Butternut Soup

This is a really yummy & easy soup to make.  Butternut is one of my FAVE veggies, so I love this dish.

1 butternut, peeled & chopped into large chunks
1 onion, chopped into chunks
veggie stock
sunflower or coconut oil
cinnamon
nutmeg
cayenne (optional)

•  place chopped veggies on baking tray, drizzle generously with oil, sprinkle over lots of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and if you want to add cayenne for some kick, sprinkle just a light layer over (or add more if you like it hot)
• bake at 180 degree C for 1 hour, until tender and cooked
•  place in a food processor and add veggie stock - blend and add more veggie stock to get the soup a consistency that you like - you can make it chunky or smooth

Easy peasy.  :)

Coconut Vanilla Pudding

I used a vanilla cake box mix to make this pudding, and it turned out so yum. :)

It's a cake mix but I made a pudding out of it.  I used a gluten-free vanilla mix and added my own wet ingredients in place of what the box said, and I'm impressed. :D  Here goes:

1 Orgran vanilla cake box mix (available at Dischem)
1 can coconut milk (400ml)
2/3 cup desiccated coconut
15ml veggie oil

• pour coconut milk into mixing bowl, add cake mix & mix with a fork to combine
• add desiccated coconut & oil, beat with electric beater on low speed for 1 min
• beat with electric beater on high speed for 4 mins
• pour into baking dish (I used a glass dish) and bake for 30 mins at 180 degree C

The vegan instruction on the box say to add 250ml water & 15ml oil.  I added more coconut milk because I thought maybe I need to do so because I added desiccated coconut.  It turned out really moist and you could taste the coconut - I really like it.

And then I decided to spice it up for some difference, and then it became EVEN BETTER!

I poured a little raspberry preserve over the cake and then poured some cream around it and turned it into a double-yummy dessert. :D

Red Lentil & Butternut Curry

This is good on it's own or served on couscous.  I loved it.

I added a few tbs cake flour at the end because it was quite saucy, but it would be nice served on couscous with the extra sauce, and better with less sauce if you were to munch it on it's own with no couscous to absorb the sauce.

coconut oil for frying
1 onion, chopped
1 tbs curry powder (or more to taste)
4 cups veggie stock
1 cup red lentils
3 cups cooked butternut, cut into bite-sized cubes (I steamed mine until cooked, about 25 mins)
1 cup greens of choice (I wanted to add spinach but couldn't find that day)
himalayan salt to taste

• fry onion in oil for about 5 mins on low-medium heat
• stir in curry powder & cook another few mins
• add stock & lentils, bring to boil, reduce heat & cook for 10 mins
• stir in butternut & greens, cook over medium heat for about 5-8 mins
• season with salt and serve

Curried Potato Salad

This is really good, and I think a healthier alternative to ordinary mayo 'tato salad, 'cause I don't like lots of those weird ingredients in mayo's.  And it's nice & creamy too.

3-4 medium cooked potatoes (cut them into bite sized pieces & steam for 25 mins)
50g butter
1 tbs curry powder
3 tbs cake flour
500ml milk
himalayan salt & pepper to taste

• melt butter in pot
• add curry powder and stir about 30 seconds to release fragrance
• add flour, stir to dissolve, and add milk
• bring to the boil while stirring, until it thickens a little (to about a soup consistency)
• season potatoes with salt and pour sauce over potatoes and season with more salt as needed

I wouldn't mind having some more spice in here, so next time I'll try it with some chilli maybe?  Will see!

Date Truffles

These date truffles are beyond divine, they're one of my all time favourite sweets EVER.  Little bites of what I image must be the kinds of treats found in heaven. :D

This makes a really small portion (well, small to ME - it fills a side plate), so double, tripple or quadrupal it depending on how many people you want to serve.

125g pitted dates, chopped as finely as you can (I used organic ones without any nasty preservatives)
62.5ml butter
30ml sugar
25ml egg (beat an egg with a fork and then pour out 25ml)
2ml vanilla essence
10 (or 1/4 packet) marie biscuits, very finely crushed (put 'em in a packet and crush them with a rolling pin)
desiccated coconut to roll in

• melt butter in pot and add dates
• beat together sugar & egg until creamy; add to date mixture & mix
• add vanilla & mix
• add biscuit crumbs & mix, remove from heat
• let cool & roll into little balls, then roll in coconut
• cool in fridge

I want to try a sugar-free (& egg-free) version - that way I'll more readily make this treat, knowing that it's healthier!  Not sure how to replace the sugar filled marie biscuits, but I'll do some research.  :)

Cauliflower Mash

Yummmm . . .

1 head cauliflower
few tbs cream cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Steam cauliflower until cooked and soft
Mash with a potato masher
Season with salt & pepper to taste
Mash in a few tbs of cream cheese - see how much you prefer in there, add as much as you like

Best served right away, fresh and warm, mmmmm . . . :)