Tofu Revisited

I  realized last week that I had not eaten tofu for at least a month. I wasn't avoiding it, I just didn't think to buy it. Time to correct that as it is a wonderful food for Vegans due to it containing all nine essential amino acids the body needs to build protein. In other words tofu a complete protein. It might not be as high quality protein as soy beans themselves but as part of a balanced Vegan diet it  will give us a good and inexpensive portion of our required daily protein (RDA +/- 50 grams).

Tofu, or bean curd as it is known in the East, originated in China over 2000 years ago. It only became popular in Japan around the 1600's and in the West as late as the 1960's. It is made from dried soybeans and comes two main styles, silken and firm. It is nutritious as it is an excellent source of tryptophan, a very good source of manganese, iron and protein, and a good source of calcium, omega_3, selenium, copper, phosphorus, and magnesium. A cup of tofu will give you approximately 20 grams of protein.

Healthwise tofu is low in saturated fat and studies indicate that regular intake of tofu and other soy products lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Tofu also contains isoflavones which act like a mild form of HRT and so help to relieve menopausal symptoms and assist with maintaining healthy bones. The iron in tofu with the assistance of the copper it contains aids oxygenation of the blood which in turn lifts energy levels. Tofu's selenium content helps reduce levels of  free radicals and also DNA repair.

Warning: Anyone allergic to soy beans will also be allergic tofu. Tofu also contains oxalates so those with existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating tofu regularly.

Storage of tofu depends on it's packaging. Long-life boxed silken tofu can be kept without refrigeration until expiry date or opening. Once opened should be refrigerated and used within a couple of days.  Refrigerated tofu can be kept in the fridge for a few weeks but once opened should be in a container filled with water and used within a few days. Change the water daily. Tofu can be frozen as well. Drain the water, wrap in freezer wrap or foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. The texture changes once frozen, it becomes spongy and chewy.

Tofu has very little flavour, so is easy to add to almost any dish whether sweet or savoury. One last point, make sure your tofu is made from organic soy beans and not GMO soy beans.  Enjoy!

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Tofu and Wild Mushrooms

From Weekday Vegetarian by Kelly Rossiter at Treehugger

Taken from the book Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen by Yuan Wang, Warren Sheir and Mika Ono

8 dried shiitake mushrooms

2 tbsp sesame oil

1" / 2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

2 green onions, cut into 1/4" / 1/2cm pieces, roots and tough tips discarded

1 package firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tbsp cold water

1 tbsp powdered kudzu, arrowroot, cornstarch of other thickener

1 tbsp soy sauce, or to taste

1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste

Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 1 1/2 - 2 cups of water for 20 minutes, or until soft. Drain, reserving the liquid for later use. Cut off and discard the stem, if desired, and slice the remainder in 1/4 inch pieces. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant. Add the shiitakes, green onions, and tofu. Add 1 cup of the mushroom liquid, cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the tofu once, until the tofu is cooked through. In a small bowl, stir together the water and the kudzu until no lumps remain. Add the kudzu mixture and soy sauce to the tofu mixture and stir. Cook for another minute. Lemon juice to taste.

Scrambled Tofu

From FatFree.com   By Kate L Pugh

I think it's the dill and nutritional yeast that make this taste like eggs. I'm in the UK as well - I use Engevita nutritional yeast distributed by Marigold, from my local health food shop. I use Sainsbury's own-brand plain tofu - it's best if the tofu hasn't been frozen. ~ Kate

2 tbsp finely-chopped onion

vegetable stock to saute

1/2 pack / 150gms / 5oz plain tofu (not silken), grated

2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

1/8 tsp garlic granules

1/4 tsp dried dill

salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Using a non-stick pan, gently saute the onion in a little vegetable stock until softened but not browned. Add the tofu and stirfry for about another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the nutritional yeast, garlic granules and dill with    a few tbsp water to form a thinnish sauce. Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Add the sauce to the pan and stir and cook until the liquid is gone and the scrambled tofu is fairly dry. Serve on toast. Serves 1-2

Mini Coconut Cream Pies

From the Vegetarian Times    These little coconut pies are sturdy enough to travel in a lunch box or picnic basket.

1/3 cup sweet flake coconut

6 oz / 180gms soft silken tofu, drained

1/3 cup raw sugar

5 tbsps cornstarch

1 14oz / 390ml can light coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp coconut extract

6 mini Vegan graham cracker pie crusts

Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.  Spread coconut on baking sheet, and toast 5 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, or until golden. Blend tofu in blender or food processor 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth. Set aside. Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Whisk in coconut milk, and cook over medium-high heat 8 minutes, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Remove pan from heat. Fold in tofu, vanilla and coconut extracts, and coconut. Divide among mini pie crusts, and chill.  Makes 6 pies.

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Tofu, more tofu, test recipes at Seitan Is My Motor blog.
Potted Tofu at Notes from the Vegan Feast Kitchen blog.
Tofu Feta from My Veggie Kitchen blog.
Homemade Tofu Recipe at Vegan Food at Suite 101
Tofu 101: Kicking Off the T&T Challenge (trueslant.com)

A New Favourite Book - The Urban Vegan

I have been a fan of Dynise Balcavage's blog The Urban Vegan for years. I love reading about her daily life, her food, her cats, and trying out her delicious Vegan recipes.

Dynise describes herself as having been cooking since the age of seven. She lives in a large city with it's variety of food and has travelled to 30 countries with their special local foods. This is probably why she has many ideas to choose from when she decides to create or adapt a recipe for Vegans.

I was therefore thrilled when Dynise decided to publish a cookbook as I knew I would enjoy it. The book is called The Urban Vegan - 250 Simple, Sumptuous Recipes from Street Cart Favorites to Haute Cuisine. My copy of the book arrived on Friday.

The large format paperback and the fact even the longer recipes fit onto one page, will make it easy to work with in the kitchen. An added bonus to the tasty recipes given are that each one is accompanied by an interesting description. I have one word to describe the dishes...scrumptious. They will be loved by both Vegan and Omnivores. There is even a Happy Hour or Sundowner section as I call it.

The first couple of recipes I tried out were the Sweet Potato Gnocchi with the Basil-Fennel Cream and the Easy Passion Fruit Mousse. They were both delicious.

I suggest you pop out and get this book or order online as I am sure, like me, you will add it to your favourite cookbooks.

My Third Blogiversary

It is my 3rd Blogiversary and what a fun ride it has been. I am actually amazed that I have lasted this long as I thought I would run out of ideas within a few months. I might not post as often, but thankfully I am still able to keep going after a bit of scratching around in books and in files on my hard drive.

I want to thank all those great bloggers who take the time to visit. Whether it's for a quick read, to drop a card or taking the time to leave a comment, I still get thrilled every day when seeing who has popped by and I do try to reciprocate and visit them all. I must also thank those who have added me to their blogrolls as that does generate like minded visitors. Thanks guys.

Thanks need to go to those great chefs on the internet from whom I cadge recipes for this blog. I cannot give my own recipes as my meals are made up of whatever organic veggies and other ingredients I am lucky to find that week. Plus I hardly ever measure most ingredients. Probably why I never became any good at baking!

I also thank the owners of the blogging programs where the majority of my visitors originally come from (very few come via search engines despite what the gurus keep saying). I belong to many, some since I started and some quite recently. To name just a few of the many that come to mind, Technorati , Blog Explosion , BlogVillage , FuelMyBlog , BlogCatalog , MyBlogLog, and recently Facebook's NetworkedBlogs.

Thanks again.

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Celebration Raw Chocolate Cake
From The Best of Raw Food
Serves 10

Ingredients for the crust:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup carob
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
1/3 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup coconut or cacoa butter
Pinch of sea salt

For the chocolate filling
2 cups cocoa powder
1.5 cups agave syrup
1 cup coconut or cacao butter
1 tbsp Vanilla extract (optional)
1 tbsp Lucuma Powder (optional)
1 tsp Maca Powder (optional)

For garnishing:
Strawberries, raspberries, or oranges for garnishing.

Crust:
Combine and mix all ingredients. You can best do this by hand or standing mixer). It should have a dough-like consistency. Press the dough evenly into a 7 inch tart pan. (A removable bottom, a plastic cling wrap lining or one of these new flexible silicon pans are easiest.) Chill in the fridge for at least an hour if you have time.

Filling:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Poor into the cake crust. Put the cake back in the fridge and chill for at least another hour.

Before serving, decorate the cake with the berries, orange or other nice looking fruit.

Technorati Tags: raw chocolate cake the+vegan+diet Blogiversary

The Coconut is a Fruit

Coconuts are such a large subject to cover due to their oil, flesh and milk each having much to be said about them, that I will just cover coconut meat today.

The meat is available fresh and dried. If unable to purchase a fresh coconut, buy raw, dried dessicated/shredded coconut. If the dried coconut is organic, unsweetened and unsulphered it is an excellent substitute for the fresh variety.

They are highly nutritious and rich in fiber, the B vitamins (excluding B12), vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Coconuts contain lauric acid which has potent anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and also helps in preventing various problems like high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. As with other vegetable oils, the saturated oil in coconuts is not harmful to ones health. One cup of unsweetened shredded coconut has about 25 grams fat and 280 calories.

In the areas where coconuts are grown they are looked upon as a valuable medicinal fruit. They have been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of illnesses like skin, lung and digestive problems, T.B. and tumors. In modern medicine they are being researched, due to their lauric acid content, for their use in lowering viral levels in viruses like 'flu, hepatitis, herpes and AIDS.

When purchasing fresh coconuts check that the outer shell has no cracks and no mold. They should contain juice (milk) inside so shake to make sure that they do. If the husk is not removed they can be stored for a couple of months at room temperature. Once opened they should be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen. Dried coconut should be stored in the fridge once the packet is open. For those who haven't a clue how to open a fresh coconut visit How To Open A Coconut for simple pictorial instructions.

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Carrot Coconut Cake (Raw)
From Vegan-Food.net Recipe from "Dining in the Raw" by Rita Romano.

5 cups carrots, pureed
1 cup pignoli nuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup dates, pitted
1 1/2 cups coconut, shredded
2 tsps pumpkin pie spice
Grated peel of 1 lemon
3 tbsps psyllium seed powder

Process carrots with S blade to a fine puree. Set aside. Process pignoli nuts, raisins and dates into a creamy consistancy adding a little water to help the blending process. Mix carrots with nut mixture. Add coconut, spice, lemon rind and psyllium. Mix all together and press into mold. Chill two hours or until set.


Indian Cabbage with Coconut (Cabbage Upkari)
From Syvum.com Indian Recipes

Serves: 4
1 medium green cabbage finely chopped / shredded
1 tsp mustard seeds
4 green chillies slit
2 tbsps oil (ideally coconut oil)
2 tblsps grated coconut
2 tsps lemon juice (optional)
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium level till hot and crackle the mustard seeds. Drop in the slit green chillies and fry lightly. Add the shredded cabbage and mix in the salt. Cover and cook on low level for about 12 minutes or till the cabbage is cooked but green yet. Mix in the grated coconut. Garnish with lemon juice (optional). TIPS: It is important that the cabbage be very fresh and more green than white since this recipe hardly uses any strong spices. Choose one with more volume and less weight. Coconut oil gives a distinct flavor to this dish. However if not available, any other cooking oil would do fine.


Thai Tofu Coconut Curry (Vegan/Gluten-free)
From Darlene Schmidt, Your Guide to Thai Food at About.com
This tasty curry can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes.

Serves 3-4
1/4 cup dry shredded baking-type coconut, unsweetened
3/4 package firm or extra firm organic tofu, drained & into triangular pieces 1/2" thick
1+ 3/4 cups good-quality gluten-free vegetable stock OR faux chicken stock
1/2 to 2/3 can coconut milk
6 lime leaves (purchase frozen at Asian/Chinese food stores)
2 tbsps canola or other vegetable oil for stir-frying
1/2 cooking onion, diced or roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, or 1 tbsp bottled pureed garlic
2 thumb-size pieces galangal OR ginger, thinly sliced into matchstick-like pieces
1-3 tsp. gluten-free Thai chili sauce or chili-garlic sauce (adjust according to your spice preference)
3 tbsps vegetarian fish sauce OR substitute gluten-free soy sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsps brown sugar
1 sweet potato or yam, peeled and cubed
appox. 1 cup cauliflower, cut into florets
generous handful fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced or left whole if small
1 red or green bell pepper, deseeded and chopped into bite-size pieces
approx. 1 cup snow peas, left whole or cut in half
generous handful cherry tomatoes
generous handful fresh coriander
optional: approx. 1 cup eggplant chopped into bite-size pieces or slices

Place shredded coconut in a dry wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the coconut is nicely toasted. Tip the toasted coconut into a bowl as soon as it turns light to medium golden brown - otherwise it will burn. Replace the wok or frying pan on the stove. Add 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil plus the onion, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes, or until onion begins to soften and the garlic is fragrant. Turn up the heat to high. Add the stock, plus the lime leaves, chili sauce, and most of the toasted coconut (reserve 1 to 1+1/2 Tbsp. for later). Stir everything together. Add the sweet potato (or yam) and cauliflower. Allow to reach a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, eggplant (if using), and tofu, stirring to incorporate. Cover and allow to simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, snow peas, and tomaotes, and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until snow peas have softened but are still bright green. Tip: Don't worry if the curry seems too thick with vegetables at the moment. Simply stir them in the best you can. The curry will thin out once you add the coconut milk in the next step. Turn heat down to low and add the coconut milk, stirring to dissolve. Add up to 2/3 of a can, depending on how creamy or how much sauce you want with your curry. Remove from heat and do a taste-test for salt and spice, adding more [veg.] fish sauce, or [gluten-free] soy sauce, or a little salt if not salty enough. Add more chili sauce (or fresh-cut chilies) if you prefer it spicer. If you'd like it a little sweeter, add up to 2 more tsp. brown sugar. To serve, scoop the curry onto individual plates or into serving bowls. Top with fresh coriander and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted coconut. Accompany this curry with plenty of Thai jasmine rice, brown rice, or, for an extra treat, with Darlene's Thai Coconut Rice. ENJOY!


Vegan Coconut Rice Pudding With Lime Zest Recipe
By laylahtov at GroupRecipes
Perfect for the sweet tooth Vegan and anyone else in the house! Super rich and creamy.

2 cups water
1 cup rice
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup shredded coconut
lime zest (optional)

Bring water to a boil, add rice and cook for about 30 minutes or until rice has lost moisture towards the bottom. Add coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla and seasons and continue cooking and stirring until rice is super thick and creamy. Add raisins and cook and additional 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in shredded coconut and garnish with lime zest.

Technorati: coconut vegan+recipes vegan+diet

Dark Chocolate for Easter

I normally do not eat much chocolate, but around Easter, when supermarkets are filled with Easter eggs and other chocolate treats, I suddenly get the urge to buy all the dark, organic chocolate I can find. The up side is that dark chocolate, with a high cocoa content, is healthy for you, but the downside is that all chocolate is high in calories/kilojoules so should be eaten in moderation.

Reading labels is important with all chocolate, even dark chocolate, as many manufacturers add butterfat. Cocoa butter and chocolate do not raise blood cholesterol but butterfat does, plus it is not suitable for Vegans. Pure dark chocolate lowers blood pressure.

Chocolate contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E, pantothenic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese. It also contains polyphenols with antioxidant properties. It contains caffeine, but far less than is found in coffee, tea and cola drinks. Sugar-free or low sugar content dark chocolate has a low Glycaemic Index.

The one reason people love chocolate is not only for its wonderful taste but because it releases endorphins in the brain, which give a wonderful feeling of well being. The theobromine content in chocolate is a very mild stimulant with a mild diuretic action.

NOTE that theobromine is toxic to animals like dogs, cats, parrots and horses. Therefore never give your pets chocolate as a treat as you will be harming them.

Depending where you live, you might be lucky to get organic, raw, dark chocolate, but if unable to do so, choose the highest cocoa content. dark chocolate you can find and enjoy.

Happy Easter everyone.

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Chocolate Nests with Tiny Eggs
From VeganFamily

3 breakfast wheat biscuits (ie: weetabix), crumbled
1 large bar vegan chocolate (100g/3 and a half oz/half a cup)
mini eggs (or make your own with marzipan or vegan fondant icing)
patty or muffin tin
paper cake or muffin cases (10 to 20 depending how big you make the nests)

Place your paper cases in the tin. Melt the chocolate and stir into the crumbled weetabix. Put a spoonful of the mixture into each case and shape with the spoon into a rough 'nest' shape. How big or small you make these is entirely up to you! Leave to cool and set (in the fridge is fastest). Then place two or three mini eggs in each nest - simple!


Thick and Dreamy Chocolate Sauce
Karen Knowler Raw Food Coach

½ cup raw chocolate powder
½ cup dark agave nectar
½ cup raw cashew butter
1 tsp of vanilla essence

Simply place all ingredients into your food processor (this works better than a blender) and process into a thick runny chocolaty goo! It’s a miracle! About 2 minutes worth of pouring and whizzing for the most amazing creation ever.
TIPS:
This is awesome as it is – just by the teaspoon (!) – but could be used as a dip for fresh strawberries or other decadent fruits, or as a drizzle for a fruit salad or raw cake or fruit pie.
Freeze in ice-cube trays for instant cool chocolate chunks!
Add one frozen chunk to a smoothie or nut milk for instant choco-ness!
Why not add some raisins and/or nut pieces into the mixture for something a little more, um, “fruit ‘n’ nut”– like?
This mixture should keep well and happy in the fridge (covered) for a few days without any issues whatsoever.


Stuffed Dates, Chocolate Dipped
Cut choice dates open on one side and remove the seeds. Fill the open space in the dates with a strip of preserved ginger or pineapple, chopped nuts or chopped nuts mixed with chocolate fondant; press the dates into a compact form to keep in the filling, then dip them, one by one, in melted choclate. Put on sheet covered with grease paper to set.


Real Chocolate Ice-Cream
Karen Knowler Raw Food Coach
Serves 6 not-very-greedy people.

4 tbsps raw chocolate powder
16 Medjool dates
600ml / 2 1/2 cups of pure water
4 cups of cashews OR 4 tbsps raw cashew butter

Blend the cashews (or cashew butter) with the water to create cashew milk. Add in remaining ingredients and blend well. Pour into an ice-cream maker and process until ready to eat OR pour into a freezable container with a lid and freeze. When your ice-cream is ready, serve, salivate and enjoy!


Vegan Low-Fat Chocolate Applesauce Cake
From Jolinda Hackett, Your Guide to Vegetarian Food at About.com

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups applesauce

Pre-heat oven to 325F/160C. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Note: You can use other cake pans, but because this cake is a bit heavy, layered cake pans are not recommended. Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

To get some fabuous, healthy, dessert recipes, visit Vitalita and download their FREE Desserts of Vitalita ebook.

Technorati tags: dark+chocolate chocolate+recipes Easter+eggs vegan+easter chocolate+sauce

Roll OutThe Christmas Pud

Wishing all my readers a wonderful Christmas.

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
Ada V Hendricks

The thing I have always liked best about Christmas dinner is the puddings. I could quite happily forget about the main course. Thank goodness for all those great Vegan chefs who have created our favorites without the use of eggs and dairy. So enjoy and happy eating!


Vegan Mincemeat
From Cherry of ParsleySoup

175g/7oz raisins
110g/4oz currants
110g/4oz sultanas
110g/4oz candied peel
110g/4oz vegetable suet
150g/6oz soft brown sugar
25g/1oz chopped almonds (optional)
1 apple
1 orange
1 lemon
1 tsp mixed spice
Pinch of ground cinnamon
About 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
50 ml (2 fl oz) brandy (you could use apple juice, but the mincemeat might not keep for as long)

Mix the dried fruit, suet, sugar and almonds together in a big bowl. Grate the lemon and orange peel into the bowl. Cut the orange and lemon in half and squeeze out the juice. Peel the apple, remove the core and chop it into small cubes. Add this to the bowl with the juice, the spices and the brandy. Mix everything together and spoon into 3 clean (and dry) jars.

Martin Shaw's Christmas Pudding
From Viva Guides

Martin says "One of my favourites! Don’t let the ingredients or cooking time put you off making this pudding - the effort is minimal and the end result is light and delicious!" Makes a very large 4 pint family pudding.

450g/1lb plain flour
450g/1lb currants
450g/1lb brown sugar
450g/1lb potato, cooked, mashed and cooled
450g/1lb carrots, peeled and grated
225g/8oz apples, peeled, cored and chopped
100g/4oz raisins
100g/4oz nuts, chopped
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp mixed spice
450g/1lb vegetable margarine, melted
pinch of salt

Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients together in a very large mixing bowl. Put the mixture into a large greased pudding basin (approx. 4 pint or larger) – it should come two thirds of the way up the height of the basin. If the basin has its own lid (many plastic ones do) put it on. If not cover with greaseproof paper and tie with string, put some foil on top and tie that with string too to ensure no water gets in. Place in a very large saucepan of water (water should come up to two thirds of basin), cover and boil for six hours. To ensure the water level doesn’t drop too much keep topping up with boiling water at least once an hour. Serve with dairy-free cream or Vegan ice cream.
Variation: you can split the mixture in to several smaller pudding basins. If you make it in advance re-boil it for 2 hours or microwave for a few minutes to ensure that it is reheated thoroughly. It also tastes wonderful eaten cold.

No Bake Mini Christmas Cakes
By Tulip-Fairy at Recipe Zaar

Tulip-Fairy says "I found this recipe in a sunday paper supplement. It was so good I gave them away as presents." 8 servings

For the cakes:
100g/3.5ozs sultanas
100g/3.5ozs raisins
25g/1oz ground almonds
50g/2ozs chopped glace ginger
1 grated rind of an orange
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tsps fresh orange juice, if needed
To decorate
50g/2ozs almond marzipan
75g/3ozs ready to roll icing
icing sugar, for dusting
48 dragees (edible silver balls, for decoration)

All you do is put the ingredients for the cakes, except the orange juice, in a food processor and chop finely. Then add the orange juice, if the mixture is a little dry. After that, divide the mixture into eight, and use your hands to shape them into small cakes, about 4cm square. Now dust the work surface lighly with icing sugar and roll the marzipan out to a 16cm x 7.5cm rectangle. Cut out eight stars using a 4 cm star cutter (make a template of one if you don't have a cutter). Drape one star over each cake. Then roll out the icing and do the same, but drape the icing in the opposite way to the marzipan on each cake. Decorate each icing star with six silver balls. Store the cakes in an airtight box til needed.

Alejandro's Favorite Steamed Date Pudding with Liquor Sauce
From Bryanna's Vegan Feast

Bryanna says "This is a light steamed pudding that my father, Alejandro Urbina, loved. It's easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and is not as heavy as many Christmas puddings." Serves 6-8

Pudding:
1 1/4 cups wholewheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cups soft wholewheat breadcrumbs (from a light wholewheat bread)
1 cup canned pumpkin, or pureed squash
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp oil, or melted margarine
1/2 cup non-dairy milk

Liquor Sauce:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
pinch salt
1 cup water
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsps whiskey, brandy or dark rum
OPTIONAL: 2-4 tbsps good-tasting non-dairy margarine (such as Earth Balance)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Mix in the sugar, breadcrumbs, dates, and walnuts. In another bowl, beat together the pumpkin, vanilla, oil, and milk. Mix this into the dry ingredients and mix just until it's mixed well-- don't beat. Spoon this batter into a greased 8 and 1/2 x 4 and 1/4" loaf pan or a pudding mold, filling 2/3 full. Cover the pan tightly with foil and steam over simmering water in a covered pot for 1 and 1/2 hours. Cool for 5 minutes before loosening the sides with a knife and inverting on a plate. Serve immediately, with Liquor Sauce, or re-steam for 30 minutes before serving to re-heat.

To make liquor sauce:
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt and water in a small saucepan. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, liquor, and optional butter or margarine. Serve hot.

Quick Fling Trifle
From Dame Fandango

Dame Fandango says "If you need a pudding that you can fling together in a hurry and leave, then this is it. There are many, many variations, and you can simply choose the one that suits you best. I've included 2 versions. I know that traditional trifle doesn't usually contain jelly, but we've included it in one version. And although we haven't used soya much in the recipes, soya custard has been used here for convenience.

Packet egg and dairy free cakes/sponge fingers
Tin of fruit or equivalent fresh
1 vegan jelly
18 fl oz/500ml soya custard (I use Alpro)

Optional:
9 fl ozs/250ml soya cream
Chocolate fudge sauce
Dark chocolate for decorating
Vegan jelly beans to go on top for kids
Jam or marmalade
Alcohol

Version 1
Slice plain sponge pieces or cakes in half, spread with a layer of jam and stick back together. Do this with all of them, then lay them in the bottom of a dish. Drain a can of raspberries or strawberries, reserving a few (or use a punnet of fresh) and lay the rest over the sponge pieces. Cover with strawberry or raspberry jelly and leave it to set. Top with custard (and then cream if you like). Decorate with reserved pieces of fruit.

Version 2
Overnight, drain a tin of black cherries and soak in rum. Then, slice cake, spread with black cherry jam, put back together and lay in the bottom of the dish. Drain the cherries and scatter over the sponge. Make one or two quantities of chocolate fudge sauce (depends how deep you want the trifle) and pour over the sponge. You could serve that as it is, if you wished, or add a grated bar of dark chocolate. Dot the reserved cherries on the top - if you have chocolate sauce left and it's stiff enough, you could put a dollop of that, then rest a cherry on it. Chill before serving. Trifle is great on its own, but you can serve with extra fruit or dairy-free ice-cream.


Rainbow Sorbet
From Living-Foods

4 frozen peeled kiwi
1 box frozen strawberries (tops cut off)
1 frozen pineapple (peeled, sliced)
6 frozen bananas
4-6 fresh mint leaves
3 fresh bananas

Freeze fruit 8-12 hours ahead of time. In food processor with "S" blade: blend 2 frozen bananas, kiwis, mint and 1 fresh banana in food processor. This is the first layer. Put into a parafait glass, place in freezer Second layer: in food processor, blend 2 frozen bananas with frozen strawberries and one fresh banana. This is the second later, put on top of first layer, return glass to freezer. Third Layer: in food processor, blend 2 bananas, frozen pineapple, and one fresh banana and put on top of second layer, garnish with fresh mint and serve immediately. (8-12 hours to freeze fruit; 20 minutes to prepare; 4-6 servings)

Notes: You can just make one layer and eat that. Each layer can be eaten separetely, on it's own. Any fresh fruit can be used- keeping banana as the base. Sorbet can be prepared with several machines. The vitamix does fine. The champion and the Green Power can do this as well, using
the solid 'blank'.

Technorati Tags: Christmas christmas+recipes pudding+recipes vegan+recipes

Tasty Tangy Apricots

It is always a thrill to see fresh organic apricots in the shops. They might be small but their flavor makes up for their size. Dried or tinned organic apricots are also very tasty, nutritious and always available and can be used in so many ways in your recipes.

Apricots are said to have originated in China over 4000 years ago and have been available in the West for hundreds of years. They are a member of the rose family.

They are very nutritious, being an excellent source of vitamin C and A, tryptophan, iron and potassium. Apricots, like tomatoes, are a source of lycopene. They also contain dietary fiber, especially the dried apricots.

Healthwise the vitamin A in apricots, in the form of beta-carotene, is excellent for good vision, healthy skin and helps the body fight against free radicals. The lycopene in them helps guard against prostate cancer in men especially if green tea is also added to the diet. The beta-carotene/lycopene combination is also excellent for health of the heart. The fiber in apricots makes them excellent for the digestive system and helps prevent comstipation. Apricots have an alkaline reaction in the system. Eating them before a meal is said to aid digestion. All parts of the apricot including the flower are used in Chinese medicine due to it's excellent health properties.

Shop for fruit which is plump, slightly soft to touch and a good orange color. Avoid fruit with a green tinge as it will not ripen. Best to eat as soon as possible after purchase or otherwise you can store them in the vegetable compartment of the fridge for a few days.

There are many ways of utilising apricots. Raw, juiced, added to sweet and savory dishes, pureed to replace oil in baked dishes, jams and jellies. Whether using fresh, tinned or dried apricots they are a handy fruit to have at all times in your kitchen.

The stone within the apricot contains a nut which produces apricot nut oil. More info on this oil can be found on my Herbs'n Oils blog.

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Apricot Couscous
From The Vegetarian Times
Cinnamon and cardamom are the sweet spices that give this dish its splendid fragrance.

1/3 cup whole almonds, blanched with skins removed
2 tbsps olive oil
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup uncooked couscous
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
1/2 cup thinly sliced dried apricots (3 1/2 oz.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. crushed cardamom seeds
Pinch of asafetida (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spread almonds in small baking pan. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until lightly toasted, 15 to 20 minutes. Immediately transfer to plate to cool. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, heat oil over low heat. Add asafetida if desired and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add celery and cook 5 minutes. Add couscous and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, dried apricots, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 15 minutes. Add toasted almonds to couscous mixture. Fluff grains with fork and serve. 6 servings


Aunty Tui’s Apricot Loaf
From Vegetarian Network Victoria (wonderful recipes on this site)

1 cup chopped, dried apricots
1 cup All Bran
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup soy-milk
1 cup self raising flour

Combine above ingredients except flour and stand in a bowl overnight in the fridge. Then add the flour and mix thoroughly. Place in a greased loaf tin. Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 1 hour.


Fresh Apricot Dessert Topping
From California Apricot Council

2 cups sliced fresh apricots (about 12 oz)
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsps apricot nectar or orange Muscat dessert wine

Mix together apricots, sugar and nectar; set aside. Top shortcake, pound cake, vegan ice cream, frozen soy yogurt, etc. Makes 6 servings


Raw Applesauce Recipe
From Jolinda Hackett, Your Guide to Vegetarian Cuisine at About.com
No added sugar is needed, since this recipe is naturally sweet. Just be sure to use sugar-free, naturally dehydrated fruits or dates in order to make this recipe truly raw. If you're not concerned about it being raw, any dried fruit will work just fine. Try experiementing with dried peaches and pears, as well as apricots - yum!

3 large apples
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup dried apricots or other fruit OR 5-6 large dates

Place the dates or dried fruit in a small bowl and cover with the water. Allow to soak for at least 15-20 minutes. This will soften the fruit and make it easier to blend. Remove the core from the apples, chop into several large chunks each and place in blender or food processor. Add the fruit and the water and puree until smooth, adding a bit more water if needed. Garnish with a bit of freshly ground cinnamon if desired.


Quick Apricot Chutney
Sunset Jan, 1998
This simple, sweet-tart relish lasts as long as a jar of jam, which in my refrigerator can be many moons. Great with curry. Prep and cook time only 10 to 15 minutes

1 1/2 cups apricot jam
1 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup mustard seed
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

In a frying pan, combine jam, vinegar, mustard seed, and ginger. Stirring often, bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, stirring often, until reduced to 2 cups, about 8 minutes. Makes 2 cups.

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Please support the protest against the Namibian Seal Hunt
Visit Boycott Namibia for info and film clips.

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Flax, The Seed of Ancients

Flax was cultivated in Babylon as far back as 3000BC. It was also popular with the Ancient Greeks and the Romans . Flax was first introduced to North America by the Canadian colonists in the 17th century.

Flax seeds also known as linseed, have a hard shell, which depending of the variety, can be from a golden to a reddish brown. Due to the hard shell most people prefer to eat ground flax seeds. They have a wonderful nutty favor.

The seed and oil is particularly important to Vegans and vegetarians due to being the richest plant source of omega_3 fatty acids. It lowers high blood pressure, reduces the formation of blood clots therefore reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Omega_3 is also an anti-inflammatory relieving conditions like arthritis, migraines, lupus, gout and asthma. Studies have shown it to reduce bone loss. To meet your daily requirement, all that is required is one tablespoon of flax oil or two tablespoons of ground flax seed.

Flax seed also contains lignans which have anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties. It has far more lignans than other plant sources.

High in soluble fiber, it is excellent in relieving constipation and IBS problems. It also is a good source of omega_6 fatty acids, manganese, copper, magnesium and vitamin B6, plus many other minerals, vitamins and amino acids. It also contains a high quality protein.

Whole flax seeds can be stored in an airtight container in a cool dark cupboard for over a year, but ground flax seed is preferably stored in an airtight container in the fridge to prevent it becoming rancid and should not be kept for more than 3 months. The oil must also be refrigerated and should not be kept for more than 6 weeks and must not be used used when cooking but only added afterwards.

Ground flax seeds or oil can be sprinkled on cereals, added to smoothies and even sprinkled on cooked veggies. You can also add ground flax seeds to bread and cake mixes.

Note: When first using flax seed start with small amounts, as some people find that when using it for the first few times, they experience a bloated feeling or suffer from mild flatulence.

For more info on flax oil and flax beauty recipes see my posting on my other blog Herbs 'n Oils .

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Pecan Pie
From PCRM
Recipe from the Millennium Restaurant, San Francisco, Calif.

2-1/2 cups pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 tblsps flax seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons arrowroot
1/3 cup soymilk
prebaked pie crust

To make the filling: Place the pecans in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the maple syrup, rice syrup, vanilla extract, ginger, and salt. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature. In a spice grinder, grind the flaxseeds to a powder. Combine the arrowroot, soymilk, and flaxseed meal with the maple syrup mixture, pour into a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the liquid from the blender over the pecans. Mix well and pour into a prebaked pie shell. Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes, or until the filling has firmed up. Let cool.

Flax Seed Morning Shake
From Golden Fitness Flaxseed
Recipe by Jeanne-Mance Côté from Montreal, Canada.

8 oz Lite Soya Milk
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
One banana
2 tbsps freshly ground flax seed
1 tbsp wheat germ
sweetner to taste (optional)

Mix together in blender or hand mixer

High Fiber, Lower Carb Maple Morning Muffins
From Goodbaker Vegan Gourmet Baking Mixes
This is a low-carb muffin recipe, that is also a healthy bran muffin recipe, that is also a cane sugar free muffin recipe, that is also a low fat muffin recipe, that is also a vegan muffin recipe, that is also a protein muffin recipe! These vegan muffins are surprisingly moist and fluffy, with a delicate texure. The ground flax seed in this muffin recipe acts as an excellent vegan egg replacer, and also provides healthy flax oils and fiber.

Dry Ingredients:
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup whole soy flour
1/3 cup oatmeal (rolled oats)
1/3 cup wheat bran
1/3 cup ground flax seed
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vital wheat gluten OR 2 tbsps starch (cornstarch, tapioca starch, arrowroot)
1/2 cup raisins and/or walnuts and/or other dried fruit
Wet Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups applesauce
1/3 cup maple syrup (or an equivalent amount of your preferred dry sweetener plus 1/4 cup water)
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 or 2 tbsps oil (optional)

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and stir with a whisk or spoon to combine thoroughly. Pour in the applesauce, maple syrup (or other sweetener and water), and optional oil. Mix gently, just enough to combine. Do not overmix. It’s OK to leave a few dry lumps. Spoon batter into a lined muffin tin, and bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes, or until the tops turn golden.

Hints: We’ve tried to use ingredients that are readily available. But it’s also a very flexible recipe. So if you don’t have both the wheat bran and the oat bran, simply substitute with more of the one you do have. If you don’t have either, substitute with more oatmeal. Or if you are missing any of the first 5 ingredients, just substitute with more whole wheat pastry flour.

Happy Colon

2 tbsps ground flax seeds
2 tbsps bran (molasses or any bran you have on hand)
2 tbsps rolled oats
chopped fried figs, prunes and/or raisins

Soak overnight in cup of filtered water and serve with soy yogurt and maple syrup (optional).

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24th April is World Day for Animals in Laboratories

Spare a thought for the millions of animals in laboratories being used in unnecessary experiments.

"I abhor vivisection. It should at least be
curbed. Better, it should be abolished.
I know of no achievement through
vivisection, no scientific discovery,
that could not have been obtained
without such barbarism and cruelty.
The whole thing is evil."

Dr. Charles Mayo, Founder of the Mayo Clinic

Technorati: flax linseed vegan+recipes laboratory+animals

Lavender in the Kitchen

Lavender is not only loved for it's perfume but also for it's flavor. It is again becoming a favorite edible flower. As far back as the Romans, lavender flowers been used in cooking. Lavender adds a slightly sweet, floral flavor to food.

The most popular edible lavender is English Lavender. If you do not grow it yourself make sure the fresh or dried flowers have been grown for edible use and have not been sprayed with pesticides.

Before using fresh lavender flowers and leaves, wash gently and check to see they are insect free, then blot with a kitchen towel. Dried lavender is easily stored in an airtight container in a cool location. Fresh lavender can be put in a glass or vase of water. They will last a few days if the water is changed daily.

Lavender has a strong flavor especially when dried so use sparingly, both when fresh and dried. The flowers (buds) contain the lavender oil, so have a far stronger flavor than the leaves. One teaspoon of dried lavender to three teaspoons of fresh lavender.

The smell and taste of lavender stimulates the appetite and raises the spirits. The flowers also make any dish look very appetizing. Use them in your baking, in sorbets, vegan ice cream, in fruit salad and vegan jellies. A favorite of mine is a mix of sea salt, dried lavender and citrus peel, ground and sprinkled over popcorn.

You can also make a tea with fresh or dried lavender. Apart from it's wonderful flavor it can also relieve a headache, lift your spirits and relax you.

For info on the health and beauty properties of lavender oil, see the posting in my blog Herbs 'n Oils

Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green,

When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen.

Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?

'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so.

Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work

Some with a rake, dilly, dilly, some with a fork.

Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to thresh corn.

While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm.

Vanilla Cake (or Lavender Cake)
With kind permission of The Cat-Tea Corner one of my favorite Vegan recipe websites.

About 12 to 15 servings
2 cups water
3/4 cup sunflower or other light oil
2 tbsps white vinegar
4 tsps vanilla (For lavender cake, replace half the vanilla with crushed dried lavender buds)
3-1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups Sucanat® or sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsps baking soda
vegetable cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the flour, sweetener, salt, and soda, stirring well. Add the flour mixture to the water mixture. Beat at low speed of an electric mixer until well blended. Pour the batter into a 13x9x2 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Headache Away Tea

1 tsp dried lavender buds
1 tsp dried chamomile
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried mint
sweetener like sugar or raw sugar

Place in a teapot, pour over boiling water. Let it sit for ten minutes then strain and drink the tea. It will relax you while also taking away your headache.

Energizing Tea

1 tsp dried gotu kola leaves
1 tsp dried ginkgo leaves
1 tsp dried calendula
1 tsp dried chamomile
1 tsp dried lavender buds
sweetner like stevia or raw sugar

Place in a teapot, pour over boiling water. Let it sit for ten minutes then strain and drink the tea.

Conserve of Lavender Flowers
A Queens Delight Published 1671
Take the fresh buds, so many as you please, and mix them with three times their weight of white sugar. Beat them together in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle, keep it in a gallipot, or vessel of earth well glassed, or in one of hard stone. It may be preserved for one year.

Morrocan Spice Mix

2 tbsp ground dried lavender
2 tbsp ground dried rosebuds
2 tbsps freshly ground black peppercorns
1 tbspn ground cardamon
1 tbsp ground mace
1 tbsp ground tumeric
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp crushed fennel seeds
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Mix together. Store in an airtight container. Use in stews, rice and couscous.


edible+flowers lavender+recipes vegan+recipes vegan+diet herb+recipes

A Chocolaty Blog Anniversary

Today is my blog's first Anniversary. Hugs to all the wonderful visitors I have had over the past year, especially those who took the time to leave comments. I would also like to thank those great sites out there who provide the wonderful Vegan recipes which I include in my posts.

There is nothing more fun than celebrating with Dark Chocolate.........

Dark Chocolate

You might not believe it but dark, dairy-free, chocolate is good for you. The higher cocoa content it contains the healthier it is. The one downfall, due to it's high fat content, it should be eaten in moderation.

The cocoa bean contains almost 50% fat, both saturated and mono unsaturated fat. It also has a high carbohydrate content, but most of it is starch, soluble and insoluble dietary fibers, with a small amount of simple sugars. Read the label to make sure there is little or no sugar added during manufacture and that it is dairy-free.

Nutritionally the cocoa bean contains vitamins B1, 2 and 3, plus vitamins A, C and E. It also contains the minerals magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc and copper.

Health wise the cocoa bean is high in antioxidants and flavornoids which are good for the heart and blood circulation. It also contains theobromine which is a mild stimulant, phenylethylamine and serotonin which act as mild antidepressants. That is why people find their spirits are lifted after eating chocolate, therefore adding to it's enjoyment.

Note that theobromine is toxic to birds and animals so never give them chocolate.

So enjoy a couple of chocolates every day but don't go wild and eat the whole box!!

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A couple of great chocolate recipes from the Vegetarian Times .

Chocolate Rum Cake
Serves 12
This superb cake offers rich, chocolaty flavor in every bite, but with surprisingly little fat and few calories. To melt chocolate, place it in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. When it’s halfway melted, remove the top of the pan from the heat and stir until smooth.

1 cup puréed firm silken tofu
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1/4 cup ice-cold water
2 Tbs. dark rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Chocolate curls for garnish, optional

Rum Syrup
1/4 cup maple syrup, honey or barley malt syrup
1/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
3 Tbs. dark rum

Chocolate Rum Frosting
10.5 oz. extra-firm silken tofu
2 Tbs. dark rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. semisweet vegan chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour, shaking out excess. In large bowl, whisk together tofu, maple syrup, espresso, water, rum and vanilla until smooth. In another large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to tofu mixture and mix until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until cakes are springy to the touch, about 15 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely. Make rum syrup: In small saucepan, stir together all ingredients. Heat over low heat 3 minutes. Using pastry brush, spread warm syrup over top of cakes.

Make frosting: In blender or food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread with half the frosting. Top with second layer. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. (262 calories per serving)

Decadent Dairy-Free Chocolate Truffles
Serves 10 (makes about 30 truffles)
Truffles are usually made with heavy cream, but you’ll never miss the dairy in these luscious vegan chocolates.

6 oz. high-quality dark chocolate (60% cocoa), finely chopped
1/4 cup walnut, almond or canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Place chocolate, oil and 1/3 cup water in microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high in microwave 1 minute. Stir; heat 1 minute more, or until chocolate has melted. Whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 6 hours, or overnight. Place cocoa and nuts on separate plates. Shape truffle mixture by heaping teaspoonfuls into small, 3/4-inch balls. Roll in cocoa or chopped nuts. Chill until ready to serve. (66 calories per truffle)

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Click here and Vote


TECHNORATI : vegan+cakes chocolate+cake+recipes chocolate+health vegan+blogs PETA

PETA Offers to Cook Vegan Dishes for Al Gore

Decided to break my normal format and pop in this news item. Hope Al Gore takes PETA up on the offer :)

Fox News

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Can Al Gore be a meat-eating environmentalist? PETA says no… and is offering to cook the following meal for the former vice president to prove it!

• Fried 'Chicken' (Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients: 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 2 cups unbleached white flour, 4 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (optional), 3 Tbsp. yellow mustard, 1/2 cup water, 2 Tbsp. baking powder, 1 lb. soy chicken (Morningstar farms chicken strips), 3 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Method: Mix together the salt, onion powder, pepper, garlic powder, flour, and nutritional yeast in a deep bowl.In a separate bowl, dilute the mustard with 1/2 cup water. Add 1/3 cup of the flour mixture to the mustard mixture and stir. Add the baking powder to the dry flour mixture and mix. Dip chunks of the soy chicken into the mustard batter, then drop each chunk into the flour mixture and coat with the desired amount of "crust. "Fry the chunks in hot oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet or deep fryer until crispy and golden brown, turning as needed.

• Slow-Cooked Collard Greens (Makes 8 servings)

Ingredients: 4 bunches collard greens, 4 Tbsp. olive oil, 4 medium onions, 4 cloves garlic minced, 4 carrots minced, 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock, 2 chipotle peppers, Salt to taste

Method: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and the garlic cloves. Sauté until the onions are soft.Add the collard greens, carrots, and vegetable stock. Cook until tender.Season with the salt.

• Cornbread (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients 6 Tbsp. water, 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, 4 tsp. baking powder, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1 cup plain soy milk, 1/4 cup canola oil, Walnut halves (optional)

Method: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish.Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the ground flax seed and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stirring occasionally, simmer for 3 minutes, or until thickened.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, Florida Crystals, baking powder, and salt.Add the flax seed mixture, soy milk, and canola oil to the flour mixture. Combine just until smooth.Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and place the walnut halves on top. Bake for 20- 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

• Creamy Chive Mashed Potatoes (Makes 4 to 5 servings)
Ingredients: 5 large potatoes diced, 1 cup liquid nondairy creamer (try Silk brand), 2 Tbsp. margarine, 1/4 cup fresh chives chopped, Salt and pepper to taste

Method: Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, place in a bowl with the remaining ingredients, and mix until smooth. Serve hot.

• Chicken-less Gravy (Makes 6 to 8 servings)
Ingredients: 2 cups boiling water, 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, 3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, 1 vegetable bouillon cube, 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms diced, 1/2 cup onion finely chopped, onion salt, to taste, unbleached all-purpose flour.

Method: In a large saucepan, simmer all ingredients except the flour for approximately 5 minutes. Slowly add the flour by tablespoons, whisking after each addition, until the desired thickness is reached. Keep warm.

• All-American Apple Pie (Makes 8 servings)
Ingredients for the Crust: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup cold water, 3/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

Ingredients for the Filling: 1 3/4 lbs. Golden Delicious apples thinly sliced, 1 3/4 lbs. Granny Smith apples thinly sliced, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 Tbsp. unbleached flour, 3 Tbsp. Earth Balance margarine diced, 1 Tbsp. soy milk, 1 Tbsp. Florida Crystals sugar, large pinch of ground cinnamon

Method for the Crust: In a bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Mix the water with 1/3 cup of the flour mixture to make a paste. Set aside.With a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the vegetable shortening into the remaining flour mixture until the texture is "pebbly." Add the paste and mix well. Shape into a ball and divide into 2 parts.Lightly flour a clean countertop and rolling pin. Roll 1 portion of the dough at a time. Roll from the center out, lifting the roller at the end of the dough (rather than rolling back and forth). Roll to a 1/8-inch thickness. Have an 8- or 9-inch pie pan ready. The rolled dough should be at least 2 inches larger than your pie pan. Loosen from the rolling surface, fold in half, and place in the center of the pie pan. Unfold and gently work into the pan, pressing lightly. Trim any excess dough with a knife.
Method for the Filling: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Let stand for approximately 15 minutes, or until juices form. Add the flour and mix.

To Assemble: Spoon the filling into the bottom crust and dot with margarine.Roll out the second ball of dough to form a 13-inch round circle. Drape over the filling.Seal the top and bottom crust edges together and trim any excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under and crimp decoratively with a greased fork.Brush the pie with the soy milk. Combine the sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle over the pie. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven.Immediately reduce the temperature to 375°F. Bake for approximately 2 hours, or until the crust is golden brown, the apples are tender, and the filling is thick and bubbling. If the edges are browning too quickly, cover with foil.Serve warm or at room temperature.

— For more information, visit www.GoVeg.com

Technorati Tags: Al+Gore vegan+recipes vegan+diet environment vegan

Happy World Vegan Day

Hoping everyone has a wonderful 2006 World Vegan Day.

The Vegan Society has just produced a sixteen-page environment booklet called ‘Eating the Earth.’ The booklet provides well referenced facts and figures which remove any doubt about the environmental benefits of a vegan diet. It can be downloaded at http://www.vegansociety.com/html/publications/leaflets.php . There are also other excellent booklet downloads there like "Why Vegan" plus the World VeganDay Activist Pack.

Tony of Foods for Life has an excellent World Vegan Day entry on his blog with many useful links. http://veganworldwidenews.blogspot.com/2006/10/world-vegan-day-2006.html Pop in and have a look.

"If present trends of meat-eating continue, then by 2050 the world's livestock will be consuming as much as 4 billion people do...when many were doubting whether such human numbers could be fed at all"
Award winning Science Writer : Colin Tudge, Penguin 2004

Spread the word !

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A great recipe from vegweb.com
Incredible Vegan Carrot Cake
Recipe submitted by Tate

Ingredients (use vegan versions):
2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or allspice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup light brown cane sugar
3/4 cup cane sugar
3 egg equivalent in Ener-G egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely grated carrots
1 can (about 14 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup shredded coconut
nuts and raisins optional

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, spice, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, mix sugar and eggs until creamy (works best with an electric mixer) - add vanilla, then add vegetable oil. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and add carrots, pineapple, and coconut.

I prefer a thicker cake, so I used a 9x9 glass pan. But if you prefer thinner cake with more servings, use a 13x9. Grease pan. Smooth batter into pan. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to let the cake adequately cool before frosting.

Faux Cream Cheese Frosting recipe
1 package vegan cream cheese 1/3 cup vegan soy margarine (like Earth Balance), softened. 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 cups vegan confectioners sugar
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and margarine. Add vanilla, then add sugar.
Serves: 9 Preparation time: 20 minutes




Tabs: World+Vegan+Day vegan+cakes vegan+diet

Kiddies Parties

Many parents have a problem when it comes to birthdays on what fun food to make that will keep both vegan and non-vegan children happy.

They have no reason to worry as there are many great websites out there that have vegan recipes that will satisfy the smaller kiddies and their mothers, plus teenagers who need to impress their friends.

Cherry's Vegan Recipes has some great children's party recipes including a wonderful Hedgehog birthday cake.

Fatfree.com has some great savory ideas under their Snacks section which are suitable for any age group.

VegWeb.com has some wonderful recipes for children with a sweet tooth in their "Kid Friendly Sweets" section.

The Vegetarian Resource Group's (VRG) journal has an interesting entry plus recipes in their "Let's Party" entry.

Veg Family has an interesting article "Hosting Vegan Parties for Non-Vegans" with recipes included.

Waldorf Homeschoolers has a couple of raw food birthday cakes for you to try as well.

Also take time out and visit the Vegan Recipe Club as the members have many wonderful recipes that would be suitable (a list of the members' sites is in my side panel).

Hopefully these ideas will help when your next family birthday comes around.

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Party Recipes

Fudge Balls
from VegWeb.com

1 cup of crunchy or smooth vegan peanut butter
3/4 cup of vegan maple syrup
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup vegan carob chips or chocolate chips

Put the peanut butter, carob chips and maple syrup in sauce pan. Melt together and then add nuts. After all is melted, place in spoonfuls on wax paper. Let it cool in refrigerator. Makes 15 balls. Prep Time 6 minutes.

Mongolian Shish Kabobs
from Jolinda Hackett at about.com

This simple activity for kids blends traditional shish kabob skewers with personal sauces, like a Mongolian barbeque, hence the name.

Tofu chunks, pre-cooked
Pineapple chunks
Sweet potato chunks
Mushrooms
Zucchini slices
Cherry tomatoes
Dipping sauces such as hummus, peanut sauce, vegan ranch dressing

Kids can select their favorites and thread on skewers. Grill until browned and soft or bake 30-40 minutes at 325 degrees.

All-In-One Vegan Chocolate Cake
from the Vegetarian Resource Group

1/2 cup soft soy margarine
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 cup soy milk
1 - 2/3 cups all-purpose white flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups sweetener
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup water

Put vinegar in cup and add soy milk. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 round layer pans, 8" x 1-1/2", with Pam, or slightly oil and flour. Place flour, cocoa, sweetner, baking soda, and salt in large bowl of electric mixer, and mix together well with spoon. Mix Ener-G Egg Replacer and 1/4 cup water until smooth. Add margarine, vanilla, soured soy milk, 1/2 cup water, and mixed egg replacer to dry ingredients in bowl. Beat with electric mixer for 3 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl frequently. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees, or until wooden toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on cake rack until cold Frost as desired.

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Favorite Websites - Chef Alex

It's always wonderful to come across a website like Healthy Chef Alex which includes tasty and healthy vegan recipes. It is the site of Alexandra Jamieson who is a holistic health counselor and personal chef who has appeared on many TV shows including Oprah.

The site contains not only recipes but an excellent reading list, health links, details of her workshops, lectures and her services. You can also sign-up for her monthly newsletter.

Alexandra has a recently published book The Great American Detox Diet (Rodale, 2005) which is the same detox program that undid the damage that Morgan Spurlock, the director and star of Super Size Me, did to his body in a month of gorging on nothing but McDonald's. She appeared in the documentary.

Why not visit her blog Healthy Chef Alex as well.


Below are examples of her fabulous recipes:

Coconut Curry Rice
Serves 6

2 cups brown rice
2 15-oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. cayenne powder
½ cup raisins

Wash the brown rice and drain into a medium sauce pan.
Add the coconut milk, curry powder, salt and cayenne powder, stirring to combine.
Place over medium-high heat, cover and bring to a boil.
When rice begins to boil, turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, adding another ½ cup of water if necessary.
When the rice is cooked through, add the raisins and stir to incorporate, then recover and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Serve hot or cold.


Sassy Apple Spice Cake
Makes one 10-inch Bundt Cake
Serves 12

1/3 cup safflower, canola or coconut oil
1 ¾ cups pure maple syrup
1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 tsp sea salt
2 ¼ cups unbleached white or spelt flour
1 ½ tsps baking soda
2 tsps baking powder
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp total either nutmeg, ground cloves, cardamom or ground star anise
5 Tbsp soy flour whisked with 6 Tb. water

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the oil and maple syrup until well incorporated. Add the soy flour mixture and whisk for another 4 minutes until well incorporated. Thoroughly whisk in the applesauce. Stir in the oats and salt and set aside. This allows the oats to soften and absorb some moisture before baking. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Gradually add the flour mixture to the applesauce mixture, beating well after each addition. Lightly coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray or oil. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the pan.

Tags : Healthy Chef Alex Super Size Me vegan recipes vegan diet

Zinc the Essential Mineral

Zinc is an essential trace element which, although only needed in small amounts, is critical for stimulation of well over 100 body enzymes.

Some of the functions of zinc:
1) Ability to fight disease and protect immune system.
2) Helps maintain sense of smell and taste.
3) Helps maintain condition of skin, nails and hair.
4) Increasing male sex drive and potency.
5) Supports foetal development and normal growth during childhood.
6) Helps maintain good night vision.
7) Helps in the healing of wounds and burns.
8) Releases insulin from the pancreas.
9) Utilizes vitamin A stores from the liver.
10) Helps with formation of collagen which gives firmness to the bofy tissues.

The RDA for adults for Zinc is approx 15 mg. Iron is said to affect zinc absorption so if iron supplements are taken it is best to take them between meals. The main plant sources of zinc are peas, beans, brown rice, lentils, spinach, nuts, pumpkin seeds, brewers yeast, green vegetables and tofu. Many products are zinc fortified and vegan zinc lozenge are available in health shops.

Important news on Zinc is that University of Bergen scientists who have carried out large-scale studies in Nepal and India believe that zinc supplement can both treat and prevent diarrhoea. Their research project has produced such good results that the World Health Organisation (WHO) wants to bring zinc into the routine treatment of diarrhoea. Source UIB magasinet

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Recipe of the Day

Raw Food Date Nut Torte By Alissa Cohen
rawfoodinfo.com

Fudgy, creamy and sweet! I bring this with me when I'm visiting someone I'd like to introduce to raw food. People can't believe it's raw! And it's one of the quickest and easiest desserts to make.

Base of Tort:
2 cups raisins
2 cups walnuts

Frosting:
1 cup dates, pitted and soaked
1/2 lemon, juiced

For Base:
1. In a food processor, combine raisins and walnuts and blend until well
blended and moist. (This will take a few minutes and you may see it forming
a ball. Just make sure the raisins come out looking like a fudgy mixture and
are not still grainy)

2. Remove from processor and mold onto a plate in a round circle about 1 1/2
inches thick.

For Frosting:

1. In a food processor, combine dates and lemon juice until smooth and
creamy.

2. Spread the frosting on top of the torte
Note: I like this served at room temperature as the frosting and torte are still sticky, but if you want a firmer texture that will be easier to slice, refrigerate it for a few hours.

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