BEAN & BEET STEW

Also known as Chard or Swiss Chard, Silverbeet is rich in many vitamins and minerals, like all other green leafy vegetables. Silverbeet contains high levels of magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium and vitamin A and K. It is a very versatile vegetable and one that my mother and grandmother used to cook in abundance when I was growing up. Silverbeet can be paired with all manners of meats, it works wonderfully in soups and stews and is a famous ingredient in the very tasty Greek filo pastries (spanakopita). I often use silverbeet in soups, stews and in frittatas. Play around with the recipe below and add whatever vegetables you need to get rid of, such as pumpkin, potato etc, but don't forget the silverbeet! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 
• 2 medium carrots, diced 
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, stems removed 
• ground black pepper
• 1/2 large silverbeet, around 150g, stems removed and finely chopped
• 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, washed & drained
• Optional -100g reduced-fat ham, diced 
• Optional - 1 tablespoon reduced-fat grated parmesan cheese or grated regular cheese 

COOKING 

1. Heat a large deep saucepan over medium heat and add olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the carrots and zucchini and cook for around 5-6 minutes or until the zucchini and carrot are starting to soften. Stir occasionally to make sure the vegetables do not stick to the pan. Pour in the garlic and leave to cook for 1 minute. 

2. Add the thyme, a generous sprinkle of pepper and the silverbeet to the pan along with one cup of water. Stir to combine then cover the pan until the silverbeet wilts (this should just take a few minutes). Pour in the beans and continue to cook, covered, turning the heat down to a simmer, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the ham to the pan if using and stir well to combine. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / under 20 minutes 

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SUSHI SALAD BOWL

I love fresh, bright and quick to prepare meals, hence this Sushi Salad Bowl is a favourite of mine. Having tried my hand at making sushi before, this is a much quicker and less painstaking process which tastes like the inside of my ideal sushi roll. You can play with the ingredients and add lemon, daikon, salmon, toasted seaweed, coriander etc or remove any ingredients below that you do not like/have on hand. I like to opt for a very simple, easy bowl. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup brown rice 
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon rice bran oil / sesame oil 
• 2 green shallots, finely chopped, plus extra to serve 
• Optional - 15cm stick fresh lemongrass, finely chopped
• 3cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 300g free range chicken breast, cut into 3cm even pieces 
• 150g green beans, cut into 2cm pieces 
• 150g red cabbage or wombok or a mixture of bowl, shredded 
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated
• 1 Lebanese cucumber or 1/2 continental cucumber, diced 
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced 
• 4 teaspoons white /black or a mixture of both (1 teaspoon for each serving) 

Dressing

• the juice of 1 medium lime 
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

COOKING 

1. Place rice and 2 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cover for around 12-15 minutes or until all water is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Remove from heat and add the rice wine vinegar, then fluff the rice with a fork to stir it in. 

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, lemongrass (if using) and ginger and stir for 2 minutes, taking care not to burn the ingredients. Then add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring often for approximately 4-5minutes or until the chicken is cooked. 

3. Remove the chicken with the shallots, lemongrass and ginger from the pan and now add the beans and cabbage. Stir for around 3 minutes or until beans are slightly tender. 

4. Pour the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or mug along with 2 tablespoons water and stir well. 

5. Distribute the rice, carrot, cucumber, avocado, chicken and beans & cabbage into four bowls. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds over each bowl and drizzle dressing over the top and serve. 

Serves / 4 
Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 
Total Cooking time / maximum 25 minutes