Zero Meal anyone? Or pies for 4pp each? This veggie stuffs good!

22^nd May 2013

You are not stuck unless you decide to be. Wayne Dyer

 

Still waiting for a new router for my Sky broadband and getting a little bit frustrated by it all, I have to admit.  I didn’t resort to food though and finished day 6 of the first week of my summer challenge on track and within budget, I also earned 8pp on my WineOmeter).  I better lose weight this week or I’ll shout at my leader!  Oh I am my leader, that won’t help much ;)

 
Just a quick shout out for a donation, remember Denise who lost 300lb well she's about to undertake a 13 mile sponsored walk for Free Radio for Kids which raises money for childrens charities around the Midlands, wouldn't it be fab if every person who reads this blog sponsored her £1, follow the link and donate x
http://www.justgiving.com/freeradio-bla-denise-petty-16158?utm_source=emailvision&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FR_page_creation
 

Well the old saying if it looks too good to be true it usually is was valid yesterday when I found a recipe for ice cream for 1pp, BBlend 1 cup strawberries, 1 small banana, and 1/3 cup almond milk. Freeze and you have ice cream!BBBBlend 1 cup strawberries, 1 small banana and 1/3 cup almond milk – freeze, mmm I did it but it wasn’t anything like ice cream, more like icy sorbet and I wasn’t eating it.

 

I did however have success with my stuffed mushroom pie tops and they are so simple to make. Using the remainder of the puff pastry roll I’d bought for my tart, I cut circle lids for the large mushrooms (they weighed 28g each which was 3pp per lid), in a bowl I grated carrot and diced spring onion, red pepper, tomato, the stalks off the mushrooms (use any veggies you have) then mixed in 100g Philadelphia light (4pp) (I used sweet chill flavour). I then spooned this into the mushroom and topped with the pastry lid, popped in the oven and baked until the pastry was cooked and each mushroom was 4pp each.

 

Before

After

 

I’m enjoying my week but I have to say I’m shocked at the reaction I’m getting of people when I tell them it’s National Vegetarian Week and suggest they try a meal or two, some embrace the idea others look at me like I’m planning to steal their first born!  Don't knock it till you've tried it I say, egg and chips are the ultimate veggie meal and there ain't nothing wrong with them.  I have to say this last two days has already proven to me veggie food can be delicious and people really do miss out on a lot of delicious food.  Don’t get me wrong, I have no intention of giving up my meat any time soon, to be honest I don’t plan on giving anything up ever again but I will most definitely continue to regularly enjoy veggie dishes.

 

How about a totally zero veggie meal – might that sway you to try?  Over the years people have shared zero vegetable curry recipes with me but of course you would have to ProPoint the rice, however if you’re a regular reader of my blog you’ll remember the cauliflower rice recipe from a while back which tastes as good as rice without the ProPoints!  Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! Add the two things together and you have a zero meal, here’s the recipes or google zero ProPoint vegetable curry, or make your own up of course.  Another idea would be to blend any leftovers and have as a soup the next day!

 

Serves 4

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
1 teaspoon black onion seeds
1 aubergine
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
8 mushrooms
1 small punnet cherry tomatoes
1 mango
1 banana
1 tablespoon low salt soy sauce
Frylight Sunflower oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 jar passata

1 small cauliflower

Fry the onion, garlic and curry powder in some Frylight Sunflower oil until soft. Add a little water if the mixture becomes too dry.

Chop up the aubergine, peppers and the mango, leaving them chunky. I like to keep the mushrooms and the tomatoes whole. Add to the pan. All these different textures are very important in a dish like this. Braised in the sauce in this way, the aubergine takes on an almost 'meaty' texture. Add a tablespoon of low salt soy sauce, the black onion seeds, the chopped banana and the passata. The banana acts as a thickening agent for the sauce and gives a slight sweetness to the dish to counteract the spices.
Allow to simmer and bubble for about 20-30 minutes until everything is cooked but still has a good 'bite'. Add more water if necessary to make the consistency of sauce you prefer.

While the curry is cooking, grate the cauliflower into a bowl or throw it in the food processor. Just before serving, either microwave or steam the cauliflower for a minute or two - just to warm through and take the raw 'bite' away.

 

You could flavour the cauliflower 'rice' with a little lemon zest, dried mint, cinnamon or spice of your choice. I like it plain so it acts as a bland 'carrier' for the delicious curry.

There you go and thank you to slice of slim for her recipe.

 

Here’s another one;

 

5 spray(s) Cooking Spray, Calorie Controlled
1 large Onion, All Types, finely chopped
2 clove(s) Garlic, crushed
1 tablespoons (grated) Ginger, Root
2 tablespoons (level) Curry Powder, (or according to taste)
450 g Butternut Squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 portion(s) (medium) Cauliflower, Raw, broken into florets
1 medium Courgette, sliced
1 medium Pepper, Red, deseeded and chopped
125 g Beans, Green, sliced
800 g Tomatoes, Whole or Chopped, Canned, chopped
1 cube(s) Stock Cube, Vegetable, made up to 450 ml (3/4 pint) as per packet instructions

2 tablespoons Coriander, Fresh, a handful, including stalks, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoons Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoons (ground) Pepper, Black (Whole, Cracked or Ground)
Instructions
Mist a large saucepan with spray cooking oil. Sauté onion, garlic and ginger until softened, but not browned, about 3-4 minutes.

Add curry powder and stir well, then add all the vegetables, canned tomatoes, stock and most of the coriander. Heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Serve, garnished with coriander.

 

Here’s to another delicious veggie day, whatever you’re eating ensure you EatGorgeous and have a worthwhile Wednesday.