Love Bites Beetroot Quinoa and Feta Salad

This dramatically coloured salad was inspired by a lunch I had in Dubai last year. It is super filling, and is the perfect accompaniment to any grilled meat especially lamb. In these photos I have added lamb steaks or grilled chicken tenderloins for some extra protien but it is perfectly delicious just on its own. It is a super easy salad - and can be made in as long as it takes to cook the quinoa. Take it to a BBQ or have it on its own as a meatfree dish. It's deliciously devouring!

Serves 2 with leftovers

INGREDIENTS

• 60g Quinoa per person plus water for cooking
• 4 Large cooked Beetroot
• 70g Rocket
• 125g Feta
• Juice of one lemon
• Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• 1 Red Onion, finely sliced
• 1/4 Cup toasted pine nuts 
• Salt and pepper to season

METHOD

• Cook the quinoa as per packet instructions (usually 60g with 180ml water per person and bring to the boil, hen simmer until cooked through and the water dissolved)
• Finely mash the beetroot or even better finely chop in a food processor
• Stir the beetroot and lemon juice through the cooked quinoa,  and season to taste
• add the cherry tomatoes and red onion, then stir through the rocket, pine nuts and crumble the feta (leave a little feta and nuts for garnish). Enjoy! 

Love Bites Prawn and Avocado Courgetti

This was one of my first courgetti recipe attempts and turned into a sure winner. It's a light take on a prawn spaghetti dish made with courgettes, dressed in lemon juice and an honestly healthy meal that is full of nutrients and flavour. A perfect dish literally made in minutes, and a great way to start the New Year by replenish some goodness back into your body. Go on #eatclean2015

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• oil for cooking
• x2 large courgettes
• 50g rocket
• 175g uncooked prawns
• x1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 chilli, finely diced
• x1 avocado, diced
• juice of a lemon
• good quality olive oil for dressing
• salt and pepper to garnish

METHOD

• Spiralise the courgettes on a Spiraliser with the smallest circular blade, set aside
• Bring a pot of water to the boil (do not add the courgettes yet)
• Mix the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small dish and stir to combine, set aside
• Heat the oil in pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and chilli, stir fry until lightly cooked, add the prawns and cook for a further 2 minutes or until pink and cooked through, remove from the heat
• Place the courgettes into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute (Be careful to not overcook as it will fall apart)
• Drain immediately and pat dry with a paper towel if necessary
• Add to the pan with prawns, still through the rocket, avocado and dressing
• Season further with salt and pepper if required

(the courgetti can also be served raw if you prefer)

2am Pizza

Coming home at 2am when no one will deliver pizza calls for some drastic measures to raid ones fridge and make ones own! Here is my recipe for 2am Pizza that is guarenteed to taste saucy even if its not after a few wines!

Ingredients

• x2 Tortilla / flatbreads or pita (leftover from dinner two nights ago)
• 1/2 Red onion sliced (leftover from yesterdays salad)
• 1 Tomato sliced or a handful of cherry tomatoes (same as above)
• A few slices of salami, pepperoni or choizo, sliced halveways
• A handful of rocket
• Grated cheese (as much as necessary to cater for ones aquired gooey-ness)
• Heinz tomato sauce

Method to the Maddness

• Turn the oven up to about 180 degrees
• Spread the Heinz tomato sauce like a tomatoe paste over the base of the tortilla or chosen pizza base
• Sprinkle the red onion, tomatoes, rocket and cheese on one pizza and meat and cheese on the other
• Bake for approx 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the tortilla has crisped up
• Slice as desired and consume!

This recipe can be cooked at any hour and is especially good as a snack, lunch or just to use up leftovers!

LoveBites Lamb Steaks served with Roast Potato Bites and a Rocket Salad

This recipe brewed from a Sunday afternoon watching Nigelessa Nigella Lawson's new cooking show. This dish caught my eye as it consisted of two of my favourite things : roast spuds and rocket.  With my LoveBites spin on it, this recipe is simple and delicious with an oomph of flavour. A perfect alternative to a summer BBQ or a quick dish to impress.

Ingredients:

• 2 lamb steaks
•  olive oil
• pinch of oregano, chilli flakes, and celery salt
• garlic pepper and salt to taste
•  tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
• packet of rocket
• 3 medium potatoes cut into cubes
• balsamic vinegar to dress

Method:

• Boil potatoes in a pot until cooked through
• Whilst potatoes are cooking place lamb in a dish and cover with a lug of oil
• Add spices and garlic pepper and salt, mix so lamb is covered in mixture
• Once potatoes are cooked, drain and add to a frying pan of oil and fry until golden over a medium heat, you will need to keep turning the potatoes to ensure they get cispy all over
• Fry the lamb steaks 2-3 minutes each side until browned but still pink in the middle
• Arrange the rocket on a flat platter
• Remove the potatoes from the pan, drain on a paper towel and arrange over the rocket
• Arrange lamb on the platter, scatter chopped parsley
• Dress with balsamic vinegar

Great served with mashed beetroot and feta salad, or slowroasted tomatoes.
Or add chopped cherry tomatoes and fresh red onion and feta to the salad for a Greek mix.

LoveBites Summer Spaghetti

This recipe is an inspiration from a favourite Brit chef of mine Jamie Oliver.  The oily lemon and parmesan sauce recipe is a keeper for any type of pasta but works particularly well with spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine. For this recipe version I have added a few of my favourite Italian condiments to the pasta - prosciutto, rocket, and parmesan and so, I give you my Summer Spaghetti...

Ingredients

Lemon / Parmesan Sauce

• 1 large handful of spaghetti (fresh or dried) per person
• zest of one lemon, juice of 2
• 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Fillings

• 6 slices of prosciutto or parma ham
• 1 red chilli deseeded, and 2 cloves of garlic chopped finely together
• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 4 spring onions sliced thinly
• grated parmesan cheese to garnish
• 10 approx cherry tomatoes halved
• rocket to serve.

To Make

• Cook pasta as per packet instructions
• Zest and juice the lemons
• Beat the lemon zest, olive oil and lemon juice together until the liquid thickens. Add the parmesan and beat until the sauce turns creamy, set aside
• Once the pasta is cooked,remove from the heat and drain thoroughly, return to the pot
• Saute the mushrooms, garlic, chilli, and spring onions in a saucepan until soft (do not burn)
• Rip in the prosciutto in small pieces and stir fry over a low heat for 2 minutes, remove from heat
• Stir the lemon sauce mixture into the pasta
• Add the mushroom mixture
• Serve pasta on top of a handful of rocket and top with cherry tomatoes and parmesan.

LoveBites Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

This is a new creation of mine but a variation on a favourite. The flavours mix in deliciously together and the extra chili makes this dish even more appealing for those hot n spicy lovers. It may seem like a lot of prep but its worth it and served just with a side of rocket and your ready to go!

Ingredients

·   2 Chicken boobs, sliced thinly

·   1 Large clove of garlic, crushed
·   1 Tspn cumin
·   1 Tspn paprika
·   2 Tspns olive oil
·   1 Red chili, deseeded and finely diced
·   ½ Tspn chili powder (if you desire more of a bite)
·   ½ Green onion, diced
·   1 Packet of wholemeal or plain tortillas
·   1 Cup grated cheese
·   1 Cup frozen spinach, thawed
·   Can of chopped tomatoes (preferably Mexican flavoured)
·   ½ Cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
·   Rocket to serve
·   Avocado, mashed or sour cream to garnish.

TO MAKE

• Preheat the oven to 180°
• Combine chicken, cumin, paprika, ½ olive oil, both fresh chili and powder (if using), and set aside in the fridge to marinade for 20 minutes (or as long as you can)
• Chop onion, grate cheese, thaw spinach and chop coriander
• Heat the other ½ oil in a fry pan making sure the oil covers the pan in full. Fry each tortilla on both sides (usually 40seconds each side)
• Sauté onion in a pan over a medium heat, add chicken and fry until cooked through
• Add the spinach to the pan and stir through
• In an oven baking dish place chicken and spinach mixture, and a sprinkling of cheese in the middle of each tortilla and fold in half keeping the ends open, do this to each tortilla
• Empty the can of chopped tomatoes on top of the enchiladas and top with the rest of the grated cheese
• Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese has melted
• Serve with mashed avocado or sour cream and garnish with the chopped coriander
• Serve a side of rocket.