Home-made vegan mince

This vegan mince is must try. You don't have to be vegan, just give a go and you will be surprised by the taste as well as the texture. Only few ingredients needed …..

Ingredients:

1 small cauliflower

100g walnuts 

3 - 4 Tbsp olive oil 

 1 tsp garlic powder 

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 Tbsp tamari or any soy sauce

Blend the cauli + nuts in a blender until rice-look-like.

In a large bowl mix the rest of the ingredients, add the cauli&nuts mixture and mix it all up.

Spread the mixture onto a baking paper on a baking tray.

Bake on 180 C for 45 minutes tossing every minutes to ensure the whole lot browns.

I serve mine with risotto and salad.

Use it in tacos, pizzas or sprinkled over anything......

The recipe is from I quit sugar by Sarah Wilson 

note: once the mince is cooked don't add it to a sauce, it will dissolve 

What I've been cooking in February

Paprika baked cauliflower 

Cauliflower is a one of my regular vegetable I cook and eat in many forms, so when my mother in law asked me if I can prepare something veggie for the party she was going to have for her husband's 75th birthday I came up with a whole roast couli as a main and grated courgette and chickpeas as a side dish. 

For the cauliflower I mixed up minced garlic, red paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil. Rubbed it onto the cauliflower and roasted for 30 min on 180 C.

Add the tomatoes with some more olive oil and roast for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile grate two small courgettes and fry with very little olive oil for ten minutes, than all drained tin of chickpeas.

Before serving sprinkle some toasted and chopped cashew nut and parsley ….

Beans on toast with eggs, avocado and tomato salsa

This is my typical weekend breakfast, cooked a bit later then usual because I've been for a run 🏃.

The kids would of been fed by then so this is kind of "It's a date meal" for me and my husband .

I made a very quick chili by frying a raw chopped hot chili followed by some garlic and 300g mixed cooked beans. I halved a handful of small tomatoes and added some olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh parsley. I fried eggs, toasted some sourdough bread and dished up with avocado and lime juice..

Roast butternut squash baked with macaroni cheese, yum 

This was served with broccoli and green salad , perfect mid-week meal for five of us ..

 Cherry compote porridge topping

I used bag of 350g frozen cherries, I cooked it with juice of half a orange and a stick of cinnamon for 30 minutes. The taste is not so sweet but very fragrant and morish , it makes me want to eat porridge twice a day :) 

Store in a clean jar and keep it in your fridge for up to two weeks ….

Three ways with yellow split peas

Hello my lovely readers!!! I have missed the whole September in a terms of blogging but I haven't stopped dreaming about food, cooking, baking and creating new recipes. As usual, I use simple ingredients, seasonal produce, nutritious and always budget friendly. This time the main character is yellow split peas : rich in protein, flavour and very attractive golden colour. Comfort food - made easy!!   

Cauliflower & split peas curry

Ingredients:

serve 4

1 onion, chopped

3 Tbsp green curry paste

2 cups of cooked split peas or 1 cup of uncooked ( soak in water overnight )

half cauliflower, dry grilled in a grill pan 

1 cup of passata 

1 tin of coconut milk

salt and pepper

one mug of rice of your choice 

Heat a grill pan and place the cauliflower florets. Grill them until they get dark colours around the edges. Set a side.

In a large cooking pot heat up some oil, add the onions and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the curry paste and stir for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add the cooked split peas, cauliflower, passata, coconut milk and one cup of vegetable stock or water. Add some salt and pepper.

Stir it all up and cook for 15 minutes. 

Serve with cooked fluffy basmati rice.

Done !!!

Split peas dip

Ingredients:

one cup of cooked split peas

1/2 cup water from the cooked peas

1 heaped Tbsp tahini 

1 clove minced garlic

juice of half a lemon

salt

pepper

Place all the ingredients into a big jar and blend it, using a stick blender.

You can also place the ingredients into a food processor but the first method saves you washing up :)

Add some olive oil before serving .....

This soup is made of all sorts of vegetables such as: leek, carrots, potato, parsnip and celery.

To make the soup more tick I add one cup or more of cooked yellow split peas before I liquidise it .

Yum !!

My ultimate summer detox salad

This is very light and yet very fulfill salad that I have been eating this summer . The combination of raw cauliflower, herbs, protein-rich lentils, creamy avocado and some colourful salad tomatoes it's just divine. The honey and mustard dressing is the icing of the cake - seriously, this salad is absolute winner this summer ....  

Ingredients:

half head of cauliflower

150 gr brown lentils ( soaked overnight ) or 1 tin of lentils 

3 - 4 springs of onions , chopped

handful of tomatoes, halved 

1 avocado, chopped into chunks 

herbs such as parsley, mint and basil

for the dressing: 

2 Tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp water

3 Tbsp olive oil

juice and zest of 1 lemon 

little salt ( the mustard is salty )

pepper

Cut the cauliflower into small florets and place it into a food processor.

Blitz until breadcrumbs look-like.

Cook the lentils for 20 - 30 minutes or until cooked.

Combine all ingredients into a large salad bowl and set aside.

For the dressing, put all ingredients into a clean jar, put the lid on and shake it.

Pour over the salad that you are going to eat. The rest of the salad / dressing can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days ...

Cauliflower steak

First post this year and I start with this beautiful cauliflower steak. I often choose to have a cauliflower as a main food on my plate for a reason. Cauliflower have more vitamin C then orange, it is rich with magnesium, some vitamin B and fiber. However, the colour and texture of it can be a bit boring ( to be honest ) so I tried grilling it and so far it is my favorite cooking method. 🍴🍴

Ingredients:

 ( for 2 people )

half a cauliflower

salt and pepper

chili flakes

for the salad:

1 raw beetroot, grated 

1 carrot, grated 

150 gr cooked chickpea

rocket leaves

parsley

dressing:

lemon juice and olive oil

Slice the cauliflower to get two "steaks" .

Heat a non-stick pan over a medium to high heat.

Season the steaks with little salt and pepper.

Place the steaks in the pan without oil and let them brown for 4-5 minutes per side.

At this stage I cover the pan with a lid ( any lid will do ) and I let the steaks to steam for 5 more minutes.

Transfer to the plates, add the salad .

Season everything and drizzle with dressing.

Thanks for reading! I would appreciate any comments or suggestions from you.

Посен алфредо сос / Vegan alfredo sauce

A new pasta or rice sauce is always welcomed on my menu. I particularly love this one for many reasons: it's not tomato based, it's versatile, it can be vegan or it can be enriched with cheese.
I always use a wholemeal pasta or rice, otherwise it's all white and boring.
Alfredo sauce with whatever you choose is perfect mid week meal for the whole family!

Потребни состојки:

за 4-5 особи

1 карфиол

1 литар вода

коцка за супа 

1 чешне лук

путер или маслиново масло

пармезан, чедар или некој сличен тврд кашкавал

или

4 големи лажици хранлив квасец ( побарајте го во продавница за здрава храна)

сол и бибер

магдонос

Карфиолот раздвоете го на цветови и ставете го да се вари во еден литар вода и коцка за супа.

Варете го 15 минути.

Во меѓувреме ставете 2 - 3 лажици маслиново масло или 40 гр путер да се загрее на тивко.

Додајте го ситно исецканиот лук.

Пржете многу кратко.

Изцедете го варениот карфиол ( водата ке ви треба ) и ставете го во блендер.

Додајте го лукот заедно со маслото, малку сол и бибер како и 250 мл вода од варениот карфиол.

Блендирајте кратко , додајте една рака кашкавал или хранлив квасец.

Блендирајте уште еднаш додавајки од топлата вода ако сосот ви е густ.

* во случај да немате блендер тогаш користете поголема стаклена тегла и стапчест блендер.

Ingredients:

to feed 4-5 people 

1 cauliflower 

1 litre water

1 stock cube

1 clove of garlic

40 gr butter or 3 Tbsp olive oil

handful of cheddar cheese 

or

4 Tbsp nutritional yeast ( look on Amazon )

salt and pepper 

parsley 

Cut the cauliflower into a florets, place them in a big cooking pot with the water and add the stock cube.

Cook the cauliflower for 15 minutes.

In the meantime fry the minced garlic in a medium to low heated oil or butter for a very short time.

Place the cooked cauliflower with a 250 ml of the cooking water as well as the garlic/fat and nutritional yeast/cheese.

Blend everything, add some salt, pepper and more stock if your sauce is too thick.

I have served this sauce with wholemeal spelt pasta, brown basmati rice or any cooked grain will do!

Корма / Korma

This is very mild and  child friendly korma,even my 2 years old likes it. Meatless meals, rock!

Ке ви треба:

1 кромид

1 чешне лук

1 лажица куркума

1 лажиче коријандер

1 лажиче кумин

400 мл кокосово млеко (конзервирано или домашно)

50 гр тостирани индијски ореви

пола главица брокули

пола главица карфиол

сол, бибер

масло

1 чаша кафеав басмати ориз

пола чаша бел басмати ориз

една рака фиде или искршени шпагети

На 2 -3 лажици масло пржете го ситно исецканиот кромид, додајте го и ситно исецканиот лук.

По 2 - 3 минути додајте ги зачините, мешајте да се запржат па додајте го кокосовото млеко и мелените индијски ореви.

Додајте околу 200 мл вода, сол и бибер.

Варете на тивко со покриен капак околу 20 минути.

Во посебно тенџерче варете ја брокулата и карфиолот 3 до 4 минути.

Додајте го зеленчукот во кормата и тргнете го јадењето од оган.

Сервирајте со ориз.

Јас оризот го спремам на овој начин:

На 2 - 3 лажици маслиново масло пропржувам една рака посно фиде или искршени шпагети.

Ги пржам додека не потемнат.

Додавам кафеав басмати ориз и 2 чаши топла вода како и лажиче сол.Го покривам тенџерето со платнена крпа и капак .

За половина час го додавам и белиот басмати ориз и пола чаша топла вода.

Повторно го покривам тенџерето со платнена крпа и капак и го доварувам оризот околу 10 - 15 минути.

you will need:

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin

400 ml coconut milk

50 gr cashew nuts ( toasted and ground) 

half head of broccoli 

half head of cauliflower 

salt and pepper 

oil

1 handful of vermicelli or crushed spaghetti

1 cup brown basmati rice 

1/2 cup white basmati rice 

Fry the chopped onion on 2-3 tbsp of oil,add the crushed garlic and after a few minutes add the spices.

Stir well and add the coconut milk, the cashew nuts and 200 ml water.

Season it with salt and pepper and cook it on a low heat with the lid on for about 20 minutes.

In a separate pot cook the vegetables for 3 - 4 minutes.

Add them to the korma.

Serve with rice.

This is the method how I cook the rice:

On 3 tbsp of olive oil I add the small pasta shapes, I stir them up until they get a nice brown color.

I then add the brown basmati with 1 tsp of salt and 2 cups of hot water.

I cover the pot with kitchen towel and lid on the top and I cook the rice for 30 minutes before I add the white basmati + 1/2 cup of water.

I put the kitchen towel back as well as the lid and I cook the rice for 10 - 15 minutes.