Quinoa Pumpkin Salad

So it's getting colder and colder in the Netherlands. We are now at that point that it starts to freeze at night! So my body needs a lot more energy to stay warm, meaning my metabolism speeds up and I need more nutrients during the day! So just a salad (even if it's a big salad full of healthy products) just isn't enough anymore. My solution is to add quinoa, rice or couscous to a salad. So on Sunday's from now on I will also cook one of these products so I can add them to salads during the week. You can save these up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Today it's cooked quinoa with some left over roasted pumpkin from this weekend's pumpkin soup and chickpeas.

Chickpeas are protein-rich legumes. they are perfect for vegetarians as they are a good substitute for meat. Since quinoa is also rich in protein this is a high protein lunch. I also added an egg because otherwise I had to throw it away but based on the nutrients in this salad this was unnecessary. Other benefits of chickpeas for our health are that they are relatively low in calories, they don't contain any saturated fats (which are the unhealthy ones!) and they are a great source of dietary fibers. So they are excellent for me since they help maintain a good blood sugar level!


The ingredients for 1 serving:
  • Pre-cooked quinoa (about 50-75 grams)
  • Left over roasted pumpkin
  • 6-8 cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cucumber
  • 1/2 can chickpeas (75 gr)
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 handful corn salad
  • 1 egg (optional)
  • Juice of half a lime

Directions:
  1. Heat the pumpkin cubes in your microwave. Cut the cucumber, spring onion and cherry tomatoes and mix with the other ingredients on a plate. Put the egg on the side. Mix in the pumpkin and if you're ready to eat sprinkle over the lime juice!

Enjoy!

Pangasius Fillet with Asparagus and a Simple Salad

Asparagus are available throughout the year, but if they're not in season they are much more expensive! Asparagus are expensive because it costs a lot of time to grow them. If you start to grow them you will not have a proper asparagus for the first three years. The plant should first develop a network of roots and save a huge amount of nutrients and energy before they can produce the delicious shoots that we eat and love! This in combination with the low yields per square meter make it a luxurious vegetable. Asparagus are available throughout the year but it's best to eat them in season (in the Netherlands April - June) because the tastes are best if you eat them as soon as possible after they are harvested. In the other months they come from all over the world. They are still tasty but somewhat less then in Spring. So why do I still eat them when they are not in season? Well, it's one of the most nutritious vegetables that exists. They contain elements like magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and a variety of vitamins such as Vitamin B1, B2 and B6. It also is high in foliate which cannot be stored in the body and must therefore be re-consumed every day. It also contains asparagines which is a substance that has a favorable effect on liver dysfunction, insufficient kidney function and other processes in our bodies since it purifies the liver.

For this meal I combined asparagus with a pangasius fillet and a simple summer salad.



Duration: 15 minutes

The ingredients for 1 serving:

  • 1 pangasius fillet
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tbs spelt flower
  • 1 spelt bread
  • 1 ts dill, parsley and basil (dried)
  • juice 1/2 lemon 
  • 5-6 green asparagus
  • 1 ts thyme
  • Handful of lettuce of your choice
  • 1/4 cucumber
  • Handful cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbs white wine vinegar
  • Olive oil

What you do:
  1. Boil some water in your kettle. First, you need to remove the dry somewhat woody bottom of the asparagus. You can cut it or you can just break the aspergus and it will break right at the point that you want to lose. Then boil them in a pan with plenty of water. The time they need to cook depends largely on size and on your preferences. They are done when they have softened. I like my vegetables to have a bite so I cooked them for about 6 minutes.
  2. For the fish, make three plates, one with spelt flower, one with the beaten egg and one with thinly crumbled spelt bread (do this in your food processor). Then put the fish on a chopping board, sprinkle over the lemon, dill, parsley and basil on both sides and some salt & pepper. Then put the fish on the plate with the flower until everything is covered, followed by the egg and breadcrumbs. It's very important that you do this in this order!
  3. Heat some olive oil in a pan and bake the fish for about 4 minutes each side until golden brown and done. 
  4. Cut the cucumber and tomatoes, mix with the lettuce and the white wine vinegar and your salad is ready.
  5. When the asparagus are done put them on your plate, sprinkle over 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the thyme. Put the fish on the plate and the salad and your delicious meal is ready to be eaten!

Enjoy!

Codfish with a Delightful Crust & Italian Salad

This is one of my favorite meals in the weekend! Part from me and a part is from Jamie Oliver.


Duration: 20 minutes

Amount of servings: 1

The ingredients for the codfish:

  • 1 Codfish of 200 grams
  • 1 slice of spelt bread
  • 2 small garlic cloves
  • 1/2 ts fennel seeds
  • 3 anchovy filets
  • 70 gr sundried tomatoes
  • 1/4 bunch fresh basil
  • 20 gr grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper

The ingredients for the salad:
  • 50 gr corn salad
  • 6 cherry tomatoes
  • Parmesan cheese 
  • 1 tbs roasted pine nuts
  • 2 slices of Serrano ham
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbs balsamic vinegar (dressing)

What you do:
  1. Preheat your grill in the oven. Add a large splash of olive oil to a baking dish. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and the fennel seeds and rub the codfish with this mixture. Put them on their skin in the baking dish and add a little bit more olive oil on top. Put the baking dish in the middle of your oven under the grill for 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile make the crust. Tear the bread in pieces and put in your food processor and mince. Add one crushed garlic clove, and some drops of the oil from the anchovy filets. Put the crumbly mixture in a bowl and set aside. 
  3. Then, without cleaning the food processor, add the anchovy filets, sundried tomatoes, the other crushed garlic clove, fresh basil, and the grated parmesan cheese. With a fine grated, grate the zest of the lemon and add to the mixture together with the juice of half a lemon and balsamic vinegar. Mix until it's a smooth paste. 
  4. Get the fish out of the oven and put the sundried tomato mixture on top followed by the bread crust. Put the fresh thyme and rosemary on top and sprinkle some olive oil on top. Put the fish back under the grill for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown and crunchy.
  5. Then, just mix the salad ingredients but only add the dressing as you start eating.
  6. Get the fish out of the oven and serve with the salad.

Enjoy!




Pumpkin Soup (V)

It's Fall in the Netherlands which means that Pumpkins are in season! Based on a recipe from Amber Albarda I made this delicious pumpkin soup that I just had to share with you!


Amount of servings: 2-3

The ingredients:

  • 1 bottle gourd
  • 2 white onion
  • 2 big (sweet) apples (for the Dutchies: elstar, jonagold)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Piece of ginger (2 cm)
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 tbs chili powder
  • 1 liter vegetable stock (from a cube is just fine)
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 3 tbs homemade green pesto
  • Optional: slice of spelt bread per person

What you do:
  1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees of Celsius. Cut the pumpkin, remove the seeds and chop the pulp into cubes.
    Tip: prick a couple of small holes with a fork in the skin of the pumpkin and heat it for 1 minute in the microwave so it is softer and easier to cut. 
  2. Peel the apples, cut them in four and remove the core and slice each piece in half. Cut the onions into large pieces. 
  3. In a large baking dish, mix the pumpkin, onion, apples, crushed garlic, chili powder, grated ginger and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and make sure everything is covered in oil. Roast the mixture for about 40 minutes in the oven until golden brown and soft. Don't forget to stir occasionally.
  4. When done, puree the pumpkin mixture using a food processor until it's smooth. Meanwhile bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a large pan. Add the pureed pumpkin, give it a good stir and season with salt, pepper and more chili powder to taste. If the soup is to thick add some extra bouilloun or boiled water. 
  5. Serve in a bowl with one tablespoon homemade pesto per bowl and if you prefer a slice of roasted spelt bread.

Bon Appétit!

Chicken Tikka with Lentils, Spinach & Naan

I have been looking for recipes to incorporate lentils into my diet. Lentils are not vegetables but legumes and they are rich in iron, protein and dietary fibers! They also contain essential minerals and are a great addition to your meals! So I went through my cooking books and found this delicious chicken tikka with lentils, spinach & naan in Jamie Olivers' 15 minute meals. You need a lot of different ingredients but it's worth it because the flavors literally explode in your mouth!


Duration: 15-20 minutes

What you need for 1 serving:
  • 1 chicken breast
  • 1 ts Patak's tikka masala paste
  • 4 Chestnut Mushrooms
  • 1 small white onion
  • 1 ts mustard seeds
  • 1/2 ts cumin seeds
  • 1 small can lentils (160 gr)
  • 1 ripe tomato
  • 1 red paprika
  • 1 tbs red wine vinegar
  • Some fresh coriander
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 tbs natural yoghurt
  • 1 ts mango chutney
  • 1/2 ts turmeric
  • 1 naan bread
  • 50 gr fresh spinach 
  • 1/4 cucumber
  • 15 gr feta cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper

What you do:
  1. Cut the tomato into cubes, halve the mushrooms, remove the seeds from the paprika and cut into pieces of your preferred size and chop the onion into small pieces. Put the griddle on medium to high heat.
  2. Cut the chicken into strips of about 1.5 cm. Season them with a pinch of salt, pepper and the tikka masala pasta. Place the slices in a hot griddle pan together with the halved mushrooms. Bake the chicken for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden brown and done.
  3. Place a frying pan on medium heat and put the mustard and cumin seeds into the pan together with 1 tbs olive oil. Then add the onion with the lentils and the tbs red wine vinegar. Toss for a few minutes, then add the tomato and paprika and let it sit for a couple more minutes on low to medium heat. 
  4. Put the coriander leaves in a blender together with the mango chutney, turmeric, yogurt and the juice of half a lemon. Blend until smooth, poor in a small bowl and set aside.
  5. Remove the cooked chicken and mushrooms from the griddle and put the naan in. Roast the naan for about 1 minute each side. 
  6. Put the spinach on a plate and scatter over the lentil mixture. Cut the cucumber into slices with a vegetable peeler and spread on the plate with the mushrooms and the chicken. Slice the naan and arrange on top, then crumble over the feta and spoon over the dressing. Finish with some coriander leaves and serve with lemon wedges and the rest of the dressing.


Enjoy!