ROASTED BEETROOT & POTATO HERB SALAD with WASABI MAYO

This recipe is yet another product of inspiration from the Arthur street kitchen Community cookbook (as all my recipes this past week have been). I altered the original recipe ‘roasted beetroot with caramelized turnips, edamame beans and wasabi mayo’ in an attempt to turn it into more of a Russian salad. I remember eating oodles of beetroot and potato as a child and one bite of these ingredients takes me right back. The rosemary and thyme goes beautifully with the root vegetables and Chinese shallots and add additional layers of flavour. The wasabi mayo is an acquired, nose-clearing taste and may not be for everyone. I find that this roasted salad tastes delicious both with and without the mayonnaise.

Ingredients

• 900g beetroot (4 large beetroots), peeled & cut into 2cm even pieces 
• 700g potatoes (sebago or low-carb kestrel potatoes), peeled & cut into 3cm even pieces
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3-4 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and the sprig discarded
• 3-4 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and the sprig discarded
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Japanese mayo
• juice of 1 large lime
• 1 tablespoon fine wine vinegar 
• 1/2-1 scant teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1 cup loosely packed Chinese shallots 

Cooking 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line 2 medium/large baking trays with baking paper. 

2. Toss the beetroot with 1 teaspoon olive oil, sea salt & pepper and half of the thyme, rosemary and garlic in a bowl, then place in a single layer on one of the prepared trays. Toss the potato with the same ingredients and place in a single layer on the other prepared tray. Place the beetroot tray at the top of the oven and the potato tray slightly lower. Roast for 40-45 minutes or until tender. (The potato may cook slightly faster than the beetroot, so check the trays regularly as you approach the 40 minute mark). 

3. Meanwhile, make the wasabi mayo by combining the Japanese mayo, lime juice, vinegar, wasabi paste and a pinch of sea salt in a small bowl and whisking well to combine. Word of warning: if you are not a big fan of wasabi add a tiny amount of wasabi paste at a time and taste test before adding more. If the mayo is too thick, add a few splashes of water or more lime juice. 

4. Combine the cooked beetroot & potato with the Chinese shallots in a medium serving bowl and toss to mix. Add a few small dollops of the wasabi mayo and stir well to combine, then enjoy! 

Serves / 4 as a side

Total Preparation time / 15-20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 45-50 minutes 

x Emily 

SWEET BROCCOLI SALAD with QUINOA & EDAMAME

This recipe is straight from the Arthur Street Kitchen cookbook ‘Community’ and is the tastiest way I have ever eaten quinoa! Initially I did not fancy quinoa much, so I have tried my hand with this grain in various ways, so trust me when I say that I have eaten it a lot. The sweet sauce is a revelation and whilst the ingredients may sound strange together, they work beautifully to create a slightly sweet, faintly sour and a somewhat nutty dressing. I have kept the recipe very similar to the original, just omitting all the oil and nigella seeds (as they are difficult to source). Black sesame seeds are delicious and can be found in all health food stores. Mirin is a sweet rice wine, similar to sake but with a lower alcohol content and a slightly sugary taste. Mirin seasoning is much more accessible, hence why I used it and is available from all major supermarkets. If you cannot find it, you can substitute it with rice wine vinegar. The edamame quality may look odd (227g), but it is exactly half of a standard packet of edamame that you can buy from all major supermakets (454g) in the frozen food aisle. This unique salad is great as a filling lunch and is impressive enough to be served as a vegetable dish at a dinner party. I myself ate it for dinner last night with a boiled egg on top.

P.S- Probably a good idea to explain what edamame is as well! Edamame is a type of bean commonly found in Taiwanese  Chines, Japanese, Indonesian and Hawaiian cuisine. It is a green soybean that are boiled or steamed and served with salt. They have recently found increasing popularity as a healthy food item, due to it's high iron (for a plant food), it's protein content and its substantial levels of vitamin C & A. 

Ingredients

•   1 cup quinoa (170-200g) 

•   1g (a pinch) of stevia

•   2 heads of broccoli (around 1kg), cut into similar-sized florets, with the stalks cut into small pieces

•   227g frozen edamame beans, thawed & podded

•   2 heaped tablespoons white sesame seeds

•   2 heaped tablespoons black sesame seeds

•   a handful of fresh coriander leaves, washed 

Sweet sauce

•   3 tablespoons tahini

•   1 medium garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped

•   1 teaspoon soy sauce

•   a pinch of sea salt

•   1 heaped tablespoon honey

•   1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

•   2 tablespoons mirin seasoning 

Cooking 

1. Rinse the quinoa well with cold water. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil with the quinoa. Once boiled, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. Turn off the heat and leave the quinoa in the pot for 8 minutes, covered. After this time remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. 

2. Meanwhile, bring another medium / large saucepan of water to the boil, adding a pinch of sea salt and the stevia to the water. When boiled add the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes or until just tender. Add the podded edamame beans to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute, then remove the vegetables from the heat and drain in a large colander under cold water. 

3. Make the sweet sauce by whisking all the sauce ingredients together as well as a few tablespoons of water. You want the consistency of the sauce to be quite runny and easy to pour onto the salad, so carefully add more water as you see fit. The sauce should taste slightly sweet from the honey, slightly sour from the vinegar and a tad nutty in flavour from the tahini. 

4. Place the quinoa on a large serving plate or in a large bowl. Add the broccoli edamame mixture and 1/2 of the sesame seeds and toss well to combine. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds and coriander leaves over the salad and pour the sauce on top. Enjoy! 

Serves / 4 - 6

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes maximum 

x Emily 

BUCKWHEAT NOODLES with CHINESE CABBAGE, EGGPLANT & EDAMAME

This noodle dish was adapted from another amazing salad recipe from the Arthur Street Kitchen cookbook. We have been feeling a little under the weather in my household and as soon as this happens I know that we need to up the vegetable intake fast. Hence this weeks' recipes will be packed with nutrients and vitamins and will be very colourful. The reason for the strange edamame quantity of 227g is because they come in a 454gram frozen packet from all major supermarkets and Asian grocery stores, hence this recipe calls for half a packet. Make sure to thaw and pod the edamame yourself before adding it to the pan (and if you have never podded edamame before it is an oddly satisfying experience!). I tried to make this recipe as simple as I could using less ingredients, however you could certainly add ginger, garlic and chilli when you fry the spring onion for added nutrients and flavour. Buckwheat noodles are a favourite of mine, due to having no gluten, however you could also use soba, ramen or udon noodles.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large eggplant (400-500g), cut into even 2-3cm pieces 
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground sumac 
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 250g buckwheat noodles 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
• 1 Chinese cabbage, washed & base chopped off 
• 227g frozen edamame beans, thawed & podded
• 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce 
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• the juice of 1 ripe lime
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds 
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds 

COOKING 

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Toss the eggplant pieces, sumac, olive oil and a pinch of sea salt & black pepper in a large bowl, then place in a single layer on the prepared tray. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes or until eggplant is tender. 

2. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the buckwheat noodles for 3 minutes over high heat, stirring often. Remove from heat and place in a colander, rinsing with cold water and draining. 

3. Heat the sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the spring onions to the pan and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the Chinese cabbage and stir until it has just wilted. Add the sweet chilli sauce, oyster sauce and lime juice to the pan and continue to stir until all ingredients are combined. Add the edamame and stir-fry for 1 minute, stirring. 

4. In a large bowl, toss the cooked noodles with the roasted eggplant and Chinese cabbage & edamame. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top and garnish with extra spring onions. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15-20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30-35 minutes 

x Emily 

LEMON ALMOND MEAL TRUFFLES

This citrus bliss ball recipe was modelled from Eleanor-Ozich’s first cookbook, My Petite Kitchen. I have changed the recipe slightly, after many MANY practices. I prefer using maple syrup to honey, as it contains less fructose, however you can certainly use honey if it is on hand. You could substitute the lemon rind & juice for lime, orange or grapefruit if desired. This is one bliss ball that I never feel guilty about eating! I've made these balls for several of my clients, friends and family and haven't heard anything but positive comments so far! 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups firmly packed almond meal
• 1 cup firmly packed unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 3 tablespoons organic maple syrup or organic honey
• the zest & juice of 1 medium lemon (or large if you really want a good citrusy hit!)
• 1 teaspoon pure/organic vanilla extract / essence 
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (in liquid form)

PREPARATION 

1. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine, adding 1/4 cup of a water slowly to the mixture. 

2. Mould the mixture into small tight little balls using damp hands. Place each finished truffle in a single layer on a plate. 

4. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set (if you can resist trying one!). I love these at room temperature or after time in the fridge. It is best to store these in the fridge and eat within 4 days (but that shouldn't be a problem!). 

Makes / 16 - 24 truffles (depending on the size you choose to make) 

Total Preparation time / 20-25 minutes (plus extra to refrigerate) 

x Emily 

BROCCOLI SALAD with CHICKPEAS, CANNELLINI BEANS, LEMON & HAM

A client loaned me the most amazing cookbook; ‘Community; Salad Recipes from Arthur Street Kitchen’ by Hetty McKinnon. It is a beautiful collection of recipes that will enthrall any reader and will make you think about salads in a much more extensive way than you probably ever have before. It is not a vegetarian cookbook, however all the salad ingredients are vegetables, spices & herbs. Below I have adapted one of Hetty’s popular brassica recipes to include some ham and some extra beans for protein. Hetty offers each reader of her cookbook and taster of her Arthur Street Kitchen salads a chance to discover more meaningful ways to bond and relate through food, which to me is the absolute point of eating (besides avoiding starvation, of course!). 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (liquid form)
• 2 heads of broccoli (1 kg), cut into even-sized florets & stalks thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
• 100 -150g good quality ham, finely chopped
• 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, washed & drained well
• 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans, washed & drained well
• 1 generous handful of mixed lettuce, washed & drained well
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• the zest & juice of 1 large lemon 
• sea salt & ground black pepper 

COOKING 

1. Combine the oil, broccoli and garlic in a large bowl and toss well. 

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the broccoli-garlic-oil mixture. Keep stirring the broccoli, garlic and ham frequently so that they do not burn. Add a few splashes of water to the pan if the ingredients start to stick. Continue to stir until the broccoli is just soft and the garlic and ham are lightly golden. 

3. Combine the broccoli mixture with the chickpeas, beans, lettuce, parsley and zest & juice in a large serving bowl. Toss well to combine all ingredients and add sea salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves / 4 for a main meal 

Total Preparation time / 10 - 15 minutes 

From pan to plate  / 10 - 15 minutes maximum 

x Emily