Salad

Tabbouleh!

| roeliaschoeman

We’re going out for dinner and drinks tonight, so I wanted to make 100% sure that my meals for the rest of the day will be a little bit more ‘controlled’.

This is such a classic dish – no need to mess with it!  Just added a few minor tweaks (sundried tomatoes and olives)!

For way too long bulgar wheat has been treated like the ugly stepsister of the more ‘fashionable’ quinoa and couscous.  Like couscous, it is partially cooked – so to prepare it really takes about 10 minute max.  It is also mainly used in Middle-Eastern cuisine, and is also equally versatile, we just need to experiment with it a little more!  It is great for controlling blood sugar levels (low GI) and is low in calories and fat – while being rich in protein, iron and fiber.  Have you tried bulgar wheat before?  If so, do you have a favourite recipe?

  • 180g cooked bulgar wheat (I got mine from Checkers, with easy to follow instructions on the packaging)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley and mint (each) – next time I will actually add a little more!
  • 3 finely chopped sundried tomatoes
  • 10g green olives, pitted and chopped
  • Juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • White pepper and salt to taste
  • 5ml olive oil, drizzled over
  • 80g finely cubed cucumber

Mix it all together – as easy as that 🙂

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Apologies, this isn’t the best photo!  I really need to get my phone’s camera sorted out.  Sigh.

WL breakdown:  serves 1 –  2 Fat, 2 CC, 1 Veg

 

 

 

Beef Larb Lettuce Cups and catching up….

| roeliaschoeman

Yes, I know I have been neglecting this blog so much, it is actually ridiculous!  I guess it is also because I’ve been neglecting myself so much.  The past 18 months or so have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride.  A lot went wrong in my life, but I must also admit – a lot started to fall into place.  A steep learning curve indeed!

I was also recently diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, and a Vitamin D deficiency, so apart from the crazy weight gain, my body is just really crying for help.  Sigh.  How much longer will I be able to ignore her?  I simply can’t anymore.  It is time to pick myself up on my bootstraps, done my big ass big girl panties – and yes, they are huge, if you really have to know!  😉  For too long I have allowed people and circumstances to bully me, for too long have I bullied myself. Time for the madness to stop.

And the only way to do it, is to take it one day, one meal at a time.  Yes, the social life challenges will still be there – I must just learn to manage it a little better.  And I believe the lifestyle changes start with trying to get the basics right.  Don’t you agree?  So here we go again, taking small steps in the right direction – it is the only way to do it.

So. you probably only wanted the recipe of my yummy lunch – like what the blog has been about since forever – just a straight forward recipe post with no frills or fuss – instead of listening to my ‘issues’!  LOL!  But it is my blog, you will just have to deal with it – and with me!  😉

Here goes!

Larb is a traditional Thai recipe, usually made with chicken or pork mince.  I used beef mince instead.  This recipe serves 1.

120g lean mince

5ml olive oil

1/4 teaspoon garlic and ginger paste

1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes (you can omit it if you don’t like spicy food).

A sprinkling of Robertson’s Exotic Thai spice

White pepper

A dash of fish sauce

50g cooked pasta rice (orzo)

Finely sliced red onion, cucumber strips, chopped spring onion and cos lettuce leaves to serve

Heat olive oil and add ginger and garlic paste – fry for a few seconds for flavour to develop.  Add lean mince and fry at a medium to high heat until browned (be careful not to burn the garlic though, it will taste bitter!).  You can add a dash of water if the mixture becomes too dry.  Add the rest of the ingredients (except the fresh veggies) and fry together for about a minute.

Let it cool slightly and serve in lettuce leaves, topped with red onion and cucumber strips

Beef Larb

WL breakdown -serves 1, 2 Protein, 1 Carb, 1 Fat, 1/2 Veggies

Asparagus, couscous and feta salad

| roeliaschoeman

Especially for #WellnessWednesday!

Trying my best to get into this healthy living thing again!  Sigh… undoing the ‘damage’ of the past year is taking much longer than I thought.  And yes, patience is apparently a virtue.  And yes, apparantly you need to have more than just 1 healthy meal once in a while. #Denial #TheStuggleIsReal

Lunches are normally okay, and then I fall off the wagon a bit in the evening.  Is that what they call ‘balance’?  I tried, okay!  🙂  #OneMealAtATime  Will not give up!  🙂

entire-kitchen

I ALWAYS go for quick and easy – prepared a batch of couscous Monday morning – a little too much, it was in fact enough for 3/4 people, so we may have another couscous salad for lunch tomorrow 😉

Anyway!  Here we go – no ‘real’ instructions needed, salads are easy like that 🙂

Serves 1

90g couscous prepared + 40g crumbed fat free feta

90g (or a bit more – don’t let asparagus go to waste, it is expensive enough as it is!) steamed fresh asparagus

100g mixed variety tomatoes (love the beautiful colours of these ones I got from Woolies)

Lettuce to serve

Salt and Pepper

You can of course just mix everything together, but I like the look of a ‘layered’ salad – first lettuce, then tomatoes, then couscous and feta mix, and top with steamed asparagus. Season to taste – I just drizzled it with a bit of garlic-infused olive oil.

And voila!

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Couscous Chickpea Salad with Herby Yogurt Dressing

| roeliaschoeman

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Serves 1

 

90g couscous (prepared)

1/2 tin chickpeas (drained)

50g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Lettuce to serve

Dressing:  120g plain, fatfree yogurt.  1/2 handful chopped fresh mint and coriander

 

Mix the couscous, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes and apple together and season.  Serve on lettuce leaves and drizzle with dressing!

 

How easy is that?? 🙂

#MeatlessMonday

 

Sweet Potato Salad #MeatlessMonday

| roeliaschoeman

Although I really love Sweet Potato, I seldom managed to cook it without it being mushy.  And mushy is absolutely fine – but not in a salad!  Also, I’m so used to it being served with lots of sugar/honey/butter, etc.  So I was keen to try a ‘healthier’ option. So with this one I actually didn’t do too bad!

So here is a lovely Meatless Monday salad!  It is based on a recipe I saw in the Ideas Magazine a while ago, but I did tweak the quantities and ingredients a bit.

 

160g cooked sweet potato cubes (soft but not mushy!), kept aside to cool

50g grated carrots

2 – 3 sundried tomatoes, cut into strips

30g low fat feta, crumbed

1/4 red onion, chopped

Mix all these ingredients together

 

Dressing – mix 30ml low fat mayonaise, 30ml white wine vinegar, about 1 ml Worcestershire Sauce

 

To serve – lettuce and chopped fresh parsley

 

Putting it all together for serving:

Place sweet potato mix on a bed of lettuce, drizzle dressing over and top with some freshly chopped parsley

 

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WL breakdown:  2 CC, 1 fat, 1 Prot, 1 Veg

 

 

 

Moroccan Apricot Couscous Salad

| roeliaschoeman

I really love Moroccan-style flavours – cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon!   And the best is – there is a fabulous ‘short-cut’ available – Woolies’ Moroccan Rub!  I use it so often, that I always buy 2 containers at a time!  Very versatile and convenient 🙂 And it works great with lamb, chicken and veggies.

Here’s a quick and healthy salad to make the most of those flavours:

 

Serves 1

 

80g cooked couscous

75g chickpeas (tinned/cooked)

A big handful of fresh rocket

30g soft dried apricots, chopped

10g toasted almond slivers

 

Dressing

100g plain fatfree yogurt

1/2 tsp Woolworths Moroccan Rub (if you don’t have this – you can make up your own morrocan blend -this recipe is great http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/moroccan-spice-blend-109356)

 

Mix couscous and chickpeas and place on bed of rocket, lightly stir through yogurt dressing.  Season to taste. Sprinkle chopped apricot bits and toasted almonds over it.

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2 CC, 1 Prot, 1 Fat, 1 Fruit, 1/2 Veg, 1/2 Milk

Inspired by Buzzfeed Recipe

Summery Strawberry Salad

| roeliaschoeman

It seems as if we jumped straight from winter to summer!  And, it is also time to concentrate on getting rid of this ‘winter body’.  Yes, one step at a time!

This salad is so simple, with only a handful of ingredients – and really yummy 🙂

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Serves 1

Lettuce and Herb mix (to serve)

150g fresh strawberries, cut in quarters or bite sized bits

25g red onion, sliced

90g smoked chicken, sliced

10g cashew nuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Put strawberries, red oinion, and smoked chicken on bed of lettuce and herbs.  Sprinkle chopped cashew nuts over, season and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic reduction.

Super quick and easy!

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1 Veg, 1 Fruit, 1 Prot, 1 Fat

Mexican Corn & Samp Salad (with Citrus Dressing)

| roeliaschoeman

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Okay, this was VERY experimental!  I haven’t even HEARD of a samp salad before 🙂 But inspiration hit (while looking for a new ‘carb’ option to try) and this is what transpired.

Dressing: (leave to infuse a bit).  By the way, this salad can be made in advance, just add the tomatoes and salt just before serving otherwise it becomes soggy.

Okay, where was I…  yes, the dressing (mix it all together):

1oml olive oil

2 TBSP freshly squeezed orange juice

2 TBS lemon juice

2 TBS White Wine Vinegar

1/4 tsp fresh garlic

A dash of cayenne pepper

A dash of ground cumin

Then,

Mix together (or pack in layers if preferred):

200g corn kernels (I used frozen corn, covered with boiling water and left to stand for 10 minutes, no need to cook)

140g cooked samp (I cooked this in advance, because it does take a while to cook – and then left to cool)

200g red kidney beans (tinned and drained)

100g chopped tomato

50g chopped onion

100g chopped mixed peppers (I used green and red)

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Pour dressing over, and voila!  I actually wanted to add some fresh coriander as well, but realised I was all out.  Next time 🙂

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WL Breakdown, serves 2 (LARGE portions), 1 Serve = 2 CC, 1 Prot, 1.5 Veg, 1 Fat

 

 

 

 

Thai Mango & Chicken Salad Bowl

| roeliaschoeman

This looks sooo pretty (if I do say so myself!) and is quickly to assemble!

20160223_131653.jpg100g cooked angelhair pasta (cooled down)

90g smoked chicken (roughly chopped)

30g carrot and cucumber ribbons (you can make this with your veggie peeler)

10og fresh mango, sliced

A handful of lettuce and fresh herb mix

30g Sweet Chilli Sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

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And that is it!

Greek Marinated Mushrooms Kebabs

| roeliaschoeman

Always looking for a yummy veggie side dish 🙂  This is super easy and quite tasty!

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250g button mushrooms (whole)

25oml plain fat free yogurt

50g  each chopped parsley and chopped coriander

1 heaped teaspoon chopped garlic (or a little less to taste)

Salt and Pepper to taste
Place mushrooms in a Ziplock bag or marinating bowl.  Add rest of ingredients, close bag and shake bag to mix – leave to marinate for about 4 hours.  Thread mushrooms on skewers and grill until soft.

 

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