This recipe is inspired by a recent segment I did on the Expresso show where we prepared a dish with barley, and it reminded me that it’s been a while since I enjoyed this chewy and nutty grain. As winter draws closer for us in the southern hemisphere this is a wonderfully warming and satisfying salad to make and enjoy.
I absolutely love chickpeas and trying new ways of serving them. Usually I go for the tinned variety as that is the most convenient option, but lately I’ve been buying dried chickpeas, cooking them in large batches and freezing them to use for hummus and dishes like this one. It’s not too much of a faff if you do a big batch each time, and works out to be more cost effective. Chickpeas have a rather earthy flavour with a touch of nuttiness, and I love cooking them with lots of spices, particularly cumin and chilli. These spicy and herby chickpeas can be served as a simple side dish or lunch alongside a salad.
An oldie but a goodie, aubergine parmigiana is a scrumptious side dish that I absolutely love. This is classic comfort food that’s perfect for serving to a crowd alongside a main meal, (although I’ll happily enjoy it for lunch with a fresh side salad too).
It has been a long time since I made a good old potato bake, but I had a sudden craving a few weeks ago! So I grabbed my James Martin cookbook, scribbled down his recipe for dauphinois which I had been wanting to try and took it on our holiday to make for the fam on one of our braai evenings. Me being me I tweaked the recipe and added a few extra bits and pieces, and it tasted amazing! Potatoes, cream, two cheeses and bacon – I’m there! And making a dish that gets a thumbs up from the entire family is always a bonus.
I am always on the hunt for different veggie side dishes to serve during the week. We eat a LOT of mushrooms in our house, and these large easy, cheesy stuffed mushrooms are one of my new favourite creations. They also fit my week night supper criteria of being quick, nutritious and very delicious!
Continue reading “Two scrumptious side dishes: carrot salad and roasted cauliflower”
Cupcakes and Couscous 