All Posts by vitalassurance

Chicken Burger Patties

Making these patties are a fabulous way to add some additional veggies into your meal. With very few ingredients they are really quick and easy to make, and something you can prepare in larger batches and have frozen and ready to go whenever you need a quick meal. I use the Mingle seasoning in this recipe, however if you don't have any (i would highly recommend that you contact me to get hold of some) you can substitute it for any seasonings you like.

Ingredients:

600g white chicken mince
1 carrot, grated
1 zucchini, grated
1 tablespoon Mingle Siena seasoning (garlic and herb)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line tray with baking paper.

Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Divide mixture into 8 even quantities and then shape into burger patties and place on tray. Bake in oven for 40 minutes, turning half way.

I like to serve my patties using iceberg lettuce leaves as the ‘bun’. I add sliced tomato, grated beetroot and avocado.

Serves 4

Mushroom Lentil Burgers

I was inspired to create this dish on a night when the rest of my family were having burger patties (wrapped in lettuce) and I felt like having a burger too. Looking at the field mushrooms I had sitting in the fridge, they resembled the size of a burger bun and therefore would make the perfect burger for me. Wanting to keep it quick and simple, I sauteed some onions, garlic, lentils and spinach, and it resulted in a delicious, nutritious meal!

Ingredients:

 4 field mushrooms
2 teaspoons Mingle Sammy seasoning (all purpose)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
1 garlic minced
1 tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed
100g baby spinach

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line tray with baking paper.

Peel mushrooms and remove stem. Place on baking tray and using 1 teaspoon of Mingle Sammy seasoning, sprinkle it over the mushrooms evenly. Place mushrooms in oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes. When the mushrooms are starting to look soft and tender, you know they are ready.

Whilst mushrooms are baking, heat your olive oil and add your shallots, sautéing for approximately 5 minutes until they are soft. Add your garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add your lentils and the additional teaspoon of Mingle seasoning. Stir for a couple of minutes until it is all well combined. Add your baby spinach and gently toss it through until the spinach has wilted.

Once the mushrooms have finished baking, place 2 on a plate and then fill them with the lentil and spinach filling. This can be served with a side salad or build it up to resemble a burger by placing some grated beetroot, grated carrot and diced avocado on top of the lentil and spinach filling.

Serves 2

Blended Goodness Smoothie

Zucchini is a staple in my lunches and dinners, but in a smoothie??? Who would have thought! The zucchini has a really subtle and neutral flavour and when blended with a combination of many other ingredients it adds a great creamy texture to your smoothie (as well as an alternative way to get those greens into you :)).

Ingredients:

¼ cup activated almonds
½ red apple, cored and chopped
½ frozen banana, chopped
½ zucchini, chopped
1 handful spinach
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
1 tablespoon raw cacao
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 cup coconut water

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Banana Beetroot Smoothie

They say that you eat with your eyes and I can clearly see why with the vibrant colour of this smoothie. The bright burgundy of the beetroot makes this smoothie so appealing. It has a beautiful sweet taste from the natural sugars of the beetroot, banana and dates and is full of healthy fats and goodness from your almonds and flaxseeds.

Ingredients:

¼ cup activated cashews
1 frozen banana, chopped
1 small beetroot, peeled and chopped
1 Medjool date, pitted
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon flaxseeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup coconut water

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Mixed Seed Smoothie

All seeds have different benefits, so why not combine them all to give yourself a smoothie packed with lots of goodness?  This smoothie will be rich in zinc, magnesium, omega 3's, selenium and calcium just to name a few.  

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana, chopped
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon whites sesame seeds
1 teaspoon bee pollen
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup cashew milk

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Banana Berry Delight Smoothie

There's something about adding peanut butter to your smoothie that takes it to another level.  It's going to be hard to resist the urge of having this one everyday!

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana, chopped
¼ cup frozen raspberries
¼ cup activated cashews
½ tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 scoop chocolate pea protein powder
¼ cup filtered water
1 cup almond milk

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Cinnapear Smoothie

This green smoothie is not as sweet as some but will provide you with loads of goodness.  It has a real creamy, thick texture from the combination of avocado, coconut milk and cashew milk.  Enjoy

Ingredients:

1 green pear, cored and chopped
2 Medjool dates, pitted
1 handful baby spinach
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ avocado
½ cup light coconut milk
1 cup cashew milk

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Deconstructed Veggie Sushi Bowl

Sushi is all time favourite for many, however did you know that there is a large quantity of refined sugar added to the sushi rice? Being one to avoid sugar at all costs, I thought it would be appropriate to create a modern, deconstructed version of this dish, without the additional refined sugar. There are a few steps to this dish, however they are all very quick and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower rice
½ cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon mixed white and black sesame seeds

Edamame
½ packet frozen picked edamame

Mushrooms
800g shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
2cm knob ginger, sliced
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon mirin

Additional veggies
300g roasted pumpkin + 1 tablespoon mixed white and black sesame seeds
2 bunches steamed bok choy
fresh beanshoots

Dressing
1 lemon, zest and juice
½ orange, zest and juice
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon raw honey

Method:

Cauliflower rice
Place cauliflower florets into high speed blender for 3-5 seconds until it resembles rice.

Heat a fry pan on the stove, add the cauliflower and tamari and cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it doesn’t stick to the pan. The cauliflower is cooked when it is slightly soft. Add 1 tablespoon mixed white and black sesame seeds. Remove from pan and set aside.

Edamame
Follow instructions as per packet

Mushrooms
Fill a pot of water and place on the stove. Add the garlic, ginger, tamari, vinegar and mirin. Bring to the boil. Add mushrooms and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. Remove pot from the heat, however keep mushrooms in liquid for 15 minutes. Strain and set aside

Additional veggies
Prepare you roast pumpkin as per your usual method, sprinkling them with 1 tablespoon of mixed white and brown sesame seeds prior to cooking.

Steam bok choy as per your usual method.

Wash bean shoots and set aside.

Dressing
Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined.

To Construct
Now to put it all together. Get 2 bowls and divide the rice, edamame, mushrooms and additional veggies evenly. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy.

Serves 2

Vanilla Halva Smoothie

Halva is one of those sweet, sweet desserts that is filled with ingredients that are harmful for our bodies. However, this does not mean that it can't be turned into something nutritious and nurturing for us. Being sesame and tahini based, this smoothie utilises those healthy ingredients to make an amazing tasting smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana, chopped
2 tablespoons unhulled tahini
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almond milk

Method:

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 60 sec until smooth and creamy. Pour into glass and enjoy.

Serves 1

Pumpkin Salmon Patties

The salmon patties I grew up with always had potatoes included, were crumbed in breadcrumbs and then fried. So not wanting to miss out on another fabulous childhood dish, the Merrymaker sisters inspired me to come up with this version that uses mashed pumpkin instead and is baked in the oven. They are beautiful with a side salad or steamed veggies or even adding them to a wrap.

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed pumpkin
420g tinned wild salmon, drained and bones removed
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 egg
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line tray with baking paper.

Mix all ingredients together. With slightly wet hands, take approximately ¼ cup of mixture and shape into patties. Place on baking tray.

Bake for 40 minutes, gently turning patties half way through cooking.

Makes 10 patties, serves 5

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