The Meat Eater gave me a copy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s ‘River Cottage Veg Every Day!’ cookbook for Christmas and tonight I gave one of the recipes a try. It’s a great book, packed full of tempting recipes and gorgeous colour photos. After a week of wine- and cheese-based indulgence, I only wanted something light, so went for the pasta with greens, chilli and garlic recipe.

Hugh’s recipe called for spring greens, kale or Savoy cabbage, but my local Tesco had none of these in, so I used some spinach instead.

The following method and ingredients aren’t exactly as stated in the book, but this is what I used and how I did it.

Pasta with greens, chilli and garlic (serves 2)

100g spinach
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 onion
150g pasta shapes
salt and pepper

Fry the onion in the olive oil for about 10 minutes (put the pasta on to boil in a separate pan when appropriate for timing)
Add the garlic and chilli to the onion mixture and fry for a couple more minutes
Add the spinach to the onion mixture and fry until wilted
Season with salt and pepper
Drain the pasta and mix with the spinach and onion mixture

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When my running’s going well and I’m feeling fit and healthy, that’s when I usually reach for Anita Bean’s Food for Fitness book that has a load of delicious, healthy recipes (not all vegetarian but plenty that are) that are quick and easy to make. Tonight’s was no exception.

Spicy bean lasagne (serves 4)

1 onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp each of cumin and ground coriander
2 tins (2 x 420g) borlotti beans (or other variety [I used black eye beans]), drained
1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
12 sheets lasagne (I actually only used 6)
350g (12 oz) cottage cheese (I used cheddar)
40g (1 1/2 oz) reduced fat mozzarella, grated

1. For the spicy beans, heat the oil in a pan and saute the onions and spices for 5 minutes
2. Add the beans and tomatoes, bring to the boil and cook for a few more minutes
3. Spray a baking dish with oil spray or coat lightly with a little oil
4. Place 3 sheets of lasagne in the bottom of the dish and cover with one quarter of the cottage cheese. Repeat the layers, finishing with the beans and cottage cheese
5. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake at 180C/gas mark 4 for 30 minutes

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I wanted to cook something tonight instead of heating up something frozen from a packet (like I often do on Fridays) but I didn’t want to go shopping for ingredients and so I looked in the fridge and there was a red pepper, a bag of spinach, some green beans and a savoy cabbage. I couldn’t think of anything to do with them and so I decided to have the meatfree balls that were in the freezer and make a tomato sauce and chuck in the red pepper and spinach. So that’s what I did. I also chucked in a red chilli.

Meatfree balls in a spicy tomato and spinach sauce (serves 4)
1 packet of meatfree balls (I used Sainsburys own)
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 tins chopped tomatoes
Half a bag of spinach, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper

Cook the meatfree balls according to the instructions on the packet.

Meanwhile, fry the onion and garlic in the oil for a few minutes, then add the red chilli and fry for another couple of minutes.

Add the red pepper and fry for a bit longer.

Add the tins of tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes.

Add the meatfree balls and spinach and warm through until the spinach has wilted.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with spaghetti.

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I got sent one of these

in this week’s Riverford box. After ignoring the old ‘Google is your friend’ thing, I posted a photo of it on Facebook and asked what it was. I got the following answers:

‘No idea – I’d probably draw it!’
‘Put batteries in it and sit on it…. ?’
‘Whatever it is I think u will be parping for a few days after u eat it!!’
‘Take acid, wait a bit, stare at it and if it gets scary … eat it.’
‘Put a pair of sunglasses on it first’

None of which, although amusing, were particularly helpful. But on investigating the Riverford website, it said I’d been sent a romanesco cauliflower and so I googled it and lo! lots of pretty pictures of bright green trippy alien optical illusion Christmas tree type vegetables appeared.

I also googled what the hell to do with it and found out – quite disappointingly really – that you treat it like a normal cauliflower.

So I made cauliflower cheese. Albeit a posh cauliflower cheese with spinach and pasta.

Here it is.

I used this cauliflower cheese and spinach pasta bake recipe from the BBC Good Food website and very nice it was too.

Next week in my Riverford box, I’m not getting an alien cauliflower, I’m getting brussel sprouts.

Bah.

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As I was making this dish, I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out as I thought it might be a bit bland.  At the first mouthful, I did think it was a bit bland and needed ‘something’ but the more I ate of it, the more I liked it.  Very nice indeed.

It’s another dish from the BBC Good Food website, but ignore what it says about being on the table in ten minutes, they are lying.

The ingredients call for 400g penne or macaroni but in the cupboard I had about 80g of macaroni and 140g of conchiglie, so I made up the difference with spaghetti that I snapped into pieces.  Also it said to boil the onion but I didn’t like the sound of boiled onion, so I fried it.  Another instruction I took no notice of was to grill it; I put it in the oven on about 200C for about ten minutes.

I won’t be blogging next week as I’m off to Naples on Monday to eat pizza for my birthday on Tuesday when apparently my life will be beginning.

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There’s quite a lot of ingredients in this, although most of which should be in your store cupboard.  In fact, I only had to buy a carrot, so it’s kind of like a free meal.  Result.

What is even more of a result is that it’s delicious.  The Meat Eater ate a mouthful, declared it ‘yum’, finished before me for the first time ever and asked me to make it again.  Fine praise indeed.

It’s not the most lowest of calorie dinners, with it containing cheese, flour, milk, lentils and pasta, but I’m going for a run tomorrow and can therefore eat what I like.

I wish.

Macaroni bake (serves 4 – I halved the ingredients to serve 2)
Taken from Leith’s Vegetarian Bible

For the lentil layer
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 carrots, finely diced
110g/4oz red lentils
1 x 400g/14oz can of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
a pinch of sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
2-3 tablespoons mango chutney

For the topping
110g/4oz macaroni
20g/¾oz butter
20g/¾oz plain flour
a pinch of cayenne pepper
425ml/¾ pint milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
wholegrain mustard
85g/3oz Cheddar cheese, grated
85g/3oz Parmesan-style cheese, freshly grated
1 teaspoon dried breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon mustard seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
2. First make the lentil layer: heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic and carrots.  Cover and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes or until the onion is softened and transparent.
3. Add the lentils, tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaf, Tabasco and chutney to the pan.  Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are cooked and the excess liquid has evaporated, leaving a thick but not dry mixture.  Discard the bay leaf and transfer the lentil mixture to a deep ovenproof dish.
4. Make the macaroni topping:  bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the macaroni and cook, uncovered, until al dente.  The water must boil steadily to keep the macaroni moving freely and prevent it from sticking to the pan.  Drain thoroughly and rinse under boiling water.
5. Melt the butter in another saucepan and add the flour and cayenne.  Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat, pour in the milk and mix well.  Return to the heat and stir until boiling, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
6. Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce and season to taste with salt, pepper and mustard.  Stir in all but 1 tablespoon of the grated cheeses and spoon the macaroni mixture on top of the lentil layer.  Mix the reserved cheese with the breadcrumbs and the mustard and sesame seeds, if used, and sprinkle evenly over the surface.  Place on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the topping is golden-brown.

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A nice, chunky, warming dish made with potato, beans and pasta for these cold evenings from Good Housekeeping Step by Step Vegetarian Cookbook. It came out thicker than I expected, as in the colour index it says it’s somewhere between a stew and a hearty soup which I suppose it is, but you only need a fork to eat it, not a spoon.

Pasta e fagioli (vegan if the cheese is omitted)
Serves 6

1 onion
1 leek
1 carrot
1 large potato
2 celery sticks
60ml (4 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
10ml (2 tsp) chopped fresh thyme
5ml (1 tsp) finely chopped fresh rosemary
500g (1 lb 2 oz) carton passata
600ml (1 pint) vegetable stock
225g (8oz) small conchiglie or ditali pasta
two 400g (14oz) cans borlotti beans, drained
60ml (4 tbsp) chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper

TO SERVE

75g (3 oz) Parmesan-style cheese, freshly grated
a little extra-virgin olive oil

1. Peel and chop the onion; slice the leek; peel and dice the carrot and potato; dice the celery.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan, add the onion, leek, carrot, potato, celery, garlic and herbs and fry gently for 10 minutes until softened slightly, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking.
3. Add the passata and stock.  Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile add the pasta to a large pan of lightly salted boiling water and cook for 5-6 minutes until al dente (tender but firm to the bite).  Drain and immediately refresh under cold water.  Drain well and toss with a little olive oil.
5. Add the beans to the stew.  cover and cook for a further 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the pasta and basil, heat through and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Spoon into warmed bowls and sprinkle generously with Parmesan-style cheese.  Drizzle with olive oil to serve.

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The Meat Eater made dinner tonight, as he’s in charge of cooking at the weekend (which actually means he only has to cook once as we usually go out Saturday nights) and he actually managed to make the dough in the bread machine all by himself instead of asking me if he was reading the instructions correctly like he usually does.

Toppings of choice this time were mushrooms, home grown tomatoes, home grown chili, onion, jalapenos, olives, spinach, cheddar and mozzarella.

I asked him if he would make me pizza every day, but he said no.

Bah.

Pre-oven pizza:

Post-oven pizza:

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As I’ve reinstated my organic vegetable box delivery, I needed some recipes to make use of the vegetables that I don’t usually buy, e.g. courgettes and other green healthy things like that.  I stumbled upon the BBC Good Food website and what a great site it is.  It has a search function that lets you choose what type of cuisine, dietary requirements, no. of servings, difficulty rating and more and photos of each recipe accompanied by user reviews.

Splendid.

Courgette lasagne wouldn’t be my first choice, but I decided to trust the reviews and although The Meat Eater and I were both dubious as to how grated courgette would turn out, it was very nice.  Nicer than the photo would have you believe, it looks a bit minging in my photo, but there’s a better one on the recipe’s website.

Creamy courgette lasagne
Easy
Serves 4
Prep 10 mins
Cook 10 mins

Ingredients
9 dried lasagne sheets
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
700g courgettes (about 6), coarsely grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
250g ricotta
50g cheddar
350g jar tomato sauce for pasta

1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.  Put a pan of water on to boil, then cook the lasagne sheets for about 5 minutes until softened, but not cooked through.  Rinse in cold water, then drizzle with a little oil to stop them sticking together.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onion.  After 3 mins, add the courgettes and garlic and continue to fry until the courgette has softened and turned bright green.  Stir in 2/3 of both the ricotta and the cheddar, then season to taste.  Heat the tomato sauce in the microwave for 2 minus on High until hot.
3. In a large baking dish, layer up the lasagne, starting with half the courgette mix, then pasta, then tomato sauce.  Repeat, top with blobs of the remaining ricotta, then scatter with the rest of the cheddar.  Bake on the top shelf for about 10 mins until the pasta is tender and the cheese is golden.

Cooking notes

I used 4 courgettes (not 6, but I added mushrooms to it), 3 lasagne sheets (that I didn’t pre-cook first) and heated the tomato sauce on the hob (as I’m not a fan of microwaves).  Although the recipe says it serves 4, we ate it between ourselves, although it could serve 3 if you served it with a side dish.

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Ok, my last plug for Leith’s Vegetarian Bible for the time being.  I’ve used this book a lot in the last week, and this recipe is one I’ve used lots in the past.  Good carbo-loading food (not that I run much anymore).

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
300g/11oz Quorn mince
1 x 400g/14oz can tomatoes
290ml/1/2 pint vegetable stock
2 tablespoons tomato puree
2 tablespoons mushroom ketchup

To serve

340g/12oz spaghetti
freshly grated Parmesan-style cheese

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, pepper, carrots and leek. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes until softened.
2. Add the Quorn mince to the vegetables and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.  Increase the heat and allow the Quorn to colour slightly.
3. Add the tomatoes (these can be liquidized for a smoother consistency, if liked), stock, tomato puree and mushroom ketchup.  Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the liquid is well reduced.  Adjust the seasoning to taste.
4. Meanwhile, bring  a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.  Add the spaghetti and cook, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes until al dente.  Drain thoroughly and rinse the spaghetti under hot running water.  Drain well.
5. Place the spaghetti in a warmed serving dish and pour over the Quorn bolognese sauce.
6. Serve with Parmesan-style cheese sprinkled on toip of the sauce or handed separately.

Quorn and red onion bolognese

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