Vindaloo Vegetables

After an indulging weekend (thanks to my friends who hosted a fantastic Mardi Gras party), I wanted something light and full of vegetables. I had this Vindaloo Vegetables recipe in mind for a couple of weeks, having seen it on FatFreeVegan.com and the time came to try it out. As with many Indian dishes, more time is spend chopping up the veggies, grinding the spices and the paste vs. the actual cooking, which can be quite time-consuming. Also, I had a sink full of cooking accessories by the time I was done (an auto spice grinder), so I've modified the process to cut down on the preparation time.

I've used my mighty pressure cooker from the beginning to finish to make a one-pot meal: from cooking dry beans to sauteing all the veggies to heating them up. This definitely saves you washing another pot and a skillet.  

The result is an outstanding sublime Vindaloo Vegetables dish so full of flavour, very light, and a virtually a guilt-free foodie main dish. I served it over rice for the kids but Vindaloo Vegetables is great on its own (that's how I had it) .

Servings: 8 
Makes in: 1 hour

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 small carrots, thinly sliced
• 4 cups small cauliflower florets
• 2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 green / red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 pitted date, coarsely chopped
  i used 1/3 cup of sultana raisins
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 cardamom clove, ground
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans (or one 15.5 ounce canned beans, rinsed and drained)
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  i used 1 cup tomato sauce
• salt and freshly ground black pepper (salt is optional)
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1. Prepare all of the vegetables.
2. Heat a large non-stick pot or wok over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots and one tablespoon of water, cover, and cook until softened, stirring often and adding more water as necessary to prevent burning - about 5 minutes. 
3. In the mean time, a blender or food processor (I used a coffee grinder and only 1/4 cup water), combine the garlic, ginger, date, coriander and other spices, vinegar, and 1/2 cup water; process until smooth and set aside. 
4. Add the spice paste from the blender and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. 
5. Add the cauliflower and kidney beans. Cover and turn heat to low. 
6. Put the tomato paste and 1 1/4 cup water in the blender and blend thoroughly. You can skip this step by using tomato sauce + 1 cup water instead. It will not have the same concentrated tomato taste, but I'll take it as I won't have to clean up a messy grinder.
   Add the tomato paste mixture to the vegetables, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. 
7. Add the zucchini and bell pepper, season with pepper and salt (if using), and continue cooking, covered, until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy, about 5 -10 minutes. 
8. Add the peas and allow to heat through for a couple of minutes.
   Serve alone or over basmati rice or other grain.

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Red Cargo Rice and Brown Rice Salad with Bell Peppers, Raisins, and Walnuts

This Red Cargo Rice and Brown Rice Salad salad is a burst of textures, colours, and flavours. Asian-style dressing adds depth to the nutty texture; with a surprising combination of raisins and red bell peppers.

Red Cargo Rice is definitely a star in this Red Cargo Rice and Brown Rice Salad - it has more texture than brown rice and adds a great colour.  The presentation is beautiful enough to make it a holiday dish. It can be served warm as a colorful side dish or as a salad, when chilled.

Serves:  12 

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup red cargo rice 
• salt to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup roasted walnut pieces, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Soy Sauce Dressing

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic crushed or finely chopped
• 1cm root ginger finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste 

1. To make the soy sauce dressing, put all sauce ingredients into a jar with a lid and shake well to blend. 
2. Cook rice in boiling salted water for 40-45 minutes until soft. Rinse, drain well and cool. Place in a bowl and add remaining ingredients. 
3. Toss thoroughly before serving. 10 minutes before going to serve, add the soy sauce dressing to the rice and veg and toss well, then serve.
   
   
   
   Adapted from Allrecipes.au

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Russian-stye Crepes. Блины Ажурные

There's nothing like a slow Sunday morning, when the kids are still asleep and I have a lovely morning in the kitchen all to myself. This is a perfect morning for making crepes! Once the aroma of of heated butter and sugar starts saturating the house, the family tumbles down the stairs, sleeply-eyed, still in pj's.


Russian-style crepes or bliny are very airy and light, not as dense as French recipes. Our favourite stuffing combo is sour cream + smoked salmon / caviar, cream cheese + jam, and the kids' favourite - plain Nutella.

The crepes have disappeared so fast, I had no chance to snap a photo. So this photo is for the recipe of French Crepes

Makes: 12 6-inch crepes

• 0.5 cup kefir
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1,5 cups white flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp oil

1.  In a microwave heat kefir for about 20 sec., until warm. Pour kefir in a mixing bowl, add eggs, soda, baking powder, sugar and salt. Beat until mixed.
2. Add sifted flour, mix well.
3. Pour 1 cup milk in a small pot over medium heat, bring to a boil. Slowly add the milk to the flour mix, mixing well.
4. Fold in oil. 
5. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. Return pan to burner and cook until top is set and edges begin to turn golden, about 30 sec. Loosen with a spatula and flip. Continue cooking 30 sec more. Transfer crepe to a plate. Cover with kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.

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Vegetable Pulp Bread

If you have ever juiced, you know how much pulp you get left over. It is almost sinful to get rid of the green goodness (I mostly do greens). I have tried all there is to put pulp to use - broths, muffins, crackers, etc, but nothing goes super well with my family as this bread. It is moist and smooth in texture, similar to zucchini or banana bread.

• 2 cups veggie or fruit pulp
  Usually, I use carrot / apple / pear combination. But you can pretty much use any vegetable and / or fruit you have juiced. Also, I juice the veggies twice or even three times, so my pulp is not super moist.
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
  I like using kids granola cereal, that has raisins, pieces of fruit, etc
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1,5 cups sugar
• 1 cup sunflower and / or pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
  
  
  1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  2. I use an electric beater to combine all ingredients.
     If you don't have one, sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in pulp and seeds until well combined. 
  3. Pour batter into prepared pans.
  4. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
     
     Adapted from Allrecipes.com

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Zucchini and Bell Peppers Slaw

Last night I made an Italian dinner for a group of people. With many antipasti to start, I really wanted a very light salad to accompany Osso Buco, the hearty main dish. Zucchini and Bell Peppers Slaw was just perfect - very light and crunchy, it balanced the veal very well. The crunch of raw vegetables and the zesty flavour of the balsamic dressing add a punch to the main dish. It can be easily served as a side dish or a salad. All in all, Zucchini and Bell Peppers Slaw is a fantastic salad, that is so easy to prepare and easy to enjoy.

Serves 6
Ready in 2-3 hours

• 1 medium zucchini, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow / green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced 

1. Prepare Balsamic Vinegar Dressing.
2. Julienne the vegetables uniformly to have the same length and width.
3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix gently. Put the salad in the fridge to let the flavours develop for at least 2 hours.
4. When ready to serve, drain the accumulated juice by reclining the bowl over the sink.
   
   

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Turkish Zucchini and Walnut Dip. Cerkez Kabak

After the recent trip to Turkey, I have been so taken with the wonders of the Turkish cuisine - it is so diverse and plentiful! The flavours and variety of meze dishes were so amazing that I really wanted to keep a few recipes from this country. This dip comes from Binnur Turkish Cookbook (http://turkishcookbook.com/) and it super easy to make (especially if you are using a processor to grate zucchini. 

• 2 medium sized zucchini, finely grated
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 fresh green onions, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup walnuts, crumbled
• 1 slice of bread, crumbled (French or Italian style)
• 1 garlic clove, smashed with salt
  
  Red Pepper Sauce:
  
  • 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red pepper (paprika)
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

1. Saute the zucchini with 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan until all the water evaporates. Let it cool down. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss. Place on a service plate. 
3. To make the sauce, heat up the olive oil in a small pan, add the red pepper in it and turn the heat off. Don't burn the pepper! Pour all over the zucchini and serve with toasted French baton bread or toasted pide slices.

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Korean-style Russian Carrot Salad. Корейская Морковка / Mорковча

Photo Credit: http://fb.ru/article/64680/koreyskaya-morkovka-dlya-poklonnikov-ostroy-kuhni

Another Russian culinary legend that you will absolutely surely encounter on your travels to Russia -  a crunchy and spicy carrot salad made with garlic, sunflower oil, and a few spices. It is so popular that it can be found in any market or grocery store.

The recipe is said to have come from the Korean emigres to the to the Russian Far East and Siberia of the early 20th century. In the Stalin era, under the migration program, the Korean population was moved to Central Asia. There the recipe got adapted by the local population and started spreading to the rest of Russia. Rumour has it that the original kimchi-like salad called for Napa cabbage, which was impossible to find, however carrots were widely available. 

• 1 kg carrots,
• 1 head garlic
• 1/2 cup sunflower or any vegetable oil
• 2 white onions
• 1-2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 4 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 cloves gralic
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorn
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. It is absolutely essential that the carrots are juliened, not grated into strips 2-4mm thick, while the length is optional. 
2. In a large mixing bowl mix the julienned carrots with 1teaspoon salt and leave. 
3. In the mean time, slice onions and skin garlic.
4. In 30 minutes tip the bowl to drain the liquid. 
5. In the same bowl, gather carrots from sides to the center to form a "hill" and make a bit of a hole in the center. Add cayenne pepper to the center.
6. In a frying pan heat the oil until it is extremely hot. Add the sliced onions and bay leaves, fry until the onions turn golden-brown. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and discard.
7. Pour the oil into the crater of the carrot mountain.
8. Add the minced garlic and the rest of the ingridents. Mix well, let it sit for 15 minutes. Now try the salad, add more spices or vinegar to your liking. 
9. Move the salad to a glass jar / container and put in a fridge for 12 hours to marinate. Garnish with parsley and serve.
   
   Version 2
   Julienne 1 kg carrots. Add 2 T white vinegar, 2t salt, 1T sugar, 5 garlic cloves, mix and mash with hands. Lightly sprinkle with 1/2t red and black pepper each, 1/2t ground coriander. Let it stay for 30 min, pour the excess juice.
   
   Heat 1/3C sunflower seed oil till white smoke it visible. Add sliced onion, 3 cloves, 2 bay leaves. Fry till the onion turns golden. Discard the onion. Pour the oil over carrots, mix well. Let stay in the fridge for an hour.

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Baba Ganoush. Roasted Eggplant Spread

• 1 large eggplant
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin,
• 1 teaspoon red chili paste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• parsley

1. Preheat a traditional oven or a grill up to 400C. Half the eggplant length-wise, sprinkle with olive oil and put in a baking dish or a grill rack with the cut side down.
2. Roast for 30 minutes till the skin gets charred. I love the taste of roasted garlic so I put 3 garlic cloves in a foil and let it roast for 10-15 minutes as well.
4. Cool the eggplant and garlic. Peel the skin off the eggplant.
5. Put the eggplant, roasted garlic, tahini, lemon juice in a food processor and mix well until creamy.
6. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add salt, spices, 1 clove raw minced garlic. I'm a fan of spicy foods so I add a teaspoon of asian red chili paste. Mix well, sprinkle with parsley, put in a fridge to cool off and flavours develop.
7. Serve with pita bread or on the side of a main dish.

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Aioli Sauce

This classic Provencal specialty combines olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice for a pungent variation of a mayo; in Occitan region of France, it is served with fish soup and croutons. It is a great accompaniment to seafood and / or salads. Try adding mustard for more of a kick, herbs for more flavour.

• 4 Clove(s) garlic, crushed
• 2 yolk egg
• 1 cup light olive oil
• lemon juice to taste

In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks well with a wire whisk. Stir in garlic. Gradually add oil in a thin stream, beating constantly until light and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate. 

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Red Lentil Dahl Curry with Spinach

This Indian dish has become a staple in my family for meatless Mondays. A friend from India made this once when he stayed with us and I was trying to replicate the recipe. In my efforts I've forgot how the original dish tasted, but I definitely like what has transpired. The list of ingredients might be a bit daunting but half of these are spices. The dish is pretty quick to make and tastes pretty authentic.

Servings: 4
Cooking time: 30 minutes

• 1 cup split dry lentils, red or yellow
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup fresh spinach or 1/2 cup frozen, chopped
  
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon each: turmeric, garam masala, chili, curry powder, cumin, white sugar, salt
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste or 3 chopped tomatoes

1. Rinse lentils under cool water until water runs clear, add 2 cups water and coconut milk, bring to a boil. Turn down
the temperature and let it simmer, covered for about 15-20 minutes.
I use split lentil because it cooks faster, but if you prefer more texture, use regular and cook a bit longer.

2. While the lentils are cooking, in a small bowl mix all of spices.

3. Chop the onions and saute in a bit of oil till soft and translucent. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 2 minutes, the add the spices and stir for a minute, letting the spices release the aroma. Remove from heat; add tomato paste and stir.

4. Once lentils are almost ready, add spinach, stir well, and closing the lid let it wilt for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add the spices mixture and stir well. Remove from heat and let the curry stand for 5 minute to have the flavours develop.

6. Serve over rice as a main dish.

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French Crepes

These crepes are not exactly what you'd get in France but pretty close. And when making them is so darn easy, who cares about the French standards?! The crepes you get are very versatile and can hold any filling - from Nutella to meat and can be used as a base for any recipe that calls for a crepe.

Makes 18-20

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 cup water (can be subbed for milk)
• 1/4 cup tablespoons butter, melted

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt and sugar.
2. In another bowl whisk together the eggs. 
3. In a different bowl, mix in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add butter.
4. Gradually add in the milk mixture to the eggs; beat until smooth.
5. Finally, add the dry ingredients into the milk / egg mix. Stir to combine.

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Cream of Greens Soup

With the harsh, snowy and cold winter we've been having here, soups have been in my kitchen a lot lately. I love pureed soups - they are so easy to make, go well with any meal, and are popular with my most pickiest vegetable eater.  The recipe below has the goodness of a few veggies with a splash of carbs from the peas.

 

Servings: 4
Cooking time: 20-30minutes

• 1 white onion, diced
• 3-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 zucchini, diced
• 2 teaspoons herbs de provence
• 2 cups fresh spinach or 1 cup frozen
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 750ml vegetable / chicken broth
• salt, pepper to taste

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan, saute onions until tender.

2. Add garlic, zucchini, herbs. Pour the broth, bring to a boil, cover, let the broth simmer for about 20minutes.

3. Add spinach and peas, bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes till spinach wilts.

4. Move the mixture to blender and blend until desired consistency.

Because this soup has a very mild flavour, you can add a splash of lemon juice before serving.

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Spinach Quinoa Patties

Quinoa Patties

Quinoa seems to have crossed the line of being all the rage and became a kitchen staple, next to couscous and buckwheat. It has more versatility as I can work it into a salad, main dish, and it holds very well as a patty in this easy and quick recipe.

Adapted from "Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen" by H. Swanson

• 2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan / Gruyère cheese
• 1/2 cup whole grain bread crumbs
• 1 cup spinach, thawed

1. Saute onions till transulent, stir in garlic, set aside.

2. Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. 

3. Stir in onion / garlic, cheese. 

4. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. 

5. Form small patties, 5x2cm. 

5. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add patties.

7. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, on each side until the bottoms are deeply browned. 

Serve with any sauce of your choice.

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Avocado and Smoked Salmon Salad

Russian contemporary kitchen is known for its complex layered salads that combine lots of pre-cooked ingredients. This salad is a refined version of a typical layered salad with ingredients that are not traditional for the Russian kitchen.

I used canned sprat (шпроты), a Baltic type of herring, that have a distinct smoked flavour. It works amazingly well in this recipe.

Servings: 4
Time: 45 minutes

• 1 cubed avocado
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 potatoes, boiled and cubed
• 200 grams, smoked salmon, thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dill, chopped

1. Mix cubed avocado with the lemon juice.
2. In a flat serving dish spread 2 layers of plastic wrap in a criss-cross pattern leaving enough wrap on the sides to cover the dish at the end.
3. Start putting the ingredients one by one, by layer in the following pattern:
   -avocado, mixed with lemon juice
   -sour cream
   -dill
   -salmon
   -shallots
   -potatoes 
4. Wrap the sides plastic wrap on top of the dish. Press gently. Put in a fridge for 15-20min.
5. Unwrap the top part of the plastic, put a flat plate over the dish. Gently but quickly turn the dish upside down, remove the wrap. 
6. Serve with a slice of lemon.

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Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Servings: 4
Time: 30 min.

• 2 avocados, diced
• 300g shrimp, cooked, diced
• 1/2 stalk celery, diced

Dressing:

• 2 Tablespoon(s) mayonnaise
• 2 Teaspoon(s) hot sauce
• 1 Tablespoon(s) lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon(s) fresh chopped parsley
• 1 Tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 2 Clove(s) pressed garlic
• 1 Teaspoon(s) white vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon(s) mustard 

1. Combine the ingredients for the dressing. Mix well. 
2. Dice the shrimp, celery, and avocado. Pour the dressing and mix gently. 
3. Scoop into prepared avocado shells. 

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Bulgarian Potato Gratin

Back when I was a graduate student, my friend from Bulgaria inspired me to try out this dish, one of her favourites. Since then, this gratin is among the alternatives to gratins. It can be as a side for a casual dinner or a part of a more elaborate menu.

Serves: 6
Time: 1,5 hours
Difficulty: medium

• 1 kg potatoes, sliced very thinly
• 200 grams feta cheese
• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 300 ml Greek or Balkan-style plain yogurt
• 3 eggs, beaten
• salt, pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease an oven-proof / pyrex dish and layer 1/3 of the pototaes, cover with 1/3 of feta, followed by another 2 layers of potato and feta.
2. Mix yogurt and eggs, add salt and pepper, beat slightly. Pour over the potatoes. 
3. Cover the dish with foil and bake for one hour. 
4. In an hour remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes till the top is golden brown.

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The Ultimate Lazy Rhubarb Pie

• 3 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1 cup white sugar 
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 9 inch pie shell, pre-made

Oatmeal topping:

• 1/2 cup regular rolled oats
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (230 degrees C).  
2. Combine sugar and flour. Sprinkle 1/4 of it over pastry in pie plate. Heap rhubarb over this mixture. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and flour. Dot with small pieces of butter. Cover with top crust. 
3. Mix together the OATMEAL TOPPING in a small bowl until evenly blended. Sprinkle the oat topping over the rhubarb.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375F until rhubarb is tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 30 minutes more. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
   
   For a blueberry-rhubarb pie, add 1 cup blueberries to 3 cups rhubarb. 

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Garlic-Basil Tomatoes with Mozzarella

• 4 tomatoes, medium, cut into 1/4" slices
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped or 1 tsp dried basil leaves
•  1/8 tsp salt
• 3 drops red pepper hot sauce
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 8oz /  250g fresh sliced mozzarella slices (feta cheese might be a good option)

1. Place tomatoes in glass or plastic dish. 
2. Shake remaining ingredients except cheese and salad greens in tightly covered container. Pour over tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend flavors, turning occasionally.
3. Layer cheese alternately with tomatoes on salad greens.

Photo Credit: BettyCrocker website

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Broccoli Fritata

After a meat-heavy weekend, I wanted to take a break from carnivorous meals and follow the meatless Monday trend. The fritata turned truly delicious: moist, tender, light. It might not be entirely guilt free, but the first bite will make you forget about the calories. Follow suggestions in parenthesis for a lighter version.

• 1/2 head of broccoli, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bacon slices, diced (optional)
• 1/2 cup mild cheese (I used Yarlsberg), grated. Substitute for low-fat or ff for a lighter version
• 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
• 4 eggs, beaten
• splash of milk

1. Preheat oven to 350C.
2. Saute the diced onions and broccoli in buttered pan till soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, salt, pepper. Move the vegetables into an oiled heat-proof pie dish.
3. In a bowl combine the cheeses, eggs, milk, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Pour over the vegetables.
4. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

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Broccoli and Cauliflower Pancakes

I have a vegetarian guest staying at the house. I thought it'd be an interesting challenge to stay on a vegetarian menu for 2 weeks of his stay and see how much I'd miss meat. It is the middle of the 2nd week and... meat, what meat? It has been surprisingly easy to live through the days with no meat, but it is also getting surprisingly challenging to spend that much time in the kitchen. Familiarity with meat gives me more range, more flexibility and thus, less time cooking.

Anyways, this is a wonderful recipe I've created based on a few I had read and combined. It is light on flour and heavy on veggies, easy to cook and big on flavour. The vegetables are not mashed or processed, keeping the texture of the fritters firm and crunchy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 heads (each) cauliflower and broccoli heads
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 C (each) grated old Cheddar and Parmesan cheese (you can also substitute either one for cottage cheese)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced/ pressed
• 1/3C whole wheat flour
• 1t red chili sauce
• 3T chopped parsley
• salt, pepper to taste

Yogurt sauce:

• 1/2 C plain yogurt
• 2T lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1t chili or paprika

Preparation:
1. Separate the broccoli and cauliflower florets from the stems, chop up the stems, drop into boiled water.  Prepare until tender but not too soft, about 3 minutes, drain. Chop the vegetables into 1cm pieces.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add grated cheese, garlic, chili, flour, mix. Fold in the chopped vegetables.

3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Spoon out the mixture, flatter to form a pancake, about 5cm in diameter. Fry each side, 3-5 min each. Serve with spiced yogurt.

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