Cleanse is probably a better descriptor for a month of cutting out alcohol, caffeine, sugar and processed foods, and moving to a plant-based diet.
There is no medical science to this home-made cleanse, so I avoid talking about it, especially because the only diet I subscribe to is "everything in moderation".
Starting years ago as a way of getting to the ... er, bottom of one of the family’s gut issues, it became an annual thing because of how good we felt at the end of the month.
Due mostly to the elimination of alcohol, I am sure.
It’s our way of drawing a line in the sand when it comes to overindulgence and, with many of the foods and dishes finding their way into our regular diet, eating more nutritious meals.
With party season on the horizon I am sharing recipes that replace processed crackers, dips filled with additives and preservatives, and sadly cheese.
Each of these recipes are vegetarian and gluten and dairy-free, so handy when catering to dietary requirements.
The seed crackers are a favourite at Bannockburn’s Desert Heart Estate where they are served with a soft goat’s cheese and replace regular crackers for coeliac diners on their legendary platters.
The hardest thing for me will be forgoing their new release chardonnay this month.
Home-made dips and spreads can be a delicious way to incorporate different vegetables, such as beetroot which also brings the colour purple to the "eat the rainbow" philosophy.
This beetroot dip recipe is based around a pick-me-up I enjoyed at the Ace Hotel in Sydney after a day walking the city.
These cool, Surry Hills lodgings have a food offering that made it hard to leave the 18-storey building.
From great coffee and buns at Good Chemistry, through casual all day dining at Loam to Kiln - the very on-to-it rooftop restaurant with wrap-around downtown Sydney views.
Musician Flip Grater fills the gaps in a plant-based diet through her Grater Goods non-meat charcuterie and dairy-free cheeses available at gourmet food stores and through the Grater Goods Deli and Bistro in Christchurch.
Their menu which runs from antipasti to salads, soups, pastas, stews, burgers and sandwiches is, I have to say, meaty.
As a cheese lover these guys have it covered with nut- and seed-based "cheeses" and creamy sauces that bring the same level of satisfaction.
I make my version of their Boursin-style cashew cheese regularly because my friends with dietary requirements love me for it.
Gluten-free seed crackers
Additive, preservative and packaging free. There’s a lot of goodness in this tasty snack that holds its own without the need for toppings. They keep well in an airtight container.
Makes about 250g
Ingredients
60g sesame seeds
75g pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds
45g almonds
2 Tbsp linseeds
175g cornmeal flour
1 Tbsp sea salt
⅓ cup olive oil
Method
Heat oven to 170°C fan bake.
Mix all ingredients together with 1 cup boiling water.
Spoon out on to two baking paper lined oven trays.
Cover with another piece of baking paper and press out with hands to make as thin as possible (approx 2mm).
You are baking two big crackers.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through – they will turn brown and lose the green tinge that the cornmeal gives them.
You may find the outside cooks quicker than the middle; in which case you can break off the cooked area and put the rest back in the oven.
If cooking two trays at once you may have to swap the trays halfway through cooking.
Remove to cooling racks.
Break into pieces to serve.
Beetroot dip
Roasting beetroot renders them succulent and sweet. I always roast a few more than I need for the dip to use in salads and sandwiches throughout the week.
Makes about 500g
Ingredients
3 small beetroots (2 large)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp cider vinegar (or use extra water)
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup toasted walnuts
2 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp chopped dill
Method
Heat the oven to 180°C.
Scrub the beetroot and slice into quarters or eighths if they are large.
Place in a small roasting tin with the garlic cloves and toss with cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and 2 Tbsp water.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes or until you can pierce them with a fork.
Set aside, still covered, to cool.
Blend in a high-speed blender or food processor with walnuts, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, dill and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of extra walnuts and dill if you have them.
Cashew ‘cheese’
This super easy dairy-free cheese is a saviour when navigating dietary requirements. It can be used for spreading as-is, or set in the freezer and turned out on to a platter with a coating of fresh herbs or spices such as cracked pepper, cumin and smoked paprika. The cheese will last up to five days in a sealed container in the fridge and keeps well in the freezer.
Makes about 250g
Ingredients
1 ½ cups cashews
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp water
Method
Soak cashews in water overnight.
Drain and rinse cashews. Add to a food processor with other ingredients and blend until smooth, adding extra water if required and seasoning to taste.
Spoon into jars and refrigerate.
I like to cover the top of the cheese with finely chopped herbs (dill and/or chives are good), spices or sesame seeds to serve.
For a small cheese round, oil and line a ramekin with baking paper, press in the prepared cheese mix and place in the freezer for a few hours to set.
Unmould, roll in chopped herbs and leave to defrost before serving.
