Fast, healthy, guilt free (all with camp options where no fresh stuff is available). We enjoy our food hot, and add chilli and or curry to nearly everything. If you do not share our firey tastes, quantities can be reduced or even removed. All these are made with ingredients from my Basic Pantry and provide 4 weeks of evening meals for 2 people. All these meals freeze well, so where the serving size is for 4, I set aside and freeze half the quantity for next weeks rotation.

Channa Masala-Spicy chick pea, bean and tomato curry (Serves 4)

• 1x400g can chick peas
• 1x440g can sliced green beans
• 1x400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium onion (or dried), cut in half and sliced finely
• Garlic to taste
• Commercial curry paste to taste or
• Combination of all or some of the following spices, amounts according to taste:
  • veggie stock powder
  • curry powder
  • turmeric
  • cumin
  • mustard seeds
  • coriander
  • ginger
  • garam masala
  • cardamom
  • cinnamon
  • Jasmine or Basmati rice to serve

Add chick peas, green beans, chopped tomatoes and spices. Set aside half the curry for another meal. This recipe freezes well. Heat and serve over jasmine or basmati rice.

Creamy Spinach Pasta (serves 4)

• 1x297g packet Morinaga firm tofu (or fresh silken tofu if available)
• 1x400g can chopped spinach (many outback ‘supermarkets’ do not have this, so I substitute the spinach with 1 can of green beans and 1 can of asparagus spears)
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon (use lemon juice from the bottle if you cannot get fresh lemons, however they are usually readily available...amazingly)
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• Garlic to taste
• Ground black pepper or cayenne pepper to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• ½ teaspoon powdered vegetable stock
• Soy or Wholemeal pasta to serve
• ½ cup crushed walnuts

Add a little water to chopped onion and garlic, then ‘sauté’ until just cooked (I do not use any oils as I feel they are wasted calories. 1 tablespoon of any oil contains 160 calories and is equivalent to 2 slices of bread, nearly 1 cup of cooked rice or 1 ½ glasses of wine. I know what I would prefer to use my save for!!). Set aside. Puree together the tofu and canned spinach with ‘stick mixer’ until smooth. Add the lemon zest and juice, coked onion mix, stock, pepper and nutmeg to the spinach and tofu. Set aside half the sauce for another meal. This recipe freezes well. Heat and serve over soy or wholemeal pasta and sprinkle crushed walnuts.

Curried Vegetables on rice (serves 4)

• 2x400g cans mixed vegetables (you can use finely chopped fresh veggies or frozen if available)
• 2 tablespoons wholemeal plain flour
• 1 1/2 cups soy milk
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon (use bottle if no fresh available)
• ½ teaspoon powdered veggie stock
• Curry powder to taste
• Smokey paprika to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• Jasmine or Basmati rice to serve

Add a little water to chopped onion and ‘sauté’ until just cooked. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons flour. Slowly pour in the soy milk, stirring continuously over a very low heat. Continue to stir (or use a whisk to prevent the mixture glugging) until the mixture heats and boils. Remove from heat and add both can of veggies, lemon zest and juice, veggie stock, curry powder, paprika and nutmeg. Set aside half of the curry for another meal. This recipe freezes well. Reheat and serve over jasmine or basmati rice.

Tomato, Olive and Caper Pasta Sauce (serves 2)

• 1x400g can chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup stuffed green olives, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely (or dried)
• Garlic to taste
• Chilli to taste
• Mixed herbs to taste
• Soy or Wholemeal pasta to serve

Add a little water to chopped onion and garlic, then ‘sauté’ until just cooked. Add the can of chopped tomatoes, olives, capers, chilli and herbs.  Heat and serve over soy or wholemeal pasta.

Dahl (serves 4-6)

• 1/3 cup brown lentils
• 1/3 cup red lentils
• 1 large onion, chopped (large spoonful dried onion)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed (2 teaspoons dried garlic)
• Commercial curry paste to taste or
• Combination of all or some of the following spices, amounts according to taste:
  • veggie stock powder
  • curry powder
  • turmeric
  • cumin
  • mustard seeds
  • coriander
  • ginger
  • garam masala
  • cardamom
  • cinnamon
  • Jasmine or Basmati rice to serve

Soak brown lentils in hot water for a couple of hours (does not matter if you don’t do this, they will just take a little longer to cook). Drain and add water to cover, spices, onion and garlic. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add red lentils and continue to simmer for a further 20 minutes or so, until red lentils have broken down to form the ‘gravy’ and the brown lentils are tender. You may need to add more water at any stage, but only enough to keep the mix from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan as you do not want the mix too sloppy. Set aside half the dahl for another meal. This recipe freezes well. Reheat and serve with jasmine or basmati rice. This is my basic dahl recipe. Depending on taste and availability, you can add any chopped vegetables of your choosing and cook them up with the lentils. I particularly like broccoli and pumpkin. If there are no fresh veggies available a can of mixed vegetables is good or canned spinach and coconut milk make a good change too.

Lentil and corn chowder (serves 4)

• 400g can creamed corn
• 400g can corn kernels (or fresh if available)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• Some garlic, optional
• ½-3/4 cup red lentils (I use these as they cook quickly and I only have a very limited basic travel pantry, but yellow split peas would be really good too)
• 1-4 teaspoons curry powder, depending on your taste
• Smokey paprika
• 1 teaspoon veggie stock powder
• Generous amounts of parsley and chives, fresh or dried
• Noodles or crusty bread to serve

Cover lentils with water, add onion, garlic and spices (not the herbs yet!). Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10-20 minutes until the lentils have fully broken down to form a type of paste. Allow to cool a little and puree until smooth with a ‘stick mixer’. Add the corn kernels, creamed corn and herbs and enough water or soy milk to form the desired consistency. Set aside half the soup for another meal. This recipe freezes well. Reheat and serve.

Alby particularly likes this recipe served at a thick consistency, rather than as a soup, poured over noodles. A fresh crusty bread is also good if you can get it!!

Chilli hommus (serves 2)

• 1x400g can chick peas
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon (use bottled if no fresh available)
• 1 generous tablespoon of tahina
• ¼ cup sweet chilli sauce
• Rice crackers to serve

Add together chick peas, garlic, lemon zest and juice, tahini and sweet chilli sauce. Blend together with ‘stick mixer’ until smooth. Refrigerate and serve with rice crackers, olives and any fresh dipping veggies available (or your favourite nibblies)