Marrakech Food Diary

Another food diary from a trip to Marrakech, Morocco. What an amazing place and the good is out of this world! The spices and herbs used on all the dishes are just heaven...

South of France Food Diary

A food diary in photos of a week long holiday to the South of France. Beautiful, fresh, delicious food...

Courgette Fritters

These fritters are my new go to for lunch and dinner! So tasty and go with many other dishes such as houmous and ratatouille. I top my fritters with slices of avocado and a squeeze of lemon and the combination is absolutely delicious! I even love them cold (but others prefer them as a hot meal!).

                          

These are a great vegetarian meal with high levels of protein that you will get from the ground almond and eggs.

Beetroot and Spinach Tortilla Wraps

This is my favourite recipe in a long while! These tortilla wraps are a dream! Perfect lunchtime inspiration or for when you are feeding a crowd. The colours are just glorious when eating and the flavour tastes just like you have bought a pack of wraps from the supermarket- but better (okay Im slightly biased).

Before you think that they are going to taste strongly of beetroot and spinach you would be mistaken as you can struggle to taste those flavours at all actually!

Little fact: Did you know beetroot and spinach are often added to foods as a natural food colouring without impacting the taste! Healthy and colourful foods- whats not to love! 

The wraps are gluten free and refined sugar free. 

Makes around 5-7 wraps depending on how thick and big you make them.

Ingredients:

Avocado Toast

This is such an easy and filling breakfast. For the toast I use Biona bread Quinoa and Amaranth. This bread is great protein so perfect for breakfast.

I use half an avocado and 1 piece of bread as it is so filling but by all means add another half avocado or extra slice of bread.

Homemade Garlic and Basil Pesto

Got a perfect dish like a salad or rice pasta but cannot think to add to it, that is clean and tasty?! Enter pesto!

There are many different pesto flavours, and this is a recipe for Garlic and Basil, which means I can use my basil plant! So great and satisfying using your own fresh produce, not just for freshness and flavour but also a lot more cost efficient.

Also so quick to whip up a batch, can be easily done for last minute flavour!

Warming Vegetable Bolognese

The most famous pasta dish is Spaghetti Bolognese, everyone knows and loves it (well almost everyone!). Warming, nourishing, filling and the rich tomato, garlic and herb flavours combined creates a quick dish for anyone to enjoy. But for all you vegetarians and vegans out there, here is a recipe for you! 

The bolognese can be combined with many different options! The lightest meal would be to add it to a base of my marinated kale and spinach salad (click here for the recipe). In contrast for a more comfort food dish that is still clean, is on a bed of spaghetti rice pasta (gluten free)! This is the closest to the 'traditional' Spaghetti Bolognese and tastes amazing! 

Quinoa, Almond and Mint Salad

I am feeling really inspired at the moment with Moroccan food! The mix of flavours are amazing and create an unbelievable combination. This salad is inspired by a Moroccan couscous salad, that includes sweet raisins, crunchy salted almonds and fresh herbs!

This dish is not only gluten free it is also vegan too! I cannot get over the taste of this salad, the quinoa makes it so filling, as well as the avocado. No green leaves are this recipe so it is very much a hearty salad.

The Trick to a Great Kale Salad

A portion of kale is hard to beat when talking about the number of nutrients and minerals it contains. It is great to include if you want a healthy and balanced diet. There are so many benefits of eating the green stuff including a high source of vitamins A, C and K, as well as improve blood glucose control in diabetics, lowering the risk of cancer and blood pressure and improving bone healthy!

So that leads me on to introducing a trick to creating a great Kale Salad.

Sweet Potato, Lentil and Coconut Curry

If you are looking for the perfect winter warming dish then look no further! Such a healthy dish with no added nasties like your shop brought curry. Filling and nourishing ingredients like the sweet potato and lentils, that are also great for your overall health- what's not to love!

I served it on a bed of steaming brown rice, but alternatively you can use quinoa or just on its own if you want!

First time Sushi Making

It was only a matter of time before I had to try and make my own sushi because I love the stuff! Where I live now there is no where to get any 'real' fresh sushi that doesn't come pre-packaged. 

This is was the last resort so I tried it and it was such a success!! In fact I was loving it so much that I didn't even realise one of family was asking me a question while I was eating it (official food heaven! Ha.)

I decided to stick with my favourite basic ingredients in hand rolls- avocado and salmon! The rice that I used was also brown rice. I know this is not traditional to use brown rather white but brown is a lot better for you than the sticky white rice.

Roasted Herbed Carrot Ribbon Spaghetti

I am constantly looking for quick and tasty dinner ideas that are not to heavy. I love carrot at the moment and thought how can I mix up the taste and cooking method, instead of the traditional chopped streamed carrots. Enter carrot ribbons!

So easy to do and the same prep time to make the ribbons than the normal steamed vegetables.

Perfect for all of you gluten- free and vegans out there who are looking for an alternative to spaghetti pasta. Here is the recipe!

Eating Out Saga

It is always a struggle dining out with friends and family if you have food restrictions that narrow down the choices you can have! Looking for something that is gluten and sugar free that is still delicious but doesn't involve a piece of grilled chicken with a side of vegetables is tricky!

This is why when I had a lovely lunch out with my Mum the other say and shocked by the outcome of my lunch- wait for it - I had something healthy, filling and high in nutrients!!
I had to post this because I find it so rare to have something, in the place that I live that isn't very health-aware, that most definitely inspired me to try different spots to eat out more because it gave me ideas for my own recipes!


You may think is this it but really it was the best thing I have tasted in a while and didn't want it to end.... Enter the best superfood salad I have tasted when eating out!

The salad contained mixed leaves, cucumber, avocado, spinach

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potato is so good for you so why not make it into everyone's favourite potato shape- fries! This easy and quick recipe is so great as part of a healthy dinner. 

Gluten Free Pastry

One meal that I missed when I went gluten free was quiche! Such a great meal and so versatile and easy to make so when I discovered that I could make pastry that I could eat, I jumped at the chance!  

Here is the delicious recipe that I think tastes better than normal pastry. 

Kale Salad

A bit of a continuation from my last post Salad Loving... The truth is I cant stop trying new combinations out. This one is definitely a winner. Enter kale, avocado and cashews.... The dream combo..

This is an extremely good balance of food groups and is filling for a lunch or dinner idea.

Salad Loving

In the last few weeks I have not been able to get enough of salads! I used to be one of those that said "I don't like rabbit food" but oh how things have changed since then ha!

I think it is because salads have evolved in recent years instead of that standard iceberg lettuce and slices of grilled chicken... Not really something that would get me running to the kitchen. But now I have discovered different elements that have made me do a U-turn! 

I think the foundation to a good salad is a good source of protein, and an ingredient that you love (mine is avocado) and a great topping like pesto or balsamic vinegar. Then you can build things around that, but always remembering to mix it up. Repetition can be very dull.

So have a look below for my favourite salad creations, and I hope you feel inspired!