Tag Archives: vegetarian

Crunchy Beans with Humus and Feta

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This healthy dip or shared plate is delicious and easy to make. Even the grandkids loved it.

1 can white cannelini beans, drained thoroughly
1 good pinch chilli flakes
1 Tbs cornflour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried rosemary or another herb (optional(
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbs olive oil
1- 2 cups humus (bought or home made)
100g feta cheese, crumbled
Chopped fresh herbs to garnish or spring onion slivers
Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat ovento 200C. Mix beans with chilli flakes, corflour, salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic powder and olive oil. Line a shallow baking sheet with baking paper. Spread the beans over the paper in one layer. Bake for 20-30 mins or until golden and crunchy. Move them around a bit halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile spread humus over serving plate. Sprinkle feta over the top, then, the crunchy beans and a few fresh herbs. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve with nice bread.

Serves 4-6 as a shared plate

Stuffed Peppers

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Stuffed peppers or capsicums are delicious served hot or at room temperature.

The filling is flexible. This version has a vegetarian filling, but if preferred you can add some browned minced beef, chicken or pork, or some chopped ham.

4-6 small to medium capsicums (peppers), red or yellow
Filling:
1 cup rice, quinoa or pearl (Israeli) couscous
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup pine nuts
Olive oil
½ cup home made breadcrumbs
To garnish:
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced (optional)
Or fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Cook the rice, quinoa or pearl couscous in boiling salted water until al dente, drain well.

Cut capsicums in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place cut side up in a large oiled baking dish in one layer. Mix ingredients for filling, except for the olive oil and saving a bit of the feta and pine nuts for the topping. Fill the capsicum halves.

Mix the saved feta cheese and pine nuts with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the capsicums are starting to char a bit – see photo.

Garnish with the green chilli – or some fresh parsley leaves – and serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8

Quick Falafel

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When we lived in Israel in the late 1970s, we loved the street food called falafel. Crispy chickpea patties served in a warm pita bread pocket with humus, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion.

Falafel are traditionally made with chickpeas. Using a can doesn’t work – they end up mushy. This recipe uses red lentils instead of chickpeas which you just soak for an hour. The photo shows the falafel ready to fry – which is why they look a bit insipid. Next time I think I’ll make them a little bit smaller.

Falafel:
1 bunch parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 cup red lentils soaked one hour in cold water then drained
1 tsp each ground cumin, coriander and salt
4 tbs chickpea flour (besan flour)
¼ cup olive oil + extra for frying the felafel
To serve:
4 pita bread pockets
Hummus (bought or home-made)
1 small cucumber, diced
2-3 tomatoes diced (or 8-10 cocktail tomatoes)
½ red onion, diced
Coriander or parsley, chopped
Avocado diced (optional)
Olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients for the felafel. I use the food processor to finely chop the parsley and onion, then add the drained lentils, spices, salt, chickpea flour and olive oil. Process just enough to get a chunky mixture. You don’t want it smooth. Form into 2cm flattened balls with damp hands.

Deep fry or shallow fry the falafel or spray both sides with oil and cook them in an air fryer for about 10 minutes, turning once about halfway through.

Meanwhile warm or toast the felafel pockets. Mix the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, coriander or parsley and avocado if using. Add a little olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, fill each pita pocket with some hummus, cucumber and tomato mix and two or three crispy warm felafel.

Serves 4

Broad Bean Garlic & Goat Cheese Bruschetta

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This recipe is adapted from one by Jamie Oliver and it’s a real winner.

A great way to use broad beans if you have them growing in the garden. Or a packet of frozen broad beans works well. In fact they are one of those vegetables, like peas, which freeze so well they’re almost as good as fresh ones.

500g broad beans, fresh or frozen
150g soft creamy goat cheese (see note below)
4 thick slices sourdough bread
2 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon (or parsley if you can’t get tarragon)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Extra Virgin olive oil

Cook broad beans for 2-3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, refresh under cold water, then slip off and discard the outer skins and drain again. Add the tarragon and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Mix cream cheese with one of the cloves of garlic, crushed. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon or two of plain yoghurt.

Toast the bread then rub with the other clove of garlic. I brushed both sides with a little olive oil and toasted them in a sandwich press.

Divide the cream cheese  between the slices of toast, top with the broad bean mixture and drizzle extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 4

Note: Jamie uses feta cheese mashed with plain yoghurt. I used Aldi spreadable goat cheese which comes in a 150g pot. It’s soft enough that you may not need any yoghurt.

 

Cedarvale Health & Lifestyle Retreat

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A few days at a health retreat in the Southern Highlands, near Moss Vale, was a lovely birthday present to me from our three kids and their partners. My daughter came with me and the four days went quickly, with daily massage and other treatments, cooking demonstrations and long walks. It was great to have some quality mother-daughter time, while my son-in-law looked after their two girls.

Cedarvale Health and Lifestyle Retreat is set in 150 acres of beautiful temperate rainforest. We formed part of a lively group of ten – the maximum capacity of the retreat – and there was a lot of laughter and fun. The food is vegan and there’s no alcohol or caffeine. Don’t worry, the meals are delicious and plentiful so you certainly don’t go hungry.

I wasn’t expecting to get withdrawal symptoms from caffeine. One cup of coffee a day is the norm for me, but I do drink quite a few cups of black tea, which also contains caffeine. Fortunately the headaches subsided after a couple of days.

If you live in the fast lane, Cedarvale is a great way to destress, detox and maybe shed a couple of kilos. A not-for-profit organisation, prices are reasonable.

Here is one of the dishes we enjoyed there.

Greg’s Lentil Soup

1 Tbs oil
2-3 large onions, finely chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
3 cups red lentils
1 heaped tsp each turmeric, coriander and cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ can coconut cream
Water
Salt to taste
Vegetable stock cube (optional)
2-3 cups frozen peas
2-3 cups frozen, canned or fresh sweetcorn kernels
To serve:
Chopped fresh coriander or fresh spinach leaves

In a large pan cook the onions and garlic in the oil until soft and translucent. Add the ginger, lentils, spices and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes.

Add the coconut cream and enough water to cover. Add the stock cube if using. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the lentils are soft, then add the peas and sweetcorn and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add more water if necessary and check to see if you need more salt.

Serve garnished with fresh coriander or mix in a couple of handfuls of fresh baby spinach or torn up larger leaves just before serving, as I did in the photo.

Serves 8-10

Eggplants with Labneh and Spicy Cashews

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This recipe was inspired by a dish we enjoyed at a small deli and restaurant on King Street in Newtown called Pistou. There are lots of little gems on King Street and Pistou is no exception.

With a good wine selection and lots of delicious sharing plates, including cheese and charcuterie platters, it was a good choice for a light meal on a Friday evening.

If you haven’t come across labneh before, it’s just strained plain yoghurt and you can easily make your own. After removing the excess liquid it becomes very thick. Labneh can be served as it is or you can add salt and herbs or a little sweetener and vanilla for a sweet version. Try this delicious Ottolenghi recipe for labneh with summer berries.

Instead of making the Caramel Sauce you could use balsamic glaze or pomegranate or date molasses.

250g plain Greek yoghurt
2 medium to large eggplants
Olive oil to brush
Salt to taste
Spicy Cashews:
1 cup cashew nuts, lightly toasted
1 tsp each cumin and paprika
½ tsp each salt and chilli flakes
Caramel Sauce: (see note below)
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
To serve:
Juice of ½ a lemon
Fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Make labneh: place a sieve over a bowl, line it with a piece of fine cotton or muslin and scrape in the yoghurt. Cover and leave in the fridge for several hours or until all the liquid has drained out. Discard the liquid.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a shallow oven tray with baking paper. Remove stalks from eggplants, then cut them in half lengthwise. With a sharp knife, cut deeply into the flesh in a diamond pattern. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden and tender.

Place ingredients for the Spicy Cashews in a food processor, then use the pulse button to chop. You want some larger pieces of cashew to remain, so don’t over-process.

For the Caramel Sauce, place sugar in a small heavy-bottomed pan and cook, swirling and shaking the pan, until it has dissolved and turned into caramel. Add vinegar – be careful as it will spatter – and continue to swirl and shake until the caramel has dissolved. Cool.

To serve, spread labneh on one large or four individual serving plates. Top with the eggplants, then the Spicy Cashews. Drizzle with some of the Caramel Sauce, then the lemon juice and garnish with the coriander.

Serves 4

Note: instead of making the Caramel Sauce, you could use balsamic glaze or pomegranate or date molasses instead.

Warm Halloumi and Mushroom Salad with Crispy Lentils

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This recipe was recommended by my friend Megan who was owner-chef at the Palette Cafe at the Beaver Gallery in Canberra for over 20 years.  It was my favourite lunch venue and I miss it, although Meg continues to serve wonderful food whenever we’re invited for dinner.

The recipe comes from Taste.com, a good source of online recipes which has stood the test of time. In the recipe they put the lentils, halloumi and mushrooms in the oven to roast. I changed the method slightly and cooked everything, apart from the lentils, in a frying pan. I think it gives you more control over getting the halloumi nice and golden brown. The recipe serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course.

 

4 large portobello mushrooms
250g halloumi cheese
1 can lentils, drained, rinsed and patted dry
Olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
200g green beans
150g mixed small salad leaves and/or spinach leaves
2 tsp pink peppercorns

Spinach pesto:
50g baby spinach leaves
25g parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup walnut halves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
100ml olive oil

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread out the lentils in a single layer. Roast for about 15 minutes, moving them around a couple of times, until they are evenly golden and crunchy. Remove from the oven and cool.

Place all ingredients for pesto except the oil in food processor. Process until chunky then add the oil through the feed chute with the motor running. Scrape into a small bowl.

Cook green beans in boiling salted water for 4 minutes or until lightly cooked. Not as well cooked as al dente but not as crunchy as when raw. Refresh under cold water, then pat dry.

Peel mushrooms and remove stalks. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from pan and cut each mushroom into 3 or 4 slices. Add lemon juice to the mushroom juices left in the pan, mix then add to the salad greens with a pinch of salt. Mix well then arrange the salad on four serving plates (or two for a main course).

Wipe out the frying pan and add a tiny drizzle of oil. Pat halloumi dry then cut into slices. Fry on both sides until golden brown.

On top of the salad arrange the beans, the mushrooms and the halloumi. Garnish with the crispy lentils and the pink peppercorns, then drizzle each serving with some of the spinach pesto.

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main

Tortang Talong

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This Filipino eggplant omelette is delicious. In the Philippines they use long thin Asian-style eggplants which are not easy to find here. I used one medium to large globe eggplant to replace two long Asian ones and served one each.

With steamed rice and a salsa this makes a satisfying vegetarian main meal.

4 medium to large globe eggplants
olive oil
5 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 small onion, very finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Vegetable oil to fry the omelettes
Salsa:
1 avocado, diced
1 small cucumber, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup diced tomatoes (quartered if small, diced if large)
Small handful fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
1 small red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped (optional)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs white balsamic or white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
To serve:
Steamed rice
Sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), ordinary soy sauce or fish sauce
Fresh coriander and thinly sliced green part of a spring onion

Brush or spray eggplants with a tiny bit of oil, then grill or barbecue until blackened and collapsed. Place in a dish and cover with a plastic bag. Leave until cool, then carefully peel off the skins and discard. Leave the stalks on as they are useful for picking up the eggplants to dip them into the egg mix. If necessary flatten the eggplants a bit with a fork – mine were already fairly flattened and I didn’t want to risk them falling apart.

Make salsa by mixing all ingredients together.

Beat eggs with a fork and add onion, garlic and season to taste. Using two non-stick frying pans, heat a little vegetable oil in each and cook two omelettes in each pan. Dip each eggplant in the egg mix, then place in the pan and cook over moderate heat. When all four are in the pans, spoon remaining egg and onion mix on top of each omelette. When crispy on one side, turn over and cook the other side.

Serve the omelettes with the salsa, steamed rice and kecap manis, soy sauce or fish sauce.

Serves 4

 

Persimmon Fennel and Orange Salad

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Persimmons are in the supermarkets at the moment. Ready to eat when they feel like a ripe but not overripe tomato, this unusual fruit makes a delicious, slightly sweet, addition to salads.

Persimmons pair particularly well with fennel and this salad goes well with seafood, salmon and chicken. Here’s a similar salad, without the orange.

1 bulb fennel
1 or 2 persimmons
1 orange
2-3 Tbs Basic salad dressing

Trim then thinly slice the fennel, then cut into smaller pieces and place in a bowl. Thinly slice the persimmons, cut into halves or quarters and add to the bowl. Peel the orange, remove the segments and add to the bowl. Add salad dressing and mix well. While it’s nicer fresh, any leftover salad will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Serves 4

Roasted Pumpkin with Maple Syrup, Ginger and Thyme

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This simple recipe for pumpkin is quick and easy to prepare. Delicious served as a side dish with any main course. Leftovers are nice cold in wraps or salads. I used a butternut pumpkin, known as butternut squash in some countries.

1kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1cm wedges (see photo)
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 Tbs fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp salt
To garnish:
Fresh coriander leaves
Toasted pine nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a large shallow baking sheet with baking paper. Place all ingredients except pumpkin in a bowl and mix well. Add pumpkin and turn to coat, then spread over the baking sheet, in one layer. Drizzle with any oil and syrup mixture left in the bowl. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked and starting to brown and caramelise around the edges. Turn once or twice during cooking time.

Serve garnished with the coriander and, if using, the pine nuts.

Serves 8

Substitution: if you don’t have any maple syrup substitute honey.