Tag Archives: vegan

Mango, Banana and Coconut Ice Cream

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I hope everyone out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day. My gift was a pair of running shoes, so of course I had to take them for a trial run and managed to clock up my fastest ever 5k time, which I was very pleased about! I also managed a quick spin on my bike and got caught in a torrential downpour. There’s something very therapeutic about biking in the rain, although I’m sure all the passing motorists thought I was mad.

 I did get to spend some time in the kitchen later on and came up with this. It’s a very simply, four ingredient frozen dessert that’s made in an ice cream maker. I have also frozen the leftovers, but suspect it’s the kind of dish that’s best eaten straight away and will probably be pretty hard if scooped from the freezer.

1 large ripe mango, peeled and chopped

1 large ripe banana, peeled and chopped

1 15oz (225g) can light coconut milk

your choice of sweetener to taste, I used maple syrup but honey, agave nectar, sugar or low-calorie sweetener would be fine

toasted coconut if desired.  

Puree the fruit in a food processor until smooth. In a bowl mix together with the coconut milk and sweetener (to taste) and pour into the ice cream maker. Churn until just about thick enough to scoop into glasses. This took about 25 minutes in my Cuisinart machine. Top with toasted coconut if desired.

 

Beet, Jicama, Avocado and Orange Salad

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One of the things I like best about writing this blog is that it gives me an added incentive to explore new ideas and discover foods I haven’t tried before.

Jicama (pr. hicama), the Mexican root vegetable, is one of those. I discovered jicama last year when I tried it in an Asian slaw in place of daikon radish which I couldn’t find locally (and still haven’t, to be honest). Since then I’ve used it often in slaw-type salads. And here it is again. I got this fantastic salad recipe from Vegetarian Times. It is simple to make with just the right mix of flavors, colors and textures. And it’s super nutritious too!

The dressing is unusal but very good. I wouldn’t have thought of using frozen concentrated orange juice in salad dressing but it works really well. It’s citrusy and slightly spicy and would be great with a leafy green salad too. And you can pop open the carton of frozen juice and just spoon out as much as you need for the recipe then freeze the rest.

2 cups grated raw beets (6 oz, 170g, 2 medium sized beets), which we call beetroot, peeled and grated 

2 cups (6 oz, 170g) grated jicama, peeled and grated

2 navel orange, peeled, cut into segments pith removed

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled pitted and sliced

1/2 cup (small handful) chopped cilantro (coriander)

3 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup (small handful) toasted pumpkin seeds (optional).

 Assemble all of the vegetables and fruit in a suitable bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the orange juice, lime juice, cumin, coriander and olive oil. Whisk until combine. Pour over the salad and garnish with the cilantro (coriander) and pumpkins seeds if using.

 

Thai Red Lentil Soup

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On Saturday I watched my daughter play soccer and then accompanied her on a girl scout trip to the Environmental Center at Birmingham Southern College – a recycling museum and eco-friendly garden full of sculptures made from recycled materials, a tree house and native plants. The trip was fascinating and my daughter and the rest of the girls loved it. Sadly, I had a really heavy cold and was really flagging by the time we got home. I just wish I had had a bowl of this waiting for me as it would have been a perfect pick-me-up.

Instead I went out shopping for these ingredients Sunday morning, feeling a little better, and made it for lunch. It’s a wonderful warming soup full of Thai flavors – lemongrass, lime, coconut milk and Thai curry paste and really hits the spot. Unlike a lot of lentil soups this one is pureed, so it has a smooth consistency.

The recipe comes from Yotam Ottolenghi, chef/patron of Ottolenghi in London.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon red Thai curry paste

2 lemongrass stalks, bashed and bruised with a rolling pin

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 1/2 cups (9oz, 250g) red lentils

4 cups or 1 quart (950 ml) water

1 cup (250ml) light coconut milk

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 small handful coriander, chopped (optional)

pinch of salt.

In a large pan, saute the onion in the oil until transparent. Add the Thai curry paste, lime leaves and lemongrass and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils and water and simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils are soft. Remove from the heat, take out the lime leaves and lemongrass and allow to cool slightly before pureeing in a blender until smooth. Return to the pan and add the coconut milk, lime juice and soy sauce. Simmer for a further 5-10 minutes. Serve in bowls and garnish with coriander if using.

 

Spinach and Zucchini Soup

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This good-looking soup is wholesome, tasty and perfect for winter. You can swirl it with cream, milk or a little pesto if you wish, or add croutons or a dollop of low-fat creme fraiche or Greek yogurt. It freezes very well so I usually make a big batch and freeze half. ‘Superfood’ spinach is loaded with iron and other vitamins and minerals.

Serves 4 – 6

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large zucchini (courgette), chopped

1 medium sized potato, peeled and chopped

4oz, 100g fresh spinach, washed thoroughly

A few sprigs of parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons canola or other neutral flavored oil

4 3/4 cups (1.2 litres, 2 pints) vegetable stock

Salt and pepper.

Cream, milk or pesto for ‘swirling’.

Heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic, potato and zucchini (courgette) for a few minutes until the onion is transparent. Add the spinach, parsley and stock. Bring to the boil, reduced the heat and simmer for around 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Allow to cool before blending in batches until smooth. Return to the pan to reheat and serve or freeze. Garnish with herbs, croutons and ‘swirling’ items as above!!

 

Roasted Vegetable Gratin

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Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a fun-filled festive season. I spent two great weeks in England and Ireland catching up with family and friends. After all the partying and letting my hair down a little, my thoughts are turning back to the good stuff. Here’s a simple vegetable dish that works as a main course in its own right or can be served with roast chicken if you feel the need for some meat. 

To make it a vegan dish, use vegan cream cheese with the vegetable filling and vegan cheddar in the crumb topping.

You can also use other root vegetables instead of the ones I’ve used, e.g. potatoes or celeriac or rutabaga (turnip).

Serves 4 – 6

For the filling

1 1/2 cups (7oz, 200g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

1 1/2 cups (7oz, 200g) golden or red beets (beetroot), peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

1 1/2 cups (7oz, 200g) carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

1 1/2 cups (7oz, 200g) parnips, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

2 medium onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil

2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

salt and pepper

3-4 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese or vegan cream cheese

For the topping

3 cups (4oz, 120g) fresh breadcrumbs

1/2 cup (2 1/2oz, 70g) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped or chopped walnuts

1/4 cup (2oz, 60g) low-cholesterol spread, melted

4 tablespoons grated Gruyere or other Swiss cheese or vegan cheddar cheese

salt and pepper.

 In a bowl mix the honey, mustard, salt and pepper, herbs, oil and garlic. Pour over the chopped vegetables and mix to coat them well. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet or roasting dish and bake for 45-50 mins at 250 degrees F (180 degrees C) until the vegetables are soft and starting to brown. Stir in the cream cheese and set aside.

Mix the topping ingredients together in a separate bowl. Place the roasted vegetables into a suitable oven-proof casserole dish, sprinkle over the topping mix and bake in the same temperature oven for a further 20 minutes until the topping is golden and crisp.

 

Spicy Sweet Potato and Spinach Parcels with Eggplant Sauce

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I think these parcels would make even the most committed carnivore try a meat-free meal now and again. They are really delicious and although a little more time-consuming than most recipes here, definately worth it. They could also be made ahead of time and frozen. I don’t eat a lot of pastry but will make an exception for these. Without the sauce the parcels are great picnic or on-the-go food. This recipe makes 8 parcels.

For the parcels

3 cups (1lb, 2oz, 510g) cooked sweet potato, cubed

7 1/2 oz (213g) canned chickpeas (half a regular sized can)

1 large onion, thinly sliced and fried in a little oil until soft

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

pinch chilli flakes

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp paprika

1 tablespoon runny honey

1 tablespoon chopped dried apricots

1 tablespoon flaked almonds

1 lb (453g) ready made flaky or puff pastry, cut into 8 6-7 inch (15-18cm) squares

1 egg beaten or small quantity Eggbeaters (for an egg wash, omit if wanting a vegan dish)

flour for dusting

For the eggplant sauce

1 large aubergine, diced

4 fl oz, 50ml olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato puree

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley.

To make the parcel filling, simply mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Roll out the pastry and cut into 8 squares. Place a quantity of filling in the centre of each, wet the edges and form into parcels, crimping the sides together to seal them. Place on an oiled baking tray/cookie sheet and paint with the beaten egg if using.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and risen.

To make the sauce, saute the aubergine in the oil until softened and brown in places. This takes around 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well and simmer for 20-25 minutes. You may need to add a little water during cooking time if the mix requires it.

Serve each parcel with a quantity of sauce poured on top.

Summer Fruit Salad with Lime-Mint Sugar

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This last week we went to the US PGA Golf championship practice day at Atlanta Athletic Club. I’m a big sports fan and although I don’t play golf, I’ve been to several major golf events over the years. It’s always a great day out. For a modest ticket price you can see the top players in the world in action and get some exercise walking the course too. Practice days are expecially kid-friendly so my five year old daughter enjoys coming along as well.

I went to Atlanta expecting to see some sporting action but I didn’t expect to get a recipe idea, yet I did. The concession stands were selling slices of pineapple, cantaloupe and watermelon packed with a slice of lime. Sprinkling lime juice on the fruit made it much more refreshing. Back home I found this fruit salad recipe. It is one of those simple combinations of ingredients that is greater than the sum of its parts. You can play around with the combination of fruits to use whatever you like best.

Makes 6-8 servings

1/4 cup (2oz, 56g) sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons grated lime zest

juice of 1 lime

1/2 cantaloupe or other melon, diced or balled

2 peaches or nectarines, skinned and sliced 

1 cup seedless grapes (7oz, 198g) , halved 

1 cup strawberries (6oz, 170g) , halved or quartered

1 cup pineapple (6oz, 170g) , chopped.

Combine the fruit in a bowl. You can do this in advance and chill until needed. Make the lime-mint sugar only an hour before needed for the best flavor. Mix together the sugar, lime zest and mint and set aside until just before serving. To ensure that the mint leaves retain their color, snip them with scissors instead of with a knife or food processor.

 When ready to serve, drizzle the lime juice over the fruit and stir to coat. Stir in the lime-mint sugar and serve.

Adapted from: Essentials of Breakfast & Brunch, Williams-Sonoma, Oxmoor House

Moroccan-Spiced Chickpea and Sweet Potato Stew

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I know summer is in full force outside, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to fire up the grill every night. Once in a while it’s good to mix it up a little.

This colourful meat-free dish is full of North African spice flavours. The chickpeas are a great fat-free source of protein and the sweet potatoes are full of vitamins A and C and fiber. During my ’100% vegan’ summer last year, this was one of my favourite dishes. Serve with couscous.  

Serves 4.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch disks

1 celery rib, cut into thin slices

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 small or 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into roughly 1/2 dice

8 oz (226g) green beans, trimmed and cut into short lengths

1 x 14.5oz (411g) can chick peas, drained and rinsed

1 x 14.5 oz (411g) can tomatoes

2 1/4 cups (1 pint, 568ml) vegetable broth (stock)

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley.

Saute the onion, garlic carrots, celery and ginger in the oil until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spices and sugar. Add the sweet potatoes, green beans, chick peas, tomatoes and broth (stock) and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

Adapted from 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2009

Ratatouille

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Ratatouille has been a favourite of mine for years. I first came across it as a student in England in the eighties, when one of our professors invited a bunch of us to his house before we graduated and his wife served it. We thought they were so sophisticated and well-travelled, which shows how far we’ve all come in terms of culinary adventures in the last couple of decades.

Ratatouille is very versatile. You can serve it with rice as a main meal, or as a vegetable side dish. It makes a great baked potato filling. It is usually made with zucchini, although today I am going to use some crookneck squash I bought some from a local farm stand instead.

Serves 3-4 as a main meal.

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 zucchini (courgettes), sliced or 4-5 crookneck squash

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 other colour pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 medium sized eggplant (aubergine), diced or in slices, see below

2 x 14.5oz/15oz (411g) tins tomatoes

1 tsp herbes de provence or mixed herbs

olive oil

You have a choice how to cook the eggplant. You can saute it in the pan with the other vegetables, which I how I have made this for years, but anyone who has ever cooked an eggplant will know how much oil it absorbs. So, I’ve recently tried baking eggplant and then adding it which works well and uses a lot less oil. If you want to bake it, cut the eggplant into fairly thin slices (around 1/2 inch), place on a baking sheet and spray with oil. Bake in a 350 degree F/180 degree C oven for around 20 minutes, flipping once and spraying again if necessary. Do this step first, so you won’t be waiting for the eggplant to cook. 

Then, in a large deep pan, saute the onion and garlic in around 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. I try to use as little oil as possible but find this to be about the right amount. Add the zucchini (or squash) and the peppers and herbs, and the eggplant if you are going to cook them in the pan from scratch. Saute for 10 minutes or so until becoming soft. Add the tinned tomatoes and tomato paste (puree) and season to taste. Cook for a further 15-20 minutes or so until the liquid is absorbed.

If baking the eggplant, whenever the eggplant slices are soft cut them into bite size pieces and add to the pan. Don’t worry if they look a little dry, they will soften once you add them to the vegetable mixture. If you find that you need a little more liquid, in order for the vegetables to cook thoroughly, you can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 – 120 ml) of water as you add the eggplant.

Spicy beanburgers

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These burgers take only about 10 minutes to prepare and are really good. I had intended to take a photo of them, but they didn’t last that long! UK terms in brackets.

Makes 4 burgers.

1 medium onion, finely chopped  

2 cloves garlic, minced  

1 green or red chilli pepper, finely chopped  

Small amount of oil or cooking spray for frying

approx 1/2 cup (4oz, 113g) frozen spinach (defrosted and with water squeezed out)

1 x 15 oz (425g) can cannellini beans, drained  

1 cup (2 oz, 56g) fresh breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon cumin

1 small bunch of fresh cilantro (coriander)

salt and pepper

Using a small amount of oil or spray, fry the onion, garlic and chilli pepper until soft and slightly browned. Meanwhile in a bowl mix the spinach, beans (mashed with a fork), breadcrumbs, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the onion mix. Form into burgers. Grill or broil (in the UK bbq or grill) depending on your preference for a few minutes each side, until nicely browned.

Variation – I haven’t tried this but they would be good with a dark bean (perhaps red kidney or black beans) and a small amount of chipotle pepper instead of regular chilli pepper.

Adapted from Ainsley Harriott’s Meals in Minutes, BBC Books London 1998