The Vegetarian Monologues

#2

Week 2 and I've learnt some new skills in my vegetarian experiment - how to stuff a pepper.  Now, as stuffing peppers go I assumed it would be easy - it was, until I decided I would make it up as I go along (as I usually do) and that's when it all went Pete Tong.  In the end I stuffed my orange pepper with an advocado, garlic and garlic flavoured soft cheese...it was nice, though a little too garlic-y, I had it with a serving of cous cous (never crossing my mind that I could have stuffed the pepper with it).  To satisfy my hunger pangs, I added a side of falafel.  For a Monday evening dinner, it did the job, if a little disorganised but that was more to do with my scatty brain than anything else.  Maybe the lack of meat is affecting me after all?

Mid-week I thought I would make a seafood paella.  A part of me thinks that I should keep this to myself but no, I will be honest...it turned out more like a risotto.  I like risotto, and I ate it anyway but that was not the intention.  It was a pretty decent risotto nonetheless.  I didn't keep to the recipe - I think that's where I went wrong.  I think paella is one of the few dishes where there are instructions for a reason and I should probably stick to it in future rather than spontaneously guess and hope for the best - my usual cooking style.



Come Sunday, vegetarian cottage pie.  I ventured into three supermarkets in one day and could not find any lentils (is there a lentil shortage?) so I used kidney beans instead amongst my delicious vegetables.  Making the sauce is something I quite enjoy - mainly because of the fact I know what is going in and there are no unhealthy bits and bobs I don't know about.  All you need is a can of chopped tomatoes, a stock cube, herbs, Tommy K (Tomato Ketchup) and soy sauce.  It works everytime.  

I love vegetables.

A Summer's lunch

I once said that advocado and mango should be made compulsory in every salad.  It's just the most refreshing thing to have on a lovely summer's day (what's left of it anyway).

A few ingredients - don't forget a snazzy lunchbox.

Just a few simple rules to keep the mango and advocado tangy and juicy ready to brighten up your working day:

Nothing beats the staple leaves and tomatoes. 

1. Lemon juice.  Lemon juice is the key to stop your advocado going brown and fresh.
2. Soy sauce.  No need for salt, as soy sauce is already salty, and adds to the dressing.
3. Rice white wine.  Adds an extra element to the salad.
4. If you like a bit of spice, add some wasabi to the salad.  

Salmon, advocado, lemon juice and soy sauce. Mango at the ready. 

I also added some teriyaki sauce to my mango, advocado and smoked salmon (you can also add prawns) and marinaded it in the sauce whilst prepping the other part of my salad.

If you're like me, and need a fuller lunch to help you get through the rest of the day, add some long grain rice or cous cous.

Lunch! Just don't eat it next to the computer.