Beetroot , Feta and Almond Salad ...

To me salads need to have fresh and tasty components that are colourful and comforting too, but more importantly not over 'mayonnaised'. I find here in South Africa that every braai has potato salad 'dripping in mayo' , coleslaw 'dripping in mayo', pasta salad 'dripping in mayo' which just wreaks havoc with my low carb living.

I therefore inevitably arrive with the healthy salad and this is a favourite ...

Preparation & Cooking time : 1hr cooking & 15 minutes preparation
Serves : 2

Difficulty : 2/10

You will need:
For the salad :
500gr baby spinach leaves
4 x medium fresh beetroot
1/4 large english cucumber
200gr Danish Feta
a handful of raw almonds

For the dressing :
50ml Avocado oil
50ml Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch crushed black pepper

Method:
For the salad:
- Boil the beetroot for 1 hr on the stove or until soft but firm when pierced with a knife
- leave beetroot to cool for an hour in the fridge
- slide your finger over the beetroot in a pulling motion and the outer layer will now peel off , do this to all the beetroot until completely clean and shiny.
(I do this under running water to prevent my hands from being stained , you can also use latex gloves from the drugstore/pharmacy)
- cut beetroot into wedges
 - cut cucumber into slivers
- rinse baby spinach and leave to drip off excess moisture
- cut feta into cubes and set aside

Place all the ingredients except the nuts and feta into a salad bowl and toss together
For the Dressing :
Place all the ingredients into a jug and blitz with a stick blender for 2 minutes , pour into a jug and serve alongside the salad.
Plate the salad in a serving bowl , sprinkle over the feta and almonds and cover with a generous amount of dressing.

Et Voila!

I just love this luscious salad with the bold sweetness from the beetroot , the salty contrast from the feta which is rounded off with a slightly zingy dressing ...it's yum!

** cooks note - 
You can also use walnuts which are lovely crunchy and buttery in flavour.

HOT CHOCOLATE DIPPERS ...

There is always the chance that you have forgotten to get a Valentine for your loved one , well in my case I currently don't have a 'special person' but I do have many single friends.

This year I decided to make these fun 'HOT CHOCOLATE DIPPERS' and call them a 'hug in a spoon' after all nothing comforts a lonely heart quite like chocolate ...right?
Now thanks to this cute little numbers I can either offer my friends some comfort in a mug at my place or alternatively give them a hug to go ... cute hey!

They are super easy and here is what you will need:
- 1 x 500gr slab dark cooking/coaters chocolate
   (this has a higher melting point than normal chocolate)
- 1 x 200 gr white cooking/coaters chocolate
- 6 x disposable spoons (wooden or decorative plastic)
- 1 x mini muffin pan
- 1 sauce pan/pot
- 2 x glass bowls that can fit ontop of pot
- 2 x wooden spoons
* whatever you choose to pack them in

Method:
- Put your pot on the stove with a little water and place on high , turning down as it begings to boil and let it simmer.
- Place the first glass bowl on top of the pot , break the white chocolate into the bowl and using the wooden spoon stir contiunuously as the chocolate melts ( do not leave this unattended the chocolate will burn).
- Once completely melted pour a little into the bottom of each of the 6 mini muffin moulds and leave to strat settting
- place the secong glass bowl on the pot over the simmering water , break in the dark chocolate and melt completely whilst stirring in rapidly.
- leave the dark chocolate to cool slightly
- pour the dark chocolate over the white chocolate and leave to set slightly
- as the chocolate starts to set , push the spoons into the two layers of chocolate , the white chocolate which has almost set should keep the spoons standing straight up.
- place in the fridge for 10 mins , remove and pull out your fabulous and yummy chocolate spoons ....or better known as a 'hug in a spoon'

Serve alongside a warm mug of milk , the spoon gets dunked in and slowly the chocolate melts ... you can then stir it all together using the spoon ...fabulous!
Hmmmm chocolate..... comforting goodness!

As a gift:
Place a spoon into a cellophane bag , pull together and tie with a gorgeous ribbon.

** Notes: I found my chocolate at Checkers Hyper for approx R16/slab and the spoons were in the party section at R12.95

Stuffed Tomatoes ...

I have a passion ro rosy , red and lovely ripe tomatoes , yes indeedy! I am one of those very strange people that could eat an tomato like an apple in no time at all ...yummy!

I guess it will come as no surprise then that I also love stuffed tomatoes , I learnt how to make these from watching my mum .. I tweaked things a little to suit my lifestyle (no wheat , low carb) and now I'm sharing it with you today ... enjoy!

Stuffed tomatoes

Preparing & Cooking time - 50 mins
Serves: 2 - 4

Ingredients:
4 large but firm tomatoes
500gr extra lean beef mince
1 clove garlic
1 Tsp ginger
1 extra large egg
2 Tbsp psyllium husk / you can substitute with 1 slice bread ( which has been softened with a little milk)
1 pinch garlic salt
1 pinch crushed black pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch paprika

For the topping:
4 small cubes of cheddar cheese

Method:
- hollow out the tomatoes and cut the flesh you have removed into a bowl ( set these aside)
- in the bowl with the tomato flesh place the mince , garlic , ginger , spices and the egg. Mix the ingredients together and add the psyllium husks and leave to stand for a minimum of 10 minutes.
- preheat your oven to 180'c
- take the mince mixture and stuff the tomatoes

- place the tomatoes on a baking tray and bake at 180'c for 20minutes
- place the block of cheese on top of each tomato and bake for a further 5 - 10 minutes. The cheese will melt over the tomato and turn a golden brown
- serve between 1 - 2 tomatoes per person with either vegetable or a salad side dish.

Cooks notes -
** I enjoy cutting sweet potatoes ( yams) into chips (fries) and placing them around and between the tomatoes whilst cooking. The chips are lovely and crispy and they get covered in the tasty juices from the tomatoes.

Grilled Plum and Nectarine Crostata

I love quick easy and rustic food on a hot summer day ands nothing hits the spot more than a light dessert made with local and seasonal fruit. I recently saw this recipe n the Food Network and I love Giada De Laurentiis so I thought why not give it a bash!

Preparing & Cooking time :1 hr 25 min

Homemade Pizza Sauce ...

In my circle of friends store bought pizza's have become a no-no not because they are bad , but rather they just don't taste as good as the real deal made at home with fresh tomato sauce in place of tinned tomato paste.

I have become somewhat infamous for my tomato sauce and so today I have decided to share it with you.
Preparing & Cooking time - 15 - 20 minutes
Serves: 2 - 3 pizza's

Ingredients:
1 tin canned tomato and onion
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pinch mixed herbs
1 pinch salt
1 pinch crushed black pepper
1 clove garlic minced
50gr tomato paste
A splash of balsamic vinegar

Method:
- put the oil and herbs in a saucepan and allow to heat up
- add the rest of the ingredients
- allow the ingredients to simmer for 10 - 15 mins and reduce the liquid
- add a splash of balsamic vinegar and allow to cool

Cooks notes -
** I love to add freshly chopped basil to the sauce when I am alone , it makes it fragrant and enhance the flavour of the tomatoes

Did you know?
Tomatoes are a neutral food and alkaline , they only turn to an acid once cooked!
If you struggle with indigestion and ulcers , take care and limit your intake of cooked tomatoes.

So there you have it, my favourite tomato sauce for pizza ... Enjoy!