May 18, 2020
Pumpkin Falafels
Add roasted pumpkin to your homemade falafels. Enjoy them in a salad, stuffed inside pita pocket, or on their own.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium red onion , finely chopped
- 800g chickpeas , canned, rinsed and drained
- 750g pumpkin , roasted and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , crushed
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 whole fresh red chilli , finely chopped
- 2 tbs fresh coriander , chopped
- 2 tbs fresh flat-leaf parsley , chopped
- 150g plain yoghurt
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- Olive oil spray, 1 x 3 second sprays
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 220°C. Lightly spray a non-stick saucepan with oil and heat over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 8-10 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a plate.
- Process chickpeas in a food processor until a chunky puree forms. Mash pumpkin in a large bowl. Add onion, chickpeas, 2 garlic cloves, cumin, coriander, chilli, coriander and parsley. Shape mixture into 12 balls and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Bake falafels for 20-30 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, combine yoghurt, lemon juice and remaining garlic in a small bowl. Serve falafels with yoghurt dressing.
NOTES
- Great served with mixed salad leaves.
- If you don’t have a food processor, using a fork or masher for the chickpeas works well.
- For the yogurt, you can use dairy free versions to keep this meal vegan or try making a dairy free version yourself – recipe here
- Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 40 min Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients 700–800g chicken breast (raw) 2 cups cooked lentils 3–4 small beetroot (about 400g total) 6–8 cups rocket (arugula) or spinach 2 cucumbers (sliced) 1 small red onion (thinly sliced) 2 tsp olive oil (total) Juice of 1–2 lemons Spice rub 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp paprika 3 garlic cloves (minced) Salt + black pepper Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Coat chicken with spices and garlic. Grill, bake, or pan-cook with minimal oil until cooked through. Slice. Step two - Prepare The Beetroot Roast at 200°C for ~30–40 min (or use pre-cooked), then slice. Step Three - Build The Bowl Divide greens, lentils, beetroot, cucumber, and onion across 4 bowls. Top with protein Add sliced chicken evenly. Step four - Dress It Lightly Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over each bowl. Step five - Serve & Enjoy Toss lightly if desired, or keep layered for presentation. Serve immediately while the chicken is warm for the best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 - 40 minutes 450 kcal | 7g Fat | 53g Protein | 37g Carbohydrates
Ingredients 100g smoked salmon ½ large avocado, sliced 2 boiled eggs (soft or hard, halved) 1 cup baby spinach or mixed leafy greens ½ cup cucumber, sliced ¼ cup asparagus (lightly steamed or raw shaved) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional) Salt & black pepper to taste Fresh dill or parsley (optional) Method Step one - Boil the eggs Bring water to a boil, add eggs and cook: 6–7 min for soft-boiled / 9–10 min for hard-boiled. Cool, peel, and halve Step two - Prepare greens Wash and dry spinach/greens, place in bowl. Step Three - Prep veggies Slice avocado and cucumber. Lightly steam asparagus if desired. Step four - Assemble bowl Arrange smoked salmon, eggs, avocado, cucumber, and asparagus over greens. Step five - Dress it Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Step six - Finish & serve Add herbs and pumpkin seeds, then serve. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 7–9 minutes (for boiling eggs + optional asparagus) Total time: ~15–18 minutes 620 kcal | 48g Fat | 37g Protein | 11g Carbohydrates
Ingredients 250 g fresh sardines, cleaned and patted dry 1–2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Sea salt, to taste Freshly cracked black pepper Instructions Step 1 - Heat the pan Place a non-stick or stainless-steel pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to warm (not smoke). Step 2 - Cook the sardines Lay the sardines gently into the pan in a single layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until the skin turns lightly golden and releases easily from the pan. Step 3 - Season simply Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper while cooking or just after removing from the pan. Step 4 - Serve immediately Transfer to a plate and enjoy warm. Optional: If you're not doing an offical sardine fast, a great addition is to serve with fresh lemon with added chilli and parsley flakes. Nutrition and Cooking Times | Cook time: 5-7 minutes Serves: 1-2 Nutrient Value (per serving): Calories: 520cal | Protein: 62g | Fat: 38g | Carbohydrates: 0g |