When I think of a chickpeas I think of hummus, falafels, healthy salads and nourishing soups. The last thing that I’d ever associate with it is sex. But don’t let this modest little legume fool you. It once had quite a reputation as potent aphrodisiac.

The chickpea was a medieval form of Viagra. However instead of gulping down a small blue pill, you’d wash down copious amounts of chickpeas with a mug of honeyed camel’s milk... Makes me wild just thinking about it.

If, however, you happen to run out of camel milk, I have a great back-up plan which I am almost as wild about: Sauteed silver beet with chickpeas and fried bread.

This dish works well as a side or as a main. I usually eat it for lunch and if I have any left over it's a brilliant addition to soup. For the fried bread, I prefer ciabatta for its crunchy texture however you can use whatever type of bread is at hand. 

Just before serving I sprinkle on a little smoked paprika. While I only use a small amount, the paprika imparts a sweet, full-bodied smoky flavor and also adds a spicy kick to the dish. I use the La Chinata brand. It's divine and it's my magic ingredient in many recipes.

A note on the chickpeas, for this recipe I use the dried variety which require soaking followed by about an hour of boiling in salted water with garlic.

Silver beet, Chickpeas & Fried Bread

1 cup of dried chickpeas
2 cups of boiling water
1 tsp sea salt

1 bunch of sliver beet, roughly chopped with thick ends trimmed
1 brown onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp of dried chili flakes
1/2 tsp of cumin
1/4 tsp pf sea salt
3 Tbsp of olive oil
1 cup of roughly torn brown bread
1/4 tsp of smoked paprika
Juice from 1/4 lemon

Method:

1. Place the chickpeas in a medium heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water and let the chickpeas soak for 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the chickpeas and water into a saucepan and cover with plenty more water. Add 2 cloves of roughly chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Simmer for 1 hour adding more water if necessary. Test the chickpeas after about 50 minutes. They should be firm but soft enough to bite into. Drain chickpeas and set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent, for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chili flakes and cumin and stir-fry for 30 seconds. 
4. Next, add the chopped silver beet and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to medium low. Stir the silver beet every so often and add 1/4 tsp of salt. Once the silver beet starts to wilt, take it off the heat. Set aside for now.
5. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan. Fry the bread until golden and crispy.
6. Heat the silver beet again and add the chickpeas. Fry for about 1-2 minutes and then transfer to a serving bowl. Add fried bread and season with a little more salt if necessary.  Sprinkle with paprika and then squeeze on the lemon juice. Serve.

On Friday I attended the 2009 Sydney Good Food & Wine Show. The main event of the day was bad boy Gordon Ramsay’s live cooking demonstration.

Ramsay bounded out on stage to greet the curious crowd with black masking tape over his mouth – was this promise not to offend after his recent comments about TV presenter Tracy Grimshaw? Or the more likely scenario -- an enforced gagging.

Whatever the case, Ramsay was funny, charming, a little crude perhaps but nonetheless, he delighted the crowd with his amusing quips and cooking tips.

I’ve only ever seen snippets of Ramsay’s infamous Hell’s Kitchen. Frankly I got anxious, and finally, bored watching him shout at and belittle quivering chefs.

After seeing him live though I can see why people are fascinated by him. He’s charismatic, he’s confident and he exuded a potent energy that spilled over into the crowd.

In the 30 minutes Ramsay was on stage he prepared three meals; a minestrone with blue eye cod, Tasmanian salmon on a bed of sautéed spinach and radishes and finally, some luscious looking poached pears served with caramelized figs.

There were no cooking measurements given. It was the case of “a touch of this and a touch of that”. So I've done my best to recreate the minestrone. It’s a delicious and nourishing dish with plump pearl barley, fresh herbs and succulent blue eye cod. Ramsay encouraged the use of celery leaves – something I do regularly in soups, salads and stir-fries. The often over-looked leaves add a fresh and subtle sweetness to whatever dish they're added to.

A note on seasoning with salt – say a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of salt – I try not to add the whole teaspoon all at once. Instead, I sprinkle ¼ of a teaspoon or so here and there throughout the cooking process. This method of staggered seasoning allows for layers of flavour to develop and gives the dish more depth.

Finally, let me introduce you to Malcolm the magpie.

Malcolm lives nearby with his posse of feathered friends and is becoming increasingly more confident and curious as the days go by. I had just ladled the minestrone into the bowls and decided that they needed some more cheese. I went inside the house to fetch it and then came around the corner to find Malcolm with his beak in the bowl! I shouted and shooed him away. He eyed me grudgingly and took several steps backward and proceeded to watch me take photos. He even made several rather lyrical comments. Compliments to the chef I hope.

Cod Minestrone

1 fillet of cod, skin removed
1 brown onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
½ tsp of dried chili flakes
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 cup of pearl barley, washed under cold water & drained
1 x 400 gram can of whole tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 ½ cups of water
1 ½ tsp of sea salt
1/3 cup of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
½ cup of roughly chopped celery leaves
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for grating

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium heat. Saute the onion, carrots, celery and chili flakes until softened, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on about 1/4 tsp of sea salt.
2. Add the barley, canned tomatoes and water to the pot and stir well. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and stir. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the barley softens and expands. You may need to add a little more water as the barley soaks it up.
3. Add half of the parsley to the pot and the remaining salt. Stir well. Place the cod fillet gently on top of the barley and vegetables in the soup pot. Cover and let the cod cook/steam for about 6 or 7 minutes.
4. Use tongs to the remove the cod from the pot and transfer it to a plate. Use a fork to flake the cod. It may be a little opaque but this is ok as it will keep cooking once you put it back in the pot.
5. Place flaked cod, remaining parsley and celery leaves in the pot. Stir well with a wooden spoon and add a little more water if necessary. Simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
6. Divide soup into serving bowls and grate on some Parmesan cheese. Serve.
   

I had forgotten how cold Sydney can get in winter. After living in Canada for so long, the thought of a Sydney winter didn't scare me a bit. I laughed defiantly at a city that has never seen a snowflake fall. Bring it on!

How wrong I was. It's cold. I'm wearing two pairs of socks while I type this...and a beanie.

Sydney, it seems, is in denial of the reality of its winters. In Vancouver, it could be 3 degrees outside yet I would be merrily cavorting around the house in a pair of shorts because it was always an agreeable 20 degrees. Here, I am forced into an immature, roller-coaster relationship with my heater who burns my ankles until I can't take it anymore and turn him off. But then...the house seems so cold without him and I find myself soon inviting him back under the table.

Whenever it's cold, I turn to soups. This asparagus and creme fraiche soup however is one that can be eaten in winter or summer. In colder weather I usually have it quite thick which means it's not strained and contains all the nutritious vegetable pulp. In summer, for something lighter, I strain the soup which results in a smooth, velvety broth.

Asparagus Soup with Creme Fraiche

2 bunches of asparagus (approx. 400 grams), washed
750 ml of good quality chicken or vegetable stock  
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 medium yellow potato, peeled & cubed
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of sea salt
Freshly ground pepper for seasoning
1/3 cup of creme fraiche

Method:

1. Trim off the tough ends of the asparagus and place them in a saucepan with the stock. Simmer over a medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in another saucepan over a medium heat. Saute the onion and celery for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add the potato cubes and season with 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and a little pepper. Fry for another 4 minutes, adding a little more olive oil if the saucepan gets dry.
3. Strain the stock and discard the asparagus ends. Add stock to the saucepan with the onions and simmer for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Add remaining salt and stir.
4. Coarsely chop the asparagus spears and add them to the saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes but no longer otherwise they'll lose their vibrant green colour.
5. Add the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer soup back to the saucepan and cover.
6. Heat the creme fraiche on a low heat in a small saucepan and then stir it into the asparagus soup.
7. Heat the soup gently over a low heat and continue stirring until the creme fraiche is mixed in.
8. You can either serve the soup as is or for a smoother consistency, simply strain the soup using a sieve and discard the pulp.

Australians have a love affair with Thai food. Thai restaurants are everywhere and range from tiny eateries to fine-dining establishments. I even go as far as saying that some of the food rivals the offerings of Thailand’s best kitchens.

Thai food in Australia, like Indian food in England, has been unconditionally embraced. Twenty years ago, in Australia, the most common Asian appetizer would have been the spring roll. While I have no scientific data to prove it, my strong hunch is that Australians eat twice as many tod mun pla (Thai fish cakes) than spring rolls.

In spite of my strong Thai heritage I had never, until recently, attempted to make this popular entrée (appetizers in North America). It seemed like a hassle. I didn’t own a food processor and I didn’t feel like making fish paste with my tiny mortar and pestle. I recently bought a food processor and my excuse vanished. And I’m very glad it did.

You can use pretty much any fish. I used basa, a fresh water fish with firm, white flesh. The fish is first blended into a sticky paste with an egg, to bind the mixture, red curry paste, cornstarch or tapioca flour and fish sauce. The paste is then mixed with fragrant kaffir lime leaves and sweet snake beans. It's best to dampen your hands with a little water before rolling the fish cake balls as the mixture is really sticky.

A tip on the kaffir leaves -- I usually buy them with a specific recipe in mind and I only use several at a time. To keep them fresh, simply place them in a small ziplock plastic bag and keep them in the freezer until you need to use them. They don't need to be defrosted either. Just pop them straight into whatever dish you're cooking.

Tod Mun Pla - Thai Fish Cakes

450 grams firm white fish like basa
1 1/2 Tbsp of Thai red curry paste
1 1/2 Tbsp of Thai fish sauce
1 egg
4 Tbsp of cornstarch or Tapioca flour
5 kaffir leaves, thinly sliced   
4 snake beans, thinly sliced
3 cups of vegetable oil for frying

Dipping Sauce

6 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
4 Tbsp sugar
1 purple shallot, finely sliced
1 Tbsp of finely sliced cucumber
1 small red bird chili, de-seeded and finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp of finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
1 Tbsp peanuts

Special equipment: food processor, slotted spoon, paper towels

Method:

1. Prepare the dipping sauce first. Heat a small saucepan over a medium heat. Dry roast the peanuts until they lightly brown then immediatley remove from the heat and allow them to cool. Roughly chop the peanuts and set aside.  
2. Place the water, vinegar and sugar in small saucepan over low heat. Stir mixture until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool.
3. In a small serving bowl combine the cucumber, shallots, chili and corinader. Add vinegar mixture and then top with roasted peanuts. Set aside.
4. Now for the fish cakes. Place fish, red curry paste, fish sauce, egg and cornstarch in a food processor. Blend until smooth and combined. Transfer paste into a large mixing bowl and add kaffir leaves and sliced snake beans. Stir through with a wooden spoon until combined.
5. Shape about 2 tablespoons of fish paste mixture into a flat disc (this may be hard as it's quite sticky). Alternatively, just do your best to roll the mixture into a small ball.
6. Heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add fish cakes in batches and fry until golden brown and puffed up. 
7. Remove fish cakes from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat process with remaining fish cakes.
8. Serve fish cakes with dipping sauce.

The sponge cake roll goes by many names. In France it’s known as a ‘roulade’ and can be seen at Christmas time as the elaborate Bûche de Noël or ‘yule log’ covered in thick chocolate icing and miniature meringue mushrooms.

Also known as the Swiss or jelly roll, the sponge cake roll is a thin layer of sponge baked in a sheet pan. Cooled on a kitchen towel, the sponge cake is then spread with a filling such as freshly whipped cream or in this case, cream and passionfruit butter, and then rolled and sprinkled with icing sugar. When sliced, the sponge cake has a beautiful pinwheel pattern.

Most of my experiences with sponge rolls have been with the packaged variety. This translates to preservative-laden cake filled with fake cream, and pales in comparison to the real thing.

Passionfruit Sponge Roll

3 large eggs, room temperature
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup of castor (berry) sugar plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 tsp of vanilla essence
5 Tbsp of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking powder
25 grams of butter, melted
1/2 cup freshly whipped cream
Passionfruit butter
Icing sugar for dusting

Special equipment: 20 x 30cm rectangle baking tin

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 390F (200C).
2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and salt. Add 1/2 cup of castor sugar and vanilla essence and beat until combined and thick.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. Use a wooden spoon to lightly fold into the egg mixture. Gently fold in the butter.
4. Pour batter into the greased baking tin and bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. The cake should spring back when lightly touched.
5. Gently turn sponge cake out onto a kitchen towel and sprinkle with a little castor sugar. Trim about 1cm all the way around. Allow to cool.
6. Once cooled, spread half the sponge with freshly whipped cream and the other half with passionfruit butter.
7. Gently roll up the sponge and place it flap side down (see photos above). Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Today I'm celebrating 'almost a month of being back in Australia Day'.

I've stocked our temporary mini-kitchen with the basics although I am finding it tough to cook like I used to. I'm feeling rather lost without my pots and pans and my exhaustive selection of herbs and spices.

All these items, minus the herbs and spices due to Australia's stringent customs laws, are neatly packed away in boxes sailing across the Pacific Ocean. They're due to arrive in another two weeks providing they haven't been lost, fallen overboard or mistakenly shipped to Patagonia. Apparently these things happen.

In the meantime, I'm surviving very well on simple meals. I'm living next door to a constant source of inspiration, who recently served me a mouthwatering meal of grilled salmon and spinach rissoni with Greek feta melted through it. Gorgeous.

I made the dish today, this time substituting salmon with smoked trout. I also added some fresh basil, dill and lemon juice. To better achieve the desired effect of warm, stringy, melted cheese, I use cow's milk feta for its extra creamy consistency.

In comparison to Canadian smoked fish, Australian smoking methods seem to produce a milder and more subtle effect.

The simple combination of feta, spinach and smoked trout was so complementary that threw them into my scrambled eggs the next morning. It was one of the best breakfasts I've had in ages.

Smoked Trout & Spinach Rissoni
(Serves 2)

Rissoni pasta for 2
1 tsp sea salt for pasta water
2 cups of smoked trout chunks (or 2 fillets of salmon)
4 cups of baby spinach, washed
2 Tbsp of roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp of roughly chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup of crumbled cow's milk feta
Juice from 1/4 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

Method if you're using smoked trout:

1. Place the baby spinach in a saucepan with about 1/2 cup of water. Cover and gently heat over a medium-high heat. Poach spinach for about 2 minutes or until it just wilts. Remove from heat and drain. Set aside.
2. Cook rissoni pasta according to packet instructions in a pot of boiling, salted water. 
3. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water and then drain pasta.
4. Place pasta along with smoked trout, wilted spinach and feta cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Next, add the fresh herbs and season pasta with a little salt and pepper.
5. Serve immediately.

Method if you're using fresh salmon:

1. Heat 1/2 Tbs of olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Once the oil starts to swirl, place the salmon skin-side down and fry for 2 minutes. Turn the salmon over and fry the other side for about 2 minutes. Turn the salmon again and fry until the salmon is cooked through - about another 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Once the salmon is cooled, shred it into large chunks with a fork.
2. Place the baby spinach in a saucepan with about 1/2 cup of water. Cover and gently heat over a medium-high heat. Poach spinach for about 2 minutes or until it just wilts. Remove from heat and drain. Set aside.
3. Cook rissoni pasta according to packet instructions in a pot of boiling, salted water. 
4. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water and then drain pasta.
5. Place pasta along with salmon, wilted spinach and feta cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Next, add the fresh herbs and season pasta with a little salt and pepper.
6. Serve immediately.

Week two in Sydney. The verdict? Well, no more salty tears welling in my eyes. There were many shed in the first week. Now, the only saltiness is that of the cool, delicious waters of Bondi beach on my skin.

My days have been spent catching up with family and friends and revisiting some of my old food haunts, almost all of which are still thriving.

I'm still to find some farmers' markets and less expensive organic produce, however, I have decided that it may be cheaper to go to the farmers directly...I feel some road trips coming on.

When without a home and pantry of my own, you'd think meals would be a little less healthy and delicious. Not so. Luckily for me I'm staying in a small apartment attached to what may as well be Martha Stewart's kitchen.

A few nights ago dinner was served and on the table was one of the most beautiful salads I had ever seen. It was simple yet dazzling and I was compelled to recreate it the next day.

I give you a baby spinach and pomegranate salad with feta cheese, fresh mint and Spanish onions topped with a balsamic cream.

Thanks Judy.

Pomegranate & Spinach Salad
(Serves 4)

Dressing

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of balsamic dressing
A pinch of sea salt
1/4 tsp of sugar (optional)

Salad

5 cups (160 gms) of loosely-packed baby spinach leaves
Arils from 1 large pomegranate
1/2 Spanish onion, thinly sliced into circles
1/2 cup of crumbled feta
A handful of fresh mint leaves

Method:

1. Make the dressing by combining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together with a fork until the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Alternatively, you can place the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a tight lid and shake well until combined.Set aside.
2. Wash the spinach leaves under cold water and then shake off excess water.
3. Arrange spinach leaves on a serving plate.
4. Gently push down and roll the pomegranate around on a hard surface with the palm of your hand. This helps to loosen the arils.
5. Use a small, sharp knife to make a small incision in the pomegranate skin. Twist the knife around to make a small hole and then place both your thumbs into the hole and tear the pomegranate in half.
6. Break and pick out the arils into a bowl of cold water - the arils will float to the bottom while the white membrane will float to the top. Use a sieve to strain the arils.
7. Arrange arils on top of the bed of baby spinach.
8. Add the slices of onion, followed by crumbled feta cheese. Sprinkle on fresh mint leaves.
9. Shake or stir dressing one more time and then drizzle over salad just before serving.

A week has past since first arriving in Sydney. I've experienced a whole range of emotions and spent a lot of time reflecting on our lives in Vancouver.

There is much that I miss but also much I look forward to in rediscovering in Oz. Although, my first grocery outing in Sydney was a slap in the face after discovering  the cost of organic and bio-dynamic food -- a small punnet of strawberries costs $10; a head of lettuce, $5, and green beans, $39 a kilogram! Mind you, I was browsing next to a Baby Dior boutique so perhaps I was in the wrong neighbourhood. That being said, Australia seems as long way behind Canada in terms of organic produce. I need to start growing my own.

Our lives revolve largely around food and the purchasing of it is just as much as much fun as the preparation of it. This is why one of the things I miss most is Vancouver's Granville Island Public Market -- a cornucopia of culinary offerings. Over 50 merchants selling anything from fresh-of-the-boat wild salmon to hundreds of pungent cheeses. There are endless displays of bursting berries, plump vegetables, freshly baked breads and pastas.

One of the many highlights of Granville Island is the Oyama Sausage Co. Tucked into a corner, yet impossible to miss by the large crowds that swarm, Oyama is famous for its faux gras, terrines, rilettes, handmade sausages and cheeses.

What sets Oyama's produce apart is its use of quality ingredients including pure spices and slower-growing, pasture-raised meats. Our favourites were the poitrine fumée bacon, the pâté landaise, made from a 200-year old recipe and the St Agur blue cheese closely rivaled by the melt-in-your-mouth Pierre Robert.

Next stop, South China Trading Seas Co., a mini-mecca for exotic ingredients, cookbooks and Asian cooking acoutrements such as sticky rice steamers and mortar and pestles. Whenever in stock I'd buy fresh pandan leaves, the hard-to-find Kracahi root used in Thai curries, Himalayan truffles or cactus leaves. 

 

South China Seas Owner, and walking encyclopaedia of food, Don Dickson is as interesting, if not more, than his exotic wares.

The seafood in Vancouver is pretty special - especially the wild salmon, oysters and the Dungeness crab. Seafood City is a must for succulent salmon, spot prawns and a whole range of fresh or smoked fish and shellfish. Brian, featured below is charming, helpful and knowledgeable about his selection and will help you choose something for dinner. Brian's best customer is a cat named 'Sarah' who consumes $80 a week of halibut, salmon and calamari!

No trip to Granville Island was ever complete without being serenaded in soulful French by Josh Minsky. Josh is the most charming, most talented street performer who has ever sung to me. And, as I walked past and dropped my shopping to the ground to stand and listen, it really did feel like he was singing to me.

This picture captures Josh's nature perfectly. Even on a grey day, a shaft of light seemed always to be upon him. The world around him glowed. Couples would slow-dance. Even the seagulls would shut up. And he would stand at the dock, just above the tiny Granville Island ferries, and sing - always in his tuxedo and with a smile on his face.

The last time I saw him was on my last trip to Granville Island. He was there as always - singing and smiling at me. I wish I could have stayed and listened longer. I left abruptly with tears welling in my eyes and a lump growing in my throat.

Josh provided me with the perfect musical accompaniment to a wonderful time of my life. I wish I could thank him, but I suppose this reminiscence will have to do.

Thank you for all your comments and messages. I apologise profusely for having not responded as yet. I look forward to checking out all your blogs and getting back into the blogging groove.

Stay tuned for my next installment from stunning Sydney.  

It's been a while since my last post and as each day passes I feel a nagging guilt for not having written anything. My life is upside down right now and mostly packed away in cardboard boxes. We are leaving our home in Vancouver and heading back to Sydney. It's been four happy years and it's very hard to leave.

Posting over the next few weeks, and perhaps even months, will be sporadic. But I look forward to getting back into a rhythm and sharing my love of food with you. 

Thank you for your comments and your emails. I'm sorry I've been so lax in my responses. I hope to be back to normal soon.

In the meantime, I give you a 'rush recipe' favourite of mine: blueberry cornbread. Enjoy.

Blueberry Cornbread
From Taste.com.au

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup castor sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
60g butter, melted and cooled
2 cups blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180°C). Lightly grease a loaf tin. Sift flour, cornmeal and baking powder into a large bowl, stir in castor sugar then make a well in the centre.
2. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk and melted butter. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just combined with a wooden spoon. Gently fold through blueberries.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in tin 5 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool. Serve sliced with honey.

I was recently in Portland, Oregon on a girls' weekend where we spent several days exploring the city’s surprisingly empty streets and eating.

I had several good meals but there was one that outshone everything. It was breakfast at the Blossoming Lotus – a casual café-cum-yoga school serving raw and vegan meals. Sounds appetizing? Perhaps not for some but after several days of sheer gluttony sometimes a bowl of slow oats, rice milk and fresh fruit is what you need.

The dish I had was more of a 'breakfast dessert'. It was a cashew cream parfait served with live buckwheat, apples and kiwis. Dazzling.

On the way back to Vancouver I was mulling over in my head how to re-create it. I tried it the next day and met with success.

The best thing, apart from getting to eat this every morning for breakfast, is that it’s healthy. The "cream" is simply a combination of raw, organic cashews, water, pure vanilla extract and raw honey. I blend the ingredients until they’re smooth and resemble a silky mousse-like cream and that’s it. I’ve been eating it everyday for almost 10 days and I can't imagine tiring of it anytime soon.

The small triangular grains you see in the picture is buckwheat, and incidentally, they're actually seeds from the same family as rhubarb and sorrel. This was my first experience with whole buckwheat. I've only ever used the flour in cookies and blinis. The buckwheat seeds don't have a strong flavour, but they add a great texture and crunch with added health benefits.

Cashew Cream Parfait
(Makes 1 cup)

Cashew Cream

1 cup of raw cashew nuts
1 1/8 cup of cold water
1 1/2 Tbsp of raw honey
1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract

Fruit Salad
(Serves 2)

10 strawberries, washed, hulled & quartered
2 kiwi fruit, skinned & cut into small pieces
1 crispy red apple, washed & cut into small pieces
4 Tbsp of buckwheat seeds

Method:

1. Place cashews, 1 cup cold water, raw honey and vanilla extract into a blender. Blend on high speed for about 1 minute. Add a little more water and blend again until smooth. Taste cream and add a little more honey if necessary. If you want the cream to be a little runnier, add another 1-2 tablespoons of water. Blend for another minute until completely smooth. The cream may seem watery but once refrigerated it settles and thickens.
2. Place fruit in serving bowls. Top with buckwheat seeds and spoon or pour on the cashew cream.
3. Cashew cream should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.