Cashew Nut Cream, Two Ways

Cashew nut cream is a byproduct of home made cashew nut milk. To make the milk, soak 100g cashews in 1 cup of filtered water overnight. Transfer the nuts and water to a larger jug, add another 750ml filter water and blend with a stick blender until the cashews are fine. Use a cheese cloth bag (or just a large piece of cheese cloth) to strain the milk into a large glass jar. The pulp that remains in the cloth can then be blended with a little water to make a smooth cream.

I have been struggling to find nice dairy free options for my toast, so have made a sweet and a savoury topping using the cashew nut cream.

For the sweet one, I used the cream as is and just added a generous drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon and chia seeds.

For the savoury, I  made a tasty cream cheese and topped with thin cucmber slices and chia seeds.

Cashew Nut Cream Cheese:

2 tbs cashew nut cream
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1 pinch Himalayan salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
a squeeze of lemon juice

 Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl. This is just enough for one portion, but you could make a larger batch to keep.

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.

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.