His Eatery
With the state of current affairs, everyone is still trying to keep their distance and going out to eat might not be as appealing as it once was. No worries, now’s the time to whip out the ingredients and call upon your inner chef and get cooking and here are some awesome recipes straight from the kitchen of our fantastic food editor to get you started!
Tea and Pear Oats
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10–15 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients
1 cup freshly brewed vanilla-flavored tea
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 can unsweetened pear halves, drained and rinsed
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 heaped tsp almond butter
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp caramel essence
1 tbsp raw honey
fresh mint for garnishing
Instructions
Allow the tea to brew for about 10 minutes while cooling off.
Heat the almond milk in a large saucepan over medium heat to about the same temperature as the tea. Add the tea to the milk and then stir in the oats.
Add the pears, salt, cinnamon, almond butter, vanilla essence, caramel essence, and honey, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken.
Garnish with fresh mint and serve immediately while lovely and warm.
Note: If vanilla-flavored tea is unavailable, you may use plain tea, although the vanilla does add a certain “wow” factor.
Apple Crumble Overnight Oats
Prep time: 10 minutes
Refrigeration time: Ideally overnight
Servings: 2
Ingredients
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp melted almond butter
1 tbsp raw honey
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp caramel essence
Toppings
sliced fresh apple
raisins
ground cinnamon
toasted flaked almonds
raw honey
Instructions
In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and refrigerate overnight to set.
Serve the next day topped with apple, raisins, cinnamon, toasted flaked almonds and a drizzle of honey.
Note: Replace the apple slices with fresh blueberries or strawberries for another variation.
Quinoa and Chickpea Hash Browns
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8 hashbrowns
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and pulped
1 small red salad onion, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)
2 tbsp raw honey
1 handful of chopped fresh cilantro
2 eggs, whisked
2 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp olive oil
poached eggs, Viavi avocados and fresh rocket for serving
Instructions
Combine the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, onion, parsley, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, chili flakes (if using), honey and cilantro in a mixing bowl.
Add the whisked eggs and mix well, then add almond flour until you reach your preferred consistency.
Using your hands, form the mixture into hash browns of whatever size you prefer.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the hash browns on both sides until brown and crisp – about 10 minutes. Be careful, as they will only start firming up properly once cooked and cooled.
Serve with poached eggs, avocado and fresh rocket.
Note: You can use these hash browns as vegetarian burger patties too.
Quick and Easy Creamy Avo Fondue
Life is short, so enjoy party time around the snack platter or even the barbeque! This creamy fondue is quick, easy and oh so delicious! It can be prepared in just a few minutes and can even be stored in the refrigerator!
Prep time: 5min
Cooking time: 10-15min
Servings: 2
Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 avocado, mashed
1 can of butterbeans rinsed, drained and mashed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili flakes
hot water as needed
Instructions
Make use of a medium pot and prepare with a nonstick spray.
Pour the almond milk in the pot, add the mashed avocado and mashed butterbeans and stir well.
Add the rest of the ingredients and allow to heat up till it starts to boil – this can be done on the stove or even the barbeque!
Turn the temperature down and allow to simmer for a few minutes before serving.
One can adjust the thickness as desired by adding boiling hot water.
Ideal to store in the fridge, just add a bit of boiling water when reheating and allow to simmer for a few minutes.
Serve with chicken strips, wings or drumsticks, beef strips, meatballs, roasted cauliflower florets, breadsticks, biltong or any other savory biscuit of your choice.
Asian-style Chicken
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 large spring onions, diced
1 small red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 small yellow bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 small green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
6 chicken fillets or 9 drumsticks and thighs
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup hot water
chopped fresh cilantro and spring onion for garnishing
Marinade
juice of 1 lime
¼ cup of soy sauce
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 heaped tbsp sesame seeds
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp crushed ginger (optional)
1 handful of chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 395F (200C) and spray an ovenproof dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Spread the diced spring onions and bell peppers on the base of the greased dish.
Brush the chicken pieces with the olive oil and place on top of the onions and peppers.
Pour the hot water around the chicken.
Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the chicken pieces.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for a further 15 minutes, occasionally basting the chicken pieces with the sauce in the dish.
Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and spring onion before serving.
Ideal with a side salad, roast vegetables, and basmati rice or quinoa, and long-stem broccoli florets, of course.
Pumpkin Fritter Bake
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients
2 pounds (900g) butternut mash
9oz (250g) almond flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp caramel essence
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsp raw honey
6 large eggs
butternut chunks for garnishing (optional)
2oz (50g) diced almonds
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Sauce
6oz (150g) almond butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3fl.oz (100ml) unsweetened almond milk
3 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla essence
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 395F (200C) and spray an ovenproof dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the butternut mash with the almond flour, salt, caramel essence, vanilla essence, bicarbonate of soda, and honey.
Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl and then add to the butternut mixture. Mix well.
Pour the butternut batter into the greased dish and bake for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, make the sauce by melting all of the ingredients together in a saucepan.
After 20 minutes, remove the bake from the oven and pour over the sauce.
Top with chunks of butternut if you like, sprinkle over the diced almonds and cinnamon, and bake for another 20 minutes.
Serve warm as a side or as a dessert.
Why Are We Making Use of These Ingredients?
Chickpeas
We love chickpeas, whether grilled and flavored as a snack, served in a vegetarian curry or pulped and mixed with a few other ingredients to form the base of a cake! Chickpeas are a good source of fiber, rich in calcium and anti-inflammatory goodness, and they help boost the immune system.
Almonds
Whether in the form of milk, flour, butter or flakes, almonds are packed with nutritional benefits. They boost the immune system, help repair damaged skin, help prevent cancer, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and have alkalizing properties. They are also a source of vitamin E, magnesium, and high-quality protein.
Salt
What is the purpose of adding salt during cooking? It’s to enhance flavor, right? So why not start by using a good-quality salt to do the job?Sundried and unrefined with no additives will bring out the best in your food in the healthiest way possible.
Raw Honey
Salt needs sweet and vice versa to enhance taste and flavor. So when you add sweetness, choose a sweetness that has a healing effect on your body and health. Raw honey is antiviral and antifungal and contains powerful antioxidants. It helps ward off allergies, stabilizes blood pressure and balances blood sugar levels. It also boosts the immune system and promotes digestive health.
Quinoa
Quinoa is called the complete plant-based protein because it contains all nine essential amino acids. It’s gluten-free, low GI and is very high in fiber. Quinoa lowers cholesterol, helps prevent colon cancer and contributes to muscle formation.
Onion
We prefer red onions or shallot onions for their slightly sweet taste and the burst of color they add to dishes. Onions are a natural antibiotic and antiseptic, so they are a big YES, especially in winter. They purify the blood, regulate blood sugar levels and improve digestion. They are also anti-inflammatory. In addition to fresh onions, in our pantry, you will find dried onion powder and flakes.
Parsley
Parsley is so much more than just a garnish; it packs an unsuspecting nutritional punch. High in vitamins A and C and calcium, it is anti-inflammatory, improves bone health, is a blood purifier, and boosts the immune system.
Garlic
Antiviral, antifungal and anti-inflammatory, garlic assists in detoxification and boosting the metabolism, and is a natural dewormer that kills parasites. We use both black and white fresh garlic, and keep dried garlic powder and flakes in our pantry.
Ginger
My go-to reason for using ginger is that it relieves pain caused by arthritis, but it is also anti-inflammatory and antifungal and boosts the immune system. We always have both fresh and dried ginger on hand. It’s good to also drink hot water with freshly grated ginger, lemon juice, raw honey, and cayenne pepper to give your immune system that much-needed boost if you start feeling ill or a bit rundown.
Ground Black Pepper
Why do we add pepper to our food? When we ask people about this during cooking demonstrations we always get the most interesting answers, but most people cannot tell why they add pepper to their meals. Our reason? It increases nutrient absorption and improves digestion, so you can get the most out of every meal, every time.
Chili flakes
They are anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting not to mention they add a great punch of flavor when you need it!
Cilantro
Also known as coriander, is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal.
Viavi Avocados
Avocados are anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and a great source of fiber.
Rocket
Immune boosting and high in Vitamin C.
Olive Oil
We all have our reasons why we prefer certain oils, but without a doubt, our oil base of choice is olive oil, specifically for its amazing health benefits. Olive oil helps reduce inflammation and prevent osteoporosis and is essential for bone health because it assists in the absorption of calcium and the mineralization of bones.
Peppers
Sweet peppers are anti-inflammatory, loaded with antioxidants and a great source of immune system-boosting vitamin E.
Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are anti-inflammatory and high in protein. They improve bone health, prevent osteoporosis, and aid digestion.
Lime
Although themselves acidic, citrus fruits such as lemons and limes have an alkalizing effect on the body. They are also loaded with vitamin C. Vitamin C content is always highest when the fruit is freshly cut. A squeeze of love in the shape of a lemon or lime, who knew?