German red cabbage

This is so simple to make and simply delicious. Just remember to stir from time to time so the bottom doesn't burn.

I found this recipe online from "Taste of Home".

Ingredients	Steps
§  1 tsp oil §  1 medium onion, halved and slices §  1 medium apple (with skin), sliced §  1 medium head red cabbage, shredded §  1/3 cup sugar §  1/3 cup white vinegar §  ¾ tsp salt §  ¼ tsp pepper	1.   Put the oil in in a heavy pot and heat. 2.   Add the onion and apple and stir over a medium heat until the onion is tender (about 5 minutes). 3.   Stir in the remaining ingredients. 4.   Cook covered until the cabbage is tender (about 1 hour), stirring occasionally. Serve either warm or cold.

Vegan Spanish Paella

Taken from https://simpleveganblog.com/vegan-spanish-paella/. For a healthier version, this recipe uses basmati rather than the regular short-grain rice.

Ingredients §  2 Tbsp olive oil §  4 cloves of garlic §  1 medium onion, chopped §  1 red pepper, chopped §  2 tomatoes, chopped §  1 cup frozen artichoke hearts (120 grams) §  1/2 cup frozen green beans (75 grams) §  1/2 cup frozen peas (65 grams) §  1 1/4 cups Basmati rice (240 grams) §  4 cups vegetable stock (1 liter) §  2 tsp turmeric powder §  1 tsp sweet paprika §  Salt and black pepper to taste (optional)

Steps 1.    Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and when it’s hot, add the garlic, onion, and red pepper. Cook until golden brown. 2.    Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 or 10 minutes. 3.    Add the frozen veggies and cook 5 minutes more. 4.    Add the rice and cook until it begins to be translucent. Pour the vegetable broth (hot), add the turmeric powder, the sweet paprika, and salt and black pepper to taste. 5.    Stir the paella until all the ingredients are mixed and cook over medium or medium high heat for 15 or 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Add more vegetable broth if the rice is hard and dry. 6.    Let the paella stand (covered) for at least 5 or 10 minutes.

Glazed Carrots - vegan tzimmes

I refer to this as tzimmes, but that is with meat. Here is my vegetarian version, taken from Evelyn Rose.

Ingredients >  ~800 gm new carrots (I used 1 bag of frozen baby carrots!) >  1-2 Tbsp olive oil >  1 knob of ginger, finely chopped >  1 Tbsp honey or vegan equivalent, such as agave syrup >  Grated rind of 1 orange >  1 tsp salt >  Water to cover

Steps 1. If using fresh carrots, scrape them and slice them as thinly as possible. 2. Put the carrots in a deep narrow pan. 3. Add the oil, ginger, honey, orange rind and salt. 4. Cover completely with water, then bring to the boil. 5. Simmer uncovered until the water has evaporated and the carrots are tender and coated in a shiny glaze - about 30 mins. 6. You can make this earlier and then reheat in the microwave.

Spicy Vegetables

I love this dish. It is mildly spicy, with a mix of whole and ground spices.

Ingredients >  1 Tblsp olive oil >  1/2 tsp fennel seeds >  1 tsp cumin seeds >  1 tsp coriander seeds >  1 onion halved and sliced thinly >  1 tsp grated ginger >  2 cloves garlic, crushed >  1/4 tsp ground cumin >  1/4 tsp ground coriander >  1/4 tsp chilli powder or Togarashi seasoning (what I use) >  150 gm tin of chopped tomatoes >  1/2 cauliflower, cut into small florets >  1 large carrot, peeled and then cut into strips >  120 gm green beans, sliced on the diagonal into 3-cm pieces >  3 Tblsp water >  Ground salt to taste

Steps 1.  Prepare all the ingredients as mentioned on the left before you start cooking, putting each group of spices in small dishes. 2.  Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, and add the fennel. cumin and coriander seeds. Stir-fry until the seeds start to pop. 3.  Add the onion and cook for around 4 minutes until the onion is soft and golden. 4.  Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. (If you have the time and a stick blender, make them into a paste with a drop of water beforehand). 5.  Add the ground cumin, coriander and chilli powder (or equivalent), stir for a few seconds and then add the tomatoes.  6.  Cook for about 1 minute and then add the cauliflower and carrots.  7.  Add 3 Tblsp water, stir the mix and then cover the wok and cook for 2-3 minutes. 8.  Uncover and add the green beans and salt. 9.  Continue cooking, uncovered, until all the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy. Serve with rice. It looks better with white rice, but we only eat whole grains.

Cabbage and Peas Indian Style (Bund gobi aur mater)

I didn't have anything in the fridge, but needed something to eat for lunch. I found half a cabbage, so that was the basis for this meal.

Ingredients >  2-3 Tbsp olive oil >  2 bay leaves >  3/4 tsp whole cumin seeds >  700 gm cabbage, finely shredded >  1 tsp ground turmeric >  1/2 tsp chilli powder; OR 1/4 tsp Togarashi seasoning >  1 1/2 tsp ground cumin >  1 tsp ground coriander >  2 ripe tomatoes, chopped >  3/4 tsp salt >  1/2 tsp sugar >  100 gm peas (can be frozen)

Steps 1.  Heat the oil in a large wok or karai over a med-high heat. 2.  Add the bay leaves and whole cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. 3. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. 4.  Add the tomatoes, all the other spices, salt and sugar, and mix well with the cabbage. 5. Lower the heat, cover the the pan, and cook for 15 minutes. 6. Add the peas and cover again.      *If fresh peas are used, cook for another 15 minutes;      *If you use frozen peas, cook for another 5 minutes. 7. Remove the cover from the pan,   turn the heat up to medium-high, and while continuously stirring, cook until the dish is dry.  Serves 4

Green Beans with Tomatoes

This is so simple, and yet delicious. It improves with standing, and can be eaten warm, or cold as a salad.

Ingredients >  700-800 grams fine green beans (I use frozen) >  1 large onion >  4 tomatoes >  ¼ cup olive oil >  ½ tsp sugar >  Salt and freshly ground pepper

Steps 1.  Place the beans in a saucepan. 2.  Put the tomatoes in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. 3.  Leave for one minute, then drain and peel the tomatoes. 4.  Chop them and put them in the saucepan. 5.  Peel and thinly slice the onion, and add to the pan. 6.  Pour over the olive oil, and add the sugar, salt and pepper. 7.  Cover the pan and cook on a moderate heat until it comes to the boil, and then turn the heat down and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the beans are cooked and tender.

Baked Potatoes

This is so simple that it is disgraceful. The only reason I am putting it in is that when I gave it to my cousin she kept phoning me to ask questions, such as do the potatoes needed wrapping in tinfoil.

The potatoes are cooked in the same oven as a chicken. Just put them in ½ hour earlier.

Ingredients >   As many potatoes as you require for the people you are feeding. Select potatoes that bake well – with high water content. >   Optional: bunch of chives that have been snipped into small pieces with scissors

Steps 1.  Wash each potato and clean them so that there are no eyes. 2.  Place the potatoes on the bottom rack of an oven heated to 180°C. 3.  Leave them there for 1 ½ hours. 4.  The skin will be crisp and the filling soft. Both are edible. 5.  I often serve this halved, with some butter on top (really not required) and sprinkled with chopped chives.

Beetroot Salad

My cousin Rocha gave me this recipe. Nowadays it is so simple. Just buy the pre cooked and peeled beetroots, packed in a vacuum. The following quantity is for 1 packet of cooked beets.

I find that the stevia works better with the vinegar than sugar does; but that's just my preference.

Ingredients >  500 gm cooked and peeled beetroot. >  1 medium onion, thinly sliced in the same shape you slice the beetroot (I use shallots) >  3 bay leaves >  12 peppercorns >  ¼ cup natural vinegar (you can also use white wine vinegar) >  ½ cup boiled and cooled water >  2 Tbsp sugar (or stevia equivalent) >  Salt (if required)

Steps 1. If using the vacuum pack, open it and drink the beetroot liquid. It is delicious. 2. Thinly slice all the beetroots. If the beetroots are large, cut in half and then slice. 3. Thinly slice the onions, in the same shape as the beetroot. 4. Put into a bowl and add the bay leaves and peppercorns. 5. In a small cup, mix the vinegar, water and sugar. 6. Pour over the beetroot and onions. 7. Salt according to taste (I don't add any). 8. Put into the fridge to cool. Goes well with any warm dish.

Indian Spinach – Saag

I love this recipe. You can make it a faux Saag Paneer, by using tofu cubes (instead of paneer, which is cheese).

Please take into account that any 'Indian' recipe, is not truly Indian, but rather adapted to my palette.

Ingredients >    350 – 400 gm (half a packet) of frozen spinach >    3 Tbsp olive oil ( without Tofu) OR >   4 Tbsp olive oil (when using Tofu) >   1 packet tofu, cubed (optional) >   ½ tsp black mustard seeds >   1 large onion, thinly sliced >   4 cloves garlic, crushed >   1 cm ginger, finely chopped >   ½ tsp turmeric >   ½ tsp ground cumin >   1/3 tsp chilli powder or Togarashi seasoning >   1 tsp ground coriander

Steps   1. Defrost the spinach. This can be done in the microwave. Put into a fine sieve and let it drain.. 2.  If you are using the tofu, heat the oil in a large frying pan and then, over medium heat, fry the tofu until brown all over. Put the tofu in a dish. 3.  If you are not using tofu, heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a large frying pan. Otherwise add the following ingredients to the remaining oil in the pan. 4.  Add the mustard seeds to the pan and cook until they start to pop. 5.  Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry until golden. 6.  Add the turmeric, cumin, chilli powder and coriander, and stir fry for one minute. 7.  Add the spinach stir well and fry for another 2 minutes. 8.  Cover the pan, and let it cook for a further 10 minutes, on a slightly lower flame. 9.  Add the tofu, and cook until dry, stirring constantly.