THE BEST Sesame Soba Noodles

December 2, 2021December 2, 2021 Belinda

This noodle side dish is delicious alongside meats and seafood, but it makes a great noodle bowl or light lunch with shredded cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts and more.
And even better, you can serve it hot or cold.

Serves 4-6

10 oz soba or buckwheat noodles
1/3 cup double fermented soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cups green onions chopped in 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup green onions minced
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the soba noodles for 4-5 minutes or just until tender, stirring occasionally so the noodles don’t clump. Drain in a colander and rinse well under cold water, tossing to remove the starch.
While the noodles are cooking, in a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar and black pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until shimmering then add the chopped green onions. Cook, stirring, for 15 to 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the soy and sesame mixture and cook for 30 seconds, Add the noodles and toss until the noodles are heated through. Add the remaining minced green onion and half of the sesame seeds. Garnish with the remaining seeds and serve warm or at room temperature.

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

How to make quick pickled onions

December 2, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

This super, easy recipe from the blog, “Simply Quinoa” takes about 5 minutes and is ready in 10. Use your pickled onions on everything from tacos, salads, bowls, and more
They’re really versatile and can be used in a ton of different ways.

1 medium red onion
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Thinly slice the red onion. I like to cut it in half first and then into slices.
Place the red onions into a jar.
Pour the red wine over the onions until the jar is half full. Top with water and fill the jar to almost the top.
Add the spices and put on the lid. Give it a good shake and let the onions sit for at least 10 minutes.

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Lightened Up Greek Yogurt Lemon Pasta

November 30, 2021November 30, 2021 Belinda1 Comment

This Lightened Up Greek Yogurt Lemon Pasta is the perfect, quick weeknight meal that will leave you feeling warm and toasty without being weighed down!

1lb spaghetti, linguine or any other pasta of your choice
3 tbsp unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large lemon juiced
2 cups full fat plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of chopped Italian parsley and basil to stir through at the end
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook pasta according to it’s package until al dente.
In a large non-stick pan, melt butter over medium-low heat.
Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Whisk in lemon juice.
Remove from the heat and whisk in greek yogurt, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste.
Place back on low heat to warm.
Pour in the (drained) cooked pasta and stir to combine. Sprinkle over more herbs and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Serve immediately.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Leek and Mushroom Cottage Pie

November 27, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by David Tanis

Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with minced lamb and vegetables, and topped with mashed potatoes instead of pastry. If made with beef, it is called cottage pie. So it should follow that a vegetable version could be named gardener’s pie. Filled with a saucy, savory leek and mushroom stew, it’s a pie that will please vegetarians and carnivores alike.

Serves 6-8

FOR THE FILLING:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
Salt and pepper
4 medium leeks, tender green and white parts, split lengthwise and cut in 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb medium-brown or white mushrooms, quartered
½ lb shiitake mushrooms, caps only, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 small garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp white miso (optional)
2 cups whole milk
2 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
FOR THE TOPPING:
3 lbs russet or yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
6 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1 cup homemade coarse dry bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350 F.
Put butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to color, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add leeks, a little more salt and stir to combine. Cook mixture for about 5 minutes more, until leeks have lost their crunch, but are still green. Turn off heat.

Cook the mushrooms separately (work in batches if necessary): Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is wavy, add both kinds of mushrooms and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned.
(Alternatively, you can roast the mushrooms rather than fry them. Roasting mushrooms at a high heat makes them chewy and meaty-tasting, plus one can do them all at once, so it’s less work, and there are fewer pans taking up stove space.
Slice them, toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar and roast at 500 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. While they are in the oven, you can get the rest done while the mushrooms are cooking.)
Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir in thyme, garlic and parsley, and toss to coat.

Add mushrooms to onion-leek mixture, and turn heat to medium-high.
Add miso and milk, and bring to a simmer.
Stir cornstarch and water, add to mixture and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and leave at room temperature.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes in salted water until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and mash with 4 tablespoons butter, then stir in cream and beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread mashed potatoes evenly over surface of vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake for 45 minutes, until bubbling and nicely browned.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegan

Squash, chestnut and hazelnut nut roast wreath

November 18, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

If you’re after a fantastic centre piece for your festive feast – look no further!
I know that nut roasts are pretty old school but they’re tasty and this one is packed with flavor. The squash adds some sweetness to the mix and when combined with hazelnuts and chestnuts its really delicious. Plus lots of extra veg and seeds for flavor and crunch – seriously tasty.
I decided to cook it in a bundt mould to create a fun, Holiday wreath. I think it looks pretty special, but feel free to cook it in a loaf tin if you don’t have a bundt mould – just as delicious.
Great served with all the festive trimmings…

Recipe from food blog “Rebel Recipes”

10-12 servings

2 large onions, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small squash or 1/2 butter nut, peeled and cut into small cubes
100g mushrooms, finely chopped
2 big handfuls of kale
300g hazelnuts
4 tbsp pine nuts toasted or pumpkin seeds if preferred
4 tbsp sunflower seeds toasted
180g chestnuts, chopped up
2 tbsp tamari
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp vegan Worcester sauce
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp sea salt
Zest 1 lemon
Black pepper
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped up
3 tbsp olive oil

Pre- heat your oven to 350F/180C

Add the onion and oil to a medium pan and fry gently on a low heat for around 10 minutes until soft and browning.
Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
Next add the squash and mushrooms and fry for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the kale and. Turn off the heat when wilted.
Toast the hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and pine nuts in a dry pan until slightly golden. Add them to a food processor. Pulse a few times.
Add them to the pan along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
Chop the chestnuts roughly and add them to the pan.
Stir everything to combine.
Transfer the mix to a medium greased bunt tin of choice – I used a silicone one as its easier to remove the nut roast.
Press the mix down firmly into the bunt tin.
Bake for 40 minutes – the nut roast should be a little brown on top.
Allow to cool then carefully flip onto a plate.
Top with vegetable crips, herbs etc

Do-ahead · Grains · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Feta-stuffed cannellini bean nut roast

November 18, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

Revamp the nut roast with this Middle-Eastern inspired version. It’s packed with flavor and has an irresistible herby, cheesy filling. A great vegetarian alternative to turkey!

Recipe by Esther Clark

Serves 6

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the tin and for drizzling
1 celery stick, finely chopped
2 leeks , halved and sliced
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
100g pistachios, finely chopped
50g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
80g parmesan, grated
100g cooked quinoa
3 tbsp za’atar
50g fresh breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
50g plain flour
½ small bunch of parsley , finely chopped
1 tbsp toasted mixed seeds
For the stuffing
100g feta, crumbled
2 tbsp mascarpone
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
1 tbsp finely chopped dill , plus a few fronds to serve
1 lemon, zested
For the broccoli
300g purple sprouting broccoli
½ tbsp coriander seeds , crushed
1 tbsp rose harissa

Oil the base and sides of a roughly 18cm loaf tin and line with baking parchment. Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a frying pan, tip in the celery and leek, and fry for 10 mins, or until both are softened and translucent.

Roughly mash the cannellini beans in a large bowl. Stir through the fried celery and leek, pistachios, sundried tomatoes, parmesan, quinoa, za’atar, breadcrumbs, eggs, flour and parsley. Season well.

For the stuffing, roughly mash the feta with a fork, then stir in the mascarpone, chives, dill and lemon zest. Season.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sprinkle the mixed seeds over the bottom of your lined loaf tin. Pat half the bean and nut mixture into the tin and use a spoon to press out a channel along the middle, roughly 2cm wide. Spoon the feta mixture into the channel, then pat down the remaining bean and nut mixture over the top and around the sides. Cover in foil and bake for 50 mins or up to 1 hr until firm to the touch.

Toss the broccoli in a baking tray with the coriander seeds, harissa and remaining 1½ tbsp oil. Season and roast on the lower shelf of the oven for the last 20 mins of the cooking time, or until crisp at the edges.

Serve the nut roast on a platter alongside the broccoli. Drizzle with olive oil and top with the dill fronds.

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead · Nuts

Flourless, fudgey walnut brownies

November 9, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

Flour is the difference between a fudgy brownie and a cakey brownie—the more you add, the cakier it gets. So what would happen if you didn’t add any flour? And what is flour, anyway? While the default used to be all-purpose flour, nowadays there is a truckload of non-wheat ingredients calling themselves flour, from nuts (like almonds) to grains (like oats) to legumes (like chickpeas). These come in handy if you have a wheat allergy or intolerance—or if you want a super-fudgy brownie.

With this recipe we take advantage of walnuts. Some get toasted and stirred into the batter. Others are left raw, for a wheat-ish subtleness, and whooshed in a food processor. Thanks to the walnuts’ buttery fat and zero gluten, the result is rich, crackly, and halfway to chocolate ganache.
Recipe by Emma Laperruque

2/3 cup plus ¾ cup (170 grams) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter
1 cup (80 grams) cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch (20-centimeter) square baking dish with parchment, with overhang on two sides to lift out the baked brownies.
Place ⅔ cup (80 grams) of the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown.
While those cool, add the remaining ¾ cup (90 grams) walnuts to a food processor and pulse in short bursts until a crumbly meal forms. (Don’t take it too far, or you’ll end up with walnut butter.)

Add the butter to a medium saucepan and set over low heat. When that’s melted, remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the cocoa powder, then the sugar and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until incorporated. Set a timer and mix for 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth and glossy.
Stir in the walnut flour, then the toasted walnuts.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until puffed around the edges with a glossy-crackly top and a toothpick inserted near a corner comes out mostly clean. Let cool until room temperature, then remove from the pan and cut into squares.

Do-ahead · Icecream

Baileys Irish cream ice-cream

November 9, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

This is an easy no-cook ice cream that is well worth making. Don’t panic if the ice cream seems too soft, you need to make it 2-3 days in advance of when you’re serving it, as it takes this long to solidify because of the alcohol in the Irish Cream.

Makes 1.5- 2qts

2 cups half-and-half
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 heavy pinch ground cinnamon
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp good quality Madagascar vanilla extract
½ cup Baileys Irish cream liqueur

Beat together the half-and-half, white sugar, cinnamon and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the sugars have dissolved.

Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract into the mixture until smooth.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

About 2 minutes before the end of freezing time, pour Irish cream liqueur into the ice cream maker; allow the machine to finish freezing the ice cream.

Transfer ice cream into a freezer-proof container with a tight lid and place in freezer until ice cream is hardened, at least 48 hours.

Baking · Do-ahead

Orange Lightning Cake

November 9, 2021September 7, 2022 Belinda

Annabelle Langbein’s “quick-as-lightening” cake as you can make it in a flash!
“It’s so quick and simple and yet it has an amazing flavor, like something your grandmother might have made, that has everyone coming back for seconds. You can use golden raisins, (sultanas) or raisins.

Serves 8

1 whole orange, unpeeled
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup water
4 1/2 oz/125 g butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
1 cup sultanas, or raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 325F/160°C fanbake.
Grease a 8″/20cm-diameter cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Cut the orange into quarters, remove the seeds and whizz in a food processor until finely chopped.

Dissolve baking soda in water and add to the food processor with butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour.
Whizz to combine.

Add sultanas or raisins and walnuts, if using, and stir with a spoon or pulse several times to just combine (don’t whizz them or they will break up).

Pour into prepared cake tin and bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (about 1 hour).

STORAGE
Orange Lightning Cake will keep in an airtight container for up to a week or can be frozen.