Summer Pasta with Pesto, Zucchini and Mint

Finding a simple, cheap and healthy meal that is not daal bhat can be a struggle. I run out of ideas. Even more so in the monsoon season, when it sometimes feels to hot to eat and fresh seasonal vegetables are limited.

This was an experimental dish that turned out quite nice: budget-friendly, filling, and refreshing on a hot day. I didn't overdo the garlic in the pesto and my toddler and baby both ate it. I love to see them shovelling down healthy greens (albeit with quite a lot of olive oil).

I used the big round zucchinis that are readily available here, although the standard long ones are fine. The basil and mint came straight from my garden. I added fresh gran pardano cheese that I had in my fridge, but any parmesan-ish type, even the bottled dry one will do. In fact, the pesto is quite nice on its own without the cheese if it can't be found or if you are dairy free.

The pesto can be made up to a few days in advance (or longer). However, you will need a blender of some sort to make

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 c loosely packed fresh basil, washed and roughly chopped or torn
• 1/4 c cashew nuts (I used roasted unsalted, you can use salted but add less salt to the pesto if you do this)
• 2/3 c plus 1Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 round zucchini or 2 small long zucchinis, very thinly sliced
• 1/4 c loosely packed mint, finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• * 1/4 c grated parmesan (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta to your liking.
2. While pasta is cooking, combine 2/3 cup of oil, garlic, cashew nuts, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt (or less if using salted cashews) and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor or blender and pulse to combine. You might need to do it in batches, or scrape down the sides occasionally. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese if using.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the mint.
4. Divide the pasta among bowls and spoon the pesto and zucchini over the top.

Yum!

Thai Chicken Patties

A perfect monsoon season meal, with easy to find ingredients and a light refreshing taste. These chicken patties are not too time consuming and are fairly kid-friendly - providing you adjust the amount of chilli!

To make gluten-free, omit the breadcrumbs or use a small amount of rice flour or gluten-free oats in replacement.

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients

• 500g minced chicken
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3/4" piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• juice of one small lemon
• 1/4c cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 - 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• *1/4 c breadcrumbs or panko. This can be omitted, but the patties turn out a little wet.
• *1 chilli finely chopped (optional, I omit when serving to kids)
• Vegetable oil for frying.
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1. Put chicken into a large bowl. Drain any excess water or juice.
2. Combine onion, garlic, ginger and chilli (if using) in a food processor or a blender attachment to make into a rough paste. If you don't have a blender or food processor, you can still make the patties, but chop the ingredients as finely as possible.
3. Mix paste, breadcrumbs, egg, fish sauce, lemon and cilantro into the chicken. Drain excess liquid. 
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Form mixture into patties, at most 3" wide and 3/4" thick. I like to make 'mini' ones for little kids/babies as they are easier to grasp.
6. I also like to make these ahead, and after forming the patties I chill them in the refrigerator for a few hours before cooking, although this is NOT necessary.
7. Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a large skillet on medium heat.
8. Cook patties 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through. While cooking, use the flipper or spatula to flatten the patties and squeeze out excess liquid.
9. Serve hot or cold and garnish with cilantro sprigs. They are best with a sauce, such as a Thai sweet chilli sauce, or perhaps a yoghurt mint sauce. I also like to serve with a thai vermicelli noodle salad.

Veggie Macaroni and Cheese

The whole family loves macaroni and cheese, and this version is great for getting more vegetables into kids who tend to be picky.

Use whatever vegetables are in season, although the cauliflower is a must. Broccoli is also very nice, although it wasn't in season when i made the recipe below, so I used zucchini to compensate for a green vegetable.

Ingredients

• 250g pasta, short pasta is best
• 2 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 1/2 cups cauliflower, steamed and quite soft
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1 cup pumpkin pieces, cut in small cubes then roasted (for better flavour) or steamed
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 3/4 cups milk
• 1 1/5 tbsp flour
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar is good, regular cow cheese is fine)
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta until soft, set aside and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. (Instead of the pasta water, you can also reserve some of the water used to steam your veggies)
2. Heat butter in a large skillet on medium heat.
3. Add leeks and cook 2-3 minutes. Then add mushrooms, cook another 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook 2 minutes. 
4. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and butter in the pan. let sit for about 20 seconds then using a spatula, scrape it up and stir it around the pan for another minute or so. This is to ensure the flour cooks and doesn't leave a 'floury' taste.
5. Turn the heat down and add the milk, whisking it in and scraping the bottom of the pan to make a gooey vegetable paste. Turn heat to low. 
6. Add the cauliflower and stir it into the sauce, mushing it a little with a fork. Add other cooked veggies here too including the pumpkin, if using.
7. If the sauce looks too thick, add some of the reserved water, a little at a time. 
8. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese, further thickening the sauce. Again, add little bits of reserved water (or more milk) to thin sauce to your liking. 
9. Season with salt & pepper.
10. Stir in the pasta to coat and heat.
11. Serve with a nice green salad, or cucumber and carrot sticks.

Kenyan Chicken in Coconut Sauce

I tried this delicious dish at a party and was determined to make it myself. It is ridiculously easy and so very very tasty. It may look like just another curry, but it is packed with flavour and richness from the coconut milk. All the ingredients are readily available in Kathmandu and it is a perfect accompaniment to plain rice. Gluten-free and dairy-free.

Ingredients

• 500g chicken meat, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch pieces. I use the Nina & Hager frozen chicken pieces for convenience but the traditional dish would use whole chicken pieces (such as legs) with the skin removed.
• 1 medium-large chopped onion
• 1.5 Tbsp. minced ginger
• 2 Tbsp. or 5 cloves minced garlic
• ¼ c canola or sunflower oil or ghee
• 1 Tbsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• *optional: 2 hot chili peppers, deseeded and chopped fine - omit for a milder dish!
• 2 cups finely chopped, peeled tomatoes (canned are fine)
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste (*omit if you use canned tomatoes, but adds a bit of depth if you are using fresh)
• 1 tsp to 1Tbsp sugar, to taste
• 1 15-ounce can of coconut milk
• Juice of one small lemon
• Salt
• Pepper
• ¼ cup cilantro

Directions

1. Prepare chicken and set it in a bowl to marinate with 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, a little bit of minced garlic and ginger, and salt and pepper. Let sit for 1-2 hours if possible.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok on medium to medium-high heat.
3. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic, ginger and chilies if using. Cook another 5 minutes.
5. When onions are starting to caramelize, add cumin and turmeric and cook another minute.
6. Add tomatoes and stir in tomato paste if using.
7. Cook 1-2 minutes.
8. Add in chicken, along with remaining marinade. Cook another 1-2 minutes.
9. Stir in coconut milk, 1 tsp of sugar and a little salt and pepper.
10. Bring to boil, cover, and turn down to simmer.
11. Cook 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked and sauce is reduced a little and thickened.
12. Add more sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
13. Serve with rice, brown works nicely for a healthier option.

Simmered Creamy Chicken

Inspired by a Donna Hay recipe, this is a very tasty dish that is a touch above a plain old chicken stew. Best of all, it is easy, can use a variety of seasonal veggies, and it only takes about 30-40 minutes. My family (toddler included!) gobbles this up every time I make it.

Simmered Creamy Chicken Stew

Ingredients 

• 500g chicken meat, cut into 1 1/2" cubes (I use the frozen Nina & Hager brand)
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 cups peeled potatoes, chopped into 1/2" cubes
• 3 leeks, including a portion of the green ends, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped veggies of your choice (I recommend carrots, green peas, spinach or kale)
• flour for dusting
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½ - 1 cup cream
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

1. Cook the bacon on low heat until the fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. Set aside the bacon and reserve the fat.
2. In a soup pot, sauté the leeks and garlic in a little bacon fat and olive oil, about 2 minutes.
3. Dust the chicken pieces with flour and add to the pan. fry both sides until chicken is a little golden, about 3-4 minutes
4. Add mushrooms and fry another minute.
5. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, scratching up all the sticky bits of flour of the bottom.
6. Add the thyme, stock, potatoes, and veggies.
7. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20- 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Stir often, and add a little more stock to cover the potatoes if necessary. While the stew is simmering, cut the cooked bacon into bits.
8. Stir in the cream, and heat on low another 1-2 minutes.
9. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste. I recommend lots of fresh ground pepper!
10. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with the bacon bits. Serve with a slice of fresh bread or Yorkshire pudding.

Healthy Apple Carrot Muffins

I have been looking for a snack alternative for my toddler, so I made good use of the bandh (strike) day in Kathmandu and whipped up these simple muffins. They are low-sugar and have oats and carrots in them, and are still very tasty. And of course, they don’t require a mixer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup quick cooking oats
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ⅓ cup melted butter (can substitute vegetable oil)
• 2 small eggs
• ⅓ cup plain yoghurt
• 2 grated apples
• 1 small grated carrot
• *you can also add grated beet for colour, I add about 1-2 tablespoons

Directions

1. Stir oats and yoghurt together. Set aside, best if you can let it stand for 10 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Add melted butter, sugar, and beaten eggs to yoghurt and oat mixture. Stir to combine and dissolve the brown sugar a bit.
4. Add oat mixture to flour mixture. Stir just to combine.
5. Fold in grated apples and carrot.
6. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full with mixture.
7. Bake at 175 C for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean

Mushroom Fried Rice with Crispy Tofu

Delicious, asian-inspired fried rice that is vegetarian and packed with goodness. Yum.

Despite the extensive directions, this is a relatively easy and quick meal, which can be adapted with different veggies, served without the tofu, or made non-vegetarian. It can even be vegan (remove the eggs) or gluten free.

This recipe serves 3 or 4.

*This is not a completely original idea. It adapted from this excellent recipe, which taught me how to cook the eggs just perfectly.

Ingredients

For rice & veg

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 - 4 eggs, beaten with a big pinch of salt or dash of soy sauce
• 1 onion, finely chopped. Red works nicely for colour.
• 1-2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped mushrooms. Any kind will do, i like to use a mixture of (button, oyster and shitake)
• 1 1/2 or 2 cups cooked wild rice, brown rice or a mix. Here in Nepal I use 1 cup cooked white Nepali rice mixed with 1 cup cooked brown rice.
• 1 cup shelled edamame or green peas, pre-cooked. I use the pressure cooker to pre-steam them.
• ½ cup canned corn kernel, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup other veggies if you like, such as finely chopped kale or diced red peppers
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

For tofu

• 1/2 block firm tofu, cut into 1" pieces, drained and patted dry
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• salt & pepper
• garlic powder or salt

Garnish

• sliced green onions
• toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Tofu

Toss the tofu pieces with the cornstarch, garlic salt, and a few pinches of pepper. You may want to add a few splashes of soya for extra flavour. Pieces should be covered in corn starch. Set aside.

Eggs 

Heat sesame and olive oil in a large non-stick or cast iron pan at medium-high heat. When oil is nice and hot, add eggs. Count to ten and swirl the pan so eggs cover entire pan. Let cook 45 seconds until almost or just set and then fold in half. Let cook another 30 seconds. Transfer to a cutting board or plate and leave the pan on the stove.

Tofu *this section and the next (main) should be done simultaneously

Using a separate, smaller pan, heat olive oil or coconut oil at medium high. Once hot, add the tofu pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are brown and crisp.

Main

Add onion to hot egg pan- no need to add extra oil- and cook for 1 minute. Add celery and cook another minute, until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and chili flakes if using and continue to cook, maybe 2 or 3 minutes. Add a splash more olive oil if needed, and maybe turn the heat down a tad. Add red pepper and Kale, cook another minutes. Add remaining veggies and cook until they are heated, about 2 minutes. Add rice and stir. Add soya sauce. Stir until rice is heated through and edamame are cooked.

Gently slice the egg into thin strips. Turn the heat down on the pan and gently add the egg strips to the mixture and stir lightly to combine.

Serve in bowls with crispy tofu on top. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.