CHOCOLATE ALMOND CANTUCCI (BISCOTTI)

Adapted from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food, one of my favourite American cookery books.

Cantucci are made to last a long time so the dough has no perishable fats that could go rancid (oil, butter, etc.), so if anyone is trying to pass off cantucci containing any fat other than eggs, they're not cantucci! These are also known as biscotti (biscuits) outside Italy/Europe. But really, they're a specific biscotti from Prato. Regardless, they come together in no time and are very versatile... delicious with pine nuts or any other nut, raisins, chocolate shavings, etc.

They're supposed to be very dry, and are usually enjoyed dipped into coffee or a sweet dessert wine - traditionally Vin Santo -  when they soften a bit, making them bite-able.

Chocolate Almond Cantucci (Biscotti)
Makes 2-3 dozen biscuits, depending on the size of the loaf and thickness of slices

- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp almond or vanilla extract
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp citrus zest (lemon or any type of orange)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/175 C. Spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until just fragrant, about 7 min.
2. In a large bowl beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla (or almond) extract, and zest until the mixture falls in a nice ribbon (3-4 min.).
3. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and fold the almonds into the dough (it will be a very stiff batter rather than a dough).
4. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, divide the dough into two portions. Shape into 3-4 in. wide logs using moistened hands so it doesn't stick. The dough will spread a bit so space logs at least 3-4 in. apart. Re-moisten hands as needed and smoothen out any lumps or unevenness in the logs.
5. Bake until just firm, 25-30 min. Remove from the oven and cool for 10-15 min. (If baked or cooled for too long the logs might harden, making it difficult to slice them so do keep and eye on the time).
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F/150 C.
7. Remove each cooled log from the parchment and set on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut log into diagonal slices, about 1/2 in. thick  Lay the slices on the baking sheet - they can be quite close together, don't need to be spaced (use two baking sheets if needed, although I have never needed to do that).
8. Bake cut cantucci for 10 min., then flip onto the other side and bake another 10-15 minutes until crisp.
9. Enjoy with a coffee, espresso, or a dessert wine. The crumbs from cutting the biscuits are terrific on ice-cream! 

LAHMACUN: SPICY TURKISH "PIZZA"

Lahmacun: Spicy Turkish "Pizza"

makes: 8-10 lahmacun

Crust:
- 2-1/2 cups AP (all-purpose) flour

- 3/4 cup milk or water (milk will make the bottom of the crust a nice golden colour)

- 2 tbsp. olive oil

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp sugar

- 1-1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

Topping:

- 1/2 lb. ground lamb

- 1 green chile, finely chopped (cayenne, jalapeño, serrano, any...)

- 1 tomato, finely chopped

- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tbs. Turkish red pepper and tomato paste

  (if you can't find this, use a coarsely blended roasted red capsicum and tomato)

- 2 tsp. red chile powder

- 1 tsp. cumin powder

- 1 tsp. black pepper powder

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1 tsp. smoked red paprika

- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

- 1 tbsp. olive oil

1. In a large bowl mix the topping ingredients until everything is mixed well but don't over mix. Let everything sit in the fridge for a few hours, up to 24 hrs.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the crust in a bowl. Mix and knead for 5-7 min. into a smooth supple dough, using a bit more water or milk if needed. Transfer into a large bowl and let it rise for 1-1/2 to 2 hrs. It doesn't need to rise like pizza dough so don't worry if it hasn't doubled after rising.
3. After the dough has risen, gently deflate and divide into 8 - 10 small balls (about the size of a lemon). Cover with a kitchen towel so the dough balls don't dry out, and allow to rest for 10-15 min.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C.
5. Flour your work surface, and roll out one dough ball at a time into a fairly thin round, about as thick as a tortilla or a wrap or a roti. Evenly spread 1 - 1-1/2 tbsp. of the meat mixture on the dough. Don't make too thick a layer of meat otherwise it won't cook properly.
6. On a pizza stone or in a baking tray, bake each lahmacun for about 5-7 min. All ovens heat differently so keep a close eye on the oven when baking the first couple to figure out the exact time your oven takes to fully cook these.
7. Continue rolling, topping, and baking the lahmacuns and stack them as they come out of the oven.
8. Before eating, squeeze a bit of lemon on your lahmacun, top with red chile flakes and a bit of green salad if you want, roll and enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

SUPERFOOD CHOCOLATE MOUSSE!

You'd never guess this gorgeous silky mousse is made from... avocados!! It's so nourishing and energising that you can have it for any meal of the day, even as a snack.

Superfood Chocolate Mousse!
makes: 2 servings

- 1 medium (or 2 small) ripe avocados 

- 1/4 cup raw cacao powder, or more to taste (use regular unsweetened cocoa powder if you don't have raw cacao)

- 5 dates, pitted and roughly chopped

- 1/4 cup orange juice (or water)

- 1 tsp. natural vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean powder (optional)

- A pinch of sea salt

- Honey or maple syrup (if required, to adjust sweetness)

Topping Ideas

Toasted coconut, shaved dark chocolate, fruits, nuts, granola, etc.

1. Soak the dates in the orange juice for 10-15 minutes to soften. In a blender, add the avocado flesh, dates, juice, salt, cacao powder, and vanilla if using. Blend until smooth. You will most likely need to scrape down the sides of the blender jar a few times. 
2. Taste and adjust cacao and sweetness to taste. Serve immediately with toppings of choice. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

SPICED MAPLE ROASTED PECANS

Spiced Maple Roasted Pecans

makes: 4 cups

- 4 cups raw pecan halves

- 1/3 cup Grade B maple syrup

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tbsp water

- 1 tsp powdered nutmeg

- 1 tsp powdered cinnamon

- 1 tsp powdered all spice

- 1 tsp powdered cloves

- 1 tsp powdered cayenne pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Put the pecans in a single layer on two baking trays and roast for 10 minutes or until they are slightly darker and fragrant. Remove from the oven.
3. In a wok (or a wide pan), mix together the powdered spices, salt, and maple syrup and cook on medium-low until the mixture bubbles and smells fragrant.
4. Add the roasted pecans and water and fold everything together until the pecans are completely coated with the maple-spice mixture. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
5. Transfer the pecans to two parchment or wax paper lined trays. Spread them out into a single layer and leave them alone for at least 30 minutes (the pecans can be served immediately but they'll be a bit sticky. I usually leave them out on a table to dry out for 24 hours).
6. Transfer to a container and refrigerate or leave at room temperature.

RAW SOUP, OR SAVOURY DINNER SMOOTHIE

I love this mildly earthy raw soup at any time but especially at dinner when I don't want the sweetness of fruits, and need a quick dinner after the gym. 

Raw Soup, or Savoury Dinner Smoothie

makes: 32 oz.

- 1 small beetroot, peeled and cubed

- 1 cup cucumber chunks

- 2 small zucchini, cubed

- 1 capsicum (any colour), trimmed and cut into chunks

- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (or tomato chunks)

- 1 packed cup red amaranth (sometimes also called red spinach) or other greens

- 12-15 sprigs cilantro (or parsley)

- 1 tbsp. fennel seeds (optional)

- 1 lemon, juiced

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 2 - 3 cups water

1. Put all the vegetables, fennel seeds if using, lemon juice, salt, and 1-1/2 cups water into a blender jar. Blend everything till smooth. Add water to adjust consistency and enjoy! This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

CHERRY CHIA PUDDING

Reality check on chia (and other food fads): you're not going to get thinner, more gorgeous, at peace, glowing skin, supple feet, or whatever else product marketers have been telling you by over-dosing on any one or two foods. The only way to achieve any of the above goals (and more) is to work hard to get where you want to be. That means being active but more importantly, eating a large variety of foods, not excluding foods on a whim (gluten-free is another trend but unless you're truly gluten-sensitive or have celiac, you're doing yourself a disservice by eating the guar gum, xanthan gum and whatever else is in gluten-free goods). All grains are good in moderation - they're heavy on the stomach so instead of cutting out an entire group of grains to feel light, simply reduce the frequency with which you consume grains. That way you'll feel light and satisfied. And satisfaction from meals is important to happiness and mental well-being.

Additionally, calm down. Before you start going on a quinoa binge because someone told you it's a complete protein etc. etc., check your facts. Know what a complete protein is really. Rice and beans have been an ancient combination that makes a complete protein. Way before quinoa arrived. It's fine to eat it but there's no need to go nuts and start replacing everything with quinoa. I don't like quinoa and I don't care how great it is, I'll find something else I like. Like millet. Which even now is a part of many cultures world-wide, including Indian. But even so, I know heaps of Indian people who wouldn't dream about eating millet but they worship quinoa. It's silly. No one will give anyone a prize for going overboard on food trends! Eat normally.

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is so devoid of nutrition and has resulted in such an unhealthy population that food fads with tall claims work in the US. People are so eager to get their health back that they will spend a lot of money on so-called superfoods to get the same benefits they could get from eating readily available natural and whole foods. Because there's no commonplace system to educate people on how to care for themselves through their diet and lifestyle. It's a trend that is slowly being reversed, but in a somewhat dishonest way. I thank my stars every day that I am from a culture and family that still eats seasonal fresh foods and minimal processed foods.

Moral of the story: make informed decisions, examine food habits of your own culture and adapt to suit your circumstances, examine the source of your information, and educate yourself on how nutrition needs have been met for centuries in ancient cultures. And eat food because you like it, not just because you read somewhere that it's a "superfood". Whatever that means. Satisfying your taste buds matters!!

All that being said, this nut- and dairy-free chia pudding is excellent for adding variety to your breakfast or tea-time snack! It's filling and light, both.

Chia seeds, native to the Americas, are from a plant in the mint family. And while they don't make an excellent herb like mint does, they are a good source of essential fats and minerals like calcium and phosphorous. In fact the nutritional profile of chia is very similar to that of our good old sesame seeds... which are terrific ground into tahini and spread on toast with jam or honey. Or mixed into hummus, which is protein-packed and low-fat.

So chia is native to the Americas, and Native American tribes, Aztecs, and Mesoamerican people ate chia because it's what grew here! Not because they imported it from somewhere so they could eat a superfood and become hot and hip. Those folks definitely ate local!

Tukmaria is another seed that hydrates, swells, and gelatinizes similarly to chia, but the two aren't related. Tukmaria are seeds of the sweet basil plant whereas chia is from the mint family. Sweet basil is the same basil commonly known as Thai basil. Like all seeds, tukmaria seeds also are nutrient-dense and are a bit lower in calories than chia. They can be used the same way as chia, and this pudding would be excellent with tukmaria seeds!

Cherry Chia Pudding

Makes: 1 serving

- 3 tbsp. chia seeds

- 1/8 cup rolled oats

- 1 tbsp. desiccated unsweetened coconut (optional)

- 1 tbsp. Grade B maple syrup (optional)

- 1 cup water

- 1-1/2 cups red cherries

- 1/4 cup blueberries (or any other fruit)

1. Blend until smooth the oats, water, and coconut and maple syrup if using.
2. Put the chia seeds in a bowl and mix well with the blended oats mixture. Set aside for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up any chia lumps.
3. Pit and quarter the cherries.
4. In a jar, breakfast bowl, or any other container, add the blueberries. Add about half of the chia mixture, then add half of the cherries. Add the remaining chia mixture and top with the remaining cherries.
5. Enjoy immediately, or leave overnight on the countertop or in the fridge for breakfast.

SPANISH OMELETTE: TORTILLA DE PATATAS (TORTILLA ESPANOLA)

Eggs, potatoes, onions: what's not to love?! I love this easy-to-make and easy-to-eat Spanish omelette. It's a classic tapas dish, served at room temperature and cut into batons, bite-sized pieces, or wedges. It's also terrific for brunch, breakfast, or a snack. Or any time you want, really.

If you look online, you'll find a ton of information on the nuances of this omelette, including the use of mad amounts of oil to crisp up the potatoes and etc. etc. Well, it's really unnecessary to glorify what is really just simple pub grub made with simple ingredients. I had a boyfriend from Zamora, Spain, and he made this often for us - minus any fuss or needless snoot.

This omelette or potato "cake" is not related at all to the Mexican corn tortilla. And why not? Well, the explanation is quite simple really. Torta in Spanish means cake. Tortilla is the diminutive of that, and means small cake. So anything that sort of resembles a small cake is a tortilla. Although they're all called tortillas, handmade corn tortillas are considerably thicker than the thin machine-made ones we buy in stores, and can easily be thought of as small cakes.

I made this with purple potatoes because I love the colour, but any potato that's not too starchy will do. I like adding a bit of garlic and some kind of pepper to this omelette: toasted black pepper, paprika, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, finely chopped jalapeños or other green chiles. They all work really well with the other ingredients. Sometimes I stir in a couple of tablespoons of finely minced parsley as well. You can add a bit of chopped ham or sausage too.

Two things I do to develop a nice texture and flavour, and to keep the eggs from sticking  to the pan are:

• Add the cooled potatoes and onions to the eggs and let everything soak for 15 min. or so before adding to the hot pan. This is optional, but it develops the texture and flavour really nicely.
• Add the egg, potato, onion mixture to a hot pan, then turn the heat down after a minute or so of cooking. This prevents the eggs from getting stuck to the pan.

Spanish Omelette: Tortilla de patatas (Tortilla española)

Makes: 1 12 in. omelette

- 6 eggs

- 3 potatoes, sliced or cubed (any waxy kind, not starchy like Russet)

- 1/2 large onion, sliced

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 chiles de arbol or 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (optional)

- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper

- 3 tbsp. olive oil

1. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil on medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the potatoes and sauté for a few minutes, add 3-4 tbsp. water and cover. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Cool.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, chiles, and cooled potatoes and onions. Add the chopped herbs if using. Gently fold everything together to mix and let it soak for 15 minutes.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. oil on high heat in an omelette pan or skillet that has 1 - 2 in. tall sides. Pour in the egg mixture and quickly even it out if the potatoes are mounding in the centre. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook until the omelette is almost set and the sides somewhat shrink away from the pan. Shake the pan to loosen the omelette - if the omelette doesn't move freely in the pan, slide a spatula under the omelette and loosen it. 
4. Put a plate, eating side down, over the pan. Invert the pan so the tortilla flips on to the plate. Slide the tortilla back into the pan and top off with any uncooked egg mixture in the plate. Cook for about 5 minutes but not much longer or it will overcook.
5. In the same way as step 4 above, flip the omelette back on to a serving plate or cutting board.
6. Serve warm or at room temperature by itself, over a salad, with bread, a bit of ham or Spanish chorizo.

LYCHEE CUCUMBER SMOOTHIE

Not that we need much convincing to eat this silky juicy fruit by the bagful, but lychees are very high in Vitamin C! Just 10-12 lychees provide 100% of the US Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin C. Even if you don't consider the US RDA as sound nutritional advice, lychees are an exceptional little fruit. In addition to Vitamin C, lychees are rich in minerals - potassium, phosphorous, copper, to name a few.

Lychees are very sweet and juicy, but not intensely flavoured. So I like to eat them plain or with a few other fruits. I also like them in smoothies with complementary mild ingredients like mint, ginger, and cucumber. This smoothies is so light and refreshing, you'll want to make it often!

Lychee Cucumber Smoothie

makes: 20 oz.

- 2 cups lychee flesh (~20 lychees, skin and pits removed)

- 1 Persian cucumber, cut into chunks

- 7-10 mint leaves (from 2 sprigs)

- 1/2 in. piece of ginger (peeled if not organic)

- 1 cup water

1. Put everything in a blender jar in this order: lychees, cucumber, ginger, mint leaves, water.
2. Blend on High into a smoothie.
3. Pour into a glass and enjoy! Or refrigerate for up to 12 hrs.

GREEN GOLD SMOOTHIE

This is one of the most refreshing smoothies ever! The colour is a beautiful bright green thanks to the golden pineapple and mango that soften the deep green from spinach, and the flavour is crisp and refreshing. I'll be making this a lot more.

Flax seeds, like hemp hearts, are a nutritional bazooka. Flax seeds are a complete protein - i.e. they contain all 9 essential amino acids. Most proteins have to be combined with others to make complete protein, but not flax seeds. They can hold their own!

Flax seeds are also one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-9 are the other two types of omega fats - more on those later). Omega-3 fatty acids are the parent molecule for anti-inflammatory hormones in the body and, as with most things, food is the best source rather than supplements.

Ironically, the high omega-3 content of flax seeds makes them highly volatile when pulverised. Flax powder or oil is sold in dark containers to prevent oxidation from exposure to light. Similarly, heat also destroys omega-3 fats and flax seed oil should never be heated. If you're buying flax seed oil, buy organic, cold-pressed oil sold in dark containers.

Flax seeds are also called linseeds. The same linseeds that are pressed to make the linseed oil we all used to mix with paints in art class! In art, linseed oil is used because it dries fast... back to the whole volatility of linseeds thing. Don't go to the nearest Flax or other art store for linseed oil to put in your smoothie though - get food-grade linseed or flax seed oil from the grocery store!

Green Gold Smoothie

makes: 32 oz.

- 1 small cucumber, peeled and quartered

- 1 fresh mango, peeled and cut into chunks (~ 1 cup)

- 1/2 cup pineapple chunks

- 1 Key lime, juiced (or 1 tsp. lime juice)

- 1 lemon, juiced

- 1 in. knob ginger (peeled if not organic)

- 1 tbsp. flax seeds, aka linseeds (or 1 tsp. food-grade flax oil)

- 5 oz. baby spinach

- 1 cup water (or coconut water)

1. In this order put the ingredients in a blender jar: mango, ginger, cucumber, flax seeds, pineapple, lime and lemon juice, ginger, and water. Blend until very smooth.
2. Add more water and pineapple to adjust consistency and sweetness if needed.

KOREAN GREEN PEPPER PANCAKE: GOCHUJEON

I love Korean food... all the various types of kimchi, banchan, stews, rice dishes, porridge (jook), dumplings (mandu), pancakes (jeon), and everything else.

Korean pancakes are a favourite snack - there are many varieties, they are a total snap to make, and go with everything including themselves! I love whipping them up when I'm tall on hunger and short on time, especially on those Friday nights at the end of a long week when I don't feel like slaving over dinner and just want a drink or two with a delish snack. There are so many kinds of Korean pancakes - seafood, meat, squash, potatoes, mung beans, and green peppers, like the ones here.

Korean peppers (in the photo above) are mild and fresh tasting with a crisp texture. If you can't find them in your grocery store, use capsicum or a mix of capsicum and deseeded jalapeños. Capsicum and jalapeños have a thicker skin than Korean peppers, but they'll work in this recipe. Korean peppers are not spicy so if you want a spicy pancake, add a minced serrano, Thai chile, or green chile de arbol to the batter.

(Fun fact: Chiles de arbol - dried red or fresh green - are the variety commonly used in Indian cooking!)

Adapted from here.
Korean Green Pepper Pancake: Gochujeon
makes: 1 12 in. pancake (serves 1 - 2 people)

Pancake:
- 1 cup chopped Korean green peppers (~4 - 5 peppers)
- 4 tbsp. finely diced onion
- 2 tbsp. minced cilantro
- 1 tbsp. fish sauce (or 1 tsp. salt)
- 1 tbsp. chopped Thai chile or other spicy green chile (optional)
- 1/2 cup AP flour (or a mix of rice flours, or your favourite all purpose gluten-free flour)
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tbsp. oil

Soy Dipping Sauce - Mix in a small bowl: 
- 4 tbsp. soy sauce (or gluten-free soy sauce: tamari)
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp. sugar
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. finely minced onion
- 1 tbsp. finely minced red or green Thai chile pepper
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

1. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well into a thick batter. If the batter is dry, add water 1 tbsp. at a time till you have a thick batter, but don't make the batter too watery.
2. Heat the oil a 12 in. skillet and swirl around to evenly coat the skillet.
3. Pour the batter into the skillet and use a spoon to flatten into a pancake.
4. Cook till the edges brown and crisp up, then lift an edge of the pancake to let the oil get under the pancake so the centre can crisp up too.
5. Once the pancake edges are firm, flip the pancake over and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until the pancake is fully cooked to the centre.
6. Flip over once more and cook for 2 - 3 min. then transfer to a plate or cutting board.
7. Cut into 6 wedges and serve with any kind of kimchi, soy dipping sauce, or both.

FARINATA DI CECI: GLUTEN-FREE CHICKPEA FLOUR FLATBREAD

Farinata is an easy gluten-free snack typical to Liguria, Italy, that is really versatile, but really the best way to enjoy it is to not overpower it with too many ingredients. It takes all of 10 minutes to put the batter together, and another 15-20 minutes to bake, which in my book, makes it perfect for a late and light Friday night dinner with a generous glass of a crisp white.

I know what you're thinking... butttt - if you are in the mood for a lot of vegetables, have them as a salad with the farinata rather than loading up the poor batter with a load of vegetables. Typically it's either plain with just salt added or sometimes with sliced onions and pepper added to the batter or to the pan before pouring in the batter. Light toppings like sliced olives, herbs, minced garlic, minced green chile also work very well and add depth of flavour.

The flavour of olive oil and chickpea flour is amazing and while you don't have to let the batter stand for any time at all, if you do by chance have to let it sit around for a while - even as much as 12 hours or a few days - the flavour of the farinata will just get better.  I've made farinata made with 1 week old batter (photo below), and it was fantastic and much fluffier than batter that's cooked soon after mixing (photo above).

Based on Giallo Zafferano, photos, and trust in commonalities between Romance languages.

Farinata de Ceci: Gluten-Free Chickpea Flatbread

Makes: 1 12 in. farinata

- 1-1/2 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
- 1-1/2 cup water
- 1-1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary or thyme, optional

- 3 tbsp. sliced green or kalamata olives (never canned, bottled are ok in a real pinch)*

Suggested serving options: basil pesto, a smear of roasted garlic, a bit of crescenza cheese (or Tallegio or similar soft cheese)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the chickpea flour and 3/4 cup water together to make a smooth pasty batter. Whisk in salt, 2 tbsp. olive oil, pepper, and herbs, if using. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup water to make a smooth batter. The batter will seem a bit thin, but that's ok.
2. Cover and set aside for as long as possible (from a few minutes up to 12 hours at room temperature, or in the fridge for up to a week).
3. Before baking, let the batter come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450 F / 230 C.
4. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a 12 in. stainless steel, cast iron, or other oven-proof skillet till it's really hot - you can tell the oil is hot enough when it flows freely in the skillet. Swirl it around to completely and evenly coat the skillet, halfway up the sides.
5. Add the sliced onion (if using), give the pan a quick shake to make sure the onions are not stuck to the pan. Turn off the heat.
6. Pour in the batter, add the toppings if using, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the farinata is firm and edges are browned.
7. Remove the farinata from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Cut it into wedges, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, plain or with any of the above suggested serving options.

*Notes:

1. Skip the olives completely if that's the only olive option. The farinata will taste better without olives than with canned olives.

ALMOND AND CASHEW BUTTER CHOCOLATE FUDGE

I love homemade nut and seed butters for many reasons: they're easy, quick, additive-free, fresh, you can make any combination and quantity you want, and you can do so much with them. Like this "fudge" with almond and cashew butter.

If you want to know how to make nut butter at home, check out my almond butter blog post. Feel free to use a single nut butter or a combination - hazelnut, almond, pumpkin seed butter, tahini, whatever you fancy. Store-bought nut butter certainly works in this recipe, just make sure it is made with only nuts and has no additives like sugar or oil.

I sometimes toss 1 - 2  of these into my breakfast smoothie - totally delicious.

Almond and Cashew Butter Chocolate Fudge

Makes: approximately 25 pieces

- 1/2 cup homemade almond butter
- 1/2 cup homemade cashew butter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, preferably Grade B
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (not hot cocoa or hot chocolate mix!)
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt

Optional garnishes:
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened coconut, shredded or flaked
- 2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds, toasted or raw

1. Mix everything except garnishes in a bowl. Taste the mixture and add 1 tbsp. maple syrup at a time to adjust sweetness.
2. Spread in a pan to make a 1/2 in. thick layer. Smooth the top and gently press on the garnishes (if you just sprinkle the garnishes on top, they won't stay on).
3. Freeze for at least 2-3 hours. Remove the fudge from the pan and cut into approximately 1-1/2 in. square pieces (I find it easiest and fastest to cut the fudge into 1-1/2 in. strips in the pan itself, then remove it from the pan 1 strip at a time and cut into squares.) Store in the fridge.

"SKINNY" FRIES: SWEET POTATO AND POTATO OVEN-FRIES

I've posted a recipe before, on what is possibly the world's best way of making "fries" in the oven. Crispy on the outside, steamy on the inside, delicious all over! This time around I added sweet potatoes to the mix.

As I've said in the earlier fries recipe, you want to use starchy potatoes rather than waxy. But really, any potatoes will be great in this recipe. Make sure to soak the cut potatoes in cool water anywhere from 2 - 24 hours, and change the water every few hours if you're soaking them longer than 4 hours.

Sweet potato fries, whether oven-baked or deep fried, don't crisp up as much as potatoes do, because of the higher moisture content of sweet potatoes. But slicing them into thin sticks and baking at a high temperature will help crisp them up considerably. Also, spread the fries on greased baking trays in a single layer without crowding.

As all respectable fries are, these are great with ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard-mayo mixed, pesto, cilantro chutney, herb dips, cheese dips, or, as I served them, with a quick creamy dip. I mixed home-made crème fraîche with some home-made chili sauce and called it all done! 

Home-made crème fraîche is so much more delicious and cleaner than buying commercially made sour cream. Besides, you can season the crème fraîche with anything: lemon, salt, pepper, honey, chili sauce, or even mix a couple of tablespoons into pesto or tomato (pasta) sauce to make a creamy sauce for your pasta.

On to the potatoes... when I refer to potatoes here, I mean sweet potatoes and potatoes.

Sweet Potato and Potato Oven-Fries
Makes: 4 - 6 servings

- 2 large russet potatoes (or 4 medium potatoes of any type)
- 2 large sweet potatoes (or 4 medium)
- 3 tbsp. oil (peanut, sunflower, safflower, coconut, olive, grapeseed)
- pepper, to taste
- salt, to taste
- 1 tbsp. oil, for greasing the baking trays

1. Scrub any dirt or soil off the potatoes.
2. Cut into thin fries and soak in cool water for 2 - 24 hours, changing water every few hours if soaking longer than 4 hours.
3. Pre-heat oven to 425 F / 220 C and grease 1-2 large baking trays.
4. Drain the potatoes and pat dry. Toss with oil and pepper, mixing everything with your hands to get the oil and pepper on all the potatoes.
5. Put the potatoes on the baking trays in a single layer - don't pile them up on the trays otherwise some potatoes will be soft not crisp. Bake in batches if you need to.
6. Bake for 30 - 35 min. (bake for 5 - 7 min. longer if you want them crisper). Ovens vary in temperature, so check the fries after 25 min.!
7. Remove the fries from the oven and add salt and toss well to distribute the salt evenly.
8. Add more pepper if you want, and serve hot, plain or with a dip!

ONE BRUSCHETTA, TWO BRUSCHETTE: WITH SEA URCHIN

Bruschetta (bru-skett-ah, not brushettuh): a simple antipasto for which toppings are only limited by your imagination. I used sea urchin because I had some leftover fresh sea urchin from sushi-making, but usually I make it vegetarian with diced leftover roasted vegetables: potatoes, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips, or in the spring, even lightly crushed cooked peas. Get creative, you won't be disappointed!

You can also use cooked diced shrimp, diced sashimi grade tuna raw or lightly seared, or smoked trout or salmon. I've made it with all of the above, and it's simply fantastic!

I used whatever I had at hand, so get creative with the herbs and vegetables. Jicama instead of cucumber, cilantro instead of parsley, lime instead of lemon, onion or shallots instead of scallions, add a bit of diced capsicum or celery to the mix... so many ways to make these! 

On to the sea urchin. Although now most popularly associated with Japanese cuisine - sushi in particular - sea urchin is actually eaten in many coastal places including Chile, Italy, and Korea. Sea urchin roe is best as fresh as possible. A lot like oysters, it in fact, tastes incredible right when harvested from the ocean. If you're buying it from the store, check the packing date and use it within a day or two of the packing date.

These bruschette are quick to put together, and the lemony tang of the topping really complements the briny flavour of the roe. The quick 10 minutes of marinating with the lemon juice, tomatoes, and garlic also makes the roe velvety, almost melt-in-your-mouth. 

Bruschette with Sea Urchin
Makes: 4 large bruschette

Topping
- 1/2 cup sea urchin roe
- 1 Persian (or 1/2 English) cucumber, diced small
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper, diced small
- 4-5 cherry tomatoes, diced
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 3 tbsp. minced parsley
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, extra virgin

Bread
- 4 thick slices of sourdough / other rustic bread
- 2 tsp. olive oil, extra virgin

1. In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix all the topping ingredients and set aside for 10 minutes. 
2. Turn on the broiler. Brush 1/2 tsp. olive oil on each slice of bread and broil till the edges are browned, 2 - 3 minutes, depending on your oven.
3. Top the broiled bread with the topping (including a bit of the topping juice) and serve.