We love a quick (and delicious) weeknight dinner! These recipes have no meat, no stress – just satisfying dinners ready in under an hour! 

Chunky baba ganoush with onion rings 

Serves 6  

Ingredients 

For the baba ganoush  

4 medium brinjals
2 whole garlic cloves
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and milled pepper, to taste  

For the onions rings  

6 Tbsp flax seeds, blended to a flour
7 Tbsp water
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 cup flour
Flax seeds, for crumbing 

For the tomato paste  

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water or oil
1 cup rosa tomatoes
¼ cup dates
½ large red onion
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp miso paste
Chilli, to taste  

To serve  

Olive oil
Chilli, chopped
Bread or crackers 

Method 

For the baba ganoush 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place 2 brinjals into 2 separate foil packets with the garlic. Drizzle with oil and season well. Bake for 40 minutes. Open the foil packets and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.

For the onion rings 

1. Mix flaxseed flour with the water. This will be your “egg wash”. Dip the onion slices in the egg wash, then the flour to form a coating. Dip in flax seeds for a crispier crumb. Fry the onions in 180°C oil for roughly 4-6 minutes, until they are golden and crispy. Leave in a warm oven until ready to serve.
2. For the tomato paste, place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. To serve, place the brinjals on a plate, break open with a fork and mash the flesh. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Top with tomato paste, onion rings and fresh chilli. Enjoy with crackers or bread.

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto 

Vegetarian chocolate chilli 

Serves 4  

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp coconut oil
½ onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 
400g tin mixed beans, drained and rinsed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
100g sweetcorn
150ml red wine (or water)
100ml vegetable stock
30g dark chocolate (80%), roughly chopped
Salt and milled pepper  

Method  

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Fry the onion, garlic, chilli, cumin and paprika for 3-5 minutes, until spices are fragrant and onion is soft.
2. Add the celery and carrot and cook for another 3 minutes, until slightly browned.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes, sweetcorn, wine (or water) and vegetable stock. Bring chilli to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for 20-25 minutes.
4. Stir in the chocolate until melted and evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe, styling & photography: Anett Velsberg 

Brinjal ragu cheesy pap 

Serves 4  

Ingredients 

For the brinjal ragu  

¼ cup vegetable oil 
2 large brinjals, cubed 
1 onion, thinly sliced 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
1 Tbsp tomato paste 
¼ cup red wine 
400g tin chopped and peeled tomatoes 
1 Tbsp chopped oregano 
1 bay leaf 
⅓ cup water 
1 Tbsp sugar   

For the cheesy pap  

4½ cups boiling water 
1 cup maize meal
1 Tbsp butter 
⅓ cup grated white cheddar     

Fresh coriander, to serve (optional)  

Method  

1. For the brinjal ragu, heat up the oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the brinjal until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside. 
2. In the same pan, add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste and brinjal. Cook for 2 minutes, then deglaze the pot with the wine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 min. Season to taste.
3. For the cheesy pap, place the water in a pot and whisk in the maize meal. Cook until thickened and cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cheese.
4. To serve, spoon the cheesy pap into serving bowls and top with the brinjal ragu. Garnish with fresh coriander, if desired.

Recipes & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen, Kirsty Buchanan & Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Chanelle Naudt/hmimages.co.za 

Spinach and artichoke bake with ciabatta 

Serves 4  

Ingredients 

1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 cup milk
400g baby spinach
400g artichoke, heart and leaves, quartered
100g white mature cheddar, grated
Ciabatta, toasted to serve 

Method 

1. Sauté the onion in a large frying pan with a fitted lid on medium-low heat with oil for 5 minutes.
2. To start the sauce, add the butter to the saucepan to melt. Add the flour and stir until absorbed, then slowly pour in the milk. Use a whisk to avoid lumps.
3. Add in all the spinach, close the lid and allow to steam for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Add the artichokes, cheese and then season. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Place under a hot grill for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside, allow to cool and serve with toasted ciabatta.

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen 

The post Cosy vegetarian weeknight dinners (in under an hour)  appeared first on MyKitchen.

These two meat-free weeknight meals, brinjal ragu cheesy pap and okra stew with fragrant rice, are bound to satisfy all your needs.

Brinjal ragu cheesy pap

SERVES 4 // TOTAL TIME 45 min

INGREDIENTS

For the brinjal ragu

Vegetable oil ¼ cup 

Large brinjals, cubed 2 

Onion, thinly sliced 1 

Cloves garlic, minced 3 

Tomato paste 1 tbsp 

Red wine ¼ cup 

Tin chopped and peeled tomatoes 1 × 400 g 

Chopped oregano 1 tbsp 

Bay leaf 1 

Water ⅓ cup 

Sugar 1 tbsp 

For the cheesy pap

Boiling water 4 ½ cups

Maize meal 1 cup

Butter 1 tbsp

Grated white Cheddar  ⅓ cup 

METHOD

For the brinjal ragu

1. Heat up the oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the brinjal until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside. 

2. In the same pan, add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste and brinjal. Cook for 2 min, then deglaze the pot with the wine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 min. Season to taste.

For the cheesy pap

1. Place the water in a pot and whisk in the maize meal. Cook until thickened and cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cheese.

To serve 

1. Spoon the cheesy pap into serving bowls and top with the brinjal ragu. Garnish with fresh coriander if desired.

Okra stew with fragrant rice

SERVES 4 //  TOTAL TIME 35 min

INGRIEDIENTS 

For the okra stew 

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Onion, finely chopped 1

Cloves garlic, minced 3

Ginger, peeled and grated 3 cm piece

Green chilli, chopped 1

Okra, cut into 2 cm rounds 300 g

Cinnamon stick 1

Ground allspice 1 tsp

Ground coriander 1 tsp

Paprika 1 tsp

Tin chopped tomatoes 1 × 400 g 

Water ½ cup

Lemon juice 2 tbsp

For the fragrant rice

Butter 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Basmati rice 1 cup

Water 1 ½ cups

Salt 1 tsp

Chopped parsley 1 tbsp

Chopped coriander 1 tbsp

To serve 

Fresh coriander

Toasted pita 4

METHOD

For the okra stew 

1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook until fragrant. Add the okra and cook for 5 min. Add the spices, season well and stir for 1 minute until toasted.

2. Add the tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer covered for 10–15 min. Uncover and stir in the lemon juice. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

For the fragrant rice

1. Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Toast the cumin seeds for 1 minute. Add the rice and cook until fragrant and is coated with butter. Add the water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. 

2. Remove from the heat and let sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes to let the steam escape. Gently fluff with a fork and stir through the herbs.

To serve

1. Serve the stew with fragrant rice and toasted pita on the side.

Recipes & Styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Styling assistant: Kirsty Buchanan & Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Chanelle Naudt/hmimages.co.za

Believe it or not, meatballs don’t have to be made out of meat! You can have tasty vegetarian ones too such as these lentil and aubergine ones.

The post 2 Meat-Free Weeknight Meals appeared first on MyKitchen.