editor, Author at The Kind Cook

Mushroom & Rosemary Soup

on March 14, 2013

YOU NEED

2 tablespoons of rice bran oil

1/2 cup of water

1 large brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

8 cups of mushrooms (I used cap mushrooms), roughly chopped

3 cups of Bonsoy organic soy milk

1/4 cup of dry white wine

1 cup of vegetable stock

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary leaves, washed well

1 teaspoon of salt

pepper to taste

YOU DO

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large non stick pan. Add the onions and cook on a slow to medium heat until they are caramelised. Add the garlic and stir through over a medium heat for a minute or 2. Place in a large pot and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and add the mushrooms. Cook them on a medium heat till soft and browned. Transfer the cooked mushrooms into the large pot.

Turn the flame up to high under the pan you have cooked the onions and mushrooms in and deglaze it, using the white wine. Pour the juices, and the remaining ingredients into the pot. Bring the soup to the boil.

Carefully blend. Check the seasoning. Heat again if required and serve.

I often toast some sourdough, drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle some rock salt over it to serve with the soup.

Yields: 2 large or 4 small

Time: 3o minutes

Notes: If the soup is too thick add vegetable stock until you achieve the consistency you like best.

Cheesy Semi Dried Tomato & Olive Scrolls

on March 14, 2013

YOU NEED (for the bread)

1kg of plain flour

3 x 7gram sachets of dry yeast

2 tablespoons of salt

625ml of warm water (NOT hot)

YOU DO (for the bread)

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add the water and work into dough.

Turn out onto a floured bench and knead for about 5 minutes until it becomes silky. If it’s too wet, add a little more flour. If it’s too dry add a little more water.

Place the dough back into the bowl, cover it with a tea towel and allow your bread to proof until it doubles in size.

Once proofed, place the dough back onto a floured bench and roll it into a long rectangle.

YOU NEED (for the filling)

200 grams of semi dried tomatoes

1 cup of raw cashews

1/2 cup of the oil from the semi dried tomatoes (you may need to top it up with some olive oil)

3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, also known as savoury yeast flakes. (This is where you get the cheesy flavour from)

3/4 cup of Kalamata olives, pipped and quartered

YOU DO (for the filling)

Blend all ingredients except for the olives

YOU DO (to assemble)

Using a butter knife evenly spread the cashew mixture onto your dough rectangle being sure not to cut the dough.

Sprinkle the olives evenly across the dough.

Gently roll the dough from the longest side of the rectangle onto itself until it is completely rolled.

Evenly slice the roll into 12 smaller rolls and place them into a large (baking paper lined) tray.

Allow the rolls to proof.

Place them into a preheated oven at 200c for approx half an hour. Once cooked, remove and cool on cooling rack.

Servings: Made 12 large or alternatively you could cut smaller slices for 24 small.

Time: Haven’t timed this one

Freezing: Not suitable

Mushroom Miso Broth w/ Udon Noodles

on March 14, 2013

YOU NEED

1 cup of dried Asian mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes, drained and set aside

1 cup of enoki mushrooms

1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

½ teaspoon of minced ginger

1 small red chilli, sliced in half, seeds removed and finely sliced

6 x 18 gram sachets of instant miso paste

960mls of boiling water

½ cup of coriander stems, well washed and cut into 1 cm lengths

10 snow peas, top and tailed

10 baby corn

270 grams of udon noodles, cooked as per packet

#optional 1 cup of firm tofu cut into cubes (I use Blue Lotus brand)

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

oil for cooking.

YOU DO

Heat the sesame oil and a little vegetable oil in a large pot. Gently sauté the garlic, chilli and the ginger.

Add the water and the instant miso paste, whisk to combine and bring to a simmer.

Place the cooked udon noodles, the snow peas, corn and enoki mushrooms equally into 2 large bowls.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the miso pot and bring to the boil. Pour into the bowls over the noodles and vegetables.

Servings: 2 large or 4 small.

Time: 20-30 minutes

Freezing: Not suitable

Barley Cupcakes w/ Lemon Icing

on March 14, 2013

I really like how these cupcakes turned out. They have a similar texture to banana cake. Using the barley flour and the almond milk gave them a really moist, earthy flavour and texture.

YOU NEED

1 tablespoon of white vinegar

1 1/2 cups of dairy free milk. (I used almond milk)

2 cups of organic brown sugar

2 1/4 cups of barley flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 a cup of rice bran oil

YOU DO

Throw all the ingredients into a large bowl. Stir to combine and whisk.

Pour into cupcake paper lined muffin trays.

Bake on 180c for approximately 20 mins. (This may be slightly less or more depending on the strength of your oven)

Cool on wire racks. (This is important as they need to cool properly).

Ice with icing sugar. # I didn’t measure the icing. I just started with a tablespoon of *fresh* lemon juice and added icing sugar until I achieved a thick but still soft texture.

Servings: 12

Time: 35 minutes

Freezing: I have not frozen these but someone made them and reported back that they are great to freeze so give it a shot!)

Chai Spiced Poached Pears

on March 14, 2013

YOU NEED (for the poached pears)

4 small pears, peeled. I leave the core in and stem on. 200 grams of brown sugar (I actually used an organic coconut sugar but brown sugar is fine) 1.5 litres of water 3 cardamom pods 1 cinnamon stick 4 cloves 3 star anise

YOU DO

Put all the ingredients into a small pot except for the pears and bring to the boil. Once boiled turn the temperature down so that the mixture is barely simmering. It should look like there is no movement in the water.

Place the pears in the pot. Cover with a cartouche or be lazy like I was and just carefully balance the top from another smaller pot on top of the pears to keep them submerged in the liquid.

Poach until the pears are cooked through. Test by using a bamboo skewer. You are looking for next to no resistance from the pear when you pierce it with the skewer.

YOU NEED (for the syrup)

200 grams of brown sugar 200ml of water 3 cardamom pods 1 cinnamon stick 4 cloves 3 star anise

YOU DO

Place all ingredients in a small pot, stir to combine, bring to the boil then turn down the heat till a slow simmer for approx 5-10 mins.

Once all the sugar has dissolved, the mixture no longer looks watery, takes on a gloss and looks syrupy. Turn the heat off.

Place syrup and pears onto serving plates and serve immediately.

*Be lovely with coconut yoghurt.

Servings: 4

Time: Approximately 20 minutes

Freezing: Not suitable for freezing

Notes: Instead of sugar you can use pure maple syrup or agave

Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse

on March 14, 2013

This is the perfect snack…… or perfect for dessert!

You absolutely cannot tell that there is avocado in this. It’s rich, chocolate velvet and is absolutely delicious.

It’s a dessert I made for my 3 year old every sometimes. As long as he doesn’t see the avocado go in, all is fine.

YOU NEED

1/2 a large avocado

1/4 cup of pure maple natural syrup

1 tablespoon of peanut butter (I use an organic peanut butter that contains only peanuts. No oil, salt and sugar)

1-2 teaspoons of dairy free cocoa (Just add this slowly until you get a lovely rich colour ..enough to forget that you are eating avocado)

YOU DO

Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

Sieve some good quality cocoa over the top

Servings: 2 children or 1 adult

Time: 5 minutes

Freezing: Not suitable for freezing

Notes: Instead of sugar you can use pure maple syrup or agave

Giant Penne Pasta w/ Mushroom Sauce

on March 14, 2013

YOU NEED

250 grams of large penne pasta (dry)

1 teaspoon salt for the pasta water

2 large cloves garlic

1/2 large brown onion, peeled and finely diced

4 cups of swiss brown mushrooms, sliced (stalks and all)

1/3 cup of dry white wine

1.5 cups of rice milk

1 teaspoon of porcini powder (optional but amazing)

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, chopped

2 cups asparagus, sliced (be sure to cut the woody ends off)

oil

salt/pepper to taste

YOU DO

Place a large pot of water and a teaspoon of salt on stove top and bring to the boil.

Heat some oil in a pan. Throw in the onion and garlic and cook till the onion is caramelised.

Add a little more oil to the pan and add the mushrooms. Sauté on a medium heat until soft and nicely browned. This is where a lot of your flavour is going to come from, so don’t get impatient and rush this part.

Add the white wine and deglaze the pan.

Add the rice milk and porcini powder to the mushroom mix and simmer gently.

In a small separate container mix the cornflour with enough water to combine to a watery consistency and stir till free of lumps. Add the cornflour mixture slowly to the mushroom mix, until you achieve required consistency. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Continue to gently simmer for another minute or so.

Add the asparagus and rosemary. Mix through and check the seasoning. If you need to, add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pasta in boiling water till al dente. Strain the pasta once it is cooked and add it to the mushroom sauce and combine.

#Optional ~ If you want some “cheesiness”, add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast flakes and stir through before serving.

Yields: Serves 2

Dark Chocolate & Almond Petit Fours

on March 14, 2013

As an apprentice chef I had to make thousands of petit fours at the restaurant I trained in. I remember dreaming about petit fours, I made so many. We used ganache as a base for many of them but it was cream based, so I have been keen ever since to see if I can do a plant based version.

I’m really happy with the outcome of these. I will play with other quantities and flavours though and share the results as I do.

YOU NEED

80 ml of plant milk (I used Bonsoy because of its creamy texture but plan to use almond milk next time for these for the same reason and also to enrich the almond flavour)

200 grams of Whittaker’s “Dark Almond” (You can get Whittaker’s at Safeway and BIG W)

200 grams of Whittaker’s brand “Dark Ghana”(Also found at the supermarket. You often find it on special at 2 for $5 which is when I buy it)

dairy free cocoa for dusting

YOU DO

Roughly chop the Dark Ghana chocolate. Place it in a microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave 30 secs at a time, stirring each time, until melted. Put bowl aside.

Roughly chop the Dark Almond chocolate into really small pieces.

Place the milk in a small pan or pot and bring to the boil. Turn off the flame.

Immediately add the Dark Almond chocolate pieces to the milk and stir till completely melted and combined. Once melted place into a bowl and put into the fridge and allow it to cool.

Once cooled take small spoonfuls of chocolate out of the bowl and roll in the palm of your hand into a ball until you have 15 balls the same size. Place balls on a plate and place back in the fridge to chill.

Once chilled, place a sheet of baking paper on a tray. Using a spoon dip each ball, 1 at a time into the melted chocolate. Using the spoon, turn the ball till covered and place carefully onto the baking paper.

Once all balls are coated in chocolate, place them in the fridge till set hard.

Once set, shake a sieve with cocoa over the chocolates and serve.

Enjoy.

Servings: Makes 15 balls

Time: Takes about 15 minutes to make and about 20 minutes of chilling time.

Freezing: I have never frozen these.

Notes: Once they are ready, they are best to leave to get to room temperature. That way the inside is soft.

If you use different milk or chocolate you may get a different result.

Almond Milk

on March 13, 2013

YOU NEED

½ cup of raw almonds

water for soaking

1 cup of water

2 medjool dates

YOU DO

Put the almonds in a bowl and enough water to cover them. Pop in the fridge and leave them to soak overnight.

Discard the soaking water and rinse the almonds. Place the nuts, the 1 cup of water and the 2 medjool dates in a blender and blend well for a few minutes.

Pour the milk into a nut bag a strain out all the milk. Put the almond roughage aside. #See notes.

Chill the milk and serve over cereal, make a smoothie, flavour it with cacao or use however you would like.

EASY, raw, beautiful.

Yeilds: Just over a cup

Time: Less than 10 minutes, after soaking

Notes: Use more water if you wish, I started off with 1 part almonds to 3 parts water, but much prefer the creamier result I achieve from doing 1 part almonds to 2 parts water

If you don’t have a nut bag, you can use a chux or cheesecloth.

Don’t discard the almond roughage. You can make simple and delicious raw almond chocolates with it. I must post that recipe one day!

If you are not using it straight away, use it within a few days. Remember to also give it a stir before using, because it will separate.

Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry

on March 13, 2013

I had some cauliflower that needed using up and then I picked up some organic tomatoes and capsicum for 1/2 price and had an urge to make a curry. The following is what I came up with.

YOU NEED

1 head of cauliflower (approx 4 loose cups), cut into florets

1 can chickpeas, rinsed well

6 tomatoes, core removed and roughly chopped

1 medium brown onion, peeled and finely diced

1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, very finely diced

1 small red chilli, seeded and very finely diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 heaped tablespoon of curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups vegetable stock

1/3 cup tomato puree

1 capsicum (also known as bell pepper)

1 bunch fresh washed coriander, roots removed, stems finely sliced and leaves roughly chopped

2-3 teaspoons besan flour (also known as chickpea or garbanzo flour)

YOU DO

Heat a small amount of water in a large non stick pan and sauté the onion on a low to medium heat until it softens. Add the ginger and chilli and cook for another minute or so.

Add a little more water and add the cumin, turmeric, curry powder, ground coriander and salt and continue to stir on a low to medium heat for a few minutes. Add a little extra water if you need to, in order to stop the spices from burning.

Add the tomatoes, stir all the ingredients together and let them gently simmer for another couple of minutes to allow the tomatoes to start breaking down.

Pour the vegetable stock and tomato puree into the pan. Add the cauliflower, capsicum and chickpeas. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer very gently for about 10 – 15 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked. I allowed mine to remain slightly firm.

Just before the cauliflower is cooked, place 2 teaspoons of besan flour in a small dish with enough water to make a loose paste and pour the mixture into the pan. Stir it through the other ingredients and allow the dish to simmer and the sauce to thicken. If you want the curry to be a little thicker, make a paste with the remaining teaspoon of besan flour and some water and repeat. Serve, once the cauliflower is tender.

Garnish with lots of fresh washed coriander. Serve with steamed basmati or brown rice and pappadams.

Servings: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Freezing: Not recommended.

Notes: Fresh whole spices are always more fragrant. You just grind them as you need them.

You can purchase besan flour in any well stocked health food store.