
This plate reminds me a bit of the colorful trees we see throughout fall season - Yellow, green, orange, and red-tones in perfect harmony. The vibrant orange cream base consists of a delicious pumpkin-cashew cream sauce, the bright red is grilled beet root. Green tones are added with the caramelized leek, the natsturtium-herb oil, and the nasturtium leaves. The cooked black quinoa and the crunchy seeds on top form complement the dish with additional earthy and black tones.
And hey, now comes the coolest part: While this composition couldn't look fancier, it is super nutritious and actually very easy to prep. If you're interested in learning more, I shared a short video on how to serve this dish on my Instagram profile linked below.
Now, let's dive right into the details.
What you see below is the best way to showcase that cooking is all about taking what you have available and getting creative in the kitchen. A few weeks ago my wonderful friend Lisa - the most brilliant professional chef I know - came to visit. Beforehand she told me: "Karo let's make Gnocchis when I come and let's combine it with seasonal celery purree and leek."
Below you see our result: We made our own Gnocchis, topped it on a creamy celery purree, added leek, toasted buckwheat, barberries, and a colorful mix of nasturtium flowers and leaves. I highly recommend the combination as well. Especially the deliciously sweet celery root purree with the mildly sour barberries tastes amazing.
I hope you enjoy this deliciously healthy, protein-loaded vegan interpretation of the Venezuelan classic Arepas with "Reina Pepiada" as much as I do. Especially for those who have traveled to Latin America and love the Latin kitchen, this is your dish. But also for everyone else, be courageous. I'm so sure you will love those veggie Arepas!
As always, I would love to see your delicious result and repost it on my social channels. So make sure to tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, or Facebook. Besides, if you have any feedback for me, questions with regards to the recipe, or if you just want to say "hey", comment below or shoot me a personal message through my contact form.
Love & plants, Karo