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:

Categories
Favourites Lunch & Dinner

Arancini

Have some leftover risotto, or just want to find out how to make arancini?? You are at the right spot, an easy to follow recipe!!!

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to the blog!!

In this post we are going to make leak & mushroom arancini filled with the pestos we made in our last post. For a more detailed video tutorial, click on the LINK for my YouTube channel.

INGREDIENTS:
– 1,5 cup of arborio rice (risotto rice)
– 100ml of vegan white wine
– 2 medium-sized onions
– 2 vegetable stock cubes
– 250g of mushrooms
– 1 leak
– 2-3 cloves of garlic
– bunch of parsley
– 1 tbsp of vegan butter
– 1,5-2 tbsp of olive oil
– 1,5 tsp of salt
– 2 tsp of pepper

For a more detailed video tutorial on how to make risotto, click on the LINK for my YouTube channel.

PREPARATION:
You can start off by choppin’ the onion (fine chop), leak (just rings), mushrooms, garlic, and parsley.
Once done, boil some water and pour 1 liter into a pot and add the 2 stock cubes to it (just keep it warm on the stove – simmering).
Preheat the pan (on high heat) and saute the onions, after that, you can add rice, stir it and heat it all up for 1-2 minutes and then you can add the white wine to it – stir and let it evaporate.
Now you can lower the heat to medium and slowly start adding stock to the risotto (stir often). It should take you about 10-13 minutes until you can add the mushrooms to the story (don’t add any more stock – you should be left with about 200ml of it still in the pot). Cook the mushrooms 2 – 3 minutes and turn off the stove – now add the rest of the ingredients (you want to keep a nice fresh kick to it): leak, garlic, parsley, olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper – one last stir and you are done!!

Enjoy a plate or two, while you let the rest cool off 😉

Once cooled down have another 3 bowls ready: 1. filled with cold water, 2. with 1/3 cup of corn starch (flour) and 1 cup of water (mix well together), 3. with bread crumbs.

1.Take a spoonful in your palm and spread it out.
2. Take the tomato pesto and put it in the middle and then fold the sides over the pesto, add some more risotto if needed and shape a ball out of it.
3. Dip the ball into the corn starch (whisk before use as it falls to the bottom)
4. Roll it into bread crumbs
5. Repeat dipping into corn starch
6. ROll into bread crumbs

Do the next one with basil pesto and vegan cheese or vegan cream cheese that works great as well.

Once done, fill a frying pan with 1,5-2 inch of sunflower oil and once up to heat fry them (try to keep it on a medium+ heat 🙂
The rest that you don’t want to use, freeze, and use for another day!

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
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
Lunch & Dinner

Noodles

Need to make lunch but have very little time?!? You are at the right place, check out our SUPER SIMPLE stir fry noodles recipe!!!

Hi Everyone,

Welcome back to my blog!

In this post I am keeping it very simple – stir fry noodles – for those busy days! It will take you no more than 20 minutes to prepare this yummy recipe filled with crispy vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:
– 200g of noodles (I used Ramen)
– 3 scallions
– 1 carrot
– 1/2 sweet pepper
– a handful of mange tout
– g of broccolini
– a few baby corns
– 1/3 of a pointed cabbage
– 2 tbsp of sesame oil
– 2 tbsp of soy sauce
– 2 tsp of salt

PREPARATION:
Go ahead and cut all the vegetables into strips/slices and cook the noodles. Now, preheat a stir fry pan on max and add 100ml of cooking oil and all the vegetables except the cabbage to it, add the salt, and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the noodles and cook for another minute – turn off the hob and add the cabbage to it, mix it and you are ready to serve it!

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Desserts

Strawberry Pie

Want a Strawberry Pie recipe that is super easy to make? You are in the right place, and my suggestion is to make 2 right away! 😉

Hi Everyone,

In this post, I will show you a super-easy way to make a delicious strawberry pie!

The ingredients that you will need for the crust are:
– 350g of flour
– 130g of sugar
– 1 tbsp of baking powder
– 1 lemon zest
– pinch of salt
– 130ml of almond milk
– 100ml of sunflower oil
– 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Place the dry components into a bowl (flour, sugar, baking powder) and also add the zest to it. Whisk it until it all mixes well.
Now add the rest of the ingredients and then knead the dough!
Once done, wrap it up in some cling film and leave it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Once you take it out of the fridge, roll out the dough and place it into a baking tray that you have buttered up with some vegan butter – cut off the parts that are sticking out and it’s time to bake it in a preheated oven for 20 minutes on a 180°C (360°F).

Now let’s make the filling to finish it off:
– 300g of strawberries (+ extra 300-400g just to cut up and place on the pie)
– 100g of light brown sugar
– 2 tbsp of agave syrup
– 1 tsp of vanilla extract
– 1,5 tbsp of lemon juice
– 4-5 tbsp of corn starch

Place all ingredients (except the corn starch) into a blender and blend it. Now, place it into a saucepan and cook it on medium heat – once boiling, mix the corn starch with some water and add it to the saucepan. Stir it for a couple of minutes and take it off the hob.

You will just need another 300-400g of strawberries, that you will cut into bigger pieces and mix in some lemon juice so they stay fresh.

Once the pie is baked, let it rest for half an hour to cool down, and then add the strawberries and filling (it should be warm) to it and you are ready to let it cool down fully in the fridge for a couple of hours before you serve it!

Cheers,

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Lunch & Dinner

Mixed Lentil Pie

Are you looking for a new Sunday lunch recipe for the whole family?? Bingo! Check out our new recipe that is packed with protein!!

Hi Everyone,

In this post, I am showing you how to make a mixed lentil pie, that everyone at your Sunday lunch table will love and is also packed with protein!

INGREDIENTS:
To start off, you will need the following vegetables:
– 2 medium-sized onions
– 3 medium-sized carrots
– 2 celery stick
– 1 sweet pepper
– 1 eggplant
– 8 medium-sized potatoes

The lentils that are used in the recipe (but you can do any lentils – approx. 300g):
– 70g of black beluga lentils
– 70g of lentils verts
– 70g of red lentils
– 70g of green lentils

The rest of the ingredients:
– 1 can of red kidney beans
– 1 can of chopped tomatoes
– 2,5 tsp of salt
– 2 tsp of pepper
– 2 tsp of chili flakes
– 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast
– 6 tbsp of milled chia seeds
– 1 tbsp of maple syrup

PREPARATION:
Go ahead and start cooking your lentils in cold water on low heat (once it starts boiling cook for another 15-20 minutes). Then, chop all the vegetables into smaller pieces, except the potatoes that have to be cut into thin slices.
Now you can heat up some oil in a pan (high heat) and add all the vegetables (not the potatoes) and saute them for 5-7 minutes and then add the rest of the ingredients (including lentils), stir it well, and cook on low heat for another 5 minutes.
Once the mixture is taken off the hob, spray some oil on the bottom of the baking tray and then put a layer of potatoes in – put some salt and oil on top and make your second layer, including a layer on the sides of the baking tray. Now it’s time to put the mixture in and then finish it off with the rest of the potatoes.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (360°F) on the fan option and bake it for 45-50 minutes.

You are ready to serve it, enjoy!

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Lunch & Dinner

Vegetable Soup With Semolina Dumplings

Looking for a simple and delicious veg soup recipe?? You are at the right place! Check out our new recipe and make it for yourself!

Hi Everyone,

In this post I will show you how to make a super easy and healthy vegetable soup, that will be served with semolina dumplings.

INGREDIENTS:
– 2 medium-sized onions
– 3 medium-sized carrots
– 3 medium-sized parsnips
– 4 celery sticks
– 4 small potatoes
– 1 eggplant
– 2 vegetable stock cubes

PREPARATION:
To start off, chop all your vegetables: fine chop onion carrots, and the rest in cubes. Saute the onions and carrots for a few minutes on high heat and then add the rest of the vegetables to the pot – mix them up and top up with cold water.
Cook the soup on low heat for an hour and a half – add the vegetable stock cubes a few minutes prior to taking it off the hob.

In the meantime let’s prepare the semolina dumplings, the ingredients that you will need are:
– 100g of wheat semolina
– 1,5 tsp of egg replacer
– 1,5 tsp of salt
– 1,5 tsp of pepper
– 1,5 tbsp of nutritional yeast
– 1 tbsp of olive oil

Wisk the egg replacer in a bowl with 3,5 tbsp of water, and after that add the rest of the ingredients and make a dough out of it. Once done, make little dumplings and then cook them in water for 45 minutes.

When your soup is cooked, separate in another pot 1/3 of it and add into the 1/3 of soup the following ingredients:
– 1,5 tsp of salt
– 1,5 tsp of pepper
– 1,5 tbsp of olive oil
– 1,5 tbsp of vegan butter

Now go ahead and blend it – serve it with the dumplings and some fresh parsley & soy cream (this serves 3).

I usually freeze the rest of the soup for another day 🙂

Enjoy!

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Desserts Favourites

Vegan Cheesecake

Hi Everyone,

In this post I am showing you how to make vegan cheesecake, that is topped up with chocolate and there is gonna be a lot of nuts (so that means a great source of protein also).

 

To start off, soak 250g of cashews in water overnight and leave a can of coconut milk in the fridge!

The preparation will be in 3 stages: base, filling, and topping. This requires patience, but it’s sooo worth it 🙂

NOTE: you will need a springform cake tin!

 

Let’s start off with the base, the ingredients that you will need:
– 70g of walnuts
– 70g of brazil nuts
– 50g of desiccated coconut
– 80g of dried dates
– 2 tbsp of cocoa powder

As dried dates are not sticky, soak them in some hot water for a few minutes!

Add the nuts together with the desiccated coconut into your blender and press the button – once you are happy with the result it’s time to add the dried dates (without water) and cocoa powder – blend it once more!

Now, take the springform cake tin and cut out a piece of baking paper to lay it on the bottom of the tin. Take your base mixture and press it firmly on the bottom of the tin – base is done! Leave it in the freezer while you are making the filling.

 

The ingredients needed for the filling:
– 250g of cashews (soaked in water overnight – otherwise it’s gonna be tough for your blender to make a smooth mixture)
– 1 can of coconut milk chilled in the fridge (for this part you will use up 2/3 of the best/fatty part of the milk – the rest will be used for the topping)
– 5 tbsp of maple syrup
– 3 tbsp of agave syrup
– 3 tbsp of lime juice
– 1 tsp of vanilla extract
– 1/2 a cup of coconut oil (liquid)

To start off, make some liquid coconut oil – fill a pan and just melt it on really low heat.

Fill the blender with the cashews, 2/3 can of coconut milk, maple & agave syrup, vanilla extract, and lime juice – blend it very well together (to make it as smooth as possible). Now, go ahead and add the coconut oil and blend it once more – take the mixture and pour it into the springform cake tin and then leave it in the freezer for about 5 hours. For extra color you can add blueberries to it and mix them into the filling

 

The ingredients for the chocolate topping:
– the rest of the coconut milk
– 5 tbsp of brown sugar
– 60g of dark chocolate
– 3 tbsp of vegan butter
– 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Pour the rest of the coconut milk into a saucepan and heat it up. Now, add the brown sugar to it and simmer for about 20 minutes on low heat (whisk occasionally) to get a thicker consistency. Then add the chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract and let it all bind together – now pour it on top of the cake and leave it for another 30 minutes in the freezer.

Leave it for an hour in the fridge before serving – optionally decorate with strawberries.

 

Enjoy!

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
Lunch & Dinner

Vegan Bolognese

Ever wondered how to make delicious bolognese since transitioning to a vegan diet? You are at the right place, check out our post.

Hi Everyone,

In this post, I am showing you how to make vegan bolognese, and it can be done in about 25 minutes, so is great as a quick lunch option and you can also freeze it for those busy days!

INGREDIENTS:
– 2 small onions
– 3 small carrots
– 1 eggplant
– 70g of red lentils
– 100g of soy mince
– 2 tsp of salt
– 2 tsp of pepper
– 1 tbsp of mixed herbs (or use fresh thyme, parsley, and basil)
– 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar
– 1,5 tbsp of nutritional yeast
– 1 tbsp of olive oil
– 6 tbsp of tomato paste

PREPARATION:

Start off with the red lentils – cook them on medium heat and once the water starts boiling, cook for about 8 minutes, so you don’t overcook them!
Soak the soy mince in water for 5 minutes and then try to squeeze as much water as possible out of it – otherwise, it becomes mushy – and you don’t want that with your bolognese 🙂
Now you can go over to the vegetables – finely cut the onions and carrots, and cut the eggplant into smaller cubes – now you can saute them for about 7-8 minutes on high heat.
Lower the heat on the vegetables and add your lentils and soy mince to in and mix it all well together.
And then add all the seasonings with a cup of water – and let it simmer for another couple of minutes!

You are ready to serve it, Enjoy!!

Serve it with pasta the original way, or make squash spaghetti (but it tastes great with rice as well).

Vito

For a video tutorial, check the link below: