Brown Rice & Beans with Ginger & Lime

Below serves 3-4

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• medium onion (diced)
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1/4 C Parsley
• 1tsp ground coriander
• 1tsp cumin (heaped)
• 1 14oz can black beans
• 1 C chicken broth
• 2 red chillies (diced)
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 tsbp grated fresh ginger
• Zest & juice of 1 lime
• 1 Avocado
• 1/4 C crumbled feta
• 1 14oz can tinned tomatoes (strained of juice)
• Additional lime quarters (for serving)

• Set the rice to cook in a rice cooker or pot
• In a pot, over medium heat, add the onion & garlic, stir occasionally until softened, around 5 min
• Add the ground coriander & cumin, stir for 1min
• Add the beans, broth, chillies & tinned tomatoes, bring to boil & reduce to simmer for 10min
• Mash beans down and stir in the grated ginger, lime juice & lime zest and let sit for another 1-2min
• Serve rice with the beans & top with the parsley, avocado, lime quarters & crumbled feta on top.

Spicy Garlic Shrimp

Based on a recipe from RunnersWorld

• 3/4 – 1lb shrimp
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp smoked paprika
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can white beans
• 1 large can tinned chopped tomatoes
• handful chopped fresh basil
• A few chipotle peppers (canned) add more if you want it spicier!

Heat a pan over medium heat. Add shrimp with 1 tablespoon oil and paprika (fry for 1-2mins). Add half the garlic in the last few seconds of cooking. Set aside in a bowl.

Return the pan to the heat; add 1 tablespoons oil, bay leaf, and remaining garlic. Cook till garlic is golden. Add tomatoes, chipotle peppers & tomato paste; cook till tomato mixture darkens. Add beans and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp and basil, cook till heated through.

Serve with a baguette.

Vegetarian Lasagna

Makes 8 portions. Can easily be made vegan by omitting the eggs & using only Vegan cheese

• 2tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 red onion – diced
• 6 cloves garlic – minced
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 zucchinis – diced
• 2 red peppers – diced
• 5 large white button mushrooms – diced
• 1 eggplant – diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp each of thyme, oregano, salt & pepper
• 1 can tinned chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup each of fresh basil & parsley
• 2 eggs (optional if you want to keep this recipe vegan)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups cheddar cheese (lactose free or vegan)
• 3 cups mozzarella cheese (lactose free or vegan)
• 1 cups manchego sheeps cheese (or vegan)
• 15 brown rice lasagna sheets

• Over a medium heat cook the Onion, Garlic & Chilli flakes ( 6 mins)
• Add zucchini, red peppers, mushroom, eggplant, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt & pepper (10 mins)
• Stir in the tomatoes, bring to the boil and reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally (30 mins)
• Boil the pasta to within 2 mins of cooking time, drain and set aside in cold water.
• In a bowl beat the eggs with the nutmeg. Add all the cheese apart from 1 cup of the mozzarella.

• Arrange 1/3 of the lasagna sheets in the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
• Add 1/3 of the vegetable sauce
• Top with 1/3 of the remaining lasagna sheets
• Add 1/2 the cheese
• Add 1/3 of the vegetable sauce
• Top with the remaining 1/3 lasagna sheets
• Add the remaining 1/2 the cheese
• Add the remaining 1/3 of the vegetable sauce
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of set aside mozzarella
• Cover with foil bake at 375F (190C)  – (20 mins)
• Uncover and bake – (25 mins)

• Total prep & cooking time – 1hr 45 mins

Roasted Tomato Soup with Croutons

This is lightly adapted from `Vegan Family Meals` by Ann Gentry; a book given to me for my birthday by my very good friend Lucy.

• 3.5lb Ripe Vine Tomatoes
• 1/4 cup + 2tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 12 Large cloves Garlic, chopped
• 3 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground Black Pepper
• 2 medium/large Red Onions
• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh Basil, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh Parsley, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 fresh Tyme, finely chopped
• 5 cups Organic Veg Stock, or Water

• Heat the oven to 500. In a large bowl toss the tomatoes, 1/4 cup Olive Oil, 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar, 2 tsp Salt & 1tsp Black Pepper. transfer the mixture to a large heavy rimmed baking tray (arranging the tomatoes in a single layer skin side down) Roast until the tomatoes are charred on the edges, around 40 mins.
• Heat the remaining 2tbsp of Olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onions & the remaining 1tsp Salt. Stir often, until the onions are soft (around 10 mins) Add the Basil, Parsley & Tyme and saute for about 1 min. Stir in the roasted tomato mixture and bring to a simmer. Add the Veg stock (or water) and simmer for around 8 mins.

• Total cooking time – 1hr 10mins

Herbed Croutons.

• 1 crusty French Bagette, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 tsp Dried Basil
• 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
• 1/2 tsp Fresh ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

• Heat the oven to 375. Toss the bread cubes, Basil, Rosemary, Black Pepper & Salt in a bowl. Drizzle the Olive Oil over the bread cubes. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake until the croutons are golden brown, around 15 mins

• Total cooking time – 20mins

Lemon & Garlic Shrimp with Red Pepper, Cherry Tomatoes & Goats Cheese over Rice

 

• 3/4 lbs Fresh Tiger Shrimp (or equivalent)
• 1 Lemon (zest grated & juiced)
• 4 Large White Button Mushrooms (optional, down to personal preference)
• 1/4 cup Parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 or 3 tbsp Soft Goats Cheese
• 1 Red Pepper, diced
• 2/3 cup Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
• 2 cloves Garlic (thinly sliced)
• 2 cups Rice (I used basmati)
• Salt (pinch, to taste)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

• Over a medium heat add the olive oil & partially cook the sliced garlic for 1-2 mins. Add the mushrooms & red pepper and cook for 3-5mins. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Then add the Shrimp, lemon juice, grated lemon zest, chopped parsley & salt. Continue cooking through until the shrimp is done (be careful not to over cook the shrimp, it should be pink throughout but not rubbery) Remove from heat & stir in the soft goats cheese. Serve over the rice with fresh ground black pepper, to taste.
• This dish can also be prepared with noodles or linguine instead of rice.

• Total cooking time – 35 mins