Mushroom and fennel salad

There is a specific kind of silence found in the deep woods. It is a quiet that isn’t empty, but rather vibrating with the hidden work of the mycelium beneath our feet. When we step into a forest, we aren’t visiting a gallery; we are returning to our original home.

In our fast-paced, digital world, we often suffer from a “disconnection of the senses.” We forget that our skin, our breath, and our very cells are woven from the same elements as the soil and the trees. One of the most radical acts of self-love we can perform is to re-establish that connection through the food we eat.

Food is our most direct physical link to the Earth. When we eat, we are literally taking the planet into our bodies. This realization carries a beautiful weight: to look after our food system is to look after ourselves. To protect the soil is to protect our own vitality.

This salad was designed to taste like a morning trek through the undergrowth.

• Mushrooms: These are the messengers of the earth. When roasted, they take on an umami depth that mirrors the scent of damp leaves and ancient bark.

• Fennel: With its bright, anise-like clarity, fennel represents the sunlight breaking through the canopy.

• Pearl Barley: These chewy, ancient grains provide the “ground.” They are sturdy, resilient, and deeply satisfying, offering a textural reminder of the earth’s strength.

When we choose ingredients that are grown with respect for the planet, we aren’t just making a culinary choice; we are casting a vote for a future where we remain a part of the wild, not separate from it.

"Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that relationship transforms from a one-way street into a sacred bond." - Robin Wall Kimmerer (Braiding Sweetgrass)

Roasted Mushroom, Fennel, and Pearl Barley Salad

This dish is earthy, aromatic, and incredibly grounding. It’s perfect for those days when you need to feel your feet back on the earth.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

The Ingredients

500 g mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, or oyster)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
A generous pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper.
1 cup pearl barley (rinsed)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 large fennel bulb (very thinly sliced)
2 cups baby arugula or wild greens
1/2 cup walnuts (toasted).
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey.

The Process

Place the pearl barley and vegetable stock in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30–35 minutes. You want the barley to be tender but still have a pleasant, nutty “pop.” Drain any excess liquid and set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Toss the mushrooms with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt, and pepper on a large baking tray. Spread them out so they have room to breathe, this ensures they roast and caramelise rather than steam. Bake for 20–25 minutes until they are golden and deeply fragrant.

While the mushrooms roast, shave your fennel bulb as thinly as possible (a mandolin works wonders here). Toss the sliced fennel with the fresh greens in a large serving bowl.

In a small jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and maple syrup. This dressing is bright and acidic, designed to cut through the richness of the roasted mushrooms.

Add the warm pearl barley and the roasted mushrooms to the bowl of greens and fennel. Drizzle over the dressing and toss gently so the heat from the barley slightly wilts the greens. Top with the toasted walnuts for a final layer of forest-like crunch.

A Moment of Gratitude

Before your first bite, take a breath. Acknowledge the soil that grew these grains, the rain that nourished the fennel, and the intricate fungal networks that gave us the mushrooms. You are a part of this system. You are being fed by the world.

Loaded Mexican sweet potatoes

When we judge people less and step back from the voices in our head, we create a space where we foster empathy and kindness. Simply listening to someone could be the single most important experience for that person on that particular day. People want to feel heard, they want to feel seen, and they want to feel loved.

Do you offer this to the people that surround you? Truly listening takes practice and patience, and it has the power to completely shift someone’s day. Put the cellphone down, turn off the television, and simply sit with someone. Listen to what they have to say. You never know what it might mean to them, and you never know what you might learn from them.

What’s not to love about a recipe that facilitates that kind of connection? This is a wonderful dish to make when you’re having guests over, as you can get everyone involved in the assembly. It is loaded with protein, healthy fats, and a deep sense of satisfaction. Beyond the flavour, the coriander works to help detoxify the liver, while the healthy fats support heart health and cholesterol. This dish doesn’t just nourish you with healthy ingredients; sharing it with loved ones is truly good for your heart.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil
4 medium-sized sweet potatoes (washed, not peeled)
½ red onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
500 g cherry tomatoes (halved)
1½ cups cooked black beans
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
¼ cup vegetable stock
2 teaspoons brown miso paste (optional)
1 handful fresh coriander leaves (roughly chopped)
3 limes (quartered)
¾ cup coconut yoghurt or yoghurt of choice
1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2–3 avocados (peeled and pitted)
juice of 1 lemon
¼ red onion (finely chopped)
½–1 red chilli (finely chopped)
8 cherry tomatoes (quartered)
1 small handful fresh coriander leaves (roughly chopped)
60 g raw almonds (toasted and roughly chopped)
5 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste.

The Process

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Lightly rub one tablespoon of the coconut oil over the sweet potatoes. Place them onto a roasting tray and bake for 1 hour. They are ready when they feel soft when pierced with a fork. Once finished, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool.

While the potatoes are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and sauté for an additional 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the beans, ground coriander, cumin, and chipotle powder. Pour in the vegetable stock and allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once ready, remove from the heat and fold through the miso paste if you are using it.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, tahini, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place the avocados and lemon juice into a bowl. Using the back of a fork, mash until you reach your desired consistency, a bit of chunkiness adds great texture. Fold in the onion, chilli, tomatoes, coriander, toasted almonds, and olive oil. Season to taste and set aside.

Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half. Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon, keeping the skins intact. Add two-thirds of that roasted sweet potato flesh directly into your bean mixture and mix until well combined. You can save the remaining third of the potato for another meal. Fill the empty skins generously with the bean and potato mixture. Serve each half with a dollop of the sour cream, a scoop of guacamole, fresh coriander, and a bright squeeze of lime.

Feast,
Melissa x

Quick and easy tofu kebabs

These are a beautiful contribution to that dinner party that you’re going to, and can wow with the beautiful colours while still being minimal effort to create. Most vegetables can be used as a substitute if there’s something you don’t like so if I encourage you to explore the vast array of vegetables available at the supermarket to switch out between the tofu. Be sure to buy a firm tofu for this recipe, as you’re going to grill it and don’t want it to fall apart. Every time you make a decision to eat more vegetables, not only to you naturally crowd out junk food, but you decide to nourish your body with the wide variety of macro and micro nutrients.

Ingredients:

4 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks 

1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks 

300 g cherry tomatoes

2 large courgettes, cut into 2 cm chunks 

1 red onion, quartered and layers separated 

200 g firm tofu, cut into bite-size cubes 

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (100%)

1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

salt and pepper 

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Instructions:

Heat a grill pan over medium heat until it is hot. Tie the rosemary sprigs together with string to make a basting brush. Set aside. You can also cook this recipe over a braai or bake it in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 °C. 

While the grill pan heats up, thread the vegetables and tofu onto skewers, alternating the different ingredients and packing the vegetables tightly together. 

Place the turmeric, honey, chilli, coconut oil and garlic into a small bowl and mix well. Place the skewers into the grill pan. Using the basting brush made with the sprigs of rosemary, dunk the brush into the oil and lightly brush the vegetables every 5 minutes until evenly coated. Cook them for 20 minutes, rotating every time you brush them.

Once the vegetables are cooked and have some grill marks on them, season with salt and pepper and serve. 

-Melissa