June 17, 2013 0

Healthy Caesar Salad

Difficulty: Easy

Serves Two

healthycaesar

Typically Caesar salad is a non-vegan fat fest; full of cheese, chicken, bacon and smothered in a creamy, fishy sauce. This guy is full of tofu, veggies on a bed of kale with a tangy tahini dressing, so you know it’s bloody good for ya!

Ingredients

  • 2 large kale leaves (you can use cos lettuce if you’d prefer)
  • 1/4 small red onion
  • 1/2 ripe avocado
  • 1/2 300 gram block hard tofu
  • 1/4 cup coconut bacon (recipe here)
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (I use Spring Gully)
  • 3 pickles
  • 2-4 tablespoons water
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Shred the kale and throw into a serving bowl. You can massage it if that’s how you like your kale but I prefer it as is.
  2. Cut the cucumber into slices and then quarter them. Peel and cube the avocado as well and sprinkle both on top of the kale.
  3. Thinly slice the red onion and spread over the salad.
  4. Cut the tofu into strips and lightly pan fry until golden. Arrange over the salad.
  5. Blend together the tahini, pickles, Worcestershire sauce, water and salt and pepper to make the dressing. Drizzle over the salad before finishing off with a bit of coconut bacon.
June 13, 2013 2

Maple, Walnut and Coconut “Bacon” Cookies

Difficulty: Easy

Makes 24 cookies (approx)

maplecookies

I told you that my Coconut “Bacon” was versatile! As winter rolls around, smokey and maple flavours go so well together, which is why I whipped up this batch of maple, walnut and coconut “bacon” cookies. You may think this sounds a little gross but I promise you it’s amazing. I’m thinking of perhaps mixing some of the refrigerated dough through ice cream. Oh. My. Word.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon egg replacer powder
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup vegan margarine
  • 1 cup raw caster sugar
  • 2 teaspoons maple extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup walnuts, crushed
  • 3/4 cup coconut “bacon” (recipe here)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line two baking sheets with baking paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg replacer and water, set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and raw caster sugar before adding the egg replacer mixture and extracts.
  4. Next, sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until well combined.
  5. Fold the coconut “bacon” and walnuts into the dough.
  6. Using a tablespoon as a measure, create balls of dough and place them evenly on the baking sheets (12 per sheet should be enough room to not have them stick together).
  7. With the back of a wet spoon, light press down on each ball to flatten slightly.
  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
  9. Allow to cool completely before serving.
June 10, 2013 0

Smokey Tofu and Cheesy Chipotle Burrito

Difficulty: Medium

Makes 2 large or 4 small burritos

tofuburrito

All week I had been craving burritos but no store-bought burrito was going to satisfy my hunger. The long weekend was the perfect opportunity to make them. Soft homemade tortillas, filled with smokey pan-fried tofu, and finished off with cheesy cashew chipotle sauce. The fact I only made these for myself seems like a little bit of a waste but boy, I do not regret it one bit.

Ingredients

Smokey Tofu

  • 1 300 gram block firm tofu
  • 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

Tortillas

  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup warm water

Cheesy Cashew Chipotle Sauce

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 – 1 chipotle pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2-3/4 cup soy milk

The Rest

  • 1/4 red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • Bunch parsley or coriander
  • Fresh lime
  • 1/2 cup grated vegan cheese
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice

Method

  1. Start by making the marinade for the smokey tofu by combining the soy sauce, liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce.
  2. Cut the tofu into 1cm cubes and add to a plastic container with the marinade. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.
  3. Once marinated, pan fry until brown.
  4. Next, make the tortillas by sifting the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
  5. Add the oil and warm water before combining into a dough. Roll into a ball and allow to rest for an hour.
  6. Separate the dough into 2 or 4 smaller balls.
  7. Dust a clean surface with flour and roll out each ball of dough into circles about a quarter of a centimetre thick.
  8. Heat some olive oil in a large pan and on medium-high, cook each tortilla until golden spots appear on one side before flipping over until the other side does the same.
  9. Now it’s time to make the sauce. Start by adding the cashews to a saucepan and fill with water. Bring to the boil and boil for 15 minutes.
  10. Drain the cashews and combine with nutritional yeast, chipotle, cayenne, salt and soy milk.
  11. Blend until smooth before heating in a saucepan or microwave.
  12. Fill the middle of each tortilla with rice, tofu, cabbage, a squeeze of lime juice, red onion, a sprig of coriander or parsley, vegan cheese and the cheesy chipotle sauce.
  13. Fold in the sides of the tortilla before wrapping the ingredients in tightly.
  14. Serve immediately.

 

June 5, 2013 5

Coconut “Bacon”

Difficulty: Easy

Makes one and a half cups

coconutbacon

For some reason, there seems to be bacon in just about anything lately. The thought of pig chunks in a cupcake is utterly repulsive but coconut in a cupcake sounds like a dream, right?! You can use these smokey bits in just about anything; salads, sandwiches and even desserts. Keep an eye out, I’ll be giving you suggestions for these babies over the coming weeks.

Ingredients

  • 1 and a half cups coconut chips
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (I used hickory)
  • 1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon coconut amino sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Method

  1. Chuck the coconut chips into a an airtight container.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.
  3. Pour over the coconut chips and mix to coat them well.
  4. Seal up the container and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Shake the container at regular intervals to coat the coconut.
  5. Preheat oven to 180°C. Bake for 15-20 minutes, keeping a close eye on it and removing every so often to redistribute coconut.
  6. Allow to cool before using.
June 1, 2013 0

Beetroot and Chocolate Cake

Difficulty: Easy-Medium

Serves 8-10

chocbeetcake

I never really understood the concept of putting beetroot in a cake and the thought that it could be delicious completely escaped me. That was until I actually started seeing pictures of them pop up. I became curious. It was my sister-in-law’s birthday this week so as the resident birthday cake maker I decided to finally set my sights on that once disregarded beetroot chocolate cake. It was excellent! You can’t really taste the beetroot but it adds so much moisture and depth to the cake. This one is gluten free too but just double check your ingredients just to be sure. Oh, and if you want a little more sweetness, pop a little icing sugar in your icing (I don’t really think it’s needed though).

Ingredients

  • 3 medium beetroots
  • 1 cup dark Belgian chocolate buttons
  • 2 cups gluten free plain flour
  • 1/3 cocoa powder
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1/3 cup ground flax seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup raw caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tub Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
  • 1 cup dark Belgian chocolate buttons
  • Shaved chocolate to decorate

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a springform pan.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook beetroots until soft (30-40 minutes should do it).
  3. Remove from the pot, rinse in cold water and rub the skins off. You may want to use a peeler to get the stubborn skin.
  4. In a food processor, puree the beetroot but leave a couple of chunks in there.
  5. Melt 1 cup of the chocolate buttons and add to a bowl with the beetroot.
  6. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, flax seeds, almond meal, baking powder and baking soda.
  7. To the beetroot, add the oil, sugar, vanilla and almond milk.
  8. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine really well, the mixture will be quite thick.
  9. Pour into the greased tin and spread out evenly. Bake for about an hour, or until a skewer comes out relatively clean.
  10. Once cooked, allow to cool completely before icing.
  11. Melt the second cup of chocolate buttons and allow to cool a little.
  12. In an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese for a minute or so before adding the melted chocolate and icing sugar if you want extra sweetness. Combine until blended evenly.
  13. Spread the icing over the top of the cake and sprinkle with grated chocolate before serving.

 

May 19, 2013 2

Sorta Healthy Carrot Cake

Difficulty: Easy-Medium

Serves 8-10

carrotcake

My brother is on the most gnarly health kick of all time and for his birthday he requested a healthy carrot cake. Let’s be honest here – this cake is much healthier than other cakes but at the end of the day, a cake is a cake, and cake isn’t all that healthy. In saying that, there’s not a whole lot bad about this cake, the icing is probably the main offender so skimp on that if need be. It’s also gluten-free which is a bitchin’ bonus for you gleegans out there who are diggin’ on my recipes. The main thing here is that it tastes good and that’s one thing all cakes must always be.

I don’t say this very often but this is one of the best things I’ve ever made. People who have tried it have said it’s one of the best carrot cakes they’ve ever tasted and I tend to agree. It also keeps for quite a while in the fridge and tastes especially good chilled.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 large carrots
  • 2 cups rice flour
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1/3 cup ground flaxseeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup agave syrup
  • 1 cup walnuts, plus extra for decoration
  • 1/2 cup sultanas or raisins
  • 1 tub vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti)
  • 2 tablespoons Nuttelex
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups icing sugar

 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a springform pan.
  2. In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar to the almond milk. Whisk and set aside.
  3. Wash and grate the carrots and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, almond meal, flaxseeds, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon.
  5. Add the carrot and almond milk mixture before throwing in the vanilla extract and agave, mix well.
  6. Fold in the sultanas and walnuts until well distributed.
  7. Pour into the springform pan and even out the top.
  8. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
  9. Allow to cool in the tin for an hour before cooling completely on a rack.
  10. With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and the Nuttelex for a minute before adding the lemon juice, vanilla and icing sugar. Mix until combined.
  11. Pour the icing onto the centre of the cake and spread outwards in a circular motion until you reach the edge. Sprinkle the top with walnuts and serve.
May 7, 2013 0

Roasted Agave Fig Layered Dessert

 

Difficulty: Easy-Medium

Serves 2

figlayer

I got my hands on a bunch of figs and needed to use ‘em up, and quick! Some fig flavoured Spun Fairy Floss was also lying around and I figured that it would be a crime to not put the two together. This layered dessert is perfect for Autumn… or any other season really.

Ingredients

  • 6 fresh figs
  • 2/3 cup agave syrup
  • 2 cinnamon sticks (plus a couple more for garnish)
  • 1 carton Soyatoo Topping Cream (or another cream replacement)
  • 1/3 cup vegan cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup caramelised buckinis (if you can’t get these just used toasted muesli or something similar)
  • Fig flavoured Spun Fairy Floss

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Cut each fig in half from the top down and spread them out in a baking dish.
  3. Chuck in a couple of cinnamon sticks and drizzle with agave syrup.
  4. Bake for 40 minutes before removing and allowing to cool.
  5. Combine the Soyatoo, cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract and blend until smooth.
  6. Pop a fig in the bottom of each serving glass before adding some of the cream mixture and buckinis.
  7. Continue with a couple more figs, cream, buckinis, remaining figs, cream and a sprinkle of buckinis.
  8. Allow to chill until you’re ready to serve.
  9. Before serving, add a cinnamon stick and a tuft of Spun Fairy Floss to garnish.

 

April 28, 2013 0

Spun Fairy Floss

Price: From $7.95 AUD

Where to Buy: Click here to buy online and  for stockists

spunfairyfloss

I’m not a huge sweet tooth but every now and then I love me a bit of candy. Recently I heard about Spun Fairy Floss and knew I just had to give it a go.

Unlike traditional fairy floss, this stuff ain’t coloured. It’s vegan (derrrr), gluten free, sodium free, preservative free and made in Australia. You know what else? It comes in over 100 natural flavours, which is great because who the heck knows what the flavour of that carnival floss is. The flavours aren’t overpowering either, they’re subtle, and lend brilliantly to desserts, cocktails and just as delicious straight outta the tub. Speaking of the tub, be mindful to seal that bad boy up tight because if you don’t, you may return to a lump of sugar in the bottom. Bummer.

Some of my favourite flavours so far have been maple, rose and fig but there are more and more adventurous flavours being announced on the reg. Creme Brulee fairy floss? Seriously!

If you’re looking for a totally natural treat, you really do need to try Spun Fairy Floss. Also stay tuned for a recipe using the stuff later this week…

April 25, 2013 2

Anzac Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting

Difficulty: Easy-Medium

 

Makes 12

anzaccupcakes

I once made a premo batch of Anzac cookies with one of my friends but because I am an idiot, I didn’t write down the recipe. My redemption comes in the form of these Anzac cupcakes; they have all the basic elements of the cookie but they’re a cake, does that make sense? Of course it does…

Ingredients

1 1/2  cups soy milk
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1 /2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut (plus some extra for the frosting)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon coconut essence
2/3 cup vegan margarine
2/3 cup vegan cream cheese
1-2 teaspoons vanilla essence
4-5 cups icing sugar

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a cupcake tin with cupcake cases.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Whisk and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, plain flour, desiccated coconut, baking powder, baking soda and sugar.
  4. Add the soy milk mixture along with the oil, golden syrup and essences. Combine well.
  5. Fill the cases 3/4 of the way to the top and bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
  6. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
  7. To make the frosting, mix margarine, cream cheese, icing sugar and essence in with an electric mixture until fluffy.
  8. Pipe onto the cakes and sprinkle with desiccated coconut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 19, 2013 0

Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Soup

 

 

Difficulty: Easy-Medium

Serves 4

sweetnsoursoup

I visit a local Vietnamese restaurant nearly every week and one of my favourite menu items is the sweet and sour soup. Last weekend I decided to give it a whirl and make my own, the results were nearly just as good. The serving sizes probably aren’t big enough for dinner without an accompaniment but perfect for a light lunch.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup tamarind puree
  • 6 cups hot water
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 block tofu, cut into cubes
  • 1 brown onion, cut into chunks
  • 3 vegetable stock cubes
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced diagonally
  • 3/4 cup bean shoots
  • 1 1/4 cups mushrooms, chopped

Method

  1. Put the tamarind and a cup of hot water in a bowl and allow the tamarind to dissolve.
  2. Push the mixture through a sieve and collect the liquid.
  3. In a large saucepan, combine the garlic, tofu and onion. Toss around in the pan for a couple of minutes.
  4. Add the tamarind liquid, remaining water, vegetable stock cubes, caster sugar and vegetarian fish sauce.
  5. Bring to the boil before adding the remaining vegetables.
  6. Once the vegetables are heated through, serve and garnish with chilli, fried shallots and spring onion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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