Anything in the cupboards? Mix it up veg!

Anything in the cupboards? Mix it up veg!

February already! Valentines day will soon be here (for those of us it interests!) and I am working on some great recipes to tantalize those taste buds and get you in the mood for love! <3

Yesterday I found myself at a friends house at dinner time…a meat loving, dairy eating friend but nonetheless we still managed to pull together something I could eat! 🙂 So, if you are thinking about changing your diet to something healthier, possibly free-from or maybe vegetarian or even vegan, don’t even begin to worry about not being able to eat at someone else’s house! This is also great if payday hasn’t been and you’re stuck preparing something nutritious and tasty for dinner! This recipe is therefore to prove that healthy food can be quick, simple and cooked up in any kitchen! Big hugs to my very good friend for letting me root through her cupboards and freezer! and no I still don’t want to try the chicken! 😛

Gather

Olive oil spray (or dash of oil of choice – such as coconut oil)
1 large onion diced
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped (or 1.5 teaspoons garlic granules/salt)
mug of water
4 teaspoons of basil (or other available green/mixed herbs)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper (freshly ground black pepper if you have it)
pinch of hot chilli powder
1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
cold water as needed (I used two tomato tins full)
500g (approximately half a bag) of frozen mixed vegetables
1 bundle of frozen spinach (you could omit this or add fresh)

Prepare

Heat the oil in a large pan (I used a non stick wok) and add the onion and fresh garlic. Cook until the pan is drying and add some of the water from the mug.
Add the basil, salt, pepper and chilli powder (and garlic if using dried), then allow the pan to dry out again. Add some more water from the mug and repeat this process until the onions are cooked through and moist.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan then fill the can with water and add to the pan. Stir to mix and allow to cook for ten minutes. The tomatoes should begin to break down and become like a sauce – add more water (I added another can in stages) if the sauce looks dry.
When you are happy with the sauce, add the frozen mixed vegetables and stir into the sauce. Cook through for five minutes then add the spinach. Cook through for a further five minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Enjoy!

Serve

My host had some brown rice so I was very happy to eat my Mix it up Veg with that!
You could partner it with any grain available, pasta or bread (if you eat them) or a fresh crispy salad.
This would also make a tasty accompaniment to nut based dishes.
If I’d found chick peas or kidney beans in the cupboard I would probably have added a half a tin of them and of course… everything tastes even greater with toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top!