Spicy Indian potato and spinach curry

800g potatoes, peeled, cut into 4cm pieces
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large brown onion, halved, cut into thin wedges
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
150g spinach leaves
90 g sour cream
handful of cashews
2 tablespoon of chopped coriander

Cook the potato in the microwave for 12 minutes or until cooked firm
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, garam masala and cumin and cook, stiring for one minute or until aromatic.
Stir in the tomato and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir in the potato, simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the potato is very tender.
Add the spinach and remove from the heat. Stir for 1-2 mintes or until the spinach just wilts. Season with pepper. Divide among serving bowls. Top with sour cream, cashews and corriander to serve.

MLR's creation

Here is what MLR put together for her tea the other day.
a new twist on scrambled egss and toast!!!

Rustic Italian Pie

12 slices of wholemeal gluten free bread (can use ordinary bread)
60g butter, melted
250g froxen spinach thwaed, drained and squeezed dry
4 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
250g tub smooth ricotta
200g feta crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream
5 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped oregano, plus extra sprigs to garnish
salad to serve.



Preheat oven to 180c or 160 fan forced
Lightly grease a 22cm spring form pan. Using a rolling pin, roll the bread flat, brush both sides with melted butter. Press firmly into the base and sides of pan, overlapping slightly. Bake for 15 minutes or until toasted.
Spread spinach in base of crust. Place onion, garlic, ricotta, feta , sour cream, and eggs in a large mixing bowl, season to tasted with salt and black pepper. Mix well. Carefully pour over spinach. Combine Parmesan and oregano, sprinkle over filling.
Bake for 40 minutes or until just set. Cool for 10 minutes in pan, loosen spring and remove. Sprinkle with oregano sprigs and serve with salad.

Caramalised Onion Dip

Here is a dip that is best made the day before it is needed.

2 large onions
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
4 ounces of cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream (room temperature)
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Cut the onions in half and then slice thickly
Heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan over a medium high heat.
Add the onions, cayenne salt and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally, but not too often, until the onions are browned and caramelized.

Add the Dijon mustard and the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes. Allow the onions to cool.

In a whizz or blender combine the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise, blend until smooth, add all of the onions, reserving a tablespoon for garnish, blend again. Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to develop.

Serve with crackers or chips.

Sorry no photo,

Cucumber and crab bites

4 medium Lebanese cucumbers
250g cream cheese
210g can of crab or red or pink salmon
1 tablespoon of sour cream
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of finely chopped coriander
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
dash of pepper

Wash cucumbers and slice 0.5 cm thick
Beat the cream cheese in a small bowl using electric beaters until it thick and creamy
Add the crab (or salmon), sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, herbs and pepper until well combined.
Place a teaspoonful of the cheese mixture on the cucumber rounds, serve.

Salmon and blue cheese quiche

Olive oil
1 onion chopped
100g of Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped basil
8 large eggs, beaten
250 ml creme fraiche
10 black olives freshly pitted and chopped
100g of salmon sliced (I used the 100g packets of salmon from Woolworths)
100g of blue cheese

Lightly grease a 26cm round ovenproof ceramic dish and preheat the oven to 150c

Drizzle a little olive oil into a frying pan over a high heat. Add the onion and sweat for 2-3 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Tip the onion into a large bowl to cool before adding the Parmesan and basil - stir through

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and the creme fraiche. Pour into the onion mixture, add the olives and mix well before adding the salmon. Stir gently.

Pour the egg mixture into the buttered dish. Sprinkle the blue cheese over the mixture, the cheese should float on top. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature and serve with a green salad.

Serves 4
Remove the salmon to make it really vegetarian.

Mushrooms

I found this resource on different types of mushrooms and thought I would share with you.

You could set yourself a goal to try each type of mushroom!

Let me know if you do, some of these mushies I have never heard of!!

Spinach Mushroom Salad

5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried sage
dash of pepper
250 mushrooms sliced in half or quarters if large
(I used swiss brown, but any firm mushroom will do)
1/2 pkt baby spinach

Combine the first 12 ingredients, mix well. Add mushrooms and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (I left it overnight). Just before serving, toss the spinach and mushroom mixture in a salad bowl.
Serves 6.

Sorry no photo