Presto Pesto Pasta

250g of pasta, spaghetti, linguini, or penne ( I used spinach linguini)

1 1/5 cup of fresh Basil

1/2 cup pine nuts - roasted in pan for 2-5 minutes

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup olive oil  

1 tablespoon of olive oil for skillet

1 small red onion - chopped finely 

2 cloves garlic - minced

1/4 pistachios - grated finely

1 small red pepper - chopped

6 stalks asparagus - diced

4 medium portobello mushrooms - sliced

1/2 tablespoon allspice

1 tablespoon paprika

salt and pepper to taste 

First make Pesto Sauce

Pesto Sauce

1 1/5 cup of fresh Basil

1/2 cup pine nuts - roasted in pan for 2-5 minutes

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

*optional try sun-dried tomatoes or fresh chilli 

Start water to boil for pasta

Put basil, roasted pine nuts, cashews, olive oil, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper in food processor and combine very well and set to the side.

Add pasta to water

In a large skillet add olive oil and add onion until translucent and add garlic and spices until aromatic then add pistachios, pepper, asparagus, mushrooms, (*sun-dried tomatoes or fresh chilli) and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5-10 minutes until cooked through and add pesto sauce. Warm though again and serve with crusty bread.

Vego Pot Pie

A Winter Warmer!

2 sheets of Puff Pastry

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 red onion - chopped

3 cloves garlic - minced

2 carrots - chopped

2 stalks of celery - chopped

1 cup mushrooms - sliced

1 ear of corn with kernels removed

1/2 cup of frozen peas

2-3 cups of vegetable stock

1 teaspoon of allspice

1 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon Italian herbs spice

1/2 cup of flour

* optional add chili powder or chili pepper minced to taste

Directions

Turn oven to 180C

Butter the bottom of casserole dish and dust with flour. Put one puff pastry sheet down of bottom and set aside.

Put olive oil in bottom of large pot over medium. Cook onion until translucent and add garlic and spices until aromatic then add your vegetables and coat with oil, and spices. Now add vegetable stock covering all the vegetables until it comes to a boil then simmer 10 minutes. Meanwhile take 1/2 cup of stock, 1/2 cup of milk and flour and mix with a spoon until smooth. Slowly add mixture to vegetables until it thickens. Take off heat and let cool for 5 minutes and poor over the puff pastry in casserole dish. Put other puff pastry on top and seal the edges. Put a little slit in the centre of pie and put in the oven.

Cook on 180C for 25-35 minutes until golden brown. If the pastry starts to go too dark too soon cover with aluminium foil.

Let cool for 10 minutes and serve!

Puff Pastry from Scratch

  250g plain flour

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

250g butter - at room temperature

About 1/2 cup of water

Directions

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Break the butter in small chunks, add them to the bowl and rub them in loosely. You need to see bits of butter.

2. Make a hole in the flour and pour in about two-thirds of the cold water, mixing until you have firm dough add extra water if needed. Cover with cling wrap and leave to rest for 20 minutes in fridge.

3. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, kneed gently and form into a smooth rectangle. Roll the dough in one direction only until 3 times the width, about 20x 50cm. Keep edges straight and even. Don't overwork the butter.

Fold the top third down to the center, then the bottom third up and over that. Give the dough a quarter turn and roll out again to three times the length. Fold as before, cover with cling wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes before rolling to use.

Popcorn Cauliflower

If you want a delicious snack without the gilt try this!

1 head of Cauliflower

Almond butter - store bought or home made

Apply almond butter to cauliflower and lay flat on cookie sheet. Put in over on Broil (Griller) and bake until golden brown on both sides.

Cool and serve.

*To make almond butter

Start with 2 cups of almonds and add to food processor. Blend for 10-15 minutes until creamy. You can add spices or olive oil if desired.

Roasted Salsa

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: ABOUT CHILE OR CAPSICUM


1.    Speeds up Metabolism

 It doesn’t just heat up your mouth, the spicy hotness of a chili pepper also kick-starts your body’s fat burners. Food scientist Heidi Allison, author of The Chili Pepper Diet, found that you can lose 10 times as much weight if you add a sprinkle of dried chilies to your meals.

2.     Fights headaches - Fights Inflammation

As the nutrient known as Capsicum, gives chili peppers their hot flavor, this also inhibits a brain pain transmitter known as Substance P, and this in turn, reduces headaches whether they are migraine or sinus-based and also fights Inflammation.

3.     Lowers High Blood Pressure

Capsicum (yet again!) is known to reduce platelet aggregation, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels as well while also being able to dissolve the substance known as fibrin, which is necessary for blood clots to form.

Since chili peppers are rich in Vitamin A, C and Riboflavin's, these nutrients strengthen our blood pressure, and this in turn, enables our body to adjust well to blood pressure fluctuations.

Roasted Salsa 

3 tamarillo

4 roma tomato's

1 red pepper

3 cloves garlic

1/2 red onion

1 teaspoon apple vinegar

1 teaspoon raw sugar or to taste

1 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Take tamarillo, roma tomatos, and red pepper and put on baking sheet in over with broiler or griller on. Wait for the skins to be blacked and turn over.

When everything in blacked take out of oven and cool. After it's all cooled down peel off the blackened skin and set aside.

In a food processor mince garlic, add onion mince, add tamarillo, roma tomatoes red pepper, apple vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, and salt and pepper.  Chop or blend in food processor depending on the consistency that you like your salsa.

Refrigerate and serve with chips.

Beetroot "Vegan" Burger

1 cup brown rice cooked
1 cup black beans
1/2 Avocado
1/1 beetroot chopped
1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon BBQ sauce
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup bread crumbs
*Optional chopped chili pepper


Directions
Add all ingredients in food processor and blend well. Roll mixture and firmly pat into desired patty size.
Put a dash of olive oil in pan and wait to get hot. Add Patty's and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side and heated though.
Fix with your desired condiments and serve!