Banana Ice cream

I was very skeptical of this recipe at first - I mean, what's ice cream without the cream? But it tastes delicious, it's versatile, and guilt-free. Perfect accompaniment this summer!

You'll need:
3-4 ripe bananas
Optional add-ons:
50gms chocolate or chocolate spread
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
Almond/walnut toppings

Peel and slice bananas and freeze for a few hours. Then blitz it in a blender. The creamy texture of the banana gives it a creamy consistency. Add the Add-ons (just one or a combination) while blending or as a topping. And Voila! The perfect refresher for the summer heat.

Banana facts:

• It's high in Potassium for good nerve and muscle function
• It's got Vitamin C for your immune system
• It's got Vitamin B-6 (mostly found in animal products) for cell rejuvenation
• It's a good source of fiber, manganese, and other nutrients like iron and calcium boosting your energy - a great pre and post workout snack.
• It's good for your stomach - helps reduce stomach acidity, is a good hangover cure, and promotes bowel health.

Spinach and Tofu Cannelloni with a toasty top

Tofu is a much healthier alternative to a cheese filling, and it tastes as good.

For the rolls:
Cannelloni rolls - 4-5 (or lasagna sheets)
Spinach - 1 bunch
Tofu - 250 gms
Salt to taste

For the White Sauce:
Milk - 1 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp
Flour - 2 tbsp
Seasoning

For the topping:
Sliced tomatoes - 2
Breadcrumbs - 2 tbsp
Grated cheese - 50 gms
Ground pepper - 1 tbsp
Oregano - 1tbsp
Chilli flakes - 1 tbsp

Par-boil the spinach, drain the water, and chop it up. Mash the tofu and mix with the spinach. Add salt. Stuff this mixture in the cannelloni rolls. Most brands don't require the rolls to be par-boiled. Check cooking instructions on the packet.

If using lasagna sheets, par boil the sheets, line the stuffing in the center of each sheet, then just roll it up. Set aside.

For the white sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Make it into a paste, then add the milk. Before it boils, turn the heat down and let it simmer. Mix well to remove any lumps. Add some more flour if the sauce is too runny. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add some seasoning and keep aside.

Heat oven to 180 dec C. In a baking dish, line the cannelloni rolls. Pour the white sauce evenly over the top of the spread. Layer it with the cheese. Then place the sliced tomatoes over the top to cover the tray. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and the rest of the seasoning. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. the breadcrumbs will give a nice toasty top with crunchy tomatoes without having to use much cheese.

Spinach and Sweet Corn Risotto

Risottos are a quick and delicious meal - it might not always turn out true chef style, but it can still taste good, and be healthy.

Stuff you'll need:

Spinach - 1 bunch

Garlic - 3-4 cloves

Sweet corn - 1/2 a cup

Onion (chopped) - 1 large

Arborio rice - 1 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Veg/Chicken stock or water - 1 cup

White wine - 1/2 cup (can be substituted with 2-3 tbsp of vinegar)

Oil or butter - 2 tbsps

Cheese - 1/2 cup (optional) Any hard cheese would do.

Wash the spinach and cook it in a cup of water/stock in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Don't throw away the water/stock. In a blender, puree the spinach with the garlic.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook till translucent. Add the rice and continue cooking for another minute. Add the milk and stir till it evaporates. Add the wine if using (if using vinegar, skip this step). Once it evaporates add the water/stock and reduce the heat to low-medium. 

Let the rice cook for about 5 minutes, then add the spinach and corn. Let it continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Check if the rice is done. Traditionally, the rice is supposed to have a little bit of a bite (it shouldn't be too soft), but some prefer it well done. Keep it for another 5 minutes if you prefer it soft. Add the vinegar (if using) and cheese. Increase heat to dry of excess liquid, but don't let it dry out completely.

Serve hot.

Makes enough for 2 people.

Chopped Salad with Apple and Dill

Summer's here and salads are the best meal options for the season. I had read of an apple and dill salad, but that would've been very light on its own. So I combined it with my regular salad mix and it had a subtle hint of sweet and sour (?).

I prefer to chop up my greens and veggies making it easier to eat and it mixes evenly with the rest of the salad.

This makes for a meal for 1 or a side for 2.

Salad bits:
Romaine lettuce - 5-6 leaves
Rocket leaves - 1 small bunch
Dill leaves - 6-7 stems
Carrot (peeled and diced) - 1
Onion - 1
Tomatoes - 2
Apple (peeled and diced) - 2 small or 1 large
Cucumber (peeled and diced) - 1

Dressing:
Option 1: Light Ranch (store bought)
Option 2: Olive oil 3 tbsps with 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Pasta with Fennel & Orange Zest

I've never made anything with fennel before so when I got some, pasta was the simplest thing that came to mind to experiment with.

For the White Sauce:
2-3 tbsps butter
2-3 tbsps flour
500 ml milk
Seasoning

In a saucepan, melt the butter, and add the flour. once blended, add the milk and keep the heat to a medium. Stir so that the lumps dissolve. Let the milk heat but not boil. Keep on low-medium heat till it thickens.
Add more flour if needed. Once done, add seasoning and keep aside.

Veggies:
2 bulbs of fennel
2 cloves Garlic
1 small onion
2 tbsp oil
Zest of 1 orange
seasoning

Separate the stem from the leaves of the fennel. Pry apart each layer of the fennel and clean thoroughly. Slice the fennel stem. Heat the oil and add the garlic. Then add the onion and fennel stems. Cook till they're soft. Then add the zest and seasoning. Lastly, add the chopped fennel leaves.

Remove from heat and mix with the white sauce. Pour this over a bed of pasta and serve!

Mushroom Risotto

This turned out to be a nice and easy Sunday lunch with some beer!

Ingredients:
1 large onion, sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tbsps butter
3-4 tbsps white wine (since I didn't have any, I used whiskey - single malt)
1 cup arborio rice (or any other medium grain rice)
handful of mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/2 cup Parmesan (or any other hard cheese)
Seasoning
2 cups water (room temperature)

Heat the butter on a saucepan on medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and leave on low for 10-15 minutes for the onion to caramelize. Add the mushrooms. Once it starts to wilt, add the rice and saute. Pour in the wine and let it evaporate. Next, add the water and cover for 10 minutes on medium heat. When the water has almost been absorbed, add the seasoning. Don't dry out the risotto. Top it up with cheese. I prefer the rice not too soft, so 10-12 minutes is perfect cooking time. If you prefer it mushy, then leave it on for 5 more minutes. And done!

Chickpea Salad with Spinach and Coriander Dressing

This was a really easy and super YUM side dish, or in our case, our entire dinner.

1 cup chickpeas soaked overnight, and boiled till soft. Wait to cool. (or 1 can pre-cooked, drained)
1 sliced cucumber
1 sliced onion
1 boiled potato (optional)

The dressing:
1 small bunch of spinach leaves (about 15 leaves)
1 small bunch of coriander
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cumin (roasted optional)
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds (optional)
2 tbsp Olive oil
Salt/pepper to taste

Combine the dressing ingredients in a mixer and blitz till smooth. Pour over the salad and mix well. That's it.