"Eat & Run"

At the end of June, I ran the Lewa Safaricom half marathon-I must admit I found it difficult!  The altitude and the heat got to me in the end, but I was thrilled I did it.  I got to meet the amazing ultramarathon runner, Scott Jurek, who is also a vegan.  It was lovely to meet another vegan-I dont come across too many in East Africa!
Through my friends at "The Nature Conservancy" Scott very kindly gave me a signed copy of his book "Eat & Run:  My unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness" which has recipies in.

  I never really thought too much about it but after both half marathons I did this year people commented on my amazing recovery time.  I dont hurt.  Scott talks about how becoming a vegan hugely changed his recovery time after an epic run.  So that is my little vegan shout out!
I loved the book, the recipies are all simple, things he can eat on his runs but I thought I would share one:
Rice Balls (Onigiri):
2 cups sushi rice
4 cups of water
2 teaspoons of miso (or umeboshi paste)
3-4 sheets of nori seaweed

Cook the rice in the water.  Set aside to cool.  Fill a small bowl with water, and wet both handsso the rice does not stick.  Using your hands, form 1/4 cup rice into a triangle.  Spread half a tsp of miso on one side of the triangle.  Cover with another 1/4 cup rice.  Shape into one triangle, making sure the miso is covered with rice.  Fold the nori sheets in half and then tear them apart.  Using half of one sheet, wrap the rice triangle in nori, making sure to completely cover the rice.  Repeat using the remaining rice, miso and nori.

White rice is a great food for cooling your body, especially in hot places, and easy to digest.  

Sweet potato puree with tamari, maple syrup and chilli

This is a recipe from Skye Gyngell-my go to when I need something a bit different and a bit of inspiration.  My version is adapted to make it vegan, though if you want to can add lashings of butter.  I made this for a lunch party yesterday, we sat under the grape vines on the verhanda with a cold lunch.
This is a sweety, punch almost velvety tasting puree.
For 4:
2 large orange sweet potatoes
1 small red chilli-halved
sea slat and black pepper
small bunch of washed coriander
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp tamari-or soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into  rough chunks, then place in a sauce pan and add the chilli.  Pour in enough cold water to cover and add a good pinch of salt, and bring to the boil over a medium heat.
Lower the heat and simmer for about 15-20 mins until the sweet potato is really tender and falling apart.   Drain in a colander.

Tip the sweet potato and chilli into the blender.  Add the coriander leaves and stems, olive oil (and 50g butter if using), tamari and maple syrup and puree until very smooth.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.  The puree should have a deep, sweet, hot, velvety taste.

*as a rule of thumb, all vegetables that gro below the ground go in to cold water and all vegetables that grow above ground go into boiling water.

Lali's Soap Kitchen

Whilst I was in the UK I signed up for a one day soap making course at the Little Soap Company in the Cotswolds.  www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk
I had the most amazing day, I went with the goal of wanting to be able to make soap using our own avocado oil, and came out with so much more.

Making soap!

My favourite soap that I made-Plum kernal oil, pink oxide swirls, rose geranium and black pepper essential oil and strawberry seeds!
Emma's amazing lavender soap, which she sells at Waitrose in the UK.

Here's to my new soap venture! 

Chard Stalks with Tahini

I was in Nairobi last week with my mum, Granny sent over the most amazing basket of Swiss chard.  We made a delicious chard and mint soup with it, and were left over with all these beautiful white stalks, not quite sure what to do with them.  Here is an idea from 'Moro', the perfect way to use up the stalks.

500g chard stalks, washed and trimmed.  Cut into roughly 4 cm long, 2 cm thick slices.
Tahini Sauce-see below
1 tsp nigella seeds
sea salt.

Tahini Sauce:
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp tahini paste
juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp water
sea salt and black pepper
Crush the garlic cloves to a paste with a good pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar.  Transfer to a small mixing bowl.  Whisk in the tahini and then thin with the lemon juice.  Add water until you have a consistency of double cream.  Check the seasoning.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.  Add the chard stalks, put a lid on and wait for the water to come back to the boil.  Cook for 30 seconds more and check to see if the stalks are tender.  Drain in a colanderand run under cold water for a short while to cool.  Leave to drain.  Toss with the tahini sauce and serve with a few nigella seeds on top.