Vegan Carrot Smoked "Salmon" Bagels

Hey you!

I have been moving all this week in between working - thankfully we had a holiday at college this week, so I got an extra day to just get things together.

So... my boyfriend and I decided to carry everything to the new flat.... Yes - bad choice, I have been known to have a lot of things (I mean... who doesn't? OK, I will tryyyy and minimalise in the near future... promise!) and some of the stuff I just couldn't bring along, but I'm all set, and my goldfish also seem to love my boyfriend's pad. Sorted!

Anyway, today I have decided to dig up a recipe I made a good while back... It's from the amazing blogger Maikki's page - and therefore of course: vegan!

Vegan Carrot Smoked "Salmon" Bagels
(Makes about 4 bagels)

4 bagels
Cucumber, sliced
Spring onions, finely sliced
Dill, chopped finely
Lemon for squeezing

Carrot "Salmon":
3 large carrots, peeled
LOTS of salt (about 400g)
1 tbsp neutral oil (like sunflower)
2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp white wine vinegar

Vegan cream cheese:
100g cashew nuts
100g tofu, patted dry
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (can also use white wine vinegar as above)
1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
Pinch of salt

- Start by making the carrot "salmon", leave the peel on the carrot, and heat up the oven to 190C. Sprinkle half the salt in a baking dish, place the carrots on top, and drizzle over the remaining salt - yes I know this is a lot of salt - but trust me, it does work! Place in the middle of the oven and backe for 1 1/2 hour.

- Once done, cool and then peel the carrots and thinly slice them. Put them in a box with the remaining ingredients, mix well to combine and leave overnight to marinade.

- Next day! Blend aaaaall the ingredients for the cream cheese in a processor or with a heavy duty stick blender and transfer into a container until serving, store in the fridge.

- Now it is time to put it all together! Toast the bagels and then spread both sides with cream cheese, place the smoked carrot sliced on top followed by cucumber, dill and a good drizzle of lemon juice - and serve!

What is your favourite veganised food?

PS - hope you are having a fantasmic weekend! x


- Jules

Original recipe:
http://maikinmokomin.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/porkkana-kylmasavulohi-bagelit-carrot.html

Muhammara

I am a sucker for dips, the more exotic the better! And within a week, two of my favourite blogs posted recipes for muhammara - a red bell pepper and walnut-based dip which tastes fantastic! If you like hummous, you'll like this!

Serve as a snack with wholemeal pita bread and crudites, or serve as part of a main meal!

Muhammara
(Serves 4)

1 red bell pepper
3/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs
3 Spring onions, chopped
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 tsp cumin
A good pinch of salt
1 tbsp agave syrup (or pomegranate molasses)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water

Pomegranate seeds and oil for topping

Pita bread, and vegetable sticks for dipping

- Start by roasting the red bell pepper on high heat in the oven until blistered, wrap in tin foil until the skin is easy to peel of the pepper.

- Have the pepper along with all the other ingredients in a blender and swish until you have a slightly coarse but smooth dip.

- Simply top with pomegranate seeds upon serving, a good drizzle of oil and serve with sides of choice or as part of a main!

We made this as part of three dips (We also made Egyptian Foul Mudammes and Zingy Avocado Hummous!) and it was quite the spread!

What is your absolute favourite veggie dip?

Today, one of my colleague had brought in heart shaped vegetarian jelly sweeties and asked if I would be her Valentine <3 It is cheesyness like this I can deal with, not to mention the slight sugar-high that hit! Giggles in work *smiles*


Original source:
http://warmvanillasugar.com/2016/01/14/muhammara/

- Jules

Honey & Garlic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

This might be one of the best toast topping or side to accompany antyhing this Winter! Maybe as tapas? The tomatoes are packed with vitamin C, garlic is super good for you, and honey is anti flammatory. Now how about THAT?

I made this one of the days when I was packed with pharyngitis, and just needed to make the most out of a little. I used a little extra oil then in the original recipe, as well as honey, cause I was afraid it wouldn't stretch!

Honey & Garlic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
(Serves 3)

500g cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp + 1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 1/2 tbsp runny honey (syrup for vegan)
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
Salt and black pepper

- Start by pre-heating the oven to 190C.

- Now, pour 2 tbsp oil into a baking dish and make sure it is spread all over the base.

- Halve the tomatoes and place them cut side up.

- Mix the remaining oil, honey and garlic in a small bowl. Spread over the tomatoes, and then sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes until tender and juicy.

- Serve on fancy bruscetta, or as an accompaniment!

Original source:
Veg Everyday, p. 343

- Jules

Snickers Dip

Second sweet recipe in a row? Well.... there is a reason for that - today I have been a vegetarian for 8 months! And what better way than to whip up something sweet (and moderately healthy).

This was meant to be posted closer to Halloween, however I failed due to being ridiculously busy.

Enter: my twist on Ragnhild's caramel dip!

I had to tweak the recipe due to missing a couple of ingredients, but it turned out pretty sweet indeed. Spread it on toast and top it with banana, have it on sliced apple or anything else you reckon this would go well with!

In the picture below, there is home made healthy pumpkin pie, vanilla ice cream, topped with the dip and M & Ms! Went down a treat when I had a couple of friends over for dinner and I served this for dessert.

Snickers Dip
(Makes 1/2 cup)

5 tbsp date syup (or soak 1/2 cup dates in boiling water, drain and whizz until smooth)
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp agave syrup (optional)

Toast, bananas, apples or other such things to serve

- Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl and store in a small air-tight jar. Due to the healthy fats and natural sugar, this will at least last for 5 days in the fridge. I doubt that it will last that long though!

This weekend has been nothing short from lovely, I had Friday and Sunday off and spent it with a bunch of fantastic people. I had a lot of amazing food, picnic on the floor, I made lots of crafty things this evening (picture above is part of a candle I made earlier... It is still going strong on the table here in front of me *smiles*), I was given a tour of a part of Glasgow I had never seen before, and I received my first t-shirt from RedBubble (check it out for amaaazing tee designs!) - I got the one where there is an overly awesome raccoon doing the dishes... You better believe it!

Now, I am knackered, I have made some home made soup to bring for work the next couple of days, and I am ready for a good, long night's sleep... I hope your weekend has been eventful as well!


Recipe by yours truly, inspired by Ragnhild

- Jules

Mediterranean Hummous

Hummous - something I have promised myself I will stop buying from the shop and rather make a big batch of each week!

Not only is it whipped up in five minutes, but it is great knowing what you put in your food - not to mention the varieties you can make, depending on what you feel like using!

This week, I decided to go for a Mediterranean style flavour. I have been hooked on sundried tomatoes and artichokes in oil lately - so simple, SO delicious, and somehow it fends of my craving of seafood (my only craving since going vegetarian).

Now, I was more than please with this result as it ended up tasting like one of my favourite red pepper hummouses (hummousi? Ha!) Wait.. Now I am imagining little hummous mice - ahhh! Anyhow, in short: This has never seen a red pepper at all, but it is creamy and delicious!

Don't have tahini? No problem, just add a little bit of oil instead!

Mediterranean Hummous
(Makes 1 big bowl!)

400g tin chickpeas, drained
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil (or the oil from the antipasti)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp tahini
Juice of 2/3 lime
4 sundried tomatoes, in oil
4 pieces of artichoke, in oil
A little bit of salt to taste

- Simply add all the ingredients in a deep bowl or a measuring jug, and use a stickblender and whizz for a few minutes until it gets that infamous hummous texture - yum!

- Serve up with cruditês, pitta bread and other snacks.

Perfect for people all ages! Speaking of which, do you like my new snack boxes? I saw them in the shop and couldn't help buying some, I've got one truck shaped one too... I have never been one for pink and hearts anyway.

Recipe by yours truly,

- Jules

Creole Aubergines

Hello!

Now, before I give you today's recipe, I must state that I actually looked up the definition of creole, don't laugh at me! Every day is a school day, some say *smiles*

So:
ˈkriːəʊl/

1. A person of mixed European and black descent, especially in the Caribbean.
2. A descendant of Spanish or other European settlers in the Caribbean or Central or South America.

There you have it! I found this lovely recipe in my funky Caribbean recipe book by Mr. Roots no less... I decided to take on - the aubergine, because it isn't my favourite vegetable and have to be either grilled to mush or cooked until nice and tender for me to like it. And you know what? This here dish is really lovely! Just remember to soften the aubergines before the other ingredients go in, et voila!

Creole Aubergines
(Serves 2, or 4 as a side)

2 tbsp oil
1 large aubergine, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red or green (or half of both) bell pepper, chopped
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp whole pepper corns (or 1/3 tsp black ground pepper)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
400ml chopped tomatoes in sauce
1/2 cup water

Rice, crusty bread, yogurt, creme fraiche or sour cream to serve
You can also garnish the dish with some coriander or parsley leaves if you have them at hand!

- In a medium casserole, heat up the oil on medium high heat - toss the aubergine in and stir occasionally. Let it soften for 5/10 minutes and add more oil if necessary.

- Now, add the garlic, onion and pepper and soften for another 5 minutes, then sprinkle over the salt, pepper, sugar, cumin and smoked paprika. Stir for a minute before tipping in the tomatoes.

- Use the container for the tomatoes, and pour in the water, making sure you get the rest of it out, and pour it into the pan - simples!

- Turn down to a simmer and let it bubble away for 10-15 minutes until all the flavours have meddled together.

I hope you enjoy this nice and light dish as much as I did, and if you want to add protein to it, I am sure both chickpeas and chopped mushrooms would work great in this casserole!

Last night, I had three lovely ladies over for a little cheap and cheerful mezze, and it was a lot of fun! Lots of pitabread, cheeses, olives, hummous (so much hummous! *smiles*), fruits, sundried tomatoes and other antipasti. It doesn't take much preparation to have yourself a spread of epic proportions. Oh! And I also made some Pineapple Water that I added some frozen berries and a few drops of stevia in, and it worked a treat! It's good to make the most out of the fruit, and the pineapple water is easy to mix with other juices if you for example want to make spritzers, or just drink eu natural perhaps with a bit of sugar and a squeeze of lime?

Today, I might be going to this hip hop night in town (random, I know, but it sounds like so much fun!). How has your weekend been so far? All good I hope! *hugs*


Original Source:
Spice it Up! p. 107

- Jules

Cucumber & Chilli Relish

Relishes, use them for burgers, to spice up salads, or serve as a side along many a different main meal....

This recipe here only asks for a few ingredients, and you can serve it straight away! I was hungry after work and a little session in the gym, and so I simply served it over bread topped with an egg, but I reckon it would add a great crunch and freshness to for example delicious home made bean burgers, yum!

If you like it hot, why not use 1/3 Scotch bonnet? I myself can't say I am that brave...

Cucumber & Chilli Relish
(Makes 1 small bowl, easily doubled)

1/2 cucumber, cut in half and core removed, sliced
1/2 red chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp sukrin gold, xylitol or brown sugar
1 tbsp dill, either dry or fresh (finely chopped if using the latter)
1 tbsp white wine winegar
A drizzle of salt

- Guess what? You just toss all the ingredients into a bowl and swirl them about until mixed well, and it is ready to serve! How easy was that?

Also, I just want to add that this relish is not too hot at all, I reckon I could have used a whole red chilli, but then again, it all depends on the type of chilli you use.

Do you have any good relish recipes for me to try?

I hope you have had a lovely week so far! Do you have any plans for the weekend? A friend and I went to a pub quiz last night, and it is the first time it has only been two of us, but we managed to not come last (second last is still something!), and it was a lot of fun! As for the rest of the week, I'll just improvise *smiles*


Original source:
Spice it Up! p. 107

- Jules

Beetroot Salad

Creamy salads that you would serve alongside the barbecue, with salads or top slices of bread with... I remember parents buying all kinds of salads, but they never appealed to me because I was only young and thought that mayonnaise wasn't actually tasty, when it turns out - that it is!

Sometimes beets on their own can be a little too....beety for myself, but I found that with this combination here, it cuts through that, and it turns out lovely and creamy. I lightened it up using light mayonnaise, but you can also mix 1/3 mayonnaise with 2/3 light yogurt, and you'll see that it will still hold the same lovely flavours!

Beetroot Salad
(Makes 1 large tub)

250g cooked beetroot, finely diced
100g light mayonnaise (optionally 2 tbsp mayonnaise and 4-5 tbsp quark or light yogurt)
1 small onion or two shallots, finely chopped
1/2 apple, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

- Simply have all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Yes.... it is really that simple!

Serve with bread, or as an accompaniment with meaty mains, or as part of a salad.

This one goes out to my fellow Scandis and Eastern Europeans who are probably the most familiar with this!

Have you tried beetroot salad before?


Original source:
http://lindastuhaug.blogg.no/1424873754_25022015.html

- Julie

Palak Paratha

Spinach - tasty, tasty greens! Perhaps even the "meatiest" of the greens as well? I remember now being much of a fan of greens when I was little, but as far as my blog goes - I am sure you can tell that has changed, and the first time I had a vegetarian pizza with spinach - I was hooked!

Why not try and add some spinach in homemade parathas? It works a treat, and can be served alongside almost any Indian main. I used spelt flour instead of wholemeal, and it worked a treat!

Palak Paratha
(Makes 5-6)

300g spinach
250g wholemeal or spelt flour
A pinch of salt
1/2 green chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp dried pomegranate seeds (optional, I didn't have any at hand)
About 2 tbsp oil for frying (or butter if you want)

- Start by having the spinach in a casserole. Boil up water and pour over it, stir a little for about a minute or so - until the spinach has wilted. Drain off the water, and whizz the spinach either in a processor or with a stick blender.

- Now, in a bowl, mix the flour, salt and chilli (plus pomegranate seeds if using), then, make a well in the middle and pour in the spinach mixture. Work the dough well. You can add water if necessary, but I found that after working the dough for about 5 minutes, there was no need for it.

- Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave to sit for about 30 minutes (....I was too impatient and skipped this, or...I let it sit for about 10 minutes rather...).

- Now, divide the dough into 5 or 6 pieces and flatten out until about 15 cm in diameter. I did this one by one as I had one paratha ni the pan frying.

- So! Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a small frying pan, and cook the parathas for a few minutes on each side until slightly crisp and green and golden. Continue with the remaining parathas, until you have a lovely little stack of them.

Enjoy straight from the pan with food of choice! I even rolled one up and had it as part of my lunch one day, so good!

Have you ever tried to make parathas before?
I used to make stuffed ones when I was working in the Indian kitchen, and I was surprised at how easy it was to make them instead of buying them. Usually you have the ingredients for plain or stuffed parathas at hand anyway, and so it can save you money *smiles*. Thanksfully, the spinach is cheap, and adds a whole lot of nutrition to this green version here, bonus! Not to mention the lovely flavour, mmm....

This weekend has been packed with as much as TWO charity pot-lucks where everyone brings some home cooked goodies for a good cause and get-together. Friday evening was for International Women's Day charities, and the brunch on Saturday was for Barnardo's children charity. It was great fun and I got to meet so many lovely new people as well as catching up with a lot of friends - win!

Today, the weather was actually great! And so a friend and I went out for lunch, before going on adventures through the Botanics and Kelvingrove Park, it was lovely! Tonight, I watched an eye-opener of a movie:

I think I can count on two hands the amount of times I have had any meat-produce this year, and this movie encouraged my views on potentially becoming a full-time vegetarian, for a better world! Previously, I have seen snippets of the way some animals are treated, but to watch a whole documentary about the whole process, as well as telling us how it can be beneficial for your health really did move me. When I was young, I was stubborn and picky and ate only a few vegetables (less picky on the fruit, because y'know it's so sweet and juicy most of the time!), but later in life, especially after having moved from home, I find myself discovering more and more exciting food that doesn't necessarily need to be prepared using these products.
What are your thoughts on vegetarianism/veganism?

Aaaaaand how has your weekend been? I hope you have a lovely Sunday evening, and a good start to the new week!


Original source:
India - Cookbook, p. 613

- Jules

Curry Roasted Cashew Nuts

Hey and thank Faramir it is Friday! Have you had a good week so far?

I thought I would post up a recipe for an amazing snack that can also be added to salads, used as topping for savoury dishes, or had as part of a spread, I tried to add them to some cucumber and mango rolls, tasty combination!

These nuts are so versatile! You can top stews with them, roll them up in cucumber rolls along with some carrots and mango, or just eat as a snack, it really is up to you.

Just be mindful and keep an eye on these bad boys, as they don't need long to roast! I think mine took between 10-15 minutes.

Curry Roasted Cashew Nuts
(Makes 1 cup)

1 cup cashew nuts, soaked for at least an hour
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder (I used Chinese)
1 tbsp coconut oil melted
1 tbsp syrup, such as agave - you can also use brown sugar or xylitol
A drizzle of salt

- Start by pre-heating the oven to 190°C.

- Now, melt the coconut oil in a small frying pan along with the sweetener of choice. Turn off the heat, and have the cashews in the pan and swirl around until coated. Then add the curry powder and salt and stir until the cashews are evenly coated.

- Place on a baking-paper clad tray, and roast in the middle of the oven for 10-20 minutes, keeping an eye on them.

In the original recipe, she roasted them for 35-45 minutes. I was impatient and didn't soak the cashews, so mine were well-done after about 10-20 minutes.

I need to make more of these, have used them up already!

Have you roasted nuts at home using different spices yourself? If so, do you have any favourite combinations?

I used these s a snack, and rolled them up in cucumber with mango cut into matchsticks, and I also used them to top the vegan sweet potato and peanut stew - In that recipe though, I swapped the chilli powder for paprika and fennel and it went hand in hand with the curry spice - awesome! I love when you make little discoveries like that *smiles*

Have you got any plans for the weekend?

I am lucky enough to have charity events that my lovely friends (both called Anna, in fact!) are hosting! Both are pot-luck events, one is tonight, and another one is tomorrow at lunch time, I cannot wait! For the occasion, I made two quiches, one with leek and another one with caramelised red onions. PS. should you feel like quiche, you can find a really good recipe here, as well as some crustless quiches if you use the search bar!

I'll try and remember to take it easy at some point during the weekend ^ ^ I hope you have a fantasmic one!


Original source:
http://ragnhildnordrum.com/?p=4708

- Jules

Sweet or Savoury Autumn Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Make the most of your pumpkin seeds!

OK, so pan-roasted pumpkin seeds are amazing, but baked, fragrant crispy seeds straight from the oven?

When I saw Rose's two takes on roasted pumpkin seeds, I knew I had to make it. This was a few weeks ago, but I finally got around to doing it! Please check out her blog for more amazing clean recipes that are really good for you, not to mention defriggin'licious!

I made both batches in one go, saves time and there's plenty of space in the oven, just remember to roast them on two separate foil-squares, although I am slightly intrigued at what a combination of the two would be like, hmmmmm! *Goes to try* It works, mmmm *crunches away happily*

Sweet or Savoury Autumn Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Coconut- Maple- Cinnamon-Seeds:
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp maple syrup
1/3 tsp cinnamon

Crunchy, Salty Pumpkin Seeds:
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

The how-to is the same for both versions:

- Start by pre-heating your oven to 220°C.

- In a bowl, mix the seeds with either the salty or the sweet ingredients.

- Take two pieces of tin foil or baking paper and fold up the sides you you have two small, shallow tin/paper trays. Spread the seeds evenly with as much space between them as possible so they roast evenly. Pop them into the middle of the oven for 4-7 minutes, and pay close attention to them so they don't burn (mine took about 7 minutes).

- Take them out of the oven and leave to cool slightly before serving, you might find some of the seeds popping or crackling, and they are the ones that taste the best!

Seriously though, they both almost taste like popcorn, and I had some of the sweet ones straight from the oven and topped my porridge with it, SO delicious! These are perfect just for snacking on on their own as well though!

I'm not sure I'll ever be able to eat plain pumpkin seeds again after this.... Too good!

Oh by the way, this 500th post, can you believe it? After two years and then some ^ ^

And on another note - I got a job, hurrah! It is in a cafê in city centre, and I'll be doing so many different things there and am really excited about it!

I hope you have had a good week so far, been up to much?



Original source:
http://www.thecleandish.com/how-to-roast-pumpkin-seeds-2-ways-sweet-savory-grain-free-gluten-free-refined-sugar-free/

- Jules

Savoury Polenta Cake

Polenta, or coarse cornflour/cornmeal isn't anything I had worked with before until I saw this easy recipe for polenta cake! I made it vegan by using nutritional yeast instead of parmesan, and I reckon it worked quite well! Parmesan does have quite a bit of a stronger and cheesier flavour of course, so if you're not vegan, then go wild! I might try it with parmesan next time I make this.

It works well with dinners should you be out of potatoes for example, and the polenta also mops up gravy rather well too! I tried it first with some venison, carrots and red onion gravy, which worked a treat. But you could also use this and make sandwich wedges, filling it with hummous, cheese, ham, anything you want really! Oh and it's gluten-free too!

Savoury Polenta Cake
(Makes one 18-20cm cake tin's worth)

1 litre vegetable stock
200g polenta/coarse cornmeal/cornflour1 handful rocket, torn (optional)
85g parmesan OR 50g nutritional yeast
2 tsp parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp chervil, finely chopped
2 tsp chives, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

- Start by pouring the vegetable stock into a large casserole, then add the polenta little by little to prevent it from going lumpy, and stir well and frequently for 25-30 minutes. Make sure it doesn't catch the bottom. The mixture should come away from the pan, take it off the heat.

- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC. Add all the remaining ingredients to the polenta ans stir really well to combine.

- Pour the polenta mixture into a cake tin or mould and bake for about 20 minutes, cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving it with whatever you want!

PS. I also imagine adding grated cheese to the top before baking it would be a winner too!

Polenta Pacman before the feast...!


Have you ever cooked with polenta before?

Yesterday, I was at a Rocky Horror Picture Show party and it was amazing! So many fantastic costumes, and despite coming a little unprepared the girls made sure I got make-upped to the max and wearing a top hat, haha, so much fun! What have you been up to so far this weekend? Any plans for today?


Original source:
Good Mood Food, p. 18

- Jules

Salsiki

Hello and happy Thursday!

I hope so far today has been good to you *smiles* As for me, I have taken today to relax, and perhaps whip up some goodies later on in the day. I can't help myself!

I am really enjoying making all these dressing/sauce types of sides these days, and today - I have another winner for you, salsiki! It is almost like tzatziki, except here, you blitz all the ingredients together for a smooth sauce that you can use for dressings, top meat cutlets with, or swirls through rice or dip savoury snacks like pakora or samosas in.

I upped the ratio of filling to the amount of yogurt, and I also used Alpro soy yogurt, so this was vegan in my case. Despite soy yogurts sometimes being a little sweet, the seasoning and flavours in this dressing disguises it well. It's just really good! I'm glad I stumbled upon this recipe ^ ^

Salsiki
(Serves 2-4)

Before I whizzed it all up - aint it purrrdy?

200ml soy/low-fat natural yogurt
50-70 g cucumber, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped, or minced
A few mint, parsley or coriander leaves (I used mint)
1 tsp olive oil
A good pinch of salt (I used Himalayan salt)

- Simply have the yogurt, followed by the other ingredients in a bowl, and use a processor or stick blender to whizz until smooth, and serve with your food of choice! I can imagine this would go really well with falafels alongside some spicy tomato sauce as well, yum!

As for me, I used them in an fragrant Amaranth salad along with some carrot and broccoli, it was delicious. I still have a little leftover that I will use either today or tomorrow. Maybe for some vegetable cruditês, who knows?

What is your favourite yogurt based dressing, and have you ever tried amaranth before?


Original source:
Friske Vegetariske Oppskrifter, p. 27

- Jules

Dressing a lâ Iran & a Quarter of a Century Old

Today, I am a quarter of a century, and I feel - old...

I also went for a run this morning, and it was a bad idea - I didn't do that well and simply blamed it on turning a year older, not the fact that I haven't been running in...three months. I told myself that after though, and felt a little better for it. Yesterday I made a Norwegian cake that I will be sharing with you in the very near future, so keep your eyes out for it! Today I'm gonna get my baking on before having some friends over. I use this day as an excuse to invite people so I can feed them, and get my baking on - there's only so much cake I can eat by myself, and besides - it tastes SO much better in good company!

For now, I'll give you the recipe for a delicious little accompaniment that I made the other day. If you like yogurt based dressings, you will hopefully like this one as much! It has that subtle flavour of the sesame oil which works really well with the mint and currants, mmmmm.

The other night, I had a proper sit-down to think of what foods I actually have in the flat, searching for recipes that would only require for me to buy one or two things in order to make something.

Browsing through this really nifty recipe book I have, I came across a sauce, or a dressing more like, and I had all the ingredients AND was feeling peckish. Bingo! I found a lost little courgette in the fridge that I sauteed in a little bit of butter, garlic, salt and some dill (adding a bit of Scandi-ness to it all...) and served it topped with this delicious dressing, yum! The sesame oil in it really adds that extra flavour that makes this mix stand out. It was adviced to have it with salads and rice in particular.

I down-sized the batch and made enough to serve one to two people, it depends how much rice or salad you have that needs topped with it I suppose.

PS. I also added a bit more of everything in the dressing, because it looks and tastes nicer that way!

Dressing a lâ Iran
(Serves 1 to 2)

3 big tbsp or 100ml low fat natural yogurt
A squeeze of lemon juice
A few fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 heaped tbsp dried currants
A good pinch of salt

- Simply combine everything in a small bowl and garnish with a few extra mint leaves for show and serve with salads, or swirl through the rice to give it a little bit more of a flavour.

Like I said, I only had this as a snack and topped some fried courgette with it, and served it along side some home made rye bread and egg salad. You know what it's like when you are hungry and want - everything! Sometimes you just have to give in to it. And this time, it worked a treat! I will definitely be making this again, mmm.

This made for a delicious evening snack, and I managed to squeeze in my fifth vegetable for the day - score!

First guests arriving in approximately six and a half hours, and I am exciting! Gotta get my baking on soon, that will also be a Norwegian recipe, as I found the other week that despite having these biased cravings of lovely fluffy sweet baked goods, I usually find a recipe for someone else. Time to go back to my roots, gotta mix it up a little bit!

Wishing you a lovely Wednesday!


Original source:
Friske Oppskrifter, p. 26

Vegan Guaca-Rice

Today I have had a day off and it was a pure treat! It's important to sometimes take a few steps back from the professional life and just do what feels best for you, mmmm. I have had a few boxes ticked off today.

Hairdressers - tick!
Home made chocolate marbles - tick!
Pub quiz - tick! (And out team even got second place!)
Ice cream - tick!

In a busy week day though, or on days when you feel like little effort should be made in the kitchen - you can still rattle up some healthy food in zero point swish! (That's in a flash to you and me) You can even use the rice from yesterday's dinner if you have some left!

Here's what you need for some lovely, creamy rice - perfect as a side with many a main dish, or funk it up and have it for lunch, either as a salad or part as a sandwhich filler. As you have maybe noticed, these multi-purpose meals are all the rage on my blog these days!

Feel free to add a bit of a kick to it with a bit of finely chopped chillies, or perhaps add more veggies by swirling some chopped tomatoes and chopped red onion in the mix as well?

Vegan Guaca-Rice
(Serves 3-4 as a side)

2 cups cooked wholegrain rice (1 cup uncooked)
1 avocado
Juice of 1 lime
A pinch of cumin
100g sweetcorn
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped tomatoes, finely chopped chillies, and garlic all optional
Potential garnish: vegan coconut "bacon"

- If the rice isn't cooked yet, do so first by following the instructions on the packet. Once done, rinse in cold water and drain well, set aside.

- Have all the remaining ingredients apart from the sweetcorn, in a bowl and use a stick-mixer to make a nice and smooth guacamole, stir in the sweetcorn and rise, and it's all done! Serve along side main dishes, garnish with whatever you see fit, or use it as part of a filling for sandwiches.

Topped with vegan coconut "bacon" garnish

If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge, just remember to keep the avocado pit in it so it prevents it from discolouring.

I hope you have had a great week so far! Do you have other good avocado recipes?


Original source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheComfortOfCooking/~3/6eRC_2CA3ow/creamy-avocado-lime-rice.html

- Jules

Easy Vegan Bacon Garnish

Yeah, you heard me - VEGAN! Aint that neat?

I am juuuust back home from having spent my Summer holiday with my family in Norway, and thus there might just be a post in the near future about it - just maybe *winks*. After ten days away, I have climbed mountains, eaten ice cream o'plenty and topped up on my favourite dish - raspeballer. I have attended a poetry slam in the heart of Bergen, seen some celebrities - and.....I just heard back from the people from my course and I have become a nutritional advisor, how about that? Needless to say I am really happy I made it, not to mention surprised and relieved!

I have seen several recipes for vegan coconut bacon, and most recipes call for the sliced coconut. I however, happened to have no such thing in my flat and thus settled for using dessicated coconut and just use it for garnish instead, and I was mighty surprised how something vegan can taste so beautifully....smokey - as if straight from the barbecue, mmmm!

I composed this recipe based on the main component in the other ones I have seen, and also just using whatever I had at hand. I think the liquid smoke is the key though, and you can find it in some Mexican food shops, as well as some normal food shops.

I might have used tamarind instead of tamari, which was somewhat a foolish thing to do, but thankfully it tasted really nice! Don't worry though, I corrected it in the recipe below for you *smiles*

Easy Vegan Bacon Garnish
(Makes 1 cup)

1 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/3 tsp liquid smoke (it's seriously strong stuff!)
1 tbsp tamari + 2 tbsp water
1-2 tsp maple syrup (can use honey for vegetarian)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp coconut oil

- Simply start by combining the dessicated coconut with smoked paprika and salt, stir well to combine.

- Add the liquid smoke, syrup, tamari and water and stir, stir, stir some more!

- Heat coconut oil in a small frying pan on medium-low heat, and add the "bacon" mix. Stir frequently, and once it starts to char slightly, after about 5-10 minutes, it's done! Either use as garnish straight away or cool completely before storing in an airtight container or a jar for up to 1-2 weeks.

I have used it as garnish on fried eggs, topped soups with it, and now I am making a casserole that I plan on garnish with some of it as well ^ ^

Have you ever tried to make vegan bacon before?


Recipe by yours truly, with a little help from the iWebs!

- Jules