'Cheesy' Broccoli Beer Soup with Smoky Sunflower Chorizo Croutons

Did you see the red sun yesterday?!

It was truly Amazing - I am not one of those people who throws the word around lightly, it really was amazing.  

Early on in the week I made a Red Tomato Curry, today I share a bowl red soup which by all means should have been green according to the both the photograph in the cookbook, but also the ingredients including broccoli.  Upon a little research on blogophere, I noted that other food bloggers had also made the Cheesy Broccoli Beer Soup and it was also not the vibrant green featured in the cookbook Street Vegan, so I felt relieved that I was not heavy handed with either the soy sauce  or tamari and smoked paprika.    

Anyway, this Cheesy Broccoli Beer Soup with Smoky Sunflower Chorizo Croutons was ridiculously flavourful, but in a very good way.  I especially loved the different levels of flavour from the topping the beer, the cheesiness from the nutritional yeas.  It was also very velvety.  Its definitely a soup that clings to the spoon.

I even loved the Smoky Sunflower Chorizo which I served as croutons, but I could easily eat it as a nibble in place of savoury nuts too. 

Kristy Turner's Roasted Broccoli and Apple Salad

The bookmarked recipes on my blog continue. 

This Roasted Broccoli and Apple Salad is my second bookmarked recipe from Kristy Turners But I could Never Go Vegan, the first was BBQ Cauliflower Salad.  

I was tempted to make this Roasted Broccoli and Apple Salad for two other reasons. First, its nearly summer and we need more salads in our diet; and secondly, my blogger friend Johanna who blogs over at Green Gourmet Giraffe had made this very salad a few months back and it got me interested in trying it, especially as apples are replacing bananas in my fruit bowl at home and in the lunch box.  

Pickled Nasturtium Seed Pods

The nasturtium blossom flowers are still blooming in my garden plot. I watch with delight when I find a bumbling bee snuggled up in there, but the flowers they will not last with the weather turning autumnal and the flowers turning to seed pods.   

A few week back I harvested some fresh green nasturtium seeds for pickling.  I promised some of you that i would share the  jars, here they are - the nasturtium seeds are not quite packed in the jar and bobbing around, but I am not overly fussed as this was something I have been wanting to try out for a long while.  If they are any good, next time I will pack the jars to the brim.

Now I have to wait.  I am looking forward to see how they compare the pickled capers we find here in jars.   

Stir Fried Edamame Beans with Smoked Tofu

I had some edamame beans left over from yesterday's brunch and decided to use them up in this relatively quick dish. 

I loved every thing about this dish, the way it looks on the plate, colours, the flavours, the textures. The vibrancy of the greens especially from the edamame and peas.  And the way the fresh red chilli beamed liking a red light bringing the dish to life.  The vegetables still had crunch and the beans popped, especially the broad beans.  When I served it up, D was concerned that there was not enough sauce to coat the rice, but it was plenty moist once he started tucking in.  I guess you could serve these with noodles, but I like plain steamed or boiled white rice.

Please find proper smoked tofu for this recipe, not those lightly smoked and barely .  If your tofu is not smoky enough, then please if possible add a little liquid smoke.  

I am sharing this with Eat Your Greens Challenge hosted this month by The Veg Hog; and with Sunday Fitness and Food Fitness hosted by Marathons and Motivation and Ilka's blog; 

Blood Orange Chia Cake

Another cake to enjoy with a cuppa tea if you so wish.

I won't fib, this is really a Lemon Poppy Seed Drizzle blinged up.  The Lemon is replaced with seasonal Blood Oranges and the Poppy seeds replaced with the trendy chia seeds.  After all chia seeds are the new poppy seed!

Velvet Green Spirulina Flapjacks

Anyone who has used spirulina will know why I describe it as velvet.  The powdered form is textually very velvety.  Anyway, I only made these velvet green Spirulina Flapjacks as I was wishing to use up my very large packet of Spirulina and the one thing I was adamant I would not make was another darn groovy green Smoothie.  Blogosphere and cookbooks gearing towards healthy eating are laden with Spirulina Smoothie recipes, so I gave that a deliberate miss and went for something completely different.

I have plans on making a Green Goddess Granola, but that is on the back burner for other far more creative greeny bites. 

Unlike other spirulina recipes that are super duper healthy: no butter, no sugar - this flapjack is made with both butter and sugar.  I have shared a link below of a healthier, vegan and raw version below, if you want to check it out.  Surprisingly, I actually liked these, but I don't often make the same flapjack recipe twice - who knows... 

The distinct spirulina flavour does come through, but not too strongly.  D didn't even notice it unique flavour until day two.  His excuse for the first day is that he must have been very hungry.   

I know the Autumn Forest green photograph I share here, does not sell it much but sometimes its not about the looks, but the flavour; and I will be making these again, as D has asked for them again - I wonder if I can make the green even bold next time round.

Raw Strawberry Chilli Chia Jam

Like most food bloggers, I discovered the magic of chia seeds a couple of years ago.  As well as using it in Puddings, I actually also made a Raspberry Chilli Chia Jam, but never got round to blogging about it.  This time I was determined to get a picture and share it with you - the only difference is this one is made from strawberries from my garden.

The Raw Strawberry Chilli Chia Jam was not only spread on a piece of toast, but also on warm home-made Lemonade Scones.  Lemonade scones contrary to its name, do not taste like lemonade at all. The fizzy lemonade seems to aerate the scones, giving them oomf and a bit of height, but nothing lemony about them at all. 

The Raw Strawberry Chilli Chia Jam is not sweet like traditional strawberry jam made with sugar and pectin, but nonetheless it was pleasant and made for an interesting change, and you know me - dousing a bit of chilli here and there, but its completely optional.  

Fudge Like Peanut Butter Seed Bites

These Peanut Butter Seed Bites are ridiculously sweet and rather moreish.  

I sliced them originally in flapjack style, but after taking a bite of one.  I decided to cut them in half again, as they are super sweet and a bite or two would be suffice. 

I describe these bites as fudge like, as they are rather fudgy to touch, but when you bite in its full of seeds and dried fruit.  

Three Seed Coconut Facon Bacon Nibbles

I know the non-vegetarian and non-vegan readers of my blog may be a bit flummoxed by this entry, but please stick with it, as the flavour combinations may just tempt you to make these light nibbles at home, but for some of the veggies amongst us these light nibbles mimic the flavour of smoky bacon (not replace it).

I have been happily making vegan 'facon 'bacon at home for years now and make it almost every month, but I've been wanting to try coconut bacon for a while.  I can't remember the first time I had heard about it, but I was constantly reminded of it by Johanna at Green Gourmet Giraffe as she was more proactive in trying new recipes at home, whereas I would just bookmark them and forget them.  Well, this recipe has been bookmarked long enough that I actually got motivated to making it this weekend, but having seen Johanna's variation with nuts, I was further inspired and thought I would chuck in some seeds instead that have been in my kitchen cupboards for a year (still in date by the way).  

Oh my, they are very moreish.  In fact D loves these toasted sweet smoky seedy munchies and has been taking a small container into work filled to the brim.  I think he has nearly finished the jar and its not even halfway through the week yet.  You know what this means, I will be making them again for sure.  I was thinking about making Sweet and Salty Coconut Bacon for my Friday Nights, just a matter of time.

A fellow blogger suggested scattering them over salads as well for crunch, makes sense have you heard of 'bacon flavour bits' which by the way also happens to be vegan.  Who'duh funk it.  

Autumnal Raspberry Chia Pudding for Breakfast

I've been ogling over Lucy The Kitchen Maid most recent blog post for Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding and Sudha's Mango Chia Pudding.  Coincidentally last week, I made my own Chia Pudding with home grown Autumnal raspberries, as well as Raspberry Chia Jam (still to be posted).  

In the last year or so, in the U.K chia seeds have become the trendy ingredient with some food bloggers, especially as the ingredient has become more readily available.  I have a number of chia seed recipes bookmarked, but never seemed to get my mitts on the seeds or found them a little too expensive to bother with at the time, until last year when I was fortunate to find a packet of them in my 'vegan food swap' that came from Claire who blogs over GreatVegan Expectations; since then Chia seeds have found a place in my kitchen.  

One recipe that has been sitting in the background for years, 4 years in fact has been from Oh She Glows for Strawberry Chia Jam, since then many variations of it with both fruit and vegetables, (or combination of both) have appeared on blogosphere.  My lovely blogger friend Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe has beat me to it and recently made her own version of Strawberry Chia Jam  for VeganMofo2014. Please go on over and check out her lovely blog, I have been following her recipes and reflections ever since I started blogging; and she without fail continues to inspire me.

Well no Chia Jam today, instead I have a Autumnal Raspberry Chia Pudding to share.  I enjoyed this over the weekend for breakfast, though it felt more like a dessert eating out of this glass (trifle style) bowl.  It was rather a large portion for me, so I ate it slowly - over an hour.  It is very reminisce of sago and tapioca pudding, so if you dislike those, then perhaps this pudding is not for you, but you have to admit - it looks quite intriguing. 

Sweet Potato Muesli

I've been making home-made muesli since last year inspired by a couple of Allegra McEvedy recipes, which of course I cannot find links to on the world wide web.  Never mind, I just can't believe it took me so long to make my own, its oh so simple to do and far more affordable than those sold at the supermarkets or health food shops. 

I began making home-made muesli when I found myself with a large sack of rolled oats (5lb honestly) and working really early hours of the day.  I couldn't stand the thought of a greasy fry up or a plain piece of wholemeal toast; and so it was porridge, which quickly turned into muesli.  I had originally made muesli for breakfast.  Now I find it is good to eat any time of the day, but I don't think I will count the evening in that.  

When September comes - not that its that far away, I am planning to have a go at making granola.  I have plenty of dried cranberries, pecan nuts and maple syrup.  I am not the only one excited about those ingredients, my husband loves them too.