Say goodbye to sad, chilly salads. These flavour-packed creations combine warmth, texture and comfort in every bite. 

Roast brinjal, feta and lentil salad 

Serves 4  

Ingredients 

2 brinjals, cut into wedges
⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp paprika
2 cups cooked brown lentils (⅔ cups dried)
1 lemon, juiced
100g feta
Handful mint, chopped 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Toss the brinjals with ⅓ cup oil, honey and paprika. Season with salt and milled pepper.
3. Place on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, until caramelised, turning halfway through.
4. Toss the lentils with the lemon juice and 2 Tbsp oil. Season.
5. To serve, top the lentils with the brinjals, crumble the feta over and sprinkle with mint.

Budget tip: As long as you keep them dry, you can store lentils just about indefinitely. They may take a little longer to cook, but they’ll still be just as nutritious. 

Recipes& styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen 

Colourful roast vegetable salad 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

500g beetroots, quartered
500g baby rainbow carrots, halved
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
Salt and milled pepper
50g pumpkin seeds
100g baby spinach
100g ricotta
Balsamic vinegar, to serve 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place beetroots and carrots on a baking tray. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp oil and season, then toss to ensure the vegetables are fully coated.
3. Roast the veggies for 20 minutes, until tender and golden.
4. Scatter with pumpkin seeds and roast for a further 5 minutes.
5. To serve, arrange roast veggies on a platter with baby spinach and ricotta. Season with more salt and pepper. Dress the salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil & Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Roast carrot salad with beetroot, parsnips and granadilla tzatziki 

Serves 4–6 

Ingredients 

For the vegetables 

200g baby rainbow carrots
4 beetroots, sliced into rounds
4 parsnips, sliced lengthways
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper  

For the granadilla tzatziki 

1 cup double-cream yoghurt
30g parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup granadilla pulp
1 lemon, juiced and zested
4 small cucumbers, cut into matchsticks
1 Tbsp olive oil 

Method 

For the vegetables 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Place the carrots, beetroot and parsnips on a baking tray, drizzle with oil, season and toss to coat thoroughly. Roast for 40 minutes.

For the granadilla tzatziki 

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. To serve, arrange the roast vegetables on a platter with the granadilla tzatziki on the side.

The post Winter salads for the cold weather  appeared first on MyKitchen.

From gatherings to celebrations and everything in-between, amp up your meals with our favourite dips, along with some snacks to soak it all up.

Toum (Lebanese garlic sauce) 

Makes 1 cup 

The garlic flavour of this dip can seem spicy or overwhelming at first, but as the flavour moves, it falls away into a softer lemony zing. 

Ingredients

½ cup (about 65g) garlic cloves 
1 tsp salt 
1¼ – ½ cups canola oil
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice  

Method

1. Halve each garlic clove and, if present, remove the green root in the centre. 
2. Grate garlic on the small setting of your box grater. 
3. Add grated garlic and salt to a food processor with the salt and pulse for 2-3 minutes, scraping down every 20 seconds to ensure all the garlic is smooth.
4. Add 1 Tbsp oil and blend until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. 
5. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil, blending and scraping down until you’ve used 1 cup of the oil. 
6. Alternate pouring the lemon juice and oil in a thin steam while blending the mixture until both are finished. You should be left with a creamy, thick dip. 
7. Serve as a dip with chips, spread on tortillas to make wraps, lather on meat or dollop on mushrooms.

Good to know: This dip is unique in that the emulsifier is the garlic as opposed to the egg, like a mayonnaise. To start, the garlic cloves need to be completely blended into a smooth paste. Secondly, be patient and work slowly when blending the oil, a bit at a time. 

Mutabbal Shamandar (beetroot tahini dip) 

Makes about 3 cups 

The earthy beetroot shines when paired with nutty tahini while the lemon juice brightens the bowl! 

Ingredients

1kg beetroot 
3 Tbsp olive oil, + extra for drizzling 
2 tsp salt 
¼ cup lemon juice 
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chilli, seeds removed, chopped
½ cup tahini
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 Tbsp chopped dill
Handful pomegranate rubies 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a small baking tray with tinfoil. 
2. Scrub and wash beets, then peel and dice evenly into cubes. 
3. Generously coat beetroot in olive oil and salt, then place on your tray and cover. 
4. Roast for 1-1 ½ hours, until completely soft and easily sliced with a knife. Cool completely.
5. Add lemon juice, garlic and chilli to a blender and blitz until slightly chunky. 
6. Add tahini and pulse while drizzling in the olive oil. 
7. Add the cooled beetroot and blitz until it reaches your desired consistency. 
8. Decant into a serving bowl and drizzle with more olive oil, herbs and pomegranate

Cook’s note: Stir through a dollop or two of a double-cream yoghurt for a tangy pop of flavour 

Moroccan carrot dip 

Makes about 2½ cups 

This dip is filled with warming spices and a lovely hint of tahini.

Ingredients  

For the roast carrots 

1kg carrots, peeled and cut into rough chunks
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
¼ cup tahini 

½ lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
4 capers + extra for garnish 
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley + extra for garnish
2 tsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp sugar
½ cup olive oil
Pinch salt 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray. 
2. Place carrots on tray with garlic and drizzle with oil and seasonings. 
3. Roast for 1-11/2 hours until soft and caramelised. Cool completely. 
4. In a food processor, add remaining ingredients, except for the olive oil and salt.
5. Pulse to roughly combine, then slowly drizzle in oil until smooth. 
6. Add cooled carrots and pulse until smooth. 
7. Season to taste. 
8. Garnish with extra olive oil, capers and parsley.

By: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine  

Also read: Spicy miso & brinjal dip

The post 3 Dips to serve at your next party  appeared first on MyKitchen.

If you’re looking for a way to get your kids to eat their veggies, then this Cornflake-crusted fish fingers recipe with carrot fries will be perfect!

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME  1 hour 10 mins

INGREDIENTS
For the fish fingers
2 cups cornflakes
½ cup chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper
500 g white fish
¾ cup flour
2 eggs, whisked
Vegetable oil, to shallow-fry
For the tartare sauce
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp white-wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 gherkin, finely diced
Salt and black pepper
For the carrot fries
8 carrots, peeled
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt

METHOD
1. Place cornflakes, parsley, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs form.
2. Cut fish into 2 × 4 cm fingers.
3. Place flour, egg and crumbs in 3 separate bowls.
4. Dip the fish into each bowl: flour, egg, crumbs.
5. Heat 1 cm oil in a pot and fry the fish fingers in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
For the tartare sauce
1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Serve with the fish fingers and carrot fries.
For the carrot fries
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Cut them into fries, about 4 cm long. Toss with the oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 120°C and bake for another 20 minutes, until crispy.

Not keen on those typical processed meat hot dogs? Try our yummy and healthy shrimp dogs instead! They make a perfect weekend lunch no matter the season.

The post Cornflake-crusted fish fingers with carrot fries appeared first on MyKitchen.

INGREDIENTS
For the soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
7 medium beetroots, peeled
4 tsp ginger, peeled and grated
4 ½ cups vegetable stock
¾ tin coconut cream
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp oil
To serve
¼ tin coconut cream
½ cup parsley

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrot, and fry until the onions are cooked through.
3. Chop the beetroot into small pieces and add them to the pot along with the ginger. Fry for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes until the beetroot is tender.
5.Using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth. Slowly pour in the coconut cream and blend again.
6. To make the croutons, coat the bread in olive oil. Place on the baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Toss halfway through.
7. To serve, spoon soup into bowls, drizzle with remaining coconut cream and top with parsley and croutons.

Quick tip: If you prefer a thicker, more creamy soup, reduce the amount of vegetable stock to 3 cups.

The post Beetroot and ginger soup appeared first on MyKitchen.

Now here’s a bowl of soup that can get you through the day. Our red lentil soup with buttered carrots contains all of your food groups, and loads of vitamins and minerals.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 5 min

INGREDIENTS
½ garlic bulb, skin on
2 tbsp olive oil
8 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp butter, softened
30 g thyme
Salt and black pepper
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 tbsp peeled and grated ginger
2 tbsp peeled and grated turmeric
½ tsp smoked chilli flakes
1 L vegetable stock
2 cups red lentils, rinsed
2 cups coconut cream
Toasted sunflower seeds, to garnish
Micro-rocket, to garnish

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Drizzle the garlic with 1 tbsp oil and wrap in foil. Toss carrots with 1 tbsp butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Place the garlic and carrots in a roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes.
3. Heat remaining oil and butter in a large pot. Fry the shallots for 5 minutes.
4. Add the lemon zest, ginger, turmeric and chilli. Cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the stock and lentils, and stir well.
5. Unwrap the roast garlic and squeeze it out of its skin. Add it to the pot, along with half the carrots. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add lemon juice and coconut cream. Blend soup until smooth.
7. Serve your red lentil soup topped with remaining roast carrots, sunflower seeds and micro-rocket.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Make carrots the star of the show with our roast carrot, ginger and lemongrass soup.

The post Red lentil soup with buttered carrots and sunflower seeds appeared first on MyKitchen.

Cooking an amazing vegetarian meal is easy when you pack it with bright seasonal produce. How about roast carrots and lentil koftas?

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 5 min

INGREDIENTS
For the roast carrots
400 g baby rainbow carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
Coarse salt and black pepper
For the lentil koftas
1 tbsp olive oil, plus to fry
1 onion, diced
2 cups red lentils
1½ tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup chickpea flour, plus extra to dust
3 garlic cloves, crushed
For the dressing
⅓  cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Handful parsley

METHOD
For the roast carrots
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Halve the carrots lengthways. Toss with oil, salt and pepper to coat.
3. Arrange the carrots on a baking tray. Cook for 25 minutes, until tender inside and crispy outside.
For the lentil koftas
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Rinse the lentils. Place in a pot with 1 L water, tomato paste, cumin, paprika and chilli. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until just a trace of liquid remains at the bottom of the pot.
3. Mix in remaining ingredients. Place in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Scoop heaped tablespoons of lentil mixture. Use a second spoon to shape into ovals. Dust each in chickpea flour.
5. Heat some oil to medium-high heat in a pan. Fry the koftas for 2 minutes on each side, until crispy.
For the dressing
1. Combine vinegar, oil, parsley and salt and pepper in a blender.
2. To serve, drizzle koftas and carrots with dressing.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

This roast vegetable galette is another meat-free fave made from fresh ingredients.

The post Make meat-free easy with roast carrots and lentil koftas appeared first on MyKitchen.