Recipes – Page 8 – MedshieldMOM

Low-Calorie Side Dishes For The Festive Season

These three side dishes not only look great and taste delicious, but they’re low in calories and high in nutrients. Serve them up at holiday harvest tables or as part of your Christmas menu. Recipes are also air-fryer friendly.

Low-Calorie Side Dish 1: Grilled Lemony Broccoli

What You Need:

1 head of broccoli sliced into large chunks (or 400-500g) tenderstem broccoli
1 tbsp olive oil
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red chilli flakes

Method:

1/ Place all the ingredients in a large ziplock and shake together to coat. Either grill in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 – 15 minutes or on the grill setting in the airfryer (but check contents to make sure edges don’t burn).

Low-Calorie Side Dish 2: Grilled Asparagus and Tomato

What You Need:
250g – 300g asparagus stems
250g – 300g baby tomatoes
¼ cup pine nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Garnishing:
1 tbsp nutritional yeast or 2 tbsp grated Parmesan (optional)
1/ Place all the ingredients in a large ziplock and shake together to coat. Either grill in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes or on the grill setting in the airfryer (if using the air fryer, add pine nuts afterwards).
2/ Garnish with lemon zest and juice and sprinkle with nutritional yeast or Parmesan.
Zest and juice of half a lemon

Low-Calorie Side Dish 3: Roasted Lemony Fennel

What You Need:

3 – 4 large fennel bulbs, quartered, trimmed (reserve some of the fronds for garnishing)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 whole cloves garlic (optional)
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/ Place all the ingredients in a large ziplock and shake together to coat. Either grill in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes or on the roast setting in the airfryer (cook until edges are golden and the centre is soft, but not falling apart).

2/ Squeeze out the soft roasted garlic and spread it on the base of a platter. Top with fennel bulbs and garnish with chopped fresh fronds.

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Fluffy Gluten-Free Flapjacks For The Holidays

These puffy little flapjacks are perfect for tummies sensitive to gluten and you can add berries or bananas to the mixture to amp up the nutrients and taste factor. This recipe is also dairy-free and can be made vegan.

These flapjacks will be a hit around the breakfast table – for those intolerant to gluten or not. They are puffy, soft and tasty and make for a great addition to the holiday brunch or breakfast rotation.

This recipe includes a small dosage of a sweetener of your choice, but you can also opt to leave it out or add 1 small mashed banana instead.

Holiday hack? Prep the mixture the night before so that it’s ready to go first thing in the morning!

What You Need:
1-2 tbsp maple syrup or honey (optional)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (like avocado oil)
1 XL egg or 1 x flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
1 tsp xanthum gum (if your flour does not include it)
1 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
¾ – 1 cup oat milk
½ cup fruit of your choice (blueberries, chopped strawberries, banana)

Method:

1/ Whisk together the syrup, oil, egg and vanilla essence until well combined.
2/ Slowly add the dry ingredients and then add the milk until smooth. Stri in your fruit.
3/ Allow the mixture to stand for at least five minutes and then set your non-stick pan over a medium heat. (You shouldn’t need to add oil with your non-stick pan, but you could add a light coat of coconut baking spray).
4/ Spoon out rounds of batter and flip once bubbles appear and it’s browned on the underside.
5/ Serve with toppings of your choice, such as a berry compote, maple syrup, nut butter, more fresh fruit or even eat just as it is!

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Healthy Christmas Menu Hacks

Have festive season fun and indulgence while maintaining a healthy lifestyle with these healthy Christmas menu hacks.

Whether you’re on a weight-management programme or you’re just keen to eat healthier – or stay eating healthy – this festive season, we have some healthy Christmas menu hacks for you and the whole family!

Christmas menus are often seen as super indulgent and can often lead to “food comas”, indigestion, hangovers and more. But with these hacks, you can feel celebratory while feeling good too. Here are our healthy Christmas menu hacks.

Always have jugs of water on the table. Sparkling water with fruit decor can feel “fancy” or a beautifully prepared water jug with cucumber, mint and strawberries not only looks festive, but tastes great too.
For every glass of wine, have a glass of water. This subtle “rule” allows you to still have the wine you want, but ensures you’re hydrated along the way.
In South Africa Christmas is at the height of summer and while traditional Christmas meals are heavy – think roasts and gravy – they were designed for the West’s cold Christmases. When planning your table, add more light dishes: salads, consomme (cold soup), fresh herbs and flavours. Try this festive strawberry salad recipe.
Christmas tables often also include bread. Instead of butter, add some healthy spreads to the table, like hummus or baba ganoush. Check out these three ways to pimp your hummus, here.
Have you heard of the “meat sweats”? Christmas tables can be laden with three to four different kinds of meat. For a healthier, lighter lunch that’s just as fancy, swap out meat for fish. Think: whole trout on the braai, salmon gravlax or even shellfish, like prawns or mussels. Add a vegetarian “main” into the mix too, like a butternut and spinach wellington, a nut roast or a vegetarian lasagne.
When it comes to dessert, instead of heavy puddings, make fun ice lollies! Get the kids involved the day before and blitz watermelon into a juice or make your own flavours with fruits like kiwi and basil or strawberry and basil. These will go down a hit and are a nice light, fresh way to end a meal on a hot summer’s day.

For more healthy recipes, click here. Looking for more plant-based meal swaps and ideas? Click here.

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Easy, Affordable Vegan Bolognaise Recipe

We’re celebrating World Vegan Day this November with another heart-healthy plant-based recipe that’s affordable and easy to make: vegan bolognaise!

The trick to this recipe is to treat the process similarly to how you’d make a regular mince bolognaise, but add a few more flavour elements. This recipe uses affordable, healthy brown lentils and not a plant mince substitute. The texture of the lentils works well, plus nutritionally, the lentils are a great source of both fibre and protein.

Vegan Lentil Bolognaise Recipe

What You Need:

Olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
¼ tsp each ground cumin and ground coriander
1 tsp each dried oregano and dried thyme
1 large carrot, peeled and finely cubed / chopped (or grated)
½ cup finely chopped/ cubed brown mushrooms
2 x 400g tins brown lentils, drained and rinsed
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes (or 6-8 tomatoes, diced)
2 cups of vegetable stock
1 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To serve:
Cooked pasta of your choice
Fresh chopped basil or Italian parsley
A drizzle of olive oil (optional)
Pinch of nutritional yeast (optional)

Method:
1/ Sauté the onion in olive oil over a medium to low heat. After a few minutes, add your garlic and spices and dried herbs and continue to saute for a further couple of minutes, until fragrant.
2/ Add your chopped carrot, mushroom and lentils to the pot and stir occasionally for about 3-4 minutes.
3/ Add your tomatoes, stock and balsamic vinegar. Allow to simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Taste test before seasoning with salt and pepper. If the acidity is too high from the tomatoes, add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda, stir in and simmer for a few more minutes.
4/ Serve bolognaise with pasta of your choice, herbs and an optional drizzle of olive oil and pinch of nutritional yeast. We also recommend serving your pasta with a green salad.

Our #MedshieldMovement site is packed with healthy, tasty recipes. Looking for another lentil or plant-based recipe to try? Make this healthy lentil bobotie.

For a list of easy plant-based food swaps, click here.

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Easy Plant-Based Food Swaps For World Vegan Day

1 November is World Vegan Day! Including more healthy plant-based options into your diet may help lower your risk of lifestyle disease and improve things like: digestion and energy levels. Plus it’s better for the planet. So if you’re looking to add more plant-based meals into your diet, here’s a list of easy swaps to get you started.

If you’re never done a “Green Monday” before or perhaps you come from a meat-heavy family background, thinking of how to prepare a plant-based meal may feel daunting. But these days – thanks to the wide range of products available – it’s actually super easy. Plus, making simple food swaps can have a significant impact on your health, the environment and animal welfare.
So, #MedshieldMovement here to help you out with a handy list of easy plant-based food swaps. Who knows? Maybe some of them will stick!

Here are seven simple meal swaps that don’t require much effort, but a simple purchasing choice:

1. Swap Beef Burgers for Veggie Burgers. Opt for delicious veggie or black bean burgers that are packed with plant-based proteins and flavours. They’re easy to buy ready-made or to make at home.

2. Trade Dairy Milk for Plant Milk. Replace cow’s milk with almond, soy or oat milk for your cereal, coffee or baking.

3. Choose Hummus Over Creamy Dips. Hummus is a healthier and plant-based alternative to creamy, dairy-based dips. Check out our guide on three ways to pimp your hummus, here.

4. Use Nutritional Yeast Instead of Parmesan. Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavour to your dishes without any dairy. In this lemony asparagus pasta recipe, we show you how!

5. Opt for Avo Instead of Mayonnaise. While you can find vegan mayo on shelves, mashed avocado is a creamy, heart-healthy replacement for mayo in sandwiches and salads.

6. Replace Ground Beef with Lentils. Lentils make a hearty, protein-packed replacement for ground beef in tacos, chilli, and pasta sauce. Try this veggie-packed lasagne recipe!

7. Replace Pulled Pork with Mushrooms. Finely chopped or pulled mushrooms can mimic the texture and flavour of pork in various dishes. If you’re keen on mushrooms, try our mushroom, millet and tofu salad recipe.

If you’re keen to make dietary changes, but not sure how to start, contact your doctor for medical advice or a dietician for a tailor-made nutrition plan that suits your needs. Explore our “recipes” section for more healthy meals to help inspire you in the kitchen.

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Midweek Lemony Asparagus Spring Pasta

Make the most of seasonal spring greens, like your herbs and asparagus and throw together this easy midweek pasta recipe.

If you’d like to make this recipe low-carb, simply swap out the pasta for courgette noodles or cut your own slices (no need to buy the fancy stuff or even use a spiraliser). Simply cut your courgettes into a shape that resembles penne and then lightly boil and then sauté in olive oil. While this recipe is plant-based, you could easily use cow’s milk and add grated Parmesan instead of the nutritional yeast. Short on time? You could also cook the asparagus in an air-fryer or pan, just watch for burning! And check that it’s cooked through but still has a little bite.

What You Need:

Bunch of asparagus (about 150g)
2-3 lemons, zested and cut into slices
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Pasta of your choice, cooked according to package instructions

For the white sauce:

2 tbsp tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic sliced into slivers
2 tbsp flour (a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works just as well)
1-2 cups plant milk (I used oat)
2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast (to your taste)

Method:

1/ Preheat the oven to 190-200 degrees Celsius. Roast asparagus topped with lemon slices, olive oil and salt & pepper for about 20 minutes, until tender with a slightly charred.

2/ While the asparagus cooks, prepare your pasta according to package instructions and make the white sauce.

3/ Start by sautéing the garlic slices in the olive oil until just cooked. Add the flour and stir to combine and immediately start adding the milk, a little at a time, constantly stirring. Make sure to get the lumps out (a whisk works best). When you have the desired volume and consistency, add the nutritional yeast and a squeeze of lemon juice.

4/ Stir your cooked pasta into the white sauce to coat. Once your asparagus is cooked, remove from the oven and slice into bite-sized pieces then add these to the pasta and sauce mix. Garnish with lemon zest, seasoning and more nutritional yeast (or Parmesan).

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Easy Tomato, Chickpea and Aubergine Stew Recipe

This vegetarian meal is great for meal-planning as it keeps really well in the fridge for up to four days. It’s also easy to mix up: serve it one day as a warm bowl with quinoa, couscous or brown rice, the next in a pita with some tzatziki and hummus, on grilled sourdough slices with a drizzle of olive oil or alongside an added portion of protein, like a chicken breast.

What You Need:

Olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp smoky paprika
½ tsp chilli flakes (or ras el hanout spice blend)
2 medium-large aubergines, sliced into 2-3cm pieces
1 tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tins chopped tomatoes (or 6-8 freshly chopped tomatoes)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to season
Fresh basil or Italian parsley, for garnishing (optional)

Method:

1/ Heat a large pot over medium heat. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil inside and then sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and a little extra olive oil as needed and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes.

2/ Add your aubergines and stir to coat in the spices and slightly cook the outsides. Aubergines suck up liquid quickly, so add another tablespoon of olive oil. After 2-3 minutes, add the chickpeas and tomatoes. Stir to combine.

3/ Add 1 to 2 cups of water, to cover the vegetables, and set aside to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4/ Once the vegetables have cooked through and the mixture is thick, remove from the heat.

5/ Taste test and season accordingly. (hint: if your mixture is too acidic from the tinned tomatoes, add a ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda and stir it in, to help neutralise.)

6/ Garnish with herbs and serve.

Enjoy!

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Easy pak choi, pea and rice vermicelli stir-fry

This stir-fry is a celebration of Spring green veg and is a great week-night meal to make because it cooks in less than 15 minutes.

Rice vermicelli is a thin rice-based noodle that cooks really quickly. Simply soak in boiling water for a minute to two and then add to your stir-fry pan with the rest of the ingredients. Stir-fries are meant to be cooked in a hot pan, so it’s advisable to get all your ingredients chopped and ready to go, because once the cooking starts, it all happens quite quickly. Do not overcook the greens.

What You Need

1-2 tbsp sesame oil
150g protein of your choice (tofu cubes, chicken breast slices)
1 brown onion, peeled, sliced into 1cm thick rounds
200g-300g pak choi
100-120g sugar-snap peas
100g bean sprouts (optional)
100-120g vermicelli
Coriander leaves, for garnishing
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnishingFor the Stir-Fry Sauce:
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tsp freshly chopped green chillies
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp sesame oil

Method

1/ Heat your wok to medium-high heat and put the kettle on to prepare the noodles.

2/ Add 1 tbsp sesame oil to your pan and once it’s hot, add the protein of your choice. Cook until just ready and then remove and set aside on a plate. (Don’t forget to soak your noodles according to the package instructions).

3/ Add a second tablespoon of sesame oil and add the onions. Sauté for one minute. Add the sauce and then the rest of the veg. Add a couple tablespoons of water.

4/ Once the veg has just wilted, add the noodles. Stir-fry for a further couple of minutes, making sure that everything is coated.

5/ Serve immediately, garnished with coriander and toasted sesame seeds.

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Low-Carb, High-Protein Broccoli And Trout Week-Night Dinner

This is a quick-and-easy, healthy 15-minute meal to whip up during the week. This recipe is also low in carbohydrates and high in protein, thanks to the fish and the broccoli.

This recipe requires one pan and can literally be made in 15 minutes. While this recipe uses a head of broccoli, you are welcome to replace it with tenderstem broccoli instead. You can also mix up the green veg to include other greens, such as mange tout, sugar-snap peas, courgettes and asparagus. Essentially you want to cover a 30cm pan with green veggies.

Local trout is a more sustainable and more affordable alternative to salmon. We recommend using hot-smoked or smoked trout, which means that the fish is already cooked and just requires heating up. If you choose to use lightly smoked trout, keep in mind that you will need to cook the fish for a little longer (we recommend 4 minutes a side).

You could also prepare this entire meal in the airfryer. This works ideally in a dual airfryer (such as the Alliance Dual Air Fryer) where you can cook the broccoli separately to the fish, but one could work well too, you’ll just add the fish after for a few minutes (choose the grill setting). This recipe serves 2.

What You Need:

300g or 1 head of broccoli (or 400g tenderstem)
1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Salt & Pepper, to season
¼ tsp red chilli flakes
180-200g hot smoked trout

Method:

1. Slice the broccoli into bite-sized florets, halved again if necessary.

2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan set over medium-high heat. Add the green veg, pour over the lemon juice, season and add the chilli flakes. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until the broccoli is just cooked, but still bright green. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Add a little more olive oil to the pan if necessary. Place the trout in the same pan and heat for 2 minutes if using the hot-smoked trout (if using lightly smoked trout, see notes above).

4. Serve all together, garnished with lemon zest.

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Roast vegetable and quinoa salad recipe

This warm salad recipe is a great way to use up leftovers and to get your veg in. It also keeps really well in the fridge, so it’s a great option for meal–planning and to take to work in the week for a healthy lunch.

For this recipe you can use a variety of vegetables that are great for roasting. We recommend a mix of colours and textures. For the quinoa, you can use red or white quinoa, depending on what’s available. If you’d like to try an alternative high-protein, gluten-free grain, we also recommend using millet.

What You Need

200g courgettes, sliced
200g red pepper, sliced
200g red onion, sliced
200g, butternut, cubed
1 large twig rosemary
4 garlic cloves, skin on
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper, to season
2 cups cooked quinoa
Italian parsley, optional, for garnishing
For The Dressing:
1 tbsp olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp honey
½ tsp mustard

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius.

2. Place all the prepared vegetables in a roasting tray with rosemary, garlic, olive oil and seasoning. Give it a good stir through and then roast for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your vegetables. (You want the vegetables to be perfectly cooked through.)

3. Prepare quinoa according to package instructions.

4. Mix the dressing ingredients together.

5. Once all the elements are prepared, serve the vegetables on the quinoa. (Remove the rosemary twig and garlic cloves. If you like, squeeze the roasted garlic into the dressing mix. Stir to combine.)

6. Drizzle the dressing over the dish, stir to combine all the flavours. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

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Category: Recipes

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