California Style Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 fresh red chili, or yellow chili

bunch fresh baby spinach

1/2 red onion

1/2 red pepper

 bunch of fresh coriander

 bunch of fresh mint

1/4 ripe mango

1 lime

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 ripe avocado

50 g feta cheese

1 punnet cress

2 skinless chicken breasts or skinless and boneless chicken tights

 teaspoon smoked paprika

pinch of nutmeg 

olive oil

4 tablespoons fat-free yogurt

salt&pepper

*

This recipe is copied from Jamie Oliver; she saw it on his 15 minutes meals show and had to try it out immediately. It is her new summer favorite, absolute must to try! Put the quinoa into the pan and generously cover with boiling water and cook until soft. Put the chili, spinach, coriander (reserving a few leaves) into blender with some olive oil and lime, tear in the top leafy half of the mint, then blitz until finely chopped. On a large sheet of baking paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken. Put into the frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, turning after 3 or 4 minutes, until blackened and cooked through or roast it in oven oil free on the baking paper.

Peel and cut the mango into chunks. Once cooked, drain the quinoa and rinse under the cold tap, then drain well again and tip on to a serving board or platter. Toss with the blitzed spinach mixture, season with salt and pepper and dash of extra lime juice and olive oil if needed.

Sprinkle the mango chunks and peppers over the quinoa along with some chopped red onion, halve and de-stone the avocado, then use a teaspoon to scoop curls of it over the salad. Slice up the chicken and add to the salad; crumble over the feta cheese, scatter over the remaining coriander leaves and water cress. Finish of with a few spoons of white yogurt.

Bon Appetit!

Freekeh Salad With Lamb Sausage

Ingredients:

150 g freekeh

4 lamb sausages

1/2 courgette

3 grilled pickled red peppers, cut into stripes

Handful roasted almonds

bunch of fresh parsley. chopped finely

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lime juice

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of cumin seeds

salt & pepper

*

Freekeh or farik is a cereal food made from green wheat that goes through a roasting process in its production. It is an ancient Arabian, super-nutritious, low in fat, high in protein and fiber food that is digested slowly. This was her first attempt to cook with this old-new super-food and the salad came out really tasty. Cook freekeh until soft with a pinch of  salt in a saucepan. Meanwhile fry the sausages on a frying pan, add a bit of olive oil, courgette and cook until al-dente and sausages are done. Add the freekeh and stir altogether adding cut slices of red pepper, roasted almonds and all the seasoning.  Super easy.

Bon Appetit!

Bulgur Salad with Grilled Halloumi Cheese

Ingredients:

1/2 pack of halloumi cheese

150 g cooked bulgur

1 bigger sweet potato

3 grilled pickled red peppers, cut into stripes

bunch of fresh rocket leaves 

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lime juice

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of turmeric

salt & pepper

*

Delicious vegetarian meal perfect as a healthy lunch option that she saw on YouTube and had to try straight away. Boil the sweet potato and cook the bulgur with a pinch of salt until soft separately. Once the sweet potato is cooked, cut it into cubes, place on a hot plate, sprinkle with olive oil, season with nutmeg and turmeric, do the same with the halloumi cheese which you cut into thick slices. Grill both for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Once the potato and halloumi ready, add it to the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, pepper, lime and olive oil, mix and serve.

Bon Appetit!

Quinoa Salad With Grapefruit, Goat's Cheese And Wasabi Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa, cooked

1/2 grapefruit, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 pear, cut into cubes

75 g semi-soft goat's cheese eg. Chavroux Tendre Bûche 

Handful fresh rocket 

Bunch of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Dressing:

1 tbsp yogurt mayonnaise

1 teaspoon wasabi paste

1 tbsp maple syrup 

dash of fresh lemon juice 

salt&pepper 

*

Trying new things and experimenting is always fun. She found this recipe in Allerhande magazine and couldn't wait to cook it. This salad was easy and fast to make, surprising in combination of ingredients and very tasty. Cook quinoa as per instructions on the packaging. Set aside and let cool off. Prepare wasabi mayonnaise simply by mixing and whisking all ingredients together, It should not be runny. Peel and cut grapefruit and pear. Mix together with fresh rocket and finely chopped mint leaves along with quinoa. Top up with the goat's cheese and garnish with wasabi mayonnaise. 

Bon Appetit!

Superfood Breakfast

Ingredients:

4 Atkins Advantage Wheat & Rye Cracker à 10 g

1/2 ripe avocado

50 g President Chèvres doux soft goat's cheese

1 teaspoon chia seeds

Pinch of salt

*

This breakfast has become her favorite option over the working week. Although there was no cooking involved she wanted to share this breakfast option as it contained so called super foods. It can be argued that the rise of so called super foods is nothing but a scam and clever manipulation by nutrition marketeers. It is true that these products are usually pretty costly and come with a fashion hype and promotions in the media and by celebrities. The judgement was on each person to make, but what she personally liked and appreciated about these products was the diversity and new door that opened to whole different life style. Not only she enjoyed the taste but it just made her feel good. The crackers were low carb and full of fibre; chia seeds were wholesome source of mega-3 fatty acids,  protein, manganese, and phosphorus along with vitamin A, B, E and D. Avocado was rich in healthy fats and nutrients - oleic acid, lutein, folate, vitamin E, monounsaturated fats and glutathione among them. 

Goat cheese, like goat milk, was easier on the human digestive system and lower in calories, cholesterol and fat than its bovine counterpart. In addition, goat milk cheese was a good source of calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin K, phosphorus, niacin and thiamin. Given the fact that she was lactose intolerant, this was a better option.

When she combined this breakfast with one of her fruit smoothies, she felt energetic, satisfied but not stuffed until the lunch time. Why not trying something new?

Bon Appetit!

Quinoa Salad With Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of mixed quinoa grain

100 g smoked salmon fillets

1/2 cucumber, cored and peeled if preferred

50 g feta cheese, here in cubes

2 tbsp capers 

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Bunch of fresh dill

Handful arugula, baby spinach leaves or dandelion leaves

Dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt&pepper

*

Recently, this salad became her favorite lunch option. Simple to make but interesting in tastes, she would prepare it at least once a week. Many of the ingredients in this recipe were considered a superfood: Omega-3s in the salmon lower heart disease risk, arthritis and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer's. There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well. Sesame has compounds called ligans which have cholesterol and blood pressure lowering effects. Also contained in sesame is vitamin E, an antioxidant that can help decrease inflammation in your body.Often referred to as the supergrain, quinoa is high in fiber and high-quality protein. In fact, it contains more protein than any other grain while also packing in iron and potassium.The quinoa mix of white, red and black grains had a special nutty flavor that made the salad really special. Boil the quinoa until it softens and somehow "pops" in 1:2 ratio means 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup water along with a pinch of salt. It should take about 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the rest of the ingredients, slice the smoked salmon fillets, cut and core the cucumber, chop the dill finely. Mix along with the rest of the ingredients and the cooked quinoa afterwards, season with salt and pepper and the sesame oil which gives the meal an Asian flair. Serve on a bed of fresh arugula, dandelion or baby spinach leaves. This salad can be also served with a soft boiled or pouched egg and bread to make it a more fulfilling meal of the day.

Bon Appetit!