Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

 

I thought I had the whole cinnamon roll thing figured out. I had a recipe that was no-fail and tasted great. And THAT is the reason why you should always be trying new recipes. You never know what you're going to miss!! For some reason I wondered if there was a better recipe out there for cinnamon rolls. I found this one and I will NEVER go back. They're absolutely perfect!

  

 I mean look at them! Have you ever seen a yummier cinnamon roll, besides Cinnabon?! They're so soft, buttery and the perfect ratio of bun to cinnamon gooeyness.

 

 Don't pass up this opportunity to make and eat amazing cinnamon rolls at home!

For the dough:
3/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup oil
4 and 1/2 - 5 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:
1 and 1/4 cups light brown sugar
2 and 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

For the whipped cream cheese frosting:
1 8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 t vanilla
1 and 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

1T powdered sugar

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar ( I measure the 1/2 cup sugar then take 1T from that.) Stir together, then let the yeast rise for about 5-10 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and oil until well-combined. After 10 minutes, the yeast should look frothy and bubbly. At this point, pour in the buttermilk mixture, remaining sugar, and salt, and stir together for 10-15 seconds.

Pour in 2 cups of the measured flour, and stir on low speed until incorporated. Continue to pour in flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl and bowl starts to look clean. Increase speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky, but not sticky enough to stick to your fingers when touched.

Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then set aside in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours, or until dough has doubled in size. I usually heat my oven up to 100 degrees then turn it off.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch until combined. 

Butter an 11x15 inch glass baking dish (or 1 9x13 and an 8x8 square pan or pie dish).

Once dough has risen, liberally flour a large, clean work surface. Punch down the dough to remove air bubbles, then transfer it to the work surface. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, roughly 20x30 inches wide. Spread softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1-inch strip on the edge of the dough farthest from you untouched. Spread the room temperature butter evenly over the dough. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter, then use a rolling pin to gently roll over the mixture and slightly press it into the butter. This can get the rolling pin really messy, but necessary for the filling not to fall out after you've rolled it up.

Starting with the edge of the dough closest to you, gently roll up the dough into a tight log, sealing it with the strip of dough you left untouched. Cut off any uneven ends. Score dough every two inches, then use those marks to evenly slice your dough into rolls.

Place rolls into parchment paper lined baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap, then set aside in a warm place to rise 1-2 hours, or until rolls have doubled in size and are almost touching each other. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes, or until tops start to brown. Do not overbake!

While rolls are baking, prepare your frosting. In a bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Pour in powdered sugar and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Then, increase speed to high and beat for an additional 5 minutes, or until frosting turns white. In a separate bowl, whip the cream and 1T powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold it into the cream cheese mixture.

Once you remove the rolls from the oven, spread half of the frosting on top of them. This layer will melt into the rolls. Once they've cooled down, spread on the remaining frosting. Serve warm or reheat before serving.ENJOY!!

 

*Adapted from Culinary Couture

Cauliflower, Carrot and Green Pea Curry with Coconut Milk

A few months back cauliflower was ridiculously expensive. It cost about 8 dollars for a head here in Ontario. Of course, most shoppers weren't buying it and as a consequence the price has now come down to a reasonable level. So why not try this simple but delightful Indian curry that includes fresh cauliflower and carrots with green peas, creamy coconut milk, vibrant spices, tangy tomato and lemon juice? It makes for a colorful and satisfying side to go along with your favorite Indian dishes.

Cauliflower, Carrot and Green Pea Curry with Coconut Milk

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on April 15, 2016 A simple, fresh and vibrant vegetable curry with cauliflower, carrots and green peas simmered in a zesty tomato and coconut milk sauce Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 small red onion, finely chopped small handful of dried curry leaves, crumbled 1 to 2 red or green chilies, seeded and minced 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or minced 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped 2 teaspoons poppy seeds 2/3 cup coconut milk 1/3 cup water 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets 1 large carrot, chopped 1 cup frozen green peas, defrosted 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon garam masala juice from 1 small lemon (2 tablespoons) a few tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley, for garnish Instructions: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add the curry leaves, chilies, ginger and garlic, and stir for another few minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, mustard and cayenne, and stir for another minute. Next add the tomatoes and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Now add the poppy seeds, coconut milk, cauliflower, carrots and salt. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the peas and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the garam masala and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve hot garnished with fresh chopped parsley. Makes 4 servings

Other cauliflower recipes to enjoy:
Aloo Gobi (Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes)
Cauliflower & Olive Salad
Chickpea Patties Smothered in Vegetable Gravy
Roasted Cauliflower Bites with Sriracha Sauce

© Copyright 2007—2013 Lisa's Kitchen. For personal use only.

If you are seeing this post on a site other than foodandspice.blogspot.com, it is being stolen.

Roast Chicken with Asparagus & Leeks Recipe + Giveaway!

Foster Farms is one of the larger suppliers of chicken in California. It’s a brand you’ll find in most supermarkets. So I was pleased to learn they are now offering organic chicken. At my local supermarket they only had boneless and skinless breasts and thighs, and while I much prefer purchasing whole chickens I did want to give the product a try. 

Because I don’t usually, if ever, cook with boneless skinless chicken thighs, I turned to the ever dependable Faith Durand at The Kitchn for a foolproof technique. I added an herb paste, asparagus and leeks and reduced the pan sauce to make a glaze. It’s easy peasy and great for a quick meal that will be done in just over 30 minutes. The leeks, asparagus and herbs give the dish a fresh and light feel. 

Although I purchased the chicken with my own money, I did accept four $20 Safeway gift cards for you, my readers, from Foster Farms. If you would like one, please leave a comment about your favorite chicken thigh or breast recipe. Only one entry per person and you must have a US mailing address to be eligible to win. Contest ends Friday April 22nd, 2016. As usual, winners will be picked at random. 

Roast Chicken with Asparagus and Leeks
Serves 4 

Ingredients 

3/4 cup of fresh mild green herbs (I used cilantro, parsley and dill)
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon olive oil 
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and pale greeen
1 package of skinless and boneless chicken thighs, about 1.25 pounds
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups medium thick asparagus, cut on the diagonal

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Finely mince the herbs, garlic and lemon zest and drizzle in the oil--or process in a mini food processor. Rub the chicken with the herb mixture. 

Place the leeks in a 10-inch oven proof skillet. Place the chicken on top of the leeks and season generously with salt and pepper.  Roast for 10 minutes, then tuck the asparagus in and around the chicken and roast another 10 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees when pierced with an instant read thermometer. 

Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter and place the skillet on the stove. Heat the skillet and reduce the liquid until only a few tablespoons remain. Drizzle the glaze over the chicken. 

Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: My thanks to Foster Farms for providing the gift card. I was in no way compensated for this post because I wanted you to know my true feelings about the product. 

©2016 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Overnight Spelt Einkorn Bread

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This is a simple sandwich loaf made with my favourite einkorn and spelt, risen with less yeast and wonderful flavour which comes from the long, slow, overnight fermentation in the fridge.

Overnight Spelt Einkorn Bread

inspired by this

3 g Fresh yeast 1 tbsp Maple syrup 40 ml Warm water 180 ml Soya milk, lukewarm 250 g Spelt bread flour 120 g Einkorn flour 1/2 tsp Sea salt 20 g Olive oil 1 tbsp Oat flour for dusting

1. Place the yeast, maple syrup and warm water in a bowl. Whisk with a fork to dissolve yeast. Stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
   
2. Place spelt bread flour, and einkorn flour into a large bowl. Stir in sea salt, yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix to form a soft dough, about 10 minutes. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover and leave in a cool place to rest for 2 hours.
   
3. Lightly grease a standard loaf pan. Knock back the dough and knead until smooth. Shape into a log. Place in the prepared pan. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and leave overnight (8-10 hours) to rise in the fridge.
   
4. Take it out of the fridge next morning and put it somewhere warm to carry on rising: it could take from 1 to 3 hours. Preheat oven to 200C/400F fan-forced.
   
5. Lightly dust the risen dough with oat flour. Bake in the hot oven for 10 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 180C/200C fan-forced, and bake for a further 25 minutes or until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

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Eat,Drink And Be Merry!

All about Tahini

I always have a jar of tahini, a Middle Eastern style of sesame paste, in my refrigerator. It used to last for ages because I really only used it in hummus and baba ghanoush. But not anymore. I think it’s probably the Ottolenghi books and a trip to Israel a few years ago that inspired me to use tahini more often. This rich nutty butter is a fantastic ingredient to use with all kinds of things. I particularly tahini with cauliflower, either in Warm Cauliflower Dip or on Roasted Cauliflower. Or start by making tahina, which is a sauce made with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and enough water to turn the mixture white and creamy. It’s good as a dip with pita, falafel, meatballs and more. My formula is about 1/2 cup tahini, juice of one lemon, salt, a small clove of finely mashed garlic and just enough water to make turn the sauce creamy and white. 

Tahini is available raw, roasted or dark roasted. Raw is somewhat higher in nutrients, but roasted versions are more commonly available. I recently tried a side by side comparison of several different brands of roasted tahini. All the brands used no emuslifiers or added oils. The more toasted, the stronger you will taste the sesame. It’s really a matter of personal taste. I compared MaraNatha, Sesame King and Whole Foods 365 Organic. While it didn’t make a big difference in hummus, by itself and just blended with water there was a clear difference. 

The Whole Foods brand was lightest in color, mildest and sweetest, despite the fact that it has no sugar. I think it is probably the least roasted. It comes from Israel. The Sseame King brand offers both roasted and light roast. I like both, but the roasted has a stronger more peanut butter like flavor. The MaraNatha was the darkest and had some bitterness to it. It was my least favorite. 

Upper left Sesame King light roast, upper right MaraNatha, lower left Sesame King roasted, lower right Whole Foods

Here are some ways to use tahini (other than in hummus)

* Add tahini to smoothies

* Combine tahini with Greek yogurt and season with salt or honey to make a dip for vegetables or fruit

* Mix tahini with sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and garlic to dress cold noodles

* Dress salads or cooked spinach or broccoli with a blend of mayonnaise, tahini and rice wine vinegar

* Stir tahini and honey into whipped cream and serve with fruit or crisp phyllo 

* Mix tahini with water, season with salt and drizzle over roast fish, kebabs or fresh tomatoes, then garnish with fresh herbs

* Thin tahini with water, add some ginger or cinnamon and use in place of butter on sweet potatoes or roasted carrots 

* Bake tahini cookies 

* Add tahini to coleslaw or Asian slaw

* Use in place of mayonnaise in deviled eggs or egg salad

Disclaimer: I purchased the Whole Foods and MaraNatha brands, I was provided with samples of the Sesame King brand and was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post on Cooking with Amy

©2016 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Quinoa Chickpea Flour Falafel with Mung Beans and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

My regular readers will certainly know I adore small bites. Falafel is one of my favorites, and this version made with toasted chickpea flour, quinoa and mung beans is packed full of protein. They also happen to be baked instead of fried to cut down on oil. Crispy on the outside, yet moist inside, these nutty little bites served up with a creamy, sweet and tangy roasted red pepper sauce made with tahini, cashews and a bit of heat from jalapeño and spice, turns dinner into a real treat.

Quinoa Chickpea Flour Falafel with Mung Beans and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Food52 Cuisine: Middle Eastern Published on April 6, 2016 Baked quinoa and mung bean falafels served with a creamy, sweet and tangy roasted red pepper and jalapeño sauce Print this recipe Falafel: 1/2 cup dried quinoa (1 1/2 cups cooked) 1/2 cup dried whole mung beans (1 1/2 cups cooked) 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds, soaked in 3 tablespoons water for 30 minutes 1/4 cup chickpea flour (besan) 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 2 shallots, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste 1 tablespoon nigella (black onion or kalonji) seeds olive oil for brushing Red pepper sauce: 1/4 cup raw cashews 2 red bell peppers 1 jalapeño 1/4 cup olive oil 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 tomato, seeded and chopped 1 tablespoon tahini 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne Instructions: Rinse the quinoa and mung beans separately. Cover the quinoa with 1 cup of water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Cover the mung beans with several inches of water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the mung beans, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside. Bring the quinoa to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, soak the cashews for the sauce in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Soak the ground flaxseeds in 3 tablespoons of water for 30 minutes until thick. Toast the chickpea flour in a dry unoiled large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Use up to 1 cup of chickpea flour for toasting and refrigerate what is not needed for the recipe in a sealed container for up to 2 or 3 months. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer to a food processor. Add the mung beans, soaked flaxseeds, 1/4 cup of toasted chickpea flour, parsley, shallots, garlic, lemon juice, spices and salt. Process until combined and turn out into a bowl. Stir in the nigella seeds and refrigerate for 1 hour. Rinse the food processor. Prepare the sauce while the mixture is chilling. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and turn up an oven to a broil. Place the red peppers and jalapeño on the baking sheet and pop into the oven. Turn every minute or so for 20 minutes or until the skins are blackened in spots. Remove the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. When cool, peel the skins off with your fingers. Next cut the peppers and remove the seeds. Now the peppers and jalapeño go into the food processor. Add the cashews, oil, garlic, tomato, tahini, vinegar, paprika, salt and cayenne. Process until smooth. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat an oven to 350°. Shape the mixture into small balls or patties, and brush with oil. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown, turning them halfway through the baking time. These can be served in multiple ways — on toast, pita breads, with salad greens and even as sliders. I served them up just as is with the sauce and they were filling enough just like that. Makes 10 2-inch falafels

I'm sharing this with Jacqueline's weekly Meat Free Mondays event. This is also my contribution to My Legume Love Affair, a monthly event celebrating the goodness of legumes, started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook, now administered by me, and kindly hosted this month by Jayasri of My Veg Fare.

Other falafel recipes to enjoy:
Baked Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce
Lentil-Quinoa Falafel with Coconut-Fenugreek Sauce
Baked Quinoa Falafel Bites
Green Pea Falafel

© Copyright 2007—2013 Lisa's Kitchen. For personal use only.

If you are seeing this post on a site other than foodandspice.blogspot.com, it is being stolen.

Vegan Gluten Free Date Squares

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Incredibly delicious and healthy vegan and gluten free oat-buckwheat bars packed with a creamy gooey date filling and a chewy crust that makes a lovely sinless snacking option.

Vegan Gluten Free Date Squares

adapted from Ricardo Cuisine

Filling	Crumble
250 g Dates, pitted and chopped 200 ml Water 1 tbsp Lemon juice 1/4 tsp Baking soda 50 g Leftover cranberry preserves, optional	90 g Rolled oats 110 g Buckwheat flour 1 tbsp Coconut sugar 1/2 tsp Baking powder Pinch of salt 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder 120 g Coconut oil, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 8-inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper.
   
2. In a saucepan, bring the chopped dates, water, and lemon juice to a boil. Add the baking soda and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the dates have fallen apart. Let cool.
   
3. In a bowl, combine the rolled oats, buckwheat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon powder. Add the coconut oil and mix until you have a crumble like mixture. .
   
4. Spread half the mixture in the pan and press firmly. Spread with the cranberry jam if using and the date mixture. Cover with the remaining crumble and press lightly. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

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Eat,Drink And Be Merry!

Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken Recipe

The two most popular dinner requests in my household are for chili and roast chicken. They are both classic comfort foods and my husband never gets tired of eating either of them. It’s funny, because I rarely if ever make either one of them the same way twice.

Chili is just a naturally adaptable recipe. Over the years I've posted recipes for vegetarian white bean chili, a budget friendly chili with a mix of beans, chipotle pork chili and most recently for bison black bean chili. The ingredients change all the time depending on my mood and what I have on hand.

But roasting a chicken is another story altogether. Like so many people I am always looking to improve how I make the perfect roast chicken. Mostly I spatchcock or butterfly it or roast pieces rather than a whole bird for more even and consistent results. But in this case, because Napa Grass Farmer had provided me with such a beautiful bird I thought I’d roast the whole thing.  I used Meyer lemons, but you could subsititute conventional lemons if you like and I’m sure it would still be good.  I learned the formula of roasting at 400 degrees for 15 minutes per pound, plus 10 minutes from Nigella Lawson who in turn credits her mother. It’s a great rule of thumb, especially for smaller birds.

Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken
Serves 4-6, depending on the size of the chicken

Ingredients

1 whole chicken
Kosher salt or flaky sea salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Two Meyer lemons

Instructions

Measure 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken and place in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Set on a plate and sprinkle the chicken all over with the salt. Place the uncovered chicken in the refrigerator and allow to air dry for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pat dry, removing any visible moisture. Preheat oven to 400F. Leave the bird out of the fridge while you prepare the rub.

Zest the lemons, reserve the lemons and combine the zest with the olive oil, rosemary, thyme and pepper in a small bowl.  Cut the zested lemons into quarters. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and squeeze one lemon quarter inside the chicken, removing any seeds and place the remaining pieces in the roasting pan. Spread the herb mixture all over the bird.

Roast for 15 minutes per pound plus 10 minutes (or plus 20 minutes if the bird is 5 pounds or over). Rotate the chicken once or twice during roasting and cover lightly with foil if necessary to prevent over browning. The juices should run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh and the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh should reach 165°F when pierced with an instant read thermometer. Allow to rest for about  15 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: My thanks to Napa Grass Farmer for providing me with the chicken. I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other Cooking with Amy post.

©2016 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

No Croutons Required - 11 Vegetarian Soups and Salads

Welcome to the No Croutons Required roundup for March 2016. I have 11 tempting dishes to share this month. As always, a special thanks to everyone who took the time to share a recipe. Without further ado, see what has been appearing on tables this past month.

Recipe: Quick Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Chef: Annabel
Blog: Mrs Redboots' Food and Recipes
Location: UK

I do enjoy tomato soup but only if it is homemade, like this delightfully quick and easy one. All you need is sauteed onion, red peppers and cherry tomatoes. Then add some tinned tomatoes with some water, whiz it up and add corn if you please. I am sure this would make for a lovely lunch or light dinner with some crusty bread.

Recipe: Vegan Taco Salad

Chef: Erica
Blog: Healthy Life Lessons
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Next up we have a warm salad that looks pretty fancy but not too difficult to make. For the ground "meat", we have onion, tempeh, garlic, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, cumin seeds, cayenne and tomato paste with a bit of water. Once that is cooked, it is spooned over lettuce and then garnished with olives and tomatoes and cheese sauce and salsa if you wish

Recipe: Watermelon Salad

Chef: Linsy
Blog: Home Cook Food
Location: USA

Dreaming of summer here and this delightful no cook salad with have your mouth watering. Refreshing watermelon comes together here with feta, fresh mint and some black pepper. Easy and yes please.

Recipe: Acorn Squash and Spinach Salad with Balsamic Orange Vinaigrette

Chef: Stephanie
Blog: Mind Your Plants
Location: USA

Next up is another salad and this one is certainly substantial. A meal in a bowl, roasted squash is combined with cranberries soaked in orange juice. Reserve the juice for the dressing. Combine the squash with spinach, cranberries, pecans, rice and parsley and dress with the reserved orange juice, orange zest, balsamic vinegar, garlic, maple syrup and olive oil.

Recipe: Easy Butternut Squash Soup

Chef: Helen
Blog: Roast Chicken and a Country Walk
Location: UK

After a refreshing cold weather walk, you can come home to this delicious soup to warm your toes. Roasted butternut squash, carrots and onions are then simmered with some vegetable stock and seasoned. Easy and satisfying.

Recipe: Roasted Carrot and Azuki Bean Salad

Chef: Lisa
Blog: Lisa's Kitchen
Location: Ontario, Canada

My contribution this month is this colourful salad with lots of goodness. I combined akuki beans with roasted carrot tossed with olive oil, paprika, and some cayenne. Then everything was dressed with olive oil, fresh lime juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, cilantro and mint and served on baby spinach leaves.

Recipe: Onion Soup

Chef: The Veghog
Blog: The Veghog
Location: UK

This lovely soup starts with slowly browned onions. Garlic is then included, along with dry cider, bay leaves, thyme and yeast extract. Served up with toasted baguette slices and cheese, this is surely comfort in a bowl.

Recipe: Beet Balls and Roasted Potato Salad with a Thousand Island Dressing

Chef: Janet
Blog: The Taste Space
Location: Canada

Next up is this impressive salad that features roots. I'm smiling too. Packed full of goodness, we have roasted beet balls with lentils, bulgar, onion, thyme, oats, some ketchup and oregano. If that wasn't enough, some roasted potatoes are included, along with greens, tomato, and pickles. Toss this all with a dressing consisting of raw cashews, fresh lemon juice. olive oil, garlic, miso, Dijon mustard, sun-dried tomatoes and more pickle. For sure this a healthy meal.

Recipe: Oxo Butternut Squash and Coconut Milk Soup

Chef: Caroline
Blog: Caroline Makes
Location: UK

Here we have another mouthwatering butternut squash soup. For this nourishing dish, you will need onion, garlic, chilli and squash of course along with 1 Oxo Garden Vegetables with Parsley and Bay stock and coconut milk. Whiz it up and garnish with fresh coriander. Served with some crusty bread this is surely a satisfying meal.

Recipe: Hummus - Middle-Eastern Chickpea Dip

Chef: Lisa
Blog: We Don't Eat Anything With a Face
Location: UK

Hummus is always a welcome treat that goes so well with fresh vegetables or toasted pita breads. And it is always best when you used dried chickpeas simmered up rather than the canned variety. Blend the cooked chickpeas up with lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, olive oil and some paprika.

Recipe: Turmeric Pasta with Blood Orange Chilli Vinaigrette Dressing

Chef: Shaheen
Blog: Allotment to Kitchen
Location: UK

Last up but not least is this dressed up and fancy pasta dish. Turmeric is added with pasta and then dressed with Blood Orange Chilli Oil with some chili flakes. When I eat pasta, I would enjoy this dish, no doubt!

My dear friend Jacqueline and co-host of this event is hosting for April. Do check Tinned Tomatoes for the announcement.

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