Pesto Lentils with Zucchini and Capsicum

 

I'm so happy to share with you an outrageously delicious, simple, filling, and healthy lentil and vegetable dish. When I talk to our friends these days about food and what they are cooking for themselves, many are now eating more simply than ever, particularly during the week. So let's go mental for lentils, they tick lots of boxes.

Ligurian pasta with pesto, new potatoes, and green beans

 

Destination Liguria, in northwestern Italy, where it's Mediterranean coastline is known as the Italian Riviera. Two of Liguria's most famous specialities are pesto and focaccia, which can be served plain, or with tasty variations like onion, olives, sage, and cheese etc. The local's use of fresh herbs and delicious seafood is also well reputed and reflects it's coastal geography.

Fresh Asparagus Quiche

 

Crisp Asparagus spears cooked to perfection in a rich quiche retain a light crunch and impart a delicious flavour,  perfect for a weekend lunch in Spring. They are a spring-time favourite, and are in season right now here in sunny Queensland. They are very reasonably priced, so this is the perfect time to cook with this abundant vegetable. 

My forever Chilli Con Carne recipe

 

This is my forever Chilli Con Carne recipe. I've dabbled with the ingredients over the last few years to get it just right, and it's been worth it. What's not to love about an earthy and wholesome beef recipe with a hint of chilli that has you coming back for more. Chilli con carne isn't season dependant, so my friends, start cooking. 

Curried red lentil, tomato and coconut soup

 

Winter has brought soup back to our dining table, and what a Winter Warmer this bowl of creamy lentil deliciousness is. Perfectly balanced herbs and spices with a hint of heat, are a specialty of Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe repertoire, and as a bonus this soup is also nourishing, hearty and gluten-free. It is also vegetarian.

Slow-Braised Red Cabbage

Slow-braised red cabbage is soft and sweetly flavoured however with a hint of  tangy richness from the balsamic vinegar which gives this dish star quality on the table. It's the perfect side dish to serve with many meats and other dishes. We ate it with chorizo flavoured sausages cooked on the BBQ, and a Mixed Bean salad, and the flavours were immense.

Mediterranean Eggplant and Vegetable Lasagne, without the calories

When I first made this vegetarian dish with Mediterranean ingredients and flavours, I wasn't sure if it would pass muster for my recipe blog, or be tasty and substantial enough to stand alone as our main meal. Well, it ticked both of those boxes, in fact Mr. HRK loved it. So did I, and I felt much healthier after eating it, with all that delicious vegetable within.