RECIPE SUGGESTIONS
BEETROOT, FETA AND WALNUT PASTA
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The beetroot is delicious roasted in a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil with salt, pepper, garlic and thyme.
Then dice and toss through cooked wholewheat spaghetti with crumbled feta and toasted walnuts. Drizzle with olive oil and fresh thyme leaves.
CHARD PESTO
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To make chard pesto bring a large pan of water to the boil, throw in some sliced leeks (or onions) and a couple of whole cloves of garlic. Boil for 3 minutes. Add a large bunch of roughly chopped chard and boil for a further 3 minutes. Then drain and blend with a good glug of olive oil a ladleful of cooking water, some grated parmesan or cheddar and some walnuts. Great stirred through pasta or new potatoes.
SAVOURY COURGETTE M'HENCHA (spiral pie)
Ingredients:
1.2Kg diced courgette
2 diced red peppers
2 diced red onions
1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds
1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
50g fresh coriander
100g chopped and destoned dates
100g pearl barley, cooked according to pack instructions
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g chopped toasted pistachio nuts
1 pack filo pastry (7 sheets)
Sunflower oil for brushing
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1.) Put a large pan on a medium heat with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the courgette, peppers, onion, spices, fresh coriander stalks (finely chopped) and some salt and black pepper. Cook on a medium-low heat for about 30 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
2.) When it is all soft, but not coloured, stir in the cooked pearl barley, the dates, the chopped coriander leaves and the lemon juice and leave to cool. Check the seasoning. (It is great as it is now to eat as a salad!)
3.) Lay out two damp tea towels, side by side, with the long sides closest to you. Place two sheets of filo long sides closest to you, overlapping by about 4 cm and brush will oil. Place two more sheets on top and brush with oil and then a further two. Then sprinkle the pistachios (reserving a tablespoon or two of them) over the the third of the pastry closest to you, all along the length. Then spoon over the courgette mix, all along the length of the pastry on top of the pistachios. Using the tea towels to help, roll the pastry around the filling until you have a long sausage. Then roll round into a spiral and use the extra sheet of pastry to patch up any holes.
4.) Brush the entire thing with oil and then bake at about 180C for about 45 minutes until golden and crisp. About 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time sprinkle over the reserved pistachios. This tastes great with a crisp green salad and a spicy tomato sauce.
BLACKCURRANT SMOOTHIE
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Blitz blackcurrants with natural yogurt, banana and ground almonds. Garnish with mint!
YOGURT STUFFED COURGETTES
WITH RICE SALAD
Halve some courgettes lengthways, then scoop out the seedy flesh and set aside. Mix 4 tbsp of thick Greek yogurt with 1 medium egg and some salt and pepper. Load the yogurt mix into the courgette boats, sprinkle with pine nuts and bake for 25 minutes. Meanwhile fry some chopped onion for a few minutes, then add the chopped courgette flesh and some chopped garlic and cook for a minute more. Mix into some cooked brown rice with some chopped sundried tomatoes, grated cheese, pine nuts, chopped flat leaf parsley and seasoning. Heat through thoroughly or enjoy cold with the yogurt courgettes.
FRUIT COULIS
This tastes delicious with ice cream, yogurt or sponge cake
Add 500g of mixed currants and berries to a pan with 70g of caster sugar (a little more if you have a sweet tooth or more currants and less sweet berries), 2 sprigs of fresh mint and 2-3tbsp of water. Bring to the boil and then gently simmer for 5 minutes. Strain for a smooth coulis or leave in the berries for a juicy burst!