Beets and Caramelised Onion Tartlets

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When Daniel went to Korea with me for the first time, I’m sure he had a bit of cultural food shock. My family, especially my mum, tried to give him Korean stamina foods since that’s what we do for the quests. She even cooked a big piece of steak for his breakfast. My uncle gave him a root of ginseng dipped in honey >.< I find we have quite a variety of stamina foods in Korean cuisine such as ginseng chicken soup, grilled eel, fresh oysters, rice and mollusc soup, octopus dishes and herbal medicine. Since then, Korean food must have grown on him. He became a fan of a ginseng chicken soup and fresh oysters, which he never tried and disliked before. Yes, they are quite different to Western stamina foods. But the common thing is that all stamina foods contain complex carbs, good quality of protein, iron and vitamins. Complex carbs produce glucose providing your body energy. Protein is important for growth and development, repair of the muscles and body tissue. Iron for the energy and vitamins for the strong immune system. There is a list of stamina foods in Western world that is oatmeal, beans, coffee, green leafy vegetables, bananas, lean meat, peanut butter, beetroot, red grapes and quinoa. Beetroot! Red dirt earthy taste bomb! I love it so much both in raw and cooked dishes. Studies show regular consumption of beetroot lowers blood pressure,  slows cancer growth, promotes digestive and colon health and boosts stamina. Amazing. So include more beetroots in your diet.

  • Add grated raw beets in your salad for extra crunch and bright red colour
  • Make home made pickles with beets
  • Add grated beets in your chocolate cake for a hint of beetroot flavour, intense colour and moist cake
  • Add into your soup either chunky or pureed
  • Make vegetarian patty burger with grated beetroot
  • Make a nice dip
  • Caramelise in the oven with balsamic and honey for a beautiful side dish
  • Make fresh beetroot juice
  • Make beetroot chutney
  • Any more ideas????

Enjoy health benefits of beetroot!

Beetroot tartIngredients (for 3 little tarts)

For the filling
1 grated beetroot
1 sliced white onion
1 table spoon of balsamic vinegar
1 table spoon of molasses
1 table spoon of pink peppercorn

For the crust
75g rye flour
25g wholemeal spelt flour
1 egg
a bit of cold water
a pinch of salt

Add ingredients for the filling into the deep skillet and cook for 20-30 minutes until they are caramelised. Let it cool aside. For the tart, combine flour and egg. Add water a little by little to get a dough. Divide the dough into three balls. Roll out and put the filling in the middle. Fold the edges around and put it in the preheated oven (180) for 15-20 minutes until crust is cooked. Serve with goat cheese and thyme sprigs on top.

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

Tomato Soup

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Tomato SoupTomatoes are juicy, sweet and delicious when eaten raw as a snack or in salads and sandwiches. Then when it is cooked with a bit of oil, the cooking process increases Lycopene and thus its antioxidant activity, that helps fight cell damage that can cause cancer, heart disease and other chronic health conditions.. Tomato is a good source of vitamin A, B and C, folate, potassium, beta-carotene and fibre. One tomato contains around 22 calories, 0 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein and 6 milligrams of sodium. They are naturally low in fat, sodium, cholesterol and calories, yay! On top of that, one serving (150g) of tomatoes gives you 2 grams of fibre, about 7% of the daily recommended amount. So eat more tomatoes!!!!

Tomatoes are naturally low in sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/9-Surprising-Health-Benefits-of-Tomatoes.aspx?p=2#GuiQRh2z5jCCte9L.99
Tomatoes are naturally low in sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/9-Surprising-Health-Benefits-of-Tomatoes.aspx?p=2#GuiQRh2z5jCCte9L.99
Tomatoes are naturally low in sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/9-Surprising-Health-Benefits-of-Tomatoes.aspx?p=2#GuiQRh2z5jCCte9L.99
Tomatoes are naturally low in sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/9-Surprising-Health-Benefits-of-Tomatoes.aspx?p=2#GuiQRh2z5jCCte9L.99

Ingredients

3 tomatoes
1 carrot
1 onion
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of smoked or sweet paprika
1 cup of water or stock
1 tsp of coconut oil
milk or cream and e.v.o.o for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Cook chopped tomatoes, carrot, onion and garlic with coconut oil in a pan. Add spices and season with salt and pepper. Add water or stock and cook for another 10 minutes. Take it off the heat and cook slightly before using a stick blender. Transfer the purée to the pan. Whisk in milk or cream. Serve it warm or cold with a drizzle of e.v.o.o.

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

Zucchini Noodles with Tahini

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Zucchini NoodlesA few tips when you make zucchini noodles

  • After making noodles using a julienne peeler, you need to allow the liquid to drain because zucchini releases a lot of water. Sprinkle a teaspoon of salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. Drain, squeeze and pat dry the noodles. You can use a cheesecloth or kitchen towel to get rid of excess water.
  • Make a good dressing to go with such as tahini, pesto or tomato. Zucchini can be quite bland by itself. So it is crucial to add a flavoursome dressing, other veggies and crunchy toppings to make the noodles interesting.

Zucchini Noodles1
Ingredients

1 zucchini
a bunch of coriander
1 teaspoon of Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon of tahini paste
1 teaspoon of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of coconut vinegar
1 teaspoon of coconut amino sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
50g feta cheese
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
pepper to taste

Using a julienne peeler or mandoline, slice the zucchini into long strands. Place them in a bowl and toss with a teaspoon of salt.  Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Then drain, gently squeeze and get rid of excess water. To make a tahini dressing, mix tahini paste, coconut oil, vinegar, amino sauce, maple syrup and pepper in a small bowl. Dress the zucchini noodles and coriander with dressing and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with sesame seeds and crumbled feta cheese.

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

Summer Peach Salad with Chicken

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Peach SaladI saw beautiful juicy peaches at the shops today. I wanted to make a nice summer peach salad with some chicken for tonight. Peaches are rich in phytochemicals (antioxidants) that fight against diabetes, heart disease and cancer. This orange/ yellow fruit has beta carotene which is responsible for eye health and blood circulation. Want beautiful skin? You should eat these guys more. Vitamin A and C in them keeps your skin healthy, great for skin care. Peaches can also calm down an upset stomach and help you lose weight because it has low calories with no fat. For the recipe, I added chicken and toasted bread for Daniel, but you can make it a vegetarian salad without them. Weather is cooling down slowly. Enjoy summer fruits as much as you can now before they are gone!

Peach Salad2Ingredients

600g of grilled chicken
1 cup of sliced peaches
2 cups of lettuce
1 cup of bitter greens
1/2 cup of coriander leaves
1 stick (about 50g) of crumbled feta
2 tsp of toasted pepitas
1 tsp of poppy seeds

For dressing
1 tsp of Dijon mustard
1 tsp of honey
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1 tsp of e.v.o.o
salt and pepper to taste
To assemble the salad, toss the chicken, lettuce and green leaves in desired amount of the dressing. Arrange sliced peaches and finish the salad with crumbled feta, toasted pepitas and poppy seeds on top. Serve with warm toasted bread.

Posted in: Dinner, Lunch, My recipes, salads

Warm Artichoke and Spinach Dip

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Artichoke SpinachIt was in Soho, New York, when I first tried this artichoke and spinach dip. It was called Freemans restaurant in one of the small alleyways, a very hidden place. A couple of friends recommended that place so we decided to go for lunch after hours of shopping in Soho. We ordered the dip for entrée to share and thought it would be just an ordinary dip with some bread. But oh my goodness gracious is it amazing! It has become one of my favourite dishes. When it just comes out of the oven hot and steamy, it smells and tastes incredible. Other recipes include sour cream, mayo or oil which I’m sure will add more creaminess to it. But I kept it healthy and simple. I served with seared steak on the side for Daniel, but you can add protein in a baking dish. Put seared chicken breast and pour this dip mixture all over. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Fish or pasta will work well too. It is delish!

Ingredients

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup quartered artichoke hearts
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
1 tsp of minced garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup of milk
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, stir well to combine and transfer to a baking dish. You can sprinkle more cheese on top here. Cook in the preheated oven (180) for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and brown on top. Serve hot with toasted bread or pita chips.

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