A simple lunch of smoky soup and blueberry cake

My friend Junko and her little girl came over for lunch this week.  Of all my friendships, the one with Junko reminds me to be hopeful about friends.  I first met her over 20 years ago while she was on exchange from Japan.  When she went home at the end of the year I thought I would never see her again, despite her promises.  She kept her word and, despite living in different corners of the globe, has returned to Melbourne again and again.  Now our girls play together.  The world is a wonderful place!

I told her I would make a simple lunch.  I knew what we would eat because I had plans to make a Pumpkin and Roasted Corn Soup  and Blueberry Breakfast Cake from Susan of Fat Free Vegan.  I tweaked both recipes.  I decided to roast the pumpkin as well as the corn for the soup.  After all it was for Jacqueline and Lisa's No Croutons Required event - the theme is Grilled or Roasted soups or salads this month.

I had planned to whip it up for dinner but was waiting for an evening when I had time for roasting.  Making the soup for lunch was even better.  Soups are always improved by resting overnight.  Once I started roasting pumpkin I couldn't resist sprinkling some spice on it, as Kathryn recommended.  I then got it in my mind to add some smoked paprika and maple syrup.  Even with adding stock and salt I found it quite sweet and rather smoky.  With some roasted corn, it had lots of texture and flavours.  E told me he loved the soup with the burnt corn so I wont be turning to him for recipe names any time soon!

On the same evening, I made the Blueberry Breakfast Cake.  This was inspired by another event.  Ricki and Kim's Savoury or Sweet (SoS) Kitchen Challenge, with blueberries being the theme of the month.  This event is about sharing recipes that use whole foods, whole grains, vegan ingredients and natural sweeteners.  That is a challenge for me when it comes to baking.  One that I am slowly getting better at.

In Melbourne, it is the time of year when blueberries are in our freezer rather than fridge because fresh blueberries are out of season.  But when they are in season, E and Sylvia gobble them up.  I liked Susan's recipe but wanted to try out a few new ingredients.  Recently I have bought coconut sugar and coconut flour for the first time (from La Manna Fresh in Sydney Road).  According to these sites, the sugar is low GI, rich in minerals and not highly processed, and the flour is high in fibre, gluten free and a good source of protein.

Working out how to use the coconut sugar has been easy.  I've almost used up the packet and am just sorry that it is so expensive.  I love the toffee flavours and it was fantastic sprinkled on top of the cake.  The coconut flour is more of a challenge.  I am still a little unsure how it changes the texture and taste of baked goods so I am unsure how to use it.  This was my first attempt.  For the first time in ages, the cake was studded with flour bombs (little pockets of uncooked flour) so I think I may need to sieve the flour.  The cake was quite moist but I suspect this was due to my decision to replace the egg replacer with a flax egg.  I also used oil because I didn't have any applesauce.

I loved how purple the cake was with all those blueberries.  I started baking it before dinner with Sylvia but got distracted by a visit from the neighbour and making the soup and dinner.  Before I knew it, it was late and there was still a bowl of flours waiting to be baked.  Fortunately it came together quickly.  It was a hit with both E and Sylvia.

Junko enjoyed it too.  Fortunately for us, E was home that day because he was feeling poorly.  He supervised our girls at play while we played ladies who lunch.  It was a luxury to be able to catch up with each other without being distracted by small children.  We ate some cake with our tea and then I cut up some fruit (see top photo) and we nibbled at that while we talked.  A most pleasant lunch!

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Half Moon Café: Coburg’s best falafels
This time two years ago: The Amazing Chocolate Cake in a Mug
This time three years ago: The pitfalls of pumpkin bread
This time four years ago: SHF: Mud Glorious Mud

Smoky Pumpkin and Corn Soup
inspired by Fat Free Vegan and Limes and Lycopene
serves about 4 for lunch

2 tbsp olive oil
800g pumpkin, peeled and chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic in their skins
1 tsp spice mix*
3 cobs of corn
oil spray
4 cups stock
handful of cooked diced potato 
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp maple syrup (or less)
1/2 tsp salt

*I used bush spice but a Moroccan or Dukkah or curry mix would work

In a large roasting dish place olive oil, pumpkin, onion, garlic and spice mix.  Toss together and roast for 45 minutes at 220 C or until pumpkin is soft.  Take the garlic out of the skins.  Place garlic flesh in a large saucepan and discard skins.  Tip the rest of the pumpkin and onion in the saucepan.  Place corn in the roasting tray, spray with oil spray and roast about 30 minutes.  I then left my corn in the oven while it cooled.  Cut the corn off two of the cobs and add to the saucepan.  Set the other corn cob aside.  Add remaining ingredients to the saucepan and puree (I used a hand held blender). 

When you are ready to serve, cut the corn cobs off the last corn cob.  Spread on an oven tray and place under the grill (broiler) to brown up a little.  To serve, ladle soup into bowls and scatter grilled corn over each bowl.

Variation: I didn't have quite enough left for dinner so I increased the quantities of about one third of this soup with about a cup of cooked rice, half a tin of lentils, a spoonful or two of yoghurt, a couple of spoonfuls of this mash, and some extra stock.  This was great and did me for lunch the next day as well.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake
adapted from Fat Free Vegan

Dry Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup wholemeal flour
1/3 cup coconut flour (or wholemeal flour)
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or other sugar)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of salt
1/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp ground linseeds (flaxseeds)
3 tbsp water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup canola oil (or other neutral oil)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F. Grease and line a small slice tin - or a 20cm square tin.  Mix ground linseeds and water and set aside.

Grind the oats in a blender until fine.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the remaining dry ingredients and 1/4 cup of blueberries (NB I found my coconut flour clumped slightly so it may need a good stir before the blueberries go in.)

Blend 1 cup of blueberries with1/2 cup water until coarsely chopped (rather than completely pureed).  Tip blueberries, linseed mixture, lemon juice, oil and vanilla into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Spoon batter into prepared tin and smooth with the back of a spoon.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon (I didn't actually measure mine).  Bake for 25-35 minutes (I baked mine 25 minutes) or until coming away from the edges of the tin and a skewer inserted comes out cleanly.  Sit in the tin for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool.  Eat warm or room temperature.

On the stereo:
Tears and pavan: an introduction to the strawbs