Blog Archives - 2 Your Health

Egg & Puy lentil salad with tamari & watercress

27/7/2019

Ingredients

75g dried Puy lentils
175g cauliflower florets, broken into smaller pieces
1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus a drizzle
1 large carrot, chopped into small pieces
2 celery sticks, chopped into small pieces
2 garlic cloves
3 omega-3 enriched eggs
1 tbsp wheat-free tamari
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 generous handfuls watercress, large stems removed

Method

If you want to activate the lentils (see tip below), do this the night, or up to 8 hrs, before eating. Pour water over them and leave to soak at room temperature. Drain and rinse.
When ready to eat, heat oven to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 7. Toss the cauliflower with a drizzle of the oil, then roast for 20 mins on a parchment-lined baking tray until tender and tinged with gold round the edges.
Meanwhile, put the drained lentils in a pan with the carrot and celery. Pour in water to cover, put on a lid and boil for 20 mins until the lentils are tender. Check before they are ready in case they are boiling dry and, if necessary, top up with a little more water.
While they are cooking, finely grate the garlic and set aside in a large bowl. Boil the eggs for 6 mins, this will give you eggs with a soft yolk. When they are ready, plunge into cold water, then shell.
Mix the tamari and oil into the garlic to make a dressing. Check the lentils and drain, if necessary, then toss in the bowl with the dressing, tomatoes, spring onions and watercress. Pile onto plates and top with the eggs, adding any remaining dressing from the bowl over the top.

Sweet Potato Salad

27/7/2019

Ingredients

600g sweet potatoes, cut into even chunks
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp chilli flakes
400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
198g can sweetcorn, drained and rinsed
2 avocados, chopped
250g tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small pack coriander, roughly chopped
juice 1 lime

Method

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. On a baking tray, toss the sweet potato in 1 tbsp of the oil with the chilli flakes, sea salt and pepper. Roast for 30 mins until tender.
Once the sweet potato is nearly ready, combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and season well. Mix everything well but take care to avoid squashing the avocado. Divide the salad evenly between plates, or serve sharing-style with the sweet potato chunks.

Sesame Panna Cotta With Maple Toffee Crisp

1/7/2019

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
300ml milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus extra, to serve
1 Queen Organic Vanilla Bean Pod, split
2 1/2 teaspoons gelatine powder
2 tablespoons boiling water
300ml thickened cream

MAPLE TOFFEE CRISP

3 teaspoons white sesame seeds
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
60ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup

METHOD

Lightly grease six 125ml (1/2 cup) moulds with a little oil. Place the sesame seeds in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool. Transfer seeds to a small food processor or electric coffee grinder. Process until coarsely ground.
Combine ground seeds, milk, maple syrup and vanilla bean in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until the mixture almost boils. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to infuse. Remove vanilla bean.
Meanwhile, place the gelatin and boiling water in a small heatproof bowl. Stir until the gelatin dissolves. Pour the gelatin mixture into the milk mixture. Stir to combine. Add the cream. Stir to combine.
Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into the prepared moulds. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
To make the toffee crisp, line a baking tray with baking paper. Place all the sesame seeds in a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove and set aside. Add the maple syrup and 1 tbs water to the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes, until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside until the bubbles subside. Pour the toffee onto the prepared tray and sprinkle with the toasted seeds. Set aside to cool. Break the toffee into pieces.
Gently turn the panna cotta out onto serving plates. Top with toffee crisp and drizzle with extra maple syrup.

Ricotta Zucchini Parcels With Roasted Tomato Sauce

1/7/2019

INGREDIENTS

1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 red capsicum, seeded, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g can cherry tomatoes
350g mixed medley tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup (60g) pitted mixed olives
500g ricotta
100g goat’s cheese, crumbled
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
2 large zucchini, peeled into ribbons
1 tbs olive oil

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, capsicum and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until the onion softens. Add the cherry tomatoes and halved tomato and cook for 2 mins or until heated through. Transfer to a large baking dish. Sprinkle with the olives.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, goat’s cheese and lemon rind in a medium bowl. Season. Divide the ricotta mixture into 8 even portions.
Arrange 2 zucchini ribbons on a clean work surface. Arrange 2 more zucchini ribbons on top, at a 90° angle, to make a cross shape. Arrange 1 portion of the ricotta mixture in the center. Bring the ends of the zucchini over to cover ricotta mixture. Place the zucchini parcel, seam-side down, over the tomato mixture in the dish. Repeat, in batches, with the remaining zucchini and ricotta mixture. Drizzle with the oil. Season.
Bake for 20 mins or until the zucchini parcels are golden brown and heated through.

Healthier Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1/7/2019

INGREDIENTS

100g dried rice vermicelli noodles
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 (about 400g) small chicken breast fillets
4cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, julienned
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons yellow curry paste
400g sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1.5cm pieces
1.5L (6 cups) salt-reduced chicken stock
270ml can light coconut cream
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/2 wombok (Chinese cabbage), thinly shredded
2 green shallots, trimmed, very finely sliced
Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve
Long fresh red chilli, sliced, to serve (optional)

METHOD

Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover. Set aside for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Season the chicken and cook for 6 minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the ginger and garlic to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute or until softened. Add the curry paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Add the sweet potato, stock and coconut cream. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Stir in the soy sauce.
While the soup is simmering, slice the chicken. Divide the cabbage and noodles among serving bowls. Pour over the soup and top with sliced chicken, shallot, coriander and chilli, if using.

Haloumi Parmigiana Bake

1/7/2019

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons pine nuts
60ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced length ways
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can cherry tomatoes
1 large fresh basil sprig
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
1 egg, lightly whisked
30g (3/4 cup) panko breadcrumbs
250g haloumi, cut into 8 slices
100g mozzarella, cut into 5 slices
Fresh basil sprig, plus extra leaves, to serve
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle (optional)

METHOD

Place the pine nuts in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, for 3 minutes or until the pine nuts are golden. Transfer to a bowl.
Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in the frying pan. Add the zucchini and cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the tomatoes and basil sprig. Season and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Stir in the balsamic.
Meanwhile, place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Working with 1 slice of haloumi at a time, coat in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg then press in breadcrumbs to coat. Transfer to a plate.

Winter Chicken Tray Bake

1/7/2019

INGREDIENTS

1.8kg whole chicken, cut into portions
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons ground paprika
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 bunch baby carrots, ends trimmed
150g brussels sprouts, halved
1 small sweet potato, thickly sliced
1 zucchini, ends trimmed, thickly sliced diagonally
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon pistachio dukkah
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve
Toasted pita pockets, to serve

METHOD

Preheat oven to 220C. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Drizzle with half the oil and sprinkle with the paprika, fennel and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Heat a large flameproof roasting pan over high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 5 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add the onion, carrots, brussels sprouts and sweet potato. Cook, turning occasionally, for 5 mins or until golden brown. Remove pan from the heat and add the chicken with the zucchini. Drizzle the stock and honey around the chicken and sprinkle with dukkah. Roast for 30 mins or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Sprinkle the chicken with parsley and serve with toasted pita pockets.