Vegetable Curry

Today I decided to experiment with a vegetable curry, and it was delightful. Making dinner for my fussy sister is always a difficult task, but fortunately this was a success. This recipe is extremely easy, but does require a lot of prep. Make sure you allow for timing, this meal should take about 1 hour 20 minutes in total. It's low in fat and makes for a hearty dinner.

Ready to eat

Ingredients (4 portions):

• 1 Butternut Squash
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 6 large mushrooms
• 1 onion  (red or white)
• 1 tin of chickpeas
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• turmeric, cumin, chilli powder
• 1 tin of low fat coconut milk
• curry powder 
• handful of sprigs of coriander 
• 4 packets of brown microwave rice.

Method:
Chop up the onion and Butternut Squash into small chunks and fry with a lug of oil, chop and add in the sweet potato and mushrooms as you go and leave for about 10 minutes. Then boil the kettle and fill add a stock cube to a pint of boiling water. Add to the frying pan and turn down to simmer.
Add in the chickpeas, coves of garlic and a tea spoon each of turmeric, cumin and chilli powder. Leave to simmer for about 30/40 minutes. Stir occasionally during this time.
The mixture should have reduced remarkably in this time. Once most of the water has evaporated add in the tin of coconut milk and some sprigs of coriander and a spoonful of curry powder (I found that it took to long for the water to evaporate so I had to drain some out to speed up the process). Mix and leave on a low heat for about 10 minutes.
You can either make your own rice, or you can use microwave rice pouches. I'm feeling lazy so i'm going to use microwave pouches because they are quick and easy. Serve generously and enjoy.

Fry for 10 minutes

Adding in the stock 

The final 10 minutes

Home made Beans and Sweet Potato wedges

Today I tried out some recipes from my Deliciously Ella cook book, I bought this book about a year ago and have found it really inspiring. I would really recommend it to anyone who is interesting in following a vegan and gluten free diet or just wanting to try new and healthy ideas. Her story is so motivating and really makes you think about the effect food has on our bodies, not just looking at how much weight your gaining but the goodness and benefits eating well does for your body.

For dinner we decided to have 'brinner' but with a twist, we had veggie sausages, eggs, beans and wedges. I followed Ella's home made bake bean recipe which was easy and lovely! But I added some of my own alterations to the recipe, to spice things up a bit. I added in 5 beans, chickpeas and chilli flakes, these were not part of the original recipe.

Ingredients (4 portions):

• 1 and a half tins of chopped tomatoes 
• 1 tin of haricot beans 
• half a tin of 5 beans 
• half a tin of chickpeas
• tube of tomato puree 
• 1 and a half cloves of garlic
• sprinkle of chilli flakes 
• salt and pepper

Method:

Pour the two cans of chopped tomatoes into a saucepan, add a pinch of salt and the cloves of garlic. Bring to boil and then leave to simmer for about 25/30 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
Next add in the haricot beans, chickpeas and 5 beans, and stir in well. Then add in two large tablespoons of tomato puree and as much chilli as desired. Season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes.

Getting started

Next I tried out her recipe for sweet potato wedges which I already knew was going to be right up my street. The recipe is really simple and the wedges were really tasty, again I made some slight alterations, changing the spices and herbs used to the ones that I had available and suited my preference. The recipe calls for cinnamon, but I chickened out of using this and went with garlic and paprika instead. As well I swapped chive for rosemary.

Ingredients (2 portions):

• 2 sweet potatoes
• small lug of oil 
• small handful of chopped up chives
• garlic granules
• paprika / chilli flakes 

Method:
Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees. Chop up the sweet potatoes in to wedge shapes, leaving the skin on. lay them side by side in a tray so that they are not touching. pour over a little bit of oil, then sprinkle over with the garlic, chilli, paprika and chives. Place in the oven for about an hour, turn them over at least once.

before the oven

My yummy dinner!