There are lots of easy and tasty vegetarian meals that you can add to your repertoire of weekly recipes. With a bit of imagination, vegetarian meals can satisfy what you crave in flavour as well as your hearty appetite. Meat-free Mondays (and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays…) never tasted this good.
Broccoli and asparagus pasta
(Serves 4)
· 300g broccoli
· 150g asparagus
· 250g pasta
· 10ml olive oil
· 1 clove of garlic
· 1 chilli (optional)
· 100g sunflower seeds
· 20ml balsamic vinegar
1. In a pot of boiling water, let the broccoli lightly bubble away until cooked but still firm. (Pop the stems in a few minutes before the florets.) Do the same with the asparagus and set the greens aside.
2. Use the same water to cook the pasta until al dente.
3. Meanwhile, dry fry crushed garlic in olive oil with chilli to taste in a frying pan. Keep for later.
4. Spread your seeds on a tray and toast in a hot oven. Afterwards, while the pan is still hot, splash balsamic vinegar over the seeds and let it reduce to a sticky sauce.
5. Toss the vegetables, pasta and seeds together, season with salt and black pepper and sprinkle with a generous handful of grated parmesan or a crumbled disc of feta.
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Rich red wine and mushroom risotto
(Serves 6)
· 250g assorted mushrooms, roughly chopped
· 250ml Arborio rice
· 250ml red wine
· 700ml vegetarian stock
· 2 cloves garlic
· 1 small onion
· 150g parmesan cheese
· Teaspoon of dried thyme (optional)
1. In a large pot, fry the finely chopped onions and garlic in a small amount of butter or oil until translucent. Add the rice and stir, allowing each grain to be coated.
2. In a separate jug, mix the red wine and stock mixture. Now, pour a swig of the liquid into the rice, and stir gently until it has been absorbed. Keep stirring the rice over medium heat, adding liquid every few minutes once the stock and wine mixture has been soaked up.
3. When half the liquid has been absorbed, toss in the roughly chopped mushrooms. Continue with the swigs of stock until it has all cooked through. The rice should be firm, but soft in the middle.
4. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and thyme, and leave to stand for 5 minutes with the lid on. Grate in the parmesan cheese and serve.
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Roasted vegetable and pesto pasta
(Serves 4)
· 500g butternut, diced
· A red, green and yellow pepper, roughly chopped
· 20ml olive oil mixed with vegetable stock
· 250g pasta shells
· 50ml basil pesto (half a little jar)
· 100g cherry tomatoes
· 20ml balsamic vinegar
· Sprinkle of brown sugar
· 150g parmesan cheese
1. Generously drizzle the butternut and peppers with olive oil/vegetable stock mixture and roast in a 180° oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Tumble the tomatoes into a pan on the stove, pour the balsamic vinegar and sugar over them and cook on high heat for a few minutes until the skins of the tomatoes spilt and go sticky. Put aside.
3. Boil the pasta, drain, and stir in the pesto. Add the tomatoes and roasted vegetables, season, and mix in the handfuls of parmesan cheese.
Kim Hofmann RD(SA)
Phone: 021 674 4666
Cell: 084 206 2715
