Cauliflower rice

9 Comments

Alternative to rice 

A huge challenge I faced when transitioning away from pasta and rice was finding something to pair with yummy sauces and curries. Paleo gave us the grateness, sorry, I meant the greatness of cauliflower rice. 

I’ve found some cool things to do with it over the years, but the base recipe is the starting point for inventions.  

Cauliflower rice

Easy to make with the right tools 

Cauliflower rice is simple to make when the ingredients are prepared, but the preparation can take some time. I spent a year grating all of my cauliflowers by hand before moving over to a food processor and away from the weekly skin grafts to my fingers. I was becoming concerned that my family would develop a liking for long pig in their food. A food processor with a grating attachment is a must if you plan to switch from real rice. You can process four cauliflower heads in the time it takes to grate one by hand. To make rice, I like to use the smaller grating attachment to get a fine texture.

Buy in bulk 

If you’re transitioning away from rice and pasta, consider keeping cauliflower rice on hand. You can freeze cauliflower if it is raw or cooked. That means you can make the most of cauliflower when it is in season and cheap. I like to buy in bulk, grate, portion and freeze. That way, you can pull a bag or tub of cauliflower rice from the freezer and cook it up when you need it. 

Cauliflower rice recipe 

Cauliflower rice ingredients
Cauliflower rice ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower finely grated 
  • 1/2 onion finely minced 
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced 
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil 

Instructions

Break the cauliflower into large florets.

Use a food processor with a fine grating attachment to grate cauliflower.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the cauliflower by hand.

Finely chop the onion.

When all of the cauliflower is grated, transfer it to a mixing bowl.

Take a large frying pan and place it over medium heat, then melt some coconut oil.

Add some oil to a frying pan.

Add the onion to the frying pan.

Cook the onion until it is softened.

Add the cauliflower to the frying pan.

Add the cauliflower rice
Cook the cauliflower for 5 minutes

Cook the cauliflower and onion for 5 minutes.

Keep the rice moving in the pan.

Keep the cauliflower moving in the pan; you don’t want it to colour.

When the cauliflower has softened, it is ready to serve.

Serve hot or cold.

Cauliflower rice ready to eat

You can freeze the cauliflower rice to use anytime you need it.

Put the extra cauliflower rice in the freezer

Cauliflower rice

  • Servings: 4
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

This easy to make alternative to rice is a must know recipe for clean eating, paleo, primal and keto diets.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower grated
  • 1/2 onion, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 garlic clove minced (optional)

Directions

  1. Break the cauliflower into large florets.
  2. Use a food processor with a fine grating attachment to grate cauliflower.
  3. If you don’t have a food processor you can grate the cauliflower by hand.
  4. Finely chop the onion.
  5. When all of the cauliflower is grated transfer it to a mixing bowl.
  6. Take a large frying pan over a medium heat and melt some coconut oil.
  7. Add the onion to the frying pan.
  8. Cook the onion until it is softened.
  9. Add the cauliflower to the frying pan.
  10. Cook the cauliflower and onion for 5 minutes.
  11. Keep the cauliflower moving in the pan, you don’t want it to colour.
  12. When the cauliflower has softened it is ready to serve.
  13. Serve hot or cold.
  14. You can freeze the cauliflower rice to use anytime you need it.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 54 calories; 0 g fat; 12 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein

Equipment

  • Knife 
  • Chopping board 
  • Food processor with the grating attachment 
  • Or grater 
  • Mixing bowl
  • Frying pan 
  • Wooden spoon 
  • Measuring spoons

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Salad roll-ups

Leave a comment
Salad roll-ups

Madness or genius

It’s another one of those moments; it could be madness or genius, turning the salad roll inside out and removing the need for an actual wrap, no wheat or extra carbs. Stick with me; I promise it not only works, but it’s also a fantastic little lunch that will make everyone happy.

No cooking required

I do love a lunch that doesn’t need any cooking. This recipe doesn’t need any cooking at all; just a little bit of time to cut your veggies into sticks and then roll them. They are so easy to make that it is ridiculous. The beauty of this recipe is the flexibility around the fillings. If you want to add something different, you can; take something out, of course, you can. If the mood strikes, you can even dress the salad leaves before you use them. 

Salad roll-ups

Salad roll-up ingredients

Ingredients 

  • 450g sliced meats – prosciutto or salami or ham
  • 3 cups salad leaves
  • 4 cheese slices, cut into sticks
  • ¼ cucumber, cut into sticks
  • 1 carrot, cut into sticks, 
  • ½ avocado, cut into slices, 
  • ½ pepper, cut into sticks
Slice the vegetables.
Lay the meat on a chopping board.
Add the lettuce to the meat.
Add the sliced vegetables.
Add the cheese.
Fold the end of the meat over the vegetables.
Roll the meat up.
Enjoy

Salad roll-ups

  • Servings: 4
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

I do love a lunch that doesn't need any cooking. This recipe doesn't need any cooking at all, just a little bit of time to cut your veggies into sticks and then the rolling. They are so easy to make it is ridiculous.


Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 450g sliced meats prosciutto or salami or ham
  • 3 cups salad leaves
  • 4 cheese slices, cut into sticks
  • 1/4 cucumber, cut into sticks
  • 1 carrot, cut into sticks,
  • 1/2 avocado, cut into slices,
  • 1/2 pepper, cut into sticks

Directions

  1. Take a clean chopping board and lay out a few slices of meat.
  2. At one end place some of the salad leaves, pepper sticks, cucumber sticks, carrot sticks, cheese sticks and avocado slices.
  3. Starting at the end with the salad roll the meat up to create a roll.
  4. Some meats will hold together; others may need a toothpick to hold the roll together.
  5. Serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 186 calories; 10 g fat; 14 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein.

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Steak wraps

Leave a comment

Updating as we go

Early in 2021, I relocated and started updating my website; I’ve been making changes and improving everything as I go. This recipe is one of the many things I’ve tried to improve.

A meaty treat for dinner 

I love any food wrapped in meat, and steak wraps are definitely the best way to go. I am turning the traditional wrap inside out with this recipe. Who needs a grain-based wrap when you can use meat as the wrap? 

These steak wraps are delicious and so easy to make. You can make these wraps ahead of time and just cook them minutes before you serve them

Tender is best 

When making steak wraps, remember that you need a tender cut of meat. I like to use sirloin, but if you can’t get sirloin, it isn’t the end of the world. If you find yourself with a tougher cut, break out the meat hammer to give the meat a good bash to tenderise it. The key to getting these wraps right is having the meat thinly sliced so that it cooks quickly without becoming chewy. I like to cut my steak a little thicker and then use the meat tenderiser on the flat side to thin the meat out a little. 

Steak wraps recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 sirloin or flank steaks thin slices
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 peppers, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 courgette, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 onion, halved and then thinly
  • 1 tbsp. rosemary

Instructions

Rub each side of the steaks with some olive oil and season.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat with a little oil.

Fry off the vegetables and rosemary until they are tender.

Place the steak pieces on a chopping board.

In the centre of each steak place a few vegetables vertically.

Roll the vegetables up in the steak.

Take a toothpick and use it to secure the end of the steak.

Repeat with the remaining steak and vegetables.

Preheat a grill pan or BBQ on high heat.

Cook each wrap for 2 minutes per side, less if you prefer your steak rear.

Serve hot

  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print


Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 8 sirloin or flank steaks thin slices
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 peppers, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 courgette, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 onion, halved and thin sliced
  • 1 tbsp. rosemary

Directions

  1. Rub each side of the steaks with some olive oil and season.
  2. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat with a little oil.
  3. Fry off the vegetables and rosemary until they are tender.
  4. Place the steak pieces on a chopping board.
  5. In the centre of each steak place a few vegetables vertically.
  6. Roll the vegetables up in the steak.
  7. Take a toothpick and use it to secure the end of the steak.
  8. Repeat with the remaining steak and vegetables.
  9. Preheat a grill pan or BBQ on high heat.
  10. Cook each wrap for 2 minutes per side, less if you prefer your steak rear.
  11. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 226 calories; 13g fat; 6g carbohydrates; 21g protein

Equipment 

  • Knife  
  • Chopping board 
  • Frying pan/cast iron pan/bbq 
  • Tongs
  • Toothpick

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Reuben bowl

Leave a comment

Starting the year with a bowl

Last Christmas, I spent some quality time with friends playing Unstable Unicorns, Settlers of Catan and Exploding Kittens. To go with all of the fun games, there were a lot of drinks and good food to keep us going. One of my favourite dishes was the trusty Reuben bowl. It is always a crowd pleaser, and on long, hot summer days, it is perfect for grazing between fun activities.

Switching up the traditional Reuben

I’m a big fan of the Reuben sandwich, the combination of pastrami, sauerkraut and dressing is always a winner in my book. While I love the traditional flavours, I swear there is something wrong with my brain; it always looks for ways to adapt recipes to make them more interesting or change them up in some way. This recipe is an excellent example of my brain doing what it does best. My corned beef has a great crust and flavour, thanks to the seared outside and brine. It is a worthy replacement for pastrami and is much easier to get than brisket. To switch out sauerkraut was easy. I know from experience that corned beef and cabbage go together perfectly, so that was a no-brainer. The challenge was finding a flavour that could replace the tang of the sauerkraut without overpowering the corned beef. It took a few tries before I landed on sesame seed oil; it may appear to be an odd flavour to go with, but trust me, it works. The sesame seed oil adds a rich, nutty flavour to the cabbage that complements the other flavours without being overpowering. While this recipe doesn’t look anything like the traditional Reuben, I promise that if you give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Reuben bowl recipe

Ingredients

  • 1kg corned beef, cooked
  • 1 head cabbage, cut into strips
  • 3 tbsp. Sesame oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 250g mozzarella cheese
  • 3/4 cup thousand Island dressing

Instructions

Cook your corned beef, you can check out my recipe for corned beef.

Take a large pot and place it over a medium heat.

Heat a little of the sesame oil and sauté the cabbage in batches with some of the garlic.

Take care not to burn the garlic while the cabbage is cooking.

Season the cabbage as it is cooking.

Place the sautéed cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle over half of the cheese.

Spread the corned beef on top of the cabbage and top with the remaining cheese.

Drizzle with dressing, then serve.

“Reuben

  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

“Another



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 1kg corned beef, cooked
  • 1 head cabbage, cut into strips
  • 3 tbsp. Sesame oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 250g mozzarella cheese
  • 3/4 cup thousand Island dressing

Directions

  1. Take a large pot and place it over a medium heat.
  2. Heat a little of the sesame oil and sauté the cabbage in batches with some of the garlic.
  3. Take care not to burn the garlic while the cabbage is cooking.
  4. Season the cabbage as it is cooking.
  5. Place the sautéed cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle over half of the cheese.
  6. Spread the corned beef on top of the cabbage and top with the remaining cheese.
  7. Drizzle with dressing, then serve.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 424 calories; 19g fat; 20g carbohydrates; 26g protein

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Kitchen scale
  • Large pan
  • Tongs

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Caprese Skewers

Leave a comment

Updating as we go

Early in 2021, I relocated and started updating my website; I’ve been making changes and improving everything as I go. This recipe is one of the many things I’ve tried to improve.

Simple and fancy looking

Who doesn’t love something that looks fancy, tastes delicious, and is so simple to make that you could leave the kids to make it? I know that I do. These caprese skewers are one of the easiest recipes ever, and they always gather compliments when I make them. No cooking is needed; you need some chopping and skewers, and you are good to go. Did I mention how cool they look on the plate? 

Ideal for company

I first made these skewers for a UFC pay-per-view event when I was hanging out with friends. Making food for fights isn’t as easy as you might think. You spend half the day with your eyes glued to the action and afraid to look at what you are eating because you know you will miss that knockout shot. The main appeal of these skewers is that they are finger food, and you don’t need to take your eyes off the fights while you eat them. Grab, munch and repeat. The first time I made them, the plate was cleared in a single round, which usually means they are a hit. They have been on the menu for pay-per-view parties ever since.

Caprese skewer recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup balsamic glaze
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 5 mini mozzarella balls
  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  • mini skewers

Instructions

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

Cut in half any of the large basil leaves.

Cut in half the mozzarella balls.

Take a mini skewer and thread on a piece of mozzarella, then a basil leaf and a piece of tomato, repeat to fill up the skewer.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Lay out the skewers and drizzle them with the balsamic glaze before serving.

Caprese skewers

  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

“Simple



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup balsamic glaze
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 5 mini mozzarella balls
  • 10 fresh basil leaves
  • mini skewers

Directions

  1. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
  2. Cut in half any of the large basil leaves.
  3. Cut in half the mozzarella balls.
  4. Take a mini skewer and thread on a piece of mozzarella, then a basil leaf and a piece of tomato, repeat to fill up the skewer.
  5. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  6. Lay out the skewers and drizzle them with the balsamic glaze before serving.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 50 calories; 2.6g fat; 3.2g carbohydrates; 3g protein

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Skewers
  • Plate 

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Courgette crust pizza

Leave a comment

Fancy a slice?

Yes, yes, I do, but I won’t be eating any of the tasty pizza available from your local pizzeria. I think I’ll go for the low-carb, tummy-friendly option of courgette pizza crust. There is nothing better than getting a sneaky treat without having to deal with that horrible, bloated, and sick feeling.

Eat more it is good for you!

To make this recipe as healthy as possible, I have packed in heaps of courgettes. The eggs help bring up the protein content, which is a nice bonus.  

Courgette can be soggy

When working with courgettes in this kind of recipe, it is crucial to remove as much moisture as possible. If you can wring the crap out of your courgettes, you don’t end up with a sloppy meal. To get the liquid out, I like to finely grate the courgette into a clean kitchen cloth. Next, create a ball and squeeze it as hard as possible. I like to squeeze in batches to ensure I don’t miss any liquid that’s still hanging around. This means you end up with a dry base that will bind together and give you a crisper pizza base.

Homemade pizza sauce

To complement this tasty pizza base, I like to use my homemade pizza sauce, topped with some fresh basil from the garden, which makes this the perfect pizza.

Courgette crust pizza recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 cups courgette, grated
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Pizza sauce
  • Mozzarella cheese 
  • Pizza toppings of choice

Instruction

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees C/ 550 degrees F. 

If you have a pizza stone put it in the oven while it preheats. 

If you do not have a pizza stone put a baking tray in the oven to heat up.

Grate the courgette and press it to remove any excess liquid, I like to use a clean cotton dishtowel.

In a large bowl, combine the courgette with the cheese, flour, garlic, oregano, basil, eggs, and salt.

Mix everything together with your hands; make sure it is evenly combined.

Cut a piece of baking paper that fits onto your pizza stone or baking tray.

Put the baking paper onto a chopping board so that it is easy to transfer the pizza crust to the oven.

Lay out your pizza dough mix onto the baking paper or a silicone liner. 

Use your fingers to spread it out; you should spread it out to a thickness of about 1 cm.

Transfer your pizza crust on the baking paper to the preheated pizza stone/baking tray.

Bake until the crust starts to brown, usually between 8 15 minutes, it will depend on your oven.

Once cooked take the pizza out of the oven, be sure to leave it on the baking paper when you take it out of the oven.

Top your pizza then put it back into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes.

“Courgette

  • Servings: 6
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

“These



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 8 cups courgette, grated
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Pizza sauce
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Pizza toppings of choice

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees C/ 550 degrees F.
  2. If you have a pizza stone put it in the oven while it preheats.
  3. If you do not have a pizza stone put a baking tray in the oven to heat up.
  4. Grate the courgette and press it to remove any excess liquid, I like to use a clean cotton dishtowel.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the courgette with the cheese, flour, garlic, oregano, basil, eggs, and salt.
  6. Mix everything together with your hands; make sure it is evenly combined.
  7. Cut a piece of baking paper that fits onto your pizza stone or baking tray.
  8. Put the baking paper onto a chopping board so that it is easy to transfer the pizza crust to the oven.
  9. Lay out your pizza dough mix onto the baking paper or a silicone liner.
  10. Use your fingers to spread it out; you should spread it out to a thickness of about 1 cm.
  11. Transfer your pizza crust on the baking paper to the preheated pizza stone/baking tray.
  12. Bake until the crust starts to brown, usually between 8 15 minutes, it will depend on your oven.
  13. Once cooked take the pizza out of the oven, be sure to leave it on the baking paper when you take it out of the oven.
  14. Top your pizza then put it back into the oven and bake for about 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 277 calories; 26 g fat; 27 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein

Equipment

  • Grater
  • Kitchen cloth/ dishtowel
  • Bowl
  • Spoon
  • Pizza stone/baking tray
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Kitchen towel 
  • Baking paper or a silicone liner

Macros

The macros as for the pizza base only not for any toppings

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Tandoori chicken skewers

Leave a comment

Spicy on the BBQ

The weather has been warming up, and I want to spend more of my time outside enjoying the beauty New Zealand has to offer. When the weather warms up, I want to spend less time hanging out in a hot kitchen; what an excellent excuse to get the BBQ cleaned and fired up. I love cooking over real flames, and the added flavours from cooking over charcoal are hard to beat.

Fire + spicy + meat = awesome!

Op shop inspiration

I bought a backyard BBQ cookbook a few years back on a trip to the Op Shop up in Whangarei. I loved that it was a Man’s cookbook, all about Manly cooking over an open flame without the womenfolk getting in the way. The recipes are all simple and don’t have heaps of prep. They are designed to let the good ingredients and smoke do all the work. While I found the idea of manly cooking requiring no women other than to bring out beers highly amusing, the cooking style and simplicity of the recipes felt like a good fit for me; easy and clean. While skimming through the cookbook, I found the good old chicken and veg skewer recipe, and it got me thinking: Could you make the standard meat and veg skewer better? Yes, you can, or I wouldn’t be posting this recipe.

Tandoori skewers

My backyard BBQ cookbook got me thinking about other foods that use smoke and flames to add more flavour to the food; the answer was reasonably obvious: tandoori. While the tandoor is made of clay and doesn’t use charcoal, the principles are the same- smoke, flames, and meat give you amazing flavours. I always have a jar of tandoori-style spice mix in my pantry to add a bit of extra spice to dinner when needed. I decided to combine BBQ and Indian inspired flavours to deliver something spicy and new for dinner.

Tandoori chicken skewers

Not to hot

While I have nothing against the gas BBQ, I prefer the charcoal BBQ results. Charcoal BBQS take longer to set up and start cooking with, but once they are up and running, they are straightforward to use and can look after themselves and cook your food without too much effort from you. I am not a BBQ expert, but I know what works well for my cooking style and the recipes I have created or used. For this recipe, I set my BBQ up for indirect heat and put the skewers on to cook once all the charcoal had burned and was white. The BBQ internal temperature was around 300 degrees C or 600 degrees F, meaning the meat and veggies were cooked in minutes. Getting the temperature right before you put your food on the BBQ is key. If you put the food on when the BBQ is too hot, you end up with meat that is burned on the outside and raw in the middle. This is dangerous when you are cooking chicken. 

Tandoori chicken skewers recipe

Tandoori chicken skewers ingredients

Ingredients 

  • 1/3 cup tandoori spice powder 
  • 1 tbsp lime juice 
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
  • 3 chicken breast, cubed 
  • 1/2 green pepper, cubed 
  • 1/2 red pepper, cubed 
  • 1 red onion, cubed-quartered, then halved 
  • 1/2 cup olive oil 
  • salt and pepper 

Instructions

Mix together the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, lime juice, and tandoori spice powder in a bowl. 

Place the tandoori spice powder in a large bowl.
Add the lime juice.
Add the garlic and oil a little at a time.
Mix well.
When you have added all the oil you will have a smooth paste.

Add the chicken to the bowl with the tandoori paste, mix to coat the chicken. 

Ad the chicken to the paste.
Mix well.
Make sure that chicken is fully coated
Get the vegetables and chicken together to start building the skewers

Thread the chicken, onion, pepper and peppers onto soaked bamboo skewers. 

Thread the chicken, onion, pepper and peppers onto soaked bamboo skewers. 
Keep adding chicken, onion and peppers to the skewer
Repeat with the remaining vegetables and chicken

Brush the extra paste onto the skewers. 

Cook the skewers on an oiled BBQ or in a chargrill pan, turning occasionally. 

Cook the skewers on an oiled BBQ or in a chargrill pan, turning occasionally. 

The chicken should be cooked through in about 10 minutes. 

Serve hot with some salad

“Tandoori

  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

“A



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup tandoori paste
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1/2 green pepper, cubed
  • 1/2 red pepper, cubed
  • 1 red onion, cubed, quartered, then halved
  • 1/2 cup Olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Mix the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, lime juice, and tandoori paste in a bowl.
  2. Add the chicken to the bowl with the tandoori paste and mix to coat the chicken.
  3. Thread the chicken, onion, pepper and peppers onto soaked bamboo skewers.
  4. Brush the extra paste onto the skewers.
  5. Cook the skewers on an oiled BBQ or in a chargrill pan, turning occasionally.
  6. The chicken should be cooked through in about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Per Serving: calories; g fat; g carbohydrates; g protein

Equipment 

  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups
  • Fork
  • Spoon
  • Wooden skewers

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Tuna lettuce wrap

1 Comment

For a long time, tuna was a staple of a weekend lunch menu; tuna cheese melts were all I could make to satisfy hungry children. While I was happy to provide a high-protein lunch to the kids, I quickly got over eating leftover tuna or munching on tuna melts each week.

Mixing things up

In an effort to make tuna more interesting and easier to eat (every weekend), I came up with these tasty wraps. Anyone who knows me knows I love salad, so what could be better than mixing tuna and salad? Introducing fresh vegetables adds much-needed texture and new flavours to some boring tuna, while the avocado dressing is a great replacement for mayo. A simple solution to a repetitive problem. Now I get to choose when to eat tuna (and it isn’t every weekend), these tuna wraps are always my go-to option.

These lettuce wraps are the best way to eat tuna if you ask me. 

Tasty tuna lettuce wraps ready to eat

Tuna lettuce wrap recipe

Tuna lettuce wrap ingredients

Ingredients

  • 4 lettuce leaves
  • 120g tinned tuna, drained
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/4 cup carrot, grated
  • 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp. Avocado Dressing

Instructions

Take a large mixing bowl.

Take a large mixing bowl.
Take a large mixing bowl.

Mix the tuna, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and red onion in the bowl.

Add the tuna.
Add the tuna.
Add the tomatoes.
Add the tomatoes.
Add the peppers.
Add the peppers.
Add the carrots.
Add the carrots.
Add the onions.
Add the onions.
Mix everything together
Mixing everything together.
Mixed tuna and vegetables.
Mixed tuna and vegetables.

Place lettuce leaves on a plate.

Add the avocado dressing.

Add two tablespoons of avocado dressing.
Add two tablespoons of avocado dressing.
Mix well.
Mix well.
Tuna mix ready to plate up.
Tuna mix ready to plate up.

Mix well.

Divide the mixture between the lettuce leaves.

Place the lettuce leaves on a plate.
Place the lettuce leaves on a plate.
Divide the tuna mixture between the leaves.
Divide the tuna mixture between the leaves.
Lettuce wraps ready for dressing.
Lettuce wraps ready for dressing.

You can drizzle each wrap with a bit more avocado dressing before serving.

Drizzle some dressing over each wrap.
Drizzle some dressing over each wrap.

Serve and enjoy!

Lettuce wraps ready to eat.
Lettuce wraps ready to eat.

Tuna Lettuce Wrap

  • Servings: 2
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

“These



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 4 lettuce leaves
  • 120g tinned tuna, drained
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/4 cup carrot, grated
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp. Avocado Dressing

Directions

  1. Take a large mixing bowl.
  2. Mix the tuna, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and red onion in the bowl.
  3. Add the avocado dressing.
  4. Mix well.
  5. Place lettuce leaves on a plate.
  6. Divide the mixture between the lettuce leaves.
  7. You can drizzle each wrap with a bit more avocado dressing before serving.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 111 calories; 2 g fat; 9 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein

Equipment

  • Grater
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Fork
  • Spoon
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Tuna lettuce wraps

Breakfast salad

Leave a comment

Updating as we go

Early in 2021, I relocated and started updating my website; I’ve been making changes and improving everything as I go. This recipe is one of the many things I’ve tried to improve.

Something fresh

I love salad—sad but true. I could probably eat salad for every meal and never get bored. Breakfast salads are a great option when you want something a little different to start your day. This breakfast is clean, easy, and a cool take on cooked breakfast. The recipe is enough to feed two hungry people, so you can scale it to suit your needs.

Friday morning treat breakfast

This morning, I started work later than usual, which meant I had an opportunity to make myself a nice breakfast. A breakfast salad with coffee would be enough to set me up for the day. Perfectly poached eggs with bacon and fresh salad were just what I needed.

Breakfast salad recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 4 bacon rashers
  • 2 handfuls mixed leaves
  • 1 cucumber, julienne
  • 1 avocado, cubed
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 handful of sweet potato strips
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Over medium heat in a frying pan, cook off the bacon until it is crisp, then set to one side to cool.

Once the bacon has cooled, cut it into thin strips.

In the same frying pan, add some oil and fry off the sweet potato pieces until they are crisp, then drain on some kitchen paper.

Combine the cucumber, leaves, avocado, and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl.

Mix the mustard, oil, and vinegar in a jar, then pour over the salad.

Mix the salad, ensure the dressing covers everything, and then mix in the bacon.

Divide the salad between two plates.

While mixing the salad, boil a pan of water, ready to poach the eggs. 

Once boiling, reduce the heat and crack in the eggs.

When the egg whites have set, remove the eggs from the water and place them on the salad.

Finish the salad with the sweet potato strips.

Breakfast salad

  • Servings: 2
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Breakfast salads are a great option when you want something a little different to start your day.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats 

Ingredients

– 4 eggs – 4 bacon rashers – 2 handfuls mixed leaves – 1 cucumber, julienne – 1 avocado, cubed – 10 cherry tomatoes, halved – 1 handful of sweet potato strips – 1 tsp. Dijon mustard – 4 tbsp. olive oil – 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions

  1. Over medium heat in a frying pan, cook off the bacon until it is crisp, then set to one side to cool.
  2. Once the bacon has cooled, cut it into thin strips.
  3. In the same frying pan, add some oil and fry off the sweet potato pieces until they are crisp, then drain on some kitchen paper.
  4. Combine the cucumber, leaves, avocado, and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Mix the mustard, oil, and vinegar in a jar, then pour over the salad.
  6. Mix the salad, ensure the dressing covers everything, and then mix in the bacon.
  7. Divide the salad between two plates.
  8. While mixing the salad, boil a pan of water, ready to poach the eggs. 
  9. Once boiling, reduce the heat and crack in the eggs.
  10. When the egg whites have set, remove the eggs from the water and place them on the salad.
  11. Finish the salad with the sweet potato strips.

Nutrition

Per Serving:560 calories;49 g fat; 14g carbohydrates; 24g protein

Equipment

  • Frying pan x2
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Mixing bowl
  • Tongs
  • Slotted spoon

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Carrot taco shells

Leave a comment

Everything is awesome 

I feel like Taco Tuesday has been a thing for a long time, but it seems to be a new regular feature in people’s lives now (thank you, Lego Movie). #everythingisawesome 

Taco Tuesday is a regular feature in my house, mainly because I love tacos, and what could be better after a day in the office and a monster workout?  

Extra veggies for the kids 

I enjoy using egg wraps with my tacos, and while traditional corn taco shells are great, I sometimes want to increase my vegetable intake. In the past, I was quite creative in sneaking vegetables into my children’s diets. Carrot taco shells were one of my sneaky ways to get kids to eat veggies without complaint, and now they are my go-to method for using up those carrots in the fridge before they start looking sad.

Worth the effort 

I will be honest, these taco shells take a little bit of effort; they probably aren’t an easy option for a weeknight, but if you make them on the weekend, they will keep well in the fridge in an airtight container. If you are making them ahead of time, they are easy to re-crisp in the oven or in the trusty air fryer.

Carrot taco shells recipe

Ingredients

  • 200g carrots, cooked and grated
  • 75g cheese, grated 
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbsp. Oat flour

Peel the carrots and cook them in boiling water for about 10 minutes. 

Drain the carrots and let them cool before grating the carrots.

Squeeze out the excess water from the grated carrots, so the taco shells are not too soggy.

Place the carrots into a bowl, add the cheese eggs and flour, and then mix everything together.

Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/ 390 degrees F

Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the carrot mix onto the lined baking paper, use your fingers to flatten out each portion into a thin disc.

Bake at 200C for 15 minutes or until crispy around the edges. 

Allow the discs to cool for a few minutes then gently remove the shells from the baking paper or a silicone liner. If you would like to shape the shells, you can lay them over a bottle or rolling pin.

As the shells cool, they will harden slightly.

Fill the shells with your choice of taco filling and they are ready to go.

Carrot taco shells

  • Servings: 10
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

These taco sheels are ideal for a low carb taco Tuesday



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats 

Ingredients

  • 200g carrots, cooked and grated
  • 75g cheese, grated 
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbsp. Buckwheat flour

Directions

  1. Peel the carrots and cook them in boiling water for about 10 minutes. 
  2. Drain the carrots and let them cool before grating them.
  3. Squeeze out the excess water from the grated carrots, so the taco shells are not too soggy.
  4. Place the carrots into a bowl, add the cheese, eggs and flour, and then mix everything together.
  5. Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone liner.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/ 390 degrees F
  7. Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the carrot mix onto the lined baking paper, and use your fingers to flatten out each portion into a thin disc.
  8. Bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes or until crispy around the edges. 
  9. Allow the discs to cool for a few minutes, then gently remove the shells from the baking paper or a silicone liner. If you want to shape the shells, you can lay them over a bottle or rolling pin.
  10. As the shells cool, they will harden slightly.
  11. Fill the shells with your choice of taco filling, and they are ready to go.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 64 calories; 3.8 g fat; 4.4 g carbohydrates; 3.5 g protein

Equipment 

  • Grater 
  • Knife 
  • Chopping board 
  • Bowl 
  • Baking tray 
  • Spatula 
  • Ice cream scoop 
  • Cooling rack 

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.