Last year, when I was in Marrakech with a good friend, we had a Moroccan carrot salad among other mezze before a delicious chicken and olive tagine. My first bite of these tart, tender carrots gave me heart-eyes. I was in food love. The other salads, all made of cooked and marinaded veggies and pulses like zucchini, roasted peppers and lentils.

I’ll be working on some of them in the future.

Sometimes the cold starter plates are the best part of the meal. Just enough to pique your hunger, they’re often addictive flavor-bombs. Spicy Korean kimchi, creamy Mexican guacamole, smoky Turkish baba ghanoush… and earthy, zesty Moroccan carrots.

Even in the still heat of Morocco in August, it was hard to stop myself from gorging on tangy, spiced vegetables and stay level-headed about the tagine to come.

I’m still not sure mine will ever live up in my mind to the carrots we enjoyed on a Marrakesh rooftop on that hot summer’s night, but I don’t want them to. Traveling is about oversized memories of otherwise mundane moments.

You don’t need a full on North African meal to enjoy your own Moroccan carrot salad – it’s a lovely side to have for lunch with a sandwich, or with a roast beast (or veggie beast) for dinner.

The carrots need at least a few hours to soak up all that spice and tang. It’s worth it to be rewarded with complexity that’s hard to find in a typical cooked carrot.

I compared a few different ways of making these, and steaming and boiling gave me the same results in texture and flavor, so I prefer to steam them to keep nutrients from being thrown away with the boiled water.

This recipe was adapted from one in a Moroccan cookbook that, unfortunately, I don’t know the name of. (But thanks to Mimouna for sharing it with me!)

Serves 4

Savory Moroccan carrot salad

10 minPrep Time

10 minCook Time

2 hr, 20 Total Time

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• 500 g (~1 lb) carrots
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 clove finely minced garlic
• fresh parsley, chopped finely
• 1/2 tsp milled or table salt

What to Do

• Lightly salt the carrots.
• Steam them for 5-7 minutes, until crispy-tender.
• Mix up a dressing with the olive oil, cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, lemon juice and vinegar
• Rinse the carrots under cold water, then shake them as dry as you can.
• Toss them with the dressing and fresh parsley.
• Let the carrots marinade in the refrigerator for at least an hour, but they will taste better if you can leave them in for longer. I actually prefer them even more the next day.

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https://www.onmykitchencounter.com/2016/02/29/savory-moroccan-carrot-salad/

I’m going to be straight with you, dear readers. Carrot cake is not my favorite type of cake. And honestly, most times it’s not a cake I would choose. Usually I think the frosting is too sweet and the cake is too spicy and not to mention the raisins… I like carrot cake, but I knew there was a lot more potential in there than most of them could offer.

So I made my own. And while I was at it, I thought I would play around with natural, non-sugar sweeteners. Because carrot cake is pretty moist (or should be), I knew that I wouldn’t be ruining everything by trying liquid sweeteners like honey and agave syrup.

I’m not cutting sugar entirely, though I am experimenting more with replacing it with other sweeteners. I’m not into the whole sugar replacers… no matter what the marketing says, I feel like I can still pick out the taste of sweetener, so I avoid it.

Note: Honey has a higher glycemic index agave syrup, if that’s something you need to worry about. Funnily enough, though, agave syrup tastes sweeter than honey. I tried both at the same proportions, and thought they both made for good, not overly sweet cakes. In other recipes where the amount of liquid/dry ingredients is more essential, it’s worth knowing that agave syrup is less viscous than honey, so you might need to cut the proportion of other liquids.

On the Counter

Cake:
150g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
100g honey OR 100g agave nectar
3 free-range eggs
200g wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp grated nutmeg
200g carrots, peeled
100g (1 cup) walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Set aside 30 grams (1/3 cup) of walnuts for decorating

9 x 2 1/2 inch or 23 x 6 cm springform pan

Frosting:
230 mL/1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp real maple syrup
30 g walnuts set aside from cake

What to Do

Baking:

Grate the carrots, preferably so the shreds are very small. (This is easier to do with fresher carrots, but carrot cake is a good use for slightly sad carrots… up to you.)

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F. Grease the inside of your springform pan with butter.

Whisk the melted butter, egg and honey or agave together until they are well combined and are very slightly bubbly.

Sift in all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt).

Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula. If you do this carefully, you’re less likely to get flour lumps. Stir in the carrot and walnuts.

Once you have a solid colored batter and the carrot is evenly distributed, gently pour the batter into the springform pan. It should pour evenly into the pan, but if it’s not even, gently spread it out with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 30 minutes. You can test if it’s done by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, it’s ready.

Frosting:

Let the finished rest until it’s completely cooled. (Not even a little bit warm!) Remove it from the pan and then gently slice off any of the top of the cake that stops it from being flat. Eat your spoils.

Vigorously stir the maple syrup into the sour cream until well combined and the cream is smooth. Gently spoon or spread it on top of the cake, using the back of the spoon (or frosting spreader) to make sure it goes on evenly.

Sprinkle on the rest of the toasted walnuts. Serve!

The cake and frosting keep well in the fridge for at least 3 days.  

It’s still autumn, if you check the calendar, even though it seems like the weather is trying to skip ahead.

Most of the days in London now are gray and rainier than they were a few weeks ago, and I am finding it harder and harder to convince myself to go out for a run or take the long walk home… especially when it gets dark in mid-afternoon. But this does mean it’s time for wooly socks, bourbon cocktails and delicious orange vegetables. All at once if you can make it happen.

Toes in boots, wet streets and yellow leaves. Definitely November.

A few weeks ago, when running outside was still fun, and you could see the sun set.

Long enough ago, I was at the supermarket and I was 100% convinced that I’d seen a recipe I wanted to try that included tahini. I do have a habit of stocking our pantry with ingredients for projects that don’t necessarily ever happen, but this time I thought I really had it. Well, apparently I didn’t, because it sat in the cupboard, until the first time I made this. The old recipe that asked for tahini? I guess it’s lost to the sands of time. But now I have tahini hanging around, and it’s … really good. It’s good with sweet potatoes and chick peas, it’s good with flatbread (reminds me a bit of peanut butter), and it goes a long way to making a mediocre store-bought hummus into what you imagine hummus should taste like.

I feel like I could probably write a love letter to tahini. But if you’re not in the mood to wander around the supermarket to find it… you can use Greek yogurt instead. It won’t be the same, but it will still be good.

The original recipe, from the New York Times Diner’s Journal, first popped up in my blog feed, a long time ago. They call it a salad, but I don’t really serve it like a salad. I think the vegetables should be hot, the spinach a tiny bit wilted, and the dressing should be made of tahini. Try it and see what you think!

A bit of autumn on a plate … before it’s all gone.

Autumn Roasted Vegetables with Chickpeas and Spinach

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Roasted chickpeas
• 1 can (15 oz or 400 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
Roasted vegetables
• 1 1/4 lbs or 500 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite-sized pieces
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally, about 1/2 inch or 1.25 cm thick
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
Spinach
• 6 oz or 150 g spinach, rinsed and torn (if not baby spinach)
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
Tahini dressing
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp table salt

What to Do

Roasted chickpeas
• Heat the oven to 400F or 200C.
• Dry your chickpeas. Line a large baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towels (kitchen roll). Spread the chickpeas out so they lay in one layer. Dry them with more paper towels. If you have the time, you can let them drain for an extra 10 minutes before starting. They should be as dry as possible for optimal crunch.
• Toss the chickpeas with 1 tsp olive oil, chili powder, cumin and 1/2 tsp table salt (slightly more if using kosher). Remove all the paper from the baking sheet, and spread the chickpeas out in one layer.
• Roast the chickpeas, tossing occasionally, for 40 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. Check them starting at 30 minutes to see if they are crispy enough. (This will depend on how dry they were when they went in.)
Roasted vegetables
• Toss sweet potato and carrots with 2 tsp olive oil,1 tsp kosher salt or 1/2 tsp table salt, thyme and a few grounds of black pepper.  Roast for 40 minutes, until golden brown and soft.
• When the roasting vegetables and chickpeas have 1 minute left...
Spinach
• Flash-steam the spinach for 30 seconds, until slightly wilted.
• Combine the steamed spinach, roasted vegetables, chickpeas and shallots. Toss with the tahini dressing (below) and serve.
Tahini dressing
• Mash the minced garlic with 1/2 tsp salt, until it forms a paste, or something close to it. Mix with tahini, lemon juice and 2 tbsp water. Stir and test for consistency. If too thick, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time.

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https://www.onmykitchencounter.com/2014/12/04/chickpeas-sweet-potatoes-carrots-and-spinach/

I’ve seriously been on a smoked paprika kick lately. It’s one of my favorite spices to start with, and I just love smoky flavors, but lately I’ve wanted it on everything! I’ve been trying it with some of my staple dinner ideas, for a bit of a variation, which is how this came to be. It’s quite similar to the baked haddock recipe, but with a bit more smoky goodness and bonus side vegetables.

There’s a shop in Brixton, in south London, where you can bag your spices and all sorts of interesting plant-derived things, and they are my suppliers for smoked paprika. With the opportunity to get as much as I want, I thought I overdid it – but with the speed at which we’ve emptied the first jar’s worth, I think I made out like a bandit, in the end.

If you don’t love smoky paprika (but seriously, how could you not) you can use sweet paprika, or … skip it entirely, though you’ll be missing out. If you don’t love cilantro/coriander on the other hand, just replace it with parsley. While I’m lucky enough that it doesn’t taste like soap to me, I feel for you if it does.

Note: I wouldn’t recommend reheating the fish, as it loses its soft flakiness and just turns rubbery, which is not tasty, no matter how much smoked paprika you put on top.

Recipe note: Add the carrots in first, give them 10 minutes, add the fish, give it 10 minutes, and then add the broccoli for 10 minutes.

Smoky Baked Cod

Serves: 4

On the Counter

4 fresh sustainable cod filets, about 4 in (10 cm) long and 1 in (3 cm) thick (can substitute with pollack or haddock)
6-8 cherry tomatoes
1 banana shallot or 3 regular shallots
2 cloves garlic
5-6 fresh sprigs cilantro/coriander (or parsley), leaves stripped from the stems
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp set aside
1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp set aside
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder

What to Do

Mince the garlic, slice the shallots and quarter the tomatoes. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and toss to combine, adding 2 tsp. of smoked paprika. Set aside.

Chop your herbs of choice. Combine the 1 tbsp. olive oil, cayenne pepper, herbs, 1 tsp. smoked paprika and salt. Coat each fish piece and set it aside for up to 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. If the fish are not well coated in olive oil, drizzle a little onto the paper/foil and lay the fish pieces on top. Spoon the vegetable mix on top of the cod.

Roasted Paprika Carrots and Broccoli

On the Counter

1 head broccoli, cut into florets, without main stem
8-10 carrots (depending on size)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
6 sprigs cilantro/coriander, (or parsley) leaves stripped from the stems
2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt

What to Do

Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C).

Slice the carrots thinly on the diagonal, about 1 cm thick (just under 1/2 inch). Chop the coriander and combine it with the paprika, garlic, olive oil and salt. Divide the mixture into 2.

In one bowl, toss 1/2 the spice oil with the broccoli. In another bowl, toss 1/2 the spice mix with the carrots.

Line a large baking sheet with foil, and spread the carrots widely. (If you don’t have a big enough tray, you can cook them separately – like I did.)

Roast the carrots for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli onto the baking sheet and roast for an additional 10 minutes.

June weather in the UK is unpredictable at best, which is something I’m still getting used to. Three years in, and I think I’m finally starting to accept that June is just going to be a mix of warm days, rainy days, and a combination of the two. But, some of those days are hot enough to justify a salad for dinner – and if it’s made with asparagus, I’m in.

I guess you could say that I’m still inspired by food we had in Sweden, as I had it saved from Anne’s Food Blog and finally got around to making it.

You don’t need to spend much time in the kitchen to make this, and it’s a lot more substantial than a bowl of lettuce. I’m hoping for a summer here in London that means more time to try interesting new salads… plus I’m looking forward to more iced coffee and sunny days.

We ate this without salmon for dinner, and with salmon for lunch the next day. (I’ve included instructions for poaching salmon at the end.)

Asparagus and Potato Salad Recipe

Serves: 4 (with or without salmon)

On the Counter

2.5 lbs (1 kg) new potatoes
1 lb (500 g) asparagus
1/2 lb (250 g) carrots, cut into chunks
2 scallions (green onions), sliced
3 tbsp creme fraiche (or slightly more sour cream)
3 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp whole-grain mustard
salt, black pepper
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, optional

large bowl of ice and cold water
steamer

What to Do

Quarter the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Boil for about 5 minutes, or until fork-tender but before they start falling apart. Drain and set them aside to cool.

Snap off the ends of the asparagus, and slice them into halves, length-wise. Steam them with a pinch of salt for 5-6 minutes until bright green and tender.

Meanwhile, boil the carrots in salted water for 6 minutes, until fork-tender.

Once the asparagus and carrots are cooked, plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Combine the sour cream, dijon and whole-grain mustard, with salt and black pepper to taste. If desired, mix in teaspoon of lemon juice for extra tanginess.

Toss with potatoes, carrots and asparagus. Serve, and sprinkle with sliced scallions.

Optional: Serve with poached salmon.

Poached Salmon Recipe

1 sprig parsley or dill
1 shallot, chopped
4 filets (3 oz or 85 g) of salmon, or 1 large piece of salmon (12 oz or 340 g)
1 cup water (or 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup white wine)

Sprinkle the salmon fillets with salt on both sides.

Add water/wine, herbs and shallot into a wide, flat-bottomed pot and bring to a simmer.

Place salmon, skin-side down, into the pan. Cover and begin to check the salmon at 5 minutes, until the flesh is entirely light pink.

Flake the salmon or serve as whole pieces, depending on your preference. If flaked, combine with the mustard cream and vegetables.

Have I mentioned that I like macaroni and cheese? Cuz I really do. I like all sorts of variations, from stovetop to baked, to Velveeta and broccoli, to pumpkin…

But this version… whoa. I do not normally have portion control issues, and I’m pretty good at saying no to seconds, but this mac and cheese had me back in the kitchen FOUR times. Just too good. (I suspect some of the healthier attributes of this particular mac & cheese were probably undone by having 4 portions of it.)

I modified the inspiration recipe by halving the cheese sauce, dropping some of the cheeses and chopping up pretty much every vegetable I had in my fridge. This recipe was great for using up both cheddar and carrots that had been sitting around for a while.

If you want the full-on cheesy experience, I suggest using the proportions and ful ingredients from the original recipe at Ezra Pound Cake, or doubling what you see below.

Check out all those veggies…

Serves: 6-8

On the Counter

1.5 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1/2 (58 g) cup small radishes, quartered
3/4 cup (130 g) broccoli (with stems), chopped
3/4 cup (175 g) carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
8 oz (227 g) elbow macaroni or other small tube pasta

Cheese Sauce

1.5 cup (60 g) grated cheddar
1/2 cup (30 g) grated parmesan
1 egg
1 cup (237 mL) milk

Topping

2-3 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup panko
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

What to Do

Cook the macaroni in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Mix topping: Combine panko, parmesan, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ (35cm x 24 cm) baking dish. Set aside.

In a large, deep pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes. The add the remaining vegetables. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Remove the vegetables from the heat, stir in the pasta and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk  the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne together until combined.

Pour over the macaroni and vegetables, and add the cheese, stirring until combined and cheese is melted in.

Gently pour macaroni mix into the baking dish. Top with tomatoes, and then sprinkle topping on.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

This is definitely a macaroni & cheese that all elbow pasta should aspire to.