Summer #salad theme 10th july 2014

How glad was i that the weather behaved itself for our Summer ‘salad theme!?! As I’m writing this, I can hear the Birds singing away, the sun is shining down and the grass is trying to convince me to go and cut it. Alas, i think I would actually melt and that would lead all all sorts of problems ;o) These are some of my #lettuce plants growing in the garden. They are too pretty to eat! well, maybe…

Lets have a look at these #salads then! I can honestly say, the collection is a superb one! Salads don’t have to be boring! These suggestions certainly aren’t!

Lets start with these suggestions from @lilmissmeatfree ‘Warm #squash #salad with #sesame and #orange‘. Very nice! Or a lovely ‘#sweetpotato and roasted #radish salad with a #chive and #lime dressing‘ I love a nice ‘Tabbouleh‘ This one looks yummy! I like to use #millet sometimes instead for a change #glutenfree

This suggestion from @dear-kitchen is super tasty. Check out their ‘Two Summer #salads‘ suggestion.

Have a peek at this salad idea from @rosieapples its a totally fab ‘#Blue Cheese (vegan), #Walnuts, #Pomegranate, Pink #Grapefruit, Seeds, Croutons, #Tamari, #Agave & #Cider Dressing’

Here is another photo of a lovely salad from @SentientChef who also shared this suggestion of ‘#Walnut, #Turmeric and sun dried #Tomato Super #Detox Salad‘

Many thanks to @RawVeganista for sharing this ‘#Favabean salad‘ idea.  Another lovely idea came via @LoraxCommunity in the shape of a tongue tingling ‘spicy #sesame salad with #wasabi #aioli‘

#Potato salad? This one suggested by @suindependent sounds great!

This is a great link for #vegan ‘salad #dressings’ or fancy a #coleslaw/#mayonaise? as shared by @ChubbaNia. @FlavourPhotos shared this idea for a ‘#Summer super salad‘ @MarchpaneMedlar shared this lovely recipe for an ‘Edible #flower salad‘ So pretty!
This is a great idea from @RawStylist:

‘Grilled romaine lettuce with strawberries, walnuts, scramble tofu, dried cranberries and mango n avocado, with balsamic vinegar’

Talking of #Tofu, how about this idea from @VeganChatroom.

Many thanks once again to @TheFlexitarian for sharing this amazing selection of recipes: ‘#carrot salad‘ ”Panzanella‘ ‘#Aubergine salad with Spicy roasted #chickpeas‘ ‘#Mango #Tabbouleh‘ ‘#fennel #radish and #pea #mint salad‘ ‘#Asparagus #kale salas with #tahini dressing‘ and last but not least, ‘#Kale salad with roasted butternut #squash and #peanut #tofu‘ Yummmmm!!

This ‘#Eggplant salad with #Cajun dressing‘ from @myveggieweb sounds superb. Or what about ‘#Kale salad with fried #casher #cheese and #pickled #beets‘ from @GirlEatsGreens!?

Make sure you have alook at this superb video shared by @lethalfizzle!How to make a ‘#Cauliflower power salad‘ Brilliant!

Thank you all! What a brilliant collection! So, the next time you hear someone say ‘Salads are boring’ point them in this direction!!

 

 

#Apple theme thursday 26th June 2014

‘An #Apple a day keeps the doctor away’ You must have heard that saying? Where did this saying come from? Why is this? What’s so special about an apple?

Upon investigating, I discovered a 18th Century saying from ‘Notes and Queries magazine’

“A Pembrokeshire proverb. Eat an apple on going to bed, And you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

Meaning, eating apples keeps you away from seeing your GP!

Apples contain a helpful dose of #VitaminC (around 15% of your RDA) this helps to boost your immune system. They also help to clean your teeth! In the 18th Century, there wasn’t the level of dental hygiene we have now! Apples are also low in calories, each fresh fruit contains around 50 calories with zero #cholesterol. One apple also on average will contain 22% of your RDA of dietary #fiber, keeping you regular!

Here is my apple tree in my garden. (taken from the window where I’m currently writing this) i believe it is a russet type. They are lovely tasting eaters. Ps i know the lawn needs cutting. We have had loads of baby frogs recently and didn’t want to squish them!An apple is also an amazing portable snack. I really enjoy a nice sweet crunchy apple to stop those in between meal cravings. My Dad is very partial to a stuffed apple. Remove the core, stuff the space with dried fruit, cinnamon and sugar to taste. Maybe a lump of marzipan in there too, then bake in the oven until the apple is soft. Lovely with cream, custard or ice cream. A really inexpensive but super tasty dessert!

Its time to have a look at some of the amazing suggestions from the night itself!

Hello to @MarchpaneMedlar and thank you for suggesting this fabulous recipe for ‘Seasonal #Fruit #Tart’ Very tasty indeed! The lovely @FlavourPhotos shared this beautiful recipe (use #vegan alternatives) for ‘#Apple #rose #tarts’ Also for these gorgeous ‘umbrellas on a sunny day’ ‘Zebra ice lollies‘ (no Zebras were hurt in the making or eating of these lollies hehee!)

Many thanks to @vegan_hausfrau for this yummy ‘#apple and #springonion salad’. @PaulYoud once again shared some lovely ideas, ‘Simple #apple #pie’ ‘#marzipan and #apple #tartlets’  and you can also use #apple #puree in these ‘healthy #Dougnuts’ Yum!!

A big thank you once again to @TheFlexitarian for this selection of amazing #apple recipes. Some their own and some of their favorites by other recipe creators. ‘#apple #walnut and #raisin #bread‘ ‘Jerusalem #artichoke #celeriac #apple #soup’ ‘caramelized #apple #risotto‘ ‘#coconut #tofu #curry‘ (with apple) ‘Braised red #cabbage with apples‘ ‘#Quinoa #salad with #avocado, #apple and #beetroot‘ 

Thank you to @VeganFoodChat for their suggestion of ‘#apple #fennel #seitan dogs‘ from the ever awesome @veganyackattack 100% yum!. @RawVeganista was once again generous and shared some recipes. This one for ‘#raw #apple #cinnamon #porridge’ sounds yummy and how fabulous are these ‘#raw vegan #caramel apples‘!!?! fab!  @OurLizzy shared a lovely recipe for ‘Vegan Malvern #pudding‘ http://www.ourlizzy.com/recipe-vegan-malvern-pudding.htm How tasty does that look! The lovely @lilmissmeatfree  also shared a couple of her recipes. Here are ‘Bramley apple #fritters with #toffee sauce#’ and a tasty ‘#beetroot and apple #soup‘. Last but not least, thank you to @VeganStella for this suggestion of a totally tasty ‘#Polenta and Apple #flan’ 

What a wonderful collection!

Thank you once again to everyone who participated. it was another speedy hour wasn’t it! A real #vegancommunity affair.

There were of course many more tweets on the day. Have a look at our twitter feed @veganrecipehour for more tasty-gorgeousness!

#Kohlrabi theme June 19th 2014

Kohlrabi! Ever heard of it?

I personally really like it and have been growing them for the last couple of years. They are however quite hard to get hold of it seems and some people don’t know what they are. So, if you see them for sale at a farmers market of at the supermarket (I also find they are sold in Oriental supermarkets) buy some and have a go at these recipes!

#Kohlrabi belongs to the #Brassica family and there are white and purple varieties. Did you know that Kohlrabi is also sometimes called ‘knol-khol’ or ‘German Turnip’? #Kohlrabi also has a mega amount of vitamin-C! 62 mg per 100g! that is about 102% of RDA. Wow!

Lets have a look at some recipe ideas.

A nice and simple but really tasty ‘#roasted #kohlrabi‘ is a great way to start. How about giving these ‘Baked #kohlrabi homefrys‘ a shot. Or fancy trying a ‘#kohlrabi #puree‘? Lovely! Another lovely idea is ‘#chilli dusted #kohlrabi #fries’. Tasty! Fancy gping #raw? Im definitely going to be trying some ‘#rawvegan #kohlarbi #fries‘ soon! For a more warming dish, why not try this lovely ‘#kohlrabi #soup‘

This ‘#kohlrabi and #cabbage #salad with #maple #lemon #dressing’ sounds awesome! Or a ‘#kale and #kohlrabi #salad‘  How about giving ‘#curried red #lenil #kohlrabi and #couscous #salad‘ a try? With a gorgeous ‘#kohlrabi #slaw with #dill‘

Check out the really interesting ‘#pickles #kohlrabi’ recipe on this link.

Thank you to @VewganChatRoom for suggesting some tasty recipes.

‘Kohlrabi Fries with Vegan Cheese Sauce‘ That sounds sooo yummy! How about another tasty sounding #soup? this time its ‘Kohlrabi and Carrot Soup‘ Lets round off with this uber yummy ‘Vegan #kohlrabi hashbrown skillet‘ I wouldn’t say no!

How are your #veganising skills?  This recipe for ‘#Kohlrabi #remoulade‘ can easily be made #vegan. Thanks @vegsoup4thesoul. This recipe can also be (It works honest!) #veganised by leaving out the egg and replacing the meat for #soyamince and using your favourite #vegan alternatives. ‘German style stuffed #kohlrabi’ . ‘Veganising’ is usually possible with a few changes and replacements here and there. I personally find most things work just fine! So, don’t throw away those old none #vegan cook books, just use your imagination and be confident! After all, if you like all of the ingredients, chances are, you will like the end result!

This is a lovely article with some great recipes as a bonus!

Thank you so much for this Brilliant #kohlrabi recipe ideas roundup from @vegan_hausfrau! Amazing!

Here are some #kohlrabi growing in my #vegpatch at home. The slugs and snails seem to like them!! These are purple ones. I grew white ones last year.

So, if you didnt know what to do with the strange veggie… you do now!

Happy cooking and ..eating!

#homemadevegan theme 5th June 2014

Something a bit different this time. The topic of conversation was #homemadevegan. We were looking for your favourite recipes and suggestions for homemade condiments, chutneys pickles, sauces etc. You (once again) did not let us down! We were absolutely spoiled for choice!

Lets take a look at the Savoury side of things.

This recipe for ‘Sweet Chilli Sauce’ from @Vegsoup4thesoul is great! Perfect for dipping a tasty spring roll into! next are two lovely recipes for Chutneys from @Yogivegetarian ‘No sugar cranberry ginger chutney’ and a super tasty ‘Fiery Green Tomato, Lemon and Chilli Chutney’ How about a super tasty ‘Beetroot and apple chutney‘ from @fullbelliesOAB. Or a lovely ‘Onion Jam‘ (savory of course!) from @Ephemerienne, who also brought us this recipe for ‘Hot pepper Puree‘ Thank you!

Fancy some ‘Pickled Cucumber‘? I love pickled cucumber! So nice with… everything! thank you @Facelessfood!

We were extremely lucky to have two marvelous recipes for ‘Kimchi’ This one *Kimchi*  from @veganupNorth and another *Kimchi* recipe from @YogiVegetarian! 

This is a lovely recipe for ‘Dill Mayonaise‘ from @emisgoodeating. Fancy a fab ‘BBQ sauce” for on the burger or for a ‘Chip dip’? Look no further!  @greedyvegangirl. How amazing is this ‘Blueberry Ketchup‘ from @ChubbaNia!

Lets have a little look at some sweet recipes:

This ‘Lemon marmalade‘ From @FacelessFood sounds divine!

This is a brilliant quick and simple ‘Raw Jam’ recipe from @demassacre 

‘Raw jam: 1 cup berries, tbsp flax, tbsp chia, drop of lemon, drop of vanilla and blend for 30 seconds :)’

 

Something a little different? Why not try a ‘Green tomato Jam‘ as suggested by @theFlexitarian or a decadent treat of ‘Caramel sauce‘…..Oh go on then, if you insist……hehe! This is beautiful recipe for ‘Nectarine Curd’ brought to us by @veganupnorth sounds so, so yummy!

This section, I have decided to call ‘others’ They are all #homemadevegan recipes that were suggested on the night they are too Fabulous to leave out!

Lets start with a ‘Sundried Tomato Hummus‘ from @greedyvegangirl. ‘Salt perfumed with balsalmic vinegar‘ from @Ephemerienne. Whatabout a super tasty ‘Potato Salad with Thick Tofu Dressing‘ from @Yogivegetarian. This ‘Cashewnut cream‘ sounds absolutely amazing! I cant wait to try it on some fresh fruit! thank you @theflexitarian! Here is a fab recipe for  ‘Lemonbalm,Ginger and Pumpkin seed pate‘ brilliant! my Lemonbalm is huge this year! Cheers! @trinityBourne. Last, but not least, here are two great recipes from the every wonderful @lilmissmeatfree ‘Salsa’ and an every so tasty ‘Cooler Dip‘ for spicy Jerk seasoned Potato chips! Wowee!

I told you didn’t I! What a fab array of #homemadevegan thing to make!

Brilliant!

 

#vegancake theme 22nd may 2014

I remember seeing a Tweet a few weeks ago. It asked: ‘Does anyone know any good #Vegancake recipes please?’

The answer, from an oh so helpful individual was:

‘There arent any! Hahahaa!’…. Hmmm……..Time to prove them wrong? I think so!

When we announced the theme was going to be #vegancake, it was met with a lot of excitement! We were not let down on the night! There was an absolute deluge of amazing, tasty, gorgeous cakes being tweeted. There were so many, its been hard to ’round them up’! I’d not want to let anyone down so, here it goes! Prepare for a Cakefest!

Lets start with these yummy offerings from @lilmissmeatfree Fancy a bit of ‘Mocha Cake‘ As an added bonus, we get to use some @orzocoffee Website (organic Barley coffee) A beautiful ‘Victoria Sponge with strawberry balsamic jam‘ or how about some ‘Oreo Cupcakes‘ Be sure to check the packaging though, as some imported versions are not suitable. Or a nice ‘Sticky ginger cake‘  Gorgeousness!

Many thanks to @themisfitbaker for sharing their recipe for a ‘Cinnamon coffee swirl Bundt cake‘ Yummy! and these really interesting  ‘Apple cupcakes with smokey maple frosting‘.

#glutenfree dougnut anyone? Check out these from @FreeFromFavour wowee! Another #dougnut recipe was suggested by @SlowcookeryClub ‘Baked banana-bourbon donuts with cashew cream cheese frosting‘ Fabulousness!

Do you use #Carob? Why not give this recipe from @VeganTrinity a go  ‘#Carob and #coconut cake‘ its also #glutenfree. Many thanks to @jfits42 for sharing their recipe for ‘Ultimate #Chocolate #orange #cupcakes‘ . Have a peek at this recipe from @Ephemerienne ‘Simple Vegan Chocolate cake‘. Need something a little more healthy? Have a look at this gorgous cake! All we need is some sunny weather!

Fancy a nice tart hehe! Try this ‘Vegan Apricot tart‘ superb! Via @TheFlexitarian. Or a #Strawberry version​ With a nod to one of our previous themes of #rhubarb, here is another of their recipes for ‘#Rhubarb Linzer Torte‘

More #Cupcakes? What that? You need more cupcakes? How about these then? ‘Yogurt Frosting cupcakes‘ #glutenfree. Have a good scorll through the #blog for many, many more gorgeous recipes!

A great suggestion from @PaulYoud was his simple ‘Vegan Chocolate Cake‘ It doesn’t get much easier than that! Or how about a ‘Carrot Cake‘ or a superb ‘Vegan Parkin‘ We are spoiled for choice! Still on a #chocolate theme, have a look at this recipe as suggested by @vegsoup4thesoul ‘Death by Chocolate’ Yum! Don’t worry if you are in a hurry! Have a go at this recipe suggested by @BRYNFISH ‘Vegan #chocolate mug cake‘! wowee!

So, do you think we have answered the question?! I reckon so! But always remember…….if you need an excuse….

Once again thank you to the amazing #vegancommunity on twitter and please check out the @veganrecipehour twitter feed from more hints, tips, chat and recipes.

 

 

#fennel theme 15th May 2014

Hello Lovelies!

Welcome to another ’round up’ from #veganrecipehour! Our theme on 15th May was #fennel! This included both the bulb and seeds. One of the issues that arose on the night was that many people felt they should be using this sweet, flavoursome aromatic veg a bit more! Lets hope we can inspire!

I personally didn’t like #fennel for many years. Or at least didn’t think I did! But, I stand by my belief that, one can usually find a cooking (or not=eat raw!) method that agrees with our taste buds! Its just a matter of finding out how YOU like to eat it! I found that I prefer fennel (bulb) wither griddled and cooked quickly so that it caramelizes and goes sweet and yummy! Or, slow cooked in a #Tagine is so yummy!. I Love to throw the seeds into a #cabbage/#kale and #leek stirfry or into Veggie soups. For me, it gives it that tasty ‘lift’. I also really enjoy a #fennel #tea. Here is a DIY guide!

#Fennel Foeniculum vulgare is actually part of the #celery family and is a hardy perennial Herb. It is used in the famous drink #Absinthe. #Fennel is frequently used as a breath freshener, after dinner digestive and to treat flatulence!

#Fennel is very low in calories its pretty high in #fibre and has no #cholesterol! Its also #heart friendly! Providing helpful levels of the electrolyte potassium. Helps combat High blood pressure!

So, lets press on with these wonderful recipe suggestions!

Thank you once again to the wonderful @ephemerienne for these lovely ideas! ‘#Tomato and #fennel #soup‘, ‘ #Fennel and #Pear #Salad‘, and ‘#tofu Babette’, thank you! 

Some amazing recipes were suggested by @SasonalShaheen. This one sound so tasty! ‘Fennel and #blackolive #risotto‘ Another Risotto recipe suggestion came in from @Theflexitarian. This one is a bit different as it uses #Quinoa. It has none Vegan ingredients but these can very easily be substituted. It seemed a shame not to share such an interesting idea!

How about this recipe idea? ‘Bulgur wheat salad with fennel, sweetcorn and apple’ as suggested by @Vegsoup4thesoul. What an amazing blend of flavours!

An absolultely fabulous suggestion was shared by @elenabedford ‘fennel & brown rice sushi’ That looks and sounds sooo nice!

Check out this #blog entry from @VeganChatRoom. Its all about their trip to the @WildebeestCafe in #Falmouth Featuring a ‘#Chestnut, #fennel #Tarragon #Ravioli’ Wow!

How about an amazingly hearty sounding suggestion of ‘Chard and Fennel with Blackeyed beans‘ from @SeasonalShaheen?!

Fancy a bit of #couscous? This ‘Garlicky #sausage and #potato with #fennel#’ recipe will hit the spot! Or a lovely ‘#fennel and #chickpea #tagine‘ From @fullbelliesOAB.

These are simply superb! ‘#fennel and #seitan Dogs‘ From @veganYackAttack via @veganfoodchat.

You can catch up with more amazing suggestions and chat on twitter if you search #veganrecipehour or follow us @veganrecipehour.

Lets round it off this week with some fab quotes from the night…Happy #fennel eating all!

‘@VeganDiaries #Fennel :my favorite is to sauté it with black greek olives, simple!’

‘@SeasonalShaheen I tend to enjoy #Fennel fresh, thinly sliced in salads, but I do cook with it sometimes.’

‘@TheFlexitarian love #fennel raw just sliced in salad. Also lovely roasted with olives & tomatoes (a la Provencale)..’

‘@LeicVeggie Not a recipe per say but I love pizza topped w/roasted fennel & onion, kalamata olives, tomato sauce & portobello shrooms’

‘@vegsoup4thesoul Top tip for preparing fennel to roast. Hollow out with an apple corer, trim base flat so it stands up, add white wine!’

‘@vegsoup4thesoul Flavour-wise #fennel goes beautifully roast alongside carrots & parsnips :)’

‘@vegsoup4thesoul Fresh #fennel is lovely in coleslaws & in a simple salad w watercress & thinly sliced oranges (little hemp oil to dress)’

‘@M0nsterG1rl Thinly sliced fennel&apple, covered in fresh lemon juice & a sprinkling of salt.Can’t get enough of it-super fresh&juicy!’

#rhubarb theme 8th may 2014

Welcome to the #veganrecipehour round up! The theme for Thursday 8th May was #Rhubarb. It was really interesting reading how we all use it and quite often, wished we used it more! We are smack bang in season so, what better way to celebrate than eating it!

A little bit about Rhubarb... It turns out that Rhubarb or Rheum rhabarbarum,has quite a history. Earliest records date back to China in 2700 BC where it was primarily grown for its medicinal qualities. It has (although I have never used it) the nickname ‘Pie Plant’ because it is so popular as a pie filling. A man called Ben Franklin is accredited with bringing the seeds to North American east coast in 1772.

Why should I be eating it? Rhubarb is hight in dietary #fibre, #calcium, Vitamin K, zinc and magnesium to name a few! Find out 20 more benefits here!  Thank you to @VeganDisco for sharing this live photo!

Lets have a look at some recipes that were shared on the night.

One really popular choice was a traditional #rhubarbcrumble take a look at this recipe from @jfitz45 Lovely hey!? Thank you to @wrapedinpaper for this #crumble recipe. Plus some lovely photos!

@DeanFarmTrust were telling us about making rhubarb cordial. They advised us to ‘Simmer rhubarb and little sugar, strain. Serve with fizzy water‘ Definately giving that a go! A similar idea came in from @elenabedford who told us about making ‘#rhubarb #juice’. Their advice is to ‘Simmer rhubarb, water and ginger until rhubarb is soft, strain, chill and serve! @VeganDisco told us about having rhubarb cooked in #yorkshirepudding, sprinkled with sugar for desert! It actually sounds rather tasty! Kinda like a thick pancake..This will have to be tried!

Thank you to @theflexitarian for sharing this lovely recipe for ‘rhubarb fool #chia pudding’ ooh! @theflexitarian shared this tasty sounding idea ‘Favourite combo with rhubarb = banana, ginger, strawberry, cinnamon, saffron, vanilla. made a lovely rhubarb/ banana jam‘ Talking about #jam, here sis a lovely Rhubarb and #vanilla #jam recipe.

@slowcookeryclub shared a favourite #jam flavour blend ‘Summertime means strawberry-rhubarb cardamom jam. End of rhubarb season lines up w/beginning of strawberries here. Perfect!‘ Thats one I have not tried! (yet!)

Many thanks to @vegsoup4thesoul for sharing their recipe for ‘#roast rhubarb with #vanilla and #lemon’ tasty! Or how about  ‘rhubarb and #custard #icecream‘?! Dont mind if I do…

A big thank you to @veganFoodChat for sharing their recipe for ‘#lemon #berry #rhubarb #cupcakes’! Ooh very nice!

Lets not forget its also possible to cook savoury dishes!

Thank you to @veganneil for sharing this curry recipe I must try this! On a similar note is this recipe for ‘#indian spiced #lentils with #spinach and #rhubarb’ Very interesting! Rhubarb #pickle?. Sounds like a tasty vegan Feast!

Please take a peek at twitter for more ideas and chat!

And of course, here is the best type of #Rhubarb…

#Tempeh theme 24th April 2014.

Hello again everyone!

We enjoyed another brilliant #veganrecipehour on 24th April 2014. The theme was #Tempeh.

‘What exactly is tempeh?’ I hear you ask! #Tempeh is traditionally made from ‘Fermented’ (yes! You heard it!) fermented #soya beans. It is Indonesian in origin and in my opinion tasted fabulous! There is a 16th Century booked called ‘Serat Centhini’ which refers to the making and eating of Tempeh. (1,2)

The Tempeh itself (lets stick with soya beans) Is made from hulled, cooked soya beans (with added vinegar) that are mixed with Rhizopus molds (the Tempeh starter) and then placed into a pouch (usually a sandwich bag) and then incubated for 24-48 hours at 28-33C degrees until the spores grow and coat the beans with white ‘mould’ (sometimes also grey parts due to impurites in the spores but still safe to eat!).

‘cooked Soya beans and their husks’

You then have brilliantly useful and versatile Tempeh cakes! This will keep in the fridge now for a few days or it can be frozen for future use.

We actually make it at home and have so far experiemted with soya bean. #Chickpea, mixed bean and adzuki bean varieties. My personal favourites are the traditional soya bean and the chickpea tempeh.

Look here for more information . This is pretty close to how we do it also. Take a look at @BRYNFISH and @VegSweetSimple‘s tweets on the 24th for useful tips and photos regarding their experiences of making #tempeh at home.

So, why should we eat it?  Ok, so if you read the nitty gritty of the process, I can totally understand why you might think ‘Urgh! That sounds rank!’ I thought that also! I even thought that as it came out of the bag! But, when I tasted it, I was hooked! It’s very versatile. We have had it in Chinese dishes, Indian, burgers, loaves, stirfrys…all sorts!

One serving of tempeh (100 grams) provides around 200 calories, 18.2 grams of protein (that’s even more protein per gram than tofu!), and 10% of the RDA of both calcium and iron. Tempeh is a naturally cholesterol-free food! (source) Talking of #tofu, here is a handy #tempeh V #tofu comparison.

Convinced enough to try? Here are a few recipe suggestions from the night:

Thank you to the wonderful @Ephememienne for some wonderful suggestions! Here we have ‘#Tempeh #sanwiches‘ without bread. ‘Coronation salad‘  One big success on the night was this recipe ‘Beet salad with tempeh‘ I am pleased to say @BRYNISH made this and tweeted the photo! 100% yummy!

This is a lovely recipe reccomenced by @sweetandsimple  ‘Blackened #Tempeh‘ A spicy coated tempeh recipe with Basil Pico de Gallo and Simple Guacamole in tacos. Lovely!

Thank you so much to @Glosvegangroup for joining us and even more for their brilliant suggestion of ‘Hot-sauce-glazed tempeh’ from Veganomicon fab!

Another lovely idea (and one which I cant wait to try) came from @jagrazi in the shape of ‘Cornmeal crusted Tempeh‘ Which they recommended serving with cashew cream sauce & mashed cauliflower! Sounds wonderful!

Thank you once again to @paulYoud for his suggestion of adding cubed #tempeh to his recipe for ‘Thai curry pie‘

How about having a go at making this lovely sounding ‘Tempeh with Apricots and Capers‘ Yum!

Oh boy, how about a ‘TLT sandwich!? Wow! Or check this out! ‘Balsamic maple glazed Tempeh‘ oh boy! Tempeh Burger anyone? ‘Sweet and sour red cabbage with apples and Tempeh‘ All absolutely gorgeous!!

I also like to marinade it overnight in a sealed box in a mixture of #BBQ sauce and a little #agave. I always like to blanch it first in a pan of water with some #soya sauce and a couple of #garlic cloves. it takes off the raw taste. (but that’s just my preference)

I’m sure you can see now that #tempeh is versatile and I hope you search some or make your own out and give it a go soon!

Thank you again!

XVRHx

References: (1,2) Tip about translations-I use google transplate to read blogs in other languages. This is particularly helpful on my phone.

#vegansausages theme 3rd April 2014

Hello again all!

Welcome to another little round up of some recipes from #veganrecipehour. it was a another enjoyable night.

I have to admit to a little self indulgence with this theme! I’m a big fan of Vegan sausages and have recently started to make my own using this wonderful recipe. But, I have used Okara instead left over from making soya milk/tofu at home.

They come out looking like that and are VERY tasty! Have a go! Its worth it!

It was also clear that many of you have a soft spot for Linda McCartney sausages. I always have some of these in the freezer! I use them quite a lot for inexpensive dinners. Some examples are an ‘All day Breakfast fritatta‘, Roles into ‘meatballs’ in this ‘Kale and Chickpea stirfry‘ Or how about making your own vegetable sausages? try these ‘Summertime veggie sausages‘ Yum!

Better than this huh… ‘So what ingredients really go into your Hot Dog?’

Sometimes we all need a bit of comfort food dont we?! So, how about taking a look at this ‘Sausage and Bean Shepherds pie’ recipe from @veggiesandvegans Mouthwatering!

This recipe for ‘Two bean and leek sausages’ proved to be very popular. thank you to all who suggested it and thank you for creating it @Gourmetvegan ! Another recipe to make your own is from @Isachandra and PPK ‘Simple Italian sausages‘ look awesome!

What about a ‘sausageroll’? Doesnt that have to contain meat?! NOPE! definately not! have a look at these tasty ideas! This one is from @yogivegetarian. It used TVP mince and Yellow mung beans.Very tasty! Another lovely idea came in from @paulyoud Who has created sausage rolls using bread dough. Lovely hey!

This recipe from @NiaChubba.amazing! .. ‘yeast free stuffed crust pizza’! created using ‘Dees Wholefood‘ sausages. this is also #glutenfree! Wow!

The great thing about having #vegansausages is that many traditionally none vegan recipes can be altered simply to become a veganised version. such as a Vegan ‘Toad in the hole‘ or this megga simple ‘sausage casserole’.

If you are currently making the transition to being Vegan or if you are incorporating more vegan food, it doesn’t mean you have to ‘loose’ your favourite meals. The vegan community is amazing and will always find a way!

Please have a look at the nights tweets for more ideas and shared recipes! I will leave you with this cartoon…it sums it up really!!

Yummy…….. :o/

#govegan!

 

 

#aubergine #eggplant theme 20th March 2014

Thursday 20th March #veganrecipehour theme was all about the #aubergine.
It seems that people have mixed feelings about this beautiful shiny purple veggie.
I personally have mixed feelings! I do like and enjoy eating them though. It is true that the texture can be a little but challenging. Undercooked, it can ‘squeek’ on the teeth and overcooked, it can be a little on the slimy side. I believe with all veg, even the things we don’t like, if we try them enough and in different recipes then eventually we will find a way to enjoy them! I enjoy roasting them in herbs and spices, chopped into cubes with slices of onion and either potato/sweet potato cubes or chickpeas.
I’ve got my #aubergine ready and i am raring to go!

So, Do you call it Aubergine or Eggplant? This is an really interesting article which is worth a read!
What’s even more interesting is this list of 208 eggplant varieties! Who knew!
I love this little picture for information about Aubergines.

Thank you to @rawVeganista for pointing us in the direction of this information about #aubergines
so, now we know why we should be eating it, lets discover more about how to eat it!

Two fabulous recipes came in from @lilmissmeatfree @ElenaManighetti who suggested two classic aubergine recipes  ‘Quick and healthy fake parmigiana‘ Suggested by @ElenaManighetti ‘Greek lentil mousakka‘ fabulous!

Some wonderful suggestions from @Ephemerienne (requires translation) Such as ‘Eggplant and cauliflower balti‘  ‘Aubergine slices‘  ‘Asian Tofu and Eggplant’  ‘Aubergine soup‘ thank you!

Thank you to @segmentedsarah1 for a tasty recipe suggestion. ‘aubergine no meat balls‘ that’s something I have never tried and will definitely be giving it a go!
@lilmissmeatfree suggested a stuffed aubergine recipe. ‘Spicy stuffed Aubergine with lemon tahini Couscous’ Gorgeous!

Thank you so much to @VeganDisco for suggesting this very yummy sounding ‘curry’! This is ‘Baingan Bhurta‘ (Roasted Eggplant) You cant really go far wrong with a big plate of that! Another curry idea came in from @KerryMacuska  ‘Raw Eggplant curry over parsnip rice’ Amazing! How about a nice Aubergine chutney to go with them?
@Jasminetrinity suggested a really attractive and yummy looking ‘Aubergine and Bean rolls’ recipe yum!
‘Eggplant bacon?’ yes, you heard it right! Thank you to @KerryMacuska for this intriguing recipe! (swap honey if you wish)
‘Chinese Aubergine‘ Seems like a great idea!  thank you @B-boheme!

‘Eggplant chips‘ Anyone tried them? No, me neither! I will be doing soon though!
Thank you @jagrazi!
Ever tried a #raw Aubergine?  check out thie blog post from @RawVeganista telling us all about it! I never thought raw Aubergine could look so appealing! Thank you!
Another tasty #raw recipe was suggested by @KerryMacuska ‘Eggplant “Tortilla” w/Guac and Mixed Veggies’ Very nice!

I hope you have found something you fancy trying! Remember you can find more suggestions and recipes by searching #veganrecipehour on #twitter!

To round up, here are a few quotes from the night,

‘@Veganbandb Berenjena frita is in all tapas bars, breaded fried aubergine, it’s vegan friendly and yummy with a drizzle of agave!‘

‘@myfridgie I don’t really cook with aubergine. I find the texture a bit odd :s But I have to admit Baba Ganoush is pretty great 🙂

‘@eating_veggie Anyone use aubergine as a thickener? Roast them up, remove the flesh, blend and add to your sauce, works a treat!

‘@ZoeAnderson Roast aubergine and chickpea stew fromand my homemade ratatouille in the slow cooker’ Yum!