Adzuki Bean and Cabage Stew (Vegetarian/Vegan)

Receita em Português

Recipes Ingredients:(enough for 6)

• 1 Small Savoy cabbage (leaves separated and cut into pieces)
• 500grs Adzuki beans (soaked in water for 1.5 days)
• 4 large carrots (cut into pieces)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1/3 tea spoon of cayenne
  
• 300grms of Quorn (or soya pieces)
• 1/5 tomato pulp
  
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 soup spoon of smoky paprika
  
• salt and black pepper
  
• a little olive oil
  

This is a delicious and easy recipe to make, a Vegetarian/vegan option of the Portuguese bean stew known as "Feijoada".

The dried Adzuki beans were soaked for 1.5 days to get them ready for cooking, changed the soaking water once in the middle of the soaking. Than simply put the beans in a pan covered with water and a little salt and cooked them for 1hour and 10 minutes (more or less, so test beans near that time). Meanwhile I started the stew, by putting another pan on the stove with a little olive oil, garlic, onion, carrots, cayenne pepper and paprika, and let these cook until the carrot is cooked through, stirring occasionally.

While that was doing, I boiled a kettle of water, placed the cabbage in a bowl and poured the boiling water over it, leaving it submerged in the boiling water for about 3-5 minutes. Coming back to the stewing carrots, once these were cooked I added seasoning (sat and black pepper) as well as a tea spoon of sugar (to cut the stew acidity), then I added the tomato pulp the Quorn (or soya) the cabbage and the beans as well as a glass of water, placed a lid on the pan and once to the boil reduce to minimum and allowed it to cook for a good 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. I've done this type of food in the past and added to it a little pasta, it is a little more fattening but it does change from a spring food to a winter one fairly easily, obviously a little more water is required when doing that. This is a lovely and healthy meal, as the roughage helps with bowls problems, and is full of vitamins and minerals, from the greens etc.

Drunken Pear with Fresh Plum Compote

Receita em Português

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4 " or 2 greedy ones like me")

• 4 Rocha pears not too ripe(without skin or pips, cut in halves)
• 1 small glass of white whine
  
• 1 small glass of water
  
• 2 soup spoons of sugar
  
• 1 soup spoon good honey
  
• 1 cinnamon stick
  
• 2 lemon skins just the zest
  
• 4 plums (no skin or pip, finely chopped)
• packet of crème fraiche (about 150grs)
• a few drops of lemon
  

On a small pan put in the water, wine, lemon skins, cinnamon and two spoons of sugar as soon as it boil add the pear halves, reduce the heat to minimum, letting these boil gently until fully cooked around 20 minutes depending on pear size and ripeness, so verify.

Once cooked place them in individual plates and set it aside. meanwhile throw in the water left over from cooking the pears, the chopped plums, let these ones cook in a medium heat reducing it until is like a soft jam (compote), when that happens turn the heat off and add a few lemon drops as these ones add flavour and stop the compote oxidizing, giving it a little stir.

Turn the oven on (150c) jut to heat up the pears on the little plates, so this will take around 3 minutes, while that is doing you can mix the crème fraiche with the honey. Now remove the pears from the oven and slice them length ways but not all the way through as you want to fan these, for a good looking dish, place some crème fraiche over the middle of the fanned pear and place a couple of spoons of the plum compote on the plate at the wider end of the fan, that will create a lovely contrast both visual as well as flavour, These are also nice cold refrigerated. So see how you like them best and have them that way.. Enjoy.... as is fairly healthy. not too much sugar or fat, and you eating fruit.

Potato and Onion Frittata

Receita em Português

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)

• 300grs potato (thinly sliced)
  
• 2 large onions (thinly sliced).
• 3 garlic cloves (thinly sliced).
• 6 medium beefy tomatoes (sliced)
  
• 6 eggs (mixed not beaten).
• 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced).
• 2 red chillies (de-seeded thinly sliced).
• (optional...Chopped coriander...leftovers of cooked fishes or meats can be added too).
• 1/2 tea spoon paprica.
• salt and black pepper.

Is really simple, frittata is like an omelette finished in the oven, only that the eggs are not beaten so making like a firmer omelette rather than fluffy, so when mixing the eggs make sure they're just mixed no froth please. The frittata also normally made in a frying pan than cook the bottom of the omelette and then is finished in the oven or grill, due to the size of mine I done it all in the oven in a large dish.

Stick a frying pan on the stove, with a little olive oil that once hot you add to it the onion, the pepper, the garlic and chilli. Let these cook until golden then add 1 of the tomatoes cut into small pieces (keeping the remaining 5 to place on top of the frittata) also add the seasoning (salt and black pepper, add also the potato and a half glass of water, once boiling reduce to minimum, place a lid on top and let the potato cook through but to the point only that it is still firm, meanwhile place a pirex dish in the oven with a little olive oil at around 150c.

In a bowl place the eggs mix them (no froth remember) and once mixed add the potato mixture, give it a swirl so that the whole mixture is involved with egg, take the tray out of the oven and pour mixture inside, as is very hot this will start the cooking of the bottom of the frittata, cover the top with the sliced tomatoes seasoning them too, and place it back in the oven raising the temp to 200c, should be done within 20 minutes, and that's it serve it with a salad, or any other accompaniment of your choice, or eat it on it's own up to you...is delicious simple and fast to make, excellent when you on the go. "bon apetit" :)

Sexy Strawberry Mousse

Receita em Português

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)

• 200mls whipping cream
• 300grs strawberries (finely chopped)
• 3 soup spoons of sugar
• 2 drops of lemon

To make is the simplest thing ever. Place the cream in a bowl and whip it when the fresh cream is nearly whipped add 2 soup spoons of the sugar to it and whip the rest until a very firm consistency, now add the strawberries reserving 6 tea spoons full of the chopped strawberries, involve mixing the strawberries with the cream, once done, place a tea spoon of the chopped strawberries into each of the four wine glasses (or other container) then spread the cream mixture evenly through each container and refrigerate.

The remaining two tea spoons of chopped strawberries are placed in a little pan with a couple of spoons of water the remaining soup spoon of sugar and the 2 drops of lemon, bring it to boil until it makes a runny syrup, let it cool completely and place on top of each refrigerated dessert and refrigerate a little further, add an almond thin just sticking out of it before serving.

Nice and easy and not as fattening as it looks, I reckon a little bar of chocolate is more fattening.
Cheers for reading, this one is simple and is delicious.