Ingredients

200 g cleaned cherries
300 g cleaned strawberries, cut into quarters
the juice of half a lemon
the juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon naturale vanilla extract
2 tablespoons molasses (from whole cane sugar)
the juice of 2 cm cleaned and grated fresh ginger root
4-5 fresh mint leaves, cleaned and chopped
1/4 teaspoon of powdered cloves

Makes 2-3 servings.

Directions

Stone the cherries and cut them into halves or quarters then place them in a salad bowl with the strawberries. Add the lemon juice and orange juice, vanilla extract, molasses and ginger juice and stir. Stir in the mint and cloves and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Ingredients

500 ml mixed berry tea (use your favourite blend)
a little squeeze of lemon juice
one quarter of a teaspoon vanilla powder
one quarter of a teaspoon powdered cloves
5 tablespoons rice malt syrup
3 teaspoons powdered agar agar

Makes 4 servings.

Directions

Pour the mixed berry tea into a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the lemon juice, vanilla and cloves and stir. Stir in the rice malt syrup and cook for a couple of minutes then add the agar agar, and keep cooking for about 5 minutes, while stirring continuously. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the hot berry tea mixture into a baking pan (use a steel or ceramic oven pan), then set aside and allow to cool, first at room temperature then in the ridge (at least 2 to 3 hours). When it is cold and completely firm, you can cut the jelly into squares and serve.

Ingredients

200 g semi-whole Manitoba flour
100 g whole rice flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
a pinch of whole sea salt
70 ml extra virgin olive oil
100 ml agave syrup
100-120 ml oat milk
half a teaspoon of essicated ginger powder
half a teaspoon cinnamon powder
2-3 pinches of powdered cloves
3-4 pinches of grated nutmeg
a pinch of mace powder
a pinch of vanilla powder
a pinch of cardamom powder
2 firm apples (I used Golden Delicious)

Makes 12-14 muffins.

Directions

Preheat oven to 170° degrees C. In a large bowl combine the Manitoba flour, rice flour, cream of tartar, salt and spices. In another bowl combine the oil, agave and milk. Whisk well and fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (preferably using a wooden spatula). Stir gently until the ingredients are combined but make sure you don’t over mix the batter. Add the apples and stir againg just to make sure they’re evenly incorporated into the batter. Fill the muffin cups or muffin tray with the batter, using a spoon. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick or knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tray or muffin molds.

Tips, thoughts and ideas

You can either use single greaseproof muffin cases or paper cases placed in a muffin tray. If you spoon the batter directly into the muffin tray, make sure you lightly oil the molds and sprinkle them with flour.

Ingredients

2-3 cups filtered water
2 teaspoons dried mint
a pinch of powdered cloves (or 1-2 whole cloves)
a pinch of powdered star anise (or 1 whole star anise)
200 g whole grain cous cous (I used whole spelt cous cous)
Himalayan salt, just enought o taste
2 tablespoons raw sesame oil
2-3 handfuls of raisins, soaked in filtered water for 10 minutes then drained and pat dried
3-4 chopped medjol dates, stones removed
2 handfuls of pistachios, peeled
2 handfuls of almonds, peeled
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
a pinch of chilli powder
seeds from 1 pomegranate
fresh mint leaves, to taste

Makes 2 servings.

Directions

First, make the spicy mint tea. Bring the water to a boil, add the mint, cloves and star anise, stir, remove from the heat and let everything infuse for about 1 minute. Filter and set aside.

Place the cous cous in a salad bowl (preferably large and low) and pour some of the mint tea over it (just enough to cover the cous cous). Cover with a lid and let the cous cous ‘cook’ for 1 to 2 minutes. Check doneness and add some more tea (which should be still very hot) if necessary, pouring it little by little. When the cous cous is ready (it should be al dente) fluff with a fork, add the salt and sesame oil and toss. Add the raisins, dates, pistachios, almonds, cinnamon, chilli and pomegranate seeds and toss again. Sprinkle with some fresh mint leaves. Serve at room temperature.