Midweek Meals: Five vegetable-packed recipes to help you get your 5-a-day in

These tasty veg-heavy recipes will help you get your 5-a-day in 

Vegetable packed recipes to enjoy this week

Love your veg soup

This soup uses any leftover vegetables you have and transforms it into a delicious soup

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1kg mixed vegetables – carrots, courgette, parsnips, potatoes, bruised tomatoes, peppers, leeks, squash, pumpkin, peas

• 1 large white onion

• 4 garlic cloves

• Leftover fried breakfast bits – bacon, sausage or pudding (optional)

• 1l vegetable stock

• Slices stale bread

• Olive oil

• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Chop up your raw vegetables into even size pieces. Toss with two tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes at 180°C.

2. In the meantime, dice your onions. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepot over a medium heat and begin to fry your onions. Leave these to sauté for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Finely chop your garlic and add this to the onions.

3. If you have leftover bacon or breakfast bits, chop them up nice and fine. Add the breakfast bits to the onions and garlic and stir on a low heat for a minute.

4. Place the cooked veg from the oven into your saucepot and pour over the stock. Bring this to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

5. While this is simmering, cube up your stale bread, drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper and toast in the oven for a few minutes on each side.

6. Place the soup mixture in a food processor or blitz with a soup gun. Add more water and seasoning where needed to reach your desired texture and taste. Serve with some homemade croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.
   
   Picture: Yvonne Keane

Vegetarian enchiladas

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

Easy, healthy and delicious. I love making this dinner during the week

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

• a handful of mint leaves, chopped

• juice of 1 lime

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ red onion, finely chopped

• 1 courgette, sliced into strips

• 2 red peppers, sliced into strips

• 30g fajita spice mix (homemade or shop-bought)

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 2 tortilla wraps

• 60ml tomato passata

• 50g Cheddar, grated (optional, remove for vegan or use vegan approved option)

• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt, to serve (optional, remove for vegan or use vegan approved option)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

2. Use a fork to mash the avocado, mint and lime juice in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until softened.

4. Add the peppers, courgette, spice mix and garlic and cook for 3–5 minutes, then set aside.

5. Divide the avocado mixture between the two tortillas, spreading it into an even layer. Add a layer of passata, followed by a layer of peppers and courgette mixture.

6. Neatly roll each tortilla, then place them side by side in an ovenproof dish.

7. Sprinkle the Cheddar over and place in the oven.

8. Bake for 15–20 minutes.

9. Divide the enchiladas between warmed serving plates and top each one with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Sweet potato, black bean and quinoa chilli

recipe by:Darina Allen

Quinoa is a super nutritious grain that originally comes from the Andean region of South America. It is full of protein and has more vitamins and minerals than virtually any other grain, so it’s a brilliant option for vegetarians and vegans.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 225g (8oz) onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon chilli flakes

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 750g (1lb 10oz) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) dice

• 450g (1lb) ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 400g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes

• 100g (3 1/2oz) quinoa

• 500ml (18fl oz) vegetable or chicken stock

• 200g (7oz) black beans, soaked overnight and cooked for 1 – 1 ½ hours (depending on the age of the beans) until just tender or 400g (14oz) can

• black beans, drained and rinsed

• a pinch of brown sugar (optional)

• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

• sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

• To serve:

• Natural yoghurt or labneh

Method

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and chilli flakes and toss together. Reduce the heat, cover and sweat for 5–6 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the cumin and coriander and season well with salt and pepper.

2. Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, quinoa and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the black beans and continue to simmer for 20–30 minutes or until the sweet potato and quinoa are tender. Season to taste, you may need to add a little brown sugar if using canned tomatoes.

3. Serve in a warm bowl scattered with lots of fresh coriander and a dollop of yoghurt or labneh.
   
   Extracted from How to Cook: The 100 Essential Recipes Everyone Should Know by Darina Allen (Kyle)

Hidden vegetable pasta sauce

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This sauce is really versatile. It can be used as a base for bolognaise, lasagne or even burritos. It freezes well and it is worth making in a big quantity and dividing up into portions

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 celery stick, finely chopped

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 400g tin tomatoes

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.

Method

1. Add the carrot, celery, onion, pepper, oregano and garlic and cook for about 6 minutes, add a dash of water if the pan becomes dry.

2. Add in the tomatoes and 300ml of water.

3. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree the sauce until it is smooth.
   
   Photo by Greta Hoffman from Pexels

Mushroom Quesadillas

If you're short on time, skip the guacamole and just dunk in sour cream with a squirt of hot sauce

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Mexican

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

• 200g portobello mushrooms, sliced 8 mm thick (or other mushrooms of choice)

• ½ tsp chipotle powder*

• ¼ tsp cooking salt*

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ¾ cup (75 g) shredded* colby cheese2

• 2 x 20 cm flour tortillas*

• To serve:

• Sour cream

• Pico de Gallo

• Guacamole or avocado crema

• Lime wedges

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute, using a spatula to toss them regularly.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, toss to coat the mushrooms, then add the chipotle powder, salt and pepper. Cook for a further 1½ minutes until the surface of the mushrooms is golden. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and wipe any loose bits out of the pan with a paper towel.

3. Sprinkle half the cheese on one half of a tortilla, top with half the mushrooms, then fold the other half over. Repeat with the other tortilla.

4. Return the frying pan to the stove on medium heat (no extra oil is needed). Transfer the tortillas to the frying pan and cook for 1½ minutes until crisp and golden. Flip and cook for a further 1 minute until crisp.

5. Cut each quesadilla in half and serve with sour cream and Pico de Gallo, guacamole or avocado crema for dunking.

6. Finish with a squeeze of lime.