Sunday 29 April 2012

Moroccan Chick Pea Quinnoa

Quinnoa and Chick Peas

with
 Moroccan Vegetables
and
Cucumber Wakame Salad on a bed of Rocket


If you can, soak some chick peas before you go to bed in preparation for the meal.  How many? At least one cup. It seems no matter how many I soak, there are never enough to do everything they inspire me to do with them so err on the side of generosity.  If you are lucky you'll have enough not only for home made hummus but perhaps falafel and or chick pea patties as well.

If you haven't soaked any the previous night, you can pour boiling water on some in the morning for the evening meal.  Otherwise use a tin or two - rinse well!

Chick Peas

Ingredients
1 cup of soaked chick peas
3 cups of filtered or spring water

Method
Bring to boil on the highest heat in a non-aluminium pan
turn the heat down low and cover to simmer for between 30 minutes to one hour
OR
Use a stainless steel pressure cooker if possible in which case cook for between 20 mins and 40 mins

Moroccan Style Vegetables 

(serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 medium red onion - cut in halves and sliced thinly
1 sweet red pepper - cut in halves and sliced thinly
4 stalks of celery  - sliced - half a cm
3 cloves of garlic - grated, crushed or minced
1 small or half a large green chilli - cut in strips then cut across to mince as small as possible
1 or one and a half cups of cooked chick peas
3 desert spoons of naturally brewed non-gm soya sauce (or to taste)
Spices (optional)
half a teaspoon of cinnamon
half a teaspoon of turmeric
one teaspoon paprika

Method
(If making the entire meal then follow Schedule see below).

1. First prepare the vegetables - wash and cut

2. Add the garlic to the onions, sauté for a minute then add the celery and sweet pepper and sauté for another couple of minutes.

3. Add the minced chillies and stir and saute for another minute then add the other spices and mix well.   

4. Add soya sauce and water, cover and turn the heat down very low, leave to simmer for 15 minutes

5. Add more water to the vegetables if required, and place the sliced green beans on top, cover and continue simmering on a low heat.

6. If you like it can sit whilst you add a little organic corn starch or kuzu and simmer for another minute to thicken the liquid in the vegetables although this isn't necessary.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

7. Garnish with finely sliced spring onions (scallions)

Cucumber and Wakame Salad

Ingredients
one third of a cucumber
a strip of wakame about five inches in length
umeboshi sauce or lemon juice and salt

Method
(If making the entire meal then follow Schedule see below.)

1. Rinse the wakame and soak in enough spring water to cover, for at least 10 mins

2. Peel strips from the cucumber and slice as thinly as possible, and mix with the wakame

3. About 10 minutes before eating, Sprinkle a little salt on the cucumber slices and rub with fingers to distribute evenly on each slice.  Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the salad.  Alternatively just sprinkle with umeboshi sauce.

4. Place a small amount of rocket (or lots if you love it and have plenty) on each plate and top with the cucumber wakame mixture

Basic Quinoa

Ingredients:
Two Cups of Quinoa
Three Cups Filtered or Spring water
small pinch salt

Method

  • Place quinoa in a non-aluminium pan and fill with water.
    Swirl around with your hand and pour out through a sieve to remove any dust.
    Repeat if water is cloudy, then return the grain to the pan.


  • Add the spring water and salt, bring to boil on a high heat then immediately turn down to as low as possible but ensure it is simmering, (by checking that bubbles are continually rising to the top).
  • When all the water is absorbed it is ready, around 20 mins.

Schedule

  1. Put the chick peas on the heat as described above, when simmering, take note of the time 
  2. Prepare the vegetables - wash and cut
  3. Wash the quinoa and add the water and salt
  4. Rinse the wakame and soak in enough spring water to cover, for at least 10 mins
  5. Sauté the onions till floppy/translucent (about 3 mins), 
  6. Put the quinoa on to boil
  7. Add the garlic to the onions, sauté for a minute then add the celery and sweet pepper and sauté for another couple of minutes.
  8. Add the minced chillies and stir and saute for another minute then add the other spices and mix well.   
  9. Add chick peas, soya sauce and water, cover with a lid and turn the heat down very low, leave to simmer whilst doing the following:
  10. Slice the wakame as finely as possible, (set aside the stem and soaking water for miso soup)
  11. Peel strips from the cucumber and slice as thinly as possible  Sprinkle a little salt on the cucumber slices and rub with fingers to distribute evenly on each slice.  Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the salad.  Alternatively just sprinkle with umeboshi sauce. Mix with the wakame.
  12. Add more water to the vegetables if required, and place the sliced green beans on top, cover and continue simmering on a low heat.
  13. Place a small amount of rocket (or lots if you love it and have plenty) on each plate and top with the cucumber wakame mixture
  14. Remove the quinoa when ready, and if you like it can sit whilst you add a little organic corn starch or kuzu and simmer for another minute to thicken the liquid in the vegetables although this isn't necessary.  Taste and adjust seasoning. 
  15. Garnish with finely sliced spring onions (scallions)
  16. Serve and Enjoy!




Tuesday 10 April 2012

Vegetable Risotto with Water Sauteed Cabbage

Seasonal Vegetable Risotto with Water Sauteed Cabbage

Ingredients
(serves 4)
Chopped Vegs of your choice - I used:
1 Red Onion
3 Organic Carrots (on offer at co-op for £1 per bag atm)
4 Stringless beans (from reduced section at co-op)
Three rather large mushrooms

Finely sliced cabbage

1 big cup of Brown Rice

Garnish or Salad- I used watercress, cucumber, sweet red pepper
Pickle - I used 2 large olives pp
Seasoning - I used 3 desert spoons of soya sauce for the risotto
                               Sprinkle of umeboshi sauce for the salad
                               Natural sea salt for the cabbage

Method 

Simple Organic Brown Rice

1) Cook the Rice - rinse and add 2 cups of water to one cup of rice, bring to boil, cover, simmer for 45 mins
Right away or later in the day
2) Chop the Vegs - Larger need longer to cook, smaller need less time - how hungry are you?

Prepared Vegetables
 3) Add a little oil to a heavy pan and saute the onions till floppy - about 3 or 4 mins, stirring frequently.
4) Add the carrots and 2 desert spoons of water, cover, lower flame and allow them to steam for about 10 mins
5) Stir then add the beans, mushrooms and a layer of rice - about 50% rice and 50% vegs.
6) Add 3 desertspoons of soya sauce and about one quarter cup of water, cover and simmer on the lowest heat for about 15 mins.  More water and time may be added.
7) Remove from heat and keep covered whilst you stir 'fry' the cabbage using water and a pinch of seasalt instead of oil
Garnish and serve.




Thursday 5 April 2012


Easy Quick Mushroom Risotto

Great for lunch or as part of a larger meal

Mushrooms 3 large or 6 small per person
Garlic one clove per person
Virgin Olive Oil - one teaspoon per person or as required
Naturally brewed Soy Sauce
Cooked 'left over' soft short grain organic brown rice one cup per person
Pine nuts 2 desert spoons per person (optional)

Preparation
Wash and slice the mushrooms. 
Peel the garlic and crush, mince or get your garlic press ready to hand

In a heavy pan, frying pan or skillet gently warm the oil. Its hot enough, if a sliver of mushroom sizzles slightly when dropped in.
Sautee the garlic for one minute, stirring constantly
Turn heat up to medium and add the mushrooms  stirring until they start to soften
Add 1 desert spoon of pine nuts and stir one minute (optional)
Cover with rice and add about one eighth to one quarter of a cup of water or organic soya milk (unsweetened) mixed with  one teaspoon of soy sauce per person
Cover with lid or plate, turn heat to low and allow to steam for 15 mins.
Slice the mushrooms
Check at 5 minute intervals and add more liquid if needed.
Meanwhile prepare and cook the cabbage (below)

Mix and serve natural sauerkraut sprinkled with finely chopped spring onions
Delicious with gomasio and quick water sauteed green cabbage.

Quick Water Sauteed green Cabbage
Slice required amount of cabbage thinly 
Heat heavy pan and add two desert spoons of water
Add cabbage and stir on medium high heat
Continue till green part is tender but still green