Yam & millet "burgers", Italian Lentils with tempeh, rosemary and green breads, Vegan Banana-walnut brownies..PHOTOS

The menu for Monday is a light and luscious "affair" with most of the dishes hailing from Europe

The soups are:
A great cauliflower and watercress blended soup with potatoes and coconut cream, lots of watercress and fresh parsley

A light mushroom & yam soup with thyme

Side view of mushroom & yam soup

above and below shots of the cauliflower & watercress soup

The mushroom-yam soup

The entrees:
A great packed Spanish Style stew with tomatoes, onions, garlic,  sherry, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, yams, green beans, peas, celery, served with chopped parsley and steamed red rice

The Spanish Style stew

Sweet potato(yam) and millet "burgers"..this is a great mix I have also added shredded parsnips, onions, garlic, cilantro, Moroccan spices ( cinnamon, thyme,  coriander, turmeric, cloves, cardamom) a mild curry powder, and cooked tempeh.
Tomorrow they will be formed in patties and powdered with chickpea flour to give even crust and baked at client's home, served with pita breads and a jicama, mango, apple salad.

cooking the yams with the millet

The millet and yam "burger" mix

"Italian" Style lentils with fennel seeds, celery, tomatoes, thyme,  onions, garlic, and cooked tempeh to be served on whole wheat pasta at the client's home..very high protein and very tasty.
It resembles a  ground chicken bolognaise sauce

The cooked lentils added to the mix..it looks and tastes delicious

The chosen side is collard greens with shredded carrots and zucchini

The desserts:
A  fig, raspberry &  pineapple crumble

Vegan Banana-walnut chocolate brownies made without eggs, these are goooey and very very good

The bread is sour dough, whole wheat, greens & rosemary.

base for the brownies

egg-free, high fiber, banana-walnut, triple chocolate brownies

Steamed "Sacred" Red Rice..this  has a nutty flavor similar to steamed kasha

 

Green mango chopped salad, Roasted vegetables, Warm Salad of roasted potatoes & sauteed fennel with dried tomato olive oil dressing

Today is delivery day...we were promised a big rain storm starting today but it has "got lost" on it's way down from Alaska so today will be mid 70f's again..now my deliveries can be made in good weather once again.
Most of the info on these dishes in on yesterdays blog..this is mainly photos of the fabulous dishes using just vegetables & fruits..enjoy:

Green mango and apple chopped salad..dressed with lime juice and olive oil, for the koftas, with chutney

Cumin cooked chickpeas for the Potato-fennel roasted warm salad

Cucumber-dill salad for the Roast Potato-Fennel warm salad, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil

Chickpea Koftas, with cilantro & garlic..drizzle with oil and bake for 20 mins in 400f oven Serve with Mango salad and chutney

Kofka mix, cooked chickpeas, bulgur wheat and herbs and spices..totally vegan

Previous 2 the roasted Potato-Fennel, warm salad bases to be heated at client's home

Roasted Nightshade Vegetables, with fennel and potatoes  topped with fresh parsley & basil and balsamic glaze for topping pasta

Sauteed fennel bulb with dried tomato, parsley and cider vinegar-olive oil dressing for the warm  salad

Sweet potato pies, Whole wheat Hot Cross Buns, Cashew cookies & soups

The late, H.R.H. Diana, Princess of Wales used to love dining in a particular restaurant in London, which allowed diners to choose 3 of any item..3 soups, 2 soups and 1 dessert, 2 desserts 1 entree, 1 appetizer and 2 desserts, & etc...my clients this week are doing the same with my menu.
Lots of soups and desserts and just 3 entrees!

The choices are:

A roasted tomato soup with butternut squash and Melon seed shaped pasta

A SPICY green bean "gumbo" with File, tomatoes and sweetcorn ( no bell peppers as they are allergic to them)

A coconut creamed cauliflower soup with  carrots and parsnips

The entrees:
A warm pasta salad with grilled eggplant, zucchini, red onion and tomatoes

Chickpea koftas,( patties baked at client's home) also contain bulgur wheat with a green mango chopped salad and home made chutney

Roasted potatoes with fennel bulb, and chickpeas with a dried tomato dressing and cucumber salad

Desserts:
Whole Wheat sweet potato Amish style pie

Oatmeal cashew and flax seed cookies

Wholewheat Hot Cross Buns 

I deliberately left the yams chunky to add texture to the custard in the pies

Own grown  bean sprouts

BRITISH Wholewheat Hot Cross Buns... Traditionally for GOOD FRIDAY .....RECIPE

Made this afternoon, Just out of the oven & brushed with simple syrup

I am baking some batches of these to  freeze and deliver to Palm Springs at the end of the month...though it would be an ideal time to post the recipe again so you can prepare your candied fruit and maybe try this recipe out before GOOD FRIDAY.

OK!!!! I admit it... I love these...and you can't get enough good recipes, ...here is another from the North of England, and they are healthy whole wheat and brown sugar, I just made double the recipe = 24 buns

You may also use this recipe to make larger loaves, just bake at 375F for 30-40 mins depending on size, until golden brown..no need to put  across on the loaves, make great sandwiches with sharp cheese.


You will need for the basic recipe = 12 buns

1/4 cup brown sugar tightly packed ( 2ozs)
2 1/2 tsp dried active yeast (1 envelope USA)
1/2 cup warm milk ( 2ozs)


add the yeast to half of the warm milk and add 1 tsp of the sugar..allow to become frothy.

In a mixing bowl, add the following:
2 cups whole wheat ( 1 LB)
1 level tsp sea salt
1 tsp allspice or mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves 

gently work in with knives or pastry tool, the fat
1/4 cup ( 2 ozs) butter or margarine at room temp.


3/4 cup candied peel chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 large egg beaten

 make a well in the middle add the rest of the sugar,  the yeast mix and the beaten egg,s and the dried fruit and mix to a pliable dough, adding any more warm milk as needed.
Place in a greased bowl, in a warm place and allow to prove until double in size approx 40 mins- 1 hour.
Knock back and shape into 12 rolls, flatten slightly the tops and cut a cross over tops with a sharp knife, cover and keep in a warm place until double in size.
mix flour and water together to a paste and pipe over the cut crosses...bake in a 400f/200C/Gas 6 for about 15-20 mins until golden brown .
remove from oven and put on wire racks and glaze with simple syrup with nutmeg or mixed spice in.

serve warm or chill completely if planning to freeze.

The double batch of the recipe after first prove

Make cross with flour and water paste

Cut a cross that the flour mix will settle into before 2nd prove

Counting Crows and Fruit Pits

OK..I know we live in an age where practically everything is done for us, salads and veggies are  washed, some are even sold already chopped, but nothing beats the fun out of eating stone fruit or olives that have pits in them and singing one of the many rhymes that go with it..for luck or just cheeriness.
Also some stone fruits actually jell/taste better from the tannin or pectin in the seeds..try these...

The idea is that you place the seeds/ stones, pits on the side or rim of your plate, count out the total and say the following rhyme.

However the total amount you have also applies to your "future".
This same rhyme is also used for counting crows that you see at one time during the day. ...( a flock of crows is called a Murder, at which time you will be counting for hours)

 

British Nursery Rhyme for luck that will come to you that day


1 for sorrow
2 for joy 
3 for a girl

4 for a boy
5 for silver

6 for gold

 

7 for a secret never to be told


Old English Nursery Rhyme ..this one is said as you count out the stones. pits etc. I think this one is a few hundred years old...this one is for what you "will be when you grow up".

Tinker, 
Taylor,
Soldier, 
Sailor,

Rich Man
Poor Man
Beggerman,
 Thief