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.
‘Nature alone is an antique, and the oldest art a mushroom’ – Thomas Carlyle
I love this dish so much that whilst I am writing this, I am making another batch
It made my life so much easier this week as I started to commute and needed a nourishing, light meal that took 10 minutes to make when I got home
The first day I ate the broth on its own, the second I added some soba noodles as I heated it up, the third I added some tofu, the fourth some pea shoots and the fifth some pre-cooked barley and some coconut milk. The base itself has about 10 calories, a portion of soba noodles has 70 calories, so this is a low-calorie meal, whatever you do to it
Dried mushrooms can be much cheaper than real mushrooms but they retain the taste and nutrients including protein, enzymes, B vitamins (niacin) and vitamin D2
Ingredients
½ cup dried mushrooms
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
8 cups water
Method
Place all ingredients in a deep pot, bring to the boil and then down to a simmer for 30 minutes
You are looking for a deeply concentrated flavour, so if at 30 minutes you don’t have that keep going or adjust the seasoning
If you have an instant pop, you can do the same thing and it will take 10 minutes
Eat as a nourishing broth
Add soba noodles and make a ramen
Add tofu and vegetables and make a protein dense soup
‘Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors and let every new year find you a better man’ – Benjamin Franklin
Every year people makes lists of resolutions, drink less, eat less, do more exercise. These are really just generalities that you think will make your life better and in some circumstances relieve the guilt of the past season. We all do it and it seems to make sense at the time, but how long do we stick to our resolutions?
I have found, for me at least that making small changes on a day to day basis works better, with a little room for error, so that I don’t get into a guilt cycle and give up. Every day I start a fresh and think about what I can do better today.
For me like a lot of people, I have a deep and complex relationship with food. It has been my friend and enemy, it comforts me when I am far from home, it teaches me about my ancestry and it gives me a canvas for creativity. I am not going to give up eating and sometimes I am going to want something that does not serve me well, like a slice of pizza with my Italian husband or a truffle parmesan potato chip or two. So how do I balance the two.
I make it easy for myself to eat healthily 90% of the time and I don’t punish myself for the rest. I batch cook at the weekend and then my fast food is healthy food. I buy lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and I prepare them in batches as grab and go, lining up the pairings, for example peeling carrots and setting them next to the hummus, or placing mixed cut fruits in little pots next to my almond yogurt as a quick grab and go in the morning.
This recipe is an easy batch recipe. You cut and bake the butternut squash and eggplant, which you can make it bulk and use for other things also. You then add it all together bake it, creating 6-8 portions to be eaten or frozen. It tastes wonderful as a side or main, lunch or dinner and each ingredient can be repurposed in many different ways.
Take a few hours at the weekend to make your week easier and your food healthier. Now thats a resolution that anyone can keep. Happy Healthy 2019.
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash
1 large jar passata/homemade or shop bought
2 large eggplants/aubergines
100g gluten free breadcrumbs
50g vegan parmesan
salt, pepper, olive oil, chilli flakes
Method
Preheat the oven to 350f
Peel the squash, remove the seeds and cut into 1 cm long segments
Toss the squash in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until soft
As the squash is roasting, half peel the eggplant (alternate stripes) and slice into 1cm discs
Cover in olive oil, salt and pepper and lightly fry to brown on each side. Set aside on kitchen towel to absorb any excess oil
Warm the passata and add any additional flavouring you might like. I used a garlic basil tomato sauce and added a few chilli flakes (this saves a lot of time). Reference the Rowley Leigh recipe for the original recipe.
Mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan and set aside till ready to assemble
In an ovenproof dish, spoon a little sauce on the bottom and place half the squash segments down. Add some more sauce over the top and add half the eggplant segments, add more sauce and add the rest of the squash segments, more sauce, the other half of the eggplant segments and the rest of the sauce. Cover with the mixed breadcrumbs and cheese and bake for 30 minutes. I baked it covered with foil to make sure the breadcrumbs didn’t burn
Best eaten fresh and hot, but works well as leftovers too
My wish for you is to Live Better, Strive Harder, Be Bolder, Dream Bigger, Climb Higher and Seek Greater.
These too are wishes for myself and in the pursuit of this at the end of the year I took some time out to self reflect on all I have learnt over the last year.
In 2018, I completed my certificate in Plant Based Nutrition with Cornell and have used this and some great books (e.g. how not to die – Gene Stone and Michel Greger), articles and blogs to learn more about the hard science behind food and disease. Many of you may have seen my blog evolve over that time, from broad based healthy food to more of a plant-based blog. This is a reflection of my learning and has caused me to sit back and think about what my own philosophy is and what the blog should centre around.
After much study, contemplation and a recommitment to both my followers, and myself I am pleased to announce a new blog coming soon. The blog will be dedicated to Vegetarian, Vegan and Raw recipes with a focus on Plants and Whole Foods to maximise the nutritional content. There will also be a new section where I will share scientific research, so you can learn with me.
The blog will be called PlantToTable.com and exists today but with a redirect to Tasha.Kitchen until it is ready for launch in early 2019. Tasha.Kitchen will resume this Saturday and an announcement will be made when the new blog is ready.
I hope that this news allows you to forgive my absence and I look forward to continuing our journey together.
This dish is from the north of India and is normally served with lentils, rice and yogurt.
My grandma had a special dish for everyone, cheese rolls for my brother, rice porridge for me and green beans for my cousin Sabrina. I actually think Sabrina is the only person I know, as well as my grandmother who loved these green beans. They would eat them together, laugh and talk. It was something special to see.
This is my first attempt at a green bean recipe and there will be a few more to come until I get the right one. This recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey’s Vegetarian India, it is vibrant, spicy, tasty and takes no time at all.
Ingredients
1 LB green beans, topped and tailed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp. oil
½ tsp. asafoetida (optional)
½ tsp. whole cumin seeds
1 green chillies, chopped
2 tsp. ginger, chopped
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. coriander, powder
Method
Plunge the beans into boiling water 3-5 minutes and then drain, leaving them al dente
Put the oil in a medium frying pan, set on a low heat, add the asafoetida, add the cumin
Take the pan off the heat and add the ginger and chillies
Put back on the heat, add beans, salt, coriander powder and 2 tbsp. water
Let’s break the myth that you need meat to build muscle. The gorilla can lift up to 10 times its body weight!
I made this dish on the request of my meat and potatoes concierge. As I would leave the building early in the morning I would go by the front desk and drop off a plant based treat, vegan cheesecake, vegan meatballs, vegan samosa, vegan chocolate truffles and after a few months I finally got a request for a cauliflower steak. This was a man who said that he had to eat meat with every meal.
You must learn a new way to think, before you can master a new way to live.
I love the humble cauliflower, the texture is meaty enough to satisfy and it takes well to assertive flavours. This is a basic version, but you could add a pesto, salsa or chimichurri. I served this with some Baba Ganoush underneath for a texture and flavour contrast.
Mr B was a little upset that I was cooking for another man, so I made him some vegan truffles and he forgot all about it…
Ingredients
1 cauliflower
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. smoked paprika
¼ cup oil
Method
Preheat the oven
Remove the outer green leaves from the head of cauliflower
Use a large knife and cut the cauliflower half lengthwise and into half again
In a bowl mix the oil and spices
Brush the cauliflower with the mixture on both sides
Bake covered with foil until steamed and starting to soften
Uncover and let brown for the remaining time
If you have a BBQ, sear for grill marks and a little char
This is a beautiful recipe for a BBQ. It is meaty and sticky and sweet and sumptuous.
Mushrooms are always said to be a great meat substitute but I don’t see it as a substitute but a star in it’s own right. I use a variety of mushrooms in my recipes due to the medicinal benefits; Trumpet versus the others is good for something you want to give more structure to, which is why it works so well on this recipe.
Be careful with the reduction, as it can get hot due to the melted sugar. If it toughens up just reheat.
Ingredients
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup mirin
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup tamari
1/3 cup coconut sugar
trumpet mushrooms
1 tsp. coconut oil
Salt
Method
Soak 6-10 bamboo skewers for at least 15 minutes
Prepare grill/BBQ for medium heat
Thread the mushrooms onto the prepared skewers and brush with oil and salt
Grill until golden brown
Heat the mirin, sake, tamari and sugar until slightly reduced
Brush on the mushrooms and grill again, flip and brush again
This is one of those desserts…. one bite and addictive!
‘I don’t often eat Baklava, but when I do, I eat the whole tray…’
Here is an easy, peasy, lemon squeezy recipe for you to try out at home. It is such a beautiful taste and the smell of toasted pistachios is an added bonus. I used creamed honey from the farmers market as it is a little mellower, but any high quality honey will work.
This is a little healthier than your normal Baklava as it doesn’t have multiple layers of syrup. It is also easy to serve with cocktails as a canapé. I’d suggest adding a little rose water to some prosecco would be a good pairing, bringing out the fragrance and smells of a souk in both.
Ingredients
15 mini tart shells
3 tbsp. vegan butter
1 cup raw unsalted pistachios
2 tbsp. honey
½ tsp. cardamom
Pinch salt
Method
Bake the tart shells
Melt the butter in a medium pan, add pistachios and stir for c. 2 minutes until they start to have a nutty aroma
Add the honey, cardamom and salt
Take off the heat and mix
Use two spoons to scoop the filling into the shells
Cool before serving and make sure you don’t get any sugar on your skin as it will be super hot (I may be talking from experience…)
‘I didn’t change, I just started to look at things differently’.
Mr B and I popped into Orchard Grocer, a vegan Deli one day a few months ago. I was curious to see how they had become so popular so quickly, with reported long lines for their smoked salmon bagel. It is said that the bagel married lox in New York, so there is a high bar for this classic dish here.
I have to say, I was skeptical that a carrot could replace salmon and so took Mr B as the ultimate taster, given his New York roots and his love of this combination. The Deli did not disappoint and in fact the bagel was so good, Mr B asked me to recreate it so it could become his new go to at home.
The reason Mr B likes this, is because it has tones of the real thing due to the nori and tamari but is lighter and has a preferred texture. I like to serve it to Mr B on a Sunday morning in an everything bagel, or if he is getting on a train, I make it in a plain bagel and then add the everything seasoning to the vegan cream cheese. I also use it in wraps, bowls and in salads to add some depth and flavor.
I hope this dish gives you a glimpse into a reimagined classic and if not at least a new way to see the humble carrot
Ingredients
3 carrots
2 nori sheets
1 cup hot water
2 tbsp. Tamari
1 tbsp. Liquid smoke (optional)
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. dill
Sea salt to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 350f
Wash the carrots, add some salt and bake for 45 minutes or until soft.
Remove and once cooled slice into strips with a peeler or mandolin
Transfer into a container with the rest of the ingredients and let marinate at least overnight
For a classic new york bagel serve with vegan cream cheese, dill, red onion and capers
I love the simplicity and pureness of this recipe, filled with amazing ingredients straight from Mother Nature’s door!
I adapted this recipe from my plant lab raw desserts classic, bringing a little Indian Flair with the cardamom. If you don’t like cardamom, cinnamon works well or vanilla if you’d prefer a less dominant flavour profile
Did you know Cardamom has impressive medicinal properties and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It has antioxidant and diuretic properties, which are said to stop the growth of tumours, lower blood pressure, prevent inflammation and act as an antibacterial. Cinnamon has similar such properties, so you are good either way. Mr B doesn’t like Cardamom, so I tend to use cinnamon for him or during the holidays a little pumpkin spice (a US classic. I can not account for the medicinal properties I am afraid, just the smile invoked by the scent of the holidays)
Ingredients
½ cup soaked cashews
½ cup. Young coconut meat or coconut cream
¼ cup coconut water
1 tbsp. crushed cardamom seeds or cardamom powder
¼ cup agave
2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
Pinch of salt
Method
Blend all the ingredients together until smooth, except the coconut oil
Stream coconut oil in last
Process in an ice cream maker, or if you don’t have one (like me), place in a tub and freeze
This is a great recipe from the kitchen at Vedge in LA. It is a take on the classic spanakopita, (which means cheese filled) and uses tofu as the substitute.
As I talked to a few people about this recipe, it became clear that there is a version of this pie across the world including knishes, Bourikas, calzones, samosas and dim sum to name a few. This means I had some pretty tough tasters. The best comment I got back was from my Albanian taster who said this tasted like his mums back home. Score!! It was only then that I told him that there was no cheese only tofu. (I am not sure if he will mention that to his mum).
The key to a successful pie or layered pie isn’t whether you use tofu or cheese; it is about how you spice the filling. The onion, garlic, dill, salt and pepper all add to a delicious filling that you could stuff into anything, or quite frankly eat on its own. So make sure you are happy with the flavour and everything else will fall into place!
Mr B was a definite fan of this dish, given his love of all things Greek (apart from me, of course, he loves me despite of my non-Greekness)
Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for brushing the Phyllo
2 large bunches of Tuscan kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 pound extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
5 cups of tofu cream cheese
2 tbsp. chopped dill
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Half a pack of organic vegan Phyllo, thawed
Method
Preheat the oven
Brush a casserole dish with olive oil
Bring a pot of water to the boil, add salt
Blanch the kale for 5 minutes, drain
Heat the olive oil in a deep pot, add the onions, garlic and cook for a few minutes until brown
Add the crumbled tofu, salt and pepper. Stir until browned and the moisture is gone, c. 10 minutes
Combine the kale and tofu mixture in a large bowl. Add the tofu cream cheese, dill and lemon juice
Layer 3 sheets of Phyllo on the bottom of the dish. Add one third of the mixture, layer another 3 layers on top, add the next third, add Phyllo, the next third and finally top with the remaining Phyllo. Brush the top layer with olive oil and bake until golden brown, c. 15 minutes.
Cut the dish into portions before baking, this will make it easier to serve
