Beanballs three ways
This handy beanball recipe is a hearty mix of black beans, walnuts, oats and chia seeds that can be taken in a few flavour directions. The Italian-inspired balls are delicious with spaghetti and marinara sauce, and the vibrant yellow turmeric balls are great with brown rice and salad. The spicy Korean balls are best served as a snack with a punchy sauce (or mayo) and a cold beer, or can be dinner with a bowl of rice and some steamed greens.
Makes 16 balls | Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes
Gluten-free option
Italian
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 x 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup porridge oats (certified gluten-free if required)
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 10 black olives, pitted and finely chopped
• 4 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated
• Black pepper to taste
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Oil spray or cooking oil
Turmeric
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 x 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• ½ cup porridge oats (certified gluten-free if required)
• ¼ cup red capsicum, very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari if gluten-free)
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated
• Oil spray or cooking oil
Korean
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 x 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• ½ cup porridge oats (certified gluten-free if required)
• ¼ cup red capsicum, very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari if gluten free)
• 2 tbsp gochujang (gluten free if required)
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated
• Oil spray or cooking oil
Method
Preheat oven to 220°C fan bake (240°C conventional oven). Mix chia seeds and water and set aside for 10 minutes.
Roughly mash black beans (I use a potato masher), then add all remaining ingredients (including soaked chia seeds). Mix thoroughly and ensure everything is evenly distributed.
Roll into 16 balls (about 1 tbsp per ball) and place on a baking sheet. At this point, the balls can be refrigerated until later.
Brush or spray with a little oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned and firm to the touch. Be careful not to overcook; otherwise, they will dry out. I like to oven-bake these beanballs for a healthier result, but you can shallow fry them until golden on all sides if you prefer.
Tip
Use a Korean hot sauce to go with the Korean balls, or combine 2 tbsp each of gochujang, maple syrup and rice vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari), 2 tsp sesame oil and a grated clove of garlic. Mix and gently heat until glossy and slightly thickened.
Kūmara and chickpea hummus
Kūmara lend themselves well to dips, because their natural sweetness works so well with a range of spices. In this twist on hummus, I’ve used Indian-inspired spices for a balanced flavour and chilli for a mild hum of heat. Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas and can be used when making hummus for a light and airy texture. For a healthy grazing snack, serve hummus with vegetable sticks or seed crackers. My girls love this recipe and like to take it to school as part of a packed lunch.
Makes about 2 ½ cups | Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes
Gluten free
Ingredients
• 1 medium orange kūmara
(about 300-350g), peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 x 400g can of chickpeas
(or 250g / 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas)
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp grated or finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp tahini
• Zest and juice of one lemon (about 1 tbsp zest and 3 tbsp juice)
• ¾ cup water or aquafaba
• ½ tsp salt
• Olive oil and sesame seeds to garnish (optional)
Method
Arrange kūmara chunks on a lined baking dish, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with a little salt and pepper, and roast in a 220°C fan bake oven (or 240°C conventional) for 15-20 minutes until tender and golden. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes or so.
Rinse and drain the chickpeas. If you have time, remove the skins from the chickpeas. The easiest way to do this is in a deep bowl of water – vigorously rub the chickpeas between your hands under water, and the skins will slip right off. Swish the water to tip out most of the skins, add more water, and repeat another few times until most of the skins are gone. This takes only a few minutes.
Heat a frying pan over a low heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, coriander and chilli flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the garlic and ginger have softened and the spices are fragrant. Remove from heat.
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor. I prefer to use my blender for the smoothest result.
Starting with a slow speed, blend the hummus ingredients until they start to combine. Increase the speed, and stop to scrape down sides if necessary. Continue to blend until perfectly smooth and with a lovely soft (but not runny) consistency. I use about ¾ cup of water/aquafaba, but this will vary based on the size and dryness of your kūmara. If your hummus is very thick, add more water, 2 tbsp at a time, until you have a good consistency. Keep in mind it will become a bit firmer once chilled.
Remove to a bowl or container for storage. This will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of sesame seeds if you like.
Easy five-seed crackers
These crackers are one of my defining recipes. I’ve made them so many times I’ve lost count, and they’re among the most popular recipes on my website. I’d say it’s because they’re incredibly easy to make, delicious, and last for weeks. These crackers are great on a platter or anywhere you’d enjoy a cracker, but filling enough to turn into a light meal with some hummus and vegetable sticks. They’re also an ideal school lunchbox food; they’re filling, nutritious and nut-free. Thyme and chilli flakes are my favourite additions, but you can play around with any combination of dried herbs and spices that takes your fancy.
Makes a lot | Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Gluten free
Ingredients
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• ¾ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup chia seeds
• ½ cup sesame seeds (white or a mix of black and white)
• ¼ cup flaxseed (linseed)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 tbsp dried herbs of your choice (I use thyme)
• 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 170°C fan bake (or 190°C conventional oven).
Mix all ingredients together and leave for 10 – 15 minutes for the seeds to soak up the water. Give everything a good stir, then split the mixture over two lined baking trays and spread thinly. The ideal thickness is about 3 – 4mm. If they are too thin, the crackers will be very fragile. If they are too thick, they’ll be more like seed cookies than crackers. Bake for one hour (switching the trays around halfway through) or until golden brown and crisp. If they don’t feel crisp after an hour, return them to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then break into irregular shards. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.
Za’atar crackers
Making homemade crackers is very satisfying, especially when they’re made with simple, low-cost ingredients and pack a ton of flavour. These crackers are very light and crispy, full of aromatic flavour from the za’atar, and keep well for at least a few weeks.
Makes a lot
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Crackers
• 260 g / 2 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
• ¼ cup za’atar + extra
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup warm water
Topping
• Water or olive oil
• Extra za’atar
Method
Preheat oven to 190°C fan bake (or 210°C conventional oven).
While the oven is heating, mix together flour, za’atar, olive oil, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add warm water and stir until the dough comes together. Then tip onto a floured benchtop and lightly knead until it comes together as a smooth dough. Dust with more flour as needed so that it’s soft and smooth but not sticky. Rest for at least 15 minutes (up to an hour), then divide into three even portions.
Roll the dough as thin as you can and place it onto lined baking trays. If your dough is “bouncing back” and resisting being rolled out thin, let it rest for five minutes, then keep rolling.
Brush the top with water or olive oil (both work; water is healthier) and evenly sprinkle with extra za’atar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, changing the trays around during cooking so that the crackers cook evenly. When they are golden and crisp, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Keep an eye on them in the last five minutes, as they can burn easily.
Break into irregular shards and store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
An edited extract from Simply Veg, by Amber Bremner (Upstart Press, $49.99).
