tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33604718646018460122024-02-20T12:19:58.539-08:00Salad Dodging VeganVegan food for saladphobes like me!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-88825229309270423722015-06-08T13:59:00.001-07:002015-06-08T14:26:35.699-07:00Summer Stew with Braised Tofu, Pearl Barley, Lentils, and Vegetables<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Simple and tasty, even if I do say so myself! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoREzK0YStfYKlry_v70_qcPhBlzpNfL4DUlQ2-9YqiDMN56wnQtfrIrAtnl3Dh0kAI6eGAcEsOY7JxG3pm60jCrAoc1310gxxY49wrl2VRI1wiMns1YZ-oZuPfQBBY7vVN9jvIUzUC98/s1600/IMG_20150608_205802%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoREzK0YStfYKlry_v70_qcPhBlzpNfL4DUlQ2-9YqiDMN56wnQtfrIrAtnl3Dh0kAI6eGAcEsOY7JxG3pm60jCrAoc1310gxxY49wrl2VRI1wiMns1YZ-oZuPfQBBY7vVN9jvIUzUC98/s640/IMG_20150608_205802%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 4)</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>1 teaspoon/few sprays of olive oil</li>
<li>1 medium red onion, finely diced</li>
<li>3 cloves of garlic, crushed</li>
<li>1 red chilli, finely chopped</li>
<li>6/7 chantenay carrots, cut into quarters lengthways</li>
<li>1 can of <a href="http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/marigold-braised-tofu-60081680" target="_blank">braised tofu</a>, broken into small pieces keeping the juices from the can</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of tomato puree</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of sundried tomato paste/puree</li>
<li>1 x teaspoon of dried thyme</li>
<li>1 x teaspoon of dried parsley</li>
<li>1 bay leaf</li>
<li>1 vegetable stock cube</li>
<li>1 x 400g can of cooked lentils</li>
<li>100g dried pearl barley</li>
<li>100g of broad beans</li>
<li>100g of sugar snap peas</li>
<li>Water</li>
<li>Salt & pepper, to taste</li>
</ul>
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<b>Recipe </b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Spritz a large flat-bottomed pan with oil and add the onions</li>
<li>Once the onions have softened, add the garlic and chilli, add a splash of water if needs be to keep the ingredients from burning</li>
<li>Once the chilli and garlic have begun to soften, add the carrots and braised tofu along with the juices </li>
<li>Add the tomato puree, herbs, bay leaf, and crumble in the stock cube</li>
<li>Mix everything together well, then cover with water</li>
<li>Add the lentils, broad beans, and pearl barley, and top up the water before bringing to the boil</li>
<li>Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring regularly and adding more water if needed - you're looking for a medium consistency, not too watery but not too thick</li>
<li>Add the sugar snap peas, then simmer for another 10 minutes</li>
<li>Check the pearl barley is cooked properly, adding salt and pepper if required </li>
<li>Take out the bay leaf and serve on its own or with some crusty bread</li>
</ol>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-25414098564858538772015-06-06T03:33:00.000-07:002015-06-06T03:33:48.247-07:00Blueberry and Vanilla Nice CreamThis easy to make treat makes a great breakfast or dessert.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKDa3q7Tz49UkhKszH3aRM8tdCWRIc0QvnrLd494DfZ3SrLBTM_kwqeM3B2vgGV1obvZHHsXTmwHK0DQdEFGp1pr7TPzqJt3a7iCCSulTnEw5o3cYeaV1y0FnPjCNT4lferVBN9UVIl4/s1600/IMG_20150606_104118%255B2%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKDa3q7Tz49UkhKszH3aRM8tdCWRIc0QvnrLd494DfZ3SrLBTM_kwqeM3B2vgGV1obvZHHsXTmwHK0DQdEFGp1pr7TPzqJt3a7iCCSulTnEw5o3cYeaV1y0FnPjCNT4lferVBN9UVIl4/s640/IMG_20150606_104118%255B2%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 2)</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>125g blueberries (frozen the night before)</li>
<li>2 medium bananas (peeled, cut up, and frozen the night before)</li>
<li>Half a 500ml pot of Alpro vanilla yoghurt</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Remove the berries and bananas from the freezer & pop into a food processor, keeping a few berries back to garnish with if you so wish.</li>
<li>Add the yoghurt and blend until smooth.</li>
<li>You may need to break some of the harder pieces of banana up with a fork halfway through.</li>
<li>Serve and enjoy! </li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-2667879183745394342015-05-19T04:59:00.002-07:002015-06-03T12:47:13.139-07:00Popcorn TofuCoated in couscous and baked in the oven, these crispy little bites are rather moreish! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgUjE9-vd0EchIBb_3Hwqc0hUeA-EhBGgrgJUhXzoyjMYM_mf4OWdPvSSjMS4Tl_JFRwthwKCMFgLWagWOcNgvma1I1nrWA0VhTxXCnxDpJGrELDM3dqGdAeKvz0weW2vg5zLkf0-pKA/s1600/Popcorn+Tofu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgUjE9-vd0EchIBb_3Hwqc0hUeA-EhBGgrgJUhXzoyjMYM_mf4OWdPvSSjMS4Tl_JFRwthwKCMFgLWagWOcNgvma1I1nrWA0VhTxXCnxDpJGrELDM3dqGdAeKvz0weW2vg5zLkf0-pKA/s640/Popcorn+Tofu.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (for 200g block of tofu, increase ingredients accordingly for a larger blocks)</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>200g block of firm tub tofu (ideally frozen then defrosted before use)</li>
<li>125 of couscous </li>
<li>1 tablespoon of tarragon</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of salt</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of black pepper</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of <a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-chia-seed-protein-powder" target="_blank">chia seed powder</a> or other egg replacer such as ground flax</li>
<li>Water</li>
<li>Spray oil </li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Place the couscous in a pan then cover with boiled water, leave to soak in, fluff with a fork then set to one side </li>
<li>Press the tofu between two chopping boards to remove as much moisture as possible, then cut into cubes</li>
<li>Place the couscous in a mixing bowl, then add the herbs, spices, and seasonings and mix together </li>
<li>Meanwhile, set the oven to 180c and spritz a baking tray with oil </li>
<li>In a separate dish, add the chia powder/egg replacer to 7-10 tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly - you want a thinly gloopy consistency so add a little more water if needed</li>
<li>Dip each piece of tofu in the egg replacer, then coat in couscous</li>
<li>If needs be, shape and press the couscous mixture around the tofu, until evenly coated</li>
<li>Place onto non-stick or oiled baking tray then do the same with the rest</li>
<li>Once all the pieces are on the baking tray, spritz with a little more oil then bake for 20-25 minutes at 180 degrees C, or until golden and crispy</li>
<li>Serve with the dip of your choice - my choice was buffalo sauce</li>
</ol>
</div>
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D3360471864601846012%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D266787918374539434&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Ccrop-eckWE%2FVVsh9P1e9gI%2FAAAAAAAAAQ8%2Fv3sNLtFAiio%2Fs640%2FPopcorn%252BTofu.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 42px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 36px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D3360471864601846012%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D266787918374539434&media=https%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Ccrop-eckWE%2FVVsh9P1e9gI%2FAAAAAAAAAQ8%2Fv3sNLtFAiio%2Fs640%2FPopcorn%252BTofu.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 42px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 36px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-21256862660788181612015-05-17T14:25:00.000-07:002015-05-17T14:31:43.020-07:00Summer Super Bowl with Walnut & Balsamic Vinaigrette So I've been experimenting with the goodies I got from <a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/" target="_blank">Indigo Herbs</a> and it turns out the <a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-raw-walnut-butter" target="_blank">Walnut Butter</a> in particular lends itself really well to dressing all kinds of dishes. This dish is just perfect for summer, it's light enough for the warmer weather but packed with plenty of nutrients and protein to fill you up nicely. Before you ask, I'm going to go with the view that <i>technically</i>, it's not a salad (shhh, you!) as most of the ingredients are cooked (I said shhh!). It's versatile too, and works very well on its own or as an accompaniment. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqt3lAI1efvUTpZWyJhMs_gWla5wkfW0Zn_4sjAQ6j50-C5WQigPT9Jnw_1rHT4oGxiid82ITXR4mzHMtSt_tIvgKS9DL7C6KH-4zIzNmb7TsiHi6LIGJGTCO_KC0GhHR0uIrP9exQqiE/s1600/Summer+Super+Bowl+CU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqt3lAI1efvUTpZWyJhMs_gWla5wkfW0Zn_4sjAQ6j50-C5WQigPT9Jnw_1rHT4oGxiid82ITXR4mzHMtSt_tIvgKS9DL7C6KH-4zIzNmb7TsiHi6LIGJGTCO_KC0GhHR0uIrP9exQqiE/s640/Summer+Super+Bowl+CU.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 4)</b></div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>100g of giant couscous </li>
<li>2 medium carrots</li>
<li>200g of shelled edamame (soya beans)</li>
<li>200g of fine green beans, trimmed & cut into thirds</li>
<li>200g of mange tout</li>
<li>1 red pepper, sliced</li>
<li>400g tin of chickpeas</li>
<li>400g tin of lentils </li>
<li>50g of pomegranate seeds</li>
<li>3 tablespoons of <a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-raw-walnut-butter" target="_blank">walnut butter</a></li>
<li>5 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of thyme</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of garlic flakes</li>
<li>Salt & pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C</li>
<li>Spritz the sliced pepper in oil (optional) and pop in the oven for 10 minutes</li>
<li>Place the couscous in a pan, covered with cold water, bring to the boil then simmer for 8 minutes</li>
<li>Bring a pan of generously salted water to the boil </li>
<li>Blanch the green beans, mange tout, and edamame for 6 minutes</li>
<li>Peel & grate the carrots</li>
<li>Rinse the couscous and greens in cold water, then drain</li>
<li>Place the grated carrots, greens, lentils, chickpeas, and couscous in a large bowl together, and mix well</li>
<li>In a separate dish, mix the <a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-raw-walnut-butter" target="_blank">walnut butter</a>, balsamic vinegar, and thyme together to make a vinaigrette </li>
<li>Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables & couscous and mix again</li>
<li>Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds, red peppers, garlic granules, salt, and pepper over the top</li>
<li>Serve with your preferred accompaniments, & enjoy! </li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmU2QHuONu51wGJ3YTZqev-T9CMV3dkd0UU9wdpOjx_Yz2fK5li2eClppKWdYGFqVnEikQUKcwyI60OyCmxufVMaIWoOsH6GgsasUmlqDqotO718sRMr2US9OSf6HCge39iIwVl-HX-A/s1600/Summer+Super+Bowl+with+Walnut+&+Balsamic+Dressing+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmU2QHuONu51wGJ3YTZqev-T9CMV3dkd0UU9wdpOjx_Yz2fK5li2eClppKWdYGFqVnEikQUKcwyI60OyCmxufVMaIWoOsH6GgsasUmlqDqotO718sRMr2US9OSf6HCge39iIwVl-HX-A/s640/Summer+Super+Bowl+with+Walnut+&+Balsamic+Dressing+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-85891996692704197422015-05-08T07:31:00.001-07:002015-05-08T07:36:31.808-07:00Goodies from Indigo Herbs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kFvDbXRhlnlLm2YtROMfBpPCsbN8Z-ch5Haoq75XaVeIxn8yKMlqBk3nnLdYHVvQ-31itZa6sUTr2N2fGmOQ-_YgQqvBS_Xm7B2VDsITKxk_r6HRKtfHUIfuXd_yd5u9ZDzCTGjOuzE/s1600/Indigo+Herbs+2015-05-08+14.50.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kFvDbXRhlnlLm2YtROMfBpPCsbN8Z-ch5Haoq75XaVeIxn8yKMlqBk3nnLdYHVvQ-31itZa6sUTr2N2fGmOQ-_YgQqvBS_Xm7B2VDsITKxk_r6HRKtfHUIfuXd_yd5u9ZDzCTGjOuzE/s640/Indigo+Herbs+2015-05-08+14.50.08.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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How exciting, the lovely people at <a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/" target="_blank">Indigo Herbs</a> sent me some goodies to play with from their new high protein vegan product range. I'm looking forward to experimenting with them and sharing some of the recipes I make. They've sent me:</div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-chia-seed-protein-powder" target="_blank">Chia Seed Powder</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-spirulina-powder" target="_blank">Pea Protein Powder</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-raw-hemp-seed-butter" target="_blank">Organic Spirulina Powder</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-raw-hemp-seed-butter" target="_blank">Organic Raw Hemp Seed Butter</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-raw-white-sesame-tahini" target="_blank">Organic Raw Sesame Tahini</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/shop/buy/organic-raw-walnut-butter" target="_blank">Organic Raw Walnut Butter</a></li>
</ul>
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I feel some smoothies and mountains of houmous coming on! </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-2581189087063437942015-04-25T11:18:00.000-07:002015-04-25T11:18:11.132-07:00Crispy Penne Pasta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Crisps? Good! Pasta? Good! Crispy pasta? Goooood! I used my Actifry air fryer to make these but I expect you can do as good a job baking them in the oven. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneiXtbPnT-I-2c0_Jk9x4WDI6hloaL_b5Sz-q0J9pxW0BXvccmiyvYwgF9E_DlfI07HF47fwCdZ5ZaETyQfZ5Qwy7rjv890_OHIHKh1rp3Q-70ft3FClKplW4aftxurFxh7NN64oIX8I/s1600/Crispy+Penne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneiXtbPnT-I-2c0_Jk9x4WDI6hloaL_b5Sz-q0J9pxW0BXvccmiyvYwgF9E_DlfI07HF47fwCdZ5ZaETyQfZ5Qwy7rjv890_OHIHKh1rp3Q-70ft3FClKplW4aftxurFxh7NN64oIX8I/s1600/Crispy+Penne.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients </b><br />
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<ul>
<li>200g durum wheat pasta</li>
<li>Spray oil (I used Fry Light olive oil) </li>
<li>Seasonings of your choice. I used the following:</li>
<ul>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of paprika</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of tomato powder</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of garlic granules</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of nutritional yeast</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of salt</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
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<div>
<ol>
<li>Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil</li>
<li>Add the pasta and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes </li>
<li>Drain the pasta, and allow to cool so it's as dry as possible before the next step</li>
<li>Spritz with oil and turn over to ensure completely covered</li>
<li>Pop in your air fryer or oven for 15-20 minutes, or until completely crispy</li>
<li>Once cooked, remove from the fryer or oven, mix in your seasonings and scoff! </li>
</ol>
<div>
If you try them in the oven, let me know and feel free to pop cooking time in the comments. :) </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-90997161542796049462015-03-13T14:27:00.003-07:002015-03-13T14:28:14.269-07:00Buffalo CauliflowerMy mouth is always on fire after eating these, although you can tone the spice down according to your preferred taste. You can also serve with vegan ranch to cool it down. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegwVEIVxTD0x7g4e6vbG_i5_DLi2Ak_VwHmkgKQsWQEDQcz5hq4KuQsndG5CZYVkUhQ2aq7v0XUCvGyo7K98UaRTV2kr91A4yVbd_inLsOT3M31jW2PlOvhWtqVJHAw3JiofZkYR0qxc/s1600/Buffalo+Cauli+After+Cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegwVEIVxTD0x7g4e6vbG_i5_DLi2Ak_VwHmkgKQsWQEDQcz5hq4KuQsndG5CZYVkUhQ2aq7v0XUCvGyo7K98UaRTV2kr91A4yVbd_inLsOT3M31jW2PlOvhWtqVJHAw3JiofZkYR0qxc/s1600/Buffalo+Cauli+After+Cooking.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>1 medium cauliflower, broken into florets, then washed and drained</li>
<li>50g of gram flour (also known as chickpea/besam flour) </li>
<li>100ml of water </li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of turmeric</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder (optional)</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of pepper</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of salt </li>
<li>Bottle of hot sauce (I used Frank's) </li>
<li>1 tablespoon of dairy-free spread</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of maple syrup/agave nectar</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhgqYTmHJYb-SbO6KWAST4iR5lxq53y63Y0qYsoOnxvIhFQJeFq8Yazg0Kitrk6yVe4k-EJ3iIk7oexn85iSu5iQj0793AysfG4zaDuWHCoGEaxmnEhCxzjEQCPMimpw3YuzsaisSHss/s1600/Buffalo+Cauli+Before+Cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhgqYTmHJYb-SbO6KWAST4iR5lxq53y63Y0qYsoOnxvIhFQJeFq8Yazg0Kitrk6yVe4k-EJ3iIk7oexn85iSu5iQj0793AysfG4zaDuWHCoGEaxmnEhCxzjEQCPMimpw3YuzsaisSHss/s1600/Buffalo+Cauli+Before+Cooking.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Pre-heat the oven on to 180 degrees C</li>
<li>Place the flour and dry seasonings in a bowl and mix well</li>
<li>Gradually add the water, stirring as you go, until the mixture becomes a fairly thick batter</li>
<li>For some extra spice, add a splash of hot sauce into the mix </li>
<li>Add the cauliflower pieces, and make sure they're all evenly coated</li>
<li>Place the cauliflower onto a non-stick baking tray, or use grease-proof paper if you wish</li>
<li>Place into the oven for 15-20 minutes, until baked </li>
<li>In the meantime, drop around 5-6 tablespoons of hot sauce with the dairy-free spread and maple syrup into a pan onto a gentle heat</li>
<li>Once the sauce is thoroughly mixed, pour into a dip pot and set to one side</li>
<li>Remove the cauliflower from the oven and serve with a nice cool drink! </li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Notes</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>If you prefer, you can sub the cauliflower with firm tofu pieces</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-49055692756927340442015-03-10T07:36:00.001-07:002015-03-10T07:47:30.033-07:00Vegan Goodies from Naturally FreeI had the opportunity to trial the new <a href="http://www.naturallyfree.co.uk/vegan" target="_blank">Naturally Fre</a>e vegan section recently and was really pleased with the range of products I got from them. They stock a wide range of vegan health foods but they also have a decent selection of treats too. Here are a few of the items I got in my stash! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y-W32UZKHyZ68Q8B_0xg80lYGJqWDIR44ynRIoGReJ1cLM-E_NFT4y5tNbbyr-q15y_d4GpV7hM66sLRRDz2LQmPo_ooeotCu5oZzbVAHuxY8OwfjPL4Hk0JEsw-poyN-Xs7HmTxVps/s1600/Hale_and_Hearty_Date_and_Chocolate_Flavour_Flapjack_5_Pack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y-W32UZKHyZ68Q8B_0xg80lYGJqWDIR44ynRIoGReJ1cLM-E_NFT4y5tNbbyr-q15y_d4GpV7hM66sLRRDz2LQmPo_ooeotCu5oZzbVAHuxY8OwfjPL4Hk0JEsw-poyN-Xs7HmTxVps/s1600/Hale_and_Hearty_Date_and_Chocolate_Flavour_Flapjack_5_Pack.jpg" height="290" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were my absolute favourite - Hale & Hearty Date & Chocolate Flapjacks - £2.75</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd4ZPixv5-lXnJF1h-BTKNhAKFYZo5dD6cxdS5ak-vtj6VW9miNjgCXRrzGgQFjMIMStDzJdML2uVS6PtN84Zt1w6T_ayA6-txj0OSv71cajia9x5JmI8XYPf5aM9WAhqMi_wrkKU8eE/s1600/ALEX_Fabulous_Fudge_Factory_Dairy_Free_Chocolate_Raisins_75g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd4ZPixv5-lXnJF1h-BTKNhAKFYZo5dD6cxdS5ak-vtj6VW9miNjgCXRrzGgQFjMIMStDzJdML2uVS6PtN84Zt1w6T_ayA6-txj0OSv71cajia9x5JmI8XYPf5aM9WAhqMi_wrkKU8eE/s1600/ALEX_Fabulous_Fudge_Factory_Dairy_Free_Chocolate_Raisins_75g.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabulous Freedom Factory Dairy-Free Chocolate Covered Raisins - £2.00 </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYFyjSrdyP5gAJ1Oot6lrI9tdEWIihu5JO4_q2OQGDNn_01tVpr2MCvL5nXnFh0j4JLeyTdBjUG_mXGABtrMUARybYG7l5IUuYY5RiD2Kky-syJm9vXOqKIhy6Jmv4e2WRaUIacnksbI/s1600/ALEX_Fabulous_Fudge_Factory_Dairy_Free_Fudge_200g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYFyjSrdyP5gAJ1Oot6lrI9tdEWIihu5JO4_q2OQGDNn_01tVpr2MCvL5nXnFh0j4JLeyTdBjUG_mXGABtrMUARybYG7l5IUuYY5RiD2Kky-syJm9vXOqKIhy6Jmv4e2WRaUIacnksbI/s1600/ALEX_Fabulous_Fudge_Factory_Dairy_Free_Fudge_200g.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabulous Fudge Factory Dairy Free Fudge - £2.75</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwASYIO-qxskQMtH_c1Lp8suePTYrZjkluS7kCu2_geRV4piS-NktsrJ93ksj3UkWf_eKb3Kc2jijl54QCEzD6yOW-a19oD098iX7Z0I2bcmKNriG2K0MxnIVBVER-CIRgB4z9Jinmep4/s1600/ALEX_Freedom_Confectionery_Pink_and_White_Mini_Marshmallows_75g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwASYIO-qxskQMtH_c1Lp8suePTYrZjkluS7kCu2_geRV4piS-NktsrJ93ksj3UkWf_eKb3Kc2jijl54QCEzD6yOW-a19oD098iX7Z0I2bcmKNriG2K0MxnIVBVER-CIRgB4z9Jinmep4/s1600/ALEX_Freedom_Confectionery_Pink_and_White_Mini_Marshmallows_75g.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freedom Confectionary Pink & White Marshmallows - £2.00</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpfi4Lk9H_A2A8Gt7u8rAXPxshPd4FGx9uHq1FCQ9huGFUC3I76gkkDAV-5s-GNN4sv8KY1ugA_t40ZoiBrDdMF4IizzrKR05xpbmGEIOTsOGfZAG4tX7XbH5opf8PSspHbXz272McbE/s1600/ALEX_Freedom_Confectionery_Vegan_Vanilla_Marshmallow_75g-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpfi4Lk9H_A2A8Gt7u8rAXPxshPd4FGx9uHq1FCQ9huGFUC3I76gkkDAV-5s-GNN4sv8KY1ugA_t40ZoiBrDdMF4IizzrKR05xpbmGEIOTsOGfZAG4tX7XbH5opf8PSspHbXz272McbE/s1600/ALEX_Freedom_Confectionery_Vegan_Vanilla_Marshmallow_75g-2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freedom Mini Marshmallows -£2.00</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYnNFTo-55ZGImkqXBDxf59_nBj6MLBvDZ_9-cDp_6f7jnzrXkHg9bKO36w4Yyvbk7zKSLIuxfGHVw5vpMRR2YmaxNXfxKNeTcOdNZnNs73Vess5TruHJzAAQkFRvF-Sqqt7mBvlTof8/s1600/ALEX_Nakd_Berry_Delight_Bits_130g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYnNFTo-55ZGImkqXBDxf59_nBj6MLBvDZ_9-cDp_6f7jnzrXkHg9bKO36w4Yyvbk7zKSLIuxfGHVw5vpMRR2YmaxNXfxKNeTcOdNZnNs73Vess5TruHJzAAQkFRvF-Sqqt7mBvlTof8/s1600/ALEX_Nakd_Berry_Delight_Bits_130g.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nakd Berry Delight Bites - £1.99<br />
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<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Whilst Naturally Free is a fairly unknown brand, they're part of the Approved Group who own a number of more established online food stores including Approved Food and Great British Sweets which is always reassuring when deciding who to shop with. The delivery was very prompt, and well-packaged. What's also good is that you can choose to go straight to the vegan section of the website so you can just go ahead and fill up your basket with goodies. Some of the prices aren't the cheapest around, but some are cheaper than other places so it probably balances out overall. The shipping charges seem reasonable, and the service was great so I would probably shop there again in future. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-69744550463502955412015-03-03T09:05:00.001-08:002015-03-03T09:05:52.312-08:00Chocolate and Date FlapjackI do love a nice flapjack. There seem to be two different schools of thought on what makes the perfect one - either with a good crunch to it, or a nice sticky chewy affair. My personal preference is definitely the latter, and here is my take on just that! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHwClAtGZPAGOqiF972YYQlsySKuB9ETLEjI3P0FC9qY8v4dEKihaHU0puUGZTeMeXWan4VjDouZjNUhH3cyC0QIEy_sfJCNwN_y1cywqBqIjBQAHwNSqgZZbNFkQAUky7Cldcz9ZBzI/s1600/Chocolate+and+Date+Flapjack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHwClAtGZPAGOqiF972YYQlsySKuB9ETLEjI3P0FC9qY8v4dEKihaHU0puUGZTeMeXWan4VjDouZjNUhH3cyC0QIEy_sfJCNwN_y1cywqBqIjBQAHwNSqgZZbNFkQAUky7Cldcz9ZBzI/s1600/Chocolate+and+Date+Flapjack.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>200g rolled oats</li>
<li>250g of dates, finely chopped or whizzed in a food processor</li>
<li>100g bar of dairy-free chocolate, cut/broken into pieces</li>
<li>60g dairy-free spread</li>
<li>3 tablespoons of agave nectar/maple syrup</li>
<li>1 heaped tablespoon of desiccated coconut</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C, and spray a medium-sized rectangular dish with oil </li>
<li>Put the dairy-free spread and syrup in a pan and heat gentle until melted</li>
<li>Add the dates and desiccated coconut and stir before switching off the heat</li>
<li>Add the oats, and mix thoroughly until the mixture is evenly coated</li>
<li>Add the chocolate, and also the fine dust/crumbs left over from breaking it up</li>
<li>Mix into the mixture, don't worry if it begins to melt, this will help to bind the mixture</li>
<li>Spoon into your dish, and press it down as much as possible with the back of a spoon</li>
<li>Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on your preferred consistency (longer for crunchier)</li>
<li>Remove from the oven, allow to cool to room temperature</li>
<li>Place in the fridge for an hour or so to firm up enough for cutting</li>
<li>Cut into 12 slices and enjoy! </li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Notes</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">For the dish size, I used one that's 18cm x 23cm but sizes can vary slightly. You may have to adjust cooking times if the overall size is much different as smaller dishes will make a thicker flapjack that may need cooking longer. </span></b></li>
<li>If you want to, you can remove the flapjack from the oven about 15 minutes into the cooking time, and carefully turn it out onto a flat baking sheet, so as to cook it more evenly on the underside. This isn't essential though, and if you do decide to, be very careful as it will still be quite crumbly.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-88431332163776049112015-02-24T10:19:00.000-08:002015-04-06T14:37:17.947-07:00What's Wrong With Eggs From Backyard Hens?<b>My friend keeps a few hens in the back garden and they’re really well looked after, surely it can’t hurt to eat those eggs? </b><br />
<br />
When you first think about it, it may seem like there’s little harm in eating eggs from backyard hens. Most people think that if the eggs haven’t been fertilised, the hens have no need for them so it might even be considered wasteful not to eat them. However, things aren’t quite as straightforward as this and there are several reasons why taking eggs from even the most loved hens is problematic.<br />
<br />
First of all, if the hens were bought, or bred specifically so somebody could keep them for their eggs, then for every female, there will have been an unwanted male. So no matter how kindly we think the people keeping hens treat them, their brothers won’t have gone to a home that cares for them. Instead, they would either have been killed (usually by being thrown into a mincing machine) as soon as they hatched, or sold into the food chain.<br />
<br />
<b>But what if they’re rescue hens? Surely by giving them a home in exchange for a few eggs, it’s beneficial for the hens?</b><br />
<br />
<b></b>There are a few reasons why, even if we keep rescue hens, we should still not take their eggs.
<br />
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Most modern breeds of laying hen now have been selectively
bred to lay many more eggs than they would have done traditionally; and this
takes its toll on their bodies. If you think about it, there’s a reason why eggs
are regarded as being highly nutritious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eggs need to be packed with nutrients in order to give baby chicks
everything they need to grow, and this usually comes at a cost to the hen's personal
wellbeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given the opportunity, and
sometimes a little assistance for hens who’ve been debeaked and are used to having
their eggs taken away, most hens will happily eat their own eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eating their own eggs, this helps to
replenish the nutrients they lose each time they lay. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see some rescue hens enjoying their
own eggs in this video:<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DYPlefM1vWI" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another thing to consider is that it can be quite stressful
for hens to have their eggs taken away from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes quite a lot of work just to lay one
egg, and hens can get very distressed when we take them away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can read more about this <a href="http://gentleworld.org/a-chickens-relationship-with-her-eggs/" target="_blank">here</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even if some hens don’t wish to eat their own eggs, and
don’t appear to be concerned by us taking their eggs, there are still plenty of
reasons why we still should not eat them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of these reasons is that when we use eggs as food ourselves, we are
reinforcing the idea of eggs as food in other people’s minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, if somebody calls himself or
herself a vegan yet eats eggs, it’s going to confuse people and make them think
that if a vegan is willing to eat eggs, it must not be a problem to consider
eggs as food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a problem because so long as people think of eggs as
food, hens will continue to be exploited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As chickens are one of the most exploited animals on the face of the
earth, we really should be doing everything we can to avoid contributing to
that exploitation – whether directly or indirectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the best ways to help end the
exploitation is to show people it’s easy to live without using eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We certainly have no nutritional need for
them and there are vegan alternatives to pretty much every kind of egg use you
can think of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ok, so it might not
be ideal but surely it’s better the hens get rescued and some of their eggs
taken than be sent to slaughter?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When it comes to rescuing hens, we should be quite troubled
by the idea of doing so just to get eggs from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People happily adopt and rescue cats, dogs,
and other animals without wanting to get food or labour from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why can’t we extend the same compassion to
hens who’ve come from a life of exploitation, without wanting to exploit them
further?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Finally, hens are not able to give us their consent to take
their eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes to most moral
issues, we generally take the view that where somebody is not able to give their
consent, we should assume they have not given it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This should be no different for animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not fair to assume consent simply
because they are unable to say no to us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we use an animal in any way - no matter how
kind we believe our treatment of them to be or how mutually 'beneficial' we
believe it to be, we are still exploiting them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is a problem because every time we exploit an animal or use their
bodies for our own benefit, we contribute to their status as property when we should be allowing them to be individuals who exist for their own purposes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
It’s because humans regard animals as property that humans
treat animals the way they do. The only way to change the way animals are treated
is to do everything we can to change the idea of animals as property - and one
of the strongest ways to do that is to stop regarding animals' bodies and
anything that comes from them as food or any other kind of commodity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know from personal experience that it can be
difficult to stop looking at animals as food/resources but in time you come to wonder
how you ever considered them in that way for so long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the sharks in Finding Nemo liked to say, ‘friends,
not food’!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-31867028184928578862015-02-20T13:28:00.000-08:002015-02-20T13:38:36.059-08:00Houmous! Houmous! Houmous! Simple, delicious, and very cheap to make, it's well worth making this vegan staple yourself as you can tweak the recipe to make it exactly how you like it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbG0xiTuT4NzVwU1Gcjq7fhxDEbRpiETpWyd2ychEw0pLEZY55C6SQkq__lQasXwLb6Vr40hfBdBUrLbHHHro_NE1RYFywzAE9OmMF5dxHxCSir0R0MrQlcbJ8MBDiS9n2Hj7riswy8Q/s1600/Houmous+houmous+houmous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbG0xiTuT4NzVwU1Gcjq7fhxDEbRpiETpWyd2ychEw0pLEZY55C6SQkq__lQasXwLb6Vr40hfBdBUrLbHHHro_NE1RYFywzAE9OmMF5dxHxCSir0R0MrQlcbJ8MBDiS9n2Hj7riswy8Q/s1600/Houmous+houmous+houmous.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>400g/1 can of ready cooked chickpeas, washed & drained</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of tahini</li>
<li>1 large lemon, juiced</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of olive oil</li>
<li>1 handful of fresh coriander leaves</li>
<li>3 garlic cloves, crushed</li>
<li>Pinch of salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of sesame seeds </li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Place most of the chickpeas in a bowl (if using a stick blender or masher), or food processor, leaving a few to one side to use as a garnish</li>
<li>Add the tahini, lemon juice, half the olive oil, garlic, coriander, and salt and mix well</li>
<li>Blend until smooth</li>
<li>Have a taste, adding more lemon juice, garlic, and/or salt if needed</li>
<li>Transfer to a serving dish, garnishing with the remaining chickpeas, olive oil, sesame seeds and a sprig of coriander/parsley </li>
<li>Serve as you wish - personally I love it with falafel in a a homemade bun or wrap </li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIgSMZDO-RuWrshXeQYcttK88BzYIz7Fn2uuLTqMUrDoickCuSn_Ya6hHj-zy_cIcTO0fvlimlg46q_P4Ok3kzjicDS2DD4nuNm3uAr1XK_yPjPxhqSXRmgitPH9o98cxYD17ItFlAVQ/s1600/Homemade+houmous+&+falafel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIgSMZDO-RuWrshXeQYcttK88BzYIz7Fn2uuLTqMUrDoickCuSn_Ya6hHj-zy_cIcTO0fvlimlg46q_P4Ok3kzjicDS2DD4nuNm3uAr1XK_yPjPxhqSXRmgitPH9o98cxYD17ItFlAVQ/s1600/Homemade+houmous+&+falafel.jpg" height="420" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-54374727700741746892015-02-11T11:16:00.000-08:002015-02-11T11:52:34.739-08:00Vegan sausage & bean casseroleIt's been a little chilly this last week and this vegan take on a familiar comfort dish is just the tonic. I've listed the beans I used but you can use any beans you like.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXseW2EQ-w93f2V49i5-qJIxq_-nqF_rSQNjzsoC-vDk3Oqp3UVm1XmR7HVoZD3snNHDCmI3fZuGR5Qt5g3AucpW1swgvBVadXQMcel_3ZGC9RyBBSGojyInJ3PlkhMCmoOn0jcuhxesA/s1600/Sausage+&+bean+casserolewm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXseW2EQ-w93f2V49i5-qJIxq_-nqF_rSQNjzsoC-vDk3Oqp3UVm1XmR7HVoZD3snNHDCmI3fZuGR5Qt5g3AucpW1swgvBVadXQMcel_3ZGC9RyBBSGojyInJ3PlkhMCmoOn0jcuhxesA/s1600/Sausage+&+bean+casserolewm.jpg" height="420" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 4 with accompaniments)</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>1 medium onion, diced</li>
<li>3 cloves of garlic, crushed</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of dried rosemary</li>
<li>1 teaspoons of dried thyme</li>
<li>2 large or 4 regular vegan sausages, already cooked, and chopped into pieces (<a href="http://vegusto.co.uk/veggie-sausages-schnitzel-steaks/18-vegan-meat-alternative-sausage-farmhouse-style-7640144050221.html" target="_blank">Vegusto</a> or <a href="http://www.lindamccartneyfoods.co.uk/ourfood/sausages/" target="_blank">Linda McCartney</a> are my favourites)</li>
<li>2 carrots, diced</li>
<li>400g/1 tin of pre-cooked butter beans</li>
<li>400g/1 tin of pre-cooked adzuki beans </li>
<li>400g tin of chopped tomatoes</li>
<li>1 litre of vegetable stock</li>
<li>Salt & pepper to season</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of vegetable oil/stock if you prefer not to use oil</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Heat the oil or a small amount of the vegetable stock</li>
<li>Add the onion and heat until it begins to go clear</li>
<li>Add the garlic and carrot</li>
<li>Once the garlic begins to cook, add a splash of vegetable stock to ensure the mixture doesn't burn</li>
<li>Mix in the beans, herbs, and tomatoes</li>
<li>Pour in the remainder of the stock, bring to the boil & then reduce the heat to a simmer</li>
<li>Add the sausages, and then cook for a further 20-30 minutes, until all ingredients are cooked through</li>
<li>Before serving, taste a little and add salt & pepper as required</li>
<li>Serve with potatoes and crusty bread!</li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-73509868534393103912015-02-02T14:51:00.000-08:002015-02-02T14:52:41.945-08:00Sweet & simple slaw!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This sweet and crunchy slaw is a doddle to make and goes nicely with burgers, tacos, and buffalo cauliflower (recipe to come later this week). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtPBwXxY0S5mWALnmtrQ0q64TjelvoBzkq-sgl51ZU5nQY7MJEs57cQuuXsRPaCMQb_L0j_dUHauBA5ZEU10-G2dDyL5xOYrBR0Fan6IViNgtOSel9EJ9UtNBRCT957kc_lfFmiVirz8/s1600/Sweet+&+simple+slaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtPBwXxY0S5mWALnmtrQ0q64TjelvoBzkq-sgl51ZU5nQY7MJEs57cQuuXsRPaCMQb_L0j_dUHauBA5ZEU10-G2dDyL5xOYrBR0Fan6IViNgtOSel9EJ9UtNBRCT957kc_lfFmiVirz8/s1600/Sweet+&+simple+slaw.jpg" height="506" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 4-6 as an accompaniment)</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>1/2 red cabbage</li>
<li>1/2 white cabbage</li>
<li>2 tablespoons of molasses (I used pomegranate molasses for this one), maple syrup, or agave</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of cider vinegar or lemon juice</li>
<li>Black pepper</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Grate or finely slice the cabbage, rinse well, then drain</li>
<li>Mix the molasses and cider vinegar together</li>
<li>Place the cabbage in a large bowl, and mix in the dressing</li>
<li>Season with pepper to taste</li>
<li>Serve!</li>
</ol>
</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-267997410767464792015-01-20T12:15:00.000-08:002015-01-20T12:15:27.534-08:00Pasta Arrabbiata This fiery simple dish has long been one of my favourite ways to eat pasta, ever since my stint managing a pasta restaurant and kitchen when I was younger (than I'd care to remember ;) ). It's so simple to make and works well as a big bowl all by itself and also as an accompaniment. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05fl1hYaOv_JvEa4Se1a8v6sO3FQJFQ5N2e5ArRhrdSVJxxb2glervP0v28sEsLCVYY8s70VLdTesMk9f9HIUucRdgkYTJOduwcwmWyB15J1q0qTIdjLlrWelycugOr5g-nE11-i3C6A/s1600/Pasta+arrabiatawm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05fl1hYaOv_JvEa4Se1a8v6sO3FQJFQ5N2e5ArRhrdSVJxxb2glervP0v28sEsLCVYY8s70VLdTesMk9f9HIUucRdgkYTJOduwcwmWyB15J1q0qTIdjLlrWelycugOr5g-nE11-i3C6A/s1600/Pasta+arrabiatawm.jpg" height="392" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 3-4)</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>3 garlic cloves, crushed</li>
<li>3 chillies, finely chopped </li>
<li>400g can of chopped tomatoes</li>
<li>Splash of olive oil</li>
<li>Salt & pepper, to taste</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of sugar/maple syrup</li>
<li>400g of dried penne or rigatoni pasta</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>In a large flat-bottomed pan, heat the chillies and garlic in a little oil</li>
<li>Cook the chillies and garlic until the garlic begins to go transparent </li>
<li>Add a splash of water to the pan if necessary to prevent the ingredients from burning</li>
<li>Add the chopped tomatoes, pinch of salt, and mix well</li>
<li>Bring almost to the boil, then turn to a low heat to simmer</li>
<li>Boil your pasta according to the instructions for your chosen pasta</li>
<li>Taste the sauce, adding more salt or pepper if needed, keep an eye to ensure it simmers but doesn't boil, add a splash of water if needs be to keep it at the right temperature and consistency</li>
<li>Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the sauce and mix well</li>
<li>Have a taste, add some more seasoning if needed</li>
<li>If you like it, mix in a pinch of nutritional yeast before serving</li>
<li>Serve and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-85876379059765258622015-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:002015-01-17T06:08:01.959-08:00Simple chickpeasHave I mentioned before how much I love chickpeas? Probably. But I can never say it enough, I love chickpeas! I fancied some chickpeas as an accompaniment to the tacos we had for dinner last night and so thought I'd share the recipe with you as it's very simple yet delicious! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDUCQS4sto0CaDXoV1iiJwSlXGZdiYuaittCVn_j-0Mfv_ZnYz8u2td1G_SOJ9i65ORVtO2sDGi4e68JB4tWYxPrD1vOteBo6HmIKtNWotQOAMDAlLV4K9PH_ivmjUVWTmqx_-ain_EE/s1600/Chickpea+&+red+amaranth+saladwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggDUCQS4sto0CaDXoV1iiJwSlXGZdiYuaittCVn_j-0Mfv_ZnYz8u2td1G_SOJ9i65ORVtO2sDGi4e68JB4tWYxPrD1vOteBo6HmIKtNWotQOAMDAlLV4K9PH_ivmjUVWTmqx_-ain_EE/s1600/Chickpea+&+red+amaranth+saladwm.jpg" height="446" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 400g can of chickpeas</li>
<li>1 handful of coriander</li>
<li>1 tablespoon heaped of red amaranth (alfalfa sprouts or cress would work well too)</li>
<li>1 lemon, juiced</li>
<li>1 green chilli (optional)</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, then drain & transfer to a bowl</li>
<li>Rinse, dry, and then finely chop the coriander before adding it to the chickpeas</li>
<li>Rinse and dry the red amaranth (or sprouts) then add to the bowl</li>
<li>Add the lemon juice and mix well</li>
<li>If adding the chilli, thinly slice 2-3 pieces and set aside for the garnish</li>
<li>Dice the rest of the chilli and add to the bowl of chickpeas</li>
<li>Mix well, then garnish with the extra chilli pieces and a few more red amaranth leaves</li>
<li>Serve! </li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-68962034357598377272015-01-10T05:42:00.001-08:002015-01-19T04:11:55.567-08:00Vegan Vegetable Gravy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you need homemade vegetable gravy, this recipe is pretty simple and goes nicely with roasts, pies, mash and other gravy-loving dishes. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tf6fiDMxd6Eedz1Sj-ECq41WanNK8Uvqsv94NrfmDUELhsnHEcC8c0Mmbgofpon6CeCUXlMUisutAcHAcWaUg7kD4w3ludG8V3NTCOeXOSuivp1hZncKfFoi0xGvEnwls8rhLoIh_-I/s1600/Gravy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_tf6fiDMxd6Eedz1Sj-ECq41WanNK8Uvqsv94NrfmDUELhsnHEcC8c0Mmbgofpon6CeCUXlMUisutAcHAcWaUg7kD4w3ludG8V3NTCOeXOSuivp1hZncKfFoi0xGvEnwls8rhLoIh_-I/s1600/Gravy.gif" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 4) </b><br />
<ul>
<li>Splash of olive oil </li>
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</div>
<li>2 large carrots, diced</li>
<li>2 sticks of celery, diced</li>
<li>1 medium red onion, diced</li>
<li>2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of dried thyme</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of maple syrup, agave, or sugar</li>
<li>2-3 teaspoons of yeast extract - add according to your preference</li>
<li>2 tablespoons of plain flour (if you have an allergy, corn flour, gram flour or your preferred flour for thickening will do)</li>
<li>3 tablespoons of red wine (or you can use 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar)</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of vegetable bouillon powder</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of tomato paste or puree (or ketchup in a pinch)</li>
<li>900ml of cold water</li>
</ul>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSX_fsnqDh3fNpi457GxcjoGHdgHTFkNwJxzhF3vqjS3XkuOWny05XtKEG0-Vjt8LTExMhMVu41W2UuiKQT6UzC8q6kWW_K_71VgFgLRgMVXNPa6u8A4i5Q89CYQ19if19rx_SlTQiRo/s1600/Vegetable+Gravy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSX_fsnqDh3fNpi457GxcjoGHdgHTFkNwJxzhF3vqjS3XkuOWny05XtKEG0-Vjt8LTExMhMVu41W2UuiKQT6UzC8q6kWW_K_71VgFgLRgMVXNPa6u8A4i5Q89CYQ19if19rx_SlTQiRo/s1600/Vegetable+Gravy.jpg" height="394" width="640" /></a></b></div>
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Recipe</b><br />
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<ol>
<li>Heat the oil in a large flat-bottomed pan, then add the celery, onion, and carrots</li>
<li>Once the veg has started to soften, add the garlic, turning the heat to medium</li>
<li>Once the garlic is beginning to cook, but before it goes brown, add the maple syrup/sugar and stir, ensuring all ingredients are well coated</li>
<li>Allow to simmer for a minute or so, until the vegetables begin to caramelise </li>
<li>Add the yeast extract and mix again to ensure even coating </li>
<li>If at any point you find the pan is browning, add a small splash of water to prevent burning</li>
<li>Add the flour & vegetable bouillon, stir to make sure everything is coated evenly </li>
<li>Add the wine or balsamic vinegar and mix well</li>
<li>Once the wine/vinegar has heated up, add the water, stirring continually as you do</li>
<li>Bring to the boil, stirring regularly</li>
<li>Stir in the tomato puree</li>
<li>Allow to simmer for 15 minutes or so, until the mixture thickens and the gravy reduces to your desired consistency </li>
<li>Once you've achieved your desired consistency and flavour, sieve into a fresh pan and warm just before you serve the remainder of your meal </li>
</ol>
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<b>Tips</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>If you don't have yeast extract, you can try substituting with nutritional yeast and/or soy sauce</li>
<li>For a bit of variety, try adding different herbs, such as sage, or bay leaves </li>
<li>Try adding mushrooms or a little chopped beetroot when you're adding the veg for a slightly more earthy flavour, the beetroot also gives the gravy a lovely deep colour to it</li>
<li>If you want to get all the flavour when sieving, feel free to pour a little freshly boiled water over the remaining mixture, then reduce down as needed</li>
</ul>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-49245009411557557612015-01-04T04:56:00.001-08:002015-01-04T11:27:02.660-08:00Crispy Salt & Pepper Spiced Tofu <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I know tofu can be a little daunting to cook with if you haven't used it before, particularly if you're a new vegan and attempt to treat it like you might have done a nonvegan protein source. I used to think tofu was an awful food, even as a vegetarian I refused to eat it as I'd had only had one encounter with it and it had been like eating a horrible tasteless blancmange. Then one evening out my husband persuaded me to try some of the crispy salt & pepper tofu he had ordered and I couldn't believe I had been missing out on it for so long - it was delicious! </div>
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Now I can honestly say tofu is one of my most favourite foods. So hopefully if you've not had much luck with it so far, or you've been looking for a an introduction to tofu, this will help you make a successful dish. I've tried to make it as beginner-friendly as possible with step-by-step photos but feel free to post any questions in the comments if you need help or any additional tips! </div>
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<b><i>Top tofu tip! </i></b>Before we get started it's probably worth sharing my number 1 favourite tip for tofu - freeze it first then defrost it. Whilst this means a little more planning, it seems to make a big difference in the firmness, how easy it is to work with, and also the texture of the end result. It's not the end of the world if you haven't time to freeze it before using but for future reference, I find it works best to keep tofu in the freezer and just take it out to defrost the evening before or the morning of the day I'm going to be using it. </div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>400g of firm tub tofu (I used <a href="http://cauldronfoods.co.uk/products/view/1/original-tofu" target="_blank">Cauldron Original</a>)</li>
<li>1 tsp of Chinese 5-spice (feel free to substitute with your preferred spice)</li>
<li>1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (rice bran is good as it has a high smoke point, olive oil works well too)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of plain flour (if you're gluten or wheat intolerant, you can substitute for your preferred flour or use gram/chickpea flour)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes (optional) </li>
<li>Splash of soy sauce</li>
<li>1 sliced chilli, 1 spring onion, few slices of red onion (optional - for garnish)</li>
<li>2 tablespoons of olive oil</li>
<li>Salt & pepper</li>
<li>Your favourite vegan dipping sauce - I love sweet chilli with this dish</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Unpackage the tofu and drain well, squeezing the excess moisture over the sink before placing in a clean tea cloth <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</li>
<li>Wrap the cloth around the tofu and press down on it to remove as much of the moisture as possible - I find placing it between two chopping boards is a good method <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</li>
<li>Cut the tofu into cubes - I find slicing it in half into two flat slabs is a good way to start</li>
<li>Place the tofu in a bowl, add the salt, pepper, spices, and soy sauce and mix gently until all pieces are evenly coated<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnwMDIiStzhnc-Kva9PDlHsRKOoucMe2G5y6u2Ddxod0tledzyHSivnt5H4W5t7ztLzIS9vNAl3md8MS9AqcvJ24AVI5s7ATLGEnnZVOYxiiOXLah2jsxjneShkdEcH5Hz45LFL_1QP8/s1600/Tofu+seasoning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnwMDIiStzhnc-Kva9PDlHsRKOoucMe2G5y6u2Ddxod0tledzyHSivnt5H4W5t7ztLzIS9vNAl3md8MS9AqcvJ24AVI5s7ATLGEnnZVOYxiiOXLah2jsxjneShkdEcH5Hz45LFL_1QP8/s1600/Tofu+seasoning.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Add the flour and mix again, until evenly coated<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGTZCR_ocllxhPWdbif9QV6_3fGhrxWjxbywyTgH7hzOHy4VVJi1g5YaWFuzzPV1JH4RS3OnXljk8-0uRwCPig45Q8Sn7qNfGNPo__PN8Bu7FtSXZR1cXKYjZIyJIqDJd1HsVCa9XjwQ/s1600/Coat+tofu+in+flour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXGTZCR_ocllxhPWdbif9QV6_3fGhrxWjxbywyTgH7hzOHy4VVJi1g5YaWFuzzPV1JH4RS3OnXljk8-0uRwCPig45Q8Sn7qNfGNPo__PN8Bu7FtSXZR1cXKYjZIyJIqDJd1HsVCa9XjwQ/s1600/Coat+tofu+in+flour.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Heat the oil in a pan, then carefully add the tofu (you don't want to burn yourself with splashes of hot oil!) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_YVcUFXQphKceKimTrmLiPcnhycIbejf9QsoO03eHxHfgsvmK5sWEP-vvD6dsvlp1DD9dnIIGEk0zrQ-bUvf-S_pXVQ4TkEmabjLRNQNxXLHn7FDvnwb9Z5Ejf7pf7Y0pZYxKrcrsek/s1600/Frying+tofu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_YVcUFXQphKceKimTrmLiPcnhycIbejf9QsoO03eHxHfgsvmK5sWEP-vvD6dsvlp1DD9dnIIGEk0zrQ-bUvf-S_pXVQ4TkEmabjLRNQNxXLHn7FDvnwb9Z5Ejf7pf7Y0pZYxKrcrsek/s1600/Frying+tofu.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Fry the tofu, turning occasionally, until golden </li>
<li>Serve as is with the garnish or dipping sauce or add at the last minute to your favourite stir fry dish</li>
<li>Enjoy! </li>
</ol>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-76001640792449292032014-12-29T14:01:00.000-08:002014-12-30T06:55:04.157-08:00Berbere spiced lentil & barley stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I don't know about you, but after all a few too many sweets and chocolates over Christmas, I just crave something nourishing. Add to that the fact we've had no boiler since Christmas Eve in our house, so it needed to warm us up too. This lentil and barley stew is flavoured with the gorgeous Ethiopian spice, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbere" target="_blank">Berbere</a>, and is just what the doctor ordered. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX30xcV_PeJkAKuxgXpodZkJ0cwUKDirlYDlANmTSkL9NnPkp4vAKG8GKuhXHa4dmrdDW2WDR0KSkr41RmqEYL02KyLWBnibwaCHnLnYTRsmgapWGgFKJ_DWbga-etxjmxBu2qtMoRjT4/s1600/Spiced-Lentil-&-Barley-Stew-14.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX30xcV_PeJkAKuxgXpodZkJ0cwUKDirlYDlANmTSkL9NnPkp4vAKG8GKuhXHa4dmrdDW2WDR0KSkr41RmqEYL02KyLWBnibwaCHnLnYTRsmgapWGgFKJ_DWbga-etxjmxBu2qtMoRjT4/s1600/Spiced-Lentil-&-Barley-Stew-14.gif" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 3-4)</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>1 small onion, diced</li>
<li>1 stick of celery, diced</li>
<li>1 medium carrot, diced</li>
<li>2 cloves of garlic, minced/finely chopped</li>
<li>1 400g can of chopped tomatoes</li>
<li>1 tbsp of <a href="http://www.waitrose.com/shop/DisplayProductFlyout?productId=61757" target="_blank">berbere</a> </li>
<li>400g of pre-cooked lentils (you can add them uncooked but it will take longer as the salt in the stock can slow the cooking of the lentils)</li>
<li>1/2 cup of pearl barley (approx 80ml in a measuring jug)</li>
<li>500ml of vegetable stock</li>
<li>1 tsp of olive oil</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Heat the oil in a pan and then add the onion, carrot, and celery</li>
<li>Once the onions begin to go translucent, add the garlic and berbere and mix well</li>
<li>Allow time for the garlic to begin to cook, then add the lentils and stir before mixing in the chopped tomatoes</li>
<li>Add the vegetable stock, stirring as you go</li>
<li>Bring to the boil then add the pearl barley</li>
<li>Set to simmer or transfer to a slow/soup cooker for 45-60 minutes or until the pearl barley is cooked </li>
<li>If the stew gets too thick, feel free to add a drop more water to get it to your desired consistency</li>
<li>Serve with <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/ethiopian-bread-injera" target="_blank">injera</a> (Ethiopian pancakes) or flat bread </li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-89438485696563910982014-12-28T08:24:00.000-08:002015-01-02T14:08:13.146-08:00Vegan Supermarket Shopping <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIl8INLatqOZI0bPOzyLTslL-aROfKCvdX6uC6dVU1xAfpmw7uKS_h6Y7Yz7oRy9fXIxMeHGYQHy6NLXvkoKlUSt70of9RtLTBhXLybd27-CKOFpDI9v6yisXt0b6faXEkPvqaSxbubLM/s1600/Supermarket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIl8INLatqOZI0bPOzyLTslL-aROfKCvdX6uC6dVU1xAfpmw7uKS_h6Y7Yz7oRy9fXIxMeHGYQHy6NLXvkoKlUSt70of9RtLTBhXLybd27-CKOFpDI9v6yisXt0b6faXEkPvqaSxbubLM/s1600/Supermarket.jpg" height="398" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Photo by Christine McIntosh <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/goforchris/8226712637/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Image Source</a></td></tr>
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One thing that can seem daunting to some new vegans is grocery shopping. Whilst veganism goes beyond what we buy in our weekly shop, groceries, and food in particular, is probably the one area where have to make choices most frequently for so it can feel like quite a responsibility to have to make sure every item we buy is animal free. However, it's not quite as difficult as it may seem initially and there are a number of things you can do to make it easier whilst you get into a routine. Once you're in your new routine, shopping becomes pretty much the same as it was before - you'll have your main shopping list of regular items and then each time you shop, you'll probably add or change the odd item for something new you'd like to try. <br />
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Until you get into your new routine, here are a few tips to get you started: <br />
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<b>Supermarket Lists:</b><br />
Now this is one thing I wish I had known about when I first became vegan as these would have been very useful! Most of the main supermarkets now publish regularly updated lists of their own-brand products that are suitable for vegans. Here's where you can get the most up to date supermarket vegan lists:<br />
<b><i><a href="http://realfood.tesco.com/healthy-eating/vegetarian-and-vegan-diets.html" target="_blank">Tesco</a></i></b><i style="font-weight: bold;">: </i>Scroll to the bottom of the page of this <a href="http://realfood.tesco.com/healthy-eating/vegetarian-and-vegan-diets.html" target="_blank">article</a> for a link.<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/recipes-inspiration/healthier-eating/health-advice/product-guidance-lists/" target="_blank">Sainsbury's</a>: </i>Again, scroll to the bottom of the <a href="http://www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk/recipes-inspiration/healthier-eating/health-advice/product-guidance-lists/" target="_blank">article</a> and click vegan.<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/home/inspiration/health_and_nutrition/special_diets_and_lifestyles/how_waitrose_can_help.html" target="_blank">Waitrose</a>: </i>Look under the 'suitable for' list and select vegan in this <a href="http://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/home/inspiration/health_and_nutrition/special_diets_and_lifestyles/how_waitrose_can_help.html" target="_blank">article</a>. <br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://health.marksandspencer.com/your-diet-needs/vegan-diets" target="_blank">Marks and Spencer</a>: </i>The last section of this <a href="http://health.marksandspencer.com/your-diet-needs/vegan-diets" target="_blank">article</a> contains M&S's latest vegan list. <br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.ocado.com/webshop/getSearchProducts.do?clearTabs=yes&isFreshSearch=true&entry=vegan" target="_blank">Ocado</a>: </i>They don't have a list but if you search the word '<a href="http://www.ocado.com/webshop/getSearchProducts.do?clearTabs=yes&isFreshSearch=true&entry=vegan" target="_blank">vegan</a>' on their website it brings up a list of items which you can search through.<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Other shops: </i><br />
<b><i>Asda</i></b> doesn't do a vegan list but they do have a little icon on their web shop that indicates whether items are suitable for vegan. It's not exhaustive and doesn't seem to cover all suitable items but is a good start. <br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Co-op </i>doesn't publish a vegan list but they are pretty good at labelling items in store.<br />
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<b>Label checking: </b><br />
This is can seem quite complicated before you get your vegan label checking superpower (trust me, give it a few months and you'll be scanning labels quicker than Johnny Five from Short Circuit!). However, there's a fairly simple approach that will get you most of the way until you get the hang of the finer details.<br />
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First of all, check to see if the item is marked suitable for vegetarians - most manufacturers now will mark items as suitable for vegetarian if they are and so this is a quick way to ensure an item is free of ingredients like meat and gelatine. Then check the allergens listing - look for things like milk, dairy, whey, milk derivatives, eggs, casein, milk protein, lactose, and milk powder. Then quickly scan the ingredients list for the word honey. If none of these ingredients are mentioned, and the item is likely to be suitable. <br />
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Now it's not an absolute failsafe - there will be some items that are exceptions to this (for example, some <a href="http://www.food-info.net/uk/qa/qa-fi45.htm" target="_blank">E numbers</a> can be from animal sources and items fortified with D3 are usually not vegan) but as a new vegan, this will probably help you get most things right whilst you're getting to grips with everything else. One other thing to note is not to worry, unless you're an allergy sufferer, about 'may contain' warnings. These are simply disclaimers to warn people of possible (but usually very unlikely) cross-contamination where items are made in the same factory as products containing those ingredients but doesn't mean they're used as an actual ingredient. Finally, there are some great pages and blogs out there from people who spend time checking out if products are suitable for vegans and sharing their findings online - one particularly good one is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theveganwomble" target="_blank">Vegan Womble</a>.<br />
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<b>Toiletries and household items:</b><br />
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This one can seem like a little bit more of a challenge as ingredients either aren't listed or seem like gobbledygook to most people. You also have the issue of whether an item, or its ingredients are tested on animals. The best way to be sure is to look for brands that are known to be suitable for vegans. For household products these include Astonish, Ecozone, Bio-D, and Faith in Nature. A number of the Co-op's own brand items are labelled as suitable for vegans. For toiletries, a lot of vegans like Superdrug for everyday purchases like toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, skincare, and make-up as they have a wide range of products most of their items are clearly labelled in store as suitable for vegans. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-10593472972746704142014-11-15T11:45:00.002-08:002014-11-15T11:46:03.588-08:00Simple salsa!Who doesn't love salsa? I make this one quite regularly as it goes with so many things - as a side for a warming chilli, in burgers, as a dip for tortilla chips, and of course to go with tasty tacos. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNwxWdwPLAWkBl2gkm_lbathnxithYDwEJ7jH5LMEsvKdJYsfqwxIWcLLbpQQQxQVESArt0yDWtGQ7Nub9-39zDRhDDu5xclG0BnUgtv1eAVFTZTrK0qnh2kaFnFvirZRNEZILSn2tXQ/s1600/Simple+Salsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNwxWdwPLAWkBl2gkm_lbathnxithYDwEJ7jH5LMEsvKdJYsfqwxIWcLLbpQQQxQVESArt0yDWtGQ7Nub9-39zDRhDDu5xclG0BnUgtv1eAVFTZTrK0qnh2kaFnFvirZRNEZILSn2tXQ/s1600/Simple+Salsa.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>5 medium tomatoes - finely diced</li>
<li>1 medium red onion - also diced</li>
<li>1-2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)</li>
<li>1 handful of chopped coriander</li>
<li>Juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Chop all the ingredients to your preferred size</li>
<li>Place together in a bowl and mix well</li>
<li>Pour lemon or lime juice over and stir</li>
<li>Serve right away or pop in the fridge for later</li>
</ol>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-32722846999129198122014-11-11T14:49:00.002-08:002015-04-21T12:37:09.947-07:00Chana masalaOne thing we're spoiled for where we live is delicious Indian cuisine. There are a few different places I love going to and whilst each of them has a slightly different recipe, I love the chana masala. I love chickpeas in general but doing them this way just makes them even more delicious. There seem to be quite a few different recipes out there, and I know a few recipes call for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amchoor" target="_blank">amchoor</a> and but I didn't have any in the cupboard so I used tamarind powder instead. You could also use lemon juice if you don't have tamarind. I make mine quite spicy but you can adjust to suit your own taste.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkexNKRO_nu2_S3uzLPELsJvVRBTFj_n0NbdKhZHON8SZeiehiJy74l7_5HHgRuLhftlb_Bu4k65EYNZpZEUNZHb7JohoIDmTNEmhaswwMaw18qIswL00sM-G2HjDJEM-DxRgkSjAwdmE/s1600/Chana+Masala.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkexNKRO_nu2_S3uzLPELsJvVRBTFj_n0NbdKhZHON8SZeiehiJy74l7_5HHgRuLhftlb_Bu4k65EYNZpZEUNZHb7JohoIDmTNEmhaswwMaw18qIswL00sM-G2HjDJEM-DxRgkSjAwdmE/s640/Chana+Masala.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 2)</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>1 medium red onion - diced</li>
<li>3 cloves of garlic - crushed</li>
<li>2-3 green chillies - diced</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of crushed ginger</li>
<li>400g can of chopped tomatoes</li>
<li>400g cooked chickpeas</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of coriander powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of garam masala</li>
<li>1 teaspoon of turmeric</li>
<li>1/4-1/2 teaspoon of tamarind powder (or 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice)</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon of dried mango powder (optional)</li>
<li>1 bayleaf</li>
<li>Salt & pepper to taste</li>
<li>Handful of chopped coriander & a wedge of lemon to garnish (optional)</li>
<li>1 tablespoon of cooking oil</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions</li>
<li>As soon as the onions begin to soften, add the chillies and mix well</li>
<li>Add the garlic and ginger</li>
<li>As soon as the garlic and ginger start to cook, add the powdered spices (and lemon juice if using) & mix well</li>
<li>Add the chickpeas and stir into the spices</li>
<li>Add the chopped tomatoes, fill the can with water and add to the pan</li>
<li>Bring to the boil then turn down to simmer</li>
<li>Keep stirring occasionally until cooked</li>
<li>Season as required</li>
<li>Serve with rice </li>
</ol>
</div>
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<b><br /></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-23562626852628108272014-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:002014-09-28T09:54:55.472-07:00Sausage and egg free breakfast muffin <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is makes a yummy weekend breakfast treat if you're not in the mood for a full cooked breakfast. </div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 4)</b></div>
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<ul>
<li>4 vegan sausages</li>
<li>4 vegan-friendly English breakfast muffins</li>
<li>1 cup of chickpea (gram) flour</li>
<li>1 cup of water (maybe a drop more to get your ideal consistency)</li>
<li>4-5 mushrooms</li>
<li>Pinch of bicarbonate of soda</li>
<li>Pinch of turmeric</li>
<li>Pinch of salt and pepper</li>
<li>Oil for cooking</li>
<li>Ketchup or brown sauce</li>
</ul>
<b>Preparation</b><br />
<div>
<ol>
<li>Mix the chickpea flour and water with a whisk, ensuring all lumps are removed</li>
<li>Add the turmeric, salt, and pepper</li>
<li>Dice the mushrooms </li>
<li>Slice the muffins, ready to toast/grill </li>
<li>Pre-heat the oven if you're cooking sausages in the oven </li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Put the sausages in the oven to cook</li>
<li>Heat a drop of oil in a frying pan and add the diced mushrooms</li>
<li>Whilst the mushrooms are browning off, add the bicarbonate of soda to the gram flour mixture and whisk well </li>
<li>Once the mushrooms have begun to brown nicely, spread them evenly across the pan</li>
<li>Pour the mixture over and place on a low-medium heat</li>
<li>Once one side is cooked, flip the patty over and cook the other side</li>
<li>Toast the muffins</li>
<li>Once the patty is cooked, cut into four or use a cookie cutter to achieve perfect rounds</li>
<li>Slice the sauces into 3 strips </li>
<li>Assemble and add a dollop of ketchup or your preferred sauce</li>
<li>Eat! </li>
</ol>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-19941631594136196072014-09-17T12:22:00.000-07:002014-09-17T12:33:38.359-07:00Spicy coconut tofu & noodle soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDrvBo1GhuWF8NbETBOqF2s3rmZdY4Xfe1b_HMDn-Dqfcb16rTNgiL0aN_ac1vKE3QX1Pjekfl-HMD0C3bnmPaSpqQeMnKzDcQk8cL6MUAojsLYdSt98KCLtjvLHe3sYFKfiYT1ADqHs/s1600/Spicy+tofu+&+noodle+soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDrvBo1GhuWF8NbETBOqF2s3rmZdY4Xfe1b_HMDn-Dqfcb16rTNgiL0aN_ac1vKE3QX1Pjekfl-HMD0C3bnmPaSpqQeMnKzDcQk8cL6MUAojsLYdSt98KCLtjvLHe3sYFKfiYT1ADqHs/s1600/Spicy+tofu+&+noodle+soup.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Ingredients (serves 2-3 people)</b></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 block of firm marinated tofu</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">2 red chillies</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">2 cloves of garlic </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 teaspoon of grated ginger</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 large carrot</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Handful of tenderstem broccoli</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Handful of green beans</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Handful of baby corn</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">2 tablespoons of vegan red curry paste</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 can of coconut milk</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Handful of cashew nuts</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">300-450g of cooked noodles </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Handful of coriander</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Oil for cooking</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Salt & pepper</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Two pans - one frying pan for the tofu & one large pan for the soup</li>
</ul>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Preparation</b><br />
<ol style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Chop the chillies</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Crush the garlic cloves</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Peel and chop the carrots, </span><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Julienne-Carrots" style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" target="_blank">julienne style</a><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"> </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Wash the remaining veg</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Unpackage & drain the tofu, cut into cubes </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">If tofu is unmarinated, coat in some soy sauce</li>
</ol>
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<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<ol>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">In the large pan, heat a small amount of oil and add the chopped chillies, leaving back a few pieces for garnish if you so wish</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">After a minute or so, add the ginger and garlic </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Mix well then add the chopped carrots</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">When the carrots have begun to soften, add the rest of the veg </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Add the curry paste and mix well, ensuring everything is well covered </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Add the coconut milk, fill the can with water and add to the pan</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Bring to the boil then leave to simmer</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">In the frying pan, heat some more oil then add the cubes of tofu</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Turn the tofu occasionally, ensuring all sides cook evenly </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Add the noodles to the soup and mix well </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Once the tofu is almost cooked, add the cashew nuts to the pan </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Add salt and pepper to the soup according to your personal taste </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Serve the soup in a bowl, then add the tofu and cashew nuts on top</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Garnish with fresh coriander & remaining chopped chillies </li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-35130930849518484022014-08-31T10:54:00.000-07:002015-01-30T15:44:49.002-08:00Spaghetti BologneseQuick to prepare, this makes a nice easy and filling midweek dinner. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQaBo1h0uw0WedGNaKpuMwWlz40H_gFJQWBeOfzZ81gZVVhjQwSeqVZqo5e1xkniJwuUUVJOLQgyJbbrz7dca1uFYyJVpbE_sCL4EDbKeR7lZXgDVAIrK5uBQRJqGbWf9omGPqCgVoXg/s1600/Spaghetti+Bolognese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQaBo1h0uw0WedGNaKpuMwWlz40H_gFJQWBeOfzZ81gZVVhjQwSeqVZqo5e1xkniJwuUUVJOLQgyJbbrz7dca1uFYyJVpbE_sCL4EDbKeR7lZXgDVAIrK5uBQRJqGbWf9omGPqCgVoXg/s1600/Spaghetti+Bolognese.jpg" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<ul>
<li>1 medium onion, diced</li>
<li>1 large carrot, diced</li>
<li>2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of dried rosemary</li>
<li>2 teaspoons of dried thyme</li>
<li>Pinch of basil (fresh, frozen, or dried will do)</li>
<li>Dash of olive oil</li>
<li>500g of vegan mince (I used <a href="http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/shopping/findproducts.aspx?query=meet%20the%20alternative" target="_blank">Meet the Alternative</a>), you can use a 400g tin of lentils instead of the mince if you prefer</li>
<li>Tin of chopped tomatoes </li>
<li>1 teaspoon of Marmite or yeast extract</li>
<li>Water</li>
<li>Small glass of red wine (if you prefer you can add a dash of balsamic vinegar or just leave it out)</li>
<li>250ml of vegetable stock</li>
<li>Spaghetti (75g-100g per person)</li>
<li>Salt & pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
<ol>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Recipe</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Sweat off the chopped onion and carrot in the oil until they begin to soften</li>
<li>Add the garlic and stir well, heating until the garlic begins to go slightly clear</li>
<li>Add the herbs, mince, & Marmite, and mix well</li>
<li>Once the mince is warm, add the wine and heat until the alcohol evaporates</li>
<li>Add the tin of tomatoes and the vegetable stock</li>
<li>Bring to the boil then simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring regularly </li>
<li>Taste to check the carrot is cooked through, if not keep on the low heat for another 10 minutes</li>
<li>If needs be, add more water to ensure the mixture doesn't dry out</li>
<li>Add salt and pepper to your taste</li>
<li>Once the bolognese is almost cooked, bring the a pan of water pan to the boil for the spaghetti</li>
<li>Cook the spaghetti for 11-12 minutes, until al dente </li>
<li>Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain and add to the bolognese and mix well </li>
<li>Serve with a sprinkling of basil or sprig of parsley </li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3360471864601846012.post-63417469361194708372014-08-21T03:30:00.000-07:002014-08-21T03:53:29.704-07:00Tofu & Edamame Stir Fry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Who doesn't like a big bowl of stir-fried noodles? This simple dish has mixed veg, tofu, and edamame making it a great source of protein and fibre. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTPtn9B_ITcKplXFL1blhdMP_Q5vFFnxc7cMIhie28JELDbsjbXt2FIuzypVUPdWPboYslQKniYx6cj77v-v3d4BfJOGpjly2LW8ZsMqIVYAyLqRZUDLyqLbk5ArjlO6B7CVXJX1bpAs/s1600/Simple+Stir+Fried+Noodles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTPtn9B_ITcKplXFL1blhdMP_Q5vFFnxc7cMIhie28JELDbsjbXt2FIuzypVUPdWPboYslQKniYx6cj77v-v3d4BfJOGpjly2LW8ZsMqIVYAyLqRZUDLyqLbk5ArjlO6B7CVXJX1bpAs/s1600/Simple+Stir+Fried+Noodles.jpg" height="394" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients (serves 2-3 people) </b></div>
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<ul style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.479999542236328px; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 onion (I prefer red onions)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1-3 chillies depending on your taste for spice</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 small piece of ginger</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1-2 cloves of garlic</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Soy sauce</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 teaspoon of yeast extract (eg. Marmite)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 x 400g block of firm/tub tofu </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Salt & pepper</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Dried chillies (optional)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 teaspoon of Chinese 5-spice </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1-2 handfuls of shelled edamame (baby soya beans)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 carrot</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 pepper</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Handful of greens (eg. cabbage/kale)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1 spring onion</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">200g of dried soba noodles (or 2 packs of precooked noodles if you prefer)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup (agave or sugar will do also) </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Cooking oil (rice bran is good as it has a high smoke point) </li>
</ul>
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<b>Preparation</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">
<ol>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel and press well to remove the excess moisture (this is much easier if it has been frozen and then defrosted first) </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Dice the tofu into cubes and coat with soy sauce, salt, pepper, and dried chillies then set aside </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Boil the edamame for 10 minutes or until edible (make sure they are soft enough to eat before adding them to the stir fry</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Boil the soba noodles according to the instructions on the packet</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Dice the onion and chillies and set to one side</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Grate the ginger and crush the garlic and set aside from the chillies and onions</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Chop up the rest of the veg, keeping it fairly small so it cooks quickly</li>
</ol>
<div>
<div>
<b>Cooking Instructions</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil into a frying pan</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Place the tofu into the pan and shallow fry, turning regular so all sides brown off</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Meanwhile, add some more oil to a wok or large frying pan and add the onions and chillies (if you don't have separate pans, then precook the tofu until crisp then set to one side) </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Once the onions and chillies have started to brown, add the garlic and ginger</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Soon after, add the carrot, pepper, and greens </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Also add a generous dash of soy sauce, a the yeast extract, and maple syrup/sugar/agave</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">If required, add a couple of tablespoons of water to prevent the pan from drying out and burning the dish</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">After the veg has started to soften, add the noodles, edamame, and tofu</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Mix well and ensure that all items are heated well </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Before serving, have a quick taste, and if needs be add more soy sauce/seasonings</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Serve and garnish with spring onions </li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16547278793037457963noreply@blogger.com0