polenta

Raspberry, blueberry, plum polenta

A lot of chefs say, ‘what grows together, goes together’ and I really do believe in this. Just think about it, summer salads of courgette ribbons, shaved runner beans and summer herbs, savoury winter tarts of beetroot, parsnip and carrot or the combination of end of summer-autumn fruits in this delicious and warming pudding made with plums, raspberries and blueberries, all of which have been growing abundantly in my garden (except the blueberries that I pick from my friend’s down the road). The fruits cooked all together make the most wonderful mix of flavours and lovely juices, whilst the polenta and almond crisp-crumble layer on top adds great texture, with the almond extract adding a marzipan like flavour, yum! Feel free to use other seasonal fruits, blackberry, pear and apple is a lovely combination, or even just apple studded with raisins or sultanas… I love quince too! Fruit filling 250g plums, stoned weight, about 7-8 plums120g raspberries, fresh or frozen120g blueberries, fresh or frozen2 tsp coconut sugarJuice of ½ orange (40g/ ml juice)2 strips orange zest, using a potato peeler½ vanilla pod, seeds scraped out but do not discard the pod, add it to the fruit too! Polenta almond crisp topping 50g polenta (fine or quick-cook)70g ground almonds70g brown rice flour35g coconut sugar¼ vanilla pod, seeds scraped out1/2 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp pink saltFinely grated zest of half a lemon70g coconut oil, melted1 tsp almond extract Preheat the oven to 200oC.…
goji berries

Goji Berry: It’s a Super Food, But Does it Taste Super Good?

I have been trying to eat and cook a lot healthier lately and I came across an awesome superfood called goji berries. As they’ve gained popularity rather recently, I am sure you are wondering:  amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "vwtlb-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "7a16f5f13204e18768a34ef5574f564a"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B0011DV71G,B075HM2JKP,B0748XJXXZ,B01M3U2F34"; What do goji berries taste like? I was definitely hesitant to try them out at first because they sound quite exotic, and I had heard not so good reviews about the taste, but you have to try everything at least once, right? Here’s the lowdown on goji berries, how to prepare them, and why you should start eating this superfood – right now! Where to Goji? Goji berries are commonly grown in Asia, mainly in China and in the Himalayas of Tibet. You may also hear them being referred to by different names – Chinese wolfberries of Tibetan goji (source). Nowadays, goji berries can be found in some well-stocked groceries – check out your local grocer’s health food section – or in most health food stores. These superfoods are all the rage now, so you should not have a hard time finding them in dried or powdered form.…