SILVERBEET & ASPARAGUS FRITTATA

I am always looking for tasty ways to include more greens in my diet and enjoy mixing things up with different grains and flours where possible. Ticking off both my goals is this vegan silverbeet and asparagus frittata, which is made possible thanks to the chickpea flour batter. This frittata taste great both hot and cold and, with just a few simple ingredients and minimal clean up required, can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner any day of the week!

What you need:

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 14

Day 14: Sunny Split Pea Soup + Seitan

Another recipe from Michelle Schwemann & Josh Hooten's Eat Like You Give A Damn: Recipe for the New Ethical Vegan. I made a few revisions - using a pressure cooker again to cut down on cooking times, adding way more swiss chard than specified (because greens are amazing for your health!), and throwing in some homemade seitan for added texture and heartiness. A nice warming meal for a cosy night in!

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 13

Day 13: Butternut Bisque with Coconut Swirl + Vegan Rice Paper "Bacon"

Like yesterday's soup, this was a SUPER speedy meal - requiring a quick heat through and blitz before serving. The recipe for this fragrant lime + coconut spiked pumpkin soup comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. I did find it a little on the sweet side (despite reducing the amount of rice malt - which I was using as a substitute for agave). I will definitely be making this again though, mainly because I loved the lime that really shone through the creamy richness of the coconut and pumpkin, but also because it was ready in just a few minutes (if you have a roasted pumpkin on hand) - which is a huge plus since time is such a limited resource these days! I added some experimental rice paper "bacon" before serving, which lessened the sweetness and added a smokiness that married well with the other aromatic flavours. 

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 12

Day 12: Ruby's Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is one of the classics. This recipe - from Michelle Schwegmann and Josh Hooten's Eat Like You Give A Damn: Recipes for the New Ethical Vegan was my first proper (as in, following a recipe) attempt at tomato soup. I was really impressed with how quickly it came together. It was ready in a matter of a few minutes. There wasn't even enough time to grab some bowls and set the table! If you are looking for a super speedy meal to warm you up (and boost those vitamin C levels sky high) then this is the soup for you!

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 11

Day 11: Sweet Potato & Red Curry Soup with Rice & Kale Green Beans + Sriracha

Another delicious recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. Since fresh green beans were on special, I decided to substitute the kale in Isa's recipe for sliced (krisked) green beans - and it worked out really great! I also used brown rice instead of white and used the pressure cooker to reduce the total cooking time (since the brown rice would have added another 15-20 minutes). The red curry paste adds amazing fragrance to the dish and infuses the broth and the creamy sweet potato with the gorgeous flavours of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime and chilli. This comforting soup is on the make again list for sure!

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 9

Day 9: Summer Minestrone

Although out of season, I decided to give this veggie-packed soup a go since I had all the necessary ingredients on hand. Made in a pressure cooker, this soup is ready in no time at all! The recipe comes from Jill Nussinow's The New Fast Food: The Veggie Queen Pressure Cooks Whole Food Meals In Less than 30 Minutes. The recipe is very straight forward and you can definitely substitute any of the veggies for your favourites (or even add more in... which is what I did!). I also topped it off with some sliced green olives for a nice sharp bite. 

SEMANA DE SOPA (SOUP WEEK!) - CONT.

Soup Week was so enjoyable it seemed wrong to limit it to 7 brief days. 

DAY 8: Smoky Split Pea Soup + Crusty Sourdough Bread

Incredibly straightforward to make (a true one-pot wonder), this smoky split pea soup only gets better when dished up the next day! I made this Appetite for Reduction recipe last night and had just enough for lunch today. The smokiness comes my fave spice - smoked paprika. The split peas melt away to make a creamy broth and diced carrots add the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the dish. My only complaint was that it didn't make quite enough for the promised 6 serves. Other than that, I think this would be a winner with any pea and ham soup eater.

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 7

DAY 7: New England Glam Chowder

This was the recipe that caught my attention when I first pored over Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. The reason it has taken years to actually make was the fishy-factor as well as my complete ignorance of what "authentic" clam chowder should be like. What I have come to realise is 1. who cares what the "original" (i.e. non-vegan) version of something is like, vegan food is not a substitute, it is a cuisine in its own right; and 2. I love to try new flavours and techniques, so this was a great opportunity to use nori in a new way! Moral to this story... this New England Glam Chowder worked out great and is now one of my favourite Soup Week creations. Unlike Isa's recipe, I used firm tofu in place of the button mushrooms, dried shiitake mushrooms instead of fresh, and left-over crushed Matzo rather than saltines. 

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 6

DAY 6: Lotsa Veggies Lentil Soup, Sriracha + Homemade Soy Yoghurt

Things I have learnt from soup week:

• Soups are the ultimate make-ahead meal, you can double-batch them and have tasty soups hanging out in your freezer for weeks!
• Giving your soup 10 minutes to cool down slightly before serving will allow the flavours to meld and the broth the reach the perfect temperature for you to appreciate all its subtleties
• Soups are super versatile. You can substitute ingredients with ease or add in tonnes of extra veggies or pulses for hearty #protein and #phytonutrient rich dishes
• Left overs are great for lunch! Fill a suitably-sized glass sauce/jam jar with last night's soup and tote it to work for a quick and simple midday meal. Plus, the flavours will develop over night making lunch even more delectable

Today's soup was another Isa Chandra Moskowitz inspired blend from her awesome Appetite for Reduction (with just a few adjustments: green capsicum in place of the celery, chicken-style vegan stock instead of vegetable, a generous splatter of Sriracha, a big dollop of homemade soy yoghurt, and some coriander for a fresh bite). 

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 5

DAY 5: Wild Rice Soup with Browned Seitan Sausages

Packed with protein, beta-carotene, and dietary fibre, this hearty and satisfying soup is perfect for a chilly autumn night. The recipe comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's fab Isa Does It with a few alterations: I swapped the wild rice for nutty brown rice and I used sliced Italian Feast Steamed Sausages (from Isa's Vegan Brunch) since I had these hanging out in the freezer. 

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 4

DAY 4: Bistro Broccoli Chowder + Gochujang-Spiked Soy Yoghurt

Four days in and I am not only enjoying some delicious soups, but I've also been learning some key soup lingo. Chowder, for anyone like me that wasn't clued up on the distinction, is a soup that is "prepared with [plant-based] milk or cream and thickened with broken [vegan-friendly] crackers, crushed ship biscuits, or a roux." This chowder comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Appetite for Reduction (Isa's awesome books have been getting quite the work out this week!). To spice it up a little, because (in my opinion) chilli is one of broccoli's BFFs, I topped this off with a gochujang-spiked yoghurt swirl. I also gave it a descent whack of roughly chopped parsley, which adds some iron to this vitamin C rich dish.

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 3

DAY 3: Tortilla Soup + Homemade Soy Yoghurt

I have been intrigued by tortilla soup for quite a while now. I love Mexican flavours, but am not a huge fan of tomato based 'broths'. Since it is #SoupWeek though, it seemed like the perfect time to give tortilla soup a go and boy am I glad I did! It was super tasty, fresh, and had the right amount of kick from a couple of finely diced jalapeños. I used Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipe from Appetite for Reduction, with a few minor alterations (black beans instead of pinto, 1 medium green capsicum in place of the  poblano chilli, no chilli flakes, and a generous dollop of homemade soy yoghurt to serve). Easy and inexpensive, I will definitely be making this again!

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 2

DAY 2: Chickpea-Rice Soup with Cabbage + Herbed Dumplings

Another easy-to-make and satisfying soup from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. I made a few revisions to Isa's ingredient list and method by substituting the fresh dill for some dried tarragon (as the dill in the grocer's looked very sad and the internet told me that tarragon would do the trick), and using brown rice (cooking for an additional 25 minutes before adding in the veggies). I also added some whole wheat herbed dumplings (recipe below) into the pot and cooked for a further 15 minutes.

HERBED DUMPLINGS

What you need:

BRAISED ASIAN GREENS WITH TOFU

Don't be deceived by the somewhat lacklustre name of this dish... it is truely one of my favourites! It is super simple to make, uses healthful ingredients, and tastes really, reallllyyy good!

What you need:

SEMANA DE SOPAS (SOUP WEEK!) - DAY 1

Over the past few months I have been making a big effort to plan my meals for a week and shop for just the items I need. In part, a way to justify my cookbook addiction - by working my way through some of the tempting looking (and sounding) recipes, but also to prove that eating healthfully and ethically is not only easy but inexpensive!

With so many cookbooks and recipes to choose from, it gets a little overwhelming deciding what should be on the menu each week. This week I decided to narrow things down a little and start the transition into the cooler weather (as winter creeps closer) with Soup Week!

DAY 1: Cheddary Broccoli Soup

The recipe for this divine soup can be found in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Isa Does It. I topped it with some chopped spring onion and served it with a thick slice of crusty homemade 24-hour bread to create a hearty main meal. If you love luscious creaminess that is also good for you, then this Cheddary Broccoli Soup is for you!

PUMPKIN, CORN + CABBAGE CHICKPEA OMELETTES

What a great way to start the day! Especially on a rainy morning like today. These chickpea omelettes are super quick and easy to throw together and pack a protein punch! As well as being a fab breakfast/brunch idea, they are great as a snack, appetiser for entertaining, or even part of a main meal.

What you need:

SMOKY TAHINI, HEMP & LIME ZUCCHINI PASTA

Time to get back on track! Since my last post, I have powered through my Master program, completed 6 demanding months of internship/placement, moved back to the other side of the country, gained my accreditation to practice as a Dietitian (yay!), and established my own plant-based Dietetic consulting business (insert exhausted sigh here!). 

Although, as always, I have been busy in the kitchen... the time to post evidence of my efforts and update my blog never seemed to materialise. But today, feeling a little less overwhelmed by daily demands, I've grabbed out my camera and taken a minute to stop and snap a shot of my delish lunch before getting stuck in. 

I was really impressed with how this zucchini pasta worked out! The dash of smoked paprika, generous dollop of creamy tahini, and splash of zesty lime juice really made it shine. 

What you need:

SO-WORTH-THE-EFFORT SPICY JACKFRUIT TACOS

This is my first post in literally ages so it definitely seemed fitting to post something that I have been wanting to try for ages! So here is the "how to" for the first proper meal I've cooked since moving back from QLD last week. 

I was super impressed with how amazing the tortillas worked out - they were so pliable and fresh tasting - which is great since we have a huge bag of masa harina that has been waiting to be put to good use for sometime now! And the jackfruit was deliciously smoky and 'texturally pleasing'... if there is such a thing?! I will definitely be making this dish again! 

serves 4

how?

PARSNIP LENTIL DHAL (PERFECT FOR THE POOR STUDENT)

Since moving to the Gold Coast (QLD, Australia) to finish my Dietetic studies (and thus returning to the full-time student life... and super-dooper strict budgeting), I have haven't had the chance to get too creative with my cooking. But low (or no) funds doesn't have to = low/no flavour! In my frugality, I have managed to find a bunch of tasty vegan meals that I would continue to make and enjoy when my funds (hopefully) return when I go back to work.

One of my frugal favourites is this indian parsnip lentil curry - which is not only super tasty but also contains no added fat. If you are as passionate about parsnips as me then you will love this dhal!

How?

VALENCIA-INSPIRED VEGAN PAELLA

In honour of my time spent in Spain - and the many conversations (we seriously spoke about this on a weekly basis!) I had with my housemates on the quality of paella from Mercadona (our local supermercado - 'supermarket') -  I felt it only fitting to try my hand at a vegan version of this Valencian dish. 

How?