Category: Recipes

In the middle of winter, there’s nothing better than a big bowl of tasty comfort food – and this can be both healthy and delicious! This veggie-packed cottage pie is vegan-friendly, high in plant protein and super-nutritious. It’s also great for meal-planning!

Whether you’re meal-planning for the week or whipping up a big oven dish for the family, this veggie cottage pie ticks all the boxes! Swapping out regular potatoes for orange sweet potatoes ups the dose of beta-carotene – Vitamin A  – which aids in immune support.
This recipe uses lentils and peas for plant protein, but you could replace it with 250g minced beef for a meat version or with plant-based mince.
There is an option to top the sweet potato mash with grated cheese or Parmesan at the end, you can leave this off completely or use plant-based cheese as you like. The mash recipe contains nutritional yeast, which will already provide a slight cheesy flavour.

What You Need:

• 1 large brown onion, finely diced
• Olive oil
• 2 large carrots, peels and grated
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely diced
• ½ tsp each: dried thyme, dried rosemary, smoky paprika, coriander powder and cumin
• ½ glass red wine* (optional)
• ½ cup finely chopped brown mushrooms
• ½ cup finely chopped baby marrow (zucchini)
• 1 tin brown lentils, drained
• ½ cup of frozen peas
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
  1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock

  Topping:

• 3-4 orange sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2cm pieces
• ¼ cup oat or soya milk (plant milk of your choice)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Handful of cheese / plant-based cheese (optional), for topping

Method:

1/ Start by sautéing your onion in a little olive oil in a large pan set over a medium heat. After a couple minutes, add the celery, carrots and garlic and saute until fragrant and just cooked, about 3 minutes. Add your dried herbs and spices and saute for a further minute or 2. if using red wine, add it now to deglaze the pan and bring in flavour.

2/ Add a little more olive oil, as needed and add the mushrooms, baby marrows, lentils and peas to the pan and sauté.

3/ Add in the chopped tomatoes and paste and one cup of stock and simmer, stirring occasionally. Time to preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius!

4/ In the meantime, prepare the potatoes by adding the pieces to a pot of boiling water and cook for around 15 minutes until soft enough to mash. Once cooked, drain and place in a bowl with a little milk and olive oil and mash until lumps are removed. Stir in the nutritional yeast and seasoning to taste.

5/ Once the lentil mixture is cooked, spoon it into a large baking dish. Top with the sweet potato and nutritional yeast mash and spread over evenly. Option to add a handful of cheese of your choice over the top before popping in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

This recipe makes use of orange veg packed with beta-carotene to help support your immune system, boost brain health and improve skin and eye health. It’s really simple and works well for meal-prepping too.

What You Need:

• 500g chopped pumpkin
• 3-4 large carrots, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic
  Olive oil
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1 brown onion, finely diced
• 3cm piece ginger, very finely diced
  ½ tsp each: ground cumin, ground coriander, ground paprika, red chilli flakes, ground cinnamon
  1 litre vegetable stock
  ½ tin coconut milk or cream (optional)
  Handful fresh coriander, chopped
• Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnishing (optional)

Method:

1/ Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. On a baking tray, place your pumpkin, carrots and cloves of garlic (skin on) and spread them out evenly. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 35 minutes or until cooked evenly, flipping the veg over half way.

2/ While the veg is roasting, sauté the onion in a little olive oil until translucent, then add the ginger and the spices. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.

3/ Add the roast veg to the pop of stock and squeeze the cloves of garlic into the pot, discarding the skins.

4/ Using a hand-held blender, blitz the veg and stock together until your soup forms.

5/ If using coconut cream, stir into the soup. Stir in the coriander leaves. Taste to check seasoning. Serve garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds.

If you’re looking for another cosy, healthy winter meal, try this Vegan Shepherd’s Pie here: https://medshieldmovement.co.za/cosy-weeknight-meals-vegetarian-shepherds-pie/ Something a bit later and packed with plant protein? Try this Cosy weeknight meals: quinoa and veggie stuffed baked peppers: https://medshieldmovement.co.za/quinoa-and-veggie-stuffed-baked-peppers/

This spicy, filling and hearty soup is a perfect weeknight meal that’s packed with immune-boosting nutrients.

What You Need:
1 large red pepper, chopped
4 large tomatoes, quartered
Olive oil
2 jalapenos, chopped
5 spring onions, chopped (separate out the white and pale green parts)
2-3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1 tsp each: smoky paprika and cumin
1 tin of white beans / butter beans, drained
2 cups vegetable stock
1 lime, zested and quartered
Handful chopped coriander, plus extra for garnishing
½ avocado (optional)

Method:
1/ Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.
2/ Line a baking tray with baking paper or foil. Place the chopped tomatoes and peppers on the tray, drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven to roast while you prepare the rest of the ingredients (25-30 minutes).
3/ Sauté the garlic, chilli and white parts of the spring onions in a little olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add the spices and sauté for a further minute to release the flavour, then add in the beans and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
4/ Once the peppers have cooked through, remove and blitz the roasted tomatoes and peppers together with a stick blender. Add this mixture into the beans.
5/ Add in the vegetable stock, a good squeeze of lime juice (half a lime) and the coriander. Mix together and simmer for about 10 minutes.
6/ Serve the soup with spring onion (green parts), coriander and a few slices of avo.

Recipe Notes:
For an even quicker and simpler recipe, swap out roasted tomatoes and peppers for tinned tomatoes. The flavour won’t be quite the same, but it will still be tasty.

The addition of avocado completes the “mexican” feel and contains healthy fats and nutrients. You can swap this out for a drizzle of sour cream or greek yoghurt (for a non-plant based option).

Here at Medshield Movement, we’re all about helping you live a healthier lifestyle and we know that following a balanced meal plan will help you achieve that. We’ve created a series of healthy cosy weeknight meals for winter that are packed with nutrients and easy to make! Try this white vegetarian version of a shepherd’s pie – it’s also great for meal planning for the week ahead!

This recipe includes healthy plant protein and fibre thanks to the lentils and veggies packed into the filling. You could also add two tomatoes instead of the pepper or add a finely chopped celery stick into the mix. Keep the veggies chopped to the same small size for a consistent texture.

What You Need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 baby marrows, diced
• 1 cup chopped button mushrooms
• 1 x 400g tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp each: dried thyme, dried rosemary and paprika
• Pinch chilli flakes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Topping:

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any milk of your choice)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
1/ Preheat the oven to 200°C then start with the topping: place the diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, prep your filling
2/ Heat a dash of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3/ Add the vegetables to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender.
4/ Stir in the lentils, tomato paste, herbs and spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
5/ Add stock and simmer for another 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. (Note that all stocks have salt in them, so only add more salt as needed later on, after tasting your filling.)
6/ Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and return them to the pot. Add almond milk and olive oil and mash until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
7/ Transfer the lentil mix into a large baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Spoon the mashed potato mixture on top of the vegetable mixture, spreading it evenly to cover the filling. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the mashed potato topping is lightly golden and the filling is bubbly. Enjoy!

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DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This article may contain information related to exercise, fitness, diet, and nutrition, which is intended solely for your personal use and informational purposes. Before commencing any exercise, fitness, diet, or nutrition regimen, especially if you are pregnant or have pre-existing health conditions, you should consult with a physician. Nothing on this site should be construed as medical advice or diagnosis. For any symptoms or health concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

This easy-to-make roast stuffed pepper recipe is low-carb, high in healthy plant protein and makes for a delicious easy week-night meal.

This plant-based recipe gets its protein from the quinoa, chickpeas and avo and makes 4 portions. For toppings, you can use a cheese or plant-based cheese of your choice, such as crumbled feta for a vegetarian option or a nut-based vegan cheese alternative – both will up the protein count even more. Cooking for one or two? The peppers will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 more days.

What You Need:

• 4 large peppers
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• ¼ tsp each: sea salt flakes, ground black pepper, ground cumin and chilli flakes
• 2 cups cooked red quinoa,
• ½ tin of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and lightly mashed
• 2 tbsp sliced spring onion
• 1 large avocado, half mashed, half set aside for slicing.
• Feta / plant-based cheese of choice, for topping
• Coriander or basil leaves, for garnishing

Method:

1/ Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. In the meantime, prep your peppers by removing the tops and using a spoon and knife to gently remove the pith and pips, keeping the pepper whole.

2/ Drizzle olive oil over the peppers and sprinkle the spice mixture over as well, before placing in the oven to begin the baking process. While the peppers begin to bake, make the filling.

3/ Mix together your cooked quinoa, chickpeas, spring onion and mashed avocado (the avocado will help to bind the ingredients).

4/ Once your filling is ready, remove the peppers from the oven and begin to fill them with the quinoa mixture. Top with a crumbling of your cheese of choice. Return the peppers to the oven and continue to roast until the skin is starting to blister and the tops are lightly golden.
5/ Plate peppers with slices of the remaining avocado and garnish with herbs. Enjoy immediately.

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DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This article may contain information related to exercise, fitness, diet, and nutrition, which is intended solely for your personal use and informational purposes. Before commencing any exercise, fitness, diet, or nutrition regimen, especially if you are pregnant or have pre-existing health conditions, you should consult with a physician. Nothing on this site should be construed as medical advice or diagnosis. For any symptoms or health concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

28 May is International Hamburger Day and to celebrate we’re here to help you make tasty homemade healthy hamburgers from scratch – with a plant-based and meat option.

Who doesn’t love a hamburger? But fast-food options are layered with extra salt, sugar, fat and cheap ingredients. Here, we help you create healthy hamburgers at home for the whole family! In fact, we recommend roping them in to help you prep the ingredients and slice up the toppings. This also makes for a family-friendly fun weekend meal that can easily feed a crowd of kids or adults, whether in the kitchen or around the braai.

<subhead> Plant-Based Patty

What You Need:
1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed, mashed

1 x cup cooked quinoa
½ red onion, very finely chopped

1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, smoky paprika
Pinch salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients until combined. Divide into equal size balls and then shape into patties. Heat a non-stick pan with a little olive oil and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden on the outside and heated through.

Looking for another easy plant-based recipe to make for the whole family? Try this “Chickpea Mayo Sarmie”: https://medshieldmovement.co.za/how-to-make-vegan-chicken-mayo-sarmie-with-chickpeas/

<subhead> Beef-Mince Patty

What You Need:
500g lean beef mince

¼ cup bread crumbs (make your own at home by toasting old bread and then blitzing in a food processor)
1 free-range large egg

½ red onion, very finely chopped

1 clove garlic, very finely chopped

½ teaspoon each: ground cumin, smoky paprika, ground coriander

Pinch salt and pepper to taste

Combine the mince, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic and spices in a mixing bowl. Divide into equal size balls and then shape into patties. Heat a non-stick pan with a little olive oil and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden on the outside and cooked to your preference (ie: medium or well-cooked).

<subhead> Toppings & Assembly

• No burger is complete without lettuce. Cos lettuce is crispy and crunchy and the most nutrient-dense of all the lettuce leaves. Alternatively, try butter lettuce or mix it up with baby spinach leaves for an extra boost of Vitamin A and folate.

• Tomatoes are key to getting the taste just right as they add a level of acidity and sweetness. Whether you use slices of fresh tomato or a tomato relish, tomatoes add a boost of vitamin C and antioxidants.
• Layer up with extra salad items such as slices of cucumber, thinly sliced avocado for healthy fats, crunchy sprouts, finely sliced red onion (pickle for 10 minutes in a solution of ½ cup water, ¼ cup vinegar, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar (optional) to release some of the strong flavour).

• The best burger buns are endlessly debated about, but for healthy options, we suggest buying slightly smaller buns (for those who may be watching portions and on a weight-loss management programme) with additional nutrients, so look for seeded rolls or a blend of whole grains or brown bread.
• Instead of mayonnaise or tomato sauce, use a healthier sauce that adds as much flavour, such as guacamole or hummus. Or make a batch of this whipped tofy for an extra dose of healthy protein: https://medshieldmovement.co.za/its-veganuary-try-this-high-protein-low-calorie-whipped-tofu-spread/

Share your healthy homemade burgers with us this International Burger Day and tag us #MedshieldMovement on socials. We want to see what healthy recipes you’re cooking in the kitchen!

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DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This article may contain information related to exercise, fitness, diet, and nutrition, which is intended solely for your personal use and informational purposes. Before commencing any exercise, fitness, diet, or nutrition regimen, especially if you are pregnant or have pre-existing health conditions, you should consult with a physician. Nothing on this site should be construed as medical advice or diagnosis. For any symptoms or health concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

We’re putting a twist on It’s International Hummus Day – 13 May – and giving you 4 ways to make hummus without chickpeas! How? Let us show you!

Hummus is a tasty, healthy low-calorie protein-packed plant-based dip that can be used with crudites, in buddha bowls, on sarmies, in wraps or served with your next mezze platter. If you’re looking for the OG hummus recipe with chickpeas – plus a few ways to pimp it up, click here: https://medshieldmovement.co.za/3-ways-to-pimp-your-homemade-hummus/

But, while traditional hummus is made with chickpeas and it’s undeniably delicious, there’s a whole world of flavour waiting to be explored with chickpea-free alternatives. Whether you’re looking to switch things up or have dietary restrictions that exclude chickpeas, these creative hummus recipes made with lentils, beans and other nutritious ingredients will hit the spot!

Red Lentil Hummus
Combine the following in a food processor:
1 cup cooked red lentils
2 tbsp tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon (to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Water (as needed, for desired consistency)
Smoked paprika, chopped parsley or a drizzle of olive oil, for garnishing

Black Bean Hummus
Combine the following in a food processor:
1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime (to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
Pinch chilli flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Water (as needed, for desired consistency)
Coriander leaves, diced tomatoes or sliced jalapeño, for garnishing

Edamame Hummus
Combine the following in a food processor:
1 cup shelled edamame (cooked or prepared according to package instructions)
2 tbsp tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime (to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
Pinch chilli flakes
1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Water (as needed, for desired consistency)
Toasted sesame seeds, sliced spring onions or a drizzle of sesame oil, for garnishing

Cannellini Bean Hummus

1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime (to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Water (as needed, for desired consistency)
Chopped fresh Italian parsley, a sprinkle of paprika, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze, for garnishing

Looking for another delicious, healthy dip? Try this baba ganoush recipe!

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DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This article may contain information related to exercise, fitness, diet, and nutrition, which is intended solely for your personal use and informational purposes. Before commencing any exercise, fitness, diet, or nutrition regimen, especially if you are pregnant or have pre-existing health conditions, you should consult with a physician. Nothing on this site should be construed as medical advice or diagnosis. For any symptoms or health concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.