Lentil and Beetroot Salad

A great low fat salad packed full of lively flavour and zing! it’s low GI dish, releasing energy slowly into your body, it’s packed with all important nutrients and most importantly it’s delicious!
Beetroot is one of the most powerful super foods and lentils are rich in protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates. They are a good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, B vitamins and folic acid. They are also low calorie, low fat and cholesterol free. So enjoy this healthy and refreshing salad without any guilt!!!!!!!

1 red or white onion, finely sliced
3-6 garlic cloves (depending on the garlic flavour you desire), crushed
1 ½ cups dry green lentils,
4-5 beetroot, cooked and chopped into wedges
1-2 peppers (red or yellow) cut into lengthwise
3-4 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoon coriander powder
1-2 teaspoon cumin powder
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper as per taste
3-4 tablespoon lemon juice
Handful of chopped coriander

Put the lentils in a saucepan with a generous amount of salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until soft. Drain and allow to cool.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook for 2 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and saute gently then add peppers saute untill softened.
Turn off heat and add lentils and beetroot – mixing together while still warm. Mix in coriander and cumin powder.
Whisk together remaining oil, lemon juice and vinegar, with salt and pepper to taste. Add to lentil-beetroot mix and toss to coat.
Add genourous amount of chopped coriander into the mixture. Adjust the seasoning. Toss gently to combine.
Serve and enjoy! Can be eaten warm or cold.

Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Basil

1 large onion, peeled and cut into chunks
3 peppers (1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow), deseeded and cut into chunks
150g mushrooms, sliced
2 medium courgettes, cut into chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
350g whole wheat pasta
2 Tsp light mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Splash of Tobascco sauce

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees.
Add your vegetables and garlic to a large baking sheet. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir so that vegetables are coated well with the olive oil.
Put the vegetables in the preheated oven and roast , stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned. Make sure they do not burn! It shouldn't take longer then 30 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta. Return the pasta to the pot.
Toss with the roasted vegetables, fresh basil and mayonnaise. Tip into a large, warmed serving dish and garnish with fresh basil.

Pearl Barley and Mixed Bean Soup

    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 onion, chopped
    2 cloves garlic, chopped
    2 stalks of celery, chopped
    2 carrots, chopped
    1 medium courgette chopped
    2 tablespoon tomato paste
    1/2 cup pearl barley
    1 can mixed beans (cooked)
    1 can chickpeas (cooked)
    vegetable stock
    1 teaspoon red chilli powder
    1 teaspoon coriander powder
    handful of fresh coriander, chopped
    Salt and pepper as per taste

Place the olive oil in a medium-large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute for a minute then add celery, carrots and courgettes. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the veggies begin to soften.

Stir in the tomato paste Sauté for 3-5 minutes more, add red chilli powder and coriander powder, stirring so the flavors meld and the spices are evenly distributed.

Add the barley, mixed beans and chickpeas  and stir to combine. Pour in enough vegetable stock to cover the soup contents by about 2 inches, about 8 cups depending on the size of the soup pot.  Stir to combine, cover partially and let simmer for about 1 hour.

Remove the soup from the heat and let sit a few minutes before serving.  Top with fresh coriander and enjoy.

Roasted aubergine, red onion and chickpeas salad with mint and yogurt dressing

For the salad
 4 red onions, cut into 8 wedges
 2 large or 4 medium aubergines, cut into 1–2cm cubes
 150 ml olive oil
 2 x 400 g tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
 For the dressing
400 ml low fat natural yogurt
1 tsp smoked paprika
4 tbsp chopped mint
Salt and pepper as per taste

 
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C/gas 7.
 2. Place the onion wedges in a bowl with the aubergine pieces, pour over the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and stir together to combine. Spread out on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 18–20 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned.
 3. Meanwhile, place the chickpeas in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, then make the dressing by mixing the yoghurt with the paprika and mint in another bowl.
 4. To serve, mix together the roasted onion and aubergine with the chickpeas, then place in one large serving dish or drizzle with the yoghurt dressing.

A quick, easy, tasty and healthy midweek meal which could become a regular on the menu......... be generous with the mint

Whole Wheat Pasta with Pesto

280g Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 peppers cut into chunks
1 large red onion cut into chunks
Freshly ground black pepper
Basil leaves for garnish

For the pesto
1 cup basil leaves 
1 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
pinch of salt

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the salt and one tbsp of olive oil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the pesto. Place all of the pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend to a coarse paste. If too thick, add a little of the pasta cooking water as needed.
3. While pasta is cooking, add 2 tbsp olive oil to a saute pan. When oil is hot, add in your onions and peppers. Saute until  brown on edges. Turn off heat, toss in a pinch of salt and black pepper, and set aside.
4. Reserving a ladle of the cooking water, drain the pasta. Return it to the pot, drizzle with the remaining tbsp of olive oil, and add the pesto and veggies. Toss well, adjust salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and garnish with basil leaves. Serve hot.

Bharwaan Baigan or Masala Baigan

 

• 1/2 kg small sized  black brinjals
• 1 small Onion
• 1 small Tomato
• 1/2 tsp Jeera
• 1/2 tsp Rai
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
• 2 -3 tsp coriander pwd
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp peanuts roasted and ground
• 1 tbsp sesame roasted and ground
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• green coriander leaves

1. For the Filling: Take a bowl and add peanut pwd., sesame pwd,  turmeric, chili pwd, coriander, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, salt and mix nicely and keep aside.
2. Cut the small brinjals for stuffing just give 2 cuts from the back deep enough to be stuffed.
3. Fill each brinjal with the mix you prepared and leave some mix aside.
4. Now heat the karahi or any vessel thick from the bottom.Add oil to the vessel and add jeera rai .
5. Add finely chopped onion and fry for 2 min then add the left over peanut till mix stir for some time then add finely chopped tomato and green coriander (leave some for garnishing).After  tomatoes are cooked add the stuffed brinjals and water. Put the lid on and cook for 20 25 min on medium flame with very less stirring as it will break the brinjals. Garnish the brinjals with coriander leaves
6. Serve the masala baigan with hot fulks or steamed rice...

Bulgur Wheat Salad with Roasted egg plant and peppers

1 cup bulgur wheat
1 eggplant, cubed
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 red peppers, cubed
1 tablespoon paparik
salt and pepper
1 cup basil leaves, torn
375ml cold vegetable stock
2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
4 tbsp roughly chopped coriander
Finely grated zest and juice of a ½ lemon

Place the vegetables onto a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add paparika. Place into the oven and roast until just coloured and softened.

Meanwhile combine the bulgur wheat and vegetable stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.

Fluff up the bulgur wheat with a fork and stir in the herbs, spices, extra virgin olive oil, grated lemon zest and juice, and finally the roasted vegetables. Season generously to taste.

Leek and Potato Soup

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
2-3 small potatoes, cubed
2 medium leeks,sliced
1.2 litres vegetable stock
150ml double cream or milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tobasco sauce if you like it hot

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions, potatoes and leeks. Cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.

Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Season well and simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Whizz with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Reheat in a clean pan, stir in the cream or milk, heat through and serve.