April edition

Time to Experiment Granola, Curry & Fruit Combo!

Food with a Difference International food with a twist

Editor’s Note Hello everyone!

It’s that time of the month again where Signature S.O delivers you the best recipes you can get to keep your month going. This month is all about experimenting with new food. We’re coming into a new season and it’s time to develop some wonderful recipes to grapple with those wonderful taste buds.

Expect a mixture of great things that you will be able to prepare in your kitchen and give you the best there is for this season. We have a featured blog recipe from the The Alchemist, which will be showing you what experimenting is all about and the benefits you receive from it. We also have writer, Thembe Mvula giving us vegetarian inspiration with Mexican food, if you can’t wait get reading!

Editor

Cheyenne Dwyer-McDowall

In This Issue

Curry & Citrus Salad with Valdouvan

By Sarah (The seasonal Alchemist)

Watercress Madness

By Cheyenne Dwyer-McDowall

Tempeh tacos

By Thembe Mvula

Rhubarb Experiment

By Princess Fisher

Carrot & Citrus Salad with Vadouvan Curry Granola Spring is as good as anytime to welcome new health and ingredients into our repertoire. It brings a bountiful new assortment of produce to choose from and, as good a time as any to be inspired. The recipe below, Carrot & Citrus Salad with Vadouvan Curry Granola, may sound a bit exotic but it is in all reality (and practicality) an example of how stunning a dish can be when simple, seasonal ingredients are used. The base of the salad are carrots and when there aren’t many ingredients in a dish, it is important to find the best tasting ones, which are the ones in season (as they haven’t travelled far) and grown the most nourishing way (in good soil), as they taste far superior to anything grown in an environment where not-natural substances have been added during the growing process. It makes sense really, that the healthier vegetable will taste better, so we go with that logic as it is better for us and the environment (and the world at large if we want to get more philosophical). One research has shown that organic (pesticide-free, naturally grown) strawberries have more nutrients than non-organic strawberries and there is no doubt you can taste the difference, even blind-folded in a side-by-side experiment.

While this recipe may look exotic, it is in all practicality, a simple salad with a bit of a flashy addition in the form of the savoury (as opposed to sweet) Vadouvan granola. Vadouvan is an Indian curry blend but there is no reason why you can’t use your own favorite curry powder instead. It is a savoury granola, so it adds a nice crunch, while having healthy bits of quinoa, amaranth, nuts and seeds in it. Once dried (or dehydrated), it will keep for a month in an airtight container, so it is a good way to add some bonus deliciousness to salads, or dishes, even at the last minute. It is slightly sweet and slightly salty at the same time, while making one’s taste buds happy! Aside from tasting fresh and amazing, it is a looker. Which, at the end of the day is a nice bonus to paying good tribute to what’s in season.

Enjoy!

By Sarah (The Seasonal Alchemist)

Tempeh Tacos As I was scrolling through Pinterest for inspiring vegetarian dishes, my attention was immediately captured by this exotic recipe for Tempeh Tacos. If you enjoy Mexican cuisine, or simply seek to try a healthy alternative meat-free dish, this one is for you! Tempeh originated from the Island of Java in Indonesia and is a food made from fermented soy bean with a texture of a firm bean burger. This combined with tacos, a popular Mexican delicacy, made from corn and wheat tortilla, forms a deliciously unique twist on the well-known taco. The recipe is simple to follow, with an overall prep time of only twenty five minutes. Why not give your friends a taste of something different and try this at your next dinner party? http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-tempeh-tacos-from-betty-goes-vegan/

By Thembe Mvula

Watercress Madness There are so many recipes from using watercress as your main ingredient, you would be extremely surprised at what you can do. Try and think outside the box and think of the different types of foods you can eat and just imagine how you could incorporate the Watercress in that meal and make the Watercress your main ingredient! I have a few ideas for you: Firstly there is Watercress Stuffed sole, this is able to give your Sole fillets immense flavour and transform your dish, to a great standard. Try Avocado Salad with Watercress and Warm Bacon, the warm and cold flavours will keep your taste buds wanting more. Tomato and Watercress Risotto is an ultimate favourite of many because this recipe is also quick to make! Giving this recipe five stars along with all the others mentioned

By Cheyenne Dwyer-McDowall

Rhubarb Experiment Rhubarb is such a delicious leaf that we all use in our food, we mainly use it for Rhubarb crumble, but there are a lot more uses for the leaf ! Rhubarb is also delicious in savoury foods. The complimentary sweet taste to go with a savoury meal is definitely what you need to experiment with such great foods. First you can make Rhubarb and Okra Sweet and Sour Soup, yes it sounds like an awkward combination but it’s a great one, so definitely go ahead and try it. Something that will definitely get you experimenting is Pan-fried Mackerel sandwich. The mixture of flavours bring out the taste of the Rhubarb, so come on give it a try! See the link below for some more recipes http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/15/rhubarb-recipes-10-best

By Princess Fisher