The Veggie Tableau

Exploring the world of plant-based cuisine, sharing recipes, and a love of cooking. Join me for this culinary adventure of vegan living.

[veggietableau]

Roasted sweet potato and charred broccoli salad with miso tahini dressing

The word salad seems to divide a room. I personally think salad can be a meal but I want the ratio of leaves at 20% and heartier veg at 80% of the bowl. Just saying, if you serve me iceberg lettuce with a dressing on it as a main, you'll be hearing some strong words out of me.

This roasted salad is far superior to those pitiful salads of yonder years. It's full of flavour. And, what's more, you're not left feeling hungry and dissatisfied.

What you'll need for the salad:

1 cup of your choice of grain (I'm a massive pearled barley or purple rice fan) 2 sweet potatoes cubed 1 broccoli (or 1 pack of broccolini) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion diced Added choice of roasting some nuts and seeds for garnish What you'll need for the dressing: 2 small garlic minced 2 tbsps miso paste 2 tbsps tahini 1 tbsp maple syrup 1/4 cup cider vinegar or lemon juice 4 tbsps olive oil salt and pepper to taste Directions: If you've an air fryer, now's its time to shine. You can pop your sweet potato into the air fryer with your tablespoon of olive oil for 30 minutes. Check and stir them occasionally. Make sure your sweet potato is cooked through and bronzed. 8 minutes before your timer is up, toss in your broccoli florets or broccolini stems. They'll get nicely charred. If you don't have an air fryer, heat your oven to 200 C. Pop your cubed sweet potato in a roasting pan with your tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes and toss in your broccoli for another 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is lightly charred at edges. Make sure your sweet potato is cooked through and bronzed. In a pan on medium heat, cook your grains according to packet directions (rule of thumb is usually 2:1 ratio for water to grain, 2 cups water for 1 cup grain). To prepare your dressing, pop your ingredients in a blender and run until smooth. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Assemble the bowl with scoops of grain, roasted veggies, some fresh red onion and then your dressing. You can pop some roasted nuts and seeds on top for added protein and crunch. Enjoy!

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Soya milk miso ramen with tofu and asparagus

This is one of my go-to fave meals. Quick to make and delicious. It’s also quite easy to prep as most of the chopping is done by the blender. The one challenge, stopping yourself from eating more.

Ingredients for the broth: 4 shiitakes (dice em) 200 ml of boiling water 2 cloves of garlic (rough chop) 2 cm of ginger (rough chop) 6 tbsp white miso 1 tbsp tahini 2 tbsp sesame oil 3 tbsp soy sauce 1 litre soya milk Remaining ingredients: 1 pack firm tofu (pressed and cubed) Asparagus 100g Edamame shelled Ramen noodles 2 cloves garlic finely diced chili flakes to taste 1/2 tbsp lemon juice salt and pepper

Directions for broth: Pop everything except the soy milk into the blender. Let sit for 5mins and then blitz until smooth. Put a non-stick pot on medium heat and put in the blender mixture and combine with the soy milk. Cook for 10 mins and stir frequently. Make sure it doesn't boil as it may curdle. Directions for remaining ingredients: Cook the ramen noodles in salted water. In a frying pan on medium-high heat, add a tbsp of oil and get it hot before popping in your firm cubed tofu. You want it golden and crisp. Add salt and pepper and mix thoroughly before removing from heat. In the same pan, pop in a bit more oil and your asparagus finely diced garlic, chili flakes and lemon juice. Get them charred a touch and remove from heat.

  I put the edamame in a bowl with boiling water and a lid. I drain before serving.

Get out a nice big bowl, ladle in your broth, your noodles, asparagus, edamame and tofu. Garnish with sesame seeds and spring onion (if desired). You'll likely have enough for about 4 meals.

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Tarka Dhal

Vegan tarka dhal for dinner last night. If you have a slow cooker and red lentils in your kitchen than give this a spin!

What you'll need: 2 cups red lentils 3 cups water 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp garam masala 2 cloves whole garlic 1/2 tsp salt Throw this in the slow cooker in the AM on low. Since you're likely at home because of COVID-19, have a glance and give it a stir every now and again. Once it is thick, you can move the dish to the stove top and make your tarka to add into the dhal. For the tarka: 2 tbsp vegan butter 3 cloves garlic minced 1/2 inch fresh ginger minced 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds crushed In a pan on medium, pop your ingredients. You'll want to fry them until the edges of the pan have browned/bubbly bits. You'll pour this into your dhal and stir to combine. Enjoy!

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Hot and Sour Soup

Growing up in Ottawa in the 90s meant that family dinners out of the house were typically to Chinese, Vietnamese, or Thai restaurants. When the treat meals out came, I was always hopeful that we’d be taken to the Mekong, as it served one of my all time favourite soups, Hot and Sour. 

Initially, I thought this soup beyond my vegan grasp, but after some experimentation, I’ve managed to emulate the flavours. I’m delighted with the results so here they are, ready to share with you, internet people.

What you’ll need: 1 pack of tofu drained, pressed and sliced into thin rectangles 4 1/2 cups of vegetable stockC 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar 2 tbsps soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp of freshly minced ginger 3-4 cloves of minced garlic 2 fresh red chillies sliced thinly (you can add or subtract seeds dependent on how hot you want your soup) 120g sliced shiitake mushrooms (it’s one punnet) Half of a Chinese cabbage or 2 small pak choi sliced shredded 4 spring onions sliced thinly Black pepper to taste Directions: In a large pot, combine the veggie stock, soy sauce, half of your chillies, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer and then reduce to medium low heat. Cook for 5-10 minutes.  Add in your tofu and cabbage (or pak choi) and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with spring onions and red chillies.  Enjoy!

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Maple walnut cake

Maple. Walnut. Cake. 

Three words when paired together make your mouth water and cause you to run to the kitchen to pop the kettle on for tea. Or, at least, that’s my reaction. It’s gooey. It’s a great combination of flavours. It makes you want to read a book on a cold or rainy day. It brings to mind happy memories and can cheer any bad mood. 

So on to the recipe!

What you’ll need:

For the streusel:

1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white flower 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 tsp cinnamon 3 tbsps melted coconut oil For the cake:

2 cups self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup coconut oil 1/4 cup oat milk (you can use an alternative like almond, soya, or cashew too) 2 flax eggs (1tbsp ground flax 1 1/2 tbsps water) 1 cup sour cashew creamed (can you soya sour cream or 1 cup blended and soaked cashews with a 1/2tsp lemon juice) For the topping:

1/2 cup icing sugar 2 tbsps maple syrup 1-2 tsps oat milk

Directions:

For the streusel:

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix with a fork until crumbly. For the cake: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread some coconut oil on the bottom and sides of an eight inch square pan.

In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, and walnuts.  In a smaller bowl, make your flax egg and let sit for 5 minutes. Then add in your maple syrup, oil, milk, and sour cashew cream.  Make a well in your dry ingredients and pour in the wet ones. Stir until just combined.  Spoon half the cake batter into the tin and then sprinkle half the streusel over top. You may want to take a fork and gently churn the streusel into the wet cake batter. Pour the remaining cake batter into the tin and sprinkle your remaining streusel over top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick can be cleanly inserted and removed. Once removed from the oven, let cool for about 15 minutes. For the cake topping: In a bowl, combine the sugar, maple syrup and oat milk. Stir until a thick, pourable icing forms. Drizzle over the warm cake. Cut and serve!

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Sweet potato ravioli

I love stuffed pasta. It’s something that I missed initially when going vegan as it’s rare to find fresh pasta sans egg. But then I thought to myself, if I can make pierogies, then I can certainly make ravioli. That’s how this recipe evolved. 

What you’ll need:

Dough ingredients:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup slightly warmed water 1/2 tsp sea salt

Filling ingredients:

1 sweet potato 1/3 cup raw cashews (soaked for 20 mins in boiling water or overnight, be sure to drain before adding to recipe) 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 garlic cloves 1/3 cup vegetable stock 1 tsp sage 1 tsp dried basil Salt and pepper to taste Pesto ingredients:

1-2 cups fresh basil leaves 1/2 cup nutritional yeast 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh preferable) 1/3 cup pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts) 2 garlic cloves, minced Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

To prep your dough:

Start by preparing the dough. Combine the flours with sea salt and then create a well in the middle of the flour with a large spoon. Pour the water into the well and begin to fold the flour in until combined. Place the dough onto a clean counter and knead until it comes together and is slightly sticky. Lightly flour the ball of dough, place it back into the bowl to rest and cover the bowl with a cloth while you prepare the filling. To prep your filling:

Take your sweet potato and either microwave until soft (about 5mins) or steam until a fork can easily/cleanly be inserted. Remove from skin and then place your sweet potato along with all the remaining filling ingredients into a blender and pulse until very smooth. It may require a bit of work to get the ingredients smooth, but stopping the blender to scrape the sides/ move the contents around with a spoon or spatula will help immensely. Cover the filling and set aside while you roll out your dough. To assemble:

Divide your dough in half (it makes it easier to handle) and place on a floured counter. Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough until it’s about 1/16″ thick. If you’ve a pasta roller, use it and save your arm muscles! Use a 2 1/2-3” wide glass, a round  or square cookie cutter and cut out as many pieces from your dough. You can take the scraps and create a new ball to roll out and repeat the process until you’ve gotten all the disks/squares you can from the dough. While doing this process I’d suggest covering the cut-outs with a cloth to prevent them from drying out.

Once you’ve produced all the cut outs you can from your dough, place about 1/2 tbsp of filling on half them. Have a small dish of water standing by. Using a finger, dab a little water around the edges, place another cut out over the filling, and gently press the sides together around the filling sealing the ravioli. The finished ravioli can either be frozen or cooked up straight away! If you freeze them, be sure to lightly flour and layer between parchment paper.

To prep your sauce:

In a blender add your sauce ingredients. Pulse until smooth. To cook:

In a large pot add in 1stp salt and water. Bring to a boil and add in small batches of your ravioli. Boil for 3 minutes and remove from water with a slotted spoon. You can either set aside to be topped by your pesto or lightly sauté in a pan with a tbsp of your pesto. I also like to sauté up some shiitake mushrooms and asparagus to pair. Enjoy!

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Mushroom risotto

Risotto. It’s one of those dishes where you can be endlessly inventive. Swap in asparagus for mushrooms or beetroot and you have yourself an entirely new flavour pallet to enjoy.

I was always under the impression this dish was tough to make, but the first time I tried my hand, I found out that it is rather simple. It also takes around 30mins to make so the benefits speak for themselves.

Ingredients: Olive oil 1 large white onion, finely chopped 1 container of mushrooms diced 2 cups risotto rice 1/3 cup white wine 7-8 cups of hot vegetable stock ¼ cup of vegan parmesan and/or nutritional yeast 1 squeeze of lemon juice or 2 tsps of cider vinegar Garnish Basil Chilli flakes

Directions:

In a large pot over low heat add the olive oil, chopped onions and mushrooms. Sweat the onions and mushrooms for 15 minutes or until soft. Turn the heat up to medium and pour in the risotto rice, your first cup of vegetable stock and your wine. Stir well and let bubble for a few minutes. Each time the liquid starts reducing down, add in another cup of vegetable stock and stir to prevent the rice from catching on the bottom of your pot. Allow each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue until the rice is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.

Stir in the vegan parmesan/nutritional yeast and the lemon juice (or cider vinegar).  Serve with some fresh basil and chilli flakes. Enjoy!

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Curry Cauliflower Soup

With working from home, I often get the short straw on getting to eat the leftovers for lunch. This means I need to make something snappy and still have time to eat it during my lunch break. 

So what’s quick, nutritious and keeps me going until dinner? Soup. It’s typically my go to. It has the added benefit of being good on a cold day. It can be frozen for those times where there’s nothing else in the house to eat. And, frankly, you can slurp it quickly and get back to the grind. 

Here’s a quick and easy curry cauliflower soup recipe that will leave your tastebuds happy and can be made with just a pinch of time.

What you need: 1 large red onion thinly sliced 3 cloves of mince garlic 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium head of cauliflower trimmed and cut into florets 1 large potato cubed 1 vegetable stock cube 2 cups of boiling water 1/2 tsp ground coriander  1/2 tsp ground turmeric  1 tsp ground cumin  1 cup coconut milk  Dash of freshly ground black pepper Dash of red chilli flakes

Directions:

Grab a big pot and pop your onions into the pot with your olive oil. Place onto the hob on medium heat and cook until your onions are sweating. Agitate the onions with a wooden spoon to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot/burning.

Pop in the remaining veggies, throw in that veggie stock cube, and dash in those spices. Make sure to mix about the veggies so they get coated with the spice and stock mix. Pour in your two cups of water and let your soup simmer until the cauliflower softens (about 15mins). 

Remove from heat and let cool. Add in your cup of coconut mil and pulse with an emulsion blender until smooth. You can opt to add in chilli flakes. I also like to use them as garnish.

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Witch finger cookies

It’s fun to create something simple yet festive for the Halloween season. I was heading to a party and wanted to bring something along but didn’t have a lot of time to prep. The solution came quickly. Witch finger cookies. They’re relatively quick to make, I had everything I needed in my cupboard and it didn’t require me to think too far ahead with preparation. 

What you’ll need: 2 cups flour 1/2 cup powder sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup vegan margarine 1/2 cup coconut oil 2 tsp baking powder 1 flax egg or egg replacer Almonds and jam for the fingers Directions: Combine everything except the jam and almonds in a bowl. You should end up with a pretty firm dough. Roll out pinky sized fingers (they expand in the oven), place on a piece of baking parchment on a cookie sheet. you’ll then press an almond into each finger and make your knuckle grooves with the edge of a spoon. 

Put your tray in the fridge for ten minutes before baking on the middle rack for twelve minutes at 350°F (175°C with fan). Pull from the oven when golden brown and move the cookies onto a cooling rack. 

Remove almonds when slightly cool to add jam in the grooves and then press the almond back on top. 

Presto-chango you’ve a spooky treat!

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Sushi

A little bit of story time. I was chatting with my Dad and mentioned I’d be making sushi for dinner. 

He goes “Where do you buy your fish from to make it?”

I go “Dad, I just make it with vegetables... I’m vegan, remember? No fish for me.”

My Dad is typically on the ball when it comes to my “nuts and berries” diet (his favourite way of describing it) so this brain fart was just one reminder that I need to work a bit harder with my family on realising there are alternates to the omnivorous ‘norms’.

Anyways, back to the sushi at hand. It’s a great way to be inventive and it’s easier than you think. You just need a bit of patience because of all the veggie chopping. 

I’ve stuffed my rolls with things like tempura sweet potato, sautéed mushrooms, avocado, carrot, peppers, marinated tofu, green beans, and cucumber. You can really do anything with veggie sushi so be as inventive as you’d like! 

What you’ll need to make the sushi:

1 1/2 cups of sushi rice 2 cups of water 2 tbsps mirin 1 tsp salt 1 packet of nori (you’ll likely have some sheets left over for next time) 1/2 carrot sliced lengthwise and thinly 1/2 cucumber sliced lengthwise and thinly 1/2 red pepper sliced lengthwise and thinly 1 avocado sliced lengthwise and thinly 8 green beans 1 sweet potato tempura (recipe here) Marinated tofu sliced thinly Mushrooms sliced thinly 1 tsp liquid smoke Soya sauce Wasabi Sesame seeds

Directions:

Take your rice and water and put it in a big pot over high heat. Have the lid on until the water begins to boil, turn the temperature down to medium-low and tilt your lid so the steam can escape (prevent it from boiling over by occasionally removing the lid or fanning the bubbles). If you’ve a rice cooker, use this instead. Once all the water is gone, remove pan from heat and let your rice cool. Mix in your mirin and salt.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, place your mushrooms, liquid smoke and a dash of soya sauce. Cook your mushrooms until tender (4-5 minutes) and remove from heat.

Prepare all your veggies and have them sitting close to hand. Grab a small bowl of water to dip your hands into (this will help you handle the rice). On a bamboo sushi mat place a square of clingfilm and a piece of nori (rough side up). Spread your rice thinly and evenly across the nori, leaving about a one inch square along the far edge of the nori (this is the side that will be on the exterior of the roll). 

Near the start of the nori sheet place your veggie selection lengthwise. I suggest mixing and matching your veggies. Make sure not to put too much on as your sushi piece needs to fit in your mouth! 

Fold the bottom edge of the seaweed over the filling, then roll it up firmly. Dampen the top border with a little water to help it seal the roll. Repeat to make the rest of your rolls. At this stage, the rolls can either be cut with a serrated blade (about 6-8 rounds per roll) or be wrapped individually in cling film and chilled until ready to serve.

Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and serve with wasabi and soya sauce.

楽しんで (Tanoshinde) Enjoy!

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Tempura

I usually make tempura sweet potato to put into my sushi rolls. I’m one of those poor souls that gets an upset tummy if I eat too many deep fried things in one go. It’s sad because tempura rocks and is so easy to do! You can use this recipe to fry any vegetable really and it goes further than one sweet potato.

What you’ll need:

Vegetables 1 cup flour 1 cup ice water (no ice in the water) 1 tsp salt vegetable oil for frying Directions:

In a bowl combine your flour, salt and ice water. Beat your batter with a whisk until smooth. 

If you’ve a deep fryer great, if not than a small pot with 2 inches of vegetable oil on medium-high will do. Heat your oil in the pan and test by dropping a drip of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and starts to cook than you’re ready to cook your tempura. Coat your veggies in the batter and place in your oil (don’t drop it from a height as you risk burning yourself). 

Cook each side until likely golden (takes about 3 minutes). Remove from your pot and place on a piece of paper towel on a plate. 

You can serve your tempura with a sweet soya sauce or add it into your sushi rolls. 

Enjoy!

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Chocolaty peanut butter squares

Are there ever times where you want a bit of dessert but realize you'd have to pop to the shop for flour? Not to worry, this treat is gluten free! Chocolaty, peanut butter squares. Takes a whopping 30 minutes to make and 10 minutes of patience. 

What you need:

1 ripe banana 2/3 cup of peanut butter 1/2 cup of brown sugar or maple syrup 2 cups oats 1 bar of dark chocolate cut into chunks (reserve 1/3 of bar for drizzling on top) 3 tbps cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 tbsps nut milk 1/4 cup shredded coconut 1/4 cup crushed almonds 2 tsps baking powder 2 tbsps ground flax Pinch of salt Directions:

In a bowl, mash your banana and flax together. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pop the batter into a pre-greased 8x8" baking dish and into a pre-heated oven of 180*C with fan (375*F) for 20-25 minutes. 

While your treat is baking (around the 18 minute mark), either use a double boiler or a pot with water and a metal bowl to melt the remainder of your chocolate. Remove the treat from the oven and drizzle your chocolate over. 

Sprinkle with some more coconut and let cool for 10 mins before serving.

Enjoy!

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Arancini and Arrabiata

Having traveled through Italy and experienced firsthand some of the cultural cuisine, I can certainly appreciate how flavour and simplicity can meet on a plate. When I transitioned to being vegan, dishes like arancini appeared to be one of those things that I’d not get to sample again (since it’s a ball traditionally stuffed with cheese).

But, with all the vegan cheeses on the market, who can resist testing the cuisine waters with homemade arancini? I know I couldn’t and boy were the results great. 

This recipe may appear to be daunting with the number of steps, but you’ll be surprised at how simple it really is. If you’ve leftover risotto, you can skip to the directions on filling the balls.

What you’ll need for the ball:

Olive oil 1 large white onion, finely chopped 2 cups risotto rice 1/3 cup white wine 7-8 cups of hot vegetable stock 1/4 cup of vegan parmesan and/or nutritional yeast 1 squeeze of lemon juice or 2 tsps of cider vinegar For the filling:

2-3 tbsps of toasted pine nuts 1/3 cup vegan mozzarella (I use violofie) 6-8 pieces of sun dried tomatoes finely chopped 1 tsp oregano salt and pepper to taste Vegetable oil for frying the balls

For the pane:

1-2 cups of fine breadcrumbs For the arrabiata sauce: 1 box of passata (you can also use 8 plum tomatoes that you peel and purée in a blender) 3 cloves of garlic minced 1-2 tsps chilli flakes 8-10 kalamata olives chopped finely 2 tsps capers Salta and pepper to taste 1 small bunch of fresh basil leaves (to serve)

For the ball:

In a large pot over low heat add the olive oil and chopped onions. Sweat the onions for 15 minutes or until soft. Turn the heat up to medium and pour in the risotto rice and your first cup of vegetable stock and your wine. Stir well and let bubble for a few minutes. Start adding the rest of your vegetable stock a bit at a time (about 1/2-1 cup per time). Allow each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue until the rice is cooked through, about 15-20minutes.

Stir in the vegan parmesan/nutritional yeast and the lemon juice (or cider vinegar). Leave the rice to cool for at least an hour.

For the filling:

Toast your pinenuts and place in a bowl with your grated vegan mozzarella, sun dried tomato, and herbs. Mix together and set aside.

Form the balls:

Have a baking tray with a piece of parchment paper set up to receive your arancini. To form the arancini, scoop a portion into your hand and form a ball. Press your thumb into the center and put some of your filling in. Smooth the risotto around the hole and place on your prepped tray. Repeat until you are out of risotto and filling. 

For the pane:

Take a plate and place your breadcrumbs. Roll each of your arancini balls in the breadcrumb and place back on your tray.

For the arrabiata sauce:

Prepare your sauce by frying your garlic and chilli with a dash of olive oil in a pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, olives, capers and season to taste. Cook for 10 minutes over low-medium heat.

Frying your arancini balls:

While your arrabiata sauce is cooking, you may want to start frying your arancini balls. In a deep pot or wok put about 2-3inches of vegetable oil and place on high heat. Test that the oil is ready by dropping in some bread crumbs (it they float and cause the oil to sizzle, it’s ready to go).

With a slotted spoon, carefully lower the arancini. Rotate and fry for a total of 8 minutes. You can do a maximum of four at a time. Transfer to a plate with paper towel on to drain the excess oil.

Plate two arancini and spoon your arrabiata sauce over. Sprinkle with fresh basil and some vegan parmesan to serve. 

Enjoy!

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Seitan

Seitan is a great meat substitute for those who want to branch out from tofu, though it isn’t friendly for gluten free individuals (it’s main ingredient being vital wheat gluten). 

You can buy it pre-made in the shop in a variety of forms (think mock chicken, duck, or beef tips). The meal possibilities with seitan are endless and making it at home means you can avoid the preservatives while adding new possibilities to your meal plans.

What you’ll need:

For the seitan dough: 2 cups vital wheat gluten 1/2 cup chickpea flour (pulse dried chickpeas in a blender until fine) 1/2 cup nutritional yeast 1 tbsp paprika 1 tbsp basil 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tbsp tomato paste (ketchup can be substituted) 1/2 cup tamari and/or soy sauce 1 1/2 cups of hot water Optional 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

To cook the seitan: 2-4 cups of vegetable stock Muslin (cheese) cloth and some cook safe string

Directions:

Take a medium sized pot and fill it with your vegetable stock. Put it on medium-heigh and bring to a boil.

While your stock is heating up, add into a large bowl your gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, paprika, basil and garlic powder. Blend it together with a spoon before adding the remaining wet ingredients: tomato paste, tamari/soy sauce, and hot water. Mix together to form a very loose ball.

Take your muslin cloth and open it flat on the counter. Place the ball of seitan dough off to one side leaving at least 2 inches of cloth on one side. Roll the dough up in the muslin cloth and tie off either with excess fabric or some cook safe string.

Place the muslin wrapped dough into the vegetable stock and cook for 60 minutes with the lid on. You’ll want to cook both sides evenly so rotate the dough 30 minutes into the cooking process. 

Remove the seitan from the stock and place in a bowl. Let cool before you unwrap.

You can slice it up into strips, mince it, slice it thinly for sandwiches. The possibilities are up to your imagination.

Enjoy!

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Mushroom Alfredo

Being vegan certainly doesn’t mean you have to miss out on white pasta sauces. This delicious alfredo sauce will have you craving it on the regular.

What you’ll need:

1 1/2 cups of raw cashews soaked for min. 3 hours (I let mine soak overnight) 1 cup water (plus some additional on hand) 1 cup vegetable stock Dollop of olive oil 2 tsps cider vinegar 4 tbsps nutritional yeast 2-4 cloves of garlic minced Salt and pepper to taste 1 tsp chilli flakes 4 cups of mushrooms diced (I typically use a selection of cremini, shitake, shiro-shimeji, oyster, and king oyster mushrooms) 1 large red onion diced 400g of pasta of choice (I use penne or rotini)

Directions:

In a frying pan over medium heat, add a dollop of olive oil and place your onions. Sauté until soft and sweating (minimum 5 minutes). Add in your minced garlic, chilli flakes and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms have softened and/or browned slightly. 

While sautéing your veggies, rinse your soaked cashews and place in a blender with a cup of water to blend until smooth. You’ll likely end up with a very thick sauce. In a large pot bring water to a boil. Add a dollop of olive oil and sea salt along with your pasta. Cook until al denté. Sieve your noodles and give them a splash with cold water and a little more oil.

Add the veggie stock and cashew sauce to your pan and reduce heat. Be sure to stir constantly. Add in your cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. If your sauce is a little too thick add a bit more water as needed. Remove from heat and combine with your pasta. Plate and enjoy!

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Polenta fries

I went to a vegan food festival and tried these amazing polenta fries and decided the experience was worth recreating at home. It’s a great substitute for potato fries!

What you’ll need: 4 cups vegetable stock (boiling) 1 cup polenta 2-4 Tbsps vegan cheeze sauce (recipe here) 1 tsp parsley 1 tsp rosemary Pepper to taste Salt to taste (vegetable stock is quite salty on its own so I didn’t add more)

Directions: On a pot over medium-high heat add in the 4 cups of boiling water and slowly whisk in your polenta. Continue whisking for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased loaf tin or 8inch square cake tin. Let cool for 15minutes until you cover with cling film. Be sure to press the cling film direct to the surface of the polenta (this prevents a skin from forming). Place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.

Once ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180 C with fan (400 F). Cut the block into thick sticks. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Place the tray on the middle rack and bake for 25-35 mins (until golden brown).

Enjoy with curries, as a side, or with gravy!

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Vegan Omelette

If you’re like me, then you enjoy variety. You also like proving that breakfast can be interesting.This omelette is incredibly simple to make and tastes delicious. 

What you’ll need for the egg:

1 pack silken tofu 1 tbsp nutritional yeast 2-4 tbsp cornmeal (or gram flour) 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 tsp paprika 1 pinch kala namak black salt (I ordered mine off Amazon) What you need for the inside of the omelette:

1 onion diced A large handful of mushroom diced Vegan cheese Salt and pepper *You can really do any veggies you like

Directions:

In a blender combine your ingredients until smooth. While you’re combining your egg ingredients satay up your veggies. 

Once your batter and veggies are ready, prep a nonstick pan that you’ve wiped or sprayed with oil and warm to medium-high heat. Pour a small portion of your batter into the center of the pan and tilt the pan around to create a thin layer of your egg. 

Place your veggies on one half of the egg and let cook for 3-5 minutes. You can help it along by putting a pot top over to contain the heat.

When your omelette is ready, loosen the bottom from the pan by sliding the spatula under it from multiple directions. Fold the un-vegged side over the other. Cook for another minute before removing from heat and plating.

Enjoy!