Meat Free Monday – WITH LOVE FROM THE TWINS

LOADED (CREAM SPINACH) ROASTED SWEET POTATO

September 8, 2026/in 7-Colour Sunday, Cheat Tuesday, Meat Free Monday, Recipes, Simple Dinners /by The Twins

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 Tbls olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 packet baby spinach, chopped
1⁄2 cup fresh cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pomegranate rubies, to garnish.

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Scrub the sweet potatoes, pat them dry, and pierce each several times with a fork.
Rub lightly with olive oil and place directly on the oven rack. Bake for 45–60 minutes, or until very tender when pierced with a knife.
While potatoes bake, heat 1 Tbls of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Saute red onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add the baby spinach and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 2–3 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from spinach.
On low heat, add fresh cream, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan, 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, and black pepper to taste. Mix until well combined. Remove from heat and cool
slightly.
Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice each one lengthwise.
Use a spoon to gently scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch border to keep the skin intact.
Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to the spinach mixture and fold it in gently.
This adds natural sweetness and creaminess to your stuffing.
Evenly divide the spinach and sweet potato filling among the potato skins, mounding it slightly. Place the stuffed potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet
Bake at 200°C for 10–15 minutes, until the filling is heated through and the tops just begin to turn golden.
Remove the Spinach Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from the oven.
Garnish with Pomegranate rubies.

HOT PINEAPPLE CHAKALAKA WITH DUMPLING

September 8, 2026/in 7-Colour Sunday, Cheat Tuesday, Meat Free Monday, Recipes /by The Twins

INGREDIENTS:

2 pineapples, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbls grated ginger & garlic
2 carrots, grated
1 green pepper, chopped
2 Tbls oil
1 Tbls curry paste
2 fresh chilies, chopped
2 Tbls tomato paste
1 tin baked beans
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 Tbls vinegar

METHOD:

Heat oil, sauté onion until soft. Add ginger and garlic mix and stir for another minute.
Add green pepper & carrot, cook a few minutes.
Stir in curry paste and chilli. Cook until fragrant.
Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
Add baked beans and leave to simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Stir in diced mango. Cook for 3–5 minutes.
Add vinegar and season to taste.

SHAKSHOUKA

August 21, 2026/in Cheat Tuesday, Meat Free Monday, Recipes /by The Twins

INGREDIENTS

For the Shakshouka

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 red peppers, diced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1⁄2 tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste)

1 tsp salt

1⁄2 tsp black pepper

400 ml crushed tomatoes (or 1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes)

6 large eggs

100 g feta cheese, crumbled

1⁄4 cup picante peppers, sliced

For the Coriander Pesto

1 cup fresh coriander

1⁄4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp lemon juice

60 ml olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

To Serve

Crusty bread, toasted pita, or flatbread

METHOD

Make the Coriander Pesto

Add the coriander, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil to a food processor.
Blend until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Set aside.

Make the Shakshouka

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and red peppers and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened.
Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for1–2 minutes.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir well.
Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Create 6 small wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each one.
Cover and cook for 5–8 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
Sprinkle over the feta cheese and picante peppers.

Finish & Serve

Spoon generous dollops of the coriander pesto over the shakshuka.
Serve immediately with warm bread for dipping.

COUSCOUS, FETA & POMEGRANATE SALAD

January 29, 2024/in Meat Free Monday, Recipes /by The Twins

250g Cous cous

2 cups Vegetable stock

1 Green pepper, deseeded and diced

150g Feta cheese, cubed

100g Pomegranate rubies

Handful mint, chopped

Handful coriander, chopped

50g Pepperdews,

100g Flaked Almonds, toasted

Place the cous cous in a glass bowl, and pour the boiling stock over. Cover with cling wrap and leave it for 7-10 mins until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the cous cous with a fork to separate the grains. Leave to cool completely.

Add the rest of the ingredients and toss together.

Serve cold.

HALLOUMI WITH GRILLED VEGGIES

August 16, 2022/in Meat Free Monday, Recipes /by The Twins

100g green beans, topped
225g halloumi cheese, sliced length ways
1 small bunch asparagus, sliced
2 courgettes, sliced
2 Tbls olive oil
6 shallots, sliced into rings
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbls capers
1/2 bunch oregano
1/2 bunch parsley

Blanch and refresh the green beans. Season the cheese,
asparagus and courgettes, toss in the olive oil and grill on a hot
griddle pan. Cook until nicely charred.
layer all your ingredients on a salad platter. Finish off with
capers and herbs.
Serve with a vinaigrette.

SAMP AND SWEET CORN RISOTTO

November 10, 2020/in Meat Free Monday, Recipes /by The Twins

Celebrating one of South Africa’s hero ingredients, samp! Cooked until tender with sweetcorn until a risotto consistency is achieved. With a generous amount of Parmesan and cheddar from Gourmet Greek here in the KZN Midlands, and a good dollop of cream and fresh herbs.
Enjoy this dish as a substantial veggie main, or serve as the accompaniment to your favourite protein.
https://wearefood.co.za/collections/vegetarian-range/products/samp-sweetcorn-risotto-serves-1-300g

Coconut Curry Noodle Bowls

November 14, 2019/in Meat Free Monday, Recipes /by The Twins

Serves: 4
Prep time: 50 mins

Just know that anything that has coconut milk, coconut cream or coconut flakes tastes amazing, no doubt. You can easily impress your guests with this simple dish, just pretend you slaved over the stove for hours, don’t worry, it’ll stay just between us.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
3 Tbs Red Curry Paste
2 Spring Onions, finely sliced
1 Tbs Fresh Ginger, chopped
1 C Asparagus, tailed
1 C Broccoli Florets
1 C Purple Cabbage, thinly shredded
1 C Carrots, julienned
2 Tbs Fish Sauce
2 Tbs Soy Sauce
3 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 Tbs Chili Flakes
2 C Rice Noodles, uncooked
1/2 C Vegetable Stock
1 C Coconut Milk
Handful Basil
Sesame Seeds, to serve

Method:
In a wok, heat oil, fry the onion and curry paste for 1-2 mins. Add in the spring onion and ginger and stir.
Stir in all the vegetables. Coat them in the curry paste.
Add in the fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and chili flakes. Stir for 2-3 mins.
Add in the noodles and vegetable stock. Simmer on medium heat for 15-20 mins.
Add in the coconut milk and basil and simmer for another 20 mins till noodles are al dente and veggies are cooked.
Divide into bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.