PLANTAIN CURRY WITH LEMON & THYME RICE

For this curry recipe, I used a Caribbean spice paste. With the sweet undertones of cinnamon and nutmeg in the mix, I thought it would be perfect paired with sweet plantain. To contrast all the sweetness though, I added some scotch bonnet peppers to give it some heat. The lemon and thyme rice has that kick of tanginess. Put it all together and you've got a mind-numbingly exciting taste explosion. All I can say is that this curry has become an instant favourite.

Want more delicious plantain recipes? Grab my Plantain Cookbook here :)

Ingredients

- 1 ripe plantain (diced)

- 2 tbsp coconut flour (or corn flour)

- 1-2 tbsp sunflower oil

- 1/2 red onion (chopped)

- 1 yellow bell pepper (chopped)

- 3 tbsp spice paste (equal parts: onion powder, dried coriander, ground ginger, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, cinnamon, nutmeg and dried garlic)

- 1 tin coconut milk

- 1-2 scotch bonnet peppers (halved)

- 1 cup cooked chickpeas or beans

- salt to taste

- spring onions (chopped; to garnish)

- coconut chips (optional)

For the lemon & thyme rice:

- golden basmati rice

- pinch of turmeric

- juice and zest of 2 lemons

- 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme

Start by coating the diced plantain in coconut flour or corn flour.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan and add the chopped red onion, yellow bell pepper and coated plantain, along with the Caribbean spice paste. Stir continuously for a minute or so to cook off the spices and brown the plantain a little.

Add the tin of coconut milk and when it comes to a boil, add the scotch bonnet pepper and chickpeas/beans. Season with salt.

Allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes. The coconut flour should help thicken the curry slightly. 

Finish with a generous handful of chopped spring onions. For some extra crunch, you can also add a handful of coconut chips. I used Nudie Snacks coconut chips.

To make the lemon & thyme rice, cook rice as normal and add the turmeric, lemon juice/zest and thyme.

NICE CREAM | Vegan, Dairy-Free Ice Cream Recipes

Summer is just around the corner and once again, I will be cooling off with a ton of guilt-free 'nice cream' a.k.a. vegan ice cream that's actually good for you. What better way to recognise #TBT (Throwback Thursday) than by throwing back to the 'nice cream'  recipe book I compiled almost a year ago. Check it out and cheers to a happy, healthy summer!

The recipe book features these chilled desserts and more:

YAM AND 'EGG' (VEGAN)

I have to emphasise the fact that this is vegan and that no chickens were involved in the making of this dish because, I mean, come on... how scarily similar does this look!? I've long known of tofu scramble, but this is my first time trying it out at home, using a baking technique I learnt from the kitchen of Raw/Vegan (any Londoners out there visited yet?)

Yam and egg is a staple in most Nigerian households. So iconic is this dish that I'm surprised I'm only just getting round to sharing a vegan version on the blog. I've written a bit about yam in a previous post, which you can find here. I've also got a delicious yam pottage recipe. And a rustic yam burger recipe (yes, you read that right). And I've used them in a colourful canapé recipe as well. So now we arrive at this easy as pie dish that we love to eat for breakfast, lunch OR dinner.

Anything really is possible in the world of vegan cooking and with a touch of adventure and experimentation in the kitchen, there's no reason to miss out on anything. I am thrilled to share this alternative to a classic that I and many others have grown up with.

Ingredients

- Yam (cut into thick round slices; outer skin peeled) - allow 2-3 slices per person
- 1 pack regular tofu (not silken)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1-2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1/2 red onion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 red pepper (chopped)
- 1-2 large tomato[es] (liquid centre scooped out; flesh finely chopped)
- 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (finely chopped)
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling the yam in lightly salted water until soft. Be careful not to over boil so it doesn't turn to mush.

Crumble the tofu onto a baking tray and sprinkle with turmeric to achieve that golden eggy colour. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has dried out. This will stop the scramble from being soggy.

Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan and add all the chopped vegetables and stock cube. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender. Take the tofu out of the oven, crumble it some more if needed and add to the frying pan. Mix until all ingredients are well combined. Taste and season as needed. Add a touch more turmeric if necessary. **If you want to make this oil-free, simply cook off the vegetables in a little bit of liquid stock until tender and mix in with the baked tofu.

When the yam is cooked, drain any excess liquid. Serve with a generous helping of your tofu 'scramble'. Enjoy!

HARISSA BUTTER BEAN SPREAD

I love me some North African flavours. This rich, intensely flavoured bean spread is absolutely delicious and versatile - perfect in sandwiches, on toast, flat bread and even crackers.

It's important to cook off the spices in order to properly release the flavours. You'll be left with earthy, smoky tones. The taste is bold - just how I like my food - and its the ideal thing to have on hand when those savoury food cravings kick in.

Feel free to use other types of beans - kidney, black-eyed beans, adzuki, etc.

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients

- 1 tbsp coconut oil

- 1/2 red onion (finely chopped)

- 1 tsp harissa paste
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp dried ginger
- 1/2 tsp dried garlic

- 1 tbsp tomato purée

- 1 tin butter beans (drained)

- 1/4 cup lemon juice

- salt/pepper to taste

- Fresh mint (optional)

Fry the chopped onion in coconut oil (medium-high heat), then add the harissa paste, ground coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, garlic and tomato purée. Keep stirring for a couple of minutes to release all the spice flavours. Add the butter beans, lemon juice and seasoning (to taste). Cook for a further 2 minutes.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and mash until you reach a spreadable consistency. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.

Spread on toast, crackers or flat bread and finish off with some chopped fresh herbs such as mint, if you have any lying around.

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge.

JUBELLA LONDON GIVEAWAY WINNER

This has been one of the most exciting giveaways I've hosted to date and I want to thank everyone who participated via Twitter and Instagram. On Twitter alone, we had over 160 entries (!), which is just phenomenal and a testament to how desirable the Jubella kitchen set is. If you still aren't clued up on Jubella, then check out my review here, and visit their official website here.

So without further ado, a massive congratulations to @SistahInTheRaw on winning the giveaway! I hope the set brightens up your kitchen and most importantly, brightens up your day!

VEGAN CELEBRATION CAKES

Baking occasion cakes for family and friends is turning into something of a habit, and a fun one at that. So I'm putting it out there that if you would like a fully vegan, scrumptious celebration cake for you or someone you love, then you can always get in touch. You'll have to be based in or around London, as that is where I currently reside. Whatever flavour, shape, size or 'free-from' option you're after, I'm all ears and will see to creating something that will brighten up your day :)

My latest creation was this 4-layer chocolate and banana cake covered in chocolate and raspberries for a friend's birthday. More pics of stuff I've baked below. Yum!

CUCUMBER NOODLES WITH AVOCADO-PEPPER SAUCE (RAW)

My julienne peeler has been in hiding for a while now. If you've followed my blog for long, you'll recall the Vegetable 'Spaghetti' and Boiled Plantain recipe I shared around this time last year. The julienne peeler is such an exciting and inexpensive kitchen tool to have on hand, allowing you to turn your veggies into lush noodle/spaghetti strands. Great for gluten-free 'pasta' options and for making your meals lighter in general. If you'd like one for yourself, you can grab it easily on Amazon:

Today's recipe is fairly basic but it packs a powerful punch. It's super filling, the fresh flavours are intense and it is the perfect light lunch/dinner option as the summer months get closer.

*Tip: to give this recipe a little extra kick, add a bit of chilli or scotch bonnet pepper to the sauce blend.























Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber (julienned)
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper (chopped)
- 1/2 green bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 red bell pepper (chop one half, save the other half for the sauce)
- 1/2 avocado
- juice of half a lemon
- cherry tomatoes (as many as you care for; halved)
- pinch of fresh thyme
- salt to taste

To julienne the cucumber, simple run the julienne peeler lengthwise. Once you reach the soft, watery centre of the cucumber, turn it around and julienne the other side(s). Do not discard the centre, simple chop it up to use in the sauce.

To make the sauce, place the chopped cucumber centre, 1/2 a red bell pepper, 1/2 an avocado, lemon juice, thyme and salt in a food processor and blitz until you have a thick, creamy sauce (it doesn't have to be super smooth).

Place the cucumber noodles in a large bowl, along with the chopped bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. Add the sauce and combine!

Enjoy!

COCONUT AND TURMERIC ROAST POTATOES

I've got a love-hate-love relationship with coconut flour. Or should I say a love-hate-love history. Let's begin with the first love: it all started when I discovered that coconut flour was even a thing. As a long-time advocate of coconut oil, coconut water, coconut milk and every other coconut product that has been brought to light, I was only too happy to embrace this new addition to my coconut-centric world. Which is to say, I fell head over heels in love with the very idea of coconut flour even before I knew what to do with it. I imagined all the cool stuff I'd make - pancakes, cakes, porridges. It was goodbye plain old conventional wheat flour and hello powdery coconutty goodness. 

And then came the hate, which really was to do with my determination to make coconut flour into something it was not; to use it in ways that it was not intended to be used. The gritty consistency frustrated me - 'these pancakes taste like sawdust!' 'this gluten-free coconut flour cake is literally falling apart at the touch of my little finger!' Frustration I tell ya... 

Who would have thought that this simple life lesson would also apply to kitchen ingredients - that we must inherently appreciate things (and people!) for what (or who!) they are and not what we would ideally like them to be. So then came the love again, this time with the realisation that coconut flour is unique and different and shines in all its coconutty glory when its qualities are highlighted and celebrated rather than suppressed. That gritty texture? Turns out it makes a delicious coating on roast potatoes. Consider this recipe a statement of our reconciliation. 

Ingredients

- 2 large potatoes (cut into wedges)

- 2 tbsp coconut flour

- 1 tsp ground turmeric 

- 3 tbsp olive oil

- 1 vegetable bouillon cube

Place the potato wedges in a saucepan and cover with water. Allow the water to reach boiling point then lower the heat and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.

To make the coating, place the coconut flour, turmeric, olive oil and vegetable bouillon cube in a large bowl and mix until you have a paste.

Drop the potatoes into the paste and mix to coat them completely.

Spread the potatoes out on a lightly greased roasting tin. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and cover with foil (poke the foil and create some holes to allow any steam to escape). 

Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, gas mark 6. Remove the foil 3/4 of the way through the cooking time and turn the potatoes over once.

Serve as a side dish or have as a meal with your favourite tomato sauce (aka ketchup).