Quinoa And Butter Beans

I've had this recipe for ages - it was copied out for me by a friend who'd made it, but I'd not actually tried making it myself before last week. It came out pretty good, and made a nice change from the only other tasty recipe I know of for quinoa *laughing*

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Quinoa
• 2 tbsp Margarine
• 3/4 cup Finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp Minced fresh ginger
• 3/4 cup Orange juice
• 2/3 cup -Water
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp Ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp Ground nutmeg
• 1 cup Diced sweet potato (1/2" pieces)
• 1 cup Diced butternut squash (1/2" pieces)
• 1 1/2 cup Cooked/canned butter beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup Chopped cranberries

Directions

1. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa by placing it in a large bowl and filling the bowl with cold water. Drain the quinoa and repeat the rinsing and draining 4 more times; set aside.
2. Melt the margarine in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ginger, and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened.
3. Stir in the orange juice, water, honey, salt, coriander, cardamom, and nutmeg; bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the sweet potato and squash; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 7 minutes.
5. Stir in the butter beans and quinoa, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the cranberries; simmer, covered, 5 minutes longer.

The recipe originated in Wholesome Harvest by Carol Gelles, I'm told!

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

This has a beautiful, dark rich color- yum! It's also a great way of using up those raw beetroot your pal with the allotment gave you and you were too polite to refuse... ;)

Ingredients

• 75g cocoa powder or powdered drinking chocolate
• 180g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 225g caster sugar
• 250g cooked beetroot
• 3 large eggs
• 200ml sunflower oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C / 335˚F / Gas 4.
2. Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a bowl.
3. Puree the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time and next add the vanilla and oil, and blend until smooth. Add the sugar to the mixture.
4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the beetroot mixture and lightly mix.
5. Pour into a greased and lined 9 inch cake tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is firm when pressed with a finger.
6. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Recipe from Riverford Organic Vegetables

Chocolate and Orange Potato Cake

It may sound a bit weird, but it tastes fantastic! I defy anyone to know what's in it if you don't tell 'em ;)

Ingredients:

• 120g potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
• 225g demerara sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 175g butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 110g plain chocolate, melted
• grated rind and juice of 1 orange

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a 24cm cake tin.
2. In a large bowl cream the mashed potato, butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs and gradually stir in the melted chocolate and juice and rind of an orange.
4. Lightly fold in the cocoa powder and flour and pour the mixture into the cake tin.
5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes.

Recipe from Riverford Organic Vegetables