Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish made from a short-grained, starchy variety of rice called Arborio rice. The technique for making it is called the risotto method, which involves stirring small amounts of hot stock into the rice a little at a time, allowing the liquid to be absorbed slowly and during the whole process of cooking. For a perfect risotto, start by adding the rice to a non-sticky pan and let it get brown, stirring continuously. The Italians name this process “tostatura”.For a healthier twist add quinoa or barley, for example. These cereals are good sources of protein and fiber, and by adding these you can reduce the amount of risotto rice and increase the variety of food in your plate. They also add an interesting texture and flavor.

These recipe is a good source of:

• fiber that may be fermented in the gut, feeding the friendly bacteria and promoting better overall health
• antioxidants which helps your body to fight against free radicals and reduce risks of getting many diseases.

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This recipe is also a:

• weight loss friendly food because it is high in protein and fiber, and has a relatively low glycemic index value.
• Vegan and gluten free

 
Ingredients (4 portions):

• ½ glass risotto rice
• ½ glass quinoa
• 1 glass frozen peas
• 2 handfuls of mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small red onion
• 1L Stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Black pepper
• Oregano
• Sea Salt
• Asparagus

 
Method:

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan add risotto rice and quinoa. Let it toast and stir it continuously.
2. Prepare the vegetable stock on a separate pan.
3. Add frozen peas to the vegetable stock and add small quantities to the rice and stir it until water is absorbed. Then, continue adding more water, small amounts each time letting the rice cook.
4. On a separate pan, add some olive oil, red onion and garlic. Let it cook until onions become soft. Add sliced mushrooms and oreganos, a pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Stir the mushrooms, let it cook until soft and add to the rice.
6. Add more stock if necessary and stir it. Once the rice is cooked, set aside for 5 minutes before serving.
7. As a side, cook some asparagus with olive oil, sea salt and garlic on a non-sticking frying pan.

Suggestion: For the stock, prefer home-made stocks, they are usually healthier. You can use some celery, spring onions, carrots, bay leaves, salt and pepper to create a delicious stock.
If you are not a vegan, you can make chicken stock from previous juices and gelatin from left overs of roasted chicken. Just simply added some water and adjusted the seasoning by adding some salt, black pepper and bay leaves.

​Enjoy! :)

Do you like to impress your other half or your friends with a delicous dish? This recipe could be the one! It's an italian inspired dish with nutritious ingredients and very easy to prepare. It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare...and voila! The final touch is sliced cherrie tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

Nutrition tip: This recipe contains calcium from the cream, vitamin D from the mushrooms and iron from the spinach. These are essential nutrients to keep your bones strong and healthy. Plus the vitamin D will help your body to absorb the calcium. It's a perfect combination.

Diet advice: If you are trying to lose weight, replace the single cream for cottage cheese. It's lower on calories and fat, rich in protein, and will still give a good flavour.

Ingredients (2 portions)

• 500g gnocchi
• 1L boiling water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp pesto

Sauce

• 1/2 red onion
• 125g mushrooms
• 100ml single cream
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp roasted garlic powder
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp plain flour

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• 2 handfuls spinach
• 2 handfuls cherrie tomatoes
• 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

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1. Boil gnocchi for 2 minutes and remove water. Add the pesto, stir it and set aside.
2. Peel, chop and saute the onion in a frying pan.
3. Chop the mushrooms, add to the pan and stir it.
4. Season with pepper, garlic, salt and stir it.
5. Add the single cream and plain flour and stir it.
6. Let the sauce cook for 3 minutes.
7. Add the sauce to the gnocchi and stir it.
8. Add the spinach. Put the lid on and let the steam cook the spinach slighlthy.
9. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and sliced cherrie tomatoes.

​Enjoy! :)

Tuna salad with chickpeas is my type of fast-food meal. For those days, where I don't prepare anything for lunch and I'm very hungry. It's a last minute meal but balanced that requires just a few minutes of preparation. It always helps having in the cupboard some tinned food (tuna, chickpeas, beans) for days like this.

This salad brings me memories from my childhood, my mum used to make chickpeas and salt cod salad (in Madeira). It's much more delicious that way! However, far from home, we can't get salt cod so easily. This salad is a different version adapted for the ingredients I can get here in the UK. It also has addition of new ingredients, like celery and avocado. The celery gives a crunchy and fresh flavor. The avocado can be mixed into the salad or served separate (as follow in the picture), it enriches nutritionally the recipe and contributes with a smooth texture which contrasts well with the crunchy of the celery.

Nutrition fact about chickpeas: chickpeas is a legume, high in fiber and protein. They are also a good source of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, like calcium, iron, phosphate, magnesium - important nutrients for the bone health.

Diet advice: Eating chickpeas and other legumes, like beans, lentils and peas can help you to manage your weight and satiety. This is because these foods are high in dietary fiber. The fiber takes longer to digest, in comparison with plain carbohydrates (e.g. plain rice, pasta or mashed potato), making you feel full for longer, reducing your appetite and thereby lowering overall calorie intake.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 120g drained tinned tuna in brine
• 240g drained tinned chickpeas
• 1 boiled egg
• 1/4 red pepper
• 1/4 green pepper
• 1 stick of celery
• 1 gratted carrot
• 1 small onion
• 1 small bunch of fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 small avocado

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1. Peel and dice the onion. Put it in a mug with hot water to remove some of the acidity.
2. Chop some fresh parsley.
3. Boil the egg.
4. In a salad bowl, put the onion, parsley, tuna and chickpeas drained.
5. Chop the peppers, celery and grate the carrot. Add into the salad bowl.
6. Add chopped egg and olive oil. Mix altogether.
7. Serve with sliced avocado (or chop the avocado and mix with the salad).

Vegetarian dishes can be so tasty and fulfilling. You don't need to be a vegetarian to eat vegetarian food. I'm not a vegetarian, but I love vegetarian and vegan food. It requires more thinking, if you are not used to cook vegetarian dishes. However the end result might surprise you! The majority of us eat more meat than we should. The British Dietetic Association recommends we should eat no more than 70g of red or processed meat a day! This is slightly smaller than the size of the palm of our hands. Including vegetarian meals in your diet have some advantages:

• Healthier: vegetarian dishes are a great way of increase the amount of vegetables in your diet. Vegetables contain vitamins and minerals essential for the good function of our bodies and can also prevent from diseases
• Cheaper: meat or fish are usually a lot more expensive than pulses or vegetables, specially frozen vegetables and dry pulses
• Helps with losing weight: if you are trying to lose weight, eating vegetarian can help you. Usually vegetarian dishes, based on beans, lentils, peas are lower in calories comparatively to a meat based dish (obviously depends on the amount of fat that is added into the recipe)
• More creative: cooking vegetarian might help you to become more creative, thinking about ways of cooking delicious food, using different kind of vegetables. It's also a good opportunity to try new vegetables

Nutritional tip: Beans, peas and lentils (which are all types of pulses) are good alternatives to meat because they’re naturally very low in fat, and they’re high in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Diet advice: Try to go vegetarian at least a day a week to cut down your red meat intake. Include different kind of pulses: beans, lentils, peas. Mixing at least two different kind of pulses and adding lots of vegetables will give you the amount of protein your body needs. You don't need to buy just fresh vegetables. It can be a waste, if you don't use it all. Frozen vegetables are also good and you can keep them for longer in the freezer and add to your dishes whenever you need them.

This week, I cooked a roasted vegetable & lentil lasagna. It was delicious! Roasting the vegetables enhanced the flavor and the lentils blended the filling together and also added extra flavor. I used red split lentils, they are very quick to cook and also perfect for soups or stews. I used lots of herbs, like rosemary and oregano - they are my favorites for roasts. I also used onion and garlic powder, however you can use fresh.

To cook this dish, you will need:
Ingredients (serves 6):
Vegetables

• 1/2 butternut squash
• 2 courgettes
• 1 aubergine
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp rosemary
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder

​Lentils

• 1 cup of dry lentils
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tsp salt

Bechamel sauce

• ​3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• 700ml skimmed milk
• 1 tbsp mixed spice (cinnamon, cumin, coriander, pepper)

125g fresh mozzarella cheese
9 lasagna sheets

Method:

1. Peel and dice the vegetables
2. Put the vegetables on a roasting tray
3. Add the seasoning (all herbs, salt and olive oil)
4. Roast the vegetables for 30 min at 220C
5. In the meantime, wash the lentils and cook it in boiling water until very soft (approximately for 15 min) on a separate pan
6. Prepare the bechamel sauce: add butter and flour to the pan, mix until you get a roux. Add milk and mixed spice. Keep stirring until it boils. Make sure it's lump free (if not, use the stick blender to make it smooth)
7. When the vegetables are cooked, add the cooked lentils and mix it
8. On a tray, add a ladle of bechamel sauce on the bottom, align 3 lasagna sheets and add a ladle of the vegetable mixture. Pour over another ladle of bechamel sauce, then add the vegetables and another 3 lasagna sheets. Repeat the process one more time, with the last layer being pasta. Slice the fresh mozzarella cheese and add on top
9. Put it in the oven at 200C for 35 minutes

​Enjoy! :)

S. Valentine's day arrived so quickly! Are you planing to do something special? If you need some ideas, I would suggest a homemade cheesecake with raspberries and blueberries to give the right colour for this day. You might want to match it with some roses on the table or a red tablecloth.

This recipe is one of my Valentine's favorite. This is an easy and quick recipe to do.

Ingredients: (serves 6)
Biscuit base

• 150g digestive biscuit
• 60g butter

Cheese filling

• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 250g Philadelphia cheese
• 100g icing sugar
• Vanilla essence or lemon juice is optional

Topping

• 2 tbsp of raspberries
• 2 tbsp of blueberries

Method:
For the biscuit base
1. Crumble the biscuit in a food processor or by hand, using a plastic bag and a roll until get a fine texture.
2. Mix the butter (at room temperature) with the crumble to make it stick together
3. Line clim film on a pie tin
4. Lay the biscuit on the bottom of the tin and with your fingers, fill up all the empty spaces.

For the cheese filling
1. Mix the Philadelphia cheese with the mascarpone cheese and stir it with a stick blender, adding the sugar. Keep stirring until you get a light texture. You can add lemon juice or vanilla essence for extra flavour.
2. Pour the cheese over the biscuit
3. Goes into the fridge for 4h (at least)
4. Display the berries on top before serving

Brussel sprouts is one of those vegetables you either love it or hate it. I’m on the lucky side, I love them! It’s a seasonal vegetable, typical on winter and not just on Christmas day. If you are also one of those who loves Brussel sprouts and warm salads, why not try this water-mouthing salad? It’s a healthy and delicious recipe.
Roasting the Brussel sprouts with cinnamon, coconut oil will bring out the flavour. You might be surprised how tasty these little cabbages are!

Diet advice: Brussels sprouts are a good source of protein, iron and potassium, and also offer other benefits that can boost your overall health.
Brussels sprouts, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contain sulforaphane, a phytochemical under basic research for its potential anticancer properties. Although boiling reduces the level of sulforaphane, steaming and stir frying do not result in significant loss.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 500g brussel sprouts
• 1 aubergine
• 1 red onion
• ¼ ginger
• 1 cup mushrooms
• Handful cherry tomatoes
• ½ yellow and ½ red peppers
• ½ cup uncooked red lentils
• 80g flaked almonds
• 200g chicken breast
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Salt
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Rosemary
• 1 tsp paprika
• Lemon juice, half a lemon

Method:

1. Put the brussel sprouts on a roasting tray, add cinnamon, salt and coconut oil, and roast them for 25-30 minutes
2. Boil the lentils during 20 minutes in boiling water and salt
3. Add coconut oil to a wok pan and when it’s hot, add ginger, black pepper and red onions cut in quarters 
4. Add sliced peppers, aubergine and cherry tomatoes. Stir it
5. Add mushrooms and season it with salt, black pepper, balsamic vinegar and rosemary
6. Add roasted Brussel sprouts and the cooked lentils
7. Grill the chicken breast seasoned with salt, paprika, black pepper and lemon juice
8. Add the flaked almonds on each plate when serving.

 
Enjoy :)
 

Some winter days deserve to be celebrated with a warm & healthy breakfast, all in one pan. There are many different ways of eating eggs, and this one is one of my favourite. It’s a very nutritious and filling meal, with good sources of high quality protein. Perfect start for a great day!

Diet advice:  Eggs are a very good source of inexpensive, high quality protein. More than half the protein of an egg is found in the egg white. The whites are rich sources of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper. The yolk is source of cholesterol and healthy fats.
An egg contains around 77 calories, 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of healthy fats.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 eggs
• handful black olives
• half red pepper
• 1 courgette
• 1/2 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• pinch of salt & black pepper
• fresh parsley
• tomato sauce
• handful cherries tomatoes
• handful of mushrooms
• handful of sweetcorn

 
Method 
1. Wash and chop all the vegetables 
2. Put olive oil on a pan and add all the veggies 
3. Add tomato sauce, seasoning and parsley 
4. Add 1/2 cup of water and put lid on the pan, let it cooks for 5 min
5. Add the eggs and lid on
6. Turn the hob off in 2/3min if you want runny eggs, if not, let it cook for more 2min

Bon Apetite :)

What I like the most about cooking is to surprise the ones I love with amazing flavors. 
In the middle of a busy day around the house, I managed to cook a quick and delicious dish. The secret for this recipe was to to caramelized the red onion, before adding the chicken. I also sliced some fresh peppers and sliced vine tomatoes to be added to the wrap. The decision of not cooking these, enriched the recipe with crunchiness, flavors and vitamins.

I used herb wraps, however you can try wholemeal wraps to increase fiber content of your diet or if you prefer to cut down the carbs, you can easily replace it for little gem lettuce.

Ingredients (4 people)

• 500g chicken breasts, sliced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp red pesto
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 bay leave
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 4 herb wraps 
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 vine tomatoes, sliced

1. Dice the onion and add to the pan with olive oil. Let it caramelized.
2. Add the chicken breast, seasoned with thyme, garlic, bay leave and paprika. Let it cook, stirring occasionally.
3. Put the lid on the pan. Let it cook for 20 min, add the pesto and stir it.
4. Let it cook for another 10 minutes. Make sure the chicken is entirely cooked.
5. Slice the peppers and vine tomatoes and put them on a side.
6. Prepare the wraps - you can warm them on a pan for 30 sec each side. Fill the wraps with chicken and some of the sauce, add peepers and vine tomatoes. Roll it and enjoy it :)