July 7, 2020

Brazillian Black Bean & Rice Salad

This tasty Brazilian salad is inspired by arguably the country’s most famous dish, Feijoada. Black beans with rice is an authentic Brazilian combination, and it’s the perfect backdrop for lovely, lime drizzled wedges of smooth avocado. Bon apetite!

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch coriander
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 long red chilli
  • 1 tin black beans
  • 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
  • 1 lime
  • 1 avocado
  • ¾ cup basmati rice
  • 3 cup water
  • 1 tsp butter – use dairy free for vegan option
  • 1 tbs olive oil

METHOD

  1. To prepare the ingredients, rinse the basmati rice. Finely chop the coriander and red onion. Peel and crush the garlic. Finely slice the long red chilli, halve the cherry tomatoes, and slice the avocado. Drain and rinse the black beans, and juice the lime.
 
  1. Place the basmati rice and the water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until the basmati rice is soft. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl and stir through the butter and half of the coriander. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
 
  1. Meanwhile, heat half of the olive oil in a medium frying pan. Add the red onion and cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and half of the long red chilli and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the black beans and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Transfer to the basmati rice with the cherry tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss well.
 
  1. In a small bowl combine the lime juice, remaining coriander, remaining long red chilli and the remaining olive oil.
 
  1. To serve, divide the basmati rice and black bean salad between plates. Top with the avocado slices and drizzle with the salsa. Dig in.
 
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Ingredients 700–800g chicken breast (raw) 2 cups cooked lentils 3–4 small beetroot (about 400g total) 6–8 cups rocket (arugula) or spinach 2 cucumbers (sliced) 1 small red onion (thinly sliced) 2 tsp olive oil (total) Juice of 1–2 lemons Spice rub 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp paprika 3 garlic cloves (minced) Salt + black pepper Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Coat chicken with spices and garlic. Grill, bake, or pan-cook with minimal oil until cooked through. Slice. Step two - Prepare The Beetroot Roast at 200°C for ~30–40 min (or use pre-cooked), then slice. Step Three - Build The Bowl Divide greens, lentils, beetroot, cucumber, and onion across 4 bowls. Top with protein Add sliced chicken evenly. Step four - Dress It Lightly Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over each bowl. Step five - Serve & Enjoy Toss lightly if desired, or keep layered for presentation. Serve immediately while the chicken is warm for the best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 - 40 minutes 450 kcal | 7g Fat | 53g Protein | 37g Carbohydrates
By Zina Stone March 19, 2026
Ingredients 100g smoked salmon ½ large avocado, sliced 2 boiled eggs (soft or hard, halved) 1 cup baby spinach or mixed leafy greens ½ cup cucumber, sliced ¼ cup asparagus (lightly steamed or raw shaved) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional) Salt & black pepper to taste Fresh dill or parsley (optional) Method Step one - Boil the eggs Bring water to a boil, add eggs and cook: 6–7 min for soft-boiled / 9–10 min for hard-boiled. Cool, peel, and halve Step two - Prepare greens Wash and dry spinach/greens, place in bowl. Step Three - Prep veggies Slice avocado and cucumber. Lightly steam asparagus if desired. Step four - Assemble bowl Arrange smoked salmon, eggs, avocado, cucumber, and asparagus over greens. Step five - Dress it Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Step six - Finish & serve Add herbs and pumpkin seeds, then serve. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 7–9 minutes (for boiling eggs + optional asparagus) Total time: ~15–18 minutes 620 kcal | 48g Fat | 37g Protein | 11g Carbohydrates
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Ingredients 250 g fresh sardines, cleaned and patted dry 1–2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Sea salt, to taste Freshly cracked black pepper Instructions Step 1 - Heat the pan Place a non-stick or stainless-steel pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to warm (not smoke). Step 2 - Cook the sardines Lay the sardines gently into the pan in a single layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until the skin turns lightly golden and releases easily from the pan. Step 3 - Season simply Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper while cooking or just after removing from the pan. Step 4 - Serve immediately Transfer to a plate and enjoy warm. Optional: If you're not doing an offical sardine fast, a great addition is to serve with fresh lemon with added chilli and parsley flakes. Nutrition and Cooking Times | Cook time: 5-7 minutes Serves: 1-2 Nutrient Value (per serving): Calories: 520cal | Protein: 62g | Fat: 38g | Carbohydrates: 0g |