Showing posts tagged: : cilantro
Monday, 27 February 2012

Some like it hot………..

Kumara (sweet potato) and lentil curry
Hmmmm, so it doesn’tlook  too pretty does it. Brown, yellow and green does not a great photo make, butpromise me you will try this recipe! The combination of flavours in this curryare gorgeous, and of course you can vary the heat in it by adjusting the spices depending on preference.I am a medium curry kind of girl myself. I can’t see the point in something so hot and spicyyou can’t actually taste the flavours!
Kumara and Lentil curry.
To make this dishyou will need
4 cups of kumarachopped into small cubes
1.5 cups of brown lentils.(mine are from a can, I am all about speed)
1 brown onion finelychopped
3 tsp minced garlic
4 cups vegetable stock
Olive Oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp garam masala
1.5 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper totaste
1 bay leaf
2 handfuls of choppedfresh spinach
 Instructions
  • In a large saucepan heat oil, and sauté your onion
  • Add garlic, ginger, garam masala and curry powder and stir for approx one minute
  • Pour in vegetable stock, and add kumara, lentils and bay leaf.
  • Bring mixture to the boil and simmer for approximately 25 mins
  • Add in chopped spinach and salt and pepper.
  • Continue to simmer mixture again until the Kumara and lentils are cooked.
  • Serve with chopped coriander on top.
Et Voila! One super simple, fragrant and remarkably delicious curry.
Just in case you wanted a tiny bit more persuasion to get cooking – this is really healthy.
The Kumara is full of vitamin C, iron, potassium and calcium and the coloured skin and fleshof kumara is full of phytonutrients. The lentils of course are full offibre, protein, folate and vitamin B1, and the green leafy spinach is chockfull of calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and ironscombined with and fibre. Convinced yet?
Go on …..do it. Then let me know how you go.
Question – A completely random one today! If you had to give up twitter or facebook which one would it be?

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Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Creamy Simple Tomato Pasta

Creamy Tomato Pasta
Hi family, first of all a gold star for who notices what is different about this post!
Secondly, thanks so much for the lovely comments about my previous post via the comment section and also by email. What a lovely supportive bunch you are.
To celebrate your loveliness, I thought I would post an incredibly delicious, and super simple recipe. What is even more special about this one, is that my husband (otherwise known as the carnivore) made it for me! I tried so hard not to give a look of triumph when he decided to cook and then enjoyed a vegan meal, but I think I was pretty unsuccessful. He then proceeded to declare it was one of the best ones he had tasted yet. Again I had to bite my tongue.(Of course he would bloody well say that when he made it!)
Anyway………….This is adapted from Angela at Oh She Glows.
As always, we were a bit rushed so did used some canned ingredients. In my ideal world I would use fresh, but when the kids are fighting, and we are all hungry, you do what you can.
Ingredients
  • 1 full pack of gluten free (or not!) spaghetti pasta. We use Healtheries brand
  • 1 can of Italian spiced Tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup water
  • splash of olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 2 or 3 garlic cloves depending on your taste preference
  • 3 tbsp white wine
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Basil paste to equal 1 cup. (If you have fresh basil, use approx 1 cup)
  • A few sprigs of Coriander
Directions
  • Add your tomatoes, cashews, water and tomato paste together in a blender or food processor. We used our food processor.
  • Cook the pasta according to packet directions.
  • In a pan on the stove heat the olive oil and saute the garlic.
  • Pour the sauce from the food processor into the pan and bring to a simmer, then let it cook for about 5 mins.Add the wine if you wish to use it.
  • Drain your pasta, and stir through the basil, then pop it back into it’s pot.
  • Gradually add the tomato sauce to the pasta, until you have the consistency you like. Stir and serve immediately.
  • Serve with a few sprigs of Coriander on each plate.
This made two adults, and two smaller kid sized portions for us. We served it with a simple green salad with a dressing made of Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a splash of Agave nectar.
The coriander sprigs made such a difference to the meal – you really do need to try adding it! And just in case you still weren’t convinced about the coriander how’s this for health benefits!
Coriander (Cilantro) is…………………….

A Digestion aid that can help settle the stomach, An anti-inflammatory agent, a protectant against urinary tract infections, a good source of dietary fibre, a good source of iron, a good source of magnesium, and it is rich in phytonutrients and flavonoids.( I am clearly just showing off here, but how good is coriander!!)

Enjoy :)

Cheers
Ali

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