Cherry Pumpkin Almond Salad

\ Leave a Comment \ by

I cannot think of a better way to welcome in summer than this pretty colourful salad with sour cherries. It looks very Christmasy indeed. Holiday cooking can be so involved with ham, fruit cakes, pavlova, etc which would easily make you feel ten kilos heavier in a couple of days. Frankly, I would be just happy to have a few of my favorite salads accompanied by a chilled sangria, which I’m going to do this Christmas, yes! I think when it comes to create the best foods either salads, pizza or desserts, the rule of thumb is to make it simple, using a choice of a few ingredients. Well balanced flavours and texture makes a great dish without overdoing or over complicated. For example, this salad consists of sweet roasted pumpkin, sour cherries, salty creamy feta, bitter sweet spinach, crunchy nutty almonds and zingy balsamic. What not to love? You will have to try hard not to dance with your shoulders 🙂 Devour every bite of it x
cherry pumpkin almond saladIngredients (serves 2)

1 cup of sliced pumpkin
1 cup of pitted cherries
1 cup of spinach salad
a handful of toasted sliced almonds
30g feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic glaze

Place pumpkin on a baking tray and cook in the preheated oven (180) for 15 minutes or until cooked. Combine spinach, pumpkin, cherries, crumbled feta in a large bowl. Dress with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle toasted almonds and drizzle balsamic glaze before serve.cherry pumpkin almond

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Chickpea Tofu Salad

\ Leave a Comment \ by

I recently discovered this soy-free and easy-to-make tofu on the internet (here and here). Burmese or Shan tofu it is. My grandma and aunties used to make tofu at home, which takes so much time and effort and in fact is daunting for me to do on my own. On the other hand, this chickpea tofu requires only three ingredients and is dead simple similar to making polenta. Compared to soy tofu, it is has a nice nutty flavour. Perfect for making chips, salads, fillings for sandwiches or wraps, topping up your soup or adding in stir-fries. I think adding other flavours into the tofu mixture would be nice such as oregano, chilli flakes or sesame seeds. Have fun making x
chickpea tofuIngredients (2-4 serves)

150g chickpea flour
a pinch of salt
450g boiled water or stock

Place chickpea flour and salt in a large bowl. Bring water or stock to a boil in a pot. Pour it into a bowl slowly as you whisk rapidly so that it gets thick with no lumps. Pour the mixture into a tin lined with a cling film and spread the surface evenly with a spatula. Let it cool and refrigerate more than an hour or until it firms up. Loosen the edges with a knife or spatula and slice portions as needed.

I cut it into little squares and lightly pan-fried a couple of minutes each side in coconut oil. Then served with watermelon, goat cheese, greens and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Snack, Vegetarian

Roasted Vegetables in Miso Broth

\ Leave a Comment \ by

A smell and sound of the miso soup boiling away on stove. Mum’s cutting vegetables on chopping board. All busy herself in the morning to feed us a beautiful nourishing breakfast. This is a home feeling that comes to my mind  in a minute when I think of my mum, home and weekend morning. All the details that others cannot perceive, but me. There is nothing as nostalgic as the food of home. Isn’t it strange what you eat as a child dictates what you crave when you grow up? What is your home feeling? Oh, maybe I’m getting a bit of home-sick.

Miso soup in Korea is quite different to the ones you get at the sushi restaurants here. Korean version has a richer flavour with loads of ingredients in it. Tofu, clam, potato, zucchini, spring onion and mushrooms beautifully  arranged and cooked  in a large stone bowl. That is the main dish right in the middle of the table for us to share. Mum ladles a soup for my brother and me. I don’t consider myself the pickiest eater, but definitely want to get what I want. More tofu! She gives extra tofu in mine because she knows my taste. We also have a small bowl of rice and kimchi on the side. That’s right. To me, miso soup is the highlight of the meal, not the side. It always calls me when I crave a hearty home meal or should I say, when I miss home.

It is a simple dish to make, trust me. All you need is rice, vegetables, miso paste and vegetable stock. A great way of using up the veggies in your fridge! I seasoned and roasted chopped veggies in the preheated oven (200) for 15 minutes until they are cooked al dente. Boil miso broth in a pot and cook rice (I used a quinoa and bean mix) in another pot or rice cooker. Serve rice and roasted veggies in a bowl, and ladle the soup around it. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm.
miso soup

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

GF Bread with Sprouts + Simple Guacamole

\ Leave a Comment \ by

sprouted breadHow much do you know about alfalfa sprouts? Did you know it is a healing food? Alfalfa sprouts are the shoots of the alfalfa plant, harvested before they become the full-grown plant. Because they are so small, the sprouts contain a concentrated amount of certain vitamins and minerals such as calcium, vitamin K and vitamin C. They are one of the most significant dietary sources of phytoestrogens, that can help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Saponins in alfalfa sprouts can help lower your bad cholesterol while also increasing good cholesterol. Saponins might also help boost your immunity. An easy way of using them is rinse under running water and add into your salads, sandwiches, wraps and burgers. I used to make this awesome gluten free bread, which turned out to be really good. You don’t need to pay ten dollars for a loaf of sprouted bread any more when you can make it so easy at home. Plus, for my lunch, I made a quick guacamole to spread on this beautiful slice of bread. Yum!

treat kidney stones, gastrointestinal and bloating

sprouted bread1Ingredients

For Guacamole
1 avocado
1/2 cup chopped parsley
a squeeze of lemon
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
a pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tbsp thick Greek yogurt
1 tbsp of olive oil

Simply place all ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until serve.

For Sprouted GF Bread
20g chia seeds
1/2 cup earl grey, strongly brewed
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tbsp thick Greek yogurt
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch of Himalayan salt

Soak chia seeds in earl grey tea until it gets thick and gel-like. Add eggs in and gently whisk to combine. Add coconut oil and yogurt in and stir to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir well to combine, pour the mixture into a loaf tin and set aside for 10 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40-45 minutes until cooked. Take it out of the oven and let it cool in a tin.
guacamole

Posted in: Baking, Breakfast, Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

Smokey Beetroot Hummus

\ Leave a Comment \ by

We all have cutting board(s) in kitchen, yes? I like wooden or bamboo ones since I can use it to plate up rustic foods. Though do you know how clean your cutting board is? Approaching a hot summer in Melbourne, I thought I will briefly write about it to prevent a cross-contamination and food poisoning. You might all know but it is best to use different cutting boards for different foods (wood ones for fruits and vegetables, plastic ones for cutting meat, glass ones for pastry and cheese). If you use wooden or bamboo ones like I do, vinegar or hot soapy water is a way to go to kill all bacteria. You can use baking soda for a deeper clean and dry completely before storing away in a rack so that there is air flow. Replace them if you find deep cuts, scratches or grooves due to bacterial growth. I also tend to use one cutting board to just serve food on or put a baking paper when using my usual cutting board.

I felt like having a little picnic-style food today although we didn’t go out or anything. I didn’t want to spend too much time in front of stove either in this warm weather. So I went through my fridge and ended up creating this Turkish inspired plate. I made hummus and served with home-made flat bread, kofta and vegetables on a board with a bottle of chipotle sauce for dinner. Beetroot hummus really shined with a bright pink colour and a punch of smokey and garlicky flavour. I cannot believe I haven’t made this hummus until now. It is so yummy and pretty in pink 🙂 The recipe below makes two bowls which I used one for dinner and saved one for later use such as making wraps or falafels. When making hummus, always taste after blending up if seasoning is right. Salty? Enough garlic? Acidic from lemon? Nutty and creamy from tahini? A good drizzle of olive oil is a must to finish off. Have fun making x

beetroot hummusIngredients

150g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 large beetroot
1/2 tsp cumin
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp Himalayan salt
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp e.v.o.o

Cover soaked chickpeas with cold water and boil over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked. In the mean time, dice beetroot, drizzle with oil, sprinkle cumin, place in the preheated oven (180) for 10-15 mins until tender. Put cooked chickpeas, beetroot, tahini, crushed garlic, lemon juice and salt into a food processor. Blitz until smooth adding a bit of water if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle e.v.o.o. dinner plate

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Snack, Vegetarian