#raw snacks

Cauliflower Sweet Potato Soup, Skhug, Raw Za’atar Falafels

After a long week that included an event on Sunday, I was all but ready to sink into bed and blankets. Fortunately before that I managed to whip up a comfort bowl of fluffy cauliflower soup, completed with Middle Eastern toppings of garlicky skhug and raw za’atar falafels.

The soup has only four main ingredients: cauliflower, sweet potato, vegetable broth ad plant milk. The simplicity allows the crucifer flavor to shine. You will want to keep the ratio of cauliflower to sweet potato to about 4:1 in order not to overpower the cauliflower. For variations, other root vegetables can also be used in place of sweet potato, such as potato, celeriac or parsnip.

Skhug (or zhug) is a Yemeni version of pesto, a fiery paste of jalapeno, parsley, cilantro, copious garlic and spices (cumin and cardamom). Like pesto, it goes well on savoury dishes like salads, wraps and soup. A very convenient paste to have on hand, and especially if you’re a garlic lover, you should definitely give it a go!

The last component is raw/non-baked falafels made of carrots, soaked sunflower seeds, ground flax, spiced up with za’atar and cumin and rolled in a crunchy coat of sesame seeds. Granted, the taste and texture is unlike chickpea-based falafel but nevertheless an alternative if you don’t take to legumes well.

This week I am saddened to learn of the passing away of Sarah @pretendhealthfreak, a healthy food creator with a huge following. It is yet another poignant reminder of the importance of mental health, and not to be afraid to seek help if you need to.

Here we go with the recipes:

Recipe

For Cauliflower Sweet Potato Soup

1/2 head (400g) cauliflower, chopped 

1 small (100g) sweet potato, chopped

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (light coconut, almond works well here)

Bring to boil the vegetable broth. Add in the cauliflower, sweet potato and non-dairy milk. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Transfer the liquid and three-quarters of the vegetables into a high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If the soup is too thick, add water to thin. Reserve the remaining vegetables for garnish.

For Skhug (Yemeni spicy pesto)

4 jalapeno peppers, deseeded or 1 green capsicum for less spicy version

½ cup (10g) English parsley, chopped 

½ cup (10g) cilantro, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

½ tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

2 pods green cardamom

1/12 tsp cumin

1/12 tsp black pepper

1/2 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend till a paste or chutney consistency. Store in an airtight bottle in the refrigerator for up to one week.

For Za’atar Falafel

½ cup (70g) sunflower seeds, soaked 2-4 hours

1 cups (150g) chopped carrots, or carrot pulp from juicing

2 tbsp (20g) ground flax seeds  

½ garlic clove, crushed

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp diced onion

1 tsp za’atar (thyme, sumac, sesame)

Ground cumin, cayenne, smoked paprika

Sea salt

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

Sesame seeds - for coating

Place ingredients in food processor and blend until a semi-smooth consistency. Roll into balls and then roll the balls in sesame seeds. You can choose to dehydrate for 6-8 hours for a slightly crispy exterior.

Assembly

Raw Chocolate Mint Energy Balls