Quick, Easy and Healthy Recipes To Kick Start Your Year

Eating vegan is one of the biggest trends of this century and more and more people are becoming aware of their health and what they eat. A plant-based diet is something that a lot of people are willing to try, and although it's not the easiest diet to follow, it's definitely more accessible than it was 12 months ago.

We're all about eating well and looking after your body, and one person in particular is super passionate about this. Bettina's Kitchen creates the most incredible plant-based dishes (check out her insta you'll see what we mean!) so we've pulled a couple of her most simple and nourishing recipes from her website www.bettinaskitchen.com. Enjoy!

Salad with Macadamia Ricotta

1 cup of macadamia (pre-soaked for 2-4 hours) (200 grams approx.)

1/2 cup of water (120 grams) or just enough to get the mix going and creamy

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

2 tbs. of lemon juice

1 tbs. of nutritional yeast

(Blend all ingredients until creamy texture)

2-3 big beefy juicy tomatoes

1 cucumber finely shaved (with mandolin or with cheese grater)

1/4 red onion sliced

1-2 radishes finely sliced

Bunch of fresh basil

1 cup of olive oil (240 grams)

2 tbs. of lemon juice

2 tbs. of apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. of Dijon mustard

1 tsp. of agave

Pinch of salt (Himalayan)

Pinch of pepper

Make your ricotta cheese and make your dressing then set aside. It’s a big batch so whatever you don't use on your salad you can keep in the fridge for other salads!

Chop and slice your veggies and arrange on a plate starting off with the tomatoes and working your way towards the other vegetables.

Click on some of the macadamia "ricotta" and dress just before serving.

Remember - make this with vegetables that are in season.

Your tomatoes and cucumbers will not taste the same in December!

Let’s Eat The Rainbow

Mixed lettuce leaves: lollo rosso, lollo verde, spinach and watercress

Cucumber

Carrot

Avocado

Daikon

Beetroot

Red cabbage

Tomato

Apple

Peppers (all colours)

Cherry tomatoes

Red onion

Figs - if not figs then whatever is in season as long as it is sweet!

Toasted hazelnuts - broken up

(Creamy Brazil nut from dressings & pastes section)

1 cup (120 grams) of Brazil nuts

1/2 cup (120 grams) of water or more if needed to make dressing smooth

1/2 apple

1 tbs. of olive oil

1 tbs. of lemon

Pinch of salt (Himalayan)

Pinch of pepper

Chopped chives (folded in after dressings been whizzed)

Get a great big bowl, I like to do this in a semi deep bowl so that all the ingredients are displayed and shown off.

Layer the bowl with the base consisting of all your greens (lollo rosso/verde/spinach and watercress).

On my first trip to Los Angeles and my first ever taste of the Matthew Kenney course I stumbled across the Benriner Mandoline (look on the products I love page!)

That is what I use to slice all the veggies so they look really pretty and presentable. It will change the way you eat your salads forever!

So slice the veggies in whatever way you think looks pretty and arrange on top of your greens.

Sprinkle your salad with toasted hazelnuts and serve with the creamy Brazil nut dressing; that you make by mixing all the ingredients together except for the chives that you fold in last.

If you don't have a high-speed blender you need to soak the nuts beforehand which makes them easier to blend.

Enjoy eating the RAINBOW!

Minestrone With a Twist

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

1 beef tomato

2 sticks of celery

2 carotts

olive oil

1 courgette

1 small bunch of fresh spinach

1 cup of butter beans (pre cooked)

500 ml organic veggie stock

2-4 cherry tomatoes to garnish

fresh basil

1. Start by making a sofrito – frying off the aromatic ingredients to make the base of your soup. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic, then chop the carrots and celery.
2. Add a glug of olive oil to the pan and place over a medium heat. Stir in butter beans, chopped tomatoes and sauté gently (lower the heat if needs be) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until everything is soft but not coloured.
3. Add the veggie stock to the softened veggies and bring to the boil. Tip in 1 tbs of tomato puree and bring back to the boil, and simmer on a low heat for around 15 minutes.
4. If the soup is too thick, add a little stock or water.
5. Season to taste, then add spinach leaves (saving a few to serve) and dress with halved cherry tomatoes and some fresh basil.