Last week I was reading about food trends in 2020.  Authors seemed to disagree on some of the trends but I sort of got the impression across several blogs that keto diets were here to stay. I also read that the imitation plant based meats are in and that certainly seems to be the case in the ready food sections of supermarkets here in Australia.  I do wonder though why would you want to eat something that looks and tastes like meat if you don’t want to eat meat?  Maybe to save the planet I guess.

The last time I ate one of these dishes was in Jamaica at the birth place of Bob Marley and it was really an unsettling experience. From the food which was a bland type of quorn in a brown sauce to the threat of violence around every corner, to the thieving of the barman who helped himself to money laid on the bar, to the accusations of being racist when I asked for it back.

Anyhow, I never want to repeat that experience!  Bob must be turning in his grave.  So last night’s sundowners for our sailing friends were on the healthier side, some loved it, some like my hubby were not so eager as they were raw and very green.  Anyhow, you can have a go and try them for yourself!

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 12 cherry tomatoes
• a little green pepper (capsicum)

Homemade spicy cashew stuffing

• 50 grams of raw cashew nuts
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 spoonful of olive oil
• a little salt
• 20 grams of grated parmesan
• pickled jalapeno to taste

Method

• Blend the cashew nuts, parmesan, salt and chopped garlic in a food processor.
• Taste the cashew stuffing and add salt, parmesan or garlic to taste.
• Finely chop the jalapeño and add to the mixture without blending it.
• Half the cherry tomatoes and with a small spoon remove the pips and inside juice.
• Stuff the halved tomatoes with the cashew mixture.
• Finely slice the green pepper and tuck it into the stuffed tomatoes.

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Slices

Ingredients for about 20 slices

• 1 cucumber
• 50 grams of smoked salmon
• 25 grams of black pepper cream cheese
• small sprigs of dill

Method

• Slice the cucumber in 5mm thick slices
• Cut the salmon into small strips and lay it on the cucumber slices.
• Top with  a small amount of black pepper cream cheese.
• Press a sprig of dill onto the cheese.

Feta on Smoked Salmon and Spinach Leaf

Ingredients for 10 leaves

20 grams marinated hard feta

• olive oil to fill a small tub
• 2 spoonfuls of chili flakes
• small cubes of hard feta
• 20 grams of smoked salmon
• 10 spinach leaves

Method 

• Pick 10 regular shaped baby spinach leaves of a decent regular size, about 5cm long
• Lay a strip of smoked salmon on each leaf.
• Top with a little cube of marinated feta.