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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.

Creamy, indulgent, dairy free brown rice risotto with crunchy garlic pea-shoots

By , January 15, 2017

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Having returned from the Christmas break, to sub-zero temperatures and snow, I was looking for a recipe that would bring us a little comfort as we snuggled up on the sofa.

Dairy-free risotto is actually quite easy as a lot of the creaminess comes from the starch that comes out of the rice whilst cooking. An additional bonus is that this recipe doesn’t call for the hours of stirring a traditional risotto does, so you can have a glass of wine whilst it is cooking…or read a book!

I liked this dish without the added creaminess from the vegan cream cheese, as I like the earthy taste from the mushrooms to stay dominant, but Mr B, likes his typical creamy restaurant style risotto, so I added this in for him.

I hope this brings you some warmth and comfort on a cold January day.

Happy New Year, from Tasha.Kitchen

Ingredients

For the risotto;

  • 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 small shallot, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups organic vegetable broth, divided
  • 1½ cups short-grain brown rice
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • ½ cup dry white wine, optional
  • 2 teaspoons tamari (optional)
  • 2 tbsp. Vegan cream cheese (optional)
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning

For the pea-shoots;

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 box/4 handfuls of pea-shoots

Method

  • Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the onions are well browned.
  • Add the wine if using and the rice, mix till coated and then add the broth
  • Turn heat down to a simmer and cook the rice (c. 45mins)
  • During the last 10 minutes of cooking time, prepare the mushrooms. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add the cleaned, sliced mushrooms to the pot with a dash of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are darker in color, fragrant and have soaked up most of their own juices, about 13 minutes.
  • Add to the rice and let cook together, including the juices from the mushrooms
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • I stop here as this is rich enough for me, but Mr. B likes a creamy risotto, so at this point I added the vegan cream cheese and stirred until it was thoroughly mixed in
  • For the pea-shoots, add the oil to a pan and brig it to a high heat, add the garlic and stir for 20 seconds, until fragrant
  • Add the pea-shoots and keeping tossing in the oil till they have wilted a little, c.2minutes
  • Take off the heat, season with a little salt and top the risotto with the pea-shoots for some added vitamins and a little crunch

Quinoa Vegan Burger

By , January 8, 2017

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Having decided to eat less meat, I have been looking for a good alternative to a burger. When I say ‘good alternative’, I mean, something you can get your teeth into that has good flavor and texture.

To this end, to start off with, I convinced Mr. B and my foodie friend to try one of New York’s best rated vegan burgers, Superiority Burger. This was rated as one of New York’s top burgers, full stop, so as you can imagine we had high expectations. A little like English sparkling wine winning against champagne in blind tastings, whilst you’re secretly a little smug about it, you don’t really believe it.

Superiority Burger, which was similar to your traditional bean burger, at least within the opinion of our population of three didn’t quite live up to the hype or the 20-minute queue. I therefore felt obligated to investigate good alternatives and after a number of attempts, this is our favorite recipe. The mushrooms bring an earthy note and meaty depth, the Quinoa the protein and the sweet potato binds the patty nicely and means you don’t need egg.

Mr. B loved this version and ate his in gluten free buns with some mustard and lettuce. I in turn, used the lettuce as my bun. Both versions were tasty and filling.

Ingredients

  • 1sweet potato
  • 1 cup of mushrooms (chopped)
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa (from about ½ uncooked)
  • ¾ cup almond meal
  • 4 Gluten free burger buns
  • Coconut oil
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180c/350f
  • Prick sweet potato all over with a fork; rub with 1 Tbsp. oil, then season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 30–45 minutes. Let cool. Remove and discard skin; mash flesh with a fork. Set aside.
  • Wash mushrooms and chop mushrooms and shallot.
  • Heat 1 Tbsp. coconut oil on low heat, cook shallot and paprika, stirring often, until shallot is soft, about 2 minutes. Add mushroom and cook, for around 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; mix in quinoa and season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
  • Add almond meal and half of the mashed sweet potato to quinoa mixture and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. If mixture is too loose, add more sweet potato to bind.
  • Divide mixture into 4 portions and form into patties, pressing firmly together with your hands.
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spray coconut oil on the sheet or brush sheet if using liquid form
  • Cook burgers, since all the ingredients are cooked, we are only really looking for the ingredients to bind at this stage to form a solid patty. This should take less than 5 minutes each side.
  • Build burgers with patties, gluten free buns and toppings of your choice.

 

Green ‘fried’ tomatoes

By , January 4, 2017

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I have had this recipe percolating in the back of my mind since my visit to New Orleans. I went to a restaurant called Upperline in the Garden District, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and had the most wonderful meal. The owner’s aim with Upperline is to restore the original meaning of a restaurant. Restaurants she notes used to exist to soothe and bolster the weary soul with comfort and indulgence. I like that sentiment and this dish fits neatly within it.

The original dish was green fried tomato with shrimp remoulade. I adapted it to bake the tomatoes and made a spicy remoulade without the shrimp to make it vegan.

This dish can be adapted to a breakfast by adding an egg on top or some vegan scrambled eggs.

I hope you enjoy and that this brings a little warmth to your soul.

Ingredients

  • 2 green tomatoes (firm)
  • 1 cup rice flour or gluten free alternative
  • 1 cup gluten free seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs (whisked) and seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp. Sriracha
  • 1 Jalapeno, thinly sliced

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180c/350f
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spray coconut oil on the sheet
  • Set up your dipping station, by placing three bowls in a row and the rice flour in one, egg in one and breadcrumbs in the third.
  • Slice the green tomatoes to 5cm thick each
  • Dip first into the rice flour, second into the egg, thirdly into the breadcrumbs, lay on the baking tray and repeat for each of the subsequent tomato slices
  • Bake in the oven for 5 minutes each side
  • Whilst the tomatoes are baking, mix the mayonnaise and Sriracha
  • Once cooked place each tomato on a plate with a little of the spicy remoulade and a slice of Jalapeño

Quinoa Christmas Crackers

By , December 31, 2016

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I saw this on the plant based pixie blog and just couldn’t resist making my own version. Such a fun idea for Christmas and although a little fiddly, totally worth it for the awe and wonder from your guests when they see their plate.

I decided to adapt this recipe to make it an all round lighter dish, as I was serving 12 dishes for Christmas (as a play on the 12 days). The original recipe has a puy lentil filling and also sounds delicious but I used a quinoa filling. I also made a cashew nut mushroom sauce to go underneath to ensure a variety of tastes and textures on the plate.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa (cooked with organic vegetable broth)
  • 1 clove of garlic (minced)
  • 1 thumb (5cm x 5cm) ginger, grated
  • 1 bunch spring onions (thinly sliced, white parts only)
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 10 filo sheets (usually 1 pack – leaves one for practice in case something goes wrong)
  • A little more coconut oil or olive oil for brushing pastry

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180c/350f
  • Heat the coconut oil and add spring onions, ginger and garlic, fry for 30 seconds and then add the quinoa.
  • Mix thoroughly for a few minutes, season and leave to cool
  • Take one of the pastry sheets, fold it in half so it forms a square, and place some of the filling in the middle but closer to the bottom rather than the top. Leave a gap of a few cm on the left and right.
  • Brush the top and bottom edges with a little olive oil.
  • Roll it up from bottom to top then tie the ends with string like. Be careful not to pull too hard (they are not shoe laces) as you may break the filo pastry
  • See below pictures for process steps
  • Use olive oil to seal the edge
  • Place on a lined baking tray and repeat for each of the subsequent Christmas crackers
  • Brush with olive oil/egg wash all over
  • Bake in the oven for 10 minutes on each sideProcessed with MOLDIV

Sweetcorn Fritters, Bacon and Avocado Brunch

By , December 18, 2016

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Salty, sweet and spicy; an umami treat to wake you up on a Sunday morning.

This is one of Mr. B’s favorite brunches as he loves avocado, bacon and corn, so this dish brings all his favorite foods together. I love this dish due to the combination of sweet and salt in addition to its combination of healthy and indulgent! You can make this into a vegetarian dish by substituting the bacon for vegan bacon, which is just as good. I don’t eat a lot of bacon, but when I do, I prefer the real thing.

Ingredients

  • 100g rice flour
  • 1tsp gluten free baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt and pepper
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 free-range eggs
  • 75ml almond milk
  • 12oz sweet corn
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 avocado (diced)
  • 8 cherry tomatoes (quartered)
  • 2 tbsp. coriander (cilantro)
  • Juice of 1 small lime
  • 4 pieces streaky bacon
  • 1 tbsp. Maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp. sweet chili sauce

Method

  • Mix the flour, baking powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add in the eggs, milk and sweet corn and mix to a smooth batter
  • Combine the avocado, tomatoes, coriander and lime and place to the side
  • Place the bacon in an oven at 350c for 10 minutes until crispy, then place on the side
  • Add the tbsp. of oil to a frying pan and when hot turn the heat down to low
  • Add a quarter of the mixture to the frying pan and when it starts bubbling on one side flip it over and cook for another minute, put on a plate and place in the oven with the bacon
  • Repeat with the rest of the mixture, should make 4 or so pancakes
  • Mix the maple syrup and sweet chilli to make an umami sauce
  • To serve, place a pancake on the plate, add the two pieces of bacon, then the pancake.
  • Top with the sauce and add the avocado mixture

Sunset Soup (Red and Golden Beets)

By , December 8, 2016

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This recipe is gluten, diary and nut free. It is adapted from my new chef crush, Chef Daphne Cheng’s website, having tasted her amazing vegan food on a recent visit to LadyBird in NYC. (www.daphnecheng.com)

The beauty of this dish to start, is that the dish is beautiful. It reminds me of a deep sunset on a contemplative day.

It is also 98% beetroot and thus super healthy and full of antioxidants (see other health benefits below). You can spice this dish up a little by adding a little red pepper (I will do this for Mr. B and his asbestos stomach) or you can bathe in its simplicity.

Ingredients

  • 2 red beets
  • 2 golden beets
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. apple vinegar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil

Method

  • Heat oven to 350f/180c. Rub the beets with coconut oil and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Make sure to wrap them in foil separately or use two different baking trays to make sure the red doesn’t bleed into the yellow
  • Remove from heat, let cool, peel and chop (still keeping separate)
  • In a medium pot, add water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour half into another medium pot. Add one color of beet to each pot.
  • Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly then puree each color in a blender until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • To Serve:Spoon the red beet soup into a bowl, then spoon the golden beet soup over. Take a knife or chopstick and swirl around.
  • As breathtaking and as vibrant as the sunset!

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Watermelon radish, orange and goats cheese salad (7 minute meal)

By , December 3, 2016

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The picture you take of this will be as vibrant as the combination of flavors.

I love watermelon radishes and you would have seen them featured on the blog before. They are electrifying to the eye, and whilst there retain that vibrant peppery taste that all radishes do, they are a little more subtle than your usual pink variety.

I love this salad as it is quick, and you have a great variety of tastes and textures. The goats cheese gives you your protein element and is nice and creamy, punctuated by the piercing sweet citrus from the juicy oranges and contrasted by the crunch from the radishes and toasted walnuts.

Ingredients

  • 2 watermelon radishes
  • 2 oranges
  • A handful of walnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 2 tbsp. goat cheese
  • 10 chives (minced)
  • Sea salt to taste

Method

  • Wash and top and tail the radishes
  • Use a mandolin to thinly slice the radishes or use a sharp knife if you don’t have one
  • Place them in a bowl of water with a little lemon juice to keep the colour bright and stop them from drying out
  • Top and tail the oranges, cutting the segments out and disregarding the white membrane
  • Drain the radishes, laying them on a plate with the orange segments on top, reserve some of the orange juice from the chopping board and sprinkle over the top
  • Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan for 2 minutes
  • Add the goats cheese and toasted walnuts
  • Sprinkle the salt and minced chives liberally over the top

Vegan Banana-Mango Ice Cream

By , November 26, 2016

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This must be the easiest recipe yet. Its super sweet and creamy and feels indulgent when all you are eating is a bowl of fruit, making this ice cream suitable as a desert but also a breakfast (and a good way of fooling your kids into eating something healthy…).

Once you have tried this once and seen how easy it is, you can have some fruity fun as you can interchange pretty much any fruit for the mango, as long as you keep the banana as the base. Other recipes, such as matcha and lavender can also be made but need a few more ingredients, so watch this space.

Easy, sweet and healthy, it doesn’t get better than that!

Ingredients

  • 2 bananas (ripe works best)
  • 1 mango

Method

  • Peel the bananas, slice them, and place slices in a freezer bag. Freeze for at least two hours
  • Repeat with the mango
  • Place bananas in a blender or food processor with the frozen mango
  • Blend until smooth
  • Enjoy immediately or place in a tub to enjoy for weeks

Old-fashioned pumpkin pie

By , November 24, 2016

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This recipe has gluten, dairy and a lot of love.

It is a deviation from my normal recipes, purely because the local supermarket had run out of pumpkin pie the night before thanksgiving and Mr B really loves pumpkin pie. We could have gone to the supermarket on thanksgiving, but it has been our mini protest not to, in the hope of showing the supermarkets that people are more important than produce.

The great thing about making home made pumpkin pie is that the house ends up smelling amazing and really gets you in the mood for the festivities. So in the name of thanksgiving, I’d like to say thank you to every one that follows Tasha.Kitchen, thank you for the support, the encouragement and for the many comments and likes. I hope you have an amazing day! I’ll be back this weekend with a healthy recipe for those who can’t partake in pie.

Stay safe, stay happy and stay thankful!

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 can (15 oz.) Pumpkin puree
  • 1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated milk
  • 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

Method

  • Preheat oven to 180c/350f
  • Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl
  • Add the spices to it (if you buy pumpkin puree with spice mix already added, then omit this step)
  • Add in the evaporated milk and mix to combine
  • Pour the mixture into a pie shell, leave 1 cm of space at the top, so as not to spill the mixture when moving it to the oven (I always buy a large pie shell and a few small ones to make sure I use up any extra filling)
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes or until you can put a toothpick through the middle and it comes out clean
  • The pies will leave your home smelling wonderful and you ready to sit back with a cup of Joe and be thankful for the food you are about to eat!

Happy thanksgiving from Tasha.Kitchen

 

Buffalo Cauliflower Hot Wings

By , November 18, 2016

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I’ve seen these delightful morsels all over instagram and wondered if you could really get the same moreish taste into a cauliflower as a you can a bowl of chicken wings. The answer is categorically yes and with a lot fewer calories.

The trick is to make sure you get the same crispy finish and a finger licking sauce on top. To accomplish this you need to bake them twice and use a great sauce. I use Sriracha mixed with vegan mayo here but you could go with any hot sauce or buffalo sauce.

I also cut up celery and made a tofu cream cheese and chive dip (https://tasha.kitchen/2016/05/28/cream-cheese-and-chive-dip-without-the-cream-cheese), so that you have a cooling element, in a similar way to classic game day chicken wings.

Mr. B hates eating with his fingers, but even he had too admit that this cauliflower was finger licking good!

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower; chopped into bite size piece
  • ½ cup brown rice flour (or other gluten-free equivalent)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp. vegan mayo or 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. sriracha sauce (hot sauce)

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350f/180c
  • In a small bowl, combine brown rice flour, water, garlic powder and salt. Mix thoroughly with a fork
  • Dip cauliflower pieces in the batter until coated evenly, then place on a lightly greased, non-stick baking sheet.
  • Bake for about 10 minutes or until the batter hardens, then flip with a spatula and bake for another 5 minutes.
  • Whisk together Sriracha/ Hot sauce and the vegan mayo in a small bowl
  • When the cauliflower is finished, take a pastry brush and evenly brush each piece with the hot sauce mixture.
  • Bake coated cauliflower for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until cauliflower is crispy, and sauce looks absorbed.
  • Remove from oven.
  • Let cauliflower bites set out for at least 20 minutes before serving
  • Enjoy!

Photo: Stage one of the double-bake, once cooked, brush on the hot sauce and bake again.

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