Pineapple Boat with Salsa and Guacamole

Warm weather calls for fruit-centred salsa! I'm a huge fan of chips and dip, as are most people. It's a snack that meets all my expectations for a salty craving while providing something refreshing and spicy. I'm also a fan of the more imaginative combinations. Salsa is, however, always in danger of being presented pretty bland; you want a good selection of natural ingredients that don't need a lot of seasoning.

So in this quick and easy, the pineapple is combined and balanced with red onion, green and red bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, and cucumber.

One important tip if you are hosting and want to keep the pineapple head for aesthetics, as I did, would give with that is to make sure you drain as much of the juice as possible so that it doesn't start to seep when you serve. I would also suggest serving immediately, then transferring to a container and storing in the fridge for no more than 1-2 days.

For the guacamole you want it to be just as tasty, I recommend this recipe inspired by Chipotle; you can't go wrong!

Trouble handling avocadoes? There is no need for that! I never regretted getting this tool available on Amazon for cheap. It makes the slicing and decoring so much easier. The tool makes for a cute kitchen gift as well.

Ingredients

Salsa:

1/2 a pineapple, diced

1/2 a Roma tomato, diced

1/4 of a large cucumber, diced

1/4 red bell pepper, diced

1/4 green bell pepper, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

1 tablespoon jalapeno, finely diced

2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper0

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Guacamole, you can follow this recipe for it.

1 ripe Hass avocado

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/8 cup red onion , finely chopped

1/4 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix all the cleaned and diced ingredients together, drain and add to the pineapple or serving bowl.

Prepare your guacamole according to the instructions in this recipe.

Serve immediately with your favorite tortilla chips.

Gluten-Free Almond Coconut Funfetti Waffles

Even as an adult, funfetti rainbow sprinkles lift my spirits somehow! And I love the taste of vanilla birthday cake. Why not incorporate this into waffles, pancakes, French toast, and other morning baked goods at home?

These waffles are delicious! Part of that credit goes to the dose of excellent tasting protein powder from Unico (if you make these waffles to consume for daily protein intake or after a work out session, pay attention to the quality of your protein! Your waffles will taste better for it).

The waffles are gluten-free and vegan; I used almond milk, which gives them a mild, nutty undertone. The coconut milk helps make them even softer and adds a subtle sweetness, slightly nutty, tropical flavour.

Note on the chia seeds - the purpose is to help find and thicken your batter, but there are alternatives if you prefer, such as cornstarch and xanthan gum!

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup coconut cream

3 eggs

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon Chia seeds + 1/2 teaspoon water (mixed until a paste forms)

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup protein powder (I used the birthday cake sachet from Unico - use “maxine20” to get 20% off!)

2-3 tablespoons funfetti rainbow sprinkles

*makes approx. 3 waffles

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients - flour, protein, powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the chia seeds mix.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla, and oil. Add to the flour mix.

Gradually stir in the coconut cream, adding more or less until the batter is smooth (not too thin or thick). Stir in the sprinkles and let your batter stand for at least a minute.

Prepare your waffle maker, and use a 1/4 cup batter for each waffle.

Serve hot with almond milk whipped cream and maple syrup!

Overnight Oats Mango Parfait

A good breakfast or pre-workout snack always makes me feel better in the morning. Typically I eat my oats the traditional way, cooked over the stovetop with milk, water, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Overnight oats, however, are an even quicker way to have oats ready to eat when pressed for time or hurry. There is no need to warm the oats up either, but you can if you want to! The point of leaving them overnight is for them to absorb the milk and flavour. You will get a nice, smooth consistency similar to porridge.

I used old-fashioned rolled oats as that what I had in the pantry, but you'll want these over instant oats if possible, so the overnight oats maintain their integrity and don't end up soggy from the milk.

I took this a step further by transferring the oats to another container and building a parfait (which is a popular way to eat them) with more fruit and the same yoghurt mixed in before, but you can eat them as they are too!

Ingredients

2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup fresh mango, chopped + extra for topping

2/3 cup almond milk (or milk of your choosing)

1 cup mango peach almond yogurt (I used two containers from Silk)

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1 teaspoon chia seeds

Instructions

Directly in a mason jar, add all the ingredients (but use only 1/2 the yoghurt) and mix until evenly distributed. Place the jar on the fridge overnight. (This serving is for a single person - or two! - So double the recipe accordingly and use multiple jars).

The next morning, get a second jar for each serving when you are ready to build your parfait. Layer the fresh mango, the remaining yoghurt, scooping the oats from the first jar to the second. Finally, top with whipped cream and diced mango. Enjoy!

Mango, Avocado and Cucumber Salad

This recipe is the fifth of six plates I would serve if asked to make a 6-course meal or string of small plates/tapas based on Zimbabwean cuisine. I used ingredients that are commonly eaten or are considered a cornerstone of our cooking, but with a modern twist. The first was sweet potato soup, the second tomato bruschetta with guava balsamic glaze, the third  fried sadza with chili creamed corn, and the fourth Portobello steak with acorn squash, kale and green beans.

Similar to the last dish, I concentrate on fruits/vegetables that are used widely in Zimbabwe but not necessarily together on a plate.

Let’s start with the very popular mangoes. The sweet, juicy fruit is readily available, cheap, refreshing, and nutritious. We have two mango trees in my family garden, but the trees were bushy enough to possible contain snakes, so I never attempted to climb them or forage it for fruit. My grandmother, however, had a long pipe with a wire hook on it to reach the tall trees which produced a much healthier, sweeter crop than ours. We always expected to leave her home with a basket full during the peak season. Mangoes can also be seen on the roadside sold by street vendors.

Next up is the avocado, another tree found in many places.  I have pulled a few down myself, and they were organic and larger than most of the ones I come across in the grocery stores around the United States. I've mentioned before that ‘avocado toast’  was always a popular snack in Zim, different from the gourmet brunch dish I'm familiar with now. I grew up seeing people spread mashed avocado on their bread for breakfast seasoned with salt, sugar or chili flakes, nothing more!

Combining avocado and mango, on the other hand, not so common, but it should be! Avocado has that creamy texture from the healthy fats they contain, while mangoes are bright, sweet with a slight tartness. This inspired me to make a salad, almost reminiscent of salsa.

The cucumber adds to the freshness of the salad. In our family garden, we had spiky cucumbers or 'horned melons' as well, but used regular or English cucumbers for salads like much of the world does.

I hope you find this recipe as tasty as I do!

Ingredients

1/3 large mango

1 Hass avocado

1 medium cucumber

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

1 tablespoon pesto

1 tablespoon basil leaves, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice + extra for avocado

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Instructions

Using a peeler, remove the cucumber skin and peel the uncut cucumber into thin strips. , discard the seeds to use for another recipe and add the strips to a large bowl.

Slice the avocado and remove the seed, dice and toss in lemon juice to slow down oxidation and add them to the bowl.

Slice off a 1/3 of the mango and dice into cubes, add to the bowl.

Add the chopped basil leaves, pesto, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, chili flakes, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and mustard. Mix until the entire salad is coated evenly. Serve immediately.

Summer Vegetables Lunch Sheet Pan

Colour coordinating seasonal vegetables is so much fun and sure to please your family or guests! This recipe celebrates fresh vegetables and warm weather and can be paired with any other starch or protein. 

If you need other ideas for which vegetables to use, check out my summer vegetables dinner sheet pan (frankly, there are no rules for which veggies to eat at particular times I just did it for organizational purposes!)

It's super easy, and once you do it a second or third, time you'll be a vegetable roasting professional!

Ingredients

1 small red cabbage head

4-6 mini eggplants

1-2 artichokes

1 fennel bulb

1/3 red onion

2 tablespoons pistachios

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

1 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1/4 cup date nectar

3 tablespoons cooking wine

1 tablespoons fresh garlic

1 tablespoon Worchester sauce

1 teaspoon fenugreek

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Prepare your vegetables. Slice the cabbage into wedges. Remove the green stalks and bottom root from the fennel, then slice thinly. Cut the stem, top, and sharp leaves from the artichoke. You can also remove the solid ‘heart’ from the center of the artichoke since it's somewhat inedible. Slice your eggplants in half. Slice the red onion into small wedge slices. 

Whisk together your garlic, olive oil, date nectar, pistachios, rosemary, Worchester sauce,  and all other spices in a large bowl.

Toss the washed and cut vegetables in the marinade until everything is evenly coated, then spread them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. 

Bake in a 400F oven for 35-40 minutes until all vegetables are cooked through, particularly the artichoke - the larger it is the longer it will take to cook.

Garnish with parsley and serve hot, enough for 4-5. 

This recipe was featured on Food 52!

Summer Vegetables Dinner Sheet Pan

Roasted vegetables! Yes, these can be eaten at any time of the year, any season (various types of course depending on what's available).

We do, however, associate the colourful arrays with the vitality and heat summer brings, whether or not the vegetables paired with any other starch or protein.
 
For those trying to live a predominantly plant-based life, sheet pan dinners with roasted vegetables are very convenient and if seasoned well can be quite marvellous.

I colour coordinate the them for visual effect and combined those I thought would go well together with various textures.

Ingredients

4-5 tomatoes on a vine

1 large red bell pepper, quartered and decored

1 red chili pepper

4 medium carrots, peeled

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped

1 medium yellow squash, sliced in half

2 tablespoons ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon pepper jack cheese, grated or finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1/4 cup sweet potato nectar

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspok fenugreek

1 tablespoon dried parsely

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and turn the oven on to 400F.

Remove the centres of the squash using a metal spoon and stuff them with ricotta and cheese. Season the squash with salt, black pepper, dried parsley and olive oil.

Whisk the sweet potato nectar, fresh thyme, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and spices together in a large bowl. Toss the tomatoes, carrots, bell pepper, sweet potato and chilli pepper well enough to ensure everything is coated evenly.

Layout the vegetables and basil onto the baking tray. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining marinade and bake for 35 minutes. 

Halfway through baking turn over some of the vegetables if necessary, basting with any liquid and drizzling with a bit of olive oil to finish.

Garnish with fresh parsley and thyme, serves 2-3. 

Date Glazed Carrots with Sriracha Sesame Seeds

Eat your vegetables!!!!!  How many times have you heard that before? Over the years, I have learnt that vegetables need to be seasoned, loved and cared for just like everything else that goes on the plate, and carrots are not an exception. No more boiled carrots unless they are in a stew or curry thank you!

If you’re looking for a light, healthy dinner or a glossy side dish at the family dinner table, try out these carrots.

They are well seasoned, with a spicy array of ingredients brought together by a wonderous natural sweetener - date nectar! You can also use honey or sweet potato nectar, among other things. This addition will intensify the flavours from the spices, help with caramelization, and add to the inherent sweetness of the carrots. Since date nectar is a natural sweetener, you don’t have to worry about the guilt so much!

You can pair these carrots with anything - a juicy steak, a whole stuffed fish or chicken breast, some pasta, or another vegan or vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

1 large bunch of carrots (about 8)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup date nectar

1/8 cup cooking wine

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon sriracha sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon chipotle

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon garlic powder or freshly minced

Instructions

Wash, peel, and slice your carrots diagonally as pictured above.

In a large bowl, starting with the date nectar, whisk all the ingredients together. Toss the carrots in the well-mixed glaze until all everything is evenly coated.

Spray a baking tray with olive oil and scatter the carrots - try not to overlay them on top of each other to ensure each piece is cooked evenly.

Bake in a 400F oven for 30-35 minutes until the carrots start to soften but still have a nice bite to them - no need to overcook.

Stir and scoop over some of the glaze 2-3 times during the cooking time.

Sprinkle with more sriracha sesame seeds and herbs, serve immediately or hot!

Macho Pea Tostada

Are you looking for a quick meal to start the day? Don't want to use eggs or avocado? I asked myself these questions and peas came to mind! Maybe it's the colour, but either way, I love peas. 

One of my favourite sides at Nandos is their mashed peas. I decided to recreate them as best I could and make some tacos, but with texture! Hence, the change to tostada which are baked (or fried) tortillas. 

Macho peas at Nandos are simply a mix of peas with chilli, mint, and parsley. 

This is a great way to get a savoury bite without packing on the calories. 

Ingredients

2 flour tortillas

Cooking oil spray

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup cooked peas (I just used canned)

Chopped nuts to garnish

Instructions

Spray your tortillas with cooking spray on each side and bake in a 400F oven for 5-7 minutes. Turn over to crispen both sides when the upward-facing side starts to puff up and brown. 

Set aside a few peas to garnish, and mash the rest in a bowl with all the other ingredients. 

Spread the peas on your tostadas, garnish with fresh mint, whole peas, chopped nuts and olive oil!

Groundnut, Corn, and Sweet Potato Platter

This platter is what I call the Zimbabwean snack ‘trifecta’, enjoyed in the morning or afternoon with milk tea.  It's more common to eat each one separately, but all three are considered go-to energy boosters as they are affordable, easy to find, or grown in people’s gardens or community plots.

 Groundnuts are plentiful during the rainy season, and provide a dose of protein - probably my favourite! We had them once in a while in my family, and I used to get thrilled picking them up from the street side vendors, a fond memory.

It's also not uncommon to serve one or all three for guests before a meal, as an appetizer.

You can serve them on a platter in very small portions, this is as wholefoods as it gets!

Ingredients

12-16 cups water

4 tablespoons salt

2-3 corn/maize cobbs

2-3 yams (not the orange-fleshed sweet potatoes)

4 cups groundnuts, shelled, unsalted, raw, and washed

Instructions

Split the water into two parts in large pots, placing the yams and corn together to boil with one tablespoon of salt.

In the second pot, add three tablespoons of salt and the groundnuts. 

Boil both pots until the water has evaporated or the vegetables are softened and fully cooked. If you need to add water and time, do so.

Serve hot with milk tea, enough for 5-6.

Baked Bean and Corn Breakfast Tacos with Harissa

You can use fresh ingredients or whatever you have available to repurpose and prevent food waste. After a cookout, for example, many of us have leftover vegetables or other sides, why not use them to make tacos in the morning?

Baked beans and sweet corn go seamlessly together, and I add some taco seasoning to bring the flavours together.

We all know tacos need a sauce to enhance the taste and add just one more element to bring them to the finish line. Most people also like a spicy kick to their food, but instead of drenching your tacos in hot sauce or going to pico de gallo route, make some harissa!

Harissa is a North African sauce that serves as a staple in most Tunisian kitchens where it originated. The chili paste has gained global popularity, and I certainly can't wait to try it in its most authentic form when I visit the region. I whipped up my quick version you can use, but there are several recipes available if it's something you want to understand better.
 
You'll be glad these tacos woke you up regardless!

Ingredients

1/3 cup baked beans

Pinch of salt

1/8 cup water

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Primal Palate taco seasoning

1/4 cup sweet corn

Handful of arugula or spring greens

2-3 corn tortillas, charred on the stove top

3 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 tablespoon butter

Quick harissa:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds or dill

1 teaspoon mint (you may have a teabag if no dried spice)

1 teaspoon coriander

You can tweak the measurements to form the paste consistency you want.

Instructions

Heat the butter and toss the baked beans and corn in a saucepan with the salt, pepper, water and taco seasoning, cook for about 3 minutes.

Toast the flour tortillas directly over the gas stove to crispen then up. Brush lightly with the melted butter.

Prepare your harissa. Add the olive oil to a small saucepan and heat. Add the garlic and saute until golden, not burnt!

Take your pan off the heat and stir in your spices. (You can cook the spices for another minute if you like to bring our the flavours even more).

Assemble the tacos. You can do this as you like just lay the corn and baked beans, spring greens, and tomatoes on the tortillas. Top with your harissa as you see fit.

Gluten-Free Banana Waffles

Need a quick one for a weekend breakfast or brunch? Try these banana waffles! They are soft, light, fluffy, and guilt-free.

They’re great if you have ripe bananas you need to make use of, and you’ll only need about 3 tablespoons of gluten-free flour (like coconut, almond, or oat). The rest of the batter consists of eggs (or a replacement), coconut, pecans and spices. The pecans and coconut add some needed texture.

No need for a whole lot of the sugar! The coconut, syrup or honey on top will do the trick.

Ingredients

2 bananas

1/4 cup pecans

1/4 cup desiccated coconut (sweetened)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Mash the bananas in a large bowl.

Add the eggs, spices, salt, baking soda and vanilla, whisk until evenly mixed.

Stir in the pecans and coconut.

Prepare your waffle maker and cook as normal.

Serve and garnish with syrup and whipped cream. Makes 2.

Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salad

When warmer weather rolls in you want an easy, refreshing salad that can be paired with almost every dish. For this salad the tomatoes provide acidity and a tang, the avocado a creamy texture, and the corn and red onion a necessary crunch.

Salad, Summer salad, Healthy, Keto

Vegetarian

Yield: 4

Author: Dontmissmyplate

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Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salad

This salad is easy to put together and well balanced with creamy and crunchy textures, tang and acidity and is high in healthy fats and other nutrients.

Prep time: 15 MCook time: Total time: 15 M

Ingredients:

• 2 large Hass avocados, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 large boiled or roasted corn cobs, shaved
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped 
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions:

1. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, place then in a bowl.
2. Stand the corn cobs upright and shave the sides, place into the bowl with the tomatoes.
3. Finely chop your onion, add to the bowl.
4. Slice the avocados in half and scoop out each side, remove the seeds then cut into cubes.
5. In a smaller bowl, whisk the salt, black pepper, chili flakes, olive oil, vinegar, and lemon.
6. Add the dressing to the large bowl and mix until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.
7. Increase portions accordingly if needed.

Calories

370

Fat (grams)

28.73

Carbs (grams)

30.24

Protein (grams)

4.5

I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.

https://www.dontmissmyplate.com/eat-clean/2020/5/25/avocado-corn-tomato-salad

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