Lemon, Garlic, and Spinach Pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 260 g spaghetti
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
• Pinch of chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup cream
• 2 cups spinach, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
• Fresh herbs for a garnish

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti in a large pan.
2. While the pasta is cooking, in a frypan heat the oil and add garlic and chilli flakes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream.
4. Return to the heat, add a few spoons of the water from the pasta and the chopped spinach. Cook again on medium for another minute.
5. Add the parmesan to the sauce and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Drain the spaghetti and place in bowls. Garnish with chopped herbs.

Cauliflower Fritters

Based on a couple of different recipes that I found and combined. Serve these with your favourite dipping sauce.

Ingredients

• 300 g cauliflower – about 1/2, chopped into small florets
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• zest of 1 lemon
• Small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Small bunch chives, finely chopped
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• ½ cup grated sharp cheese (e.g Noble or Vintage cheddar)
• 1 egg

Method

1. Steam the cauliflower florets for eight minutes and then drain.
2. Mash the cauliflower with a potato masher until finely mashed, it doesn’t need to be smooth. Leave to cool.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together to combine.
4. Scoop out a heaped tablespoon of the mixture. Roll into a ball in your hands, using additional flour if you need to. Lightly squash the fritters flat and place on a floured plate.
5. Leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat.
7. Fry the fritters for three to four minutes, turn over and fry for another three to four minutes until golden brown on both sides.
8. Place on a paper towel to soak the additional oil used.

Makes

Eight to ten fritters.

Red Bean & Chocolate Brownies

I originally found this recipe on http://www.food.com/recipe/kidney-bean-brownies-198852, but have slightly altered it. No one can taste the beans. It’s full of protein and contains no saturated fat.

Ingredients

• 1 can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 cup sugar
• ³⁄₄ cup high-grade flour
• ¹⁄₂ cup cocoa powder
• 1 t salt
• ¹⁄₂  cup unsweetened applesauce (or a tasteless oil)
• 4 eggs (or equivalent egg whites)
• 1 t vanilla
• Handful chocolate drops

Method

1. Line and grease a brownie pan.
2. In a food processor, puree the kidney beans with one of the eggs until the mixture is thick and creamy.
3. Combine all the rest of the ingredients except for the chocolate drops.
4. Beat on low speed until smooth.
5. Pour mixture into the brownie pan and scatter the chocolate drops over the top.
6. Bake in 180 °C oven for 25 minutes or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Pesto

Made today with fresh parsley out of my garden, and for a change, I actually had all the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 to 1/2 cups Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup almonds, whole or walnuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Method

1. In a food processor, process the nuts until they have turned into chunky crumbs.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. You may like to add more olive oil if you prefer it smoother  rather than chunkier.

Makes

1 1/2 cups

Pumpkin and Chickpea Curry

Here’s the ingredient list for the easy vegetable curry video that is on Jamie Olivers’ FoodTube: https://youtu.be/tfYztexootQ

• 1/2 pumpkin
• 2 t cumin
• 2 t ground coriander
• 1 t fresh chilli
• 2 t madras curry powder

Cut pumpkin in small pieces and place in a roasting dish with a splash of olive oil and the spices. Mix well. Roast until cooked.

• Red onion
• 1 chilli
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb of fresh ginger
• bunch of coriander stalks
• 2 t madras curry powder
• 2 tins of tomatoes
• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
• 1 bunch of spinach

Fry spices until fragrant. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, spinach and pumpkin. Cook for 20 minutes covered.

 

 

 

 

Spicy Chickpea Koftas

From the Healthy Food Guide at www.healthyfood.co.nz/recipes/2007/september/spicy-chickpea-koftas-with-indian-slaw

Ingredients

• 390 g can chickpeas
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1 t garam masala
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and roughly blend.
2. Spray a frying pan with oil and put onto a medium heat. Add the onion and gently fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the grated carrot, ginger and garlic, cinnamon, and garam masala and stir for a couple of minutes to release the fragrances.
4. Add the mixture to the chickpeas with the fresh coriander and lemon zest, season and mix well.
5. Take golf ball-sized amounts of mixture and shape into a kofta (sausage shape). (If the mixture is too wet, add a little bit of flour).
6. Fry for a few minutes until evenly browned.

Makes

10 to 12

Spiced Roast Veges

Based on a baked pumpkin recipe from http://www.allysongofton.co.nz/recipe/Baked-Pumpkin/?r=927&fs=1

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg pumpkin, kumera, potatoes, chopped
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 T mustard seeds
• 1 T coriander seeds
• 10 whole cloves
• 1 chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 T brown sugar
• Salt

Method

1. Place vegetables in a roasting pan.
2. Drizzle over the olive oil
3. Mix spice ingredients in a coffee grinder.
4. Sprinkle spice mix and salt over the vegetables and mix well.
5. Roast vegetables until cooked.

Asian Coleslaw

http://www.foodlovers.co.nz/recipes/asian-slaw.html

Coleslaw Ingredients

• 1/4 red cabbage
• 1/4 white or Chinese cabbage
• 1 red pepper
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 small red onion or 2 spring onions
• 1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 cup crispy fried noodles
• 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts

Dressing Ingredients

• 2 T salad oil
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 T Vietnamese sauce (or sweet chilli sauce)
• 2 t sesame oil
• 1 t honey
• 1 t ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

Method

1. Finely slice cabbage, pepper, carrot, and onion and combine in a bowl.
2. Mix through the coriander.
3. Mix all the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over coleslaw.
4. Toss to combine.
5. Place fried noodles and peanuts on top.