Food that Loves You Back explores the versatility of vegetables – in all their shapes, flavours, textures, colours and smells. For vegetarians, vegans and those simply looking for new dishes to try, this book is an example of how seamlessly plant-based food can fit into all facets of life: everyday living, celebrations, family gatherings and date nights.  

This former food editor of MyKitchen combines her wealth of experience as a chef, food stylist, recipe developer and health fundi to create striking images of veggies totally transformed.  

BETWEEN THE PAGES  

In the darkest months of the Covid-19 lockdown presented Amerae with an opportunity: to realise her goal of making a cookbook. She quickly set up a makeshift studio in her living room, studied up on food photography and got cooking. Just a year later, her e-book was published in print – her “dream come true” – as Food that Loves You Back.   

This collection of recipes is based on what Amerae enjoys eating on a daily basis. You’ll notice, too, that what she writes in her introduction is true: she enjoys combining fresh salad ingredients with cooked ones, and plays with texture and colour all the way through. Each chapter heroes at least two vegetables, sometimes prepared on their own and other times together.  

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Food that loves you back (@food.thatlovesyouback)

Amerae plays with classic dishes such as hummus and red lentil dhal, while also introducing new flavours such as butternut flapjacks with vegan cream, and green falafel soil with yoghurt-tahini and poached eggs.   

Amerae’s style of photographing the dish from above on a marble surface is simple yet effective. This, accompanied with her creative open styling, pushes each dish forward and emphasises the hero ingredient, creating an approachable and friendly mood at the table.  

YOU HAVE THE CHOICE  

“Plant-based eating is so much more than just putting vegetables or salads on a plate,” writes Amerae in the book’s introduction. “It offers the opportunity to experiment with different colours, flavours and textures, and discover how one vegetable can be transformed into a multitude of nourishing and tasty meals.”  

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Food that loves you back (@food.thatlovesyouback)

And she believes anyone, not only those following a vegan or vegetarian diet, can experience this, and should do so for the sake of their health. Adding a few of these recipes to your weekly rotation can help introduce more fibre, colour and flavour to a family’s diet, while the meat, cheese and other favourites can still be enjoyed.  

Amerae favours seasonal, local produce and encourages readers to do so, too: grab it when it’s at its best and you’ll get the best flavour, nutrients and quality, she writes. “When you love your food, it will love you back!”.  

Green falafel `soil’ with yoghurt tahini sauce and poached eggs 

Serves 2 • Total Time 15 Minutes 

Ingredients

FOR THE GREEN FP’ MIXTURE 

2 Tbsp olive oil, for frying 
2 Tbsp sesame seeds 
2 tsp cumin seeds or 1 tsp ground cumin 
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves  
½ onion, finely chopped
1 handful leafy herbs (coriander, flat-leaf or curly parsley, dill, chives) 
1 can (400 g) chickpeas, drained, brine reserved  
3 Tbsp tahini
1 tsp pink salt and black pepper, to taste  

FOR THE REST 

½ cup plain yoghurt or (V) coconut yoghurt  
2 Tbsp tahini  
Pink salt and black pepper, to taste 
1 Tbsp olive oil  
Rosa or cherry tomatoes (yellow or red) 
½ cup canned chickpeas, drained 
2 eggs, poached or fried  
1 cup green falafel mixture  
Baby spinach leaves or leafy herbs of your choice  

Method

FOR THE GREEN FALAFEL MIXTURE

1. Heat the oil in a small pan over low heat and toast the sesame and cumin seeds (or ground cumin) for 1 minute. Set aside. 
2. Place the spinach leaves, chopped onion and herbs in a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds. 
3. Add the chickpeas and pulse to a crumb-like texture. Add the toasted seeds and pulse. 
4. Add the tahini and 2 Tbsp of reserved chickpea brine (known as aquafaba) and process until the mixture is just firm enough to shape into patties. (Add more brine or water if necessary.) Season to taste with salt and black pepper. If making ahead, place in a covered container in the fridge. 

FOR THE YOGHURT-TAHINI SAUCE  

1. Combine the yoghurt and tahini in a small bowl, adding 1-2 Tbsp water, if it seems too thick. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium-high heat and fry the tomatoes and chickpeas until warmed through and just taking on some colour. 
3. Poach or fry the eggs according to your preference. 
4. For each serving, spread 2-3 Tbsp of the yoghurt-tahini sauce on a plate. 
5. To make the ‘soil’, sprinkle over ½  cup of the green falafel mixture, then add the warm tomatoes and chickpeas, and top with an egg. 
6. Season to taste and garnish with baby spinach or leafy herbs. 

NOTE  

• Instead of tahini, combine the yoghurt with 2 Tbsp sesame oil or olive oil or mayonnaise. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Food that loves you back (@food.thatlovesyouback)

Butternut flapjacks 

Serves 8 • Total Time 30 Min 

“This recipe is inspired by the gluten-free vegan flapjacks from Scheckter’s Raw Gourmet Health Food in Sea Point. I often crave them, but can’t always get there, so I created my own version of these ‘famous Cape Town flapjacks!’. For a breakfast treat, serve them with sliced bananas and strawberries, and top with vegan cream.”  

Ingredients

FOR THE FLAPJACKS  

1 cup cooked butternut  
1 can (400 ml) coconut cream 
½ cup sweetener of your choice  
2 ¼ cups gluten-free flour  
1 ½ Tbsp baking powder  
½ tsp salt  
Tahini, for serving
Maple syrup, optional, for serving
Chopped fresh dates, for serving Sesame seeds, for serving  

FOR THE VEGAN CREAM 

¾ cup sunflower seeds or cashew nuts  
1 can (400 ml) coconut cream 
4 Tbsp sweetener of your choice 
1 tsp vanilla essence  
½ tsp pink salt  

Method

FOR THE FLAPJACKS  

1. Blend the butternut flesh to a smooth purée. (If you don’t have a blender, mash with a fork until smooth.) 
2. Place the purée in a mixing bowl with the coconut cream and sweetener, and whisk until well combined. 
3. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in. Be sure to mix thoroughly; the batter will be thicker than normal flapjack batter. 
4. Preheat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Spoon in 2 heaped Tbsp batter per flapjack, leaving space for them to spread. 
5. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes, until golden. Keep the finished flapjacks warm while you make the rest. 
6. Serve the warm flapjacks with vegan cream [recipe below], tahini and maple syrup. Garnish with dates and sesame seeds. 

FOR THE VEGAN CREAM  

1. Blend the drained sunflower seeds, coconut cream, sweetener and vanilla essence until smooth. 

A note on butternut  

Roast a whole butternut and cool slightly before cutting in half, removing the seeds and scooping out the flesh. About 550g raw weight should yield 500g (2 cups) when cooked. Instead of butternut, use the same quantity of cooked pumpkin or orange sweet potato. They’ll taste just as good!  

R340, Penguin Random House  

Words by Sjaan Van Der Ploeg 
Photography: Amerae Vercueil  

The post Chef Amerae Vercueil talks about Food That Loves You Back appeared first on MyKitchen.

Get your daily dose of essential omegas with these healthy breakfast wholewheat flapjacks with chia and lemon. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3, so you should definitely be enjoying a sprinkling over your food each day.

MAKES 8 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
2 cups wholewheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
5 tbsp chia seeds
4 tbsp honey, plus extra to serve
2 cups buttermilk
Zest of 2 lemons, plus extra to serve
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp coconut oil
1½ cups yoghurt
1 cup raspberries

METHOD
1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarb and chia seeds.
2. Beat the honey, buttermilk, lemon zest and egg yolks.
3. Add the wet mixture into the dry and mix until combined.
4. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into the batter.
5. Heat a non-stick pan over medium and add 1 tbsp of coconut oil.
6. Pour ⅓ cup batter into the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, until you see bubbles on the side. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, until cooked through. Repeat until your batter is finished.
7. Serve the wholewheat flapjacks warm with yoghurt, lemon zest, honey and raspberries.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za

Since it’s summer, this blueberry, chia and walnut smoothie will make a great brekkie option!

The post Wholewheat flapjacks with chia and lemon appeared first on MyKitchen.

Take it slow on Sunday morning and whip up these wholewheat dark chocolate, orange and coconut flapjacks for a decadent brekkie.

MAKES 8 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 20 min

INGREDIENTS
For the roasted oranges
3 oranges, peeled and sliced
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp brown sugar
For the chocolate sauce
1 cup boiling water
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp honey
For the coconut flapjacks
1¼ cups nutty wheat flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup desiccated coconut
½ banana, chopped
1 cup milk
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD
For the roasted oranges
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Sprinkle the oranges with cinnamon and sugar and roast for 20 minutes until sticky and caramelised.
For the chocolate sauce
1. Make the chocolate sauce in a pot over medium heat. Stir the cocoa into the boiling water until dissolved. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and mix in the chocolate and honey until smooth and thick.
For the coconut flapjacks
1. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
2. Then stir in the bran left from the nutty wheat in the sieve along with the desiccated coconut.
3. In a blender, pulse the banana until smooth then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until combined.
4. Gradually whisk the wet ingredients into the flour mixture.
5. Lightly grease the surface of a pan or spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Heat over low heat.
6. Dollop spoonfuls of the pancake mixture into the pan and cook slowly until bubbles start to form, about 2 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 1–2 minutes or until cooked through.
7. To serve, pour chocolate sauce over the flapjacks and top with roasted oranges.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

For something more savoury, take a bite of these banana flapjacks!

The post Wholewheat dark chocolate, orange and coconut flapjacks appeared first on MyKitchen.

Make the most of your in-season produce for every meal this summer. When it comes to breakfast, these banana flapjacks with stewed peaches are a winner.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the banana flapjacks
3 bananas, peeled
6 eggs
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup flour
For the stewed peaches
3 peaches, cored and halved
2 star anise pods
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup honey

METHOD
For the banana flapjacks
1. Add all the ingredients, to a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Heat some oil in a pan and fry ¼ cupfuls of batter at a time. Flip after 1 minute.
For the stewed peaches
1. Add all the ingredients to a pot over medium heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat.
3. Top flapjacks with stewed peaches and plain yoghurt (optional).

Recipe & styling: Joni Dames & Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

These buckwheat and coconut flapjacks are another delicious and healthy alternative!

The post Banana flapjacks with stewed peaches appeared first on MyKitchen.

Put your blender to good use and whip up these oat flapjacks with honey in an instant for a no-fuss and delicious start to the day.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
8 eggs
½ cup oats
½ cup honey, melted in the microwave
½ cup milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt

METHOD
1. Add all ingredients to a blender. Pulse until smooth.
2. Heat a pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup batter, cover and cook until you see bubbles forming on top.
3. Uncover, flip and cook for another 30 seconds.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Make these oat flapjacks in the blender! appeared first on MyKitchen.

This is the perfect treat for those sunny days! Everyone at the breakfast table will want a heap of these banana flapjacks with pineapple cream.

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the flapjacks
2 bananas
2½ cups flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp sugar
2½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp salt
For the pineapple cream
1 pineapple, finely chopped
¼ cup honey
1 cup cream cheese

METHOD
For the flapjacks
1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth and fully combined. Transfer to a bowl and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
2. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Ladle 1/3 cup batter into the pan and swirl to coat the bottom. When the flapjack bubbles on top, flip it and cook for 1 minute. Remove and repeat with the rest of the batter.
For the pineapple cream
1. Bring pineapple and honey to a simmer in a pot and cook for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
2. Fold through the cream cheese.
3. Serve the banana flapjacks topped with pineapple cream.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Banana flapjacks with pineapple cream appeared first on MyKitchen.