This dish is a lovely addition to the spring table. The carrots are perfectly tender without being overcooked, and what I enjoy most is the delightful balance of bright, tart, acidic, citrusy, and sour notes that complement the natural sweetness of the carrots. The tahini-yogurt sauce adds a refreshing lemon zing, along with a perfect amount of spice when a few spoonfuls of the coriander sauce is mixed in. Be sure to scoop up some sauce with every bite!
tips
If possible, find small carrots with their greens attached, as they will be sweet and tasty.
Make sure the carrots are all a similar size. If you have a few skinny carrots and a few large, thicker carrots, cut the bigger carrots in half or even into quarters so everything roasts evenly. Thinner carrots will cook more quickly.
Use a traditional, good-quality running tahini.
The addition of fresh pomegranate arils would provide an ideal combination of texture, colour and flavor.
vegan or dairy-free variation
Try using hummus topped with a sprinkle of za’atar. The chickpea base in the hummus adds a good source of protein to the dish.
Do I need to peel my carrots?
You do not need to peel carrots before roasting them. The skin contributes to a beautiful roasted char and is enjoyable to eat. Just scrub the carrots with a vegetable brush under running water.
Don’t Toss Those Carrot Tops!
Carrot greens (the tops of carrots) are edible and can add great flavor to various dishes. They work well in salads, pesto, and soup stocks. Use the leaves for salads, while the tougher stalks are better suited for stock or pesto.
Additionally, carrot greens make a lovely garnish for roasted carrot dishes.
To keep cut carrot tops fresh for salads or garnishes, place the cut ends in a container of water.
sweet roasted carrots with tahini-yoghurt & spiced coriander sauce
The recipe inspired and adapted from here
serves 3 – 4 as a side dish
preparation & baking time 50 minutes
ingredients
550g carrots, sliced lengthways
½ tsp freshly ground cumin
2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Salt
Pepper
Chilli flakes (optional)
for the tahini-yoghurt
150g natural greek yoghurt
¼ cup/60g tahini (runny variety)
Juice and zest of 2 limes (can use lemon)
¼ tsp fine rock salt
¼ tsp freshly toasted ground cumin
spiced coriander sauce
1 bunch/50g coriander
½ cup/15g fresh mint
Juice of one lime and zest
¼ tsp fine rock salt
4 Tbsp/40g olive oil
1 jalapenos (seeds removed depending on spice)
garnish
2 Tbsp toasted black and white sesame seeds
preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200C fan.
- Lay the carrots over the lined baking trays. Season well with olive oil, salt, cumin, chilli flakes and a drizzle of maple syrup and spread them out evenly over the tray – do not overcrowd.
- Roast for about 40 minutes (more or less) until the carrots are caramelised and sticky.
prepare the tahini-yoghurt
- Add the greek yogurt, tahini, juice of one lime and zest, and salt. Mix well and taste to adjust – it should be super limey.
spiced coriander sauce
- Blend the coriander, mint, lime juice, zest, salt, olive oil, and jalapenos in a small food processor until smooth.
to plate
- Smear the yoghurt onto a platter, drizzle 2-4 tablespoons of the green sauce over the tahini and run a spoon through it, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, add roasted carrots and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve the remaining coriander sauce on the side.
Enjoy!
What do you serve with roasted carrots?
This dish makes an excellent side option.
I recommend serving it alongside brown rice or saffron celery rice with a leafy green salad with toasted pine nuts and nigella seeds and a serving of fried marinated tempeh cubes.
to prepare the tempeh
Chop the tempeh into 1 cm small cubes, heat a generous amount of peanut oil in a pan, and fry until golden brown. At the end of cooking, pour some of this marinade over the tempeh, setting aside the remaining marinade for the meal. Finally, sprinkle sesame seeds on top for added texture.
Goodness shared from Stacey
- Categories: main dishes, grains, vegetables & sides, roasted vegetables, spring, summer, winter
Last year, when we visited Boulder, Colorado, for a dear friend’s wedding, they served sandwiches for us vegetarians—specifically, those of us who don’t eat onion or garlic. The sandwiches were from a local shop where my goddaughter had worked. One combination that stood out was a chickpea salad filling. It was delicious and reminded me of a recipe from an old Moosewood cookbook that I used to make when the children were small. I no longer have the book, but I remember that the most important ingredient was finely chopped raw celery, and I built the recipe from there. When I make our weekly bread, these sandwiches become a quick and easy meal for my husband to take to work.
tips
- Ensure that all ingredients are chopped finely into small pieces.
- When mixing, use a flexible spatula to break up chickpeas and blend the ingredients.
- Cook your own chickpeas for a healthier, tastier, moister result.
Scroll to the bottom for some sandwich-wrapping tips!
how to make your chickpea sandwich filler
prepare dried chickpeas
Soak the chickpeas overnight in ¼ teaspoon of bicarbonate soda. After soaking, bring them to a boil for 5 minutes, then simmer for 1 to 2 hours until cooked. About ¾ cup of dried chickpeas will yield approximately 2 cups of cooked chickpeas.
mash the chickpeas
Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher or a fork. Alternatively, you can use a food processor, but be careful not to over-process; you want to maintain some texture. Add in all your liquid ingredients.
prepare the celery
Start by thinly slicing the celery, as this will be added raw, along with the chilli, pickled cucumber and fresh herbs.
combine everything
Now it’s time to mix! Stir everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust the ingredients: you can add more tahini for creaminess or increase the pickled cucumber or lemon juice for a tangier flavour.
Enjoy!
chickpea celery sandwich filler
Serves 6 – 8 sandwiches
ingredients
2 cups/300g cooked chickpeas (follow instructions above)
zest of full lemon
1 Tbsp/15g lemon juice
¼ cup/55g tahini
2 Tbsp/20g olive oil
4 celery stalks (160g), finely chopped
1 jalapeno chilli, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
¼ cup/12g finely chopped dill
¼ cup/12g finely chopped parsley
4 small (65g) pickled cucumbers, finely chopped
½ tsp fine rock salt and cracked pepper to taste
few slices of sourdough bread
preparation
- Add the chickpeas to a mixing bowl and roughly mash them using a potato masher. A fork works well, but I like using a potato masher as it’s more efficient.
- Once mashed, add in the zest, lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil. Mix with a spatula until combined.
- Add the celery, chilli, dill, parsley, pickled cucumber, and season with black pepper and salt. Mix until combined. If needed, add more tahini or olive oil, 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach the creaminess you prefer. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Not only does this salad taste best cold, but it also allows for the flavours to meld together and create a richer flavour.
- Spread vegan mayo on both sides of the bread, add a spoonful of chickpea salad, layer with thick slices of tomato and crunchy lettuce, and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
other serving suggestions
- As a dip for crackers or vegetables
- Spooned into lettuce cups
- Added to grain bowls or salads for extra protein
how to wrap your sandwich without tape
Use baking paper (parchment paper). Wrapping your sandwich in baking or parchment paper is a good option because the material is porous, allowing your bread to breathe while still keeping excess moisture away.
instructions (video below)
- Start with a 10” x 15” piece of baking paper or parchment paper (or wax paper, butcher paper).
- Place your sandwich in the center. Bring the two short ends together above the sandwich and fold down in 1-inch increments, creasing each fold until level with the sandwich.
- Tug on the folds to snug the paper around the sandwich and press down on the ends.
- Fold one loose end under the sandwich and tuck it into the bottom piece of parchment, tugging on the bottom end as needed.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Tuck the remaining loose end into the fold on the first side and repeat on the second side. You now have an upscale sandwich wrap!
- When preparing sandwiches for a hike, you can cut them in half after wrapping them in paper. Then, place the wrapped sandwiches in a tin to keep air out and make them easy to carry on the go.
The first time I made these scones, I needed something quick to serve with a garden soup. They turned out perfect, and since then, I’ve made them numerous times, pairing them with sweet jam and thick cream or enjoying them alongside soups like the one below. They have a beautifully sugary, crackly crust on the outside and are tender on the inside, with distinct layers that are fun to peel apart while eating.
Our teacher recently emphasized the importance of engaging all five senses to enjoy delicious food fully, and these scones certainly meet that criteria.
If you click the link where the recipe was adapted, you’ll find a helpful video.
if you don’t have buttermilk on hand, use one of the quick methods below:
- ¼ cup/60g yogurt with ½ cup water + 1 tsp vinegar or lemon/110g or
- 2½ tsp vinegar or lemon juice + ¾ cup milk of choice (regular, any nut milk)
flakey buttermilk scones
inspiration here
makes 9 or 12 scones
preparation 20 minutes
baking time 25 minutes
ingredients
2 cups/235g all-purpose flour
¼ cup/50g granulated sugar
1 Tbsp/10g baking powder
¾ tsp fine rock salt
7 Tbsp/100g unsalted butter (place in the freezer for 10 minutes)
¾ cup + 2 Tbsp/190g buttermilk
melted butter and flakey salt (both optional) for finishing
preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F using a fan and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Coarsely grate the cold butter onto a plate, then freeze until cold and hard, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile…
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Using a spoon, toss together until all of the butter is coated with flour.
- Add half the buttermilk and toss with a spoon. When incorporated, add the rest of the buttermilk and gently toss again, without mashing together or overmixing, until the dry ingredients are lightly hydrated throughout. The mixture will be crumbly.
- Flour a clean surface and dump the mixture directly onto it. Using your hands, gently press the crumbs together, and then use a floured rolling pin to roll the mass gently but firmly into a 1-inch-thick rectangle.
fold the dough in half
- Using a bench scraper, lift the top half off the surface and fold it over the bottom half. This step may be crumbly and messy at first, but go for it and fold what you can down from the top. Repeat this roll-and-fold motion five times, flouring the surface and dough as needed and using the bench scraper to straighten the edges as needed. The dough will come together as you roll it. Rotate the mixture after each fold to create a square.
build the final layer
- Fold the dough in half one last time, then roll to about 1½ inches thick to create a 6-inch square, using the bench scraper to straighten the edges.
- Using the bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut straight down into the square to create a 4-by-4 grid of 12 squares or a 3-by-3 grid of 9 squares. Then, place them on your sheet pan, upside down if you’d like taller biscuits.
- Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until risen, golden brown on top, and slightly pale on the sides. Don’t worry if a couple of the biscuits tip over or if the melted butter pools underneath. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with flakey salt.
CELERY SOUP with thyme and parsley
recipe inspired by Nigel Slater
A comforting soup that can be kept slightly rustic or blended into a smooth purée according to your preference. I enjoy leaving a few unblended celery and potato pieces in the mix. Serves 4 and is ready in 40 minutes.
ingredients
potatoes 2, large
celery 1 medium head (about 400g)
ghee or butter 60g
fresh bay leaves 2
thyme leaves 1 big sprig
parsley 10 bushy sprigs
vegetable stock or water 1.5 litres
preparation
- Scrub and roughly chop the potatoes.
- Remove six tufts of bushy celery leaves and set them aside for later. Trim the root end and any dry tips from the celery stalks, then discard them. Roughly chop the ribs and attached leaves of the celery.
- In a deep saucepan, melt the ghee or butter over moderate heat. Stir in the potatoes and chopped celery, then partially cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the vegetables soften and lightly toast without browning.
- Stir in the sprig of thyme and a generous grinding of black pepper. Roughly chop the parsley and add it to the saucepan. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, until everything is soft.
- Pour in the water or vegetable stock and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, keep the pan uncovered, and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt, remove the thyme sprig and bay leaves, then use a hand blender to blend the soup a few times for a rustic texture.
- When ready to serve, drizzle with ghee, and enjoy with flakey scones.
- Categories: bread, cupcakes, muffins & scones, soups, winter
These delightful sesame balls are light, not overly sweet, refreshing, and nourishing after a meal. The combination of orange zest and cardamom is heavenly. They are also a perfect way to use the almond pulp from making almond milk.
tips
- Grind your cardamom, as the taste is so much more fragrant.
- You can use any type of sesame seeds, but it is preferable to choose tan seeds instead of white ones. The white sesame seeds found in supermarkets are often hulled, and may even be bleached. I don’t recommend them because the hull helps preserve the oil inside, preventing it from becoming rancid.
- When you’re ready to serve, slice the orange you just zested into quarters. It is so refreshing when served with these sesame balls.
- I like keeping these in the freezer for a cold, refreshing bite!
maple orange sesame bites
makes 12 balls
preparation 20 minutes
Recipe inspiration found here
ingredients
¾ cup/100g sesame seeds (divided – ¼ cup of this will be used for coating the outside)
⅔ cup/60g almond meal (or almond pulp from your almond milk)
¾ tsp freshly ground cardamom seed
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp orange zest (one orange)
¼ cup/75g maple syrup or honey
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
pinch fine rock salt
preparation
- Toast the sesame seeds lightly on low heat until golden brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Set aside to cool. Once cool, remove ¼ cup for coating the balls.
- Grind all the ingredients into a rough dough in your food processor, scraping down the sides halfway through. It will be a little clumpy but should hold its shape.
- Roll into balls, approximately 20g each; you should have 12 balls. Coat the balls with more sesame seeds—place in the fridge or freezer to set for 1 hour.
Enjoy!
- Categories: energy balls/bites, spring, sweets, winter
When I make my weekly batch of ghee, I use some of it to bake cookies. These cookies are ideal for cooler autumn days because the combination of browned butter (ghee) and cornmeal gives them a delicious, deep, and rich flavour, reminiscent of the best cornbread but in cookie form. Just so you know, these cookies are not crunchy.
I enjoy cookies, but I don’t bake them often because if I do, I’ll eat them, and I don’t need to eat cookies all the time! That’s why these small-batch cookies by Edd Kimber are perfect. They yield 6 – 7 cookies at a time, which suits the two of us perfectly for a sweet treat after a meal.
tips
- For a perfectly round cookie, use an ice cream scoop that is perfect for portioning out equal balls of cookies.
- When the cookie comes out of the oven, it is soft and still pliable. If you scoot a cookie cutter or a deep lid slightly larger than the cookie, it will neatly round the edges, turning into a perfectly round cookie!
brown butter cornmeal cookies
makes 7 cookies
preparation 30 minutes
ingredients
⅓ cup/75g ghee or unsalted butter
¼ cup/50g granulated sugar
1 heaped Tbsp/25g maple syrup
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp/7g ground flax seeds + 3 Tbsp/30g hot water
½ cup + 1½ Tbsp/75g all-purpose flour
⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp/60g fine cornmeal (polenta)
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp fine rock salt
preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C Fan) and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- If you haven’t just made a batch of ghee, then we need to brown the butter. Add the butter to a small saucepan and place over medium heat. The butter will splutter and splatter as the water content cooks out, but once settled, it will start to foam. Watch carefully for the milk solids to turn the butter a nutty brown.
- Pour the butter into a bowl with the sugar, maple syrup, flax egg and vanilla, mixing briefly to combine. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients to the brown butter mixture and mix to form a uniform cookie dough.
- Using a 3 Tablespoon cookie scoop, form the dough into seven equal balls on the prepared baking sheet. If you don’t have an ice cream scoop, scoop with a spoon, then roll with your hands.
- Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through baking until set and edges are lightly brown. Remove and set aside for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Categories: autumn, cookies, bars & biscuits, sweets
This cheesecake is exceptional!
It is based on this Lime cheesecake recipe but uses passionfruit as the base instead of lime. Cause, let’s face it, who doesn’t like passionfruit? And there are so many still in the markets.
The original recipe is from Addicted to Dates and can be found here, where you can find step-by-step photos, tips and more inspiration.
I like to serve it with extra passionfruit pulp squeezed on top for a yummy, light, tropical summer treat!
Scroll down to find a gluten-free coconut crust that is perfect for Passover!
tips
- First step, soak your cashews before making the passionfruit curd.
- You can prepare the passionfruit curd the day before and refrigerate it until ready to use. When making this the day before, gently warm it in a heat-proof bowl for a looser consistency. Do not apply direct heat to the curd, as you risk burning it.
- When buying passion fruit, the ripe fruit should be firm and heavy, with wrinkled skin and a little “give.” If the skin is not deeply wrinkled but only shrivelled and unappealing, keep the fruit at room temperature until it is.
- Use vegan block-style butter, which is not spreadable. I use the VioLife brand for both the butter and cream cheese. It is important to use extra-creamy Violife vegan cream cheese or replace it with regular cream cheese.
- If you have setting problems with the vegan cream cheese, place it in the freezer to set for a frozen treat.
passion fruit curd
This recipe makes the perfect amount needed for the cheesecake. It is an easy 5-ingredient passion fruit curd, used in the cream cheese filling and topping the cake.
preparation 30 minutes
serves approx. 2 cups
ingredients
1 cup/240g passion fruit pulp (approx. 14 small passion fruit)
½ cup/100g granulated sugar
½ cup/110g non-dairy milk
4 Tbsp/40g cornstarch
½ cup/60g vegan butter, block style, cold, and cut into cubes
preparation
- Slice the tops off the fruits and squeeze the pulp and seeds into a food processor. Blitz for 30 seconds; the juices will separate from the seeds. Pour through a fine mesh sieve to separate the seeds from the pulp. Optional: Reserve 1 Tbsp of the seeds to add back into the curd after adding 120g to the cream cheese filling.
- Place the pulp and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring up to a simmer, whisking often.
- Whisk the cornstarch and non-dairy milk in a bowl to form a paste.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the passionfruit mixture. Cook on medium heat and continue whisking for 3 – 5 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat once thick enough to not run off the back of a spatula. Whisk in the butter. Allow to cool slightly, and cover the surface with plastic wrap; this prevents it from forming a skin on top.
You are ready to prepare the cheesecake.
passion fruit cheesecake
makes one 9-inch loaf pan
serves 8 portions
equipment – high-speed blender
preparation time 30 mins
chilling time 3-5 hours
make-ahead
1 batch passion fruit curd—divided (recipe above)
biscuit crust
150g digestive biscuits
1 tsp ground ginger powder
½ tsp fine rock salt
50g unsalted vegan butter (block style)
cream cheese filling
150g/ approx. 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 mins
200g vegan cream cheese (Violife extra-creamy) or regular cream cheese
80g vegan Greek-style yoghurt
3 Tbsp/30g coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lime zest (optional)
¼ cup/70g agave or maple syrup
pre-preparation
- Quick-soak the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes. Line the base and sides of a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Leave some overhang to help lift the set cheesecake out of the tin.
prepare the biscuit crust
- Place the biscuits, salt, and ginger powder in a food processor and blitz for 1 minute. (If you don’t have a food processor, place the biscuits in a plastic bag and bash them into crumbs). Add the butter and blend until the mixture sticks between your fingers. Press the crust into the base of the pan and smooth it down with your fingers or spoon – make sure it is compact. Place in the fridge while you make the filling.
prepare the cream cheese filling
- Add 130g/½ cup of the passion fruit curd to a high-speed blender with the other filling ingredients. Blitz until smooth and creamy and without lumps. Pour the filling into the pan and refrigerate for 3-5 hours or overnight until set.
passion fruit topping
- Add the remaining passion fruit curd to a saucepan and gently heat while stirring so that it becomes a spreadable consistency. Top the cheesecake with the curd, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 1 hour until set.
serving and storage
Decorate with edible flowers and serve with extra passion fruit pulp. Once set, run your knife under boiling water and wipe after every cut with a paper towel. This will give you sharp, professional-looking slices.
Gluten-free coconut crust
This crust is a great recipe for Passover or for use in any refrigerated cream or fruit pie!
preparation 15 minutes
ingredients
2 cups/160g unsweetened dried coconut
4 Tbsp/60g vegan block butter
preparation
- Preheat oven to 180C (350F)
- In a food processor, combine the dried coconut and melted butter. Pulse the mixture until the coconut is finely chopped and it resembles a dough that can be easily pressed together. You should still see small flakes of coconut, but they should be much smaller than before.
- Pour the coconut mixture into your lined pan and press it evenly on the bottom.
- Bake for 13 minutes. You want the crust to be golden but not dark or totally at all, or it will be too crisp when you cut it.
- Remove from oven and let it cool before adding the filling.
notes
- For the best results, I recommend using unsweetened coconut for the crust. Sweetened coconut may burn quickly in the oven. I’m sure it’s possible to make it with sweetened, but you’ll want not to take your eyes off the crust while you bake it.
- The crust should hold together well and not break when you cut into it, as long as you haven’t overbaked it.
- This coconut crust is also great for other refrigerated cream pies, and it would be delicious with this lime cheesecake.
Sintra has had a tough year for tomatoes. The slug population was particularly high due to a warm winter that didn’t limit their numbers, and the cool, cloudy summer didn’t help either. Finally, almost two months later, we’re starting to see more and more beautiful, ripe, red tomatoes.
I prepare this dish every couple of weeks in the summer and serve it with freshly baked bread. If time allows, I brush thick slices of bread with oil and grill them until golden. I serve the dish with a rocket salad and guacamole. It’s so satisfying!
ratatouille (sweet and sour aubergine stew)
serves 2 – 3
ingredients
1 medium/270g eggplant
3 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp olive oil – divided
2 sticks/120g celery, finely chopped
2 fresh bay leaf
½ medium/100g red capsicum, coarsely chopped
3 medium/205g ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 large/40g green olives, stoned and chopped
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
to serve
feta/ricotta cheese/ a bowl of guacamole
chopped toasted almonds
flat-leaf parsley
few slices of sourdough bread
preparation
- Slice the aubergine into 1 cm slices, salt them, and let them sit for 20 minutes. Wipe off the remaining salt and cut into 1 cm cubes.
- Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a medium pan, add eggplant and fry until soft and golden. Make sure you cook them well because undercooked eggplant is unpleasant. Alternatively, toss the eggplant in 2 Tbsp oil and spread out onto a roasting tray in a preheated 200C/400F oven for 20 minutes until brown and tender. Set aside.
- On medium-high heat, add 2 Tbsp oil to the same skillet used for cooking the aubergine. Add the celery and bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the capsicum, cook for 2 more minutes, add the tomatoes, lower the heat, and cook for 15 minutes until pulpy. (If the tomatoes are dry, cover with a lid.) Add the eggplant, olives, vinegar, and sugar to the sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning (adding more sweet, sour or salt to balance the flavours). Set aside to develop. Stir in the parsley, leaving a little for garnish when serving.
prepare the toast
- Heat a grill pan or frying pan. Brush bread slices with olive oil, and add them when the pan is hot. Keep an eye on the bread so it does not burn. Turn over when one side is golden.
serve
Place the toasted bread on the dish and top with ratatouille, ricotta or guacamole, almonds, and parsley.
- Categories: main dishes, grains, vegetables & sides, stews, summer
I started revisiting these chia and oat bowls when I was last in Australia visiting family. My sisters, Donna and Shelley, would make a warm, aromatic bowl of cooked oats and chia in the morning. I would have it after a class, adding passionfruit yoghurt and extra fruits, then top it with toasted seeds. Now, when I have an early morning flight, I make a cold version in a reused yoghurt container to have on the plane. It makes great travel food or a light dinner.
note
If you let the chia oatmeal sit in the fridge overnight, it will be fairly thick. Stir the contents together and add additional milk or yoghurt until the consistency is to your liking.
fresh fruit.
Cut the fruit into small, uniform pieces. It makes all the difference.
something crunchy.
The chopped nuts, with maple syrup, add that satisfying crunch and sweetness.
something sweet.
There is no need to add sweetener to the chia and oats, as the vanilla and cinnamon create that sweet flavour, and the sweetness comes from the toasted seeds.
chia oatmeal bowl with fruit and toasted seeds
serves 2
preparation 30 minutes
ingredients
⅔ cup rolled oats
¼ cup chia seeds
1½ cup nut milk of choice, more if needed
3 Tbsp goji berries
1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean
½ tsp cinnamon powder
yoghurt, optional
fruit salad
(Change the fruits to what is available seasonally)
1 ripe mango
1 apple
1 banana
a handful of pomegranate
pulp of 2 – 3 passionfruit
handful fresh blueberries
nuts and seeds
¼ cup/30g roughly chopped Macadamia nuts
¼ cup/20g flaked almonds
3 Tbsp/30g sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp/20g sesame seeds
2 Tbsp maple syrup
prepare the chia pudding
- In a bowl, stir the oats, chia seeds, milk, goji berries, vanilla and cinnamon together. Mix well to combine. Cover and set aside for 20 to 30 minutes, or place in the fridge overnight. Add yoghurt or more nut milk, depending on your desired consistency.
chop your fruit
- Finely chop the fruit of choice and add to another bowl. Set aside.
toast your nuts and seeds
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, add the macadamia nuts, almonds and sunflower seeds and toast until golden; add in the sesame seeds and toast until the seeds start to pop. Turn off the heat and stir in the maple syrup. Set aside to cool.
assemble
- Spoon the oat-chia mixture evenly in the bottom of each bowl. Add your fruit and yoghurt, and sprinkle over the toasted nuts and seeds. Optional: Drizzle with a spoon of this golden passionfruit elixir.
Find a little bit of sunshine and enjoy.
Goodness shared from Stacey
- Categories: puddings, oat & chia bowls, spring, summer, sweets
I grew up in a small town in North Queensland called Home Hill. Home Hill is a sugar cane growing area; the surrounding sugar cane fields were our playground. In the burning season, when the farmers would light up the fires at dusk, the flames would reach meters high – there was something very entrancing and beautiful about it! Your first sight of a sugar cane fire is hard to forget; it’s a sight, and the smell is intrinsically North Queensland. As the cane burns, ash gets blown throughout the towns of the Burdekin. It is known as ‘black snow’, and as children, we would run around trying to catch the long black strands before they fell to the ground, keeping them intact to see who could catch the longest strand. My dad grew up cutting cane as a young man, it was very demanding work, but the pay was good, ultimately enabling him to marry and purchase his shop.
To cross over from Home Hill to the bigger town of Ayr, we had to cross the Burdekin Bridge, a long bridge running over the Burdekin River. The Burdekin Bridge, also known as the Silver Link – is one of the longest multi-span bridges in Australia. As a child, I remember how the river would overflow in the rainy season, flooding the shops and the main street of Home Hill. The river would flow fast and wild, swirling below when you drove over it. At a later stage, a dam was built. I spent my childhood swimming in that river with my school friends despite having more than one crocodile sighting!
Ayr, in all honesty, wasn’t much more extensive than Home Hill, but its main street was more prominent and had much more exciting shops. When my mother had to run errands that could not be fulfilled in Home Hill, we would drive over that bridge into Ayr. For a young child, this was always an adventure! Despite the boring shopping part, I would happily tag along to stay behind in the car with a freshly baked savoury pastie from the local bakery.
This brings me to this recipe!
Each time I make these samosas, my whole being is whisked away to that moment of biting into one of those warm, flaky, buttery-filled, savoury pasties.
I often crave savoury pastries, which are impossible to find without meat, onion, or garlic. These samosas always satisfy that craving and are perfect for entertaining food, receiving lots of ohs and ahs when I bring them out. They are very quick and easy to make. Once baked, the crackling layers of pastry contrast with the tender potato filling, and the spicy mango chutney is a match made in heaven.
potato samosa
preparation 1 hour
baking 30-40 minutes
makes 24 pieces
ingredients
1 packet/250g rectangular-store-bought puff pastry
filling
360g/ 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half
3 Tbsp/30g melted ghee
½ heaped tsp cumin seeds
¼ heaped tsp curry powder
3 Tbsp frozen green peas
¼ heaped tsp fine rock salt
vegan eggwash
1 Tbsp non-dairy milk
2 tsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
to serve
mango chutney (recipe below)
prepare the filling
- Place water and potatoes in a saucepan; boil and simmer until soft—approximately 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the ghee in a skillet. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Add the curry powder and peas and fry for one minute. Then add the potatoes, season with salt, mix well, turn off the heat, and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes.
prepare vegan eggwash
- Mix the non-dairy milk and maple syrup in a small bowl. Set aside.
assemble the samosas
- Roll out the puff pastry and divide it into two parts by slicing it down the centre – parallel to the longer side. Lift and separate each piece.
- Divide the potato filling and arrange it in a sausage-like shape on the bottom of each of the pieces of pastry, leaving a 2 cm space at the near edge. Brush the near pastry edge with vegan eggwash, then roll the pastry over to encase the filling tightly, pressing with your finger and rolling the edge up again to seal with the tines of a fork.
- Place the rolls on a prepared baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze for 10 minutes to firm up, then move them back to the work surface. Brush the rolls with vegan egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and cut each roll into twelve portions, slashing decoratively (optional). Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet with a bit of room in between. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F oven and bake for 30 minutes, until deeply golden. Eat straight away with the mango chutney.
mango chutney
I make this quick and easy chutney when I see green mangoes in the stores. It can also be made with barely ripe mangoes also. The greener the fruit, the sourer the taste will be. Balance the amount of sugar accordingly.
preparation 15 minutes
makes about 1 cup
ingredients
1 medium-large/350g green mangoes (half-ripe, green outside and light yellow inside)
1 Tbsp peanut or coconut oil
¼ tsp mustard seeds
⅛ tsp asafoetida powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 heaped tsp rasam powder (moderately spiced)
½ tsp fine rock salt
2 heaped tsp jaggery/brown sugar (depending on the sweetness of your mangos)
preparation
- Peel the mango and cut into tiny cubes. Set aside.
- In a heavy-based saucepan, add oil and mustard seeds; when they turn grey and pop, add the asafoetida – fry for 20 seconds, then add the turmeric and mango, and saute until the mango becomes soft, adding water when it starts to stick – cover and simmer for about 8-10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add salt, jaggery, and rasam powder. Taste and add more jaggery or salt if necessary. Puree half the mixture with a hand-immersion blender, if necessary.
Goodness shared from Stacey
- Categories: autumn, savoury pastries, tarts & pies, winter
A sourdough journey…
I am just starting on this path of bread making, so my knowledge is basic. With each loaf of bread, I am still learning and experimenting. The joy and accomplishment felt when you pull a freshly baked loaf of bread out of the oven to feed your loved ones is immense.
This recipe assumes that you have a sourdough starter already sitting in your fridge, waiting to be fed and bloomed. If you don’t, many wonderful books and blogs will guide you through this process. You can also ask around; you probably know someone who has one, or if you live in Portugal, I am delighted to offer you some of my own.
This is my favourite bread recipe; the porridge mixture gives the bread an exceptional custardy crumb! The recipe evolved from the porridge bread served at the ‘Spring’ restaurant in London, which I baked and baked until I successfully achieved a loaf similar to theirs.
Here are a few tools and tips before starting your loaf of bread:
tools
- Necessary: A big mixing bowl, tea towels, an electronic scale, a Dutch oven (size 22), a sharp knife or razor blade, and sturdy oven mitts.
- Ideal but not necessary: I use a round 20cm x 8cm proofing basket. (You can use a colander lined with a tea towel inside, but a proofing basket has a special shape and material that allows more air in.) I also use a dough scraper (handy when shaping the dough.)
ingredients
- Bread flour or baker’s flour: You can bake with pizza flour, wholemeal flour, spelt flour, or rye flour—any flour with at least 10g of protein per 100g; you can check by looking at the bag.
- sourdough leaven (starter): Sometimes called sourdough, the starter is a form of natural yeast that you have to keep alive in liquid form (as opposed to dry yeast, which you can keep in powdered form). It makes your bread rise and gives it its nice sourdough flavour. The starter is the most important part of the bread. See below for instructions on how to maintain it. Test the starter by adding a spoon to a cup of warm, tepid water—if it floats, it is ready to go.
- Rice flour: It is an excellent non-stick flour for shaping and dusting the basket. It doesn’t become sticky like regular flour, making it easy to work with. It also doesn’t turn black in the oven.
- Different types of flours to bake with: You can start with just your regular bread flour, but it’s gratifying to try baking with different flours, e.g., wholemeal, rye, and spelt, and see how the bread changes which ones you like the flavour of. I love spelt because it tastes better and is a flavourful grain! It’s a good idea to start using a majority (at least 60%) of baker’s flour and then add other types.
- Salt: I use rock salt in all my baking, based on Ayurvedic principles. It’s important not to add salt until after an auto-lapsed/hydrated period (this is the first step when you add the water, leaven and flour.)
feeding your starter
I keep my starter in the fridge. If I forget to save some aside, I do this as a security measure. The day before I bake, I take what I need from the starter, feed it and place the remaining back in the fridge. I don’t bake bread daily, so I don’t want to feed it constantly, and there is much less waste. Because my starter has been in the fridge, I try to give it two feeds before I use it. I usually take it out the night before, discard some and feed it again for bread-making below.
Above, left is the starter just fed. Next is after 2 hours, then 4 hours, and lastly, 6 hours, bubbly and ready to use. I have also used it after 4 hours. The bread isn’t as good as a starter after 6, but it still makes a great loaf.
Drop a spoonful into a bowl of room-temperature water to test the starter’s readiness. If it sinks, it is not ready and needs more ripening time. When it floats on the surface or close to it, it’s ready to make the dough.
If you see that the starter has risen and has started to go back down, it has fermented too long and reached its peak, then started to deflate. I don’t suggest using it; instead, discard leaving 10-20g, then feed it 50g flour and 50g water. I live in a relatively cool climate, even in Summer, so these times could be different in your place.
This is my routine, which works well. I make a loaf once a week (these times could change in the summer season).
- I take my starter (sourdough leaven) from the fridge in the evening, just before bed, around 9:00 p.m., the day before I intend to bake. Measure out 40g (Important—feed the leftover starter, replace it in the fridge); feed the measured starter 1:3:3 (40g+120g flour+120g water). Allow it to sit overnight; the 1:3:3 ratio gives it a good feed for that period, and it doesn’t run out of food and collapse.
- Usually, by the morning 7.00 am, it is active and ready to go. With this active starter (even if it has deflated), I make a lemon sourdough pound cake or the most delicious savoury pancakes, keeping aside 10-25g or whatever is left in the jar (for making a loaf of bread), which I then feed – 1:2:2 (25g+50g flour+50g water.) Set aside and ferment for another four-six hours or until doubled or tripled in size. Usually, by 1.00 pm, it’s ready to use.
porridge sourdough
makes one medium loaf
preparing the dough – approx 4 – 7 hours
overnight in the fridge – 12 – 16 hours
baking – 40 minutes
dough
300g warm water
100g sourdough starter, well-fed, bubbly and ready to use
1 Tbsp/10g olive or rapeseed oil
80g wholegrain spelt flour
420g white spelt flour
12g fine rock salt
porridge mixture
40g rolled oats or barley flakes + 10g linseeds + 200g boiling water
~
a sprinkling of sesame seeds or oats, optional
rice flour for dusting
prepare the porridge
- Add the oats and linseed in a small saucepan, then pour in the hot water and allow to sit for 15-30 minutes. Cook over medium heat for 5 – 10 mins, remove from heat and allow to cool down.*
sourdough
- Weigh 300g of warm water into a large bowl. Add 100g of your starter. Stir briefly to combine, and add the oil and flour. Give it a good stir until no dry patches remain, then cover it with a plastic bag or a damp cloth and leave for 40 minutes to autolyse/hydrate.
- Add the salt; use your hand to thoroughly scrunch and mix the dough until everything is evenly distributed.
- Bulk rise: Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise in a warm place for around 3-4 hours until doubled in size. During this time, with wet hands, every 30 minutes, turn and fold – reach down, lift up one side and then stretch it up and over the ball of dough to reach the other side, where you can press the end down gently so it stays put. Repeat all the way around the dough.
*Add 190g of the cooled porridge mixture after the first two series of turns, about 1 hour into the bulk rise.
As time progresses, the dough should become puffier, lighter, smoother, stronger and easier to handle.
- After the dough has risen sufficiently, turn it out onto a lightly oiled/floured work surface and shape it into a boule by making a series of folds (same as before, using as little flour as possible) to create a smooth, taut surface on the underside. Sometimes, my dough is a gooey mess, and I fold the best I can. This is why I usually use an oiled surface; even though it is a gooey dough, the result still bakes up into exceptional bread.
- Heavily flour (rice flour) and a large round proving basket (or large colander, or bowl lined with a tea towel). Optional: Sprinkle sesame seeds or oats on the counter and gently roll the dough into them before transferring to the basket, seam-side up. If the seams are gaping, pinch them closed. The dough should fill half the basket.
- Cover again and let prove in the fridge for 12 – 16 hours. It could rise to fill the basket more or less. If it hasn’t quite done that, don’t worry—it will rise further in the oven.
- Take the dough from the fridge and set it aside on the counter. Put your empty lidded casserole in the oven and heat it to 400C/752F (or as hot as it will go). Wait 40 minutes for the pot to get really hot. Then, carefully tip the dough into the hot pot with its round, smooth side on top. Slash the top a few times with a sharp blade. Immediately replace the lid and return the pot to the oven.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Then remove the lid, turn down the heat to 230C/446F and continue baking for a further 8 minutes or until the crust is a rich brown. Cool completely (this is important!) on a wire rack before cutting. The loaf will keep for three days in linen or paper bags. Using plastic makes the crust soft.
raisin rye variation
Replace the oats with 40g rye flakes + 10g linseed.
Soak 1 cup/125g raisins for 30 minutes, drain and set aside. Add the raisins and rye-porridge mix, plus 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder and 1/8 tsp cardamom powder (optional), after the first two series of turns, about an hour into the bulk rise.
- Categories: bread, breads & crackers
