Simple, Healthy and Cheap Cooking

Homemade Spring Rolls in Oven

Homemade Spring Rolls

Ingredients

1 carrot, grated

1 cup of cabbage, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

200g chicken mince

4 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup tinned water chesnuts, finely chopped

300g frozen spring roll pastry

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp cornflour

Method

Preheat it to 425°F (220°C).

1. Mix grated carrot, cabbage, onion, and water chestnuts, in a bowl.

2. Heat 4 tsp vegetable oil in a frying pan.

3. Cook chicken mince until browned. Stir in vegetable mixture and soy sauce. Cook for 2 minutes. Then, set aside to cool.

4. Thaw spring roll pastry according to instructions. Place a wrapper on a flat surface with one corner pointing towards you.

5. Combine 2 tbs water and cornflour in a bowl. Brush edges of wrapper with cornflour mixture.

6. To make triangles, start by placing your filling in the center of the wrapper, then fold the bottom edge up over the filling to form a triangle. Next, fold the sides in towards the center and continue rolling until you reach the top, sealing the edges with cornflour and water.

7. Place the filled spring rolls on an oiled tray, brush them lightly with oil, and bake for about 20-25 minutes until they are golden and crispy, turning them halfway.

Recipe Stars

Water chestnuts contain a type of fiber called inulin, which can help support digestive health and promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

Sulforaphane, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower may support heart health and blood sugar control.

Quote of The Day

Certain things, they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone. J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

Tortillas, With Mince, Tomatoes and Avocado

Tortillas, with mince, tomatoes and avocado

Ingredients

500g lean beef mince

1 large tomato (or more)

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup mild taco sauce

8 medium burrito tortillas

30g of fajita or taco seasoning.

Method

1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the beef mince and cook, stirring to break up any lumps for 5 minutes or until mince is cooked through.

2 Add the fajita or taco seasoning and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until well combined. Remove from heat.

3 Place the tortillas on a clean board or plate. Spoon the beef mixture evenly among tortillas. Top with avocado, chopped tomato and taco sauce. Roll to enclose filling.

4 Return clean frying pan to high heat. Add tortillas and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until crisp. Serve immediately.

Recipe Stars

Avocados are high in lutein, a dietary component associated with cognitive benefits.

Lean beef mince is a healthy option, as it is high in protein and essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins.

Quote of The Day

Everyone is more or less mad on one point. Rudyard Kipling.

Easy Moussaka

Sauce

2 large eggplants, sliced and browned.

500g-750g lamb or beef.

1 large onion and 2 cloves of garlic

400g can of diced tomatoes or pasta sauce.

Topping

1 cup Greek yogurt mixed with 1 egg and 100g-200g Parmesan cheese.

Optional seasoning: cinnamon, oregano, salt/pepper

Method

1. Brown eggplant slices in olive oil; set aside.

2. To cook meat sauce, sauté onion & garlic, brown the meat, stir in tomato pasta sauce or diced tomatoes, and required spices. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. Layer eggplant and meat mixture in a dish.

4. Spread Greek yogurt mixture on top. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 30-40 minutes until golden.

Recipe Stars

Eggplants contain anthocyanins, which are believed to support neurogenesis by protecting brain cells from oxidative stress and inflammation.

Greek yogurt contains lactic acid, which is produced during fermentation and can aid digestion and support gut health.

Quote of The Day

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

One-Pot Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

Ingredients

1 medium, baked and mashed sweet potato

1 cup of red lentils

1 cup of coconut milk

2 cups of vegetable stock

1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes (about 400g)

Method

In a pot, combine all ingredients.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are tender.

Serve with seeded crusty bread.

Recipe Stars

The fermentation of dietary fibers like those found in lentils creates butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, which can inhibit histone deacetylases (HDACs), which may influence gene expression and cellular functions. This interaction suggests that butyrate may be beneficial to weight management and metabolic health.

Th orange colour of sweet potato (beta-carotene) is converted into vitamin A, which helps protect your vision. Vitamin A and may lower your risk of cataracts and prevent dry eyes.

Quote of The day

I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will. Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

Simple Gado Gado Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

6 tablespoons of natural peanut butter
4 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of lime juice
3 teaspoons of brown sugar
1 clove, of finely chopped garlic

Method

1. In a pan, heat a teaspoon of healthy oil over medium heat.

2. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.

3. Stir in the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar.

4. Mix well and cook for a few minutes until the sauce is heated through and smooth.

Add a bit of water if needed.

To make a Gado Gado salad, pour this peanut sauce over your choice of noodles, bean sprouts, vegetables, tofu, tempeh, boiled eggs.

Recipe Stars

Peanut butter is considered healthy due to its high protein content, healthy fats, and various vitamins and minerals.

A diet rich in vegetables can help lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

Quote of The Day

The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy. Kalu Ndukwe Kalu

Sesame and Peanut Brittle

Ingredients

2 cups of sesame seeds
2 cups peanuts
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp white vinegar

Method

1. Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds in the oven.

2. Put the honey in a non-stick saucepan with the sugar and vinegar. When they have dissolved, add the roasted peanuts and sesame seeds to this mixture and stir continuously for 8 minutes with a wooden spoon.

3. Lightly butter a plastic dish and spread the mixture and even it out. Then rub your rolling pin with butter and flatten the mixture in the dish, making an even slab.

4. Then, butter a knife or pizza cutter and cut the brittle into squares.

Recipe Stars

Peanuts are a food source of resveratrol which has potent antioxidant properties implicated in reducing risk of cancer, cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease.

Sesaminol, a compound found in sesame seeds, may help protect against Parkinson's disease by preventing neuronal damage and increasing dopamine production.

Quote of The Day

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.
Emily Dickinson

Spainish Tortilla

Ingredients

5 eggs
60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
420 g (about 3 small) sebago or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced

Serve with chopped flat-leaf parsley, alioli and lemon wedges

Method

1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes or until softened.

2. Add potatoes and cook for 8 minutes or until tender.

3. Put the potatoes into a colander, reserving 2 tsp oil. Wipe pan clean and reserve.

4. Whisk eggs with ¼ tsp salt, then gently stir into potato mixture.

5. Put the reserved pan and oil over medium heat. Add potato mixture, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring gently, for 4 minutes or until egg starts to set and base is golden.

6. Place a large plate over the pan, then, using oven mitts quickly invert tortilla onto plate. Return pan to heat, and, using a large spatula, carefully slide tortilla back into pan. Using spatula, tuck under edges of tortilla and cook for a further 3 minutes or until set.

Slice into wedges, scatter with parsley and if you wish, add alioli and lemon wedges.

Serve with diced tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and onions, dressed with olive oil and vinegar.

Recipe Stars

Olive oil daily can increase heart health, reduce stroke risk, and protect against some chronic diseases.

Eggs are a rich source of choline, an essential nutrient important for brain health by helping to produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and learning.

Quote of The Day

Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans. Allen Saunders