WARNING: THIS DISH IS HOT! HOT! HOT!
A great healthy alternative to traditional american chillie full of healthy fiberous kidney beans!
Served alongside polenta and top with chunky avocado (really helps cut through the heat of the dish).
I will give you the recipe for polenta however, i found it easiest to use the pre made soft polenta found in any supermarket in the section where the cous cous is. It saves alot of time and effort.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3-4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 medium- large capsicum, diced (any colour)
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp ground cummin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 cups cooked kidney beans (I used 2 tins)
1 cup corn kernels (I used 1 tin)
1 796 ml can tomatos (crushed or diced)
2 tsp sea salt
Method:
Heat the oil in a large pan in a large pot on medium high. Add the onions and saute for 8 minutes until translucednt. Toss in the garlic, capsicum, chilli powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and oregano, and saute for another few minutes adding a splash of water if necessary to avoid sticking.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir occasionall until heated through, about 10 mins.
If using pre-made polenta cut into slices and fry in a frying pan with a little oil until each side is golden and brown at the edges
Polenta:
1 cup cornmeal
3 cups filtered water
1 tsp sea salt
1-2 cloves garlic pressed or grated (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
Method:
Mix cornmeal and 1 1/2 cups water in a small bowl
Bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a 3Litre saucepan. Add the salt and garlic. Once boiling, slowly stir in soacked cornmeal mixture.
Cook uncovered on medium-low heat for 20-30 mins, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until thick and smooth. Its done when you can jam a spoon into it and and it'll stand on its own.
Stir in the oil and remove from heat. Using a silicone spatula, transfer polenta to a parchment-lined baking pan, smoothing it evenly, and allowing to set for 30-45 minutes.
Once set, cut polenta into squares or triangles (or with cookie cutters or the rim of a mug or glass)
Lightly oil a fry pan and place on a medium heat. Carefully place polenta pieces in fry pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and brown at the edges.
Oh My God! I dont think I've ever had rice pudding so creamy or so delicious. Pretty simple to make with only a few ingredients. This is a great recipe that you (and your tastebuds) won't be able to get enough of!
Ingredients
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or 1/2 cup barly malt or brown rice syrup.
4 cups non dairy milk (I use vitasoy so milky)
2 cups cooked brown rice (sunrice 90 second brown rice in the small pack is perfect for this)
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (vanilla essence is fine)
1/4 tsp seasalt
Optionals:
lemon or orange zest
cinnamon
nutmeg
raisins/sultanas
pistachio nuts
Method:
Combine the syrup or malt and just 3 1/2 cups of the milk in a med-large saucepan on a med-high heat. Once heated, add the rice, vanilla , salt and any optionals (I personally throw in some saltanas, cinnamon and mixed spice).
Disolve cornflour and in the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, then slowly pour into the saucepan, stirring continually. Reduce heat to medium if mixture starts to boil , stirring every 5 minutes, but it may take up to 40 minutes for noticeable thickening to occour, or if you leave heat on medium- high, stir more often to prevent sticking or a skin forming on the surface.
Once its thickened and no longer runny, turn off heat (it should thicken more as it cools).
Eat warm or cool!
Simple, flavorsome and oh so yummy! However it does take some time and patience and a fair amount of stirring so have something to read handy. However, I highly recommend this recipe as a diet staple.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dry red lentils, rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock or filtered water
2 whole dried chillies or 1/2 tsp crashed chillies/chillie powder
2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp sea salt (*Note if you are using a store bought stock that isn't salt reduced you dont need to add the extra salt as it will be already quiet salty)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (if you dont have seeds powder works fine aswell)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 tbsp frsh ginger, grated (or an additional clove of garlic)
1 cup chopped fresh tomato (optional but highly recommended)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (you may need a little more depending on how salty your dish is)
1 tsp garam masala (packet is fine but the recipe for how to do it yourself is at the end of the recipe)
Method:
Combine lentils, stock or water, chilles, tumeric and salt in a soup pot on high heat. Bring to a boil, the reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes, until lentils are tender, stirring continually. You may need to add up to an additional cup of water or stock to adjust to the desired consistency.
Heat the oil in a small fry pan on meduim-high. Add the cumin seeds (or powder) and saute for about 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant but not burning, then stir in the onions, garlic and ginger. Reduce heat to medium and saute for abou 5 minutes, until onions begin to brown. Add tomato and saute for another 7 minutes.
Discard chillies once lentils are tender. Stir om the onion mixture, lemon juice , garam masala and additional salt if required.
Serve with brown rice and roti bread.
Garam Masala:
3 tsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp seeds from green cardamon pods
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp whole clothes
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp grated nutmeg
Grind each item seperately in a spice grinder (or a clean coffee grinder), except for cayenne and nutmeg, then place all ingredients in a small jar, cover, and shake until well combined.
Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumble
This is another recipe from Jae Steele's 'Get It Ripe'. It makes for a an easy dessert made from alot of pantry ingredients. The book is a very organic, non gm, raw material ingredient base, if you dont have some of the more natural ingredients like I didn't subbing is fine!
Ingredients:
Fruit Bottom:
5 cups chopped rhubarb (approx 680gr)
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries (approx 10 but i put in a whole punnet)
3/4-1 cup organic sugar (I used normal sugar)
2 tbsp arrow root powder, kudzu, tapioca flour or non-GM cornstarch (I used normal cornflour)
Crumble top:
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated coconut oil or non-dairy, non GM margerine (I used nuttlex)
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole grain flour (I just used normal plain flour)
3/4 cup organic sugar, fair trade if possible (I used normal sugar)
1/2 tsp sea salt (1/4 tsp if using marg)
finely grated zest of lemon or orange (optional)
*Note: I also added chopped walnuts and pumpkin seeds to my crumble for extra crunch and texture, but thats a personal preference
Method:
Preheat oven to 180. grease a baking dish
Fruit Bottom:
Toss all the ingredients in a bowl together, put into baking dish.
Crumble:
In a seperate bowl, put all ingredients and combine. It should be kind of clumpy
Spread crumble over fruit and bake for 35-45 mins until fruit is soft!
This was my first ever experience using quinoa and I gotta admit it's pretty amazing aswell as being super healthy. This recipe was taken from Jae Steele's 'Get It Ripe' vegan cook book which is by far one of the best I've used as it not only gives a wide range of recipes but also covers, diet, nutrition and substitues as well as a range of other things. I did make a change to the recipe when I made it. All I did was double the quanity and used both oyster and swiss brown mushrooms to give it more of a complex flavour.
I highly recommend quinoa as a great grain alternative!
This recipe is also Gluten Free and Soy Free.
Ingredients:
1tbsp olive oil
1 small to medium onion diced small
1 medium clove of garlic minced or grated
114 gr brown mushrooms, sliced (oyster or button mushrooms can be used as an alternative)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp minced fresh sage (or 2 tbsp dried)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup sliced spring onions or chives
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a medium to large frypan on a medium/low heat. Add the onions and allow them to sweat for 5 minutes, ensuring not to let them brown.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes, stirring mixture, and allowing mushrooms to soften and release some of their liquid. Stir in the quinoa, stock, sage and salt.
3. Increase heat to bring to boil. Then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork, then fold in chives or spring onions and serve.
*Note: I found when simmering it probably doesnt need the full 15 minutes and actually had to add extra liquid to keep the mixture from drying too much.
Firstly I have to hand all credit to the basic recipe for this one to my friend Lauren, she's my little recipe advisor! You can make all sorts of variations to suit your taste. The one above has had Sweet William dairy free choc chips and frozen rasberries added into the mixtue and has been topped with with fresh strawberries. Variations may include plain cheesecake topped with fresh fruit or if your feeling adventurous make up some caramel and melt some dairy free dark chocolate and swirl it through. Warning though this cake can be extremely rich!
Basic Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 packet Oreos
Nuttlex or non-dairy margarine (melted)
2 x tubs Tofutti 'Better than Cream Cheese'
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla essence
2 tablespoons corn flour (combined with 1/4 cup of water)
Method:
1. Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease a spring form tin and line the bottom with baking paper.
2. Make base by first crushing Oreos in the food processor and then adding melted Nuttlex untill crumbs bind together to form a base like consitancy. Then press base mixture into the bottom of the lined tin ensuring that it is flat and even. Then put base into the fridge to chill. (if you dont have a food processor, using a rolling pin and freezer bag to crush Oreos and then combine with Nuttlex in a bowl)
3. Use a food processor or blender to combine all remaining ingredients. Once ingredients are combined this is when you would add your extras such as rasberries or chocolate.
4. Spoon the mixture evenly onto the chilled base then bake in the oven for 30-40 mins or until cake starts to brown lightly.
5. Once baked put in the fridge to chill and when cool remove from tin and top with fruit or any other desired toppings.
*Note: When the cake is baking it will rise slightly and then drop again once it is chilled, don't be alarmed as this is normal.
