Courgette Pasta with Basil Cream

I've been busy harvesting all this week, I can't believe how many courgettes I have collected, they just keep coming! Thankfully I will never tire of the courgette, and you will see lots more recipes showcasing this vegetable throughout the next few weeks.

I've also harvested more broad beans although I think these have come to their end now, which is a shame as I do love a broad bean pate! I'll be posting my recipe for a broad bean "cheese" soon too which I have been enjoying as a snackage at work!

Exciting times too as my asparagus peas have just started 'fruiting', and my runner beans are starting to grow, I've had one small harvest from my 6 plants so far, no doubt after the rain today these will start coming thick and fast!

OK, on to another courgette recipe, which is quick, simple and very very tasty! I cooked it for my sister and she loved it that much she left armed with courgettes to make it at home.

Ingredients - Serves 2-3

150g Pasta
Splas of Olive oil
1 Courgette, sliced and quartered
5 Field mushrooms, chopped to match same size as courgettes
100ml Water
100g Cashews
Large handful of basil
Salt and pepper

You could easily double of the ingredients if you were feeding more people. 

Method

Put your pasta on to cook, the rest of the dish can be made before the pasta cooks. Its that quick!

In a frying pan saute the courgettes and mushrooms in the olive oil for 5 minutes or until the courgettes are starting to brown around the edges but retain some bite and the mushrooms have released their liquid.

Meanwhile place the water and cashew in a blender and blend until you have a smooth liquid (I love my vitamix for this, its super speedy). Add the basil and salt & pepper to taste and blend again until you have a smooth green liquid. The smell is fantastic!

Pour the green sauce onto the courgettes and mushrooms. It will start to thicken as soon as it heats up, so keep stirring. 

Drain your pasta reserving the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the courgette mix and stir to coat with the sauce. Add as much of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency and serve straight away.

Dinner is served in under 15 minutes! Who needs take away!

Vegetable Filo Pie

I was in the mood for cooking up a storm, the slow cooker was on for hubby's tea (this piece of equipment is an absolute god send for cooking his food. I just throw the ingredients in and turn it on)! I fancied something that was full of vegetables with a creamy sauce and this is what I concocted, it was very tasty, filling and filled the craving.

Ingredients
1 large carrot
1 large onion
½ head of cauliflower
½ head of broccoli
150g green beans
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp English mustard
1 tbsp flour
4 tbsp nutritional yeast (or more if you want a more 'cheesy taste')
500ml soy milk
Salt and pepper
Filo pastry x 4 sheets

Method
Turn on your oven to 180°C. Dice the onion and carrot and cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small florets. Saute the onion in a little olive oil for 3 minutes and add the rest of the vegetables. Continue to saute until the vegetables start to go soft. Add the thyme and mustard and stir to combine thoroughly. Next add the flour and stir to combine, cook for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the milk whilst stirring until all the milk has been added. Next add the nutritional yeast and stir through the mixture. Slowly bring to a simmer and the mixture will start to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Try a little and add more mustard, nutritional yeast or salt and pepper to your desired taste. Spoon into a baking dish and lay the filo over the top creating waves in the pastry. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven. Whilst the pie is in the oven boil some potatoes ready to mash to serve with the pie.