Merry Christmas
poached pear with vanilla and cinnamon
I just adore pears. Cute butt shapes and so many ways to prepare them. They are delicious with game, paired with elderberries and quinces for jam , poached or simply eaten out of hand.
My pear tree had very little water and a lot of sun this summer and proudly presented me with seven (wow!) ripe pears. Here’s the recipe how I poached them with some lovely spices for my birthday lunch.
poached pear with vanilla and cinnamon
6 pears (Williams or Conférence)
1l red wine
100g sugar
1-2 sticks cinnamon
1/2 vanilla pod
Put the sugar and the wine into a heavy saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low.
Peel the pear leaving the stalk on.
Add the pears , the cinnamon and the vanilla pod.
cover with a lid and bring again to a boil. Turn the heat right down and simmer for 30 minutes. Let the pears cool.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or panna cotta and a drizzle of the poaching liquid.
massaged kale avocado salad
1 bunch of kale (tear away the pieces from the stem)
1 avocado
1 lemon
salt, pepper and a dash of tamari
Rinse and prepare kale into bite sized pieces. Put into a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients. Massage into kale until the leaves are soft.
My recipe differs slightly from Jill Daltons, but you might watch her video for the perfect “how to”.
raw baby spinach soup
raw baby spinach soup
(recipe inspired by Anthony William)
1 generous handful baby spinach
1 orange, peeled
2 tomatoes
1/2 avocado
chili salt and freshly ground black pepper
For more spiciness add a clove of garlic, chili, cilantro or basil.
First blend the orange with the tomatoes, then add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
Enjoy cold or lukewarm. Top with sprouts, herbs or roasted seeds.
seedy olive oil granola
A recipe from Sara Forte’s cookbook the Sprouted Kitchen: Bowl and Spoon. The salty-sweet and slightly spicy granola becomes amazingly addictive when paired with creamy yoghurt, a spoonful of honey and fresh fruit like peaches, raspberries and blueberries.
seedy olive oil granola
(makes about 6 cups)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups rice crispy cereal (unsweetened)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons hemp, sesame, flax seeds, chia seeds or a mixture
You may play around with the choice of spices and seeds, but keep the ratio of liquid to dry ingredients.
Preheat oven to 165°C (325°F).
Mix the olive oil, maple syrup, sea salt, cardamom and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the oats , crisp rice, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and your seeds of choice. Mix to coat.
Spread the granola mixture on two rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Bake on for 40-45 minutes or until the mixture is toasty, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure even crispness.
Granola will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks.
delicious mess of tomatoes, peaches and goat cheese
delicious mess of tomatoes, peaches and goat cheese
tomatoes and peaches in equal amounts, quartered or chopped
1/2 onion, white or red, finely sliced
fresh goat cheese
basil leaves
balsamic vinegar
native olive oil
a spoonful of honey
salt and freshly ground pepper
In a bowl mix the olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and peaches, top with the onions and the crumbled goat cheese.
Mix gently before serving. Top with basil leaves.
ginger & turmeric shots
The ginger and turmeric shots take my beloved “healthy espresso” to the next level. Add a small piece of fresh turmeric to the apple/ginger mixture and feel the energy boost.
ginger & turmeric shots
(yields 3 shots)
3 apples
a good chunk of fresh ginger
about 3cm fresh turmeric
Juice and enjoy!
mung dhal
Whenever I prepare this mung dhal the smell of sizzling spices teleports me to Hassan’s kitchen in Madame Mallory and the smell of curry. It’s irresistible.
mung dhal (basic recipe)
200g mung dhal
double the volume of water
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon rock salt
1 tablespoon ghee
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder (cinnamon, clove, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, fennel seeds)
Soak the mung beans during the night or for a minimum of 4 hours.
Drain and rinse.
Bring the water to boil in a saucepan, add the mung beans, the curry powder and the turmeric. Simmer on medium heat with a lid on. Cook for 25 minutes. Finally stir in the rock salt.
Meanwhile dry fry the cumin and the Chinese Five Spice powder for a minute until fragrant on medium heat. Add the ghee and stir occasionally. (If you like so you may add grated garlic and ginger to the spice/ghee mixture.)
Finally combine the mung beans and the spices. Enjoy ! 💛
vitalizing cocoa, mint and chili cold brew
For the cocoa , mint and chili cold brew you need fresh water, a pair of crushed cocoa beans, a few slices of red chili pepper and a twig of fresh mint. Let the brew rest in the fridge for the night and enjoy in the morning. No coffee needed!
Salsa California
Definitely THE sauce of this summer!!
Salsa California
1/2 onion
a piece of chili pepper, seeds removed
half a bunch of fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
6 ripe tomatoes
Blend for a few seconds. Do not over mix, leave chunky.
I love it with pasta, grilled fish, salad, vegetables (green beans, asparagus!) or on grilled ciabatta.
Spin-off: Take the Salsa California ingredients, add half a cucumber and a glass of iced water, blend all ingredients thoroughly. Adjust salt and vinegar to your liking. Voilà, a Californian gazpacho!
Cilantro fabulous facts
Cilantro has powerful detoxifying properties. It rids the body of heavy metals, as well as accumulated salt and waste products. It helps improve digestion and fights free radicals. Cilantro contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, vitamin K and folate.
