Asparagus, chickpea, pea & macadamia nut salad

Just because the festive season is over and we all need to slim down after the overindulgence doesn’t mean we need to chomp on boring old lettuce… Try this delicious crunchy salad – 

perfect as a main or as a side to chicken sosaties or ostrich sausage.

Asparagus, chickpea, pea & macadamia nut salad
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side

Ingredients
250g Asparagus
200g fresh peas, shelled
1 can chickpeas
¼ cup fresh chives, chopped finely
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
2-3 T capers, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon (1 heaped T)
Juice of one lemon (1/3 cup)
2-3 t dried red chilli flakes (or more if you like it spicier)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & black pepper to taste
30g (1 cup) baby pea shoots
½ cup raw macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

How to make it
Trim the last 2cm off the asparagus spears and cut the rest into bite-sized pieces.
Boil or steam for 3 minutes and refresh in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
Boil or steam the fresh peas for 2 minutes, refresh in an ice bath, drain and set aside.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, peas, chickpeas, chives, parsley, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, chilli flakes and olive oil.
Mix well and season to taste.
TIP: You can make this salad up to this point a day in advance.
Just before serving, gently mix in the pea shoots and garnish with macadamia nuts.

Virgin ginger & kiwi mojito

We are still in the festive mood, but realise that all the 'wining & dining' over December has taken it's toll on our waistlines... So we'll be the cutting calories with this refreshing and summery Virgin No-sugar Mojito ;)

Virgin ginger & kiwi mojito
Serves 2

Ingredients

10 cm fresh ginger, skin removed and sliced into coins
½ cup water
4 – 5 Canderel sticks
1 fresh lime
1 heaped tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
Ice
500ml sparkling mineral water

How to make it

Combine the ginger, Canderel and water in a small pot.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Cut the lime into small half wedges (16ths).
Using a mortar and pestle, bruise the lime wedges and mint. Divide between two glasses (along with the lime juice).
Pour half the Canderel and ginger mix (with the ginger slices) into one glass and the rest into the other.
Add three ice cubes and a few slices of kiwi fruit.
Top with sparkling water.
Garnish with a kiwi slice.

Serve immediately.

Thai Shredded Chicken Salad

Fresh, spicy and healthy. The perfect warm weather lunch.

Thai Shredded Chicken Salad
Serves 4 – 6

You will need
4 chicken fillets, cooked, cooled and shredded (season with salt & pepper)

For the dressing:
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
2 Thai chillies (or bird’s eye), chopped (remove the seeds if you want it less spicy)
2 – 3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbls palm or castor sugar
4 Tbls fresh lime juice
2 Tbls fish sauce
1 Tbls rice wine vinegar
1 Tbls sesame oil

For the salad:
2 cups purple cabbage, shredded
2 cups Cos lettuce, shredded
1 cup carrot, julienned
½ cup celery, sliced

For the garnish:
½ cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped
Fresh coriander
½ cup spring onion, chopped

How to make it

For the dressing:
Combine all the ingredients and stir well. Allow to marinade for at least 15 minutes until the sugar 

is dissolved and the onions become limp.

To assemble:
Combine all the ingredients on one large flat serving platter, or divide between individual bowls.
Scatter the shredded chicken over the salad leaves.
Layer the marinated onions on top of the chicken and drizzle over the remaining dressing.
Garnish with peanuts, coriander and spring onion.
Serve immediately.

Tomato & Jalapeno Salsa

We are just loving the warm days and smell of braai (BBQ) in the air, aah, summer days ;) 

Serve this salsa with your meat this weekend to add some zing and freshness.

Tomato & Jalapeno Salsa

Serves 6 – 8 as a side

You will need

4 cups exotic tomatoes, chopped

3 – 4 jalapenos, chopped

1 small chilli, chopped (optional)

1 red onion, chopped

2 tsp garlic, chopped

½ Tbls sugar

Squeeze of lime juice

Salt & pepper to taste

4 Tbls chopped coriander

How to make it

Mix the tomatoes, jalapenos, chilli (if using), onion, garlic and sugar together.

Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.

Just before serving, stir in chopped coriander.

Serve at room temperature.

Happy World Egg Day!

Happy World Egg Day!

We just LOVE eggs (see recipes here, here, here and here),

why not try this fabulously healthy scrambled egg filled avo this weekend? 

Filled Breakfast Avo

Serves 2

You will need

1 large avocado, halved, skin on (room temperature)

3 XL eggs

1 tsp garlic, chopped

1 small chilli, chopped

1cup mini tomatoes, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Fresh parsley

How to make it

Halve the avo, remove the pip but leave the skin on.

Scramble the eggs and cook till almost done.

Add the garlic and chilli and fry for another minute or two.

Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes. Season well with salt & pepper 

and stir gently to combine.

Garnish with fresh parsley.

Divide between the avo halves and serve immediately.

Tips

-          Leave the skin on, then it serves like a little bowl.

-          Top with cheese for a more decadent version.

-          Serve with toast for a more filling meal.

-          Make a filling of tomatoes, onion, feta and parsley 

           and serve it as a side at a braai. 

Budget friendly Rocket Pesto

We had a bumper crop of Rocket this year, and what does one do with 2 kilograms of Rocket leaves? Pesto! This is a budget friendly version, but feel free to add Parmesan and pine nuts if you wish. Also take into consideration that Rocket can be bitter, so don’t use an olive oil that is too grassy or bitter.

Rocket Pesto

Fills about 4 250ml jars

You will need

250g fresh Rocket leaves

¼ cup (40g) shredded almonds

2 – 3 garlic cloves

3 Tbls fresh lemon juice

1 Tbls green chilli, chopped

1 Tbls castor sugar

¼ cup olive oil

Salt

How to make it

Roughly chop the Rocket leaves and pack half into a food processor (on the chopper blade).

Blend the Rocket for a few seconds to chop it to a smaller size, add the remaining Rocket and do the same.

Add the almonds and process until the Rocket and almonds are well combines and chopped into tine pieces.

Add the garlic, lemon juice, chilli and sugar.

Blend for a minute or two.

Add the olive oil and pulse until just combined.

Taste and season with salt. (Add more lemon juice or sugar if needed.)

Spoon the pesto into sterilized jars and refrigerate until needed.

Just look at the size of the leaves our plant produced this year! 

Foodie gems in the Midlands and Underberg

My brother turned thirty this month, and with the milestone came 3 celebrations. First, a family affair in the park with bubbly and sushi, then a big 80s themed bash for all his friends and finally an intimate family weekend away in the Underberg. 

Since the Underberg is about an 8 hour drive from Joburg, we decided to make a road-trip of it and visit some sites along the way. We stopped in the Midlands and discovered the most delicious handmade artisan chocolates at Chocolate Heaven. Bergamoth infused, chilli and granadilla pods, vanilla bean coconut clusters and ginger bites were just some of the flavours we chose - just delicious!  

www.chocolateheaven.co.za

Just outside the town of Underberg, Pucketty Farm sells free range eggs, farm fresh bread, a selection of pickles, home-made produce and and selection of trout products. Unpretentious and old world, the farm animals roam around and there is even an 'honesty' paying system - and definitely some of the best bread we've ever had! 

www.puckettyfarm.co.za

Some other places we visited again this time around and I have blogged about before are the Nottingham Road Brewing Company and the best Biltong shop at the Mooiriver offramp, read about them here: http://lekkerbeksa.blogspot.com/2011/01/beer-biltong-in-midlands.html