Honey Roasted Plum, Gruyère and Pine Nut Salad

(Photos by Alex Tchouchev)

Plums

Aged gruyère 

Pine nuts (roasted)

Rucola

Baby spinach

Red onions 

Vinaigrette 

Honey

Balsamic Vinegar 

Olive oil

1. Slice the plums and pit them before marinating them in the fridge in some honey and balsamic.
2. In a pan with some olive oil, caramelize the plums and sauté them until they are slightly soft. Place them aside to chill. 
3. Wash your salad greens and top them with sliced gruyère, red onions, toasted pine nuts and the plums before tossing in vinaigrette

Spanakopita Roll

If you enjoy spanakopita as much as I do, this is a nicer and lighter version.

Ingredients:

Spanikopita filling

Phyllo pastry sheets or puff pastry dough (I used whole wheat puff pastry dough)

1. Once you have made the filling, preheat your oven depending on the instructions on your packet of dough and grease a baking tray.
2. If you are using Phyllo: lay the sheets down one by one, on top of each other on the tray. Use a pastry brush to alternate dabbing olive oil (or butter if you are feeling indulgent) and water between each layer. Place the filling in the centre and then tightly (but carefully) wrap your filling in the pastry
3. If you are using puff pastry: With puff pastry, simply place the filling on one end and roll it up. 
4. Bake :)

Grilled Eggplant Caprese with Sundried Tomato Pesto

A small eggplant

A tomato

Bufala mozzarella 

Olive oil

1 clove of garlic

Sundried tomato pesto 

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Slice the eggplant and marinate it in a ziplock bag with olive oil, salt, pepper and crushed garlic
2. Ideally, leave it to marinate for an hour in the fridge, but if you are short on time it will still be delicious
3. Place the eggplant on a grill pan until it is cooked and there are char lines
4. Slice the tomato and mozzarella
5. Stack the eggplant, mozzarella and tomato with the sundried tomato pesto between each layer
6. Top with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar 

Barbecued Corn on the Cob with Mint Feta Butter

This probably seems like a very odd combination... but it is surprisingly tasty!

Photo by Alex Tchouchev 

Corn

Fresh mint leaves 

Feta 

Butter (room temperature)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Use a food processor or finely chop mint and crumble feta in butter. This really comes down to your personal taste and how much of each you want. Add some salt and pepper and mix until you are happy with the taste of your mint feta butter. 
2. Lightly brush the corn with the butter you have made and wrap the corn in foil. Barbecue it! 
3. Add some more of you mint feta butter for garnish and serve while its hot!

Garlic Bread with Mozzarella & Roasted Tomatoes

This sauce is heavenly and I always make extra to have with cheesy garlic bread :)

Baguette

Mozzarella

Garlic 

Fresh basil 

Roasted tomato sauce 

Salt & pepper to taste 

1. Preheat the oven to 240 degrees celsius (460 F) 
2. Slice a baguette in half as though you were making a gigantic sandwich :) 
3. Rub the garlic cloves all over the bread. Then crush the garlic and sprinkle it over the bread. 
4. Slice the mozzarella and lay it over the baguette then top it with salt and pepper. 
5. Leave it in the oven until the cheese is melted. In the meantime, heat up the sauce and chop the basil.
6. Top the cheesy garlic bread with the sauce and basil and enjoy!

Watermelon Mint Salad

This is far less a recipe than it is an amazing combination of tastes. 

The next time you have fresh watermelon, try adding some finely chopped mint leaves and freshly squeezed lemon juice. I like to leave it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavour of the mint really skinks in, but in all honesty, this is entirely optional - serving it as soon as you make it is also delicious.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes in Fresh Basil and Oregano

This sauce is so delicious and full of flavour. My friend Chris makes me prepare it every time we see each other :) 

12 tomatoes

4 onions

5 large cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon of dried basil

1 tablespoon of dried oregano

A heaping handful of fresh basil

2 stems of fresh oregano

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 a cup of coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Salt and [epper to taste

 olive oil

1. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into quarters, lay them in a baking pan face up
2. Remove the peel on the garlic cloves and disperse them throughout the pan
3. Pour the olive oil over the tomatoes
4. Sprinkle the sugar over the tomatoes so they don't get bitter and add the dry oregano and basil
5. Add the salt and pepper
6. Finely chop the basil and oregano and lay half of it over your dish
7. Mix everything in the baking pan well so the flavours begin to blend
8. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius
9. While the tomatoes are baking, chop the onions in chunks and fry them in a pan with some olive oil until they are cooked. Once they are golden, toss in the coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
10. Make sure you stir the contents of the baking pan every 10 or so minutes
11. Once everything is cooked, add the onions to the baking pan and serve with pasta or as a dip for bread.

Might you have leftovers? 

Gouda Cream Sauce

3 cups of pasta shells

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

3/4 of a cup of milk

1 cup of grated gouda

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 a teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Fresh parsley for garnish

1. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter and add the nutmeg. 
2. Pour in the milk and whisk combined with the flour. 
3. Once mixed add in the gouda and stir. If the sauce gets too thick, add some milk, if it is too watery, at a bit more flour. 
4. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper before pouring it over the pasta and garnishing with parsley.

Summer Rucola & Sundried Tomato Pasta with Crumbled Feta

Pasta

3/4 of a cup of coarsely chopped sundried tomatoes 

2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 Garlic cloves

A handful of crumbled feta (you can do without it if you are vegan!)

Rucola (arugula/rocket) - a large handful

I cup of halved cherry tomatoes

Oregano to taste

A handful of fresh basil

Salt & pepper to taste

Red onion - one large

1. Finely chop the onions and saute them in some olive oil. As they become golden, add some minced garlic. 
2. As the pasta cooks, toss the sundried tomatoes in the pan along with the dried oregano. 
3. Just before draining the pasta, toss in the cherry tomatoes, salt & pepper. 
4. Mix the pasta in the pan with the sauce and turn the heat off. Toss the pasta in the fresh basil, rucola and crumbled feta. 
5. Serve!

Baked Ginger Tofu & Mushroom Bok Choy Stir Fry

Brown Rice

Tofu 

Mushrooms (2 cups, sliced)

Bok Choy (1 pound) 

2 onions

3 garlic cloves

2 and a half teaspoons of minced ginger

2 teaspoons of chili sauce

3 teaspoons of sesame oil

3 table spoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of cornstarch 

2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce

1. Chop the bok choy and mushrooms and onions, mince the garlic and begin cooking the rice. 
2. In a bowl, combine 1 clove of crushed garlic, 1/2 a teaspoon of minced ginger and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and brush the sliced tofu before baking it in the oven until it is crispy on the outside. 
3. Meanwhile, combine the remaining sesame oil, olive oil, chili sauce, minced ginger and soy sauce in a bowl and mix them - this will be your sauce. 
4. Saute the chopped onions in a wok in some olive oil until they are golden and add the chopped bok choy and mushrooms and add the sauce.
5. Whisk together water with the corn starch and slowly pour it in to thicken the sauce. 
6. Once the mushrooms and bok choy are cooked, serve!

Gazpacho

I may have developed a slight addition to gazpacho this summer. It is, without a doubt, my favorite summer dish. It's so light and refreshing. Not only is it delicious, it is probably the easiest and quickest thing to make. 

4 fresh tomatoes

1 green capsicum (bell pepper)

1/4 of a large cucumber

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar

A small handful of fresh baguette

1-2 small cloves of garlic

A small white onion

Salt and pepper to taste

a hand mixer or food processor 

How to make your gazpacho

1. Wash your veggies
2. Seed your capsicum 
3. Peel the cucumber (seed if you prefer, I'm lazy so I tend not to)
4. Add all your ingredients together in a food processor (or you can use a hand mixer) until your ingredients are as fine as possible
5. Be sure to taste as you go, I tend to not measure anything
6. OPTIONAL - if you want to make a very traditional gazpacho, pour your blended ingredients through an extremely fine sieve  to make it even smoother and leave over night in the fridge. I, however, tend to prefer a bit more texture to mine and don't add this step. But be sure to serve your gazpacho cold.
7. Garnish with garlic croutons and finely diced onions and green capsicum

Aubergine, Feta & Sundried Tomato Pesto Grilled Cheese

An aubergine (eggplant)

A red onion

Feta

Sundried tomato pesto

Fresh bread

Garlic 

A drizzle of balsamic vinegar 

A sprinkle of sugar

Salt & pepper to taste

1. Wash and finely slice the aubergine and leave it to marinate in some olive oil, a tiny bit of balsamic, salt, pepper, crushed garlic, sugar and sundried tomato pesto.
2. While it marinates, chop the onions and saute them in some olive oil until golden. Take them out and place the aubergine in the pan until it is cooked. 
3. Once the aubergine is ready, spread sundried tomato pesto on each side of the bread and fill your sandwich with aubergine, feta and the onions. 
4. Toss the bread in the pan and let the sandwich get toasty.

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

My boyfriend was skeptical when I said we were having broccoli quiche but even he loved it :)

6 eggs

1/3 of a cup of milk

2/3 a cup of cheddar

Salt & pepper to taste

A small head of broccoli

One onion 

Olive oil

A sprinkle of minced chives

A pack of puff pastry

1. Preheat the oven depending on the instructions on the package and grease the baking pan you are using.
2. Wash and chop the broccoli before steaming it. 
3. Chop and fry the onion in olive oil.
4. Beat the eggs and mix them with milk, grated cheddar, minced chives, salt and pepper. Then add the the onions and broccoli.
5. Lay the pastry on the baking pan and pour in the filling mixture.
6. Bake according to the instructions on the puff pastry package. 

Veggie Fritters

zucchini 

2 potatoes
2 carrots

1 small onion

2 eggs

1 tablespoon of flour

1 lime

Some sprigs of fresh parsley (about 2 talespoons minced)

Salt & pepper to taste

Oil for frying

Tzatziki 

1. Grate the veggies and chop the onion and parsley
2. Mix the grated vegetables in salt & pepper, squeezed lime, beaten eggs and flour
3. Heat oil in a pan (enough so the fritters will be half submerged) and try to ball the vegetables as best you can before dropping them into the oil
4. Cook them until they are golden on each side before laying them on paper towel to cool slightly and serving them with tzatziki!

Mushroom Risotto

A recipe adapted from one by Diane, A Broad.

1 1/2 cups of risotto rice

1 finely chopped onion

3 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons of butter (optional for vegans)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

6 cups of veggie stock (chicken or beef if you prefer)

2-3 cups of the mushrooms of your choice (I used a mix of dry porcini mushrooms and Swiss brown mushrooms)

3/4 of a cup of dry white wine

1/2 a cup of parmesan cheese (optional for vegans)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Begin by heating the stock in a pot while you wash and chop your mushrooms, mince the onion and garlic
2. If you are using dried mushrooms, place them in boiling water and cover them for about 10 minutes and then add the leftover broth to the stock and place the no longer dehydrated mushrooms with your other mushrooms
3. Pour the olive oil into a pan and cook the onions and garlic. 
4. In a separate pan, add the mushrooms and let them get golden, then season them with salt, pepper and some finely chopped parsley.
5. Place your rice in the pan with the onions, pour in the stock (I usually don't put it all in at once), wine and butter before covering it with a lid.
6. Be sure to keep stirring your risotto, you never want it burnt or so sticky and hard it barely moves. Keep it hydrated by adding stock as you go and keep tasting it. 
7. Once it is about 3/4 of the way done, toss in the mushrooms and some parmesan & parsley (leaving the rest for garnish)
8. Serve!

Cheddar Fettuccine Alfredo

fettuccine

1 shallot

1/2 a cup of cream

fresh parsley for garnish

3 tablespoons of butter

1 clove of garlic

1/2 a cup of cheddar cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1. boil the water for the pasta while you melt the butter on a medium heat
2. as you cook the pasta, toss in minced garlic and shallots and let them cook
3. add the cream and let the sauce boil for a moment before taking it off the heat
4. add the cheese, salt and pepper
5. mix the pasta in the sauce, garnish with parsley and serve! Don't let it get cold!

Spanakopita Scrambled Eggs

Have you ever made too much filling for spanakopita and didn't know what to do with the leftovers?

Spanakopita Filling (Onions, baby spinach, ricotta, feta, salt & pepper)

Eggs

Milk

Minced garlic (optional)

1. Beat the eggs and add in the spanakopita filling (It's ok if it doesn't mix fully, it will once you put it in a pan)
2. Pour in the milk
3. In a saucepan, lightly fry the garlic in some butter
4. Scramble!

Sharp Cheddar & Honey Mustard Veggie Sandwich

Red onions

Tomato

Cucumber

Lettuce

Sharp cheddar

Mayo

Honey mustard

Bread

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Slice your veggies and cheese
2. Spread mayo on one side of the bread and honey mustard on the other before topping it with 
3. Put it together and eat!

Greek Salad Pita Drizzled with Tzatziki

So so so delicious!

You will neeeeed:

Cucumber

Tomato

Kalamata olives

Red onions

Feta

Tzatziki

Fresh Pita

Lemon

Seasalt

Olive oil

1. Chop your cucumber, tomato and onions and combine them with pitted and chopped olives
2. Mix them in some freshly squeezed lemon, salt and olive oil to taste
3. Fill your pita with your salad, sprinkle it with salad and drizzle tzatziki over it
4. Wrap your pita up and enjoy :)

Sundried Tomato Pesto

Very simple!

Start with the ricotta pesto and add about 1 whole cup of sundried tomatoes.

Instead of using regular olive oil, I also substituted the olive oil from my original recipe with the oil from the bottle of sundried tomatoes.

Put them in the blender/food processor with your other ingredients and enjoy :)