One Pot Red Lentil Pasta

This is my go to recipe on a busy day, it only takes 5-10mins to make and is a nutritionally balanced meal.

Lentil pasta is an excellent alternative as it’s high in fiber and protein. Lentils are aslo loaded with folate, iron, phosphorus and potassium. Lentil pasta is rich in fiber. Fiber intake helps reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Ingredients

1 can of tomato tin

1 small bowl of pasta

I small bowl of diced onion

5 cloves of minced garlic

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

500 ml veg broth

Salt and pepper to tatse

Fresh Basil

Chesse (optional)

In a large pan add in the red lentil pasta, tin tomato, diced onion and minced garlic, spices and the veg broth. Mix together, then add in salt and pepper.

Let it simmer on a slow gas till most of the liquid is absorbed.

Then add in fresh basil and mix well. After a few minutes turn of the heat.

Place is a serving bowl, add more fresh basil, chesse and enjoy.

saag Tofu

Sagg paneer/ sagg tofu is very popular in northern India and originates from the Migdalia cuisine.

Saag tofu is my healthy variation of saag paneer. This is a healthier, low fat version, but Still delicious and full of taste. I prefer to use tofu instead of paneer when making this curry, as tofu contains last calories and fat then paneer. If you prefer to use paneer, please do so.

Tofu paneer is really easy to make, it takes me about 25 minutes to make. It’s a really simple but tasty curry to make, as it only needs a few ingredients. Sagg Tofu is best served with rice, chapati or naan bread.

Ingredients

6 ounces of tofu & cut it into 1 inch cubes

1 bag of spinach chopped up.

2 tbs olive oil

Tomato puree

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsb garam masala

1tsp ground coriander

2 tsp salt

1 medium onion chopped

2 garlic cloves (mashed)

1 tsb of fresh mashed ginger

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

Instructions

• In a large pan, heat the oil and add in the onion and tofu.

• Let it cook for 10mins on a medium heat (the onion should be soft and brown and tofu golden brown.)

• Now add in the the spices garlic, salt and ginger. Let it cook for 2-3mins till the spices mix together.

• Now add in the tomato puree & chopped spinach.

• Mix it well and let it cook for a further 5-7 mins.

• Lower the heat, stir through the yoghurt.

• Now remove from the heat & garish with fresh coriander.

• Serve warm.

Vegetarian Paella

I love the beautiful colours of a Paella dish so here is my version which is vegetarian and free of fish and meat! Also I might mention I cook mine in a Paellera which is a special Paella pan made of steel. You can get one from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Jh0TSG

You can of course you any normal pan for this too so don’t worry too much! 🙂

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

1/2 onion finely chopped

1/2 of each of a green, red and yellow pepper

2 medium size tomatoes

1/2 cup of frozen peas

1/2 cup of frozen green beans

1 1/2 cups of Basmati rice (this is my preferred rice)

1 litre of homemade veg stock

2 teaspoons of Turmeric

1 teaspoon Paprika

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a paellera or a pan over medium heat and when it’s hot, add the garlic, onion, red, yellow and green peppers (chopped). Cook until brown.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the frozen peas and beans to cook a further 5 minutes.

Add in the rice and cook until rice begins to look translucent. Pour the vegetable stock in (water will do if you do not have stock), add the turmeric powder, paprika, also add salt to taste.

Stir the paella until all the ingredients are mixed and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Add more vegetable stock / water if the rice is still uncooked.

Let stand the paella (covered) for at least 10 minutes before serving.