Basamic Braised Beets with Orange and Goat Cheese

Beetroot SaladI’ve written a few posts about health benefits of the beetroots and some recipes already. So I’m not going over again how good it is for you. I was so excited when I saw a bunch of little cute beetroots with the greens attached at the shops today. Do not throw away those greens ever! They are packed with nutrition and beautiful and sweet when wilted down. This salad is so fresh, delicious and addictive. It is a quite classic flavour combination – beetroot, citrus, goat cheese and nuts. You cannot go wrong! Earthy flavour from the beetroot, sweet and tender beet green leaves, acidity from balsamic and orange, rich creamy cheese and crunchy walnuts. Yummy salad like this really excites me, almost feel like dancing 🙂

Beetroot Salad3Ingredients

1 medium size beetroot
a bunch of beet greens
1 tbsp of coconut oil

For balsamic sauce
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp of water
1 tsp of garlic
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of honey
1 tsp of sea salt
pepper to taste

To serve
1 small orange
100g goat cheese
a handful of walnuts
more balsamic sauce

Wash the beet and beet greens thoroughly and roughly chop into bite sizes. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add coconut oil, beet and balsamic sauce into a pan. It took me about 10 minutes to cook the beet. If you want to shorten the cooking time, cut it into little cubes. When the beet is caramelised outside and almost cooked, add beet greens and wilt down (don’t overcook!). When the balsamic sauce is evaporated and all ingredients are cooked, season, take off the heat and put on the serving plate. Arrange oranges, goat cheese and walnuts. Drizzle more balsamic sauce if you like before serve.

Lentil Loaf and Raw Red Salad

Lentil loafI cannot help myself when my laziness kicks in during the week. I don’t feel like cooking or don’t have much appetite for anything, then I easily grab a piece of muffin or raw desserts, instead of a proper meal, that I always keep in my fridge. Why is it so hard to cook for myself? >.< Then problem sorted! I made this lentil loaf and red salad on Monday which was perfect for my lunch for the rest of the week. I assure you it is super easy to prepare, cheap, healthy and flavoursome, too. It is in fact great for breakfast, lunch or dinner, any time of the day. Enjoy x

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

Lentil Loaf

200g mixed grains (I used French lentils, brown rice and quinoa)
6 eggs
1 cup of spinach, steamed and roughly chopped
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp of minced garlic
50g toasted pepitas

Soak and rinse French lentils, brown rice and quinoa. Cook them in a pot for about 15 minutes over low heat until tender. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs and add all other ingredients including cooked lentils. Combine well and transfer to a loaf tin, silicon or lined with a baking paper. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for about an hour or until cooked. Let it cool  for 10-15 minutes before cutting. Enjoy either warm or cold with a fresh salad.

Raw Red Salad

1 beetroot, grated
1 carrot, grated
1/2 of green capsicum, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped fennel
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
1 tbsp e.v.o.o
salt and pepper to taste

Mix vinegar, mustard, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add prepared vegetables in and combine well. Adjust seasoning and set aside for 30 minutes or so before serve.

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts and Lentils

Brussel SproutsI’ve never eaten brussel sprouts when I was a kid. Did we have brussel sprouts back then? (makes me feel old now) So I don’t really understand why kids don’t love them, in fact loathe them. When I saw and tried them for the first time, I was amazed how sweet it was. Then I tried it raw because I like chewing on raw cabbage, not a good idea! Very spicy!

Brussel sprouts are loaded with vitamin A, folacin, potassium, calcium and fibre. It is also high in protein, but incomplete meaning they don’t provide all essential amino acids we need. So you need to pair with whole grains to make a complete meal. The best way of cooking brussel sprouts without losing nutrition is to saute them in a flash or roasting. Don’t boil them until they are dead >.< These little nutritious bombs like to go with something sweet like caramelised onions and fruits in this dish. Adding earthy lentils makes it more substantial good enough for a main dish. Plus I’m jazzing it up with balsamic reduction. I just love using balsamic vinegar! If you are not a fan of brussel sprouts, simply replace them with broccoli florets.

Brussel Sprouts1Ingredients

300g Brussel sprouts
50g French lentils
1 onion
1/2 tsp of minced garlic
1 tbsp of coconut oil
3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp of water
1/2 tsp of chilli flakes
salt and pepper to taste
a handful of dried cranberries
a handful of almond slivers

Cook lentils in boiling water for 20-30 minutes. Drain and rinse. Wash brussel sprouts and cut them in half. Slice onion. Heat a pan over medium heat. Begin by caramelising brussel sprouts, garlic and onion with coconut oil. Then add cooked lentils, balsamic vinegar and water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until cooked and the liquid is evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle pomegranate and roasted pine nuts on top. You can also use dried cranberries and almonds or pecans instead depending on what you have in your pantry.

 

Broccoli with Millet and Chickpeas

As of recent, my life has been a bit crazy with work, so I haven’t felt a whole lot like cooking. There has been a lot of pre-made salads and random left-over meals instead of thought-out dinners. A nice cooked dinner with time and effort is a pleasure of mine, though it is not happening at the moment. Well, I’m hoping it gets better as a new routine settles in eventually. I basically make a big batch of different salads on the weekend and have it straight out of fridge during the week. Legumes, grains and rice are great in cold salads and last long in the fridge. This salad is nice and clean. Crunchy raw broccoli, protein-packed chickpeas, creamy and fluffy millet with a simple mustard-vinegar dressing. I used raw broccoli here, but feel free to steam or boil if you wish.
broccoli millet saladIngredients (serves 2)

1 head of broccoli
1 cup of cooked millet
1 cup of cooked chickpeas
1 bunch of parsley
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Combine cooked millet, chickpeas, chopped broccoli and parsley in a large bowl. Mix all dressing ingredients in a separate bowl or a jar with lid. Pour the dressing over salad and toss together. Serve as main or sides.

Savoury Roasted Nuts + Chickpea Salad

savoury nutsIf you are bored of chewing on plain raw nuts, try roasted nuts dressed in either savoury or sweet flavour. I’ve made vanilla and cinnamon roasted nuts earlier. This time it is salty and spicy savoury nuts 🙂 I used a coconut amino sauce, which is gluten-free and soy-free sauce containing 17 amino acids. If you don’t have it, don’t worry! You can replace with tamari or sodium reduced soy sauce. It is great on its own as a snack, but I also use as salad toppings (as below in chickpea salad) and a sprinkle on soup for extra flavour and crunch. Enjoy x

Savoury Roasted Nuts

100g raw almonds
100g raw pepitas
100g raw sunflower seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp coconut amino sauce
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

Soak all nuts in water overnight. Drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Melt coconut oil for 30 seconds in microwave. Then combine with coconut amino sauce, cayenne pepper and salt in a large bowl. Pour the nuts into a bowl and mix well with a spatula making sure all nuts are coated with the sauce. Transfer the nuts onto a baking tray and spread evenly in a single layer. Place in the preheated (170) oven for 20-30 minutes or more until nuts are fragrant and crispy, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Chickpea saladSo this is the salad I made after roasting some nuts. Chickpeas are a great base for salads and also add the buttery texture and hearty element. Sweet caramelised onion, rich blue cheese, salty roasted nuts and bitter greens are a match made in heaven. Delicious! It can be a complete dish on its own as well as a great accompaniment to any protein of your choice.

Chickpea Salad with Caramelised Balsamic Onion and Blue Cheese
(serves 2)

100g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 cup of salad leaves
1 white onion
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
50g blue cheese
2 tbsp savoury roasted nuts
1 tbsp e.v.o.o
salt and pepper to taste

Put soaked chickpeas in a pot and cover with water. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until cooked. Drain and set aside. In the meantime, thinly slice onion and cook in a pan with coconut oil, balsamic vinegar and honey until caramelised. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble the salad, put cooked chickpeas, salad leaves, caramelised onion and crumbled blue cheese in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil and extra balsamic vinegar into a bowl. Gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle savoury roasted nuts on top.