Road To Health

In preparation for my 15kg weightloss challenge, I made some salsa to eat with my foods as I needed some healthy accompaniments to my meals. I love making this salsa as it is versatile, easy to make and tastes delicious. This particular recipe is similar to a traditional Mexican Salsa Roja and goes so well with enchiladas, tacos, nachos and fajitas. My preferred option being the Nachos as I love to serve it with delicious Cajun spiced Braai Meat. My mouth is watering at the thought of it. Here is the recipe, I encourage you to try it out. You can store it in your fridge for a few weeks but it doesn't last that long!!


Ingredients:

•  6 large tomatoes, cut into quarters (You can use any kind, I prefer big juicy plum tomatoes.)
• 2 Large Red Bell Peppers, de-seeded and halved
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 large green chillies
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• Himalayan Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• A drizzle of Olive oil, don't be shy but dont be very heavy handed either.
• 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder

This is a super easy recipe and a super yummy snack! It's egg and i'm saying its yummy so you better believe it! :-)

My mom showed me how to make this. It was a firm favorite growing up. Its simple and so satisfying. I just love to eat it with a variety of veggies. I would usually have had it with spicy tomato spaghetti and veggies with white sauce. But since we are trying to make better choices I decided to make these with some wholewheat pasta with onions ans peppers and some roasted veg.


Ingredients:

• Chicken cut into pieces, I used 4 legs and 4 thighs, removed all skin and trimmed any excess fat.
• 3 cloves of Garlic, thinly sliced.
• 1 sprig of Rosemary (I was out of fresh so used 1/2 tsp dried Rosemary)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbslp Coconut Oil

I used:
4 Chicken legs and thighs, skinned and washed them.
1 tsp Ginger & garlic paste
3/4 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Tumeric Powder
1 tsp Tandoori Paste
1/2 tsp Crushed Chillies
1 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tblsp Tomato Paste

Pre- heat the oven to 180°. Combine all ingredients into a paste and marinate chicken with this. I recommend you let the dish marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. Transfer to an oven- proof dish. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 15 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of baking, I turned the oven to grill, this helps to achieve that traditional "tandoor" charring. Once its done, Garnish with some fresh Coriander and some Garam Masala.



I used:
1 medium Cauliflower head.
1/2 tsp Tumeric
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Tikka Paste
1 tblsp

Heat a wok with 1 tblsp Butter, I would usually use coconut oil but i'm all out so i'm using Butter. Chop up the cauliflower in to florets, braise in the butter and add the spices and tikka paste. Stir fry it until all the cauliflower is equally covered in spices. At this point, I turn the stove down to low heat and cover with a lid so that it can steam lightly. I like to have my cauliflower slightly cruncy but my husband likes it cooked all the way through so that's how I made it today.




I also made some Roti's for the family to enjoy. I do this very simply by mixing 2 cups of flour with 1/8 cup of oil and a pinch of salt. I then add enough boiled water to make a soft pliable dough. I bring it together with a fork so that I don't burn my hands. I leave the dough to rest for 1/2 an hour and then I start making dough balls, roughly golf ball sized. Meanwhile I heat the frying pan. I like to have 2 rolled out already before I begin "frying" them. The pan needs to be very hot in order for the roti's to cook quickly and to puff up nicely. I dry fry them as prefer them to their oily alternatives and they need to be rolled REALLY thin so that they are light and airy. I had a little helper too!