XMAS MEZE

Hi and welcome. We wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Forget the nut roast. Instead have an XMAS MEZE. A selection of dishes it can be big or small. SMALL MEZE TO SERVE WITH DRINKS Dips. Humus, Salsa and Guacomale or Tahini. Serve with crudite - a selection of raw vegetables sliced for dipping. e.g carrots, celery, cauliflowwer. Pitta Bread cut in fingers. Halumi fried or grilled. LARGE MEZE All of the above. Moussaka. Stuffed vine leaves Quiche Pizza Tomato salad, with olive oil and fetta cheese. ALL RECIPES ON THIS BLOG ENJOY

SPAGHETTI WITH GARLIC @ CHILLI

Hiand welcome to our Veggie Kitchen. This recipe is quick and easy. INGREDIENTS 1 lb spaghetti (450g) 6 tbsp butter 6 tablespoons olive oil 3 large cloves garlic (crushed) 1 teaspoon basil 1 red or green chilli (chopped) salt and black pepper 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese METHOD Cook spaghetti (10 to 12 mins) Drain Heat butter and olive oil in a pan,add chilli and garlic, heat gently. Add basil and season. Drain spaghetti and put in a hot dish.add sauce and toss. Top with grated cheese. SERVES 4 or 6.

CHILLI NON CARNE

Hi and welcome. The weather has been cold, wet, and miserable so this recipe will warm you up and cheer you as well. CHILLI NON CARNE (serves 4 to 6) INGREDIENTS QUORN MINCE 350g TIN CHOPPEED TOMATOES 400g TIN RED KIDNEY BEANS 400g 1 GREEN OXO CUBE (or veggie stock cube) 1 small chopped onion 2 cloves garlic (crushed or chopped) 1 chilli chopped 2 tablespoons oil 1/2 Pint water 1 tsp salt METHOD Gently fry the onion until soft, add garlic and fry for 2 mins, add Quorn mince, and stir. for 2 mins. Add stock, stir, add tinned tomatoes and kidney beans. Bring to boil. Add chopped chilli and salt. Stir and simmer for 15 mins to 20 mins. Stir. SERVE WITH BOILED RICE and PITTA BREAD

VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

Hi and welcome. Cold, wet, miserable days call for hot nourishing food. Our casserole will warm you up. INGREDIENTS 1 small swede or Butternut Squash (diced) 2 large carrots chopped 1 large onion chopped 2 sticks celery chopped 1 can chopped tomatoes (400g) salt and black pepper Half a piint of vegetable stock (green oxo) 1 chilli (optional) METHOD Mix the vegetables in a 2 pint casserole dish. Pour over the stock and stir in tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. A chilli may be added, chopped. COOK at 180C, or Gas Mark 4 for 1 hour until the vegetables are tender. SERVE with dumplings or Jacket Potatoes. ENJOY

STUFFED AUBERGINES

Hi, and welcome to our Veggie Kitchen. This recipe is easy and can be made in advance and reheated. INGREDIENTS 2 large aubergines 2 tbs sunflower oil 1 small onion chopped 2 cloves garlic crushed 4 oz mushrooms chopped 2 large tomatoes chopped 1 chilli (optional) salt and pepper 4 oz grated cheese METHOD Cut the aubergines in half lengthways. Place on a baking tray and brush with oil. Bake for 30 minutes 350F or 180C gas mark 4. Scoop out flesh leaving some to form thick skins. Chop flesh. Heat the oil and fry onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and tomatoes. Simmer gently for 5 minutes then add chopped aubergines, Add Chilli (chopped) and salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly and simer for 3 minutes. Next, place the aubergine shells in an ovenproof dish and spoon filling in shells. Cover with grated cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is bubbling. Serve hot with rice or cold with green salad. SERVES 4

ROASTED PEPPERS WITH RICE & GOAT'S CHEESE

Hi and welcome. This recipe is a lunch or supper dish. Can also be served as a starter. ROASTED PEPPERS WITH CHEESE INGREDIENTS 2 large red or green peppers 3 tbsp olive oil 8 oz cooked rice (microwave vegetable rice) 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic crushed 4oz (100g) goat's cheese sliced or cheddar 2 tbsp coriander or parsley METHOD Preheat oven to 190c or 375F Cut the peppers in half lengthways, keeping the stalk attached. Remove the seeds. Heat oil in a pan,add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes ubtil soft, not brown. Add cooked rice and stir, add goat cheese and coriander. Oil a tin and place the peppers inside add the rice mixture spoon into the pepper halves, Drizzle over more oil. Cover with foil and bake for one hour. SERVE with a salad.

BEAN SALAD

Hi, and welcome. This recipe is a simple bean salad. INGREDIENTS Tin Red Kidney Beans (400g drained 240g) Tin Sweetcorn (340g drained 285g) 1 small red onion chopped or 2 Spring Onions Parsley or Basil, chopped. Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and salt. METHOD Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add Lemon Juice, Olive oil and salt. SERVE

POTATO DAUPHINOIS

Hi, and welcome. This recipe is delicious served with veggie sausages, Quorn chicken filetts or a simple green salad. INGREDIENTS 450g Potatoes (1 lb) 1/2 Pint milk 3 oz double cream 4oz grated cheese METHOD PREHEAT OVEN 200C or Mark 6 Slice potatoes thinly (2mm thick) Layer half thee potatoes in dish. Pour cream and milk (half) dot with butter. Add another layer of potatoes. Pour over remaining cream and milk. Top with grated cheese. Cover with foil, bake for 30 minute. Remove foil. cook another 30 minutes. ENJOY

AVOCADO & HALUMI ON TOAST

This recipe is lunch or dinner.serves 1 or 2. INGREDIENTS 1 Avocado 1 Tomato 2 slices of bread Halumi, sliced Half a lime Chilli Powder or fresh chilli salt METHOD Place sliced Halumi in hot pan (no fat). Cook until golden on both sides. Toast bread, 2 slices. Peel and chop Avocado Slice Tomato Butter toast, place Halumi slices on top. Add Avocado, tomato slices, lime and salt. Sprinkle chilli powder to taste, or chilli. ENJOY

CHICK PEA AND SPINACH CURRY

Hi and welcome. This recipe is cheap, nutritious and delicious. INGREDIENTS 2 Tins of Chick Peas 400g (drained 240g) 1 TIN chopped tomatoes (400g) 1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped 1 chilli 1 tsp Turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 240g pack ofspinach leaves 1 tsp salt 1 tablespoon vegetable oil METHOD Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add onion, fry gently forabout 3 minutes, add garlic and fry for one minute, add turmeric and garam masala stir for about one minute. Add chick Peas and heat gently, add chopped tomatoes and salt. Bring to boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in Spinach and cover. Turn off heat and leave for 3 minutes for spinach to wilt. Stir and serve. SERVE WITH PLAIN RICE OR NAAN BREAD.

5 MINUTE PASTA DISHES

Hi and welcome to our Veggie Kitchen. Pasta is the original fast food. Buy fresh pasta (cooking time 2 mins) Dried Pasta takes 10 to 12 minutes. Cook your pasta, drain and return to the saucepan. Use Penne or tagliatelle for best results. PASTA WITH PARMESAN & CREAM Simply stir in double cream. Add grated parmesan. PESTO and PEAS Warm the peas. Stir in 2 tbsp of Pesto and 3 tbsp olive oil. BLACK OLIVES & GARLIC chop and fry garlic in 3 tbsp olive oil Stir into pasta, add 200g pitted olives. Add chopped parsley. PASTA WITH COURGTTES Slice one courgette into thin rounds.Fry in olive oil until tender. Stir in courgettes and oil in which they have been fried. Stir well, add fresh ground black pepper. PASTA WITH GARLIC, OLIVE OIL and CHILLI 4 garlic cloves chopped, 1 chilli cut into pieces. Heat garlic and chilli in 6 tbsp olive oil until garlic is golden. STIR into pasta. Add chopped parsley. Fresh Basil can be used instead of parsley. FOR KIDS. Simple Tomato Sauce and Cheese. ENJOY

VEGGIE MEZA

Hi and welcome to our Veggie Kitchen. Summer is here and barbecues are all around. Forget the barbecue and have a great Summer Meza. A Meza can be a huge feast of 40 dishes or a small Meza is perfect with drinks. SMALL MEZA Dishes of Humus, Tahini, Tzatziki (yogurt with finely chopped cucumber mint,garlic granules) Aubergine dip, Avocado dip and salsa. Also dishes of black and green olives, chillies, and crudite (sliced raw vegetables e.g sticks of carrot, cauliflower,celery. Add plenty of Pitta Bread cut into slices ready for dipping. ENJOY with wine and friends. LARGE MEZA All of the above. Plus moussaka, spinach quiche, Halumi grilled, stuffed vine leaves, veggie kebabs (red and green onions, cheese and mushrooms on skewers. Can be grilled. Recipes on our Veggie Kitchen blog. HAPPY EATING

BECHAMEL SAUCE (white sauce) FAST METHOD

Hi and welcome to our Veggie Kitchen. We have all tried to make a white sauce the hard way,with a roux. Forget it,our recipe is foolproof. No more lumpy sauce. INGREDIENTS Half a pint of milk (275ml) 1 Tablespoon of plain flour Quarter pint of water (150ml) 2oz Butter (50g) MMETHOD Mix water and flour in a mug until smooth. Heat the milk and butter in a pan until almost boiling. Remove from heat.Add the water and flour and stir. Return to heat stirring all the time. It will gradually thicken. and boil, Remove from heat. Add grated cheese for a cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper. This sauce is the base for many dishes.