Salt "n" Pepper Chocolate Cookies

I served these cookies as a whole food treat at our Winter Solstice Celebration, they were a hit and I promised I’d pop them up on the site…here you are Denise xx

Ingredients

1⁄3 cup / 80ml coconut oil
1⁄3 cup / 80ml brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons water or milk of your choice (nut, seed, rice, goat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21⁄2 cups / 250g gluten-free rolled oats
1⁄2 cup / 75g coconut sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 cup / 70g chopped organic dark chocolate (80% or higher)
Flaky sea salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F / 162°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Whisk in the brown rice syrup, water, and vanilla. Remove from the heat.

3. Blend the oats in a food processor until you have a rough flour. Transfer it to a large bowl and add the coconut sugar, salt, pepper, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir to combine. Add the coconut oil mixture to the dry ingredients and fold to combine. Fold the chocolate into the batter.

4. Spoon out balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches / 5cm between them (they spread a lot!). Garnish each cookie with a few flakes of sea salt. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack. Store the cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Spiced Lentil Soup

Spiced Lentil Soup

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Yield
7 cups (1.65 litres)

Prep time
15 minutes

Cook time
20 minutes

I prepares this for our recent Winter Solstice Celebration and it was a hit.This soup is so quick and easy because there aren’t many vegetables to chop (just garlic and onion—that’s it!) and it relies mostly on pantry staples. It takes 15 minutes prep time (that includes getting the ingredients out), and then it’s hands off while it cooks. Talk about easy! While this soup contains a lot of spices, it's not what I would call "spicy" or "hot". If you do want a kick of heat feel free to add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Also, feel free to change up the baby spinach for other greens like stemmed kale or chard. This soup is inspired by Whole Foods.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 cups (280 grams) diced onion (1 medium/large)

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1 (14-ounce/398 ml) can diced tomatoes, with juices

• 1 (14-ounce/398 ml) can full-fat coconut milk

• 3/4 cup (140 grams) uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained (soaked if possible, aids digestion)

• 3 1/2 cups (875 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste (for a kick of heat!)

• 1 (5-ounce/140-gram) package baby spinach

• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lime juice, or more to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens.

2. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom until combined. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

3. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), entire can of coconut milk, red lentils, broth, salt, and plenty of pepper. Add red pepper flakes or cayenne, if desired, to taste. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil.

4. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered, for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the lentils are fluffy and tender.

5. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted. Add the lime juice to taste. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with toasted bread and lime wedges.

recipe Inspiration from Oh She Glows

Spring is here it really is.....Spring Miso with lemon

Whilst it's been Spring for a while now, as the calendar shows, we really have not seen more than a little glimpse until the last week. It's been an incredibly long and wet winter in Hepburn Springs. I have been so keen to move out of Autumn foods and launch into Spring abundance, well here you go the first of Find Me in the Kitchen Spring choices to shake of winter and start our unfurling into warmer months. This soup is perfect to celebrate the gorgeous vegies we are beginning to see in the grocers but still offer a little warmth on those days that still hold a chill.

SPRING MISO with Lemon

This soup can be made using a Dashi Stock, I have been unable to locate decent Kombu in my area of late so I use a homemade vegie stock in which I've also added Shitake mushrooms for added health benefits and taste

Ingredients

1.4 litres Stock
8 Asparagus spears, trimmed and cut on the diagonal
100g snow peas or sugar snap peas, strings removed sliced into 1/3 or 1/2 leangthways
3 radishes, thinly sliced (i use a mandoline so much easier)
6 Tbsp unpasteurised Shiro Miso
1 small bunch watercress or microgreens approx 70g
Zest of 1 Organic Lemon, cut in long strips
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Spring onions thinly sliced (or chives)

Method

Bring the stock (shitakes removed use for another dish or just eat) up to a simmer over a high heat.
Add Asparagus and snow peas or sugar snap peas and cook for 30 secs
Add radishes and cook for another 30 secs
Remove all veg with a slotted spoon or pour entire pot through a colander into another pot, this can be a bit cumbersome and hot
Spread veg out to cool
Reduce heat to low, remove a ladle or two of the stock into a bowl and stir in miso until it's blended, add back to soup. It's important to not boil the soup now Miso contains many beneficial enzymes that will be destroyed by boiling
Add blanched veg and greens warming over a low heat
Remove from heat and stir in lemon rind and juice
Serve soup and top with Spring Onoins

Makes 4 generous bowls