Thoughtful Foods

Ingredients

3 cups dry pinto beans
3 cups of TVP (textured vegetable protein) granules
2 ½ cups boiling water
2 large onions, minced
¼ cup water
6 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chilli powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon each of ground cumin, dried oregano and dried basil
Salt

Ingredients

3/4 cup grated zucchinis
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 small onion or shallots
1 egg beaten
2/3 cup flour

Method

1. Place ingredients in a bowl. Beat and mix.

2. Heat a frypan, placing dollops of mixture in, and flatten.

3. Cook for 15 minutes on gentle heat.

Tastes sensational with tomato salsa sauce.

Source: Louisa Micallef

Preparation Time: 10 minutes, Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Makes 20

Preparation Time: 20 minutes, Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 1 bunch English spinach, trimmed and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 300g pumpkin, chopped and steamed
• 1/2 cup chopped semi-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 x 250g light cream cheese, softened
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup (180ml) cream
• Salt & freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Oil a 20cm tin, line base with baking paper and sprinkle with 2 tbs of the parmesan.
2. Heat oil in a pan and cook onion for 4 mins. Add spinach and garlic. Stir for 1-2 mins or until wilted. Add pumpkin, semi-dried tomatoes and pine nuts. Remove from the heat.
3. Reserve 2 tbs parmesan. Place remaining parmesan, cream cheese and eggs into a bowl. Beat until smooth. Add cream and beat until combined. Stir in the cooled spinach mixture and season well.
4. Pour mixture into tin and sprinkle with reserved parmesan. Bake for 10 mins, then reduce heat to 180°C and cook for 30-35 mins until firm. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in the tin for 4 hours. Remove, slice and serve with salad.

Source: Kim Meredith, Fresh Living, July 2005, p 36

Ingredients

Mix together a packet of thawed frozen spinach (250g), about 100g of crumbled fetta cheese, a whole egg, about 100g pine nuts, nutmeg, black pepper and the zest of one lemon... You then just stuff it into the dry cannelloni shells, put in a baking dish, tip over some plain tomato pasta sauce (preferably home made, but OK out of a jar), top with some cheddar or parmesan cheese and bake according to the instructions on the cannelloni box (usually 35 - 40 mins). Yum.

Ingredients

• 500g pumpkin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 4 handfulls baby spinach leaves
• 200g fetta
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp oregano, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Cut pumpkin into 2cm cubes, and toss in an oven tray with olive oil and salt. Bake for 20 minutes, or until soft. After 10 minutes, add the pine nuts to the tray and toss with pumpkin, and return to oven. When pumpkin is cooked, add pumpkin and pine-nuts to a bowl of the baby spinach, and crumble fetta over. Add lemon juice and oregano; toss and serve.

Source: Chris 

Ingredients / method

Blend 3 bunches basil (2 cups), 2 tbsp (or so) roasted pine nuts, 1/4 cup oil, 2 cloves garlic. Mix in 3 tbsp romano or parmesan cheese when you are ready to use it.

Notes

• Serves 4-6
• Great stirred through pasta on its own or with chicken or roasted tomatoes, or on toasted crusty bread.
• Store in fridge in an airtight jar with a layer of oil on top for up to 5 days.
• You can freeze the pesto without the cheese and add the cheese when you’re ready to eat it.

Source: Edwina’s mum

Lisette

Ingredients

1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon fenelugreek seeds
2 bay leaves
(Note: the above ingredients are to taste, don't worry if you are missing one or two)
2 tablespoon natural yoghurt
500g potatoes (sliced or cubed)
500g pumpkin (sliced or cubed)
1 tablespoon lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
Oil
Water

Method

1. Heat oil. Sauté spices until black mustard seeds pop (1-2 minutes).

2. Add yoghurt, heat to simmer.

3. Add pumpkin and potato and some water (1/3 - 1/2 cup). Boil then simmer until veggies are soft. Add more water if necessary. Stir regularly.

4. Add lemon, sugar and salt.

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup coconut

Method

1. Cream butter, add sugar and egg.

2. Mix dry ingredients together.

3. Combine wet and dry.

4. Roll into 1" balls and press with wet fork.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F, 12-15 minutes.

Note: Crystal's favourite kind 'Delicious'

Louisa Kelsy

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups flake rolled oats
1 cup wheatgerm
1 cup chopped almonds (or 2)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups raw sunflower seeds
3/4 cup bran
1 cup honey
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cup raisins

Method

1. Combine all ingredients except raisins spread mixture on a greased cooking sheet.

2. Bake at 325 degrees F or 160 degrees C for 30 minutes, stirring often.

3. Fold in raisins, let cool and store in an airtight container.