Quick, Tasty and Healthy Lunches For Your Week Ahead!

Meat Free Monday: Kale and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups organic kale
1/2 organic avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons cheese of your choice (we like to use parmesan/feta)
2 tablespoons of lemon and chilli dressing (some olive oil, lime juice and chilli powder)

Method:

1. Wash the kale leaves carefully. Once dried, add to a salad bowl.
2. Add other ingredients along with dressing, mix together and serve!

It’s Taco Tuesday: Avocado Sweet Potato Tacos

Ingredients:

1 medium organic sweet potato, cubed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
½ teaspoon chili powder
4 to 6 tortillas
1 cup black beans, cooked, drained, and rinsed
Organic Lime slices, for serving
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Avocado yogurt sauce:
½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
1 small organic avocado
½ organic garlic clove
Juice of 1 organic lime
Sea salt & fresh black pepper
Optional toppings:
1 small organic avocado, diced
2 organic spring onions, diced
Crumbled feta cheese
Pickled onions
Fresh organic cilantro

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the organic sweet potatoes with olive oil, chili powder, salt and pepper, and spread onto the baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
3. Make the avocado yogurt sauce: In a small food processor, combine the yogurt, organic avocado, organic garlic, organic lime juice, and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill until ready to use.
4. Assemble the tacos with a scoop of the sauce, the roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, and desired toppings. Season with salt, pepper, and squeezes of lime.

Happy Hump Day: Basil Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

1.5 cups pasta
For the pesto:
2 cups fresh organic basil leaves.
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.
1/3 cup pine nuts (can be subbed with chopped walnuts).
3 organic garlic cloves, minced.
1/4 teaspoon salt.
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Method:

1. Boil water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt. When water is bubbling, add in your pasta. Cook until al dente.
2. Now it’s time for the pesto! Mix all ingredients together in a blender. Store in a jar and keep in the fridge.
3. Mix the pesto in the pasta, and top with some more parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve with some delicious garlic bread or a side salad to keep healthy!

Tasty Traditional Thursdays: Bhindi Masala

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons oil/ghee
1/2kg organic bhindi/okra
1/2 tsp asafedita
2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon dhaniya jeera powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
Squeeze of lemon
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil/ghee in a pan. Add in the hing.
2. Once the pan is hot, add in the chopped organic bhindi.
3. Slowly, add chilli powder, dhaniya jeera powder, turmeric and salt. Squeeze in little lemon.
4. Toss it up without stirring too much as otherwise the bhindi will get sticky.
5. Once it’s all combined add a little water and continue to let it cook- which will help it soften.
6. Keep checking on the pan to make sure the bhindi is not sticking. Once it’s cooked-remove onto your plate and serve with some hot rotis and maybe a bowl of some smoky dal!

Fun Fridays: Mumbai Roadside Sandwich

Ingredients (for 3 sandwiches):
For green chutney:
1/2 cup organic mint leaves
1/2 cup organic cilantro or coriander leaves
2 organic green chilies
¼ inch ginger
Pinch of teaspoon black salt (kala namak)
1/4 teaspoon chaat masala
1 teaspoon organic lemon juice
For sandwich:
6 slices bread
Butter as required
1 small organic potato boiled and sliced
1/2 medium organic cucumber sliced
1/2 medium organic onion sliced
1 small organic tomato slice
1/2 cup cheese grated (optional) 

Method:

1. Take all the chutney ingredients in the grinder along with very little water and make smooth puree.
2. Remove it in a bowl and keep it aside.
3.  Keep all the veggies, cheese, chutney, bread, butter and sandwich masala ready before starting to assemble it. Heat the grill pan on medium heat. While it is heating, assemble the sandwich.
4. Take 2 bread slices for one sandwich. Spread butter and chutney on both slices.
5. Now place the vegetables in this order: potato, cucumber, onion, second bread slice, capsicum, tomato, cheese. Don't forget to sprinkle chaat masala on each and every vegetable layer.
6. Lastly close with one bread slice, chutney side down.
7. Place the sandwich carefully on the grill pan or machine and grill till it is crispy and golden brown. (Optional)
8. Then flip and grill the other side as well. If using a machine then no need to flip it as it grills both sides at the same time. (Optional)
9. Remove it to a plate and slice into half serve.
10. Repeat the same for rest sandwiches.
    
    
    

Sinful (not really) Saturday: Cauliflower Crusted Pizza

Ingredients:

2 cups organic cauliflower florets
1/2 egg, beaten
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (or any other of your choice)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of salt
Basil to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. Steam the cauliflower and then pour into a mixer until you get a rice-like texture.
3. Transfer the "rice" to a clean, thin dishtowel. Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then squeeze all the excess moisture out! This will leave you with a nice and dry pizza crust.
4. In a large bowl, mix up the squeezed-out rice, egg, cheese, and spices.
5. Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Keep the dough about 1/4" to 1/2" thick, and make the edges a little higher for a "crust" effect, if you like.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 200C, until dry and golden. Use the parchment paper to flip the crust over, and bake again until the other side is nice and dry, about 10 to 15 more minutes.
7. Add your favorite pizza toppings to the crust, such as sauce and cheese, then return the pizza to the oven until the cheese is melted.
8. Garnish with some fresh basil leaves and voila!Your pizza is ready to be served.

Lazy Sunday Brunch: Banana Oatmeal Pancakes!

Ingredients:

4 medium ripe organic elaichi bananas (best when they have lots of brown spots)
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
Olive oil, for cooking
For Toppings (optional):
Maple Syrup
Butter
Roasted Almonds
Chocolate Chips
Chopped organic fruit of your choice 

Method:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until completely smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let the batter sit in your blender while you heat your pan up.
2. Lightly coat a griddle with coconut oil, vegan butter or olive oil and place over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1/3 cup of the batter to the griddle for each pancake and cook for 2-4 minutes until pancakes slightly puff up and you see a few bubbles along the edges.
3. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside. If you find that pancakes are browning too quickly then you need to lower the heat. I normally start on medium heat, then decrease to medium low later so that my pancakes don't burn. If at any point your griddle starts smoking, it means your pan is too hot.
4. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more oil and remaining batter. Makes 9 pancakes. Serve with toppings of your choice- happy Sunday!