Sweet & Oh So Spicy Chilli Sauce

Tags

chilli, chipotle, clean eating, compassionate, coriander, garlic, gluten free vegan, gluten- free, healthy, homemade, nigella seeds, nutrition, plant based, raw, raw vegan food, rawvegan, sun dried tomatoes, sweet spicy chilli sauce, vegan, vegan good, vegetarian

I cannot believe that i’ve kept this recipe from you lovely folks for so long. I was so sure that i must have shared this since its on rotation pretty regularly round our way. Still, no time like the present eh?

Sweet chilli sauce has always been one of my (many) Achilles’ heels (i must have about 7 legs by now). One bottle was never enough for me. As in, i’d easily go through 1/2 a bottle at any given meal. I’m pretty sure i used to make “dipping” food just so i could get my hands on that sweet, sticky addictive goo.

Obviously now i’m (slightly) older and (mildly) wiser i know that there was probably heaps of MSG and sugar in my naughty little friend. So creating my own, healthy, nutritious one was certainly one of the first recipes i invented when i jumped to greener pastures.

I guess thats why i assumed i had shared my secret weapon with ya’ll before. Its just so easy to make, totally hits the spot and is so utterly delicious that i suppose i take it for granted now. Oh that ‘ol thing, i just threw it together kinda attitude.

This beauty goes with everything that plain old store bought sauce will go with. Its versatile, punchy and still retains that more-ish addictive quality that got me hooked all those years ago. I like super hot heat when it comes to my spicy meter but you can totally reduce the amount of fresh chilli and swap the chipotle for smoked paprika to appease more sensitive tastebuds.

Aside from its on point flavour, this baby is raw so you’re actually giving your bodies a hefty hit of nutritional goodness. Making it the perfect, healthy addition to loads of cooked and traditionally not- so healthy dishes (and yes, i mean you mr chip).

(Makes 1 medium- sized jar that will lasts about 5 days in the fridge)

• 1 cup Passata (or 6 large tomatoes, seeds removed)
• 2 fat cloves Garlic
• 4 Sun- dried Tomatoes
• 8 Dates
• 1/2 large Red Chilli, with seeds
• 1 tbsp Tamari/ Nama Shoyu/ Soy
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tbsp fresh Coriander (optional)
• 1 tsp Nigella Seeds
• 1 tbsp Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 tsp Chipotle powder
• wee pinch of Smoked Sea Salt (optional)
• soaking water

1. Soak the dried tomatoes and dates overnight or in hot water for 2 hours, drain (reserving the liquid)
2. Roughly chop all the ingredients and add to a blender
3. Blitz until smooth, adding as much or little water as you like to reach desired consistency (sometimes i omit the water completely)

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Sweet Potato Boats ẃ Saffron Cream

Tags

bakes, chipotle, comfort food, gluten- free, glutenfreevegan, miso, orange, roasted chickpeas, saffron cream, spinach, sweet potato, tahini, vegan, vegetarian

What’s your favourite comfort food? You know, the dish you dream of all the way through a long and dreary day? What dish keeps you motivated on a long hike? Keeps you pushing on through the worst of days, knowing that deliciousness is awaiting your return home?

I was trawling through old photos of dishes last night and was struck by this one- unusually for me, beautifully presented and i knew immediately that this had to be my next post.

Added to that, i wanted to share one our less elaborate creations. It comes naturally to me to play in the kitchen but i know the end results can be overwhelming when you guys are looking for supper inspiration. This recipe is basically a humble baked sweet potato, but of course i had to jazz it up with some interesting textures and flavours. I know, i just can’t help myself.

The spicy, crunchy roasted chickpeas are the perfect antidote to the sweet and smooth potato and then theres the saffron cream- oh my goodness is it not just the most luxurious, earthy and satisfying delight you could ever drizzle over any dish. Ever. I can’t really believe i let this guy slip. Velvety and fresh. The stuff dreams are made. Well, my dreams anyway.

Aside from the oven time, this is a pretty quick dish to throw together, and you could totally roast everything in the same tin to save hassle. If you don’t have saffron then turmeric would equally work as well.

(Serves 2)

• 2 medium Sweet Potatoes

• 1 1/2 cups cooked Chickpeas
• 1/2 tsp Chipotle
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tbsp Coconut Oil, melted

• 2 tbsp Tahini
• juice of 1/2 an Orange
• 1 tsp Miso
• pinch of Saffron (about 4 strands)
• 2-4 tbsp Water (depending on desired consistency)

1. Heat your oven to 180c
2. Mix the saffron with the orange juice and set aside to infuse
3. Pop the potatoes into a roasting tin and bake for 40 minutes, or until tender
4. Meanwhile, toss the chickpeas in the oil, chipotle and salt, mix to coat thoroughly, set aside
5. Once the potatoes have been roasting for 25 minutes, pour the chickpeas around the bottom of the tin (or cook in a separate tin)
6. Keep an eye on them and stir frequently to make sure they don’t burn (cooking for about 15 minutes)
7. Now add the saffron/ orange mix with the remaining ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth, adding water in stages until you reach the level of viscosity your happy with.
8. To serve, carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half, drizzle a little cream over them, arrange spinach leaves next, then pop your chickpeas on top, finishing with as much cream drizzled over as you desire.

Chipotle Gazpacho & RAW Seeded, Sun Dried Tomato Crackers…

Tags

chipotle, coriander, coriander seeds, cucumber, cumin seeds, dehyrdate, dried chilli, flax seeds, gazpacho, nigella seeds, peppers, pumpkin seeds, raw, raw crackers, red onion, sesame seeds, sun dried tomatoes, sunflower seeds, vegan.gluten free, vegetarian

Now ya’ll probably well versed in the ways of gazpacho, but me, well, i ain’t ever really rocked the raw soup that is the centre of this post. I’ve eaten it but its never really struck a chord (you know, one of those deep, melodic chords, that resonate in your chest)?!

Its probably that ol’ me-not-liking-soup thing thats held me back but could i really boast a RAWsome arsenal without this flavour bomb under my wing? heck no! So here is Green & Leithy’s Gazpacho. Packed with unadulterated goodness, flavours and heat. Oh yes, the heat… A wonderful melody of dried red chilli and smoky chipotle. Theres all the usual suspects of veg going on underneath the beautiful flavours. Eating this really got me thinking- why don’t i make this more often?

The crackers are another beast entirely, and you absolutely could cook them in the oven. They are rich, sweet, and morishly balanced. Extremely versatile, these guys would be awesome with cashew cheese, hummus, falafel, oh the list goes on. Problem is; they were so good we ate them all before we could really test their potential. That equals a massive culinary win in my book.

These crackers compliment the gazpacho beautifully. An unctous undertone for the fresh and zesty soup. Combined the meal is both refreshing and satiating. And easy as heck to prepare- woop!

(Serves 4+, RAW, Vegan, Gluten Free)
Gazpacho:

• 10 large Tomatoes, inner stems removed
• 1 Red + 1 Yellow Pepper
• 1/5 Cucumber
• 1 Red Onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 handfuls Spinach
• 1 dried Red Chilli
• 1 tsp Chipotle
• 1/2 tsp Nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
• 3 tbsp fresh Coriander
• juice of 1/2 Lemon
• juice of 1/2 Lime
• 1 tbsp Tamari
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

1. Throw everything into a food processor and whiz for a few minutes (if using a blender make sure you don’t over blitz it- you still want small chunks of veg)
2. Place in a suitable container and pop in the fridge to cool

RAW Seeded, Sun dried Tomato Crackers:

• 1/2 cup Flax Seeds
• 1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 1/2 cup Sesame Seeds
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 6 Sun Dried Tomatoes (soaked overnight)
• 2 tbsp fresh Coriander
• 3 tbsp Water
• pinch Pink Salt

1. Add all the seeds to a food processor/ blender, blitz until fine (don’t over- blend)
2. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until fine
3. Tip the mix onto a large piece of baking parchment
4. Use your hands to press the “dough” into a large circle, you can then use a rolling pin to flatten out the mixture more- you want about 1/4″ disk
5. Use a pizza cutter/ large knife to cut out square crackers of your desired size
6. Dehydrate for 5 hours (or bake at 180c for 15 minutes)

Homemade Nachos…

Tags

chipotle, clean, gluten- free, guacamole, masa harina, nachos, nutrition, salsa, vegan, vegan cheese, vegetarian

A labour of love if ever there was one. But to craft a dish, usually unhealthy, from scratch and thus full of nutrition is certainly worth the effort. I’m warning you because in my mind- anything that takes 3 hours is worth knowing before hand.

The nachos are crisp and light- theres no fat going on here. They boast a subtle but deep spice from the chipotle. For that reason i omitted any further spice from the accoutrements but once we started eating i found that i would have preferred some heat from the salsa. The recipe for which is in my Dips section, as is the Guacamole. I’d seen a recipe for vegan nachos cheese somewhere on the web but have totally lost it, so this is my version. It doesn’t melt, but its wholesome and distinctly cheesy (thanks nutritional yeast).

So yes, i (you) can totally have your nachos and eat them, guilt free, knowing that you’ve neither harmed an animal nor your body in the process.

(Serves 4, Vegan, Gluten free)
For the nachos, (makes one giant tray):

• 400g Masa Harina
• 450ml Water
• 2 tablespoons of Chipotle (tweak to taste)

1. Heat the oven to 180c, cut a few sheets of baking parchment to fit flat trays (i think i  did 10 batches in the end with 4 trays, so work in stages)
2. Combine the spice with the flour, ensuring its fully distributed
3. Add the water and form into your dough
4. Scoop 2 soup spoons worth of dough at a time, place onto the parchment and cover in a sheet of cling film
5. Roll until as thin as you can possibly get, remove the film
6. Use a sharp knife (or pizza cutter) to slice large diamond shapes in the dough
7. Carefully transfer back onto the trays and bake for 5 minutes, or until the edges start to curl
8. Flip over and cook for another 8- 10 minutes until dry and crisp
9. Repeat until all the dough is used

Vegan Nachos Cheese:
(Makes 1/2 a bowl)

• 1 cup of raw Cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours)
• juice of 1/2 a Lemon
• pinch of Sea Salt
• 2+ tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast (to taste)
• 1/4-1/2 cup Water

1. Place everything in a blender and blitz until very smooth, add enough water until the “cheese” is thick but slightly runny

Assemble:
Arrange one layer of nachos into a deep roasting tin, dot guacamole, salsa and cheese on top. Add another layer of nachos and repeat until all your goodies are used up. Bake/ grill 5-10 minutes, until the dish has browned slightly. Enjoy with a film, good company, on your own with music!

Smoky, Spicy Beans, Guacamole & Homemade Tortilla…

Tags

avocado, black beans, chilli, chipotle, coriander, fava beans, gluten- free, green & leithy, guacamole, homemade, masa haring, rice free, smoky, spicy, tortilla, vegan, vegetarian

A whole week my wonderful friends. What in the world have you been up to? Me? Well, i’ve been thinking a great deal about our new web site- what it should be called, how it should look, what changes need to be made. As always, your suggestions are whole heartedly adored so please let me know. Aside from techno- thunking, i’ve been ploughing my way through April, with its hilarious mix of sun, rain, snow, wind, sun, hail. Yes, its been a turbulent month but our plants are growing every day, the sun is there (albeit in whatever state) and life is starting to take hold of this beautiful planet of ours.

I was all set to post this recipe last Tuesday, but then a certain baking “god” offa the tele decided to beat me to it. Never the less, i shall continue because i have fallen in love with my new friend Masa Harina and i want to share that love with all you lovely folk. So here it is, a recipe for homemade Tortilla wraps and a (kick asse) recipe for smoky, spicy beans. Seriously, once you try these homemade breads- in fact, once you smell the flour, i very much doubt you’ll ever go back to pre- made ones. They are tortilla as you expect, but with a subtle edge, verging on taco crispiness. Two ingredients, super easy to make and cook. Gluten- free, Rice- free, Vegan. Do it! I mean right now (well, when you get the flour) but do it.

(Probably serves 4 but some men have an admirably healthy appetite, so perhaps 2, Vegan, Gluten- free, Rice- free)

Tortilla Wraps:
(Taken from here, makes 8)

• 260g Masa Harina (you really have to use this flour, i’ve tried to substitute but it doesn’t work, something about the Lime treatment of the Corn…)
• 310ml Warm Water
• pinch of Salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until the dough has formed (get your hands in there if needs be)
2. Turn onto a clean surface and knead for 5 minutes
3. Roll into a sausage and divide into 8
4. Heat a heavy based pan/ skillet
5. Between 2 pieces of baking parchment, roll each portion as thin as you can get, into a large disk
6. Carefully transfer to your skillet, cooking for 1 minute on each side
7. Repeat with remaining dough

Smoky, Spicy Beans:

• 1/2 cup Black Beans, cooked
• 1/2 cup Fava Beans, cooked
• 1 Red Onion, sliced
• i stalk of Celery, sliced
• 1 small Leek, sliced
• 1 small Red Chilli, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of Garlic
• 1 Yellow Pepper, cubed
• 1/2 Courgette, sliced and halved
• 1/2 bunch of Coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of Chipotle
• 1/2 teaspoon of Sea Salt
• a dash of White Wine (or Red, or Vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
• juice of 1 Lemon

1. Heat the oil in a skillet on a medium heat, add the onions, celery, leek and chilli and cook until soft (about 5 minutes)
2. Add the beans, garlic and chipotle and cook for 4 minutes
3. Add the peppers, courgette and wine and cook for a further 5 minutes
4. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the liquid has evaporated

Green & Leithy Guacamole:

• 1 1/2 ripe Avocados, mashed
• 8 baby Plum Tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 Red Onion, finely diced
• 1/4 bunch of Fresh Coriander, roughly chopped
• juice of 1/2 a Lime
• pinch of Sea Salt
• big pinch of freshly ground Peppercorns

1. Mix everything in a bowl until well combined