Revive Your Cooking Motivation With These Recipes...

After my recent recipe book shopping frenzy, i have found my new favourite cook books from Revive Cafe based in Auckland. Revive is vegetarian, healthy and full of goodness.  Many of their dishes are vegan, dairy free and gluten free. 

Two Favourites: 

Chewy Indonesian ice:

Makes 3- 1 cup servings

1 cup of brown ice
2 cups of water

1 spring onion
1 capsicum
1/4 cup currants
1/4 roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp chilli flakes or crushed chilli
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder
2 Tbsp of date puree o honey

Lemon dressing:
1/4 oil
1 clove garlic chopped or crushed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Method:
1. cook ice until tender and sticky
2. Chop the spring onions and capsicum finely
3. Combine the lemon dressing ingredients in a blender and blend
4. Combine all ingredients well in a big bowl

Spring Kumara Mingle:

Makes 6 - 1 cup servings:

2 large Kumara
1 Tbsp oil
400g can of red kidney beans (chickpeas is nice too)
1/4 cup Chermoula dressing (see below)
4 cups fresh spinach torn
1/2 tsp salt

Method:
1. Wash the kumara and chop into 2cm cubes leaving the skin on
2. Toss with oil on an oven tray. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for around 15 minutes o until soft
3. Mix all ingredients in a bowl



AMAZING DRESSING:

Chemoula Dressing:

Makes 2 cups:

1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp honey or date puree
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp crushed chilli
1 cup oil
1/4 room temp water
2 tsp cumin seeds (optional)

Method:
1. Select a blender, food processor or stick blender
2. Blend all ingredients (except oil, water and seeds)
3 While blending, slowly add oil and then add water at end until desired consistency is reached
4. Mix in cumin seeds

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Power Bars

These were an experiment and i tried to remember how much of each ingredient i used. Please let me know if you try this and whether it works out for you. They were so yummy!

Ingredients

• About 1 packed cup chopped dates
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 Tbsp. ground chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds 
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (dry, not cooked)
• 1 cup shelled pistachio nuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips (optional - but so good!)
• 1/3 cup egg whites (or 1 egg and 1 egg white)
• 1 Scoop of protein powder - vanilla or plain is best.
• 1/4 cup of wheat bran

Method

Preheat the oven at 190 degrees Celsius.

Combine the dates, honey, eggs, chia seeds, flax seeds and salt in a food processor, and pulse until smooth and combined. You should be able to stir the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the oats, pistachios, dried cranberries, protein powder, wheat bran and white chocolate chips until evenly combined.

Pour into a baking paper lined 20cm by 20cm square tin. Press and spread evenly into the tin. Bake for about 20 mins or until golden brown - keep an eye on it and use your intuition - times will vary for every oven.

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

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Tasty Italian for One

If you are both single and a lover of pasta like myself...then this is the perfect recipe for you! A dish full of vegetables and lean protein. A simple and quick meal if you use left over chicken and jarred or leftover roasted peppers but is full of complex flavours.

This was my creation from what I had in my fridge...enjoy! Best enjoyed with a glass of wine ;)

Ingredients:

50-80 grams of whole wheat spaghetti or egg fettuccine (dry - but fresh would be even better)
1 cup of cherry tomatoes roughly chopped
1 roasted pepper (equivalent of jarred roasted peppers) roughly chopped
250 ml of hot stock or seasoned boiled water
1\8 cup of grated cheddar or  grated Romano/Parmesan
5 button mushrooms sliced thickly
two handfuls of fresh baby spinach
1\2 cup of leftover chicken or smoked chicken diced
1/8 cup of diced red onion (brown onion is fine too)
1-2 cloves of garlic (the more the better in my opinion!)
1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1/2 Tbsp of Tomato paste
1/4 cup of red wine
dried mixed herbs and salt and pepper to taste
Finely chopped parsley

Method:

1. Get a saucepan full of well salted boiled water and get to a rolling boil.
2. Add pasta and cook until al dente - drain and set aside 
3. In a fry pan, saute red onion until it starts to caramelise
4. Add balsamic vinegar, garlic, tomatoes and red peppers
5. Cook until the chopped tomatoes start to break down then add half a cup of the stock/seasoned water and the sliced mushrooms
6. One the 'sauce' has begun to reduce and the tomatoes have broken down even more, add the rest of the stock/water, tomato paste and the red wine.
7. As you go add dried herbs and seasonings to taste
8. After a couple of minutes reducing the sauce - add the cooked/smoked chicken, spinach and cooked spaghetti/fettuccine - when the sauce is a few minutes from perfection.
9. Once the chicken is heated through, the spinach is just wilted, remove and dish onto a warm place or bowl.
10. Sprinkle with grated cheese and freshly chopped parsley.
11. Enjoy!

This was a lovely dinner that can be bulked out to impress crowds easily.

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