A salad to suit the season?

Reading over and editing this post I realised how many times I used the word Spring. I’m sorry but unfortunately Oxford dictionary doesn’t have any good alternatives.

***

We’re getting to the end of Spring over here in Australia, and although I’m excited about the beachy climate that summer is bringing, it’s sad to see those cool, breezy Spring days fade away.

Because Spring is the season before Summer, it’s the time every gym membership goes on sale, Halloween stashes quickly get thrown out, and green smoothies and salads are glorified.

The idea of munching on a bowl of bitter green leaves drizzled with vinaigrette sounds highly unappetizing to me, but with the right ingredients they can taste great and they ensure you are packing your daily greens in.

So, I created the perfect Spring salad, with protein, healthy fats and a range of different flavours.

You will need:

  • 1 medium tomato – reduce risk of heart disease and cancer
  • 135g tinned salmon – rich in omega 3 fatty acids and a great source of protein.
  • Mixed green lettuce leaves
  • Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
  • Heaped tsp of dried chia seeds – high in omega 3s, fibre, and provide a delicious crunch to the dish.
  • 100g chopped canned beetroot
  • 50g avocado – source of filling, healthy fats.

Cost: AUD 10   Calories: 380

Perfect! xx

Cheesy Eggplant Lasagne for Fathers Day

When I realised Father’s Day was approaching, I had the annual freak out… What am I going to buy Dad? Is there anything he’s mentioned he wants?

The reality is that Dad never says what he wants and says he’d be happy with a card. Since I’m not going to just wake up, toss him a card and consider my job done, I decided this year I’d cook a big lunch.

I kept it super simple. Dad’s favourites are the plainer dishes; lasagne, sausages, chops, lamb shanks, vanilla ice cream, milk chocolate…

So, I decided to do lasagne, with a twist.

Cheesy Eggplant Lasagne. Think gooey cheese, creamy chickpeas and aromatic tomato arranged together to create a healthier twist on Italian comfort food.

The eggplant soaks up all the delicious creamy tomato sauces and becomes a soft mess that tastes incredible with the chickpea/almond meal base and cheese oozing throughout.

IMG_8770

For dessert, we enjoyed my favourite Healthy Apple Crumble recipe with Connoisseur white chocolate/raspberry ice cream (you could go for Halo Top for a lower calorie alternative, Connoisseur is Dad’s favourite).

I also sourced a block of Lindt’s creme brulee milk chocolate – a Lindt flavour I haven’t seen before. I hope they keep stocking the shelves with it because it was the perfect mix of crispy caramel and creamy milk chocolate.

Even though we kept it simple, it was nice to enjoy a home cooked meal. What did you do for Father’s Day?

xx

A Delicious Alternative to Restaurant Bought Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is one of my favourite dishes. So, I decided to develop a healthier recipe so that I could enjoy it more nights of the week. Every now and again I do like to enjoy the real thing. If you live in Sydney, Nilgiris does a fantastic butter chicken that I would recommend.

For my homemade butter chicken I substitute the butter, cream and naan for other, leaner flavours.

For one serving:

  • 150g chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt (or plain dairy free yoghurt).
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • Handful of slivered Almonds
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (you can try other oils if you like, but I find that olive oil gives the best flavour)
  • Couple of sprigs of coriander, chopped finely
  • Sprinkle of salt and garlic powder
  • 3/4 tbsp of Garam Masala for more authentic flavour
  • Vegetable stock or water, to add if the paste becomes too thick

After mixing everything except the chicken thighs and yoghurt together in a bowl, chop the chicken thighs into small pieces and mix them in with the paste you just made. Then fry the bowl contents on medium-high heat, and once the mix is done stir through the Greek yoghurt.

It’s as easy as that!

I usually serve this with some falafels or brown rice for a nutritious source of healthy carbs!

xx