PEAR GALETTE with a rooibos glaze

 

South African supermarkets have the tendency to sell big bags of pears, which in the beginning are all super unripe and within a couple of days every last one of them is so ripe and juicy that it must be eaten NOW.

That’s what happened this morning. A bag full of ripe pears – half of them I blended into a smoothie and half of them are here, in their full delicious glory.

This recipe is a complete dream, if I may say so without tooting my own horn too much. I ate a piece, texted my boyfriend a picture captioning “Omg I made something reaaaallllyyyyy tasty” (exact words btw) and continued to eat two more slices without having a single regret. (Still none :)))))) )

I’m pretty sure that this dough recipe will work with any fruit, but these pears were just perfect. Place a couple of tablespoons of coconut whip or ice cream of top and you are in heaven!

Ingredients

150g unbleached all-purpose flour

25g whole wheat flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

115 ml coconut oil, cold

approximately 30 ml water

150 ml rooibos tea

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla seeds

3 tbsp maple syrup, for brushing

2 pears, cut in half length-wise, seeds removed and thinly sliced

Icing sugar, for dusting

Coconut whipped cream, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 200C.

Place the flours, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the coconut oil and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Start dripping in cold water while the machine is running until the dough comes together. Take it out, form a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap in cling wrap and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Now make the rooibos glaze by bringing the tea, sugar and vanilla to a boil and reducing it until the consistency of syrup.

Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper. Arrange the pears on top, fanning them out and leaving a bit of room from the sides. Bring the sides of the dough over the pears, smudging together any bits that tear. Brush the pears with the rooibos glaze and the dough with the maple syrup. Place in the oven at 200C for 15-20 minutes until slightly golden. Serve warm with coconut whipped cream. Enjoy!

CORN & CHICKPEA BURGERS

Sunday bun-day is upon us again, this time in the form of the perfect corn and chickpea burgers.

There’s something about piling up all the best ingredients between two toasted buns that makes it pretty much unbeatable in terms of delicious, comforting food. I filled mine with spicy vegan mayo, avocado, tomatoes, red onions, cashew cream cheese, rocket, cilantro and of course, the most important part, the chickpea and corn patty.

As a side I made some crispy baked potato wedges which are also really nice to eat up the leftover spicy vegan mayo with. (hehe)

The patty is soft, yet holds it’s shape both when frying and biting into it (it’s the whole wheat flour that I used!). If you are feeling like you’d like to experiment a bit then I’m sure a bit of crushed nuts/grains would be a nice addition to the texture as well.

But for today, this is just perfect. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients

For the patties:

1 can chickpeas (400g), reserve the water

150g  canned sweetcorn

handful of coriander

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cumin

zest and juice from 1/2 lime

3 tbsp aqua faba (chickpea water from the can)

4 tbsp whole wheat flour + more for dusting

oil, for frying

6 burger rolls, toasted

avocado, thinly sliced

150ml vegan mayo mixed with 1,5 tsp Sriracha and juice from 1/2 lime

6 tbsp cashew cream cheese

2 medium sized tomatoes, thinly sliced

handful of rocket

fresh coriander

Method

To make the patties, all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until combined but chunky. Cover your hands with flour and shape the mixture into 6 (or more) patties. Place in the fridge for half an hour, then heat up oil in a pan and fry the patties until brown and crusty on both sides.

To assemble, toast the buns, smear a bit of vegan mayo on the bottom buns, then cover with the avocado, burger patty, tomato, cream cheese, rocket and fresh coriander.

Enjoy!

BEETROOT & SMOKED PAPRIKA FALAFEL PITA POCKETS

 

Sometimes things don’t work out, and that really sucks. But then you get over it, analyse the situation and the end result is even better. Do you agree? This is what happened when I came home one day with the intention of making beetroot patties (for a beetroot veggie burger). After an hour in the kitchen, the patties just did not seem to work. I could just imagine them breaking apart when I was gonna fry them. So I turned the mixture into bite-sized little falafels, perfect to fill up a fresh pita bread. Things made even more sense when I discovered that in addition to pita breads I also had hummus (very necessary for a good pita) and all of these veggies waiting to be used. Without sounding corny, it was meant to be.

And the beetroot falafels – ahhh, they’re just dreamy. I love the taste of smoked paprika together with the earthy beetroot. Combine that with a pocket full of flavoursome vegetables and you are good to go!

Ingredients

2 tbsp cooking oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped

3 button mushrooms, finely chopped

1 tsp chilli sauce

1 small beetroot, finely grated

20 ml water

70g cooked black rice

120g red kidney beans

salt

pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

4 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 tbsp breadcrumbs + more if needed

Toppings:

Mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in oil with a bit of hot sauce

Avocado, thinly sliced

Purple cabbage, thinly sliced

Radish, thinly sliced

Fresh coriander

Hummus

Sesame seeds

4 pita breads, toasted

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add the garlic, onion, chilli and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are translucent, then add the beetroot and beans. Add the water and cook for 5 minutes or until the beetroot is tender.

Transfer mixture to a blender and add the rice, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Blitz a couple of times, then add the flour and blend more. You want it a bit chunky. Place mixture in a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs until the falafel mix is firm enough and then shape it into balls. Place falafels in the fridge for 30 minutes, then either cook on the stove with a bit of oil or in the oven at 180 for 15-20 minutes, turning half way.

To assemble, toast the pitas, cut open and smear with hummus. Place all the ingredients inside and top with coriander and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

CINNAMON, MAPLE & BLUEBERRY ROLLS

 

This recipe is for all the people who say they find it hard to think up tasty vegan desserts. These sweet cinnamon, maple and blueberry rolls are ideal for a quick, easy breakfast, or just for a small bite on–the–go. And because they’re 100% vegan, they don’t leave you feeling as heavy as their dairy-based counterparts. And nothing really beats the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls when these babies are cooking in the oven. MMMMMmmmm.

Ingredients

150ml almond milk, lukewarm

1 tsp white/light brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp powdered vanilla

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

5 g instant dry yeast (2 tsp)

15 ml coconut oil, + more for brushing

175 g unbleached all-purpose wheat flour, more for dusting

3 heaped tbsps of brown sugar

3 tbsp of maple syrup

2 tsp ground cinnamon

70 g blueberries

150 ml icing sugar

1-3 tbsp almond milk

Method

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the almond milk, sugar, salt, vanilla powder, ground cardamom, coconut oil and yeast. Mix with a wooden spoon. Add the flour bit by bit until the dough comes together, then turn out on a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and springs back. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with cling wrap and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

In another bowl, mix together the brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon.

Turn the dough out on a floured surface and roll into a rectangle, approximately 30 cm on each size. Brush the dough with coconut oil, then spread the sugar-maple-cinnamon mixture all over. Dot the dough with blueberries, roll up tightly and the cut into equal-sized rolls, about 5 cm thick. Place the rolls in an oiled baking dish and bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then coat with a mixture of almond milk and icing sugar. Serve warm. Enjoy!

THAI RED CURRY NOODLE SOUP with shiitakes and broccolini

 

As you might be able to tell, I’m kind of into Asian food. Perhaps it’s because it’s all the flavours that excite me the most – hot, spicy, sour, umami. Ohh my, I start salivating just thinking about it.

The best thing about this is that it is actually ready in 20-30 minutes, depending on how fast you chop. I finish it is 10. (just kidding). And the best part is that the toppings are actually endless – use what ever you have in your fridge! I always have mushrooms which provide the right amount of umami to the dish, so I used them. And broccolini cause it’s so nice and juicy and crunchy.

This here is everything I love in a bowl of soup. I hope you like it too!

Ingredients

2 large garlic cloves, minced

thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced

oil for frying

750 ml vegetable stock

400 ml coconut cream

4 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste

juice from 1/2 lime

soy sauce, to taste

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

4 shiitakes, thinly sliced

handful of broccolini, roughly chopped

1 packet of rice noodles, cooked in boiling water until tender

handful of coriander

sesame seeds

Method
Heat oil in a medium-sized pot. Add the garlic and ginger and fry until fragrant. Add the stock and coconut cream, mix through and bring to the boil. Add the curry paste and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. When ready, season with soy sauce, lime juice, salt and pepper.

While the broth is simmering, heat oil in a pan and add the shiitakes. Fry until golden, then add a tablespoon of water. Season with soy sauce and lime juice. Remove from pan and add the broccolini, sauté until tender but a bit crunchy. You can add a bit of water to speed up the process. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place rice noodles in a bowl. Add the shiitakes and broccolini and top with the broth. Garnish with fresh coriander and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

SPICY SHIITAKE PANDA ONIGIRI

 

Onigiri has quickly found it’s way into the hearts and kitchen of me and my other half. These little Japanese rice cakes can easily be eaten as a snack or as a full meal (you only need like two or three), and the filling options are endless. This time around I made them in the shape of a panda bear – because they are just toooo cute, am I right? I bet you could trick some kids into eating these as well! Stash some spinach inside. Hehehe. And the filling is our all time favourite – spicy shiitakes with a little bit of lime juice. Dip these into a bit of soy sauce and you’re in snacking heaven.

The real artist behind this humble yet amazing recipe is my dear K – I’m just the one who shaped the onigiri into cute bears. Also, I have a food blog. But he did all the homework and copious amounts of recipe testing for which he really deserves an applause for.

If the rice cakes don’t turn out perfect the first time around, don’t give up. It’s all about practice. It took K about 4 times to make the rice perfectly balanced in terms of sugar/salt/vinegar. And it is definitely worth it!

Ingredients:

300 g Japanese sushi rice

430 ml cold water

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp white/light brown sugar

1 Tsp salt

2 medium sized shiitake mushrooms

1 tsp hot sauce

Squeeze of lime juice

Salt

Method:

1. Wash the rice 3-5 times until the water is almost completely clear. The best way to do this, I find, is by putting the rice in a large sieve and running water through it into a pot below. When the post is full, throw the dirty water out and start again. Once the water in the pot is pretty much clear (imagine filling the pot with clear water then putting a teaspoon of milk in it) then leave then rest the rice in the strainer for 30 minutes.

2. Put the washed rice in the pot you intend to cook it in and add the  water. Leave this to soak for a minimum of 30 minutes. 

3. Cover the saucepan bring it to the boil on a medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

4. Turn the heat to the minimum and cook for another 12-13 minutes. Then remove from heat and rest for 10 minutes. Be careful not to remove the lid during the whole cooking process. 

5. Put your rice vinegar, sugar and salt into a small jar and mix it until everything is dissolved. This is now your complex rice vinegar mixture. Don’t be worried about putting a little too much vinegar in. I play it by eye, often adding about 1/2 Tbsp more vinegar to the mixture than what is stated above. You’ll get put off instantly if your finished rice cakes are under-seasoned.

6. After steaming the rice and making your complex vinegar, put the rice in a bowl while it’s still piping hot (a wooden bowl is best, but plastic will do too) and add the complex vinegar, using a wooden spoon to mix everything by turing and folding the rice. Be as precise and efficient with this step as possible. The rice must be mixed and folded while still hot so as to allow for any excess moisture to evaporate, as well as spreading the vinegar evenly.

7. To make the filling, finely chop the shiitakes and place them in a pan over medium heat with a bit of cooking oil. Fry until soft, then add the hot sauce (depending on how spicy you want it), a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime juice. Take off heat and place into a container.

8. Start to make your cakes. Ensure that your hands are wet before handling the rice. It’ll take a while to get used to the texture and how to mould Japanese rice but once you get it, you’ve got it. A medium handful of rice is about right. Press the rice together in your hands a couple of times to make it stick, then flatten out and put in the filling. Bring the edges together and shape into a ball, flattening it a bit for the final shape. You can now start shaping it into a panda bear!

9.To decorate (and provide an extra flavour/texture) cut the nori into shapes to be put onto the rice. If you want to make them like a panda then cut out shaped like the ones I made, but there are tons of other options as well. Enjoy these by dipping them into soy sauce or just by themselves!

Raspberry, macadamia & coconut chia pudding

 

No matter how many times I eat a bowl (or jar) of chia pudding, I’m still not tired of it. The possibilities are just endless – and that’s why I love it.

This time I opted for the combination of raspberries and macadamia butter. The raspberries add a slight tartness to the dish, while the macadamia butter is just plain liquid tastyGOLDin my opinion (yes I do eat it with a spoon straight out of the jar). Put all of this goodness in a glass and you’ve made yourself the most delicious breakfast/dessert/snack/pre-dinner.

Ingredients

1,5 tbsp maple syrup

50ml chia seeds

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

150ml coconut milk

100ml almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)

50g frozen or fresh raspberries

125 ml any plant-based milk

3 tbsp macadamia butter

toppings: berries, coconut flakes

Method

To make the chia pudding, combine the chia seeds, coconut milk, almond milk, vanilla essence and maple syrup in a jar, mix well and leave to soak overnight.

The next morning, make a thick raspberry puree by blending raspberries with a little bit of plant-based milk.

To serve, place macadamia butter in a serving dish, top with chia pudding, raspberry puree and then berries. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

FRESH COCONUT, MACADAMIA & BANANA LOAF

 

I woke up to 3 very ripe bananas this morning. Spots all over, almost mushy. And yet so sweet. I knew I had to make something with them TODAY or leave them for the fruit flies.

The answer was in this semi-tropical banana bread, full of fresh grated coconut and macadamia nuts. It’s like the most perfect moist sweet bread, delicious just as is and with a little bit of coconut whip and berries. So good.

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas, mashed (should make up about 250ml)

250ml plant-based milk

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

300g plain flour

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp powdered vanilla

100g sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

25 ml coconut oil

150g fresh coconut, grated

50g raw macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

+ extra macadamia nuts and coconut flakes for topping

Method

Preheat oven to 180C and grease a loaf pan with oil.

In a bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, plant-based milk and vinegar. Leave aside for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients by folding them in with a spatula. Add the grated coconut and macadamia nuts and mix thoroughly. Pour the batter into the tin and spread out evenly. Sprinkle macadamia nuts and coconut flakes over, then place in the oven for about 1h or until a toothpick/knife inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!

BUTTERNUT WAFFLES

 

Every once in a while I find that odd butternut in the depths of my pantry, forgotten and waiting for its purpose in life. I find that if this happens, then best thing to do is to make a puree out of it – cut lengthwise, roast at 200C skin on and then remove the flesh when it is cooked and puree it. From here on, the options are endless.

My most recent finding is these waffles (part nr. 200394 of my series called “Will it waffle?”). It’s actually quite amazing because you don’t need any eggs or egg replacer or chia or what ever you usually need to make vegan pancakes and waffles – the puree is the binding ingredient. Aaand, let me tell you. The waffles are incredibly flavourful even without the use of any additions!

My only tip is that don’t follow this recipe to the exact amount – this has worked for me, but our purees may be of different consistencies, or our flours of different moisture levels. If you feel that the batter is too thick  – add a bit of plantbased milk or water. If it is too runny – add some flour to it. And don’t forget to taste and adjust the seasoning of the waffles!

Ingredients

500 butternut puree

100ml coconut milk

200 ml water

150ml brown sugar

50g margarine, melted

½ tsp cinnamon

275 ml cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

toppings: soy yogurt, apples, roasted almonds – anything goes!

Recipe

Combine the butternut puree, coconut milk, water and melted vegan margarine in one bowl. In another, combine the flour, cinnamon, brown sugar and baking powder, mix through. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and mix well. Let stand for 15 minutes, then ladle into waffle machine and cook until caramelised on top. Serve with a bit of soy yogurt and apples on top. Enjoy!