Raw Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad with Miso-Tahini Dressing

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Brussel SproutsHow many times do you eat cruciferous vegetables a week? We know vegetables are good for you, but these cruciferous vegetables are super healthy for you. Apparently, you need to eat them 5 days a week to get health benefits. It doesn’t mean you have to chew on cabbage every day. You can choose from broccoli, kale, bok choy, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi and cauliflower. Studies show that glucosinolates in them may reduce the risk of certain cancers and reduce inflammation. Brussels sprouts are shown to have the highest concentration of glucosinolates (104 milligrams per half cup), as well as plenty of anti-inflammatory vitamin K. I like having refreshing raw salads, though feel free to quickly cook in a pan with coconut oil if you prefer that way. Asian-y dressing made of miso, tahini and sesame oil is delish! You want this salad to sit an hour or more before serve so that you get a good harmony of crunchy sweet salad and beautiful dressing.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 cup of brussel sprouts
1 pear
1 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp tahini paste
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds, unhulled and lightly toasted
salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice brussel sprouts and pear or use a food processor. Simply mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Combine shredded salad and dressing in a large mixing bowl and transfer to a serving plate.

shredded brussel sprouts1

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Neapolitan Pizza (Margherita)

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Margherita pizzaLove pizza night? Over a cold beer or red wine, of course? Making a home-made pizza is easy and also fun choosing your favorite toppings. Simple yet delicious Neapolitan pizza needs only a few ingredients – a good quality buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves, tomatoes and tomato paste. Here is step-by-step.

Ingredients

1 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 warm water
2 cups of flour
a pinch of salt
olive oil
Toppings: tomato paste, tomato, basil leaves, buffalo mozzarella, olive oil, salt and pepper

  1. Mix a teaspoon of yeast, a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of flour in 3/4 cup of warm water. It should look like a thin pancake batter. Let it sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.
  2. Then put 2 cups of flour and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and add activated yeast mixture.
  3. Use a wooden spoon or your hand to combine together until you get a big clump. You might need more warm water or flour depending on your dough.
  4. Once it comes together and forms a smooth dough, drizzle olive oil over and cover with a cling film. Let it sit on kitchen bench until doubled in size.
  5. Take the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead into a ball.
  6. Let it sit again for about an hour, covered with a cling film while you preheat a pizza stone in the oven (200) and prepare the toppings.
  7. Stretch a ball of dough into a thin round and put on a preheated pizza stone (or a baking sheet). For toppings, spread tomato paste and top with sliced tomatoes, drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
  8. Place in the oven for 10 minutes until crispy and golden.
  9. Top with torn fresh mozzarella cheese and basil leaves on hot pizza. Drizzle more olive oil before serve.
  10. Enjoy with beer or wine!

 

Posted in: Baking, Dinner, Lunch, My recipes, Snack

Lentil Beet Salad

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My pantry is always stocked up with whole grains like rice, beans and lentils. They are such a staple food for me whatever I decide to make. What I love about whole grains is that not only they taste awesome but also contain important nutrients including vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre. They are complex carbs meaning they break down slowly, leave you feel full longer and provide sustained energy. If you are used to white rice and processed foods, it might take a bit of time for your digestive system to get used to. Try to introduce whole grains gradually into your diet for example mixing half of brown rice with half of white rice, replacing white pasta with whole grain pasta, spreading hummus in your sandwich instead of butter. Soaking and cooking grains helps too. I normally soak grains overnight, then rinse and cook until they are soft and tender. Soaking reduces cooking time, helps to optimise nutrition absorption and makes easy on the digestive system. Once cooked, I then add veggies, nuts, dried fruits or herbs and spices to make it more interesting.
lentil beet saladI used Puy lentils to make this salad today. They are originally from Le Puy in central France and taste quite earthy and sweet. These little guys are a great vegetarian source of protein and rich in iron which most vegetarians are lack of. If you didn’t soak them in advance, you just need to add more water and cook a bit longer. I think it would be also nice to sprinkle some toasted nuts or crumbled goat cheese on top. Enjoy x

Ingredients

1 cup Puy lentils, soaked overnight
1 beetroot
1 carrot
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse pre-soaked lentils and cover with cold water in a pot. Bring it up to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Drain and set aside. Finely chop the green top of beet root and grate beetroot and carrot. Place them in a large mixing bowl along with cooked lentils. In a separate bowl, add all dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour the dressing into the salad and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl/ plate.

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

Turkey2

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T13T16T9 More Turkey photos continue…When I’m travelling, I don’t mind waking up at 3-4am (thanks to a jet lag) and making myself tea and coffee (just because I cannot decide which one I want) and flipping through a hotel magazine until the sun comes up. Then I head down to have the most important meal of the day, breakfast, that always has yogurt and olives in Turkey. Everything is so fresh.
T15We had a tea time up on the hills where you can see Istanbul city. On first impression Istanbul is always busy and bustling, though the views from up here are undeniably peaceful and beautiful. Cool school kids sitting together and having a casual chat looked so relaxed and cute. One of the guys kept looking towards my camera and me pretending not taking a photo of them. Ah..awkward!
T12
T19Vegan lunch full of fresh herbs and vegetables, just the way I like it.
T10You should try this champagne and pomegranate juice. Cheers!
T14Divine dinner tasting plates. They look amazing as well as flavourful. A lot of vegan dishes, yes! Char grilled capsicum stuffed with rice, dolma, mushroom stuffed with goat cheese and beetroot chip, sushi roll filled with peas, hummus, chickpea salad. My taste buds were in heaven. The great thing was chefs constantly checking if everyone was happy with the food they cook and just being passionate about serving modern Turkish food. I was so well looked after since they also gave me recommendations for vegan/vegetarian options.

Before visiting Istanbul, all I knew about Turkish cuisine was kebab, hummus, Turkish delight and dolma. It is much more than that. My experience with Turkish food was incredible. Fresh ingredients, a delicate balance of flavours, fragrant spices, beautiful black tea, my favorite sweets – lokum Turkish delight! Turkish wine was surprisingly good, too. These is no way you will leave hungry in this city.
T18It is always nice to explore a new city for more than what’s written about it on internet or paper. Istanbul was full of energy, beautiful architecture, friendly locals, clean streets, crazy traffic (quite chaotic on the roads and violent drivers) and delicious food. I cannot wait to return.

Posted in: Europe, Travel

Black Sesame Loaf

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black sesame loafI was so glad to find a bag of ground black sesame seeds at the Asian grocery today. I think black sesame seeds are nuttier and more fragrant compared to white or brown kinds. These little black guys are an excellent source of copper and a very good source of manganese. They are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, molybdenum, selenium, and dietary fiber. So what do these nutrients mean? Eating them helps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, prevent osteoporosis, migraine and PMS, protect your liver from oxidative damage. Amazing right? They are good for you inside out, as well! Powerful antioxidants and antibacterial properties in them help to nourish and detoxify your skin. So we will all look glowing and dewy after eating them, in theory anyway 🙂

The way I like using them is lightly toast and sprinkle over salads or stir-fries or noodles. Nuttiness and crunchiness brings the dish up to another level. Don’t forget it looks pretty, too. I added ground black sesame seeds in my baking today. A slice or two of this black beauty has become my favourite breakfast and snack. Enjoy x

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
5 eggs
1/2-3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 cups of almond flour
1/2 cup of black sesame seed powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Gently whisk eggs in a bowl and add melted coconut oil, coconut milk and coconut sugar. Put all other dry ingredients in in a separate bowl and combine well. Add wet mixture into the bowl and combine well. Pour the cake mixture into a prepared loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40-45 minutes until cooked. Let it cool before slicing.

Posted in: Baking, Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian