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~ 
  

  

   

 

Apple Tart (vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Audioslave ~ Cochise
Audioslave ~ Like A Stone
Audioslave ~ What You Are
Chris Cornell ~ Can't Change Me
Audioslave ~ #1 Zero
Audioslave ~ Gasoline
Chris Cornell ~ Pillow Of Your Bones
Audioslave ~ Jewel Of The Summertime
Chris Cornell ~ Part Of Me
Audioslave ~ Drown me Slowly
Audioslave ~ The Last Remaining Light
Chris Cornell ~ Arms Around Your Love 
Audioslave ~ Show Me How To Live
Chris Cornell ~ She'll Never Be Your Man

I enjoyed the company of good friends on Sunday evening and it was my pleasure to cook them all a meal and give us all a chance to relax and catch up with each other. When deciding what I wanted to cook for us I easily planned out the main course but struggled with the dessert. I was craving good old fashioned apple pie which is odd as I am by no means a dessert person nor a pie person. Strange how cravings hit you, isn't it? I thumbed through my recipe files and found this tart recipe that was heavy on flavour and apples without being loaded with gluten, dairy and refined sugars. Perfect..

It was very easy to make. The crust was quite delicate and I confess I served mine still on the loose base from my flan tin. It is a crumbly base but I liked that and the flavours were very enjoyable with the wholesome texture combined with the spices and tahini hit. The apple toppings were delicate in flavour but comforting with the mix of apples and dates..sweet enough without having a major sugar-rush after each mouthful. I served ours cold with indulgent chilled soya-vanilla custard. The dessert was rich but without the heaviness and stodge of traditional apple and custard. And I must confess...we all enjoyed a second slice. Ooops... 

Apple Tart ~ Vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free...so tasty!

Apple Tart    Serves 8

2oz ground almonds
4oz brown rice flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp sunflower oil
3 tbsp light tahini

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and chopped
2 medjool dates, chopped
6fl oz filtered water

2 Gala apples, cored and finely sliced (skins on)
1/2 tbsp sunflower oil

Place the ground almonds, rice flour, cinnamon, cloves, water, sunflower oil and light tahini into a processor and blitz until you have a crumb consistency. Line the base of a 9" loose based flan tin and press the crumbs onto the base, flattening it out until you have an even surface. Do not press into the sides and be sure to leave a clear edge between the edge of the tin and the crust. Heat the oven to 200'C/400'F/GM6 and bake the crust for 15 minutes or until it has turned golden brown. 

Place the chopped apples, dates and water into a saucepan and stew the mix until the apples are soft. Remove from the heat and puree until smooth. 

Leaving a 1 cm edge around the crust spread the apple/date puree evenly over the crust. Take the sliced apples and place them on top of the puree in any overlapping pattern you wish. Brush the apple slices with the sunflower oil and place back into the oven for 20 minutes or until the apples are cooked and beginning to brown. Serve warm or cold. 

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week starts well...

~Red~ 

NB: This is not my creation and therefore take no credit for it whatsoever. I do send out thanks to whoever did. ~R~



 

 

Sharing fruity fun...

Fruit Fruit Wheel..gone in minutes...lol

Hello folks..just dropping by to wish you all a lovely holiday weekend. We have been having a lovely time so far. Here in England it is a national bank holiday weekend so we have spent some of our day reorganising my work room. Well, isn't it the tradition to get jobs around the house done? Ahem. Anyway it shaped up pretty well and I can smile again when in there. We also did some kitchen work which was good as we rarely get the opportunity to do that anymore. Then yesterday we had a fantastic family day with my sister and her little ones. The majority of the family have entered into a lifestyle change and are trying to eat better. I was happy to join in and after a lunch of jacket potato with lots of healthy toppings and salads we tucked into this fresh fruit wheel and some had fat-free vanilla yoghurt as a topping. The melon balls were hand carved by the little one Noo...the ripe mango was selected by Myles and the super juicy Navel orange was the littlest ones choice and with our additions we had a stuffed fruit wheel to be enjoyed. And believe me...we did indeed enjoy it After the fruit feast we were left with only a few stray pieces of fresh fig, grapes and mango. A healthy eating success I would say...and little Layla 'needed' me to share this with you as she was delighted with the wheel and thought it beautiful.

I wish you all a lovely holiday weekend and I hope you are all enjoying a great weekend..holiday or not. I'll be back tomorrow with a recipe posting....

~Red~

Rocket & Roses Incan Berry Brown Rice Dessert (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Sade ~ Like A Tattoo
Glen Campbell ~ Sadly Beautiful
P!nk ~ Family Portrait
Ellie Goulding ~ Love Me Like You Do
INXS ~ Mystify
Black Stone Cherry ~ Blind Man
The Cardigans ~ Give Me Your Eyes
Chely Wright ~ What If We Fly
The Dodge Brothers ~ Died And Gone To Hell
Joan Jett ~ You Don't Own Me
Bruce Springsteen ~ Lonesome Day
The Eagles ~ New York Minute
Bree Sharp ~ Show Me
Beth Hart ~ Heaven Look Down

During my recent recipe testing for my posting for the Suma Bloggers Network I had the opportunity to try out some of Suma's Dried Incan Berries. To be honest just the name had me intrigued and I had no idea what they would be like or how I would use them. I just had to have them and back when I used to do a Mystery Item posting each week they would've fitted the remit perfectly. So I ordered them with great curiosity and awaited their arrival.

Who knew? Incan berries turned out to be dried Physalis! And thankfully I love fresh Physalis very much and greatly enjoy their sharp sweetness and sticky juices. I make a dessert of deeply dark chocolate pudding pots with fresh physalis on the side. The mixture of bitter dark chocolate with the fresh tart sweetness of the physalis is a heaven sent combination. Its a very popular dinner party treat...

I went through many different ideas when thinking of a way to use them. It was a cold day and raining relentlessly and I had a large amount of cooked brown rice. So the thoughts of a creamy rice pudding with a tart sauce swirled through it won the day. However I didn't want a stodgy, sugar laden affair so I used unsweetened almond milk to cook my pre-cooked brown rice in. I added 1 tbsp of agave to sweeten the bubbling goodness and for me that was sweetened enough. For the Incan berries I soaked them in freshly boiled filtered water with strips of lemon zest..the yellow skin and not the white pith. The longer you can leave them to soak the better but I don't think they will ever completely plump up but for this recipe that isn't necessary as they get blitzed until almost smooth to make the sauce. I was intending to have this as a warm dessert but Ann (pal and kitchen bitch assistant) and I both agreed on that day that a chilled rice pudding was called for. 

The results from this testing were a creamy without heaviness, sweet but not overly so, comforting textured, very much enjoyable tangy sauced pudding. Ann loved it and took all leftovers home to enjoy later. She is a total pudding addict. 

The pudding was a delight to eat chilled and warmed through. But I also have plans to try making a noodle sauce with the remaining Incan berries. They are a very interesting product indeed and I thank Suma for bringing them to my attention..

 

Rocket & Roses Incan Berry Brown Rice Dessert

Rocket & Roses Incan Berry Brown Rice Dessert  Makes 3
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)

1/2 cup dried Incan berries 
1/2 cup freshly boiled filtered water
2 strips of lemon zest

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 3/4 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp Suma organic agave syrup

Place the dried berries in a bowl with the lemon peel and then cover with the freshly boiled water. Leave to soak for approx 1 hour...the longer the better but an hour will do. Set to one side.

Place the cooked brown rice into a saucepan and stir in the almond and agave syrup until thoroughly combined. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce the heat to very low and continue to simmer the mix, stirring often, until it has thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. 

Once the berries have plumped up (they won't completely rehydrate) remove the lemon strips and then place the berries and remaining soaking water into a blender. Blitz until you have a jam like consistency. Separate approx 4 tbsp of the jam and set to one side. Stir the remaining jam into the cooled rice pudding until evenly distributed. Spoon into individual serving dishes/glasses and then top with a scoop of the remaining jam. Serve chilled. 

Rocket & Roses Incan Berry Brown Rice Dessert - Gratuitous foodie shot for the pudding lovers out there.

 Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you're having a lovely day..

~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 it's due and link it back to this posting. Many thanks..~R~
 

  

Rocket & Roses Sweet Brown Rice and Aronia Berry Dessert (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Soul Asylum ~ So Close
Styx ~ Babe
The Pretenders ~ Spiritual High
The Pretty Reckless ~ Heaven Knows
VAST ~ Thrown Away
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band ~ Get It Together
The Fratellis ~ Tell Me A Lie
Doris Day ~ Bewitched
Melissa Etheridge ~ All The Way To Heaven
James Morrison ~ How Come
Joan Jett ~ Jezebel
Alter Bridge ft Christina Scabbia ~ Watch Over You
Thunder ~ A Million Faces 
Beth Hart ~ Sky Is Falling

Hello folks...I'm back from my Scottish Road Trip. 1509 miles later and we are back home with a car that limped into the garage for repairs. lol. Ooops. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the Highlands and everyone we met was so welcoming. I will always look back with great fondness at my time lost in the Scottish Highlands, Isle of Skye and John O'Groats. Once I have sorted through all my photos I took along the way I shall share some of them with you. But that is a job I haven't had time for as yet. 

Yesterday I managed to get some serious time in the kitchen which as some of you will know has been scarce for the last few months. I cooked a Moroccan Lablabi Soup and a Marrakesh Vegetable Tagine that is served with a lovely homemade Turkish Harissa for a meal we are hosting tonight. Yes I am exhausted now but I had my iPod cranked high and I got through the three recipes with much smiling and some gentle dancing. lol. And then I had a slight mishap and managed to cover myself and half of the walls of the kitchen/breakfast room with freshly made Blackberry Soya Milk Shake. Yes I remembered to put the lid on the blender...the shake was actually in an airtight (HA!) storage cup. I simply shook it up before I was going to drink it...and BOOM...shake everywhere. Bright purple shake...in every crevice. Urgh! lol. Anyway....

Today's recipe was a successful attempt at making a sweet rice based dessert that wasn't overloaded with sugar, heavy and rich due to the creamy element but still remained a comforting autumnal dessert. During the first couple of days in Scotland I found a berry that I had never heard of before. Aronia berries are quite common up there and are a robust tart berry that needs to be cooked before consuming. And as I was buying them I already had this recipe planned out. Thankfully I have a great memory because I had to wait until I got home until I gave it a try. lol. 

Since I sourced short grain brown rice I have been addicted to it, so use it at every opportunity. I have also been enjoying almond milk of late and the odd very small amounts of coconut blossom sugar. (Very small amounts of the latter) So the sweet rice part of the dessert was very easy. I left the rice to soak in a bath of almond milk, filtered water and coconut sugar whilst I made the Aronia berry sauce. Then I placed the mix into my trusty rice cooker although I am sure you could place it in the oven and leave to bake until the rice is soft and sweet. I was busy that day so I opted for the convenience of the rice cooker. The sauce was a very simple idea too. I cleaned them, added them to a saucepan with coconut sugar and barely covered them with filtered water. And then left them to simmer although I did have to resort to mashing them with a potato masher as the little suckers really do keep their shape. lol. When they had broken down into a thickened juice I then blitzed them until smooth. 

The results were everything I hoped they would be. The rice was slightly sweet with a good texture and combined with the berry sauce was a delight to eat. It still had a richness that wasn't heavy on the tum. The berry sauce wasn't as sweet as most berry sauces and the Aronias natural tartness really lifted the sauce to a new flavour experience. I loved this dish...another good reason to go back to Scotland..to harvest more berries. lol. It is also delicious served cold...

Rocket & Roses Sweet Brown Rice and Aronia Berry Dessert

Rocket & Roses Sweet Brown Rice and Aronia Berry Dessert     Serves 6-8
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)

8 oz aronia berries, rinsed and drained well
2 tbsp coconut sugar 
filtered water, enough to just cover the berries in the pan

12 oz short grain brown rice 
2 tbsp coconut sugar
940 ml almond milk
235 ml filtered water 

Add the rice, coconut sugar, milk and water into a bowl and stir well. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Then transfer to a rice cooker/oven and cook until the liquids have been absorbed and the rice is plump and soft. 

Add the berries, coconut sugar and water to a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Using a potato mash, gently mash the berries whilst they simmer. Stir and leave to simmer until the pulp has blended with the cooking water. Approx a further 10 minutes. Then pour into a blender and blitz until you have a smooth sauce. Leave to cool. 

To assemble: Spoon the sweet brown rice into a warmed serving dish and then spoon/drizzle the sauce over the top. 

If you want the added creaminess that I don't lol. Try warming some almond milk to drizzle over before the berry sauce. Then serve...

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and loyally coming back during this hiatus. I hope your weekend is a splendid one...

~Red~

NB: This is my creation and I am very happy for you to use the recipe and share it. I only ask that you give credit where it's due as I always try to. Many thanks...Namaste ~R~ 



 









 

Rocket & Roses Plumingranate Tart (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Melissa Etheridge ~ Enough Of Me
Chely Wright ~ Object Of Your Rejection
Natalie Imbrugia ~ Butterflies
Bing Crosby ~ Please
Joan Jett ~ Back It Up
Fun Lovin' Criminals ~ Swashbucklin' In Brooklyn
Missy Higgins ~ Katie
Skin ~ Don't Call It Love 
The Puppini Sisters ~ Jave Jive
Roy Orbison ~ It's Over
Alannah Myles ~ Rock This Joint
Dolly Parton ~ Heartbreaker
The Gossip ~ Dark Lines
Boccherini: Cello Concerto in B Flat - 1 Moderato 

I'm back folks! I thank you for all your emails of concern and well wishes you have sent me over the last month. My little procedure took a lot out of me and I'd not stepped near my kitchen until yesterday. Thank you for coming back to my humble blog and visiting old posts that I have written. Although I'm not back on two stable legs just yet...yesterday I managed to come up with three new dishes with the help of a great friend, Ann. She kept me going yesterday afternoon and I wouldn't be back today without her. I can't promise to post new recipes every day like before, especially as we are heading off on a road trip around Scotland very soon...but on Monday I will be back with my Suma Sponsored recipe which Ann and I enjoyed for our evening meal last night. Right...back to today's recipe...

Plumigranates! Have you ever heard of them? Nope, neither had I until a couple of weeks ago and now I am addicted. They look like a regular plum but when you cut into them they ooze the beautiful deep purple juice of a pomingranate along with its sweetness. Everyone who has stepped over my doorstep since has been given one to try and so far everyone has loved them. Somehow I ended up with a stash of them and decided to try and use the natural sweetness of the flesh in a tart. I wanted to use as little unrefined sugar as possible and use only healthy fats too. 

We stood at the kitchen worktop with just the plumigranates in front of us and from there I just threw things into a bowl and Ann got busy chopping the fruit. I decided to use some recently purchased buckwheat flakes and ground almond meal as the base for my tart crust. My sweetener of choice was a very small amount of coconut blossom sugar and to provide some extra sweetness and the oil for the base, I used a small amount of melted coconut oil. I didn't want a pastry crust but a 'oaty' wholesome one. The star of this tart was always going to be the Plumigranates and so I cooked down some with 1/2 tsp coconut blossom sugar and a little water. I was left with a delicious little saucepan of jam. As I wanted simple slices of the fruit to cover the tart I decided against making a horribly sweet creamy layer. I decided to make a very basic cashew cream...no added sugar but just a little fresh lemon juice. 

After the brief baking of the crust and cooling time..the layers were added and then the tart was stored in the fridge to chill. I would like to say the next part was a chore but it would be a lie. A slice was cut and then Ann and I attacked it with our dessert forks..lol. Thankfully I can report everything worked even better than I had hoped it would. The crust was wholesome, the fruit layers deliciously sweet and the cashew cream balanced it all out perfectly. Phew..I was worried I may have lost my mojo...lol Well it's been a while...

I now look forward to Plumigranate season with great excitement and hope to try out the many other recipes I have floating around my noggin. Food of the goddess..for sure..

Rocket & Roses Plumingranate Tart ( vegan and gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Plumingranate Tart                    Makes 1 8" tart
(Original recipe from the Rocket & Roses Vegan Kitchen)

For the crust:
1 cup buckwheat flakes 
1 cup of ground almonds (almond meal)
1 tbsp psyllium husks
1 1/2 tbsp coconut blossom sugar
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
3 tbsp water

For the jammy layer;
3 Plumigranates, finely chopped
1/2 tsp coconut blossom sugar
1 tbsp water

For the creamy layer:
3/4 cup soaked (for 1 hour) cashew pieces
1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water

For the topping:
3 Plumingranates, washed, stoned and thinly sliced

Line the bottom of an 8" tart pan with parchment paper. Heat the oven to 325'F/170'C/GM 3. 

In a medium sized bowl place the buckwheat flakes, ground almonds, husks, sugar and stir well to combine. Pour in the melted oil and rub together until they begin to lump together. Pour in the water and keep kneading until the base is one large dough. Press into the lined pan and make sure the edge is even all round. Flatten out the base until its as smooth as possible. Place in the middle of the heated oven and bake until the very edges are beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and set to one side to cool. 

In a very small pan add the chopped Plumingranates, sugar and water and over a gentle heat cook until they are an almost smooth sauce. Stirring frequently to avoid scorching or burning. Remove from the heat and cool quickly in a cold area of your kitchen (or in front of a fan..ahem. lol) 

Drain off the liquid that the cashews have been soaking in and add the cashews to a mini blender. Add in the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of fresh water and blitz until thick and smooth. Set to one side. 

To assemble: 

Smooth the cooled jam evenly over the cooled tart crust. Then dollop the cashew cream on top and then spread it out over the jam. Decorate the top with the sliced plumingranates in whatever design you desire. Place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of an hour. Then devour..lol 

Gratuitous foodie shot...look at that slice. We enjoyed every mouthful...lol

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your weekend is a very splendid one...

~Red~ 

NB: This is my creation and I have no problem with you using the recipe or sharing it. I simply ask that you give credit where its due. As I always try to...~R~

Weekend Indulgence Time: Vegan Chocolates (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Joan Jett ~ I Hate Myself For Loving You
Clare Teal ~ Get Happy
Kaiser Chiefs ~ Everyday I Love You Less And Less
Audioslave ~ What You Are
Black Stone Cherry ~ Peace Is Free
Missy Higgins ~ Steer
Ray Charles ~ Sherry
Thunder ~ Honey
Garbage ~ Not My Idea
Lenny Kravitz ~ Lady
Brandi Carlile ~ My Story
Lee Ann Womack ~ I Hope You Dance
Janiva Magness ~ Homewrecker
KORN ~ Predictable

We are escaping for the weekend folks! This afternoon we will throw our bags in the car and set pff to a place near Windsor. We have no set plans once we get there except for resting, recharging and maybe a little exploring. ML is taking Monday off to spend time with family once more before they all jet off home to South Africa. And I'm taking a day to myself and shall be found lunching, shopping, relaxing and slowly pootling around a beautiful place for the day...body permitting..in that case I may be having a marathon movie day. lol. We travel back up early Tuesday morning and then I am spending the day with the lovely Ann...so I will be back with you all Wednesday. To keep you going until then I have a bonus recipe posting for you. An indulgence posting..filled with vegan chocolates. So let's get on with it, eh? 

I was recently gifted a bunch of vegan chocolate bars which was lovely but as I have had to eliminate most sugars from my foods, it was a little lost on me. The little bars of chocolate was left sat on a shelf for a rainy day. Oddly the rainy days came and went and I still hadn't been anywhere near them. I know some of you will be ashamed of me for this...but in all honesty I'm not a chocoholic. During my recent week of recipe testing I was inspired to spend a morning melting down the chocolate bars and adding various fillings to them, much to the great happiness of the biggest chocoholic I know...my lovely pal Ann..who had come over to help me in the kitchen that day. We ended up covered in various chocolates and fillings..a fun morning. lol. 

Indulgence Time ~ Vegan Chocolates

Now a roll call moment for the bars of chocolate that I used:

Wasn't sure about this one at first

Vegan milk chocolate? Hmmm

Vegan white chocolate

And...a couple of large bars of vegan dark chocolate...extremely dark. Enough to make you shudder...lol. So armed with glass bowls for melting, two silicone chocolate/jelly moulds and various ingredients for the fillings....we got started. Now there are the two ways of melting your chocolate pieces...traditionally in a glass bowl over gently boiling water or using a microwave. As I was testing, the latter was the method I used. But your melting methods are entirely your call folks.

Vegan White Chocolate & Almond Chocs

Vegan White Chocolate & Almond Chocs

1 bar of vegan white chocolate 
handful of chopped almonds 

Break up the chocolate bar into small pieces and then toss them into a glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 30 sec blasts at a time. Using a small whisk break down the chocolate in between blasts and when it has almost entirely melted down, stop the melting process. Take over to your kitchen counter with awaiting mould and chopped almonds. 

Using a small spoon almost fill each moulding with the melted white chocolate...stopping just before the rim. Gently push in a cluster of almonds down into the centre of each chocolate and then add a very small amount of chocolate over the top to seal. Leave to set in a cool dry area of the kitchen. When cooled enough, place into the fridge to finish the setting process. When done...release each chocolate from the mould and then store in a airtight container in a cool space. Or devour! 

Notes: The feedback on these chocs was good. I didn't try them personally as I don't like white chocolate but didn't have to look far for testers. lol. The white chocolate worked well with the almonds and they wasn't as sweet as you would've expected them to be.

Vegan Green Tea & Lemon Chocs with Fresh Lemon

Vegan Green Tea & Lemon Chocs with Fresh Lemons   Makes 4-6 chocs

1 Ombar Green Tea and Lemon chocolate bar
fresh lemon segments, pith & pips removed, chopped down 

Break up the chocolate bar into small pieces and then toss them into a glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 30 sec blasts at a time. Using a small whisk break down the chocolate in between blasts and when it has almost entirely melted down, stop the melting process. Take over to your kitchen counter with awaiting mould and lemon segments.

Using a small spoon almost fill each moulding with the melted green tea and lemon chocolate...stopping just before the rim. Gently push in 1/2 tsp lemon segment down into the centre of each chocolate and then add a very small amount of chocolate over the top to seal. Leave to set in a cool dry area of the kitchen. When cooled enough, place into the fridge to finish the setting process. When done...release each chocolate from the mould and then store in a airtight container in a cool space. Or devour!

Notes: WOW! I admit I wasn't entirely sure if I would like this chocolate but it's flavourings intrigued me. As a stand alone chocolate bar it was amazingly tasty. This is a chocolate bar I could become addicted to. Thanks goodness they come in small bars and have a luxury price tag! lol. When melted down and with the added fresh lemon segments...well we were stunned..blissed out...and in confectionery heaven. So, so, so, so good!  

Vegan Milk Chocolate with Brazil Nuts Chocs

 
 Vegan Milk Chocolate with Brazil Nut Chocs   Makes 4-6 chocs

1 Ombar Milk Chocolate and Coconut Sweetened Chocolate bar
chopped brazil nuts

Break up the chocolate bar into small pieces and then toss them into a glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 30 sec blasts at a time. Using a small whisk break down the chocolate in between blasts and when it has almost entirely melted down, stop the melting process. Take over to your kitchen counter with awaiting mould and brazil nuts.

Using a small spoon almost fill each moulding with the melted milk chocolate...stopping just before the rim. Gently push in a cluster of brazil nut pieces down into the centre of each chocolate and then add a very small amount of chocolate over the top to seal. Leave to set in a cool dry area of the kitchen. When cooled enough, place into the fridge to finish the setting process. When done...release each chocolate from the mould and then store in a airtight container in a cool space. Or devour!

Notes: Wasn't sure what to expect from a chocolate bar sweetened with coconut but we wasn't disappointed. I only tasted a small piece of one of the chocolates but enjoyed the choc/brazil flavour greatly. Ann ate hers with a huge smile on her face and then enjoyed scrapping every last bit of chocolate left in the bowl...nodding with approval at the same time. So yep...vegan milk chocolate sweetened with coconut works..lol 

Vegan Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut Chocs

 Vegan Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut Chocs   Makes 12 chocs

1 large bar of darkest chocolate 
handful of raw hazelnuts, whole

Break up the chocolate bar into small pieces and then toss them into a glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 30 sec blasts at a time. Using a small whisk break down the chocolate in between blasts and when it has almost entirely melted down, stop the melting process. Take over to your kitchen counter with awaiting mould and hazelnuts.

Press a single hazelnut down into the bottom of each chocolate mould. Pour in the melted chocolate over the top and fill each individual moulding. Leave to set in a cool dry area of the kitchen. When cooled enough, place into the fridge to finish the setting process. When done...release each chocolate from the mould and then store in a airtight container in a cool space. Or devour!

Notes: Dark chocolate and hazelnuts...what is there not to love about this combination? I loved the resulting look of the chocs with the hazelnut showing clearly at the top. Success...as yes this is what I what I was hoping for. Phew! And yes...delicious. 

Vegan Dark Chocolate with Fresh Rhubarb Centred Chocs

  
 Vegan Dark Chocolate with Fresh Rhubarb Centred Chocs    Makes 12 chocs

1 large bar of darkest chocolate 
12 tsps of sugar-free rhubarb puree (for my recipe)

Break up the chocolate bar into small pieces and then toss them into a glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 30 sec blasts at a time. Using a small whisk break down the chocolate in between blasts and when it has almost entirely melted down, stop the melting process. Take over to your kitchen counter with awaiting mould and rhubarb puree.

Using a small spoon almost fill each moulding with the melted dark chocolate...stopping just before the rim. Gently push in a tsp of thubarb puree down into the centre of each chocolate and then add a very small amount of chocolate over the top to seal. Leave to set in a cool dry area of the kitchen. When cooled enough, place into the fridge to finish the setting process. When done...release each chocolate from the mould and then store in a airtight container in a cool space. Or devour! 

Notes: This was the second WOW moment for me. The bitterness of the dark chocolate combined with the fresh tart sweetness of the rhubarb puree was a flavour sensation. But they are rich so a little goes a long way. Stored in the fridge they keep for 3-4 days...if you can make them last that long. Challenge accepted? huh? lol Yum. 

Vegan Dark Chocolate with Fresh Lemon & Ginger Chocs

 
Vegan Dark Chocolate with Fresh Lemon & Ginger Chocs   Makes 12 chocs

1 large darkest chocolate bar 
1" piece of fresh ginger, micro-grated 
3 segments of fresh lemon, pith & pips removed, chopped

Break up the chocolate bar into small pieces and then toss them into a glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 30 sec blasts at a time. Using a small whisk break down the chocolate in between blasts and when it has almost entirely melted down, stop the melting process. Take over to your kitchen counter with awaiting mould, ginger and lemon.

Add the lemon and ginger to the melted chocolate and get whisking very quickly. The chocolate changes texture quite speedily. Spoon the chocolate mix into each mould and then press down and fill with remaining chocolate. Smooth over the top of each chocolate. Leave to set in a cool dry area of the kitchen. When cooled enough, place into the fridge to finish the setting process. When done...release each chocolate from the mould and then store in a airtight container in a cool space. Or devour! 

Notes: Now we were a little surprised by these chocs. They were a last minute experiment after a thought of fresh lemon and gingered flavoured chocs popped into my mind after having to drink a steaming hot mug of lemon and ginger tea. The darkness of the chocolate overwhelmed the not usually subtle flavouts of the lemon and ginger. They provided a warmth to the chocolates. But the most intriging thing about these was the fudgy texture to them. The addition of the lemon segs and minced ginger somehow gave the melted chocolate a chemical reaction...not a bad reaction at all. It was a pleasant surprise.  However they are not the most attractive of chocolates so they stay in my 'work in progress' file.   

And just for indulgent fun....

Dark Chocolate Dipped Fresh Cherries

Dark Chocolate Dipped Fresh Cherries

fresh cherries with stalks tidied 
melted dark chocolate

Take a sheet of baking parchment and set to the side of your bowl of melted chocolate. Take one cherry at a time and roll the bottom of each one around in the melted chocolate and then gently place on the parchment paper. Continue until you run out of chocolate or cherries. Leave to set on the parchment paper...when they lift off of the paper without the chocolate pulling apart they are set. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Notes: We had leftover dark chocolate and a bag of fresh cherries that needed to be eaten before I went away. A perfect dessert in my opinion...a little dark chocolate bitterness with fresh succulent cherries..mouthwatering happiness. 

Well indulgence a plenty...and great for those special occasions...or much needed chocolate moments. Now I know how easy it is to make these lovelies I don't think I'll be buying many in the future. Thanks to Ann for the devouring of the test subjects and scraping the many bowls used. And for distributing the chocs afterwards. You rock! 

I hope you have enjoyed this luxury High Days and Holidays posting. I am away for my break away. We are taking no computers and are therefore going OFFLINE for the next 5 days. Yikes! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your weekend is beautiful and your week starts well...

~Red~ 

NB: The chocolate bar images are not mine and were found online. The recipe for the chocolate bars themselves are not mine but the recipe of Ombar etc. However the addition of fillings and making them into chocs are my creation. I have no problem with you using the recipes or sharing them. I simply ask that you give credit where it's due as I always try to. Many thanks...Namaste. ~R~