Carrot, Coriander and Chickpea Koftas

Our flat happens to be situated above an exceptionally good Indian takeaway shop. Sometimes the scent is just too much when coming home from a long day at work. Today was one such day, so I set about creating an Indian inspired feast of my own. These koftas have been forming in my mind for a while, so I was more than happy to put them into practice.

Ingredients:

Low fat cooking spray

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 onion, finely sliced

1 tsp garam masala

1 clove garlic

4 medium carrots, grated

1/2 tin of chickpeas, lightly mashed

A good handful of fresh coriander, chopped

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

3 Tbs chickpea flour, plus extra for rolling

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 200°c and line and oven tray with foil. Spray with cooking spray.

2) In a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin and coriander seeds. Warm a small pan over a medium heat, spray some cooking spray and then add the ground seeds. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.

3) Add the onion and stir for 2 minutes before mixing in the garlic and the rest of the spices. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft.

4) Add the grated carrot and stir well to combine, then cover and leave to cook for about 5-10 minutes until the carrot is very soft.

5) Tip into a bowl and add the chick peas, coriander, lemon juice and salt to taste. Then stir in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

6) Shape into balls and roll in some flour. Place on the baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, turning once at about 12 minutes. Serve as part of an Indian meal with chutney and plain soy yoghurt.

Makes 6.

Savoury Muffins

These muffins are so simple to make and are a tasty weekend lunch option. Serve with salad and chutneys for a really tasty meal.

Ingredients:

1 c wholemeal flour

1 c plain flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

3 Tbs nutritional yeast

1 Tbs parsley, chopped

1 Tbs basil, chopped

1 small shallot, diced

2 Tbs courgette, grated (about 1/4 of a courgette)

1 Tbs celery, chopped

Black pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 c rice milk

1 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp Worchester sauce

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 200°c and prepare a 12 hole muffin pan.

2) Sift the flours, baking powder, salt and smoked paprika into a large bowl. Add the nutritional yeast and herbs, and stir well.

3) Tip in the chopped vegetables and olives, stir well and make a well in the middle.

4) Mix the egg, milk, oil and Worchester sauce together in a small bowl.

5) Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and gently fold together until just combined.

6) 2 thirds fill each muffin hole and cook for 15 minutes, until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack and serve with chutney.

Makes 9.

Cold Cross Rice Buns

Hot Cross Buns are an Eastertime must for me. Slightly unconventional, this recipe takes the essential flavours of the hot cross bun, and transfers them to rice - like a sweet onigiri (Japanese rice ball).

Gluten and dairy free, they are easy on the digestion and really substantial - you'll feel very satisfied after one and won't be tempted to keep eating. They make a great, sustaining snack and there's no temptation for loads of butter.

Ingredients:

1 c sushi rice

1 1/2 c rice milk

1 1/2 c cold water

2 Tbs rice syrup

50g raisins

30g mixed peel

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Cinnamon for the crosses

To make:

1) Rinse the rice and place in a bowl. Cover with water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

2) Drain the rice, put it in a small pot and add the water and milk. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the rice syrup, raisins and peel, cover again and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

3) Mix well with a fork and add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Leave to cool completely.

4) Wet your hands to stop the rice sticking to them and shape into rounded patties. Create the cross on top by sprinkling 2 lines of cinnamon on each.

Makes 10.

Ottelenghi's Multi-vegetable Paella

Straight from the pages of my treasured Ottolenghi recipe book 'Plenty', this was my second ever attempt at paella and by far the best of the two. The trick with paella is to leave it well alone while the rice cooks. A hard task, but it just won't work properly if you insist on stirring.

You could substitute the veggies for what is in season, I had a delicious paella the other day with big chunks of butternut squash and eggplant. Delicious.

Also note - while saffron is expensive, a little goes a long way and it makes all the difference to both the look and taste of the dish.

Ingredients:

A drizzle of olive oil

2 small shallots, sliced

1 small red and 1 small yellow capsicum, cut into strips

1/2 fennel bulb, cut into very thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp chilli powder

150g paella rice

100ml sweet or medium sherry

A good pinch of saffron threads

450ml boiling veg stock

A pinch of salt

200g shelled broad beans (frozen are fine)

10 mini plum (or cheery) tomatoes, halved

5 small grilled artichokes in oil (from a jar) drained and quartered

12 pitted Kalamata olives, roughly crushed

2 Tbs roughly chopped parsley

To serve...

Lemon wedges and salt

To make:

1) Heat the olive in a large, shallow frying pan and gently fry the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring. Add the capsicums and fennel, continue to fry for about 6 minutes until the veges arte soft and the onions golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

2) Add the bay leaves, paprika, turmeric and chilli powder and stir well. Then add the rice and stir well for 2 minutes (you really want to get all the rice coated in the flavours) then pour in the sherry and sprinkle the saffron in.

3) Boil down for a minute, then pour in the stock and pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to the minimum and let it gently simmer for about 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. DO NOT cover or stir during this time.

4) While you leave the rice to cook, keep yourself busy by pouring plenty of boiling water over the broad beans in a bowl and leave them for a minute or two. Drain and leave to cool, then when cool enough to handle, squeeze each bean until it pops out of the skin. Discard the skins.

5) Take the paella off the heat and taste - add more salt if needed, but try not to stir the mix. Scatter the tomatoes, artichokes and broad beans over the rice and cover with a lid or foil. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

6) Remove the covering, scatter over the olives and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Serves 2 very well.

Zingy Wild Rice and Roast Veg Salad

My very first foray into cooking wild rice.

Not only does it look amazing, but the taste and texture add another dimension to your standard image of rice. The flavour is somewhat nutty and the texture is slightly crunchy/chewy on the outside, yet soft in the middle. Very different from you standard rice and this is probably because wild rice is actually an aquatic grass. It is packed full of nutrients and contains folic acid, B vitamins and protein.

Wild rice freezes well once cooked, so cook up the whole packet and freeze in single portions for easy lunches.

This recipe was a bit of an experiment and I took the flavour ideas from the many grain salads that I have cooked over the years. Black rice would also work exceptionally well with seafood and oriental flavours.

Ingredients:

125g wild rice

low fat cooking spray

1/4 butternut, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into batons

1 red onion, cut into wedges

1 red capsicum, sliced

1 courgette, sliced

Salt and pepper

1/2 bunch of corriander, roughly chopped

1 satsuma, chopped into small pieces

1 Tbs each of pumpkin and sesame seeds

For the dressing...

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 Tbs tahini

2 Tbs lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp crushed hot chilli

Juice and zest of 1 satsuma

Some water to thin the dressing as you go

Salt

1) Cook the rice according to the packet instructions - it will generally take 50-60 minutes.

2) Turn the oven to 200°c, or gas mark 6. Spray the cooking spray into a foil lined tin and add all the vegetables, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven for about 45-50 minutes until tender, stirring around a couple of times.

3) To make the dressing, mix the garlic, tahini and lemon juice together with a fork. Add the chilli and a good pinch of salt and then add a little warm water (about a Tbs at a time) until you get a dressing like consistency. Don't add to much at a time because it quickly goes from too thick to too thin. Stir in the zests and set aside.

4) In a small, oil free pan, toast the seeds over a low heat and stir every few minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they'll burn easily. They'll take about 15 minutes and the pumpkin seeds will start to burst their little green skins when done. Again, set these aside.

5) When cooked, drain the rice and allow it to cool a little. Take the orast veggies out of the oven. Put the cooled rice in a large bowl with the corriander and satsuma flesh and pour half the dressing in, mixing well. Add the roast vegetables, mix well together and then pour over the rest of the dressing and mix everything again.

6) Serve scattered with the toasted seeds.

Serves 2-3.

Indulgent Banana-Chocolate Crumbles

I don't think banana is used enough in desserts. Yes, cakes and breads, but not so much in the actual dessert category. Mixing the banana with dark chocolate makes a really smooth filling that sets well. I think it would be delicious used to sandwich layer cakes together.

The base crumble isn't overly sweet - you could add sugar if you like, but the banana contributes such a lovely sweetness (very important to use a really ripe one) that I really don't think sugar is necessary.

For how naughty these taste, they are actually rather healthy.

Ingredients:

75g wholemeal flour

75g rolled oats

40g dairy free margarine

1/4 c barley malt

1 large banana, mashed

60g dairy free dark chocolate, melted

To make:

1) Turn the oven to 180°c, gas mark 4 and prepare 5 silicone muffin moulds or small ramekins.

2) Combine the flour and oats in a bowl and rub the margarine in so it is evenly distributed. Spoon in the barley malt and mix initially with a spoon, but then with your hands to ensure it's well mixed in.

3) Use 2/3 of the mix to press into the bottom of each mould as the base.

4) Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave on medium low (keep an eye on it, but about 2-3 minutes) and while it's melting, mash the banana. When the chocolate is smooth, add the banana to it and mix well with a fork. Spoon an even amount of this mix over each base and level it gently with the spoon. Sprinkle some of the remaining oat mix over each one.

5) Bake for 15 minutes then remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Serve with dairy free vanilla yoghurt or ice cream.

Note: Kept in the fridge, these make a delicious cereal bar substitute. Just make sure you keep them cool until eating or the chocolate and banana will melt everwhere...mmmm

Mixed Mushroom Penne

I love mushrooms. Shitake, oyster, button, portabello, chestnut; you name it, I love it. They are so versatile and while I know it's the texture that puts so many off, I just think it adds to their deliciousness.

A creamy mushroom sauce on pasta is a flavour match made in heaven, so here I've made a lighter, healthier, vegan version which is still rich and really flavoursome and with a little hint of heat. Perfect for a spring evening with a nice green salad.

Ingredients:

10g dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated and finely chopped

A drizzle of olive oil

3 small Spanish onions, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

200g fresh mushrooms (I used standard white mushrooms, but portobellos, chestnuts or buttons would also work)

Salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

1/2 tsp crushed hot chilli

1/2 c sweet sherry

1 tsp cornflour, mixed with hot water to remove any lumps

2 Tbs nutritional yeast

200g penne pasta

1/2 tin of cannelini beans

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 packet of rocket

Fresh parsley or chives

1) Start by rehydrating the porcinis in a bowl of warm water. Cover them and put to the side - they'll take about 15 minutes.

2) Heat some oil in a large pan over a medium-low heat and add the shallots. Cook until they turn translucent. Add the garlic and stir for another 2 minutes.

3) Tip in the fresh mushrooms and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are softening. Add the porcinis, seasoning and herbs. Mix well so everything is combined cook for another minute before pouring in the sherry. Again, mix to combine, turn down low and leave to cook while you put the penne, according to the packet instructions.

4) Add the cornflour mix and nutritional yeast to the mushrooms and stir. You may like to add a bit more water at any stage if it's looking too thick. However this recipe is very 'saucy' as such, it just has enough liquid that should be thick enough to coat the pasta.

5) Tip in the cannelini beans and leave it all to cook until the pasta is done. Then, while the penne drains, take the mushrooms off the heat and tip in the rocket and add the lemon juice. Stir well and add the drained pasta to the pan. Mix thoroughly so each piece of pasta is coated in the mushroomy sauce. Serve with fresh parsley or chives.

Serves 2-3.