Roast Butternut Squash Tacos {gluten free}

Who doesn’t love a good taco? It’s the perfect snack or lunch to have on the go and also perfect for a party (did I hear someone say taco party?! Yes please!)

I’ve never made my own tacos before, let alone my own tacos shells (the horror!) but I decided to pluck up the courage and try it out!

These are by no means the traditional taco – I’ve made an easy shell, inspired by my wraps, and filled them with fresh ingredients that are warming and filling!

 

I’m sure they would be amazing with pulled pork inside, or even just some black beans heated up with some spices and onion on the stovetop! Oh, and don’t even get me started on the breakfast taco possibilities… my mouth is watering just thinking of eggs with avocado mmm…

Butternut Squash Tacos vegan, gluten free, dairy free
Serves 2

These tacos are surprisingly easy to make, but provides such an impressive meal! You can also use the batter to make wraps and also change around the fillings. I love the sweetness of the squash with the crunchy carrot and tangy beets.

1/2 butternut squash, cut into cubes
1 small beetroot, julienned (I added some apple cider vinegar to make a quick pickle)
1 small carrot, julienned
Green onions
Thinly sliced lettuce or red cabbage
Spices for the squash: cumin, paprika etc.
Extra virgin olive oil

optional: black beans, slow cooked meats, guacamole, cheese and/or crema.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Massage olive oil, salt and any spices into the squash.

Place in the oven for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
The should be done once golden brown.

You can then assemble the tacos.

For the tacos
1/2 cup gram flour (also called besan)
1/2 cup water
Pinch of salt
Extra virgin olive oil

Mix all the ingredients apart from the oil into a bowl and let it rest for 1-2 hours.

Once set aside to rest, lightly oil a non stick skillet and place a tablespoon on the mixture into the pan, and thin out with the back of a spoon (try to get it as thin as possible).

Once you have used all the mixture, you can use them straight away, or I like to slightly char them on an open flame.

Just flip the tacos around on your burner until it starts to get a little burnt around the edges – it gives a gorgeous, charred flavour!

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Autumnal Roast Vegetables

So it’s properly autumn/ fall now! Did you guys know it started on the 21st? I totally didn’t.

I kind of have mixed feelings about this to be honest. Summer’s over which means no shorts and going to the beach (unless you want to get pneumonia) buuut it does mean more cozy nights in and lots of rom coms. So I guess it’s good?

And, loads of my favourite foods are in season, aka. SQUASH SQUASH SQUASH. Have you tried kabocha squash? if you haven’t, you’re seriously missing out my friend. For realz, its probably one of my favourite foods. It’s got a chesnut flavour and the texture is so fluffy and my mouth is watering right now.

Also, complete side note: I realised that I’ve never shared my life DREAM with you guys (ok, slight exaggeration but ya know).

I basically really want to go to LA. Oh my gawd, the place of dreams. Like for real guys, it has to happen.

So umm, yeah, just thought I’d let you know that fun fact!

Autumnal Roast Vegetables vegan, gluten free, dairy free
Serves 2-3 as a side

This is a lovely warm side, but I’m sure would be just as delicious the next day for leftovers!
The orange zest lifts the dish and compliments the fennel and carrots, as well as the sweet potatoes. It would be delicious with a hint of cinnamon to bring out the warmth and goes well with the orange.

1 large sweet potato
1 or 2 carrots
1 bulb of fennel (I only had half on had, but I would have loved more of that aniseed flavour!)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp orange zest
Bunch of coriander

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Chop the sweet potatoes into cubes, the carrots into half moons (or diagonally) and the fennel into chunks.

Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper and massage into vegetables before putting them in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

At the 20 minute mark, check on the vegetables and take out the fennel.
You may also want to flip the rest of the vegetables.

Leave in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes, but be sure to keep and eye on them!

Once taken out, grate over the fresh orange zest and season more if liked.

Homemade Gnocchi

The weather has changed – and not for the better.
What happened? GLOBAL WARMING, I BLAME YOU!
Why must this happen? It was 30 degrees last week and now it feels about -100000 degrees. And why does my school insist on putting the air conditioning on like its the bloody arctic? I. Just. Don’t. Get. It.

I’ve been making homemade gnocchi for a while now and it’s actually way easier than you probably think! I wanted to make pasta for ages but we don’t have a pasta maker and all that jazz, so we just had to settle for these little dumplings of joy instead 😛

Am I the only one who feels like an old Italian grandmother doing this?

Homemade Gnocchi dairy free

3 big potatoes
1 medium egg yolk
200g flour, plus extra for clouding the surface
Salt and pepper

Cut up the potatoes into small chunks then boil in salted water until soft (about 15 minutes).

Wait for it to cool then mash it until completely smooth.
Season with a fair amount of salt and pepper.
Add egg yolk and combine.

Add the flour gradually and once it combines, take it out onto floured parchment paper.

Knead until smooths and rolls into about 1cm logs and cut into 1 inch pieces.
To get the gnocchi ‘shape’ push ball of gnocchi onto a fork and roll off it, you will see the lines, which will trap the sauce better.

Boil water and add a few gnocchi at a time (don’t overcrowd the pan)!
You’ll know when it’s done, because they will float to the top.

Serve immediately with truffle butter and Parmesan for a naughty treat or with some rustic tomato sauce.