Asian orange and sesame salad

Asian orange and sesame salad

One of the greatest things about living in a multicultural society is the cultural influences and diversity of food. As you know, I particularly love Asian food. I remember once travelling around the UK and absolutely craving Vietnamese or Thai food. Happily, it is so common for us that we use the basis of Asian cooking and make our own!

This salad is so refreshing, crunchy, fresh and delicious!

Ingredients:

1/2 cabbage

2 cups shredded baby spinach (or kale)

3 spring onions, finely sliced

1 carrot, julienned/grated

1-2 radishes, julienned

1 cup cashews

1 cup mint leaves

2 oranges, peeled, de-seeded and cut into segments

plus juice of 1 orange

1 T tamari

1 T sesame oil

1 garlic clove

2 T sesame seeds

2 T fried shallots

 

Slice salad ingredients, toss salad together and top with a dressing mixture of the orange juice, sesame oil, tamari and garlic. Sprinkle sesame seeds and shallots over the top. Enjoy!

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Chocolate hazelnut spread

Chocolate hazelnut spread

 

Why oh why has it taken me so long to venture into a homemade healthy plant based nutella? There is no going back after making this. The main key (as I discovered) is NOT to burn the hazelnuts if you choose to toast them. Haha 🙂 Rookie error.

This is delicious – as a dessert sauce on strawberries or a day time snack on banana slices or just straight out of the jar. I guess people spread nutella on bread, yes? I don’t really eat bread these days but if that’s your thing, then this recipe is for you too. The best bit is, rather than being made primarily from oil and sugar, this is made primarily from cacao and hazelnuts. Win!

2 cups hazelnuts

1/3 cup cacao

1/3 cup rice syrup

1/3 cup coconut cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

* This recipe is really here as a guide. I like mine quite textured (like crunchy peanut butter) but if you prefer it smooth and soft, grind the nuts for longer, and add a touch more coconut cream or non dairy milk to make it runnier). If you like more chocolatey spread, add more cacao. If you want it sweeter, add more rice syrup or try blending in some soaked dates (healthier, but will make it thicker).

Roast the hazelnuts for 5-10 minutes until fragrant at 200 deg C, then rub with a towel to remove the skins. Don’t worry, not ALL of the skins will come off but most of it will.

Blend in a food processor until a paste forms, then add remaining ingredients and process together.

This will keep well in the fridge but I doubt it will even last a week…good luck 🙂