Summer fruit slaw with chia berry dressing

My julienne peeler has been getting a bit of action again! But this time it’s not only with the veggies.

After the success of this simple cucumber and pineapple salsa, I was keen to experiment more with mixing the refreshing subtle taste of cucumber with other fruits.

Here I used any fruits I could get my hands on to julienne. For your reference...no, you cannot julienne a banana. Believe me I tried. It would have been the perfect shape so I am very disappointed! (I even tried with a frozen banana as I was that determined but nope it just wasn’t happening!)

The first time I made this slaw I had a large mango in my fruit bowl and that worked a treat, the second time I didn’t have a mango, hence why the photos below are mango-less but I have still added it to the recipe. I also used rhubarb which gave a great tart flavour contrast, though raw rhubarb is a little tough and stringy so you may want to cook it ever so slightly after julienning it- I left it raw, but it’s just an idea for you to try.

Throw in lots of cucumber, you won’t taste it against the sweetness of the fruits and I also added a simple fruity yoghurt and chia dressing to give an extra touch of sweetness.

Breakfast? Dessert? You choose.

Recipe: Summer fruit slaw

Serves 1

Ingredients:

½ cup cucumber noodles

¼ cup rhubarb noodles (cook lightly if desired)

¼ cup mango noodles

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1tbs sugar free berry jam

2 tbs non-dairy yoghurt

1 tsp chia seed

Extra fruit/berries to decorate as desired.

Method:

Mix the yoghurt with the sugar free jam and chia seeds and set aside to thicken slightly. 

Prepare the fruit and cucumber noodles and place in a swirl in a serving plate/bowl leaving a well in the centre. Spoon the jam mix into the centre of the slaw.

Decorate with berries  to serve as desired. You could also add a sprinkle of cinnamon, vanilla bean powder, cocoa, coconut, nuts.....

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Lentil spaghetti bolognaise

How crazy authentic does this bolognaise look?

I was so happy with my lentil 'mince'. Super impressive on all counts….looks, taste and how easy it was to prepare.

This is probably the easiest and healthiest spag-bol you’ll ever make!

Ok, so the ‘spaghetti’ is green I give you that, I julienned a courgette to make spaghetti noodles but you could easily swap in actual spaghetti instead, no dramas, I won’t mind. I just fancied doing some ‘julienning’ since I love the peeler so much! In any case it’s the bolognaise that’s the real star of the show.

You could eat this on its own as a warming snack, spooned over a jacket potato or on a bed or spinach or kale. It’s just so versatile. The flavours are really authentically ‘bolognaisey’ as well- at least I think so (don’t shout at me if you disagree). I added a little beetroot chutney since I had some in the fridge, this simply gives it a greater richness of flavour but isn’t critical or you could add another condiment or chutney of choice for added body and depth.

The one and only important part of this recipe is to use the right lentils! Mine were ‘dark speckled green lentils’ that I’d soaked overnight from dried and cooked up a big batch of to freeze leftovers. Just make sure they are dark lentils (not red or yellow) and that they hold their shape firmly once cooked. I made the mistake of first experimenting with this recipe a few weeks ago at my dad's house and the lentils I took out of the freezer I thought were the ‘hold their shape type’ er no…I ended up with a pile of mush. Edible but not great to look at. You have been warned!

Recipe: Lentil spaghetti bolognaise

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil

1 small red onion

1 1/2 cups cooked dark green lentils- either cooked from dried or tinned (important to use lentils that hold their shape stay firm once cooked)

1 small tin (200g) chopped tomatoes

1-2 cloves garlic or ¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ cup beetroot chutney (optional for richness of flavour)

1/2 tsp mixed dried Italian herbs (or use fresh)

2 courgettes or use pasta or choice

Method

 

Saute the onion for 5 minutes until softening. Add all remaining ingredients other than the courgettes and simmer for 5 mins.

Whilst the ‘bolognaise’ simmers, slice the courgette into noodles using a julienne peeler. I set the bolognaise aside once cooked and used the same pan for the courgette (to save on washing up) but you can use a separate pan if desired to cook the courgette for 3-4 minutes.

Serve the courgette ‘pasta’ around the edge of a plate and pile the bolognaise in the centre. Serve immediately.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

5 minute low-carb noodles

Do you remember my 5 min noodle lunch? That little dish went down a storm on Foodgawker....and so here's hoping this little treat will be right up your street (I promise that wasn't an accidental rhyme!)

This time the veggies are the noodles...making this little snack not only super speedy but also low carb, perfect when you want a light bite that wont weigh you down or a veggie side dish to accompany a gourmet spread!

This dish is dedicated to my julienne peeler. I have been having such fun with my new purchase this last few days! I had been meaning to buy one for some time ever since reading this post on Oh She Glows, however I didn't come across them in the shops....thank you Amazon my saviour!

The principle here is to simply grab a 'long' vegetable and peel it!  I had fun with carrots, courgettes and parnips, but I reckon aubergine could be good, and anything else that takes your fancy and is long enough to drag the peeler down without catching your fingers.

Once you have a nice big pile of long noodley vegetabley strands, you simple fire up a pan or wok on the stove, heat a little oil and stir fry the noodles for about 5 minutes (depending on how well cooked you like them). Season and serve.....so so simple!

Ok, so I have added a little recipe below for completeness, see here even my dressing was low key to allow the flavours of the veg to really shine. I threw in some soy beans and a generous dusting of sesame seeds to carry on the Asian influence and add an extra protein kick. The colour and flavour of the parsnip was so good and really makes it seem as though you have a bowl of actual noodles.

Recipe: Veggie noodles- low carb

serves 1-2 (for a main or side)

Ingredients:

splash of toasted sesame oil (or olive or coconut oil)

1 medium/large carrot

1 medium courgette

1  medium parsnip

1/3 cup frozen soy beans

1-2 tbs sesame seeds

2 tsp soy sauce* (tamari soy or liquid aminos for GF)

Method:

Peel the veg with a julienne peeler and then add to a large frying pan with a little oil. Stir for a minute to coat and then add the frozen soy beans if using. A couple of minutes prior to serving add the soy sauce and sesame seeds.

I cooked my veg for a total of 5-6 minutes and they had a slight crunch...just the way I like them!

* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.