BROCCOLI 'VICHYSSOISE': vegan, easy, kid-friendly

Perfect for a Dads' Day celebration: lovely and mellow, hot or cold...

Mellow, smooth Vegan Broccoli 'Vichyssoise':
 thoroughly green treat alongside Cornbread with bell pepper & green onions

The blogger has an inordinate fondness for broccoli.  It's the taste of it and the health benefits.  Whether it's hot in stir fries, steamed or floating in soups as a garnish, or in substantial salads it's easy to get through a lot in a lifetime.

Broccoli Soup however has been problematic.  Most broccoli soups involve cheese and/or potato or rice, both of which are on the blog's proceed-with-caution list.  

This soup, inspired by the BBC's Good Food site, hits all the right buttons.  It's green through and very tasty with a lovely mellowness.  For art's sake, a swirl of dairy or vegan yoghurt or cream prettifies it nicely.  But essentially, it's a dieters' delight.  

It's a great opportunity to use up broccoli stems and any green bits in your vegetable drawer.  67 included leftover cucumber and mange tout with no ill effect.

Cost: £2'ish (2020)

Serves: 4, multiplies easily

Ingred:

    1/2 tablespoon olive oil

    1/2 med to large onion or the well-washed greens of 6 spring onions

    med garlic clove, grated (opt)

    200-300gr/7-10.5oz broccoli,

        flowers & peeled stems

    100gm/3.5oz frozen peas 

    100 gm green leaves: chard, lettuce OR mange tout, snap peas or green beans 

    2/3 litre good stock (granules or cubes are ok)

    1/2 teaspoon sumac (or lemon zest)

    juice of half a good-sized lemon

    plenty of salt & pepper

Garnish: peas, mushrooms or croutons; yoghurt or cream; smoked paprika  

Method:

NOODLE SALAD WITH HOISIN & CHICKEN, Triple Duty, frugal, leftovers

An Asian noodle salad choc-a-block with protein and colourful vegetables rings the changes from pasta and potatoes...

Triple Duty Hoisin Noodle Salad, here with egg noodles & chicken 

but plenty of other options. 'Tasty; lovely strong flavours; abundant!' Tasters

Outdoor eating is always a pleasure, no matter what's spread out on the picnic blanket.  But there's no harm in introducing something new and refreshing;  instead of potato or rice salads, try a Chinese noodle salad.  Frugal and healthy, it travels well and much of it can be prepared in advance.

The salad shown has a base of egg noodles with chicken in a dressing rich with sesame, garlic, ginger and hoisin.  But you could substitute prawns or scallops (for those with deep pockets) or firm tofu.  If you don't like the smokiness of Hoisin sauce, try full-bodied slightly sweet Oyster sauce.

Any other noodles in the cupboard will also work well;  try 'glass' green bean starch (dieters') or egg-free or sweet potato or wholemeal noodles.  If you're thinking of stocking up on your next visit to Chinatown, have a look at See How to Use Your Noodle/s'.

As well as being tasty and interesting, the salad is a great repository for raw or cooked leftovers. 

Feeds: 3-4

Cost: £3.50, less depending what's in the fridge

Ingredients:

 3-4 nests noodles

  

  2-3 cups cooked protein: shredded chicken or  prawns or cubed tofu (marinated 20 mins in a mix of 1/4 cup each of reduced salt soy sauce & sherry with 1/4 tsp each grated garlic and peeled ginger)

  1/3 cup finely sliced bell pepper (any colour)

  1/4 cup peeled celery in fine dice

  1/4 cup drained bamboo shoots in matchsticks (opt)

  2 tablespoons hoisin or oyster sauce

  

  generous handful of 3 of the following cooked veg: green beans, mange tout or snap-peas, broccoli flowers, asparagus stems, carrot curls, thinly sliced raw mushrooms, defrosted frozen peas, corn (tinned, drained; frozen or from a cob)

  2-3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

  2-3 spring onions, bases and grotty leaves removed, finely sliced

  a handful roasted, salted cashew nuts or peanuts (remove some oil & salt with a kitchen towel) - optional

Dressing:

   3 tablespoons olive oil

   2 tablespoons light vegetable oil

   3 tablespoons any vinegar (67 used cider)

   2 teaspoons reduced-salt soy sauce

   1 teaspoon sesame oil

   1.2 tsp 5-spice powder (opt)

   1 clove garlic grated

   1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or 1/2 tsp dried

   1.2 tsp oregano

   2 tablespoons Hoisin or Oyster Sauce *

   pepper & salt 

   (drained orange segments, fresh or tinned in juice)  opt

Method:

ONION TOMATO JAM, heart-friendly, vegan, low preservative

Onion Jam: savoury & sweet sassy side for cheese...

updated 10/25;1st posted 2019

Savoury & Sweet Low-Salt Onion Tomato Jam
'Amazing. Very yummy.' 'Delicious! Good strong taste.'Tasters

updated 28/8/19 

Here's a heart-friendly relish that's low-salt/cholesterol/preservative.  It's also vegan, wallet-friendly, make ahead and ...oh yes, absolutely delicious!

The elements of sweet and sour are in perfect balance.  It is nothing like Italian tomato sauce; other ingredients - some unexpected - bring brilliant undertones to the overall taste.  

Onion jam is so sensational with home-made bread, good cheddar and cucumber; mass-produced brown pickle will forever be second best.  One taster tested it on Cheese Fries and produced it wonderful.  67 sees it alongside cold meats and over pan-fried potatoes. 

It was originally created as an alternative to bacon/pastrami jam, off-limits to anyone with salt/blood pressure issues.  But a small amount of bacon can be added to the Onion jam (see below) for those lusting after a healthier Bacon Jam.  

Cost: £3'ish
Makes: 1.5 cups, recipe doubles easily

Ingredients:
   125gm/4.5oz sun blush tomatoes, either home-made (frugal) or purchased

   1 large onion, finely diced (one cup) OR a large fennel well cleaned and rubbed free of dirt

   2 cloves garlic, grated (opt)
   1-2 tbsp olive oil, (ideally garlic olive oil)

   100 gm fresh tomatoes, core removed and diced (1 med-large)
  
   1 packed tbsp brown sugar
   2 tsp white sugar
   25 ml maple syrup (honey for non-vegans)
   35ml white vinegar
   15ml fresh squeezed orange juice
   zest of 1/2 orange
   1/2 cup brewed coffee
   
   coarsely crushed black paper

Method: