All posts tagged: vegetarian

My Spinach Dip

Published by Monica

This sauce made it to my all time favorite recipes ever…I used to cook this initially as a dip but then one day I thought ‘why not add pasta and make it a pasta bake’ and that was a brilliant idea! So if you want to make it into a pasta bake just par cook your favorite pasta add it to the sauce, mix well, transfer to an oven proof dish, top with mozzarella and let it cook till nice, bubbly and golden. Many recipes out there that require to put together ingredients in a bowl and then baked in the oven and although that might work just fine I found, in my humble opinion, that when you cook the sauce the outcome is so much better. I make this with fresh spinach, chopped and steamed, I then place them in a sieve for a while and squeeze out all the water before adding them to the sauce. A little tip: you can use mascarpone as cream cheese…delishhh! Ingredients: 1 medium size onion, finely chopped …

Armenian Stuffed Eggplants with Tahini Sauce

Published by Monica

Armenians have been scattered all over the world for a century now and depending on where they live, they have their own take on recipes. This dish I learned from an Armenian woman that was originally from Aleppo. It is sooo good there are no words to explain and the tahini sauce drizzled on top gives it a deep earthy flavor that is hard to match. Its easy to make, just a matter of chopping the ingredients finely together but if you are in a hurry just use a food processor to do the work for you! Also, you can get already hollowed eggplants…The filling should look like tabboule but with lots of rice. Hope you give it a try and let me know in a comment how much you loved this!! Quantities for 3 Ingredients: 1/2 kg small eggplants, about 12 small ones, hollowed For the filling: 1 cup short grain rice, washed 4 ripe tomatoes, diced very small or grated 1 onion, diced in small cubes 1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped finely 1/4 …

Pasta with Cilantro, Garlic & Veggies

Published by Monica

This pasta is light and fresh dressed in a cilantro and garlic mix and loads of your preferred veggies. I usually do this with boiled carrots and zucchinis but please feel free to use whatever veggies you love or have on hand! Comes together really quickly. Recipe is for 2. Ingredients: 200 gr whole wheat fusilli, or any pasta you have on hand or prefer 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped 3 small zucchinis, chopped into bite size pieces 2 medium carrots, chopped into bite size pieces Olive oil Salt and pepper Method: Place a pot filled with water and bring it to the boil. Add the pasta. Five minutes later, in the same water the pasta is cooking, add your chopped veggies let cook. When pasta is done drain and set aside. In a pan add olive oil and garlic. When the garlic starts getting fragrant add the cilantro and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Season well. Add drained pasta and veggies to the cilantro mixture. Mix well. Serve warm …

Three Cheese & Spinach Samosas

Published by Monica

Crunchy and buttery on the outside, creamy and savory on the inside. These samosas are perfect to freeze for last minute guests or for a quick bite. Deep fried or oven baked…either way these samosas are addictive!! Ingredients: 2 small shallots, finely chopped 1 big leek, finely chopped 350 gr chopped frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry 250 gr ricotta 250 gr feta, crumbled A handful of grated parmigiano 1 large egg, lightly beaten 200 gr butter, melted 500 gr phyllo dough, thawed (can be found already cut into strips) Salt and pepper to taste Olive oil Method: Heat a splash of olive oil in a big frying pan and add the shallots and leek, season with salt and cook on medium until just golden. Add the spinach, stir well for a couple of minutes and turn off the heat. In a bowl combine the ricotta, feta and parmigiano. To this add the spinach mixture and the egg and mix until well combined. Check and adjust seasoning to your taste. Place one strip of phyllo …

Vospov Kofte – Red Lentil Patties

Published by Monica

This is a traditional armenian dish that will surely gather all the family around the table. So flavorful and healthy usually these patties are served with a salad (recipe below) , fries and pickles. Dig in and enjoy!! Ingredients: 2 cups red lentils, cleaned and washed 4 cups of water 1 ½ cup fine bulgur, washed till water runs clear 2 big onions, very finely chopped 1 heaped tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon paprika Salt to taste 1 tablespoon red pepper paste, optional Olive oil or vegetable oil as needed Method: Place the washed lentils in a deep pan and add the water. Season with salt and let it come to a boil. Reduce heat and, skimming white foam from water, let them cook  for about 30 to 40 minutes until smoochy. Turn off the heat and add the bulgur. Give it a good stir,  cover pan and let sit till lukewarm and bulgur has absorbed all the remaining water. In the meantime fry the onions until just about golden. Add them all to the lentils …

Whole Wheat Pasta With Cilantro and Garlic

Published by Monica

Quick, easy and delicious!! Whole wheat fusilli tossed in cilantro and garlic with boiled veggies.   Ingredients: A bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped 5-6 garlic cloves, very well pounded 4 medium sized carrots, chopped into bte size pieces 6 courgettes, chopped into bite size pieces 400 gr whole wheat fusilli   Method: Bring a large pot of water to boil and add salt. Throw in your pasta. After 2 minutes throw in with the pasta the courgettes and carrots. Meanwhile in a bit pot on medium high heat place olive oil, cilantro and garlic and cook seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. When the pasta and veggies are  done, drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water and toss well with the cilantro and garlic. Use the pasta water as much as needed to bring the whole dish together. Best served lukewarm, at room temperature or straight from the fridge!! Buon Appetito!!

Spaghetti Nests with Eggplants and Mascarpone

Published by Monica

I just adore eggplants whether grilled or fried with just a sprinkle of salt. So many ways to enjoy them. In this dish I love how the mascarpone gets warm and gives a subtle sweetness to the whole dish.  Honest food is the best!  Here is the recipe to mascarpone-filled eggplants, topped with mozzarella and parmiggiano on a bed of tomato sauce and little nests of spaghetti. Ingredients (Recipe for 2) 1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise 2 to 3 cups of simple marinara sauce (basic tomato sauce with basil or oregano) A couple of tablespoons of mascarpone Mozzarella cheese, grated Parmiggiano, grated Half a pack of spaghetti Method Grill eggplants and sprinkle with salt. Place a teaspoon of mascarpone on one end of grilled eggplant and roll. Spread some marinara sauce  in the bottom of baking dish and arrange the rolls on top. Cook spaghetti al dente and place in baking dish. Top with mozzarella and parmiggiano. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted. Sprinkle some basil leaves on top and enjoy!!!

Quick and Easy Armenian Burghul

Published by Monica

Also known as ‘itch’, this healthy bulghur salad is a constant feature on every armenian’s family table. Ingredients 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped 4 tablespoons of olive oil 1 tablespoon of mild pepper paste 1 teaspoon of ground cumin 4 to 5 medium sized ripe tomatoes, finely diced 1 cup of fine bulghur Juice of one lemon 1/2 cup of parsley, finely chopped 2 spring onions, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Optional: pomegranate syrup Method Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot, add the onions and cook till translucent. Add the mild pepper paste and the ground cumin. Stir until the paste melts. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce cook for 20mns on medium heat until the tomatoes are cooked through. Turn off the heat and add the burghul. Mix thoroughly and cover so the burghul absorbs all the juices. Once lukewarm, add the lemon juice, parsley, and spring onions. I also love to add pomegranate syrup for a richer taste.  Enjoy it at room temperature …