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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.

Beet tartare

By , April 29, 2017

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Life is your canvas…paint it with your dreams!

My dreams are normally full of food. If you know me well and see me staring off into the distance, you’ll know its because I am thinking about my next meal, the meal I just had or a recipe I am working on. It is therefore natural for me to combine food and art.

Beetroots have such amazing colors, my favourite is the deep ruby red because of the colour but also the antioxidant qualities you get with it.

This recipe is my healthy vegan version of beef tartar using those beautiful red beets to create a hearty, beet tartare. The dish has a lovely crunch and salinity from the capers and a smooth heat from the mustard.

I loved playing with this dish, as when you have finished you have a pink paint and a white cream cheese base to play with. It lets your inner artist (and child out) and what could be more fun than that!

This is a Tasha. Kitchen original, feel free to copy, creativity should be shared!

Ingredients

  • 2 small beets
  • 1 tsp. capers
  • 1½ tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. mustard
  • 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ tsp. sea salt
  • 3 tbsp. vegan cream cheese (see prior recipe)
  • Chives, chopped (for garnish)

Method

  • Preheat an oven to 350c
  • Bake the beetroots in salt for 40 mins or until slightly tender
  • Remove from the oven and let cool
  • Once cooled chop into roughly 1cm x 1cm pieces
  • Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, oil, and salt.
  • Transfer beets to a small bowl and mix with the dressing
  • Smear plate with the vegan cream cheese and place the beetroot on top using a cookie cutter or ramekin
  • Garnish with chopped chives

Popcorn Beets

By , April 22, 2017

Popcorn Beets

‘Creativity is a way to share your soul with the world’

This is my healthy vegan version of Amanda Cohen’s popcorn beets, which have been deemed better than popcorn shrimp by the food critics.

Mr. B loves popcorn shrimp, so although I haven’t tried Cohen’s dish, I was inspired to make my own version and see what he thought.

Cohen’s version is soaked in buttermilk spiked with bourbon and deep-fried. I wanted to make a healthier and dairy free version, so I soaked mine in almond milk and baked them to make them vegan and a guilt free snack. She served her dish with a green curry sauce; I used vegan cream cheese and jalapenos to replicate the creamy and spicy compliments.

Mr. B loved this dish, noting it as moreish (as shown by the disappearance of the dish in 5 seconds) and addictive. Success! Thanks Amanda Cohen for the inspiration!

This is a tasha.kitchen original recipe, feel free to copy it, creativity should be shared!

Ingredients

  • 2 red beetroots
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • ¾ cup almond milk
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 tbsp. vegan cream cheese
  • I tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 jalapeno, sliced

Method

  • Preheat an oven to 350c
  • Bake the beetroot in salt for 20 mins until slightly tender
  • Take them out and let cool, once cooled chop into roughly 2cm x 2cm pieces
  • Pour almond milk into a shallow bowl/dish and cornmeal into another
  • Coat the beet pieces with the milk and then the cornmeal
  • Place pieces on the a baking tray with coconut oil and place in the oven
  • Flip over half way and back until the cornmeal is hard
  • Sprinkle sea salt on the pieces
  • Serve with vegan cream cheese and slices of jalapeño

Vegan Pistachio ice cream

By , April 6, 2017

Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream

This blog is dedicated to my grandma, as it is her birthday today and she would have been 93.

My grandma loved Pistachio ice cream. We would buy it from all over London are were so excited to give her the bag and watch her taste the ice cream. The look on her face when she tasted good pistachio ice cream was pure delight and happiness, like she was trying it for the first time and her smile always so radiant that it would light up the whole room. My Grandma usually fasted for most of the day, so the evening meal and desert was extra special too.

My grandma was amazing in so many different ways. Many people called her a pure soul and felt better just to be in her presence. She was such an inspiration, teaching us all to be better every day through her generous love and acceptance. I never felt like I had to be anything but me when I was around my Grandma and I couldn’t be as she would see straight through to my core and loved me for all that I was. I miss her every day, but am thankful for her many lessons and for all her unconditional love. Happy Birthday Bigmama.

IMG_3270

This dish takes less than 5 minutes to make and so if you really want to show off you can make it in front of your guests! The ice cream is made in the blender with avocado for creaminess and frozen banana for sweetness as well as the ice cream temperature and texture.

I found this recipe in vegetarian living, a UK magazine, featuring Rens Kroes and a few recipes from her book, Power Food: original recipes for healthy happy living.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of shelled pistachios (divided into 2)
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup
  • ½ avocado
  • 2 frozen ripe bananas, sliced
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp. almond extract
  • 1 tbsp. almond milk (optional)

Method

  • Roughly chop a handful of pistachios and toast them in a dry frying pan with the salt. Add the maple syrup, stir, then set aside and allow to cool
  • Put the avocado, frozen bananas, vanilla extract, almond extract, almond milk (if you want a thinner mixture) and the remaining pistachio nuts into a food processor, and process until a creamy ice cream has formed
  • Serve the ice cream in bowls, with a good sprinkling of the toasted caramelized nuts

Miso Hummus

By , March 31, 2017

Miso Hummus

‘Balance is not something you find, its something you create’.

Mr. B loves hummus and I love Miso, so when this recipe fell into my lap, it was like the same serendipity that brought us together.

They say opposites attract and that was certainly true for the two of us. Mr. B is a night owl and I am a morning person, he has a sweet tooth and mine is salty, I like to eat every two hours and he likes to eat once a day, I like to swim and he likes to run, I like classical music and he likes rock. I don’t think that we agree on anything, apart from loving each other, but we certainly do balance each other out.

I love this recipe for the clash and ultimate balance, the unapologetic salinity and intensity of the umami-rich miso, which is balanced by the mellow richness of the tahini and chickpea.

This blog comes a little early as I am attempting to get some balance by taking my first day off this year.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (60 g) blanched almonds
  • 2 cups (450 g) cooked chickpeas or 1 can of cooked chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup (60g) tahini
  • 1/4 cup (60g) white miso
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon/ 2 tbsp. plus more as needed
  • About 1/2 cup (120 ml ice water)
  • Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Toasted sesame oil (optional)

Method

  • In a food processor blend almonds meal, chickpeas until the beans are crumbly and light
  • Add in the tahini, miso, garlic and lemon juice. Blend again for 2 minutes or so, then scrape down the sides of the machine
  • Switch on the blender start drizzling in enough water so that the hummus billows up, aerated and fluffy
  • Depending on the beans, you may not use all the water, or you might need more
  • Let the machine go for 2-3 minutes after the consistency seems right. Taste and check for seasoning
  • For a roasted accent, drip in some toasted sesame oil

Corn Chowder (Dairy free, Gluten Free, Vegan)

By , March 18, 2017

Corn Chowder

This recipe is a transitional dish. It is so satisfyingly wholesome and comforting, that it is a virtual hug in a bowl on a cold day. It is also so vibrant both in color and taste and so is a reminder that spring is on its way.

After a few months of darkness and cold, our brains start to extrapolate and think that this is how the rest of the year will be, we spend more time in doors trying to seek out creature comforts and this is the exact time that mother nature plays her tricks on us, the clocks go forward and the days start to get lighter again.

This reminds me of a quote I once read, ‘Never cut down a tree in wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods…wait…be patient…the storm will pass and spring will come’.

Whilst you are waiting for spring, I hope you will take comfort in this little hug in a bowl.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cups sweet corn kernels (fresh or frozen, defrosted), divided
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1-3 tsp. kosher salt
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (optional)
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 tsp. white wine vinegar (optional)
  • Chopped basil and scallions (optional)

Method

  • Combine the potatoes, onion, 2 cups corn, garlic, salt and chicken broth in a slow cooker if you have one or large pot. If using a slow cooker cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6, or until the potatoes are very tender. If using a pot, bring to the boil and then simmer until the potatoes are soft, c.60mins
  • Carefully ladle the soup, in batches, into a blender and blend until smooth, if you have an immersion blender you can blend directly in the pot. Return the blended mixture back to the slow cooker or pot
  • Add the coconut milk, vinegar (optional), and the remaining 1 cup corn, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt or vinegar to taste
  • Serve with basil, scallion, and red pepper/chilli if you like
  • Makes 6-8 servings
  • This recipe is from www.realfoodwholelife.com

Winter Warming Lentil and Egg Stew

By , March 4, 2017

lentil-stew

I arrived back in Boston this weekend into -11c weather, and this recipe presented itself to me when I woke up jet lagged in the wee hours of the morning

It is a wholesome, hearty dish, which warms the house up as you leave it to simmer as well as filling the house with beautiful aromas

It is a simpler lentil dish than I normal make, for those of you that don’t have a spice cupboard

It is a double protein dish or a triple protein dish for those who wish to use beef stock

I ate it for breakfast, but I suspect most would like it for lunch or dinner

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp. tomato puree
  • 1 tbsp. mustard
  • 2 cups Puy lentils
  • 6 cups of vegetable* broth
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 2 tbsp. chopped chives

Method

  • Pulse onion, fennel, carrots and chopped garlic in a blender until finely chopped
  • Heat the coconut oil in a large pot, add the mixture and season with salt and pepper
  • Cook down until soft, c. 10 minutes
  • Stir in tomato puree and cook till golden brown
  • Add a splash of water if browning too much
  • Add lentils and 6 cups water or broth (*can substitute vegetable broth for beef if not vegetarian)
  • Add the bay leaves
  • Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, c.45mins
  • Taste and season with salt and pepper
  • Add mustard and stir through
  • Remove the bay leaves
  • When nearly cooked, add spinach and mix in to cook/wilt into the lentils
  • Using the back of a spoon, create 4 divots in the surface of the lentil soup and drop an egg into each, cover the pot and let simmer until eggs are cooked (if you are not comfortable with this, poach separately and add when serving)
  • When ready divide into four bowls, add a dash of red vinegar to each (optional), chopped chives (optional) and some pecorino (optional), serve with rustic gluten free country bread (optional)

Rock and Roll Cauliflower

By , February 26, 2017

stir-fry-cauliflour

There is something truly fulfilling in making a tasty dish with just vegetables as you don’t have to feel measured in the eating; it is all so good for you!! This dish is great as it is super healthy, tasty and has really body and soul, giving the humble cauliflower some rock and roll.

Its an umami dish, with the combination of the salt, sweet, hot and sour playing a symphony in your mouth. It takes 5  minutes to make and reminds me of popcorn shrimp.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole head cauliflower
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. raw honey
  • 1 whole lime
  • 2 spring onions/scallions, Sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. Sriracha, Or Other Hot Sauce

Method

  • Break up the cauliflower into large florets, then, using your hands, break into very small florets.
  • Heat a large, frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the coconut oil, then the cauliflower and garlic
  • Stir the cauliflower around the pan, allowing it to get very brown in some areas. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn heat to low, add soy sauce, honey, squeeze in the juice of the lime, and add most of the sliced green onion, reserving the rest for serving.
  • Stir and cook for 1 minute. Squeeze the hot sauce over the cauliflower. Stir until the hot sauce has been incorporated. Add a little more hot sauce if you want a deeper color and flavor
  • Serve hot in a bowl. Sprinkle extra sliced green onions on top, and serve with a lime wedge.
  • They are literally addictive

Yellow Beetroot Baked in a Dome of Coarse Salt

By , February 19, 2017

Processed with MOLDIV

This is from Alain Passard’s ‘the art of cooking with vegetables’. This is one of the simplest recipes in the book and one where the understated elegance talks for itself

For those of you who haven’t heard of Alain Passard, let me make a quick virtual introduction.

Mr. Passard was one of the worlds most acclaimed chefs famed for his rich, classic, traditional French cuisine. For this he earned himself three Michelin stars. In 2001 he made the controversial decision to take meat off the menu, he bought a farm and dedicated himself to learning about permaculture farming, a beyond-organic ecological system

Did he retain his 3 stars? Yes he did! With this quote from the New York Times summing up his food exquisitely, ‘for its lightness, brightness, beauty, and elegance, my single meal at L’Arpège was in an eye-opening class by itself

His recipes are simple and are all about elevating the beauty in the fresh ingredient he has grown

For this recipe, I prefer to use yellow to red beetroot here, as they are sweeter and less earthy than the red counterpart

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 4 uncooked yellow beetroots in their skins
  • of salt
  • 50g butter (substitute vegan butter/olive olive to make vegan)
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 150c/300f
  • Spread half the salt evenly on a foil lined baking tray
  • Rinse the beetroots and sit them on top of the salt bed
  • Cover them evenly with the remaining salt so that they disappear beneath 4 pyramids
  • Transfer the baking dish to the oven, carefully so as not to disturb the salt
  • After one hour, test the beetroots with a thin skewer if it goes through easily the beetroot is ready
  • Just before serving, cut the butter into 4 pieces and sprinkle with lemon juice and zest
  • To serve the dish, take it to the table with a large knife and break the block of salt in front of your fellow diners
  • Brush the salt from each beetroot, cut it in half and serve with a portion of the prepared butter
  • To savor the dish at its best, eat the beetroot flesh and skin – it is the skin, which really heightens the flavors here!

Socca Pizza (Gluten free,vegetarian)

By , February 12, 2017

socca-pizza

This week in Boston was one of those weird weather weeks that everyone has been expecting all year but is surprised when it comes. The snow fell so quickly and heavily that you couldn’t see in front of your face, all forms of transport ground to a halt and you felt like you were trapped in a snow globe (could make for a good Disney film).

These are the weeks when I get home and dinner is like a cooking competition based on the ingredients you have left in the fridge and cupboard. Gluten free pancakes are perfect for a day like this, as they provide such an amazing culinary canvas to which you can add whatever you colours and tastes you have in stock that day.

Last week I blogged a Vietnamese version and this week I am featuring an Israeli version called Socca. You get to become a worldly cook with Tasha. Kitchen, right from the warmth of your home!

Socca is made of chickpea flour and so tastes a little like hummus. It’s a great base and travels well so you can make mini ones with any leftover batter and use them in substitute to bread. I used leftover rounds and made Mr B a hummus sandwich for lunch the next day, literal chickpea heaven!

Use whatever topping you like making it whilst the batter is hydrating to save time. In doing this, this recipe will take you less than 30 minutes, including setting the table and having a cup of tea!

Ingredients

For the pancake

  • ¼ cup chickpea flour
  • ¼ cup of water or dairy free milk
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • ½ tsp. coriander
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 1/1 tsp. coconut oil

Optional:

  • Switch the coriander, turmeric and cumin for any other spice combination you may prefer, like oregano and basil or just salt and pepper if you prefer

For the topping

  • Pea shoots (or any other green leafed vegetable)
  • Enoki mushrooms (or any other mushroom)
  • 1 tbsp. vegan cream cheese (optional)
  • 1 tsp. roasted pine nuts and sunflower seeds

Method

  • Start by whisking together the chickpea flour and milk and let it sit for 15 minutes or more to hydrate
  • Use this downtime to cook the vegetables and mushrooms in a little coconut oil
  • Beat the eggs into the batter and season with the spices
  • Warm up a frying pan to a medium-high heat and add a little coconut oil
  • Pour in the batter (all of it) and let it spread to the sides
  • Cook for several minutes until it is nearly set
  • Flip it over and cook on the other side for a few minutes (if you are not comfortable with flipping it, then place it under the grill for 30 seconds or until firm)
  • When the pancake is evenly bronzed, plate, spread on the vegan cream cheese and dress with the vegetables
  • Add the pine nuts and sunflower seeds for texture and serve

This recipe was inspired by a recipe in Healthy-ish the new Bon Appetite magazine

Banh Xeo

By , February 4, 2017

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I love making gluten free savoury pancakes as they are easy to whip together quickly in the evening and you can fill them with whatever you want, so they are a good way to use leftovers (my granny taught me well) as well as allowing you to change the dish every time you make it or to the taste of the person eating it.

This is a Vietnamese dish and normally consists of pork and prawns. I prefer this vegetarian version as it is nice and light and the freshness of the vegetables and herbs are mind-blowing.

This recipe is taken from Ottolenghi’s Plenty, my vegetarian food bible.

Ingredients

For the pancake

  • 200g rice flour
  • 1 small free-range egg
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 400ml canned coconut milk
  • ½-1 tbsp. coconut oil

 

For the sauce

  • 40ml lime juice
  • 1½ tbsp. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. tamari
  • 2 tsp. grated fresh root ginger
  • 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • ½ tsp. salt

 

For the filling

  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 4 radishes, chopped
  • 4 spring onions/scallions
  • 1 fresh green chilli, deseeded (optional)
  • 80g mangetout
  • 15g coriander
  • 15g Thai basil/basil
  • 15g mint
  • 100g bean sprouts
  • 100g Enoki mushrooms

 

Method

  • Start with the pancake ingredients. Place the rice flour, egg, salt and turmeric in a large bowl. Slowly ass the coconut milk, whisking well to get rid of any lumps. You want the consistency of single cream, so add water of more coconut milk if needed. Set aside to rest.
  • To make the sauce, just whisk together all the ingredients, adjusting the amount of chilli to your liking.
  • Finally prepare the vegetables, shred the carrot, slice the spring onions/scallions at an angle and cut the green chilli and mange tout into long thin strips. Pick the herb leaves. Set all the prepared vegetables and herbs aside with the mushrooms and bean sprouts.
  • Heat a large non-stick pan to a medium heat; add a small amount of coconut oil.
  • Pour one quarter of the batter and swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the underside is golden brown, turn over the pancake and cook the other side. Remove from the pan and keep warm while you make the other three pancakes.
  • To serve, place pancake on a plate and pile vegetables and herbs over one half of it. Drizzle the vegetables with some sauce and fold the other half of the pancake over them. Spoon some more sauce on top and serve, with any remaining sauce on the side.