laurkamkitchen

[laurkamkitchen]

16/4/24: Been a while since I've made this, so I thought I would give it another go. To be honest, it was a little underwhelming. Perhaps too much like one of my go-to lunches to feel right for dinner and perhaps the brand of kimchi I bought was just not it.

This recipe has been on my shortlist for, not exaggerating, probably months now, but for some reason I’ve been putting it off and putting it off until, well, now. While this combination — eggs, kimchi, tacos — might scare off some, I’ve been wanting to try this for ages, and perhaps because of those months of anticipation, I think I was a bit disappointed.

This recipe does combine so many of my favorite foods though (eggs, avocado, sweet potato, kimchi) and was still certainly delicious. I quartered it, using a regular small sweet potato as well as some of Violife’s vegan feta.

Since I had somewhere to be later, I didn’t even bother waiting for our oven to heat up and stuck my sweet potatoes straight in, keeping an eye on them while I cooked and prepped everything else. Because they were cubed into such small bites, they actually hardly took any time at all, so much so that they were done even before I’d started on the eggs.

We don’t have a gas stove (next year, baby), so I just went ahead and charred my corn tortillas in the pan before using it to fry the eggs. The eggs weren’t as yolky as I’d have liked, but that was just because I’m not used to frying them for one, and I was multitasking while making them for another.

Since this was the last of my kimchi, I poured a little of the remaining juice over as I ate these, which added perhaps some needed flavor. The way I folded and ate them, I was really only getting certain ingredients at a time, and there honestly just wasn’t much there; I’d definitely recommend adding some S&P to your eggs before serving.

I wish this had included some spices somewhere, or at least that I had thought to throw them in myself, as I think that would have totally elevated this. But, you know what, at least I finally got to it, and, regardless, it was a pretty satisfying meal, one I’d perhaps like to play to my personal tastes in the future.

#remake #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

This recipe, with its inclusion of lettuce, carrots, and lentils, seemed like the perfect compliment to my follicular phase, as well as super delicious. I can't believe this is my first time trying this one!

I quartered this using 1/8 cup uncooked quinoa, slightly less walnuts as I was almost out, and a little more purple cabbage than I perhaps intended. There are a number of different components to prep here, which was at first rather intimidating, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this took far less time than I thought it would.

I started the quinoa and lentils first and just decided to chuck them in together and see how they got on — as it turns out, surprisingly well. The lentils were just a tad undercooked, but that was fine by me.

I next turned to the slaw, then the peanut sauce, and finally prepped the rest of the filling. All in all, this was a 45 minute process — pretty good for me.

The five spice really gives this an unusual flavor, one that went beautifully with the rest of the components. The peanut sauce was definitely one of the best I've made in a while, and it really does take a lot for one to impress me these days!

Overall, this was such a great meal, so full of delicious flavor and satisfyingly filling. A perfect one to keep in my pocket for my follicular phase!

#lettuce #lettuce wraps #dinner #vegan #asian insp #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

I think it’s only fitting that my first ever post on this blog, and the first recipe I’ve made this year, is this chia pudding. I have made this so many times now that it’s probably the only recipe I no longer need the instructions for (although it does help that they’re pretty straightforward).

I usually end up making a half batch of this, although I do keep the cinnamon and vanilla amounts the same as the full because, well, I love cinnamon and vanilla and they give this such great flavor.

The original recipe calls for fresh blueberries as a topping, but I’ll typically only add them if they’re in season, leaving them out and opting for other fruit that is, either as a topping or on the side depending on what it is.

The original instructions call for you to blend the initial ingredients, but I’ve found that if your almond butter is runny enough, a little whisking will still do the trick.

The same goes for adding almond milk upon consumption; when I make this at school, where the almond butter brand I buy tends to be more runny, it’s not usually necessary, but at home, where it tends to be much thicker, I usually add a lot and then stir. At the end of the day, it’s really all about personal preference and experimentation.

#remake #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

With kimchi already on hand and a singular egg left in my fridge, this seemed like the perfect reset dinner after a lovely weekend hosting friends.

I made about 3/4 of this using organic soy sauce, one egg, and one big green onion. My quinoa I got going first; I did end up having to wait on it, and it was certainly not cooled, but I don't know how much of a difference that really made here, apart from the fact that it was perhaps not as crispy as it might have been.

I really feel that I cooked everything perfectly here and was genuinely so impressed by how much flavor this manages to pack by just drawing from the kimchi and tamari alone. It was yummy, filling, and genuinely super quick, even more so if you're able to cook the quinoa ahead of time. I will definitely be keeping this in mind as a Sunday night pick-me-up — it was genuinely such a win.

#remake #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

I have lots of recipes similar to this one saved on my Pinterest, but, for whatever reason, even though they align very nicely with my tastes, I rarely gravitate towards them. But at least here we are now!

I made roughly a third of this. It's all pretty straightforward — get quinoa going, make peanut sauce, whisk veggies — and didn't take me too much time, definitely less than 45 minutes (impressive, for how long I usually take in the kitchen).

Overall, there was a great sauce-to-bowl ratio here, and a nice range of flavors and textures, but this wasn't really something that blew me away. Still, though, I should try more of the other recipes like this I have saved, as this is a fresh, delicious dinner, especially as we move into warmer weather.

#cashew #quinoa #bowls #thai #vegan #dinner #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

The latest entry in my quest to use up that jar of miso: this incredible hummus. Holy wow, is this good. The miso and tahini combo is unreal; there really is so much flavor packed into this recipe.

Really my only note is that next time I’d double the amount of red pepper flakes, as I think this could use just the slightest extra kick. But other than that it’s perfect, and I can say right now that there totally will be a next time, as this was just so unbelievably good. Totally a hummus keeper.

#remake #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

Another lentil stew recipe! The vibrant color of this one was definitely intriguing, as was the added garnish of the gremolata.

I made about a third of this using the closest I could find to yukon gold potatoes here in the UK. This was another recipe which allowed me enough time to step out of the kitchen for more than 15 minutes — a rarity in my cooking habits, usually because of how much of a mess I've made, so one I'm always thankful for.

Sometimes I think you can skip the blending step in a stew like this depending on your personal preference, but let me tell you, it is absolutely essential here. I ladled half of mine into my serving bowl and simply immersion blended it in there before transferring back over to the pot.

The potatoes especially lend that blended half the most thick, luxurious, decadent, creamy, almost whipped texture. Seriously, you guys, this is the best soup texture I have ever had.

Usually, I am not a potato girl, and while I enjoy a dish like this, it wouldn't overly excite me, but this was just so insanely amazing that I think it's become a new favorite dinner recipe. Again, the texture is divine and the flavor is shockingly good. I will definitely be making this again.

#lentils #green lentil #stew #vegan #dinner #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

More summer rolls! I was super excited to try these, as fresh basil is probably my favorite herb, and I’m always looking for an excuse to stock it in my fridge. This also comes with a super yummy peanut sauce, a good batch of which I am also always super here for.

This was a really easy little dinner to pull together, as all it requires is some brief chopping and a little measure and whisk action. When I went to assemble, I actually only ended up using 7 rice paper wrappers, and maybe even could have stopped at 6; I do tend to overstuff, so by the time I got to the last few, there weren’t a lot of ingredients left. I ended up two with the perfect amount of peanut sauce to be able to really coat these, and they were, of course, delicious.

The one thing that disappointed me was that I didn’t get much basil flavor here, but that I’m calling that as my own fault. Usually I overdo it on the fresh herbs, but here somehow I didn’t grab enough for them to really come through. I was doing about two or three leaves a roll, but honestly I could have doubled or even tripled that.

But overall these were another successful and delicious spring/summer rolls venture. I’ve gotten really into the rolling and assembly process with these as a sort of dinnertime ritual, one I’d like to keep, well, rolling with so long as I still have rice paper wrappers in the larder.

#remake #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

I think it’s only fitting that my first ever post on this blog, and the first recipe I’ve made this year, is this chia pudding. I have made this so many times now that it’s probably the only recipe I no longer need the instructions for (although it does help that they’re pretty straightforward).

I usually end up making a half batch of this, although I do keep the cinnamon and vanilla amounts the same as the full because, well, I love cinnamon and vanilla and they give this such great flavor.

The original recipe calls for fresh blueberries as a topping, but I’ll typically only add them if they’re in season, leaving them out and opting for other fruit that is, either as a topping or on the side depending on what it is.

The original instructions call for you to blend the initial ingredients, but I’ve found that if your almond butter is runny enough, a little whisking will still do the trick.

The same goes for adding almond milk upon consumption; when I make this at school, where the almond butter brand I buy tends to be more runny, it’s not usually necessary, but at home, where it tends to be much thicker, I usually add a lot and then stir. At the end of the day, it’s really all about personal preference and experimentation.

#remake #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

I have been trying to eat more aligned with my cycle recently, and this recipe — packed with lentils, carrots, and cashews — seemed perfect for my follicular phase!

I made roughly a third of this using kale and subbing the white wine vinegar for apple cider. I totally forgot to pre-soak my cashews, but thankfully the amount of prep involved with this still allowed them the time they needed to boil for almost an hour. I managed to get enough prep done that I had a good 20 minutes or so to leave things simmering and read a little in bed.

I'm embarrassed to admit that it's taken me 4 years to even think of this, but instead of trying to get the cashews to blend in my massive food processor, I instead placed them in a ramekin with the water and used the immersion blender on its highest setting. And honestly, I was astounded by the result — this might be one of the few times I've been able to make something that successfully resembles actual cashew cream, and not just cashew bits. Plus, I didn't have to deal with all of the equipment and dishwasher space involved with the food processor. Seriously, why have I never thought of this before??

And truthfully, the cashew cream really makes this dish. I was so surprised by how flavorful this was, how rich and delicious the texture turned out. None of the French lentil soup recipes I've tried previously have ever really stood out, but this one definitely did!

#french lentil #french #stew #vegan #dinner #kensington place #lentils #follicular

[laurkamkitchen]

Remake 8/4/24: Actually used cashew butter this time, and I honestly think it made this even better!

A simple Minimalist Baker salad with a yummy, nutty dressing really just seemed like the perfect recipe to add to this docket this week, and this did not disappoint.

I quartered this of course including the roasted chickpeas and swapping the cashew butter for peanut. Once you get those chickpeas in the oven, the rest of this comes together quite quickly (especially if your oven is like mine and your chickpeas only take 10 minutes).

I ended up adding maybe half a tablespoon more peanut butter to my dressing, as I really prefer for the nuttiness to come through, but other than that, this was perfect. Not above and beyond the best salad I've ever made, but each element here was delicious and well-suited to the rest. MB never misses.

#kensington place #remake

[laurkamkitchen]

New bowl recipe! The lentils and roasted carrots were a bit of a departure from the type I usually gravitate towards, so this was a fun little foray into something slightly different.

I made roughly a third of this using 1/6 cup uncooked quinoa and 1/2 cup cooked lentils. I personally would chop the carrots into bite-sized pieces rather than quarters next time, but other than that, I don't have a lot of other notes to share here.

This was delicious, even if nothing all that revolutionary. If nothing else, it was a satisfying reminder that cooked carrots can be good when done well. During beet season, I am always looking for bowls which make good use of them, and this one definitely delivered, even if it wasn't anything all that special.

#bowls #buddha bowl #beet #vegan #dinner #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

Leftovers update 6/4/24: Had to follow up here to report that even though these have been in my freezer for almost 3 months, they warmed up beautifully and were perhaps even better than they were fresh. A great compliment to these sweet potato and pecan tacos.

Spelt Tortillas

As part of my goal to eat less processed foods this year and as a way to use up a huge bag of wholegrain spelt flour I have hanging around, this was a new attempt at making homemade tortillas. While it was easy in some ways and time-consuming in others, it was still pretty fun and a nice addition to the sweet potato Brussels sprouts tacos I made alongside them.

I made this in full and probably could have used an extra tablespoon of water, as my dough was really not that sticky before I went to knead it. As a result, I think my tortillas ended up a little more dry and brittle than they might have otherwise, but none of them fell apart, even whilst eating, so I would still label this attempt a success.

Even with my skillet on a slightly higher heat, I was still cooking these for maybe 2 minutes on each side, and with 12 to do one at a time, this was not a very speedy process. But the good news is that I only used two of these for dinner last night, so there are now 10 in the freezer to last me for quite some time.

Again, these were quite dry, so I don't think I quite made them to their full potential, but I did find this recipe pretty straightforward, so I would certainly be up for making it again, if nothing else to continue working on that big bag of spelt flour I have.

#leftovers update

[laurkamkitchen]

It's been ages since I've made tacos, and I still have a ton of spelt tortillas in the freezer, so a recipe like this seemed overdue on the dinner menu this week.

I made about a quarter of this, apart, obviously from the cassava tortilas since I already had my own on hand. Plus, four individual components — the sweet potato, the pecan meat, the cashew cream, and the pickled cabbage — all already seemed like plenty to tackle.

Unsurprisingly, the cashew cream barely blended in my food processor, but both the pecan meat and the sweet potato were pretty straightforward. I wasn't overly impressed with the pickled cabbage (just not enough liquid, in my opinion) and do wish I'd have made it ahead of time, but it was still okay.

In general, though, for as much effort as this takes, I really don't think it was all that worth it. The pecan meat and sweet potato were great, but the cashew cream, texture aside, was honestly kind of flavorless and really didn't add much — were I to make it again, I think I would just skip it.

I am glad I tried this, especially as I still have a lot of pecans to use up, but I don't really think I would go for it again. It's nothing special, in my opinion, and, again, just not really worth the effort.

#tacos #sweet potato #pecan #vegan #dinner #mexican #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

I think it���s only fitting that my first ever post on this blog, and the first recipe I’ve made this year, is this chia pudding. I have made this so many times now that it’s probably the only recipe I no longer need the instructions for (although it does help that they’re pretty straightforward).

I usually end up making a half batch of this, although I do keep the cinnamon and vanilla amounts the same as the full because, well, I love cinnamon and vanilla and they give this such great flavor.

The original recipe calls for fresh blueberries as a topping, but I’ll typically only add them if they’re in season, leaving them out and opting for other fruit that is, either as a topping or on the side depending on what it is.

The original instructions call for you to blend the initial ingredients, but I’ve found that if your almond butter is runny enough, a little whisking will still do the trick.

The same goes for adding almond milk upon consumption; when I make this at school, where the almond butter brand I buy tends to be more runny, it’s not usually necessary, but at home, where it tends to be much thicker, I usually add a lot and then stir. At the end of the day, it’s really all about personal preference and experimentation.

#remake #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

I recently saw one of my favorite YouTubers make trail mix bites, which totally inspired me to try and find something similar on Pinterest. This recipe could not have been more perfect — full of wholesome ingredients, including several (crunchy peanut butter, dried fruit, pistachios) that I've been keen to get rid of. What more could a girl ask for in such a cookie recipe?

I halved this to make 8 cookies using chopped dark chocolate buttons and dried currants. The batter was super thick, but other than that, this was all pretty standard cookie baking stuff.

9 minutes at 170℃ was perfect for our overenthusiastic oven (though I think I probably could have pulled them a minute sooner for a slightly softer exterior). I didn't flatten mine much, so they were still quite round, but I've recently been into that kind of cookie, so that was all intentional.

I am here to tell you that these were absolutely scrumptious, packed full of so many different flavors and textures. Crunchy, salty, soft, sweet — they really have it all! I think the currants were the perfect dried fruit to use here, a good size that's not too sweet and packs a little bit of tartness which acted as the perfect compliment to the rest of the cookie.

I would 100% make these again — they are such a great treat, but you could definitely have them as a little snack as well. So much variety here and so much yumminess!

#trail mix #cookies #dessert #veggie #dairy free #kensington place

[laurkamkitchen]

This was one of the first Pinterest recipes I ever tried. It was a go-to for Emma and me in halls, one we could easily throw together without having to really cook anything. It’s a great one to make with a friend, as you both get into the groove of chopping side by side, and will always make me think of her. It’s been a while since I’ve made it though, as I haven’t seen Emma much this year, but with collard greens in season here, I simply couldn’t resist, as this really is an old favorite.

The nice thing about this recipe is that it easily allows you to make as much as you want. Usually for one serving for myself, I use 1 medium carrot (Emma and I have also bought pre-shredded carrots in the past, which works well and eliminates some of the work), ¼ cucumber, ¼ cup uncooked quinoa, and 4 collard leaves to contain it all. Emma and I have usually substituted the red cabbage with red bell pepper to avoid buying a whole head, which works well as a substitute. In the past, we’ve used whatever hummus we’ve had, but this time I actually did do a curry one, using this recipe which was a bit simpler than the one linked in the ingredients list.

This time to cook my quinoa, I borrowed the pre-cook toasting tip from the notes of this recipe from Minimalist Baker, adding salt and about ¼ tsp curry powder to the uncooked quinoa and letting it toast for a few minutes before adding the water and proceeding as normal. It elevates the quinoa just slightly and really does make a yummy difference.

I took a third of the peanut sauce recipe this time, simply whisking in a bowl since breaking out the food processor seemed unnecessary since I making such a small batch. I used tamari rather than soy sauce as well as crunchy peanut butter, a tip Emma and I have found to work really well. By using crunchy peanut butter, you still get that extra texture without having to worry about buying and chopping peanuts on their own, as the listed ingredients would have you do.

The peanut sauce really makes this recipe, which is one of those that is both super yummy and indulgent and yet also really healing, thanks to the freshness of the veggies. It’s got all sorts of sentimental associations for me now, and every time I make it, I feel so satisfied and whole.

#remake #kensington place