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Directions

1. In a high powered blender, combine the basil, tahini, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey/maple syrup, black pepper, cayenne, and ¼ cup water.
2. Blend on high until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
3. Add up to ¼ cup more water (blending again to incorporate) until you get the thickness you like. Less water = thicker consistency (great as a sandwich spread). More water = thinner consistency (better as a sauce or dressing). Add salt, to taste. Voila!
4. Can be made ahead and stored in the fridge, covered, up to 24 hours. Color is best when used immediately.

This recipe is the result of a few culinary stars aligning in my life — or at least that’s how I interpreted a couple of food coincidences. First, vibrant stalks of rhubarb started to appear at the market: an elusive and exciting annual moment. Second, a single banana sat ripening in my fruit bowl, and I began to daydream of new ways to use it. (It’s not often that you find a recipe for just one over-ripe banana, in my experience.)

After bringing home a big bundle of rhubarb, it dawned on me that the stalks might pair nicely with ginger: refreshing brightness alongside fragrant warmth. And I pictured different sweet fruits that would match nicely, and wondered if the blackening banana on my counter could fit the bill. I also remembered how mashed banana can replace eggs in baking, holding together the batter while diffusing its tropical taste — and this recollection heightened my hunger for a light, new dessert.

Finally, orange zest would add a citrusy tang to echo and balance the tartness of the rhubarb. The result was not only a flavorful, ultra-moist, vegan dessert; it also turned out to be stunning, with a blanket of brilliant pink rhubarb draped over its top (and decadent caramely edges, too!).

Bright-tasting and beautiful, this is a truly uplifting spring dessert. The creamy-sweet banana tames the tartness of the rhubarb, while the double dose of ginger offers a welcome warmth to the otherwise cool notes. With its luxuriously moist crumb, this citrus-speckled cake delivers a complex harmony of texture and flavor. All in all, it not only leaves you feeling satisfied and light, but also celebrates springtime in every bite.

[This recipe was first posted on my web site, buttersugarflowers.com, in April 2015.] —ButterSugarFlowers

Directions

1. Using 1 tablespoon of the oil, coat the interior (both bottom and sides) of a 9-10″ ovenproof skillet such as cast iron.

   Rinse rhubarb; trim and discard tough ends. Slice stalks in half, once crosswise, and then once lengthwise unless they are already very thin. If needed, trim further to fit across pan. Place rhubarb in skillet in a single parallel pile, then top with 1/4 cup brown sugar, spreading sugar to even it out a bit.

   Place pan over medium-low heat and cover with lid. Cook 5 minutes, remove lid, and use heatproof tongs to rotate top and bottom layers of rhubarb. (Pull the soft rhubarb up to the top and move the still-firm layer to bottom.) Cover with lid and cook another 5 minutes. Rhubarb should be very soft and juicy. Remove lid, remove pan from heat, and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Peel the banana and mash it well with a fork until no longer lumpy, then measure it: you need between a heaping 1/3 cup and a scant 1/2 cup mashed banana (if yours yields much more than this, be sure to use no more than a scant 1/2 cup).

   Rinse and finely zest the orange; set zest aside. Juice the orange and measure out 1/4 cup juice, with any seeds discarded. Set aside. Heat a kettle of water.

3. In a large bowl, beat 2/3 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup vegetable oil. Add the vanilla, the mashed banana, and the grated ginger root. Mix well. Sift over the mixture: powdered ginger, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Begin to mix (batter will be thick), gradually adding the 1/4 cup orange juice and the boiling water. Beat well, scraping sides and bottom of bowl with spatula. Finally, fold in the orange zest until evenly distributed.

   Just before pouring batter into the skillet, gently rearrange rhubarb, pulling it to edges of the pan to ensure the bottom of the cake is completely covered in a single layer of rhubarb with no blank spaces. Slowly pour batter over rhubarb and place skillet in oven.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out batter-free (a few moist crumbs are OK). Remove from oven, being careful not to touch hot skillet handle unprotected. Let sit at least 30-45 minutes or until pan is cool enough to grasp.

   Just when ready to serve, loosen edges of cake with a knife, and invert onto a plate. If cake has completely cooled or is the least bit stubborn about coming out of pan, place over medium heat on stovetop for 30 seconds before flipping. The cake is best served right away, but feel free to store it covered and refrigerated, eating within 24 hours.

Directions

1. Blitz tofu and tempeh in a food processor a couple of times. Set aside.
2. Heat coconut oil in a heavy-based pan. Add onion and saute until starting to caramelise. Add the garlic and cook on a medium heat for one minute before adding the spices. Once the spices are fragrant, add tahini, soy sauce and vinegar, followed by tofu and tempeh, baked kidney beans, and a pinch of pepper. Cook until liquid is soaked up and all ingredients are cooked through.
3. Spoon mix into warmed taco shells topped with fresh tomato, red onion and lime salsa, avocado slices and a touch of sriracha.

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except almonds into your blender or food processor.
2. Blend, and then add almonds.
3. Take small amounts of the mixture and roll into balls, and roll them in coconut.

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients (except chocolate) in a blender for approximately five minutes so everything fully combines.
   
2. Remove and mould/roll the mixture into individual bars and set aside on a grease proof tray.
   
3. Melt the chocolate and individually roll the bars in the chocolate before placing back on the tray and placing in the fridge until the bars have cooled and hardened.
   
4. Remove and enjoy!
   

Directions

1. Prepare homemade broth or heat store-bought broth (preferably low sodium and diluted in water to lighten the flavour) in a pot and keep hot throughout the cooking process, as indicated in point 6 above.
   
2. Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add finely diced shallots and a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add cooled, par-boiled rice to a very hot pan and dry toast the grains for 2-3 minutes until slightly translucent and hot to the touch (do not brown the rice)
4. Add wine or champagne, if using, and let cook for 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
5. Add sautéed onions to the toasted rice and mix to combine.
6. Cover in broth (about 3-4 ladles), stir and let simmer on medium-low heat.
7. Once broth has been partially absorbed, add another ladle of broth to just cover the rice, stir then let simmer. Repeat this step several times until rice is cooked, but still firm to the bite (al dente). The texture of the risotto should be creamy, not runny or clumpy.
8. In the final step, you can add a dollop of vegan butter or Almond Butter Cream to the risotto (optional) and a drizzle of balsamic glaze (optional) and stir it throughout before plating and serving.
9. Garnish with fresh strawberries and serve hot – buon appetito!