Slow-Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

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Intensely sweet, these flavourful tomatoes are easy to prepare, and they make a wonderful addition to salads, sandwiches, or can be eaten on their own as a tasty snack.

Preheat an oven to 120C, line a baking tray with a silicone sheet, and halve as many tomatoes as you wish to roast–we used cherry and plum tomatoes here. Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with a tsp balsamic vinegar, and a generous helping of freshly ground black pepper, salt, and crumbled dried oregano. Place onto the tray in a single layer, cut-side up, and roast for 2-3 hours (depending on size and thickness of tomatoes; the cherry tomatoes took 2 hours).

Lemony Cauliflower Soup

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Creamy and chunky, creating wonderful textural contrasts, and with subtle undertones of lemon balanced out by the herbs and pepper, this soup is a real winner and would be perfect for entertaining. This recipe serves 4-6 depending on whether it’s being eaten as a starter or a main.

Ingredients:
2 white onions, finely chopped
650g white mushrooms, quartered
1.5 litres vegetable broth
1 large potato, peeled and in bite-size dice
1 tsp dried thyme*
1 tsp dried basil*
1 head cauliflower, in small florets
1 lemon, rind and zest
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red chilli flakes and parsley (optional)

*Crumbling dried herbs between your fingers before adding them to a dish will help to release more of their aromatic oils.

Directions:
1. Preheat a large soup pot over a medium low heat. Add the onion and mushroom, and sauté until the mushrooms release their liquid.
2. Add the vegetable broth, potato, and herbs. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cauliflower, cover the soup once again, and simmer for 7 minutes more.
4. Stir through the lemon zest and juice.
5. Transfer half of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth (optional). Return to the pot to reheat, and season to taste.
6. Serve garnished with red chilli flakes and parsley, and a little extra lemon zest, if desired.

Peanut-Butter Chocolate Energy Balls

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These sweets are just as delicious and moreish as chocolate truffles but far less processed and very quick to make. They make a fantastic pick-me-up after a workout, or are delicious with a cuppa as a sweet treat.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dates
1/4 cup pecans
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1 tbsp maple syrup
Coconut flakes, ground almonds, or crushed pecans for dusting, if desired

Directions:
1. Process all the dates and pecans in food processor until very fine.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, and process further to combine.
3. Roll into small balls, roll in the coconut/ground almonds/crushed pecans, and refrigerate for 30 minutes for best results (although you should probably eat one while you wait for “research” purposes).