Succulent Pork Chops with Potato Wedges

It is funny how the human's brain works, when we hear "Pork", we think "FAT". Yes, a pig is fat and ugly, but studies have proved that pork is one of the healthiest and cleanest meat options.

1. Pork is a white meat with very little fat within the lean muscle fibres.
2. It's easy to trim pork to your preference - where there is fat on a pork cut, the fat is situated on the outside and is easy to trim or remove.
3. In this regard, pork is similar to chicken where the fat is contained within the chicken skin.

Comparison of Nutritional Value per 100g Portion
	Mutton (1.)	Beef (2.)	Chicken (3.)	Pork (4.)
Moisture	60.7g	60.7g	74.1g	60.4g
Energy	1087kJ	1057kJ	1020kJ	783kJ
Protein	16.9g	18.4g	21.1g	17.3g
Fat	21.6g	20.1g	18.7g	12.1g
Cholesterol	72mg	62mg	87mg	47mg
Saturated fatty acids	9.5g	9.2g	2.9g	4.5g
Mono-unsaturated fatty acids	8.9g	8.9g	7.1g	5.0g
Poly-unsaturated fatty acids	1.7g	0.3g	3.9g	2.7g
Iron	1.6mg	1.9mg	1.4mg	1.2mg
Zinc	3.3mg	3.5mg	1.5mg	1.9mg



This is one of my easiest, delicious and healthy pork chop recipes.

Ingredients: Serves 2

2 Pork chops, you can get at any supermarket (size depends on appetite)

Juice of one lemon

10ml Olive oil

60ml Barbecue marinade

30ml Chutney

Barbecue spice

2 Large potatoes, cut in wedges

Clove garlic, crushed

Sprig rosemary, chopped

Olive oil

Salt and Black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Step 1: Remove the outside fat layer from the pork chops. Mix barbecue sauce, chutney and olive oil together. Pour lemon juice over the chops, evenly on both sides. Sprinkle barbecue spice on both sides and pour the chutney mixture onto the chops, turn it around and cover both sides with marinade. Leave for +/- 30-60 min.

Step 2: Place potato wedges on a baking tray, sprinkle with olive oil. Add garlic, rosemary and season with salt and black pepper. Mix everything together and place in oven for 45-60min, until cooked.

Step 3: Heat a non stick pan, add the chops and cook both sides for 15-20min, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and serve with one of Ina Paarman's ready made sauces.

Taste the difference!

Tasty Chicken

Being Healthy is a lifestyle! I believe you are what you eat! People think that healthy food should taste like 'cardboard'... I will definitely prove you wrong!!

Ingredients: Serves 4

4 Chickenbreast fillets, diced
1 Small onion, chopped
Half red pepper, chopped
125g Mushrooms, chopped
250ml Frozen peas
500ml Vegetable stock
5ml Red Curry paste
5ml Curry powder
30ml Chutney
Half a packet of vegetable soup powder
Sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped
5ml Ground chili
5ml Olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Method:

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a saucepan, fry onion; add red pepper and mushrooms. Cook for 3min, add red curry paste, curry powder, ground chili and chutney. Cook for 5 min whilst stirring. Add the chicken and mix everything well together.

Step 2: Add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, cover with lid and let it simmer for 30 min. Add the peas and simmer for 10min. Stir in the vegetable soup powder and cook for another 15min.

Step 3: Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and serve with rice and fresh baby tomatoes.

Taste the difference!

Roast Chicken with Stuffed Squash and Butternut Salad

Not everyone is very fond of squash, but, try this recipe...I guarantee: NO left overs!

Taste the difference!

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 Whole chicken

1 Onion, quartered

1 Lemon, thickly sliced

Knob of butter

Sprig of thyme,

Olive oil

500g Butternut, roasted 

Salad mix (whatever you like to put in your salad) Cucumber, baby tomatoes, green pepper, rocket, blue cheese

3 or 4 Squash, halved

1 Tin sweetcorn

120ml Flour

1 Egg

Grated cheese

Salt and Black pepper

Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Step 1: Stuff the chicken with lemon, onion and thyme. Rub the chicken with course salt, black pepper and butter. Place in roasting dish into the oven for 60-75min. Check after 60min if cooked; take a knife and push it into the chicken, if a reddish fluid comes out, it's not cooked; cook for another 15-30min. Remove from oven, let it cool and remove the onion stuffing.

Step 2: Mix sweetcorn, flour and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle squash halves with salt and fill with sweetcorn mixture. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake for +/- 45 min., until cooked and golden brown.

Step 3: Mix salad ingredients together, add roasted butternut, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a little olive oil.

Serve with your choice of sauce...ready made Ina Paarman's.

                            

Chicken Salad

This is an ideal dish for the ladies if they don't want to eat too heavy the evening. Or a healthy option for guys as lunch.

Very easy to prepare, healthy, tasty and not expensive. Imagine what you will pay for a salad like this at a restaurant.. Make it yourself!





Taste the difference!

Home Made Gourmet Burger

You can't compare this pattie to any other you buy from the supermarket. It is soft, solid, tasty and healthy!








Taste the difference!




Ingredients: Serves 4
4 Fresh hamburger buns
Lettuce, tomato, cheese
Olive oil
Jimmy's Barbecue sauce
Sweet chili sauce
Caramelised onion (1 and a half onion)
500g Minced meat (your choice, I used venison)
Pinch ground coriander
Pinch ground chili flakes
Salt and Black pepper
1 Egg, beaten
2 Slices white bread, soaked in 100ml of milk

Method:

Step 1: Mix coriander,chili, salt, pepper, egg, soaked bread with the minced meat.
Divide into 4 portions, roll into balls and flatten to a pattie shape. Use a little oil on your hands if the mixture is sticky. Place on greaceproof paper and in the fridge, let it rest for 30-60 min.

Step 2: Prepare the buns with a little butter, lettuce and tomato.

Step 3: Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Cook the patties on both sides, add Jimmy's and sweet chili sauces. Season with salt. Remove from the heat when cooked and darkish of colour.

Step 4: Reheat caramelised onion. Place pattie on tomato, add cheese and onions ontop. Serve with side salad or baked potato.

Chocolate Mousse Wedding Cake

 My sister's friend got married this weekend at Rock Haven, situated between Hermanus and Somerset West. She wanted to give something special as her wedding gift, so we decided that I will make the wedding cake.


 As you can see, it wasn't a traditional Fruit Cake, but a Chocolate Mousse Cake. The wedding couple was blessed with great weather; on my way to the venue it was 30 degrees outside. As you can imagine, my nerves shot sky high, what if everything was mush and melted before the wedding started!!
Luckily my friend, Hendrik, went with me to the venue and with full blast aircon everything was still whole and set when we arrived at the venue.

This is a close up of the small cakes on the top.

Taste the difference!

It's a BOY!

Cupcakes I have prepared for a babyshower!





Taste the difference!

Chicken Lasagne with Roasted Veg in Phylo Basket

 I am very health conscious; I prepare healthy food that tastes great which anyone can make!

As you can see, chicken is my favourite!

Ingredients: Serves 4

4 Chicken fillets, boiled and shredded
1 Onion, chopped
1 Clove of garlic, crushed
125g Mushrooms, chopped
125g Baby marrow, diced
Pinch of chili powder
30ml Chutney
30ml Sweet Chili Sauce
6 Lasagne Sheets 
500ml Basic white sauce
125ml Grated cheese
300g Butternut, diced
100g Baby Tomatoes, halved
200g Cauliflower
200g Broccoli
15ml Treacle sugar
Olive oil
Sprig Rosemary, chopped
2 Sheets of phylo pastry, each sheet cut in 9 blocks
50ml Butter, melted
Salt and pepper
Fresh Basil

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Step 1: Heat 10ml olive oil in a saucepan, add onion and garlic and saute until golden brown, add mushrooms and baby marrow, saute until cooked. Add the rosemary and chili powder, cook for 5min. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Step 2: In a bowl, mix the onion mix and the shredded chicken, add the sweet chili and chutney. Season to taste.

Step 3: Place half of the chicken mix in a baking dish, layer with lasagne sheets and white sauce. Repeat layer and sprinkle the top with grated cheese. Put aside.

Step 4: Place the butternut on a baking tray, sprinkle with olive oil, treacle sugar, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 min., add the tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, bake for 10min., until cooked. Remove from oven and put aside.

Step 5: Use 3/4 blocks phylo pastry (1 sheet cut into 9 equally sized blocks) for 1 basket. Butter 1 block, place another block on top, brush with butter and place a block on top. Put in ramekin to form a basket shape and bake for 5min., until golden brown and crispy. Repeat with rest of the pastry.

Step 6: Bake Lasagne for 30-45min, until cooked and golden brown on top. Reheat the veggies and place in phylo basket, garnish with fresh basil. 

Serve

For any questions, feel free to pop me a mail.


Taste the difference!

Chicken and Veggie Bake

This is by far one of my favourite dishes!










Ingredients: Serves 4 to 6

4 Chicken fillets, cooked and shredded
4 Large potatoes, peeled and par boiled
150g Mushrooms, chopped and sauteed
1 Onion, chopped and sauteed
Half of a green pepper, chopped and sauteed
500ml Bechamel Sauce (basic white sauce)
1 Sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt and white pepper
200ml Grated cheese

Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Step 1: Slice the par boiled potatoes and place a layer at the bottom of a baking dish. Sprinkle with a little salt and and pepper. On top of the potatoes place a layer of the mushrooms, onion, green pepper and rosemary. Add the shredded chicken on top. Season with salt and pepper. Place the rest of the mushrooms, onion and green pepper on top of the chicken. Layer the rest of the sliced potatoes on top.

Step 2: Pour over the bechamel sauce, make sure everything is covered. Sprinkle the top with the grated cheese and a little salt and pepper.

Step 3: Cover with tin foil and bake for 40min. Remove tin foil and bake for 20min. Remove from the oven, let it rest for 10min. and serve with a side salad.


Taste the difference!