Banoffee Pie + Vegan Option

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Dreaming of banoffee pie 🍌💕💛 #banoffeepie

A post shared by AMAZE DESSERT BOUTIQUE (@amazedessertboutique) on Nov 11, 2016 at 2:24pm PST

The last time I made a banoffee pie was for Amaze Dessert Boutique, ahh those were the days! Anyway, today we are extending our bubble to our family, so I decided to make two beautiful banoffee pies. I really wanted to make a vegan one but sourcing ingredients is difficult at this time.

This is the classic recipe I used to make for all my banoffee orders back in that day. If you are in a hurry, the caramel can be substituted for caramel condensed milk found next to the condensed milk in the supermarket. I think I will definitely go this route next time as I am impatient lol.

Also, it can be easily made vegan by using coconut condensed milk, dairy-free spread, plain biscuits such as Arnotts Nice biscuits and whipped coconut cream. I've linked vegan substitutes ideas so just follow the links.


Classic Banoffee Pie
Ingredients

Base:
75g butter, melted
250g crushed biscuits - Malt biscuits, Nice, Superwines etc.

Caramel:
ready-made caramel condensed milk or dulce de leche

-Or-

75g butter
1 can (397g) Condensed Milk

a pinch of salt

Topping:
4 bananas
300ml cream, lightly whipped + 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence/extract
grated chocolate or cocoa powder

Method
1. To make the base, melt the butter, then crush biscuits either in a bag and smash with a rolling pin or in a food processor.

In a bowl, mix the crushed biscuits and melted butter together, then tip the mixture into a pie dish making sure to spread our evenly and pushing some crumbs to the side.

Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until set.

2. To make the filling, melt the butter and condensed milk in a saucepan. Cook over a low to medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring until the mixture becomes thick.
Pour the caramel onto the cooled biscuit base and smooth out. Leave to chill for an hour. (If you accidentally burn the caramel, strain using a sieve, I have done this before!)

- If using caramel condensed milk or dulce de leche, simply heat in a saucepan on medium heat until it comes to a rapid boil, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

3. Just before serving, lightly whip the cream with the vanilla. It should stand in soft peaks, be careful not to over whip! 

Peel and slice the bananas and place over the caramel.

Top with whipped cream, if you want to pipe on the cream on using a zip lock bag or piping tips if you have them.

Decorate the top with grated chocolate or sifted cocoa powder.

Enjoy xx

Oat Flour Cookies: Choc Chip + Double Chocolate

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A post shared by Kim 💚 (@amazekitchen) on Apr 10, 2020 at 6:42pm PDT

Kia ora tātou! I thought I'd share the recipe to these oat flour cookies since 8 people voted yes on my IG poll 😝. Amidst, the great covid shortage of flour, I had to improvise with oats. 

To make oat 'flour' whizz rolled oats in a high-speed blender such as a magic bullet or food processor and you're done! Oats are naturally gluten-free but if you are extremely intolerant just grab a pack of certified GF oats.

If you use coconut sugar, vegan milk and dark choc these cookies are VG GF RSF :) However, use whatever ingredients you have on hand, milk choc chips or chunks of Whittakers would be delicious too! Also, no eggs means that you could just eat the batter raw... 😋

OAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup oat flour (blended oats)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
2 tbsp melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
3 - 5 tbsp mylk (start w/ 3 tbsp and add more if needed)


Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Mix all dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle add in wet ingredients and mix well.
3. Cool batter in the fridge for 10 mins (you can skip this step if you don’t mind a flatter cookie).
4. Spoon out about tablespoon sized mixture leaving plenty of space apart.
5. Bake for 10 mins or until golden.

Leave to cool on a wire rack (if you have one) for at least 10 min and enjoy! :)


DOUBLE CHOC CORNFLAKE COOKIES 

These are based on popular antipodean biscuits that are named after a country starting with A (an interesting read).

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup oat flour (blended oats)
1/2 cup cornflakes or branflakes optional
2 tbsp sifted cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
2 tbsp melted coconut oil or veg oil
3 - 5 tbsp mylk (start w/ 3 tbsp and add more if needed)

Topping: 1/2 cup chocolate melted + extra cornflakes or nuts. 

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Mix all dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle add in wet ingredients and mix well. 3. Spoon out about tablespoon sized mixture using two spoons or your hands!
4. Bake for 15 -20  mins or until crisp.
5. Leave to cool on a wire rack (if you have one) for at least 10 min. 

6. Melt the chocolate - I simply put a heatproof bowl over a pot of hot water.
7. Top cookies with melted chocolate & decorate with cornflakes or nuts such as walnuts.

I hope you enjoy ISO baking and you eat all of the treats you please. 

Stay safe, kia kaha Aotearoa, 

Kim xx

Chana Masala - Chickpea and Aubergine Curry

Chana masala is something that I discovered here in London. Since their is a big South Asian population here, a hot curry isn't too hard to find - but a good one can be!

Our local Indian takeaway isn't exactly fine dining, however they make the best chana masala - and I think it's because there is so much ghee/oil used, but ohh so good. Also that fact that these curries have been cooking for hours makes them even better!

This recipe is a combination of my two favourite curries from our local - chickpea curry and aubergine (eggplant) curry. I always order both on rice which comes to about £12 which I find a little pricey, but well worth it.

For a good veg curry I've learnt two great tips - the longer you cook it the better and always mash a few chickpeas/potatoes to help thicken the gravy. Curries do take a while to make sure to set enough time, if you have a slower cooker, boy o boy that would make it perfect. I wish had one!


Chickpea and Aubergine Curry

Ingredients
2 -3 tablespoons of oil - coconut oil preferably
1 large onion diced
3 cloves of good garlic sliced
1 thumb of ginger diced

2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons paprika powder
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Chill power to taste
*If you can't be bothered with all those spices, find a good quality pre mixed curry powder or spice mix that has most of these spices, but do get whole cumin seeds!

1 can of chopped tomatoes in juice
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 can of cooked chickpeas
2 large cooked potatoes diced
1 aubergine sliced in to battons
1-2 tablespoons dairy free butter or coconut oil
Salt and cracked pepper to finish


Method
1. On a medium high heat fry onion, garlic and ginger till soft (don't be shy with the oil).

2. Next add in the spices. Cook until cumin seeds pop and the spices become fragrant. Set pan aside.

3. In another pan fry aubergine in a little oil. Add in a few tablespoons of water each time to help with cooking. Aubergine is best served when it is super soft and gooey, cook it well before this point.

4. Add aubergine, potatoes and chickpeas to the spice mix, sauté for 2 minutes then add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.

5. Leave to simmer till potatoes and chickpeas are soft, about 30-60minutes, adding extra water if you need to.

Mash at least a quarter of the potatoes and chickpeas with the back of a fork to help with thickening. Season with salt and chilli powder to taste.

6. Finish of with cracked pepper and for extra indulgence (optional) stir in 2 tablespoons of dairy free butter or coconut oil.

If you want to cook this a slow cooker follow steps 1-2, then add the lot in your slow cooker.

Good luck and enjoy!

Kim xx

Chocolate Fudgesicle Slice with Black Beans

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Chocolate Fudgesicle Bites🍫🍦❄️ These ice cream bites are made with black beans, cocoa, date paste, coconut oil and vanilla extract🍫 I left them in the freezer to set, then sliced then into small bars for a quick protein fix😋 Full recipe is on my blog💕💚 #chocolatefudge #fudgesicle #icecreambites #vegan #dairyfree #highprotein #plantprotein #naturalsugar #sweetenedwithdates

A post shared by Amaze Kitchen (@amazekitchen) on Aug 24, 2015 at 10:20am PDT

I have been so eager to try out black bean fudge, and finally whizzed up a batch last night. Looking through recipes online I found that most used agave syrup or honey, and I really wanted to use the date paste I made earlier on in the week.

The date paste and black beans made for a smooth and creamy ice cream texture, rather than that of a fudge. Next time I'll try it using agave syrup and see if there is much difference.

Also, if you are worried about the black beans, please don't be, you can't even taste them! I challenge you to make these and not tell your taste testers the star ingredient until later. I cut my mine into square slices, and kept them in the freezer for a quick and easy chocolatey protein hit. If you have cupcake cases or ice block moulds they would be even better. I'm definitely making this for my kids in the future.

Chocolate Fudgesicle Bites

Ingredients 

1 425g can organic black beans drained or 1 3/4 cups
4 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

6 tablespoons date paste or 12 dates soaked in hot water

4 tablespoons coconut butter or coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

a pinch of sea salt 

Method

1. Place the beans and cocoa powder in food processor or a heavy duty blender (this might not work in a normal blender). If you don't have any of these gadgets, a mortar and pestle will work fine. Whizz till beans are smooth.

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients, and whizz until you have a smooth batter. You may have to scrape down the sides to get all the lumps out.


If using soaked dates and not date paste, soak in hot water and heat on the stove or microwave for 1-2 minutes just to soften. Drain the water, and add the dates to the mixture.

3. Smooth out the mixture in a tin lined with baking paper (I used a bread tin) or pour into cupcake cases or ice block moulds. Set in the freezer for a minimum of 2- 3 hours or overnight.

Once the fudgesicle mix is set, cut into square slices and put back into the freezer  to store in an airtight container or bag. 

Enjoy,

Kim x

Vegan Dal Makhani

I made dal makhani last night! This is my favourite Punjabi dish, which is basically like butter chicken but uses black dal and red kidney beans instead.

I did plenty of research online and gave the recipe my own twist and veganised it by using coconut cream instead of fresh cream and dairy free spread instead of butter (you could even use coconut oil). The curry was still so creamy you couldn't tell the difference. This dish does use a bit of fat, but this is what makes it unique, rich and velvety. If it's too much for your taste, then just adjust!

You can find dry black dal in the international aisle at supermarkets or any Indian grocery store. It is very important to get a good quality/authentic garam masala powder as this could make or break your curry!


Vegan Dal Makhani

Ingredients

3⁄4 cup urad dal (black matpe beans)
1⁄4 cup dried red kidney beans or 1 cup canned
3 tablespoons dairy free butter or coconut oil
1 tablespoon oil (high heat)
2 teaspoons dried cumin seeds
1 onion diced
2 large garlic cloves diced
1 small thumb ginger diced 

1  1/2 teaspoons garam masala powder 

1/2 - 1 teaspoon chilli powder depending on preference
2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder
2 large tomatoes diced or 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste  

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup full fat coconut cream/milk (I use the Asian kind)
salt


Method

Preparing dried beans
I used the quick soak method as I made this dish last min, either way works perfectly fine!

*Overnight soak - Soak black dal and red kidney beans overnight in 4 cups of water.
*Quick soak - Boil dried beans in 3-4 cups of hot water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let them stand in the hot water for 1 hour.


1. Cook the soaked black dal and red kidney beans (if using canned kidney beans add them in at the end) in 4 cups of water and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt till soft, about 30-40 minutes.

2. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons dairy free butter or coconut oil in a  medium heat heavy based pan. Fry cumin seeds till they start to pop, then add chopped onions, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, the chilli, sweet paprika and fry till golden.

Add chopped ginger and garlic, sauté until fragrant.

3. Next add in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Sauté till the tomatoes are reduced and caramelised. You will know when you have reached this stage as the tomatoes become like a paste, are richer in colour and you will see the fat separate.

4. Add in the cooked dal and red kidney beans, without the water at first. Mash some of the dal with the back of your spoon while stirring, this gives a rich and creamy texture.

Using the liquid from the boiled beans add two cups of this and simmer and a reduce on a low heat for 15-20 minutes.

5. Add in coconut cream, 1 tablespoon of dairy free spread or coconut oil, garlic powder, sugar and 1/2 a teaspoon garam masala powder, then simmer on low for another 5 minutes.

Keep warm on low heat on the stove till ready to eat, the longer the dal cooks the better. Serve with rice, naan and veggies of your choice.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did!


Kim xx

Vegan Pancakes

This morning I really wanted to make pancakes since I had some left over whipped coconut cream (any excuse), so I finally gave them a go.

I was a little scared at start, however I was surprised to end up with fluffy, light pancakes, and a hint of mixed spice really took it that extra mile. This is a super yummy and easy recipe! I enjoyed mine with passion fruit sauce and whipped coconut cream :)

The key to fluffy pancakes is in the baking powder, use a good quality one and make sure to check the expiry date too.

Yummy Vegan Pancakes!

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour or gluten free flour mix
2 teaspoons baking powder

a pinch of salt

1 cup dairy free milk
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or oil of choice 

Flavouring ideas
You don't need to add in any of these as they are optional, I usually just add in vanilla extract or cinnamon. It all depends on what I have in the kitchen or what I'm in the mood for.

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or mixed spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon date paste 

1 teaspoon coconut sugar 
mashed banana
berries


Method

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients.

2. Make a well in your flour mixture and add in the dairy free milk, oil, water and vanilla extract. Mix till just combined. 

3. Heat your pan at medium-high heat, and add oil of choice.

4. Pour a ladle full of batter on the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbles pop up, flip then cook till golden brown.


Vegan Pikelets

To make Pikelets (mini sweet pancakes) add 1/4 cup of  unrefined sugar. When cooking mini pancakes, use about 2 tablespoons of batter for each.

Variation: Banana Pancakes!

Buckwheat Pancakes

Follow the same recipe as above, but use one cup of buckwheat flour.

Buckwheat pancakes 

Enjoy,


Kim :)

Slow Cooked Tomatoes

Slow cooked tomatoes.

These tomatoes are cut in half, placed in a pan with olive oil and fresh rosemary, then slow cooked on the stove top on a low heat for an hour or more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The slow heat concentrates the flavour of the tomatoes and makes them rich and sweet. 

San Choy Bau

This is a quick, fresh and tasty meal to make in a hurry. Instead of the traditional mince meat, I used bean vermicelli and a variety of vegetables. San choy bau is such a versatile dish! You can get creative when adding in vegetables and creating dipping sauces, while impressing your loved ones at the same time!


San Choy Bau

Ingredients

100 grams uncooked vermicelli
1-2 tablespoons oil
1 onion sliced
2 cloves of garlic sliced
1 sliced carrot
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of sliced red cabbage
2 cups of sliced spinach
1 red capsicum (bell pepper) diced

¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
Salt and white pepper to taste
Crushed peanuts and lemon to garnish


Method

1. Prepare your vermicelli noodles by placing them in a bowl with hot water, cover with a plate and leave aside. It should take under 5 minutes for them to soften.

2. Saute onion, garlic and carrots in oil on a medium heat till soft. Strain the vermicelli well, then add it to the add it in along with the rest of the vegetables.

3. Season with tamari, sesame oil, lemon juice and salt and white pepper to taste. Cook for a further 5 minutes to let the noodles absorb the flavours.

Serve with lettuce leaves, and garnish with crushed peanuts and a squeeze of lemon or apple cider.

Enjoy xx

Vegan Eggplant Lasagne

Vegan Eggplant Lasagne 

The last time I made a vegan lasagne, I used gluten free pasta sheets, tofu and spinach. It was yummy, but not as good as this eggplant lasagne. I felt I could eat more of this lasagne, as it was nourishing, light and all vegetable based. This dish is also vegan and gluten free. A very comforting and warming dish perfect for a winters day or summers night.


Ingredients

Lentil Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons of oil
1 large onion diced
3 cloves garlic sliced
1 red capsicum dice
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 can of tomato puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can of brown lentils
2 teaspoons of mixed dried herbs
1/2 teaspoon raw sugar
Salt and pepper to taste


Lasagne Sheets:
3 european eggplant sliced

Vegan Cheese Sauce:
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon flour of your choice, I used tapioca
1 cup full fat dairy free milk, I used rice milk
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon english mustard
Salt to taste
*If you can’t find nutritional yeast, just make a white sauce :)



Method

1. Sauté onion and garlic in oil, on a medium high heat. Once onions are soft add the capsicum and mushrooms.

2. Pour in the tomato puree and paste, then add the herbs sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer on a low heat for 5-10 minutes. Then stir in the lentils.

3. Prepare the vegetable lasagne ‘sheets’, by cutting eggplant into 1 cm thick slices. I grilled the eggplant in my sandwich press till soft. I used the sandwich press as it is much faster then putting them in the oven.

If you don’t have a sandwich press, put them in the oven for 20 mins, making sure to turn them over halfway through.

4. To make the vegan cheese sauce, mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Then cook in a saucepan a on a medium heat, constantly stirring till thick.

5. Assemble the lasagne in a medium sized pyrex dish. Spread a small amount of lentil sauce on the bottom, then add a layer of eggplant, then another layer of lentil sauce. Keep this same pattern, then top with the vegan cheese sauce.

6. Cook the lasagne in the oven at 180C for 15-20 minutes, or just until the top starts to brown.

Leave to stand for at least 10 minutes to set. Then serve with a salad or on its own!

You can garnish with grated nuts for a parmesan effect, I used peanuts :)

Enjoy xx

Lentil Bolognese Sauce

Lentil Bolognese Sauce

This sauce can be used with your favourite pasta!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of oil
1 large onion diced
3 cloves garlic sliced
1 red capsicum dice
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 can of tomato puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can of brown lentils
2 teaspoons of mixed dried herbs
1/2 teaspoon raw sugar
Salt and pepper to taste


Method

1. Sauté onion and garlic in oil, on a medium high heat. Once onions are soft add the capsicum and mushrooms.

2. Pour in the tomato puree and paste, then add the herbs sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer on a low heat for 5-10 minutes. Then stir in the lentils.

Raw Vegan Snickers Slice

I came across this recipe over a year ago on Pinterest. Funny story, I was on a juice fast and pinned over 500 vegan recipes that I intended to make after the fast, one year later lol… Anyway, I finally found the time, and here they are. It’s really scary when you eat this vegan snickers slice, as they are just as dreamy, and even better than the original!

This recipe is inspired by Lauren’s over at Oatmeal with a Fork. Here’s my version of her amazing recipe with a few adjustments. The original recipe uses oats in place of the almond meal, which I am definitely going to try next time.

Vegan Snickers Slice

Ingredients

Chocolate Base:
5 tablespoons melted extra virgin coconut oil
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons agave, pure maple or honey (not vegan)
* Chocolate shortcut: use melted vegan chocolate instead e.g. Green and Blacks 

Nougat Layer:
4 tablespoons melted extra virgin coconut oil
2 tablespoons dairy free milk of your choice
1 tablespoons agave, pure maple or honey (not vegan)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup almond meal or GF oats ground into flour
2 pinches of sea salt

Caramel Layer:
8 medjool dates or 12 regular dates soaked in hot water till soft
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup roasted peanuts (use raw peanuts if want a raw vegan version)
a pinch of salt

¼ cup extra peanuts for topping

Method

1. To make the chocolate base mix all required ingredients till well combined. Line a small dish such as a small pyrex or loaf tin (that’s what I used) with baking paper. Pour in chocolate, then freeze for about 10-15 minutes until hard.

2. While chocolate is freezing, mix all nougat ingredients. Once chocolate is hard, spread nougat on top, then freeze again till hard about 30 minutes - an hour. The longer the better.

3. Prepare the caramel by whizzing in a food processor or whip out the old pestle like me! Top the caramel on the set nougat layer. You can use the back of a wet spoon or your fingers to do this. 
*You can add an extra chocolate layer on the top, just make more chocolate mix or melt more.

4. Freeze again for 30 minutes - an hour until the top layer is set. And again the longer the better. Do the dishes, clean the house or check your facebook while waiting hehe.

5. Finally pull out the of tin, and cut into minibars, and devour!

Keep your minibars in the freezer in an airtight container or zip lock bag. 



Enjoy xx

Vegan Cheese Sauce

Vegan Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon flour of your choice, I used tapioca
1 cup full fat dairy free milk, I used rice milk
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon english mustard
Salt to taste

Method

1. To make the vegan cheese sauce, mix all the ingredients in a bowl.

2. Cook in a saucepan a on a medium heat, constantly stirring till thick.

Speedy Paella

This is a healthier and faster recipe for Paella or Spanish Rice. I think I may stick to calling it Spanish Rice as it is not prepared the traditional way with the slow absorbing method (similar to risotto), instead I pre-cooked the rice in my rice cooker and added in all of the broth ingredients in one go. Also it is made using medium grain brown rice instead of arborio rice, which is healthier as brown rice is wholegrain.

As this is a vegan recipe, it is very important that you try your best to get an authentic spanish Pimenton. Pimenton is the main ingredient for spanish chorizo sausage (not vegan hehe), this is where we get the smoky flavour from. Regular paprika won’t really do the trick. I buy mine form new world, they usually come in small tin containers.

Speedy Paella - Healthy Spanish Rice

Ingredients

Rice:
1 cup medium grain brown rice
3 cups hot water
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon spanish pimenton (smoked paprika)
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 bay leaves
1 vegan chicken stock cube or vegetable stock cube


Vegetables:
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion diced
4 cloves garlic sliced
½ red capsicum sliced (for garnish)
½ red capsicum diced
1 green capsicum diced
5 portobello mushrooms sliced (reserve one for garnish)
1 cup of diced kumara or carrot
half a head of broccoli sliced into small florets

¼ cup of sliced black olives
4 sun-dried tomatoes diced (optional)
½ cup of peas

Extra Seasonings:
½ teaspoon spanish pimenton (smoked paprika)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil to finish



Method

1. Put all ingredients for the rice in a rice cooker or pot and boil till the rice is tender.2. You will notice that the rice will be cooked, but there is still about 1 cup of water left. Drain this broth out, take the bay leaves out, then set both the rice and broth aside. This step can be done ahead of time e.g. the night before. 

3. For the topping/presentation, gently fry the sliced capsicum and one sliced mushroom, set aside. Saute onion, garlic, diced capsicum and ½ of teaspoon spanish pimenton in the oil on a medium heat. Cook these till soft making sure not to brown them.

4. Add the mushrooms, kumara, broccoli, and cook.

5. Next add in the rice, cook till the rice is hot. Then add in the broth, and let it simmer till all broth is absorbed.

6. Once all broth is absorbed, add in olives, sun-dried tomatoes and peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper if need be.

7. Take rice of the heat and place arrange you capsicum and mushroom, then dress with olive oil to taste.

If you can get your hands on vegan chirozo then even better! In NZ you can get it at huckleberry farms :)


Enjoy xx

Palak Pakoras - Indian Spinach Fritters

Palak Pakoras - Indian Spinach Fritters. One of the teachers made these for our meeting today. They are so crisp, tasty vegan and gluten free!!


Ingredients

Baby spinach leaves or regular sized are fine

Oil for frying the fritters

Batter:

2 cups chickpea flour 

1/2 teaspoon cumin 

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder 

1/2 teaspoon garam masala 

2 pinches baking soda 

1 cup water

Salt to taste

Method

1. Mix all the batter ingredients to a thick smooth batter.

2. Rinse, drain and pat dry the spinach leaves. Then heat oil enough oil to shallow or deep fry to about medium hot.

3. Dip each spinach leaf into the batter and coat it evenly. Place the batter coated leaf gently in the hot oil. Fry the spinach fritters till golden and crisp. 

4. Drain spinach fritters on paper towels.

Serve the spinach fritters with a chutney or tomato sauce of your choice.

Enjoy,

Kim xx

Vegan Tacos

White corn soft tacos with refried beans

I find it hard to write a recipe for tacos as they are so versitile and simple to make! Instead I am going to list some ideas to help you create the perfect tacos. 

Taco Ideas

Ingredients

Salads:

Lettuce

Tomato

Avocado

Capsicum

Red Onion

Raddish

Chilli 

Salsas/sauces:

Mango Salsa

Peach Salsa

Tomato Salsa

Guacamole

Chipotle Sauce

Vege Protein Ideas:

Refried beans

Chilli beans

Lentils

Soy mince

Soft tacos with lentils and mango and chilli salsa

Method

1. Prepare salad by slicing according to preference.

2. Cook or heat veggie protein.

3. Heat corn tortillas according to directions on packet.

4. Assemble and eat!!

Hard taco shells with refried beans

Enjoy xx

Bombay Potatoes

Tonight's dinner was made with Spice n' easy's Bombay potatoes spice kit. I definitely recommend if you want that authentic taste. All I did was follow the recipe and added cumin seeds and extra veges.

You can find them at most NZ supermarkets or check them out here: www.spiceneasy.co.nz

Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is one my favourite Italian dishes by far. Its creamy and smooth texture always keeps me begging for more. The recipe I have used has been adapted from the great Jamie Oliver from his 'Jamie at Home' cookbook.

The key to risotto is adding hot stock a ladle full at the time, this cooks the rice slowly and creates the creamy rich texture. If you are little dazed by the this method watch the video below to give you an idea of how it is done.

Ingredients

1.5 litre vegan chicken style stock (If you can't find vegan chicken style stock use vege stock with 1-2 teaspoons of nutritional yeast)
1 small knob of virgin coconut oil or butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 large handfuls fresh mushrooms: try portobello, shiitake, or oyster), cleaned and sliced

400 g aborio rice
2 wineglasses dry white wine

1 cup of cooked peas (If using frozen make sure they are thawed when added in)

sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

To garnish (optional):
chopped parsley
grated parmesan cheese (vegetarian)
grated cashew or macadamia for a parmesan cheese effect (vegan)!

Method

1. Heat the stock in small pot and simmer. In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and coconut oil, add the onions, garlic and sweat until soft. Once the onions have softened, add your choice of mushrooms and sauté till softened.

2. Add the dry rice and turn up the heat.The rice will now begin to lightly fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will start looking quite clear. Add the wine and keep stirring.

3. Once wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. 

4. Turn down the heat to a simmer so the rice doesn't cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and almost massaging the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes.

5. Taste the rice to see if it is cooked. Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite.

Don't forget to check the seasoning carefully. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add some boiling water.

6. Remove from the heat and add the butter, parmesan or macadamia and peas. Stir well. Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes. This is the most important part of making the perfect risotto, as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be.

Serve immediately with nice sprinkling of grated macadamia or parmesan cheese!

Enjoy :)

Lazy Sushi

Every time we go to my dad's for dinner, he always has a million packets of seasoned nori (seaweed). It is pretty much the same seaweed you buy when you make sushi, however they are crunchy, seasoned and are cut into smaller squares. They are a typical Japanese and Korean snack, eaten like we would potato chips, they even remind me of kale chips!

There is not one time we have eaten these and have said "If only he had some hot rice!" Well, today, finally, I made an effort to cook some rice and try it out. Let me tell you, they tasted like heaven!

The recipe below is purely a guide, add in whatever you like, it's basically seasoned nori and rice. If I had some avocado, capsicum or cucumber lying around that would have been great too. 

This is the brand we buy, I have no idea what it say as it in in Korean!
We bought ours from Panmure Fresh aka Silverbell!

Lazy Sushi

Ingredients

1-2 packs of seasoned nori

1 cup cooked white rice 

Seasoning:

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon coconut sugar

Garnish:

Black sesame

Chilli powder

Spring (green) onion

Chilli oil

Japanese Mayo (this is a bonus)

Method:

1. Cook white asian rice (Japanese, jasmine etc.) using the absorption method in a rice cooker. I use this ration 1:2 - so 1 cup of rice : 2 cups hot water. 

2. Once rice is cooked mixed one cup of rice with soy sauce, vinegar and coco sugar.

3. Place rice on a plate and top with your choice of garnishes. 

4. Assemble you lazy sushi as you eat, sort of like how you would eat tacos!

 

Enjoy,

Kim xx

Chia Seed Pudding

I have finally jumped on the chia bandwagon! Chia has been trending for a while now in the health world, and I can sure see why.... it is a super ultra superfood!

Chia seeds originate from Guatemala and Mexico. This ancient super seed has it all. It is a great source of omega 3 (great for vegetarians vegans), high in dietary fiber, which is great for digestion, and is also high in protein, calcium and vitamin c!

Here are more reasons why chia is amazing for you:

1. Chia is gluten free

2. It is super high in dietary fibre, making it great for digestion and healing digestion issues.

3. It contains 20% Omega 3 ALA, making it a super food for the brain and heart. Chia has eight times more Omega 3 than salmon!

4. It boasts 20% protein

5. The protein is a complete protein with all 8 essential amino acids

6. It is high in antioxidants (It has a four times higher ORAC value than blueberries)

7. Chia contains five times more calcium than milk

8. Chia contains seven times more vitamin C than oranges

9. It contains three times more iron than spinach

10. It contains twice the potassium content of banana

11. It is food for healthy skin, hair and nails

12. It has a positive impact balancing blood glucose levels (making it awesome for diabetics)

13. Chia makes a great egg replacement. Just combine with water to form a gel, and add it to recipes that call for egg.

Sourced from: http://www.jessainscough.com/2012/08/13-awesome-reasons-to-eat-chia-seeds-every-day/

Coconut Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients

2 cups light coconut cream or coconut milk (one 400ml can)
1/4 cup chia seeds (I used white)
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or agave or honey (to taste)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)


Method
1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, container or jar (pref one with a lid).

2. Set aside in fridge for at least two hours, or leave overnight (the longer the better).

3. Once the seeds a have been soaked, add more dairy free milk if need be.

Variations:

- Mix in sliced banana and strawberry
- Chocolate Chia Pudding - add 1-2 teaspoons of cocoa or cacao powder.
- Berry Chia Pudding - blend in berries of your choice.

Chia pudding is great for breakfast, dessert or anytime you feel like a sweet treat. It reminds me of the yummy Chinese tapioca and coconut milk dessert but 100x healthier for your body!


Enjoy,


Kim xx