What I've been cooking in February

Paprika baked cauliflower 

Cauliflower is a one of my regular vegetable I cook and eat in many forms, so when my mother in law asked me if I can prepare something veggie for the party she was going to have for her husband's 75th birthday I came up with a whole roast couli as a main and grated courgette and chickpeas as a side dish. 

For the cauliflower I mixed up minced garlic, red paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil. Rubbed it onto the cauliflower and roasted for 30 min on 180 C.

Add the tomatoes with some more olive oil and roast for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile grate two small courgettes and fry with very little olive oil for ten minutes, than all drained tin of chickpeas.

Before serving sprinkle some toasted and chopped cashew nut and parsley ….

Beans on toast with eggs, avocado and tomato salsa

This is my typical weekend breakfast, cooked a bit later then usual because I've been for a run 🏃.

The kids would of been fed by then so this is kind of "It's a date meal" for me and my husband .

I made a very quick chili by frying a raw chopped hot chili followed by some garlic and 300g mixed cooked beans. I halved a handful of small tomatoes and added some olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh parsley. I fried eggs, toasted some sourdough bread and dished up with avocado and lime juice..

Roast butternut squash baked with macaroni cheese, yum 

This was served with broccoli and green salad , perfect mid-week meal for five of us ..

 Cherry compote porridge topping

I used bag of 350g frozen cherries, I cooked it with juice of half a orange and a stick of cinnamon for 30 minutes. The taste is not so sweet but very fragrant and morish , it makes me want to eat porridge twice a day :) 

Store in a clean jar and keep it in your fridge for up to two weeks ….

Kids friendly chili

Chili no carne has finally got a well deserved place on our menu. I have been playing with different ingredients for a long time and now the search is over, I've got the right formula  ✔
So, no kidney beans or any other big size beans, no celery, sweet potato or butternut squash ....

Ingredients:

serve 5-6 people

1 diced onion

2 cloves garlic

2 diced carrots

200 gr green lentils

1 tin chopped tomato

half pack chili mix

1 tin black beans or 200 gr cooked black beans

1 green bell pepper 

1 mug rice 

fresh salad ( tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, red cubbage, parsley )

In a large cooking pot heat up a splash of olive oil, add the onions, garlic and carrots and stir for 5 minutes. Add the lentils ( they don't need soaking overnight but it's better so soak them at least an hour ).

Pour in about 400 ml hot water, put the lid on and cook everything on a low temperature for 40 to 50 minutes.

Now sprinkle the chili powder mix , add the tomatoes ( I blitz them in a blender for smooth texture ) , beans and cook for further 30 minutes stirring every now and then.

Ten minutes before it's cooked add the green pepper cut into long strips.

I don't add any salt or pepper because the chili mix is already salty.

In the meantime cook your favorite rice.

Chop all veggies for the salad. Season with some olive oil and lime juice. 

Serve as you wish .......

note: sometimes I use baked beans if I have no black beans . Simply pour the whole tin of baked beans into a colander and wash it under the cold water.....

I use this chili mix because it's very mild

  

Чили со црн грав и њоки од палента / Black bean chili with polenta gnocchi

Chili con carne or more like Chili No carne is a meal I make once in a week. I don't like to be predictable when comes to cooking, so every week my chili is served differently. This week I serve the chili with polenta gnocchi which are made in no time. Adding spinach is optional, but nice. Feel free to add more chili powder, I make mine mild because of my children.

Sesame seeds are one of my favorite condiments, sprinkled on the top of the gnocchi gives it a lovely crunchy texture.

This dish is perfect for a dinner party especially if you have vegetarian or vegan guests.
This is another dinner made on a budget, I hope you enjoy it as much as my family.....

Chili in a wrap - most favorite to my children 

with added fresh veggies for extra YUM 

wraps

Потребни состојки:

чили вариво: 1 кромид, ситно исецкан

1 стапче зелен целер

1 морков

120 гр црвена леќа, може и кафеава

по едно лажиче: кумин, кориандер и чили во прав

400 гр домати, може од конзерва

200 - 300 гр варен црн грав*

100 гр пченка, замрзната или од конзерва

1 зелена бабура

сол

бибер

**********************************

за њоките :

150 гр инстант палента

700 гр вода

1-2 коцки замрзнат спанаќ или една до две раце свеж

маслиново масло

сусам

сол и бибер

Во поголем лонец ставете 3 лажици маслиново масло да се загрее, додајте го сецканиот зеленчук, по 10 минути додајте ги зачините,измешајте,додајте ја измиената леќа и 300 мл вода.
Покријте го лонецот и варете на тивко околу 20 минути.
Додајте ги доматите и варениот грав, исецкана на коцки бабура, сол и бибер.
Варете 20 минути, при крај додајте ја пченката.

За њоките ставете ја водата да се загрева, пред да зоврие додајте го спанаќот а по 3 минути и палентата како и сол и бибер.
Варете на тивко околу 3 минути.

Варивото од грав ставете го во огноотпорен сад. Додека палентата е топла "вадете" њоќи со лажица и веднаш ставете ги врз варивото.
Со четка премачкајте ги њоќите со маслиново масло, посолете, и додајте го сусамот.
Ставете во рерна да се пече околу 20 минути на 200 степени.


* црн грав купувам во паковање од 500 гр, го киснам во вода 12 часа или преку ноќ, другиот ден го варам (околу 50 минути) .
Гравот го ладам, го цедам и го делам во пластични кеси за замрзнување.
Вообичаено го делам на 4 дела.

Практикувам исти начин и со други видови на грав или леблебија.
Економично и здраво без конзерванси а достапно во секое време!
Совет од Anna Jones !


Ingredients:

for the chili: 1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick,sliced
1 carrot, chopped 
120 gr red lentils or green/brown lentils
1 tsp of each of this: ground cumin,coriander and chili 
400 gr chopped tomatoes 
200 - 300 gr cooked black beans*
100 gr frozen corn
1 green pepper 
salt and pepper 
olive oil

for the gnocchi:

150 gr instant  polenta
700 ml water
1-2 cubes frozen spinach 
or
2 handful fresh one, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
sesame seeds

In a big cooking pot pour 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil, add the trio veggies and fry for 10 minutes or until they are soft.
Add the spices and stir for minute or two.
Add the washed lentils and 300 ml water.
Put the lid on and cook it for 20 min on a low temperature.
After that add the tomatoes, the beans and 1 chopped green pepper.
Season with some salt and pepper and cook it for 20 min.
In the end add the corn.
Place the cooked chili into an ovenproof dish.

Put 700 ml of water with 2 tsp salt in a cooking pot and heated up.
Before it start boiling, add the spinach and after 3 minutes add the polenta. 
Cook the polenta for 3 minutes on a very low temperature or until it's thick and smooth.
While the polenta is still hot spoon out gnocchi and place them on the top of the chili.
Using a baking brush, brash the gnocchi with some olive oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds.
Bake the chili for 20 min on 200 C.

*I usually buy dry black beans in a 500 gr pack, I soak the beans over night, the next day I cook the beans for 50 minutes.
I let the beans to cool down before I divide it into a 4 plastic bags ready for a freezer.
It is very practical, economic as well as healthy ( no additives ) .
I use the same method for any beans and peas.
Advice from Anna Jones!