Mixed Bean Goulash

This is a mixture of a couple of recipes I found online.... I almost always have vegetarian for lunch, and this makes for a great option. I even had it for breakfast a couple of times!

Ingredients
2x 400g tins mixed beans, drained and rinsed
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/4teaspoon of chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Method
1. Saute the onion in a large pan for 5 minutes or until soft.
2. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin and chilli powder and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and pepper.
4. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until thickened. Add a bit of water if too thick.
5. Add the mixed beans and cook for another 5 minutes or until the beans are heated through.

Mushroom & Barley Osso Buco

This was really nice for something a different, and is an 'all in 1' dish (if you've got a casserole dish that is oven and stove friendly)....

This is a slight variation on the Nourish Magazine version.
http://www.nourishmagazine.co.nz/mushroom-and-barley-osso-buco/

Ingredients
500g osso buco
1 leek, washed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
200g mushrooms
 ¾ cup barley
4 cups of good quality beef stock
Chopped spinach or kale

Method
Sweat the leeks and garlic in a little oil or butter, when soft remove from the pan and set aside.  Add a little more oil and brown the osso buco.  You will probably want to do this in two batches as overcrowding the pan creates steam and stops the meat from browning.

When the meat has all been seared, place in an ovenproof dish along with the cooked leeks, mushrooms, barley and beef stock, cover with a lid and cook in a low oven (150-160°C) for 3-4 hours.  You may want to check after a couple of hours and add more liquid if needed.  Add the chopped spinach or kale 10 minutes before serving making this a complete one pot dish.

Green Soup

Thanks to Brenda Fawdon's 'Whole Hearted Food' recipe book for this interesting soup....

Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 1 bunch spring onions
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 celery sticks
- 1 leek, white part only, washed and chopped
- 250g mung beans, soaked overnight in water with 2 T apple cider vinegar, drained
- 1 Litre vegetable stock
- 1 Cup fresh/frozen peas
- 1 bunch greens (spinach, silverbeet, kale, rocket) stalks removed. I used what was available in my garden.
- Salt & pepper to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add spring onion, garlic, celery and leek and cook until softened. Add the mung beans and stock and cook for 20 minutes or until mung beans are soft and squishy. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

Once cooler or cooled, add the peas, greens, and blend in a blender until smooth. Note: If you add the greens when the soup is still hot, they will lose their brightness.

Warm up just before serving.

Serving ideas:
Serve with gremolata (parsley, finely chopped, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and virgin olive oil), and fresh focaccia.

Chicken with Olives and Sage

I love the simplicity of this meal....

Ingredients:

- 4 chicken marylands (section of chicken consisting of leg and thigh)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- small handful sage leaves
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup green Sicilian olives, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup olive oil

- Flour, for coating the chicken

Method:
 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large wide saucepan or casserole dish suitable for oven use, over a medium heat. Mix the flour with a bit of salt, coat the chicken pieces well and sear in a little butter until browned.
3. Add the garlic cloves and sage leaves and cook for a couple more minutes until fragrant.
4. Pour in the wine, olive oil, olives and transfer the dish to the hot oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes.
5. Serve the chicken pieces with olive and sage braising liquid.

Self Crusting Quiche

This is a recipe that Christine gave me about 10 years ago, and I've used it sooooo many times.... Thanks Christine! x

 
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 50g salted butter
- 1/2c self raising flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
Suggested fillings:
- Bunch kale (approx 3 big leaves?) chopped finely
- 1/2 onion
- Approx 100g feta
- 2-3 tomatoes thinly sliced (for the top)
- Mixed herbs

You could use any fillings, like bacon, silverbeet, carrot, kumara, cauliflour, brocolli, corn... Try using up the veggies in your fridge.

Method:
Preheat an oven to 175degrees.
Meanwhile melt the butter. Do not let it bubble or burn. Then take off the heat and add in the whisked eggs. Then add the flour to form a nice paste. Add the milk and continue to mix.
Line a dish with baking paper (15 x 25cm dish works well).
Pour mixture into the dish. Then add your chosen fillings and pat down so that the egg mixture covers the fillings.
Place slices of tomato on the top, and sprinkle with mixed herbs.
Cook for 45 min. Take out the oven and leave to set for about 15 min.

Pumpkin cannelloni with lentil tomato sauce

This is a variation on Jamie Oliver's Pumpkin Spinach Ritollo

Ingredients:
- 500g butternut squash 
- 1/2 onion (red is good, but white works)
- olive oil 
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme 
- 250 g spinach, kale or other greens (defrosted and finely chopped) 
- 1 whole nutmeg, for grating 
- 4 cloves of garlic 
- 1 x 700 ml jar of passata    
- 1/2-1 can brown lentils  
- 6 large fresh free-range pasta sheets (roughly 15cm x 20cm each) 

- Grated cheese to taste

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Cook the squash whole on a roasting tray for around 1 hour 30 minutes, then remove from the oven. 

Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the onion, put it into a medium pan on a medium-low heat with a lug of oil, the thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the greens, cover with a lid and allow to slowly cook for a few minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated, then remove from the heat. Cut the squash in half, discard the seeds and skin, then mash up with a fork. Keeping them separate, season both the squash and greens with salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg.

Peel and finely slice the garlic, then put it into a shallow 28cm casserole pan on a medium heat with a splash of oil and fry for a couple of minutes, or until lightly golden. Pour in the passata,then add a splash of water to the empty jar, swirl it around and pour it into the pan. Add the lentils. Bring to the boil, simmer for just 3 minutes, then season.

On a clean work surface, lay out the pasta sheets facing lengthways away from you. Working quickly so your pasta doesn't dry out, brush them with water, then evenly divide and spread the squash over the sheets. Sprinkle over the cooked greens. Roll up the sheets and cut each one into 4 chunks, then place side by side in the tomato lentil sauce. Bake for 20 minutes at the bottom of the oven. Then add the cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for another 10 or so minutes until golden and crisp. 

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Refreshing Green Smoothie

I'd just come back from swimming earlier today, and wanted something really refreshing, but balanced as well..... This is what I came up with......

Ingredients:
- Small handful sprouts, any type. I used homemade mixed sprouts.
- 1 banana (I used frozen)
- 1 avocado
- 2 large handfuls green leaves. I used lettuce.
- 1 large handful mint leaves (pref from the garden)
- 6cm piece cucumber, peeled and deseeded
- 1 kiwifruit. I used kiwi-gold
- Water and/or ice

It's useful for one of the ingredients to be frozen. If not, add some ice-cubes.

Zip it all up, and keep adding water until desired consistency.