Chickpea Salad with Kaffir & Sundried Tomato Dressing

Summer is approaching and salads are calling!! This is an amazing salad, if I can say so myself.

Thermomix method:


1000g cooked chickpeas
3 cloves garlic
5 kaffir lime leaves
60g sun dried tomatoes
2 tsp Celtic salt
55g lemon juice
100g olive oil
1 Tbs honey
large handful of roughly chopped coriander (or parsley if you aren't a fan of my favorite herb)

• Place the garlic, kaffir lime leaves, sun dried tomatoes, salt, lemon juice, olive oil and honey into the TM bowl and blend for 10sec/speed 8. Scrape down the sides and blend  for another 10sec/speed 6.
• Pour the dressing over the chickpeas and add the coriander. Mix through and serve!! I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice on top each individual serve and a sprinkle of cayenne :)

Conventional Method:

5 cups cooked chickpeas
3 cloves garlic
5 kaffir lime leaves
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, packed
2 tsp Celtic salt
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tbs honey
large handful of roughly chopped coriander/parsley

• In a high power blender or small food processor (you know the ones that go onto the end of your brain/barmix stick), blend up the garlic, kaffir limes leaves, sun dried tomatoes, salt, lemon juice, olive oil and honey until all blended together well and there are no big junks.
• Pour on top of the chickpeas and add the coriander. Mix together and serve! I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice on top of each individual serve and a sprinkle of cayenne :)

 Posted by Melissa Awde

Gnocchi with Homemade Tomato Suturush (sauce)

Homemade Gnocchi with fresh Tomato Suturush (sauce)... Mmmmmm!!! And it's Gluten Free too!!


Thermomix method (Serves 4)

500g Potato, peeled and cut into 2-3cm cubes (dry variety is best)
600g water
140g Gluten Free plain flour
2 tsp Celtic salt

• Weigh the flour into a bowl which has been placed onto the Thermomix (TM) bowl. Place the flour to the side for later use.
• Place the water into the TM mixing bowl. Place the Varoma dish into position then weight the potatoes into it. Steam for 25mins/Varoma/Speed 1
• Let the potatoes cool down  (45+ mins)

While the potato is cooling, make the Tomato Suturush or your favourite sauce:

2 large onions, quartered
25g olive oil
1000g vine ripened RED tomatoes
2-3 tsp Celtic salt

• Dice up the onion 4 seconds/speed 4
• Fry the onion with the oil 8mins/110degrees/stir
• Cut the tomato into 2-3cm chunks and add to the bowl with the salt. Cook off 30mins/110degreed/stir

Clean out your bowl and dry well, continue making the Gnocchi

• Add the cooled potatoes, flour and salt into the mixing bowl and mash 10sec/speed 4
• Knead 30-40seconds on the kneading setting
• Sprinkle a little flour onto your work surface and work it into a small texture. Divide your dough into 4 and roll each ball out into a 2cm log then cut into 1cm pieces. Shape gnocchi with a fork or leave them as is.
• Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the gnocchi in 4 batches. The Gnocchi will sink when first put in but then rise to the surface when cooked through. It only takes a couple of minutes so keep an eye on them.
• Drizzle gnocchi with a little olive and salt and then serve with your sauce.

Enjoy your Gnocchi with a beautiful green salad - yum mo!!

Stove-top Method:
500g Potato, peeled and cut into 2-3cm cubes (dry variety is best)
600g water
140g Gluten Free plain flour
2 tsp Celtic salt

• Steam the potato for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Place on the side to cool down completely.

While the potato is cooling, make the Tomato Suturush or your favourite sauce:

2 large onions, quartered
1 Tbs olive oil
1kg vine ripened RED tomatoes
2-3 tsp Celtic salt

• Dice up the onion and fry until soft.
• Cut the tomato into 2-3cm chunks and add to the onions with the salt. Cook off on medium/high heat for 30minutes, stirring regularly. 

 Continue making the Gnocchi:

• Mash the cooled potatoes and then add the flour and salt. Continue to mash until well combined.
• Knead the dough for a minute or 2 until well combined and is a smooth texture.
• Sprinkle a little flour onto your work surface and work it into a small texture. Divide your dough into 4 and roll each ball out into a 2cm log then cut into 1cm pieces. Shape gnocchi with a fork or leave them as is.
• Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the gnocchi in 4 batches. The Gnocchi will sink when first put in but then rise to the surface when cooked through. It only takes a couple of minutes so keep an eye on them.
• Drizzle gnocchi with a little olive and salt and then serve with your sauce.

....

We have exciting news for all those Thermomix cooks. Our recipes will be updated with new Thermomix instructions!! Let me hear a "Woohoo!!"

Please be patient with the progress :-)

PS) You may notice a few new changes coming up too ;-)

Avocolada

Good MORNING Sunshine!!! The warmer months are appearing and I am craving beach days and sipping Avocolada's :-) Oh, bring on the HAPPY summer days!!

This drink is at it's peak when avocados, pineapples, coconuts and limes are in season.

EQUIPMENT : A high speed blender like a Vita-mix or Thermomix

Ingredients - Serves 4

1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
3 cups fresh diced pineapple (the acid free ones are awesome!)
2 cups coconut water *
2 Tbs stevia
3 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs coconut oil
Pinch of salt

• In a high speed blender whiz it together until smooth.

Now try not imagining yourself lying on a pacific island beach and soaking in the rays :-) ENJOY!


 * You can buy coconut water as a drink in asian stores. Just make sure it's pure 100% coconut water with no additives and sugar.


Posted by Melissa Awde

RAW Brownie Slice

OH YUMMY!!!! Just try it, and with the proper ingredients!!


Base:
3/4 cups raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 cups (packed) pitted medjool dates
1/3 cup raw cocoa/carob powder
1/4 tsp celtic salt
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla paste

Frosting:
1/2 cup coconut butter (not oil)
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
2 Tbs raw cocoa/carob powder
Pinch of Celtic salt

• Line a 8-inch tray with baking paper.
• Prepare the base by processing the almonds and cashews until very fine.
• Add the dates and pulse until the mixture becomes crumbly and then comes together.
• Add the cocoa/carob powder, salt and vanilla and process until it's mixed in to the nut and date mixture. The mixture needs to be able to stick together when pressed, if it isn't add a few drops of water and  process again.
• Press into the prepared pan with wet hands.
• Prepare the frosting by processing together the coconut butter and agave until smooth. 
• Add the cocoa/carob powder and salt and process through. Do not over process; just quickly.
• Smooth the frosting over the base and refrigerate for an hour or more until set and firm.
• Slice and ENJOY!

Healing Noodle Soup

What is not to love about this healing bowl of soup?! The recipe originates from a traditional Serbian soup served before each meal. I have fond memories of eating this soup growing up at home, and we all love it just as much now on a cold winter (or spring) night.  :-)

This recipes makes a large pot of soup that will fill all the tummies of our crew of 5. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 Tbs Olive Oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 tsp Celtic salt
3 carrots, grated
100g vermicelli rice noodles, broken
3 litre vegetable stock
bunch of parsley, finely chopped

• Fry the onion in the olive oil for a few minutes until the onion starts to soften. 
• Add the grated carrot to the fried onion and continue to fry together for a few more minutes.
• Add the liquid stock and the rice noodles and continue to cook for 10 minutes until the rice noodles and cooked through.
• Add the chopped parsley at the end and serve. 

 I love mine with a sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper, but that up to you. ENJOY!!


 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.     Revelation 22:2



Posted by Melissa Awde

Onion Salt

I love to use flavored salt but find quality ones very expensive. Today I pulled a big bunch of fresh shallots and chives from my garden and trialled an adapted version of a recipe I found. Love it!!!
I am going to add fresh herbs to the mix in the first step next time and see how I like it. Yummo!!

Ingredients

1 large brown onion
1 leek, white part only
1 bunch fresh chives
2 bunches fresh spring onions/shallots
4 large garlic cloves
1 Cup fine Celtic sea salt/ Himalayan salt

How to Prepare:

1. Roughly chop all ingredients except salt and blend/process to a paste.
2. Spread onto dehydrator sheets or baking trays lined with baking paper and dry at about 60 degrees C until completely dry (about 5 hours in my dehydrator)
3. Blend dehydrated ingredients to a powder and then mix through salt.

Posted By: Natasha Mansour

Raw Carob Fudge Bites

I simply love this desert!! We first tried it at a friends place when we first moved to Toowoomba and it has been a quick go to ever since. This is the desert I throw together when I only have five minutes to prepare. If you need it to set in a hurry, place it in the freezer to set but be sure to cut it before its completely frozen or after defrosting slightly so as to avoid it cracking. Special thanks to Nat Haslam and family for your kind hospitality and friendship and for sharing this delicious desert with us. :)

1 Cup Desiccated coconut
1 Cup Carob Powder
1 Cup Coconut Oil

1 Cup Hulled Tahini
1/2 cup Honey (some people use more but I find it plenty sweet enough)
8 drops peppermint essential oil (optional)

Process all ingredients in food processor on medium speed until combined (about 1 minute)
Pour mixture into a tray lined with baking paper and sprinkle with desiccated coconut.
Place in fridge to set.

slice into bite-size pieces and store in the freezer to pull out when needed. leave in refrigerator for about 1 hour or at room temp for a few minutes prior to serving.

Alternative: Spoon into silicone ice-cube tray and freeze. Pop fudge bites out once frozen. This is a little more time consuming but sometimes I like to make mine into cute shapes :)


Posted By: Natasha Mansour

Pumpkin and Choko Curry

With garden chokos and pumpkin in abundance, I have made this Curry for the past three pot luck lunches and it has been very popular. So for all those I promised this recipe to...here it is.
If you live near me, please don't buy your chokos. There is plenty in my backyard. I'd love to share :)

Ingredients

1 Jap or Butternut pumpkin, cut into 1-1.5cm cubes and roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of celtic sea salt.

2 medium brown onions, diced

2 medium Chokos

2 Tbs homemade vegetable stock concentrate or 2-4 vegetable stock cubes

2-3 Tbs fresh grated ginger

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1, 400ml can coconut cream

Salt to taste if needed

1 cayenne chill, finely chopped

4-6 Kaffir lime leaves

oil for frying

2-4 cups cooked butter or cannelinni beans (optional)

Fresh coriander (cilantro) for serving

Method:

• Make sure pumpkin is roasting first :)
• Fry onion and choko for a few minutes before adding kafirr lime leaves,garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric, cumin and stock.
• Continue sauteing until choko is soft and then add coconut cream and leave to simmer until pumpkin is browned on edges.
• Stir pumpkin through curry
• Serve on rice and enjoy :)

Posted By: Natasha Mansour

Caramalized Rosemary Onion and Tomato Besan Pizza GLUTEN FREE

 In our home this dish  and is known as Socca - why? I don't know, but it is yummy and we always enjoy this dish on the menu for the day. It is a great gluten free dish. A real treat.

Serves 4

Base:
2 cups Besan flour
2 cups water
1 tsp Celtic salt
1 tsp ground Cumin
1/3 cup olive oil

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and oil a large lasagne dish.
• Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend together until well combined. Let it sit for 10-30 minutes and then pour into the oiled dish and bake for 15 minutes or until firmed up.

Topping:

1/2 - 3/4 cup tomato paste
6 onions
1tbs rosemary
2tbs olive oil
1tsp salt
2tbs honey/ agave
2 tomatoes, diced
handful of diced Kalamata olives

• Spread the tomato paste onto the besan base.
• Fry the onions, rosemary and salt in the olive oil until the onions are soft and then add the sweetner and little it slowly bubble for a few minutes
• Spread the caramalised onion (with the liquid) on to the tomato paste base.
• sprinkle on the diced tomato and kalamata olives and salt.
• Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the tomato starts to crisp and brown.

Enjoy with a scrumptious salad!


Posted by Melissa Awde

Brown Rice, Buckwheat and Sunflower Seed Waffles - GLUTEN FREE

At last I have found a waffle iron at the shops! I don't know why waffle irons aren't so popular these days - they are awesome, especially if you are gluten-free and can't afford to buy healthy and wholesome glutenfree bread. Each time I bring out my waffle iron I make up a  new recipe, but this one is a really good basic recipe.

Makes 10-12 waffles

2 cups Brown Rice flour
1 cup Buckwheat flour
1 cup ground Sunflower Seeds
1 Tbs gluten free healthy baking powder
2 tsp Celtic Salt
2 1/2 cups cold water

• Whisk all your dry ingredients together well and then add the water and mix well. I use my beater to get it really smooth.
• When your waffle iron is hot and ready to use, spray with a little oil and pour a ladle full of mixture in and close the waffle iron. Let is cook for 3-5 minutes until lightly golden.

ENJOY with savoury (avocado and fresh salsa) or sweet (jam and vegan cream with fruit)!

Posted by Melissa Awde

Hearty Red Lentil and Brown Rice Soup *GLUTEN FREE

This yummy hearty soup makes a large pot. Just enough for our family of 5 who eat quite a lot.

Ingredients:

Olive oil, for frying
2 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small orange sweet potatoes, diced
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups red split lentils
9 cups water
1 can diced tomato
3 tsp celtic salt
4 tsp stock powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin

• Fry the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until beginning to soften. Add the sweet potato and stir. Cover with a lid and let sit for a few minutes until it begins to get soft.
• Add the brown rice and 1 cup of boiling water to the above and let it simmer for a few minutes.
• Add the red lentils, remaining 8 cups of water, salt, stock powder, turmeric and cumin to the saucepan and let it boil for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Add the tinned tomato and let the soup cook until the brown rice is soft and cooked through.

Enjoy!

Moist Banana Muffins GLUTEN FREE

Our family is currently on a gluten free trial, so now I am busy making gluten free treats. I am sooo glad (and so is Imad) that these little gems have come out so well. I am making a batch each day at the moment. Overboard? Maybe!

Makes 12 - 15 muffins

2 cups self-raising gluten-free flour (I used the Macro Organic brand from Woolworths)
1 cup rapadura sugar
1/2 tsp celtic salt
2-3 bananas, to equal 1 cup of mashed banana
1 cup coconut milk/light coconut cream
1/2 cup ricebran oil or a light tasting oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1/2 Tbs vanilla extract (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius and place muffin cups on tray or grease your muffin pan/s.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt
• with a stick blender, blend up the remianing ingredients. If you do not have a stick blender, use a normal blender/processor or just mix together with a whisk making sure you have mashed the banans well before.
• Pour mix 3/4 way up the muffin pans. 
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Tabbouli

At last we have found suppliers of large bunches of parlsey. We were so excited we bought all the parsley they had - overkill? Not yet! We love tabbouli in this hosuehold and who wouldn't? Its amazingly good for you and we even do ours gluten free with quinoa instead of cracked wheat - and my Lebanese husband even prefers it that way -winner!


Serves 4-6 (depends on how much you love it - our massive bowl could feed 2 only)

2 large bunches parsley (6-8 cups chopped)

5 large tomatoes, diced finely

1 medium/large onion, diced finely

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 Tbs Celtic Salt

1/3 cup olive oil

• Cut off the ends of the parsley so you only use the leaves and minimal stalk. Cut up finely. Yes it takes a little extra time but well worth it. 
• Add the remaining ingredients and stir through. 
• Serve with baked potato chips and hommus - yum!

Variations: 

• Cut up a small bunch of mint (finely) and add to the salad
• Add fresh pomegranate seeds

 

 

Posted by Melissa Awde

Mushroom Risotto with Rosemary and Thyme

Our families love of food can at times have complications. The current reoccurring problem is that Imad doesn't like Risotto and I do.. hmmm.. so the challenge is on, and I have won! He now likes risotto and wants to eat it again - yay! Try this super easy recipe and be surprised with the gorgeous flavours coming through.

Serves 4
  
2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely

2 sprigs rosemary, chopped finely

5 sprigs thyme, chopped finely

400g sliced mushrooms

1 Tbs Tamari

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1.25L vegetable stock

Parsley (to serve)

• Begin by gently heating the stock to a simmer.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes on medium heat. Add the rosemary and thyme saute for a minute, then add the sliced mushrooms and tamari and saute for another 2 minutes. 
• Add the rice and gently mix through, coating it with the oil and other delicious flavours.
• Ladle approximately 1 cup of stock at a time into the rice, stirring gently. The heat should be low and produce a simmer. Continue to stir the rice, adding another ladle of stock as its absorbed into the rice. Once you have used all your stock, turn off the heat, stir and cover. The rice will absorb the rest of the stock and be ready to eat within 5 minutes.
• Serve on plates and sprinkle chopped up parsley on top with a side salad.

Posted by Melissa Awde

Carob Choc Macaroons

These would have to be my FAVOURITE treat!! A Dandelion Coffee with a few of those Macaroons to compliment = DELISH!! This recipe makes about 12-15 macaroons, but you may want to make a few batches if you want them to last more then a couple of hours. I have noticed that making singular batches works better though. Try not to mix all the ingredients for a couple of batches altogether, it just doesn't come out the same. Enjoy!!

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup Vegan Chocolate/Carob Chips
1 tsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, at room tempreture (runny)
1 1/8 cups desiccated coconut
1/4 cup rapadura sugar
Pinch of sea Salt
1/4 carob powder
1 1/4 tsp healthy baking powder
3 HEAPED Tbs vanilla soy yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds of one vanilla pod
1-2 Tbs of vegan choclate/carob chips (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a cookie tray with baking paper.
• Melt the 1/2 cup choclate/carob chips with the coconut oil over a saucepan of boiling water.
• In a seperate bowl, combine the dessicated coconut, sugar, salt, carob powder and baking powder. Mix until well combined. Pour over the melted chocolate/carob and the vanilla yoghurt and vanilla extract. Combine well - using your hands.
• Take a tablespoon of mixture and roll into a ball and then flatten into a macaroon. Place on the tray and bake for 10-12 minutes, depending if you like them soft or with a bit of crunch. I like both!

 Posted by Melissa Awde