Spiced Pita Chips
You can use any spice mix you like on these. Moroccan or Middle Eastern influenced spice blends such as zaatar or dukkah taste fabulous. The lemon and pepper mix you can buy from the supermarket is also perfect on pita crisps.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Using scissors cut around each pita to produce 2 circles. Brush each pita bread circle (brown side) with olive oil, and then sprinkle on spice mix. Lay the circles on top of each other as they are ready.
- Cut into wedges by cutting each circles in half, then quarters, then each quarter into 3 triangles. Lay flat on baking trays and cook in preheated oven for 5–10 minutes or until crisp.
- Serve with your favourite dip, especially good with hummus.
Recipe thanks to Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
This and other recipes can be found at: WhyVeg.com/recipes
WhyVeg.com is an initiative of Animals Australia.
www.AnimalsAustralia.org
Roast Capsicum Soup
Despite the roasting and pureeing this soup is very quick to make and has a lovely richness.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Rub capsicums with oil. Place in a baking tray and roast until skins blister, approx 30 minutes.
- Put tomatoes, onion, chilli and garlic in another baking tray, toss with oil, salt and pepper and roast at the same temperature until soft, about 30 minutes.
- Remove and discard seeds and skins from tomatoes and capsicum.
- Puree the tomato, capsicum, onion, garlic and chilli with cooking juices. Pass through a sieve.
- Place puree into a saucepan and add enough stock to bring soup to a good consistency.
- Bring soup to the boil. Check seasoning.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
Recipe thanks to Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
This and other recipes can be found at: WhyVeg.com/recipes
WhyVeg.com is an initiative of Animals Australia.
www.AnimalsAustralia.org
You Will Need:
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 1 eggplant, cut into 2 cm chunks
- 1 red capsicum, cut into 2 cm chunks
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 1 zucchini, cut into 2 cm chunks
Moroccan Eggplant and Capsicum Kebabs
Vegetable kebabs may seem an old-fashioned idea, but here they’re combined with spices to make them more palatable for modern tastes.
Directions:
- Mix the garlic, spices, salt, pepper and oil. Toss with the vegetables until coated and marinate for 1 hour so all the flavours can infuse.
- Thread the vegetables onto 10 skewers.
- Put the kebabs on a hot barbecue and cook for 10–15 minutes, turning 3–4 times.
Recipe thanks to Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
This and other recipes can be found at: WhyVeg.com/recipes
WhyVeg.com is an initiative of Animals Australia.
www.AnimalsAustralia.org
You Will Need:
- 300 g (1 1/2 cups) dried pinto beans, soaked in cold water
- Oil for cooking
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red capsicum, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 small red chillies, de-seeded and diced
- 2–3 tablespoons chopped coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 90 g (1/2 cup) polenta
- Chilli salsa to serve
Mexican bean cakes
They can also be made smaller and served as an entrée and are delicious served with our Chilli Slasa!
Directions:
- Place the soaked beans in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 30–40 minutes, until tender, topping up the water if needed. Drain and mash roughly.
- Heat a small frypan over a medium heat. Add a splash of oil, the onion and capsicum and cook for 4–5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and chillies and cook for a further 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add to the mashed beans, along with the coriander and spices.
- Season with salt and pepper and shape into 12 cakes. Coat lightly with polenta.
- Place the burgers on a hot barbecue plate and cook for 5–6 minutes, rotating as needed. Turn them over and cook for a further 5 minutes, again rotating as needed.
- Serve with Chilli Slasa.
Recipe thanks to Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
This and other recipes can be found at: WhyVeg.com/recipes
WhyVeg.com is an initiative of Animals Australia.
www.AnimalsAustralia.org
Chilli Salsa
A combo of tomato and cucumber with a decent chilli kick. Great when you want to add a burst of flavour to barbecued food or as a pre-dinner dip with sliced baguette.
Directions:
- Finely dice the tomatoes and cucumber.
- Stir through the coriander, oil, lemon juice and chillies.
- Season with salt and pepper and allow to stand for 30 minutes before using.
Recipe thanks to Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
This and other recipes can be found at: WhyVeg.com/recipes
WhyVeg.com is an initiative of Animals Australia.
www.AnimalsAustralia.org
Salad of Summer Fruits with Watermelon Granita
Very much a summer treat that is light, refreshing and delicious.
Directions:
- The day before chop watermelon, discarding skins and pips. Place in food processor with sugar and white spirit and blend until smooth. Strain this through into a sieve. Discard any remaining pulp. Tip watermelon juice into a shallow baking tray and freeze overnight.
- Make salad by removing the skins and pith of the citrus fruits. Remove the segments from the membranes so that each segment is free from any pith or seeds.
- Either dice melon or scoop balls using a melon baller.
- Remove leaves from strawberries, cut in half in necessary and wash.
- Combine all fruits in a bowl and set aside.
- Remove granita from freezer, flake with a fork.
- Divide fruit salad between 6 glass bowls.
- Add a large spoonful of granita and serve.
Variation:
Chef’s Tip: Place glass bowls in freezer to chill them down. This will help prevent the granita from melting too quickly when served.
Recipe thanks to Allan Campion and Michele Curtis
This and other recipes can be found at: WhyVeg.com/recipes
WhyVeg.com is an initiative of Animals Australia.
www.AnimalsAustralia.org