Parsnip Cauliflower Rice

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170726 Parsnip Cauliflower Rice-6349

A healthy choice to replace your everyday rice. This dish can be enjoyed with or without the sauce (the sauce is a bit spicy so don’t use too much!). Zucchini diced very small or mushrooms can be used instead of the beet – there are many possibilities to vary this “rice”. Also, the sauce can be altered to match the rest of your meal.

200 ml chopped parsnips
200 ml chopped cauliflower (the florets)

1 beet root

50 ml mixed seeds; pumpkin, sunflower and pine nuts

Sauce:
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
1,5 tablespoons of tamari soy sauce
½ tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp chili flakes

100 ml spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil

½ green bell pepper, seeds and white parts cut off
A handful of spinach leaves
100 ml olive oil

Edible flowers for decoration and some extra seeds/nuts

1. Pulse the parsnips and cauliflowers in a food processor. Take care to make rice like pieces, don’t overdo the processing as you may end up with a creamy mash instead (which is also nice but not planned for this recipe).
2. Place the washed spinach in a bowl and add the oil. Squeeze/massage the oil into the leaves.
3. In a small food prep or with a hand held immersion blender, process a handful of spinach, cut up green bell pepper and the oil. Strain and pour into small plastic squeeze bottle to use for the decorations.
4. Peel and slice the beet thinly, for best result use a mandolin. Briefly steam the slices over some water or microwave the slices until a bit soft but still crunchy. Chop into small squares.
5. Toast the nuts/seeds in a hot, dry pan – or just used them in their natural, uncooked, state.
6. Gently fry the parsnip/cauliflower rice in some olive oil for about 7-10 minutes. Add the cut up beets, and then the seeds. Lastly, stir the sauce into the “rice” and take off heat.
7. Place a heap of the olive oil dressed spinach on the plate and some rice mixture on top. Drizzle the plate with the pepper/spinach oil and some more seeds and nuts. If you have, use some pretty edible flowers to decorate.

Summery Citrus Salad

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Summery Citrus Salad-5654

Just a simple salad – but, oh, how lovely! Refreshing, tasty and with a crunch to each bite. Complements anything from the BBQ – how about serving with some grilled halloumi cheese?

100 g mixed lettuce leaves
1 grapefruit, peel and white pith cut out
2 oranges, peel and white pith cut off
1 large avocado, sliced
50 ml toasted sunflower seeds
50 ml toasted pine nuts
50 ml toasted pumpkin seeds
1 red onion, cut in 2 halves and thinly sliced
100 ml olives

Dressing:
1 tablespoon fig balsamic dressing
1 tsp Dijon mustard
50 ml olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Combine the salad in a bowl
2. Shake/whisk the dressing well and toss with the salad.
3. Serve

Balsamic Bean Salad

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Balsamic Bean Salad-5678

A great dish to go with your BBQ dinner, or just on its own for lunch.
So easy – so delicious!

100g cooked kidney beans
100 g cooked white beans
100 g cooked chickpeas
50 g fresh spinach
1 sliced red onion

1 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil

1. Rinse the beans under running water.
2. Place in bowl together with the onion and spinach.
3. Mix mustard, oil and vinegar.
4. Pour mixture on beans.
5. Let sit for a few hours in the fridge for extra flavour.

Apricot Pecan Bite

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170614 Apricot Pecan Bite -5707

This week is quite busy, but I managed to make a wonderful apricot cream that I would like to share. Spread it on top of the Pecan Base (Raw Food Pecan Pie) which I posted in May (I am repeating the recipe below). Great afternoon snack or guilt free dessert!

APRICOT CREAM
150 ml pre-soaked (overnight) macadamia nuts
50 ml almond milk
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
Dried apricots, 30 g, chopped

1. Blend everything except the apricot until smooth and creamy. (This is a great cream base for other flavors too).
2. Add dried apricots
3. Blend again, it is OK to leaves small pieces of the apricot.
4. Set aside.

PECAN BASE:
(This recipe I posted already a few weeks ago but it is so yummy it really deserves to be included again.)
100 ml almonds
100 ml pecans
50 ml dried cranberries
50 ml pitted dates (about 5 pieces)
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
Dash of salt

1. Place all, except the oil, in a blender and mix until an even, creamy crumble.
2. Add the oil and blend another few minutes.
3. Spread the Pecan Base into a rectangular mold (using baking parchment or other non-stick sheet in the bottom).
4. Spread an equally thick layer of the apricot cream on top.
5. Refrigerate 1 hour minimum.
6. Cut into small, bite sized squares.
7. Serve chilled.

Red Sauce

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170607 Not a Ketchup-5514

Red Sauce (not a ketchup).
Sometimes, it is good to have some healthy, tasty sauces on hand. I like to make this Kidney Bean sauce which can be used together with so many different things. It’s beautiful pinkish red coloured sauce to plate with (goes especially well with smoked and BBQ dishes). Make ahead and keep in the fridge.
Below you will find three other suggested uses.

The Red Sauce:
250 g Kidney Beans, cooked (about 350 ml)
1 lemon, juice from
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium sized red onion
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
A few drops of honey
Pinch of salt
½ tsp chili flakes

1. Run in blender until smooth. Taste. Season some more if needed.
2. If too thick add another spoon of olive oil. Consistency should be like a smooth apple sauce.

SERVE AS A SAUCE WITH GRILLED AUBERGINE/EGGPLANT AND DIJON BALSAMIC DRESSING: (great starter or snack)

– pour the Red Sauce into a squeezy bottle and place in fridge until time of use.

Dijon Balsamic Dressing:170607 Not a Ketchup -5569
50 ml olive oil
50 ml red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt

1. Whisk or shake to combine. Make sure it blends well.
2. This sauce is rather thin, plate with pipette or drop from tip of spoon.
3. Drizzle on plate.

Roasted Aubergine:
1 large, sliced aubergine
Olive oil
Sea salt

1. Oven on 200 C
2. Place on baking sheet. Drizzle with salt and oil.
3. Roast 35 minutes.

170607 Not a Ketchup-5560

SERVE ON TOP OF AN AVOCADO SANDWICH:
Please see my previously posted Crisp Bread recipe.
SERVE AS A DIP:
– with serve with carrot sticks, celery or sliced apple

Marinated Carrots with Fennel Foam

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170531 Carrots with Fennel-5470

A healthy, tasty and colourful starter! Sometimes, I add a few drops of brandy to the foam (a little goes a very long way) which adds a rounder flavour. Possible a drop of vinegar would have the same effect?

2 large carrots, thinly sliced (best to use a mandolin slicer)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt

Some fresh spinach leaves on the plate to serve on.

1. Heat oven on high grill setting
2. Toss the carrot slices with juice, oil and salt. Leave for 30 minutes.
3. Place the carrot slices on an oven sheet
4. Roast under the grill for about 10 minutes, until slightly charred and caramelized

Fennel Foam:
1 fennel bulb, tips and “grassy tops” only
Water
Ice wate170600 Carrots with Fennel-5447r

A few drops agave syrup
Dash of salt
½ tsp olive oil

½ tsp lecithin

1. Cut off the tops (including the grassy parts) from the fennel bulb. The bulb can be saved for use another time.
2. Bring some water to boil and blanch the tops for 30 seconds.
3. Remove the tops from the boiling water and put in an ice bath (to secure the green colour).
4. When cool, place in blender with a 2 table spoons of water. Add some more water if needed. You want a smooth, thick mix but do not over blend.
5. Add the syrup, salt and oil. Blend briefly to mix.
6. Set aside until you are ready to make the foam (may be prepared and kept in the fridge until the following day)
7. Mix in the lecithin.
8. Pour the mix into a large shallow container. Using a handheld blender, incorporate air into the mix, thus creating a foam. Might take a few minutes! Spoon off the foam into a separate bowl and repeat until you have a bowl of foam.

Serve the carrots with the foam on top.

Alternative to the foam:
If you’d rather make a fennel cream to go with the carrots, you can either mix in a couple of tablespoons of coconut cream or some double cream. No lecithin. By choosing the coconut cream you will have less of the fennel taste and, instead, some coconut flavour which goes wonderfully with the carrots.

(On this photo I have sprinkled some black, Hawaiian salt on top.)

Raw Food Pecan Pie with Raspberry Cream

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Nut and Fruit Pie with Cashew Cream-5421

This is a great raw food pie. Easy and delicious. The cashews (for the cashew cream) must be soaked for 12 hours so please don’t forget to place them in water a day in advance.
Serve with one of the two creams suggested below and any fresh fruit/berries of your liking! The cashew cream is a favourite with its subtle nutty taste and creamy texture. Please give it a try (a good blender is a must to achieve a smooth cream)! (In this photo I have drizzled dried raspberry on the plate).

Serves 4
Pie base:
100 ml almonds
100 ml pecans
50 ml dried cranberries
50 ml pitted dates (about 5 pieces)
25 ml coconut oil, melted
Dash of salt

1. Place all, except the oil, in a blender and mix until an even, creamy crumble.
2. Add the oil and blend another few minutes.
3. Press thinly into in portions sized pie molds or free hand rounds.
4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Serve with one of the two creams below and mixed berries:

1) Raspberry Cream:
200 ml cashews (that have been soaked overnight)
50 ml water
25 ml lemon juice
25 ml almond milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt

50 ml frozen raspberries (fresh works too but frozen will keep the temperature down in the blender)
Mixed berries (to serve with the pie)
1. Blend all (except the raspberries) until completely smooth.
2. Add the frozen raspberries
3. Blend a bit more until desired consistency.
4. Pipe the cream on top of the portion sized pies.
5. Serve with mixed berries on top.

2) Raspberry Crème Fraiche:
200 ml crème fraiche
50 ml fresh berries
Mixed berries (to serve with the pie)

1) Whisk the crème fraiche fluffy
2) Add the raspberries, whisk to combine and slightly crush the berries
3) Pipe the cream on top of the portion sized pies.
4) Serve with mixed berries on top.

Little Gem Lettuce Wraps

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170517 Gem Salad Wraps-5298

The perfect fun, light and varied dinner or appetizer finger food. Here with 4 different toppings but any of your favourite stews or mixes will work. As long as they are not too liquid.

Ingredients:

Baby gem lettuce, trim off the outer leaves, rinse and separate the leaves

Creamy Quinoa Mix:
200 ml Quinoa cooked in vegetable bullion as per instructions on the package
1 small leek, finely chopped
2 tablespoons spicy mango chutney
50 ml coconut milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp ginger

1) Cook the quinoa
2) When done, stir in the remaining ingredients. Keep stirring over low heat until warm. Set aside.

Chili Cauliflower Mix:
½ garlic clove, crushed
Olive oil
½ a large head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
3 tablespoons coriander leaves, shredded
1 lime, juice and zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
Chili flakes to taste

1) Sautee the garlic in olive oil
2) Add the cauliflower pieces
3) When soft, remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients
4) Stir to combine

Asian Beef Mix:
Small onion, chopped
Olive oil
400 g ground beef
2 tablespoon of soy sauce (Japanese)
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp ground ginger

1) Sautee the onion.
2) Add the beef and fry until done.
3) Add the remaining ingredients.

Creamy Shrimp Mix:
200 g peeled shrimp
1 avocado, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons crème fresh/sour cream
Variation 1) 1 table spoon Asian sweet chili sauce
Variation 2) ½ lime, juice from

1) Combine all ingredients and, if you want, add variation 1) or 2)

Add salt and pepper as needed to the 4 mixes.

Place the lettuce leaves on a plate. Add the toppings. Enjoy!

Creamy Aubergine Chickpea Casserole

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170510 Aubergine Chickpea Casserole-5215

Sometimes you just need to make something quick (and delicious) with ingredients on hand. The only fresh ingredient (that is necessary in this recipe) is one aubergine (eggplant). The rest is probably already in your cupboard (or can be omitted).

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large aubergine/eggplant, medium sized, cut into cubes

Riced cooked potato, Quinoa or Rice

1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
Olive oil

3 tablespoons tandoori paste
400 g chickpeas, cooked
400 g chopped canned tomatoes

50 ml coconut milk

3 tsp mango chutney

Salt and pepper to taste

Cherry tomatoes (quartered) and parsley

1. Sautee the cubed aubergine in olive oil until browned.
2. Cook the potato and put through a potato ricer or prepare the quinoa or rice.
3. Sautee the onion and garlic until soft (do not brown them). Add the aubergine.
4. Stir in the tandoori paste, chickpeas and canned tomatoes. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add the coconut milk and heat up to a simmer.
6. Stir in the chutney.
7. Season with the salt and pepper
8. Serve with the potatoe/quiona/rice and tomatoes and parsley on top.

Sweet Soller Orange Dessert

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Sweet Soller Orange Dessert -5322

This recipe was inspired by a wonderful dessert I was served at our mallorquin neighbour’s house. Those oranges came from the nearby village of Soller, and were really fresh and sweet, but I’m sure that other oranges will work equally well. Serve as a light and sweet/sour ending to a meal or a cool afternoon snack.

Serves 6
3 oranges, the peel cut off and then cut into thick slices (or cut into segments/supremes, if you prefer)
½ tsp salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
Lime zest, grated

Lime Cream:
200 ml coconut milk
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 table spoons lime zest
½ avocado
Dash salt
1 tsp agave syrup

Decoration:
1 tablespoon lime zest

1. Put the orange slices on a plate and pour the dressing on top. Set aside to absorb the flavours.
2. Combine all ingredients for the cream and run in a blender. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
3. Place the orange slices on top of some lime cream with lime zest sprinkled on top.

 

Asparagus Nut Cheese Starter

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Asparagus Nut Cheese Starter-4953

A tasty and fresh spring starter. For a smaller/lighter starter, serve just one cheese ball per person.

Serves 4
(3 small balls per person)

Steamed Asparagus:
12 green, young asparagus
2 tablespoon olive oil

Pine Nut Cheese:
200 ml pine nuts, soaked for at least 2 hours
1/2 of small garlic clove
1 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tsp chili flakes

Decorations:
Toasted pine nuts, chili flakes and the tips of the asparagus.

1) Heat an empty pan on the stove. Add the asparagus and 3-4 tablespoons of water. Cook until all water has evaporated. Add the olive oil. Shake to coat, cover with a lid and take off heat.
2) Run all ingredients for the Pine Nut Cheese except the chili flakes in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the chili flakes. Set aside.
3) Cut of the tips of the asparagus. Set aside.
4) Chop the asparagus stalks into small pieces. Fold the small pieces into the nut cheese.
5) With a small ice cream scoop or a melon baller, make balls of the pine nut cheese mix. Place 3 balls on a plate, decorate with asparagus tips, pine nuts and chili flakes.
6) Optional – serve with gluten free crackers.

Aubergine Lentil Lasagna

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170419 Aubergine Lentil Lasagne-5273

A nice and spicy “lasagna”. Don’t forget to start by soaking the almonds in water at least 8 hours in advance. Then, for a whiter sauce, remove the almond peel, or, like me, let it stay on.

Makes a lasagna 25 cm by 25 cm

150 g green lentils, cooked
1 aubergine/eggplant, thinly sliced (about 3-5 mm slices – use a mandolin)
A bit of olive oil
Salt

Sauce:
½ white onion, chopped
½ small garlic clove, crushed
1 green pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
½ red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
400 g canned chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp lime juice.

Almond Cream:
300 ml soaked almonds (should be soaked about 8 hours)
100 ml water
50 ml almond milk (unsweetened)
½ tsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp lemon juice
dash of salt

Parsley, chopped

1. Oven at 200C. Slice the aubergine thinly, spray (coat) with some olive oil and sprinkle some salt on top.
2. Roast the aubergine slices until brown (about 15 minutes)
3. In a pan, boil the lentils in plenty of salted water for about 20 minutes.
4. Sautee the onion and garlic until soft but with no colour
5. Add the green bell pepper and the zucchini – sautee for another few minutes.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes. Simmer a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the cooked lentils and remove from heat.
8. Stir in the lime juice.
9. Take a few spoonfuls of the sauce and spread on the bottom of an oiled lasagna casserole.
10. Lay a layer of roasted aubergines, then another layer of the sauce, continue the layering and finish by a layer of sauce.
11. Bake in oven 180C for 15 minutes.
12. Make the almond cream by combining all ingredients in a blender and then running until smooth. The cream will not be completely smooth, though, (unless you change the almonds for cashews).
13. When the lasagna is ready, serve with the cream and some parsley on top.

Spicy Salad with Balsamic Pearls

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170412 Spicy Salad with Pearl Dressing-5240

This is a way to jazz up the serving of a tasty, but ordinary looking, salad.
The ingredients aside, you will need a pipette and a slotted spoon (or a fine strainer) for this recipe. Looks really professional and is so easy to make!

Ingredients:
3 medium sized tomatoes, quartered, seeds removed and chopped
½ cucumber, seeds and skin removed, chopped
¼ chopped leek
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red chili, seeds removed, chopped
50 ml dry toasted sunflower seeds, salted
1/2 lemon, zest

Dressing:
30 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper

1. In a bowl, combine the salad ingredients.
2. Whisk together the dressing and pour on top.
3. Refrigerate.

Pearls:
90 ml balsamic vinegar
1 tsp of honey
1 tsp of lemon juice
½ tsp agar agar

Vegetable oil as below for the freezer

1. In a freezer, for minimum of 30 minutes, chill enough oil to measure 15 cm tall in a glass.
2. In a small pan, bring the mix for the pearls to a boil and then take it off the heat.
3. Let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Using a pipette, drop the dressing mix into the glass containing the cold oil. Let sit for 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove the pearls from the oil using a slotted spoon or pour the oil with the pearls through a fine strainer.

Serve the pearls with the spicy salad.

This technique can be used with many other sauces apart from balsamic dressing. Just play with it and be sure to (in the comments below) let me know what you did and how it turned out!

170412 Spicy Salad with Pearl Dressing-5244

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

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170405 Chocolate Avocado Mousse-5220

This is a very quick and (almost) healthy recipe for a great chocolate mousse! The creamy avocado provides the thick, fluffy consistency in this mousse. A must try! Also, this recipe is dairy free, vegan and low fodmap (if you eat maximum 1/4 of the whole dessert).

Serves 4 (small servings)

300 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp cacao
1,5 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ ripe avocado
Dash of salt

Decorations:
Blueberries, raspberries, cacao nibs, banana, orange slices…

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and thick.
2. Refrigerate minimum 2 hours before serving.

Variations:
Add some chili flakes to the blender or some crushed licorice candy (gluten free) after the choco mix has been processed.

Zucchini Soup

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Zucchini Soup-4705

A wonderful, easy, quick, delicious recipe! Serve as a starter, lunch or, with some bread, for dinner.

Serves 4

6-7 medium sized zucchini/courgette, washed (no need to peel)
1 liter of vegetable broth (or more if you want a thinner soup)
Dash of salt
(optional: black pepper and a drop of agave/maple syrup)

2 tsp Boursin garlic soft cheese (or just 1/3 of a minced garlic clove)

Optional: 50 ml sour cream (or coconut cream)

Decoration: Parsley and 2 tbsp of sour cream

1. Cut the zucchini into thick slices. Place in a saucepan along with the vegetable broth and salt.
2. Simmer 15-20 minutes until the zucchini is soft.
3. Take off heat, add the cheese and blend with a hand-held immersion blender. (At this point you may also add the optional sour cream – this will make the soup creamier)
4. Add some more broth if you prefer a thinner soup. Reheat if the soup got too cool.
5. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed. A drop of agave or maple syrup can help balance the flavours.
6. Pour into serving bowls, drizzle sour cream and add some parsley leaves.