Vegetarian Food Blog: 'Greek' Stuffed Peppers

Sweet, soft red peppers filled with a basic tomato-based risotto and currents to keep you interested. This is not nearly as fiddly as it sounds. Tomatoes work well too, just too expensive in Sydney at the moment.

RECIPE: GREEK STUFFED PEPPERS OR CAPSICUMS

6 large red peppers/capsicums

1 large onion, chopped 

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup arborio rice (or other short grain risotto rice)

1/2 cup white wine (optional)

1/2 cup currents

2-3 Tablespoons pine nuts (optional)

1 cup tomato puree (or can chopped tomatoes, blended)

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

2 cups water

salt and pepper                                                                         

Preheat oven to 180-200 C or 350-400 F (depending on how hot your oven is).

Heat oil in large or medium pot. Add onion and saute on low heat for about five-ten minutes - until clear. Stir in rice and cook for a minute or two, taking care not to let it catch. Pour wine in and cook until absorbed, stirring a couple of times. Next add currents, pine nuts, half of the tomato puree, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a decent grind of fresh black pepper. 

Once the tomatoes are absorbed add 1 cup water, and cover with lid. Perhaps move to a smaller element so it can cook very slowly. Stir regularly. Once the water is absorbed taste it - the rice should be undercooked, but not too crunchy. Add another 1/2 cup water if necessary and cook gently until absorbed.

Meanwhile, prepare peppers/capsicums. You have several options: Slice the tops off for 6 larger servings, or cut the whole pepper in half lengthways for 12 smaller serves. I've tried a bit of both tonight. Two whole ones for Miles and I to eat for dinner, and a selection of half peppers to take to work for Food Club.

Stand peppers in large, lightly oiled baking dish, preferably one that fits them nice and snug -  a lasagne dish works well. Stuff with rice mixture. Pour rest of the tomato puree and half a cup of water around the peppers, so they are sitting in a bit of liquid. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top if you like, and pop in oven on middle shelf for about 35 mins, or until peppers are very soft.

These are best served warm or at room temperature. Leave them to settle for a bit when you take them out of the oven, or if eating cold the next day be sure to remove from fridge in plenty of time.

VEGETARIAN FOOD BLOG: SPICED PUMPKIN AND LENTIL SOUP

This is super comfort soup. Super because it contains only ingredients designed to nourish and power your body. And comfort because it's hearty warmth will take the edge off the harshest nights.

Where I'm sitting in Sydney the days are gradually getting warmer, but there's still plenty of opportunities to whip this up before the hot nights hit. If you're up north, mark this one for the coming seasons.

This spiced pumpkin and lentil soup even goes down well at a dinner party. I served it as a starter at my 30th birthday party a while back.

This is my adaptation. Credit where credit's due to the Vegetarian Adventure Cookbook, a New Zealand number by Rowan Bishop and Sue Carruthers that has been part of my kitchen for more than a decade.

A good pumpkin is always the key to an outstanding pumpkin dish. However, I'm happy to report that even average pumpkins come up tasting superb here once the spices and lentil do their work.

RECIPE: SPICED PUMPKIN AND LENTIL SOUP

3/4 cup brown lentils

1 cup water

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp tumeric

1 T butter (optional)

2 T olive oil

1-2 onions, chopped

1/3-1/4 pumpkin (depending on size) chopped roughly

1 cup vegetable stock (I dissolve a cube in boiling water)

extra water if needed

black pepper 

thick yoghurt (compulsory)

chopped fresh coriander (very optional)

Place lentils in small pot with water and lid and bring to the boil, lowering heat to simmer until water absorbed or lentils cooked. This will take about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in large pot and saute onions over medium hear until soft. Turn heat to low and cook spices briefly - only about 30 seconds.

 Prepare stock and add to large pot with pumpkin. Chop pumpkin according to how quickly you want soup to cook. Turn heat up and put lid on until boiling. Lower to simmer and cook until pumpkin mushy. Add 1/2 cup more boiling water if it looks too thick for your liking. Add lentils to soup at whichever point they are done, or nearly done. They will continue cooking with the pumpkin. 

Remove from stove and use stick blender to process, leaving a little bit of texture. It's nice if you can still get a sense of the lentils. Grind over plenty of black pepper, and taste for salt seasoning.

Gently reheat when ready to eat and serve each bowl with a generous dollop of thick creamy yoghurt. Garnish with little chopped coriander if desired (but it's delicious without too).

VEGETARIAN FOOD BLOG: SPINACH, RICOTTA AND RICE FRITTERS

Before we go any further with this fritter and patty party, an explanation of what defines each is useful.

Fritter mixture is wet. Sloppy. You can't use your hands to form balls with fritter batter. Imagine a very thick pancake batter, with vegetables and stuff bulking it out.

Patty mixture can still be quite moist. But importantly, you can use wet hands to form large round balls. You place them on a large plate, flatten them slightly, and place in fridge or freezer to firm-up before frying. Being cold keeps the patty in one piece when you fry it, especially when you flip it.

If you've only just stumbled across Billie Bites, here's some background: Billie grew a little fussy. On return from holiday we embarked on a fritter and patty frenzy. Suddenly, vegetables are back in her diet.

She loves cooking, and fritters and patties are perfect toddler fodder. Yes it does involve hot oil, so here's where I insert a disclaimer. However, Billie is very clear that pans on the stove are hot. We've never had any problems or any near-misses. I do of course watch her at all times around hot oil. Hey, those master chef kids had to start somewhere.

This is from the fritter camp. Next up, we'll demonstrate the difference with a patty recipe.

These numbers were a HUGE hit. Billie ate plate-loads. And she was a fabulous sous chef.

SPINACH, RICOTTA AND RICE FRITTERS


2/3 cup brown rice (makes 1 1/4 cooked rice, and can be prepared ahead)
Large bunch of English spinach 
1/2 cup grated cheddar
600g fresh ricotta (if at all possible, use the really fresh, firm stuff)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
freshly ground black pepper
just a little bit of salt
freshly grated nutmeg, or 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
handful fresh oregano (or basil, parsley if oregano not around)


Place rice in small pot with double the amount of cold water. Bring to boil with lid on, then turn right down to low and simmer with lid on until water absorbed. Don't stir, just lift lid occasionally and it will be obvious when water almost gone. Turn off and leave lid on for few minutes. Remove rice from pot and place in large bowl to cool.


Meanwhile, pick spinach leaves and wash. Drain, leaving a little water on the leaves. Place in large pot with lid, on medium heat. After a minute shake pot. After another minute lift lid and give quick stir. When just wilted, remove and chop spinach.


Add salt and pepper, nutmeg, spinach, cheddar and herbs to rice. Next add eggs, then ricotta. 


Heat a large heavy fry pan on medium with couple of spoons of oil - olive, rice bran or coconut are best. Once hot, turn down to low and dollop tablespoons of mixture into pan. The smaller the fritters, the quicker to cook. But if they are larger they will soak up a bit less oil. So depending on your priorities...With this recipe I found smaller to be better as the mixture is a slow cooker. 


Flipping rules: Avoid multiple flips. This encourages breakage. Instead gently try the edges with your flipper, and if it comes away easily and does not look about to break into pieces, your fritter is ready to be turned. Flip when solid. Patience is a virtue with these fritters, they don't like to be rushed.


Place on a large plate lined with newspaper to soak up any excess oil and serve as are. No sauce or chutney needed. (Yes, newspaper really works just as well as paper towels. But if you don't have newspaper lying around your kitchen because you read everything online, you may have to go out and buy paper towels.)


Where's the picture? Billie scoffed them all before I could reach for the camera.

VEGETARIAN BLOG: Cheesy Yoghurt Onion Olive Cakes

A few weeks back I made a promise. Now, after a few crazy weeks at work, I am delivering on that promise.

These are the little savory pies I served at Billie's second birthday party. This weekend I pressed replay for a friend Miream's shared lunch. They were devoured around a crowded kitchen as mountains of delicious food was served.

I have slightly adapted this vegetarian recipe from Julie Le Clerc's feta and olive pies in her Cafe@home book. Julie uses the mixture to make a few small pies. Instead I divided it into 12 muffin tins.

At Saturday's lunch we had some gluten-free folk so I swapped the regular flour for a gluten-free one. It worked just fine.

Unfortunately Billie's experience of these tasty pie/cakes was tainted by her false expectation that they were sweet muffins. She mistook the olives on top for dates...and we all know how her taste buds would have reacted.

RECIPE: CHEESY YOGHURT ONION OLIVE CAKES

3 onions, sliced thinly

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup self-raising flour, or 1 cup gluten-free flour and 1 tspn gluten-free baking powder/soda

 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup thick plain yoghurt

300g feta, cubed

1 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

black pepper

1/2 cup kalamata olives (remove pits, but avoid cutting in half, before using)

Saute onions in oil for ten minutes to soften well but not brown. Remove from pan to cool. Preheat oven to medium - about 180/350. Oil 12 muffin pans.

Sift flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour beaten eggs and yoghurt into the well and stir with a wooden spoon. Mix in onions, feta, Gruyere, dill and pepper. You don't need to add salt as the feta has plenty.

Pour into oiled muffin tins and place an olive or two on top of each. Bake for 30 minutes or until set and browning on top. Let them cool a little before removing one from the tins. If still quite wet and difficult to remove, pop them back in oven for few more minutes.

Cool on wire racks or serve immediately. Great fresh out of the oven, but at Billie's party they were cold and still delicious.

 

VEGETARIAN BLOG: BLACK BEAN AND PUMPKIN SOUP

Black beans make a superb soup - but you have to prepare them from scratch. Cooking the beans creates a velvety, thick purple broth that you simply cannot recreate with tinned black beans.

 Don't worry - it ain't that hard to cook black beans. It just takes a bit of foresight. While you can soak them over night, they don't actually need that long. A few hours is fine. The longer you soak the less time they will take to cook. No more than 12 hours though and at least three hours is a good guide for black beans - also known as Brazilian or turtle beans.

Pumpkin makes a great mate for black beans. And this soup is actually pretty simple and easy. Team it with the coconut corn bread below.


Slightly adapted from Three Bowls: Vegetarian Recipes from an American Zen Buddhist Monastery by Seppo Ed Farrey with Myochi nancy O'Hara

RECIPE: PUMPKIN AND BLACK BEAN SOUP

2 cups black beans, rinsed well and drained

2 tablespoons oil

1 onion, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

About 2kg pumpkin, skinned and chopped into bite-sized cubes

1 tablespoon tamari - or soy sauce

black pepper

sour cream

fresh coriander/cilantro, chopped

Soak beans in 6 cups of water for about four hours. Rinse well.  Prepare pumpkin.

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat and saute onion with salt for a few minutes. Add garlic and saute few more minutes, stirring now and then.

Add 6 cups of water with pumpkin and beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer with lid on, stirring now and then, until beans are soft but not mushy. If looks like to much liquid remove lid for last 15 minutes so it will reduce down a bit. You want a reasonable amount of broth though.

Remove one cup of the solids and one cup of the broth and puree. Return to pot and add tamari and pepper. Simmer for a few more minutes.

Carefully ladle soup into bowls and add a decent dollop of good quality sour cream, with fresh coriander sprinkled on top. Serve with bread below or on its own.

FOR BABIES SIX MONTHS AND OVER: Scoop out some pumpkin once it is cooked and puree

FOR BABIES EIGHT MONTHS AND OLDER: Scoop out some cooked beans and pumpkin and mash a little (avoid the broth as it contains salt)

FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS ONE YEAR AND OLDER: Serve as is, or blend and serve

BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN SOUP with RED PEPPER and LIME

It's the season to be soupy - if you're down-under at least. I made some fantastic soups this week. They didn't just taste it, they looked great too - often an issue with soups that wind up a dull brown or grey.

I have made various versions of black bean soup over the years, but usually they are blended to a thick blackish puree. While tasty, I have felt a little odd gulping back black goo.

This hearty ensemble is a departure from that blended style and quite impressive to serve up: Soft black beans in a dark purple broth alongside strands of red pepper; with a generous dollop of sour cream, sprinkled with shavings of lime rind and fresh coriander leaves.

I adapted this recipe from a soup based around a bacon hock. I wasn't sure if a vegetarian version would cut it, and maybe it wouldn't if you had tasted the meaty version.

Billie had no complaints, and neither did my blog pal Violet Tingle. I took it to her place ahead of a Friday night blogathon. Alas, Blogger was down and so was Ms Tingle's internet. So we just ate soup. Bread is not needed but it pals well with lager.

And don't dare leave out the sour cream. If possible go for a good quality version that is literally soured cream and therefore quite runny. (If you're in Australia this means Barambah - and I'm not being paid).

BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN SOUP with RED PEPPER and LIME

(Adapted from a Julie Biuso recipe)


2 1/2 cups black beans (also called turtle)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped finely
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper or chili (more if desired)
4 bay leaves
fresh ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 stock cube
salt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 red pepper (capsicum), chopped into bite sized pieces (reserve some for garnish)
2 Tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped


Garnish:
sour cream
extra chopped fresh coriander
one lime to zest and juice
the red pepper pieces from above


Rinse black beans and soak in 7 cups of cold water - for about 8 hours. Drain and rinse. 


Heat oil in large pot and saute onions and then garlic over a low heat for about ten minutes or until soft. Add spices, followed by beans and 3 litres of water (just 1 litre if beans already cooked in pressure cooker) with a dissolved stock cube, the bay leaves and black pepper. Bring to boil, add parsley and lower heat. Simmer with lid off for two hours or until beans are very soft. 


Add lime juice, red pepper and fresh coriander. Check for seasoning - you'll probably want to add a teaspoon of sea salt. Cook for another ten minutes.


Place in bowls and garnish with a spoon of sour cream, some red pepper, coriander and lime zest. Squeeze a generous squirt of lime juice over the top - this tastes great and gives you some extra vitamin c to absorb the beans from the iron. The red pepper will do this also.


Delicious, filling and healthy.

NOTE FOR PRESSURE COOKER USERS: If you have a pressure cooker you can reduce soaking and cooking time substantially. Soak beans for a few hours and then place in pressure cooker with 5 cups cold water and cook for 15 minutes once up to pressure. They don't need to be fully cooked as will continue to cook in the soup. Meanwhile, get the broth going - but use 1 litre rather than 3 of additional water. Add the beans and their cooking liquid to the broth and simmer down for 45-60 mins with the lid off.

FOR BABIES 7 MONTHS AND OLDER: Reserve some well-cooked beans (before cayenne and salt is added) and puree.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS AND OLDER: Remove beans from soup and serve as finger food.
FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS 12 MONTHS AND OVER: Serve as is - stirring a generous amount of sour cream through if they aren't partial to a little heat (it's only mild anyway)

SPINACH, FETA AND YOGHURT PIE

This delicious pie was born after a frustrating attempt at a recipe that involved milk. The darn thing never cooked, wouldn't slice and was not appropriate for picnics.

However, this quiche sets easily, slices well and is made for travelling. It also impresses guests, hence I'm making it tonight for a friend for dinner.

BUT, you must use full-fat thick yoghurt. None of that runny, skinny stuff. I also use a lot of eggs.

Homemade pastry really kicks this dish into the upper echelons of eating. However, if getting the rolling pin out is enough to send you running, please wander the freezer section of your supermarket and pick up some short crust sheets.

To make this pie really stand out from the crowd I use coconut oil, as well as butter, for the pastry. This idea comes from Cynthia Lair's Feeding the Whole Family.  Coconut fat has no cholesterol and lots of other good stuff going for it. You need to appreciate the faint taste of coconut, but it's not over-powering. Coconut oil comes in jars as a solid form - like the consistency of ghee - and is great for frying as does not burn. It's available from health food shops but if you haven't got any, stick with butter.

SPINACH, FETA AND YOGHURT PIE

Pastry: 
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons cold butter
2 tablespoons cold water (the colder the better)


Filling:
1 and a half cups full-fat thick yoghurt
6 eggs
Bunch fresh spinach leaves (English spinach, NOT silver beet)
1 block feta cheese, crumbled
pepper - a few grinds


If making your own pastry, put flour in food processor and add fats. Pulse until crumbly, then slowly add water while pulsing. Mixture should gather into a ball after enough pulsing, or it may need a bit of help form your hands. 


If you don't have a food processor, use a large mixing bowl and cut butter and coconut fat into the flour. Slowly dribble water in, mixing with a fork, until you have a moist, pliable dough. 


Gather into a ball and place in container in fridge for about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to medium hot. Then roll pastry out on a floured surface or a piece of baking paper. Make it quite thin and line a greased round pie tin. Bake it 'blind', ie empty, for ten minutes. ( I use a sprung cake tin, which then can be removed before serving. But any pie dish will do.)


Wash, dry and chop spinach then combine with crumbled feta. Whisk eggs and pepper then gently combine with yoghurt. Place spinach and feta in pie crust. Pour eggs and yoghurt evenly on top and bake in centre of oven for 35-40 minutes. Check, and put back in oven for another ten minutes if not set or lightly browned. Do the cake test - place a knife or skewer in center, and if doesn't come back clean it needs more oven time.


Allow to settle and cool a little before slicing. This pie also works very well cold.

HAPPY BILLIE BITES BIRTHDAY RELAUNCH

We did it. The mission was to get Billie eating the same food as us within a year  - from when I started this blog in April 2010.

She was a 7 month mush-eater then, and I was appalled at the prospect of cooking separate meals - as many parents regularly do.

I asked myself, how do I introduce my daughter to the wonderful world of food?

The biggest challenge to my cooking had arrived.

Well, I thought that was the case.  But then Billie quickly developed a reputation as a darn good eater. Nothing got in the way of her appetite. So it wasn't too hard sticking to the one-family-meal plan.

Instead, the greatest challenge to my cooking arrived a little later. It's been a gradual shift. Late last year the change began.

Now we are faced with a discerning eater. Unpredictable. Unexplainable. Surprising. Random. But often eager. Food is still fairly close to the centre of Billie's world. She's still the toddler found nibbling from the buffet when the crowd has moved on.

Foods that continue to please every time: black beans, kidney beans, white beans, any beans (but not green), cheddar, ricotta, blue cheese, Camembert, feta, soba noodles, pasta, muesli, yoghurt, blue berries, apples, mandarins, peanut butter, Vegemite, crackers, sultanas, currents, dates, prunes, potato, red sauce, spicy foods, capers, olives, grapes, pesto, vegetarian nachos, daddy's vegetable sauces and mashes and soups that taste of vegetable but don't share the texture, pancakes, anything sweet, toast, bread and did I mention bread?

That looks a fairly good list, true. But note the lack of vegetables. Here are the foods embraced with gusto one day, and refused without tasting the next: eggs, mushroom, spinach, pumpkin, fish, quinoa, rice, tofu, tempeh, sweet potato, milk, strawberries, pear, and the list does go on.

I'm sticking with my philosophy of one-meal-for-one-family. I fear I may get very frustrated, grow to dislike cooking, and wind up with a fussy five-year-old if I do anything else.

I've swung between trying to cater to Billie's ever-changing tastes - impossible as it's without rhyme nor reason - and just serving up what I feel like eating.

When I do make a separate special meal for her, she often turns up her nose at what I thought was the flavour of the week.

So I reckon the best compromise may be:

• Once a week do what Miles did tonight - cook up a vegetable sauce to be blended and stirred generously through pasta - a success every time. This gave her broccoli, onion, garlic, tomato
• Serve up a variety of whole foods each night - different textures, flavours and colours - whatever the household is eating
• Try and have one thing on the plate that she/he will LIKELY like, so at least eating something
• However, at least once a week leave out the always-favoured - Billie's is bread, pasta, noodles, cheese - so the hungry child is encouraged to broaden their palette

I'll keep you posted on our work-in-progress.

Yes, it's been a while between recipes. Hope you like the re-design for the re-launch. Tasty recipes coming your way this week: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad and Spinach, Feta and Yoghurt Pie. 

KUMARA AND CHERRY TOMATO SALAD with CREAMY NUTTY DRESSING

Tahini used to scare me a little, unless it was in the context of hommus. But lately I've discovered it's a fine partner to various condiments and can be the back-bone of many tasty salad dressings.

Don't worry about the 'creamy' - it's an extremely healthy dressing. One I encouraged Billie to repeatedly dip her sweet potato into.

This was the first dinner in a week that Billie left not a scrap. It might have had something to do with the fact I starved her all day - well, she had a small lunch and only blueberries for afternoon tea - but I think it's safe to say this was a Winner with a capital W.

It's also one of those Under-30-Minute-Meals - a crucial selling point.

ROAST SWEET POTATO SALAD WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND CREAMY NUTTY DRESSING

Serves three




Two large kumara or sweet potatoes
olive oil
handful cherry tomatoes
handful fresh mint (optional)




Dressing:
1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon honey (leave out if child under one year)
3 T yoghurt
3 T Tahini
1 T tamari (or soy sauce)
3 T peanut butter (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cumin






Preheat oven to medium hot - about 220 c. Cut up kumera - no need to peel -  into large bite sized chunks (mine were a little over-sized tonight so ignore pictures). Spread out on oven tray and rub generously with olive oil. Roast until browned and crispy - they don't take long at all. 


Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in jar and shake well, or mix in small bowl.


Chop mint and add to kumera and tomatoes in a platter dish or bowl. Stir dressing through and serve warm. 


FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS AND OLDER: Reserve a little sweet potato and puree/mash
BABIES 8 MONTHS AND OLDER: Mash some sweet potato with the dressing (leave out peanut butter if you're unsure, but current recommendations say it's fine) but please do omit the honey
BABIES/TODDLERS 10 MONTHS AND OLDER: Serve salad as is (without honey)
TODDLERS ONE YEAR AND OLDER: Serve salad as is (honey okay after one year)

SALAD FOR ALL with PUY LENTILS, PUMPKIN AND RICOTTA

When a Melbourne friend announced she was in town and popping in for lunch with her 7.5 month-old baby, I knew it was time to really test out the Billie Bites philosophy.

Could I come up with a dish that would inspire and nourish two adults, a toddler and a baby newish to solids?

BINGO. Mission accomplished. And while this is similar to other salads listed here, it's different enough to warrant fulfilling my guest's request for the recipe.

Oscar hadn't had lentils or ricotta before, but he happily consumed a fair serving of the two, mashed with some roasted pumpkin. I chose ricotta because it doesn't have any added salt - good for babies under one year.

Billie chose on this occasion to pick out the lumps of fresh ricotta. But we know she normally devours anything from the pulse/bean family. Pumpkin these days goes down if it's mixed in with other stuff, or is the only thing on offer.

And Emily and I devoured my cherry tomatoes freshly picked from the back-yard.

Here we have a meal for all. Family friendly, vegetarian and gluten-free.

SALAD FOR ALL with PUY LENTILS, PUMPKIN AND RICOTTA

1 cup French puy lentils, rinsed
1/4 pumpkin, skinned and chopped into bite-sized chunks
olive oil
large handful French green beans, topped and tailed and cut in half
handful cherry tomatoes
few slabs of fresh, firm ricotta (avoid the runny stuff in the tub)
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper


Preheat oven to hot. Place lentils in small pot with 3./4 cup water and bring to boil. Turn to low and simmer with lid until water absorbed or just soft - about 20-30 minutes. Place pumpkin on oven roasting tray and rub with olive oil. Roast until soft and crispy around edges. 


Steam beans until just soft. Mix lime, balsamic, olive oil and salt and pepper and stir through drained lentils, beans and tomatoes in a large serving platter dish. Top with pumpkin and slabs of ricotta.


FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS AND UP: Reserve some pumpkin and puree
BABIES 7 MONTHS AND UP: Reserve some lentils and pumpkin and mash or puree with ricotta
BABIES/TODDLERS 1 YEAR AND UP: Serve salad as is - let them pick what they like. It's all good

PIZZA WITH BROCCOLI SAUCE, FETA, SPINACH AND GARLIC

Pizzas ready to go in the oven - although Billie couldn't wait

Showing you how to make pizza could be like telling you how to suck eggs. But there are some superb tricks here. And today when my friend Anna (who's a very good cook) was impressed and inspired sampling a cold left-over piece, I decided it was a valid exercise. Oh, and I have to credit Miles here as I was inspired by his innovation.

The two main tricks here are: 

*For the base, use thin round flat 'Lebanese bread' - they are cheap, cook very quickly and retain a nice texture

* Instead of straight tomato, pack some super foods into the base sauce. It tastes nice, but most importantly toddlers can't avoid the vegetables

Pizza post-oven

Now, I'm not normally a fan of pumpkin on pizza. However, Miles created a delicious pumpkin-based vegetable blend to spread over our vegetarian pizzas this week. HIs motivation was a lack of tomato stuff in the cupboards, but also to get some more veggies into young Billie.

Last night I followed up with a full head of fairly well-steamed broccoli, blended in with a few dollops of tomato paste. Billie scoffed back most of her large pizza before it even went near the oven.

(And yes, those are cherry tomatoes from our garden. Grown from seed. Very proud of myself.)

Obviously you can follow the vegetable paste with any topping you fancy, but here's what worked very well last night:

PIZZA WITH BROCCOLI SAUCE, FETA, SPINACH AND GARLIC

Makes three pizzas, feeds about four

Large, flat, round and preferably wholemeal Lebanese breads

Head of broccoli, cut into large chunks and steamed until softish

4 tablespoons tomato paste

Small bunch English spinach, washed and chopped

5 spring onions, top and tailed and finely sliced

4-5 cloves garlic

1/2 block feta

several big handfuls grated cheddar cheese

handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in thirds

capers

Fresh basil and oregano - lots

black pepper

Olive oil

Preheat oven to medium hot.

Lightly saute spring onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add spinach and remove from heat after 30 seconds - you just want to shrink it down a little, but it will get plenty of cooking in the oven. Blend broccoli and tomato paste. Spread generously on bases. Sprinkle a little cheddar on each. 

Spread the spinach mixture over the three pizzas, followed by a sprinkling of capers on each and some chopped fresh herbs. Crumble the feta over each, a good grind of pepper (no salt needed with feta), the rest of the cheddar, and distribute the cherry tomato slices. 

Place on oven trays and cook until cheese well melted and bases crispy around the edges - they will blacken a little. Slice and serve immediately. 

Pizza pre-oven

SUPER PATTIES with TOFU, BROWN RICE AND WALNUTS

I call these super patties because they are delicious cold, filling enough to make lunch - or dinner if you take two - and extremely healthy.

They also happen to be gluten-free and vegan if you're entertaining somebody in those camps.

And yes, Billie happily scoffed back the mixture before it even hit the fry-pan.

I do owe a big shout-out to Iku, the fantastic vegetarian whole foods cafe I drew inspiration from. Iku's don't have walnuts, and I think they must deep-fry to get them totally crispy. I don't actually know what Iku puts in theirs, but this was my attempt at imitation:

SUPER PATTIES with TOFU AND BROWN RICE

1 cup brown rice

Toddlers, babies and adults will love these patties

1 block of firm tofu (about 250-300 gms)
1 Tablespoon brown rice vinegar (optional)
5 Tablespoons tamari (soy sauce if none available)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional, or use other nuts)
1/4 cup poppy seeds
two handfuls fresh herbs  (I used dill, oregano and thyme beause that's what's in the garden)
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Rice bran oil, or other good cooking oil


Cook brown rice in 2 cups cold water in small pot. Bring to boil then turn right down to slow simmer, leaving lid on and not stirring at all. Turn off once water gone. Pour into large bowl to cool.


Break tofu into pieces and place in food processor or bowl where you can use hand-held blender. Pour tamari and brown rice vinegar on top and blend until thick paste - doesn't need to be completely smooth. Add walnuts, spring onions and herbs and blend again. Remove from processor and add to rice with poppy seeds. Check seasoning then use wet hands to form LARGE flat round patties. These work well as very big patties. Place on plate in freezer for 30-60 mins, or fridge if leaving for longer.


Pour enough oil into fry pan so you can shallow-fry - about half as high as the patties. Heat on medium until hot and then drop some patties in. Cook on medium for about 5-8 minutes or until browned and crispy, then turn and repeat. Try to just turn once in order to avoid breakage. Place on paper towel on plate and eat hot, warm or cold. They don't even need sauce.

Billie collects sticks at the Wentworth Falls lake

Tacos with Chili Beans

I have been a burrito addict since I visited San Francisco when I was 18. But lately I've been getting into tacos.

Why? Well in restaurants they're often offered with more delicate, flavoursome fillings than your chunky burrito - no rice allowed. You can opt to just eat one or two tacos for a snack. They're fun to make at home sitting around the dining table. And toddlers love 'em.

But tacos must be soft. For some reason the tacos that made it to New Zealand during my childhood were hard, crunchy and very difficult to eat. Ideally you want soft corn mini tortillas that you heat in the oven before filling.


Billie's still getting the hang of the Mexican thing - she's mastered nachos but when handed a taco she tends to separate the tortilla from the filling and eat one at a time. Mind you, she's been doing that with pizza this week too.

I have a standard vegetarian chili/refried beans recipe that I use for burritos, nachos, tacos and everything in between. I made it up shortly after dining out on that fabulous Mexican food in California. Fifteen years later I still use the same recipe.

SARAH'S CHILI BEANS

3/4 cup dried black or kidney beans, or one tin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tin tomatoes
1 lemon, squeezed
1 Tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
chili to taste - fresh, powdered, paste (whatever you have, but don't be too shy)


Soak and cook beans, or open tin. Heat oil in fry pan and saute onions and garlic. Chop tinned tomatoes and pour into pan with juice. Add rest of ingredients, while stirring over a medium-low heat. Simmer on low until reduced down a little. For tacos you want quite a dry chili, but if serving just with rice etc or with corn chips for nachos then don't reduce as much. Check seasoning.


Meanwhile, prepare other taco ingredients. Last night we used grated cheese, fresh chopped tomatoes, some guacamole, and a little spinach and coriander (from the garden, no less). Heat stack of tacos in foil on middle shelf in moderate oven for five minutes. Keep wrapped in foil to serve, removing as you use them. Place bowls of cheese and other fillings on table and dig in.

RICOTTA, CORN AND COURGETTE FRITTERS

TRICK: Fritters re-heat very well in the oven ready to be served as tasty party finger food.
TRICK 2: Fritters offer a great place to hide greens from toddlers who deem them uncool.


Fritters have made appearances in various guises on these pages, even corn fritters. When Billie was a baby I made lots of simple vegetarian fritters. But each time I get in a fritter mood I experiment with texture and substance - to flour or not to flour, to baking powder or not, and so on.

This particular model was a roaring success with Billie but also was very well received at a work do last night to farewell our colleague Ronan. I had pre-party jitters about how the  re-heating would go. But no fear - ten minutes in the oven on a tray left them perfectly light and crispy.

RICOTTA, CORN AND COURGETTE FRITTERS

4 corn cobs, lightly steamed

4 spring onions, finely chopped

3 courgettes/zucchini, grated

1/4 cup fresh coriander/cilantro chopped (optional)

4 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta (preferably the solid, firm kind - but if it's runny just cut back on the milk)

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup plain flour

generous grindings of salt and black pepper

oil

Allow cobs to cool for a few minutes before removing corn - lay cobs down horizontally on chopping board and use large knife to slice off. This prevents the corn covering your kitchen floor.

Combine corn with spring onions, coriander, courgettes and flour and baking powder. In a smaller bowl combine milk and ricotta with beaten eggs, then pour into the large bowl with rest of fritter ingredients.

Heat about one tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. I used rice bran oil as it heats to high temperatures and doesn't have any flavour, but olive oil works too. Once pan is hot, drop tablespoon lots of batter into pan (don't crowd in pan and keep them small - they cook quicker and look more appetising).

Cook until lightly browned on both sides, flipping once. Keep heat to medium so they cook through without burning. Remove first batch onto plate lined with paper towel, and repeat until mixture used up.

While these re-heat in the oven very well, you can keep the mixture in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days and impress your friends and family with fritters and eggs for brunch, fritters on the side of their chili beans, fritter sandwiches, etc.

And a very Happy Birthday to my father...

RED SUMMER QUINOA SALAD WITH LIME, OLIVES AND MINT

Sydney evenings have been lingering in the 30s this week so when my friend Violet Tingle - My Darling Darlinghurst - invited me around for a blogging brainstorm, the only food to take was a salad. But it had to be a substantial salad.

I literally made this up as I went, Billie hanging over the kitchen/living room dividing barrier, but it's so good I'll be making it again and again. A very tasty vegetarian dish.

RED SUMMER QUINOA SALAD WITH OLIVES AND MINT

1 cup quinoa

1 3/4 cup cold water

1/2 t salt

2 red peppers/capsicums, finely chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup mint, chopped

1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped

1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted in a dry fry pan until lightly browned

Dressing:

3 cloves garlic, crushed/chopped finely

1 lime, juiced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Rinse quinoa and then place with the water and salt in small pot and bring to boil. Turn to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until water absorbed. Remove from heat and leave lid on for 5-10 minutes, then fluff with fork. Combine with rest of salad ingredients, then mix dressing and combine well. Serve at room temperature.

FOR BABIES 7 MONTHS AND UP: Make a little extra quinoa and puree.

FOR BABIES 9 MONTHS AND UP: Reserve some salad and puree a little, depending on teeth.

FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS 12 MONTHS AND UP: Serve salad as is.

PARTY FOOD - HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY HENRY

Olives seem to be a hit with toddlers - or at least with Billie and her good friend Henry. And fresh sweet corn is Billie's no.1 vegetable. In fact, these days it's the only vegetable she eats without it being hidden.

So when I offered to contribute to Henry's 2nd birthday bash his lovely mother Emily requested "some of your rice cakes, but with olives, no feta and you could hide some courgette". I wound up filling them with lots of corn so I'm not sure Henry was impressed -  and there were too many toy diggers landing in his lap anyway. But the adults were.

Phew. There was a fair bit of competition this morning - several offerings of savoury muffin-type things. Even one from a fellow food blogger, Morsels & Musings. Anna served some delicious salmon and dill mini muffins. I have to confess Billie preferred those to her mother's vegetarian rice cakes. I'll have to chase Anna for the recipe.

My favorite today though was Emily's gazpacho served in shot sizes. Perfect for a hot January morning. I'm definitely going to follow that one up.

Olive, Corn and Courgette Rice Cakes

Billie chills out with an Olive, Corn and Courgette Rice Cake

All the savory bits were followed by lashing of sweets. Emily made a perfect chocolate cake for Henry. Moist, tasty and light. She did extremely well as first-time cake baker. It's a recipe I pulled out of a cookbook years ago, I don't even recall what book. All I know is the author credited it with their friend Dana - so it's Dana's Chocolate Cake.

But I will call it Magic Chocolate Cake. If you come across another cake recipe that DOES NOT CALL FOR ANY CREAMING of butter and sugar, please pass it on. When Emily mentioned she didn't own a cake mixer - neither do I - I insisted she try Dana's Chocolate Cake. It's easy and extremely good.

Henry gets ready for some Magic Chocolate Cake

Billie had chocolate for the second time in her life. I wish I had a shot of her and Henry post-cake.

The Magic Chocolate Cake recipe follows the Olive, Corn and Courgette Rice Cakes recipe.

OLIVE, CORN AND COURGETTE RICE CAKES

Makes 12-18

1 cup arborio rice - or other Italian

knob of butter

2 corn cobs, steamed

2 courgettes/zucchini, grated

3/4 cup pitted olives, chopped in half sideways 

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

generous grind of black pepper

salt

6 egg, beaten

Place rice in small pot filled with water and salt. Bring to simmer and simmer with lid off for about 12 minutes or until just done.  Drain and mix knob of butter through with fork. Leave to cool.

 Remove corn off cob by placing length-ways on chopping board and slicing with large knife. Place in large bowl with rest of ingredients. Mix well but gently with large fork.

Spoon into oiled muffin tins - depending on cup size this recipe will make between 12 and 18.

Place in preheated oven on medium-hot (200 c/400f). Cook for 15-20 minutes or until browned.

Remove from tins and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or cold. Perfect picnic fodder.

Emily and Henry start the jam

MAGIC CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 2/3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups milk

100g butter, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

Filling/Icing:

100g butter - soft

250g icing sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

 milk to mix

 1 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180c/350f. Grease a 20cm loose-bottom cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper. Put all the main ingredients in a food processor, or just mix by hand (very easy, remember - no creaming). Pour into the prepared tin and bake for at least 50 minutes.

The cake will rise a lot and when cooked the centre should spring back when gently pressed, or a skewer poked into the centre will come out clean.

To make the filling or icing, place butter and dry ingredients in food processor, pulse to combine. Again, no worries if you don't have one, a wooden spoon and bowl will do you fine.  Add a dash of milk, mix, and add tiny amounts of milk until achieve a thick, soft, spreadable icing. Add vanilla.

Slice cake in half horizontally and spread some icing on the lower half. Replace the top half and ice the whole cake. Alternatively, just leave cake intact and use all icing on the top. Leave to set and keep in sealed airtight container.

Birthday Super Mum Emily and myself