Candied Walnut and Apple Cake

My Grandma's Find!

My Grandma is one of the most amazing cooks that I know. Her talent for cooking has been passed down to her two daughters, and her love of cooking has made it's way to me! At 80 years old she's still trying new recipes and tweaking them to suit.

Here is a recent gem! It's pretty, it's simple to make and it's a great way to use any apples that may be going soft - plus it's a real joy for the tastebuds!

Ingredients

125 grams unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups plain flour

2 eggs

¼ cup boiling water

1 tsp baking powder

3 or 4 large apples

Topping

1 tsp unsalted butter

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

Handful chopped walnuts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
2. In a pot/pan pour the boiling water, add the butter and stir until it melts.
3. Once the water has cooled, stir in sugar, flour, eggs and baking powder.
4. Butter a cake dish.
5. Pour cake mixture into cake dish.
6. Wash, peel and core apples.
7. Cut apples in half moon slices and arrange tightly on the cake mixture in a circular pattern.
8. Melt topping ingredients together in a pan and then pour over cake mixture.
9. Bake for 50 minutes.
10. Smacznego - Polish for enjoy! :)

Tip

Instead of walnuts you can also use pecans - just as amazing!

Polish Salad

A Favourite of Mine!

I grew up eating this salad and it always brings back flavours of home for me. The salad itself is a Polish recipe. You may sometimes see variations of this salad in restaurants known as a Russian salad (however they tend to include tuna)! My salad is purely made up of fruit and vegetable goodness! It makes for an excellent side dish to any meal, however I like it so much I could eat the whole bowl myself!

Please note this is not a vegan recipe (unless of course you find a mayonnaise substitute!).

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 medium potatoes
1 medium carrot
1 medium turnip (this can be omitted if difficult to find)
1 granny smith apple (tart and green)
Small jar marinated mushrooms / small tin champignons
4 medium fermented cucumbers
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and halve length wise.
2. Slice carrot and turnip into three equal pieces.
3. Place potatoes, carrot and turnip into a pot. Fill with water half way up the vegetables. Salt the water.
4. Bring vegetables to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes covered. Vegetables should be cooked through but not falling apart. Most of the water will be absorbed. Once cooked put aside to cool slightly.
5. Meanwhile finely dice the mushrooms, cucumbers and peeled apple, place in a bowl.
6. Dice the potatoes, carrot and turnip and add to bowl.
7. Add mayonnaise, mix all ingredients together.
8. Salad can be served immediately or kept in the fridge overnight so the flavours can all come together.

Tip

The finer you dice the ingredients - the more effective it will look (and the tastier it will be)!

Pecan Nut and Raisin Quinoa - Vegan Breakfast Cereal

An Ideal Vegan Breakfast

This breakfast is an ideal, well-rounded start to the day for any vegan concerned about a lack of protein in their diet.

Quinoa - Is filled to the brim with protein that contains all nine essential amino acids!

Cinnamon - This is what I consider to be one of the magical spices from mother nature which comes with numerous health benefits! From anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties through to lowering your cholesterol. The list is endless.

Pecan Nuts - These tasty nuts contain more anti-oxidants than any other nut!

Of course quinoa can be enjoyed with many other different types of nuts, dried fruits, fresh fruits, different types of vegan milk... it's up to you to experiment and discover your favourite combinations! This is my first attempt at quinoa for breakfast, so I can't wait to discover other tasty combinations myself.

Ingredients (for 1 serving)

1/4 cup quinoa
1 cup water
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of vanillin sugar
Small handful pecan nuts - chopped
Small handful raisins
Soy milk

Method

1. In a small pot, bring to the boil quinoa, water, cinnamon and vanillin sugar.
2. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until quinoa has absorbed the water and becomes fluffy.
3. Garnish quinoa with nuts and raisins and serve with milk.

Aussie Wildflowers

Australian wildflowers from the Margaret River region (wine country) in Western Australia.

Spectacular to stand amongst fields of these.

Photo taken September 2011.

Nautilushess Chocolate Fondant

Just How Nautilushess?

Well my picture does not do this gooey chocolately dessert justice! For one it looks a little burnt - in fact I assure you it wasn't!

This dessert... has a crispy delicate shell. Once pierced lightly with a fork it reveals a layer of soft cake within which oozes rich chocolately goodness. This one is not for the faint hearted! Nor is it the healthiest... but oh so delicious!

This is quick and very easy.

Please note this is not a vegan recipe.

Ingredients (for 2 servings)

40 grams white sugar / caster sugar
75 grams butter (I used semi-salted)
75 grams dark chocolate - roughly chopped
1 free range egg yolk
1 whole free range egg
1/2 tbsp plain flour

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease two small moulds.
2. Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, and melt the sugar, butter and chocolate - gently stirring.
3. Once melted, remove from heat.
4. Whisk together until combined.
5. Add eggs and beat well.
6. Fold in the flour.
7. Pour the mixture into the moulds and place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
8. Bake in the oven for 8 - 9 minutes.
N.B: Depending on your mould you may be able to tip your fondant upside down onto a plate for an ideal display.

Sunset in Ibiza

Sunset in Ibiza, Spain.

A sunset that beach-goers clap and cheer for (and that in itself is an experience!).

Photo taken July 2012.

Soya Cantine Bio - Review

 

Who?

Soya Cantine Bio.

A remarkable vegan restaurant. Unquestionably the best hidden secret within Paris!

Where?

20, Rue de la Pierre Levee, Paris.

Metro: Replubique.

Why?

This restaurant is the reason for my recent obsession with vegan food amidst my journey as a new vegetarian.

The menu is small, however as every item on it is so incredibly delicious and beautifully prepared that making a decision is thus far more difficult! 

My main meal (as pictured above) was the Zucchini Tart. At first sight, I was blown away by the mass of colour and texture on the plate. I was concerned that the meal looked light, but I was soon to be proved well wrong as I made my way through a very filling and hearty meal.

The tart consisted of different luscious layers... perfectly grilled zucchini, delicate and interesting sauces, a crumbly pastry base, exquisite vegan feta and a phenomenal salad with a variety of different vegetables carefully arranged.

Pièce de Résistance

The menu, in true French style, offered to combine an Entrée, a Main Course and a Dessert... at a very reasonable price. Alternatively you could also combine just a Main Course and a Dessert. With this tempting offer before me and my friends, we could not resist ordering three of the desserts and sharing them all.

These desserts were magical combinations of hazelnut, chocolate, creams of unknown-origin, fresh fruits and tofu.

I was in heaven!

Occasionally I am one of those people that will make a lot of loud sounds of over-excitement at a restaurant if I have discovered an amazing meal, much to the embarrasement or amusement of whoever I may be with. This was such an occasion. But OH MY, these desserts are well worth ooh-ing and aah-ing over!

So if you're ever in Paris - you MUST take the opportunity to visit this amazing restaurant that simply produces art on a plate!

San Sebastian, Spain

Beautiful city of San Sebastian in Spain.

Photo taken August 2012.

Lush Coconut Cream

Why?

As of a few weeks ago I finally took a step towards a long-held dream of mine, which I had not been brave enough to commit to before... I can now proudly say - I am vegetarian!

I never used to eat much meat anyway for various reasons... but now I am really happy I've made the decision to finally do this. I feel that not only will it greatly benefit my health, immediately and long-term, but also that my 'two-cents' will benefit the environment. I despise animal suffering and if I can assist in some small way then I feel better for it. I know that as many other people continue to turn to vegetarian food, that together we all could achieve something great for our planet! :)

As a result of my decisive foray into vegetarian cuisine, I have also become very interested in vegan recipes. I could never imagine how delicious food could taste without eggs, milk, butter and cheese. But recently I devoured the most amazing vegan desserts (I will have to put up a post on this later!) which really inspired me to learn more about vegan food.

Vegan food, due to the lack of major ingredients, makes up for any concerns about taste in utilising lesser-known and new foods creatively. And I'm impressed!!

So I bought some juicy and wildly fresh strawberries and made this lush coconut cream to serve with them. It was light, but creamy, and full of flavour akin to dairy cream. I devoured the bowl in minutes!

How? Here's the recipe...

This recipe is a must to try!

I found a step-by-step tutorial on this lovely ladies blog, Oh She Glows, click here for the recipe.

National Geographic Photo Contest 2012

My entry in the National Geographic Photo Contest 2012.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/2012/entries/181466/view/

Earlier this year I was volunteering teaching english at a Primary School in the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal, when I was given the opportunity (by my host father - a Sherpa) to trek with him and a small group of other volunteers to Mount Everest Base Camp.

It was a phenomenal experience... the culture, the scenery, the entire journey... breathtaking.

I highly recommend that if you ever have the opportunity, to go and trek in Nepal. :)