Crispy Chorizo Salad

Last weekend I was looking for some inspiration to cook something new. I was after something bright and colourful and full of flavour . Whenever I am in need of inspiration I take myself out to my favourite cafes and trawl the menus looking at different flavour combinations and dishes that I could tweak a little to put my own spin on it and make in the comfort of my own home.

This little creation was inspired by merging two cafe salads into one. Crispy chorizo, char-grilled asparagus, roasted capsicum and marinated feta on a bed of baby spinach, drizzled with a lovely tangy vinaigrette. How good does that sound? Pretty awesome right?

Well let me tell you, it tastes damn good too.

I love the colour in this dish, the ease of the dish and the nutrient density of the dish. It wins on all counts. So here it is, a simple cafe inspired salad that you can prepare in the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the price.

Recipe – serves 2

Ingredients:

1 chorizo, sliced thickly

1 bunch of asparagus

1 red capsicum, sliced into 4 (core removed)

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 jar marinated feta

2 handfuls of baby spinach (or rocket)

Dressing:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp djorn mustard

1 tsp dried oregano

Pinch of salt for taste

Method:

Preheat the grill on your BBQ to smoking hot.

Char-grill the chorizo slices, capsicum cheeks and asparagus for 2-3 minutes each side. Then allow to cool.

Place a handful of spinach on each plate.

Add the char-grilled chorizo, capsicum and asparagus to the spinach, along with the onion and then sprinkle with feta. Add some sunflower seeds for extra crunch if you like.

In a small container, add oil, vinegar, mustard and dried herbs. Shake until well combined and then drizzle over the top of the salad. Sprinkle with a pinch of Himalayan salt for taste.

Before you dig in, take a picture of your cafe quality creation and post it on social media to inspire all your friends to make this dish too.

Enjoy!

The Best Brownie Secret Ever

Want to know how to make your brownies so deliciously moist and sweet without loading the mix with refined sugar and butter…..the trick comes in adding an unlikely ingredient in the form of sweet potato. Sweet potato adds a lovely natural sweetness along with a whole heap of nutritional goodness that typical brownies usual don’t offer. I first came up with recipe as a way of trying to get my cherubs to eat more vegetables. I add vegetables to everything. Some creations work, others not so much. But this one is winner every single time I bake it.

This recipe is a great option for a ‘safe school snack’ as it contains no nuts and will provide stable energy throughout the day due to a balanced combination of complex carbohydrates and health fats. The kids will have absolutely no idea that the main ingredient is a vegetable. Winning!

Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potato, finely grated (2 cups) with the moisture squeezed out
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3 tbsp coconut flour

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 185°C
  2. Combine potato, eggs, vanilla, honey and coconut oil in large mixing bowl and stir together
  3. Add cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda and stir
  4. Finally add in coconut flour and stir until well combined
  5. Pour mixture into square cake tin
  6. Cook for 25-30 minutes
  7. Cool in tin for 10 mins prior to cutting and enjoying.

For an added element of deliciousness, mix together 1/2 cup melted organic dark chocolate and 1/4 cup coconut oil and pour over the top of the cooked and cooled brownie cake. Place in the refrigerator to set before cutting.