Baked Zucchini Falafel with Garlic Aioli Dressing

I felt like making something fun for Sunday lunch today, so tweaked one of my favourite nibbles and turned it into a very healthy and uber delicious meal. Falafel, as much as I love it, is usually deep fried and full of unhealthy oil. My version is packed with fresh, nutritious ingredients and is baked to a golden crisp, and the lightly toasted pumpkin, cumin and sunflower seeds give these falafel balls their traditional nutty crunch.

My garlic aioli dressing is made using aquafaba (brine from a can of chickpeas) and is creamy, tangy and super easy to make.

For the Zucchini Falafel

 

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained (keep the liquid aside)

8 baby zucchinis (400g)

1 clove garlic, finely crushed

1/2 small purple onion, finely chopped

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 heaped tbs pumpkin seeds

2 heaped tbs sunflower seeds

2 tbs chia seeds

4 tbs chickpea brine

1 tsp Himalayan salt

1 tbs olive oil

Black pepper

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Clean the zucchini thoroughly and grate them all into a bowl. Place the grated zucchini into a sieve or muslin nut bag if you have one, and squeeze as much of the water out of them as possible. Try to catch the liquid in a bowl, it is full of green goodness and you can drink it as a shot or add it to a glass of ice water with lemon for a healthy drink. 

In a small bowl, mix the 4 tbs chickpea brine and 2 tbs chia seeds and set aside. This will be your egg replacement.  

Toast the pumpkin, sunflower and cumin seeds in a dry pan until they are lightly golden. Transfer to a blender and blitz for a few seconds so that they are roughly chopped, but not too fine. You want to retain their crunchiness. 

Place all of the ingredients, i.e. zucchini, chickpeas, seed mix, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, olive oil, spices and chia egg in a large mixing bowl and, using a potato masher, mix them all together. Using the potato masher helps to break the chickpeas and get all the ingredients to more of a doughy consistency. 

Line a large oven tray with wax paper and roll the "dough" into balls. I made them palm sized and got about twelve out. Bake for about 40 minutes, and in the last few minutes place the tray closer to the top grill and turn the heat up to 250 degrees to give them a golden crisp on top.

For the Garlic Aioli Dressing

Ingredients: 

Brine from 1 can of chickpeas (minus the two tbs you used for the falafel)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp cream of tartar

Place the brine, crushed garlic, lemon juice, salt and cream of tartar in a blender and blend at high speed for a minute. The liquid should be a whitish colour and slightly frothy. Slowly add the olive oil while blending and once it is fully incorporated, keep blending for another minute.

Serve the falafel with a simple salad of baby spinach,  julienne carrots and beetroot and drizzle with copious amounts of the delicous garlic dressing. Enjoy! xxx 

 

 

Butternut and Chickpea Curry with Crunchy Peanut Butter

This isn't a recipe of my own, but I absolutely have to share it. My friend Michelle had this curry for lunch at work last week and I was blown away when she gave me a little taste. It was funny because I had actually been craving a butternut curry and it was purely coincidental that she was having it that day.

This is a dish I will be repeating. Often.

Ingredients:

3 generous tbs natural crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp tomato paste
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 medium bunch coriander with stems
3-4 red chillies, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 cm piece fresh ginger
3 tbs coconut oil
2 red onions thinly sliced
1 large butternut, peeled and cubed
1 can light coconut milk
200ml boiling water
1 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tins chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup coconut shavings, toasted in a dry pan

Dissolve the peanut butter in a jug with the boiling water. Add the tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce and lime zest and juice and combine. Set aside.

Remove the leaves from the coriander and keep in a separate bowl. Chop the stems as finely as possible, along with the ginger, garlic and chillies.

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot and fry the onions and salt on medium to high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the butternut cubes and chick peas and stir fry for a further 5 minutes. Then add the chopped coriander stems, ginger, garlic and chilli and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and peanut butter mix and stir. Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the butternut is tender. Stir occasionally while simmering to allow some of the butternut to break and thicken the sauce. Add more soy sauce or salt to taste.

Serve with basmati rice and garnish with the coriander leaves and toasted coconut shavings.

Makes about 6 servings. 

Follow Miso Coco on social media for more delicious inspiration! xx

Creamy Zucchini Pesto Pasta

I have always been a creamy pasta person, which is very dangerous. Thankfully I'm not in the habit of cooking pasta very often, but when I do, I like to make it rich and very garlicky.

Yesterday, I had a kilogram of zucchini that needed to be eaten in a hurry. I decided to create a creamy pesto-ish sauce by roasting the marrows with garlic, and blending them with non-dairy cream and basil. It worked a charm!

I topped the saucy pasta with roast brown mushrooms, fresh baby plum tomatoes and toasted seeds. The tomato gives a nice acidic contrast to the creaminess.

Ingredients:

+- 350g wholewheat pasta
1 whole bulb garlic
1kg zucchini, cleaned
2-3 tbs olive oil
250 ml Orley Whip unsweetened non-dairy cream
8-12 brown mushrooms
20g fresh basil
20-24 baby plum tomatoes
Himalayan salt
Black pepper
2 tbs sunflower seeds
2 tbs pumpkin seeds

Pre-heat your oven (top element only) to 250 degrees C, and start boiling your pasta as per the packaging instructions. Chop the zucchini into 1 inch thick medallions and place evenly on a large oven tray. Chop just the top of the garlic bulb off and place on the tray, along with the brown mushrooms. Drizzle olive oil over all of the vegetables, add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and toss with your hands so that everything is coated. Place under the grill for about 10 minutes. When the tops of the zucchini are starting to blacken, turn them over. Also turn the garlic and mushrooms over (the garlic should be open side down). Continue to grill until the other side of the zucchini begins to blacken.

Place the grilled zucchini, basil and cream in a medium bowl. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, pop each clove out of the skin and into the bowl. Pulse all the ingredients with a stick blender so they are combined, but not completely smooth. You want to retain some texture. The zucchini is naturally sweet, so you may want to add some more salt and pepper to the sauce.

Mix the sauce into the pot of drained pasta. Toast the seeds in a dry pan on high heat until golden. Serve the pasta with sliced fresh tomatoes and top with toasted seeds, two or three mushrooms and a sprig of fresh basil.


Makes four large servings.

Peanut Butter + Cinnamon Oats with Seeds

This is one of my easy, go-to breakfasts full of good stuff to keep me going for the day. 

30g rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 heaped tsp natural peanut butter
1 tbs pumpkin seeds
1 tbs chia seeds
1 tbs sunflower seeds
1 tsp xylitol
1/3 cup soy milk

Place the oats, cinnamon, xylitol and peanut butter in a bowl and cover with cold water. Microwave for about 2 minutes, or until it is soft. Top with the seeds and serve with chilled soy milk.

xxx

Thai Style Summer Rolls

Summer rolls are so ridiculously tasty and the easiest/quickest thing in the world. I love making them for a quick dinner before going out, or as a starter if I have guests. They also make a good lunchbox treat!

They're a great way to use bits of fresh veggies that need to be eaten. You can pretty much put anything in them, and as long as you have a good dressing, they are guaranteed to be delicious!

My favourite way to do them is with a Thai dressing with strong peanut, chilli and garlic flavours. It's also always good to add some seeds or nuts for extra crunch factor.

Ingredients:

3 rice paper sheets
10cm cucumber, sliced into sticks
2 medium carrots, julienned or sliced into sticks
1/2 tin red kidney beans, drained
1/4 green pepper, sliced into sticks
1 handful washed coriander
1 tbs sunflower seeds + 1 tbs pumpkin seeds, toasted

*To toast seeds, toss them in a dry, non-stick pan on high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown

For the Dressing:

1 heaped tsp natural crunchy peanut butter
2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dry chilli flakes
1/2 tsp xylitol
1 tsp lemon juice
Place all ingredients in a small bowl. Use a fork to whisk the dressing so that the peanut butter combines with the rest of the liquids.

Prepare all your vegetables first, and lay them out on a cutting board. Wet one of the rice paper sheets under the tap, making sure the water runs over the entire sheet, back and front, and place it on a dinner plate. The sheet will absorb the water and when it is sticky to the touch (after about a minute), its ready. Place your veggies in the bottom third of the sheet, leaving space to fold the bottom and side edges in. First fold the bottom edge up, then the sides in, and then roll it until it's sealed, tucking the fillings in as you go. Repeat with the remaining sheets.

Slice the rolls in half and serve with a bowl of dipping sauce on the side. Alternately, you can pour the sauce onto the fillings before rolling - good for packed lunches.

Enjoy! xxx

Mushroom, Kale and Bacon Quiche (without the bacon!)

I feel like a LOT of my cooking involves tofu lately, but I am really enjoying learning about its amazing versatility every day. Tonight I made a divine quiche that even the man of the house didn't turn his nose up at. Of course there is no bacon in the quiche, but some lovely roasty mushrooms, sauteed kale and a touch of liquid smoke.

I didn't do a crust for this quiche because I really just wanted to make a quick dinner, but if you have some time, there are plenty good vegan crust recipes out there. One I read about earlier involved grated potato to create a 'rosti' type crust - sounds yummm!

Also note, my pie dish is quite large, so this is a large recipe. You could always downsize it to fit a smaller dish. 

Ingredients:

6 blocks tofu (150g each)

2 tbs B-Well vegan mayo (available at Pick 'n Pay)

2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 cup soy milk

1 heaped tbs cornflour

1 x 400g punnet chopped mushrooms

4-6 large kale leaves, finely shredded

1/2 purple onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 green pepper, diced

2 tbs olive oil

Himalayan salt

Turn your grill on to 250 degrees Celcius. Toss the mushrooms in 1 tbs olive oil and grill until slightly crisp. I usually drain the liquid from the oven tray halfway through the process. 

Meanwhile, in a pan, sautee the onions, green pepper and garlic in a tbs of olive oil. When soft, add the kale, chilli and coriander powder and stir fry until the kale is wilted. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt. Remove from heat and turn the oven to 180 degrees, with both top and bottom elements on. 

Place all 6 blocks of tofu in a large mixing bowl and smoosh them up with your hands, as if kneading bread dough. Add the soy milk, turmeric, corn flour, liquid smoke, 1/2 tsp salt and mayo and blend with a stick blender until smooth. Stir the vegetables into the tofu mixture. Place it all in a non-stick pie dish and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes. The top and edges will be golden brown when its ready. 

Serve with a fresh salad and tomato sauce xxx

Sprouted Bean Curry

Growing sprouts is one of the most rewarding forms of gardening, especially for impatient people like me. In only two or three days, the little shoots of young energy start showing and in another day or two they are ready to be eaten. I often sprout a variety of beans and seeds at once and then have to give them away because they are so abundant.

Today I made a deliciously hot curry with all my sprouts for the week. 

I also recently discovered how beautifully bean curry is complimented by coconut flakes and raisins. I think its my new favourite combo!

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil (I am monitoring my oil intake, but you could increase this to two tbs for more flavour)

1 small onion

5-7 sliced chillies, seeds included (adjust to your hotness preference)

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1 tsp jeera seeds

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

1 cup red split lentils, well washed (the water should run clear)

1 cup sprouted chick peas

1 cup sprouted mung beans

1 cup sprouted adzuki beans

1 tin tomato onion mix

3 cups hot water 

coconut flakes and raisins for topping

On medium heat, fry the onion, garlic, chillies and spices for approx. 5 minutes. If you are using only a tsp of oil, you may need to add a spoonful of water to emulsify the spices. Add the sprouts and lentils and continue to fry for another 5 minutes. Add the tinned tomato and bring to the boil in the pan. Add the hot water a cup at a time, allowing it to cook with the lid on until the beans turn soft. 

Honestly, I actually did not measure the water I used, but use those cooking skills to make sure you have enough to cook the beans but not so much that it becomes too watery. Remove the lid when the beans are cooked and allow the sauce to reduce to a nice thick gravy. 

Makes 4-6 servings. Top with coconut flakes and raisins for extra deliciousness! 

xxx

Chilli and Sesame Tofu on Garlic Green Beans

Tofu can be SO delicious, despite its sometimes bad reputation. The key, for me, is finding the firmest tofu possible, and marinating it really well. I get mine from the local Chinese super market and it comes in packs of about 12 flat 8cm x 8cm squares. It's really firm and doesn't need any pressing (usually soft tofu needs to be pressed for a long time to drain the liquid). It has the texture of halloumi cheese and absorbs flavour like a sponge.  

In order to gain as much flavour as possible, it's best to marinate your tofu overnight. You can, however, get away with marinating it for 2-3 hours.

For the marinate:

2 tbs sesame oil
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp dry chilli flakes (this is quite hot, use less if necessary)
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

I used four squares, which worked out to about 160g of tofu. Slice the tofu into strips and marinate overnight if possible. When ready, cook on medium to high heat in a non-stick pan. There is no need to add extra oil as the marinate already contains oil. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the edges are browned and slightly crisp.

For the green beans:

1 x 400g pack green beans, ends trimmed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbs sesame oil
Himalayan salt to taste

Boil the trimmed beans for 10-15 minutes, so that they are semi-soft but still bright green. Drain well and return the pot to the heat. Fry the garlic in the sesame oil for about 20 seconds before re-adding the beans. Add salt to taste and toss the beans on the heat for a minute or two.

In a small, dry pan, toast a tablespoon of black and white sesame seeds for 5 minutes while stirring constantly. Serve the tofu atop the green beans and sprinkle with the toasted seeds.

Makes two servings. Enjoy!

Charred Island Salad

This is quite similar to the Roast Mexican Salad I made recently, but with a tangy, sweet twist.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1/2 purple onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/2 queen pine, diced
2 ears of corn, nibs cut off
4-6 baby potatoes, boiled and quartered
2 small tomatoes, diced
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt

4 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1 bunch cilantro

Preheat your grill to 250 degrees Celsius. In a large oven tray, roast the mixture of onion, peppers, pineapple, corn, olive oil, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper. I usually chop all the ingredients straight into the tray to avoid too much washing up. Also, for the best roasting results, it may be better to do it in two batches so that your veggies don't steam. They should be nicely charred after about 10 minutes.

Combine the ingredients in a salad bowl along with the vinegar, brown sugar, tomatoes, potatoes and cilantro. Add a twist of lemon juice and black pepper for extra tang.              

Dal and Baby Marrows

I was visiting my mom this weekend and had the privilege of being cooked for by her two Bangladeshi friends, Mohsin and Simon. They made a delicious biryani and the best dal I've ever tasted. Of course I got the recipe and added something of my own.

This is super quick to make and is really comforting and filling.

Ingredients:

30g coconut oil (the original recipe calls for a 1/4 cup sunflower oil but I'd like to make it a little lighter)
1 cup red split lentils
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4-5 green chillies, sliced lengthways and seeds removed
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 level tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
3 cups boiling water

Using a sieve and a bowl, wash the lentils thoroughly. They need to be scrubbed together in the bowl of water and drained through the sieve about 5 times so that the water runs clear. On medium heat, fry the onion, garlic, chillies and spices for approx. 5 minutes, then add the drained lentils and continue to fry for another 5 minutes. Add the 3 cups water and bring to the boil in the pan. Turn the temperature down and allow it to simmer until the lentils are cooked through and the dal is thick and saucy. This should take about 10-15 minutes.

For the baby marrows:

8-10 baby marrows
10g coconut oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp dry chilli flakes
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt


Wash and slice the marrows thinly. In a small pot, toast the ingredients in the oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the marrows and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add a splash of water and cover with a lid so that they steam until soft.

Serve the marrows on top of the dal. If you have a lower tolerance to heat, reduce the amount of chillies you use in both parts of the recipe. Enjoy!

Roast Chickpea and Mushroom Sweet Potato

This is my version of a hearty Sunday roast; warm, savoury and satiating. I have never roasted chickpeas before, they go a beautiful toasty brown and absorb the wonderful salty flavours of your seasoning.

1 can chickpeas in brine, drained (save the brine, next weekend I am going to try an "Aqua Faba" recipe)
1 punnet button mushrooms, sliced in quarters lengthways
2 sweet potatoes, washed and steamed
4 tbs hummus
12-16 baby plum tomatoes, sliced in halves
2-3 tbs olive oil
seasonings: Himalayan salt, black pepper, Ina Paarman's Rosemary and Olive salt, garlic powder
a few sprigs fresh oregano

Preheat your oven's top grill to 220 degrees Celsius. In an oven tray, toss your mushrooms and chickpeas in olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the oven quite close to the top and roast for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, add a sprinkling of garlic powder, toss with a spatula and roast for a further 10-20 minutes. They should be well browned as in the image below when they are done.

Slice the steamed sweet potatoes in half lengthways (one half per portion) and spread a generous tablespoon of hummus on each half. Top with the roast chickpeas and mushrooms, as well as the fresh baby plum tomatoes. Garnish with a handful of oregano and a twist of black pepper.

Makes four meals.

Persimmon Smoothie

The persimmon, or "Sharon" fruit, which is actually considered a berry, is often overlooked in the grocery isle because it is fairly unfamiliar to us in South Africa. Recently, at a food festival, I had a slice to taste and was pleasantly surprised. I was hesitant at first, imagining it would taste like a weirdly sweet tomato, but in fact it resembles more of a peach flavour and texture to me. So, I snapped up a few to play with at home.

The soft, sweet flesh of the persimmon lends itself to being blended into a creamy smoothie, so I combined it with a few of my favourite ingredients for a glass of liquid deliciousness.

Ingredients:

2 persimmon fruits
2 bananas
1 cup guava juice
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 handful cut spinach
1 tsp lemon juice

Remove the calyx from the top of the persimmon, and slice it in half. Using a dessert spoon, scoop out the flesh and place in your blender. The skin is also delicious to eat, I just decided not to use it in the smoothie as it is quite firm and will make the smoothie too chewy. You can use a slice of the skin to garnish your smoothie as I have, and eat the rest while you're waiting for the blender.

Add the rest of your ingredients and blend until it is smooth. Add a little water if you have too many solids and not enough liquids for blending. Pop a slice of the bright orange skin and a few mint leaves on the rim of your glass and serve. Makes enough for two smoothies.

Brocolli Stem & Baby Fennel Soup

I always feel guilty throwing out the stem of my brocolli. I know its full of goodness, but I just can't bring myself to eating that big tree trunk of green fibre. So, what better way to mask an unwanted veggie than to blend it into a smooth, tasty soup - the master of disguise.

Ingredients:

1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbs coconut oil
stems of 3 broccoli heads, chopped (I chop the florets off, rinse and keep for easy use in salads etc)
3-5 bulbs baby fennel, sliced
2 large carrots, chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1 litre vegetable stock
1/4 tsp salt

On a low to medium heat, saute your onions and garlic in the coconut oil. This should be done slowly so that they don't burn quickly - approximately 15 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium, add the sliced broccoli stems, fennel, carrots, salt and garam masala and continue to saute for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before blending with a stick blender. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh herbs and sprouts.

Note: my brilliant chef brother taught me that soups and broths are always more flavoursome when served the next day. Since soups do take a little longer to cook, I like to make them on the side while preparing a quicker meal for the night. It's a little extra effort, but means I have instant, healthy meals for the next two nights.