Potato and Broccoli Soup

This potato and broccoli soup recipe was given by a dear friend I met in Bucharest, Romania.  This is a hearty soup with potatoes, broccoli, onion and garlic.  I like to add some ginger in this soup during the winter.  The ginger would help keep one warm.

Ingredients:

200g potatoes, sliced

100g broccoli, chopped

1 medium brown onion, sliced

400ml vegetables stock or water

2 gloves garlic, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

some cream

some chives

Serves 2

Method:

1.  In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Stir fry the onion, potatoes, garlic and broccoli together for 2 - 3 minutes until soft.

2.  Add in the vegetables stock/water and bring it to a boil, turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 - 12 minutes with the lid cover.

3.  Remove from heat and blend with a hand held blender or a food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Bring it back to the pot(if you are using a food processor) and season with salt and pepper to taste.  The soup is done when heat through.  (You can add some water if the soup is too thick)

4.  Scoop the soup into two serving bowls.  Add some cream and sprinkle some chives on top.  Serve hot with some crispy baguettes.

Healthy Breakfast Sandwich with Salmon, Rucola and Spinach

A healthy breakfast refuels your body, give your body the energy it needs and having healthy breakfasts are the healthy ways to kick start your day.

This healthy breakfast is easy to assemble.  The vegetables can be washed a head of time and place in the fridge so that they're ready to go in the morning.  Rocket(Rucola) and baby spinach are used in this sandwich, but you can replaced them with other greens as well.  Don't fancy salmon?  Then substitute them with low fat lean ham! 

Ingredients:

A hand's full of rocket

A hand's full of baby spinach

4 slices multi grains bread, toasted

4 slices smoked salmon, sliced into smaller strips

4 slices low fat cheese of your choice

1 large tomato, halved and sliced

1 lemon

Freshly ground multi colour pepper

1 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

Serves 2

Method:

1.  In a medium bowl, place the rocket, spinach, tomato and salmon inside.  Squeeze half or 2/3 of the juice over, add in olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and mix them lightly with the hand.

2.  Place the bread on a serving plate.  Lay a piece of cheese on each bread.  Then arrange the mixed salad on top of the bread.  Your healthy breakfast is ready to serve!

Creamy White Asparagus Soup / Deutscher Spargelsuppe

Germany produces a lot of white asparagus.  Both green and white asparagus are actually the same.  It is just that the white ones are not exposed to sunlight.  This spring vegetable must be peel before cooking or raw consumption.  It is low in calories, with good source of folate, potassium, and its stalks are high in antioxidants.  I would prefer to use the white asparagus for soup and the green ones for roasting, stir-fry and and side.

Ingredient:

800g white asparagus

400ml chicken/vegetables stock or water

1 potato, peeled and finely diced

2 gloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, thinly sliced

20g butter

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp heavy cream

pinch of ground cumin

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Spring onion, to serve

Serves 4

Method:

1.  Peeled the asparagus.  cut into 2cm pieces.

2.  In a pot over medium heat, heat the butter.  Stir in onion, bay leaf and garlic and cook until aromatic.  Add in the chopped asparagus, potato and cook for about 10 minutes. 

3.  Take out all the asparagus tips and set them aside.  Pour in the stock, add the ground cumin and continue to cook over low heat for another 20 minutes until the potato and asparagus are tender.

4.  Remove the bay leaf, blend the asparagus and potato until smooth.  Return soup to the pot.  Stir in the heavy cream, add salt and pepper to taste.

5.  Serve the soup with the reserved asparagus tips and sprinkle with spring onion.  Enjoy!

Carrot Cream Soup

A simple, weekend healthy soup with ground coriander and ginger.  Serve with your favourite bread, this can be a great starter or a warming supper!


























Ingredients:
250g carrot
1 onion
2 1/2 cups chicken stock / water
30g butter
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
Serves 2 - 3

Method:
1.  Peel carrots, cut them with onion into thin slices.  Heat butter in a soup pot, add onion and carrot.  Stir over low heat until onion is tender.

2.  Add flour, ground ginger, ground coriander and stir until well combine.  Add chicken stock, stir and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes or until the carrot is tender.

3.  Remove from heat, with a hand held blender, blend until smooth.  Alternatively, blend in a food blender.  Return to heat and add in the cream and season with salt and pepper, stir until heated through.  SServe the soup with some cream.

Banana Walnut Muffins

These healthy banana walnut muffins can be something extra in your kid's lunch box!  Or something to bring along for your next outing!  Most of the ingredients I used in this recipe are organic.  I sometimes make these on Saturday night and we then have them for breakfast on the next day.  



Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic wholemeal plain flour

1/2 cup organic white flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup organic brown sugar

60g organic butter, soften

1 organic egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup organic milk

2 organic banana, mashed

1/2 cup walnut, roughly chopped

makes 6 muffins

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 190 degree C

2.  In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and sugar.

3.  In another bowl, mix together butter, banana, egg, milk and mix well.  Then add in chopped walnut and mix.

4.  Combine the banana mixture with the dry ingredients, just to combine, not to over beat.

5.  Spoon mixture into muffin cases, filling cases two-thirds full.  Springkle nuts or sugar deco on top if desire.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.  Cool muffins in tin for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on wire racks.

Salmon Fillets with Mango Salad and Basil / Lachs mit Mango-Salat

If you like fruits and would like to add them in your meal, this salmon with mango salad will satisfy you.  This is a healthy dish too!



Ingredients:

1 cup (60g) fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil plus 1/2 tablespoon

1/2 mango, peeled, pitted and diced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cucumber, diced

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

2 pieces salmon fillets (about 200g each)

mixed green salad (I used just corn salad)

lemon wedges
Serves 2 

To prepare: 

1.  Place all except two basil leaves in the food processor and process until very finely chopped.  Or chop them manually.  Add chopped basil to olive oil.

2.  Combine mango, cucumber and tomato in a bowl and stir in lemon juice.  Add half of the basil oil, season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Press a basil leaf on top of each salmon fillet.  Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  Cook the fillets top side first for 3-4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Turn and cook the other side.

4.  Lay each fillet on bed of green salad.  Top with mango salad and drizzle with remaining basil oil.  Serve immediately with lemon wedges.