Ingredients: (Serves 2)

For the Sweet Potato & Coconut Quinoa:

75g Cooked Quinoa.

3 tsp Ac Sweet Potato & Coconut Chilli Relish

1 tsp Dried Parsley

1 Cube Veg Bouillon Stock

Cook the Quinoa in a pan of water seasoned with veg bouillon and set aside. Mix in the Sweet Potato Relish and add the parsley.

For the Pumpkin Avocado Salsa:

1 Avocado

1/2 Red Pepper

Handful of Watercress

2 tbsp. Toasted Pumpkin nuts

1 tbsp. Toasted Pine Seeds

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Splash of Baobab Balsamic Dressing

Pinch of Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Removed the skin from the avocado and slice into chunks. Finely chop the red pepper and add ingredients to the watercress. Toast the pumpkin seeds and pine nuts. Add the the salad with the balsamic dressing, olive oil and season.

For the Pan fried Salmon:

400g Salmon Fillets

2 x tbsp. Sunflower Oil or Coconut Oil

Large Knob of Butter

Lemon

Salt and Ground Black Pepper

Add the Salmon fillets to a medium pan of sunflower oil skin-side down. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry for 2-3 minutes, then turn the salmon over and fry for a further 1-2 minutes, or until cooked through but not over. Add the lemon juice and serve.

We enjoyed this recipe as a supper healthy lunch (or dinner).

Salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein, vitamins & minerals (including potassium, selenium and vitaminn B12) but its content of omega-3 fatty acids we love along with avocado - a great source of potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, and lutein. Because of the fat content in avocados, will facilitate absorption of fat-soluble nutrients (vitamins A, D, E & K) when combined with foods containing those nutrients.

By adding this creamy fruit to any vegetable-dense meals will help you get all of the vitamins of your food. Quinoa - With twice the protein content of rice & barley, is also a very good source of calcium, magnesium and manganese. It has good levels of several B vitamins, vitamin E and dietary fibre.

This nutritious recipe was created with our new Ambassador - Aaesthetica in mind.We met Aaron Clark, the Founder of Aaesthetica Nutrition & Fitness Ltd at Powderham Castle Food Festival at the end of last year, who quickly became a fan of our Caramelised Chilli Biltong - rich in protein and Sweet Potato and Coconut Relish. Aaesthetica provides an all round tailored programme helping people reach a more positive and healthier lifestyle, with emphasis on nutritional foods specific to each persons needs and their goals, suited to individuals exercises and training regime. Check out Aaron's website for more info.

The African Chef is really proud to support #GivingTuesday with Farm Africa.

Farm Africa works with smallholder farmers in eastern Africa to help them tackle hunger by growing more, selling more and selling for more. This #GivingTuesday, Farm Africa are raising funds for their Christmas appeal, which focuses on work with primary schools in the slums of Nairobi. For many students, the only proper daily meal they get is at school but unfortunately this often lacks the vital range of nutrients they need. Poor diets leave them vulnerable to malnourishment, which can cause serious, irreversible health problems like stunted growth and impaired cognitive development.

To address this, Farm Africa is setting up vegetable gardens to grow healthy food for children to eat, adding vital nutrients to their diet.

Leading British chefs have created some African inspired recipes using ingredients that will be grown in urban vegetable gardens in Kenya.

Why not share these with your friends and family and make a donation to Farm Africa to make sure that children in Africa can have delicious, nutritious meals too?

Kid & Quince Tagine

Tagine is perhaps the best-known North African dish and deserves its notoriety. The combination of spice, fruit and meat is greater than the sum of its parts.

Kid & Quince Tagine – Serves 4

For the meat

• 4 kid shanks
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 skinned tomatoes, crushed
• 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 50g butter, melted
• Pinch chilli flakes
• 1 tsp cumin seeds – toasted and ground
• 1 tsp coriander seeds – toasted and ground
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 large bunch fresh coriander, leaves chopped, stalks reserved.
• 350ml stock or water – warmed
• 10 saffron threads soaked in the stock for at least 20 minutes

For the quince

1. 2 quinces – peeled and quartered
2. 6 tbsp raisins
3. 50g honey
4. ½ tsp ground cinnamon
5. 1 tbsp butter

Method

1. In a large bowl mix together the meat, salt, tomatoes, onions, melted butter and spices. Cover and leave refrigerated for a couple of hours or over night.
2. To cook, put the marinated meat in a large heavy bottomed saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mix over a moderate heat uncovered for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Then stir in the water or stock, along with the saffron and ½ the coriander stalks, then cover and simmer gently over a low heat for about 2 ½ – 3 hours or until the shanks meat is meltingly tender. Top up a bit with water if the sauce looks too dry.
4. While the kid is cooking, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil with the honey and raisins and poach the quince until just tender, then drain.
5. When cooked remove the shanks from the sauce keep warm. Remove excess fat from the sauce and add some of the quince liqueur to taste. Season with salt to taste, and then return the meat to the sauce.
6. Heat 1 tbsp butter over a moderate heat in a frying pan. Add quince, sugar and cinnamon. Fry on both sides until golden and glazed all over. Then add the raisins and toss gently together and pour over the meat.
7. Serve in a warm serving dish scattered with the rest of the coriander.

*This dish works great with couscous…

Photo credit & recipe by James Whetlor, Cabrito Goat Meat.

Ingredients: (Serves 5-6)

Method and prep time (30mins)

Gently heat the sunflower and coconut oil together in a pan and add the onions. Fry until translucent.
Add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and curry powder to the pan. Fry for one to two minutes.
Season with pepper and one tsp of salt.
Next, add the bay leaves, coconut milk, tomatoes and diced sweet potatoes and season with another teaspoon of salt.
Add the sugar and squeeze of lime and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Finally, mix in around 300 to 500g of cooked leftover turkey and stir into the pan.
Place the lid on and leave to stand for five minutes before serving with fluffy basmati rice and warmed Peshwari naan breads.

For the hot onion salad:
2 red onions
1 tomato
2 jalepeno chillis or 1-2 birdseye chillies
1tsp malt vinegar

Method:
In a bowl, add the finely chopped red onions, tomato and chillies.
Mix with a pinch of salt, pepper and the vinegar.

For the ginger and cinnamon bananas:
2 very ripe bananas
Large knob of butter
Squeeze of lime
A pinch of cinnamon powder
A pinch of ginger powder

Method:
Melt the butter until it begins to turn brown.
Add the ripe bananas and mash with a fork until smooth.
Add a small squeeze of lime, plus the cinnamon and ginger.
Warm until the mixture starts to simmer and serve.

We source our sweet potatoes come from Northern Senegal, these are Grown with Love by Barfoots.

Great accompaniments with your curry:

© Malcolm Riley - The African Chef

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

Method and prep time (10 mins)

Ingredients: (serves 4)

1 Large Butternut (1.2KG) diced with skin on.
1/2 Small Lemon
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Inch fresh ginger
1 Tbs Organic coconut Oil (or any other oil you may have)
1 x Tin Organic coconut milk - we like Biona organic as it contains 50% organic coconut and water
Cinnamon
Dried Pumpkin leaves (optional)
Handful of watercress
Salt
Pepper
Drizzle of The African Chef - Fire Water

I just love the squashes, they are so versatile, easy to grow, have a wonderful flavour can be made into so many healthy dishes and have a long shelf life, so can be stored for a few months before being eaten. This recipe is healthy, delicious, rich, creamy and 100% Vegan !

Method and Cooking time (35 - 45 mins)

Wash and slice the butternut in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Chop the butternut into large cubes (approx 1 - 2 inches). Lightly grease a baking tray with coconut oil. Slice the lemon into rings, peel the garlic and leave the cloves whole. Slice the ginger and add all the ingredients to the baking tray. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for around 30-40 minutes until cooked.

Next add roasted butternut to a large sauce pan on a very low heat with the coconut milk, dried pumpkin leaves and blend until smooth. If the mixture is a little thick add a little warm water until you get a lovely smooth texture, finally add the watercress and blend again and serve.

Garnish with a little watercress and drizzle with firewater.

Butternut squash is one of the most nutritious and healthiest vegetables you can eat, packed full of a rich array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants as well as significant amounts of digestive fibre. Not only does it taste delicious, it is also low in calories.

• Loaded with antioxidant carotenoids to protect your body’s cells from damaging free radicals.
• Great source of powerful antioxidants known as zeaxanthin and lutein, which are especially good for protecting your vision.
• High levels of vitamin C, as well as some vitamin E and vitamin K. They also contain most of the B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid and pyridoxine.
• A good source of important minerals as well, especially magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc.
• One of the healthiest vegetables for losing weight with its low calories and high levels of dietary fibre. With 6 grams of primarily insoluble fibre in a cup of steamed squash and eating them is known to be especially beneficial for relieving digestive problems such as constipation. (Source; healthiestfoods.co.uk)

We use butter squashes that are Grown with Love by Barfoots in the UK and Senegal. Click link to find out more .

Food for thought

The nutrition in butternut squash makes it a far more healthy food than potatoes in just about every way. Roasted, steamed or mashed, they make a great tasting replacement so why not give them a try!

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a “superfood.” With a unique combination of fatty acids, it can have profound positive effects on health. This includes fat loss, better brain function and various other amazing benefits. (Source; authoritynutrition.com)

• Coconut Oil Contains a Unique Combination of Fatty Acids With Powerful Medicinal Properties
• Populations That Eat Alot of Coconut Are Among The Healthiest People on The Planet
• Coconut Oil Can Increase Your Energy Expenditure, Helping You Burn More Fat
• The Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil Can Kill Bacteria, Viruses and Fungi, Helping to Stave Off Infections
• Coconut Oil Can Kill Your Hunger, Making You Eat Less Without Even Trying
• The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Are Turned into Ketones, Which Can Reduce Seizures
• Coconut Oil Can Improve Blood Cholesterol Levels and May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
• Coconut Oil Can Protect Hair Against Damage, Moisturize Skin and Function as Sunscreen
• The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Can Boost Brain Function in Alzheimer’s Patients
• Coconut Oil Can Help You Lose Fat, Especially The Dangerous Fat in Your Abdominal Cavity

© Malcolm Riley