Tahini Balls
Ingredients:
1/2 cup tahini3/8 cup raw honey1/2 cup desicated coconut1/2 cup mixed pre-soaked chopped nuts (e.g. macadamias, almonds, brazil nuts)1 cup finely chopped mixed dried fruits (e.g. apricots, figs, currants)
Method:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl to a firm consistency. Roll into walnut size balls and toss lightly in coconut. Keep in the fridge or make a big batch and have some tucked away in the freezer.
This recipe is from http://www.missorganic.com.au/
Fruit, nut and tahini breakfast bars
Ingredients:
Date Mixture:
1/2 cup diced dried dates
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tahini
Dry Ingredients:
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup wholemeal spelt flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/3 cup mixed nuts, chopped – I used almonds, pecans & brazils
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds / pepitas
1 cup mixed dried fruit – I used sultanas, apricots and apple
I made these up, according to Cassie’s instructions – missing out the flaxseed stage and adding the tahini to the cooled date puree.
And they’re really good. Full of flavour, slighly chewy, plus they keep me going for most of the morning. Cassie’s other breafast bar recipe is here.
Update – in response to a couple of requests here’s the nutritional breakdown per bar:
Energy: 650kJ
Protein: 4g
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 14g
Fibre: 3g
Sodium: 14mg
Cassie's Breakfast and Snack Bar -
- can use rolled oats and ground amaranth instead of quick oats and spelt flour. Any dried fruit works! Be creative with this recipe!
Date Mixture:
1/2 cup diced dried dates
1/2 cup water
Flax Mixture:
5 teaspoons freshly ground flax seeds
1/2 cup water
Dry Ingredients:
3/4 cup quick oats
1/4 cup whole spelt flour (try a different flour if you'd like)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, or more if desired
1/3 cup chopped raw almonds
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped if they're large
1/3 cup diced dried apricots
1/3 cup diced dried pears
1/3 cup diced dried apples
Lightly coat a 9"x9" baking pan with cooking spray or oil and set aside.
Prepare Date Mixture: Add 1/2 cup water and diced dates to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dates are soft. (Mixture will be thick.) Allow to cool.
Prepare Flax Mixture: Combine 1/2 cup water and 5 teaspoons ground flax. Set aside for five minutes to thicken then stir.
Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Add flax mixture to date puree, stir well, and pour into dry ingredients. Mix to combine and press into baking pan.
Bake at 350 F for approximately 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.
Yields 15 bars.
This recipe is from http://www.kathrynelliott.com.au/blog/2007/11/26/fruit-nut-and-tahini-breakfast-bars
Red Quinoa Salad - from the lovely Rachel Russo!
1 cup Red Quinoa
1 cup Rocket
1 cup Spinach
1 cup of beans (eg. Chickpeas)
feta cheese
½ avocado
dressing
1 orange rind grated
1 lemon rind grated
1 tablesppon lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
¼ cup sunflower oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon tamari (if tamari is wheat free than the recipe will be gluten free)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch cinnamon
sea salt and pepper
Cook red quinoa as the package entails. Place rocket and spinach in a bowl. Place hot quinoa on top to gently warm the rocket and spinach. Add avocado, beans and feta once the quinoa with spinach and rocket has cooled. Place all of the dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and pepper. Shake Well.
Gently toss together. Sprinkle with coriander and serve.
Great option to add:
Roasted vegetables (pumpkin, spinach , squash and capsicum) to the recipe. Avocado and fetta is optional.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Rodney’s Fruit Bread
Often when Rodney comes round for tea he brings this delicious fruit bread with him. I've been asking him to give me the recipe until one day I just invited him round, suggesting we make it together. It was so much fun and we ended the morning with a cup of roibos tea and a slice of this bread, topped with melting butter. Scrummy!
Rodney’s Fruit Bread
Cooking Time: 1 hour
‘For me, baking my own bread is part of yoga and meditation – very grounding.’ – Rodney Weidland.
Ingredients
I cup whole meal flour
I cup pain flour
½ a metric teaspoon bi-carb soda
I teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
I cup pecan nuts
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon honey
I cup dates – cut in half
300 mls buttermilk
Note: It’s lovely to be able to choose the quality of the ingredients that are used in your homemade bread. I always use organic flour which I buy from the co-op in Katoomba (Blue Mountains) and I vary my choice of organic dried fruits – you too can use as little or as much as you prefer.
Method
Make sure the oven is heated to 220 degree celsius before you put the bread in. If your oven is slow to heat then you may wish to put it on before you start preparing the dough.
Put the flour, bi carb, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, sea salt and pecan nuts, dates (and any other dried fruits that you’d like to add) into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix the ingredients with love while thinking good thoughts.
Put a tablespoon of molasses and a tablespoon of honey into a saucepan and heat on low whilst stirring. When the honey and molasses become thinner then add the buttermilk and mix thoroughly. Make sure you do not overheat this.
Put a square piece of baking paper (about 20cm by 20cm) on a flat baking tray.
Pour the liquid mix into the mixture of dry ingredients and then mix them all together with a wooden spoon. The more effort you apply the tougher your bread will be, so mix it only as much as you need to in order to have no floury patches in the mix. Effortlessness is the answer.
Tip a quarter cup of plain flour onto a breadboard and spread it across the board, covering your hands in flour at the same time so that when you pick up the dough your hands don’t stick to it. Spoon the dough that you’ve prepared onto the breadboard and roll it in the flour, making one big ball of dough out of the mixture. Place the ball onto the baking tray you’ve prepared and pat it into a round loaf shape. With a large knife make 3 small parallel indentations on the top of the loaf. Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over the loaf of bread and place in oven to bake for 35 mins. Eat with melting organic butter.
Rodney’s Fruit Bread
Cooking Time: 1 hour
‘For me, baking my own bread is part of yoga and meditation – very grounding.’ – Rodney Weidland.
Ingredients
I cup whole meal flour
I cup pain flour
½ a metric teaspoon bi-carb soda
I teaspoon baking powder
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
I cup pecan nuts
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon honey
I cup dates – cut in half
300 mls buttermilk
Note: It’s lovely to be able to choose the quality of the ingredients that are used in your homemade bread. I always use organic flour which I buy from the co-op in Katoomba (Blue Mountains) and I vary my choice of organic dried fruits – you too can use as little or as much as you prefer.
Method
Make sure the oven is heated to 220 degree celsius before you put the bread in. If your oven is slow to heat then you may wish to put it on before you start preparing the dough.
Put the flour, bi carb, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, sea salt and pecan nuts, dates (and any other dried fruits that you’d like to add) into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix the ingredients with love while thinking good thoughts.
Put a tablespoon of molasses and a tablespoon of honey into a saucepan and heat on low whilst stirring. When the honey and molasses become thinner then add the buttermilk and mix thoroughly. Make sure you do not overheat this.
Put a square piece of baking paper (about 20cm by 20cm) on a flat baking tray.
Pour the liquid mix into the mixture of dry ingredients and then mix them all together with a wooden spoon. The more effort you apply the tougher your bread will be, so mix it only as much as you need to in order to have no floury patches in the mix. Effortlessness is the answer.
Tip a quarter cup of plain flour onto a breadboard and spread it across the board, covering your hands in flour at the same time so that when you pick up the dough your hands don’t stick to it. Spoon the dough that you’ve prepared onto the breadboard and roll it in the flour, making one big ball of dough out of the mixture. Place the ball onto the baking tray you’ve prepared and pat it into a round loaf shape. With a large knife make 3 small parallel indentations on the top of the loaf. Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over the loaf of bread and place in oven to bake for 35 mins. Eat with melting organic butter.
Asparagus, Tomato and Halloumi Cheese Pasta
This a new recipe I came up with which my taste buds and tummy were both rather pleased with ... I hope you like it too!
Asparagus, Tomato and Halloumi Cheese Pasta
2 tbs spoons olive oil
Marjoram
250g halloumi cheese
4 tomatoes
2 bunches of asparagus
A handful of Pine nuts
8 Rocket leaves
1 avocado
Pasta for 2 people
Instructions: Once the pasta is on the boil you can begin making the sauce. Turn another stove on and pour olive oil into the pan. Once the oil's hot, add the finely chopped tomatoes and marjoram. After two minutes, add the halloumi cheese and 1cm long slices of freshly chopped asparagus. Stir occasionally, turning the cheese so that it browns on both sides. After 15 – 20 minutes, add and stir in a handful of pinenuts. Pour this mixture over the freshly cooked pasta, and then scatter the rocket leaves on top of that and crown it with chopped avocado.
Serves 2
Asparagus, Tomato and Halloumi Cheese Pasta
2 tbs spoons olive oil
Marjoram
250g halloumi cheese
4 tomatoes
2 bunches of asparagus
A handful of Pine nuts
8 Rocket leaves
1 avocado
Pasta for 2 people
Instructions: Once the pasta is on the boil you can begin making the sauce. Turn another stove on and pour olive oil into the pan. Once the oil's hot, add the finely chopped tomatoes and marjoram. After two minutes, add the halloumi cheese and 1cm long slices of freshly chopped asparagus. Stir occasionally, turning the cheese so that it browns on both sides. After 15 – 20 minutes, add and stir in a handful of pinenuts. Pour this mixture over the freshly cooked pasta, and then scatter the rocket leaves on top of that and crown it with chopped avocado.
Serves 2
Peas Potato Curry
This is a really tasty recipe that I learnt from a friend recently. It can be eaten with bread and rotis or rice. Yum.
Peas Potato Curry
Peas Potato Curry - Aloo Mutter
Cooking Time: 10 – 15 minutes preparation and 15 – 20 mins cooking time.
This quantity will serve 6 people.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 desert spoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander powder
Just under a tablespoon of chopped ginger
5 cloves
2 tomatoes that have been soaked in hot water and had their skins removed.
½ teaspoon tumeric powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 handful of chopped fresh coriander
1 tablespoon plain tomato paste
5 boiled potatoes
half a cup of almond meal
2 glasses water
Method
Peal and then boil 5 potatoes until cooked. Skin and boil 5 potatoes. Then add olive oil to a hot pan. When it starts getting hot - add cumin seeds (good for the digestive system), cloves and then grate and add the tomatoes. Let this cook on medium heat. Add the turmeric powder, salt, tomato paste, one glass of water and the almond meal. Then add the pre-boiled potatoes to this mix and one more glass of water. Put the lid on and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas, coriander powder and fresh coriander and put the lid back on. Optional: Add a teaspoon of chilli powder or garam masala if you want it to be spicier. Turn off the heat. Add a cup of yoghurt or a dash or cream if you want to make it milder, or squeeze the juice of a lime into it.
Peas Potato Curry
Peas Potato Curry - Aloo Mutter
Cooking Time: 10 – 15 minutes preparation and 15 – 20 mins cooking time.
This quantity will serve 6 people.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 desert spoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander powder
Just under a tablespoon of chopped ginger
5 cloves
2 tomatoes that have been soaked in hot water and had their skins removed.
½ teaspoon tumeric powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 handful of chopped fresh coriander
1 tablespoon plain tomato paste
5 boiled potatoes
half a cup of almond meal
2 glasses water
Method
Peal and then boil 5 potatoes until cooked. Skin and boil 5 potatoes. Then add olive oil to a hot pan. When it starts getting hot - add cumin seeds (good for the digestive system), cloves and then grate and add the tomatoes. Let this cook on medium heat. Add the turmeric powder, salt, tomato paste, one glass of water and the almond meal. Then add the pre-boiled potatoes to this mix and one more glass of water. Put the lid on and let it cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas, coriander powder and fresh coriander and put the lid back on. Optional: Add a teaspoon of chilli powder or garam masala if you want it to be spicier. Turn off the heat. Add a cup of yoghurt or a dash or cream if you want to make it milder, or squeeze the juice of a lime into it.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
MEGGAN'S DELICIOUS VEGETARIAN RECIPES
There are just so many delicious vegetarian recipes, I don't know where to begin. To kick start you on this tasty journey, here are a few of my favourites. As I'm in the process of writing my vegetarian cookbook, I'd love to hear back from you about how they went!
Happy cooking!
Love Meggan
Sundried Tomatoe Pesto on Pasta
Meggan: Generally speaking, I’m not mad on pasta, but this dish deserves my praises! It is the most amazing pasta dish I’ve ever had and it’s just perfect to serve to a group of friends or enemies – both will love you for it! Quick and easy to prepare; if you’ve heard yourself say, “I just never have the time to cook,” then this one’s for you!
Ingredients:
¾ cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained
¾ cup pitted black olives
1 packed cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup olive oil
250g pasta per serving
Instructions:
Put the pasta in a pot of cold water, add salt and a teaspoon of olive oil and bring to the boil. Boil for however long you need to until the pasta is either soft or, if you prefer, el dente (slightly chewy to the bite). Whilst the pasta is on the go, chop up the sun dried tomatoes and parsley and mix them with all the other ingredients in a large bowl. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and then mix it in with everything else. Done!
I love it as it is, but if you wish to, you can add any or all of the following: steamed green beans, cauliflower, chopped fresh tomatoes, goat or fetta cheese grated.
Delicious Stewed Fruit
Meggan: This combination of warmed up fruits is simply delicious and wonderfully warming in the winter time. Also, the vitamins and minerals contained in the fruits are great for keeping the immune system strong during the winter months.
Ingredients:
2 organic pears
2 organic apples
½ banana
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp finely grated ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dark brown sugar (or maple syrup)
2 cups water
6 prunes (high in nutrients, especially iron)
A sprinkling of flaked almonds (high in minerals and protein)
A handful of red currents, raisins or blue berries (optional – high in antioxidants)
¼ cup desiccated coconut
Instructions:
De-core and chop up the fresh fruits. Place them, along with all the other ingredients, in a large pot and cook on low until the fruit is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Serves 4
Roasted Nuts
Ingredients:
I cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 cup pepitas or rough chopped almonds
¼ cup tamari or shoyu
Instructions:
Heat a heavy based fry pan on the stove top until hot. When the pan is very hot, throw in the seeds and nuts. Stir them with a wooden spoon often but not constantly. When they are starting to brown evenly, turn off the heat and splash in the shoyu. Keep stirring until the seeds are well coated and most of the moisture has evaporated. Serve hot, or allow to cool and store in tan airtight container.
Tasty Lentil Soup
Meggan: That’s the thing with lentils – depending on the type, there are certain spices which are preferable to cook them in, and you’ve got to know your stuff. I find that pink lentils are the easiest and quickest to prepare and cook, so I tend to use them far more often than any other. And they don’t need to be soaked, you can just rinse them through in cold water and then they’re ready to go!
Ingredients:
150g red lentils (high in protein)
A pinch of bicarbonate soda (optional)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 large tomatoes (high in Vitamin C)
1 tablespoon freshly chopped ginger (excellent for preventing and alleviating the effects of influenza)
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon hing (asfodia)
¼ teaspoon tumeric powder
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon coriander powder
1 medium sized lemon
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons of ghee
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander leaves
Instructions:
Wash and rinse the lentils and keep them aside. Put some olive oil in a pot and turn the heat on high. Once the oil starts getting hot, add the freshly chopped ginger and mustard seeds and wait for the mustard seeds to start popping. (Be careful when they start to pop, as they have a tendency to pop out of the pan). Then add the chopped tomatoes, hing (asfodia), cumin seeds, tumeric powder, salt, cumin powder and coriander powder and stir it all up. Once the tomatoes begin to look a bit mushy, then add the lentils and 3 cups of water and let it cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes. I often add more water as I’m cooking; it just depends on how liquid you like it.
Once the lentils are cooked (soft and mushy is the sign), squeeze in the fresh lemon juice, add two tablespoons of ghee and mix it all up with a large spoon. Serve with bread and butter.
Serves 2
Blackberrry banana smoothie
Happy cooking!
Love Meggan
Sundried Tomatoe Pesto on Pasta
Meggan: Generally speaking, I’m not mad on pasta, but this dish deserves my praises! It is the most amazing pasta dish I’ve ever had and it’s just perfect to serve to a group of friends or enemies – both will love you for it! Quick and easy to prepare; if you’ve heard yourself say, “I just never have the time to cook,” then this one’s for you!
Ingredients:
¾ cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained
¾ cup pitted black olives
1 packed cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup olive oil
250g pasta per serving
Instructions:
Put the pasta in a pot of cold water, add salt and a teaspoon of olive oil and bring to the boil. Boil for however long you need to until the pasta is either soft or, if you prefer, el dente (slightly chewy to the bite). Whilst the pasta is on the go, chop up the sun dried tomatoes and parsley and mix them with all the other ingredients in a large bowl. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and then mix it in with everything else. Done!
I love it as it is, but if you wish to, you can add any or all of the following: steamed green beans, cauliflower, chopped fresh tomatoes, goat or fetta cheese grated.
Delicious Stewed Fruit
Meggan: This combination of warmed up fruits is simply delicious and wonderfully warming in the winter time. Also, the vitamins and minerals contained in the fruits are great for keeping the immune system strong during the winter months.
Ingredients:
2 organic pears
2 organic apples
½ banana
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp finely grated ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dark brown sugar (or maple syrup)
2 cups water
6 prunes (high in nutrients, especially iron)
A sprinkling of flaked almonds (high in minerals and protein)
A handful of red currents, raisins or blue berries (optional – high in antioxidants)
¼ cup desiccated coconut
Instructions:
De-core and chop up the fresh fruits. Place them, along with all the other ingredients, in a large pot and cook on low until the fruit is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Serves 4
Roasted Nuts
Ingredients:
I cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 cup pepitas or rough chopped almonds
¼ cup tamari or shoyu
Instructions:
Heat a heavy based fry pan on the stove top until hot. When the pan is very hot, throw in the seeds and nuts. Stir them with a wooden spoon often but not constantly. When they are starting to brown evenly, turn off the heat and splash in the shoyu. Keep stirring until the seeds are well coated and most of the moisture has evaporated. Serve hot, or allow to cool and store in tan airtight container.
Tasty Lentil Soup
Meggan: That’s the thing with lentils – depending on the type, there are certain spices which are preferable to cook them in, and you’ve got to know your stuff. I find that pink lentils are the easiest and quickest to prepare and cook, so I tend to use them far more often than any other. And they don’t need to be soaked, you can just rinse them through in cold water and then they’re ready to go!
Ingredients:
150g red lentils (high in protein)
A pinch of bicarbonate soda (optional)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 large tomatoes (high in Vitamin C)
1 tablespoon freshly chopped ginger (excellent for preventing and alleviating the effects of influenza)
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon hing (asfodia)
¼ teaspoon tumeric powder
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon coriander powder
1 medium sized lemon
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons of ghee
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander leaves
Instructions:
Wash and rinse the lentils and keep them aside. Put some olive oil in a pot and turn the heat on high. Once the oil starts getting hot, add the freshly chopped ginger and mustard seeds and wait for the mustard seeds to start popping. (Be careful when they start to pop, as they have a tendency to pop out of the pan). Then add the chopped tomatoes, hing (asfodia), cumin seeds, tumeric powder, salt, cumin powder and coriander powder and stir it all up. Once the tomatoes begin to look a bit mushy, then add the lentils and 3 cups of water and let it cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes. I often add more water as I’m cooking; it just depends on how liquid you like it.
Once the lentils are cooked (soft and mushy is the sign), squeeze in the fresh lemon juice, add two tablespoons of ghee and mix it all up with a large spoon. Serve with bread and butter.
Serves 2
Blackberrry banana smoothie
Ingredients:
I banana
6 cashew nuts
10 blackberries
½ tsp cinnamon
2 spoons fullcream plain yogurt
Milk
Instructions:
There's really nothing to it. Just put all the ingredients into a blender and blend!
Pumpkin Mango and Mint Salad
Meggan: This combination of foods is utterly fantastic, both savoury and refreshing at the same time. The almost opposite flavours of savoury tahini and sweet mango and pumpkin are most complementary and the mint gives it that extra-fresh zing. What’s more, it’s so easy to make and once made will, I assure you, become a regular feature on your food menu. This is just the best gift to someone who doesn’t have a huge amount of time to make the tastiest dish ever - send this one to all your friends! Oh yes, and don’t be surprised if it’s a real conversation stopper - the best food creates a room full of silence!
Ingredients:
Rocket
Lettuce
Mango
Cashews
Pumpkin
Greek fetta
Avocado
Sprouts
Fresh coriander
Fresh mint
Tahini
Instructions:
You don’t need to peel the pumpkin, coz there’s so much goodness in the skin that you don’t want to miss out on – just chop it into 5mm thin slices, (maths is not my strong point). about the size of a sliced carrot, and then place it on a tray, either covered in olive oil or ghee, and grill in the oven on high until it changes to a browny colour. Then turn it over with a fork and let the same happen on the other side. Whilst this is happening, slice the mango and fetta cheese into cubes, the avocado into long thick strips, and chop up the coriander. There’s no need to chop the mint up – just pick the leaves off the stem and toss them into the bowl along with all the other ingredients, except the tahini. Toss the salad and then right at the end pour the tahini lightly over the top and serve.
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