Stuffed Aubergines...

So after a bit of a break in transmission...the last recipe I posted was way back in August...so almost 3 months ago...I decided to get my butt in gear and get posting...I have 6 recipes all waiting o have photos edited and words typed...so here is the first of those, a simple veggie supper that we really enjoyed...

Aubergine and Lentil Daal...

and day 5 of 5 in our 'National Vegetarian Week Challenge" (yes, I know 5 days do not make a week...but prior engagements meant 5 days were the most we would manage)...this is an old favourite of ours...and one of my most made 'veggie meals'...it's actually called a 'curry' in the book I got the original recipe from, but in my mind the texture is more of a daal...hence my name for the dish...

Mushroom Risotto...

...or is it!?!?...We are up to day 4 of 5 in my National Vegetarian Week Challenge...A week full of Meat-Free meals...and so far so good...This one is a bit like a risotto, but not!! There is a slight twist in the recipe...

North African Squash and Chickpea Stew...

...I'm not actually convinced by the name of this dish...it is actually a soup-ish recipe, and in fact if I was going to name it, I might be tempted to use the word broth in there somewhere...and it is so much more than just squash and chickpeas, for a start there are lentils and orzo in there too...So what would it be called? 

Quinoa with Courgettes and Onions...

...not exactly an inspiring title to a vegetarian dish is it?!? But the fact that it had quinoa (one of my two fave ingredients at the moment) in it caught my eye, which is why I decided to give it a go last night for dinner...

Pesto Pasta Pronto...

...are you in need of a super speedy supper dish? Then this is the one for you...

National Vegetarian Week...

It's National Vegetarian Week...and here at Sew Appetising we are attempting a Meat-Free Monday to Friday...The menu is all planned and I am off to buy the ingredients this morning...

Med Veg and Chickpea One-Pot...

...this is such a fab midweek meal...all in the one-pot (apart from the couscous) and so easy to make...

#4 Saturday Night...means...

...It's "Fake-Away" night...you know what I mean, a "take-away" made by you...or in this case, me...

Trying my own pastry...

...wish me luck...


I decided that with all the food over holidays it is nice sometimes to just stop and have something fairly plain and simple...a bit like the steak and salad issue back here...so another salad was decided upon...but to go with it I decided to make a quiche...

Mexican Madness #4...Tacos...

Number 4 and the final one...this is a two for one deal...a Mixed Mushroom one and a Courgette and corn one....Both are full of fresh flavours and super simple to make!

Mexican Madness #3...Green Rice

...This is another side dish that we'd tried at Wahaca itself...there they serve it in small earthenware pots that look really great next to the Refried Beans and Guacamole...and it's another dish that I've been meaning to make for ages!!! So I'm really pleased to say I have now done just that!!! It takes a wee bit of preparation at the start, but nothing too taxing...

Mexican Madness #1...Frijoles Refritos...

 So the theme for this weekends culinary delights was Mexican...

...and the five recipes I made were taken from Tomasina Miers' book 'Mexican Food Made Simple'...

Mushroom, Artichoke and Olive Pasta Bake...

I found this recipe in my box of 'cut-out-and-keep' recipes, from various magazines...it's from Essentials Magazine, not sure which issue...there isn't a date on the torn out page!!(and I can't find it on their website anywhere to link to...) So I shall just have to share it with you...so here is Mushroom, Artichoke and Olive Pasta Bake...

Friday Night Veggie Indian Feast...

...so now I have finally posted all the recipes from last Friday's Veggie Indian Feast...The menu was...

...Although the Torte and ice-cream got bumped to Saturday in the end as we were too full, it was too late and to be honest, I couldn't be bothered to bake the torte on Friday!!! Oh, and the homemade pizzas on Saturday were for the 4 smallish people!!! We had the Pasta Bake, that will be posted later on...


If you missed any of the Indian food posts you can find them here...


1 - Paneer and Spice Fritters
2 - Pea and Potato Samosas
3 - Cucumber and Mint Raita
4 - Saag Paneer
5 - Chickpea Curry
6 - Pilau Rice...this one is just below...


I Don't really have a formal recipe for this, but I will share with you how I cook my Pilau Rice...
Serves: 6 ish...or in this case, 4 and leftovers!!
Prep time: 5 mins plus 30mins soaking time
Cooking time: 5mins ish...
Ok, so I start by rinsing about 12oz of basmati rice in cold water...I rinse a couple of times to get most of the dust and starch out...then to the pan of now wet (but drained) rice I will add about 1/2tsp turmeric, 1tsp garam masala, 1tsp chilli powder, 4 split green cardamom pods, 2 crushed cloves of garlic and about and inch of peeled, grated fresh ginger...give it a stir and leave until about 30  mins before you want to cook it...
About 30 mins before you are going to cook it, add enough cold water to the pan to cover with about 2inches extra water...leave to soak for about 30 mins...
Once 30mins is up add a little salt and bring to the boil...turn down and simmer for about 4 mins, testing after 3mins...we like ours firm, not raw!!! But with a bite to it...there is nothing worse than soggy rice!!! Once cooked to your liking, drain and serve!!
I'm sorry there are no photos to show how great this rice turns out...maybe next time I cook it I will post some!
Oh, one more thing, I also use this rice to make veggie pilau, for that one I stir fry some veg of choice...leeks, broccoli, cauli, peppers, mushrooms, peas...and add drained cooled rice to pan, mix and reheat...for that you only need about 9oz rice to start...that will feed four and give leftovers!!

Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry...

...Doesn't really sound that appetising, but it has to be tasted as it is a really good veggie curry...and is the last of the recipes from Friday night's Indian Veggie Feast...it joins the others so far...Herb and Spice Paneer Fritters, Pea and Potato Samosas, Mint and Cucumber Raita, Cheat's Saag Paneer and now...Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry....

Pea and Potato Samosas...

...as those of you that read all my posts know, we have had veggie friends staying this weekend...and on Friday night I made a Veggie Indian Feast for us...so far I have shared the Paneer Fritters, Saag Paneer and Raita recipes with you...well here is the next...Anjum Anand's Pea and Potato Samosas...from her Indian Food Made Easy Book...There are a few spices in the filling...all of which bar one were already in my store cupboard...

Herb and Spice Paneer Fritters...

...This is another of those recipes that I ripped out of a magazine about two years ago, but am only know getting around to trying!!!...this one comes from the Good Food Magazine dated April 2010!!!



They taste subtly herbed and spiced, with the toasted cumin seeds coming through quite well in the taste stakes...and they go well with the Cucumber and Mint Raita I made...and even better with a slightly spicy dip such as a sweet chilli or a spiced mango chutney...

Cheat's Saag Paneer...

...well, kind of Cheat's Saag Paneer at least...in that I have used a curry paste to flavour and spice it up, rather than using whole spices...but my excuse is that I've made a Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry from scratch (using whole spices), a Chocolate Fudge Cake Tray Bake, some Herb and Spice Paneer Fritters, some Pea and Potato Samosas and Mint and Cucumber Raita...(the links for everything else will appear as I post the recipes) so I've been a little bit busy!!! The reason?? Friends are coming to dinner - and in fact for the weekend...so we are all set for a Veggie Indian Feast tonight!!!

Midweek Veggie Night...

...Hi guys, it's midweek (well it was when I made this meal earlier in the week!!!)...which means meat-free meal time...As I said a while ago on here, we try to eat meat-free at least once a week, but more often than not twice...I seem to recall a while ago the push for flexitarianism...where you mainly eat a veggie diet, but are pretty cool about the odd bit of meat...well we are kind of midway between that and being omnivores...in that we do like red meat (in moderation of course!!), white meat and fish...but we also eat a hell of a lot of veggies...So what are we trying to do by taking this approach to eating??? Trying to eat a balanced diet I would say, with the odd treat thrown in for good measure...Ooops...rant over...to the food...