Have yourself a Merry Christmas in July

Who doesn’t love a mid-year Christmas?

If you are feeling festive this July – give these simple but oh-so-yummy recipes a try.

Salmon with Roasted Veggies (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 2 red peppers, sliced into strips
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 zucchini, halved lengthways and thickly sliced
• 1 whole garlic, halved across the middle
• 2 medium tomatoes, halved
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 270g cherry tomatoes
• 4 x 150g salmon fillets
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Handful of fresh basil leaves

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place the onions, peppers, zucchini, garlic and tomatoes into a shallow roasting tray. Pour over 3 tbsp olive oil, season with sea salt and ground black pepper, then gently toss to coat.
3. Roast the veggies for 20 minutes.
4. Add the cherry tomatoes to the tray and lay the salmon fillets on top. Season, then drizzle with a little more oil and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
5. Return to the oven for 10-12 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Scatter with fresh basil leaves to serve

 

Fresh Cherry Crumble (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh pitted cherries
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the crumble topping:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons coconut
• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Method:

1. Heat oven to 190 C. Lightly spray four ramekins with baking spray or lightly butter the bottoms and sides.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the pitted cherries, water, honey, agave, and cornstarch. Stir to blend and put the pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Divide cherry mixture among 4 ramekins.
4. Combine topping ingredients and, using fingers, sprinkle evenly over each filled ramekin.
5. Put ramekins in the preheated oven with a sheet of foil or baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is browned and the filling is bubbly.