Almond & Banana Porridge

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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.

Baked Jaffa Cheesecake

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The best part of being vegan is constantly discovering that you can veganise most anything. Dairy was such a favourite for me but the possibilities of recreating old creamy favourites is absolutely endless.

Just use your own trusted base recipe for this. I try to avoid Nuttelex in my cooking so am still experimenting with different oils and a biscuit that I am happy to use for bases)

I will play with some other flavours and versions of this in the future and will post them as I experiment.

 

YOU NEED

1 x 227 gram pack of Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese (available in most supermarkets and can be found next to the cow’s milk cream cheese)

1 x 250 gram package extra firm light silken tofu, drained (I use Blue Lotus brand)

3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup dairy free milk (I used Australia’s Own rice milk because that is all I had but I would have used Bonsoy because it is much creamier in texture)

5 tablespoons of dairy free chocolate spread (You can find these in the Health Food section at most supermarkets. Oxfam does a nice one too which is Fair Trade)

the zest from 2 medium oranges

3 tablespoons of cornflour

 

YOU DO

Preheat your oven to 180c Prepare your favourite cheesecake base and press down into a lightly sprayed non stick spring form pan to form the base.

Blend the cream cheese, silken tofu, sugar, dairy spread, zest and corn flour until smooth and combined. Pour into the pan, onto your base. Place in the oven for approx 45 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the strength of your oven and the size pan you use to cook your cheesecake in.

Don’t allow your cheesecake to brown. The middle with still be a little wobbly when you remove it, which is fine as it will continue to cook even once removed from the oven. Once it is ready remove your cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool on a bench for an hour. Then place it in the fridge for another few hours till chilled.

Slice and serve 🙂

Serves:  Yields 8 slices

Time: 1 hour plus chilling time

Freeze: Not suitable

Notes: I highly recommend a zester for recipes like this. They remove the zest from fruit so easily, don’t leave the bitter pith behind and you get really fine lovely zest, instead of course and chunky zest you get when you use a grater.

Mango Banana Soft Serve Ice-Cream

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Raw banana ice-cream is a great way to use up super ripe bananas that may normally have hit the compost or sadly the rubbish bin. When your bananas get so ripe that you don’t want to eat them, quickly peel them and pop them in a bag and into the freezer and make ice cream with them. It’s a quick, healthy, super easy snack, dessert or breakfast idea.

It is also a great way to get fussy children to eat fruit. My fussy 4 currently refuses to eat bananas and has never wanted to try mango but has finally decided he likes raw ice cream. I just kept making it and kept offering it and one day he decided to give it a try and now he is asking me for it!

 

YOU NEED

1 large, peeled, frozen banana

1/2 cup of fresh peeled mango

 

YOU DO

Cut the banana into chunks.

Blend the banana and the mango in a food processor until you get a smooth creamy texture.

Serve immediately and eat before it melts.

 

Yields: 1

Time: 5 minutes

Notes:  I use organic fruit so I mix whatever is in season with the banana.

Roast Potato, Leek & Garlic Soup

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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.

Coconut Curry Corn Soup

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Simple. Sweet. Fast. Creamy.

 

YOU NEED

1 large brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1-2 tablespoons of curry powder

1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 x 400ml can of coconut milk

2 cups of vegetable stock

4 cups of corn kernels

 

YOU DO

Heat a little rice bran oil in a medium pot, add the onion and cook on a gentle heat until the onion has browned.

While the onion is cooking, place the curry powder in a small non stick pan and dry roast it on a low to medium heat for a few minutes to bring the flavour out. Stir regularly.

Add the garlic to the pot with the onions and cook for a minute or so. Then add the curry powder, coconut milk, stock and corn to the pot. Bring everything to the boil, then turn it down to a very gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

Blend, check the seasoning and serve.

Too easy!

 

Yields: 4 small serves

Time: 20-30 minutes

Notes: I have also made this with Bonsoy instead of coconut cream. If you are avoiding soy then try using oat milk.

I prefer to use fresh organic corn kernels, but on occasion I have used frozen corn kernels instead.

I also often add 1 loose washed cup of fresh basil leaves into the soup when I blend everything.

Mayan Hot Chocolate

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Cocoa was a sacred thing to the Mayan people. They created a savoury drink with it where the added spices were dominant and it was used in religious ceremonies. Over time this tradition was exported to Europe where it was altered and sweetened. This sweetened version is the one we now mostly see. Ingredients such as cayenne, chilli and ground almonds are also used

 

 

Recipes I have seen from more recent times contain cream, dairy and honey as is so often the case. But with very simple changes I have created my plant based version of a modern day Mayan hot chocolate.

 

YOU NEED

2 red chilli bullets, sliced lengthways and seeds removed

2 cups of water

4 cups of plant based milk. (I usee Bonsoy soy milk for this because it’s so creamy)

2 vanilla beans, sliced lengthways

4 cloves

½ cup of pure maple syrup

2 cinnamon quills

½ cup sugar free cocoa (I use Dutch cocoa)

grated nutmeg to taste

 

YOU DO

Place the chillies and 2 cups of water into a small pot. Bring them to the boil then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer until the water reduces to one cup in volume.

While your chilli water is reducing, place the milk into a large pot, scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the milk and add the rest of the vanilla beans.  Add the cloves, maple syrup, cinnamon, cocoa and nutmeg and very slowly bring it to the boil. Once it comes to the boil turn the heat down and gently simmer the ingredients for a few minutes to give the flavours all time to infuse. Then set aside.

Once the chilli water has reduced down to one cup, discard the chillies and add the chilli water to your milk mixture. I like to add all of it but add it slowly and to your own taste.

Bring the hot chocolate back to the boil now and turn off the heat. Strain the milk now if you wish and discard the cloves, vanilla bean and cinnamon but I prefer to serve mine with them still a part of the hot chocolate.

Garnish with some nutmeg and serve.

I haven’t timed this one but it serves 4, will make you happy and will fill your home with warm aromatic scents 🙂

Spinach Fettuccini w/ Chickpeas, Tomato & Basil

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YOU NEED

200 grams of spinach fettuccini
rice bran oil for cooking
2 very large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
½ cup of dry white wine
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of balsamic
1 can of chickpeas, washed WELL and drained
½ – 1 teaspoons of dried chilli
2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup
1/3 cup of semi dried tomatoes
1 loose cup of basil leaves, gently washed as they bruise easily
#optional 2 heaped tablespoons of nutritional yeast (I add this for the “cheesy” flavour it adds and the B12 if offers)

 

YOU DO

Cook the fettuccini as per packet of instructions.

While the fettuccini is cooking, heat a small amount of oil in a large pan and sauté the garlic on a gentle heat.

Then turn the heat right up and quickly add the wine and boil for a few minutes.

Turn the heat back down and add the crushed tomatoes, balsamic, chickpeas, chilli and maple syrup. Simmer very gently till the flavours combine and the tomato “cooks out” (that raw tomato flavour is gone).

Add the semi dried tomatoes, cooked fettuccini and the basil to the pan and combine.

Serve with lots of fresh salad.

 

Servings: 2 large or 4 small.

Tandoori Risotto

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Monday nights are hectic in our household. Everyone has been at work and childcare all day. We are often home late and we want something easy and fast. So I started making my “Cheesy Lemon and Pea Baked Risotto. While the onions were cooking tonight though, I was rummaging around in the fridge and notice a large red capsicum, some coriander and some tandoori paste. This was the result and it’s become one of our favourites.

 

YOU NEED

1 large brown onion, peeled, halved and finely diced

¼ of a cup of water

1 x 250 gram block of firm tofu, cut into slices

2 tablespoons of tandoori paste

1 cup Aborio rice

#optional ¼ cup of nutritional yeast

3 ½ cups of vegetable stock

1 large red capsicum, washed, quartered, cored and cut into long thin strips

1 ½ cups of frozen peas

1 cup of fresh coriander, washed, drained and roughly chopped

 

YOU DO

Preheat your oven to 200c.

Place the onion and water in an oven tray.  Place the tray onto your stove top and cook gently on a medium heat, until the onion starts to soften.  Then turn off the heat.

Add the rice, nutritional yeast and stock and bring to the boil. Cover tightly (and carefully) with foil and place the tray in the oven for 15 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, combine the tofu with the tandoori. Heat a small amount of oil in a medium pan and gently cook the tofu until it has browned and starts to crispen and set aside

After the rice has been cooking for 15 minutes, remove the tray from the oven. Carefully remove the foil and stir through the capsicum, pea,  tofu and coriander. Cover the pan with foil again and place it back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Once the rice is cooked, I like to garnish it with a little extra coriander or mint and a dollop of coconut yoghurt. I also serve it with loads of fresh salad.

 

Yields: 2 large serves.

Time: 45 minutes.

Notes: I have tried a few brands of tofu to date and the one I find I keep going back to is the Blue Lotus brand as it has a much less earthy flavour than other brands.

The Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavour to the risotto. It is also a source of B12.

Fresh Mint Hot Chocolate

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17th june 2012

Seriously you don’t need to buy hot chocolate mixes that are expensive, full of dairy and more highly processed sugars than you need. By using a small amount of fresh herbs or fruit skins, some pure cocoa and your favourite plant based milk you can achieve the most incredible and fragrant results.

So next time friends drop over instead of just boiling the kettle and grabbing a can from the pantry go old school and heat some milk on the stove loaded with fresh mint and pour your work into a beautiful tea cup or mug. There is way more soul in that my friends.

 

YOU NEED

1 cup of plant based milk (I used Australian’s Own Organic rice milk because I wanted quite a sweet flavour which rice milk offers)

½ – ¾ cup of fresh mint, well washed so you don’t suffer gritty bits

½ tablespoon of pure maple syrup (or agave)

1 tablespoon of cocoa (I use Dutch cocoa which is super rich so I didn’t need any more than this)

 

YOU DO

Place all the ingredients into a small pot and very slowly and gently bring the milk to the boil. You want to allow the mint time to infuse into the milk.

Remove the mint. Whisk to ensure there are no cocoa lumps and that the maple syrup is mixed through well

Serve.

I plonked a load more fresh mint into my cup when I served mine up today. 🙂

 

Serves: 1

Time: Took me less than 10 minutes

Freeze: N/A

Caramelised Onion & Parsnip Soup

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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.