Meat Free Week Recipes

Roasted Veg Frittata

 
Vegetable Frittata is always a family favourite and a great way to get your 5+ intake in each day.
 
 
+ Ingredients

400g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 large courgette, chopped
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1tbsp olive oil
200g asparagus or green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
6 medium eggs
175ml skimmed milk
TO SERVE:
50g rocket
30g parmesan shavings*
1tbsp balsamic glaze

+ Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7 and line a large roasting tray with baking paper. Put the sweet potatoes, pepper, courgette and onion into the tray, then drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Roast for 25 min.

2. Add the asparagus or beans to the tray and roast for a further 5 min. Remove the tray from the oven, then reduce the heat to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.

3. Transfer the roasted veg to a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a jug, then pour over the veg. Bake for 20“25 min until the frittata is set and the top is lightly golden.

4. Scatter over a few of the rocket leaves and parmesan shavings, then cut the frittata into 4 and serve drizzled with the balsamic glaze, with the remaining rocket and parmesan on the side.


Chickpea burgers

A tasty way to still have your burger, without using meat.  Enjoy!

+ Ingredients

400g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1tbsp lemon juice
400g tin chickpeas in water, drained and rinsed
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
1tsp lemon zest
2 eggs, beaten
2tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
Cooking oil spray
4 sourdough rolls, halved and toasted
TO SERVE:
100g baby spinach
1 large tomato, sliced
½ small avocado, sliced

50g reduced-fat feta, crumbled
 
+ Method
 

1. Cook the sweet potatoes in a large pan of boiling water for 8 min or until very tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sweet chilli sauce and lemon juice, then set aside.

2. Drain the potatoes, then whiz in a food processor with the chickpeas until roughly crushed. Add the spring onions, cumin, chilli flakes and lemon zest and whiz to combine. Gently stir in the eggs and parsley, then divide the mixture into 4 x 10cm burgers.

3. Spray a frying pan with a little oil, then put over a medium heat and cook the burgers for 2“3 min on each side until golden and cooked.

4. Top the bottom half of each roll with spinach leaves and a burger, then drizzle with the chilli dressing and add tomato and avocado slices, followed by the feta and the roll tops.


By Dan Churchill

Corn Fritters with Avocado Salsa

Corn kernels are an amazing natural sweetener. High in many essential vitamins they offer a great burst of flavour to any dish. This is the perfect summer breakfast, healthy, colourful and naturally balanced.

+ Ingredients

1 sweet corn, kernels removed
2 eggs
1/2 handful chives, sliced
Pinch of salt
1 cup almond meal
2/3 cup almond milk or regular milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1 Spanish onion, roughly chopped
1 tomato, roughly chopped
½ handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 cucumber, roughly chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp of pepitas, pounded in mortar and pestle
1/2 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped

1 avocado, diced

+ Method

+ In a bowl combine the almond meal, onion, eggs, salt, milk and corn.
+ Heat a frypan to high heat and add the oil. Using a spoon, shape the corn mix into 15 patties and apply to the heat. Cook on each side for 2 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
+ Remove and set aside on a plate until all fritters are cooked.
+ In a separate bowl combine red onion, tomato, cucumber, coriander leaves, avocado and chilli.
+ Just before serving squeeze over some lemon juice and mix through.
+ To serve stack three fritters on top of each other, sandwiching the avocado salsa in-between and finish with a sprinkle of pepitas.


By Natalie Brady, Nutritionist 

Mexican Quinoa Bowl (Slow Cooker)

This dish is great on its own in a bowl topped with fresh avocado or guacamole or you can easily enjoy it in corn taco or on top of corn chips. Get creative with what you fancy. I love it just as it is with freshly chopped avo! It makes quite a large portion so you’ll easily be able to feed 5-6 people or more if you’re serving it to little ones.

+ Ingredients:

2 cups pumpkin, peeled and chopped into small cubes
2 courgettes, chopped thinly
1 onion, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peel and chopped
2 x 400g cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon chilli flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional extras: 1 avocado or make a guacamole

1. Spray slow cooker with olive oil, or grease with coconut oil.

2. Once you’ve prepped all ingredients (as above) add all ingredients into the slow cooker pot. Stir all ingredients together until well combined.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 3-4 hours) until the quinoa is cooked.

4. Remove lid and stir everything together again. Season with any additional spices or salt and pepper if desired.

5. Grab a ladle spoon and serve food into bowls. Top with fresh avocado, guacamole or enjoy in a taco.

For more recipe’s ideas – visit Natalie’s website

 


By Mindy Woods

Millet Aloo Tikki – Spiced Indian Potato Cakes

Food vendors line the streets of almost every major city in India, each specialising in one to two dishes. Aloo Tikki is understandable one of the most popular, spiced deep fried potatoes lavished with a sweet & sour Tamarind chutney and fresh mint yogurt sauce its hard to stop at just one serve. Manu and Sunny chefs and co-owners of restaurant Millets of Mewar in Udaipur were generous enough to share their healthier version of this famous and most delicious street food.

+ Ingredients

2 medium potatoes, boiled peeled and roughly smashed
1/2 Cup finely chopped seasonal vegetables (Onion, carrots, beens, peas etc)
2 Tsp coconut oil
1/2 Tsp Chat masala*
Salt to taste
1 Small onion finely diced
4 Tbsp Coriander leaves, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp raw Millet Grain
GREEN SAUCE:
1 Hand full of both fresh coriander leaves and fresh mint leaves
1/4 Tsp Garlic paste
1 Tsp Cumin powder
4 Tsp Yogurt (coconut yogurt for vegan friendly)
Pinch of salt to taste
Green chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
TAMARIND SAUCE:
1 Cup Tamarind Water
1/4 Cup Jaggery/molasses
Red chilli powder to taste
Salt to taste

1/4 Tsp Ground cumin

+ Method

Combine all ingredients and stir through to thoroughly combine. Wet hands lightly to avoid mixture from sticking and divide into eight small portions. Form into small patties and set aside. Lightly grease a non stick pan and fry over moderate heat until golden brown on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

+ Green Sauce

Combine all ingredients into a small blender and blitz until smooth.

+Tamarind Sauce

Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

+ To Serve

Divide warm potato patties between plates, spoon a tablespoon of tamarind and green sauce over each patty. Garnish with chopped onion, millet and chopped coriander, enjoy immediately.

+ Chef Tips

*Chat Masa is a spice powder used frequently in Indian cuisine. If unavailable try a combination of  your very own spice mix using anythings from freshly ground cumin, fennel, cardamom and black pepper or substitute with store bought garam masala.

For a equally delicious vegan version swap out plain yogurt for coconut or soy yogurt when making the mint sauce.


Avocado & Lemon Zest Spaghetti

At my house supper is almost always quick, but it has to be favour- and nutrition-packed and this hits all the right notes. I tend to use wholemeal spaghetti, as it works really well with the avocado. Wholemeal spaghetti will soak up more oil than the other kinds, though, so you may need to add a trickle more at the end. I prefer to use the capers that come sitting in little jars of brine. I find the salt-crusted ones just too salty, even if they are washed. Use whichever you prefer but remember all capers are salty, so be sparing about adding more salt. I often top this pasta with a poached egg, partly because it makes a more filling dinner but also because of the sunshine yellow sauce it makes for the pasta. Definitely try it.

+ Ingredients

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g dried spaghetti of your choice (I use wholemeal, but rice, quinoa or normal spaghetti will work too)
Olive oil
4 tablespoons capers in brine, roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and very finely sliced
Grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons, and juice of ½ a lemon
A bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked
A bunch of fresh parsley, leaves picked

2 ripe avocados

+ Method

Fill a big pan with boiling water and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to a rolling boil, then add the pasta and cook for 8“10 minutes, or according to the instructions on the packet, until perfectly al dente.

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan on a low heat, then add the capers and garlic and sizzle gently until the edge of the garlic starts to very slightly brown. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest.

Chop the herbs and add them to the pan. Halve and de-stone the avocados, then use a knife to make criss-cross cuts through the flesh, chopping it inside the skin. Use a spoon to scoop out each half into the pan, and stir to mix all the favours together.

Before you drain the pasta, carefully scoop out half a mugful of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add it to the frying pan with a little of the cooking water and a good drizzle of olive oil. Taste and add salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed. Scoop the pasta into bowls and eat on your lap.

Serves 4

Photography by Bryan W Ferry.


By Valli Little

Beet Burgers

These vegetarian burgers taste just as good as the beef variety, and mini versions make great sliders served in miniature brioche buns for a cocktail party.

+ Ingredients

30g unsalted butter
1 large (200g) raw beetroot, coarsley grated
1 onion, grated
1 tbs red wine vinegar
300g mashed potato
1 tbs sour cream, plus extra to serve
1 tsp bottled horseradish, plus extra to serve
Sunflower oil, to shallow­fry
Plain flour, to dust
4 burger buns, toasted

Sliced tomatoes, snow pea sprouts, sliced avocardo, sliced red onion and salad leaves to serve

+ Method

Melt butter in a frypan over low heat, add beetroot, onion and vinegar, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until softened. Combine in a bowl with mashed potato, sour cream and horseradish, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Form into 4 round patties, then refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.

Heat 1cm oil in a frypan over medium­high heat. Dust beetroot patties all over with a little fl our, then cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Serve in a toasted burger bun with tomato, snow pea sprouts, avocado, red onion and salad leaves, topped with extra sour cream and horseradish.

Makes 4