SUMA: Rocket & Roses New Year Good Luck Noodles (vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Bob Marley ~ Natural Mystic
Shakira ~ Objection (Tango)
Royal Blood ~ Out Of The Black
Def Leppard ~ Rock Of Ages
R.E.M ~ What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Connie Francis ~ Who's Sorry Now?
Count Basie ~ There Will Never Be Another You
Jamie Lawson ~ The Touch Of Your Hand
Madeleine Peyroux ~ River
Pearl Jam ~ Oceans
Bach: Cello Suite #3 in C
Thunder ~ Only You Can Make Me Cry


Happy New Year one and all! Are you in need of some good luck this year? Let's face it there are many people desperately in need of some right now. I start the year mindful of those poor folks who are displaced right now...for what ever reason...and naturally I hope that the good luck vibes reach out to them all the most. Personally for me it's a much needed good luck boost for my health which is...not great. But I am alive so this is not a posting that is containing any whinging..at all..nope..no way!

I look forward to the start of each new year. After a couple of weeks of indulgence and celebrations for the festive season I really crave fresh and light meals. Don't misunderstand, I'm no longer in a place where I can afford to go mad (oh ok there may have been a couple of champagne/brandy cocktails enjoyed...ahem...right!) during the holidays. But I do relax a little and enjoy such delights as vegan cheese and biscuits and I shouldn't forget my individual serving of vegan Christmas pudding and custard. I know...I am a rebel, eh? Luckily for me the foods I enjoy the most at this time of the year are navel oranges, cinnamon, russet apples and clementines. 

When it came time to sit down with my notepad and get creative for my SUMA Wholefoods Blogger Network recipe...I had to start off from a very different head space than normal. My kitchen duties have all but gone recently with the exception of two days in the kitchen with my pal Ann. However today I had the help of ML and if not for that I probably wouldn't be doing this right now. A constant on my festive table is a large bowl of navel oranges, russet apples and clementines. So I sat there with the fruits tempting me as I scribbled down ideas. I had recently happened upon an article about foods that are eaten to encourage good luck. I read about long noodles for longevity, round fruits with 12 pieces to represent the upcoming year and of course the American good luck staple of black eyed beans. The symbolism behind each food made me smile and wish for a day where it was all that simple. And whilst sat staring at my lovely fruits awaiting inspiration, I suddenly realised I already had it tucked away. To create my own New Year recipe as an act of faith and belief that no matter how bad it gets...I am completing one act that will indeed help. Because the foods listed by every culture for good luck were fresh and healthy and isn't that, in some small way, an act of good luck? 

I chose noodles as my starting point. I love them and am always thinking up new ways to have an excuse to eat them. For this I chose King Soba Buckwheat & Quinoa noodles and cooked them off, rinsed them in a lot of cold water and set them to one side. 

I wanted this to be something more than a regular stir-fried noodle dish. So I put some of those oranges to good use and created a reduced down citrus sauce to be drizzled over the abundant mountain of noodles and vegetables. Pumpkin was my 'something more' and I pan seared the pieces in a very hot griddle to get those great black marks on each piece and also a little natural toastiness. I left them to slowly cook in the griddle pan over a reduced heat until just tender although you could also just put them on a tray in a medium oven whilst you finish cooking the other ingredients if they're not quite done. I wanted vibrancy in the choice of veggies so I finely julienned some carrots until I had a huge pile of carrot noodles. Seasonal Brussels sprouts were finely sliced and broccoli and its stalks was trimmed and cut into tiny bitesize pieces. Aducki beans were my final choice. 12 ingredients...one for each of the coming months of this new year. Some ingredients that already hold some belief that they bring good luck...plus broccoli...well why not (and I am an addict, eh?) and sprouts because there is never a meal that isn't made perfect with the addition of my beloved little green globes of loveliness, however any other greenage would do.

The results were a meal in a bowl that was light and full of flavour and textures. The comfort from the noodles, the varying crunch from the different veggies and the succulent toasted pieces of pumpkin added with the spicy citrus sauce came together in each mouthful and I swear I could feel the embers of good luck beginning to spark. For me, this is a perfect meal. Now instead of pumpkin, you could use pieces of tofu or tempeh if that is your wish, but as my New Year celebration meal I loved it just the way it was. 

As always I send out thanks to Amy and all at SUMA Wholefoods for allowing me to be part of the SUMA Bloggers Network and I hope all the others in the blogger team have enjoyed creating their recipes as much as I have.     

SUMA: Rocket & Roses New Year Good Luck Noodles

Rocket & Roses New Year Good Luck Noodles   
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)   Serves 4

1/2 pkt King Soba Buckwheat & Quinoa Noodles,
cooked as per pkt instructions, rinsed in cold water 
and drained well, set to one side

Sauce:
2" sq piece of fresh ginger, micro-grated
2 tsp finely chopped chilli 
3 garlic cloves, micro-grated 
juice of 3 large oranges
1 1/2 tbsp tamari
1/2 tbsp sesame oil

1 small pumpkin, de-seeded and skinned, cut into 1.5"x1" pieces, rough sides cut away to make uniform smooth pieces

4 Imperator carrots (or other long thin carrots), julienned
12 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and finely sliced
1 med head of broccoli, stalk trimmed and cut into matchsticks, florets cut into tiny florets
1 14 oz tin of SUMA aducki beans, rinsed and drained

Heat a griddle skillet over a high heat. When smoking place the pumpkin pieces in the pan and press down with a spatula. When you have the grid marks on one side flip the pieces over to do the same on the other. Then reduce the heat and cook the pieces until just tender. (If you want very tender pieces of pumpkin you could place them on a baking sheet into a med temp oven to finish cooking) Remove from the heat and set to one side. 

In a small saucepan add all the sauce ingredients and whisk until thoroughly combined. Place over a med-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced down by half. Do not let it burn!

Heat a wok thoroughly and then toss in the broccoli and sprouts and stir fry until the sprout slices begin to take a slight colour. Toss in the carrot noodles and cook enough to heat them through. Throw in the aducki beans and stir fry for a further 2 minutes until the beans have warmed. Add the noodles to the wok and stir to combine. 

Place the noodle and veggies onto a serving platter. Place the pumpkin pieces over the top and drizzle the sauce generously over the serving plate. Add the leftover sauce to a jug/bowl and place on the table for extra sauciness if required. 

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope luck is on your side this year...

~Red~ 

NB: This is my creation. I have no problem with you using this recipe or sharing it. I simply ask that you give credit where its due and links back to this posting. Many thanks...~Red~ 

SUMA: Rocket & Roses Shallot, Flageolet & Sage Brown Rice Risotto on a Brussels Tops & Pumpkin Bed (vegan glutenfree)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Guns N' Roses ~ Paradise City
Thunder ~ Have Mercy
Caro Emerald ~ Stuck
Marvin Gaye ~ Distant Lover
Alanis Morrisette ~ Hand In My Pocket
ZZ Ward ~ Save My Life
Black Stone Cherry ~ Blow My Mind
Tchaikovsky: Overture in F, Op 67
Beth Hart ~ Love Is The Hardest
Harry Connick Jr ~ Just The Way You Are
Tina Dico ~ Break Of Day
Natalie Prass ~ Your Fool
Half Moon Run ~ Nerve
The Mavericks ~ There Goes My Heart      

It's a great reason to smile today as I sit here and write up my SUMA: Wholefoods recipe. I'm very proud to be part of the SUMA Bloggers Network. I had to take a break for a couple of postings due to the medical issues but now I am back. Hoorah! 

Autumn is by far my favourite of the seasons. I love the colour and the feel of it. I also love the foods that come with it. I particularly love the squashes and pumpkins that become available. For this posting I wanted to create a warming, savoury wholesome meal for these cooling autumnal evenings.

During a recent shopping trip I picked up a couple of small Onion Squashes and a large bag of Brussels tops. The latter was a great joy as I am a Brussels sprouts addict and had never been able to by the tops (photo below) before. I had a large packet of Biona Brown risotto rice from SUMA. So the contents went into soak the night before, ready for the recipe testing day. Since finding the brown risotto rice options I have fallen in foodie love with risotto. In the past, as with white pasta, I found white rice to be too gloopy and not to my taste or texture palate at all. I have been using a generic short grain brown rice until finding Biona's Brown Risotto Rice between the covers of SUMA catalogue.

Now I would be a liar if I produced this risotto with no help so I admit now that I was assisted by my best pal and I thank her for all the help she provided. She happily worked alongside me doing all the kitchen bitch angel jobs that allowed my little energy reserves to get creative. Thank you lovely...

My desires for this risotto were simple. I wanted plump and succulent pearls of rice that held an extremely savoury flavour. I wanted the natural sweetness of the roasted pumpkin to be offset by the savouriness of the risotto. For a level of freshness I decided some briefly steamed Brussels top leaves would be perfect. Just a simple 5 minutes in the steamer left them vibrant with colour and they had a great tender/crisp texture. For the risotto I chose shallots as the base, flageolet beans for their delicate earthiness and fresh sage for an intense herb hit. I also added some fresh ginger root to provide a warming note to the flavours. The photo below shows the roasted pumpkin surrounding the serving of risotto and it makes for a very pretty picture. But once you start to eat the risotto and the pumpkin melts with the heat from the rice it, becomes the all rounded dish I was aiming for. The slight sweetness from the pumpkin rounds out the savoury goodness. The differing textures from the rice, beans, soft pumpkin and pumpkin seeds are a delight. And combine that with the tender crisp Brussels tops...well my friend...you will find yourself unable to stop eating...

I hope you try this recipe and enjoy as much as we did. And it makes a very generous serving for four people so I write this knowing I have leftovers in the fridge for my meal tonight...

Thanks, as always, to Amy and the folks at SUMA for allowing me to be part of this great team. And respect to all my fellow bloggers..

Advanced planning required: The brown risotto rice needs soaking overnight before being cooked. The pumpkin slices need roasting until toasted and soft in texture so you could do this ahead of cooking the risotto.  

    

Rocket & Roses Shallot, Flageolet & Sage Brown Rice Risotto on a Brussels Top & Pumpkin Bed

Rocket & Roses Shallot, Flageolet & Sage Brown Rice Risotto on a Brussels Top & Pumpkin Bed     Serves 4
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen) 

1 Onion squash, de-seeded, cut into slices
2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 heaped cup brown risotto rice, soaked overnight, rinsed

1 head of Brussels sprout tops, bottom of the stalk removed, leave torn off but left whole   

Beautiful Brussels Tops

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

16 small shallots, peeled and finely chopped or 8 large

2" piece of fresh ginger root, micro-grated

large handful fresh sage leaves, finely chopped - or to your taste

6 cups of hot vegetable stock 

freshly cracked black pepper 

Himalayan sea salt - to your taste or optional

1 14oz tin of flageolet beans, drained and rinsed well

3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Pre-heat the oven to 200'C/400'F/GM 6. Lightly brush the pumpkin slices with the rapeseed oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until the skins have darkened and the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven and carefully lift the slices from the sheet onto a plate and set to one side. 

Rinse your soaked rice and then drain well. Place in a hot saucepan and toast, stirring constantly for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set to one side. 

In a skillet or risotto pan heat the olive oil gently and place the shallots in and saute for 5 minutes or until the shallots are softened and translucent. Grate in the ginger root and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the finely chopped sage. Cook stirring constantly until fragrant. Add in the toasted brown risotto rice and stir well until the shallot mix has evenly distributed with the rice. 

Add the hot stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently. When each cup of stock has been absorbed add another. Be patient! If the rice still needs a little more cooking liquid simply add hot water in 1/2 a cup measurements. But you shouldn't need to do this. Season well with a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper. 

Place the Brussels Tops in a steamer over boiling water and steam for 5 minutes until the stems are tender crisp. Once cooked remove from the steamer and layer onto the serving plates. 

Add the flageolet beans into the risotto and stir in. Check for seasoning once more. Replace the lid and allow the beans to warm through in the residual heat. 

Take the pumpkin slices and remove the skin and dice the roasted flesh and scatter them over the Brussels tops.

Allowing a generous cup measurement of risotto for each person, place the risotto on top of the Brussels tops and pumpkin. Scatter any remaining pumpkin over the top and add a good smattering of pumpkin seeds. Serve..

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week is full of the wonderful Autumnal changes...

~Red~

NB: This is my creation. I have no problem with you using it or sharing it. I simply ask that you give credit where its due and provide links back to this posting. As I always try to when making recipes from other peoples kitchens. Many thanks...Namaste. ~R~ 

 

SUMA: Rocket & Roses Black Bean Feast (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Beth Hart ~ Rhymes
Otis Reading ~ Pain In My Heart
Chris Cornell ~ Today
Louis Armstrong ~ La Vie En Rose
Live ~ I Alone
Alter Bridge ~ Ghosts Of Days Gone By
Alison Moyet ~ Invisible 
Norah Jones ~ Don't Know Why
Billy Joel ~ Honesty
Black Stone Cherry ~ Blame It On The Boom Boom
Prince ~ Nothing Compares 2 U
Terrorvision ~ What Makes You Tick
The Puppini Sisters ~ Sway
Brandi Carlile ~ The Story  

Rocket & Roses Black Bean Feast...savoury and sweet. (vegan & gluten-free)

There aren't words for how much I enjoy being part of the SUMA Wholefoods Bloggers Network. From receiving the latest catalogue, selecting the ingredients through to slaving over scribbled notes of inspiration and that final moment of taking the photographs...I love it all. The challenge is one I need at the moment with the health issues being at an all time low...the mental stimulation is a welcome relief. And although I had to accept much needed help from ML and my lovely Mum I still got the thrill as the recipes came to life...and tasted good. Always a...phew!..moment. 

SUMA have started selling tins of Organic Black Beans and as they are one of my favourite beans I decided to use them as my focus for this posting. I love the versatile nature of these little black gems and use them as often as I can in my cooking. I had quite a list of recipe ideas once inspiration hit and short listing them was quite hard. So I decided to make a new version of three of my favourite savoury forms and have a go at making a sweet treat too. Yes...a sweet treat. 

First up was the stuffing recipe. I wanted a succulent roasted butternut that was filled with a smokey spiced bean and vegetable stuffing. I used a whole dried Chipotle chilli to provide both the smokiness and heat. SUMA Black Beans, cooked quinoa and a selection of vegetables made up the texture of the filling. Added depth of flavour came from a good veggie stock and sun-dried tomato paste. Garnishing with fresh coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime juice finishes the dish to make for one flavour packed meal. The smokiness works perfectly with the sweetness of the butternut. And any leftover stuffing is really great as a filling for a sandwich or wrap. 

Next up was a black bean soup. A soup that is both light on the tum but packed with goodness. I wanted layers of flavour but not a long list of ingredients. I wanted a soup that could be made very easily. One of my favourite soup ingredients is the humble leek. I find great comfort in their flavour but enjoy their light texture when cooked. As a stand alone cooked veggie offering I'm not that fussed but as part of a dish I enjoy them very much. For me the combination of black beans and lime are divine so it wasn't a surprise to find myself juicing up some limes to add to the layers of flavour. Now when I made this dish I fully processed it to a smooth silky consistency which was nice but next time I will part blend the soup as I really am a chunky soup kind of a gal. The choice is yours. The results were a gentle soup that had a good layer of flavour from the earthiness of the leeks (not a literal layer of earth!) and wholesome beans and then the slight citrus sharpness bringing the soup up to another level. It's a quick and easy to make soup...and also turns out a light purple in colour so is quite pretty if that is your thing. 

Next up was a salsa. I have only recently found my salsa love and have been experimenting like a mad thing. This I have come to know...for me to enjoy salsa it has to be raw onion free. I've tried every method of 'treating' the onion before use from steeping in boiled water or vinegar to hopping on one foot and shouting to the moon! I just have to accept that raw onion and I are never to be friends. I can however digest a scant amount of minced spring onion in it. For this recipe I wanted nutritional goodness and a freshness with each mouthful. I adore vine-ripened tomatoes and love to keep a watch on them until they are at their perfect ripeness. Sliced simply in a sandwich with a lot of freshly cracked black pepper...food heaven. So some chopped vine tomatoes were the base for this salsa along with an avocado, spring onion, SUMA Black Beans, freshly cooked corn on the cob, fresh coriander. The dressing was simplicity itself...the juice of one fresh lime and one fresh clementine. Wow..what a salsa this one turned out to be. It smelt great just sitting in the bowl and the flavours and textures mixed perfectly. A healthy salsa that could easily become addictive...you have been warned..

And lastly....a black bean sweet treat. Yes...a sweet treat that isn't packed full of nastiness. No refined sugars in the fudge itself as I used medjool dates for the sweetness. I could have just served this black bean recipe up as it was which would have been a treat in itself, but I had a bag of SUMA Sour Morello Cherries which I was desperate to open. I love the combination of dark bitter chocolate and sweet cherries. The dried cherries weren't perfect as they did include sugar and sunflower oil in their ingredients which isn't my preferred choice but I couldn't argue that their flavour wasn't out of this world. They were juicy, sweet and full of cherry flavoured goodness. If you dislike glace cherries as much as I do because of the fake flavour and nasty texture...these could not be any further apart. As a treat every now and again these dried cherries are worth the little amount of sugar and sunflower oil. I decided to blend some into the fudge mixture itself and then use one as a topping for each piece of fudge. A little goes a long way with these sweet treats as they are intensely rich. One eaten with a bitter dark shot of espresso would be a great combination. And combined with the fact that these are 'healthier' treats...just makes them a food to be savoured indeed. 

So...let's get this black bean feast started....

Rocket & Roses Smokey Black Bean Stuffed Butternut (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Smokey Black Bean Stuffed Butternut
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)       Serves 2

1 lb baby butternut, halved, de-seeded 

1 med red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, micro-grated
1 2" piece of fresh ginger, micro-grated
1 med carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup kale leaves, finely chopped
a handful of fresh coriander leaves, minced
1 whole dried chipotle chilli
3 tbsp boiling water
1/2 cup of low sodium veggie stock
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
1 tin of Suma Organic Black Beans, rinsed and drained
a good pinch of dried cinnamon
freshly grated black pepper to season to taste
extra fresh coriander for garnish
lime slices to garnish and juice

Pre-heat the oven to 350'F/180'C/GM 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set to one side. Take the prepared butternut halves. Carefully extend the cavity of the flesh up to 1cm from the top of the butternut. Place flesh side down onto the baking tray and place into the hot oven. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from the oven. Turn over so the flesh is facing up and put the tray to one side. 

Put the dried chipotle in a small bowl with the 3 tbsp boiling water and leave to soak whilst making the filling. 

Water-saute the red onion until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, green bell pepper and carrot and cook for 5 minutes. Put the sun-dried tomato paste into the hot veggie stock and stir until it has dissolved. 

Mince the softened chipotle and put it and its soaking water into the veggies along with the veggie stock mix. Stir well and then add in the cooked quinoa. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the kale and minced coriander and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the ground cinnamon. Season with black pepper. Cook until the stock has dissipated and the stuffing is thick. Remove from the heat. 

Firmly pack the butternut with the stuffing and press in to fill the cavity. Then mound up extra stuffing to your personal preference. Place the tray back into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the butternut is tender. Serve sprinkled with more chopped coriander and lime slices to squeeze over. 

Enjoy! And don't forget the leftover stuffing is unbelievably tasty as a sandwich/wrap filling the next day. 

Rocket & Roses Leek, Black Bean & Lime Soup (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Leek, Black Bean & Lime Soup  Serves 6-8
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)

5 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
5 cups low sodium veggie stock
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 bayleaf
2 15oz tins of SUMA Organic Black Beans
freshly grated black pepper
fresh coriander leaves

Water-saute the sliced leeks until softened. Take it slowly as you don't want them to brown. Add in the garlic slices, bayleaf, veggie stock and lime juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Add in the black beans and season with a generous amount of black pepper. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat back to a simmer and cook until the leek is very tender. 

Remove half of the soup and blend until smooth and add it back into the remaining half and stir well to combine or completely blend all of the soup until smooth. Bring back up to a gentle simmer and serve with freshly torn off coriander leaves.

Enjoy! I've enjoyed this soup silky smooth but my preference is by far part blended. I'm just kooky that way...

Rocket & Roses Citrus Fresh Black Bean Salsa (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Citrus Fresh Black Bean Salsa   Yields 2 cups
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)

1 med/large avocado, flesh chopped into 1/2" cubes
2 med/large vine ripened tomatoes, finely chopped
1 spring onion, minced
1/2 tin SUMA Organic Black Beans, rinsed and drained well
1 fresh corn cob, cooked and cooled
1 handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
juice from one lime 
juice from one clementine

In a bowl place the avocado, tomatoes, spring onion, black beans, coriander leaves and stir well. Strip the corn kernels from the cob and add to the bowl and stir in. Whisk the freshly squeezed juices together and pour over the veggies. Stir well to coat evenly. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. Or devour freshly made. 

Enjoy!

And now for the sweet treat....

Rocket & Roses Black Bean Morello Cherry Fudge Pieces (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Black Bean Morello Cherry Fudge Pieces
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)            Makes 24 pieces

1 tin of SUMA Organic Black Beans, rinsed and drained well
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
4 medjool dates, de-stoned and roughly chopped
1/2 tbsp good quality vanilla extract
2 heaped tbsp smooth cashew butter
1/4 tsp salt
5 heaped tbsp good quality cocoa powder
20 SUMA Sour Morello Cherries
tiny amount of filtered water 

24 SUMA Sour Morello Cherry pieces, to top

Place the beans, dates, cashew butter, salt and cocoa powder into a food processor. Pulse until it has broken down a little. Add in the melted coconut oil and vanilla and blend again. If the mix is dry add the small amount of water to loosen it off. When it is whipped and smooth add in the cherries and pulse until they are very well combined. 

Using a silicone mould, brownie tin or other flat shallow baking dish smooth the fudge mixture into it and smooth off until level. Press the 24 cherries into the fudge so that when you cut out the pieces a cherry will be in the centre of each piece. Place into the fridge for 4 hours to firm up. 

Gently press out the fudge pieces if using a silicone mould and cut each square into four pieces. If using a tin or baking dish, make cuts to make 24 pieces and then gently lever out each piece. Serve with bitter hot coffee for a great balance. 

Store leftover pieces in an airtight container in the fridge and they should stay yummy for about a week....if they last that long!!

Gratuitous foodie close up...its ok...no need to thank me...my pleasure folks.

Enjoy the black bean feast folks and I hope you swing by the folks at SUMA Wholefoods and check them out. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all are enjoying the sun and finding many reasons to smile today...

~Red~

NB: These recipes are my creation and mine alone. I have no problem with you using them or sharing them. I simply ask that you give credit where its due and provide links back to this posting as I always try to with others. Many thanks to Amy and SUMA Wholefoods for giving me the chance to be part of the SUMA Bloggers Network. Namaste...~R~