Quinoa with Roasted Olives, Cashew Nuts and Oranges

Photo provided by Sadiq Food Photography (Click here)

Here's a incredibly healthy and hearty salad that'll keep you sustained throughout the day. Very tasty and fully satisfying which is quite tricky to achieve when it comes to a vegan lunch.

250g quinoa
150g black pitted olives
1 long red chilli
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
100ml extra virgin olive oil
100g cashew nuts
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
Sea salt
2 oranges
1 small bunch basil
70g rocket

Method:
Place a large pot of salted water on to the boil. Thinly slice the red chilli and garlic and lay out on oven tray with olives, bay leaves and half the olive oil, place in oven set at 180ºC for 20 minutes. In a separate oven tray lay out cashew nuts, drizzle over remaining olive oil and season with tumric and salt, place in oven with olives and cook until golden in colour.
Once the water is boiling add quinoa and cook for about 7-10 minutes until tripled in size, drain and cool under cold running water.
Slice the top and bottom off the orange and using a small paring knife run the blade round the orange removing the skin and pith, then slice the segment out of the oranges. Pick the leaves off basil and roughly chop, and in a large bowl add the quinoa and mix in the basil, oranges, olives and cashews until evenly combined. Serve with washed rocket leaves. 

Satsuma and Black Olive Tart

I love this tart, very simple and the saltiness of the olives are balanced by the sweetness of the satsumas and the earthiness of manchego. Very pretty to behold and can be eaten warm or cold.

300g black olives
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
75g butter
75g flour
300ml whole milk
50g grated manchego
100ml satsuma juice
1 satsuma for garnish
30g rocket
Pinch of sea salt

PASTRY:
300g plain flour
150g butter
50g grated cheddar
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
Pinch of sea salt

METHOD:
Start with making the pastry, place flour, cheddar and salt in large mixing bowl. Cube the butter and add to dry mixture, rub butter into flour till well blended together then add egg and cold water, lightly knead together till only just combined. Wrap pastry in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
Grease a fluted flan tin with removable base 30cm in diameter and 3cm deep. Once the pastry has rested roll out on a floured surface till about 4-5mm thick and line the tin with pastry pinch and press down around the edges and refrigerate for a further 30 minutes.
Once pastry has rested using a folk prick the base of the pastry 10 times and line with grease proof paper and fill with rice or dried legumes, bake in oven set at 200oC for 12 minutes. When the pastry is baked remove parchment paper and legumes and bake the pastry for another 6 minutes till golden brown.
For the filling place olives in food processor and roughly blend for a few second till they are roughly chopped then spread out over the base of tart.
In a small sauce pan melt the butter and stir in the flour, cook and stir till a shortbread smell fills the kitchen. Slowly pour in the milk bit by bit while constantly stirring, once all the milk has been incorporated add the manchego, satsuma juice, salt and stir till combined. Pour satsuma sauce over tart and spread out evenly, bake in pre-heated oven set at 180oC for 15minutes. Once cooked slice into 8 pieces and garnish with rocket and a slice of satsuma.

Yukon Carrot Salad with Olives and Walnuts Cooked in Coconut Milk

Fresh batch of yukon carrots arrived last week from Canada, these carrot grow in a dense rich soil at a higher altitude making carrots more intense and sweet. Even better they have been harvested early meaning they are smaller and super tender when baked/poached. I've combined them with walnuts cooked in coconut milk which give a creamy bitter taste and black olives for saltiness. Very health and visual nor is it boring to behold.
Also a massive thank you to Etienne who has once again taken some amazing pictures, this one in particular is one of my favourite shots.

600g yukon carrots
300ml orange juice
3 cloves garlic
12 sprigs thyme
2 dried red chillies
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sea salt
50ml extra virgin olive oil
200g pitted black olives
100g halved walnuts
150ml coconut milk
70g rocket washed

METHOD:
Trim the tops off carrots and wash then place in deep baking tray with orange juice, thinly sliced garlic, torn thyme and red chillies, bay leaves, honey, salt and olive oil. Roughly mix together and cover in foil, bake in oven set at 180oC for 30 minutes. After the 30minutes roughly mix carrots around in tray and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes. Place walnuts and coconut in small sauce pan and bring to the boil over high heat and cook for 5-7 minutes till milk thickens and coats walnuts. Once carrots are cooked put aside to cool, place olives in food processor and blend for about 5 seconds till roughly diced.
To construct salad you can either make one large platter or make individual plates. On the base lay out rocket leaves then drape over carrots with a little excess cooking liquid and pieces of chilli. Garnish salad with walnuts and a good sprinkling of olives and serve as soon as possible.