AS A STUDENT, I would often make rice for dinner, paired with deep-freeze spinach and something crazy on the side, like plain mixed lettuce. I know, I know… that doesn’t make any sense. TO MAKE MATTER WORSE, the rice would usually turn to mush (be overcooked), sometimes be too chewy (undercooked) and almost never turned out just right. AFTER YEARS OF OCCASSIONAL EXPERIMENTING, and thanks to the influence of good cooks around my friends and family, plus a lot of trial & error, I’ve got a grip on making good rice. IF YOU ALSO STRUGGLE with making rice because it hardly turns out right – or if you love…
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Squash, Tomatoes & Black Beans in Creamy Coconut Sauce
This delicious, healthy & simple vegetarian Kerala Curry recipe is based on a recipe from the ‘Fresh India’ cookbook. Squash is in season, perfect to combine with heart-healthy black beans and aromatic spices such as garam masala mix. Serves 4 for amazing dinner, prep time 45 minutes from start to table. Ingredients for Oven-roasted Squash 1kg butternut squash, unpeeled, cut into thin wedges 1 tbsp garam masala a sprinkle of salt and pepper Ingredients for Creamy Coconut sauce 1 onion, diced 2 green chilis, diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 400g tin black beans, rinsed and drained 150g ripe tomatoes (or tinned tomatoes if not in season) 400ml good coconut milk…
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Dumplings with Pak Choi
Making Dumplings with Pak Choi takes 10 minutes from the moment you enter your front door to the moment you sit down at the table to eat – it’s easy, healthy and quick. That’s also why I call it the recipe for power couples – those amazing couples where both people are working hard, being awesome at what they do, and rushing home late without much oomph (definition) to cook (oops). To your rescue comes this Dumplings with Pak choi recipe, introduced to me by a power couple themselves, Madi & Mathias. In 10 minutes of whizzing about in the kitchen, you will have a satisfying meal loaded with vibrant, green vegetables…
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Indian Summer Salad
As I’m walking around the cookbook section in a bookshop a couple of weeks ago, a pop of color catches my eye – it’s the “Fresh India” cookbook by a lady called Meera Sodha. Indian cooking finally made simple and not taking 5 days of bending over the stove to make? Yes! This summer salad is refreshing and full of flavors (it originally also includes a spoonfull of sugar, which I leave out). Enjoy it with a big appetite – it has a grand total of zero (0) calories, really. Fun fact: I buy my bell peppers organic because peppers fall into EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) category of the dirty dozen. This is…
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Thai Red Curry with Shrimp & Mango
I AM TAKING A COURSE ON SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AT THE MOMENT where a very interesting movie came up:´The Insider´ (youtube / wiki). It is a movie from the 90s, based on a true story about a biochemist who was a whistleblower for the tobacco industry (an industry that, at the time, claimed towards the general public that tobacco was harmless and ignored the reports of its´ scientists about the dangers of tobacco for health). With main actors Al Pacino and Russel Crowe! Just wanted to tell you about it since it inspired me, and made me remember again how as scientists and doctors, we have a responsibility to find facts…
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Easy Veggie & Shrimp Stir-fry with Brown Rice Noodles
AS PROMISED, HERE’S A DELICIOUS STIR-FRY RECIPE that I had for dinner last night. 🙂 Green beans and zucchini were on offer at the supermarket – you can also choose other green veggies which you find on sale, to make this meal not only delicious but also affordable! BROWN RICE NOODLES ARE TASTY. They have a lower glycemic index than wheat noodles, meaning they are better at keeping blood sugar stable. BENEFITS OF THIS MEAL ARE MANY, aside from the brown rice noodles, the stir-fry is low in carbs, has a short cooking time leading to vitamin preservation, provides nutrients from many vegetables and garlic, and gives you a daily…
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Sweet Potato Curry with Almond, Spinach & Coriander
This curry is amazing and healthy. Let’s celebrate by making more curry! I just love the aroma filling up the kitchen as I am cooking it. Curries are a great comfort food, easy to prepare and perfect as lazy weeknight dinners – when you’re not willing to settle for take out and want a nutritious meal instead. Print Recipe Sweet Potato Curry with Almond, Spinach & Coriander Course Main Dish Prep Time 40 minutes Servings Ingredients 2 tbsp cooking oil sesame oil and sunflower oil work well here2 pieces red onion2 cloves garlic1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated2 pieces fresh green chili3-5 pieces (800 g) sweet potatoes150 g fresh spinach…
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Mother’s Day inspired: Coconut curry with millet and asperagus
Today’s Mother’s Day couldn’t have been better spent than laughing, relaxing and cooking together. Asparagus is in season now in The Netherlands, so we used this perfect timing to make a recipe using the green delight. Read on for the delightful spring recipe we made, inspired by a recipe from the ‘Forks over Knives’ cookbook. Coconut curry with millet and asparagus Serves 3. Prep time: 40-50 minutes from start to finish. Ingredients: 3/4 cup millet + 2,5 cups water 1 cup leek, white and light green part thinly sliced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 tblsp ginger, peeled and grated 2 cups green asparagus, tough ends snapped off, rest cut…
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Flu Remedy Noodles
Before you know it you’ve gotten sneezed on and are on sick leave sniffing into tissues. If that’s the case, you need to eat something nurturing, to help your body get well soon. Lots of real food and vitamins, little effort. Try this power-punch anti-flu nutrient-loaded noodle bowl, it’s enough for 2 servings – one for now, and one for later when you don’t feel like cooking. Drink plenty of herbal tea and water, and get well soon! Print Recipe "Flu Remedy" Noodles with Baby Corn, Green beans, Garlic & Red Chili Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Servings bowls Ingredients Brown rice noodles or udon noodles enough…
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Red Curry with Mango & Sweet Potato
Usually people who eat meat think that vegetarian dishes are just regular dishes but then with something missing. I definitely think this is not one of those dishes, since it is equisite and full of flavor. So if you are trying to cut back on meat without wanting to cause yourself too much veggie horror, try this curry! Whether you are making this for yourself, a bunch of friends or to impress a date, it shall be your dinner winner not only because it is rich in flavors, but also because it literally provides the feel good vitamin D (the same vitamin your skin makes when you are in the…
