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.
I am currently working as a plant-based R&D chef for a company and one of our clients is looking for on the go high protein, healthy breakfast items. This is great as it gives me the incentive to create recipes for work that I could use at home.
Mr B loved this recipe and said it was the love child of a frittata and cheesecake, two of his favourite dishes. It could be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can easily add herbs to the dish; I think chives or dill would work well. You could add other veggies too like grated carrots, just make sure the overall moisture content is low of whatever you add, by salting and squeezing out any excess water.
Ingredients:
coconut oil, butter or ghee for greasing
2-3 large zucchini
1 tsp salt
½ tsp. onion powder
550 g ricotta
½ cup grated pecorino
⅓ cup feta
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 medium eggs, whisked
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°C and grease a baking dish or cake tin.
Grate the zucchini. Combine the zucchini and salt in a colander or sturdy sieve and let sit for 15 minutes, then use your hands or a dish cloth to press out as much moisture as you can (this is important).
Combine the ricotta, pecorino, feta, garlic, then stir in the eggs and zucchini.
Pour into the baking dish or tin and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown across the top.
The bake is best when left to cool completely so that it sets properly. Serve at room temperature.
The humble chickpea certainly packs above its weight in nutrition given its size.
This is a wonderful snack that can be added to any dish to boost your protein and fibre. You can eat it alone as a snack or add it as protein on a texture contrast. You can vary the spicing, think, salt and pepper, sumac, garlic salt, everything bagel. Boil the chickpeas yourself and make hummus or falafels as a compliment.
In the Middle East chickpeas are a stable, having been cultivated for thousands of years. They have them on the table in many forms, allowing them to be integrated into their diets on a consistent basis. These lovely roasted chickpeas allow for you to add them as a topping to anything (think, eggs, beans, salads) you could also consider integrating them in flour form (think savoury chickpea pancakes) purees, soups and stews.
Due to the rich in protein and fibre, they can help satiate and control blood sugar. They are also a good source of manganese, folate, iron, zinc, phosphorous, magnesium, thiamine, vitamin B6, selenium and potassium.
Protein/Fibre content: 25g/20g
Ingredients:
1 can x 400g of chickpeas, drained and rinsed or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas, previously prepared
1 tbsp. za’atar
1 tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 400F and line baking tray with parchment paper
Dry the chickpeas with a kitchen towel. Disregard any skins that come off
Mix the chickpeas, oil and seasoning and spread on the baking tray
‘Every dish I cooked exhumed a memory. Every scent and taste brought me back for a moment to an unravaged home’
I found some beautiful freshly made tofu at the Larchmont Farmers Market this weekend from Great Joy Family Farm. It reminded me of my time in Singapore where I used to taste it most days in the form of milk, tofu or ice cream. It has a distinctly rich and creamy smell when fresh (yes, I know you can’t smell ‘creamy’ but I swear with soya milk you can).
Organic tofu is delicious and high in protein. It has also been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory, due to containing isoflavones.
I baked the tofu with a marinade in addition to an intermediate coating of cornstarch and baking power. It’s the baking powder that reacts with the heat creating the crispy texture.
The marinade is sweet and salty and can be dialed up or down depending on preference.
Ingredients
1 (14-oz.) block extra-firm tofu, drained
2 cloves garlic, grated
1”-inch piece ginger, grated
2 Tbsp. tamari
1 Tbsp. Sriracha
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, divided
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
Carefully pat tofu dry: On a cutting board, sandwich tofu between doubled layers of paper towels and press down slowly to remove moisture without cracking the block. Remove paper towels and cut tofu into 32 equal pieces: halve tofu laterally across, then cut the block into a 4×4 grid.
Make marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Sriracha, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, vinegar, and sugar until smooth. Set aside half this mixture and reserve for glazing later.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, add tofu to bowl and toss gently to coat in marinade. Let sit 15 minutes, then drain off excess marinade.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and baking powder. Sprinkle over tofu and gently toss to coat evenly. Drizzle over remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and toss to coat each piece.
Spread tofu evenly out onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, decrease oven temperature to 375°. Flip tofu pieces to allow for even toasting, then return tray to oven and continue to bake until tofu is crispy on the outside and deeply golden, about 15 minutes more.
Heat the marinade till it starts to thicken a little and then brush tofu for a glazed finish, then sprinkle with sesame.
This is my new favorite breakfast. I eat it with smoked salmon, but you can make it with scrambled tofu or egg. It’s quick to put together and is lovely and light. It has high protein, veggies, probiotics and a lot of flavor. I especially like the toasted sesame oil addition.
I got this recipe from Dr Rupy Aujla’s book, “Healthy High Protein”. A lot of people have asked me lately to help them reset their health and I found that I am very much aligned with the views of this book and doctor, seeing food as medicine as well as fuel.
There are a lot of misconceptions on why you need more protein in your diet, what your body uses it for and how to get it from healthy, plant based (and other) sources. So, I am going to share a little wisdom to help create more of a foundation of healthful information.
Let’s start at the beginning, it’s a very good place to start…
The three core pillars of my diet are maintaining protein, supporting gut health and lowering inflammation. So, when a nutritionist says, increase you protein by adding 20 eggs to your diet and eat chicken every day (true story), I’d say firstly poor chickens and secondly, that doesn’t meet all my health requirements. I’m looking for a clear mind, good digestion and sustainable energy and for that to be true I need to prioritise all 3 of my pillars.
Let’s start with protein. What are the benefits of eating protein?
Fewer sugar cravings. Sugar cravings dimmish because protein in very satiating and keeps you fuller for longer.
Weight loss. Protein requires more energy than carbohydrates and fat to be broken down
More energy. Energy levels may increase and allow for you to sustain longer bouts of exercise. More protein in your diet, coupled with exercise, can improve muscle strength recovery.
Better sleep. Proteins form the building blocks of melatonin and other hormones involved in different stages of sleep.
Bone and muscle health. Generally, above the age of 55 we absorb less protein. More protein in the diet, is associated with greater bone mineral density and a lower loss of bone cells. This could be because protein enhances calcium uptake and stimulates the IGF-1 growth hormone.
Metabolic health. Your muscles serve as an important store of sugar. Thus, the less muscle you have the higher the risk of metabolic health issues like type 2 diabetes.
Longevity. A meta-analysis of over 700,000 adults found a higher protein intake (particularly plant-based sources) was associated with lower deaths from all causes, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
More to come next week, for now here is the recipe.
Build each lentil cake, starting with the avocado slices, followed by the kimchi, smoked salmon if using or other protein, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and sesame oil
Top with the pea shoots (these came from my garden. You could swap for scallions, micro herbs or beansprouts)
‘Seaweed is a natural purifier, acting like a Brita filter for the ocean’
The advantage of including sea vegetables in your diet is immense, they are some of the most nutritious foods you can eat. Sea vegetables boast elevated levels of minerals like iron, calcium, iodine and are high in protein. Due to not needing land or water to grow they are one of the most environmentally sustainable food choices available.
This recipe uses nori, the most frequently eaten seaweed. Baking it intensifies the flavour and crisps it up nicely. The miso provides a fermented element acting as a probiotic, it also intensifies the salt. I like the intensity, especially as a salt replacement for the summer days. Mr B and Baby B not so much.
Makes 48 chips: serves 8
Ingredients:
6 tbsp. almond butter
¼ cup white miso
4 tsp. mirin
1 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp. filtered water
8 sheets nori
½ cup toasted sesame seeds
Method
Preheat the oven to 300F, line a baking sheets with parchment
Combine the nut butter, miso, mirin, oil and water in a small bowl and stir until well combined
Place one sheet of nori on a cutting board and spread three tablespoons of the mixture, all the way to the edges (this will also act as your adhesive), sprinkle with two tablespoons of sesame seeds and place the other nori sheet on top
Press down gently, cut in half and then into strips to get twelve pieces in total
Arrange on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces
Repeat with the remaining ingredients
Bake for 15 minutes until the nori is crinkled; the chips will crisp as they cool
Remove from the oven and allow to cool
Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to two weeks
This is a lovely recipe for a substantial muffin, good for breakfast, a lunchbox or summer picnic. It has apple and carrots so nutrient dense, as well as almonds, walnuts and oats. I did this at home gluten free with the nuts and for two classes using wholemeal flour and raisins/choc chips. It was big hit with the kids and parents who tasted it. For the end of term class, we put the muffins in pots which we decorated and added a cocoa nib and cookie based for mud, adding in a handmade toothpick flower to finish.
Ingredients:
2 cups almond meal
1.5 cups old-fashioned oats
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
½ cup walnuts, raisins or chocolate chips
3 eggs
1 cup granny smith apple, grated
1 cup grated carrots
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup honey
Nut free option:
2 cups AP flour/whole wheat flour instead of the almond flour
Increase butter to 8 tbsps. (1 stick)
If a little dry add milk, 2 tbsps. At a time.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F
Line a muffin tray with paper muffin cups
In a medium bowl combine the almond meal, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and walnuts
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, apple, carrot, melted butter and honey
Add the dry and wet ingredients together until just combined
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to the brim
Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on the top and a knife inserted comes out clean, c. 20-25 minutes
I was given some beautiful Sumac from the Rye Library Spice Club, sourced from Serafina. I adapted this recipe from the middle eastern inspired book, Eating Out Loud. I’m a big fan of middle eastern spicing and love using sumac for its combination of earthiness and lemony characteristics. It goes well with savoury and sweet dishes, counteracting the richness.
I liked the idea of using this in a sweet dish. The combination of crunch from the pavlova, lightness from the coconut whipped cream and tart addition of the sumac-strawberries. I also love the contrast in colours, with the summer strawberries creating a bright and violent contrast. To add a temperature contrast or save time you may want to use coconut sorbet in lieu of the coconut whipped cream, homemade or Sharons coconut sorbet is lovely and light.
Ingredients:
Pavlovas
5 large egg whites
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
Sumac Strawberries
3 cups thinly sliced strawberries
2 tbsp. maple syrup
Grated zest 1 lemon
Juice ½ lemon
1 tsp. sumac, plus more for serving
Coconut whipped cream
2 cups full fat coconut cream
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
Method
Start by making the pavlovas. Preheat over to 250F. line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or large bowl and handheld mixer/whisk), whip the egg whites and salt on high speed until the egg white begins to look fluffy, c. 5 minutes. with the mixer still running begin adding the sugar 1-2 tbsp. at a time. Once all the sugar is added, continue mixing until the mixture is thick and glossy, 5-10 minutes. add the vanilla and mix until just combined. Reduce the speed to low, sprinkle in the cornstarch and vinegar, and mix for just a few seconds to combine
Using a silicone spatula or a metal offset spatula, place 10 roughly even dollops of the meringue on the prepared baking sheet. Spread them out slightly, so they’re about 3 inches in diameter, leaving a slight dip in the middle to hold the fruit and cream
Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 225F. bake for 1 hour, the meringue should be barely crisp on the outside and still soft on the inside. Turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas inside until completely cooled, at least 2 hours.
To make the sumac strawberries, in a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice and sumac. Mix to coat and let macerate in the fridge for at least 30 mins
To make the vanilla whipped cream, in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream on high until thick. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and continue whipping until soft peaks are formed
Fill each meringue with ¼ cup whipped coconut cream followed by 3 tbsp. of the macerated strawberries. Sprinkle with a pinch of sumac and serve.
‘As the flowers do not chase bees, we too must embody confidence and authenticity, creating an environment where positivity flows towards us.’
I received a sample of this beautiful powder from the Rye Library Spice Club, supplied by Selefina. The Butterfly Pea Flower is magical. It is a sacred healing plant and divine in some cultures. It is thought to sooth frayed nerves and lift your mood. This is due to its vasorelaxation properties. It’s vibrant blue changes to purple when acid is added and pink when mixed with tonic water. It has an earthy taste so is sometimes called blue matcha.
The Butterfly Pea Flower is used throughout Southeast Asia in ritual offerings, and it is said to symbolize a perfect union with the divine. An ayurvedic brain tonic, the flowers are intentionally grown in temples in India to be used in Hindi worship to pay homage to the goddess Durga, the Lord Shiva. The flower contains proanthocyanidin and anthocyanin (the former pigment is found in blueberries), helps stimulate collagen production and elastin synthesis. Research has affirmed that the flower can also inhibit glycation, the process of metabolism that leads to wrinkled skin.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. chia seeds
½ tsp. butterfly pea flower powder
½ cup oat milk
½ cup coconut yogurt
10 blueberries
1/3 cup granola
Method
Combine the chia seeds, blue powder and milk. Stir until evenly covered
Refrigerate overnight until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is gel like
Add your chia seeds to a glass (a wine glass works well), add the chia layer, then the coconut yogurt, top with the granola and blueberries
‘Soup is a lot like family. Each ingredient enhances the others; each batch has its own characteristics; and it needs time to simmer to reach full flavour’.
I love this soup. It is so tasty, packed full of flavour and dense with nutrition. I found it in Milk Street, Tuesday nights, Christopher Kimball and liked the way anchovies were used to build the umami flavour but not leave the residue of fishiness. He does this is several recipes and it is a great way to add oily fish into your diet. I used chicken broth for the base and anchovies, but you could convert this to a vegetarian dish by using veggie broth, and miso for the anchovies.
Mr. B ate this and loved it, which shows you can’t taste the anchovies just the flavour punch.
I did not use canned beans, if you do, I’d recommend using Eden, which are canned beans pre-soaked in kombu to make them more digestible. I made my beans from scratch, pre-soaking and using kombu in the preparation to make them easier to digest.
Why do I want to add anchovies to a mainly plant based diet? Anchovies are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which support heart (EPA and DHA) and brain health. They are a great source of calcium and protein. They are a sustainable food and are low in mercury versus some other fish.
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
¼ cup EVOO
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
8 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, patted dry and minced (optional)
2 quarts chicken/vegetable broth
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
¼ cup pecorino
2 cups small white beans
1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a large Dutch oven over a medium low heat, heat the oil till shimmering. Add the onion and cook until soft and transparent, c. 5 minutes. stir in the anchovies and garlic and stir until fragrant being careful not to burn it, c. 30 seconds
Add the broth, rosemary, pecorino and beans, let simmer for 5-7 minutes, covered
Stir in the kale and cook uncovered till it has softened, 5-7 minutes.
Taste and add salt, pepper and more cheese if needed.
“Saffron is scent, colour, and culture distilled into a thread.”
I love using Saffron in recipes. I inherited two boxes of this ancient luxurious spice from my grandmother’s kitchen. One of the tins noted its origin in Spain and the other unopened tin from Morocco. I use it sparingly, so this quantity should last me my lifetime. Saffron always conjures up heady dreams of ancient lands, linages that cast back through history, travels that have come a long way. It reminds me that we are all just nomads passing through a brief window of time. Stardust both as significant as insignificant.
I adapted this recipe from Milk Street Tuesday Nights by Christopher Kimball. Tweaking the spice mix slightly to make it more fragrant and calming with a higher amount of cardamom and saffron versus Ginger. I also added a chocolate drizzle to half the batch. Simplicity and flavour are the foundation of this book. Building the flavour profiles through clever herb and spice combinations.
Saffron – Saffron’s use is ancient. Saffron-based pigments have been found in 50,000-year-old paintings in northwest Iran. It conjures romance, royalty, and delicacy wherever it appears. Alexander the Great bathed in saffron to cure battle wounds. Cultivated saffron emerged in late Bronze Age Crete, bred from its wild precursor by selecting for unusually long stigmas making the plant sterile. Called Kumkum or Kesar in Ayurveda, it also appears as an important medicinal herb in many ancient texts including Ayurveda, Unani, and Chinese Medicine.
In Ayurveda Saffron is noted as a nourishing purifier that invigorates and moves the blood while cooling it. Saffron breaks up blood clots and clears liver stagnation. While most blood movers are heating, saffron is unique among blood movers for its cooling properties. This makes saffron a useful herb for Pitta disorders with blood stagnation, including inflammation, arthritis, and acne.
Eleven randomized trials have found that, overall, saffron benefits mild to moderate depression significantly better than placebo at doses as little as a single pinch a day (30 mg). And half a dozen studies have found that the spice beat out placebo or rivalled medications like Prozac in the treatment of depression.
Yield: 20
Ingredients:
4 large egg white
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. saffron threads, crumbled
2 tbsp. salted butter
1 tsp. ground cardamom
½ tsp. ground ginger
225g unsweetened shredded coconut
50g almond flour
134g white sugar
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Method
Heat the overn to 350F, line two baking trays with parchment paper
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs whites, salt and saffron until the whites turn bright yellow and form peaks, c. 1-2 minutes. let stand for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally to allow the saffron to bloom.
In a small skillet, combine the butter, cardamom and ginger. Cook stirring occasionally, until the butter begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, whisk the coconut and almond flour to break up any lumps.
Add the sugar, honey and vanilla into the egg mixture and whisk. Whisk in the butter mixture. Add the coconut mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until evenly covered. Drop 1.5 tbsp. portions of the batter onto the baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
Bake until golden brown and firm when gently pressed, c. 20 minutes, witching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Cool got another 15 minutes and serve warm.
Can store them in an airtight container, they will lose their firmness a little but still taste great.
