Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa Salad

Every time I have cauliflower I realise how much I love it, but I don't have it often enough. This roasted cauliflower and quinoa salad was perfect for a sunny winter's day. I got the inspiration from this recipe, but since I didn't have most of the ingredients I just used what I happened to have in the fridge. The original recipe sounds amazing though, so I might just give that a go next. 

Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa Salad

(serves 4)

1 whole cauliflower, cut in to florets

1 red onion, cut into thin wedges

olive oil

salt

pepper

1 cup quinoa (I used white)

vegetable stock

1/4 lemon, juiced

baby spinach

slivered almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Scatter cauliflower and onion on a roasting pan, add olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender. 

2. Rinse quinoa and cook in vegetable stock until tender and fluffy. Add lemon juice and mix with a fork. 

3. Combine quinoa with the vegetables and sprinkle with almonds. Serve warm.

Roasted Beets with Black Rice and Kale

I just can't get enough of kale, so here's another delicious little meal I made the other day. Beetroot are a great source of iron (as well as other nutrients) and I love how well they marry with earthy black rice. I add good oils to all my meals; sunflower seeds, flaxseed oil or tahini, for example. You can play around with the add-ons in this recipe; walnuts or tahini dressing would go great as well.

Roasted Beets with Black Rice and Kale

(serves 2)

3 small to medium sized beetroot

180g wholegrain black (non-glutinous) rice

a few stems of kale

sunflower seeds (or walnuts, sesame seeds, etc)

1/2 lemon

flaxseed oil

balsamic vinegar

ground pepper

pinch of salt (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 200C and clean the beetroot. Remove the leaves (if the leaves are in good condition, don't chuck them out! Just wash them well, steam lightly and enjoy as a salad) leaving some of the stems attached. Wrap each beetroot in foil and roast on a tray for about 45-60 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven, let cool and peel off the skins. Cut into wedges.

2. Cook the black rice until tender. Set aside.

3. Remove the kale leaves from the stems, rinse well and 'massage' the leaves in a bowl until tender. Add rice and beetroot wedges. Add sunflower seeds, juice of 1/2 a lemon, a dash of balsamic, flaxseed oil and seasoning. Eat warm or room temperature.

Greenlicious Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

It's been a busy weekend at home, catching up on housework and everything else that has piled up during the past few very busy weeks. With warmer weather I have been craving for everything green, including juices and smoothies, but also more and more salads. This kale salad, delicious and full of good oils, was a real energy booster after a long walk in the near by park.

Greenilicious Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing

(serves 2)

1/2 big bunch of kale, washed and stems removed

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

2 green onions (shallots), finely sliced

a handful of walnuts

pinch of salt (optional)

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons flaxseed oil

Tahini Dressing

2 generous tablespoons of tahini

1/2 small lemon, juiced

1-2 tablespoons  water

1. Massage the kale until wilted and tender. Add avocado, green onions and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper and toss in the oil. 

2. Whisk tahini, lemon and water in a jug and stir through the salad.

Grapefruit and Fennel Salad

Meillä on ollut ihanan aurinkoinen ja lämmin viikonloppu. Pitemmän kävelylenkin päätteeksi teki mieli vähän kevyempää lounasta ja tässä salaatissa yhdistyivät sopivasti herkulliset raaka-aineet. 

Voi kunpa nämä tällaiset säät jatkuisivat! Kevättä alkaa olla jo viimeistään ensi kuussa selvästi ilmassa ja odotan kovasti etenkin sitä kukkaloistoa mikä täällä on kevään aikana aina upeimmillaan. Pirteän vaaleanpunaiset tulppaanit piristivät kuitenkin kummasti kotiamme tänä viikonloppuna.

Ihanaa alkavaa viikkoa kaikille!

A sunny winter's day called for a lighter lunch. Ruby grapefruit, fennel, rocket and avocado turned out to be a perfect combination of flavours and textures. I added some walnuts for a bit more crunch.

Grapefruit and Fennel Salad

(Recipe adapted from here)

2 ruby grapefruit, peeled and cut to segments

1 fennel bulb, finely sliced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 avocado, sliced

a small bag of rocket

walnuts

 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

black pepper, to taste

Mix the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss with the dressing. Serve immediately.

 

I had to have some bright pink tulips for the weekend.

Kerroskiisseli - Vanilla and Berry Kissel

It took me years of living in Australia to realise something about Finnish desserts: they are generally not very sweet. Take our traditional birthday cake, for instance. It is not covered in sheets of sugary fondant and most of the sweetness actually comes from the fruit the cake is filled and topped with. Even our beloved mocha slice (Finnish equivalent to a brownie) isn't overly sweet and the most well-known Finnish treat of them all, korvapuusti, would probably be classified as bread in some countries.

Then there is kiisseli (kissel, a jelly-like pudding), one of the most versatile every-day desserts served all over Finland. Kiisseli is almost like a sweet soup, but thicker. It has a jelly-like consistency, but it's not as thick as jelly, just somewhere in between. You can use pretty much any fruit or berry (dried, frozen or fresh) you happen to have at hand; frozen berries, apples, oranges, rhubarb, you name it. There is even a chocolate version which is like a light and guilt-free version of chocolate mousse. You can have kissel as a warm soup or a cool dessert, which ever you prefer. This is the dessert to make when you're too lazy to go to the store or bake, and you will most likely have all the ingredients already at home.

This rainy day called for a kerroskiisseli (layered kissel): thick vanilla flavoured milk kissel topped with slightly sour raspberry and blueberry kissel. It was the perfect quick treat to whip up.

Kerroskiisseli

(serves 2-4)

Milk Kissel

600ml milk (organic, full cream)

35g potato flour*

2 tablespoons raw caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and place on a medium heat. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens, do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Berry Kissel

200-300g frozen berries

600ml water

3 tablespoons raw caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure ground vanilla

100ml cold water

2 1/2 tablespoons potato flour*

1. Bring 400ml water, berries, sugar and vanilla to boil. Add rest of the water to cool down the mixture. 

2. Mix water and potato flour in a separate jug. Whisk this mixture with the rest of the ingredients and turn off the heat. Leave to cool before serving. 

3. Layer the cooled down kissel in a glass or a bowl and serve.

* In Australia potato starch is sold as potato flour. It is available at most speciality stores, but also at Coles (look for it at the health foods department).

Leek and Potato Soup

Sydney is still sweltering in summery weather, with temperatures reaching 30C almost daily. There was, however, a cooler break some days ago and I just had to take the opportunity to make another soup. Potato and leek soup has been a favourite of mine for a long time, and even though I've shared a recipe for it before, I thought it won't do any harm doing it again.

I used nutritional yeast to flavour this soup, but you could easily use a dash of cream or soft cheese (flavoured cream cheese, for instance) instead. All it needs is a little drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil and another one of those rye-crisp breads with cheese to serve with.

I'd like more of these cool days please!

Leek and Potato Soup

(serves 4-6)

5 big potatoes

2 big leeks

1 litre vegetable stock

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 

freshly ground pepper, to taste

extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

1. Peel and chop the vegetables and place in a large pot with vegetable stock. Bring to boil and simmer for about half an hour or until vegetables are tender. 

2. Turn off the heat and season the soup with nutritional yeast (or cream) and pepper. Purée the soup in a blender and serve drizzled with olive oil.

Brown Rice, Grape and Feta Salad

A quick mid-week update as I had the luxury of having a friend for lunch today. This brown rice salad was completely effortless to make, but it will definitely become my new favourite. When grapes are in season, I love eating them as they are, but also adding them to salads and desserts. This dish has a perfect combination of flavours and textures!

Brown Rice, Feta and Grape Salad

(Recipe adapted from Coles)

400g brown rice, cooked and cooled

2 big handfuls of seedless red grapes, washed and halved

200g feta, cubed

1/2 red onion, finely sliced

bunch of parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons lemon-infused olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

handful of raw cashews, lightly toasted

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Everyday Meals

 

I thought I'd share a few simple and quick everyday meal-ideas with you. These are the kinds of meals I cook all the time: they are virtually zero-effort, even during those hot summer days when the last thing you feel like doing is standing next to a hot stove. 

Firstly; salads. Just take a peek into my Recipe Index and you'll realise how keen I am to feed myself (and my husband) with colourful, fresh salads that are really more like meals than just sides. This Greek-inspired salad consists of simple ingredients like cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, mixed salad leaves, Sicilian olives (instead of traditional Kalamata) and feta cheese. Drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and grind a bit of black pepper on top. Voilà, lunch or even a light dinner is sorted.

 

Vegetables are obviously always heavily featured even in our main meals. This mushroom and eggplant stack has grilled eggplant smeared with a miso-honey-tamari mixture, layered with pan-fried button mushrooms and toasted sesame seeds. It is a perfect little meal served with a fresh salad and a slice of chunky bread, if you like.

 

Another easy summer-meal is barbecued portobello mushrooms topped with basil-walnut pesto. Simply grill or pan-fry olive oil-drizzled mushrooms (with stalks removed) and top with a pesto made with a bunch of fresh basil, half an avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, a handful of walnuts, pinch of salt and pepper.

Finally, desserts. I can't think of anything better than seasonal ingredients (like figs, in this case), served with cheese, ricotta or yoghurt and drizzled with pure Australian honey. Really, what more could you possibly need?

Barbecued Tofu and Portobello Salad

During summer, I mainly survive on salads, fruit and other cold, light meals without even craving for anything heartier. This summer we finally bought a little barbecue for our balcony and have used it a couple of times to mix things up a bit. This marinated tofu and portobello salad is one of my favourites; it's hearty enough to suffice for a proper meal, but light enough for even a hot summer's day.

Barbecued Tofu and Portobello Salad

(serves 2-4)

350g extra-firm tofu

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon tamari

pepper, to taste

a few large portobello mushrooms, sliced

mixed salad leaves

cucumber, sliced

cherry tomatoes, halved

avocado, diced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1-2 carrots, coarsely grated

 extra-virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil, to serve

toasted sesame seeds, to serve

 1. Cut the tofu to about 1-2 cm slices and put in a shallow bowl. Mix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over the tofu. Leave to marinade for about half an hour.

2. Prepare the rest of salad while the tofu is marinating. Barbecue (or pan-fry) the tofu first, then use the left-over marinade to brush over the mushroom slices before barbecuing. Mix tofu and mushrooms with the rest of the ingredients, drizzle with extra oil if necessary, extra pepper and scatter with toasted sesame seeds.

Keeping it Cool with Summer Drinks

Happy Sunday!

It's been very warm couple of weeks here in Sydney, so I've been keeping my food and drinks very cool. Salads, fruit and yoghurt have sufficed for meals and these filling smoothies  make a great breakfast or an afternoon snack. I can't pick my favourite, they are all equally delicious!

Hope you have a great new week ahead!

xo

 

 Peach Matcha Latte

(serves 1)

2 shots of powered green tea (about 125ml)

a few ice cubes

a dash of milk

1 peach, stoned

Add all ingredients in a blender and churn away!

Banana-Vanilla Smoothie

(serves 1)

1 ripe banana

1/4 teaspoon ground vanilla

a dash of milk

a few ice cubes

Do as above and enjoy whilst cool.

Ice Coffee

(serves 1)

strong filtered coffee (about 125ml)

a few ice cubes

a dash of milk

sweetener of your choice, optional

Add all ingredients in a blender and churn. Enjoy cool.

Cherry and Camembert Salad

Happy New Year!

I'm starting the New Year with this summery salad that combines some of my favourite flavours: sweet cherries and dried cranberries with creamy Camembert, toasted nuts, peppery greens and tangy balsamic vinegar. I love salads like this on a summer's day - light, but perfectly filling to get you going until the next meal.

There are no exact measurements as I like to throw in ingredients as I please. Just follow your taste buds to adjust the flavours accordingly.

Cherry and Camembert Salad

a couple of big handfuls of mixed salad leaves

a handful of fresh cherries, halved and stoned

a few sliced of Camembert or Brie (in room temperature)

a small handful of mixed nuts, toasted until fragrant

a couple of tablespoons of dried cranberries

2 tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil

Mix all and enjoy!

Quick Green Bean Salad

It's a sunny Sunday here in Sydney and there is no way I'm spending it in the kitchen! This green bean salad is perfectly quick to prepare before heading out to the balcony to enjoy some lunch and sunshine. Happy Sunday all!

 Quick Green Bean Salad

(serves 2)

a few handfuls of baby spinach

a few handfuls of green beans

3 tablespoons raw buckwheat 

3 tablespoons slivered almond

a good pinch of salt

pepper, to taste

1 small orange, juiced

a few tablespoons of good olive oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

feta or parmesan, to serve (optional)

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the beans and leave for a couple of minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Chop the beans in half (or to bite-size pieces).

2. Toast buckwheat and almonds on a dry frying pan for a few minutes, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Whisk orange juice, olive oil and ACV in a bowl. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately. Add feta or parmesan, if you wish.

Vegan Travel Tips + Warm Potato and Green Bean Salad

Hello from wintery Sydney, mes amis! 

We are finally home, after five and a half weeks! We had an amazing trip, but boy o' boy is it good to be back home!

As many of you may know, this was also my first big trip as a vegan. Before my trip, quite a few people 'warned' me that I would find it challenging, if not very difficult, to 'stay' vegan whilst travelling. Now, after my travels, I thought I'd share some of my experiences and tips on vegan travel and perhaps get some tips in exchange from some of you more experienced vegan travellers as well. 

These are just some of the things I experienced, please feel free to share your thoughts!

Commuting - Airport and flights

Come prepared;  bring some snacks (or a lot of) for the trip. Apples, carrot sticks, brown rice/quinoa/multigrain cakes, raw and unsalted nuts and some good quality 100% or raw chocolate are all great snacks and will keep well. Remember to bring an empty water bottle that you can refil at the airport. My favourite bottles are from Lifefactory, and although a glass bottle is heavier to carry around, the wide mouth makes them easy to refil and clean. 

 

I would also recommend bringing a travel mug. I don't go anywhere without my Keep Cup and it was the best thing to have on this trip. I had herbal tea bags so I could just ask for hot water in the plane and enjoy my tea at anytime. Bliss!

Be organised; remember to book special meal for your international flights. Different airlines have slightly different options, but "vegan", "raw vegetarian" or "dairy-free vegetarian" are all good options. Yes, it's still airplane food so if you want to be better off, just bring enough food to have during the flights as well. 

Eating In and Out

Lets start with the obvious: vegan food is everywhere. No, really, just look around you: vegetables, fruits, grains, olives, legumes, seeds, nuts, you name it. They're all free of animal products. Look for local specialities and local, fresh and seasonal produce. Often times you'll find these ingredients so full of flavour that there is nothing you'll need to do to them, just enjoy them as they are (raw). 

I do recommend renting a holiday home, if you can, with cooking facilities. I would recommend this even if you're not vegan. Eating out three meals a day throughout the whole holiday can get a bit too much, especially if you're used to lighter, healthier meals. If you have the opportunity, buy local ingredients from the markets and cook with them. Salads are obviously the easiest way to go as you won't need much cooking utensils, but you can certainly experiment with fancier meals as well. 

I love shopping at organic stores and discovering new products that are not available here in Australia. On this trip I was indulging in some good quality 100% chocolate - organic and fair-trade and insanely delicious. I also found delicious local and seasonal vegetables and fruit, organic almonds, olives, bread, etc. There was certainly no shortage of great vegan food!

If you're in a restaurant, I found it easier to ask "does it have any milk or eggs in it?", than "is it vegan?". Not all people know what vegan means, so there is not much point trying to use the term everywhere. On that note, however, you'd be surprised how well people can respond to your dietary choices. I was so impressed how informed my family was: mum had even bought soy cheese (which I don't normally eat, but it was a nice treat to have) and she was very understanding and curious about the way I prepare food and eat. On another occasion, my uncle's wife made me a special batch of pancakes (with coconut milk and whole wheat flour) during our visit to their house. She had also prepared a big load of vegetables and fruit for everyone to share; I was so impressed!

But finally, being vegan is not some sort of a purity contest. What matters to me is to stay consistent. You don't take a holiday from being a vegan, but since you're eating food prepared by others it can be impossible to know every ingredient in your meal. I'm not going to fret whether the vegetables were cooked with butter or oil (chances are they were cooked with cheap vegetable oil anyway), when the main ingredients are clearly vegan. So stay positive and enjoy your holiday!

I made this simple potato and green bean salad from local ingredients back in Provence. It is the simplest meal in terms of ingredients and seasoning, but somehow it works a treat. Served with some fresh bread and olives, it is definitely a satisfying and tasty meal.

Warm Potato and Green Bean Salad

(serves 4)

5-6 potatoes, peeled

200-300g green beans, cleaned

1 red onion, very finely sliced

good quality extra-virgin olive oil

good quality balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook the potatoes until just tender, let cool slightly and cut into bite-size pieces. 

2. Lightly steam the green beans and cut into pieces. 

3. Toss the potatoes, beans and onion in a large bowl with olive oil and balsamic. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

 

Provençal Tales - French Lentil Salad with Chanterelles

It wasn't hard to predict that I would fall in love with Provence. I mean, what is there not to love? Mediterranean climate with dry heat and lots of sun, peaceful country villages with a strong sense of community, friendly and polite people and of course the amazing food. This has to be the most idyllic way of life.

We are staying with my brother and truly immersing into the local way of life: we greet the locals on the streets with a quiet Bonjour, we go to the boulangerie around the corner to buy a fresh baguette, we shop for seasonal ingredients at the markets. 

 

I've swapped my morning power walks into quiet late afternoon strolls. My green smoothies have been replaced by fresh summer fruit and I create new recipes as I come across ingredients in the shops and at the markets. There is a slower pace of life in this idyllic village, and it's fitting perfectly with our holiday mood.

The view from our window

Quiet afternoon walks

Is there anything more Provencal than lavenders?

 At the markets in Aix-en-Provence

 

A lentil salad with dried chanterelle mushrooms seemed very appropriate for this atmosphere. Simple ingredients, honest flavours; peasant-like food. French puy lentils cook quickly and dried mushrooms are easy to prepare. Dinner is ready in half an hour. 

 French Lentil Salad with Chanterelles

200g puy lentils
vegetable stock
30g dried chanterelle mushrooms
2 shallots
bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
balsamic or red wine vinegar, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook the lentils in vegetable stock (add about 3 times stock to the amount of lentils)  until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain if needed and pour into a large bowl.

2. Cook finely chopped shallots in olive oil or water for a couple of minutes. Add the shallots in to the bowl with lentils.

3. Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and plunge into boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain and chop coarsely.

4. Mix finely chopped parsley and mushrooms with lentils and season with olive oil, balsamic or red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Guest Post by Golubka: Peach and Raspberry Summer Tart

Bonjour de Provence!

We flew from Helsinki to Marseille on Saturday and were greeted by a hot and sunny weather. We are visiting my brother here in Southern France and then heading off to Paris before flying back home to Sydney. But before I share photos from our time here in the sunny Provence, I am truly honoured to introduce you to Anya from a blog I hope many of you are already familiar with, Golubka.

I adore Anya's creativeness in the kitchen: she is not only an incredibly talented cook, she also knows the art of styling and taking beautiful photos. Her raw food creations are beyond amazing and her recipes are always original, healthy and delicious.

I'm sure you'll enjoy this summery tart as much as I do! I am planning to try this recipe at first chance. Thank you again Anya!

Hello there! It's a true honor to be a guest here. 

Writing a food blog centered around mostly raw recipes, I am often asked about cooked alternatives for many of my raw dishes, especially those that involve a dehydrator. Recently, I've been experimenting with recipes, where both raw and cooked preparation is possible. As a result, I've become very intrigued by gluten free and vegan baking, to the point where I bake something new almost every day. It's fascinating how easy it is to avoid products like butter, eggs, refined sugar, and wheat by thinking a bit outside the box and instead making light, nourishing, and delicious goods.

I've never been able to pick a favourite fruit - whatever is ripe and in season quickly becomes my one true love. There is something especially wonderful about the combination of raspberry and peach though. Their colouring and fragrance speak uniquely of summer and the two work together beautifully. In this tart, I added fresh herbs - lemon balm, basil, and thyme - to continue the summery flavour story and to accent the peach and raspberry.

Peach and Raspberry Summer Tart

Note: I always soak and then dry my nuts, seeds, and grains prior to making flours out of them, for easier digestion and better taste. While I use a dehydrator to dry them, it is also possible to use an oven, or just air dry. I do those steps in advance and keep a bunch of dried soaked/sprouted nuts, seeds, and grains in my refrigerator and ready to be used for baking. A high speed blender makes flour out of any grain in seconds. You can also use a regular coffee grinder to grind your flours. Thankfully, sprouted grains and flours are becoming more and more available through retail. You can always use regular flour and nuts as well.   
(makes one 10", or four 4 1/2" tarts)

Crust

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts - preferably soaked and dehydrated

1/2 cup quinoa flakes

1/2 cup quinoa flour - preferably sprouted

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buckwheat or millet flour - preferably sprouted

1/4 cup good quality honey

1/4 cup coconut oil - melted

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean

1/2 teaspoon salt

zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon each chopped lemon balm, basil, and lemon thyme leaves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F./180C.

2. Grind nuts in a food processor to achieve small pieces. Add the quinoa flakes to the food processor and grind some more to incorporate thoroughly. Add the rest of the ingredients, with the exception of lemon zest and herbs. Mix well to get a crumbly dough. Add the zest and herbs and pulse to incorporate.

3. Put the crust dough into a lightly greased tart pan, press evenly against the bottom and sides of the pan. Prick with a fork several times. Bake for 5-7 minutes and let cool while preparing the filling.

Filling

3 cups fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon good quality honey

4 tablespoons chia seeds

3-4 ripe peaches

2 tablespoons lemon balm or lemon verbena (optional)

3 tablespoons chopped basil (optional)

4-5 sprigs of lemon thyme (optional)

coconut sugar for sprinkling

1/4 cup coconut oil - melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean

1. Blend 1 1/2 cup of raspberries in a blender and run through a sieve to remove seeds.

2. Mix the honey with the raspberry puree and add the chia seeds. Mix well and leave for 15 minutes to form a gel.

3. Slice the peaches thinly. Cover the bottom of the crust with one single layer of peach slices.

4. Sprinkle with coconut sugar and approximately one third of the herbs. Add the rest of the herbs along with coconut oil and vanilla to the raspberry-chia gel, mix well. Gently fold the rest of raspberries (1 1/2 cup) in.

5. Spoon the mixture on top of peach layer into the crust. Arrange the reserved peach slices on top of the raspberry mixture, slightly inserting them into the raspberry gel. Sprinkle with coconut sugar.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, decorate with herbs and serve.

Fennel and Persimmon Salad with Buckwheat-Sesame Sprinkle

First of all, THANK YOU for all the amazing responses on my previous post! I am overwhelmed and incredibly inspired by all your comments. It's really great to see so many of you interested in ridding sugar out of your lives and it's also good to know that so many of you acknowledge sugar addiction is something you'd like to work on. Well done all of you!

I've been wrapping up a few last minute photo shoots at work this week, borrowing and returning props, typing product details and making sure I haven't missed anything amongst all the craziness. Our luggage for the trip are still empty, but I've managed to pile the suitcases with gifts that I've been buying here and there during the past weeks. I love buying gifts and I do my best to bring something for everyone, even if it's just a small token. 

It hasn't quite hit me yet that we are actually leaving - this Sunday - . Time has really flown, especially during the past few months (can you believe it's almost June?!), but I am so happy to go home. I haven't seen my parents in one and a half years and I haven't seen my brother in well over three years! That's a really long time. I miss them all so much and I really just want to give them all a big hug.  

This salad is a little bit of celebration for our upcoming trip. There is a lot going on on this plate: so many flavours, colours and textures, but they all work well together. I adore the sweet fennel and persimmon, the gorgeous ruby pomegranate arils and the crunchy buckwheat-sesame sprinkle. A truly enjoyable salad! 

 

Fennel and Persimmon Salad with Buckwheat-Sesame Sprinkle

(serves 2)

1 small fennel bulb

2 small persimmons, peeled

1/2 pomegranate

1/2 bunch kale

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons raw buckwheat

1 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt, to taste

1. Finely slice fennel and persimmons and toss in a big bowl. Add arils of half a pomegranate and coarsely slice about 5-6 kale leaves, tossing them in as well. 

2. Add apple cider vinegar and olive oil.

3. In a dry pan, toast buckwheat, sesame seeds, cumin and salt for a few minutes or until evenly browned. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the salad and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

Tunisian Breakfast Soup

I really love having soup for breakfast - miso soup is a long-time favourite of mine, but I also don't mind having just a simple vegetable soup or even just some plain vegetable stock with a bunch of kale thrown in. Whilst I can't take credit for this Tunisian breakfast soup, I do love the combination of the flavours and the idea of sitting on my balcony on a sunny winter morning with a bowl of this soup. Ideally you're ought to serve this soup with a dollop of harissa and some fresh coriander sprinkled on top, but I had neither. Instead, I enjoyed mine with some mixed seed sourdough bread. It was delicious nevertheless.

Tunisian Breakfast Soup

(Inspired by Jill Dupleix)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 red capsicum, finely diced

5 tomatoes, chopped

500g cooked chickpeas

1 bunch kale, chopped

700ml vegetable stock

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

harissa (optional), to serve

1. Heat oil in a large pot and cook onion for a few minutes. Add cumin, coriander, most of the diced capsicum, as well as chopped tomatoes. Cook for a further few minutes.

2. Add chickpeas, kale and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

3. Season the soup with salt and pepper and add the rest of the capsicum just before serving. 

 

Vitamin Boost Salad

I have a confession to make. I'm not a huge fan of papaya (or pawpaw) on its own, but I am aware of its ridiculously impressive list of nutrients and health benefits, so every now and then I try to find ways to slip it into salads. I'm so glad I do, because I'm reminded every time that combined with other equally healthy ingredients, papaya is about as delicious as it can get.

It may seem like I've gone all out with this dish, but really this vitamin boost salad is no effort to prepare and you may even cut the corners and use canned chickpeas if you like, just don't tell me about it. I feel that the humble buckwheat is a bit underrated at times, especially when it's trying to compete with all the exotic guys like quinoa and amaranth. In this dish, however, buckwheat is definitely the way to go. 

Feel free to get creative with herbs and spices - fresh herbs would of course be fantastic, but I've opted for dried mint and a healthy pinch of sumac. Instead of walnuts, try sesame seeds (white or black), pine nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds. They would all be equally tasty. 

Enjoy!

Vitamin Boost Salad

(serves 2-4)

200g cooked chickpeas

200g raw buckwheat

1 medium sized papaya

1 avocado

1 pomegranate

1 green onion

a pinch of sumac

a pinch of dried mint (or a small handful of fresh!)

1 lime

a good quality salt and black pepper, to taste

50g walnuts

baby spinach or kale, to serve

1. Cook buckwheat in boiling water for about 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and rise with cold water to stop cooking. 

2. Peel and chop papaya into bite sized pieces. Cut the avocado into cubes and finely chop the green onion. Combine chickpeas, buckwheat, papaya, avocado and green onion in a large bowl.

3. Add arils of one pomegranate. Season the salad with sumac, mint, juice of one lime, salt and pepper. Toast walnuts on a dry pan and toss them in as well. Serve the salad with some baby spinach or kale.