#EatYourGreens August Round Up

We have  7 seasonal green recipes to share for Eat Your Greens this month. 

The first Eat Your Greens recipe comes from Lisa Kitchen.  Lisa shared with us Mung Beans with Fresh Mustard Greens.  Lisa describes Mustard Greens like fresh chard leaves infused with a little hot mustard, but don't worry if you can't get them from a local South Asian or Oriental grocers.  I f you want to make this recipe, Lisa suggests substituting with spinach, kale and collard greens with a good pinch of dried mustard powder.   

Johanna who blogs over at Green Gourmet Giraffe shares with us some Zucchini aka Courgette Muffins, the savoury kind.   The zucchini muffins are enhanced further with cheddar cheese.  I think we all need more savoury muffins in our lives, I know I do. 

Kate from GlutenFree Alchemist also shared with us a courgette recipe.  Kate like me is growing courgettes and has been drowning in them, this gorgeous glutenfree Cacao Courgette Breakfast Cake was made in an attempt to tame that deluge.  Its one I will be making soon.

Ray who blogs at The Humble Lentil.  Ray shares with us a Thali comprising of Chana Dal, homemade Masala Kraut, Coconut Yogurt and Naan Bread, but it is the Green Bean and Potato Sabzi that he shares with EatYourGreens. 

Next we have Corina who blogs over at Searching for Spice with her amazing Spiced Vegetable Fries made with avocados, courgettes and green beans.  You will not feel guilty eating these either as they are baked not fried.  

My co-host the Veg Hog shares with us a bowl of Green and Golden Thai Curry.  This bowl has lot of interesting seasonal vegetables and tofu, but its the pak choi that makes it really  green. 

And finally, my own contribution which was a Stuffed Zucchini Tondo di Piacenza with Ricotta and Pine Nuts. 

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to #EatYourGreens, please do take time to visit and comment on every contributors recipe if you can.  

The Veg Hog will be hosting #EatYourGreens challenge this month.  Please Follow this link on how to join in.  

Zucchini and Sweetcorn Tart

Another pastry tart.

This one was made on Friday after work.  It is Mustard Tamari Zucchini and Sweetcorn Tart.

We enjoyed it, but I think if I was to make this Mustard Tamari Zucchini and Sweetcorn Tart again, I would do individual portions, that is divide the puff pastry into 4 or 6 portions before lading it with these vegetables. 

What is nice about this tart is the marinade coating the vegetables made with mustard and tamari, it really transforms simple vegetables into something quite tasty.

Fresh Chickpeas, Patty Pans and Sunflowers

Its nearly the end of August and the garden is producing fruit and vegetables at a pace that I cannot keep up with, still I am pleased with myself that this year compared to the past four years that I have done well.

This is the first year that this garden has fed us well.  

Here are just a handful of fruit and vegetables picked this week.  It includes French Bean Climbing Purple Cascade, Plums, Courgette Squash Striato di Napoli , Sunburst Squash patty pans and some nasturtium flowers which have been adorning many a meal lately.  

Early in the week, I had also picked some nasturtium seeds and made Pickled Nasturtium Seed Pods that will be used in place of capers; and nasturtium leaves for nasturtium pesto for a potato salad.  

We finally have some sunflowers, they really do cheer up a garden.  I picked up a mixed bag of sunflower seeds, so its a variety  from dwarf sunflowers to Russian Sunflower which has yet to open its head - if you look at the above picture, its the one in the far left corner.  Its definitely 9 foot tall and maybe still growing.  D wants me to grow giant Sunflowers next year, well they are impressive. The sunflower on the right is just over 5 foot like me.  

Aglio, Olio e Peperonicino with Green Beans

Fast Pasta dishes are my go to meals when I get home late from work; and these kind of meals are the ones that are often not photographed either due to poor lighting or hunger pangs more of a priority than blogging.  

Another thing to say about fast pasta kind of meals is that I don't often measure the ingredients and eyeball them, so it never tastes the same the next time round,  but always hits the hungry spot. 

A few days ago, I made this Spaghetti Pasta Aglio, Olio e Peperonicino with Green Beans from the garden plot.  Well they were actually purple beans until they hit the water and turned a dull green. 

Griddled Summer Vegetable and Machego Cheese Tart

This Griddled Summer Vegetable Tart is made mostly with seasonal courgettes -  zucchini and red and yellow peppers and finished off with slithers of Manchego Cheese.

This Summer Vegetable Tart is adapted a little from Cranks Fast Food by Nadine Abensur.  
Cranks Fast Food is the one cookbook I have cooked pretty much everything from it.  Its a cookbook I have had with me since my University days and I still continue to fall back on it on days when I want something relatively fast to prepare and tasty to eat.  

Runner Bean Salad

I have had a lazy weekend.  I have had a lie in which for me is often around 7.30am, then I was up.  I spent a few hours in the back garden, weeding and harvesting and D mowed the front garden. Then I spent a couple of hours in the kitchen - baking but part of it wondering what to do with the purple beans and runner beans harvested from the garden plot. 

I  think I may have mentioned before that I do struggle to know what to do with runner beans.  

Runner beans are often served as a side, and this Runner Bean Salad can also side but can hold its own too; and if you want to make it more substantial stir in some cous cous.

This Runner Bean Salad is made with thinly sliced red onion, black olives and and seasoned olive oil and white wine vinegar dressing, oh yes and runner beans, that have been cooked until they are al dente. 

I am sharing this simple Runner Bean Salad with Soups, Salads and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen.  

Hasselback Zucchini in Smoky Puy Lentil Stew

I was going to slice my homegrown zucchini in a fantail effect, then I remembered bookmarking Hasselback Courgettes from Gluten Free SCD and Veggie which was shared with #EatYourGreens last year.  

However, I still did not get round to making the recipe, but I was inspired by the Hasselback effect for the courgettes in this Smoky Puy Lentil Stew.

The weather here in the UK has been changeable.  One day its really really hot, and then the next day its pouring with rain and the temperature drops a little that you want something a little warming.  It was on one of those muggy wet days last week that this Hasselback Zucchini in Smoky Puy Lentil Stew was made.  

Old Fashioned Zucchini - Courgette Balls

Vegetable based or bean based 'meatballs' fall out of the limelight all the time as they are deemed old fashion, but give it another name and its Amazing... 

This way of making vegetarian meatballs with mashed beans, shredded vegetables, fresh herbs, cheese and binded with both breadcrumbs and egg can be found in many old cookbooks from the 1960s to the 1990s.

And now even in new cookbooks.  Except there is a difference.

Stuffed Courgette Tondo di Piacenza with Ricotta and Pine Nuts

Are you getting tired of my Courgette -  Zucchini recipes?!

If so, I am not that sorry as I am still set to continue with this seasonal vegetable.

Today, I share with you Stuffed Courgette Tondo di Piacenza with Ricotta.

This Courgette Tondo di Piacenza  with Ricotta with Pine Nuts is a little fancy to eat and sounds like a lot of faff to make, but it is actually quite simple to assemble.  The time consuming part is the hollowing out, the rest is a breeze.

Briam - Easy Greek Vegetable Bake

This Greek Vegetable Bake is known as Briam.  Briam  is one of those dishes my Greek flat-mates at University used make and eat after a long day at lectures and tutorials.   

In fact, it was not my Greek flat mates that introduced this Briam or Moussaka, but another Greek girl staying two floors down that frequented the lads, she realised I was vegetarian and one day brought some over for me to try.  It was delicious and she told me how to make it and I thought, well that is easy.   It is also one of the reasons I veered towards making it last week during the working week, straight after work.   

Zucchini - Courgette Orzo Pasta Salad

There is nothing fancy about this Orzo Pasta Salad, though I must admit it is quite colourful.

It was made last week for the working week, again making the most of my Zucchini aka courgettes growing in my garden, this time the stripy kind called Courgette Squash Striato di Napoli.  

I say its not fancy as its made with odd bits of vegetable either in the fridge or the vegetable basket like red and yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes and wilting rocket.  The dressing is simple made with equal part good olive oil and white wine vinegar and seasoned to taste.  I usually throw in some chopped cucumber, but that is where the Zucchini comes into play, it replaces the cucumber for crunch.

I am sharing this simple Roasted Zucchini and Popped Black Bean Salad with Soups, Salads and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen.  

Zucchini Black Bean Croquettes

These Zucchini Black Bean Croquettes still waiting to be encrusted in Panko - Japanese breadcrumbs were made with black beans left over for popped black beans last week.  

I did not use canned beans but cooked them from scratch, sometimes I just like put myself through that time consuming ritual of soaking beans overnight, simmering them until soft tenderness and then cooking or baking with them.

We had these Zucchini Black Bean Croquettes twice last week.  Once as part of a vegetarian breakfast minus the baked beans as there are beans in the croquettes;  and one of the days we had it as part of a 'light buffet style meal' raiding left overs from the fridge and a green salad, as the weather was quite warm and I did not wish to be stuck in the kitchen.  By the way, this is what the finished panko crumbed croquettes looked like.  I know they don't look particularly attractive naked.
 

Zucchini, Apricot and Pumpkin Seed Flapjacks

Ah I am feeling a little mentally tired today to blog, so share a very simple Zucchini, Apricot and Pumpkin Seed Flapjacks I made over the weekend for the working week.

Bloody Mary and Black Garlic Ketchup

I have got quite a few good and interesting things in my kitchen this month, but have not got round to photographing them as natural lighting is poor, so I will share them next month.  

Still for In My Kitchen this August we have plenty of zucchini known as courgettes in the UK and Summer Squash known as Marrow in the UK.

Homegrown Rhubarb Strawberry Chia Seed Crumble

I made this Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble with the addition of chia seeds in the oat topping a few weeks back.

Since then the strawberries in the garden have come to a halt, I have to admit they have not been as productive this year as they have previous years.  Perhaps they are getting old and I need to renew the ground with new strawberry plants.  Also I have noted the wild strawberries from the neighbours garden are creeping into ours, oppressing the growth of the traditional strawberries with vigorous leafage growth. 

The rhubarb plant however is doing fabulously, emerging from the earth in true style . 

Birmingham Bears: Bearmingham - Big Sleuths

We were in the city of Birmingham a couple of weeks ago for a short break.

On the day we were leaving Painted Bear sculptures dubbed as The Big Sleuths were going on display all over the city.  There are over 100, but we managed to see a whole load purely by accident whilst wandering the city centre. 

You can also find the Big Sleuths at the Arcadian, Brindleyplace, Custard Factory, Gas Street Basin, Jewellery Quarter, Sea Life Centre and other locations in the city.  They will be on display until the 17th September 2017.

Let me first introduce you to Bearmingham.

Roasted Zucchini - Courgette. Cherry Tomatoes and Popped Black Bean Salad

I mentioned in a previous blog post that I don't quite get the fuss around popped beans,  and now having made some at home, I am still bemused.  

Also I was a little unsure how to use them having now made them, as they are not like traditional popcorn made with corn, but waste not want not - I decided to scatter them over some Savoury Courgette Muffins and this Roasted Zucchini and Cherry Tomato Salad.  

The Popped Black Beans were elevated further by the generous dusting of some Outback Spirit Tasmanian Pepper Salt that Johanna sent to me last month.  I love it, so flavourful and zesty.  I can happily dip my finger in the bag and suck, but I am a grown up woman and won't do that, well that is what I am telling you.   

Zucchini - Courgette, Popped Black Beans and Feta Muffins

I did have plans on making some Green Grass scones that I had bookmarked, but with the courgettes coming from my garden fast and furiously, I decided to use some of them for these Savoury Courgette, Popped Black Bean Muffins.

I had made the popped black beans over the weekend as I was curious to see what the fuss was about this trendy food gimmick of popping beans such as black beans, chickpeas and kidney beans.  Once made, I was not quite sure how to use them as not like your usual popped corn kernels that are pretty like snowflakes.  These popped black beans looked a little messy and not particularly photogenic.  

Also these Popped Black Beans were not really crunchy liked popped corn, but soft inside and a little crisp on the outside.  I didn't dislike them, but I don't think it is something that I would make at home for us again.  I'd only make it again to share it with curious guests, but then I would try a different recipe. Since making these popped black beans, I have found two other recipes that look a little more tasty.  The recipes are from Community Food Coop (2011) and Adora's Box (2012)*. I won't share the one that I used from a cookbook and I won't pretend that the popped black beans is my idea either.

I will say one positive thing about the popped black beans though, they make for an interesting addition to a salad dish scattered over.  I don't think they really add anything in flavour, but more in colour and texture.  

Hence the reason, I decided to scatter some of the Popped Black beans over these Savoury Courgette, Feta Muffins; and some were scattered with pumpkin seeds .

The savoury Courgette, and Feta Muffins were delicious though, we are still eating them - three days later.

I am sharing the Savoury Savoury Zucchini - Courgette, Popped Black Beans and Feta  Muffins with Treat Petite hosted by The Baking Explorer and CakeyBoi; 

Welcoming August Eat Your Greens

August is here and it is my turn to host the Eat Your Greens challenge this month.  To participate this month, just share a vegan or vegetarian recipe that is made with green vegetables on your blog.  Then copy the link to the comment section below.  The deadline is the 30th August 2017.

For more details Follow this link on how to participate just please remember to link back to the host page (this page) and co-host The VegHog.   The use of the logo is optional, but appreciated.

If you are tweeting your recipe, please use #EatYoursGreens #eatyourgreens and include @SeasonalShaheen @TheVegHog and we will retweet all those that we see.   

If you want some Eat Your Greens inspiration, see what food bloggers from around the world shared in February , then check out my co-host The Veg Hog for inspiration.