7 yummy & easy recipes to make during load-shedding

Many preach about cooking in bulk and pull out tried and trusted family recipes come stage four load-shedding. But let's be honest, not all of us are gifted enough to prepare food ahead of time, often resorting to that Provita with jam.

So what do you do when you're not a whizz in the kitchen and you've been hit by stage four power outages?

Well, we've put together seven options for you, because considering we could be in the dark for a while yet, thanks to Eishkom, Provitas might become a bit boring after day three.

1. TUNA SALAD WRAP

Ingredients:

Wrap/tortilla 

Lettuce

Tomato

Feta cheese

Tuna

Method:

Cut up lettuce, tomato, feta and tuna, mix together and chuck it in the wrap. Seriously.

2. AVO AND RICE BOWL

Preparing rice ahead of time will come in handy when load-shedding hits. So always keep some  in the fridge. 

Ingredients:

Cooked brown rice

Avocado slices 

Radish slices

Cucumber

Carrot slivers 

Grated beetroot 

Sprouts

Sesame seeds

Olive oil

Lemon juice 

Method: Use the brown rice as the base and top with avocado and radish slices, cucumber, carrot slivers and grated beetroot. Sprinkle with sprouts and sesame seeds. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice.

3. CREAMY AVOCADO AND CUCUMBER NOODLES WITH SMOKED SALMON

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, sliced into noodle-like ribbons

1 avocado

Lemon juice

Salt and pepper

¼ onion, finely sliced 

¼ cup cream cheese

Smoked salmon, sliced into ribbons 

1 tbsp capers

Method

Yup, this healthy recipe by Roche Woodworth on livingchirpy.com includes just a handful of ingredients. You'll have to put some work in and mash the avocado until smooth. Add a bit of lemon juice, as well as salt and pepper. Coat the cucumber 'noodles' with the avocado 'sauce'. Top the noodles with the cream cheese, smoked salmon, onions and capers, and serve. 

4. OPEN-FACED TUNA AND FENNEL SALAD SANDWICHES

Ingredients:

3 tins tuna 

2 tbsp capers, chopped 

5 tbsp olive oil

4 tsp red-wine vinegar

Salt

Pepper

1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced

¾ fresh leaf parsley, chopped

Baguette

Method:

This recipe, featured on realsimple.com, is perfect for a quick dinner. Combine the tuna, capers, three tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.

In another bowl, mix the fennel, parsley, ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and the remaining oil.

Cut the baguette in half lengthwise, then into quarters crosswise. Top the bread with the tuna and fennel salads.

5. CLASSIC BEAN SALAD WITH A TWIST

Ingredients:

Baked beans

Canned sweetcorn

Tomatoes

Red peppers

Onions

Chillies

Lemon juice

Parsley

Method:

Check out the video below.

6. SUSHI RICE TUNA POKE BOWL

Ingredients:

Raw sushi rice

Rice vinegar

Caster sugar

Sesame seeds, toasted

Gherkins or fresh cucumber, sliced

Carrots, peeled and julienned

Can of tuna, drained and flaked

1 avocado, peeled and cubed

Juice of ½ lemon

Pickled ginger

For the dressing: 

125ml (½ cup) rice vinegar

45ml (3 tbsp) soy sauce

10-15ml (2-3 tsp) runny honey

5ml (1 tsp) chopped garlic

10ml (2 tsp) grated ginger

5ml (1 tsp) sesame oil

15ml (1 tbsp) sweet chilli sauce

Method:

1. Make the sushi rice according to the packet instructions. 

2. Combine the rice vinegar and caster sugar.

3. Place the rice in a large shallow dish and drizzle over the vinegar mixture. Use a plastic spatula to cut through the rice until the vinegar mixture is incorporated. Stir the sesame seeds through.

3. Divide the rice mixture into four serving bowls.

4. Top with the cucumbers, carrots, tuna, avocado and pickled ginger.

5. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a jar, shake and drizzle over each bowl before serving.

7. GOURMET CRACKER

Ingredients:

Cracker

Cheese

Method:

Okay, we don't always have the will nor the way with recipes, so Eishkom may just get the better of us. In that case, a cracker and cheese will do the trick, à la student vibes.