Annabella's - 'Some like it hot' tagine

Seems like we are all on the same veg detox idea!

I made a vegetable tagine last night:

2 Onions
350g Butternut squash or sweet potato (or a mix)
250g Green Beans
2 Courgettes
2 Carrots
Tin of Chickpeas
Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
Vegtable Stock
2 tsp Ras El Hanout
2 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Hot Paprika
1 tsp Ground Coriander

I put it in the slow cooker and put it on before I went to work so it was ready when I got in but you could probably cook it for an 1hr/1.5hr or so without a slow cooker. It makes quite a lot so you can freeze it too.

Also I like my food quite punchy so if you are not into hot food you might want to reduce the Ras El Hanout to 1 tsp.

You can eat it on its own or with cous cous but it was cheap, healthy and yum! Annabella

Mandy's favorite potato-gratin

• From my dear friend Mandy:  My favorite potato-gratin:
  
  Not really a veg detox recipe, but you can leave out the bacon (and think away the cream ;-))
  
  2 lb. peeled Yukon Gold potatoes
  3 cups whipping or heavy cream
  1 tsp. kosher salt
  1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  3/4 cup finely shredded Gruyère
  1/2 red onion
  300 gr bacon
  
  Heat the oven to 400°F. Using a very sharp knife or a mandoline, carefully cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices (no thicker). Cut bacon into small pieces and bake until crisp.
  
  Mix the cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, and bacon bits. Add a thin layer of this mixture to a large baking dish. Put a layer of potatoes in it, then some onions, and add some of the cream mixture over it. Do the same for a second layer. Make sure all potatoes are covered with some cream. Now, sprinkle the top surface with the cheese.
  
  Bake in the hot oven until the top is deep golden brown, the cream has thickened, and the potatoes are extremely tender when pierced with a knife, about 45-60 minutes. Don't worry if the dish looks too liquidy at this point; it will set up as it cools a bit.

Potato and Chickpea Stew with a kick

This recipe was delicious! We started our January 2012 detox with a kick! It is healthy, warming, quick to make and utterly yummy detox food.

1 pound Fingerling potatoes (I used the colored ones and it was a masterpiece picasso would have been proud of)

3 Tblspns Olive Oil
1 Onion
2 pinches saffron
3 large peppers (2 red 1 yellow but whatever you have)
2 Garlic cloves finely chopped/minced
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (few more if you like it hot)
1/2 cup medium sherry (or I used marsala wine)
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 cans (15oz) of chickpeas
2 cups water
Lots of salt and pepper

Warm the oil in a wide pot wit hteh onion saffron, peppers, garlic and potatoes. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring gently until potatoes are tender firm (20 mins or so).

Add paprika, parsley and pepper flakes and cook (for 3 or 4 mins).

Add sherry and cook until pan juices are syrupy (about 12 mins).

Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and water and cover. Season with Salt and pepper and simmer for another 20-25 mins.

Serve in soup plates. Enjoy and feel healthy. Vegetarian cooking at it's best !! x A
( Recipe adapted from Deborah Madison Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone )