I do apologise first and foremost for my lame post titles and recipe names. Although they do cause me amusement at the time, it is short lived, as upon rereading them, i often regret my decisions.
So i mentioned in my last post that i was going to upload a curry recipe, made from scratch (i.e. without curry pastes which often have animal products).
Spices:
Cumin seeds
Mustard seeds
Coriander seeds
Cloves, about 7 whole ones at least
Curry leaves (only as leaves)
Cardamon pods, about 5
Chilli flakes
Cinnamon or all spice (powdered)
Ok so the seed versions of these spices are preferable, but, if you only have access to or prefer powdered, then they will still do the job.
Use the spices liberally to your taste, I put about 1tsp of each in, for a recipe that made about four serves. However, for example, if you like lots of chilli, put more chilli in!
So toast all the seeds together in the oven (if you are using seeds) until fragrant - until your kitchen fills with delicious smells! Then wack 'em in a mortar and pestle the shit out of 'em. If you dont have a mortar and pestle go out and get one. Just kidding. Use a meat hammer or even dad's hammer to grind them up (maybe put the seeds in a sandwhich bag first and then bang them while on a chopping board).
This wont be your only flavours in the curry however. Fry some onion in a fry pan (using a good oil - refer to last post) and then after browned, add finely diced garlic and ginger. Again add to your taste. Another tip is that garlic burns easily, and then when it does, it loses a lot of its flavour. When cooking garlic add only after the onion is already browned and then just before most of the other ingredients go in so as to reduce the risk of burning.
Add all of the ground up spices to the mix.
Then add one can of coconut milk, juice of one lime and around 2tbs of tomato paste. then add all of your veggies and lentils! Or, if you eat meat, add the pre-cooked meat to the mix!
Serve with rice and fresh diced coriander.
I will also just note that there is always confusion about what rice to use. Again totally up to you. One cup of brown rice does have a higher GI and energy content than the same amount of white rice. However, this is because it is whole - the grain is still intact and it has not been refined. It has more carbohydrate and also a lot more vitamins and minerals. When I eat, I eat by the quality of the food, not by how many kilojoules it has. If you are worried about excess energy intake, then modify the size of the dish accordingly i.e. have 1/2 cup of brown rice (cooked) instead of a cup of white rice (cooked). And if you do this, hunger should not be an issue - brown rice is also a lot more filling. And the GI of the rice will be reduced if you eat with a topping that is low GI - i.e. has lots of protein and (good) fats. So eating the brown rice with the curry above for example will lower the GI of the meal.
Happy lovely rainy day everyone!
Aug 30, 2011
Aug 27, 2011
Im still here, with some vegolicious recipes!
Wow, i didnt realise how long it has been since i have posted. I didn't think being a successful blogger (and making millions of course) while still at uni could be so impossible!
Ok so I have had some requests for some quick, easy vegetarian recipes - so lets see what i can pull out of my arse.
I'll start off with some tips. Every vegetarian/vegan needs a good variety of beans/legumes. You can get them ready to go in cans, or dry in packets. If you choose to buy them dry - soak them over night and then boil them until soft. Make sure you use the beans/legumes within the day. Chickpeas are a must to have around, as are kidney beans and lentils, and then whatever other preferences you may have.
It is also good to have some good sources of carbs (i.e. cereals/grains) to complete the dish. I use a lot of rice and rice noodles, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah! - which is also high in protein), and assorted types of pastas, in my meals.
The key tip however, is VARIETY! I can't preach enough how important it is to shake things up, for both the health of our bodies and minds (i.e. sanity), and for the benefit of our tastebuds, the poor buggers! If you are vegetarian/vegan, it is especially important to get a wide variety of proteins so as to meet all our dietary requirements (i.e. obtain all the essential amino acids). No vegetable sources of proteins are 'complete' - meaning that these foods alone do not contain all the amino acids that we need to get through the diet because we can't make them ourselves. It is still possible however to get all the essential amino acids, just through multiple food sources. For example, legumes are high in lysine, and low in methionine, while corn is low in lysine and high in methionine! Therefore, if you eat both legumes and corn, wallah! Both boxes ticked.
Now it has been said that you have to protein combine (i.e. eat legumes and corn) in the same meal to get all these essential amino acids, however it has currently been suggested that you dont have to eat the sources all at once - that they can be spread throughout the day.
Hmm and another last tip is vegetables, lots of vegetables. Vegetables are what make the dishes - stop thinking of them as boring or tasteless - get creative! One of the things that I hate hearing about is when kids won't eat vegetables because "they dont like them". One: If a kid is hungry enough, and your not a pushover, he/she is gonna eat whatever you put in front of them. Two: vegetables are often portrayed in the meals as a side dish - they stick out like a sore thumb - the trick is to make them interesting, incorporate them into the main meal! And lastly three: if your kid still turns up their nose at veggies, hide them within the meal! If you get creative its such an easy thing to do (definitely more on 'how to hide veggies' later!)
Ok finally for recipes.
I think I will start with something extremely easy, tasty and an old classic.
THE VEGGIE-TACO!
Start with ya good ol pack of tacos (you'd be pleased to know they contain corn! methionine - tick!)
One tomato, Half of a diced capsicum, one onion and some garlic (clove to your taste, but I generally use about 2medium size cloves)
Chilli - fresh or powdered (even sauced) and italian herbs.
One can of red kidney beans (or 2 cups if cooked fresh) and a can of refried beans. You could also probably use veggie mince instead of the beans (but i reckon still include the can of kidney beans in the mix).
Now brown the onion in a frypan with a little bit of oil (another tip - use grapeseed or rice bran oil [which are both fabulously rich in 'good' fats] to fry with; use olive oil only to bake with as it becomes rancid at the high frying temperatures!), and then add in chilli, herbs, garlic, capsicum and tomato. Once all seems to be binding together add the refried bean mix, and kidney beans. If you would prefer the mix less chunky, maybe mash the kidney beans first - but i kind of like the lumpiness they create.
It probably only takes about 10-15min to cook all up.
Now for the rest of your taco filling, slice up some lettuce leaves, and mash some avocado with lime or lemon. (you can also add tomato, cucumber, grated carrot, etc. whatever you desire at the time!)
If you eat dairy products, serve the taco with cheese and yoghurt and you have the same amount of protein in your taco that you would in a traditional beef one! If you dont eat dairy products - serve with soy cheese and soy yoghurt instead!
This recipe probably makes about six serves of tacos
SWEETY-POT PATTIES
mmmmmhmm one of my favourites!
One onion, some garlic
Mushrooms (6-8)
cumin (seed or powdered)
Braggs Amino Acids (this is a product that you can buy from health food shops - it tastes and is used like soy sauce, so use soy sauce if this is easier)
spinach leaves
sweet potatoe (1large one) peeled and diced
Lentils (one can, or cup of cooked fresh)
Brown the onions on the frying pan, then add the mushrooms. After the mushrooms have also browned, add the garlic and a dash of Braggs/soy sauce. Keep on low heat for further two to three minutes. Meanwhile, microwave the sweet potato until soft. Add the cumin and lentils to the sweet potato and mash until mostly smooth. Add the onion and mushroom mix, as well as the spinach leaves and incorporate into the mash.
Now roll the mix into little balls, and then flatten with your hands. Fry these patties in minimal oil until brown on both sides. Serve with some steamed broccolini and carrots. Or with whatever the F u like.
Mix makes about 8, depending on the size of the patties.
STIR-FRY ME UP
People, including me, often have trouble coming up with something for dinner. This recipe will hopefully provide some ideas, as well as insight, into how to get creative in the kitchen.
Ingredients: All the veggies in your fridge, washed, peeled and sliced into bite size pieces.
Brown the onion in oil, then add garlic and some Braggs/Soy (this is pretty much a staple flavour). Then add the rest of the veggies to cook just slightly, add water if feel it is too dry in the pan.
Now comes the fun part.
Ask yourself, what do i feel like? Creamy or tomato-y? Spicy or simple?
Creamy? Mix about 200mL soy/rice/oat/cows milk with 1-2tbs corn/arrowroot flour, and if permitting some cheese, feta, parmesan, mozzarella whatever. Add to the vegies and simmer until sauce has thickened to your desire. If you are feeling really experimental - put some balsamic vinegar (dash or two i.e. 1-2tbs) in with the veggies when you add the Braggs. Dont be shy with the cracked pepper also.
Tomato-y? Add a can of tomatoes, or a few diced fresh tomatoes to the veggies. Also put in some fresh basil and parsley to really create flavour. If you dont have access to fresh herbs, chuck in some of the ever-faithful (and lower maintenance!) dried italian herbs.
Spicy? Add a teaspoonful (or to your taste) of green or red, or blue, Thai curry paste to coconut milk (approx 200mL). Curry pastes often do contain animal (shrimp) products so do be careful about what you buy and are comfortable with using. I will include later a recipe on how to make a curry from scratch with seeds etc. Put the curry/coconut mix in with the veggies and let simmer for 15mins allowing the flavours to absorb into the veggies. Potato is particularly yummy when making this curry dish as it absorbs lots of flavour. Ginger is also a nice addition to curries if you have some fresh stuff floating around.
Simple? Just keep it as the veggies with the Braggs. Sometimes it is good just to really get the freshness of the veggies. I always serve this dish with lots of cracked pepper, of course. And i definitely think the trick is to not overcooking the veggies, I like them slightly crunchy and crisp (they are a lot better for you like that to!)
Serve with rice, or quinoa, or spaghetti - whatever floats your boat!
Ok folks, im tired, although extremely hungry from thinking about all this amazing food. Be back soon with some more exciting veggie recipes!
Tra-la! (as Mel would say)
Ok so I have had some requests for some quick, easy vegetarian recipes - so lets see what i can pull out of my arse.
I'll start off with some tips. Every vegetarian/vegan needs a good variety of beans/legumes. You can get them ready to go in cans, or dry in packets. If you choose to buy them dry - soak them over night and then boil them until soft. Make sure you use the beans/legumes within the day. Chickpeas are a must to have around, as are kidney beans and lentils, and then whatever other preferences you may have.
It is also good to have some good sources of carbs (i.e. cereals/grains) to complete the dish. I use a lot of rice and rice noodles, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah! - which is also high in protein), and assorted types of pastas, in my meals.
The key tip however, is VARIETY! I can't preach enough how important it is to shake things up, for both the health of our bodies and minds (i.e. sanity), and for the benefit of our tastebuds, the poor buggers! If you are vegetarian/vegan, it is especially important to get a wide variety of proteins so as to meet all our dietary requirements (i.e. obtain all the essential amino acids). No vegetable sources of proteins are 'complete' - meaning that these foods alone do not contain all the amino acids that we need to get through the diet because we can't make them ourselves. It is still possible however to get all the essential amino acids, just through multiple food sources. For example, legumes are high in lysine, and low in methionine, while corn is low in lysine and high in methionine! Therefore, if you eat both legumes and corn, wallah! Both boxes ticked.
Now it has been said that you have to protein combine (i.e. eat legumes and corn) in the same meal to get all these essential amino acids, however it has currently been suggested that you dont have to eat the sources all at once - that they can be spread throughout the day.
Hmm and another last tip is vegetables, lots of vegetables. Vegetables are what make the dishes - stop thinking of them as boring or tasteless - get creative! One of the things that I hate hearing about is when kids won't eat vegetables because "they dont like them". One: If a kid is hungry enough, and your not a pushover, he/she is gonna eat whatever you put in front of them. Two: vegetables are often portrayed in the meals as a side dish - they stick out like a sore thumb - the trick is to make them interesting, incorporate them into the main meal! And lastly three: if your kid still turns up their nose at veggies, hide them within the meal! If you get creative its such an easy thing to do (definitely more on 'how to hide veggies' later!)
Ok finally for recipes.
I think I will start with something extremely easy, tasty and an old classic.
THE VEGGIE-TACO!
Start with ya good ol pack of tacos (you'd be pleased to know they contain corn! methionine - tick!)
One tomato, Half of a diced capsicum, one onion and some garlic (clove to your taste, but I generally use about 2medium size cloves)
Chilli - fresh or powdered (even sauced) and italian herbs.
One can of red kidney beans (or 2 cups if cooked fresh) and a can of refried beans. You could also probably use veggie mince instead of the beans (but i reckon still include the can of kidney beans in the mix).
Now brown the onion in a frypan with a little bit of oil (another tip - use grapeseed or rice bran oil [which are both fabulously rich in 'good' fats] to fry with; use olive oil only to bake with as it becomes rancid at the high frying temperatures!), and then add in chilli, herbs, garlic, capsicum and tomato. Once all seems to be binding together add the refried bean mix, and kidney beans. If you would prefer the mix less chunky, maybe mash the kidney beans first - but i kind of like the lumpiness they create.
It probably only takes about 10-15min to cook all up.
Now for the rest of your taco filling, slice up some lettuce leaves, and mash some avocado with lime or lemon. (you can also add tomato, cucumber, grated carrot, etc. whatever you desire at the time!)
If you eat dairy products, serve the taco with cheese and yoghurt and you have the same amount of protein in your taco that you would in a traditional beef one! If you dont eat dairy products - serve with soy cheese and soy yoghurt instead!
This recipe probably makes about six serves of tacos
SWEETY-POT PATTIES
mmmmmhmm one of my favourites!
One onion, some garlic
Mushrooms (6-8)
cumin (seed or powdered)
Braggs Amino Acids (this is a product that you can buy from health food shops - it tastes and is used like soy sauce, so use soy sauce if this is easier)
spinach leaves
sweet potatoe (1large one) peeled and diced
Lentils (one can, or cup of cooked fresh)
Brown the onions on the frying pan, then add the mushrooms. After the mushrooms have also browned, add the garlic and a dash of Braggs/soy sauce. Keep on low heat for further two to three minutes. Meanwhile, microwave the sweet potato until soft. Add the cumin and lentils to the sweet potato and mash until mostly smooth. Add the onion and mushroom mix, as well as the spinach leaves and incorporate into the mash.
Now roll the mix into little balls, and then flatten with your hands. Fry these patties in minimal oil until brown on both sides. Serve with some steamed broccolini and carrots. Or with whatever the F u like.
Mix makes about 8, depending on the size of the patties.
STIR-FRY ME UP
People, including me, often have trouble coming up with something for dinner. This recipe will hopefully provide some ideas, as well as insight, into how to get creative in the kitchen.
Ingredients: All the veggies in your fridge, washed, peeled and sliced into bite size pieces.
Brown the onion in oil, then add garlic and some Braggs/Soy (this is pretty much a staple flavour). Then add the rest of the veggies to cook just slightly, add water if feel it is too dry in the pan.
Now comes the fun part.
Ask yourself, what do i feel like? Creamy or tomato-y? Spicy or simple?
Creamy? Mix about 200mL soy/rice/oat/cows milk with 1-2tbs corn/arrowroot flour, and if permitting some cheese, feta, parmesan, mozzarella whatever. Add to the vegies and simmer until sauce has thickened to your desire. If you are feeling really experimental - put some balsamic vinegar (dash or two i.e. 1-2tbs) in with the veggies when you add the Braggs. Dont be shy with the cracked pepper also.
Tomato-y? Add a can of tomatoes, or a few diced fresh tomatoes to the veggies. Also put in some fresh basil and parsley to really create flavour. If you dont have access to fresh herbs, chuck in some of the ever-faithful (and lower maintenance!) dried italian herbs.
Spicy? Add a teaspoonful (or to your taste) of green or red, or blue, Thai curry paste to coconut milk (approx 200mL). Curry pastes often do contain animal (shrimp) products so do be careful about what you buy and are comfortable with using. I will include later a recipe on how to make a curry from scratch with seeds etc. Put the curry/coconut mix in with the veggies and let simmer for 15mins allowing the flavours to absorb into the veggies. Potato is particularly yummy when making this curry dish as it absorbs lots of flavour. Ginger is also a nice addition to curries if you have some fresh stuff floating around.
Simple? Just keep it as the veggies with the Braggs. Sometimes it is good just to really get the freshness of the veggies. I always serve this dish with lots of cracked pepper, of course. And i definitely think the trick is to not overcooking the veggies, I like them slightly crunchy and crisp (they are a lot better for you like that to!)
Serve with rice, or quinoa, or spaghetti - whatever floats your boat!
Ok folks, im tired, although extremely hungry from thinking about all this amazing food. Be back soon with some more exciting veggie recipes!
Tra-la! (as Mel would say)
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