Blog is moving

I want to thank you for reading my food blog and trying my creations.  I have decided to incorporate this blog into my main Charms Of Light - Blog from now on, so please come on over and check it out and at the same time, find out more about what I do and who I am!

I look forward to seeing you there. :)

Love & blessings,
Caryl ♥

Roasted Pumpkin Barley Risotto

I love a good risotto, but was looking for something other than rice to cook with.  Finding some pot barley in the cupboard, I figured it was worth a go.  It gave a lovely nutty flavour.  This recipe would work well with just about any vegetable and you could also add some diced chicken if you fancied.

Roasted Pumpkin Barley Risotto

Ingredients

1/2 medium to large butternut pumpkin - cubed

Olive oil

Ground coriander

1 cup pot barley, (or pearl barley if you prefer)

4 garlic cloves - thinly sliced

4 tbsp dry white wine

4 cups vegetable stock, (or chicken stock if preferred) 

8 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp butter

1 small bunch parsley - finely chopped

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

2.  Toss the pumpkin with a splash of oil, a good shake of ground coriander and a little salt & pepper.  Spread in 1 layer in a baking tray and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and well-browned, approx. 20-30 minutes.

3.  While pumpkin is roasting, toast barley in a dry pot over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden, approx. 5-10 mins.  Transfer to a bowl.

4.  Cook garlic in another splash of oil, over medium heat, stirring, until pale golden, approx. 1-2 mins.  Add barley, stirring to coat.  Add wine and simmer briskly, stirring, until absorbed, approx. 1 min.

5*.  Add the warm stock, stirring and bring to the boil.  Pop a lid on the pot and turn down to simmer.  Allow to cook for approx. 30-40 mins, stirring occasionally, until barley is just tender and creamy looking.

6.  Stir in the pumpkin, cheese, butter and season to taste.  Stir in parsley.

Notes* 

At stage 5, instead of adding all the stock at once, you could cook this like a standard rice risotto as follows:... 

Add 1/2 cup stock and briskly simmer, stirring, until absorbed.  Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until barley is just tender and creamy looking, approx. 30 mins.  (I use the other method because I generally have other things to do rather than standing over the hob for that long!)

Enjoy!

Caryl  ♥

Chocolate Torte-like Cake

Having been on a bit of a health kick for a while now, I've been looking into gluten-free recipes to see if it makes me feel even better!  Loving chocolate and knowing how well it works with beetroot, I decided to play and came across this wonderful idea for something that is gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free!

--- Yes, you read that correctly - chocolate and beetroot in the same sentence, and in this case, the same recipe! ---

Chocolate Torte-like Cake

Ingredients

300g pitted dates

200g cooked beetroot

1/2 tsp Shoyu sauce (Soy sauce)

125g raw cacao - grated, or use cocoa powder

4 eggs - beaten

130ml Hemp oil, or you could use olive oil, or vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.  Grease and line a deep 20cm round cake tin (preferably one with a loose bottom) with baking parchment.

2.  Place the dates in a small saucepan, cover with water and boil for 15 minutes.  Drain, discarding the liquid.  Puree the dates in a food processor until smooth.

3.  Add the beetroot, soy sauce and cacao to the date mixture and puree together.  Blitz until really smooth.

4.  Add the beaten eggs, oil, vanilla and baking powder and blitz again until thoroughly mixed.

5.  Tip the mixture into the prepared cake tin.  Place in the oven and immediately turn down the temperature to 170 degrees C.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes - it should have a smooth texture.  Allow to cool completely in the tin before cutting.

I found this to taste best when served cold, so store in the fridge until you're ready to eat it!

It's delicious on it's own and especially with plain vanilla ice-cream, but that takes away the non-dairy attribute!

Enjoy!

Caryl  ♥

Chia Almond Biscotti

We like to have biscotti in the house and as I've been on a healthy chia seed kick lately, I thought I'd see how combining the biscotti with chia seeds would work.  For this, instead of simply throwing the chia seeds into my normal ingredients, I replaced one of the eggs with a chia gel egg and they turned out firm and crunchy.  Perfect for dunking and they taste great too!

Chia Almond Biscotti

Ingredients ~ Makes approx. 36

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp water

2 cups whole almonds

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup ground almonds

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

zest of 1 orange

almond milk for brushing tops of loaves

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2*.  Make a thick chia gel by mixing the chia seeds with water.  Whisk together and allow the seeds to absorb the water completely.  It will become a thick mixture.  Set aside.

3.  Place almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

4.  In a large bowl, mix toasted almonds, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, flour and ground almonds. 

5.  In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Add the vanilla and orange zest and whisk until well blended. Add to the flour mixture. 

6.  Work the batter together with lightly floured hands. The mixture will be sticky, but persevere. Keep squeezing the batter with your hands, until a dough starts to form. Once the dough is reasonably firm, divide it in half.

7.  On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a log shape that is approximately 10-12 inches long.  Place the logs onto the baking sheet.  Lightly brush a little almond milk over each log.

8.  Bake for approx, 30 minutes, or until the tops of the loaves are shiny and deep golden. Cool on the tray for about 10 minutes. 

9.  Turn oven temperature down to 150 degrees C. 

10*.  Using a large serrated knife, slice logs diagonally into slices, approx. 1/2 an inch thick.  Place slices on their sides onto the baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for approx. 10 mins, then turn oven off and leave the biscotti in there until oven has cooled.  (This is when I had to suddenly put on my chauffeur's hat for one of my children and leave the house for a while.  I returned around 1-1/2 hours later and took the biscuits out of the oven.)

11.  Transfer onto wire racks to cool.  

12.  Store in an air-tight container.  Biscotti should last up to a month, although it's never around long enough in my house to test that theory!

Notes *:

Step 2 - this is an egg replacement.  If you prefer to leave out the chia seeds, skip this step and use 2 eggs instead of 1 in the biscotti recipe. 

Step 10 - At this stage, if I hadn't had to leave the house, I would have baked the biscotti for approx. 30 mins. until dry and crisp, turning halfway through baking.

Enjoy!

Caryl  ♥

Chia Vegetarian Chili

This vegetable chilli with chia seeds is so tasty and you can use just about any veggies that are lying around.

Chia Vegetarian Chili

I found the inspiration for this recipe from the "Chia - the Complete Guide to the Ultimate Superfood" book, then adapted it.


Ingredients

Olive oil

2 leeks - sliced
6 garlic cloves - finely chopped
2 medium carrots - chopped
1 large red pepper - chopped
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1-1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup (approx) soy beans
1 200g tin sweet corn - drained
1 400g tin red kidney beans - drained and liquid reserved (approx. 1/2 cup)
1 cup vegetable stock
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chia gel
1 lime - juice only
Handful fresh coriander - finely chopped


Chia gel (makes approx. 1-1/4 cups)

1 cup water
1-3/4 tbsp chia seeds

Pour the water into a sealable container.  Slowly pour in the chia seeds while whisking briskly.

Wait a few mins, then whisk again.

Let the mixture stand about 10 mins or so, before whisking a third time.  Seal the container and place in the fridge.  The chia gel can be stored this way for up to two weeks.  Whisk again before using.

Method


Firstly, make up some chia gel.

While the chia gel thickens up, heat a good splash of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Add the leeks, garlic, carrots and red pepper.  Sauté until the leeks start to soften.

Mix in the chili powder, oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper.  Stir for approx. 2 mins.

Stir in the soy beans, corn, kidney beans, reserved bean liquid, vegetable stock and tomatoes.

Bring the chill to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until flavours are blended and the chili and thickened, stirring occasionally.

Turn off the heat and stir in the chia gel, lime juice and coriander.

Enjoy on it's own, with rice, on top of a baked potato - whatever you fancy!

Caryl  ♥

Chia Cornbread Muffins

We were craving cornbread muffins to eat with our soup tonight, but I didn't have any eggs.  I have been playing with chia seeds though, so decided to make them using chia gel in place of the eggs.  It was a great success and the muffins are delicious.

Chia Cornbread Muffins

This recipe is based on my original Cornbread Muffins.


Ingredients

2 tbsp chia seeds
6 tbsp water
1-1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup Polenta (corn meal)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup hemp oil


First, stir the chia seeds into the water and leave to thicken up.  Stir again a few times and leave until the seeds have completely taken up all the water and have become a good thick mixture.  This should only take a few minutes.  Stir again.

Stir all the other ingredients together in a bowl.  Add in the thickened chia gel and stir well until the mixture is completely combined.

Put spoonfuls of the mixture into greased muffin pans - approx. 3/4 full.

Bake at 190 degrees C for approx. 25 mins.

Serve with soup, or as a side for just about anything.

You can use this recipe in a baking dish, or bread tins - whatever you choose.  Just remember to alter the cooking time accordingly.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Citrus Coconut Almond Biscotti

I do love biscotti and so does my family.  When a friend shared a recipe she had for something with citrus and coconut, I just had to play around with it.  This is what I came up with.  Delicious on their own or with a cup of your favourite warm beverage.

Citrus Coconut Almond Biscotti

Ingredients

1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup plain flour
2/3 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup self-raising flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
Finely grated rind of 1 each x orange, lemon & lime (you could use just oranges if you prefer)


Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and grease oven tray.

Whisk sugar and eggs until combined.  Stir in flours and ground almonds, then coconut and rinds.

Knead dough on floured surface until smooth (doesn't take long).  Divide dough in half, roll each portion into an approx 30cm log.  Place logs on tray.  Bake for around 30 minutes.  Cool on tray for 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 150 degrees.

Using a serrated knife, cut logs diagonally into approx 5mm slices.  Place slices in a single layer on ungreased oven trays.  Bake for 30 minutes until dry and crisp turning halfway through baking.

Cool on wire racks.

These should keep in an airtight container for at least a month, but I've never been able to test this theory as they are well gone by then!

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Stewed Squid with Pasta

Years ago, I used to love eating stewed squid from one of my favourite little Greek Restaurants in London.  Unfortunately, the restaurant has been long gone, so when I came across some lovely fresh squid a little while ago, I just had to try and recreate this lovely dish.

Stewed Squid with Pasta

Ingredients

Pasta of choice
Olive oil
1 red onion - finely sliced
4 garlic cloves - finely sliced, or crushed
1-2 small chillies - seeds removed, finely diced
Handful of fresh parsley - leaves and stalks trimmed separately
1 red pepper - finely sliced
Paprika
Red wine
400g tin chopped tomatoes
500g squid - tubes sliced into rings and tentacles cut into pieces


Boil a large pan of water and cook pasta to directions on packet.

Meanwhile, heat a spoonful of oil in a large saucepan.  Gently stir-fry the onion, garlic, chilli and parsley stalks until soft.

Add the peppers and a shake of paprika and fry together for another minute or so.

Add a good splash of red wine and the tomatoes. Stir and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.

Bring back to the boil and stir in the squid pieces. Cover and simmer very gently for 4 minutes.  (You don't want to overcook the squid, or it will become rubbery!)

Sprinkle the parsley leaves over and serve with pasta.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Soul Cakes

Soul Cakes are traditionally baked to celebrate Samhain, a time to reconnect with our ancestors and to honour those who have passed.  This recipe is my own version and makes approx. 16 small cookies.

Soul Cakes

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour - white, whole wheat or a mixture of the two.
3/4 cup ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cocoa
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Zest of 1 orange
1 egg
1/4 cup butter - melted
1 tbsp orange juice


Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, beat the egg, then add the butter and orange juice and stir well.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until well combined and the dough starts to form into a ball.

Split the ball in half and repeat until there are 16 small balls. Flatten each one slightly and place on baking tray, leaving a little room for them to spread.

Bake for approx. 25 mins, or lightly brown.

Cool on a wire tray.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Cavolo Nero Pesto

I know, you looked at the title of this post and thought, "Cavolo Nero Pesto, what was she thinking????!!

Well, I really love leafy green veggies, but my family can be a little fussy, so I've been playing with ideas on different ways of using them.  After a not-so-successful attempt at Kale Crisps the other day (I am going to need a food hydrator for things like that), I decided on a pesto instead.  This turned out really well, very garlicky - so you may want to reduced the amount used, if you're not as garlic mad as I am - and there is enough for an easy pasta meal, as well as for basting fish, and/or stuffing under the skin of a chicken before roasting.

Cavolo Nero Pesto

Ingredients

1 bunch Cavolo Nero - washed and stripped from their stalks.  Discard stalks.

Sea salt

40g Butter - approx.

Olive Oil

3 cloves garlic

75g Parmesan - grated

Boil a large pot of well-salted water, plunge in the Cavolo Nero leaves and cook for five minutes.   Remove and drain.

Place the cooked Cavolo Nero in a food processor along with the butter, a couple of tbs of oil, garlic and parmesan and purée until smooth.  Add more oil as needed.

Note*:  I poured a little oil over the top of the pesto in the jars, so it should last a bit longer when stored in the fridge ..... although I think we'll be using it up pretty quickly!

Enjoy!

Caryl  ♥

Banana and Plum Loaf

My plum tree is overloaded with ripe deliciousness and I had a few very ripe bananas in the fruit bowl, so made up this lovely loaf for afternoon tea.

Banana & Plum Loaf

Ingredients

100g (approx. 1/2 cup) butter - softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 3/4 cups plain white flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
4 ripe bananas - mashed
Approx. 1 cup plums - pitted and quartered


Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.  Grease two 9x5 inch loaf tins.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla essence.

In a separate bowl, sift the flours, baking powder and baking soda with the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture in thirds, alternating with the mashed bananas until the batter is smooth and well combined.

Gently fold in the plums, and spoon the batter evenly into the prepared tins.

Bake for approx. 45 mins, or until well browned.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Prawns and Samphire Risotto

Having discovered the deliciousness and goodness of samphire recently, I've been playing around with different ways of serving it.  Samphire is also known as sea asparagus and is becoming very well-known as another superfood.  It's actually lovely served with butter and lemon, alongside a piece of fish, but tonight I had other plans.

Prawns and Samphire Risotto

Ingredients

3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion - finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic - finely chopped
5-1/2 cups or so of stock - (see note*)
1-1/2 cups Carnaroli rice - (or any other type of risotto rice)
1/2 cup white wine
1 large clove garlic - finely chopped
1 small chilli - finely chopped
350g raw prawns
100g samphire - rinsed in cold water
grated parmesan
black pepper
lemon

Note*:  The stock I used for this was actually the cooking water from a bunch of asparagus I cooked the other day.  You could use any fish or vegetable stock though. 

Also, I made this risotto a little drier than usual.  If you like yours more wet, add more stock.

Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large pan and fry the onion until soft and lightly browned.  Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the rice and stir well until all the grains are coated with the butter.

Add the wine, stir, and simmer until it has been absorbed.

This is where I cheat a bit, as in traditional risottos it is recommended to add about 1/2 cup of stock and stir until absorbed, then repeat, until all the stock has been added.  

What I do instead is add all the stock, stir really well and bring to a boil.  Then turn down to a simmer and pop a lid on top until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is soft, but with a little bite - approx. 20 minutes.  Check and stir once in a while and add more stock if needed.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tbsp of butter in a large frying pan.  Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1 minute.

Add the prawns, stir and cook for about a minute or so.  You will see them turn a lovely pink colour.  Remove the prawns with a slotted spoon and add the samphire to the pan.  Stir for a minute or so and remove from the heat.

When rice is ready, gently stir the prawns and samphire into the risotto.  Add a good sprinkling of parmesan cheese, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon and stir again.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Blueberry Banana Ice-Cream

After making Strawberry Rhubarb Gelato the other day, and discovering how easy it was, I decided to try a different flavour.  I only used coconut cream this time instead of coconut milk, to see if it would come out less icy - it did, a little!

I love how healthy and tasty this ice-cream is and the fact that it is vegan and lactose free means that anyone can enjoy it .... and you don't have to save it for dessert!

Blueberry Banana Ice-cream

Ingredients

1 cup fresh blueberries
2 small bananas - broken into small pieces
2 x 160g cans coconut cream - (You could use 2 x 400g cans of coconut milk, but only use the thick coconut cream from the top).


Place blueberries, banana and coconut cream into a blender. Blend until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a container and place in the freezer for approx 3 hours, or until it starts to freeze.

Transfer mixture back to a blender. Blend again, then pour mixture back into a container and refreeze overnight.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

I came across this jam recipe on facebook the other day and thought I just had to try it, seeing as I had all the ingredients at the time and I love using chia seeds!  Well, it was the easiest and quickest jam I've ever made and it is also healthy and delicious, so I'm sharing it with you here.

Thank you, to thankfulexpressions.blogspot.com :)  I am so impressed with this jam that I may just be making all my own fruit jams from now on!

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients

1-1/3 cup strawberries
2/3 cup rhubarb - cut into small pieces
2 tbsp raw honey (or to taste)
2 tbsp chia seeds


Process all the ingredients in a blender (I used my food processor for this).

Refrigerate overnight, or at least a couple of hours.  The chia seeds will gel, thickening the fruit puree.

Add additional diced fruit if you like it chunky.

Enjoy!  We certainly did in our house!

Caryl ♥

Bulghur Wheat Salad

On these hot summer nights, I haven't really wanted to eat much more than a salad for dinner.  Teenagers though, need filling up, so adding grains to salad and vegetable ingredients is a great way to satisfy everyone.  This salad was tasty and filling.

Bulghur Wheat Salad

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups bulgur wheat
1 tsp ground oregano
2-1/2 cups boiling water
2 medium courgettes (zucchini) - sliced lengthwise down the middle and then crosswise into diagonal slices
1 large red pepper - sliced into strips
Olive oil
2 medium carrots - grated
2 spring onions - sliced thinly
handful pine-nuts
large handful fresh mint - chopped


Dressing

2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 orange - juice only
Honey - a little drizzle


Put the bulgur wheat into a large bowl and mix in the oregano. Pour the boiling water over and cover with a lid. Set aside for approx. 20 mins.

Combine the courgettes and peppers in a bowl. Give them a good drizzle of olive oil and stir well. Transfer veggies onto a baking tray and roast in the oven - approx. 200 degrees C - for 20 mins.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining dressing ingredients in a small jar. Shake well and put aside.

When the bulgur wheat is cooked, fluff it through with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Mix in the roasted veggies, carrots, spring onions, pine-nuts and mint. Drizzle over just a little dressing and mix through. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, mix in more dressing to suit your tastes (some people like just a little and others like it soaked right through the salad).

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Strawberry Rhubarb Gelato

With the very hot few days we've been having and loads of fresh fruit around the house, I decided to make a fruity ice-cream dessert.  I don't have an ice-cream maker, but I figured I could still freeze my concoction and it would still turn out ok. ...... I still wanted something quite healthy and light, so didn't use cream or eggs and it turned out like a refreshing gelato.

Oh and another wonderful thing about this delicious treat is that it is lactose free, perfect for anyone with lactose intolerance! :)

Strawberry Rhubarb Gelato

Ingredients

1 cup (approx) fresh strawberries
1 bunch (approx) fresh rhubarb stalks - cut into small pieces
2 x 400g cans coconut milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp water


Place rhubarb, sugar and water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until just tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Put the strawberries, rhubarb mixture and coconut milk into a blender. Blend until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a container and place in the freezer for approx 3 hours, or until it starts to freeze.

Transfer mixture back to a blender. Blend again, then pour mixture back into a container and refreeze overnight.

To allow it to soften, take out of the freezer a good 20-30 mins before serving.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Aubergine & Mushroom Lasagne - 2

There is always more than one way to create a recipe, especially as I tend to make things up as I go along - depending on what ingredients I have lying around.  Here is another of my vegetable lasagne versions - it is easier than my Aubergine & Mushroom Lasagne - 1, and still delicious! :)


Ingredients

Olive Oil
4 x garlic cloves - peeled and finely chopped
1 onion - diced
2 medium aubergines (eggplants) - diced
1 large courgette (zucchini) - diced
200g brown mushrooms - quartered
Dried thyme
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
Dried chilli
Fresh basil - roughly chopped
Lasagne noodles
400g Mozzarella cheese - cut into slices
Cheddar cheese - grated
Parmesan cheese - grated


Gently fry the garlic and onion in a large pan with some oil.  When softened, add the aubergines, courgette, mushrooms and a good shake of thyme.  Stir well and cook until the vegetables soften and start to create their own juices - approx. 30 mins.

Pour in the tomatoes, a good shake of chilli and the basil.  Stir well and cook for another 10 mins or so until slightly thickened.

In a large ovenproof dish, place approx. 1/2 a cup of the veggie sauce, to coat the bottom.  Add a layer of lasagne noodles.  Spoon half the veggie mixture over the top of the noodles, then add a layer of sliced mozzarella and a sprinkling of cheddar.  Repeat with more noodles, sauce and cheese, then sprinkle over some parmesan.

Bake in oven preheated to 190C for approx. 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with a crispy lettuce salad and enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Chia Chocolate Pudding - Updated

I have just put together this, very delicious, Chia Chocolate Pudding and decided to update it here, so you can try it too.  There isn't a huge difference from the original version, but if you hadn't thought of the variation yourself, now you can try it too! :)


Ingredients

4 tbs (1/3 cup) chia seeds
400ml Almond milk
2 tbs cocoa powder
2 tbs honey


Please note:

1. If you are using sweetened almond milk, you may wish to reduce the amount of honey.
2. Try using soy milk or even regular cow's milk.
3. Use melted chocolate or instead of the cocoa powder and omit the honey.
4. Use grated raw cacao instead of the cocoa powder.
5. As in the original recipe, use 400ml coconut milk, instead of almond milk; and replace the honey with agave syrup.

Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl.  Refrigerate for an hour or so.

Enjoy!

Caryl ❤

Carrot & Lentil Soup

This was a quick "throw-together" soup because I wanted to use up some carrots.  It was so good that the bowls were taken away and emptied before I could get a photo!

Ingredients

Butter
1 onion - roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
3 stalks celery (including leaves) - roughly chopped
6 large carrots - roughly chopped
Ground cumin
Chilli powder
250g red split lentils
1 tin tomatoes
6 cups vegetable stock
Fresh parsley - finely chopped


Melt a small knob of butter in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic and celery and stir until onion starts to soften. Add the carrots and let cook for approx 5 mins.

Shake in a good sprinkling of cumin and chilli. Stir well until vegetables are covered in the spices. Pour in the lentils and stir until combined.

Add tomatoes and stock. Stir well and bring to the boil. Put a lid on the pan and turn down to a simmer for approx. 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

When carrots are soft and lentils are cooked, take the pan off the heat. Use a hand blender to blend until smooth. Season to taste.

Ladle into individual bowls and top each with a sprinkling of parsley.

We ate this with freshly baked cornbread muffins and a green leaf salad.

Enjoy!

Caryl ❤

Spaghetti with Rhubarb and Fresh Dill

This is another savoury recipe with rhubarb that turned out to be one of the best pasta dishes I've ever tasted ..... and no, I'm not pregnant, which is what most people asked me when I made it! :)

Spaghetti with Rhubarb and Fresh Dill

Ingredients

1 bunch of rhubarb
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbs evaporated milk
1 tbs creme fraiche
1 leek - thinly sliced
125g butter (I have to think about how to reduce this amount)
3 tbs pine-nuts - roughly chopped
3 tbs sultanas, soaked in warm water 10 minutes, then drained
2 small bunches fresh dill - finely chopped


Please note:

1. It would probably be easier to replace the evaporated milk and creme fraiche with single cream instead .... I just used what was in the fridge!
2. The amount of butter is rather a lot, so I will think about what to do to reduce this!

Cut each rhubarb stalk crosswise into 3 pieces, then thinly slice lengthwise. In a large saucepan, combine wine, evaporated milk, creme fraiche, leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes. Add rhubarb and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, pine nuts and sultanas. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and the flavours have combined, about 2 minutes. Stir in dill and cook a few minutes more. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta in boiling water until tender. Reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta. Mix pasta with the cooking liquid, pine nut mixture and rhubarb mixture.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥