Roasted Veggie Bake with Lettuce, Apple & Walnut Salad

Veggie Bake (serves 6)
1 large eggplant
1 large zucchini
400gms Jap pumpkin

1 large onion chopped finely
3 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons of fresh thyme (finely chopped)
2 tbs vegetable oil
800gm of canned tomatoes (blended)

500gms firm tofu (or 500gms low fat ricotta)
3 tablespoons dry chives
salt & pepper to taste

50gms baby spinach leaves

1. Slice the eggplant, zucchini and pumpkin very finely, spread out each vegetable on a baking tray lined with baking paper (to prevent sticking) and brush lightly with olive oil (or spray with cooking spray. Cook on a hot oven until they are tender. Set aside
2. Chop onion and garlic finely and saute in the olive oil some vegetable oil. When they are see through and starting to caramelise, add the can of tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, add thyme and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Place tofu, dry chives and salt & pepper into a food process, and blend until it resembles a cream cheese. (if using Ricotta, just blend until the chives are mixed through the cheese)
   
4. Spoon some of the cooked sauce on the bottom of a baking tray and layer with eggplant, followed by some zucchini. Place the whole lot of tofu (or ricotta) on top of the zucchini, flatten it out, and then continue to layer that with pumpkin, followed by spinach leaves. Spoon more sauce on top of the spinach leaves, then place the remainder of the eggplant, and finish off with some more sauce.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
6. Serve with salad

Salad
3/4 of a butter lettuce
50gms spinach
1 fuji apple
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 carrot
Dressing
1 tablespoon dijonnaise
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar

1. Tear the lettuce roughly and place in a bowl with the washed spinach.
2. Peel the carrot and cut into thin batons.
3. Peel apple, remove core, and cut into quarters. Slice each quarter into small pieces.
4. Mix dressing, and pour over the lettuce. Mix in other vegetables and walnuts.
5. Serve immediately.
   

Sunday Dinner - Day 6

I took a break from cooking over the weekend. Boone likes to have vegan pies (which we buy from a vegan bakery) and cereal for breakfast on weekends. On Saturday we went out to dinner so there was no need to cook either.

Today I went back to the kitchen with a vengeance.

On Friday night whilst poring over the menus of several restaurants, (trying to find one to dine out on Saturday night) I read the description of a salad that had my taste buds calling out. It was a rocket, white peach salad with a balsamic reduction. We didn't end up going to that restaurant for dinner, we went to Kobe Jones, and the food was spectacular.

Still couldn't forget about the salad. I wasn't able to buy rocket or white peaches, ;) So I improvised with other ingredients.

Here is tonight's dinner feast :)

Stuffed Zucchinis
Ingredients
5 medium sized zucchinis cut in half (About 560gms)
1/2 a large onion chopped finely
1 Tbs olive oil
120gms grated pumpkin
1 small (90gms) red capsicum chopped finely
150gms cooked chickpeas
1 medium (80gms) grated carrot
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup soy milk (you can use regular milk or cream if you like)
salt
cracked pepper

Method

1. Using a melon baller or a spoon scoop put the flesh from the zucchinis. Put flesh aside, as it will be used for the soup.
2. Lay them on a tray lined with baking paper, and season with cracked salt & pepper
3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
4. Heat oil in a non stick pan and sautee onions and capsicum
5. Add carrots and pumpkin and cook for a few minutes.
6. Add chickpeas and mash them roughly into the other ingredients
7. Add soy and cook until the mixture is thick
8. Add grated nutmeg and salt to taste
9. Spoon filling into zucchinis and bake for 20-30 minutes until zucchinis are tender
10. Serve with rice and salad

Zucchini, Onion & Corn Soup

Ingredients
270gms zucchini flesh (use the flesh leftover from the above recipe)
1/2 large onion chopped finely
1 Tbs (20mls) olive oil
1.5 cups of water
120gms fresh corn kernels
1 Massel Beef stock cube (these stock cubes are vegan)

Method

1. Heat oil in a pot, and sautee onion
2. Add zucchini, and 2/3s of the corn kernels
3. Add stock cube and water and simmer for 15 minutes until zucchini is tender.
4. Process in a blender, and place back into the pot.
5. Add the remaining corn kernels, and cook for a further 5 minutes
6. Add freshly grated nutmeg, salt & pepper to taste

Spinach & Nectarine Salad

Ingredients
80gms of baby spinach leaves
1 small nectarine (washed and sliced)
1/4 of a small onion, sliced very finely
40gms flaked almonds
4 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs olive oil
Method

1. Place balsamic vinegar in a non stick pan and heat until it is reduced to a thick sauce, about 1/2 of it's original volume.
2. Place spinach in a bowl, followed by nectarine, onion and almonds
3. Dress with cracked salt, balsamic reduction and olive oil

This was the salad inspired by the peach and rocket salad at Markov.
I will have to try the one at that restaurant one day, but the version I've come up with is delicious!!! I will be making this one for the family at Christmas :)