An Early Autumn Delight

Double Creamy Lentil and

Rosemary Soup

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion

2 medium ripe tomatoes

2 cups diced sweet carrots

2 cups brown or green lentils

2 cloves garlic

1 fresh sprig of rosemary

Salt to taste

Black pepper

Nutmeg

1 cup fresh cashew cream

Preparation:

Sauté diced onion and garlic in a pan at a low heat.

Add the tomatoes, carrots and lentils.

Sauté for a minute or two.

Add enough boiling water to cover ingredients. Let it simmer on a medium-low heat until the lentils are soft (add more water if it cooks down).

Once lentils are cooked allow to cool.

Add the fresh rosemary or dried rosemary to a blender and whizz until smooth.

Add a cup of Cashew Nut Cream, salt, a dash of nutmeg and generous sprinklings of black pepper.

Return to heat and adjust consistency by adding water or soymilk.

Heat through and serve hot with a dollop of Cashew Nut Cream and a few sprigs of fresh Rosemary.

Oat and Quinoa Veggie Quick Bread

2 cups fine ground Oat flour

1/2 cup chickpea flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cooked Quinoa (cooled)

1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal

1/2 carrot, grated

1 courgette med-size, grated.

1 onion or 6 spring onions chopped finely

1/2 sweet red pepper chopped finely

1/2 cup de-pitted black Calamata olives chopped up

1/3 cup fresh basil chopped finely

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

2/3 cup soymilk

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Pre-heat the oven at 350˚F/180˚C.

Combine all the dry ingredients.

Mix all your wet ingredients together in a blender or whisk together.

Add all your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently combine. Do not stir too much.

Spoon the mixture into a prepared bread loaf tin and sprinkle with sunflower, sesame and poppy seeds.

Bake until a skewer inserted in the centre of the bread comes out dry.

Rose and Cardamon Berry Crumble

This dessert is a richly coloured, fragrant Crumble — indulge in its exotic delights!

Serves 4

The filling:

2 granny smith apples washed, cored, peeled and sliced.

1 cup blueberries

1 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1/2 cup cashew nuts

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon Rose syrup

1 cup soy/almond or rice milk

1 tablespoon maizena powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

6 cardamon seeds, de-hulled and crushed

Preparing the filling:

In a mixing bowl combine sliced apples, blueberries, Rose syrup, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, maizena and milk.

Add the cranberries and nuts to a blender and pulse until crumbly.

Pour this into a mixing bowl.

Crush the Cardamon seeds and remove the hulls then crush the seeds further until fine.

Add to the mixing bowl and combine well.

Spoon the mixture into a prepared oven dish.

For the Crumble:

2/3 cup all purpose flour (you can use fine oat flour too)

1/3 cup soft margarine

1/2 cup castor sugar

Non-dairy cream or nut cream (optional)

Preparing the crumble:

Preheat oven to 350˚F/180˚C

Add the sugar to the flour and then mix in the margarine with your fingertips.

Mix until the mixture has a crumbly texture.

Spoon this over your filling.

Sprinkle a few Blueberries on top of the prepared crumble and pop it into the oven for 45 minutes.

Serve hot (or cold) with non-dairy cream.

Experiment with a variety of flavour filled Vegan dishes, visit www.bellavegancatering.com.