Pumpkin and Apple Soup

I am a big supporter of cooking using season ingredients! And at the moment, what is more seasonal than soup, pumpkin and apple??

I must admit, the last time I posted on that blog is a good couple of months ago, simply because

1) I am really lazy,

2) I have a very short attention span,

3)  I haven’t been eating very healthy recently

Okay, on most days, but then I fall off the wagon over the weekend and at functions – which spoils all my efforts.

Damn you wine.

But I commit to keep trying!  🙂

I will post this recipe on there as well – as soon as I remember the login details!  *facepalm*

Anyway!  Moving on swiftly!!

 

Ovenroast at 180C for 45 minutes on a baking tray lined with foil, prepped with non-stick spray:

3 medium apples – cut into wedges.  I didn’t peel it because I normally liquidise my soup, not a fan of chunky bits in my soup 😛

500g pumpkin – cut into chunks

1 large onion – peeled and sliced

A generous glug of olive oil

A good sprinkling of salt – at the Fire and Feast Festival I bought some smoked sea salt, amazeballs!

Transfer to a larger saucepan/pot – adding 2 cups of chicken stock (or veggie stock for vegetarian option!), a sprinkling of chili flakes and cinnamon, some white pepper and garlic salt.

Simmer for about 20 minutes – and voila!

Liquidise with stick blender thingy and serve with fresh wholewheat rolls.

I served it with toasted coconut flakes (thank you Woolies!)

The ideal meal to have on #MeatlessMonday!

Couscous Chickpea Salad with Herby Yogurt Dressing

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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

 

Barley Salad with Roasted Butternut & Apple

I felt like trying something different for lunch – and boy, this was delicious and filling!  🙂

250g roasted butternut (cut into cubes, roast on medium heat oven for about 35 minutes – until soft) – cooled down

Roasted Apple (100g apple, cut into thin slices, roasted on medium heat for about 25 minutes – before to release the flavour and crisp it up a little bit) – cooled down

140g cooked barley – cooled down

30g low fat feta

Dressing:  5ml olive oil with red wine vinegar (about 20ml – but you can adjust to taste – enough to stir mix with barley so that it isn’t too dry), alternatively you can use 30ml low fat mayonnaise

Salt and Pepper

Lettuce to serve

 

Mix dressing with barley

Place lettuce at bottom of the salad bowl/dish

Stir butternut into barley mix, season to taste

Place butternut and barley mixture on to of lettuce bed

Top with crumbed feta and apple slices

 

Serves 1:  2 CC, 1 Protein, 1 Fruit, 3 Veg, 1 Oil

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Summery Chicken Pasta Salad

100g cooked pasta
90g cooked chicken/Weigh-Less tinned chicken
90g grapes, halved
50g apple, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
30ml low fat mayo
30ml fat free plain yogurt
Salt and Pepper to taste

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Mix it all together and voila!  Fresh, summery goodness!

Serve on a bed of lettuce

Serves 1 – 2CC, 1 Prot, 1 Fat, 1.5 fruit, 1/4 milk

Sugar-free Apple Pie Sauce

Updated January 2019

Although it is the middle of summer here, I have been missing the smells of Christmas – spices, honey and cinnamon!   One of my favourite breakfasts just have to be ‘Overnight Oats’ (see previous post https://lifeistooshorttoeatlettuce.co.za/2015/01/19/overnight-oats-part-2-choco-delite-and-apple-pie/), and I was wondering how I would be able to add those warm flavours with the oats and yogurt.  I often add grated apple and cinnamon, but I wanted something ‘heavier’ – if that makes sense!  LOL!

So, here’s a very basic “Sugar-free Apple Pie Sauce” recipe.

Apple Pie Sauce: Simmer 400g chopped apples with 3 cinnamon sticks, 1/2 teaspoon of Mixed Spice and 2 teaspoons honey.

Top up with a bit of water if needed. Cook on slow heat until soft, cool off and blitz (remove cinnamon sticks first) to smooth sauce. Makes 4 portions – depending the consistency, about 2 – 3 heaped tablespoons per serving.

This is great with the Overnight Oats (mixed with raw oats, plain yogurt and left overnight for all the ingredients to ‘blend’), as well as a quick and healthy dessert for kids – served with custard.  Also try it stirred into cooked oats, add it to a smoothie (blended with milk/yogurt and banana) or mixed with muesli!

Curry and Apple Chicken Wrap

Revamped January 2019, added a few new photos! The previous ones were pretty bad!  

This is one of my favourite recipes. I love a good wrap!  Especially for lunch 🙂

When packing my lunch for work, I very seldom just throw everything together – I am not a fan of mushy, soggy food. Okay, few people are!  😛

Today, for example – I packed the wraps separately, and the chicken mix, and the salad stuff (lettuce, cucumber strips, and chopped peppadews) also in a separate divided container.

Yes, maybe a bit of a mission – but worth it, believe me! 🙂

This was the chicken curry (fake Coronation??) mix:

90 g cooked chicken, chopped
1 small Granny Smith apple, chopped
2 small salad onions, chopped
30 ml low fat mayo
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (mild)
Salt and pepper to taste

Life is too short to eat lettuce Curry Chicken and Apple Wrap

Prepare this the night before – for the flavours to develop 🙂

Life is too short to eat lettuce Curry Chicken and Apple Wrap

Quick and easy!

Pile on a wrap with lettuce and top off with cucumber strips!  Yummy!  😀

Life is too short to eat lettuce Curry Chicken and Apple Wrap

Also works as a salad, in pitas and on whole wheat bread 🙂

Serves 1