Vegetarian Foods Archive

Halloween theatrical feasts have come and gone and so has Friday the 13th, but I share with you something dark, dramatic and bold - Spreadable Black Butter.  Please don't be judgemental and deceived by its menacing appearance, it is nutty and subtly sweet.  Give it a chance and it may win you over.   I've had a jar of these black tear-drop shaped seeds in my kitchen cupboards for a couple of years.  I've reached for the jar a few times, but its mostly been used as a garnish than an ingredient in its own right.  So recently when a Korean friend was telling me about the new rage in the West for (Kimchi and) Black Sesame Tahini being sweetened a little either with honey or maple syrup and then used as a spread, well I just had to give it a try.   I made it.  I tried it.  I spread on a toasted bagel and liked it, but the man in the house wasn't that keen on it.  So,  the sweet black sesame butter is pretty much all for me.  The o...

For those of you who read my blog on a regular basis will have already been introduced to the new toy in my kitchen , but for those of you who have not.  Meet The Optimum ThermoCook that has made itself at home in my kitchen, shoving out of the way the fruit bowl.    Many of you know that I don't really do reviews, so many bloggers accept things and always feel they have to write positive stuff.  I have always been and continue to be very selective and review with honestly and of products that genuinely interest me; and not just for the sake of taking. This post is a Review of the Optimum ThermoCook .  The Optimum ThermoCook is made by the same people behind my Optimum 9400 Froothie Blenders. The ThermoCook  is  quite a neat looking appliance and not too intrusive.  Its boasting that it  boils, blends,  chops, heats, kneads, liquidises, mashes, purees, reheats, sautes, steams, stirs, and much much more .   I am looking forwa...

I made myself smile today.  I went into a bookshop in town during my lunch break.  Now and again, I will frequent this High Street bookshop, just to see what new vegetarian and vegan cookbooks they have in stock.  Whilst I was looking, this man that would nowadays be described as a Hipster, though the word hipster emerged in the 1930 for underground Black musicians, mostly jazz musicians 'in the know' about emerging sub-culturea and trends.   Anyway, I digress, I heard him yell out to one of the workers 'Do you have any vegetarian or vegan cookbooks?'.  The girl came over and looked at the shelf a bit bewildered.  I couldn't help myself and said I come here often and I can see one there , there and two there.  In fact that one is good.  He looked at the girl, and said 'Thanks anyway' and  thanked me, surprisingly picking the one that I recommended.  Just made me smile.  I should be working in the cookbook section of this shop or i...

l have a confession to make.  I don't like mashed potatoes.  It is baby food designed for grown ups. I avoid making it, but if I have to t he only way I can eat it is if it is disguised in panko crusted  croquettes or dolloped over a good Vegetarian Shepherdess Pie,   but my dearest loves mashed potatoes, so it is for him I make them now and again.   Here the mashed potatoes are enhanced with herby dill and a good smack of horseradish powder or sauce. Once you've made it though, there is the question of presentation.    The mash was ridiculously smooth, so smooth that it almost melted in the mouth like snow - except of course it was warm.   Dill Horseradish Mashed Potatoes Serves 4 - 6 as an accompaniment Ingredients 500ml water 750grams potatoes, peeled and chopped into small bite size pieces 1 tablespoon horseradish powder or sauce 2 tablespoons dill, roughly chopped 30grams butter or vegan margarine 100ml - 150ml milk or ve...

Eating black eyed peas at the start of the New Year had become a bit of a tradition in my home, reputed to bring good luck and prosperity.  Goulash made with Black Eyed Beans Black Eyed Peas Hot Pot Ginger Black Eyed Peas Trini Black Eyed Peas with Rice Well whether its true or not, I fancied a change this time round and made something different. Still with pulse goodness.   I like the natural buttery nature of butter beans more than cannelini beans, but choose whatever white bean takes your fancy if you want to try this recipe.  What really tempted me to make this White Bean Soup was actually the  Arabic Seven Spices  known as Baharat .   Follow this link to learn and see so many other variations of the  Middle Eastern - Arabic Seven Spice - Baharat . When the dish was completed, I felt it was more of a stew than a soup which was actually a good thing, making this suitable more for a meal than a light lunch.  The weather has been stu...

A few good years ago when I began this blog, a fellow blogger commented that they loved that I made the most of an ingredient often using it for both sweet and savoury recipes.  I am guilty of it this time too.  After making this Sweet Parsnip Pie I made a Parsnip and Oat Porridge, I  usually eat porridge with freshly grated apple stirred into the mix but decided on trying it with parsnips and it was remarkable and naturally sweet, though I did throw in a handful of golden raisins.  I also made a Parsnip Crumble with some frozen berries and wait for it - Vanilla and Parsnip Creme Brulee .   I've not always liked parsnips.  I have often found this root vegetable too sweet for my taste so one-day - a long time ago - I had decided it would be reserved mostly for sweet cakes and bakes, the way carrots are used in carrot cake (or if your South Asian like me,  gajjar ka halwa  aka Carrot  halwa) , though I must admit parsnips still makes an appe...

The weather in Wales is so strange at the moment.  For the past two days its been heavily foggy, only to clear and then smack us in the face with a mini heatwave.  It does make a change from the rain though, so I better not complain.   I made this Golden Mushroom Loaf a couple of weeks back at the weekend when D brought home a lot of mushrooms.  It is golden partly from being baked, but also from the addition of smoked paprika.   I garnished the mushroom loaf with homemade smoky coconut flakes aka 'coconut 'bacon'.   We enjoyed this Mushroom Loaf as a Nut Roast with one meal, the others with a side of salad. It was tasty.  It was firm and crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside, but not a claggy soft. It made a nice change from the occasional mock 'meat' sausages we pick up for  during the working week for easy meals.   If you do make this allow to cool in tin before attempting to remove.  This savoury loaf c an be r...

I got back a few hours ago from my short break in the U.K. I will share more later next week with lots of photographs, but this evening I share with you a easy Plum and Raspberry Ketchup or Sauce. Both the plums and the raspberries are from my garden plot.   This Plum Ketchup was the result of an accident.   I had planned to make  Plum Leather, but I had pureed the plums way too much that I had to find a way of rescuing them rather than washing it down the sink.  As well as making this Plum and Strawberry Ketchup, I also made a Plum Milkshake and Plum Yogurt Ice-Cream. The raspberry vinegar is optional.  I had some that I h ad been gifted to me by m sister in law a couple of years back and this was a good way to finish off the bottle that has mostly been used for salad dressings.  I am sharing this Plum Sauce with Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary for No Waste Food Challenge .  Easy Plum and Raspberry Ketchup 1 kg plums, core removed 100grams...