Category: Recipes

The weather is getting warmer and braai season is here. This vegan mushroom potjie dish is the perfect dish for those spring evenings, which can still get cool once the sun sets. It’s delicious, easy to make and healthy. 

While this recipe is designed to slow cook in a potjie for a few hours, it’s also totally doable in a large Dutch-oven-style dish. 

Notes:

1. Like a good curry, it’s better the next day. 

2. This potjie recipe is totally allergen-friendly – no gluten or dairy.

3. You can swap out some of the veg for others that you have lying around at home, like aubergine, cauliflower, patty pans etc.

What You Need:

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2-3 large carrots, grated, 

4 large celery stalks, thinly sliced

Olive oil, for sautéing

Fresh rosemary twig (or a tsp of dried) / thyme

Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 to 1 red chilli, sliced (it’s just a little bite and isn’t meant to be “spicy”)

3 to 4 large brown mushrooms, torn into pieces
10-12 shiitake (or regular brown or button mushrooms), torn or slighted into quarters

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

4 large courgettes, cut into large chunks

10 to 12 baby potatoes, quartered

2 tins chopped tomatoes (400g each)

1 TBSP tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce)

1 litre vegetable stock

Handful of green beans, top and tiled and then sliced into thirds

2 TBSP miso

Lemon zest / juice for garnishing 

Fresh Italian parsley for garnishing

Method:

1. Sauté the first three ingredients together in olive oil until softened. 

2. Add the garlic and chilli and sauté for another couple of minutes. 

3. Deglaze with a good half cup of red wine (the wine adds a depth of flavour) or some water if non-alcoholic.

4. Add all the veg, tinned tomatoes and tamari and stir to combine. 

5. Add the stock and place the lid on and allow to slow-cook for two to three hours, depending on your heat (oven temperature around 150 degrees celsius). 

6. When you think the potjie is ready and cooked to perfection (sauce has reduced and vegetables are cooked tough), add the green beans and cook for just 10 minutes more. 

7. Remove from the heat, stir in the miso (extra umami). Garnish and serve with rice or on its own. 

Whether you’re a chocoholic and looking for something healthier than your store-bought brownies or you’re looking for a new, tasty way to eat oats, these ‘Breakfast Oat Brownies’ will be a great addition to your kitchen. Plus they’re great for lunchboxes! 

These ‘Breakfast Oat Brownies’ can be easily sliced, kept in the fridge for a few days, popped into kids – and adult – lunch boxes and are a great way to enjoy a chocolatey snack that’s also healthy. They’re not that sweet (intentionally), so you may want to add more maple syrup or honey if you prefer sweeter treats or if you’re slowly weaning off sweeter items. 

What You Need:

Dry:

2 cups oats 

1 tbsp ground flaxseeds

1 tsp baking powder

4 heaped tbsp dark cocoa powder (or raw cacao)

Pinch Himalayan salt

Handful organic dark baking chocolate 

Pinch good-quality cinnamon

Wet:

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup nut butter of your choice

2 cups oat milk 

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Coconut oil for greasing the pan

Pecan nuts (or nuts of your choice for garnishing)

Method:

1. Add dry and wet ingredients together. Stir to combine. Pour into a greased (and lined) brownie tray. Dot/garnish with nuts. 
2. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 30 to 35 minutes. 
3. Remove and allow to cool before slicing. 

Celebrate spring with a tasty dish of spring greens!

This recipe is super easy to make and you can change it up with whatever green veg you have! 

You can swap the sesame seeds for pumpkin or sunflower seeds or your favourite chopped nuts. You can choose to leave out the onion in the dressing and keep it more fresh. If you don’t have access to edamame beans, replace with another form of protein of your choice (or use blanched peas instead!)

What You Need:

200g asparagus, sliced into 3cm pieces

200g green beans, sliced into 3cm pieces 

200g edamame beans 

200g tenderstem broccoli, sliced into 3cm pieces (or head of broccoli, sliced)

50g baby spinach leaves 

2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted 

FOR THE DRESSING

1 shallot or small red onion, very finely sliced into rings

Pinch chilli flakes

1 tsp sesame oil 

2 tbsp olive oil

Juice and zest of half a lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1/ Blanch the asparagus, beans and broccoli in hot water for a few minutes, then transfer to ice-cold water before placing in a colander to drain. 

2/ Whisk the dressing ingredients together, then toss the blanched veggies and spinach together in a large bowl with the salad dressing and toasted sesame seeds. 

3/ Plate on a large platter and serve (serves 4 to 6).

With many of us heading back into the office, we have created some healthy, easy recipes you can make the night before: pop in the fridge and grab and go in the morning. This berry smoothie has a mix of protein, carbs and healthy good-for-you berries. 

What You Need

½ cup oats 

1 tbsp blueberries

4 strawberries

1 tsp maple syrup or honey 

½ to 1 cup water

1 tbsp pistachio nut butter

1 tsp of açaí (optional)

Method:

Pop into the blender and blitz until smooth. 

Store in the fridge overnight or enjoy immediately. 

Easy swaps

You can find açaí in most health shops – it’s an added boost of vitamins and bright colour! 

You can use any plant milk or milk of your choice instead of the water. This recipe will also work well with plain yoghurt.

The sweetener is up to you! Even a sprinkling of xylitol is an option that could work well. 

The pistachio nut butter can be replaced with peanut butter or any nut butter of your choice. 

If you want to drink the smoothie immediately, add some blocks of ice. 

If you’re exercising in the morning, make sure to add a scoop of protein powder of your choice to help with recovery. 

This recipe is perfect for those who have busy schedules with work, training and kids – it’s hard to fit it all in! But you shouldn’t neglect your nutrition and this recipe is super easy to make the night before and take to the office with you. 

What You Need

1) ½ cup oats 

2) ½ banana 

3) 1 tbsp blueberries

4) 1-2 tsp maple syrup or honey 

5) ½ cup oat milk

Method:

1) Place all the ingredients into a sealable glass jar and into the fridge overnight. 

2) Enjoy this as an easy breakfast on the go!

Easy swaps:

1) You can ditch the berries and just add one whole banana.

2) If you’re not a fan of bananas, use a second type of berry, such as strawberries or raspberries or sliced apple. 

3) You can use any plant milk or milk of your choice or even try black rooibos tea for a lower calorie option with added antioxidants. 

4) The sweetener is up to you! Even a sprinkling of xylitol is an option that could work well. 

We’ll be posting a series of comforting, perfect-for-winter recipes that are easy to make at home – and much healthier than your takeout versions!

This recipe makes 4 servings. For a vegetarian version of the recipe, you can swop the prawns for 4000g of sliced, cooked tofu that has been gently sautéed in a little olive oil until golden brown on the edges. 

What You Need:

Ingredients 

• 100g rice noodles
• 20 green beans, chopped into quarters
• 4 leaves of savoy cabbage, roughly chopped
• 12 prawns or 400g of tofu, sliced (for vegetarian option)
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• Juice of one lime
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp coconut-blossom nectar (or honey)
• 4 free-range eggs (optional)
• 2 tbsp crushed peanuts (or almonds)
• ¼ cup bean sprouts
• Handful of fresh coriander leaves
• Tamari

Method:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the rice noodles and cook until soft, for five minutes. Remove noodles and set aside in a bowl.
2. Add the beans and cabbage to the same pot of boiling water and blanch for two minutes. Remove vegetables and add to the noodles.
3. Blanch the prawns in the same pot until cooked through (unless using the tofu). Remove and set aside.
4. Place a non-stick wok over medium heat. Add a little oil and fry the garlic for 30 seconds. Thereafter add the vegetables and noodles. Pour in the lime, tamari and coconut-blossom nectar or honey and stir fry until combined. Pour noodle mixture into a bowl.
5. If using eggs, whisk and pour half into the same wok. Cook to make a small omelette, then repeat with the remaining egg. Set aside to serve with the noodles.
6. Top the noodles with prawns, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts and coriander. Serve with a lime wedge (and the omelettes).

We’ll be posting a series of comforting, perfect-for-winter recipes that are easy to make at home – and much healthier than your takeout versions!

Coq au vin is a classic French dish that means ‘chicken in wine’. When you’re in the mood for French cuisine that is hearty and delicious, but without excess cream, butter and fat that often comes with French cooking. For this specific recipe, we make use of much leaner meat, using skinless chicken thighs. This recipe makes use of 2 cups of red wine. The alcohol will cook off, leaving the rich, deep flavour of the wine.

What You Need:

Ingredients

• 8 skinless chicken thighs
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 12 whole baby onions, peeled
• 1 punnet (250g) brown mushrooms (or button mushrooms)
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 2 cups of red wine
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Himalayan salt
• Tapioca starch for thickening, optional
• 1 bunch fresh thyme

Method:

1. Set a large deep skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Sear chicken pieces in olive oil until just browned on each side, then remove.
2. Add more olive oil to the pan and sauté the baby onions and mushrooms for a minute. Put the chicken back in, cover with stock and red wine, add thyme and seasoning and simmer for 40 minutes to an hour until the sauce has reduced and thickened to your desired liking.
3. You can add one tablespoon of tapioca starch (mixed with some of the red wine sauce to make a paste) to the red wine sauce to help thicken it further.
4. Serve with wild rice or cauliflower mash for a low-carb option.

*Note: if you’d like to try to make this a vegan dish, you can try a product like seitan to replace the chicken and use vegetable stock.

We’ll be posting a series of comforting, perfect-for-winter recipes that are easy to make at home – and much healthier than your takeout versions!

This recipe makes two portions. Cooking time will vary slightly depending on the size and thickness of the fish fillets.

What You Need

Ingredients:

• 1 large orange sweet potato
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 2 lemons
• Handful parsley, chopped
• 2 hake fillets (150g to 200g each)
• 200g of green vegetables, such as broccoli or courgettes, sliced lengthways, as needed.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Slice the sweet potato into chips, toss into a Ziplock bag with a little olive oil and salt, then place on a baking tray and put into the oven immediately
   (You can also cook these in an air fryer while you do the rest).
3. Begin to prepare the fish by placing a sheet of baking paper on a second baking tray.
4. Slice one lemon and place half the slices on baking paper, then some parsley, then the hake. Top with more parsley, a sprinkle of salt, a squeeze of lemon juice and the remaining slices of lemon. Seal the parcel by folding all sides and corners, making sure it is very secure.
5. Place the vegetables in the same tray next to the fish and drizzle with olive oil and salt.
6. When your sweet potato chips have cooked for 20 minutes, flip them over and add back into the oven with the second fish tray.
7. Cook everything for a total of 10 to 15  minutes further (just make sure the fish is cooked through).

Yes, we’ve got a healthy recipe here that you’ll want to make again and again this winter. A healthy lentil vegetarian bobotie!

Why is this recipe healthier than a regular bobotie? First off, while red meat is a good source of protein, it is a source of saturated fat. This recipe uses lentils which are high in fibre, low in fat and contain protein as well. This lentil bobotie recipe does not use chutney, which is normally filled with sugar. Instead, it uses carrots and sweet potatoes, which add natural sweetness once cooked. You can swap the carrots and sweet potato for small cubes of butternut if so desired.

This recipe also keeps well in the fridge or freezer, making it great for meal planning.

What You Need:

• Olive oil
• 2 brown onions, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 medium orange sweet potato, grated
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 4 large or 6 medium tomatoes, freshly chopped
• 2 x 400g tinned brown lentils, drained and rinsed
• Pinch of salt, to taste
• 250ml buttermilk or Greek yoghurt
• 2free-range eggs
• Pinch of black pepper
• 2-3 bay leaves

Method

1. Place 1 Tbsp oil in a large, deep pan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until just cooked. Add the carrots and sweet potato and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the garlic and spices. Add a little extra oil if needed and stir until fragrant.
2. Add the tomatoes with half a cup of water and stir until well combined. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for five minutes before adding the lentils. Simmer for another five minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables are soft. Add salt to taste.
3. Pour the lentil mixture into an oven-proof dish and set it aside.
4. Mix the buttermilk, eggs and pepper together and pour it over the lentil mixture. Add bay leaves and bake in a 180-degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden.

Want more vegetarian recipes? Click here. Want more comfort food ideas? Try these healthy pasta recipes!

Now that it’s winter, we naturally turn to more comfort foods. But comfort foods can be healthy and tasty too! Try this delicious, healthy and easy chickpea curry recipe.

This is a great dish to make in winter because it keeps well in the fridge or freezer and makes for excellent meal-planning. You can serve it with rice, fill a roti wrap with the filling or serve it with pita bread. You can also lighten it up by serving it in a bowl with freshly diced tomatoes, onion and cucumber. It is also quick to make. Keen to change it up? Use brown lentils instead of chickpeas, or try a mix of both!

TIP: Control the dish’s spice and heat levels by adding fresh chillies. For a neutral oil, try heart-healthy canola. If you’re unsure about the curry powder, try ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp garam masala.

What You Need:

• Olive oil
• 2 brown onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 1-2 red chillies, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tsp curry powder (of your choice)
• 400g tinned tomatoes (or 4-6 chopped fresh tomatoes)
• 400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Fresh coriander, to serve

Method

1. Place 1 tbsp oil in a large, deep pan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until just cooked. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli (if using). Sauté for 1 minute, then add the curry powder, adding a little extra oil if you need to and stir until fragrant.
2. Add the tomatoes and continue to stir until well combined. Thereafter, add the chickpeas with one cup of boiled water. Stir until combined and set aside on low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Taste the sauce and add a little salt if needed. If it’s too acidic, add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda (or sweetener of your choice).
4. Serve with fresh coriander.

For more information on the health benefits of chickpeas, read here. Looking for more healthy vegetable dishes to try this winter? Read more here.