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Catherine Evans

~ Creative Artist and Food & Lifestyle Blogger

Catherine Evans

Tag Archives: Vegan

Basil Gnocchi with Mediterranean Vegetables

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Posted by catherineevans63 in Food and Drink, Uncategorized

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conversation, Food, Gluten-free, Recipe, talk, Vegan, Vegetables

During the Lockdown period I have seen a few TV programmes featuring celebrity chefs preparing gnocchi.

Now, I have tried pre-packaged gnocchi from the supermarket several times in the past but it was never to my liking. It often has a strange, slimy texture and is under seasoned, tasting of very little at all; an underwhelming dining experience, it must be said.

For me, texture is a very important consideration when preparing meals. If something looks and tastes ‘wrong’ to my palate I am unable to eat it and I am sure many people share my sentiments. Gnocchi has usually had this effect upon me, thus I tend to avoid it.

However, recently having watched TV programmes showcasing tempting plates and inventive recipe ideas with gnocchi, and then discovering that gnocchi is a slightly healthier alternative to traditional white pasta, I did wonder whether I might be missing out on a taste sensation and might perhaps have more luck making my own gnocchi and, at the same time, make it gluten- and egg-free, so I decided to give it a go.

Gnocchi are little Italian soft dough dumplings often made with a blend of semolina or wheat flour, mashed potato, egg and seasoning and can be fried, baked or boiled. Other ingredients might include cornmeal or breadcrumbs, cheese or egg, and flavourings such as vegetables, herbs, cocoa or prunes.

I used Doves Farm plain (all purpose) gluten-free flour which is a blend of rice, potato, tapioca, maize and buckwheat and is also suitable for a Kosher diet. Recipes online suggest baking rather than boiling gluten-free gnocchi but I saw no reason why the little dumplings could not be boiled as long as handled with the love and respect any handcrafted product deserves.

One of the most important things is to use floury potatoes and make sure they steam dry before mashing and that it is well-seasoned with salt and pepper. The potato can be boiled first or baked in its jacket in a microwave oven before mashing A potato ricer, if you have one, makes it easier to get a nice smooth texture with no lumps, otherwise use a conventional potato masher and some elbow grease, but for my recipe do not add milk or butter or any beaten egg. Simply combine the potato with the plain flour, add chopped sage or any chopped herbs of your choice, and season well with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Form the gnocchi dough into little balls or lozenge shapes and use the back of a fork to create a crinkle effect, before boiling in a pan of salted water for a couple of minutes. When they are ready, the gnocchi will rise to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon on to kitchen paper to drain and then serve with any sauce of your choice – or even a simple drizzle of garlic infused olive oil and torn basil leaves, or a little pesto or sun dried tomato tapenade.

For a heartier plate and to keep this recipe vegan, any tomato-based sauce goes well with gnocchi, whether you roast whole cherry tomatoes in an oven with garlic and balsamic vinegar or use tinned chopped tomatoes. For a vegetarian, gnocchi can be enjoyed with roasted butternut squash and goat’s cheese or perhaps some spinach and ricotta. I decided to serve the gnocchi simply with a side of roasted Mediterranean vegetables – diced aubergine (eggplant), roughly chopped onions, tomatoes, courgette, tomatoes and bell peppers and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

I found the gnocchi cheap to make and easy to prepare, and the time taken was worth the effort as the result was delicious. I have discovered a liking for freshly-prepared gnocchi, they are tasty, filling and versatile and I will enjoy experimenting with different flavour and texture combinations.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Gnocchi 2
Gnocchi 3
Gnocchi 4
Gnocchi 5
Gnocchi 6
Gnocchi 7
Gnocchi 8

For the gnocchi

  • 400g   Potatoes, mashed
  • 50g     Gluten-free Plain flour
  • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • Finely chopped fresh or dried basil

For the vegetables

  • 1 Aubergine diced into 2cm chunks
  • 2 courgettes diced into 2cm chunks
  • Whole cherry tomatoes or quartered vine-ripened tomatoes
  • 2 red onions, roughly chopped into chunks
  • Red and Yellow Bell Pepper, deseeded and sliced into strips
  • Crushed garlic cloves (optional)
  • Olive oil
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Torn basil leaves (to serve)

 

  1. Boil floury potatoes in their skins in salt water, drain thoroughly and return to the pan to steam dry. Alternatively, microwave potatoes in their skins until cooked through.
  2. Wash and prepare the vegetables, drain well on kitchen paper and place in a roasting tin with some crushed garlic cloves if liked and a good glug of olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in a medium oven and roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
  3. On the hob, heat a large pan of salted water and bring to the boil.
  4. Meanwhile, as soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skins away with clean hands and either push the potatoes through a potato ricer or mash to remove any lumps. Turn potatoes out on to a large board.
  5. Measure out 50g plain flour on to the board and gently mix into the potatoes, along with chopped fresh or dried basil to your liking and season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add a little more flour if you think it is necessary, but only add one tablespoon at a time to avoid the dough becoming too dry.
  6. Carefully knead the dough for a few minutes until pliable and then roll into four thin sausage shapes 2-3 cm thick and cut each sausage into 3cm slices. Then either roll into balls or carefully mould into lozenges, using the back of a fork to create grooves which will help the sauce to stick to the dumplings.
  7. Carefully place the gnocchi in the pan of salted water and boil for about 2 minutes. They are ready when they rise to the surface and they will have puffed up a bit. Cook the gnocchi in two batches of two servings to ensure they do not stick together.
  8. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, toss with a little garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil and serve with the Mediterranean vegetables and torn basil leaves.


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KINGSTON YOGA AND VEGAN FOOD FESTIVAL

25 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by catherineevans63 in Food and Drink, Spirituality, Uncategorized

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Ashtanga, Bikram, chakras, Crafts, cruelty-free, Ethical, Festival, Food, Food Fair, Hatha Yoga, holistic, Kingston Grammar School, Kingston on Thames, Kundalini, Mayor, meditation, Natural, Organic, Raw Food, Spiritual, Vegan, Vegetables, Yoga

Me and my stall!
Me and my stall!
Browsing the Crafts
Browsing the Crafts
The folks from Panacea!
The folks from Panacea!
20161015_120813
RUDEVeganz was 'ere!
RUDEVeganz was ‘ere!
20161015_121306
Food for Thought
Food for Thought
Shabari, Tropic Skin Care and Beauty Consultant
Shabari, Tropic Skin Care and Beauty Consultant
A selection of the Tropic product range
A selection of the Tropic product range
The Saf of (Raw) Life!
The Saf of (Raw) Life!
Busy for lunch
Busy for lunch
Kriti with the Mayor of Kingston, Geoff Austin, and his wife Sheila
Kriti with the Mayor of Kingston, Geoff Austin, and his wife Sheila
Posture-checking with the chiropractors!
Posture-checking with the chiropractors!

Last Saturday (15 October) the Performing Arts Centre at Kingston Grammar School hosted the town’s first ever Yoga and Vegan Food Festival, a charity event organised by Kriti Sachdeva of Yogific and her team of volunteers. Admission was just £3 per person (free for children under 12 years) and included the talks, live music and the nine 30-minute yoga sessions, as well as the food and craft stalls. The yoga sessions included one specifically for children.

I had taken a stall, selling my handcrafted cards, jewellery, incense and other gifts. There was a wonderful array of stalls selling everything from cruelty-free cosmetics to tee-shirts and jewellery, vegan and raw vegan food to aloe vera and other ethical and organic products, as well as those publicising Yoga classes for the over 60s, a ‘stop the (deer) cull’ petition, free ‘posture checks’ and chiropractic consultations, reflexology and massage, the list was endless.

An attendance of 200-300 people was expected, but some 500 visitors actually came through the door – many with their colourful clothes and T-shirts proclaiming: “Vegan”, and carrying rucksacks and brightly rolled-up yoga mats, and eagerly browsing the many stalls and chatting with exhibitors, on their way to the classes and talks, and inevitably the event was a resounding success.

Doors opened at 9.15am for the day’s first yoga session and by this time there was already an orderly queue. Food and gift stalls were officially not open until 10.15am, although many exhibitors had finished setting up before trading was set to begin. There are many different styles of yoga available from teachers in the Kingston area, and each 30-minute session enabled visitors to try as many types as they wished.

Vegan and raw vegan food was offered by volunteers of Bhakti Yoga Institute – spicy samosas, chickpea curry with rice, ‘power balls’ (which contained an assortment of nuts), vegan lasagne. I tried some vegetable pakora, £1 for four with a spicy dip.

The Mayor of Kingston, Geoff Austin, and his lovely wife Sheila, and MP for Kingston, Mr James Berry, also attended the event. I met the Mayor as he and Sheila browsed my stall, and he bought one of my Fred and Merlin photo art cards. Fred and Merlin, for those of you who are unaware, are my two cats.

All proceeds from the event were donated to Momentum, which is the Mayor of Kingston’s charitable trust, and an animal welfare charity called Miracle’s Mission.

Founded in 2004, Momentum is an independent Kingston-based charity, which supports children and their families across Surrey and South West London who are undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, and at any given time they are supporting over 150 families. Recognising that all families are different, the charity offer support tailored to the needs of each family through their Family Support Programme, which offers both emotional and practical help as well as a variety of therapy services including music, dance and drama. Momentum seek to alleviate some of the stresses that are part and parcel of a demanding treatment plan, by providing trips and treats and respite holidays. They also work closely with local hospitals in order to improve facilities and healing atmosphere during the times children spend in hospital.

Miracle’s Mission was founded in April 2015, and is a UK charity based in Carlisle Cumbria, which aims to protect animals worldwide. The charity was inspired by a stray puppy called Miracle, who was found living on the streets of Borneo. The charity is funded entirely by their own events and by public donations and they receive neither government nor grant funding, and all profits are spent on saving the lives of animals in need and distress.

Miracle’s Mission are setting up their first big project in northern Borneo, known as the Trap, Neuter, Release and Manage Program. In Borneo, too many un-neutered stray dogs and cats are roaming the streets as they compete for too few homes and resources, which has resulted in a population crisis that may only be solved humanely through a neutering program. Constantly competing for food, water and shelter every day means that stray animals lead short and arduous lives that often end in cruelty.

Over 10,000 stray animals wander the streets and by neutering or spaying just one dog it is possible to save the lives of thousands of others being born on the streets. The charity will work alongside local Governments, schools and communities in order to promote the benefits of neutering and spaying and teach people why it is important to care for animals, especially strays who are more vulnerable and in danger of cruelty and violence. Unless urgent action is taken to reduce the number of stray puppies and kittens being born and protect those already in need, many thousands more will spend every day of their lives struggling to survive.

A word or two about a few of the exhibitors.

Panacea Health & Beauty natural health store. Established in 2006 at Kingston-on-Thames, this family-owned business has 5 branches in London and Watford, the Kingston branch is based at The Bentall Shopping Centre. They offer a wide range of the latest products to bring you a natural and healthy lifestyle and have a loyalty card scheme. Products include nutritional supplements, sports nutrition, aromatherapy, homeopathic remedies and herbs, natural and chemical-free cosmetics and skin care, and health foods (including wheat- and gluten-free and lactose-free). The health bar snacks are absolutely delicious! To find out more, visit panaceaonline.co.uk

Food for Thought health food store. Voted Independent Retailer of the Year 2016 in the Kingston Business Excellence Awards 2016, the business sells raw, vegan and vegetarian and ‘free from’ organic health foods, natural skincare and body care, vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements and homeopathy, as well as many of the more unusual products that are difficult to source elsewhere. I was offered a sample pack of BonPom Raw Organic Mulberry Crumble. This is a very versatile sprinkle comprising nothing but Turkish organic dried white mulberries and is a healthy substitute for sugar. It is also ideal for snacking or for sprinkling over ice cream or porridge (perhaps along with some sliced banana or chopped nectarine, for example) or stirring into yoghurt. The local shop premises are based at 38 Market Place, Kingston. Their website is foodforthoughtuk.com to find out more.

RUDE Veganz. A new business launched at the beginning of September, their website is currently under construction. Their quirky products include limited edition hand screen-printed garments, including T-shirts, for all ages, and fashion tote bags. Their products are 100% ethical, fair share, eco-friendly and vegan – style with attitude! Check out their Facebook page fb.com/RUDEVeganz or send a direct message to @RUDEVeganz.

Tropic Pure Plant Beauty. An affordable, natural, vegan and cruelty-free range of skin and body care, sun care, tanning products and cosmetics, backed by Susan Ma and Lord Alan Sugar of The Apprentice. I met Tropic Skin Care and Beauty Consultant Shabari, who has been vegan for over 20 years and looks glowing. The products are available either directly from Shabari or from her online shop and she also offers pamper packages which range from facials and hand treatments to makeovers and brow definitions for a range of special occasions such as office parties, baby showers, hen and pre-wedding pamper parties, along with a variety of gift sets. I tested one of the eyeshadow palettes and found the colours to be ‘true’ – they blended well and smoothly and did not rub off or fade, and a little goes a long way. I particularly like the sparkly silver! To find out more about Tropic or Shabari’s services, follow her on Twitter @ShabariTropic or Facebook fb.com/LoveTropic or visit her website at lovetropic.info.

Saf Life. Raw vegan products certified organic by the Soil Association. The business was established back in 2006, the driving force being to help people achieve their optimum health and wellbeing through holistic nutrition. Some of the snacks are also certified organic. The nutritious products are developed in-house and are packed with flavour. Grab-and-go packaging, ideal for quick and healthy snacking. Gluten- and dairy-free, the products are made at 46oC and are packed with protein and fibre, and contain no refined sugar. Choose from kale crisps (kale tossed in seasonings and then dehydrated for crispness – delicious!), cereal bites (a blend of fresh and dried mixed fruit, seeds, nuts, and superfoods to make a crunchy snack for under 90 calories) and activated crackers (a combination of fresh fruit, vegetables and seeds/nuts) to name a few. To find out more, visit saf-life.com or follow them on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Yogific, organisers of this event, offer Yoga and Bollywood Dance in Kingston, Staines and Egham. To find out more, please visit their website Yogific.com or contact Kriti Sachdeva on 07481 898608 or Yogific@gmail.com

 

 

Catherine

 

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