Vegetarian Recipes

Yellow Split Pea Dahl.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry yellow split peas
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh gingerroot, finely minced
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (optional)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and salt. Saute until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2
Add remaining spices and stir. Saute for about 1 minute, cooking spices. If spices start to stick to pan, add some water - 1/4 cup should do. Add peas and stir to coat with butter, onion, and spice mixture. Add broth, 1/2 cup water and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer.
3
Simmer for 40-50 minutes or until peas are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (Check peas periodically - you may need to add more water during cooking if peas are absorbing the liquid too quickly).

Serve with rice, or fresh homemade bread. Suitable for freezing the same day as its been made. Bigger batches can be made, but cooking time will be longer and should be accounted for.

My daughter is a vegetarian so most of what I cook has to be veggie friendly. This means I use a lot of lentils, pulses, nuts, vegetables and a little bit of ingenuity to keep the whole family happy and healthy. I like to try new recipes and I am always on the look out for food that is attractive for all the senses. Vegetarian food can give more scope for experimentation and should be incorporated into everyone's diet as a good balance, even for the most ardent meat eaters. Homemade food contains less preservatives and salts than shop bought food and it's much less bland. With clever use of herbs and spices you can make dishes that will delight your taste buds, keep you healthy and surprise your family and guests.

Vegetarian Recipes.

Beets on the Grill

Ingredients

6 beets, scrubbed
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
Coat one side of a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Place beets and butter on foil; season with salt and pepper.

Wrap foil over beets.

Place packet on the grill grate. Cook 30 minutes, or until beets are very tender. Allow beets to cool about 5 minutes before serving.

You don't even need to peel to enjoy!

Split Pea Falafel

Ingredients:
500g (1 1/4 lb) yellow split peas
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
10 to 15 leaves fresh mint, chopped
1 egg
2-3 teaspoon ground coriander
2-3 teaspoon ground cumin
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Place split peas in a large bowl, and cover with water (roughly twice as much water as split peas by volume). Cover, and let soak for 24 hours.
2. Drain the water from the peas, and mash thoroughly. Mix in onion, garlic, mint, egg, coriander and cumin. Season with cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 185 C.
4. Form split pea mixture into small rounds, flatten slightly, and drop into hot oil. Fry until the falafel are a rich brown color turning regularly.

Ethiopian-style Lentils With Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 small sweet potatoes
1/2 red sweet bell pepper, diced
2 teaspoon olive oil
4 tablespoons split red lentils
2-3 teaspoon tomato puree
2 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and sweet potato in olive oil at medium heat until the onions are almost translucent.
2
Add the red bell pepper and saute for an additional minute.
3
Add the lentils, tomato puree and water.
4
Bring to a boil.
5
Add the paprika, coriander, allspice, cinnamon and ginger.
6
Lower heat slightly and allow the stew to simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils and potato are tender and all the water absorbed.
7
Add salt, soy sauce and black pepper as needed, and serve.

PASTA

Ingredients:

1 kg of pasta

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup zucchini, chopped

1 cup chopped heirloom tomatoes

chopped basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, boil water.

Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, warm the olive oil over medium hear.

Add garlic and stir until slightly brown and fragrant.

Add zucchini and stir 3-5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and continue to cook until tomatoes are slightly soft.

Season with salt, pepper, coriander and chopped basil.

Drain pasta and put in a large bowl.

Toss in fresh veggies and serve.

STIR FRY VEGGIES

Ingredients:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1small yellow onion, sliced into strips

4 heads baby bok choy, chopped

6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Sesame seeds

Directions:

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add onion, turn heat down and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shiitakes, bok choy, mirin and tamari. Cover and cook 3 minutes.

Serve while hot!

Curried Lentil Loaf

Ingredients

1 -2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large carrot, grated
1 medium onion, grated or minced
1 large potato, peeled and grated
1 small red bell pepper, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 canned plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1
2 cups cooked brown lentils, drained and mashed slightly
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375/190/170 for fan assisted.
2
Lightly grease a 9x5” loaf pan with olive oil.

3
Heat oil in a large skillet over a medium heat.
4
Add carrot, onion, potato, pepper and garlic, and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
5
Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree, curry powder, cayenne and salt, and mix well.
6
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
7
Turn off heat and stir in the lentils Place 1 cup of the lentil/vegetable mixture with the peanut butter in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
8
Fold this into the remaining lentil and vegetable mixture, along with the bread crumbs.
9
Bake loaf until firm, about 40-50 minutes.
10
It’s best to let the loaf sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.