Miso Black Bean Rice Mix

I usually only eat miso as soup, but mixed with rice and black beans makes a great lunch which can be eaten hot or cold. The rice is tender like risotto and a little green veg together with the sweet corn makes it a well balanced nutritious meal.

Miso Black Bean Rice Mix
Makes 4

Ingredients:
- 7.5ml / 1/2tbsp olive oil
- 110g / 4oz onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 5g / 1tbsp ginger, chopped
- 80g / 3oz kale
- 170g / 6oz pepper, chopped
- 170g / 6oz courgette, chopped
- 85g / 3oz sweet corn
- 425g / 15oz / 1 can black beans (no added salt)
- 45g / 1.6oz brown rice, cooked
- 30g / 2tbsp miso paste
- 120ml / 4floz warm water

Method:
In a pan, heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic and ginger for approx. 5 minutes until clear.
Add the vegetables, black beans and cooked rice.
Mix the miso paste with the 1/2 cup (120ml) warm water and stir into pan.
Cook for 5 minutes until veg is tender and liquid has been absorbed.
Serve hot or cold. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Iced Coffee

 

When the weather heats up, a cool iced coffee is very refreshing and easy to make. All that's needed is a little time as the coffee needs a few hours in the fridge. I first made home-made iced coffee after visiting New Orleans and buying some Cafe Du Monde coffee. Their beignets were delicious!

It can get a bit messy when filtering the coffee but at least I'm left with plenty of granules for the composting bin!

Iced Coffee
Makes approx. 900ml / 28floz

Ingredients:
- 1000ml / 32floz (1 quart) cold water
- 56g / 2oz coffee

Method:
In a tub or bowl, mix the coffee into the water.
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Using a coffee pot (turned off), pour the cold coffee through a paper filter. Several paper filters may need to be used as a large amount of coffee granules will be collected.

Alternatively, the cold coffee can be poured into a French press.

Store the cold filtered coffee in a bottle in the fridge. Pour over ice and milk (if desired) to make a refreshing drink.
ENJOY!

Salmon and Cucumber Sushi

After grilling a couple of pieces of salmon with my Asian marinade recipe, I used a fork to flake up the fish and rolled it into sushi. Plain grilled salmon or canned salmon can be used in the sushi rolls; it is not necessary to marinade the salmon.

I'd previously cooked some brown rice, quinoa, and also blended and heated through some cauliflower. I mixed all this together instead of simply using plain rice. The end result tasted great and had a little more variety than regular sushi rice.

I'll most likely alternate between sushi rolls with this version and my tuna and avocado sushi. However, I think I'll be tempted to use blended cauliflower in both recipes as 100g is only 25 calories!

Salmon and Cucumber Sushi
Makes 2 sushi rolls

Ingredients:
- 22g /0.8oz cooked brown rice
- 22g / 0.8oz cooked quinoa
- 150g / 5oz blended cauliflower
- 85g / 3oz salmon
- 30g / 1oz cucumber
- 2 sheets nori seaweed
- 15ml / 1tbsp soy sauce, light (optional)*

Method:
Lay the nori seaweed on top of the sushi mat - rough side facing up, smooth side down. Spread cooked rice, quinoa and blended cauliflower mix over the seaweed.
Add salmon and cucumber close to the edge.

Roll the seaweed using the mat. Wet the edge of the seaweed at the end, so that it sticks and takes a cylindrical shape.
Using a sharp knife, cut into bite-size pieces, approx. 8 per roll.
ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Asian Marinade

This marinade is perfect for salmon or chicken. I grilled the fish and meat on the BBQ but it can easily be baked in the oven. I made two lots and marinaded two pieces of salmon and a chicken breast which I cut into large chunks and skewered).

I also pan-fried some asparagus with lemon juice and ground black pepper. The asparagus stalks only need a few minutes to cook so they retain their crunch!

Asian Marinade
Makes 2 (i.e. for two pieces of salmon, or 2 chicken skewers)

Ingredients:
- 15ml / 1tbsp olive oil
- 7.5ml / 1/2tbsp soy sauce, light
- 7.5ml / 1/2tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 0.2g / 1/2tsp brown sugar
- 1/4tsp ginger, fresh or powder
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- red pepper flakes

Method:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Place salmon or chicken pieces in the bowl and coat with marinade.

Place salmon or chicken and marinade in a ziplock bag, seal and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Grill or bake salmon and chicken.

Serve with asparagus and baked potato. ENJOY!

Nutritional Information:

Lentil, Tofu, Kale Curry

This curry dish highly aromatic and flavourful, due to the use of fennel seeds. As they are cooked they release their flavour, similar to anise and liquorice.

As fennel has such a distinct flavour, half the amount of seeds can be used instead of one whole tablespoon.

This dish is only 198 calories, low fat and a great source of fibre (12g) and protein (15g)! I ate two servings in one day as it was so tasty - a bowl for lunch and another for dinner, along with some soup.

I recently posted another curry recipe that uses tofu and kale: Pumpkin, Kale, Ginger, Tofu Curry

Lentil, Tofu, Kale Curry

Makes 4

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Ingredients:

- 130g / 4.6oz lentils (pre-cooked)

- 112g / 4oz onion, chopped

- 2 clove garlic, chopped

- 5g / 1tbsp ginger, chopped

- 1tbsp fennel seeds

- 400g / 14.5oz / 1 can diced tomatoes (no added salt)

- 200g / 7oz kale

- 300g / 11oz firm tofu, cubed

Method:

Cook the lentils for 30 minutes, if necessary.

In a saucepan, sprayed with cooking spray, cook the onions, garlic, ginger and fennel seeds for 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, kale and lentils. Cook for another 5 minutes until kale has softened and any water has been absorbed.

Blend the mixture with a hand-held blender

Stir in the tofu.
ENJOY!

Click HERE for a printable recipe card.

Nutritional Information: