Tag: healthy

Get Up & Go Chocolate Smoothie

Get Up & Go Chocolate Smoothie

  If your are looking to supercharge your morning or even trying to boost that afternoon slump, I love this smoothie for not only how delicious it is, but also how nourishing it is for the body. If you are time poor in the mornings,…

Goats Cheese and Pea Risotto with Pancetta Pangrattato

Goats Cheese and Pea Risotto with Pancetta Pangrattato

I have been meaning to post this recipe for AAAAGES!!! My go to, traditional, simple Risotto with a bit of a flavour twist. I am a bit nutty for risotto! I love it’s oozyness, warmth and delicate al dente bite when cooked ‘just right!’ My…

Cavolo Nero with Garlic, Hazelnuts and Beans

Cavolo Nero with Garlic, Hazelnuts and Beans

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This is one of my family’s favorite side veggie dish – Cavolo Nero with Garlic, Hazelnuts and Beans! I’m not sure how I got my kids to enjoy something so healthy but I am super chuffed when they enjoy any green vegetable beyond the humble cucumber! 😉

Cavolo Nero also goes by the more familiar names of black leaf kale, Tuscan cabbage or Tuscan kale. It is a beautiful, dark green, nutrient dense cabbage which is believed to have originated in Tuscany. It is very much a winter vegetable and extremely versatile when you need to bump up those nutrients during the winter time. Slightly sweet but slightly bitter at the same time while its earthy flavour means you really don’t need to do too much to it to enjoy its rustic flavour. The green leaves can also be chopped up into soups and stews to increase your veggie intake with ease.

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Adding the creamy cannellini beans and the crunchy hazelnuts compliment the bitter greens so beautifully. The real punch of the dish comes from the dressings in a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle of rich extra virgin olive oil.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

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Cavolo Nero with Garlic, Hazelnuts and Beans
Recipe Type: Side dish / Lunch
Author: Milena Minichiello
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 – 4 serves
A brilliant way to celebrate this beautiful Tuscan green is in my recipe – Cavolo Nero with Garlic, Hazelnuts and Beans. It is a perfect vegetarian lunch or dinner and equally as enjoyable as a side to any main meal needing some added nutrition.
Ingredients
  • 300g cavolo nero – sliced width ways into 2-3cm pieces
  • 4 X large garlic cloves – finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 100g hazelnuts – lightly toasted
  • 1 X 400g can Cannellini beans
  • 1 lemon – juice only
  • Good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 180℃. Once heated, place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast them until fragrant and toasty.
  2. In a frying pan, heat up 2 tablespoon of olive oil on a medium heat, add the garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the sliced cavolo nero and give it all a good mix. Season with salt and pepper and add a tablespoon of water to the pan and cover it with a lid or a large baking tray (creating a steaming effect).
  4. Let it steam away for about 10 minutes, checking every few minutes to stir it and add a little more water if it dries up too much.
  5. Cook the cavolo nero until the texture is to your liking. Remove the lid so the remaining liquid can absorb. Remove from the heat.
  6. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and add them to the pan.
  7. Squeeze over the juice of the lemon (to your taste) and give it a good toss.
  8. Roughly chop the hazelnuts into all sorts of sizes and add them to the pan.
  9. Before serving, taste for seasoning and finish off the dish with a generous drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.
  10. Serve as a side vegetable, as a healthy lunch or topped on a bruschetta.
Notes
The thick stems of the cavolo nero may seem quite thick and hard when they are raw, but with a simple 10 minutes of cooking, they are perfectly crunchy. Always to keep in mind when cooking such nutrient dense vegetables is to reduce their cooking time to increase the nutrient availability once eaten.
Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore

Sometimes, even those who love to cook and create in the kitchen feel less than inspired. At times I’m buzzing with ideas, and then other times, just completely blank when thinking of new ways to excite the family at dinner time. This is when my…

Sweet Potato and Roasted Garlic Hummus

Sweet Potato and Roasted Garlic Hummus

When it comes to chickpeas, I think it’s fair to say I really have a ‘thing’ for them. They are such a versatile ingredient in so many dishes and are prized for their high protein and fiber content, as well as an abundance of key…

Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Sautéed Veggies

Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Sautéed Veggies

polenta, vegetarian dinner, vegetarian food, sauteed vegetables, roast dinner, roasted tomatoes, side salad, side meals, contorni, polenta meals, the life harvest, food blog

Given my Italian background, I am kind of obsessed with polenta. Growing up in South Africa in an Italian family, I remember my mum using this wonderful ingredient to accompany meat dishes cooked in tomato based sauces. Polenta is a common dish in Northern Italy (where my mum’s family is from), thus coining Northern Italians the name ‘polentoni’ – big polenta’s. A nostalgic dish, which I remember in particular, was Italian sausages cooked in a tomato and onion based sauce, served over a bed of oozy, creamy, polenta and a good grating of parmesan cheese. This hearty meal is a fond memory of food that takes me back to my roots and my childhood. Hence, I am always keen to use it, like here where I fry the left over polenta to make polenta chips. If you haven’t tried these, you need to do so with the left overs from this dish! It’s a bit naughty but totally delightful! 😉

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Inspired, last week, by the talented folk at Pinch of Yum, I was quick to act in making a similar dish that used my beloved polenta. What I love about this dish is that it can be easily eaten on its own as a vegetarian meal, packed with nutrient dense veggies OR, as a side dish to accompany a roast dinner or meat of any kind. I quite easily could have eaten it on its own, my husband however, being the meat-eating cave man he is, enjoyed it with some oven roasted, beef eye fillet.

By sautéeing such simple veggies in a little bit of butter and garlic, completely changes their flavour profile. Yes you can reduce the butter content in the entire dish, however, I think that’s what makes this dish so hearty and satisfying to eat on its own, not to mention totally yummy!

Please, what ever you do, do NOT buy the already made, packaged polenta. That stuff is, in nice terms, horrid! You can buy ‘quick cook’ polenta meal at any grocery store near the dried pulses, couscous etc… It is super easy and fast to make! Cooked in salted boiling water or stock, as per packet instructions and you have a great replica of traditional polenta in a matter of minutes.  Traditional polenta takes up to an hour of slow cooking to really release the starch. You can read a great article about the art of cooking polenta here if you’re interested. But for everyday cooking, the ‘quick cook’ stuff is just fine!

To me, this meal seemed to emulate a hearty roast dinner with a bit of a twist. It most certainly left us very content. I hope you enjoy my Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Sautéed Veggies. I would love to hear about a family meal you had as a child that triggers fond memories for you!

xxx

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Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Sautéed Veggies
Recipe Type: Vegetables
Author: The Life Harvest
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 side dishes
Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes and Sautéed Veggies…it might sound simple but it tastes divine. A wonderful, flavourful, vegetarian meal all in one or perfect as a hearty side to a sunday roast.
Ingredients
  • <span></span><span></span>200g Polenta – uncooked
  • 2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • <span></span><span></span>400g mixed selection of mushrooms – slice large mushrooms thickly and baby mushrooms into quarters
  • <span></span><span></span>150g baby spinach leaves
  • 3 cloves of garlic – finely sliced
  • 6 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 heaped tbsp butter
  • salt and pepper
  • a small bunch of sage leaves – optional
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200℃.
  2. On a lined baking tray, combine the whole cherry tomatoes with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, paprika and salt and pepper. Give them a good toss and place them into the oven for approx 25 mins until their skins blister and are some are browning. This is totally your preference as to how you like them cooked.
  3. Mean while, cook the polenta as per the pack instructions, remembering that polenta firms up when it sets so don’t skimp on the water. I always add a bit extra as I like mine a bit runny. Make sure you salt the boiling water well or else it will taste pretty bland. Once its cooked, finish with one heaped tablespoon of butter to make it extra creamy and yummy.
  4. In a frying pan, heat the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil and one heaped tablespoon of butter and fry the sliced garlic on a medium heat until fragrant, NOT burnt. Add the mushrooms and toss them around till well coated with the oil and butter. Cook the mushrooms for a minute before you add the baby spinach. Season with a good amount of salt and pepper and turn off the stove. The spinach will wilt with the remaining heat.
  5. Once all your components are ready, assemble them as you like.
  6. You can finish off the dish with some fried sage leaves.
  7. To do this, simply heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan, throw in the sage leaves for a few seconds until they are crispy. Remove them and serve them as a garnish.

 

 

No Bake Muesli Bars

No Bake Muesli Bars

These days, a lot of us are making our own homemade muesli bars, protein balls and healthy snacks. There is an endless list of ingredients you can combine to create your own super-food bar and tailor it to your and your family’s taste, diet and…

Frozen Yoghurt Cake

Frozen Yoghurt Cake

Celebrating summer time with a healthy frozen yoghurt cake with fresh raspberries, blueberries and pistachio nuts on a base of oats and almond butter. Sounds delicious doesn’t it! 🙂 This is one of the easiest desserts/ snacks/ breakfasts you could ever make and boy does it look…

Summer Barley Salad

Summer Barley Salad

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When most of us think of barley, we think of it used in stews to add more density and bulk. I’d have to say my favorite way to use it is in salads due to its neutral flavour and interesting texture. Served warm or cold, it can very easily turn a simple salad into a light meal for those who aren’t too hungry. Great as a summer salad at a barbecue or equally as suitable with a roast dinner. Interestingly, barley is wheat-free however it does contain a form of gluten which can be tolerated by some coeliacs.

There are a few interesting ingredients in this one, but of course this salad really lends itself to being quite adaptive with different ingredients. My flavour inspiration for this one came from a cook book my mum gifted me from her recent travels in Scotland. A gorgeous book called ‘Carina Contini’s – Kitchen Garden Cook Book’. A Scottish/ Italian extraordinary woman whom, together with her family, run several award-winning sustainable restaurants in Scotland. Browsing through this cookbook, I felt like I could breathe the essence of this family through the recipes, pictures and words. I have always had a fascination with cook books, but this one is truly one of my favorites. Each chapter is broken down into months, where Carina lists which seasonal veggies are to be planted or are ripe for the picking and are then cooked in her dishes for that month. Whilst I am not a gardener by any means and quite honestly do not have the slightest idea of when or how to plant things, I whole heartedly support notion of sustainable, seasonal eating. This is of course where we can expect the very best in quality, flavour and freshness from ingredients thus feeding our families foods with the richest of nutrients. Turning to the ‘July’ section, I came across Carina’s version of a barley salad that used fennel which is in-season, so with her inspiration I decided to come up with this variation. You can very easily leave the fennel raw, I just thought I would sweat it out with the red onion to bring out its sweetness and leave the almonds to deliver the crunch factor.

I hope you enjoy this brilliant salad! xxx

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Summer Barley Salad
Recipe Type: Salad
Author: The Life Harvest
Serves: 6 side serves
This wheat-free, light, summer barley salad is a perfect accompaniment to your family BBQ or even sunday roast dinner. So simple to make and packed with flavour and texture and wonderfully adaptive to vegetables of choice.
Ingredients
  • 11/2 cups Pearl Barley – Soaked for 30 minutes, the rinsed.
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 red onion – sliced finely
  • 1 large fennel – sliced finely
  • a large handful of parsley – chopped
  • 1 can butter beans – drained & rinsed
  • 100g blanched almonds – roasted and roughly chopped
  • 1 large lemon – juice only
  • 1 red chilli – de-seeded & finely sliced (optional)
  • 5 tbsp good quality olive oil – for dressing
  • 2 tbsp olive oil – for frying the onion & fennel
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 180℃ – place the almonds on a baking tray and roast until they start to turn lightly golden.
  2. Soak the pearl barley in water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse off the cloudy starch water and place the barley into a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring the pot to the boil and then reduced the heat to a slow simmer until the barley is cooked with a slight bite to it. Drain any excess water and spread it out evenly onto a baking tray to cool so it doesn’t over cook.
  3. Heat up a frying pan to a medium heat with the 2 tbsp of olive oil and cook the sliced onion and fennel until they are soft. Try not to burn them – add small amounts of water at intervals if need be to stop it burning. Remove from the pan once cooked and set aside.
  4. Once all the ingredients are ready – In a large serving bowl, add the cooked barley, cooked onion & fennel, drained butter beans, almonds, chopped chilli and chopped parsley.
  5. Dress the salad with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add or remove quantities as you prefer.

barley salad, summer barley salad, pearl barley, side salad, healthy salad, wheat free salad, wheat free meals, family meals, salads, healthy eating, the life harvest, food blog, barbecue food, summer food, barbecue salads

Raw Energy Bites

Raw Energy Bites

I love to have an easy, healthy snack in the fridge to whip out for my family when they start to whine at me for food in-between meals. I find if I don’t have some of these raw energy bites made up for the kids,…

Roasted Whole Butternut Squash

Roasted Whole Butternut Squash

I have to introduce you to one of my current favorite veggie dishes! Welcome my beautiful, whole roasted butternut squash, stuffed with rocket, pea shoots, goats cheese and sprinkled with pine nuts. It looks and sounds impressive but the taste is even more incredible. Butternut…

Quinoa and Halloumi Salad

Quinoa and Halloumi Salad

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I have to admit to a new little obsession of mine…Halloumi cheese! I have no idea why it has taken me so long to get hooked on it, but I am sooo glad I am! 😉 I’ve tried it in restaurants as a tapas dish and liked it but never thought of trying it at home…until now that is! I looooove how salty it is! Pre-dinner munchies hit me last night as I was preparing dinner and so admittedly, I fried up a couple of pieces of halloumi and ate them on top of some fresh italian bread with a drizzle of olive oil! ahhhhhh…so delicious! It really hit the spot. Needless to say, I didn’t finish my dinner. Oops!:)

For anyone who hasn’t tried halloumi before, it can be compared to the texture and saltiness of feta cheese. It is an unripend, brined cheese, made from a combination of sheep’s, goat’s and at times cow’s milk. Mostly popular in middle eastern cooking where its high melting point makes it perfect for grilling! The salty flavour and squeaky texture goes so well with the sweet pears and crunchy walnuts in this salad, while the beautiful beetroot stains it a purpley colour.

A lighter version of this salad can easily be made without the quinoa if you prefer. As with my quinoa, pancetta and radish salad, you can really use your imagination and combine a multitude of different veggies and nuts. Quinoa has quite a neutral, nutty flavour which allows the veggies you chose to really shine. It is nutritionally loaded with goodness, a wheat free alternative and contains a full amino acid profile which makes it a complete protein. Quinoa is wonderful for those on a vegan or vegetarian diet who need to boost their protein consumption. Packed with anti-inflammatory properties, fibre and low GI, it’s really no wonder why its popularity has soared in the past few years.

I must admit, it took a while for me to like it. I think a large part of why I didn’t like it at first was because I wasnt washing it correctly before cooking it. Thus giving it a bitter, soapy, dishwater taste. It is ESSENTIAL to give it a good soak and rinse over a 30 minute period to wash away the naturally occurring saponins on the grain coating. Not only does it taste better but it is much easier for the gut to digest.

Well now that I’ve finished blabbering, I will get the recipe written up for you. I hope you like this variation as much as we did! Your biggest challenge will be to not eat all the halloumi while grilling it for the salad!;)  Enjoy! xxx

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Quinoa and Halloumi Salad
Recipe Type: Side Salad or Light Meal
Author: The Life Harvest
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6 side servings
A nutritionally packed lunch or side salad for anyone needing a good health boost. This Quinoa and Halloumi Salad not only looks pretty but tastes delicious. Salty halloumi, sweet pears, crunchy walnuts and juicy beetroot make the quinoa superfood shine!
Ingredients
  • 170g halloumi – sliced thinly
  • 1 ripe pear – sliced thinly
  • 70g rocket leaves
  • 3/4-1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 3 small cooked beetroots – cut roughly into bite size pieces
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup flat parsley – roughly chopped
  • 3-4 tbsp thick balsamic glaze
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Firstly, soak the quinoa in a large bowl of water for 30 minutes. Rinse the water out and top it up every 5-10 minutes until it is clear of the murky colour from the saponins. {see notes above}
  2. Cook the quinoa as per the packet instructions. Once cooked, remove from the pot and spread it out in a large tray to cool down. Break it up ever so often to separate the clumps.
  3. In a pan, add one tbsp of olive oil and on a medium heat, fry or grill the slices of halloumi till they start to golden in colour. Place them to the side to cool.
  4. Once the quinoa and halloumi are well cooled, add them to a large bowl and combine with the rocket leaves, sliced pears, pieces of beetroot, walnuts and parsley.
  5. Pour over the olive oil and give it a good mix. Followed by the balsamic glaze and the salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Give it a good toss and serve.
Notes
Feel free to change quantities slightly if you prefer more of less of a particular ingredient. x

 

Salmon and Healthy Greens

Salmon and Healthy Greens

I do enjoy my cakes and treats that’s for sure, but we all need a healthy, nutritious meal to turn to at times to balance out the over indulging. Whilst I do enjoy all things healthy (and very naughty too!) sometimes they can taste too…

Healthy Coleslaw Salad

Healthy Coleslaw Salad

This is by far the easiest, quickest, freshest salad you will ever make. Not at all your traditional ‘coleslaw’ salad smothered in mayonnaise and goodness knows what else. Its a pet hate of mine when at a restaurant and I am served with coleslaw hiding…

Fresh and Simple Fennel Salad

Fresh and Simple Fennel Salad

Fennel salad, zucchini salad, healthy salads, fennel & zucchini salad

I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this salad! So fresh, healthy and vibrant in appearance and ingredients. I was grocery shopping and came across some beautiful baby zucchini and baby fennel, I just had to get them and make this dish. It can easily be made by finely slicing regular sized zucchini and fennel however. This fresh and simple fennel salad, is so quick to make! Finely slice your veg, dress with olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper…DONE!

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My soft spot for this salad lies in the fennel. Whilst its not your every day common vegetable and its liquorice/anise flavour does attract some haters. I am hoping to convince those haters otherwise. Being a vegetable mostly used in mediterranean cooking, I grew up eating a lot of fennel! My mum used to give my brother and I large fennel bulb pieces to chew on to sooth our teething as babies. Both its texture and composition being perfect for soothing sore gums. Apart from the baby teething benefits, the health benefits are quite wonderful too. It is high in dietary fibre and vitamin C, making it a powerful antioxidant and immune system booster. Many gut healing diets, such as ‘Gaps’, suggest the use of fennel due to its strong properties which help to improve digestive health.

Combining this wonderful, unused veg with the other equally as wonderful and healthy ingredients results in a really tasting, healthy, nutrient rich combination. It is a super versatile side to almost any dish or just perfect if you’re after a fresh light lunch.

Enjoy!

xxx

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Fresh and Simple Fennel Salad
Recipe Type: Healthy side salad
Author: The Life Harvest
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 – 4 servings
A fresh and simple salad, perfect as a side to almost any dish, or on its own. So many nutritious veggies complimenting the fennel, will make this unassuming salad become your favourite for a delicious, healthy option.
Ingredients
  • 300g baby fennel (or normal sized) – sliced finely
  • 200g baby zucchini (or normal size) – sliced finely
  • 4 x celery sticks + (the celery hearts tender leaves) – sliced finely
  • 1/4 cup of parsley – roughly chopped
  • pinenuts – (amount to your liking)
  • 1 x lemon – juice only
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180℃ and once heated, toast the pinenuts till lightly golden, then leave to cool.
  2. In a medium bowl, add the finely sliced fennel, zucchini, celery and chopped up parsley.
  3. In a small bowl combine the olive oil and lemon juice.
  4. Once the pinenuts are cooled, add them to the rest of the salad along with the olive oil and lemon juice.
  5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
* The key to this dish it to make sure everything is sliced nice and finely. You don’t want big chunky pieces.[br]* Feel free to taste and adjust the dressing quantities slightly, depending on your preference.