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.
‘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
‘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
‘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
‘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
‘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)
‘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
This is a heavenly cake from Ottolenghi, one of my favorite chefs. He is Isreali-English which is why you see souk ingredients such as rose water and cardamom. These are ingredients used in mainly middle eastern and Indian desserts. The smell of the food takes you on a journey to a different time and place.
These fragrances and spices are used in Ayurveda to heal, thus combining food and health into one beautiful dish.
I made this for a friends birthday. He is an artist and so I had to think outside the box to make sure this was aesthetically pleasing as well as tasty. The feedback was great. Noted as moist, fragrant and enticing.
Ingredients
1 tsp. cardamom powder
1 cup pistachios
1 cup almond meal
170g fine semolina
1.5 tsp. baking powder
300g unsalted butter
1.5 coconut sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tbsp. juice
2 tbsp. rosewater
½ tsp. vanilla
Syrup
100ml lemon juice
1/3 cup rosewater
½ cup caster sugar
To serve
2 tbsp pistachios
10g edible rose petals
Method
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper. Grease a 23cm springform cake pan and line with baking paper
Finely ground the pistachios using a blender, add the cardamom powder and blend again
Transfer to a bowl and add almond meal, semolina, baking powder and ¼ tsp. fine salt
Place butter and sugar in a separate bowl and beat until well combined, add egg slowly and continue to mix
Fold through the dry mixture until well combined
Add the rosewater and vanilla and fold through
Add the lemon and lemon zest and fold in
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and use a palette knife to smooth the top
Bake for an hour at 350F or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (expect a little oil from the nuts)
For the syrup, place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to the boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven drizzle with the hot syrup, the hot cake will absorb it.
Sprinkle with pistachios and rose petals for decoration
‘In the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips’
I liked this recipe for two reasons, because the main ingredients are oats and bananas and because it is a blend and bake recipe. It has the same ingredients as your morning porridge but is easier to grab and go. I see this as a great breakfast, Mr B likes this as a sweet treat in-between meals, as he likes to have one hand permanently in the cookie jar.
The ingredients in this cookie can be mixed up, try orange and cranberries, blueberries or raisins, chocolate chips and coconut.
Ingredients
3 medium ripe bananas
3 tbsp. peanut butter
3 tbsp. maple syrup
120g oats
50g blueberries
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup. Vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven too 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper
Mash the bananas in a bowl, add the peanut butter, coconut and maple syrup, stir
Fold in the blueberries and chocolate chips
Spoon onto the baking tray, spreading a little to make them round
‘My cooking is simple ingredients, plus umami’ – Nobu
My father in law often delivers me an array of vegetables from his miracle grow garden and baby eggplants are my favourites. They are great as they take very little time to cook and they are oh so cute.
This recipe is quick and full of umami, a stir fry till the eggplant slices are cooked and a quick sauce, which can be used as a dipping sauce or a sauce for the dish and some rice to soak it all up.
Ingredients
6 baby eggplants, quartered
1 tsp. coconut oil
1 tbsp. plum sauce
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. tamari
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
Method
Melt the coconut oil in a pan and stir-fry the quartered eggplants until soft
Make the sauce by combining the rest of the ingredients apart from the sesame seeds
When the eggplants are ready, pour the sauce over the top and remove from the heat, stir until evenly covered
Beautiful, vibrant, rich and tasty may be a description of your ideal partner but for me it is what I look for in the perfect dish.
This recipe is actually the recipe for my grandma’s pasta sauce. Every Indian household has one. It’s a kicked-up version of arrabiata, with the family’s signature mix of spices.
As a kid I liked the sauce and didn’t like the pasta (I wish I had that issue as an adult) and so would just eat the sauce as a soup.
As the nights start to get colder and the light fades a little earlier, I thought this would be the perfect dish to recreate. Warming both in your hands and in your tummy.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. coconut oil
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
¼ piece of cinnamon
½ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. fennel seeds
½ tsp. cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large shallots
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced
2 pounds tomatoes
1-quart vegetable broth
2 tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. garam masala
½ tsp. chili powder
½. Cup fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Roast the tomatoes at 350f, until soft and bursting through the skin
Once cooked allow to cool and blend
Heat the oil and add the whole spices, peppercorns, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and cumin
Add the ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant for a few minutes, being careful not to burn
Add the tomato mixture and stir, add the broth and simmer for 10 minutes until all the flavours are well combined
Add the powdered spices and adjust for seasoning
Serve hot on its own, with pasta or with fresh crusty bread
