Hola fellow food lovers! For today I thought I’d share with you three healthy and simple recipes that are staples in our house and that are made of things that you most likely already have in your pantry and freezer. This blog post matches a video I’ll be posting this Thursday over on my YouTube channel so stay tuned for that one ;)

I hope that you all are staying healthy during this COVID-19 situation and are still finding ways to cook delicious and nutritious meals for yourself and your loved ones :)

Spicy crispy chickpeas

Serves 2

These crispy chickpeas are beyond simple to make, are inexpensive and make for a fun party snack. Feel free to adjust the spiciness to your preferred level :)

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 T olive oil

3-4 tsp moroccan spice mix (cumin, pepper, paprika, fennel, salt, mint, etc.)

Salt & pep to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F.

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the chickpeas, spices, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly until combined.

3. Spread the chickpea spice mixture out onto a previously-lined baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through to prevent the chickpeas from burning. 

4. Once the chickpeas are golden and starting to split remove from the oven, allow to cool for five minutes and then enjoy!

Creamy broccoli & potato soup

Serves 4

I’ve been making a variation of this soup for a few weeks now subbing out the broccoli for different veggies (zucchini, leek, kale, spinach) and it’s always creamy and delicious. It’s become a favorite in our house because it’s a quick and easy way to eat a whole lot of veggies :)

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli, rinsed and chopped

4-5 medium hello potatoes, rinsed and chopped

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 T cooking oil (scentless coconut oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, etc)

500ml (2 cups) stock (room temperature)

500ml (2 cups) water *or more stock if you have it (room temperature)

Salt & pepper to taste 

Parmesan cheese to add at the end* (optional but highly recommended)

Directions

1. In a large pot combine the broccoli, potatoes, bouillon cube and oil and allow to sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat.

2. Add the stock and water and bring the soup to a boil and then cover, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes or until the veggies have softened.

3. Remove from the heat, and blend (either with a standup blended or a handheld immersion blender) to desired consistency. Adding a splash of milk or water to thin it out if it needs it.

4. Adjust seasoning as needed, top with grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Thai coconut curry with shrimp 

Serves 2

This is not by any means an authentic Thai curry though it’s delicious, easy and pulls on some of the flavors traditionally seen in Thai cuisine- lemongrass, coconut, ginger, basil, cilantro :) I’ve listed the veggies I used in my YouTube video to make this recipe though feel free to throw in whatever you have on hand, adjusting the cooking times based on each veg (potatoes will take longer than snap peas, for example). Broccoli, snap peas, peas, and mushrooms all work wonderfully in this recipe- fresh or frozen works!

Ingredients

1 T coconut oil

2 bell peppers, julienned

1/2 zucchini, sliced

1 thumb-sized nub of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 fresh red chili

1 can coconut milk

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 T Thai Green Curry Paste

1 lime, zest and juice 

15-20 shrimp, peeled and cleaned (*or protein of your choice)

Fresh basil and cilantro to top (optional) 

Directions

1. In a large deep pan heat the coconut oil on medium high. Add in the ginger, chili pepper, garlic and curry paste and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. 

2. Add in the bell peppers and zucchini and sauté for an additional 5 minutes until slightly softened. 

3. Add in the can of coconut milk and lime juice and zest and reduce heat to medium low. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes letting all the flavors get to know each other.

4. Add in the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until just pink and the tails start to curl. Remove from the heat, season with salt and peppers, top with fresh basil and cilantro and enjoy!

*This recipe pairs wonderfully with brown rice or quinoa :)

Thank you all so much for stopping by this week and I hope that you are safe and healthy as we navigate these strange times. I’ll be uploading a video to my YouTube this Thursday with these recipes showing the preparation a bit more in depth so make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any new videos :)

Until next week, take care and happy eating!

Xoxo,

Alexandra