Posts Tagged With: christmas

Vegan Festive Flapjack – Cranberry, Walnuts and Oats (Gluten-free)

Posted on December 5, 2019 by leroy watson

Vegan Cranberry and Walnut Flapjack – Sweet and super easy (Gluten-free)

Fruity and nutty. Sweet and super easy. Just the way we want them!

This is my alter ego flapjack, with a festive twist and even healthy. Lower in sugar and using cold-pressed oil, packed with seeds, nuts and cranberries. Also gluten-free!

Something sweet and simple for festive time! The kitchen is a busy place at this time of year and we all need a quick flapjack recipe up our Xmas sleeves. Last minute party call, these are a great go-to tray baker. The ingredients are easy to find, you’ve probably got them tucked away in the kitchen already. Two bowls, one tray, hot oven…job done.

Blending up the oats, nuts and seeds here makes for a rich and very nutritious flour. The chia seeds help to bind things together nicely and add a little texture and crunch. These flapjacks are nice with almonds, and a touch of almond extract, you can use any mix of nuts and seeds you like really. Flapjacks forgive.

Gluten-free, vegan sweet treats for Christmas. Everyone can enjoy!

One thing we Brits know our way around is a flapjack. Is that right? My childhood was built around their sturdy sweet sustenance. They seemed to be everywhere when I was a kid, every relative made their own brand/ ballast, every school fair would see tents filled with them, golden syrup sales were through the roof in the 80’s. Sugar was on a high! You needed a strong jaw and commitment back then to get through most baked goods.

I admit to being sick of the sight of them by age 12. I find your average joe flapjacks way too sweet and regularly, boring (like a brick). So I thought I’d revisit this sweet spot. These are lighter. I’ve added much less sugar than normal. They get their sweetness from the cranberries and a touch of cranberry sauce, which gives them a little extra fruitiness. They are rich, with the oat and nut flour and cold-pressed rapeseed oil.

Flying Flapjacks

Wintertime in Wales is a precarious time for foodie photos. It’s dark in mid-afternoon and there are some fiesty winds and driving rain outdoors. What to do?! These flapjacks nearly ended up in Dawn’s garden (neighbour), the wind whipped the bread board out of my hand. I managed to get some decent light by the kitchen window. I’ve also got this new I-phone thing that has some pretty cool settings, makes everything look good!! It’s not easy being a caveman in a modern world.

I quite like them dusted with some more cinnamon, or a pumpkin pie style spice mix is ace too

Celebrate Cake

Let’s face the cake facts. You can’t just have one at Christmas time, you need a long and healthy line of varieties, a cake for each time of day. I’d tuck into this at ‘elevenses’ (or ‘merienda’, I was raised in the Philippines you see, it means a snack between meals. It also means the same in Italy, Latin America and Croatia. I love the world. We all love cake.)

This would be an excellent kid diversion, when they’re needing something to keep from running wild. You can’t really go wrong with them. Flapjacks are a bit of fun really!! Served warm with custard or ice cream and it even ventures into the realm of dessert.

These are fill your boots flapjacks!

Recipe Notes

Most of us have cranberry sauce kicking about the kitchen at this time of year, if not, use another jam or preserve.

Baking in a tin, as opposed to a tray, means that your flapjack gets a good bake and the top doesn’t burn (which happens). If you’re using a tray, just keep your eye on it.

Add 1 heaped teaspoon of orange zest to take these onto another level.

Festive Flapjacks – The ones that escaped the storm

Vegan Festive Flapjacks – Cranberry, Walnuts and Oats (Gluten-free)

The Bits – For 6 large slices, 12 small

Dry

150g jumbo oats (gluten-free)

50g walnuts

50g sunflower seeds

25g chia seeds

1 teas ground cinnamon

Wet

75g brown sugar

50ml plant-based milk (g.f.)

100ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil (or other cold-pressed oil)

2 tbs cranberry sauce

75g dried cranberries

Do It

Preheat a fan oven to 180oC.

In a bowl, mix together your dry bits, crushing the walnuts up in your hands, making smaller pieces.

Measure your wet bits in a measuring jug, mixing them together.

Place 75g of your dry mix into a blender and blitz until it’s broken down, looking like flour. Add back to your bowl.

Mix the wet into the dry, until all is nicely combined. Then add the dried cranberries.

Line a large loaf tin with baking parchment, scoop in your mix and pack it into the corners, smooth off the top. Nice and neatly does it.

Place in the oven for 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are nice and crispy.

Leave to cool a little in the tin. Ideally served warm with custard or ice cream, also nice cool with a cuppa.

Packed with nuts and seeds. Hearty and healthy(er)

Foodie Fact

Chia seeds are outrageously healthy! We add them to many dishes. Part of the mint family, these little blockbuster seeds are packed with protein (good balance of amino acids), fibre, omega-3 fats and are loaded up with anti-oxidants and minerals.

They were celebrated by many ancient cultures, the Mayan word for strength is actually ‘chia’!!

We’ll have more vegan Christmas recipes coming soon, SIGN UP to our newsletter her and get all the BHK action

Categories: Baking, Cakes, Desserts, gluten-free, healthy, Nutrition, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Vegan, Wales, Winter | Tags: christmas, vegan christmas | 3 Comments

Christmas Lunch Made Easy! – Full Planner and Top Tips

Posted on December 23, 2018 by leroy watson

VEGAN CHRISTMAS LUNCH MADE EASY!

Or at least, a bit easier!! I’ve been asked before how to make cooking easier. Of course, there’s no one answer, that would be way too easy!! But here are some guidelines and plenty of helpful tips I’ve learned from experience/ my mistakes.

I’d like to help to make your Christmas lunch 2018 really delicious and the most stress-free festive feast ever!

The only way to do this is with a little preparation and planning. It will mean that you’re comfortable and confident, ready to create a delicious meal for your loved ones and also have a chilled and enjoyable day yourself.

Here’s a few general tips I’ve learned over the years:

Try to keep it simple, but tasty. Know your limits and don’t try anything extravagant or totally untested. A main dish with a few side dishes is more than enough, we eat way too much on Christmas day!
If you are cooking for people with dietary requirements, like no sugar or gluten-free, get them ready in advance or make the whole menu gluten/ sugar free. There are simple ways of doing this and it will make your life much easier. The last thing you need is to be cooking many different dishes for people on the big day.
People expectations don’t matter. Cook the best meal you can with the skills and ingredients you have. Cook the food you love and I’m sure others will enjoy it too. Trying to cook like super chef once a year is just unrealistic!!
Chill! Take it as easy as possible on the day. Using this plan below, it will be plain sailing!! Try to keep calm and be focused. Have some trusted helpers around if you can, who are good in a kitchen. What you’re doing is not easy, especially if you do not cook meals like this regularly.
Things will, very probably, go wrong. Take it all in your stride. You’re cooking for loved ones and it’s supposed to be fun!! Remember that professional chefs make mistakes and lose their cool all the time, but staying calm, taking some deep breaths if you need to, will ensure your meal is delicious.

Check out our recent Christmas recipes:

Portobello Mushroom Wellington with Toasted Walnut and Rosemary Stuffing

Festive Chocolate and Orange Brownie Cake with Mulled Berries – Vegan

Shallot and Red Wine Gravy – Vegan, Gluten-free

Some preparations tips:

The run up….

If you can do a dry run of the meal you have planned, invite some people over for a pre-Xmas feast.
Buy dry and frozen ingredients, things that will store well, don’t leave all your shopping to the last minute.
Cook dishes beforehand that can be easily frozen or jarred, like Cranberry Sauce, even the gravy.
Yorkshire puds can be made before and frozen. Just warm them in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
Oven space will probably be an issue on the day, plan your menu around this, make sure there is a balance between dishes prepared in the oven and on the hobs.
Equipment check, make sure you have big enough dishes, tins and pans. Especially if you don’t normally cook for lots of people.
Sizing up recipes. If you’re cooking for a full house, you may need to double or sometimes triple recipes, this can be a challenge. Recipes don’t always work out so well when multiplied up, it’s simply a case of using common sense, especially with things like flavourings, spices etc. Taste the dishes regularly. Always!
If you think the meal will be ready for 1pm, set a meal time for 2pm. Don’t feel pressured into getting a meal out bang on time, people are enjoying a drink and the Xmas vibe, take you time, hurry leads to mistakes.

The day before

Get a load of your cooking done on Xmas eve. I know this is idealistic, it’s such a busy time of year, but if you have time, doing all, or some of this, will make Christmas day so much easier in the kitchen.
Re-read your recipes highlighting areas of confusion or difficult bits, small things you might miss when busy.
Plan a cooking list for the day (see below), noting times for cooking and if different from the recipe, quantities calculated.

On the day

Have a good breakfast. Sit down and look over what you have planned with a cuppa. Start calmly, as you mean to go on.
Get the kitchen organised, make sure you know where everything is and have all the ingredients and equipment to hand.
Have a washer uperer on standby all day. If they want to eat your lovely food, they’ve got to play ball and get the marigolds on! Ask them nicely and I’m sure someone will help
Delegate jobs for success. You’re the cook, let other people set the table, peel the vegetables, tidy up. In an ideal world, surround yourself with helpful and competent people. That’s a secret to kitchen success!!
Have a festive tipple, but not too many!! Being tippled in the kitchen is a recipe for burnt bits.
Always best to start earlier than you think, time in the kitchen really flies.
It’s true what they say with a Roast Dinner, it’s all about timing. Cook your veg last, as this will not do well sitting around waiting to be served.
Warm your plates in the oven if you have time. This will ensure everything is hot for service.
Clear the kitchen down before serving, get as much surface space as possible. Serving up is one of the most important times of the process. Make sure everything is simmering and hot and you’ve thought a little about how you’re going to present the meal.

We’ll be cooking using this plan:

Cooking List/ Timetable – Example (with time added for plenty of chatting and sipping)

1 hour Wellington or Nut Roast
1 hour Brownie Cake (including decoration time)
30 minutes Shallot and Red Wine Gravy
45 minutes Soup
30 minutes Glazed Roots
30 minutes Creamy Mash
20 minutes Cranberry Sauce
20 minutes Yorkshire puds
20 minutes Brussels Sprouts (essential!!:)
30 minutes **For when things don’t necessarily go to plan or totally mess up:)**

I hope this helps, do let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Cooking and Merry Christmas! Lee and Jane:)

Merry Vegan Christmas 2018!!!!!

Categories: Healthy Eating, plant-based, Special Occasion, Vegan, veganism, Winter | Tags: best vegan Christmas, christmas, cooking, top tips | Leave a comment

Festive Chocolate and Orange Brownie Cake with Mulled Berries – Vegan

Posted on December 19, 2018 by leroy watson

A very rich and chocolatey slice of happiness, perfect for Crimbo

I fancied something different this Christmas for dessert.

I wanted the flavours, the spice, the mulled fruits, the richness, but all mingling together in a different way. So I wrapped them up in a big brownie, with lots of chocolate. It just seemed like the right thing to do!

This is a decadent brownie cake, very rich, with lovely taste explosions coming from the mulled berries. Best served warm with vanilla ice cream I’ve found, or whipped coconut cream is also very special. Plus, it’s a big brownie, so it’s easy to make.

You could use any dried fruit really in this recipe, but I prefer, and if you can get them, dried cherries, blueberries or the classic cranberry. If you don’t drink alcohol, you can cook the berries in orange/ cranberry juice or non-alcoholic wine.

I have cooked the mulled berries with a few cloves, star anise and cinnamon. But I found that it was a fiddle trying to pick out all the spices, they do add some flavour, but we’re just cooking the berries quickly and there is plenty of cinnamon in the cake. But, by all means, add the spices.

I love the way cinnamon seems to blend and deepen the the flavour of the dark chocolate. As a cook, I find myself naturally drawn to flavour combinations, sometimes I have to resist, in order to try something new. Cinnamon, orange and dark chocolate is special trinity of good things in my eyes.

Festive Chocolate and Orange Brownie Cake with Mulled Berries – Vegan

I do like a Christmas pudding and I’ve always loved Christmas cake. Mum used to bake it in early December and I remember the whole house filled with those beautiful, spicy cake aromas. But they’ve very much like Christmas pop songs, I don’t mind them once or twice in a year, but anymore makes me feel a bit sickly (see my post on Alternative Christmas songs here ). But this brownie cake, I’d happily tuck into in the roasting heart of August. It also makes the house smell pretty damn good too.

Jane was a big fan of Terry’s chocolate orange, so I have added a twist of orange here. It’s a match made in lapland or maybe the Swiss Alps!? Now Terry’s is off the menu, I go for a very dark chocolate flavoured with orange, there are some awesome bars out there. If only they made them in little globes with segments. That’s where all the fun is. The idea as a kid that chocolate oranges could maybe grow on trees just made Christmas even better.

The thing about cooking at Christmas is preparation. Cook things well in advance and have a plan. I’ll be posting some Christmas cooking tips and a full cooking plan in the next couple of days. However, I think this brownie is best served warm, recently taken from the oven. Leave it to the day, along with your veggies.

I hope you love this recipe and it woo’s and yum’s the whole family, and all your friends and neighbours and people at work. Who doesn’t love chocolate cake (actually, one of our bestest buds doesn’t like chocolate cake, but generally speaking, it’s a HIT!) If Christmas is not your cup of tea, or it’s a hard time of year for you, cake is never a bad thing right!

We send you all our love and good vibes at this time of year, a time to eat, drink and snooze by a fire.

Have magical and delicious Festive Time 2018!

Any questions or comments? They are very welcome down the bottom there in the comments. Drops us a chat or just say hello.

If you’re looking for a delicious Christmas centre piece, here’s what we’re having this year (plus recipe):

Portobello Mushroom Wellington with Toasted Walnut and Rosemary Stuffing

Recipe Notes

You might like to decorate it with dried orange slices, I’ve added the method below. They also make for nice decorations.

If you’d like to go very decadent (steady!!), I’ve also added a link to my quick chocolate sauce recipe below, which is ideal for a chocoholic, maybe a little brandy could sneak in there too.

I do mention this below, but please don’t overbake this.

If you’re wondering where to get vegan cream or ice cream, you’ll find it in most supermarkets now, and supporting your local health food shop is a wonderful thing too. They’ll have it.

I know what you may be thinking, that’s a lot of chocolate. It’s Christmas!!!

Just add cream or ice cream….

Festive Chocolate & Orange Brownie Cake with Mulled Berries

The Bits – For 12-14 slices

175g plain flour

175g light brown sugar

1 ½ teas baking powder

20g or 3 heaped tbs cacao/ cocoa

1 ½ teas ground cinnamon

Large pinch sea salt

150g dark vegan chocolate

100ml cold pressed rapeseed/ sunflower oil

1 ½ teas vanilla extract

1 medium orange (zest)

200ml plant milk, I used soya milk

Mulled Berries

150g dried fruits, I use cranberries, cherries or blueberries, or a mixture

3 slices orange

60ml brandy/ whiskey

Optional Spices – 4 cloves, 1 star anise, 1/2 stick cinnamon

Decoration

Dried/ fresh orange slices

Icing sugar

Dried cranberries/ cherries or fresh berries like raspberries/ strawberries

Fresh rosemary sprigs

Do It

Boil a kettle. Preheat a fan oven to 180oC. Grease and line a large round cake tin (23cm) with oil and baking parchment.

Mulled Berries – Place your dried fruits into a small saucepan, pour over the brandy, squeeze the juice out of the orange slices and toss them in too. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 3 minutes. The berries should absorb almost all of the brandy. Set aside to cool. Remove the orange slices and any orange pips.

Break your chocolate into a bowl, pour the boiled kettle water into a small pan, place the bowl on top and gently warm the chocolate. Stirring regularly until it’s melted. Don’t let the base of the bowl touch the boiling water when cooking. Set aside to cool a little.

Place the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cocoa, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl, mix well together.

In a bowl/ measuring jug, stir together the oil, soya milk and vanilla extract and then pour this into the bowl of dry ingredients, along with the cooled melted chocolate. Finally add the mulled fruits (with any leftover brandy) and orange zest, fold into the mix. Don’t over mix, just until it’s all combined. Pour the mixture into the tin, fashion a level top, and place in the oven.

Bake for 18 – 25 minutes, depending on your oven. Don’t over bake, it should still be a little gooey in the middle when you test it with a skewer. The brownie cake is ready when a light crust has formed over the whole cake.

Leave to cool in the tin, then decorate as you like. Nice and festive!

Best served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Orange slices – Place 6 orange slices onto a wire/ cooling rack and into a low oven (120oC). Cook for 1 hour or more, until they have dried out nicely.

Can also be served with 2-minute Chocolate Sauce Recipe

Foodie Fact

It’s Christmas, I’m going to leave out the healthy Foodie Fact this time around. But, I’ll just say this, cinnamon is very high in calcium! Also a good source of iron. And this, cinnamon has been used medicinally for thousand years, it is an AMAZING source of anti-oxidants.

Winter is the perfect time of year to get your cinnamon oooon! We love cinnamon tea and it’s so versatile, add it to smoothies, soups and stews. The next time you cook rice, pop a cinammon stick or some cinnamon bark into the pot. Lovely sweet and warming flavours.

Festive Brownie Cake, a BIG part of our Christmas Lunch menu 2018 in the Beach House Kitchen

Categories: Cakes, Desserts, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Special Occasion, Vegan, veganism, Wales, Winter | Tags: christmas, recipe, vegan christmas, vegan cooking | 1 Comment

Spiced Orange and Almond Upside Down Cake – Vegan and Gluten-free

Posted on December 18, 2017 by leroy watson

Spiced Orange & Almond Polenta Cake – Vegan, Gluten-free

This is just the kind of deliciousness I like at Christmas, something light and rich. Makes a nice change at this time of year! One of the highlights for me is the intense spiced marmalade glaze (with or without whiskey;) This cake can be served as festive dessert with some vegan creme fraiche or cream.

I do enjoy Christmas cake and pud, but they can get a little heavy. This one is so easy to make and looks lovely, it’s also gluten-free, so it ticks many dietary boxes. I know that we can be cooking for friends and family at this time of year and catering for dietary requirements. I love recipes like this, that everyone can enjoy, vegan, gluten-freers and the rest! It’s just a straight up delicious cake.

You’ll probably get a better, caramelised look in your oven. I was using a big old oven (looks like an ancient steam train) which is a temperamental creature, ideally, we’re looking for loads of gorgeous caramel all over your oranges. But either way, it’s a lovely cake.

The only problem I can see with your average polenta cake is that it can be a little dry. You won’t have that issue with this recipe as the oranges sit on top and keep the cake nice and moist. You can also use blood oranges (which I couldn’t get hold of), pears, apples, pineapple, plums, in fact most fruit will be great on top of this almond and polenta base. The polenta means that you get a nice crust on this cake, soft in the middle, crisp on the outside is always a good combo in my book.

If you’re looking for some Christmas recipes, here’s a few we think you’ll like:

boozy snowball truffles

roast winter vegetable salad

parsnip, cranberry & chestnut roast

oven baked squash gnocchi with sun-dried tomatoes, fennel & spinach pesto

festive pear & cranberry chutney

decadent double chocolate cake

ginger & chocolate treats (simple festive fun)

This will be my last post before Christmas ’18, I’m just leaving to Spain, so I must scoot. Thanks to everyone for the support, inspiration and love in 2017! You really make the BHK a very special place to be!! Have a peaceful and chilled Christmas filled with tasty nibbles. Let us know what’s cookin’ in the comments below?

Love and Happiness, Lee & JaneX

Recipe Notes

This cake is not a big riser, but it should still be light.

The texture of this cake is moist, when checking it during baking, bare this in mind. There is a difference between moist and sticky/ raw. You can tell when you check it with a skewer, there should be nothing that looks like raw cake batter on the skewer. I hope that makes sense;)

If you are using other fruit, feel free to freestyle with the glaze. Using other jams for example is a really nice idea to compliment the fruit.

Because of the fresh fruit, this cake does not keep well. I guess you’ll just need to polish it off quickly (don’t worry, this is easily done:)

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Everyday, there is cake!

Spiced Orange & Almond Upside Down Cake

The Bits – For 8-10 slices

4 mandarins

125ml light rapeseed/ olive oil

100g light brown sugar

150g ground almonds

80g polenta

1 lime or ½ lemon (juice)

1 teas baking powder (gluten-free)

½ teas turmeric

1 teas vanilla extract

2 tbs ground flax/ chia seeds (mixed with 5 tbs water)

A little light brown sugar (for dusting)

Glaze

5 tbs marmalade

2 star anise

4 cloves

2 green cardamom pods (cracked)

2 tbs whiskey (optional but nice)

Do It

Line and oil the base and sides of a 8 inch cake tin with baking parchment. Lightly dust the base and side of your cake tin with sugar. Preheat oven to 180oC.

Zest one of the mandarins, neatly peel the rest and slice across into ⅔ cm slices. Pick out any seeds. Lay the slices over the bottom of the tin and fill in the gaps with segments if needed. Beat together the oil and sugar and add the orange zest, lime juice, almonds, polenta, baking powder, turmeric, vanilla extract and flax seeds. Mix until combined well. Pour the batter into your cake tin. Smooth the top.

Bake on a middle shelf for 25-30 minutes, until the cakes top is golden brown and springy. Test with a skewer and remember this is a moist cake, so there will be more stickiness than a normal cake when testing.

While it’s baking, warm the marmalade and spices in a small pan, boil for a minute and then set aside.

Leave the cake to cool and turn out of the pan onto a serving plate/ platter. Brush with the marmalade (easiest to do when warm). Decorate with the spices if you like and serve with vegan creme fraiche or ice cream.

Categories: Baking, Cakes, Desserts, gluten-free, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Vegan | Tags: christmas, polenta, xmas | 1 Comment

Parsnip, Cranberry & Chestnut Roast

Posted on December 12, 2017 by leroy watson

We all need a good nut roast up our festive sleeves!! This is a tasty centre piece with all the flavours of Christmas, that won’t take an age to cook. It is also remarkably healthy, but we won’t dwell on that, after all, it’s nearly Christmas, time to feast and be merry!!

I’m sharing this one on the fly, its a busy time of year in the BHK! As I’m sure it is in your home. I took this picture whilst cooking for lovely people at the weekend, I haven’t had anytime for blogging of late, but this recipe is one we’re enjoying and lets face it, us vegans need a nut roast to lean on (then gobble) at this time of year!

I did a little poll recently in the BHK Vegan Cooking Group, asking what was the stand out vegan dish for Christmas lunch and Nut Roast ruled. 1st by quite a bit. I was a little surprised, I love nut roasts, but many people have nightmare stories about bland, crumbly roasts, which is the last thing we want when we are mid Xmas feast.

This is a substantial nut roast (aren’t they all!?), with a nice layer of roasted parsnips in the centre. It cuts nicely into slices and I like the idea of glazing things at this time of year. Makes it extra special and gives it an attractive finish.

I served it with full trimmings at the weekend, roasted Parmesan sprouts, mash, proper gravy, roast squash and swede, a few types of kale and a little red onion and parnsip tart tatin thrown in. It was snowing outside and Snowdonia was looking like a winter wonderland. The perfect Christmas scene.

Let us know if you make this roast, it would make our week! I’m heading off to Spain for Christmas and New Year very soon and Jane is having a nice quiet time with family, then an even quieter time at a silent meditation retreat;) We hope you have a wonderful festive time and get right into the Xmas groove. Have fun. jingle bells and spread the love:)

Merry Christmas everyone!!X

Recipe Notes

If you have some leftover mix, this would make awesome burgers. Festive burger twist? Why not!

Don’t dig parnsips. That’s cool, any root veg will be fine here, something like carrot or squash would be great. Nice colours too.

Walnuts are great in these dishes, they break down nicely, adding flavour and texture. You might prefer hazelnuts, which are also very delicious here.

Just use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this a GF treat.

———–

Parsnip, Cranberry & Chestnut Roast

The Bits – For 4-6

2 medium onions (skin on and quartered)

300g/ 2 largish parsnips

1 head garlic

2 tbs rapeseed oil

200g chestnuts

100g breadcrumbs (g.f.)

100g toasted walnuts

3 teas dijon mustard

2 teas dried sage

1 teas dried rosemary

1/2 teas cinnamon

2 tbs ground flax (mixed with 7 tbs water)

4 tbs Cranberry Sauce

Serve

8 tbs cranberry sauce

2 tbs whiskey/ brandy or water

Fresh thyme leaves

Do It

Slice the thick end of your parsnips into thin discs, with a few smaller discs from the thinner end. This will be used for decorating the top of our roast. Cut the rest into thin batons.

Preheat an oven to 190oC. Trim the top of the garlic off to slightly expose the cloves. On a baking tray, toss the onion, garlic and parsnip batons (set aside the thin slices) in oil and a little salt. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until all is soft and caramelised nicely. The onion may need a little longer to go nice and soft. Leave to cool and pop the roasted garlic cloves from their skins. Remove any skin and roughly chop the onion into small chunks, keep enough parsnip batons for a decent layer in the middle of your roast, chop the rest up.

Pulse the chestnuts and walnuts into a rough crumb in a food processor. Place in a bowl and mix in the roasted onions, chopped parsnips and garlic, herbs, breadcrumbs, mustard, cinnamon, cranberry sauce, flax egg, salt and pepper. Mash together well and taste to check seasoning. Remember that flavours will develop when cooked. If it’s a little lumpy, that’s fine!

Line and oil a 900g/ large loaf tin with baking parchment, lay out your parsnip discs until they cover the base of your tin. Arrange them nicely, this will be the top of your roast. Spoon in half the chestnut mix, press down snuggly and level out with the back of a spoon. Arrange a layer of parsnips batons, press down a little until snug and spoon over the rest of your chestnut mix. Smooth and press down evenly to make a nice neat finish.

Cover with foil or baking parchment and bake for 45 minutes, then take off the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes. There should be a nice brown crust. Leave to cool for 15 minutes in tin before turning gently out onto a serving plate and again, leave for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes it easier and slices stay together.

In a small pan, mix together the cranberry sauce and whiskey, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minutes. Keep warm. Glaze the top of your roast with the cranberry sauce and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.

Looking for a quick and easy Christmas dessert?

Why not try this Spiced Apple & Pecan Tart. Follow the Apple Tart recipe in Peace & Parsnips, adding some spices to the marmalade, cloves, star anise, cinnamon and maybe a few shots of whiskey/ brandy. Top it all off with chopped roasted pecans.

Categories: Dinner, gluten-free, healthy, Healthy Living, Peace and Parsnips, plant-based, Recipes, Special Occasion, Vegan, Winter | Tags: christmas, christmas food, healthy christmas, vegan christmas | 13 Comments

Christmas Pudding Truffles with Cashew Brandy Butter Sauce – Vegan, Gluten and Sugar-free

Posted on December 23, 2015 by leroy watson

Boozy Christmas Snowflakes – Vegan, sugar-free, healthy, all that jazz……

These snowflakes taste just like Christmas pudding but are waaaaaayyyyy easier and packed with natural sugars and gorgeous plant power! When combined with our warm Cashew Brandy Sauce, this makes for the perfect Xmas sweet thang.

I always loved snowballs, normally chucking them at my sister. Also snowmen (or women) maybe one day we’ll make a boozy snow human! YUM! We are visiting Jane’s Ma and Pa in sensational Stafford and it’s 14oC! These sweeties will probably be as close as we get to snowflakes this year.

Here we have little explosions of tastiness, super rich and with a massive kick of brandy, chocolate and pecans to get you right into that festive cheer. Everyone will LOVE them (guaranteed). They can be made well in advance and keep nicely.

The warm sauce elevates these into the realms of dessert. Quantity wise, have a play. Thin out with water and add a touch of vanilla extract. Make to your taste. Its a little like custard but dare I say it…..even better (contentious behaviour there). Having said that, custard would be lovely with these.

They are part of our lighter, nutritious, simple Christmas this year. These little snowflakes are easily made gluten-free, technically they are ‘sugar-free’ (refined that is) and are of course, full power plant-based, vegan happy.

MERRY CHRISTMAS Y”ALL!!!!!XXXxxxxxxxx

Festive sweet thangs….

Recipe Notes
Use any combo of dried fruits, all welcome. We are not massive fans of that ‘dried mixed fruit’ stuff you can buy, they’re a little too dry. We used whole dried fruits that are relatively inexpensive.

Not into the booze aspect. That’s very cool. Just up the juice quantity.

You don’t necessarily need a blender for this. You can mash the fruit mix up with a potato masher. Jane’s Mum’s blender wasn’t doing it for us here, so we mashed it up.

The Bits – Maple syrup, soaked boozy fruit and pecans. Woooah!

The Bits – Makes 15 little snowflakes
1 handful of each, dried apricot, dried pear/ apple, dried dates, dried figs (all roughly chopped)
2 handfuls raisins
4 tbs brandy
3 tbs apple juice or orange juice
1 orange (zest)
1 1/2 inch fresh ginger (finely grated)
1 teas ground cinnamon
2 teas mixed spice
1/4 teas ground cloves
2 teas vanilla extract

4 handfuls oats or gluten-free oats
4 handfuls pecans (broken up with hands)

125g dark vegan chocolate

2-3 tbs maple syrup (optional)

Snow
2 handfuls desiccated or grated fresh coconut

Cashew Brandy Sauce (varies depending on numbers)

Cashew butter

Maple Syrup

Brandy

Vanilla extract

Do It
Soak the dried fruit, spices, vanilla and orange zest for at least two hours in the brandy and juice. Longer is better.

Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl above gently simmering water. Leave to cool for 15 minutes.

In a food processor/ blender, add the oats and blitz until they resemble a coarse flour. Add the dried fruit mix and pulse until the mix is broken down but still chunky.

Scrape out into a large bowl, add the chocolate and pecans. Combine well with a trusty wooden spoon/ spatula. Taste and stir in maple syrup if you’d like it sweeter.

Scatter the coconut over a plate and with slighty wet hands (prevents too much sticking) grab a squash ball sized lump of the mix and roll between your hands into nice even balls.

Place in the coconut and roll gently. Now pop them onto your display plate.

These snowflakes will keep well in a sealed container, but look best when freshly rolled.

For an extra special dessert, gently warm up enough cashew butter in a small saucepan and add maple syrup, vanilla extract and brandy until you love it! One tablespoon at a time is best. Thin with a touch of water or soya milk if needed.

Just like Christmas pudding, but wee.

Serve

Spoon your sauce onto a plate and pop two or three snowflakes on top. They are also amazing as they are.

Foodie Fact

A word on ‘sugarfree’-ness. Not all sugar is the same! Sugar in dried fruits like these are in a natural solution of all kinds of things; anti-oxidants, minerals, micro-nutrients most of which are beneficial to the body and really help out the immune system. Dried fruit is packed with goodness and the ideal winter snack and fruit sugar should not be lumbered in there with refined, cane, beet, corn sugars etc. Fruit sugars (not loads of course) are way cool with us.

PS – Dried fruit is also very high in fibre, which is an all-time superhero for our bodies.

Categories: Desserts, Recipes, Vegan | Tags: christmas, dairy free, dessert, food, gluten-free, healthy, recipe, sugar free, vegetarian, xmas | 7 Comments

Maple Roasted Parsnip & Mushroom Roulade with Cashew Cream Sauce (Traditional Vegan Christmas Fare)

Posted on December 21, 2015 by leroy watson

Parsnip, Walnut & Mushroom Roulade with some tasty trimmings

A simple, vegan feast to satisfy all this Christmas!

Here is a old school dish that I came up with last night, ideal for a Christmas day centre piece and only using two pans and a baking tray! I’ve also included quick recipes for the cooking veggie accompaniments – Chicory braised in sloe gin and pan fried Brussels Sprouts with Curly Kale and the creamy sauce is something everyone will enjoy. You are sorted for Xmas 2015!

I’ve had quite a few requests for a Christmas recipe that is both straightforward and seasonal. Being the BHK, we don’t plan things, we just let them leap out of the veg basket and we had to go parsnip this year. It has been ‘the year of the parsnip’ for us in many ways!

All of these ingredients most of us have around the kitchen at this time of year. I love the way that we can create feasts from simple plant-based ingredients, packed with bold flavours and interesting textures. We are spending Christmas this year with Jane’s parents and I think they’ll love this dish, a taste of more traditional British fare.

A vegan Christmas is a delight! I find that I cook lighter and more nourishing dishes than previous Christmas times. Xmas can be so packed with heavy, rich food and I can’t help feeling lucky to be stuffing myself with food that is delicious and won’t leave me in a food coma, snoring by the fire place. If I could tone down the red wine glugging, Christmas would be a highly healthy time of year! Jane and I will be making a whole host of vegan dishes on the big day and all across the festive season, the perfect time of year to let plants shine and inspire.

I like this recipe because it is fun for all the family, no matter what the tastes. The pastry is something everyone can get down with, crispy, flaky and then the filling is packed with flavour finished with a very creamy, slightly cheesy plant-based sauce that will be a surprise to some. Cashews are superheroes for plant-based creaminess.

This recipe suits is you are catering for a vegan/s over Christmas. It can be made in advance and warmed up in the oven on the day or you can prepare the filling ingredients and roll the roulade in the morning. I have to say that freshly baked it is tastier and the pastry has a better texture.

A festive feast!

Recipe Notes

This roulade will be lovely with any veggies, but we’ve paired it with a few of our extra special favourites; chicory, kale and Brussels Sprouts. A few roast potatoes are never a bad idea! We also love red cabbage however it arises.

If you don’t have any nutritional yeast flakes the sauce will not be cheesy. Now may be a good time to invest in a pot of these wonderful, savoury flakes. Especially if you are planning on cooking vegan food regularly. Otherwise stir in some Dijon mustard or herbs. It will be delicious.

Cashew butter can easily be substituted by blending up cashew nuts, seasoning with salt. Soak two handfuls of cashews for 2 hours in plenty of water and then blend. They will form a smooth paste, perfect for adding to sauces and stews.

If you don’t have access to fresh herbs, that’s cool, lets go for roughly 3/4 teas dried rosemary and 1 1/2 teas dried thyme. You can always taste the leeks after cooking and add more herbs if you like.

This is the easiest method of rolling a roulade, you can go for a more traditional roulade roll if you are happy with that. This method is failsafe.

Many brands of puff pastry are vegan, have a quick check of the ingredients.

Chicory is generally quite bitter but when cooked with a sweet liqueur or even a fruit vinegar, will have delicious sweet and sour flavour.

Christmas is not complete without delicious Brussels Sprouts. Simply pan fried in a little oil, with sea salt is my favourite way to enjoy them.

Happy cooking and Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

The Bits – Makes 12 slices (enough for 4-6)

325g/ 2 medium-sized parsnips (chopped into 1 1/2 cm wide batons – the longer the better)

2 big handfuls walnuts (roughly chopped)

3 teas maple syrup

1 1/2 teas lemon (zest)

1 head garlic (whole)

300g/ 2 medium leeks (cleaned and finely sliced)

2 teas fresh rosemary (finely sliced)

3 teas thyme leaves (picked from stems)

250g mushrooms (finely diced)

Black pepper and sea salt

2/3 500g vegan puff pastry block (roughly 350g)

3 tbs soya milk

Flour (for dusting)

Cashew Cream Sauce

100g/ 1 small leek (cleaned and finely sliced)

400ml soya milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)

4 tbs cashew butter

2 tbs nutritional yeast flakes

Sea salt (to taste)

Lovely maple roasted parsnips and walnuts

Do It

Preheat an oven to 200oc (180oc fan oven).

Place the parsnips and head of garlic on a baking tray, toss with a 2 tbs of oil and a large pinch of salt. Roast for 15 mins then gently turn over the parsnips, scatter the walnuts around the tray and drizzle all with maple syrup. Roast for 7 minutes, turn and check that they are not burning. Roast for 3 minutes more until the parsnips are totally. beautifully golden. The walnuts will also be nicely caramelised. Little explosions of flavour for the roulade! Scatter over the lemon zest and set aside.

While the parsnips are roasting, grab a large frying pan. Add 1 tbs oil and fry your leeks for 5- 7 minutes. When they are soft, stir in the herbs. Set aside. Rinse out the pan.

Now add another 1 tbs of oil to the pan and fry your mushrooms for 8 minutes on a medium heat until most of their moisture has been released. Mix with your leeks, season with salt and pepper, set aside.

Cut a piece of baking parchment/ greaseproof paper out that will snugly fit in a baking tray. Place on a cool work surface and lightly dust with flour, using a rolling pin, begin to roll out your pastry. Dusting regularly as you roll, it will help to turn the pastry over a few times while you are rolling. You’re looking for a rectangular shape around 14″ by 10″, nice and even. When your happy with the size, trim the edges of with a sharp knife.

Your filling ingredients should now be cool, if not leave them for a while. Begin to fill your roulade, leeks first. See the photo below. Now top with a layer of walnuts, pressing down lightly. Top with your parsnips. Using the baking parchment, roll your roulade. Lightly brush all of the edges, a 2cm border all around, with soya milk. Pull the top edge of the paper towards you, packing any filling back in as you go. Now spin the roulade around and pull the other side of the pastry up and over so the pastry overlaps slightly. Press gently and using the paper again, flip the roulade over so that the fold is on the bottom. Using your hands, shape the roulade into a neat, fat sausage shape. Now press and tuck in your ends, making sure they are well sealed. All of this is best explained by the photos below:

Spread out the leek layer and top with walnuts, pressing down gently

Top with the roasted parsnips

Using the baking paper, roll one edge over…..

Rolled up like a big, fat……sausage

Cut slices, which help to act as a portioning guide and brush with soya milk

Cut slices into the top of the roulade and brush with soya milk. Place in the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning once to get a nice even bake.

Sauce time. Simple. Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and warm until a low simmer, stirring regularly. Pop a lid on, turn the heat down and leave to slowly cook through for 10 -12 minutes. Once the leeks are soft, stir in the yeast flakes and blend with a stick blender, adding salt as needed. This sauce does not like to be boiled for a long time, a low simmer is ideal, keep your eye on it.

Chicory braised in sloe gin

The Veggies

3 large heads chicory (cut lengthways into quarters)

3 tbs sloe gin, port or berry vinegar (like blackberry, blackcurrant or even raspberry)

Black pepper and sea salt

6 large stems curly kale (stems removed, leaves finely sliced)

400g Brussels sprouts

Sea salt

In your trusty frying pan, add 1 tbs oil and warm on a high heat. Lay in your chicory pieces, season with salt and pepper, fry for a couple of minutes until well caramelised and then turn over. Fry for another 2 minutes, drizzle over the sloe gin. Lower the heat, pop a lid on and leave to cook for 5-7 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed. The chicory will bes soft, set aside and keep warm. Rinse out the pan.

Adding 1 tbs oil, warm of medium high heat and add the sprouts. Toss gently and fry for roughly 6 minutes, until the sprouts are nicely coloured (the way you like ’em). Now add your kale and a splash of water. Lower the heat and leave to cook for 6 minutes. Try one (yum!). Season with salt.

You’re now looking good to serve your festive feast!

Brussels! Yes, please…..

Serve

Place the golden roulade onto a nice serving platter (big plate) or chopping board and surround with glorious veggies. Using bowls to serve the leftover vegetables. Pour the sauce into a warm bowl/ sauce boat and enjoy the feast! This dish goes brilliantly with a spoonful of our Pear and Cranberry Chutney.

Yes, it does look a bit like a pastry-based rocket

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! (Drawn by Jane’s niece Martha – 9 years old)

Categories: Dinner, Recipes, Sauces, Special Occasion, Vegan | Tags: christmas, cooking, food, healthy, lunch, plantbased, vegetarian | 13 Comments

Festive Pear & Cranberry Chutney

Posted on December 19, 2015 by leroy watson

Making your own chutneys at Christmas is a joy! A jar of homemade chutney is such a lovely gift and is so special to crack open at this time of year. The gift of chutney!

This is a traditional-ish recipe with less sugar and a very decent kick of spices. I have made chutneys and jams with chia seeds and no sugar etc, but my Auntie Betty would approve of this one and at Christmas, Auntie Betty know best!

This festive time is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the bounty of the year, all those tantalising tubs of things we’ve been keeping in cupboards, tucked away for a special occasion, finally get dusted off and shared with loved ones. We have loads of interesting little foodie bits that have been amassed from food fayres and markets this year and have no idea how we can form a cohesive, tasty meal out of them? I’m sure we’ll figure something out! Theses pots and parcels have many positive memories attached to them.

We’ve been getting some wonderfully sweet pears at the minute and really relishing them. This is the ideal time to think chutney and preserving, when there is a glut, the jars come out! When made in bulk, things like chutney are easy and cost effective. I know we are all a little busy at this time of year, but this is something I think you’ll squeeze in. The flavour is worth it!

This chutney could hardly be easier, pop in a pan and simmer. The results are suitably chutney, like a tangy taste explosion! I’ve reduced the amount of sugar in here, as I find most chutneys way too sweet. I like mine with plenty of spice and twang.

CHUTNEY TIPS:

If you’re planning on keeping a chutney for a while, check what your lids are made of. Most jar lids are metal and you’ll need to place a disk of greaseproof paper between the lid and the chutney to stop it reacting.

Chutney can be kept, in a dark place for years, if jarred properly. This means that the jars must be well sterilised in an oven, which is the easiest way to sterilise a large number of jars.

Shaking bicarb and water in jar can get rid of unwanted, lingering smells that may taint your precious chutney.

Chutneys are like fine wines, they get better with age. Some people keep chutneys for years! Vintage chutney. The flavours definitely mellow and deepen after around a month but this chutney is good to go straight away and consumed within two weeks.

Recipe Notes

If you are short of fennel, use something like celery or even carrots.

The Bits – For two regular sized jars (280g-ish)

475g firm pear – cored and peeled (cut into 1cm small cubes)

130g fennel – ½ medium sized bulb (finely diced)

140g unrefined brown sugar

50g onion – 1 small

175ml apple cider vinegar

2 inch cinnamon stick

1 teas ground ginger

50g dried cranberries

Large pinch chilli flakes

1 small clove garlic (crushed)

Large pinch sea salt

3 cloves

1 teas mustard seeds

Do It

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil.

Stir regularly and simmer with a loosely fitted lid for 1 1/2 hours, until the chutney is a nice dark brown colour and has thickened. We don’t want it to be like a jam, the pears and fennel will still have a little texture and the chutney will be thick but runny.

Spoon into sterilised jars straightaway and screw lids on firmly. This should mean that the jars are well sealed (i.e. the lids are sucked in and pop when opened)

Decorate with amazing labels and enjoy!

Foodie Fact

Pears are a member of the rose family and are a great source of fibre and vitamin C.

Categories: Chutney, Recipes, Vegan | Tags: christmas, chutney, festive, homemade, jarring, pear, preserving, recipe, tips, vegetarian | 2 Comments

Ginger & Chocolate Treats (Simple festive fun)

Posted on December 18, 2015 by leroy watson

Ginger & Chocolate Treats

This is a relatively inexpensive and super delicious festive treat or gift. These sweet thangs are warming and dangerously moreish. Add to that the fact that they only take a few minutes to get together and we have ourselves a Christmas classic! At least in the Beach House anyway. If you’re the kind of person who loves licking chocolate off things (who doesn’t!!!) then this is the one for you.

This recipe basically an assembly job, dipping crystallised ginger into dark vegan chocolate. The sweet ginger combined with the bitter chocolate is an utter sensation!

I find crystallised ginger way too sweet to eat as it is, so dipping it in chocolate is the perfect way to make it appealing to all. The process, like most festive cooking shenanigans, is loads of FUN! The ginger is also very warming we find, especially helpful up here in wild and wonderful Wales.

One part of Christmas that we love is the way that it focuses our minds on how we eat and how we can feed our loved ones. We tend to get more creative and throw ourselves into crafts, arts, baking, all sorts of activities that we maybe overlook in the year.

Pop these into little bags with fancy bows and you’ve got a gorgeous little crimbo pressie for loved ones, neighbours, work colleagues, the postie…….. With any leftover chocolate, why not pop a few nuts into the mix, or dried fruits. Walnuts are particularly satisfying as the chocolate sticks in the nobbles and bobbles of these funky nuts.

Recipe Notes

You may like to dust these treats with cocoa/ cacao or even cinnamon.

Ginger & Chocolate Treats – still a little soft to scoff

If you are short of time and still want to create some homemade magic, here we are:

The Bits

250g crystallised ginger
150g very dark chocolate (70-80% cocoa content is best)

Do It
Boil a kettle. Add boiling water to a small saucepan. Pop a glass bowl over the saucepan and gently warm the water. Break up the chocolate and pop in the bowl.

Stir and melt the chocolate until it has mostly melted. Keep stirring, the rest of the choc will melt.

Using a skewer (cocktail sticks are best) dip your ginger pieces into the just melted chocolate and place on a chopping board/ tray covered with greaseproof paper. Be sure to allow excess chocolate to drip off, shake it a little, so there is just enough to cover the ginger. Otherwise you’re left with a puddle of chocolate that sets in a funny shape (this however can look very cool!)

Leave to cool at room temperature and once the chocolate has solidified, eat one to test it. At least one……..Then bag up, pop in a sealable container, gift wrap………enjoy!!!!

Any spare chocolate? Grab some nuts/ dried fruit and coat them for extra treats.

Nutty Chocolate Delights!

Foodie Fact

Although this recipe is by no means the healthiest one we’ll post, ginger is still ginger and has some shining bonuses to make our bodies smile.

Ginger is especially good for the digestive system, both soothing and inflammatory. Ginger is also packed with anti-oxidant properties and is generally immune boosting and can help with nausea. All of this sounds like a perfect reason to incorporate more ginger into our diets (these treats being the sweetest by a mile!)

Our little ‘naff’ tree sparkling away

Categories: Recipes, Vegan | Tags: chocolate, christmas, gift, ginger, homemade, plant-based, recipe, simple, treats, vegetarian | 3 Comments

Roasted Lebanese Cauliflower with Muhammara (Red Pepper & Walnut Dip)

Posted on December 17, 2015 by leroy watson

Lebanese Roasted Cauliflower with Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip)

There are zillion and one Xmas stylee recipes floating around at the minute, but I would like to take things is a slightly different direction here. All the way to Lebanon!!!

Here’s a little festive taste of the Southern Mediterranean, with plenty of warming spices and a really rich and luxurious dip. This Muhammara recipe is one of my all time favourite dips/ purees and it features in our cookbook. It is an ideal alternative to hummus at this time of year. I love hummus, but a change is always good!

Everyone is roasting cauliflower at the minute and I’m all for it. Roasting brings out the sweetness of the cauliflower and transforms it into something spectacular. Cauliflower is worthy of taking centre stage and in this recipe, with a few adornments, it shines. The spices and pomegranate molasses here really takes it up a few notches.

I would eat this as light lunch around the festive season, when you have maybe gone overboard the day before, and it is nice and easy to get together yet bursting with vibrant flavours.

As close as Jane got to a swim (the Med’s a bit chilly in winter), El Mojon, Spain

Jane and I are not long back from Spain, where we had a magnificent time by the beaches and mountains of Murcia. Regular Beach House readers will know that its one of our favourite spots in the world and we return their regularly. You will also notice, by the beaming sunshine, that this dish was cooked in sunny Espana. My parents own a little house out there and I’ve lived and worked over there so its just like going home really. Our Spanish lingo is improving and we seem to do a load more socialising over there than we do in Wales, something to do with the free-flowing tapas and wine no doubt.

Our local watering hole. A well (pozo) near our house. Murica, Spa

WHAT TO DO WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES?

I know that Pomegranate Molasses may not be top of your Christmas/shopping list this week, but it is a brilliant addition to your cupboards. It can be used to jazz up roasted roots and veggies, as it does in this recipe. It has a lovely sweet and sour flavour (think cranberries) and is high in sugar, meaning it adds to the caramelised effect we all know and love in roasted roots et al.

It can also be a wonderful sub for citrus in dressings and adds richness and depth to stews, dips (see below) and soups. Have a play with it! We also like it drizzled on bread or mixed with tahini to make a delicious spread for toast or even stir it into hot or fizzy water for a refreshing drink.

Pomegranate Molasses is something that is used so frequently in countries like Lebanon and Turkey, where Pomegranate trees are as frequent as oak trees are in Wales. It is an ideal way of preserving gluts of Pomegranates and turning them into something gorgeously versatile. It is basically pomegrantes juice cooked down, way down, until a sticky syrup is formed. You can buy it in Turkey in plastic water bottles by the side of the road. PM is tangy and not overly sweet, unless sugar has been added, check the bottle.

I will be looking at posting a few more festive fav recipes on the blog before the big day. I’ve just roasted a load of chestnuts and they need a home. Any ideas?

There are loads of our holiday snaps over on our Facebook page and I am always sharing tasty things on Twitter.

Sorting out some stunning veggies and fruit down at the Sunday market. Mazarron, Spain

Recipe Notes

When cutting the cauliflower, don’t worry too much about small pieces that break off. These can be kept and used to thicken/ flavour soups, gravies and stews. They can also be sprinkled into salads.

Baharat is a spice mix from the Middle East. You may also like to use garam masala, ras el hanout etc. Spice mixes which include warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg etc are perfect.

If you do not have pomegranate molasses, use a squeeze of lemon juice and sweetener of your choice; brown rice syrup, maple syrup etc. This adds that gorgeous sweet and sour finish to the roasted cauliflower.

Fennel seeds are a great addition to many dishes and worth buying. They add a little explosion of that unmistakeable aniseed/ fennel flavour. I understand that they are not a regular ingredient and can be omitted, add a few more cumin seeds if you are fennel-less.

I know Christmas is a super busy time of year, you can buy pre-roasted red peppers in most shops. They are normally jarred and stored in oil. This will save a little time with the Muhammara.

Roasted Lebanese Cauliflower with Muhammara

The Bits – For 4

Roasted Lebanese Cauliflower

1 medium sized cauliflower (cut into 2 inch florets)

2 small onions (cut into 1/8’s)

1 head of garlic (top trimmed off to expose cloves)

1 teas fennel seeds

1 teas cumin seeds

2 tbs olive oil

1 1/2 teas baharat (or other spice mix)

2 teas pomegranate molasses

1/2 teas sea salt

Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip) – Makes 1 small bowlful

2 red peppers

2 tbs olive oil

1 teas chilli flakes

2 slices wholemeal bread (crusts taken off, stale bread works best)

2 big handfuls walnuts

1 1/2 tbs pomegranate molasses (or 1/2 lemon juice)

1 teas unrefined brown sugar or sweetener of choice

1/2 teas smoked paprika

125g firm tofu

1/2 teas sea salt

Garnish

1 handful fresh parsley (chopped)

Big glug extra virgin olive oil

Large pinch of bharat and smoked paprika

Do It

Preheat an oven on high, 240oC.

Start by roasting the peppers for the Muhammara. Rub oil over the peppers and place on a baking tray. Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning them once, until they are slightly blackened and soft. Place in a bowl and cover. Once cooled, cut in half and remove the seeds, peeling off the skin. It should slip off nice and easy.

In a bowl, gently toss the cauliflower, onion and garlic in the oil, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and salt. Scatter over a baking tray and place in the hot oven. Roast for 12 minutes.

Turn all veggies over using a flat spatula (including the head of garlic), there should be some nice caramelised edges forming on the cauli and onions, this is definitely what we want. Even nice, dark charred edges are great for this recipe.

Now sprinkle over the baharat spice and drizzle over the pomegranate molasses, give the tray a little shake and pop back into the hot oven for 10 more minutes roasting, until dark golden and crispy.

While all the roasting is going on, you can make your Muhammara. Place the peppers and all other ingredients in a food processor and blitz until creamy. Check the seasoning and scoop into your most attractive bowl.

Warm a nice big shallow bowl or serving platter and scoop over your cauliflower. The garlic will be nice and soft, just pop the cloves out of their skins and scatter over the dish.

The aroma of this dish is a delight. Spicy!

Serve

Sprinkle a little more Bharat over the cauliflower and finished the Muhammara with a drizzle of delicious olive oil, a sprinkle of paprika and a little freshly chopped parsley.

The Roasted Cauliflower and Muhammara will be delicious with a crisp, green salad and a bowl of olives. In Peace & Parsnips I recommend warm black olives and toasted pitta bread. Pickles of any variety will be a great addition. Now this is really starting to sound like a feast fit for the festive season!

Beach House on the road. The many deserted beaches of Murcia. Aguillas, Spain

Foodie Fact

Pomegranate certainly brightens up this time of year and I much prefer the flavour to cranberries, our festive staple for tanginess and that lovely festive touch of bright red. Pomegranate is packed with vitamins C and K and is also high in calcium and potassium. Pomegranate is also a good source of fibre and will help to keep our heart, digestive and immune system healthy. Perfect food to get us through the dark, winter days.

Hiking up in the Espuna mountains. Beautiful forests. Murcia, Spain

Mazarron sunsets demand a G+T – Murcia, Spain.

Categories: Dinner, Healthy Eating, Peace and Parsnips, Recipes, Vegan | Tags: christmas, food, healthy, Lebanese, plant-based, pomegranate molasses, recipe, spain, veganism | 2 Comments

A Massive Festive Hug!

Posted on December 24, 2014 by leroy watson

The depths of winter on Mojon Beach

Just a quickie to say:

MEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRYYYYY CHHHHHHHHRIIIIISSSSTMMAAAAASSSSSS!!!!!!X

and then:

HAAAAPPPPYYY NNEEEEWWWWWWW YYEEEEAAAARRRR!!!XXXX

Hope you have a very magical time with plenty of tofu pie and pumpkin crisps………and the odd sherry to wash it all down.

It seems like an ice age since we last said a little ‘hello’. We have been suffering from a very Spanish dilemma over here in Murcia, cooking loads of gorgeous nibbles and bites, but easing into the manana (tomorrow) lifestyle a little too easily. “Manana, manana, manana…..” its a magnificent way to live, but leads to a lack of posts and far too much time to contemplate dinner whilst lounging on a beach. Its 20oC today, Christmas Eve and we are soaking up the rays on behalf of all Beach Houser’s out in lands not so well endowed with festive sunbeams. We salute you!

We are planning a quiet Christmas on the terrace with my Dad and some stunning local vino and a mammoth veg-fest terrine (not necessarily in that order!). Jane is plotting a platter of potato served three ways, as you all know, Jane is partial to a patata or three. Dad is fully on board with the vegan express and we’re going totally vegetal this festive period. Bravo big man!

2014 has been a great year at the Beach House, thanks for all of your support and inspiration. Jane and I are in India in the new year, so you can expect plenty of curry based action very soon. Our new year resolution will be to whip up more posts, hopefully this year, we’ll actually get around to it. Life so rich and ‘Manana’ an ever viable option…..

Peace, Love and Light,

Lee and Janexxxxxxxxxxxxxxx