Vegan Recipe Share

[Candy 583]

What is veganism? 🌱

The Vegan Society defined the vegan diet in 1944 as "the principle of the emancipation of animals from exploitation by man". 

Later, it was clarified as "to seek an end to the use of animals by man for food, commodities, work, hunting, vivisection, and by all other uses involving exploitation of animal life by man".

Veganism is a philosophy or way of living that excludes all forms of cruelty to and the exploitation of animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. Veganism also promotes the use and development of animal- and cruelty-free alternatives that benefit the animals, humans, as well as the environment.

 

What do vegans eat?!

A vegan diet comprises all fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, and pulses. These can be prepared in endless combinations. You never have to eat the same thing twice in a month, unless you really like it, of course 😉

Once I decided to adopt a vegan diet, I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity and richness of it. I began experimenting with different ingredients and flavours and tried to make a vegan version of all my favourite dishes. After a few months, I didn't miss animal products at all anymore and now, six years later, I sometimes even find it a bit odd when I come across a smoothie recipe that calls for cow's milk, for example!

It's more than just a diet. It's a lifestyle.

The "hardcore" vegans avoid the exploitation of animals for any purpose, at all costs and make sure everything they consume is cruelty-free; from clothing and cleaning products to cosmetics and other personal hygiene products. There are still very many brands and companies that test their products on animals. For a list of cruelty-free brands, see here.

Compassion for animals is the main reason people choose a vegan lifestyle these days. However, more and more evidence shows that a vegan diet is beneficial both to our health and the environment. PETA shares more about why eating meat contributes to climate change and harms the environment.

Healthy vs "Unhealthy" vegans

Vegan diets are considered healthy as they lack significant amounts of cholesterol (linked to heart disease) and include nutrients, fibre and antioxidants that are vital to our health and prevent dis-ease. 

However, it's definitely possible to be vegan and still have a poor diet. Living in a world where processed foods are available on every corner and take over most aisles in our supermarkets, all diets, including a vegan one can be inundated with junk/unhealthy food, i.e. the absence of whole foods. 

An 'unhealthy' vegan diet would be one that lacks essential nutrients that come from the list of foods mentioned above. Ideally, we should try to eat a whole foods diet at least 85% of the time, while leaving a bit of leeway for the Beyond burgers, french fries and vegan Ben & Jerry's.

Whether you choose to be healthy, 'unhealthy', or somewhere in between, remember, it's your body. Do what's best for you and don't mind what others think. Respect yourself, and also respect the choices of others. 

One thing that's worked for me in making healthier choices over the years is looking at the ingredients of everything I buy. If it has more than five ingredients, and or any of which I can't pronounce, I leave it on the shelf. That said, every once in a while, it's important to TREAT YO SELF to whatever it is you want, be it a juicy vegan cupcake, a greasy meat-free burger or an XXL cheezy fries, and enjoy every bite, GUILT-FREE.

Recipe Share

My vegan adventure is far from over, and every day brings new culinary experiments which I'd like to share with everyone here. My favourite dishes are those that require ten or fewer ingredients and 30-45 minutes of prep/cooking time. I hope these recipes serve as an inspiration to those who love spending time in the kitchen as much as I do.

All the recipes are adjustable to your taste and what's available to you where you live. Feel free to comment and share what works or doesn't work for you, or any alternative hacks or ingredients you find useful or not so much. And remember to have fun in the kitchen! 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳

Bon appetite!

 

 

 

 

[Calvin77 786]

1 hour ago, Candy said:

One thing that's worked for me in making healthier choices over the years is looking at the ingredients of everything I buy. If it has more than five ingredients, and or any of which I can't pronounce, I leave it on the shelf.

I love this and try to do the same as much as poss! 😅 I love cooking totally fresh from scratch to so you know EXACTLY what you are eating. I haven't classified myself as vegan but hardly ever eat meat these days, just not a fan anymore. I have seen improved digestion and weight loss for sure. (One thing I can't give up is eggs as I adore them, but always go for free-range.) Looking forward to trying and tasting so vegan recipes from you Candy!

 

[Lizzie 482]

This is so useful, thank you for sharing! I always check the ingredients on food stuff in the grocery store because I try to stay away from processed foods for the most part. I like to eat fresh and clean and once you learn a bit about how to bake/cook/make different things and dishes, you will also start to question why the ingredient list on the store bought item contain certain things, or why it is so long to begin with 😅

I have always found many vegan recipes or dishes friends have told me about contain a lot of processed foods, or vegan 'replicas' of meat products that have a massive list of items that make no sense to me. Looking forward to seeing some new yummy vegan recipes to try! 🤗

[Candy 583]

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Made with fresh, colourful vegetables, tender rice noodles and tossed with a sweet/spicy peanut sauce. This vegan dish incorporates everything I look for in a meal: quick & easy, healthy, flavourful and oh! so satisfying.😊

I typically make this dish for lunch, but it makes a great light dinner too. The flavours are simple yet authentic, the sauce spicy yet sweet, and it pairs well with most vegetables.

The simple peanut dressing is what makes this vegan dish. I prefer making my own peanut butter, but a store-bought version works too.

 

Servings 1-2

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-free

Best served fresh

 

NOODLES:

• 100g of any white or brown rice noodles

 

SPICY PEANUT SAUCE:

• 3 Tbsp natural peanut butter
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil (any other oil works, but I prefer the flavour of this one)
• 1 tsp fresh grated or minced ginger (or more to your liking)
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup (can sub brown sugar or honey if not vegan)
• 20ml tamari/coconut aminos (or just plain old soy sauce)
• 10ml rice vinegar
• 1 tsp chilli garlic sauce (I use the store-bought version. Can also use sriracha)
• A few Tbsp hot water (only needed if the sauce is too thick)

 

VEGETABLES:

• 60g uncooked firm tofu (dry and cubed)
• Any vegetables you like (I use red onion, peppers, carrots, and broccoli)

 

TOPPINGS:

• Roasted peanuts
• Sriracha sauce
• Spring/green onions
• Coriander (cilantro)
• Fresh red chillies (optional)

 

Instructions:

1. Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions.
2. Prepare the sauce by combining the following ingredients into a small bowl: Peanut butter, 1 tsp sesame oil, ginger, maple syrup/sugar, tamari/soy sauce, rice vinegar, chilli garlic sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash or two of hot water and whisk it all together. Set aside.
3. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and rinse them in cold water. Set aside.
4. Prepare the vegetables by chopping them into small pieces.
5. Prepare the tofu by cutting it into small cubes. I like marinating it in a mixture of tamari and chilli garlic sauce for 5-10 minutes.
6. In a (cast-iron or non-stick) pan, add 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil and toss the tofu in the pan. Once browned on all sides, add the veggies to the pan and sauté for a minute or two. I also add about 1 tbsp of water at this point to soften the vegetables just a little. Set aside. 
7. Bring the noodles to the pan, mix the sauce into the noodles and then top with the tofu/veggie mix.
8. Serve with toppings of choice.

[Tine 665]

 

Tasty, fluffy vegan no sugar banana bread

This is the vegan banana bread I make and here's the modified recipe which I get consistently great results (for my taste, oven, ...)

 

• 100g oats
• 300-400g very ripe thoroughly squished bananas (save some thin banana slices to put on top before baking for the looks)
• 30ml colza oil
• 280g spelt wholegrain flour
• 1 Pack of backing powder to make sure that even a banana bread gets fluffy
• around 30ml of almond milk to give the dough a right consistency
• some cinnamon
• a pinch of salt
• a tiny hint of clove and nutmeg
• sunflower seeds

 

Put everything in a pot, stir thoroughly with a spoon.

Prepare the cake tin by putting butter or oil on all the sides and then make fine breadcrumbs or semolina stick to it, so all the sides are covered by it, then fill the dough in and put the banana slices on top.

Bake for around 40 - 45 min at 180°C.

Enjoy 🙂

 

For a recipe twist that allows all variations (for example quince compote) please check my blog tasty-vegan-no-sugar-no-banana-bananabread

 

[Candy 583]

Creamy Veggie Pasta

I'm a massive fan of creamy pasta sauces. One of my favourite things on a vegan diet was playing with all the different ways one can make a creamy sauce without using dairy products. 

In the beginning, I splurged on cashew nuts, thinking it the only way to get creaminess in sauces similar to dairy cream or cow's milk. The nuts are an excellent source of iron, zinc, protein, potassium and magnesium, but these benefits also come at a very steep price.

When I discovered the human cost of cashew nuts, however, I decided to stop buying it and search for alternatives. Little did I know how easily replaceable cashew nuts are, especially for people with nut allergies!

 

Today's recipe is a 20-minute ensemble using very few ingredients, yet not lacking in nutrition or flavour. It's a quick and easy dish and especially recommended for those on a dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free diet.

Servings: 1-2

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Cuisine: Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, oil-free

 

Noodles:

• Your favourite pasta/noodles. I used gluten-free buckwheat pasta spirals.

Creamy sauce:

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (hemp seeds work well too)
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 Tbs nutritional yeast
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Salt & pepper to taste

Vegetables:

• 2 cloves garlic
• Artichoke hearts (canned/jarred is ok)
• Zucchini
• Spinach
• Cherry tomatoes
• Mixed dried herbs

Instructions:

1. Boil the pasta according to the package instructions.
2. While the pasta boils, prep the veggies by cutting them into bite-sized chunks.
3. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water. Feel free to add a good glug of olive or avocado oil to the pasta to keep it moist.
4. To a pan, add a splash of water and sauté 1 garlic clove until soft.
5. Next, add all vegetables to the pan, except the spinach, and sauté until soft. Stir in the herbs and salt & pepper to taste.
6. Once the veggies have softened, add the spinach until it wilts. Set aside.

For the sauce: 

1. Soak the sunflower seeds in hot water for approximately 20 minutes. 
2. Drain the seeds, add it to a blender with one clove of garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper and blend on high, adding water to thin out the sauce to your preference.
3. Once smooth, mix the sauce into the pasta, stack the vegetables on top and ENJOY!

P.s. I don't often cook with oil, but feel free to use olive or another oil of your choice for cooking the vegetables in.

[Tine 665]

@Candy soaked and blended sunflower seeds for a creamy consistency This is totally new to me. What a great idea. I use sunflower seeds a lot, this is going to be a perfect addition to my regualar cooking!

[Tine 665]

Here's a recipe we cooked with the nuns at Plum Village: Lazy Vegan Panna Cotta

 

[Candy 583]

Creamy White Bean Soup

It's a chilly, rainy day in Germany where I'm currently visiting friends and family, and I'm in the mood for a hearty soup!

Using what I found in the kitchen, I whipped up this simple, creamy white bean soup. I love soups. It's a great way to empty the fridge of leftover vegetables at the end of the week!

This wholesome soup comes together quickly and easily and goes well with warm crusty bread.

 

Servings: 1-2

Cooking time: 30 minutes

 

Ingredients:

• 1 jar cannellini beans
• 1-2 carrots
• 1 onion
• A few celery stalks
• 2 cloves garlic
• Kale
• Italian mixed herbs
• Chilli flakes
• Cayenne pepper
• Vegetable broth (homemade, cubes, powder or liquid)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in water or oil for a few minutes.
2. Add the garlic and mixed herbs when the onions are soft and translucent and sauté a few more minutes.
3. Add the vegetable broth.
4. Rinse the beans and add to the pot with a dash each of cayenne pepper and chilli flakes.
5. Place a lid on the pot and boil on low heat for approximately 15 minutes.
6. Remove the lid and let the soup simmer for a few more minutes.
7. Scoop out one cup of the soup and blend until creamy. 
8. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir.
9. At this point, add the kale and simmer for a few more minutes until the kale changes colour.
10. Add salt & pepper to taste. Depending on which stock you use, you might not need additional salt.
11. Let cool for a few minutes and serve.

 

 

[Candy 583]

My Favourite Vegan Breakfast Series

#1 Porridge Oats

My all-time favourite thing to have for breakfast is hot oats or oatmeal porridge with cinnamon, banana and other yummy trimmings. I eat this on most days, summer or winter. It's super nutritious and effortless to make.

Servings: 1-2

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup gluten-free oats (I prefer gluten-free, although any oats are fine)
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• Pinch of pink salt (optional)
• 1/2 ripe banana - mashed (optional)
• 1/2 cup plant milk or water
• Fresh and dried fruit
• Superfoods or a seed mix
• Agave, rice, date or maple syrup (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add the oats, salt, and milk/water to medium heat and bring to a boil.
2. Once it's boiling, turn down the heat and allow it to simmer.
3. Stir in the cinnamon and mashed banana.
4. If you prefer runny oats, add more water/milk.
5. Remove from heat into a bowl.
6. Add favourite toppings, drizzle with syrup and dig in!

My favourite toppings are berries, cacao nibs, hemp seeds, ground flax seeds, and nut butters.

[Candy 583]

#2 Chocolate Protein Granola

Sometimes I prefer something more crunchy for breakfast, so I make a batch of this granola, which also happens to double as a snack! It pairs well with coconut yoghurt and fruit. 

Store-bought granola is fine too, but I find nearly all of them have unnecessary added refined sugar and other "natural" ingredients that are actually chemically produced.

Servings: Depends on how much you eat 😅

Cooking time: 25 minutes (including time in the oven)

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup gluten-free oats
• 1/2 cup buckwheat groats (optional)
• 6 tbs chia seeds
• Nuts, roughly chopped (I like almonds, walnuts or pecans)
• Dried fruits such as dates, raisins, currants, or cranberries
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• Clean, unsweetened protein powder
• 40ml melted coconut oil
• 40ml syrup (rice, date, agave, or maple - your choice 😉

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356 F)
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the coconut oil and syrup and mix well. If your mixture is too dry, add more oil.
4. Spread out flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and bake for approximately 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven.
5. Once it starts to brown, flip or stir it around and bake for another 8-10 minutes.
6. Allow to cool completely before breaking it up into bite-size chunks.
7. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

 

Side notes:

This granola also makes a great pre or post-gym/workout snack. 

You can use any flavour of protein powder, although I would recommend looking for one that has the cleanest ingredients and no added sugar or sweetener.

[Candy 583]

#3 Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is super easy to make and very filling. It's high in fibre, omega-3 and even has a bit of protein!

I usually make a bigger batch and have it for breakfast 2-3 days in a row with the same or different toppings.

 

Servings: 2

Cooking time: 5 minutes

 

Ingredients:

• 100g chia seeds
• 500ml plant-based milk (I like coconut or almond)
• 2 tbsp coconut or other plant-based yoghurts
• 2 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 100g mixed berries
• Cacao powder (optional)

 

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl or jar.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight if possible.
3. Add your favourite toppings and enjoy!

 

Pictured is my breakfast from a few days ago using a cacao powder mix from one of my favourite brands.

 

[Candy 583]

Coconut flatbreads - Vegan, gluten-free

I know we're still on breakfast recipes, but I made something interesting yesterday and thought I'd share it here. 😊

I felt like eating Indian naan bread, but being sensitive to wheat and gluten, I decided to try something more comfortable on the stomach. Enter coconut flatbreads. Made with coconut flour which I happened to find when clearing out a kitchen cupboard.

Servings: 4-5

Cooking time: 15 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 70g coconut flour
• 30g psyllium husk (powder is also fine)
• 3g salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 250ml boiling water
• 50g coconut oil
• Optional: garlic powder + herbs (I used oregano and garlic powder)

 

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients by hand or whisk.
2. Add the oil and mix well.
3. Add the boiling water bit by bit, until it forms into a dough.
4. Divide into 4-5 small balls
5. Roll each ball between 2 sheets of baking paper to flatten out.
6. Use a pot lid to cut them into circles, or leave as is.
7. Dry fry in a pan for 2 minutes on each side.

Notes:

Leave out the herbs and garlic powder to have your flatbreads with sweet toppings too

[Tine 665]

@Candy The coconut flatbread looks super tasty. I have all kinds of ingredients at home, but no coconut flour, which just was written onto the shopping list—psyllium husk I had to translate first before locating it in our shelves. 🙂
I just remembered a vegetarian/ vegan/ pescatarian dish that is fun to do in a group and is easily adjusted to all eating habits: Sushi.

As the rice is cooling down, we usually cut the toppings/ filling. Then everyone gets to create something they like: cucumber, avocado, sesame seeds, fried onion, beetroot, rocket leaves, all kinds of pickles maybe pear for the more adventurous ones.

If you are really hungy you can have a miso soup on the side.

[Tine 665]

This morning I made almond milk.

After several years of struggle, I finally managed to drink milk rarely and now what bugs me is that we create so much trash with the packaging of soy or almond milk.
So last night I soaked 200g of almonds in cold water.
This morning I blended them with warm water and strained it through a "cheesecloth" (no idea what this fine fabric is called in English...)
I got about 2 litres out of it. And the rest of the almonds will be part of the vegan apple cake I am going to make in the evening.
The tricky bit is most likely to get a blender that is strong enough, so you end up with both milk and almond flour. The finer the result, the more almond milk you get out of it. I think really good smoothie blenders will do the trick. We have a model from the 60ies which works really well too.
With our blender 100g of almonds for 1litre of almond milk is enough.

[Candy 583]

Apple (or pear) crumble with coconut whipped cream.

I thought we'd start off the week on a sweet note.

I love the simplicity of this dessert. It comes together easily with pantry staples and, sometimes, when I feel naughty, I eat it for breakfast with coconut yoghurt! 😋 

This recipe was a bit hard to write because I don't usually measure things when I cook haha. If the ratios seem off, do what you think is best.🤷‍♀️

 

Servings: 2-3

Cooking & prep time: 1 hour

 

Ingredients:

 

Apple layer:

• 6 tart apples or pears (not ripe pears)
• 1-2 Tbs grated ginger
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 Tbs maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Crumble layer:

• A handful of chopped pecans or walnuts. Leave this out if you're allergic to nuts.
• 70g gluten-free oats
• 120g coconut sugar, panela or unrefined cane/brown sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice or cinnamon
• 70g gluten-free flour (I use almond or coconut, or a mix of both)
• Pinch of sea salt or pink salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 40g melted coconut oil
• 1 can good-quality coconut milk

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius (356 F)
2. Peel and chop up the apples/pears into small squares.
3. To the apples/pears, add the ginger, lemon juice, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients well, and then add the coconut oil.
5. With your hands, mix it all together until it forms a crumble. If it's too dry, add a bit more oil. The clumpier, the better.
6. Place the apples in a well-oiled baking dish and use your fingers to crumble the crumble on top. 😉
7. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for another 20-25 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
9. Keeps covered in the fridge for 2 days.

 

For the coconut cream:

1. Chill the coconut milk in the fridge the night before making this recipe.
2. Scoop out the thickened cream and leave the liquid behind. You can use the liquid for smoothies.
3. Beat with a mixer until thick and creamy.
4. Feel free to add powdered sugar or vanilla to the cream.
5. Use immediately, or chill in the fridge until the crumble is ready.

 

Notes:

The amount of sugar you use might depend on the sweetness of the apples.

This dish makes a great breakfast option when paired with yoghurt.

You can also have this dessert with vegan vanilla ice-cream.

 

 

[Tine 665]

On 10/6/2020 at 9:54 AM, Tine said:

This morning I made almond milk.

Here's additional info to the almond milk recipe. Making it fresh about twice a week works well. I recommend every third day.

Also despite reading that you can use the almond flour if you dry it - drying it so it won't get mouldy takes as much time, effort and energy as mixing it into a cake, your müsli or so the same day or the day after. Especially as with the 50g to 100g of almonds I use for each batch of almond milk I do not have enough leftovers to justify drying it in the oven and letting it simply sit on a dry and warm place didn't work too well.

[Candy 583]

I posed this recipe on Instagram earlier and thought I'd share it here too, since it's #veganuary 😃

It's great for lunch or dinner and best served with a side salad.

 

Veggie farinata ingredients:

 

100g chickpea flour

130ml water

1 tsp Rosemary or mixed herbs

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Veggies of your choice, chopped small. I used mushrooms, peppers, zucchini and onion.

 

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 175°C or 350°F
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour & water until it’s smooth and no lumps appear. Add the herbs and set aside. 
3. Oil a baking tray.
4. Put the chopped veggies in the tray and pour the flour mix on top.
5. Bake for 25-30 mins.
6. Let it cool for a while before attempting to cut it 😅