Kefir and Wasabi dip

Ingredients

200g Kefir or plain Greek yogurt
200g raw, roasted, unsalted Cashew nuts.
4 large Wasabi leaves cut into fine strips, ( could use the paste in tubes, 2 teaspoons or more according to taste.)
2 cloves of garlic, remove green shoot as this is bitter if uncooked.
2 teaspoons of Horseradish. I use home grow but shop bought ok.
2 teaspoons of hot mustard.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method

Place all ingredients in TMX Bowl and mix on speed 10 until smooth and creamy.   This could take up to 5 minutes. Scrape down after each minute.

Notes
Good as a dip with carrot and celery sticks or fresh bread stick.
Use as Mayo to dress potato, rice or bean salad.
Nice with cold boiled eggs in a salad.
Use as a base cover on pizza instead of tomato.
Use instead of butter on savoury scones.

The amounts given are the minimum to blend efficiently. 

Caramelised Balsamic

Ingredients

250 g Balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
6 tablespoons of raw sugar. 

Method
Place all ingredients in TMX bowl and cook 10 minutes/ 100 / speed 3, CUP IN. 
Then cook 10 minutes/100/speed 3/ CUP OUT. 
Pour into sterile bottle and allow to cook before placing lid on. 

Notes
Can adjust with more sugar, taste first. 
I am soaking dried Turkish figs in this to add to a lentil and watercress salad. 

Inspiration for this recipe came from Community , cook book. I would recommend this to anyone who loves salads. I have adapted the recipe to TMX, and changed the ingredients slightlyI hesitated to publish this recipe as Helene at Super Kitchen Machine has one that is similar. The difference is that Helene's recipe uses honey, this one brown and raw sugar. 
There is a shortage of honey in Australia at the moment due to drought in many of the forests where the hives are placed. I tend therefore not to use honey in cooking. 

Puy Lentils with Caramelised Balsamic soaked Figs, Watercress and Walnuts

Puy Lentils with Balsamic soaked Figs, watercress and Walnuts.

« on: Today at 06:40:11 am »

We are not great salad eaters. Yes we love our hot veggies and with our new veggie garden, 1/2 of which will be salad veggies, things have to change. With this in mind, I bought a new cook book, Community.  The author is Hetty McKinnon. What grabbed my attention was that most recipes are based on what I have in my pantry , fridge and garden.
As I looked through the book I was saying, that looks good and yes I can make that. And yes, that is TMX friendly.

Ingredients. For 3 large serves.

6 Turkish dried figs, sliced
150g Puy lentils, rinsed
2 cups of mixed salad greens, watercress or rocket or radish top, if you have it.
1 dessert spoon EVOO.
1 small clove of garlic, smashed.
50g feta
1/2 cup roasted Walnuts.
Caramelised Balsamic, enough to cover figs. (See previous recipe. )

Soak figs in Caramalised Balsamic, 3 hours or over night.
Place lentils in TMX basket and add 1 litre of water to bowl. Cook 30 minutes,/100/ speed 3.
Add lentils while still warm to figs. Add oil and garlic.
When ready to serve mix in salad leaves.
Arrange on platter and add feta and walnuts.

I served this with salmon, but would go nicely with any fish, chicken or meat.
Could add roasted pumpkin.
Puy lentils remain whole when cooked, unlike other lentils. 

Creamy Vegetable Soup. or with Chicken

There is no added fat, cream, potato or flour in this soup and yet it is very creamy.
This makes4 cups or 1 litre.

Ingredients
3/4 Litre of vegetable or chicken stock. ( I made chicken by steaming in the basket, the bones from a take away chook).
1/4 of a large cauliflower or 1/2 of a small one. Broken up.
3 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 a Zucchini, cubed into 1/2 inch dice
1 carrot, cubed into 1/2 inch dice
A chicken flavour cube or I used a dessertspoon of Jo's Chicken stock paste.
Cubes of cooked chicken and chopped herbs for garnish ( optional)
Black or white Pepper. I used white.

Method

Cook cauliflower in chicken stock, 15 minutes/ 100/speed 2
Zap 30 seconds, speed 9
Add cubes of vegetables, and pepper, 10 minutes/ 100/speed1 REVERSE.
Add chicken, if using. Garnish with chopped parsley and chives.

Notes
Equally nice made with veggie stock and no chicken.