HEALTHY MEALS FOR THE NEW YEAR
Chimichurri meatballs
These spiced meat balls are epic, so easy to make and yet super impressive. There’s nothing boring or bland about these meatballs, it’s the chimichurri sauce and feta cheese that take these meatballs to the next level of flavour. Use the ready-to-use minced lamb and chicken mix now available in most supermarkets.
1kg minced lamb & chicken
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 green onions minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground 1 egg
3 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup feta or paneer cheese crumbled For the Chimichurri Sauce
1/2 cup curly leaf parsley minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh oregano chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, green onions, garlic, salt, black pepper and egg. Form the meatballs into small 1 inch balls.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frypan. Add the meatballs and fry until golden all around, about 7 minutes. You will have to do this in 2 batches, so do not overcrowd the meatballs. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Let it sit out at room temperature until the meatballs are ready.
To assemble, pour about half of the chimichurri sauce on the bottom of a platter, then transfer the meatballs to the platter.
Top the meatballs with remaining chimichurri and garnish with the crumbled cheese.
Italian butter chicken linguini
This chicken pasta bursts with mouth-watering flavours like bright lemon, perfectly al dente linguine and cooked down tomatoes with butter.
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter unsalted
500gm boneless chicken and skinless, cut into small cubes
1 onion chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp hot chilli sauce
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 300gm packet linguine pasta uncooked 1/2 cup tomatoes halved or quartered
1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped for garnish 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes to the pot and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the onion begins to soften and becomes translucent.
Add the wine, chicken stock, hot sauce, lemon juice and linguine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the linguine is al dente. If you feel that more liquid is necessary, add 1/2 cup of chicken broth at a time until the pasta is cooked to your preference.
Stir in the tomatoes and garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Waldorf salad
This classic salad will surely hit the spot, packed with chicken, apples, pears and grapes and a creamy and delicious dressing. It is also perfect for those Momi cucumber mangoes I found last week.
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup Greek-style plaint yogurt
¼ cup mayonnaise low-fat
1 green apple chopped
1 pear peeled, cored and diced
1 cup grapes or other fruit chunks, halved 2 stalks celery chopped
1 cup chicken breast chopped
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup walnuts chopped
½ tsp salt or to taste
¼ tsp pepper or to taste
1 local lettuce washed, dried and chopped
Combine lemon juice, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise in a small bowl and whisk well.
Add the chopped apple, pear, grapes, celery, chicken, raisins and walnuts to a large bowl and toss.
Pour the prepared yogurt dressing over the salad and toss well. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve over the lettuce.