Feta cheese...goes vegan!

I hinted at this creation over on my Instagram and on Facebook a good few weeks ago now, but I’ve only just got round to posting it...crazy!  This is another spin off from the coconut cream creations  but this one is a totally unique concept and I love it!

 

Vegan feta cheese ...oh yeah!

When I transitioned to a plant based diet I found there were actually very few things I missed. Meat ...not fussed, dairy...no problem, cheese...even cheese wasn’t a particularly tricky one for me other than a bit of feta.  Mmmm, I always loved creamy cubes of feta with caramelised onions on a crisp bruschetta!

Whilst this is not exactly the same, as it doesn’t have the same level of melt in your mouth creaminess, it does have a lovely delicate, slightly crumbly and tart creamy flavour and texture. As long as you are not expecting it to be a direct replica of feta cheese then I am pretty sure you will love it. I tossed a few cubes into a Greek style salad and it was perfect! It is best used in combination with other things as it seems more ‘realistic’ that way. Nibbling on a chunk on its own didn’t really do it for me...but then again I never ate real feta cheese that way either.

This recipe made me super smiley in it's simplicity and yumminess, so I’d love to know what you think!

Recipe: Vegan feta cheese

Ingredients:

½ cup soy yoghurt (other yoghurts would probably work well)

2 tbs fine coconut flour

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs (to taste)

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir together well.

Sppon mixture into a parchment lined mini load pan or similar dish (approx 10x10 cm or equivalent) and spread the top as smoothly as possible.

Place plan in the freezer until the ‘feta’ is almost solid.

Remove from the pan and slice the almost frozen block into cubes. Continue to freeze in their cubes form until ready to consume. Allow a few minutes to defrost prior to eating.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Sweet potato salad with soy balsamic

I mentioned before I love lentils, right?

Good, because here are some more. Dark green speckled lentils to be precise. My favourite kind of lentil as they hold their shape so well and look pretty on the plate. My favourite dish to date using these lentils is my ‘spag bol’ as the green lentil is just the right shape and texture to offer a great meat substitute.

For this dish I also had some sweet potato needing a home so another hot salad combo was born. The dressing it really simple but works so well drizzled over the potato, it is sweet and tart at the same time. I piled my hot lentil and potato mix over a bed of uncooked watercress but you could sub any greens here and cook them if you prefer it that way.

Check out this maple glazed sprout salad and this roasted cauliflower salad for another two of my favourite 'hot salads'.

Recipe: Sweet potato salad with soy balsamic

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 cups cubed sweet potato

1-2 tsp oil (I used melted coconut oil)

½ heaped cup dark green/puy lentils

2 large handfuls watercress (or sub spinach)

1 onion thinly sliced

2 tsp toasted sesame seeds- optional

Dressing:

1 tbs sesame oil

2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 clove crushed garlic

1 tsp agave

½ tsp chilli flakes- optional

Method

 

Mix the cubed potato with the oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Lay in an even layer on a lined baking sheet and roast for approx 15 minutes until golden and cooked through. Add the sliced onion approx 5 minutes before the end of the roasting time.

Meanwhile boil the green lentils for 15 minutes or as according to instruction (if using canned pre-cooked lentils heat for 5 minutes).

Mix the dressing ingredients and set aside. Lightly toast sesame seeds if using.

To serve place a handful of watercress in the bottom of each bowl/plate, pile potato and onion mixture of top and drizzle with dressing and sesame seeds.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Sweet potato, orange and peanut rostis

Hot salads huh!  yep, here's another one...well maybe not so much a hot salad as hot rosti topping. Delicious!!

I was inspired by Abel and Cole with this recipe, the original recipe can be found here, I tweaked it to make it gluten free and also oven baked the rostis instead of shallow frying them. They were the perfect texture with a lovely golden coat, so I really can't see how frying could have given a better burger!

This is the second time I have made these burgers and the first time round I also added an extra handful of crushed roasted peanuts as I happened to have some to hand that I'd just roasted, however I didn't have any ready roasted this time around...feel free to through a few in if you fancy!

My salad consisted of a bed of mixed leaves, rocket and cucumber, along with some clementine segments to emphasise the citrussy flavours. I drizzled a little sweet chilli sauce over the top (I admit that part is a little naughty...oops!)

This makes a great light lunch and even a pretty substantial main meal.

For more 'burger' recipes...check these out.

Recipe: Sweet potato orange and peanut rostis

Makes approx 8 rostis

Ingredients:

2 cups sweet potatoes

2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 garlic cloves- crushed

½ tsp ground ginger (or 1 tsp fresh grated)

½ tsp chili flakes (more or less to taste)

2 tsp freshly grated orange

A handful of fresh coriander or basil, finely chopped

½ cup chickpea (gram) flour (or other GF flour)

1 tbs chia seeds or flax meal (optional for good measure for binding!)

Method:

Peel and halve the potatoes. Plunge into lightly salted boiling water for 5 mins. Drain and cool.

Meanwhile mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, chili, ginger and zest in a large bowl.

Coarsely grate the cooled sweet potato or squash into the mix. Add the fresh herbs, chia seeds or flax (if using) and chickpea flour and fold through until well mixed. Season to taste. The mixture should be sticky but firm enough to handle. Note: add more flour if too sticky or a little water or orange juice is too dry.

Spoon small handfuls of the mix to form patties on a flour dusted parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly glaze with a little oil if desired.

Bake at 180C for approx 25 minutes until golden. Flip over after 15 minutes.

These keep well in the fridge for a few days, I imagine they would also freeze well although I haven’t tried this.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Tahini sauce salad- low fat!

Salads have become much more of a big deal for me in recent months. By salads I’m talking huge bowl salads, soup accompaniment salads and hot salads.... gone are the days when salads were only served in summer!

I love hot food, there is something so satisfying about a plate of hot home cooked food, but I also appreciate the virtues of raw and uncooked foods and try to eat raw veggie sticks and salads when I can. It’s a simple fact that regardless of how healthy a food is, it will lose some of its nutritional value during the heating process. So, for me a hot salad is a great compromise... the benefits of raw veggies whilst satisfying the ‘hot’ meal side of things.  I nearly always eat my spinach raw in what ever dish I make, partly because raw spinach is so much more bulky and visually substantial that wilted cooked spinach. You eat with your eyes, right?

Back to the point of this post....it’s not all about the salad but the dressing! The dressing is a low fat twist on a traditional tahini dressing and I credit Susan over at Fat Free Vegan for her great recipe.

The salad itself is up to you... I threw together a mixture of roasted and raw veggies...  iceberg lettuce with raw grated carrot and cucumber chunks, along with some leftover chickpeas and roasted cauliflower and courgette that I chopped small and sprinkled with a little salt and pepper and allowed to roasted whilst I blended the dressing and prepped the rest of the dish. 

Assemble your salad and then go crazy with the healthy tahini dressing until your hearts content! This could also be used as a dipping sauce- reduce the water by half when you blend together.

Recipe: Low fat tahini dressing

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tbs tahini
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs ground chia
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1-2 garlic cloves- crushed
2 tsp fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground)
black pepper to taste

Method:

Blend all ingredients together until very smooth. Dressing will store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

I served mine over a raw-cooked combo salad!

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Roasted cauliflower salad

This was my lunch yesterday...it was delicious, so much so I might make it again today as I have the remainder of the cauliflower that needs using up.

I love roasted cauliflower. It's one of those vegetables you often don't think to roast, I'm more used to roasting root vegetables, but in recent months i've recently taken a liking to all things cauliflower...

...Even in more unusual ways, like my baked banana bread oatmeal and this risotto.

The original recipe came from the BBC Food website, as it popped up when I was having a browse for salad recipes of a little more unusual variety. I changes a few of the flavours up a bit and i found it didn't take as long to cook as they'd suggested...so it is a pretty speedy dish. The perfect light lunch or side dish. I made a single serving but I have doubled the quantities below to serve two since that may be more likely. You can use herbs of your choice although I loved the rosemary in this dish, it had a real strength of flavour that was a great compliment.

Recipe: Roasted cauliflower salad

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower- chopped into small florets
a little olive oil- to coat cauliflower
1 small red onion- sliced thinly
2 tbs balsamic vinegar and 2 tsp agave-mixed together
small handful raisins
2 tbs flakes almonds (toasted or natural)
handful of fresh rosemary
2 handfuls spinach or salad leaves (I used a salad mix)

Method:

Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil in a medium bowl, seasons with salt and pepper.

Lay in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake at 180C for approx. 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the onion and toss with the oil remnants n the same bowl that the cauliflower was in. After 10 minutes the onion to the cauliflower tray and continue to bake for approx. 10 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile prepare the balsamic/agave mix and add the raisins to soak.

Pile a handful of spinach/salad on each serving plate, and pile the cauliflower mix on top. Finish with the raisin dressing and a sprinkle of almonds and fresh rosemary.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Hot holiday salad bowl

I need some down time after all the chocolate and candy!

There still some more chocolatey posts to come just in time for your New Years celebrations, but I feel a little break is in order, otherwise I wont appreciate it. All the sweet food can get pretty overwhelming...healthy or not!  I'm actually looking forward to 'de-cluttering' the fridge and my baking supplies and stripping back to basics for a few weeks come January, though I wonder how long it will be before cake kicks back in :-)

On boxing day, my whole family went out for a walk, I did take my camera with me but to be honest is was cloudy and overcast so the resulting photos left much to be desired.  When we arrived home mid afternoon...a little cold and wet...a big lunch was in order to keep us going until supper time snacks and games.

A bowl of pan-fried christmas leftover salad made the perfect offering. My dad and I topped ours with leftover chestnut roast crumbles (pictured) whilst my mum, brother and sister topped there's with leftover chicken and bacons strips, this salad makes the perfect based for veggies and meaties alike.

The simple dressing and festive clementines gave a lovely sweet touch.  The dressing and the basis for this salad was originally inspired by this recipe and then I added some extras of my own not so dissimilar to my favourite sprouts recipe.

Recipe: Christmas salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped/shredded sprouts
3 medium white potatoes- cubed
1 onion or 4 small shallots- sliced
1 medium courgette- grated
2 packed cups lettuce leaves/spinach (I used a mix of both)
2 clementines segmented
handful of toasted walnuts/pecans
optional toppings of choice (see notes above)
dressing: 2 tbs each olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, 1 tsp dijon mustard and the clementine zest.

Method:

Panfry the sprouts, potato and shallots in a little oil for approx.10 minutes (depending on size of chunks) until almost cooked. Add the grated courgette and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile mix the dressing ingredients together well and decant into a small bowl or jug.

Assemble the salad bowls, dividing the lettuce/spinach between the bowls. When cooked through, add the hot salad mixture to the centre of each bowl.

In the same pan add a handful of nuts and toast them for a couple of minutes whilst you finish assembling the salads. Add the topping of choice i.e nit roast crumbles (these can be hot or cold) and then the clementine and toasted nuts.

Drizzle a little dressing to serve.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Pear and black bean salad

Looking back at the last few posts i'm detecting a slight lack of cake and sweetness!

Ok I will stop with the salads soon…I promise…maybe! I am really enjoying salad experiments ( I also have another I want to share but maybe I will need to reign that back for now) and just want to share the best flavour combos and pretty platters with you.

There will definitely be much more cake and Christmas goodies over the next couple of weeks so maybe this little episode of savoury dishes is a subconscious statement to address the balance!

So back to the salad...

In previous years I was never big into salads, I was also never big into combining fruit with savoury dishes (I always struggled to get my head around apple sauce with pork and cranberry saice with turkey when I was a child)…but all that has since changed.

Apples and pears make great salad partners for this time of year, plus salads are a great way to use up some leftovers,  I happened to have a small amount of black beans needing using after making some brownie slices. Red cabbage is also one of my favourite ingredients simply because it so colourful and so quick and easy to add to a salad or stir fry for a great texture. I also find red cabbage stays fresh in the fridge for ages so I end up using it for so many meals.

Simple fresh and colourful lunch or side dish, so pretty and guaranteed to put a smile of your face and a swing in your step (hopefully!) Plus if you like, since you've been so virtuous, you can follow up with a cookie or two...

Recipe: Pear and black bean salad

Ingredients

serves 1

½ cup red cabbage- sliced thinly
1 pear cubed
½ cup cooked sweet corn
½ cup cooked black beans
Scant ¼ cup red onion- sliced thinly

Dressing: 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tbs lemon juice, ½ tsp wholegrain mustard.

Salt, pepper, chilli flakes and chia seeds (optional) to serve

Method

Prepare all veggies and toss together in the dressing.  Add a little salt and pepper to taste plus a few chia seeds to serve for an extra boost if desired.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

or tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Maple glazed brussel sprout salad

I do love brussel sprouts…that is if I get the recipe right, they have a tendency to be a little bitter if not treated sensitively! I think that must be why most people have a ‘love-hate’ relationship with poor old brussels.

I bought a big bag from the supermarket a week or so ago and I've been making various salad and stir fry combos ever since. Some experiments have been tastier than others, but yesterday’s lunch was so good I just had to share it with you.

This ‘warm salad’ or stir fry (whatever you’d prefer to call it) was in large part inspired by Heidi’s recipe over at 101 Cookbooks, I loved the idea of using a little maple sauce as a glaze along with apple for sweetness. I added crushed walnuts instead of pine nuts plus a little ‘fake’ bacon to give a big flavour hit and turn this side dish into a full on meal.

I don’t typically use fake meats as I simply don’t miss having meat in my dishes and so therefore have no desire to sub processed alternatives. However in this instance I had a pack of meat free bacon in the freezer that I’d originally bought to use in a meal for a friend, so I figured today would be a good opportunity to add a little- I used approximately 1 large rasher.  This dish still has so much flavour without, so feel to go without bacon…it will still taste good, or you could follow the principle in Heidi’s recipe and use cubed tofu.

This is a fairly light dish which was perfect for lunch, but you could team it with some quinoa for a more substantial meal.

Recipe: Maple glazed brussel sprout salad

Serves 1 as a main or 2 as a side

Ingredients

1 ½ cups shredded brussel sprouts

1 shallot- sliced thinly (I had none so omitted this but I would have liked to have added one)

1-2 rashers ‘bacon’  sliced (optional)

1 tbs olive oil or coconut oil

1 smallish apple- cubed

2 garlic cloves- minced

Pinch of salt

2 tsp maple syrup

Handful of crushed walnuts

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan and then add the sprouts, shallot, bacon, apple, garlic and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the maple syrup and walnut pieces and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until well glazed and beginning to brown in places.

Serve immediately.

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Apple chutney salad

It seems strange now to not be writing ‘DAY ____’ before each post! Vegan Mofo is now all over…oats are gone forever? No, never!  I have just realised that I didn't put together a monthly round-up for October! My head has been all over the place...forgive me!

Halloween has been and gone and we are already in November with the cold winds and crispy leaves. This is a busy month for me, so many friends and family with birthdays in the lead up to Christmas… I have two 30^th birthday’s to attend this weekend alone!

It’s also a month of some contemplation, planning ahead and looking forward to the New Year that will be with us before we know it…a few changes may be on the horizon.

After yesterday’s Halloween lunch (I ate so much pizza) today wanted to be a lighter day!  I ate my usual apple-oats for breakfast but going lighter on the oats and adding lots more fruit for the topping.

A salad lunch seemed a good option and the sweet apple chutney flavours were a lovely seasonal twist. You could of course use homemade chutney which would be even more delicious, but for speed and because I was having a ‘what do I have in the fridge’ moment I opted for a ready-made version. I appreciate that chutney does have a high sugar content, but for the quantities in this dish and the amount of healthy veggies we have, it was a compromise I was happy to make.  I love the caramelised onions and red cabbage in this salad- my favourite way to eat these veggies.

I am really enjoying salads and would like to experiment with some more seasonal versions…what is your favourite winter salad combination?

Recipe: Apple chutney salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

3-4 handfuls of mixed leaves (I used peashoots, spinach, rocket)

2 leeks chopped into rings

1 cup loosely packed red cabbage

½ cup green beans (I used frozen soy beans)

1/3 cup chunky apple sauce

2 tbs fruit chutney (mine was a mix of apple pear and plum)

2 tbs pumpkin seeds

Method

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the leek and red cabbage for 5 minutes.

Add the soy beans and pumpkin seeds and continue to cook for another 5 mins.

Add all remaining ingredients and cook for a final 1-2 minutes to heat through.

Serve on the bed of salad leaves.

  

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.
For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Peanut satay granola

It had never occurred to me until recently to make a savoury granola instead of sweet one. I love my lightly sweetened breakfast granolas (instead of breakfast insert ‘any time of day snack’!) and just couldn’t get my head around the idea of a savoury version…that is until this taste combo popped into my head.

Peanut satay granola.

An adaptation of my peanut satay sauce… you'll find the original sauce recipe here smothered over some veggie skewers. So you simply take this sauce and add in some oats and roasted peanuts instead.

satay sauce smoothered over veggie skewers

Voila, the perfect snack… try it instead of croutons on your salad or, instead of popcorn as you watch a film. This will store in an airtight container for a few weeks, so no excuses not to make a big batch.

If you love roasted peanuts and a bit of a spicy kick (optional) then you will love this twist on granola. You could mix in some other nuts and seeds as well, but here I just wanted to keep it a pure and simple tribute to peanuts.

Recipe: Savoury Granola

Makes approx. 4-5 pancakes

Ingredients:

2 tbs peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

1 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs soy milk

Approx. ½ tsp hot sauce or chipotle pepper sauce (to taste depending on what type you use)

1 cup oats*

½ cup roast peanuts- slightly crushed but still chunky (I roasted regular peanuts for 10 minutes in the oven)

Method:

Mix the wet ingredients together to form a thick paste. Add the oats and roasted peanuts and mix together until the nuts and oats are fully coated, adding a little extra milk if necessary.

Spread the mixture across a lined or greased baking sheet ensuring there are some nice clumpy bits of fairly even sizes.

Bake at 180C for approx. 10-15 minutes, keeping a close eye to ensure the granola does not burn.

Serve hot or cold with a salad or as a grab-and-go snack.

* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.

Bruschetta…deconstructed!

This recipe is pretty special. It’s simple, summery, colourful and …gluten free. Yup, gluten free crispy baked bruschetta chunks. Simply moreish!

This recipe was inspired by a meal I had with a friend one lunch time a couple of weekends ago. I’m actually rather disappointed that I didn’t take a photo of my ‘bruschetta salad’ starter because my own version of the recipe is spot on, actually it may be even better than the starter I had at the restaurant and its gluten free to boot!

I took the principle of my super simple GF flatbread recipe, once cooked I ripped the flatbreads into rough chunks, lightly coated with a little olive oil and then double baked them. Soooo crispy…so much so that I actually had full on jaw ache by the ache of this bowlful (note: bake for slightly shorter time if you want a slightly less crispy crouton!!)

I used large rings of red onion, ribbons of courgette, peppers and tomatoes as these are my favourite summer salad vegetables and made the perfect colour combo for this dish, but you can vary the veg however you like. Basil and tomato are the traditional bruschetta toppings so don’t skimp in them! I only used a small handful of tomatoes and would have used more for the lovely roasted oozy sweetness they give, but I was running low on supplies at the time.

This salad would make a perfect change from traditional bruschetta and would make a great starter or lunch. Also fab baked as a big batch for a bbq party and tossed onto a large bowl…the vibrant colours and chunks of  crispy crouton will be a hit with everyone…no-one would guess its gluten free!

For more simple gluten free breads see this focaccia bread or this 10-minute pizza.

Recipe: Bruschetta salad

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

½ red onion- sliced into rings

½ courgette- sliced into ribbons

½ medium pepper- sliced thinly

Large handful of cherry tomatoes

1 tbs tomato puree

1 tbs olive oil

½ tsp dried mixed herbs

¼ tsp garlic salt

Fresh basil to garnish

Flatbread (makes two ):

100g gluten free self-raising flour mix*

½ tsp mixed dried herbs

1 tbs ground chia or flax

75g soy yoghurt (or other yoghurt)

25ml water

Pinch salt

1 tbs nutritional yeast (optional)

Method

To make the flatbread, mix all ingredients together in a small bowl to form a soft dough, form two small or one larger flat pattie with hands and then place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 180C for approx. 15 minutes until just cooked.

Meanwhile prepare vegetables and combine with remaining ingredients in a medium bowl to coat well .

Allow baked flatbread to cool slightly and then rip into small rough edged pieces, lightly brush  all over with olive oil (I used approx. 2 tsp worth) and then place back on the baking sheet. Arrange vegetables in an even layer on a separate baking sheet and placed both trays  in the oven for a further 10 minutes or until ‘croutons’ are crisp and vegetables are lightly roasted but still juicy.

Toss together and serve immediately.

golden crispy croutons freshly baked!

* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.