It was a fierce summer this year in New Zealand, with long balmy days and sticky evenings. I'm one of those irritating plant based eaters who craves broccoli on the regular and that is particularly apparent when the sun sits hot and heavy. 

Avocados are my fond friend and the sadly underrated cabbage plays an integral role in most of my salads. Sometimes vegetables alone do not suffice though. I originally created a version of this dish for the summer menu of a cafe I once co owed. It was understandably popular because well, noodles are wonderful. Soba noodles in particular are perhaps the Queen of the noodle world. Slightly nutty and chewy in texture, they carry vibrant flavours proudly.

I like to serve this salad cold but it would be equally addictive served piping hot. The tahini dressing is my all time favourite and can be dollop generously onto almost anything for instant deliciousness. This recipe can be adapted by adding any vegetables you like, however I'd highly recommend adding the edamame which look like green pearls hiding amongst the soba.  

Serves Two hungry humans

Spicy Tahini Dressing

Tahini, 1 cup

Red chili, 1, deseeded, finely chopped

Ginger, 1 inch, grated

Garlic, 1 clove, minced

Lemon, 1, juice

Orange, 1, juice

Soy sauce, 1 cup

Maple syrup, ½ cup

Sesame oil, ¼ cup

Add all the ingredients into a food processor, blend until you have a thick dressing. This makes quite a lot and can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

For the Salad

Soba noodles, approx 250g

Red cabbage, 1 cup, shredded

Edamame, thawed, 1 cup

Avocado, 1

Broccolini, 8 florets

Sesame seeds, toasted, 2 tsp

Crushed peanuts, 2 tsp

Cook the noodles until they are soft but still retain a bite, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the noodles in a mixing bowl with the cabbabe, edamame and as much of the dressing as you desire. Mix well and place in serving bowls.

Quickly fry the broccolini in a little sesame oil and add to the bowls. Top with slices of avocado, sesame seeds and peanuts.

Enjoy. Gem x

I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t smile a little when chocolate is offered to them, an enthusiastic ‘thanks!’ before greedy hands help themselves, the offering devoured. Left to melt away on your tongue, and fill your mouth with a sweet gooey stream of warmth, chocolate gives you pleasure unlike any other. I was one of those unusual children who would make a chocolate bar last as long as possible. Slowly sucking the golden caramel out of each square of a Caramello bar, savouring the moment and infuriating my less self controlled brothers.

Cacao is the purest form of chocolate you can consume, it is raw, unprocessed and contains a surprising amount of antioxidants. This recipe came to life after a greedy desire to incorporate chocolate into a breakfast dish, without skipping on goodness. This recipe is completely gluten free and vegan and makes for a wonderful decadent start to the day that will leave you feeling rather smug.

The cacao mousse will surprise you, free from the refined sugar and dairy laden ingredients you usually find in mousse, it is sweetened with maple syrup and dates and made lusciously thick with the addition of chia seeds. The buckwheat crepes create a cinnamon scented pillow for the mousse to sit in. The salted maple walnuts add satisfying crunch. 

INGREDIENTS

Buckwheat Crepes

Buckwheat flour, 4 cups
Cinnamon powder, 1 tsp
Maple syrup, ½ cup
Almond milk, 3 – 4 cups

Place the flour, cinnamon and maple syrup a bowl, slowly whisk in the almond milk until you have a runny crepe batter consistency. Add a little water to loosen if the mixture has thickened after refrigerating.

Cacao Mousse

Coconut cream, 500 ml
Dates (preferably medjool dates), 8
Cacao powder, 4 TBSP
Maple syrup, 2 TBS, optional, to sweeten
Chia seeds, 2 TBS

Place coconut cream, dates, cacao powder and maple if using into a food processor, blend until smooth.

Place mix into a bowl and fold in the chia seeds, refrigerate until you have a thick rich mousse. Best refrigerated over night but you can use it after a couple of hours.

Maple Salted Walnuts

Walnuts, ½ cup
Maple syrup, 2 TBS
Salt, a pinch or two

Heat a dry fry pan on a medium heat and lightly toast the walnuts until slightly golden. Add the maple syrup and salt to coat the walnuts and continue cooking for another couple of minute. Set aside to cool.

TO ASSEMBLE

Heat a non-stick frying pan with a little coconut oil and spoon over a thin layer of the crepe batter, let it cook on one side before flipping over and repeat the process.

Fill the crepes with as much of the cacao mousse as you like, top with the salted walnuts and devour.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

The cacao mousse is quite rich so I usually serve this dish with fresh seasonal fruit. Fresh berries work a treat, passion fruit is also lovely but whatever takes your fancy. They are perfectly delectable as they are too. 

It's psychedelic purple appearance makes it hard to resist and the toasted cumin gives it a lovely smokey spice.

It is rare for me to go a day without eating hummus because I quite simply adore it. Not only is it an incredible versatile wee condiment but it makes for such healthy and moreish eating. I love it dolloped generously on any sort of salad, spread thick on coconut wraps or used as a dip for crunchy vegetables. 

I went through a faze of feeling rather indulgent and splashing out on fairly good quality store bought hummus, until I decided to make my own. This recipe is incredibly easy to make and far superior in taste to any commercially bought hummus - with no nasty preservatives needed. It's psychedelic purple appearance makes it hard to resist and the toasted cumin gives it a lovely smokey spice. I guarantee this is a recipe you'll make over and over again.  

RECIPE

Chickpeas, 400g tin

Beetroot, 1, cooked (roasted or boiled is fine) or you can use 1/4 cup tinned

Lemon, 1

Cumin seeds, 1 TBS

Garlic, 1 clove

Tahini, 3 TBS

Chili flakes, 1 pinch

Salt & Pepper

Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan until fragrant and crush in a mortar & pestle. 

Add the chickpeas, beetroot, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, chili, salt & pepper and the toasted cumin into a food processor. Blitz until nice and smooth. Feel free to use a little olive oil or beetroot juice if you used tinned beetroot, to thin down the mixture a little.

Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Delicious on anything.

Packed with anti-inflammatories like ginger and spinach and naturally detoxifying foods like lemon, mint and cucumber, it'll really put the spring back in your step.

After a long and unreasonably cold winter, the sun is beginning to make a welcoming appearance. Spring brings with it a sense of optimism and lightness, where people begin to shed their clothes and break free from hibernation.

The warmer mornings means saying goodbye to my comforting bowl of oats, which has been a much loved staple all through winter. With the arrival of the sun my body begins to crave light, refreshing food and this smoothie recipe has been on repeat. It's the ultimate green smoothie to cleanse the body of winter and to re awaken the spirits. Packed with anti-inflammatories like ginger and spinach and naturally detoxifying foods like lemon, mint and cucumber - it'll really put the spring back in your step.

The addition of courgette may seem unusual but it gives the smoothie a delicious creaminess, plus the more greens in the morning, the merrier. Enjoyed best sipped outside, basking in the sunshine. 

Courgette, 1

Mint, handful

Lemon, 1, juice

Ginger, generous chunk, peeled

Cucumber, 1/4

Kiwifruit, 1

Spinach, 1 handful

Ice

Water

Place the ingredients in a food processor with a handful of ice and water. Blend until smooth and creamy.

These longer days and warmer nights have had me day dreaming of a spicy noodle salad - abundant with colourful vegetables, crispy pillows of tofu, fresh zingy herbs and a citrus dressing.

When you crave a bowl of noodles, absolutely nothing else will suffice. These longer days and warmer nights have had me day dreaming of a spicy noodle salad - abundant with colourful vegetables, crispy pillows of tofu, fresh zingy herbs and a citrus dressing. I really had no choice but to turn my delicious yearning into a reality. 

The hero of this dish is the Kelp Noodles, made from sea vegetables and packing a nutritious punch, they make for an unusual and exciting alternative to regular old rice noodles. You can use whatever vegetables take your fancy in this dish but the tofu is a must - baked until golden, chewy and satisfyingly moreish, it'll become your new favourite food. The dressing ties this bowl of goodness together beautifully with the vibrant marriage of citrus, salty miso and spikes of chilli. This salad is enjoyed best eaten outside with the spring sun lingering over you. Enjoy!

Citrus Miso Dressing 

Miso paste, 2 TBS

Orange, 1, zest & juice

Lime, 1, zest & juice

Coconut Aminos, 2 TBS

Tamari, 2 TBS

Ginger, 1 cm, grated

Red chilli, to taste, finely chopped 

Kelp Noodles, 1 packet

Soy sauce, ¼ cup

Tofu, ½ block

Coriander, handful

Sesame seeds

Veggies of choice, I used ~

Red cabbage, finely shredded

Cucumber, sliced

Broccoli, roughly chopped

Red capsicum, sliced

To make the dressing whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

To cook the kelp noodles place in a pot and cover with the soy sauce and water, bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Drain.

Cut the tofu into cubes and coat with a couple of tablespoons of the dressing plus two more tablespoons of Coconut Aminos. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes on a moderate heat, turning half way through, until golden and slightly crispy.

Prepare all the vegetables.

To assemble the salad mix the kelp noodles and veggies in a large bowl and add the dressing, toss to coat. Place in a serving bowl and add the tofu. Garnish liberally with fresh coriander and sesame seeds.