Bulghur Wheat Salad

On these hot summer nights, I haven't really wanted to eat much more than a salad for dinner.  Teenagers though, need filling up, so adding grains to salad and vegetable ingredients is a great way to satisfy everyone.  This salad was tasty and filling.

Bulghur Wheat Salad

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups bulgur wheat
1 tsp ground oregano
2-1/2 cups boiling water
2 medium courgettes (zucchini) - sliced lengthwise down the middle and then crosswise into diagonal slices
1 large red pepper - sliced into strips
Olive oil
2 medium carrots - grated
2 spring onions - sliced thinly
handful pine-nuts
large handful fresh mint - chopped


Dressing

2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 orange - juice only
Honey - a little drizzle


Put the bulgur wheat into a large bowl and mix in the oregano. Pour the boiling water over and cover with a lid. Set aside for approx. 20 mins.

Combine the courgettes and peppers in a bowl. Give them a good drizzle of olive oil and stir well. Transfer veggies onto a baking tray and roast in the oven - approx. 200 degrees C - for 20 mins.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining dressing ingredients in a small jar. Shake well and put aside.

When the bulgur wheat is cooked, fluff it through with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Mix in the roasted veggies, carrots, spring onions, pine-nuts and mint. Drizzle over just a little dressing and mix through. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, mix in more dressing to suit your tastes (some people like just a little and others like it soaked right through the salad).

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Aubergine & Mushroom Lasagne - 2

There is always more than one way to create a recipe, especially as I tend to make things up as I go along - depending on what ingredients I have lying around.  Here is another of my vegetable lasagne versions - it is easier than my Aubergine & Mushroom Lasagne - 1, and still delicious! :)


Ingredients

Olive Oil
4 x garlic cloves - peeled and finely chopped
1 onion - diced
2 medium aubergines (eggplants) - diced
1 large courgette (zucchini) - diced
200g brown mushrooms - quartered
Dried thyme
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
Dried chilli
Fresh basil - roughly chopped
Lasagne noodles
400g Mozzarella cheese - cut into slices
Cheddar cheese - grated
Parmesan cheese - grated


Gently fry the garlic and onion in a large pan with some oil.  When softened, add the aubergines, courgette, mushrooms and a good shake of thyme.  Stir well and cook until the vegetables soften and start to create their own juices - approx. 30 mins.

Pour in the tomatoes, a good shake of chilli and the basil.  Stir well and cook for another 10 mins or so until slightly thickened.

In a large ovenproof dish, place approx. 1/2 a cup of the veggie sauce, to coat the bottom.  Add a layer of lasagne noodles.  Spoon half the veggie mixture over the top of the noodles, then add a layer of sliced mozzarella and a sprinkling of cheddar.  Repeat with more noodles, sauce and cheese, then sprinkle over some parmesan.

Bake in oven preheated to 190C for approx. 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with a crispy lettuce salad and enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Courgette & Potato Soup

I craved a filling and wholesome soup and wanted to finish up a few veggies before my next organic fruit and vegetable delivery.  This easy and delicious soup was the answer.

Ingredients

Olive oil
2 medium onions - diced
2 large garlic cloves - chopped
1 leek - sliced
4 large courgettes (zucchini) - cut into chunks
7 small potatoes - cut into chunks
4 cups vegetable stock
150ml cream cheese with chives (you could use one without the chives, but this was what I had in the fridge.  I probably would have added chives anyway!)
parsley - chopped
lemon


Cook onions, garlic and leek in a little oil, until just starting to brown.  Add courgettes and potatoes, stirring until softened.  Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then simmer for approx. 20-30 minutes.

Cool slightly, then blend all together.

Stir in cream cheese and parsley, with a good squeeze of lemon juice.  Serve with cornbread muffins - recipe found at: In Caryl's Kitchen: Cornbread Muffins.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Roasted Ratatouille

Roasting veggies is such an easy way to cook, especially when you've got other things to do.  I love experimenting with different ways of putting them together and this my version of a roasted ratatouille.

Ingredients

2 medium aubergine (eggplants)
3 courgettes (zucchini)
1 red pepper (capsicum)
1 orange pepper (capsicum)
1 large onion
1 bulb garlic - peeled and cloves separated
Olive oil
Salt
Rosemary
5 tomatoes - roughly chopped
Parmesan - grated


Cut the aubergines, courgettes, peppers and onion into large pieces.  Put them into a large bowl, with the garlic cloves and pour a nice glug of oil over them.  Sprinkle with salt and rosemary and stir well.

Spread the veggies out onto two oven trays and place in the oven at 200 degrees C.  Roast for approx. 45 minutes.  Divide the roughly chopped tomatoes between the two trays, stir well and return to oven for a further 30 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the other vegetables are browned.  Add a good sprinkling of grated parmesan and stir again.

Serve warm, with baked fish, or anything else for that matter!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Leek & Courgette Flan with Chia Seed Pastry

So, here's another really clever way to incorporate chia seeds into a family meal.  This is also a really easy pastry that doesn't need chilling and rolling.

Pastry Ingredients - (this just about makes a 9 inch pie shell.  I need to rework the amounts to fit the size better.)

90g Butter
2-1/2 tbsp milk
salt
2 tbsp Chia seeds
1 cup Self-raising flour - (less 2 tbsp)
1/2 tsp Baking powder


Put the butter and milk in a pan over a low heat, just until the butter melts.

Finely grind the chia seeds.  (I used my little coffee grinder).  Mix the ground seeds with the flour and baking powder, then add the flour mixture to the butter and milk.  Stir well, to form a ball.  Gently pat into a lightly buttered pie plate, keeping it as even as possible and building up the sides.  (I like to keep it very thin on the bottom and then allow the sides to be a little thicker).

Put aside, in the fridge, while preparing the filling.


Filling Ingredients

Butter
3 cloves Garlic - crushed
2 Leeks - washed and sliced
1 large Courgette (Zucchini) - sliced
1 Red Pepper (Capsicum) - chopped
3 large Eggs
1/2 tub Creme Fraiche (sour cream)
1/2 cup Milk
Strong cheese - grated


Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

Put a good size knob of butter into a pan, add the garlic and leeks, stirring well until the leeks start to soften.  Add the courgettes and peppers, stir, then pop the lid on the pan and leave to soften and create a little of their own juices.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs well.  Stir in the creme fraiche and milk, and season to taste.

Give the veggies a good stir and pour into the pastry case.  Spread evenly.  Sprinkle a good handful, or so, of cheese over the top.  Transfer the dish to the oven shelf, then carefully pour the egg mixture over the top.  (I find this easier than pouring it all into the dish and then trying to transfer it to the oven without spills!)  Sprinkle a little paprika over the top to make it look pretty, if desired.

Bake in oven, at 190 degrees C, for approx. 20 mins.  Turn down to 180 degrees C and cook for another 15 mins.

Serve with a nice salad.  Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Linguine with Courgettes & Mushrooms

When you need to use up your veggie box quickly, this is a really tasty and easy meal to throw together.

Olive Oil
Garlic Cloves (I used about 6 because we love garlic!)
1 x large onion, sliced
3 x large courgettes (zucchini), halved lengthways, then sliced thinly across
1 x large punnet brown mushrooms (approx 400g), sliced thinly
Pine Nuts (kernels)
Parmesan cheese, grated


Fry the garlic and onions in a large pan, with a little olive oil, until starting to brown.  Add the courgettes and continue stirring until they soften.  Add the mushrooms and stir until they just start to release their juices, then pop the lid on the pan.

Let the veggies cook while you go check the last of your emails for the day and finish putting away whatever's left of the In Caryl's Kitchen: Blueberry Chia Seed Muffins you made earlier.

Check the veggies and give them a good stir.  There should be a good amount of the juices in the pan and the veggies will be soft.  Throw in what's left of the packet of pine kernels and pour the mixture over cooked linguine (or any pasta of choice).

Serve with grated parmesan cheese over the top.  You can, of course, add any extra seasonings, but we like this one really simple!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥