Monthly Archives: March 2016

Avocado Salad

Posted in Light Meals, Soups and Sides by

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This salad tasted too good not to share! I thought up the recipe driving home hungry. I was in my van in the sunshine, wishing I wasn’t on the motorway and that I was eating an avocado salad, this avocado salad. It was super quick to make (just some chopping) and you have a wonderful colourful plate that’s both satisfying in flavour and texture.

What you will need for a salad for 2

  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1 large carrot 
  • 1/4 cucumber
  • 1/2 red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sweetcorn (cooked or tinned)
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • fresh lime juice
  • olive oil
  • salt

Method

  1. Cut up the onion, carrot, cucumber and pepper into small bite size pieces and place in a large bowl
  2. Add the sweetcorn and stir together
  3. Give the vegetables a good squeeze of fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt and a glug of olive oil
  4. Give everything a good mix
  5. Cut the avocado in half, carefully remove the pip and the peel
  6. Serve each salad portion with an avocado half and enjoy!
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Red lentil soup

Posted in Light Meals, Soups and Sides by

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This is a feel good recipe for a lentil soup that will cheer you up on a rainy day or help you feel a bit more human when you’re under the weather. With lots of vegetables and lentils, it’s pretty well balanced and has plenty of flavour. It’s definitely hearty enough for a main meal if you have a big bowl; and with a large chunk of crusty bread, even better.

For this soup, it’s worth cutting the vegetables into small bite size pieces as it won’t be blended. Also I like to make this soup quite ‘saucy’ (see pic), but if you like a thicker soup, you could add a few more red lentils. 

To make 4 large bowls of lentil soup you will need:

  • 1 medium white onion (diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • chilli flakes (small pinch)
  • oregano (small pinch)
  • 2 large sticks of celery
  • 2 large carrots
  • 1 large russet potato 
  • Approximately 750ml of boiling water 
  • 1/2 cup red lentils 
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • chopped parsley (a good pinch)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • olive oil

 

Method

  1. Chop up all of the vegetables
  2.  Add a little olive oil and the onion to a large saucepan on medium heat. Let it cook until soft and transparent.
  3. Stir in the garlic, chilli flakes and oregano and continue to fry for a few minutes.
  4. Add the celery, carrots and potatoes and cover with the boiling water. There should be enough water to cover the vegetables so that when you stir it they still have lots of space to move around.
  5. Bring to the boil, add a good pinch of salt and then turn down to a simmer
  6. After 10 minutes, add the red lentils and the chopped tomatoes
  7. Let it simmer for around 20 minutes or until the lentils are completely cooked
  8. Depending on your desired soup consistency, you may want to add some more boiling water
  9. Check for seasoning, turn off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley
  10. Let the soup cool for a good few minutes before serving and enjoy!

 

Mango Breakfast Smoothie

Posted in Drinks by

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I love mangoes! They are completely delicious and great for naturally sweet smoothies. I topped this smoothie with dried fruits, nuts and chia seeds. I think this would be a great smoothie to have before a morning workout (or lie in), before having a decent breakfast later on. Or to make it more substantial, you could turn it into a smoothie bowl and add fresh fruit, granola or muesli. I use a Breville ‘Blend Active’ to make my smoothies in single portions, I think they’re great and there’s very little washing up afterwards.

For 1 mango smoothie you will need

1 ripe mango, peeled and cubed

150 ml of plant milk

1 tablespoon chia seeds

A handful of dried fruit and nuts

Method

  1. Peel and cube the mango and place in the blender
  2. Add the plant milk
  3. Blend until completely mixed
  4. Depending on what consistency you like, you may want to add more plant milk
  5. Pour into your favourite glass and sprinkle with chia seeds, fruits and nuts

 

Pomegranate Salsa

Posted in Soups and Sides by

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This pomegranate salsa is light and fruity but still perfect as an accompaniment to savoury dishes. It’s very easy to make and is great dipped into with tortilla chips, spooned into a pita bread with some falafel or rolled into fajitas with plenty of veg. It makes a great change to reaching for a jar of pre-made tomato salsa, and is much tastier.

Using the same amount of tomato and pomegranate in this salsa helps keep it light and makes it taste extra special. Therefore, measurements below are just a guide and your own judgement will be better!

To make this you will need 

1/4 Large pomegranate 

1/2 Large red onion

3 Large tomatoes

1 Tablespoon of parsley finely chopped

1 Teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt 

Pepper

 

Method

  1. Quarter the pomegranate and carefully separate the molasses in a bowl (watch out for the bright juice on clothes!)
  2. Dice the red onion and tomato into small equal pieces
  3. Finely chop the parsley
  4. Assemble the salsa (try to use the same amount of tomato and pomegranate, and enjoy any spare later)
  5. Add the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste
  6. Give your salsa a good stir and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Buckwheat Salad

Posted in Light Meals by

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When I’m craving something fresh and nutritious, I turn to this colourful and delicious buckwheat salad. This is such a simple dish to make and perfect on its own or served with a warm pita and some hummus.

To make a salad for two people you will need:

200 grams buckwheat groats 

¼ Cucumber (Cubed)

1 Large Carrot (Diced)

A few springs of chopped parsley

1 Handful of baby spinach

1 Handful of rocket

½ Red onion

10 Cherry tomatoes, quartered

Squeeze of fresh lemon

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Salt

Ground black pepper

Method:

  1. Wash the buckwheat thoroughly, and in a suitable pan, boil in hot water following the packet instructions (boil for approx 20 mins until cooked but still with a bit of bite)
  2.  Whilst the buckwheat is cooking, chop up the other vegetables
  3. Once the buckwheat is cooked, drain thoroughly and rinse in cold water until completely cool
  4. In a large bowl, add the chopped vegetables to the buckwheat
  5. Add a good squeeze of lemon, a splash of olive oil and a dash of balsamic vinegar
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste

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