About FeastforFamine

Food, Recipes

Hi there and welcome to FeastforFamine!

cropped-img_20181009_082554_230.jpgAre you bored with going home to another bowl of pasta, sandwich or reheated lasagna? Going out for a pizza, burger or a steak? If you fancy trying some of the other wonderful stuff going on out there in the world, welcome to my blog, FeastforFamine.

Come on in and join me on my journey around the world, creating food inspired by countries from  Zimbabwe to Peru!

 

FeastForFamine has four main goals, specifically to…

  • Promote flavours and ideas from corners of the world less well-travelled or promoted.
  • Put my own interpretation on some of those and share my ideas with you.
  • Draw attention to some of the issues currently going on in those countries, many of which are suffering greatly from war and/or famine.
  • Through my links with Save the Children, to raise some funds to support children suffering throughout those countries and the wider world.

The emphasis is on inexpensive, wholesome, widely available ingredients which we don’t always think of pairing. Exotic cooking need not cost the earth, but sometimes takes only a slightly more adventurous approach to give our taste buds something new to look forward to.

Sadly, closer to home, several hundred thousand people in the UK now regularly rely on foodbanks. So, I have deliberately chosen a charity whose scope includes the UK, and hope that the ethos behind my ideas and recipes will make most of them accessible to as many people as possible.

Every Monday throughout 2019 I will be posting a new recipe. if you try, and enjoy any of my recipes and you feel inspired to make a donation (of any amount) please feel free to click the link to the donations page. And if not, that’s fine too – I only hope that you enjoy the recipe! Please feel free to leave any comments or feedback, or suggestions for enhancing any of the recipes. The whole idea of this blog is promote experimentation, exchange of ideas and learning from experience!

Scroll down and be inspired x

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Syrian Inspired Fruit Salad

Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Easy, Food, Gluten Free, Quick, Recipes, Snacks, Sweets, Syria

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The use of watermelon makes this dish so juicy, even better if the watermelons been in the fridge! Great for breakfast, brunch, snack or for dessert, especially after a BBQ…

Serves 1 (just add larger quantities of all ingredients to make for more people)

Ingredients: 1/4 watermelon, 2 figs (black or green), tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds, tbsp. greek or natural yogurt, tsp honey, a few crush pistachios.

Method:

  1. Cut all ingredients up to your liking
  2. Crush the pistachios
  3. Plate up all the fruit, add the tbsp of greek or natural yogurt, scatter over the pomegranate seeds, drizzle the honey and crushed pistachios over the top and enjoy!

Friday marked the eighth year of the war in Syria, millions are now living as refugees, resorting to eating animal feed and leaves to survive. Thousands of children have been killed and many of those surviving are separated from their families and are living with severe injuries as a result of this brutal conflict. Save The Children are working tirelessly to help those still in Syria, to find out more, please visit the link: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/middle-east/syria

If you would like to make a monetary donation please visit the link: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/Feastforfamine

Thanks x

Inspired by Syria – Garlicky Roasted Courgette and Carrot, Honey, Cumin and Pine Nut Dips

Cheap, Easy, Food, Gluten Free, Quick, Recipes, Syria, Vegan

Serves 2 – 4 as a starter, snack or part of a meze platter.

Roasted Courgette and Garlic Dip

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30mins

Ingredients: 1 large courgette or two smaller ones, 2 cloves of garlic, 3 tbsps. of olive oil, 1 tbsp. of tahini paste, juice of half a lemon.

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 220F
  2. Chop the courgette into chunks, peel and thinly slice your garlic cloves
  3. Place in an oven proof dish with 2 tbsps. of olive oil and mix well
  4. Pop in the oven for 30mins, turning after 15mins
  5. When cooked, places in a blender with the juice of half a lemon, 1 tbsp. of olive oil and 1 tbsp. of tahini
  6. Give it a quick blitz and serve warm straight away of leave to cool until ready to serve.

Carrot, Honey, Cumin and Pine Nut Dip

Prep: 5mins
Cook: 30mins

Ingredients: 2 large carrots, 2 tbsps. runny honey, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, 1 tsp. cumin powder, 1 tbsp. pine nuts.

Method

  1. Peel and slice the carrots,
  2. Place in a lidded pan with 1 tsp. of cumin powder, 2 tbsps. of honey and 1 tbsp. of water
  3. Pop the lid on and cook on a low heat for 25mins
  4. After 25mins take the lid off and cook for a further 5 mins
  5. Place the carrots and any remaining cooking liquid in a blender with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and blend to a chunky consistency – you don’t want baby food!
  6. Lightly toast 1 tbsp. of pine nuts
  7. Mix half of the pine nuts into your carrot dip and reserve the other half for garnish
  8. Eat straight away or leave to cool as part of a meze platter – I ate mine with some warmed pitta bread – yummy!!

Friday marked the eighth year of the war in Syria, millions are now living as refugees, resorting to eating animal feed and leaves to survive. Thousands of children have been killed and many of those surviving are separated from their families and are living with severe injuries as a result of this brutal conflict. Save The Children are working tirelessly to help those still in Syria, to find out more, please visit the link: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/middle-east/syria

If you would like to make a monetary donation please visit the link: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/Feastforfamine

Thanks x

Inspired by Brazil Piri Piri Style Turkey Breast, Black Beans, Orange and Tomato Rice, Smashed Avocado and a Simple Salsa

Food, Main Course, Recipes, Spicy

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This is a lovely colourful dish, full of flavour!

Serves 2 – 4 as a main course

Prep: 20 mins plus one hour chilling time
Cook: 35mins

Ingredients
For the Piri Piri Turkey: 2 x turkey breast, 1 peeled clove of garlic, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, 1 heaped tsp of dried oregano, 1 tsp of paprika, 2 crushed dried chillies, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, pinch of salt

For the Black Beans: 1 large can of rinsed and drained black beans (drained weight 520g), 600ml of low sodium chicken stock cube, 1 clove of garlic, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of dried oregano.

For the Tomato and Orange Rice: 1 cup of dried rice to two parts water, juice of 1/2 orange, rind from the whole orange, 1 tsp. of tomato puree, salt and pepper, 1 tsp of butter.

For the Simple Salsa and Smashed Avocado: 8 cherry tomatoes, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp of dried oregano, 1 ripe avocado

Method

  1. Start by marinating your turkey breast, cut the turkey into strips and leave to one side
  2. In a pestle and mortar add your garlic clove, dried oregano, paprika, red chillies, pinch of salt and mix to a paste, add your white wine vinegar and olive oil and mix well
  3. Cover your turkey breasts in the mixture and leave in the fridge for a minimum of one hour
  4. To make your beans, heat olive oil in a lidded pan and add to this your garlic and cook gently for a few minutes, now add your beans and stir well, add the chicken stock, cinnamon stick and oregano, bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on for 30mins, stirring half way through the cooking time and adding a little more water if needed to stop the beans from sticking
  5. While the beans are cooking make your salsa and start your rice
  6. To make the salsa, chop your cherry tomatoes and mix with the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and dried oregano, and put to one side
  7. For your rice, in a lidded pan, add one cup of rice to two parts cold water, to this add the juice and rind of 1/2 an orange and 1 tsp. of tomato puree and a pinch of salt
  8. Bring to the boil and then place the lid on and simmer for 10mins until all the water is absorbed, after 10 minutes turn the heat off but keep the lid on until ready to serve ( at least five minutes)
  9. Now to cook your turkey, heat a frying pan and cook your turkey for 3 – 5 minutes on each side
  10. Smash your avocado with a tsp of lemon juice
  11. Before serving, to your rice, add the other half of grated orange rind, 1 tsp of butter and season with some black pepper and extra salt depending on your taste
  12. To serve, add your rice and black beans to your plate or bowl, add your turkey breast and top with your smashed avocado, salsa and a squeeze or orange…Enjoy!

Although Brazil is the ninth largest economy in the World, many children are subject to poor education, health and natural disasters such as droughts and heavy rain, causing mudslides and severe flooding. Save The Children have been working in Brazil since 1991 to provide emergency relief and are working to improve the education and health of those in most need. To find out more, please visit: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/south-central-america/brazil

If you would like to make a monetary donation, please visit the link: http://justgiving.com/fundraising/feastforfamine

Thanks x

Inspired by the Lebanon – Whole Roast Lebanese Chicken with A Cauliflower, Bulgar Wheat Tabbouleh

Easy, Food, Lunch, Main Course, Recipes

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This dish is flavoursome yet gentle, and the marinade for the chicken makes a lovely sauce to use after cooking, perfect for when the weather starts to warm up.

Serves 4 – 6

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 2 hours

Ingredients
For the Roast Chicken: 1 whole chicken, juice of a whole lemon, 2 tbsp. of yogurt (can be plain or Greek), 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 cardamom pods, 2 tsps. dried thyme, 1 tsp of cumin, 1/2 tsp of salt, generous mil of black pepper

For the Cauliflower Tabbouleh: 1/2 head of cauliflower or one small cauliflower, 1 cup of dried bulgur wheat, juice of one lemon, tsp. cumin, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsps. of toasted sesame seeds, 1/4 cucumber chopped into small chunks, bunch of parsley, 2 tbsps. of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Method

  1. Make your tabbouleh ahead, even the day before, so that all you need to do is roast your chicken when is comes to a leisurely lunch or dinner!
  2. Start off with the bulgur wheat, add one part of rinsed well bulgur wheat (I used one cup), to 1.5 cups of boiling water and the juice of half a lemon to a lidded pan, put the lid on and leave for 20mins to absorb the liquid, after 20 mins drain off any excess liquid and set to one side
  3. Pre-heat your oven to 200 fan, mix the cumin, chopped garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper with 2 tbsps. of olive oil, break your cauliflower into small florets and coat in this mixture
  4. Pop in the oven for 30mins
  5. Once the cauliflower is cooked, add to your bulgur wheat with the cucumber, parsley and the rest of the juice from the lemon, add another tbsp. of olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well
  6. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and leave in the fridge until you are ready to use it, up to 24 hours is fine.
  7. When you are ready to cook your chicken, pre-heat your oven to 200F/180C
  8. In a bowl mix together 2 tbsps. of yogurt, 1 tbsp. of olive oil 2 crushed garlic cloves, juice of a whole lemon, 1 tsp of cumin, 2 cardamom pods (crushed), 2 tsps. dried thyme, 1/2 tsp of salt and a generous mil of black pepper
  9. Make some slits in the chicken thighs and legs and make some space between the breast and the skin
  10. Cover your chicken with the mixture, pushing some underneath the skin on the chicken
  11. In the cavity, place the two cinnamon sticks and the left over lemon from juicing
  12. Pop in the oven and cook for 25 minutes per 500g, plus an extra 25 minutes
  13. Allow your chicken to rest and then slice and serve with your cauliflower tabbouleh, pouring the juices from the chicken over the top…Enjoy!

Save The Children, have been working in the Lebanon since 1953, as well as providing aid to many refugees, they have been working to provide shelter by renovating buildings so that they are safe to occupy, they have also been working to implement safe water systems.  With the increase of Syrian refugees, they have been working to bring Lebanese and Syrian people together on community projects. To find out more please visit:
https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/middle-east/lebanon

If you would like to make a monetary donation, please visit the link: http://justgiving.com/fundraising/feastforfamine

Thanks x

 

 

 

 

February Recipes Review: From Yemen to Haiti…

Asian Flavours, Baking, Cheap Meat Cuts, Comforting, Food, Gluten Free, Main Course, Noodles, Pickles, Recipes, Snacks, Soups/Stews, Spicy, Starters, Sweets

Hi All!

So how am I doing with my Food from the World for the World?

February was a short month but I managed to take you to a few new places! First stop was Zimbabwe for a delicious, cheap and easy Inspired by Zimbabwe: Tomato Chicken Stew with Peanut Butter Rice

Next stop Mozambique for a rich chocolate dessert just in time for Valentines…Inspired by Mozambique, gluten-free, rich Dark Chocolate, Cashew Nut and Sweet Potato Mousse.

From Mozambique we made a visit to Yemen for Inspired by Yemen – Scrambled Eggs with Green Beans and Hot Spiced Yogurt, Served with Clove and Cardamon Black Tea, giving new flavours to an all time comfort food, also timely linked with Save The Childrens’ current campaign, Pens for Peace in Yemen. For more details please visit the link: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/middle-east/yemen

As some of you were feeling the spring like weather early this year, for our last stop in February, I decided to take us somewhere to try something a bit lighter, so we went to Haiti… twice! Once for Inspired by Haiti – Crab and Sweet Potato Fritters and a last little February treat of mock ice cream! Inspired by Haiti – Banana and Mango Mock Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Cashew Nut Shards

So where will March take us? Come back on Monday to find out…and in the meantime I would love to have your feedback on the recipes created by Feastforfamine so far, and please feel free to share your recipes too!

Thanks

Rosalyn x

Inspired by Haiti – Banana and Mango Mock Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate and Cashew Nut Shards

chocolate, Dessert, Easy, Food, Gluten Free, Haiti/Recipes, Recipes, Snacks, Sweets, Vegan

20180926_202036Low fat, naturally creamy, delicious and can be vegan too!

Prep: 10mins
Cook: 4 hours chilling time…

Serves 4

Ingredients: 1 mango, 2 bananas, 100g dark chocolate (you can source vegan dark chocolate quite easily these days), 50g cashew nuts (crushed), 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Method
1. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper
2. Melt 100g of dark chocolate and pour onto the baking parchment, scatter the crushed cashew nuts over the chocolate and leave to cool in the fridge
3. Peel and slice the mango and bananas and leave in the freezer for four hours
4. When ready to serve, take the mango and bananas out of the freezer and place in the blender, add the vanilla extract and blend to a smooth texture, (this can be placed back in the freezer until ready to serve)
5. Take your dark chocolate and cashew tray out of the fridge and break into shards
6. Scoop the Banana and Mango mix into bowls and serve with some of the dark chocolate and cashew nut shards…Enjoy!

A devastating earthquake struck on the 12 January 2010, it killed 230,000 people and left more than one million people homeless. Save The Children were there to help and by the end of 2010 they had helped a total of 870,000 people, but there is still more to be done, to find out more please visit: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/south-central-america/haiti

If you would like to make a monetary donation please visit the link: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/feastforfamine

Inspired by Haiti – Crab and Sweet Potato Fritters

Easy, Food, Haiti/Recipes, Lunch, Recipes, Spicy, Starters

20180927_142248.jpgThese are perfect for a starter or light lunch…

Serves two as a Main, four as a Starter

Prep: 10mins, plus one hour chilling time
Cook: 10mins

Ingredients: 1 medium sized sweet potato, 1 tin of white crab meat, thumb sized piece of ginger, 4 spring onions, 1 egg, small red chilli, fresh watercress to serve, vegetable oil for frying,

Optional: Tamarind Sauce, Cashew Nuts (10 pieces)

Method

  1. Peel and grate the sweet potato, add to a large mixing bowl with the tinned crab
  2. Finely slice the spring onions, ginger and chilli, add these to the mixing bowl
  3. Crack in the egg and combine all the ingredients together
  4. Mould into 8 patties and set aside in the fridge for at least one hour
  5. Now heat a tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry your fritters for five minutes on each side, gently pressing down as they cook
  6. Serve on a plate of watercress with a dipping bowl full of shop bought tamarind, sweet chilli sauce, or one of your choice, could even use mayo! Sprinkle over a few cashew nut pieces and get dipping!

    A devastating earthquake struck on the 12 January 2010, it killed 230,000 people and left more than one million people homeless. Save The Children were there to help and by the end of 2010 they had helped a total of 870,000 people, but there is still more to be done, to find out more please visit: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/south-central-america/haiti

If you would like to make a monetary donation please visit the link: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/feastforfamine

Thanks x