Coeur de Boeuf Salad with Balsamico Cream and Argan Oil
Thursday, May 15, 2014Coeur de Boeuf, originated from Italy, commonly known as ‘ox-hearts’, is known for its meaty, fleshy texture and fruity taste, and, of course, for its beautiful unusual shape. These 'old-fashioned' tomatoes are beautifully ribbed and ripen from the inside out, turning from green to orange into a deep red. Perfect for pastas and sauces and just superb in salads with fresh herbs and cheese.
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- Arrange the tomato slices on a platter.
- Scatter black olive rings and cilantro leaves over tomato slices.
- Sprinkle with cracked green pepper and salt. Drizzle the salad with balsamico cream and argan oil.
Beetroot Hummus with Asparagus
Saturday, May 10, 2014This hummus recipe is a little different from the classic one. It's coloured with nutritious beetroot and tastes heavenly. This is a versatile recipe that simple to prepare and bursting with flavour. Perfect as a dip with your favourite veggies or as a spread on some homemade gluten-free bread.
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- Place the beetroot, chickpeas, garlic, tahini and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and whiz to a coarse paste.
- With the motor running, slowly add the oil through the feed tube until mixture is thick and smooth. If it is too thick, gently drizzle a little water into the mixture until just right. Season to taste. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top and serve with fresh asparagus.
Asparagus with Crunchy Gremolata Crumbs
Tuesday, May 06, 2014A delicious and fresh-as-spring side or starter, this classic Italian garnish together with a toasted crumb topping and truffle oil gives those blanched green asparagus a burst of flavours and lifts this spring veggie to a whole new level.
Gremolata is a chopped herb condiment classically made of parsley, garlic and lemon zest. It is a traditional accompaniment for veal, fish and also excellent sprinkled over pasta.
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- Cook asparagus in shallow, simmering salted water 5 minutes. Drain, arrange on a platter and drizzle with one tablespoon of the truffle oil, then toss well to coat.
- While asparagus cooks, make the gremolata crumbs. Whiz the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs. Dry toast the breadcrumbs in a small frying pan over a medium heat until golden and crisp.
- Place in a bowl and stir in the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, some sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Set the mixture aside.
- Sprinkle the gremolata crumbs liberally over the asparagus with the remaining truffle oil. Scatter over the strips of lemon zest and lemon wedges at side. Serve immediately.
Meet fellow foodies face-to-face and share your cooking secrets and favorite recipes
Saturday, May 03, 2014As a real foodie, I’m always looking for new recipes and new inspiration and I’m sure you guys are too. I also really love cooking just by myself, since no-one can get in my way when I’m at my private Kingdom (read: kitchen). But.. of course, I get my new recipes and inspiration from fellow foodies and besides that, I also really love to exchange food experiences and recipes with others. This is why I really got excited when I bumped into the new peer-to-peer marketplace Withlocals.com.
They connect food lovers/travelers from all over the world with local foodies from Southeast Asia. So, if you love traveling and like to taste the real local food, you should try a Withlocals Eat experience. You can easily book a home-dinner with a local from one of the country’s Withlocals has launched in (Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Nepal).
Imagine.. you’re traveling to Singapore and you really love to try the real Singaporean food and maybe, also get some insights in those recipes. You can go on a home-dinner with a local, who will tell you all the ins and outs about his or her knowledge of Singaporean recipes. Of course, in exchange for some of your secrets.
To the foodies who live in one of the Withlocals countries: you guys can host home-dinners yourself! This way, you can show off your cooking skills and share your love for cooking with fellow foodies and .. earn some extra money by doing so! Besides an Eat experience, you can also offer a Tour or an Activity.
Got excited? Just easily register here, describe your signature dish and everything else the travelers can expect from your home-dinner, and you’re good to go! Enjoy exchanging recipes and talk ‘foodie-talk’ with your new friend!
I couldn’t help myself from nosing around in all those great home-dinners. When I would visit Malaysia in the near future, I would consider those two possibilities: the healthy diner in Petaling Jaya or the cooking class in Kuala Lumpur.
What would you choose? Please let me know!
Radish Salad with Avocado Buttermilk Dressing
Thursday, May 01, 2014A simple spring salad of juicy, crunchy cherry radish, peppery arugula and rich, buttery avocado flavoured with an easy salad dressing, which is a creamy mixture of avocado and buttermilk.
Dressing | Salad |
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- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- With a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the radishes as thin as possible. Cut the avocado in half lengthways and remove the stone and skin. Cut into thick slices then into pieces. Toss with the lemon juice.
- Arrange the thinly sliced radishes in a serving bowl, and top with arugula leaves and avocado. Drizzle the dressing over and serve immediately.
Gluten Free Black Bean Cauliflower Protein Bread
Saturday, April 26, 2014This moist, dense quick bread is naturally gluten-free, low in carbohydrates and calories, and high in protein thanks to the use of protein powder and black bean flour.
Psyllium adds rise, elasticity and strength to gluten free baking. Not only is psyllium great for gluten free bread it is also very good for you. The soluble fiber found in psyllium husks improves digestion and cleanses the system, making it an excellent choice for healthy dieting. Psyllium can provide the fiber that is missing on low carbohydrate diets.
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- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. In a large mixing bowl, add in ground black beans, whey protein powder, rice protein, psyllium husks, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk all ingredients until well combined.
- Make a well in the center and add in applesauce, cauliflower puree, buttermilk and sparkling water. Mix with a wooden spoon until well blended.
- Pour into a standard loaf pan lined with baking paper. Bake in the center of hot oven for about an hour. Test for doneness by inserting a wood skewer in the center, if it comes clean it's done. Turn out the bread on a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Quinoa, Chickpea and Strawberry Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
Tuesday, April 22, 2014This delicious quinoa salad with chickpea, strawberries, and cucumber along with a sundried tomato dressing is short on gluten but not on taste, and packed full of healthy goodness. It can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled, which makes it a great choice for picnics, potlucks, and packed lunches!
Salad | Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette |
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- Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear, drain and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until water has absorbed. Set aside to cool and fluff with a fork.
- Blend all the vinaigrette ingredients together, adding the olive oil last until you get the desired consistency.
- Place the quinoa, diced cucumber, chickpeas, and quartered strawberries in a large bowl. Add in dressing and toss to combine.
Kamut Almond Cookies
Friday, April 18, 2014Made with whole wheat kamut flour and ground almonds, and sweetened with honey and stevia instead of granulated sugar, these cookies, adapted from Taste, are quite filling and so much healthier than most traditional cookies. You won't feel bad eating a few of them at one go with a glass of buttermilk.
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- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Melt coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in honey and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Sift kamut flour, cocoa powder, almond meal, baking soda, stevia extract and cinnamon together into coconut oil mixture. Add in freshly grated ginger and milk. Stir until well combined. Cover and set aside for 1 hour or until dough is firm.
- Place sprinkles in a shallow dish. Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Roll balls in sprinkles to coat evenly. Place balls, 3cm apart, on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.