Almonds Archives - Coconut and Berries

Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Puy Lentil Salad with Almond Feta & Mint

Most people, including me, would probably name asparagus when asked to think of their favourite spring vegetable. But, while Spring has officially started (I think…), it will most likely be a few weeks until British asparagus appears.

I’m definitely looking forward to then but in the meantime was very happy to spot another of my seasonal favourites at the farmers’ market a couple of Sundays ago – purple sprouting broccoli! It was a rainy day and I had a hood up but the bright violet florets caught my attention and a bagful made its way home with me and into lunch!

If you haven’t had PSB before, it’s a little sweeter than regular Calabrese broccoli and you can eat the whole lot, leaves and all. Just trim off any tougher ones and woody stems.

Lentils are always reliable and cook nice and quickly so this meal came together in a flash. I mixed the lentils with a simple, lemony vinaigrette and plenty of herbs to keep things fresh and then topped them with steamed broccoli and salty crumbled almond feta.

For the feta, I used my Baked Cashew Cheese recipe but substituted blanched almonds for the cashews – both work nicely.

This is one of those great salads which holds up really well for a couple of days in the fridge and is perfect for lunchboxes too.

If you haven’t made any nut cheese in advance, another tasty option is to sprinkle some capers over the salad instead. They’ve got a salty kick to them so have a similar effect to the nut cheese.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Puy Lentil Salad w/Almond Feta & Mint

Serving Size: 2-3 Servings

Ingredients

Salad:

3/4 C Puy lentils
1 Bay leaf
Approx 150g Purple sprouting broccoli OR Asparagus, woody ends removed
1/3 C finely chopped red onion
½ C roughly chopped herbs (mint+ parsley)
Almond Feta, crumbled

Dressing:

1 ½ Tbsp lemon
1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

Rinse the lentils and place in a medium pan with the bay leaf and plenty of water. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain and leave to cool.
Steam the purple sprouting broccoli or asparagus for a couple of minutes. It should be bright green and still quite firm. Rinse in cold water to stop further cooking.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the lentils, red onion and herbs.
Top the lentil salad with the steamed broccoli and almond feta.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/03/27/purple-sprouting-broccoli-puy-lentil-salad-almond-feta-mint/

P.S. You can definitely swap out the PSB for asparagus when it arrives!

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Orange Pepita Granola and Yum Universe Book Giveaway

I’m talking about a wonderful new book today, Yum Universe, sharing a recipe AND giving one of you the chance to win a copy!

I’ve been reading and introducing others to the Yum Universe website for a long time now and it’s one of the first sites/blogs I started using and cooking from when I went vegan nearly 5 years ago. Everything I love about the site and a whole lot more has been put into this stunning new book of the same name by Yum Universe founder, Heather Crosby.

Almond Pulp Chocolate Pudding-

A great way to use up that leftover pulp when making your own nut milks at home

This is so much more than a recipe book. Heather starts with why you might consider a “plant-inspired diet”, addressing common concerns and bringing some clarity to the huge confusion that exists in the world of diet and health. Though I’m already very committed to this lifestyle, I still found this section fascinating and it definitely reinvigorated my commitment to healthy living.

The “how” section is hugely comprehensive and an amazing resource for everyone, from those who’ve never cooked vegetables to long-time vegans. I’ve picked up so many useful tips I can’t even begin to list them. But what I can say is that the book is helping me cultivate habits which are, in turn, making eating healthily on a day-to-day basis that bit easier. There are complete guides to recommended kitchen equipment and ingredients, storage advice, plan-ahead suggestions and a whole lot more.

Chickpea Flatbread with Blackberries, Balsamic & Thyme-

Heather shares a basic chickpea flatbread recipe and a whole string of variations, all of which sound scrumptious.

I’m looking forward to working my way through them all.

And then there are the recipes! All recipes are vegan (except the very occasional honey which can easily be swapped out), gluten-free and soy-free. I’ve only had my copy of the book for a few weeks but I’ve already made a lot. My pictures in this post only show half of what I’ve tried and everything I’ve made has been fantastic. Even more than the recipes themselves, I love that there are so many variations listed and ideas for making the recipes your own.

Sweet Potato, Kale & Lentil Stew-

This sounds humble and is so easy to put together but produces a seriously tasty meal that I’d happily eat over and over.

Buckwheat Noodle Pad Thai-

This is going to be a regular. It’s one of those dishes that tastes far too delicious to be as easy as it is. Perfect for weeknights.

Heather and BenBella Books have generously allowed me to share a recipe from the book as well as hold a WORLDWIDE giveaway for one of you to win a copy of new book! (See bottom of post)

This Orange Pepita Granola is so good, I know you’re all going to love it. If you haven’t made your own granola yet, this one will have you converted. There are just a few ingredients, a short baking time and, best of all, it’s crispy and delicious.

Orange Pepita Granola (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free)

Yield: 10 + Servings

Orange Pepita Granola (Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free)

Ingredients

Wet

3/4 C Maple syrup
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Dry

3 C Rolled oats
1 C Shredded coconut
1 C Pumpkin seeds
1 C Almonds, roughly chopped
Zest from 2 navel oranges
1 tsp Sea salt
Pinch ground cardamom

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300/150C.
In a small bowl, stir together the wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, toss together dry ingredients
Add wet ingredients to dry and fold well.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or just one- you can split the batch, baking one half at a time)
Bake the granola for 20-25 minutes. Granola should look slightly browned and toasted.
Remove from oven and repeat if you are splitting the batch. Granola will harden as it cools.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/10/31/orange-pepita-granola-yum-universe-book-giveaway/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yum Universe is available to order now from Amazon and various other retailers. Check out this page to hear what the author herself has to say about the book and for more information.

Maple-Roasted Nut Butter Brownies

I promised you chocolate and that’s what I’m giving you! I’m usually too lazy for baking, which is why I’ve been favouring raw desserts recently, but wanted to make something different for Chocolate Week. I also couldn’t think of a better way to spend a rainy morning than baking, even if it does require a bit more time and effort. That heavenly chocolate smell filling the house…and of course the seriously tasty result, were definitely worth it!

Who doesn’t love a brownie? I usually find chocolate cake a little disappointing and would always choose vanilla or lemon cake over chocolate, but brownies are another story.

These brownies are particularly irresistible, if I do say so myself…

I roasted chopped mixed nuts with a little maple syrup and flaky sea salt, folded some into the brownie batter for added texture and flavour and then blended the rest into a sweet, salty nut butter to spread on top. Oh, and then I drizzled the whole lot with chocolate for good measure!

I adapted the base brownie from Angela’s recipe in The Oh She Glows Cookbook. I wouldn’t call them “healthy” but they’re better for you than your average brownie by a longshot. I used my favourite gluten-free flours, almond and oat, ground from whole nuts and grains in my Froothie blender, and coconut oil and coconut sugar for the least-processed options. Most importantly to me, they’re still exactly what I look for in a brownie, with a deep chocolate flavour, fudgy texture and chewy edges.

Here are the bare brownies ready to be topped…

That’s better!

Definitely one to make this weekend! And please come back and let me know how you like them.

I’ve added weights as well as measurements in American cups to help my readers in the UK more familiar with metric, and also because I’m finding that baking, especially when gluten-free, requires more accuracy than cooking. Hope it’s helpful!

Maple-Roasted Nut Butter Brownies

Yield: 16 Brownies

Ingredients

250g/8oz (approx 2 C) Mixed Nuts, roughly chopped*
1 Tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Coarse sea salt
4 tsp Ground flax + 3 Tbsp Water
1 1/2 C (155g) Sieved Almond meal*
3/4 C + 2 Tbsp (85g) Sieved Oat flour
1/2 C (60g) Cocoa powder
2 Tbsp Arrowroot OR Tapioca flour
1/4 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt
75 g/2.5oz Dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) + Approx 25g/1oz for topping
6 Tbsp (80g) Coconut oil
1 C (150g) Coconut sugar, ground*
1/4 C (60ml) Almond milk
1/2 Tbsp Instant coffee (optional)
2 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F, spread the chopped nuts on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 3-5 minutes. Drizzle over the maple syrup, sprinkle with sea salt and stir. Bake for 3-5 minutes longer. Cool.
Lightly oil a 9x9" brownie pan and line with two sheets of parchment paper, going in opposite directions, for easy removal.
Whisk together ground flax and water and set aside to thicken.
In a large bowl, sieve together the almond meal, oat flour, cocoa, arrowroot, baking soda and salt.
Melt chocolate in a glass bowl over boiling water, along with the coconut oil. When melted, whisk in ground coconut sugar, almond milk, instant coffee (if using), vanilla and flax mixture.
Add wet ingredients to dry and stir well.
Fold in 75 g/2.5 oz (approx 1/3) of the roasted nuts and spoon batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly with a spatula and smooth over the top.
Reduce heat to 180C/ 350F and bake brownies for 25-30 minutes. Leave to cool completely (at least 1 hr) before topping.
While cooling, add the remaining nuts to a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until you have a very smooth nut butter. Leave the motor running for a while as it can take a bit of time.
Spread nut butter over brownies (you may not need all of it) and chill for 10 minutes.
Place remaining chocolate in a freezer bag and put in a bowl of boiling water for 10 minutes to melt. Remove from water and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken slightly, snip a tiny corner off the bag and drizzle chocolate generously over brownies. Leave to set completely before slicing into squares.

Notes

* You can use any nuts here but I liked the flavour of the mix I used,which included brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and pecans.

* I grind my own flours using my Froothie high-powered blender which has a jug especially designed to be able to grind grains and nuts.

*I prefer to use ground coconut sugar for a better brownie texture. You can also substitute cane sugar.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/10/17/maple-roasted-nut-butter-brownies-vegan-glutenfree/

Enjoy the rest of Chocolate Week!

Almond-Oat Flatbread with Tomatoes & Basil Cream (GF, Vegan)

Let’s have one last hurrah for summer! Now we’re into September I fear we may have to accept that summer is pretty much over. Luckily we have tomatoes a good way into September so we can go on living the good life for a bit longer.

Not that autumn’s bad of course. There were some gorgeous apples and pears at the farmers’ market on Sunday (my new local!)…and kale is also coming back into season!

But let’s just take a moment to contemplate the beauty of the tomato. These stunners weren’t actually farmers’ market produce but were more home-grown! They were in the veg delivery from my Mum’s garden along with those carrots that got made into my Maple-Orange Roasted Chickpeas and Carrots. Not all of the tomatoes were hits this year. A couple of the new varieties we tried turned out a little lacklustre and mealy, but these big beefsteak tomatoes were really juicy and flavourful. They were the perfect topping for my flatbread.

I’m calling this a flatbread but it’s pretty different to your typical “bread”. It’s ultra easy to make. No waiting around for rising or kneading dough involved, just a few simple, wholesome ingredients- almonds, oats, flax, salt and a touch of olive oil. I added some chopped herbs I had hanging around in the fridge but they’re entirely optional.

It bakes up nice and crisp and, though it’s fairly delicate, it’s sturdy enough to be able to pick up a wedge and eat it with your hands. I’m absolutely in love with the nutty flavour and can see myself baking up a double or triple batch and turning it into a thick cracker of sorts to serve with hummus or nut butter. Yum.

You really could top it with anything. The sweet sweet tomatoes and basil were a beautiful contrast though and this basil cream is unbelievably simple (just 3 ingredients, including salt!) and makes it all even more delicious.

It doesn’t look particularly large but it’s very filling so is perfect to serve two along with a big green salad.

Almond-Oat Flatbread with Tomatoes & Basil Cream (GF, Vegan)

Yield: 2 Servings

Serving Size: 1/2 Flatbread

Ingredients

For the Almond-Oat Flatbread

3/4 C Almond meal (just grind whole almonds in your food processor or high-powered blender)
3/4 C Oat flour (I also make my own, just grinding whole oats in my blender)
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Ground flax + 3 Tbsp Water + 1-2 Tbsp Water, if necessary
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1-2 Tbsp Chopped fresh herbs (optional)

For the Basil cream*

1/2 C Cashews, soaked at least 30 minutes and drained
1/2 C Water
1/2 tsp Salt
Handful of Fresh basil (I used 12 medium-large leaves)

Toppings

1-2 Beefsteak or other Large slicing tomatoes, thinly sliced
Handful of Fresh basil leaves
Basil Cream

Instructions

For the flatbread:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F
In a small bowl, stir together the flax and water and set aside to thicken.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl (almond meal, oat flour, baking powder, salt and herbs if using).
Add the flax mixture and olive oil and stir well to combine. I find it easiest to use my hands. If it is a little dry and crumbly add a little extra water, half a Tbsp at a time, until it comes together into a dough. It should be a tiny bit sticky.
Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper until fairly thin (1/4cm-ish) and shape into an oblong (or whatever shape you like!).
Remove top sheet of parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden at the edges and firm to the touch.
Prepare the basil cream while the flatbread is baking.
Simply blend all the ingredients until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate to store.
Once the flatbread has finished baking, arrange the sliced tomatoes on top, drizzle generously with the basil cream and scatter over the basil leaves

Notes

*You will not need all the basil cream but leftovers are great as a dip for crudités or a pasta sauce with a little nutritional yeast stirred in.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/09/05/almond-oat-flatbread-tomatoes-basil-cream-gf-vegan/

Make this Almond-Oat Flatbread over the weekend and don’t forget to share your pictures. I love seeing them. Just tag @coconutandberries and use the #coconutandberries so I don’t miss it!

Oh, and tell me, what fruit or vegetable are you most excited to see in autumn?

Raw Triple Chocolate Cookies (with Homemade Chocolate Chips!)

I grew up a white chocolate girl. A Milkybar, or even better, a bag of Milkybar buttons, was my favourite sweet treat. My Easter eggs were always white chocolate and Father Christmas even knew to put white chocolate coins in my stocking on Christmas morning!

Somewhere along the road though, I got into dark chocolate. I’m guessing it was when I went vegan and white chocolate automatically became off limits. Whenever the shift happened, now when it comes to chocolate I tend to think that the darker the better.

The white stuff has hardly crossed my mind for years but for some reason I recently started thinking about it and wondering if I could make a homemade version to rival the white chocolate of my youth.

It turns out there are a lot of recipes online so I messed around with a few to come up with my own. I’m pretty happy with the result: It’s sweet-but not too sweet, creamy and melt-in-the-mouth, with none of that waxiness the commercial dairy-free kinds I’ve tried have had. I used the recipe to make white chocolate chips to use in a recipe, though quite a few went straight to my mouth!

I decided a bold, dark chocolate would complement the subtle white chocolate flavour rather nicely so ended up making some raw dark chocolate chips too. Oh so moreish!

The dark chocolate chips were even easier to make than the white, since, because of the higher fat content, white chocolate melts more easily than dark so getting it the right consistency for making chips was a tad trickier. Neither are difficult though, they just take a little time, so you should definitely try making them (full instructions below). And then you can make cookies too!

Seeing as we were in chocolate mode, I didn’t think it could harm to add a little more…and so these Raw Triple Chocolate Cookies were born! A fudgy chocolate base studded with homemade white and dark chocolate chips.

Raw Triple Chocolate Cookies (with Homemade Chocolate Chips!)

Yield: 8 Cookies (+ extra chocolate chips)

Raw Triple Chocolate Cookies (with Homemade Chocolate Chips!)

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Chips

3 Tbsp Melted cacao butter
1/3 C Raw cacao powder
1 Tbsp Coconut OR Agave nectar

White Chocolate Chips

2 Tbsp Melted cacao butter
1-1/2 Tbsp Raw cashew butter
3/4 Tbsp Coconut OR Agave nectar
1/4 tsp Lucuma powder (optional- just adds a hint of caramel flavour)
Pinch of vanilla powder

Raw chocolate cookies

1/2 C Almonds
3/4 C Cashews
Generous pinch of salt
1/2 C (packed) Pitted soft dates (e.g. Medjool)
1/2 Tbsp Coconut oil
1 Tbsp Coconut OR Agave nectar
3/4 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 C Raw cacao powder
1/4 C Homemade chocolate chips ( 2 Tbsp White, 2 Tbsp Dark)

Instructions

To make the chocolate chips

In two separate bowls set over boiling water, whisk together the listed ingredients until smooth.
Spoon each mixture into a small plastic sandwich bag (placed in a glass to hold it upright)
Place the white chocolate in the fridge to firm up a little while you work with the dark.
Cut a tiny end off the sandwich bag and, as if using a piping bag to frost a cake, squeeze little dots of chocolate onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Continue until all the chocolate is used up. Place the tray in the freezer for at least an hour to firm up.
Repeat the same process with the white chocolate mixture. If the mixture is too thick to pipe, allow to warm at room temperature for a short while and knead the bag gently.
When firm, remove the chocolate chips from the trays and store in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer.

To make the cookies:

Grind the nuts into a coarse flour in a food processor. Add the dates, coconut oil, coconut or agave nectar, and vanilla and process again until the mixture comes together. Add the cacao powder and process again to incorporate.
Fold in the chocolate chips, roll into balls and flatten into cookie shapes.
Refrigerate until firm.

Notes

Keep a container of these chocolate chips in the fridge or freezer for whenever you need a little sweet fix!

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/08/15/raw-triple-chocolate-cookies-homemade-chocolate-chips/

What do you think of white chocolate?