Usha Singh
In Johannesburg we have been experiencing a heat wave and with this kind of weather you most certainly do not want to be in the kitchen preparing a full meal and you also want to eat light meals comprising of lots of salads and fruit. Being vegetarian, I have to ensure that when we have light meals we add our protein and sometimes you do get fed up of having salads with beans, chick peas and lentils—you want something more interesting and healthy all at the same time.
Woolies have a wonderful Vegetarian Patty that is made with chick peas, bulger wheat and a variety of vegetables and for me it is such a versatile ingredient in creating interesting dishes. I use it as a filling for Falafels – it is a healthy version of the deep fried falafel balls, and then all you do is add the rest of the salad ingredients of your choice and you literally have a guilt free “Falafel”
Falafels
4 Woollies Vegetarian Patties
20ml oil
10ml lemon juice
2.5ml salt
100ml Hummus
250ml shredded lettuce
100ml chopped tomatoes
100ml sliced mix peppers
50ml finely chopped onions (optional)
100ml grated cheese (optional)
3 whole-wheat pita breads cut in half
Method
- Heat oil in flat pan, and cut each patty into 6 pieces and place in the pan to cook and crisp up
- Season with salt and lemon juice and remove from heat and allow to cool
- Prepare the pita pockets – spread a generous amount of hummus around the pitas and some of the salad ingredients and then some of the patty pieces and top with more salad/cheese
- I generally use about 8 pieces of the patty per half pita
- Serve with a vegetable salad
Vegetable Salad
100ml sliced carrots
75ml chopped sugar snap peas
50ml fresh peas
50ml chopped baby corn
250ml chopped iceberg lettuce
35ml pumpkin seeds
35ml sunflower seeds
35ml sesame seeds
Dressing
10ml lime juice
15ml olive oil
3ml salt
10ml finely chopped coriander leaves
Method
- Blanch the carrots, sugar snap peas, and peas and keep cool in cold water bath and add the baby corn
- Layer the lettuce on a platter, and make a well in the centre of the platter and place the drained blanched vegetables – sprinkle the seeds over the salad
- Mix ingredients for the dressing and pour over the salad-serve immediately
