Vegetarian – Page 39 – The Food Wife

BLW Blackberry, Lime and Coconut Sugar-Free Muffins

1st September 20182nd September 2018
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

The carrot and coconut sugar-free muffins were such a hit with the Food Baby and his pals that Iâ€™ve been busy coming up with another sugar-free cake for them. Again these are sweetened naturally by the banana and have added texture from the oats and coconut whilst they are kept moist by the blackberries.

These take only a gently stir so can be made quickly and easily and can be frozen once baked.

Ingredients:
1 large banana, mashed (you are looking for about 125g)
120g blackberries
25g desiccated coconut
50g oats
100g plain flour
1 lime, zested
1 tsp baking powder
120ml full fat milk
60ml oil
1 egg, beaten

Step 1: Lightly combine the banana, blackberries, coconut, oats, flour, lime zest and baking powder in bowl.

Step 2: In a jug, mix the milk, oil and egg.

Step 3: Add the liquid to the drier ingredients and gently mix. Remember not to over mix it.

Step 4: Fill a muffin tray with 12 cases. Put a dessert spoon of mixture into each case. Then spread any remaining mixture equally between the cases.

Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven (200c) for 20 minutes.

Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

BLW Carrot and Coconut Sugar-Free Muffins

29th August 20182nd September 2018
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

These little cakes have extra texture from the carrot, coconut and oats. They are sweetened naturally by the banana, and the fruit and vegetables help contribute to your little oneâ€™s healthy diet.

When peeled from their paper cases these are the perfect size for little hands to hold and so make a great snack.

These take only a gentle stir so can be made quickly and easily and can be frozen once baked.

Ingredients:
1 large banana, mashed with a fork
1 medium-large carrot, peeled and grated
25g desiccated coconut
50g oats
100g plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
120ml full fat milk
60ml oil
1 egg, beaten

Step 1: Lightly combine the banana, carrot, coconut, oats, flour, cinnamon and baking powder in a bowl.

Step 2: In a jug, mix the milk, oil and egg.

Step 3: Add the liquid to the drier ingredients and gently mix. Do not over mix it.

Step 4: Fill a muffin tray with 12 cases. Put a dessert spoon of mixture into each case. Then spread any remaining mixture equally between the cases.

Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven (200c) for 20 minutes.

Step 6: Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Blackberry Jam

27th August 201827th August 2018
by thefoodwife

Makes 8 Jars

There is something very satisfying about picking fruit for free and making something delicious from it. Iâ€™m sure it makes it more tasty.

This weekend we went blackberry picking along the canal by our home and managed to collect a hefty haul and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

Several passers by stopped to ask what theyâ€™d be turned in to; a pie, crumble, jam? That was the winner.

My normal weekday breakfast at the moment is homemade bread topped with jam. Even better if I can pair it with a homemade preserve!

I made this naturally gluten-free and I also ensured it was vegan and dairy free (see the note in step 4).

You will need a large heavy-bottomed pan, eight jam jars and lids (plus wax circles or other sealants), and a sugar thermometer is useful, but not necessary.

Ingredients:
1.75kg blackberries, washed
1.5kg jam sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

Step 1: Place the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place a saucer in the freezer.

Step 2: Heat the pan gently (I used a medium heat) so that the sugar dissolves into the natural juices of the blackberries.

Step 3: Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes (or, if using a sugar thermometer, when it reaches 102c).

Step 4: Remove from the heat whilst you test the consistency. Take the saucer from the freezer and put a teaspoon of the liquid on to it. Leave it to cool (30 seconds or so) and then push you finger in to it. If it wrinkles, it has reached the right consistency. If not, return the pan to the heat and boil again for another couple of minutes before testing again (make sure youâ€™ve put the saucer back in the freezer). Keep repeating this until you have reached the right consistency, at which point remove from the heat completely and skim off any scum collected on the top. N.b. If you are not keeping this vegan/dairy-free you could add a small knob of butter at this point to help dissolve any remaining scum.

Step 5: Allow the jam to settle for 10 minutes before ladling into sterilised jars.

Step 6: Seal appropriately (wax seals, lids etc.) and store in a cool dark place (they should keep like this for several months). Refrigerate after opening.

Blackberry and Apple â€˜Crumbleâ€™ Muffins

24th August 201824th August 2018
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

One of my favourite puddings is apple and blackberry crumble. Sweet and a little tart all at the same time, and just a bowl of comfort.

Here is a muffin version which is simple to make and can be eaten for ~~a naughty~~ breakfast, taken as part of a packed lunch, or enjoyed with a cup of tea for the obligatory tea and cake.

These are best eaten on the day, but will be perfectly edible for a few days (if they last that long). I zapped them for 20 seconds in the microwave after the first day but they could also be frozen.

Remember that when making muffins you do the minimum amount of mixing. The batter should only just be combined and will be lumpy – thatâ€™s good! It makes for a light muffin.

Ingredients:

For the muffins:
1 egg, beaten
60ml oil
120ml milk
200g plain flour
100g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 eating apples, peeled and cored then cut in to a medium dice
120g blackberries

For the crumble topping:
25g cold butter, cubed
25g sugar
50g oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Step 1: In a jug, mix together the milk, oil and egg.

Step 2: Lightly combine the apple, blackberries, flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking powder in a bowl.

Step 3: Add the liquid to the dry mix and gently fold into each other. Do not over mix it.

Step 4: Fill a muffin tray with 12 cases. Put a tablespoon of mixture into each case. Then divide any remaining mixture equally between the cases.

Step 5: Use your fingers to rub the crumble topping ingredients together in a bowl.

Step 6: Sprinkle over the top of each muffin.

Step 7: Bake in a preheated oven (200c) for 20-25 minutes (mine were ready at 22 minutes).

Step 8: Leave in the tray for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Pasta with Roasted Beetroot, a Walnut Pesto and Ricotta

22nd August 201824th August 2018
by thefoodwife

Serves 3-4

Iâ€™m so pleased with this invention I had to share it with you. This was the vegetarian pasta dish I served at an Italian-themed dinner party recently. I was serving an ox cheek ragÃ¹ to the meat eaters and wanted a dish that could stand up to it.

Roasting the beetroot gives it a beautiful sweetness to complement its earthiness. The soft ricotta gives bursts of creaminess whilst the walnut pesto lightly coats the pasta and brings everything together.

Whist this is a vegetarian dish, it can easily be made vegan by omitting the cheese elements, and gluten-free by using suitable pasta. You can roast the beetroot and make the pesto ahead of time, so you only need a short amount of time to cook the pasta and bring the dish together just before serving (step 5 onwards).

I’d not served a pink pasta dish before, but it went down well! Even the carnivores wanted to try some!

Ingredients:

For the roasted beetroot:
1 tbsp oil (olive or rapeseed are best)
4 beetroot, topped and tailed, cleaned, halved and cut in to wedges (8-10 per beetroot)
1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
Pinch each of salt and pepper

For the walnut pesto:
6 tbsp olive oil
75g walnuts, toasted
75g pecorino or parmesan, crumbled/roughly chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled
Pinch each of salt and pepper

For the pasta dish:
300g spaghetti
Oil
150g ricotta
Parmesan/pecorino

Step 1: Toss the ingredients for the roasted beetroot together (be careful as your fingers may stain pink!) and spread on a baking sheet (I lined mine with baking parchment as I wanted to stop the beetroot from sticking).

Step 2: Roast in a preheated oven at 180c for 50-60 minutes.

Step 3: Remove and leave to one side.

Step 4: Make the pesto (you can do this whilst the beetroot is roasting). Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or pestle and mortar and blitz/pound together. This will make more than you need (I froze the extra in little pots). I used two cloves of garlic and on tasting it had a real heat from the raw garlic, but this mellows in the cooking stage.

Step 5: Cook your pasta according to the packet instructions.

Step 6: Heat a frying pan on a medium-low heat. Add some oil (olive or rapeseed are best) and about half of the pesto and the roasted beetroot. Stir frequently for a couple of minutes.

Step 7: Add the drained pasta (reserving a little of the cooking water) and toss together, adding a little cooking water to loosen as required.

Step 8: Serve with the fresh ricotta (use a teaspoon to drop little pieces over the pasta) and offer grated parmesan or pecorino at the table.