Another vegetarian recipe that's really not even a recipe - it's an assembly job. The key to 'assemblying' stuff to make one perfect food is to know how to marry things well into a perfect flavor combo, like this tomato, mushroom and olive tart. Once you get the hang of it, you can exchange and swap the toppings with whatever floats your boat; even some slice of cooked meat/chicken will be perfect. 
This one is strictly vegetarian, though. Think meaty mushrooms, sweet caramelised tomatoes, salty olives and a burst of feta cheese here and there. I would highly recommend using caramelised onions as well, but if you're too lazy to care, it's okay. It will still be fabulous.
This will make for perfect tea, or served with a large salad, a filling dinner.

What You Need:
1 large square frozen puff pastry (I like the Pampas brand)
1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved
6-10 swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
5-6 black olives, pitted and sliced
Some feta cheese
Optional - caramelised onions (optional, but such a great addition), some beaten egg as eggwash, some sage or rosemary leaves

What You Do:
1, Preheat oven at 180 degrees for 20 mins.
2. Lay your puff pastry in a baking tray lined with baking paper. Make sure the pastry is at room temperature.
3. In a large bowl, toss  the tomatoes and mushrooms with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
4. You will put the toppings on the puff pastry, but make sure to leave a 1-inch border around it. If you have the caramelised onions, spread it out on top of the pastry first as a base.
5. Arrange the mushrooms and tomatoes on the pastry. Make sure they are evenly distributed. Make sure the tomatoes are cut-side up, so that the juices doesn't flow right onto the pastry and make everything soggy.
6. Sprinkle the sliced olives. Finish with a dash of cracked black pepper over it, and crumble the feta cheese on top of everything. If you have the sage/rosemary leaves, sprinkle on top. They will get nice and crispy.
7. Take a fork, and press the edges of the pastry to make nice lines and show that you're an effortless pro. If you have an egg, egg wash the edges, although sometimes I don't even bother.
8. Into the over for about 20 mins, or until the edges are golden and the mushrooms look cooked.
9. Slice and devour.

Master this recipe, and you'll open a whole entire window of possibilities with hummus variations. You'll also start to wonder why you ever thought store-bought, mass-produced hummus was good. It shall also trigger other emotions, such as "why the heck do restaurants charge RM12 per serving for this thing?", because it's super cheap, and super healthy, to make your own.

What You Need:
1 can of chickpeas, or equal amount of chickpeas you soaked and boiled yourself
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of 1/3 lemon
​1 small clove garlic
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp water

What You Do:
There is only a single instruction - dump all of them into a processor and blitz until it becomes a puree. Looks too thick? Add a splash of water. Adjust to your taste accordingly.
Note: Keeps for 1 week in the fridge, longer if frozen.

The first time I had proper, delicious kale salad was in Ubud, Bali. I've tried kale salads before, but loathed all of them - the dressing never seemed to match the sturdiness of kale, and the kale were so tough it felt like I could choke on them.
This particular kale salad not only solves that, but it also sent me to a borderline kale obsession. I love how the creamy, tangy tahini dressing compliments the slight bitterness of the kale, and because the vegetable is blanched and massaged, they're not too sturdy to consume at all. Add some chickpeas for some protein, and you've got a simple, healthy lunch for a sunny day.
This recipe makes a plate of salad.

What You Need
Green kale
1 handful ready-to-eat chickpeas
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
dash of salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

What You Do
1. Boil some water in a pot big enough to submerge the kale in. Add a dash of salt.
2. Add the kale into the pot, for about 3-5 minutes, or until the leaves have softened but not mushy. At the last minute, add the chickpeas to warm through.
3. Drain the kale, leave to cool while you get on with the dressing.
4. In a bowl, whisk the tahini, mustard, vinegar and salt together. Slowly add the olive oil until you get a thick consistency (the watery kale will loosen this up more). Check for taste.
5. Back to the kale. Remove the big stems, and roughly chop the leaves into 1 inch pieces. It's a salad, y'all. It doesn't have to be precise.
6. Transfer kale into mixing bowl, add chickpeas, and drizzle in the dressing. Mix them with your hands. Massage the leaves. This will soften the leaves more, and ensure that it's really marinated with the dressing.
7. Transfer to a nice plate. Best enjoyed with a nice drink. You deserve it, cos you're eating a salad, for God's sake.

In 2019, one of my personal goals was to find my favourite banana bread recipe. At this age, some people think, “it’s time to have kids”, “it’s time to shift careers” or even “it’s time to buy a second home”. But for me, it was time to find THE banana bread. I love me some banana bread, but finding my favourite recipe has been quite a journey. Over the entire year, I tried no less than 5 different recipes, and here is the end result - the recipe that ticked all the boxes I was looking for; not too sweet, less flour-y, and maintains its moistness even after a day.
Tip 1: The bananas need to be ripe as shit. Ripe. As. Shit. Like almost blackened. This way, you’ll use less sugar and get better caramelization of the natural sugars in bananas.
Tip 2: Cover the cake with foil for the first 30 minutes of baking. This way, the top doesn’t dry up while making sure the cake is cooked through.
 
What You Need:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups mashed bananas
115 gm unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup Greek yoghurt
 
What You Do:
1. Pre-heat oven at 180 degrees. Grease your banana bread loaf pan.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a mixer, beat butter and sugar for 4 minutes.
4. Add eggs. Then the yoghurt. Then the mashed bananas.
5. Stop the mixer. Add the dry ingredients. Mix everything, but don’t overmix it. It’s okay to have some lumps.
6. Transfer your batter into the loaf pan. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Take off the foil and bake for another 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clear when you poke in the middle of it.
8. Eat warm, and if you feel deserving, eat with some butter too.

I know, it sounds crazy and borderline gross. But you have to trust me.
The idea of savory oats was first introduced to me by my beautiful friend Aisyah. For the 3 decades of my life, I had always thought that the only way to have oats would be the sweet kind, with a mix of some type of milk, and perhaps some fruit involved. And honestly, because I prefer savory breakfasts, I didn't often eat oats because of this reason.
Now, enter this recipe for a warm bowl or savory and slightly spicy oats, and I find myself wanting to have it again and again. It tastes like your usual congee, but of course, it's much much healthier, with enough fiber and goodness to keep you full until lunch. 
The recipe uses Malaysian soup seasoning (Perencah Sup Adabi paste, to be exact), but feel free to swap them with some ready-to-go stock or other soup seasoning substitutes.
This recipe makes 2 servings.

What You Need:
1 cup ready-to-eat oats (I use Quaker Oats!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon soup seasoning (or your choice of substitute)
Optional: Crunchy fried garlic for added texture

What You Do:
1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pot. Add garlic and shallots.
2. When the garlic and shallots start to get translucent and fragrant, add the seasoning.
3. Add the oats and 1 cup of water. Bring to boil.
4. If it looks too thick, add a little splash of water.
5. Remove from heat, garnish with the crispy garlic and some cracked black pepper.
6. Great with a side glass of refreshing fresh juice.