A couple of months ago, I watched a program called ‘Royal Recipes’ hosted by Michaell Buerk, the program was all about royal-themed food.
The episode I watched that day was 5 of 15 India and Empire, in this episode couple of renowned chefs joined to celebrate royal food inspired by the days of India and Empire. I found this episode very interesting, straight away I pressed the remote button and put the whole series on record.
I liked the whole series of Royal Recipes , glad I watched it as I came to know so many interesting stories and history. I like history, I do quite like the royals and the glam of it all. Well, and I love gossip! I liked a few recipes which were loved by the royals and cooked by the royals.
A recipe which I liked straight away and had an urge to make it was Stuffed Aubergine with Bulgur wheat , prepared by late Princess Diana’s former chef Carolyn Robb, she said that this dish was one of the favourites of Diana. She said, “this is the dish that although it may be fit for princesses it is really fit for anyone, it’s just simple home cooking, it’s nourishing, it’s warming”. I completely agree with Carolyn Robb , after I tried and tasted this dish, that you can’t do much better than this! These stuffed aubergines were incredibly tasty that I nearly fainted with pleasure at the delicious flavour of this dish!
Now that summer is on its way in my part of the world, fresh and giant aubergines are plenty in markets and shops and cheap too. I am on a roll to make these stuffed aubergines. First time I followed the recipe to T, but then made a very small couple of changes, still, the dish came out so well.
Vegetarian Stuffed Aubergines with Bulgur and Buckwheat, I love everything about this dish, all the ingredients, method, and fuss-free recipe. While the stuffed aubergines were baking the evergreen herb thyme heady aroma was just making me impatient, actually, thyme adds a warm flavour. I served with roasted tomatoes and fresh salad, it would make a lovely lunch or supper.
Instant pot stuffed peppers
Aubergine Parmigiana
Notes :- You can omit buckwheat and prepare with Bulgur wheat only. Carolyn prepared bulgur wheat in a pan with onion and thyme, where I cooked bulgur and buckwheat in a pressure cooker with vegetable stock to save time. To make gluten-free version omit Bulgur wheat and use quinoa. You could also top with a dairy-free cheese instead of goats cheese to make this dish vegan.
BULGER AND BUCKWHEAT STUFFED AUBERGINE
ingredients:
- 2 fresh and tender aubergines
- 75 g bulgur wheat
- 50 g buckwheat
- 100 g goats cheese
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped peppers
- 8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 cup canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
- 3-4 tbsp. chopped onion
- 1 tsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tsp. chilli flakes
- 1-2 tsp. sugar
- 200 ml of vegetable stock
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp. oil
- Fresh mint and pomegranate arils to garnish
instructions:
How to cook BULGER AND BUCKWHEAT STUFFED AUBERGINE
- Preheat the oven to gas mark 7.
- Wash and pat dry aubergines and slice in half lengthwise through the stalk.
- With a knife score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern.
- Drizzle some oil, sprinkle salt and pepper and a couple of sprigs of thyme.
- Bake it in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until flesh is soft and tender.
- Meanwhile, wash bulgur and buckwheat and drain the water and cook with vegetable stock. ( I cooked in a pressure cooker ). Leave it aside.
- Heat a little oil in a pan and saute onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes.
- Add chopped tomato, salt, sugar, and chilli flakes.
- Let it simmer for 5-6 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave it aside.
- Now place chopped pepper on a baking sheet, drizzle little olive oil, salt and pepper and put it in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
- Once aubergines and peppers are roasted remove it from the oven. Do not turn off the oven.
- Using a spoon scoop out half of the flesh out of the baked halved aubergines.
- Leaving the skins with the layer of flesh.
- Stir the aubergine flesh into cooked bulger and buckwheat.
- Now pile bulger and buckwheat into aubergine shells, top it up with roasted peppers, tomato sauce, goats cheese and thyme.
- Bake once again for 10-12 minutes.
- Garnish it with mint and pomegranate arils.
- Serve hot with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh green salad.
- Enjoy!
NOTES:
Did you make this recipe?
Treat yourself or your friends and family right with these extra dark and dreamy, healthy and fuss free Vegan Mocha Chia Seeds and Mixed Nuts truffles on any occasion or just grab one and pop in your mouth whenever you are low on energy. They are easy to whip up, a batch of these can be made within 5 minutes just with some good-for-you ingredients. All you need is a food processor to blend everything together.
From time to time I whip up healthy and fuss free treats like No bake buckwheat and cacao bars, , No bake coconut and fox nut bars, No Bake protein packed Bites , definitely I would bake these comforting Masala Chai Tea Granola Bars. when I have lots of time on my hands.
These truffles are sweetened with soft and juicy Medjool dates , and healthy fats derives from raw nuts rather than cream or butter, and obviously these little tiny but mighty chia seeds are here to perform their magic. That means each of these little delicious truffle has healthy protein and fibre along with chocolate and coffee deliciousness!
According to health experts Medjool dates are the healthiest natural sweetener with bucket full of good benefits.
The base of this recipe is dried fruit, but they don’t contain any refined sugar, the dates in these truffles makes them sweet, but they won’t send you in sugar coma as nuts and chia seeds will balance it out as they are full of protein. Chia seeds are my favourite go-to add in for so many things.
These filling and portable truffles are addictive, but if you are trying to keep things on a healthy side you don’t want to devour the whole batch in one go. Have just one or two as treat!
These truffles make a perfect edible gift for those who appreciate homemade and healthy stuff. Are you thinking what I am thinking?, these truffles are the perfect solution, why don’t you prepare these truffles and give it to your mum as a Mother’s Day gift, because mums love edible gift because they are delicious and come straight from the heart.
Notes :- Instead of mixed nuts, you can prepare these truffles only with one kind of nuts. Omit coffee powder to make this completely raw. Unsweetened Cocoa powder can be used if you can’t get hold of raw cacao powder. If you are not using high quality soft dates, soak them in a warm water for half an hour, then discard the water and dry off dates very well. Although these truffles are made with good-for-you ingredients and 100% natural be sure not to binge on these, especially if you are suffering with high sugar levels as they contain a lots of sugar from dates.
Vegan Mocha Chia Seeds and Mixed Nuts Truffles
ingredients:
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates
- 3/4 cup raw mixed nuts ( cashew, almonds, peanuts, walnuts and pistachio )
- 3+1 tbsp. raw cacao powder
- 1 tbsp. coffee powder
- 3 tbsp. chia seeds
instructions:
How to cook Vegan Mocha Chia Seeds and Mixed Nuts Truffles
- Place 1/2 cup mixed nuts in a food processor and process till you get a smooth paste. ( It will take 2-3 minutes)
- Now add all the remained ingredients (leave 1 tbsp. cacao powder) to it and blend everything on high speed until you have a thick and sticky dough.
- Roll the dough mixture into small balls and place on a plate or baking sheet and roll them in cacao powder.
- Enjoy!
