Chickpea Butternut Pumpkin Patties

Chickpeas have a delicious nutty taste and buttery texture. Pumpkins are naturally low in calories and fat, rich in vitamin A and an excellent source of fiber. The match of chickpeas and pumpkins, for me, is the match made in heaven.

Not only are they delicious, healthy, and loaded with nutrients, but they could also be used to make a variety of healthier holiday or daily treats. These patties are very easy to make and bursting with flavours.

• 400 g Butternut pumpkin puree©angiesrecipes
  
  
• 150 g Chickpea puree
  
  
• 350 g Glutinous rice flour
  
  
• 25 g Honey
  
  
• 450 g Poppy paste©angiesrecipes
  
  
• Some corn oil

1. Place butternut pumpkin puree, chickepea puree, glutinous rice flour and honey in a bowl. Mix with your hand until you have a smooth dough. Add more glutinous rice flour if needed.
   
   
2. Divide it into 35 portions, each about 26 grams. Shape each into a ball. Divide the poppy paste into 35 portions too. Roll each pumpkin dough into a round, fill the center with poppy paste, and then seal to enclose the filling. Lightly press it down to flatten the ball.
   
   
3. Heat up a skillet with some corn oil and pan fry patties over the low-medium heat until golden brown.

Mushroom Tagliatelle with Argan Oil and Parmesan

Argan oil, believed to be one of the rarest oils in the world, is a robust, nutty oil made from the nuts of the argan tree endemic to Southwestern Morocco. Traditionally in Morocco, argan oil is used in tajines, couscous, salads, grilled tomatoes and other Moroccan dishes. It is valued for its nutritive, cosmetic and numerous medicinal properties.



This oil is naturally high in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, making it an excellent dietary supplement. It is also very good for the skin; vitamin E can help smooth cracked hands, knees, and elbows while nourishing the skin, and essential fatty acids can promote healthy skin as well. These benefits have made argan oil popular in cosmetics for centuries in Morocco and beyond, and small vials of the costly oil are often on offer at high-end cosmetic stores.

• 250 g Crimini mushroom or portobello, thickly sliced
  
  
• 1-2 clove Garlic, sliced
  
  
• 150 ml Vegetable stock
  
  
• 180 g Tagliatelle
  
  
• 1 tbsp Parsley, chopped
  
  
• 1 tbsp Lemon rind, finely zested
  
  
• 1 tbsp Argan oil to serve
  
  
• Grated Parmesan to serve

1. Put the sliced mushrooms, garlic and vegetable stock into a skillet, bring to the boil and simmer for until the liquid has nearly all evaporated and the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.
   
   
2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain and toss with the mushrooms, parsley and lemon zest. Season to taste and drizzle the argan oil over and serve with grated Parmesan.

Focaccia with Grapes / Schiacciata con l'Uva

"Schiacciata con l'Uva" is a traditional flatbread made in Tuscany-what everyone else in Italy calls "Focaccia", in the autumn. Nicely golden and crisp on the outside, laid with juicy sweet red grapes and sprinkled with brown sugar, this focaccia tastes wonderfully delicious with a glass of Chianti! Don't you love its rustic look!

Recipe Sources:

dajana-bakerscorner

epicurious

kingarthurflour

• 300 ml Water, lukewarm
  
  
• 30 g Honey
  
  
• 400 g Spelt flour #1050©angiesrecipes
  
  
• 1/2 tsp Salt
  
  
• 7 g Instant dry yeast
  
  
• 500 g Seedless red grapes
  
  
• Extra virgin olive oil
  
  
• 50 g brown sugar
  
  

1. Place water, flour, caster sugar, salt and instant dry yeast in the order they are listed into the pan of your bread machine, program the machine for dough, and press "Start".
   
   
2. While the dough is rising, rinse and dry the grapes. When dough cycle is complete remove the dough from machine. Take 2/3 of the dough and roll it out thin on a baking paper greased with olive oil. Place 2/3 of the grapes on the dough and sprinkle with 30 grams of brown sugar.
   
   
3. Roll out the remaining dough and cover the bottom sheet with the grapes on it. Lift the edges of the bottom sheet over the upper one and press lightly to join them. Move the focaccia together with the baking paper to a baking tray. Brush the surface with oil, place the remaining grapes on top and sprinkle with the remaining 20 grams of brown sugar.
   
   
4. Bake the focaccia in an oven preheated to190C/375F for 25 to 30 minutes utill it is golden brown. Serve it warm with a glass or two Chianti.

Peach Nougat Spelt Cake

A slightly dense, moist butter cake with ripe, fresh, and juicy peaches and rich, gooey nougat atop makes a truly succulent late-summer delight with a glass of sparkling wine.

Batter	Topping
250 g Spelt #630 flour©angiesrecipes 2 tsp Baking powder 100 g Sugar 2 Eggs 150 g Butter, softened 6 tbsp Milk	6 Fresh peaches©angiesrecipes, peeled, halved and pitted 200 g Nougat Some raspberry jam Some pistachio, chopped

1. Peel and halve the peaches. Gently fan out the top of halves whilst still keeping them all together. Line a 30x.33cm baking tray with paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Place the nougat in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until it is melted and smooth.
   
   
2. Whisk the spelt flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Add in sugar, eggs, butter and milk. Beat briefly with a hand mixer on slow speed, then increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes until a smooth dough forms.
   
   
3. Press the dough evenly onto the prepared tray. Arrange the peach halves, fanned-out side up, in 4 lines, setting them 1 inch apart and pressing each gently into the dough. Spoon the melted nougat to fill the gaps between lines.
   
   
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Strain the raspberry jam through a fine sieve into a bowl. Remove the cake and cool on the wire rack. Brush the peach halves with the jam while it’s still warm, and scatter the chopped pistachio on the nougat. Slice the cake and serve.

Thank you, kitchen flavours and alwayswinner786, for passing the awards to me.

Kitchen Flavours	Tips for Delicious and Healthy Cooking

Chicken with Lee Kum Kee Plum Sauce / 苏梅酱汁鸡

This light brown sauce is made from preserved Chinese plums, quality ginger, and chilies. This is an excellent dipping sauce for any roasted meat dishes and for stir frying.

	Sauce
200 g Chicken breast 1/3 tsp Salt 1/5 tsp Chicken bouillon 60 g Cornstarch 1/2 tsp Baking soda 1/2 Egg Some water 1 tsp Minced garlic 1 tsp Sesame seeds©angiesrecipes	2 tbsp Sweet plum sauce©angiesrecipes 30 ml Water 1 tbsp Sugar 1/2 tsp White vinegar 1/5 tsp Salt 1 tsp Cornstarch

1. Cut the chicken breast into 2cm dices, marinate with the salt and chicken bouillon and set aside for 15 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and baking soda, add in egg and some water to make a thick batter.
   
   
2. Heat up a wok with enough oil until hot. Dip the diced chicken into the batter. Shake off the extra batter and deep-dry the chicken for 2 minutes. Scoop out and drain. Return the chicken to the wok and deep-fry until very crispy.
   
   
3. Fill another skillet with a little of oil, add in garlic and stir until fragrant. Combine all the sauce ingredients and add into the skillet. Return the fried chicken to the skillet and stir until the chicken are completely coated with the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle some sesame seeds over.

Pear Financier Tea Cake

These delicious, moist tea cakes were named long ago by a pâtisserie near the Bourse, the Parisian stock exchange, who cleverly baked them in the shape of gold ingots to please their wealthy clientele. The basis of the cake butter, egg whites, powdered sugar and almond meal. While delicious on its own, the Financier can also be flavoured with seasonal fruits such as raspberries, peaches or pears. Financiers are often baked in the rectangular mould.

• 2 Pears, peeled and cut into 1cm dices
  
  
• 100 g Butter, melted
  
  
• 80 g Almond meal©angiesrecipes
  
  
• 40 g All-purpose flour
  
  
• 80 g Icing sugar
  
  
• Pinch of salt
  
  
• 1/2 tsp Almond extract
  
  
• 3 Egg whites, lightly beaten
  
  
• 1 tbsp Pistachio, chopped
  
  

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Thoroughly butter the financier moulds and place them in the freezer to resolidify the butter and make the financiers easier to unmould.
   
   
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, flour, icing sugar and salt. Mix to blend. Fold in the lightly beaten egg whites, almond extract and melted butter.
   
   
3. Fill each mold almost to the rim and place some diced pears on top. Bake for 12 minutes or until the financiers have become light brown on top and are springy to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle the top with some chopped pistachio.

Peach Rucola Salad with Mozzarella

With all the healthy and fresh summer fruits and veggies available in local supermarkets, it's easy to brighten up a bowl of tedious lettuce salad. I used peach (now in full season), cherry tomatoes, strawberries, rucola (simply the best, well, for me) and finally a little of Mozzarella di Bufala. Sprinkle some croutons over if desired and serve with Champagne dressing or any of your favourite vinaigrette. A perfect light lunch. I had them 3 days in a row. The possibilities for a sensational salad are endless, so be creative!

Recently I have received a set of Girard’s Salad Dressing, which was the prize that I won at the Summer Salad Challenge- Girard's Salad Dressing Giveaway hosted by Catherine at Living The Gourmet. The package contains 3 new Girard's salad dressing flavours: Apple Poppyseed, Creamy Balsamic, Peach Mimosa as well as their signature Champagne Dressing.

• 2 Ripe peaches
  
  
• 80 g Rucola
  
  
• 150 g Mozzarella, cut into smaller pieces
  
  
• Strawberries, optional
  
  
• Cherry tomatoes, optional
  
  
• Girard’s salad dressings
  
  

1. Wash peaches, rubbing to remove fuzz. Cut in half and remove pits. Thinly slice peaches. Place peach slices in a serving plate. Add rucola and Mozzarella to plate with peaches. Add dressing and toss.