Recipe: Quinoa "Mac 'n' Cheese" Casserole

I nabbed this recipe from the book "The Everything Vegan Cookbook". I don't really think the title of the recipe fits, as it doesn't really try to imitate macaroni and dairy cheese, but is rather a taste delight of its own. Regardless, give this one a go because it is seriously delicious.

What you will need:
1 and a half cups quionoa
3 cups veggie broth
1 onion, chopped (optional)
3 gloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch broccoli, diced small, stem and all
1 tbsp flour (I use gluten free flour)
1 large tomato, diced
three quarters of a cup soy/rice milk
half tsp sea salt
half tsp dried parsley
1 cup bread crumbs (optional. I use gluten free ones)
1 cup vegan cheese, shredded (I used Cheezly which you can buy at PAWS)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius
Simmer quinoa is vegetable broth, covered, until done and liquid is absorbed. This should take about 15 mins.
In a medium sized pan, heat oil and add broccoli and tomato. Cook for 3-4 mins, stirring frequently.
Add flour, stirring to coat well. Add soy/rice milk and salt. Stir for about 3 mins.
Combine quinoa with  broccoli and soy milk mixture with half of the vegan cheese in a large casserole dish.
Sprinkle the other half of the vegan cheese on top, along with the parsley and breadcrumbs, if using.
Bake for about 10 minutes. If your oven, like mine, has a grill plate above the oven shelves, turn it on for about 5-10 mins, on medium heat to give the top of the dish a golden colour.

Serving proved to be a bit of challenge, as it fell apart a bit, but here is a photo showing what it looks like on the inside.

Product: LifeStyle Bakery - Gluten Free

I have not much of a bread eater. I guess, being gluten intolerant, I weaned myself off bread a long time ago. I tried various gluten free breads and found them too 'cakey' in their texture, or they just didn't really taste all that great. After going vegan, I found it even harder to find suitable bread.
Just recently, however, I came across an award winning, Australian company that does great tasting gluten free, vegan breads, rolls and related products.

LifeStyle Bakery produce a range of breads, sweet breads (fruit and nut mixes), hot cross buns, rolls and breadcrumbs - all vegan!
So far, I have tried their GF Chia Seed  loaf and GF Multigrain loaf. Both tasty, with a good texture and taste great toasted or as is.
I get my loaves from Woolworths but some IGA stores also stock this brand. I would love to see more of  range, especially at Woolworths, where there have only been a few loaf varieties. (I am keen to try the GF fruit loaf!)
Check out Lifestyle Bakery's website for information on the full range. You are able to search for products under 'Dietary Needs' - just pick 'Vegan'.

Recipe: Creamy Avocado Potato Salad

Recently, I tried out a recipe from the cook book "Vegan Brunch" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Well, here is another one that turned out to be quite a winner, especially in this summer heat we are enduring at the moment.

I tested out my brand new food processor on this recipe, but you can use a blender if you wish. What you will end up with is the creamiest potato salad. You should aim to make this salad close to when you want to serve it. You can refrigerate but not for too long, as it will brown.

What you will need:

1 kilogram of potatoes, cut into 2cm chunks

2 ripe avocados

2 tbsp lime juice

half tsp salt (I use himalayan)

1 tomato, chopped

half continental cucumber, diced very small

quarter tsp ground cayenne, or paprika

1 small red onion (optional)

Method:
Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water and bring to boil. Then lower heat to a roiling boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Potatoes should be tender but not falling apart. Drain and cool.

Split avocados in half, scoop out flesh and place in food processor. Add lime juice and salt, and puree until smooth. Add cayenne, tomato and onion (if using). Pulse until they are incorporated but not completely blended. you should still be able to see the tomato and onion.

Combine in a large bowl, the cooled potatoes and the cucumber. Add the the dressing and mix well.

Genesis in the Hills - Veg Cafe/Restaurant

On the weekend, I headed out to Genesis in the Hills which although tags itself as a vegetarian eatery, also caters to vegans. I know a few vegans who have eaten there before  and so was curious to see what the place was like for myself. There aren't many vegan friendly places to eat in Perth, so when you hear about one, you want to try it out.

The setting is lovely - bushland surrounding you, whilst sitting on a deck with fans spinning high above you. There is a resident dog who just likes to hang out, getting up and lying next to people's chairs and tables. No begging, no barking, just casual adorableness. She was so cute I just *had* to take a photo of her.

My partner started out by trying the homemade lemonade which I had a taste of. It was seriously delicious. It tasted how real lemonade should and it being a hot summer's day, it went down well.

As I perused the menu I was very pleased to see items marked as 'vegan', 'wheat free', etc. I opted for the Quinoa Salad, whilst all my companions chose the Burgers.

Then we waited.....and waited.....After about 30 minutes, we started to wonder if they had forgotten us. We were noticing that other people who had arrived after us were being served their food before us. Hmm...this wasn't good. We ended up asking about our food and after 15 more minutes or so, it finally arrived.

It wasn't so much a 'burger' as it was an 'open sandwich'. I was told, however, that it was tasty.

I was so hungry after the wait, that when my Quinoa Salad arrived, I had to stop myself inhaling it. I'm glad I did, as it really was to savor. All the vegetables were so fresh and those that were cooked, were done so they were just crisp. Loved the asparagus and sweet corn kernels that were fresh and not tinned. The quinoa that was used was the red variety, which I had not tried before.

My one criticism was that there just wasn't enough on my plate. I certainly got quality but for the price I paid for this dish, I felt I should have gotten more on my plate. There really should have been more quinoa, for starters.

I finished my dish still feeling hungry, so considered having some dessert. After perusing what was on offer, I found that only one of the cakes was vegan - a pear and dried fruit cake which I really was not in the mood for. So, no dessert was had.

Even though I was not thrilled with my experience at this venue, I would consider going back another time - I'll just have to remember to order more food.

Location: 124 Croyden Road, Roleystone

Genesis in the Hills is open Thursdays to Sundays but take note that they will be closed from  19 Dec 2011  to 9 Feb 2012.

Social networking for vegans in Perth

There are a few networking sites and groups available for vegans in Perth. Some are exclusively online, whilst others use their online accessibility to help organize regular face-to-face events. Both types are important, I feel, as vegans can often feel isolated due to our smaller numbers in comparison to the general population, in a society that is geared around omnies.

Facebook: Vegans in Perth is a closed group. Created in July, it is still small but slowly growing.

Yahoo: ClubVegPerth is a group for Perth vegetarians and vegans. Although it is a group for socializing, there are also elements of activism, general information sharing, recipes, etc.

Google groups: VegansUnitePerth is for vegans and vegetarians and membership application approval is required before you can become a member.

Meetup: Social Vegans and Vegetarians Perth is a group for vegans, vegetarians, and raw food enthusiasts in Perth, whether they just be curious or 100% committed. The group organizes regular social events for its members. Up coming is their Vegan Christmas Lunch, which will be on the 18th of December.  Check out their group for more information on that.

So, if you are feeling a bit isolated as a vegan in the most isolated city in the world, consider joining some of these groups. You can socialize with people who 'get it' and can relax and enjoy a meal that won't involve you having to avert your eyes as someone at your table is tucking in to a slab of animal on their plate.

Recipe: Nutty Quinoa Hash

My partner found this recipe via the site vegweb which is a site that is absolutely bursting with information and - get this - over 15,000 recipes! And to think people ask "But what do vegans eat?" and think that we are 'depriving' ourselves. Pffft! I highly recommend you check this site out, as you will be inspired in the kitchen, even if you are a bit of a 'non-cookery enthusiast' like me. Heh.


Anyway, back to the recipe....For those of you unfamiliar with quinoa (pronounced (kin-wa),it  is from South America and contains a high percentage of protein - an average of 16.2 %  infact, which is higher than rice (7.5%), and wheat (14%). It is easy to digest and versatile. You can find it in healthfood shops and in some supermarkets.


This recipe is pretty easy to follow and the results are pleasing. Give it a go!


What you will need:


1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
3 medium potatoes, diced
1 small onion, chopped (optional)
2 large stalks of celery, chopped
1 small green bell capsicum, chopped (optional)
1 small zucchini (chopped)
1 can corn (about 350g)
seasoning of your choice (cajun will do nicely)
3 tbsp of peanut butter - crunchy or smooth. 


Now, my body doesn't cope well with peanuts, so I subsituted with Eskal Free From Nuts Peanut Butter which I found in the healthfood section of a supermarket. The Crunchy variety contains honey but the Smooth does not. However, it does contain emulsifier 471 which may or may not be derived from animal fats.  I didn't discover this until AFTER using it. Grr! But I have contacted the manufacturer to find out what the deal is here and will report back with what I find out. In the meantime, those who like and can eat peanut butter - go for it - just check that everything on the ingredients list is vegan. Otherwise, just leave the peanut butter out altogether. 


Method:


Bring water to boil in a saucepan, over med-high heat. Add quinoa and return to boil, then cover and reduce heat to med-low. Simmer until the water has been absorbed and then set aside.

In a large pan (I prefer a wok pan), heat olive oil on medium heat and then add potatoes. Stir and cook until cooked and slightly crispy. Add onion (if using), celery and capsicum. Cook until slightly soft and then add zucchini and corn. Cook until zucchini is soft and corn heated through. Add seasoning and remove from heat.

Add peanut butter to quinoa and stir until blended. Add this mixture to the vegetables and mix well.

Tuck in!

[Update on the 'Is Eskal "Free From Nuts Peanut Butter" vegan or not' issue. I didn't get a straight answer. What I got was this" "Thank you for your email regarding our Eskal Freenut Butter. The trans

fats come from the emulsifier (471). This is a highly processed form of
hydrogenated oil." I guess that it IS vegan (ie 471 is ffrom plant not animal fat scource) ??? Either way, I have found out hydrogenated oil - plant or animal - is pretty bad for you, so I may be giving this product a miss in the future, anyway. I may try Almond butter by Melrose (or any other brand that produces vegan nut butters), instead.

Recipe: Roasted Balsamic Cauliflower and Cannellini Beans

I found this recipe in the book "The vegan girl's guide to life" by Melisser Elliott. It is super easy and the results are yummy!

What you will need:
1 medium sized cauliflower, chopped into small florets
1 can of cannellini beans. Make sure to drain and rinse well.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
1 tsp rosemary (optional)
half tsp salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 205 degrees Celsius .
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, rosemary and salt. Add the beans and cauliflower and mix well, so the vegetables are coated.
Spread the mixture onto a large baking sheet and bake for approx 35 minutes. The beans should be slightly crispy and the cauliflower tender and browned.
This recipe is good as a side dish or even eaten on its own.

So Delicious Dairy Free

Oh, wow. Here is another alternative the to dairy beverages that blows  pus ridden cows milk out of the water. So Delicious Dairy Free offer coconut milk and soy milk products like sorbet, icecreams, beverages, and even yoghurts. And - get this - they are all vegan and gluten free!


I had the great fortune of tasting their Chocolate Coconut Milk, which was simply divine! No other way to describe it!  I would love to try out more of their range, but being a specialist imported item, this may prove to be a bit of a challenge.

I found this chocolate coconut milk at Good Life health food shop in the Dogswamp Shopping Centre. I dare say some of their other branches may stock this brand. It is certainly worth asking for if they don't already.

Chocolate Hazelnut Dairy-Free Milk - Delicious!!!

Whoah! This drink is soooooo delicious! Made by Pacific Natural Foods, whose all non-dairy beverages are  vegan friendly. It doesn't say 'vegan' on the packaging but by studying the ingredients list and then searching through their website, this has been confirmed. Their FAQ's, infact, are very informative.


I have never had hazelnut milk before. I was expecting a much nuttier taste. Instead, what you get with their Hazelnut Chocolate milk is a cream, smooth, real chocolate tasty. Chilled, this beverage is divine! And it is gluten free, contains no GMO's and is fortified with vegan friendly vitamin A and D.

This American company also produces hemp milk, which I have yet to find and try but really want to. They also do almond, rice, and oat dairy-free milks, too.

Apart from the non-dairy milks, Pacific Natural Foods also offer vegan soy drinks, iced teas, creamy soups and broths. Some of these also gluten free.

I found the Chocolate Hazelnut Milk at a health food shop, along with a few of their other products. I recommend you look in your local health food shop and if they don't stock this brand, as them to! I most certainly will be asking for the hemp milk.

Funky Pies

Finally! I have found vegan and gluten free pies! Woo hoo! Funky Pies are from Sydney but I found them here in Perth  at PAWS.  These guys do regular and gluten free pies. I tried the No Wurry Curry which had organic lentils and chickpeas in a coconut curry sauce. It was delicious, moderately spicy, and very filling. Just pop into the oven and heat up. Too easy.

Others to choose from in the gluten free range include: Mexican Magic, G'Day Satay, Mediterranean Veg, and for something sweet - their  apple pie.

Their 'regular' (ie still vegan but not gluten free) range is quite extensive and includes rolls as well as pies, and more desserts.

On top of all this, this company also uses biodegradable packaging. Oh, and did I mention that their pies are handmade, too?

Now what are you waiting for? Get out there and try these out! You won't be disappointed.

Got veggie stock?

Sometimes, when it comes to a recipe that says 'use vegetable stock', I am kinda lazy and just use water. My problem with 'stock' is that more often it isn't gluten free and it isn't vegan.

Well, the other day, the bf managed to find a product by Marigold Health Foods that is both.

In a health food shop, he found their Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder which we used in a soup, but you can also use in casseroles, stews, sauces, etc. VERY tasty. Adds an 'oomph' to the overall flavour of what you are cooking. It contains no GMO's or MSG and I love the fact that it has 'vegan' clearly visible on the container. Some products, even if they are vegan, either say 'vegetarian' or have no statement/label at all. Very frustrating!  

The directions on the container are not to be trusted, however. Halve or even use only a quarter of what they suggest in the water to powder ratio, otherwise you will end up with very salty stock! Speaking of which, this company does do a Salt Reduced variety that is also vegan and gluten free. There are other vegan products available by this company, though not all are gluten free. 

Recipe: Corn and Sweet Potato Soup

The boyfriend made this one for us and it was delish. Make sure you include the lime juice, as it really goes well with this soup. As you can see from below there is a lot of 'optional's. Basially, you can make this soup as flavoursome, spicy, or mild as you like and it will still come out tasty.

What you will need:

1 tbsp oil

1.75 litres of water or veggie stock

2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)

1  onion, finely chopped (optional)

1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

2 tsp ground cumin

1 medium sweet potato, diced

1 can corn kernals (about 400g)

lime wedges to serve

Method:

If using, fry onion in heated oil, until soft and then add garlic and chilli. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add 1 and a quarter cup veggie stock and simmer for approx. 10 minutes.

Add cumin,  diced sweet potato, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add rest of stock, the corn and simmer for 10 minutes.

Using a hand blender, process the soup but not too thoroughly, so there is still some chunks.

Serve with the lime wedges to squeeze into the soup.

Passion Pasta - Gluten Free

Really, when it comes to pasta, vegans with gluten in tolerances are spoiled for choice. Here is another brand I have come across. Passion Pasta do a range of pastas that are gluten, wheat, dairy and egg free. They take about 8 minutes to cook and keep their shape.

I recently tried the very tasty Garlic and Parsely Spirals. I am not overly keen on garlic but found that it wasn't an overpowering flavour. I loved the texture of this pasta, too.

Also available in the gluten free range are the Saffron Twists, Vegetable Penne, and Brown Rice Twists.


Unfortunately, I cannot remember where I bought this, but it would have either been at Fresh Provisions, Fresh Stop (in the Dogswamp Shopping Centre), or at The Re-Store.

Better-than-cheesecake

I didn't even know vegan 'non-cheesecakes' existed until I became a vegan. And when I found out, I just assumed that they were made from tofu. When I tried one, I was amazed at how creamy and smooth it was. And it wasn't even made of silken tofu!

A vegan friend made one and shared it with me and some friends, recently. For a lot of us, it was our first time trying a vegan non-cheesecake. ALL were blown away with the texture and the flavour!

This friend got the recipe from another vegan friend. (Vegans are caring, sharing types.) And she in turn has shared it will all on her blog.

You can find the recipe here!

Chic Nuts - vegan snacks

I have to admit, I am a bit of a 'snacker' and I like my snacks savory and crunchy. I am naughty, and often opt for potato chips but sometimes I grab some Chic Nuts.
 Chic Nuts are roasted chickpeas that are great for a snack or entertaining. They come in two varieties - ' Lightly Salted' and 'Sicilian Herbs and Garlic'. They are crunchy, tasty and high in fibre and protein. Oh, and they are also gluten free. You can buy them in the larger bags or in the 25g snack pack size.

Also available are their 'Fava Nuts' which are roasted, split broad beans. Have not tried these yet but intend to!

These products are available from Woolworths supermarkets and some IGA stores.

Recipe: Lentil and spinach casserole/soup

Now, just like in the previously posted recipe, I got this one from "Livwise : easy recipes for a healthy, happy life" by Olivia Newton John.


It didn't so much turn out to be like a casserole you could serve up on rice, but rather like a soup. That may have had something to do with the amount of water I added. A bit too much. *oops*

And instead of spinach, I used steamed kale because I happened to have some on hand. I also recommend using 2 x 400g tins of brown lentils, as I found that one really wasn't enough.

This recipe marks my very first time using asafoetida. I used only half of the recommended amount in this recipe, but if you are feeling brave, go for the full amount. Until I made a new vegan friend (Hi Geoff!) who is a foodie, I had not even heard of this stuff! The great thing about it is that it added a flavour boost reminiscent of onion/chives but without the side effects I tend to suffer when trying to eat that vegetable. You can get asafoetida from Indian grocery stores and some health food shops. It is powerful stuff, so a little goes a long way.

What you will need:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sea salt
an 8th to one quarter of a teaspoon on asafoetida powder
quarter tsp cayenne pepper or sweet paprika
4 ripe tomatoes
1-2 tbsp tomato paste
2 x 400g tin brown lentils
1 carrot, diced
2 large potatoes, diced
juice of half a small lemon
handful or two of spinach leaves or steamed kale
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Method:
Put all the ingredients into a large pot and pour in just enough water to cover the vegetables. If you want it more soup-like than casserole, add more water.
Bring to boil and then reduce heat to a medium low simmer. Cover and cook for approx 30-40mins, just so the vegetables are cooked.
Remove from heat and stir in kale or spinach, and the parsley.

Recipe: Date and walnut truffles

This is a pretty simple raw vegan dessert...well, simple if you have a food processor. I do not, so had to use my blender. I think that is why I didn't get the right consistency (ie smooth enough) to be able to roll them into balls. The best I could do was to roughly shape them into 'sort-of-balls'. Me thinks a food processor would be a very good addition to my kitchen hardware.

I got this recipe from "Livwise: easy recipes for a healthy, happy life" by Olivia Newton John. This isn't a vegan or vegetarian cookbook, but there are a few recipes in there that are suitable for vegans.

A word about some of the ingredients. Coconut oil (yes OIL and not cream) was not available in the supermarkets I checked but I did find it in a health food shop. Same deal with carob powder. Everything else was super easy to find. Oh, and by the way, this recipe is gluten free.

What you will need:

2 cups of walnuts (about 200g)

1 cup pitted dates (about 185g)

1 tbsp coconut oil

2-3 tbsp carob powder

quarter cup desiccated coconut (about 25g)

Method:

Put all the ingredients except the coconut, into a food processor and process until smooth.

Take 1 tsp of mixture at a time and roll into a ball. Roll each ball in coconut to coat all over. 

Refrigerate. 

Truffles will keep in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Pure Harvest Organic Almond Milk

I have not had almond milk before, and was rather surprised when pouring it on my cereal this morning, to find that it is an odd shade of PINK! What was I expecting? An off-white I suppose. If pink isn't your colour, don't let it put you off because as it turns out, almond milk is rather nice. It has about the same consistency as rice milk, is a bit sweet without being an over powering aspect of this sort of nutmilk.

The brand I found was by Pure Harvest who do other products, including other non-dairy milks. Got to admit, I really was not a fan of their rice milk, though. It just did not taste all that great.

You can pick up Pure Harvest Almond Milk from Woolworths. Oh, and this product is gluten free.

I have managed to hunt down some hazelnut milk and will be trying that next.

I have heard of hemp milk but have yet to find it anywhere.

Natural Alternative

By no means is Natural Alternative vegan friendly across the board, but this brand does sell some gluten free, vegan products, so they are worth investigating.

I absolutely love their Fettucine. It is quick and easy to prepare, keeps its shape and is very tasty, indeed.
No dairy, no gluten, no egg, no yeast and GMO free.
Oh, and no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.

Their spaghetti and other pasta are also vegan and gluten free. So too are their varied cold pressed oils.

Natural Alternative also do hair and skin products which are not animal tested. Check out their website for more details, such as ingredients used.

If you are wondering where I got the Fettucine, I stock up on it from Good Life Health Shops . Remember, if a store does not have a range or items within a range, ASK them to stock it. Sometime they can and will, sometimes they can't or won't, for various reasons. When I ask for something and it is something I love and use a lot of, I ask them to order multiple amounts and stock up on it. If you frequent a particular store, let the staff know that you are vegan and a regular customer. It will help with your requests and hopefully influence what they stock.

Quick dessert for an ailing vegan

So, this week I had to go to the hospital for a procedure that left me with a very sore throat. So sore, that all I could consume were liquids and soft foods. I thought this was a prime time to try out that packet of jelly powder I had in the cupboard and top it off with some soy whipped cream that I had been meaning to use for ages.
 The jelly was by Just Wholefoods, a British company that does a range of  vegan friendly foods such jellies, custards, soup mixes, fruit jellies and more.

The jelly I had was the strawberry flavoured one. It is super quick and easy to make up and sets in no time. There are other flavours available - all of which I intend to try!

I topped it of with some whipped soy cream by Soyatoo. It is light and tasty and vegan. You can buy it in a carton and whip it yourself or buy it in a cannister ans spray it on, which is what I did. They also do a version made of rice, which I would like to try but have yet to find.

I bought both the jelly and whipped cream from PAWS.

Now, note in the photo below, my lack of experience and skills in using canister whipped cream! Who cares? It tasted delicious and was just what I needed!