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Showing posts with the label beans lentil and pulses recipes

Healthy Vegan - Vegan Indian Pasta, Indian Gnocchi, Indian Dumplings

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When I say Indian, its more Indian style as I wish to embrace the diversity of all the countries in the Indian Sub-Continent - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and even the Maldives as they all embrace this way of cooking.  This is also in part to show respect to the many 'Indian' restaurateurs and take-aways  across Europe and the United Kingdom where the owners and workers are often of   Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage.  I make Curried Red Lentil Dal all the time, its part of my South Asian heritage, however I made this particular version of  Pigeon Pea Soup from Prashad's cookbook a couple of weeks back.    It does just look like a simple bowl of Red Dal, but its rather deceptive in appearance because once you take slurp of this soup you are hit first by the heady perfumed herbyness and then Boom - you taste the amazing spices - its really quite something special for some thing could easily be described as a peasant dish.   ...

Healthy Vegan - Vegan Indian Pasta, Indian Gnocchi, Indian Dumplings

Image
When I say Indian, its more Indian style as I wish to embrace the diversity of all the countries in the Indian Sub-Continent - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and even the Maldives as they all embrace this way of cooking.  This is also in part to show respect to the many 'Indian' restaurateurs and take-aways  across Europe and the United Kingdom where the owners and workers are often of   Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage.  I make Curried Red Lentil Dal all the time, its part of my South Asian heritage, however I made this particular version of  Pigeon Pea Soup from Prashad's cookbook a couple of weeks back.    It does just look like a simple bowl of Red Dal, but its rather deceptive in appearance because once you take slurp of this soup you are hit first by the heady perfumed herbyness and then Boom - you taste the amazing spices - its really quite something special for some thing could easily be described as a peasant dish.   ...

Healthy Vegan - March Welcomes Your Vegetarian MLLA and Eat Your Greens Recipes

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I am delighted to announce that I will be hosting the 93 edition of  My Legume Love Affair  for March 2015 .   This is a diverse food blogging event, so any worldwide cuisine is welcome, as long as the main ingredient are legumes.  This can be beans, lentils, pulses.  Peanuts are legumes, as are carob, fenugreek and tamarind.  Foods made from legumes such as chickpea flour and tofu are permitted.  Whatever your chosen legume is, please just ensure that it is the predominant ingredient of the recipe.   My Legume Love Affair  was started by  The Well Seasoned Cook .  Lisa of  Lisa's Kitchen  is now the administrator of MLLA, as well as the occasional hostess. For the rules please link to this announcement page and read  Lisa's MLLA information page  as well.   Please link your entry below.   I will post the MLLA Round up in the first week of April 2016. I would also like to take this opportunit...

Healthy Vegan - March Welcomes Your Vegetarian MLLA and Eat Your Greens Recipes

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I am delighted to announce that I will be hosting the 93 edition of  My Legume Love Affair  for March 2015 .   This is a diverse food blogging event, so any worldwide cuisine is welcome, as long as the main ingredient are legumes.  This can be beans, lentils, pulses.  Peanuts are legumes, as are carob, fenugreek and tamarind.  Foods made from legumes such as chickpea flour and tofu are permitted.  Whatever your chosen legume is, please just ensure that it is the predominant ingredient of the recipe.   My Legume Love Affair  was started by  The Well Seasoned Cook .  Lisa of  Lisa's Kitchen  is now the administrator of MLLA, as well as the occasional hostess. For the rules please link to this announcement page and read  Lisa's MLLA information page  as well.   Please link your entry below.   I will post the MLLA Round up in the first week of April 2016. I would also like to take this opportunit...

Healthy Vegan - Very Red Pepper and Kidney Bean Casserole with Vegan Sausages

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It must have been a subliminal message of sorts that got me hankering for a Veggie Sausage Casserole.  For days I went onto D 'I need to pick u some veggie sausages...'  yet always seemed to forget and then I repeated myself all over again 'I have to pick up some veggie sausages', but yesterday - I remembered!   And so here it is, a rich thyme and smoked paprika infused tomato sauce based casserole with kidney beans and Romano red peppers.  It turned out very red indeed. You can choose to use any vegetarian or vegan sausage you like, I am not loyal to any particular brand and like to try them all.  If your not a veggie, of course you can opt the real meat variety.   The smokiness from the paprika was just right, not overwhelming at all.   I served this very red vegan casserole with some crushed roasted new potatoes.  It was grand I tell you and well worth the wait. So some of you may wondering why do I showcase a leek here?!  Well I w...

Healthy Vegan - Very Red Pepper and Kidney Bean Casserole with Vegan Sausages

Image
It must have been a subliminal message of sorts that got me hankering for a Veggie Sausage Casserole.  For days I went onto D 'I need to pick u some veggie sausages...'  yet always seemed to forget and then I repeated myself all over again 'I have to pick up some veggie sausages', but yesterday - I remembered!   And so here it is, a rich thyme and smoked paprika infused tomato sauce based casserole with kidney beans and Romano red peppers.  It turned out very red indeed. You can choose to use any vegetarian or vegan sausage you like, I am not loyal to any particular brand and like to try them all.  If your not a veggie, of course you can opt the real meat variety.   The smokiness from the paprika was just right, not overwhelming at all.   I served this very red vegan casserole with some crushed roasted new potatoes.  It was grand I tell you and well worth the wait. So some of you may wondering why do I showcase a leek here?!  Well I w...

Healthy Vegan - Very Red Pepper and Kidney Bean Casserole with Vegan Sausages

Image
It must have been a subliminal message of sorts that got me hankering for a Veggie Sausage Casserole.  For days I went onto D 'I need to pick u some veggie sausages...'  yet always seemed to forget and then I repeated myself all over again 'I have to pick up some veggie sausages', but yesterday - I remembered!   And so here it is, a rich thyme and smoked paprika infused tomato sauce based casserole with kidney beans and Romano red peppers.  It turned out very red indeed. You can choose to use any vegetarian or vegan sausage you like, I am not loyal to any particular brand and like to try them all.  If your not a veggie, of course you can opt the real meat variety.   The smokiness from the paprika was just right, not overwhelming at all.   I served this very red vegan casserole with some crushed roasted new potatoes.  It was grand I tell you and well worth the wait. So some of you may wondering why do I showcase a leek here?!  Well I w...

Healthy Vegan - Black Eyed Peas, Red Pepper and Squash Stew with Preserved Lemons

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Yes, I share with you another stew of sorts.  Though I have to admit this is a much lighter stew compared to those features a couple of weeks back. I guess its a sign that Spring is here.   Contrary though, the ingredients are not spring like at all, mostly autumnal.  Squashes, sweet potatoes and red and yellow peppers have been featuring quite a bit on my plate recently, I think its the colours that shout and make me feel all warm and humble.   Or maybe its accidental, as I want a change from the drudge brown-beige and greens.   I normally squeeze some fresh lemon juice when eating dishes made with black eyed peas.  Its something my mother taught me as it enhances the dish and I love it.  This time I decided to add slithers of  home-made preserved lemons  to the dish instead to infuse the nutty black eyed beans. The black eyed peas certainly did take on the zing from the preserved lemons that had almost deteriorated in the pot. ...

Healthy Vegan - Black Eyed Peas, Red Pepper and Squash Stew with Preserved Lemons

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Yes, I share with you another stew of sorts.  Though I have to admit this is a much lighter stew compared to those features a couple of weeks back. I guess its a sign that Spring is here.   Contrary though, the ingredients are not spring like at all, mostly autumnal.  Squashes, sweet potatoes and red and yellow peppers have been featuring quite a bit on my plate recently, I think its the colours that shout and make me feel all warm and humble.   Or maybe its accidental, as I want a change from the drudge brown-beige and greens.   I normally squeeze some fresh lemon juice when eating dishes made with black eyed peas.  Its something my mother taught me as it enhances the dish and I love it.  This time I decided to add slithers of  home-made preserved lemons  to the dish instead to infuse the nutty black eyed beans. The black eyed peas certainly did take on the zing from the preserved lemons that had almost deteriorated in the pot. ...

Healthy Vegan - Black Eyed Peas, Red Pepper and Squash Stew with Preserved Lemons

Image
Yes, I share with you another stew of sorts.  Though I have to admit this is a much lighter stew compared to those features a couple of weeks back. I guess its a sign that Spring is here.   Contrary though, the ingredients are not spring like at all, mostly autumnal.  Squashes, sweet potatoes and red and yellow peppers have been featuring quite a bit on my plate recently, I think its the colours that shout and make me feel all warm and humble.   Or maybe its accidental, as I want a change from the drudge brown-beige and greens.   I normally squeeze some fresh lemon juice when eating dishes made with black eyed peas.  Its something my mother taught me as it enhances the dish and I love it.  This time I decided to add slithers of  home-made preserved lemons  to the dish instead to infuse the nutty black eyed beans. The black eyed peas certainly did take on the zing from the preserved lemons that had almost deteriorated in the pot. ...

Healthy Vegan - Butter Beans and Kale Curried Turmeric Rice

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This yellow turmeric infused rice with butter beans is inspired by a family Pilau  - Savoury Rice recipe . I make a variation of this rice dish with whatever is in season or what I have to hand every other month.   As we are going away for a long weekend to my mother in laws, we have been raiding the fridge and vegetable basket, so there was not much in the way of fresh ingredients, other than some curly kale which I wish was from the garden.  I always have some dried beans, lentils and pulses so decided to make this dish last night when I put some butter beans to soak overnight. For ease, yes I admit I will sometimes opt for tinned beans and pulses such as kidney beans, sometimes chickpeas and pinto beans.  But there are some beans  that I will never ever buy tinned and would prefer cooking them from scratch.  Butter beans is one of those that I like soaking and simmering from scratch, as the ones from the tinned are awful and sometimes a congeale...