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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.

Joy Bauer’s Crispy Carrot Parmesan (GF, V)

By , September 28, 2024

‘If you truly get in touch with a piece of carrot, you get in touch with the soil, the rain, the sunshine’

I wanted to add more carrots into Baby B’s diet and so decided to try I few recipes. Carrot Souffle first, big thumbs down, crispy carrot parmesan next, he was indifferent, plain grated and chopped up carrots a winner. Sometimes you just need options to realise the original is the best. That is certainly the case with a toddler.  

Mr B and I however found this dish incredibly addictive. It’s salty, cheesy and crunchy from the carrots. It’s great as a canape or a side.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium carrots, grated
  • 1.5 cups parmesan, grated
  • Oil spray

Method

  • Preheat an oven to 400c. Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  • Peel the carrots, using kitchen paper squeeze out as much water as possible
  • Sprinkle 1 cup of parmesan evenly over the parchment paper, add the carrot shreds, disturbing them equally
  • Mist the top of the carrots with oil spray, holding the bottle high so you don’t get a parmesan dust storm
  • Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan on top
  • Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes until browned and crispy
  • Let cool and break into pieces

Sotiris Greek Gigantes Beans (GF, V)

By , September 19, 2024

‘Greek cuisine: a love affair between taste and tradition’

This is a classic Greek recipe, consisting of giant beans baked in tomato sauce with plenty of herbs. It has a little bit of process to it, but it is well worth the investment.

First you cook the dried beans, then the sauce, then you combine and bake. This leads to deep layers of delish flavour.

I first discovered this version of the recipe from my friend Sotiris. Everything he cooks, is packed with flavour, so complex and so comforting. He understands how to layer flavours and make simple splendid food. Happy Birthday Chef, so lucky to be a taster of your food.

Ingredients

  • 500g giant beans
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 sticks celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 400g canned tomatoes
  • 300g water
  • Lemon zest, one lemon
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube, or vegetable stock

Method

  • Soak the beans in a bowl full of water and a little salt for 12-24 hours. When ready, drain and rinse
  • Transfer beans to a pot add water and heat. When the water comes to a boil bring down to a simmer and cook till soft, c. 1 hour. When ready, drain and set aside
  • Place the same pot over a low medium heat, heat the oil and add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes
  • Add the cinnamon, bay leaves, sugar and tomato paste, mix well
  • Add the chopped tomatoes, water, lemon zest, bouillon or stock and the beans
  • Remove pot from the heat
  • Transfer to an oven proof baking dish
  • Cover with foil and cook for c. 1hour until the beans are ‘smiling’. They are ‘smiling’ when they are soft and starting to smell fragrant. Uncover the beans and cook till they are ‘happy’. They are happy when there is a crust on top.
  • Mix in fresh herbs such as dill and parsley, just before serving.

Nonna’s Fig Jam (GF, V)

By , September 12, 2024

‘No thing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. if you tell me, you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it blossom then bear fruit, then ripen’ – Epictetus

Mr B’s father brought over fig trees from Italy when he first immigrated over 50 years ago. Every year there is a lovely run up in the summer when they start producing a few figs a week.  At some point however they get impatient and start producing 100’s at a time. We end up with boxes and boxes to be distributed to lucky family members and friends.

My mother-in-law used to make this lovely fig jam that we all received around this time of year. It was delicious and addictive and we would add it to yogurt, ice cream, cheese or just eat it straight out of the jar. In recent years she has stopped spending so much time in the kitchen and so I have slowly been trying out her recipes, so I can carry on the tradition for my husband and make them for Baby B to try.

This is an easy recipe and way to use your fig yield. I used Jaggery instead of cane sugar, as it has added nutrients. It is made by boiling raw, concentrated sugarcane juice till it takes a solid form.

Jaggery – It contains more mineral content because of its molasses content. It has manganese, magnesium, potassium and iron.

Figs – Have a wide range of nutrients and are particularly rich in copper and B6. They are high in fibre and help to promote digestive health.

Ingredients

  • 2lb Figs, topped and quartered
  • 1.5 cups sugar (I used Jaggery)
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ½ cup water
  • 4 one-inch-thick strips of lemon or orange peel

Method

  • In a large steal pan, add all the ingredients
  • Bring them to a boil and then down to a simmer
  • Simmer for 35-45 minutes or until it has reached your desired thickness, stir every so often to stop it sticking
  • Let cool slightly, take out the peel and then pour into a glass jar
  • Store for up to 3 months in the fridge

Tietong’s Okra with Dynamite Sauce (GF, V)

By , September 7, 2024

‘Cooking is the ultimate giving’

This is a dish that was made for me by a friend for lunch. It was so wonderful to be cooked for and for someone to take what they know I like and present a dish from their childhood for me to try.
 
My friend had no name for this dish as she just ate it growing up. She said it was simply okra with a spring onion/garlic sauce. I am calling it dynamite sauce as when I tried it, and indeed when Mr. B tried it he said he could eat it every day on everything. The sauce is so simple to make, I would batch it and just add it to any dish as a sauce or even a chutney. I think the addiction has a lot to do with the many layers of umami and caramelization that comes with the onions, garlic, Tamari and the little bit of sugar at the end. You could leave out the end sugar, as the onions are sweet enough.
 
I love Okra this way, it is almost raw, and you don’t get the stickiness you do when you cook it for a longer period. It is also great that this makes for a 10-minute meal.

Okra is one of the best vegetables you can add to your diet. It is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and helps facilitate blood sugar management and better digestion and detoxification.

Ingredients
 
-1 bag okra (c. 20)
-2 bunches of spring onions, washing and chopped
-4 garlic gloves, crushed
-1-2 tbsp. tamari
-1 tsp. sugar
-½ tsp. black vinegar (optional)
 
Method
– Boil a pot of water, add ½ tsp salt. Add the Okra for one minute, drain and wash in cold water to cool down. Set aside.
– Add 2 tbsp. of oil to a pan. Heat to a medium high heat. Add the garlic and spring onion with a pinch/ ¼ tsp salt and keep moving in the pan until they start to wilt – just a few minutes.
– Add the tamari, stir. Add the black vinegar. Taste for salt. Add more tamari if needed
– Take off the heat and add the sugar. Mix thoroughly. (I used maple syrup, use whatever you have)
– Cut the Okra top and bottom off the Okra and cut in half.  Lay out on a plate.
– Add the sauce/topping.

Hasselback Eggplant (GF, Veg)

By , August 16, 2024

‘Although they are typically regarded as vegetables, eggplants are technically berries’

This is a gorgeous recipe, taste and looks wise (although you might pardon my photography on this one). It is like an eggplant parmesan but with feta, which adds a lovely salty element.

It is super easy to make, cutting and spreading the beautiful tomato butter and can be made quickly during a dinner party and pulled out as a showstopper and placed on the table.

I don’t eat Eggplant often, but when I do, I like it to have a soft and silky texture. Mr. B on the other hand is happy to eat eggplant any which way and loved this version.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp. softened butter
  • 6 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 1 large eggplant
  • ½ cup feta

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 425F
  • In a small bowl combine the butter, tomato paste, garlic salt and pepper until you have a smooth paste
  • Cut the eggplant in half, top to bottom.
  • Place the eggplant on a cutting board between two chopsticks to prevent cutting all the way through. Make thin slices along the eggplant halves. Repeat with the second side.
  • Drizzle some olive oil at the bottom of an oven-safe dish. Fan out the eggplant and season with salt. Spread a small amount of the tomato-butter mixture between each slice. Crumble feta into each slice.
  • Place each half in the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. turn down to 375c and continue to bake for 25 minutes until the eggplant is tender. Cooking time may vary depending on size of the eggplant.
  • Serve with more feta, crushed nuts, chopped parsley and basil

Tatsoi with sesame ginger dressing (GF, V)

By , August 11, 2024

‘For happy health, fuel yourself with greens and dreams’

Tatsoi is labelled, vitamin green for its nutrient profile. It is high in calcium and vitamin C as well as folate and iron.

The taste is in-between Bok Choy and spinach, and it cooks quickly. Some recipes call for blanching and ice bathing before stir frying, but I think this is over kill as the leaf quickly wilts as it cooks, and you want to retain some of its texture.

I serve this on its own as an accompanying green, or throw it in with some rice and protein, with a little hoisin to create a complete meal.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz Tatsoi
  • 2 tbsp. Tamari
  • 1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tsp. fresh crushed garlic
  • 1 tbsp. sesame seeds

Method

  • Clean the tatsoi and take off the bulb end (where the leaves join together)
  • Add 1 tbsp. EVOO to a deep pan, warm and when shimmering add the ginger and garlic for 10 seconds
  • Add the tatsoi and ¼ tsp. salt, mix and cover
  • Once the tatsoi is starting to wilt, mix add the tamari
  • Take off the heat, serve with sesame seeds sprinkled on top

Pear Chia Pudding (GF, V)

By , July 26, 2024

‘Breakfast is a love letter to your body’

This recipe is from Whole Food Cooking Every Day by Amy Chaplin.

This pudding is a low sugar chia pudding are quick and healthy treats. They are 100% fruit sweetened and can be varied with the seasonal produce. Strawberries in the spring, pears in the summer and berries or coconut in winter.

Chia seeds contain more omega-3 fatty acid than salmon, contain all 9 essential amino acids, are rich in antioxidants and are loaded with fiber supporting the gut microbiome.

Ingredients

  • 3 pears (ripe but not too soft)
  • ½ cup fresh orange juice
  • ¼ tsp. sea salt
  • ½ cup raw cashews (pre-soaked for 30 mins)
  • 2 tbsp. coconut butter
  • 6 tbsp. chia/basil seeds

Options:

  • Add some raw cacao to create a chocolate flavor, some nuts or cacao nibs for texture

Method

  • Peel, core and chop the pears
  • Place the pears, orange juice and salt in a small pan. Bring to a boil and then cover and lower heat for 8-10 mins until soft
  • Remove from the heat and allow to cool
  • Once cooled, added the mixture to an upright blender. Blend with the cashews and coconut butter.
  • Pour into a wide bowl, add the chia or basil seeds and mix with a whisk
  • Place in the fridge once cooled, whisk again in the morning
  • If you find the texture too thick for your taste, add a drop of plant milk
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Bok Choy Soup (DF, GF)

By , July 20, 2024

‘Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite’ – Auguste Escoffier

This soup is very quick to make, the broth is flavourful, and you can swap your veggies depending on what you like. You can use chicken broth, to add protein and gut healing properties, or use a veggie stock to make this a purely vegetarian dish.

Bok Choy is a cruciferous vegetable, making it a prebiotic. I like it in soup versus other cruciferous vegetables, as its texture stands up better. It is nutritious with a wide array of vitamins and minerals. Bok Choy is an especially good source of vitamins C and K, as well as selenium. Bok Choy contains calcium, phosphorous, zinc, magnesium and vitamin K. Studies have shown benefits to heart health, bone health, gut health and anti-cancer benefits.

Best of all my mum loved this soup, which is its greatest benefit to my heart health.  

Ingredients

  • 18oz baby Bok Choy, quartered
  • 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 0.5oz thinly sliced ginger
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1oz dried shiitake (rehydrated) or 2oz fresh mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp. EVOO
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp. tamari (or more to taste)

Method

  • Slice the Bok Choy in half and half again. Rinse and clean under cold water and set aside to drain.
  • Preheat a medium pot, on low heat. Add the oil, ginger and garlic and salt, sauté for 30 seconds
  • Add the mushrooms and olive oil. Sauté for another 30 seconds.
  • Add the stock, bring to the boil and then down to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes, add the tamari, taste the broth and adjust for seasoning.
  • Bring up the heat to medium and add the Bok Choy stem side down. Cook for 2 minutes like that and then submerge the rest of the Bok Choy into the soup.
  • Cook for another minute or so and serve
  • Sprinkle cut up scallions for garnish (optional)

Apricot Compote (DF, GF)

By , July 12, 2024

‘Everyone wants to pick the fruit, but first you must plant the tree’

This is a delicious compote. It can be eaten with oatmeal, yogurt, with cheese or on its own. It can be made with any stone fruit and is good for when you buy a large yield and it’s too hot to keep them all.

Apricots – These beautiful rays of summer sunshine are full of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A and beta carotene.

Kudzu – This has been used in Eastern medicine for many years. It is also known as Japanese arrowroot and is used for treating many health conditions including fevers, diabetes and heart disease. For this recipe, we use it as a thickener.

Ingredients

  • 1.5lb apricots
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ¼ tsp. pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tsp. kudzu powder
  • 2 tsp. filtered water
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Options

  • Can use any stone fruit for this recipe, peaches, nectarines, plums or cherries work nicely

Method

  • Put the apricots, orange juice and salt in a pot
  • Heat the mixture to high heat and then down to a simmer
  • Cover the pot and cook until the fruit is soft, c. 10-12 minutes
  • Dissolve the kudzu with the 2 tsp. water (making a slurry), add to the pot
  • Stir in and keep on a low heat until thickened, stirring once in while
  • Once the mixture has thickened slightly, stir in the vanilla
  • Serve warm or at room temperature

Grilled Eggplant (GF, V)

By , June 20, 2024

‘Rub, smoke, repeat’

I love grilling, especially vegetables. You can change the texture and taste considerably and most vegetables stand up well on the grill.

Eggplants are one vegetable that to me taste better once grilled. It is easier to apply the high temperatures you need to get them to soften and cook all the way through.

This is a simple, lovely recipe that can be adapted for your favourite seasonings. If you don’t have fresh garlic, garlic powder works well too.

This dish is good eaten hot or cold, so double the recipe and keep some for the next day!

Ingredients

  • 2 eggplants
  • 2 tsp. salt plus ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup EVOO
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. pepper

Method

  • Cut the eggplant into ¼ inch slices and salt with the 2 tsp. Place in a sieve and let the salt draw out water. After 15 minutes wipe each with a paper towel to remove the salt and moisture
  • Preheat a BBQ to a medium heat
  • In a dish combine the rest of the ingredients. Place the eggplant in the mixture, ensuring both sides are covered
  • Grill for 5-7 minutes or until tender, return to the olive oil mixture and then transfer to your serving plate
  • The eggplant can be eaten hot or cold