BRIGHT BEET + PARNSIP CHÈVRE FRITTATA

At the moment, seasonal produce is abundant and amazing. I'm talking beets, apples, berries, plums, squashes, late zucchinis. Things that don't even exist in Australia, like damson plums and Bramley apples. Roadside blackberries were a big hit last week.

Australia is wonderful for so many fruit and veg (hello $10 trays of mangoes in summer) but Brisbane especially lacks a distinct set of seasons. While there are some star-players that signal the shifting of the year (like stone fruit in summer) you often miss out of the subtle changes in produce that match the changing weather.

So to say that I'm enjoying the beginnings of autumn's harvest here in Edinburgh would be probably the biggest understatement this year. It's inspiring and engaging, and I'm finding that it's connecting me to the food I'm making just that little bit more. (Also to the changing leaves, and the cooler air.)

SLOW-ROASTED TOMATO + ROMANESCO PASTA SALAD

On my mind recently has been the role of time and desire in my life. This, I know, is for a number of very obvious reasons. For the first time since starting Kindergarten 20 years (!) ago, I'm not formally enrolled in study. For the first time in at least 3 years, I'm on an active break from employment (as long as we're not counting the tiniest bit of work to finish up a freelancing editing project). I've also let go of my cats, most of my possessions and moved to the other side of the world.

Right now, I'm fighting serious urges to run (sprint?) to my next project, the "next thing". Serious urges, people. (The same that drove me to submit my Honours thesis on a Friday, and my application for my Masters the next Monday.) Without a thesis, a course of study, or a job to define the shape of my days (or my identity, for that matter), suddenly I'm confronted with a whole lot of space.

REALLY ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

1. This soup is really, really good.

2. If you'd rather I make it for you, that can happen. It's part of the menu at RESTORE. REVIVE. RECONNECT. Which is now less than 3 weeks away (!). I love feeding people, and teaching people yoga, so it's a weekend of all my favourite things.

The good news, is that there's still a couple of tickets left. And I would love (LOVE) you to come. If you still need convincing, we'll be shacked up in a glorious house on top of a misty mountain for a weekend dedicated to slowing the pace, eating good food, enjoying some yoga, and reconnecting. The amazing Meg is my co-host.

There's a couple ticket still available and one single (psssst: which you should get in touch with me about, because there might be a cheeky rate for this ticket!).

But this soup. Really. Roasted to within an inch of their lives, tomatoes become sweet and savoury at the same time. Some sweet potato for some creamy starch-factor, a generous amount of pepper, and some toasted hazelnuts. (Anyone who has enjoyed the Spanish dip Romesco will appreciate that tomatoes and hazelnuts really do get along.) If you can't make it to the retreat, at least you can make this soup, my dears!

One last little, heart-warming bit of news: my eBook, "breakfast + sweets" is now available for your purchasing pleasure. There's 25 individually photographed recipes, and I've just loved receiving feedback from the beautiful souls who have already snagged a copy. Check out the hashtag #breakfastandsweets for some of their snaps.

Happy Monday, folks!

REALLY ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

serves 4-6

This soup is vibrant, peppery and delicious. If you want to bulk things up a bit, add a drained tin of chickpeas to the roasting pan with the tomatoes.

1.5 kg tomatoes, quartered
1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 red onions, quartered
2 big or 4 small cloves of garlic, peeled
2 tbsp rice bran oil/coconut oil
sea salt, to taste
4 springs of thyme, leaves removed
1/2 tsp cracked pepper
1-2 cups vegetable stock
2 handfuls of hazelnuts
handful of fresh herbs

Preheat oven to 200 C.

In a large bowl, toss tomatoes, sweet potato, onion, garlic, oil, salt, thyme, and pepper. Make sure everything is well coated. Pour into a large roasting tray and bake for 55 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast hazelnuts over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and roughly chop.

Turn the oven’s grill onto the highest temperature and finish off the tomatoes for 5 minutes, making sure that everything is golden and caramelised.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Transfer roasted vegetables into a blender, pouring in the juices from the tray. Blend on high for a minute or so, then add stock to achieve your desired consistency.

Serve with some chopped toasted hazelnuts and herbs.

BAKED KALE + MUSHROOM BURGERS W CUMIN SWEET POTATOES AND FENNEL, ORANGE, CUCUMBER SALAD

Short and sweet today: life is good. So here are some really good things:

Read this, then this, then this. Currently reading this. All highly recommended.

Lusting after this t-shirt, and this tank.

Running to this playlist. Teaching to this playlist.

New timetables at two of my studios: Stretch Yoga and Cultivate Calm Yoga.

We'll be spending the month of October here (!).

Looking fancy here, for this amazing silversmith.

And these burgers. With fancy (but not too fancy) sides. So good that as soon as we'd munched our way through one batch, I made another one pretty much straight away.

BAKED KALE + MUSHROOM BURGERS

makes 10

These burger's aren't going to win any awards for appearance, but they pack a flavourful punch. (And they're even better the next day.) They're a little more delicate than other burgers, which is why they're baked, not fried, but it means that the next day, they maintain their moist insides and chewy outsides.

4 stems curly kale, stems removed
150 g mushrooms
2 tbsp ground chia seeds + 1/2 cup warm water
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 sprig of rosemary, leaves chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp tamari
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of ground chilli

In a steamer (or place a colander over a saucepan with an inch of water in the bottom) steam the kale for 5-7 minutes, then the mushrooms for 7-9 minutes. Remove and roughly chop. Place the chopped steamed kale and mushrooms in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and pulse until combined. Line a baking tray with paper, and using your hands, shape the mixture into 10 burgers. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 190C. Once the burgers are chilled, bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn over. Use a thin metal spatula and your hands as these gorgeous babies will be delicate. Return to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes, at this stage also adding the sweet potatoes to the oven.

Remove from the oven and serve with sweet potatoes, salad, lime wedges and sauces of choice (HOT, choose HOT). Enjoy.

CUMIN SWEET POTATOES

serves 4

3 sweet potatoes
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
drizzle of rice bran oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

Toss the seasoning with the sweet potatoes and bake for the final 30 minutes with the burgers.

FENNEL, ORANGE + CUCUMBER SALAD

serves 4 as a side

1 orange, peeled, halved and sliced
1 small cucumber, halved and sliced thinly
1 small or 1/2 large fennel
1/4 small onion, very thinly sliced
handful of mint leaves
handful of toasted pistachios
sea salt and pepper to taste

While the sweet potatoes and burgers are in the oven, slice all the veggies. Toss them together with the mint, salt and pepper. Top with pistachios.

---

The menu for my retreat (in ONE month) is now available for your perusal. And there are only 2 (!) tickets left: 1 couple ticket for the master room (own bathroom, holler!), and a single tickt. Check out the menu and details here.

SEEDY GLUTEN FREE SODA BREAD

If you're following me on Instagram, you'll be familiar with my recent quest to perfect gluten free soda bread. This is by no means a straightforward feat. Part of the reason wheat flour is so nice to bake with is, ugh, the gluten. The protein/carb ratio of wheat is pretty dreamy for creating lift and lightness, even in the denser medium of soda bread. So creating a gluten free version involves many (pleasurable) attempts to get the balance of texture and flavour right. I have fond memories of this recipe from 101 cookbooks, from yonder days when I was still eating gluten, and used it as my base.

So dear ones, this is my offering. Millet meal and chickpea flours are my secret weapons here. Millet meal gives a certain toothsome-ness to the bread, which I really crave (gluten free bread often feels like you're eating powdery sawdust). Chickpea flour, sometimes called besan or gram flour, brings a necessary heft of protein and also binding power to the dough. Seeds add crunch and flavour (fennel seeds in bread is one of my favourite things, but if you're not into them, totally fine to leave them out).

But let's be real here about expectations: gluten free bread does not taste like wheat bread. I think the gluten free community, bakeries and consumers often fall into the trap of trying to replicate the texture and flavour of wheat a little too much. So this bread doesn't taste like wheat, because it's not made of wheat. The exciting thing for me about working with gluten free flours IS their complex flavour profiles. They tend to have more distinct tastes and textures, and working to find a balance is a challenge I relish. Anyone who has ever used too much quinoa flour will definitely be able to relate to this. Big time. So this bread doesn't taste like wheat, but is does taste like seedy, nutty, wholegrain-y awesomeness.

Slather it with honey, jam, PB, butter, coconut manna, avo. I have tried nearly all of these (oh, and HUMMUS!) and they are all superb. Toasted, it's basically heaven.

SEEDY GLUTEN FREE SODA BREAD

makes 1 decent loaf

1 c/165 g brown rice flour
1 c/140 g buckwheat flour
1/2 c/100 g millet meal (not millet flour, meal has the texture of polenta)
1/2 c/65 g chickpea flour (also called besan or gram flour)
3/4 c/95 g quinoa flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 and 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 heaped tbsp each of: sunflower, sesame, flax, poppy + pumpkin seeds
1 and 3/4 c almond mylk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 200C, and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Combine all the seeds together in a small bowl and set aside. Combine mylk and apple cider vinegar; set aside to curdle.

Sift together all flours, millet meal, baking soda, powder and salt in a large bowl. Reserve 2 tbsp of the seed mix, adding the rest to the dry ingredients, stirring to combine. Create a well in the centre of the dry mixture and add the curdled almond mylk, leaving about 1-2 tbsp to coat the loaf.

Using a wooden spoon, mix the dough until it comes together, then use your hands to give it a quick knead. Moving quickly, turn out the dough onto your baking tray, and shape into an oval about 30 cm long. Using a small sharp knife, score the loaf (making the incisions about half as deep as the loaf). Use a pastry brush to brush over the remains almond mylk, then sprinkle left over seeds on top. Bake for 50-55 minutes. When it's done, the loaf should sound mostly hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before attempting to slice. The more the loaf cools, the easier it will be to slice, so don't freak out if it's really crumbly when you first hack into it. Bread will keep in a container at room temperature for 1-2 days (SO much easier to slice the next day), or in the fridge for 3-4. Bread kept in the freezer or fridge is best toasted. (Really, any bread older than 1 day is best toasted). Enjoy!

POTATO MASALA CHICKPEA CREPES + CUCUMBER RAITA

I've had this post sitting in my drafts folder for a while now. Not because I've not known what to write, or that I'm unhappy with the recipe (side note: most definitely not, this meal is one of my favourites.) It's more that life is abundantly full and busy at the moment, and I'm beyond grateful for it. With my masters thesis all wrapped up (HAPPY DANCE) I've been able to dedicate more time to teaching, practice, and picking up a whole lot of other little things that fall to the side when you're dedicating you life (and brain!) to a single project.

The thing is this: we so often deny or avoid the truth of our stress. It's all too easy to delay, defer, or delete all those little acts of self-love and stress management when we're under the pump, busy or you know, just getting through life these days. The demands of the moment, and anxieties for the future, have a sense of immediacy and urgency that allows us to justify neglecting those things that actually mean the most for our wellbeing. Off the top of my head I can think of at least a handful of things that I've minimised or slowly phased out of my life over the past 2.5 years as work and stress intensified: reading, walking, running, nature, meditation, and perhaps surprisingly food.

Because let's be real here, food is one of my major coping strategies for stress. As it is for so many people. Food is delicious, it is comforting and soothing. Food is great in a moderate dose, every so often, for dealing with a shitty day, or stressful moment. I am happy to admit that I have relied on food to help me cope with the stress of thesis, work(um, LIFE) to the exclusion of nearly all other stress management tools (yoga being my major exception). This dramatically shifted my relationship with food, from something that I celebrated for its ability to nourish, heal and empower my body and being, into something that became a source of negativity and stress itself, for many complex reasons.

I can't sit here and tell you that I feel like today, I've completely healed or resolved my relationship with food, but I'm well on my way. Through an amazing collection of allied health practitioners (psychologist and dietitian included), friends, and time, I've gained so much understanding and am beginning to have glimpses of a more positive relationship to food again. Two things have really helped me, the first was being open about what was happening (with myself, and then with other people) and the second thing was refocussing my stress management away from food and being really fucking deliberate about it. This second part has come a bit later than the first, because it requires time, energy and space. But actively seeking other ways to nourish myself, whilst identifying what was creating disharmony was a BIG deal. Discoveries so far: TV out, reading in. Baths are magical, and should be taken at least every second day. Candles and pretty smells are really important. I need another physical outlet to complement my yoga practice, and running is stupidly fun + affordable. When you're meditating, five minutes magically feels like 20 minutes of sitting and being with yourself. Sugar makes me act like a cranky four year old. It's better to eat wonderful food in a little while, than convenient crap now. Asking other people for help is really nice.

I know that list sounds pretty simple, and it's a reflection of my sparkly new understanding that, for me, it's not about the complexity or scale of the activity, but doing it with deliberate mindfulness and intention.

Phew. If you're still with me, this is a meal for celebrating wins, triumphs and reconnections. It has a few components, but so much of it can be done ahead of time, and it really only requires a bit of coordination at the end. It is satisfying beyond measure.

Big, mindful, well-intentioned hugs to you all. XX

It's not often I'll suggest a workflow, but here I think it's pretty worthwhile:
Boil potatoes for masala -- make the raita -- chop remaining ingredients for masala -- make the batter -- drain potatoes and set aside -- get masala cooking -- make crepes -- finish masala by adding potatoes -- serve and enjoy!
POTATO MASALA
makes a lot
The potato masala, like all the components in this meal, can be made in advance and stored in the fridge until needed. Reheat and serve when desired! Also, this is a very mild masala, please feel free to crank up the heat with an amount of dried or fresh chillies to your liking. I suggest using a starchy potato for this recipe, which gives a creamy, moreish masala, but if you've only got new or baby potatoes, don't let that stop you from diving in, maybe just mash up the masala a little more.
1.5 kg starchy potatoes (dutch cream or sebago), washed and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium (about 200 g) green capsicum, deseeded and roughly chopped
1/2 small (about 200 g) cabbage, roughly chopped
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
a big pinch of curry leaves
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
pinch of chilli flakes
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp sunflower or rice bran oil
In a large pot, add the cut potatoes and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until cooked. Meanwhile, cut up the rest of the veggies and measure out the spices. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and set aside.
Rinse out the potato saucepan, and return it to the stove. Add the oil and heat over medium. Once the oil is warm, add the mustard, cumin and coriander seeds. Cover and once the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the capsicum, cabbage, curry leaves, chilli, ginger and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover, stirring occasionally while you make the crepes.
Once the crepes are cooked and you're ready to roll, turn the heat on the saucepan up to medium-high. Add the cooked potatoes, peas and turmeric. Stir to mix the turmeric and the cooked mixture through the potatoes, warming them through. Stir quite vigorously with your wooden spoon: you absolutely want your potatoes to be a little mangled here. Think of it like a very chunky, Indian flavoured mash potato. Trust me, it will make eating the crepes SO much easier.
When the potatoes and peas are heated through, turn off the heat. Serve straight from the saucepan or transfer into a large serving bowl. Leftovers (hah!) will store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

CHICKPEA CREPES
makes about 12
While I've gone for an Indian-inspired filling here, there's almost no limit to the flavours and vegetables you could use to fill these crepes. For such a simple recipe they are remarkable tasty in their own right, and sturdy enough that I suspect they could be used as a burrito wrapper.
2 cups chickpea flour (also called gram or besan flour)
2 cups mylk of choice (I have used cashew, rice and almond all to great success)
a big pinch of salt
sunflower or rice bran oil, for frying
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, mylk and salt. Whisk together vigorously and set aside for 10 minutes, whisking at intervals to break up any clumps of batter.
Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan (20 cm diameter) over medium heat. Drizzle a little oil into the pan and use a piece of paper towel to spread the oil evenly and soak up any excess. Using a 1/3 cup measure, ladle batter into the fry pan and quickly tilt the pan in a circle to spread the batter evenly around. If your batter does not run around the pan easily, add a little more mylk or water to loosen it. Fry for 1-2 minutes, until the batter is no longer shiny, but matte. Run a long spatula around then entire edge of the crepe, loosening it away from the pan and the flip it over. Fry for 1-2 minutes on this side, then remove from the pan, and cocoon in a dry, clean tea towel to keep warm and moist.
Repeat until you have used all the batter. You will need to re-oil the pan every 2 crepes or so, but make sure to use the paper towel to get rid of any excess. Also: resign yourself to completely mangling 1 or 2. Dedicate them to the universe and keep going.
Cooked crepes can be stored, wrapped in their tea towel and stored in an airtight container in the fridge, until needed, or for a maximum of 3 days. Reheat when needed by giving each crepe and gentle heat on a medium fry pan, or wrapping them (still in the tea towel or paper towel) in aluminium foil and placing in a warm oven for 10 minutes or so.

CUCUMBER RAITA
makes about 2 cups

1 cup plain, unsweetened yoghurt of choice (coconut, cow, sheep, soy)
1 tbsp lemon juice
handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
big pinch of salt
1/2 small (about 3/4 cup) cucumber, diced small
2-4 tbsp water
Mix the yoghurt, lemon juice, coriander, cucumber and salt in a bowl. Add water until your desired consistency is reached (it should be drizzle-able but not runny). Store in the fridge until needed, where it will keep for 2 days.

putting it all together
POTATO MASALA CHICKPEA CREPES + CUCUMBER RAITA
serves 4-6

chickpea crepes
potato masala
cucumber raita
fresh coriander and spring onions, roughly chopped
Have all the components warm and ready to go. Serve everything up on the table and encourage everyone to dig in and make their own way. Use hands or cutlery. Finger licking mandatory.

SESAME-ROASTED PUMPKIN SUMMER ROLLS W LIME + SESAME DRESSING AND QUICK PICKLED ONION

Aye Carumba, February and March were huge. Mega-huge. So while I'm getting my blogging brain switched back on, here's a collection of marvellous things:

We went away for a few days and I read this, and this, and this. Currently reading this and this. But secretly pining for some good popular science/environmental/investigative journalism non-fiction. Recommendations welcome.

Currently listening to this album on repeat. Teaching to this playlist.

Blessed now to be teaching at this beautiful studio in Woollongabba.

The best gluten-free bread ever, ok?

This book is changing my life. Seriously.

It's my birthday week, so I would very much like one of these, one of these, and a cake that looks like this.

On today's recipe: these are super tasty. The dressing especially (which you should pour into the summer roll after chomping off one end). If you feel the need to add a source of protein (tofu/tempeh/egg) go for it, but these were plenty filling for a light lunch.

Hopefully be back later in the week with a birthday treat. Holy moly, YES.

SESAME PUMPKIN SUMMER ROLLS

makes 14 or so

The key to success at the summer-rolls caper is organisation: make sure you've got everything prepared in advance and set up ready to go. My favourite way to make summer rolls is with sliced cabbage or zucchini noodles. Because, call me crazy, but wrapping one rice product in another is a little weird to me. ALSO: don't let the list of ingredients or my essay on how to make these put you off, really it's easy, and it's more about getting in there and feeling your way through it than following instructions precisely.

1/4 large (800 g) japanese pumpkin
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sesame seeds + extra, toasted
2 tbsp tamari
pinch dried chilli flakes
1 tsp dried ginger
2 tbsp coconut oil
quick pickle onions (below)
lime and sesame dressing (below)
2 avocadoes, pitted, peeled and sliced
1/4 large wombok cabbage, finely shredded
small handful of spring onions, thinly sliced
fresh coriander/mint leaves
a few handful baby spinach leaves
lime wedges, to serve
1 packet rice paper rolls

Prepare the quick pickle onions and dressing and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 200C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Deseed your pumpkin and slice into 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) slices, trimming so that they're all roughly the same oblong-ish dimensions and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine tahini, maple, sesame seeds, tamari, chilli, ginger and oil. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add sesame marinade to the pumpkin and toss to coat. Roast the pumpkin in a single layer for 30 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.

While the pumpkin is roasting, get your rolling station set up. Combine the wombok and spring onions in a bowl. Have the toasted sesame seeds, sliced avocado, herbs, pickle onions and rice papers all in one spot. Fill a large, shallow dish with room temperature water, and place a damp tea towel down for rolling on. Check out this photo for my set up.

To make the summer rolls, quickly dip a rice paper into the water for a few seconds, then lay it on the damp tea towel. Start with a sprinkle of sesame seeds in the middle, then layer avocado, pumpkin, cabbage, herbs and onions. Most packets will have a diagram on the back of how to roll them up. But just in case you've missed out: roll the bottom up to tuck the filling in, then fold in the sides and roll up to seal. Accept that your first few will look completely mangled, take a sip of wine, and keep rolling.

As you keep rolling, keep the rolls from sticking to each other by separating them with baby spinach leaves. Once you're done with rolling, sprinkle any remaining sesame seeds on top. If you're not chowing down straight away, they can be refrigerated with some damp paper towel to cover them and keep them moist. Best eaten same day or the next. Serve with lime wedges, lime-sesame dressing (below) and a high five.

QUICK PICKLE ONIONS

makes 1 cup

1/2 large red onion, super thinly sliced
1/2-3/4 cup white vinegar
zest of 1 lime
big pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients and let sit for at least 1 hour before using. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 week.

LIME+SESAME DRESSING

makes 1/4 cup

juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp tamari
1 tsp maple syrup

Whisk all ingredients together. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days.

HERBY CHICKPEA DIP + PEPPERY-TURMERIC DUKKAH

Since Monday I’ve been on a dietitian-ordered ‘clean up.’ This is generally something I crave (I have a serious love of cartharsis). We agreed a clean up was in order largely because on top of being a celiac, lactose intolerant, and insulin resistant, I have a nasty intolerance to vaso-active amines. These are a type of naturally-occurring chemical in lots of foods, that taste really REALLY delicious. Anything super rich and flavourful (hello: tomato paste, mushrooms, fermented foods). Unfortunately for me they cause a bunch of side-effects: inflammation, water retention, headaches, extreme fatigue. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the greatest at cutting them all out (because CHOCOLATE, folks) but generally I’m pretty good at avoiding the ones that I know have the biggest effect on me (bananas!).

Over the holidays, well, let’s just say my tastebuds got the better of my practicality. So, clean up! Two weeks of amine-free eating, with lots of fruit, raw salads, gentle methods of cooking (like steaming), healthy grains and protein. Sounds pretty good, right? Just so we’re clear guys, my dietitian gets it. He also recommended I drink almost as much green tea as possible, because of its anti-inflammatory properties, and understands my body chemistry enough to tell me that I don’t need to stress too bad about eating a ton of protein. (I put on muscle like a mofo. Combine my level of activity with too much protein and I would soon look far more bulky that I want to be.)

Anyway, part of the biggest challenges about eating amine-free for me has always been flavour. Because, amines = flavour. Especially all my fall-back seasoning/condiment-y type things: citrus, garlic, olive oil, vinegars, all nuts and seeds (except cashews). This tends to totally change my approach to thinking about the flavours of foods and how they go together. My dietitian (who is a demi-god, ok?) had the genius idea of using allowed fruits to add acidity and freshness to dressings, so there’s been lychees and mangoes in dressings for big Asian-style salads, and peaches added to creamy cashew sauces. Thankfully, fresh herbs and spices are still on the table and that has lead to many amine-free problems becoming delicious creative solutions.

This combo of a herby-chickpea dip with peppery-turmeric dukkah is hitting all the marks for me at the moment: a good balance of vege/carbs/protein/fats, no amines, and flavour. Thank goodness for cashews: they toast up so well, adding much needed creamy/nutty notes to the dip. The basil/parsley combo for the dip is a mainstay for me, but also what I had on hand. Any herbs will do though: coriander+mint, parsley+oregano, chives. It’s also a fact of the universe that things become infinitely more awesome when they have toppings, right? This dukkah is crunchy, peppery, versatile and easy to make. This is a tried and tested combo of spices for me, but I also know that fennel seeds, fenugreek and caraway are good additions. It can also go on top of many dishes: salads, soups, stews, etc. If you’re not sensitive to amines (hooray!) of course feel free to add all the usual suspects to the dip: lemon, garlic, olive oil. Any nut will do!

Large salads have also become a staple, so I’m planning to share one with you next week. Until then, wishing you all days of self-love, intentional eating and happy vibes. X

HERBY CHICKPEA DIP
makes ~1.5 cups

1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
1/3 cup cashews, lightly toasted
handful fresh basil, stems removed
handful fresh parsley, stems removed
1/3 cup sunflower oil
1 scallion (spring onion), sliced
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender, whizz to combine. Add 1-4 tbsp of water to achieve desired consistency. Season to taste. Serve topped with dukkah (below) and a selection of sliced veggies, crackers, or corn chips. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

PEPPERY-TURMERIC DUKKAH
makes 1 cup

1 cup cashews
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp flaky sea salt

Toast the cashews in a pan over medium heat until toasty smelling, but be careful not to burn. Allow to cool slightly, before combining the cashews with the spices in a food processor. Process for 10 seconds (you want the nuts to be chopped, and the seeds to be slightly crushed, but not totally ground to a meal). Store in a glass jar in a cool dark place, best consumed within one month.