that collects.

I have to say that this is my favourite.




Ingredients:

- 4 Passionfruit
- 1 ripe peach, cut into very small diced pieces
- 3 cups natural Greek yoghurt
- 3 Tablespoon's runny honey
- 3 Tablespoon's Vanilla essence
- teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

1. Add 3 cups of yoghurt and chopped peach to the container you wish to freeze your yoghurt in and stir together.

2. Add 2 Tablespoons of runny honey to the pulp of 4 passion fruit and stir to make a runny syrup.

3. Add to yoghurt mixture and stir until just combined.

4. Add 1 Tablespoon runny honey on top of yoghurt mixture and fold until most of the honey has disappeared, just leaving a few streaks here and there. Drizzle a teaspoon of vanilla essence on top of your mixture and place into freezer until frozen.



    This is how it looks frozen. 

Icy Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt

When its 38 C and the heat and humidity is getting to you, pull out a tub of this and have a scoop or two of this tasty and healthy treat. It uses Strawberries, Honey, Vanilla essence, and natural Greek Yoghurt.

Because this recipe uses fruit which contains water and no cream, preservatives or the normal chemicals added that stop store bought yoghurt's from going hard, this yoghurt has little chards of ice in the texture. It's texture is kind of like a slushy or icy, but in summer its quite refreshing and cooling.

Ingredients:
- 3 punnets
- 2 cups natural yoghurt
- 2 cup fulls vanilla essence
- 9 Tablespoons honey

Method:

Chop the green tips of 2 of the punets of the strawberries and add to blender, add 2 cups of natural yoghurt and add 4 tablespoon's honey. Blend in blender until runny and frothy.

Pour into container that you want to freeze your ice-cream into.



Take your third punnet of strawberries and remove green tops and add to blender with 5 tablespoons of honey and blend together.

Pour the strawberry blend in a spiral way over the yoghurt mixture, it will sink instantly to the bottom, leaving just a few traces on the top. DO NOT STIR. simply place into freezer.

After about 12 hours, or the next day, take out and fold. Basically you are trying to get a strawberry ripple from the  strawberry syrup that has settles on the bottom throughout your mixture, but its ok if it is not perfect.

It will still be quite soft and slightly frozen. Pur back in freezer for at least another 4-5 hours and fold again, then put back into your freezer until evenly frozen.

Remember this is quite icy and not smooth like your normal frozen yoghurt.