Last weekend, I was invited to a brunch and volunteered to take dessert. I dug out a simple vegan chocolate cake recipe and used cupcake moulds for easier sharing.
On top of being easy to make, the ingredients of this recipe are very "normal" - nothing that you wouldn't find in a typical pantry. Sure, I make the odd vegan cheesecake using tofu and agar-agar, but for me, the best recipies are the simplest.
I first added some hot water into the dry mix, stirred, and left it for for 15 minutes. Then I formed the patties. Instead of pan-frying them as suggested on the packet, I baked them for 25 minutes at 180 degrees Celcius.
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The verdict? I definitely liked how easy and mess-free it was to make these burgers. The texture also came out well - crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. However, I wasn't too convinced by the flavour. They didn't taste bad, but they were a bit bland. I couldn't taste anything Thai. All in all, it's a great product for those evenings when you're too tired to cook. It might also be worth experimenting with extra ingredients like fresh coriander and vegetables.
Speaking of ingredients, the ingredients of this mix are: rice (60%), wheat flour, whole rice flour, corn maltodextrine, soy flour, sea salt, sugar cane, bell pepper, sunflower oil, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, caramel, carrots, shitake mushrooms, spinach, leeks, celery, tumeric, chive, cumin, coriander. (all organic ingredients)
Even my omnivore beau enjoyed these tacos :)
Preparation: 25 mins
Yield: 6-8 tacos
Ingredients
1 red pepper
1 onion
1 tomato
200g firm tofu
200g tomato purée
1 tsp each of paprika, cumin, oregano
1/2 tsp dried chilies
salt to taste
cooking oil (I used canola)
salt, pepper, herbs to taste
tortillas
additional fillings (e.g. lettuce, beans, hot sauce)
nutritional yeast
Directions
1. Prepare the ingredients: dice the pepper, onion, and tomato, and crumble the tofu by hand.
This smoothie is great for breakfast because it is quick, filling, and the bananas will give you lots of energy for the day.
It reminds me of the "morning banana diet" craze in Japan a few years ago. According to this diet, you had to eat one banana and drink one glass of room-temperature water in the morning. Then, you could eat anything you like during the day and you would still lose weight. I'm not sure whether this diet actually works, but in any case, supermarkets in Japan sold out of bananas for weeks.
Preparation: 5 mins
Yield: 1 large glass
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
1-2 tbsp kinako (soy flour)
1 tbsp agave syrop
1 tsp vanilla essence
2/3 cup rice milk
Directions
1. Chop the bananas.
2. Put all ingredients into the blender.
3. Blend until smooth.
Last year, I had my first pescaterian barbecue; this year, I will be having my first vegan barbecue.
I've been doing some research online and have found some mouth-watering recipies to try. Here are some of the options:
Now, I just need to brace myself for all the "where do you get your protein?"-type questions...
These spinach pasties are easy to make and can be personalised according to your taste. They are also great for packed lunches because they keep their shape.
Preparation: 25 mins
Oven time: 10 mins
Yield: 8 mini pasties and 1 large pastie
Ingredients
1 pie base
300g frozen spinach
1 small onion
cooking oil (I used canola)
salt, pepper, herbs to taste
you will also need a large mug or similar object
Directions
1. Pre-heat oven according to pie base cooking instructions (mine was 210 degrees Celcius).
2. Sautée the onion, then add the spinach and cook until soft. Add salt, pepper, and herbs to taste. I used good old herbes de Provence. You can add extra ingredients at this stage (mushrooms, chickpeas, feta cheese, etc.), but remember to lessen the amount of onion and spinach accordingly, or you will end up with a lot of extra stuffing. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
3. Cut circles out of the pie base using a large mug. Don't layer the circles or they might stick together. After getting as many circles as I could out of the original shape, knead and flattened the left-over pie base (the bits around the circles) to create one large circle for the large pastie.
For a guilt-free summer snack to satisfy your sweet-tooth, try this super easy banana "ice-cream" recipe.
Preparation: 5 mins
Freezing time: 1-2 hours
Yield: 2 scoops
Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla essence
customise as you like - cocoa powder, peanut butter, nuts, etc.
Directions
1. Peel the bananas and cut them into 1/2 cm-thick slices.
2. Spread the banana slices onto a plate (or baking tray if making large quantities) lined with a baking sheet. Make sure that the slices don't overlap, or they will clump.
Here's a super-easy recipe for marinated tofu. It is great as an appetizer or in a salad.
Preparation: 10 mins
Marinating time: 2 hours
Yield: as much tofu as you put in
Ingredients
extra-firm tofu
ginger, thinly sliced
lemon, juiced
soy sauce
sesame seed oil
sesame
Directions
1. Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes.
2. Mix soy sauce, lemon juice, and ginger in a tupperware. Adjust to your taste. For 2 tbsp of soy sauce, I used the juice of half a lemon and about 1 tbsp of ginger.
3. Place the tofu in the tupperware with the marinade, close the tupperware, and flip/shake to mix.
4. Let the tofu sit in the marinade for about 2 hours, mixing it from time to time.
5. Sprinkle sesame and drizzle sesame oil to serve.
Over the last few months, I have tried several veggie burger recipes and discovered combinations that I particularly like. So, feeling inspired the other day, I decided to create my own veggie burger. I paid attention to nutrition (sweet potatoes, chickpeas, sesame), flavour (mmm, cumin), and texture (no food processor). I was happy with the outcome and I even got compliments from my non-vegetarian friends. Unfortunately, this burger doesn't seem to photograph as well as it tastes ;(
Preparation: 10 mins (+30 mins to bake potatoes and sautée onions)
Cooking time: 40 mins
Yield: 9 medium patties
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, baked and peeled
1 cup chickpeas (canned)
1/2 onion, sautéed
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp sesame
salt and ground pepper to taste (I used 1/2 tsp of each)
Directions
1. In a bowl, use a fork to mash together the ingredients. I would suggest mashing the sweet potatoes and the chickpeas first and then folding in a few ingredients at a time. Try not to over-mash the chickpeas, as they add texture to the burger.
Over the last year or so, I have become increasingly conscious of the impact of my lifestyle decisions on the environment, animals, and my own well-being. This has naturally led me toward a vegetarian diet. I became pescatarian (avoiding meat, but eating fish and seafood) last summer and have been fully vegetarian since January this year. Becoming vegetarian has lightened my conscience and has given me pleasure in cooking. I am happier and healthier.
My Pinterest board entitled "conscientious living" contains informative and inspiring articles on healthy living. This includes diet (vegetarianism/veganism), exercise, and positivity. I do not pin "meet your meat"-style graphic items. As much as I empathise with the cause of animal welfare, shock tactics are just not for me.
On my "veggie recipes" board, I pin mouth-watering vegetarian and vegan recipes. I have tried quite a few of the recipies, and can report that both tummy and tastebuds were satified.
conscientious living
striving for a cruelty-free, environmentally conscious, and healthy lifestyle  |
veggie recipes
vegetarian and vegan recipies to drool over  |
