dinner Archives - Heavenlynn Healthy

Asparagus Sandwich with Pea Basil Creme

Lynn — Tue, 16 May 2017 05:26:53 +0000

Asparagus Sandwich with Pea Basil Creme that will transform the way you think about asparagus.

You guys have got to try this sandwich.

I’m serious – if you’ve never had asparagus on bread before then you’ve been missing out on a lot of fun. I don’t know why I have never thought about it before, but asparagus and crispy sourdough bread go so increadibly well together. Since I love to cook seasonally, ’tis is the season for asparagus. I’ve already had asparagus soup this year, asparagus salad, plain asparagus with avocado hollandaise and another oriental asparagus chickpea salad (very delicious by the way!). Today’s recipe is perfect for leftover asparagus, which is pretty common in my kitchen as my boyfriend is not the biggest fan of the green stalks. My love for asparagus goes pretty deep. So deep, that I even participate in the yearly “asparagus relay” in my hometown.

Yup. You heard right. I said asparagus relay. And it’s everything you’re imaging right now.

The asparagus relay has become a real event in my town, and tickets always sell within minutes of its release. Every team has five runners, each one having to run roughly 2 miles, so it’s more a fun event than a real race. The winning team is drawn out of all participating teams, and they are all put on an XXL scale to measure – and the other side of the scale is filled with asparagus, strawberries, potatoes, sparkling wine and lots of other delicious goodies. What a win, hun?

So unfortunately this year, I won’t be able to run, because we didn’t get a ticket, but I will be cheering, eating asparagus and simply having a wonderful time. I think I should be suggesting that they add this recipe to the food booth lists, because it’s just so delicious.

Apart from being delicious, asparagus is also incredibly healthy. 200 grams of asparagus already cover 70% of the daily requirement of folic acid. The b-vitamin is espeically important for cell division, so without folic acid, there would be no life! That’s why pregnant women have an increased need of folic acid. The demand of folic acid increases the older we get, so it’s never wrong to stock up on folic acid. Other sources of folic acid are green leaves such as spinach or kale, but also nuts such as walnuts or hazelnuts.

The real hero of this dish, however, is the super easy peasy pea and basil creme. It’s basically just a mix of peas, basil, some lime juice and salt. Super basic, but super delicious. It definitely gives this sandwich an instant upgrade.

I also like it a lot with the date-dijon dressing from my quinoa salad, but it also tastes delicious on its own.

What is your favorite way to enjoy asparagus? Let me know in the comments below.

Asparagus Sandwich with Pea Basil Creme

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

Author: Lynn Hoefer

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1½ cups (200g) of frozen peas
1 lime
a handful of fresh basil
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
5 cups (500g) of green asparagus
1 shallot
1 ripe avocado
4 – 5 strawberries
a good handful of fresh baby spinach or rocket
some coconut oil or ghee for frying
4 slices of whole-grain rye sourdough bread or gluten-free bread of your choice

Instructions

To make the pea basil creme, simply combine the peas, the olive oil, the basil, the lime juice and salt and pepepr in a blender or food processor. Add some water if your machine has difficulties blending it. It does not need to be a smooth creme, it can still be chunky from the peas.
Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Cut it into thin slices. Wash the strawberries, remove the green parts and slice it as well.
To make the asparagus, start by cutting of the ends of the asparagus. Cut the stems into two-inch pieces. Finely chop the shallot. Heat some coconut oil or ghee in a saucepan. Fry the shallots for a minute or two until golden brown. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 - 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stems. Set aside.
Toast the bread slices and spread a generous amount of pea basil creme on each slice. Layer with the asparagus, strawberries, avocado and strawberry slices and baby spinach or rocket.

Enjoy!

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Feel free to leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag your creations on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

I’d love for this blog to be a dialogue.

Merken

The post Asparagus Sandwich with Pea Basil Creme appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Christmas menu entrée: Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentils and Kale

Lynn — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 06:46:21 +0000

Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentils and Kale as part of my 2016 Christmas Menu.

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas this week. I wrapped up most Christmas presents already, sent off my Secret Santa package yesterday, and I am getting ready to completely fall into Christmas mode by Sunday. Well, I still got some school stuff to finish, but then I am ready for the Holidays. Which means that now I can think about the really important things: what’s for dinner on Christmas Day? This Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentils and Kale is a Christmas menu dream and should go on your potential Christmas dinner list asap.

I’ve created this dish as a REWE Feine Welt* Christmas ambassador, and I could not be prouder as this is such a cool job.

“Excuse me, I got work to do as a Christmas ambassador.” Yes, I could get used to this.

Jokes aside, this lentil and kale filling can easily challenge any stuffing you’ll ever eat. It’s rich, it’s fresh, it’s delicious. And it’s completely plant based, gluten free and refined sugar free. How can this be, you may ask? Well, turns out, nature is amazing and has so much delicious and healthy produce to offer. I am definitely hooked by the kale and the edible flowers in this filling. I never thought about adding edible flowers to my dishes, but I think it’s so much fun and they are just too precious just to be used as a porridge topping.

Whether you enjoy this filling by itself or combined with the baked butternut squash, you will treat your body to some much goodness such as minerals and vitamins from the pomegranates. Eating it with the butternut will provide some extra beta-carotene, which protects the eye-sight and the immune-system when converted to Vitamin A in the body.

If you’ve enjoyed this main dish, then you might like my appetizer suggestion sweet potato and parsnip soup with truffled popcorn. I’ve also collected some other healthy Christmas ideas in my post 21 Heavenly Healthy Christmas Recipes. I hope you’ll find some healthy inspiration for the upcoming Holidays. Also, I cannot wait to share my delicious dessert suggestion as the last part of this menu on Sunday! Stay tuned!

Christmas menu entrée: Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentils and Kale

Prep time

40 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

Author: Lynn Hoefer

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the butternut squash:

2 butternut squash
4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp of sea salt
½ tsp of cinnamon
¼ tsp of pepper

For the lentil-kale filling:

1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
1½ cups (300g) of lentils
80g (three handful) of chopped kale
¼ cup (60ml) of water, more if needed
3 tablespoons of tahini
½ cup (65g) of chopped pecans
8 dried apricots, chopped
1 teaspoon of edible flowers
1 tsp of cumin
½ tsp of cinnamon
½ tsp of paprika
½ tsp of turmeric
½ tsp of sea salt
¼ tsp of pepper
1 lemon
A bunch of fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro or parsley

Instructions

Cook the lentils according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
Cut the butternut squash down lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and brush lightly with olive oil. Place them face-down on a baking sheet aligned with baking paper. Cook for about 30 minutes until you can easily pinch them with a fork.
Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic and fry for a minute or two. Add all the spices and fry another minute or two until fragrant.
Now add the kale, lentils, dried apricots, pecans, water and tahini and let simmer on medium heat until the water evaporated. Add more water if needed. Stir in some of the chopped herbs, but keep some for garnishing.
Now to the fun part. Pinch the squash with a fork to "loosen" up the flesh. Add some olive oil, salt, and spices and really mix them with the flesh. I did not do this on the photos, because it does not look all that appealing, but it makes this dish taste 100 times better.
Once the flesh is loosened up and seasoned, scoop in about three tablespoons of the lentil-kale filling and sprinkle with a bit of fresh lemon juice.
Decorate with a tablespoon of coconut or greek yoghurt (if non-vegan), pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

*A Big Thank You to REWE Feine Welt for sponsoring this post. And thank you, readers, for supporting the brands that make hour-long recipe testings in the Heavenlynn Healthy kitchen possible.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Feel free to leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag your creations on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

I’d love for this blog to be a dialogue.

The post Christmas menu entrée: Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentils and Kale appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.