Romanesco Carrot Salad
Serves 2-4
Heirloom nutty Romanesco with fruity crunchy yellow carrots in a light salad drizzled with an orange vinaigrette dressing.
• 1 Romanesco broccoli
• 300g (10.5oz) carrots
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp rose petals
• Few sprigs of dill
For the dressing:
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ orange, juice
• Pinch of salt
1 Make the dressing by mixing together the vinegar, oil, juice and salt. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.
2 Use a mandolin slicer to slice the Romanesco and carrots and place on a serving dish with the mustard seeds, rose petals and dill.
3 Serve by pouring the dressing over the salad and mix well.
No-bake mini cheesecakes with four layers including an oaty base, sweet cream cheese filling, a chestnut date caramel and a thick topping of chocolate. These cheesecakes make a deliciously simple dessert that is naturally vegan, gluten-free and wholesome.
For the base layer:
• 150g (5.3oz) oats
• 100g (3.5oz) whole chestnuts
• 100g (3.5oz) almond butter
• 140g (5oz) maple syrup
For the chestnut date caramel:
• 75g (2.6oz) dates, pitted weight
• 50g (1.7oz) chestnuts
• 50g (1.7oz) almond butter
• 2-4 tbsp date water
For the cheesecake:
• 250g (8.8oz) vegan cream cheese
• 50g (1.7oz) almond butter
• 25g (0.8oz) maple syrup
Topping:
• 200g (7oz) dark chocolate, refined sugar-free if desired
• 12-14 chestnuts, chopped
• Fruit (pomegranate/raspberries)
1 Soak the dates for the caramel in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and keep the water. Line 12-14 muffin tin holes with a strip of parchment paper to allow you to lift the cups out.
2 Make the base: add the oats and chestnuts to the blender and blend on medium-high power until crumbled. Now, add in the almond butter and maple syrup and blend again until sticky and combined.
3 Divide the mix into 12-14 pieces, roll into balls and press down into the holes to make flat bases. Pop in the fridge.
4 Make the chestnut date caramel: add all the ingredients (starting with 2 tbsp date water) into a small blender attachment and blend on medium-high until smooth, adding more date water as needed until creamy.
5 Make the cheesecake filling: stir together all the ingredients until smooth.
6 Divide the cheesecake mix between the bases and smooth over the tops. Now, add on the date caramel and spread over the tops. Pop in the fridge to chill slightly.
7 Melt the chocolate and then pour and spread over the cheesecakes. Top with the crushed chestnuts and some fruit, if desired, and allow to set in the freezer for 1-2 hours.
These guilt-free no-bake bars are an easy treat or snack, and perfect for chocolate lovers. They are packed with protein and are gluten-free and refined sugar-free!
• 140g (5oz) cashew nuts
• 45g (1.5oz) gluten-free oatmeal
• 90g (3oz) Medjool dates soak in hot water for about 2 min to make them softer
• 65g (2.3oz) cranberries
• 2 tbsp almond butter or peanut butter
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 orange to get 1 tbsp orange juice and orange zest
• 50g (1.7oz) dairy-free chocolate
1 To a food processor, add cashew nuts and gluten-free oatmeal. Pop the lid and blend until the mixture turns into a fine flour-like consistency.
2 Pour a tablespoon of hot water onto the Medjool dates and wait for about two minutes or until the dates soften out, then pour the water out. Remove pits from the dates and add them to the food processor.
3 Add cranberries, almond butter, coconut oil, orange zest and orange juice. We are going to blend until all the ingredients have mixed well together and formed a dough-like texture. You can add more orange juice if you find that your mixture is still too dry. Be careful not to add as much though as you don’t want the mixture to be too wet.
4 Remove the blades from the machine and transfer the mixture to a standard loaf tin lined with square parchment paper. Flatten the mixture with hands first, push it to all corners of the pan and then use the back of a spoon to smooth out mixture as much as we can to get it even. Then place it on the side to make the chocolate topping.
5 Place the chocolate in a bowl, pour water in a saucepan and place the bowl with chocolate over it, and melt over a medium heat. Stir the chocolate with a wooden spoon until all of it has completely melted and is smooth.
6 Once the chocolate has melted, pour the chocolate over the dough and then use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Once all spread out, pop into the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes. When chilled, slice into bar pieces.
Recipe by Livhuwani Tshikhudo, livhuwani.com, @itslivhuwani.