Lifestyle
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Maria’s recommendations for Spring
Maria recommends orange as a great colour for Spring 2019
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Nicola’s make up by Analise
Apart from her weekly tips during our show, Analise also does a live tutorial every so often and this week she prepared Nicola Said for her performance.
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Flowers for a leading lady
Every leading lady deserves a bouquet of fresh flowers. It was a pleasure to have Nicola Said with us.
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oh so colourful in every way, the Maltese Carnival
This week’s carnival in Malta featured in our weekend show
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Crustless vegetable and ricotta pie with Maltese Gbejna
‘This ‘pie’ is so incredibly quick to make. It is literally an all in one and the ground oats give it a great texture and absorb the liquid that the raw vegetables release to give it body and remove any hint of sogginess. Serve warm or cold, so incredibly delicious and packed with vegetables. It is quick and easy to prepare and economical and has been one of the most favourite recipes of this year’
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Carrot Coconut Curry Soup using 7 simple ingredients
This soup is a great warm up during these cold chilly days. It is one of those budget meals that you can make very quickly and the taste improves the day after making it.
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Making a cup of thick old-fashioned hot chocolate [the healthy way]
In the middle of a cold winter, there is nothing more welcome that a cup of hot chocolate. The old fashioned thick chocolate you usually find served in smaller cups around the Continent is ideal to give a sense of warmth and satisfy the longing for comfort food and sweet cravings that the cold weather usually brings with it.
And there is a way to achieve that luscious thickness and keep a fairly healthy luxurious hot chocolate at the same time. I would say this recipe makes ad rich and creamy hot chocolate without the addition of cream and it is delicious’
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Baked baby zucchini stuffed with ricotta [6 ingredients, gluten free]
I use small Zucchini [Qarabali/marrows], round mini ones that I harvested this week. Here is the shrub and we ate these vegetables literally within a couple of hours from when they were harvested. You cannot get much fresher than that !
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Healthy breakfast for two – celebrating Valentine’s Day
I made a breakfast bowl for 2 on tv this week because it is the meal we tend to skip and breakfast that gives such a good boost in terms of energy levels that lasts all day when the right ingredients are chosen.
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5 ingredient Baked Sweet Potato and Tuna Patties [diabetic friendly, gluten free, lactose free]
I wanted to start the year on a healthy note. I also decided to publish recipes that only use common and economical ingredients, and that also use as few ingredients as possible.
New year is for new beginnings and if making more healthy choices is one of your resolutions this month, then these patties are the answer for a quick, healthy meal or even to take to work with you.
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Quick weekend baking: Orange Ginger Muffins
‘the idea of using the oranges that are still abundant and ginger makes these muffins sound so healthy with all that Vitamin C and healing properties of ginger.
A very quick, all-in-one method, these muffins can be prepared and baked in 20 minutes from start to finish. I used a mix of grated fresh ginger, ginger powder and crystallized ginger which resulted in the most rounded ginger flavor laced with orange and drizzled with melted dark sugar-free chocolate and more crystallized ginger pieces. These are the best muffins for a cold January, the ginger will give you instant warmth’.
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Another 6 ingredient Soup of Zucchini, ginger and coconut [gluten free, diabetic friendly, vegan]
Things start getting back to normal after the celebrations and I like the routine of normality. The weather forecast is very cold for this weekend and this is another quick soup made with fresh and ordinary ingredients found in the kitchen cupboard and making a great big pot provides a healthy snack any time of the day for a cosy weekend indoors.
The flavour of ginger with the zucchini is just wow, and the addition of that bit of coconut milk. Key is to use fresh vegetables – it makes a difference.
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6 ingredient all-in-one Butternut Squash Coconut Soup [gluten free, diabetic friendly, vegan]
Fresh food that is simple, quick and homemade is always best. This is the perfect winter warmer. It is economical quick to prepare as you can literally make it in 30 minutes.
I find that peeling the butternut squash is probably what puts most people off. With this soup you can literally use all the vegetable, skin included.
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Peanut Caramel Chocolate Cake [no bake]
This is one of those quick cake recipes to collect. It is a ‘no-bake’ recipe and cannot get any easier. ANYONE can make this cake and it great for a large gathering or can be cut up and frozen, have something put away for when you have that craving for something sweet.
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Martina’s Cupcakes and the use of Russian Nozzles
Martina is an amazing lady. She recently was placed third in the KitchenAid Competition by Forestals and I was not surprised to see her beautiful cake as I having been admiring her work for a few years when she posts on social media.
Marina’s cupcakes during my tv show last week were divine.
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Egg free Christmas mincemeat Loaf with Buttermilk
‘Every year I save some of my Christmas Mincemeat to use the following year. The flavour matures and the taste improves over time and once we start to approach the beginning of November I like to use it up and make this egg free mincemeat loaf which is absolutely effortless but starts to remind me that Christmas is only round the corner. I made a variety of two different loaves this week, one in real time during the tv show.
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Quick Greek Yogurt Pots with Raspberries and Pomegranate [low fat, reduced sugar, diabetic friendly]
‘There is no reason that this dessert cannot be called a ‘recipe’ because it so incredibly simple and just a matter of throwing some simple ingredients together. What makes a difference is to use a good Greek yoghurt and with pomegranates being in season locally, I chose a pomegranate and raspberry flavour’
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Feta Cheese Dip
‘Feta with fresh herbs, lots of mint and tomatoes is always one of the most favourite dips’
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Scottish Red Lentil Soup, so healthy with no added fat..[gluten free, diabetic friendly]
I crave this soup, even during the hot summers and make it almost every week.
It is so quick to prepare, no blender, no chopping and you end up with a satiny purée and a bit of texture – it is just divine.
My Scottish mother-in-law was not too fond of cooking but she made this soup when I went to her home for the very first time in Irvine and I loved it so much that she made it for me each time I visited. This is her recipe.
It has no added fats, is so healthy and wholesome and if you are craving comfort food try this for a healthy option. I have mine as it is but you can put one of those fresh mozzarella balls in the bottom of the bowl or a fresh Maltese gbejna before pouring the hot soup in serve it with the option of grated parmigiano reggiano. It is just delicious and gets rid of all those hunger pangs very quickly !
