Go Go Vegan!

2-minute Mug Brownie

2013-02-15T10:17:00.003-08:00

I experimented a lot with chocolate mug brownies before getting the consistency right. Here is the perfected mug brownie recipe.

Vegan Mug Brownie Ingredients

3 tbsp self-raising flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp sunflower oil (or any oil that isn't strong tasting)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp water
tiny pinch of salt

Vegan Mug Brownie Recipe

1. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and oil in a large mug.
2. Add the water SLOWLY to the mug, while mixing with a spoon, so there are no lumps.
3. Microwave for 1.5 minutes.
4. Moan with pleasure.

A great variation is to add raspberry jam to the mix before microwaving.

You can change the consistency of your mug brownie by adjusting the amount of oil - more oil with give you a gooey mug brownie, whereas less oil will produce something more like cake.

Mushroom Burgers

2013-02-12T06:00:00.001-08:00

Pre-made veggie burgers often leave a lot to be desired. This mushroom burger is full of flavor, packed with chunks of mushrooms and satisfying richness.

Vegan Mushroom Burger

Mushroom Burger Ingredients

3 cups chopped mushrooms

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 tsp yeast extract

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp dried basil

olive oil

Mushroom Burger Recipe

1. Sautee mushrooms and garlic in olive oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine mushrooms and garlic with breadcrumbs, yeast extract and basil.

3. Add water until the breadcrumbs become wet and sticky.

4. Mix, adding water as necessary to get a sticky consistency that can be molded into patties.

5. Fry mushroom burgers in oil.

6. Serve on a while roll with salad and homemade salsa, with a baked potato, or with saffron rice.

Creamy Vegan Lentil Sauce for Pasta

2013-02-12T03:15:00.003-08:00

Beans and vegetables are all very well, but sometimes you have a craving for creamy smooth sauces that melt in the mouth. Unfortunately, many creamy pasta sauce recipes use non-vegan ingredients like milk or cream. This is where a hand blender and some slow-cooked red lentils can come in handy for a vegan cook. Smother your pasta with this thick and creamy lentil pasta sauce, which is delicious hot or cold.

Smooth lentil sauce with fusili pasta

Pasta Sauce Ingredients

1 cup dried red lentils

1 cup tomato juice (gives a smoother sauce than canned or fresh tomatoes)

1 clove crushed garlic

dried or fresh basil

Vegan Pasta with Creamy Sauce Recipe

1. Boil red lentils for about 30 minutes until they are soft and mushy.

2. When most of the water has boiled away, add tomato juice and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

3. Flavor with basil, garlic and salt (for an even tastier sauce, replace the salt with vegan miso*).

4. Blend sauce using a hand blender until it is smooth.

5. Serve with pasta, sauteed mushrooms, and green beans.

*Miso powder/paste makes almost any dish richer, but be careful: miso that you buy from your local Asian store will likely contain fish extracts. Mishima Vegetarian Miso makes a great base for soups and sauces.

Barbecue Tofu with Marinade

2012-07-27T02:54:00.001-07:00

It's barbecue season! That means it's time to find the best vegan barbecue recipes - and this marinade for tofu is one of the most delicious. Let the tofu soak overnight in the marinade for the best grilled tofu.

Barbecuing tofu

Ginger and Sesame Marinade for Tofu

Mix 3 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp of sesame oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp grated ginger and 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic.

Preparing Tofu for Marinade

Use firm or extra-firm tofu - soft tofu falls apart on the grill. If you have time, freeze the tofu overnight and then defrost it. Freeze-thawing tofu changes the texture, making it spongy so that it takes up the marinade better. Leave the tofu in the marinade for as long as possible - the longer the tofu marinades, the better it will taste.

How to Barbecue Tofu

Barbecuing tofu requires a gentle touch. Turn it gently using a flat metal spatula that you can slide underneath to flip the tofu over. Once the barbecue is hot, the tofu will cook in a few minutes. It's ready once the tofu is slightly crunchy on the outside. The inside will be beautifully soft and intensely flavored.

Serve with grilled veggies, fresh green salad, barbecued sweet potatoes, and sunshine!

Healthy Vegan Chocolate Truffles

2012-06-04T02:42:00.001-07:00

Can chocolate be healthy? If ever there was a healthy chocolate dessert, this vegan chocolate truffle recipe is probably it. Based on almond butter, which is rich in calcium and healthy fats, and sweetened with agave syrup, which has a much lower glycemic index than sugar, these vegan chocolate truffles can be enjoyed without guilt. Most importantly, they are absolutely delicious!

Orange and pistachio nut vegan chocolate truffles

Ingredients

150 grams (1/2 cup) almond butter

40 grams (1/4 cup) cocoa powder

1 tbsp agave syrup

1 orange

10 well-crushed green cardamom pods (or 1 tsp ground cardamon)

crushed pistachio nuts, for rolling

Recipe

1. Place the cardamom pods and pistachio nuts in plastic bags and crush them using a rolling pin.

2. Mix almond butter, cocoa powder, and agave syrup in a large bowl.

3. Hold the orange over the bowl and use a zester to release the juice from the outside of the orange skin into the mixture. Mix in well.

4. Scoop out roughly teaspoon-sized amounts of mixture and shape them into balls.

5. Roll the chocolate truffles in the crushed pistachio nuts.

These cardamom-spiced vegan truffles don't need cooking. They are best kept refrigerated to keep them from going soft - that's if you can avoid eating them all at once!

New Feature! Buy all the store cupboard ingredients for cardamom and pistachio nut truffles with one click:

Easy Vegan Pasta

2012-05-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

A simple vegan pasta dish tonight: asparagus, tenderstem broccoli, avocado and lemon juice with spaghetti.

Asparagus and Lemon Pasta Ingredients (for 2 people)

150 g spaghetti

3 stalks tenderstem broccoli, cut into short pieces

4 stalks asaparagus, cut into short pieces

1 ripe avocado

1 lemon

ground black pepper

Asparagus and Lemon Pasta Recipe (ready in 15 minutes)

1. Cook the pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes.

2. Steam the broccoli and asparagus for 5-10 minutes, or until the stems are tender.

3. Cut the avocado into small pieces and mash some of the pieces with a fork.

4. Drain the pasta, mix in the mashed avocado, chunks of avocado, asparagus and broccoli.

5. Squeeze the lemon over the pasta and season with the black pepper.

6. Serve with a side salad.

***

This vegan lemon pasta recipe is quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weekday evenings. I love to cook this dish to mark the start of asparagus season. The sharp lemony flavor combines with asparagus, pasta, and avocado in a light and fresh dish that is the perfect way to welcome in summer.

Birthday Sushi

2012-05-24T11:31:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I turned 25. My boyfriend made my favorite food: vegan sushi.

That's avocado maki, cucumber maki, sweet potato maki, and garden maki
(and 25 candles).

And that's tofu, tenderstem broccoli with ginger and garlic, and jasmine tea.

Best birthday ever!

I created an article for GoodVeg, How to Make Vegan Sushi, which gives instructions for rolling maki.

Morrocan Chickpea Tagine

2012-05-07T10:40:00.002-07:00

This vegan tagine recipe is based on the root vegetable tagine recipe from The Gate Vegetarian Cookbook by Adrian and Michael Daniel. I added chickpeas as a vegan source of protein and served the tagine with almond couscous.

Tagine (also spelled tajine) is a Moroccan dish which is named after the clay cooking pot that it is cooked in.

The funnel-shaped lid of the tagine is at a cooler temperature than the rest of the pot, so the steam condenses and runs back down into the stew, keeping it moist.

Beautiful Tagines

You can buy beautiful tagines online, or you can cook this chickpea and squash tagine recipe in a large saucepan - although you might have to add some extra liquid and remember to keep stirring to distribute the heat.

Moroccan Squash and Chickpea Tagine Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients for tagine

2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp cloves
3 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 large onion, finely chopped
100g grated fresh ginger
1 hot red chili
6 garlic cloves
2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
100g dried dates
1 butternut squash, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 x 400g can of chickpeas
100g fresh spinach, pureed
handful of fresh coriander

Ingredients for couscous

200g (dry weight) couscous
1/2 liter hot vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
50g flaked almonds
small amount fresh coriander

How to make Chickpea Tagine

1. Start by toasting the coriander seeds and cinnamon sticks in the tagine (or saucepan) over a low heat. Once they have started to give off their delicious aroma, take them off the heat and grind using a pestle and mortar (or a coffee grinder).
2. Fry the onion, garlic, ginger, chili, ground spices and turmeric in 1 tbsp of olive oil.
3. Use a food processor to puree the spinach and the dates.
4. When the onions have browned, add the squash, chickpeas, tomatoes, spinach and dates to the tagine (or saucepan). Add enough liquid to make sure that all the squash is covered. Make sure the heat is turned down low, put on the lid, and simmer for 40 minutes.
5. While you're waiting for the tagine to cook, make the couscous by adding dry couscous to hot vegetable stock and covering for 5 minutes. Once the couscous is soft, separate out the grains with a fork to make it fluffy, and stir in the flaked almonds, olive oil and coriander.
6. Once the squash is cooked and tender, add the coriander and then serve the tagine with almond couscous that you prepared in step 5.

This is a deliciously sweet and spicy tagine recipe. Enjoy!

Vegan Goulash Recipe

2012-05-01T05:16:00.002-07:00

Goulash is a Hungarian dish that is traditionally made with meat. You can make vegan goulash with beans such as kidney beans, cannellini beans, or haricot beans - or a mixture. Goulash is strongly spiced with paprika, and you can add extra flavor by using garlic and fresh coriander.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

1 can (400g) kidney beans

1 can (400g) cannellini beans

2 cans (800g) chopped tomatoes

3-4 medium-sized potatoes, diced

100g fresh spinach

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 tbsp paprika

1 liter vegetable stock

handful of fresh coriander

Vegan Goulash Recipe

1. Fry the onion and garlic in a large saucepan until they start to brown. Add the potatoes and fry for a few minutes longer.

2. Add the tomatoes, beans, paprika, and most of the vegetable stock.

3. Leave the vegan goulash to cook for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Add the rest of the stock as needed to stop the goulash from drying out. The consistency should be that of a thick stew.

4. Add the spinach and stir it into the goulash. It will look like a lot of spinach at first but it reduces dramatically in size as it cooks.

5. Add the fresh coriander and serve immediately.

Vegan goulash is filling enough to eat on its own, or you can enjoy it with crusty bread.

Spicy Couscous Soup

2012-04-25T07:50:00.002-07:00

This recipe is more than just a soup, it's a hearty and nutritious meal. The blended beans and the couscous make the soup thick, satisfying and and filling. You can adjust the spiciness by using more or less chili, but the fresh coriander is a must.

10-minute soup recipe

Ingredients

400g can of chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 red chili
1 stock cube
400g can of kidney beans
400g can of butter beans
100g couscous
2 tbsp lemon juice
fresh coriander

Spicy Soup Recipe

Place the tomatoes, garlic, chili and stock cube in a large saucepan and apply a strong heat until the tomatoes start to simmer. Add one liter of water, along with the beans, and stir well. Cover and allow the soup to come to the boil. Take the soup off the heat and blend using an electric hand blender. When it is blended to a smooth and thick consistency, return the soup to the boil and add the couscous and the lemon juice. Cook for three minutes, stir in the fresh coriander, and serve.

Saag Aloo

2012-04-16T07:33:00.001-07:00

The Indian dish, saag aloo (spinach with potatoes), is the perfect accompaniment to the Lentil Dahl Recipe in the previous post, with basmati rice as the ideal third component of this meal. Spicy in a way that is flavorsome rather than hot, this saag aloo recipe is both tasty and dangerously more-ish.

Saag aloo is vegan if it is cooked using oil rather than ghee (a type of butter traditionally used in Indian cooking). You can use any type of oil for Indian cooking, provided that it does not have a strong flavor.

Ingredients for Saag Aloo (Serves 4)

350 g of pureed fresh or frozen spinach

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 green or red chilli, finely chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp fenugreek

1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon of oil

How to Make Saag Aloo

Step 1 Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan. Add cumin seeds and toast them for a few minutes.
Step 2 Add the onion, garlic and chili, and fry while stirring for 5-10 minutes.Step 3 Add the potatoes and fry for a few minutes more, stirring to avoid sticking.Step 4 Add the spinach, and a little water, as well as the coriander and fenugreek, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked. The water should have boiled away or been absorbed by the end of the cooking process.

Step 5 Serve with basmati rice, brown rice, and/or lentil dahl.

Vegan Dahl Recipe

2012-04-13T10:47:00.001-07:00

Red lentil dahl with brown rice and fresh coriander.

Vegan lentil dahl is warm, stodgy comfort food... perfect Friday night food for the end of a long week. This vegan dahl recipe includes grated carrot, chopped mushroom and red pepper to add extra texture and flavor.

Traditional Indian food is cooked in ghee (butter). However, it is easy to make vegan Indian food by substituting ghee for oil. Any type of oil will do, providing it does not have a strong flavor. I used sunflower oil.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

500g grated carrot
2 mushrooms, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped into ~1cm pieces

1 liter vegetable stock

1/2 cup dried split red lentils

1 tablespoon curry powder

salt and pepper

1/2 cup fresh coriander

How to Make Lentil Dahl

Step 1 Heat a little oil in a non-stick saucepan. Add cumin and mustard seeds and fry until the mustard seeds begin to pop.
Step 2 Add the grated carrot, mushroom and pepper, and fry while stirring for 10 minutes.
Step 3 Add the vegetable stock and the lentils.
Step 4 Add curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5 Simmer until the lentils cook together into a thick mush. Add the coriander just before serving, but save a little for garnishing.

What to Serve with Dahl: Serve vegan dahl with rice and saag aloo.

Go Go Vegan is Back!

2012-04-11T04:50:00.000-07:00

After a 5-month update hiatus (I moved house and changed jobs twice), the Go Go Vegan blog is now back up and running. Watch this space for delicious vegan recipes appearing over the next few days.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie made with Tofu

2011-11-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

I'm getting into the Thanksgiving spirit with pumpkin pie! Just like traditional pumpkin pie, but using tofu as a binder instead of eggs.

Recipe

Mushroom Risotto

2011-10-22T02:02:00.000-07:00

Further proof that you don't need butter, cream or cheese to make risotto rich and creamy if you use tasty, fresh ingredients and good quality risotto rice and vegetable stock.

Ingredients:
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
6 large brown mushrooms
225g risotto rice
1 litre vegetable stock
A little thyme
Splash of soy sauce

This served 3, with a tiny portion left over. Last time I made this I also added a few green soybeans (edamane), which was also nice

I followed a similar process to my pea and mint risotto recipe: fried the ingredients in a little olive oil, added the rice and fried for a further two minutes, then added the stock a little at a time, stirring constantly to help the rice take on the right consistency without sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Pea or Broad Bean and Mint Risotto

2011-10-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

This is the best vegan risotto recipe I know of.

During cooking...

The finished product...

Creamy (without the cream), yet light and refreshing. The addition of fresh mint livens up a nutritious meal of rice and peas (and/or beans).

Ingredients (to serve four)

300 g risotto rice
200 g green peas, soya beans, or broad beans (or a mixture of all three)
1 small white onion
1 litre vegetable stock
2 handfuls chopped fresh mint

Pea (or Broad Bean) and Mint Risotto Recipe

1. Fry the onion in a little olive oil in a high-sided frying pan or wok.
2. Once the onion is soft, add the risotto rice and fry for 2 minutes, stirring continuously
3. Add about half the stock and the peas or beans
4. Bring to a gentle boil and allow the mixture to simmer gently for 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more stock as the rice gradually absorbs the liquid.
5. Close to the end of cooking, stir in the chopped mint. The risotto is cooked when the rice and peas are soft and all the liquid has been absorbed.
6. Serve on dishes, bowls or plates with a mint garnish.

Want more vegan risotto recipes? Check out these tasty vegan risottos:

Vegan Mushroom Risotto

Dill Vegetable Soup

2011-10-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for something to liven up vegetable soup for a while, and this recipe was just the thing! It has everything you would expect from a hearty soup - plenty of veggies, beans, onions and garlic - but the key ingredient is a large dose of fresh dill. It's delicious and surprisingly easy to make.

This soup recipe hails from goodveg.squidoo.com, a great new online vegetarian magazine, full of delicious recipes as well as articles about going vegetarian or vegan, and veggie lifestyles. The aim is to get the word out there that veggie food can be great food and to push this lifestyle into the mainstream:

Check it Out!

Parsnip Nut Roast

2011-09-20T00:54:00.000-07:00

A delicious nut roast made with cashew nuts and parsnips. I think this would be a great candidate for a vegan Christmas dinner.

The recipe is here - the original recipe calls for an egg, but it's easily veganized by substituting the egg with some starch.

I'm currently staying with my parents for a few weeks, so I'm looking forward to swapping recipe ideas with my mother. My parents have drastically cut down their meat consumption since I introduced them to vegan food. Tonight I plan to make a stuffed butternut squash for them.

Parsnip Cashew Nut Roast Recipe

Pink Quinoa-Beetroot Salad (with Crunchy Kale)

2011-09-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

See previous posts for Crunchy Kale Recipe. Otherwise, this is really easy: simply boil some quinoa and beetroot together in a pan. If you use pre-cooked beetroot, you can add it at the same time as you start boiling quinoa. If you use raw beetroot, you will need to cook it for 20-30 minutes on its own first (cutting the beetroot up small reduces the cooking time). Meanwhile, slice up some raw yellow peppers and tomatoes. Great dressed with lemon/lime and sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and/or parsley.

It's pink quinoa! What more could you ask for?

Want more vegan quinoa recipes?

Why is quinoa good for you? Quinoa is one of the many good vegan protein sources that help you to stay healthy as a vegan.

The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate

2011-08-09T13:36:00.000-07:00

1 tsp plain cocoa powder
some powdered ginger
tiny pinch of chilli powder

Half fill mug with boiling water, stirring to get powder to dissolve. Top up with unsweetened soy milk. Microwave for 1 minute.

Tastes like drinking Green & Black's Maya Gold chocolate.

I think I died and went to heaven.

Vegan Wedding Food

2011-07-15T05:34:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended a friend's wedding. I was a little worried about being able to eat vegan, but fortunately the venue were very accommodating. This is what I got:

A mixed salad with lots of different types of leaves, tomatoes and peppers with delicious dressing. The only problem with this is - it was huge! I know vegans need to eat more food than omnivores, but if I'd packed away all of it, I'd have popped out of my dress!
Pea and asparagus risotto. This was the same as the vegetarian option, minus the cream/cheese that formed the base for their risotto. I'd be interested to know what was used to make this, because it tasted very rich (although not creamy). Anyone have any vegan risotto recipes?
Mango and lemongrass... jelly? with fresh berries. Except it was firmer and more solid than jelly, so I'm not sure what to call it. But oh wow, it was good. I was too full to eat all of it, but just the smell was heavenly. I wanted to bottle it and send it to Original Source so that they could make a fabulous vegan body wash out of it (I'm somewhat in love with their existing products, particularly the mint and lime flavours). I know it's a long shot, but does anyone have any recipes for really intensely flavoured vegan jelly?

~~Unfortunately, I was too hungry to wrestle the camera out of my boyfriend's hands for long enough to take pictures. Next time I'll take my own little camera and go to town.~~ Turns out we do have a picture of the magic wonder of deliciousness, unfortunately only after I'd half-demolished it:

Share your experiences with vegan food at special events? Bonus points if you were smart enough to take pictures.

Vegan bolognese (lentils, mushrooms and bell peppers)

2011-07-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

Recipe:
*Boil 100g red lentils.
*Fry onion and garlic, add roughly chopped mushrooms and bell pepper and sautee for a few minutes.
*Add 1 can chopped tomatoes and the cooked lentils.
*Season with oregano, basil and a small amount of chilli.
*Serve with spaghetti.

Squidoo

2011-06-29T04:58:00.000-07:00

In addition to blogging, I've also recently started writing lenses on Squidoo, a free publishing platform.

Here is my latest: How to make your own Soymilk, Tofu and Okara.

Expect tofu and okara recipes in the near future! I make a mean sweet potato and okara burger.

Veggie Kale Stir-Fry with Toasted Sesame Seeds

2011-06-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

I had kale left over so I stirfried it with mushrooms, carrots, onions, ginger, garlic and toasted sesame seeds. Then added lime juice and soy sauce.

Quinoa Parsley Salad with Crunchy Kale

2011-06-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

Crunchy Kale
The directions I used for making crunchy kale are from Gillian McKeith's You Are What You Eat Cookbook. Although not advertised as a vegan (or even vegetarian) cookbook, I would estimate that at least 80% of the recipes are vegan, including some great smoothie and soup ideas, as well as full-blown vegan feasts.

The kale is cooked in the oven and takes on a delicious crunchy texture, along with kale's characteristic flavour. It's great for snacking on, as well as for sprinkling on salads like this.

Why did it take me so long to discover kale when it's so tasty?

Salad

The rest of the salad is very simple. It consists of:
50g (dry weight) quinoa
50g chickpeas
chopped parsley

Salad Dressing

I dressed this salad (as I do most salads) with lime juice and Flaxseed & SesameOil. You could use olive oil, but I prefer the deeper flavour of the flaxseed/sesame mixture. Also, I rely on this product for Omega 3, which is in short supply in most vegan foods.