Tag: Vegetarian

Self-Crusting Vege Pie

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I have so many friends who tell me, “I don’t want to be vegetarian, but I do want to cook more meals without meat”. This recipe is for them! It’s a family favourite that’s been doing the rounds for years. It is versatile, easy, delicious, and so filling that you never miss the meat. In fact, I’ve served it up to the most ardent meat-eaters and have won every one of them over.

Traditionally, the pie calls for 1 cup of cooked, chopped spinach, but I like to mix it up depending on what is in season (and in my fridge). So in summer I might add corn, tomato and grated courgette, and have been known to throw in left over roast veges from the night before’s dinner in winter.

Here is the basic recipe; feel free to adapt it to suit yourself:

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup grated cheese

salt and pepper

1 -2 cups chopped/grated vegetables

Whisk eggs and milk together then add remaining ingredients. Pour into a well-greased pie dish and bake at 200 degrees for about 45 minutes or until set and brown. Cut into slices and serve with salad or vegetables.

The pie is also delicious cold for the next day’s lunch, and is ideal for taking on picnics.

Haloumi and Pomegranate Salad

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After a few late night ‘ready in 5 minute’ dinners, we all really needed a big fresh vege boost tonight. Enter a version of my Big-Ass Salad; the thing I throw together whenever scurvy threatens. This rendition has 7 servings of fresh veg, with nuts, halloumi and a beautiful sweet/sour dressing to keep things interesting. The ingredients are very fluid; mix and match to use what’s in the fridge. If you’ve had a big workout or an active day, you could serve this with a wholemeal bread roll or a potato baked in its skin.

pomegranate salad

For the salad:

4 cups mixed salad greens

4 asparagus spears, boiled/steamed and cut into 1 cm pieces

1 big handful coriander leaves, chopped

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 cup snow peas, sliced

1 avocado, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

To sprinkle over the top:

1 packet haloumi cheese

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

Half a pomegranate

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

Toss or layer all the salad ingredients in a big platter. Slice the haloumi and fry, then dice into .5 cm cubes, cool, and add to salad. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts over the top. Mix the vinegar, oil and molasses in a bottle or jar and shake until well blended, then pour over the salad. Squeeze the seeds from the pomegranate half all over the salad, then knock the back of the pomegranate with the back of a spoon to get the rest of the seeds out.

Rice, Quinoa and Vegetable Tart

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As silverbeet is about the only thing growing in my garden, (and it’s going completely mad) I thought I’d better find a cunning way to include it in some meals without being too obvious, because let’s face it, no one rates silverbeet very high in their favourite vegetable rankings.

Being green and leafy, silverbeet has the right to call itself a superfood. It’s full of vitamin C, A and K as well as iron and a list of other minerals. It’s even better for you when it’s freshly picked as it hasn’t had a chance to lose any of those valuable nutrients.

This tart makes a versatile meal for taking to pot-luck dinners or on picnics, because it’s gluten-free and vegetarian (You could add chopped bacon or ham if you’re feeling especially carnivorous). This one’s going to be cut into slices and put in tomorrow’s lunchboxes, but would make a delicious dinner hot from the oven and served with a green salad.

rice tart

1 cup brown rice & quinoa mix (you can buy it in bags at the supermarket)

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, cruched

1 carrot, finely diced

4 free range eggs

2 cups raw silverbeet, finely chopped (spinach would work just as well)

1 cup mushrooms finely chopped (if you have mushroom-haters, you can grate the mushrooms and they’ll never know!)

Zest 1 lemon

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for topping

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cook the rice and quinoa according to packet directions. Cool. In a large pan, heat the oil and gently cook the onion, garlic and carrot until soft but not too brown. Stir the vegetable mixture through the cooled rice along with the rest of the ingredients.

Pour into a well-greased baking tin (or pie dish), push down with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle over a couple of teaspoons of extra parmesan, salt and pepper.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden and crispy.

The vegetables in the recipe are a guide only; you could use anything that you have in the fridge. For extra zing, add some chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sliced olives.

Creamy Red Lentil Dhal with Spinach and Lime

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Dhal and rice has been eaten for centuries across India; maybe because it packs a nutritional punch of protein, carbohydrate and minerals, or maybe because it tastes so damn good at any time of day! This is my take on a classic. It contains a couple of extra -servings of vegetables to help you get your five-plus, as well coconut cream to give it a bit more oomph. The fresh lime juice cuts through the earthy flavour of the lentils and is the real  star of the show.

Dhal

4 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon chilli powder

1.5 cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated

1 ½ cups red lentils, rinsed

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

¼ teaspoon asafoetida

2 dry curry leaves (optional)

½ cup coconut cream

2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped (or ½ cup of frozen, cooked spinach)

Juice of 2 limes

Salt to taste

Yogurt and chopped coriander to garnish (optional)

Heat the ghee or coconut oil over a medium heat in a large, deep pan. Add the turmeric, cumin, mustard seeds, chilli powder and ginger and cook, stirring, until you can hear the mustard seeds begin to pop.

Mix in the onion and carrot and cook, stirring, over a medium heat until soft but not brown.

Add  the lentils and stir, then add 3 ½  cups of water, the asafoetida, and crumble in the curry leaves if using. Combine, then leave to simmer uncovered  for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to add extra water if the dhal starts to become dry.

Once the lentils are soft and the dhal has a soupy consistency, stir in the coconut cream and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and cook just long enough for the spinach to wilt and reduce. Season with salt and lime juice, then leave to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the flavours to blend and mellow.

Dot with yogurt and sprinkle with coriander if using.

Serve with rice and naan bread.

Serves 4

For a less creamy dhal, you can omit the coconut cream and add an extra ½ cup of water.