Vegan

This is a great side dish full of wonderful spices and  flavours and works best as an addition to Asian or Middle Eastern main dishes.I found this recipe on Kay’s site Kayotic which I am a big fan of. You can see the original recipe here. I’ve changed it a tiny bit but it still tasted amazing. We had this meal with some lentil rice instead of fried Sultanas and it worked very well.

Enjoy:-)

Ingredients:

• 1 large Onion, peeled and sliced into thick rings
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp mild Curry powder
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fresh Ginger (Ground ginger works too)
• 1 tbsp Caster Sugar
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Water
• Salt and Pepper

I love onion bhaji but have never tried to cook it before until I cam across a recipe on Jeenas kitchen for baked bhaji and gave it a shot. These are very easy to make and taste good too without all the oil of deep fried bhajis.

Ingredients:

• 3 large Onions, sliced
• 3 tbsp Flour
• 1 tbsp Tomato pure dissolved in 100 ml boiling water
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground Coriander
• 1/4 tsp Chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp Ginger
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• Salt

I have resisted the temptation of adding sour cream or double cream to this soup in following my dairy-less 28 days diet. The soup, however, is tasty in addition to being healthy and if you love butternut squash as much as I do, you will love it:-)

Ingredients:

• 1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 medium Onion, chopped finely
• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
• 2 medium Carrots, cut into cubes
• 1.2 litres/5 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

I have never cooked with butter bean before as I am not a big fan of beans in general but this can of butter bean was sitting for ages in my cupboard and I knew I just had to do something with it. I used it in this dish with spinach and coconut cream and it worked well as it gives a lot of texture to the curry and is a good substitute for chickpeas.

Enjoy:-)

 Ingredients:

• 400 g/14 oz. can of chopped Tomatoes
• 250 g/8 oz. Spinach
• 1 large Onion, sliced
• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
• 200 g/7 oz. can of Butter Bean, drained and peeled
• 150 ml/5 oz. Coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Ginger
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Curry powder
• 1 small Green Chili, deseeded and chopped finely
• a pinch of Cardamom
• Salt
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

This is a healthy and hearty soup which keeps well in the freezer. You only need to eat a small bowl to feel full and satisfied.

Enjoy:-)

Ingredients:

• 450 g/15 oz. green Lentils
• 1 medium Onion, chopped finely
• 2 Spring Onions, chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
• 1 Leek, chopped
• 1 medium Sweet Potato, peeled and chopped into cubes
• 1.5 litres/6.5 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• 1 tbsp Parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp Coriander, Chopped
• 1 tbsp Mint, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

This is another one of my favourite Indian recipes. It is easy to make and a joy to eat. I have taken leftovers for lunch to clinic and it tasted even better than freshly cooked. I used wild rice in this recipe but you can use other types of rice such as Basmati or brown rice if you prefer them. The coconut cream is also optional but it definitely makes the rice creamier.

Enjoy:-)

Ingredients:

• 200 g/7 oz. Wild Rice
• 600 ml boiling Water
• 400 g/14 oz. can chopped Tomatoes
• 150 ml/5 oz. Coconut milk
• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 3 green or red Chilies, whole
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 green Cardamom
• 4 Cloves
• Salt
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Healthy Salad with Lentils, Cucumber and Carrot