Fantastic Mango Dip.

There was a half mango left in my fridge and I it had to be a dip. So I made the best mango dip today, using three ingredients:

- half a very ripe mango
- few leaves fresh mint
- 1 tsp soy sauce 

Puree everything together, et voilá: creamy, fruity, fresh, luscious, colourful, fancy but ridiculous simple and quick. It's perfect for a lot of hearty, spicy dishes and fried stuff.

I ate it to fried tofu slices together with mashed potatoes (sprinkled with coconut bacon) and salad.

Mashed potatoes are one of the best things and I truly don't understand how it's possible that there are people who don't recognize the importance of mashed potatoes. To vary my mashed potatoes I cooked them today together with a kohlrabi. I had a purple one! They're very pretty (but look the same like the pale green ones, once you've peeled them).

- potatoes
- kohlrabi
- vegan butter
- salt
- rosemary
- soy or rice milk

Dice potatoes and kohlrabi (kohlrabi dices should be smaller than your potato dices) and cook in slightly salted water until very tender and almost overdone. Drain the water and mash with vegan butter, salt, rosemary and a splash of soy or rice milk until fluffy and creamy.

Fried tofu slices are also simple as hell: cut tofu into thin slices, marinate in soy sauce for a few minutes and then fry the slices in (olive) oil until the edges get golden brown and crispy. Some garlic is highly recommended.

There are lots of coconut recipes out there, I used this as an idea but I skipped the liquid smoke and used shoyu instead of tamari. AND: I made it in a pan, this version is a bit quicker. Just use a very slightly oiled pan on medium heat and stir very often.

Cashew Cream Cheese w/ Rosemary Salt.

This creamy, creamy cream cheese is made with only a few ingredients and turned out really well even without a blender. It's seasoned with the beautiful rosemary salt I made earlier today.

You need for the scented salt:

- sea salt
- fresh twigs of rosemary
- finely grated lemon zest (I used organic store-bought. If you're eager to prepare this on your own - go ahead!)


Remove the leaves from a few rosemary twigs. Mix sea salt and rosemary leaves in a food processor until both is well combined. Add a small amount of grated lemon zest. The salt will give your dishes only a slightly hint of rosemary and lemon without being very

For the cream cheese the cashews first must be soaked in hot water. I let them soak for about 2 hours, maybe 3 or 4 would have been better. I will try this the next time. If I happen to be patient enough.

- 200g cashews, soaked (non-roasted, non-salted)
- 80-100ml soy milk (or your favourite non-dairy milk)
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
- rosemary salt 

First blend  the soaked cashews with a handheld blender (or better in a blender, if you have) with 1 teaspoon cider vinegar. Then add spoon by spoon soy milk until your preferred consistency. I used about 80ml. Just have 100ml on hand and use as much as you need.
Mix very well and stir from time to time with a spoon to make sure you get all cashews mixed. I had a few very tiny chunks left so mix 2 minutes more when you think it's ready!
Season with the rosemary salt (or plain salt).

Let the cream cheese chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Spread on a toasted bagel. Enjoy.

Baked beetroots and tofu.

3-4 beetroots
200g tofu
garlic
rosemary
mint
sage
matcha
smoked salt
oil 


Peel the beetroots and cut into sticks. Don't be frightened about the beetroot and its colour. Yes, your fingers will get a little pink but hey, I've got news for you: it will wash off.
So just peel them like potatoes, cut into slices and then into sticks.
Put the sticks together with two to three smashed garlic cloves and twigs of rosemary, mint and sage in an oiled casserole. Cover up with a lid or tin foil and bake for 20 minutes in the oven until the beetroot is tender.
Meanwhile cut tofu into cubes and fry in a little olive oil on high heat until it gets golden to dark brown and very crispy. Sprinkle with smoked salt and a pinch of matcha. Stir well and fry for another minute.
The matcha will not only add a touch of mint green colour but a subtle hint of bitterness which fits pretty good the sweetness of the baked beetroots.

Keep it simple.

As it's way too hot to cook I stick to sandwiches and salads most of the time. 
For example a sandwich with avocado spread and vegan cheddar cheese, thin slices of tomato and lettuce.

If I do cook, it's something quick and simple but yet delicious like this:

- 1 yellow zucchini
- a few cherry tomatoes
- lots of garlic, smashed
- scallions
- olive oil
- fresh rosemary and sage
- salt and pepper

Cut the zucchini into cubes. Heat the oil and fry zucchini for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes (cut into halves or quarters),herbs and the scallions (cut into small rings). Fry for another 5 minutes, stir from time to time. Season with salt and pepper.

Bento.

My bento box is rarely used. Poor thing. 
So I decided to give it some attention and made for tomorrow: fried zucchini with rosemary, a beetroot salad (with soy sauce, lime juice and fresh tarragon as dressing) and cooked millet with lots of fresh parsley and mint. Hope my co-workers don't mind that my vegan stuff is way more pretty and tasty than their boring microwave crap.

Good things.

The kitchen window was open all night long for the first time in this year. I love it. Going totally sleepy into the kitchen which is filled with cool, but not too cold, fresh air, hearing birds and making coffee.

A new pillow for better sleep. And a new blanket to keep the bed safe from cat hair. At least, it's worth a try.

Planting plants and pretending to have a garden like every year.

For example, this garden sorrel has been accompanying me for over 7 years. We have quite a good relationship. It will look all fancy in about two weeks.

The sun of course.

Mango-basil cream cake.

Baked eggplant with red potatoes.

1 eggplant
red potatoes (you can use regular potatoes, too. but these are so pretty.)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
thyme
rosemary
1 tomato 
1 carrot
béchamel sauce (made from vegan butter, flour, soymilk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, squeeze of lemon juice and/or 1 teaspoon mustard)
salt, pepper, bay leave
oil

Cut eggplant in half and scoop out most of each half to make eggplant shells.
Cut onion and garlic finely into small cubes. Fry in 2-3 tablespoons oil together with fresh thyme and rosemary until the onions start to get translucent.  

Cut the scooped out parts of the eggplant and add to onions and garlic, stir well. Add a finely diced tomato. Fry for 3 or 4 minutes, the eggplant hasn't to be done, as it will bake for over 20 minutes.
Cut a carrot into thin stripes. 
Fill a casserole with 1-2 cm cold water. Place eggplant halfs into casserole and fill with the fried eggplant-onion-mix. Put carrot sticks and one or two bay leaves around the eggplants, season with salt and pepper.

Cover the eggplants with a thick batch of béchamel sauce. A part of it will drop into the water during baking time and melt together with the water to a delicious sauce. The rest will remain on top of the eggplants and will build a yummy, thick, golden, slightly crusty béchamel layer.

Cover the casserole with tin foil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. First 10 minutes on high heat, then reduce to medium heat. Also, after the first 10 minutes you can prepare your potatoes and cook them for about 20 minutes with a little salt.

After the casserole has been in the oven for 20 minutes, remove tin foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the béchamel looks golden, slightly brown and crusty.

Serve with a few potatoes (drizzle a little bit of the sauce over them).

 

The eggplant is so tender, it's unbelievable.

Lemon and sage potato casserole.

This was a pretty simple but truly awesome potato casserole I had a few weeks ago.

Cut potatoes into thin slices and layer in a baking dish, season each layer with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Add some fresh sage leaves, rosemary, basil and slices of lemon on to the top and sprinkle with some olive oil.

Pour 150ml soy cream over the potatoes and cover the dish with tin foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove tin foil and bake for another 10 minutes. The potatoes will be super tender and every aroma has melt together to a soft and crispy potato heaven.

The windowsill garden.

These are the herbs for this year: sage, honeydew melon sage, orange mint, rosemary, lemon basil, koriander.

Lemon basil.

Sometimes birds visit this tiny garden, too.

Braised Tomato Tofu w/ Lavender Potatoes.

400g tofu

1/2 chinese cabbage

1 small can tomatoes

2 carrots

red onion

garlic

1 teaspoon olive oil

vegetable broth

a bit orange juice

200g potatoes

1 teaspoon dried lavender

salt, pepper, rosemary, mint, light soy sauce

yoghurt (optional)

Cut the carrot and onion into dices, the cabbage into slices, smash tha garlic (as many cloves as you like, I used three) and put in a casserole with some water and the olive oil.

Cut tofu into slices and drape onto the veggies, sprinkle everything with soy sauce, rosemary, mint (I used fresh herbs) and a bit fresh ground pepper. 

Than pour the can peeled tomatoes over it and spread til everything is covered. Mix some vegetable broth with hot water (I used the empty tomato can, half filled with liquid) and add.

Bake everything in the open casserole for about 20min in the oven, gas mark 4. After 20min add a dash of orange juice and bake for another 15-20 min.

While the tofu braises in the flavoured tomatoes cook the potatoes with some salt and dried lavender. I used red potatoes and left the peel because it's less work and I like unpeeled potatoes a lot. Serve together and add some yoghurt or Tofutti sour surpreme to the potatoes, if you like.

Tofu with white beans and beetroot leaves.

Soak 100g white beans over night and cook for about 60-70min with some rosemary needles till done. Drain, season with 2-3 tbsp lime juice and sea salt.
Cut 100g tofu into small cubes and fry in a tsp olive oil with sage leaves and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Blanch the leaves of three to four beetroots in salted cooking water for 3 minutes, than chill with cold water. Serve together. The combination of herbs, garlic and lime juice add a wonderful aroma. It's not optional.