VEGETARIANS post ur fave recipes :)

My daughter found this recipe on CC and it sounded crazy! Butternut squash, garlic and prunes!? But she was curious so had to try it. Sure enough, with a little tweaking, it was a taste-bud sensation!

This freezes well and refridgerates for up to 3 days. I know the combination of flavours sounds crazy, I was skeptical too, but it really tastes delicious! I eat it on its own, its quite a large portion. Would perhaps go some starchy carbs/grains. well with a small green salad, and maybe some bulgur wheat or brown rice if you fancy

500g Butternut Squash
1 1/2 cups green lentils
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cloves garlic
3g thyme
400g tomatoes, tinned
100g Prunes
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion
1 veggie stock cube
400 ml water

Boil the lentils in the veggie stock cube and water for 1 hour.
Roast the squash in chunks in the oven for 30 mins.
Warm the oil and add finely chopped garlic and coarsley chopped onion.
Add the squash and any fluids which may have come off during roasting.
Drain the lentils, reserving the stock and adding it to the pan.
When the squash begings to break up a little, add the lentils and tin of tomatoes.
Simmer for 20 mins then add cinnamon,nutmeg, thyme & prunes.
Mix well and leave to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the squash has almost completely broken down and the sauce has thickened.

calories per serving 386


Chickpea and Spinach Curry

My family loves it when I cook this! There are 3 servings because I eat it on its own as a meal, but if you have it with rice, or pilau bulgur as I occasionally do, you can half the portion size. This is so incredibly low calorie for a huge portion and one of the meals I tend to make in bulk and keep in the freezer for a while. It really is delicious! Don't be daunted by all the herbs and spices, they are all great for using with other things.

Chickpea and Spinach Curry
Serves: 3
240g chick peas, canned, drained weight (basically one tin)
400g tomatoes, canned
100g spinach
8 mushrooms
1 onion
2g yellow mustard seeds
5g paprika
5g cumin
2g ginger
2g garam masala
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1g pepper
1 small red pepper
1 small green pepper
2 small yellow pepper

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pan.
Add the mustard seeds on low temperature
When the mustard seeds start to pop add in the sliced onions garlic and ginger with a little water.
When the onions soften add in the mushrooms and peppers.
Add in the spices and herbs and cover for 5 mins until all the veg is soft.
Add in the chickpeas and cover for 5 more mins.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and stir well.
After 5 or so mins add the spinach (about 6/7 lumps frozen).
Mix the spinach in so its covered by the sauce.
Cover it up but keep stirring every few mins.
It can be served as soon as the spinach is cooked (i.e. not frozen in big lumps, but flavour intensifies the longer you simmer it for.
It may need simmering without the lid to reduce the wateriness of the sauce.

240 calories per serving, 7.4g F, 0.9g SF, 38.2 C, 8g S, 9.5 Fb, 9.8g P

Butternut Squash and Coconut Curry
Continuing the curry theme today! This one is delicious, made it for my family once, because I'd heard that butternut squash and coconut are designed for one another. This appears to have been true!

Butternut Squash and Coconut Curry
Serves: 6
1 cup green lentils
700ml water
1 large onion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 aubergine
1 butternut squash
1 carrot
3g ginger
2 tsp garam masala
200ml coconut milk, low fat
2 vegetable stock cubes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 red pepper
1/2g yellow pepper
100g okra
400g cauliflower
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp corn flour

Cut the squash into cubes and roast in the oven for 20 mins.
Heat the oil with all herbs and spices for 2 -3 mins.
Add the chopped garlic and ginger along with the tomato puree and a dash of water.
Simmer for a minute or so then add the chopped onions.
Once the onions have softened add stock cubes, lentils and remaining water.
Add the cauliflower florets and cubed carrot.
Simmer for 20 mins.
Add the okra and butternut squash.
Simmer for 15 mins.
Add the coconut milk.
Addd the corn flour mixed with a little water, to thicken.
Simmer for 10 mins uncovered.

290 calories per serving, 7.0g F, 3.8g SF, 50.7 C, 8.9g S, 12.3 Fb, 11.4g P

Spicy Polenta

I've fancied making this for a while now, having read a lot about it. I had tried the ready made variety and found it to be entirely flavourless, but nothing tastes as good as home made food, so I thought I'd give it a try! The results were good, I didn't expect to like it but it made a delicious side dish, and a great portion size for low calories.

Spicy Polenta
Serves: 3
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 1/3 cup water
1 cube vegetable stock
1/2 tsp cumin
3 g garam masala
1 g coriander

Mix the cornmeal/polenta with a little of the water until it is all stirred in, and then slowly dilute until you have used up 2/3 cup water. Then boil the remaining water witht he stock cube until the stock cube dissolves.
Lower the heat and slowly stir in the cornmeal blend. Add in the cumin, garam masala and corriander and continue stirring, allowing the mixture to thicken to a nice gloopy consistency. This should only take about 5 minutes, depending on how coarse your polenta is.
Transfer the mixture to a cake tin, allow to cool and then leave it in the fridge for a few hours.
When it is cooled it should be sliceable, divide into servings. This should keep in the fridge for a few days.


54 calories per serving, 0.7g F, 0.1g SF, 11.0g C, 0.1g S, 1g Fb, 1.3g P


Nutty Veggie Burgers

These are yummy, even my very loyal meat-eater boyfriend approved them! they go great with a yoghurt sauce, or a chutney in a wholemeal bun or pitta.

Nutty Veggie Burgers
Serves: 9 burgers
240g chick peas, basically 1 drained tin.
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 egg
2 tbsp cornmeal
1 courgette
1 yellow pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
50g almonds
pinch of salt and pepper

Boil the chickpeas for 20 mins to soften them as much as possible. Then drain them and allow to cool.
Put the courgette, garlic, deseeded pepper, and the onion into a magic bullet/blender(you may need to chop them into small pieces first depending on your blender) with the egg, and a few tablespoons of water.
Add the paprika, cumin, turmeric, and salt and pepper.
Remove this mixture and put it into a large mixing bowl.
Now put the cooled chickpeas into the bullet/blender and blitz into a smoothish paste (you may need to add a little water, or sdo this in small batches).Then add this to the mixing bowl.
Roast the almonds in the oven for 15 minutes, making sure they don't burn. Then chop them, but not too finely and add to the mixing bowl.
Give it a good stir and then add in the cornmeal, and mix well.
Line an oven tray with baking sheet and shape the mix into 9 palm-size balls, which you can then flatten into burgers and put on the baking sheet.
Leave the tray in the fridge for an hour or so, then transfewr them to a pre-heated 180 degree oven.
Cook the burgers for 20 minutes, then turn them over with care and roast for a firther 5-10 minutes, so that they go golden brown on both sides.

92 calories per serving, 3.7g F, 0.4g SF, 12.0g C, 1.2g S, 2.8g Fb, 3.9g P

This is from fatfreevegan.com:

Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 small onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms (baby bella or button), sliced
3/4 cup vegetable broth
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Trim the dry ends off the sprouts and then cut them in half. Prepare the remaining vegetables and heat a non-stick skillet. Have the vegetable broth standing by.

Put the onions into the hot skillet and give them a sprinkle of salt (optional, but speeds browning). Stirring constantly, adding a teaspoon or two of broth to the skillet if the onions stick, cook until the onions begin to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and more broth if necessary, and cook for another minute. Remove onions and garlic to a plate and return the skillet to the heat.

Put the sprouts into the skillet, cut side down. Cook until they begin to brown and then add in the mushrooms and stir. Cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently. Add about 1/2 cup vegetable broth and the reserved onions, stir, turn down the heat, and cover tightly. Cook until the sprouts are tender and easily pierced with a fork, 3-5 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately, garnished with grated orange peel, if desired.
Servings: 4
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 72 calories, 5 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 116.5mg sodium, 653mg potassium, 14.5g carbohydrates, 5.2g fiber, 4.2g sugar, 6.1g protein.

I just posted a really great wholewheat creamy veg pasta bake recipe on my blogspot page:
milileitner.blogspot.com/
(scroll down to the 2nd entry). It's versatile, quick, easy and dead cheap.


To make the cream sauce, heat up 250ml milk, 2 tbsp plain flour, 2 tbsp dijon mustard (to taste), 1 tbsp butter (or equivalent, I use dairy free) and 1 tsp vegeta (or similar vegetable stock/seasoning). Mix it until it looks smooth and a little thick. Combine with al dente pasta (200g total), half-cooked broccoli and mushrooms and grilled tomatoes (skin-off, preferably). Bang it in the oven until it looks good (10-20 mins on 200) and eat it up. Serves 4.

Stats:
265 calories
40g carbs
8g fat
11g protein
495mg sodium
13% daily calcium

Sounds beautiful! Bump, must try