Rice Blend

Rice Blend

A few months ago I bought a package of different rices that had been mixed together and sold at one of the big box stores. It was ridiculously expensive, but I must admit it tasted fantastic. So when I looked at the ingredient list, I realized that I had all of the individual ingredients in my own pantry. After experimenting, this is the blend that I came up with.

Ingredients

2 cups brown basmati rice
1/2 cup black rice
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup red rice

Cooking Ingredients

6 Tablespoons mushroom seasoning, optional , but adds a lot of flavour.                               

6 cups water

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients together in a pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover  and simmer for 50 minutes.

Enjoy!

Carrot Dogs

Carrot Dogs

This tastes surprisingly like an actual meat hot dog, or at least as I remember they taste. I usually start these the day before so they have lots of time to sit in the marinade.

Ingredients

8-12 long thinner carrots, peeled but left whole with top and tail removed
water for boiling

Marinade

1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp vegetable stock powder
2 Tablespoons liquid smoke
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce

1. Boil the carrots in the water until just soft. Do not overcook.

2. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and transfer to a large ziplock bag.

3. When carrots have finished cooking and have cooled, add them to the bag.

4. Let carrots marinate overnight. In the morning turn the bag over and continue to marinate until ready to cook.

5. Grill on the BBQ or cook in the oven with the marinade.

Enjoy!

Tip

I serve mine with all the fixings, including cooked onions, mustard, relish, ketchup, onions, sauerkraut,  and leftover cheese sauce

Lasagna

Lasagna

This is an adaptation of Chef AJ's disappearing Lasagna recipe. This recipe takes a quite a bit of effort so give yourself lots of time to prepare. This makes 2 - 9x13 inch pans.

Ingredients

Mushroom Layer

2 lbs fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 large onion

Bean / Potato  Layer

2- 19 oz can navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked white potato , diced
3 Tablespoons white miso
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 cup water, or more to bring the mixture to a thick consistency

Additional Ingredients

2 lbs frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1-2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
1-2 boxes no boil oven ready lasagna noodles
4 jars favourite pasta sauce. I use tomato and basil lite by Ragu
nutritional yeast for sprinkling on top of lasagna

Directions

Mushroom Layer

Add mushrooms, garlic and onion to the pan and cook until all the liquid has disappeared and the onion is well cooked.

Add soy sauce and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated.

Set aside.

Potato Bean Layer 

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and mix until it is creamy and smooth.

Set aside.

To Assemble

Pour 1-2 cups of pasta sauce in bottom of each of the 9x13 pans.

Cover with a layer of noodles.

Top noodles with a layer of the potato / bean mixture. This should use up all the the mixture.

Top with spinach.

Add mushrooms on top of the spinach.

Divide half of the corn between the two pans.

Top with a layer of noodles.

Add a layer of sauce.

Add a layer of corn. This should use up the remaining corn.

Top with noodles.

Add a layer of sauce.

Sprinkle with nutritional yeast.

Bake in a preheated 350F  oven  for 60 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Inka Shake

Inka Shake

Inka is a powder that is made from roasted barley. Usually I drink it hot mixed with water to replace coffee. Recently I saw a internet post for a coffee shake. I immediately thought I could make a healthy version using Inka and a banana. It turned out so well, that my daughter likes to take it to work to sip on during the day.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk, I use Silk Brand
7 ice cubes
pinch stevia
1 tsp vanilla
1 small banana
1/4 cup dates
pinch cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Inka powder

Directions

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and process until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy!

Eggless Egg Sandwiches

Eggless Egg Sandwiches

I have played around with this recipe quite a bit so that it suits my family's tastes. Firm tofu works the best in this recipe, but using a softer tofu that is lower in fat also works, but the end result is creamier in texture. I generally top each sandwich with sliced pickles and lettuce.

Ingredients

1 block firm tofu, medium firm also works, but results in a creamier texture
1 19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup prepared mustard, I use Sweet with Heat by President's Choice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp black salt

1/2 cup celery, diced fine
1/2 cup green onion, diced fine
1/2 cup cucumber, diced fine

Tofu Mayo

1 pkg soft tofu
1 Tablespoon sugar or 1/4 tsp stevia
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons prepared mustard, I use Sweet with Heat by President's Choice
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

For the Egg Filling

Place the tofu, chickpeas, nutritional yeast, mustard, garlic powder, chili flakes, turmeric, black pepper and black salt into a food processor and process until desired consistency is reached. I like it a little chunky. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add in the celery, green onion and cucumber. Combine well.

For the Tofu Mayo

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until creamy and smooth.

To assemble sandwich, place mayo on a slice of bread. Top with egg filling and cover with another slice of bread spread with more mayo. I like to add a sliced pickle and lettuce to my sandwich.

Enjoy!

Pineapple Black Bean Enchiladas

Pineapple Black Bean Enchiladas

What a very different but delightful combination of food. I generally make my cheese and enchiladas sauces ahead of time. I tend to be generous when adding enchilada sauce to the top of the corn tortillas to help them stop becoming flaky.

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced about 1 cup-- you could substitute roasted red peppers
2 tsp garlic, minced

1 - 19 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 tsp vegetable stock powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp turmeric
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 tsp chili powder

2-3 10 oz cans enchilada sauce. I used homemade

13 corn tortillas, approximately

1 batch non dairy cheese sauce. Recipe found here: http://barbsplantbasedkitchen.blogspot.ca/2016/04/vegan-oat-cheese-in-grilled-cheese.html

Directions

Saute onion, garlic and red pepper in a few tablespoons of water until soft.

Stir in beans, red pepper flakes, cilantro, vegetable stock powder, black pepper, turmeric, pineapple and chili powder.

To Assemble

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Warm the tortillas in the microwave so that they become pliable.

Take one tortilla and spread some cheese sauce over the entire top. I used about a heaping serving spoon per tortilla.

Next spoon some of the bean mixture down the center of the tortilla.

Now spoon 1-2 Tablespoons of the enchilada sauce over the beans.

Using the cheese as a bond, fold the tortilla together and carefully place in the pan, seam side down. Continue until all of the bean mixture has been used.

Spoon any remaining cheese sauce and enchilada sauce over the filled enchiladas.

Cover with foil and bake 35- 40 minutes.


Enjoy!

Thai Rainbow Salad

Thai Rainbow Salad

This is a good way to eat a wide variety of veggies. It does require some chopping, but I do not think you will be disappointed. Because peanut butter is a higher fat food, this would be an occasional treat in my home.

Ingredients

10 cup chopped vegetables of your choice. I used white cabbage, red cabbage, grated carrot,
                                                                     cucumber, green onion, red pepper, parsley   

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter, I used Kraft brand with no added sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup rice vinegar

Add all ingredients to a microwave safe bowl. Heat for a few seconds until the peanut butter softens a little. Whisk until well mixed.

Combine the dressing with the vegetables and mix well.

Chill for a few hours for best results.

Enjoy!

 

Tip  

 Chopped cilantro would be very good in this recipe.

PB2 Noodles

PB2 Noodles

Peanut Butter is not something that I use very often. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that it is higher in fat and not something that I can consume often. So when I discovered PB2 powdered peanut butter with a lot of the fat removed,  I was excited to try it. This is still a dish higher in fat, so it would be a rare treat in my home.

Ingredients

8 Tblsp PB 2 powder
5 Tblsp water

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tblsp rice vinegar
1/4 cup Korean red curry paste
4 Tblsp maple syrup

800 grams udon noodles

1 lb broccoli florets, cooked, optional but good

Directions

Cook noodles as per package directions.

Mix the PB2 powder and water together. This mixture should be runnier than peanut butter out of the jar.

Whisk in the remaining ingredients.

Warm sauce in a pan. 

Pour sauce over the noodles and mix.

Enjoy!

Tip

When the PB 2 powder and water where mixed together it measured about a 1/2 cup.

Cream of Carrot Soup

Cream of Carrot Soup

This is a very creamy and rich soup. My son sometimes pours it over a  baked potato as a sauce.

Ingredients

1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 lb. carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cups potatoes, chopped
1/8 tsp pepper
4 tsp vegetable stock powder, or to taste
1 cup water

2 cups soy milk, unsweetened, I use Silk brand in the green container
2 cups rice milk, ( 2 cups water blended with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice until smooth)

Directions

Place onion, celery, garlic, carrots, potatoes, pepper, water and vegetable stock powder into a soup pot. Cover, bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until all vegetables are soft.

Cool cooked vegetables if required,  then pour into a blender along with 2 cups of the soy milk. Process until smooth and creamy. Return to the soup pot. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to process in batches.

Add in the rice milk and stir until blended.

Reheat gently stirring occasionally so it does not stick to the bottom of the pot.

Enjoy!

Peppery Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Peppery Cream of Cauliflower Soup

I like creamy soups, but generally find them too rich for me even when they are made with plant milks. This recipe combines store bought soy milk with homemade rice milk. It gives this soup a nice creamy texture without being too rich. Of course you could use all store bought soy milk and omit making the rice milk.

Ingredients

1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 cup celery, chopped

1 lb cauliflower florets, about 1 small head
1 1/2 cups, potatoes, diced
1 cup water
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 1/2 tsp vegetable stock powder, or to taste-- You may want to start with less

2 cups unsweetened soy milk, I use Silk brand in the green container

For the Rice Milk

2 cups water
1/2 cup cooked brown rice

Directions

Add onions, garlic, celery, cauliflower, potato, water, pepper and vegetable stock powder to a soup pot. Cook 20-30 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.

Once the mixture is cool enough, pour into a blender along with the soy milk ( I use a Vitamix) and process until smooth.

Pour the mixture back into the pot.

Add the cooked rice and water to the blender and process again for 2-3 minutes. Pour into the soup pot with the other blended mixture. Stir well.

Reheat the mixture, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Enjoy!

Kung Poa Noodles

Kung Poa Noodles

This is a recipe I found somewhere on the internet and adapted it to suit my diet. It's pretty easy to throw together and it makes a lot. My daughter uses frozen stir fry vegetables to make this dish. 

Ingredients

800 grams udon noodles, cooked as per package directions, drained and rinsed

10 cups stir fry vegetables, I used onion wedges, broccoli, orange and red peppers and snow peas
                                              but any of your favourite ones will work just fine

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp stevia or 2 Tblsp sugar, or to taste
1 Tblsp rice vinegar
2 Tblsp ketchup
2 Tblsp cornstarch
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce, more or less to taste, optional


Directions


Place all of the sauce ingredients into an a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir well.

Stir fry vegetables in a large pan or steam them in your microwave to desired tenderness.

Remove veggies from pan or drain them if you steamed them.

Give the sauce ingredients a quick stir and then pour into the pan and boil for a minute or two until the sauce thickens and the cornstarch is cooked.

 Return vegetables to the pan, along with the noodles. Stir well.

Serve and Enjoy!

Simple Spaghetti Sauce

Simple Spaghetti Sauce

This is a sauce that does not take a lot of effort. Any extra sauce can easily be frozen for later use.

Ingredients

2 cups onion, chopped
3- 19 oz cans tomatoes, diced
2- 5 1/2 oz cans tomato paste
1/4 cup jalapeno pepper, diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Bay Leaves
2 tsp vegetable stock powder
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp stevia or about 1 Tblsp sugar, optional ( taste the sauce before adding)

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a large pan and simmer uncovered for about an hour. Stirring occasionally.

Taste the sauce and add stevia or sugar if needed.

Add salt and pepper if desired. Remove Bay Leaves.

Carefully puree the sauce with an immersion blender for a smoother texture if desired.

Enjoy!

Meatloaf

Meatloaf

I usually make two of these loaves at a time. Despite the long list of ingredients this is a rather easy dish to prepare and can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to bake. It  makes a great toasted sandwich.

Ingredients

2 cups bulgur, cooked
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs


3 Tblsp soy sauce
2 tsp  prepared mustard
2 tsp horseradish
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
1/2 cup ketchup or BBQ sauce

1/2 cup onion
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot diced
1 cup canned tomatoes with juice

 1- 1 1/2 cups quick uncooked oatmeal

1/4 cup Korean BBQ Sauce    Recipe can be found here: http://barbsplantbasedkitchen.blogspot.ca/2016/09/korean-bbq-sauce.html

Directions

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine bulgur, and bread crumbs. Mix well.

Add in the soy sauce, mustard, horseradish, turmeric, black pepper, poultry seasoning, sage, vegetable stock powder. Mix well.

Add the onion, celery, carrot and canned tomatoes to the bowl of a  food processor. Process.
Add to the bulgur mixture. Mix well.

Add 1 cup of the oats to the bulgur mixture. Mix well being sure to incorporate the oats thoroughly.  If the mixture is very wet add in the additional 1/2 cup oats. Mix well. The oats will absorb a lot of the moisture when the loaf is allowed to rest before baking.

Transfer the mixture to the lined loaf pan and pat down.

Top with the Korean BBQ Sauce.

Let the loaf sit for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tip

If you do not want to use Korean BBQ sauce for the topping you can easily substitute your favourite BBQ sauce or simply use ketchup.

French Fry Seasoning

French Fry Seasoning

I typically cut up enough potatoes to fill a 9 L pot. So the recipe below should coat that amount of fries. If you like your fries a little saltier, you could add additional vegetable stock powder, perhaps even double it, but my family prefers this lower salt version.

Ingredients

3 tsp vegetable stock powder
2 tsp turmeric
7 tsp garlic powder
15 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 Tblsp stevia powder

Directions

Mix everything together.

Coat fries.

Enjoy!

French Fry Seasoning

Tip

 I bake my fries at 425 for 40-45 minutes on parchment paper. There is no need to coat the fries in oil. The seasoning will stick to damp fries.

When I am wanting something spicy, I will coat my fries in Sriacha Sauce before tossing them with my seasoning.

Lentil Sheperds Pie

Lentil Shepherds Pie

Using canned lentils and frozen vegetables turns this into an easy meal that can be made ahead. It makes two pans, so it can easily be cut in half if you are not feeding an army like me.

Ingredients

2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tsp garlic minced

4 cups frozen peas and carrots
2 cups frozen corn

2 - 19 oz cans lentils, drained

1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp vegetable stock powder

8 cups mashed potatoes

1 tsp paprika for garnish only


Directions

Cook onions, celery and garlic in a little water until soft.

While they are cooking, cook peas and carrots, and the corn to desired tenderness in the microwave.

Add cumin, soy sauce, pepper and vegetable stock powder to the onion mixture and combine well.

Add the cooked peas and carrots, and corn to the onion mixture. Combine well.

Divide mixture between two 9x13 inch pans.

Cover with the mashed potatoes.

Using a fork, pierce the mashed potatoes to allow steam to escape.

Sprinkle mashed potatoes with the paprika.

Enjoy!

Baked Cabbage

Baked Cabbage with Mushrooms Two Ways

This is such a simple recipe, but oh so packed with flavour. I have made it with and without the Korean BBQ sauce. It is good both ways, but my family prefer it with the Korean BBQ sauce as it adds spiciness and extra flavour to the dish. They say it is like a flavour explosion in your mouth. The recipe for the Korean BBQ Sauce can be found here: http://barbsplantbasedkitchen.blogspot.ca/2016/09/korean-bbq-sauce.html.  

Cabbage baked without Korean BBQ Sauce

 

Ingredients

2 cups onions, diced
8 cups cabbage, sliced thin about 1/2 a medium head
4 cups mushrooms,sliced thin
1 cup mushroom or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup    Korean BBQ sauce, (optional) find recipe here:http://barbsplantbasedkitchen.blogspot.ca/2016/09/korean-bbq-sauce.html

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place all ingredients into a roasting pan, including the Korean BBQ Sauce if using.

Cover and bake for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy!


TIP

While 8 cups of cabbage seems like a lot of cabbage, it will reduce down significantly when baked. If you are serving more than a few people, you may want to double the recipe.

This dish only gets better after sitting for a few days in the fridge.

 

Chili

Chili

This is a chili that I have been serving to my family for years.  The list of ingredients may seem long, but there are a lot of spices added to make this a very flavourful dish. Please note that the black beans are undrained while the remaining beans are drained.

Ingredients

2 cups onions, sliced
2 cups carrots, diced
2 Tblsp garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
4 tsp chli powder
4 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tblsp cocoa powder
3 tsp vegetable stock powder
1/4 tsp stevia

2 -19 oz. cans black beans, undrained
2 -19 oz cans chickpeas, drained
2 -19 oz cans red kidney beans, drained
2- 19 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 cups frozen corn

Directions

Saute onion, carrots and garlic in a little water until soft.

Add all of the spices. Mix well.

Add all of the remaining ingredients stirring to combine.

Simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Stirring occasionally.

Enjoy!

Chestnut Soup

Chestnut Soup

If you have never had chestnut soup before you are in for a real treat. This is a very rich creamy soup. I buy my chestnuts already roasted and peeled. They are available at my local Asian market. A blender is required for this recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 cup onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 tsp garlic, minced

2 cups water
400 grams roasted and peeled chestnuts
3 tsp vegetable stock powder

3 cups unsweetened non dairy milk


Directions

In a little water, saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic until soft.

Add in the water, chestnuts and vegetable stock powder. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

When cool enough to blend, transfer to a blender ( I use a Vitamix) and process until smooth. You may need to add some of the non dairy milk at this point.

Return soup to the pot and add the remaining milk. Mix well.

Heat and serve.

Enjoy!

Beet Soup

Beet Soup

There are so many ways to make beet soup. My Aunt, who was a wonderful cook, always made a clear beet broth and served it with tiny mushroom dumplings nestled into the bottom of the bowl every Christmas Eve. My soup is very different as it is loaded with vegetables, and while I have never tested it, I am sure a wooden spoon could stand upright on its own if inserted into the pot. I tend to make large quantities when I cook and this recipe is no exception. I use my 9L pot and it is filled almost to the top. I start boiling the beets the day before I want to make the soup.

Ingredients

5 lb beets, washed but left whole

1 1/2 cup onion, diced
1 lb mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 Tblsp garlic, minced

6 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into a bite size dice, about 6 cups
2 large carrots, sliced
1/2 tsp black pepper
3-6 tsp vegetable stock powder, or to taste

Directions

Place the beets in a very large pot and cover with water by about an inch. Cover and simmer until the beets are soft. This will take anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on the size of your beets.

Once the beets are cooked DO NOT DRAIN. Refrigerate the beets and the liquid overnight.

The next day, remove the beets from the liquid , being sure to reserve the broth.

Slip the skins off the beets and either grate or process in the food processor.

Return the beets to the broth. Start to heat the broth and beets.

Meanwhile, while the broth is heating:

Fry onion, mushroom and garlic until cooked. You may need to add a little water at the beginning. Once cooked all of the liquid should be evaporated.

Add the sliced cabbage to the broth and boil for about 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes, carrots, black pepper and vegetable stock powder to taste. Stir well and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Enjoy!

 

Mushroom Pastitsio

Mushroom Pastitsio



This is one of my families favourite entrees. It does take some effort, but you will not be disappointed. This recipe will make a 11x13 inch pan. It is a hefty amount of food. This recipes freezes well so you may want to divide it up between two smaller casseroles and eat one now and freeze one for later. If you are making two smaller pans, it may be necessary to double the topping.

 Ingredients

For the Mushroom Filling

2 lbs mushroom, large dice
1 cup onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup red wine
38 oz canned tomatoes, diced ( or 1 1/2 - 19 oz cans)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vegetable stock powder, ( more or less to taste)
1/8 tsp black pepper

Topping

1 lb soft tofu
1 cup cooked and cubed potato
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
2 Tblsp lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Sauce to mix with Pasta

1/2 cup water
6 Tblsp whole wheat flour
2 cups soy milk, unsweetened
1 cup nutritional yeast
1 Tblsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp vegetable stock powder, or to taste
2 Tblsp cornstarch

Other Ingredients

6 cups cooked pasta, I like tube shaped

Directions

For the Mushroom Filling

Add mushrooms, onions and garlic to a pan. Cook until most of the liquid has been evaporated.

Add wine, tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, stock powder and black pepper. Cook until the liquid has evaporated.  If you are pressed for time, you could drain the tomatoes. This mixture should not be runny.

While the mushrooms are cooking, make the topping and sauce to mix with the pasta.

Topping

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and mix until well combined. Set aside.

Sauce to mix with the Pasta 

In a separate pot, add the the water and bring to a boil. Add in the flour stirring well so that there are no lumps. If lumps develop, carefully use an emersion blender to blend until smooth.

Combine the soy milk and cornstarch together. Pour into the boiling liquid and cook for a minute.

Add in remaining ingredients. Stirring well. cook for about a minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.

To Assemble

Preheat oven to 350 F.


Use a 11x13 inch pan.

In the pan, layer in the following order:

  -2/3 of the pasta on the bottom

  -All of the mushroom mixture

  -Remaining pasta, it will not completely cover the mushroom mixture

  -All of the topping

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 40-45 minutes until golden. 


Enjoy!

Tip

Sometimes I double the topping mixture to make a creamier top to the pastitsio. 

Adapted from the cookbook Vegan Eats World by Terry Hope

Korean Rice Cakes

Korean Rice Cakes

Korean Rice cakes are an amazing food. They have such an unusual texture. This recipe makes a lot because this is an incredibly popular dish in my house. It can be easily reduced if you do not want to make so much. Here is a link to the mushroom seasoning that I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006NJJBWU/ref=pd_lpo_325_bs_tr_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=27F22VEHPS8B97WP5DNR

Ingredients

6 cups water
6 Tblsp mushroom seasoning
3 Tblsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tblsp Korean Red Pepper Paste or to taste
6 Tblsp maple syrup ( you could sub 4 Tblsp maple syrup , plus 2 Tblsp water and 1/2 tsp stevia)
3 - 1 lb packages of Korean rice cakes, sliced if possible

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stirring frequently and scrapping the bottom of the pot.

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

TIP

If you have been unable to find the sliced rice cakes and only have the tube shape, it may require additional cooking time.

If you prefer a runnier sauce, then cover the pot while you are cooking the rice cakes. If you want a thick sauce, keep the lid off.  If you want the thicker sauce be aware that once the leftovers have cooled they will stick together. My family love the thicker sauce.

Adapted from: http://www.klunkerskitchen.com/2015/08/ddoekbokki.html

Chocolate Banana Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake


This cake is sweet without using any sugar. It will satisfy any sweet cravings that you might have. I use pressed dates for this cake.

 

 Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup pressed dates
3 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar ( rice vinegar will also work)
1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place all of the wet ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.

Place all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix.

Combine the two bowls making sure to incorporate all the flour.

Pour the batter into a parchment lined 8x8 inch pan.

Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Trifle

Vanilla Trifle

Usually I make everything from scratch, but recently I found a box of custard mix that I wanted to try. It was a vanilla custard made by National ( http://www.dmartsupermarket.com/dry-groceries/miscellinious/custard-powder-jelly/national-vanilla-custard-powder-300-grm.html) that turned out really well. I found it at my local No Frills Grocery store. I did however reduce the amount of sugar by half and it was perfect for my family. The ingredient quantities are for the brand that I used and should only be used as a guide. Quantities below are for a triple batch. 

Ingredients

1 vanilla cake, recipe found here:http://barbsplantbasedkitchen.blogspot.ca/p/vanilla-cake.html

Custard

You will need about 10-11 cups of custard, so you may need to double or triple the recipe on the package. Remember these quantities are for a triple batch as per the brand that I used.
 
6 Tblsp custard powder, I used National Brand
6 cups plant based milk, I used silk brand soy milk
6 Tblsp sugar, depending on how sweet you like your dessert and if your milk has any sugar added.
3 tsp vanilla extract, optional

1- 2 bananas thinly sliced

Directions

Make the vanilla cake as directed and set aside to cool.

Cut cake into small pieces and set aside.

Cook custard as per package directions adding additional vanilla if desired, adjusting sugar to personal taste. My soy milk was sweetened so I cut the sugar by half the recommendation on the package. Be sure to use a large pan as the custard will increase in volume as it cooks.

To assemble trifle,  layer cake, custard, banana, custard, cake and custard.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Cake

Vanilla Cake

I found a recipe for a plant based vanilla cake online, but it was loaded with sugar and I do not like things sweet, so I adapted it to suit our tastes.Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the actual cake, but since I used it to make a trifle, I am showing a picture of that.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cup boiling water
3/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened, plus
2 Tblsp applesauce, unsweetened
2 Tblsp vanilla
3 Tblsp lemon juice

Directions

Line a 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.

Combine the two bowls and whisk.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool on a rack.  Peel off parchment.

Enjoy!

Tip 

I used this cake in a trifle. I made it ahead of time and froze it. I let it defrost for 24 hours on the counter before using it.

Three Ingredient Fruit Cake

Recently my sister sent me a recipe for  a fruit cake recipe. It was delicious. The recipe called for self rising flour so I subbed in 3 tsp of baking powder, 3 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp of salt for the 3 cups of self rising flour. The original recipe can be found here http://thewhoot.com.au/whoot-news/recipes/3-ingredient-fruit-cake. Here is my version.

Ingredients

3    cups white tea

1    kg dried fruit, I used papaya, pineapple, raisins and prunes, cut into a small dice

3    cups self rising flour or   3    cups all purpose flour

                                                  1/2  tsp  salt

                                                   3    tsp baking powder

Method

1.  Line a 8.5 x 4 inch round springform pan with parchment paper

2.  Soak fruit overnight in the tea.

3.  Stir in flour. If necessary add extra tea to make a stiff batter. Pour into lined pan. 

4.  Bake cake at 270 F for approximately 2.5 hours . Adjust baking time if 

      you are using a different sized pan .  

 

TIP

Substitute 1/4 cup of the tea for rum. My sister used 1/4 cup brandy for 1/4 cup tea and said it was really good too.

While I have yet to try this, I think substituting some of the dried fruit with your favourite nut, would be delicious.

 

Loaded Miso Soup

Loaded Miso Soup

A simple soup to make, but loaded with flavour. Any of your favourite Asian Style vegetable can be used. Snow peas or bok choy would be good additions.

Ingredients

5 Cups vegetable or mushroom broth ( I used 5 cups water plus 3 Tblsp mushroom seasoning)
2 Tblsp white miso
5 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups carrots, julienned
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp ginger, minced
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
2 Tblsp parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili garlic paste, or to taste
2 Tblsp uncooked quick oatmeal, optional but it does thicken the soup slightly

200  udon noodles
1/2 cups broccoli , cut into tiny florets

Directions

Place all of the ingredients, except noodles and broccoli into and pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until vegetables reach desired tenderness.

Add broccoli and noodles. Stir and simmer for about 3 minutes or until noodles are fully cooked.

Adjust seasoning to taste.

Enjoy!

Tip

Add additional broccoli if desired.

Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf

Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf

This is a rich tasting easy to make loaf. A family favourite in my house.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup boiling water
2 Tblsp water
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup pressed dates

Dry Ingredients

1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Optional Ingredients

1/2 cup raisins


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F

Combine all wet ingredients in a high speed blender.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well

Combine the two bowls. Mix carefully. The batter will be thick.

Add raisins if using.

Spoon into a parchment lined loaf pan.

Bake for about 55 minutes to an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven to a cooling rack.

Carefully grabbing the parchment, remove from pan and set on cooling.

Let cool completely. Remove parchment.

Enjoy!