Home made Veggie Juice & Smoothies

Ready to Rock and Roll

In an attempt to lose weight, I have started drinking home made smoothies and veggie juice.  I have had a juicer for a couple of years but never really used it much.  I must say that I love my veggie juice now.  It's divine.  Below are some of the smoothies and juices I have been making.

My Juicer

Strawberry, Banana, Yoghurt, Milk and Flax Seed Smoothie

Banana, Yoghurt, Milk and Flax Seed Smoothie

Getting ready to juice

The result

Getting ready

The result

Getting Ready

The Result

Scrambled Egg, Spinach and Mozzarella Toasty Cups

I wanted to make something light but tasty for breakfast so I decided to make these Scrambled Egg Toasty Cups.  I added spinach and some mozzarella and they were delicious.  Enjoy! 

Recipe and Pictures by Amanzi-Fundu

Ingredients:

1 x Slice of Bread

1 x Tablespoon butter

2 x Eggs, scrambled

¼ x Cup Spinach

2 x Tablespoons Mozzarella

Thyme leaves to garnish

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Roll the bread out flat using a rolling pin.

Cut it into a circle.

Put it into a ramekin and drizzle with cooking oil.

Bake in a preheated oven for 5 – 10 mins or until toasted.

Remove from oven and set aside.

Wilt the spinach in a pan and set aside.

Meanwhile put the butter into a pan and allow to melt gently.

Add the egg and allow to set slightly.  Stir and repeat.

Add half of the cheese and the spinach.

Remove from heat and add to the toasted cup.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese and Thyme.

Pancake Day

Today is Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday).

Pancakes are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foodstuffs such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent.

My daughter and I made a stack of pancakes when I got home from work... she loves pancakes... as does my son and my dog.

Pancakes with lightly whipped cream and Raspberry Jam



Pancakes with Banana and Chocolate Sauce

Pancakes with cinnimon and lemon

Salad Dressing

I love salad but can’t eat it without salad dressing.  I have been experimenting for a number of years and have finally concocted a salad dressing that I think is really nice.  My friend, Kelly, also really likes it which is a bonus.  I don’t buy salad dressing anymore.  Instead I make up a batch and I keep it in the fridge.  I hope you will like it.  

Recipe and pictures by Amanzi-Fundu

Ingredients:

100 ml Vegetable Oil (You can use Olive Oil if you want to)

50 ml White Wine Vinegar

1 x Teaspoon Sugar

1 x Teaspoon Salt

1 x Teaspoon Mixed Herbs, Dried

1 x Teaspoon Mustard

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together and you are done!

Lemon Posset

As you already know, I love anything with lemon in it.  This recipe was really easy to make and extremely tasty.  I can’t wait to make it for my friend, Sandra, who also loves lemon.

Original Recipe by Stone Soup.  Adapted Recipe and Pictures by Amanzi-Fundu

Ingredients:

1 ¼ Cups Double Cream

1/3 Cup Sugar

3 tablespoons Lemon Juice

Method:

Place cream and sugar in a saucepan and simmer gently for 3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Divide between 2 – 4 serving containers.

Refrigerate for 6 hours or until you’re ready to serve.

Sprinkle with lemon zest.

Note: If like me you want it a bit more lemony, just add more lemon juice.

Hasselback Potatoes aka Hedgehogs

I've always wanted to try these potatoes so I decided to make them for dinner last night.  They are relatively easy to make and are extremely delicious!  Will definitely be making them again!!

                    

Pictures and recipe by Amanzi-Fundu

Ingredients:

Olive oil

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Garlic cloves, sliced into thin slivers

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wash the potatoes and thinly slice them.  Be careful not to cut all the way through!

Season each potato with sea salt and pepper.

Place a thin slice of garlic between each layer.

Place the potatoes in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 30 – 45 mins or until done.

Serve as an accompaniment or as a quick snack.

Zucchini Rolls with Herb-Marinated Mozzarella

This recipe is really easy to follow and it makes a good starter / snack.

Ingredients:

1 x Mozarella Ball cut into strips

1 x medium sized green Zuchinni

Herb dressing

Herb marinade:

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp of finely chopped fresh herbs
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Mix finely chopped herbs, olive oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper.

Add mozzarella and stir gently, until they're coated with the herb vinaigrette.

Leave to stand for 30 minutes, stirring couple of times.

Using a grater, cut zucchini into strips.

Blanch in boiling water for 60 seconds.

Remove from water and plunge into ice cold water.

Remove from water and dab with kitchen towel to dry.

Lay a piece of the Zucchini flat.

Place a piece of the mozzarella onto the tip of Zucchini strip and roll.

Continue until done.

Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Kolokythokeftedes (Zucchini and Feta Balls)

 Very similar to the fritters that I made and just as tasty.

Ingredients:

2 cups zucchini, grated,
1/4 cup of feta, crumbled
1 clove garlic, diced

1 x Carrot, Grated
1 x Onion, grated
1 handful herbs

1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
flour
breadcrumbs
oil for frying

Directions:Mix the zucchini, feta, garlic, onion, herbs and egg and season with salt and pepper.
Mix in equal parts flour and breadcrumbs until you can work with the mixture to form balls.
Form the mixture into balls and dust in flour.
Fry in oil until golden brown and set aside to cool.



Rolled and ready to fry



Frying

Warm Cannellini Beans with Garlic & Chilli

This recipe only uses 6 ingredients but it’s packed full of flavor and can be eaten as a snack or an accompaniment to another dish.

Ingredients:

2 x Tablespoons oil

½ Onion, diced

1 x Teaspoon Garlic, diced

1 x Teaspoon Herbs, dried

2 x Red Birds Eye Chilli, diced

1 x Can Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained

Method:

Heat the oil in a pot.

Add the onion, garlic, chilli and herbs and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add the Cannellini Beans and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Serve with bread.

Zucchini & Feta Fritters

I loved the Spinach & Mozarella Fritters that I made the other day so I decided to make some more only using different ingredients.  I used Zucchini (Courgette) and Feta.  They were much more delicate than the Spinach ones but just as tasty.  I served them with tzatziki.

Recipe and pictures by Amanzi Fundu

Ingredients:

1 x Zucchini, grated

2 x Tablespoons Mixed Herbs
½ x Onion, finely diced

1 x Tablespoon Peri Peri
½ cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 x egg

½ Red Chili, deseeded and finely diced
1/2+ cup flour (whole wheat flour is also good)
100ml oil

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method:

Mix the Zucchini, herbs, onions, feta, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Mix in the flour.
Heat the oil in a pan.
Using damp hands, form some of the mixture into a ball and slightly flatten.  Repeat.

Place in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side

4 x 4 Bread

Only in South Africa would you find a recipe called 4 x 4 bread!  When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it.  I love making bread and it incorporates beer – bonus!  The bread was slightly dense but was really easy to make and it tasted great.  I really look forward to making it for my friends when they next come for dinner.

Original recipe by Royco.  Pictures by Amanzi Fundu.

Ingredients:

500g Flour

1 x Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 x Packet Royco Tomato Spice

1 x Can Beer (I used Fosters)

½ Onion, sliced

2 x Tablespoons Thyme

½ Cup cheese, grated

Method:

Stir together the flour, baking powder, spice mix and beer.

Pour into greased loaf tin.

Top with sliced onion, thyme and grated cheese.

Bake at 180 for 40 mins.

Spinach and Mozzarella Fritters

I saw a similar recipe to this a little while ago and thought it sounded nice.  I stuck to the original concept but changed the ingredients to suit me.  They were really easy to make and were very tasty.  I will definately be making them again but might use a stronger cheese.

Ingredients:

3 x Handfuls of spinach (roughly chopped, cooked and squeezed to drain)

2 x Tablespoons Mixed Herbs
½ x Onion, finely diced
½ Ball Mozzarella, diced
1 x egg

½ Red Chili, deseeded and finely diced
1/2+ cup flour (whole wheat flour is also good)
100ml oil

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method:

Mix the spinach, herbs, onions, mozzarella, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Mix in the flour.
Heat the oil in a pan.
Using damp hands, form some of the mixture into a ball and slightly flatten.  Repeat.

Place in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side

Creamy Thyme Potatoes

Wanting to do something different than crushed baby potatoes with garlic, I decided to make creamy thyme potatoes.  My daughter loved them and even had seconds.

Ingredients:

1 x packet baby Potatoes

1 x Tablespoon Butter

1 x tub cream

2 x Tablespoons Greek Yoghurt

1 x Tablespoon Garlic, chopped

1 x Handful Thyme, Fresh (Alternatively use 3 x tablespoons dried)

1 x cup grated cheese (whatever your preference is)

Method:

Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water.

Drain when cooked.

In a pan, add the butter and allow to melt.

Add the garlic, yoghurt and cream and allow to simmer for 5 mins.

Add the thyme.

Add the potatoes and mix well.

Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle cheese on top.

Put under the grill until the cheese has melted.

Please note: I served these potatoes with pan fried pork chops and Kale.

Butternut Soup

Butternut soup is a favorite South African starter. The butternut has a flavor all on its own and it is great to serve it as a starter before a good roast beef or lamb.

Ingredients:
2 medium butternuts
2 medium onions
50g butter/margarine (4T)
7 ml medium curry powder (1 ¼ t)
40 g cake flour (4 T)
Pinch of ground nutmeg
2 chicken stock cubes
750 ml boiling water
500 ml milk
7 ml salt (1 ½ t)


Method:
Cut the butternuts in half and roast until tender.
Peel the onions and chop roughly.
In a large saucepan, saute the chopped onions in the butter/margarine.
Add the curry powder and fry the mixture lightly.
When the butternut is cooked take it out the oven an remove from the skin.
Add the butternut and saute the mixture for a while. Add the flour and nutmeg and stir-fry lightly.
Dissolve the chicken stock cubes in the boiling water.
Add the stock, together with the milk, and salt, to the butternut mixture.
Boil, with the lid on, over moderate heat until the butternut pieces are soft. Stir the mixture occasionally.
Puree or blend until smooth.
The colour of the soup should be a deep yellow and the texture creamy.
Serve the soup hot.

Please note:
I served my soup in the skin.

Chilli, Garlic and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

This recipe is quick and simple to make and it tastes delicious.



Ingredients:
2 x Portabello mushrooms
½ tub of Philadalphia Cream Cheese
1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon chilli, diced
Breadcrumbs


Method:
Prep the mushrooms.
In a bowl add the cream cheese, garlic and chilli.
Place the mushrooms bottoms up onto a baking tray.
Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the mushrooms.
Sprinkle breadcrumbs into the mushrooms.
Bake in a preheated oven for 15 / 20 mins.


Please note:
You can use cheese to top the mushroom instead of the breadcrumbs.