Before orange season comes to an end, we would like to share with you a delicious winter Orange and Fennel with Almond Salad that our guests have loved this season. Because we like to use all parts of fruits and vegetables, whenever possible at MoaAlm, with the focus on zero food waste, we will also share a recipe for a vegan Orange and Cranberry muffin, using the zest of orange.
This orange and fennel salad is light, fresh and of course, very tasty! It’s a quick and easy side dish or an appetiser which also happens to be simple to prepare. The interesting combination of ingredients creates a delicious harmony of flavours. The citrus taste of the orange contrasts the sweetness of the fennel, the black olives add a touch of umami flavour, while the roasted almonds a touch of crunchiness.
3 fennel
3 oranges
100 g rocket
150 g black olives
1 handful of almonds
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
The first step is to marinade the fennel: to do so, cut it finely with a knife or mandolin, then place in a bowl. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar with a pinch of salt. Mix with a spoon, letting it rest for at least two hours, mixing once or twice.
Before serving, roast the almonds in a dry frying pan, then chop with a knife.
After peeling the oranges, cut thin slices and have them ready for plating.
Let’s plate the salad: starting with a handful of rocket, arrange a few spoonfuls of the marinated fennel, sprinkle on some olives, add the orange slices and decorate with a round sprinkle of roasted almonds. Optionally, you can finish with a round of balsamic glaze.
Infused with fresh orange juice and zest and dotted with fresh or dried cranberries, these muffins make a cosy snack, breakfast treat, or afternoon cake – especially during the winter months. Fluffy, moist and very easy to make! Plus, orange zest is not only flavourful, it’s also rich in antioxidants!
These muffins are vegan, which is the same for all our delicious meals at MoaAlm, and they can also be made gluten free by substituting the wholemeal spelt flour with a gluten free baking mix. If you are not gluten free but don’t have spelt flour on hand, you can use any wheat flour (white, wholemeal).
Since we are using the zest, our suggestion is to use organic oranges.
We’re sure that these pictures by Abbie Merrit of the Orange and Cranberry Muffins will make you excited about trying them!
300 g of wholemeal spelt flour
150 g of unrefined cane sugar
20 g of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
250ml of orange juice
zest of 1 orange
125 g of apple puree or mashed banana
1 handful of dried or fresh cranberries
1 pinch of salt
coconut oil or vegan butter to grease the muffin tins
Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease the muffin tins with coconut oil or vegan butter;
In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and then add the the sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the orange juice and apple puree and mix well.The dough must be creamy but not too runny, as the dough should be spooned into the moulds. Finally, gently fold in the orange zest and cranberries;
Fill the muffin moulds up to the edge and add some extra cranberries, with thinly sliced orange zest on the top to decorate. Bake for 30 minutes, until they are golden. Let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying.
Thank you Alessia, our vegan chef at MoaAlm this winter, for sharing your scrumptious Orange recipes with us. Our yoga and winter activity guests have had some wonderful meals this winter, as you can check out in the heartfelt guest reviews!
We would love to hear from you if you try either or both of these recipes. Send us an email, or if you share it on your social media, please #moaalmretreat and #relaxinglyactive. If you are for more savoury vegan recipes to try, check out our recipe page