Kimchi and tofu stew

 This is my current favourite meal. It’s got so many health and nutrition benefits, comes together quickly, is versatile, and feels like an indulgent treat of a meal. TICK ✅ 

I first tried this (https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/tofu-and-kimchi-stew) recipe but have tweaked it to this below recipe I’ve written up:

Makes 4-6 serves

Ingredients

1TBS olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, sliced and diced

One one-inch piece of ginger, diced

6-8 spring onions, sliced finely

4 cups of vegetable stock

2 cups boiling water

2TBS miso paste

2tsp korean (fine) chilli flakes 

1TBS soy sauce

1/2 cup Kim chi

2-3 cups veggies of choice, finely sliced. My faves are mushrooms, cabbage, carrot, daikon radish, pak choy, Kai lan, or other asian greens.

~200g Tofu of choice, sliced. I love Beijing chilli tofu. Silken tofu is also recommended. 

*you could replace the miso paste and chilli flakes with 3-4TBS of gochujang (Korean hot pepper) paste 

Method

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over high. Cook white and pale-green parts of spring onions (reserve the rest to garnish), garlic, and ginger, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add veggie stock and water, then stir in miso paste, chilli flakes and soy sauce. Add vegetables and gently simmer until veggies are tender, 15–20 minutes.

• Add kimchi and tofu. Simmer until tofu is heated through. Carefully divide among bowls. Scatter reserved spring onions over.

Vegan Orange and Banana loaf cake

I adapted this recipe by adding two mashed ripe bananas at the end of this

https://bakewithshivesh.com/vegan-orange-loaf-cake/

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• zest of one orange
• a pinch of salt
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup organic white sugar
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup hot water
• ADD two ripe mashed bananas

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C and prepare a loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest.
3. In a large bowl combine, both the the sugars, orange juice,vegetable oil and water.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and ADD mashed bananas. Fold to combine. Do not over mix.
5. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake at 180C for 30-40 minutes

Maybe go easy on the white/caster sugar; a quarter cup will be enough, and I cooked 30mins at 180 degrees Celsius then 10mins at 160C.

Vanilla cupcakes!

These are simply perfect and based on this recipe, only Nads turned the icing into raspberry icing as outlined below

http://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/2014/06/08/the-best-vegan-vanilla-cupcakes/ 

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• 1¼ Cups All-Purpose Flour
• ½ Cup plus ⅓ Cup White Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Salt

Wet Ingredients:

• ⅔ Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (or other Non-Dairy Milk)
• ⅓ Cup Canola Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider or White Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Frosting:

• ¼ Cup Non-Hydrogenated Shortening (I used Earth Balance Shortening)
• ¼ Cup Vegan Margarine (I used Earth Balance)
• 1½ Cups Powdered Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Almond Milk (or other Non-Dairy Milk)
• Sprinkles for decoration (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven for 350 F (180C). Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners, or lightly grease the pan.
2. In a big bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
3. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients together.
4. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk that up. Whisk until the batter just comes together, don’t over mix it or your cupcakes will be sad cakes.
5. Evenly divide batter among the liners.
6. Bake 18-20 minutes until the tops are slightly golden.
7. To make the frosting, mix all the ingredients together with a hand mixer. Wait until the cupcakes are cooled completely before frosting.
8. Use a piping bag, a butter knife or just a plastic bag with a small hole cut in the corner to frost your cakes.

Vegan Apple Tea Cake mmmmm

Check out this amazing vegan apple tea cake that I made at work today!! It's super easy and super delicious!! We used the recipe from here: http://www.domesblissity.com/2013/04/easy-apple-tea-cake-dairy-egg-free.html

Ingredients

• 1 and half cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 apples, peeled, cored and diced (any kind – I used Royal Gala)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 6 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• half teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon extra
• 2 tbs sugar extra
• icing sugar to serve

Method

1. Turn oven to 180 C (375 F). 
2. Grease and/or line a round cake tin. 
3. Put the flour, cinnamon, sugar, and water in a bowl. 
4. Add vanilla, vinegar, oil, baking soda and salt. Mix with beaters until smooth. (Mixture is runny.) 
5. Pour into the tin. 
6. Top with diced apple and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top of the apple.
7. Bake 40 minutes or until cooked through. 
8. Cool for 10 minutes then take out of tin. 
9. Dust with icing sugar to serve. 
10. Serve warm, with vegan ice cream or custard or a good cup of tea or coffee!

Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Biscuits!!

Want the ultimate decadent chocolate biscuit that's vegan and super quick to make?! Here you go :) 

Ingredients

1/2cup / 100g cacao butter

3/4cup / 150g brown sugar

6 Tbsp aquafaba 

3/4 cup/ 75g cocoa powder

3/4cup / 50g shredded coconut

3/4 cup SR Flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup dark choc chips (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. Soften cacao butter until almost melted. Whisk in sugar, aquafaba and vanilla until creamed. Sift in and stir rest of ingredients. Use wet teaspoon to place teaspoons of mixture onto grease proof paper. Top with shaved Almonds if desired.

Bake for 8-10 mins. They will be soft when removed from oven so leave to cool. Makes 16. 

This recipe was adapted from one posted on the 'Vegan is the New Black' fb page in August  2015. 

Ratatouille!! STAPLE

This vegan ratatouille bake is such an easy but amazing, not to mention cheap and versatile dish that will feed plenty (serves 6/8). 

I'm usually happy with just this and some bread, maybe some fresh avocado on top, or just some steamed corn and/or green beans (we love Jamie Oliver's Lemony Green Beans recipe!! http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/lemony-green-beans/#gviU8W0YilIm15t2.97 ) on the side. Though we did make this along with a Xmas nut loaf (recipe to come!) and salad as our Xmas lunch spread last year and it was a treat!

We basically cook variations of this A Clean Bake recipe 

http://acleanbake.com/ratatouille/

It's all about the veggies you use so be sure to get good quality ones.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup crushed tomatoes
2. 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3. 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
4. 1 teaspoon minced garlic
5. 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, sliced (about 3-4 large leaves), plus more for garnish
6. 1 teaspoon herbs de Provence spice mix (or 1/4 teaspoon each of dried or fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme)
7. 1/4 teaspoon salt
8. 1/4 teaspoon pepper
9. 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
10. 1 medium sweet or red onion, sliced
11. 1 large zucchini, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups slices)
12. 1 large japanese eggplant, sliced (about 3 cups slices)
13. 3 large roma tomatoes, sliced (about 3 cups slices)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Lightly grease a 6"x9" baking dish and set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes, oil and vinegar. Stir in the garlic, basil, herbs de Provence, salt, pepper, and chili powder.
3. Pour the tomato mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth it into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.
4. Stack the veggie slices in alternating patters (e.g.: onion, zucchini, eggplant, tomato; repeat) and place them on their side in the pan, leaning against the edge of the pan. Repeat until you've formed a couple of rows of veggies, filled the pan, and used up all of the veggie slices.
5. Optionally, spray or brush the exposed tops of the veggies with oil to encourage browning in the oven. This is more for appearance, so feel free to skip this step if you want.
6. Bake for about an hour, until the tomato sauce at the bottom is bubbling and the veggies are tender.
7. Garnish with additional chopped fresh basil before serving (optional). Serve hot or cold.

We actually mix the sauce and herbs (step 2) in the Baking dish to reduce dishes and you could add mushroom as part of the veggies quantities too/instead.

New improved Breakfast Smoothie!

Since having small human who is vegetarian and averse to swallowing solid food, we have come to rely even more on the sustenance of our BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES.

Further, we acquired a thermomix last year which increases our easy options with a good or decor and blender in one, though those two applicants could be used for this recipe.

Ingredients

1 TB oats

2 TB raw almonds

2 TB raw cashews

1TB chia seeds 

2 cups/handfuls English/baby spinach / silverbeet / kale leaves 

16 strawberries

4 bananas

1 or 2 apple or pear or stone fruit or other berry - whatever you prefer cored/ chopped into blend-able pieces

2 cups water

Method

Food process the nuts, oats and chia seed until fine (20 seconds on speed 10 on the thermomix)

Add all other ingredients and blend (1 min on speed 10 in the thermomix)

Enjoy!! 

This recipe is totally adaptable with other seeds, nuts, nutritional powders and other fruits that can be included or swapped, though the cashews and bananas are important to make it smooth and creamy :)

Serves 4 as a breakfast or more as a snack!

Chocolate Brownie - gluten free and vegan!!

Ingredients

BASE

1.75 cups almond meal

0.5 cup cocoa powder

0.75 cup brown sugar

0.25 tspn salt 

1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)

4 TBspns Aqua faba

1 tspn vanilla extract

TOPPING

4 TBspn brown sugar

2 TBSpn Cocoa powder

2 TBSpn coconut oil 

4 TBSpn soy milk

Method for base

1. Preheat oven. Combine dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. 

2. Put into a small cake/ slice tin that's lined with baking paper. 

3. Bake 35mins on 160 degrees Celsius.

Method for topping

1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepans til bubbling constantly while being stirred

2. Pour over base to serve. 

 

Coconut & Sultana Rice Pudding

Everyone loves a good pudding as the ultimate comfort food and this one isn't too sweet to feel the guilts about nomming it down for dessert or a snack or any time you feel like delicious coconut-y, sultana-y rice-y goodness. Adapted to have sultanas instead of added sugar, from this Quirky Cooking Thermomix recipe: http://www.quirkycooking.com.au/2011/05/creamy-coconut-vanilla-rice-pudding , we cook it like so...

Ingredients

1. 1 whole vanilla bean, snipped in pieces or 1 tspn vanilla extract
2. 200g arborio rice (or 250g if you like it thicker)
3. 400g organic coconut cream
4. 60g sultanas 
5. 600g water

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in thermomix. Cook for 20 minutes at 90 degrees, reverse, speed 1 1/2. (If you're using vanilla bean, grind it up for 1 minute on speed 9 prior to adding all other ingredients).
2. The rice pudding will still be quite runny - don't worry, it thickens after a few minutes. You can pour it straight into a serving dish (a Thermoserver is ideal) and leave it for 5 minutes before serving, and it will be perfect.

Frankie's Pikelets

Feeding a 10month old banana porridge was proving to be messy and challenging, particularly because the little person is determined to feed himself. So I decided to turn his porridge into pikelets and let him munch on them on his own terms. 

To give him a bit more protein and omega 3 I've added a few extra nuts and seeds. This recipe makes about 12 little piklets so there's plenty to feed us too :) They're definitely worth eating even if you don't have a small human to feed!

Ingredients

1/3 cup of oats (could use quinoa flakes instead or as well but I haven't tried this yet)

1/2 tbs chia seeds (you could add some flaxseeds too)

10 almonds

10 cashews

1 banana

1/2 to 2/3 cup of water (could use a plant or nut milk)

Handful of blueberries 

Method

Put oats, nuts and seeds in a blender and wizz until fine - the consistency of almond meal or finer.

Add banana and water and blend until smooth - start with the 1/2 cup of water then add more if needed.

Add the blueberries and pulse through so they remain chunky.

Heat a pan with a little coconut oil or similar or nothing if your pan is super dooper nonstick etc. Once your pan is ready pour piklet sized amount of batter into your pan and cook until bubbles start to appear and they are getting brown on the bottom then flip and cook for maybe another minute or 2 until brown. My belief is that cooking pancakes and pikelets is all intuition and no science so good luck with the cooking process!

Vegan ANZAC COOKIES!!!

The ANZAC cookies are one of my favourite treats and many people avoid eating vegan because they think it'll mean forsaking their favourite treats or having inferior versions of them. THIS IS FALSE and this recipe is proof! The coconut oil in them makes them BETTER than the non-vegan version. So even if this is the only vegan thing you make, it's definitely worth it :)

This is based on this recipe but went easy on the sugar, used coconut oil instead of nuttalex, wholemeal self raising flour and added sultanas because I like my ANZACS with sultanas but you could leave them out if you don't/are ridiculous.

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil or vegan margarine/butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp boiling water

1/3 cup sultanas (optional)

Method

Heat oven to 180 C. Grease 2 baking trays.

In a large bowl mix together the oats, flour, coconut and sugar.

Melt the margarine and golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat.

Place the bicarbonate of soda into a small bowl and mix with the boiling water. Add this mixture to the melted margarine and syrup.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well.

Roll the mixture into 20 balls (about a tablespoon per ball). 
Place on baking trays and flatten slightly.

Bake in oven for approximately 15 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown.

They will still be very soft when you remove them from the oven so let them cool slightly on the tray first before placing on a cooling rack.

Indulgent hearty salad

This salad has it all - sweet, sour, salty, protein, greens and creamy! It's a bit like a pasta salad without the pasta. So a chick pea salad. There you go. Can't type. Eating.

1 400g can of chick peas, 

Large handful green beans, steamed but al dente

200g cherry or grape tomatoes

1small red capsicum/bell pepper

A quarter of a large cucumber

1 spring onion

1 sprig mint

1 avocado

A dash of strawberry or red wine vinegar

Pepper

1TBS nads' homemade homegrown Rhubarb chutney (optional)

 

Use half the avocado mashed to mix with the vinegar, pepper and chutney as the dressing. 

Chop tomatoes in half, beans into bite sized pieces and dice cucumber, capsicum and other half of the avocado. Combine with washed chick peas and finely diced mint and spring onion.

It was so good we ate it before taking a photo. Maybe next time.

Vegan Laksa! STAPLE

I LOVE a good laksa but it's hard to find a really good one in Perth, particularly a vegan one! Thankfully we found this stellar recipe on The Everyday Veggie that we just love and this meal has become a staple in out weekly menu :D

Everyday Veggie Laksa Paste Recipe

You’ll need:
(Makes enough to feed 8 )
3 red chillies
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 white onion, chopped
2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, chopped
3cm piece galangal, peeled and chopped
1 small handful cashew nuts
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tbsp lime juice

Method:
Heat the coriander, paprika, cumin and turmeric in a pan for several minutes until fragrant
Place the spices in a blender or food processor with all other ingredients and blend into a fine paste
Place into an airtight container, ready for use!

Everyday Veggie Laksa Recipe

I’ve been a little vague on the amount of tofu and rice noodles, as for me, this is very subjective. I love rice noodles and shove them in there like there’s no tomorrow, but I hang back a little on the tofu. You can either use those pre-fried tofu blocks you get in Asian grocery stores, or you can fry your own up before you start cooking; no matter, they both work great!

You’ll need:
(Feeds 4)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons Vegan Laksa Paste 
3 cups veg stock
2 cups full-fat coconut milk
1 cup water
1 large head broccoli, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
enough fried tofu blocks for 4
enough dried rice noodles to feed 4
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 large handful bean sprouts
4 spring onions, sliced
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
slices of lime

Method:
Heat the sesame oil in a large wok, and fry the Laksa Paste until it is fragrant
Add in the coconut milk, water and veg stock and stir well
Add the broccoli and carrot into the mixture, and cook on high until mostly tender; about 5-10 minutes
While cooking, place the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water. If you’re using thicker noodles, heat them in a small pan over a medium heat
Add in the tomato and tofu blocks, and stir well
Stir in the brown sugar
When the noodles are soft and the vegetables are tender, divide the noodles out between the 4 bowls
Ladle the soup onto the noodles, diving it between the bowls
Top each soup with bean sprouts, spring onions, mint leaves and coriander, and serve with 2 slices of lime

The great thing, to me, about Laksa is that you can change it so much to suit your own taste. For example, I like my Laksa a little more limey, so I tend to throw a little lime in there with the coconut milk. If you prefer it thicker, you could leave out the water and replace it with coconut cream. The possibilities are endless.

You can use whatever veggies you want really - our faves are pak choy, kai lan, bean sprouts, broccoli and carrot. The tomatoe and bean sprouts are essential. We add the bean sprouts in at the very end of the cooking process rather than just on top after. And we often use sliced cabbage (along with the bean sprouts) instead of or as well as noodles to make it lower in carbs. Which may make it technically not a laksa, as laksa is usually a Peranakan (Malay and Chinese combo) spicy noodle soup, but whatevs - the sliced cabbage looks like noodles! And tastes better if you ask me. 

We also cheat sometimes and use Five Tastes Thai Red Curry Paste instead of making our own (fresh galangal is super hard to find!! Booooo! Plus it's quicker and easier XD ). We always use Beijing Soyabean products chilli and/or garlic tofu that is ready to use and isn't fried. You can find it in most Coles fridge sections. 

DELISH!!

Burritos!!! STAPLE

Oh yes this blog post is more than just yet another snack option (FINALLY) - it's our favourite meal of the moment *licks fingers* -

BURRITOS!!!

This has several components that you wrap up together - beans, corn salsa, guacamole and Jalepenos :)

You can buy the jalepenos in a jar and find my fabulous guac recipe here.

NADINE'S BEANS

Ingredients

1 brown onion

2-3 cloves of Garlic

1 TBS Olive oil

1tspn ground coriander

1tspn ground Cumin

1tspn chilli powder - adjust to taste

810g tin of chopped tomatoes

1150g (a 400g and a 750g tin) tinned red and/or black kidney beans, drained of their brine

Method 

Cook up the oil, diced onions and garlic until the onion goes transparent. Add the spices and cook until the onions are soft. Add the beans and tomatoes and cook until slightly reduced and perfecto!

CORN SALSA

Ingredients

2 or 3 fresh corn cobs steamed
1 red capsicum diced
1 handful of corriander leaves diced
a third of a cucumber diced
1 spring onion finely chopped
juice of half a lemon
a good dash of olive oil

Method
Cut the corn kernels off the steamed corn cobs into a bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix well.


Use whatever wraps you please to wrap the four elements altogether and CONSUME WITH PLEASURE XD

Alernatively, instead of wrapping it up into a burrito; have a burrito bowl instead - just have these contents in a bowl on their own, or with brown rice, a mexican rice, or corn tortilla chips

Warm tofu salad

Ingredients

2 carrots shaved into strips

125g Bean sprouts

Half a small red cabbage sliced

1 or 2 large pak Choy chopped into chunks

2 200g packets of BJ Garlic or chilli Tofu sliced into small bite size pieces

Marinade ingredients:

Juice of one lemon

2TBS Sweet soy sauce

2TBS Red wine vinegar

2TBS Sweet chilli sauce

1TBS Olive oil

1 large sprig of Corriander diced

1 spring onion finely chopped

2TBS Sesame seeds 

 

Directions

1. Combine the marinade ingredients and adjust amounts to taste. 

2. Heat olive oil in a wok or large pan. Add tofu and marinade and stir/toss for a minute. 

3. Add other ingredients to pan, (adjusting amounts to taste or availability) toss until combined and warm but not properly cooked.

4. Enjoy!!

MYO Vegan burgers!!

Burgers are a versatile and delicious meal that vegans can enjoy as much as any carnivore! In fact I reckon we can enjoy them more as they're likely healthier and not at the cost for animals' welfare!!

You can really do whatever you like with your burger, even have it deconstructed or bread-less. And you don't need me to tell you your fave ingredients, but I'm going to suggest some options for a preemo vegan burger. 

There are lots of great ready-made vegan burger patties available which are a great, quick and easy option - try them out and find your fave!  Or you can make your own! This is my fave vegan patty recipe;

Chickpea patties (makes 8)

Ingredients
1 brown onion, diced
A dash of olive oil
2 carrots, grated
1 beetroot, peeled & grated
2 400g tins chick peas, drained, washed and mashed
1 Tbsp chia seeds  (ground is best but whole will work too) 
2 Tbsp water
ground salt and pepper to taste

Method
1.       Cook/fry onion in a dash of olive oil
2.       Combine Chia seeds into water and stir well. Leave for 5mins to allow chia to swell and soak up the water.
3.       Combine ingredients well
4.       Fry up like any patty! WOOOP WOOOOP!

This recipe was originally ovo-vegetarian and used an egg to bind it instead of the chia & water which is always an option if you're ovo-vego.

The best thing about burgers is the variety of filling options, including tomato, cucumber, mushroom (cooked or raw), capsicum (cooked or raw), pickles, spinach, lettuce, beetroot (tinned/pickled or grated raw), avocado, grated carrot, vegan coleslaw, tabbouleh, hummus, guacamole, relish and spring or red or caramelised brown onions.

Caramelising onions isn't as hard as is often thought: slice one brown onion, add a Tbsp olive oil and good glug of balsamic vineager (about an eighth or quarter of a cup) and a Tbsp brown sugar all together in a small saucepan with the lid on and slowly cook on a low heat, checking and stirring regularly until it's ALL DELICIOUS LIKE.

So choose your favourite bread option (or don't, or replace it with a wrap if you prefer the bread-less /low carb option) and fillings and put it all together (or don't if you're having it deconstructed!) and ENJOY!

HOLY MOLY GUACAMOLE

This is probably my favourite snack of them all! It's easy but impressive and delicious. The only down side is if Avocadoes are expensive at the time, but it's still worth it if you ask me and is also a good excuse to buy more to enjoy when they're reasonably priced XD

As always, vary to taste or what you have available - essentials are the avo, lemon juice, salt and pepper :)

Dani's Fave Guacamole 

2 Avocadoes mashed

2 Spring Onions sliced finely (or a small amount of finely diced red onion if you prefer but spring is best IMO)

1 ripe tomato diced as small or large as you like it

Juice of half a juicy medium lemon

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

COMBINE as you prepare and serve to share with plain/salt rice crackers or corn chips!! BLISS OUT

I've also enjoyed this on rye toast as a heartier snack or light meal :) it's pretty amazing as an addition to tacos or similar delicious dishes!

EDIT: Or try it in BURRITOS!!!

Alternatively, you could try this spectacular Guacamole recipe!

http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/want-to-make-better-guacamole-step-1

STAPLE: eating out!

When you're vegan it can feel like eating out isn't a viable option but YOUR FEELS ARE WRONG! It's totally doable but worth a bit of forethought. Anytime we're looking at eating out we check if they have a menu available on their website or UrbanSpoon, but maybe that's just we get excited about what food we're going to eat more than for planning. :) You can call ahead if you're worried thier menu doesn't have much that can be made vegan, to ask what vegan option they could do, but we usually just ask once we're there.

Our favourite way to get a junk food fix eating out is to go to Jus burgers! They have several vego options and will make them vegan upon request (ie. no mayo). My fave option is the Vego (ie. MYO) with Avocado, mushroom, balsamic onion and roasted capsicum! Mmmmmmmmmm

I was going to post a photo of my burger but then I ate it before remembering to photograph it. Not surprising really :) So here's a photo of Nadine's new fave option, a chick pea felafel burger made vegan :)

Another easy way to get a vegan junk food fix is a vego pizza with NO CHEESE. Or many vego options at Thai and Vietnamese  resturants are vegan - but ask if they use any fish /oyster sauce and watch out for egg in some dishes. 

And of course there are plenty of

Places to eat out that specifically provide for vegans. Some of our faves are;

- Veggie Mama in Mt Lawley

- CNR Kitchen in Northbridge

- Source Foods in Northbridge

- Raw Kitchen in Fremantle

- Solomon's Cafe in Mt Lawley

Nomnomnomnomnom

Vegan Queery STAPLES SERIES: Nina's Energy Slice

Today at Freedom Centre where I work, a visitor at the centre asked me about how to eat vegan coz he'd been trying, but struggling. So I said I'd get him some basic staple vegan recipes for meals and snacks - ones that would ensure you get a balanced nutritional vegan diet. We got talking about what are essential foods to get in your diet to cover key nutrients that you need.

My favourite ingredients to include in my weekly diet to cover my essential nutrients are;

• Spinach, silverbeet, kale
• Chia seeds
• Quinoa
• Chick Peas, hummus, beans
• Walnuts, cashews, almonds
• Soy milk, Almond Milk
• Bananas, Strawberries, kiwi fruit, apples
• Broccoli
• Mushrooms, avocado, tomatoes
• Prunes, Sultanas, Dates

A couple of good websites with vegan nutritional info as well as recipes are www.peta.org.au and www.whyveg.com

So now I'm all motivated me to add more to this blog to share - hence this upcoming series of VEGAN QUEERY STAPLES XD

To Start, SNACKS. This blog already has a large proportion of snack options. Actually, I think all of it so far could classify as snacks. hahaha so here's another one! We made this for our friend Nina when she was a new parent of twins and had no time to eat!

Nina's energy slice

Ingredients
    •    3/4 Cup Sultanas
    •    1/2 Cup Dried apricots
    •    2 Cups Dates
    •    1/2 Cup Sesame seeds
    •    1/4 Cup Coconut oil
    •    1 1/2 Cups raw almonds
    •    1 Cup Raw unsalted cashews
    •    1/2 Cup Walnuts
    •    juice of 1 lemon
    •    1/2 Cup Unsweetened shredded coconut
    •    4 Tbsp Chia seeds


Directions
    1.    Combine nuts and seeds and pulse in food processor.
    2.    Add the rest of the ingredients and process
    3.    Flatten, compacting with your hands into a pan and refrigerate