Strawberry Mousse

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 kg fresh strawberries

1/3 cup light agave*

½ cup light agave extra

300g firm silken tofu*

200g coconut cream

3 tablespoon agar flakes*

¼ teaspoon salt

- Clean strawberries by gently wiping with a paper towel. If they need to be washed place in a colander and gently rinse quickly under cold water, pat dry with paper towel.

- Hull strawberries, slice thinly and place in a bowl.

- Add 1/3 cup agave to strawberries, mix to incorporate. Set aside, cover with lid and allow to macerate* at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

- Drain juice from strawberries, set aside.

- In a blender add macerated strawberries, silken tofu, coconut cream, extra agave and salt. Blend together until smooth and creamy, set aside.

- In a small saucepan place strawberry juice and agar flakes. Place over low heat, stirring liquid with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring gently, allowing liquid to simmer for 5 minutes until flakes are dissolved.

- Add  dissolved agar to creamy mixture in blender. Blend on high speed 1-2 minutes.

Pour strawberry mousse into parfait glasses, refrigerate until set.

Before serving, decorate with piped cream and fresh strawberries.

Love it. 

 Strawberries are available year round but are at their best for flavor and color during peak season. When choosing strawberries, look for ones that are shiny and bright red with a sweet smelling aroma - a good indication that they will be sweet. Strawberries are a good source of dietary fiber.  High in Vit C, potassium, iron, and folate.  The number one fruit for antioxidants.

Note: Only wash strawberries if necessary and do so in as little water as possible, just a quick rinse.   

Do not remove stems until after washing as strawberries  are porous and love to soak up water.

*Macerating strawberries: intensifies the natural flavor of the fruit by drawing out its juices.

* Agave: comes from a plant belonging to the cactus family. Agave nectar is 1.4 to 1.6 times sweeter than sugar. This means you use less to reach the same sweet point. Nectars are sold in light, amber, dark and raw varieties.  Only sold in health food stores.

*Silken Tofu: is made from soy beans. It has a firm custard like consistency. Left over tofu may be kept in the fridge for up to a week. Make sure tofu is covered with water. Change water daily.

*Agar Flakes: is a healthful alternative to animal gelatin. Made from various seaweed species. Its gelling capacity is 6-8 times that of animal gelatin. It is tasteless and used effectively as a thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer in foods. It is a good source of folic acid, magnesium and iron.

 Psalm 119:103    How sweet are thy words unto my taste! [yea, sweeter] than honey to my mouth! 

Posted by Yiannoulla

Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

375g firm organic tofu, (bean curd)*

220g carrot, julienned

200g green or yellow zucchini, julienned

300g green beans, French cut

1 ½ large brown onions,

150g snow peas, sliced diagonally or leave whole

300g bok choy*

4-5 tablespoons vegetarian stir fry sauce*

sunflower oil

¼ cup flour

- Cut tofu into cubes or thin strips, place in a bowl and set aside.

- Julienne carrot and zucchini. French cut beans with a French cutter or take a sharp knife and cut beans diagonally. Peel and cut onion into quarters then cut each quarter in half. Snow peas can be cut diagonally or left whole.  Wash and dry bok choy. Separate stalk and leaves, then cut diagonally.

- Sprinkle flour over tofu, toss until covered, shake off excess.

- Heat two tablespoons of oil in preheated wok, add tofu and stir fry 2-3 minutes or until tofu is golden in color. Remove from wok.

- Add another two tablespoons of oil and stir fry vegetables in batches. Start with carrots, beans  and onion then zucchini, snow peas and bok choy.

- Add a tablespoon of water to each batch to create steam, this helps with cooking.

- Vegetables should only be cooked 1-2 minutes to retain their crispness.

- When vegetables are ready, add tofu and vegetables to wok. Add stir fry sauce, toss gently to mix.

Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately with rice or noodles.

* Bok choy: Asian green vegetable found in fruit and vegetable section of the supermarket or Asian store.

* Vegetarian stir fry sauce is found in Asian supermarkets and some supermarkets in the Asian section.
* Tofu: Found in Supermarkets or Health Food Stores.

Note: Vary the vegetables according to what is in season. Choose organic.  Cut vegetables to similar size in order to ensure that they cook evenly in the same amount of time.

Remember stir fry is best eaten straight away.

 Psalm 32:8:    I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. 

Posted by Yiannoulla

Pasta with Rich Tomato Herb Sauce

 Rich Tomato Herb Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

800g organic tomatoes, peeled and chopped

400g Italian diced tomatoes (tined)

6-8 large garlic cloves, minced

300g French shallots, minced*

2 heaped tablespoon fresh thyme*

1 sprig of fresh rosemary*

1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn*

2 bay leaves fresh/dry*

1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

½ cup olive oil

500g penne pasta

Serves 6-8

Cooking time 1 -2 hours

 

-Remove skin from tomatoes: wash tomatoes, take a knife and slice a cross on the top and bottom of each one. Blanch in boiling water 20 – 30 seconds, this helps to remove skin. 

-Then place tomatoes in a bowl of ice / cool water. 

-Take each tomato and gently peel off the skin. It should come away easily, if not, use a knife being careful to only remove the skin. Then roughly chop. 

-Heat oil in a heavy based saucepan on medium heat, add shallots, lower heat and allow to cook slowly for 2-3 minutes, this helps release flavor. 

-Add garlic and fresh thyme & cook a further 3-5 minutes.

Increase heat, add fresh tomatoes. Once sauce begins to boil, simmer until tomatoes begin to break down.  

-Add tinned tomatoes, bay leaves and salt. Allow sauce to come to a boil, then turn heat to low until just simmering.  Cook uncovered, until sauce has reduced and most of the liquid has evaporated. - -----Toward the end of cooking, add basil leaves. Mix through sauce until basil leaves begin to wilt. Do not forget to remove the bay leaves. Taste sauce & adjust flavor if needed.

Cook the pasta until it is al dente, drain and then mix pasta through tomato sauce.

Serve with crusty garlic bread and fresh garden salad.

*  French  shallots are a variety of onion, they have a sweeter, milder, rich and more complex flavor than onions. Shallots are found in the onion and garlic section of the supermarket.

*  Thyme, rosemary and basil leaves found in herb section of supermarket. If you are into weekend markets, quite often you will pick up these herbs fresh and organically grown.

*  Bay leaves: if unable to find fresh leaves, use dry ones - most supermarkets have this.

Note:   For those who have a wheat or gluten intolerance, there are different types of pasta available made from a variety of ingredients including rice, corn, soy, barley and spinach. These pasta can be found in the health section of the supermarket or at health food stores.

Blessed [art] thou, O land, when thy king [is] the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! Ecclesiastes 10:17   

Posted by Yiannoulla

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Breakfast Lentils

 

Winter has a reputation of calling for 'warm' breakfasts. Food requests are common in our home, and this morning for breakfast it was LENTILS. Cooked in a delicious cumin and coriander infused tomato sauce, this dish is sure to be enjoyed by all.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups Green/Brown Lentils, soaked overnight

2 onions, diced finely

1 Red Capsicum, thinly sliced

6 Mushrooms, sliced (optional)                                                      

1 Tbs Cumin, ground

1 Tbs Coriander, ground

1 Tbs Celtic Salt

3/4 cup Tomato Paste

1 cup Parsley, finely chopped

4 cloves Garlic, crushed

Accompaniments:

Tomato

Cucumber

Spring Onions, finely sliced

Radish, finely diced

Kale or other greens, finely sliced

Olive Oil

Cayenne Pepper

1. Cover the lentils with water and soak overnight.
2. In the morning place the lentils in a saucepan and cover with water to reach 4 fingers width above the lentils. Bring to the boil, and then reduce to a simmer until lentils are soft and tender (approximately 20-30 minutes)
3. Fry the onion in the olive oil until soft and slightly browned. Add the red capsicum and mushrooms and fry until soft.
4.  Drain the lentils and combine with the onion, capsicum and mushroom mixture.
5. Add the cumin, coriander, salt and tomato paste to the lentils. If the lentil mixture is to dry add a little water at a time (1 Tbs).
6. Let the lentils simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes.
7. Just before serving, add the parsley and crushed garlic. Enjoy!

 

There are 2 ways to eat the lentils. Either on toast with avocado underneath and the vegetables on top with a drizzle of olive oil

OR

with the lentils and vegetables on the plate and eaten with Lebanese bread [remember to tear off bits of bread and eat with your fingers] - sooooo MUCH fun for all and BONDING!

'To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.'    Psalm 30:12  

Posted by Melissa