Easy, delicious, vegan recipes that are a dream to make and eat.
Quick and easy lunch
To thrive on a plant based diet, eat well and feel satisfied, especially if we have busy lives, we need to be able to make delicious, vegan meals quickly and easily and that means having ingredients and recipes at the ready.
Today I made fast and easy vegetable fritters with a herby sauce.
This recipe sounds very simple – it IS very simple – and it’s flavours and textures are as complicated as we need them to be so we feel we have eaten well.
It is a great option if you want something super healthy, light weight and quick without feeling deprived in any way.
Think along the lines of latkes but without the eggs and smoky kitchen.
How many Christmas eves we spent gathered around the kitchen fire eating latkes with smoke floating around our heads?! A lot, and they were fun.
The fritter is made of grated vegetables. You can use whatever you have in your fridge, I used 2 courgettes, a carrot, a red chilli and a sliced onion plus some chickpea flour and water. Seasoned with a little salt and some cumin.
I’ve previously made with cabbage, carrots, peppers and onion plus green onion tops and I have used sweet potatoes, sweet corn and I can’t remember what else, its so flexible it doesn’t matter, you really can use anything.
I’ve served them with various sauces for a example a sauce of sriratcha and mayonnaise with tomatoe ketchup (the super-healthy, raw, homemade one and at other times the bought stuff 😉 when leaning towards an Okonomiyaki pancake and we almost always have some crispy leaves by the side.
Today we have fresh, peppery rocket leaves.
So, the whole thing, without cooking time took 15 minutes tops. Then 15 minutes cooking… and then 10 minutes eating. I am actually eating them as I am writing this and trying not to get sauce on the keys.
To keep on track with a healthy recipe make sure you have an arsenal of easy delicious vegan recipes. When we are doing our retreats I keep a list of two to three times the number of starters, main courses and desserts I will need so that I always have inspiration.
There are some images of meals I have made for guests here http://desriskitchen.com/ and an example of a day’s meals here https://haven-on-earth.com/residential-retreats/.
As you can see there are so many variations and so many possible combinations of fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts but we all need to be prepared, me too, otherwise we end up with something bland and unbalanced, a bunch of bananas or something we maybe regret (throw that pizza delivery menu away;) Though we aren’t puritanical all the time I promise you!
I grated everything except the onion and chilli which I sliced finely and mixed with 3 TBS chickpea flour, a pinch of salt and a few good grinds of pepper. If you need some water add just enought to pull it all together. My courgettes were very fresh and juicy so I only needed a drop.
The mix then sat and absorbed to bind while I made the sauce and the air fryer heated up. I’ve previously left the mix overnight in the fridge, which does make the fritters a bit firmer.
I’ve also grated, mixed and cooked immediately before now and it was just fine, so no need to wait if you can’t. They are not so firm but still very good.
Todays sauce is based on chimichurri or salsa verde but without the anchovies (I am not sure anyone would know they aren’t in there!).
I used about 8 blood sorrel leaves, hence the less than vibrant colour, and about 8 large stems of flat leaf parsley, a garlic onion (like a spring onion but garlicky or three cornered leek), half an avocado, about 15 salted capers which I had rinsed, the juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper.
It was blended until smoothish and then I added ½ tsp maple syrup to balance out the bitterness of the sorrel and about 1 TBS olive oil to make it more silky.
I blended again and hey presto, delicious!
You can bake or fry the fritters, I air fried mine at 200° – the air fryer is my newest addition to the kitchen and one I really do wonder why I resisted for so long, I LOVE IT and there’s no smoke or frying oil. I just spritz the tray with avocado oil to prevent sticking.
Serve with the sauce to dip into, or pop some on top.
These would be lovely made smaller as part of l’apéros with some other easy, delicious, vegan recipes!
Options if not vegan:
Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce
Use an egg to bind
Crumble in some feta or parmesan
Learn MoreJanuary clean up
Happy, healthy, balanced New Year to you!
After all that indulgent, caution to the wind eating and drinking it is time for a seasonal clean up for us.
There are so many bugs including the dreaded super flu going around , we need to boost our immunity, sleep better as well as lifting ourselves from the dark moods that can engulf people with the reduced sunlight and storms that leave us indoors for days on end.
So, braving the rain, wind and puddles I went shopping and stood wearing my private halo at the check out…
Halo shopping – veg are in the fridge 😉
There is nothing worse though, when embarking on any kind of regime than the feeling of deprivation. I for one kick back badly at being told I “can’t” anything!
Healthy food must be tasty, filling, look good and do good.
We need multi-tasking dishes of the finest order.
Another thing, how about making your meals pretty?
I collect bowls and plates, it’s a bit of a thing, started at Jurby Junk on the Isle of Man when I lived there , a wonderworld, tables piled on tables and all piled with other people’s junk, somebody else’s treasure! I have never lost that love of bowls and cups, big or tiny with patterns inside as well as outside, huge jewel coloured bowls to pile with leaves and wide rustic plates to place lots of different tasting, textured and coloured morsels onto. Ideal if the food colours are slightly monotinous or dull but, when the food is bright and varied, let it tell it’s own story on plain white, as above.
Here is a recipe for you plus an alternative to show how easy it is to switch the flavours up…
Stir fry 1
I chopped …
1 onion
1 yellow pepper
1 handful runner beans
1/2 inch ginger and turmeric
I steamed the beans whilst I stir fried everything else (onions for a few minutes first) for ten mins.
Added the beans to the stir fry with …
1 handful spinach ripped
Leaves torn from 6 leaves of purple Kale and ripped
Splashed with some Braggs (you could use soy sauce) and a few grinds pepper and tipped into a bowl.
I threw on top a palm full of Goji berries and lots of spiced pumpkin, chia and sunflower seeds.
SO good!
Stir fry 2 using similar basic ingredients …
I chopped …
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 handful runner beans
1 carrot into small sticks
3 largish mushrooms quartered
1/2 inch ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
I steamed the beans whilst I stir fried everything else (onions for a few minutes first) for ten mins.
Added the beans to the stir fry with …
1 handful spinach
Leaves torn from 6 leaves of purple Kale
I sprinkled with …
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons soya sauce
Stirred it all until all the leaves were wilted and served sprinkled liberally with lots of spiced pumpkin, chia and sunflower seeds.
Don’t think diet, don’t think deprivation think delicious, nourishing, light and bright. If you are used to drinking alcohol or hitting the chocolate bikkies slouched in front of the TV most nights think of indulging yourself in the evening instead, try doing something you don’t do when you drink – like make something, go out swimming or for a dark walk (watch those puddles – actually wear wellies and enjoy those puddles!), start a new hobby, read a new book, start learning something, do self massage, have long, early bubble baths and snuggle into bed early.
Find a turn around for yourself, turn what may feel negative (only because of habit and because you are saying no) into something positive and fun or indulgent.
Here is to a year of finding our best, happiest and healthiest selves.
Desri XX
Feeling heavy, slow, tired, down, stuck, unhappy, achy, old, “just not 100%”?
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO!
Come to us for a few days (or more) and lets look at what is going wrong, or just not going right, re-evaluate, find a way, make some changes and while we are doing that let us nourish you with the best and most delicious food and drinks. Be supported, be prepared, be changed.
We are now taking bookings from 16 March 2018!
15% discount on all bookings from March to end May as the indoor spa pool will be closed for maintenance and the outdoor pool may be a bit cooler than 28° – weather depending, late April and May should be fine!
Have a look around our site and contact us with any questions at all, for more info or to book your stay.
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Renovations dirty, frustrating, exciting
Do you ever have days when the thing you found so motivating and exciting yesterday is exhausting and overwelming today?
Welcome to my world!
I have been scared of heights for ever; I couldn’t go up the ladder to the first floor of the ‘little house’, the old tumble down house we are now renovating to move into so that the whole of the main house can be used for retreats, holidays and possibly B&B.
On Saturday, after months of attempts and a few days last week of “OK, Robin I am doing this, would you just turn the ladder that way then I will be OK?”….. I wasn’t. Then “OK, Robin would you put the scaffolding up under the hole and I can just climb up, easy!”….. It wasn’t, I didn’t.
So then he put a combination of ladder and scaffolding, then added planks, then stood on it all himself; no go.
So back to Saturday, I just decided and said to myself “I am a person who goes up ladders!” marched over, asked him to stand on the planks next to the ladder and walked straight up, hurrah!!!
Then I had to decide I was also a person who could climb down ladders. I did (eventually and with a few wimpers) and massive progress has been made.
All the bedrooms and bathrooms have been measured out and moved around until they worked. Of course all the windows and beams are not exactly where we thought, so I did a lot of moving around, toilets, basins, baths and showers juggled until there was enough room to get through a door and put a chair, a towel rail, a without going to the loo in full view of the garden etc.
It was fun and exciting.
Working out where the walls will go.
Now it’s Thursday and Robin is still putting in the windows which don’t all fit (understatement) so have to be cut, filled, wedged and balanced to work inside and out on a crooked wall, a sloped sill, a wobbly lintel and two of us who think different things look best ha!
If I hadn’t gone up the ladder I would have missed this!
I have been putting more grass seed down on top of the seed that hasn’t sprouted – again. I am still wire wooling the floor in the main house, the electrician who has been promising to arrive for weeks didn’t turn up again (thats him out, enough is enough) and we are tired.
No amount of green juice, powdered or fresh wheatgrass or chia and aloe filled smoothies will help this mood – thank heavens for chocolate cake and juicy cherries! Raw, grain free, dairy free and energy boosting cake with cherries we picked and froze in the summer.
Went to the fridge and this was all that’s left, cherries saved the day!
Sorry for the moan, better go and mow the weeds now while Robin calls the guy building the gate posts to ask where he is…..
Desri X
www.boutiqueretreatfrance.com
Instagram desrigoodwin
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Motivation and wafting away grey mood clouds.
I just thought I would repost this after having a really low energy feeling yesterday afternoon.
I was kind of sinking into it (it can be so easy just to go with it, let it take your hand and follow it … down…) and forced myself to get on my mini trampoline and do some bouncing, 10 minutes later the mood was definitely more positive and after another ten, hey presto, energy restored, mood lifted.
It’s not always so simple, but it does really help to DO something when that shadow starts closing in.
I wrote the following post was about a year ago on “Desrissplash”…
Back in rainy Britain, what is going on? We left the 30+° heat of France and arrived in the UK at 6.30am to 20° which was very hopeful but today it is pouring and grey. Kinda cosy though, sometimes don’t you just need cosy?
I have a meeting today that I am not looking forward to. I was thinking about what to wear and thought “OK, what would I wear that would make me feel better?”… no the answer wasn’t a power suit or even a mask, it was PJs and thick socks!
I had to have a tooth out at the dentist a while ago, I was terrified, I have never been good at dentists. I took along my thick super soft socks. He looked at me as though I was nuts when I started to take my shoes off, I explained the comfort theory and he got it – really we need to do whatever gets us through (within reason obviously;-).
I think we spend far too little time really thinking ‘what would make this work’ instead of ‘this isn’t working’. Because I am nervous we started the day today with a really brisk walk, in the pouring rain, up over the hills. 45 minutes later we were back, soaked but feeling much better about everything and had the exciting surprise that my new samples had turned up and are gorgeous!
Endorphines, laughing at being soaked, concentrating on balancing on stones rather than sinking in the mud, its all going to make you feel better. A fantastic help for people suffering anxiety, depression, grief, fear, almost any mind problem can be given some help/respite by getting outside and moving and being slightly challenged – even if it is by cow pats and mud!
Oh (back to real time) the other thing I just remembered I did was power jet spray some old floor boards, with the idea of using them around the house for window sills, maybe a table (that I couldn’t put anything on as they are very wonky), etc. I did this in the pouring rain and got thoroughly soaked, it felt great, free, silly – probably helped that the weather was quite warm despite raining ALL day, heavily.
So, a bit like the post above, maybe a good play in the rain washes the dark feelings away, just like going for a breezy walk blows the cobwebs away.
Learn MoreVulnerable? Me?
I find myself in an amazing world, living an amazing life, with amazing possibilities.
I have an amazing home, amazing kids and an amazing husband.
All perfect then? Hmmm, not really…
I am in a situation that isn’t great. The odd person who makes life difficult. Makes me feel bad. Often actually.
I’m not sleeping very well, 4 hours last night and about the same the night before.
All because of this situation and the odd person.
I really love metaphors, I use them all the time, in fact, sometimes I use more than one (I’m trying to learn to keep them to a minimum!).
I heard a great one the other day from my friend Emily. She was talking about her Mums latest diet and how if she gives into temptation once she gives up and thinks “That’s it, I might as well just be bad all day, I’ve messed up, why continue blah, blah, blah” – you know the sort of thing. Emilys metaphor for her Mum was; Imagine you have a collection of beautiful assorted porcelain tea cups and you drop one and it smashes, would you then just smash all the rest!”?
Another one I heard in some training or other was; If you watched a really, really bad film would you sit all the way through it, and then watch it again, and again hundreds of times?
Obviously the answer to both is “NO, of COURSE not!”
But we do just that, well, I know I do! We replay things over and over in our minds. Every time we replay them we re-feel the hurt, anger, sadness, pain, injustice. So really aren’t we hurting, angering, saddening ourselves?
We spend time (waste time) hating the person who “did that to us’ but they only did it once (or lots of things once maybe) and we perpetuate it. They may not be a nice person but it is US who keep beating ourselves with their stick. And so we get stuck. Tired. Depleted. Disempowered. Disenchanted. This can leave us unable to deal with even small set backs (you know like spilt milk, or someone nipping into the car parking space we were waiting for) and unable to enjoy all the amazing stuff because we are so over come with the ongoing replays of bad things that have happened. Often things that happened days, weeks, months or even years ago! And if they are still happening we are multiplying them so we are juggling lots of bad things not just dealing with the one in hand.
Imagine playing a song you love but at the same time you have three or four other tunes that you really don’t like at all playing – would you really enjoy the tune you love? Would the others playing at the same time take the joy out of it? Would they spoil it?
I think they would rather (probably make you go a bit mad too – so lets add that into the mix). Funny what we do to ourselves isn’t it.
Time to stop. You can. I can. Just put the stick down, turn the other tunes off, throw out the bad film, put the china in a cupboard.
JUST STOP.
Vulnerable…..me? Yes, vulnerable to me.
So who’s the odd person?
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