Sunday, November 29, 2020

Lemony Tea Cake



This wonderful cake has a light, tangy touch of lemons which goes perfectly with the rich flavor of cashew cream.  Fabulous with a hot cup of nettle tea and oh so very easy to make.


Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or flour of choice

3/4 cup unbleached white flour or flour of choice

1/4 cup almond flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup maple syrup

2/3 cup oatmilk or milk of choice

4 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon sea salt


Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F or 178 C.

Oil the 9 inch baking pan.

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl.

Place the wet ingredients into another bowl and whisk until smooth.

Add the wet to the dry ingredients and fold gently to form a batter.

Pour into cake tin.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Remove cake from pan. Serve with lemon slices, cashew cream, and strawberry coulis.


Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk to mix















Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix gently


















Pour batter into an oiled cake tin














Remove cake from the oven and let cool















Cashew Cream


Preparation

2 cups unsalted cashew nuts soaked for 2 hours and drained

3/4 cup apple juice

1-2 tablespoons tahini

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon lemon rind

Juice of lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preparation

Place the ingredients into a blender and blend to a smooth cream.

Add a little water if the cream is too thick.


















Strawberry Coulis

Blend 1 cup strawberries with 1 tablespoon of rice syrup and a little apple juice.

Serve with the lemon cake.



Enjoy Chef Mel xx



Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Irresistible Chocolate Mousse - All Vegan!

At times, we all need a little something, special, yummy and soothing. This delightful chocolate mousse is heavenly and melts in the mouth. It's all vegan and can be whipped up in a few minutes with easy ingredients. Surprise your friends with a charming and elegant dessert xx.





 Ingredients

2 cups oatmilk

Pinch salt

2 teaspoons agar powder (2 tablespoons agar flakes)

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon kuzu diluted in a little cool/cold water

1 generous tablespoon almond butter 

4 tablespoons rice syrup

½ cup crushed walnuts

Orange slices














Preparation

Place the cocoa powder into a bowl and mix with a little oatmilk to make a

smooth paste.

Add the rice syrup, almond butter, and diluted kuzu.

Mix well to form a smooth, creamy liquid and then set aside.

Place the remaining oatmilk into a pan with a pinch of salt and the agar powder.   

Bring to a boil on a medium flame.

 Simmer for a few minutes, stirring until all the agar powder has dissolved.

Add the cocoa mixture and continue to stir until the liquid thickens slightly.















Remove from the heat, and pour into a square dish. Place into the fridge to chill and set. 





Once set, blend in a food processor until smooth and creamy,

Serve topped with the crushed roasted hazelnut and orange slices.







Friday, October 23, 2020

Açorda - Portuguese Garlic Soup

Açorda is a typical rural meal from the Alentejo region of Portugal. Traditionally made with eggs, bread, olive oil, garlic, cilantro, water and salt, this frugal dish is considered energising, warm and nourishing. And it's good for the immune too. I have adjusted this lovely soup so it has a vegan twist. It is super easy to make and tastes absolutely scrumptious.




Açorda – Portuguese Garlic Soup


Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, unpeeled

12 sprigs cilantro

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 inch strip kombu rinsed

4-6 cups spring water

2 slices day-old sourdough, or other coarse-textured country bread

1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ block tofu cut into rectangles and sprinkled with shoyu

Sea salt and black pepper to taste


Preparation

Crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a chef’s knife (do not peel). 

Separate cilantro leaves from stems and set the leaves aside for garnish. 

Place the garlic, cilantro stems, kombu, and crushed red pepper into a pan. 

Add the water, and bring to a boil. 

Simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes.

Remove the garlic, peppers and cilantro stems from the soup, and season with salt and pepper.

Finely chop the cilantro leaves.

Meanwhile, break the bread in half.

Heat the oil in a skillet over a low heat. 

Add the bread and lightly toast for about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Remove and place into the soup dishes.

Add a little more oil and then the tofu slices. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and crispy.

Remove and place with the bread in the soup dish.

Ladle the hot broth over the bread and tofu.

Sprinkle the cilantro over the top and serve immediately.


Broth Ingredients



Simmer the garlic, cilantro, kombu, red pepper and water for 10 minutes





Pan Frying Bread

Pan frying tofu

Place bread and tofu in the soup bowl and sprinkle with fresh cilantro




Enjoy 

Love Chef Mel xx

Sunday, October 4, 2020

Joyful Dining - a celebration of life






Today, life appears to be rushing by. People are moving at a fast pace without even realising it. We need to slow down and find pleasure in the small things, to have fun and to enjoy the moment. The majority of people are also eating too quickly and often in their cars or at their desk. How fast we eat actually goes hand in hand with the speed of our life. One of the best ways to begin slowing down is at the dinner table.





The problem with fast eating is that the brain doesn’t have time to scan what nutrients are in the meal. This is similar to watching a high speed train go rushing by and trying to notice details about the people in the carriages and what they are wearing. The brain cannot gauge what was eaten and will signal hunger and the need for more food which can lead to overeating or binge eating. 


Fast eating creates sympathetic nervous system dominance which puts the body under stress. This can affect our metabolism, digestion and assimilation of nutrients. It makes it difficult to maintain weight. Cortisol and insulin levels go up. The body stores fat (especially around the belly) and muscle building slows. Our appetite becomes deregulated, the immune repressed and the decision making function of our brain decreases. Pleasure and enjoyment are not a consideration. When running from a tiger the last thing on our mind is sitting down with a cup of tea and a good book. We are in survival mode.




On the other hand, eating slowly is all about enjoyment, delight and relishing the meal. It’s about relaxing into taste, textures and aromas. Slow eating helps us to feel more satisfied and brings sensuality, presence and awareness to our dining experience. Mealtimes become joyful and a celebration of life.


Eating slowly also creates a healthy, happy relationship with food which is fundamental to our healthiest metabolism. It is an invitation to trust in body wisdom and experience embodiment. When we eat in a relaxed way then our digestion is stimulated, our metabolism activated, nutrients assimilated, calories burn, our appetite regulates and we feel more satisfied and nourished. 



Even if you are eating the healthiest possible food but eating quickly, it will create a stress response. Slow eating is not about chewing frantically or counting every mouthful. This can take you out of body and more into your head. It can also become boring. It is very important to chew well, but can be done in a relaxed and casual manner. 







For many of us, eating slowly can be a challenge and it takes practice. It can be difficult, painful, and seemingly impossible. In the past, we may have tried and failed to eat at a slower pace. There is an addictive quality eating fast. The sensation of becoming rapidly full can feel relaxing but it is short lived. So a little patience and persistence is required. If one day wasn’t successful, then begin again the next. Very soon you will notice the benefits.







To help you go slow, choose a lovely environment to enjoy your meals. It could be outdoors, surrounded by plants and flowers, or near a window with a gorgeous view. 

Listen to beautiful music to help you relax into your dining experience.




If you are at work, move away from your desk and take time for lunch. 

Remember to breathe slowly and sit down to all meals even snacks.

Savor every aspect; the choice of tableware, the decorations, the colors and shapes of the ingredients, the aromas, sauces, and of course the exquisite flavors on the tongue. 





And finally, remember to give a moment of thanks for the food and everything and everybody that made it possible for you to receive this wonderful nourishment.








Happy slow, joyful, relaxed eating.


Love Chef Mel xx

















Saturday, July 25, 2020

In Gratitude





Gratitude
is the thankful awareness of what we have received. It can be tangible or intangible. Gratitude comes from the Latin word gratus.  This means grace, graciousness or gratefulness and gratitude encompasses all of these. 


When we feel gratitude, there is a sense of joy for what has happened or is happening in our life. Gratitude helps us to recognise and acknowledge the good things that surround us and to understand that they often come from people and the outside world. 


Gratitude helps us to connect to something beyond ourselves (as the individual), whether it is a stronger connection to others, nature, or a higher power. Gratitude is strongly connected to increased feelings of happiness. Being grateful can help us to experience more positive emotions and improved health. We are better able to handle stress, and can feel a lightening of spirit.


Gratitude can be something another person did for us, a wonderful stroll beside the ocean or perhaps the smell of fresh roses. It is not about indebtedness. Gratitude is not something we owe. We can feel and express gratitude for things from our past (childhood memories or our parents), the present (a relaxing lunch with friends or a beautiful sunny day), and the future (feeling positive and optimistic about things to come).


Appreciate everything.

Gratitude isn’t saved for the “big” things in life. Being grateful begins with the understanding that there is nothing too small for you to be thankful for.

It can be as simple as appreciating your morning cup of tea or the phone call from your daughter


Here are some simple ways to develop a sense of gratitude on a daily basis.

Write down what you are grateful for in a journal. Add to it each day.

Count your blessings. Choose a number (like 3 or 5) of things to be grateful for. Pick a time each day to take note of them. It could be when you wake up in the morning or go to bed at night.

Appreciate the beauty in nature.

Smile.

Keep in contact with family members and friends. Tell them how much they mean to you. Spend quality time with them.

Cook meals with love and think of the people you are cooking for. 

Give thanks before you eat your meal.

Choose one day a week where you don’t complain about anything. If negative thoughts come up, try to see the positive side of the situation.

Show gratitude and give thanks to work colleagues or someone who has given you a helping hand.

Thank those that serve you in your community - at the super market, hair salon, or in a restaurant

Develop mindful habits. Slow down. Appreciate the small stuff.

Practice simple meditation on a regular basis. It doesn’t have to be for long. Even a few minutes makes a difference. Focus on that which you are grateful for. Let it fill your heart. Then send those loving feelings back into the world.

Include an act of kindness everyday. Play it forward.

Focus on your strengths.

Read inspiring books or watch inspiring movies.

Live in the moment - engage all the senses.

See how to grow from your mistakes.

If you cannot be with a person, you can still think about them and send them thanks mentally.

Send love to those who may have wronged you in some way. Learn to forgive.

Volunteer - help at animal shelters or with the homeless. Helping others is one of the best ways to enhance your sense of well-being. 

Use prayer to cultivate gratitude.