Here’s a lovely simple recipe full of the sweet and earthy flavours of autumn. Quick and easy to prepare it’s one of those meals that is perfect for a week night family dinner yet beautiful enough to serve to guests when entertaining. I love the combination of textures and flavours here. The crispy apple and fresh herbs with the earthy aromatic goodness that is grilled mushrooms.

At home the weather is starting to turn a little cool, the sky’s a deeper blue and the winter woolies are coming out of the cupboard. We have a quick seaside break planned for the next week and I cannot wait to soak up the sunshine and cool, clear evenings with Cam and Lu before the weather turns to winter.

This vegan recipe is just the thing to enjoy alfresco as a light and tasty meal with family and friends. If you’re not too keen on mushrooms or would like to mix it up a little, try grilled eggplant, capsicum (bell pepper), pumpkin or zucchini instead. A mixture of all the above would be delightful!!

Preparation time: 30 mins
Serves 4

• ¾ cup burghul
• 600g (1 lb) mixed mushrooms (I used button & shiitake, try swiss brown, field or any available fresh mushrooms you prefer)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp salt flakes
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 50g (2 oz) pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1 small red apple, finely diced
• ¼ small red onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• good handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• good handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 large lemon, zest & juice
• 1-2 tbs olive oil, extra

Place the burghul in a bowl and cover with water, set aside while you prepare the remained of the dish (approx. 10 mins). Once soaked transfer to a fine sieve and press to drain off any excess liquid.

Grind the spices with the salt flakes.

Leave any small mushrooms whole and chop larger ones to about the same size, place in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil and ground spices to coat well. Thread the mushrooms onto bamboo skewers (be sure to pre-soak the skewers if you are using a barbeque).

In a lightly oiled grill pan or on the barbeque, cook the mushroom over a medium/high heat, turning until golden on all sides.

To make the burghul salad combine the drained burghul with the apple, onion, garlic, herbs and lemon zest; adding lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the grilled mushroom skewers with the burghul salad, a fantastic light and healthy recipe perfect for a vegetarian barbeque or quick family mid-week meal.

{ This recipe was adapted from Grilled Moroccan Lamb w/ Burghul Salad found in the Womens Weekly Healthy Eating cookbook }

This vegetarian curry recipe was requested by Cam who asked for one of those creamy Korma curries you get from a good Indian take away. Plus, since he had been badgering me to make kofta again for a while, I thought I’d do both and make one super awesome veggie kofta curry!!

Both Cam and Lu helped out in the kitchen to create this delicious veggie recipe full of sweet aromatic spices and delicious curry goodness. I used predominately sweet potato in the kofta balls but try a mixture of potato, sweet potato and carrot, adding peas if you like too.

The spices in this curry recipe are sweet and mild and the deep fried kofta balls soooooo good. Serve them with a yohurt or coconut milk dipping sauce instead of the curry for a great appetizer. I added a lovely kofta spice mix picked up form a stall at our local markets but try a mild, aromatic curry powder instead. Add cream, yoghurt, coconut cream or soy cream at the end depending on how rich and/or dairy free you wish to make the korma.

Enjoy with steamed rice, papadams and pickles or chutney for a complete vegetarian curry experience, beautiful and mild enough for the whole family to enjoy. Big thank you to Cam for the inspiration and help in the kitchen and to our gorgeous little Lu for hanging out like a happy camper while we whipped up this recipe to share with you all, enjoy!!

Sweet Potato Kofta Balls

Preparation time: 30mins
Makes approx. 15 balls

• 2 tsp chia seeds (you can substitute one free-range egg for the chia seeds and water if you like)
• 1/3 cup water
• 250g (9 oz) sweet potato, scrubbed and grated
• 200g (7 oz) potato and/or carrot, scrubbed and grated
• 1 small red onion, grated
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 2 tbs mild curry powder
• 1-2 tbs peanut oil
• 3-4 tbs potato flour (or plain flour)
• vegetable oil for deep frying

Combine the chia seeds with the 1/3 cup of water and set aside for about 10 minutes until it forms a jelly like consistency.

Meanwhile squeeze any excess liquid from the grated vegetables and combine them together in a large bowl with the onion, ginger and curry powder. Add the chia gel (or egg) and enough flour and peanut oil to bring the mixture together. Adding more oil if too dry and flour if too wet. The mixture should hold together when shaped into balls.

Heat enough oil in a saucepan for deep-frying (you want the oil to be about 10cm/4inch deep). Once the surface starts to shimmer carefully drop the kofta balls into the oil, deep-frying in batches until golden brown. Remove from the oil and allow to cool on absorbent paper.

Veggie Kofta Korma

Preparation time: 40mins
Serves 4-6

• 3 tbs peanut oil (use ghee if you prefer)
• 4 cardamom pods, crushed and pods removed
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 80g (3 oz) raw almonds, ground
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1½ cups natural set yoghurt (or try cream, soy cream and/or coconut cream)
• prepared kofta balls

Heat the peanut oil in a good sized frying-pan over a medium heat, add the cardamom and heat in the oil for a few seconds until fragrant then add the diced onion. Cook the onion over a medium heat until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and remaining spices, cook over a medium low heat for a few minutes until the spices cook down and form a paste like consistency.

Add the ground almonds, tomato paste and vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to cook gently for around 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid has reduced a little and flavours developed.

Now add the yoghurt, soy cream, coconut cream or cream and stir to combine over a low heat. Check the seasoning and add salt as desired. Once the korma sauce has reached a nice consistency add in the prepared kofta balls and gently spoon over the sauce allowing the balls to reheat gently with the sauce. You don’t want to boil it at this point as it may separate, so just gently heat the sauce and kofta together.

Serve this korma recipe with steamed basmati rice, papadams and your favourite accompaniments for a beautiful vegetarian curry, mild enough for everyone to enjoy.

Well, blogging with baby in tow really is a tricky affair but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. Life can be chaotic with a little one but so full of love, laughter and pure joy each day is a new discovery!!

I have so many recipes inside my head at the moment and so little time to experiment and cook that it seems I’ll never have a chance to share them. Luckily I squeezed in a little time over the last two days to prepare this lovely simple meal and post it here for you all to hopefully enjoy!!

We have been eating a lot of quick and simple food lately but that doesn’t mean it’s been boring. Lots of easy noodle dishes and yummy roast vegetable dinners like this one have been filling our bellies. It means we are still getting plenty of different vegetables, grains and protein plus they are things I can quickly throw together. A real lifesaver when you have a small child :)

The preparation for this dish is super quick; all it takes is time for the vegetables to bake and barley to cook. Loads of tasty and healthy ingredients here add up to one super satisfying and tasty vegetarian meal! You can serve the dish with fried halloumi for something a little special or for a vegan version omit the cheese and try agave nectar or maple syrup instead of the honey.

Preparation time: 45mins
Serves 4-6

• ¾ cup pearl barley
• 400g piece of organic pumpkin, chopped into smallish chunks
• 400g piece of organic sweet potato, scrubbed and chopped into chunks
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs raw honey (or agave nectar/maple syrup)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black cumin seeds (optional)
• 1-2 cups baby spinach
• 1-2 cups salad rocket (arugula)
• ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Orange, Honey & Thyme Dressing

• 1 juicy organic orange, zest and juice
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp raw honey
• 1 tbs fresh thyme, chopped

Pre heat the oven to 200°C/392°F

Rinse the barley and then boil in a pot with about 3 cups of water for approximately 35 minutes until soft, keep warm.

Place the chunks of pumpkin and sweet potato in a good sized baking try, drizzle with the olive oil and honey and scatter over the cumin. Toss to coat well and then roast in the pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden, keep warm.

Meanwhile dry roast the pepitas in a small frying pan over a medium/low heat. Watch them carefully and toss frequently. In just a minute or two they’ll start to golden and pop, remove from the heat.

Prepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together with salt flakes and freshly cracked pepper until combined.

To prepare the baked vegetable salad toss the cooked barley with the vegetables, spinach, rocket, pepitas and dressing.

Serve this great vegetarian dish as either a main meal or side. Try topped with fried halloumi for a little added yum!! Enjoy :)

In between all the rain and storms we’ve been blessed with some lovely late summer weather lately. Warm sunny days spent at the beach or simply hanging on our deck, we’ve been soaking up all February has to offer.

It’s no wonder I decided to create another summery dish to enjoy while lazing in the sun. Inspired by these tacos I spied over on Chow Vegan and adapted from this fish taco recipe; I’m a little stoked with just how delicious these tofu tacos turned out!

Anything you can eat with your hands is always good especially when it’s full of spicy tofu, zesty salsa and a crispy salad. This vegan or vegetarian recipe is a little veggie take on the classic taco and I hope you’ll all enjoy it.

Everything can be prepared ahead of time simply fry up the tofu and heat the tortillas before serving, perfect for entertaining.

{Note:} There is lots of coriander (cilantro) in this dish so if you’re not a fan try mint or parsley & a little oregano instead.

Preparation time: 40mins
Serves 2-4 as a light meal

Spicy Tofu

• 375g firm pressed organic tofu
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 2 limes, juice (approx. ¼ cup)
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• ½ – 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional/to taste)
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp paprika
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• pinch salt flakes
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• 2 cups fresh roughly chopped coriander

Slice the tofu into strips and place in a shallow bowl.

Combine all the remaining ingredients in a small jug and then pour over the tofu. Toss to coat and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to a couple of hours.

Cook the tofu over a medium/high heat in a grill pan or on the barbeque, brushing with the marinade to stop it from sticking and drying out. Cook until golden on both sides and transfer to a serving dish.

Drizzle over a little of the left over marinade and garnish with fresh coriander and sliced chilli if you wish.

Quick Tropical Salsa

• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 tbs lime juice
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs shredded coconut
• handful of chopped fresh coriander
• tobacco sauce or fresh chilli to taste
• splash of pineapple juice or pinch of raw sugar
• salt flakes & freshly cracked pepper

Deseed and dice the tomatoes finely.

Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl tossing to combine well. Can be kept covered in the fridge for an hour or so until you are ready to serve.

Tangy Sauce

• 2 tbs soy or natural set yoghurt
• 2 tbs egg-free or Japanese mayonnaise
• 1-2 tsp chilli sauce or for a milder version tomato paste or I used tomato relish
• dash of lime juice
• salt & pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth and well combined. Keep covered in the fridge until serving.

Crunchy Greens

• ¼ white cabbage, finely shredded (approx. 2 cups)
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• ½ cup snow pea sprouts, diced
• 1 tsp grated red onion (I use a zester to very finely grate/mince the onion)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• squeeze of lime
• pinch or two of paprika

Toss all ingredients together. Best made just before serving but can be kept covered in the fridge also.

Tofu Tacos

• 8-10 small tortillas
• spicy tofu, salsa, sauce and greens as prepared above

Heat the tortillas either on the grill plate or in a low oven.

Allow everyone to fill their own tortilla with the ingredients as they like and serve drizzled with the tangy sauce.

Fold up and devour happily. A delicious vegetarian recipe best served with sunshine & friends :)

Hi everyone! Gee, you don’t know how great it feels to be sharing this recipe with you all today. It’s been a little while between posts, but now that Lu is home and we’ve settled in as a happy family, I hope to be sharing far more frequently.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the way this vegan pesto recipe turned out. Smoky roasted eggplant combined with almonds, herbs, sundried tomatoes and a hint of beautiful sumac creates one super delicious and versatile dish. The texture and flavour of this recipe will please even those who are a little dubious about eating eggplant, I promise!

We ate the pesto as an amazing vegetarian pasta and also enjoyed a little on a toasted baguette as an alternative to traditional bruschetta. Toss the eggplant pesto through thick pasta like fettuccine or tagliatelle for a truly beautiful pasta dish perfect to share with friends and family (for a vegan version be sure to choose an egg free pasta alternative). Or try topping toasted ciabatta generously with the chunky pesto for a great snack, appetizer or starter when entertaining.

And I’d just like to thank those who has commented and emailed recently. I have not had a chance to respond to you all so please know that I send a heart felt thank you for your kind words!!

Thanks for your continued support Veggie num nummers!! You seriously rock!!

Roasted Eggplant & Almond Pesto w/ Sundried Tomatoes and Sumac

Preparation time: 50mins

• 1kg (2lb) eggplant (approx. 2 large ones)
• coarsely ground rock salt
• best quality olive oil
• 200g (7oz) raw almonds
• 200g (7oz) jar of good quality sundried tomatoes in olive oil
• ½ cup sultanas (raisins)
• 1 good handful of fresh herbs (mint, basil & parsley)
• 1 tbs sumac

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/356°F

While the oven heats slice the eggplants lengthways approximately 1.5cm/½ inch thick. Layer in a colander, sprinkling salt between the layers. Once the eggplant slices begin to sweat, around 10-20 minutes, remove from the colander and pat dry on a clean tea towel.

Brush two large baking trays with olive oil. Arrange the slices of eggplant on the trays and brush with more olive oil. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until soft and golden. Remove and allow to cool.

Meanwhile dry roast the almonds over a low heat in a pan, remove and set aside to cool.

Using a food processor blend the sundried tomatoes with their oil and sultans to a coarse paste, transfer to a large bowl. Using the same food processor blend the almonds coarsely and add the to sundried tomato mixture.

Add the cooled roasted eggplant to the food processor and blend to a thick, chunky pulp and transfer to the bowl with the almonds and sundried tomatoes.

Add the roughly chopped herbs and sumac, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine well.

This pesto can be served either as a pasta or bruschetta topper, simply follow the recipes below…

Roasted Eggplant & Almond Pesto Pasta

Preparation time: 20mins (+ pesto preparation)
Serves 4-6

• 250g thick pasta like fettuccine & tagliatelle or an egg free alternative
• roasted eggplant & almond pesto as prepared above
• 4 tbs best quality olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 cup of feta cheese (optional)

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on a large frying pan. Over a medium/low heat cook the garlic for a minute until fragrant.

Add the cooked pasta, tossing with the oil and then the prepared pesto. Toss the pasta to coat evenly with the pesto mixture and until thoroughly heated through.

Toss through the lemon zest and lemon juice to taste.

Before serving drizzle with the extra olive oil and toss through feta if using.

Serve sprinkled with a little sumac if desired. A beautiful vegetarian recipe full of robust flavour and earthy colours!!

Roasted Eggplant & Almond Bruschetta

Preparation time: 20mins (+ pesto preparation)
Serves 8-10

• roasted eggplant & almond pesto as prepared above
• 1 ciabatta loaf or baguette, sliced thickly
• 1 garlic clove
• best quality olive oil to drizzle
• few fresh herbs leaves (basil or mint)
• sumac to sprinkle

Toast or grill the ciabatta slices until golden. Slice the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side over the toasted slices of ciabatta. Spoon a generous helping of pesto onto each slice, drizzle with olive oil, top with herbs and a dusting of sumac.

Great as a snack, starter or appetizer, enjoy!!

And before I go… here’s a pic of our little lu :)

{ It’s a completely amazing experience being parents. I can’t even describe how happy Cam and I are to have this beautiful, funny and gorgeous little girl in our lives!! Thanks for the well wishes everyone!! }

Hello Veggie num nummers :D What a week it’s been here, the biggest, most amazing week ever!! Yes that’s right, Cam and I welcomed our first child just over a week ago today.

Say Hi to little Lu our precious little bundle of sweet joy!! She caught us by surprise and arrived two months early but is healthy and doing well in Special Care Nursery. She’ll be staying for a month or two until she is big enough to come home.

Needless to say recipes may be few and far between for a little while here on Veggie num num while we take some time to enjoy and get to know our beautiful little daughter…

Thanks to everyone for your continued support, comments, messages and emails and for loving Veggie num num!! Wishing each and every one of you a wonderfully magical Christmas and Holiday Season xo

This is a little recipe that has been kicking around my head for a while and I’m so glad to be finally sharing it with you all. It’s always a joy to share something that has turned out even better than I’d first anticipated. Due to the continued popularity of the Dal Kofta I really wanted to try and create another dish that embraces the deliciousness of lentils and spices.

These spicy lentil patties are something akin to a falafel with chickpeas, spices and dates all rolled into one tasty little fried patty. Perfect in a salad pocket, sandwich, wrap or burger. Alternatively you could roll them into balls and serve them as a delicious vegetarian appetizer.

I made a sweet and spicy chilly, apple, tomato sauce to accompany the patties that adds a lovely hit of heat and a touch of that wonderful sweet/savoury combination that I love.

This vegetarian recipe is super versatile and so very, very tasty. Serve as messy pockets to family and friends on summer picnics or at barbeques. They’d also make a lovely family dinner served with salad or veggies in winter. A great vegan meal full of flavour and so much yumminess, enjoy!!

Spiced Lentil Patties

Preparation time: 35mins
Makes 10-12 small patties or balls

• 160g (5½ oz) red lentils, rinsed
• 450ml (15 fl. oz.) water or vegetable broth
• 175g (6 oz) tinned chickpeas
• ¼ small red onion, finely minced
• 4 fresh dates (approx. 85g (3 oz)), diced
• small handful fresh mint leaves (approx. 1 tbs), finely shredded
• 1 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1 tbs dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin

Add the lentils and water or broth to a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and gently simmer for 10 minutes, adding more water if needed.

Strain off excess liquid and allow to cool.

Meanwhile by hand or in a food processor coarsely pulse the chickpeas, being sure not to over process them to a paste.

In a large bowl combine the chickpeas with the dates, mint and spices season with a good pinch of ground rock salt and add in the cooled lentils.

The lentils should be reasonably mushy and this should bring the patty mixture together nicely. Roll about a tablespoon of the mixture at a time into small flat patties or balls if you prefer.

The patties can be tossed in breadcrumbs at this stage if you like.

Fry the patties or balls in about 1cm of vegetable oil until golden on all sides, set aside on absorbent paper. Serve warm.

Chilly, Apple, Tomato Sauce

Preparation time: 10mins
Makes 1 Jar

• 4 red chillies, deseeded (or try ½ red capsicum (bell pepper) for a milder version)
• 1-2 large ripe tomato
• ¼ cup apple sauce
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• pinch raw sugar
• squeeze of lemon juice
• 3 tbs olive oil

In a food processor blend the chillies or capsicum with the tomato, apple sauce, cumin seeds, apple cider vinegar, sugar and lemon until smooth.

Fold through the olive oil.

Transfer to a sterile jar and keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Spiced Lentil Patty Pockets w/ Chilly, Apple, Tomato Sauce

• spiced lentil patties
• chilly, apple, tomato sauce
• wholemeal pocket bread, warmed in the oven
• cucumber, sliced
• tomato, sliced
• avocado, sliced
• baby spinach, washed
• fresh coriander (cilantro)

Slice the top off the warmed pocket bread and fill with the ingredients topping off with a drizzle of the tomato sauce and a few sprigs of fresh coriander.

Alternatively add your favourite vegan or dairy cheese and yoghurt or hummus to complete this delicious and healthy vegetarian recipe.

We had a lovely Saturday night over the weekend, staying with my brother Tim and his girlfriend Rhiannon. They cooked us an amazing summertime meal and we ate glorious food, chatting, laughing and enjoying the cool breeze on what was a balmy November evening.

Inspired by the fantastic salads Rhi made this is a noodle dish that’s perfect served cold on a hot summers evening. I love noodles, hot or cold and find them a really quick and easy meal to throw together no matter how little you have in the fridge or pantry.

The vibrant colours of this dish really pop off the plate and together with the fresh flavours and textures it’s a really yummy veggie meal. Toasted sunflower seeds add a lovely crunch and the sweet flavours of orange and honey add something a little different.

Perfect served as a light evening meal or try this delicious vegetarian recipe at your next barbeque or picnic. Easy to prepare ahead of time and store covered in the fridge. I used udon noodles here as they are a favourite but go ahead and use your favourite noodles or pasta instead. Be sure to enjoy this colourful and healthy recipe with the company of family and friends this summer.

Preparation time: 20mins
Serves 4 (6 as a side)

• 180g (6oz) Udon noodles
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• ½ cup fresh basil & mint leaves
• 3 sun ripened tomatoes, diced
• 1 avocado, diced and tossed in a little lemon juice
• 2 medium navel oranges, diced
• 1 cup spinach leaves, shredded
• ¼ small red onion, finely diced

sweet balsamic dressing

• 4 tbs good quality olive oil
• 1½ tbs good quality balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp honey or agave nectar

Cook the udon noodles in rapid boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain and rinse well under cold water, rinse again and strain well. Set aside.

In a small frying-pan dry roast the sunflower seeds over a medium heat, tossing frequently and adding fresh ground salt and pepper to taste. Continue to toss the seeds in the pan until lightly golden, this should take just a few minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

In a food processor of by hand pulse the roasted sunflower seeds with the mint and basil leaves to form a coarse crumb or dry pesto like consistency.

In a large bowl toss the cold noodles with the sunflower seed mixture, diced tomatoes, avocado, oranges, baby spinach and red onion. This can be kept covered in the fridge until required.

To make the dressing whisk or shake in a screw top jar all the ingredients together.

Just before serving dress the noodles and either serve in a salad bowl or on a large platter. The perfect light and healthy summertime vegetarian meal or great as a side dish when entertaining.

Cathy from the wonderful and inspirational blog What Would Cathy Eat? recently launched a Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge. She’s been super busy creating beautiful healthy alternative recipes plus sharing clever hints & tips on avoiding all the saturated fat and salt of traditional Thanksgiving fare.

When Cathy invited me to take part, Aussie or not, I couldn’t give up the chance to tackle a recipe makeover. Cathy’s enthusiasm and flair for sharing healthy, heart conscious food is infectious and I was inspired to try re-creating a healthy and tasty version of the traditional Green Bean Casserole.

Farm-fresh green beans are layered with a creamy mushroom and walnut sauce, all topped off with crispy oven baked onions tossed in quinoa flakes and almonds, it’s a recipe full of flavour and lots of healthy and tasty ingredients.

Head over to What Would Cathy Eat? to check out this and loads of other great healthy and delicious recipes for Thanksgiving. Plus check out her Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge for hints, tips and ideas on eating healthy this holiday season!! Thanks Cathy :)

I know what this looks like, another salad recipe right. And yes it is something like that but, also something a little more. This is a delicious veggie dish that can be served a number of ways. Try serving tossed together either as a warm or chilled potato salad. Or serve layered on individual plates for a complete and tasty meal.

The lentils are gently simmered with fresh apple juice, dried cranberries and basil for a subtle sweet/savoury kick. Accompanied with steamed new potatoes and the crisp crunch of snowpeas, celery and radish; it’s a potato salad recipe with a little twist.

I love the colour and flavour combo here and it may seem a little early but I see this dish as a perfect addition to a veggie Christmas menu or simply when entertaining. Full of delicious and healthy ingredients this beautiful vegetarian recipe is sure to please :)

Preparation time 35mins
Serves 4 as a main ~ 4-6 as a side

• 560g (1lb) new potatoes, scrubbed & larger ones halved
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup of brown lentils (cooked or tinned)
• 1 cup fresh apple juice
• ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
• ½ cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 150g (5oz) snowpeas
• 2 celery stalks
• 3 radishes

Steam the potatoes for about 5-8 minutes until just tender. If serving warm keep the potatoes warm until ready to assemble otherwise allow to cool.

Meanwhile slice the celery and snowpeas into super thin batons and slice the radish into thin rounds. Toss and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a deep frying pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, add the lentils and toss in the garlic and oil for a further few minutes.

Add the apple juice and dried cranberries and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to reduce by about half simmering over a gentle heat and stirring occasionally. Once reduced remove from the heat and stir through the torn basil leaves.

If serving warm as a main meal arrange the crunchy salad greens on individual plates, top with a few potatoes and drizzle over the lentil dressing.

Alternatively serve as a warm or chilled potato salad. Arrange the tossed crunchy greens on a large serving dish, top with potatoes and spoon over lentil mixture.

A delicious combination of flavours and textures creating a super yummy veggie meal for everyone to enjoy!!

{ this recipe was inspired by Donna Hay’s Mint and Apple Lamb with Crunchy Salad found in the Seasons cookbook }