Pea, feta and mint toasts

Ingredients

• 
  
• 300 g frozen peas
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
• ½ lemons, juiced
• a bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1 baguette

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil, and tip in the peas. Allow them to sit and defrost for a couple of minutes, then drain.

2. Put the peas, reserving a teaspoonful as a garnish, into a food processor with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and pulse until you have a chunky purée – it shouldn’t be smooth. Add the crumbled cheese and the zest of the lemon and pulse briefly to combine.

3. Squeeze in lemon juice to taste, and stir in the chopped mint, reserving a teaspoonful as a garnish. Add a little black pepper, and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

4. Heat the grill and cut the baguette into slices. Arrange on a grill pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Season and grill until golden, then turn over and grill the other side.

5. Garnish the dip with the reserved peas and mint, then spoon on to the toasts and drizzle the remaining oil on top before serving. 

Chorizo pasta bake

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 red pepper, roughly chopped
• 120 g chorizo, chopped
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• pinch dried red chilli flakes
• 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes (or I used tomate paste and 5 chopped tomatoes)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 300 g penne pasta
• 200 g mozzarella

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and then gently cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft, add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

2. Add the peppers and chorizo and cook until the meat starts to crisp up. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, paprika, chilli if you want an extra kick, and the plum tomatoes.

3. Mix it well, breaking up the tomatoes then season with a teaspoon of sugar and salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain and then add to the pan of simmering sauce.

5. Tear the mozzarella into small pieces and stir half into the pasta mixture. Turn out into a large oven proof dish, and then dot the remaining chunks of mozzarella and then bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.

6. Serve with a large green salad and garlic bread. 

Avocado Dessert

The trick is to have really good avocados!!!

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 4 servings

4 avocados

1 cup of milk (use less if the avocados are small)

1/2 cup of sugar

teaspoon of vanilla

1. Mash avocado with an electric mixer, or use a food processor. Blend in the milk, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Chill for about 20 minutes before serving.

Green lentil curry with coconut milk

I didn't end up finishing this recipe, I left the lentils and cauliflower on so they cooked too long. So I added the spiced mixure, an egg and made lentil burgers, dipping in flour and frying, delicious although it wasn't what I[d planned to cook.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 cups of green lentils, rinsed
• 1.5 litres of vegetable stock (or 1.5 litres water with 1 stock cube)
• 1 white onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, minced
• 1 chili, finely chopped
• 1.5 tablespoons of curry powder
• 1 tablespoon of white mustard seeds
• 1.5 tablespoons of garam masala
• ¾ cup of tomato paste
• ½ cup of coconut milk
• 2 handful spinach leaves
• Coriander to garnish

Directions

1. Rinse lentils well until the water runs clear (this step is important)
2. Cover lentils with water in a large pot and bring to the boil. Turn heat down and simmer for around 15 minutes
3. At the same time that the lentils are cooking, dice onion, garlic, chilli and ginger and fry in a little oil on a low heat until the onion begins to turn translucent (around 10 minutes)
4. Add the spices to the onions and cook for a couple of minutes to form a dry spice mixture
5. Add the coconut milk and tomato paste to the onions and spices and stir. This will help lift all the spices from the bottom of the pan.
6. Pour into the saucepan with the lentils and simmer for a further 20 minutes
7. Add spinach about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time
8. Serve with brown rice and garnish with coriander

Beetroot, walnut and feta salad

I forgot the onion but it was still delicious and I added a pear sliced which worked well. I also couldn't find feta so toasted goats cheese on bread and served on the side. healthy and tasty. 

• 3-4 medium beetroots
• 50g baby spinach
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 75g feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Wash beetroot. Pat dry. Wrap in foil. Place on a baking tray. Roast for 1 hour or until tender. Cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare remaining ingredients. earing gloves, peel and discard skin from beetroot. Cut beetroot into 2cm pieces.
2. Step 2
   Combine spinach, onion, feta, walnuts and beetroot in a bowl. Toss to combine.
3. Step 3
   Place orange juice, oil and mustard in a screw-top jar. Season with salt and pepper. Secure lid. Shake to combine. Add to beetroot mixture. Toss to combine. Serve.

Roasted Squash, sage and bacon risotto

Cooking risotto at my dad's house has to be my favourite passtime, nothing makes me happier. This is a new recipe and it's delicious, possibly a favourite. I used bacon instrad of pancetta, chilli flakes instead of dried chilli, with no mascapone. I added mushrooms as I didn't have chesnuts and took the sage out the garde.

Serves 6 (ish)

Ingredients

• 1 basic risotto recipe
• 1 butternut squash
• 1 level tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 small dried chillies
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 12 slices higher-welfare pancetta or dry-cured smoky bacon
• 100 g chestnuts, vac-packed is fine
• 1 bunch fresh sage, leaves picked
• 6 heaped tablespoons mascarpone cheese, optional
  
  

  Method

  Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Carefully cut your butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Put these to one side. Cut the squash lengthways into 0.5cm/¼ inch slices. Bash up your coriander and chillies with a pinch of salt and pepper in a pestle and mortar (or use a metal bowl and the end of a rolling pin). Dust this over your squash with a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss around until completely coated. Line up snugly in a roasting tray and bake for around 30 minutes until the flesh and skin are soft to the touch. Now get all your ingredients ready and start making your basic risotto.
  
  Remove the squash from the oven and lay your pancetta over it. Mix the squash seeds, chestnuts and sage leaves with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the squash and pancetta and place back in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes until the pancetta is crisp.
  
  Once the squash has cooled down a little, shake off the pancetta and chestnuts and finely chop the squash – it will be quite mushy but that's fine. I go for half of it fine and half chunky. Add this to the risotto at the end of Stage 3. Carry on as normal through the basic recipe, season to taste and serve with the pancetta, chestnuts, sage leaves and squash seeds sprinkled over the top.
  
  Lovely served with a big dollop of mascarpone cheese on the side.
  
  Try this: Place a grater and a block of Parmesan cheese in the middle of the table so that everyone can help themselves.

Saag Paneer a la Kirsten

Saag paneer literally means “spinach cheese.” This classic northern Indian dish has become so popular that it's sold here in the frozen food section, but, as always, homemade is best. You can use other fresh cheeses if paneer is unavailable; Mexican- or Spanish-style fresh cheese is especially good. We used a diet fresh cheese here in Guatemala and it worked well.

You can make this into a larger dish, I added boiled potatoes and added while I was frying the spices, and peas go really well. We used this as a pizza topping sprinkling cheese on the top, it was delicious!!!

PreparationIngredients

• 2 bunches spinach, trimmed
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
• 3/4 tsp (4 mL) cumin seeds
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated gingerroot, or minced
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tsp (10 mL) ground indian hot pepper, or 1/2 tsp/2 ml cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) turmeric
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 3 plum tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) plain Balkan-style yogurt
• 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
• 3/8 tsp (1 mL) garam masala
• 8 oz (227 g) paneer, cubed

In large pot of boiling salted water, blanch spinach just until wilted; drain, chill under cold water and drain again. In food processor, purée spinach with 1/4 cup (50 mL) water; set aside.

In large deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook cumin seeds until slightly darkened, about 10 seconds. Add onion and butter; cook until onion is golden, about 8 minutes. 

Reduce heat to medium; stir in garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in fresh coriander, hot pepper, salt, ground coriander, turmeric and cinnamon; cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until tomatoes break down, about 3 minutes. 

Stir in puréed spinach; cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 25 mL) water if mixture is no longer saucy, until steaming hot, about 3 minutes. 

Stir in yogurt, lemon juice and garam masala; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; add paneer. Cover and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: September 2009