These crunchy, melt-in-mouth green pea cookies, mainly prepared with spelt flour, ground green peas, peanut oil, and icing sugar, are commonly baked for the Spring Festival celebration, but they are an outright winner any time of year.

Green Peas Spelt Cookies

adapted from No-Frills Recipes

330 g Spelt pastry flour 3/4 tsp Salt 1 tbsp Baking powder 260 g Shelled green peas, finely ground 150 g Powdered sugar 200 ml Peanut or corn oil 1 Egg yolk 1/2 tsp Water 1 tbsp Sesame seeds

1. Sift the spelt pastry flour, salt, baking powder, finely ground shelled green peas, and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Slowly pour in oil and mix until the mixture forms a soft and pliable dough. Cover with a plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into inch balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets.
4. Stir the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush the top of each cookie with egg glaze and sprinkle some sesame seeds over. Bake for 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

A black-eyed pea salad with Prosciutto, sundried tomatoes, pepperrocini, red onion, tossed with a simple fresh herb vinaigrette and served on a bed of Belgian endive leaves. You can serve it either as an appetizer or a side dish.
Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of calcium (an important nutrient for the health of our bones and teeth), folate (support red blood cell production and Allow nerves to function properly), and vitamin A (essential for maintaining healthy skin and vision ), among other nutrients. They are thought to bring you luck and prosperity if eaten on New Years, but they are healthy and delicious any time of the year.
Dried black-eyed peas, also known as the cow peas, are easy to use as they requires no soaking and cook quickly. If you are in a hurry, canned variety can be an option.

2 cup Dried black-eyed peas 60 g Prosciutto, diced 5-6 Sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped 3-4 Pepperocini, chopped 1 Small red onion, finely chopped 90 ml Olive oil 120 ml Red wine vinegar 2 tbsp Flat parsley leaves (or thyme), finely chopped 1 clove Garlic, minced Sea salt and freshly ground pepper 1-2 head Belgian endives 3 Grape tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional)

1. Place black-eyed peas in large saucepan of water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes or until peas are tender but not mushy.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley or thyme, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
3. Drain black-eyed peas. Add to bowl with dressing along with prosciutto, sundried tomatoes, pepperocini, and red onion. Toss well to combine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
4. Remove root end from endive and separate the leaves, rinse and pat dry. Arrange the endive leaves on a serving dish. Spoon the peas onto the leaves and arrange the tomato wedges, if used, on top. Serve at room temperature or chilled with a garnish of fresh thyme or parsley, if desired.

This dark, slightly chewy, raisin and Chinese date-studded bread has a subtle earthy flavours of dark rye, and mild sweetness of Chinese red dates and sultanas. It's a great combination with butter and tea in the morning or for the afternoon snack with a glass of milk.

20 g Wholegrain rye flour 120 ml Water 150 g Bread flour 50 g Wholewheat flour 120 g Dark rye flour 20 g Brown sugar 4 g Salt 190 ml Water, lukewarm 25 g Walnut oil 10 g Fresh yeast, crumbled 50 g Chinese red dates, chopped 120 g Sultanas

1. Combine together wholegrain rye flour and 120 ml water in a small pot until the mixture is well blended and lump free. Cook the mixture over the medium heat, frequently stirring, until it has turned into a thick paste and the thermometer reads about 65C/150F. It takes about 2-3 minutes. Cool the mixture to the room temperature and cover with a plastic wrap while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, place in the bread flour, wholewheat flour, rye flour, brown sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center, add in water, 20 grams walnut oil and crumbled fresh yeast. Mix on slow speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth.
3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle with chopped red dates and sultanas and knead with your hands until they are just incorporated. Grease the mixing bowl lightly with the rest of walnut oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover the bowl, and allow it to rise until doubled in size.
4. Dust an 8-inch round proofing basket with rye flour and set aside. Turn the dough out onto work surface, kneading briefly, and shape into a round. Place the dough, seam side up, into the floured basket. Cover with a towel and let dough rise again until it reaches the top of the basket.
5. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Turn the proofed bread onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Use a very sharp knife to cut a decorative pattern on the top of the boule. Bake the bread in the center of hot oven for 35 minutes until nicely golden brown.

I have always had a soft spot for the bright, mildly sweet and lemony thumbprint cookies. This thumbprints recipe uses a vegan lemon curd to fill the cookies made with a mix of spelt, buckwheat, walnuts, walnut oil and maple syrup. Traditional lemon curd recipes call for the use of eggs and butter, but this recipe is a bit healthier, while still sweet, tart and satisfying. You can also fill them with your favorite jelly.

Vegan Lemon Curd Thumbprints

adapted from Dairy Free Cooking

Vegan Lemon Curd	Cookie
150 g Fresh lemon juice 150 g Sugar 1 tbsp Fresh lemon zest 1/4 tsp Salt 1 tbsp Coconut milk 2 tbsp Cornstarch 2 tbsp Cold water 2 tbsp Soya margarine ©angiesrecipes	130 g Spelt pastry flour 120 g Buckwheat, toasted and finely ground 100 g Walnuts, finely ground 1/4 tsp Salt 125 ml Walnut oil 200 g Maple syrup Cranberries and poppy seed (optional)

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest and salt, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Combine together the coconut milk, cornstarch, and cold water in a small bowl, stirring well to combine.
2. Add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, cook until the mixture begins to thicken and the first few bubbles appear on the surface, about 8 minutes. Add soya margarine, and cook until the mixture resembles a thick pudding. Transfer the mixture to a heat proof dish, cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely before placing in the refrigerator to chill. Chill lemon curd for 2 hours before using.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the spelt pastry flour, finely ground buckwheat, finely ground walnut and salt until well combined, making a well in the center.
4. Add in walnut oil and maple syrup to the center, and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it forms a dry dough that just holds together.
5. Form the dough into 2-inch balls, and place them onto the prepared sheet, pressing a "thumbprint" into the center of each and slightly flattening. (The cookies will not spread, so make them the size that you want!) Add about 1 teaspoonful of lemon curd to each thumbprint and top with a cranberry or some poppy seeds if using. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cookies cool for several minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

What could be better than homemade bread, especially when it's studded with the earthy flavours of cheese, walnuts, potatoes, fresh thyme and pears. I love it served with a steaming soup on ice cold days. It's also great for a school packed lunch.

Potato Bread Batons with Cheese and Pear

adapted from daheim und unterwegs

Bread	Cheese Spread
200 g Potatoes, diced and boiled 18 g Fresh yeast 550 g Water, lukewarm 100 g Sourdough 800 g Spelt flour 150 g Rye flour 18 g Salt 150 g Walnut, chopped 4 Pears, seeded and cut into wedges	150 g Gorgonzola 150 g Emmental 150 g Sour cream 170 g Quark Salt and pepper to taste 2 tbsp Fresh thyme, chopped 2-3 tbsp Bread crumb

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into small pieces. Fill a large pot with the potatoes. Add enough water to cover the potatoes. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Drain and cool to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, dissolve the yeast in water. Add in sourdough, flours, salt, walnuts and cooked potatoes. Mix on slow speed for 4 minutes, then increase the speed and mix a further 4 minutes.
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 6 even portions. Shape each into a ball and rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Knead the dough balls gently and briefly. Cover, and rest for a further 15 minutes. Shape each dough ball into a baton and allow them to rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
4. To prepare the cheese spread by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag. With a sharp serrated knife, slash the top of the bread lengthwise, about 1/4-inch deep. Pipe the cheese mixture onto the cut and press 5-6 pear wedges on top. Allow them to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220C/430F and bake for about 35 minutes until nicely golden brown.

This is an comforting and delicious homemade pasta with browned ground beef filling. It's simply sauced with a roasted tomato sauce. If you're a fan of homemade pasta, take some time and make your dinner special.

Homemade Beef Ravioli with Roasted Tomato Sauce

adapted from Klassische italienische Küche von Julia della Croce

Roasted Tomato Sauce	Beef Ravioli
500 g Roma tomatoes 1 Yellow onion, chopped 6 Garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp Sugar Salt and pepper 1 tbsp Fresh thyme 200 ml White wine 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar	300 g Pasta flour (or bread flour) 1/8 tsp Salt 4 Large eggs 1 tbsp Olive oil 200 g Ground beef 1 Shallot, minced 1 clove Garlic, minced 2 tbsp Parsley, chopped 1/4 tsp Salt 1 Egg white, beaten Parmesan, grated (optional) Chives, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat an oven to 200C/400F. Slice each tomato in half lengthwise and place on a sheet pan, cut side up. Roughly chop the onion and scatter the pieces around the tomatoes. Scatter the garlic cloves on top of the onion. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with the sugar, salt, pepper, and thyme.
2. Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Remove from the oven and transfer the roasted tomatoes into a large saucepan. With an immersion blender process the tomatoes to the desired consistency. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Add in white wine and balsamic vinegar. Simmer for a further 20 minutes.
3. Combine pasta flour and salt on a clean work surface and make a well in the center. Place 3 eggs and olive oil in the well, and incorporate the flour into the liquid ingredients until combined. Knead the dough vigorously until it becomes smooth and elastic.
4. Allow the dough to rest, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour before rolling it out. Flatten a manageable amount of dough (about the size of an orange) on a clean work surface dusted with flour. Cover the rest of the dough. Using a rolling pin, work from the center of the dough to the edges with a back-and-forth motion, rolling and stretching the dough. Continue rolling, turning the dough occasionally and dusting it with flour to prevent sticking and tearing, until the sheet is the desired thickness. Leave the dough sheets to dry for 10-15 minutes before cutting.
5. Cook ground meat, minced shallot and garlic in a skillet until meat is browned. Remove and strain off the fat. Stir in one egg, parsley and salt.
6. Cut the dough sheet into 8-cm wide strips and place spoonfuls of filling about 4cm apart on one strip. Brush the area between fillings with egg white and top with a second strip of dough. Form ravioli by pressing around each filling to form a seal. Dust with flour and cut into squares with a pastry wheel. Crimp the edges of the ravioli with a fork to ensure that they are sealed properly. Alternatively you can cut out the wraps using a 2-inch cookie cutter.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ravioli for 5 minutes in a rapidly boiling salted water. Drain and gently toss with the sauce. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan and chopped chives on top if desired. Serve immediately.

These gluten-free crackers, a tasty and healthy blend of buckwheat, walnuts, sesame seeds and spiced with wasabi (Japanse mustard), thin, crisp, and have an earthy flavour and an intense and rich sesame taste.

Buckwheat Wasabi Crackers with Walnuts and Sesame Seeds

adapted from All Day I Dream About Food

100 g Buckwheat, ground 100 g Walnuts, ground 40 g Sesame seeds, toasted 1 tsp Baking powder 1/3 tsp Salt 3 tbsp Sesame oil 2 tbsp Wasabi paste 1 Egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine together ground buckwheat, ground walnuts, toasted sesame seeds, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, wasabi paste and egg. Pour the oil mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until a dough forms.
3. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment papers and roll out to a rectangle approximately 2mm thick. With a sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares or cut out with a round cookie cutter and place each one on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes until firm and crisp. Turn off the oven and leave crackers in the oven for 30 minutes before transfering them to the wire racks to cool.

Warming, filling, and delicious, this herb flavoured white bean stew is delightfully vegan and will definitely bring warmth on a cold winter day. If you don’t have winter savory, sage or rosemary would be the perfect substitute.

200 g Dried white beans 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 clove Garlic, minced 1 can / 400 g Plum tomatoes 2 tsp Winter savory leaves Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Put beans into a large saucepan, cover with 5 cups water, and let soak overnight. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain beans and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, white beans, and winter savory leaves. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the flavours have mingled, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Warm, soft, slightly sweet and full of flavor, these poppy (or peanut butter) filled whole wheat buns topped with almonds (or sesame seeds) are perfect for an after-school snack or a morning indulgence with a pot of steaming tea!

25 g Whole wheat flour 125 ml Water 140 g Milk 1 Egg, lightly beaten 35 g Walnut oil 50 g Caster sugar 5 g Salt 250 g Whole wheat, ground 230 g All purpose flour 15 g Fresh yeast, crumbled

1/2 Egg 1 tsp Water 150 g Poppy paste 150 g Crunchy peanut butter Sesame seeds and almond slices

1. Combine together the wholemeal flour and water in a small pot until the mixture is well blended and lump free. Cook the mixture over the medium heat, frequently stirring, until it has turned into a thick paste and the thermometer reads about 65C/150F. It takes about 2-3 minutes. Cool the mixture to the room temperature and cover with a plastic wrap while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the pan of your bread machine, pour in prepared starter, milk, egg, walnut oil, caster sugar, salt, flours, and the yeast. Program the bread machine to dough cycle.
3. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press it down to flatten. Divide the dough into 10 portions, each about 92 grams.
4. Roll each portion of dough into an oval. Spread 30 grams of poppy paste or peanut butter at one end, and then slice the other end into 5 strips. Now roll the dough up from ‘filling’ side and seal the edges.
5. Cover and proof the bread until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Brush the top with egg wash (1/2 egg beaten with 1 tsp water) and sprinkle with sesame seeds or almond slices. Bake in the middle of hot oven for 20-25 minutes until nicely golden brown.

This delicious homemade herb-flavoured tomato soup is healthy, creamy and easy to put together. It is best enjoyed with some cheesy croutons. The recipe calls for the canned tomato, so pick the best quality canned tomatoes you can find, for example, Roma, San Marzano.

Garlic Parmesan Croutons	Soup
3 Hard rolls, cubed 2 Garlic cloves, minced Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated	2 tbsp Olive oil 1 Onion, chopped 2 clove Garlic, finely chopped 1 stalk Celery, chopped 1 Small carrot, chopped 1 can / 400 g Diced tomatoes 1-2 tbsp Tomato paste 250 ml Vegetable broth 1 Bay leaf Pinch of clove 1/3 tsp Dried basil Salt and pepper to taste 120 ml Soya cream, room temperature Some shaved Parmesan, optional 1 tbsp Chives, chopped, optional

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Place the cubed bread in a large bowl, add in minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan, black pepper and olive oil, and toss until the bread is evenly coated.
2. Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, and stir the croutons. Return to oven, and cook for 20 more minutes or until browned and crunchy. Remove and toss thoroughly with the rest of grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
3. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, bay leaf, a pinch of clove and dried basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes.
4. Discard the bay leaf. With an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth or puree in batches in a food processor fitted with knife blade. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in soya cream and heat through over the low heat.
5. Ladle into bowls and place a few pieces of croutons in each, topped with a slice of shaved Parmesan cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is melted. Sprinkle the chopped chives on top if used.

Happy Lunar New Year 2012! 祝福大家龙年行大运，行运一条龙！Happy Dragon Year 2012!