Red Lentil Veg Curry

Chat Leave a comment March 27, 2019 nutritionadsa

Our latest NutritionConfidence recipe, created by registered dietitian Alex Royal, is a delicious Red Lentil Veg Curry, filled with veggies, herbs and aromatic spices.

We love lentils. Not only are they a great plant protein (containing the third highest levels of protein of all legumes and nuts) but they are also a great source of soluble and insoluble fibre, folate and magnesium, which all contribute to a healthy heart!

This recipe is super easy and quick, so ideal for weeknight dinners and the leftovers are great for a work lunch the next day. 

INGREDIENTS (serves 1)

1/2 cup red lentils, raw, making 1 cup cooked

2 handfuls baby spinach

1/2 small onion

1 large tomato

1 clove garlic

Salt and pepper

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tbsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

Fresh chopped chilli (to your taste)

1 tbsp olive oil

Fresh coriander

PREPARATION

Boil the lentils until tender.

Finely chop the garlic & fry in the olive oil, at medium heat, in a large pot. 

Add the spices, salt, pepper and chilli and fry for about 5 minutes.

Chop the baby spinach, onion and tomato. Add into the pot and fry on low for 5-10 minutes.

Mix the lentils into the mixture.

Top with coriander.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Per serving:

Energy: 245 kCal

Carbohydrates: 23g

Protein: 10g

Fat: 14g

 

Spicy Tofu Bowl

Chat 2 Comments February 20, 2019 nutritionadsa

Our first NutritionConfidence recipe for 2019 is a delicious  bowl of food that is high in fibre, low in saturated fats but full of heart healthy fats. The ‘Spicy Tofu Bowl’ created by registered dietitian Julie Perks is dairy, wheat and gluten free and is also vegan with a lovely source of protein. People often  don’t include tofu in their diet as they don’t know how to cook it or flavour it. We love how the spicy chilli sauce in this recipe lends a wonderful taste to the tofu that makes the bowl really delicious as a lunch or light dinner.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1)

Marinade:

1 tablespoon chilli sauce (I used sriracha)

½ teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoon soya sauce (or Tamari for Gluten Free)

Salad Ingredients:

100g Tofu

1 cup spinach

½ medium avocado

½ cup black beans

1 small carrot, spiralized

5 baby tomatoes

1 tsp sesame seeds

Picked Radish & Onion:

¼ red onion

2 radishes

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon water

½ tsp sugar

Pinch of salt 

METHOD

Slice radish and onion finely and place in a small container with the other pickling ingredients and leave to stand until serving. The longer the onion and radishes pickle for, the softer they will become.

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Make the marinade with the chilli sauce, olive oil and soya sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Add the tofu to the marinade and once covered well, place onto a baking sheet.
4. Place the tofu in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
5. While the tofu is cooking, start preparing the salad bowl by placing the spinach at the bottom of the bowl, followed by the spiralized carrots, tomatoes, black beans, pickled radish and onions and avocado.
6. After the tofu has been in the oven for 10 minutes, turn and cook for a further 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and add to the tofu bowl.
7. Garnish with lemon juice.

Nutrition Information: Per serving

Energy: 1225 kJ Protein: 14g Carbohydrate: 25g Of which, total sugars: 2,2 g Fat: 17g Fibre: 11g Sodium: 200,4 mg

NEW Recipe: Lettuce & Pea Soup

Chat Leave a comment July 7, 2017 nutritionadsa

Our latest NutritionConfidence recipe is from the authors of Food for Sensitive Tummies, registered dietitians Cath Day and Gabi Steenkamp. A perfect winter warmer Lettuce & Pea Soup.

We love this recipe because it is a really smart way of including green leaves into your eating routine during the cold winter months! A great starter for a dinner party.

 The dietitians say:

• This delicious soup contains a whopping 4 vegetable servings, making it a really healthy meal and gets you very close to your 5 a day quota.
• In addition, it is high in fibre, making it the perfect meal for helping sensitive tummies keep regular. The fibre comes from the peas, chickpeas and the lettuce.
• The benefits of increasing your fibre intake for gut health is well documented – healthy gut = happy you!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

5 ml         butter (1t)

5 ml         olive oil (1t)

3 leeks    well washed and sliced with the green tops

1 ml         dried crushed garlic (¼ t)

2.5 ml     salt (½ t)

1              head of butter lettuce, finely sliced

250 g      frozen peas (1½ c)

1.25 L     boiling water (5 c)

15 ml      chicken flavour or vegetable stock powder (1 T)

125 g      tinned chickpeas (½ x 410 g tin, drained)

125 ml    chopped parsley (½ c)

METHOD

1. Melt the butter and olive oil together.
2. Add the leeks and crushed garlic and salt.
3. Sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes until soft.
4. Add the sliced lettuce and the peas.
5. Add boiling water and stock powder.
6. Boil for 5 minutes uncovered.
7. Add the chickpeas and heat through.
8. Add the parsley and liquidize until the soup is smooth.
9. Reheat before serving.
10. Optional: serve with one slice of bread with avocado as a topping, per serving (½ avocado is equivalent to 2 fats)

NUTRIENTS PER serving (200 ml of soup)

Energy                                   740 kJ

Protein                                   6.7 g

Carbohydrates                     28.0 g

Total sugars                         6.2 g

Added sugar                        0.0 g

Total Fat                                3.1 g

Saturated fat                         0.8 g

Fibre                                      6.4 g

Sodium                                 773 mg

One serving is equivalent to ½ carbohydrate, 1 protein and 4 vegetables.

FOOD FOR SENSITIVE TUMMIES

Do you suffer from winds, burping, cramps, heartburn, constipation and/or diarrhoea as well as bloating? Then the book, “Food for Sensitive Tummies” is for you! Having a sensitive tummy or super sensitive tummy (irritable bowel syndrome) can be one of the most debilitating health issues to deal with. In Food for Sensitive Tummies, Gabi Steenkamp and Cath Day show you how you can cut down on the ingredients and food that cause you problems and still prepare a whole range of recipes that are simple, affordable and delicious to eat. Their recipes also feed your gut microbiome with nourishing food substances important for maintaining health. From fresh and healthy breakfast ideas, to wholesome mains such as Butternut, Aubergine and Rocket Lasagne, cooking for sensitive tummies has never been so easyL 

Food for Sensitive Tummies can be ordered directly from the authors via this page or via email (info@catherineday.co.za or info@gabisteenkamp.co.za).

Lentil, Pea and Sweet Potato Curry

Chat 1 Comment November 2, 2016 nutritionadsa

Food blogger, Taryn Littleton, created this delicious curry for us.

We love the legume and sweet potato combo – both are sources of low glycemic index carbohydrates, rich in slowly digested starch and fibre, helping to control blood sugar levels.

Also, eating dry beans, peas and lentils at least 4 times a week can help prevent chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and overweight, as well as improving gut health.

 

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (crushed)
• 2 carrots, finely chopped or grated
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground tumeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 5 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup reduced fat coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup green peas
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD 

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onions for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the garlic, carrot, ginger, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the potato and lentils and stir to coat with the spice mixture.
3. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, stock, garam masala, salt and sugar, bring to the boil and cover with a lid.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. While the curry simmers, cook the rice.
6. Add the peas to the curry and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander and lemon juice.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Tomato and onion salsa: Combine 2 tomatoes chopped and ½ onion finely chopped. Season, mix and enjoy served with your curry.

Serve on a bed of rice with a dollop of plain yoghurt and with a tomato and onion salsa.

VARIATIONS

• Replace the coriander with fresh mint. Serve with naan bread instead of rice.
• For more nutrients add in a cup of frozen veg.

NUTRITION INFORMATION per serving (excludes serving suggestions, recipe serves 6)

Energy: 1316 kJ Protein: 10.6 g Carbohydrate: 52.0 g Of which, total sugars: 9.4 g Fat: 8.2 g Fibre: 10.0 g Sodium: 302 mg

Source and image: Taryn Littleton for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa

It’s the year of the pulses – try this Lentil Bobotie

Chat 1 Comment October 14, 2016 nutritionadsa

It’s the year of the pulses and the theme of National Nutrition Week is ‘Love your beans – eat dry beans, peas and lentils’, so this delicious Lentil Bobotie, created by chef Vanessa Marx, is the perfect family meal.

We love lentils (and you should too)! Dried lentils are a quick cooking legume, taking just 15 – 20 minutes to cook with no need to remember to soak them beforehand. The also pack a lot of punch, they are: low in fat, high in protein and high in dietary fiber.

Legumes (including lentils) provide a valuable and cost-effective source of protein and other nutrients. A 2010 review by Drenowski of different foods found that beans were among the top 5 classes of food having the highest micronutrient to price ratio, making them exceptional nutritional value for your money.

 

INGREDIENTS

(serves 4)

2 cup lentils, cooked

30ml canola oil

1 onion, peeled & chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled & finely chopped or crushed

20g grated fresh ginger

100g green beans, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 can chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup water

30ml mild curry spice

5ml ground cinnamon

2 bay leaves

2 free-range eggs

1/4 cup low fat yoghurt

2ml ground turmeric

salt & pepper

10g fresh coriander, chopped

2 extra bay leaves

METHOD

1. Put a large pot on the stove on a medium heat and add the oil.
2. Add the chopped onion, ginger & garlic and sauté lightly for about 5 minutes.
3. Then add the carrots, red pepper, green beans and raisins and continue to sweat for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the curry spice, cinnamon and bay leaves and stir in for 2 minutes.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and water and stir in.
6. Cook the sauce for about 15min until slightly thickened and the vegetables have softened a little.
7. Add the lentils and season with salt and pepper to taste and mix in.
8. Put the lentil mixture into an oven proof dish and set aside.
9. In a bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, eggs and turmeric.
10. Pour the egg mixture over the lentil bobotie and place the 2 bay leaves on top.
11. Bake the bootie in the oven at 180ºC for about 20min until the egg custard has set and is slightly golden brown on top.
12. Remove from the oven and serve hot with chopped fresh coriander.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: per serving (recipe serves 4)

Energy: 1441 kJ Protein: 16.1 g Carbohydrate: 49.6 g Of which, total sugars: 24.1 g Fat: 11.0 g Fibre: 14.0 g Sodium: 94 mg

Visit the National Nutrition Week website for more recipes that include beans, peas and lentils!

New Recipe: Veggie Frittata

Chat 3 Comments June 10, 2016 nutritionadsa

Our latest NutritionConfidence recipe (developed by chef Vanessa Marx) is quick, easy, packed with good nutrition, and a versatile choice for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. It may sound exotic but a veggie frittata is really just a fancy omelette mixed with colourful vegetables and cooked in the oven.  Once you get comfortable making a frittata, branch out and make different flavours by swopping in seasonal vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes or spinach.

What the dietitian says: Eggs are a good source of high quality protein. They are also one of the few foods that contain high concentrations of Choline – essential for normal development and linked to improved memory and performance.

This recipe serves 8

INGREDIENTS

6 large free-range eggs

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ a medium onion

½ a red pepper

2 courgettes

100 g mushrooms

100 g mozzarella, grated

50 g feta, crumbled

5 g Italian parsley, chopped

5 g fresh coriander, chopped

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Beat the eggs together, season and set aside.
3. Drizzle the olive oil into a large ovenproof, non-stick frying pan and set over medium heat on the stove.
4. Slice up the onion, red pepper, courgettes and mushrooms.
5. Add the sliced vegetables to the pan and fry until they begin to get a little colour.
6. Add the beaten eggs and the cheese and mix slightly. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for three to five minutes until a crust begins to form on the bottom (do not stir the mixture).
7. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the mixture has set.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the frittata to cool slightly (five minutes).
9. Tip the frittata out upside down onto a board or platter, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and coriander and serve warm.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per slice (8 slices per frittata)

Energy: 527 kJ Protein: 9.5 g Carbohydrate: 3.9 g Of which, total sugars: 2.6 g Fat: 9.6 g Fibre: 0.9 g Sodium: 195 mg

New NutritionConfidence recipe – Stuffed chicken breast wrapped in proscuitto

Leave a comment June 22, 2015 nutritionadsa

We love our latest NutritionConfidence recipe because it is the perfect easy-to-prepare option for a dinner party and is sure to wow guests.

This recipe is for special occasions and can be served with beautiful, seasonal vegetables, which at this time of the year include: asparagus, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, fennel, Jerusalem artichokes, Kale spinach, parsnips, pumpkin, radishes, turnips and watercress.

Our dietitians say:

This is the lower fat version of bacon wrapped chicken breast stuffed with creamy feta and spinach. Leaner or lower fat protein options are used in this recipe – skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs; prosciutto ham instead of bacon; and Danish feta instead of Greek feta. To lower the saturated fat content of this recipe further, use reduced fat soft feta and remove excess visible fat from the prosciutto before cooking. Unfortunately the sodium content of this dish is high – the feta cheese and prosciutto ham being the main contributors. So rather keep this meal for special occasions!

Stuffed chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto

Makes 2 portions

Ingredients

2 free-range chicken breast fillets

100 g soft Danish style feta

100 g baby spinach

10 ml olive oil

4 long slices of prosciutto ham

Pepper

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Zest of half a lemon

How to make it

1. Heat a medium pan on a high heat.
2. Add the olive oil and the baby spinach. Season the spinach with a pinch of pepper, and sauté the spinach until just wilted.
3. Remove the spinach from the pan and put into a mixing bowl to cool. Once cooled, squeeze any excess liquid from the spinach and crumble the feta into the spinach. Add the lemon zest and parsley and mix to combine.4
4. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.
5. Lay two slices of prosciutto onto a chopping board, slightly over lapping.
6. Place the chicken breast on top of the prosciutto slices. Make a lengthways slit down the middle of each chicken breast, to butterfly it. Split the feta and spinach mix into two and stuff one half of the mixture into the chicken breast. Repeat the same process with the other chicken breast and stuff with the other half of the spinach mixture.
7. Roll the chicken breast up, wrapping it in the prosciutto.
8. Use a toothpick to pin and seal the ends of the chicken roll.
9. Put a non stick pan on medium heat.
10. Brown the chicken breasts for about 2 minutes until golden brown, turning them every couple of seconds for an even colour.
11. Transfer the breasts into an oven proof dish and bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and remember to remove the toothpicks.
13. Serve with a fresh seasonal salad or side dish of your choice.

Nutritional Value (per portion)

Energy: 1063 kJ

Protein: 35.2 g

Carbohydrate: 2.1 g

Total Fat: 11.6 g

Dietary Fibre: 2.3 g

Sodium: 1082 mg

To download the recipe card, visit http://www.adsa.org.za

Next week we start with our new series of NutritionConfidence recipes that will be perfect for the coming Winter months.