Moroccan Braised Brinjal and Chickpea Salad

I LOVE EXPERIMENTING!

On Sunday evening we smoked some chicken on the Weber Kettle Braai. 

Needing a vegetable dish to compliment the chicken I looked for something to do with chickpeas,

Something Mediterranean that would be a bit spicy and warm for a winter evening.

I came up with this idea with finger brinjals (small long aubergines) and carrots with Moroccan spicing,

Not too hot but with a bit of a kick...

It's a meal on it's own, but if you prefer a vegetarian option,

 then use vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock I have used.

Normally I'd have used apricots, which are commonly used in Moroccan cuisine, but didn't have any, so I left them out and just used raisins. 

It was absolutely delicious and definitely worth repeating!

Give it a try.

As for the chicken, we will have to make that again also;

when we do I'll take photos and share the way to do it with you all.

Ingredients:

30ml olive oil

2 onions, each cut into 8 wedges

6-8 finger brinjals, cut in 1cm thick slices

5ml ground cumin

2.5ml turmeric

2.5ml cayenne pepper or ground chillies

7.5ml ground coriander

5ml ground cinnamon

300ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock for a vegetarian option) 

2 carrots, sliced

125ml raisins

125ml dried apricots, chunky chopped (optional)

60ml flaked almonds

I x 410g can chickpeas, drained

60ml couscous

60ml chopped fresh coriander

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onions and brinjals and fry over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are softened and the brinjal has taken a bit of colour. 

Add the spices and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Stir in the stock, carrots, apricots (if using), raisins and almonds and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Wash and drain the chickpeas and add them to the vegetables, stirring to mix the chickpeas through. Cover and return the pot to the boil and allow to cook for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle in the couscous, fold it in and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Season with salt and pepper and fold in half the coriander. Serve sprinkled with the remainder of the coriander.

Chicken and Vegetable Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:
375ml water
15ml olive oil, divided
5ml salt
250ml uncooked couscous
250ml chopped yellow bell pepper
125ml finely chopped courgettes
125ml chopped mushrooms
375ml chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
125ml (1/8-inch-thick) diagonally cut carrot
60ml thinly sliced green onions
50ml dried currants
50ml finely chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:
250ml plain low-fat yogurt
50ml fresh lemon juice
15ml honey
15ml white wine vinegar

Method:

To prepare salad, bring water, 5ml oil, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Place in a large bowl; cool to room temperature.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining oil to pan. Add the bell pepper, courgettes, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until bell pepper is tender. Add bell pepper mixture, chicken, carrot, onions, currants, mint, and black pepper to couscous; toss gently to combine.

To prepare dressing, combine yogurt and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over couscous mixture, tossing gently to combine.

Carrot and Nut Salad

This salad is a real family favourite. 

My daughter, in particular, raves about it 

because it's so healthy 

and fits in with her weight management diet. 

It's truly well worth making, 

especially for a girly get together 

or for a summer picnic, braai or barbecue.

Ingredients:

4 medium or 3 large carrots, grated

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

1-2 inches slice fresh pineapple, peeled and diced finely

125ml macadamia nuts

125ml seedless raisins

Zest of 1 orange

45ml fresh orange juice, or juice of one orange

5ml Dijon mustard

Poppy seeds or Sesame seeds to garnish

Method:

Mix together the grated carrots, chopped celery, sliced onions, diced pineapple, macadamia nuts, raisins and orange zest in a salad bowl.

In a small mason jar, make the dressing. Shake together the orange juice and mustard and pour over the salad. Toss to coat all the salad with dressing. Garnish with Poppy seeds or sesame seeds and serve.

Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Corn Muffins

Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Corn Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or frozen chopped broccoli
About 6 baby carrots or 1 large carrot
1 cup yellow corn meal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 strips of lean bacon
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 loose cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese
About 2 tablespoons snipped spring onion tops


Method:
Preheat the oven to 220C.

Put the broccoli and carrot in a food processor or handi chopper and pulse to chop into little bits.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the corn meal, flours, baking powder, salt & sugar. Stir to mix well.

Meanwhile fry the bacon until crisp and chop or crumble into little bits.

Add the crumbled bacon, milk, egg, olive oil, chopped vegetables, cheese and snipped spring onion to the batter and stir just until everything is mixed well.

Spoon the batter into 12 prepared muffin tins. 

Bake at 220C for 15 - 18 minutes or until they are golden brown on top.

Texas-Style Barbeque Chicken with Carrot and Red Cabbage Slaw

Texas-Style Barbeque Chicken 

with Carrot and Red Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:

4 chicken quarters, skinned

For the Texas Dry Rub

15ml sea salt

15ml paprika

15ml golden caster sugar

15ml dry mustard powder

Zest of 1 lemon

2.5ml cayenne pepper

5ml freshly ground black pepper

6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

For the Slaw

½ cucumber, cut into julienne strips

1 large carrot, coarsely grated

¼ red cabbage, finely shredded

50ml red wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Mix together the dry rub in a bowl. Rub over the chicken and leave for at least an hour, or preferably overnight in the fridge.

Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl. Season and toss together to mix well.

Cook the chicken on the barbeque, braai or under a medium-hot grill for 10-12 minutes on each side, or until cooked through – when pierced with a skewer the juices should run clear.

Serve with the prepared slaw.

Cheesecake Factory Copycat Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:
450g cream cheese (at room temperature)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Carrot Cake:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
5ml vanilla
1 cup flour
5ml baking soda
5ml cinnamon 
2.5ml salt
1 227g can crushed pineapple, well drained with juice reserved
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing:
60ml cream cheese, softened
30ml butter, softened
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2.5ml vanilla
20-30ml reserved pineapple juice
Dash of salt

Method:

Grease a 9-10 inch spring-form pan and set aside.

For the cream cheese batter: In a large bowl of an electric mixer  beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar until smooth. Beat in 15ml flour, 3 eggs and 10ml of vanilla until smooth. Set aside. 


For the carrot cake batter: In a large bowl, combine oil, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs and 5m of vanilla, blending thoroughly. Stir in 1 cup of flour, baking soda, cinnamon and a pich of salt, mixing well. Fold in the drained pineapple, carrots, coconut and walnuts.

Spread 1 ½ cups carrot cake batter over bottom of prepared pan. Drop large spoonfuls of cream cheese batter over carrot cake batter. Top with large spoonfuls of remaining carrot cake batter. Repeat with remaining cream cheese batter, spreading evenly and smoothly with a knife.

Bake in preheated 180˚C oven for 50 to 65 minutes, or until cake is set and cooked through. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate. When cake is cold, prepare the icing.

For the icing: In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, 2.5ml vanilla, 20-30ml reserved pineapple juice and a dash of salt. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. Ice the top of the cheesecake and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours before serving.

Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

250g cream cheese

60ml sugar

300ml flour

125ml sugar

60ml light brown sugar, firmly packed

7.5ml baking powder

2.5ml baking soda

7.5ml ground cinnamon

5ml ground ginger

5ml salt

2 large eggs

125ml water

80ml vegetable oil
100g walnuts, chopped

250ml grated carrots, lightly packed (about 2 medium-large carrots)

12 walnut halves

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Place cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on low power for 40 seconds.

Stir in 60ml sugar.

Stir until smooth and set the filling aside while you make the muffin batter

Whisk together the following: flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt.

In a separate small bowl, add the eggs, water, and vegetable oil and whisk until well combined.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Add the chopped nuts and grated carrots and stir to combine.

Place paper muffin cups in a cupcake pan and grease the paper cups.

Put about 2 Tablespoons of muffin batter in each muffin cup and spread to cover the bottom.

Drop a heaping tablespoonsof cream cheese filling on top of the muffin batter.

Cover the cream cheese filling with enough muffin batter so the muffin cups are very full.

Add a half a walnut to the top of each muffin.

Bake for 18-22 minutes.

When they are done, a toothpick inserted into the cake part of one (not into the cream cheese filling) will come out clean and the tops of the muffins will feel firm to the touch.

Remove the muffins from the oven. Wait 30 minutes or so for the muffins to cool and for the filling to stiffen up before removing from the pan.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

250ml cooking oil

3 eggs

250g brown sugar (315ml)

5ml vanilla essence

5ml bicarbonate of soda

140g cake flour (240ml)

5ml ground cinnamon

5ml mixed spice

5ml ground cloves

500ml grated carrot

40g chopped nuts (100ml) (optional)

50g raisins (100ml) (optional)
50ml orange cordial 

Cream Cheese Icing:
125g cream cheese
50-60g icing sugar

Method:

Heat the oven to 180C

Whisk the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla essence together in a food mixer, until pale and creamy and volume has increase.

Sift the bicarbonate of soda, flour and spices together.

Fold into the oil mixture. 
In a bowl mix together the the carrots, nuts, raisins and orange cordial. Fold into the cake mixture.

Pour into a loaf pan or a 22 - 25cm ring pan, lined with baking paper.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool, turn out of pan and remove paper lining.

When cool, ice with cream cheese icing. To make the icing, beat together the cream cheese and enough icing sugar to produce a thick but pourable icing.

Makes 1 x loaf or 1 ring cake

Cooks Note:

Use 500ml unpeeled courgettes, grated, instead of carrots and 10ml mixed spice for a different flavour

Bake mixture in large greased muffins pans for carrot muffins.

Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is so quick and easy to make any time of the year. It is wonderfully good for you and will keep for up to a week in the fridge, so make ahead of time and use as required.

Ingredients:
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
30ml olive oil
4 large carrots, peeled
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and deseeded
sea slat and freshly ground black pepper
850ml chicken stock
2-3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
a handful of chopped fresh parsley or coriander

Method:
Sweat the onions and garlic in the olive oil over a medium heat in a large pan for about 7 minutes, or until soft.

Chop the carrots and butternut squash into 1 cm cubes and add to the pan. Season with slat and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.

Pour in the stock, add the thyme and parsley or coriander and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Use a hand blender to liquidise to a puree and serve hot.

Spring Vegetable Risotto

If you're needing an energy boost, this vegetable risotto is just the ticket. It's bound to lift the lethargy and is incredibly filling as it's high in fibre and is crammed with long lasting energy givers. Just what the Dr ordered!

Ingredients:
1 litre vegetable stock
100g asparagus tips
100g baby carrots, halved lengthwise
200g fresh young peas, shelled
500g baby broad beans, shelled
30ml olive oil
2 baby leeks, thinly sliced
300g risotto rice
15ml pesto
freshly ground black pepper
25g toasted pine nuts

Method:
Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan, then reduce the heat and add the asparagus tips, carrots, peas and broad beans. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until tender.
Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep the stock simmering over gentle heat.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the leeks. Stir-fry for 2 minutes o medium heat, or until they are bright green, then stir in the rice.
Add about 50ml stock and cook gently, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, a little at a time and stirring regularly for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is soupy and the grains of rice are tender, but still have a slight bite.
Stir in the pesto and season with freshly ground black pepper. Gently stir in the reserved vegetables and cook for a further few minutes, or until the vegetables are heated through.
Serve sprinkled with the toasted pine nuts.

Fruit and Vegetables in April

April heralds the blossom of spring. With the daffodils in full bloom, buds bursting on the trees and the days growing longer, it makes for an exciting month of change with longings for the outdoors, alfresco meals and the first braai or barbecue of the year.

Where vegetables are concerned, nothing much changes from the supply situation of March: Broccoli, including the purple sprouting variety, carrots, leeks, new potatoes and sweet potatoes are regularly available. Cauliflower may be available and English spinach will become available as the month progresses. Another vegetable that appears now is Asparagus, but not the local variety, which is only available in May. Imported varieties of asparagus may be available from as far afield as Peru, but the one to look out for is the superior quality Spanish asparagus, which are invariable available from early April. Good courgettes and chicory are also available now, both great components of salads. Another salad vegetable not to be forgotten this month is delicious watercress, which can also be used in cooked dishes.

A dark green leaf with a distinctive peppery, pungent flavour, watercress is an incredibly versatile and healthy vegetable, which can be included in recipes instead of spinach. Look for dark, green leaves and avoid any that are wilting or yellowing. Often eaten raw in salads, watercress can also be cooked. It takes very little cooking and is often used in soups and sauces, in cheese or egg dishes, or served with fish, such as salmon, or as a filler in pies and tarts.

Fruit supplies in April are dominated by imports. Oranges are past their best, although still available, but other citrus fruits are good, for instance you may be able to use grapefruit in place of oranges for some recipes. Lemons and Limes are also still available.

The main UK fruit of the month, although not truly a fruit, but considered as such, is the first of the outdoor rhubarb, which makes a great accompaniment with apple in crumbles and sweet pastries.

Golden Penny Salad

You could also call this "Sweet and Sour Carrots"

but "Golden Penny Salad" sounds so much more exciting.

We used to take this with us to braais when we were in Durban;

it always went down well.

Ingredients:
1kg Carrots, sliced.
1 Green Pepper, cut into strips.
2 Onions, sliced.
250ml tomato puree.
200ml white vinegar.
50ml vegetable oil.
10ml Worcestershire sauce.
250ml sugar.
5ml grainy mustard.
5ml Sea Salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Method:
Boil the carrots until they are cooked but still firm, and drain.
Arrange the carrots, green pepper and onion in layers in a bowl, ending with a layer of carrots.
In a saucepan, mix together the remaining ingredients.
Bring to the boil for 2 minutes, stiring constantly.
Pour the liquid over the salad and allow to cool.
Cover the bowl with cling film and marinate in the fridge for a day or two.