FLOWER POT KITCHEN: PALEO (ish) STUFFED ZUCCHINI ROLLS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND CREAM CHEESE

10 Jul 2014

PALEO (ish) STUFFED ZUCCHINI ROLLS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND CREAM CHEESE

Fantastic fresh creamy little bite size stuffed zucchini rolls, these are so versatile and a easy on the go paleo (ish) lunch or snack, quick to assemble and lots of variations on fillings so you will never get bored of these. I have simply stuffed these with cream cheese (non paleo), sweet roasted red peppers and basil.

My geeky science bit...

The red pepper is full of beta carotene, vitamin A, a strong antioxidant, protects your heart and immune system, organ and blood cleansing. Zucchini super low in calories and fat, gives you vitamin A,C, folate, potassium, choline, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Cream cheese has vitamin A, K, B12, niacin, folate, choline, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, selenium, high in cholesterol, carbs and fat.

Cream cheese is not paleo, but I allow myself the odd hint of cheese approx every four weeks, my body has set this natural pattern and I am happy to listen.

Ingredients

(Makes 12)

1 zucchini

300g tub of cream cheese

I red pepper

Few sprigs of basil

First blacken the skin of the red pepper over an open gas flame evenly, once you have burnt the skin all over place the pepper in a bowl and cover the top with a plate, this will create some steam and make it easy to rub off the burnt skin with some kitchen roll. Next pull the stork and seeds out of the soft skinned pepper and finely chop.

Take a potato peeler and slice the zucchini from top to bottom creating your long slice, discard the skin slices and repeat until you have used most of the zucchini, heat a griddle pan, lay the zucchini slices flat on the pan and cook one side only, take off the griddle when you can see the griddle line through the slice. Leave to cool then spread a generous teaspoon of cream cheese along the length, sprinkle over some red pepper and roll up loosely. These will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

Alternative filling suggestions, spiced chicken fajitas and guacamole, chicken and mushroom pate, cream cheese and crispy bacon, smoked salmon and cream cheese with dill, chunky coriander chilli salsa and sour cream, soft scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, ham and gooey cheddar cheese, Crab meat drizzled with lemon, Brie and bacon and coronation chicken.

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LIFE MY PASSION

Welcome to my daily life of cooking, one winters day many years ago my family and I were all inspired by a back to back rainy day of River Cottage this got us to stop talking about and start actually doing, suddenly three weeks later eight vegetable beds were dug, greenhouse erected and our first vegetables were propagating, this was the start to raising and growing our own food, our fabulous son Oscar changed our path in life which lead us to sell our small thriving restaurant of 10 yrs and to start our new life (Terrifying!) a life of the self sufficient in touch with nature and seasons, taking a step back and looking forward to a slower change of pace and making the most of every moment.

My passion for cooking was stronger than ever and having time at home with Oscar I found I had a new direction and I was no longer striving for perfection, I was suddenly very passionate for the enjoyment of the other side of food, something I had not realised, being the Chef/Cook and every other duty of your own small restaurant made me see that I never actually took time to cook what I wanted!

So there I was muddy boots and hands digging deep in more than one sense and I found myself transported back in time to where everyone grew some of their own food, it is a wonderful world with a real sense of achievement and loss, Slugs Snails and Caterpillars! But thats another story! Childhood memories of summers when I lived with my grand parents reminded me of so much that I had learnt about the make do and mend generation that I had forgotten.

Now as a family we love our free wild food days where we gather what nature has provided, have gone from being mini mini garden urban small holders, who did raised pigs at home because we could not wait to find land and supporting ourselves from our garden to now owning a very small farm that allows us to grow more vegetables for the whole of our family and neighbours, raise our own gorgeous Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, (Sausages!) and pets! Dorset Down sheep, chickens for eggs and pet goats! Suddenly having large quantities of produce started to wake up the Cook in me!

The Cook was awake that part of me that wants to cook for the masses and I found myself setting up Flowerpot Kitchen, a Farmers Market Stall, I wanted to use our honest raised meats and make old fashioned pork pies, rabbit pies and game pies from the local game keeper along with old fashioned techniques and the best hot water crust pastry. This in turn grew to a small cottage industry from home weekly supplying three farm shops and a deli along with also attending three farmers markets A few years later there came a time when my son Oscar's health changed and it was an easy decision to stop.

I still hold the occasional pop up 40 seater restaurant or gourmet lunch which we do for local charities for the love of sharing food and to remind that Cook in me why I love our go slower self sufficient life!

So here I am sitting amoung the vegetables watching the chickens loving that every season nature teaches me something new and that nature is in charge! She has taught me to just go with it and grow. Give it a try from a tray of salad on your windowsill to a few tomato plants it all counts.