Plant based Thai curry (red or green)
Thai curries are so easy to make and if you have ingredients like coconut milk, red curry paste, green curry paste, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai basil, you are all set! All you need is an array of your favourite vegetables that you have in your fridge and a plant-based protein ( I love using Shitake mushrooms)
Serves 4
Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 15 mins
Ingredients
1 3/4 cup coconut milk ( I use the Organic Aroy-D brand) You will need to divide it.
3 tbsp green curry or red curry paste (I use the Mae-Jin brand)
2 tbsp coconut sugar
3-4 kaffir lime leaves torn
1 1/2 cups bamboo shoots
1/4 cup Thai basil
1-2 Thai red chilli (chopped into small pieces)*
300g Shitake mushrooms ( stems removed and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and water squeezed)
Firm tofu (water drained and cubed)
Himalayan salt to taste
Soy sauce to taste (for red curry)
Choice of vegetables used for green curry:
1 cup broccoli cut up
handful of baby corn
1 long eggplant cut in semi circles
1/2 red bell pepper, julienne cut
1/2 orange bell pepper, julienne cut
Choice of vegetables used for red curry:
1 red bell pepper, julienne cut
1/2 green bell pepper, julienne cut
Serve with:
Jasmine rice (white or brown), or Wild blend rice
Bean sprouts for garnish
Directions:
in a saucepan, add 3/4 cup coconut milk and bring to boil then reduce temperature to medium and cook to reduce the coconut milk till thick.
Add either green curry or red curry paste and keep cooking mixture till you see the coconut fat floating at the top.
Then add soaked and drained mushrooms and or drained tofu (or your choice of protein). Cook for about 2 minutes till flavours are absorbed; then add the rest of the coconut milk. If making red curry, add soy sauce here.
Add all your favourite vegetables and lastly add kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil and Thai chillies and serve as soon as the vegetables are cooked.
Serve with your choice of rice. Garnish with bean sprouts and Enjoy!!
*Red thai chillies can be quite spicy. Add one at a time or remove seeds to make them less spicy.
Tofu egg curry
Becoming creative and changing up the game with my new plant-based lifestyle. My new switched up Indian brunch includes a Tofu egg curry that I serve with my favourite Indian bread called puri.
Serves 4 people
Prep time 10 mins
Cook time 10 mins
Ingredients:
For the tofu scrambled eggs:
8oz medium tofu
1 tbsp vegan butter
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/3 cup plant-based milk
For the tofu egg curry:
2tbsp grape seed oil or sunflower oil
1 finely chopped small onion
2 finely chopped green onions
1 finely chopped Roma tomato
1/2 Serrano green chilli finely chopped
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp cumin ground
1/2 tsp turmeric ground
1 cup chopped cilantro
Directions:
Mash tofu with a fork. In a bowl add all spices and plant based milk to make a nice yellow coloured sauce.
Add the vegan butter to a frying pan and add the tofu and fry till slightly brown. Add the sauce till well absorbed. You can enjoy the scrambled eggs as is or go to the next step and make tofu egg curry.
In a skillet, heat oil on medium high and add onions and sauté for a minute. Then add chopped green onions, Roma tomatoes, green chilli and all the spices. Sauté till mixture is cooked through ( about 3-4 minutes). Finally add the tofu scrambled eggs and cilantro enjoy!!!
Mexican fiesta bowl with wild blend rice and beans
Love this bowl during the summer months. So refreshing and nutritious! The beans and wild rice combination is so filling. The home made salsa also known as Pico de gallo also reminds me of my kachumber that I make with my Indian meals. I find the Mexican cuisine so similar to some of our Indian recipes. Enjoy this Fiesta bowl with tortilla chips on the side with your family and friends. It sure is a crowd pleaser.
Serves 4
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Black beans mixture:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
3 cups cooked black turtle beans
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
Guacamole:
3 avocados, ripe
1/2 small onion, finely diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
1/2 tsp cumin ground
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
Fajita veggies:
3 multi-colored peppers, stemmed and sliced into strips
1 red onion, sliced into wedges
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon Mexican chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin ground
½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Splash of balsamic vinegar
2 limes, sliced into wedges
Freshly ground black pepper
Salsa (Pico de Gallo)
2 to 3 medium fresh tomatoes stems removed
1/2 medium red onion chopped
2 serrano or 1 jalapeño pepper, stems, ribs, and seeds removed (less or more to taste)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch dried oregano (crumble in your fingers before adding), or more to taste
1 pinch ground cumin, or more to taste
Serve with:
Cooked wild blend rice
Directions
For bean mixture, saute onions till golden brown and add cooked beans and spices and cilantro and cook till beans are coated with spices.
For the guacamole, mash the avocados in a bowl and add all the ingredients and mash with a fork ( If you like it smoother, you can blend the avocados and then add the other ingredients)
For the veggies, heat oil and stir fry the onions, peppers, and add all the spices, garlic and vinegar and remove right away not to get them too soggy. I like them a little crunchy.
For the salsa (Pico de Gallo), mix all the ingredients and let them marinate for about 5-10 minutes for the all the ingredients to absorb the delicious flavours.
Arrange bowl with wild blend rice, beans, guacamole, fajita vegetables, salsa (Pico de Gallo) and garnish with lime slices
Mexican fajita bowl with corn salsa
Mexican food has to be my most favourite cuisine and is inherently plant-based. I love the flavours of the lime juice, cilantro and chilli powder. It reminds me of my time in Kampala, Uganda where I was born. It’s funny how similar food is, around the world and yet so different. Enjoy this amazing refreshing dish through the summer with your friends and family at home or at a picnic gathering.
Serves 4
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Black beans mixture:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
3 cups cooked black turtle beans
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
Corn salsa:
2 cups cooked corn kernels
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 to 2 medium jalapeños, finely chopped
juice of one lime
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¼ tsp Mexican chili powder
¼ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp Himalayan salt
Guacamole:
3 avocados, ripe
1/2 small onion, finely diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
1/2 tsp cumin ground
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
Fajita veggies:
3 multi-colored peppers, stemmed and sliced into strips
1 red onion, sliced into wedges
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon Mexican chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin ground
½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Splash of balsamic vinegar
2 limes, sliced into wedges
Freshly ground black pepper
Serve with:
White rice ( I used Indian basmati rice- you can use any rice of your choice)
Tortilla chips
Directions:
For bean mixture, saute onions till golden brown and add cooked beans and spices and cilantro and cook till beans are coated with spices.
For corn salsa, mix all the ingredients till corn is covered with spices and lime juice.
For the guacamole, mash the avocados in a bowl and add all the ingredients and mash with a fork ( If you like it smoother, you can blend the avocados and then add the other ingredients)
For the veggies, heat oil and stir fry the onions, peppers, and add all the spices, garlic and vinegar and remove right away not to get them too soggy. I like them a little crunchy.
Arrange bowl with rice, beans, guacamole, fajita vegetables and garnish with lime slices
Teriyaki tofu bowl
This amazing dinner can be made easily on a weeknight and smothered in your own home made teriyaki sauce. Serve with either jasmine rice or your favourite noodles and vegetables. I like to make my teriyaki sauce a little spicy with some sriracha sauce on top!!
Serves 4
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Ingredients
Sauce
5 tbsp coconut sugar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp garlic minced dried
1 inch fresh ginger minced
1 cup water
2 tbsp corn starch mixed with water
Stir Fry Ingredients
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cups of tofu cubed ( I used puffed)
1 sliced fine red pepper
10 baby corn
1 red onion sliced fine
1 carrot sliced fine
1 green onion chopped and a few bean sprouts
2-3 Baby bok choi
Serve with
Rice or noodles ( I used eggless noodles)
Sprinkle with black sesame seeds
Handful your favourite nuts (I used cashew nuts)
Directions
Add all the sauce ingredients (accept the corn starch mixture) to a saucepan.
Place the saucepan over a low heat to cook ingredients for 5-6 minutes.
Meanwhile chop your vegetables.
Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce mix, let the sauce cook until it thickens to a glaze like consistency.
Pre heat a wok or large saucepan over a high heat and add the oil.
When the pan is hot add the tofu followed by a couple spoonfuls of the sauce. Glaze the tofu for a minute or so before adding the stir fry vegetables.
Wok fry the mixture for 3-4 minutes before adding enough sauce to nicely coat all the vegetables.
Once the vegetables are cooked and nicely glazed, serve the stir fry with cooked noodles or rice and sprinkle some sesame seeds and cashew nuts.
Aubergine and tofu satay
This amazing Indonesian dish with so many flavours will have you coming back for more. You really don’t miss the original marinated skewers of meat or chicken here as the eggplant and tofu seems to absorb the flavours of the peanut butter, miso and coconut milk. You can add your own vegetable garnish and be creative with all the vegetables out there or just do what I did.
Enjoy this amazing Southeast Asian dish which is also enjoyed in Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Serves 4 people
Prep time 15 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Ingredients
250g tofu puffed
5 baby aubergines
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon miso paste
240ml coconut milk
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons dried chilli flakes
Juice of 1 lime
2 baby bok choi
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Glaze
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon miso paste
Caramelized peanuts
3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 cup blanched peanuts, raw
Vegetables and garnish
1 handful pea shoots
4 leaves mint
4 leaves thai basil
1 handful sugar snaps
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 carrot, cut into ribbons
2 spring onion, thinly sliced (to serve)
Serve with
1 cup cooked jasmine rice
Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees F.
Split the aubergines down the middle lengthways and score. Place them on a baking tray flesh side up.
Mix together the glaze ingredients then brush the glaze over the aubergines
Place them in the oven for 10 minutes
Meanwhile, place a wok over a high heat. Add a touch of sesame oil. Followed by the onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper.
Once softened, add the puffed tofu.
After 3 minutes of cooking, deglaze the pan with the coconut milk, then add the miso, peanut butter, tamari and maple syrup. Mix well.
Remove the aubergines from the oven then add them to the wok, followed by the chilli flakes, lime juice and baby bok choi
Allow the satay to cook for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile pre-heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
Add the sugar and water to the pan and let it gently turn into a golden caramel.
Once golden toss in the blanched raw peanuts. Once all the peanuts are coated, remove from the pan carefully.
Remove the wok from the heat. Serve the satay with jasmine rice, vegetables, caramelized peanuts and sesame seeds.
Pumpkin spice latte
Fall is the time when the mornings are cold and the afternoons are sunny and warm. Comfort food is what we are craving all day long and it’s pumpkin everything as soon as you get into a market.
Fall is the time when the mornings are cold and the afternoons are sunny and warm. Comfort food is what we are craving all day long and it’s pumpkin everything as soon as you get into a market. Pumpkin spice lattes are in every average coffee shop and you really don’t know what the ingredients are (maybe a lot of sugar, natural flavours, gums etc). A homemade version is always good. Bernadette, a holistic nutritionist and yoga teacher from Byogawellness (BC local company)has created this amazing vegan pumpkin spice latte and has gladly shared her recipe. Bernadette uses uses chai tea instead of coffee and is absolutely amazing! The chai in this latte, from Dupi’s chai (BC local company) owned by Dupinder uses premium teas, spices, no added sugars or flavours. Dupi’s chai’s are functional spiced teas that focus on digestion and speed up recovery. Dupi’s chai are served in premium Cafe’s as popular Chai Tea/Latte options.
If you love your coffee, Kait Swales has shared a fabulous pumpkin latte buzzing with espresso. Check the second recipe with her amazing concoction that will warm you up this fall.
PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Recipe #1 ( Byogawellness and Dupi's Chai)
1 dupis chai tea bag (Arise) or a chai tea of your choice
1/2 cup plant mylk or any milk of your choice
2tbsp pumpkin puree
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
-------------------------------------------------
Recipe #2 (Kait Swales)
3/4 cup oat milk
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
Or 1 tsp pumpkin spice (which includes everything)
3 tbsp pumpkin puree
2 tsp maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Recipe #1
Steep Chai tea in 1/2 cup water. In a saucepan, heat tea with mylk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and pumpkin spice. Pour mixture into blender and blend till smooth.. Pour into your favourite cup and enjoy.
Can add mylk froth or coco whip cream. Yummy
------------------------------------------------------------
Recipe #2
Mix all ingredients and heat till just boiled. Pour into your favourite two mugs and pour your favourite two shots of espresso over top. Blend till frothy. Yummy
Paneer or tofu tikka tacos
What do you do with leftover paneer tikka? You make paneer tacos! Enjoy this amazing Indian-Mexican colourful dish with your friends and family on a regular weeknight or a small get together at home.
Paneer or tofu tikka is a popular Indian street food and originates in northern India. The combination of yellow, red, orange peppers, red onions, garlic, chipotle chilli , lemon and cilantro sautéed into a spicy fajita mixture on top of a piece of spicy paneer or tofu tikka placed on a corn tortilla and a dollop of guacamole is full of an Indian-Mexican fusion delight!
In olive oil, sauté sliced peppers, red onions, garlic, Himalayan salt and chipotle chili powder.
Paneer tikka tacos
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Panneer or tofu Tikka (Recipe in previous post)
24 mini corn tortillas
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red pepper sliced
1/2 orange pepper sliced
1/2 yellow pepper sliced
1/2 red onion sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup cilantro
1 green chilli chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp chipotle chilli ground
juice of half a lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
In a skillet on medium heat add olive oil and sauté the red onions and all the peppers on medium heat. Add garlic, salt and chipotle and add cilantro and lemon juice after vegetables are cooked through.
On a separate pan, heat the tortillas on both sides or place on a grill and place them in a towel so they stay warm.
Layer each corn tortilla with paneer tikka (recipe from previous post, fajita style pepper mixture and serve with a dollop of guacamole and sour cream or your favourite Mexican or Indian hot sauce.
Enjoy!
Paneer /tofu tikka
Paneer tikka is a popular Indian appetizer where chunks of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) are marinated in yogurt and spices and then grilled in a tandoor( a traditional clay oven) and if you don’t have one, just barbecue the paneer tikka on a barbecue! And if you don’t have a barbecue, pan fry the tikka on a tawa (Indian griddle). If you are plant-based vegan, you can use firm tofu as well.
My take on this dish is that I have changed it up a bit and included Harissa, a North African Chilli paste which is a blend of hot red peppers, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, olive oil, garlic, tomato paste, salt and lemon juice.
The marinade is a blend of yogurt, garlic paste, ginger paste, Harissa, Himalayan salt and cumin ground.
PANEER TIKKA WITH SPICY MINT CHUTNEY
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs Paneer cheese or firm tofu
First marinade
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Second Marinade
4 tbs plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut paneer or tofu into thick cubes or in triangles or rectangles.
Mix the ingredients from the first marinade and marinate (paneer, tofu) for 20 minutes
Mix the ingredients from the second marinade and pour over the paneer, tofu , or chicken and marinate for 6 hours at least in the refrigerator
Grill on barbecue on medium high heat for 10 -15 minutes till you see the paneer with grill marks or golden brown.
Serve immediately with spicy mint chutney from my previous post.
Click here for Chicken tikka recipe
Spicy mint chutney
When you have mint growing in your garden and don’t know what to do with it, you make mojitos!! But seriously, I really do have a lot of mint and now with the season changing, its time to make my amazing mint chutney that our family and friends can enjoy over the winter and spring with samosas, kebabs and my red lentil fritters.
Such a simple and easy chutney with only a few ingredients, it really only takes a few minutes to make. You can freeze this chutney in ice cube trays and then store frozen in brown paper bags (so they don’t stick together).
All you need is a bunch of roughly chopped cilantro with stems, lemon, mint leaves, garlic cloves, hot green chillies and Himalayan salt.
SPICY MINT CHUTNEY
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup washed & roughly chopped cilantro with stems
1 cup chopped mint leaves, stems removed
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
Juice of half a lemon
2 garlic cloves
1-2 hot chillies
1/2 cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
Blend all the ingredients till smooth
Serve with appetizers like fried or baked samosas, pakoras, lentil fritters, kebabs, or whatever your heart desires.
This chutney is amazing with paneer tikka or chicken tikka!
Grilled eggplant with a garlic-cumin and feta dressing
I am always looking for ways to pump up my eggplant. Summer always inspires me to go Mediterranean. This grilled eggplant with a flavourful garlic, cumin and feta dressing will make you a star with your guests. This dish looks really nice served on a platter with the luscious Mediterranean dressing scattered all over it. Get your favourite Mediterranean music on and enjoy this amazing side dish or appetizer with your friends or your inside bubble family.
All you need is one eggplant, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, one small chopped green onion, heirloom tomato chopped, crumbled feta, cumin, cayenne, fresh mint, and cilantro. It can be served as a side dish with chicken or lamb or as an appetizer with pita or a baguette.
Slice eggplant length wise, brush olive oil on both sides and add salt. Fire up the grill to 425 degrees F and grill for 3 minutes per side or till you see golden brown grill marks. For the garlic-cumin dressing, pound garlic and a pinch of salt into a paste. Combine garlic paste with lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes. Add the green onions, chopped tomatoes, slightly roasted and crushed cumin seeds, cayenne, crumbled feta, mint and cilantro. Scatter the dressing over the grilled eggplant and serve.
GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH A GARLIC-CUMIN AND FETA DRESSING
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 large globe eggplant
6 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 chopped heirloom tomato
1/2 tsp roasted, crushed cumin seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup crumbled feta (Vegan option can be used)
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped mint
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice eggplant length wise, brush 3tbsp of olive oil on both sides and add salt. Fire up the grill to 425 degrees F and grill for 3 minutes per side or till you see golden brown grill marks. Set aside the grilled eggplant on a serving platter.
Garlic-cumin and feta dressing:
For the dressing, with a mortar and pestle, pound garlic and a pinch of salt into a paste. Combine garlic paste with lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes. Add the chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, slightly roasted and crushed cumin seeds, cayenne, crumbled feta, mint and cilantro. Stir all ingredients and pour the dressing over the grilled eggplant and serve. Serve as a side dish to lamb or chicken or as an appetizer with pita bread or a baguette.
Enjoy!
MEDITERRANEAN GRILLED EGGPLANT ROLL WITH FETA AND OLIVES
We all love backyard barbecues with burgers, steaks and chicken. But why not try some grilled eggplant to switch it up a notch? These rolls are simple, easy and delicious. These grilled eggplant slices are filled with a tangy feta cheese, briny olives and fresh herbs mixture. The rich flavours make these a great summer appetizer for your backyard barbecue! This dish can also be vegan if you use vegan feta.
All you need is a large eggplant trimmed and sliced length wise, a good extra virgin olive oil, crumbled feta, Kalamata olives or other briny olives, chives and parsley.
Fire up the grill to 425 degrees F . Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant slices about 3 minutes per side or until grill marks form on each side.
In a small bowl combine feta, chopped olives, olive oil and herbs. Spread the eggplant slices on a work surface and add one heaping tablespoon of the feta mixture on each slice and then tightly roll up. Arrange the rolls seam side down on a platter and finish with a little olive oil, pepper and chopped herbs.
MEDITERRANEAN GRILLED EGGPLANT ROLL WITH FETA AND OLIVES
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 large dome eggplant trimmed and sliced length wise
Extra virgin Olive oil for brushing and for feta mixture
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta (You can use vegan feta)
2 Tbsp chopped olives (Kalamata or any briny green olive)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (Chives, parsley and basil)
INSTRUCTIONS
Fire up the grill to 425 degrees F . Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant slices about 3 minutes per side or until grill marks form on each side.
In a small bowl combine feta, chopped olives, 1 Tbsp olive oil and herbs. Spread the eggplant slices on a work surface and add one heaping tablespoon of the feta mixture on each slice and then tightly roll up. Arrange the rolls seam side down on a platter and finish with a little olive oil, pepper and chopped herbs. Best to eat them right away as they do tend to get soggy !
Enjoy!
SPICY ROASTED ALMONDS AND CASHEW
I played around with this recipe and finally got it down to perfection. A few years ago, everywhere you went to get roasted nuts, the ingredients were always canola oil, maltodextrin and other ingredients whose names you couldn’t pronounce. My recipe has cayenne, himalayan salt, and water. Yes water!! I make these nuts for friends and family and everyone is always impressed. You can add as much spice as you want. I just make them spicy enough for my taste buds. My Dad used to love these. Thought I would make these today in memory of my Dad for Father’s Day.
All you need is raw cashews, raw almonds, cayenne, himalayan salt and water. First wash the nuts several times and soak for about 20 minutes. Studies show the longer you soak the nuts, the better. If you have time to soak them overnight, its better, but the roasting time will increase as the nuts will take longer to get that crunch.
After washing and soaking, mix cayenne and himalayan salt in 1/4 cup of hot boiling water and pour over nuts and mix thoroughly making sure all the nuts are evenly coated.
Bake for an hour and a half at 250 degrees F and keep stirring the mixture at 20 minute intervals. Leave the nuts to cool in the oven.
SPICY ROASTED ALMONDS AND CASHEW
Serves: 6-10
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 90 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 cup hot water
INSTRUCTIONS
Wash nuts several times and soak nuts in cold water for about 20 minutes. You can soak for longer but this will increase your roasting time. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Rinse nuts and set aside. Mix the cayenne and Himalayan salt in hot water and stir till salt has dissolved and add the mixture to the nuts. Stir, making sure the nuts are coated evenly. Transfer to a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Roast the nuts for about an hour and a half stirring every twenty minutes so they cook evenly. Leave the nuts to cool in the oven.
BLUEBERRY BUZZ
Why not enjoy a drink on the patio that helps with your immune system as well as relax you and looks like a world class drink! This drink is made with organic turmeric made into a syrup and added to either soda water, or alcohol. I usually make the turmeric syrup and store it in the fridge and use as I need it.
All you need is blueberries, soda water, limes, mint leaves, organic turmeric, organic cane sugar and water for a non-alcoholic drink. If you want to add alcohol, add dry gin and elderflower liqueur.
To make the turmeric syrup: add 1 cup organic cane sugar to 1 cup water and bring to boil for 5 minutes. Take pan off the heat and stir in the turmeric. Set aside for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Store in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Muddle 5 of the blueberries and mint in a cocktail shaker. Add lime juice, turmeric syrup, (if using alcohol, add gin and elderflower liqueur) and ice and gently shake all ingredients. Pour into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top off with a lime wedge and blueberries on a skewer or cocktail pick.
BLUEBERRY BUZZ
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
20 fresh blueberries
1 oz lime juice
6 mint leaves
1 oz turmeric syrup
Soda water to finish
For Turmeric Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 tablespoon organic ground turmeric
INSTRUCTIONS
For the turmeric syrup, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and boil for 5 minutes to make a simple syrup. take the pan from the heat and stir in the ground turmeric. Set aside for an hour, stirring occasionally. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Muddle 10 of the blueberries in a cocktail shaker. Add lime juice, 1 oz of turmeric syrup and if using alcohol (3 oz gin and 1/2 oz elderflower liqueur.) Add ice and lightly shake to mix and chill ingredients. Pour into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top off with soda water and garnish with a lime wedge and the remaining blueberries on a cocktail pick or a skewer.
Enjoy!
HOT AND SPICY MANGO MOJITO (NON-ALCOHOLIC)
During the summer months, I am always looking for colourful fruity and spicy drinks. This hot and spicy mango mojito will do the trick every time. Enjoying this drink on a nice sunny day with some guacamole and tortilla chips on my patio listening to some latino music is the best way to spend a nice evening. This drink is diluted with sparkling water and has no added sugar or alcohol (if you need to spike it, substitute the sparkling water for more mango juice and add rum or tequila.)
Ingredients you need are unsweetened mango juice, lime, jalapeño, mint leaves, himalayan salt, sparkling water or club soda.
Chop lime in quarters and slice 2 for garnish, slice 1/2 a jalapeño, and chop 4 mint leaves.
In a mortar and pestle mash up the lime, jalapeno and mint adding 1/4 tsp of Himalayan salt. Scoop out the mashed ingredients and add to 1 cup of unsweetened mango juice.
Add 1 cup of sparkling water or 1 cup of club soda and 6-8 ice cubes.
HOT AND SPICY MANGO MOJITO (NON-ALCOHOLIC)
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsweetened mango juice
1 lime chopped in quarters ( reserve 2 semi circle slices for garnish)
1/4 to 1/2 jalapeno sliced in circles (the more you use, the spicier)
7 mint leaves (chopped fine and reserve 3 for garnish)
1/4 tsp.Himalayan salt
1 cup sparkling water or club soda
INSTRUCTIONS
Place 2 glasses in the freezer and chill for 10 minutes. In a mortar, add lime chopped into quarters, sliced jalapeños, chopped mint leaves, Himalayan salt and mash with pestle till all ingredients are meshed together. Add all ingredients to mango juice, then add sparkling water and ice and stir and pour into chilled glasses. Garnish with jalapeno slices, mint leaves and a slice of lime.
Enjoy!
SPICY MANGO SALSA
This mango salsa was also developed with my childhood memories of buying spicy cut up mangoes from a vendor stand walking home from school on a tropical hot sunny day. The ripe mango, crunchy cucumbers, red onions and red peppers along with the tantalizing flavours of fresh mint, cumin and cilantro is absolutely to die for. The True Nosh Ghost pepper sauce does the trick here as it is perfectly spicy, sugar free, preservative free and gluten free.
Finely chop all ingredients and mix.
SPICY MANGO SALSA
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cucumber, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2-3 mint leaves finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 garlic clove mashed
1/4 tsp cumin ground
Juice of two limes
1 -2 tsp True nosh ghost pepper sauce
Himalayan salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix. Refrigerate for an hour and serve chilled with Tortilla chips.
Enjoy!
SPICY MANGO SALAD
Mangoes were always sold on vendor carts in Uganda -split and sprinkled with lots of hot chilli powder and lemon salt. Memories of walking home after school during my childhood always include spicy mangoes. The mangoes were either raw, sour and crunchy or ripe, soft and sweet. When mangoes are in season here, I normally take advantage of using them in refreshing salads, salsas and drinks.
My recipes are rather on the spicy side as my memories of mangoes always include “hot and spicy”. One of my favourite salads in the summer is a good mango salad. I have tried various ingredients like jicama, cucumbers, peppers but I always loved the combination of green apples, red onions, jalapeños and ripe mangoes.
The ingredients sliced thin and evenly will make the salad more appealing and enjoyable. Jalapeños can be sliced long or chopped fine depending on your spice taste buds! For me, the spicier the better.
SPICY MANGO SALAD
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutesRating: 5.0/5 ( 1 voted )
INGREDIENTS
1/2 green apple thinly sliced
1 ripe mango thinly sliced
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
1/2 jalapeño thinly sliced
1 garlic clove mashed
1/4 tsp cumin ground
Himalayan salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup cilantro chopped
1-2 tsp TrueNosh Ghost pepper sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice all ingredients evenly and mix all ingredients together. True Nosh hot sauces are sugar free, preservative free and gluten free and perfectly spicy for my salad.
Enjoy!
COCONUT CHUTNEY
Growing up in East Africa, coconut chutney was served with all of our vegetarian snacks and with all of our barbecue meats. This favourite chutney will set your taste buds with sheer joy. As coconut was readily available in Africa, the coconut flesh was used to make this chutney. I use desiccated coconut as it is readily available and the chutney can be made in less than an hour to add to your bhajias, samosas, barbecue meats and pretty much anything really!
This chutney is super easy to make and only a few ingredients like coconut, cilantro, green chilli, lemon and a granny smith apple are needed. Soak 1 cup of fine or medium unsweetened coconut in 1 cup of water and 6 tbsp of fresh lemon juice for about 20 minutes. Wash and remove stems of cilantro and green chilli. Remove seeds from from the granny smith apple. Blend all ingredients including the water and lemon juice. Garlic can be added to make the chutney rise to another level but thats optional.
COCONUT CHUTNEY
Serves: 6-10
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup fine unsweetened coconut
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup cold water
1 bunch cilantro, washed and stems removed
1-2 green chillies, washed and stems removed
1 granny smith apple, washed and seeds removed and halved
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp garlic paste (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak coconut in 1 cup of water and lemon juice for about 20 minutes. Add all ingredients in the blender and blend till you get a nice smooth green chutney. If you need to add more water, add a little at a time.
The chutney can be added to pretty much all the Indian snacks and barbecues.
Enjoy!!
TAMARIND CHUTNEY
Every amazing Indian or East African snack or barbecue needs a favourite condiment and it is always the popular sweet, spicy and tangy tamarind chutney. I love dipping all my bhajias(lentil fritters), cassava fries, and samosas in this flavourful chutney. This chutney is also the main ingredient for chaats and my favourite “channa bateta” (chickpeas and potatoes in a tangy tamarind sauce-recipe on blog). A tamarind tree produces a pod like fruit that contains a brown edible pulp used in many cuisines around the world. This pulp is squished into a block and exported all over the world. The main exporters of tamarind are the Philippines, Thailand, India and Africa. You can either go and buy a ready made tamarind chutney which usually includes names of ingredients you can’t pronounce or make your own clean chutney from scratch. Like all other things, I would rather make this tangy chutney at home in bulk and fill up bottles and freeze them. When you buy a tamarind block in a grocery store (normally in the Asian/Indian aisle) the label will always says “seedless”, but I always find seeds in every pack. Through experience, I have learned to find seeds through sieving and squishing every bit of the pulp. The process is a little over an hour long, but very worth it in the end.
The tamarind pulp is usually packed into a block. Break up the block into chunks before soaking for faster results.
Soak the tamarind and add the pitted dates and soak for 20 minutes.
In a pot add another 3 cups of water and add the soaked dates and tamarind with the water and bring to a boil. Boil the tamarind and dates for about 15 minutes and let the mixture cool. Sieve the mixture through and use your hands to go through the pulp, looking for seeds and removing them.
After removing seeds, add tamarind pulp, soaked dates and tamarind water and blend the mixture into a thick tamarind water. This water is used in the chana bateta. I usually fill up jars with this and when ready to use add spices to make a chutney.
The spices and crushed tomatoes are added to make the tamarind chutney.
TAMARIND CHUTNEY
Serves: 20
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 90 minutes
INGREDIENTS
400 grams tamarind paste (block)
3-6 cups water
227 grams pitted dates
2 tbsp crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp cumin ground
1/2 tsp cayenne
INSTRUCTIONS
Break up the tamarind into small pieces with your hands and soak the tamarind in a bowl hot water (3 cups) for 10 minutes. Add the pitted dates and soak both for 10 minutes.
In a pot add another 3 cups of water and add the soaked dates and tamarind with the water and bring to a boil. Boil the tamarind and dates for about 15 minutes and let the mixture cool. Sieve the mixture through and use your hands to go through the pulp, looking for seeds and removing them.
After removing seeds, add tamarind pulp, soaked dates and tamarind water and blend the mixture into a thick tamarind water. This water is used in the chana bateta. I usually fill up jars with this and when ready to use add spices to make a chutney.
Add spices and crushed tomatoes and mix for a spicy and tangy chutney. You can add more or less cayenne according to your spice taste.
DUTCH BABY
“Dutch Baby”, my all time favourite sweet breakfast food. The texture of this pancake is crispy and custardy at the same time and you can add a variety of berries sprinkled with icing sugar. Impress your family and friends with this dutch baby also known as a German (Deutsch) pancake. It is really easy to make (only flour, eggs, vanilla and a milk batter pan fried in butter and baked). It’s great for a brunch and can be made in a 10″ cast iron skillet.
Ingredients pictured here all except the butter go into a blender and poured into a hot cast iron skillet with melted butter.
DUTCH BABY
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 eggs, room temperature (or an egg substitute)
2/3 cup milk (plant-based milk can be used)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butter
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon melted butter (or vegan butter)
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
3 cups mixed strawberries and blueberries.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Blend together eggs, milk, flour, salt, and vanilla till smooth.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a10inch cast iron skillet and pour the batter into the centre of the skillet.
Place skillet in the preheated oven and bake until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter, drizzle lemon juice over and dust with powdered sugar. Cut into 6 wedges and serve with berries.
Enjoy!