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
Lunch & Dinner

Jackfruit ”Tuna” Salad

Are you craving a tuna salad while being vegan? It can still be done, and you will need jackfruit! Check out and make it yourself!

Hi Everyone,

In this post, I will show you how to make a great jackfruit ‘tuna’ salad that is done in only 15 minutes! I’ve been using homemade vegan mayonnaise. You can check the recipe on my Webpage or on my YouTube channel.

INGREDIENTS:
– a can of young jackfruit
– 1 tsp of salt & 2 tsp of seaweed
– 1 tsp of pepper
– 1,5 tsp of mustard
– 1 tbsp of vegan butter
– 2 tbsp of vegan cream cheese (I used Violife)
– 4 tbsp of vegan mayonnaise
– 1 celery stick
– 2-3 pickled gherkins
– 80g of sweetcorn (half of a small can)

PREPARATION:

To start off, get the jackfruit ready for your salad – take out the pits and separate it (the same way as when making pulled jackfruit).

Now mix up the following: Mayo, cream cheese, butter, mustard, salt, pepper, and seaweed – mix it all well together and add it to the jackfruit.

Now fine chop the celery & gherkins, and add them together with the sweetcorn to the jackfruit – mix it all well together!

Chill the salad in the fridge and you are ready to serve!

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:

Categories
Favourites Lunch & Dinner

Vegan Sausages

Did you know that sausages can be made vegan, and extremely delicious at the same time? Well, they can! Check out my recipe today!

Today I am going to make yummy vegan sausages!

INGREDIENTS:
– 200g of sweet potatoes (peeled)
– 1 can of red kidney beans
– 40g of green lentils
– 40g of mixed quinoa (cook both for 10 min once up to boiling)
– 2 tsp of salt
– 2 tsp of pepper
– 1,5 tsp of dried paprika
– 1,5 tsp of garlic powder
– 1,5 tsp of onion powder
– 2,5 tbsp of nutritional yeast
– 2 tbsp of tomato paste
– 150g of vital gluten flour

PREPARATION:

To start off, cook the sweet potatoes (they will need about 8-10 min once the water is boiling), and also cook the lentils and quinoa (for 10 minutes once the water is boiling).
Place the beans into your blender with about half of the liquid out of the can together with the sweet potato and blend it well!
Once done, place the mixture into a bowl and add all the rest of the ingredients besides vital gluten flour and mix it well
Now you can add the flour and kneed it until it nicely incorporates.

The next step is to wrap them tightly into some cling film – you will see this step best in the video itself!

Leave them in the fridge for at least 1 hour, then you can unwrap them and put them into a preheated oven on 140 – 160C for about 20-25 minutes (turn them over after 10 minutes)

To get and extra crispy skin, you can dissolve some sodium alginate in water with a bit of sugar and dip the sausages in it before cooking.

Enjoy!

For a video tutorial, check the link below:

Categories
Favourites Lunch & Dinner

Mushroom Risotto

Do you like risotto? Try this easy mushroom and leek recipe!!! It is so creamy and delicious you will want to cook it for days!

In this post, I’ll show you how to make a perfect creamy vegan risotto. It will take about 30 minutes for this and this is more than appropriate for those romantic candlelit dinners. Besides the ingredients, every risotto requires a lot of love and attention!

INGREDIENTS:
– 1 cup of Arborio rice
– 100g of the cut leak
– 1 medium-sized onion
– 2 garlic cloves
– 250g of champignons
– a bunch of parsley
– 100ml of vegan white wine
– 1,5 tbsp of olive oil
– 1 tbsp of vegan butter
– 2 tsp of salt
– 2 tsp of pepper
– 2 vegetable stock cubes

 

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).
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 3 – 4 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!!

You are ready to serve it, Enjoy!!

 

For a video tutorial, check the link below: