Dreena's Holiday Tart

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

The Eagles ~ Saturday Night
Bobby McFerrin ~ Circlesong 7
Airbourne ~ Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women
Blur ~ Song 2
Amy Grant ~ Every Road
Sting ~ Mad About You
Chopin: Nocturne #1 in B Blat Minor
Slash ft Rocco ~ Saint Is A Sinner Too
Jim Reeves ~ Distant Drums
Sarah McLachlan ~ Dirty Little Secret (Live)
Ocean Colour Scene ~ The Circle 
Maroon 5 ~ Fortune Teller
Train ~ 50 Ways To Say Goodbye
Melissa Etheridge ~ Yes I Am 

Welcome and Happy New Year folks...I hope your celebrations were lacking in drama but abundant with fun and laughter...mine was..despite a nasty fall. Cheeky!..it was before alcohol was had...but that did help with the pain later..lol. 

So...if you celebrated the recent holidays...what did you make for your main course? Nut roast? En Croute? Tofurky? lol. Well this year I wanted something a little different from the first two...and I never eat the latter. And I found a great recipe online...it was a tart and the filling was relatively simple to make and packed full of good ingredients. It was also a little old school...like a homage to the old days. I was a little exasperated to find that the recipe was by Anon..again. But after some searching I found it was originally the recipe of Dreena Burton...so thank you Dreena. Phew...I always prefer to give the credit where it's due. 

The pastry recipe I used was the old faithful...4oz wholemeal flour and 2oz vegan butter and a little cold water. This made the perfect amount for the tart base. Blind baked in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350'F/180'C/GM 4. And as I rarely eat pastry these days I thought it was the time for a treat...so I made it with no guilt. lol 

It's true that the filling does take a little work but it's enjoyable work. On a personal level I would use chopped frozen spinach next time as I found, even though I had chopped it myself, the frozen leaves a little stringy which was a shame. And as you coat the top of the tart and the pastry shell with a tamari/oil mix the pastry goes very brown, very quickly...and I admit I freaked out a little as I thought it had burnt. But that being said I would I cover the tart with tin foil for the first 20 minutes of baking and then uncover for the final 20 minutes. 

I've enjoyed this Tart hot and cold...with roasties and with simple steamed veggies on the side. Both have been enjoyable and a slice with a great salad would be perfect too. For me this tart really worked and provided everything I was hoping for in my main course. Intensely savoury..filled with fresh herbs, chickpeas and walnuts...what is there not to love? lol. 

Holiday Tart with festive stars...

Dreena's Holiday Tart     Serves 8
(Recipe from Dreena Burton)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, diced 
3/4 cup celery, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 14oz can chickpeas, rinsed and 1/4 cup reserved 
3/4 cup walnuts
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp tamari 
1 1/4 cups of frozen spinach
3 1/2 tbsp dried cranberries 
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 9" prepared wholewheat pie shell
1/2 tbsp olive oil for brushing 
1 tsp tamari for brushing 
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped for garnish 
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 400'F/200'C/GM 6. 

In a skillet over a medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for 1o minutes until onions soften and begin to caramelise. Set aside. 

In a food processor, add chickpeas (except 1/4 reserved cup), walnuts, lemon juice and tamari, and pulse to lightly chop (do NOT puree). Remove half of the chopped mixture from processor and transfer to a large bowl. 

Transfer sauteed onions to remaining mixture in the processor. Puree until smooth, scrapping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer puree to bowl with lightly chopped chickpea and walnut mixture. Add spinach, cranberries, parsley, thyme and reserved chickpeas. Stir to combine and transfer to prepared pie shell, spreading evenly. 

Combine oil and tamari and brush on top of pie and crust. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake for 33 - 38 minutes until lightly browned (HA!). Garnish with parsley and serve.  

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope that your Thursday has been incredible...

~Red~

NB: This recipe is not my creation and therefore I take no credit for it whatsoever. It is the hard work and creative talent of Dreena Burton and I thank her for it. ~R~ 


 

Dreena's Blueberry Carob Pancakes

Kitchen Play List:  Andrea Bocelli ~ Vivere Album

There was something almost ethereal happening in my kitchen this morning. With Andrea singing to me as I mixed pancakes for our breakfast...lol. My Love was in need of some serious cheering up today and pancakes for breakfast usually help put that smile back on that lovely face. I was also trying out a new found recipe and was very excited about it...I found this recipe when cruising through Dreena Burton's fantastic Eat, drink and be vegan 

I had to re-read this recipe a few times before I accepted that there was no 'sugar' for these pancakes. The only sweetness comes from the blueberrys...excellent if you have to restrict your sugar intake people! The pancakes were easy to mix up and although I was a little shocked by how thin the batter was...they cooked really easily and quickly and I didn't need the several minutes suggested in the recipe. And they also smelt delicious whilst they were cooking...and when the blueberries started to pop it added to the heavenly feeling surrounding me in the kitchen! lol. 

The results were a very tasty and light pancake. Personally I'm not a big 'sweet' breakfast fan...I love my savoury...but these were delicious as they weren't full of sugar or covered in sugary toppings. I served them with more blueberries and then made a very quick Banana Fluff drizzle which is one frozen banana and some soya milk...blitzed until smooth. It worked perfectly. 

More importantly My Love smiled the entire time they were being eaten! lol. I have a feeling I shall be making these often...lol. 

Thank you to Dreena Burton for another fab recipe! 

A stack of Blueberry Carob Pancakes with Banana Fluff Drizzle and more fresh blueberries..you can never have too many Blueberries! The humble opinion of my nephew M..lol

Dreena's Blueberry Carob Pancakes Made 14 sm-med pancakes
(Recipe from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan/Burton)

1 cup spelt flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp carob powder
1 1/2 cups of vanilla non dairy milk (I used soya with a dash of vanilla extract ~R~ ) 
1 tbsp canola/sunflower oil
1 cup fresh blueberries plus extra for scattering

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Sift in the carob and baking powder and mix well. In a jug mix the milk and the 1 tbsp oil. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Just before cooking gently stir in the blueberries. 

Heat a large skillet/crepe/frying pan and using a piece of kitchen towel wipe the pan with a little oil. Heat the pan over a med-high heat and using a small ladle, spoon three separate scoops of batter into the hot pan. (My ladle is a small 50m/ 1/4 cup measure)

When the pancake has bubbles forming and the edges have turned a deeper colour you should be able to flip them over. It only took a couple of minutes on each side...and I got 14 out of the mix. When all are cooked and the banana fluff is blitzed...stack onto a plate...drizzle with banana fluff and drop a few blueberries over the top. Serve immediately. 

Enjoy eating these...we did! 
~R~
 

Sweet Potato Lentil Chilli

Kitchen Play List: Bowes & Morley ~ Something About My Baby
                                     Chris Cornell ~ She'll Never Be Your Man
                                     F. Astaire/G. Rogers  ~ Lets Call the Whole Thing 
                                     Off
                                     Melissa Etheridge ~ The Different
                                     Colbie Caillat ~ Feelings Show
                                     Baha Men ~ Move it Like This....don't judge! lol
                                     The Veronicas ~ Untouched

I was cooking for myself, My Love and my sister on Saturday for lunch. And I always try to make something really nice for us on a Saturday. Time doesn't always allow for this but this week I found a fantastically easy and really special chilli recipe whilst flicking through Dreena Burton's Eat, drink and be vegan 

The Sweet Potato Lentil Chilli had all the things I needed...substance, taste and very easy to make. I did have a little shock though when I started to peel my sweet potatoes as they turned out to be white fleshed! lol. Never had them before...

The results was a really good chilli. It had heat but not overwhelming...it filled you up and left you feeling satisfied...and the different textures were just divine. I served it with a ring of lightly salted corn tortilla chips as you can see from the photo below. My Love said they looked like a sunflower! I like that. 

All three of us enjoyed the chilli very much and I know I will be making this often. Thank you Dreena Burton for this great recipe.

I adapted it very slightly...I didn't use a cup of celery - I used 3 thin stalks. I added 6 sliced mushrooms.  And I used the kidney bean option.

A Sweet Potato Lentil Chilli Sunflower! lol 

Sweet Potato Lentil Chilli
(Recipe from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan/Burton)

1 tbsp coconut oil/olive oil
1 3/4 cup onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2-2 1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed approx 1 inch
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp chilli powder (I used 'hot' chilli powder ~R~)
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp freshly nutmeg
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups water
2 x 14oz tins of chopped tomatoes
1 14oz tin of kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bayleaf
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice


Corn tortilla chips (optional)


In a large skillet on a medium heat add oil, onions, celery, sweet pots, garlic, salt, pepper, chilli powder, paprika, nutmeg, cumin, cinnamon and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occassionally; reduce heat if onions are sticking to the bottom of the pot. 


Add lentils, water, tomatoes, beans and bayleaf. Stir to combine, increase heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or longer until the sweet potatoes are softened, stirring occassionally. Stir in lime juice, season to taste. 


Serve and enjoy! 
~R~

 

Moroccan-Infused Vegetable Phyllo Rolls & Balsamic Maple Dressing

Kitchen Playlist - Caro Emerald ~ Deleted Scenes From the Cutting Room Floor Album

Since becoming vegan I have had the opportunity to  study the vegan cookbook world. And I have come to greatly admire a many of these creative and talented authors/cooks. Dreena Burton is one of these folks, her cookbook Vive le Vegan is a favourite of mine. But Eat, Drink & Be Vegan is a cookbook I would save in a fire! It was the first time I had tried the Phyllo Rolls from the later cookbook and I loved them. They weren't as fiddly as I thought they might be and I enjoyed making them. Next time I would increase the spiciness as I felt it was a 'whisper' of spicy and I think they could take a little more. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup Apricots which i have to say is not something this woman can eat - Yuck! (I know I'm in the minority here lol) so I substituted this for 1/2 cup of finely diced Aubergine. The smell that was coming from the oven as all the veggies and spices slowly roasted made my mouth water. lol. Dreena suggests in her book to serve it with a salad and her Balsamic Maple dressing, which is exactly what I did. The result was a very good meal which I greatly enjoyed. 

To share the meal with me last night was two very excellent people. There are people in my life  that i could cook for daily and it would be a pleasure to do so. D & B are two of these people and I get great joy from spending time with them. I can relax in their company and serve up the food for us and simply enjoy. They are also great for giving me honest feedback which helps when you are creating. lol. It was the first Annual Rice Pudding Club (blog about this event to come) and I wanted something light to have as our main course. 

Moroccan - Infused Phyllo Rolls Serves 6
(Recipe from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton)

2 Cups of a combination of yellow, orange and red pepper, chopped
3 cups of courgette, chopped
1 1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup of fennel, chopped
1/2 cup aubergine, finely diced
5 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup of cooked chickpeas or bean of choice
1/2 cup fresh basil, minced
12 sheets of Phyllo Pastry
3 tbsp olive oil to brush the pastry
1/4 cup chopped or slivered almonds, lightly toasted (for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 425'F/220'C/Gas Mark 7. Line a wide-rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place peppers, courgettes, onion, fennel, aubergine and garlic in a large bowl. Mix together the spices in a small dish until combined. Pour the oil over the vegetables and mix to ensure all are coated. Then sprinkle over the spices and again mix to coat. Pour the vegetables onto the baking sheet and even out. Then place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, tossing a couple of times. The vegetables should be caramelized in some spots and softened. Remove from the oven and toss in the chickpeas and the basil, and let cool slightly. 
Reduce the oven temp to 375'F/190'C/Gas Mark 5. Line a fresh sheet with parchment paper. Place a dampened tea towel over the Phyllo pastry to keep moist while preparing rolls. Lightly  brush a sheet of pastry with oil and then place a second one over it and gently smooth flat. Spread a sixth of the vegetable mixture down the centre of the pastry. Fold up and over the bottom of the sheet and fold over both sides, then gently roll upwards until you have a sealed roll. Then place the roll, join side down on the baking sheet. Repeat this five more times. Brush the rolls with olive oil and sprinkle. Bake for 24-28 minutes , until golden brown.
Serve with a large salad and dressing. (Recipe below)

Balsamic Maple Dressing Serves 4-5 (makes 1/2 cup)
(Recipe from Eat,Drink & be Vegan by Dreena Burton)

1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tsp vegan marg
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 tsp arrowroot powder
3 tbsp tamari (wheat free soy sauce)

In a saucepan on a low heat, combine the syrup, vinegar, marg, garlic and salt, and heat for several minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the arrowroot and tamari, stirring through until well incorporated. Add tamari mixture to the saucepan, whisk to combine, and increase heat to bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let it boil gently for one minute, then remove from heat and let cool slightly (the mixture will thicken more as it cools down) Serve.