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Greetings beautiful hive souls. I hope you are doing well. When I thought life couldn't get any busier than it already was we took on a new project.

Though we will continue selling from our mobile bakery shop (and probably get a second one running soon), we just signed a long-term lease on a beautiful new location with the possibility of doing a small coffee shop or restaurant. Exciting times are ahead.

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While none of us is looking forward to the move - bakery equipment is heavy and big - we are ready to take our small business to the next level. We have been growing so fast that we have reached our limit and needed a bigger location and new people to work for us. It's scary and exciting at the same time. Here's to new adventures in Cambodia.

Though the world is slowly stabilizing… or not. I am not sure. We decided that our South America or Portugal adventure has to wait another year or two. By then we should have accomplished what we have in mind with our business and should be ready to sell our beloved baby.

What have you guys been up to lately? Enjoying the summer holidays?

EASY WEEKNIGHT DINNER - TACOS WITH SPICED BROCCOLI AND CHICKPEAS

While it is a little easier these days to find vegan options in our little town, most of them are not very tasty and you also end up eating the same thing over and over again if you have to rely on eating out a few days a week.

However, with our new project, time for cooking is very limited but this doesn’t mean you can’t have delicious, home-cooked meals. Lately, we have been eating a lot of gluten-free pasta dishes, one-pot middle eastern or Asian-inspired dishes, and TACOOOOOS…. I think they are rapidly becoming a quick and easy family favorite.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2-4)

6-12 taco shells
1 big avocado, cubed
2-3 cups of lettuce of your choice
1-2 cups red cabbages, shredded

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For the spiced, oven-roasted veggies and chickpeas

1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
1.5 cups cauliflower florets
1.5 cups broccoli florets
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp dried oregano
Himalayan pink salt to taste

For the tomato relish

1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup bell pepper (any color), chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup eggplant
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
1 cup homemade tomato sauce
½ Tbsp onion powder
½ Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried oregano
Chilli flakes or freshly cut chili pepper to taste
Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste

FYI: once every 2-3 weeks I make a big batch of basic tomato sauce that I freeze and use as a base for chickpea crust pizzas, pasta, one-pot dinners, or taco recipes…. The same goes for chickpeas. I always soak and cook a big batch of chickpeas so I have them ready in my freezer. They taste so much better than canned chickpeas. Plus, they don't contain preservatives or other yucky additives.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 200C or 400F.

Add chickpeas, broccoli, cauliflower, and herbs to a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss well to combine. Roast until tender and nicely browned. This will take about 20 minutes. Toss the veggies halfway through to roast evenly.

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Meanwhile, make the tomato relish. Saute onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir regularly. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.

Then add the eggplant, chopped tomatoes, and herbs. Cook for another 3-4 minutes before adding the homemade tomato sauce. Stir well and cooked a few minutes more.