Buckwheat Ravioli Stuffed with Butternut Squash and Walnut

A great alternative to wheat pasta I found making buckwheat pasta from scratch works great! I used eggs in this as I wasn't sure just buckwheat and water would work but next time I will try it as I don't like to use eggs really but once in a great while is ok. I used a pasta machine to roll this out but you could get away with a rolling pin. The filling is easy and so tasty.

300 gram buckwheat flower
1-2 eggs
bit of water

1/2 butternut squash or pumpkin
handful of walnuts
nutmeg
sea salt

Get your oven on 180C or 350F and cut your squash in half. Spoon out the seeds. Place it flat side down on a greased baking tin. Cook in the oven until soft when poked with a fork. While that is cooking, pour your flour out on a clean counter and make a well in it. Add your egg and use a fork to work the egg into the flour. Then add more egg if needed or water. Do it slow and create a ball of dough. It will require a bit of working a rolling and kneading. Kneed it for 5 min or so until it's elastic and pliable. Let it rest for 20 min under a damp cloth. Then roll it our in a pasta machine or rolling pin.

Get a big pot of salted water on to boil. For you filling, scoop out the squash into a bowl, squash with a fork and add some chopped walnuts, salt and nutmeg to taste. Cut our your strips of pasta into 4 or 5 inch wide strips so you can put a spoonful of filling about an inch or two apart and then fold the pasta over the top. First though you want to moisten the pasta with egg or water so when you put the pasta on top it will seal. Press gently from the filling outwards to get rid of air bubbles. Cut into squares. It's really hard to describe how to do this. Just think ravioli and how it should look and make it up as you go. That's what I do!

Now gently put your perfect (yeah right!) ravioli into the water and cook until they float or the pasta is soft. You may need to test it to check it's right. While that's cooking get a small pan on med heat and warm your choice of oil with lots of chopped garlic until the garlic is cooked a bit. Serve on top of the pasta with a bit more grated nutmeg. Get a proper nutmeg seed for the best flavor! Serve with lots of veg! But don't over cook it like I did to my broc as shown in this not so appetising photo!

Kimchi Raw Ramen

This is sorta a salad and soup combined. Good for lunch or dinner. It's gets your raw in there as well as the warming soup.

Serving one person:
brown rice udon noodles (i know it's not ramen but hea, it's healthy)
kimchi plus about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of it's brine (or veg stock if you don't have enough brine)
tamari
sesame oil
chili flakes or tabasco
1/2 carrot very thinly sliced
some zucchini very thinly sliced
1 spring onion
about a tblsp of chopped coriander
a few fresh mushrooms chopped (i didn't have any this time!)

Cook your noodles. Put aside and then add some of the kimchi brine to the pan and heat it up. Throw a few splashes of tamari in and then add your noodles back in. Add some water if you want more broth. Take off the heat and put it in a bowl. Add all your veggies, a heaping amount of kimchi, add a bit of chili on top, coriander and a few splashes of sesame oil. My favorite kitchen utensil for thin slicing is pictured above. Works great for carrots and zucchini!

Chili

This is easy to make and hearty as well. You can make it as hot as you want! Add some fresh salad with it and it's a great healthy meal.

1/2 med onion chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tblsp oil of your choice
1/2 bell pepper green or red chopped
1/2 carrot chopped in small bits
3/4 cup quorn mince or any ground beef substitute of your choice or more chopped veg
1 tblsp of tamari or soy sauce
1 tin of kidney beans or about 12 oz of cooked beans
1/2 cup veg broth
1 tin of tomatoes or 4-5 fresh ones
1/2 lemon
1 tblsp of chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 splash of apple cider vinegar
more water if you need it
taste for salt and pepper

Heat your pan and add your oil. Make sure the pan is not too hot. Add the onions, garlic and pepper. Throw a little bit of water in there to water saute it. Add your carrots and meat substitute. I would now flavor the fake meat with tamari. Squeeze lemon in. Add your beans, veg broth, spice and vinegar. Taste it and see if you need salt and pepper and maybe a little more water if not saucy enough or more spice. Serve with salad and brown rice.