Week 42- Penne Pasta With Rocket

Lunch/Supper in under 15 mins

PENNE PASTA WITH ROCKET

SERVES 6

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. Once again, a quick and easy meal to prepare when you are too busy to cook. If you cannot get Rocket use spinach leaves or lettuce. This recipe is quick because there is no sauce to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

500g Penne Pasta (fresh if possible if not dried)

3 tablespoons olive oil

60g Fresh Rocket or Spinach leaves (a pack of young spinach leaves)

Grated cheese (Parmesan or strong Cheddar)

Salt to taste

METHOD

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add penne pasta and boil for about 3 to 4 minutes if fresh or about 10 minutes if dried. Do not allow to stick. Drain immediately.Return pasta to saucepan. Stir in the olive oil.

Wilt the rocket or spinach leaves. Add to the pasta.

Serve in bowls with grated cheese.

ENJOY.

Week 41- Fresh Pasta

　

WEEK 41

LUNCH/SUPPER under 15 minutes

FRESH PASTA

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen and this week we are continuing with lunch/supper dishes in under 15 mins. We all have days when we are too busy to spend hours in the kitchen or maybe want a quick meal before we go out in the evening. Fresh pasta is ideal on these occasions with a cooking time of only 3 to 5 minutes. Most supermarkets will sell fresh pasta in their chilled foods compartments and once home store it in the fridge. It will last 2 or 3 weeks if unopened. Here are our suggestions for a quick meal.

INGREDIENTS

500g pack of fresh pasta (try penne or taglietelle) (serves 4 to 6 people)

Fresh Herbs

Grated Cheese (Parmesan or Mature Cheddar). Do not use Mozarella as it will become elastic.

Cherry Tomatoes

Jar Pesto

Fresh cooked Peas (1 cup)

Fresh cooked Broad Beans (1 mug)

Olive Oil to drizzle over

METHOD

Bring a large saucepan of boiling water to the boil, add pasta and cook for 3 to 5 mins. Drain in a colander. Return pasta to the saucepan. Add one or two of the above ingredients. eg Fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes: or a tablespoon of pesto with broad beans or peas.

Drizzle olive oil over pasta then serve immediately and add grated cheese.

NOTE Fresh broad beans and peas are in the shops now!

Week 40- Store Cupboard

WEEK 39

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. A friend said she loved our recipes but did not always have the ingredients in her kitchen so this week it is back to basics. At the beginning (probably week 1 or 2) we suggested you fill your cupboard with essentials. Below is a basic store cupboard. The supermarkets are full of fresh herbs, you can buy tiny pots of herbs to put on your windowsill and they last much longer than small packets. If you buy fresh basil do water it occasionally, just before it droops.

TINS

Chick Peas
Red Kidney Beans
Black Eye Beans
Tinned chopped tomatoes
Don't use dried beans, they take far too long to cook.

Vegetable Stock Cubes- Many available but OXO vegetable cubes are the cheapest.

STAPLE FOOD

Rice
Couscous
Pasta
Lentils (red and green)

HERBS

Basil
Parsley
Coriander
Fresh herbs should be used if possible, if not dried.

SPICES

Turmeric

Cumin

Paprika

Mustard Seeds

Dried Chillies or Chilli Powder

Garam Masala (a blend of spices)

However, if any of these spices are difficult to obtain you can use Curry Powder.

Once you have these basic ingredients you add the vegetables to make the dishes we have created for you.

　

　

　

Week 39- LUNCH/SUPPER IN UNDER 15 minutes

WEEK 39

LUNCH/SUPPER IN UNDER 15 minutes

FALAFAL PITTA BREADS

Hi and welcome to the Vegetarian Kitchen. This week we are continuing our "fast food" recipes which are nutritious and very tasty. Falafel is used a lot in Middle Eastern cooking and is made from chick peas - a good meat substitute. These are easy to prepare and great food to eat in the garden or on the go. For speed, we suggest you use ready made Falafel balls or buy a packet mix to make your own. However, in case you want to make your own Flafel, there is our recipe at the end of this menu.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

6 Pitta Breads

1 packet of ready made Falafel balls or

1 packet of Falafel mix to make your own

1 small tub Hummus

1 small red onion finely chopped

1 Packet of mixed salad leaves

4 sliced tomatoes

METHOD

Fry the Falafel balls gently.

Cut the Pitta Breads in half and toast. Fill each half with 2 Falafel balls, a spoonful of Humus, tomato slices, salad leaves and chopped onion. You may add a trickle of olive oil if you wish.

For children, you could make Falafel Burgers instead of Pittas.

You may use salad cream or mayonnaise instead of humus.

Eat immediately. Delicious fast food.

RECIPE FOR FALAFEL

15oz can Chick Peas (drained)

1 small onion finely chopped

1 minced garlic

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 teaspoon Cumin

2 tablespoons flour

METHOD

Mash chickpeas in a basin. Add all other ingredients. Mash by hand or put in food processor to form a thick paste.

Form into small b alls the size of a golf ball. Fry 2 or 5 minutes in about 3 inches of oil until golden brown.

Use immediately as in our Pitta recipe or store in fridge when cold in container.

Week 38- Supper in 15 minutes

WEEK 38

LUNCH/SUPPER DISHES READY in 15 mins or less

SPICY LENTILS WITH SPINACH

Hi, everyone. We hope you enjoyed cooking with the kids in the holidays (Week 36).

This week, and for the next few weeks, we will be doing fast food (no, not greasy take-aways) that you can prepare in less than 15 minutes.

This week's recipe is for Spicy lentils with Spinach which you can serve with rice or couscous.

INGREDIENTS

400g Can Chopped Tomatoes

400g can LENTILS (drained)

1 Onion (chopped)

1 Red Pepper (sliced)

1 small Chilli

2 tablespoons Oil

250g Pack Spinach

METHOD

Heat the oil, fry onion and sliced red pepper for a few minutes. Add chopped chilli.

Add tin tomatoes, and tin drained lentils and bring to boil. Stir thoroughly. Heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Season to taste. Stir in spinach leaves and heat slowly until they wilt.

SERVE WITH COUSCOUS or rice.



　

Week 37- Easter Holidays

WEEK 36

EASTER HOLIDAYS

FOOD FOR KIDS TO PREPARE

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. The holidays are upon us and this week the recipes are for food children like to eat and which they can prepare themselves, with supervision.

Here are suggestions for pizzas, with their own toppings. Jacket potatoes and crudite (sliced vegetables to dip in houmous, taramasalata, or salsa type dips). Give them free rein but use fresh vegetables.

Also a recipe for cup cakes and the kids can choose their own toppings.

PIZZAS

You can buy ready made pizza bases in most supermarkets.

The kids can assemble their own using any of the following:-

Grated Cheese,tomato puree, sliced tomatoes, sliced peppers, sweetcorn, pineapple chunks. mushrooms,jalapeno peppers, olives, vegetarian frankfurters chopped into small pieces. You could have 4 different cheeses - eg Mozzarella, Feta, Cheddar, Red Leicester. Any of these would be great or you could limit them to 3 toppings.

JACKET POTATOES

Prepare in the usual way - scrub and put in oven for about 1 hour.

Cut in half.

Top with grated cheese, baked beans, tinned chopped tomatoes, chilli non carne, soured cream and chives, or just plain butter.

CRUDITE

(sliced raw vegetables for dips)

Sliced carrots in sticks, celery, cauliflower florets, strips of peppers, radishes.

You can buy houmus and taramasalata in most supermarkets.

CUP CAKES

INGREDIENTS

4 oz (100g) Butter or Margarine

4 oz (100g) Sugar

4 oz (100g) Self Raising Flour

2 eggs beaten

1 tablespoon milk

NOTE To make chocolate cup cakes add 2 teaspoons cocoa to the flour. Or you could just add vanilla essence. Alternatively add, 4oz raisins or saltanas.

ICING

6oz ICING SUGAR

4 oz margarine or soft butter

water

Food colouring. You can add any colour to the icing mixture, red, blue, green

To make chocolate icing, melt 6 squares of chocolate in a bowl and add to icing mixture.

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375F(190C) (Gas Mark 6)

Place 24 paper cases on a baking tray.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs.

Sieve in the flour (and cocoa powder if using). Fold in with milk.

Put in cases and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

When cold, ice the cup cakes and allow kids to decorate with hundreds and thousands, or vermicelli, grated chocolate, or Smarties.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND ENJOY COOKING WITH THE KIDS. COOKING IS FUN!

　

Week 36- Mother's Day Lunch

Week 36- Mother's Day Lunch

Hi and welcome to our Vegetarian Kitchen. There is a hint of Spring in the year - a few daffodils are out in gardens and parks and crocuses are shooting up everywhere. A few sunny days in the South but not quite beach weather. Mother's Day is the theme this week so don't forget your mums on Sunday 18th March. Give them a day off from cooking with our easy recipes.

MOTHER'S DAY RECIPES

Starter: WALDORF SALAD

Main course: STUFFED RED PEPPERS

Pudding, afters or dessert: CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

WALDORF SALAD

serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 Red Apples (diced)

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 oz Walnuts (chopped)

1 Stick Celery (chopped)

300g Carton Natural Yoghurt

4 Lettuce leaves

METHOD

Spoon lemon juice over apples to prevent them going brown. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Arrange on individual plates. Place lettuce leaves on each plate, pile the Waldorf Salad mixture on the lettuce. Serve.

ROAST RED PEPPERS

serves 4

2 Large Red Peppers

3 tablespoons oil

8oz (200g) Rice

1 Onion chopped finely

2 Fresh Tomatoes chopped

2 cloves Garlic (chopped or crushed)

Vegetable Stock (Oxo Green) made up to half pint

1 tablespoon parsley (dried) salt & pepper to taste.

METHOD

First.cook the rice. Always twice the volume of water to rice. Bring to boil, put on lid and simmer gently for 15 mins after which time all water should have been absorbed.

Next, cut peppers in half longways. Remove seeds and cores. Wash. Brush with oil outside and inside.

When rice is cooked, heat oil in pan, fry onions, tomatoes and garlic until soft. Remove from heat then add cooked rice and stir. Add a little vegetable stock to make a sticky mixture. Place the pepper halves in an ovenproof dish. Pile in rice mixture. Pour vegetable stock around the peppers. Cover with foil and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Gas Mark 4 or 180C/350F)

Serve with a green salad or mixed leaves.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4oz Plain Dark Chocolate

4 Eggs separated

METHOD

First, separate the eggs. Put yolks in a small bowl and beat. Whites in a separate bowl.

Break chocolate into pieces and put in a small bowl with 5 teaspoons water. Place over hot water and stir until chocolate is smooth.

Next remove chocolate from heat, add egg yolks and stir.Leave to cool.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff enough to stand in peaks then fold them into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Put the mousse into 4 individual serving dishes and leave to set in the fridge.

You could 'lace' the mousse with rum or brandy, or alternatively decorate with cream. It depends how indulgent you are.

ENJOY! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MUMS on 18th March 2012.