The relationship you have with meat and the conquest you have to devour it with the gnaws of your teeth is truly the best relationship. Yes, I did say the relationship with meat is the go to and as the self proclaimed meat eater that I am I decided.. wait for it.... to go Vegetarian for two weeks. If you know me, your head would automatically shake left and right and the words that sum it up quite quickly would be "you're crazy".
I have to say, i'm surprised that I pulled through it. In my culture and I know in many others, a plate with no meat is not a meal, it's like a snack. Even if you pilled a truckload of rice, it's still a snack. Even more surprising is how eating meat everyday is not good for you. The gnawing, the tugging and the smooth and succulent pieces are fun and delightful on the tongue and in my stomach too, but everyday is not okay. Too much meat especially steak (guilty, guilty and again guilty) and fast food meat are quite high in cholesterol and saturated fat. This could easily lead to heart disease and it is also well known that Afro-Caribbeans are twice as likely to have a stroke in comparison to the rest of the UK.
One part of my New Year goals was to eat more fish and by doing that I mentally prepared myself for the detox. It was so much fun, I fell in love with avocados, which is weird 'cause i tried them before and thought it tasted yucky but i guess that has all changed weirdly enough. Quinoa which is pronounced as "keen-wa" is soooooooo good. It's great as it reduces the chances of diabetes, heart disease and strokes and is stored with high protein and essential vitamins. Should I add more o's maybe, so that you understand how gooooooood it is (okay, i'll stop ha!). Being a veggie gal for two weeks really opened up my eyes, literally, to how unhealthy I was and how filling the meals are. I eat a lot, so i got worried about the portions but they were more than enough, to the point where i mix a lot of the veggie food into my meals even those with meat (sorry, there is no way i'm giving up meat fully. Not happening). So now, that i'm more veggie savvy, i'll be posting some of my favourite veggie meals. This being one of them, Shakshuka.
Whenever I say the name, I Swear I hear the rhythm of the samba and my feet are just itching to move. Shakshuka Shakshuka shakshuka. This great dish is great for students and leftovers. I usually make it when I have loads of eggs left, which makes the perfect brunch. It originates from the Middle-east and is largely made especially for Passover. Trust me when i say it's delicious!!!
Ingredients
+ Olive oil
+ Eggs (4-6)
+ Fresh parsley
+ Chopped tomatoes
+ Paprika 1 tbsp.
+ Cayenne Pepper 1 tbsp.
+ Cumin 1 tbsp.
+ Black pepper 1/2 tbsp.
+ Mixed Peppers (sliced)
+ 1 onion
+ Pinch of Sugar
+ 2 garlic cloves
+ 1/2 chilli Pepper
+ Add olive oil to the pan and wait for it to get slightly hot and turn it down to medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and stir and wait until it turns translucent.
+ Chop/ grate the garlic and add to the mixture and allow it get juicy. After this, add the chopped tomatoes and toss in the seasonings, Paprika, Cayenne pepper, sugar, black pepper and cumin.
+ Now add the feta cheese and straight after crack open the eggs and place them wherever you want onto the pan. Turn the oven on at a medium temperature and place the pan in for five- seven minutes.
+ To top it off, chop the fresh parsley and add to the dish. Voila!! Your very quick and simple Shakshuka. You can add whatever topping you want too, i've added avocados many times which tasted even better. Served best with bread or with sweet potato mash mhmmmmm.
So mix it up!
