Roasted cauliflower salad

This was my lunch yesterday...it was delicious, so much so I might make it again today as I have the remainder of the cauliflower that needs using up.

I love roasted cauliflower. It's one of those vegetables you often don't think to roast, I'm more used to roasting root vegetables, but in recent months i've recently taken a liking to all things cauliflower...

...Even in more unusual ways, like my baked banana bread oatmeal and this risotto.

The original recipe came from the BBC Food website, as it popped up when I was having a browse for salad recipes of a little more unusual variety. I changes a few of the flavours up a bit and i found it didn't take as long to cook as they'd suggested...so it is a pretty speedy dish. The perfect light lunch or side dish. I made a single serving but I have doubled the quantities below to serve two since that may be more likely. You can use herbs of your choice although I loved the rosemary in this dish, it had a real strength of flavour that was a great compliment.

Recipe: Roasted cauliflower salad

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower- chopped into small florets
a little olive oil- to coat cauliflower
1 small red onion- sliced thinly
2 tbs balsamic vinegar and 2 tsp agave-mixed together
small handful raisins
2 tbs flakes almonds (toasted or natural)
handful of fresh rosemary
2 handfuls spinach or salad leaves (I used a salad mix)

Method:

Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil in a medium bowl, seasons with salt and pepper.

Lay in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake at 180C for approx. 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the onion and toss with the oil remnants n the same bowl that the cauliflower was in. After 10 minutes the onion to the cauliflower tray and continue to bake for approx. 10 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile prepare the balsamic/agave mix and add the raisins to soak.

Pile a handful of spinach/salad on each serving plate, and pile the cauliflower mix on top. Finish with the raisin dressing and a sprinkle of almonds and fresh rosemary.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

No bake Christmas candy collection

Well I actually call these ‘smoosh bars’…if you’ve been following for a while you’ll have probably already figured that out since they pop up quite a lot (read: I am a little obsessed!)’ Smoosh Bars’ was a name that my family began to call them since when asked what they were I simply said ‘its just lots of healthy ingredients all smooshed together.’  It stuck!

I figured smoosh bars  was maybe an odd title for the post…probably less likely to entice people over, and then they’d be missing out on all the fun…(these bars are a lot of fun). So no- bake Christmas candy collection it is since today I am sharing with you my entire collection so far, but the variations are almost limitless, I’d love for you to share your own favourite flavour combos since I know many of you make this sort of thing yourself too!

Below you’ll find the links to previous smoosh posts, note that most of these bars contain nuts. In more recent weeks I have been running low on my cashew and almond supplies and have had a surplus of sunflower seeds, so to readdress this balance I made all the flavours linked below with sunflower seeds in place of the nuts to see how they worked out. The result was almost identical. If I absolutely had to choose I’d maybe say the nut version slightly won over the seed, but there is very little in it, so here we have the perfect most versatile bar collection perfect for school lunches and nut allergy sufferers… and in actual fact perfect for pretty much everyone!

Take your pick and go play!

Chocolate orange bars

Gingerbread Christmas cubes

Fudge topped gingerbread squares
Ginger pumpkin bars with carob

Roasted peanut and cranberry bars

Sunbutter coconut bars

Oh and last but not least…do you remember these mini Christmas puds?…they were my favourite thing last year!

I still love these mini puds...the clove in the top infused the flavour and makes them taste so authentic!

Now, here I have two new recipes to excite you:

Recipe: Marzipan almond smoosh

Makes approx. 10 bars

Ingredients:

70g dates

70g raisins

100g almonds (or sunflower seeds) I did use almonds to make it more aurthentic

50g buckwheat flour (or oatmeal)

30g dessicated coconut

30g dried cranberries

1tsp almond extract*

Topping (optional): 50g cashews or blanched almonds, few drops almond extract and 2 tbs agave syrup. Extra flaked almonds to decorate.

Recipe: Chocolate peppermint smoosh

Ingredients:

70g dates

70g raisins

100g sunflower seeds (or mild flavoured nuts)

40g buckwheat flour (or oatmeal)

30g dessicated coconut

20g cocoa powder

1tsp peppermint extract*

Topping (optional): 50g cashews or blanched almonds, few drops peppermint extract and 2 tbs agave syrup. If desired you could decorate with mini choc drops as a nice contrast.

Method (for both):

Blitz the nuts/seeds in a food processor for a few seconds until they are coarse. Add all remaining ingredients and blitz until you have a fine sticky ‘dough’.

Press the dough into a square container or smallish loaf tin lined with parchment (tin should be approx. 10x15cm) and pack down firmly, I use the flat end of a rolling pin to do this.

To make the top layer, blitz cashews or blanched almonds (make sure there is no skin as it will discolour the result) until they begin to get sticky, add a little agave and flavouring to taste and process a little longer.

Press a thin layer of nut mixture over the bottom layer and decorate with flaked almonds if desired.

 Chill for a couple of hours until firm enough to slice neatly.

Note: you could form into balls instead of making slices.

*use oil based and not alcohol based extracts if possible since the alcohol based versions have a slightly bitter taste due to the alcohol not being ‘burnt off’ as the bars are not baked.

 chocolate peppermint bar

almond marzipan bar

roasted peanut and cranberry bar

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see  this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Coconut oatmeal cookies

It’s crazy to think that with my love of oats I have not yet attempted a full on oatmeal cookie!

Well all that has now changed!

A few days ago, some of you may have seen this picture pop up on my newly created Instagram account (subtle hint: come follow me here!!)

These cookies are soft and chewy and rich and buttery…they taste like a regular soft and buttery sugary oat cookie yet without all the naughtiness. The inclusion of coconut, in the form of coconut sugar and coconut flakes (along with coconut oil although you can’t taste that!) gives these cookies a deep caramelly richness and a crazy cool chewy bite. The touch molasses further intensifies the depth of flavour but that is entirely optional.

I initially made a small batch of these cookies as a test. The recipe below makes about 8 medium cookies but you could easily double it up to make a more ‘normal’ sized batch. I also kept it plain and simple here so the oats could take centre stage, but you could add raisins or choc chunks if you wish. Next time I make these I may also sub half of the oats for quinoa flakes to see how that changes the texture. I also fancy a peanut butter version subbing the coconut oil…Mmmmm.

  

Recipe: Coconut oatmeal cookies

Makes approx. 8 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup oats

½ cup buckwheat flour

3 tbs tapioca flour

3tbs coconut sugar (plus pinch stevia- optional)

1 tbs agave

1 tsp molasses (optional for richness)

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp mixed spice or nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2tbs coconut oil- melted

1 tbs ground chia and 3 tbs water/soy milk

3tbs desiccated coconut

¼ cup raisins/choc chinks- optional

Method

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well with spoon. Add choc chunks/raisins last (if using).

On a parchment lines baking sheet roughly roll cookie dough into apricot sozed balls and press flat with fingers.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 10 mins until lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet, then store in air-tight container once fully cool.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.