SALTED TAHINI CARAMEL, ROAST ALMOND AND CHOCOLATE ‘NICE’ CREAM

Chocolatey ‘nice’ cream (this just means frozen banana blended to a an ice-cream consistency), crunchy roasted hazelnuts and chewy sweet and salty sesame spiked caramel. Serves 2

Ingredients
2 Tbs maple syrup
1 Tbs tahini
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 frozen bananas (freeze in pieces not whole or in their skins)
2 Tbs cacao or cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs roasted almonds, roughly chopped

In a very small pot (1 cup capacity is excellent)*  combine maple syrup with the  first  1/2 tsp vanilla, salt & tahini. Bring to the boil, turn down heat & simmer gently until a golden colour is reached (a couple of minutes). Set aside to cool slightly – don’t allow to harden and stick to the pot!  

In a food processor or high speed blender combine the banana & second 1/2 tsp vanilla.
Process until a smooth soft-serve consistence is reached. Add cacao, process until uniform in colour. Stir almonds through. Pour into freezer-safe container & smooth out to about 1-2 mm thickness. Drizzle tahini caramel sauce over the top and place in freezer for 15 minutes.
Remove, fold most of caramel sauce through, don’t worry about chunks, you want these.

Return to the freezer another 30 minutes, then stir/fold icecream again, mixing up the more and less frozen bits. Repeat this for 1-2 hours folding occasionally. The stirring will create a creamy texture. When you have reached a consistency that you’re happy with, spoon it into bowls and eat.

I like it to be frozen enough that you can make soft scoops of ice cream from it. This isn’t actually that time consuming though. You could eat it all soft-serve like and melty and it’d be ready in minutes. Or you can do the refreezing part and have a more luxurious ice cream-like consistency. Up to you!

* (note: if you don’t have one, double the quantities for the sauce and just store in the fridge otherwise temperature control will be very difficult)

 

REAL SALMON BURGERS

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4

500 g fresh raw skinless & boneless salmon fillet, chopped
1 small bunch chopped parsley
2 spring onions (scallions), sliced
zest and juice from 1 lemon
a good grind of pepper and a little sea salt
1 organic egg
50 g (1  3/4 oz / 1/2 cup) almond meal to coat (optional)
olive oil

In food processor, combine all but almond meal. Process well, remove & shape into 8 burgers.
Coat lightly with the almond meal if using & rest in fridge 15 minutes to help them firm up.
Cook in a pan over low-medium heat with a splash of oil – til crisp, golden and cooked through.
Serve with your choice of steamed greens, roasted sweet potato or leafy greens.

NOTES

These burgers keep for 2 – 3 days in the fridge after cooking. They are also delicious thrown into your lunch time salad for an added protein hit.

I often serve them with oven roasted sweet potato or a salad made from shaved fennel, rocket, lemon and cold pressed olive oil.

TO MAKE SALMON BURGERS FROM TINNED SALMON:
185 g (61/2 oz) tin wild salmon drained
1 organic egg
1 spring onion, sliced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Combine salmon, egg, parsley and spring onion, then season with freshly ground black pepper. Look at your mix & test cook to see it holds together when cooked. Add another egg if needed.

Place spoonfuls of the salmon mixture into a pan and cook over a medium heat with a splash of olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes each side until golden