So simple to coat and roast nuts yourself rather than buying them. This way you know exactly what has been used as ingredients. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with coconut oil. Sprinkle with seasoning of your choice – I used harissa and then roast for about 10 -15 mins at the top of a hot oven. Once golden brown, remove from the oven. I then sprinkle with a pinch of pink Himalayan salt.
Category Archives: vegetarian
Well, four weeks have passed by…
Four weeks ago (my… how time flies) I decided I would trial removing meat completely from my diet. I have been really surprised at how I haven’t missed it at all – even when I cooked bacon for my husband. I thought that would make me drool and waver! I can not believe how much better I feel. I popped on the scales the other day (still can’t get over the fact that I no longer pop on them 6, 7 ,8+ times a day) and discovered I had lost a couple of pounds. In addition, when I got the dreaded tape measure out I discovered that my waist is now less than half my height which is a good indication that I’m not carrying too much visceral fat – all good for my overall health. As my weight seems to be recalibrating at a sensible rate I am content that my body fat is reducing with the preservation of my muscle mass (compared to the effect on my body each time I went on the latest fad diet).
Thinking back to all the various ‘diets’ I have been on made me think about…if the principle of energy balance is so simple why was it so hard for me to lose weight before and why, over a period of 2/3 yrs did the majority of weight lost go back on. I think it all boils down to the fact that in each case I felt restricted and also didn’t make real changes to my dietary habits.
I don’t want to ‘go on’ like some reformed individual but the dietary habits I follow now suit me. They suit my way of thinking and understanding of how my body processes the food I eat. I don’t feel restricted in any way, shape or form and I am now following a good diet in the true sense of the word.
Quinoa tabbouleh topped with free range eggs
A simple one pan dish
Ingredients:
1 cup of quinoa well rinsed, cooked and drained
1 red onion – chopped
2 peppers – roughly chopped
Handful of kale
Tamari (soy sauce if not needing gf)
1 – 2 tsp Garam masala
Coconut oil
2 free range eggs per person
Method
In a large frying pan, saute the onions and peppers in coconut oil. Add Garam Masala and the kale. Cook until the veg is the desired crunch. Add the cooked quinoa and generous splash of Tamari. Once heated through, crack the eggs in to small wells and cook until desired consistency.
Pea and feta fritter
Ingredients:
Cup full of frozen peas – cooked and cooled
1 red chilli – deseeded and finely chopped
3 spring onions finely chopped
Juice of half a lemon
100 ml of milk
Gluten free plain flour
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
Seasoning – salt, pepper, 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Small block of feta cheese cut in to small chunks
Method:
Put milk, eggs and lemon juice into a jug and mix well. Add onions, chilli, peas and seasoning and baking soda. Add a tbsp at a time of flour and mix well. Continue to add flour until a thick batter consistency achieved.
Heat and lightly oil (coconut oil or olive oil) a frying pan or griddle and spoon mixture on to the heated surface. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until golden.
Serve with home-made dip of cucumber chopped in to small cubes and mixed with Greek yoghurt.
Avocado salsa
Ingredients:
1 avocado – cut in to cubes
1 papaya peeled – deseeded and cut in to cubes
1 small red onion – chopped in to small pieces
Handful of fresh coriander – roughly chopped
2 red chillies – deseeded and cut in to small pieces
Juice of 1 lemon and lime
Method:
Put all ingredients in to a bowl and mix gently
Sprouting
In the 70’s and 80’s it was trendy to have various pulses sprouting in jars around the house. I remember having jars of alfalfa and mung beans everywhere…along with the obligatory mustard and cress on cotton wool – slightly yellowing and curled at the edges. I did this because ‘everyone else’ did. I did enjoy them but the ‘fad’ soon ended.
Now, all these years on, once again I have jars with sprouting pulses in cupboards and in dark corners. This time however, I do it not only because I enjoy eating them but also because I know the health benefits that eating them brings.
I know that soaking and sprouting de-activates the acids and enzyme inhibitors present in the pulses preventing them from growing until the conditions are favourable. This de-activation then enables our bodies to digest and absorb the vitamins and minerals more readily.
Now I sprout a wide variety of legumes – lentils, chickpeas, quinoa and (of course my old favourite) mung beans, to name few.
Green lentil Quinoa Mung bean
I’m yet to try chia seeds – I’m sure they will but am just not sure how to as when they are soaked they get a mucilaginous coating. Any advice?
Cauliflower, quinoa and chick pea bake
Preheat oven to 180c / Gas 4
Ingredients:
1 cup of rinsed and cooked quinoa
1 cauliflower cut in to small florets
1 tin of chick peas – drained
Coconut oil
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsps cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
(or any combination of your favourite spices)
Method:
Arrange the cauliflower, chickpeas and quinoa on a baking tray and sprinkle with the spices. Dot the mixture with coconut oil. Place in oven. After 10 mins remove and gently turn the ingredients to ensure all coated with coconut oil. Return to oven and bake until cooked and – about 30 mins.
Perfect eaten on its own or served with a poached egg on top. Also a great alternative accompaniment for a curry. Delicious cold as well.
Jo's food bites. 