Black Bean chili; Mushroom & cream cheese "pate"; Yam and Carrot soup; Asian style pasta salad with lentils; Whole wheat sour dough breads; Spaghetti Squash Gratin; Cornmeal and cheese polenta; Photos of prep for tomrrow's Vegan-Vegetarian deliveries.

From my garden this morning

The black bean chili with yams and thickened with cornmeal

Cornmeal polenta with cheese and thyme

Previous 2 the sauteed mushroom and garlic "pate" with cream cheese and Monterey Jack, will be served with whole wheat toast

previous 3 the whole wheat sourdough breads

Previous 2 the Spaghetti Squash Gratins

Asian style Pasta salad with cauliflower, bell peppers, onions, garlic, ginger, cilantro, lemongrass, white squash,celery onions and carrots, cooked lentils will be served with wholewheat pasta (see below)

Velvety smooth, all vegan carrot & yam soup

FRESH (ALMOST ALL) FRUIT COFFEE CAKE!! EASY AND WONDERFUL RECIPE

I was born in the North West of England in a cotton town (chosen for weaving and spinning as the water is soft), called Chorley, in  Lancashire, and, when we had "pudding" at home, (dessert) it was steamed or baked and served with hot piping custard (milk, sugar, vanilla and cornstarch).
Because of this I really cannot stand dry cakes/puddings/cookies.
These desserts are now called nursery or comfort dishes, I prefer to call them Delicious Puddings.

This recipe, I have just reworked this weekend (although it began in Switzerland over 300yrs ago as an apple cake).
  Because of the absolutely horrendous heatwaves we have been having in Los Angeles,  a lot of fresh fruit has been ripening too fast for me to use, so I have added 3 times the fruit in the recipe, cut the sugar and also used wholewheat flour.
The result is a wonderful, dense and tasty cake.
Best served the day after it's made and if your day time temps are above 75F then do keep it refrigerated.

Also let's work on bringing back Coffee Mornings..far more civilized than drinking coffee in paper cups.
This is a perfect recipe for using any mix of over ripe fruit (apples, bananas, mamey fruit, ripe avocado can be used, pears, peaches, plums, & etc. and you may also use cooked and cooled mashed yams or carrots)

Very Ripe Mamey Fruit

They are scooped out like avocado

My chunky apple sauce also inc. papaya and peach

makes 8-10 slices


 well grease a 13 x 9 x 2inch oven  proof dish

Preheat oven 350F middle shelf

1 cup unsalted butter or vegetable shortening
2 cups packed brown sugar ( if using white sugar then reduce the amount to 1 1/4 cups)
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups mashed very ripe fruit and apple sauce
1 cup sliced/chopped ripe fruit for topping
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla/almond extract
1/2 tsp sea salt (if using reg salt reduce amount to 1/4 tsp)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon (plus 2 tsp optional  ground cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cardamon)
2 tbsp  brown sugar for sprinkling on surface



method:

Cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy then beat in the eggs one at a time.

Add the mashed fruit and beat to combine.
Add the vanilla extract and continue mixing as you add the flours and baking soda & baking powder, salt.
Mix well &  fold in the spices.

Pour into the greased pan,  (the batter will be soft and my curdle when the eggs are added but it will bake well) smooth the surface and top with sliced/chopped ripe fruit and the 2 tbsp sugar (you may add extra ground cinnamon if you like) and place on a lined cookie sheet and bake 45 mins at 350F and 20-30 mins at 300f or until top is firm to touch, it may seem a bit soft but will firm up as it cools.
It will rise when baking and deflate somewhat as it cools down, which makes it more moist and delicious
The top will be golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool in pan on wire rack.
Chill or cool overnight and cut and serve the next day..this is great with just a  hot cup of coffee/tea or with custard or pouring cream.

I CAN NEVER MAKE ENOUGH OF THESE CAKES FOR MY AMERICAN CLIENTS.

it also contains lots of vitamins and minerals from the fresh fruit/vegetables and is high fiber, so it is a HEALTHY INDULGENCE.

Variation: you may add any chopped nuts to the batter, but really why bother..this is perfection without.

Avocado-asparagus soup ( great warm or cold); Asian eggplant and pasta bake; Vegetable and cheese 'strudels"; Grilled vegetables; Caramelized apples, papaya and peach; Asian SF with tofu, pinto beans and green beans..photos of prep for tomorrow's Vegan-Vegetarian menu

Previous 2 ..own grown vegetables are now featuring on all my menus

Fresh tomato and bell pepper sauce for the bakes

caramelized fruit for plain yogurt

All Vegan, avocado-asparagus soup, served warm or cold and finished with lemon juice

The Vegetable "strudels"

All own grown vegetables/herbs for the pasta bake

Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce, then layer with more sauce and cheese

Drizzle with walnut oil and more cheese and bake

Asian Style SF with red cabbage, 2 beans and tofu

Grilled Vegetables..partially cooked as client will cook more at their home before serving, finished with lemon juice

Here in Los Angeles, we are in the grip of another heatwave and the effects of Hurricane Linda, (now spinning off the west Mexican coast)so we are having extreme hot temps, high humidity and flash floods in low deserts.
I am now working through the night and early morning when it is cooler, picking my vegetables either at sundown or early morning..nothing gets fresher than this.

Hope you enjoy the photographs, I am also making a potato salad with chipotle peppers, lemon juice, walnut oil, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro.
John Nigel