Veganlovlie

After a Long Absence....Easy Baked Swiss Chard Gratin

2013-05-11T20:26:00.000-04:00

Oh my! How time has flown these past months. Everyday I have been looking at this blog with a pinch in my heart trying to squeeze some time in for a little recipe to share. I've have been taking pictures though and recording new recipes that I've tried since coming to Canada. But writing them up just didn't seem to be able to happen somehow. At some point I felt like I would have to give up on blogging but how can I? After all, this is part of what I've come to be.
I guess like anything that I do, I tend to sometimes need some time to take a step back, reflect and then continue.

So, going through all the photos and draft recipes that I've saved, I thought this one would be a good one to re-start with.
Swiss chard is a new green that I have introduced in my diet after I found them in my local store. They taste fabulous and they can be used pretty much like spinach. So if you can't find any swiss chard, you can substitute with spinach.

This was an easy recipe and a satisfying dish that I'll definitely make again.

Easy Baked Swiss Chard Gratin

Ingredients
Gratin base
200ml oatmilk
1/4 cup flour
100ml water
handful grated vegan cheese (can be omitted if not available. If omitting, add 1 teaspoon of oil)

Swiss Chard (about 15 - 18 leaves)

5 - 6 Potatoes (about 400g)

5 - 6 Fresh mushrooms, sliced

Breadcrumbs and grated vegan cheese for topping

Lasagna dish or other square / rectangular glass / stoneware dish.

Prepare potatoes first. Slice them to 2 - 3 mm thickness.
Place on greaseproof paper on an oven tray.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Farenheit) for about 30 - 40 minutes or until they are done. Should be golden but not brown. You can remove them gradually as they are ready as they may not cook within the same time.

Meanwhile prepare the swiss chards and gratin base.

Cut off stalks from chards. Slice them into half lengthwise then into 2-inches length.
Cut the leaves into wide ribbons.

Heat a little oil in a pan, add the stalks first.
Sautee for a few minutes until a little tender.
Add leaves and sautee for 3 minutes.

Leaves will reduce to half their size. Don't cook them through. They will cook further in the oven.

Make the gratin sauce:

Dissolve the flour in the water (use a whisk or fork if required to avoid lumps).
Heat a deep pan on medium for a few minutes.
If not using cheese, add 1 teaspoon of oil. Pour in the oatmilk and flour mixture. Stir and let thicken. The consistency should not be runny but not extra thick either.
Add the cheese if using. Stir and let it melt in the liquid.

Gratin base should reach a smooth silky texture.

Pour the gratin sauce onto the lightly cooked swiss chard and mix thoroughly in between all the leaves.
Grease the lasagna dish.
Arrange the baked potato slices on the bottom.

Layer with the fresh mushrooms.

Spoon the swiss chard-gratin mixture on the potatoes and spread evenly.

Sprinkle with some breadcrumbs and grated vegan cheese (optional).

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Farenheit).
Remove from oven, uncover and let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Roasted Radish Salad

2013-03-02T17:46:00.000-05:00

Radishes have always been a raw vegetable in my salads or sandwiches. Two weeks ago I purchased a whole bunch of them as I had not had them in a while. But I went a little overboard with grocery shopping the last time and bought too many salad items, way more than I could eat before they start to go off. After 10 days the radishes were still sitting in the bottom drawer of the fridge with all the leaves starting to disintegrate.
There was about 10 radishes and eaten raw I could probably just eat 1 or 2. Then it came to my mind that I could try roasting them and maybe could eat more than two then.
So I did! Brushed with a little vegetable oil and sprinkled with some dried thyme and oregano, I got a nice tasty vegetable which I still enjoyed as part of a salad with some steamed sweet potato.
And I could definitely eat more than two when they are roasted. The skin of some of them (the bigger ones) did turn out a little chewy but it was okay nonetheless.

Zinio Giveaway Winners!

2013-02-18T20:29:00.001-05:00

The Zinio Digital Magazine Subscription Giveaway is over. Thank you to all of you who participated. Here are the winners:

Ben Freeman
bohemiatura
Claire
Meghan Duce
Leyla
bitt
Fiona O Reilly
Jhanelle Golding
Charice Carrasco

Please contact me on veganlovlie at gmail dot com or leave me a comment below with your email address so that I can forward it to Zinio.
Congratulations to you all! And I hope you will enjoy reading your magazine.

For those of you who didn't win, there will be some more giveaways soon to come, so see you then!

Edit:

I still need the contact details of the following winners:

~~Ben Freeman~~

~~bohemiatura~~ (eliminated - could not get in touch)

~~Claire~~

~~Meghan Duce~~ (eliminated - could not get email address)

~~Leyla~~

~~bitt~~

~~Fiona O Reilly~~ (eliminated - could not get in touch)

~~Jhanelle Golding~~

~~Charice Carrasco~~

Can you please get in touch asap with your email address to claim your prize?

I generated three more winners since I could not get in touch or the email address of three winners above. The three new winners are:
Em-Jee
Mary Duncan
Jessica Caneal

Fruity Romaine Lettuce Smoothie

2013-02-14T20:29:00.000-05:00

While romaine lettuce would probably not be able to compete with kale on nutritional value, it has however quite a good amount of nutrients. It is infact a complete protein having all 8 amino acids needed in our body! Wow, that's good news!

I do like to include greens in my smoothies. Usually kale or spinach find their way in most them, but it is good to rotate your green smoothies. This way I can get a variety of nutrients from different plant sources, since each type of green has different nutrients.

My previous kale and cranberry smoothie has been my all time favourite green smoothie. But for a change, I tried romaine lettuce today and the mild flavour blends well with anything.

So, what goodies are in romaine lettuce?
A cup of romaine lettuce provides 2 grams of carbs, 1 gram of protein, 4% (of your daily value of) dietary fiber, 82% (of your daily value of) vitamin A, 60% of vitamin K, 19% vitamin C, 16% folate, 4% (of your daily value of) manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc (2 to 3% of your DV range).

The Vitamin C & Beta-Carotene provides many heart health benefits, prevents the oxidation of cholesterol and reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack.
The folic acid helps keep blood vessels healthy and also reduces the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
The potassium helps lower high blood pressure, improves muscle strength and boosts muscle building.
Fiber contributes to heart health benefits and removes bile salts (which requires cholesterol, thereby lowering high cholesterol as well).

So, I that's pretty much more than a winner green for me!

I wanted to be a little fancier with my smoothie today, so I made a layered one! But you can just blend everything together; it will still taste great!

Ingredients (serves 2)
4 leaves romaine lettuce, chopped into fine ribbons
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 cup pineapple, small diced
1 apple, peeled and finely chopped
3 medjool dates (more if required to taste)
Water as needed for blending

Soak the medjool dates for about 10 minutes in warm water until they are soft. Finely chop them.
Divide the apple pieces and dates into 3 equal portions.
Blend each layer separately, starting with the romaine lettuce.
Add a portion of apple and dates with the romaine lettuce and water. Blend until liquid.
Pour in glasses.
Next blend the pineapple with another portion of apple and dates. Add water as required to reach desired consistency.
Pour on top of the green layer.
Lastly blend the remaining portion of apples and dates with the carrot. Add water as required to reach desired consistency.
Pour on top of the pineapple layer.
Garnish with a mint leaf.

This smoothie taste great even stirred altogether.

References:
http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/nutrition/10-surprising-nutrition-facts-about-romaine-lettuce/
http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/blog/romaine-lettuce-nutrition-facts-%E2%80%93-health-benefits-of-romaine-lettuce/

No-Mayo Coleslaw and Cutlet

2013-02-11T15:25:00.001-05:00

The Veganomicon favourite recipe - The ever-so-famous Chickpea Cutlets, have probably hit a good number of vegan kitchens and probably loved by a number of non-vegans alike! Believe it or not, I had never tried the recipe before. Not that I didn't want to, I was infact dying to try it one day. One day when I'd find vital wheat gluten! That's right, the only ingredient that has prevented me from trying this legendary recipe all this time. Although I could have ordered wheat gluten online while I was in Ireland, it was oh so expensive! So, I passed and just substituted for cornstarch in my cutlets. They were actually good too and that made them gluten-free. But I really wanted to try what these awesome cutlets was like with the gluten. I finally found vital wheat gluten in the health shops close to my place. I was reluctant to buy it as gluten isn't that great for the body but I don't particularly have any issues when consuming it.
So, I'll just limit myself on consuming too much of it.

I don't usually follow recipes to the letter though and I did tweak the cutlet recipe a little because I neither had any vegetable broth nor sage. So, I used water and oregano instead as substitutes. And they worked perfectly! At last I could taste the famous Chickpea Cutlets over a bed of coleslaw. I loved the texture which was less beany, different from the cornstarch substitute.

I made the coleslaw dressing with no mayo. I'm having a hard time finding vegan mayonnaise that doesn't contain mustard over here. So, I made a mayo-free dressing which didn't lack in taste. I don't actually like raisins in my coleslaw; pineapple tasted a lot better and was refreshing!

Easy No-Mayo Coleslaw

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium carrot, cut into fine julienne
1/4 cup fresh pineapple
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
Salt to taste

Mix sugar with shredded cabbage and let marinade for 15 minutes. Drain, discard liquid and place cabbage in a salad bowl.
Add rest of ingredients, toss and mix well. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

That's it!

Hope you enjoy!

By the way, the Zinio Giveaway is still on, 3 days left to enter. Don't miss your chance, go here to enter.

Pre-Workout Chocolate Coated Protein Bar (Gluten-Free too!)

2013-02-08T09:18:00.003-05:00

Valentine's day is almost round the corner. Not that I actually look forward to it or do anything special, I don't actually do anything on Valentine's day. But at least, I think the day isn't complete without a little chocolate treat! According to recent studies*, dark chocolate, or more so the flavanols present in chocolate, are actually very beneficial for the body as a pre-workout snack. These flavanols reduce muscle fatigue by 30% and increase performance by 50%. But don't go eat a whole block, only a little amount (about 5g) is recommended before exercise.

I am a serious chocolate lover and I only buy dark chocolate. I've never actually paid much attention in having a little bit of chocolate before exercise. But if this can improve my exercise performance, then I'm in! And a pre-workout protein bar is something that Boyfriendlovlie has been requesting for a long time to assist with his training.

Although I made this as a pre-workout protein bar, it was so good that I actually had it anytime I wanted a sweet healthier snack. Boyfriendlovlie absolutely loved it too! When I make little sweet snacks, he usually doesn't remember that they are there to be eaten (until I remind him) but for these ones, he came looking for them by himself! They definitely appealed to him!

Make sure you use dark chocolate that is above 70% as lower than this contains too much sugar and is not as effective.
Here's a little treat that will appeal to young and old alike. A chocolate covered protein bar that kids can enjoy and adults can fill up on for a protein-rich snack.

Ingredients (approx. 12 bars)
2 1/4 cup mixed red kidney beans and chickpeas
150ml pear puree (apple sauce is fine too, I use 1 1/2 ripe pears, peeled)
6 medjool dates
1 tablespoon coconut milk (thick consistency)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

200g Semi-sweet dark chocolate for coating (use dark chocolate about 70%)

Soak the dates in some hot water for about 10 minutes or until soft enough to blend to a smooth paste.
Preheat oven at 350 degrees Farenheit (or 180 degrees Celsius).
Mash the beans to a paste, I used a hand blender which left a few small chunks in. It is fine to use a blender too but pulse to break into small chunks first.
Remove dates from water, remove pits, chop into small pieces and add to the blender.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender and blend until all ingredients are well mixed.
Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a rectangular oven dish. Pour mixture in the dish and smooth out evenly.
Bake for one and a half hours or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Leave to cool completely.
Lift parchment paper and remove from pan. Leave cake onto the parchment paper and cut into logs or squares, whichever shape you like.

For chocolate coating:

Melt about 150g chocolate in a double boiler. You can make your own by using a smaller pan inside a larger one. Fill the larger one with enough water so the smaller pan floats. Place chocolate in smaller pan and heat the water until it melts.

Coat each log on the three sides.

Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile you can melt the remaining 50g of chocolate.
Remove and turn the uncoated side up. Coat with a layer of chocolate.
Put back in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then remove and store in the fridge.

Nutrition Facts per bar:

Serving Size

1 serving (57.6 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories

116

Calories from Fat

% Daily Value^*

Total Fat

0.9g

Saturated Fat

0.5g

Cholesterol

0mg

Sodium

6mg

Total Carbohydrates

24.9g

Dietary Fiber

3.6g

14%

Sugars

16.2g

Protein

3.3g

Vitamin A 0%0	•	Vitamin C 1%1
Calcium 3%3	•	Iron 6%6

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

*Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21788351

Closed: Zinio Digital Subscription Giveway!

2013-02-05T22:21:00.001-05:00

Update: The Giveaway is over. Scroll down to see the winners.

As you may know (if you've been reading this blog), when I'm not blogging, I am a Graphic Designer. And during my years of experience working in various industries, I have witnessed less and less demand for printed magazines (not that to have a magazine subscription was actually a norm). But have readers moved on? Well, right now I am writing this blog and you are reading it on some sort of digital device, be it on iPad, iPhone, Android mobile phones, tablets, laptop or desktop.
With the advancement of technology, instant access to information is now a whole new dimension in itself. For myself, as a blogger, getting instant feedback and comments really adds to the interest of writing for an interested audience. So what has happened to the world of magazines? Well, they have gone virtual too. So, it's not a lesser demand for reading material that has caused this decline. I find quite the contrary.
Not only is digital more convenient - you can access your favourite titles anywhere you are - it is also cheaper and lighter (you don't have to carry so many of them around). And the best part is, they don't clutter your house! At the tip of your fingers you get access to any areas of interest to you.

Well, even if you've never had a printed magazine subscription in your life, here's your chance to get a digital one! Zinio is an online magazine subscription provider, home of the largest newsstand, that carries thousands (more than 5,000 magazine titles, in 33 languages) of top magazines from around the world. Since we each have our own likes and individual interests, there's definitely more than enough choice there to please everyone!

With Zinio, you can browse and purchase subscriptions or single issues instantly from your computer or mobile device to read wherever and whenever you like. The "Explore" section lets you read - even without a subscription - thousands of articles from your favorite magazines and share them with friends.

I infact got one free subscription from Zinio for myself. But guess what?

Zinio is offering 9 more free subscriptions for grabs to the readers of this blog!

That's right, it's a giveaway for not 1 but 9 lucky winners!! Each winner gets to choose one subscription for ANY titles (not just related to health or recipes or crafts, but anything you like) on Zinio for free! Subscription lengths vary, some are for 6 months, some for a year, some are just 1 issue... it depends on the title that you will choose.

Rules To Enter This Giveaway:

~~All you have to do is ONE or MORE of the following :~~

Share this post on Facebook, and supply the link where you've shared it in the comments below (make sure your post settings on Facebook is set to Public, otherwise I won't be able to see it if I don't have you in my friends list)
Tweet this post with the tags @veganlovlie @zinio #zinio
~~Blog about this post and giveaway on your blog and link back to here.~~
If you can't do any of the above 3, you can still get one chance of winning by just leaving a comment sharing your thoughts about the new virtual world of reading magazines online or share your favorite online magazines.

Then leave a comment below (not on Facebook) for each of the 4 above that you've done.

~~If you do all 4 that's 4 chances of winning!~~

This giveaway ends on Thursday 14th February 2013 at 11:59pm EST (or GMT -5). This giveaway is open to anywhere in the world, since you will receive your subscription digitally.

Make sure you read this too:
Winners will be chosen by a random number generator. Make sure you don't comment as anonymous. Also leave some contact details so I can identify you. Although I will not chase winners up, you will have to check back here as from Friday 15th February to see if you are a winner and claim your subscription. (So, the email or details you leave in the comment box should match the one you contact me with). If winners don't claim their prize within 3 days, I will generate winners again for unclaimed subscriptions. So make sure you check back this blog.

Best way not to miss out is to follow me on Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to this blog by email or in a reader.

The Winners Are:

Ben Freeman
bohemiatura
Claire
Meghan Duce
Leyla
bitt
Fiona O Reilly
Jhanelle Golding
Charice Carrasco

The Giveaway Is Not All!

If you do miss your chance then there are still some Special Promotions on Zinio currently:
Best of 2012 - Editors’ Choices
Ends 21st Feb
Save 50% on these selected great issues

WatchWorld UK
Ends 15th Feb
50% off regular already-discounted Zinio price

Follow Zinio on...
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr

And if you are a winner, here are a few recommendations if you're looking for inspiration on what to subscribe to (but don't limit yourself to these only, as I have said before, there are thousands of titles on Zinio!):

I hope you enjoy this giveaway and good luck to all!

Spicing Up My Avocado Addiction!

2013-01-17T19:27:00.001-05:00

I love avocadoes, be it for breakfast, lunch or even dessert! If you've been reading this blog, you'll know that I love my avocado on the sweet side. I do enjoy it in salads, smoothies and not forgetting sushi too. But most of the time, I love them just sliced in half, pit removed and drizzled with something sweet: brown sugar, molasses, agave, maple syrup...
Today, I added a few dashes of spicy paprika with a bit of maple syrup. I don't know why I didn't think of that before; I loved the combination!

Next time, I'll try it with a few drops of lemon juice too, I think a subtle tanginess will add even more depth to this spicy-sweet combo.

Scrambling...

2013-01-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

One of the most famous vegan classic meal is without a doubt the tofu scramble. As such, this recipe is so versatile that probably hardly anyone needs a recipe for it.
At the Lovlie Coccoon, tofu scramble is much enjoyed for breakfast with slices of homemade bread, lunch in a wrap as well as dinner over sphagetti ! May I even dare think, scrambled tofu is what keeps veganism alive?!

How you want to enjoy your tofu scramble is up to your imagination and really the sky is the limit! How about with some taco shells?

Taco shells indeed is a fun and tasty way of enjoying scrambled tofu and would even work when inviting friends over.

As mentioned, tofu scramble is infinitely flexible in terms of vegetable ingredients. So, this is probably more of a guide than it would be a recipe.

Vegetable Tofu Scramble

Ingredients (Serves 2)
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 small zucchini (courgette), diced
3 button mushrooms, finely diced
250g extra-firm tofu, coarsely crumbled
1 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Handful freshly sprouted mung beans (or beansprouts)

Tacos Shells

Add oil in a skillet or non-stick pan, tilt and turn pan to coat oil evenly. Heat for 1 minute.
Add tofu pieces.
Stir fry for a few minutes until lightly golden. You can press against big chunks in the pan and cut them with your wooden spatula if you like to make them smaller.
Add soy sauce and let cook for a few more minutes (about 5 minutes).
Add carrot, mushrooms and zucchini. Sprinkle nutritional yeast and thyme.
Stir fry for another 3 - 4 minutes until vegetables are soft (but don't allow them to turn mushy).
Add paprika and salt to taste.
Turn off heat.
Toss a handful of sprouted mung beans.
Warm tacos shells according to package instructions. Spoon scramble into shells and serve warm.

Crochet Baskets Project

2013-01-08T16:01:00.003-05:00

I'm getting more and more into the crochet gear these days, all curled up in bed with a cup of tea! Crochet is a really relaxing activity I find. My latest project are these square baskets which I'm going to use to organise my spices pots in the cupboard.

I've stiffened the basket with a cornstarch solution; it holds its shape better this way.

More on the way...
By the way, have a look at Zoom Yummy's awesome crochet creations and crafty ideas!

Meet My New Kitchen Friend: Fox Run Mini Cupcake Spatula

2013-01-07T12:38:00.000-05:00

You know what the fun is to move into a new country again? You get to buy some new fun stuffs and gadjets for the kitchen again! The cost of bringing all my utensils from Ireland was proving to be quite pricey. I ended up selling a good number of them before leaving. Having lived on the move for the past years has got me buying things that are rather functional and on the cheap. I did have some good utensils but I never quite went for anything fancy; parting with them would have been too hard!

While I've already gotten most of the kitchen basics, I still had not yet bought a spatula when, quite by chance, I fell on this cute Fox Run Cupcake Shaped Spatula while browsing on amazon.ca.

I got mine on amazon.ca but you can also find these on amazon.com:

The price was good on amazon.ca and they come in three colours: pink, blue and green. I wanted the blue but the mini one was out of stock, so I got the green instead. Despite its fanciness, this spatula is actually really good; it is well made and does a good scraping job. I've used it already a number of times and I've found it to be particularly handy in mixing bread dough just before starting to knead. And of course, it's great for scraping cake batters too!

The mini one that I got is actually a decent size, although I might get the larger one as well next time I'm ordering something from amazon. These babies qualify for free shipping which is an added bonus; you know how sometimes you're just short of a few dollars in the cart to get the free shipping on amazon, I'll sure add the large one next time I need to make up a few dollars.

This cutie has definitely added a playful touch to the spoon holder; it's starting to feel cosy around now. I might just not leave the kitchen at all anymore.

After getting the spatula, I was curious about what other products was available in the Fox Run brand, so I had a peek at their website. They've got some quite nice kitchen utensils, containers and tools. I just wished they had an online store of their own because I not quite sure where to get some of them.

Full disclosure: I was not contacted by Fox Run or Amazon.com to write up this post. I liked this product and thought about sharing my experience of it with you. All opinions and reviews here are my own.

Potato Balls Stuffed With Fava Beans: Not Your Usual Potato Balls!

2012-12-25T18:53:00.001-05:00

The family being miles away, it has been a very quiet Christmas day for us today. However, there is something in the air on Christmas day, I find, that makes it merry and peaceful. Hopefully, you've all had a wonderful time.

Some fava beans caught my attention at our local supermarket the other day. I don't recall having seen those in the UK or Ireland. In consequence, I had actually never cooked or eaten them before. They look close to a butter bean size-wise with a reddish brown colour.

After a google search for some recipe ideas, I've found them to be used pretty much like most beans, cooked in sauces, pureed as dips or mashed and made into burgers and balls. Well, I thought I'd make use of their size in a recipe rather than mash them all up.

Soaking time took 24 hours, during which I changed the water twice. Then I boiled them for about 20 mins with the skin on. After boiling, I peeled them and tasted one. I would say they are 80% close in taste to a butter bean but with a slightly more nutty flavour.

To save time on this recipe, pre-boil the fava beans and freeze with the skin on until required. Then defrost and warm a little by pouring some boiling water on the beans, allow to cool slightly before peeling. I find that the skins come off easier when the bean is still a little warm.

In this recipe, I've used red potatoes which are slightly on the waxy side. So, this gave these balls a somewhat chewy texture. If you prefer the floury type, baking potatoes might work too but they will need to be more compactly formed into balls for them to hold without breaking when being baked or served.

Potato Balls Stuffed With Fava Beans (Fat-free, Gluten-free)

Ingredients (12 - 14 balls)

5 medium-sized red potatoes (about 350g)
12 - 14 fava beans, boiled and peeled
1 medium-to-large carrot (grated)

Seasoning:
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Salt to taste

Garnish
Pineapple
Fresh jalepeno chilies

Toothpicks

Add the paprika, cumin and salt to the fava beans, mix well and let sit while preparing the other ingredients. (You can also make this the day before and leave the beans to marinade overnight in the fridge).

Boil potatoes until soft. Peel and mash. Add salt to taste.

Take some of the mashed potato, slightly less than the size of a pingpong ball, roll to form a ball and then flatten a little.
Place 1 bean in the centre and enclose with the potato, forming a ball with the hands.

Roll potato ball in the grated carrot. Press between the hands so that they are well adhered to the potato ball.

Repeat with remaining beans and potato mash. You may need to wash your hands in between a few balls as they will tend to get sticky.

Place on a baking tray over some greaseproof paper. You can brush with some sunflower oil if desired although this is not necessary.

Bake at 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Farenheit) for 30 minutes or until slightly firm / crisp on the outside.

A spicy dipping sauce is a good condiment choice to go with these. Tabasco was perfect with these but I found fresh jalepenos gave them a nice kick!
Add a pineapple piece (for some sweetness) and a fresh slice of chili to make these a spicy tasty appetiser at your party.
Have a very Happy Holiday!

Handmade: Woodland Leaf and Mushroom Soap Dish

2012-12-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

Where have I been? Ahhh! I've missed this blog and my Facebook page so much during these past two months. Well, there's been a lot happening for me and the biggest change is that I've moved country. It has been two incredibly busy months and I'm now in Canada! Yay!
Boyfriendlovlie and I left Ireland last month and made it to Quebec in the beginning of November. It has been quite a change from Europe. But we really like it so far. We have already been blessed by 12 - 15 cm of snow! Here's what I can see from my window at the moment.

So far, we are settling in okay. We have yet to see how our first winter in Canada goes through. We have been busy finding a place to live, initially, then finding some furniture and furnishings. Now things are smoothing out and I hope to be back posting more regularly.

Needless to say that I've already been around health shops and 'sniffing' around for vegan friendly places! Still getting used to some new ingredients and tastes. All in all, it is really quite fun to discover new things all over again.

With all the excitement of the move, I've been feeling really creative these days: crochet projects and crafty stuffs. And so, I went along and had a go at playing with air dry clay again. This time I though of trying something different to jewellery: a soap dish.

We needed a soap dish for the bathroom and a generic one from the stores wasn't quite appealing. A handmade one was much more inviting and I'm glad I made this soap dish as it added a lot more flair to the wash basin in the bathroom. The enchanted world has always attracted me; everything woodland will always catch my attention. So, I went with this Leaf and Mushroom theme.

Here's a few working shots.

I started cutting out the shapes in clay and affixed a skeleton leaf to the bottom one. Also rolled out fat snakes for the mushroom stems that I tucked underneath the leaves.

After drying (1 day later), I painted the leaves and mushroom with acrylic paint.

Then, I glued the skeleton leaves in place.

I glued the mushroom heads on the stems.

Here's a top view. All done and left to dry.

I then applied a 2-part resin mixture to make it waterproof. I left it to dry for 2 days, then applied resin onto the under side as well and left it to dry for another 2 days.

Boyfriendlovlie had to photograph this outside on the pebbles. I am pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Now the soap laid on this dish feels like fairy magic.

So, what do you think?
Stay tuned, I'll be back for more and more updates on my new adventures in food, jewellery and crafts!

Orange Polenta Cake (Gluten Free, Fat-Free)

2012-10-25T16:03:00.001-04:00

Time is just flying by for me at the moment. Please excuse my lack of posts my dear readers. I am going through a bit of changes at the moment but I promise to resume regular posting really soon. Bear with me for another month or so and I hope to be back with many exciting news to share with you!

In my array of saved unpublished recipes I came across this scrumptious gluten-free orange polenta cake that I made a while ago. I quite liked this cake for its unique texture and flavour. It was also an attempt at making a gluten free cake with flours that I think may be more easily available in many parts of the world. Indeed, I sometimes find the flours used in gluten free recipes a little of a challenge to find locally. So, this cake turned out a lot nicer than I thought it would and I hope you'll enjoy it too! Plus the nice orangey colour highlights the hues of autumn in the northern hemisphere at the moment, making it perfect timing for sharing.

Ingredients (One 20cm-sandwich cake)
1 orange
1 apple, peeled and cut into small pieces
300 ml homemade oatmilk*
1 cup polenta (175g, this is the flour not the pre-made polenta block)
1 cup brown rice flour (140g) (normal rice flour is also fine)
1/2 cup soft brown sugar (80g)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Marmalade or jam (to sandwich the cake)

*Make homemade oatmilk as per this recipe but use 1/2 oats with 400ml water.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grate the orange peel to get the zest. Then peel off all the white parts.
Cut the orange into small pieces and place in a blender together with the apple pieces.
Add the oatmilk and sugar and blend. Keep aside.

Mix all the rest (i.e. dry) of the ingredients together in a bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry.
Add the orange zest.
Stir and mix well. (Do not beat).
Pour into two 20cm greased mould. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before demoulding.
Smear one cake with jam or marmalade then place other cake on top.
Sprinkle with icing sugar.

First Annual Karuna For Animals Art Show & Auction

2012-09-17T21:14:00.000-04:00

This is one of my newest piece especially created as a donation for the First Annual Karuna For Animals Art Show & Auction.
All proceeds earned from your generous donations will benefit Karuna For Animals' education and advocacy efforts, as well as help them to reach their goal of opening a local rescue and rehabilitation center for any and all animals in need.

Admission to the event is free. Join them this coming weekend, Sunday, September 23, 2012 from 2:00 - 6:00PM, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington, 109 Browns Road, to celebrate their efforts to expand the circle of compassion.

Find out more on their website where you will find other artists also contributing to this event. You can also find them on Facebook, support and like their page.

Karuna For Animals: Compassion In Action, Inc. is an all volunteer, yoga-based, 501(c)3 non-profit organization, whose members seek to promote compassion (karuna), peace (shanti) and loving-kindness (metta) for animals of all species. It is their mission to raise awareness and funds for the rights of all animals. Through a dedicated practice of the science of yoga, community outreach, humane education, vegan cooking and nutrition education, and monthly fundraisers, they aim to cultivate the change they hope to see in the world.

KARUNA is the sanskrit word meaning COMPASSION.

"Once we experience and feel this inter-dependence of all living beings, we will cease to hurt, humiliate, exploit and kill another. We will want to free all sentient beings from suffering. This is karuna, compassion, which in turn gives rise to the responsibility to create happiness and its causes for all." ~ Suresh Jindal

Photo credit Karuna For Animals

An Interview with Robin Robertson, Cookbook Author of Fresh From The Vegan Slow Cooker - Hitting The Shelves In October!

2012-09-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

As much as I enjoy cooking, there are days, I'm sure many of you will agree, where you just want a nice comforty meal with minimal effort. So, when Robin Robertson's publisher, The Harvard Common Press, contacted me for a review of Robin's new vegan cookbook, I was a little inquisitive. This wasn't just another vegan cookbook but one with recipes for the slow cooker, also known as the Crock Pot. I have myself never used a slow cooker and this aroused my curiosity very much. I would think a slow cooker was more for meat and tough stuff to cook. Well, since a vegan diet does consist of a lot of beans and legumes, it's actually a good option for these too.
Robin's book really got my interest in slow cooking.

I am infact looking forward to getting a slow cooker soon too; it will be a great option for time saving on days that I don't want to be standing in front of the stove. Cooking in the slow cooker, as I've come to realise by common sense, actually brings out more flavour in the food since the juices have time to mix and marinade the ingredients while cooking at a gentle temperature. There are no splashes or burnt pots either! So that's a big bonus for me.

Robin Robertson is the author of a whopping 20+ cookbooks, including the bestselling Vegan Planet, 1,000 Vegan Recipes, Vegan Fire and Spice, Vegan on the Cheap and Quick-Fix Vegan. Her latest one - Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker - with 200 Ultra-Convenient, Super-Tasty, Completely Animal-Free One-Dish Dinners, is hitting the shelves soon in October 2012. So, head over to amazon.com
to reserve your copy:

The Harvard Common Press, Robin's publisher, kindly sent me a draft copy of the book for my review. And I'm delighted to say, being an avid home cook, I've been nicely surprised by the array of recipes presented in this book. A good 20 pages or so of the book is also dedicated to tips and advices on the slow cooker itself. If you are new to a slow cooker like me, you will find the tips and explanations most helpful. Robin elaborates on which type of slow cooker to choose to suit your needs and also some handy tips about how to get the cooking time set so that your food will be ready at the time you'll need it.

And what more to my utter delight: a section on desserts! We all know that the desserts section is the page we first flip to whenever we're holding a recipe book, right? Well, at least I do!

Other sections comprise of snacks and appetizers, soups, stews, beans and grains, main dishes, stuffed stuffs, vegetables, condiments, desserts, bread and breakfast, and even hot drinks! Robin uses a wide variety of ingredients but most are common and easy to find at your local store, some may require a trip to a health shop but I have found most to be actually part of my pantry stock and regular fresh produce shopping. Each recipe caters for substitutes with gluten-free and soy-free options too.

I'm happy to be part of Robin's Blog Tour for her new cookbook. And for this occasion, I've had the opportunity to interview Robin! (Also see below for the links to other bloggers on the tour).

Interview with Robin Robertson, Cookbook Author of Fresh From The Vegan Slow Cooker

1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, how you started as a vegan cookbook author?
During the 1980s I was a professional chef in mainstream restaurants, but I felt conflicted because, in my heart, I couldn’t come to terms with cooking or eating meat. I finally quit working in restaurants and on the same day, I stopped eating animals forever. It was the best day of my life. I soon began teaching small classes to show others how to cook vegan and eventually realized that I could reach even more people by writing vegan cookbooks. And here we are.

2. Your book presents a fantastic array of vegan recipes for the slow cooker when you would have thought that a slow cooker would be more suitable for cooking meats. How did you come up with such a variety of ideas for recipes all tailored for the slow cooker?
One thing that inspired me is how in many places in the world there is some type of “slow cooker” used as part of their cuisine, especially comfort food dishes. Most notable are the Moroccan tagine, the Italian fagioliera, and the clay pots of various Asian cuisines. A lot of my other ideas came from just experimenting to see how various dishes could be adapted to the gentle extended cooking in a slow cooker. I was pleasantly surprised to find that lots of foods do quite well in a slow cooker – even several desserts.

3. A slow cooker is a real time saver as we all know. Put all ingredients in it in the morning then come back home to a nice hearty meal in the evening. However, we are experiencing a recent boost in popularity with raw food which also saves us time in the kitchen but also raw food keep a lot of their nutritional value. How would you personally compare slow cooked food to raw food?
Well, it’s kind of like comparing apples and oranges. It’s all about what you’re looking for as an end result. I like some of each, really, although I do eat more raw foods in the summer and I know I’ll be relying more on the slow cooker for all the comfort foods I crave during the colder months.

4. A lot of people get discouraged with cooking when they are beginners. Would you say slow cooking could be ideal for a beginner home cook? Yes, I think a slow cooker is great for beginners, because there are no extremes of temperatures to be concerned with as in stovetop cooking. Just set it and forget it!

5. A slow cooker may be a challenge to store in a small kitchen. But your book does present so much variety that you could literally be cooking from the slow cooker almost everyday. What advice do you have for home cooks in this case? Do you recommend the multi-cooker types like rice cooker, pressure cooker and slow cooker combined? Personally, I’ve never been a fan of multi-cookers.
I prefer to use separate small appliances to do what they do best. The great thing about a slow cooker is that once you’ve assembled all the ingredients, you can plug it in anywhere. I leave mine out on the counter, though, because I do use it most days.

6. Among all the vegan cookbooks you've written so far, which one is your personal favourite and why?
That’s a really tough question, because I put so much of myself into each book I write. Writing cookbooks is my activism, so it means everything to me to know that my books are helping people eat vegan food. As for personal favorite, well, their kind of like my children in that way. I love them all for different reasons. For example, I love Vegan on the Cheap, because I like to cook economically; Quick-Fix Vegan, because the only thing I like saving more than money is time; Vegan Planet, because it was a ground-breaking book when it was published; 1,000 Vegan Recipes, because I consider it’s sheer volume to be a response to the question: “What does a vegan eat?”. I could go on…

7. Anything else you are currently working on? Future plans?
Oh yes. I’m always working on something. I have two new cookbooks coming out in 2012: a nut butter cookbook and a book of one-dish vegan meals. I’m also working on some new ideas for 2014 and beyond.

Robin's Blog Tour Schedule

Wednesday, September 5: Olives for Dinner

Thursday September 6: Hungry Vegan

Friday September 7: Manifest Vegan

Saturday September 8: Veg-in-Training

Monday September 10: Pickles & Honey

Monday September 10: Keepin’ It Kind

Monday September 10: Robin Asbell

Tuesday September 11: Julie’s Kitchenette

Wednesday September 12: GoDairyFree.org

Thursday September 13: Vegan Crunk

Thursday September 13: Veganlovlie

Friday September 14: VegKitchen

Friday September 14: Allison’s Gourmet

Monday September 17: Cathe’s Kitchen

Tuesday September 18: JL Goes Vegan

Tuesday September 18: Plant Based Dietitian

Wednesday September 19: Chic Vegan

Thursday September 20: VeggieGirl

Vegan Beetroot Tarte Tatin

2012-09-01T10:11:00.000-04:00

A colleague of mine brought me these wonderful homegrown organic beetroot the other day and needless to describe my delight! I do buy beetroot in the stores but it's a different feeling to be given some vegetables. I can imagine how a barter system could have been a great way of sharing. There is this sentiment associated with the exchange food items locally grown that money really can't buy.
I believe all foods should be exchanged with love but then we tend to think barter is a primitive system. Anyway, back to my beetroots, my mind was already creating all sorts of recipes the minute I saw them.

My colleague said he really enjoys them in tarte with feta cheese (he's not vegan). Hmm, that sounded like a nice idea and besides I had actually never made beetroot tarte before. I usually have beetroot raw in salads or I steam them and have them with other steamed vegetables.
So, I thought I'd try the tarte this time. A quick search on beetroot tarte brought me to a number of recipes which were all pretty much the same: oven bake the beets with some seasoning, then lay the pastry on top and bake until done. It sounded pretty simple.

The most popular way of making the beetroot tarte, I found, was the Tatin style. Tarte Tatin is a French style tarte where the pastry is place on top of the ingredients then baked. Once done, it is flipped upside down to serve.

In this tarte I substituted the traditional feta cheese with crumbled tofu. You can also use some coarsely mashed chickpeas if you prefer this to be soy-free.

Ingredients (serves 4)
300g ready-made puff pastry (I used Jus-Rol brand)

Filling
400g beetroot, peeled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
Sea salt to taste

Crumbled Tofu Topping
150g firm tofu (substitute with coarsely mashed chickpeas)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Salt to taste

Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vegan mayonnaise (if this is unavailable, substitute by 1/2 teaspoon Dijon / English mustard)

Chopped parsley for garnish

Cut the raw beetroot into wedges.

Place in a greased oven dish. Drizzle with the vegetable oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the sugar and salt. Cover with foil.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes (or until beets are soft and cooked) at 160 degrees Celsius.

Remove from oven. Arrange the beetroot nicely in the pan.

Roll the puff pastry to the size of the pan. Lay it on top of the beetroot lightly pressing it on the beets.

Put back in the oven and bake for another 30 minutes (or until pastry is puffed and golden) at 180 degrees Celsius.

Remove from oven. Allow to cool a little.

Place a plate on the pan then flip upside-down.

For the crumbled tofu: coarsely crumble some tofu, mix with lemon juice, nutritional yeast and salt. Bake simultaneously with the tarte (on a separate greased tray) until light golden.

Mix all ingredients for the vinaigrette together and drizzle on the tarte to serve. Garnish with parsley and the crumbled tofu.

Calorie content will vary depending on the brand of puff pastry you use.

Serving Size

1 serving (238.0 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories

575

Calories from Fat

339

% Daily Value^*

Total Fat

37.7g

58%

Saturated Fat

5.7g

29%

Trans Fat

0.0g

Cholesterol

0mg

Sodium

514mg

21%

Total Carbohydrates

48.9g

16%

Dietary Fiber

4.1g

16%

Sugars

11.1g

Protein

11.7g

Vitamin A 5%5	•	Vitamin C 12%12
Calcium 9%9	•	Iron 19%19

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Where Do I Get My Iron? Molasses.

2012-08-25T20:56:00.002-04:00

Molasses is something that reminds me of many childhood memories. There was one particular molasses fudge that was available at the deli counter of one particular store in Mauritius. Back in the days, we wouldn't go there often but whenever Mum would take us, it was really something we looked forward to. However, as time passed, this store no longer made the molasses fudge and seemed to have replaced the ingredient with just brown sugar, or so it tasted like it.

Mauritius is a sugar producing country and you would think molasses would be readily available in the stores. Ironically enough, it is not. And still the biggest irony is that I can find molasses here in Europe, produced in Mauritius! Yep, this is how it goes. If I were in Mauritius, I wouldn't readily find molasses. The only way you can get hold of some molasses is if you know someone working at a sugar mill.

Well, I am thankful that I can find it here at least because molasses is one thing I really love! It lends a distinctive flavour into many baked goodies; I always put a tablespoon or so in my chocolate cakes or cookies. I sometimes add it to my smoothies but particularly love it in oats porridge too. Recently I've tried it drizzled on some oranges and grapefruit and it makes a distinctly tasty fruit snack! If you don't like the bitter taste of grapefruit, try it with some molasses. Somehow both the slight bitterness in molasses and that in the grapefruit counteracts each other to make one definitely tasty combo!

I've found molasses to be particularly helpful in relieving cramps during exercise and strenous physical activity. So, do try it if you haven't already!

But if you've tried it and don't like it, give yourself a second chance: try everything twice! Also, check out Lysa's Breakfast Bouddha Bowl. It got me drooling!

So, Why Should We Eat Molasses?

Carbohydrates
Molasses is an excellent source of carbohydrates. A 1/4 cup serving supplies nearly 250 calories of energy in the form of simple sugars. Providing your body with enough carbohydrates enables it to make proper use of your dietary protein. Since your dietary proteins are spared, the body can utilise them to maintain your muscle mass.

Magnesium
Magnesium assists in keeping the immune system healthy and also helps maintain the nerves, muscles and bones. A 1/4 cup serving of molasses supplies about 200mg of magnesium which is half or more of the daily recommended allowance for magnesium (which is between 310 and 420 mg).

Manganese
Manganese is required in the body as a co-factor for many metabolic enzymes and also aids in anti-oxidant reactions. A 1/4 cup of molasses contains 1.3 mg of this trace element and the body requires between 1.8 and 2.3 mg of manganese daily. This is more than 50% of the daily requirement.

Copper
Copper assists in the metabolism of iron and also in extracting energy from the foods we eat. It is an integral component of the nervous system. 1/4 cup of molasses provides almost half of our daily need for copper which is 0.9 mg.

Iron
Iron deficiency can lead to anaemia. Regular consumption of molasses can help maintain the iron level in the body at an optimum level.
Molasses contains 4 mg of iron per 1/4 cup. This amounts to between 25 and 50 percent of your daily requirement, depending on your age and sex.

Potassium
Potassium assists in many functions in your body. These include transmission of nerve signals, muscle contraction, regulation of blood pressure, maintenance of fluid balance and proper heart function.
Molasses is rich in the mineral potassium, with 1/4 cup providing more than 1,200 mg, or 25 percent of the amount you need each day.

Reference:
Livestrong.com

Lentil Veggie Burgers

2012-08-22T13:32:00.000-04:00

With so many vegan burger recipes on the internet and recipe books nowadays, why would we need another recipe? Simply because we can't get enough of veggie burgers and they are just so tasty!

I am going to tell you a funny story. This actually happened to me a while ago. Boyfriendlovlie and I were invited at a wedding and our hosts were especially considerate to provide vegan food for us. So, at the buffet table there were burgers but the vegan ones were not labelled and we weren't sure we could have them; they could have been just vegetarian with eggs in them. But anyway, these burgers looked a lot more attractive than the other non-vegan food that was there and they soon disappeared! Later I went to ask about the vegan food and they said it was those burgers and there were none left. I was so disappointed but the chef agreed to bring out some more. And when I tasted them, I understood why they went so quickly! They were actually really tasty. Even omnis preferred them to the meat burgers on that day. Yep! That's what happens with vegan food most of the time I've found, they are devoured by omnis as well as vegans.

So here you go. We will never get tired of veggie burgers hence another yummy recipe to enjoy in burger buns or flat breads! These ones are baked and may be a bit dry if you are having them on their own. So, make sure you have a salad and some dressing to go with them if you are omitting the bread.

Ingredients (8 burgers, depending on size)
200g (1 cup) dry black lentils
2 medium (approx. 450g) potatoes
1 courgette (zucchini), shredded
100g frozen mixed sweetcorn and peas
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chilli powder (substitute by cayenne or cajun spice or paprika for a milder taste)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 small bunch (about 10g) coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

Boil lentils, according to packet instructions, until tender but not mushy. Drain water if there is any left in the pot.
In another pot, put potatoes to boil covered in water. When soft with a fork test, turn off heat and allow to cool. Then peel and mash the potatoes.
Squeeze out the juice from the shredded courgette. (You can drink this juice if you want or mix it in your smoothies. But in any case don't throw it away, it's very nutritious). We are squeezing out the liquid here so that the burgers don't break with the juice coming out of the veggies while they are cooking.
Mix all ingredients together into a big bowl (including boiled lentils and potatoes).
Take a small quantity (like 2 - 3 tablespoons) and shape into balls then flatten into burgers. Leave them a little thick; you can flatten them later in the pan.
Drizzle a non-stick pan with some oil. Heat the pan.
Place a few burgers and cover. Cook for about 6 minutes on medium heat on one side. A golden crust should form, then turn and cook covered for another 6 minutes on the other side.

Afterward you can either:

turn again and keep cooking in the pan for another 8 - 10 minutes, turning occasionally but carefully to avoid breakage. Adjust heat (lower the temperature) as required so that burgers don't burn but are allowed to be cooked inside,

Or, you can transfer the burgers onto a greased tray and bake in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes at 170 degrees Celsius or until firmer and done.

Burgers are ready, serve in burger buns or pita bread, with salad and your favourite sauce.

One thing I like to do with veggie burgers is to freeze them for later use. It makes it so convenient and a real time-saver. After the first pan fry of about 6 minutes on each side, remove gently from pan and allow to cool completely. Then simply arrange into freezer proof boxes (I love using my empty icecream tubs for that matter, instead of buying new boxes), separate each burger with a layer of plastic to avoid them sticking to one another when frozen. For the plastic bag, you can use a sandwich bag. Cut off the sealed base then cut through to open the bag into a single layer. This can be reused again and again.

Then, simply take out from the freezer and cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

Nutrition facts per burger:

Serving Size

1 serving (123.0 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories

160

Calories from Fat

% Daily Value^*

Total Fat

2.3g

Saturated Fat

0.3g

Trans Fat

0.0g

Cholesterol

0mg

Sodium

305mg

13%

Total Carbohydrates

27.4g

Dietary Fiber

10.0g

40%

Sugars

2.1g

Protein

8.3g

Vitamin A 6%6	•	Vitamin C 30%30
Calcium 3%3	•	Iron 14%14

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Rougail (or Rougaille) Morisyen (Mauritian Rougaille)

2012-08-07T16:37:00.000-04:00

"What’s Mauritian cuisine like?", this is a question that I get quite often when I come across people from other countries.
Well, Mauritian cuisine is primarily an exotic mix. All continents gather to offer a myriad of colours and flavours. Infact it is more than common for a combination of cuisines to form part of the same meal.

Mauritius, by default, is composed of a mix of cultures and races that came from mainly Africa, Asia and Europe. A little bit of history would take us back to the days of slavery (the years preceding 1835) when the first African slaves were brought to the island, by the English and French, to work in the fields. Later, after the abolition of slavery, indentured labourers were brought from India. Then, some Chinese migrants came as well and opened businesses. Nowadays, we have a mix of all these races and cultures along with a few Europeans.

The best thing about this mix is undoubtedly the rich food culture! Over the years, the cuisines from these different continents have adapted to give the Mauritian cuisine its picturesque aspect and authenticity while still keeping some of their vivid origins. From the French patisserie and other delicacies to the Indian curries without forgetting the ever so popular Chinese noodle, rice and dumpling dishes and tasty African dishes.

Many other Mauritian dishes have been featured on this blog before, although as you may have noticed already, I do not exclusively write about Mauritian food. Well, quite simply because I love food, and for everything new and that seems attractive, I will give it a try or two, then adopt or adapt!

Today, I'm presenting the Mauritian Rougail (or Rougaille). The rougail is undoubtedly a dish that wins the heart of every Mauritian and is sure to win yours too! A Creole-style tomato based sauce with the common addition of sausages, fish and other meat, the rougail also presents itself in a popular vegetarian version too (which happens to be vegan). The vegetarian version is locally called "rougail touni", literally translated as "naked rougail". Naked because nothing else is added to the base which basically consists of tomatoes, garlic, onions, ginger and fresh herbs. Then some people like to add their own twist to it like peas and different herbs and other spices.

While the origin of this dish is not exactly known, variations of it can also be found in Reunion island (which is a French island, neighbour to Mauritius), where they make a raw fruity green mango rougail and in Madagascar where they also make a delicious raw version used as a condiment.

The Mauritian rougail however, is a cooked dish and the best part is that it is ridiculously easy and quick to make and does not require a long list of ingredients. Most ingredients would be staples in your kitchen I would think. The plain "naked" version is made in less than 20 minutes (including preparation time), quicker that it took me to write up this post and the recipe!

The rougail is commonly served over rice or with bread but a lot of Mauritians (including myself) enjoy it over plain boiled noodles as well. And there you have a great combination of different cuisines as part of the same meal!

One more thing, since I personally have reduced the consumption of onions and garlic for probably almost a year now, I have adapted the recipe for myself without them. However, I have included onions and garlic in this recipe as I used to make it before for you to get the authentic version. I've also used tofu in this one but really anything can be added to the tomato base: beans, veggies or even some coarsely crumbled dal chilli cakes!

Ingredients (Serves 2)
4 - 6 medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
3 - 4 green chillies (I used a few red ones too)
1 small onion (if using), sliced or chopped
1 - 2 garlic gloves (if using), finely chopped
Sprig curry leaves
Sprig thyme
1 teaspoon oil

150 g tofu (cut into cubes)
5 - 6 mushrooms, cut into chunky pieces
2 tablespoon frozen peas
1 tablespoon oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Coriander for garnish (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan. (I find a 28-cm wok style pan works best for this).
Add the tofu pieces and pan fry until golden and slightly crispy.
Remove, set aside.

Meanwhile, cut tomatoes into rather chunky wedges or cubes.
Depending on your heat tolerance, you can either slice the chillies in half lengthwise or leave them whole.

In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil.
Add onions (if using), garlic (if using) and ginger. Sautee for 1 minute.
Add curry leaves and chillies. Toss and sautee for a few more minutes.
Add tomatoes and thyme.
Stir and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes or until tomatoes have started to form a lightly creamy sauce. Add a little water if required.
Then add mushrooms and tofu pieces.
Add frozen peas.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir and cook for a few more minutes until mushrooms are cooked and tofu have absorbed a bit of the tomato juice.
At this point you can decide to add a little water and simmer to make up some sauce or leave it somewhat dry (as in the photo).

Variation: I like to leave the tomatoes somewhat chunky so I don't actually allow it to completely become a sauce but some people do make more sauce and in this case you can add more tomatoes and simmer for longer.

Serve over basmati rice or plain boiled noodles.

Bon appétit!

Serving Size

1 serving (541.8 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories

297

Calories from Fat

141

% Daily Value^*

Total Fat

15.7g

24%

Saturated Fat

2.5g

12%

Trans Fat

0.0g

Cholesterol

0mg

Sodium

112mg

Total Carbohydrates

25.3g

Dietary Fiber

8.2g

33%

Sugars

13.1g

Protein

19.4g

Vitamin A 48%48	•	Vitamin C 71%71
Calcium 31%31	•	Iron 17%17

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Ethical Ocean’s Vegan Recipe Contest

2012-07-25T10:57:00.001-04:00

I’ve entered my Pear Coconut Custard Creme into Ethical Ocean’s Vegan Recipe Contest! You can vote for me, as often as you like everyday. Voting entitles you to many fabulous prizes to be won daily. So, please do vote for your chance of winning.

View the recipe and vote here.

King Soba Noodles

2012-07-24T22:00:00.000-04:00

For the food-shopaholic that I am, these black rice noodles didn't go unnoticed though on the bottom shelf. Indeed any unusual ingredient would magnetise my attention (as Boyfriendlovlie would put it!); I'd just grab, read the label for any non-vegan culprits, and simultaneously grinning mentally at the thought of the creations I could be making with this. If I happen to see a vegan logo on the package, it's tossed in the basket, no second thoughts whatsoever!

Well this was the fate of these King Soba Black Rice Noodles along with the Brown Rice and Wakame variety. I just couldn't not taste those!

Noodles, the rice ones are my favourite type. I love them in miso soup with veggies. Crunchy and juicy, that's how I like my veggies with my noodles!

These noodles taste really nice on their own. So, not much flavour is required for the rest. I only tossed some vegetables in a pan with a bit of teriyaki sauce, pan fried some tofu, topped the boiled noodles with them and voilà! I like my noodles in miso soup, so I also had some miso to go with them.

I found these noodles in my local Spar in Dublin, Ireland. I've also seen them in some health shops. Do give them a try if you come across them. They are also gluten-free! There are a few more varieties in the same brand that I have yet to try.

Sweet Potato Bread - A Recipe Video

2012-07-20T20:14:00.005-04:00

Ever since I've made this bread for a previous Daring Baker's Challenge, it has become a regular at the Lovlie Cocoon! It is THE only way Boyfriendlovlie actually ENJOYS eating sweet potatoes. I try to sneak a few pieces of roasted sweet potatoes on his plate from time to time but there is just something about their sweetness which he thinks doesn't go with other savoury food. I enjoy eating sweet potato in various dishes from salads to desserts. But this bread is surely my favourite of them all!

Bread-making is something I never really gave much time into before until I started feeling the grubbiness of store bought ones. Those breads don't get any moulds for over a month! What do they put in them, I wonder!

The recipe in the video is more or less the same I used for the Daring Baker's Challenge with a slight variation - I omitted the rice milk and just used water.
Also, in the video I am using quick yeast which does not require proofing. If you are using active dry yeast, do proof it first by dissolving it in 100ml warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar and let stand for 10 minutes until frothy. (Then this is the water you are adding into the recipe).

Easy Sweet Potato Bread
Ingredients (1 bread loaf - 12 slices)

2 1/2 cups (275g) strong white flour
2 medium sweet potato (350g)
1 sachet / teaspoon (7g) quick yeast
80 - 100ml warm water (depending on moisture content of sweet potatoes)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons coconut oil (melt first, if hardened, then take 2 tablespoons of the liquid oil. Vegetable oil should also be fine)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place sweet potatoes with the skin on a deep pan. Fill with water until 3/4 the level of the sweet potatoes. Boil for 15 -20 minutes or until soft. Prick with a fork to test.
Peel and discard the skin. Mash the sweet potato to a fine puree. Use while still warm; it actually helps the dough to rise.
Add yeast, salt and sugar to flour. Mix well.
Add sweet potato to the flour. Mix and knead to combine.
Add the warm water. Mix and knead.
Add coconut oil and knead. The dough should come together better by now and should be less sticky.
Then, transfer onto a floured board and knead for 8 - 10 minutes. You may want to add a little more flour if too sticky or 1 - 2 tablespoons more water if too dry. (This also depends on the moisture content of the sweet potatoes.)
Oil a large bowl and place in the dough. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for 1 and a half hours in a warm place.
The dough should double in size.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Take one part and roll into a log. How long or thick you roll it will depend on the size or length of bread you want. Repeat with the other 2 pieces.
Join the 3 pieces at the top and start braiding. Press to secure them at the end, then reshape to nice rounded smooth ends.

Place on greaseproof paper on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (rotate bread 180 degrees on itself halfway through for even baking).
When bread is baked through, it will make a hollow sound when tapped on the top, otherwise it will sound a little 'compact'.
Remove from oven and allow to cool a little before slicing.

Nutrition facts based on 1 slice of this bread, one bread loaf yielding 12 slices.

Serving Size

1 serving (66.2 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories

143

Calories from Fat

% Daily Value^*

Total Fat

2.6g

Saturated Fat

2.0g

10%

Cholesterol

0mg

Sodium

108mg

Total Carbohydrates

26.4g

Dietary Fiber

1.7g

Sugars

2.4g

Protein

3.3g

Vitamin A 115%115	•	Vitamin C 10%10
Calcium 2%2	•	Iron 8%8

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Smoothie with Basil Seeds (Tukmaria)

2012-07-14T21:03:00.000-04:00

Chia seeds, now classified among the top superfoods, is widely used in a lot of recipes from smoothies to desserts and even in cakes as a binding agent. But this post is not about the already famous chia! So no, I didn't get the title wrong! It's about a similar seed which are basil seeds. The latter look very much like chia seeds and also swells in water to form a gelatinous coating.

Basil seeds are more popular in the Mediterranean and Asia where they are mostly used in juices and desserts. They are popular in Mauritius too, where I grew up.
Well, unlike chia, basil seeds haven't yet made the hit among the 'super duper' foods. I kind of chuckle at these food classifications anyway. The thing is these superfoods are actually normal food consumed by some communities around the world as part of their usual diet until some company decides to make them the next big thing and start praising about their amazing benefits to make a business out of it... Well, then prices go up...

Chia does have its benefits, I'm not denying that but I am more so referring on the overpricing of superfoods in general...

Back to the basil seeds then, I've been used to having basil seeds (also known as tukmaria) in flavoured milk since I was a kid, what we call 'Alouda' in Mauritius (Falooda in other parts of the world). I have a recipe of it on this blog here (scroll down this post).
Despite this seed being a regular part of my diet I have never really researched on its benefits or side effects. Apparently there are no reported side effects from consuming basil seeds (unless if you might be allergic to them...). As for their benefits, according to this website, they aid in digestion, can treat cold, cure respiratory diseases, can relieve stress and are good for treatment of skin infection.

Well, in any case, I remember basil seeds to be a very fun thing to eat or drink as a kid. Their jelly coating would make them slip around the teeth and I would make it a challenge to bit through the tiny seeds! While I still do enjoy these seeds in flavoured milk (now non-dairy), I now also include them in my smoothies. They add some protein, since I'm allergic to nuts and various seeds. The basil seeds don't seem to give me any trouble.
And basil seeds are cheap! So just grab some and try them out. I get them at the local Asian store.

Here's a refreshing Cucumber Peach Smoothie with Basil Seeds:

Ingredients (serves one)
1/2 cup green cucumber, cut into small pieces (peel if not organic)
1 sweet ripe peach (peeled)
1 - 2 dates, pitted (or 1 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup)
2 - 3 mint leaves
Enough coconut milk to dilute (I use the carton coconut milk that is suitable for tea, not the canned ones. Other non-dairy like oat or almond milk is also fine)

1 teaspoon dry basil seeds

Cover the basil seeds with about 4 - 5 tablespoons water and allow them to soak.
Stir them a bit, then you can discard any seeds or dirt that remains floating at the top.
The seeds will soak up the water and swell with a jelly coating around them.
Blend all other ingredients together, except the basil seeds, until smooth.
Stir in the basil seeds (do not blend, leave them whole).
The smoothie is ready to be served.

How-to: Homemade Tempeh

2012-07-08T11:14:00.000-04:00

For all that is being said about soy and its negative counter parts, this grain still remains widely used and does find its way into numerous foodstuffs, mainly processed ones. While most soy nowadays is GMO (Genetically Modified), in Europe luckily we do have some organic non-GMO grains available. That said, for my part, I still do try to limit consumption of soy to once or twice a week. I consume soy mostly in the form of tofu, miso and tempeh. The latter two being the most popular. Of soymilk, I have brought consumption of it to a complete halt, oatmilk being now my major non-dairy substitute.

The idea of homemade tempeh came from one of our discussions in the Vegan Temptivists group on Facebook and was suggested by Susmitha from Veganosaurus. Feel free to join us in this group by the way (but please do read the group requirements first). Until now, I’ve only been buying tempeh at the health store. Some research on homemade tempeh however, inspired me further into attempting this at home.

Tempeh is a fermentation process of cooked soybeans with Rhizops moulds (the tempeh starter). This fermentation binds the soybeans into a compact white cake. A search on where to get a supplier for the tempeh starter brought me to a few sites of which I found this one to be the most convenient for me. They infact also supply a free sample (with 2,00 EUR administration and shipping fee) to get you started. So, I ordered the free sample to try it off. Since this was my first time making tempeh at home I literally followed the recipe they supply on their website.

Their recipe is as follows:

Ingredients
600g whole dry soybeans (I used only 500g however)
5 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon (about 5g) tempeh starter

Soaking and Dehulling
The recipe says to crack the beans first but since I don't have a grain mill, I just omitted this step and proceeded straight onto soaking the grains for 12 hours. I then dehulled them by hand, rubbing the beans together and sometimes individually pressing the hulls off the grains. I must say, this was quite a lengthy process and did requite a bit of patience when done by hand.

Cooking the Beans
After dehulling, I proceeded to boiling the beans. The recipe suggests half an hour but I boiled them for twice as long since the beans were nowhere soft after just 30 minutes. Even after an hour, they could still do with a bit more boiling. I didn't boil any further because I thought the fermentation process might soften the beans but it didn't. So, if you are attempting this, make sure the beans are boiled to the softness you would usually consume them.

So, as per the recipe, put the beans in a cooking pot and add enough water to cover them. Add the vinegar and cook for 30 min (or until soft but not mushy). Drain off the water and dry the soybeans by continue heating them in the pot on medium heat for a few minutes and until the beans are dry. Allow the soybeans to cool down to below 35°Celsius.

Mixing with the Tempeh Starter
Sprinkle the soybeans with 1 teaspoon of tempeh starter. Mix well and evenly with a clean spoon for about 1 minute. It's very important to mix the tempeh starter very well: it reduces the risk of spoilage and the fermetation will be faster.

Incubating the Beans
The beans are incubated in plastic bags and it is important to perforate them so that the mould can breathe. I used 3 plastic bags about 21 X 25 cm and perforated them with a metal skewer ( a normal pin / needle is too thin, you can also use a clean nail).

Portion out the soybeans in the three bags and seal them (I used cellotape).

Press them flat, making sure that the total thickness of the beans is max 3 cm (about 1-inch).

I sandwiched the bags between two wooden boards and placed the packed beans in a warm place (I left them close to the radiator. You can also use an incubator at 30°C if you have one) for about 36 - 48 hours during which the tempeh fermentation takes place.

Then the container should be filled completely with white mycelium and the entire contents can be lifted as a whole piece. Mine took 36 hours to be completely fermented.

Storing the Tempeh
I froze two of the bags for later use. Tempeh will keep well in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Cooking the Tempeh
After fermentation, I decided to cook one portion straightaway. I sliced the tempeh cake.

The result was very pleasing but as I said before, the beans still remained a touch too hard. So, I decided to steam the tempeh first.

After steaming, I pan fried with only a drizzle of vegetable oil.

I made an easy cranberry soy sauce as follows:

1 tablespoon cranberry preserve / jam / sauce
1 tablespoon shoyu soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon mirin (or rice vinegar), adjust to taste
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Dash paprika or cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients and bring to a gentle heat in a pan.

Arrange fried tempeh on a bed of steamed vegetables and salad. Drizzle with the cranberry soy sauce to serve.