Search

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.

Vibrant Vegan Summer Rolls

By , January 24, 2016

 

I love these little pockets of joy, they are so fresh and tasty with the added zing you get from the herbs, like in so many Vietnamese dishes.

The almond butter dipping sauce is a wonderful addition, and I got the recipe from ‘the minimalist baker’ whose clean living blog is phenomenal and deserves a shout out. I use it as a sauce for other dishes too, a tofu or chicken Thai styled curry with rice or as a dipping sauce for grilled shrimp/prawns, I could literally eat it on anything!

This is my kind of food…the kind that’s fresh, filling, loaded with flavor, and doesn’t make you feel like crap afterwards. Now that’s (healthy) living 🙂

Processed with MOLDIV

Processed with MOLDIV

Ingredients

Spring Rolls

  • 4 julienned carrots (carrots cut into batons)
  • 2 sticks of celery (cut into batons)
  • 1 cucumber (ends cut off, middle dis-guarded and cut into batons
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro/coriander
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 1 bunch Thai basil
  • 4 ounces vermicelli or rice noodles (the thinner the better)
  • 8-10 Rice Spring Roll Papers (white or brown)

Almond Butter Dipping Sauce

  • 6 Tbsp. salted creamy almond butter
  • 1 Tbsp gluten free soy sauce
  • 1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup (depending on preferred sweetness)
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp. chili garlic sauce

Hot water to thin

(Optional extras: You can use honey if not a vegan dish, or your choice of sugar syrup. You can add in Tofu to give more substance if you eat Soya. You can use whatever combination of vegetables you like, others like to use peppers for example as they add an extra colour. I sometimes put leftover home made phad Thai in the rolls or just raw coleslaw as a nice alternative to a sandwich!)

Method

  • Start by preparing rice noodles in boiling hot water for about 10 minutes (read instructions on package), then drain and set aside.
  • Prep veggies and prepare almond butter sauce by adding all sauce ingredients except water to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add enough hot water to thin until a pourable sauce is achieved. Adjust flavors as needed (I often add a little more chili garlic sauce)
  • To assemble spring rolls, pour very hot water into a shallow dish or frying pan and immerse rice paper to soften for about 10-15 seconds.
  • Transfer to a damp cutting board or damp towel and gently spread out edges into a circle. It may take a little practice, so don’t feel bad if your first few attempts are a flop!
  • To the bottom third of the wrapper add a small handful of vermicelli noodles and layer carrots, celery, cucumber, fresh herbs (see photo). Gently fold over once, tuck in edges, and continue rolling until seam is sealed.
  • Place seam-side down on a serving platter and cover with damp warm towel to keep fresh
  • Repeat until all fillings are used up – about 8-10 spring rolls total.
  • Serve with almond butter sauce
  • Leftovers store well individually wrapped in plastic wrap, though best when fresh.

Miso aubergine/eggplant (Nasu Dengaku)

By , January 23, 2016

Processed with MOLDIV

Processed with MOLDIV

Nasu Dengaku is a classic Japanese dish made with eggplant brushed with a sweet, salty miso glaze-umami at its best

I use this marinade on other creations too, like asparagus or broccoli for an extra dimension

The dish takes 5 minutes to prepare and 7 minutes to cook and is good as a side dish or a main

You can cook the eggplant in the oven whilst you are cooking something else, or in a frying pan to save time

You want the end result to look a little blackened as the glaze cooks

Easy, tasty, healthy, vegan, YUM!

Ingredients

  • 2 small eggplants or 4 long Asian ones
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp. white miso
  • 2 tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. sake (optional)

(Optional extras: You can use honey if not a vegan dish, or your choice of sugar syrup. I few little sprinklings of sesame seeds at the end will make it look more authentic or the green ends of spring onions/scallions)

Method

  • Mix the marinade together (miso, maple, sake)
  • Score the eggplant diagonally both ways and cover with the coconut oil
  • Place in a preheated oven of 180c/300f
  • Cook for 7 minutes or until soft
  • Cover with the marinade and place under the grill for 30-60 seconds
  • Allow to cool before serving

 

Coco-loco

By , January 18, 2016

Processed with MOLDIV

Coco-loco

Chocolate-Coconut mousse

I call this coco-loco as it’s crazy chocolatey good!

It’s gluten free, dairy free, soya free but oh so full of joy

This recipe has been described as tasting like a bounty or mounds for those in the USA

It’s a recipe from Sue Quinn’s book sugar free and only has natural sugar in it

It takes 5 minutes to make, all in a blender and a few hours to set if you prefer it solid

Ingredients

  • 200g pitted fresh dates
  • 400ml coconut cream
  • 50g raw cocoa
  • 1 tsp. organic vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp. melted coconut oil
  • 60g raspberries

(Optional extras: You can use more coconut flakes for the topping instead of raspberries or strawberries for a classic valentine dish)

Method

  • Blitz the dates to a paste in a food processor
  • Add everything else, except the extra raspberries and blitz until smooth
  • Pour into 6 ramekins and chill for a few hours to set
  • Serve topped with raspberries and a mint leaf
  • Its better than….chocolate 😉

Arepas (corn cakes)

By , December 6, 2015

 

On of the advantages of moving to the states, is the plethora of South and Central American Street food, most of which is gluten free!

Arepas are Venezuelan and I remember eating them in Peru. My husband ate them in Boston, from a street vendor and raved about them. My thinking is anything that can be made on the street can’t be too difficult, so I took on the challenge 🙂

It’s a simple recipe, like a basic bread, and just takes a little patience in the cooking stage as they are once cooked and once baked

I tend to cook up a batch and use them just like bread, as either a sandwich or a soaker-upper

De-lish!

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups of lukewarm water (600ml)
  • 1 tsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups (250g) pre-cooked white cornmeal (I use PAN-Harisa de Maiz)

(Optional extras: I add a little cheese and chilli flakes into a second batch I made to add a little kick)

Method

  • Start with 2.5 cups of warm water
  • Add the salt and oil
  • Then start pouring in the cornmeal, mixing it in as you go
  • I found it easier to use my hands for the dough
  • Mix the dough adding flour till you have a bread like dough
  • Take enough dough to make a ball in your hand, similar to a small bread roll and then flatten it out (see pictures)
  • Place them on a non-stick frying pan on medium head (or add oil if not non-stick)
  • Cook them on both sides till you have a little brown crust forming (10 minutes) and then place in the oven to finish them off (10 minutes) to make sure they have baked all the way through
  • Serve hot and will a little salted butter

Surprise Savory Tart

By , November 22, 2015

Processed with MOLDIV

An autumn classic!

This is a great tart; it has layers of flavour making every bite different.

It is vegetarian but a hearty meal

I served it recently at a brunch and it was the quickest dish to disappear

You can use the left over puff pastry to make initials or shapes

It’s autumn colours make it fun through the seasons

This is taken from Yotam Ottolenghi’s ‘Plenty’

Ingredients

  • 200g cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over the tomatoes and for the tin
  • 500g baby potatoes (skins on)
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 40g sugar
  • 10g butter
  • 3 oregano sprigs
  • 150g hard goats cheese, sliced
  • 1 puff pastry sheet, rolled thinly
  • Salt and pepper

(Optional extras: You can use sun-blushed tomatoes in oil to save yourself making the oven-dried tomatoes. You can also prepare the caramel and glaze once the tart is cooked, as it can be difficult to work with)

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 130c/250f
  • Halve the tomatoes and place them skin-side down on a baking sheet
  • Drizzle over some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to dry for 45 minutes
  • Meanwhile cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 25 minutes. Drain and let cool. Trim off a bit of the top and bottom of each potato, and then cut into 2cm thick slices
  • Meanwhile cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 25 minutes. Drain and let cool. Trim off a bit of the top and bottom of each potato then cut into 2cm thick discs
  • Sauté the onion with the oil and some salt for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown
  • Once you have prepared all the vegetables, brush a 22cm cake tin with oil and line the bottom with a circle of baking parchment. In a small pan cook the sugar and butter on a high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, to get a semi-dark caramel. Pour the caramel carefully into the cake tin and tilt it to spread the caramel evenly over the bottom. Pick the oregano leaves, tear and scatter on the caramel
  • Lay the potato slices close together, cut side down on the bottom of the tin. Gently press the onion and tomatoes into the gaps and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper
  • Spread the slices of goats cheese evenly over the potatoes
  • Cut a puff pastry disc that is 3cm larger in diameter than the tin
  • Lay the pastry lid over the tart filling and gently tuck the edges down around the potatoes inside the tin (At this stage you can chill the tart in the fridge for up to 24 hours)
  • Preheat the oven to 200c/400f
  • Bake the tart for 25 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180c/350f and continue baking for 15 minutes or until the pastry is thoroughly cooked
  • Remove from the oven and let settle for 2 minutes only
  • Hold an inverted plate firmly on top of the tin and carefully but quickly turn them over together, then lift off the tin
  • Serve hot, warm or cold with a side salad

 

Quinoa with Roasted Butternut Squash

By , November 8, 2015

IMG_9493 IMG_9503

This is a great gluten free, meat free, diary free meal; densely packed with protein and super foods

It is lovely and warming as autumn changes to winter

It works well as a dinner or leftovers for lunch

This recipe is adapted from a food network recipe

Ingredients

  • One (2lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾ inch chunks
  • 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
  • Himalayan sea salt and ground black pepper
  • 15 shelled pistachios
  • 5 cups/250g Quinoa
  • 4 cups/800ml water/vegetable broth
  • ¼ cut dried cranberries, c. 15-20
  • 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
  • 3 ounces baby spinach
  • zest of half a lemon (optional)

(Optional extras: You can substitute the squash for pumpkin or even sweet potato. You can use roasted hazelnuts instead of pistachios or slivers of almonds. I also added some micro basil and a swirl of glazed balsamic for presentation.)

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 400f/200c
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil
  • Place the squash or equivalent in a bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the oil, the thyme and 2 teaspoons of salt and season with pepper to taste. Mix until the squash is well coated. Transfer to the baking sheer and spread the squash into a single layer. Roast until a toothpick slides through with no resistance, c. 30 minutes, turning once.
  • Put the pistachios or hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes or until fragrant
  • Whilst the squash is in the oven, rinse the Quinoa in cold water
  • Bring the broth or water to the boil, stir in the Quinoa and simmer until a white spiral becomes visible in each grain, c. 10 minutes.
  • Drain the Quinoa and transfer to a medium bowl
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the roasted pistachios, cranberries and vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and zest of one lemon (optional)
  • Place the spinach in a large mixing bowl and toss with the hot squash until slightly wilted
  • Add the Quinoa and toss again, serve warm

Carrot Hummus

By , October 30, 2015

Carrot Hummus

I tried this in a restaurant in Boston and it was so good, I just had to make it at home

This is gluten, nut, dairy and soy free

It is a little sweeter than pure chickpea hummus due to the carrots and a little mellower due to the roasted garlic

With these types of vegetarian dishes, you start to wonder why you ever bothered eating meat!

This particular recipe was taken from the weekday vegetarian series, by the Washington Post

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp. cumin seed
  • 1 tsp. coriander seed
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 LB, carrots, washed, trimmed and peeled
  • 3 large unpeeled garlic cloves, smashed
  • 6 tbsp. olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 3 tbsp. tahini
  • Himalayan sea salt and ground black pepper

(Optional extras: I made double the amount and roasted some extra vegetables in the cumin coriander honey oil-delish! I also made a normal chickpea hummus and thinned the carrot hummus by adding a little chickpea hummus. Both pure and mixed works well.)

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 400f/200c
  • Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small dry pan for about a minute until fragrant, once cooled crush in a pestle and mortar
  • IMG_9260
  • Transfer to a large bowl; whisk in 4 tbsp. of the oil and all the honey
  • Cut the carrots into ¼ inch chunks, and then add to the spiced oil along with the garlic. Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper to taste
  • Scrape the dressed carrots into a roasting pan and spread in an even layer; roast, turning once, until the carrots are tender and just starting to char slightly around the edges, 25-35 minutes
  • Cool slightly, then transfer the roasting pans contents into a food processor, slipping the garlic cloves out of their skins as you do and scraping as much of the crusty brown bits, spices and oil as possible into the food processor
  • Add the lemon and orange juices, tahini and the remaining 2 tbsp. of oil. Puree until smooth. Adjust for seasoning as needed
  • Transfer to a serving dish and lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil

Socca

By , October 26, 2015

Socca

Socca

Socca is a speciality of Nice, made with chickpea flour, water and olive oil

This is taken from Ottolenghi’s Plenty

It has two parts; the pancake and the tomato and onion topping

The chickpea flour pancake is a great gluten free invention as it can be used as a blini, pizza or savoury pancake base

Ingredients

  • 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Olive oil
  • 800g white onions, cut into thin rings
  • 2 tbsp. thyme leaves
  • ½ tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 230g chickpea flour
  • 450ml water
  • 2 egg whites
  • Himalayan sea salt and ground black pepper

(Optional extras: Before serving add a dollop of tomato chilli jam (see previous recipe) for that extra zing!)

Method

  • Start with the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 130c
  • Spread the tomatoes cut-side up in a small baking tin and sprinkle them with salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil
  • Roast for 25 minutes or until semi-cooked
  • Meanwhile, heat up 4 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan
  • Add the onions, thyme and some salt and pepper and cook on high heat, stirring for about a minute
  • Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • You want the onions completely soft, sweet and golden brown, but not very dark
  • At the end, stir in the vinegar, then taste and adjust for the seasoning
  • When you take the tomatoes out of the oven, increase the temperature to 170c
  • To make the pancake batter, put the chickpea flour, water, 1.5 tbsp. olive oil, ¾ tsp. salt and some pepper in a bowl
  • Mix well with a hand whisk until the batter is totally homogenous
  • In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold into the batter
  • To prepare the pancakes, first line two baking sheet with greaseproof paper and brush the paper with a little bit of oil; set on the side
  • The take a small non-stick frying pan, roughly 14cm if you have one and brush it with a small amount of oil
  • Put it on a high heat for a couple of minutes, then reduce to medium high and pour in one quarter of the socca batter, it should be c. 5mm thick
  • After about 2 minutes air bubbles will appear on the surface and the pancake will have set on its base
  • Carefully use a palette knife to release the edges and turn over
  • Cook for another minute
  • Transfer to the lined baking sheet
  • Repeat with the rest of the batter
  • When all the pancakes are made, place in the oven for 5 minutes
  • To serve, spread the onion over the pancakes; they should be totally covered. Arrange the tomato halves on top
  • Place in the oven for 4 minutes to serve warm, or eat them cold

IMG_9275 IMG_9276

IMG_9274 IMG_9272

Tomato chilli Jam

By , October 17, 2015

chilli jam

This tomato jam is like a grown up version of ketchup but so much better

It is sweet and warming and tastes great on pretty much anything

Great for using up a tomato glut and a lovely homemade present too, with some cheese and biscuits

This is taken from BBC food

Ingredients

  • 2 red onions, finely chopped
  • 400g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 400g plum tomatoes, diced
  • 3 large mild chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 5cm fresh root ginger, grated
  • 1 star anise
  • 250ml white wine vinegar
  • 300g light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. fish sauce (substitute gluten free soy sauce for a vegetarian version)

Method

  • Heat the red onion and chopped tomatoes in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat
  • Add the chillies, ginger, star anise, vinegar and sugar. Bring the mixture to the boil, then simmer for c. 30 minutes, or until very thick and you draw a wooden spoon across the base of the pan so that it leaves a channel behind it that does not immediately fill with liquid
  • Add the fish sauce and cook for 2-3 more minutes, then spoon into jars

Parmesan crusted squash

By , October 7, 2015

Squash

Squash and it’s family, have lot’s of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, so not only is it good for the winter as it is comforting, but it actually helps protect your joints!

It can be served as a side or a snack

This one is taken from my favourite vegetarian recipe books, Ottolenghi’s plenty

Ingredients

  • 700g squash
  • 50g Parmesan, grated
  • 20g gluten free breadcrumbs
  • 6 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
  • 5 tbsp. finely chopped thyme
  • Grated zest of 2 large lemons
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 60ml coconut oil
  • Salt and pepper

(Optional extras: The original recipe uses pumpkin, either works)

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 190c
  • Cut the squash into 1cm thick slices and lay them flat, cut-side down, on a baking-sheet that has been lined with greaseproof paper
  • To make the crust, mix together in a small bowl the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, half the lemon zest, the garlic, a tiny amount of salt and some pepper
  • Brush the squash generously with the coconut oil and sprinkle with the crust mix, making sure the slices are covered with a few millimetres of coating. Gently pat the mix down a little
  • Place the tin in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender
  • If the topping starts to darken too much during cooking, cover loosely with foil
  • Sprinkle the rest of the lemon zest before serving, to give a lovely fragrance as you plate