1/2 Cup (100g) lentils
200g fusilli
1 bunch green onions
4 young carrots
1 red bell pepper
1 bunch chives
1 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot paparika
1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons creme fraiche (or sour cream)
1. Cover lentils with plenty of water, bring to boil, and cook over medium heat 25 to 35 minutes until tender but not mushy.
2. For fusilli, bring plenty of water to boil. Add salt and fusilli and cook according to package directions until tender but sill firm. Rinse with cold water and drain.
3. Clean green onions, wash and chop finely. Peel carrots and cut into thin strips. Clean pepper and cut into thin strips. Cut chives into thin rings.
4. Mix vinegars with salt, pepper and paparika. Whisk in oil. Drain lentils and mix with fusilli, vegetables and dressing. Season and spoon onto plates. Serve garnished with a teaspoon of creme fraiche.
Easy to make and yummy to taste -
BEANS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 Onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 green chilli, chopped
400g can red kidney beans, drained
400g an pinto beans, drained
2 tbsp chopped coriander
150ml vegetable stock
8 tortillas (wheat or plain flour)
25g vegetarian Cheddar Cheese, grated
Salt and Pepper
RELISH
4 Spring onions
1 red onion
1 green chilli, chopped
1 tbsp garlic wine Vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tomato, chopped
Very rarely I comply to the Vinegar choice specified in the original recipes, probably I should start sticking to what the recipe says, I generally use whatever is available at home rather than buying 100 different varieties of vinegar
Instead of using the canned beans I used fresh beans, soaked them overnight and used pressure cooker to boil them until tender.
1. Heat the oil for the beans in a large frying pan. Add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1 minute.
2. Mash the beans with a potato masher and stir into the pan with the coriander.
3. Stir in the stock and cook the beans, stirring for 5 minutes until soft and pulpy.
4. Place the tortillas on a frying pan and warm them from both sides (you can also place them on a baking sheet and heat through in a warm oven for 1-2 minutes). Mix the relish ingredients together.
5. Spoon the beans into a serving dish and top with the cheese. Season well.
6. you can either roll the tortillas and serve with the beans or stuff the beans, relish in the tortillas and roll them.
The original recipe was for Jerusalem artichoke soup. I couldn't find it in the market so replaced it with sweet potatos. Soups are filling, healthy and a great food option if you are watching your weight.
650g Sweet Potatoes or Jerusalem Artichokes
5 tbsp Orange Juice
25g butter
1 leek chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
300 ml vegetable stock
150 ml milk
2 tbsp chopped coriander
150ml natural yogurt
grated orange rind to garnish
1. Rinse the potatoes place them in a large saucepan (I used pressure cooker), add enough water to cover, bring to the boil until they are tender. Drain the sweet potatoes and leave them to cool.
2. Peel the potatoes and mash the flesh with potato masher.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the leek and garlic until leek softens.
4. Stir the potato flesh, stock, milk and orage juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
5. Reserving a few pieces of leek transfer the remainder of the soup to a food processor and blend for 1 minute until smooth.
6. Return the coup to a clean saucepan and stir in the reserved leeks, corander and yogurt.
7. Transfer to individual soup bowls, garnish with orange rind and serve.
Body is the only thing that we have from the time we are born till the time we die. Take proper care of it, treat it with respect, don't add poisons to it. Give it the right amount of exercise and nutritious food.
Eating right, staying active, and maintaining a healthy weight are the primary objectives of a devoted health conscious community.
450g spinach
2 tbs water
4 eggs beaten
2 tbsp single cream
2 garlic cloves, crushed
50g sweetcorn
1 celery stick, chopped
1 red chilli chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
25g pecan net halves
2 tbsp grated Pecorino Cheese
25g Fontina Cheese, cubed
a pinch of paprika
1. Cook the spinach in water for 5 minutes.Drain thoroughly and dry on absorbent kitchen paper.
2. Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the spinach, cream, garlic, sweetcorn, celery, chilli and tomato.
3. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan.
4. Spoon the egg mixture into the fying pan and sprinkle with the pecan nut halves. Pecorino and Fontina cheeses and paprika. Cook without stirrig over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until the underside of the frittata is brown.
5. Invert the frittata and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes. Serve the frittata straight from the frying pan.
I think it helps a lot if the recipe you are referring to has lot of pictures in it not just when its ready and looking good but of different stages. I am planning to put as many pictures as I can starting with this recipe...
Ingredients:
1 large, ripe avocado
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
50g sweetcorn
2 tomatoes peeled and seeded
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 leek, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
425ml vegetable stock
150 ml milk
shredded leeks to garnish
1. Peel and mash the avocado with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice and reserve until required
2. Heat the oil in a pan and saute the sweetcorn, tomatoes, garlic, leek and chilli for 2-3 minutes until softened
3. Put half (I put 75%)of the vegetable mixture in a food processor or blender with the avocado and blend until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan.
4. Add the stock and milk and reserved vegetables and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until hot. Garnish with shredded leeks and serve.
The original recipe was for Broad beans and mint soup, I couldn't find Broad beans in Safeway and QFC so used Petite Peas instead. Tastes good but I am still curious to taste broad beans and mint soup :)
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 potatoes diced
450 g petite peas or broad beans
850 ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp freshly chopped mint
salt and pepper
fresh mint sprigs and yogurt to garnish
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened.
2. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring well. Stir in the peas(or broad beans) and the stock, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the peas and potatoes are tender.
3. Reserving a few vegetables place the remainder of the soup in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
4. Return the soup to a clean saucepan and add the reserved vegetables and mint. Serve garnished with swirls of yogurt and sprigs of fresh mint.
This recipe was originally for a soup but I used more noodles and less Vegetable stock and I could carry the noodles in a lunch box to office. Easy to make and yummy to taste.
15 g dried Chinese mushrooms or 125 g field or chestnut mushrooms
(I used field mushrooms)
1.5 litre fresh vegetable stock (I used vegetable broth by Pacific natural foods)
125 g thread egg noodles
2 tsp sunflower oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 inch piece ginger, shredded finely
1/2 tsp mushroom ketchup
1 tsp light soy sauce
125 g beansprouts
fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves to garnish
1. If you are using dried Chinese mushrooms then soak them in 300 ml of vegetable stock for at least 30 minutes. Slice the mushrooms.
2. Cook the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain, rinse and drain again. Set aside until required.
3. Heat the oil over a high heat in a wok or large, heavy frying pan. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring. Add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat for 2 minutes stirring well.
4. Add the remaining vegetable stock with the reserved hot stock and bring to the boil. Add the mushroom ketchup and soy sauce.
5. Stir in the beansprouts and cook until tender.
6. Add noodles, cook for a minute, garnish and serve.
