So I heard this week that Melbournians just love to talk about the weather. And i realised that I do that so often on this blog that it’s a little embarrassing. Maybe it’s because it’s so damn unstable in this corner of the world. It’s been summer weather all week with balmy evenings and now it’s miserable, cold, windy and raining. And the weather clearly has an effect on what I feel like eating so it’s totally okay that I’ve just spent a paragraph talking about it…
There is so much golden deliciousness in this recipe. The caramelised ribs with their orange and maple syrup marinade, spiked with chilli and paprika and the fragrant whiffs of cinnamon. You’ll be licking your fingers. You’ll also be using these sticky morsels of goodness to wipe up the pumpkin puree beneath them. By roasting the pumpkin to golden perfection first you get that delicious caramelised pumpkin flavour in the puree. It’s crazily good. With fresh coriander and salty feta to finish, the whole plate will disappear before you notice.
‘Tis the season for all things orange: pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots and… well… oranges! I’ve been mucking around with different incarnations of this roast carrot recipe for a few weeks now and this is by far my favourite combination. The fat soluble vitamins in carrots are easily digested due to the oil they’re roasted in and the sauce they are served with so you’re getting the most out of these little guys. try to buy organic carrots when possible so that you can eat the skins without worrying about the nasties that could be on them. I got lucky and found some locally grown, organic baby carrots at my local grocer. With a simple side like this the quality of your ingredients is so important.
I love brussel sprouts. Four words my 10 year old self would be horrified to hear me say. Luckily that scenario is not possible! Because I don’t live in a science fiction movie (unfortunately, damn you stupid reality)- not because the statement is untrue. Brussel sprouts are up there with my favourite vegetables. And they love butter and some heavy caramelisation. They are very good friends with those two things. Add some garlic and chilli and you have brussel sprout bliss. Top that with a liberal squeeze of zingy lime and some coriander and you’ll start converting brussel haters. And did I mention that the before mentioned butter has been mixed with miso paste? No, well that part is pretty essential….
This recipe marries two of the greatest things in the world. Both are cheese based (aren’t many great things?), both are comfort food, and both bring on fond memories for me. Cauliflower cheese was my absolute favourite thing as a kid. Well one of my favourite’s, a high school friend’s brother once had a whole head of cauliflower covered in cheese sauce and baked in the oven as a birthday cake so I would dare say it’s actually his favourite thing haha. As a teenager I was obsessed with macaroni and cheese, actually I still am, there may be no greater comfort food. But I can’t sit here and pretend that mac’n’cheese is particularly good for me – not that everything I eat has to be! However, that doesn’t mean I can’t try to make it a little more nutritious. And I think I have… even better, it’s just as comforting and delicious.
Another dairy free, vegan, gluten free cheesecake miracle! This one is a little simpler, fresher and more pink than my other cheesecake slice. An oat and almond base is topped with strawberry cashew ‘cheesecake’ filled with chunks of fresh strawberry and a swirl of strawberry puree. It’s delicious and very pretty.
This recipe was inspired by a free form berry tart recipe from the master of all baked things, Margaret Fulton. However I wanted to use a wholegrain pastry, decrease the sugar and use a fruit that was currently in season: persimmon. As I was asking this my housemate questioned my fruit choice as he thought they were savoury, more like a tomato, it goes to show that this golden fruit is not getting the love it deserves! Persimmon’s might not have the biggest fan club which is kind of surprising, because when very ripe they are sweet, low in acidity and so delicious.
