KOO Mixed Bean and Salsa Salad - recipe

KOO recipe and image

Last year I was so lucky to be invited to a KOO media event, where we were introduced to all the new KOO options available on the shelf. I now never walk past the vegetable can section in a supermarket. My favourite is the KOO Black Beans in Mexican Style Sauce. It is such a versatile can to have in the cupboard. Great as is, or in bowls and wraps. As a vegetarian, it is great to bring along when friends or family forget about your food preferences.

Please let me know where you see it on the shelve? (It is not always available)

It's easy to create a stir with NOLA Mayonnaise

NOLA Mayonnaise blog drop

A firm staple in our house is mayonnaise. It can be used in so many dishes, from savoury to sweet. In my pre-vegetarian days I used to make a mean chicken dish with mayonnaise that I could just pop into the oven. I now have a standard potato dish recipe with mayonnaise that gives an extra luxury to traditional baked potatoes.

NOLA Mayonnaise partnered with local foodie Sithembiso Ndashe (Ndash), who has some modern day twists to popular Mzansi recipes.

See below how you can create a stir with NOLA Mayonnaise.

Avo Tacos with Chunky Salsa - Disney Cookabout recipe

Disney Cookabout Season 3 Avo Tacos with Chunky Salsa recipe

Disney Cookabout Season 3 is in full swing on Disney Channel 303. There is nothing we love more than watching cooking shows. For me the focus is on the "watching", but luckily I have a husband and hopefully a daughter who likes cooking a bit more. When I cook, I want it to be easy and fresh. We had the opportunity to prepare a Biltong and Avo Tacos with Chunky Salsa recipe at the recent launch of Disney Cookabout. Because I am a vegetarian, I did not include the biltong in my version.

This recipe is from the Disney Cookabout launch, but I am allowed to share. It is so tasty and so easy to make. The most preparation is in the cutting and measurement of ingredients.

Lazy evening dinner with Big Korn Bites

Big Korn Bites bags - recipe

Last night was one of those nights. The week is far too long, the energy is low, and the inspiration even less. Luckily we remembered about Miss Fine's camping trip where they had an easy dinner with packets of chips and chicken nuggets. She was in charge of the instructions last night.

The best butternut fritters recipe

Butternut fritters

The most tasty butternut fritters ever! I have found it! There is something about the taste of a sweet accompaniment to a Sunday meal that makes us salivate every time. That something is butternut fritters. I always tried to replicate it, but up until now my Kook en Geniet (the original Afrikaans food recipe book) did not have the best recipe. And I failed to successfully make it try after try. (Maybe it's just me?)

I found My Gran's Pumpkin Fritters / Pampoenkoekies recipe while searching yet again for that elusive perfect recipe.

This one worked. Of course I swapped a few things, but this recipe is a keeper. I did not make the sauce, as I wanted the fritters for the main meal, and not a dessert. Check out the original one for the sauce and if you want to make dessert.

Butternut Fritters

 (For a family of 6)

Ingredients

• 3 cups butternut cooked and slightly mashed, but not too much
• 3 cups flour
• 6 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar 
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• pinch of salt
• oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients and mix until you have a batter. There must still be a bit of butternut visible, not totally pureed.

2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and fry spoonfuls of the batter until golden brown and cooked throughout, approximately 2-3 minutes.

3. Remove from the oil and allow to drain on kitchen paper.

4. Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon and sugar on top of the fritters.

5. Serve with your main meal.


They are delicious. They are even better today in our lunchboxes.
I am sure the sauce from the original recipe is great. Let me know when you make it?
I will also make this one again!

How to get rid of the winter blues - Nestle scalloped potatoes

Nestlé Winter Warming package

The winter has us slumped and hibernating. I definitely suffer from the winter blues. I know there's things I should be doing better. But all I can do is sit under a blanket or hide under my covers. I am in awe of people continuing with their exercise programs and eating salad. Who are you? How do you do it?

Nestlé sent us the Winter Warming package, with tips on how to shake the winter blues. All the things that helps cope with the cold of the winter. Thanks, Nestlé! From now on I will make sure to have the Nestlé Evaporated Milk on my monthly shopping list. It gives so much flavour to a dish.

Nestlé's 7 point plan to shake off the winter blues

Naazneen Sali-Ameen, Nutrition, Health and Wellness Manager at Nestlé South Africa, has drawn up the following great solutions to help keep you on track when it comes to winter eating and exercise habits. (By now we know these things. Or we should.) But it helps to hear it again.

1.    Create simple ‘one pot’ meals. 

Remember that for each main meal you should aim to have ½ plate veg, ¼ plate protein and ¼ plate starch/grains.

A recipe for Indian Butter Chicken, using the Nestlé Ideal Evaporated Milk, was included. As I am vegetarian, and it is Meatless Monday, I searched for a vegetarian meal. I used our Nestlé Evaporated Milk with a Scalloped Potato Dish. Great for winter warmth. See recipe below.

2.    Don’t overindulge. 

The cold weather often brings out the craving for comforting, starchy foods. You can still enjoy these nutritious dishes by being mindful of your eating habits and appropriate serving sizes. Eat slowly and make mealtimes an occasion, eating in front of a TV or while sitting in front of your computer can easily distract you and cause you to overeat.

3.    Create alternatives to your favourite take-outs. 

The budget also does not allow take-outs, so we dó make our own. Vegetarian hamburgers with mushrooms, and home-made burger patties from mince is much more tasty in any case. Pizza making at home is also a great idea.

4.    Keep hydrated. 

We just had an issue with Miss Fine who does not drink enough fluids in winter. We were at the doctor on Friday with severe stomach ache which turned out to be constipation. Now we have to remind her to keep up the fluids. Herbal teas, Milo or Hot Chocolate and fresh juices helps. A lot!

5.    Enjoy the outdoors. 

The days are very mild here in winter. We should be out more to enjoy the sunshine, get more Vitamin D, and be more active.

6.    Move more to keep warm. 

Move what makes you happy! Miss Fine loves to play with a ball. We also love walking the dog. (We should just do it more often!)

Recipe to follow:

Meat-free Monday win - Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salad with chickpeas

Mondays are the worst with trying to conjure up easy and filling dinner ideas. One of us comes late with a hungry Miss in tow. This past Monday it was my turn to make dinner. A friend of mine made this quinoa salad at a braai (barbecue) a while ago, and it is simply delicious. I did not have all the ingredients that the recipe suggested, but it worked just as fine.

Recipe for easy Quinoa Salad

A Quick Corn Bread recipe in the spirit of Disney Cookabout Season 2

Quick Corn Bread with Amasi
(Disney Cookabout Season 2)

Season 2 of Disney Cookabout started on Saturday Disney Channel (DStv Channel 303) on Saturday 14 October.

It’s time! Disney Cookabout 2 starts on Disney Channel, DStv channel 303 Saturday, 14 October 9.25 am#DisneyCookabout #DisneyAfrica pic.twitter.com/2qNxAv6RYl

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) October 14, 2017

In sharing the excitement, Disney Africa send us a basket with all the ingredients (except the egg) to make a Quick Corn Bread. In true African spirit, the ingredients included Amasi (Very popular in South Africa: A fermented milk that tastes like cottage cheese or plain yogurt).
I am not familiar with baking with it, but came up with three uses over the past weekend. It works very well with vegetarian dishes!

Easy Black Bean Vegetarian Burger

It is Friday, and Friday is braai day with hamburgers! (Braai = barbecue in South Africa)
In my vegetarian adventures I have tried all the packet versions of vegetarian hamburger patties out there. Not only does it taste like carton, but my dietitian says they are very unhealthy and very fatty! It is not good for any diet!
I also get tired of mushrooms and eggplants as the go-to meal replacements for meat.

Google is such a great recipe book. Nowadays you list the ingredients that you have, and Voila! You've got tons of suggestions. The All Recipes Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers jumped out when I did a search for black bean burgers, and here is my take on it!

Vegetarian - not difficult at all!

I have been a vegetarian for 8 months now! It has not been as difficult as I thought it would be!

I woke up on 2 January this year and decided that was the day I needed to change. I have been saying for most of my life that the day I have to kill for my food, is the day that I would become a vegetarian.
My family has been very supportive! Thanks, dear Hubby and kids! 

I have been a hypocrite for too long! What will I think of myself in my golden days when I have been living a lie for so long?

I would love to cut out eggs and cheese as well (Vegan), but for now I am happy that I have not eaten meat and fish for 8 months in a row!

I feel great! I feel healthy!
I am still struggling to not overeat on carbohydrates, but that has always been a problem. Not only now! :-) I see a dietician every two weeks, and she gives me great advice! I think I am her "off-the record" client, because I have not been losing weight for many months, but I always ask her not to "fire" me! Next time I will have lost some weight! Definitely!!

I take my mushroom with me when we go to a braai (barbecue), and Hubby also sometimes makes a brinjal over the fire. I do not like the over-processed vegetarian meals and "meats", and I don't think it is healthy at all!

I can make a mean curry bean dish by now (it gets spicier with each try), and have found the most wonderful spicy dishes on Google! Chilli, nutmeg, paprika, coriander, curry, mustard, cinnamon, garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin... All of it works wonders with any type of of bean in the cupboard!

When we go to restaurants, I usually try the vegetarian options. I found the best vegetarian burger so far in Melville at Gravity on Saturday, but I will continue the search!

This has been a great adventure!

 

Easy Bean and Lentil Casserole

I have thrown the food-making arrangements in our household in a disarray with becoming a vegetarian. Hubby loves preparing and barbecuing meat, and now he is feeling a bit lost.
The rest still eats meat, but now I have to come up with alternatives for myself, as well as side dishes for the family.

Luckily we have Google, and I can put in my ingredients (of what I have in the cupboard) for vegetarian recipes. I found the Speedy Lentil and Bean Casserole from food.com.
I made a few adjustments based on what we had available, and it is very good for a quick and filling recipe that will be added to my basic recipes of what-to-make-when-you-don't-know-what-to-make-and-you-are-hungry!

This is what I made a few evenings back.

Easy Bean and Lentil Casserole recipe

Ingredients:

- Can of Three Beans mix, drained and rinsed

- Can of organic lentils, drained and rinsed

- 2 Tomatoes, chopped

- 1 onion, chopped

- 4 green onions, chopped

- 1 tablespoon of olive oil

- half teaspoon thyme

- one and half cups of Gouda cheese

- pinch of pepper and salt

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a pan on the stove. Cook the onion, green onions and tomatoes until soft. Add the beans and lentils and the thyme until it simmers. The cheese comes on top of the dish. Dish up as soon as the cheese becomes bubbly!


Totally yum!

Next time I am trying it with a bit of chilly!