Aubergine & Green Bean Curry

Aubergine & Green Bean Curry

INGREDIENTS:
Serves 6 - 8

• Sunflower oil, for frying
• 5 aubergines, sliced into long wedges
• 400ml coconut milk
• 300ml roast tomato passata
• 300g green beans

For the curry paste

• 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 5-6 shallots, roughly chopped
• 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, roughly chopped
• 4 hearts of lemongrass, chopped
• 5 green chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric

For the raita

• 3 tsp mango chutney
• 8 tbsp plain yogurt
• Fresh coriander, to garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put all the paste mix ingredients into a blender along with a couple of tablespoons of water and blitz, pushing the paste down from the sides of the blender periodically, you want a smooth paste mix.
   
2. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan and fry the aubergines in batches until lightly browned.
   
3. In a deep saucepan heat a little oil and add half the curry paste, fry the paste for a couple of minutes stirring all the time.
   
4. Add the aubergines, stir to coat in the paste. Add the coconut milk and roast tomato passata. Bring to a simmer and add green beans and cook for about 10 minutes or until the beans are tender but still have a bit of bite.
   
5. Make the raita by stirring the chutney into the yogurt, sprinkle over a little coriander and serve alongside the curry with some naan breads or rice.
   

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Vegetarian Nachos

Vegetarian Nachos

INGREDIENTS:

• 5.5 ounce bag of Food Should Taste Good or other sturdy chips (super thin ones can break when you pile up the nachos)
• 6 ounces freshly shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 avocado
• 1 medium-sized plum tomato, cut in a 1/4-inch dice
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 clove garlic, minced with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup refried beans or mashed black beans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 375°F. Scatter the chips in one layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Dollop large spoonfuls of refried beans across the cheese-covered chips.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and oozing.

While the cheese is melting, mash the avocado in a small bowl with 1/2 the minced garlic and half the lime juice. Taste for salt, adding more as needed. Add the rest of the garlic to a small bowl with the diced tomato. Squeeze on the rest of the lime juice and mix. Taste for salt, adding more as needed.

Lift about a quarter of the chips onto a large serving platter. Dollop with mashed avocado and sprinkle with the diced tomatoes. Place another layer of the chips and dollop with more avocado and tomatoes. Repeat until you’ve used up all the chips, and finish with tomatoes and avocado. Eat as soon as possible.

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Zucchini Gratin with Salsa Verde

Zucchini Gratin with Salsa Verde

INGREDIENTS:
Salsa Verde:

• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint
• 1 cup coarsely chopped parsley
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1 anchovy
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Black pepper to taste

Gratin:

• 2 pounds zucchini
• 1 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced shallot
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

DIRECTIONS:

- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Toss the slices in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and let sit for 30 minutes.

- Meanwhile, using a food processor, grind the herbs, garlic and anchovies and half of the oil to a paste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

- Gently pound the capers until they’re partially crushed and add them to the herbs. Stir in the remaining oil, the lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Taste for balance and seasoning.

- Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Heat the butter in a small saute pan over medium heat for a few minutes, until it browns and smells nutty. Pour the brown butter over the breadcrumbs, being sure to scrape all the brown bits into the bowl with a rubber spatula. Wait a minute or so for the butter to cool, and toss well. Set aside.

- Drain the squash well and transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Add the shallots, minced garlic, thyme, 1/2 cup of the salsa verde, and some pepper. Toss to combine, and add the cheese and half the butter-coated breadcrumbs. Toss again, and taste for seasoning.

- Place the squash in a 9-by-9-inch gratin dish. Scatter the remaining breadcrumbs over the top, and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the squash is tender and the top is crisp.

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Reduced Fat Alfredo Sauce

Reduced Fat Alfredo Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1  cup 1% low-fat milk 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 3  tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1  dash pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in sauce pan on stove top with medium heat.
2. Gradually whisk in flour. This will create a yellow paste.
3. Gradually add milk, whisking until incorporated and no lumps are present.
4. Continue to whisk until hot. Usually 3-5 minutes. The longer you cook the base (without the cheese) the thicker the sauce will be.
5. Add Parmesan slowly, again whisking until incorporated.
6. Add crushed garlic and pepper.
7. Cook for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
8. Remove from heat.

About 1/4 of a cup of this sauce is 91 calories, and if you’re like me and don’t like your pasta to be overly drenched in sauce, this recipe is perfect.

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Chocolate Peanut Granola Bars

Chocolate Peanut Granola Bars

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 2/3 cup rolled oats (GF certified)
• 1/3 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 6 tbsp butter

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine oats, flour, nuts, chocolate in a mixing bowl. Melt the butter in a measuring cup and mix in honey and sugar. Combine it with the dry ingredients and then mix in the peanut butter. Grease a 9x9 baking tray. Press the mixture down in the pan firmly. Bake for 25 minutes. Put it in the fridge and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Makes 12 bars.

We made these because Marina really just wanted a regular granola bar. Not a protein bar, not an energy bar, just a nice chunk of granola in an easy to eat bar. And oh, do they fit the bill. They’re also infinitely flexible when it comes to the ingredients. While we used one cup each of peanuts and chocolate chips, the important part is that it’s about two cups of delicious stuff. You can substitute in any sort of dried fruit or nuts to get the perfect bar.

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Fava Bean Timbale

Fava Bean Timbale

• 1 cup fresh fava beans - shelled and peeled
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (optional)
• 2 medium cucumbers - peeled, seeded and cubed
• 1 cup purple cabbage - finely shredded
• lime
• 8-10 radishes - cubed
• handful cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons chives - finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds - unhulled and optionally toasted
• zest of 1 orange - optional
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

I used raw fava beans in this recipe, but you can also blanch the shelled beans in boiling water for a minute before peeling them. Chop fava beans into 2-3 pieces each. Mix them with corn kernels, tarragon, and a generous pinch of coarse sea salt, leave to soften.
Place the cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to release juices. Mix cabbage with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime juice, massage for a couple minutes with your hands and set aside.

Vanilla Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon each balsamic and apple cider vinegar
• seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• drop of sesame oil (optional)
• sea salt and pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

ASSEMBLY

In a bowl, combine all the vegetables with the cubed radishes and the rest of the timbale ingredients. Pour in about one third of the vinaigrette, mix to incorporate. If making a timbale, place the ring mold of the size you like (I used 2 1/4-inch in height and 3 3/4 in diameter) on a plate and pack the salad inside the mold. Place a jar filled with liquid on top and let it stand for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the mold and repeat the process to make more timbale. Drizzle with remaining dressing, garnish with chives and sesame seeds. Serve with microgreens or any fresh salad greens.

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Lobster Rolls

Lobster Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 4 hot dog buns or kaiser rolls, split
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked and cubed lobster meat
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch dried basil, parsley or tarragon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Lightly butter the insides of the buns or rolls and line with lettuce leaves. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper until well blended. Mix in the green onion and celery, then lightly mix in the lobster so it just gets coated without falling apart.
3. Stuff the lobster filling into the buns and sprinkle parsley, basil or tarragon lightly over the filling.

Source: Lobster Rolls

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