vegetarian

/ emma@cookfasteatslow.com 2 Comments

Avocado and Lemon Pasta

This dish is known as ‘Green Pasta’ in our house, and when the kids find out we are having it, they fist pump the air and say “We love Green Pasta!”  I find this quite amusing as all 3 don’t like avocado. Please don’t anyone tell them that’s the main ingredient!

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

500gm pasta, we use fettuccine

2 ripe avocados

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 clove garlic

3-4 tablespoons of lemon infused olive oil (or plain if you don’t have it)

1 tablespoon of basil paste or a small handful of fresh basil leaves

a handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

fresh parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

While your pasta of choice is cooking, place the flesh of the avocados, the lemon juice, garlic clove and basil in food processor and blitz until smooth.

While the motor is running, add the olive oil slowly. Taste and season with salt and pepper and add more olive oil if you wish.

Drain the pasta and toss it through the avocado sauce.

Serve with cherry tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

/ emma@cookfasteatslow.com Leave a comment

Greek Salad and Homemade Herb Bread

My boys love sausages. I don’t. But if I really want to make them happy, I make sure they appear on the menu every few weeks at least.

To fancy up our sausage dinner recently, I made this Greek Salad and Homemade Herb bread. Two great side dishes that would work perfectly alongside almost any piece of meat, fish or leftover roast.  If I come across some beautiful steak on sale, I will throw it in the freezer and serve it to my husband and I instead of sausages. Coming soon will be my 4 top tips for cooking a great steak!

Greek Salad 

Serves approx 5

Ingredients

2 handfuls of baby spinach

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large cucumber, cut into chunks

125gm of Greek Feta, cut into cubes (Greek Feta is hard and works best in this salad. Danish Feta is soft and will fall apart into the salad when mixed)

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata Olives, cut in half

a few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped

Balsamic vinegar to drizzle over the top

Method

Combine everything, except vinegar and parsley, in a bowl and mix to combine. Sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with Balsamic vinegar.

Homemade Herb Bread

IMG_4740

You won’t want to buy a pre-made herb bread again after realising how easy and yummy this is. The smell of it cooking in the oven alone is worth it!

Ingredients

1 sourdough loaf or baguette

a few handfuls of chopped mixed herbs like rosemary, oregano, parsley and thyme.

2 or 3 garlic cloves, crushed (this is dependant on how garlicy you want it!)

2-3 tablespoons of softened butter (or olive oil if you prefer)

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.

Using a bread knife, cut thick slices into the loaf, without cutting right through to the bottom.

Mix the crushed garlic into the softened butter and using a small knife or pastry brush, spread a small amount on each slice of bread. If there is any left, brush a little butter over the top of the loaf.

Grab small handfuls of herbs and stuff them into each slit and then scatter the rest over the top of the loaf.

Wrap the loaf in foil and bake in the oven for approx 20 mins.

IMG_4743

/ emma@cookfasteatslow.com 2 Comments

Jamie Oliver’s 7 Vegetable Sauce

I first read this recipe in a Delicious magazine about 9 years ago. With a toddler at the time, we were going through the ‘101 ways to get vegetables’ into him phase.

This sauce has been a winner over the years and I use it as a base for homemade pizzas (post to come later in the week), in bolognese or lasagna and basically anytime a tomato based sauce is needed.

I would call this a ‘make ahead meal’. It takes a little chopping and about 30 minutes cooking on the stove. It’s perfect to make on the weekend and freeze in containers ready for whenever you need it.

The quantity below makes about 4 litres – which is enough for about 3-4 separate meals. I made a lasagna out of it and have enough left in the freezer for a few pizza nights and probably 2 other dinners at some point. It’s quite thick, but can be thinned out by just adding water.

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 spanish onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 leek, white part only, washed and partly chopped

2 celery stalks, washed and roughly chopped

1 large zucchini, washed and roughly chopped

1 red capsicum, washed, de-seeded and roughly chopped

1/2 small butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed and grated

2 x 800gm cans of crushed tomatoes

Flavourings to taste like salt and pepper, dried herbs or a few splashes of balsamic vinegar.

Method

Heat a good splash of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.

Add onion, leek, celery, zucchini and capsicum. Cook, covered for 10 minutes or until softened. You may need to lower the heat at this stage and give it a stir occasionally.

Add the pumpkin and cook, uncovered for another 5 minutes or until soft.

Add the canned tomatoes, season at this stage with dried herbs like basil or oregano, salt and pepper and a few splashes of balsamic vinegar. Stir thoroughly and bring to the boil.

Simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Using a stick blender (or a food processor, which you may have to do in batches) blend until smooth. Add some water if it’s too thick for you.

Cool slightly before pouring into snap lock bags or containers suitable for freezing and freeze until needed.

IMG_4666

 

 

 

/ emma@cookfasteatslow.com 2 Comments

Vegetarian One Pot Pasta

You can hardly call this ‘cooking’, as all you need to do is a little chopping and then bung everything in a pot, stick a lid on and let it simmer away. By the time you’ve argued with the kids about whose turn it is to set the table, it will be ready!

Serves 5 large portions (or smaller portions with enough for leftovers for lunch the next day)

Ingredients

1 x 500gm packet of fettucine or spaghetti

1x 400gm tin of diced tomatoes

1 spanish onion (red), thinly sliced

1 red capsicum, sliced

2 clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons dried oregano

A handful of baby spinach leaves

A handful of fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

Parmesan Cheese and extra basil leaves to serve

Method

Place all ingredients, except the cheese and extra basil, in a large pot, put the lid on and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. You will need to check it and give it a stir every once in a while as the pasta can tend to stick to the bottom of the pot. When you think the pasta is almost cooked, leave the lid off to let some of the liquid evaporate.

Divide amongst bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese and some more basil leaves.

Original recipe idea from www.apronstringsblog.com