Category Archives for Salads & Vegetarian

Seeded Leaf Salad with Cashew Nut Mayo

Entertaining at home or have been invited out and you need to bring a salad, then this one is for you.  The salad is simple with only a few ingredients, but the cashew nut mayo is really what makes the salad. 

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Ingredients:
Cashew nut mayo
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup raw cashews
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
4 cups mixed salad leaves
pinch of sea salt
1 avocado, peeled and cubed
¼ shallot, finely diced
2 tomatoes, finely diced
1 tablespoon honey
2 Lebanese cucumbers, diced
1/3 cup filtered water
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Dry toast the seeds in a frying pan over medium heat for 2-5 minutes or until brown. Remove and set aside to cool.

Place the mayo ingredients in a food processor with 1/3 cup filtered water and blend until smooth and creamy.

Arrange the salad ingredients in a bowl, reserving a few of the seeds to scatter on top.

Gently stir in the dressing to evenly coat the salad. Add the black pepper, the reserved seeds and serve.

Serves 2

Zoodles with Mint and Pumpkin Seed Pesto

If you haven't tried zoodles before, then you have seriously been missing out.  Such a good alternative to pasta that can be combined with any pasta sauce you desire.  Pesto is really quick to make and so fresh due to the herbs.  Swapping the pine nuts to pumpkin seeds, makes this pesto a great option for those that are nut free.  You really don't have to add anything extra to this meal but if you desire, some baked chicken tenderloins or sauteed vegetables are fabulous options

Ingredients:
 2 tablespoons olive oil
 4 large zucchinis

Mint Pesto:
 1 cup pumpkin seeds
 1 large clove garlic, minced
 2 tablespoons chopped chives
 ½ cup fresh mint leaves
 11/2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
 Juice half lemon
 1/3-1/2 cup filtered water
 Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Blend or process mint pesto ingredients. Add water as needed and season to your liking. Set aside.

Julienne the zucchinis into matchsticks or use a veggie spiralizer to make ‘spaghetti’. Lightly sauté the zucchini noodles in some olive oil for a few minutes then toss with as much pesto as you would like. Loosen with a little warm water to make it saucier.

Check seasoning and finish with pumpkin seeds, fresh mint and basil.

Serves 3

Sweet Potato Zucchini and Carrot Fritters

Fritters are so multi-functional.  They are great to have as a side dish to a meal, to be eaten as a snack or even in replacement of toast for your eggs. Any vegetable combination works.  The sweet potato and carrots in these fritters provide a little sweetness which my kids absolutely loved.  Although these may be a 'little naughty' because they are fried, choosing coconut oil is a really healthy option as the body readily uses the oil as energy and does not store it as fat.... a win, win.

Ingredients:
 1 small sweet potato, peeled and grated
 2 zucchini’s, grated
 1 carrot, grated
 1 garlic clove, minced
 2 eggs, beaten
 ¼ cup almond meal
 ½ teaspoon sea salt
 ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
 Coconut oil or olive oil for shallow frying

Method:
 Preheat oven to 180 degrees

 In a food processor, grate vegetables then transfer to a strainer and squeeze excess moisture.

 Transfer to a bowl and add other ingredients, mixing well.

 Heat preferred oil on medium heat and add 1 spoonful of the mixture for each fritter, flattening with a spatula. Allow to brown on one side (approx. 2-3 minutes) before flipping.

Once browned, remove onto a paper towel to allow excess oil to be drained.

Transfer onto tray and finish off in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Makes 12 fritters

Cauliflower Zucchini Falafels

I love, love, love middle eastern food. A meal of salads, dips and falafel balls is always a great quick weekday, vegetarian option or even a nice spread to put on when you are entertaining. Knowing that there are options out there where you can still enjoy the foods that you love without the additional nasties is so comforting. What I love about these balls, apart from the flavour, is the added bonus of including more vegetables into your meal. They are crispy, they are tasty but they are not dripping in oil!

Ingredients:

 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
 3 garlic cloves
 ½ cup fresh parsley
 ½ cup fresh coriander
 ½ cauliflower, cut into florets
 1 zucchini, roughly chopped
 2 teaspoons cumin
 ½ teaspoon turmeric
 zest of 1 lemon
 1 egg, beaten
 ½ cup almond meal
 salt and pepper to taste




Method:

 Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees and prepare a tray with lined baking paper.

 Place onion, garlic, parsley and coriander in a high speed blender and blend until it resembles a paste (don’t worry if you cant get it super smooth). Transfer into a large bowl.

 Place cauliflower and zucchini into blender and process until they have been finely chopped. Add this to the bowl with your onion mixture.

Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined.

 Roll mixture into balls (squeeze out excess liquid) and place on pre-prepared tray. Bake in oven for 40-50 minutes until crispy, turning half way. Serve with hummus or tahini dip and a chopped salad.

 Makes 12 balls

Leek and Kale Frittata

Frittatas are such a great way to fuel your body.  They are packed with protein and fibre rich vegetables that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for several hours.  You can adapt them to include any vegetables you have at home and are so versatile you can have them for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  They are a great meal that the entire family can enjoy.

Ingredients:
 1 tablespoon olive oil
4 eggs, 3 egg whites & 1 yolk
1 garlic clove, minced
2 leeks, rinsed and sliced
½ onion, diced
2 cups kale, washed and sliced
1 cup baby spinach
2 tablespoons sundried tomato, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
10 Kalamata olives, sliced (optional)
2 tablespoons milk or almond milk
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
 Preheat oven to 175 degrees.

Cook spinach and kale in ¼ cup water in a covered saucepan until just wilted. Drain and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and almond milk. Add the chopped sundried tomatoes and peppers and sprinkle with salt and pepper (add olives here if using). Set aside. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in an oven proof skillet. Sauté leek and onion for about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Spread spinach mixture evenly over bottom of skillet. Pour egg mixture over the top. Use a spatula to lift the spinach mixture along the sides of the pan and tip slightly to allow the egg mixture to flow underneath.

When the mixture is about half set, put the whole skillet in the oven. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the frittata is completely set and golden.

Serves 2

Alternatives: add any vegetables you like to mixture. Mushrooms and zucchini also make very good frittatas.

Garlic and Thyme Roasted Carrots

If you think carrots only come in orange, you're wrong! You can get carrots in a variety of colours, which is a great way to make sure you eat a rainbow. This recipe is a great side dish to have with your lean protein meal, that is quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:
750g mixed carrots (orange, yellow, purple), washed well
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Few sprigs of fresh Thyme
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
Prepare carrots by slicing them in half and place on a tray.
Drizzle with olive oil and add all other ingredients.
Toss well so that all the carrots are coated.
Place in oven for 40-45 minutes until the carrots have caramelised.

Serves 4-6 as a side

Tumeric Roasted Cauliflower Salad

I live for salads, but they can sometimes be quite time consuming to put together. So when I was thinking about this one, my aim was to come up with a salad that had little ingredients, was easy to put together but tasted amazing. In my opinion the recipe below has met the brief. This salad can be a meal on it’s own or used as a delicious accompaniment to the rest of your meal. Try it and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tin lentils, rinsed and drained
½ cup green olives
handful fresh parsley, chopped
cracked pepper to taste
sprinkle chilli flakes

Dressing:
¼ cup tahini
½ garlic clove, crushed
½ lemon juiced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup filtered water

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Mix oil, cumin, turmeric and salt together to form a paste.
Toss cauliflower florets in paste making sure all the cauliflower has been covered well.
Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes until cauliflower starts to brown.
Whilst cauliflower is cooking, prepare dressing by placing all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth consistency. You may need to add more water in small amounts to achieve the desired consistency.
Once cauliflower has finished cooking, transfer to salad bowl and combine the remainder of the ingredients.
Drizzle salad with tahini dressing.

Serves 4

Kale and Papaya Salad

This recipe was inspired by my visit to the local fruit and vegetable store. It’s simple with only a few ingredients, but exotic. This is the first time that I have used papaya in any of my dishes, but now that I have found it, I think it may become a regular. The sweetness of it really balances out the bitterness of the kale.

Ingredients

1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and washed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ papaya, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and grated
2 spring onions, sliced diagonally
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Dressing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 teaspoon honey
1 garlic clove, minced

Method
Prepare dressing by placing all ingredients in a small jar and mix well. Set aside.
Place kale in a bowl and massage in the oil, lemon and salt until kale is soft.
Add the remainder of the salad ingredients.
When ready to serve, drizzle with dressing and mix well.

Serves 4

Coleslaw Salad

From a young age I have always enjoyed eating coleslaw, especially on a warm summer’s night when we had barbecues. However, coleslaw as you know it is full of mayonnaise, and not very good for you. This coleslaw is a fresh healthy take on the old classic, but still hits the spot.

Ingredients:
¼ white cabbage, thinly sliced
¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced
5 gherkins, diced
¼ cup dill, chopped

Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:
Using a food processor, mandolin or knife thinly slice the white and red cabbage.
Prepare gherkins and dill and toss it all together.
Add dressing ingredients to salad and mix well.

Serves 4-6

Broccoli Salad with Vegan Mayonnaise

Sometimes what makes a salad is the dressing, and I would say that this is true for this one. The salad only has a handful of ingredients, but the creamy vegan mayonnaise dressing makes it absolutely delicious. It’s slightly more complicated than some of my other recipes, but definitely worth the effort.

Ingredients:
2 heads of broccoli
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Dressing:
1 cup vegan mayonnaise
2.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon celtic seas salt
2.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2.5 tablespoons raw honey

Vegan Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup filtered water
1/4 cup cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 2 hours)
1/4 cup raw cauliflower
1 1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard (like you put on hot dogs)
1 teaspoon raw coconut sugar or 1 chopped pitted date
3 tablespoons lemon juice or more to taste
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt or more to taste

Method:
Make vegan mayonnaise first by placing all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Chop broccoli to fine pieces or place in blender for 3-5 seconds until you get the size that you want.
Place broccoli on serving platter and add additional ingredients.
Continue to make the dressing using the vegan mayonnaise that was prepared earlier.
Pour enough dressing on the salad to make sure that it is all coated.

Serves 4-6

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