White Sweet Potato, Lentil & Rainbow Chard Soup (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Santana ~ (Da Le) Yaleo
The Zutons ~ Little Red Door
The Union ~ The Remedy
Nickelback ~ Because Of You
Brandi Carlile ~ Things I Regret
Nerina Pallot ~ When Did I Become Such A Bitch
Def Leppard ~ Turn To Dust
Colour Of Noise ~ Medicine Man
Shakira ~ La Tortura 
Mr Buble ~ All Of Me
Muse ~Psycho
Beth Hart ~ Missing You
The Dead Daisies ~ Sleep
KT Tunstall ~ Suddenly I See           


Wow, has it really been seven months since I last posted a blog? I'm really sorry about that but in all honesty I wouldn't be posting this one today unless I had found this recipe draft and attached photo in my archives. Its enough to say that my ailments have been winning quite a few battles of late but not the war! Which for me is the most important part. Anyway....

This recipe is one I made when on my bliss filled holiday in Kent last November. Goodness me, how I wish I was headed that way again in a couple of weeks. Good memories...even the bittersweet ones. As you can imagine two weeks living by the raging sea of Birchington was at times quite chilly. (Especially if you had all doors and windows open to listen to the waves! 24/7 Ahem! Righto...) So I was enjoying warm salads like my previous post and hot glorious soups for my lunches.

This one is an adapted version of a soup from the fantastic vegan cook Linda Majzlik and her inspiring A Vegan Taste Of Series. In particular A Vegan Taste Of Mexico. Its a deeply satisfying soup with a kick of heat from the chillies and paprika but the stars of this beautiful soup are the wholesome sweet potatoes and the red lentils. In the original recipe its the splendid orange jewels of sweet potato but my friend had found some white fleshed sweet potatoes and they worked equally as well. I also had a stash of beautifully coloured rainbow chard which I'd picked up from a Kent grocers that had an abundance of magnificent fruits and veggies for sale. 

This recipe is not hard work and greatly enjoyable as the aromas take over your home. The white sweet potatoes have a slightly reduced amount of natural sugars which really worked for me and the addition of the ribbons of chard made it a complete meal in a bowl. Spoil yourself and give this one a try...I haven't served it up to anyone who hasn't devoured it yet!

White Sweet Potato, Lentil & Rainbow Chard Soup (vegan & gluten-free)

White Sweet Potato, Lentil & Rainbow Chard Soup
(Adapted recipe from A Vegan Taste of Mexico/Majzilk) 

12oz/350g white sweet potato, peeled and diced
4oz/100g split red lentils
4oz/100g tomato, skinned and chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, micro-grated
1 dsp rapeseed oil
30 fl oz/900 ml veggie stock
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
6 rainbow chard leaves, heavy stalks removed and chopped, leaves cut into ribbons, set separately to one side
freshly ground black pepper 
fresh coriander leaves

In a soup pan gently heat the oil and add the onion, chilli and garlic. Saute until soft. Add the tomato and cook until pulpy. Stir in the paprika and evenly distribute before adding the lentils and stock. Season with black pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes then add the potato and chard stalks. Continue simmering for another 20 minutes or so until the potato is cooked. Then stir in the chard leaves and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve with a generous amount of chopped fresh coriander over the top. Serves 4

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your day is being kind...

~Red~

NB: This is not my recipe, I simply adapted Linda Majzilks fabulous recipe from her fantastic cookbook A Vegan Taste of Mexico. I send out thanks to her for sharing such great recipes. If using this recipe please give credit where it is due and thank the lady. Many thanks...~R~  

Tuscan Bean and Celery Soup

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Kid Rock ~ Forever
Jamie Cullum ~ Seven Days To Change Your Life
Bonnie Raitt ~ My Opening Farewell
The Zutons ~ Long Time Coming
Roxette ~ It Must Have Been Love
KT Tunstall ~ Fade Like A Shadow
The Eagles ~ In The City
Live ~ Untitled
Beth Rowley ~ I Shall Be Released
Michelle Branch ~ Empty Handed 
The Charlie Daniels Band ~ The Devil Went Down To Georgia
Doris Day ~ Its A Lonely Day Today
Joan Jett ~ Pretty Vacant 
Jamie Cullum ~ Everlasting Love

How has your week started folks? Mine has been challenging. lol. I can laugh now...just. Yesterday we were hosting a family lunch for a special birthday treat but during Saturday I seemed to have picked up a nasty lurgy/bug and by the sitting down to eat lunch time I felt like I had been body slammed into the floor. As did my sister and her little son so we were trying our best to be part of the events but trying not to get close to anyone else in case we infected them. Not a nice thing to pass on to someone on their 70th birthday, is it? 

ML is also away with work this work and is currently roaming the Bulgarian town of Sofia and therefore had a 4.30am start so was hoping to not pick up the lurgy too. Then after the days events were over and a suitcase was hastily packed and final details sorted we crashed into bed. Due to my lurgy I was wide awake by 2am and so therefore decided to listen to a Podcast which isn't an unusual event during my nights. Only to find it wouldn't work so after much swearing sneezing filled attempts to sort it out I realised our electric was off. I woke ML to go investigate and after nearly an hour of tests it was deemed that my lovely larder style fridge was the cause. I had a fridge crammed full with fresh veggies for the week ahead so this was not a good thing and of course...the warranty has indeed just run out. (Arghhh!)

This morning has been trying...ML left for the airport and my lurgy had progressed to the 'can't lift my head off of the pillow' stage. Our friend Jim who is an electrician (bless him) had been called from an airport and had promised to come in and assess the situation for me. I dragged myself out of bed and made myself a gram flour omelette stuffed with chillies, ginger and garlic to help clear some of the passages and got on with my morning. My sister came in for her Monday morning visit and we sat at the dining table catching up but both feeling like hell. We like to share...lol. Then shortly after she left to pick up the littlest one Jim arrived and after a few checks announced our fridge was kaput unless we are very lucky and after a week of drying out it works again but it was a small chance...*insert expletive therapy here*.....did I mention I feel seven shades of Yuck? lol Urgh. 

Happy Monday Red...but I try and remember to breathe and make myself realise that things could get a lot worse. Then I got a phone call from the hospital....*shaking head* Yep it could definitely get worse. My peaceful week of home alone time is not going as I had hoped, you know? lol. Did you pick up on that? OK I've vented enough and I will get a grip...eventually...

Today's recipe is one from Linda Majzilk's A Vegan Taste of Italy cookbook. It is a fab little cookbook and I use it often. This soup is not one for those of you that can't take a lot of celery in one hit. I'll be honest I didn't think I was one of those people but when I first tasted this soup I feared I might be. But once I was onto my third spoonful my taste buds had adjusted and I was greatly enjoying this soup. It's clean and simple and a great way to use up leftover beans and celery that has lost its freshness. I adapted the recipe slightly and that is the version I have provided below.

Right I have appointment with a bowl of Chilli & Ginger Noodle Soup and an episode of Scandal. Achooooooooo! Urgh. 

Tuscan Bean and Celery Soup

Tuscan Bean and Celery Soup     Serves 4
(Recipe from A Vegan Taste of Italy/Majzilk)

1lb/450g cooked cannellini beans
8oz/225g celery, trimmed and sliced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
30 fl oz/900ml vegetable stock 
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the celery and onion for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until it is heated and fragrant. Add half of the beans and the veggie stock, parsley and bay leaf. Season with black pepper and stir well. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then remove the bay leaf and blend the soup until smooth. Return to the rinsed pan and add the remaining beans. Reheat, whilst stirring, over a low heat and then serve...

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Monday has been kind to you...lol 

~Red~ 

NB: This recipe is not mine and therefore I take no credit for it. It is the hard work and creation of Linda Majzlik and hers alone. ~R~


  

Mixed Bean Risotto

Rocket & Roses HQ Play List:

Nirvana ~ Unplugged in New York Album 

During a recent posting for Flageolet, Leek & Watercress Soup I mentioned a bean risotto that ML used to make for us. I promised that I would blog it very soon and Voila! here it is. However I was very confused because when I finally found the recipe it didn't contain flageolet beans at all but after asking ML about it, I am informed that flageolet were subbed for the broad beans back in the day. I wasn't the biggest fan of the things back then. Since realising I'd just had very badly,  skins still intact, cooked ones and I now love them so confusion over. And I can happily say that if broad beans aren't to your taste..flageolet work fantastically as a replacement...anyway...

About a month ago I finally managed to source some short grain brown rice and hastily bought a bag. To be honest I have never enjoyed white rice in it's many varying forms and have long been a devoted brown rice lover. I would cook it many ways but always the risotto dishes were missing for me. When ML made the risotto it was always with regular arborio and it always niggled me so when I walked out of the health food chain with my newly purchased rice I knew exactly what the first recipe it would be used in. lol. 

Now I had to adapt the recipe somewhat as I don't use wine in my cooking at the moment but I simply subbed that for more veggie stock. And I also had to use dried marjoram instead of fresh as it's quite hard to find where I live. Vegan parmesan and vegan margarine were also left out but the latter is an 'optional' ingredient anyway. 

I enjoyed making this risotto because I had my Mum here for a visit and we stood together skinning the broad beans and catching up with each other. We also took turns stood at the stove patiently stirring the pot. And as it got closer to the end of the cooking time I had a really mushy moment as I remembered how we used to do this a lot before she remarried. Not risotto but baking and the such...yep a warm and glowy memory moment for sure. lol. 

I know you don't get that pearlised white looking risotto that you do with arborio but I can live with that. The rice still held a little bite despite that softness, the beans beautifully complemented each other as Linda Majzlik planned and the herbs pulled it all together to make one extremely satisfying risotto. Borlotti beans are one of my favourite beans, I love to use them often and they work fantastically in this dish. 
 
The recipe is the work of Linda Majzlik from her A Vegan Taste Of Italy cookbook. My copy is covered with notes and thoughts..well to be honest all of my cookbooks are..lol. Well used and well loved... 

Mixed Bean Risotto with Short Grain Brown Rice

Mixed Bean Risotto    Serves 4
(Recipe from A Vegan Taste of Italy/Majzlik)

8oz/225g amborio rice (I used short grain brown rice)
8oz/225g green beans, topped and tailed and cut into small pieces
4oz/100g broad beans, skinned 
4oz/100g cooked Borlotti beans
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
black pepper 
1 dsp finely chopped fresh marjoram (I used 1 tsp dried)
4 fl oz/125ml white wine (I omitted this)
24fl oz/725ml hot veggie stock
1/2oz/15g vegan margarine - optional 
1 tbsp vegan parmesan (I omitted this)

Heat the oil in a large heavy based skillet and gently fry the onion and garlic until softened. Add the rice and fry for a further minute. Stir in the wine (or extra stock) and simmer gently until  absorbed, then add the beans, bay leaf and marjoram and stir well, then add the stock a little at a time, making sure the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Continue simmering until it has all been taken up, stirring frequently during cooking to prevent sticking. Season with black pepper ans stir in the margarine (if using) and vegan parmesan. Transfer to a warmed serving dish...

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Wednesday has been a peaceful one...

~Red~ 

NB: This recipe is not mine and therefore take no credit for it whatsoever. It is the hard work and creation of Linda Majzlik and hers alone. I thank her for such great cookbooks...~R~   

Fantasy Friday: Summer Lunch

Lounge Play List:

Beulah ~ Mabel & I Album

The view from my window today is gloomy and damp...and it makes me cross because it's Friday..that awesome day before the weekend comes and brings us family, fun and chaos. So I started to think..what would I do if I could do anything today? And came up with so many things it was a little bonkers..lol. And whilst I was sat smiling at the many options, I was reminded of a question asked of me by a reader last year. I answered her via email but decided that writing a blog posting about it could be quite fun..so Sally..this one is for you lovely.

Q: If you were hosting a fantasy lunch..who would you invite and what food would you serve?

So my lunch would be served on a bright sunny day..lol And it would be outside in the garden so we could all enjoy the sun and the fresh air. The picture I have in my head is something a little like this...

Nice setting, eh?

So my guest list would be a mix of loved ones and fantasy lunch guests lol. Well if we are going all out fantasy I'm taking full advantage of it..lol. To cater for the masses is not a big deal for me so my table would be set for 21 people..yes..21! And on the guest list would be:

Loved Ones                

My Love  ~ Co host              
Mum  ~ artist and lovely person                    
G  ~ wouldn't be a party without my sister       
Gr ~ lovely kid brother               
D ~ much loved pal and no party is complete without her
B ~ much loved pal ~ her smile and laughter are essential                           
Phil ~ the lovely man and friend                       
H ~ pen pal and how could I pass up the chance to meet her?                
V ~ pen pal's lovely hubby..would be great to meet him too!                    
A ~ much loved pal..                           

Fantasy Guests

Freddie Mercury ~ My choice..because it's Freddie!!
Lindsay Wagner ~ My choice..actress and excellent vegan.. 
Slash ~ My choice..Rock god..need I say more?
Emma Thompson ~ ML's choice...just because
Eddie Izzard ~ How could I not invite him?
Katherine Hepburn ~ ML's choice..who would wear a silly smile..lol
Stephen Fry ~ Choice of both..because it's Mr Fry..silly!
J.R.Ward ~ My choice ~ Author..So many questions for her..lol
Shakira ~ My choice ~ Singer/Songwriters/Human Rights/Goddess
Douglas Adams ~ ML's choice ~ author of sci fi books..apparently lol

Oh! and me...lol Always forget to put myself on the guest lists..ah well. In a very shaded part of the garden would be table laid out with fruit juices, waters and summer alcoholic beverages so as people arrived, they could just help themselves to drinks whilst I put the finishing touches to the meal.

When the food is at the final stages I would dispatch ML to ask the guests to take a seat at the table and everyone would be welcome to sit where they wanted..except Freddie and Lindsay..lol They would sit either side of me..lol Hey cooks privilege!..I always sit at the end of the table as I'm the one getting up and down so much..lol.

The music would be a sunny day play list played via my iPod...with songs and music that would help everyone feel relaxed and happy.

So to the food...for this lunch I would go for a Thai inspired menu..along the length of the table there would bowls of freshly made salads for everyone to help themselves to..but the starter would come in the form of a very light soup..

Beansprout & Lettuce Soup

This soup has a beautiful flavour and is light so it's the perfect start to a special lunch..the next course would consist of two parts..a Thai inspired salad and some Dipping Patties in Lettuce cups..for recipes for both...click here

Thai Peanut, Potato & Tofu Bites in Lettuce Cups
with Sweet Chilli & Garlic Dipping Sauce

Thai Broccoli, Red Pepper and Sesame Salad

When we first tried the patties we were stunned by how good they were..but as these recipes are all Linda Majzilk's from A Vegan Taste of Thailand..I have no idea why we were surprised..lol.

Thai Mixed Vegetable & Tofu Curry

And for those with hearty appetites there would be large bowls of the above curry passed around, to enjoy with steamed rice. For desserts there would fresh fruits and berries for those needing a sweet hit...and much later there would be some lemon cupcakes to enjoy..light and refreshing..as I know my Loved Ones guests would need a cupcake later in the day..lol

The afternoon would pass so quickly no doubt and I would hope to have talked with all the fantasy guests and hope everyone had had a great afternoon...

Who would be on your fantasy lunch party list? What food would you serve???

Thanks for stopping by and sharing in my Fantasy Friday: Summer Lunch...I hope your Friday is being very kind to you and I hope you have sunshine...

~R~

Thrifty Thursday ~ Spiced Sweet Potato with Mushroom & Coriander Cous Cous and Green Salad with Pistachio &Dressing

Kitchen Play List: Count Bassie ~ April in Paris..

From the left: Spiced Sweet Potatoes, Babyleaf Salad, Mushroom & Coriander Couscous. Squished in the middle is the salad dressing and a tbsp chopped unsalted pistachios

Goodness me..has comfort food been the food of choice around here lately. I feel my blog has been about pastry, suet and desserts! lol So I was determined that today I would be back to our normal eating habits. I wanted a Thrifty Thursday meal that had something spicy..something savoury..and lots of green! It also had to be cheap..taste good and also  nutritious. 

Today is World Aids Day - Aids and its awareness, has been very close to my heart for years..having friends living with this illness and having lost loved ones to it. So I have been quietly contemplating getting back involved to raise awareness..which is something I did in the past and it fueled my soul. I am lucky because I don't have this illness but I do believe you can never be too aware! 

This recipe selection came to be, when I was thinking about a friend of mine, who passed many years ago from an Aids related illness. She would drag me to this little restaurant and order a mushroom cous cous dish, spiced potato dish and a large house salad. She would devour every last spoonful, with a huge grin on her face...as it was the one meal she could eat that didn't seem to make her sick. I spent a lot of time at that restaurant getting take out for her. So as my Thrifty Thursday fell on World Aids Day it seemed fitting to make the meal that gave her great comfort right up until the end. She's gone but will never be forgotten...and she would get one heck of kick out of this blog posting! lol.

I knew the exact recipes I wanted to cook and turned to the wonderful cookbook by Linda Majzlik's..A Vegan Taste of North Africa 

Costings breakdown can be found at the end of the recipes below...

Spiced Sweet Potatoes

Spiced Sweet Potatoes Serves 4
(Recipe from A Vegan Taste of North Africa/Majzilk)

1 1/2lb/675g sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil or oil of choice
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 dsp lemon juice
6 fl oz/175ml water
black pepper
chopped fresh coriander

Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the onion until softened. Add the ginger, cumin and paprika and stir around for 30 seconds, then the potato, lemon juice and water and season with black pepper. Stir well and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until cooked. Serve garnished with chopped coriander. 

Mushroom and Coriander Cous Cous

Mushroom and Coriander Cous Cous Serves 4-6
(Recipe from A Vegan Taste of North Africa/Majzilk)

8oz/225g cous cous (GF alternative at the end of recipes ~R~)
6oz/175g mushrooms, wiped and finely chopped or sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil or oil of choice
2 rounded tbsp chopped fresh coriander
black pepper
16 floz/475g hot vegetable stock or water

Heat the oil or steam/saute and cook the mushrooms and garlic until the juices run from the mushrooms. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Stir well, cover and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Fluff up by stirring. Serve.

Green Salad with Pistachios Serves 4
(Recipe from A Vegan Taste of North Africa/Majzlik)

1 bowl of mixed salad leaves
1 very small garlic clove, crushed
2 dsp olive oil or oil of choice
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
pinch of cayenne - optional
black pepper
chopped pistachios

Mix the garlic with the oil, vinegar, lemon juice and cayenne pepper season with the black pepper and spoon over the leaves. Toss thoroughly and serve garnished with chopped pistachios. 

Thrifty Thursday Recipe Costs Breakdown

Items

Sweet Potatoes	1.04
Mushrooms	49p
Salad Leaves	1.00
Cous cous	28p
Fresh Coriander	20p
Onion	21p
Pistachios	20p
Oil	16p
Lemon juice	16p
Garlic	5p
Veggie Stock	5p
White Wine Vinegar	2p
Cumin	2p
Paprika	2p
Ground ginger	2p
Black pepper	2p
Total	£3.94

Yes..that's right just 98.5p per person...Not bad for that plateful eh? lol.

NB: For you GF Folks you could use Quinoa in sub for the cous cous...but obviously that will alter the costings quite a bit. Well for the UK folks anyway as Quinoa is more expensive than gold!  

Save those pennies folks!
~R~

Never forget....Worlds Aids Day 2011

For all those fighting the battle and for those who were strong and valiant but fell! ~R~
x 

Aubergine with Borlotti Beans

Kitchen Play List: Audioslave ~ Out of Exile Album

I am always looking for new and interesting ways to cook aubergines. Why? Well my like of them only goes so far. I can enjoy them in things as long as the pieces are quite small. Or cooked like my old friend Michael used to cook it, as per his very Italian mama had taught him. However that was back in the days when I could still eat dairy..Gosh that seems like a whole other lifetime now. lol. I would pretty much do anything for his Mama's Eggplant Parmesan..in fact it was the first meal with aubergine in it that I had ever eaten and hoped for seconds! Thank goodness for that lovely Italian/American friend with his pushy ways. lol. His husband agreed wholly with that sentiment. lol. 

So I started to experiment with the purple loveliness. And I've made some disasters let me tell you. lol. But it is purely personal disasters as My Love sat there quite happily eating the dishes whilst I sat watching, picking at it and devouring my side veggies. I really don't like aubergine that is 'woody' or tough. It has to be cooked until it's very soft and succulent. I have tried many stuffed aubergine recipes and I experience an almost phobic horror if the skins aren't tender. So you could say it's a constant battle...lol. 

It helped when I discovered Linda Majzlik's cookbook series. I have tried almost all of the aubergine recipes that she included in the books. And there have only been 4 that I didn't like but once again My Love ate happily...although I was told that they were "'..Very auberginey!" lol. This recipe is one that I love..the aubergine I cut into small dice and I've adapted it very slightly over the years. I usually make a double batch...but use 12oz aubergine and 12oz courgette and sometimes I included some bite size pieces of cauliflower. I make the double batch because this keeps well in the fridge as leftovers for those nights when cooking is the last thing either of us want to do (Yeah..OK...that's not that often for me..lol But I am human lol) or I freeze half, as it defrosts and reheats well. The recipe below is how I make it so it will make a good pan full. You can find the original recipe in Linda Majzlik's A Vegan Taste of the Middle East

Aubergine, Courgette, Cauliflower and Borlotti Beans

Aubergine with Borlotti Beans Makes 8 servings
(Recipe adapted from A Vegan Taste of the Middle East/Majzlik)

12oz/350g aubergine, trimmed and finely diced
12oz/350g courgette, trimmed and finely diced
1 14oz tin of borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated  
2 tbsp Rotina Healthy cooking oil or oil of choice
12oz/350g fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 tbsp water
2 dsp tomato paste
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
black pepper to season
2 bayleaves
2 dsp lemon juice
fresh basil leaves to garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onions and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the aubergine and courgettes and stir well to combine. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

In a bowl combine the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, thyme, cayenne, bayleaves and water and stir well to combine. Set to one side. 

Toss the cauliflower bites in at this stage if you are using them. Then add the tomato mix into the pan, season well with black pepper and stir well. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and cover, cooking for 15minutes. Stirring frequently to prevent sticking. 

Add the beans and the lemon juice and re-season to taste. Continue simmering for a few minutes longer. Then transfer to a warm serving bowl and garnish with the basil leaves. 

Enjoy! And once again a big thank you to Linda Majzlik! 
~R~