Work long hours? Time starved? Sick of eating trashy takeaway? This recipe is not only healthy, but it is very quick and easy to make - you might even be able to slip in a gym session after work before preparing this meal!
Salmon has long been regarded as a healthy food source for those seeking a healthier diet. Not only is salmon high in protein (approximately 39g per serving - great for building lean muscles), it is rich in omega-3 (assisting in decreasing the rate of muscle-protein breakdown and improve recovery after a workout).
Similar to salmon, eggs are packed full of protein and serves as a great recovery booster after a big workout. The protein is housed in the white of the egg, but the nutrients are housed in the yolk - so no, please don't disregard the yolk! The runny yolk can also serve as a natural dressing for the fish and no dressing is needed for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 150g to 300g salmon fillet (typically 150g for ladies and 300g for gents)
- 1 bunch asparagus spears
- 1 uncooked egg
- 1 small wedge of lemon
1. Season the salmon fillet well with salt flakes and fresh cracked pepper on both sides. Heat skillet.
2. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Reduce the water to a simmer then slowly place egg into the water to avoid cracking and allow it to cook for 2 minutes. Remove egg and immerse in a bowl of icy cold water to stop the cooking process.
3. Discard boiling water and bring another pot to the boil.
4. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the hot pan and place the seasoned fillet in the pan. Cook until the thickest section of the fillet is 1/4 cooked through (for medium cooked - adjust to your liking).
5. Flip the fillet over and continue to cook until only the centre of the fillet is pink. Add asparagus spears to the boiling water and simmer for approximately 1 minute. Drain the asparagus.
6. Serve the salmon fillets on a large serving plate with the asparagus on the sides, a wedge of lemon and the half boiled egg.
Bon appétit!
xx
So recently, I have been trying to change my old eating habits. Bad eating habits to be exact. As a foodie I find that extremely difficult as above all, I like tasty food and we all know, food cannot be healthy and tasty at the same time. As a matter of fact in the food-world, most would agree that these two concepts are mutually exclusive and cannot co-exist. Not true.
The secret is in substitution. I have discovered that by exerting a bit of creativity you could substitute bad ingredients, with cleaner alternatives. My current favourite is substituting dressing (and sauce) for natural low fat Greek yoghurt with a squeeze of lemon juice and a handful of fresh chopped herbs! You could even jazz that up a bit more by throwing all that, and some avocados in a food processor until you have a delicious dressing/dip that just about goes with anything!
This day, I was looking for a substitute for pasta - another one of my favourites. After much research online I discovered that zucchini could work as pasta substitute. How? Here's a very simple recipe for my guilt-free 'spaghetti bolognese'.
(Note: I am not big with measuring and I cook with intuition so the following measurements are estimates only and can be adjusted according to your personal preferences)
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchinis
- 400g minced lean beef
- 2 x 400g can of diced tomatoes
- 4 tbs tomato paste
- 1 small brown onion
- 1/2 cup of roughly chopped basil
- 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
The fun part is making the 'pasta'. A good friend recently gifted me with the perfect Christmas present for my new-founded clean-eating hobby - a mandolin (or slicer). All you need to do is:
1. Slice the zucchini lengthwise (tip: keep the skin and discard the seedy middle bit) then shred the sliced zucchini lengthwise until you have long strips of spaghetti-looking zucchini.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is soft and brown. Add the mince and cook until browned.
3. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and half the basil. Simmer for 15 minutes until you have a nice thick sauce. Stir in the remaining basil.
4. While simmering the pasta sauce, bring a pot of water to the boil, toss the zucchini in and turn the flame down so that the water is just simmering. Wait for one minute (for firmer, more 'al dente' pasta). Drain the zucchini with a colander (tip: the zucchini retains water so place a piece of kitchen paper in the colander with the zucchini and leave it there for a while to soak up some of that excess water).
5. Divide the 'pasta' on serving plates and top it generously with the sauce.
6. Garnish - food presentation is important and we eat with our eyes first!
Bon appétit!
xx
