This is one of my favourite Winter soups and a particular favourite of Donna’s.  A soup she requested quite a few times when she was here.  Favourite because it is soothing, fragrant and flavourful and it is quick and easy to make.  The original recipe is from Yamuna Devi’s, The Vegetable Table, a book I highly recommend.  It is a little worn and splotched on most pages from over-enthusiastic use.  A great book to start with when wanting to cook good, wholesome Indian meals.  There is also a sense of devotional cooking in all the recipes she makes which I really like.   This is my version of her soup with a few changes.  She uses a small yellow dahl – green gram- which results in a lighter soup.  I particularly prefer the following version for a heartier Winter soup.

carrot and mung dahl soup

(serves 4)

3 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 medium carrot, shredded with a vegetable peeler (optional)

1 cup of mung beans (preferably soaked overnight – if not, just cook for longer)

6 cups water

1 teaspoon of ground coriander

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 whole cardamon pods (peeled and seeds crushed)

1 plum tomato, diced

handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 – 2 tablespoon of ghee/olive oil

juice of half a lemon, or more to taste

salt

freshly ground pepper

Wash the mung beans in a bowl, swishing the grains in several changes of water until it runs clear.  Combine the mung beans, carrot pieces (at this stage, not the carrot peelings), water, ground coriander, ginger, turmeric and cardamon pods in a large soup pot and bring to boil.  Stir and remove the froth with a slotted spoon.  Cover and cook over moderate heat until the mung beans are broken down and soft; anywhere from 45 to 55 minutes.  Puree half of the soup in the blender, then return to pot.

With the remaining carrot, scrape off threads lengthwise using a vegetable peeler.  Add to the soup with the tomato and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes.  Stir in the fresh coriander and season with salt.

Another one of natures plentiful seasonal treasures.

 I can’t seem to get enough of them and have been eating nettles daily for weeks now.  If you google nettles on the internet there are so many elaborate recipes, but I  prefer mine simply sautéed in a hot skillet with a little ghee and a sprinkling of sea salt.  I have enjoyed them for a comforting breakfast with eggs, but mostly I love making this soup with a big spoon of vibrant green sauted nettles dolloped in the middle then mixed through.  The idea of a nettle pesto risotto intrigues me.   You can simply substitute any recipe that uses greens, such as spinach or kale. Then replace those greens with nettles.  It’s that easy.

After reading up about nettles, I discovered that they are full of Vitamin C and A, iron,  fibre and a bunch of other goodies.  They’ve often been called a “super food” for this reason. They are unusually high in protein for a green plant. I found out that they are a great blood tonic and cleanser.  I also read how they are being studied for their effect on kidney ailments, prostate cancer, arthritis relief, and hepatitis.  I also read how it makes your hair brighter, thicker and shinier, and makes your skin clearer and healthier, which is  always a good thing.  If you want to read more about this “super food”,  have a look here .

Take care when harvesting as they will sting.  Always use gloves to transport the nettles to your pot or pan.  As soon as they begin to cook, the sting goes away.  I like to use the younger nettles around 10 inches in height, as I find the flavour is more richly deeper and oozes their vibrant, green plant essence.   I also cut them just where the first leaves start on their stem.  This can be done when using the younger plant.  If using older plants, pick the tips off the plant.

Sautéed Nettles

A big, big bunch of freshly, field-picked nettles (remember they will disappear down like spinach)

2 teaspoons of ghee/olive oil

sprinkling of sea salt

In a large skillet, melt half of the ghee/oil in the pan.  Add the nettles, being careful not to come in contact with them.  I use two wooden spoons to toss them about, drizzling the remainder of the ghee/oil.  Ensure the pan is quite hot, and move them about quickly, making sure they wilt right down as in photo below.  This happens surprisingly fast.  Sprinkle with sea salt and toss to mix.  Because I use the stems as well as the leaves, I use my kitchen scissors to cut them up into smaller bite-sized pieces, otherwise you will begin to feel like a cow, forever chewing to break them up.

Nettle tea

Pour boiling water over fresh nettles.  Steep, strain and enjoy.

OR

Bring water and nettles to a boil.  Simmer for a couple of minutes.  Remove from heat.  Strain, enjoy.

The tea is also good as a compress for wounds, cuts, stings and burns.  It is also good in facial steams and rinses.

Goodness shared from Stacey

Inspiration : divine influence; to be filled with spirit.

I find nature to be so wise and inspiring. Our dietary needs vary according to the season.  And if we pay attention to our body’s signals, we will find that the types of foods that bring us satisfaction will be different in the Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring.  At the beginning of a cold Winter season, we have these sweet, golden fruits hanging from the trees full of vitamin C which is just what is needed at the start of the cold season.  And if I listen to my body carefully, I find my craving for them is most strongest in Autumn and Winter when nature has provided them.  In my garden, each season is different and I am rediscovering how natural and rewarding it is to eat different foods in each season.  Every morning I slip out to see what is new.  Every day, something a little bit different, inspiring and beautiful emerges.

Among many other things, I have beetroots and an orange tree within 10 metres from my kitchen and it is nature’s way of creating awareness and inspiration to join them to make such a sweet, fresh cleansing drink.

A perfect welcome when you feel low energy, overwhelmed, or emotional.  It’s time to pause and take positive steps to renew yourself, before you start to feel run-down or feel like you are becoming sick.

The orange is a great source of vitamin C and flavonoids to help protect your immune system.  The ginger helps the body get rid of toxins, stimulates circulation and boosts your immune system.  Beetroot sedates the spirit and improves your circulation, cleans your body and purifies your blood.

What a wonderful way to embrace Winter!

Beetroot juice

(inspired by this post)

serves 2 glasses

3 small – medium beetroots (small to medium have the sweetest flavour)

3 oranges (peeled)

a piece of fresh ginger

Wash the beetroot and remove the tops.  Peel the rind off the oranges.

Push all the ingredients through your vegetable juicer.  If you use organic beetroot and ginger, you don’t have to peel them.  Pour it into glasses, stir and serve.

Goodness shared from Stacey

I went pecan picking today to make you this cake

To get there I walk through the neighbour’s olive grove

Stepping into a pecan forest

 green, green, grass below

 blue, blue sky above.  So quiet.

Almost forgot why I was there.  Filled my hat with pecans.

And back through the olive orchard, olives sqishing underfoot, arriving back home alive and inspired.

Did I tell you I absolutely love this time of year?

It fills me up, inspires and holds me, so snugly.

Banana & Coconut Spiced Cardamon Cake

(inspired by this cake )

1/4 cup milk of your choice (almond, soy or coconut)

6 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil

6 – 8 tablespoons maple syrup (I used 8, depending how sweet you like your cakes)

1 tspn pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups mashed, VERY ripe bananas (approximately 5 medium bananas)

1 cup all purpose flour or white spelt

Before you taste..

Pause to smell.

 Take in the beauty of dish in front of you.

Take a moment to be grateful.

Breathe!

Take a bite.

Let the flavours greet your tongue.

Feel your mouth water.

Then, chew, slowly.

Close your eyes.

::lentil millet chilli::

(inspired by this post)

serves 4 -6

3/4 cup green brown lentils

1/4 cup red lentils

1/4 cup of millet

1 x 240g can of crushed tomatoes

2 inch strip of kombu (optional – adding seaweeds to recipes soften the beans/lentils and speed cooking time, as well providing a wealth of nutrients)

4 – 6 cups of water/stock

1 x 100 gram tub of tomato paste

1 red pepper/capsicum (the second time I made this  - for the photo I used a green capsicum as I had no red ones left in the garden, much prefer the sweetness of the red)

olive oil/ ghee

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 tablespoon of sweet paprika

1 teaspoon of hot paprika (or chilli powder)

1 tablespoon coriander powder

salt and pepper to taste

finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee or olive oil in a saucepan.  Add the chopped red capsicum and saute gently for a few minutes.  Add the cumin powder, hot and sweet paprika and coriander powder continue to cook for a minute.

Add the tin of crushed tomatoes and refill the can and rinse out any goodness left in the can into the pot.  Add the tomato paste and the strip of kombu.  Clean and rinse the lentils and millet and add to the pot. Add another 3 – 4 cups of water.   Partially cover with a lid and continue to cook at a slow simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours.  Add extra liquid if it is low.

After the long simmer add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh parsley.

I serve it with cooked millet or quinoa a dollop of yogurt and a green salad and guacomole.  Would be great a taco filling.  A very grounding and earthy dish.

What inspired these biscuits is a desire for a healthier version of a hazelnut and chocolate biscotti biscuit I bought the other day at a well known cafe in Ramat Hasharon.  I couldn’t stop eating them and once finished, it left me desiring more.  So I had to replace this desire with a healthier version, which was much more satisfing than the original source.

I think what worked very well with these biscuits is that I had no flaked oats, so I had to finely process jumbo oats which became more of the consistency of coarse flour.  It is also important to lightly toast the hazelnuts making the flavour richer.  They will become lightly toasted when you remove the outer skin by using the method below.

crunchy hazelnut and chocolate chip cookies

makes about 34 delicious biscuits

(based on these biscuits)

1 and 1/2 cups of rolled oats or oat flour

1/2 cup wholewheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup small dark chocolate buttons (good quality dark chocolate)

1 cup of lightly toasted, roughly chopped hazelnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup good quality organic unrefined coconut oil

Pre–heat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius.  Line a baking tray with baking paper.

If the coconut oil has solidified, place the bottle in a bowl of boiling hot water until it comes to liquid form.

Spread the nuts on baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.  While they are still warm, rub the nuts in a towel to remove the skins.   Inevitably there will be some skins that refuse to peel away, but no matter.  Roughly chop (I like mine chunky, so I just halve them).

If you are not using oat flour then place the oats in a food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until it resembles coarse flour.

Combine the oats, flour, hazelnuts, chocolate, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl.  Mix the coconut oil, vanilla essence and maple syrup together and add to the dry ingredients.  Knead together with your hands or a spoon, until well combined.

Place a small teaspoonful of mixture on a baking sheet and press down with your wet finger or a fork.   I like to keep them quite small, as they do spread out when baking.  Bake for  20 – 25 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely and enjoy!!

Goodness shared from Stacey

Inspired by Nigel Slater from his book, ‘Tender”.  I just love the title of this soup.  I have been meaning to make this soup each Summer, when the season turns into Autumn.  This is when I have the usual over-abundance of sun-soaked, yellow tomatoes and the marigolds are popping out everywhere in my vegetable garden,  giving joy and colour wherever you look.  I added orange peppers, as I have an over-abundance of these as well.  Small, sunset-coloured peppers.  Lots of them, all twisted in their home-grown shapes.  I can see their cheerful and bright splashes of colour in amongst the greenery now, as I write this from the kitchen table, that overlooks the vegetable garden.

This is a simple soup, pulsating with flavour and colour.  I decided to give it a long simmering at the beginning, like Donna’s Cherry Tomato Sauce to really bring out the flavours before adding the stock or water.  I use a Le Creseut pot which keeps the temperature balanced and even when cooking, so that when this soups simmers, a lot of liquid comes out of the tomatoes.  This is why there is very little water added.  If you find the soup dry when cooking, just add additional water.  If you do not have yellow tomatoes, then just use your regular cherry tomatoes.  Just make sure the tomatoes are ripe and ready if you want a flavoursome soup.

- a little friend -

a soup the colour of marigolds

(enough for four)

drizzle of olive oil

1 bay leaf

a sprig of fresh thyme

a sprig of fresh oregano

450 grams of yellow tomatoes

450 grams of carrots (about six medium), peeled & roughly chopped

1 medium orange bell pepper, or a handful of small homegrown ones (deseeded, peeled & quartered)

2 – 3 cups of vegetable stock or water (more if needed)

1 teaspoon jaggery/sugar

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

finely chopped parsley

basil leaves (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large heavy based saucepan (should be hot enough so that herbs sizzle when added).  Add whole herb sprigs (no need to chop) and the bay leaf.  Toss in the hot oil so that the flavour infuses and herbs turn bright green.

Add whole yellow tomatoes.  Toss so that all are coated in oil.  Add the orange pepper and the carrots. Leave to sizzle on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let stew away for about forty-five minutes.

Turn off heat.  Take out and discard the sprigs of thyme and oregano.  Take out the bay leaf (return to the soup after blitzing.)  Add the 3 cups of stock/water and blitz it into a thick, pulpy broth using a hand blender.

As Nigel Slater says, “…as bright and cheerful as a jug of June flowers.”

Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley, a leaf of basil and drizzle with olive oil.

Serve with freshly baked bread and a bowl of guacamole or a big spoon of cooked quinoa in each bowl.

Goodness shared from Stacey

Quinoa.  The grain of the moment. Or should I say, psuedo-grain.  

Benefits = Very high in protein and contains a balanced set of essestial amino acids = a complete protein source; high in magnesium and iron; gluten-free; and easy to digest.  Perfectly substituted for any dishes using rice.  

So why not in a risotto?  This is a recipe I have been meaning to post since early this year.  I usually make this for dinner, so taking the photos is my ‘blocker’ (Stacey is very particular about no flash).  Today presented the perfect scene for a day-time cook-up – working at home, plenty of mushrooms on hand (bought specifically for this dish), and of course, a dish I have been craving.

Today’s Cook-up tally = Mixed Mushroom Quinoa Risotto; Roasted Whole Beetroot;  Cherry, Coconut, Date & Walnut Chunks as a treat (a variation on my favourite health biscuit base – my next post…..Note to Stacey = day-time photos; and Stacey’s cooked version of ‘Red Lentil Hummous’ for my lunches next week.

I stumbled across this little ‘risotto success’ on one of my attempts to rid my pantry of ‘white’ processed grains.  I was easing my way in, particularly down the rice path…..am not a great fan of brown rice as a side dish.  Wonderful as a salad base, but not my preferred choice as an accompaniment to a dish.

For those of you who know ‘risotto’, you are aware it can be tricky to perfect the cooking of the rice.  Thankfully by going half and half, the quinoa meets halfway with the arborio rice, adding a nutty flavour and a crunchy texture.  And the red quinoa adds a wonderful aesthetic touch (worth hunting down).  No need for perfection here…..the red quinoa is a perfect disguise.

Lots of mushrooms and a variety of them work best with this recipe.  This is a meal that when served with roasted whole beetroot and green salad leaves, has the ability to change your mood, entirely.

Swiss Brown, White Button, Flat & Dried Shitake 

Mixed Mushroom Quinoa Risotto

Serves 3 – 4

(The mushrooms I have listed are my preference.  Use what you can get, or what you have – I have also tried a combo of oyster and brown which works nicely……..the more mushrooms, the stronger the flavour, so adjust to suit)

350 – 500g mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped (In images, I used 500g – 10 med white, 6 med brown, 2 large flat)

small handful dried shitake mushrooms (soaked in 1/4 cup boiling water until softened, then cut roughly using kitchen scissors)

1 tab olive oil

6 – 8 whole sprigs fresh thyme

6 – 8 whole sprigs fresh marjoram (can replace with oregano)

1/2 cup red quinoa, rinsed

1/2 cup arborio rice

500mL vegetable stock

freshly cracked black pepper

generous quantity of grated parmesan cheese and/or crumbled fetta

handful pine nuts

Heat olive oil over a medium heat in a heavy based saucepan or frypan (either works fine).  Add fresh whole sprigs of thyme and marjoram (should sizzle when added to oil).  Toss till herbs turn bright green in colour.

Add fresh mushrooms.  The mushrooms will fill the pan, but don’t worry as they will reduce in size (as in pic below).

Let cook for about 5 minutes or until softened.  Stir regularly.

Add rice and quinoa and mix in with the mushrooms until the rice is slightly translucent in colour.  Add the dried shitake mushrooms with the liquid. Stir.  Let mixture absorb almost all of the liquid.

Note = It will look quite overcrowded with mushrooms as this stage, however remember that the rice grains will increase in size.  

Once mushroom liquid is absorbed, add approximately 1/4 cup of stock.  Stir through, then allow the liquid to be absorbed almost completely. Continue this process until all stock has been used, and rice and quinoa grains are cooked (test by tasting).  At this point, you may need to add a little more stock/water if rice grains are not cooked.  Note = the quinoa grains will still be slightly crunchy.

Note = Avoid adding too much extra liquid as you don’t want your risotto too soggy.  Avoid allowing mixture to absorb all liquid as will be too dry.  Remember that as you take it off the heat, the grains will continue to cook and absorb any remaining liquid.)

Turn off heat.  Remove herb stalks (slide off any remaining leaves with fingers into risotto).  Add parmesan and/or fetta (enough to make a creamy-like consistency or adjust to taste), pine nuts and pepper to taste. Taste before adding salt, as dish is already quite salty.  Serve as is with extra parmesan shavings.  Best enjoyed with roasted beetroot and a salad of green leaves.

Goodness shared from Donna

Happiness =

Getting up early.

No humidity.

First rain.

Yellow leaves falling.

A big girl who will still sit in your lap, sometimes.

A big boy that still needs my hugs, all the time.

The first green salad from the garden.

Golden afternoon light.

Little, white jasmin flowers falling on the ground, waiting to be picked up,

and

Being lost in their sweet scent.

The quietness in that deep silence.

Friends.

Winning scrabble.

 Peacock feathers.

The smell of little babies.

A new camera and its endless possibilities.

Damp smell of earth.

Happiness also = a wonderful, new cookie, which is this one.  I actually would like to try making these cookies with the left-over almond pulp from making almond milk.  I have been looking for a sweet which is gluten-free and dairy-free.  These I stumbled across on this web site – www.teresacutter.com.  It is important to grind the almonds very finely which will absorb the liquid much better.  Also the second time I made these, I added one cup of cranberries, instead of a half.   1/2 a cup, I chopped very finely and the rest was roughly chopped.  I also pressed half an almond in the top each biscuit, which added another dimension to them.  I did tweak the recipe a bit from the original.  The original had pumpkin seeds which I replaced with sesame and sunflower seeds.  I also used maple syrup instead of honey, and coconut oil instead of macadamia oil.

health crunch muesli cookies

1/2 cup organic coconut oil, warmed to a liquid

1/3 – 1/2 cup maple syrup (depending on your preferred sweetness)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups almonds

1 cup walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup gound linseed/flax seed

1/2 cup of sesame and sunflower seeds (a combination of both to make 1/2 cup)

1/2  - 1 cup of dried cranberries, roughly chopped (depending on how much you like cranberries)

1/4 cup dessicated coconut

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius.  Line two baking sheets with parchment/baking paper.

In a small mixing bowl, pour the warm, melted coconut oil over the maple syrup, and whisk in the vanilla extract.

In a food processor, place the 2 cups of almonds  and grind until fine, then empty into a large mixing bowl.  Place the walnuts into the food processor and whiz for a few seconds, just until they are roughly broken up.  Combine the linseed, walnuts, sesame and sunflower seeds, coconut and cranberries into the bowl with the ground almonds.

Add the mixture of coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla.

Mix throughly until well combined.

Divide into 30 balls (If the mixture is crumbling just add a little hot water until it becomes easier to handle.)  Place onto the prepared baking tray, then flatten slightly.  At this stage, press a whole almond into each if you prefer.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden and well cooked through. Watch carefully!

Rest on the tray until cool, then store in an air-tight container.

Goodness shared from Stacey

I had these recently at Rusha’s place in Devon where we spent our summer holiday.  We spent the afternoon at Strete Beach, a long coastal beach in Dartmouth, Devon.  In the late afternoon, we came back to Rusha’s place where we sat in her magical kitchen around a tiny, round table warmed by her Aga stove, listening to the pitter-patter of rain outside, sipping Rooibush tea while she prepared a meal for us.  It included these wonderful, sweetcorn pancakes.

This is what I wrote to a friend after that day

-

woke to a misty sort of day

dosa and sambar with lu  lu and rusha

at our place

then onwards to the beach

with its tiny coloured pebbles

zillions of them

racing dark clouds

freezing cold water

but they went swimming anyway

back to Rusha’s magical home

an amazing dinner prepared with love

colourful mix match of antique plates and forks

sweet corn and chard pancakes

babaganoush in a big, earthy bowl

roasted red pepper and melon sprinkled with red ruby jewels of pomegrenate

dessert strawberries and clotted cream sprinkled with sugar

-

sweet corn and chard pancakes

(serves four)

2 ears of fresh corn

1 cup of chickpea flour

3/4 cup of water

1/2 tspn ground coriander

1 tspn cumin seeds, lightly toasted

1/4 tspn turmeric powder

1/2 tspn sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

handful of spinach, kale or silverbeet

2 tablespoons of finely chopped coriander

olive oil/ghee for frying

Cut corn off the cobs until you have about 2 cups.

You can either purchase the chick pea flour already made, or make your own by putting about 1 and a 1/2 cups of dried chickpeas in your blender and grind on high for a few minutes until the flour stops falling into the middle of the container (you will understand this once you do it).  Pour the blender contents out into a fine mesh sieve and sift until fine gram and course legume bits are separated.  You should have less than one cup of fine chickpea flour – if not make more.

Heat a little ghee/oil in a small pan.  Add the cumin seeds and cook for a few seconds.  Remove from heat and set aside, or alternatively you can dry roast them.  Combine the chickpea flour with the coriander powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, sea salt and pepper.  Add water to make a smooth paste.   Allow to sit for five minutes to allow the flour to absorb the water.  Add the corn kernels and the finely chopped kale, spinach or silverbeet and mix until well incorporated.  Take 1/2 cup of this batter and process it for 10 to 15 secs.  Transfer back to the bowl.  If it looks a little dry, add more water.  You can experiment with the texture while cooking.  I find if the mixture is quite moist, it handles better.

Heat a skillet and drizzle a little olive oil or ghee.  Add a heaped teaspoon of the mixture to the skillet and flatten slightly with a spoon.  Fry corn cakes until golden on one side, then flip to cook the other side.  It is important that the heat is high enough to create a good sizzle, without being too high that it cooks the outside, before the inside is ready.  Turn over and cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes. Remove and eat immediately.

Serve the pancakes topped with a little of this  salad and spicy guacomole or hummous.

Goodness shared from Stacey