Spiced Hasselback Potatoes

I found this recipe at www.seasaltwithfood.com , look at the picture here – this is how they should look like. Potatoes came out very tasty and made a really good lunch. It is best to use small salad potatoes for this recipe. Also, use a wooden spoon to facilitate cutting the potatoes to an even depth.

Ingredients:

• 1 Bag (800 g) small potatos, scrubbed
• ½ tsp Ground Ginger
• ½ tsp Ground Turmeric
• 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Coarse Sea Salt + extra for eating
  
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 200˚C.

Place the potato on a wooden spoon, flat side down. Start from one end of the potato and cut all the way until the knife touches the spoon, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin seeds, sea salt and oil. Toss in the potatoes and marinate for about 20 minutes.

Arrange potatoes in a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes turn slightly crispy on the outside and the flesh is soft.

10 Delicious DIY Salad Dressings

I’ve Stubled Upon this and tried all of the dressings below.  They are delicious indeed and very easy and fast to make. My favourite is the Dill one, but they all taste good, so I’ve desided to “press this” for my future reference in case the original will disappear. Below are my edited vegetarian versions.

1. Raspberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
1 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Method:
Pour vinegar in a mason jar or other container with a tight lid. I’ve used Jamie Oliver’s flavour shaker. Add honey and chopped mint, cover with lid and shake. If still too bitter, add in a bit more honey to even out the flavor.

2. Citrus Vinaigrette

Liven up a regular salad with this crisp and refreshing summer-inspired salad dressing.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Again, in a large mason jar or container with a tight lid, combine the vinegar, orange juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and lemon juice. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking vigorously. Once mixed, add the walnuts and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste

3. Dill Vinaigrette

This salad dressing is so tasty, you’ll want to double the recipe so that you can have it again when dinner time rolls around!

Ingredients:
80ml olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp dried dill
1 shallot, finely shopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a shaker or a large bowl whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

4. Balsamic Vinaigrette

Although this makes a great, simple salad dressing, it is equally delicious as a marinade or when drizzled on steamed vegetables.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a mason jar or other container with a tight lid, combine all the ingredients. Shake until all ingredients are combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Basil Vinaigrette

Delicious year round, this salad is especially tasty when paired with an Italian-themed salad.

Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil (it’s very important here to use fresh – it’s not nearly as good with dried leaves!)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Method:
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, basil, and garlic. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

6. Parsley Dressing

Try this flavorful dressing on a salad of mixed greens or other mild-flavored salad combination.

Ingredients:
3 tsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 small shallot
2 tsp chopped parsley

Method:
In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and onion. Once combined, add in the chopped parsley, mix thoroughly with a whisk and serve.

7. Lemon Caesar Dressing

Try this citrus-infused spin on this popular salad dressing option.

Ingredients:
1 tsp lemon peel from unwaxed lemons (finely grated)
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a bowl, whisk all ingredients except oil. Once combined, slowly add oil, whisking constantly until smooth (if you stop, the dressing could break). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

8. Asian Dressing

Add a taste of the orient (without the sugar) with this tangy Asian-inspired dressing.

Ingredients:
Juice from 2 large oranges
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tbsp white, untoastet sesame seeds
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp sesame oil

Method:
In a bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, sesame seeds, salt, and garlic. Once combined, slowly whisk in sesame oil.

9. Ginger-Asian Dressing

A second spin on the Asian dressing theme, this dressing is delicious on salads as well as steamed or grilled veggies.

Ingredients:
1 carrot, fresh, small, peeled and shredded
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp fresh ginger root, grated

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

10. French Style Dressing

Looking for a way to get the kids to eat their greens? This tasty recipe is sure to wow ‘em!

Ingredients:
1/4 tsp white pepper, ground
1 tsp unsalted tomato paste or thick passata
7 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup red or white wine vinegar
2 tsp water
1/2 tsp fresh chopped shallot

Method:
In a large mason jar or other container with a tight lid, combine all ingredients, shake it up and serve.

Claudecf, Peppysis, niznoz, sassyradish, LexnGer, Darny, found drama, jamela, tsadler, joshbousel, vinduhl Flickr Photos (CC)

Cashew Creme

Another simple raw recipe that is a great substitute for a whipped cream or mascarpone. You won’t believe how good it tastes and that it’s made of nuts!

To make this cream thicker, soft cheese-like consistency, simply add more cashews. Alternatively, add more fruit juice to thin it down. You can also add a tablespoon of Agave nectar or Maple syrup to make it sweeter. It is also can work well as white frosting on cakes.

To make it a dessert accompaniment for 4 people, you will need:

• 180 g raw cashews (not salted or roasted)
• 125 ml freshly squeezed fruit juice or any sugar-free 100% pure juice. Orange or apple works well.

Equipment: food processor or grinder

1. Grind the cashews into the fine powder.
2. Blend the nut powder with the fruit juice. Thin it down with more juice or water is desired.
3. Store in the fridge until needed.

Simple Wholemeal Soda Bread

Have you ever seen the amount of ingredients on any supermarket bread? It’s shocking! You don’t have to stuff yourself with chemicals and sugar. This bread has only four ingredients, it is very easy and fast to make and dairy, sugar free and low GI. Adapted from Antony Worrall Thompson’s GI Diet book.

To make a medium sized loaf you will need:

• 500g wholemeal flour (preferably organic) plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 350ml soy milk

1. Preheat the oven to 200C
2. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the milk.
3. Using one hand in a circular motion, mix in the flour to form a dough. Put the dough on to a floured surface and knead, adding more flour untill it is not sticky anymore and shapes nicely. Tidy it into a neat ball.
4. Pat the dough into a 4cm deep round or make it a brick shaped if you like and cut two cuts deep across the surface.
5. Bake on a floured baking tray for 25-30 minutes.
6. To test whether it’s cooked, tap the bottom of the bread and if it sounds hollow, it is ready. You can also stick the knife into the cut you’ve made and it should come out clean.

Raw Chocolate & Walnut Cookies

With no artificial sugar, raw and vegan these cookies are to die for they are so yummy and good. Adapted from the recipe at rawmazing.

I don’t have a dehydrator yet, so I changed a few measurements and ingredients and left them to cool in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Makes 10 medium sized cookies:

• 200g ground almonds
• 8 tbsp (approx. 110g) ground seed mix or ground flax seeds. I’ve used Linwood Flax, Pupmkin, Sesame seed and Goji berries mix
• 4 heaped tbsp raw cacao powder
• 30ml extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
• 50ml  mineral water at room temperature
• 100 ml agave nectar
• 2 tbsp raw coconut oil
• 1 tbsp raw almond butter
• 1 tsp organic vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Mix almond flour and flax and cacao powder together avoiding any lumps. Sift the cacao powder if necessary.
2. Stir in the rest of ingredients and mix well.
3. When it is well mixed, stir in chopped walnuts. Don’t worry if you can’t incorporate all nuts into the sticky “dough”, just press the leftovers into the shaped cookies.
4. Form the mixture into balls, press flat with palms and place on non-stick baking parchment.  Cool in the fridge for at least two hours.

Very quick and easy to make oat and raisin bars.

I call this one “noms”, because they are so addictive. It is amazing how good they taste with just 3 ingredients! These sweet bars are sugar free, low fat, low GI and perfect for breakfast on the go or when you have munchies.

All measurements are approximate, you just have to make sure the end mixture is not too moist, that’s all. You will need:

a cup of dark raisins
1 1/5 cup of rolled oats
2 heaped tbsp raw coconut oil

All organic

1. Put the kettle on, place the raisins in the bowl and cover them with hot water so they are just under it but not floating. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C
3. Drain raisins and place them in food processor together with the rest ingredients. Mix on medium or low speed so that the mixture is slightly coarse and not too smooth, yet sticky enough. If it’s too liquid – add more oats; if too dry – add more water from raisins.
4. Scrape the concoction into the square baking dish of your choice (I’ve used the Pyrex one), press and smooth the surface. You don’t need to butter the dish, coconut oil in the mixture will make it greasy enough.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Let it cool, then serve!

Healthy, guilt-free and delicious peach crumble.

Oh-My-God! This one is really good for a dessert which is raw, vegan, artificial sugar free, dairy, wheat and gluten free, low fat and actually nutritious! Full of vitamin C and healthy Omega oils from nuts it really is perfect. Give it a try and you will be surprised at how great it tastes!

For 2 people

• 5 fresh and ripen peaches, sliced.
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 dashes of cinnamon
• 1 tbsp agave nectar

The Crumble

• 1 cup of your raw pecans (I also used almonds and hazelnuts, 1 tbsp each)
• 1/2 cup dates
• pinch of sea salt
• 2-3 pinches of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of raw vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp raw creamed coconut
• 1 tbsp agave nectar (optional)
• 1 tsp 100% raw cocoa powder

1. 1. Arrange two of the sliced peaches on the bottom of your crumble dish (or any other suitable dish – no heating required)
2. 2. Blend the rest of the peaches with lime juice, cinnamon and agave nectar together in a blender or food processor to your desired consistency. Spoon the concoction on top of the peaches.
3. 3. Blend all of crumble ingredients in a food processor until it turns to a nice crumbly texture. It might be a bit sticky, but that’s fine. Arrange it on top.
4. 4. Now you have a complete dessert which you can serve right away, or place it the sun for 10-20 minutes to warm it up a bit. If you really want, you can put it in the warm oven for 5 minutes, but be careful not to cook it or it will not be raw. You can also leave it stay for a bit (if you can resist the temptation and let it release the juices – it will be even tastier!

Watercress and pear soup

Now this is an interesting one! I was very sceptical to try it at first, but all of my other green soups turned out very good, so I finally made this one and wasn’t disappointed. This sweet and zesty, green and gooey soup will be perfect during summer. It’s nutritious,  tastes delicious, low calorie and very easy to make with just 2 main ingredients.

Important thing is not to overcook it. The vegetable stock should be hot enough for watercress to wilt and for pears to soften, then it’s ready. No need to boil it.

For 2 servings:

2 bunches (packets) of watercress, leaves and stalks (approx. 300g total), washed
2 ripe conference pears, washed and sliced
600 ml vegetable stock
1 lime
2 tbsp soy cream
Ground white pepper

1. Place watercress and pears in a large pan, pour the hot stock over, cover and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes. Or just let it stand for 15 minutes.
2. Cool, then blend in blender or food processor.
3. Prepare two bowls, cut the lime in half and squeeze half a lime in each bowl. Pour soup over and mix well. Sprinkle with white pepper and add one tablespoon on soy cream in each bowl. Draw a swirl if you like

Enjoy it with wholemeal baguette.

Easy and healthy chocolate dessert

This very easy and delicious dessert is full of protein-rich almond butter and antioxidant-rich  cocoa powder, which makes a decadent treat that is healthy too.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

170g raw almond butter
2 heaped tbsps 100% cocoa powder, sifted to remove any lumps
8 tablespoons Agave nectar (available in most health stores)
1 heaping teaspoon creamed coconut
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
small pinch coarse sea salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until well incorporated and without lumps.

Spoon the mixture into 2 separate molds, small baking form or candy moulds and flatten with the back of a spoon. Place in the freezer for an hour or so, then take it out and serve.

For fudge, double the amount of ingredients and cut to rectangles after freezing. Keep refrigerated or it will melt.

This will also make a delicious cake frosting.

Adapted from the recipe found at Dr. Ben Kim

Sugar and dairy free plum and lemon tart.

This makes a very tasty and sweet dessert, which is sugar and dairy free, low-fat and healthy!
Will fit 18″-20″ form and I have the first picture!

For the base:

150-200g dried soft dates (not caramelised)
100g ground almonds
1 tbsp natural honey (optional)

For the filling:

50g raw almond butter at room temperature. I like Meridian one.
50g semolina
grated rind and juice of one lemon
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp natural honey (optional)
750g ripe plums, washed, halved and stoned.

1. Make the base as per instructions here, press into the spring release form and let it stand in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
2. Beat together butter, semolina, lemon rind and juice, egg and honey (if using) until it’s smooth.
3. Spread the mixture over the base and arrange plum halves on top.
4. Bake at 180C, gas mark 5 for 30 minutes or until the base is slightly browned and the plums are soft.

Serve hot or cold.