Appetizer Vegetarian · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Salad

Cucumber salad with peanuts, coconut and lime

Belinda

A refreshing chopped cucumber salad loaded with peanuts, spices, toasted coconut, and chiles.
You can prep all the components ahead of time, but don’t toss the salad until just before serving. If you do the peanuts will lose their crunch because the cucumbers give off a good amount of water. If you use two chiles and leave the seeds/veins in – this is quite a spicy salad, so feel free to adapt for your tastes. You can just use one chile, and if you’re still worried, remove the seeds and veins. It can be made vegan by substituting sunflower oil for the ghee.

3 medium cucumbers, partially peeled, like a zebra
1-2 green chiles, stemmed and minced
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz freshly roasted peanuts
1/3 cup / 1.5 ounces / 45 g dried large-flake coconut, toasted
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp natural cane sugar
1 tbsp, ghee or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
a handful cilantro, chopped

Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and chop into pieces roughly the size of pencil erasers. Just before you’re ready to serve, transfer to a mixing bowl and toss gently with chiles, peanuts, coconut, lemon juice, and sugar.

Over medium heat melt the ghee in a small skillet. When hot stir in the mustard seeds. They are going to sputter and spit a bit, and when this starts to happen, add the cumin for 15-30 seconds, just long enough to toast the spices. Cover with a lid if needed. Remove from heat, stir in the salt, and immediately stir this into the salad. Turn out onto a platter topped with the cilantro.

Asian flavors · Curry · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Soup · Vegan

Brothy Thai Curry With Silken Tofu and Herbs

Belinda

Recipe by Kelly Marshall for The New York Times.

A jarred red curry paste is the central flavor of this wonderfully restorative and nourishing broth. Coconut milk lends a subtle creaminess, and the cherry tomatoes become bright little jammy bursts. You can use fresh tomatoes when in season, but canned tomatoes do just as well. Ladle the piping hot broth over seasoned tofu pieces and fresh herbs: The delicate silken tofu used here will absorb big flavors from the surrounding liquid.

Serves 6

2 (14-ounce) packages silken tofu, drained
2 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed
2 shallots, peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, scrubbed and grated
3 tablespoons red curry paste
1 (14-ounce) can cherry tomatoes or fresh cherry tomatoes
1 quart vegetable stock
1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
Salt
¼ cup soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups mixed fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil and dill
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges, for squeezing

Pat the tofu blocks dry with a clean kitchen or paper towel. Cut each block into 3 slices.
Heat a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Add the oil and shallots, and stir until softened, 2 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger and curry paste, stir, and cook until fragrant and the paste turns deep red, 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the tomato juices thicken slightly, 4 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable stock, stir, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and simmer to slightly reduce the liquid, 10 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk, season to taste with salt and remove from the heat.
While the broth is simmering, divide the soft tofu into 6 bowls.
Break each slice into 4 or 5 pieces. Season each bowl of tofu with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and a few cracks of black pepper, and top with about ¼ cup of the fresh herb mix.
Ladle the hot broth and tomatoes over the bowls of silken tofu.
Top with sliced scallions and serve hot, with lime wedges for squeezing.

Gluten Free · lentils · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Baked pumpkin, burrata and lentils

Belinda

Recipe c/o Nigel Slater

Serves 2-3
2.2lbs (1kg) pumpkin or squash 1kg
3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
100g small green or brown lentils
A good handful of cilantro (coriander)
1 tbsp za’atar
1 tbsp thyme leaves
10 thyme springs
200g burrata

Set the oven at 350F/180C fan/gas mark 6.
Cut the pumpkin into thick slices, place in a single layer on a baking sheet or roasting tin and pour over the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn the slices over so they are coated with oil, then bake for about 20 minutes till translucent and tender.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the lentils and cook for about 20 minutes till tender. Drain and toss them in the extra olive oil, a grinding of salt and black pepper, and the cilantro leaves.

Mix together the za’atar and the thyme leaves. Grind in a little black pepper, then scatter the mixture over the pumpkin slices. Add the sprigs of thyme and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Transfer the pumpkin to a serving dish and scatter with the lentils. Break the burrata into small pieces and add to the pumpkin.

Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Rumbledethumps, the ultimate Scottish vegetarian comfort food.

Belinda

Similar to bubble and squeak, Rumbledethumps is a traditional Scottish dish of buttery mash, cabbage and rutabaga (swede), baked until golden brown and crispy.
You can cook it earlier in the day and reheat in the oven – give them an extra 20 minutes or so from cold.

Recipe by Sue Lawrence for BBC Good Food

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb large potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
14 oz rutagaba (swede) peeled and chopped into large chunks
3-4 oz unsalted butter
9 oz savoy cabbage or kale, finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 oz mature cheddar, grated

Set the oven to 350F.

Cook the potatoes and swede in a saucepan of salted boiling water until tender. Drain well and return to the pan.

Heat 50g/2oz butter in a pan and gently cook the cabbage for a few minutes, until the cabbage is tender but retains its color.

Add the cabbage to the pan with the potatoes and swede. Add the remaining 25g/1oz butter and mash together using a potato masher. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place the mashed vegetables into an ovenproof lidded dish and top with the cheese. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes, or until piping hot and golden-brown on top.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Fish · Soup

Rapid salmon ramen

Belinda

This can be made in just 10 minutes. Add whatever green vegetables you want (see suggestions, below).

6oz salmon fillet
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
7oz ramen noodes
1 heaped tsp white miso paste
¾ tsp chili flakes
3 slices of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
2 pak choi, quartered lengthways
3 sprigs of cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C (200C non-fan).
Start by cooking the salmon. Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the pan is hot, place the salmon in the pan, skin side down, and season with salt and pepper. Turn the salmon after 1 minute, then cook for a further minute and transfer to the oven to cook for 8 minutes.

Whisk 1 heaped tsp miso paste into 10 fl oz (300 mls) boiling water, add chili flakes, ramen noodles and ginger. Place the pan over a medium heat and stir. Add the pak choi and cook for 3 minutes.
Pour all the ingredients in a bowl and place the cooked salmon on top. Sprinkle the cilantro on top and enjoy.

Choose from: spinach, spring onions, shredded cabbage, peas, baby kale, purple sprouting broccoli or sliced mushrooms. Instead of salmon, meaty fish such as hake or cod also work well.

Gluten Free · Salad · Vegetable sides

Warm lentil salad with goat’s cheese

Belinda

How gorgeous does this salad look?
Made from lentils that you can store in your cupboard (a good staple to have in there), and livened up with juicy, sweet beets, radicchio, creamy goat’s cheese and fresh herbs, it’s a really filling salad, which is super-healthy and a no-fuss, no-stress supper.

Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1 x 250g packet of pre-cooked Puy lentils
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cooked beets, halved and cut into wedges
Half a radicchio, roughly torn
50g soft goat’s cheese, broken into chunks
50g pecans
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp mint, roughly chopped

For the dressing
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and gently fry until the garlic is just turning a light golden color. Stir in the lentils and warm through. Season to taste.
To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.
Toss the dressing, beetroot and torn radicchio leaves through the warm lentil mixture and transfer to a serving dish.
Scatter over the goat’s cheese, pecans, parsley and mint and serve.

*Note Torn mozzarella or burrata or crumbled vegan feta cheese are good alternatives for the goat’s cheese.

Asian flavors · Curry · Dairy-free · Gluten Free

Creamy vegan chickpea and spinach curry topped with cumin roasted parsnips

Belinda1 Comment

For the parsnips
4 large parsnips, cut into batons
3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tsp roasted cumin seeds
Salt and pepper
Toss the parsnip batons in the oil and seasoning and roast at 375F in a roasting tin for 40 mins or until soft and browned

For the curry
1 large red onion, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 tbsp tomato paste (puree)
1 1/2 tbsp Madras curry powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp roasted ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
pinch chili powder (or more if you like it spicy)
1 1/2 cans full-fat coconut milk
2 cans (800mls) chickpeas, drained, or the equivalent in dried, soaked and cooked if you make them yourself
4-5 large handfuls fresh spinach
1 lime, juiced

For the toppings
Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
thinly sliced red onion
Plain yoghurt to drizzle
chili flakes
Rice or naan to serve with it

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
Add the chopped red onion to the pan, fry for a few minutes before adding the minced garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute until fragrant and the onion is soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry until the tomatoes have broken down. Help by squishing them with the back of a wooden spoon when soft.

Add the tomato paste, all the spices, salt and a drizzle of oil. Stir and cook for a minute until fragrant and it resembles a paste.

Now add the coconut milk, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain the chickpeas and add after 10 minutes. continue cooking for a further 20 minutes.

Add the spinach and stir well.

When serving, sprinkle with the lime juice, top with the roasted parsnips and the other toppings.

Baking · Do-ahead

Almond Miso Oatmeal Cookies

Belinda

These Almond Miso Oatmeal Cookies come out crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, with salty and nutty flavor addition from white miso paste.

1 cup unsalted butter (225 g), softened
1/4 cup white miso paste
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
1 cup brown sugar (200 g)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups rolled oats (270 g)
1 cup sliced almond (110 g)

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.

Prepare 2 baking sheets and grease or line them with parchment papers or baking mats.
In big bowl, cream butter, miso, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until incorporated. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.

In different bowl, combine all purpose flour and baking soda. Stir in the dry ingredient into the wet ingredient. With a spatula, stir in the oats and almond slices until incorporated.

With ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons), drop the dough on prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches apart.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to prevent the cookies from spreading.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Sticky miso chicken roasted on sesame butternut squash

Belinda

The perfect balance of salty and sweet, miso chicken is the absolute star in this recipe. Get creative with a simple switch of veg and herbs for a tasty new spin.

Serves 4

3 lb 3 oz (1.5 kg) butternut squash, skin scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
sea salt flakes
scallions (green onion) thinly sliced and cilantro (coriander) leaves, to serve

Sticky miso chicken
⅓ cup white miso paste (shiro)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)
2 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
5 oz boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and halved

Preheat oven to 425F (220°C)
Place squash, oil, sesame seeds and salt in a bowl and toss to coat. Place on a large baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Roast the pumpkin for 20 minutes.

To make the sticky miso chicken, place the miso, oil, soy, mirin, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside until ready to use.

When the pumpkin has cooked for the 20 minutes, top the pumpkin with the miso chicken and pour over any remaining miso marinade. Roast for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

To serve, divide between plates, sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and top with green onion and coriander.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegan

Roasted beetroot falafels with tahini sauce

Belinda

A delicious beet-inspired falafel recipe. Baked or broiled to maintain a wonderful, healthy, gluten-free, vegan falafel.

Makes 10

2 beetroots (just under tennis ball size)
2 large garlic cloves
250g (2 cups) cooked chickpeas
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
Tahini Sauce (to serve)

Ahead of time: Slice the rough neck/top off the beetroots and discard. Chop the remaining beetroot into cubes (1.5cm/half an inch cubed in size). Bake in the oven on a baking tray for about 45 minutes on a high heat. When done, take out and leave to cool until you are ready to make the falafels. This can be done ahead of time, or the night before when you are using the oven for something else.

When beetroot is ready…
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything has broken down. It doesn’t need to be pureed completely, just broken down into tiny pieces so that when you compress, everything binds together.
If it seems a little too crumbly then I recommend adding a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil. Moisture depends on how much the chickpeas have been drained or how the moisture level of the baked beetroot.
Roll into balls (a little smaller than golf balls in size).
Press the balls down into mini patty shapes.
Place onto a broiler tray and broil on a medium/low heat for about 8 minutes on each side. (You can also bake these in the oven as an alternative to grilling).
Serve right away.

This is really good served with this tahini sauce

Tahini Sauce

100ml tahini
50ml spring or filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
1 clove garlic

Crush the garlic.
Blend all ingredients together with a hand blender.
If you prefer to mix with a spoon, it works best by mixing a little water at a time. It might take a little longer to come together by hand, say 30 seconds, but is well worth the effort.