Happy Easter from Sophie’s Foodie Files!

I wish all of my readers, all over the world, a Happy Easter!! Enjoy this festive day with your family, friends & loved one’s!

I will give you a few alternative dishes to enjoy at Easter or on Easter Monday!

Just click onto the pictures to go directly to the recipes!

A/ Some tasty salads ( both vegan !!! )

Very festive, seasonal vegan salad!!!

A seasonal vegan top salad!

B/ Some tasty dinners!

A tasty fish dish!

Sophie’s easy vegan & GF curry! MMM!

A tasty spring lamb dish!

C/ Some tasty desserts!

A tasty vegan forced rhubarb, pear & chocolate chip crumble!

Vegan carob brownies with cranberries!

D/ What about some tasty cookies creations?

Tasty vegan cream cheese chocolate chip cookies!

Sophie’s festive speculaas cookies!

Don’t you want to take a large bite? These are GF triple coconut cookies with almond butter! Yes!

I hope you all liked my alternative suggestions aka recipes for a lovely Easter celebration! See you all back on Tuesday the 2nd of April! Bye for now!

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Hazelnut crusted redfish with a purple carrrot & sweet potato mash!

Hazelnut crusted redfish with a purple carrot & sweet potato mash!

Yummy & tasty hazelnut crusted redfish, fresh from the oven!

Recipe: For 2 persons

Ingredients:

** For the hazelnut crusted redfish:

2 times clean redfish fillets, each about 220 gr, the thicker part

120 gr whole hazelnuts

50 gr vegan butter

50 gr white flour

1/2 heaped teaspoon of Maldon sea salt

10 grins of finely milled black pepper

** For the sweet potato & purple carrot mash:

400 gr sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into larger chunks

400 gr of purple carrots, peeled, cut into longer strips & each strip cut into 2 or 3, ( peel these carrots with plastic gloves on because they will bleed like red beets & you will end up with stains everywhere!  

a knob of 2 of vegan butter

a splash of unsweetened soy milk

black pepper

Maldon sea salt

Special purple carrots!
They taste like normal orange carrots!

Method:

1. First, preheat your oven to 210° C ( 410 F ) for 10 minutes. I always use a fan oven. Prepare your redfish fillets, take off the skin & remove leftover smaller bones, like this:

Cleaned redfish thicker fillets!

Place your 2 redfish on a clean chopping board & grin freshly milled black pepper & sea salt over them, on both sides. Take a food processor, place your whole hazelnuts, vegan butter & flour in here. Add  1/2 heaped teaspoon of sea salt & 10 grins of finely milled black pepper in here. Blitz or mix until your hazelnuts & the rest are fully mixed & you will end up with 2/3 mixed or blitzed hazelnuts. Taste the mix. Because of the butter, the pulverized hazelnuts will stick together, but not fully.  Place your 2 redfish pieces in a fitting oven dish, that you have smeared in with vegan butter. Place a good thick layer of the hazelnut-butter-flour mix onto the top of each redfish. Pat it with your hands, so that the crust won’t fall down of each redfish. Something like this:

Hazenut-butter-flour crusted redfish, ready to go into the hot oven!

If you have some leftover crust material, add it to your oven dish anyway, on the bottom sides. Place into the hot oven & bake for about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of your redfish fillets. Mine took 20 minutes!

2. In the meantime, boil your sweet potatoes in some salted water until cooked through. Drain & mash. Keep warm. Do the same with your purple carrots. Boil until tender & al dente, drain & mash them together with the sweet potatoes. Add some sea salt, black pepper, a few knobs of vegan butter & a splash of vegan unsweetened soy milk. Mash well. I love to keep my mash a bit rough so that you can still see pieces of the purple carrots! That’s the way , I like it. When your fish is ready & cooked through, test with a pin. If so, turn the oven off & take it out & place some aluminium foil over the dish to keep warm & let the fish rest for about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve instantly on some preheated plates. Enjoy! This is a very fine dinner, best enjoyed with a loved one! Enjoy with a good glass of Sauvignon wine!

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You might like:

1. Sophie’s home-made dry spiced rub & dry spiced rub whiting fillets, served with a spiced broccoli & potato mash

2. Roasted fish fillet with a lemon, garlic & parsley crust, with oven baked potatoes & a side green salad

Vegan rhubarb, pear chocolate chip crumbles!!!

A tasty vegan forced rhubarb, pear & chocolate chip crumble! This portion is for 2 persons!

A few days ago, I made tasty vegan rhubarb, pear & chocolate chip crumbles!

It is a divine combination of flavours!! There is already forced rhubarb aka pink rhubarb that is grown into the dark, in special food shops. I wanted to use it because the ordinary more sour green & red rhubarb will not be ready until the end of April, in my yard. What is forced rhubarb?

Forced rhubarb!

These are tasty vegan pink rhubarb, pear & semi-sweet chocolate chips crumbles! They are divine! Each flavour goes so well with the other flavours! MMM! The chocolate chips will be melting into your tasty rhubarb-pear mix! Each crumble must be divided by two, so you will end up with 4 portions, big portions, I assure you! Yummy Yum!

MMM! All vegan goodness!

Recipe: For 4 larger portions

Ingredients:

** For the crumble topping:

150 gr organic white flour

150 gr cold, straight from the fridge, vegan butter, in pieces

75 gr light brown cassonade sugar ( kinnekes suiker )

75 gr vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips

** For the fruit mix:

585 gr forced rhubarb: washed, pad dry on kitchen paper, a few loose threads removed, cut into 2.5 cm pieces:  ( weighted when cleaned )

ripe pears: peeled, cored & cut into smaller chunks: 280 gr ( I used 2 pears )

cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon

2 tablespoons of water

100 gr vanilla sugar ( I use home-made ) 

Method:

1. I made the crumble topping a few hours in advance. Take a large bowl & add flour, cold vegan butter pieces & sugar. Crumble everything between your fingers until you end up with smaller & bigger crumbles. This will only take a few minutes. Now, add the vegan chocolate chips & mix through the crumbles. Place cling film over the bowl & place into the fridge until you are ready to make your whole crumble dessert.

2. Now, make your forced rhubarb mix. Take a medium cooking pot & add all of your rhubarb pieces in it. Add 2 tablespoons of water, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon & vanilla sugar. Mix well with a spoon. Boil for about 10 minutes until the rhubarb pieces are cooked through & the sugar is melted. Taste! It must taste a bit sweet but not too sweet & a bit vanilla too! You can see the black spots of the vanilla on the cooked rhubarb. If it is too sour for you, add more vanilla sugar.

3. Preheat your oven to 180°C ( 350 F ) for 10 minutes. I always use a fan oven. Adjust your oven to the right temperature. Layer your crumble. Take 2 larger individualized oven dishes ( so you will end up with 4 portions in total ) & divide your rhubarb, cinnamon & vanilla mix on the bottom of each oven dish. Scatter the pear chunks over the rhubarb. Press the pear chunks a bit into the rhubarb. Divide the crumble mix over the oven dishes, loosely packed. Place into a preheated oven of 180°C ( 350 F ) & bake for about 20 minutes until bubbly, hot & the crumble topping becomes brown in colour. Do not let the crumbles burn! Lower your oven temperature if you need to.

4. When ready, take them out of the oven & let them rest for about 5 minutes. Enjoy instantly with a loved one!

MMM!!!!

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You might like:

1. Vegan rhubarb spelt cake with chocolate chips!

2. Spiced rhubarb & pear coconut crumble!

3. Rhubarb & ginger crumble, served with Hot Devon custard!

4. Gluten-free rhubarb & strawberry crumble!

Home-made vanilla sugar!

Home-made vanilla sugar!
An excellent food gift too!

2 months ago, I made home-made vanilla sugar. It is so easy to make & so tasty to use too. Here in Belgium, we can buy it in expensive little sachets of each 20 gr.  Who knows what else they put in that vanilla sugar?

So, this is how I did this & you can easily make this too!

Tasty home-made vanilla sugar!

Recipe: For 450 gr vanilla sugar

Ingredients:

450 gr of white vegan castor sugar = 2 cups

1 thick dried Bourbon vanilla bean

Method:

1. Take a fitting glass jar with fitting lid for your 450 grams of vanilla sugar to be!

2. Place the thick dried vanilla bean on a chopping board & slice the bean open vertically, on the long side. Scrape the vanilla seeds out & place them into the sugar. Cut your  vanilla bean in different pieces & add to your sugar. Mix well with a clean spoon. Place the fitted lid on & place into a dry cupboard. Every day or so, mix with a spoon. After 1 week, your sugar will be ready. You can leave your vanilla beans in the sugar for a long time, the vanilla flavour will develop more,… Before using, you can sieve your vanilla sugar & keep in a lovely glass jar with fitted lid to give away as a lovely & tasty food gift! Or you can process the bean bits in a food processor & not sieve the vanilla sugar. I like the black spots in my vanilla sugar, don’t you? You even can leave the vanilla beans for a few months into your sugar: it is up to you! Enjoy!

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You might like:

1. Home-made limoncello

2. The Virtual Vegan Potluck & my recipe in it: Vegan forced rhubarb, pear & chocolate chip crumbles!!

3. Vegan & Gluten-Free strawberry, raspberry cashew smoothies! 

4. Nigella’s chocolate rice pudding! 

Organic pork chops in a grain mustard & orange sauce, with green beans & maple syrup coated sweet potato rounds

A tasty & sublime dinner! That grain mustard & orange sauce goes so well on top of the cooked green beans & with the round sweet potato maple syrup coated circles!

This dinner, I made yesterday evening. I had some new organic coarse whole grain mustard in the house. I had to use it, didn’t I? It looks so special too, don’t you think?

Coarse whole grain mustard, organic too!

I also bought organic boneless pork chops & wanted to make a sauce with it. So, I made this!

Recipe: for 2 persons

Ingredients:

** For the pork chops & sauce:

2 organic boneless pork chops, each 220 gr, so 440 gr in total

Maldon sea salt

black pepper, finely milled

coarse whole grain mustard : 2 tablespoons

freshly squeezed orange juice : 150 ml

dry white wine : 50 ml

baking margarine

sunflower oil

** For the green beans:

350 gr green beans, weighted when uncleaned, tops & tails removed, cut into 2 ( I had very large beans so I cut them into 2 or  3 )

Maldon sea salt

** For the maple syrup coated baked sweet potato rounds:

3 tablespoons maple syrup, I used organic & grade C

baking margarine

3 big sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 3 thicker chunks, ( when cooked , drained, we cut them into 2 or 3, into 1 cm rounds )

Method:

1. Cook your sweet potato chunks in some sea salted boiling water until tender & cooked through. Drain well & cut each thicker round into 2 or 3 smaller rounds, each 1 cm thick. Keep warm. Cook your beans in some salted water & boil until just cooked through. Drain & keep warm.

2. When your beans are cooked, take a large non-stick pan & add some baking margarine. Now, season your 2 pork chops, on each side with Maldon sea salt & finely milled black pepper. In a hot Creuset pot, pour a few drizzles of sunflower oil & add few knobs of baking margarine & let it melt. When hot, add your pork chops & fry on both sides for 3 to 5 minutes until all sides are fully browned & you don’t see any raw meat. So until they are seared! Then, add 2 tablespoons of that whole grain mustard, add white wine & orange juice too. Stir everything round in your hot pot & place the fitting lid on. Leave your pork chops in here, but turn them over after 5 minutes & pour the sauce to be over the pork chops, now & then. Leave the pork chops in here for at least 10 minutes or until your sauce has been reduced & your pork chops are just cooked through. You still want the pork chops to be juicy & a bit pink inside but not raw! When you think your pork chops are ready & tender, take 1 out & place onto a chopping board & cut into the flesh. If ready, place back into the hot pot & place the lid on. Turn the fire off & let the meat rest for 5 minutes. Because you want them to be juicy & tender on the inside!

3. In the meantime, fry your sweet potato rounds in some baking margarine, in a large pan until browned on all sides for about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Then, pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup all over it. Let it caramelize a bit & turn the potato rounds also over on the other side. Carefully watch it all so the rounds don’t burn!!! Lower your heat if you need to. When ready, turn heat off & keep warm.

4. Now, plate up & pour your sauce over your juicy pork chop. Place green beans & potato rounds on the other side. Enjoy instantly with a loved one! We had a bit of the sauce left, to pour over the green beans because they go so well with that lovely sauce! Enjoy! xxx

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Vegan veggies pasta sauce with seitan, on a bed of spelt spaghetti!

A tasty vegan pasta sauce with fennel, red bell pepper, garlic, seitan on a bed of semi-wholemeal spaghetti!

This evening, I made this tasty vegan pasta sauce. I served it with semi-wholemeal spelt spaghetti. I added some veggies too, of course! Instead of real mince, I used vegan seitan mince. I love seitan mince over real pork & veal mince anyway. So, this is how I did it:

It is very fresh with the fennel in it! Filling too, with the semi-wholemeal spelt spaghetti

Recipe: For 3 persons, each a big part!

Ingredients:

seitan mince : 200 gr

black pepper

Maldon sea salt

2 big red bell peppers ( red paprikas ), cleaned, seeds, white bits & top cut out, cut into bigger parts —- They will get into the food processor later!

1 big fennel bulb, tubes & hard core removed, cut into thicker parts —– they will get into the food processor later!

2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped

mixed spiced dried pepper flakes, in a grinder

Provençal dried herbs : 1 teaspoon

a fruity Extra Virgin Olive Oil

spaghetti seasoning: 1/2 teaspoon

350 gr of semi-wholemeal spelt spaghetti

700 ml of tomato passata

Method:

1. First, put garlic & red bell pepper pieces in your food processor. Blitz until it is very fine, like this:

2 blitzed red bell peppers with the garlic!

Take a large cooking pot & heat up on high. Pour 2 big swirls of that fruity evoo in it. When hot, add blitzed red bell pepper garlic mix. Fry for a bit. Lower the heat if you need to. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt & 5 grins of finely milled black pepper. Then, add 700 ml of tomato passata to the pot. Add 1 teaspoon of dried Provençal herbs & 1/2 teaspoon of spaghetti seasoning. Stir often. Then, I added 20 grins of that mill with mixed dried chili flakes in it. Cook for 5 minutes.

2. Now, place your fennel pieces in your food processor & blitz nearly fine. So, blitz for 3/4. You still need lots of pieces left to see, for the eye.  Something like this:

Adding the fennel pieces to the hot tomato sauce.

Add to the tomato sauce. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the fennel pieces are just cooked through. Then, I added an extra 5 grins of that mill with mixed dried chili flakes in it. Your sauce will be a bit spicy in your mouth & lips but not too much, just right to taste the red bell peppers & the fennel too. Finally, I fried the seitan mince in some olive oil & added sea salt & black pepper. I fried it until it was browned on all sides. Add to the tomato-veggies sauce. Stir well. Taste again. Your sauce must be lipsmacking tasty! Cook your spelt spaghetti according to your packet instructions & drain well.

Serve instantly with a loved one! MMM,…!!!

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Roasted salmon with green asparagus, a minted pea mash & potato croquettes !

A few days ago, I made this tasty fish dish. I served oven roasted grilled salmon fillets with a home-made minted pea mash, served with store-bought potato croquettes! I served some fresh young green asparagus tips with it! I served this for my husband Peter & I for our 6th wedding anniversary on Marth the 10th 2013. Yummy, I assure you!

A tasty fish dish!

Recipe: for 2 persons, with bit of seconds

Ingredients:

** For the oven roasted salmon:

2 x each 220 gr of salmon fillet, cleaned & pad dry on kitchen paper

green fish herbs from a grinder ( my fish herbs had in it: marjorie, onion, garlic, fennel seeds, sesame, dill, oregano, basil, celery, parsley & thyme )/ I used Piet Huysentruyt

Maldon sea salt

Black pepper, finely milled

** For the potato croquettes:

enough deep freeze potato croquettes for 2 persons

** For the minted pea mash:

55 gr of fresh green mint leaves, cleaned, washed & spun dry

frozen smaller garden peas: 400 gr

50 ml of soy cream

1 big shalot, peeled & finely minced

2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled & finely minced

black pepper

Maldon sea salt

** For the green asparagus tips:

140 gr of fresh green asparagus tips

Method:

1. First, preheat your oven to 180°C ( 350 F ) for 10 minutes. I always use a fan oven. Adjust your oven to the right temperature.

2. Prepare your salmon fillets. Take a fitted oven dish & smear in with a fruity evoo. Smear your fish in with the same fruity extra virgin olive oil, on all sides. Grind your green fish herbs over each fish fillet & on the sides too. You want real good flavour from this. I scattered a bit of Maldon sea salt flakes & a bit of finely milled black pepper over the tops of each salmon piece. Place in the center of the oven & roast for about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the thickness of your pieces. If it is thinner, you will need only 20 to 30 minutes. Check often.

2. After that, boil your peas in some salted water until cooked through. Drain well & set aside. In the same pot, add some baking margarine & let it melt. When hot, add garlic & shalot pieces & fry until browned & cooked through. Season with some salt, but not too much & finely milled black pepper. Let it cool down a bit. Now, heat up your soy cream & season with s & p. Add the peas to the hot soy cream & heat them through in here. Place the mint leaves in a food processor & add the peas-soy cream mix. Mix 3/4 fine. I wanted a more chunkier mash so I blitzed it thicker. Do what you want! Taste! It has to taste fab! Heat up your 2 serving plates. At the same time, cook your asparagus tips for a few minutes until al dente & drain well. Keep warm.

3. Fry your potato croquettes in your fryer according to the packet instructions. Now, plate up! Place your roasted fish on one side, spoon your tasty pea-mint mash on the other side, spoon your cooked green asparagus tips, besides that & place your potato croquettes onto your plate & dig in instantly with a loved one! This is also great enjoyed with a good white wine, like an Australian wine, Chardonnay, Lindemans Bin 65, 2011. A perfect match or a good Sauvignon Blanc!

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You might like:

1. Sophie’s home-made dry spiced rub & dry spiced rubbed whiting fillets served with a spiced broccoli & potato mash

2. Oven baked salmon with Belgian white asparagus & oven baked potato wedges

3. Sophie’s salsa verde with pan-fried haddock pieces

Vegan, GF grilled raddichio & red witlof in a pink grapefruit maple dressing, topped with toasted walnut crumble, pink grape fruit parts & smoked tempeh!

A delightful seasonal vegan & Gf salad! Special too!

This evening, I made this fantastic vegan & gluten-free salad! It is so rich in different flavours but ooh so good too! It is a combination of raw foods & grilled foods, like grilled red witlof & grilled radicchio leaves, mingled with a pink grapefruit & maple syrup dressing, topped with a toasted walnut crumble, served with pink grapefruit pieces & fried smoked tempeh rounds! Delish! A very festive vegan & Gf salad! The more grilled bitter leaves go so well with the more sweeter pink grapefruit maple syrup dressing!

A salad to impress!!! xxx

Yummo!

Recipe: For 2 persons, with seconds

Ingredients:

** For the pink grapefruit & maple syrup dressing:

juice of 1 big pink grapefruit = 150 ml to 200 ml

4 tablespoons maple syrup, grade C

10 grins of finely milled black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt

** For the grilled red witlof & grilled raddichio:

2 medium red witlof, cleaned & big hard white parts removed

1 head of radicchio, outer 2 leaves & hard white bottom removed, cut into 2 & then into thicker wedges & each wedge leaves took off, to grill them all separately!

sunflower oil

black pepper

Marinating the grilled red witlof & grilled radicchio, after grilling, in that tasty pink grape fruit maple syrup dressing : 60 ml of that dressing

** For the rest of the salad:

1 big pink grapefruit, peeled & cut into wedges, then into 2, peel, white parts & pits removed

125 gr of smoked tempeh, cut into thicker rounds

sunflower oil to fry the smoked tempeh rounds in

1/2 cup of walnut pieces, toasted into a hot pan on medium fire, until fragrant & browned on all sides, toasted ( Do not burn the walnut pieces!!! ) When the nuts are a bit less warm, place into a food processor & pulse until it resembles a crumble: very finely!

2 medium normal white witlof, cleaned & big hard part in the interior removed

shreds of that raddichio, a few shreds torn up

Method:

1. Cut your 2 normal white witlof finely but not too fine. Shred a few radicchio leaves into smaller pieces. Mix these up nicely. This will form the middle & base of each plate.

2. Make your dressing. Take a smaller bowl & add the freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice. Add 4 tablespoons of maple syrup. Now, add 10 grins of finely milled black pepper & 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Whisk together with a smaller whisk. Taste! It has to taste yummy & a bit more sweet but not too sweet. You still must taste the pink grapefruit! Pour this dressing in a fitted jam pot with fitting lid & set aside. Do not place it into the fridge!!!

3. Preheat your grill pan on high. Smear your radicchio wedges & your red witloof wedges in with sunflower oil. You do this easily this way with a silicon brush. When your grill is very hot, place your wedges of the lof onto the hot griddles. See that every leaf is grilled well. Do not let them burn!! Grill on each side well until grilled, warmed & cooked through. It only takes a few minutes on each side!! Test a few. Place all the grilled pieces together in a big bowl. Now, pour 60 ml of that tasty fruity pink grapefruit maple dressing over it all. I added 8 grins of finely milled black pepper to it. Mingle well with 2 large spoons. Leave it for a few minutes.

4. At the same time, fry your smoked tempeh rounds in some hot sunflower oil, on both sides, for a few minutes until browned on both sides.

5. Now, instantly, plate up 2 plates! I used 2 longer white clean plates & placed onto each plate the raw mixed white witlof & radicchio shredded leaves. Then, I placed the grilled red witlof & radicchio mix over the top, in a mountain shape. I topped that with the toasted walnut crumble. I served my 5 pink grapefruit pieces around the center & placed onto ech plate 5 thicker smoked tempeh pieces, neatly besides the pink grapefruit bits. When my husband & I devoured our tasty salad, we added more of that tasty dressing over our salad: you need to do that when you are starting to eat the raw bottom of this powerful fabulous seasonal salad! Vegan! Gluten-free too! Serve at once with a loved one! xxx

 

Two vegan & GF spreads!

Sun-dried tomato spread with basil, chickpeas, garlic powder & a special ingredient too!

Marinated artichokes in a flavoured oil & chickpeas spread!

Yesterday, I made these 2 tasty vegan & Gluten-Free spreads! They rock! They are so versatile to use too. You can use them as a lovely spread on bread or make a lovely sandwich out of it. Great also as a yummy spread in wraps or burritos’. Great on crackers too! Enjoy it all!

After being in the fridge for 1 night, the spreads will stiffen up a bit. MMM!

1 st Recipe: Sun-dried tomato with basil, chickpeas, garlic & white balsamic vinegar spread! ( First picture! )

For 1 medium round jam pot

Ingredients:

1/2 can of organic chickpeas = 120 gr,  rinsed & well-drained

50 gr of sun-dried tomatoes with basil

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt

15 grins of finely milled black pepper

2 teaspoons of a fruity Extra Virgin Olive Oil ( EVOO )

4 teaspoons of white balsamic vinegar ( This is the special ingredient here !), divided in to 2 teaspoons + 2 teaspoons

A good quality white balsamic vinegar!

Method:

1. Take a food processor & place chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, black pepper, olive oil & 2 teaspoons of that white balsamic vinegar in it. Blitz until 3/4 mixed. You still want to see bits of everything. See 1st picture! Taste! I added the other 2 teaspoons of that white balsamic vinegar to the mix. Blitz or pulse again. Taste again! MMM! You can taste the power of this fab spread!

2. Use like you will. I spread  it on a tasty organic sourdough slice! Yummy!

Yummy & powerful too!

2nd Recipe: Marinated artichokes & chickpeas spread!

Recipe: For 1/2 medium pot

Ingredients:

1/2 can of organic chickpeas = 120 gr,  rinsed & well-drained ( is the other half of that earlier can of chickpeas!! )

1/2 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt

20 grins of finely milled black pepper

1 pot or marinated artichokes in a flavoured oil ( drained but flavoured oil kept!!! ), this pot is 285 gr.

2 tablespoons of that flavoured oil

Method:

1. 1. Take a food processor & place chickpeas, marinated artichokes, sea salt, black pepper & 2 tablespoons of that flavoured oil in it. Blitz or pulse until it is all beautifully combined! You want to get it smooth here! Taste! My spread was superb this way. Add some seasoning if you need to. Don’t add more of that oil in here because you want to have a spread & not a dip!!!!

2. Use like you will. I spread  it on a tasty organic sourdough slice! Yummy!

MMM!

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You might like:

1. Vegan & Gf chickpeas & spiced avocado spread 

2. Vegan spiced curry smoked cashew & black bean spread sandwich

3. A quick & tasty pasta dish, using white balsamic vinegar !

Vegan spinach & broccoli soup, topped with smoked tofu croutons!

A tasty, smooth & silky broccoli soup!
Vegan & GF!

Today, I made this tasty vegan broccoli & spinach soup. I served it with topped fried smoked tofu bits, for  a more filling & healthy meal! This is a more smooth & silky soup with a hint of vegan cheese flavour in it. ( nutritional yeast )

MMM!

Recipe: For a whole lot of soup = 11 cups = 2750 ml

Ingredients:

1 large head of broccoli, about 500 gr, big hard stem removed, cut into smaller florets, washed & cleaned

500 gr spinach leaves, cleaned, big stalks removed, washed & spun dry

nutritional yeast : 4 tablespoons

1 white onion, peeled & cut up into chunks

1 medium potato, peeled & cut up finely

3 fat cloves of garlic, peeled & finely cut up

1000 ml of a good hot vegan & GF vegetable stock

500 ml of unsweetened soy milk

black pepper, finely grinned

Maldon sea salt

200 gr of vegan & gluten-free organic smoked tofu, drained, pad dry on kitchen paper & cut into 0.5 cm chunks with a sharp knife / I use Provamel/ I used 1 pack of 200 gr smoked tofu for 4 persons! Add more for the rest of the soup! Just calculate!

a GF & vegan butter

Method:

1. Take a pressure cooker & heat up on medium high. Whet hot, add some knobs of GF & vegan butter & let it melt. Add cut up onion, garlic & potato chunks. Stir often. Fry for about 5 minutes. Now, add spinach. Push the spinach down into the pot & let it wilt a bit. Then, add broccoli florets. Push it down into the pot.  Add hot vegetable stock & stir everything round in the pot. Now, add nutritional yeast & unsweetened soy milk. Stir everything well round into the pot. Heat up on high.

2. When starting to boil, place the fitting lid of the pressure cooker in place like you normally do. Leave it on the high heat for about 6 to 7 minutes or until the nozzle is sizzling all the time. Now, turn the heat off & with help of a large wooden spoon, set the nozzle open & set the steam free! Leave it there until there is no steam left. Carefully, remove the lid.

3. Mix the soup, in a few batches, until completely smooth. I did this in 2 times, using My Vitamix. I mixed it completely fine. Now, taste your soup. I added 15 grins of finely milled black pepper & 1 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt.

4. In the meantime, heat a non-stick pan on high heat. Add a knob or 2 of vegan & GF butter & let it melt. Add the chunks of smoked tofu & fry until crispy & browned on all sides. Season with Maldon sea salt & finely grinned black pepper. Taste!

5. Laddle your soup in soup bowls & divide your smoked tofu croutons over the top, in the middle of your soup. Happy Eating! 

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You might like:

1. Vegan courgettes & spinach soup, topped with smoked tofu croutons!

2.A rustic spinach & green aspargagus soup

3. Sophie’s vegan cheddary cheese spread ( using nutritional yeast )

4. Vegan baked brown rice with broccoli in a cheesy sauce ( using nutritional yeast )

Sophie’s easy vegan & gluten-free curry!

Sophie’s easy vegan & GF curry! MMM!

My tasty vegan curry before adding in the coconut cream & fried spiced tofu chunks!

Recipe: For 4 persons or for 2 persons, for 2 days!

Ingredients:

** For the easy curry:

sunflower oil

1 medium sweet potato, peeled & cut into pieces , each 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm

1 white onion, peeled & cut up into smaller pieces

2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled & finely chopped

1/2 can of chickpeas, rinsed & drained well

2 parsnips, peeled & hard core removed, cut into smaller pieces, each 5 to 6 cm long & 0.5 cm thick

hot curry powder : 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon

garam masala: 1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon

Maldon sea salt

1 x 400 gr can of chopped tomatoes in their juice

1 x can of red cherry tomatoes in their juice

400 ml of a GF & vegan vegetable stock

2 teaspoons of Maldon sea salt

** For the fried hot curried tofu chunks:

2 tablespoons of hot curry powder

1 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt

250 gr of tofu, pressed for 45 minutes, cut into smaller blocks & then cut into 2

** To serve:

33 gr of coconut cream

Thai semi-brown cooked rice, kept warm, enough for 4 persons, I used 250 gr

half a handful of fresh chopped up coriander leaves ( cilantro )

Method:

1. Take a large Creuset pot & heat up on medium high. Pour 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil in here & heat up. When hot, add chopped onion & garlic. Add 1 teaspoon of garam masala. Stir often & let it fry for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped sweet potato & add 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala. Stir often. Fry it all for another 5 minutes until the sweet potato cubes are nearly soft. Add if you need to, 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil & heat up. Now, add parsnip strips & add 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of hot curry powder to the parsnip mix. Stir everything well around & place the lid on. Check often the softness of your parsnips. Fry until the parsnips begin to soften. This will take about 10 minutes.

2. Now, add 2 cans of tomatoes & vegetable stock. Stir everything round in the pot, even on the bottom. The parsnip mix will sit into the stock  & tomato mix. Cook, with the lid on, until the sauce has reduced, cooked in & the parsnips are tender & just cooked through. Remove the lid from time to time, to stir everything round in the pan, carefully not to break up the parsnips. After 5 minutes of cooking, add chickpeas. Stir. After a further 5 minutes,  my parsnips were ready. You still want to have a bit of a liquid sauce because, just before serving, you add the coconut cream & that will thicken the sauce a lot! So you want semi liquid. Taste! It has to taste fab! I added 2 teaspoons of Maldon sea salt to the curry. Stir! Place the fitting lid on & keep warm. Remove from the fire though.

3. In a medium bowl, add 2 tablespoons of hot curry powder & 1 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt. Mix with a spoon. Drop your tofu chunks in here & roll them all into the spice mix. Shake off any excess! Fry your tofu bites until browned & fried on all sides in a hot pan with sunflower oil. Check! When done, set aside.

4. Take your curry & add coconut cream & place on a medium fire to heat up, when hot, the coconut cream will start to get loose & break up into a creamy texture. Stir this coconut cream well through the curry & taste! It gives a more smooth & milder texture but you must still taste the spiciness of the hot curry! Add 1/2 teaspoon of the hot curry powder, if you need to. I did that & stirred everything well round into the hot curry! Taste again! Add the spiced fried tofu bits to the curry & mingle well.

5. Plate up! Take lovely white clean bowls & add Thai cooked rice on one side of the bowl & ladle your tasty & easy vegan curry on the other side, adding every ingredient onto each plate. Scatter some fresh green coriander leaves over the rice & the curry & enjoy instantly with a loved on! I made this dinner for 2 persons, for 2 days!

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Sophie’s home-made dry spiced rub & dry spiced rub whiting fillets, served with a spiced broccoli & potato mash!

Sophie’s dry spiced rub whiting fish with spiced broccoli & potato mash!

Yesterday, I bought fresh whiting fillets at my local fishmongers’. I wanted to make my own spice rub to put on top of the fish fillets. I marinated the fish fillets tops for 2 hours with the rub! I served them with a spiced up broccoli & potato mash. I did it this way!

Recipe: For Sophie’s spiced mix rub = 33 gr.

Sophie’s dry spiced rub! This would make a tasty little food gift too!

Ingredients:

3/4 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt flakes, crushed

1 tablespoon of ground cumin

1 tablespoon garam masala

2 teaspoons of ground coriander

2 teaspoons of spiced curry powder

2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, the dulce version ( this is the milder variety )

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

10 grins of finely milled black pepper

Method:

1. Take a medium bowl & ad every spice. Mix with a little whisk. Place into a fitted pot with fitted lid. Keep dry. You need 2 tablespoons for this fish recipe ( not a fishy recipe though) !

MMM! A divine combined dinner!

Recipe: For the dinner:

Ingredients:

** For the whiting fillets: ( you want to marinate the whiting fillets 2 hours before dinner!!! )

2 fresh whiting fillets, together they are 380 gr, cleaned with water, pad dry on kitchen paper

2 tablespoons of Sophie’s dry spiced rub ( recipe above !)

a fruity extra virgin olive oil : 2 to 3 tablespoons ( evoo )

baking margarine

** For the broccoli & potato mash:

540 gr of potatoes, peeled, each potato & cut into 2

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 big head of broccoli, about 440 gr, washed, cleaned & cut into florets, big main stalk removed ( weighted when cut up )

1 medium white onion, peeled & cut into fine wedges

2 fat cloves of garlic, finely minced

dried mixed smaller chili flakes, in a grinder

black pepper

Maldon sea salt

baking margarine

a splash of unsweetened soy milk

Method:

1. 2 hours  & 10 minutes before dinner, prepare your fish fillets. Take 2 large clean plates. See that one fish fillet fits onto 1 big plate. Pour your fruity EVOO in a mug. With a silicon pastry brush, brush the topside of each fillet with the fruity oil. Smear 1 tablespoon of the Sophie’s dry rub all over the surface of each whiting fillet. Spread it around with clean fingers. If you have some rub left, from that 1 tablespoon, smear the back top, firstly  in with some of that fruity evoo & smear the rest of that rub onto the back of the fish fillet, like this:

Smearing the rest of the 1 tablespoon of the dry rub on the back top end of the fish.

2. Do the same with the other whiting fillet, also using 1 tablespoon of dry rub. Do the same, if you have any leftover dry rub, from your 1 tablespoon. Like above here/ It will all looks like this:

The whiting fillet coated with a fruity evoo & on top Sophie’s dry rub spice mix!

3. Place cling film over the top of each fish plate & place into the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours!

4. Just before making dinner, boil your potatoes with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder added. Boil until tender. Drain well. Mash. Add a splash of unsweetened soy milk & a knob of baking margarine. Add some Maldon sea salt & 10 grins of finely milled black pepper. Mix. Keep warm. In the meantime, boil your broccoli parts in boiling water with dried chili flakes & some sea salt. You want the broccoli parts to be aromatised with the dried chili flakes. This will be about 1/2 teaspoon max. My dried chili flakes come in a grinder. They will be ready after 5 minutes or so. Drain well & add with the mashed potatoes. Mash. Using the same hot pot, heat up on medium high. Add 2 knobs of baking margarine & let it melt. Add the chopped onion & garlic & fry until browned & cooked through. Add some sea salt & 8 grins of black pepper. Stir often. When ready, add to the broccoli & potato mash. Mix well with a spoon & taste! It has to taste fabulous, a bit spicy & tasty! Check the seasoning. Add some dried chili flakes if you need to, to add some more punch. I added 7 grins! Taste again. Keep warm.

5. Now, heat a non-stick large pan on high fire. When hot, add a swirl or 4 of that same fruity evoo & heat up. Place your fish fillets, with the rub on down, into the hot pan & fry them on this side for about 3 to 4 minutes, carefully turn the fish fillets over & fry them for another 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish fillets!!! You don’t want to overcook the fish! Check often. Turn the heat off & place a fitting lid on to keep warm. Now, plate up! Take 2 lovely plates & with an ice-cream scoop, scoop 3 balls out of your spiced broccoli & potato mash. Do the same with the other plate. Carefully, take a fish fillet out of the pan & place besides the mash, onto each plate. Enjoy, my friends! MMM!

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You might like:

1. Orange zested fish with a watercress & potato mash

2. Roasted fish fillet with a lemon, garlic & parsley crust, served with oven baked potatoes & a side salad

3. Marinated salmon in a spicy crust, with a sweet potato mash, side salad & cherry tomatoes

Vegan gluten-free chocolate hazelnut milk!

Home-made chocolate hazelnut milk!
A stylish food gift !

Tasty & easy home-made chocolate hazelnut milk!

I made this tasty home-made chocolate hazelnut milk with soaked hazelnuts. This chocolate version has a deeper, rich & tasty chocolate flavour but isn’t too sweet. I didn’t use medjool dates because I am not very fond of them. I used maple syrup, grade C to sweeten & also used coconut sugar sweetened raw cacao nibs. Yummmmm!

Why do you need to soak your raw nuts for 8 to 24 hours?

The nuts become less raw & they are easily digested in the stomach. When these nuts are soaked, then well-drained & rinsed, they become more useful to use in raw vegan cheesecakes, in baked desserts, in muffins or in bread. Or you can make your own vegan cheese or spread.

You can make nut milk from every nut or a mix of nuts that you like & love. You even can make milk out of seeds like sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc. I am experimenting with them now. More recipes to come! Most recipes on the internet say that you use 1 cup of raw nuts & 3 to 4 cups pure water. In this recipe, I will use  3 cups of water. Why? because I like it this way & the nut milk is a bit thicker too.

You can make your own nut milk & add whatever ingredients you want, vanilla, sweeten it with dates, agave or maple syrup, add extra yummy things like chocolate, cacao nibs, coconut sugar sweetened cacao nibs, carob, cacao or add in spices: it is up to you! I will not strain my pulp because it is more healthy to drink up your pulp & my Vitamix mixes it all in really well. If you have a normal blender, it is better to strain your nut milk. See this post before on how you should do that!

Recipe: For 1250 ml = 5 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup raw, unsalted hazelnuts, covered in 2 cups clean water, soaked in water for at least 8 to 24 hours, kept in the fridge, nuts well rinsed & drained/ I always soak them overnight in the fridge.

3 cups clean water

1 cup of coconut sugar sweetened cacao nibs

2/4 cup maple syrup, grade C + 1 tablespoon

Method:

Since I got my Vitamix TNC 5200, I have made my all of my nut milks in this fabulous machine. Because I use my Vitamix, I don’t have to strain my hazelnut pulp. It is all well & finely mixed into the liquid. It has more flavour, is thicker, has more power & is much healthier that way!! If you don’t have a power blender like I do, then you will have to strain your milk by using a nut milk bag. How to use it & step by step guide, you will find, on one of my previous post: Here!

1. Place your soaked, rinsed & well-drained hazelnuts in your Vitamix blender & add 3 cups of clean water. Add coconut sugar sweetened cacao nibs & 2/4 cup of maple syrup too. Place your fitting lid on with the tamper in it. Now, turn your machine gradually on from speed 1 to 10 & then, turn on high power. Mix your nut milk for 1 minute or 2 or until completely mixed. Do this, by pushing the tamper up & down to make the ingredients go into the running blades. Now, taste. It has to have a more deeper, rich chocolate flavour & it has to be sweet but not too sweet. I added that 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, like mentioned on the list. Mix again.

2. Now, pour the tasty home-made vegan chocolate hazelnut milk in a clean bottle & turn the lid on. Label it. Keep in the fridge for most 4 to 5 days. Everytime, you want to drink it, you must shake your bottle up & down because otherwise the heavily parts will sink to the bottom. You need a smooth drink all the way! You will be left with 1/2 glass of chocolate hazelnut milk. You can drink it straight away!

You can decorate this lovely bottle with a nice lint & give it away as a lovely home-made food gift. MMM,…too! Enjoy! The uses are endless! More recipes on how to use it, later on!!!

Pouring the home-made vegan chocolate hazelnut milk in the clean bottle!

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You might like:

1. Two vegan home-made cashew milks ( the milks have been strained )

2. Two home-made vegan almond milks ( the milks have been strained )

3. Home-made cashew milk in my Vitamix ( the milk has NOT been strained )

Vegan & Gluten-Free spiced avocado & chickpea spread!

MMM! Tasty vegan spiced smoked avocado & chickpea spread! yeah!

This evening, I made this tasty avocado & chickpea spread. I spiced it up a bit with smoked paprika, the spicy version & added a smokeyness using smoked sea salt. Then I mixed it for 3/4 th & added finely cut up red onion pieces. This is so good! Check it out now!

Yummy Yummy Yummy!

Recipe: for a lot of spread

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado, peeled & big pit removed, flesh scooped out by a spoon

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of a fruity extra virgin olive oil ( evoo )

1 red onion, peeled & finely cut up

smoked paprika, the spicy version ( Pimentón de la Vera, picanté ): 2 teaspoons

1 cup of canned chickpeas, rinsed & drained well

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

black pepper: 10 grins finely milled

smoked sea salt : 20 to 25 grins

Method:

1. Take a food processor & add avocado flesh, lemon juice, garlic powder, olive oil, chickpeas, smoked spicy paprika, black pepper & smoked sea salt. DO NOT ADD THE RED ONION PIECES !!!! Mix or pulls until 3/4 smooth. I like to have a bit of consistency left in my spreads. Taste! It has to taste smooth, with a bit of spice & smokeyness. Spoon this  into a fitted bowl & add the red onion pieces. Mingle well with a spoon.Taste. It has to taste yummy & spiced up a bit & smokey! If not, add whatever you want, one or two of these used ingredients: it need to be right!

2. Smear on a lovely slice of fresh bread, gluten-free or not & top with cherry tomato halves, but not too much, each slice can take 5 halves! You must taste the tomato & the red onion & the spread too! Leave the rest of the spread in the bowl & top with a fitting lid. Put into the fridge to keep well. This dip keeps well for 2 days in the fridge! Enjoy, my lovely ones!

Yummy & versatile to use as a tasty dip, as a spread on bread, on wraps, etc!

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You might like:

1. Vegan curry spiced smoked cashew & black bean spread sandwich

2. Vegan rucola ( arugula ) cashew spread

3. Vegan pumpkin, chocolate & cashew spread

4. Vegan pear & cashew spread