EASY-AS HOMEMADE OAT MILK

after many batches of fab homemade soy milk, i decided it was time to branch out and try my hand at another non-dairy milk – continuing with the non dairy milk range i had previously purchased from the supermarket i decided oat milk was a the obvious choice!

not only was making my own homemade oat milk super fast and super easy… it was also super simple to clean up and super cheap (winner!) 

how? 

1 cup of rolled oats

3 cups of cold filtered water

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of agave syrup

equipment: 

small bowl (big enough for 1 cup of oats and 2 cups of water)

colander

blender

large jug

whisk

nut milk bag (or fine strainer)

bottle/jar (1 litre capacity)

place your oats and 2 cups of cold water into the small bowl and leave to soak for 20 minutes

strain the oats in the colander and rinse with fresh cold water then set aside for a few minutes to allow the water to drain off

place the soaked oats into your blender with 3 cups of cold filtered water. blend on high for 1 minute

place your nut milk bag into the large jug and pour the blended oat mix through the bag. suspend the bag to allow the milk to drain through (or if your in a hurry just give it a squeeze to speed up the process)

whisk through the salt and agave syrup then your ready to bottle your fresh oat milk! so simple!! your homemade oat milk will keep in the fridge for around 3-5 days

yield = 1 litre

SWEET SEEDED VEGAN OKARA CRACKERS

just finished whipping up a batch of fresh homemade soy milk? well here is a quick, easy and zero waste way to use the left over soy bean residue (a.k.a. okara). these sweet and crispy vegan okara crackers are a great accompaniment to your afternoon green tea! 

how?

200g of okara

200g wholemeal flour

2 tablespoons of sesame seeds

2 tablespoons of poppy seeds

2 tablespoons of egg replacer

4 tablespoons of water

1 teaspoon of baking powder

for the sugar coating...

2 tablespoons of brown sugar (i used panela)

4 tablespoons of water

equipment 

1 medium sized mixing bowl

1 large baking sheet

1 knife 

1 rolling pin

greaseproof/baking paper

small frying pan or saucepan

preheat your over to 180℃

1. add the egg replacer and water into the mixing bowl and whisk together
2. add the remaining ingredients and mix to form a dough
3. knead the dough for 3-5 minutes until smooth. 
4. place the dough between two sheets of greaseproof/baking paper and roll out to 5mm thickness
5. cut into batons and, using the greaseproof/baking paper to line tray, set out on a baking tray
6. pop these into the over for 20 minutes
7. now mix the sugar and water together into your pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat
8. let the sugar mix bubble away until it thicken
9. remove the okara batons from the oven and toss into the pan with the sugar mi
10. coat the batons then return them to the lined baking tray to cool and the sugar coating to harde
11. once set these tasty, crunchy crackers are ready for munching! enjoy 

makes ~30 crackers

SPICY SESAME TOMATO SAMBAL

i have not always been as much of a fan of spicy food but, like many things in life, it grew on me... to the point now where i happily pile on the chili sauce, add hot pickled chilis to my salad, crave a satisfyingly spicy curry, and scan the shelves of specialty stores for an exciting new jar of the hot stuff! if you are like me then this vegan spicy sesame tomato sambal is for you! if you are not big on chili but open to discovering a delicious new 'sometimes' condiment then i say "give it a go". the delicious depth of flavour and heat of this sambal makes it a perfect partner to scrambled tofu, noodle dishes or even mixed through a tomato-based pasta sauce. 

how?

2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
4 teaspoons of dried chili flakes
2 tomatoes, deseeded
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
3 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of agave syrup
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
¼ cup of sesame seeds, toasted

in a small frying pan, lightly toast the cumin and coriander seeds with the chili flakes for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. transfer to an electric coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder. add this to a food processor or wet/dry mill with the remaining ingredients and blend to a paste consistency. pour into a sterilised recycled 400mL jar, label and use now or store in the fridge for later use with a variety of tasty vegan dishes.

fills a 400mL jar

COUPLE OF CRUSTY LOAVES

for a long time now we have been making our own bread – cuts out wasteful packaging, added preservatives, and allows you to add your own personal touch! unfortunately our trusty breadmaker had reached the end of its road, so some artisan bread was on the cards until we could pick out a replacement that ticked all the boxes.

i really enjoy the experience of making my own bread – such a sense of achievement when it comes out of the oven looking gorgeously golden and rustic!

following the basic bread recipe in one of jamie oliver’s books, i pulled together these two handsome looking loaves – one a hearty wholemeal, and the other a tasty fruit and seed loaf – in a couple of hours on a nice, sunny day

STONE FRUIT LUST

o-m-gosh... feeling a little bit in love with stone fruit right this minute! what a great season for produce in europe (and the rest of the northern hemisphere i am going to assume) when the fruit and vegetable shops provide an abundant display of apricots, peaches, nectarines and cherries (or los albaricoques, melocotones, nectarinas y cerezas if you are hitting up the mercados in madrid like me)

for me stone fruits are a festive treat; with cherries and nectarines delivering a fragrant aroma, and sweet and delicious burst of christmassy-ness for your taste buds to enjoy! i am thrilled by the quality, abundance and reasonable price/kg of this wave of blushing fruits here in madrid - so i am determined to make the most by swapping my default apple and/or orange for a couple of apricots, hand-full of cherries or a sweet and juicy nectarine before they disappear. now the reference to christmas and stone fruit may be a little confusing to some - but i am from australia, so when the weather warms up... christmas is just around the corner! apart from enjoying my christmas carol repertoire, my housemates are also stocking their fridge spaces with plenty of seasonal delights!

if such a great supply for tasty fruit was available back home (and at such a reasonable price) i can just imagine my mum whipping up numerous batches of delicious jams to fill the pantry and share with the fam!

if you too are enjoying the sunshine in the northern half of the world right now, i encourage you to explore the many possibilities of the stone fruit season, whether it be in (vegan) fruit pies, crumbles or cakes; eaten fresh or as the basis of a refreshing juice or smoothie; or made into plentiful jars of glistening, deep red, orange and/or yellow sweet and sticky preserves! yummm!!

GREEN PEPPER + GARLIC TOPPER

with 3 rather sad looking green peppers in the fridge i was at a loss for what to make... all of a sudden the idea of a vegetable 'sprinkle' popped into my head and i whacked together this green pepper, garlic and cumin seed topper

how?

1 tablespoon of evoo

3 green peppers (the long paprika looking kind), diced

3 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds

heat the evoo in a frying pan and add the garlic and cumin seeds. saute until softened and the cumin seeds are popping. add the diced green peppers and fry until soften and blackened in places for extra flavour. put in a sterilised jar ready to be used for sprinkling on top of some brown rice of mixed through a green salad in place of a dressing - simple and delicious! 

'HOW TO' HUMMUS

i heart hummus... but this is the first time i am trying this from scratch! i have soaked my chickpeas overnight and pre-cooked them for roughly an hour and a half. 

how? 

400g chickpeas

3 tablespoons of tahini

3 tablespoons of lemon juice 

2 garlic cloves

1/4 teaspoon of cumin

1/4 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of warm water

combine all ingredients (except the water) and put into a food processor. blitz until smooth. if required add the water tablespoon by tablespoon to thin out the mix. taste and season further if required. serve sprinkled with a dash of paprika and some crusty bread - yum! 

RED PEPPER RELISH

i love relish! it goes with so many things and is a lot of fun to make at home. quick tip! identify the seasonal (and therefore readily available and well priced) produce in your green grocers (or be a bit clever and read up on the seasonality of produce in your region) and you'll be on your way to economical and delicious relish making.

how?

2 large red capsicums (or peppers), sliced

2 tomatoes, sliced or diced

6 cloves of garlic (or less if you're a bit scared)

1 tablespoon of sugar

splash of evoo

heat a large saucepan. add a bit of evoo and the garlic. saute until soft and fragrant. add the capsicum strip and cook (covered) for 10 mins. add the tomato and cook (covered) for a further 15 mins or until everything is nice and soft! remove the lid and cook for 2-3 mins just to reduce the relish a little.

sterilise a jar (wash in nice hot soapy water, rinse and place into a hot over to dry) and spoon in the hot relish. leave to cool slightly then lid it! leave to cool a little more before popping into the cupboard for storage or into the fridge

easy-peasy!