Hummus is something that I eat every single day without fail! I eat it on the side of main meals with salads and cooked vegetables, and it's also one of my go-to snacks. I like to have some peeled chopped carrots in the fridge so when I'm feeling peckish, all I have to do is open the fridge, take out the hummus and carrots and devour! I also like to have it with rice cakes when I run out of carrot sticks and I'm too lazy to peel more!
These healthy baked tortilla samosas are a lighter take on the much loved south Asian classic pastry. As well as using tortilla wraps instead of phyllo, they're also baked instead of fried making them even better for you! Typically associated with Indian cuisine, but did you know that samosas are believed to be derived from the Middle East? They were first mentioned in Iranian historian Abolfazl Beyhaqi’s work where he referred to them as 'sanbosag'. They're now popular in many countries around the world. I grew up in the Middle East where we have our own version of samosas, aka Sambousek. Usually filled with minced meat, or the vegetarian version filled with cheese, spinach and herbs. The version I grew [...]
A delicious way to enjoy broccoli. You'll never be bored of broccoli again once you try this smashed chilli garlic broccoli. It's so delicious and you can change it around with different flavours and toppings. Anything smashed seems to be all the rage at the moment. It started with potatoes, then moved on to sprouts, now there seems to be a smashed version of every veggie! The trend has spread for good reason - smashing your vegetables and roasting them just seems to make them 10x more tasty and moreish! Especially when flavoured with things like butter, garlic and in the case of this recipe chilli and crunchy seaweed. I don't think I'll ever want to eat broccoli any other [...]
This smooth and silky vegan cannellini bean dip is great to have on the side of meals, as a snack, or even for breakfast on toast! I eat dips on a daily basis - usually in the form of hummus or Baba Ganoush. I find them an easy way to dress up salad and plain vegetables. Especially on busy days when I don't have much time planning my meals and to cook vegetables in fancy seasonings and sauces. Even though I'm a self confessed hummus addict, every now and then I fancy something a little bit different. Something like this vegan cannellini bean dip. The The recipe is basically exactly the same as the one I use to make [...]
*This post is sponsored by Quorn* Mouth-watering nachos layered with Quorn Crunchy Strips, salsa, guacamole and vegan cheese. Super easy to make and perfect for a speedy healthier ‘fakeaway’. I’m not going to lie, I am partial to a takeaway. My partner and I sometimes order in on a Friday evening and it’s something we both look forward to from time to time, particularly if it’s been a stressful week. I’m the one who usually prepares meals and as a food blogger who spends most of my days thinking about recipes, testing recipes and creating recipes for content, I like to give myself the day off cooking on Friday nights. It’s always nice to have someone cook for me for [...]
If you've followed me for a while you'll know that I grew up in the Middle East and so the cuisine and the flavours associated with it hold a special place in my heart. There are so many amazing ingredients and tastes that can help brin healthy meals to life without having to use too much of the other ingredients that make food taste good, namely oil, salt and sugar! Za'atar is one ingredient I can't get enough of. It's typically used as a flatbread/Arabic pizza topping, but it's also amazing as a convenient and yummy seasoning for vegetables, meats and dips. The easiest way to enjoy za'atar (a herb mix which you can now find in most major supermarkets!) [...]
A slightly different take on the traditional Middle Eastern dip. This anti-inflammatory turmeric hummus is an easy way to get some extra goodness into your body, especially when served with a side of fresh vegetables! Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is shown to have potential anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. I use turmeric in many of my recipes and it's always one of the main ingredients in my curries. I also add it to soups, smoothies and I even use it to make a warming golden latte. Supporting our immune system is more important than ever now that we’re all trying to get back to some sort of normality. Kids are back in school and more [...]
Tefal ActiFry Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Sauce * This post is sponsored by Tefal * A delicious side or snack, this roasted cauliflower with lemon sauce recipe is so easy to make and a good way to add vegetables to any meal. Roasting vegetables is by far my favourite way to cook and eat my five-a-day. It adds so much richness to and flavour to them without having to use many ingredients or flavours. Just a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper is enough to bring any vegetable to life and make them taste 10 times better! Out of all the vegetables, cauliflower is my favourite one to roast (brussel sprouts is a very close second!). I find I can [...]
Chilli Butternut Squash Soup Up until recently I've never been a huge soup fan. I just didn't grow up eating much soup, apart from lentil soup (my fave), so it never appealed much to me. However over the past few weeks I found myself actually craving soups, so I started to buy ready made soups when doing my weekly food shop. I'm usually a cold meal kind of person and I'm not usually fussed whether a meal is hot, room temperature or cold, but recently my body has been craving warm food. Comfort foods mainly. Stews, curries, porridge...and soup! I decided to try making my own instead of relying on ready made soups. They're fairly easy to make, cost a lot less and [...]
Vegan Avocado Pesto Grilled Cheese A grilled cheese sandwich with a twist. The twist being this vegan avocado pesto grilled cheese toastie is SO MUCH BETTER than a plain cheese toastie. Add avocado to any sandwich and instantly it's ten times better! Especially when paired with pesto and cheese. Since reducing my dairy intake, I haven't really missed cheese all that much. The one thing I hear most from people who cut out dairy from their diet or go vegan is how much they miss cheese. I've never experienced that; however, I do crave a bit of cheese every now and then and this vegan avocado pesto grilled cheese is the ultimate way to satisfy such a craving. As I mentioned in my previous [...]
