The Enchanted Veggie Garden

Chili and Rosemary Polenta with Tomato sauce

2012-02-16T18:04:00.000+03:00

I am writing with no idea of what recipe I will post! The marathon training seems to have taken over my life and with it my eating habits have gone hay wire. I now consider a good meal crunchy nut cornflakes with soya milk! Tomorrow is my long run-about 18km and this afternoon I have decided not to train on my bike, so I have all this free time! I thought I had better update my blog, I am having a mug of peppermint tea and listening to Emeli Sande (http://www.emelisande.com/). I have just been out planting broad beans in my garden, the heat has taken it's toll on my poor garden and all the mulching we have done doesnt seem to be helping.
I often eat at the Bayleaf in Arusha and Mary makes the most wonderful thngs with polenta. This is inspired by something she made last week: Chili and Rosemary Polenta with Tomato sauce
For the polenta:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped (or a sprinkle of ground chili flakes)
1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
150g quick cook polenta
Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the tomato sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 x 400g tinned tomatoes
1 bay leaf
a pinch of sugar

To make the polenta, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the garlic and chili and sweat gently for a couple of minutes - dont let the garlic colour. Add the rosemary and remove from the heat.
Pour 800ml in a sauce pan and bring to the boil. Now pour in the polent in a thin stream, stirring all the time. When smooth allow it to return to a simmer. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat. Stir in the garlic, chili and rosemary, season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well.
tip the polenta onto a cold surface-such as a marble slab or plate, and spread it smoothly into an even disk, about 2cm thick. Leave to cool completely.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sweat gently for a couple of minutes; don't let it colour. Add the tomatoes with their juice, add a bay leaf if you have one. Bring to a simmer then cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring often and crushing the tomatoes with a fork until you have a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper and a little sugar.

When the polenta is cool and firm cut into slices or wedges. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat and fry the polentapieces for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they have a light golden brown crust. Serve topped with the tomato sauce.

Good comfort food!

Toasted millet, sugar snap & avocado salad with ginger, honey & pumpkin seed dressing

2012-02-07T11:36:00.000+03:00

This is out of Dennis Cotter's amazing book "for the love of food", however there are a number of additions and substitutes one can make. This makes a lovely little starter or a light lunch.

At the moment in my garden I have a huge abundance of french breakfast radishes so they go into the salad as well, and alfalfa and sprouted mung beans are a good addition too.

For 4
1 tbsp olive oil
300grm millet (one could also use couscous or bulgar wheat)
4 spring onions-finely chopped
150 grms sugar snap peas-strings removed and halved
2 hass avocados
1 handful of micro salad or water cress (or any small salad leaves you can find!)

The dressing:
150g pumpkin seeds-toasted
juice of one lemon or lime
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp runny honey
125 ml olive oil

First prepare the dressing: set aside 2 tbsp of the pumpkin seeds and chop them coarsely. Put the rest into a food processor and grind to a fine powder. Add 150ml water and blend to a paste. Add the lemon juice, ginger, honey and olive oil and briefly blend to get a pouring consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy sauce pan over low heat. Add the millet and toast for 7-8 minutes, stirring often. Add 600ml/1 pint of boiing water and a pinch of salt. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer the millet for 15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.

Stir the spring onions and sugar snaps into the millet, spoon this into shallow bowls and drizzle some dressing over. Peel the avocado, remove the stone and cut the flesh into thick dice. Toss with the salad leaves and a little of the dressing.

Spoon some of this salad on each portion of the millet, and drizzle some more dressing over and around the sald. Scatter the reserved chopped pumpkin seeds on top and serve.

Roast Beetroot Soup

2012-01-29T18:22:00.000+03:00

I fed this to JP and my mother in law the other day and it went down a treat. It is adapted from one of Sarah Raven's "Garden Cookbook". The secret is first roasting the beetroot in the oven.

500 grms beetroot
2-3 large beetroot leaves or swiss chard
1.5 litres of veggie stock
olive oil
2 onions-chopped
3 leeks chopped
2 carrots-chopped
2 celery stick-chopped
2 garlic cloves-crushed
salt and pepper
sour cream or cream to serve
chopped tarragon to serve

Preheat oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4. Tear the leaves off the beetroot, but do not cut its roots off. Scrub the roots clean and roast in the oven for an hour or so. The beetroots are cooked when the skin looks wrinkled and can be easily pushed off.
If using chard, seperate the green part of the card from the stalks and shred the leaves-do the same of using beetroot leaves. In a pan gently fry in the olive oil the onions, leeks, celery, chopped carrots and garlic, until soft. Add the stock and greens and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Rub the skin off the beetroot and chop it up. Add it to the pan and simmer another 5 minutes or so.
Blend using a hand held blender or in a food processor. If necessary sieve or mouli the soup to remove any fibrous bits.
Add a little water if the soup is too thick. Check the seasoning and serve either hot or cold, with a swirl of cream and a scattering of chopped tarragon.

My Store Cupboard Essentials

2012-01-15T19:01:00.000+03:00

I recently got a request from a friend for a list of my store cupboard essentials-it might be rather a long list!
My favourite Grains:
Short grain Brown rice, risotto rice, toasted buckwheat, polenta, wild rice and oats. Two less commonly known ones out here are:
Millet: Millet is painfully underutilized. It is given to birds more often than used in homes. These perfect, delicately textured, butter-colored beads are good for you. Easy to digest and sporting a fantastic heart-healthy magnesium content, millet is a great, quick-cooking starter grain. If you have the time for the extra step, the flavor of millet generally benefits from pre-toasting, easily done in a skillet. It brings forth a nutty flavor and tints the grains a wonderful spectrum of deep yellows and light browns.
Quinoa: Pronounced (KEEN-wah). This is a small, quick-cooking grain which I love. High in easy-to-digest fiber and tops in protein, it has an encyclopedic vitamin and mineral profile. This is the grain credited with keeping Incan armies strong and resilient. Because the protein in quinoa is considered complete, it’s an ideal grain for vegetarians concerned about getting enough protein. It includes all of the essential amino acids and is a rich source of the amino acid lysine, which promotes tissue growth and repair and supports the immune system. It has a slightly grassy taste and fluffed-up, creamy-while-crunchy texture. Always rinse it before using to remove the bitter saponin coating (which the plant produces to deter birds and insects).
Dried Beans:
These all need pre-soaking but are a power house of nutrients. Store them in a dark place to retain nutritious values. Soya beans, red kidney beans, butter beans, chick peas, black beans and black eyed peas are always in my store cupboard, I tend to have a few tins of beans as well for moments when a quick meal is needed.
Lentils:
We are so lucky in East Africa to be able to get the most amazing selection of cheap lentils, they are substantial, filling, highly nutritious, and relatively quick to cook. They are great cooked into stews, mashed into spreads, molded into croquettes of all sizes, and mixed into grain-based salads. Plus, unlike most dried beans, they require no presoaking.
Red lentils, yellow & green split peas (always good for soup and dhals), mung beans-done in a coconut sauce.
Flours:
Being mainly gluten free the two flours I tend to use most are gram flour-for bhajis, pakoras, pancakes-and millet flour for a millet bread.
Nuts & Seeds:
There is huge amount one can do with nuts-Toast that nut and the flavor becomes more pronounced, Chop it and you have a crunchy, textural element to play with in salads. Mill it into a flourlike meal and you have an ingredient that can be used to add flavor to deliciously thicken a pureed soup. Grind it and you have a spread or butter. Or blend it with water to make a nut milk-like my almond milk.
Because of their naturally high fat content, nuts and seeds can quickly go rancid. Seek out good sources with fresh stock, and store them refrigerated. Nuts that are sold sliced or chopped are much more likely to be rancid upon purchase than whole nuts.
I always have a selection of the pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, linseed, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, macadamia nuts, cashew nuts in the house.
Bits and bobs:
Soy Sauce, tamari, or shoyu. I could not live without my Tamari-it goes on everything from salads, to brown rice.
Vinegars: Red, apple cider, raspberry (delicous on hass avocado with a bit of honey, mustard, and fresh chopped basil), balsamic and an aged balsamic for sepcial occasions!
Chili sauce-I make a pili pili hoho with sherry and birds eye chilies, and then always have a chipotle sauce on the go as well.
Dark Chocolate.
Soya milk
Spices: Garam masala, cloves, cardamon, corriander seeds, cummin seeds, spanish paprika, cinnamon.

A few good books

2012-01-15T18:27:00.000+03:00

I have read a few really good books recently-generally about food and the food industry.
'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' - by Barbara Kingsolver is excellent, it's about her family's quest to live on only local produce. It was inspiring and amusing! http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/.

I just finished reading 'The Omnivors Dilema' by Michael Pollan http://michaelpollan.com/books/the-omnivores-dilemma/ another book of his I enjoyed was 'In defence of Food'.

I am currently reading 'The New Complete book of Self-suficiency: The classic guide for realists and dreamers'. I have always wanted this book and finally have it! It has a wonderful section on the cultivation of vegetables.

Rhubarb Vanilla Mincemeat

2011-12-20T18:43:00.000+03:00

Yesterday I got given a gorgeous bunch of rhubarb, I am not feeling very christmassy so I decided to make some mincemeat. I found a different recipe for mincemeat in Nigella's Feasts, it doesn't contain suet or apples and the combination of deeply aromatic vanilla seeds with rhubarb is always a winner
.
1 kg rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 5mm slices
300g soft dark brown sugar
2 vanilla pods
2 tsp ground mixed spices
225g raisins
225g sultanas
225g currants
2 tbsp brandy.

Put the sliced rhubarb with the sugar into a large pan. Cut the vanilla pod into halves lengthways and scrape out the seeds, then cut each half into pieces, adding seeds and pod slices into the pan. Add the mixed spices and cook for about 5 mins.
Add the dried fruits and simmer the pan for about 30 mins. Stir in the brandy and take off the heat. when its cool enough to handle, bottle in jars.

It makes a great christmas pressie!

Cauliflower Pakoras

2011-12-13T18:10:00.000+03:00

These have become a staple in the house recently, they are heavenly with a gado gado style peanut sauce, however they can also be eaten with a raita, or alone, just as they are!
1 medium-large cauliflower-trimmed
sunflower oil for frying

150 g gram flour (chickpea flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cummin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
a pinch of chili powder
a pinch of fine sea salt

Cut the cauliflower into small florets.

For the batter, add all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk to combine and remove large lumps. Slowly whisk in 175ml cold water, which should give you a smooth batter with a similar consistency to double cream.
Add the cauliflwer florets to the batter turning them to ensure they are coated.

Heat about 1 cm depth of oil in a heavy based pan over a medium high heat. When the oil is hot enough, start cooking the pakoras, a few at a time so you dont over crowd them. Place spoonfuls of battered cauliflwer into the hot oil. cook for about 2 mins, until crisp and golden brown on the base, then turn them and cook for another min or 2.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce!

Kilimanjaro Marathon

2011-12-13T17:59:00.000+03:00

I am almost at the end of my 10km training -I have three runs to go before I start the half marathon training program. So far this has been one fo the hardest things I have ever done. It saps me, it exhausts me, it elates me, it dehydrates me!! Its all been an adventure so far. I think its the constant hard work and effort to get to a point that has been so difficult, and running up and down the slopes of west Kilimanjaro! I have 75 days to go until I run my first ever half marathon-and I have chosen to run the Kili marathon to raise funds for a solar system-nothing like running at altitude against some of the world's best runners as a starting point!
The funds I am raising will be for an environmental library Nomad Trust is building and kitting out. I am still a way to go to hitting my £3000 goal.
Any donations and contributions would be great appreciated!
My fundraising page is: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LaliHeath

Asian Inpired Coleslaw

2011-12-13T17:49:00.000+03:00

I have to admit that even before I turned vegan I never liked conventional coleslaw, however we have a glut of cabbages at the moment-mainly red cabbage so I have adapted this for my red cabbages and it's great-refreshing, light and aromatic.
1 bunch spring onions-trimmed and sliced
4 medium carrots-peeled and corsely grated
1 small red or white cabbage

Dressing:
2 tbs tamari or soy sauce
1 tbs clear honey or maple syrup
1 garlic clove finely chopped
2 tbs rice or white wine vinegar
2 tbs toasted sesame oil
2 tbs olive or avocado oil

To finish:
A handful of fresh coriander and some lime juice. (you can also add some toasted sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds)

Put the sliced spring onions into a large bowl, add the grated carrots. remove any blemished outer leaves from the cabbage, the quarter, cut away the core and shred the leaves as finely as you can. Combine with the spring onions and carrots.

For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together, making sure the honey is dissolved. Pour over the vegetables and toss. Leave for 10-20 minutes to relax!

Serve with the coleslaw scattered with coriander and sprinkled with a few squeezes of lime.

Depression

2011-12-13T17:38:00.000+03:00

I have been reading Anthea's blog and what she writes about depression true-I come from the "otherside" the person who is a depressive, and I often think of how my friends, my husband my parents have coped with living and loving me when I am having black dog days.

"Living with – loving – somebody who has battled Depression renders life one big fat contrast: light and shadow, black and white, happy and sad. The fact of Depression is this: it changes a person so fundamentally that their life – and the lives of those around them – morph as distinctly different dependent on whether the beast is in residence or not.

Reading is subjective (all writers are told that every time they are floored with another rejection); not everybody is going to like everything you pen.

But not all publishers know what they are talking about: the good times and the depressive do alternate sharply and it is in that acute contrast – bitter cold, enveloping warmth; smudgy shadows, bright sunshine – that the disparity is most, most striking. When Depression descends it obliterates the light like a wet finger to a candle. When it dissipates, the dazzle is startling.

Trust me on that." Anthea Rowan

Kinfolk

2011-12-12T22:17:00.002+03:00

http://www.kinfolkmag.com/journal/

A great little website with ideas on simplying being with others naturally, good ideas for natural Christmas decorations as well.

Self-Love Chocolate fudge

2011-12-12T22:06:00.000+03:00

This is taken from Sarah B's blog and it sounds amazing, I will make it tomorrow... but to jet me inspired and maybe a few others I thought I'd share! I think a few people wil be getting it in their stockings as well!

"On to the recipe. I'm going to tell you exactly how I make it and I hope you will be able to replicate the results. It’s not a science, there are just a few things you need to be sure of.
I always use my favorite ceramic bowl, and you must pre-chill it. This is so that when you are mixing the oil and the syrup, the oil does not separate. You will only have separation troubles if you are like me and you use a hand mixer (friction brings the heat that melts the oil). This can be mixed by hand (which Sarah B. does), but it is more difficult to get a uniform texture. I would never complain about lumpy fudge but some people might (Sarah B. has slightly lumpy fudge, doesn't complain about it).

Self-love Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup of buttery coconut oil (not solid, and not liquid)
1/2 cup raw cashew butter (cashew works best for a neutral flavour, but feel free to use anything! Almond, hazelnut etc.)
1 cup maple syrup (really depends on how sweet you like it, maple can be strong and overpowering at times)
½ - ¾ cup raw cacao powder (If you love dark and bitter chocolate, you can add more)
pinch of good quality sea salt, or more... because salt + chocolate is awesome!
optional: spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, chili, cayenne…

Raw Twist: If you're eating raw these days, use raw honey or agave in place of the maple syrup.

Directions:
1. Mix your coconut oil and cashew butter in cooled bowl on low setting, being careful not to over mix (the oil will appear soapy if you have over mixed).
2. Pour in maple syrup and mix again, then finally add the cacao powder and salt and mix to perfection.
3. Once it looks good and uniform, spoon into silicone candy or muffins cups (or silicone ice cube trays work too) and throw in the freezer. The coconut oil will harden almost immediately, but it will stay soft and smooth with the addition of the other ingredients. You will never have to defrost it, just peel away the silicone mould and enjoy!

Tip: If you find it difficult to spoon the fudge into the cups evenly, warm it up slightly after you've mixed it together by placing the bowl double-boiler style, over a pot of water heating on the stove. Keep a close eye on the fudge and wait just until it's liquid enough to pour into the moulds"

A few of my favourite things-Dec

2011-12-12T21:50:00.000+03:00

A slightly different post from the usual, I am feeling a bit dis-enchanted with my veggie garden at the moment as I have been away a lot and it has not been getting the love and care it needs. However I did pick my first bok choy today which I am excited about! Anyway here are a few of the things I am enjoying at the moment:

Beulah London http://www.beulahlondon.com/ Their beautiful Sarai dress which I first wore in India in January.
Ben Howard's album 'Every Kingdom' http://www.myspace.com/benhoward
Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series of books- http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=jo+nesbo&x=0&y=0
My new Heidi Klein swimming costume.
My go to staple for skin care products-especially a fan of the Rose Day cream -http://drhauschka.com/
The beach-Ras Kutani was incredible http://www.selous.com/ras-kutani
My TOMS shoes http://www.toms.com/
Nigel Slater's cook book-Tender Volume 1. My go to for inspiration!
Anthea Rowan's stunning glass rings and her lovely blog http://reluctantmemsahib.wordpress.com

I am sure I will keep adding to this as the days go by and we get nearer to Christmas!

Poppy Seed-Crusted Butternut Squash with Kale

2011-11-28T17:28:00.000+03:00

Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
3 Tbsp. poppy seeds
couple pinches of sea salt

2 cups packed shredded kale
1 shallot
juice of ½ lemon
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of sea salt

Maple Mustard Dressing
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar (adding raspberry vinegar instead makes an interesting change!)
pinch sea salt
1 tsp. pure Maple syrup
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel the squash, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut into cubes. Toss with oil, minced garlic, poppy seeds, and sprinkle with sea salt. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until fork-tender, not mushy (approx. 30-40 minutes)
2. While the squash is roasting, shred the kale by slicing it in very thin strips. Add the juice of ½ lemon, a pinch of sea salt and massage into kale to wilt. Set aside.
3. Make dressing by whisking all ingredients together. Pour over kale, toss to coat.
4. When the butternut squash has finished roasting, remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Add to kale and mix. Toss with sliced shallot, and garnish with lemon zest. Season to taste. Serve.

Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Almonds

2011-10-15T20:52:00.000+03:00

This is loosely based on something from Ottolenghi's in London-unfortunately it is not in his cookbooks.
All my favourite ingredients-veg, nuts, chili, ginger, tamari...all I need in there is some avocado and I'd be set! It reminds me of a marinated broccoli and carrot salad that I used to love.

serves 2
Ingredients:
1 large head broccoli (organic if you can get it)
¼ cup whole almonds

Dressing:
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. fresh, hot chili, sliced (more or less, to suit your taste)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. tamari
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180-200°C. Wash broccoli well, then remove the very end of the stem. Slice the entire head of broccoli and remaining stem in half down the center lengthwise, then cut each half in half again. Repeat until you have relatively small slices of broccoli tops with long stems. Place in a large bowl.
2. Prepare dressing and pour over broccoli. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the broccoli making sure it is well coated. Place broccoli on a baking sheet and set in the oven.
3. On a separate baking sheet, place almonds and set in the oven below the broccoli.
4. Roast broccoli and almonds for 15-20 minutes (the almonds will need less time), until the broccoli is just turning golden brown on the edges.
5. Remove everything from oven. Roughly chop almonds on a cutting board. Plate broccoli, season to taste. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. Serve.

Spinach and Coconut soup

2011-10-09T11:05:00.000+03:00

This is heavenly, simple, nutritous and filling. I have a glut of spinach and chard at the moment and so this was the perfect soup for a cold and misty kifufu lunch!

2 onions-finely chopped
olive oil/or coconut oil
2 garlic cloves-crushed
1 dried chilli-seeds removed if prefered-chopped
pinch of ground cummin
roughlt 400 gms spinach, washed and roughly chopped
1 ltr veg stock-hot
75 grms creamed coconut-grated
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the onions in the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add the garlic, chilli, and cummin and cook for a few more minutes.

Add the spinach, stock and coconut, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

Blend and check the seasoning. Simple!

techni-colour quinoa salad

2011-10-03T18:09:00.000+03:00

I made this for lunch and it was heavenly.

1 cup quinoa-boil until soft and fluffy
thinly sliced firm tofu-marinated in soy sauce, thai chili sauce and a dash of Bragg liquid amino's-fry until dark.

Vegetables-any others can be substituted in:
Avocado-diced
Baby sweet corn-sliced, raw
Sugar snaps-raw
Baby broad beans-steamed
French beans-sliced and steamed
broccoli florets-steamed

Herbs: (you could use whatever you have available)
Basil
Spearmint
Oregano
Lemon Thyme

Mix in all the vegetables and herbs with the cooked quinoa and lightly dress with the below dressing.
Dressing:
olive oil, lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 tbs soy sauce. Put in a screw top jar an shake-adjust according to taste. Serve with the tofu, and a simple raw spinach and pecan nut salad.

Composting

2011-10-03T17:56:00.002+03:00

I have to admit when I first started composting I would give up easily, it was a bit of a grubby past time! I had to get my great friend, Annie in to help me. Compost is the best all round treatment you can give your soil-it boosts nutrient status, improves soil structure and helps maintain moisture.

The amazing thing is that most of what your household throws out can go into the compost.

I have to admit I don’t use a compost bin, however they are easily constructable-a simple design is a square enclosure with a front that can be opened to easily add new material. The cheapest way to construct one is with wooden pallets or mabati (corrugated iron) securely fixed in place to form three of the sides-in the front another pallet, tied loosely for access.

In an ideal world one has three compost bins next to each other-mine are three heaps!

With three bins or heaps-use the first one to add to, when it is full put it into the second bin, and begin filling the first with new material. Keep turning the compost in bin two from time to time, watering as you do so to aid decomposition. When bin one is full, turn bin two into bin three etc, and use when bin three is ready.

The bins should be on a level well drained sunny spot on top of soil-allowing excess water to get out and worms to get in!

Suitable material for your compost bin/heap-greens and browns:

Greens:

These are rich in nitrogen and help the slower rotting browns break down.

-Diluted urine-a great compost activator

-Grass cuttings

-Nettles

-Raw veggie peelings

-Tea bags and coffee grinds

-unwoody pruning’s

-Animal manure-from herbivors-such as horses and cows

Browns:

These are carbon rich and slower to rot than the greens

-Waste paper-torn up or shredded

-Cardboard

-Bedding from vegetarian pets-eg rabbits

-Tough hedge clippings and woody pruning’s-chopped is best

-used tissue paper and cotton wool

-Sawdust and wood shavings

-Fallen leaves

No-go’s:

Meat, fish, dairy and cooked food-including bread, cat litter and dog poop-bring parasites. Diseased plants should be burnt rather than added to the compost.

Just remember AIR and WATER-keep turning and watering your compost until it is sweet and earthy smelling.

Roast pumpkin soup with chickpeas and leeks

2011-08-31T18:56:00.000+03:00

This is a yummy, warming soup, the texture coming from the roast squash that is added as a course mash and then breaks up bringing body to the soup. I like mine spicy but the chili can be toned down according to personal preference. This soup gets better for hanging around for a day or two.

1 small pumpkin or butternut squash
4 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra for brushing
800 ml vegetable stock
4 small shallots (or two onions)-finely dices,
1/2 a medium fennel bulb, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 small birds eye or scotch bonnet chili-finely sliced and seeds discarded
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fennel seeds-finely ground
3 leeks well washed and thinly sliced
1 can of chickpeas-drained and rinsed
100ml dry white wine
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C/gas mark 5
Cut the pumpkin or squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush the flesh with olive oil and place the halves, cut side down in an oven dish. Pour in 200 ml of the stock and place in the oven to roast for 30-40 minutes.
In a saucepan heat the 4 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, add the shallots and fennel and saute for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic, ginger, leeks, chili and spices. Saute for 5 minutes more. Add the chickpeas and white wine, then cover with baking parchment, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
When the pumpkin is tender, scoop out the flesh and chop it to get a coarse, lumpy mash. Add this to the soup pan with the remaining stock. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Vegetable Paella

2011-08-31T18:39:00.000+03:00

My mother-in-law made this for us recently when we were visiting her in the UK-it was delicious! It is loosely based on one from Ottolenghi's book "Plenty".
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion-finely chopped
1/2 a fennel bulb-cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp gound tumeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
150g Calasparra rice-or another paella rice. It works well with out local tanzanian short grain white rice as well!
100 ml good quaity medium sherry
1 tsp saffron threads
450 ml boiling veg stock
200 gms shelled broad beans-or sliced french beans
12 plum or cherry tomatoes-halved
5 small grilled artichokes in oil from a jar-drained and quartered
15 pitted Kalamata olives-halved
2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
4 lemon wedges
salt

Heat the olive oil in a large shallow frying pan (or a paella pan if you have one!), and gently fry the onion for 5 mins. Add the fennel and and continue to fry on a medium heat until soft and golden-about 6 mins. Add the garlic and continue to cook for a further minute.
Add the bay leaves, paprika, tumeric and cayenne to the onions and fennel and stir well. Then add the rice and stir thoroughly before adding the sherry and saffron. Boil down for a minute and then add the stock and 1/3 tsp of salt. Reduce to the heat to the minimum and simmer very gently for about 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Do not cover the pan or stir the rice during the cooking.
Meanwhile pour plently of boiling water over the broad beans in a bowl and leave for a minute, then drain well and leave to cool. Now squeeze each broad bean gently to remove the skin and discard it.
Remove the paella pan from the heat. Taste and add more salt if needed but without stirring the rice and vegetables much. Scatter the tomatoes, artichokes and broad beans over the rice and cover the pan tightly with foil for 10 minutes to rest.
Take off the foil. Scatter the olives on top of the paella an sprinkle with parsley. Serve with wedges of lemon.

Lime & Peanut Coleslaw Recipe

2011-07-28T19:42:00.000+03:00

This sort of reminds me of something I ate in Borneo-in Pagan at the "Be kind to animals" restaurant! Leave out the jalapeno if you like it milder

1 1/2 cups unsalted raw peanuts 1/2 of a medium-large cabbage 1 basket of tiny cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and diced 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon + fine-grain sea salt

In a frying pan or oven (350F) roast the peanuts for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice along the way, until golden and toasted.

Cut the cabbage into two quarters and cut out the core. Using a knife shred each quarter into whisper thin slices. The key here is bite-sized and thin. If any pieces look like they might be awkwardly long, cut those in half. Combine the cabbage, tomatoes, jalapeno (opt), and cilantro in a bowl.

In a separate bowl combine the lime juice, olive oil, salt. Add to the cabbage mixture and gently stir to combine. Just before serving fold in the peanuts (add them too earl and they lose some of their crunch). Taste and adjust the flavor with more salt if needed. It is also good with sweetcorn added in.

slow roasted oven cherry tomatoes

2011-06-23T18:19:00.000+03:00

Cherry or small Roma tomatoes

Whole gloves of garlic, unpeeled
Olive oil
Herbs-thyme or rosemary (optional)

Preheat oven to 225°F. Halve each cherry tomato crosswise, or Roma tomato lengthwise and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the cloves of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, just enough to make the tomatoes glisten. Sprinkle herbs on, if you are using them, and salt and pepper, though go easily on these because the finished product will be so flavorful you’ll need very little to help it along.
Bake the tomatoes in the oven for about three hours. You want the tomatoes to be shriveled and dry (like little turkish slippers-turned up ends), but with a little juice left inside–this could take more or less time depending on the size of your tomatoes.
Either use them right away or let them cool, cover them with some extra olive oil and keep them in the fridge for the best summer salad addition.

Cherry tomato quinoa recipe

2011-06-20T17:29:00.000+03:00

I just got a request for recipies using cherry tomatoes-so this is the first of many to come!

Couscous or quinoa- either would work great here. You can easily make this vegan by leaving out the feta as I do- I would do a sort of harissa-or smoky chiptole drizzle instead

3 cups cooked quinoa or couscous
1/2 a basket of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 lemon, cut in half
1 lime, cut in half
about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup basil or corriander, chopped
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled-optional

Combine the quinoa or couscous, tomatoes, cucumber, and chickpeas in a large bowl. Squeeze the lemon and lime juice directly into the bowl, add the olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Toss well, taste, and adjust with more of the above until it tastes just right. This really needs a generous amount of salt (or a splash of soy sauce), and the lemon and lime juices might need to be adjusted depending on how juicy the fruit is.

Add the basil and feta and toss gently until it is evenly dispersed.

Serves 4 - 6.

Adapted by me from a recipe by Heidi Swanson.

Encrusted Baked Cauliflower

2011-06-19T18:22:00.000+03:00

Here’s an elegant and unusual way to prepare cauliflower-I realy like cauliflower, I didn't used to but slowly I am finding more creative ways of cooking it. Cauliflower is rich in the phytochemical, sulforaphane, this cruciferous vegetable has tumor fighting capabilities. It’s also high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic acid, Potassium and Manganese.

Lemon-Tahini Encrusted Baked Cauliflower
1 medium or large head of cauliflower
2 tablespoons of tahini (I prefer raw, but roasted is fine too)
1/3 cup of whole wheat pastry flour-or yellow gram flour (chana dhal flour)
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of ½ a lemon, about ½ tablespoon
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne (more or less to taste)
1 t of salt (or less depending on taste)
¼ cup of water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Keeping the cauliflower whole, remove the leaves and stem and wash under cold water. Steam whole for about 20 minutes. While steaming the cauliflower, prepare a lemon-tahini paste with the remainder of the ingredients (you may have to add additional water or flour until you get a good consistency that will stick to the cauliflower-a little bit like wall paper paste!). Carefully remove the cauliflower from the steamer and place it on a slightly oiled baking tray. Pour the lemon-tahini mixture over the cauliflower and with a knife, cover the top and sides as if you were icing a cake. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is firm. Cut into slices with a sharp knife.

A different salad!

2011-06-19T18:08:00.000+03:00

Ingredients:
1 bunch broccolini-for people in Nbi you can buy this at the amazing veg shop at Valley Arcade on Gitanga Road
1 bunch radishes
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Wash the broccolini and radishes. Cut the broccolini on the bias into manageable chunks-if you prefer you can steam for a few seconds to take the raw edge off. "Top and tail" and quarter the radishes.
2. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over low heat. While the nuts are toasting...
3. Mix the dressing: Combine the tahini, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Toss the veggies, dressing, and pine nuts. Devour

Rocket, sweet potato, walnut and tofu salad

2011-06-19T17:59:00.000+03:00

Salad:
1 cup baby rocket
1 cup roasted sweet potatoes
1/2 cup toasted walnuts or hazelnuts
1/2 cup white beans
1/3 cup cubed firm tofu (I marinate my tofu with garlic, ginger, chili and tamari-or soya sauce-for a few hours before lightly frying until the tofu is browned and slightly crispy on the outside)

Dressing:
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients together (or layer toppings on the bed of rocket), whisk dressing together, pour and toss!

natural home made cleaning products

2011-06-19T17:51:00.000+03:00

For years I have been wanting to clean my home "naturally" rather than with horrid, smelly chemicals. I got these recipies off www.mynewroots.blogspot.com. I guess it all comes down to trying to live more simply, cheaply and eco-friendly. White vinegar seems to be a staple in our house hold already as I use it in my veggie garden to spray against 'mold' on my courgettes and butternuts. Anyway this post is as much for me as for any one else interested in limiting the toxicity of their home!

Ingredients:
1. Lemon - one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.
2. Tea Tree Oil – nature’s most powerful anti-bacterial agent. Great for use in the bathroom and kitchen.
3. Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
4. Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Sometimes this is called “Universal Cleaner” and you can purchase this at health food store. Avoid using soaps, which contain sodium lauryl sulfate, phosphates and petroleum distillates.
5. White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax

Recipes:
All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 2 liters water. Store and keep. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, etc.

All-Purpose Disinfectant: Mix 2 cups water, a few drops of natural soap, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender organic essential oil. You can spray this on all kinds of home surfaces - changing tables, cutting boards, toilets, sinks, walls, and more. Just don’t use this on glass, as it will streak.

Carpet Stains: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water.

Chopping Block Cleaner: Rub a slice of lemon across a chopping block to disinfect the surface. For tougher stains, squeeze some of the lemon juice onto the spot and let sit for 10 minutes, then wipe.

Coffee and Tea Stains: Stains in cups can be removed by applying vinegar to a sponge and wiping. To clean a teakettle or coffee maker, add 2 cups water and ¼ cup vinegar; bring to a boil. Let cool, wipe with a clean cloth and rinse thoroughly with water.

Drain Cleaner: For light drain cleaning, mix ½ cup salt in 4 liters water, heat (but not to a boil) and pour down the drain. For stronger cleaning, pour about ½ cup baking soda down the drain, then ½ cup vinegar. The resulting chemical reaction can break fatty acids down into soap and glycerin, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. After 15 minutes, pour in boiling water to clear residue. Caution: only use this method with metal plumbing. Plastic pipes can melt if excess boiling water is used. Also, do not use this method after trying a commercial drain opener--the vinegar can react with the drain opener to create dangerous fumes.

Lime Deposits: You can reduce lime deposits in your teakettle by putting in ½ cup white vinegar and 2 cups water, and gently boiling for a few minutes. Rinse well with fresh water while kettle is still warm.

Marks on Walls and Painted Surfaces: Many ink spots, pencil, crayon or marker spots can be cleaned from painted surfaces using baking soda applied to a damp sponge. Rub gently, then wipe and rinse.

Mold and Mildew: Mold is extremely harmful to human lungs. Prevention is the key! To prevent mold from ever occurring, mix two cups of water and three drops of pure organic tea tree essential oil. Once a week, spray your walls with this solution (even behind furniture) and wipe dry. This mixture fights stains and the natural antiseptic qualities of tea tree oil fights mold and mildew. To get rid of mold, use white vinegar or lemon juice full strength. Apply with a sponge or scrubby.

Oil and Grease Spots: For small spills on the garage floor, add baking soda and scrub with wet brush.

Oven Cleaner: Moisten oven surfaces with sponge and water. Use ¾ cup baking soda, ¼ cup salt and ¼ cup water to make a thick paste, and spread throughout oven interior. (Avoid bare metal and any openings) Let sit overnight. Remove with spatula and wipe clean. Rub gently with fine steel wool for tough spots.

Pots and Pans: For burned and crusted-on foods, soak or boil a solution of 2 Tbsp baking soda per qt of water in each pan. Let stand until particles are loosened, then wash as usual. Use a mild or moderate abrasive if necessary.

Rust Remover: Sprinkle a little salt on the rust, squeeze a lime over the salt until it is well soaked. Leave the mixture on for 2 - 3 hours. Use leftover rind to scrub residue.

Scouring Powder: For top of stove, refrigerator and other such surfaces that should not be scratched, use baking soda. Apply baking soda directly with a damp sponge.

Stickers on Walls: To remove, sponge vinegar over them several times, and wait 15 minutes, then rub off the stickers. This also works for price tags (stickers) on tools, etc.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Mix ¼ cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse. A mixture of borax (2 parts) and lemon juice (one part) will also work.

Tub and Tile Cleaner: For simple cleaning, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water. For tougher jobs, wipe surfaces with vinegar first and follow with baking soda as a scouring powder. (Vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly.)

Window Cleaner: Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Don't clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, or streaks will show on drying. The All-Purpose Cleaner (above) also works well on windows. Be sure to follow the recipe, because using too strong a solution of vinegar will etch the glass and eventually cloud it.

So, that should be enough to get you started!

Recipes from: eartheasy.com

my new crush...

2011-06-18T09:35:00.000+03:00

http://mynewroots.blogspot.com/

This is a must for any one interested in health/nutrition or gluten free cooking. The site is divine, and full of inspiration!

Simple mint pea dip

2011-06-18T09:22:00.000+03:00

I have a soft spot for minted sweet pea soup, so this to me is heavenly-in a crude sense a sort of mix between hummus and minted sweet pea soup!
This dip is also a chinch to make and is beautifully versatile. Serve it simply like I have on toasted rye/or gluten free bread, or make a complete sandwich by adding avocado, sprouts, and spring lettuce – green!
This also makes a great dip for raw veggies. Try a spring mix of asparagus, carrots, and radishes.

Simple Mint Pea Dip
3 cups fresh or frozen green peas
zest of 1 un-waxed, organic lemon
3 Tbsp. lemon juice (approx. ½ lemon)
1 large clove garlic
¼ cup packed mint leaves
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp. raw tahini (optional, but makes the dip creamy)
¼ tsp. sea salt

Directions:
1. If using frozen peas, leave out to thaw completely, or cook them in step 2. If using raw peas, skip over to step 3.
2. To blanche the peas (this enhances their sweetness), bring a pot of water to the boil, add peas and cook for 2-3 minutes (no more!). Plunge them into an ice bath or very cold water to halt the cooking process. Set aside.
3. Put whole clove of garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince. Add the remaining ingredients and blend on high to puree.
4. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days, but try to consume as quickly as possible.

Rice with chick peas and tomatoes

2011-04-21T11:00:00.000+03:00

We had this for lunch yesterday and JP loved it! So here it is! It is so easy to make, especially if you se canned chick peas. I have so much corriander in the garden and this is a great way to use it up.

Cooked short grain brown rice
1 can of chick peas (if using dried, soak 350g over night and cook as usual)
2 large onions-finely chopped
6 tbsp olive oil4 cloves garlic, crushed
450 gr fresh tomatoes, skinned and sliced
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsp lemon juice

Fry the onion in the olive oil in a large sauce pan, until soft-about 10 mins. Add the garlic, chick peas and tomatoes and cook for a further few mins until they are nice and hot. Use a fork and lightly mash the chick peas, then stir in the coked rice, coriander and lemon juice, Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lentil Pie

2011-04-21T10:49:00.000+03:00

This is an old school favourite of mine from Rose Elliot's "Bean Book" -she describes it as an 'economical wartime dish'!!!
Anyway I love it!

175 g split red lentils
1 large onion-diced
350 g mashed potatoes (mine are made with original, organic soya milk)
1 tbsp chopped parsley, or fresh corriander
1 tablespoon tomato chutney-or I use a chili jam
sea salt
black pepper

Wash the lentils, put them with the chopped onion into a sauce pan with enough wayer to cover, and cook gently until the lentils are soft 20-30 mins. Drain and mash them lightly with a fork.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (mark 6). Beat the mashed potatoes into the cooked lentils, together with the fresh herbs, chutney, salt and pepper to taste.
Put the mixture into a shallow baking dish and smooth the top over with a fork. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until crisp and browned.

As promised- Delicious Vegan Chocolate Cake!!

2011-04-14T21:36:00.000+03:00

My friend from school, Alix, sent this to me to try and I thought I would share it with you all!

__________________________________________________

Although it is apparently an American classic, I only stumbled upon Wacky Cake when I was trying to find something to bake for my sister. She had recently been diagnosed with vicious allergies to Soy and Eggs, and the years of searing joint pain that she had suffered was attributable to these nefarious ingredients. So, I was on the hunt for delicious soy-free, vegan recipes for my dear sister, who is a fan of all things chocolate. Clearly this is buried deep within our Faulhaberian DNA; not only do I routinely find guilty little wrappers strewn on my nightstand, but my nephew (My sister’s baby) arrived at my house last time with chocolate smeared all over his face after he had noozled a KitKat bar until he fell asleep.

The Wacky Cake is certainly wacky, especially to those who have done a lot of baking. The procedure is decidedly odd, but trust me, it’s the right way. I’d never blaspheme chocolate!

Wacky Cake

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour (for Gluten free use all purpose gluten free flour)
3 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 C. Brown Sugar (you can also use white sugar. I sometimes use homemade Vanilla Sugar- just stick a Vanilla
bean in the Sugar jar and be patient.)
1 tsp. Salt
5 Tbsp. Canola/Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp. White Vinegar (I use Apple Cider as well, it’s lovely)
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 C. Cold Water

Set oven to 350(F)

-In a very large bowl, combine the dry: Flour, Cocoa, Baking Soda, Sugar & Salt

- With your finger, make three deep holes in the dry mixture.
-In one hole, pour your Oil
-In the next, your Vinegar
-In the last, Vanilla

-Pour Water over all three! WEEEE! Wacky!

-Mix well.

-Using a 9” x 9” brownie pan, bake your Wacky Cake for 30 minutes.

-When done, let cool on racks.

-This cake is best the next day, after cooling and refrigerating. Wrap tightly to avoid fridge funk (and I’m not talking Bootsy Collins….)

Delicious as a breakfast cake with Mimosas for a decadent brunch!
(Perfect for newlyweds J)

Enjoy!!

Tisanes-herb teas!

2011-04-14T17:24:00.001+03:00

One thing most of my friends remember about me from university Is the vast quantity of peppermint tea that I consumed. Now I have an incredible herb garden here I can make fresh mint tea-I love it.

For peppermint, use five leaves for one mug, leave to steep in boiling water before you pour. Spearmint is one up from peppermint, a bit stronger and still yummy. Both are excellent for digestion and colds.

Sage tea is all right - famously good for night sweats and apparently invaluable during menopause-not that I would know first hand! I enjoy the robust delicious taste of rosemary. Pick a 2in sprig for one mug and leave it to stew for the usual five minutes. This is the one to get you going when you're feeling grotty and lethargic, a useful hangover cure and an invigorating stimulant for anyone who gets SAD.

We have just had so much rosemary growing we have chopped down my forest and placed it all over the veranda in terracotta pots to try and control it! James is always trying to get me to reduce my herb garden-not going to happen, but I did give in to the rosemary battle.

Fennel-seed tea is another one for cold days - pour a teaspoon of seeds into your mug or pot and after 10 minutes strain them off like tea leaves. Fennel has a fresh aniseedy taste and diuretic properties that make it popular with dieters. It is also much more effective than parsley for freshening the breath. We save all our fennel seeds from the garden to ensure they are organic.

Fennel Ratatouille

2011-03-23T11:48:00.000+03:00

I have this aversion to normal ratatouille-i might infact go so far as to say I really dislike it! I made it this past weekend for sunday lunch, and I still dont like it! I think it comes from when I first turned vegetarian/vegan about 15 years ago people didnt know what to feed me so invariably the ratatouille would come out-urgh!
Anyway I have found a version that I do like, from Sarah Raven, and seeing as my fennel is never ending in the garden it is a good way to use it...

Fennel Ratatouille:
4 tbsp olive oil
sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tsp fennel seeds
3 large onions cut into quarters
2 peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped-I dont like peppers, so I use Jalapeno instead!
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 fennel bulbs, outer leaves discarded and roughly chopped
2 X 400g tins good quality chopped tomatoes-or 900 grms fresh tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
grated zest of one lemon
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp runny honey
salt and black pepper
small bunch of dill-roughly chopped
handful of black olives-or kalamata olives.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy based casserole, with the thyme, bay leaf and fennel seeds. Add the onions, peppers, garlic and saute for 5 mins. Add the fennel, tomatoes, chilli, lemon zest, tomato puree, honey and a little salt and pepper.
Cover the dish and simmer gently over a very low heat, stirring every so often, for an hour or more. Take the lid off, add the dill and olives. Increase the heat slightly to reduce until the sauce becomes thick and treacly. Taste and season as necessary.
Can be served hot or cold and if you have left overs makes a good soup, pureed and thinned with vegetable stock.

Pound cake

2011-03-23T11:23:00.000+03:00

This is just to balance out my last post! A friend of mine has just started keeping chickens and last week gave me 12 of her eggs. I dont eat eggs and JP doesnt like eggs...so I had to find a recipe where the eggs are hidden-in comes the pound cake!
It's a gently sweet, dense textured cake-lovely and simple. Serve with earl grey tea!

450 g unsalted butter, soft. Plus a little extra melted butter to grease.
450 g plain flour, sifted, plus extra to dust
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
450g golden caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract-I use a vanilla paste
6 organic, large, free range eggs
125 ml whole milk
finely grated zest of one lemon or two limes

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Line a loose bottomed 23 cm round cake tim with foil, and then baking parchment. Brush the parchment and sides of the tim with melted butter, then dust with a little flour.
Sift the flour, salt, bicarb and baking powder together into a bowl and set aside.
Using an electric mier, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together on a low speed for 2 minutes. Then increase the speed and to high and beat until pale and fluffy. Turn the speed to low again and beat in the eggs, one at a time, alternately with the milk.
Using a large metal spoon, fold the flour into the mixture in three batches, followed by the lemon zest until evenly combined.
Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin, and gently level the surface with the back of the spoon. Stand the cake tin on a baking sheet, in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 1.5 hours, or until the cake has begun to shrink away from the sides of the tin and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Best eaten when still slightly warm

Gluten free & vegan Bread

2011-03-23T11:10:00.000+03:00

A few months ago I invested in a bread machine-about the same time that it was mentioned in 'The Week' as being the least used bit of household equipment! Well I love mine, and finally I have found a great way to make vegan and gluten free bread! I thought I would share it with you all, just incase any one is like me!
Basic white bread(750g loaf)-gluten free:

290ml water
1.5 tbsp olive oil
450 g multipurpose gluten free flour
4 tsp channa (chick pea) flour
1.5 tsp salt1 tbsp sugar
1.5 tsp easy blend dried yeast
3 tbsp golden flax seeds

Now this is the easy part, place all ingredients into the bread machine in the order they are listed and set it to a gluten free setting!

Eat with marmite and avocado! :)

My favourite cook books

2011-03-18T11:00:00.000+03:00

I have a little obsession with cook books-my brother in law calls them my porn! I read them every day! I have a few vegan and vegetarian cook books but I tend to favour more garden type cook books. So here are a list of some of my current favourites:
Nigel Slater 'Tender" both volumes 1 and 2. They are amazing, little stories, beutiful photographs and simple delicous food.
http://www.amazon.com/Tender-Cook-His-Vegetable-Patch/dp/0007248490/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300434642&sr=1-2

I also love Sarah Raven's "Garden cook book"-
http://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Ravens-Garden-Cookbook-Raven/dp/0747588708/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300434795&sr=1-3

My other current favourite is Skye Gyngell, who is the head chef at the Petersham Nurseries Cafe in Richmond, Surrey. I have two of her books which I frequently dip into-"A year in my kitchen" and "How I cook"
http://www.amazon.com/Year-My-Kitchen-Skye-Gyngell/dp/1580080529/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1300435049&sr=1-1

Focus on Ingredients: Buckwheat

2011-03-14T15:24:00.000+03:00

I love the strong, earthy flavor of buckwheat which was first introduced to me by a friend at St. Andrews. It is treated as a grain, though actually it is a fruit seed, related to rhubarb and sorrel. Hulled buckwheat seeds are called groats, or if roasted, kasha, which is also the name for cooked buckwheat groats.

They are a staple in Eastern European countries. To prevent them from disintegrating into mush- toast the groats first, then cook them in an oven in heavy earthenware or cast-iron pot.

Use one part whole groats, two parts boiling water or stock, and salt to taste. First, stir the buckwheat groats in a lightly oiled pot over medium-high heat until they are dark and toasty, then add the simmering water or stock and salt. Cover and bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.

Buckwheat is also a very good source of manganese and a good source of magnesium, as well as flavonoids like quercetin and rutin. The protein in buckwheat is a complete protein, containing all eight essential amino acids.

You can also get buckwheat noodles called Soba which are easy to cook and contain no gluten!

Smoky Lentil Soup

2011-03-14T15:15:00.000+03:00

Chipotle chillies in adobo sauce are AMAZING! I used to get my supply from a friend with the Mexican Embassy in Nairobi, who has since moved on, but my supply is closely guarded! Chipotles add a wonderful smoky-spicy element to this lentil soup. Lentils combine well with smoky flavors — that’s why they’re so often cooked with sausage or bacon.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/3 cups brown lentils, rinsed and picked over

6 cups vegetable stock or water

Salt to taste

1 to 2 canned chipotle chillies in adobo, to taste, rinsed, seeded and sliced, plus a teaspoon of the adobo sauce

Croutons or toasted tortilla chips for garnish (optional)

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the lentils and stock/water, add salt to taste (1 to 2 teaspoons) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are very tender, about 50 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2. Using a hand blender, coarsely purée the soup, or purée half the soup in batches in a blender. Stir the blended soup back into the pot, and combine well. Add the chipotles, and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish each serving with croutons or toasted tortilla chips if desired.

Chilli Jam

2011-03-14T11:41:00.000+03:00

I love chilli Jam-need I say more?!

500 grm very ripe tomatoes
4 garlic cloves-peeled
4 large red chillies-seeds left in if you want your jam very hot
6cm piece root ginger-sliced
300 grms golden caster sugar
2 tablespoons braggs liquid aminos or tamari (or fish sauce if you use it)
100 ml red wine vinegar-a little splash or raspberry vinegar is yummy added in as well

Blitz half of the tomatoes with all the garlic, chillies and ginger in a food processor. Poir into a heavy based saucepan. add the sugar, tamari, and vinegar and slowly bring to the boil, stirring slowly. Reduce to a simmer.
Dice the remaining tomoatoes finely and add them to the pan.
Simmer for 40 mins, stirring from time to time. The mixture wil turn slightly dark and sticky.
Store in warm dry sterilised jars and seal while the mixture is still warm. The longer you keep this jam the hotter it gets. It keeps for bout 3 months in the fridge.

Curly Kale (or cavolo Nero) with Rosemary and Chilli

2011-02-07T18:39:00.000+03:00

This is excellent as a side dish with roast free-range chicken, or as a topping for bruschetta - griddle slices of good bread, rub with raw garlic, top with the cooked kale and then finish with a spoonful of mild, creamy young goats' cheese. It is one of Sophie grigson's recipes-I eat it with rice and avocado, simple and tasty enough for me.

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 medium or hot fresh red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

250g/9oz curly kale or cavolo nero, trimmed of tough stems, rinsed and cut into 1cm or 1/2in thick slices

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method:

Heat the olive oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed lidded pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, turn down the heat and fry gently until very tender.

Add the rosemary, chilli and garlic and fry for one more minute.

Add the kale or cavolo nero and season with salt. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to its absolute minimum and leave to cook gently for about 20 minutes. Stir once after five minutes, then again ten minutes later.

Remove the rosemary stalks, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve at once.

Millet Flour bread (Bajre Ki Roti)

2011-02-04T18:53:00.000+03:00

Having just come back from India, one of the things I miss the most is the millet flour bread that I ate three times a day! It is perfect for me-a cross between pancake and bread- gluten free and vegan! What more could I want. I was introdced to this at the incredible Mihir Garh where we spent 5 days. It is the staple of most of Rajasthan.

Millet flour-5 cups/500 grms
salt-a pinch

Sift the millet flour and salt together, gradually add enough warm water and knead with greased palms (I use olive oil) to make a semi soft dough. Knead the dough 5 minutes before making the roti.
Divide the dough equally into lemon sized portions. Flatten each portion with your palms, pressing the edges together to make 5-6" discs. This has to be done carefully so that the edges do not break. Avoid using a rolling pin.
Heat a griddle/or non stick pancake pan; lay the disc flat on it and roast oth sides. In India they then put it directly into a coal fire to make it crisp.
Serve with chutneys-or honey!!!!

Hot hot roots

2011-02-03T16:42:00.000+03:00

For the hot hot roots-by Levi Roots!

2 tbsp sunflower oil, or groundnut oil
3 onions, peeled, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
4cm/1½in piece fresh root ginger, peeled, finely chopped or grated
1 Scotch bonnet chilli, seeds removed, chopped
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
300g/10½oz carrots, peeled, cut into equal-sized pieces
300g/10½oz parsnips, peeled, cut into equal-sized pieces (you could use butternut or pimpkin instead)
300g/10½oz sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into equal-sized pieces
400g/14oz small waxy potatoes, halved lengthways
1 litre/1¾ pints vegetable stock, or water
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato purée
pinch soft dark brown sugar
75g/2½oz cashew nuts, crushed, plus extra, chopped, to serve
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g/3½oz French beans, trimmed, cut in half
200g/7oz baby spinach leaves, washed
4 tbsp double cream-I use coconut cream instead!
1 lime, juice only

For the mango and coconut relish

75g/2½oz desiccated coconut, just covered with boiling water and set aside to soak for 30 minutes
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp caster sugar
½ tbsp rum
pinch salt
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, stones removed, julienned
2 red chillies, cut in half, seeds removed, very finely sliced
1-2 limes, juice only
handful fresh mint leaves

Preparation method

For the hot hot roots, heat the oil in a casserole over a medium heat and add the onions. Fry for 4-5 minutes, or until golden-brown, stirring well to ensure they don't burn. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for a further 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the spices and cook for a further minute, or until fragrant.
Stir in the carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and potatoes and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until softened and golden-brown. Add the vegetable stock (or water), bay leaves, tomato purée, soft dark brown sugar and crushed cashew nuts and stir to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, adding extra stock if the mixture becomes too dry. (The sauce should be thick enough to just coat the vegetables.)
Add the beans and spinach, cook for a further three minutes, or until the beans are just tender, then stir in the cream. Add half the lime juice and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, adding more lime juice, to taste, as necessary
Meanwhile, for the mango and coconut relish, transfer the soaked coconut to a food processor (squeeze the coconut to remove any excess water). Add the mustard seeds, caster sugar, rum and salt and blend to a coarse paste.
Layer the mango slices with spoonfuls of the coconut paste onto a serving plate, squeezing over the lime juice and a sprinkle of chilli between each layer. Sprinkle the mint over the top of the relish. (If you're preparing the relish ahead of time, add the mint just before serving.)
Serve the hot hot roots scattered with chopped cashew nuts, and spoon the relish alongside.

Puglian fava bean puree

2011-01-03T21:05:00.000+03:00

I was watching an old rerun of Rick Stein in the med yesterday and saw this and thought I would give it a try. It passed both the J and Lali test!

500g dried broad/fava beans
3 potaotes-peeld and cubed
3 cloves of garlic
salt and black pepper
1 tsp ground cummin seeds
a pinch of chili powder
fruity olive oil

Put everything in a pot, just cover with water and boil for about 1 hour-add more water if necessary as you go. With a wooden spoon "smash" the beans and potatoes, keep simmering until the consistency of polenta. Season to taste and pour in a good glug of olive oil.
Serve with fresh sprouting broccoli.

Quick braised red cabbage

2011-01-02T19:52:00.000+03:00

I love the incredible color and texture of red cabbages-I find them so versatile-it is delicious raw-very finely sliced, with root ginger, toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, lots of fruity olive oil, lemon juice salt and pepper. It also lends itself well to reduced, slow cooked dishes such as this one!

1 large red cabbage

Olive oil

1 large onion chopped

2 Bramley apples-peeled and roughly chopped

100ml dark malt vinegar

Grated zest of one large orange

2 heaped tablespoons of brown sugar

300 g walnuts

Salt and black pepper

Remove the core of the cabbage and slice it thinly. Put the oil into a large pan and add the chopped onion and wait for it to soften before adding the red cabbage. Keep stirring to coat the cabbage well, then add the roughly chopped apple, malt vinegar, orange zest and brown sugar. Add the walnuts. Season with salt and pepper and cook over a gentle heat (it can also be cooked in a moderate oven-190 degrees).

Check the cabbage regularly to make sure that it is not sticking, and add more vinegar if necessary.

The cabbage and apples will have softened after about an hour and should have deepened to a glossy deep red, with nearly all the liquid absorbed.

Serve with baked potatoes (and red meat, or game meat-if that way inclined!).

Sweet potato and peanut stew

2010-12-19T17:30:00.000+03:00

I am in the Mara and on the menu board was sweet potato and peanut stew-both chefs came to me and said they did not know how to make it. I have never made it before either but I liked the sound of it! So here is our attempt-I tihnk its yummy!

4 smallish sweet potatoes-boiled in their skins until tender, chopped into 1 pound coin size
1 tin red kidney beans
2 onions
1 large piece fresh ginger-the size of your thumb
1 fresh red chili
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cups veg stock
2 large/heaped tbsp of peanut butter
1 lime-grated and juice of
a handful of fresh coriander leaves
1 tin tomatoes-or if you have fresh -4 large toms with skins removed and finely chopped

Chop the onion, chili and ginger, fry off in olive oil until soft, add the spices and stir well. Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, the chopped sweet potato, the stock. Bring to simmer. Add the peanut butter stirring well until you have a smooth sauce. Simmer until thick-only a few minutes. Add the lime zest and juice to cut through the peanut butter!
Serve with a handful of fresh coriander and a wedge of lime.

A lentil stuffed marrow:

2010-12-06T18:53:00.001+03:00

I get asked about lentils a lot, I love them and find endless things to do with them. When I was at school in England the kitchen always made me amazing stuffed vegetables and I guess unlike most school food this is one that has stuck!

This lentil filling works just as well with pumpkins.

Small brown or green lentil-puy work well-200g

A medium sized marrow-or pumpkin

Olive oil

Shallots-2 large, or an onion

Garlic-2 large cloves

Tomatoes-6 medium

Chili sauce-harissa or a smoky chipotle work well

2 handfuls of chard or spinach

grated parmesan-2 tablespoons-optional

Set the oven at 180 degrees or gas mark 4. Bring a pan of water to the boil in which to cook the lentils. Add them to the water and leave to simmer, until they are tender-soft rather than al dente.

Cut the marrow in half length ways but do not peel it. Scoop out the core and put both halves into a roasting tin, then brush with olive oil and put in the preheated oven. Leave the marrow until tender and translucent–about 20 minutes-then remove from the oven.

Meanwhile peel and slice the shallots and garlic and soften them in a saucepan with about 3 tbsp of olive oil. Chop the tomatoes-if they have tough skins peel them by dunking them in into boiling water then peel off the skin, and add them to the pan. Let them cook a while, till they are soft and mushy, the stir in our chili sauce, a teaspoon or two is enough for me! The amounts depends on what chili sauce you have and how hot you want your lentils to be. Pour in about a teacup of water, just enough to make a slushy sauce and be generous with the salt and black pepper.

Drain the cooked lentils, then stir them into the onion and chili sauce. Tear the spinach or chard leaves into small pieces and stir them into the lentils. Bring to the boil, then cover and leave to simmer on a low heat till the greens are silky soft. Spoon the lentil mixture into the hollows in the marrow, scatter with the parmesan-if using-cover with foil and bake for twenty minutes.

A pan-cooked pumpkin with garlic

2010-12-06T18:52:00.000+03:00

This is good on its own, with a yummy sharp green salad or as a side dish for cold meats. It is a layered potato, pumpkin, thyme and garlic dish.

Potatoes-4 medium sized, floury or waxy it doesn’t matter

Pumpkin-600g

Duck fat or olive oil (I use olive oil!)-3 lightly heaped tablespoons

A few sprigs of thyme-or rosemary

A single clove of garlic, chopped

Peel the potatoes and pumpkin and slice them no thicker than a two-pound coin. Melt the duck fat-or heat the olive oil, in a shallow non-stick pan, add the potato and pumpkin slices, neatly or higgledy-piggledy, season them with salt, black pepper, thyme or rosemary leaves and a little chopped garlic as you go. Turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Let the slices cook for about 25-30 minutes. As they start to soften, press them down with a spatula so they form a sort of ‘cake’ that will be golden underneath, with slices of potato that are soft right through. You can check for tenderness by inserting a skewer right down through the centre. If it goes in effortlessly then they are done. Serve straight from the pan!

Carrots

2010-12-06T12:15:00.000+03:00

I went to a party on Friday night and a friend came up to me and told me my blog was rubbish! He wanted to see more recipes and more gardening tips! So here goes-I guess I am reluctant to give gardening advise as I have always thought of JP as the green fingered one of the family. I will start with carrots as they seem an easy place to start.
Soil type: deep, loose, light soil. For poor quality soil dig in a small amount of organic compost a month prior to planting.
How to grow: Directly sow seeds at a depth of 5 mm-mixing seeds with wahed sands helps spread them when sowing. When seedlings are 5 cm high thin out to 2cm apart. Thin out again when seedlings are 15cm high to 5cm between seedlings.
Avoid successive crops in the same plot.
Pests and organic control: carrot root fly is the most common pest. Use a crop cover or a resistant variety!
Companion planting: Lettuce, peas, leeks, chives, onions, beans, tomatoes and rosemary will deter carrot fly.
Nasturtiums are a bait plant for aphids.
Harvest a few young carrots-if they are pale the soil is too acid. A dose of lime sprinkled around the plants and watered in will improve colour.

Thyme scented oatcakes

2010-12-05T11:12:00.000+03:00

These are divine, I made them for the first time today and I am totally addicted to them!
225g fine oatmeal or oak flakes
2 tbsp fruity olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
about 8 tbsp boiling water

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/Gas mark 4. Tip the oat meal, oil, salt and 2 tbsp fresh thyme into a food processor. Whizz to chop and combine. With the motor running, pour in the boiling water. Whizz for about 45 seconds-the mixture will start to come together and look sticky and thick. Tip in the remaining thyme and pulse to chop roughly.
Gather the dough into a ball with your hands. While it is still warm, roll the dough out on to a floured (I use chickpea flour to avoid wheat) surface to a thickness of about 2 mm. Cut out using a round or star shaped cutter. Place on a greased (I use olive oil) baking sheet.
Bake for 15-2 mins or until lightly colored. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp. Store in an air tight container up to three weeks

Warm lentil and Squash salad

2010-11-30T15:58:00.000+03:00

This is a good warm winter salad-or in our case here a good rainy season salad!

1 Large butternut squash-peeled, deseeded ad cut into large chunks
2-3 red onions cut into 8th's
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary-finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
100g packed roasted chestnuts-roughly chopped
2 red chillies-deseeded and finely chopped
juice and grated zest of one lemon
3 good handfuls of small leaf rocket-or other salad leaf
Large bunch of flat-leafed parsley, chopped
Large bunch of fresh corriander, chopped
-250 grms feta cheese, crumbled (optional!)

For the lentils:
200 grms puy lentils (or something similar!)
3 cloves garlic
1 good sprig of rosemary
450 ml veg stock
200 ml dry sherry or wine
3 tbsp olive oil

For the dressing:
2 tbsp extra irgin olive oil
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees or gas mark 5.
Put the squash and onions into a plastic bag with the olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and toss together well. Empty into a roasting tin. place in the oven for about 40 mins, until soft and just beginning to brown on the cut edges. Add the chestnuts and roast for another 5 mins-giving them time to heat through.
Meanwhile put the lentil into a medium sized sauce pan with the garlic and rosemary sprig. Pour in the stock, the olive oil and sherry and bring to the boil. Cook over a medium heat for about 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on the pan and add extra liquid if necessary.
when the lentils are tender but not mushy, drain and remove the garlic and herbs. Add another tbsp of olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and leave to cool a little.
Add the chillies, lemon zest and juice to the lentils and stir everything together. then add the rocket, parsley and corriander, and lay out on a large serving plate. Check seasoning.
Scatter with the roasted veg and crumbled feta .
Mix together all the dressing ingredients and dress the whole dish. This is best served warm

Asparagus Stir fry

2010-11-12T18:18:00.000+03:00

toasted sesame oil-or olive oil
1 block of fresh firm tofu-cut into thin slices
2 large white onions-finely sliced
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 bunch of asparagus-cut into 1 inch pieces
a couple of pinches of fine grain sea salt
3 cloves of garlic-chopped up a bit
1 big handful of flaked almonds-or cashew nuts chopped up a bit
a few handfuls of chopped chard or kale
zest and juice of one large lime
2 tablespoons of braggs liquid aminos-or tamari or soy sauce (hoisin sauce also works!)
1 large handful of basil, chopped

Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to hand. Heat a splash of oil in a large pan-I use a non stick one, over a medium heat. When it is hot add the onion and ginger-let soften, then add the asparagus and salt. Continue cooking for a minute or until asparagus is bright green, add the tofu. When the tofu is golden add the chard/kale, nuts and ginger. Stir fry for another minute or until the chard wilts. Stir in the soy sauce and lime zest. Cook for another few seconds, stirring all the while.

Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. taste and add more salt if needed.

101 cook books-sweet potato recipe

2010-11-12T09:57:00.000+03:00

I found this on 101 cookbooks and love sweet potato-we only get the white ones here but if you can find the lovely orange ones use those!

If you'd like to prepare part of this recipe in advance you can certainly bake the sweet potatoes a day or two in advance and save the mashed sweet potatoes in the refrigerator until you are ready to move forward with the remaining steps. Also, you can make these vegan by using olive oil and not butter.

2 1/2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 cup raw, unsweetened grated coconut
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1/3 cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees, a rack in the upper third. Butter or oil 6 ramekins or a single medium-sized casserole dish.

Wrap each sweet potato in foil, pierce numerous times with the tines of a fork and place in the oven for somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half, until each is baked through. Times vary greatly depending on the size of your sweet potatoes - in the end you should be able to cut through the center flesh as if it were soft butter. Remove the potatoes from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes, and cut each sweet potato in half. Scrape the flesh into a medium mixing bowl. You should have about three cups of sweet potatoes. In a large bowl mash the sweet potatoes with the coconut milk. If my sweet potatoes are on the fibrous side, l take a hand blender to them for a minute or so (alternately you could use a food processor). Stir in the ginger, maple syrup and salt. Let it sit for a few minutes, stir again and taste - adjust the seasoning if you need to - this is your chance to get the right amount of salt and ginger in the sweet potatoes before they go in the oven.

Spoon the sweet potato mixture into individual baking dishes (or single larger baking dish), sprinkle with coconut, drizzle with olive oil and bake uncovered until warm and the coconut golden roughly 30 - 40 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with the toasted macadamia nuts.

Serves about 6.

Baked tomatoes with chillies and coconut

2010-10-26T18:06:00.000+03:00

This is from a recipe by Nigel Slater-we have a massive surplus of tomatoes at the moment and keep having to be very creative with them! This dish smells and tastes delicious-heady and aromatic. It does curdle a bit-but dont let that worry you. I serve this with lentils and rice.

garlic-2 cloves
2 hot red chillies
ginger-a piece about the size of your thumb
olive oil-about 3 tbsps
chili flakes-half a teaspoon
ground coriander-1 tsp
gound turmeric-1 tspcumin seeds-half a tsp
green cardamons-6
moderately large ripe tomatoes-12
creamed coconut-50-70grms
corainder leaves-a handful

Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Halve the chillies-deseed and then finely slice. Peel and very finely slice it. Warm the oil in a deep frying pan, then add the garlic, chilli and ginger, letting them soften, but not colour over a moderate heat.
Stir in the chilli flakes, ground coriander, turmeric, and cumin seeds, then pop the cardamons out of their husks, crush the seeds lighty and stir them. Once the spices have warmed through, chop 4 of the tomatoes, stir them into the spices and pour in 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then slice each of the remaining tomatoes horizontally in half and lay them cut side down in the sauce. Leave to cook for 7-8 minutes, until they are starting to soften. Turn each tomato over, and continue to cook for a few minutes, till they are thoroughly tender.
Add the creamed coconut in small pieces, stir with a teaspoon. From this point on the sauce should not boil, just simmer very gently until it is thick and the tomatoes are soft.
Once the tomatoes are tender to the point of collapse, they are ready. scatter with the coriander leaves and eat with a little rice or bread to mop them up!

Lentil Soup with cumin

2010-10-26T17:16:00.000+03:00

This is simple, exoctically spiced and very satisfying-it also passed the JP test!

4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, roughly ground
250g red split peas-or anoy other lentils will work
1.75 litres cold water
250 grms spinach or chard -finely chopped and braised quickly with olive oil
1 lemon quatered
sea salt and black pepper

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until sweet and soft. Now add the garlic and cumin and fry for another minute, followed by the lentils and water. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Remove from the heat and blend until almost smooth. return to the pan with the cooked spinach, and seasonw ith salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, simply add more water and adjust the seasoning.
Serve this soup with lemon or with 150g yoghurt-spiced with 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin and salt, and olives, Harissa (or another chili paste) and bread.

Griddled sweet potato with ginger, chilli and lime

2010-10-22T09:28:00.000+03:00

You might have noticed that ginger, chilli and limes feature frequently in my recipies. I love the combination of them!
4 medium sized sweet potatoes
200 ml extra virgin olive oil

For the dressing:
5 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsp runny honey
4 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves-crushed
salt and black pepper

Peel the sweet potatoes, and cut into thin slices, about 3 mm thick. Blanch the slices in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Drain them and allow to dry. Put the slices in a bowl and smother with the olive oil.
Heat the griddle pan and cook the potato slices for 3-4 minutes on each side-it is quicker to put the whole lot in a baking tray under the grill-but you dont get the pretty stripes!
Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together and drizzle over the sweet potatoes while still warm. This is yummy hot or cold!

Savoy cabbage and coriander soup

2010-10-22T09:17:00.000+03:00

This is inspired by a recipe by Denis Cotter. We recently had a couple to stay who were driving their uni-mog down africa and they were my guinea pigs needless to say this was a firm favourite of theirs!
4 large onions
1/2 a savoy cabbage
olive oil
2 red chillies, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large piece of fresh root ginger-peeled and chopped
2 tabespoons coriander seeds-crushed
about 800ml of good veg stock
400 ml tin of coconut milk
A large bunch of fresh coriander-chopped
juice of one lemon-or 3 limes
salt and black pepper

Finely chop onions and shred cabbage-we do ours by hand but you can use a slicing disc on a food processor.
Heat a good splash of olive oil in the pan, add the onion and cabbage, cook over a moderate heat for a couple of minutes before adding the chillies, garlic, ginger and coriander seeds. Continue cooking for about five minutes, stirring regularly, until the cabbage is tender. Add the stock-simmer for about five minutes then add the coconut milk, half of the fresh coriander, the lemon/lime juice and salt and pepper. Simmer for a few more minutes.

Serve the soup with the rest of the fresh coriander.

Flageolet beans with garlic and thyme (and polenta!)

2010-10-14T11:44:00.000+03:00

This is seriously delicious dish, wierdly creamy and garlicky-it is inspired by a recipe from Sarah Raven who serves this with roast lamb, a good spoonful of redcurrant jelly and oven roasted winter roots. I eat mine with polenta! I have a number of variations of this recipe that feature regularly on our table-like greek white beans with mint and olive oil.
For this I use dried flageolet beans soaked over night-flor a less slushy texture than canned beans but either work, and if one is in a hurry canned is fine.

500 g green flageolet beans (or white cannellini beans), soaked over night-or two tins
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 red onions, thinly sliced
3 tomatoes, halved
500 ml veg stock
a handful of fresh thyme
salt and black pepper

Preheat a medium oven (180/gas mark 4). Put the beans, garlic, onions tomatoes, stock and thyme in an over proof pan. Bring to the boil then cover and transfer to the oven and cook for about an hour (if used tinned beans cook for only 30mins). Add salt and pepper and cook for another 20 mins (or 10 mins for tinned beans).

Fast Polenta:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
250g instant polenta
Fill a pot with about 6 cups of water, then add the oil and salt. Bring the water to the boil. Drizzle the polenta into the water, whisking constantly for a few minutes until it is thick and smooth. It should be a thick pouring consistency. Serve at once.

Any left over polenta can be poured into a baking tray and spead evenly, leave to cool completely. Cut it into wedges. Heat a chargrill pan -when hot grill the polenta until solid ridges form on the underside-and then can be used as a crostini for a savoury topping!

My morning bounty

2010-10-08T08:19:00.000+03:00

No doubt more chard recipes will be coming your way today!

My morning bounty

2010-10-08T08:16:00.000+03:00

A yummy tomato salad

2010-10-08T07:59:00.000+03:00

I have a huge variety of tomatoes in my garden, little round yellow ones, big fat red juicy ones, long ones, so our tomato salads are never boring. I try to mix up colours and shapes, I cut some into halves, some into thick slices, some I cut up irregularly.

4 big handfuls of tomatoes
salt and black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 fresh red chilli, halved and deseeded and finely sliced
1 handful of fresh chopped oregano
Half a clove of garlic finely sliced-I am not a fan of too much garlic!
A big handful of fresh basil, leave divided into small and large ones.

Cut up the tomatoes however you wish, put them into a colander and season with salt-using more than less. It helps draw the water out and intensifies their flavour. Leave the colander over a bowl for 20 minutes and let any excess water and salt drip out. Pour the liquid away, wash the bowl and put the tomatoes in it. Dress them with a big glug of olive oil, and some balsamic vinegar. Add the pepper, chilli oregano and large basil leaves torn up. Toss tgether, season to taste.
Drizzle with some extra olive oil and sprinkle over the baby basil leaves.

Risotto

2010-09-25T12:04:00.000+03:00

We have the most amazing crop of chard at the moment-swiss, rainbow, you name it is is growing strong in the garden.
One of my favourite recipes is for chard risotto, it features frequently in our household and is my ultimate comfort food:
A basic risotto recipe (serves 3):
1 litre veg stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large white onions
4-5 sticks of celery finely sliced
about 250-300 grams of risotto rice (I do it by sight so this is a guess!)
250ml of dry white wine

Heat the olive oil slowly in a pan, add the onion and celery cook gently for about 15-20 minutes, until soft. Add the rice and turn up the heat. Keep it moving until the rice is slightly translucent.
Quickly pour in the white wine, you will smell the alcohol, keep stirring all the time until it has evaporated .
Add the stock a ladle full at a time, stirring and waiting until it has been fully absorbed before adding the next ladle full. turn the heat down to low so the rice doesnt cook too quickly, and continue to add ladlefuls of stock until it has all been absorbed. Be careful not to over cook the rice. It should hold its shape but still be soft and creamy.

Chard (and feta cheese) risotto:
1 clove of garlic peeled and chopped
Nutmeg for grating
150 grms chard washed, dried and very finely sliced
sea salt and black pepper
1 handful of grated parmesan -optional
1 lemon/2 limes-zest and juice
200 grams feta cheese/or a good goats cheese-optional

Whilst you are making the basic risotto recipe you can start on the chard, heat a deap saucepan until medium hot, pour in some olive oil, the garlic and a good grating of nutmeg. Add the chopped chard. Cook for 5 minutes, moving it about the pan, until the chard has wilted down. It will be wonderfully dark and intensely flavoured. Whizz the chard in a food processor and season with salt and pepper to taste.

When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, stir in the chard, and beat in parmesan(if using). Add a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice, add salt and pepper if needed. Put the lid on the risotto and let it rest for a minute, before folding in some of the feta (if using). sprinkle lime/lemon zest on top, the rest of the feta, and drizzle the risotto with extra olive oil.

Tuck in! It is divine without the parmesan and feta, so worth a try!

The humble cauliflower

2010-09-24T12:23:00.000+03:00

I guess I always had mixed feelings about cauliflowers-I think it was that they only ever came served with cheese, under a blanket of creamy bechamel -whilst a match made in heaven for the cauliflower it was not for a vegan! It has taken me a while to see cauliflowers as a vegetable of peace and quiet beauty with it's snow white head.
They are generally not easy to grow, but we are lucky here that anything we seem to plant grows and flourishes-but what to do with them then? I have finally found a way to cook them that I enjoy-a fried cauliflower with salsa verde! Inspired by Nigel Slater.

a medium cauliflower
sunflower oil for deep frying
gram flour -3 tablespoons
paprika or chili power-half a teaspoon

Salsa Verde:
Parsley leaves-a generous handful
mint-lots!
basil leaves-a handful
garlic-2 cloves crushed
Dijon or a similar grainy mustard -a tablespoon
capers-1 tablespoon-rinsed
olive oil-6 table spoons
lime or lemon juice-2 tablespoons

Break the cauliflower into florets. Boil in deep salted water for a couple of minutes and then drain thoroughly.
To make the salsa verde, chop the herbs quite finely, the stir in the garlic, mustard and capers. Pour in the olive oil slowly beating with a fork. Stir in the lime or lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Be generous with the seasoning, tasting as you go. It should be bright and piquant.
Get the oil hot in a deep pan. Toss the cauliflower with the gram flour, a little salt and pepper and paprika. When the cauliflower is coated, fry it in the hot oil till crisp-three or four minutes. Drain on kitchen paper before serving with the sauce.

carrot and avocado salad

2010-09-20T16:50:00.000+03:00

I thought it might be time I had an avocado recipe on my blog! The preparation is for this salad is so easy, you can make a couple of servings at a time and let the second one sit in the fridge until lunch the next day when it will taste even better. It is inspired by one from www.chocolateandzucchini.com

You can make this salad however you want but the basic is still the same. I throw in fresh herbs -- especially coriander/cilantro -- I often use tofu-which I have marinated in soy sauce, fresh ginger and fresh garlic and then grilled until golden brown, you could also put in fresh sprouts-mustard seed, mung bean, lentil into the salad. But the basic structure, give or take, is outlined below.

- One ripe hass avocado, diced 

- The juice of a lemon or a lime 

- A dash of balsamic vinegar 

- Fine sea salt, freshly ground pepper 

- Tabasco sauce or similar or strong mustard, to taste 

- 4 medium carrots, about 450 grams total, peeled and grated 

- 250 grams firm marinated and cooked tofu or smoked tofu (unfortunately in Tanzania smoked Tofu is not available however it is a firm favourite of mine and work well with this), diced 

- Toasted seeds -- sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flax, or a mix thereof (I often toast them with a slash of tamari)

Serves 2.

Combine the avocado, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar in a medium salad bowl, and mash the avocado roughly with a fork. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Fold in the carrots and tofu, and stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for half an hour or up to a day. Toss again before serving, adjust the seasoning, and sprinkle with liberal amounts of toasted seeds.

Fennel

2010-09-20T16:29:00.000+03:00

I have a massive surplus of fennel in my veggie garden and keep having to find inventive ways of feeding it to people! I love the gentle aniseedy flavor of fennel, and very often just eat it raw, thinly sliced in a salad, drizzled with olive oil and salt. Recently I have been experimenting with braised fennel bulbs, a long slow process which is totally worth it as it brings out the sweet treacly flavor. Here is my favorite version:

Braised Fennel:

4pcs fennel bulbs

1 whole head of garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

5 table spoons of white wine

5 tablespoons good vegetable stock

Salt and black pepper

Trim the fennel bulbs, removing outer leave and stalks, keep some of the feathery tops to one side. Split the fennel bulbs in half. Separate the garlic cloves, but leave the skins on.

In a heavy based pan, heat the olive oil, add the fennel bulbs, cut side down. Put in all of the garlic cloves and season with salt. Cover and cook the fennel very gently until the undersides are golden. Turn and allow the other side to color. This takes about 30-40 minutes.

Squash the garlic flesh out of the skins and mix it in.

Add the white wine and stock, turn the fennel once more ( so it is cut side down again) cover and continue to cook very gently for about an hour.

When the fennel is tender and a rich golden color, season and serves with some of the chopped fennel leaves on top.

My favourite date shake:

2010-09-15T09:57:00.001+03:00

I discovered this when I was thirteen and had just turned vegan, ever since it has been a firm favourite of mine. JP and I now fight over it! I turn to it when I want something icy, sweet and utterly delicious. I never have it after a meal but instead of a meal!

Almond milk:

1 cup almonds blanched (place them in boiling water and remove their skins)

2 1/2 cups of water.

Put all in a food processor or blender and blend for about 3-4 minutes

Place a fine strainer over a bowl-pour in the almond milk and allow to filter through slowly, then using a spoon gently squeeze out all the remaining milk into the bowl.

I keep the fibre as use it as a body scrub in the shower!

Date shake:

1 ½ cups almond milk

2 frozen bananas (use all the over ripe ones, peel cut into chunks and freeze in a small bag)

6 large dates, pitted

Place all ingredients into a blender and whizz until thick and creamy

Quinoa recipe with cavolo nero

2010-09-09T19:59:00.000+03:00

Quinoa Recipe:

This is one that pasted the JP test, he even said it was yummy! I was lucky enough get sent a care package this week from a friend in California with Red Quinoa. It was such a treat! This recipe takes it’s inspiration from Heather Quinoa Recipe on www.101cookbooks.com

a splash of extra-virgin olive oil 

a pinch of fine grain sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper 

1 onion, and fresh ginger

3 cups cooked quinoa* (or brown rice, or other grain) 

1 cup corn, fresh or canned 

1 1/2 cups kale, spinach or other hearty green,-I used cavolo nero from the garden (another good seed find in a garden shop in Sicily). Finely slice and cook it with an onion and olive oil until it wilts.

3 tbsps pesto -I use a vegan pesto-bus fresh basil oil would work just as well

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted 

1/4 cup slow roasted cherry tomatoes** (or chopped sun-dried tomatoes)

In a big wok or pot heat the olive oil and salt over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and ginger and cook for a minute or two. Stir in the quinoa and corn and cook until hot and sizzling. Stir in the cooked kale or cavolo nero. Remove the wok from heat and stir in the pesto and pumpkin seeds. Mix well so the pesto is spread throughout. Turn everything out onto a platter and top with the cherry tomatoes.

Serves 4 - 6.

*Rinse about 2 cups quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa and 4 cups water until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

** To roast cherry tomatoes: Heat oven to a low temperature. Cut each tomato in half, cut side up and arrange in a large baking tray. Mix 2 spoonfuls of brown sugar, and a few pinches of salt, and black pepper - sprinkle this over the tomatoes. Place in the oven and slow roast for 1 hour or so, until the tomatoes are shrunken and sweet.

The wonder that is Kohlrabi

2010-09-07T15:23:00.001+03:00

After a trip to Sicily in May I came back loaded with seeds for my veggie garden. I got so excited about finding kohlrabi seeds I planted acres of it, and we have been reaping the rewards since, my poor friends get loaded down with “green bulbs” and I frequently get messages asking what on earth they are meant to do with them. So I am writing one of my favorite new salads-wonderful and fresh, it is inspired by one from Yotam Ottolenghi’s http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/ new vegetarian cook book ‘Plenty’:

Kohlrabi Salad:

2 large kohlrabi

Large bunch of fresh dill –roughly chopped

Grated zest of half a lemon

Juice of one lemon

A good slug of olive oil-I am currently using one from Sicily that we got at the agri tourismo place we stayed in http://www.mandranova.it/

Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and cut the kohlrabi into matchsticks-about 5mm wide and 5cm long. Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to massage everything in together. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving, adjust the seasoning-you may need more salt to counteract the lemon.

Use your hands and lift the salad into a serving bowl garnish with alfalfa spouts and serve at once.

A start

2010-09-06T18:36:00.000+03:00

The hardest part to knowing where to start, though I want this to be about my garden, my cooking, my daily inspirations walking around the farm on West Kilimanjaro. I will start somewhere else, a place that I have dreamed of visiting since I was a little girl-Greystokes in Mahale (http://www.greystoke-mahale.com) on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. I am lucky enough that my job-running community projects for the Nomad Trust took me there for four magical days last week. It took my breath away, the lake, crystal clear, the chimpanzees, the local people, dinners under the stars to the sound of frogs.

It all started after being picked up from the airstrip and taken by dhow to the camp-it was love at first taste! On the boat they produced home made sweet potato chips with guacamole. So I write the recipe below for my friend, and professional photographer Sabine, (see her website www.sabinebernert.fr) whose photos I have included and a love for these sweet potato chips we share!

Sweet Potato chips:

Vegetable oil, for frying

2 large sweet potatoes, washed-we don’t get the orange fleshed sweet potatoes.

In a large saucepan, heat oil.

Thinly slice potatoes into round disks, about 1/4-inch thick. Fry for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and serve with guacamole. (I won’t bore every one with a recipe for guacamole-as every one has their own-I do like mine with a touch a cinnamon in though!)

Below Milton and I.