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Recipe Blog

LET FOOD BE THY MEDICINE AND MEDICINE BE THY FOOD

My wish for you is to Live Better, Strive Harder, Be Bolder, Dream Bigger, Climb Higher and Seek Greater.
My vision is to help people create food that is delicious, easy to make and high in nutrition,
so that food once more becomes a vehicle to fuel your body, mind and soul.

Butternut squash, Kale and Goats Cheese Skillet Pie (Vegetarian)

By , December 14, 2019

‘After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations’ – Oscar Wilde 

This recipe is based on a picture I saw on the front of a magazine. I often see something that inspires and take a snap as Mr B will attest to having backed up my phone and downloaded 10,000 pictures! I didn’t own the magazine, so had to work out how to create this and this is what I came up with. It’s easy and just like a phyllo parcel but made in a skillet. The pastry can be delicate, and you need to cook the pastry in the skillet to make sure the bottom is cooked and then put it in the oven to make sure the rest crisps up nicely. 

You can use any filling you like, just make sure there is some moisture in there. You can also use dairy free cheese or tofu cream cheese instead of goats to make it vegan. 

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp. oil
  • 2 medium onions
  • ½ small butternut squash, diced
  • 4 ounces goats cheese
  • 2 tsp. chopped thyme
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs removed, chopped
  • ½ lb. phyllo pastry

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 450F
  • Heat the oil and cook the onions until translucent and starting to caramelize
  • Add the squash and cook until almost tender
  • Add the thyme and red pepper and transfer to a bowl
  • Add the kale to the butternut squash mixture and goat cheese
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper
  • Layer the phyllo sheets at the bottom of the skillet
  • Spoon the mixture into the middle and fold the edges in, brush with oil
  • Cook the pie until the bottom is starting to turn brown
  • Transfer to the oven and bake until crisp, 15-20 minutes
  • Serve to the table in the skillet

Avocado Chocolate Mousse (Vegan, GF, DF)

By , December 8, 2019

This is a favourite of mine for surprising people with the healthy ingredients. The guesses are mostly that it is cream based until I say it’s vegan and then they think it is tofu. Avocado is the last on their list, but it makes a for a great creamy base. The deep chocolate from the raw cacao covers the avocado taste and the extra sweetness from the vanilla and maple syrup bring the dish to a completely different level.

Raw cacao – Raw organic cacao has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries. It is the highest plant-based source of iron, as well as having more calcium than cows’ milk as well as magnesium. 

Avocado – High in natural fats, loaded with fibre and high in potassium

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • ¼ cup raw cacao
  • ½ tsp. vanilla essence
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp. maple syrup (more or less to your own taste)
  • Pinch of salt

Method

  • Place all the ingredients in a blender
  • Taste and adjust for sweetness

Wild Rice, Mung Bean, Sweet Potato Salad (Vegan, GF, DF)

By , November 30, 2019

‘Fill your plate with all the colors of the rainbow. What pleases the eye, pleases the body’

I love making food that us aesthetically pleasing as well as tasty. As the saying goes, you eat with your eyes as well as your stomach. Ayurveda goes one step further a says you need to take all senses into consideration. Touch is important for example, which is why you may see Indians eat with their hands. Even your ears and mind are important, as it is said that your mood will affect not only your digestion but also how well the food turns out, recommending a slight smile on your face and quiet mindful eating for the best digestion (a far cry from eating at your desk whilst reading an email..)

This dish is amazing as it incorporates so many amazing healthful ingredients, which combine to stimulate all the senses. Feel free to mix it up based on what is in your fridge, just remember to try and incorporate a whole grain, a plant-based protein, something bitter, something sweet and lots of color. 

Mung Beans – Low in calories, high in fibre, good source of protein. Rich in amino acid and antioxidants, helping to neutralise free radicals and lower LDL cholesterol 

Wild Rice – Impressive nutrient content, including protein, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. Higher in protein and fibre than brown rice. 

Arugula – High amounts of fibre, folate and vitamin B. Bitter element. 

Almonds – One ounce of almonds alone supplies 6 grams of protein, 4 grams of fibre, vitamin E, magnesium, riboflavin, calcium and potassium 

Coconut – High in manganese, selenium and good fat

Raisins – Rich in natural sugar, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Sweet element.

Cilantro – Contains vitamins C, provitamin A and K

Avocado – Very nutritious containing over 20 different vitamins and minerals

Lime – Rejuvenates skin, improves digestion, fights infection and reduces inflammation

Ingredients

Salad ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked wild rice (1/2 cup raw)
  • 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 3 cups arugula
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ½ cup dried coconut
  • ½ cup dried raisins, cranberries 
  • 1 cup sprouted and cooked mung beans

Salad dressing

  • 2 avocados
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp. lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • Soak the mung beans overnight, rinse in the morning and boil in water or stock until cooked. Drain and set aside.
  • Rinse and cook the wild rice, drain and mix with the mung bean
  • Roast the sweet potatoes with a little oil at 350F until golden brown. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Add the sweet potatoes, almonds, raisins, sunflower seeds, coconut and arugula and mix
  • Blend the salad dressing ingredients and top to serve

Chickpea Quinoa Cutlets (Vegan, DF, GF)

By , November 23, 2019

  • Chickpea Quinoa Cutlets

‘I have 99 problems, but protein isn’t one’

This is a great protein dense vegan recipe from the blog cooking for peanuts. This is an amazing blog dedicated to plant-based recipes for this amazing woman’s three children. I just added a few extra medicinal spices to adapt to my taste. Plant based foods are rich in protein and grains like Quinoa are complete proteins with all of the required amino acids. Plant proteins have the additional advantage of having fibre, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. That’s why I love this recipe, it’s naturally gluten free, has multiple forms of proteins and veggies, making it a complete nutrient dense dish. 

Mr B ate these when working from home (in what he calls ‘foraging’) and in usual fashion there weren’t any left when I got home (head slap emoji), so will be making another batch this weekend!

Ingredients

  • I small onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, grate and squeeze out any water
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped
  • 1 can organic chickpeas
  • 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp. cumin powder
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp. coriander powder
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 2 cups chickpea flour
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup oil

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 350F
  • Add the onion, carrot and spinach to a bowl
  • Rinse and wash the chickpeas and add to the bowl
  • Add the nutritional yeast, cumin, paprika, garlic and onion powder
  • Add the quinoa and mix all together
  • In a separate bowl add the chickpea flour and gradually add the water whilst whisking. Mix in ½ tsp. salt
  • Add the chickpea batter and mix thoroughly 
  • Taste and add more seasoning as needed
  • Let sit for 10-15 minutes (this helps it bind as the batter absorbs water)
  • Wash and use hands to form patties
  • Brush oil onto the patties and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown, turning once
  • Make sure to serve with a dipping sauce as they can be a little dry

Farinata (Vegan, GF, DF)

By , November 17, 2019

‘Cooking is a language that expresses harmony, creativity, happiness, beauty, poetry, complexity, magic, humour and provocation’ – Ferran Adria

I recently went to an amazing Vegan restaurant in NYC called XYST created by Matthew Kenney and had this dish for brunch topped with an amazing avocado salad. Mr B loves chickpea and avocado and saw I thought I would recreate it for him, with a few watermelon radishes on top for a pop of colour and crunch. Ottolenghi has a similar recipe to which he tops the pancake with sautéed onions and tomatoes.

This pancake is made all over the world. In Italy is called Farinata, spiced with rosemary and sold to people on the streets as a snack. It is called Socca in France and usually dusted with cumin. It is also used in middle eastern and Indian cooking, where the flour is called Besan. The reason this is such a popular dish all over the world is that it is cheap, simple, gluten free and makes a great base to pretty much anything. 

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups chickpea flour
  • 2 cups warm water
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. oil and extra for frying

Method

  • Pour the water into a bowl
  • Slowly sieve the flour into the bowl and whisk until it forms a thick batter
  • Let sit for an hour
  • Stir in salt and oil
  • Heat a 9-inch frying/cast iron pan
  • Add a little oil to the pan
  • Pour a thin amount of batter into the pan
  • Wait until bubbles appear and then flip
  • Keep warm in an oven

Spiced Tindora (Vegan, GF, DF)

By , November 10, 2019

‘When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use, when diet is correct, medicine is of no need’. Ayurvedic proverb

Here is another recipe for those who are interested in learning about some new vegetables with powerful healing properties. I promised my classmates in Ayurvedic School that I would post a few of these to help get them started. 

Ayurveda is an ancient medical science, its how people were diagnosed and treated 5000 years ago. The main principles are to see your body as your tool for diagnosis, your skin, tongue, eyes, nails, hair to understand what the body has in excess or is lacking and to bring yourself back to balance using herbs and food. Ayurveda also notes the mind body connection and thus being out of balance in the body, leads to different emotional states and thus is linked to not only physical but also mental state and disease. If you think about it, it may be the most democratic health system in the world. It is available to all at a very low cost. 

In our class we have been learning about the wonderful effects of certain herbs and spices for digestion, blood pressure, insulin control and also some new vegetables that have these types of effects also. 

Tindora, also known as Ivy Gourd, is a vegetable that is like a less watery courgette/zucchini. It is found in India and other Asian countries and has many medicinal benefits. It is known to improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes and is said to have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Ivy gourd is rich in fibre B vitamins and iron. This recipe is super simple, using layering of spices for health and flavour. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the spices, just use what you have or use a curry powder or garam masala. There is a short video on my Instagram page also. 

Ingredients

  • 20 Tindora
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 2 dried red chilli
  • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
  • 6 dried curry leaves
  • 1 pinch of Hing/Asafetida
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • ½ tsp. red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp. garam masala
  • ½ tsp. coriander powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. oil

Method

  • Wash and rinse the tindora
  • Chop the top and tail off and half lengthways
  • Heat oil in a pan to a medium heat and add the cumin seeds
  • Add the dried red chilis, curry leaves, green chilli and Hing, stir and fry
  • Add the tindoras to the pan
  • Add the turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, salt and lemon juice
  • Stir fry the vegetables on a high heat for 2 minutes and then on a lower heat, covered for 10-15 minutes, depending on how soft you like them
  • Serve as a side, main, on their own or with roti or rice

Baked Bottle Gourd (Vegan, GF)

By , November 2, 2019

‘The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease’. Thomas Edison, 1903

Bottle Gourd, also known as Lauki, Doodhi, Long Melon or Calabash is a vegetable high in water and rich in vitamin C, K and calcium. It is used in many cultures, across Africa, Asia and Europe and is known for its healing properties and versatility as an ingredient. It helps in maintaining a healthy heart, stabilizing blood sugar and in bringing down cholesterol. The flavour is reminiscent of a summer squash combined with a cucumber.

This vegetable was introduced to me by my Ayurvedic teacher. Ayurveda believes that disease can be prevented through a balanced lifestyle and nutrition and thus seeks out the most beneficial herbs and plants to eat to help strengthen the immune system and counteract negative processes. This is seen in older Indian recipes, as this medical practice originated from India 5000-7000 years ago. My grandmothers’ recipes are a testament to this science, with her liberal use of turmeric, garlic, ginger, cumin, fennel, cardamom and vegetables. 

This recipe is a modern use of Gourd as I wanted to make sure I could taste the vegetable, being the first time, I had cooked it. It is an easy recipe and nice as a snack or side. 

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle gourd 
  • 2 cups almond meal
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. garlic or onion salt
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 400F
  • Slice the bottle gourd into 1-2cm slices
  • Lay out flat, sprinkle with salt, leave for 10-15 minutes and then use kitchen towel to remove the excess water (this helps it get crispy)
  • Brush with oil on both sides
  • Mix the almond meal with the spices
  • Dip the slices of gourd into the almond meal mix and make sure both sides are covered with the mixture
  • Lay on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, turning once
  • If you have less time, and don’t mind the oil, pan fry for a crispier result
  • Sprinkle with a little salt, once done
  • Serve hot

Brussel Sprouts (Vegetarian, GF, DF)

By , October 27, 2019

‘Travel leaves you speechless and then turns you into a storyteller’

Mr B loves Brussel Sprouts, so when we saw these beauties at the farmers market, he couldn’t resist. I am always thinking of new recipes of these interesting morsels and was inspired by a product we bought on our travels in Italy this year. We were in Modena, the place that supplies the worlds only true source of aged balsamic vinegar and so of course they have lots of different products to try. One of the products we sampled, was balsamic honey, which was sweet and tart, so this recipe is an ode to this Italian umami.

We spent an hour talking to this supplier, talking through the history of Modena, Balsamic Vinegar and the different products that he had created. He was so passionate about where he lives and what he does, so much so that you could taste his love for the ingredients.

‘Doing what you love is freedom, loving what you do is the secret to everything.’

Try the balsamic honey mix on strawberries or a fruit salad or on cheese for an extra kick.

Ingredients

  • 20 Brussel Sprouts
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp. honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp. Aged balsamic vinegar

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 400F
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  • Half the brussel sprouts and pull some of the leaves away from the core
  • Drizzle with oil 
  • Season with a little salt and pepper
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until leaves are crispy and sprouts are starting to soften
  • Remove from the oven, add more seasoning if needed
  • Mix honey/balsamic in a bowl and drizzle over the top

Vegan Barbacoa

By , October 20, 2019

‘The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude – Julia Child 1912

Whether it is in cooking or life, a fear of failure can stop you doing so many things. It’s strange that we develop this much later in life, as we become attached a perfect image of ourselves. As babies it is vital that we fail, trying to form words or moving from crawling to walking. It’s why so many parents have videos of the first time their child walked. They have seen their child try over and over again, with a quizzical look on their face and a lot of the time a smile. What if we could learn to try new things, to dare to fail, with a smile on our face. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

In cooking it is vital you open yourself up to failure, when trying a new concept or recipe. When I first saw this recipe, I was terrified. It looked more complex than it was and I couldn’t conceptualise how you could get from the raw ingredient to the final dish. In reality it was much simpler than I thought, I just broke it down into a few stages.

The recipe is from wickedly healthy, a team in the UK originally from New England, who have been breaking the boundaries of healthy cooking, creating new ways to incorporate more plants into our day to day diet.

Whether it is this dish or another, I encourage you to embrace the concept in cooking and life. There is no failure except in no longer trying.

Ingredients
• 4 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 lb Maitake mushrooms, in a few clusters to make the steaks
• 1 tbsp. BBQ seasoning
• 2 cups. BBQ sauce (vegan)
• Salt and pepper

Method

  • Heat a large heavy pan (such as cast iron) over medium heat until very hot, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, swirling to coat the pan. Add half of the mushroom clusters and use a second heavy pan to weight down and press/sear the mushroom clusters. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove the weight and the mushrooms to a work surface.
  • Add another 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, swirling to coat. Flip the mushrooms and season the cooked side with the seasoning. Return the mushrooms to the hot pan, raw-side down. Return the weight to the mushrooms and press/sear the other side. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove the weight and flip the mushrooms in the pan. Season the newly cooked side with the BBQ seasoning.
  • Return the weight to the mushrooms and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat this process of flipping, weighting down, and searing the clusters until the mushrooms are condensed and pressed into crispy golden-brown steaks with almost no liquid left in the pan, about 10 minutes total. Poke the mushrooms to test whether they are finished cooking. They should feel compact yet fleshy. Repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms.
  • When the mushroom steaks are compact and golden brown, remove them to a baking sheet. Brush generously with a thick layer of sauce on both sides and let marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
  • Heat the oven at 350F and bake until bubbling and sticky
  • Serve with taco’s, scallions and chipotle sauce (see last recipe for smoked chipotle cashew sauce)

Smoked chipotle cashew sauce (Vegan, DF)

By , October 13, 2019

‘Food can be expressive and therefore food can be art’ – Grant Achatz

I love new combinations and new techniques, it’s like getting new colored crayons as a child, it gives you the sense of endless possibilities. Matthew Kenney’s cook books are art and food; everything is extraordinary in its presentation and I am constantly finding new inventive techniques to try.

This recipe is great without smoking it, as the paprika does a grand job. I just wanted to play with my new toy, which I got as a gift, with the suggestion of smoking my vegan cheese. 

In reality everyone knows how much I love smoked items as I have used smoked maple syrup, smoked honey, smoked salt in many dishes. I also have smoked gin, almonds and a variety of other foods and love using liquid smoke to make vegan ‘bacon’. Mr. B marvels at how I am a vegetarian at all with my love of this wonderful aroma, to which I note that it is only the association in his mind that links it to meat, in mine it is linked to anywhere my imagination and the ingredients can take me!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cashews, soaked overnight
  • 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika 
  • 2 tsp. sea salt
  • ½ cup water 

Method

  • Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. It will taste smoky due to the smoked paprika. If you don’t have a smoking gun, the dish is ready to serve!
  • If you have a smoking gun, smoke the mixture using apple wood. Place in a bowl with the smoking tube inside (be careful not to touch the mixture) and let the smoke sit in the bowl, covered in cling film for 10 minutes.
  • I spread this, like hummus, onto a cracker and added some micro greens and watermelon radish for some extra nutrients and a pop of colour