Brussels Sprout Salad with Carrots and Macadamia Nuts
Monday, January 17, 2022Making a Brussels sprouts salad doesn't actually require much preparation. You can use a food processor to chop the sprouts and grate the carrots, which will require just 5 minutes. The longer you let it chill in the fridge, the more tender the sprouts will be. Toss with tender carrot tops or other herbs (cilantro, parsley, spring onions are all good) and toasted nuts before serving.
Salad | Dressing |
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- Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl. Whisk everything together until well combined.
- Place Brussels sprouts, and grated carrots in a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour. Stir in chopped carrot tops and chopped macadamia nuts just before serving.
No Knead 100% Whole Spelt Bread with Sunflower Seeds
Thursday, January 13, 2022The generous amount of toasted sunflower seeds lends a delicious and very distinctive nuttiness to this hearty no-knead wholemeal spelt bread. Crunchy and nutty from the healthy dose of seeds and whole grain, this bread makes a great sandwich, and super toast. If you don't have wholemeak spelt, just use regular wholewheat flour, and besides sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds are a great substitute. Another alternative is use a mix of different seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and flax).
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- In a large mixing bowl, add in spelt flour, dried yeast, raw sugar, 100 grams of toasted sunflower seeds and sea salt. Add in water and stir everything together. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside on the kitchen counter for 17 hours at the room-temperature.
- Next day, grease and dust a 24cmx11cm loaf pan with some breadcrumbs or simply line the pan with parchment paper. Fold the dough from the side to the middle and tip the dough into the prepared loaf pan. Cover it with the kitchen towel and set aside for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Place a tin with a cup of cold water on the bottom of the oven. Brush the top of the dough with yoghurt and sprinkle the sunflower seeds over.
- Bake in the middle of hot oven for 50 minutes or until the bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapping the underside. Let cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan, then unmould onto a wire rack and let cool.
Egg White Chocolate Bundt Cake
Sunday, January 09, 2022This chocolate bundt cake is quick, foolproof and simply delicious. Besides that, it uses up all the egg whites left from preparing the raw food for my carnivorous cats. The cake has a moist and fluffy crumb and not overly sweet. I served it with a dust of icing sugar and fruit. You can pour a chocolate glaze over or serve with some whipped cream at side or atop a good vanilla ice cream if desired.
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- Butter a 24 cm bundtcake pan thoroughly and flour it well (besides flour, you can also use cacao powder or almond meal). Tip off the excess. Set aside.
- Place chopped butter and dark chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir occasionally as they soften. As soon as the chocolate begins to melt, remove the bowl. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.
- Place egg white in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk. Beat until fluffy, then slowly add in sugar and continue beating until glossy and stiff.
- Sift the spelt flour and cornstarch together. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the egg whites and fold to combine. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture in two additions. Now add in chocolate-butter mixture and fold until well combined.
- Spread the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface. Bake in the middle of hot oven for 20-22 minutes until a wooden skewer or chopstick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Remove and leave the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully revert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit if desired.
Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup with Peanut Crunch
Wednesday, January 05, 2022This silky smooth, super versatile vegetarian soup is perfect for the fall and winter months. It's naturally gluten-free and quick and easy to make. The crunchy garam masala peanut topping makes it over-the-top delicious! It can also be frozen for future lunches and dinners. If you need it dairy-free, just use thick coconut cream (without the coconut water) and a teaspoon of lemon juice instead of crème fraîche.
Peanut Crunch | Soup |
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- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. To prepare the peanut crunch, mix honey, oil, garam masala, tomato paste and peanuts together. Spread on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Season. Bake in the mddle of hot oven for 12 minutes. Remove and sprinkle the chopped rosemary over. Set aside to cool.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until softened. Stir in the ginger, garlic and chilli flakes and fry for 2–3 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Stir in the cubed sweet potatoes and stock. Turn up the heat and bring the pan to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
- Use a stick blender to process until smooth. Alternatively, tip it into a food processor and blend. Stir in crème fraîche. Taste and season.
- Serve in bowls topped with peanut crisp and a good grinding of black pepper.
Smoked Trout Salad with Escarole and Persimmons
Sunday, January 02, 2022This everyday lettuce salad is given a gourmet make-over with the addition of smoked rainbow trout, cherry radishes and persimmons. I’ve paired it with a creamy, tangy mustard vinaigrette that really brings out the best flavour of the smoked fish which will also be great with curly endivie or with butter lettuce or peppery arugula. If you like, add some jammy boiled eggs or boiled potatoes to the salad if want it a little heartier and more substantial.
Mustard Vinaigrette | Salad |
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- In a small bowl, whisk Dijon mustard, vinegar and lemon juice together. Slowly add in olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until all the oil is added and dressing is creamy and emulsified. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Pile the escarole salad leaves on two plates and divide the persimmon wedges and cherry radishes between them. Flake over the smoked trout. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and garnish with the dill and lemon wedge.