ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES
Living in England for the past four and a bit years I have come to really appreciate my roasted vegetables. In addition to the appreciation it is also a great choice as they’re seasonal in the northern countries during the colder months of the year and because they grow here they’re also cheap. But most of all they are tasty and full of flavour and a given part of any Christmas feast!
This post is really two recipes combined in one as I roast the carrots in cumin and maple syrup. I also separate the beetroot from the parsnips and onion until serving to keep from making everything red. Although they both have the same rosemary and sea salt seasoning. I like varying the herbs and spices added when making roasted veg to mix it up a little and differentiate between the veggies. If you don’t have the spices and herbs I use – simply make your own combinations. You can’t really go wrong in this!
In Sweden we don’t include roasted veg as part of our Christmas dinner. Traditionally we only serve boiled potatoes and a mixture of boiled and stewed (in cream usually) vegetables. And these are more an accompaniment to all the different meat and fish dishes served. I enjoy creating these recipes dedicated to Christmas festivities much because what I explained is how most Christmas celebrations look in Sweden. I think it’s a good time right about now to change our habits and embrace and focus more on the plants available to us.
This dish is easy to prepare and the oven will do most of the work for you. All you need to stride through is the peeling and chopping of the beetroots and parsnips but it will be over in a heart beat I promise!
Serves roughly 4 people as a part of a meal.
Active cooking time 20 min, total cooking time roughly 1h 20 min.
Ingredients:
10 small/medium carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp cumin
Sea salt and black pepper
3 medium sized beetroots
3 medium sized parsnips
3 onions (I use a mix of red and brown)
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp dried rosemary or a couple sprigs fresh
Salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius or prepare to use a few clean oven trays.
Clean carrots and remove stalks and leaves if needed and place on an oven tray.
Mix spices, oil and maple syrup in a cup and spread across carrots and make sure they are covered.
Peel parsnips, onion and beetroot..
Cut parsnips into roughly 5 cm stalks and divide each onion into 6 pieces.
Cut beetroot in half and divide each half in 3-4.
Place onions and parsnips on oven tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tsp rosemary, salt and black pepper, mix until covered.
Place beetroot in oven tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsprosemary, salt and black pepper, mix until covered.
Place all three trays in oven, mix every 15 min or so. If you’re oven heats unevenly you might need to move the trays around.
After 4o min roughly the beetroot, parsnip and onions should be crisp and coloured and ready to come out.
The carrots might take longer, up to 50 min or so depending on size.
Enjoy as part of your Christmas or Sunday roast spread!
RUSTIC POTATO AND LEEK SOUP
Potato and leek soup is the first dish I learned to cook at home ed. Of course being a child of a single mamma I could make simpler things but this was the first dish I made for my family. I really love it for it’s simplicity and rustic tecture. I like to leave the skins on my potatoes to give the soup another texture but this is optional but do remember that a lot of the nutrients of potatoes sit in the skins!
As mentioned above this soup brings a lot of memories back to me and I really consider this a staple dish. Great for a lazy day as the process is very straight forward and doesn’t require much effort. I think there’s a reason to why this is the first thing we learned at home ed, haha. Nevertheless it really is tasty and perfect for this time of year in Europe when toes are like ice cubes and all you want is something warming and comforting.
In addition to being tasty, warming and comforting this soup is great if you are on a tight budget, like I know many young people like me are. Potatoes, leeks and onions are all cheap whole foods that are easy to get a hold of. In this recipe I have added some red lentils, which are also inexpensive, to the dish for some good plant protein which is important for a balanced meal. If you sprinkle your soup with some seeds and nuts when you serve as well you add some more protein and healthy fats too. If you’re vegan like myself it’s important not to forget that part, especially if you’re just starting out.
Another perk with this dish is that it will last for a few days in the fridge so that you can batch cook and enjoy a healthy and fuss free lunch for days after cooking. I don’t recommend freezing it however as defrosted potatoes are really strange!
Makes 4-5 bowls.
Active cooking time 15 min, total cooking time 45 min.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 leek
1 red onion
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup red lentils
12 medium potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 l water
1 tbsp vegetable stock powder or equivalent in cube
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
Salt and pepper to taste
A handful of parsley, for serving
Roughly chop onion and garlic and cut leek into slim rings.
Place a large pot over low-medium heat, add olive oil and leek, onion as well as garlic. Mix once in a while, the mixture is ready when the leek is wilted, shiny and bright.
Rinse red lentils in cold water and set aside.
Clean potatoes, remove any rough bits (peel if you wish) and cut into roughly 1,5×1,5 cm pieces.
Add 1/4 l water to the pot when the leek is wilted, add the spices and then the lentils. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3-4 min.
Add 1 l of water as well as potatoes to the pot and bring to a boil, then lightly boil for 15 min under lid.
Once potatoes are tender use a potato masher to break them, I like mine with some smaller chunks but mash until you’re satisfied with the texture. If the soup is too think add a 1/4 l water.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in bowls and cut the parsley over the top.
Enjoy on a lazy day with some homous and bread on the side!
ALMOND, PISTACHIO AND PEAR UPSIDE DOWN TORTE
I am very excited to be sharing this recipe with you all as it’s gone down a treat here in my home. I wanted to make a moist nut torte and also wanted to add a fruit which would add to the moisture and chose pear. I serve the torte with a lightly whipped coconut cream flavoured with vanilla. All in all I think this is a perfect dessert for Christmas. Maybe not the most traditional where I am from but spiced with cardamom and ginger it offers a wintery Christmas taste.
This recipe is completely grain free and the only flour used is buckwheat whilst the rest of the dry ingredients are solely gathered from nuts and seeds. Therefore it is suitable for many diets including paleo and has quite a high protein content. The chia seeds and flax seeds used for binding offer omega 3 fatty acids which have a positive impact on heart and brain as well as various other areas. Read more about omega fatty acids and their function and benefits here.
For the fruity layer of this recipe I use conference pears which is the most common in most of Europe and readily available during the winter months due to the possibility of preserving them in a cold room to prevent them from decaying. Now, this might seem odd but I don’t know what’s better; buying a fruit that’s been picked and stored in a cold storage or one that has been flown halfway across the world. I think I prefer the first option in this case. I’m sure other pears would work just as well but choose a firm not over ripe fruit as it softens and releases it’s sweet juices when baked.
This cake is good as is I think but I have included the option of topping with whipped coconut cream which is really a tasty and decadent serving possibility without necessarily having a negative impact on your health. It’s a great vegan option to cream made from cow’s milk as it can be whipped quite fluffy if kept in the fridge overnight before whipping. I choose to whip mine lightly though as this is how I prefer it but it will taste just as good with a fluffier cream!
Makes one 22 cm sping form.
Active cooking time 15 min, total cooking time 55 min.
Ingredients:
1 conference pear
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup pistachios, ground
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp flaxseed meal/ground linseed
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/3 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup liquid sweetener such as agave nectar or rice malt syrup
1 heaped tsp ground cardamom
1/2-1 tsp ground ginger depending on potency preference
1/3 cup almond milk
1 small can/160 ml coconut cream or the solid paart of a can of coconut milk
1 vanilla pod
A pinch of coconut sugar or other sweetener (optional)
Place coconut cream or milk in fridge over night.
Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius.
Place flaxseed meal and chia seeds in a cup with 8 tbsp water and leave to gel.
Split pear in half, decore and slice into half moons.
Grease the spring form with coconut oil and shake some almond meal around the edges.
Place pear slices at bottom of the spring form (see photo below).
Mix all remaining dry ingredients as well as spices in a large bowl.
Mix liquid sweetener and soft or melted coconut oil and add to dry mixture.
Mix and when combined mix in almond milk as well as gelled chia seeds and flaxseed meal.
Spread batter over pears in the form.
Bake for roughly 40 min or until slightly golden on top and a knife comes out clean when stuck in the middle.
Place coconut cream in mixing bowl along with a pinch of coconut sugar and the scraped out vanilla from the vanilla pod – whisk until required thickness.
Let cake cool a little and then remove sides and flip onto a serving dish, top with crushed and whole pistachios.
Enjoy in good company!
BITTER SWEET CHRISTMAS BRUSSEL SPROUT SALAD
Pretty much all of the traditional dishes which take place on the table at Christmas in Sweden contain meet, dairy and gluten which are no longer part of my diet. Therefore I am reinventing Christmas this year. Well maybe reinventing is a big word but I am creating some dishes which me and my family can all enjoy and share on Christmas day. This is my first idea, a salad with brussel sprouts and other greens as well as sweet fruits and nuts to combine many different flavours and textures for a fresh yet Christmas festive dish.
Brussels sprouts is not something which usually appears at my family Christmas dinner so I learned only this year that they are pretty tasty! They are great shaved fresh into salads like a cabbage but for this recipe I chose to roast them which seems like the more traditional way of eating them. And as Christmas is based very much upon tradition and I’m going a little wild in the kitchen with different flavours and ideas at least something should remain to remind us of past Christmases.
As I already mentioned I have gone a little wild and am thoroughly enjoying thinking a little out of the box with this Christmas salad. In Sweden, which for you who don’t know this is my birth place, vegetables are a small part of the Christmas dinner and usually a side which many leaves behind to save space for other delicacies. I aimed with this recipe and as you will see in my other Christmas inspired recipes to put the vegetables centre stage this year. This is one of the reasons for finding flavours that might not have been part of the Christmas tradition earlier. There’s always a first!
I hope you give this one a go and even if it’s not for Christmas I think this salad is a pretty good side to any family meal if you simply tweak the seasoning a little. Maybe leave out the all spice and cloves and maybe add some chilli flakes instead for a fresh and hot alternative.
Serves 4-5 people as a side dish.
Active cooking time 15 min, total cooking time 35-45 min.
Ingredients:
250 g brussels sprouts
30 g leaves (I used pea shots, beetroot tops and spinach)
2 red chicory heads
1 persimmon/khaki fruit
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Two handfuls of nuts and seeds of choice (I used almond shavings, pecan nuts, pumpkin seeds and pistachios)
Olive oil (for roasting, toasting and dressing)
1 1/2 tsp all spice
Salt and black pepper
A dash of cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius and prepare to use an oven tray.
Wash brussels sprouts, remove any yellowed leaves, cut off the stem and halve them.
Place sprouts in oven tray, drizzle with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and black pepper and place in oven for roughly 25-30 min, mixing half way through. Should be tender on the inside and browned and a little crispy on the outside when done.
Rinse all other ingredients and place leaves in a mixing bowl.
Cut chicory into preferred size and add to leaves along with 2 tbsp olive oil, all spice and salt and pepper. Mix it up and set aside.
Cut persimmon into bite size pieces, removing skin if needed (depends on type of persimmon).
Add persimmon pieces and dried cranberries to the mixing bowl and toss together with the leaves and chicory.
Place a tbsp or two of olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat.
Place nuts and seeds in the pan, sprinkle with salt and black pepper as well as a dash of cayenne pepper. Toast until goldened and if using pumpkin seeds until they pop.
When brussels sprouts are finished place the leaves and fruit mixture on a serving plate. Place the brussels sprouts on top of the bed of salad and scatter the toasted nuts on top.
Enjoy as a side to all your other Christmas table treats!
MUSHROOM ARANCINI STYLE BALLS
I hate throwing away leftover food and enjoy reinventing the instead. With the amount of food that goes waisted on this planet I think it’s important to start embracing the leftovers instead of forgetting them at the back of the fridge to then throw them out. This recipe transforms my mushroom risotto which isn’t as great the following day into something delicious and fun for second day enjoyment!
Makes roughly 5 falafel sized balls.
Requires a small to medium sized frying pan.
Ingredients:
About 1 portion of my mushroom risotto
A generous handful of my parmesan style sprinkle
4 tbsp olive oil
Method:
Place oil in pan over medium heat.
Simply press together and roll the risotto into falafel sized balls.
Roll the balls in the parmesan style sprinkle.
Place balls in pan and shift frying surface often.
When the balls are golden brown and crisp the balls are ready.
Enjoy as a side to your lunch salad or as a snack!
Untraditional Mushroom Risotto
I made a creamy and dreamy breakfast porridge but this is my super comforting creamy and dreamy dinner suggestion. The evenings are longer and colder and I think we all need some love at this point, for me risotto is one of those foods that feel like an embrace. Here I have taken something very traditional like mushroom risotto and made it untraditionally vegan but I promise you it still has that luscious texture!
When people here risotto they think “that’s a hard dish to make” but I’d like to argue that this is not true. It might be a labour of love in some respects but it’s not difficult as such. All it needs is a lot of attention and care but some would say somewhat burnt risotto is the real deal and a delicacy. By that I don’t mean completely charcoal burnt but a little bit stuck to the pan and scraped into the creamy remainder of the dish.
In this recipe I used Arborio rice but you could also use Carnaroli or Vialone Nano. Arborio is the most well known rice for risotto making in my neck of the woods and also the easiest to find at the supermarket however I saw that Jamie Oliver has Carnaroli rice in his range so that could be an option, although that is not organic.
I also use dried Porcini mushrooms in the recipe which can be found easily at a well stocked supermarket but if you don’t have any and still want to make this risotto that’s cool! Just skip the bits about soaking and just use hot water to dissolve your stock in. I’d also add some more mushrooms of your own choice. It does have more of an intense mushroom flavour however with the Porcini mushrooms and a richer and darker colour.
To finish of this recipe I make a so called vegan nut parmesan, really this is just cashew nuts ground with nutritional yeast and salt to create a crumbly cheesy dust for a nice final touch. This is not a must but I do recommend it both for flavour and visual effect!
Feeds 2-3 people.
Cooking time: 45 min.
Ingredients:
25 g dried porcini mushrooms
½ liter water
2 tsp vegetable stock powder / 1 stock cube
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
150 g chestnut button mushrooms
1 cup arborio rice
Small handful parsley
½ cup cashew nuts
¼ cup nutritional yeast
Salt to taste
Boil the water in a kettle and pour into a large bowl containing the dried porcini mushrooms, let sit for roughly 20 min.
Chop red onion finely and peel garlic.
Clean dirt off chestnut mushroom and remove excess stalks, then halve/quarter depending on size and preference.
Place oil in a pot over medium heat and add onion, mince and add garlic, cook for roughly 5 min – mixing often.
Meanwhile drain the dried mushrooms into another bowl, keeping the brown water but discarding the very last drops.
Squeeze the last of the liquid out of the mushrooms and roughly chop them, add them to pot along with chestnut mushrooms and let cook on medium heat for another 5 min or so until tender.
Add stock to the mushroom water and dissolve it.
Add rice to pot when the mushrooms are tender and cook for a minute, making sure nothing sticks to the pan.
Add mushroom water stock mixture into pot a quarter at a time, stirring often and only adding more water when previous has been absorbed.
Roughly chop parsley and when all the stock has been absorbed and rice is tender, take the risotto of the heat and stir in the parsley.
In a food processor mix cashew nuts, nutritional yeast and salt until finely ground, sprinkle over risotto when serving and finish of with some fresh parsley.
Enjoy on a cold winter evening and if you end up with leftovers make these super simple arancini balls!
SPICED MAPLE PUMPKIN LOAF W. PECAN NUTS
I missed the halloween train and maybe even the autumn train this year with this pumpkin bread but I think it’s still worth a post because I’m hoping you’ll like it as much as me. I’ll be eating this all winter or at least for as long as I can find pumpkins. I made it not too sweet so I can have it for breakfast, but you might want to swap the maple syrup for brown rice syrup if you want to have this bread for breakfast only as it is a less quick releasing sweetener. This will however alter the flavour a little, but it will still be delicious! If not enjoy the maple syrup flavour as you munch on the bread as a treat or an afternoon snack. The pecan nuts give it that much loved crunch, I can’t get enough of a good crunch! I also enjoy putting a little bit of cashew or almond butter on top for a little bit of creamy decadence.
PORTIONS: 1 Loaf tin / TIME: 65-70 min
1 tbsp milled flax seed+2 tbsp water
425 g/1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
1/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup rice flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp cloves
A small dash of cayenne pepper or to taste
3/4 cup pecan nuts
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
Mix milled flaxseed and water in a small cup and set aside.
Mix all wet ingredients in a mixing bowl and all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, leaving the nuts to the side.
Add gelled flaxseed, after roughly 5 min or so, to wet ingredients and combine.
Mix dry mixture into wet mixture a little at a time.
Break nuts and add to batter mixing them in gently.
Pour mixture into lined tin and spread evenly.
Bake for 50-60 min.
LAZY NOODLE BROTH W. SAVOY AND MUSHROOMS
I love noodles, they are my go to meal because they are tasty and quick to make. I do however realise that just eating noodles isn’t the healthiest of diets and therefore I like making stirfrys and various soups to get some greens and boosting spices into my meal as well. This is a really simple and very tasty asian inspired broth with noodles, mushrooms and savoy cabbage as well as a healthy amount of garlic, ginger and chilli!
I was asked the other day on instagram what noodles I use so I thought I’d tell you guys here as well. I love King Soba noodles for four reasons: they are organic, there is a variety of gluten free options, they are quick and easy to prepare and most of all they are tasty. I use their black rice noodles, the brown rice and wakame as well as their buckwheat and sweet potato ones and either are great for this recipe. If you can’t get a hold of these ones though, any rice noodles will work but remember that white rice noodles contain simple carbohydrates and therefore give you an energy spike rather than a sustained release!
This recipe contains quite a bit of fresh garlic and ginger as well as chilli flakes. You can of course use fresh chilli, it’s my lazy bone that limits the chopping to two flavour boosters. These three are not just good to add flavour to your food though, they are great for your immune system and metabolism. I think we all can need a bit of help in the immune system department this time of year which makes this recipe perfect for right now.
In addition to being perfect for right now I’d say it’s perfect always. It is light and tasty with lots of flavour. You get some greens in you along with some good (if you use a brown or black rice or buckwheat noodle) slow release carbohydrates. The only thing I would say is that it should be eaten the same buy roche valium uk day, reheating noodles isn’t my favourite as they lose their texture and can become quite ‘slimy’.
Feeds 2-3 people.
Cooking time: 20 min.
Ingredients:
750 ml water for broth + more for preparing noodles
2 tbsp lemongrass infused oil / 2 tbsp coconut oil + juice from ½-1 lime
1 red onion
4 garlic cloves
1 inch fresh ginger root
A generous pinch of hot chilli flakes
1-2 tsp vegetable stock powder / 1 stock cube
150 g chestnut mushrooms
4-5 savoy cabbage leaves
1 tbsp or more of tamari/liquid aminos (gluten free alternatives to soy sauce)
180 g brown/black rice noodles
Fill your kettle with water and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile cut onion in half and slice thinly, chop garlic and ginger finely.
Add oil to a large pot over medium heat and add onion, garlic and ginger, cook for 3-4 min mixing often.
Place another pot over high heat, fill with water and add noodles.
Clean and chop mushrooms into half inch pieces and rinse and chop cabbage leaves into 1 inch squares.
Add mushrooms and cabbage to pot and cook for another 4-5 min.
Keep a look out as the noodles can be cooked quickly. When they are ready drain them and rinse under cold water and set aside.
Add 750 ml of the boiled water to the large pot, add stock powder/cube and tamari/liquid aminos – let cook for another 5-8 min.
When the broth is fragrant and cabbage tender add noodles until they are heated up, then take off heat and serve!
Enjoy topped with something with a crunch, I used crispy kale chips and cashew nuts!
ROASTED AND CHILLI STUFFED GEM SQUASH
Though winter is pretty much here there’s still some autumn left to be had which means pumpkins and squashes are available and on the menu. Only last year did I have gem squash for the first time and I love it. A small squash perfect for stuffing and scoop eating that halved cooks in just 30 min, perfect. In this recipe I made a black bean and sweetcorn chilli to stuff the little gems with and top the parcel with nutritional yeast and blue corn chips!
When it gets colder and darker I, like many others, crave more hearty dishes and that is just what this dish offers. For some extra warming effects the squash is stuffed with a chilli made with chilli flakes, cayenne pepper and sambal oelek. The tomato based chilli really brings the otherwise quite bland squash to life! And the sweet corn add some crunchy sweetness whilst the black beans give us our protein and add to the heartiness of the dish.
Gem squash is high in carotene which develops into vitamin A in the body which keep our eyes healthy and cells renewed. Garlic and chilli which are the main spices in this dish are great for the immune system which can be much needed this time of year.
I enjoy this dish with a healthy sprinkle of nutritional yeast over the top for a cheesy flavour as well as some crunchy tortilla chips. In this recipe and pictured I use blue corn tortillas but any kind will work. Really any beans would work for the chilli as well and in terms of stuffing your gem squash you can get super creative, go crazy! The chilli can also be eaten with your favorite rice if your cupboard is lacking squash.
Feeds 2-4 people depending on portion size.
Cooking time 40 min.
Ingredients:
2 gem squash
1 brown onion
2 garlic cloves
1 can/packet chopped tomatoes
1 can/packet black beans
Kernels from one corn cob (or equivalent canned)
Generous pinch of chilli flakes
4 shakes of cayenne pepper
2 tsp sambal oelek
2-4 servings tortilla chips
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for drizzling squash and sauteing onion
Nutritional yeast (optional)
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Cut gem squash in half and remove seeds.
Place squash on oven tray/in oven dish and drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 30 min.
Meanwhile chop onion and garlic.
Place a pan over low heat and add oil, onion and garlic as well as chilli flakes.
Whilst keeping an eye on the pan remove kernels from corn cob.
Rinse and drain black beans, set aside.
Add chopped tomatoes to pan and add cayenne pepper and sambal oelek as well as salt and pepper to taste.
Place corn kernels in sauce and let simmer for 5 min.
Add black beans to chilli and simmer for another 5 min.
Remove squash from oven after 30 min or when it is tender and golden.
Scoop chilli into squash and sprinkle with nutritional yeast and broken tortilla chips.
Enjoy on a cold autumn evening with a side of tortilla chips which you could also use to scoop up leftover chilli!
CREAMY COCONUT PORRIDGE W. CINNAMON APPLE
This porridge is a creamy, dreamy and steady start to the morning and the flavour of the apples brings christmas to mind. I know it’s only October and I am not big on bringing christmas alive too early but this cinnamon apple topped creamy porridge gives just the right amount of christmas feeling for now. Apple and cinnamon can never be wrong, can it?
To create a really creamy oat porridge I add coconut milk and try to make sure that I get the thick part for at least half of the amount needed. It also gives the porridge a white colour which is beautifully contrasted by the browned cinnamon apples with a touch of coconut sugar to follow the trend. I also add some almonds and pumpkin seeds to the pan towards the end when sauteing the apples to give the dish some crunch and a bit more protein.
Let’s talk about breakfast. I love breakfast! I know that many people don’t but I really am one of the believers when it comes to breakfast, it gives you a solid start to the day. It has been shown in studies that it help manage your weight as well as you are less likely to overeat later on in the day and more likely to keep your blood sugars level. I really think breakfast keeps sugar cravings away and it can be such a comforting start to the day when you’re feeling tired and sluggish, which many people seem to this time of year (I know I do).
Porridge, or oatmeal as many call it, is one of my favorites for breakfast and one reason is that it’s versatile. I never used to like it that much as a child because it was always a bit stodgy. It came with jam and milk which was usually more tasty than the porridge itself. But! Porridge really doesn’t have to be boring and this recipe which is really quick and easy proves that.
Feeds 1.
Cooking time: 10-15 min.
Ingredients:
0,5 cup oats
0,5 cup water
0,5 cup coconut milk (make sure to get some of the more solid parts)
0,5 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)0,5-1 sweet apple
2 tsp coconut oil
1,5 tsp cinnamon
1 small tsp coconut sugar
10 almonds
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Place oats, water and coconut milk in pot over medium heat and stir once in a while until all the water has been absorbed, then remove from heat.
Meanwhile decore and cut apple into bite size pieces.
Place coconut oil, apple pieces, cinnamon and coconut sugar in pan over medium heat, mix.
Stir once in a while and after roughly 3 min add almonds and pumpkin seeds, mix.
Leave for another 2-3 min and stir when needed.
Place porridge in bowl and top with apple mixture.
Enjoy this creamy cinnamon apple breakfast to set you up for a good day!
QUINOA MUFFINS TWO WAYS: BERRIES / SPINACH AND GREEN PEAS
I often feel like I want to change up my breakfast routine to keep it interesting and this is what I did the other day. I never liked the idea of eating sweet or complete wheat muffins for breakfast but quinoa muffins, why not? Quinoa is great as it is a complete proteins o for a vegan you can’t start the day off better. This recipe offers two flavours, one sweet and one savoury. I like topping the savoury ones with cashew cheese or houmous and sliced tomato and for the sweet ones I like peanut butter (other nut butter) and jam or fresh berries.
If you want something to grab and go in the morning or want something new to dip into your houmous pot at lunch these are perfect. The savoury ones are also lovely to eat with soups. Prepare them at night for the busy day ahead or make on a Sunday morning for a nourishing and luxurious breakfast.
Quinoa is fantastic, I think I have said it loads of times before so I won’t go into too many details but this is just such a good source of plant protein! I used red quinoa for this recipe but I think any quinoa will work, although black will offer a more crunchy texture. In this recipe I pair it with naturally gluten free flours like buckwheat and brown rice flour to make a hearty muffin.
I know green juices are the thing right now and they really are fantastic but what about green muffins? I added spinach and peas to the savoury muffins for some green goodness as well as garlic for flavour and an immune system boost. In the berry muffins I added rice malt syrup to sweeten and as I don’t really mind things being very sweet I think you need to experiment with this to find the right amount of sweet for you. I used ⅓ cup which was perfect for me. You can also use any liquid sweetener that you prefer; agave, maple syrup etc. Dried fruits instead of berries would also provide a more sweet result.
Makes in total 16 muffins, 8 of each flavour.
Active cooking time 25 min, total cooking time 55-65 min.
Requires muffin tray or muffin moulds.
Base ingredients (see variation further down):
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water (soak)
Ingredients continued:
Savoury:
¾-1 cup almond milk (or other)
½ cup frozen spinach
½ cup frozen peas
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper to taste
Sweet:
⅔ cup almond milk (or other)
⅓-½ liquid sweetener of choice
½-1 cup berries (I used blueberries and blackberries)
½ tsp vanilla extract
Defrost frozen spinach and peas (or use fresh).
Cook quinoa (1 cup quinoa +2 cups water).
Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius.
Prepare flaxseed and water mixture – set aside.
Place baking paper into muffin tray or place 16 muffin moulds onto oven tray.
Mix quinoa, flours, baking powder and soda.
Split mixture into two bowls and add remaining ingredients into separate bowls.
Split the flax seed mixture in two and add to separate bowls.
Mix with a spoon until completely combined.
Place mixtures into muffin tray/muffin moulds considering that they will not rise much.
Bake in oven for 30-40 min.
Enjoy on the go or share with friends and family for a home baked weekend breakfast, finish leftovers dipped into soup or broken into yoghurt!
HEARTY GREEN BEAN AND LENTIL STEW
Hearty stews are autumn staples at my house and this recipe was created one evening when I really needed a warming dinner. One thing I love about stews is that they are so versatile, you can use almost any vegetables and end up with magic. Therefore you mustn’t get scared away from this recipe if you don’t have exactly the veggies I use but get creative and make your own version. One thing which I think is really important for a good stew though is adding sufficient spice, it can make or break your concoction.
This stew has some heat from chilli and turmeric as well as lots of good plant protein from the green beans and lentils. Beans and rice make complete protein and therefore I like serving this stew with brown rice but it’s just as good on its own or paired with a slice of bread!
The mix of spices chosen should help you keep nasty flus and colds away as autumn and winter moves in. Chilli, turmeric and garlic all have immune boosting properties so make sure you invest in these and add them to stews, like this one, and soups. I value a stocked spice cabinet, a simple dish can really come to live with the right amount of spice and we are suckers for heat in this household – lots of chilli! In this recipe I use mainly dried spices but fresh are even better and I always make sure to use fresh garlic.
The ingredient list of this recipe might seem long but I think most of the items are staples in a veggie kitchen and as mentioned before; if somethings missing – just replace it. Root veggies take a bit longer to cook than other more tender veggies, make sure to always put those in first. One thing I rarely use when cooking is green beans but they are actually perfect for stews, I hope you’ll think so too!
Feeds roughly 6-8 people.
Requires a large pot.
Active cooking time 35 min, total cooking time 45 min.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup brown rice + 3 cups water
Olive oil for sauteing onion and prepare rice
2 onions
4 garlic cloves
2-3 tsp GF and vegan vegetable stock
Pinch of chilli flakes, 3 shakes of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp ground turmeric, ½-1 tsp ground ginger, ½-1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp dried garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large carrots
1 ½ bell pepper (use different colours if possible)
300 g fine green beans
3 celery sticks
3 kale leaves (1 ½ cup packed destemmed)
1 cup red lentils
3 cups water + a generous splash
1 can/packet chopped tomatoes
Rinse rice and place, along with a tablespoon of olive oil, in pot over medium heat.
Stir for a couple of minutes coating the rice whilst it heats up.
Add 3 cups water, cover with lid, bring to boil and then turn heat down to a simmer until all the water has been absorbed.
Chop onion and garlic and place in large pot over low heat with a splash of olive oil.
Whilst sauteing onion (3-5 min) chop carrots and pepper (see size/shape pictured below).
Add a splash of water along with all the spices to the pan, mix and then add carrots and pepper, cover with lid and leave for 3-5 min.
Meanwhile remove ends of beans and halve, rinse lentils, chop celery.
Add all the above along with 3 cups water and cover with lid, bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer for 15 min.
Meanwhile destem kale and rip into pieces, roughly 1”x1”.
When 15 min has passed add chopped tomatoes and kale, mix and leave for another 5 min simmering.
Serve stew over rice.
Enjoy this hearty dish one cold evening with something crunchy, like pumpkin seeds, on top!