Chorizo Hummus Bowl
Sunday, June 04, 2023Add chorizo and flat parsley to hummus for a delicious and filling meal that's packed with protein and flavour. Instead of parsley, you can also use arugula, kale or your favourite greens. Drizzle with rendered oil from distinctive smoky chorizo and serve with flatbreads for dipping. The hummus can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Chicken Liver Parfait with Rosemary and Barberries
Friday, June 02, 2023Parfait is pretty much the same as pate, but it's always smooth, where pate can be more chunky. It's well worth passing the pureed liver through a sieve for an extra velvety texture. Opt for paler chicken livers which tend to have a richer flavour than the deep red ones. You can serve the parfait as soon as it's set, but it’s even better if the flavours are left to develop for overnight. The parfait will keep, refrigerated for up to 2 weeks if the clarified butter seal is not broken. Otherwise, it shall be consumed in a week. Alternatively, freeze the parfait for up to 2 months and defrost overnight in the fridge, removing it from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
Ottolenghi's Tomato and Pomegranate Salad
Wednesday, May 31, 2023The pleasant sour taste of pomegranate arils with a touch of sweetness complements the juicy, sunny sweetness of ripe tomatoes really well in this simple yet awesome salad. Use a mix of different tomoatoes, preferably heirloom varieties, for more colours, texture and flavours. It works as a fresh and healthy lunch with some homemade bread, or as an easy side to serve with grilled meat or seafood or whatever you enjoy.
Seedy Low Carb Bread with Goat Cheese and Thyme
Monday, May 29, 2023This nutrient-dense low-carb bread is chock-full of seeds (pumpkin, chia, golden flax, and buckwheat), fiber and B vitamins rich wheat germ that are good for our hearts and our moods. However, people who are allergic to gluten, should avoid wheat germ, as it contains gluten. Use rice bran or oat bran instead if you need to go gluten-free.
This bread is absolutely perfect with softened butter and shaved truffle, goat cheese and raspberries, or liver parfait, black pepper and fresh herbs. It is grain-free, nut-free, sugar-free and super crispy when toasted.
Roasted Edamame with Sesame and Black Garlic
Saturday, May 27, 2023Roasted edamame is both delicious and nutritious. It's easy to make and makes a great snack. They are the best on the same day you roast them. It's naturally gluten free, nut free, and dairy free!
I used black garlic granules and fleur de sel as the seasoning, but you can use any spices you like, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, ginger, curry or simply just salt and pepper. You can use either fresh or frozen (thawed) edamame beans. Thaw the frozen shelled edamame on the counter for two hours. To quickly thaw the beans, soak them in some hot water for 1-2 minutes. Drain well before tossing with spices.
Heirloom Carrot and Cashew Salad with Salsa Verde
Thursday, May 25, 2023This easy carrot and salt & pepper cashews salad is a great mix of crunchy, zesty, tangy, and spicy. Perfect on its own or as a great addition to any barbecue. It is bursting with texture and flavour yet dead easy to prepare and super delicious and nutritious.
I used a mixture of white, deep red and purple heirloom carrots. If they aren't readily available, use regular orange carrots instead. You can either grate them or peel lengthwise into long ribbons for an even more appealing presentation. The fresh herby salsa verde really lifts the carrots to a new level.
Poppy Seed Buns with Blueberry Craquelin
Tuesday, May 23, 2023Sweet fluffy yeasted buns filled with an irresistible poppyseed filling and a delicious blueberry flavoured cracked topping made with butter, sugar, and flour. They make the best afternoon tea snack with a strong cup of tea, or on the go breakfast or anytime you feel like indulge a bit. Craquelin, literally means cracker, is a cookie topping that is added to a choux pastry bun to give it a distinct sweet and crunchy texture. Traditionally, it is made of 3 simple ingredients: flour, butter, and sugar. I added a bit of egg here to make it pipable and some dried blueberry powder to flavour the mixture, but any other superfood powder would work great too. Here is another one I made with blackberry powder.
Roasted Purple Sweet Potatoes with Ras el Hanout Chickpeas and Spicy Tahini
Sunday, May 21, 2023A delicious, colourful and filling dinner or snack that you can feel good about eating. Swap the chickpeas for quinoa or lentils if you prefer.
Not just a treat for the eyes, vibrant purple sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse. To reap the full health benefits, consider eating your sweet potatoes, skin and all since the skin contains three times as much anthocyanin - an antioxidant responsible for the brightly hued flesh of the this root vegetable, as its starchy flesh.
Okra with Spicy Ginger Garlic Sauce
Friday, May 19, 2023Okra, aka Lady's Finger, is low in calories but packed full of nutrients. It is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants that help reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Okra is also a good source of Magnesium and Folate. This 15-minute blanched okra recipe dressed with a spicy garlic ginger sauce is easy and great served warm or cold.
Okra often gets a bad reputation due to the slimy texture it gets if it’s not prepared properly. There are many ways to prepare this humble vegetable, but blanching / boiling okra is one of the simplest and healthiest. The best way is to blanch the okra whole without cutting it and adding cider vinegar to the boiling water also helps reduce the sliminess. You can either serve them whole after blanched or slice each okra in half lengthwise.