Hommus

 This is the recipe that I use in my thermomix.  Credit to the Basic Cook Book, P262.

1 garlic clove, crushed
400g canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained

50g lemon juice  (approx. 1-1 1/2 lemons)

1 tablespoon tahini

1 teaspoon cumin (optional)

2 pinches of salt, to taste

1 pinch ground black pepper (optional), to taste

Place all the ingredients into your food processor, blender, bullet, or you hand held stick blender,

and blend on high until you have the texture you want.    

Note:

You can add some olive oil or water to get a smoother texture.

Curried Cauliflower Salad

  At this time of the year when some of us have an abundance of cauliflower in the garden I found this really delicious Cauliflower Salad.   This has been adapted from the "Thermomix" recipe I used, because I think all you vegetarians and others will love the flavours.    

Link to recipe for thermomix.

https://cookidoo.com.au/recipes/recipe/en-AU/r401530

40 g  olive oil

150 g brown onion, cut into thin slices

1 tsp mustard seeds (use grain mustard if you have no seeds)

Pan fry until onion is clear in colour.   ADD

1 1/2  tsp salt

3-4 tsp curry powder

1 tbsp garam masala

1/4 tsp ground tumeric

Continue to pan fry until mixed and fragrant.

Steam 700-800 g cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces (3cm) and set aside to cool.

30 g fresh coriander (approx. 30g, leaves only) finely chopped

1 fresh long green chilli, trimmed, cut into halves and deseeded if preferred

100g natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve

Mix these together.

400g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

40g lemon juice

70g dried apricots, cut into small pieces (5mm)

1 green capsicum, deseeded and cut into small cubes (5mm)

In a large bowl add cauliflower and onion mix.

Add chickpeas, lemon juice, dried apricots and capsicum.

Add yoghurt dressing and toss gently to combine.

Add extra spoonfuls of yoghurt to serve.

MARY'S MAYONAISSE/AIOLI

1 whole egg
1 teaspoon of mustard (any)
tablespoon of acid (- this could be fresh lemon, lime juice, or any type of vinegar)
garlic to taste
salt and pepper to taste

At this point if you want to make it a herb mayo (a cup of mixed herbs, blue cheese (1/2 wedge), chilli (to taste),  add your ingredients now and blitz a bit more.  If your additions are too liquidy you might need to double the above ingredients.

In a food processor mix this really well.

Slowly add 1 cup of oil  (bran, soya, canola.   If you want to use olive oil, mix it half and half with other oil)

CAULIFLOWER COUSCOUS

180g instant couscous
250ml tepid water
300g cauliflower (just use the florets and the smaller stems, not the thick     main core) 
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

 In a medium sized bowl, mix the couscous with the tepid water and 1 teaspoon of salt, and leave it to absorb the water.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil and add the cauliflower, making sure it is completed submerged, then boil for 4-5 minutes until it's almost cooked - don't overcook it.  (or, you can steam it)  Drain in a colander and put into a bowl of iced water for 2 minutes.

Drain it again, then place in a food processor and blitz in several short bursts, scraping down the side of the bowl each time, to produce coarse crumbs, as it were.

Mix these crumbs into the couscous together with the oiive oil and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.  It will keep covered  in the fridge for a day or two, just mix it together well before serving to loosen it up.

This recipe comes from Peter Gordon's Vegetables - the new food heroes 

I always make the recipe exactly for the first time then make changes.  If you had some really nice homemade vege or chicken stock I would use this instead of just water.    Use any other good quality olive oil - it makes a difference - and even add a bit more.  

I have also used lemon pepper seasoning instead of just pepper to add a little more dimension to the over all flavour.

SWEET CORN FRITTERS

1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon caster sugar (optional)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels  (or a tin)
1 medium red capsicum, finely chopped
1/2 cup spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup coirander, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons vegetable oil


Place the dry ingredient into a large bowl.
Make a well in the centre and whisk in eggs
and milk to a smooth, thick batter.
Fold in vegetables and herbs.
Dopr 2 tablespoons of batter per fritter onto a heated and oiled
non-stick pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side until golden.
Serve in a stack with spinach, roast tomatoe and grilled
bacon.   Serve with a spoon a creme fraiche.  (optional)

This recipe comes from the Bevan Smith's riverstone kitchen - notes book.
I also added a grated zucchini.   You could added any other vegetables.
A great way to use up some left overs.

BRAIN POWER MUSELI

6-8 cups rolled oats  (wholegrain)  (wholegrain cereals maintain the immune system, calm the nerves and stimulate the brain cells)                   
1-2 cups buckwheat groats  (Alkali producing cereals that are also rich in essential minerals)
2 cups millet flakes or ground millet
2 cups oatbran  (I use wheatbran too)
1 cup linseed     (valuable fibre and source of essential fatty acids that heals reguvenates and strengthens nerves)
Bake for 30 minutes at 170 C stirring several times

Melt together:
about 1/2 cup of honey (maple syrup, or apple syrup), 
about 1/2 cup oil (sunflower, soya, olive, peanut or other)
add to warm cereal mixture and stir well.

Stir into mixture:
1-2 cup chopped almonds and brazil nuts  (Alkali producing nuts containing protective essential oils)
1 cup fresh wheatgerm
1 cup coconut (threads) 
1 cup sunflower/pumpkin seeds  (eat dail something that has the germ of life - the ability to grow.  Raw seeds have vital ingredients)
1/2 cup lecithin  (or more)  (great for the heart and for assisting the oxygen flow to the brain)
1-2 chopped dried fruit: anything, apricots, raisins, dates, figs, apple, cranberries or a combination.

Any other furit such as figs, sultanas, dried banana, other nuts such as walnuts and peanuts and other cereals such as ryeflakes and bran flakes can also be used.

This mixture enable the body to release sugars slowly into the system to maintain energty6 fro many hours.

Recipe can be altered according to taste, but this one is good balance of vital ingredients.

LEMON YOGHURT CAKE

1 3/4 cup sugar
rind of two lemons  
1 cup of oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain yoghurt
2 eggs 
2-3 TBSP lemon juice
2 cup self raising flour

• mix the sugar and rind
• add the eggs, oil and salt.  Mix till thick
• add yoghurt and lemon jucie.  Mix well
• Add flour last

Bake for 30-45 minutes at approx 180C.  this depends on whether you use a fan bake oven or not.

I have used oranges in this recipe to produce an equally delicious cake
In the event of not having any yoghurt I have found that milk substituted just as well.


(an Allison Holst  recipe, given to me by Rowan Bishop and variations are from my own experiences.)