MARINATED AUBERGINES
Preparation time: 10 mins + 10 mins cooking time
Serves: 6
Ingredients
· 1-1½ lb/450-500g aubergines
· 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
· 1 clove garlic, crushed
· 1 tsp chopped fresh basil
· 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
· ½ tsp salt
· ¼ tsp black pepper
· 3 tbsp olive oil
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil.
2. Cut the unpeeled aubergine into 1” cubes.
3. Place aubergine in boiling water, reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins.
4. Drain well.
5. Combine vinegar, herbs and seasoning and add to aubergine.
6. Marinate in fridge for 1 hour.
7. Toss lightly with olive oil just before serving.
HUMMUS
Preparation time: 5 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients
· 14oz/400g drained weight cooked chickpeas
· 1 tbsp tahini
· 1 tbsp olive oil
· Juice of ½ – 1 lemon
· Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Rinse chickpeas well.
2. Blend all ingredients well using a blender or food processor.
3. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more lemon juice if necessary.
4. Cover and refrigerate until used.
CUCUMBER SALAD
Preparation time: 5 mins
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
· 1 crème fraiche or sour cream
· 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
· 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Preparation
1. Combine all ingredients and chill.
CHICKEN CURRY
Serves 6
Preparation time: 15 mins + 30 mins cooking time
Ingredients
· 2 tbsp/30ml coconut oil
· 1 medium onion, diced
· 1 tbsp/15ml grated fresh ginger or 1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
· 24 oz/680g boneless and skinless chicken breasts, diced
· 2 tomatoes, diced
· ½ cup/125ml chopped fresh coriander
· 1 tbsp/15ml good curry powder
· 1 tsp/5ml ground cumin
· ½ tsp/5ml chilli powder or cayenne pepper
· Salt to taste
Preparation
1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot.
2. Fry the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for another minute or two.
4. Brown the chicken pieces.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add a little boiling water if there is not enough liquid.
6. Serve with quinoa, buckwheat or cauliflower rice.
ROASTED VEG SALAD
Preparation time: 10 mins + 60 mins roasting
Serves: 4
Ingredients
· 2 tbsp coconut oil
· 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
· 1 onion, quartered
· 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into large chunks
· 1 red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
· 2 tomatoes
· Lettuce for serving
· 3½oz/100g blue cheese, crumbled
· Fresh herbs to garnish
· For the dressing: 2 tbsp vinegar, 6 tbsp olive oil, mustard and herbs to taste
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180°C.
2. Rub baking sheet with coconut oil and crushed garlic.
3. Place baking sheet in oven to heat.
4. Reduce oven to 300°F/150°C.
5. Roast veg for 1 hour, turning once.
6. Place generous amounts of lettuce on 4 plates.
7. Top with veg then blue cheese.
8. Drizzle with dressing.
9. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.
HEARTS OF PALM
Preparation time: 5 mins + 60 mins refrigeration
Serves 4
Ingredients
· 28 oz/794g bottle or can hearts of palm
· For the dressing: ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Preparation
1. Drain the hearts of palm and rinse well.
2. Toss gently with the dressing and chill for 1 hour before serving.
ZUCCHINI BOATS
Serves 6
Ingredients
· 3 large zucchini
· 1 TB/12.5ml coconut oil
· 1 onion, chopped
· 1 large clove garlic, crushed
· 1 leek, finely sliced
· 2 carrots, finely chopped
· 1 cup/250ml cooked chick peas (optional)
· 1 x 15 oz./425g can kernel corn, rinsed and drained
· 2 TB/25ml ground cumin
· 1 tsp/5ml dried oregano
· 1 tsp/5ml chili powder
· 1 pinch cayenne pepper salt and pepper to taste
· 2 oz./60g soft, full-fat cheese
Preparation
1. Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise. Hollow out the centre of each half.
2. Heat the olive oil and fry the onion, garlic and leek.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese and simmer until cooked, adding a small amount of boiling water if necessary to prevent burning.
4. Season to taste with the salt and paprika.
5. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini shells.
6. Sprinkle with cheese then wrap in foil.
7. Bake over coals for 30 minutes.
8. The chilli can be made ahead and refrigerated. Fill the zucchini boats and cook when needed.
VARIATIONS:
o Replace the kernel corn with kidney beans, black beans or lentils.
o Omit the cheese or toss in tofu chunks.
o Add chopped fresh chilli for more heat.
o Use marrow or small squash instead of zucchini.
DESSERTS
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE –CHUNK ALMOND CAKE
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
· 8.8 oz/250g unsalted butter
· ⅓ cup/8ml honey
· 8 oz/200-250g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
· 6 oz/190g ground almonds
· 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
2. Butter a round 8”/20cm springform cake pan and line the bottom with paper.
3. Cream the butter and honey well, then add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Stir in the almonds and chocolate.
5. Whip the egg whites until stiff.
6. Gently fold a small amount of the whites into the yolk mixture to soften it.
7. Add the yolk mixture to the rest of the whites, folding it in gently to retain as much air as possible.
8. Pour into the cake pan and bake for 45 mins.
9. Cool completely before removing from pan.
10. Best eaten on the day it is mad.
LEMON MERINGUE
Serves 6
Ingredients
· 1 cup/250ml chopped almonds
· 1 cup/250ml chopped dates
· ¼ cup/602.5ml softened butter
· ¼ cup/62.5ml honey
· 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
· ¼ cup/62.5ml fresh lemon juice
· 2 egg whites
· 1 tbsp castor sugar
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Blend almonds and dates together to make a crust.
3. Press into 1 large pie plate or 6 small dishes. Chill.
4. Combine butter and honey over a double boiler or in a microwave on 70%.
5. Add eggs gradually, stirring constantly. Do not boil or it will curdle.
6. Add lemon juice and cook gently until it thickens.
7. Pour onto the crust.
8. Beat egg whites until stiff,then beat in the sugar.
9. Spoon onto filling and bake for 10 mins until lightly golden.
10. Chill well before serving.
BERRY NICE CREAM
Serves 6
Ingredients
· 3 bananas
· 125g frozen mixed berries
· 125g fresh strawberries
Preparation
1. Chop and freeze the bananas for 2 hours.
2. Blend with the berries
3. Serve immediately or freeze.
