Vegetarian Chilli

Donated by good friend and founder of Think Electric Bikes, Jonno. A delicious winter warmer that can be made in a heart beat and last the week!

If you are using couscous instead of rice, when the chilli has 10 minutes left of simmering, pour boiling water over it, cover and leave for 8 mins before flaking up and serving. Add a dash of cumin or paprika to the mix for extra flavour. 

Ingredients:

• 1 can veggie mince (you could use beef or lamb mince for this, too.)
• 1 can tomatoes
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 onion
• 8 button mushrooms
• 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• natural/greek yoghurt
• 1 1/2 cup brown rice (or couscous)
• dash of cooking oil

You will need:

• Frying pan & spatula
• Deep saucepan with lid & wooden spoon
• Chopping board & sharp knife

Method: (prep time: 5 mins; cook time: 20-25 mins)

• Add 2.25 cold cups water to sauce pan, with rice, set heat to high.
• Slice mushrooms into chunk and dice onion.
• On medium heat heat oil in frying pan and add mushrooms and onion, cook until soft.
• When rice water boils, turn heat down to low, add the lid and simmer for 20 mins. 
• Add mince to frying pan and soften.
• Add tomatoes and kidney beans, stirring constantly.
• Add chilli powder to taste, 1 1/2 tsp should give reasonable kick!
• Let chilli simmer for 20 minutes.
• When 20 mins are up on the rice, remove from heat and leave for 10 mins.
• Serve rice on plate with chilli on top and a dollop of yoghurt on the side.

 

 

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Serves 2

This recipe follows the same idea as our creamy mushroom toast, but is more of  a dinner thing. Use whatever pasta you prefer, or have around. A linguine or tagliatelle would probably work best, but spirals would be just as tasty.

Ingredients:

• 12 large button mushrooms, halved
• 150 mls cream
• however much pasta you normally use
• handful of spinach, chopped
• 100g bacon, diced (optional)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• pinch of oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• knob of butter

You will need:

• 1 large frying pan & spatula
• chopping board & sharp knife
• deep saucepan & wooden spoon
• sink with warm, soapy water for washing hands after handling raw meat

Method: (prep time: 5 mins; cook time: 10-15)

• Boil 500ml water and add to saucepan. Add pasta, cook on medium heat for 10 mins.
• Add butter, salt, pepper and oregano to frying pan.
• Chop mushrooms in half and slice spinach into small strips. Set aside.
• Roughly dice bacon and add to frying pan on medium heat. (5 mins)
• Add mushrooms and spinach along with 1 tbsp soy and balsamic vinegar.
• Stir around until mushrooms start to soften and spinach wilts. (3 mins)
• Add cream and stir steadily. If sauce reduces too much, lower heat. (2-3 mins)
• When pasta is soft, drain and add to frying pan, mixing into the sauce.(1 min)
• Serve when sauce is even around pasta.

Calzones

Serves 2.

These portable pizzas are a great take on a delicious dish and again, are inherently versatile. Originally a way to use up leftovers, they can contain anything, really. I’ve outlined the method below, with some house favourite recipes after that.

These recipes use dough outlined here. We used to just use short-crust pastry sheets but the recipe is easy as. Both work, though. 

Method: 

• Preheat oven fan bake 220 degrees C.
• Grate your cheese (unless pre-grated of course!)
•  roll dough into a circle.
• Spread tomato puree over your base, leaving 2cm gap from the edge.
• Add your toppings and cheese on one half only.
• Fold empty half over the top and join edges together, by pinching the dough and folding up.
• Bake in oven for 10-15 mins until golden brown.

Hawaiian: – Love pineapple or hate it, this is a classic pizza

• 5 slices of ham, diced
• 2 rings of pineapple cut into small chunks
• tomato puree
• grated cheese (mozzarella and/or cheddar)

Meat lovers: – This one is filling, beware!

• 2 -3 sliced pork sausages (cooked in frying pan and let to cool enough to touch)
• 5 slices of ham, diced
• 4 slices salami, sliced
• Tomato puree
• grated cheese (mozzarella and/or cheddar)

Mince and veges: – A bit of effort beforehand

• 1/8 pack mixed veges
• 200g mince (beef or lamb)
• grated cheese (mozzarella and/or cheddar)
• tomato puree

• Fry up some mixed veges with mince until browned.
• Add tomato puree and mix well.
• Spread tomato puree over base and add mixed veges and mince mixture
• Follow the method as above.

Four Cheesons: – I couldn’t resist the pun. I am so sorry.

• Mozzarella
• Brie/Camembert
• Cheddar/Colby
• Your favourite blue cheese
• Tomato puree

Spinach and ricotta: – The classic veggie calzone. Ingredients make 2 calzones

• 280g spinach
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• Mozzarella grated (or cheddar/colby, whatever you have)
• salt and pepper to taste

For the filling, in a medium bowl, mix the spinach and ricotta together until they are evenly distributed. Follow method as usual.

Pesto pasta with cheese

Serves 2

It’s not fancy or different, but it is tasty and versatile – perfect on a cash and motivation budget. It is also very versatile – adding ham, cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts or tuna can really spice it up and add some much needed protein.

Ingredients: 

• pasta – use your favourite kind and however much you normally use. (if you cook too much, you’ve got leftovers for lunch tomorrow)
• 3 tbsp pesto
• grated cheese
• 4 slices of ham diced (optional) OR 1 can of tuna (optional)
• handful of pine nuts (optional)
  
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)

You will need: 

• Saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Saucepan lid/colander to drain pasta
• small frying pan (for pine nuts)

Method: (takes 5-10 mins)

• Boil 500ml water, add to sauce pan with pasta and turn element to medium-high heat. (5-10 mins)
• Stir Occasionally to prevent sticking and meanwhile:
• Halve cherry tomatoes and set aside.
• Dice ham / drain and flake tuna and set aside.
• Grate cheese.
• Place pine nuts in frying pan on medium heat, stirring until brown (2-3 mins)
• Test pasta and once cooked, drain and add pesto, stirring thoroughly.
• Stir in remaining ingredients and serve quickly while hot.