Parsnip to Beetroot Fudge

A long while back a girl called Harry introduced me to Parsnip Fudge.

The girl in question is Harry Eastwood.  Harry Eastwood is a British celebrity chef and cookbook author of Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache (2009). Harry Eastwood is perhaps the first veggie desserts food writer and vegetable cookbook author in the UK; and I'd even go as far as to say perhaps the first to go beyond carrot and parsnip cake here, pushing the boundaries of hidden vegetables in cakes, desserts and puddings.  Her cakes are super loaded with vegetables with inviting fantastic names like Heartache Chocolate Cake made with whole aubergines.   She  opened up the imagination of chefs, home cooks and food bloggers that now adding vegetables to cakes, desserts and puddings has become a trend.  Some people still see vegetables in cakes and sweet things as unusual when these days its really not.   

Anyway, after all this high praise, I go and adapt her gorgeous Parsnip Fudge recipe and replace it with bleeding crimson Beetroot, I have been thinking about doing it for a long while and found the motivation to do it finally. So what was the motivation, I am married to a man who likes beetroot.  He also has a sweet tooth, very sweet.  He likes his sweet things more than I do - Yes, even chocolate.  I want to make him happy like he makes me happy, so these were made especially for him (but I have also shared some of them too, just don't tell him). 

By the way, You have to like beetroot to enjoy and appreciate these morsels, if not - I wouldn't even make this as it would be wasted on you, really - just go an eat a toffee fudge instead. 

I was so pleased myself especially as making fudge from scratch is still relatively new to me.  I have made vegan ones many times, but not traditional ones with fattening sickly sweet condensed milk, one of the first being Marmite fudge which was adapted from Green Gourmet Giraffe Vegemite fudge and now this.  The stirring for this beetroot fudge took a little longer, but the result was Amazing, aesthetically and also in flavour.

I have a renewed sense of respect for people who make fudge from scratch now and will not bemoan at how expensive it is when I see it being sold, I will of course support artisan and independent traders.  

Of course you can adapt this Beetroot Fudge recipe like I have further with carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and even greens...I have also been thinking foraged wild weeds and seaweed, yes Seaweed Fudge and its not that unusual as its already been done by Fiona Bird in her cookbook Seaweed in the Kitchen.

You can find the link to the original Parsnip Vanilla fudge recipe below,  I replaced the parsnip with raw chopped beetroot that I blended with some of the condensed milk. My slightly adapted recipe instructions below  are a little simpler, but you will need a high speed powerful food blender.  If you don't have a high speed powerful blender, then fear not - you can still make this with cooked beetroot. I would recommend cooking the beetroot yourself from scratch in a pot, although you could try it with cooked beets (not pickled), my only concern is it may contain more liquid, so its up to you.   I am sharing these homemade crimson Beetroot fudge pieces with CookBlogShare hosted by Recipes Made Easy and Treat Petite hosted by The Baking Explorer and CakeyBoi.

Hazelnut and Kale Pesto

I made myself smile today.  I went into a bookshop in town during my lunch break.  Now and again, I will frequent this High Street bookshop, just to see what new vegetarian and vegan cookbooks they have in stock.  Whilst I was looking, this man that would nowadays be described as a Hipster, though the word hipster emerged in the 1930 for underground Black musicians, mostly jazz musicians 'in the know' about emerging sub-culturea and trends.  

Anyway, I digress, I heard him yell out to one of the workers 'Do you have any vegetarian or vegan cookbooks?'.  The girl came over and looked at the shelf a bit bewildered.  I couldn't help myself and said I come here often and I can see one there , there and two there.  In fact that one is good.  He looked at the girl, and said 'Thanks anyway' and  thanked me, surprisingly picking the one that I recommended.  Just made me smile.  I should be working in the cookbook section of this shop or in the library.  I think I would love it.  

Okay back to this Hazelnut and Kale Pesto.  I do know this is not really a pesto as pesto is traditionally made with basil and pine-nuts, but celebrity chefs, food writers, recipe developers and food bloggers with hundred, thousands and millions of followers like to dub things and those are accepted like call a dip Hummus or Falafels when it is made without chickpeas, but when a blogger like me does it people take umbrage.  Why?!  Because I am a small time blogger without a big following...and therefore without endorsement.
The Saveur Magazine Walnut Pesto
Martha Steward Parsley and Hazelnut Pesto
River Cottage - Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall Almond Pesto
Jack Monroe Kale Pesto

Still I love how vibrant and green this Hazelnut and Kale Pesto looks, very festive. I liked the nutty undertones.  This Pesto, like any other pesto is extremely versatile.  So far I 've used t as a sandwich spread, a dip and the traditional way, with pasta, but I got a couple of more ideas of how to showcase it in all its lush green glory.  

Spicy Green Harissa

I used to make red harissa and chermoula quite a lot in my University days.  I preferred both the red harissa and chermoula on my oven baked (sweet) potato chips to the brand name ketchup, but I haven't made either in a long while.  

This was about to change when my mother gave me a bunch of coriander and from my own garden, I harvested about a small bunch of parsley - a mixture of flat and curly, just in case your wondering. 

This is a fresh, fragrant and flavour packed green harissa. Please do come on over in the next few days when I will showcase some dishes that have been enhanced with a dollop or two of this lively green harissa sauce.  I am sharing this recipe with Lavender and Lovage for Cooking with Herbs  challenge.

My tolerance of chilli is quite high (advancing to bhut jolokia aka ghost chilli), but you can be cautious and use as many or as little as you like. If your interested in trying the red devil version, then follow this link for red harissa. 

Spicy Green Harissa
Makes a jar 
Ingredients
1 bunch of coriander, including stems
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley including stems
2 - 3 cloves garlic, sliced
4 - 8 long green chillies (or more), depending on how spicy you like it- with or without the seeds
60ml olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt to taste
Method
Put all the ingredients into a blender (I used my super duper Optimum 9400) and process until smooth.  Taste and adjust salt if necessary and blitz again briefly before pouring into a jar or bowl. Keeps well in the fridge for a week.

Vegan Vanilla - Coconut Creme Brulee with Coconut Sugar

This vegan Coconut Milk Creme Brulee was a bit of an experiment and it turned out pretty okay. 

I've made vegan Spiced Creme Brulee once before, but its been a long while and having been given a couple of cans of coconut milk recently by one of my sister in laws who was not that overly keen on its richness and wondered if I would use them.  Of course I would, I took them both.  

So vegan Coconut Creme Brulee was to appear on my table once again.  The experimental part was substituting the caster sugar with  my recently acquired coconut sugar. It was all lovely and creamy white, but as soon as the coconut sugar began to dissolve with the heat, the creamy white coconut turned into a coffee caramel colour.  I got a tad nervous about its taste and if it would be bitter.   

I had nothing to worry about, it turned out lovely.  It was not sickly sweet, but the light coconut caramel sweetness was pleasing.  The creme brulee was unctuous, custardy, wobbly and thick.

However, I did have one little hiccup, but nothing that could not be resolved.  I did the sugary glassy topping originally with coconut sugar and it did not produce a hard glassy topping.  I then decided to do the other 2 with caster sugar and it was much better producing the glassy burnt caramelised topping that you break with the back of a spoon.  The only thing I do not possess a burner, so did it under my electric grill and anyone who has a electric grill knows..... its drawback.  So a blow torch is on the wish list.  

Shamrock Pistachio Date Spirulina Bites

I have had a large packet of Spirulina Powder in my kitchen cupboard.  It was bestowed  upon me by Laura who blogs over at Natural Vegan Eco Mom early last year when I participated in a Vegan Food Swap.  I had completely forgot about it until the weekend when the colour green came calling in the guise of St Patricks Day.

I've been making bliss balls also known as protein balls for light nibbles at work, to stave of boredom snacking, and moreso since becoming an ambassador for Froothie, as the Optimum 9400 Blender makes light work of blasting whole nuts to dust in moments.  So I made some more yesterday this time with the addition of pistachio nuts.  I also decided to use my shamrock cookie cutter to shape some of the bliss balls. 

I have to say to those of you who may not have had spirulina powder, it is an acquired taste and a little, I mean a little goes a long way.  So please don't be heavy handed they way I have been here with it, in fact I had to shake off the excess.  It is one of the reasons, that I have kept some of the Pistachio Date Balls au naturale. 

I have a number of recipes bookmarked to make with spirulina, but if you have any suggestions or recommendations to use up my spirulina powder, do let me know.  I am sharing these Spirulina Pistachio Date Bites with Vegetarian Mama for Gluten Free Fridays - Party #134.  

Green Valley Elvis Smoothie

This Green Valley Elvis Smoothie is so called because it contains two ingredients alleged to be enjoyed by the King of Rock'n'Roll, the one and only Elvis Presley - peanut butter and bananas. 

As smoothies with green leafy vegetables seems to be the rage, I decided to throw in a handful of curly kale from my garden.

The Green Valley Elvis Smoothie is super smooth.  The curly kale not only gives colour and body to this smoothie, it also impart some of its flavour but this is well balanced by the banana, 'milk' and further enhanced by the sweetener, this time coming from the peanut butter, but you could easily substitute this with maple syrup or honey. I wouldn't describe this Green Smoothie as delicious at all, but it filled a hole in my belly and actually tasted good.  I would be more than happy to make it again.  I even gave D a glass and he was quite happy to drink it too, but he wasn't that impressed by the name I gave it, suggesting maybe calling it #Green Green Grass Of Home', but I am not budging. 

By they way did you know that there has been some speculation that Elvis ancestral roots may be of Welsh origin, such as Elvis Presley's ancestors coming from the Preseli Hills and Mountains in Pembrokeshire, Wales and having links with a nearby parish called St Elvis.  Well whatever the truth, this man is a world wide true legend. 

Vegan Star Anise and Roast Plum Sorbet

Its September and it is still very warm here in Wales, the sun has been shining pretty much every single day, with barely a drizzle of rain.  The day begins overcast and grey, but by mid-day the sun is out warming us up....so ice-cream or sorbet in my case is a welcome change.

I made this Star Anise and Plum Sorbet a couple of weeks back with my home grown plums.  I remembered stumbling across a packet of star anise, stashed at the bottom or one of my spice jars.  Star anise is one of the prettiest spices I have ever set eyes on. I thought it would be a nice addition to what may have been a plain plum sorbet.

I know I should have allowed the sorbet to sit a little to soften when I took it out of the freezer, as it would have been easy to scoop out perfect ball for the photograph, but I was being impatient as it was getting dark. If you look at the last image, it shows the Plum Sorbet beginning to melt and looking more 'creamish'. But I must say, this Plum Sorbet is unlike my previous sorbets, it is not snow icy at all.  Its a lot more smoother and richer, its sharp and has a lovely twang.  The star anise is detectable, but not overpowering, but it is not shy on kissing you on the lips either.  

And finally the colour, so pretty - it reminded me of a shimmering blusher that I once used to wear in my younger days. Ahhhh soft dimpled rosy cheeks. 

Red Velvet Raw Vegan Beetroot 'Bounty' Heart Bars

I am absolutely in love with these 'Red Velvet Raw Vegan Beetroot 'Bounty' Bars', as much as one could be 'in love' with a raw dessert.  I don't do OMG, but this time the inner minx in me just could not resist yelping OMG especially on my first taste.  Every time I took a small bite , you know that feeling when your eyes dance in your head with delight - swoon - well I was not that far from that feeling.  These were pretty awesome in my opinion, and the flavour just got better as the days passed.  

The raw beetroot dyes and sweetens the white coconut and vice versa.  I was personally happy to eat these by hand like a bar of chocolate (rather than a spoon), but because of the natural beetroot juice colouring, BEWARE that your fingers will get a little stained; and for goodness sake do not wear white, in case some red coconut bits fall off and land on you - you have been warned.  

Whilst I was making these, I thought of my mother.  When I was a nipper, I remember my mother often treating herself to a bar of Bounty, because she loved the coconut content.  I know in my heart she would have loved these, but the greedy girl in me ate them all, not in one sitting but over the week.  I barely left the house that week meaning  there were no trips to my mother, hence the reason she did not get to try them.  I am a bit disappointed in myself for not jumping into the car and driving over with some of them, as I would liked to have known of her response to them, especially the raw aspect of the bars.  Although, my mother is quite adventurous compared to my sister-in-laws, going raw (unless its chutney, relish or a dip) may be a bit out there for her, but she may have surprised me and loved them as much as I did.

Anyway, when I plated these up ready for their photo-shoot, D muttered that they were not very neat and not fit for photographing.  I sort of agree with him and responded  'I just wanted to see if the recipe and combination worked', next time and there will be a next time I will make them look a little more neater than they are here, but truthfully I don't know when that is going to be so I have decided to share the ones that I have photographed with you now for VeganMofo 2014. 

Vegan Raw Carrot Halwa Fudge

I made these flame coloured soft fudgy bites a little while back.  It is based on a traditional Indian and Pakistani recipe called Gajjar Ka Halwa or Gajrilla, made with condensed milk, full fat milk and ghee, but this one is 100% vegan.

You may also be surprised to note, that it is actually also a raw recipe made with raw carrots, nuts and berries, in this case goji berries and pistachio and almond nuts.   

As someone who has consumed her fair share of traditional carrot halwa (and South Asian sweets), I can hand on heart say that this really did taste like the real thing, rich and packed with loads of flavour.  I was rather pleased with myself.   

I've just sliced the 'halwa' fudge here into bite size pieces, but you can also roll them into bite size balls too.

Cacao Nibs and Avocado Mousse aka Raw Sludge Pie

I know, I know another vegan, gluten free Raw Food Tart filled with raspberries.  The truth is that I am trying to make the most of my garden raspberries while they are still coming from my garden.  

Also I want to tease some of you as this Sweet Pie is not all that it seems.  The mousse that is mimicking the appearance of dark chocolate is actually not chocolate.  For a start, it is not even chocolate, it is cacao nibs.  Secondly, what gives this pie filling a mousse like texture? There is a mystery ingredient well hidden in it - Avocado - a raw vegan nifty culinary trick I picked up from raw food bloggers when I first started blogging in 2009. Its absolutely amazing how avocado can form the base for one of the most luscious raw puddings around.  In fact Avocado Chocolate Pudding is probably one of the most popular raw food desserts around; and experienced raw fooders have probably had more raw chocolate pudding than they care to remember and don't quite understand what the fuss is, but for some us especially those living in the U.K, outside of the raw food scene its a very new way of preparing food and is getting big Wows! 

Anyway, this is my second recipe in the week with cacao nibs.  The first was Cacao Nibs, Raw Chocolate and Cocoa Muesli.  A little while back, I made some raw chocolate from scratch and have since acquired a taste for raw cacao.  Cacao nibs  can be ground and added to cakes and puddings.  I have to admit it is not to everyones taste, but give it a try, you just never know.  

Raw Raspberry Coconut Balls

I made these tasty little flavour bombs a fortnight back when the raspberries from my garden starting coming on thick and fast; and the World Cup football mania was still on peoples minds.  

I decided to take inspiration for these from my No Bake Carrot Granola Bites that I made last year; and blitz three simple ingredients in my Optimuum 9400 blender: Cashew nuts, raspberries and dates.  It worked fine, but visually mushed together these ingredients came out a little chocolate red from the dates and a tad sticky, so I went a step further and rolled them in dessicated coconut, hence the name Coconut Balls part and then refrigerated them to eat later. 

I had a feeling that D would not like these, don't ask why? Sometimes (wrongly I must admit) I just assume these things, but whilst he was sitting slumped on the sofa watching the footie, he shouted out at me 'These are quite nice'.
'Oh good' I said rather surprised.
The recipe below makes quite a lot and there is no way between the two of us, that we can eat them all, so I have frozen the others, and will bring out some when we need a burst of fruit injection in the mouth. 

Raw Vegan Raspberry Ice-Cream or Raspberry Mousse

The raspberries from my garden will be featuring in  recipes on my blog in the next few days, I hope you don't mind.  Yesterday it was Beetroot and Raspberry 'Bakewell' Bars, today it is a Ice-ream or Mousse of sorts.  Okay, so this is not strictly an 'ice'-cream as it contains no eggs, or cream.  I write ice-cream here as this recipe has a 'creamy smooth icy texture.  But if you leave it for a few hours after blending, it does soften and become mousse like too, so I was indecisive what to exactly call it, so the greedy blogger in me chose to describe it as both.

I made this in my Optimuum 9400 blender.  It is a powerful food blender which I am still experimenting with, you may have seen my hugely popular Carrot Ketchup and Carrot Pate but the one recipe I wanted to try is the appearing on most food bloggers blogs: blending with frozen bananas.  I mentioned learning of this nifty trick in my Raw Carrot Halwa Mousse recipe from raw and vegan recipe books many many years ago, this time it was with the inclusion of homegrown raspberries.

Carrot Ketchup

I've made some vegetable burgers recently, and wanted to try out something different in place of relish or supermarket bought red ketchup or the brown sauce varieties. I had loads of carrots in my vegetable basket and decided to take inspiration from my recent Carrot and Coriander Hummus and thought what if I went a step further and pureed the carrots to a sauce, the result awesome.  

The Raw Carrot Ketchup was sweet from the carrots, but it also delivered a light twang from the tamarind, and a little bit of warmth from the dried chilli flakes.  The coriander is of course,  optional.  I love the flavour, so tend to throw it in lots of savoury dishes, but feel free to omit this if you so wish.   I also loved how smooth the carrot ketchup was, considering it was made from raw carrots, there were no bits at all.  Pour and scrape into a squeezy bottle and squirt over oven baked chips, sweet potatoes wedges, vegetable burgers and much more.   Yes you read right, I did use raw carrots for the recipe.  If your carrots are organic, you do not even have to peel them, just give them a good scrub.  For ease I used tamarind concentrate, but you can if you so wish use **tamarind pulp or those dried pressed tamarind cakes which of course will need to be soaked and pressed of its juices, then omit or reduce the water in the recipe below.

You can try to make this ketchup in you blender, but I must tell you that I chose to try out my new Optimum 9400 Blender from Froothie.  I do have a blender from a  well known designer brand, and often make spreads and dips such as Hummus, but it does not offer the same creamy smooth bit- free that I got from the Optimum 9400 Blender. The other thing I noted immediately is that majority of the blenders that I have used in my life would take a good 10 - 15 minutes in reaching the point of creamy smoothness, as well as a lot of stopping and scraping down of the blitzed vegetables from the sides.  Using the Optimum 9400 Blender  reduced this massively.  The ketchup was made literally within a minute and I hardly had to scrape the vegetables off the side.  It was such a breeze to use. 

This carrot ketchup is a delicious change from tomato ketchup or even brown sauce!  Next watch out for my Beetroot Ketchup!