That's Amore

Last week I was invited to That's Amore in Parktown North to try out this lovely little authentic Italian restaurant. It was such a treat and I really enjoyed the food as well as meeting the team and getting to know a little bit aout this little gem of a restaurant.

Bacon & Egg Cupcakes

Instead of bacon and eggs in the morning, why not get #Fancy and try these!

Brinjal Lasagne

Mince Ingredients
Mince +- 300g
1 onion
chopped mushrooms
1 grated carrot
1 tin tomatoes
3 Tbs tomatoe paste (I used about 5Tbs tomatoe sauce because I didn't have paste)
Seasoning

Cheese Sauce Ingredients
1 cup grated cheddar
3 Tbs flour
3 Tbs butter
1 cup milk

Other Ingredients
3 brinjals (I used 2 and was a bit short) 
1/2 cup grated gouda
1/4 cup lentils (optional)

Mince Method

• Fry the chopped onion and mince until the mince has browned
• Put in the tinned tomatoes, tomatoe paste and the lentils 
• After a while add the rest of the veg and and top up with boiling water (I also threw in some white wine)
• Simmer for as long as you'd like (I let mine simmer for about 30mins while I was preparing everything else) 

Cheese Sauce

• On a low heat melt the butter and flour
• Add the milk and cheese and stir until the cheese has melted

Lasagne Method

• Fry the brinjals until browned - Do not use any oil when frying
• In a baking tray add a layer of the mince followed by a layer of brinjals and then the cheese sauce
• Repeat layers and top with the grated gouda
• Grill until cheese has browned.

Warning: This meal is very addictive

I ate half the lasagne at 1 sitting (which serves 4+)

#MeatlessMonday Omelette

I have been terrible at #MeatlessMonday and it's something I really want to commit to!

To kick-start my #MeatlessMonday eating regime I decided to make an omelette. As a "foodie" who cooks every day it may come as a bit of a surprise that I have never made an omelette. The reasoning for this is simple - before my transplant I didn't eat eggs. I tried because they are a healthy source of protein, but my body wouldn't have it. There are a number of healthy foods I couldn't eat before my transplant, another one being avocados, which I now love!

I have always had a very close relationship with my body and I feed it what it wants. For some reason, before transplant, it couldn't handle these foods but now, it loves them and has allowed me to experiment with a bigger variety of foods!

Anyway, back to the omelette!

Ingredients 

• 2 eggs
• milk (I literally just poured a dollop in but +- 1/4 cup)
• seasoning (salt, pepper etc)
• butter for frying
• grated mozzarella cheese (You can use any cheese +- a handful)
• filling- I chose gherkins, onions, tomatoes & pepperdews 

Method

• Beat eggs, milk and seasoning together
• Heat butter in pan on med high heat
• Pour mixture in pan 
• When omelette looks about half cooked add your filling to one side
• When omelette looks about ready, add cheese  
• When cheese has started to melt, fold omelette over and voila! 

Serve with a relish or sauce of your choice!

Enjoy =)

Paleo Pizza

Another Fast food treat that people have to 'give up' when eating healthy, is pizza! I have never been a big pizza fan but did enjoy it once in a while and so I decided to give this cauliflower base pizza a go.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Grated Cauliflower 
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1 Cup finely grated Cheese (I used Parmesan)
• Spices (I used oregano, mixed spice & a dash of tabasco) 
• +- 1/2 cup grated cheese for topping (I used Mozzarella)  
• Toppings (I used mushrooms, ham, pepperdew, olives & sun-dried tomatoes)
• 1/4 cup marinara/pasta sauce

I made my own sauce by heating tinned tomatoes comined with tomato puree (or sauce) and some bottled peperdew relish (which can be substituted for any relish or sauce)

Method

• Put grated cauliflower in a bowl in the microwave for about 6 mins 
• Dry cauliflower with a kitchen towel after microwaving (this will make your crust crunchier) 
• Mix cauliflower with eggs, cheese and spices. Use a blender for a smoother base.
• Preheat over to 180-200 degrees Celsius
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and grease. 
• Spread dough thinly over paper to make a round pizza shape.
• Bake for about 15mins and then add sauce, toppings and cheese.
• Bake for a further 15mins or until cheese has melted.

Yum! 

54 on Bath