Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients
olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
2 x 400g tins navy beans or cannellini beans
¼ cup white wine
½ cup water
1 cup tomato pasta sauce (Paul Newmans original is best)
2 dessertspoons brown sugar
2 dessertspoons molasses
1 dessertspoon wholegrain mustard
2 dessertspoons bbq sauce

Directions
1) Heat olive oil in a large pot over moderate heat
2) Add the onion and capsicum and saute for a few minutes
3) Add the cumin and saute for a further minute
4) Drain and rinse the beans
5) Add beans and remaining ingredients to the pan with a little water and stir through
6) Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to develop
7) If beans start sticking can add a little more water
8) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTE: Picture is showing beans served over soy sausages - delish!

Tofu Balls

Ingredients
700g Tofu (firm)
80 gm raw rolled oats
1 egg beaten
2 egg whites
1 onion chopped and browned
2 Tbspn soy sauce
30 pecan halves chopped, but not too finely. Needs that CRUNCH
2 grated carrots
2 cup grated zucchini
SPICES: coriander flakes, cumin, chilli powder, salt/pepper (you can use any spice you like to create whatever flavour you like)
 
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 190°
2) In a large bowl, mash tofu
3) Add all other ingredients and mix well
4) Form into balls using a soup spoon. This mixture should make at around 24-28 balls
5) Place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 30 mins
6) Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce, or a tomato based sauce, with rice etc
7) Eat & Enjoy!

NOTE: These are great with my Mexican Lentils

Sushi

Ingredients
Sushi Rice
225g sushi rice
250ml water
2Tbspn sushi vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbspn sugar
¾ Tbspn mirin or dry sherry
Fillings
2 or 3 fillings to taste, options include avocado, cucumber, capsicum, tofu, pickled ginger, egg etc
 
Directions
Sushi Rice
1) Put rice into a pan, cover with plenty of water and stir till water becomes cloudy. Drain & repeat 4 or 5 times until water is clear. (this is cleaning the rice)
2) Put washed rice into saucepan with water on high heat and bring to the boil
3) Cover the pan and reduce to very low heat and continue cooking for exactly 15 minutes more (no need to stir).
4) Leave lid on and remove from heat for another 10 minutes
5) Mix the sushi vinegar, sugar, salt and mirin until the sugar has dissolved.
6) Put the rice into a large bowl and stir through vinegar mixture.
Note: To cool the rice quickly “cut” the rice by folding a spoon through until it cools to body temperature - it should be sticky in texture. Use immediately
Making the Sushi
1) Toast nori sheet by heating in a dry fryong pan a few seconds on each side
2) Place nori sheet on sushi mat, rough side up, long side facing you
3) With damp hands spread approx ¼ of the rice over the nori approx 1cm away from the front edge. Nori should be approx 5cm wide and approx 1 cm thick
4) Make a groove along the middle for the filling to sit in
5) Put fillings in but don’t overfill
6) Using the mat as a guide, lift the edge closest to you and roll firmly away from you into a neat cylinder.
7) Repeat until all rice is used
8) Let rolls rest for approx 10 minutes then cut into desired sizes with a sharp wet knife
9) Eat & Enjoy!

Tofu with Peas

Ingredients
1 onion, diced
1.5 Tblspn Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp tumeric
350g pack firm tofu, diced into 1.5cm cubes
3 medium tomatos, chopped
½ cup frozen peas
1 Tblspn lemon juice
 
Directions
1) In a medium pan over moderate heat, heat the oil
2) Add onion and cook for a few minutes until soft
3) Add the garlic, ginger, cumin and tumeric and cook an extra minute or so
4) Add the tofu to the pan and stir into the spice mixture so the tofu becomes golden
5) Saute a couple of minutes then add the tomatos and peas
6) Stir through and cover with a lid for 5 minutes
7) Add lemon juice and season with salt & pepper if desired
8) Serve with rice
9) Eat & Enjoy!

Indian Style Beans

Ingredients
1 tbspn olive oil
20g ghee
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 long green chilli, seeds removed, finely diced
1 tsp turmeric
400g can crushed tomatos
½ cup water
Salt, pepper & ½ tsp sugar
2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
 
Directions
1) Heat the ghee and olive oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat
2) Add onion and cook a few minutes until softened
3) Add the garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, turmeric & chilli, and stir through for 1 or 2 minutes until fragrant
4) Add the tomatos, water, salt, pepper and sugar and bring to the boil
5) Turn heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened
6) Add the cannellini beans and simmer an extra 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
7) Serve hot
8) Eat & Enjoy!

Serving suggestions
* Serve hot spooned over ripe avocado
* Serve with rice or some Indian bread, like naan, and yogurt and chutney
* Serve with polenta or corn chips

Snow Pea & Couscous Salad with Feta and Mint Pesto

Ingredients

Couscous Salad
1.5 cups couscous
1 tspn Chili sauce
1 tblspn olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
3 cups vegetable stock
150g frozen baby peas
250g snow peas, trimmed
200 g feta

Mint Pesto
½ cup mint leaves
¼ cup flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup grated parmesan
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
 
Directions

1) Pour boiling stock over the Couscous. Stir once and cover with a tight lid. Keep couscous covered and off the heat for 7-8 minutes. The stock should then be completely absorbed.
2) Add the chilli sauce, oil and salt and fork through couscous
3) In a food processor whiz together all the mint pesto ingredients. Alternatively, use a mortar & pestle.
4) Boil water in a saucepan.
5) Put peas in and boil for 1 minute
6) Add the snow peas and boil for another 1 minute
7) Refresh under cold water, drain, and toss through the couscous with the minted pesto.
8) Scatter the crumbled feta over the top of the couscous.
9) Eat & Enjoy!

Roast Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients

Vegetables
500g sweet potatos, peeled and chopped
1 red capsicum, left whole
2 potatos, chopped into small bite sized pieces
Pinch oregano
Pinch thyme
½ tspn tumeric
Pinch chilli flakes
Small amount of olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Frittata Mixture
6 eggs
1 cup cream
½ cup grated parmesan
2 tblspn fresh herbs eg basil, parsley, dill, thyme
Salt & pepper to taste

Extra
Handful baby spinach
 
Directions

1) Preheat oven to 200°°
2) Using a large freezer bag, place the vegetable ingredients, including oil and all herbs into the bag and tie off. Smoosh the vegetables around in the bag until all they are all covered in oil and the herbs have spread evenly.
3) Put onto a baking tray and place in oven for 45 minutes
4) When cooked, carefully remove the capsicum and place into an airtight container or a paper bag for at least 10 minutes.
5) Take out the capsicum peel the skin off and remove the seeds. Cut into nite sized pieces.

NOTE: Vegetables can be cooked the day before and put into fridge to cool. Don’t peel the capsicum until you are about to use it.

6) Preheat oven to 200°
7) Whisk together all the frittata ingredients
8) Grease an oven proof dish or oven proof frying pan.
9) Spread the vegetables evenly in the greased oven dish. Add spinach. Pour over the frittata mixture.
10) Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden and puffed (depending on oven may need to cook for a little longer)
11) Remove from oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Then cut and serve.
12) Eat & Enjoy!

Variations: Add some chopped, cooked broccoli or cooked peas for extra flavour and nutrition.