15 LichField Road556835 Singapore
I don’t know for you, but when I am tired and don’t feel like cooking but still want something healthy, stews and curries are my go to food. Coconut milk based stews are so indulgent and flavourful ! And then they are sooo easy to make and twist. Once you have the base (onions, garlic, ginger, a few spices and lots of coconut milk :)) you just have to throw in there different veggies, a protein source like tofu or beans, some herbs and let it simmer, right ? And the magic of these is that they taste even better the next day, so make more and keep in the fridge of freeze for those lazy days ! My kids love them with naan of buckwheat pancakes to dip the sauce. Quinoa, millet or red rice are also super great to eat with them with and make a complete and nutritious meal. My super basic recipe below in case you don’t have already yours or want to revamp it a little. Happy cooking !
Ingredients
1,2 kg veggies: I would usually used pumpkin or sweet potato cut in dices, brocoli and or cauliflower florets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, or even some potatoes
250 g protein: either chickpeas, or pat dried firm tofu cut in cubes
3 handfuls fresh green leaves preferably organic
2,5 tbsp coconut oil
2 medium red onions minced
4 fat garlic cloves crushed
5 cm grated fresh ginger (don’t hesitate to put more if your love ginger like me 🙂
800 ml canned coconut milk
3 tbsp lemon juice + 0,5 tbsp lemon zest
1,5 tsp ground turmeric , 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste), cracked pepper, pinch of chili flakes (optional).
To serve: thai basil or fresh coriander, roasted cashews or pepitas, toasted coconut flakes
Directions
Add your coconut oil to a large sauce pan on medium heat.
Once hot, add your onions and leave to saute for 6/9 min until translucents
Add your garlic and ginger and saute for 1 min
Add your spices, stir and cook for a few minutes
Add the starchy vegetables to your pan if using any (potatoes, pumpkin, …) and sauté for 10 min
Add your other veggies, and protein source, sauté for 2 min, then add the coconut milk and cook for 10/15 min (starchy veggies should be cooked but not mushy:)
Finish, by adding your green leave and, lemon juice. Taste and add more salt, pepper, lemon or even spices if needed. Add your fresh herbs, some roasted nuts or seeds and serve !
Another salad ! And again Brocoli ! You are going to think we love brocoli at our place ! And you’ll be right 🙂 My kids used to be a little reluctant, I guess when I was busy working in corporate and asking my au pair to cook them brocoli, it was probably not the yummiest meal of the week for them 🙂 And I do remember eating some watery green little trees at my grandma’s place (I love my grandman don’t get me wrong) as a teenager, which I really found tasteless and would only force myself to eat as I was told to be polite and because they were good for me !
And yes Brocoli is good for you : this super veggie is loaded with fiber, antioxidants to reduce inflammation, and vitamin C to aid iron absorption ! And yes it is also super tasty and versatile when you cook it well. Think, roasted coated with a little evoo and spices, boiled and blended with cashews for a creamy soup, shredded as an alternative to grains in tabouleh, and even better mixed with fruits for a creamy smoothie… The list is endless and this time it is a very simple yet very tasty salad I propose you to make. 20 min max, only a few ingredients, and you’ll thank me after tasting it for sure !
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 as a side)
- 1 large brocoli ( or brocolini, or cauliflower)
- 1 red onion
- 100 gr haloumi cut in small bites ( or smoked tofu for vegan alternative)
- 45 grs roasted walnuts chopped ( or any nuts)
- 3tbsp goji berries ( or cranberries, raisins,…)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro ( or parsley if you prefer)
- 2 tbsp evoo
- Zest and juice of 1 organic lemon
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Optional chili flakes
DIRECTIONS
- Separate the brocoli florets from the stem. Don’t throw it away, you ll use it later.
- Coat the florets with 1 tbsp evoo, cumin powder, salt and pepper and optional chili flakes. Add the onion cut in quarters to the same bowl and mix well. Transfer to roast in preheated oven at 190 deg C fan forced for 20 min ( until you get a nice roasted colour)
- At the same time, grill your halloumi as per package instructions.
- Once done, take it out and leave to cool down
- Cut the stem of the brocoli to get some crispy brocoli match sticks you ll add to the salad later.
- Once your brocoli and onions are at room temperature, transfer in your salad bowl the roasted broccoli and onions, the raw brocoli, the walnuts, herbs, goji, grated lemon and toss.
- Drizzle with your lemon juice and 1 tbsp evoo. Toss well again. Finish adding the chargrilled haloumi, add more herbs, cracked pepper, chia seeds sprinkle and serve immediately 🙂
Hey there ! So if you know me a little, you know we live in Singapore and are surrounded by a mix of Asian cuisines, which I looooove ! Noodles and vermicelli are a main staple in every kitchen here, and I always carry brown rice vermicelli for a quick and easy stir fry or salad in this case. I prefer to use brown rice ones, as they are more interesting from a nutritional standpoint and tastewise, you can really not tell the difference once blended with the rest. In the salas below, I use a mix of veggies I like, but feel free to change / skip / replace (cauliflower or brocollini can also work very well, change for red cabbage for more polyphenols and a burst of colour, and play with the herbs: dill or asian thai basil are really nice alternatives). If you don’t like goji berries, use raisins, dried cranberries or blueberries or omit (though I like having that little natural sweet note). Finally, peanuts work very well in Asian flavored dish, but omit if allergic, or replace by toasted crushed cashews or sunflower or pine nuts. If you are not GF you can use soba noodles (some are 100 GF, but not all, so check the label). As always, this is a ridiculously easy recipe, you can do quickly and twist with your current mood ! ENJOY 🙂
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 large portions as a main
250g brown rice vermicelli cooked as per package instructions
Half a brocoli, cut into small florets, blanched and sliced
1 large carrot julienned
100 g blanched snow peas sliced
Half a yellow raw capsicum sliced
25 g shredded mixed herbs (mint, coriander, chives, thai basil, ..)
2 tbsp crushed grilled peanuts
1 tbsp black sasimi seeds
1 tbsp goji berries
Optional chili flakes
Dressing: Juice and zest of 1 small lime, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 3 tbsp sesame oil + 2 tbsp avocado oil (or grapeseed), 1 tbsp tamari sauce, 3 tbsp maple syrup (honey is also ok if not vegan)
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare your dressing.
Transfer all your salad ingredients (except the nuts, seeds and keep 1 tbsp herbs) in your nicest large salad bowl. Using your clean 🙂 hands, mix all dry ingredients well, add the dressing and combine everything well again together. Top your salad with remaining ingredients and serve immediately (or keep in fridge for a few days, but then better not to pour the dressing)