So for those who don't know...which is probably all of you...I am a bit of a foodie and looove creating healthy recipes. However, having six month old twins doesn't often lend time to spending hours in the kitchen like I used to. Aaaah the good ol' days huh :P
This has been a challenge when trying to eat healthy but I'm slowly getting there, learning to wangle quicker, easier recipes that taste just as good and don't break the bank. Last night I couldn't face zoodles (zucchini noodles) with tuna so I decided to jazz it up and try something a little warmer for these icy winter nights in Cape Town. It turned out so well that I thought I'd share the recipe for any other mommies, or non-mommies with little time to spare.
Zoodles with Thai Fish Cakes and Creamy Lemon Butter and Garlic Sauce
You'll need:
Thai fish cakes (I got mine from Woolworths on the "eat in for under R150" shelf)
4 medium whole zucchinis
A yellow pepper
About a quarter cup sized knob of butter
Flour
3 big tablespoons of plain full cream yoghurt
3 cups milk
lemon juice (I used a lemon slice about the size of an 8th of the actual lemon)
Spices - Black pepper, Himalayan salt, turmeric, cumin seeds, chilli flakes
Coconut oil
OPTIONAL: Finely cut some broccoli florets to cook up with the zoodles.
Preheat oven according to the instructions on package for fish cakes.
Spiralize your zucchinis. If you don't have a spiralizer you can pick up a relatively cheap one from Clicks or just use a potato peeler to get zucchini strips. Place to one side. If using the broccoli option add the slices to your zoodle pile.
Chop the yellow pepper into thick strips and put aside.
Put your fish cakes into the oven as they take about 20 minutes to cook.
In a jug, mix yoghurt, milk and spices to taste.
Over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted but not boiling, remove from heat and add a bit of flour and mix with a wooden spoon to create a roux. This is a paste that will thicken your sauce. Don't add too much flour, just enough to create a runny-ish paste. Return the pot to the stove and slowly mix the yoghurt and milk mixture into the roux stirring slowly with a whisk to avoid creating lumps. Keep stirring until sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and salt to taste. You can also add more milk if sauce is too thick and more spices if you want to play with the flavour. Put a lid on the pot and put to one side.
When the fish cakes are nearly done, add the peppers to the oven tray to roast. Also melt a bit of coconut oil in a large pan on a medium-high heat and add your zoodles and broccoli slices. Cook the zoodles and broccoli slices until bright green and soft but not soggy. Remove from heat and add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Warm the sauce on the still hot plate you just cooked your zoodles on, giving it a quick stir.
Remove fish cakes and peppers from oven.
Dish up zoodles, lay a fish cake on top, put yellow peppers over and drizzle with a generous helping of sauce. There you have a delicious, hot meal - enjoy!
NOTE: the longest part of this recipe is the sauce, the rest is just timing so that everything is hot and ready at the same time. I think it took me maybe half an hour in total to cook up this meal. Also, if there are any edits, let me know. I generally cook by feel and try write a recipe later on...so if anything is missing let me know :P
