Serves 6

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons mustard
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sea salt to taste
3 Tablespoons tahini
3 Tablespoons water
2 heads butter or other green lettuce, shredded
2 green onions, sliced finely
1 cucumber, grated
1 small bunch red radishes, grated
4 cups cooked black beans (or use canned or from a jar )
2 Tablespoons minced fresh corriander OR 1 teaspoon ground corriander

Blend lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, tahini and water together to make the dressing. (For more Mexican dressing, use 3 Tablespoons salsa, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt or 1 teaspoon tamari). Assemble all other ingredients in salad bowl and toss with dressing.

serves 6

6 chicken breasts
6 pieces parchment paper
1 stalk celery, minced
1 onion minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon herb salt
Black pepper or cayenne pepper
6 Tablespoons lemon juice
6 Tablespoons dry white wine (optional)
parsley to garnish

Preheat oven to 190C.

Season chicken breasts on both sides and place on paper squares. Place celery, onion and herbs on the chicken, add lemon juice, pepper, and wine, and fold ends of paper upward to form a little package.

Bake for 30 minutes. Before serving garnish with fresh parsley.

Note: You can use a covered pyrex baking dish for baked chicken breasts not "en chemise."

Note:   I sometimes swop walnuts or sunflower seeds for the pine nuts and feta for the parmesan. Use your imagination ! :))

Makes 6 servings
 
Active Time  40 minutes    Total Time   40 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Small wedge of Parmesan cheese


Preparation

Whisk oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and crushed red pepper in small bowl to blend.

Set dressing aside.

Using vegetable peeler or V-slicer and working from top to bottom of each zucchini, slice zucchini into ribbons (about 1/16 inch thick).

Place ribbons in large bowl. Add basil and nuts, then dressing; toss to coat.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Using vegetable peeler, shave strips from Parmesan wedge over salad 

I have an obsession with tahini and believe it is a neglected Mediterranean superfood which people are not giving enough attention to.

These muffins are a healthy treat and make for a great addition to a breakfast, a snack or a low sugar dessert.

Makes 8-9 muffins

Ingredients

3 Spotty bananas
1/2 Cup Coconut flour
1/4 Cup tahini
2  Eggs
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 175C , and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Combine bananas and tahini. You can use an electric mixer, but you can also manually mash together using a fork. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
3. Once all wet ingredients are combined, add cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt, slowly pour in coconut flour until combined.
4. Scoop batter into 8 or 9 cupcake lines. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool completely so that the muffins stay intact.

Note: You could add a few raisins, cranberries or dark chocolate chips to sweeten them up a bit if you wish.