Cucumber, Pear & Capsicum Salad w Walnuts & Tarragon

Cucumber, Pear & Capsicum Salad w Walnuts & Tarragon
A quick and easy salad, nice for warm days. If you can't get fresh tarragon, replace with dried tarragon. As always, I have Cashew Cream on standby in the fridge, for all sorts of dressings and sauces. Ingredients are enough for 1 main meal or 2 sides.
Prepared by:
Cuisine: vegan, raw
Recipe type: salad
Serves: 1-2
Prep time: 
Total time: 
You need
  • 120gr cucumber
  • 85gr pear
  • 35gr red capsicum
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
  • about 3 tsbp chopped walnuts (soaked or activated would be great)
  • for the dressing:
  • ¼ cup Cashew Cream
  • zest of 1 small lime
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp coconut nectar (or agave or maple)
  • a good grind of pepper
  • salt to taste
To do
  1. cut the cucumber, pear and capsicum in small pieces and mix them together with the tarragon and walnuts
  2. make the dressing by simply mixing all ingredients together, and add salt to taste
  3. mix the whole lot, or you can top with the capsicum and walnuts and a bit of tarragon 🙂
Nutritional Information
Serving size: as main meal Calories: 338 Fat: 22gr Carbohydrates: 26gr Sugar: 15gr Sodium: 38mg Protein: 8gr

 

Tarragon & Chives Cheeze

Tarragon & Chives Cheeze
What I love about nut cheeze, is that you can easily make it at home, flavour it any way you like, and of course that there were no cows involved 🙂 This cheeze isn't as oily as real cheese, but it tastes good and it is pretty healthy.
Prepared by:
Cuisine: vegan
Recipe type: cheeze
Prep time: 
Total time: 
You need
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • 2 table spoons of pine nuts (you can also stick with cashew nuts)
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 tspns onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Himalayan rock salt
  • 4 tspns garlic powder
  • 1+3/4 cups plain unsweetened oat or other non dairy milk
  • ½ cup agar flakes (or 8 teaspoons agar powder)
  • ¼ cup rice bran oil
  • 2 tbsp yellow or white miso
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Chopped chives - lots
  • Dried or fresh tarragon - lots (otherwise the flavour won't get through), I put in least 3 tbsp of dried tarragon, but you can start with less and taste the mixture
  • Curry powder, as much as you like (again, taste the mixture)
To do
  1. lightly oil a suitable container or ramekin (I use plastic containers and don't need to oil)
  2. finely grind the cashews in a food processor
  3. add the nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt and garlic powder. Pulse a few more times to blend in the spices.
  4. combine the soy milk, agar, and oil in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the agar is dissolved.
  5. with the food processor running, gradually pour the milk mixture through the feed tube and into the nut mixture. Blend for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is very smooth and creamy. Blend in the miso, lemon juice, and truffle oil and chopped chives (if using).
  6. transfer the mixture to a container; cover and refrigerate until it is very firm, about 4 hours. Once it is firm, use a knife to gently remove the cheese from the ramekin, or wriggle your container.

 

Garlic & Tarragon Gnocchi w Roasted Tomatoes, Wilted Spinach & Walnuts

Garlic & Tarragon Gnocchi w Roasted Tomatoes, Wilted Spinach & Walnuts
For this meal I used home made spelt gnocchi with tarragon, but you can also use pre fab gnocchi, if you want. Fresh gnocchi actually keep quite well in the freezer, so I like to make a double batch and freeze them. (Unless you have big strong hands, don't make much more, because then making the dough becomes quite a chore).
Prepared by:
Cuisine: vegan
Recipe type: main dish
Serves: 2
Prep time: 
Cook/wait time: 
Total time: 
You need
  • 2 cups of gnocchi
  • 6 or more small tomatoes
  • a bunch of fresh spinach
  • fresh thyme sprigs, 4 or more
  • a few cloves of garlic
  • olive oil
  • dried Italian or Provençal herbs
  • salt & plenty of pepper
  • handful of walnuts, chopped
To do
  1. preheat oven to 200C
  2. half your tomatoes, put them in a dish with baking paper, sprinkle each half with a little bit of oil, the dried herbs, salt & pepper
  3. bake until done, about 25 minutes - depending on your oven and how soft you want them
  4. squeeze or chop the garlic, and strip leafs of thyme sprigs
  5. heat oil in skillet (don't be skimpy), add garlic & thyme, stir fry for a little. Don't let it go brown.
  6. roughly chop your spinach and add to skillet
  7. let slightly wilt over medium heat, stirring regularly
  8. switch off heat
  9. boil your gnocchi, which should not take more than 5 minutes
  10. then place your gnocchi on a plate, spinach and roasted tomatoes on top and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Add a dash of olive oil if you want, and done 🙂