Creating meals for Meatless Monday's.

Just recently I have had the opportunity to create Vegetarian meals for a friend on a regular basis.This has prompted me to get creative in the kitchen and to include chickpeas, beans and lentils into my offerings.My all time favourite is still my Vegetarian Lasagne which I will share with you today. I have two versions, Butternut and Feta Lasagne and a Mixed Roasted Vegetable and creamed Spinach Lasagne. Here is a step- by -step guide to preparing the Butternut Lasagne.

I  par - cooked two large butternuts cut in slices in salted water.

Remember the eco friendly rules and keep the peels from the butternuts for the compost heap and the seeds for the garden!

There is something special about preparing a perfect white sauce..... and licking the spoon afterwards!

 White Sauce Ingredients for a large Lasagne, otherwise use half the ingredients.

60 g Butter
60 g Cake flour
800 ml Milk
Salt and Freshly cracked black pepper
2 Cups grated Cheddar Cheese

Method:
Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook gently over a low heat. Do not allow to brown.
Remove from the heat, stir in the milk and mix vigorously to create a smooth sauce.
Place over the heat again and cook till the sauce comes to the boil. Cook until it is the consistency of runny cream and coats the back of the spoon. 
Season well and stir in the grated cheese.
Heat just enough to melt the cheese and and create a smooth sauce.
Set aside until needed.

Stir the grated cheese into the white sauce to create a rich cheese sauce.

The result, a shiny and silky cheese sauce. Any cook's delight!

Raid your herb patch and gather a generous bunch of Parsley. Wash and drain. Set aside.

  

Also from the garden, green pepper and baby tomatoes....all to add some excitement to the basic tomato sauce.

 The tomato sauce will add interest between the layers of pasta, cheese sauce and cooked butternut. For a large lasagne, use two cans of tomato and onion mix. I spiced these up with extra sauted onions, garlic, chilli, green peppers, chopped fresh parsley and baby tomatoes or roma tomatoes.
Heat through and check seasoning. Set aside. 

Create the layers of  butternut, pasta sheets, tomato sauce and cheese sauce.

For a large baking dish, I used 12 sheets of lasagne. Pre- soak them in hot water with a drop of oil in to prevent them from sticking to each other. Leave in water just long enough to soften slightly.

Drain the cooked butternut and layer between the sheets of pasta with tomato sauce and cheese sauce.

 To create the lasagne, start layering with a generous spread of tomato sauce at the base of your dish. Add the butternut and blocks of feta and then the lasagne sheets.Top with cheese sauce and repeat the layers.
Finish off the top layer of cheese sauce with a generous sprinkling of grated cheese.

Place in a pre- heated oven and cook through until the cheese layer is golden brown and bubbling.

Mmmmmm....... ready to serve with a crisp, green garden salad and a glass of White wine!

It is Earth Hour time again on Saturday 31 March 2012.

So that means it is lights off and all non essential electrical equipment to be switched off. Take time out in the dark from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm to support this cause...... and enjoy a relaxing and calming time with the gentle flicker of candles or lanterns.

Get creative with bowls of floating candles ..... this is the ideal way to relax and unwind after a busy Saturday . Add a few drops of essential oil to the water for the added benefit of the aroma from the oil.

 

Decide on a theme for this year, be it Oriental, Moroccan or African...... decorate your entertainment area accordingly and enjoy the beauty of Earth Hour.

Be a little eclectic and create a mix of Cultures....here I have a blend of Oriental and Moroccan decor, with possibly an Indian Tandoori Chicken roasting in the weber! The choice is yours....just do it and be green and earth friendly.

Should you decide on an African theme, collect all your ethnic bowls, prints and dishes and mix and match your cutlery and crockery to give a true Vintage feel at the same time. One is allowed to break all the rules these days!

Half the fun of working around a theme is unpacking all your treasured collections. Together with the blue and white Oriental  bowls and serving spoons, I will mix the Dutch Delft bowls and platters. It all sets the tone of the day, be aware of the earth, re- use, recycle and do not waste anything.

Be sure to use linen serviettes as well. It is also fun to get back to the old ways when each family member had their own servitte ring with their name engraved on it. Should you be forced to use paper serviettes or kitchen paper, ensure that you place it in the compost heap.

Continue to collect all thos ecorks from your wine bottles. If you stay in the Cape Town area, deliver them to the Vineyard Hotel and Spa in Claremont. They are supporting a project where the corks are recycled and used to make flooring for various community projects in the townships. Visit their site to learn more about their green living and social responsibility programme.

 

 

Should you be handing over any gifts, remember to wrap and decorate with nature. Use natural raffia or re-use string or ribbon. Decorate with herbs and flowers or Vintage brooches and hat pins! It may take a little longer to gather everything, but it is much wiser . Just imagine the joy when the gift is handed over. Delight and surprise your family with your creativity.

Continue to grow your own herbs and vegetables.... it can be a fun activity for the entire family. Should you not have the space or time for this, then support your local farmer's market and buy fresh, local produce. Remember to save all the pips, seeds, peels and husks for the compost heap. That goes for tea bags and filter coffee grounds as well.

Continue to turn to nature for healing and natural remedies. Use the juice of the Aloe plant on any skin allergies, scrathes or bites. Use Tea tree sprigs to cleanse the air in your home. Place sprigs under your pets' bedding to chase fleas away. Vietnamese Coriander is also used to rub on dogs fur to chase fleas away. It is also used on the floors in temples to chase away flies and insects. Try it! Should you need to relax in a hot bath at the end of the day, place a few sprigs of  Tea tree into the water to relieve aching legs and feet. The fragrant water will also soothe any itches, bites or allergies.

Say NO to plastic carrier bags! This Starbucks paper carrier says it all.....  literally use it until it falls apart and is only then destined for the compost heap. Remember to tear up or shred any newspaper when placing in the compost heap. Have a look at their site to read more on their Global Responsibility Report..... they are setting the trend!

Sit back, relax with a glass of wine and watch those candles flicker. Just think how good it would be IF  we ALL supported Earth Hour every year ? Remind your friends and family to do the same. Enjoy the magic of the candle light!

 

Easter is just a few hops away and just around the corner!

So that means it is time to dust off the baskets, the bunnies and time to get baking. This year I will be trying a recipe for the Russian Easter Cake, Kulich and also Spicy Biscuits from New Zealand.

Allow the bright colours of Easter to inspire you...... decorate your home with this colour palette and enjoy the positive effect it will have on your mood. Colours are uplifting....especially yellow at Easter time.

You are no Bunny, until you love some Bunny! Enjoy the wonderful, warm memories that come flooding through your mind when you unpack your Easter decorations. My memories are happy ones of  Easter festivities shared with family from Windhoek......and all the wonderful German Easter treats.

Decorations like this can only come from Europe..... it is an absolute feast to the senses...... the department stores are all decorated in bright yellow and are literally dripping with these wonderful Easter decorations. It is almost as delightful as shopping at Christmas time!

It is always a delight to lay a bright and cheerful Easter breakfast table. As always, I look to the garden for colour and inspiration. You will find all the green, yellow, blue and pink that you are looking for to decorate your Easter Table in the garden. Here I have golden gooseberries and fragrant, crisp, green apple mint for colour .

Easter would not be Easter without an Easter basket. Dust off your baskets that are hiding away on top of your cupboards and get creative. Here I have a selection of herbs and foliage from the garden ready to make my Easter wreath.

To create the wreath, start with a simple base using long spikes of  rosemary and work up layer upon layer to create a thick wreath. Use raffia or twine to secure the foliage as you work.

In Namibia they use the kameeldoring or thorn bush to hang their Easter decorations from. Here I used dry twigs and florists twirly spikes. You could also use branches of Cypress Tree.

Use wood wool to create a nest for your eggs. I also like the simple white colour palette of this image.

mmmmm Smell the cinnamon and spices, taste the soft, juicy, plump raisins..... Easter Tea would not be the same without warm, spicy and fruity Hot Cross Buns. Enjoy them with a good cup of tea or coffee.

Raid your cupboards and pull out all the old family egg cups and  egg coasies to add interest to your Easter breakfast table setting.

Why not get creative building up to Easter and make some homemade preserves. Here I made orange marmalade from Organic oranges....just perfect with a slice of toast and a boiled egg..... Enjoy being creative until my next post!

Bright, beautiful, orange Butternuts.

What a treat it is to receive a gift from one's compost heap.......large, lush green leaves and beautiful Butternuts! I am like a little kid checking the candy jar....except that I am checking on the slow growth of my baby butternuts. Yes, maybe I am nuts! But it is fun.

Butternut Squash ( Cucurbita Moschata) is also known as Butternut Pumpkin in Australia and New Zealand. It has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin. The flesh is bright orange with a fleshy pulp and the skin is yellow in colour . When ripe, the flesh turns deep orange and becomes sweeter and richer in flavour.

Nature has to be the best designer around...... these beauties just pop up where they desire....and in turn add interest to the foliage in the garden. I enjoy nursing their generous vines to grow in the correct direction..... but nature still does its own thing! 

Oh what joy a bright yellow flower can bring...... the hope of another butternut forming.

Perfect symmetry and beautifully arranged!

The fruit is prepared by removing the skin, stalk and seeds. Oven roasting is a common method of cooking. Popular in soups, added to casseroles and even used for breads and muffins!

To complement a tray of oven roasted butternut, prepare a selection of potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples, onions and fresh rosemary. Season well with salt, pepper and crushed garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and oven bake until soft. Puree all vegetables and fruit together . Add cocont milk to create a quick and delicious soup.

Summer or Winter, your pantry should never be without butternuts.....in Summer, create refreshing, chilled salads or simply bake butternuts sliced in half, wrapped in foil over the coals.

The Butternut Squash is a good source of fibre, vitamin C, manganese and potassium as well as vitamin A and vitamin E.

Remember to keep the cycle going and return the skin and seeds to the compost. Should you wish to propogate the seeds, simply place in a flat, open container and air dry until dry and ready for planting. Plant in soil enriched with homemade compost and keep moist until seedlings appear . Water regularly, as the butternut is a thirsty vine!

The ultimate, and slightly unusual salad....Roasted butternut  with feta cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds. Served with a drizzle of reduced Balsamic vinegar.

 This salad is an interesting malange of flavours and textures. The soft, nutty butternut, the firm and salty feta cheese, the crisp and crunchy pumpkin seeds and finally the seductive balsamic vinegar! What more could one ask for?


Go out and get creative with YOUR butternuts.....

Looking for a little Love?

Need I remind you that Tuesday 14 February is Valentine's Day....again!

LOVE is the greatest  refreshment in life...... Pablo Picasso.

Be bold this year and go Organic with herbs and flowers from your garden, or even better, stay true to our beautiful Indigenous flowers and buy a Protea bush from your local nursery.

 For even more information on Indigenous plants, visit the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens for inspiration and become a member of SANBI ( SA National Botanical Institute), and receive seedlings and be kept up to date on events at the Gardens.
Visit www.sanbi.com for more information on membership, events and the most useful information on plants indigenous in South Africa.

The ultimate retreat on Valentine's Day..... taking in a glorious sunset at the beach or on top of Table Mountain.

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness......Spurgeon.

Champagne Breakfast for two...... why not? Start off  with Champagne or MCC and freshly squeezed Orange Juice..... stay healthy and indulge in a bowl of yoghurt topped with fresh fruit in season.

Why not stay at home and enjoy your own beautiful garden? Set up your brunch outside and create a romantic setting... be it on a rug under the trees, or at the side of the pool, with the ice bucket and a bottle of  bubbly placed conveniently on the top step of the pool.

So you could not do breakfast? No problem, just arrange a lunchtime escape from the office and settle down somewhere peaceful and enjoy a crunchy, fresh salad .

This view from my Kitchen window proves that you can enjoy the beauty of nature, and a perfect sunset at home.

Staying at home can be great fun..... Pack a picnic basket and relax in the cool evening breeze. You may just discover a new way to enjoy your own garden?

Do it in style with the ice bucket and all..... raid your secret stock and surprise yourself ! Cheers .........

Share the love with your canine family as well....... If  only my Valentine boy, Shumba was still here to celebrate with me? Miss you so much my boy.

Talking about canine companions....do not forget to bake a batch of homemade peanutbutter cookies for your furry family. They will love you all the more for them.

Coffee time will not be perfect unless there is cake! This Marble Cake recipe has been circulated around our family for many years and it is still a winner!

Should you be waiting for a special dinner on Valentine's evening, enjoy a crunchy, sweet,  pick me up in the afternoon. The perfect companions....cheese and apple on rye bread.

Spread the love around your home....in each room, and outside in the garden. The colour red will also make you feel strong, powerful and in control of your day..... make it happen.

If you are going to go all out...... do it in style with a Vintage car. Isn't she beautiful? Make sure that you have the picnic basket and blanket packed in the back.

Indulge in the perfect table setting as well. Use the best white linen you have available, polish the silver cutlery and shine the crystal glasses.

If you follow some of these pointers you should have a great Valentine's Day. 
Remember that the only true gift is a portion of yourself....Ralph Valdo Emerson.