Veggie (aka "happy cow") burgers

This recipe lends itself to variations according to what you feel like creating (or in my case what you actually have at home). Veggie burgers tend to be bland, but the spices and humble lemon zest really obliterate that notion. Do try them!

• 240g of cooked beans (garbanzo, red, black, white, your call. A mix works best)
• 200g of frozen fava beans (or peas)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 heaped tbsp flour
• lemon zest
• pinch salt & pepper
• coriander stalks (or parsley)

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and whiz. Divide the paste in 8, 6, or 4 depending on how big you want your burgers to be, roll in flour and press into patties. Cook in pan and serve with buns, pickles, tomato, greens, yoghurt or mayo, whatever you feel like, actually.

Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

This recipe is very easy and quite versatile. If you don't like dealing with whole chickens, just buy a tray of thighs, thigh strips, or any bird part you want. And don't worry about serving with cilantro if you don't like it, you can always tame the heat with some lime.

• 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (or any chicken parts you may have, like a tray of thighs / solomillos)
• 4 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger (from a 3-inch piece)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened light coconut milk
• fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lower third. Toss chicken with curry powder, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high. In batches, cook chicken until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate

Reduce heat to medium and add 1 teaspoon each salt and oil, garlic, ginger, and onion. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until onion is translucent, 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add rice, coconut milk, and 2 cups water; stir to combine and bring to a boil. Arrange chicken in pot, skin side up, cover, and transfer to oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Summer berry ice cream

This Jamie Oliver recipe calls for the half hour ice cream to be served over fresh blueberries in cold glasses. I include the complete version here, but if you stick to the bare essentials, I think the ice cream can be enjoyed without the frills, and it's really easy and healthy. For the lactose intolerant, I'm sure goat's milk yoghurt must work like a charm.

• 1 x 500g pack of mixed frozen berries


• 150g (5½oz) fresh blueberries


• 3-4tbsp runny honey


• 1 x 500g tub of natural yoghurt


• A few sprigs of fresh mint

With a little foresight, put some glasses in the freezer for a short while. When you are ready to make this, which will cool in half an hour:

"Get the glasses and the frozen berries out of the freezer. Divide the fresh blueberries between the glasses. Put the honey and yoghurt and leaves from the sprigs of mint into the food processor and whiz, then add the frozen berries and whiz again until combined. Spoon the frozen yoghurt over the fresh berries and serve. "

Sugar free chocolate truffles

This recipe is made up, so the amounts are approximate.

To make about 20 

1 and half cups of cocoa powder - I get Valrohna from Parami in Carrer Diputacio

2 tablespoons of evaporated milk no sugar added

2 tablespoons of dried cranberries

3 tablespoons of sultanas/pansas

1 tablespoon of coconut oil we use Dr Goerg

1 tablespoon of coconut butter Dr Goerg

1 tablespoon of cacao butter from Parami in Carrer Diputacio

For rolling in either:

dessicated coconut, sesame seeds or crushed nuts. All can be lightly toasted if desired which is more tasty.

Put the cranberries, sultanas. coconut oil, coconut butter and evaporated milk in a saucepan and heat gently and stir until all the ingredients combine. Add the cocoa powder and combine. If it seems a bit dry add any of the oils, butters or milk to get a nice consistency. Or if it is too oily or wet add more cocoa. It should be a soft, fluffy consistency that can be roughly shaped into a ball. Don't worry if it falls apart a little because once it cools and hardens it should hold its shape. 

Put the mixture in the fridge for half an hour. Check it and try to form balls with it. If it is still too warm or soft, put it back in the fridge for a bit longer. If you forget about it and it is too hard just leave it out until it is malleable.

Roll into balls and then if you wish (because they are pretty ugly) roll them in dessicated coconut, sesame seeds either of these can be toasted or not or crushed nuts.

Consider adding any dried fruit or nuts you wish.

Keep in the fridge in an airtight container but bring to room temperature to serve.

If you don't have all the ingredients you can probably skip either the coconut oil or butter and just put in more of the cacao butter to the same volume.

Pumpkin gratin (or how to sneak in a whole package of spinach)

This is a twist on Jacques Pépin's recipe, who says "The combination of Swiss cheese, eggs, and cream comes together into something like a smooth and creamy soufflé, capturing the flavors of fall." Canned pumpkin speeds things up, but as it's not available here in Spain, I use boiled, steamed, or baked pumpkin as instructed by Anne B., a mamamiga who moved back to the States a while ago.

Also, as I mention in the title, I put in the food processor a whole package of fresh spinach (Mercadona size), and sometimes, to make it more appealing to Maite I mix the parmesan with some breadcrumbs, to magnify the crispy top element, which she loves. Janet has mixed in pumpkin seeds to the topping, and of course, you can make infinite substitutions, change the kind of cheese, mix in some leftovers of, well, anything with a mild flavor, really!

4 servings

• 1 can (15.5 ounces, about 2 cups) 100% pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit (175ºC). Spoon the pumpkin puree into a food processor and add the eggs, cream, cheese, salt, and pepper (and spinach if using). Process for 10 to 15 seconds to combine.

Coat a 6-cup gratin dish with the butter. Fill the dish with the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until set and lightly browned on top. Serve.

Orange Delight!!

Made with orange juice, milk, vanilla, honey and ice cubes, this slushy citrus smoothie is a refreshing way to cool off on a hot and sticky summer day.

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen orange juice
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 Tbs honey
• 10 cubes ice

Preparation

In a blender, combine orange juice concentrate, milk, water, vanilla, honey and ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Mireia's low-sugar sponge cake

The recipe is very easy, the only secret is to stir the eggs yolk with the sugar until you double the egg volume, and to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks and be careful when mix them to the yolks; you just envelope it not mix it.  

 

Here you have the proportions (in catalan) and the explanation. it is call "pa de pessic de vic" If you have any problem you can ask me. 

http://www.lesmevesreceptes.com/recepta/99