This is a lovely combination of Mediterranean dishes, and you will love the healthy Carob "Better than Ice Cream"!
Timing
| :00 | RICE | Put rice on to cook |
| :02 | DAHL | Start cooking lentils |
| :03 | DAHL | Chop and sauté vegetables |
| :09 | SALAD | Combine ingredients |
| :12 | MINGLE | Fry vegetables |
| :14 | DESSERT | Put ingredients into food processor and into refrigerator |
| :19 | DAHL | Combine lentils with vegetables |
| :21 | MINGLE | Combine all ingredients and put in serving dish |
| :24 | DAHL | Add remaining ingredients and garnish |
| :26 | RICE | Plate up and garnish |
| :28 | DESSERT | Spoon into serving glasses and garnish |
| :30 | FINISH | Serve and enjoy! |
Dahlatouille
This colorful café favorite is a cross between a dahl and a ratatouille.
MAKES 8 1-CUP SERVINGS
Step 1—Cook Lentils
1 cup dried red lentils
3 cups boiling water
In a medium pot, cook the lentils and water for around 12 minutes or until soft.
Step 2—Add Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons ginger puree
1 eggplant (aubergine)
2 cups mushrooms
1 zucchini (courgette), diced
1 red bell pepper (capsicum)
1 large stalk celery, diced
Put the oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and start to sauté.
Chop the eggplant into ½-in. (1 cm.) cubes and add to the pan.
Chop the remaining vegetables into 1-in. (2 cm.) cubes and keep adding to the pot one by one.
Sauté for around 10 minutes from when you start adding vegetables or until they are all soft.
Step 3—Finish
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
14-oz. (400 g.) can crushed tomatoes
garnish: cilantro (fresh coriander)
Add the cooked lentils, salt, honey, and tomatoes to the vegetable mix. Stir and bring to boil.
Turn down the heat and simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors mingle.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Brown rice is much more filling, flavorsome, and nutritious than white rice, and it's easy once you know how! MAKES 6 1-CUP SERVINGS
2 cups long grain brown rice
4 cups boiling water
garnish: scallions (spring onions)
Put the rice and boiling water in a medium pot and bring back to boil.
Put the lid on then turn down the heat and simmer for around 20 minutes or until the water has disappeared.
Spoon into serving dish and garnish with sliced scallions.
Tip: Cook more than you need so you can use for another meal.
MAKES 8 1-CUP SERVES
3 cups baby spinach
2 cups cherry tomatoes (half red, half yellow)
½ small red onion
½ orange bell pepper (capsicum)
1 small cucumber
½ cup pitted kalamata olives
1 teaspoon of virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Place the spinach on a large platter.
Scatter tomatoes and diced onion over the bed of spinach.
Chop bell pepper and cucumber into 1-in. (2 cm.) cubes. Gently toss with the other salad ingredients.
Place olives on top of the salad and drizzle over the oil and lemon juice.
MAKES 4 1-CUP SERVINGS
2 teaspoons oil
2 cups frozen green peas
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 cups kale, finely sliced
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon liquid honey
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
In a medium frying pan, sauté the peas, garlic, and kale with oil and salt for around 5 minutes or until the kale is wilted.
Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with honey and sesame seeds.
Tip: You can toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan or buy them pre-toasted.
Who would have thought that frozen bananas could become such a delicious, silky, cholesterol-free dessert! MAKES 4 1-CUP SERVINGS
3 bananas, peeled, cubed, and frozen overnight
3 tablespoons carob powder
2 tablespoons liquid honey
1-4 tablespoons cold water (if required)
garnish: ¼ cup frozen raspberries
garnish: mint leaves
Put frozen banana, carob, and honey in an s-blade style food processor and blend. It will start off becoming flaky and clumpy. After around 1 minute it will start to combine and all of a sudden it will develop a creamy texture.
If the mixture sticks and avoids the blades, stop the machine and use a spatula to push the lumps down to where the blades will make impact. A couple of tablespoons of water can also assist. However, too much will make the mixture runny, so add with care.
You can store this in the freezer for up to 20 minutes if waiting to serve. However, it will turn solid if frozen for any longer.
Serve in dessert glasses and garnish with raspberries and mint leaves.
Tip: If your bananas are really ripe you may not need to add honey. If they are slightly unripe you may need to add more honey.
Tip: This recipe will not work in a liquidizer style blender or with a stick blender.
