Orange and Carrot Soup

Yesterday I shared a Orange and Cumin Madeira Cake and as promised, today have a Orange Carrot Soup for you. It not just orange in colour, its also orange in flavour too.

I am not normally into sweet soups, but I enjoyed as it was not overly candied.  The orange gave the soup a citrus lift.  This was originally a Lemon and Carrot Soup, but I substituted the lemons with oranges. 

It was such a pretty bowl soup to look at too, enhanced further by a thinly sliced piece of orange on top as garnish accompanying the fresh parsley from the garden.  

I am sharing this Orange and Carrot Soup with Soup, Salad and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen. 

Other Carrot Soup Recipes

Carrot and Thyme Soup 

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Carrot and Potato Soup

Carrot Soup with Tamarind Swirl

Homegrown Chioggia Beetroot Curry

I spotted some beetroot leaves dancing in the breeze at the weekend. I had forgotten that I planted some beetroot, so it was a nice surprise when I pulled them out of the ground to find some healthy bulbs and free from slug holes. 

In my delight I showed D and he said why don't you make a beetroot curry.  It was decided.  I removed the leaves and ordinarily I would have used them to make Beetroot Leaf Kuku or Beetroot Bhajis aka Pakora, but they were not as lush as my red chard last week, so they were destined for the compost bin. I then peeled the beetroot to reveal that they were not traditional deep burgundy beetroot, but chioggia known as candy cane or candy strip beet. 

This is when I realised the beetroot curry would not be as bold coloured, still I went with it as I have made  a beetroot curry with Golden Chioggia Beetroot in the past.

Compared to traditional beetroot which is earthy in flavour this was quite sweet, almost like turnip, in fact looking at the photograph below you would think it was turnip. 

Whilst making the beetroot curry (recipe below) I got distracted by the blue tits and the  green finches, goldfinches and bullfinches on the bird feeder in the garden, then I noticed a  goldfinch was stuck in the greenhouse.  I rushed out to open the greenhouse door, it took me a while to encourage it to fly out as it was flitting from one waning tomato plant to another.  It eventually came out and that is when I  decided to pick up some tomatoes that seemed ruby red and healthy.  

D was not convinced.  He was right, I tasted one and it was a little too far gone - well at least the red chillies were okay.   Anyway, I am sharing this blog post with Dave over at Happy Acres who hosts Harvest Monday every week.

Cacao Nibs, Raw Chocolate and Cocoa Muesli

Regular blog readers may recognise this Cacao Nibs, Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Muesli  has featured on my blog before, but I decided to make and showcase it again, as its one cereal I am happy tucking into.  Its really a muesli base enhanced with organic cacao nibs, cocoa powder and grated raw dark chocolate.

I have to admit cacao nibs are not to everyones taste, its very distinct in flavour - a tad bitter, but before dismissing it all together, give it a try, you just never know.  I acquired a taste for cacao nibs since making some raw chocolate four years ago and its been making an appearance in my kitchen slowly but surely. Actually the last recipe I made with it was  Sweet Potato Fudge from Bite Sized Thoughts.  

I am sharing this with the last ever We Should Cocoa (WSC) food blogger event hosted by Tin and Thyme.  I have been playing along since its inception eight years ago joining in with both sweet and savoury recipes.  I have even had the pleasure to host some themed WSC, so will miss it even though in the past months I haven't joined in as much as I have wanted to.

Below are a selection of those chocolate recipes shared with We Should Cocoa over the years. 

The Chocolate Chili Round Up
The Chocolate Mango Round Up

Chili Chocolate Salsa
White Chocolate Banoffee Roulade
Red Dragon Chili Brownies
Parsnip and White Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Lime Halva

Chunky Turnip and Urad Dal - Lentil Stew

The weather here continues to be miserable and as much as I am trying for it not to bother me, its actually beginning to bring me down.   I had to wait for a bus recently, nothing unusual about that, I do that every working day.  But there was no bus shelter at this particular stop and I was getting wet, really wet.  Sodden in fact, even with my raincoat on.  Yes I was feeling a bit grumpy. 

So some of you may have noted, we have been eating a lot of soups, stews and one pot dishes.
This stew was cobbled together with what we had at home, which was very little at the time.

I often make this stew with red lentils, but had a packet of Urad Dal which is black gram without the skin.  Its perhaps my least favourite legume, but I do still try and eat it.  Its actually been a while since I cooked with it, the last time it was Urad Dal with poppy seeds.  

Red Tomato, Fenugreek, Paneer Coconut Curry

Over the weekend, we cleared the greenhouse and harvested the last of the ripe red tomatoes and some of the green, the rest were removed and burned.

Roasted Courgette Layered 'Lasagne'

What is amazing about this recipe is that it uses zero pasta sheets, the courgettes are sliced thinly with a mandolin into thin sheets to replace the traditional pasta sheets.

It was really good.  I have never really been a fan of ricotta.  I had a pie once and the ricotta just tasted congealed to me and dry, but this was really nice and quite light to eat, compared to pasta based lasagne's that can sometimes be stodgy, but also a great way to use up those courgettes. 

This is one of those recipes you make when you have time on your hands and perhaps over the weekend when its raining and it certainly was.

I followed the original recipe which comes from Donna Hay with very few tweaks.  Round courgette for the tradition courgettes, Tuscan Black kale for spinach and kale  and cheddar cheese for the topping in place of mozzarella.  Just make sure you drain excess liquid from the vegetables otherwise it will exude a lot of liquid whilst cooking and you don't want a soggy lasagne.  The recipe states it serves 4, but I think could easily be stretched to 6 people with a salad on the side.

I am sharing this RoastedCourgette Layered 'Lasagne' with Eat Your Greens challenge hosted this month by The VegHog - You still have time to share your #EatYourGreens recipe with the VegHog, so go on what's stopping you!?. 

Chickpeas Three Ways

This inspiration for this recipe that I have dubbed as Chickpeas Three Ways comes from Kari who blogs Bite Sized Thoughts.  

I recently made her Sweet Potato Fudge and was delighted with it, so knew this would also hit the right spots in my belly.  

Its dainty presentation, something that my husband doesn't always appreciate.  He feels robbed, as if there i not enough on his plate.  He likes his plate piled high up, I like it neat. But there was no grumbling today, this plate of Chickpeas Three Ways is definitely a belly filler 

This made for a delicious light lunch, to sit outside in the garden and enjoy.  It would also be a fantastic starter to a posh meal.  Or treat it like a blini topped with the spiced chickpea ratatouille. And even though its quite fancy, its a very economical dish too.  Perhaps one to make for large crowds too.

I made chickpea pancakes from my recipe that you can find here. The chickpea pancake recipe makes a lot, but it can be reheated in a microwave for 30 seconds to give it some warmth the following day, if you find yourself with some left over.The ratatouille from Curried Anglo Italian Ratatouille and traditional hummus which is beneath the chickpeas pancakes from here, but please do also check out the source of my inspiration Triple Chickpea Stack .

I am sharing m Chickpeas Three Ways for CookBlog Share; hosted by  Hijacked By Twins; , Easy Peasy Foodie and Recipes Made Easy. and MLLA My Legume Love Affair that was started by The Well Seasoned Cook and now run by Lisa's Kitchen.  hosted by myself this month. 

Rose Elliot's Bloody Mary Jelly (vegan)

Apparently it is British Tomato Week.

I am a little surprised as my greenhouse seedling specimens are not even the length of my hands and those that I picked up from a garden nursery have only just begun to flower.  I guess other parts of the country, tomatoes are thriving under poly tunnels.  Not in this part of Wales, where on days I am still wearing layers.

I had originally bookmarked to make Bloody Mary Jelly around the Christmas or New Year festivities, but  then thought, what is wrong with now?!  Oh and before you read any further, I must highlight that this Bloody Mary Jelly is made with a carton of tomato juice picked up for a different recipe, but never did and noted over the weekend that it was reaching its best before date.

Colourful BBQ Cauliflower Salad Bowl

I have to throw my hands up and admit that I have somewhat lost my blogging groove.  At the same time I have also found myself uninspired in the kitchen, I am not begrudging this at all, in fact I am a little thankful for it as it has allowed me to both cook those bookmarked recipes as well as peruse cookbooks from my burgeoning bookshelf,  to which I have to confess I have added some more cookbooks. 

For those of you who read my blog, will know that I went to the last Bristol Vegfest at the weekend.  Whilst there, I picked up some vegan cookbooks including Kristy Turners But I could Never Go Vegan and  But My Family Would Never Eat Vegan.

I had considered last year to put them both on my Christmas wish list, but then for some reason decided  not to as I had other vegan and vegetarian cookbooks that I wanted more, but then when I saw both of them at the Vegfest.  I was finally swayed to get the cookbook as my blogger friend Johanna who cooks much like I do at home, was making recipes on her blog and commenting, even fellow blogger Faye Veganopoulous was recommending it.  Both Faye and Johanna have cooked extensively from them.

That evening when I returned home after the Bristol Vegfest, feet up, sitting in front of the TV with a glass of wine and paging through the cookbook very slowly, I knew exactly what I wanted to make first.  It was the s BBQ Cauliflower Salad , not only did it look delicious, I had most of the ingredients to hand. 

The following day, this BBQ Cauliflower Salad was made. The salad is smothered with a vegan blue cheese dressing and some oven baked onion rings, but I found the  BBQ Cauliflower substantial enough on its own and quite hearty lunch after a spell in the garden Sunday afternoon.  It was quite easy to put together with ready made BBQ sauce.

The cookbooks have some vegan recipes that are new to me, especially those made with sauerkraut (as I never know what to do with the jars I bring at home), Jackfruit Crabless Cakes and the Savoury Corn Cheesecake but some not so much like Chickpea Scramble, Chickpea Fries,   Faux Tofu Fish and Chips. I have been making my own and Tofu Fish and Chips inspired by Something Fishy that started their vegan fish and chips business in 2008 now almost 10 years later its appearing all over blogosphere and in cookbooks.

Still the cookbooks have enough inspiration for me to have finally wanted a copy of my own. The next bookmarked from the cookbook are Samosa Cakes and the Sunflower Sausage. 
For the full BBQ Cauliflower Salad Recipe - see here. 

To read Green Gourmet Giraffes Review of But I could Never Go Vegan  see here
And to read Veganopoulous review of But My Family Would Never Eat Vegan click here

Sweet Potato Fudge with Cacao Nibs (vegan)

Like the  vegan and vegetarian meatballs, I am having a thing about fudge at the moment.

In recent days, I have made beetroot fudge, chocolate fudge and now these vegan tiger orange coloured Sweet Potato Fudge Bites with Cacao Nibs.  

Vegan Hazelnut Swede Lemon Drenched Cake

This prettily dressed up Hazelnut Swede Lemon Drenched Cake has come and gone in our home and while it lasted, it made every one who had a slice or a taste, first crinkle their noses and then purse their lips and nod their heads in approval. It was intriguing. 

For my overseas readers, you may know Swede as Rutabaga.  It is a vegetable that I avoid eating in savoury meals, I find it sweet like parsnips and don't often enjoy it, but hide it in a cake then it takes on a different flavour all together.  I know it won't convince everybody, but all I can say is try it before you pass judgement.

I have made a few dishes with both swede and turnips  of late.  Previous to this blog post you may have seen my Turnip, Kale and White Bean Stew, Swede Mash on top of a Veggie 'Meatball' dish and of course that dark Rutabaga Cinnamon Nutmeg Cake with Miso Caramel Sauce reminisce of Sticky Toffee Pudding.   

I have to admit, at first I also was not sure sbout theHazelnut Swede Lemon Drenched Cake.  I found it a little earthy on some bites, but as each day passed and I had another slice, I came to like it, really like it.   It was unlike anything that I had ever eaten, which made it a delight.  It also loved how the rosemary lemon syrup seeped beautifully into the hazelnut sponge.  

This cake can be made with eggs, or flaxseeds which will make it suitable for vegans or those who do not eat eggs.  Oh did I mention its also gluten free too.  I am sharing this with CookBlogShare hosted by Hijacked By Twins; and Simple and In Season hosted by Feeding Boys - even though Swede is a winter vegetable, you will still find it in the supermarkets springtime and Honest Mum for Brilliant Blog Posts. 

Black Rainbow Chard Chili Beans

I harvested some rainbow chard from the garden plot at the weekend.  

I decided to make something I consider to be easy fare, a vegetarian and vegan black bean chili with the addition of rainbow chard.  

This Black Bean Chili was surprisingly quite nice with the addition of effectively what are just greens, albeit colourful rainbow chard greens.  

The black comes from the beans known as turtle beans.  Normally, I prefer chili a day or two later when the flavours have matured.  But this time, we ate it the same day as it was made and a day later and it was good to eat.  

I am sharing a bowl of this Black Bean Rainbow Chard Chili with Healthy Vegan Fridays by Rock My Vegan Socks and V Nutrition;  Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by Searching For Spice. and finally CookBlogShare hosted by Hijacked by Twins.

Other Black Bean Chili recipes you will find on my blog
Beetroot Black Bean Chili
Chocolate and Black Beans Chili
Pineapple and Black Beans Stew
Pumpkin, Black Beans and Leek Chili
Smoky Black Beans
Red Pepper and Black Beans Chili

Sicilian Blood Orange Almond Cake (Gluten Free)

It is the Blood Orange Season.

I had picked up some Sicilian Blood Oranges from a supermarket and wasn't completely sure what to do with them other than just peel and eat them, of course.

It was only when I started reading an on line article by Media Diversified on the much celebrated cook Claudia Roden and author of A Book of Middle Eastern Food (1968) and The Book of Jewish Food (1996) that I decided to make Orange and Almond Cake.

In the article the writer mentions Claudia Roden's famous Almond and Orange Cake which she made with blood oranges.  This Orange and Almond cake has featured on many gluten free cookbooks and food blogs as its made without flour. Even Nigella Lawson spun the recipe replacing the oranges with clementines.  

Even though I have New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden
- the cookbook from which the recipe is from, I took my lead from the article and made the Orange Almond Cake with Sicilian Blood Oranges.  

The Blood Orange did not impart any colour to the moist sponge, but plenty of flavour.  The cake itself was truly amazing to eat.

I wasn't going to  post the Sicilian Blood Orange Almond Cake recipe, its plastered all over blogosphere with minor variations: lemons or grapefruit in place of the oranges and a hint of spice: cardamon, caraway or fennel seeds, then I decided to do so.  Another gluten free Orange Almond Cake recipe on blogosphere wasn't going to make a difference, but complete credit goes to the amazing Claudia Roden for sharing the recipe with the Western world.

Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread Hummus

Another really easy lush green Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread recipe. This time I decided to stir some bara lawr into a traditional hummus base. 

I have also used Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread Hummus as a sandwich spread.  

Bara Lawr - Welsh Laverbread Hummus
Your will need
Ingredients
4-6 tablespoons fresh laverbread
1 x 400g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic
Juice of a lemon
Olive oil
1 teaspoon Tahini
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a food processor blend all the ingredients to taste adding more of less oil if necessary.

Previously shared Hummus Recipes on my blog
Carrot Hummus - July 2014
Beetroot Hummus - February 2013
Wild Garlic Hummus April 2011 
Traditional Hummus January 2010 

Vegan Pickled Mushroom Stroganoff with Watercress

We haven't had mushrooms for a while.  

I had picked up a load to make Mushroom Lasagne as we had so much cheese in the fridge left over from New Year.  I have made Mushroom Lasagne, but I also made a vegan version of Mushroom Stroganoff as I had a little carton of Oatly cream in my fridge too.  

As well as using fresh chestnut mushrooms in the Stroganoff, I also used a jar of pickled baby mushrooms that I picked up from an Eastern European shop in the town where I work.  My friend at work who is Czech recommended them to me and said they are often used in Stroganoff. She also pointed out a number of other things in the chiller cabinet and on the shelves that were suitable for vegetarian and vegans. 

Mushroom Stroganoff is one of my beaus favourite dishes so I always have a reason to make it, but for those of you who know me through reading my blog, will also know that I like to ring the changes with my dishes, so in went the pickled baby mushrooms and in went the Oatly cream.

I also had some watercress in the fridge.  So I decided to garnish my  mottled brown coloured plate of food  with the vibrant peppery green.  The pickled mushrooms made for an interesting change and for it being vegan, well we didn't even notice the difference. 

I am sharing with Inheritance Recipes co hosted by Solange at Pebble Soup and Coffee and Vanilla as Mushroom Stroganoff is a recipe that we as a couple turn to often as it is one of our quick go to evening suppers; and with Confessions of a Mother Runner and Whisk and Two Wands for Meatless Monday.

Other Mushroom Strogonoff Recipes on A2K  - A Seasonal Veg Table
Chestnut Mushroom and Smoked Tofu Stroganoff
Mushroom Stroganoff with Garlic Chives
Mushroom and Tofu Stroganoff
Lapsang Scented Chestnut and Mushroom Stroganoff

On another note, while I was googling Baby Mushrooms this unusual picture came up, then I decided not to use the term 'baby mushrooms'  for my recipe.

Image source here

Light Fennel, Red Pepper and Butternut Stew

Did you know that there are actually two types of fennel?  This vegetable has been assigned a gender.  The curvy bulbous is the female and the slender one is the male.  

Fennel is still not used much in British cooking, but it is slowly making an appearance mostly in raw salad dishes because of its crunch and  its flavour reminisce of aniseed, star anise or even licorice flavour.  Unlike the British, the French and Italians are very fond of this feathery frond stemmed vegetable.   So I was pleased to pick some up again  to make a Light Fennel, Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Stew infused with caraway seeds.  

I describe this Fennel, Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Stew as light as the sauce is not thick, its almost like a clear broth, like a consomme. It is also mildly spiced to warm your cheeks. 

This is my contribution to Food 'N' Flix this month  hosted by hosted by Heather at All Roads Lead To The Kitchen.  The movie chosen this month was French Kiss.  I watched it on youtube.  I saw the trailer and obviously the cheese plate on the train was influencing my decision to make a cheese dish, but then about 8 minutes into the movie I spotted some colourful vibrant fresh vegetables in the kitchen on the table including tomatoes, carrots and fennel.  This is just before the character Kate receives a phone call from her fiancee Charlie breaking up with her as he has fallen in love with someone he has met in Paris. 

I do like fennel, but we don't eat it much as we want as it is a bit of a luxury vegetable in our home, so I incorporated it in this light Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Stew.  I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but it is quite nippy in Wales and stews are very welcome, even light ones.  I am also sharing this broth stew with Soups, Salads and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen;  as it can be eaten with a spoon like a chunky soup too.