Green pea and onion pie (gluten free)

April has been rather lovely so far. One day, we heated up our grill for the first time this year to make ourselves a nice smoky outdoor dinner. We were so stuffed afterwards, that we had to take a long walk. The Spring nature keeps invading our forest cabin. Every morning at sunrise, bees entered our house and made a load of noise. The flowers aren't in full bloom yet, so the poor ones are craving something sweet. Since I need my good night sleep, I decided to experiment with sugar. I left some of it outside and it worked! I only heard the bees coming and going and not pushing into our house. Maybe I imagine it, but the sugar stopped the invasion.

But enough about bees, let's talk about extreme metal. We had a really nice show with Neoandertals at Tallinn Music Week. Thanks to Anton, who came all the way from Moscow, our almost full show is now available as a high-quality video. I strongly recommend to watch it with speakers that have bass, since we only have bass and drums in our band. So if you have ever wondered what I do behind the drums, now is your chance. By the way, at the end of the video, there's a real death metal party going on!

Vegan pierogi casserole

Hey-hey-hey, my lovelies! I have a very special treat for you today. I've been dreaming of making this vegan pierogi casserole for a long time now. Pierogi are my love's number one food (along with cookies), so figuring out different versions how to eat them, is very much needed. His favorite way is to just pan-fry them, but he really loved this casserole too! 

I also devoured it, because it was delicious, packed with veggies and covered with a creamy cashew sauce. You can definitely use sunflower seeds to make the sauce, too. I'll be honest - the cashew sauce is better, but if you have a nut allergy or the cashews are too expensive, then you still can make this recipe. I used store-bought potato pierogi. They are also selling mushroom gyozas here, so they would fit too. Basically every filled vegan dumpling could go in here. If you have more time, I strongly recommend to try to make your own dumplings. Use this pot stickers recipe or this super simple basic pierogi recipe.

Cooking with my mom: Easy vegan multigrain buns

Hey lovely people! Yesterday was a really special day. It was the first of December and when I woke up, we had snow! And so much of it. It's nice to have that fluffy crispy white blanket, especially during the time of the year when it gets dark outside already at 4 pm. I was also happy to see that my fifth cookbook (in Estonian) with gluten free vegan recipes is in the stores now! 

We are visiting my parents right now and I came to an idea. Me and my mom Krista have always loved cooking together. We have catered many events and even a beautiful 50 people wedding all by ourselves. When it's Christmas or my dad's birthday, me and my mom are always sweating in the kitchen and we really dig it. When one of us messes up, we laugh and scream and try to fix it together. I remember when mom wanted to make her special peach pie, she opened the can and shouted: "Darn it, it's a pineapple!". So pineapple pie we had. Actually there were juicier words, but it's a family-friendly blog!

Vegan lentil loaf with cabbage (gluten free)

I honestly can't believe that I'm flying to Nepal tomorrow. My suitcase is still unpacked, but I'm doing hundred things at once today, so I'll be on it soon enough. I'm especially excited to visit the beautiful Pokhara and our day at the ayurveda clinic. But our food centered two week trip to the roof of the world will be packed with wonderful places and activities, so I'm sure I will collect some great inspiration and beautiful memories.

Easy and creamy vegan potato casserole

I've been making this creamy potato casserole for several times now. It's so weird that the last time I ate a classic potato casserole like this, was in my childhood. My grandma really knew how to make the best potato dish! The secret is to cut the potatoes as thinly as you can. That way this fabulous casserole will melt in your mouth. It's extra amazing during the winter season. 

Vegan four seasons pizza a.k.a Quattro stagioni (yeast free)

When I was a little kid, my family used to buy this pizza from time to time. It was frozen and it had a fancy name - "Four seasons". The pizza had four sections and each section had its own topping. They all represented different seasons. I remember that our pizza had mushrooms, ham and broccoli. I can't remember the last section. Maybe it was tuna? But even then, I was a huge fan of broccoli. It was my most favorite part of the thing. All the pizzas usually had ham, sausage or minced meat on them, so I just loved the idea that a pizza can be topped with juicy green broccoli.

For some reason, this pizza came to my mind again. And I am thankful for that! The memory inspired me so much, that I created my very own version of this old favorite. The outcome was really special and unbelievably tasty. And you wouldn't believe how FUN it was to decorate it and bake it. And even more fun to pick my favorite slices and eat them. So if you want to uplift your mood and get your belly full and happy in the process, this is the recipe for you.

Moussaka lasagne with wild garlic pesto

How to be sure your child will end up being a food blogger in the future? When she's under 10 and asks her aunt about how to prepare wild garlic. My aunt lives in the north of Estonia and wild garlic has always been more common there. As a South Estonian kid, it always seemed so exotic for me.

Moist savory muffins with sun-dried tomatoes and olives

A long weekend and Easter are ahead and it's the perfect time to cook these delicious and moist vegan savory muffins. This recipe is long overdue! When I was offering catering services, these muffins were definitely one of the hits along with lentil pie and jelly cake. I also made these for my guests recently and they all loved it. Even the ones who don't like olives! I'm guessing it's the moist texture, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, salty olives and herby golden brown pan-fried onions. What a lovely appetizer!

I'm so glad I can finally share this recipe with you. These muffins have been perfect every time I've made them. They get fluffy and super moist. The outcome really depends on the quality and taste of the olives you are using, so try to use your favorite ones. The muffins are also good the day after when you keep them in an airtight container. I can't wait to hear how you like them! Have a fun and tasty weekend!

Vegan wraps with baked spinach balls and lemony dressing

March. It's almost Spring, but at the same time, it so isn't. The days are a bit longer and lighter and that makes me truly thankful. How I've missed the daylight! But there's still a lot of snow and cold here in Estonia. For example, we didn't go to the grocery store for eight days. The road was a real mess because of the snow and it was just not worth it. Fortunately I'm always stocked with extra food. It's a habit that comes with living in the countryside. 

So on day eight, I pan-fried our last potatoes and made pea and cabbage cutlets for lunch. It was a really nice meal actually. After that, we heard the snowplow outside. Hello all the fresh food! We sat into our old Volvo and took a trip to the store. I stocked up on everything and grabbed loads of fresh veggies and fruits. I wanted to eat something really colorful.

Baked beet and potato salad with beans and creamy peanut sauce

This is the best beet salad I have ever eaten. And since I am an Estonian, I have eaten a lot of them. All these birthdays with potato and beet salads. Road trips, where the only vegan option in the store is a russian vinaigrette salad. All these winter evenings with garlicky beet and mayo salads (now I'm hungry again). I love beets and I have created so many delicious beet recipes over time.

I knew I wanted to make a salad this time. I'm so glad I did! I had a few homegrown beets (thanks, mom!) waiting on my kitchen counter. I also had potatoes, sunflower seeds, a handful of peanuts and beans. The result was super creamy beet and potato salad with hearty beans. Beets are absolutely divine when baked. They become so sweet and juicy and just perfect for this salad. And the sauce is peanutty, but not too much. It has just enough mildness.

We absolutely loved this dish. My boyfriend ate two large servings and he doesn't even love beets! It's also great as a main dish, since it's so filling. I'm telling you, those are some sick beets! (I had to, I'm sorry).

Potato steaks with satay sauce

Cauliflower steaks are so 2014. Now it's time for the potato to shine. In my opinion, potatoes are so underrated. You can turn them into 1001 different dishes. One of the best parts is that most of the time, potatoes only need some salt for seasoning and they will be delicious. There are 15 different potato recipes on VeganSandra. These creamy garlicky potatoes with kidney beans are my huge favorite. They are super easy to make, if you have some leftover boiled potatoes. I also love creamy baked sweet potato with mashed potatoes. When the sweet potato has been in the oven with coconut milk, it becomes almost buttery. So, so good! One other great thing about potatoes is that they are widely available and before the new potatoes are coming, I strongly recommend to give these potato steaks a try!

I  already had some satay sauce at home and when I noticed these humongous potatoes at the grocery store, I knew I had a great recipe coming. You don't even need to peel the potatoes, just wash them carefully and cut them lengthwise. Satay sauce itself contains a million different ingredients. Fortunately you can buy it from the store and don't always have to make it yourself. These million ingredients blend together really well and you can taste the creamy peanut butter and warm spices in it.

These crispy potato steaks were absolutely delicious drizzled with creamy satay sauce. You can also experiment with different toppings and sauces, if you like. Summer and barbecues are ahead and these steaks are a really great party snack!

It was impossible to get these potatoes onto a plate. Me and my love just ate them straight from the baking tray. But there's a good side - no need to wash the plates, just lick your fingers clean.

Shepherd's pie with buckwheat, veggies and tofu

I've written so many times how buckwheat flakes are one of my most favorite things to eat. Especially for breakfast. Often for lunch and dinner too. It seems that I just can't get tired of them.  They are ready in 3 minutes and taste divine when served with a dash of quality cold pressed oil and some soy sauce or tamari. I could eat the same breakfast for months. I love how fluffy the buckwheat porridge gets when using flakes. So I guess it's not a surprise that I wanted to take these flakes to a new level and make something even more fabulous out of them.

Shepherd's pie or cottage pie is an old favorite. The original recipe contains mince meat mixture and mashed potatoes on top. Vegan versions can vary in many different ways. You can use mince soy or lentils instead of mince meat. In my cookbook "Vegan Dinner Party" I have a delicious shepherd's pie recipe with lentils, mushrooms, veggies and mashed potatoes. So if you crave that classic feel, you'll have that with this recipe.

But this particular pie is different. Tastes absolutely amazing of course, but buckwheat flakes are used instead of mashed potatoes. And the filling is just to die for. I am a HUGE, HUGE fan of broccoli. I know, I say these kinds of things about many foods, so I had to use capital letters here. I could eat broccoli straight out of pan when it's simmered with a little bit of water and salt. Which I did in this recipe. But I had to stop because then I wouldn't have any filling left. Imagine tender and juicy broccoli with crispy tofu cubes and luscious spinach and hearty and fluffy buckwheat flake porridge on top. Perfection. I can't wait to make this dish again, it's a keeper for sure!

Creamy baked sweet potato with mashed potatoes

Potatoes galore! What's not to love about these incredibly delicious starchy veggies? I noticed one gorgeous and HUGE sweet potato in the grocery store and just had to buy it. First I thought I would make a curry out of it. But then I was thinking that I don't want to kill the sweet potato's incredible organic flavor with any spices. So I just cut it into cubes, mixed the cubes with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Baked them until soft, covered them with creamy coconut milk and nooch mixture and the most incredible dish was born. I'm telling you, it's mindblowing! Yes, simple sweet potato with just salt, pepper and coconut milk. You wouldn't believe how great it tastes. I served it with fluffy mashed potatoes and it was a match made in heaven.

Easy eggplant and tomato pocket pies and my 2014 in a nutshell

I love simple recipes like that. For the dough, you only need flour, water and salt. Could it be any easier? For the filling, I made garlicky eggplant and tomato mixture. The pies are a bit crispy and a perfect party snack. You can also try out different vegan fillings. 

And since the year 2014 is coming to an end, I made a little summary of my year. If you are in the mood for some flashbacks with a lot of photos, scroll down a little bit :)

Easy cabbage rolls with spinach and tofu filling

Classic cabbage rolls made of the whole head cabbage are my favorite. But if you have made them before, you know it might take a lot of time. I really wanted to go the easy way this time. I decided to use Chinese cabbage a.k.a Napa cabbage. I had just bought some spinach and tofu, so I had the ingredients for the filling. I also had some tomato juice and sunflower seeds for making the creamy tomato sauce. The cabbage rolls will be a tiny bit crunchy in the end. If you want them completely soft, boil the leaves for a minute or two before filling them. I served these rolls with a root vegetable mash, which was delicious. It was made of potatoes, carrot, turnip and root celery. These cabbage rolls also suit really well with regular boiled potatoes or rice for example.

Savory pumpkin and oat casserole

I asked my love - what does he think of this kind of a new recipe: a creamy pumpkin and pasta casserole but there are oats instead of the pasta. He said yes and even mentioned that there should be more recipes using oats. I agree. Even more so because we eat a lot of pasta anyway and I just had a pack of rolled oats and a cute homegrown pumpkin (thanks mom). To be honest, I have a wanted to post a savory recipe like this for ages. Where the oats shine more than in a regular morning porridge. I also like my oat porridge to be more hearty, so I almost always serve it with baked beans or with fried onions for example. And I have absolutely no problem eating buckwheat flake porridge the whole day. I love to sprinkle it with a little bit of olive oil and nutritional yeast flakes. Add some fresh tomato salad and this filling chickpea and onion omelette and you got yourself a very sturdy breakfast or brunch.

Coconut milk makes this casserole super creamy. I remember that many years ago I wasn't a fan of this little gem. But now it is obvious for me to use it in this cheesy baked mac and zucchini for example. Or toss it into other savory dishes to make them extra creamy. This casserole also contains chopped sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and a little bit of curry powder. My mom's pumpkin had such a tender skin so it was very easy to peel. Not like that store-bought pumpkin which had a terribly thick skin and it was a nightmare to peel it. Since it is the pumpkin season, check out these other delicious pumpkin recipes.

PS! If you want to make this dish gluten-free, just use certified gluten free oats and replace the soy sauce with tamari or add a little bit of more salt.

Cheesy baked vegan mac and cheese with zucchini

Zucchini season is in action and there's still time to make this absolutely amazing and succulent mac and zucchini casserole. When I made this dish the first time a couple of months ago, it instantly became me and my boyfriend's favorite. It is really "cheesy" thanks to the full fat coconut milk and nutritional yeast combo. Zucchini adds a lot of juiciness but remains pretty modest when it comes to the taste. So my bet is the kids will love it too, because I don't know a child who doesn't like cheesy macaroni! And I promise you, this is one of the best mac and cheese you have ever eaten. But enough of the advertising, lets get cooking!

Baked pasta with creamy spinach and Brussels sprouts

To be honest, since the last summer, I had only bought and cooked frozen Brussels sprouts. This is why I wasn't really into them. They seemed soggy and kinda gross. But when my lovely mother-in-law brought me fresh Brussels sprouts, I roasted them on a pan and cooked a nice rice dish. I fell in love with them! Now I buy the sprouts myself and I was really craving for a creamy, hearty and green pasta dish. My old favorite, sunflower seed cream, makes the dish creamy and gives a nice "eggy" texture. A great main dish to delight your belly and taste buds.

Baked onions with creamy lemony mushroom filling

The first time I made filled and baked onions was a couple of years ago at Christmas. Me and my mom were cooking lots of good stuff and these onions were surely a hit! This time the filling came out extra tasty. Creamy and lemony and again containing my huge favorite - sunflower seed cream which gives a nice "eggy" flavor here. And the filling also contains raisins! Weird, I know, but they fit just perfectly, trust me. But in case you're not a fan of raisins, you can always leave them out.

The cooking time for this dish is about 1,5 hours but it's totally worth it. A perfect vegan main dish!

Juicy lentil and carrot lasagna

I had a huge craving for a juicy and creamy lasagna. I didn't really want to use mince soy for the filling this time so I went with the red lentils and carrots. It was a great idea! This lasagna also contains a lot of sunflower seed cream which I'm very fond of lately. It's just genius! I mean sunflower seeds are so much cheaper than cashews, they are being sold at almost every grocery store (at least in Estonia) and I use this cream in salads instead of mayo or sour cream and also make different creamy pastas, sauces and casseroles. And it is perfect in this dish too!

I recommend to take time for this dish. It is quite a fine crafting making your lasagna sheets by yourself  but it is so not hard. I actually really enjoyed the whole process. It was almost like handwork :) So this dish is perfect when you have time and the right mood and you are in no hurry. Perfect for the weekend, ay?

I made my own lasagna sheets but of course you can use store-bought ones. I also had some leftover lasagna dough, so I wrapped it in a cooking sheet and put it in a fridge. I can use it for making a mini-pizza or cut some nice noodles for a soup.

Before making this dish, soak the sunflower seeds for at least 2 hours!