Spinach, pomegranate and brown rice salad

Now it's almost beach weather  (I'm being positive and assuming that there will be a break in the rain to enjoy the summer this year...) and it's starting to get warm it's definitely summer time. Pomegranates seeds are something I've only just discovered but they provide a delicious summery sweetness to this salad as a contrast to the nutty brown rice. And don't even get me started on the delight that is fresh goats cheese - so much better than feta but still that delicious hint of saltiness.  The original inspiration for this salad came from Pinch of Yum but I mixed it up to create this healthy (and easy!) main.

Bonus - this is just as good the next day for left overs :)

Spinach, pomegranate and brown rice salad

Ingredients: 

For the salad:

• 1 pack of pomegranate seeds (about half a cup)
• 1 bag  spinach chopped (about three cups)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (you can use leftover rice or buy the handy precooked)
• Handful of  walnuts
• 50 gm goats cheese cheese (fresh is best)

For the dressing:

• 1 onion or 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoons honey
• ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 splash of lemon juice

Method: 

1. Finely chop onion or garlic and microwave for about a minute with the honey to remove the bite
2. In a jar add onion/ garlic and honey mix and all dressing ingredients. Shake well and set to one side. 
3. Prep salad ingredients, chop spinach and goats cheese and mix together with brown rice, pomegranate seeds and walnuts. 
4. Shake dressing again and drizzle over salad. 

Serve immediate. If desired you can add some roasted chicken for some extra protein. 

Sweet potato and veggie shepherds pie

I feel like I should come up with more imaginative names for these things rather than the ridiculously descriptive and often long things they end up with. But at least you know what you're getting in the recipe, I suppose. Also just noticed that this has really ended up being all about the food... and on that note another random recipe!

I love shepherds pie, it's good simple comfort food. Not such a big fan of the fat content in traditional shepherds pie and so I decided to change it up a bit. This is one of my vegetarian meals that can be easily modified to add some meat and therefore satisfy carnivorous other halves. Vegemite/ Marmite may seem like a weird addition to a mince mix but it's a good way of adding the extra taste as a vegetarian friendly alternative to beef stock.

Sweet potato and veggie shepherds pie. 
Makes 3 mini casserole dishes/ 4 ramekins

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cauliflower
2. 1 large carrot
3. 1 sweet potato
4. 50 gm cottage cheese
5. Paprika
6. Sea Salt
7. 1x zucchini 
8. 4x mushroom 
9. 1x onion
10. 150gm soy mince
11. 1tbsp vegemite/ marmite
12. 1 tbsp tomato salsa
13. 1/2 tsp dried basil 

Method

1. Chop cauliflower, carrot and sweet potato into small cubes and boil until mashable (about half an hour)
2. Mash with seasonings and cottage cheese. Put to one side
3. Preheat oven to 200c
4. Grate zucchini, finely chop mushrooms and onion. In a bowl mix chopped veggies, soy mince, vegemite, salsa and basil. 
5. Divide the soy mince mix between mini casserole dishes/ ramekins and cover with sweet potato mash. 
6. Bake in oven for approx. 30 mins or until cooked through.

If you want to go for the meat lovers option - Slice two uncooked sausages open and add the sausage meat to the soy mince mix. This does mean you have more meat mix so either spread the sweet potato mash more thinly or add an extra carrot.

Weight watchers points per mini casserole dish:
For veggie option - 3 points
For meat lovers - 5 points