Baked bean loaf with salad and baked potatoes

Hi there :) Today I am sharing with you a very easy recipe for a bean loaf. You can combine it with really any veggies on the side. This time I made some baked sweet potatoes (everyone's favorite :P), some lettuce, kohlrabi, sprouts, dried tomatoes and caramelized onions...or well, sort of ;-).
These onions were a bi-product of a coughing syrup made out of onions. This method is super effective against coughing and it is all natural :) The onions are well known for their antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. The syrup tastes better than it sounds, so give it a try next time someone gets ill in your family. I describe how to make the syrup in the Method section below. 

What will you need:

For the bean loaf:
- 2 cans of any type of beans (use fresh beans whenever you can)
- 1 zucchini
- 4 carrots
- 1/2 white onion
- spice mix
- a bit of chili
- salt, pepper
- 2 tbsp ground flax-seed with 6 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup of finely cur oats 
- a bit of water, if needed
- a small amount of coconut oil to coat the baking pan 






For the salad:
- 1 head of lettuce of your choice
- 2-3 sweet potatoes
- 1 kohlrabi
- sprouts of any kind
- 2-3 dried tomatoes in olive oil

For the caramelized onion
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 tbsp raw cane sugar
- tiny bit of oil

Method:
Bean loaf:

1. Rinse and drain the beans from the can. I normally cook my own beans, but when I forget to pre-soak them, or I am under time pressure, I use canned beans. Please make sure, that you wash the beans under running water, as the cans contain BPA, which you don't want to eat..
2. Prepare the egg replacer: mix 2 tbsp of ground flax-seed with 6 tbsp water and set aside for a couple of minutes, until the flax-seed soaks up the water.
3. Wash the zucchini, peal and wash the carrots, peal the onion and put everything  into a food processor with an S-blade. Start to mix using the "Pulse" functionality. If the dough gets too dry, add some water. If it gets over sticky, add some more oats.
4. Place the dough into an ovenproof pan, coated with a bit of coconut oil. 
5. Bake on 200° for about 25-30 minutes, or until the bean loaf starts separating from the side of the pan and it becomes golden brown.

 Salad: 

1. Wash the lettuce, divide the leaves and make smaller pieces using your hands.
2. Peel and slice the kohlrabi. Cut the dried tomatoes into smaller pieces. 
3. Bake the sweet potatoes at the same time as the bean loaf on a separate tray :) I describe how to make the sweet potatoes in this recipe.      
4. Add some sprouts of any kind :)

 Caramelized onion

1. Peel and slice one yellow onion (it can as well be red). Place it into a small bowl and add the sugar on top. Wait until the next day (6-8 hours). The onion will release a sweet nectar, which is amazing against coughing! You can leave the onion for 1-2 days.
2. Instead of throwing the onion out, take a bit of oil and saute the onion in a pan until it gets translucent. voila.. you have caramelized onions :-) At least a version of them:) 

Place everything on a plate, arranging the ingredients like a rainbow with many different colors :) The more attractive your food looks, the better it will taste :) 

 

Enjoy <3

Sweet potato mung curry

Hi there :) This time I have for you a very easy curry recipe. Again, I am not an expert on curries (I hope one day I will learn it properly), but I like how this dish turned out :) And I love curry, so I gotta make it at home :) You can eat this curry as it is, or together with rice or flatbread.

What will you need: 
- 1 cup mung beans - soaked at least for 12 hours 
- 3 medium sweet potatoes

- 2 tomatoes

- 1 red onion

- 2 cloves of garlic
- 200 ml coconut milk

- 1 cm ginger (or 1 tsp ginger powder)

- 1 tsp turmeric

- 1 tsp cumin powder

- 1 tsp curry leaves

- 1 tsp masala powder

- 1/2 tsp spicy curry powder
- salt, according to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil, or coconut oil (if you are not vegan, you can use ghee) 

1. Start with washing the sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Cut them into cubes.
2. Chop the garlic into small pieces, dice the onion and grade the ginger.
3. Heat the oil in a medium size pan and add the onions. Sauté for a few minutes until onions become translucent.
4. Add garlic and ginger and sauté together with the onion for a few minutes.
5. Add cumin, turmeric, masala, curry powder and curry leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds.
6. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
7. Add sweet potatoes and mung beans. Add water so that it just covers all ingredients.
8. Bring to boil then turn the heat to medium. Cover and simmer for about an hour.
9. Check if mung beans are cooked. Add coconut milk and salt and bring to boil once again. Turn off heat. 
10. Serve on a bed of brown rice or flatbread. Garnish with cilantro. 

 

Enjoy :)

Pumpkin soup with Mr. and Mrs. pumpkin

Autumn is all about pumpkins :) I love their beautiful colours, and variety. In Switzerland there are stands with lots of pumpkins from small to big, for decorating or eating. One can stop by anytime, pick up a pumpkin and leave the money in the money box. I find this trust in Switzerland great, I don't think it would work in many other countries :)

Pumpkins are easy to prepare and give delicious meal for the whole family :) I like to roast them or make a soup out of them. Using warming spices such as nutmeg, cumin, cloves gives a warming, comfy and comforting feeling.

What will you need: 

- 1 medium pumpkin

- 1 tbsp coconut or olive oil

- 3 small onions

- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed

- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

- 3-4 cm ginger, finely chopped

- 1/2 tsp turmeric

- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1/2 tsp coriander

- 1/2 tsp white pepper

- 1/2 pumpkin pie spice (optional)

- 2 tsp curry

- 2 tbsp sea salt

- about 3 cups vegetable stock

- a pinch of nutmeg

• First, cut the pumpkin into half, then remove the seeds with a spoon and place the pumpkin to a baking dish filled with water, covering about 2-3 cm of the bottom of the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius and bake the pumpkin uncovered 45-60 minutes, or until tender.
  

• Let the pumpkin cool and then remove the flesh. Discard the skin.
• Heat a bigger pot over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion, cubed sweet potatoes, garlic and ginger. Saute for about 10 minutes, until onions are translucent and vegetables become softer.
• Add the spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, white pepper, pumpkin pie spice (if used) and saute for about a minute.
• Add the pumpkin flesh and the vegetable stock. You can add more water, if you would like a more liquid consistency. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer, covered for about 15 minutes.
• Pureé the soup using an immersion blender or a regular blender until smooth and cream.
• Add salt and nutmeg according to taste.
• Garnish with fresh herbs, roasted pumpkin seeds, or sprinkle of nutmeg.

Enjoy :)

Baked sweet potatoes with "yoghurt" dip

Hi there. This time I have made some very very easy baked sweet potatoes with a soy yoghurt dip. Even if you don't make the yoghurt dip, try the sweet potatoes. They are really amazing for dinner with a side salad or leftovers from lunch :) They are the best to be eaten right after baking, otherwise they become too soft. I love them, and I hope you will too :):)

What will you need:

"Yoghurt" dip:
- 250 grams fermented soya yoghurt (I used brand  Soyananda)
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, pressed through a garlic press
- cayenne pepper, according to taste
- salt, if needed

Mix all ingredients in a smaller mixing bowl. Refrigerate :) easy, isn't it? :) 




Baked sweet potatoes:
- 2 bigger sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 tbsp fresh marjoram
- salt, according to taste
- 1/2 Provence herb mix

1. Preheat the oven to 220° Celsius 
2. Wash and cut the sweet potatoes to wedges 
3. Put the wedges to a bigger mixing bowl, add the oil and massage it to the potatoes with your hands, so it is evenly distributed.
4. Add the herbs and the salt, mix well.
5. Line your baking dish with parchment paper and lay the sweet potatoes on it. Make sure that they don't overlap.
6. Bake on 220° for 23 minutes. Lower the heat to 200° and bake for 5 more minutes.

Enjoy :)

Sweet potato falafel with raw cashew-tahini dressing

The idea for the falafel using sweet potatoes came from this recipe:

http://thelittlegreenhouse.net/sweet-potato-falafels-with-tahini-sauce/

I found it very interesting to use sweet potatoes in falafel, so i have experimented a bit, modified the recipe and also made up a cashew-tahini dressing. In my opinion the dressing fits perfectly to the sweet-spicy taste of the falafels :) Try it and let me know how you liked this combination :)
This dish is perfect for lunch or dinner, served on a bed of salad. You can as well serve it with rice or flatbread. It is completely gluten- free and tastes really delicious. I love sweet potatoes in every form, but together with the Indian spices it's a perfect harmony of tastes:)

What will you need:
For the falafel: 
- 2 medium sweet potatoes

- 1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas

- 1/4 tsp coriander

- 1 tsp turmeric

- 2 tsp cumin

- 1/4 tsp hot Hungarian paprika (or cayenne pepper)

- 1/2 tsp white pepper

- 1 1/2 tsp salt (according to type of salt)

- 2 cloves of garlic

- 1 handful of fresh parsley

- 2 tbsp chickpea flour

- juice of 1/2 lemon

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

For the Raw cashew tahini dressing:

- 1 cup of cashew nuts, soaked overnight

- 2 tsp Tahini

- juice of 1/2 lemon 

- 1/2 tsp paprika (or cayenne pepper)

- 1/2 cup and a bit more water 

- black pepper

- salt, according to taste

Preparation:

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight. Next day rinse them and cook in pressure cooker or in a cooking pan, according to instructions on the package.
2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
3. Start with steaming the sweet potatoes with the skin on for 20-25 minutes. Make a fork test to see, if they are soft in the middle too. When ready, peel the skin off and place the potatoes to the food processor. 
4. Place all other ingredients to the food processor as well and process until a the mixture is a bit chunky. 
5. Make smaller balls from the chickpea-sweet potato mix (around 4-5 cm diameter) and place them on a baking paper. Slightly press the top. When your hands become too sticky, just use a bit of water to form the balls.  
6. Bake for 35 minutes in 180 degrees. When done, leave the falafels for 10-15 minutes on the baking paper, so the they don't stick to it:) 
7. To make the raw cashew-tahini dressing, first rinse the soaked cashew nuts and wash them. Place all ingredients to a high speed blender (or food processor) and blend until very smooth and creamy. Adjust salt and pepper. 
8. Serve with flatbread, rice or simply on a bed of salad:)

Enjoyy:))