Stuffed peppers with mint yoghurt dressing

This is a fun and healthy take on an old classic. It is such a hearty dish that always offers a beautiful pop of colour when you add it to your plate. Eating colourful food means more nutrients and health. You can get creative and try it with different spices and serve them as the main affair or as a side. It’s also a great do-ahead dish so you can grab a stuffed pepper when on the run.

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

4 medium red or yellow peppers, tops cut off and saved for later, and seeds removed

Dressing

1 cup plain Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt

juice of 1 lemon

12 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons maple syrup or 2 teaspoons unrefined brown sugar

80 g goats milk cheese

salt and pepper

Filling

1½ cups spelt, cooked

1 cup vegetable stock

2 teaspoons coconut oil

2 shallots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

4 medium-sized courgettes, grated

2 teaspoons caper berries

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

olive oil

1 handful fresh coriander or parsley leaves, chopped

Instructions:

Prepare the peppers and set aside. You want to keep them intact as you will be filling them later.

For the dressing, mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Season to taste and set aside.

For the filling, cook the spelt as per the packet instructions, adding the vegetable stock to the water that you use to do so. Once ready, set aside.

Heat the coconut oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, turmeric and cayenne pepper and sauté for a further 5 minutes, stirring often. If it dries out, add a splash of water to help it along. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Once the tomatoes have cooked down, remove the pan from the heat and add the courgettes, caper berries, nutritional yeast and spelt and fold through.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

Using a spoon, fill the peppers to the top with the tomato and spelt mixture. Drizzle with a little olive oil, making sure the sides get some oil too. Use your hands if need be. Pop the peppers onto a roasting tray and roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Change the setting to grill and grill them for an additional 10 minutes, keeping an eye on them so that they don’t burn.

Serve with a big dollop of dressing, and a drizzle of olive oil, and top with the coriander or parsley

-Melissa

Ultimate veggie burger & fries

This recipe is a longer cook but oh so fun for getting the children involved. Teaching your children to be kind to animals is our responsibility. They don’t need to be vegan, but growing up with a disconnect to where their food comes from raises adults who are disconnected from the farm-to-table process and who end up buying meat unconsciously. Meat is a privilege and the animal has given its life for it. Teaching your children that these are kind patties that haven’t harmed another being might encourage them to not only learn something new, but to try something new. It may even do the same for you.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Fries

5 unpeeled potatoes, sliced into wedges

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika

salt and pepper

Patties

½ cup uncooked brown lentils

2 cups vegetable stock

200 g fresh or frozen sweetcorn kernals

200 g fresh or frozen peas

1 bunch fresh coriander leaves

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

75 g spelt flour

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Vegan mayo

2 spring onions

½ fresh red chilli (optional)

1 clove garlic

2 heaped tablespoons cooked chickpeas

1 teaspoon English mustard

1½ tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste

juice of 1 lemon

5 tablespoons olive oil

To serve

4 quality burger buns (gluten-free if you wish)

½ head iceberg lettuce

2 plum tomatoes, sliced

2 gherkins, sliced

2 sprigs fresh basil leaves

1 lime

1 avocado, peeled, pip removed, sliced

Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

For the fries, toss the potato wedges with the oil, paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl until the wedges are evenly coated. Pop them onto a roasting tray and into the oven for 35–40 minutes or until they are golden brown, tossing them at the halfway mark. I drizzle them with a little extra olive oil as they come out of the oven and season with salt.

For the patties, place the lentils and vegetable stock into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 30 minutes until al dente.

Meanwhile, add the sweetcorn, peas, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, flour and seeds to a food processor. Once the lentils are ready, remove them from the heat, drain them and allow to cool for 10 minutes and then tip them into the food processor and season with salt and pepper. Pulse until a rough paste starts to form. You don’t want to make it too smooth. Once ready, divide the mixture into four even patties about 2 cm thick. Place the patties on a lightly floured tray and pop them into the freezer to set for 10 minutes or save them in the fridge for later.

While the patties are setting, get started on the mayo. Place all the mayo ingredients, except the olive oil, into a blender and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the olive oil very slowly and keep blending until a mayo-like consistency forms. Once ready, set aside.

Heat the oven again to 180 °C.

Heat the coconut oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook each patty for 2 minutes on each side. Once ready, transfer to a roasting tray and pop them into the oven. Turn the oven down to 150 °C and bake a bit longer while you assemble the burgers.

Cut the buns in half and add a dollop of mayo. Top with lettuce, sliced tomato, gherkins and basil. Add a squeeze of lime. Place a hot patty on top and close the bun.

Serve with the fries and an extra dollop of mayo for dipping!

-Melissa

Mindful eating with a yummy fish red curry

As many of you may know this month is heart awareness month. It is not often that we take time to stop and think about the health of our hearts. I think we often take it for granted that it never skips a beat and does so without us even checking in to regulate it. Our body is a miracle.

That's certainly something to think about and appreciate the next time you find yourself giving your body criticism about its shape and size. Not only does the way we eat directly impact our health, but it impacts our planet.

Exercising an educated choice as a consumer allows you to prioritize and equally choose both your health and the health of the planet at the same time.

The reality is, these two aspects are oftentimes overlooked as being separate, but they are inexorably linked.

A healthy, sustainable planet means food security, water, biodiversity, environmental stasis, and abundance.

If every person made a small change to their protein choices, we could be looking at a very different picture in the years to come.

From global warming to food security and personal health.

When the Marine Stewardship Council contacted me to share with you the importance of not only looking after our hearts but our precious earth and doing so through a balanced healthy diet that includes sustainable seafood, I knew that this was something that I wanted to share with you.

From a health perspective, fish is the obvious choice. High in Omega 3's, vitamin D, and iodine it reduces the risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few. The list seems endless.

From an environmental perspective; sustainably sourced fish has the lowest carbon footprint of all the proteins and the benefits of MSC seafood ensure well-managed fisheries with minimal impact on the bigger ecosystem, ensuring the supply is met on healthy fish stocks within sustainable limits. This ensures the survival of our oceans for future generations AND supports livelihoods that depend on our oceans.

Mass Feedlots and the volume of deforestation to meet consumer demand for the land-based animal proteins of beef, pork, chicken contribute to many of the fundamental problems we face today as a species.

These events are not mutually exclusive; you cannot look at the problem of wholesale, unsustainable farming practices without acknowledging the other, which is our insatiable appetite for red meat at the expense of the planet.

I decided to write up a delicious recipe that puts fish at center stage, exactly where it should be.

This fish curry recipe takes a traditionally vegetarian dish and elevates it to a weekly dinner staple. After tasting it, I'm sure your entire household will agree to it making a regular appearance.

By voting with your wallet as a consumer you can affect change on so many levels. It is our responsibility to buy better and MSC has made it so easy for us to do. There is something for everyone when it comes to the MSC blue label. From pickled herring to luxury caviar you can find something to fit the event and your budget.

Did you know that the way to identify the sustainable fish at your local grocer is to look for the MSC blue label?

The MSC program is a collective effort that could not exist without the many fishermen around the world who work to safeguard stocks, ecosystems, and their livelihoods.

Fishing is more than just a job, it forms the backbone of many communities.

To be MSC certified, fisheries are independently assessed by scientists and marine experts to ensure they meet their standard for environmentally sustainable fishing. Annual audits ensure that they maintain these standards.

So next time you are in the supermarket choosing what to have for dinner. Take three deep breaths, pull yourself present, and make the mindful choice of MSC blue label fish.

Your heart (and the planet) will thank you.

Find out more by clicking here on sustainable fishing with MSC.

---

Fish Red Curry

Ingredients:

• 170 grams fine egg noodles

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/3 cup peanut oil

• 500 grams white fish such as hake or cod, cubed

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 6 spring onions, finely sliced

• 80 grams of Thai red curry paste

• 2 tablespoons soya sauce

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 2 teaspoons chilli flakes (or less if you don’t like heat)

• juice of 1 lime

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 400 ml of coconut milk

• 1 punnet sugar snaps

• 1 generous handle coriander

• 1 small pineapple, peeled and sliced into pieces

• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts

• bean sprouts and lime for serving

Instructions:

Cook the noodles in salted water as per packet instruction and set aside. Add a glug of olive oil so your noodles don’t stick when it comes time to serve.

Meanwhile, in a medium frying pan over medium heat add a drizzle of peanut oil. Add the fish and sear on each side until just cooked through. Roughly 3-4 minutes. If your pan isn’t big enough do this in two batches. Once ready remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

In the same frying pan over medium heat add another dash of peanut oil. Add the spring onions and saute for three minutes. Add the curry paste and saute for an additional two minutes releasing the flavours. Add the soya sauce, fish sauce, chilli flakes, lime juice, honey, and cook for an additional two minutes stirring often and releasing the fragrant flavours. Add the coconut milk and stir in with the rest of the ingredients. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5-10 minutes on reduced heat. This will allow the flavours to develop.

Once the sauce is ready add the sugar snaps and fish to the sauce. Cook until the fish has warmed through and the sauce has thickened. Roughly five to ten minutes. Once ready remove from the heat and stir in the coriander.

To serve add the noodles to your bowls and pour over the curry. Top off with coriander, pineapple, and peanuts for that extra crunch!

-Melissa

Visiting Viande at Grande Roche

Last week I was invited to visit the Grande Roche Hotel. Situated just 40 minutes from Cape Town CBD in the picturesque town of Paarl. Recently acquired by entrepreneurs Hansie and Theresa Britz who have given the grande old dame a breath of fresh air. The hotel was closed for a month, while painters, decorators, designers and landscapers set to work refurbishing the suites, buildings, and public areas. A much-needed love punch for this majestic establishment.

The refreshed look has seen each of the 18 luxurious Terrace Suites completely refurbished. Striking fynbos-inspired wallpapers celebrate the local flora and provide a flash of colour on arrival, while the sash windows, wooden beams, and exposed thatch neatly encapsulate the farm’s Wineland's heritage.

The restaurant housed the previously known Bosmans. Newly reimagined by the legendary mastermind Peter Goffe-Wood (kitchen Cowboys) and interior designer Francois du Plessis, the new space has been modernized with elegance and has a sleek new feel to it. Viande means ‘meat’ in French, and with elegant nose to tale dining. Goffe-Wood and his capable kitchen crew are already hard at work curing, smoking new delicacies, with selected cuts dry-aged on-site in imported German meat-fridges. Brandy will be the star of the brand-new Viande Bar, stylish new addition to the restaurant space. Here cozy couches and a brass bar counter cry out for pre-dinner cocktails and after-dinner digestifs.

We dined on a four-course meal beautifully paired with Under Oak wines. The crispy pork and lamb being the stars of the show. The dessert was decadent and the coffee a perfect pairing with its bitterness to counter the sugar hit of creamy chocolate.

I am excited for the new chapter of the Grande Roche as well as wishing all the best to Goffe-wood and his team at Viande. The future is looking or bright or as some might say - pretty grande!

For more information about Grande Roche Hotel and Viande Restaurant, and to read more about the property’s two-night stay special from 1 September to 31 October 2019; click: https://bit.ly/2PXLit5

-Melissa

Bulgogi BBQ Chicken with Mango Slaw

I am sure you have all noticed the posts on the "new year, new me". Part of me feels that it doesn't have to be a new you, you are wonderful as you are. However, it is ok to want to tweak a few things such as your health. Because life isn't about perfection there is always room for growth. Starting off the year with mindful eating and taking the time to feed your body better fuel is a great place to start. This recipe will do just that. I'm obsessed with the crunchy slaw and with mangoes being in season, it tastes like sweet summer! If you are plant-based you can substitute the chicken for tofu or chickpeas! There is plenty of protein in the quinoa and if you are cooking with your intuition why not play around with different green leaves such as spinach. You can never have too many greens! 

---

*Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

• 1 cup tamari
• ½ cup mirin
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (korean chili paste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced (or tofu, sliced)

For the slaw:

• 2 cups red cabbage, sliced
• 1 mango, diced
• 2 jalapenos, sliced
• 1 handful fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 cup quinoa or rice of your choice
• 100g bean sprouts
• 2 limes

---

Instructions:

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the marinade and add the chicken. Toss until well covered and cover with cling film. Let rest for one hour or preferably overnight in the fridge.

In a separate large bowl, toss together all the ingredients for the slaw.

Cook the quinoa as per packet instructions. 

While the quinoa cooks, add the chicken to a frying pan over a medium to high heat. Spoon the marinade over the chicken and cook until the chicken starts to caramelize about 8- 10 minutes. 

To assemble the bowl add the quinoa and chicken and decorate with the slaw. Top with some fresh coriander and a drizzle of olive oil. Squeeze over some fresh lime to taste and enjoy!

Health Fact:

Sprouts increase nutrient absorption and contain Vitamin B12, iron, magnesium and zinc.