Swiss Meringue

Something I need to try, again thanks to Marie-Amelie.

85 gr egg white
120 gr icing sugar

1. simmer until thermometer reads 70 degrees
2. whisk until cool

Oat Bran Power

An absolutely delicious and satisfying boost for the morning. Thanks again Marie-Amelie for this recipe. The Richters are hooked.

1 1/2 tblsp oat bran
1 tsp chia seeds
1 1/2 tblsp goji berries
1 tsp agave nectar
1/2 glass almond milk
1/2 glass water
1 tsp flaxseed

1. put all ingredients except agave and flaxseed in pot and bring to boil then simmer on low for ten minutes
2. add agave just before the cereal thickens
3. sprinkle with flaxseed and serve

Telefonino

I'm proud to say that this is my favorite cocktail ever. I've had a special fondness for Italian aperitivi for many years, but this combo is the perfect balance.  The telefonino has been a staple at my beloved River Cafe in London for as long as I can remember. It's always the first thing I have at the bar before sitting down.  I've often wondered what the exact measurements were. A quick phone call to the bar tender last month finally confirmed this. I think Antica Formula vermouth makes a key difference versus Punt e Mes, or Martini as it has a stronger vanilla flavor. The other key ingredient of course is the Zucca, which is made from rhubarb.

20 ml Campari
20 ml Zucca Rabarbaro
15 ml vermouth Antica Formula
squeeze of lemon
top off with tonic soda (best quality organic, preferably a Japanese brand)

1. put ingredients except lemon and tonic in a cocktail shaker with ice, strain into a medium tall glass with fresh ice
2. add a squeeze of lemon, top off with tonic soda (just a quick tip of the bottle)

Red Quinoa & Buckwheat

I've found that the quinoa is very neat when cooked, producing very little mush that makes a breakfast cereal tasty. So i thought I'd add a bit of buckwheat to make it all more wholesome. I think this is one of my favorite breakfasts these days. Thank you Marie-Amelie for introducing me to the chia seed and gogi berri!

rice milk
4 parts red quinoa
1 part buckwheat
tsp chia seeds
tsp gogi berries
pinch maldon sea salt
honey

1. put rice milk and everything else except honey and cook for twenty minutes
2. add honey to taste toward end and stir 

Avocado, Broad Bean & Apple

I very much love this salad, bursting with freshness and flavor. From Bill Granger's London restaurant, apparently concocted shortly after his move to the UK from Australia.  I found some frozen Japanese broad beans which I shelled…they worked perfectly. I also used rucola instead of watercress, also turned out well.

2 ripe avocados
1 green / Granny Smith apple
handful of broad beans, shelled
2 large handfuls of watercress
1 tsp finely grated ginger
2 tblsp EVOO
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tblsp lime juice
maldon sea salt
lime wedges

1. prepare dressing by whisking together ginger, EVOO, sugar, soy sauce and lime juice
2. peel, stone and slice the avocado into relatively thick pieces
3. cut the apple into match sticks/ juliennes
4. arrange the watercress on a platter, top with avocado, broad beans and apple
5. spoon over the dressing and season with salt
6. serve with lime wedges

Courgettes & Almonds

Rummaging through and endless pile of paper, I came across a recipe scribbled down by a chef at Jackson Fillmore in San Francisco, must have been around 1999. Thank you chef! This is a very tasty recipe that I've made many times since then based roughly on this recipe. Now I can do it the proper way. Make sure the courgettes are julienned like match sticks.

slivered blanched almonds
courgettes
pecorino
parsley
EVOO
maldon sea salt
ground black pepper

1. toast almonds in oil and remove
2. to see with julienned courgettes (skin on) and black pepper
3. plate & top with shaved pecorino 

Smoothie Fever

The list of smoothie choices from Kreation Juice in Santa Monica. What's better than a healthy smoothie on a sunny southern California morning? The last one is something I invented, and will call it the monkey smoothie.

• Red Velvet: almond milk, yoghurt, raspberries, vanilla extract, frozen banana (optional bee pollen for energy)
• Orange Sunrise: coconut milk, frozen mango, almond butter, frozen banana (optional horsetail for skin)
• Purple Passion: almond milk, blueberries, yogurt, frozen banana
• Yellow Diamond: coconut milk, frozen pineapple, almond butter, frozen banana (optional maca powder post workout)
• Pink Panther: almond milk, strawberries, frozen banana (optional chia seeds for stamina)
• Chocolate Lovers: almond milk, cacao, carob, frozen banana, natural peanut butter (optional goji berries)
• Green Dream: almond milk, green apple, frozen banana, kale, parsley (optional vital green powder)
• Acai Miracle: acai berries, rasberries, yogurt, home-made granola, frozen banana (optional goji berries)
• Awake: espresso, maca, coconut milk, frozen banana
• Monkey: rice milk, frozen banana, organic nutella to taste, cashews