failsafe hummus (inspired by The Happy Pear)

I've been meaning to upload this recipe for ages - since I first tried it a couple of months ago.. it's the first hummus (*yummus) recipe I've found that works amazingly every time. FAILSAFE. This is inspired by The Happy Pear's recipe, check them out here - they have loads of awesome, simple vegan recipes on their channel 💚 Also if you get the chance to visit their restaurant in Greystones, Wicklow - do it! I just went at the weekend and I'm already planning my return 🌿

Most recipes I've tried in the past tended to have taste/texture issues - too lemony, too liquidy.. the list goes on! There are a couple of secrets to this recipe's success:

→WHIP IT: Start off with blending the lemon juice and tahini for about a minute until it has a whipped consistency. Doing this will yield a lighter, less dense hummus 👍

→DE-SHELL: This second step isn't necessary, especially if you don't mind a chunkier hummus..but if you're after a smooth, silky consistency -  this is key. I've only actually done this for two batches. Cos I'm lazy 👀

Let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 400g tin of chickpeas, shelled if you want super smooth hummus!
• 3 tbsp of aquafaba (chickpea juice 😃 lol)
• 2 tbsp of tahini
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp of salt
• ½ tsp of cumin
• Sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Method

Add tahini and lemon juice to blender/processor and blend for around a minute - until the consistency is 'whipped'. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until you reach desired consistency. 

Enjoy - you will be addicted like me! 

Rainbow Buddha bowl

So although this isn't strictly a recipe, I had to post it.. because SOMANYCOLOURS ♥

I've been having these Buddha bowls constantly lately - they're such a good way to easily get everything you need into one meal. I try to follow a basic guideline for each bowl:

• Grain - Short brown rice, rice noodles, quinoa, cous cous etc
• Starchy vegetable - Roasted sweet potato, butternut squash, pumpkin etc
• Greens - Steamed broccoli, kale, spinach, chard, cabbage etc
• Protein - Baked tofu, chickpeas, black beans, lentils etc
• Salad - Chopped cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions (I usually use all three)
• Fat - Hemp/sunflower/pumpkin/flax seeds, tahini, peanut butter etc

The baked tofu I used here was marinated for around 30 minutes in soy sauce, sriracha and agave nectar. I then sprinkled over some sesame seeds before baking for half an hour. 

Instead of using a sauce I've started squeezing the juice of a full lemon over my food and adding a squeeze of tomato paste - I've become addicted to this combo and it means less salt/sugar - WIN. 

Give these Buddha bowls a try, you'll be amazed at how tasty they are once everything is combined! Enjoy :)

Creamy coconut curry with Jerusalem artichokes

Curry is my go-to recipe if: 

• it's freezing outside (✔)
• I have 545121545 veggies needing used (✔)
• I'm strapped for time (✔)

Once you have all of the spices you need in your cupboard, it's really hard to mess up a curry - yay! Stress-free cooking FTW.

I decided to try using Coyo Coconut Yoghurt in this curry in place of the usual tin of coconut milk - I wanted to see if it would turn out creamier - and it did! I also tried Jerusalem artichokes for the first time, they were delicious 😍 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 5 Jerusalem artichokes, cubed
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric 
• 500ml vegetable stock (use more if required)
• 250g tub of Coyo
• 3 lime leaves
• 1 tsp kelp powder (optional, this is a substitute for fish sauce) 
• 1 tsp soy sauce/tamari
• 2 peppers, cut into strips
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
• ½ lemon, juice of
• Chopped coriander/spring onions, for serving

Method
Add coconut oil to a large saucepan and turn cooker to medium-high heat. Add onion and Jerusalem artichokes and fry until beginning to soften (about 7/8 minutes). Next add grated garlic and ginger and stir well, let this fry for around a minute. Add all spices and let this fry for a further minute. Next stir in vegetable stock and Coyo and add lime leaves, kelp powder and soy sauce/tamari. Reduce heat to medium-low and leave this to simmer for around 30 minutes - this will allow the flavours of the spices/lime leaves to come through and the sauce will thicken up a little. 

After 30 minutes has passed, add pepper strips to the pan and stir. Cover and let this simmer for 10 minutes. Whilst the peppers are cooking, steam broccoli florets (I prefer to cook them this way, it retains the nice green colour better!). Once ready - stir into curry along with lemon juice. Remove pan from heat.

Served with boiled rice and chopped coriander/spring onions. 

ENJOY 💚

Spicy falafel with guacamol-pea

FALAFEL! why for you so gooooood?!

Falafel is one of those recipes you can chuck anything into and it'll still end up tasting incredible. I had a few bunches of herbs in the fridge that needed used so these went in along with some spicy harissa and ras-el-hanout (left over from my Moroccan soup - check out the recipe here).

On the side we have some guacamole inspired pea-coriander amazyness! This dip was super easy to make and a great use for those frozen peas that have gone to die in the back of your freezer :) 

***Note: When these falafel come off the pan they will be quite soft, sit them aside for a while to cool down and they will firm up.   

Ingredients - Guacamol-pea

• 300g frozen peas, prepared per pack instructions and blanched in very cold water
• 10 sprigs coriander
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 spring onion
• 1 lemon, juice of
• Pinch of chilli flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients - Spicy falafel

• 1 400g chickpeas
• ½ small bunch parsley
• ½ small bunch coriander
• 1 tbsp harissa
• 1 tsp ras-el-hanout
• 1 lemon, zest of
• ½ lemon, juice of
• 1 heaped tbsp plain flour 
• 1tbsp coconut oil

Method
Begin by making the guacamol-pea - chuck all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge to chill. Now add the coconut oil to a frying pan over high heat. Whilst this is heating, add all remaining ingredients to your food processor and pulse until mixture is somewhere between smooth and chunky - we don't want it to turn into hummus! Wet your hands and form the mixture into small patties - about 1cm thickness, you should get about 10. Place into hot pan and fry for a few minutes on each side, until crisp and golden. 

Serve with guacamol-pea, salad and flatbread ♥

Enjoy!

Moroccan chickpea soup with wholewheat cous cous

New Year's Resolution Number 1: Start blogging again.

I've been kinda lazy with my Gentle Lentil posts lately - work was super busy so the last thing on my mind in the evenings was blogging, instead I've been getting sucked into 12458621 series marathons (HELLO OITNB, Homeland etc.). I've been lazy with my meals too - beige-y carbs ahoy - but all of that is about to change, I want to start eating fun, colourful food again!

I've been meaning to post this soup for months, I've made it a few times now and it's really delicious - it's also filling enough to have for a main meal. You might find it difficult to track down ras-el-hanout and harissa, I ended up finding mine in a local healthfood shop and Marks & Spencer - either way, these two ingredients are essential!

This recipe serves four.

Hope you enjoy ♥
 
Ingredients

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced into small cubes
• 5 cloves of garlic, grated
• 1 inch of ginger, grated 
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp ras-el-hanout
• 2 tbsp harrisa paste
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tin chickpeas
• 80g wholewheat cous cous
• 800ml vegetable stock
• ½ a lemon, juiced
• Chopped coriander, for serving 

Method

Heat 2 tsps of olive oil in a large saucepan, add chopped onion and carrot. Fry this over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a further minute. Add ras-el-hanout and harissa and stir well - fry for a minute. Finally, stir in the tinned tomatoes, chickpeas and about 700ml of the vegetable stock - we just need to reserve enough to prepare the cous cous with. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for around 20 minutes. 

Whilst the soup is simmering we will prepare the cous cous. Pour dry cous cous into a bowl with 1tsp olive oil. Add 100ml of hot vegetable stock and cover. Allow this to soak for 20minutes and when ready, uncover and fluff with a fork.

After 20 minutes, remove soup from heat and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Ladle the soup into bowls and add a large spoonful of cous cous to each. Serve with a good sprinkling of chopped coriander. Enjoy!