Sweet potatoes are serving up major main character energy with their natural sweetness, vibrant colour, and versatility. From delicious (and nutritious) smoothies to a hearty soup, here are four ways to make sweet potatoes shine on your plate.  

Sweet potato smoothies with maca and orange 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 15 minutes  

Ingredients 

2 sweet potatoes
3 oranges
3 mandarins
10 small carrots
½ lemon
4 tbsp maca powder
3 tbsp honey
2 cups water 

Method 

1. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes, oranges, mandarins, carrots and lemon.
2. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Add water if the blender is struggling to blend all the ingredients.
3. Strain through a fine sieve or thin cloth and collect all the liquid.
4. Drink immediately with ice.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto/HMimages.co.za 

Sweet potatoes with honey & cinnamon butter 

Serves 4–6 // Cooking time 35 minutes 

Ingredients  

200 g butter, softened
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp chilli flakes
Pinch salt (optional)
4 large, sweet potatoes  

Method  

1. Whisk together the butter, honey, cinnamon, chilli and salt (if using). Spoon on to cling film and roll into a sausage shape, twisting the ends to close. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Wrap the sweet potatoes in double layers of heavy-duty foil and braai for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until soft.
3. Cut open the sweet potatoes while hot and top with discs of the butter.

Recipe & styling: Brita du Plessis
Photography: Kendall-Leigh Nash 

Sweet potato schnitzels 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 15 minutes  

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp mixed dried herbs
2 eggs, whisked
2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1 cm thick slices
½ cup flour
1 cup panko crumbs
1 cup olive oil
Handful watercress
1 cup home-made honey-mustard sauce (recipe below)  

Method  

1. Whisk together the eggs and dried herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge the sweet potato slices with the flour and dip into the egg mixture. Then coat in panko crumbs.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over high heat. Fry the schnitzels for 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.
4. Serve the schnitzels with fresh watercress and the honey-mustard sauce.

Healthy homemade honey mustard sauce 

Make your own honey mustard sauce at home by mixing together ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup Dijon mustard. Thin it out with olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and cracked black pepper to taste.  

Recipes & styling: Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Samantha Pinto 

Sweet potato soup with crispy kidney beans 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 1 hour 

Ingredients 

500g purple-skin sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cups vegetable stock
½ cup kidney beans
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp paprika
Fresh thyme, to garnish  

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Wash the sweet potatoes, then use a vegetable peeler to peel long strips of skin. Place the skins on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake them for 20–30 minutes, until crispy.
3. Chop sweet potatoes into chunks and coat with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Place on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, until soft, turning them halfway through.
4. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, then remove from the heat.
5. In a large pot, heat the vegetable stock until simmering, then add the sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Purée the soup with a stick blender.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over high heat. Add the kidney beans and sprinkle with cumin and paprika. Fry until crispy.
7. Serve the sweet potato soup with crispy beans and sweet-potato skins, garnished with fresh thyme.

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

Also read: Spinach falafels, beetroot and sweet potato mash

The post 4 ways sweet potatoes steal the spotlight on your plate  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Beat the heat this January with this delicious and healthy berry blitz smoothie recipe.

Berry blitz smoothie 

Serves 1 

Add 1 cup frozen mixed berries to a blender along with 1 frozen sliced banana, 1 cup low-fat yoghurt and 2 Tbsp chia seeds. Blend for 30 seconds until smooth and thick. Pour into a glass and top with extra berries or a sprinkle of granola. 

Smoothie central 

Amp up your nutrients with these tweaks: 

Meal prepper 

– Prep fresh ingredients for your morning or afternoon smoothie and add them to a ziplock bag. Refrigerate until needed.
– Take advantage of meal prepping for the week by peeling, cutting and portioning your smoothies into ziplock bags or containers. Freeze until needed.
– Blending frozen ingredients creates a creamy, thick smoothie, whereas using room temp ingredients makes a runnier smoothie.
– To up the fibre content, add seeds and oats aft er blending.
– Almost anything can be added to a smoothie. Fruits such as apples, bananas and pears will add sweetness. They also enhance the flavour when paired with ingredients such as spinach, kale, cauliflower, beetroot and other veggies. 

Protein power 

– Adding a scoop of protein powder is always great if you’re looking for an energy boost after an intense gym session, but there are more natural ways to get in your protein quota for the day. Try adding a sprinkle of the following to keep you full and recharge those muscles. 

• Oats: ¼ – ½ cup added before or aft er blending
• Dairy products: 1–2 cups yoghurt, cream cheese or milk
• Seeds: 1–2 Tbsp sunflower-, chia-, pumpkin- or flax seeds

Recipes & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg 

Photographs: Zhann Solomons, supplied 

Also read: 3 refreshing smoothie bowls for summer 

The post Berry blitz smoothie recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

Ready to spring into flavour? The weather is finally warming up and we can’t wait to dive into these four fresh and fruity drinks to brighten up the day. 

Lemon and mint green iced tea  

Makes 1L // Total time 15 minutes [plus refrigeration]

Ingredients 

1L boiling water 
2 teabags green tea 
6 mint leaves, plus to garnish 
2 lemons, sliced 
2 Tbsp honey    

Method  

1. Combine the boiling water, teabags, mint and lemons in a heat-safe bowl or jug.
2. Add the honey and stir to dissolve.
3. Set aside to infuse for 5 minutes, then remove the teabags and refrigerate until cold.
4. Top up with water to taste.
5. Serve poured over ice, and garnish with lemon and mint. 

Words by Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

Gooseberry lemonade 

Makes 1.8 L // Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients 

For the gooseberry lemonade 

4 lemons, juiced
4 Tbsp honey
⅔ cup gooseberries
8 mint sprigs  

To serve 

1.5 L sparkling water
3 cups gooseberries
1 lemon, sliced  

Method  

For the gooseberry lemonade 

1. Blend the lemon juice, honey and gooseberries until smooth.
2. Push the mixture through a sieve, reserving only the liquid.
3. Stir through the mint and refrigerate until needed.

To serve 

1. Mix the lemonade (about 1½ cups) with the sparkling water. Pour into glasses filled with ice and top with extra gooseberries and a slice of lemon.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Carrot, ginger and turmeric slushie 

Serves 2 // Total time 15 Min

 
Ingredients 

5 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ orange juice
2 Tbsp lime, zested and juiced
1 cup water
Handful of ice 

Method 

1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth. 
2. Strain liquid mixture through a fine mesh sieve and pour into 2 glasses. 
3. Serve with fresh lime wedges.

Breakfast smoothie  

Makes 2  

Ingredients   

1 tub (180g) blueberries, plus extra for serving (optional) 
½ cup toasted oats, plus extra for serving (optional) 
2 Tbsp honey 
2 cups plain yoghurt 
Sprigs of mint, for serving   

Method  

1. Add ingredients, except mint, to a blender and blitz until smooth. Decant into serving glasses and garnish with mint leaves, plus extra berries and toasted oats if you like.

Recipes & styling: Fresh Living Magazine
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

The post 4 Sensational fresh sips for spring  appeared first on MyKitchen.

We share everyday breakfast ideas but with a twist

Tutti frutti

Swirl honey through the cooked oats and garnish with sliced citrus, kiwi and chopped nuts.

Bougie bowl

Whisk vanilla seeds into heated milk and swirl through oats. Top with halved figs, pomegranate rubies and edible flowers.

Very berry

Mix fresh raspberries and gooseberries through the cooked oats and finish off with fresh mint leaves and walnuts

Nut butter blast

Add a sliced banana, peanut butter and toasted coconut to the cooked oats. Drizzle with honey.

Meal maths

Turn this ordinary pantry staple into something extraordinary with the addition of just a few simple ingredients.

Blueberry and mint smoothie

Serves 1

Blitz together

• 1 tub blueberries
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1 tbsp honey and 1 cup plain yoghurt
• Pour into a serving glass and garnish with fresh blueberries, extra toasted oats and fresh mint.

Apricot and apple granola bars

Makes 12 Bars

Combine

• 2 cups of toasted oats
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup chopped dried Turkish apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apples and a handful of fresh blueberries in a large bowl

Press the mixture into a lined 23x23cm baking tray and level using the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge for an hour before slicing into bars.

Oats on the go

Once you’re at the office, follow these simple steps to make a delicious bowl of oats in a dash:

In a bowl

• Place 1/4 cup uncooked oats
• 2 tbsp brown sugar and pour over 1/2 cup boiling water
• Cover and microwave on high for about 3 minutes (keep an eye on it)
• Remove and stir through 1/4 cup milk
• Microwave once more for about 3-4 minutes and give it a good stir
• Add 1 tbsp butter, another splash of milk and microwave for 1 minute
• Stir through and enjoy immediately.

Breakfast granola

Makes 4 Cups

• Heat 1/4 cup honey and 1/3 cup butter in a saucepan to create a syrup
• Combine 3 cups of oats and 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Add the syrup and stir to combine
• Spoon the mixture onto a greased baking tray and bake at 160°C for 15 minutes, stirring regularly
• Add 1 cup chopped dried fruit to the tray, then stir and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until golden
• Remove from oven, stir through 1/4 cup coconut flakes and the zest of one lime
• Cool completely before storing in an airtight containe

Top Tip

When you see ‘toasted oats’, don’t rush off to the shops. Toast the uncooked oats in a pan or in the oven for 3-5 minutes before incorporating it into your dish.

The post Fun and vibrant ways with oats appeared first on MyKitchen.

Increase your daily fruit intake with delicious smoothie and drink recipes that the whole family will enjoy.

Banana and Raspberry Maple Smoothie

SERVES 2 • TOTAL TIME 10 MIN

• Ripe banana, chopped coarsely 1 large (230 g)
• Frozen raspberries 1 cup (135 g)
• Low-fat plain yoghurt 3/4 cup (210 g)
• Skim milk 3/4 cup (180 ml)
• Pure maple syrup 2 tsp
• Pure maple syrup, extra 2 tsp

1. Blend or process ingredients until smooth.
2. Pour into two glasses. Drizzle with extra syrup; top with extra raspberries, if you like.
   TIP Replace raspberries with blueberries or strawberries, if you prefer, and add honey and ground cinnamon. Add crushed ice to the blender for an even thicker smoothie.

Mango and Almond Smoothie

SERVES 2 • TOTAL TIME 5 MIN

• Mango, chopped coarsely 1 large (600 g)
• Ground almonds 1/4 cup (30 g)
• Skim milk 1 cup (250 ml)
• Low-fat plain yoghurt1/2 cup (140 g)
• Vanilla extract 1 tsp
• Lime juice 1 tsp Honey 1 tsp
• Ice cubes, to serve

1. Reserve 1 tablespoon of mango flesh. Blend or process remaining mango, almonds, milk, yoghurt, extract, juice and half the honey until smooth.
2. Place ice in tall glasses; pour the smoothie over ice. Top with reserved mango; drizzle with remaining honey and sprinkle with shredded lime rind, if you like.

   TIP: Use frozen mango or drained canned mango in natural juice, if fresh is unavailable. Blend or process the ice cubes with the ingredients, if you prefer a thicker consistency.

Green Grape and Apple Spritzer

SERVES 4 • TOTAL TIME 10 MIN

• Seedless green grapes 500 g
• Green apple, chopped coarsely 1 large (200 g)
• Fresh mint leaves 20g
• Chilled soda water 2 cups (500 ml)
• Lime, cut into wedges 1

1. Push grapes, apple and half the mint through a juice extractor; combine in a large jug with the soda water, lime and remaining mint. Top with crushed ice to serve, if you like.

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY: AREMEDIASYNDICATION.COM.AU/MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA

The post Sippin’ Pretty: Smoothies that are bound to impress appeared first on MyKitchen.

Delicious, refreshing and perfect for summer!

Pomegranate smoothie

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 (640 g) pomegranates, seeds removed and set aside

1 cup Greek-style yoghurt

1 tbsp honey

1 (230 g) large banana, coarsely chopped

Method:

1. Divide 2 tbsp of the pomegranate seeds among the holes of an ice cube tray and top with water. Freeze for 4 hours or until frozen.
2. Grind the remaining pomegranate seeds using a mortar and pestle to release the juice. Strain through a sieve into a blender; discard solids.
3. Add yoghurt, honey and chopped banana to the blender; blend until smooth.
4. Pour smoothie into glasses; top with pomegranate ice cubes. Serve immediately.

ALSO READ: Pawpaw and ginger smoothie

The post The Perfect Pomegranate Smoothie appeared first on MyKitchen.