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Go veggie this March with Canned Food UK

24th February 2013 Print
Pinto and Pumpkin Casserole with a Cheese and Herb crust

Have you ever considered making a change to your diet and going veggie for a couple of days a week? With ‘Veggie Month’ taking place throughout all of March, there really isn’t a better time to ditch the meat-laden meals and opt for delicious vegetable rich dishes instead. Forget all you’ve heard about vegetarian meals being bland or boring; with these exciting recipes brought to you by Canned Food UK you can be sure that mealtimes will be a vegetarian taste sensation.

The vegetarian diet is well known for its health benefits and, by following these simple recipes and increasing the amount of vegetarian meals in your life, you can greatly lower your risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Cutting down on your meat intake can also help the environment, due to the vast amounts of carbon emissions associated with meat production. So, what are you waiting for? Make a small change to your diet today and reap the rewards from now onwards!

We all know that buying fresh vegetables can sometimes be expensive, not to mention having the added pressure of eating them within a short amount of time to avoid them going off. However, with canned food you can get your vegetable fix for less and what’s more, their long-lasting shelf life means that they are ready to be used whenever you are. Canned fruit and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh too, as all the natural goodness is locked in the can during the canning process.

To kick-start your new veggie diet, get your hands on a few cans of beans. Beans of all varieties can be used as a staple ingredient for many delicious veggie meals, not to mention the fantastic health benefits that they hold. Three heaped teaspoons of any kind of bean make up one of your 5-A-DAY and they are also naturally filling, so will leave you feeling fuller for longer.

For a hearty bean-filled meal, why not give our Pinto and Pumpkin Casserole with a Cheese and Herb Crust a go? This great dish is perfect for feeding all of the family and is a fantastic way to introduce vegetarian meals to the kids. Or, if you’re stuck for time and need something that can be rustled up in 10 minutes, try our Cannellini Bean and Farfalle Pasta; another delicious veggie option that’s great for your health, as well as your tastebuds!

For a twist on a classic Indian dish why not try our Vegetable and Chickpea Balti? A wonderful taste of the exotic, this simple yet delicious meal is a far healthier alternative to the standard meaty Indian takeaway. Packed full of healthy ingredients such as spinach and chickpeas, this delight of a dish is full of flavour and served up with naan bread and a spoon full of natural yoghurt makes for a perfect veggie substitute on a Saturday night in.

For even more tempting vegetarian recipes visit cannedfood.co.uk or download Canned Food UK’s free u.can cook iPhone app, which features more than 80 delicious recipes, plus several step-by step video demonstrations featuring celebrity chef James Martin.

Pinto and Pumpkin Casserole with a Cheese and Herb crust
Serves 4

Ingredients
500g (1lb) pumpkin (or butternut squash), peeled, deseeded and chopped
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red pepper, de-seeded and diced
1 green pepper, de-seeded diced
1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried basil
1 x 400 g can vegetable soup
1 x 420g can pinto beans, drained
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh parsley, chopped

Cheese and herb crust:
1 small baguette
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
85 g (3oz) Parmesan, grated

Method
1. Place the butternut squash in a large pan with about 600 ml (1 pint) water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until tender. Using a hand blender or food processor, puree the pumpkin with the cooking liquid so that you have a fairly thin puree.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic and peppers and cook over a moderate heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add the basil, canned soup and canned beans. Bring to the boil, stirring, and then simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin puree, lemon juice and parsley. Spoon the bean mixture into a baking dish.

4. To make the crust, cut the baguette into thin slices and brush with olive oil. Arrange on top of the bean mixture and scatter over the herbs and Parmesan.

5. Place the dish under a preheated hot grill for 4 – 5 minutes until the bread is golden brown and crisp.

Nutritional value per serving
Calories: 525
Protein: 22 g
Carbohydrates: 67 g
Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 6.1 g
Fibre: 5.8 g

Cannellini Bean and Farfalle Pasta
Serves 4

Ingredients
500g easy cook farfalle pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
410g can cannellini beans, drained
1 tbsp green pesto
1 finely chopped red onion
290g can sliced button mushrooms, drained
2 finely chopped courgettes
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube
Water to cover

Method
1. Add the olive oil, onion and courgettes to a large, heated pan and allow to cook for a minute. Add the mushrooms and stir together the ingredients. Once stirred, allow to cook for a further two minutes. Add the cannellini beans and pesto and mix together.

2. Crumble a stock cube into the pan, add the pasta and give all the ingredients a good stir.

3. Add enough water to just cover the dry ingredients and allow to simmer for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid will thicken to a sauce as the pasta cooks.

4. Split the dish into four equal portions and serve.

Nutritional value per serving
Calories: 382
Protein: 10 g
Carbohydrate: 63 g
Fat: 9 g

Vegetable and Chickpea Balti
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp curry paste (strength of your choice)
2 x 392g can vegetable tikka masala
1 x 400g can chick peas, drained
1 x 400g can new potatoes, halved
1 x 265g can chopped spinach, drained
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently cook the onion, garlic and curry paste for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured.

2. Add the vegetable tikka masala, chick peas and potatoes and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

3. Add the spinach and mix thoroughly. Cook for a further 3 minutes.

4. Add the coriander and serve the balti with naan bread and natural yoghurt.

Nutritional value per serving
Calories: 196
Protein: 8 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fat: 8 g
Fibre: 5 g

More Photos - Click to Enlarge

Pinto and Pumpkin Casserole with a Cheese and Herb crust Cannellini Bean and Farfalle Pasta Vegetable and Chickpea Balti