Super low fat soup!!!

Say Goodbye to Summer fruits and Vegetables and Hello to our Fall Food Favourites

As summer is coming to an end, so is the harvest of many favourite summer fruits and vegetables. But not to disappoint, the colourful spender of autumn doesn't just bring hayrides and Halloween. Fall also brings a fair share of delicious and health-promoting fruits and vegetables. 

My top ten are Apples, Beets, Sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, Pears, Squash, Pumpkins, Carrots, Turnips and Cranberries. Be sure to include these on your shopping lists this fall.

Today's recipe will combine two from the above mentioned list.

 Pumpkin & Carrot Soup

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1tbsp olive oil or few sprays of 'Fry Light' oil spray

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small shallot, chopped

2 garlic cloves, smashed

400g pumpkin, deseeded - peeled - chopped into small cubes

100g carrots, peeled and chopped into small cubes

1 tbsp dried coriander

1 bay leaf

1-2 pinches of crushed Salt 

1 tsp of crushed pepper

500ml water plus 1 low fat chicken cube, or 500ml chicken stock

2 tsp 0% fat natural or greek yoghurt, divide when serving into the separate soup bowls

Fresh coriander, to garnish

Method:

Heat the oil or 'low-fat' oil spray in a deep saucepan over medium heat; cook garlic cloves, onion and shallot, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens.

Add the chopped pumpkin, carrots, coriander, bay leaf, salt and pepper; stirring for 2 minutes. Add water and chicken cube (or chicken stock, depending on what you are using); and bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Once cooked through, remove the bay leaf and blend or process the soup, until smooth.

Return soup to the same pan and taste to check seasoning especially for salt since both pumpkins and carrots are sweet in flavour.

Divide the soup into 2 separate bowls, swirl the yoghurt by stirring it to create few white circles. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and Serve.

Enjoy xx

Healthy tip: This recipe is very low in calories and very high in vitamins!!!

Serving tip: Could also be served for Halloween, Thanksgiving or even Christmas Dinners.  You can also serve with Croutons.  

Chocolate but Healthy life - Part 2

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Ingredients:

½ cup chocolate chips

4 very ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

½ cup agave syrup

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

80ml almond milk

 1 tbsp vanilla extract

¼ cup fine salt

Fresh Raspberries, for garnish

(Serves 6 portions)

Method:

Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Place over a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place the melted chocolate, avocados, agave, cocoa powder, almond milk, vanilla and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Spoon into small separate glass bowls and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or can be prepared one day in advance). 

Garnish with the fresh raspberries.

Serve and enjoy xx

Berry Frangipane tarts

Have a break.. have a Frangipane!!!

Hey guys, I am back!! But today I have this ultimate tasty frangipane dessert!! And the most important thing of all is.... it's Gluten free, wheat free, and yeast free :)

Berry Frangipane tarts

Ingredients:

75g Butter, softened

½ tsp vanilla extract

75g caster sugar

1 egg

90g almond meal

1 tbsp cornflour

150g fresh blueberries and raspberries, mixed

1tbsp sifted icing sugar, to dust

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 deg C/160 deg C fan-forced.

Grease six 5.5cm x 10.5cm loose-based fluted flan tins; place on oven tray.

Beat butter, vanilla extract and caster sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat until combined. Stir in almond meal and cornflour. Spoon mixture into the prepared tins; smooth surface, sprinkle with berries.

Bake tarts about 30 minutes. Stand in tins for 10 minutes; turn carefully, top-side up, onto a baking-paper-covered cooling rack.

Serve tarts warm or cold, dusted with sifted icing sugar.

Isn't that easy peasy

Enjoy xx

Storage tip: Tarts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days, although mine never lasted 2 minutes :)

Egg Lovers

As promised for a special request... 

Oven Baked Frittata

A well-made frittata is one of the world's most perfect foods. It's cheap, quick-cooking, and an efficient vehicle for leftovers - not to mention equally delicious at breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner.

Ingredients:

Butter, for greasing baking dish

6 eggs
100 ml whole milk or light cream
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
150 g bacon, roughly chopped (or any meat you like - sausage/leftover chicken, proscuitto or even cooked mince...)
8 cherry tomatoes, chopped quarterly
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, finely grated

½cup mozzarella, grated (optional)

1-2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.

Lightly butter an 8 by 8-inch baking dish (or any medium-deep baking dish available in your kitchen).

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper, until smooth about 20 seconds. Add the crushed garlic, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Stir in the chopped bacon and tomatoes.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve hot with any side you feel like; could be salad, potato crisps or even toasted bread.

Enjoy xx

Cooking tip: You can add any type of vegetable you like, provided that you chop it to fine bits. Red bell peppers are my best choice.

Saturday's Brunch

Saturday's Brunch

Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch eaten usually during the late morning, but it can extend to as late as 3pm.

Ciabatta means 'slipper' in italian and describes the appearance of this oval, flattish yeast bread with an open texture and crisp, floury crust. It is flavoured mostly with olive oil and toasts well.

So why not combine both??!... A soothing mouth-watering ciabatta for Brunch

Grilled vegetable, Ricotta Ciabatta

Olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes and lot and lots of fresh herbs is the secret to this vegetarian bread. Creamy Ricotta smoothes out the sharp flavour of the sun-dried tomatoes.

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)


1 long ciabatta, sliced in half lengthwise
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 cup ricotta cheese
2-3 tsp store-bought basil pesto
½ tsp salt 
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
4-6 slices of coppa (or any proscuitto)
1 zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick
1 aubergine, ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick
1 tsp olive oil

2 handful Potato crisps

Method:

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. 

Add the zucchini and aubergine slices to a bowl and toss with the teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, until coated. Grill the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until tender.

While keeping an eye on those vegetables, spread the ricotta cheese on the base of the ciabatta, and the pesto on the other half (top). Season with salt and pepper, especially the ricotta to enhance its flavour. Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the ricotta base.

As the vegetables are cooked, layer them on the bottom half of the ciabatta. Arrange the coppa or proscuitto over the vegetables. Place the top half of the ciabatta on top of the filling and toast for a few minutes, using a sandwich grill toaster.

To serve, cut in half and place in 2 separate plates, adding a handful of potato crisps on the side.

Enjoy xx

Serving tip: This recipe can also be added to the list of picnic/beach food, to relax and enjoy the moment.

Have a great weekend :) 

Mesuring techniques at hand

Measuring techniques

Measuring can be quite a daring challenge when one has to convert each and every ingredient on a recipe. So I can across this website below which you can find it handy, as I do.

xx

http://www.cookitsimply.com/measurements/

Chilly weather round the corner...

Autumn

The days of bright, crisp salads and succulent summer fruit are almost behind us for another year. While you might be disappointed to see the last of the seasonal salads, don't fret - There are delicious replacements on the way to help you keep your healthy eating habits.

As chilly weather starts kicking in, we would definitely adore a bowl of fresh warm soup. I try a variety of soups, but yesterday's soup was one that its taste is between having something warm but at the same time its smell and taste is still fresh and light... Perfect for this time of the year.

Pea Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 cups chopped leeks (approx. 2 leeks)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

4 cups chicken stock

5 cups fresh shelled peas or about 570g frozen peas

15g fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 tsp Salt

½ tsp Pepper

½ cup crème fraîche (or normal/light cream)

½ cup fresh chives, chopped (you can also use dried)

Croutons, for serving

Method:

Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add leeks and onion, and cook over medium to low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to boil. Add the peas and cook for about 5 mins, until tender.

Remove from the heat, add the mint, salt and pepper.

Purée the soup on low speed in a liquidiser or with a hand blender. Once ready, pour the soup into a large bowl or the same pot you were using while cooking. Whisk in the crème fraîche and chives and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with croutons.

Isn't is easy?!!! 

Enjoy xx

Cooking Tip: To clean leeks, chop well and then soak in a bowl of water for a few minutes. Lift the leeks from the bowl to be sure any sand/soil is left behind.

Serving Tip: This soup can be served hot or cold. If you plan to chill it, make it early and let the flavours meld in the refrigerator. Hot or cold, I personally think that the mint really wakes up the flavour of the peas.

Healthy tip: Autumn is a season of deep green, dark yellow and brilliant orange and these colours mean the fruits and vegetables are rich in disease-fighting chemicals. The more colourful the fruit, the better it is for your health.