Sweet potato and chickpea salad

Tags

chickpeas, garbanzo beans, salad, sweet potatoes, vegan, vegetarian, walnut oil, yams

One of my all time favourites.  Perfect for a lunch or as a side salad.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 cup chickpeas/ garbanzo beans
dressing:
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
4 teaspoons walnut oil
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cilantro, fresh, roughly chopped
4 teaspoons sesame seeds or chopped walnuts

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 225 C / 450 F
Scrub the potato skins with a brush but do not peel
Make a few incisions in the potato
Sprinkle with cumin
Wrap individually in aluminum foil
Place in the oven and bake for 45 – 60 minutes
Remove and set aside to cool
dressing:
Whisk the mustard, walnut oil, olive oil, honey and lemon juice together
Season to taste
Add the chickpeas to the dressing
Crush the sweet potatoes with a fork and top with the chickpeas and dressing
Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds
Bon appetit!

Briam – Greek roasted vegetables

Tags

courgettes, greek, marrows, passata, potatoes, tomatoes, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, zucchini

 

This is a Greek summertime favorite recipe. Crispy and fluffy potatoes, sweet, flavourful aubergines and juicy courgettes garnished with fresh herbs form an amazing vegetarian dish full of Mediterranean flavours.  The vegetables are coated with olive oil, flavoured with sweet onions and garlic and then baked to perfection.  You can even serve it hot or cold.  This popular dish is traditionally eaten with feta, but it’s also delicious with pork or lamb. Simply delicious!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 150 ml / 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large aubergine , halved length-ways, then thickly sliced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 600g / 1.3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm / 1/4″ -thick slices
• 6 medium tomatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 4 courgettes, sliced
• 300g / 10oz tomato passata (strained tomato sauce)
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley , finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 200°C /400°
Heat some olive oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat
Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened
In a large ovenproof dish spread the potatoes out in a single layer
Season with salt and pepper
Layer on the aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes
Add the onions and garlic
Pour the passata over the top, followed by the olive oil
Sprinkle with oregano and parsley and season generously with sea salt and ground black pepper
Cover the roasting tin tightly with foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes
Remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes or until the top has browned and vegetables are tender
Allow to cool slightly before serving
Enjoy!
If the vegetables have released a lot of juices, carefully pour them off into a wide pan and boil rapidly until nicely concentrated in flavour.

Pour back over the vegetables and leave to cool slightly before serving.

 

Bulgar with lentils -mujadara

Tags

bulgar, Chicken, lentils, middle eastern, pomegranate, vegan, vegetarian

Lentils, bulgur/rice/quinoa, olive oil, and onions—this Middle Eastern standard is the ultimate weeknight recipe. There are literally dozens of recipes for mujadara out there—each country, possibly even each family, seems to have its own version. I have spiced up my version with the addition of several spices, which is not part of the traditional recipe, but I love spices. The crispy onion topping is the best part, so go ahead and make a lot.

To remove the pomegranate seeds from the fruit, the best method I have come across is to cut the pomegranate in two, then using a rolling pin, hit the back of the fruit to loosen the seeds and catch them in a bowl.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (optional)
250 g / 1 cup dry, green lentils (preferably lentils du Puy)
3 cups water
250 g / 1 cup bulgur
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 to 4 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cardamon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Seeds of 1 pomegranate, for garnish
Cilantro, fresh and roughly chopped, for garnish

Preparation:

In a medium pot, combine the lentils and water
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until still firm and almost done, about 15 minutes
Add the bulgur wheat, cover, and cook over very low heat until the bulgur is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes, adding more water if the bulgur seems dry
Add salt and mix lightly

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat
Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 15 minutes
Add the cumin, cardamon, cinnamon, marjoram, black pepper,  and cook, stirring, for 1 minute
Add the lentil and bulgur  mixture and stir well to combine
Remove from the heat
If adding chicken:
Heat a little oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat
Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until cooked, but still juicy
Set aside to cool slightly then shred the pieces and add to the lentils and bulgur mixture

Serve either hot or at room temperature,topped with the chopped cilantro and the pomegranate seeds, and some fresh pita bread
Enjoy!