Food Porn Friday – September 14

I work next door to an Indian restaurant.  Literally next door.

And the smells drive me mad. I absolutely adore Indian food – I could happily eat curries for the rest of my life. I have however, resisted the temptation of popping next door for a curry fix. I already get sleepy in the afternoon, but after a heavy meal like curry, I think I’d crawl under my desk for a nana nap!

As much as I would love that, I’m not sure my bosses would appreciate it…

So today’s #FoodPornFriday is dedicated to Indian inspired yums!

SAVOURY

Kaju Vegetable Korma

http://www.vegiehead.com/main-meals.html

How amazeballs does this? Good ol’ Vegie Head!! Love your work!!

Photo: Vegie Head

Ingredients

1 tsp coconut oil

2 red onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp black mustard seeds

2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp garam masala

1 cup pumpkin, cubed

3 potatoes, cubed

2 carrots, sliced

1 green capsicum, diced

1 cup broccoli florets

1/2 cup raw cashews (kaju)

1 cup coconut cream

1 1/2-2 cups water

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 tomatoes, diced

Pinch Himalayan sea salt

Method

Heat oil in a large pot

Process cashews in a blender or processor with 50ml water, set aside.

Sauté onions and garlic until translucent, then add mustard seeds and stir for 30 seconds until they pop.

Add fenugreek leaves, chilli flakes, turmeric and garam masala, and stir briskly until fragrant.

Add pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, capsicum, and broccoli and stir to coat.

Whisk cashew paste, coconut cream, water and tomato paste together and add to pot.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes and salt and cook for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Serve with cashew nuts, coriander and fresh naan or rice.

SWEET

Easy Chai Banana Ice cream, Mocha Chocolate cake, Chai spice Caramel Sundae

http://www.veganricha.com/2012/08/easy-mocha-chocolate-cake-chai-banana.html

I don’t know a lot about Indian sweets. I’m usually rolling out the door, nursing a very satisfied food baby to worry about dessert. I know chai is Indian inspired (does it originate from India??) so this is a tasty looking dessert to drool over… 

Photo: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

Chai spice Ice cream

1 ripe banana, chopped and frozen for an hour

1-2 teaspoon So Delicious coconut creamer or non dairy milk

Spices: a generous pinch of Chai spice with an additional dash of black pepper if you will (or spice of your choice)

Mocha dark chocolate cake slice

Vegan Richa’s Mocha cake recipe made with 85% dark chocolate

Chai spice caramel:

Vegan Richa’s Chai spice caramel recipe

Quick Chai spice: 1 teaspoon cardamom powder, a pinch of ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, clove powders.

Toppings:

Coarsely chopped almonds/pistachios

Fruit of choice like cherries/strawberries

Method

Chop and freeze 1 large and ripe banana for at least an hour.

Blend with a teaspoon or so of coconut creamer and chai spice (optional) until smooth. Add teaspoon of raw sugar if the banana isn't sweet and ripe enough.

Return to the freezer for 1-2 hours depending on your freezer.

Till then prep or make your Mocha dark chocolate cake and chai spice caramel.

Take a slice of warm cake; place a scoop of the banana ice cream on the cake.

Drizzle as little or as much of the chai spice caramel.

Top with almond or pistachio crumbs. Top with a cherry or sliced strawberries. Serve!

Or you can serve large Ice cream scoops, topped with caramel, nuts side small logs of the chocolate cake.

11 years on

After all these years, September 11 is still so raw. No matter how many times I’ve seen that footage of the plane flying into the building, it makes my blood run cold, and my stomach sink.

I remember mum popping into my bedroom, shortly after I’d gone to bed, telling me a plane had hit a building in New York. I pictured a little light plane having clipped the edge or something. Confused, I watched some footage and thought it was a tragic accident. Five minutes later, we watched as the second plane horrifically slammed into the second tower. The next 3-4 hours were a blur, but I do recall sitting on the edge of the couch, stunned, terrified, shocked.

I was near the end of year 12 that year, and I remember waking up and thinking it was some crazy, bad dream but listening to the radio and seeing the morning news cemented it in as reality. Walking into school that morning, there was a strange sober quiet, everyone walking around in a state of shock and disbelief.

Today, go tell those around you that you love them. Give them a hug, bake them a cake, make their bed, pick a flower – do something to let them know you care.

Food Porn Friday - September 7

Wow, the silly season is not far off now. And that’s scary. For those in Melbourne, you know it’s the start of the silly season when we ramp up for the grand final! After that is the Spring Racing Carnival, then Christmas, New Years, Easter…… woah, I gotta lie down and enjoy some food porn.

SAVOURY

Tomato Walnut Basil Pasta

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/02/15/tomato-walnut-basil-pasta/

Being Italian, I go weak at the knees for spaghetti. When I was there (many, many years ago) I would have spaghetti at least once per day, and more often, twice! And I still can’t get enough of it. But I’m a little more restrained now with how often I have it - unless I go to Italy, then it’s going to be a bang-up pasta fest!!

Photo: Oh She Glows

Ingredients

One 28oz can crushed tomatoe

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, dice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, stems removed &chopped finely

1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 large handfuls spinach, roughly chopped

1/2-3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Pasta of your choice

Method

Chop onion and garlic. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Add in the onion and cook over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and cook on low for another 4-5 minutes until the onion is translucent.

Add in the oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir well. Cook on low for a few minutes. Now add in the 28oz of crushed tomatoes, chopped basil, and nutritional yeast. Stir. Bring to a low boil and then simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook your pasta.

Stir in the chopped walnuts and the chopped spinach. Cook for about 10 minutes longer on med-low. Serve over pasta and garnish with basil leaves and additional walnuts. Makes about 3.5 cups sauce.

SWEET

Quinoa Salad with Blueberries, Strawberries and Watermelon

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2011/07/quinoa-salad-with-blueberries.html#ixzz25juRiKHL

Quinoa is delicious. As are berries. I’m not a fan of watermelon; it’s a bit dull and tasteless. But I cannot wait til the weather warms up a little (and the fresh fruit becomes available!) to make this tasty looking salad.

Photo: Gluten Free Goddess

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked quinoa

3 cups fresh water

Pinch of sea salt, to taste

1.5 cups fresh blueberries, washed, picked over

1.5 cups fresh strawberries, washed, sliced

1.5 cups diced watermelon

6 cups baby salad greens

A handful of fresh chopped herbs: cilantro, dill, parsley and mint

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Fresh squeezed lime juice from 1-2 limes

Cracked pepper, to taste

Method

Place the quinoa, water, and sea salt in a large to medium rice cooker, and cover. Cook until all the water is evaporated and the quinoa is tender. Scoop the cooked quinoa into a large bowl and fluff with a fork. Let it cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare the fruit and baby greens.

When the quinoa has cooled, drizzle it with the extra virgin olive oil and toss well to coat, fluffing with a fork to separate the grains. Add the fresh squeezed lime juice and toss again. Season with cracked pepper, to taste. Taste test. Add more olive oil or lime as needed.

Add the blueberries to the quinoa, and toss lightly.

Distribute the baby greens on six plates. Add the quinoa and blueberries. Add the sliced strawberries and diced watermelon, and the fresh chopped herbs.

Food Porn Friday – August 31

It’s the last day of winter – HOORAY!!!

To celebrate, let us enjoy #foodpornfriday.

SAVOURY

Ratatouille-Inspired Summer Veggie Dish

A delicious mix of colourful, nutritious vegies, ratatouille can be either a summer or winter dish. And I LOVE the movie…

Photo: Oh She Glows

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, peeled & minced

2 cups chopped sweet onion

1 large zucchini, chopped into 1” chunks (~2 cups chopped)

1 large yellow zucchini, chopped into 1” chunks (~2 cups chopped)

1 Italian Eggplant, peeled & chopped into 1” chunks (~1-1.5 cups)

1 red pepper, chopped

3/4-1 cup marinara sauce (or use chopped tomato)

1-2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, to taste

1/4 cup packed fresh basil, finely chopped

Herbamare + salt & pepper, to taste

Method

In a large cast-iron pot or skillet, heat the oil, garlic, and onion over medium heat for about 5 mins, stirring frequently and reducing heat if necessary.

Add the chopped zucchini, eggplant, and red pepper, as they are ready to go in. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. I like giving the veggies a sprinkle of Herbamare to bring out the flavours.

Stir in about  3/4-1 cup of your favourite marinara sauce (I used The Linen Collection Marinara from Costco!) along with fresh herbs. Cook until vegetables are tender, but still a bit firm and not overcooked – about 5-7 more minutes.

Serve with a crunchy baguette, rice, potatoes, couscous, quinoa, or simply as a side.

SWEET

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Vegan Banana Ice Cream

I don’t think I would ever make these as I don’t have enough patience to wait for it to cool, or artistic merit. But I would have no problem one (or 4!) down!

Photo: Joylicious

Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas, frozen

1 tablespoon soymilk (optional)

Method

Using a blender or hand-held immersion blender, blend the bananas into a smooth paste.  If it feels a little thick, feel free to add the soymilk.

Place in a medium glass container and freeze for 30 minutes or more before using. 

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup warm water

½ cup brewed coffee

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon distilled vinegar

1 ½ cups all-natural peanut butter, room temperature

½ cup honey

Cocoa nibs and cocoa powder for garnish

Method

Mix peanut butter and honey together in a bowl until combined.  Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven at 350F. 

In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together until well incorporated. 

Add water, coffee, oil and vinegar into dry mixture, mix until fully blended. 

Fill muffin pan with liners and fill with batter ¾ the way full. 

Bake in oven for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Place on rack to cool.  Using a paring knife or tiny circular pastry cutter (1”-1.25”) cut out a hole in the center of each cupcake for the peanut butter filling.

Take banana ice cream out and set aside.  Fill each cupcake with peanut butter mixture up to the top and scoop banana ice cream on top. 

Garnish with cocoa nibs and cocoa powder.  Serve immediately.