Pumpkin, Chickpea and Zucchini Pesto Scrolls

Pumpkin, Chickpea and Zucchini Pesto Scrolls

 

As many of you may know Veggie Daddy has been busy building something in our backyard.  No it’s not the 2^nd veggie patch which we adore, but a rather large structure he adores called a skateboard ramp.  Call it a mid life crisis, call it what you want but I think I have been very generous in letting this become part of our garden even with the removal of trees, time taken every weekend, etc, etc..  Veggie daddy has been skateboarding for about 25 years and feels that this way he can enjoy it with the kids – he’s just a big kid himself.

Daddy's litle helper



Testing the ramp out with daddy



 

 

 

 

 

The kids have loved watching the ramp being built and helping when they can.  Even I was up there helping bend plywood today!  The kids are also having fun riding bikes up and down and it looks like it will be an extension of our outdoor style of living.

So what better lunch to whip today than Pumpkin, Chickpea and Zucchini Pesto Scrolls that everyone could eat on the run.  Special thanks to my Thermie cousin who pointed out this great recipe by Arwen on the Thermomix Recipe Community.  I tweaked it a little by using sweet potato today instead of pumpkin and made my own Zucchini and Basil pesto from the bountiful garden.  The extra nutrition from the chickpeas is great and they make about a dozen good sized scrolls.  Which is handy because it’s hard to stop at one!

 

Pumpkin & Chickpea Bread Dough

 

100g dried chickpeas

100g pumpkin (or sweet potato) roughly chopped

400g bakers flour

20g olive oil

1 tsp salt

300g lukewarm water

20g pepitas

8g dried yeast

 

Pesto

40g Parmesan cheese cubed

1 clove garlic

1 bunch fresh basil

60g cashew nuts

60 zucchini roughly chopped

30g extra virgin olive oil

80g cheese grated extra

• Add chickpeas to Thermomix bowl and mill for 1 min at speed 10
• Add pumpkin and process for 5 secs on speed 5
• Add remaining ingredients and mix 5 secs on speed 5 then set to closed lid position and  knead for 2 minutes on dough setting.  Add a little flour if needed
• Remove dough and wrap in thermomat or in a covered oiled bowl for about an hour or until doubled in size
• Meanwhile make Zucchini pesto
• Place parmesan cheese and basil into TM bowl and chop for 5 secs on speed 8
• Add all other ingredients & process for 10 seconds on speed 8
  
• Shape dough into a large rectangle
• Gently stretch and shape dough into a long rectangle about 1.5cm thick on mat or floured surface
• Spread with pesto, sprinkle with grated cheese
• Carefully roll from long edge to form a long roll then cut into approximately 12 pieces
• Arrange in 2 springform tins lined with baking paper and allow to rest again while heating oven to 220°
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and hollow sounding when knocked

Best eaten straight from the oven.  Enjoy!

Broccoli, Craisin and Feta Salad

The weather’s starting to warm up and we’re thinking salads.  Especially for the warmer evenings where the kids love eating outside early enough before the crisp air sets in.  It's a great way to get the kids to quickly eat their dinner then run off their endless amount of energy before bedtime.  This salad is quite hearty and is great for lunch the next day when the flavour has continued to soak through and work it's magic on your tastebuds. 

Broccoli, Craisin and Feta Salad

When I make dressed salads like this I often whip up some mayonnaise from the Thermomix EDC and just leave enough in the bowl to coat the ingredients.  So simple and saves an extra bowl to wash up.  We served it along with my Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Millet burgers and some sliced potato chips cooked on the bbq.  Yum and fun!

Summer is ready to take the salad outside for dinner

 Broccoli, Craisin and Feta salad

1 head of Broccoli
1 Carrot
2 tbls mayonnaise
1 tbl craisins, raisins or even incaberries
Handful cherry tomatos halved
Tbls Pepitas
50g feta or goats cheese cubed or crumbled

• Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil
• Chop broccoli into florets including stems and place in boiling water for about 1 minute then remove
• Add carrot to Thermomix bowl and chop for 3 seconds on speed 6 (or grate by hand without TM)
• Add broccoli, tomatos, craisins, pepitas and mayonnaise to bowl with carrot and mix on Reverse speed 2 for 3 seconds or until just combined (or mix by hand in a bowl)
• Transfer to serving bowl and top with feta

Enjoy!

Chickpea and Asparagus Frittata

Chickpea and Asparagus Frittata with sauted lemon asparagus

What to do with an abundance of asparagus (and a few egg whites left over from my Lemon Curd and Raspberry Crumble slice)...

I also needed a quick and easy, light dinner tonight as daughter Summer and veggie daddy are off to Dad’s night at kinder this evening.  This dish is great on it's own but tonight I simply had so much asparagus that I blanched some for only 1 minute then tossed in a little olive oil, lemon zest and salt and pepper. Simply gorgeous!

It’s the kind of dish you can use whatever vegies you have on hand but I like pumpkin for comfort, chickpeas for added protein, asparagus for a reminder that spring is on the way and some rosemary and Romano cheese for a delicious flavour boost.  Other vegies that go well include zucchini, sweet potato, capsicum and even mushrooms.  While I often roast the pumpkin to enhance the flavour it’s also nice lightly boiled or steamed to make a softer dish which the kids tend to prefer.  My eggs are free range from my local farmers market which I now get by the tray full.  Summer loves returning each week to recycle our carton or tray from the “egg man”. 
  

It was grandma who brought us the bunches of asparagus and even Summer couldn’t wait to eat them and had some for lunch. I don’t know about your family but we’re a little divided about the effects of asparagus particularly regarding the smell of one’s urine.  We all love the taste and while myself and Finn have no complaints, it’s daddy and Summer who have almost immediate effects.  Apparently it’s a genetic thing that you either have or you don’t. 

 

Anyway, here it is...

Chickpea and Asparagus Frittata

50g Romano or Parmesan cheese
5 free range eggs
100g milk
Chickpeas (1 tin or 200g dried and cooked)
1 bunch asparagus (with tough ends snapped off)
Approx 300g potato and pumpkin cut into 2cm pieces
Approx ½  broccoli chopped
Salt and pepper (optional)
Fresh rosemary

• Lightly steam or boil potatos and pumpkin adding broccoli for the last few minutes
• Place in a 20cm x 20cm baking dish and sprinkle chickpeas over
• Place cheese in Thermomix bowl and grate for 10 seconds speed 8.  Remove half and set aside
• Add eggs and milk and blend 20 seconds speed 4
• Pour over veggies, arrange asparagus spears on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese
• Bake 180° 35 mins until golden and only just set.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Millet Patties

Now my reason for writing is to share my vegetarian family's journey and this recipe does exactly that.  Believe it or not, I have never cooked with millet before.  I've used various types of quinoa, amaranth, spelt, cous cous and other grains but never millet.  And I love it!  And more importantly, so does the family. 

Sweet potato, Chickpea and Millet patties

This recipe is all about healthy, nutrient dense vegetarian food that serves our bodies, especially young growing bodies, well.  It is high in complex proteins, very low in fat and sodium, and most importantly tastes great. It also makes a large quantity so is great for entertaining or freezing. 

Hulled millet is best to use as the tough shell has been removed making it quicker to cook without any reduction in nutrients.  It has a mild, nutty flavour and is easy to digest so it's great for little tummies!  Millet is nearly 15% protein, is rich in fibre, B-complex vitamins and essential amino acids and contains some vitamin E. Millet is also high in minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.  It's a versatile grain and in fact I cooked extra to make a tasty dessert for the kids mixed yoghurt and berries.

Millet grains

These patties could be served as a burger, with a light salad topped with yoghurt, or as we enjoyed them in the midst of winter, with Thermomix mashed potato, greens and rhubarb chutney.  Veggie dad loves his mashed potato, enough to lick the bowl clean.  Summer loves brussel sprouts (or fairy cabbages as we call them) and usually steals extras from dad.  And little Finn does a great job at self feeding brocollini (little trees).

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Millet Patties in the Thermomix

600g water for steaming
100g hulled millet (can be soaked for 2-3 hours)
350g sweet potato chopped
180g chickpeas (soaked overnight and cooked or use 1 tin)
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 zuchinni roughly chopped
1/2 MC sunflower seeds
1 tsp each cumin, coriander
1/2 tsp paprika, garam masala
handful of flat lead parsley or coriander

Place water in TM bowl and millet in steamer basket and insert
Place sweet potato in Varoma dish and cook 25 min Varoma sp 2 then set aside.
   (while waiting, prepare the other ingredients then play with the kids!)
Chop onion and garlic (5 sec sp 6)
Saute with 10g olive oil and spices (2 min 100° sp 2)
Chop carrot, zuchinni and sunflower seeds (4 sec sp 6)
Add chickpeas and mix (2 sec sp 6)
Add millet, sweet potato and parsley and mix until combined using spatula to assist (approx 30 sec sp 4)

Form into patties and coat in fresh breadcrumbs (I use frozen multigrain homemade breadcrumbs as shown in Everyday Cookbook)
Pan fry 5 minutes each side until golden.

Enjoy!