Tag: vegetarian

  • Oven vegetables in pesto sauce

    I love using the oven: it’s so easy to just mix all the ingredients and have the oven work it’s magic. Especially since I became a mother :).

    Here, I had a big tray of cut veggies: bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms. I added some oil and salt and baked them for 30 minutes at 180 until they were tender and almost done. As you bake the vegetables, they will release fluid. At the end of the 30 minutes, I mixed in a delicious homemade pesto (but yours can be store bought of course) with the fluid and together with the oil they made the perfect, creamy, fresh and green sauce.

    Not a strict recipe but more a ‘this is how I do stuff’. Hope it helps.

    Enjoy!

  • Green vegan pesto with fresh herbs

    Bear leek (EN), daslook (NL), Bärlauch (D). We see it more and more in the ‘wild’ here in Holland and luckily, in Germany, it is not rare to see entire fields of the ‘big leaf garlic’. My mother and her beloved Hans grow it in their vegetable garden so I had the opportunity to bring some with me for dinner.

    This pesto is perfect with basil (the traditional pesto herb) as well. Just use whatever the season brings!

    I love making vegan pestos. Simply use green leafy herbs or vegetables, add nuts or seeds such as walnuts, pumpkin, pine or sunflower seeds, olive oil and a little bit of raw garlic (not too much!).

    For this pesto, I used bear leek, spinach, parsley, walnuts, olive oil and water (just enough to help it ‘run’ in the machine). The quantities/ratios don’t really matter! Just try what you like: more green, or more nutty. It all tastes wonderful.

    By the way the herb chopper that comes with your stick blender (staafmixer) is perfect for making pestos.

    Next blog: this pesto in a delicious oven veggie dish!

  • Vegan bacon alternative

    I used to love the taste of crunchy bacon. Now that I eat mostly vegan, I truly don’t fancy the pig aspect so much anymore. But the chewy, crunchy, salty part… yum! I’m always open to suggestions for that.

    I have experimented around trying to come up with good alternatives and what has worked best so far, is two things: 1) crushed almonds, salted and fried. They taste great and are very healthy but miss the chewy part. Enter number 2): soy chunks!

    Eew, you say? Yeah I know. And it sounds even more horrible in Dutch: sojabrokken. But get over it and bear with me. When you think about it, spekjes/bacon are not really that appetizing either.

    Without further ado, here comes the recipe. It’s not culinary; it’s simple what it is: a great vegan alternative for crunchy, chewy, salty bacon:

    Vegan bacon alternative

    4-6 cups of soy chunks
    1 cup extra strong & salty vegetable or mushroom stock
    4-6 tablespoons of oil (suitable for baking)

    • Mix oil and stock.
    • Add soy chunks.
    • Mix well and wait until all fluid has been absorbed. (While soaking, there might be a smell which some people associate with dog food. Don’t worry; that won’t be there in the end result.)
    • Spread out on a baking tray in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes at 180 degrees celsius, or until light brown and crunchy.
    • Check regularly.
    • Add salt if desired.

    This is great on salads, as a soup topping, on stamppot (a Dutch dish), with potatoes, in a vegan pasta carbonara (sorry Italians), on sauerkraut, beans, etc. You can store them in a jar in the fridge for a few days. Enjoy!

  • Blood orange & coconut chia pudding

    Delicious and simple.

    (You can make this recipe with plant-based milk and coconut ‘yoghurt’ OR use 1 can of organic fairtrade coconut cream without emulsifier. Use the coconut water from the can for the pudding and the thick cream from the same can for the topping.)

    Ingredients:

    For the chia pudding

    2 tbs chia seeds
    120 ml plant based milk of choice (oat, coconut, soy, rice etc all work well) OR coconut water
    1 blood orange (normal orange works as well)
    1 large ts sweetener (agave syrup, honey, sugar etc)

    For the topping

    Coconut yoghurt OR thick coconut cream
    Piece of blood orange
    Mint leaves

    Equipment:

    Blender or immersion blender (Dutch: staafmixer)

     

    Preparation:

    Use a sharp knife to cut first the top cap, then the bottom cap off the orange and then around the flesh, removing only the peel. Scrape orange leftovers from the peel with a teaspoon if you’ve cut too much off.

    Take the pieces apart, remove the white thingy in the middle and add the orange pieces together with the milk or coconut water and sweetener in your mixing glass or blender.

    Roughly blend those three ingredients together using a blender or immersion blender (Dutch: staafmixer).

    Now add the mixture to the chia seeds, stir well and put in the refrigerator. The seeds will soak up the moisture and swell, thickening and gelatinizing the mixture to a delicious pudding. After 1 hour, stir again. After another 30 minutes or more (you could also keep them overnight) take out of the fridge, add coconut yoghurt or thick cream, top with orange and mint… Yummy!

    Delicious!

  • Chocolate Mango (beans & carrots!) No-Bake Cake

    Yesterday was my birthday. I spent the whole day in the kitchen before moving all the dishes over to my mom’s place who had graciously offered to host the family birthday party. It was a perfect day with some of my favorite people :).

    This no-bake cake consists of 3 layers plus a fruit topping. It is very dense- rich and filling, so be sure to serve tiny slices. The layers should be distinct in taste: fruity for the top and robust, full and indulgent for the chocolate middle layer.

    The beans make for a thick, fudgy chocolate cream. Be sure to add plenty of vanilla to get the richness that cacao deserves. Also, vanilla creates a sweet sensation so you’ll need less dates. You won’t taste the beans, I promise! People have been amazed at how well this works and… beans are good for you!

    The crunchy muesli makes for a great dough, especially the nuts one thanks to the healthy fats in there which make it rather buttery, but vegan and good for your heart! We happened to have two kinds of crunchy and it worked out great but if you have only one (preferably the nuts), that will work as well.

    I have only roughly estimated the amounts, I’m sure that when you’re in the kitchen getting your hands dirty and tasting lots (yay :P), things will sort themselves out.

    Recipe for Chocolate Mango (beans & carrots!) No-Bake Cake

    1. For the bottom layer:

    1-2 cups crunchy muesli with 4 red fruits
    dates to taste
    1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

    2. For the chocolate layer:

    3-4 cups nut crunchy muesli with nuts
    2 cans of cooked black beans (rinse well)
    1 cup of cacao
    10-20 dates
    1 tablespoon vanilla
    2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
    pinch of salt

    3. For the carrot layer:

    1-2 cups crunchy muesli (either nuts of red fruits)
    2-3 carrots
    pieces of mango
    lemon juice and (part of) rind

    4. For the fruit layer:

    150-200 gr frozen mango pieces (or fresh if you’re in the right climate)
    handful of blueberries

    For layers 1, 2 and 3: for each layer separately, combine the ingredients in a food processor. Taste and adjust to improve taste and consistency. They should be sticky, sturdy and chewy.

    Press the bottom layer in the bottom of the cake form. Use a spoon to smoothly spread the mixture. Next, add in the chocolate layer. And finally, add in the carrot layer.

    Top off with a full layer of fruit, which you lightly press into the carrot layer. Enjoy now or refrigerate until shortly before use.

  • Chocolate Mango (beans & carrots!) No-Bake Cake

    Yesterday was my birthday. I spent the whole day in the kitchen before moving all the dishes over to my mom’s place who had graciously offered to host the family birthday party. It was a perfect day with some of my favorite people :).

    This no-bake cake consists of 3 layers plus a fruit topping. It is very dense- rich and filling, so be sure to serve tiny slices. The layers should be distinct in taste: fruity for the top and robust, full and indulgent for the chocolate middle layer.

    The beans make for a thick, fudgy chocolate cream. Be sure to add plenty of vanilla to get the richness that cacao deserves. Also, vanilla creates a sweet sensation so you’ll need less dates. You won’t taste the beans, I promise! People have been amazed at how well this works and… beans are good for you!

    The crunchy muesli makes for a great dough, especially the nuts one thanks to the healthy fats in there which make it rather buttery, but vegan and good for your heart! We happened to have two kinds of crunchy and it worked out great but if you have only one (preferably the nuts), that will work as well.

    I have only roughly estimated the amounts, I’m sure that when you’re in the kitchen getting your hands dirty and tasting lots (yay :P), things will sort themselves out.

    Recipe for Chocolate Mango (beans & carrots!) No-Bake Cake

    1. For the bottom layer:

    1-2 cups crunchy muesli with 4 red fruits
    dates to taste
    1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

    2. For the chocolate layer:

    3-4 cups nut crunchy muesli with nuts
    2 cans of cooked black beans (rinse well)
    1 cup of cacao
    10-20 dates
    1 tablespoon vanilla
    2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
    pinch of salt

    3. For the carrot layer:

    1-2 cups crunchy muesli (either nuts of red fruits)
    2-3 carrots
    pieces of mango
    lemon juice and (part of) rind

    4. For the fruit layer:

    150-200 gr frozen mango pieces (or fresh if you’re in the right climate)
    handful of blueberries

    For layers 1, 2 and 3: for each layer separately, combine the ingredients in a food processor. Taste and adjust to improve taste and consistency. They should be sticky, sturdy and chewy.

    Press the bottom layer in the bottom of the cake form. Use a spoon to smoothly spread the mixture. Next, add in the chocolate layer. And finally, add in the carrot layer.

    Top off with a full layer of fruit, which you lightly press into the carrot layer. Enjoy now or refrigerate until shortly before use.

  • Raw tomato and bell pepper gazpacho

    Raw tomato and bell pepper gazpacho

    One delicious daily dose of veggies in a cup 🙂

    1 tomato
    1/2 bell pepper
    1 small garlic clove
    4 basil leaves
    1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
    1 sundried tomato
    1 date
    1 tablespoon of sunflower or pine seeds, or nuts
    Salt
    Extra virgin olive oil
    Lemon juice

    Simply blend everything together with about 1/3 the volume of water, add salt, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice to taste… enjoy!

  • Kale chips

    Kale chips

    If you have never tried these, please do! So simple and delicious. And healthy! Great for iron. Just go easy on the salt.

    Massage the kale with a few drops of vegetable oil, then spread the kale out in one layer on your oven rack lined with parchment paper.

    (It is very tempting to make loads of this healthy snack but you need to be sure not to ‘heap’ the kale; the water inside the leaf needs space to evaporate or it will only steam/cook.)

    Sprinkle with salt and bake for about 10 minutes at 180 degrees or until the sides start to brown. Be careful not to let them burn.

    You may choose to only use salt or play around with special flavorings like curry powder, garlic or pimento.

    I used pre-cut kale from a bag, which makes for really small chips. Better even would be to use fresh leaves and cut along the stem (or mid section) of the leaf to get bigger chips.

  • Simple vegetarian broccoli lasagne

    Simple vegetarian broccoli lasagne

    Honestly, when preparing this I forgot to add the vegetarian ‘minced meat’ and it was still delicious. Would also be great with mushrooms! Find your own, buy fresh or soak dried mushrooms from your stock.

    First, mix together ingredients for the sauce. I used tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, sambal (chili paste) and bruschetta mix (dried tomato, garlic and oregano). You might use a ready made tomato sauce (there are really good ones without additives, check the label) or make your own.

    Grease the bottom and sides of your oven dish with olive oil. Now add a first thin layer of tomato sauce at the bottom, then break small broccoli florets (no bigger than would fit a teaspoon) and distribute evenly in the sauce. Now add a layer of minced veg meat and cover with thinly sliced onion rings. Cover with a layer of sauce.

    Now take a sheet of lasagne pasta (I used whole-wheat), break it if necessary and use as much/many as you need to cover a full layer in the oven dish.

    Repeat the layering steps with a bit of sauce, broccoli, minced veg meat, onions, more sauce. Add another layer of pasta.

    Make the last layer with broccoli, onion and sauce. Top with grated cheese (I used Gouda).

    Put in the oven at 200 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with (rocket) salad, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

  • Tortellini carbonara with fresh parasol mushroom and zucchini

    Tortellini carbonara with fresh parasol mushroom and zucchini

    We found a beautiful bunch of parasol mushrooms (in Dutch: grote parasolzwammen) in a neighbor’s garden. She was super friendly and gave us one, after we explained how delicious they supposedly were – although we hadn’t tried before.

    (Btw: if it’s not the right season or foraging is not your thing: you could substitute the parasol with any other tasty mushroom. Just try to not choose champignons, they’re booooring ;).)

    Of course at home I first double checked that this really was a parasol mushroom, but really you can not really go wrong with this one.

    People have asked me but I will not explain on this blog; you’ll have to do your own research, find a trustworthy field guide and learn from an experienced forager before you can safely find and eat wild mushrooms.

    One tip: start with learning by heart which ones NOT to eat ;). Then proceed with the ones that are unmistakeable, the so called beginner’s mushrooms.

    So. I hope your worries have been addressed ;). This parasol mushroom turned out delicious! One of the best I have ever had, I may even like it over many porcini (eekhoorntjesbrood) I have had.

    Clean the mushroom (I rinsed it because there was a lot of earth/dirt), check that it is fresh and not contaminated by small animals. Cut a shallot or small onion and a garlic clove. Sauté in oil for a few minutes until light golden brown and fragrant, then add the zucchini and mushroom pieces plus pepper and salt (not too much!) to taste.

    Meanwhile, boil the tortellini as long as needed (see packaging).

    For the real carbonara: break an egg in a bowl and remove half of the egg white. Now beat the egg. Grate some cheese, Parmesan would be great but I used ripe (oude) Gouda cheese and that turned out really well, too.

    Drain the pasta as soon as it’s cooked al dente. Put back in the pan, add the egg, stir, then add in the cheese and some black pepper.

    Serve with the vegetables. I put them on top of the pasta. Italians would serve them separately, no doubt.

    Don’t forget the olive oil. Olive oil rocks, especially with mushrooms and pasta.