Super street food style noodles with easy Vegan egg -RECIPE- Vegan Gluten-free

Time for a brand new recipe!
The other night we had a craving for something like 2 minute noodles, and way back in the day my Dad used to add egg. In the cupboard we had some mung bean vermicelli noodles along with a packet of Orgran vegan easy egg, so we came up with a loose idea, gave it a try, and it turned out really delicious!

Ingredients:
- 250g packet Mung bean vermicelli noodles
- Orgran vegan easy egg
- Massel Chicken stock cubes
- Spring onions - Finely sliced - To serve
- Changs Gluten-free fried noodles - To server (adds great crunchy element - optional)
- Sweet soy sauce - To serve

Method:
1. Prepare and cook some Orgran easy egg according to instructions on the packet. Once your vegan eggs are cooked set them aside.
2. Cook the mung bean vermicelli according to instructions on the packet, once noodles are cooked add or remove water according to how much broth you prefer. Gradually mix in 'chicken' stock until the broth is lightly flavored.
3. Dish up some noodles, add some of the prepared vegan egg and a handful of sliced spring onions, lightly drizzle some sweet garlic soy sauce and finally garnish with a sprinkle of the GF fried noodles.

M U N G E !
Serves 2-4 depending on how hungry/greedy you feel.

Great as a snack or a quick meal, let me know if you try this one, and if you have any suggestions. It reminds us of street food, and we're a bit addicted. I'm keen to share some with friends to see what they think too.

Enjoy~

Sweet cranberry garlic soy sauce RECIPE - Vegan Gluten-free

This has become my go-to sauce for almost everything, from steamed veggies to noodle salad, it goes great on most everything, and it's nice and easy to make!

Ingredients:
1 cup Gluten-free Soy sauce
3/4 cup raw Sugar
1/2 cup Cranberry juice
1 glove of Garlic - Very finely diced
1/2 an Onion - Very finely diced

Method:
1. Add all ingredients to a small pot, and stir constantly over a low flame until sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Once sugar is dissolved gently simmer on low flame for 5 minutes, turn the flame off and allow to cool.

DONE! ✩⚫꒳⚫✩

Vegan milk (mylk) blend recipe. *REFINED

I have been making soy milk fresh at home using a Joyoung soy milk machine for a few months now, and I recently decided to experiment by making a milk blend. This is simply mixing different Vegan milk ingredients together to create a kind of hybrid milk, incorporating various nutrients and qualities from different sources.

Most people are pretty familiar with Vegan milk options, two of the most popular being soy, and almond. There are more options becoming available, and some innovative companies are creating milk blends, my experiment was inspired by a milk made by Rebel Kitchen.

If you don't have time/energy/motivation to make milk yourself at home then you could simply buy a few different vegan milks from the store and try mixing them in different ratios to find your own preferred blend.

Here's how I make mine:

Tools-
*Vitamix blender
*Joyoung soy milk machine
*Milk bag or Muslin cloth

This is our Joyoung soy milk machine.

Ingredients-
- 800-900ml Fresh Soy Milk (Make some using a soy milk machine, or follow a recipe).
- 1/2 can good quality Thai Coconut Milk - *Give the can a good shake before you open it.
- Filtered Water
- Pinch of Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt

Method-
1. Make a batch of fresh soy milk using a soy milk machine. *You can make soy milk without this machine, but it saves lots of time and effort.
2. Once the soymilk has cooled, position a strainer over a large bowl to support your milk bag or muslin cloth. Carefully pour the soy milk into the cloth, and gently strain to remove all the fiber from the soy beans, this results in a smooth mylk.
3. Shake the can of coconut milk well, open, and add half the can to the soymilk in the bowl, along with 1/2 a teaspoon of salt. Stir gently to combine.
4. Bottle your mylk, and refrigerate immediately.

Finished! Well done! c:

Mylk will be beautiful and fresh, and will last several days in the fridge.

If you have never made your own vegan milk at home before, there are many 'how to' videos on Youtube to watch, I would highly recommend checking one out to familiarise yourself with the process before trying for the first time.


'Good luck in the kitchen' - Francis.

Enjoy everyone~

Ruby Rod super-green smoothie.

 
My most recent smoothie fixation...

Ingredients-
1/2 a Santa Claus Melon (aka. toad skin or Piel de sapo melon) - Cut into chunks.
1/2 liter of Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 cup Coconut Cream or coconut yoghurt
1 tsp Green powder of choice (I use Amazonia prebiotic greens)
3 soft Gold Kiwis
1 Passionfruit - To serve

Method-
1. To your blender add the chunks of melon, orange juice, yoghurt, & green powder, blend on medium speed until completely smooth.
2. Stop the blender & add the gold kiwis, no need to chop them up, just slice in half and carefully scoop the fruit into the blender using a teaspoon. Blend on low for 10 seconds until kiwi is broken up and mixed through.
3. Scoop the passionfruit into a large mug (or jar), then pour in the smoothie.

aaaaand DRINK UP~

Best advice I can give for this recipe (or any smoothie recipe), is to go to a green grocer and find the freshest most ripe fruit you can get! Otherwise the fruit will be hard and bland, which makes for an uninspiring smoothie. Check for a sweet smell from the fruit, nice colour on the skin (yellow/orange/brown), and 'sugar spots' - these are brown spots in the skin that indicate ripeness+sugar content/sweetness, most commonly seen on bananas, but also appear on many other fruits like melons.
Also try to find a really good quality coconut cream for this recipe, check at Asian grocery stores, the cream should slosh around freely in the bottle/can, & feel thick (not watery).


Hope you enjoy this one! I came up with it when I felt like something rich & sweet for breakfast last week. : )

Recipe for my girlfriends tofu scram.

This is one of the quickest, easiest recipes I've ever learned, very useful when you want something to eat in a hurry. It's also quite addictive, so maybe keep a few extra blocks of tofu in the fridge.

My girlfriends tofu scram:

Ingredients-
1 large Onion - Very finely diced
1 clove of Garlic - Very finely diced
1 450g Block of Tofu (firm is best soft is ok too) - Coarsely crumbled
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Dill Seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 TBS Vegan butter/spread (I use Funky Fields Organic Spreadable)
1 tsp Pink Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black Salt (optional)

Method-
1. Finely dice the onion & add to a medium saucepan with the Vegan butter & 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Allow to saute over a low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. While the onion simmers, finely dice the garlic & set aside. Measure the cumin seeds, dill seeds, turmeric, & 1/2 teaspoon of salt, placing them in a small bowl & set aside.
3. Once the onion is completely cooked add the garlic & the spices, mix well to incorporate, & gently simmer for one minute.
4. Remove tofu block from the packet & coarsely crumble it into the pan with the onion and spices, gently stir & turn the tofu for a couple of minutes to evenly coat in the seasonings.
5. Once the tofu is thoroughly coated & warmed through, check the seasonings, if it needs some extra salt add another 1/2 teaspoon, feel free to use black salt to add an eggy scent/flavour. Mix well & Serve!

This scram is pretty versatile, add some extra veggies, & it's a nice meal on it's own, or use it as a side dish. One of my favourite ways to have it is in a nori wrap, see below...

Step one: Spoon some of the scram in a line onto the nori sheet (sheet is rough-side-up).
Step two: On top add some fresh butter lettuce &/or rocket, then some cucumber strips, and finally a little drizzle of grapefruit juice (alternatively you could use lemon).
Step three: Carefully roll the nori over & around into a log (like you see at sushi shops).
Step four: Pinch the bottom end so the filling won't fall out, & eat !!!

The tofu scramble is quite rich, so it pairs very well with fresh greens, & the sweet tang from the citrus juice, I highly recommend trying the grapefruit, it's super delicious!


I hope you all enjoy this recipe, of course you can change it up & experiment; try adding your favourite veg like broccoli, peas, or edamame!

Enjoy your time cooking~

Special recipe – Creamy garlic potatoes with jackfruit and edamame

100% VGF

This is a rich and delicious dish, especially good for cold days, or when you feel like some comfort food. The tofu in the sauce is an optional extra, which you can blend completely smooth if you prefer.

Ingredients:
- 14 medium sized Potatoes – Diced
- 1 large Black eggplant – Finely diced
- 2 Brown onions – Finely diced
- 1 Red capsicum - Optional
- 1 Can of Green jackfruit in brine – Well drained & Chopped
- Half a 200g packet Frozen Edamame (or use frozen peas)
- 2 TBS Vegan ‘fish’ sauce
- 4 TBS Monjay Mezza Garlic dip (OR use 2 gloves of minced fresh Garlic
- 4 TBS Organic Spreadable (or equivalent Vegan buttery spread)
- 1/8 Cup of Mirin
- 1 Massel ‘chicken’ stock cube – Mooshed up
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground balck & white pepper

For the sauce:
- 1 Massel ‘chicken’ stock cube – Mooshed up
- 1 Cup Natural coconut yoghurt (or equivalent)
- 3 Cups Bonsoy
- 1 Cup Hot water
- 1 250g block Organic soft tofu – Optional
- 2 TBS Monjay Mezza Garlic dip (or use 2 gloves of minced fresh Garlic)

Method:
1. Add the prepared potato, onion, jackfruit, and eggplant into a large pot, next add the ‘fish’ sauce, garlic dip (or fresh garlic), organic spreadable, mirin, ‘chicken’ stock cube, salt and pepper.
2. Sauté over a medium-low heat, stirring regularly. Cook until eggplant is very soft.
3. Once the eggplant is soft, make the sauce by adding all ingredients for the sauce into a blender, blend on low speed for 10 seconds. Note: if adding optional tofu to the sauce, fine pieces will remain, that’s OK! – blend smooth or omit tofu if you prefer.
4. Add the sauce to the pot with the sautéed vegetables, and stir well. Place a lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 15 mins, or until potato pieces are just cooked – stirring once or twice.
5. Once the potato is just soft, add the frozen edamame and gently stir to combine, replace the lid and allow to simmer for a further 5 minutes. Then turn off the flame and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes with the lid on.
6. E A T!
Serves 4-6

Feel free to experiment, I made this recipe up, and it’s now my girlfriends favourite.
I hope you’ll enjoy it too!

No fail healthy Vegan Gluten-free Brownies!

Hi guys!

So you want to make some of the best (and easiest) brownies ever? Great! This is what needs to happen -

*Requires a loaf-style baking dish - I use a silicone one for this recipe.

Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Blanched almond meal
- 3/4 Cup of Icing sugar
- 1/2 Cup Cocoa powder
- 1/3 Block of Lindt Premium dark chocolate (or equivalent) - Finely chopped
- Handful of fresh Walnuts - Chopped (optional - adds crunch)
- 1 Can of chickpeas for the Aqua faba (chickpea water)

Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. In a medium mixing bowl add the almond meal, icing sugar, cocoa powder, dark chocolate pieces, & chopped walnuts (if using).
2. Open the can of chickpeas and drizzle a very small amount of the liquid into the bowl with the dry ingredients (approx 3 tablespoons worth)
3. Make sure you have clean hands, then start forming the dough; squeeze, press and turn the mix until it forms a stiff dough (similar to cookie dough). You may need to drizzle a little more aqua faba, be careful not to add too much, you don't want a wet sticky dough!
4. Once the dough is formed, press it into a silicone loaf-style baking mold, or any other loaf-style baking dish.
5. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes. Allow to cool before turning out the brownie, or it is likely to crumble. Once cooled & turned out from the mold, use a sharp knife to cut into slices or squares.

-ENJOY!-

These are so quick and easy to make - Just a reminder to always check labels to make sure everything is VGF, and use organic products when possible.

Happy baking everyone. :D

Japanese style soup RECIPE

Hi everyone! toady I'm sharing this easy and delicious soup with Japanese inspired flavours.The soup is lovely served alongside fresh steamed rice, or it makes a lovely side-dish or entree to accompany a main meal.

Ingredients:
(stock)
- 6 Dried mushrooms (any will do, I used Shiitake) - Broken into 6 pieces
- 8-12 strips of Dried Kombu Seaweed - Snipped into short pieces
- 1/2 an Onion - Peeled, Cut in half then cut into 6 chunks
- 1 clove of Garlic - Roughly chopped into chunks
- Approx 6 TBS GF Tamari or Soy sauce
- Approx 8 TBS GF Mirin
- 1 TBS Cooking Sake
- 1 TBS Vegan 'Fish sauce' (Can be found at some Asian Grocery stores)
- 1 TBS Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp of Salt
- 1 tsp of Pepper
- 3-4 Cups of Boiling Water
 (Body)
- 4 large Carrots - Peeled & chopped into large chunks
- 1 block of Tofu (medium or firm) - Chopped into chunks
- 6 fresh Mushrooms - Cut into quarters 
- A handful of fresh Green Beans - Slice of the tips & cut in half
- A handful of Dried Wakame Seaweed (Available at most Asian Grocery stores)

Method:
1. Combine all the stock ingredients into a medium pot, cover, and set aside to steep for at least 15 mins.
2. Start prepping the other ingredients, after the stock ingredients have steeped, bring them to the boild & simmer for 10 mins.
3. Add all the other ingredients to the broth *(except for the wakame seaweed). If you would like more broth, add a little extra boiling water. Check the flavour of the broth & adjust accordingly.
4. Simmer partly covered for about 15 mins, or until veggies are tender.
5. Turn off the heat & stir through the wakame, it will soften very quickly.

YOU'RE DONE!

Eat & enjoy! This soup is even really nice the next day, I had leftovers for breakfast one morning with some fresh steamed rice, & icy matcha soy milk, it was amazing.

Raw Brownie Balls Recipe

Hey guys, I've been refining this simple recipe lately, they are quick to make, you will need a blender or food processor, but there's no cooking involved. The ingredients are pretty basic, and they have nice sweetness and good energy thanks to the dates.


Ingredients:
- 12 Medjool Dates - Pitted & Cut into quarters
- 1/2 Cup Desiccated Coconut
- 3 TBS Coco powder
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla paste or 1-2 drops Vanilla essence
- Pinch of Himalayan Salt
- 4 Fresh Walnuts - Shelled & Shredded to a fine crumb
- 2 TBS extra desiccated coconut + Pinch of Himalayan salt to coat the finished balls

Method:
1. Add the shelled walnuts to your blender or food processor & blitz on low speed to a fine crumb, then set aside in a small bowl.
2. Add the pitted, quartered dates into a small bowl along withe the coconut, coco powder, vanilla paste, and pinch of salt. Mix to combine.
3. Add the mix to a blender or food processor & blend on low speed until the mixture is finely minced, and forms together like a smooth dough.
4. Place the dough back into the small mixing bowl & kneed in the walnut crumbs. Then form the dough into small balls and set aside.
5. Finally in a small bowl mix together the extra coconut and pinch of Himalayan salt to form the coating for the balls. Roll each ball in the mix, then place into a bowl or container, you can eat them right away, but they are extra good after chilling in the freezer.


I hope you all enjoy these; they are my new favorite snack to take and share as a quick energy boost.

Almost raw - Zoodles with creamy cashew dill sauce

Hello everyone!

As I've mentioned in previous posts I am refining my diet to include much more raw food; I struggle being strictly 100% raw, so I'm looking for a balance that works best to keep me healthy and happy.

Currently I am eating almost entirely raw, but I plan to introduce some steamed/blanched veggies back into my diet in the coming weeks.

I find that I crave savory food more than sweet food, even when I eat sweet things I like to mix it in with savory, like I will eat onion with almost anything.

So for lunch today I quickly made myself this zoodle (raw zucchini noodle) salad dish with a really delicious creamy sauce.

RECIPE~

Bowl-
1 large Zucchini - Spiralized into noodles
1 Lebanese Cucumber - diced
2 small Pickles - Diced
1/2 a small White Onion - Finely diced
1 Spring onion - Finely sliced

Sauce-
1 Cup Orange Juice
Juice of 1 Lime
1 Cup Cashews (or Macadamia)
6 Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 medium Red Capsicum - Cut into a few rough chunks
Handful of Fresh Dill (approx 1/2 Cup)

Top-
Tomato - Cut into chunks
Fresh Chives - Finely chopped

Steps:
1. In a small bowl add the orange juice, lime juice, cashews, & sun dried tomatoes, set aside & allow to soak for 20-30 mins.
2. In the mean time process & assemble the bowl ingredients into a medium bowl, mix them around a little if you like. Prep the top items, & set aside.
3. Now add all the sauce ingredients into the blender, blend on high speed for about 1 minute, or until completely smooth. The sauce should be quite thick, add a few extra cashews to thicken, or a splash of OJ or lime juice if too thick. Test the flavour & adjust lime/dill/etc if necessary.
4. Pour your desired amount of sauce over the mix in the bowl & add the tomato chunks & chives on top to finish.

All done! Go eat it!

I decided to go for it and ate my zoodles with chopsticks, it's a bit tricky, but at least it slowed me down so I didn't eat so fast...

Enjoy everyone, more recipes coming soon.

A couple of Raw Vegan playlists to binge on...

Hi guys~ Given my plan to reform my diet to be mostly raw, I have been browsing YouTube for some recipes, and I found a couple of channels with some good content (& decent hosts).

(Neto, The Raw Boy)

The first channel is The Raw Boy, hosted by Neto. The playlist is his 100 day raw vegan challenge, which shares some great ideas and recipes. I've found the videos to be really enthusiastic, genuine, and honest, with nothing over the top or off-putting.

Go ahead and check out >THE RAW BOY<

(Chris Kendall, The Raw Advantage)

The 2nd playlist is a compilation of recipes by raw vegan chef Chris Kendall. The channel is called The Raw Advantage and there are so many amazing recipes, ranging from super simple all the way through to ultra gourmet. The style is very energetic, and a bit zany, but still easy to watch.

Go ahead and check out >THE RAW ADVANTAGE<


I'll be aiming for a kind of hybrid diet which is mostly raw, with some gently cooked elements added sometimes for lunch &/or dinner, no more 100% cooked meals. I feel like this could be the way to achieve the best balance and maintain my health, I will post with updates as things progress.

That's it guys, enjoy!

Happy potato salad (mayo free)

This is a healthier version of potato salad, no mayo necessary, & no added salt :D

Ingredients:
- 10 medium size Potatoes
(Dressing)
- 1/2 a large ripe Avocado
- 1 small Onion - Very finely diced
- 1 large clove of Garlic - Minced
- 2 Sun-dried tomatoes - Very finely diced
- Sprig of fresh Thyme - Finely chopped
- Juice of 1 Orange
- Juice of 1/2 a Lemon

Method:
1. Wash the potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks, & put them on to steam.
2. Add all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl & mash with a fork until smooth & well combined. Set aside.
3. Once the potatoes are soft put them in a large bowl to cool. When the potatoes reach room temp, add the dressing & stir gently until well coated with dressing.

Refrigerate for later, or eat immediately :)

Banana porridge - Raw Vegan Recipe

 

I'm working on increasing the amount of raw food in my diet, maybe up to 100%, but not sure yet. I've already learned a few awesome recipes from my raw vegan friend, & here's one of my favorites so far -

Raw Vegan Banana Porridge!
*This recipe requires a good blender, such as a Vitamix.

Ingredients:
- 1.5 Frozen Banana
- 2 fresh medium sized Ripe Bananas
- 2 medium sized ripe Figs
- 1/2 cup Dried Mulberries
- 1/2 cup filtered Water

Method:
1. Dice up one of the fresh bananas & add it to a large bowl. Roughly mash the 2nd ripe banana & add it to the bowl.
2. Add the dried mulberries to the blender, & whiz briefly to form coarse chunks, put it in a small bowl & set aside.
3. Prepare the figs, slice off a bit of the top until you can see the coloured pulp inside. Cut in half lengthways, then finely slice into half circle shapes & set aside (or prep them however you prefer). It's fine to eat the skin. in fact it's especially delicious around the bottom.
4. Add the 1.5 frozen bananas into the blender along with 1/2 a cup of water & blend until completely smooth (start on low & whiz on high approx 20 seconds)
5. Assemble! Pour the liquid banana mix over the fresh bananas in the bowl, top with sliced figs, & sprinkle with the ground dried mulberries.
Put it in your face!

This is one of the tastiest breakfasts I have ever had. I want to eat it ever day. EVERY DAY.
If you're not familiar with figs, then you ought to get acquainted, they are a spectacular fruit, & one of the healthiest too. Figs are best when they are really soft & squishy.
Dried mulberries are new to me, but I am already properly addicted, they taste like honey & joy, I highly highly recommend getting your mitts on some, I believe they are available from 'Terra Madre' in Northcote, & also various online stores.
As always you can change this up a bit, add some vanilla, or a dried date to the liquid banana mix, or throw some frozen berries on top at the end, but don't over complicate it!

Take it easy everyone, & enjoy plenty of fresh healthy food!

Delicious veg stew with garlic parsley cream [vegan]

How long has it been since I shared a recipe, too long I think.

Veggie Stew with Garlic Parsley Cream Recipe!

Ingredients:
- 1 medium Purple Onion - Finely diced
- 4 medium Carrots - Cut in half lengthways & sliced
- 2 large Celery sticks - Cut in half lengthways & sliced
- 1 Tbs Olive oil (Optional)
- 4 Tbs of Mirin (Optional)
- 2 cups Fresh (or canned) Tomato - Finely diced
- 1 Can Organic Chickpeas - Rinsed & drained
- 1 Tbs Ground Fennel
- 2 tsp Cummin
- 1 tsp Tumeric
- 2 Sprigs fresh (or dried) Thyme
- 1 clove of Garlic - Minced
- 1 Massel Vegetable ultra stock cube
- Pinch of salt & pepper
- 4 cups of Water
- 3/4 Cup of Organic Quinoa - Rinsed 2-3 times & drained
...
For the Garlic parsley cream:
*NOTE: For best results use a high power blender such as a Vitamix.
- 1 Cup Raw unsalted Cashews - Soaked for 1 hour
- 2 Tbs Lemon or Orange Juice
- 1 Clove of Garlic - Chopped into quarters
- A handful of Fresh Parsley - Coarsely Chopped
- 2 tsp Salt
- 3/4 Cup Water

Method:
1. Put the cashews in a bowl with water to soak & set aside. Prepare the onion, carrot & celery, & add them to a large pot along with the oil (if using), & a pinch of salt & pepper. Prepare the tomatoes, & set aside. Prep the spices, thyme & garlic & set aside in a small bowl.
2. Saute the onion, carrot, & celery over a medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables soften slightly, if too dry add a little water or mirin. Add the spices, thyme, & garlic, & cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomato, water, stock cube, & mirin, stir well.
3. Add the rinsed chickpeas, cover & bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly & allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Once the carrots are cooked, prep the quinoa by thoroughly rinsing it in a bowl of water to remove bitter residue, repeat until the quinoa is clean, drain well, & add the quinoa to the veggies. Cover & simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. While the quinoa cooks prepare the garlic parsley cream. Drain the cashews, & add them to the blender, along with the lemon/orange juice, garlic, salt, & 1/2 a cup of water. Start on low speed, increase to high, & blend for 60 seconds until completely smooth. Check the consistency, if too thick add some extra water, aim for the consistency of thick cream, remember it will thicken slightly in the fridge. Finally, add the parsley & blend on low for 5-10 seconds until coarsely chopped, & mixed through. Transfer to a small bowl or small pouring jug, & put in the fridge.
6. After 15 minutes the quinoa should be ready. Turn off the heat, cover, & allow the stew to stand for 5-10 minutes for the quinoa to finish cooking.

DONE! Serve with garlic parsley cream & enjoy! :)

Serves 4

This recipe is based on one shared with me from a good friend. I'm totally addicted to it, & I hope you'll all love it too c:
Quinoa (keen-wah) & Mirin are both available in health food shops, & at most Coles stores too.
Please always double-check your ingredients to make sure they are suitable, you'd be surprised where you might find hidden nasties ._____.
Take care & be healthy everyone!

I'll do my best to get another recipe up this month, it'll be choc pudding! :D