Everyone has their favourite, simple meals that don't take time or effort. These are mine.
Roasted broccoli, tofu and sesame salad
I love roasted broccoli so much that I eat it for breakfast - seriously! I only discovered it a year or so ago (thanks to Mrs Pumpkinface), and I cook it at least a couple of times a week.
Broccoli is an amazing superfood. It's full of vitamins and minerals, protein, antioxidants and helps protect your body against multiple cancers. Perhaps most importantly for those of us who like a glass or two of wine, it also improves liver function!
Tofu is an interesting one. It's a staple in East Asia, but many westerners don't like it, often due to the texture as it really is almost flavourless. The key is how you prepare it and how you flavour it. When pressed, marinated and baked or grilled, it is crispy and salty on the outside and deliciously creamy when you bite into it.
1 head broccoli
1 block firm tofu (about 300 gms)
4 cups spinach, finely shredded red or green cabbage, lettuce or other green leafies
1 sliced spring onion
1 tspn minced garlic
2 tbspns sesame seeds
Sesame oil
Soy sauce
Olive oil
Juice of a lemon
This is a great article describing how to bake tofu:http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-baked-tofu-74358
It really isn't as complicated as it sounds. Just press the excess water out of it, slice, marinate and bake.
For this recipe, I usually marinate in a little soy sauce and sesame oil. I also never toss the tofu in cornflour!
Chop your broccoli into florets and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add garlic and half the sesame seeds and toss well to coat. Empty the bowl onto a baking tray covered with foil. Bake or grill for around 20 mins, turning half way through - the broccoli is ready when it's golden brown on the tips, like in the pic above.
While it's cooking, place your salad greens and spring onions in a large serving bowl and dress with lemon juice and a little olive oil.
Add the baked tofu and broccoli and sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds.
Serves 2.
Broccoli is an amazing superfood. It's full of vitamins and minerals, protein, antioxidants and helps protect your body against multiple cancers. Perhaps most importantly for those of us who like a glass or two of wine, it also improves liver function!
Tofu is an interesting one. It's a staple in East Asia, but many westerners don't like it, often due to the texture as it really is almost flavourless. The key is how you prepare it and how you flavour it. When pressed, marinated and baked or grilled, it is crispy and salty on the outside and deliciously creamy when you bite into it.
1 head broccoli
1 block firm tofu (about 300 gms)
4 cups spinach, finely shredded red or green cabbage, lettuce or other green leafies
1 sliced spring onion
1 tspn minced garlic
2 tbspns sesame seeds
Sesame oil
Soy sauce
Olive oil
Juice of a lemon
This is a great article describing how to bake tofu:http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-baked-tofu-74358
It really isn't as complicated as it sounds. Just press the excess water out of it, slice, marinate and bake.
For this recipe, I usually marinate in a little soy sauce and sesame oil. I also never toss the tofu in cornflour!
Chop your broccoli into florets and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add garlic and half the sesame seeds and toss well to coat. Empty the bowl onto a baking tray covered with foil. Bake or grill for around 20 mins, turning half way through - the broccoli is ready when it's golden brown on the tips, like in the pic above.
While it's cooking, place your salad greens and spring onions in a large serving bowl and dress with lemon juice and a little olive oil.
Add the baked tofu and broccoli and sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds.
Serves 2.
Spiced carrot and lentil soup
A Pumpkinface favourite. This soup freezes very well, is hearty enough to be a meal in itself and is deliciously warming. It's particularly good if you have a cold or are feeling under the weather.
It uses quite a few spices, so if you don't have them on hand, you can substitute curry powder.
Red lentils don't require soaking - they cook quickly, thicken the soup and add protein.
It's also a brilliant way to use up veg that is past its prime in your fridge - add potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, leeks, zucchini, kohlrabi, even broccoli stalks.
Make a big batch!
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tspn minced ginger or 2 x 2cm knob of fresh ginger
1/2 tspn turmeric
1/2 tspn garam masala
1 tspn mustard seeds
1/2 tspn cumin
1/2 tspn red chilli powder
1L of vegetable stock
1 cup dried red lentils
In a large saucepan fry the onions, ginger and garlic on a low heat for 2 minutes in a little oil. Add all the spices and, stirring with a wooden spoon to make sure they don't burn, fry for another minute.
Add carrot and stir to coat with spices for another minute or two. Add 1L of hot vegetable stock and the cup of lentils.
Simmer for approx 20 minutes until the lentils are soft and the carrot is cooked.
Allow to cool a little then blend - a stick blender is easiest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4.
It uses quite a few spices, so if you don't have them on hand, you can substitute curry powder.
Red lentils don't require soaking - they cook quickly, thicken the soup and add protein.
It's also a brilliant way to use up veg that is past its prime in your fridge - add potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, leeks, zucchini, kohlrabi, even broccoli stalks.
Make a big batch!
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tspn minced ginger or 2 x 2cm knob of fresh ginger
1/2 tspn turmeric
1/2 tspn garam masala
1 tspn mustard seeds
1/2 tspn cumin
1/2 tspn red chilli powder
1L of vegetable stock
1 cup dried red lentils
In a large saucepan fry the onions, ginger and garlic on a low heat for 2 minutes in a little oil. Add all the spices and, stirring with a wooden spoon to make sure they don't burn, fry for another minute.
Add carrot and stir to coat with spices for another minute or two. Add 1L of hot vegetable stock and the cup of lentils.
Simmer for approx 20 minutes until the lentils are soft and the carrot is cooked.
Allow to cool a little then blend - a stick blender is easiest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4.
Chickpea and tomato curry
This mildly spiced curry is comfort food at its finest. It's fast, easy and can be made using pantry ingredients. It also freezes well.
Just like in the soup above, you can sub curry powder for all the spices. This recipe is also very flexible. If you have any green veg you need to use, throw it in at the end. Spinach leaves work particularly well.
1 cup chickpeas, cooked (or 1 can, drained)
1 can tomatoes (or 6 ripe, fresh tomatoes)
1 tspn minced ginger
1 clove garlic
1 onion, diced
1/2 tspn each of turmeric, garam masala, red chilli powder, mustard seeds, cumin
Fresh coriander (optional)
Fry onion, garlic, ginger and spices over a low heat in a little olive oil for 2-3 mins.
If you are using canned chickpeas (or canned legumes/beans in any recipe), rinse them well to remove some of the added salt, or choose low-sodium varieties. Add chickpeas and toss in the pan to coat with spices. Add tin of tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer for a minute or two until heated through. Stir fresh coriander leaves and stalks through the curry and serve with brown rice and lime pickle.
Serves 2.
A word about ingredients. If you are in Seoul, the Foreign Food Mart in Itaewon is a good place to visit. They sell chickpeas, lentils, all sorts of legumes both dried and canned, spices and lime pickle. They also have fresh coriander (고수) which is only sometimes available in Korean markets. If you haven't discovered iHerb yet, you are soon going to have a new best friend. It's amazing! Much cheaper prices than in Korea, a huge range of products available and $4, 4-day delivery. If you would like to try it, use this code, KPP884, on your first order to receive a $10 discount.
Other ingredients should be available at your local mart. Brown rice is called 현미 in Korean.
Just like in the soup above, you can sub curry powder for all the spices. This recipe is also very flexible. If you have any green veg you need to use, throw it in at the end. Spinach leaves work particularly well.
1 cup chickpeas, cooked (or 1 can, drained)
1 can tomatoes (or 6 ripe, fresh tomatoes)
1 tspn minced ginger
1 clove garlic
1 onion, diced
1/2 tspn each of turmeric, garam masala, red chilli powder, mustard seeds, cumin
Fresh coriander (optional)
Fry onion, garlic, ginger and spices over a low heat in a little olive oil for 2-3 mins.
If you are using canned chickpeas (or canned legumes/beans in any recipe), rinse them well to remove some of the added salt, or choose low-sodium varieties. Add chickpeas and toss in the pan to coat with spices. Add tin of tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer for a minute or two until heated through. Stir fresh coriander leaves and stalks through the curry and serve with brown rice and lime pickle.
Serves 2.
A word about ingredients. If you are in Seoul, the Foreign Food Mart in Itaewon is a good place to visit. They sell chickpeas, lentils, all sorts of legumes both dried and canned, spices and lime pickle. They also have fresh coriander (고수) which is only sometimes available in Korean markets. If you haven't discovered iHerb yet, you are soon going to have a new best friend. It's amazing! Much cheaper prices than in Korea, a huge range of products available and $4, 4-day delivery. If you would like to try it, use this code, KPP884, on your first order to receive a $10 discount.
Other ingredients should be available at your local mart. Brown rice is called 현미 in Korean.