I have a new friend, who is wheat and nut intolerant. Suddenly I have developed a cautious sense of reading labels, discovering wheat in the strangest of products, from toasted seeds (yes Melissa’s toast their seeds with wheat…) to teriyaki and oyster sauce. (more…)
The turn in weather, especially the disappearance of the sun, which always makes autumn seem more gloomy, evoked cravings of something warm and hearty for lunch, instead of the cold protein shake I have been having every day.
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The flavour of a simple butternut soup can be completely transformed by a few ingredients and two different takes on pesto.
Both the Italian pesto cream and unusual Thai inspired coconut and sesame pesto enhance the flavour and texture and add a glamorous “soupçon” to the menu
I have two Lisa’s to thank for this yummy recipe:
Lisa Brink (Delicious!) who came up with the easy concept of Mediterranean style lasagne without having to make a white sauce
Lisa Raleigh who is a low-fat, free range, organic vegetarian and wrote my last guest blog without scaring off my customers ( I anticipated suggestions of 500 squats after each Italian class).
With easy –to- shop- for ingredients, this recipe is simple enough for your domestic worker to make and ALL the ingredients are used leaving no wastage and NO pots!
Add a small ready roasted free range chicken, flaked, for a mid-week meal or halve the recipe and only add chicken to your husband’s portion if you must.
It’s also painless to halve the entire recipe as it’s only the lasagne that cannot be halved without waste
We all love the decadence of an authentic Italian meal, but few of us can enjoy it guilt-free whilst well aware that we are tucking into a creamy, rich and carbo-crammed meal.
The good news is: if you choose your options wisely and enjoy these dishes in moderation, there are plenty of legitimate health benefits for you to enjoy!
Calcium
High quality cheeses like Parmesan and Romano are typically used in traditional Italian dishes.
Whilst it is only a small amount that stands to benefit you, a dashing of these delicious cheeses will give you bone-strengthening calcium whilst adding richness to your meal.
Cooked Tomatoes
A staple in almost any Italian dish, cooked tomatoes have extra credibility over their raw counterparts.
The levels of the powerful antioxidant lycopene increase as they are heated, banishing free radicals with every bite of that bolognaise.
Olive Oil
Traditional Italian dishes often provide us with an excellent excuse for glugging that olive oil into sauces and pastas, but remember it is only raw olive oil that holds health benefits for you. Enjoying it as an appetiser with fresh bread, drizzling it over your salads and pastas or using it in homemade pesto are all excellent ways to improve your heart health. It is still high in fat though, so do your best to enjoy a maximum of one teaspoon per meal.
Garlic
This immune-boosting entity is excellent at warding off illnesses as it has antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiprotozoal properties. It is almost a given with any delicious pizza and pasta, so enjoy using this as a well-deserved excuse for garlic breath!
So there you have it. Even the most decadent and delicious foods can have healthy benefits if you enjoy them correctly – the proof is in the pasta!
Written by
Lisa Raleigh, TV personality, Author, Lifestyle and Wellness expert.
www.lisaraleigh.co.za
lisa@lisaraleigh.co.za
@LisaRaleighSA – twitter
Youtube- LisaRaleighTV
This is such a speedy and fuss free way to prepare midweek chicken.
It’s packed with flavour and the dish is versatile enough to be served with salad in summer or vegetables and potatoes in this chilly weather.
Don’t be easily misled by “light” coconut milk labels.
Check the nutritional content first, you may be surprised to find that some brands like SPAR regular coconut milk is lower in fat than other brands “light” coconut milk!
Fresh fig salad
I have been working on my Italian. By this I’m referring, of course, to food. I had a rather short-lived adventure into the language and made a decision to keep my upcoming menu in English only!
Figs are abundant. This very Mediterranean delicacy is catching on in South Africa and I am delighted to find that the availability increases every year.
So the Italian word for fig is FIGA, or so I thought. It’s actually FICA derived from Figa and while Figa sounds exotic and strong (Feeeega!), I found out soon enough that it’s it is also very offensive.
This was never intended as a recipe to be posted on my site, it was a quick fix meal I decided upon as I was exhausted from a weekend away.
Monday nights are usually my quick easy and healthy nights and we have stir fry’s, salads and meat -free meals.
The smoked chicken breasts at Woolworths caught my eye, as a result of their new packaging and I decided to make an easy salad.
I also found a nifty new salad pack with strips of butternut and red onion so I knew I would not have to do much work.
I assembled the salad early as I planned to go out for a late afternoon glass of wine at a friend but the salad was so delicious I started to eat it off the plate and ended up grabbing the camera before I finished it all.
My poor hubby ate alone that night, and I could not resist sharing this perfect mid- week summer meal with you.
