Cauliflower Chickpea Patties *******

 As is usually the case, I doubled this recipe tonight, this time due to the special on two slightly discolored cauliflowers and the size of the red capsicum.  Whilst the outcome was not the most beautiful of meals, it was not only tasty on the night, but worked well cold the next day for lunches.


As can be seen, I used a food processor instead of a fork which worked well.

Prep Time:  15 mins.   Baking Time:  45 mins Serves: About 10 patties

Ingredients:

    1 Head Cauliflower, florets broken apart
    1Can Chick Peas rinsed and drained
    1 Bell pepper/ red capsicum diced small
    1 Onion Diced small
    2 Cloves Garlic Minced
    1 Cup Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)
    1 tsp Turmeric
    1 tsp Cumin
    Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 190c/375f.
    Boil or steam cauliflower until soft.
    Saute onion and bell pepper over low heat until soft.
    Add garlic and saute for another minute or so.
    In a large bowl, smash chick peas up well with a fork or the bottom of a cup.
    Add cauliflower and smash up as well.
    Add all other ingredients and stir until combined.
    Mix should be wet but come together in a ball without falling apart.
    Carefully make a ball in your hands with the mix.
    Press ball between hands to make a patty.
    Place patty on oiled pan or baking dish.
    Continue with the rest of the mix.
    Bake for 25 Minutes, flip the patties. and bake for another 20 minutes or until browned.

Source:  Dora Daily

Some other Cauliflower recipes:- HuffPost

Baked Creamy Pumpkin Risotto

Prep time:  15 mins.  Cook time:  35 mins.  Total time:  50 mins.  Serves:  4

There are several ways to cook this tasty dish.  The pumpkin can be cooked to an aldente, so it remains in tact within the risotto, or cooked to a mush so that when stirred it becomes a pumpkin sauce in the risotto.  I like to bake the pumpkin to soft (extra taste) and add it in the mix just 10 minutes before the risotto is done and then stir it in with the parmesan et al, so that it is saucy with a few very soft chunks.  I generally start baking the pumpkin while setting up the rest of the ingredients.  Cooking the pumpkin until soft and stirring it in as a sauce, makes the risotto quite creamy like stove top cooked risotto.

If hands on time time is not on your side and you are not overly fussy, just throw everything into a heavy oven proof pot and bake for 70 minutes and enjoy a wine..  It will still come out great!

This dish is easily turned into vegan by using a vegetable butter and nutritional yeast in lieu of butter and parmesan cheese.


Ingredients:

Ingredients - Garlic is behind the onion :-)

    2 tbsp olive oil

    1 large brown onion, finely diced or 1 large leak thinly sliced crossways

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    12 sage leaves

    2 cups arborio rice (risotto rice)

    1 cup dry white wine or use stock/water

    5 cups vegetable or chicken stock/broth

    700g/25oz pumpkin, diced into 1.5cm/0.5" cubes

    3 tbsp butter

    ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

    Salt

    Black pepper

Ready to go...

To Garnish:


    Grated parmesan
    Finely chopped parsley

Options:

You may add all of or just some of:- 5 diced bacon rashers, 200g mushrooms, 100g crumbled feta and a packet of baby spinach to this for variety.  Fry the bacon before the onion, the mushrooms with the onion, add the feta with the stock and stir the spinach in with the parmesan and butter and the latent heat will wilt it without affecting its nutrition.


Instructions:

•     Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
•     If baking the pumpkin, place on a baking tray. Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake on top shelf of the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  This may be cooked in tandem with the Risotto or prior, depending on oven size.
•     Heat olive oil in ovenproof pot (preferably with a lid) over medium high heat.
•     Add garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent.
•     Add sage leaves and cook for 1 minute or until it is crispy, but not burnt.
•     Add rice and stir so all the rice grains are coated with the olive oil.
•     Add white wine and cook until the the liquid evaporates - about 1 minute.
•     Add pumpkin (if cooking in the Risotto) and stock, and bring to boil.  I use Massel vegetarian chicken stock in water boiled in the kettle which also speeds up the process.
•     Put lid on (or cover tightly with foil) and place in oven for 25 to 35 minutes.  Give it a quick stir around the 15 - 20 minute mark.  When finished the rice should be moist like porridge, not dry like a pilaff. Excess liquid will be utilized by the pumpkin when you stir it or let it sit for a minute or so with the lid off.
•     Add the roast pumpkin if you have cooked it in tandem with the Risotto.
•     Add butter and parmesan cheese.
•     Gently stir the risotto so that the pumpkin turns into a puree and blends into the risotto. If it's too thick then add a splash of boiled water.
•     Add salt and pepper to taste.
•     Serve, garnished with parsley, extra chopped sage leaves and extra parmesan if desired.

Sources:  Recipe Tine Eats, Best Recipes, TasteDotCom

Citrusy Avocado and White Bean Salad on Bread

The combination of crispy carrots and nuts with the gooey avocado and beans creates a sensational mix of textures.

With the citrus, vinegar and probiotics, this is another one of those salads which is great for alkalizing the body and thus good for inflammation issues and may be considered another "Cancer Busting" salad.  The addition of a bit of spice speeds up the metabolism for better absorption.

Enjoy as a side salad or as a main on crispy toast as I did with this batch.  These pictures reflect a doubling of the ingredients listed, making enough for 5 large pizza style toppings and enough left over for the wife's lunch the next day.

Our local shop had run out of sweet onion (salad onions) but the red onion worked out fine.  I also found that the lemons and oranges were particularly juicy, making the final mix quite moist!

Preparation Time:  20 mins.   Serves 3 toasties.

Ingredients:

1 16 oz. can white beans (cannellini) - drained, rinsed
1 small avocado, diced
1/3 cup sweet onion, diced
1 small carrot, chopped
1/2 cup spinach, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp hemp or sunflower seeds
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp white miso paste
1 Tbsp fresh tangerine or orange juice + pinch of zest
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

pinch of cayenne pepper
salt + pepper to taste

topping: harissa


toasted bread (I used rye flatbread)

note: obviously your can greatly tweak the ingredients in this recipe by trying different veggies, seeds, beans and even seasonings.

Directions:

1. Add the beans and avocado to a large mixing bowl ( I used a food processor). Mash well with a fork until thick and chunky, yet creamy like a chunky guacamole or hummus.  Beans may be fully or partially mashed depending on texture preferred.
2. Prep all your veggies and fold into the avocado mixture, again, I used a food processor to roughly chop. 
3.  Add sunflower or other seeds or nuts of your choice.  You may choose to chop these with the above.
4. Whisk or blend the nutritional yeast, white miso paste, the citrus juices vinegar and spices. Fold this liquid into the mixture and continue folding until well combined and the veggies begin to soak into the creamy and liquid.
5. Serve right away or chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before serving. This fresh salad is best served right away, since it slightly separates when left over night in the fridge.

Source:  Healthy Happy Life 100% Vegan