Honey & Basil Strawberries with Lemony Vegan Ricotta & Simple Vegan Mock Ricotta Recipe

                  

Bonjour my loverlies!

So, I was playing around with my vegan mock ricotta cheese recipe I made the other day and felt she needed perking up. 
I also decided to make a bit of extra effort in the food photography department to go along with the snazziness of this dessert.

It is not a mistake that Basil & strawberry are hanging out together. 
Yes, Basil is an herb that goes very well in savoury and in sweet applications. 
I know it sounds mad but trust me it's sooooooo good! 
You might be surprised to see how many culinary shows are doing this mix together. One of my favs is to pair them with avocado as a really palatte pleasing salad. 
That however, is another recipe for another day.

One of the coolest ways I have had this combo is a strawberry basil macaron from this wonderful place I adore. 
It's called Pâtisserie de Nancy on Monkland Avenue in NDG here in Montréal. 
I could not stand macarons until I tried one of theirs.
Oh! So divine!
 I adore the cherry one's best but the mojito, vanilla, along with the strawberry basil & the passion fruit are just as delightful!
If you're ever in town you must stop there, I had a lovely convo with Nancy about her marvellous macarons-say that 3 times fast! 
I explained how surprised I was because every time I had had macarons before they had been so cloyingly sweet that my teeth hurt and I ended up throwing them away. She explained that her husband is the pastry Chef & he hails from France, he makes them the way he learned & perfected the recipe there and now I get to indulge in them here! This is the shop and some pics of her confections that I came across.
                                   
                                   
I am so eager to go there and get some scrumptious treats!
So, I suppose people would like the recipe. 
You will need the Vegan Mock Ricotta recipe on the bottom, after the Honey & Basil recipe post to make this simple & smashing dessert. Scroll down & you will see her.

HONEY & BASIL STRAWBERRIES WITH LEMONY VEGAN RICOTTA:

Ingredients :
1 Cup Vegan Ricotta, chilled
Zest of 1 Lemon
2 Tbsp Organic honey(you may use Maple or Agave syrup to keep it vegan)
1 tsp Vanilla
4 Basil leaves sliced fine into a chiffonade
1 Cup Strawberries chopped small dice

Method:
-Chop strawberries, add Basil, vanilla, & honey. Stir gently & allow to macerate on the counter while prepping the vegan ricotta.
-Zest 1/2 the lemon into the ricotta, stir throughout.
-Serve by portioning out 1/4 cup of vegan ricotta into 4 pretty serving bowls.
-Evenly portion out the strawberry mixture.
-Zest a bit of lemon on top of the portions just before serving.
-Serve immediately.

                               

                               

                                

                                  

When I went raw vegan a ways back, I had tried a recipe from another blog and was happy with the texture but found the flavour was lacking. I am no longer able to be vegan thanks to my health issues but I still like to incorporate healthy foods and I find my numerous allergies, which include dairy, have left a sad cheesy void in my life. 
So, we improvise. No, it's not real ricotta cheese but it's a good compromise & works beautifully in uncooked applications.
It's not a cheap item to make, as Macadamia nuts & pine nuts are at the base of this recipe, however, I made an effort to keep it from being too cost prohibitive by using small amounts with great success. 
Real ricotta cheese was always a splurge item for special occasion recipes anyways, in my home at least. 
It's so easy peasy & looks lovely when served, you will impress any vegetarians & non-vegetarians in your life.

MOCK VEGAN RICOTTA CHEESE:

Cost range: Medium - High
Prep time: 15 mins. (Does not include soaking nuts & chill time)
Difficulty: Super easy
Serves: 2-4 people
Freeze: Not recommended, keeps 3 days in fridge.

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Raw macadamia nuts
2 Tbsp Raw pine nuts
*In separate bowls for each nut, soak by covering with filtered water for 2-3 hours & then rinse thoroughly before using.

2 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp Pink sea salt
1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 Cup Filtered water

*The reason the nuts must be soaked & rinsed is to soften them & remove any enzyme inhibitors that are naturally occurring on the nuts.

Method:

In a blender, add all ingredients and blend until slightly grainy in consistency. Add a Tbsp of water or more as needed but not too much.
Place in bowl, cover & chill for minimum 4-6 hours. Overnight is fine.

This recipe can be used in the sweet application as in the recipe above or you can use it in a savoury application, as the picture below demonstrates.

                          
This last image is sliced Roma tomatoes with fresh basil leaves, mock ricotta nestled between, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with Crumesan, salt and pepper to taste. So pretty & yummy!

Remember to share with someone you love & leave your comments or questions below, I love to hear from you.

Take care, be well, love freely...

Chef Kiki

The Kikicolada Smoothie Vegan & Gluten-free

Bonjour one and all!

It is Tasty Tuesday and that means recipe time!
Hot and hazy summer days are still here and I am on a 30-day liquid fast, that consists of special drinks, herbal tea’s steeped with fruits, freshly juiced juices, smoothies, and spring water.
Sadly, while trying to help a friend, I was re-exposed to toxic black mold by accident, for about 2 solid hours, back in June; and I have been paying for it ever since.
It means mold detox protocols, coping with health set backs, and a bit of a tough break but praying through it.
Won’t get into all that today, as I am here to post a scrumptious recipe which I am super psyched to share with you!
Turns out, I have a thing for pina coladas but as per usual, not a fan of alcohol, so I look for  healthier versions.
Unfortunately, so many I come across use coconut cream or coconut milk and I find it too rich and thick. There’s also major white sugar in most recipes that I cannot deal with, as it sets my autoimmune system into overdrive. I end up taking a sip or two and cannot finish it.
Such a sad, lonely, pina colada waste. Waaah waaah...
Good news though! Frustration and cravings seem to make for great creative companions, and in the end I chose to play in the kitchen and make my own version.
Yes, you can like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain Kiki!

                  I know, I found a pink coconut!

                    I do so love the rain, le sigh...

This recipe made me very happy indeed.
I got a great mild coconutty flavour that perfectly balanced with the pineapple. I used a small piece of avocado to give that richness one is used to in a colada, plus it gave some additional healthy fats.
I was thrilled to have come across some young coconuts whilst I was getting my food prep done, in order for this liquid fast fun!
Yes, it may seem odd but I do enjoy, and even look forward to the periods of fasting in my life. This time around I was really feeling the need to step back from eating and just get back to basics.

Here is the recipe, it made exactly one large mason jar with  a tablespoon or two leftover for taste testers in the local vicinity. There were none at my place so I got to enjoy it all! Mwuah hahahaha!

The Kikicolada

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup fresh young coconut meat
1 Cup fresh ripe pineapple
1/3 Cup fresh coconut water
1/3 Cup fresh pineapple juice
1/4 Cup spring water
1/4 Avocado ripe
1 small, ripe baby banana
1 Tbsp ground flax

Method:
-Blend all, serve over ice and enjoy immediately.

Side note: I used the juice from the pineapple that I bought that had already been cut, (I burned myself pretty badly recently and pre-cut is helping) there is always a good amount of that juice in the container and it tastes so good, do not waste it!

I hope you and yours really enjoy this recipe, it is a wonderful edition to those summer smoothies that brighten up any day.

Leave me your comments or questions down below, and if you try it, let me know how this recipe turned out for you.

Take care, be well, love freely...

Chef Kiki

Hygge as a Good Part of Self-care & Christian Living

Bonjour mes amours!

Today is a day for Hygge and all things Hygge related.
As we have hit the after holidays slump and we have realized that now the winter long-haul is upon us, it is Hygge time!

Excuse moi, but what is this Hygge of which thou speakest fair maiden?
What a good question grasshopper, let us begin the journey to answering said question.

In case you have been living under a rock, maybe in a cave with bedouins, volunterring in some isolated jungle, or just out of the loop, Hygge has become all the rage and is one of the more healthy trends of late. It is a gift to the world from the Danes, and is purportedly one of the main reasons so many in that part of the world report high levels of happiness.

What is so appealing about this trend is that it can be practiced alone, as a couple, or in a group with family and or friends.

It can be as simple as enjoying a cupcake by yourself with some pretty flowers and your favourite hot beverage.

Warming up your footsies by the fireplace in the wee hours of the morning, in your favourite pyjamas or comfy pants.

Gathered at the table, with comfort foods galore, inviting and relaxed lighting, good people to appreciate it all with while laughing and telling tales. It can also be moments you spend outdoors, as long as you are chillaxing, cosy, well prepared, and content.

Hygge goes well with the new buzz word self-care, and as I have struggled of late with much, Hygge has really resonated.

I adore the simplistic beauty and security that is nurtured by this movement.

Which is why my 2019 is truly, a journey in self-care, respect, and calm. I am actively seeking moments like what Hygge offers, and have been asking God to bring me to more moments, enlightenment, and people that nurture said actions.

There have been books written on this nordic tradition and they make for relaxing, inspiring, and lovely reading. I curated a few here for you, which I have found everywhere from my bookstore, the interweb, to Pinterest. I am not going to link these because I feel part of getting into the Hygge spirit is doing for you, at your own pace, investing in your well-being by finding out more for yourself.

There were some lovely recipes that I came across and wanted to share. I love that it is family, couples, or singles friendly, and it is healthy, comfort food, with a new yet familiar appeal.

I woke up this Sunday morning and remebered I had forgotten to contact my church buddy for a lift the night before, but I realized that the -27 degree weather we have been hit with this week in Quebec has been the perfect opportunity to get my Hygge on; while incorporating some Jesus time.

This was what my day started as and it has led to this delightful sense of reassuring, soothing, calm, that has been an elusive struggle this past week.
For some reason I wanted hot cocoa, not tea, which was a surprisingly nice change of pace. I made myself some eggs with my kimchee, gluten-free bagel thin, and a wonderful Asian apple pear. I made sure to set up a candle and have the Hygge cosies at the ready. I listened to the sermon and took note in my Bible of passages that were important during the sermon. It was all very calm.

It is important to approach the moment in a simple, healthful and inviting way. 

Food that is comforting and sustaining with a bit of colourful whimsy is encouraged.

I like this slow movement and am committed to nurturing more of it in my life.

The foods that we are encouraged to eat come from the Nordic diet staples, I sub out anything that has gluten for non-gluten, healthy alternatives. I won't lie though, man do I evah miss barley; but I digress.

Hygge is not only for during the cold winter months but is seen as a year round practice to enjoy and embrace .

The idea of self-care and Hygge may seem a bit strange and foreign to some, but it is a timely and Christian approach to the life that God has blessed us with. And when I think of Jesus, who is known as the Prince of Peace, Light of this World, I recall that he and his apostles gathered and broke bread. I am sure this happened many times before the last supper, and that there was always a sense of renewal, safety, and soulful love permeating every one of those shared moments. To me Hygge is part of fulfilling God's desire for our lives. Putting away the distractions, casting off the world weariness, stillling ourselves and coming back to center. What a glorious and healing gift that is pure simplicity, based on what we need as people, and dropping what we believe we must have.

Have a lovely and blessed day and try to Hygge away those winter blues with comfort and care!

Take care, be well, God bless...

Chef Kiki