The Tropical Treat

Vegan

Ottolenghi’s easy sweet apple dumplings

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Ottolenghi’s fried apple dumplings with coconut caramel are an absolute treat. I discovered the recipe in his weekly Guardian column and thought I would give it a go.

It calls for tinned apples which I’ve never used to to cook before but will definitely be getting creative with from now on.

I like the tropical spin on Ottolenghi’s dumplings. They are like little crispy coconut laced apple pies. The apple is cooked and infused with dark brown sugar, rum, vanilla, lime leaf and a little flaked sea salt and then fried in coconut oil – so good! You can see how I make them here on my Instagram highlights.

If you want a change from vegetable or chicken gyoza then this is a great way to go. Don’t forget to make that gorgeous coconut caramel to dip those dumplings in. 

Makes 20
Prep 10 mins
Cook 35 mins
Total 45 mins

Ingredients

1x 385g tin sliced apples, drained (reserve the liquid) and roughly chopped into 1cm pieces
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 fresh or dry makrut lime leaf, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
45g dark muscovado sugar
2 tbsp dark rum 
Flaked salt
20 gyoza wrappers (defrosted, if frozen)
150ml coconut oil

Method

Put the apples and their reserved juices in a small saute pan with the cinnamon, lime leaf, vanilla, sugar, rum and half a teaspoon of flaked salt, then set it over a medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, put the coconut milk, sugar, lime leaf and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat, and cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until you have a smooth, dark brown caramel the consistency of single cream.

Keeping the gyoza wrappers under a damp cloth and working with them one at a time, moisten the edge of a gyoza wrapper with a little water and put a tablespoon of the cooled filling in the middle. Fold into a half-moon and firmly press the edges together. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filing.

Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, then fry the dumplings for a minute or two on each side, spooning the hot oil over them to ensure they colour evenly. When the dumplings are crisp and golden brown all over, drain on a plate lined with kitchen towel. Serve hot, sprinkled with flaked salt and with the warmed caramel alongside.

Black bean, tortilla and avocado salad with tomato salsa

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A simple Mexican inspired salad using ingredients you probably have in the cupboard and fridge, mix and match with whatever you have and use those leftovers.

Here we have black beans, tortilla, avocado, coriander, spinach leaves and an easy tomato salsa. It’s also high in protein so perfect if you’re looking for something easy to make post workout.

Serves 2
Prep 10 mins
Cook 25 mins
Total 35 mins

Ingredients

A handful of cherry tomatoes
1/2 pointed pepper, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno chilli 
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 corn tortillas
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chipotle chilli flakes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
A handful of coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped
400g carton black beans, drained and rinsed
60g spinach leaves
1 avocado finely sliced 

Method

First make the salsa. Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat. Put cherry tomatoes, pepper, jalapeño and garlic and dry fry until charred all over (roughly 8-10 mins). Leave aside to cool. 

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel the garlic and remove the stalk of the chilli and put in the food processor along with the tomatoes and pepper. Blend until smooth and sprinkle over a little salt.

Brush both sides of the corn tortillas with 1 tbsp olive oil and cut into quarters. Place onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper making sure they don’t overlap. Bake for 8-10 mins or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the red onion with a pinch of salt, chipotle and cumin and cook until softened. Add the coriander stalks and black beans and cook for a few minutes further.

Assemble the salad and coriander leaves on a plate with the avocado and tortilla. Place the beans on top and spoon over the tomato salsa. Enjoy!

Chilli harissa roasted root vegetables with almonds and feta

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Chilli harissa roasted root vegetables with almonds and feta. Perfect for the season and a great way to use any root vegetables you may have around. This warming veggie tray bake is perfect to have on its own or just use it as a side with roast chicken. 

I bought some new ingredients from Belazu to try out and decided on the smoked chilli harissa paste and Arbequina early harvest extra virgin olive oil. I discovered the brand after helping at a supper club with superstar chefs Alexandra Dudley and Nina Parker.

It’s the season for root vegetables (parsnips, squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes etc), cosy nights and dinners inside. And I thought spicing them up could be a nice twist.

It’s all very simple. Slice the vegetables up and coat with the harissa paste, lemon juice, olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Pop in the oven until it’s crispy and roasted to perfection.

Then plate (maybe drizzle a little more oil) and serve with toasted almonds, crumbled feta and sprinkle of coriander leaves. Enjoy!

Serves 4
Prep 15 mins
Cook 50 mins
Total 65 mins

Ingredients

300g baby carrots, top, tailed and halved
200g baby parsnips, top, tailed and halved 
1 large sweet potato, cut into batons
200g new potatoes, quartered 
3 tbsp Belazu’s Arbequina Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 tbsp Belazu’s Smoked Chilli Harissa 
Juice of 1 lemon 
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper 
30g almonds, toasted 
50g feta, crumbled 
Handful of coriander leaves, to serve (optional) 

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C / gas mark 6 / 400F. Put the root vegetables onto a large baking tray (making sure they don’t overlap).

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, chilli harissa, lemon juice and a little salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables in the harissa marinade, ensuring it is well coated. 

Roast for 50 minutes until the vegetables have crispy edges and cut easily with a knife, you may need to turn the vegetables over a couple of times. Drizzle over a little bit more olive oil.

Meanwhile, heat a medium sized pan, toast the almonds in 1 tsp of olive oil until lightly browned and leave to one side to cool.

To serve, transfer to a dish and sprinkle over the toasted almonds, crumbled feta and coriander leaves. Enjoy!

Banana, berry and mango smoothie bowl

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A delicious smoothie bowl with a little tropical twist – made from yogurt, frozen berries and bananas topped with fresh mango and blueberries. Sprinkle some of my nutty granola and coconut flakes and et voila. It’s my favourite breakfast!

Smoothie bowls have been all over Instagram for years and they are so easy to make which is great if mornings are busy for you. The colours are so pretty and vibrant, most importantly it tastes delicious! It’s also an easy way to get in lots of fresh fruit, feel free to mix it up.

With the colder weather coming I’ll probably start having this as dessert instead of breakfast. Enjoy!

Serves 2
Prep 10 mins
Cook 10 mins
Total 20 mins

Ingredients

2 small bananas, sliced
100g frozen mixed berries
1-2 medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
A few mint leaves, roughly torn 
1/2 a pot of Greek style natural yogurt 
50g fresh blueberries
50g fresh mango, chopped
1-2 tbsp nutty granola, optional
1-2 tbsp toasted coconut flakes, optional 

Method

Put the bananas, berries, dates, mint and yogurt in a blender. Blend until smooth and divide the smoothie into two bowls.

Top with fresh mango, blueberries, nutty granola (recipe here) and coconut flakes. Enjoy!

Grilled vegetable kebabs

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Nothing beats a kebab of some sort on a bright sunny day. These grilled vegetable kebabs are really easy to make and you can use whatever veggies you like or have at hand. I like mine bright and I always add a little bit of halloumi and plantain. These kebabs are perfect for a crowd at a barbecue or as a side for dinner with chicken, fish or quinoa.

Perfect sunny day or hot weather food. These vegetable kebabs can be prepared on a grill or on the barbecue. Have them with sweet scotch bonnet sauce, made with fresh mango, pineapple and scotch bonnet chillies, for a fiery kick.

I like to fry my plantain lightly first then put them on the skewers for a more caramelised flavour, but putting them straight onto the grill works well too.

Serves 4
Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Total 35 mins

Ingredients

For the sweet scotch bonnet sauce

160g pineapple, chopped
120g mango, chopped
1 2cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt 
1 tbsp honey
Juice of 1/2 lime
50 ml water
50 ml white vinegar
1-2 scotch bonnet chillies, finely chopped

For the grilled vegetable kebabs

1 yellow plantain, sliced into 1 cm rounds
1 courgette, sliced into 1 cm rounds
1 small red onion, roughly chopped 
1x red, yellow and orange pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped 
2 medium corn on the cob, sliced into 6 rounds
250g halloumi, sliced into chunks 
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

  1. First make the scotch bonnet sauce. Place all the ingredients except the scotch bonnet chilli into a blender or food processor, blitz until smooth. 
  2. Transfer to a small saucepan, add the chilli and bring to the boil. Leave to one side to cool. 
  3. Turn on the grill to a medium heat or prepare the barbecue. Thread the vegetables and halloumi onto metal or wooden skewers (make sure to soak the wooden skewers in water beforehand). 
  4. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 8 -10 minutes on each side or until the vegetables are lightly charred.
  5. Serve immediately with the sweet scotch bonnet sauce. Enjoy!

Super green smoothie

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Green smoothies can be an acquired taste especially if they are veggie heavy, but they can be very good for you. They’re normally packed with antioxidants (vitamin C and E anyone) which are immune- boosting and help to keep your skin healthy. It’s also an easy way to get leafy greens into your diet.

Spinach gives it the vibrant green colour, the apple and banana bring a little sweetness whilst the ginger adds some warmth. I also like to use baobab powder from Aduna in my smoothies, it’s an African super fruit rich in prebiotic fibre and vitamin C, it tastes a little like sherbet and is a great way to get an extra health kick. 

I make smoothies in my Nutribullet which is probably my favourite gadget in the kitchen but you can use any high speed blender or juicer to make it. Just sieve the smoothie if you prefer more of a juice.

Prep 20 mins
Serves 2

Ingredients

A good handful of baby spinach
1 small banana, sliced 
1 green apple, chopped 
1-2 tsp baobab powder
1 2cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
200ml coconut water or water
Ice

Method

Put everything in the blender starting with the spinach and finishing with a handful of ice cubes. 

Blend until smooth, sieve through before pouring into a glass if you prefer more of a juice.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, extra ginger or apple slices and enjoy!

Mango, kiwi and passion fruit salad

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Get some tropical vibes and Vitamin C with this simple fruit salad – mango, kiwi and banana in a light passion fruit syrup. It’s bright, delicious and full of natural goodness. I think we all could do with something super easy to make but is really good for us right now.

To be honest you can use any fruits you have at hand (now we are quarantining make the most of what you have tinned, frozen or fresh) and if you can’t get your hands on passion fruit, substitute with orange juice or clementines instead. 

With the Coronavirus looming I have definitely felt the need to step up and make sure I’m eating healthy, delicious and most importantly immune-boosting food. 

I made this fruit salad the first time to serve with a coconut tart I made a few weeks back but realised it’s pretty versatile. So put it on top of your porridge, eat it with some coconut granola and yogurt or just have it on it’s own…

Mango, kiwi and passion fruit salad

A simple tropical fruit salad – mango, kiwi, banana with a light passion fruit syrup. It’s bright, delicious and full of natural goodness. Get your vitamins in! This tropical fruit salad is lovely on its own, with some yogurt and granola or this toasted coconut custard tart.

  • 3 Passion fruit, halved and seeds scooped out 
  • 1-2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 200g mango, cubed
  • 4 ripe kiwis, peeled and quartered lengthways
  • 2 small bananas, cut into 1/4 inch slices

  1. First make the syrup, scoop the seeds out of the passion fruit and press the pulp into a small fine sieve over a small saucepan extracting the juice*.

  2. Over a medium heat, add the sugar to the juice stirring slowly until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and add the lemon juice and leave aside to cool.

  3. In a medium bowl, put the pieces of mango, kiwi and banana together. Pour over the syrup and toss ensuring all the fruit is coated in the passion fruit syrup.

  4. This is best eaten straight away but will keep for a day refrigerated. Enjoy!

*Keep one passion fruit aside and stir with the syrup if you like the seeds.

This recipe is slightly adapted from this delicious one over at Food and Wine.

Banana Fritters with Rum Caramel

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Bananas, spiced rum and caramel are a delightful trio of tropical flavours. Pillowy soft banana fritters dipped in a deep rum caramel sauce – sweet, comforting and dangerously good. This is a great way to use ripe bananas or plantains and ideal for an after dinner treat or a sweet addition to a brunch spread. Make sure to dust them with a little icing sugar whilst they’re warm!

Banana fritters, buñuelos or mosa? Whatever the name, these delicious treats seem to appear in some way all over West Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

It’s really no surprise since they are a very simple and easy to make using ingredients that naturally grow in abundance in these regions. And i’ve taken some inspiration from the Caribbean here as I think rum works really with bananas and caramel. 

The internet is full of banana fritter recipes but this one is completely vegan and so a lovely treat for all. 

It’s perfect to make quickly after dinner or as part of a brunch where there’s already lots of savoury dishes on the table.

As much as I don’t like to fry, I really don’t think there’s any other way to achieve fritter perfection. Let me know if you do make them and enjoy!

Serves 4 -6
Prep 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Total 35 mins

Ingredients

For the fritters

4 large ripe bananas (390g), mashed 
30g golden caster sugar
125g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder 
1 vanilla pod, split open and seeds scraped out
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Sunflower oil, for frying
1 tbsp icing sugar, to serve 

For the rum caramel sauce 

200g white caster sugar
60ml water
100g salted butter
200ml double cream
Pinch of sea salt 
60ml spiced rum

Method

Make the rum caramel first. Put the caster sugar in a large frying pan over a medium heat with water. Swirl the pan round to ensure the water covers all the dry bits of sugar. The sugar should start to deepen in colour fairly quickly (keep a very close eye so it doesn’t burn).

Once it’s a light amber colour take it off the heat and stir in the butter until it’s melted, followed by the double cream, salt and rum. Once the caramel is smooth and glossy leave it aside to cool.

In a medium size bowl mash the bananas with a fork and whisk in the sugar until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. 

Heat sunflower oil in a heavy deep frying pan (half fill) until a cube of bread sizzles and turns brown ensuring the oil doesn’t get too hot.

Using an ice cream scoop carefully drop the batter (roughly 2tbsps) into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Cook for a couple of minutes until even in colour, gently remove with a slotted spoon and transfer onto kitchen paper. 

Repeat until the batter is finished and sprinkle over icing sugar whilst the fritters are still crisp and warm. Serve up!

Sweet potato burgers with avocado and chilli jam

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Wholesome, healthy and just delicious. I really love sweet potatoes – one of the best tropical root vegetables. I can’t think of anything better than having them in burger form with a few greens, avocado and some chilli jam on the side.

It’s a great alternative if you’re vegan / veggie or just want to eat less meat like me. There are quite a few steps with this recipe but it’s well worth it.

These sweet potato burgers would also work well on the barbecue giving them a nice smoky flavour. Make them in advance and chill in the fridge until you’re ready to grill. If you take away the burger buns you could also have sweet potato stacks with eggs for brunch.

Deliciously good sweet potato burgers with avocado, spinach and chilli jam. It’s a winner!

Serves 4
Prep + Chill 45 mins
Cook 45 mins
Total 90 mins

Ingredients

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
175g spring greens, shredded
3 tbsp olive oil
6 spring onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed 
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chilli powder
30g roasted almonds, chopped
75g mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower and sesame)
2 tsp sweet chilli sauce 
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 burger buns toasted, to serve 
1 large red onion sliced, to serve
1 large avocado sliced, to serve
50g baby spinach, to serve 
Chilli jam, to serve 

Method

  1. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 2-3cm chunks. Place in a large saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil, cook until tender. Drain, leave to one side to cool and then mash the sweet potatoes. Boil the spring greens for 5 minutes, drain and chop coarsely. 
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the spring onions and garlic until softened. Add paprika and chilli powder. 
  3. In a medium sized bowl mix sweet potato, spring greens and nuts. Stir in flour and sweet chilli and season well with salt and black pepper.
  4. Divide the mixture into 4 parts and shape into burger patties (about 2 cm thick). Cover the burgers with mixed seeds (spread the seeds on a clean surface and press the patties down to coat evenly). Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes so the burgers firm up and hold their shape.
  5. Preheat the oven to 200C/ gas mark 6 / fan oven 180C. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Gently place the burgers in the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Drain any excess oil with kitchen paper. 
  6. Transfer to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and cool for a few minutes.
  7. Serve in toasted burger buns with spinach, avocado and chilli jam.

Nutty Coconut Granola

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A wholesome, crunchy and deliciously nutty coconut granola. For a healthy and quick breakfast this granola is the one. It tastes so good especially with peaches, bananas and raspberries and its also packed full of almonds, coconut and pumpkin seeds (hello good skin).

Batch make this over a free weekend, store in a kilner jar and eat whenever you like. 

I love a good granola and was inspired to make some with coconut which I think goes really well with all types of fruits. Pick whatever fruits work for you. Sometimes shop bought granola just doesn’t hit the spot so here we have it…

Serves 2
Prep 10 mins
Cook 40 mins
Total 50 mins

Ingredients

150g jumbo rolled oats
30g pumkin seeds
30g flaked almonds 
30g toasted coconut flakes
1tbsp coconut oil
50ml maple syrup
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp apple juice 

Method

  1. First preheat the oven to 150C/ gas mark 2 / 300F. Mix together oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds  and coconut flakes. 
  2. In a small pan gently heat coconut oil, maple syrup, honey and apple juice together, bring to the boil. Pour the mixture over the dry oats and seeds. Mix well.
  3. Line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper and spread the mixture across them in an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown making sure to stir and shake up the granola every 10 minutes.
  4. Layer the granola in glasses with coconut yogurt, raspberries, sliced bananas and peaches. It’s ready to serve up!