Wesley's Easy Hummus mix

Blend the following together:

1 can chickpeas
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp cumin/jeera/dhanya
1tsp salt
lemon juice to taste

:)

Chocolate Cake In A Mug

How To:

A microwave oven

A large microwavable mug

A tablespoon for measuring

4 Tablespoons flour

9 Tablespoons hot chocolate mix

1 pinch of salt

1 egg

3 Tablespoons water

3 Tablespoons oil

Cooking Spray


Via my Mom :)

Microwave Carrot Cake

Ingredients

- 1 cup Flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups finely grated carrot
- 100 g chopped almonds
- Grated rind of one large lemon
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 eggs

Frosting
- 125g cream cheese
- 60g butter
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or lemon juice

Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Pour into a greased microwave safe cake form or large bowl
3. Microwave on high for 20min or until cooked all the way through (test with 
    a knitting needle)
4. Allow to cool a little, then turn out onto a sheet of baking paper or a cake
    plate.
5. For the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then gradually add the icing sugar and the vanilla/lemon juice. Top the cake with frosting and decorate with a little bit of the nuts.

Red Lentil Dahl

Ingredients

 - 500g dried red lentils
 - 1 1/2 large onions (or two medium ones) chopped
 - 2 tsp crushed garlic
- 1-2 tsp Garam Masala
 - 1-2 tsp crished Ginger
 - 8 Cumin seeds
 - 1 tsp ground Coriander
 - 2 tsp Black mustard seeds
 - 1 Star anise
 - 1 tsp Salt
 - Olive oil
 - 1 tsp ground black Pepper
 - Medium bunch of fresh coriander or parsley leaves 

Method

1. In a large pan, fry the onions, ginger and garlic together till browned.
   
2. Add the spices and seeds and stir well. Add the lentils and add the amount of water recommended on the packaging/ cover the lentils. Cook for about 20 min (check from time to time if it needs a bit more water)
3. Once the lentils are soft and starting to dissolve fish out the star anise. You can blend the mixture in the blender if you want a smoother consistency.
4. Chop the fresh coriander or parsley and add to the mixture for flavour.
   
   Serve as is, or with rice.

Low GI Pilchard Pie

Note: The credit for this recipe goes to the writers of the book Eating for Sustained Energy 2 , but I've applied some panel-beating to it here and there to suit my own needs :)

Crust
2 large potatoes, boiled and mashed.
1 can of baked beans in tomato sauce
1 eggwhite, beaten
5ml baking powder
4 tbsp oats


To make the crust, mash/blend all of the above together in a mixing bowl, then spread it evenly over the bottom of a grease lined pie dish. I find it helps to run it through a blender for a bit to get it smooth.


Filling
5 ml Oil
1 large chopped onion
1 tin of Pilchards in tomato sauce
4 tbsp Mayonnaise (try to use low fat if you're dieting)
4 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1/2 tsp dried herbs
1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
1 egg, beaten (I often add the additional yolk from the crust ingredients here as it does no harm to have some extra egg)
1 tsp crushed garlic
Cheddar cheese to cover the dish (30g is a nice amount if your use of cheese is limited.)

Method:

1. Fry the chopped onion in the oil until browned.

2. Drain the pilchards of the tomato sauce (don't discard this yet!) and mash them fine with the mayonnaise, onions, parsley, herbs, vinegar or lemon juice, egg and garlic.

3. Scoop the mixture into the crust and spread evenly. Spread the tomato sauce from the pilchards over the top as best you can, then cover with the grated cheese.


4. You can bake this in an oven at about 180 degrees for about 25-30 min. If you plan to microwave it, hold off on adding the cheese till the last 10 minutes of the cooking time. I usually microwave it for about 30 - 40 minutes until you can stick a knitting needle in there and not get gooey stuff when you pull it out.

Butter Chicken for Dummies (with non-lactose option)

Here's what you need:

- 3 tbsp Margarine
- 1 chopped onion
- ½ tsp crushed garlic
- 400ml can of tomato puree
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp Indian Masala Spice
- Sunflower or Olive Oil
- Cubed chicken (2 - 4 breasts)
500ml cream

(For the lactose intolerant I use one box/1 cup of Orley Whip and 3/4 of a cup of margarine which I simmer together for 5 minutes as a substitute for the cream)

1. Boil the chicken breasts until they are cooked through (20min should do it). Drain off the resulting chicken stock and save it for soup or whatever. Allow the breasts to cool.

2.Fry the onion and garlic until it is nicely browned/caramelised in a large pan (I use my electric frying pan because it is large enough to accommodate all the ingredients). Go ahead and debone and cube the chicken at this point.

3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is nice and soft.

Serve over rice.

PS. A nice variation is to add some veggies to the mix to make a complete meal. I like to use something soft and mushy like mushrooms, baby marrow, pumpkin cubes etc. because they don't really add to the cooking time, and are a good way to add additional nutrition.  Add about 3 cups of cubed veggies. :)

Congestion Buster Tea

In a sizable teapot brew the following for 5 min:


Brew Echinacea root tea according to preference if you have it, and then add two rooibos teabags.

Then add any of these items that you have:
1  tsp fresh ginger root

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/4 tsp clove powder/ drop of clove oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Sprig or two of fresh mint / 1/2 tsp dried mint

1-2 shots of lemon juice
Grated rind of half a lemon

To flavour add sweetener of your choice (no milk as this worsens congestion, and preferably honey because it has healing properties).

Inez's Awesome Coleslaw Salad

You'll need:

Salad:
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds (toasted)
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds (toasted)
1 packed of Two Minute Noodles (discard the flavour sachet)
1 bunch of spring onions or chives
2 baby cabbages
1 cup petit pois




Dressing:
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (wine) vinegar
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil (optional)

1 stock cube dissolved in a quarter cup of hot water


Method:

After toasting the nuts and seeds, break the two minute noodles into very small pieces. Julienne the vegetables finely to give the salad a nice texture. Mix the dressing and dribble it over the salad. Voila!