A Beetroot, Feta & Quinoa Salad

I have a tremendously healthy salad recipe for today. One that we had last night and has left me vitalised! Low fat, high in protein and fibre and so very tasty. I felt so good eating it and I still have some left over for lunch.

Perfect for a summer’s evening with a cheeky glass of crisp white wine if you want 😉 I’ll be experimenting and creating more salads this season. Can’t wait to share them with you all.

I will be serving some @ Angie’s Fiesta Friday Party

Have a terrific day! Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa
1 raw peeled and grated beetroot
3 spring onions finely sliced
1 big tomato roughly chopped
1 tin roseca/borlotti beans rinsed & drained
Feta cheese crumbled (low fat)
Handful of sunflower seeds
1tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 tsp garlic granules
Salt to taste

METHOD

Put the quinoa to in a small saucepan and cook upon instruction. I tend to cook it like pasta. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and set aside

In a large bowl add the rest of the ingredients in order according to the pictures. Leaving the beetroot til the end..ish. This way you cab minimize the addition of the deep pink colour to the salad

Crumble in the feta last and fold in

Serve alone or with some buttered whole grain pitta bread

I will be serving some @

Avocado, Banana Smoothie

So you know when you first have a baby and the first foods to wean them on are avocado and banana smashed together.  I never tried it until now! But I can see why  babies like it.  I incorporated these two wonderful superpower food ingredients into the smoothie for today with blueberries full of antioxidants but to add a slight kick with a strawberry cordial running through it!

Such a creamy consistency. Blend yourself one…sit back and enjoy your weekend! Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

Half an avocado
1 small banana
Handful of frozen blueberries
200ml diluted strawberry cordial drink

METHOD

Blitz well in a blender or smoothie maker. Add water if you like it more juice like

Blueberry & Super Seed Smoothie

I do not get through much fruit unless its in a cake on a cake or around a cake!

So having invested in a smoothie maker is the best thing I could have done for me especially! I love chewing on seeds but am not partial to the goji berry. Which is extremely good for you.

This way I get all my antioxidant goodness in the one glass first thing in the morning and I’m ready to face the day with a healthy outlook…until I eat the naughty treat I shouldn’t have had at lunch…lol 😉

I’ll be putting up more of my smoothie recipes. I hope you enjoy them friends!

INGREDIENTS

Large handful of blueberries
1 medium banana
1 satsuma
Sprinkling of seeds and goji berries
Water

METHOD

Using the NutriBullet or a blender.  Place all the ingredients in and blitz til desired consistency

If too thick, stir in more water…

Quorn Protein & Peas Curry

If you want something healthy, tasty and low fat, don’t go anywhere! I have created my non guilty version of the classic Indian matar paneer dish without the guilt! And the paneer?!
Fully packed with protein, which will keep you going for longer and stop you from snacking, especially if you have this curry for lunch. But don’t worry I know this maybe to healthy for some of you so my apple crumble recipe is coming up soon…

Enjoy, hope you’re all well…I am sooo excited as I have a lot more creative vegetarian dishes on the way!..until then, much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

300g Quorn chicken style pieces or soya chunks
2 cups frozen peas
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves garlic crushed
½ tsp minced ginger
250g crushed tomato passata
Pinch of mustard seeds
Pinch of cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ground cumin & coriander
Salt to taste
½ tbsp sunflower oil
Water for sauce

METHOD

In a large nonstick saucepan,  heat the oil on a medium heat with the mustard and cumin seeds.  Once they start to sizzle,  add the onion, ginger and garlic into the pan.  Sauté until translucent

Sprinkle in the garam masala, cook through for a minute or so. Stir in the tomato passata along with all the seasoning.  Let the sauce bubble then place the chunks of quorn into the saucepan.  Mix well, you may need a little water to help the tomato coat the quorn

Reduce the heat, cover and simmer the curry for 10 minutes.  Add the peas, stir and simmer for a further 7 to 10 minutes

Serve up with some rice or chapati

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Chapatis

A tasty and healthy flat bread…One of our family favourites!

Shivaay Delights

Peppers give immense flavour in cooking especially when it’s roasted! Packed with vitamin C, it’s great for when you have a cold. With both my little ones sniffling away and always comforted with a rolled up chapati in their hands when playing. I thought why not introduce the pepper to the chapati?

I was sooo happy with the result and so were they. A soft orange chapati with strong notes of pepper and coriander. I sent a couple for my Mum to try and she loved them. She wants the recipe! So this one is for you my dearest!

INGREDIENTS

1 red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves
Handful fresh coriander
¾ tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp coriander & cumin powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp garam masala
250g chapati flour
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Boiling water to bind
Extra flour for rolling
Butter

METHOD

• Preheat the…

View original post 237 more words

Juicy Garlic Baked Tomatoes

This is the beauty about cooking…Making the most simplest food and dishes with maximum flavour. Why make life so complicated when it can be so simple!

Tomatoes, garlic and olive oil! That’s it!!! that’s all you will need!

Have a look…Give them a go and let me know how you like the simplicity of these tasty garlic infused tomatoes.

Have a relaxing weekend, I’m off to cook some more food…Much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

4 big tomatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic sliced finely
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°c

Make tiny cuts in the tomato and slot the garlic slices in

Repeat for all the tomatoes

Place the tomatoes on a baking tray

Drizzle a little olive oil onto the prepped tomatoes

Bake for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked all the way through

Quinoa with Spinach & Balsamic Glazed Tomatoes

This has to be my most favourite quinoa salad dish to date! Last night we wanted something really light and healthy and this ticked all the boxes. Recently you may be noticing that I have been creating a lot of Mediterranean recipes. I just love the flavours and am probably secretly craving the sun, sea and sand!
A taste of the Med will hopefully keep me going! Until I get there!

An excellent vegan dish also, just leave out the feta and use an alternative if you wish. The balsamic vinegar helps mingle all the flavours and really brings out the sweetness in the juicy cherry tomatoes. I need to go buy some more quinoa today to make some more. Have a stunning day! Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

150g baby spinach
12 asparagus spears chopped
16 cherry tomatoes halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove minced
½ tsp salt or to taste
½ tsp dried oregano
Dash of Balsamic vinegar
1½ cup pre cooked quinoa
Feta cheese (optional)

METHOD

• Heat up the oil in a deep pan with the garlic on a medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the asparagus and cherry tomatoes

• Season with the salt and oregano. Stir fry so that everything is coated in oil. Lower the heat and cook for 5-8 minutes until the asparagus is tender

• Splash in a little Balsamic vinegar and mix well. Place the fresh spinach on top of the cooked asparagus and tomatoes and turn off the heat

• This way the spinach will wilt a little but largely remain soft and fresh. Leave to sit for 10 minutes

• Place the quinoa in a large mixing bowl, mix in the asparagus, tomatoes and spinach. Making sure you get all the juices and dressing in

• Combine well and serve warm with some crumbled feta cheese

Simple Bombay Potato Curry

It is easy to forget that one of the main reasons I started this food blog was to and is still to record lots of recipes, that I have learnt, that I have developed. This particular dry potato curry is a speciality of my Mum and Dad’s. It is one that I grew up on, with moong lentil daal and rice plus fluffy chapatis.

Today I am treating my family to this ultra healthy meal and deliciousness!…I couldn’t let you all, my friends here on Shivaay Delights miss out either. The potato curry has the simplest of ingredients and results in an extremely tasty soft velvety melt in your mouth potato treat. Do give it a whirl and let me know how you like it.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday, much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

4 medium red potatoes, peeled and cubed 2cm pieces
2 tbsp sunflower oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp salt or to taste
¾ tsp turmeric
2 tsp coriander & cumin powder
Fresh coriander to garnish

METHOD

Heat the oil on a medium heat along with the asafoetida, cumin and mustard seeds.  Once the seeds start to pop add the potatoes. 

Sprinkle all the seasoning and spices, toss the potatoes so that all is covered in the oil and spices

Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook the curry for 10 minutes, check mix again and cook for another 10 minutes.  Keep an eye on it and when the potatoes are tender when sliced your curry is done.  Garnish with some fresh coriander and serve with naan bread

Stunning Spice Blends @ Home

I found this chart on Pinterest and I have truly fallen in love with it.  So concise, simple and such flavoursome combinations, I just had to share.  Let me know how you like it friends!

Have a spicy day…Much love, D x

I Am Soooo Eggcited!!!!

My Sunday buy at the local supermarket allowed me to come across this very funky egg timer.  Determining the type of boiled egg you would like to devour with some buttered toast.

All I have to do is put this gadget in the pan with the boiling water and eggs and wait for the orange colour to change to white.  Giving me soft..medium or hard boiled eggs!!

I seriously can’t wait to use it.  You’ve probably guessed I’m going to be having comforting soft/medium eggs for lunch!!!…Ummmmmm…

See you soon for a chickpea chapati recipe I made last week. Have a relaxing Sunday. Much love, D x