I place a high importance on healthy eating and an active lifesyle but I also find it essential to indulge occasionally. Over the Christmas season, it is downright impossible to behave with that never-ending supply of chocolate that appears at the office, parties and basically every where you go in the month of December! I knew my defeat was inevitable when the chocolate aggressively hunted me down and taunted me. (Don't judge, you weren't there)
One holiday favourite that I was especially craving was Baileys irish cream. You can't buy a vegan version, but you can make it yourself.
I was fairly skeptical that Baileys could be replaced, but it really was delicious; creamy and very much like Baileys. I combined two different recipes to get the taste I liked. It doesn't last permanently like the commercial kind, so I suggest making it for your next get together. Cheers!
Vegan Baileys
1 can coconut milk 2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp raw or brown sugar 3/4 cup whiskey
2 tbsp chocolate syrup 1/3 cup strong coffee
Combine all ingredients thouroughly using a whisk. Do not froth. Keep refrigerated, prefereably in a dark bottle.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
This vegetable needs a makeover
Cauliflower is definitely not my favourite vegetable. I dislike the texture, find the flavour bland and cooking it often leaves your house smelling like you have played host to an entire team of bean burrito eating rugby players.
However, Cauliflower is a member of the super-powered cruciferous vegetable family which has a ton of health benefits, including fighting cancer, so I figured it deserved at least another shot at being invited to my dinner table. (It's rude to exclude family members, even if they are vegetables)
Fortunately, this recipe transforms the lowly cauliflower to an extremely edible rating, especially the caramelized pieces (yum!) and the curry spices camouflage the typical cooked cauliflower smell.
Roasted Curried Cauliflower
1 large cauliflower
Curry Powder (I used garam masala)
Olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Break cauliflower into medium-small florets and place in large baking pan. Be sure the pieces are evenly sized as possible. The smaller you make the pieces, the more caramelized they will become.(trust me, you want this).
Drizzle cauliflower pieces with olive oil and season well with sea salt and curry powder. Distribute evenly in a single layer at the bottom of the baking pan. If necessary, use a second baking pan to be sure pieces are not crowded.
Cover pans with foil and place in oven. Roast, covered for 10-15 minutes. The cauliflower should be slightly soft and starting to look translucent. If not, replace foil and cook another 5 minutes.
When cauliflower has finished steaming, remove the foil and toss with tongs. Continue to roast, stirring every 8-10 minutes until the tips begin to brown and become crisp. (approximately 30-35 minutes).
Adjust salt to taste and serve.
However, Cauliflower is a member of the super-powered cruciferous vegetable family which has a ton of health benefits, including fighting cancer, so I figured it deserved at least another shot at being invited to my dinner table. (It's rude to exclude family members, even if they are vegetables)
Fortunately, this recipe transforms the lowly cauliflower to an extremely edible rating, especially the caramelized pieces (yum!) and the curry spices camouflage the typical cooked cauliflower smell.
Roasted Curried Cauliflower
1 large cauliflower
Curry Powder (I used garam masala)
Olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Break cauliflower into medium-small florets and place in large baking pan. Be sure the pieces are evenly sized as possible. The smaller you make the pieces, the more caramelized they will become.(trust me, you want this).
Drizzle cauliflower pieces with olive oil and season well with sea salt and curry powder. Distribute evenly in a single layer at the bottom of the baking pan. If necessary, use a second baking pan to be sure pieces are not crowded.
Cover pans with foil and place in oven. Roast, covered for 10-15 minutes. The cauliflower should be slightly soft and starting to look translucent. If not, replace foil and cook another 5 minutes.
When cauliflower has finished steaming, remove the foil and toss with tongs. Continue to roast, stirring every 8-10 minutes until the tips begin to brown and become crisp. (approximately 30-35 minutes).
Adjust salt to taste and serve.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Gratitude and Burnt Offerings
As the lone vegan attending my cousin's Thanksgiving dinner, I have been given my first opportunity to bring something other than salad, so I figured this dish better be exceptional.
My trial run ended with the smoke alarm going off as I had become distracted with other activities and didn't notice the pot had dried out, resulting in charred sweet potatoes and the stench that was to last for days as a reminder that I will never appear on the Food Network.
In my determination to create the ultimate vegan dish to wow the carnivores at the gathering, I have noticed that none of my focus had been on preparing for the actual reason we are gathering; To acknowledge all the blessings we have received and express our gratitude. Perhaps, even share those blessings with others.
Truly feeling gratitute can be a challenging thing in our superficial, self-obsessed culture where the media would leave us to believe the most newsworthy story is what Pippa Middleton wore down the street yesterday, while almost completely ignoring the proverbial elephant in the world room that there are thousands of people starving, or already dead, in Somalia as we speak.
Without the realization of that we are outrageously fortunate, compared to the world scale, we are uncapable of feeling true gratitude, nor are we inspired to help those who are in lack. I encourage you to join me in actually taking time to count our blessings and then pay a bit of it forward. If you would like to help out with the East Africa drought, this is an excellent organization.
https://donate.mcc.org/project/east-africa-2011-drought-response
Caramelized sweet potatoes
1 pound sweet potatoes
1/2 cup pineapple pieces
1/4 cup coconut oil or margarine
1/4 cup raw sugar or maple syrup
2 tbsp pineapple juice
pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger powder combined
Boil unpeeled sweet potatoes in pan of salted water until just tender. Remove from heat and drain well. Cool slightly, then peel.
Preheat oven to 400F or 200C
Thickly slice sweet potatoes and arrange in a single, over-lapping layer in a greased oven-proof dish. Drizzle melted margarine or coconut oil on top.
Sprinkle with the sugar, juice and spices. Bake 30-40 minutes, basting occasionally, until golden brown.
My trial run ended with the smoke alarm going off as I had become distracted with other activities and didn't notice the pot had dried out, resulting in charred sweet potatoes and the stench that was to last for days as a reminder that I will never appear on the Food Network.
In my determination to create the ultimate vegan dish to wow the carnivores at the gathering, I have noticed that none of my focus had been on preparing for the actual reason we are gathering; To acknowledge all the blessings we have received and express our gratitude. Perhaps, even share those blessings with others.
Truly feeling gratitute can be a challenging thing in our superficial, self-obsessed culture where the media would leave us to believe the most newsworthy story is what Pippa Middleton wore down the street yesterday, while almost completely ignoring the proverbial elephant in the world room that there are thousands of people starving, or already dead, in Somalia as we speak.
Without the realization of that we are outrageously fortunate, compared to the world scale, we are uncapable of feeling true gratitude, nor are we inspired to help those who are in lack. I encourage you to join me in actually taking time to count our blessings and then pay a bit of it forward. If you would like to help out with the East Africa drought, this is an excellent organization.
https://donate.mcc.org/project/east-africa-2011-drought-response
Caramelized sweet potatoes
1 pound sweet potatoes
1/2 cup pineapple pieces
1/4 cup coconut oil or margarine
1/4 cup raw sugar or maple syrup
2 tbsp pineapple juice
pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger powder combined
Boil unpeeled sweet potatoes in pan of salted water until just tender. Remove from heat and drain well. Cool slightly, then peel.
Preheat oven to 400F or 200C
Thickly slice sweet potatoes and arrange in a single, over-lapping layer in a greased oven-proof dish. Drizzle melted margarine or coconut oil on top.
Sprinkle with the sugar, juice and spices. Bake 30-40 minutes, basting occasionally, until golden brown.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Cooking for the vegan, allergic masses
Our Western diet is evolving; our culture now embraces all different kinds of ethnic cusines and there are more vegans than ever before, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, there are also more food allergies than ever before, which makes attending a potluck and cooking something that is both appealing and not going to make someone ill a bit of a challenge.
While I will be the first to admit that I have completely destroyed recipes before, I have not, to this date at least, ever killed and/or maimed anyone with my food. To keep with that tradition, I made sure I had a recipe that was vegan, gluten free and nut free. It is wonderfully spicy and easy to make.
Punjabi Chana
2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup coconut oil
6 tsp garlic paste
2 dry red chillies, ground with a little water (I used red chili flakes)
6 tsp ground coriander seeds mixed with a bit of water
4 cups chopped tomatoes
6 green chilies, chopped (I used canned)
1/4 cup finely chopped ginger
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
Heat the oil in a pan , add garlic paste and fry until golden in colour. Add the red chilies and coriander seeds. Stir-fry until water evaporates.
Add tomatoes, green chillies and three quarters of the ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until oil comes to the surface.
Add the chickpeas and mix. Cook for 5 minutes, mixing well. Add lemon juice, garam masala and the dry fenugreek leaves. Mix well. Sprinkle the remaining ginger on top.
While I will be the first to admit that I have completely destroyed recipes before, I have not, to this date at least, ever killed and/or maimed anyone with my food. To keep with that tradition, I made sure I had a recipe that was vegan, gluten free and nut free. It is wonderfully spicy and easy to make.
Punjabi Chana
2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup coconut oil
6 tsp garlic paste
2 dry red chillies, ground with a little water (I used red chili flakes)
6 tsp ground coriander seeds mixed with a bit of water
4 cups chopped tomatoes
6 green chilies, chopped (I used canned)
1/4 cup finely chopped ginger
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
Heat the oil in a pan , add garlic paste and fry until golden in colour. Add the red chilies and coriander seeds. Stir-fry until water evaporates.
Add tomatoes, green chillies and three quarters of the ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until oil comes to the surface.
Add the chickpeas and mix. Cook for 5 minutes, mixing well. Add lemon juice, garam masala and the dry fenugreek leaves. Mix well. Sprinkle the remaining ginger on top.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
3 ingredients, a blender and me
You may think that it is impossible to mess up a 3-ingredient recipe, but this blog is not called The Perfect Disaster for nothing. I had always assumed that making your own vegan ice cream involved special equipment and a reasonable amount of kitchen savvy; definitely not something I ever considered trying.
However, the simplicity of this recipe encouraged me to try it right away and, in my enthusiam, I went out, bought bananas and immediately threw one into the freezer so it could be prepared that night. It never occurred to me to check that the banana was actually ripe. It wasn't. Yuck.
My second attempt, after patiently waiting for the remaining bananas to ripen, was successful and delicious. This recipe is an ideal use for over-ripe bananas; store them in the freezer for the next time you want a quick, healthy frozen treat.
3 Ingredient Vegan Ice Cream
1 banana, peeled and frozen
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. cocoa powder
Additional flavorings (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until well combined and creamy.
If desired, add additional flavors or toppings, such as cookies, fresh fruit, shredded coconut, cinnamon, or pieces of candy. Serve immediately.
*I don't recommend that this be prepared in advance and frozen as it becomes quite hard.
However, the simplicity of this recipe encouraged me to try it right away and, in my enthusiam, I went out, bought bananas and immediately threw one into the freezer so it could be prepared that night. It never occurred to me to check that the banana was actually ripe. It wasn't. Yuck.
My second attempt, after patiently waiting for the remaining bananas to ripen, was successful and delicious. This recipe is an ideal use for over-ripe bananas; store them in the freezer for the next time you want a quick, healthy frozen treat.
3 Ingredient Vegan Ice Cream
1 banana, peeled and frozen
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. cocoa powder
Additional flavorings (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until well combined and creamy.
If desired, add additional flavors or toppings, such as cookies, fresh fruit, shredded coconut, cinnamon, or pieces of candy. Serve immediately.
*I don't recommend that this be prepared in advance and frozen as it becomes quite hard.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Real Vegans Don't eat Quiche
Quiche seems to be one of the staple dishes that meat eaters serve to their vegetarian friends. I often have friends confess that they just don't know what to do with me now that I am vegan.This frittata is definitely what they should do. But considering how easy it was to make, I could just bring it myself. Never mind BYOB, I 'll make it BYOQ.
Italian Frittata
1package firm tofu (I used President's choice herb tofu)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme (personally, I would use less next next time)
2 garlic cloves, minced
juice of half lemon
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
1 tsp dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
Preheat oven to 400F. (I used a toaster oven instead). In a mixing bowl, crumble the tofu through your fingers until it resembles ricotta cheese. Be sure to squeeze out all the lumps. Mix in the soy sauce, mustard, nutritional yeast and tumeric, then combine well.
In a small skillet, add the olive oil and saute the onions for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and thyme and saute for 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, mix and remove from heat. Transfer the cooked onion mixture to the tofu and combine well; fold in spinach and fresh basil (If using dried basil, add at same time as you add the thyme). Place the tofu back into the skillet and press down firmly in place.
Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Let the frittata sit for 10 minutes before serving. Carefully cut into 4 slices and lift each piece with a pie server to prevent it from falling apart.
Italian Frittata
1package firm tofu (I used President's choice herb tofu)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme (personally, I would use less next next time)
2 garlic cloves, minced
juice of half lemon
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
1 tsp dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
Preheat oven to 400F. (I used a toaster oven instead). In a mixing bowl, crumble the tofu through your fingers until it resembles ricotta cheese. Be sure to squeeze out all the lumps. Mix in the soy sauce, mustard, nutritional yeast and tumeric, then combine well.
In a small skillet, add the olive oil and saute the onions for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and thyme and saute for 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, mix and remove from heat. Transfer the cooked onion mixture to the tofu and combine well; fold in spinach and fresh basil (If using dried basil, add at same time as you add the thyme). Place the tofu back into the skillet and press down firmly in place.
Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Let the frittata sit for 10 minutes before serving. Carefully cut into 4 slices and lift each piece with a pie server to prevent it from falling apart.
Monday, June 6, 2011
I have never seen a rabbit eat this salad!!
So what do you eat? Rabbit food? I can't even count how many times I have heard people repeat this annoying cliche question to me, assuming that vegetarians and vegans live on nothing but salads and carrots. Truth be told, it would be a rare event to see a head of lettuce in my shopping cart. All that changed once I found this recipe!
This is one of my all-time favourite salads. It is easy to make, full of flavour and won't leave you hungry an hour later.
Tortilla Salad
1/4 cup tomatos,
1/4 cup corn
red or green pepper,
1 head romaine lettuce
1 avocado
2 tbsp salsa (or to taste)
squirt of lime juice
1/4 cup black beans
Baked tortilla chips
Chop all vegetables, combine all ingredients, crush tortilla chips and sprinkle on top.
This is one of my all-time favourite salads. It is easy to make, full of flavour and won't leave you hungry an hour later.
Tortilla Salad
1/4 cup tomatos,
1/4 cup corn
red or green pepper,
1 head romaine lettuce
1 avocado
2 tbsp salsa (or to taste)
squirt of lime juice
1/4 cup black beans
Baked tortilla chips
Chop all vegetables, combine all ingredients, crush tortilla chips and sprinkle on top.
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