Summer's coming, and with it, you often dont feel like a hot meal in the evenings. Here's a tasty, filling vegetarian option!
Chickpea based, so it's packed with protein and best of all cheap; and most kids love it.
Chickpea Salad
4-5 button mushrooms, or 1 large flat mushroom (omit if mushrooms are disliked)
1/2 small red onion
1 Yellow or orange pepper
1 large chopped tomato (or use halved cherry tomatoes)
large handful fresh green beans, chopped**
300ish gram tin of chickpeas, drained
1 bunch chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 small lemon
Non-vegetarian option: 2 rashers bacon. OR, delicious with Sanitarium Rashers (vegetarian bacon) - these are optional
Quarter the mushrooms, slice the bacon or rashers if used into short thin strips, and chop the onion and pepper into small chunks. Heat up a small pan and lightly fry the mushrooms, bacon and veg until they're soft - about 3-4 mins in general. If using bacon, ensure it's completely cooked. I use Canola cooking spray for this.
Put your drained chickpeas into your salad bowl and add the tomatoes and the chopped parsley. You can also use coriander. Drizzle with lemon juice and mix gently (dont crush the chickpeas.)
Add the warm ingredients, stir through, and set aside to cool.
Serve with balsamic dressing.
**TOP TIP: If money's tight or you dont have them to hand, use frozen beans, peas or my personal favorite: Mixed Veg!
Serving suggestions:
On the side at barbecues, in place of a regular green salad, or as a light meal on it's own. Very tasty and filling.
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Marrow: the veg that time forgot
The vegetable marrow (a type of squash, for American readers :D) is a veg that used to be a popular choice at the table. This is because it's nutritious, easy to grow, a good size to feed the large family, and lends itself to a range of different cooking options.
They're still available in supermarkets in season; and even more readily available at your local fruit & veg or sometimes at the chinese grocery.
To grow your own, plant zucchini (summer squash, I believe? comments to enlighten me are welcome!) plants and fertilise well (our own choice is horse or chicken manure! gleaned from a local riding school or horse paddock, for free preferably!)
The fruit will grow readily to large marrows, usually yielding almost more than you can eat.
PLain, steamed marrow is one of the least exciting foods you can eat, I have to say, and sometimes the flesh can have a slightly bitter flavour. In the upcoming weeks, LastPenny will bring you a host of marrow recipes, but for today I will leave you with a simple tip.
To prevent marrow bitterness and tenderise the flesh:
Cut the marrow in half lengthwise and core. Leave the skin on, but perforate gently in places with a fork.
Sprinkle the flesh-side of each half liberally with table salt. Wrap each half separately in tin foil, and leave in cool place (pantry is better than fridge, but if climate is hot refridgerate - food safety first) for an hour.
Rinse the salt away and leave marrow on paper towels to dry.
MMMMM - tasty, sweet marrow, ready for roasting, stuffing, or your choice of preparation.
They're still available in supermarkets in season; and even more readily available at your local fruit & veg or sometimes at the chinese grocery.
To grow your own, plant zucchini (summer squash, I believe? comments to enlighten me are welcome!) plants and fertilise well (our own choice is horse or chicken manure! gleaned from a local riding school or horse paddock, for free preferably!)
The fruit will grow readily to large marrows, usually yielding almost more than you can eat.
PLain, steamed marrow is one of the least exciting foods you can eat, I have to say, and sometimes the flesh can have a slightly bitter flavour. In the upcoming weeks, LastPenny will bring you a host of marrow recipes, but for today I will leave you with a simple tip.
To prevent marrow bitterness and tenderise the flesh:
Cut the marrow in half lengthwise and core. Leave the skin on, but perforate gently in places with a fork.
Sprinkle the flesh-side of each half liberally with table salt. Wrap each half separately in tin foil, and leave in cool place (pantry is better than fridge, but if climate is hot refridgerate - food safety first) for an hour.
Rinse the salt away and leave marrow on paper towels to dry.
MMMMM - tasty, sweet marrow, ready for roasting, stuffing, or your choice of preparation.
