Cooking that gives a damn
A match made in heaven!
………….Sit some raspberries upright in container
Melt some dairy free white chocolate. I used Sweet William (which I get in Coles in the Health food section).
Wait for the chocolate to cool a little.
Place the chocolate into a small piping bag that has a small round nozzle. Pipe the chocolate into the raspberries Pop in the fridge until the chocolate sets
ENJOY!
I love turning pumpkin or sweet potato into a toffee style dish by caramelising it with maple syrup. Sometimes I toss herbs through it too.
We had this recently with yellow curry Thai noodles. It’a beautiful side dish that goes well with robust herb scented nut roasts and gravy. It will be a definite addition to our Christmas dinner this year.
YOU NEED
1 very large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
Up to ¼ cup or pure maple syrup
good handful of raw cashews
YOU DO
Preheat your oven to 180c
Place the sweet potato on a lightly oiled oven tray and pour the maple syrup over the top and place in the oven.
Give it about 30 minutes and then gently turn the potato.
Cook until the sweet potato is tender and the maple syrup and outside of the sweet potato starts to caramelise. This can take a while but it’s so worth it. Just keep an eye on it.
When you are about 15 minutes away from them being ready remove the sweet potato from the oven, crank the oven up to about 200c, turn the potatoes again, pop the cashews on top of the potato and place them back in the oven.
Serve immediately. It won’t matter if they have cooled a little though either.
Serves: Serves 2 as a side dish.
Time: I haven’t timed this one.
Freezing: Not suitable.
Note: Cooking times and outcomes are going to depend on your own ovens. But you want to get a fairly good heat through the potatoes and then have the syrup browning well and just crank it up near the end to roast your nuts and colour the syrup a little more. Just don’t burn anything!!
The simplest ideas can be the tastiest!
Coconut ice-cream with a liquor espresso shot and hazelnuts.
This took only the time needed to make a short black.
YOU NEED
Coconut ice cream (I use COYO). Or soy if you can’t get coconut.
1 espresso shot of coffee
Frangelico liquor to taste
1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts
YOU DO
Pop a couple generous scoops of your dairy free ice – cream into a bowl and top with the hazenuts.
Pour the espresso shot with some Franglico Liquor to taste, over the top (a bit more carefully than pictured) and serve.
Serves: Serves 1
Time: Took me 5 minutes
Freezing: Not suitable.
Lebanese Pizza with Macadamia Cheese
This is my take on a popular Lebanese breakfast pizza. It’s the easiest and most rewarding dish, packed with flavour and includes a lot of my favourite ingredients.
YOU NEED (for the macadamia cheese)
½ cup of raw macadamias, (pre soaked in water for a couple of hours)
¼ cup of nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of onion powder
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
YOU NEED (for the pizza)
2 tablespoons of dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons of ground cumin
½ teaspoon of allspice
¼ teaspoon of chilli powder
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of rice bran oil
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 wholemeal Lebanese breads
1 cup of fresh mint leaves, washed
olive oil to serve
fresh lemon to serve
YOU DO
Preheat your oven to 185c.
Drain and discard the soaking water from the macadamia nuts. Blend all the remaining macadamia cheese ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.
Put the thyme, cumin, all spice, chilli, salt and oil in a bowl and stir well to combine. Evenly distribute the mixture over the bread.
Evenly distribute the cherry tomato and spoonfuls of the macadamia cheese onto each pizza.
Place in the oven for 5 – 10 minutes, until the base starts to get a little crispy and colour slightly.
Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Add the mint leaves and serve immediately.
Yields: Serves 2 hungry people and 4 slightly less hungry people.
Time: 10 minutes prep. 5- 10 minutes cooking time. Plus the soaking time.
Notes: Nutritional yeast gives you the cheesy flavour. You can get it from most health food stores, online and at vegan grocers.
This can easily be made gluten free if you use a gluten free base. But as always, double check every ingredient listed as well.
I was in such a rush making this for a meeting I had to get to last night. It took literally minutes though and set so fast. They were a hit! Think deconstructed dairy free Reese’s peanut butter cups.
YOU NEED
200 grams of dairy free white chocolate (I used Sweet William which is at Coles in the health food section, many health food stores and online)
1 x 250 gram block of Whittaker’s Dark Ghana chocolate (found in Safeway and Big W)
2 teaspoons of smooth peanut butter (I use organic peanut butter that is just peanuts with no added oils, salt or sugar. If you don’t have that other peanut butter should still work)
YOU DO
Line a 20cm by 30cm tray with baking paper.
Break the white chocolate into bite size pieces. Place in a bowl and melt 30 seconds at a time in the microwave. Stir the chocolate each time you rest the microwave for another 30 seconds.
While the white chocolate is melting, break the dark chocolate into bite size pieces and place in a bowl and set aside.
Once the white chocolate is melted remove it from the microwave and start melting the brown chocolate in the microwave, also 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between.
While the dark chocolate is melting add the peanut butter to the white chocolate and stir well till the peanut butter melts into the chocolate. Don’t stress if there are some lumps though as it just means you will hit a pocket of creamy peanut butter here and there.
Once the dark chocolate is melted pour and spread it evenly across the lined tray. Then pour the white chocolate on top of the dark chocolate leaving gaps of dark chocolate between where you pour the white. (You just want to make sure the chocolate is spread evenly cross the pan so you get even shards). You don’t want them to be too thick or chunky). Picture the thickness of tree bark as it is peeled away from a trunk. Then drag a skewer, or the handle of a spoon through the chocolate to get a swirled effect. Pop the tray on a flat surface in the fridge to set.
Once it is set gently break it into large shards. I do this by picking it up and holding it with one hand and gently breaking one piece off at a time.
ENJOY!
Serves: I haven’t measured the quantity of this one.
Time: Takes about 5 minutes to prepare and about 20 minutes to cool in the fridge.
Freezing: Not suitable.
I was so excited to find green bean noodles in an Asian grocer the other day. I didn’t know they even existed. They are actually white but are apparently made of beans and they look just like vermicelli.
Pho is a Vietnamese street dish that is usually made using beef – “Pho Bo” but is also found made with chicken – “Pho Ga”. It apparently originated in Hanoi where we stayed only a couple of years ago whilst touring through Vietnam and Laos but I sadly never had any whilst I was there.
The trick to this dish is allowing the broth time to marry with all the flavours. It’s quite a mellow dish but the flavour is in the broth and with all the coriander and mint that you add at the end. Make sure you use the stems of the coriander because that is where most of the flavour comes from when using coriander. They will also give you a lovely fragrant crunch. Just slice them finely. If you want more heat use bullet chillies instead of long ones as the long ones are quite mild.
I like it just as is with the noodles and some vegetables but for a more filling serve you can add tofu, seitan or tempeh.
YOU NEED
1.5 litres of “beef” stock (I use Massel brand which is flavoured beef but contains no animal products)
2 teaspoons of minced ginger
2 star anise
½ cup of tamari (or soy if you do not have tamari or don’t need this to be gluten free)
200grams of green bean noodles (if you don’t have these, vermicelli or any rice noodle is fine.)
2 cups of fresh bean shoots
1 bunch of fresh coriander (also known as cilantro), washed well, roots finely sliced and leaves roughly chopped
1 cup of fresh mint leaves, washed and roughly chopped
2 long red chillies, sliced lengthways and then finely sliced (If you like heat then use bullet chilli)
1 cup of frozen peas
1 lime
YOU DO
Put the stock, ginger, star anise and tamari into a large pot bring it to the boil, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer for about 25 minutes to allow all the flavours to infuse and the broth to reduce.
Combine the bean shoots, coriander, mint and chilli in a bowl and set aside.
Just before the next step throw the peas into the broth.
Prepare the noodles as per the packet. Using tongs put equal amounts into your serving bowls. Check the seasoning of the broth and if desired add a little extra tamari (or soy) and/or “beef” broth. When you are happy with the flavour ladle the broth over the noodles, top each serve with a generous serve of the herb mix and serve with a lime wedge.
Serves: Makes 2 large serves.
Time: Haven’t recorded this yet.
Freezing: Not suitable.
It feels kind of odd posting a recipe on how to make porridge but at the end of the day I am blogging what I eat and this is what I had for breakfast today.
I do also find that a reoccurring question is what do I eat for breakfast. The answer is pretty much what everyone else does just minus the animal products. I have cereal with a plant based milk instead of cow’s milk, toast with organic peanut butter or vegemite and coconut oil, vegemite and cashew cheese on toast, fruit and vegetable smoothies, scrambled tofu, baked beans and the list goes on.
But I will photograph and upload more breakfast ideas over time to help anyone new to the plants only game 🙂
YOU NEED
1/2 a cup of wholemeal oats (if you don’t have wholemeal don’t worry)
1 cup of almond milk (you can use any plant based milk)
1 large ripe banana, sliced
pure maple syrup
YOU DO
Put the oats and almond milk in a bowl and stir so that all the oats are wet.
Microwave for approximately 3 minutes. You may need slightly more or less cooking time depending on the strength of your microwave.
Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave with a tea towel because it is most likely going to be HOT. Top the oats with the banana and maple syrup to taste and a dash more almond milk.
Serves: Serves 1.
Time: Just MINUTES!
Notes: To make gluten free, use gluten free oats. #ALSO NOTE: if you are coeliac discuss this with your dietitian and/or GP. Unlike other countries, Australian standards do not recognise GF oats as safe for consumption for anyone with coeliacs disease.
This is sooooooooooo creamy, filling and FULL of flavour.
YOU NEED
5 leeks, green woody ends cut of, the white part sliced lengthways and washed
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled
6 small potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
6 cups of “chicken” stock (I use Massel brand which contains no animal products)
1 cup of plant based milk (anything really creamy and not too sweet. I used Bonsoy)
1 x 400 gram can of butter beans, washed WELL and drained
YOU DO
While you are slicing and washing preheat your oven to 200c.
Place the potatoes on an oven tray with a little oil and pop in the oven and leave to roast, while you do everything else.
Place the halved leeks and the garlic onto another oven tray, with a little oil and a little salt and also pop in the oven for about 30 minutes.
Once the leeks have been in the oven for 30 minutes remove them and put the leeks, garlic and the stock into a large pot and slowly bring to the boil.
Once the potatoes and lovely and browned from roasting, add them to the pot along with the beans and milk and blend.
DONE!
Serves: Makes enough for 4-6 or more serves
Time: I haven’t times this one yet. It’s not my quickest dish (probably about 45mins to an hour), BUT this doesn’t get easier and it makes a lot so can be used for work lunches and left over’s for a couple of days
Freezing: May be suitable.
Parsnip is one of those foods I rarely eat. It’s great in soup though as it thickens like potato. The key to this dish is getting the onions to caramelise. When you do though you will achieve a smooth sweet caramel earthy flavour.
YOU NEED
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 large onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
1 cup of dry white wine
1.25 litres of vegetable stock
½ cup plant based milk (I used rice milk. No particular reason. It’s just what I had in the fridge)
salt and pepper to taste
fresh thyme leaves for garnish
YOU DO
Place the onions, pure maple syrup and a little rice bran oil into a medium pot. Cook gently on a low to medium heat until the onions are caramelised. This takes a good 10-15 minutes. Stir as you cook them.
Turn the heat up full and add the wine. Add the parsnip and vegetable stock. Then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cover and cook until the parsnip is tender and blend.
Add the rice milk. Check the seasoning and serve garnished with fresh thyme leaves.
Servings: Serves 4.
Time: Takes about 30-40 minutes.
Freeze: Suitable.
Making a meal or a treat doesn’t have to take a lifetime and can be so easy!
YOU NEED
1 x 250gram block of Whittaker’s “Dark Ghana chocolate (broken into pieces and melted in the microwave 30 seconds at a time. Stirring at each interval)
1 cup of something you love for the topping….dried fruit, nuts, candy etc ( I usually use nuts I have crushed but this time I had some left over honeycomb that I had made recently that I just threw into the blender to crush) #Note that most honeycomb contains gelatine if you are avoiding animal products.
YOU DO
Lay a large piece of greaseproof paper onto a tray and place on your bench.
Pour the melted chocolate onto the paper and using the flat side of a spatula gently and quickly spread the chocolate into a thin rectangle. Not too thin or it will be too rich… but you don’t want it paper thin either.
Quickly sprinkle your cup of nuts etc evenly over the top and pop in the fridge to set,
Once set gently break into sections.
Great to serve with coffee at a dinner party 🙂
Servings: I haven’t measured this one.
Time: I don’t have a time on this one but it’s so easy and so quick.
Freezing: Not suitable.