Eat Your Greens Round Up

August is coming to an end and slowly ushering in September with cooler evenings.  As much as I have been thankful for the sunshine, I have to admit - I am no sun worshipper and am actually looking forward to putting on sweatshirts and baggy jumpers.  Yes, I am a Autumn person and am looking forward to seeing the trees change from its many shades of green to shades of golden browns. 

Talking of colours, we have four vegan and vegetarian Eat Your Green recipes to share this month.

The first Eat Your Greens recipe comes from Johanna aka The Green Gourmet Giraffe. Johanna shares Cauliflower, Rocket, Pine nut and Currant Salad.  She writes tha tshe is quite in love with roasted cauliflower lately.  I can totally appreciate why as roasting this vegetable completely alters its flavour.  The roasted cauliflower is enhanced further by the pepper rocket.

The next recipe comes from Ephee who blogs over at The Ephemeral Daily Meal and Other Magic Tricks.  Ephee shares Salade de Kale Masala which actually didn't translate so well by google, as its not actually masala, but Massaged Kale with dukkah.  I love the sound of this.  I have heard so much about massaged kale, but have never got round to making it or even trying it. 

My co-host The Veg Hog has been quite busy, but managed to share with us Fennel and Broad Bean Stew which she describes as summerly and warm, as she has been craving more wholesome warming dishes like soups and stews - yes, we both seem to be looking forward to the Autumn.

And finally, my own contribution Courgette and Black Flame Raisins.  We enjoyed them, that is all I am saying. 

The Veg Hog will be hosting #EatYourGreens challenge this month.  Please Follow this link on how to join in.  

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

Courgette and Black Flame Raisins Muffins

Well its a Bank holiday i the UK and in true British tradition, the skies are pouring with rain.  Its a proper soggy Sunday that I dare not even go out in the garden and pick some fresh herbs for our dinner later today.  

I made these Courgette and Black Flame Raisins Muffins a fortnight ago with courgettes from the garden allotment plot, by the way the courgette plants are still giving. The recipe is from Sarah Beattie cookbook Meat-Free Any Day .  I just decided not to make the icing for these sweet vegetarian muffins as I did not have any cream cheese for the icing. 

 As the recipe makes a dozen, I decided to take some into work to share with my new work colleagues, they have been described as gannets by some of the others, so I had not doubt they would be gone.  But when I went into the kitchen later that afternoon, the number had hardly shrunk, my heart sunk a little.  Someone who did try a muffin and did really enjoy it, said to me it is because they were not smothered in butter cream or sickly sweet icing that the others may have stayed away.   In other words if it looks healthy, steer clear.  I thought it was a bit of a shame. Its the first time, I have taken something in to work, any workplace and its been hardly touched.  Well you cannot please everyone.  

Regardless, we enjoyed them, and the couple of other people in work also liked them too.  In fact, and this is not a word of a fib, one person actually asked for the recipe. 

I am sharing these Courgette and Black Flame Raisins Muffins with #EatYourGreens Vegetarian and Vegan Blog challenge hosted by me this month.  Eat Your Greens is also co-hosted by The VegHog.  Please do join in.  For those of you who have not participated before, please Follow this link on how to join in . There still a few days to join in before the deadline of the 30 August.