Vegetable Greek Ragu with Feta and Basil

Quinoa is a ‘complete protein’ which means it contains the 9 essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make for ourselves. High in vitamin C and fibre, this dish is also fantastic for your gut health. It’s often surprising something as nutritious is equally appetising, but we've carefully developed layers of flavour here, gently spicing the tomato sauce then matching it with the sweet peppery basil and salty, creamy feta.

Ingredients:

1 red onion

1 garlic clove

2 peppers

1 aubergine

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp cinnamon

1 400g can chopped tomatoes

8g vegetable stock powder

100g feta

120gquinoa

10g fresh basil

Method:

1) Peel and finely slice the onion and garlic. Cut the peppers in half, then remove the core, thinly slice. Trim and chop the aubergine into 1-inch cubes. Boil a kettle full of water for the quinoa.

2) Heat a large pan with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil over a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the red onion, peppers and aubergine. Cook for about 8 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.

3) Pour the water into a large saucepan, bring to the boil then add the quinoa. Boil for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Once cooked, drain the quinoa in a sieve.

4) Add the chopped garlic, dried oregano smoked paprika and cinnamon to the vegetable pan. Cook for a further 2 minutes stirring frequently.

5) Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock powder and 1 tsp of sugar, then stir to combine. Cook for about8 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has thickened.

6) Meanwhile, roughly chop the basil and crumble the feta cheese into chunks.

7) Taste the ragu and add more salt if necessary. Portion out the quinoa onto each plate, then top with the vegetable ragu, feta and basil

www.halalfresh.co.uk