Sweet Potato Spinach and Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Happy Monday Folks!!

How was your weekend?
After rummaging through my cupboard on Saturday to find my packet of quinoa sitting there all alone feeling dejected I decided to cook it. I actually cooked the whole packet and kept the rest in the fridge after preparing my delicious Saturday meal which was quinoa with prawns and vegetables.

http://yems-smoothies.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/healthy-choice-meal-quinoa-with.html

Ingredients

1 packet of quinoa

1 packet of spinach
2 sweet potatoes

packet of cranberry sprinkle

salt & seasoning

Instructions

 For The Quinoa 

to cook your quinoa follow the instruction on the packet of your purchased quinoa

once cooked set aside and prep your the spinach and sweet potato

 For the Sweet Potato

peel the sweet potato and cut into square shapes

place in a pot and boil for 8-10mins 

peeled sweet potato

cut into shapes

ready to be boiled

 For the Spinach

remove from packaging and wash

place spinach in a wok with a drop of oil and allow spinach to simmer for about 3mins till it turns green and changes colour slightly

remove and place in a bowl and set aside

Final Prep

place cooked sweet potato in a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa,cranberry seeds and the spinach and mix together gently

season with black pepper and little bit of salt

this delicious meal can be served hot or cold

Voila !!!

Sweet Potato Spinach and Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Don't be deceived by the small and tiny grains, quinoa is very filling and delicious!!

Have you ever had Quinoa?

How did you make yours?  Let me know in the comments box.

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Link Credit: 12 things you should know about Quinoa 

http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2010/06/12-things-you-should-know-about-quinoa/

My Healthy Lunch Prep for the Week - Part II

Happy Sunday Everyone!!

Last week I shared my lunch prep for the week.

If you missed the blogspot, have no fear! Here is the post
http://yems-smoothies.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/my-healthy-lunch-prep-for-week.html

This week I will be sharing my lunch prep again. I would like to encourage to find time and make your packed lunch for a few days and see how you feel and like it?

In my humble opinion home made lunches are@

• Cost effective
• Fresh
• Healthier
• Hygienic
• Quality
• More productive
• And enables better time management

Here is my packed lunch for the week.

Salad Base Prep  - Salad leaves and sweetcorn

Salami Salad, Cod Fillet Salad, Sweet Potato & Vegetables & Frankfurter Salad

Salami Salad, Cod Fillet Salad, Sweet Potato & Vegetables & Frankfurter Salad

Salami Salad, Cod Fillet Salad, Sweet Potato & Vegetables & Frankfurter Salad

Have you decided to make a change and create time to start bringing lunch to work once or twice a week, or make a transition away from the office canteen food options? 

Try it and I can assure you that the results will be worth it.  
Do you bring your lunch to work? If so, what are your favourite things to bring?

Let me know in the comments box.

Have a lovely working week ahead.

Sunny Sunday with Baked Sweet Potatoes

Happy Sunny Sunday!! 

I hope everyone's having a lovely Sunday.

You'll be glad to know that this weekend the sun came out for us in the United Kingdom Yay!! The weather was beautiful .Thank You Jesus!! More of this weather please Lord...more :-) 

I hope the sunshine has come to stay!!

I haven't had sweet potatoes in a very long time and instead of the normal roast potatoes on a Sunday I bought some sweet potatoes instead.

Sweet potatoes  have some great benefits which include a high volume  of vitamins B6 and C.

Read more about the benefits of sweet potatoes http://www.care2.com/greenliving/9-reasons-to-love-sweet-potatoes.html

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes

clear bag

chicken drumsticks (cleaned & seasoned overnight)

gravy granules

seasonings (salt,sugar and mixed herbs)

mixed vegetables

olive oil

                                                   For the Sweet Potatoes
                               Preheat oven and wipe the foil or baking tray with some olive oil

                               Wash the skin of the sweet potatoes and then peel

                     Cut the sweet potatoes into circular or your desired shape

               Place sweet potatoes into the clear bag, add seasoning, olive oil and shake well

 Place the sweet potatoes shapes unto the tray and allow to bake for 25mins and turn over                                                       once sides are done

Baked Sweet Potatoes

                                                        For the Chicken

                  Clean chicken, add seasoning and place in bowl and season overnight

                                    Preheat oven and oil the foil or baking tray

          Place chicken on the tray & allow to cook for 35-40mins turning over once each                                                                   side is cooked

Ensure your chicken is cooked properly before serving

Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

For the Gravy

Bring water to boil

Add gravy granules to a small saucepan or metallic bowl, add little cold water and mix well till it's a runny paste

Add hot water to gravy mix and stir until it's nice and thick without any lumps

Place in gravy funnel

Gravy

For the Mixed Vegetables

Rinse the vegetables

Bring water to boil and add a pinch of salt

Place vegetables in boiling water allow it to steam for 4-5mins

Drain vegetables

Serve Baked Sweet Potatoes, Chicken, Vegetables with Gravy.

Voila

Enjoy!!