Monday 27 June 2011

Rocket and Roses Big Bowl of 'Get Happy'!

Kitchen Play List:    Shakira Play List on IPod.

My goodness, was I in a bad mood on Saturday afternoon? Erm...yes! A shocker of a mood caused by outside factors bombarding me and I let it reduce me to a temperamental banshee woman. Not good and not clever! There was absolutely nothing I could do about the outside factors causing this mood but I could do something to try and pull myself out of the 'red mist' lol. Think more stompy monster rather than maniac monster! lol. Yep...everyone has a dark side and I am the first to admit I have one and very occasionally mine gets the better of me. 


There are very few things that can pull me back...cooking, once I get started,  helps....good music and that afternoon I needed angry woman music...so Shakira helped with that...but then her lyrics can put a smile on my face...there are a few other things but they weren't possible at the time...so I made do with cooking and Shakira. lol. 

I stood in the kitchen with no idea what to cook...I just knew I had to get chopping..quickly! lol. I can laugh about it now.  So I pulled out my favourite skillet and knife and a few of my favourite ingredients. I turned the music up loud...strapped on my apron and got going. I threw some bulgar wheat into a bowl, added veggie stock and covered in cling film and then it all flowed from there.

Sometimes nothing else will do but a good old bowl of 'something'. 15 minutes later I was a chopping freak, dancing and singing along to Shakira at the top of my voice. 35 minutes later I was clearing down the kitchen counter whilst the food finished cooking. 40 minutes later I was sat in the lounge with My Love and we were eating our bowls of 'Get Happy', with big smiles even if I was being made to watch Sci Fi! lol.

Just one of those afternoons I guess. We all have them, don't we?

Rocket and Roses Big Bowl of 'Get Happy'
Rocket and Roses Big Bowl of 'Get Happy'
(Original recipe from the Rocket and Roses Vegan Kitchen)

1/2 cup bulgar wheat 
1 1/2 cups veggie stock
1/2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 med/large red onions, peeled, halved and sliced
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 red chillies, chopped up with seeds
1 green chilli, chopped up with seeds  (Adjust chilli quantity & seeds to your taste~R~)
2 small green peppers, chopped
3 courgettes, cubed
1/2 sweetheart cabbage, sliced (Or green leafy of choice ~R~)
1 14oz tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 14oz tin of green lentils, rinsed and drained
1 14oz carton of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Place the bulgar wheat into a glass bowl and cover with the hot veggie stock. Stir well. Cover with cling film and leave to soak. 

In a very large skillet add the oil and add the onions, chillies, garlic and pepper and stir well and cook for 8-10 minutes, lid on but stirring frequently.  Until the onion is translucent. 

Add the courgettes and cabbage and stir well to combine. Cook with the lid on for 5 minutes. 

Add the chopped tomatoes and the herb and spices. Stir well to combine and cook without the lid for 5 minutes. 

Add the drained chickpeas and lentils to the skillet and stir very well. Place the lid back on and cook for approx 5 minutes. 

Drain the bulgar wheat and add that to the pan. Stir very well to combine. Cook with the lid off for a further five minutes. Season with black pepper and then serve.   

NB: This would work well with cooked quinoa also if you are Gluten Free and I plan to try it myself soon...only hopefully in a better mood! ;o) ~R~

Enjoy!
~R~