Salads
Wheat Berry Salad
1 cup soft wheat berries
1 cup cooked corn kernels
1 cup chopped cucumber or sweet green pepper
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh coriander or parsley
4 green onions
lettuce leaves
Dressing
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Olive oil
½ tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp each salt & pepper
Dash hot pepper sauce
• Rinse Wheat Berries and drain well. Place in saucepan & cover with 2" water.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce Heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until tender but not soft. Drain. Chill under cold running water.
• In large bowl, combine wheat berries, corn, cucumbers, peppers, coriander, onion.
• Whisk together dressing & pour over salad. Serve on bed of lettuce.
Black Bean, Corn, Rice Salad
1 cup dried black beans
1 cup long grain basmati rice
2 cup cooked corn niblets
2 sweet red peppers, roasted peeled and diced
1 jalepeño, diced
1 bunch arugula or watercress, trimmed and chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives or green onion
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
• Soak beans in cold water for a few hours at room temperature or overnight in refrigerator. Rinse and drain well.
• In large pot, cover beans generously with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook gently for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until tender. Drain well. Reserve in large bowl.
• Meanwhile, wash rice well. Bring large pot of water to boil. Add rice an cook for 12 minutes, or just until tender.
• Drain well. Combine with beans.
• Add corn, peppers, jalepeño, arugula, cilantro, basil, mint and chives to salad.
• To make dressing, whisk together vinegar, pepper, garlic and salt. Whisk in olive oil.
• Toss dressing with salad. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Soups
Bean Soup
Serves 4
6 oz pinto beans*
5 ¾ cups water
6-8 oz carrots, finely chopped
1 iarge onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
½ -1 chili,deseeded and finely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped finely
2 celery stalks, very thinly sliced
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Croutons
3 slices white bread
Fat or oil for deep-frying
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Soak the beans overnight in cold water; drain and place in a pan with the water. Breing to a boil fast for 10 minutes. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Add the carrots, onion, garlic, chili and stock, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for a further 30 minutes or so until very tender.
• Remove half the beans and vegetables with the cooking juices and press through a strainer or blend in a food processor until smooth.
• Return the strained or processed bean mixture to the saucepan and add the tomatoes and celery to the soup. Simmer for a further 10-15 minutes or until celery is just tender, adding a little more stock or water if the soup is too thick.
• Add seasoning to the taste and stir in the cilantro. Serve with the croutons.
• To make croutons, remove the crusts from the bread and cut into cubes. Heat the oil with the garlic in a skillet and fry the croutons until golden. Drain on paper towels.
• The croutons may be made up to 48 hours in advance and stored in a airtight container.
*Variation: Use cannelloni beans or black-eye peas instead of pinto beans.
Plum Tomato Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 lb fresh plum tomatoes, halved
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried basil
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 tsp superfine sugar
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup black or green olives
Handful fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
1 loaf Italian-style bread
Salt & pepper
Springs of fresh basil, to garnish
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the chopped onions, celery and carrot gently until softened.
• Add the tomatoes, stock, chopped herbs, wine and sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
• Place the toasted hazelnuts in a blender or food processor with the olives and basil leaves and process until combined, but not too smooth. Alternatively, chop the nuts, olives and basil leaves finely and pound in a mortar and pestle, then turn into a small bowl.
• Add the olive oil, process or beat thoroughly for a few seconds, and then turn the mixture into a serving bowl.
• Warm the Italian bread in a preheated oven at 375º F for 3-4 minutes.
• Blend the soup in a blender or a food processor, or press through a strainer until smooth. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper according to taste.
• Ladle into 4 warmed soup bowls. Garnish with sprigs of basil. Slice the bread and spread with the olive and hazelnut paste. Serve with soup.
Spinach & Mascarpone Soup with Caraway Seed Croutons
Serves 4
1/4 cup butter
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cups spinach or sorrel, or 3 bunches watercress
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup Mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
2 slices thick-cut bread, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
Salt & pepper
Sesame bread sticks, to serve
• Melt half the butter in a very large saucepan. Add the scallions and celery, and cook slowly for about 5 minutes, until softened.
• Pack the spinach, sorrel or watercress into the saucepan. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
• Transfer the soup to a blender or food processsor and blend until smooth, or rub through a strainer. Return to the saucepan.
• Add the Mascarpone cheese to the soup and heat gently, stirring, until smooth and blended. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining butter with the oil in a skillet. Add the bread cubes and fry in the hot fat until golden brown, adding the caraway seeds towards the end of cooking, so that they do not burn.
• Ladle the soup into 4 warmed bowls. Sprinkle with the caraway-flavoured croutons and serve at once, accompanied by the sesame bread sticks.
Main Dishes
African Stew
1 onion
4 cups vegetable stock or water
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cups canned chickpeas
1 cup brown rice
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup peanut butter
2 cups chopped collard or kale
½ tsp pepper
• In large pot over medium heat, sauté onion in 2 tbsp of stock for 5 minutes, adding more stock if necessary.
• Add remaining stock, potatoes, chickpeas, rice and salt. Simmer for 45 minutes.
• In small bowl, blend peanut butter and I cup of liquid from stew to make a smooth paste. Stir into stew.
• Add collards and cook for 5 minutes.
Chick Pea Curry
1-2 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
1 apple, peeled finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2-3 tsp of curry powder
1 can chickpeas
1 can diced tomatoes
Handful raisins
2 tbsp coconut
• In large pot, sauté onion, garlic, and apple for a few minutes.
• Add curry powder and stir for a minute.
• Add tomato, green pepper, raisins and coconut. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
• Add chick peas and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Serve with rice.
Lentils with Rice
1 large onion
1 tsp oil
1 cup lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 cup rice
3 cups water
1 tsp cumin seed or cardamom seed, crushed
1 bay leaf, crushed
1" piece of cinnamon stick
• Sauté onions in oil in large saucepan until the are brown. Add spices and sauté for a few minutes longer
• Add lentils, rice and water
• Bring to boil
• Cover and reduce heat; simmer until rice and lentils are tender (about ½ hour for red lentils, 1 hour for green lentils)
Aviyal
2/3 cups of shredded coconut or 4 oz creamed coconut
1 ¼ cups boiling water
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 oz ginger root, grated
2 onions, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp tumeric
2 green bell peppers, cored, deseeded and slices in thin rings
2 carrots, cut into julienne strips
1 green chili, cored, deseeded and sliced (optional)
4-6 oz French or fine beans, cut into 3 inch lengths
6 oz green broccoli, divided into florets
3 tomatoes, peeled, quartered and deseeded
Salt & pepper
• Soak the coconut in the boiling water for 20 minutes, then process in a food processor until smooth, or blend the creamed coconut with the boiling water until smooth.
• Heat the oil in the wok, swirling it around until really hot. Add the ginger, onions and garlic and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they are beginning to colour slightly.
• Add the coriander, garam masala and tumeric and continue to stir-fry for a few minutes then add the peppers, carrots, chili, beans, broccoli and tomatoes, and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes, turning the heat down a little.
• Add the coconut and plenty of seasoning and bring to the boil. Continue to simmer and stir-fry for about 5-8 minutes, until tender but still with a bite to vegetables.
• Serve as main dish with boiled rice or noodles, or as an accompaniment to a curry.
Sweet Foods
Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 vegetable oil
2 cups grated carrots
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
3 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 butter, softened
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 10”x15”x2” pan.
• Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• In separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar and vanilla. Stir in oil. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients.
• Add pineapple, carrots, coconut, walnuts and raisins.
• Bake for 55-60 minutes.
• Mix icing sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla to make icing.
Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup uncooked rolled oats
3/4 cup chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts
1 tsp grated orange rind
• Preheat oven at 350º F
• Cream sugar & butter
• Add egg, milk & vanilla
• Combine flour, soda, baking powder and salt in separate bowl
• Combine wet and dry ingredients
• Add oats, chocolate chips and orange rind
• Drop cookies 2" apart on well-greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes
Rice Pudding
1/2 cup short grain rice
1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp starch (corn or other)
Pinch salt
5 cups milk
Pinch nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp cinnamon
• Combine rice with boiling water in large saucepan and cover. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until water is adsorbed.
• Combine sugar with starch and salt. Whisk in 1 cup of milk. Stir until smooth.
• Add sugar mixture and remaining milk to rice. Combine well. Add nutmeg and raisins. Stirring, bring to a boil.
• Cover. Reduce heat to barest simmer and cook for 1 – 1 ½ hours, or until mixture is very creamy. Stir occasionally.
• Stir in vanilla. Transfer pudding to serving bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve hot or cold.
Crunchy Granola
Mix together in large bowl
1/2-1 cup coconut
4 cupsrolled oats
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup wheat germ
1/4-1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup peanuts or chopped walnuts
Bring to a boil
1 cup honey or brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tbsp cinnamon
Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread on 2 greased cookie sheets. Bake about 30 minutes, stirring often. Watch closely at the last, not allowing granola to become too dark. Allow to cool undisturbed, then break into chunks
Options
• If using brown sugar, increase oil to 3/4 cup or add 1/4 cup water.
• Add 1 cup cornmeal to dry mixture. Omit cinnamon.
• Add raisins and chopped, dried apricots, cranberries, etc. to mixture before it cools.
