Caramelized almond cookies.

Actually this was the Chewy Cocolate Chip Cookies recipe from Post Punk Kitchen but as I can't follow a recipe, I changed it into non-chocolate-at-all cookies with caramelized almonds and they turned out delicious and super-crispy-chewy-yum.

Finally I could use my cute matroshka measure cups which I have already for a while but never used before. I didn't have measuring things with 1/3, 1/4 etc and as I am reading a lot of American blogs and cook books, these thingies are quite helpful.

Cookies (makes around 30)

3/4 cup oil 

2 cups sugar

1 tblsp + 1 tsp flaxseed

1/2 cup soya milk

2,5 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder (cream of tartar)

1/2 tsp salt

100g almonds

5 tblsp sugar

Grind flax seed and mix with soya milk, set aside.

I had whole almonds wich I put into a plastic bag and crushed them, but you could use already chopped almonds to skip this step. 

Heat a big pan and add almonds, toast them while strirring from time to time. Be aware not to burn them.

Lower the heat and add sugar and stir again when the sugar begins to melt. Toss almonds in caramel. 

In a big bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar then add oil and the soya milk with flax seeds. Quickly form a dough, add almonds (a lot of them will fall off the dough, just flip them in your mouth, no one will notice) and put the dough into the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Just before the dough is cold enough preheat your oven.

Roll dough into 1inch balls and put on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Don't flatten them.

Bake them for about 10minutes on gas mark 5, remove from the oven and now flatten them with a fork, while they're still hot and soft.

Let them cool completely and they will have the most wonderful consistency.

Caramelized beetroots and tofu.

 Inspired by a Post Punk Kitchen recipe for caramelized beets I made a similar thing with beets and tofu today:

- beets, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes

- 200gr firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes

- 1 tomato, finely cut

- 1 red onion, finely cut

- 3 cloves garlic, smashed

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 3 tbsp crema di balsamico

- small piece of ginger, grated

- pinch of salt

In a big bowl mix olive oil, crema di balsamico, salt and a little warm water. Add the veggies, ginger and tofu and toss very well. Transfer to a lasagna dish and bake for about 45-60 minutes on medium heat in the oven until the beets are soft and the tofu golden. After 30 minutes check from time to time and stir the mixture to make sure everything is cooked evenly. It depends on your oven and your taste when the dish is definitely done.

The tomato adds more or less just a bit of fluid to the dish. You could use more tomatoes if you want a tomato flavour or omit them and add a little more water instead

tossing beets and tofu with the marinade

 I served it with hash browns (they were frozen, not self-made) and a salad made of cucumbers and baby leaves, tossed in a lot of soy yoghurt (spiced with salt, pepper, fenugreek and dill). 
The caramelized beets and tofu dices are totally addictive! And even if you think you don't like beet roots: give it a try. Baked veggies are SO MUCH BETTER than cooked ones and the beets tastes a bit different than the ususal cooked ones.

Green Curry w/ Glazed Tofu.

- potatoes

- brussel sprouts

- fresh spinach

- onions, garlic

- coconut milk

- green curry paste

- peanut butter

- salt, pepper, paprika, yellow curry powder, vegetable broth, lemon juice

- tofu

- shoyu

- sugar

In a big pot fry finely cut onions and mashed garlic in a little oil, stir in 2 tsp green curry paste and add a glass of water. Cook til onions are translucent. 

Cut potatoes into small dices, add 1 litre cold water to the curry mixture and add potatoes. Add spices and 2 tbsp peanut butter, cook til potatoes are almost done. Clean brussel sprouts and cut them into halfs (or quarters), add to the potatoes together with 200ml coconutmilk and 200ml water, cook for about 10 minutes. 

In the meanwhile cut tofu into thin stripes and fry in a pan, deglaze with shoyu and 1 tsp sugar. Fry on medium heat, flipping once, til very very crispy.

Wash spinach thoroughly and cut the leaves into stripes (roll all the spinach leaves together and cut) and add to the curry. Cook for another 3 minutes.

Serve the curry with fried tofu. 

You could use frozen spinach, but it's definitely not the same. Season with curry paste to your taste, I have serious trouble eating hot spicy things, so my dishes aren't that spicy.

Carrot-parsnip-ginger soup with caramelized tofu and sesame.

Fried fennel.

Caramelized fennel with cherrytomatoes, potatoesalad and white bread with red pesto.