Category: Recipes

This is a vegetarian star dish for the festive season table or as a showstopper side or addition to a harvest table this holiday.

Roast butternut is completely elevated with the popping colour of cranberries and spinach with added plant protein thanks to the quinoa. Not a fan of dried cranberries? Swap out for pomegranates for the same jewel-popping colour tones. You can also swap the quinoa for millet or couscous for a more affordable, but equally delicious option. What You Need

• 2 medium butternuts, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup quinoa (or ½ cup raw millet or couscous)
• ½ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (or ½ – 1 cup pomegranate jewels)
• 100g pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 large handful baby spinach leaves

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garnish:

• Fresh coriander or parsley leaves
• The reserved lemon zest
• Extra pomegranate jewels

  Method:

  1/ Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2/ Place the butternut cut-side up on the tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and seasoning. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the butternut is fork tender. Remove and cool.
3/ While the butternut is baking, heat a little olive oil in a small pan over medium-heat and saute the onion until translucent. Add the quinoa to the pan and cook according to package instructions.

4/ Fluff the quinoa with a fork and stir in the spinach and allow it to wilt naturally with the heat. Add the cranberries and pecans and set aside.

5/ In a separate bowl, make the dressing: mix together 2 tbsp olive oil, the lemon juice and mustard and a sprinkle of seasoning. Pour this over the cooked quinoa.

6/ Make the butternut boats by scooping out half of the butternut flesh, leaving a border inside to help hold the shape. Mix the flesh with the quinoa and then place this back inside the butternuts.
7/ Turn the oven down to 180°C and bake the stuffed butternuts for 10-15 minutes.

8/ Garnish with herbs, zest and some pomegranate seeds (optional).

Looking for more fun festive vegetarian recipes for summer? Make these grilled Vegetable & Halloumi Skewers or try these hearty Stuffed Baked Peppers as a great vegan option.

This recipe is a great crowd-pleaser and perfect for cosy family lunches over the festive season. Plus, it’s healthy and only uses one baking tray for cooking!

This dish pops with beautiful colours and flavours and thanks to the red onion and tomatoes and, because it’s so easy to make, you get to spend more time with your loved ones this festive season outside of the kitchen

What You Need:

For the sauce:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested (reserve for garnishing) and juiced
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp each thyme, oregano, salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp mustard

For the tray:

• 6-8 chicken thighs (skinless for a leaner option)
• 250g rosa tomatoes
• 1 large red onion, sliced into wedges
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 2cm pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into 2cm pieces
• 3-4 baby marrows, quartered lengthwise
• ½ cup pitted olives
• ½ cup feta (or tofu feta for dairy free)

For garnishing:
Handful fresh parsley or basil

Method:

1/ Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

2/ Whisk together the sauce ingredients.

3/ Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and pour over half of the marinade. Massage the sauce into the chicken and then set aside to marinate while you prep your veggies.

4/ Place your vegetables on the baking tray, drizzle over half of the remaining half of the dressing (ie, one quarter). Bake for 15-20 minutes.

5/ Add the marinated chicken pieces to the tray and bake for 30 minutes.

6/ Remove the tray and add the olives and feta cubes as well as any remaining sauce and bake for a final 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked to your liking.

7/ Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon zest and serve with a side of your choice, such as whole grain rice, a green salad or freshly torn baguettes.

Healthy food does not have to be boring! Tacos are fun, festive foods to make – perfect for hot summer evenings and dinner parties. Plus, when not laden with creams or fatty meats, they can be really healthy too! These spicy prawn tacos are packed with nutrients and you could easily make veggie versions by swapping the prawns for tofu.

These tasty, healthy prawn tacos pack a nutritional punch. Here’s how:

• Avocados are full of healthy fats and are a great source of potassium.
• Red cabbage is high in vitamin C, contains anti-inflammatory properties and is high in fibre. Plus, red cabbage is a prebiotic, meaning it’s really great for your gut health.
• Prawns are a source of lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids and B12 and selenium which boosts brain power and your immune system. Prawns are also high in iodine. Read more about the health benefits of iodine and get another great prawn recipe here.
• Greek yoghurt is high in protein and probiotics, contributing to good gut health.

What You Need:

For the prawn marinade:

• 500g large prawns, peeled and deveined
• 2 tbsp olive oil or neutral heart healthy oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)

For the tacos:

• 8 small corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 small red cabbage, thinly sliced
• Handful fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

For the sauce:
– 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt (or make a whipped tofu cream using silken tofu)
– 1 tbsp sriracha
– 1 tbsp lime juice
– Salt to taste

Read more about how to make whipped tofu here.

Method:

1/ In a bowl, combine the prawns, olive oil, garlic, seasoning and lime juice. Marinate for 10-15 minutes while preparing the rest of your ingredients.

2/ Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Remove and set aside.

3/ Mix the yoghurt sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste to check acidity levels.

4/ Now assemble the tacos by placing a layer of red cabbage on each tortilla, followed by a few prawns. Add diced avocado, fresh coriander, and jalapeño slices. Drizzle a little yoghurt sauce over the mixture and serve immediately.

Make a batch of these healthy oat cookies for the week ahead. They’re also great for lunchboxes #MedshieldMom

This healthy, easy recipe is a great treat to have on hand for busy mornings or to pack into your kids lunchboxes or to even take with you on a hike or picnic to the beach. Oats are packed with fibre and a good source of plant protein and help to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Instead of raisins, you could add: dried cranberries, sunflower seeds or shredded coconut for added variety and texture.
This recipe can be made in the oven, but with the quick convenience of an airfryer, they’re even easier to have ready-to-go!

Looking for another treat for the festive season? Make these Beetroot Brownies.

What You Need:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup whole wheat flour (or all-purpose gluten-free flour blend)
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (or coconut oil for a dairy-free option)
• ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ⅓ cup raisins or dark chocolate chips (optional)
• 2 tbsp chia seeds or flaxseeds (optional)

Method:

1/ Set the air fryer to 160°C (or preheat the oven).

2/ In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon.

3/ In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, honey, egg and vanilla essence until smooth.

4/ Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the raisins and chia seeds, if using.

5/ Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and shape it into a ball. Flatten slightly and place on a piece of parchment paper that fits in your air fryer basket (or onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper for the oven).

6/ Place the parchment paper with cookies into the preheated air fryer. Bake at 160°C for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

7/ Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack before transferring them to an airtight container.

Trying to meet your five-a-day goal or encourage your kids to eat more fruit? Read this article for 7 creative ways to get an apple a day into your diet.

Here is an easy week-night recipe that uses Thai red curry paste and is packed with nutritious spices, ginger and veggies to keep your immune system boosted.

What You Need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 200ml coconut milk (small tin)
• 200ml milk of choice
• 500-600gg white fish fillets (such as hake or kingklip), cut into 2cm-cube pieces
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 handful baby spinach leaves
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (or low-sodium soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• Fresh coriander, for garnishing
• Rice, to serve

Method:

1/ Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.

2/ Add the Thai red curry paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, sauteing.

3/ Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.

4/ Add the fish and veggies. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until the fish is opaque and cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

5/ Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice to taste. Cook for another minute.

6/ Serve the curry over jasmine rice and garnish with fresh coriander.

At Medshield, we’re here to support and help our members to live a healthy lifestyle. At Medshield Movement, we have loads of healthy, easy-to-make recipes that are not only good for you, but taste great too! This summer, we’ve got some sizzling recipes that will be great on the braai, like these grilled veggie and halloumi skewers!

These vegetarian skewers are easy to make and offer a great healthy alternative to fatty meats. Either add them as a supplement to your usual braai or as the main and rope the children in to make them! Just remember to soak your skewers in water first, to prevent burning.

Notes:
You can swap out the veggies for any of your other favourites, like button mushrooms, aubergine slices or patty pans.
Make this recipe vegan by swapping the halloumi cheese out for cubes of marinated tofu.
Add more or less veggies depending on the numbers you’d like to feed.

What You Need:
         For the skewers:

• Pre-soaked wooden skewers
• 1 large red pepper, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 large yellow pepper, cut into 2cm pieces
• 2-3 medium-large courgettes (baby marrows), cut into 1-2cm rounds
• 500-600g halloumi, cut into 2-3cm squares
• Rosa tomatoes
• Red onion slices (optional)
  Basting:
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1/ Prepare and chop all your veggies and set aside in a bowl. Place the halloumi slices ina  separate bowl.

2/ In a small bowl, whisk together the basting ingredients and set aside.

3/ Pour half of the basting sauce over the halloumi, toss to coat and set aside for about 15 minutes.

4/ Start to prep your skewers by alternating veggies with halloumi. For example: cherry tomato, pepper square, halloumi cube, courgette slice and a slice of red onion.

5/ Place the skewers on the braai and grill for about 10–12 minutes, turning every few minutes to ensure even charring. Brush the skewers with basting as they cook. Once the skewers are slightly charred and the halloumi is golden, remove from the heat and enjoy!

Sometimes you just want to eat a whole cucumber… and all the other great crunchy greens that the spring harvest brings! Think herbs, peas, tenderstem greens and the last couple months of avocado season! Here, we help you build the tastiest yummiest crunchy salad for lunch or to serve as a side dish.

What You Need:

• 80-100g baby spinach leaves
• 40-50g watercress leaves
• 1 whole english cucumber
• 80-100g tenderstem broccoli
• 80-100g sugar snap peas
• 10g each basil, mint, Italian parsley or coriander
• 2 avocados, sliced
• 3-4 spring onions
• ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
• ⅓ pumpkin seeds
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 TBSP olive oil

Method:

1/ Prepare a large salad platter or bowl and place the green leaves down as the base.

2/ Using a peeler, cut very thin slices of your tenderstem broccoli and add that, along with the sliced florets onto your green leaves.

3/ Using a peeler, create cucumber ribbons by peeling long thin slices lengthways. Scratter these on top of the leaves.

4/ Slice the sugar snap-peas lengthways, exposing some of the beautiful peas inside. Add these to the platter.

5/ Roughly chop the herbs and add to the bowl.

6/ Slice your avocado flesh and scatter on top of the salad layers.

7/ Thinly slice the white and pale green parts of the spring onions only and add these to the salad.

8/ Add your seeds to a dry pan set over medium heat and toast gently until just turning slightly golden and beginning to pop.

9/ Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil and drizzle over the salad, garnishing with the seeds and zest.

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Looking for another fresh, crunchy salad to try? Make this Spring Greens salad recipe: https://medshieldmom.co.za/spring-greens-salad-recipe/

Looking for a tasty way to pack in those seasonal spring greens? Try this light phyllo pastry tart recipe – great for an easy lunch with salad or to slice up as snacks and serve around a braai or as a starter for a dinner party. 

This recipe can be made as one large sheet tray tart or as mini tartlets and features an abundance of tasty spring greens like asparagus and courgette ribbons. It includes cheese, but you can easily swap this out for a vegan cream cheese or dot with vegan feta on top or crumbled tofu for a high in protein, plant-based version.
Looking for gluten-free phyllo pastry? Try South African company, Off The Gluten Path.

What You Need:

• 8 sheets of phyllo pastry 
• 2 tbsp olive oil (for brushing pastry), plus extra
• 100g tenderstem broccoli, trimmed and sliced
• 10 asparagus spears, trimmed and sliced
• 4-6 small courgettes, sliced into thin ribbons using a peeler
• 200g smooth ricotta (or whipped silken tofu for plant-based)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 100g of feta, for crumbling on top
  1 beaten egg (optional, for a more golden pastry) or plant-based milk
• Fresh herbs (optional): parsley, mint or basil for garnishing

Looking for an easy family-friendly weeknight meal? Try this homemade basil pesto pasta: https://medshieldmom.co.za/healthy-and-quick-vegan-basil-pesto-pasta/ 

Method:

1/ Preheat your oven to 180°C. 

2/ On a large clean wooden board, lay out one sheet of phyllo pastry. Brush it lightly with a little olive oil, then layer another sheet on top. Repeat this process until you have 4 layers of pastry. Cut the phyllo into rectangles or squares, depending on your preferred size for the tartlets. Repeat with the remaining 4 pastry sheets for the second set of tartlets. 

3/ On a large, baking-paper lined baking tray, place the phyllo slices and shape them as desired. (Alternatively, use mini tart trays or ramekins). Brush with a little egg or plant-based milk if using. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. While this is happening, prepare the vegetables. 

4/ Blanch the tenderstem broccoli and asparagus in boiling water for 1-2 minutes only. Drain, pat dry and set aside. 

5/ In a bowl, combine the smooth ricotta (or tofu) with minced garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Spoon this onto the bases of the tartlets (or tart). Then divide and arrange the vegetables on top. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of feta (if using). 

6/ Return the tartlets to the oven and bake for a further 10-12 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the cheese begins to lightly brown. 

7/ Serve with some fresh herbs of your choice!

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Looking for a crunchy salad recipe? Make this cabbage salad: https://medshieldmom.co.za/crunchy-cabbage-salad-thats-delicious-and-filling/