Super fast Buddha bowl

When time is not on your side all you gotta do it steam it and eat it. 

It's very difficult to balance a strenuous lifestyle and a healthy eating regime. 

What I find helps is preparation once a week. Every Monday I buy my weeks groceries at the local market and ask my lovely maid to clean, cut and pack the veggies in the fridge. I like keeping the veggies in seperate zip loc bags, containers, mason jars and fabric veggie bags. 

Every night dinner becomes easy as I just have to throw the veggies into the steamer and voila! 

I think preparation is thee most important thing if you want to be healthy.

Try cooking a cup of quinoa or red rice at night and keep it in the fridge for two or three days to add into salads or rice bowls. 

The Buddha bowl above consists of a selection of vegetables, cold cooked quinoa, herbs and grilled chicken. 

It really is the easiest meal to prepare after a long day at work. 

For the bowl above, I steamed endamame, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, mushrooms, peppers and carrots. I then added massaged kale, fresh mint and fresh basil. I spiralized fresh zucchini and made a little rosa tomato salad. I added pre cooked grilled chicken breasts and packed all into a bowl nicely and drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with black sesame seeds. 

You can choose what you would like to eat this with on the side. I opted for Wingreens Farms garlic dip ( available at Natures Basket ). You could also top the bowl with some hummus or basil pesto. 

Remember guys cooking isn't about how much you know it's about how much you love food. Once you love food it's easy to cook!! 

Kisses 

Shroomaboomboom!!!

After three consecutive days of 11hour shoots I literally became a vegetable as soon as I entered my apartment. No energy to cook so I kept it simple tonight for dinner. This meal I whipped up in about ten minutes. It's super easy, paleo,  nutritional, dairy free, gluten free, high in protein, iron and vitamin A! 

Carlita's speedy shroomy chicken and side salad 

Ingredients:

1 zorabian chicken breast cubed ( organic and free range ) 

1 T finely chopped onion 

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 

Few garlic cloves 

Rock salt 

Ground pepper

2T coconut milk

Dried thyme 

 

Salad: 

Cherry tomatoes 

Baby spinach

Olive oil 

Balsamic vinegar 

Seasoning 

Method: 

Coat pan with non stick spray and heat up

Sautée onions and garlic 

Add mushrooms, chicken and thyme. 

Sauté for about 7 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken cubes) 

If the pan dries up during the sautéeing process throw in the coconut milk to loosen it up. 

Turn the heat down and allow to simmer while you prepare the salad. 

Salad: 

Combine all fresh ingredients, dress with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and season to taste. 

Plate up and enjoy with a lovely glass of red wine. 

Ahhhhh now that's a good meal after a long day on the grind. Ohhh yeahhh 😎

Shroooooomylove and Wednesday kisses

Carlita 

Vegan night with Alliny

Today one of my dearest friends came to visit. She's not only amazing and kind hearted but also vegan. After a long day shooting we went back to Casa Carlita, savoured some green tea and I couldn't help but listen to all of her reasons for converting to veganism. Being vegetarian for almost three years I have now started eating meat again due to training and the ability to gain lean muscle and a fitter physique. Yes I love animals ( more than humans ) and I do not eat dairy or gluten but the concept of veganiam really does make you think doesn't it ? What are your thoughts about veganiam and a transition from non vegetarian to vegan ? Would love to hear your views. 

After hours of chit chat I headed off to the kitchen to prepare some dinner.  I grabbed all the vegetables I could find I'm my refrigerator and came up with something pretty amazing. Here goes : 

Carlita's chickpea stew with zucchini noodles 

Ingredients 

Chickpeas ( one tin or one cup cooked )

A mix of your favourite vegetables ( I used broccoli, red peppers, peas, carrots, eggplant, mushrooms and baby spinach ) 

Vegetable stock 

Oreganum

Tomato sauce : 

Fresh rosa tomatoes 

Garlic 

Onion 

Basil 

Chilli 

Tomato purée 

Salt and pepper

Spiralized zucchini 

Method: 

Chop all vegetables and sautee in a pot with non stick spray 

Season with salt and pepper 

Sprinkle with oreganum

Sautee till partially cooked 

In a food processor blitz all ingredients for the tomato sauce. 

Transfer the sauce into a saucepan and cook on medium heat till the tomatoes are almost cooked. 

Add the tomato sauce and stock to the vegetables and continue to cook until vegetables are tender.  Add the chickpeas and cook for a further five to seven minutes gradually adding water for the stew to stay moist. 

In a pan, heat up some garlic and add the spiralized zucchini noodles. Sautee for no more than 1-2 minutes. Season to taste. 

Plate up and sprinkle with a dash of extra  virgin olive oil. 

Bon appetite !! 

Love and googles xx 

Avocado: The superfood of the day

Hello all, GGOOOOODMORNINGGG ( in that Good Morning America kinda way ) it's Monday and today we will be talking about one of my favourite things in the entire world: Avocados. 

There are some amazing avocado benefits for your health. If you would like to lose weight, improve your skin and lower your risk of many life-threatening diseases, that's why it's worth eating more of this extremely healthy fruit. 

I pick up my avocados at my local vegetablewalla ( in India that's what we call a vegetable market guy ) in pali market. They are very pricey here so I keep them for those special occasions when my craving becomes unbearable! ( FYI by expensive I mean Rs 500 ... R100 an avocado!! So South Africans please stop complaining about buying yours for R 30 at Wwolworths !!! Hahahhaa  )  

Hmmmm and today I will be sharing my all time favourite guac recipe. I simply adore this. It goes with everything... Brekkie with scrambled eggs, burritos, grilled chicken and veggies, the works! Of course there are many variations to the perfect guac, try my version and see if you like it! 😍. 

Carlita's guac-A-tack:  

1 large haas avocado 

4 cherry tomatoes cut in half 

1 clove of garlic made into a paste 

1 dash Tabasco (or more)

2t cayenne pepper 

Juice of 1/2 lime 

Black pepper 

Rock salt 

1T hemp seeds 

1 cup of LOVE 

Method: 

Bring all ingredients to a bowl and mash up with a fork. It's vital to get all those yummy tomato juices out. 

Chill for a bit then enjoy 😀😀🙌🏻 

 

Love pasta

Sunday's are all about love and the need for comforting wholesome food for lunch. Sunday's are family lunch days but if you are not as fortunate to spend them with family due to work abroad it's up to you to create that love and warmth for yourself in the kitchen to stay nourished deep within your soul. 

I created this amazing recipe to take me back home whenever I'm homesick. 

Altered the recipe to make it gluten free and high protein of course!! 

Before you attempt to give this recipe a try please remember it is of utmost importance to play SEPTEMBER - Earth Wind and Fire in the kitchen while you prepare it!!! This is a crucial step and I can guarantee the results will not be the same without it !! 

Carlita's Love pasta 

Ingredients: 

1 cup GF beetroot fusilli pasta 

I tin organic coconut milk 

Mushrooms 

Red bell peppers 

Broccoli 

Garlic 

Ginger 

Green chilli 

1 tub fresh basil pesto ( I used Wingreen Farms fresh pesto...not only is it organic but a percentage of the proceeds goes to charity so support this brand peeps) 

2 chicken breasts ( I only use organic Zorbian chicken ) 

Mixed herbs 

Fresh Parsley 

Fresh grated coconut

Rock salt and ground pepper 

Love (very important ingredient) 

Method: 

Bring pasta to the boil and cook as per instructions 

In a pan braise ginger, chilli and garlic in some coconut oil. 

Add chopped chicken breasts 

Sauté 

Add veggies 

Sauté and add pasta 

Add basil pesto and coconut milk

Cook for about 4 - 5 min

Season to taste 

Sprinkle with dried mixed herbs and fresh parsley. Mix. 

Garnish with fresh grated coconut. 

And finally add in some love. 

Smile and serve. 😀

This pasta is not only packed with good fats to keep your skin glowing but it's also incredibly creamy, tasty and hearty!!! Sky rocket back into your mom's kitchen. 

You will find all these ingredients at Natures Basket in Bandra. 

I don't do exact quantities. Cooking is all about getting dirty and throwing in everything you love and hoping the outcome is good. If you like more mushrooms and no chicken go for it! If you like more chilli or regular cream instead of coconut milk go for it! Cook according to your taste boys and girls and it will turn out great either way!! 

To make a vegetarian version of this recipe replace the chicken with fresh paneer and don't add the red peppers. Texture of peppers with paneer isn't too great. My personal choice. 

 Lotsa love, 

Carlita 

Super charge and detox

LEAN MEAN GREEN smoothie

Ingredients: 
2 cups of massaged american kale 
1 Tsp wheatgrass powder 
1 cup almond milk
1 banana
1 Tsp honey or stevia
1 Tsp chia seeds

Method:

Blend all ingredients in a vitamix or blender till smooth. 

Add chilled water to reach desired consistency.

Juggling gym and acting

Hello everyone, 

Finally back at the gym after ten days trying to gain weight for a film. It's hard at times but all about counting those macros and limiting cardio. Regular weight lifting is keeping me sane and on track with my lifestyle. 

Ithinkfitness 

This is definitely the best gym in Mumbai! For anyone travelling to Mumbai this is where you want to be. State of the art equipment and amazing staff is all you need to stay in shape and live a clean and healthy lifestyle. 

Today I did some squats, jump rope, and three sets of a basic arm workout. Trying to keep it light as fat loss is not the goal right now. 

Following my gym routine I will make up the burnt calories with a lovely meal from the gym cafeteria. Whats better than a high protein meal of poached chicken, avocado and salsa! 

 Peace love and fitness to all

X