Green Buckwheat Crepes

So where do you get your inspiration for dinner?

Finn with "silverbeet ears" 

For me tonight it was partly related to Summer’s day at school and partly what was in the veggie patch.  At school it was Pancake Tuesday (or Shrove Tuesday, the marking of the start of lent leading up to Easter).  So I decided to follow suit and went with the theme for dinner along with a bit of a religious education for the kids.

Of course I like to cook outside the square a little, so it was a savoury pancake, and not just any pancake but a green buckwheat crepe.  The veggie patch is overflowing with silverbeet but there's also a few tomatoes, zucchini and chillies too.  These were thrown into my stock standard yet rather flexible Mexican bean and veggie filling.  A creamy mushroom and spinach sauce would be quite delicious too.  But the fun was in the pancake.

I combined buckwheat with regular flour just because I like to vary the grains we eat and I love the earthy flavour buckwheat gives.  You could use any other grain such as oats or spelt which leads to my favourite part of owning a Thermomix.  The fact that you can make your own fresh flour from any grain you want.

The hero of the pancake was the green. We love eating green in this Veggie house.  I think we all crave it at times. I used silverbeet because that’s what’s in the veggie patch but spinach or kale would work just as well.  These crepes are also great as finger food for little ones or as a wrap for school lunch the next day.  Yum!

Green Buckwheat Crepes

100g buckwheat grouts (ideally soaked overnight) or buckwheat flour
140g plain flour
3 free range eggs
Large handful (around 50g)of greens (silverbeet, spinach or kale)
250g milk (plus a little extra if required)
50g greek yoghurt
Pinch salt
1 tbls coconut oil

• Place buckwheat in Thermomix bowl and grind for 1 minute in speed 9
• Add all other ingredients and mix for 20 seconds on speed 6 or until well combined
• The mixture should be reasonably runny for a crepe so add a little milk if required
• Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes while you prepare your filling
• Heat a little coconut oil in frypan over a moderate heat
• Pour about half a cup of mixture into pan and quickly spread to thinly cover
• Cook for a few minutes on each side or until golden but still soft enough to roll
• Fill with your favourite filling and plenty of cheese, roll them up and enjoy!

Spinach and ricotta gnocchi

Spinach and ricotta gnocchi with a creamy tofu and pumpkin sauce

As with many proud parents our eldest daughter Summer had her first day of school this week.  It was such an emotional rollercoaster of a week.  Trying not to get too excited in the lead up and make her nervous, taking her and leaving her for the first time at school, then the anxious wait until pickup not knowing how she was going.  I almost cried with relief when Summer was happy at the end of the day, wanted to stay and play on the playground with her new friends, and promptly said “we have to come back tomorrow mum!”  I was so, so proud.

ready for her first day at school...

So of course I planned her favourite dinner to celebrate (and lucky me it is really quick and easy) -  Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi.  They’re such light and fluffy delights which is why my daughter calls them “pillows” and they’re much easier and fail proof to make than the potato version.  They welcome any of your favourite sauce varieties.  A lentil bolognaise or creamy tofu and pumpkin sauce works well.  And they’re also delicious pan fried in a little butter after boiling and tossed with a few light sautéed vegies and fresh basil.

special flowers for a very special girl

This recipe is based on the ricotta gnocchi from A Taste of Vegetarian Thermomix book and I always make the larger quantity because it’s such a hit in our house or with visitors.  I’m using silver beet at the moment as we have heaps in the garden and by chopping the greens in the Thermomix you retain their bright green colour.  I tend to buy a 1kg pack of ricotta for this recipe and use the remainder for Ricotta Hotcakes on the weekend!

bright greens chopped with parmesan

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

80g parmesan cheese cubed

1 bunch spinach or silver beet (approx 500g but as much or a little as you like depending on how green you like them)

600g fresh ricotta

300g bakers or plain flour

¼ tsp nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

• Place a large saucepan of water on the heat to bring to the boil
• Place parmesan in Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 9
• Add spinach or silver beet and chop for a further 5 seconds on speed 9
• Add ricotta, flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper and set to knead function for 1 minute on Interval speed or until fully combined
• Take a large spoon of mixture, roll into a 1 inch thick sausage shape on a lightly floured surface then cut into 1 inch pieces
• Place each batch into boiling water and cook for approx 5 minutes or until all are floating on the surface
• Remove with a slotted spoon and repeat with all the mixture
• Serve with your favourite sauce or lightly pan fry in butter for a delicious twist!

Immune Boosting Green Soup

It’s that time of year when everyone in the house has a bit of a running nose and is feeling a bit run down.  Time for some immune boosting and what better way to do that than with a yummy soup, filled with nutrients and goodness.  And even better it’s easy to make and easy to eat.  It’s one of those things that the Thermomix does best.


Immune Boosting Green Soup with homemade Tortillas

 

Any of your favourite bread such a some ciabatta would be delicious but today I served this soup with some cheesy toasted homemade tortilla – my latest bread discovery!

Lemon and Silverbeet

 There are heaps of ways to boost your immune system and this soup contains just a few:

• Garlic is a powerful immune booster that stimulates infection fighting white cells, boosts natural killer cell activity, and increases the efficiency of antibody production.
• Vitamin C increases production of infection fighting white blood cells and antibodies especially interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces and prevents the entry of viruses.
• Vitamin E is found in sources such as sunflower seeds and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
• Zinc plays an important role in the immune defence system and can be found in legumes and seeds. Soaking them increases their bioavailability which is important for vegetarians.  Dulse and other sea vegetables also contain Zinc and Vitamin E.
• Omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in flax seed oil act as immune booster by increasing the activity of phagocytes, the white blood cells that eat up bacteria.

Fresh Broccoli and Silverbeet

So make you and your family a big pot of this immune booster to keep the chills away or at least reduce their stay.

 
Immune Boosting Green Soup
250g green lentils
800g water
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbls olive oil
1 large or 2 small potatos cubed
1 stick celery roughly chopped
1 small or ½ a large broccoli roughly chopeed
1 bunch of silverbeet with stalks removed and well rinsed to get rid of any grit and any crawling friends
1 tsp vege concentrate
1 tbls fresh thyme
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of nutmeg
2 tbls flaxseed oil

• Soak lentils in  water for 4-6 hours
• Place basket in Thermomix bowl and pour in soaked lentils and enough water to cover and cook for 20 minutes on speed 1 at 100°
• Remove basket of lentils and set aside stock water for later
• Place onion and garlic in Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 6
• Add oil and sauté for 3 mintues at 100° on speed 2
• Add potato and sauté for an additional 5 minutes at 100° on speed 2
• Add celery, broccoli, lentils, thyme, vege stock and water and cook for 10 minutes at 100° on speed 2
• Add silverbeet and lemon juice and cook for a final 5 minutes 100° on speed 2
• Add flaxseed oil and blend for 10 seconds on speed 4

Serve with a dollop of yoghurt and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds

Immune Boosting Green Soup

Enjoy!