We bring you 4 meals that are totally out of the box! Give it a try to realise just how easy eating healthy really is.
1) Lentil Tomato Soup with Olives and Spinach
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup dried brown lentils (or green lentils)
5 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 fire-roasted tomatoes
Black pepper
4 cups chopped spinach
3/4 cup roughly chopped olives
Preparation:
Preheat a pot with some olive oil and sauté the onions till translucent.Add the garlic, paprika and thyme.
Add the broth and lentils with some salt and pepper. Put a lid on it and bring to boil. Once it starts boiling, turn the flame to medium and continue for 25 minutes and stir occasionally, until the lentils are almost soft.
Crush the tomatoes and add them to the dish. Simmer on low heat and add the spinach and olives to keep stirring till the spinach is velvety and wilted.
Serve hot with Multigrain Bread and Olive Oil!
2)Eggplant with Tomato and Basil
Ingredients:
1cup basmati rice
Salt and black pepper
1tablespoon olive oil
1chopped onion
Chopped cherry tomatoes
1eggplant cut into ½-inch pieces (1 pound)
1½teaspoons curry powder
1½ cup chickpeas
½cup fresh basil
¼cup plain low fat Greek yoghurt
Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, put in the rice, 1½ cups water, and ½ teaspoon salt and bring to boil
Simmer for 18 minutes with the heat on low. Meanwhile heat some oil in another saucepan and sauté the onion till translucent.
Add the eggplant, tomatoes, curry powder, salt and black pepper. Cook and stir till fragrant andtill the eggplant is tender.
Stir in the boiled chickpeas and cook till well-heated. Take out the vegetables and include the basil.
Serve hot with the rice, vegetables and yogurt (optional).
3) Vegan Pumpkin Curry
Ingredients:
3 to 4 pounds pumpkin
1 and half medium chopped onions
1 whole chopped red pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric1 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons red curry paste
Salt and pepper
2 cups water
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
Preparation:
Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut it into roughly 1/2-inch cubes.
Combine the pumpkin, chopped onions, red peppers, spices, water, and coconut milk in a blender. Once it is coarsely blended, put it in a cooker and cook till pumpkin is very tender. If it’s too watery, you can remove some of the liquid.
Season the curry with pepper, salt and cilantro. Served best with brown rice!
4) Spicy Cauliflower Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
1 cauliflower
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, thinly sliced
6 slices fresh ginger
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cloves sliced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450°F and on a baking sheet, spread out the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast until crisp and golden for about 30 minutes.
Make sure to stir the cauliflower halfway through baking.Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the ginger to cook for 2 minutes until caramelized include the onion and garlic, and cook for another 2 minutes. Make sure they do not burn.
Turn up the heat to high, and add the cauliflower and cook for 30 seconds.Add the crushed red pepper flakes, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar.
Toss everything together, stir-fry for about 1 minute, and serve with brown rice.
