Sweet chilli and lime relish (no refined sugar)

In which lime marmalade beginnings become a sauce-with-an-edge ending.

This recipe started in fact as lime marmalade. But then I thought “who doesn’t like sweet chili sauce?” . Of course chilli and limes are a classic combo found in many dishes; think bejewelled Mexican salsa, zingy Thai lime and chilli salad dressings or Indian lime and chilli pickle.

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Golden Goddess Soup


Golden Goddess Soup/ Dahl

This is my go-to January/February blues tonic. It warms, revitalizes and gives me the central heating I crave – so I glow like a “goddess”! If you are want to cleanse after the season of excess, if you are doing “Veganuary”,  if you are feeling the “SAD” then this is your liquor!

The method is simplicity itself and as it thickens it becomes  “dahl” to serve as a nourising and cheap meal.

Ingredients: for 6-8 generous portions

  • 500g red lentils
  • 1 large onion chopped lazily
  • 5 cloves of garlic chopped in half
  • 2 tbsp olive oil,
  • 50g-100g ginger, peeled with teaspoons – chopped roughly
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 3 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cardamom pods (remove before blitzing)
  • 1.5 litres of organic vegetable stock
  • Optional: 300g boiled carrots, pumpkin, squash (use leftovers)
  • Salt to taste

How To

  1. Lightly fry the onions and spices and garlic until just translucent. Do not brown.  Add any veggies the stock and the lentils and the ginger.
  2. Bring to the boil
  3. Lower to a very gentle simmer and cook until the lentils and veggies are soft – approximately 30minutes
  4. Take out the cardamom pods
  5. Blitz until smooth. If it is thick – reserve a portion to eat as dahl with rice. Thin the remainder with water to serve as your soup.
  6. I like to serve the soup garnished with olive oil and fresh coriander but thick yogurt is nice too.  The dahl I serve with rice, a fresh chutney and slices of avocado.

Apricot, Lime & Vanilla Jam (No Refined Sugar)

Scooping out Apricot pieces from tins of South African apricot jam that my grandmother used to always have is a taste of childhood and perhaps that is why apricot jam has a special place in my heart. I adore apricot jam and this version I think is glorious.

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