Baklava (Vegan) - Suma Blogger's Network

For this month's Suma Blogger's Network post, I thought I'd make something sweet. As we're off to Greece for our holidays soon, I decided to make some baklava.

Baklava is a very indulgent Greek and Middle-Eastern treat, which usually contains copious quantities of butter and honey, but I've found that it's simple to veganise without losing any flavour.

• 150g/6oz almonds
• 150g/6oz walnuts
• 150g/6oz hazelnuts or cashews 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pack filo pastry
• 75g/3oz dairy-free spread/butter

For the syrup

• 2 cups Fairtrade golden caster sugar from Suma
• 4 tbsp agave, date or Fairtrade golden syrup from Suma
• juice of 1 lemon, plus a little lemon zest
• 1 large stick of cinnamon, broken in half
• 1½ cups boiled water

Roughly grind all of the nuts in a food processor and mix in the ground cinnamon.

Grease a baking tin with some of the melted butter.
Line the tin with a sheet of filo, letting it drape over the sides of the tin. Baste with more butter and repeat several times until you have used half of the pastry.

Tip in half of the nuts and spread out over the pastry. 
Fold a couple more sheets of pastry and place them over the layer of nuts so they fit snugly in the tin. Baste with more butter.

Cover with the remaining half of the nuts.
Layer the remaining sheets of pastry over, basting with butter each time.
Finally fold the over-lapping sheets in to fully enclose the nuts.
Baste the top with the remaining butter.

Cut the 'pie' into small squares or diamonds, using a sharp knife, cutting through all of the layers carefully.
Bake in a pre-heated oven  at 180C/170C Fan/350F/Gas 4 for approximately 45 mins, or until the surface is crisp and golden brown.

Meanwhile make the syrup.
Mix all the syrup ingredients together in a pan and allow the sugar to dissolve on a low heat, stirring occasionally.
Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

When the baklava is cooked, remove from the oven and poor the cool syrup all over the hot baklava.
Allow to cool in the tin at room temperature. Leave to soak in the syrup for several hours, before serving.

Integrity Statement As a member of the Suma Blogger's Network, I will receive a selection of complimentary products from Suma every two months, to use in recipe development, and will blog an original recipe for the Network.   

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Freekeh Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Dressing - Suma Blogger's Network

This is my first attempt at a superfood salad, and I'm pretty pleased at how well it turned out... It's packed full of protein, fibre and vitamins, but still tastes great!

Thanks to the Suma Blogger's Network, I get to try out lots of weird and wonderful, new vegetarian products. This time, freekeh and pomegranate molasses were amongst my picks. For those of you who don't know, freekeh, pronounced free-ka (young, green wheat which is cracked and roasted), is considered both an ancient grain and a super-grain. It has a high fibre and protein content and is very versatile as it can be served hot or cold in place of other grains such as rice or quinoa.
Pomegranate molasses was a revelation to me, as it was far more tangy and flavoursome than I anticipated (I thought it would be sweet!), and gives a great sweet and sour flavour to a dressing.

Serves 4 as a lunch or side salad; 2 as a main meal

For the salad

• 1 cup freekeh from Suma
• 2 cups veg stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground, more to taste
• 2 bell peppers,deseeded and cut into chunks
• 2 cups of butternut squash or sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup of button mushrooms, halved
• 4 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• a small bunch of chopped, fresh mint
• ½ cup crumbled feta (optional)

For the dressing

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses from Suma
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6/400F

Put the peppers and squash into a roasting pan and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil.
Roast for 20-30 minutes until softened and starting to brown.
Add the mushrooms, chickpeas, pine nuts, cumin seeds and crushed garlic and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for around 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the freekeh and stock into a large pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Simmer, with the lid on, for 20-25 minutes, or until the grain is soft and just starting to break up.
Drain well and allow to cool for around 15 minutes.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and stir into the warm freekeh.

When the freekeh and vegetables are still just warm (but not hot!), mix together to combine.
Add the mint and feta, if using.

Serve warm or cold.

Keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge; not suitable for freezing.

Vegan option: Omit the feta or swap for vegan feta or halved olives.

Integrity Statement
As a member of the Suma Blogger's Network, I will receive a selection of complimentary products from Suma every two months, to use in recipe development, and will blog an original recipe for the Network. 


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Fattoush Salad

I've been cooking a lot of Greek and Middle-Eastern food lately, and after a delicious meal out at a Lebanese restaurant, I thought make a maza (a selection dishes to share). This was one of the dishes I prepared, which makes a nice change to a traditional salad.

Serves 4

• 1 cos or 2 little gem lettuce, shredded
• a good handful of rocket
• ½ cucumber, de-seeded and sliced
• 2-3 ripe tomatoes de-seeded and diced
• a handful of radishes, thinly sliced
• 3-4 spring onions (or ½ red onion), sliced
• 1 large bell pepper, diced
• a small bunch each of fresh parsley and mint, roughly chopped
• 1 large or 2 small pittas
• sumac

dressing

• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp sumac
• 1 small clove of garlic, crushed

Brush the pittas with olive oil; and sprinkle with sumac.
Grill or bake until crispy and golden, then set aside to cool. Break into pieces when cold.

Mix the dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Add in the prepared tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, spring onions and herbs. Stir well to coat. These ingredients can be set aside and chilled until needed.

Before serving, mix in the salad leaves and the roughly crushed, toasted pittas.

Top tip: To make this into a delicious, healthy lunch, simply mix in a tin of drained chickpeas and serve with pitta and your favourite dip.

I'm entering this recipe to this month's No Croutons Required Challenge, co-hosted by Jacqui at Tinned Tomatoes and Lisa at Lisa's Kitchen. 


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Hummus - Middle-Eastern Chickpea Dip

I am a little ashamed to admit that I've never made traditional hummus, using dried chickpeas before. Having made this version for my blog, I've been converted! It really does taste better (and is far cheaper) than making it with tinned pulses. Yes, it takes longer to make,but you can make a large batch and freeze in small portions to make it even more economical.

Serves 8 as a starter or meze dish

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked over night with a good pinch of bicarbonate of soda
• a large pinch of salt
• juice of 1 lemon (plus the zest for a more lemony flavour)
• 4 tbsp tahini
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6-8 tbsp cooking liquid, or more if needed
• paprika and a glug of extra virgin olive oil to garnish

Drain the soaked chickpeas and put in large pan. Cover with boiled water and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda and bring to a simmer. Simmer, in a covered pan, for 1 hour on a low heat.
When tender, drain the pulses, reserving the cooking liquid.

Whilst still warm, place the chickpeas in a blender with all of the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to make a smooth, spreadable paste. 
Taste and add more seasoning and/or garlic, if needed.
Spoon into a bowl and chill until needed.
Before serving, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.

Serve with fresh bread, olives and salad.

Suitable for freezing; keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Top tips: Double this recipe to make enough to batch freeze. 
If you don't have the time to make hummus using dried pulses, try my quick and easy recipe instead. You might also like my mixed bean and basil hummus.

Flavour options: Omit the cumin and add some extra ingredients into the blender, along with the chickpeas to make these different variations...

• Red pepper and sweet chilli: Add ½ cup of chopped, roasted red peppers (from a jar) and 1-2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce.
• Piri piri: Add 1-2 tbsp of your favourite piri piri sauce. 
• Caramelised onion: Add 2 tbsp of caramelised onion chutney.

I'm entering this recipe to this month's No Croutons Required Challenge, co-hosted by Jacqui at Tinned Tomatoes and Lisa at Lisa's Kitchen. 

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Herby Salad with Chickpeas and Olives

This simple salad is basically a variation on tabbouleh without the bulgar wheat! It works well as a side dish to accompany a carb-heavy main course, such as pizza or pasta, or as a lunch-box salad served with pitta bread.

• 2 little gem or 1 cos/romaine lettuce, leaves separated 
• 2-3 ripe tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
• 8cm/3" chunk of cucumber, de-seeded and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
• 50g/2oz pitted olives, sliced
• ½ can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp each of fresh chopped mint and parsley 

Dressing

• juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small clove of garlic, crushed (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Put all of the salad ingredients, apart from the lettuce, into a bowl.

Mix the dressing ingredients together, drizzle over the salad and mix gently.

Allow the flavours to marinate for around half an hour before serving on a bed of lettuce leaves.

I'm adding this recipe to this month's No Crouton's Required Challenge, created and co-hosted by Lisa's Kitchen and Jacqueline at Tinned Tomatoes.

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Lubia bi Zeit with Maftoul & Spiced Roast Potatoes - Suma Blogger's Network

These recipes have been inspired by my recent delivery from Suma, for my second Blogger's Network post of the year. When I ordered Maftoul and Lebanese 7 spice, I had no idea what to do with them! After looking through my cook books and Googling for various Middle-Eastern recipes, I came up with this themed meal:

Serves 4

Lubia bi Zeit (Lebanese Green Bean Stew)
This vegan bean stew can be served hot or warm. The mushrooms and peppers aren't traditional, but I think they give the stew more flavour and texture. Serve with pitta, for an alternative, quick meal.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g/8oz fresh green beans, ends trimmed, cut in half
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 100g/4oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp Alfez Lebanese Baharat 7 spice mix (use less if you prefer a milder flavour)

Heat the oil in a large pan.
Fry the onion gently for around 5 minutes, until golden brown. Add the tomato purée and spice mix and cook out for a further 2 minutes.
Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir together.
Simmer with the lid on for 20-25 minutes, or until the beans are almost tender. Uncover the pan and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes to reduce the sauce.

Maftoul with Chickpeas 
Maftoul, also known as Palestinian couscous, is similar to giant couscous, but is made from sun-dried bulgur wheat which is hand rolled, giving it an uneven grain size. This dish is traditionally made with chicken.

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 125g/5 oz/¾ cup maftoul
• 350ml/1½ cups boiling water/vegetable stock
• 1 small onion, diced
• ½ tin of chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained
• 2 tsp  Alfez Lebanese Baharat 7 spice mix
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 cinnamon stick

Heat the oil in a pan, on a medium-low heat. Gently fry the onion for a few minutes, until softened. Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir.

Simmer for around 20 minutes, with the lid on, stirring occasionally.

7 Spiced Potatoes

• 450g/1lb baking potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges or chunks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp  Alfez Lebanese Baharat 7 spice mix
• ½ lemon, cut into chunks

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6/400F 

Coat the potato wedges in the oil and spices. 

Place in baking dish, top with the lemon pieces and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, shaking occasionally, then uncover and roast for a further 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Labneh
Labneh is a basic soft cheese, made by straining yogurt through muslin to remove excess water/whey and then adding flavourings. I didn't bother to strain my yogurt, as I used thick Greek yogurt.

• 7.5cm/3" chunk of cucumber, de-seeded, diced and blotted dry on kitchen towel
• 250ml/1 cup Greek yoghurt, or vegan plain yogurt - strained, if you have time
• 1 tbsp fresh, chopped mint or 1 tsp dried mint
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed

Mix all of the ingredients together. Chill until needed.

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Turkish Beans with Lemon & Herbs

After cooking my meat-free Coq au Vin, I had plenty of carrots, celery and parsley left, so I came up with this Turkish-inspired recipe. I used 2 lemons the first time I made it, which Mr O and I loved, but the girls said it was too lemony; so I cooked it with just one lemon second time around, which they preferred.

Serves 2-3 as a main course, 4-6 as a side dish.

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced finely
• 100g/4oz green beans, sliced in 2-3cm pieces
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 sticks of celery, de-stringed and sliced 
• 2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped or crushed
• 1 tin of chickpeas/garbanzo beans or other pulses, drained and rinsed
• 1 green chilli, finely sliced or chopped
• Juice and zest of 1 or 2 lemons (depending on how lemony you like your food!)
• 100ml/4floz vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley
• 2 tsp chopped, fresh dill

Heat the oil in a large pan, on a medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic and cook gently for a few minutes, then add the carrots, celery and green beans. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Add the stock, chilli and herbs and stir.

Cover and simmer on a low-medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost cooked. Add the lemon juice and zest along with the tinned pulses.

Cover and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Serve hot, warm or cold (as a salad).

I'm linking this post up to the this month's Extra Veg Challenge, created by Fuss Free Flavours and Utterly Scrummy. 

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Sun-Dried Tomato & Chilli Falafels

We all love falafels, and the great thing about them is that they are cheap to make, a great source of protein and fairly low in fat (depending on how you cook them). I've been experimenting with different variations and found that these went down very well with all of the family.

• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
• 50g/2oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp fresh chilli, chopped
• 1 tbsp of fresh coriander, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1-2 slices of wholemeal bread, made into breadcrumbs

Put all of the ingredients, except the breadcrumbs, into a food processor and blend for a minute or so.
Scrape the ingredients down from the sides of the bowl and repeat until you have a fairly smooth mixture.
Add just enough breadcrumbs to form a fairly stiff, but not dry, mixture.
Roll into 10-12 balls and flatten slightly.
Chill in the fridge for around half an hour.

Heat 2 tbsp of the sun-dried tomato oil in a large frying pan, on a medium heat.
Cook the falafels for around 4-5 minutes on each side until lightly browned.

Serve with pittas, salad and your favourite dip or sauce.

Lower-fat alternative: Brush or spray with vegetable oil and bake for 10-15 minutes at 170C/160C Fan/Gas 3/325F, turning once.

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Vegetable and Chickpea Tagine

This recipe is adapted from one a friend passed on to me from Delicious Magazine. The original recipe included lamb and honey, which I have substituted for extra vegetables and a little sugar. I also reduced the fat content considerably by cutting down on the suggested amounts of olive oil. 

Serves 4-6

Main ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, cut into chunks
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• ½ butternut squash, peeled and de-seeded, and cut into chunks
• 100g/4oz mushrooms, whole or cut into quarters, depending on size.
• 100g/4oz green beans, cut into 2" pieces
• 1 or 2 large white potatoes or small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 400g/16oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 or 3 strips of lemon zest
• 500ml/1 pt hot vegetable stock

For the chermoula:

• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp harissa paste
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Couscous:

• 2 cups couscous
• 2 cups vegetable stock (made with a stock cube and boiling water)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp chermoula

First, make the chermoula by putting all the ingredients into a mini food processor. Blend to a smooth paste, then set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan. Add the onion, squash and potatoes and fry over a medium heat until just starting to brown. Add the cinnamon, ginger and 2 tablespoons of the chermoula, and cook for a couple of minutes.
Throw in the green beans, mushrooms and chickpeas.
Add the tomatoes, stock and sugar and stir.
Cover the pan and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile put the couscous and 2 tsp of the remaining chermoula into heatproof bowl and stir in the boiling water, lemon juice and oil. Cover with cling film and leave for 5 minutes.
Uncover the bowl and fluff up with a fork.

Finally mix the remaining chermoula into the tagine and stir well. Simmer for just a couple more minutes before serving.

Serve with couscous and/or flatbread.

Alternatives: Swap the sugar in the tagine for a handful of chopped, dried apricots. 
Use any combinations of firm vegetables....this would be great way to use up gluts of home-grown vegetables such as courgettes and runner beans.
This recipe also works well with meat substitutes such as Quorn....use your preferred meat-sub instead of the extra vegetables.
You could make this a lower-fat dish by reducing the amount of oil still further, but I feel that as it's a vegan family meal, a glug of good quality olive oil is a good thing!

I'm linking this recipe to The Spice Trail challenge over at Bangers and Mash. This month's theme is cumin.

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Bulghar Wheat Salad with Halloumi and Vegetables

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This is a nice, summery dish, which goes well along-side barbecued foods or as part of a buffet or meze.

Serves 4-6 as a side-salad

• 1 aubergine/eggplant
• 1 red pointed pepper
• 1 small red onion
• A handful of Greek olives, sliced
• 100g halloumi cheese, cubed
• 1 cup bulghar wheat
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon or lime juice
• black pepper, to taste

Place the bulghar wheat in a heat-proof bowl and pour 1½ cups of boiling water over. 
Stir and then cover the bowl with cling film.

Pierce the film and then microwave for 1 minute on high. 

Allow to stand for 20-30 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, shallow fry the aubergine in 2 tbsp of the oil until golden brown and soft.

Remove from the pan, then gently fry the onion and peppers to soften, adding a further tbsp of oil.

Dry fry the cubes of halloumi until golden.

Remove the pan from the heat and return all of the cooked vegetables to the pan, along with the halloumi.

Add the oregano, olives, black pepper and lemon/lime juice and stir to coat the vegetables. 
Finally mix in the mint.

Serve the cheese and vegetable mix, either on top of the bulghar wheat or mixed in.

Serve warm or cold.

Not suitable for freezing.

Vegan alternative: Either omit the cheese or swap it for a dairy-free hard cheese, or some toasted pine nuts .

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Veggie Mince Shami Kebabs

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My mum used to make shami keema kebabs (in fact she may still make them, but she obviously doesn't make them when we are visiting!). I thought I'd have a go at making a vegetarian version using veggie mince and breadcrumbs to replace the meat, and I was pleased with the result. 

Serves 4-6

• 200g/8oz vegetarian mince (I used Quorn) - defrosted if frozen
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (about 100g/4oz)
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 large onion finely chopped or grated
• 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped/1 tsp chilli paste, optional
• 3 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds

Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan.
Fry the spices with the onion and garlic on a low heat for a few minutes, until the onion is soft.
Remove from the heat.
Put all of the ingredients into the food processor and blend until combined.

Chill for 30 minutes to firm up.
Form into 8-12 small sausage or burger shapes, pressing the mixture together with your hands.
Shallow fry in a drop of oil until golden brown, or brush with oil and grill or bbq.

Serve with spicy pilau rice, or in bread rolls, chapattis or wraps...they taste great with a good dollup of tomato ketchup!

Alternatives: Add 1-2 tbsp of your favourite curry paste instead of the spices/chilli if preferred.
For a Middle-Eastern version (Kabab Koobideh), swap the spices for some finely chopped parsley, ½ tsp cinnamon and ½tsp sumac. Rolls the mixture out into thinner, longer sausage shapes and cook as above.

I haven't tried making a vegan version yet, but you would need to swap the egg for something that would help bind the mixture together (maybe arrowroot?). If you find one that works, please let me know!

Not suitable for freezing. Pin It

Aubergine and Feta Dip

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This isn't the prettiest looking dip, but what it lacks in beauty, it makes up for in taste! In Greece it's know as aubergine salad.
Serve as part of a buffet/meze.

• 1 large aubergine/eggplant
• 100g/4oz feta cheese
• 1 large clove of garlic
• 25g/1oz olives, chopped (optional)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp smoked paprika (or to taste)

Prick the aubergine all over with a sharp knife (to stop it exploding!).
Grill the aubergine under a hot grill, turning every few minutes, until the skin is black and the aubergine is soft.
Allow to cool and then peel the blacked skin off and discard. Blot the aubergine flesh on kitchen paper to remove excess liquid.
Blend all ingredients together. Blend briefly for a pate-type texture or blend thoroughly if you prefer a smooth dip. 
Sprinkle with a little dried mint, or some fresh, chopped herbs and chill until needed.

Not suitable for freezing.

Alternatives: Try making this dip with roasted butternut squash, sweet potato or cooked and mashed pulses instead of the aubergine.
Vegan option: Omit the cheese for a vegan dip. Pin It

Turkish-Style Stuffed Aubergines/Eggplants

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This is my variation of the Turkish dish Imam Bayildi. I add cheese which is not in the traditional recipe, so you could leave this out for a vegan meal. You could stuff other vegetables with the same mixture (even baked potatoes/sweet potatoes) if your kids don't like aubergines.

Serves 4

• 2 medium or large aubergines/eggplants (or use large courgettes)
• 1 large onion, sliced finely
• 2 green bell peppers, sliced finely
• 4 tbsp sun dried tomato paste
• 4 tbsp cider vinegar* 
• 200g feta, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• pinch of cinnamon 

Cut the aubergines in half lengthwise.
Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and bake, cut side down, for around 15-20 mins at 190C/180C Fan/Gas 5 in an oven proof dish, or casserole.

Meanwhile soften the onion and green pepper in a pan with a little olive oil.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the pan, except the feta, and stir well.
Allow to cook for about 5 minutes and then turn off the heat until the aubergines are ready to stuff.
After 15-20 mins, the aubergines should be soft enough to carefully scrape out the flesh (with a spoon), leaving the shell intact - I do this while they're still hot, but you might want to let them cool a little first!
Cut up the aubergine flesh and add to the pan.
Add the cheese to the pan and stir gently to mix.

Divide the stuffing mixture between the aubergine halves.
Pour about 200ml of boiling water into the bottom of the dish and cover with foil or a lid. This stops the aubergines drying out.
Bake in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes.
Finally uncover the dish and cook for a further 10 minutes to give the ingredients a chance to colour and to allow some of the moisture to evaporate.

Serve hot, warm or cold with a salad or green vegetables.

Not suitable for freezing. 

For this recipe, I used Higher Nature* Organic Cider Vinegar, as I was sent a sample to review. This vinegar has a lovely fruity flavour which balances its acidity well. It can be used in a variety of recipes - especially sauces, marinades and salad dressings.
*Supplier of vitamins, supplements and organic foods Higher Nature.

Integrity Statement
I received a bottle of Higher Nature* Organic Cider Vinegar to review and use in a recipe. I did not receive payment, and the views expressed are genuinely those of myself and my family.

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Halloumi and Double Potato Cakes

This recipe is one I adapted from Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East by Arto der Haroutunian. The little potato cakes are delicious served warm in pizza bread with salad,
and went down well with all the family.

• 1 large potato
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 egg yolk
• 50g/2oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 100g/4oz grated halloumi
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp chopped fresh dill or ½ tsp crushed fennel/dill seeds

Peel and cube the potatoes and boil in a pan of water until soft.
Drain well and mash - allow to cool.
Beat in the halloumi, egg and herbs.
Add the breadcrumbs and mix well - the mixture needs to be firm enough to shape into balls, so add more breadcrumbs if needed.
Shape into 12 balls using your hands, and flatten slightly into patties.
Heat some olive oil in a frying pan.
Fry patties in batches for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
Drain on kitchen roll and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining potato cakes.

Suitable for freezing.



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Turkish Vegetable Casserole

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If you have a glut of home grown or locally produced vegetables, use them up in this tasty Middle-Eastern vegan stew. You can substitute just about any alternative vegetables, so long as they are cut up into even-sized pieces.
If there's any left over, eat it cold for lunch the next day, or use to top a home made pizza.

• 3 bell peppers, sliced
• 2 courgettes/zucchini, diced
• ½ butternut squash/2-3 carrots/1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, sliced or diced
• 6-8 ripe tomatoes, diced or 1 tin of chopped tomatoes 
• 200 ml water or vegetable stock
• 1-2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp sun dried tomato paste
• 1-2 tsp paprika/smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• ½ tsp cinnamon or allspice powder
• ½ a fresh chilli, chopped finely (optional)
• black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the oil in a casserole dish at 200C/190C fan/Gas 6.
Add the onions, peppers, courgettes and squash and coat in the oil.
Return to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, garlic, herbs and spices. 
Return to the oven for a further hour or so, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and the vegetables are soft and lightly browned.
Serve with rice, flat bread or cous cous.

Alternative: Add a tin of drained chickpeas for extra protein.
Slow cooker/crock pot method: Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker (reduce the water/stock to 100ml) and stir well. Cook on medium for 6-8 hours.

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