Thai Veggie Cakes with Tomato-Lime Salsa

Everyone has their own vision of what Heaven must be like. Mine is Thailand. If I could wake up in the afterlife bathed in warm sun, surrounded by smiling faces and with an eternity of fresh, vibrant Thai food I would be in Heaven. 

 I try as often as I can to enjoy the flavors of Thailand from my kitchen in Provence. All it requires is a little know-how and an occasional trip to the asian market. 

One of my favorite Thai dishes (there are so many!) must be spicy thai fish cakes. They are intense in flavor while being moist and delicate in texture. Topped with a tangy salsa they are an explosion of flavor that I adore. So, when I decided to limit our family to vegetarian mid-week meals, trying to create a veggie-only version of this amazing dish was a priority. 

To be honest, I thought it would take me a few tries to get this right. The original dish is soooo good that these little veggie cakes had big shoes to fill! Much to my surprise, after my first attempt my husband (a complete non-vegetarian) actually said that he thought they were "just as good, if not better, than the original." Wow! So I stopped there.

I hope you like them as much as he did. 

One of the keys to the success of these cakes is the contrast in texture. It is important to get a nice crunchy crust on the outside of the cake to enhance the soft inside of the cake.   

Thai Veggie Cakes with Tomato-Lime Salsa

(I am so used to cooking for large groups that this recipe makes about 24 cakes. Reduce by half if you wish)

Ingredients:

Cakes:

1 lb (450g) carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks

1 lb (450g) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks

1 cup (160g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup (100g) shredded zuchinni (courgette)*

1 cup (25g) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

1 scallion (green onion), chopped

1 cup dried whole wheat breadcrumbs or panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 

2 1/2-3 Tablespoons (about 50g) good quality Thai Red Curry Paste

1 egg

1/2 cup (100 ml) heavy cream (crème entière)

1 - 1 1/2 cups (160-200g) cooked quinoa (optional)*

More Breadcrumbs or Panko for coating cakes**

Vegetable oil for shallow frying (Avocado oil is healthiest for high-heat frying but you can use what you have in the cupboard)

*I made my first batch without the quinoa and they were delicious. I added quinoa to my second batch and they were just as good. If you want the extra protein add quinoa but don't worry if you don't have it in the pantry. 

**When I made these I used whole wheat bread crumbs in the cakes and panko to coat the outsides because I love the crunchiness of panko.

Place the carrots and sweet potato in a steamer or a large pot with a steaming basket and steam the vegetables until soft and easily cut with a knife. 

Place chickpeas, zuchinni (courgette), cilantro, and scallion in a food processor and process until everything is chopped very finely. Tip contents into a large bowl. 

When the carrots and sweet potato are tender place them in the food processor along with the curry paste and process until just smooth. Add the cream and egg and pulse really quickly until just combined. 

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the bowl with the chickpeas and stir everything well to combine. Pour in the breadcrumbs and quinoa, if using, and stir to combine. Refrigerate the mixture one hour or overnight to allow flavors to blend and mixture to firm up a bit. (If you are just reading this and want to serve dinner in 20 minutes go for it - they will still be ok!)

 Form the mixture into little cakes. Fill a plate with more breadcrumbs or panko (I prefer panko) and coat both sides of each cake with crumbs. 

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Heat oil in a large sauté pan and shallow fry each cake until they are golden brown and crunchy on each side. Place the cakes on a baking tray and place in the oven for an additional 4 minutes.

When done top each cake with a little bit of salsa and serve the rest on the side.

Tomato-Lime Salsa 

6 Plum Tomatoes, seeds removed and diced

2 Scallions (spring onion), finely chopped

2 limes, zest and juice

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons sugar

1 Tablespoon Fish sauce*

1/2 cup (100 ml) light olive oil or 50 ml sunflower oil and 50 ml extra virgin olive oil

1-2 small chiles, seeds removed and chopped (optional, I don't use the chile because the cakes have enough spice for me but they definitely would in Thailand)

*If you are vegetarian you can substitute this with thai soy sauce. If not - use fish sauce - the flavor is fantastic.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Healthy Quinoa Moussaka - a Veggie Version of the Greek Classic

In my experience as a chef I have concluded eggplant to be a girlie vegetable. Women love it, men don't. I think it has something to do with texture. Of course, I know that there are exceptions to this rule but I haven't met many along the way.            

The best way to make a non-eggplantarian eat eggplant is to smother it with tomato sauce and top it with cheese. And clever Greek grandmothers figured out a long time ago that if you throw meat into the mixture, even the hairiest non-epplantarians will come running! 

My husband is Exhibit A. Doesn't love eggplant. Loves moussaka. Key to its success - Lamb. There aren't many dishes that contain lamb that this handsome man raised in Wales does not love. So, you can imagine my hesitation in serving him a moussaka made with quinoa (Quin-what?) instead of lamb. A friend gave me the idea and it was just too good to pass up. So, way too late one Friday night (I started cooking at 8!!!) I made the exact recipe that he adores and the only change I made was to replace the lamb with that protein-packing, grain-like seed we hear so much about. And.............he liked it! (And not just because he was starving and half-asleep by the time we ate.)

Quinoa Moussaka

Ingredients

3/4 cup (135g) quinoa, rinsed well

1 1/2 cups (355ml) water or vegetable broth

5 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 1/2 pounds (1.6 kg) eggplant, cut into 1/3 inch slices

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

3 14 oz(400g) cans of chopped tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons dried or 2 tablespoons fresh mint

Salt and Pepper

Topping:

2 1/2 Tablespoons (33g) butter

3 1/2 Tablespoons (50g) flour

1 1/2 cups (355ml) milk

1/4 pound (114g) feta

1 large egg beaten with 1 large egg yolk

1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

 

Make the quinoa: Place the quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover for about 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Set aside.

Preheat the grill/broiler. Place the eggplant slices on lightly oiled baking trays and rub the eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill/broil the eggplant slices until they are golden brown. Flip the slices and brush the under sides with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Place back under the heat until they are cooked through and golden brown. 

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan and when hot add the onions. Sauté over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the cinnamon and allspice and toast the spices until just fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes and mint and bring mixture to a simmer. Gently simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes. Add the quinoa to the sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes. Set aside. 

To make the topping: Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes, whisking the whole time, to make a roux. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat and gently simmer for a couple minutes. Stir in the feta cheese and stir over low heat until the cheese has melted. Remove from heat and season with pepper. Cool the sauce for 5 minutes. Slowly pour the beaten eggs into the sauce, whisking to incorporate.

To assemble the moussaka:

Lower the heat on the oven to 200C/400F. Oil a large pyrex or other casserole dish. Line the bottom of the dish with half of the eggplant, slightly overlapping the slices. Pour the tomato-quinoa mixture over the eggplant. Layer the rest of the eggplant over the tomato mixture, overlapping as before. Pour the feta cheese sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven until bubbly and golden, about 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Voila!

Chocolate Crunch Bars with Peanut Swirl

I found this recipe on the Oh She Glows website which is a beautiful vegan cooking website. Our version did not come out nearly as beautiful as the picture posted on Oh She Glows but my Little Chef had fun making them and Baby Chef had fun eating them. 

The original recipe calls for brown "rice crispies." I had to add a bit more cereal than was called for in the recipe and I used organic puffed rice cereal because that was my best option here in France but you can play around with what you have available. It's a fun 20 minute recipe to make with the kids. 

Like many raw sweets these are best kept in the freezer. Putting them in a lunch box for school will probably end up in a chocolatey, sticky mess so reserve them for after-school snacks and dinner dessert.

Coconut oil is a much healthier alternative to butter and other oils but it definitely makes everything taste a bit coco-nutty! My kids like that. Hopefully yours will too. It is available here at all the Bio markets and a friend just sent me a text to say she found it in the big Carrefour in Antibes. Hooray! 

  

Ingredients:

Bars:

1/2 cup (250g) coconut oil

1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

5 Tablepoons Maple Syrup

Pinch of sea salt

1 - 1 1/2 cups (around 50g) organic rice cereal 

Peanut Butter Swirl:

2 Tablespoons Organic Peanut Butter

2 teaspoons coconut oil, or more to thin the peanut butter

1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave nectar

Line a loaf pan or small casserole dish with parchment paper. Gently melt the coconut oil over a low heat until liquified. Stir in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt to combine until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the cereal. Pour mixture into prepared pan and freeze 15 minutes or until chocolate is set. 

Remove from the freezer and cut into squares or bars.

For the Peanut Butter swirl - Melt the coconut oil in a small sauce pan and add the peanut butter and maple syrup and stir to combine. (I did 2 teaspoons of coconut oil but could have used a bit more because my peanut butter was so thick.) Scoop the mixture into a small sandwich baggie and squeeze it down into one of the corners of the bag. Twist the top of the bag and cut the tip off of the corner to create a small pastry bag. Hand the pastry bag over to your little chefs and ask them to swirl the peanut butter over the bars. Return to the freezer and wait for peaunut butter to set, about 10 minutes. 

Voila!

Fresh Pesto Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Cherry Tomatoes, Green Beans

Trying to keep a meat-loving husband satisfied mid-week with vegetarian meals requires variety. There is only so much pasta I can make. This is why I love gnocchi. It's as easy as pasta, it can be made with the same sauces, and yet it makes for an entirely different meal. 

I love making my own gnocchi. Nothing is more satisfying than sitting in front of a bowl of gnocchi that you have prepared yourself. After making the potato dough you roll it into ropes, cut it into dumplings and finally - my favorite part - a quick flick of the wrist with a floured fork and the dumplings are transformed into little nests perfect for soaking up delicious sauce.  

But.....

this blog was started in the hopes of helping and inspiring my friends (and wonderful mystery readers) to prepare more clean, healthy dishes for their families. And there isn't a single mum I know who has a free hour on a Tuesday night to bang out some fresh gnocchi. Maybe, on a cold Saturday in January, I might try and rally some friends up for the task. Until then, however, we are very lucky here in the south of France to have fresh gnocchi available in most supermarkets. (I think in the US too?)

The one thing I will ask you to do is make a fresh pesto. I am not hiding in your pantry though so if you pull out a jar of pesto and whack it in instead I won't know. It just won't be as good (or as clean) as mine.

(No pressure..)

Ingredients (For 4 servings)

Pesto:

1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (from 2-3 bunch)

1 large or 2 small garlic cloves

2 Tablespoons (20g) pine nuts

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Himalayan pink salt or sea salt and pepper to taste

Gnocchi:
About 750 g of gnocchi (1 2/3 lb)*
1 small-medium butternut squash
Swig of olive oil
Salt and Pepper
200 g (7 oz.) green beans, 
250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
Pesto (the above recipe should make about 165g/6 oz)
4 Tablepoons Grated Parmesan
3 Tablespoons Panko or Bread Crumbs (optional)

*If you buy fresh gnocchi in 500g packs like I did just use the gnocchi for the kids the next day with a simple marinara sauce.

To make the pesto: Place all ingredients except the oil in a food processor and mix until everything is finely chopped and starting to form a dry paste. With the machine still running, slowly pour in the oil until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. 

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Peel the squash, discard the seeds and chop into large dice. Toss the squash with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and lower temperature to 180C/350F.

 Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and blanch the green beans until just tender but still bright, green and slightly crunchy. At the same time, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook until they have risen to the surface and they are all floating on the top like little balls.

Drain and toss the gnocchi in  a large bowl with the squash, green beans, cherry tomatoes and pesto. Lightly oil a casserole dish and pour the mixture into the dish. Mix the breadcrumbs and Grated Parmesan and sprinkle over the top. 
Bake for 15-20 minutes until hot and parmesan has melted and gone golden. 

Voila!

Banana & Gogi Berry Cereal Bars

In the first two weeks of My Clean Cuisine Challenge I have had different reactions from people when I tell them what I am doing. While most have been supportive, I have also had several people who look at me with disbelief when I explain that I have eliminated all processed food from our diet and ask "WHY????" 

I have also had many friends who want to do the same but just can't find the time and organization to go cold turkey. I have encouraged them to take baby steps.

It seems that no matter who I tell, everyone (even the non-believers) seem genuinely interested by the idea of making their own cereal bars. Maybe it is something that seems tangible in an otherwise unrealistic challenge for a busy mum. Whatever it is - people want cereal bar recipes. 

So, when my last batch finally ran out I tried another recipe by combining 2 recipes that looked promising (one from the internet and one from the Medicinal Chef cookbook.) The end result is a bit more like an oatcake and not so sweet but really quite delicious. My girls are not huge fans of gogi berries. I can't entirely blame them. When put next to a raisin in a taste test, a gogi berry just tastes chalky. However, they are so nutritious that I try to stuff them in any recipe I can. I also threw in those oh so good for you flaxseeds to try and make the bars as rich in goodness as possible.

Ingredients

1/3 cup (60g) Quinoa, well rinsed

1/2 cup Water
2 cups (175g) Oatmeal (porridge oats)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon fine Sea Salt
1 1/2 cups (370g) Mashed Ripe Bananas
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 cup Maple Syrup or good quality Honey
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil*
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup (35g) Gogi Berries
2 Tablespoons (23g) Dried Cranberries
2 Tablespoons (20g) Flax Seeds 
1/4 cup (36g) chopped 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
1/3 cup (35g) Pecans or Walnuts, toasted if you want for more intense flavor

Put the quinoa and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and gently simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover for 5-10 minutes. Remove lid. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl to cool.

Line a large baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease the paper with brushed oil.

Preheat oven to 160C/325F

In another bowl combine the oatmeal, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Add the mashed banana, egg, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract to the cooled quinoa. Stir the oat mixture into the quinoa mixture and then add the gogi berries, cranberries, flaxseeds, pecans and chocolate and stir to combine. 

Pour the mixture into your baking pan and smooth the top. 

Bake in the oven 30-35 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. 

Allow to cool before slicing into bars or squares. 

Voila!

Cauliflower, Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry

One of my favorite ways of eating a bowl full of vegetables without smothering them in dairy is a good old curry. Indian or Thai - they are both delicious. This dish is a power-horse of nutrients. Lentils are full of cholesterol fighting fiber, cauliflower is acclaimed for its anti-cancer phyto-chemicals and sweet potatoes are full of essential vitamins and minerals. And it's yummy! You can eliminate the chiles and cayenne in the recipe to make it child-friendly. My girls don't like sweet potato, lentils or cauliflower on their own but they enjoyed this curry!

There are some ingredients in this recipe you may not have (curry leaves, for example). Don't let that deter you from trying the dish. Each ingredient adds a subtle flavor but it doesn't mean it won't be good without a curry leaf or a clove!

Ingredients:

130 g(4.5 oz) orange lentils

80 g (2-3oz) piece of ginger

6 garlic cloves

6 Tablespoons (90ml) Vegetable Oil

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets 

1 sweet potato (about 280g/10oz), cubed

2 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds

1 large onion, chopped

1-2 hot red chiles (to taste), seeds removed and minced

1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1.5 Tablespoons Mild Curry Powder

1 1/2 cans of coconut milk or 1 14 oz/400 ml can plus 1 5.6oz/165 ml can*

1/4 cup (60ml) water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

6 cloves

a small handful of fresh Curry leaves**

4 large plum tomatoes, quartered and then cut in chunks

1 large bunch cilantro (coriander), coarsely chopped

1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

*If you open a second big can of coconut milk you can use the remaining milk in a smoothie the next morning

**I buy my curry leaves at the Asian market in Mandelieu. They come in big packs and I freeze them. They lose a bit of their strength when frozen but they still add nice flavor.

Put the lentils in a small saucepan with 400ml of water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until all the water has been absorbed and the lentils look like lentil mush. Set aside.

Place the peeled ginger and garlic cloves in a food processor or chopper and mince. (You can do this by hand but this way is much faster.) 

In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, add 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin seeds and wait about 30 seconds until they are fragrant before adding the cauliflower. Sauté the cauliflower until golden on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon.

 Add 2 more tablespoons of oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Wait again until fragrant and add the diced sweet potato. Sauté the sweet potato until golden on most sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the bowl with the cauliflower.

 Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion, ginger, garlic and chile for about 7 minutes over medium heat, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the coriander, cumin powder, turmeric, cayenne and curry powder. Toast the spices well, without burning, for a minute before pouring in the coconut milk, water, salt, curry leaves and cloves. 

Bring to a boil and immediately add the cauliflower and sweet potato. Return mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook about 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cover again and simmer until the cauliflower and sweet potato are tender.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lentils, cilantro and lemon juice.

Serve with brown rice.

Two Kid Friendly Soups - Carrot Ginger and Creamy Tomato

Making the commitment to change your eating habits to Clean Cooking requires time and self-discipline - two things that many of us are lacking. Add to those difficulties by throwing in fussy children and the whole thing may seem too daunting to tackle. 

Fortunately, my girls are young enough to believe me when I tell them that the store no longer sells the junkfood that once sat on our shelves (awe, the innocence!). But meal times prove to be more difficult. My 3 year old requests pasta for every meal and Cheese Monster requests - you guessed it - cheese. I am not denying them either pasta or cheese but part of my clean challenge is to limit our dairy intake and increase vegetables and whole grains into our diet. The easiest way I have found to do this with very young children is soup. I have always made a lot of soup and there are some my girls just won't go near (Wild Mushroom and Barley) but Carrot-Ginger and Cream of Tomato are two soups they both adore. Go veggies!!

Both soups have a bit of cream added to them at the end. You can lesson the amount if you are avoiding dairy but everything in moderation is my rule of thumb.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 1/2 Tablespoons Ginger, finely chopped

1 Teaspoon garlic, finely chopped

2 lbs (1 kg) carrots, chopped

4 1/2 cups (1060 ml) vegetable or chicken stock

1/2-3/4 cup (118-175ml) heavy cream (crème entiere)

Sauté onion and celery in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté another 2 minutes before adding the carrots. Sauté carrots 2 minutes and then add the stock. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 30-40 minutes until carrots are soft. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Add the cream while puréeing. 

Cream of Tomato Soup

2 Tablespoons butter and a swig of olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 35 ounce (800g) cans of tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock (or 4 cups water + organic bouillon)
1/2 teaspoon Allspice**
1 cup of Heavy Cream (Crème Entiere) or more to taste

Melt the butter in the oil in a large pot. (The oil prevents the butter from melting) Add the onion and carrot and sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil and bring the mixture to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add the stock and allspice and return the soup to a simmer. Cover pot and gently simmer for about 45 minutes. Purée the soup with an immersion blender and add the cream. 
Voila!

**Allspice is very easy to find in the US but I have never seen it here (although Google Translate just told me it is quatre-épices so I will look for that!) You can also order it on amazon.co.uk. It is very important for this recipe (not saying it won't be good without - it will just be different)