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by janicetripepi

My 144 Calorie Beetroot Falafel Burger Wonder!

February 27, 2013 in Janice Tripepi, Light and Lean Recipes ... Hip Friendly!, Lunchtime Recipes, Meatfree Mondays, Middle Eastern Magic, Vegetarian Meals

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I just LOVE Saturdays!  TrickyRicky stops off at Essenwood Market in Musgrave Road and brings me a falafel and salad wrap home for lunch.  It feels like such an indulgence when I sink my teeth into those spicy little balls!  Last weekend Karmie and I decided to go and do a really long and intense workout in the gym, followed by a leisurely shower and then off to the beach for breakfast.

Winter is flirting with us early in Durban.  Our mornings are fresh and getting up early is such a pleasure.  We were greeted with the most spectacular day and the beach was simply magical.  The sea was wearing her favourite diamond necklace that sparkled with such lustre as to take ones breath away.  All in all, it was a perfect day.  The only problem was that TrickyRicky had meetings and was unable to make it to the market!  NO falafel!

You know what they say about when the going gets tough?  By Sunday I could think of absolutely NOTHING but falafels and came up with these!

Beetroot Falafel Burgers

Falafel Beetroot Burgers served with Tomato & Brinjal Relish and Rocket in a Pita
Falafel Beetroot Burgers served with Tomato & Brinjal Relish and Rocket in a Pita

Makes 4 patties

I made a batch of light beef burgers for TrickyRicky at the same time and served both up in pita breads with a roasted tomatoe and brinjal relish.  The carnivore inside TrickyRicky simply couldn’t get his head around a meatfree Sunday, so needs must.  I will post the light and lean burger recipes as well as the relish recipe next.

Ingredients

L&L Falafel & Beetroot Burger (2)

1 tin – 218g chick peas (264 calories)

2T flour (64 calories)

1 red onion finely chopped (57 calories)

139g cooked beetroot cut into a small dice (111 calories)

50ml coriander (5 calories)

2tsp ground coriander (10 calories)

1tsp ground cumin (8 calories)

1-2tsp ground chilli (8 calories)

2tsp finely chopped chili (8 calories)

5ml olive oil (40calories)

Salt & pepper

Total = 575 calories which is only 144 calories per patty

Method

Gently fry the chopped garlic and red onion in the olive oil until they are translucent.

Add the ground chili, cumin and coriander to the pan and roast the spices for about 1 minute.

This helps to bring out all of the flavour of the spices.

L&L Falafel & Beetroot Burger (42)

Drain the chick peas and place into your food processor together with the flour, fresh coriander, ground cumin and coriander, chopped chili, salt and pepper

Check out the action shot!
Check out the action shot!

Pulse about 4 times – so that the mixture is not quite a paste.  I prefer a little texture in my patty so by all means blitz to a smooth paste if you prefer.

L&L Falafel & Beetroot Burger (76)

Check for seasoning and fold in the diced beetroot.

This is the texture that I like .... not too smooth.
This is the texture that I like …. not too smooth.

 

Fold in the garnet cubes of beetroot!
Fold in the garnet cubes of beetroot!

Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts.  Roll each quarter into a ball and flatten with your hand to form a nicely shaped patty.

L&L Falafel & Beetroot Burger (106)

You could dry fry these patties in a non-stick pan if you wish but I added a spray of olive oil a pan and fried them.

L&L Falafel & Beetroot Burger (120)

Using a spray bottle of olive oil is a great way to save on carbs ... any make will do! I just happen to have this one! I am not sponsored by them!
Using a spray bottle of olive oil is a great way to save on carbs … any make will do! I just happen to have this one! I am not sponsored by them!

These puffy little sweet and spicy patties are really quite filling.  You won’t be able to manage two but my goodness did they hit my spot ……

So what is the total calorie count of a Falafel Beetroot Burger served in a pita with rocket and my brinjal and tomato relish

Falafel Burger 144 calories

Pita Bread 77 calories

Brinjal & Tomato Relish 42 calories

rocket leaves  10 calories

Total 273 calories!  I have 1728 calories a day which I divide up into 500 calories per meal and a snack – so you can see 273 calories is wonderfully low!

My 243 calorie wonder!
My 273 calorie wonder!

 

Click here to Try these Spicy Falafel Wraps

I lost 1,2kg’s last week!

As always

Buon appetito

Jan

xx

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by janicetripepi

A Spicy Moroccan Pumpkin and Apple Soup! Come on baby light your fire!

July 18, 2012 in Janice Tripepi, Lunchtime Recipes, Meatfree Mondays, Middle Eastern Magic, Soups, Venetian Food, Winter Meals

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Moroccan Style Pumpkin & Apple Soup with Beer & Cheese Bread

On the weekend of the July Handicap, my girlfriend Kami and I decided to get out of Durban for the day. I have no affection for equestrian events such as the July Handicap and the throngs of mindless sheep that it attracts; so a trip up the hill past Pietermaritzburg to the fresh air of the Midlands Meander was in order.

Carols beautiful home grown Pumpkin

You will remember that Carol, my friend who lives in Underberg, stayed with me during her recent  chemo and radiation therapy, she managed to pop home to Underberg and her beloved hubby, Mikey on the odd weekends.  As soon as the nurses at the Oncology Centre had pulled that needle out on a Friday, Carol was in her bakkie and racing back home.  What a super star she was hey!  Anyway, I digress!  Carol would arrive back at my house on a Monday  morning with half of the contents of her considerable veggie garden and every single egg that her various breeds of ducks and chickens had lain!  Not to mention half of Pucketty’s and litres of honey from Peels Honey!

She bought back a beautiful home grown pumpkin sometime in April and I have been waiting for the inspiration fairies to whack me over the head with their wands ever since.   A quick stop at the German deli up in Balgowan yielded a stash of awesome Bokwurst and Kasegrillers, a sublime authentic ‘Jawol Mein Her” Apfelstrudel – an even more sublime Potato Bread – and an authentic un-glazed brazier for my Tagine from the ceramicist next door to the German deli.  I have been looking for one of these forever!  I could hardly contain myself and have cooked on it twice already.

The obvious choice became a Pumpkin Tagine with which I would make a hearty winter soup.  I used a recipe from a book that I bought recently.  ‘The Food of Morocco’ – a journey for food lovers by Tess Mallos, is pretty much a generic version of the same book that is printed with different covers.

Kami and I also stopped at the Nottingham Road Brewery at Rawdons in Nottingham Road for a beer tasting session.  I have never enjoyed beer very much but my pallet seems to be changing and I quaffed down four of the famous brews with great enjoyment.  I bought a selection of their finest and a round of their Pickled Pig Cheese to make a nice beer bread to accompany this soup.

El cook book!

I used a Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Stew recipe as a guideline only, opting to replace the sweet potato with granny smith apples for a bit of a counterpoint for the sweet honey roasted pumpkin.

 

 

Pumpkin and Apple
Tagine

Based on the Pumpkin
and sweet potato stew recipe from the book

The Food of Morocco pg. 84

Serves 6

Ingredients

100ml olive oil or 60g butter

2 onions chopped medium size

4 cloves of sliced garlic

3 granny smith apples – peeled, cored and cut into chunks.

½ pumpkin or butternut squash – peeled and cut into chunks

1 cinnamon stick

1tsp ground ginger – I didn’t have any so I used preserved stem ginger in syrup

1tsp ground turmeric

1Tbs honey

2tsp of Harissa Paste – or ½tsp of ground cayenne pepper

500ml chicken or vegetable stock for the tagine

An additional 500ml to liquidise the cooked Pumpkin in.

A pinch of saffron threads

Salt and pepper to taste

2 sprigs of rosemary

200ml fresh cream

Chopped pumpkin, apple and onion.

Method

Make a fire in your
brazier if you have one – if you don’t use a heavy based pot on the top of your
stove and once all of your ingredients are in put a lid on and bake it in the
oven.

Light your coals in the brazier.

Once the coals are
white place you tagine on the brazier

Once your coals have turned white they are ready to cook on!

Soften the onion and garlic in the oil – add the ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper or harissa paste
and fry for 5 minutes.    The spicy aromas are just wonderful.

Soften the garlic and onions in oil or butter.

Add a pinch of saffron
threads and your choice of either chicken or vegetable stock.

Bring to the boil and
then add your chunks of apple, pumpkin, honey, salt and pepper to taste and
give the tagine a good stir.  Place the
lid on and cook until the pumpkin and apple are soft.

On my little fire
this took about 2 hours – I did add a few extra coals after about an hour to
get the heat up again.

Once your veggies are
nice and soft – liquidise with the extra stock and fresh cream.

The pumpkin and apple are cooked, the stock has reduced and is ready to liquidise.

Serve with nice hot
and crusty bread.  I made a loaf of beer
bread with the Nottingham Road Brewery Pickled Pig Porter – a dark milk stout and
will post that recipe on Wednesday.

Beer bread photographed as the sun was setting.

Spicy Apple & Pumpkin Moroccan Soup served with a sprinkle of Dukkah.

Dukkah is a mix or seeds and spices that originates in Egypt and adds a nice crunch and

spicy aromas to your soup.

Dukkah.

At the rate I am
going today, this is going to have to be a Meat Free Tuesday recipe!

In fact I think that I will post this tomorrow and put up my answers to Pink Polka Dots weekly quiz.

PS: Well – I am only getting around to posting today!  So this is a Meat Free Wednesday Post!

Just heard that Sardines have been spotted on the South Coast!

As always

Buon Appetito

Xxx

jan

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by janicetripepi

Kibbeh Bil Sanieh: Spicy Baked Lebanese Lamb

February 2, 2012 in Lamb .... cooking with Lamb, Middle Eastern Magic

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Kibbeh Bil Sanieh is Spiced Baked Lamb with Bulgur Wheat & Pine Nuts.

 

I have been chasing my own tail for the last few days.  So much is happening here around la casa Tripepi, not the least of which is a last minute trip to Underberg this weekend.  I haven’t been to the Midlands since last year so I am incredibly excited to be saying goodbye to Durban and wending my way up the hill to some fresh mountain air.  This is just what I need. 

Carol has been a regular visitor here lately and every time she visits I score loads of wonderful fresh eggs and veggies from her farm.  I intend to photograph this veggie garden for all to see.  I just love a chat with her animals and sunrise in the veggie patch appeals to me no end!  I wonder if I will see any fairies!  I will go and see what the Underberg Meat Supply has on offer and a trip to Puckety’s farm stall is a given. 

This Lamb Kibbeh recipe is another Middle Eastern favourite of mine – and I have eaten a raw version of this dish made with minced leg of lamb.  It was kind of the Lebanese equivalent of steak tartar and it was absolutely delicious.

Some of our closest friends, Mike and Charmaine Makaab are both from Lebanese lineage and for many years we lived in a townhouse complex on the Berea together.  The entire complex was overflowing with Tripepi’s, Domiro’s, Makaabs and Quattrocchi’s; all the children grew up together.  We used to fondly refer to our block as the “Pueblo Ponderosa”.  Charmaine would spoil us with some of her Lebanese specialities such as fish Kibbeh, a version of this dish that is absolute heavenly with its orange perfume, pine nuts and sweet onions.

 

Crunchy, spicy Lebanese baked layered Lamb ... Kibbeh bil Sanieh.

Kibbeh Bil Sanieh

Layered Lamb and Bulgur Wheat

 

The Paste

 Ingredients

2 cups of Bulgur Wheat

400g Lamb mince

1 large onion

1Tbs ground cumin

1tsp allspice

Olive oil

1 tsp Salt & 1 tsp black pepper

 

The Filling

1Tbs olive oil, plus some extra for brushing

2 onions finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic

1tsp ground cinnamon

1Tbs ground cumin

500g lamb mince

½ cup raisins

100g toasted pine nuts

For the Paste .... combine your ingredients in a food processor.

 

Soak the bulgur wheat in cold water for 30 minutes, drain and squeeze out excess water.

Place the lamb mince, onion, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper in a food process until combined.  Add the bulgur wheat and process to a paste.

Add the soaked Bulgur Wheat.

This was the best my food processor could do but ideally this should be processed to a smooth paste!

 

 

 

 

I need to add here, that my little 20 year old humble Sunbeam Food Processor just didn’t have the guts for this job!  It huffed and puffed and wheezed its way through this paste and managed to break the bulgur wheat up just a little bit.  So if you have a nice strong food processor you should be fine, if not, no worries your Kibbeh with just have a little more crunch to it.  No problem!

Refrigerate until needed.

Preheat the oven to moderate 180d and grease a 20 x 30cm baking tin.

 

 

The Filling

To make the filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, or until softened.  Add the cinnamon and cumin and stir for 1 minute.  Add the mince, stirring to break up any lumps and cook for 5 minutes or until the meat is brown. 

Fry the lamb filling mince with the onions, cinammon, cumin, salt & pepper, crimson raisins and add the toasted pine nuts.

Stir in the raisins and nuts and season.

Press half of the bulgur wheat paste into the base of the tin, smoothing the surface with wetted hands. 

Smooth half of the paste into the bottom of an ovenproof dish.

Spread the filling over the top and then cover with the remaining bulgur wheat paste and again smooth the surface with wet hands.

The filling goes into the dish next.

Score a diamond pattern in the top of the mixture with a sharp knife and brush lightly with olive oil.

Bake at 180d for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is brown and crisp.

Serve with wedges of lemon, some mint and Yoghurt and cucumber dipping sauce.

 

Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into diamond shapes.

 

Serve with the yoghurt dipping sauce I posted on Monday.

Cucumber, Garlic and Yoghurt Dipping Sauce

 

 On Monday I will be posting the awesome Halvas Fourno recipe.  This semolina cake is annointed with the most delicious syrup flavoured with cinnamon, orange and lemon.  It is absolutely delish served with full cream yoghurt and honey.

Diamonds are a girls best friend .....

 Have the most awesome weekend!

As always

Buon Appetito

xxx

jan

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by janicetripepi

Meat Free Monday: Lentil and Bulgur Wheat Fritters

January 30, 2012 in Janice Tripepi, Lebanese food, Lunchtime Recipes, Meatfree Mondays, Middle Eastern Magic, Vegetarian Meals

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Crunchy Lentil and Bulgur Wheat Fritters with a Cucumber & Garlic Yoghurt Dipping Sauce

Last week my flavour buds seemed to go on a hormonal jive and I found myself craving all sorts of spicy food.  Resistance was futile and by Wednesday I could think of nothing else.  My taste buds were packed and on an aeroplane to the Middle East, there was just no going back.  I found this recipe for these vegetarian fritters in a cookbook that I bought from Woolworths.  It’s called Tastes of the Mediterranean and I often refer to it for Lebanese recipes.

I shall share all of the recipes for this Middle Eastern Food over this week.  Today, in honour of Meat Free Monday I am featuring the Vegetarian Starter, these Lentil and Bulgur Wheat fritters have a nice crunch in them and I added a touch of chili to give them an extra bite.  You can leave the chili out if you don’t enjoy it.

Lentil & Bulgur Wheat Fritters

With a cucumber and yoghurt dipping Sauce

Fresh Mint from my garden and Free Range Happy-Chicken Farm Eggs from Carol’s farm in Underberg, Midlands.

Ingredients

¾ cup brown lentils rinsed

½ cup bulgur wheat

1/3 cup olive oil

1 large onion finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 – 2 green chillies finely chopped – for a little less ‘heat’ de-seed the chillies

3tsp ground cumin

2tsp ground coriander

3Tbs finely chopped mint

3Tbs finely chopped coriander

4 eggs lightly beaten

½ cup plain flour

2tsp salt

1tsp black pepper

I have altered the quantities and added in some chopped chili and coriander to suit my own pallet.

Method

Place the lentils in a saucepan with 3 cups of water, a bay leaf and a small onion studded with cloves.  Bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer for 40 minutes or until tender.

Lentils boiled with onion, bay leaf and clove.

Remove from the heat and add water to cover the lentils; pour in the bulgur wheat, cover with a tight fitting lid or some plastic wrap and leave for 40 minutes for the wheat to soften.  Once the wheat is soft transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.  Cook the onion, chilli and garlic for 5 minutes until soft and then add the cumin and coriander powder and cook for a further one minute to release all of the flavour from the spices.

I like to use red onion for these fritters.

Lightly beat the four eggs and add to the lentils and bulgur wheat with the onion mixture, flour and the chopped mint and coriander and the salt and pepper.

Mix until well combined.

My favourite T.G Green mixing bowl that Sous Chef found for me! Thanks again Sue!

Heat some oil on a medium heat in a frying pan and drop a heaped table spoon of the mixture at a time; cook each fritter until golden on each side – about 3 minutes a side will do it.  Serve with a sprinkling of salt, lemon wedges and some yoghurt dipping sauce.

Three minutes in medium to hot oil.

 

The Yoghurt Dipping Sauce

Cucumber & Garlic Yoghurt Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

 1 small Lebanese cucumber peeled, de-seeded and grated

1 cup (250g) of Greek or Bulgarian Yoghurt

½ tsp of salt

1 small clove of garlic – minced

Method

Peel and de-seed your cucumber

Peel, de-seed and grate the yoghurt and combine in a bowl with the yoghurt, salt and minced garlic.

Here is the complete menu that I will be posting over this week.

Lentil & Bulgur Wheat Fritters

With a cucumber and yoghurt dipping Sauce

Kibbeh Bil sanieh

Minced baked Lamb with Bulgur Wheat

Lamb Kibbeh

Lubyi bi Zayt

Green beans with tomato and olive oil

Halvas Fourno

Semolina Cake

If you have DSTV – you can follow Kylie Kwong as she cooks recipes from her book that I often refer to, My China.

How awesome was the Australian Mens Tennis Final yesterday!

As always

Buon Appetito

Jan

xxx

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