Category: Snacks & Sides

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Snacks & Sides

Puff Pastry Pizza Fornetti

Puff Pastry Snacks (Fornetti) are the go-to for any occasion!! Check out our new pizza-flavored recipe and follow along with us!!!

Hello,

In this post, we are showing you how to fill puff pastry with a pizza filling!
It’s super quick and easy, and is great when a few friends come over, or just as a snack for yourself!

INGREDIENTS:

– 1 puff pastry (we found a vegan one in an Aldi store)
– 120g of tomato paste
– 1 tbsp of sugar (we used light brown)
– 1 tsp of salt
– 1/2 tsp of pepper
– 1/2 tbsp of mixed herbs
– 1 tbsp of freshly cut chives (optional)
– 1/4 tsp of Aceto Balsamico
– 50g of grated vegan cheese

PREPARATION:

Go ahead and start by placing all the ingredients into a bowl and mix them together (except for the puff pastry :).

Roll out the puff pastry and cut it into 12 even squares – take a hipped teaspoon of mix and place it in the middle of the square and it’s really up to you how you shape them – the mixture shouldn’t really ‘leak out’ during baking.

Preheat your oven on a 180°C (360°F) FAN option,

Bake for 15-20 minutes and you are ready to serve!

Enjoy,

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Snacks & Sides

Homemade Sauerkraut

Wanting to make sauerkraut but don’t know how? You are at the right place – roll up your sleeves, get your cabbage and let’s start

Hi Everyone,

For today we have such a tasty & easy recipe and it’s Sauerkraut! Next to cabbage and some salt, get those muscles ready! The process from cabbage to sauerkraut will take a minimum of 2 weeks (to make it sour enough) but can be stored for much longer – as long as it’s in a cold and dark place.

INGREDIENTS:
In this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
– 1 cabbage (but use as many as you want)
– salt (2% of the cabbage weight)
– 1 small carrot
– 1/4 of a red bell pepper
– 2-3 garlic cloves
– 1/2 tbsp of mustard seeds

The traditional Sauerkraut is just made from cabbage and salt – so go ahead if you like it just that way!

PREPARATION:
To start off let’s cut the cabbage in half, take the hearths out and then nicely shred it – by knife, mandolin, shredder, or food processor.
Once done, transfer it into a bowl and weigh the cut cabbage – now you will know how much salt you need.
We got 950g of cabbage, so 2% would be 19g of salt!

950 x 0,02 = 19

Put the salt into the bowl and leave it for 10 minutes.

Now it’s time for the thought part start squeezing the cabbage to the point that it’s not crispy anymore and that a lot of water came out – it will take at least 10 minutes.

Go ahead and cut the carrot, pepper, and garlic and then add them to the cabbage together with the mustard – mix it well together!

Fill your glass container with the cabbage and top it up with the brine that is left and now firmly pack the cabbage mixture into the container – press it together so you have at least 1 inch of water covering the cabbage.
It’s very important that the cabbage mix stays submerged under the brine (so it doesn’t go off) so use a weight to keep it down – in this case, I just used a food bag filled with some water.
Store the sauerkraut in a dark and cold place and release the air from the container 3 times a week (scum will occur on top of the liquid – just remove it).
The fermentation is complete when the bubbling stops – you can then store it in containers in the fridge and use it for up to 3 months.

You can also use a fermenting crock (vessel) that is much easier to use (a very good buy if you are planning to make sauerkraut more often) – the water seal on top allows gasses to escape but prevents anything from coming in!

As mentioned at the beginning of the post, the sauerkraut will be ready for use already in two weeks!

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Snacks & Sides

Texas BBQ Sauce

Looking for a recipe to make a spicy dip at home?? Follow this recipe to make the best Texas BBQ Sauce that is also 100% VEGAN!!

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to the blog!

In this post, we will show you how to make a Texas BBQ sauce that we will also use as a glaze for our upcoming recipe: Meatless loaf!

INGREDIENTS:
– 1 small onion (or 1/2 medium-sized)
– 2 cloves of garlic
– 2 tbsp of vegan butter
– 1 cup of ketchup
– 1/2 cup of light brown sugar
– 1 tbsp of mustard
– 1 tbsp (spicy)/1 tsp (mild) of chili powder
– 1,5 tsp of salt
– 1,5 tsp of pepper
– 1/2 tsp of ground ginger
– 1/4 cup of Apple cider vinegar
– 2 tbsp of lemon juice
– 1 tsp of liquid smoke
– 1 tbsp of soy sauce

PREPARATION:
To start off, go ahead and dice the onion & garlic.
Now, take a saucepan and put it on high heat and then add the butter, let it shortly melt (don’t let it burn) – add onion and saute for 1-2 minutes.
The next step is to add garlic and then the rest of the ingredients – lower down the heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes while stirring occasionally (the longer you cook it, the thicker your sauce will be).
Once you are happy with the thickness of the sauce, you will only have to blend it to smoothen the sauce up.

Enjoy it with the meat-less-loaf recipe that is coming out next, or use it for various dips for your chips, burgers, etc.

 

Cheers,

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Snacks & Sides

Guacamole

Looking for a way to make perfect guacamole? You are at the right place, get your avocado ready, and begin!

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to the blog!

In this post, I will show you how to make guacamole, which is super quick and easy! Use it as a wrap filling or as a dip – in case you want to make the perfect chips/crisps take a look at the following video on my YouTube channel by clicking on the LINK.

INGREDIENTS:
– 3 ripe avocados
– 2 spring onions
– 1 medium-sized tomato
– 1 tsp of salt
– a bit of coriander (cilantro)
– 2 tbsp of lime juice
– 1 tsp of chili flakes (or any fresh/dried chili you like)

PREPARATION:
Clean the avocados, put them in a bowl, and add the lime juice to it – now you can mash the avocado (with a fork or a potato masher).
Cut the onions and coriander fine, and get the seeds and water out of the tomato before cutting and adding it to the mashed avocado – now also add the rest of the ingredients and you are ready to serve it.

Thank you and enjoy!

Cheers,

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Snacks & Sides

Crispy Potato Chips

Looking to make the perfect crispy chips/crips?? You are in the right place! Check out our new post and follow along – Enjoy!!!!!

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to the blog!

In this post, we will show the BEST way (in our humble opinion) to make that crispy chips/crisps!

Cut some potatoes (or use a slicer/mandolin/food processor) in 2-3 millimeter thick slices and then wash them 2-3 times in cold water (try to separate them all while doing this). This is done to wash off the starch, so they don’t stick during the cooking.
Once you washed them, leave them in cold water for 15-20 minutes and add 2 tbsp of salt to it.
Before you cook them, lay them on a paper towel and also cover them with some paper to take off the excess water – you are ready to cook them!

Fill a pan with 1-1,5 inch of cooking oil and heat it up (the best temperature is about 180°C (360°F). Don’t put too many chips into the pan, so they can cook while not touching the other chips – it will take about 3 minutes to cook (flip them over half way).

Enjoy!

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

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Favourites Snacks & Sides

Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Pesto

Looking for an easy way to make delicious pesto – tomato or basil? You are in the right place, follow along, and make it yourself!

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to my blog!!

Today I am going to make a couple of delicious pestos: sun-dried tomato & basil pesto.

You can use these for various things as: pasta, spreads, dips, salads; and it keeps for about 5 days if properly stored (airtight container – refrigerated).

SUNDRIED TOMATO PESTO recipe

INGREDIENTS:
– 150g of sundried tomatoes (drained from oil)
– 50g of quinoa (cooked)
– 50ml of olive oil
– 50ml of water
– 1 tbsp of maple syrup
– 1 tbsp of lemon juice
– 1,5 tsp of salt
– 2 tsp of pepper
– a pinch of chili flakes
– a bunch of chives
– 5-6 garlic cloves (roasted)
– 25g of walnuts

PREPARATION:
Cook the quinoa in cold water, once up to boil, lower the heat, and cook for 15 minutes.
Roast the garlic cloves (skin on) in the oven for 18-22 minutes on 180°C (360°F) FAN option.
Drain the tomatoes from their oil – you can keep the oil for cooking or salads (great umami taste!).
Once the garlic is roasted, clean it and also drain, and then wash the quinoa in cold water.

Now, it’s time to blend it together, add all the ingredients except for the quinoa, and give it a good blend. Stop halfway to scrape the sides of the blender using a spatula.
At the very end, go ahead and add the cooked quinoa to the pesto, and give it just a quick blend!

One pesto down, one more to go 😉

BASIL PESTO recipe

INGREDIENTS:
– 4 cups of fresh basil
– 1-1,5 tsp of salt
– 1,5 tsp of pepper
– 3 tbsp of nutritional yeast
– 1/3 cup of olive oil
– 1 tbsp of lemon juice
– 50g of roasted pine nuts
– 2 cleaned garlic cloves

PREPARATION:
First, roast the pine nuts in a pan with NO oil!
Your next step is only to put all the ingredients into a blender and to nicely blend it all together!

Enjoy and don’t forget to check out the upcoming video this weekend, where we will be using these pestos to make a filling for homemade arancini.

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Snacks & Sides

Cauliflower Snacks

Are you looking for a nice vegan snack for any occasion? Make yourself these nice cauliflower snacks in delicious coatings! Enjoy!

Hi Everyone,

In this video, I will show you how to make great cauliflower nuggets, that is a great snack for any occasion 🙂 You can bake or fry them, that is totally up to you (but I liked the healthier option of baking).

INGREDIENTS:
– 1 small cauliflower (approx. 700g)
– 1,5 tsp of salt
– 1/2 tsp of black salt
– 1,5 tsp of pepper
– 1,5 tbsp of nutritional yeast
– 1,5 tbsp of olive oil
– 1,5 tsp of egg replacer (with 50ml of water)
– 100g of regular flour (or gram flour if you want a gluten-free recipe)
– 3 coatings are used: Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and bread crumbs

PREPARATION:

To start this recipe off, shred your cauliflower on the small-hole side of the box grater – once done, add the regular salt to it so the cauliflower can release its water!
In the meantime, prepare the egg replacer by adding 50ml of water to the powder and then give it a good whisk.
Now you can take a thin cloth (if you have it), or just a strainer and squeeze as much water as possible out of it!
Once done, add the cauliflower to the egg replacer along with the rest of the ingredients (except flour) and give it a good mix – now you can add flour and make a nice dough.
Your next step is to form small ball nuggets and then roll them into your favorite coating 🙂

In case you are baking them, place them on a baking tray with some baking paper, and preheat your oven to 180°C (360°F) – bake them for 15-20 minutes.

In case of frying them, just keep in mind not to heat up the oil too much, as they are fairly quickly done!

You are ready to serve it, Enjoy!!

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Snacks & Sides

Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Who said you can’t make delicious and plant-based mashed potatoes, well they were wrong! All you need is my secret ingredient…..

This VEGAN mash potato is a real favorite even among my non-veggie friends, so don’t miss on trying this one yourself!!

INGREDIENTS:

– 5 medium-sized potatoes

– 2x 2 tsp salt

– 2 tsp pepper

– 50g cashews

– 2 tbsp coconut oil

And my secret ingredient is….. homemade CASHEW MILK!

You will also need a hand-held blender to make your cashew milk.

PREPARATION:

How to make it: Peel and cut your potatoes into cubes and top them up with cold water and add 2 tsp of salt to it. Once you bring it up to boil, lower down the heat and let it cook for 8-10 minutes (this all depends on the types of potatoes). In the meantime, soak the cashews into warm water for about 10 minutes, you will just have enough time for that while your potatoes finish with cooking. Once you drain your cooked potatoes, blend your cashews in some fresh warm water for a minute, until you get a smooth compound. Now it is time to do your last steps, add salt, pepper, coconut oil, and your cashew milk to the potatoes and start mashing (may the force be with you on this one)!!

A quick tip: if you want your mash a bit more creamy, you can always add a bit of soy milk, or make more cashew milk (it’s important that it suits your taste buds).

Thank you for reading.

Vito

 

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Snacks & Sides

Vegan Mayonnaise

Do you like sauces but couldn’t find any replacement for mayo? Make yourself this easy and delicious vegan mayo in only 5 minutes!

Hi Everyone!

Today I am showing you a quick, easy, and cheap way to make homemade vegan mayonnaise – made in less than 5 minutes!

The ‘secret’ ingredient is black salt that you can find in most Asian stores – it gives a very similar taste to eggs (also known as Kala namak or Himalayan black salt – that gets this taste and flavor mostly because of sulfur).

INGREDIENTS:

– 100ml of soy milk

– 1/2 tsp of regular salt

– 1/2 tsp of black salt

– 1 tbsp of lemon juice

– 1 tbsp of Apple cider vinegar

– 1,5 tsp of dijon mustard

– few drops of agave syrup

– 200ml of sunflower oil

PREPARATION:

First place all of the ingredients except the oil in a bowl, and quickly blend it (hand-held blender), keep the blender on the bottom and add the oil – start blending and keep it on the bottom for around 20 seconds while it emulsifies – than you can start going up and down with the blender to finish the mayo off!

You can also flavor it up later but I wouldn’t mix anything liquidy as it won’t bind!

You are ready to serve it, Enjoy!!

 

For a video tutorial, check the link  below:

Categories
Snacks & Sides

Soybean Snack

Created with GIMP

Ever wondered what to do with dried soybeans? This is the perfect occasion to find out what to make when your friends come over!!

Hello everybody,

It’s nice to have you back!

In this post, I will show you a simple yet delicious snack made out of soya beans. It will be both crunchy and spicy, sounds good right? 🙂

The preparation will start a day prior, where you will have to soak 2 cups of dried soybeans in a bowl of water. This will make them bigger, so count for some extra water in that bowl.

INGREDIENTS:

– 3 tbsp of oil (I made a mixture of sunflower and sesame for an extra punch)

– 3 tsp salt

– 2 tsp of chili (this really depends on how spicy YOU like it)

– 2 tsp of seasonal cajun and fennel mix (you can find these in almost any grocery store)

PREPARATION:

To start off the day of snacking, drain the soya beans and give them a good wash (take out the separated skins and the ‘not so good lookin’ ones’). After that, place them back in the bowl and add all the seasoning to it – give it a good mix. If you do this by hand, don’t be touching your eyes – trust me on this one!

Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) on the FAN option. Take some baking paper and place it on a baking tray and nicely spread all the soya beans on it. Now it’s roasting time! The baking will take around 30 minutes, but take them out every 7-8 minutes to give them a mix, so they don’t burn that quickly.

At last, once you take them out of the oven, you can give them some extra flavor with 2 tsp of dried paprika and then transfer them to some kitchen paper so it soaks out the extra oil.

Enjoy!!

 

For a video tutorial, check the link below: