Creamy Parmesan Orzo with Chicken and Asparagus

This creamy chicken orzo with asparagus is a cheesy, velvety one-pot dish that is comfort food at its best. It has tender chicken and orzo smothered in a creamy Parmesan sauce and you can have it on the table in 30 minutes!

Creamy chicken orzo is a homey and comforting one-pot recipe that is super easy to make and taste like a real treat. It is a perfect dish to make on those days when you don't feel like cooking something complicated but still want to tuck into a bowl of deliciousness.

Orzo may look like rice but it's actually pasta. This means that even though this chicken and asparagus orzo dish looks a bit like risotto, it's much quicker to make. I personally love it with some double cream and lots of freshly grated parmesan.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 chicken breast
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup asparagus, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups orzo, uncooked
• 2 cups single cream
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp parsley

Method:

Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika on both sides.

In a large skillets heat 2 tbsp olive oil over  medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for about 5 minutes oer side or until golden brown and cooked through. Depending on the thickness of your chicken, you might need longer time. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate, set aside.

In the same skillet, add the asparagus and sauté for about 3 minutes , just until it starts to soften ad starts to brown a bit. Transfer to a plate; set aside.

In the same skillet, add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes until the onions is translucent and the garlic becomes aromatic. Add more olive oil if needed.

Add the orzo to the skillet and sauté for just one minute, to get it a little toasted, this will give it a nutty flavour. Add the single cream, chicken stock and stir.

Bring to boil, then turn the heat down to a medium-low, cover with lid and let it cook for 10 minutes.#

Remove the lid and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.#

Add the asparagus back and stir it in. Slice the chicken into thin slices. You can either add it to the skillet or stir it in.

Garnish with more Parmesan cheese if preferred, and parsley.

Serve warm.

Pumpkin Spiced Latte Cake

Pumpkin, spice and coffee come together tastefully in this flavourful Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake with a very soft and moist pumpkin cake soaked in espresso syrup and topped with a creamy espresso buttercream frosting. This is a simple one layer cake that packs a big punch of flavour! It shows off all the cosy flavours that we love about Autumn.

Ingredients:

• 100ml vegetable oil, plus some for greasing
• 425g pumpkin puree, either in tin or freshly steamed pumpkin & blended finely
• 2 large eggs
• 100ml strong brewed coffee
• 125rg caster sugar
• 125g light brown soft sugar
• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger

For the coffee syrup:

• 50ml strong brewed coffee
• 50g caster sugar

For the icing:

• 50g icing sugar
• 100g full fat soft cheese
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 200ml double cream
• ground cinnamon for dusting

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the oil, pumpkin puree, eggs, coffee and sugars.

Using another bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones, then mix until smooth batter forms, with no large lump of flour remaining. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin while you make the syrup.

To make the coffee syrup: Stir the coffee and sugar for the syrup together in a small saucepan and warm over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. When you can no longer see any crystals, turn the heat up and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick and syrupy. As the cake cools, brush the top with some warm syrup, then allow the remaining syrup to cool completely.

To make the icing: Whisk together the icing sugar, soft cheese and vanilla using a whisk until smooth. Add the cream in a steady stream, whisking continuously until the icing is thick and billowy. Pile  up onto the top of the cooled cake and dust with cinnamon. Drizzle with the remaining coffee syrup, then serve, preferably with steaming a mugs of coffee.

 

Banana Butter Cake

I had a bunch of bananas that was overripe. I know there are many ways to turn bananas into delicious treats. But I really enjoy most when mashed into a rich and moist banana butter cake. This Asian-style banana butter cake is moist, buttery and rich with banana flavour. Easy and fuss-free recipe that uses everyday pantry ingredients, this banana  cakes bakes beautifully and always turns out!

Ingredients

• 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 360g)
• 250g plain flour
• 226g butter, softened
• 200g granulated sugar
• 100g brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 120ml whole milk
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 60g walnuts or pecan nuts, chopped (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 175ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. Grease a 9 inch round pan and line with baking paper.

Cream the softened butter with granulated sugar and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and mashed bananas until fully combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the banana mixture, alternating with milk. Mix until smooth and no dry streaks remain. If using nuts, fold them in last.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Indonesian Prawn Curry

 Indonesian Prawn Curry does not refer to the origin of the seafood but rather the taste. This is a very popular dish in Malaysia which I am eager to recreate in my kitchen in UK.

Ingredients:

• 600g prawns, with shells on and legs trimmed. However you can also use peeled raw prawns
• 1 medium size onion, cut into wedges
• 5-8 shallots
• 3 garlic
• 2 red chillies
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 3 buah keras (candlenuts in English)
• 1 tsp belacan 
• 1 tbsp Meat Curry Powder
• 2 lemongrass, white part only, bruised
• 2 stalks curry leaves, removed the stalk
• 200ml evaporated milk or coconut milk
• sugar, to taste
• 150ml water
• 3 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

Blend shallots, garlic, chillies, turmeric, buah keras, and belacan together in a food processor until they become a fine paste. This is the rempah or spice mixture.

Heat wok or claypot with the 1 tbsp cooking oil and toss in the onion wedges until some parts are browned and onions are translucent yet retain crunchiness. Set aside for later use.

Add 2 tbsp oil and fry the spice mixture and lemongrass until glistening and fragrant over medium heat. Add curry powder and half the curry leaves and fry until oil surfaces.

Add the 150ml water and turn up the heat to bring to a fast boil then lower heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Season with chicken stock (if use) and salt to taste.

Turn up the heat and bring gravy to a rolling boil before adding the prawns, boil until prawns are almost cooked through. 

Reduce heat before adding evaporated milk (to prevent curdling) to the gravy consistency you like. taste and adjust final seasoning.

Add the fried onion wedges and curry leaves and give it a quick stir. Turn off heat and serve with steamed rice.

                                                  

Sourdough Carrot Cake Bread

This carrot flavoured sourdough bread recipe is packed with freshly grated carrots, raisins and chopped walnuts. It is sweetened with brown sugar, golden syrup and cinnamon  and it the perfect spring dessert loaf!!. If you are looking for a fun carrot bread recipe, this it is! 

Found this recipe by https://www.pantrymama.com 

Ingredients:

Bread Dough:

• 100g active sourdough starter
• 350g water
• 40g golden syrup
• 500g bread flour
• 10g salt

Added during stretch and folds:

• 100g raisins
• 70g walnuts, chopped (or pecan)
• 100g carrots ( raw, grated)

Added during shaping:

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp ginger
• 40g brown sugar
• 20g plain flour

Method:

Premix & Autolyse:

Weigh out the active starter, water and golden syrup in a mixing bowl. Mix them together so that the golden syrup is dissolved in the water.

Then add the bread flour and salt and mix together with a spatula. The dough will be fairly shaggy and only just brought together.

Cover the bowl with a cling film and let it sit for an hour

Forming up the dough:

Work your way around the bowl, grabbing the dough from outside, stretching it up and over itself until a smooth ball is formed. You shouldn't need more than about 20-25 folds to form a ball.

Once the dough has formed into a smooth ball, pop the cling film back on and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch & fold-Creating structure:

You need to add the raisins, chopped walnuts and shredded carrot to your dough during the stretch and fold phase. It is very easy to do!.

Try to add them around the second or third set of stretch and folds. So do your first set of stretch and folds with the dough as it is and then add the inclusions on the second or third set depending on how your dough is behaving.

Try to do around 4-5 sets of stretch & folds with around 30 mins between each set.

Bulk ferment:

Once you have finished your stretch & folds, place the cling film back over your dough and let it rest and bulk ferment at room temperature. This can happen quite quickly with golden syrup in the dough and all the inclusions, so keep an eye on the dough.

While your dough is fermenting, take a small bowl and mix the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, brown sugar and plain flour together. Set this aside until you are ready to shape the dough.

Shaping the dough:

 

Once the dough has finished it's first ferment, it is time to give it some shape and surface tension and add the spices that you have kept aside.

Stretch the dough out into a rough rectangle and sprinkle over a generous amount of the spice mixture. Fold the top down and sprinkle on some more. Fold the sides in, sprinkle some more. It is really up to you as how much of the mixture you want to use.

Roll up the dough like a burrito and pull it towards you to create some surface tension and ensure all of those spices are tucked  up inside.

Place the shaped dough into your banneton with the seam side up. Stitch the base together if you need to.

Cold ferment:

Now your dough is in it's shaping container, cover it loosely with a plastic bag and place into the fridge to cold ferment.

Try to leave it in the fridge for a minimum of 5 hours. Don't leave the dough too long as the carrot can cause moisture issues.

Preparing to bake the dough:

Once you are ready to bake, you need to preheat the oven to 220ºC.

Place your Dutch oven into the oven when you turn it on so it gets hot. Try to preheat for around 30 minutes.

Baking your sourdough:

Now it is time to bake!

Take the sourdough out the fridge. Gently place it onto a piece of baking paper.

Gently score your bread.

Carefully take your Dutch oven out of the oven. Place the sourdough into the pot using the baking paper as a handle. Add 3-4 cubes of ice around the bread. Place the ice outside the baking paper. This will create some moist to the bread. Put the lid on and place into the hot oven.

Bake time:

30 minutes with the lid on

25 minutes with the lid off

When you remove the dough from the oven, carefully remove it from the Dutch oven as soon as possible and place on a wire rack to cool before slicing.

Easy Lemon Cobbler

There are so many reasons why I love this cobbler. This lemon version feels effortlessly special while staying wonderfully flexible. You can grab store-bought lemon curd for convenience or use homemade if you have some waiting in the fridge. The best part is how quickly it comes together, which makes it the perfect last-minute dessert that pairs beautifully with vanilla ice cream or a fluffy dollop of whipped cream. Every bites bursts with vibrant lemon flavour-the kind that keeps you coming back no matter the season.

Ingredients:

• 113g butter
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract or lemon zest
• 22 ounces lemon curd

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350F

Add the butter to a 7x12 inch or 9x9 inch baking pan. Place it in the oven to melt.

In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, milk, vanilla and lemon zest. Do not overmix it.

Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter in the baking dish. Do not stir.

Next, pour or spoon the lemon curd over the batter as evenly as possible. Do not stir.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 50-55 minutes. The top crust should be golden brown. The centre of the cobbler may look a little "jiggly" but the crust should be brown and cooked.

This is great served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Apple Crumble Cake

There is something utterly comforting about a warm slice of apple crumble cake-soft,cinnamon-spiced sponge, tart apple and a crackly buttery crumble 

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 95g plain flour
• 50g granulated sugar
• 1tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ¼ cup + 2tbsp milk
• ¾ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup + 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 medium apples, washed, peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

For the topping:

• 75g packed light brown sugar
• 65g granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 115g butter, melted and cooled
• 190g plain flour

Method:

Grease and flour an 8" round springform. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 190º/180ºC for fan assist oven. 

To make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together both sugars, cinnamon, salt and flour. Add melted butter and fluff with fork until mixtures creates crumbs. Set aside.

To make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a large measuring cup, mix together milk, vanilla, oil and egg. Whisk until smooth.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. Do not over mix. Few lumps in the batter are okay.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.

In a medium bowl, toss together apple slices with 2 tablespoons of sugar, ½ tsp of cinnamon and the apple cider vinegar. Set aside.

Arrange apple slices over the batter. 

Sprinkle crumb topping over the apples covering completely.

Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

Let cool the cake completely in the pan.

Transfer onto a serving plate or stand. Slice and serve.

Keep in a covered container for up to 4-5 days

Pickled Cherry Tomatoes

Pickled cherry tomatoes are quick to make and ready in a few minutes. Very flavourful and topping for sandwiches, salads or pizzas. This recipe for preserving cherry tomatoes is very easy, you can fix it in no time and enjoy it. My cherry tomato plants produce lots of tomatoes this year and what can be better than pickling these tomatoes, which you won't stop snacking on!

The flavour of these pickled cherry tomatoes is delightful when the tomatoes are marinated for some time. Ideally, refrigerated the tomatoes for at least 2 days to get the best flavours.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green chili, sliced
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• fresh basil, chopped
• fresh coriander, chopped
• freshly grind black pepper, to taste

Method:

Wash and dry the tomatoes. 

Quarter the cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced the onion.

With a garlic press, smash the garlic or finely chopped the garlic on a chopping board.

In a bowl, add tomatoes with juices, onions, garlic, olive oil balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, green chili, sugar, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, basil and cilantro.

Mix well and keep aside for 1-2 hours until the flavours are released.

Pour this in a glass jar, close the lid and refrigerate. Keep refrigerated for at least 2 days before enjoying the pickled tomatoes.

Enjoy by adding to salad, topping of pita bread or make a bruschetta or crostini

 

Vegan Beetroot Bourguignon

The Beef Bourguignon is made of beef and bacon, so not the most appropriate dish for vegans or vegetarians. But I reckoned that there must be a way to transform that rich, wine oozing hot pot into something more in my taste. After a few experiments and research, it turns out that I was only one letter away! I turned beef to beet.!!! I also added large chunks of mushrooms to give the stew the right texture and flavour.

So what is the results??? Simply fantastic, if I may say so. It has got those deep and rich thyme and wine flavours, different sort of textures and a hint of sweetness. 

Ingredients:

• 6-8 small beetroot, peeled and halved if small or quartered if larger
• 1 onions, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 3 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tin green lentils, drained
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 120ml red wine
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 300g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• some fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• some crusty or sourdough bread to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200ºC or 180ºC for fan assist oven. 

Put the beetroot wedges in a roasting tray with 1 tbsp oil, fennel seeds and some seasoning. Toss to coat, then roast for 30 minutes, shaking halfway or until golden and starting to caramelise. Reduce the oven to 170ºC or 150ºC for fan assist oven.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a lidded ovenproof casserole dish over a medium heat and fry the onion, carrots, thyme and celery for 10 minutes or until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and tomatoes purees and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour in the red wine and vinegar, and allow to bubble and reduce for 3 minutes. Add the lentils, stock and roasted beetroot, and bring everything to a simmer.

Cover, then transfer to the oven for 35 minutes, stirring halfway, until the beetroot is tender and the sauce has thickened. Scatter the chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread or mashed potatoes

 

Asam Pedas Ayam (Spicy Tamarind Chicken) Curry

Asam Pedas or spicy tamarind gravy is one of the favourite dishes mong the Malays in Singapore and Malaysia. A dish so understated and yet complex in its taste. Like most other Malay and Asian dishes , it's the trick of getting the balance of flavours right which is the hardest skill to master. 

The versatility of this dish definitely gets my vote. A minor tweak to the recipe and you can add fish or prawns instead of chicken. The spicy gravy is highly addictive. Before you know it, you will be slurping it like soup!! Paired with warm white rice and have the perfect marriage. In this household, we waste none of it, leftover gravy will be savoured with warm Indian roti the next morning.

Ingredients:

To blend fine:

• 1 medium red onions, roughly chopped
• 10-20 dried chillies, de-seeded & soak in hot water for 10 minutes (depends on the heat you referred)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• ½ tbsp turmeric powder
• ½ tbsp shrimp paste
• ½ tbsp whole black pepper

Others ingredients:

• 800-1000g chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces or you can use chicken on bone
• ½ cup cooking oil
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 lemongrass, bruised
• 2 tomatoes, quartered
• 2-3 kaffir lime leaves
• ½ cup tamarind juice
• 1 wild ginger flower, optional
• 1 aubergine, quartered
• 6 okra, half (optional)
• 500ml water
• 1 tbsp kerisik*
• handful of daun kesum (Vietnamese mint), optional
• salt & sugar to taste

Method:

De-seeded the chillies and soak the chillies in hot water while you prepared the rest of the ingredients.

To get the tamarind juice, mix 1 tbsp tamarind paste with ½ cup water and mix it well and soak for 10-15 minutes. As the tamarind soak, the water gets darker. Use your finger & mix the tamarind with the water to squeeze all the goodness from the tamarind. Set aside while you preparing the rest of the ingredients.

In  a blender put together the onion, garlic, shrimp paste, black pepper, ginger and dried chillies. Blend into a fine paste with some water.

Heat up the oil in a medium pot big enough to fit the chicken. Add in the fenugreek seeds.

Add in the chilli paste on medium heat and fry until fragrant, cooked through and it has begun to dry up but be careful not to burn it. Add the bruised lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and the chicken pieces. Continue cooking until the spices nearly dried up and the chicken is half cook. 

Add in the tamarind juice, aubergine, tomatoes, Vietnamese mint and wild ginger flower. Mix well and simmer until the chicken is cook and tender and the vegetables is soft. Add some water in between if it looks too dry. Then add in the kerisik.

Add in sugar & salt to taste. At this point you can add a bit more water if you like more gravy for the curry. Also add in the okra. Cooked until the okra is soft.

Serve immediately. 

Jemput makan!!!

 Notes:

• When adding water, make sure is not too watery, The gravy should be nice & thick not soupy.
• Lessen the chillies if you wish for something milder
• Kerisik is a condiment made of grated coconut which us toasted. It is a secret to the nutty caramelized flavour of a curry. If you can't find fresh coconut, you can replaced with desiccated coconut. Toast the coconut on a medium heat until deep golden brown but not burnt.  Once ready add the toasted coconut to a pestle and mortar. Pound until the oils are released and a paste form. Alternatively, you can add this to a food processor. Once you have a dark paste, the kerisik is ready to use

Kerala Chicken Curry

This Kerala Chicken curry with coconut milk is simply delicious, bursting with flavours of authentic Kerala cuisine. It's got robust, rustic flavours of pepper, fennel, coconut, chillies and curry leaves. Serve with rice, roti, appam or pilau-it goes perfect with everything! 

Ingredients:

To marinate the chicken

• 500g chicken breast (bone-in cut chicken preferred), cut into bite size pieces
•  ¼ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder

For the curry:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 large onion, sliced or diced finely
• ½ tsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp grated garlic
• ½ cup chopped tomatoes, optional
• ¾ cup coconut milk

For Garam Masala:

• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tbsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder

Tempering:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 dried red chili, break and remove seeds
• 2 shallots, sliced thinly
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Method:

Marinate the chicken with chili powder, salt, pepper, turmeric and garam masala. Set aside while you are preparing the rest.

Add 3 tbsp of water to the Garam Masala spice, mix well into a paste and set aside

Heat the coconut oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté until they turn golden. Add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté for another minute. Add in the tomatoes if using and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add in the marinated chicken and sauté on a medium heat for another 5 minutes. Stir in the Garam Masala spice paste. Cover and cook on a low heat until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. If the pan is too dry, add ¼ cup of hot water.

Pour in the coconut milk, stir well and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is slightly thick.

Taste taste to add more salt or pepper.

In another small pan, heat the coconut oil and fry the shallots until it turns soft. Add curry leaved and dried red chili. When the curry leaves turn crisp, remove and pour this over the Kerala Chicken Curry.

Serve hot.

 

"Marry Me" Butter Beans

These Marry Me Butter Beans-creamy sun-dried tomato beans are the perfect quick, easy and flavour-packed summer dinner. This dish is ready in just 30 minutes, can be made one pot, and is delicious served with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.

Ingredients:

• 30g vegan butter
• 1 medium size onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• 1 canned butter beans (do not strain the liquid)
• 2 tbsp coconut cream
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Finely diced the onion, chop the sun-dried tomatoes and mince the garlic.

Next add the vegan  butter to a large pot and melt over medium heat.

Once the butter is melted and sizzling, add in the onion and garlic/ Stir together and sauté for about 2-3 minutes.

Next add in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried thyme and chili flakes. Stir and sauté with the onion and garlic for another minute until combined.

Add the can of butter beans to the pan including the liquid. This makes the beans really creamy, so do not strain them. Then add in the coconut cream, nutritional yeast and lemon juice.

Stir together and bring the beans to a simmer. once simmer, cook for about 5 minutes to reduce some liquid and cook the beans.

Once the sauce has thickened, add in the fresh basil and season with salt & pepper to your liking.

Serve while warm with a big slice of toasted sourdough bread.

Enjoy!!!

 

Rhubarb Crumble Traybake Cake

Rhubarb Crumble Traybake Cake are a tray bake version of a classic British dessert. This moist cake is the perfect combination of tart rhubarb, buttery sponge and crunchy crumble topping.

Rhubarb is a leafy green plant with pink stalks popular in the UK. The leaves are inedible as they are poisonous so only the stalks are used. Technically rhubarb is a vegetable but it is largely considered a fruit because it is usually used in desserts and cooked with sugar

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 150g butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 200g self raising flour
• 2 tbsp milk
• 300g rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into 2cm pieces

For the crumble topping:

• 75g plain flour
• 50g brown sugar
• 50g cold butter, cubed

Method:

Preheat oven to 180ºC or 160ºC for fan assist oven. Grease and line a 20cm x 30xm rectangular baking pan with baking paper.

For the cake batter: Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Fold in the self raising flour, then stir in the milk to loosen the batter

Add the chopped rhubarb. Gently fold the chopped rhubarb into the cake batter and pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.

For the crumble topping: In a bowl, rub the cold butter into the plain flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the brown sugar.

Scatter the crumble mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter.

Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the crumble is golden and crisp.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice into squares and serve as is or with a dollop of cream or custard.

Vegetable Orzo Soup

This comforting vegetable orzo soup recipe is incredibly simple, nourishing and ready in about 30 minutes. It is packed with fresh vegetables, orzo and herbs, making this a hearty, cosy soup perfect for any time of the year.

Whenever colder days roll in, I like to make my family a comforting vegetables soup to keep us nourished and healthy for the inevitable winter illness. I love the simplicity of one-pot soups. Plus, they are easy to adjust depending on what ingredients I have in the refrigerator.

Then I like to add a protein, typically a can of white beans or chickpeas, along with gentle yet delicious herbs, including fresh parsley and dried herbs.

 Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 3-5 shallots, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 5-6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• ½ tbsp dried basil
• ½ tbsp dried oregano
• ½ tbsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp red chilli flakes
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 tin white beans of your choice, drained and rinsed (or frozen peas)
• 1 handful spinach or chopped kale
• salt to taste
• juice of 1 lemon
• fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add in the minced shallots and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes until they are soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, diced carrots and diced celery, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Add the orzo pasta to the pot, stirring to coat it with the vegetable oil and aromatics. Toast the orzo for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Pour in the vegetables stock and the tomatoes. Stir well to combine. Add the dried basil, oregano, thyme and red chilli flakes. Stir and bring the soup to a boil, stirring occasionally to ensure that the orzo does not stick to the bottom before it can absorb the liquid.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, add the frozen peas, if using and then stir. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking at the bottom.

Stir in the drained and rinsed beans. Add the chopped baby spinach or kale and let the soup cook for 5 minutes until the greens wilt.

Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and stir well. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot with some crusty bread or a side salad.

Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake

This easy recipe for Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake makes a delicious lemony cake that can be enjoyed for breakfast or served with ice cream for a light dessert.

This Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake is moist, full of lemony goodness and very easy to make. The shape of a Bundt cake is so pretty, that very little decoration is required. Before serving, dust the top with a little icing sugar, and the simplicity was perfect. 

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp lemon zest
• 360g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 250g granulated sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk

Method:

Preheat oven to 175ºC/160ºC for fan assist oven. Spray a 10 inch Bundt pan with baking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and zest.

In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

In a large bowl, add lemon mixture, sugar, oil and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat until well-blended. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour into prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in a pan for 10 minutes before inverting to a wire rack to cool completely.