Enjoying the meat free so far!

21^st May 2013

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer - "You are not stuck where you are unless you decide to be."

 

 

Well the Beetroot and caramelised onion tarte tatin I made yesterday was delicious and I will definitely be making that another time, really tasty.  Wasn’t so impressed with the Gobi Matter recipe from the day before, I had to add some curry paste to add some flavour, I will eat it today, I thought leaving it overnight might improve it.  Indian food is possibly my favourite and yet it’s the one food I cannot cook for the life of me, it never tastes as good as what you can buy.

 

I really enjoyed my first veggie day; it’s making me think more about what I can eat as I haven’t got the obvious chicken to add to the dish.  I made a smashing celery soup yesterday afternoon, very filling it was too and only 2pp, could’ve made it a zero ProPoint recipe if I hadn’t added the olive oil but I believe the oil adds some flavour.

 

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic clove, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

300g celery, chopped

400ml hot chicken stock

 

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the garlic, onion and celery over a low heat for five minutes, until softened.  Add the chicken stock and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender, liquidise and serve.

 

Obviously because of the veggie week, I used a veggie stock ;-)

 

Here’s another recipe I plan to cook tomorrow when I’ve gotten the paneer cheese as Morisson’s didn’t have it yesterday, Sainsbury’s will have it though.  I’m really looking forward to this one, it’s quite high in ProPoints for a serving but it’ll be super filling and I can have a light breakfast.

 

Tandoori Paneer & Vegetable Biryani

Serves 2 – 15pp each

 

1 tbsp tandoori spice mix (1pp)

150g paneer cheese, cubed (14pp)

Zest of lime

Low fat cooking spray (1pp)

½ onion, diced

½ cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 carrot, peeled and diced

125g dried basmati rice (12pp)

300ml boiling hot vegetable stock

75g cherry tomatoes, halved

75g fine green beans, chopped into small pieces.

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves.

 

Serve each biryani with 1tbsp low fat plain yogurt mixed with ½ tsp mint sauce, and a sliced red onion and cucumber salad per person.

 

In a bowl mix together the tandoori spices, paneer cubes and lime zest.  Heat a deep, wide lidded, non stick frying pan and spray with the cooking spray.  Remove the paneer from the bowl and reserve the excess spices.  Add the paneer to the frying pan and cook for 3 minutes until lightly golden.  Remove and set aside.

 

 Spray the pan again with the cooking spray and cook the onion, cauliflower and carrot for 5 minutes until starting to soften.  Stir in the reserved spices and rice and cook for 30 seconds.  Pour in the stock, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Add the tomatoes, beans and cooked paneer.  Cover and cook for a further 5 minutes until the rice is tender.  Stir to combine everything then scatter over the coriander and serve. 

 

In the zone is what I am this week and not struggling with it at last, I’ve still got 10pp from my weekly allowance and 3 days till my new week starts, I’m very pleased I have to admit ;-)

 

So here’s to a Terrific Tuesday of Eating Gorgeous and Veggie, on the menu today is Gobi Matter for lunch and Walnut Pasta Twists for tea.  Breakfast will be some fruit and maybe scrambled egg. Here's the pasta recipe;

 

Walnut Pasta Twists

Serves 2 – 11pp each

600ml hot vegetable stock (use 3 stock cubes) (1pp)

125g dried small pasta shapes, (12pp)

25g fresh basil, leaves only

½ 35g pack fresh parsley, leaves chopped

30g walnut halves (6pp)

1 garlic clove, crushed

25g Parmesan cheese, grated (3pp)

 

Put the vegetable stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Add the pasta and cook for 7-9 minutes or according to the pack instructions until al dente.

 

Meanwhile, whizz the basil, parsley, walnuts and garlic in a food process until finely chopped.  Reserve a ladleful of the pasta’s cooking liquid in a jug and drain the pasta.

 

Return the pasta to the pain and stir in the reserved cooking liquid, the walnut mixture and the cheese.  Stir to coat the pasta and heat through.  Check the seasoning and serve.

 

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