Healthy Eating

Pumpkin Soup

This immune boosting pumpkin soup combines extra vegetables with some added herbs and spices to help boost your immune system and fight off those winter nasties

INGREDIENTS:

500g – 1 kg of pumpkin. I used a combination of Jap and Butternut.

2 potatoes peeled and diced

2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced

1 brown onion peeled and finely diced

2 cloves garlic crushed

2 carrots roughly chopped

2 sticks of celery roughly chopped

1 litre of vegetable stock. For my vegetable stock recipe click here: https://thecontentedlife.com.au/2015/08/25/recipe-stock/

METHOD

  • Preheat oven at 200 degrees celsius
  • Remove skin off the pumpkin and cut into chunks
  • Place in a baking tray lined with baking paper and drizzle with olive oil and some pink Himalayan salt
  • Cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until it is soft and tender and slightly brown. Cooking time will depend on your oven
  • Meanwhile prepare all the other vegetables
  • When the pumpkin is cooked, remove from oven
  • Add onion and garlic to a soup pot together with a little olive oil. Fry until fragrant and transparent
  • Add in pumpkin then add in 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tbs cumin, 1 tbs tumeric, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp curry powder. Mix to combine
  • Add all the other vegetables and cover with the vegetable stock. You can add some water if necessary.
  • Continue to cook for approximately 20 minutes. I reduce the heat and cook for additional time to develop the flavour but if you are short on time, it is ok to eat now.
  • Using a hand bar mixer with a soup attachment, blend the soup until it is smooth. You can also use a blender or similar tool but allow the soup to cool slightly before blending.
  • Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh corriander
  • This is a perfect meal to make in bulk and have for some meal options at work

Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry with Organic Udon Noodles

A stir fry is a really quick and simple way to prepare a wholesome meal full of a variety of vegetables, maximising your nutrient intake in one meal!

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Ingredients:

Vegetables:

  • 1 onion, halved and sliced
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 capsicum
  • 1 zucchini, halved and sliced on diagonal
  • 1 carrot, halved and sliced on diagonal
  • 4 mushrooms sliced thinly
  • half broccoli, heads either broken or cut
  • 1-2 sticks celery, cut
  • cabbage of choice
  • spring onions (green shallots)
  • any other vegetables you like

Protein of choice. Tonight we used chicken but you can use beef, lamb, pork or just have it as a vegetarian dish if you wish.

Sauce:

I tend to mix it up a little but tonight was;

  • 1-2 tbs soy sauce
  • 1 tbs hoisin sauce
  • 1/2tbs oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tbs sesame oil

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Method:

  • Add 1 tbs of coconut oil (or oil of choice) into a cool wok. Add in the garlic and onion. Cook until the onion is transparent. You don’t want the garlic or onion to brown as it will become bitter and start losing their immune boosting properties.
  • Remove them from the heat.
  • Add the chicken and cook until browned. Remove from heat.
  • Add in the harder vegetables (so in this case I kept the cabbage and spring onion to the side). Cook for about 2 minutes. Add a small amount of water and let them steam to lock in the nutrients but make them a little softer.
  • Add the onion, garlic and chicken back in.
  • Add in the sauce and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Throw in the udon noodles (prepared earlier according to packet instructions, usually just boiling), and the softer vegetables (cabbage and spring onion). I also throw in a handful of raw cashew nuts for some extra crunch.
  • Cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Top with some fresh coriander and serve.
  • Enjoy

 

 

Zucchini Fritters

Ah! Zucchini Fritters. These little delights really are my go to for a quick and easy meal. You can combine as little or as much as you like so they have the potential to become a nutritional powerhouse for Breakfast, lunch or dinner. There really is no right or wrong way to make these either so they are the perfect meal to cook where you to start tailoring to your own tastes, including any favourite ingredients and avoiding any you don’t quite enjoy. Get creative, mix it up and discover how you like them!

 

 

Ingredients:

Must haves:

  • 1 zucchini grated
  • 1 – 2 eggs

Optionals (mix and match or make up your own):

  • 2 – 3 cherry tomatoes, sliced finely
  • small amount of capsicum slice finely
  • small amount of red onion diced
  • handful baby spinach sliced finely
  • 2 mushrooms sliced

you can also add;

  • 1 tbs self raising flour or other flour alternative of choice
  • cheese of choice; parmesan, feta or good old tasty cheese
  • any other vegetable you desire

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Method:

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Be sure you mix the egg thoroughly (you can beat with a fork or whisk prior to adding all other ingredients)
  • Spray a pan with olive oil or use butter if you like.
  • Place a spoonful of mixture in the pan. Cook each side for approximately two minutes
  • You can eat these by themselves or serve with a good leafy green salad.
  • You can make them ahead of time and prepare for meals on the road, for lunches to take to work or they are simply perfect as a complete meal on days that you just don’t have the time or energy to cook. Much quicker, easier and more cost effective than takeaway and you are filling your body with the good stuff it craves! Win Win!!

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