Creamy Risotto with Chanterelles and Cranberries

Serves 4-5 hungry people

You need to have:

500g risotto rice
500g chanterelles
1250ml vegetable stock
250ml white wine  
1tbsp mushroom breadspread of some sort (optional)
1 good dash soy cream
3-4tbsp margarine
1 medium sized onion
1 garlic clove
2-3tbsp cranberries
2-3tbsp nutritional yeast
salt and pepper to taste


You need to do:

Finely chop onions and garlic (after peeling, that is). Brush chanterelles (don't wash them with water, they'll just soak) and halve the big ones.

Melt 2/3 of the margarine in a pot and fry onions, garlic and rice until glazed.

Slowly add white wine, then stock (pour maybe 1/2 cup at a time). Turn down the heat to medium to low. Stir, stir, stir. The rice should have a porridgey/rice puddingey look and not be drenched in liquid. It shouldn't really be cooking either but the liquid should just slowly evaporate. This is gonna take a while (or a little more), so you need to be patient. It's totally worth it.

When you've poured maybe 3/4 of the liquid, meld the rest of the margarine in a big pan, keep the pan really hot and fry the chanterelles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Don't let the risotto burn, though, and keep adding liquid and stirring once in a while.

When the chanterelles are done, add them and the cranberries to the risotto. You can also pour some of the chanterelle-liquid into the risotto to make it even more chanterelley.

Now let the rice cook until it's soft (stir!), add a dash of soy cream, the yeast and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy with some more cranberries on top, if you like.

Beetroot Soup with Ginger and Coconut Milk

Like all soups, it is incredibly easy to cook this.


serves 1-2 hungry people

You need to have:

500g beetroot
2cm peeled ginger root or 1-2tsp ginger paste
1tsp vegetable stock
200ml coconut milk
50ml soy cream or milk
1tbsp curry
1tbsp coriander
1tbsp thyme
1tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste


You need to do:

Peel beetroot and ginger and cut into smaller pieces. Place in a pot, add stock and cover with water. Cook until the beetroot is soft. 

Take away a few ladels of the liquid but save them in a cup. Add coconut milk, soy cream or milk, herbs, spices and the soy sauce. Blend everything together.

Add salt and pepper and the liquid from before to taste. 

Serve with bread.

Vegan Lasagna with Eggplant, Carrot, Tomato and Pine Nuts

There are no good pictures of the lasagna. I'm sorry.


Serves 2-3 hungry people

You need to have:

6-8 lasagna sheets
1 carrot
1 eggplant
1 onion
1-2 garlic cloves
1 good dash soy sauce

1 can chopped tomatoes
1/4-1/3 cup soy milk
1-2 tbsp flour 
1-2 tbsp pine nuts (careful, they have a very strong taste)
1 tsp paprika, mild
1 tsp paprika, spicy
1-2 tsp french herbs (thyme!)
salt and pepper to taste
some fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4-1/3 recipe of "cheese" (optional)
1 slice of toasted bread or some breadcrumbs
oil for frying


You need to do:

Preheat the oven to about 200°C

Wash carrot and eggplant. Thinly slice the carrot, slice the eggplant into 1cm thick slices.
Finely chop onion and garlic (or crush).

Heat some oil in a pot and fry the carrot for a 1-2 minutes, then add onion and garlic and fry until soft. In the meantime, fry the eggplant slices in a non stick pan on medium heat. Don't use oil, they will just soak and be disgusting.

Deglaze the carrot/onion/garlic with a good dash of soy sauce, then add the can of tomatoes. Add soy milk and some flour to thicken the sauce. Add nuts, herbs and spices, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Start "building" your lasagna in a thin and long oven dish (I used one the size of a "rectangular" cake, no idea what the correct term would be). Start with a thin layer of sauce, then lasagna sheets. Sauce, eggplant, some fresh basil, lasagna sheets... repeat and finish with either a layer of sauce or a layer of "cheese" over a lasagna sheet. Put on top the bread(crumbs). 

Bake for 20 minutes or until the lasagna sheets are soft. 

Mushroom Burgers

 

It's not a real recipe, but I like to share things that taste ridiculously good.

Basically, I bought huge mushrooms, fried them in a little margarine on medium heat and with a lid from both sides, until they were relatively soft. Then I deglazed with some balsamic vinegar and added a little thyme. I toasted a burger bun and put some "like creamcheese" on it. Plus tomatoes and salad. Done.

Coconut Rice with Spinach

It's not even a real recipe. But COCONUT RICE! Just take this as more of an inspiration. Plus this was the best I could do with my ever diminishing food ressources.


Serves 2-3 hungry people

You need to have:

250ml cup rice
400ml coconut milk (= 1 can)
400-500g spinach (I used a can, it's pretty low)
1/2-1 onion
1-2 garlic cloves
2 tsp vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
oil to fry (though I discovered, I don't even need that with my awesome new no-stick pan)


You need to do:

Pour rice and coconut milk in a pot, fill the coconut milk can 1/2 with water (to kind of clean it) and pour that water into the rice. Add 1 tsp of stock. Cook rice with an open lid until soft, if it starts to get too dry, pour in some more water.

Peel and cut/crush onion and garlic and fry in a pan until cooked. Add the spinach. Cook until everything is soft. Add 1 tsp of stock, salt and pepper to taste.

Super Basic Burritos

What's happening at the momet is, I'm moving in a week, so I'm trying to use up all of my "food stash". That pretty much means canned and dried vegetables/fruit/grains/pasta... you get the idea. Plus sauces, onions and garlic. But I felt I should post something (considering my HUGE readership...), so here it goes:


Serves 2 hungry or 3 not-so-hungry people

You need to have:

(wholemeal) burritos

For the salsa:
300-400g kidney beans, ready to be processed
1/2 onion
1 garlic clove
1-2 tbsp curry
2-3 tsp coriander
1 tsp curcuma
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp paprika, sweet
1 tsp paprika, spicy
100-200ml tomao puree
salt to taste
oil to fry

For the guacamole:
1 ripe avocado
1 small handful walnuts
juice of 1 lemon or lime
tabasco, coriander, curcuma, salt and pepper to taste

nutritional yeast to sprinkle on top (optional, makes it taste a little cheesy)


You need to do:

Peel and cut onion and garlic. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion, garlic and kidney beans until well cooked. Add spices, then tomato puree. Add salt to taste.

Take out the flesh of the guacamole. Chop the walnuts into small-ish pieces. Mix everything (including spices) with a fork, thereby mashing the avocado.













Now just put it all on the burrito, sprinkle with a little yeast and enjoy.

Yeaaah, no yeast on it in the picture...

Züricher Geschnetzeltes with Mixed Rice and Craisins

THE CRAISINS MAKE IT AWESOME!


Serves... the usual

You need to have:

1 cup rice
1 big carrot
1/2 onion
1 garlic clove
250-300g Seitan
1/2 cup white wine
1-2 tsp vegetable stock
200-300ml soy cream
2-3 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
oil to fry
handful of craisins to garnish with


You need to do:

Cook rice according to the instructions on the packet.

Peel and cut onion, garlic and carott. Drain and cut Seitan. Heat a little oil in a pan, fry carrot for 2-3 minutes, add onion and garlic and fry until soft. Deglaze with the wine and stir in stock. Let simmer for about a minute, then add soy cream, herbs, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with craisins on top!

Zucchini Carrot Medallions with Seitan Ragout

Sunday, no open supermarkets, need to improvise with what you have at home. 


Serves 2-3 hungry people

You need to have:

For the medallions:
1 large zucchini
3-5 carrots
3-4 tbsp plain flour
2-3 tbsp soy flour
1 tsp vegetable stock
water
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying

For the ragout:
250g seitan
1/2 onion
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 soy sauce
2-2 tsp tomato paste
1/2 cup tomato juice
1 tsp paprika, sweet
1 tsp paprika, spicy
3 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste


You need to do:

Wash/peel zucchini and carrots and grate. Mix with flours and stock, then add water until the mixture is moist but not liquid. You only need a few tablespoons. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Heat oil in a pan and place about a spoonful of the mixture in the pan and flatten out. Fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, flip over and repeat. 










Cut seitan into little pieces. Dice onion and crush garlic. Fry everything for a few minutes. deglaze with soy sauce and fry for another minute or two. Add all the other ingredients. 

Hangover Potatoes

Incredibly oily but OH SO DELICIOUS and exactly what you need when you've had a little too much drink the night before. 


Serves 2-3 hungover people

You need to have:

5-6 big potatoes
1-2 onions 
oil
salt and pepper to taste


You need to do:

Peel and slice onion and potatoes and place in a big non stick pan. Add a good amount of oil and fry on high heat until things start to get brown.

Turn down heat to very low and put on lid. Let cook until soft, occasionally stirring and pouring away the water from the lid.

And next time, don't drink so much.

Ratatouille with Mixed Rice

Lots of vegetables! I like the mixed rice because it has more flavour but of course, you can use any other rice you like, too.


Serves 2-3 hungry people

You need to have:

250 ml mixed rice (I always fill my 250 ml cup)
1 onion
1-2 garlic cloves
2-3 carrots
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1/4-1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1 tsp vegetable stock
300-400 ml tomato purée
1 handful olives
1-2 tsp of herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil, majoram, oregano...
1 tsp paprika, sweet
1 tsp paprika, spicy
pinch of chili
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying


You need to do:

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet.

Peel (if necessary) and chop all the vegetables. Heat oil in a big pan or saucepan and fry onions, garlic and carrots on medium heat for a good 5 minutes. Add eggplant and zucchini, lower heat and let cook with the lid on until everything is soft. Stir from time to time and pour away the water from the lid.

Deglaze with the wine, add stock and stir. Simmer for a minute or two, then add the tomato purée and olives. Season with herbs and spices. You can use anything that smells good to you. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve!

Zucchini Curry Pasta

Very quick and very easy, I love curry and zucchini. I'm such a poet.


Serves 2-3 hungry people

You need to have:

250g pasta
1 onion
1-2 garlic cloves
1 big zucchini
1/2 cup white wine or water
1 tsp vegetable stock
1-2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp coriander
1 tsp curcuma
1 tsp allspice
150-200 ml soy cream
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying


You need to do:

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.

Chop onion and crush garlic. Dice the zucchini into 1,5-2cm cubes.
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add zucchini and a little salt, so the zucchini doesn't soak with oil. Fry on medium heat until the zucchini is soft but not mushy.

Deglaze with wine or broth you made with your water and stock. Add all the spices and then the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Couscous Burgers with Salad

Now this recipe is actually several recipes in one, so I will break it up into several posts. This one will be focussing on the couscous pattie and, well, the composition of everything.


Makes 4-5 patties

You need to have:

1/2 onion
1-2 garlic cloves
1 tsp vegetable stock
2-3 slices old bread
1 handful fresh parsley
250 ml couscous (I filled a 250ml measuring cup, I did not weigh it)
500 ml water
2 egg replacer eggs
3 tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying

Anything you like on a burger. I chose:
salad
tomatoes
ketchup
"mayonnaise"
kidney bean spread (recipe will follow)

If you want a side salad:
salad and everything you like in it
balsamic vinaigrette


You need to do:

Heat some oil in a saucepan. Finely chop onions, crush garlic and fry until cooked. Add stock, bread, parsley, couscous and water. Let sit until the water has been absorbed. Add "eggs" and flour and mix. You should have a thick and sticky mixture. If it is too liquid, add more flour, if it is too dry, more water. But always be careful not to add too much!
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare your burger bun! I toasted mine a little, then put on ketchup and "mayonnaise", salad, tomatoes and red bean spread.

Heat some oil in a non-stick pan. Form a pattie big enough for your bun with your hands and fry on low heat with the lid on for a good 5-10 minutes until it is lightly brown from one side. Flip over and fry for another 5-10 minutes.

When it's ready, place it on your bun. 



Serve with a little salad and enjoy!

Stuffed Crêpes with White Wine and "Cream" Sauce

Whoops, there's a hair on the camera.

Unfortunately, I currently don't have an oven, so I couldn't bake it with "cheese" on top, but I bet it would taste even better if you did that. Still, very delicious.

Serves 2-3 hungry people

You need to have:

For the crêpes:

250g plain flour (though you can mix normal and whole meal flour, too) 

2 tsp soy flour or any other egg replacement

pinch of salt

500 ml soy milk

maybe some water

THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE LEFTOVER BATTER, from which, however, you can make lovely dessert crêpes.

For the stuffing:

1 block of (preferrably firm) tofu

1 big carrot

handful of fresh basil, chopped

handful of fresh parsley, chopped 

1-2 tsp lemon juice   

1 tbsp tomato paste

1-2 tbsp soy sauce   

For the sauce:

1 onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup white wine

1 tsp vegetable stock

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

200-250 ml soy cream

herbs like thyme, basil, majoram...

salt and pepper to taste 

You need to do:

First, prepare the batter for the crêpes, because it needs to sit for at least half an hour. Just mix everything apart from the water. The batter should be very liquid, somewhere in between cream and milk. Add water until you have that consistency. Now put in the fridge. 

In the mean time, you can prepare stuffing and sauce. 

For the stuffing, break your tofu into little pieces with your hands. Peel and grate the carrot. Mix with tofu, herbs, lemon juice and tomato paste. Add soy sauce to taste.This will leave you with something that tastes a lot better, than it looks. Set aside.

For the sauce, heat oil in a pan and fry onions and garlic for a good 5 minutes until cooked. Turn heat to very high and add the white wine. It should make sort of a hiss when you pour it in. Add the stock cube and nutritional yeast and stir well. Turn down the heat a little and add cream and a good teaspoonfull of each herb. In my opinion, thyme goes especially well with this, so I added some more of it. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside with a lid on.

Now the crêpes. Heat oil at low medium heat in a non-stick pan and wipe with a kitchen towel, so it is only very thinly greased. Pour in a good 2 tbsp of the batter and spread evenly in the pan by shaking it or by spreading the batter with the spoon. Wait until the surface has become dark and firm. Flip over. 

Now, since I don't have an oven, I put some stuffing in the middle of the crêpe and then kind of closed it like a burrito. I fried it on low heat from both sides until I was sure the stuffing was warm (which was about 5 minutes), flipping over repeatedly so nothing would burn.

In the end it looked like this:

Now all you have to do is serve with the sauce. You might have to reheat it a little, though.

If you have an oven, however, I think it would be evern better if you made all the crêpe burritos you can get out of your stuffing, placed them in an oven dish and covered them with sauce and some fake parmesan cheese. Or breadcrumbs. Or anything else, you see fit. Then bake 10-15 minutes until au gratin. 

Well, for me it was just the crêpe and sauce pas au gratin. Still tasted great.

Yellow Curry with Veggies and Coconut Milk

 

I needed a first post because it looked so empty. Luckily I am the kind of person that randomly takes pictures of their food. I like words, too, but this blog is supposed to be recipes and not talking, so I'll try to keep the blahblah to a minimum. 

This dish is incredibly easy to make (though the list of ingredients might look intimidating because of all the spices) and perfect for cold winter days. It even has sprouts in it, which, according to my friend, seems to be essential for a vegan meal nowadays. But really, you might as well leave them out, I just bought them because they were on special in the supermarket that week. The veggies can be substituted by pretty much anything you like, you should just pay attention to how long they have to cook and thus the order in which you put them in the pot, so you don't end up having some of them over- and some undercooked.

Serves 2-3 hungry people

You need to have:

1 onion

1-2 garlic cloves (or 1/4 tsp garlic paste)

2 cm ginger (or 1 tsp ginger paste)

1-2 carrots

1/2 a broccoli

1-2 zucchini

1-2 tsp yellow curry paste

1-2 tsp tomato paste

1 big tsp coriander

1/2 tsp curcuma

1/2 tsp allspice

1 tsp paprika mild 

1 tsp curry powder

1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2-1 tsp paprika hot

a pinch of chili powder (obviously, the last three depend on how hot you like your food)

THE QUANTITIES FOR THE SPICES INCLUDING GINGER AND GARLIC ARE THOUGHT TO BE AN ORIENTATION! Of course you can add more or leave things out completely. Personally, I love coriander, but my sister won't have any of it.   

1 can of coconut milk

soy sauce and salt to taste

oil for frying

rice (I like Thai or Basmati) and sprouts (optional) for serving

You need to do:

Peel onions, garlic and ginger (unless you're using paste, of course) and dice/crush as fine as you like. I really like onions, so I like to have slighly bigger cubes. 

Wash your veggies (including the sprouts!) and peel the carrots, if you want to. Break the broccoli into small pieces, then half the zucchini and carrot so that you can cut it into sort of "half slices". Don't be intimidated of how much it looks, it all "shrinks" when the water evaporates from the veggies when you're cooking them.

Start cooking the rice according to the instructions on the packet.

Heat a good 3-4 tbsp of cooking oil in a big saucepan (need to fit in all the veggies later). Fry onions, garlic and ginger (unless you're using paste) for a few minutes on somewhere between medium and high heat. Add the curry paste and stir around until it has mixed with the oil. Now add tomato, ginger and garlic paste. Stir again until everything is well mixed. Lower heat to medium.

Add carrots and fry for a good 3-5 minutes. Add broccoli, fry for 3-5 minutes again, add zucchini. Now add all the spices and mix well. Put on the lid and cook everything until it's beginning to get soft. Pour away the water from the lid every now and then and don't forget to stir from time to time, so things don't burn. If necessary, turn down the heat. You can test how soft your veggies are by poking them with a fork. I like to have my veggies a little crunchy still, but if you prefer them well cooked, just let them sit a little longer.

Don't forget your rice, by the way, I like doing that. 

When your vegetables are ready, add the coconut milk. Now just add a little salt and soy sauce, if you like, until it tastes good. 

Enjoy with rice and sprouts.