A Healthier Life

Brown rice salad with mango. Salad. 2 C cooked brown rice. 1/4 finely diced red capsicum. 1 deseeded cucumber diced. 2 sticks of celery finely diced 2 sliced shallots. 125g tin of corn kernels, drained. 1T fresh chopped coriander. 1 Large mango diced. Dressing. 1/4C lime juice. 1/2t fish sauce. 1T sweet chilli sauce. In a large bowl combine the salad ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and mix to combine. Delicious as a side to fish or chicken.

Light and Tasty Potato salad. 1/4C extra virgin olive oil. 1/4C red wine vinegar. 1t Dijon mustard. 1t maple syrup. 700g Potatoes diced and boiled until tender but not too soft. 1 carrot peeled and grated. 1/2 red onion finely diced. 1 small can of corn kernels, drained. 2 sticks of celery finely diced. 1T chopped parsley. Mix dressing in a jar by shaking. Pour over potato and other salad ingredients while the potato is still warm. Gently mix and refrigerate until cooled before serving.

Fruity Icy Poles. 1/8th of a watermelon. 1 large mango. 200ml coconut water. Peel and chop the watermelon and blend with 100ml of the coconut water. Peel and chop the mango blend in a seperate container with the remaining 100ml of coconut water. Pour the mango into the icy pole moulds until half full and then add the blended watermelon. This made about 10. Place into the freezer and enjoy when frozen.

Sweet treat for Christmas. 1/4C peanut butter. 2T cacao powder. 1 T brown sugar. 6 finely chopped dates. 1/4C rolled oats. 1 T desiccated coconut. Mix the peanut butter, cacao powder and brown sugar together well with a spoon. When mixed add the rolled oats and dates. When combined roll into a ball and roll in the coconut. I made about 12 balls. Wearing food prep gloves to roll the mixture stops it from sticking to your hands.

Pasta Salad. Dressing. 1/4C olive oil 1/4C red wine vinegar 1 clove of crushed garlic. 1/2tsp of dried Italian herbs. 1/2tsp of honey 100g crumbled feta cheese. Place in a jar and shake to combine. Salad. 250g Wholemeal pasta, cooked to packet directions. 2 chopped tomatoes. 1/2 a red onion, diced. 1/2 a capsicum,diced. 1 small grated carrot. 100g chopped baby spinach. 1tsp chopped parsley 2T chopped basil. Place the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix through. Refrigerate and serve cold. Makes a great side. Serves about 6

Colourful Potato salad. 6 medium potatoes washed and cut into bite sized pieces. 2 hard boiled eggs. 2 sticks of celery finely diced. 1/2 a red capsicum finely diced. 1/2 a red onion, finely diced. 2 shallots finely chopped. 1 carrot peeled and grated. 1 small tin of corn kernels, drained. Place the diced potato into a microwave safe dish. Add water to cover the potato. Loosely place lid on top or cling film. Microwave for about 20mins until potato is tender but not mushy. Prepare the remaining vegetables while the potato is cooking. Place into a large bowl Peel and chop the eggs into small pieces and add to the bowl with the vegetables. Dressing. Mix together in a jug 1/2C of yogurt. 1/4C of mayonnaise. 1t of Dijon mustard. Drain the potatoes and rinse under cold water. Allow to cool slightly before adding to the bowl with the vegetables. Gradually add the dressing, gently stirring through the salad until it is well coated. Taking care not to overload with too much dressing. Refrigerate until cold and then serve. Makes a great side salad at a barbecue. Serves about 6. Any left over dressing can be put into a container, refrigerated and used on salad within the next few days.

Plain Overnight Oats 3 1C of Greek yogurt. 1C of milk. 1C of rolled oats. 2T of chia seeds. Mix ingredient together and divide between three containers or bowls. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I thought the plain mix was a good way to prepare in advance but be able to add different toppings to change the flavours of your breakfast so you're not eating the same flavour 3 days in a row. Varieties become endless. This one is topped with A generous Tablespoon of frozen raspberries and a handful of roasted coconut chips.

Plain Overnight Oats 2. 1C of Greek yogurt. 1C of milk. 1C of rolled oats. 2T of chia seeds. Mix ingredient together and divide between three containers or bowls. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I thought the plain mix was a good way to prepare in advance but be able to add different toppings to change the flavours of your breakfast so you're not eating the same flavour 3 days in a row. Varieties become endless. This one is topped with 1/2 a sliced banana. A handful of walnuts. A drizzle of honey.

Plain Overnight Oats. 1C of Greek yogurt. 1C of milk. 1C of rolled oats. 2T of chia seeds. Mix ingredient together and divide between three containers or bowls. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I thought the plain mix was a good way to prepare in advance but be able to add different toppings to change the flavours of your breakfast. Varieties become endless. This one is topped with 1/2 a sliced banana. 3 strawberries quartered. Pulp of one passionfruit. 1T flaked almonds.

Chip and Dip. In a bowl combine. 1 tomato diced. 1/4 of a capsicum diced. 1/4 of a red onion diced. Juice from a quarter of a lime. 1T Greek yogurt. Cut two pieces of Lebanese bread into wedges. Spread out onto a baking tray and spray lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with garlic powder, smoky paprika and a little salt. Bake on 180 degrees Celsius for about 5 minutes until the bread is crisp.

Bocconcini Salad. 100g of rocket and baby spinach mix. 1 telegraph cucumber, halved and sliced. 200g cherry tomatoes halved. Generous handful of basil leaves, torn roughly. 150g Bocconcini, I used milk cherries, torn in half. Generous drizzle of balsamic glaze. 1T extra virgin olive oil. Place salad ingredients in a bowl and drizzle with balsamic glaze and olive oil. Toss to combine. Yummy and so pretty too. Serves 4.

Satay Chicken. 2 skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces. 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced. 1 zucchini sliced. 2 sticks of celery, chopped. 1/2 a capsicum chopped. 1 clove of garlic, finely diced. 1 onion chopped. 1tsp of sesame oil. 2tsp curry powder. 1/2t of cracked chilli. 1T of soy sauce. 1T of corn flour. 1 and a 1/2C of water. 3T peanut butter. 1T fresh chopped coriander. 8 sliced snow peas. Place sesame oil, garlic, onion and Chicken breast into a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until onion softens. Add the chopped vegetables, cracked chilli and sprinkle over the cornflour. Stir together and add the soy sauce and water. Simmer with lid on stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables tender. Stir in 3T of peanut butter. Add the sliced snow peas and coriander and simmer for a further 5 minutes. This dish is great to cook in advance as it reheats well. Lovely served with jasmine rice. Serves 4.

Cherry and Banana Smoothie Tea Cups. 1C of frozen cherries. 1 frozen banana. 1C of Greek yoghurt. 1/4C rolled oats. Place ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth and thick. Divide mixture between 2 tea cups. Top with some sliced banana and a dessert spoon of flaked almonds. Share with a friend and eat with a teaspoon. Makes for a nice snack sized serve.

Brown Rice Salad. 1 C of cooked brown long grain rice. 1/4 of a jap pumpkin diced into bite size pieces. 1/4 of a red capsicum thinly chopped. 60g of baby spinach roughly chopped. 1 cucumber halved and then thinly sliced. 3 finely sliced shallots. 1 finely chopped stick of celery. 1T chopped fresh coriander. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place pumpkin onto a tray lined with baking paper. Spray lightly with olive oil and bake for around 25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Allow to cool. Place all the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Dressing. 1T soy sauce. 1/2t sesame oil. 1T olive oil. 1/4t garlic powder. 2T lime juice. 1t sweet chilli sauce. 1/4t brown sugar. Mix dressing ingredients together well in a jug. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Top with a handful or two of roasted cashews.

Sweet Coleslaw. Salad. 1/4 of a cabbage shredded. 2 medium carrots peeled and grated. 1/2 a capsicum finely chopped. 2 sticks of celery diced finely. 4 shallots sliced. 1 apple finely diced. 2 handfuls of walnuts diced. Prepare the salad and place into a large bowl. Dressing. 1/4C Greek yoghurt 1/8C mayonnaise 1 tsp seeded mustard 1T honey Salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients together in a jug and then toss through the salad. Delicious tasty coleslaw great served with chicken. Serves 4.

Feta Dressing. 1/4C of olive oil. 1/8C of red wine vinegar. 1/4C fresh lemon juice. 1 clove of finely diced garlic. 1/4tsp of oregano. 1/4tsp of dried basil. 1/4C of crumbled feta. Place all of the ingredients except for the feta into a glass jar with a well fitting lid. Shake until combined. Add the feta and give a light shake to mix it through. Serve poured over salad. Great with cucumber and other salad ingredients.