Showing posts with label amaranth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amaranth. Show all posts

Monday, 27 August 2012

Cavolo Nero, Mushroom and Capsicum Rice Bake

I love my greens…. the darker the better!

That’s why I love this recipe with Cavolo Nero or Tuscan Kale as it’s also known.  You could just as easily use other forms of kale, silverbeet or spinach and it would be just as delicious and nutritious.  In fact Cavolo Nero is a great source of many vitamins and minerals as well as sulforaphane (particularly when chopped) which has potent anti-cancer properties.

Cavolo Nero
This is a variation of a recipe by Jude Blereau in her fantastic book called “Wholefood for Children” adjusted a little to add more colour and for the Thermomix.  I also used a bit more brown rice to make it go a bit further.  I simply love brown rice and the nuttiness it adds to dishes like this.  The addition of amaranth increases the protein of the dish and in fact it is 30 per cent higher in protein than rice.

I used some lovely Swiss Brown mushrooms but button mushrooms work fine too.  And the tomatos I found at my local fruit and vege shop today were local mini black tomatos.  So sweet and cute, the way the kids ate them I was lucky there was any left for the dish.  And the best part is the kids simply devour this when we have it for dinner.  It’s super tasty and easy to digest particularly by soaking the rice first (note this step is optional).  It also makes great leftover’s and as grandma has reported is great in a toasted wrap the next day!

 
Cavolo Nero, Mushroom and Capsicum Rice Bake
 
200g brown rice
2 tbls amaranth
1 tbls lemon juice
40g Pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese
Approx 200g Cavolo Nero (thick stems removed)
1 onion
1 clove garlic
20g olive oil
100g Swiss Brown or Button mushrooms
50 g red capsicum
250g ricotta
2 eggs
3 or 4 cherry or grape tomatos sliced
30g pine nuts
Pepper to taste

  • Combine brown rice, amaranth and lemon juice in a small bowl and add just enough water to cover.  Let soak for 6 hours or overnight to increase digestibility and reduce cooking time.
  • Place 800g water in Thermomix bowl, insert basket than add rice mixture including any excess water.  Cook for 30 minutes at Varoma temp on speed 4. Set aside and empty water from bowl.
  • Add pecorino to TM bowl and chop 8 seconds speed 9.  Set aside
  • Add Cavolo Nero to TM bowl and chop 3 seconds speed 7.  Set aside (I placed it on top of the warm rice to lightly steam)
  • Add onion and garlic and chop 5 sec speed 7
  • Add oil and sauté for 2 minutes at 100° on speed 1
  • Add mushrooms and capsicum and chop 3 seconds speed 6.  Saute 1 minute at 100° on speed 1
  • Add eggs, cheeses, pepper and combine 5 seconds speed 4
  • Add Cavolo Nero and rice and combine on Reverse 5 seconds speed 4
  • Pour into a 20 x 20cm baking dish
  • Cover with tomatos and pine nuts and bake 180° for approx 40 minutes until set.

Enjoy!

Sunday, 19 August 2012

Healthy Wholesome Muesli


For the first time since having my 2nd child (over a year ago) I had the day at home to myself.  Veggie daddy took the kids to the inlaws for the entire afternoon.  I spent the morning baking cheese and pesto scrolls, cutting up fruit, packing homemade banana biscuits and other snacks to keep their tummies happy not to mention spare clothes and nappies.

I had a list of things to do while they were gone but my main purpose of staying home was to get some posts written for you all to read… Well they’ll be home soon and I haven’t written much, but I have done plently of baking!

I have to admit that I struggled being on my own in the peace and quiet of home.  It was different than being at work which has a sense of purpose and I know the kids are home happily playing with Grandma or daddy.  But I managed to get those jobs done that can be more challenging with the kids, wash the floor, dusted their rooms, even went for a quick run.  But most importantly I cooked.  I made some gourmet muesli, high protein nut butter, prepared jars for my curing olives (didn’t get around to filling the jars), then finally dinner for tonight, a hearty vege shepherdless pie.

So lets start with the muesli first...


For many years I tried different types of gourmet muesli.  Sure most are delicious but they’re not something that can be eaten daily as often have added sugar or fats (and often cost the earth!).  Finding that perfect combination of grains, fruits and nuts which you won’t get bored with is the next challenge, not to mention the cost.  So in the past few years I’ve been making my own gourmet muesli.  The blend varies depending on what I have or feel like.  And if you like you could add coconut butter or honey before toasting to increase crunchiness or sweetness but I prefer without.




The muesli I made today was something like this…
Healthy Wholesome Muesli
3 cups rolled oats
½ cup amaranth flakes
½ cup quinoa flakes
½ cup chopped nuts (eg; almonds, hazelnuts)
½ cup shredded coconut
1 tbls cinnamon
½ cup seeds (eg; sunflower, pepitas)
1 cup chopped dried fruit (eg fresh dates, inca berries, goji berries, cranberries)
  • Preheat oven to 180°
  • Spread oats and cinnamon on a tray (drizzle with melted coconut butter or honey if desired) and bake for 10 mins
  • Spread nuts, seeds and coconut on another tray and bake 5 mins (be careful not to burn coconut which I was close to today – but I actually like it well toasted)
  • Cool before transferring to an airtight container to store
Serve with fruit, yoghurt and choice of milk.

Also great soaked overnight in apple juice Bircher style which makes the grains easier to digest.

Enjoy!