Chocolate Honeycomb Bark

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Making a meal or a treat doesn’t have to take a lifetime and can be so easy!

 

YOU NEED

1 x 250gram block of Whittaker’s “Dark Ghana chocolate (broken into pieces and melted in the microwave 30 seconds at a time. Stirring at each interval)

1 cup of something you love for the topping….dried fruit, nuts, candy etc ( I usually use nuts I have crushed but this time I had some left over honeycomb that I had made recently that I just threw into the blender to crush) #Note that most honeycomb contains gelatine if you are avoiding animal products.

 

YOU DO

Lay a large piece of greaseproof paper onto a tray and place on your bench.

Pour the melted chocolate onto the paper and using the flat side of a spatula gently and quickly spread the chocolate into a thin rectangle. Not too thin or it will be too rich… but you don’t want it paper thin either.

Quickly sprinkle your cup of nuts etc evenly over the top and pop in the fridge to set,

Once set gently break into sections.

Great to serve with coffee at a dinner party 🙂

 

Servings: I haven’t measured this one.

Time: I don’t have a time on this one but it’s so easy and so quick.

Freezing: Not suitable.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

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I have despised brussel sprouts my entire life, then a few months ago when they came up in conversation with a friend she told me that if I simply put them in the oven with a little oil and some salt and roasted them that they are beautiful.

I was far from convinced but am a lot more adventurous these days so gave it a shot and they were pretty good. I did them again a few weeks later but pushed them a little further till they started to caramelise and I really liked the result and found myself eating one after the other. These days they are often seen sitting freshly roasted on a tray on our stove top for a snack as I cook.

If you hate brussel sprouts just give this a go. If you still hate them you have lost nothing but you may just discover they aren’t as disgusting as you thought 🙂

 

 

YOU DO

Preheat your oven to approx 200%,

Cut the ends off a ton of brussel sprouts and discard the ends.

Slice the brussel sprouts in half.

Place on a tray, drizzle with some oil. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over them.

Place them in the oven and cook them until they caramelise.

🙂

Smokey Mushroom Wontons w/ an Asian Broth

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YOU NEED

 

1 tablespoon of rice bran oil

1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

100 grams of button mushrooms, roughly chopped

1.5 litres of vegan chicken stock

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1.5 tablespoon of Chinese rice wine (got mine at the supermarket from memory)

1 teaspoon of minced ginger

¼ cup of smoked almonds

¼ cup of spring onions (also known as scallions)

¼ teaspoon of salt

16 wonton wrappers another ½ cup of spring onions, washed and sliced on a long angle

extra spring onion for granish

sesame oil for garnish

 

YOU DO

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions until they soften and caramelise. Add the garlic and cook on a gentle heat for a couple more minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes until they are also softened and browned, then turn the heat off.

While the mushrooms are cooking place the “chicken stock”, Chinese rice wine, soy sauce and ginger into a large pot. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a gentle simmer while you make the wontons.

When the mushrooms mixture is ready scrape it into a blender, add the ¼ cup spring onions, the salt and the smoked almonds and blend until smooth.

Lay the wonton wrappers in rows along your bench top. Dip your fingers into some clean water and run them around the edge of the wonton wrapper Place about a teaspoon of mushroom mixture into the centre of each wrapper. Bring the sides of the wonton wrapper up till they meet and press them together firmly with your fingers into whatever shape you prefer. Continue until all the wontons are complete.

Carefully place the wontons into the broth and cook very gently for a few minutes until the wrappers are cooked through. This takes about 5 minutes.

Once the wontons are cooked, serve the soup immediately. Garnish with the rest of the spring onion and a few drops of sesame oil.

To make it more of a meal, simply add generous amounts of steamed Asian greens.

 

Servings: Serves 2 large or 4 small.

Time: 30 minutes

Notes: It’s crucial that the wontons are sealed at the edges or they will break up when you cook them. Absolutely make sure that you don’t boil the broth when you are cooking the wontons too.

I found smoked almonds at Safeway. The Home Brand ones are vegan. These are what give this dish that “meaty” flavour.

You can get wonton wrappers at Asian grocers. You can get them in most supermarkets too. Just check that they don’t contain egg.

 

Caramelized Peaches

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Food just doesn’t have to be hard. Quick, easy, cheap and yum dessert idea. I had an urge to caramelise some peaches but they aren’t in season, so I just grabbed a can from the supermarket last night and they were just lovely. I gave them a go on the BBQ first but I achieved a much deeper colour and caramel cooking them in a pan on the stove top.

 

YOU NEED 

Some canned peach halves in syrup

#optional – some coconut/ soy yoghurt or ice-cream

 

YOU DO 

Heat a little oil in a non stick pan. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, gently remove a few peach halves from the can and place in the pan. You don’t want a ton of juices in the pan because they will stew instead of grill. Don’t over fill the pan either. Heat the peaches until they become a lovely charred look and the sugars from the fruit and syrup caramelise.

That’s it!

Serve with coconut yogurt or coconut or soy ice cream. I get my coconut yoghurt from my local organic grocer. It’s a brand called COYO.

 

Serves: Makes as much as you want.

 

Time: I didn’t time this but it’s a quick recipe

Freezing: Not suitable.

Note: If you can get fresh peaches, just brush them with some pure maple syrup and them cook them J

 

 

 

Apricot Balls

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TWO ingredients and a few minutes.

I had a random hankering to make some apricot balls recently, despite my intense dislike for dried fruit!  I had never made them before, so I did some research. All the recipes I found had butter, condensed milk though so I figured I would just source plant based alternatives. I also wanted the Apricot Balls to have a lovely smooth texture.

In my 1st attempt I skipped the butter but bought some soy condensed milk and they were nice. Then I made some without any sweetener. The apricots are sweet enough so I figured why add sugar. Because I didn’t add a sweetener I needed less coconut, so these are quite soft. After some refrigeration that they will firm up though.

 

YOU NEED

1 X 225 gram pack of “soft and juicy Mediterranean” apricots. (I used Angus Park brand which I picked up in the supermarket)

½ cup desiccated coconut

An additional ¼ cup of desiccated coconut

 

YOU DO

Blend the first 2 ingredients until they are combined and smooth.

Place the additional ¼ cup of coconut into a shallow rectangle Tupperware container (or small tray).

Ball the mixture, (about a heaped teaspoon per ball) and place the balls into the container along with the coconut. Shake the container back and forward until all the balls are covered in coconut.

Cover and refrigerate.

DONE.

 

Serves: Makes 24 balls

Time: Takes circa 7 minutes

Note: There is no reason you can’t blend your mixture for less time so that you have chunks and if you can’t find “super juicy apricots” which are much sticker than normal apricots just add a little pure maple syrup when you blend the apricots. Or coat the balls in a little water so that the coconut sticks.

Warm Mexican Rice Salad

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YOU NEED

2 cobs of corn, cut into 8 pieces each

1 large brown onion, peeled and diced

1 green capsicum (also known as bell pepper), core out and fairly finely sliced

1 1/2 cups of long grain white rice

1 tin of crushed tomatoes (I use organic Italian crushed tomatoes)

2 cups of vegetable stock

1/4 cup oil (I used rice bran oil)

1 bunch of coriander, washed well, stems finely sliced and leaves roughly chopped

2 tablespoons of dried oregano

2 bullet chillis for garnish, sliced lengthways, seeds out (or not) and finely sliced

 

YOU DO

Gently heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the rice and stir to combine and coat the rice.

Add the tomatoes, stock and oregano, bring to the boil then reduce to a light simmer and cover.

While the rice is cooking lightly steam the corn, Then toss the capsicum and corn in large pan with a small amount of oil until coloured. (Doing the corn on the BBQ works beautifully and you get that lovely smoked flavour that works so perfectly with Mexican dishes.)

Once the rice is ready (takes approx 20 minutes) stir through the capsicum, corn and coriander and serve garnished with the chilli.

This is a great salad to serve with a Mexican meal, to take to a BBQ or portioned into work lunches.

By adding some avocado and beans you can pump up the fill factor. Its quick, cheap, easy and I love it,

 

Servings: 2

Time: Approx 30 minutes

Freezing: Not suitable

 

Sweet Asian Greens w/ Almonds & Sticky Rice

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YOU NEED

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of minced ginger

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

red chilli (to taste),  cut in half lengthways and sliced finely

½ cup hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon of soft brown sugar (or agave)

2 tablespoons of mirin

1 bunch of bok choy, washed well and ends trimmed

1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed

handful of Chinese broccoli, ends trimmed

good handful of green beans, top and tailed

1 bunch of spinach, washed well, ends trimmed

handful of almonds

1 cup of glutinous rice (I get mine from my local Asian grocer). Otherwise steamed basmati or brown rice goes beautifully with this dish too.

 

 

YOU DO

Cook the rice as per packet instructions

Heat the oil in a wok (or large pot), gently sauté the garlic, ginger and chilli.

Add the hoisin, sugar and mirin. Stir till the sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are well combined.

Steam your vegetables. I just barely cook my veg. I like it quickly coloured but super crisp. I do my asparagus and Chinese broccoli 1st for a minute or so and then I add my beans for another minute or so and finally my bok choy and spinach.

Reheat the sauce, add the veg and toss it through the sauce. Throw in your almonds.

DONE.

Serve with rice.

 

Servings: 2

Time: Approx 30 minutes

Freezing: Not recommended

Notes: You could cook your vegetables in the wok, but I prefer not to because my sauce reduces  too much so  just gently steam them and add them once cooked.

Cheesy Cauliflower Fritters

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I loved the pakoras I made recently and they have been such a hit so I wanted to play with some similar ideas with some other vegetables.  After a couple of experiments I got to cauliflower but I felt more like a cheesy type fritter than a heavily curried, garlic and herb infused batter, so I skipped all those ingredients this time around and just used a couple of more mild flavours, some nutritional yeast and coated the cauliflower lighter in the batter.

This is another great one for a cold Sunday afternoon snack or for lunch on flat bread with hummus and salad or for a party.

 

YOU NEED

1/4 cauliflower head

1 cup chickpea flour (also known as besan flour or garbanzo flour)

water ( I have not given an amount because the amount varies between flours)

1 teaspoon of onion powder

5 tablespoons nutritional yeast (this is what makes it taste cheesy). I get my nutritional yeast from my organic grocer, from health food stores and online.

1 long red chilli, halved, seeded and finely sliced

1 teaspoon of salt

oil for frying (I use safflour or rice bran for frying)

extra salt for garnish

 

YOU DO

Heat a small pot of oil. I highly recommend getting a thermometer. You can pick them up for $20-$30. I judge the heat by look and experience but if you are unsure you will always know you have your oil at the right temperature. I also test the oil by throwing a tiny piece of bread into the oil when I think it’s ready and if the bread goes straight to the top and sizzles, the oil is hot enough.

While the oil is heating mix all the ingredients, except for the cauliflower in a large bowl until well combined and you have a thick batter. Just add water very slowly until you reach a thick batter. It needs to be thick though.

Cut the cauliflower into thin slices. You will find you will end up with some lovely complete slices of cauliflower and lots of smaller bits.

Put the cauliflower into the batter and mix well. The cauliflower will have a thin coating of batter. Enough for a crunch once fried.

Carefully place the cauliflower pieces, a few at a time into the oil and fry till golden brown. Place onto draining paper and season again with salt while the oil is still hot.

Serve immediately.

 

Serves: Yields a good amount but actual fritter pieces is always going to vary depending on how you cut the cauliflower. This quantity makes enough for half a dozen people to snack on along with other nibbles.

Time: This took me about 20 minutes

Freeze: Not suitable.

Smoky Corn Chowder

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I posted this picture a millennium ago, promising a recipe and after 4 play arounds, I have finally achieved the consistency and flavour I was after.

I LOVE CORN and I love chowder and like most things with a little experimenting, you can achieve a dairy free version.

I hope you like it too.

 

YOU NEED

corn kernels from 6 cobs of corn (I use organic)

3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

3 large celery ribs, washed well and chopped into a fine dice

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon of ginger

1 litre of vegetable stock

an additional 250ml of vegetable stock

250ml of Bonsoy (I chose this plant based milk because it is very creamy in textures)

1 large bunch of coriander, washed well, stems finely slices and leaves roughly chopped

#optional ~ liquid smoke (for that smoky flavour)

 

YOU DO

In a small pot put 2 of the potatoes and the 250ml of stock in a small pot, bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and gently simmer until the potato is tender. Blend and put aside.

In a large pot heat a little oil and gently sauté the celery for a few minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir a minute or so longer.

Add the corn and the 1 litre of stock bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the potato and continue to simmer until the potato is cooked.

Just prior to serving, add the Bonsoy and the additional 250ml of stock and potato that you cooked earlier to the soup, bring it back to the boil and add the coriander and the liquid smoke to taste if you are using it and serve with crusty bread or corn chips.

# You can also use a little burrito or fajita Mexican seasoning for that lovely smoky taste if you do not have liquid smoke.

 

Servings: Serves 4.

Time: Takes about 35-40 minutes.

Freezing: Not suitable.

Thai Red Curry w/ Lentils & Vegetables

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YOU NEED

1 X 400 gram can of lentils (I normally buy and cook dry lentils, but I wanted a fast dinner)

a couple of handfuls of green beans, top and tailed and washed

1 bunch of Asian broccoli, with the woody ends removed

1 bunch of fresh spinach, washed

1 large red onion, peeled and finely sliced

2 large carrots, not peeled and chopped into large chunks

4 large pieces of pumpkin with skin off and the seeds removed

handful of fresh basil leaves, washed

1x 400gram can of coconut milk

1x 270 gram can of coconut cream

4 tablespoons of red curry paste (I use “Asia Specialties Red Curry Paste which I get in Aldi)

a couple of fresh lemons to serve

 

YOU DO

Steam all your vegetables (except the spinach). I steam my carrots for 15 minutes or so until they are tender and then remove them and put aside. Then I steam my pumpkin until its tender and lastly my broccoli and beans for only a couple of minutes because I like them crunchy.

While your vegies are steaming, sauté the onion in a large pot with a little oil (or water) until softened. Add the curry paste and stir for a minute or 2 on a low to medium heat.

Add the coconut milk and cream and whisk. Add the lentils and the cooked vegetables and bring everything to the boil.

At the last second toss in your spinach and basil, stir to combine and serve with steamed rice.

Squeeze some fresh lime over the top when you serve it too.

If you are a tofu person, some cubes of firm tofu heated through the soup is a lovely addition to this too.

 

Servings: Serves 4.

Time: Takes 30-45 minutes.

Freezing: Not suitable