Search results for: “breakfast”

I’m so excited about this recipe! It comes from The Nutrition Clinic here in Singapore – created by a nutritionist who specialises in helping people cleanse their body and rebalance their diet.

This smoothie has the perfect balance of greens, protein and healthy fat which is so important to fuel your body with a boost of nutrients and sustainable energy. This is a weight-loss green smoothie – it’s cleansing and beautifying.

And it’s delicious!

I love that it’s light and fresh – but with the avocado – its also rich and substantial. You have to try it for yourself!

Low-Sugar Weight-Loss Smoothie Recipe

by The Nutrition Clinic

Start your morning with this smoothie for breakfast – challenge yourself to drink it everyday for 1 week and see how you feel!

ingredients: 

• 1/2 avocado
• 1- 2 cups romaine lettuce
• 1/4 large cucumber
• juice from 1-2 limes
• 1-2 cups of water
• handful of mint or coriander

directions for making the perfect smoothie:

• Any blender will work
• Roughly chop up the greens and fruit into small pieces
• Feed the container slowly if you need to
• Blend for at least 20 seconds or until completely smooth
• Drink this first thing in the morning – or for an afternoon pick-up!

p.s. a jug blender or stick blender will work fine for this recipe. If you have been thinking about buying a blender of your own, you can check out my recommendations here.

Chef Clement runs a healthy lifestyle bakery & gourmet takeaway, Simply Eden. He’s passionately obsessed about whole foods – one conversation with him will take you from bread, to chocolate, to protecting our earth – all seamlessly intertwined.

Constantly experimenting, Chef plays all day in his kitchen, combining flavours like sun-dried tomato and chocolate, baking breads from ground flowers… (both of which I tried – amazing!)  He’s living his passion and what I love is that he shares it. He teaches workshops to make the very recipes that he sells in his bakery, inspiring people to play and become confident in the kitchen.

When I asked him to share a recipe with you, I told him it could be anything – and he thought about it for a few days. Then I get a call and he says to me, “Pesto! I want to show everyone how to not only make a recipe, but how to make the most out of it so that there’s no waste. With this one pesto, they’ll be able to make breakfast, lunches and dinners!”

Not just a recipe – but kitchen philosophy… let’s do it! It wasn’t until I saw his “pesto” ingredients, did I realize – Chef had been playing with this recipe too…

This recipe uses the traditional pesto flavours of olive oil and parmesan cheese – but here’s where it takes an Eastern turn.

Sweet Basil – You know that forgotten half-packet of limp basil in your fridge… maybe you’re not sure what to do with it? It’s perfect for this dish. Chef Clement’s face lit up as he talked about making use of  aesthetically-challenged ingredients that often get chucked into the bin. As if rooting for an underdog, “It’s a little bruised, but so what, it’s full of flavour!”

Mint – This is a common flavour match to sweet basil – it lifts and brightens the dish.

Ginger Blossom (rojak flower) – A member of the ginger family, rojak’s demeanour is much more gentle. It imparts a light, almost floral taste with a citrus touch. I think this is what gives the pesto its unique  freshness – a flavour which transported me to a day at the beach, with a fruity drink and umbrella.

Candlenuts – This is a nut found in Asia with a very mild flavour, but gives the pesto its body. You can substitute this for any nut (pine, almond, walnut). Chef Clement likes to use what’s available, fresh and local. Candlenuts can be slightly hard to digest for sensitive stomachs. If that’s the case for you, Chef recommends not eating them raw – lightly toast the pesto in a pan, before eating.

As we examined and talked about each ingredient, Chef Clement tossed it into the blender. Quite beautifully, the pieces came together into one emerald green concentration of flavours and aromas.

Chef Clement’s Asian Pesto Recipe

ingredients:

• 50g sweet basil
• 100g mint
• 1 stalk ginger blossom (rojak flower)
• 4 candlenuts (or handful of your nut of choice)
• parmesan cheese to taste
• drizzle  of olive oil

directions: 

• blend all of the ingredients together

Once you make your pesto, store in a glass jar, drizzle oil over the top to keep it fresh. It will last for 3 weeks. Pesto is a solid investment: for 10 minutes of prep work, you’ll enjoy an abundance of effortless meals.

CHEF’S TIP: Do not add salt to the pesto, it draws out water and causes it to spoil quicker. Instead, season each serving as you eat it.

Here are 3 ways you can use your pesto – breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Cheesy Pesto Toastie Recipe

ingredients: 

• crusty bread (If you’re in Singapore, you must try Chef’s chia seed loaf!)
• 1 tbsp pesto
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• salt & pepper
• toppings of choice (tomato, sliced onion, micro greens… or what ever makes you smile)

directions:

1. blend equal parts of pesto to cream cheese
2. spread your mixture over the bread, sprinkle over salt & pepper
3. place it in the oven to toast the bread and warm the cheesy pesto
4. add your toppings

CHEF’S TIP: Chef Clement recommends this dish, not just for breakfast but also as a party appetizer. Prepare the toastie and then slice the bread into bite sizes to serve.

Quick Pesto Pasta Recipe

ingredients:

• 150g cooked pasta
• 2 tsp pesto
• 6 slices of mushrooms
• 6 cherry tomatoes cut in halves
• drizzle of olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• fresh basil to taste

directions:

1. heat up the olive oil, season the oil with salt & pepper
2. add in the cooked pasta, cook for a minute
3. add the pesto and cherry tomatoes, cook for another minute
4. lastly, toss in the mushrooms and cook for one minute
5. garnish with fresh basil and extra parmesan cheese

Foil Packet Pesto Baked Fish Recipe

ingredients:

• white fish fillet
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• 1 tsp whole grain mustard
• slices of tomato
• drizzle of olive oil
• salt & paper to taste
• foil paper

directions:

1. pre-heat oven to 200 c / 400 f
2. cut a large piece of foil paper and small piece of parchment paper
3. lay the fish fillet over the parchment, in the center of the foil paper, sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. In a bowl, combine the pesto and cream cheese
5. spread wholegrain mustard over the fish
6. next, spread on the cream cheese pesto
7. place sliced tomatoes on top and basil
8. drizzle over olive oil to prevent the fish from sticking to the foil
9. wrap the fish by folding in half and sealing the ends by making one inch folds until it’s at the fish
10. bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes

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• Order basil, mint and ginger blossom (grown here in Singapore) from Green Circle
• candlenuts can be found in many wet markets

I’m convinced that to be the worlds best host/party guest, you only really need one dependable signature dish. One that’s so simple, you know it by heart and can whip it up with complete ease. Everyone thinks you’re a kitchen genius (which you are!) and it’s all because one day you read a blog where you discovered this Apple Crumble recipe!

That’s exactly what’s happened to me. I’m still basking in the greatness of this recipe – and I want to share the spotlight with you! I mean, even if one day we end up at the same party, bringing the same dish – it will only mean that there’s more to go around!

To make the crumble topping, I stuck to the recipe – using butter, white flour and sugar. But I’ll start playing with it – perhaps trying whole wheat flour, or another whole grain flour.  I’ll play with the sugar too – I may try using coconut sugar or even maple syrup. Perhaps substituting coconut oil for the butter…

Really, any excuse to make this dessert into a perfectly acceptable breakfast option too! If you come up with a healthier version – please share it with us!

I highly recommend you pair your apple crumble with natural greek yogurt! I’m no chef, but I dare say it helps to balance out the flavours.

Here’s the best part about this dish – I’ve eaten it hot out of the oven and cold out of the fridge  – and it’s beautiful both ways!

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• Coconut oil: Where to buy coconut oil in Singapore

We all know what it’s like when we’re busy and hungry – we tend to make bad choices! And then, we just end up feeling annoyed with ourselves! It’s crazy. We need a good plan.  That’s why I put together this list of quick meals for on the go. This is for all of us who want a healthy meal on the ready, to help us keep up the energy and feeling good!

1. Frozen Soup – freeze a big batch of soup in muffin trays. Great for the office, pack  a portion in a container – it will defrost throughout the day and just heat it up for a healthy lunch!

2. Quinoa Cold Salad – You could easily make a few jars of this. It keeps well in the fridge and you’re set for the next couple of days to grab-and-go!

3. Fruit on the bottom yogurt cups: This is my kid’s new favorite… and I’m not complaining!

4. Get set up – buy a bento box: If you don’t have a bento box yet – go get one! When you have the right equipment, it makes packing healthy lunches much easier! PS – here’s my recipe for a 10 minute Spanish Omelette

5. Celery and Peanut butter: then again, packing a snack can be this easy too! 🙂

6. Healthy travel tips: Traveling? Plan ahead and pack a supply of healthy treats, snacks and meals!

7. Wrap it up! Wraps make an easy and portable meal for on the go!

8. Salad in a jar! Not only is anything in a jar completely adorable, but it’s really practical too! Keep your wet and dry layers separate until you’re ready to toss it all in a bowl (or just eat straight from the jar!)

9. Chili and Cornbread: You prep ahead (the chili and cornbread dough) and then just bake the whole thing in a jar! I bet that you can freeze them unbaked… defrost it in the fridge over-night… pop it in the oven first thing in the morning – and  win the prize for best lunch in the afternoon!

10. Pasta in  Jar – It’s too easy! Cook, jar, eat! Here’s my recipe for a super easy tomato sauce!

11. Snack Attack – Roasted Chickpeas and “Cheesy” Kale Chips. Be prepared for the munchies! These are my two absolute favourite zero-guilt snacks!

12. Plan ahead! When I get super organized – everything runs smoother. This idea for day-of-the-week snacks is great. Sure, your fridge may look like a crazy person’s – but you’ll be smiling!  🙂 But, do try to create no-waste packing solutions! 

13. Keep it Light. Sometimes you just need a boost of energy – give this green juice a go!

14. A sweet treat! Not just for dessert – it’s for breakfast, lunch and everything in between!

Eat well and enjoy!