MILLET STUFFED PEPPERS W/ ROSEMARY ROASTED CHICKPEAS

a hearty dish that is great for a BBQ or a healthy weekend meal!

how?

2 small red peppers, halved and deseeded

1 recipe of vegan mexican millet

1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast flakes

1 x can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon of fresh (or dried) rosemary

2 teaspoons of evoo*

salt and pepper to taste

preheat your oven to 200℃ (400℉).

place the chickpeas, rosemary, olive oil and seasoning into a small baking dish and toss to combine. position the pepper halves in the chickpeas (with the chickpeas keeping them stable). stuff the peppers with the mexican millet and top with the nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

place into the preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes. if serving for four people dish up with a tasty fresh salad. enjoy!

serves 2-4

* extra virgin olive oil

HOT CROSS BUNS

ok... so easter has long gone... making this post rather tardy (thanks to a heavy uni workload) but it is such a reliable recipe (and a necessity at easter time - when there are no vegan-friendly hot cross buns in the shops) that i still felt that it deserved to be posted!

using a recipe from a non-vegan cookbook, and a few slight modifications to vegan-fy things, i smashed together a fresh batch of hot cross buns for good friday morning. they were warm and toasty and screaming out for a smearing of nuttelex (in moderation of course) - satisfying!

how?

SPICY TOFU + CHERRY TOMATO SKEWERS ON CREAMY POLENTA W/ SAUTÉD SILVERBEET + BROAD BEANS

ok, so there are a few components going on here - but each requiring minimal skill. the creamy polenta can bubble away while you spear together your crusted tofu and cherry tomato skewers. sauté off the silverbeet and broad beans with some diced onion five minutes before plating up and your done! 

so what makes this dish healthy? well.. tofu brings calcium to the party, whilst the cherry tomatoes and broad beans add vitamin C. silverbeet is a real winner - packed full of vitamins A, E and K (and of course fibre). 

BLACK BEAN CHILLI W/ CORN ON THE COB

ahhh comfort food! this hearty, healthy dish is perfect for a cool weekend night. it is packed full of protein, vitamin C, calcium and fibre... a vitamin and mineral booster in a bowl. 

how?

1 large cob of corn, halved

2 cups of shredded kale

1 cup of cooked black beans

1 x 400g tin of diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/2 brown onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

salt and pepper, to taste

add your onion and garlic to a medium-sized sauté pan over medium heat. sauté with a dash of water until translucent. add the kale and cook until wilted (about 5 minutes). add the black beans, tinned tomatoes, cayenne, salt and pepper. cook until heated through. 

meanwhile, place the corn cob halves into a saucepan with boiling water and cook for 3-5 minutes. 

serve the chilli topped with the corn cob and a good seasoning with salt and pepper. 

serves 2

BARLEY, ROCKET, ROAST PUMPKIN + CHICKPEA SALAD

serves 4

cooking time: nil

what you need:

1/2 cup of uncooked pearl barley, cooked

400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 medium butternut pumpkin, roasted

4-6 cups of rocket (arugula) 

add your ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. season with salt + pepper. serve with your dressing of choice, or dressing-free, for a hearty, healthy lunchbox idea. 

[energy: 745kJ / 178 Kcal; protein: 8.3g; fat: 2.1g; carbs: 26.65g; sodium: 167mg]

BROWN RICE CONGEE W/ PAK CHOY + PEANUTS

serves: 2
cooking time: 2 ½ hours
what you need:

½ cup of brown rice
4 ½ cups of water
2 vegetable stock cubes (i used chicken-style vegan-friendly stock cubes)
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
½ teaspoon of sesame oil
pinch of white pepper
1 bunch of bok choy or pak choy
2 tablespoons of roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

equipment:

1. add the rice to your soup pot (choosing one with a thickish base where possible)
2. add the water and stock cubes.
3. bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a very gentle simmer.
4. cover and cook for 2 hours.
5. add the sliced bok choy and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
6. stir through the soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper.
7. serve topped with peanuts and enjoy!


the good stuff...

brown rice is a cheap and easy way to add wholegrains to your diet. wholegrains are a great source of fibre and contain all the nutrients found in the original grain. supporting good health, wholegrains should comprise the majority of your diet when it comes to breads and cereals.

bok choy (or pak choy) – high in absorbable calcium – is the perfect ingredient for all types of dishes. try to include 1 cup of cooked bok or pak choy a few times a week for a vegan-friendly calcium-kick!

peanuts bring essential omega-3 fatty-acids to the party. also adding choline and niacin, peanuts are a tasty topping idea; but, like all foods with a high fat content, keep moderation in mind (1/4 cup is an appropriate serving size for nuts)

[energy: 1147kJ / 274Kcal; protein: 8.75g; fat: 7.3g; carbs: 40.7g; sodium: 989mg]

FLUFFY POTATO FILLED DUMPLINGS

if you are an origami pro then you will master these potato filled dumplings in a snap - unlike me who seemed to be all thumbs today! these are light and fluffy and a great idea for entertaining as a fancy little entre or finger food. 

how? 

1 cup of plain flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3 teaspoons of vegetable oil (i used canola) 

1/2 cup of water 

1 pound of creamy potatoes (used purple skinned potatoes with a gorgeous golden flesh), diced

1 teaspoon of dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon of salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk (i used organic almond milk)

first prepare your dough - combining the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. make a well in the centre and add the oil and water. using your fingers, bring the flour into the water and oil and mix to form a sticky ball. turn out your dough onto a floured surface and kneed for 3 minutes. the dough should now be elastic and no longer sticking to your fingers. wrap your dough in cling film and set aside for an 1-2 hours. 

place your potato cubes into a medium saucepan and cover with water. bring to the boil and then simmer for around 20 minutes or until your potatoes are tender. drain and set aside to cool slightly for 5 minutes. add the remaining ingredients and mash together with a potato masher to produce a creamy potato mixture. 

now to roll out your dough - using a rolling pin roll your dough out thinly and cut into rounds with a 10cm diameter cookie cutter. place a small ball of the potato mix into the centre of your circle of dough. fold one edge of the circle over the potato mix and pinch along the edge to seal the dumpling. repeat until you have used up all your dough. 

bring a large pot of salt water to the boil. add no more than 6 dumplings at a time (so as not to lower the temperature of your water too much) and cook the dumplings for 3-4 minutes. the dumplings should rise to the top. skim these off with a spider strainer and serve warm topped with a drizzle of good quality evoo and some fresh herbs (i have used parsley flowers). enjoy! 

serves 4-6

HEARTY VEGAN BAKED BEANS W/ OUTBACK DAMPER

weekend mornings allow for a slightly slower pace, creating the perfect opportunity for some brunch creativity. feeling driven to include a little more protein in my diet of late, i decided a hearty baked bean recipe would be the right way to go! as i didn't have any homemade bread on hand i felt that this brunch idea would be missing something... so in true australian-style i threw together a quick and easy (but oh so satisfying) damper dough - which, i have to say, was the perfect accompaniment to these hearty vegan baked beans - delicious! 

how?

for the baked beans…

1 teaspoon of olive oil
½ medium onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
400g can of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
400g tin of borlotti beans
½ teaspoon of dried oregano
pinch of salt, to taste
1 tablespoon of raw sugar
1-2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 cups of loosely packed rocket



for the damper…

1 cup of self-raising flour
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of sugar
3 teaspoons of vegan margarine
¼ cup of non-dairy milk (i used organic almond milk)
1 tablespoon of water

starting with your damper – combine the flour, salt and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. add the margarine and rub into the flour, creating a crumb-like texture. add the non-dairy milk and mix to combine. add the water as required to form a sticky dough. split the dough in half and roll into balls. place on a sheet of baking paper and put into a preheated oven at 200°C for 25 minutes (or until golden and sound hollow when tapped on the base).

whilst your dampers are baking, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil in an oven-safe sauté pan over a medium heat. when the onion has softened add the beans, oregano, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, sugar and salt. cook for 5-6 minutes before placing into the oven with your damper.

remove your beans from the oven, serve topped with half the rocket and your freshly baked damper for a perfect sunday brunch!

serves 2

ROAST PUMPKIN, COUS COUS, CHICKPEA, ROCKET + CHERRY TOMATO SALAD W/ CREAMY MINT DRESSING

yet another satisfying salad - this time with peppery rocket, sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet and tasty roasted pumpkin, hearty chickpeas, and fluffy cous cous with a creamy mint dressing. 

for the dressing

1/2 cup of loosely packed fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons of cashew pieces

1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1/4 cup of water

1/4 teaspoon of salt

place all ingredients into a small food processor or wet mill - using a bamix. blitz for 5 minutes or until creamy and perfectly smooth. serve your salad and top with lashings of this creamy minty dressing - yum! 

serves 2-4 

HERBY FIELD MUSHROOM AND WHITE BEAN FILLED RAVIOLI

for the second weekend in a row i have been inspired to smash together a fresh batch of vegan pasta – this time with a flavorful herby field mushroom and white bean filling.

how? 

2 large field mushrooms, thinly sliced 

½ a medium sized brown onion, finely diced 

2 cloves of garlic, minced 

½ teaspoon of dried rosemary 

1 teaspoon of dried parsley 

1 x 400g can of butter beans, rinsed and drained 

1 teaspoon of vegetable oil (i use canola) 

salt and pepper to season 

1 recipe of fresh vegan pasta 

heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. add the onion and sauté for a further 1-2 minutes or until translucent. add the dried herbs and stir to combine. add the mushrooms and sauté until tender (5-6 minutes). season with salt and pepper. add the butter beans to the bowl of a food processor. blitz until the beans are smooth. add half of the mushroom mix and pulse to combine. combine the blitzed mix with the remaining half of the mushroom mix in a mixing bowl and stir to thoroughly combine. adjust the seasoning as desired. 

roll out the fresh vegan pasta to desired thickness (i went as far as setting 5 on a manual pasta machine). spoon out 1-2 teaspoons of mix along the length of your rolled out pasta, leaving sufficient space between mounds to seal your ravioli (2-3 cm between each). cover with a second sheet of your rolled out pasta and press down the pasta around the mushroom mix – allowing any air bubbles to escape as you do. cut into ravioli and set aside ready to cook. 

bring a large pasta pot of salted water to the boil. add the prepared ravioli and cook until al dente (1-2 minutes from when the ravioli float to the top of the pot of boiling water). drain and serve with a drizzle of good quality evoo or, as i have, with a tasty homemade vegan tomato sauce.

serves 4

PAD THAI-STYLE SALAD W/ A CREAMY PEANUT-LIME DRESSING

the latest in my salad series was a pad thai-style salad smothered in a creamy peanut-lime dressing. as i had no limes on hand i subbed the ¼ cup of lime juice for fresh lemon juice, reduced the water by half and added the extra peanuts for the salad to the dressing to make it a little less loose and a lot more creamy. this crunchy salad was crisp and refreshing and really quick to pull together with the right ingredients on hand. i did have to make a special trip to the asian grocer for some bean sprouts as i decided it just wouldn’t be pad thai-style without them. although this hasn’t been my fav salad from isa chandra’s appetite for reduction so far, it was a nice change to feast on some fresh asian flavours (and after the rotten day i had, this fresh and crunchy salad had a pretty tough job of inspiring any sense of enthusiasm from me)

CHICKPEA, BLACK QUINOA + ROCKET SALAD W/ BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

working with my left-over black quinoa and isa chandra's appetite for reduction in hand, i smashed together the everyday chickpea-quinoa salad, swapping out the romaine lettuce for rocket (arugula) and skipping the red onion on this occasion  as i planned to eat half for dinner and save half for my lunchbox tomorrow, i held off dousing this with the accompanying creamy balsamic vinaigrette - so you will have to trust me that it was yum (and also try it too as you will most probably, almost definitely love it like i did).