Ingredients

200 g cooked lentils
200 g pomegranate kernels
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
the juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons apple vinegar
1 tablespoon rice malt syrup
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
a large handful of fresh parsley, cleaned and chopped

Makes 2 servings.

Directions

Combine the lentils and the pomegranate kernels in a sald bowl. Add the salt, olive oil, lemon juice, apple vinegar and rice malt syrup and toss. Stir in the cumin and coriander, finish with the chopped parsley, toss and serve slightly cold or at room temperature.

Ingredients

a 5-6 cm piece of a leek, cleaned and finely sliced
the juice of 1 lemon
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
half a ripe but firm pear, cleaned and sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons grade C maple syrup
100 g smoked tofu, thinly sliced
a large handful of fresh baby spinach, cleaned
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
a few pomegranate kernels

Makes 2 servings. 

Directions

Place the sliced leek in a bowl, add half of the lemon juice and salt and let marinate for about 45 minutes. In another bowl, place the pear slices, add the remaining lemon juice and maple syrup and set aside for about 30 minutes. Sauté the tofu in very little olive oil until brown on both sides then remove form heat and set aside. To assemble your salad, mix the leek, pear, tofu and spinach and add some olive oil. Garnish with the pomegranate kernels and serve.

Ingredients

For the crust

15 g coconut butter
20-25 g cacao butter
40 g vegan sugarfree cookies, processed into very fine crumbs
a 2-3 cm piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated or finely chopped
a pinch of whole sea salt

For the creamy filling

120 g labneh/creamy yogurt vegan/veggie cheese (let drain for 20-24 hours about 400 of unflavoured and unsweetened soy yogurt with a few pinches of whole sea salt, all wrapped in a cheesecloth over a strainer)
1 teaspoon ginger juice
50 g cacao butter, to be melted
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
a few pinches of vanilla powder

For the sauce

the juice of 1 pomegranate
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2-3 tablespoons cold filtered water

To complete

pomegranate kernels
dark chocolate (preferably fairtrade) flakes or curls
powdered brown sugar

Makes 2 mini cakes.

Directions

Let the coconut butter and cacao butter soften at room temperature. Mix crumbs, coconut butter, cacao butter, ginger and salt together and press into ramekins, mini cake or muffin molds. Freeze for 30-40 minutes.

In the bowl of a mixer, combine vegan/veggie cheese, ginger juice, melted cacao butter, rice malt syrup and vanilla powder and process until smooth. Take the molds out of the freezer, fill them with the mixture and put them back in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

To make the pomegranate sauce, pour the juice and rice malt syrup in a saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil. Keep cooking until the rice malt syrup has melted. Add the cornstarch and cook until the sauce has thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let cool completely, first at room temperature then in the fridge.

You can take the cakes out of the freezer 45-50 minutes before serving, or you can transfer them into the fridge until serving time. When you’re ready to serve the mini cakes, spread the pomegranate sauce (which should be completely cold) on top of the cakes. Complete with a few pomegranate kernels, the chocolate flakes and the powdered sugar and serve.

Thoughts, tips, ideas

The mini cakes can be either unmolded and placed on individual serving plates before spreading the sauce on top of them or they can be served (and garnished) in the ramekins/molds.

Ingredients

150 g rolled oats
300 ml filtered water
almond milk, unsweetened and unflavoured, to taste
a few pinches of mace powder
a few pinches of cinnamon powder
concentrated apple juice, to taste
1-2 handfuls of pomegranate kernels
half a red apple, cleaned and diced
1-2 handfuls of raisins

Makes 2 servings.

Directions

Place the rolled oats in a large bowl and cover them with the water. Cover with a plate or kitchen foil and let soak overnight in a cool place. In the morning, divide the oats into 2 individual serving bowls, add the almond milk, spices and the rest of the ingredients and serve. If you prefer, you can lightly warm the oats up with some milk just before dividing them into the bowls.

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.

A quick, colourful and healthy salad: you’ll feel really good eating this. The combination of sweet and sour makes it especially tasty and refreshing. It can be enjoyed as appetizer or alongside a main course.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

For the salad

2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced

pomegranate seeds (from ½ pomegranate)

fresh chives (a good handful), minced

For the dressing

the juice of 2 lemons

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons tahini

½ teaspoon mustard powder

2 teaspoons rice malt syrup

1 pinch whole sea salt

1 pinch white pepper

Directions:

Dressing

In a bowl or jar, whisk all the dressing ingredients until smooth.

Assembling the salad

Place the fennel in a large bowl, then add the pomegranate seeds and drizzle with the dressing. Toss, garnish with the chives and serve cool.