Albinas’ Calzone

Albina is my lovely grandmother who is an amazing cook. This family recipe was passed from my grandmother to my mother and now it’s my turn, expect that mine is a vegan version of it. You’ll be glad to know that I’ve done good and kept the family tradition (rs). Joke aside this calzone is perfect, you can have it as main, starter or slice it into a snack. Give it a go, I guarantee you’ll love it.
 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp grounded flaxseed
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 30g biological yeast
• 2 tbsp spread
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cups flour
• 66g baby leaf spinach
• 110g green olives
• 10g pine nuts
• 10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1 tbsp nutritional yest
• Salt
• Black pepper

METHOD

1. Mix the water and flaxseed and let it rest for 15 minutes or until it gets gooey.
2. Mix the sugar and the biological yeast, stir for a few minutes until it gets liquid.
3. In a large bowl mix the flaxssed mixture and biological yeast liquid the to the rest of the ingredients and bring into a dough.
4. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 1:30 hours.
5. In a small pan fry the onion until tender.
6. Add the spinach, olives, pine nuts, tomatoes, nutritional yeast, seasoning and stir for 10 minutes
7. On a floured surface open the dough, you can make one big calzone or two medium size ones.
8. Spread the mixture in the middle of the dough and close it.
9. Brush the calzone with olive oil and bake it for 25 minutes at 200c.

Enjoy!!

Pasta al Pomodoro

I love pasta and although we all have to use the ready made tomato sauce sometimes, it's undeniable that the homemade sauce is the best. This is a easy and quick recipe and it's perfect for when you want a comfort and light dinner. Indulge yourself!!

Ingredients:
300g linguine
650g plum tomatoes cut in half
1 red onion chopped
1 onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic
10g chives chopped
Handful basil
1 vegetable cube
Black pepper
1 tbsp spread

Method:
1 - Fry the garlic and onions on a low fire for 5 minutes
2 - Add the chives and stir for about 5 minutes
3 - Add the tomatoes, black pepper, basil and vegetable cube and cook it low fire for 20 minutes.
4 - In the meantime cook the pasta in salted water as per the package instructions
5 - When the pasta is ready add the spread and mix it with the sauce.

Serve it straight away and enjoy!!

Fancy Rice Cake

I love rice cake and keep on creating different recipes and ways to prepare it. In this recipe I used a ramekin to shape it and don't they look lovely?? It's light and extremely tasty. Give it a go!

Ingredients:
300g cooked rice
1/2 onions chopped
250g chestnut mushroom
100g smoked tofu
8 baby plum tomatoes
2 sticks spring onions
65g spinach chopped
2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Method:
1 - Cook the rice as per the package instruction
2 - Fry the onion until tender
3 - Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the spinach and cook for 10 minutes
4 - Turn the fire off, add the spinach and the rice
5 - Fill a ramekin with the rice mixture and turn it on a baking tray covered with baking sheet
6 - Bake it for 35 minutes at 180C

Enjoy!

Pea Soup

If you, like me, eat a lot over Christmas, you are going to love this soup. Light, nutritious and super tasty is perfect for a so needed detox.

Ingredients:
1/2 onions chopped
10g parsley
370g  peas
10 (220g) cherry tomatoes
1 cube vegetable stock

Method:
1 - Fry the onion for 5 minutes
2 - Add the peas and the vegetable stock and stir for 15 minutes
3 - Add the tomatoes and parsley and pour 800ml of boiling water
4 - Cook it for 20 minutes and blend it on a blender.



Yes it's that easy!! Enjoy!!!

Mashed Surprise

In Brazil this is called "escondidinho" and in England Shepherd Pie. Well, my version of it, off course is neither of them, as it's vegan, but believe me it's the best. The good thing about this recipe is that you play with the filling as much as you want, I love trying different ones but mushroom is definitely my favourite. There is no other way, you have to try it! J.

 

Ingredients:
700g potatoes
150ml single cream
150g shimeji
250g chestnut mushroom
1/2 onions chopped
4 cloves garlic mashed
1 cube vegetable stock
1tbsp pine nuts
2 sticks spring onions chopped
Black pepper
2tbsp spread melted


Method:
1 - Slice the potatoes and put them in boiling salted water and cook them for about 20 minutos or until a fork can easily be poked through themoft.
2 - Drain water, add the single cream and mash the potatoes until they are lump free.
3 - In the meantime fry the garlic and onions until tender
4 - Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the spread and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time.
5 - Transfer the mushroom mixture to a baking tray and cover it with the mashed potato.
6 - Brush the top of the mash with the melted spread and bake it for 30 minutes at 200C


Enjoy!

Tofu Steak with Fried Onions

If you are not a number 1 fan of tofu, as I am, this recipe will do the trick. These fillets are heavenly good, the saltiness of the sauce together with the sweetness of the fried onions is just perfect. Give it a go, you will be amazed, and that is a guarantee!!
 

 

Ingredients:
400g firm tofu cut in 1cm slices
1/2 cup light shoyo
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic smashed
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Black pepper

1 onions cut in big slices

Vegetable oil

 

 

Method:
1 - In a baking tray mix all the ingredients apart from the tofu and the onions.
2 - Add the tofu and let it rest in the fridge for 24 hours, turning the tofu slices in the middle of the time.
3 - Heat a frying pan with a little bit of vegetable oil and fry the tofu slices, three at a time. 

4 - When they are golden brown pour two tbsp of the sauce on top of the tofu slices and fry it a bit longer so all the flavours can be absorbed. Repeat the process until all the tofu slices are fried.
5 - When you are done with the tofu, add a bit more of vegetable oil to the frying pan and fry the onions until golden brown and soft.

6 - Add the onions on top of the tofu fillets and serve right away.

Enjoy!!


 

Lentil Burgers

Iron and folic acids are two important nutrients that helps to build the red blood cell in your body. They are easily found in animal products so as vegans we need to look to make sure we get them in regular basis and the lentils are a very good source of both of them.
If you are cooking your lentils it takes around 30 minutes and make sure you don't put any salt in it otherwise then won't soften up properly. The ingredients in this burger stick together perfectly and the flavour is amazing.
I am at the moment trying to shred a few pounds so I am baking my burgers, but if you prefer to fry them don't add the olive oil as you will need some vegetable oil to fry it.

Ingredients:
250g cooked brown lentil
2 carrots grated
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp lemon and parsley seasoning
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:
1 - Mix all the ingredients together and mash a bit so they stick together
2 - Using you hand make each burger out of two tbsp of the mixture
3 - Bake the burgers for 45 minutes on a pre-heated oven at 180C
4 - Turn the burgers half way through to get an even brown colour.

Enjoy!!

Wild Mushroom Pie

This tart is so yummy that it's a blessing. The combination of ingredients gives you a delicious, full of healthy goodness meal. It is perfect with white rice and salad. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did at home!

Ingredients for the pastry:
100g flour
50g wholemeal flour
100 ml water
2 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt

Ingredients for the filling:
1 red onions cut in big chunks
2 cloves garlic smashed
250g chestnut mushroom sliced
100g wild mushroom
3 sticks spring onions chopped
200g tofu crumbled
1 vegetable cube
1 tbsp sesame oil

Method:
1 - Using your hands mix the pastry ingredients together into a soft-ball consistency
2 - Turn on to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic
3 - Open the dough on a 7 or 8 inches round spring form baking tray until the top
4 - Fry the garlic and onion on a tbsp of vegetable oil until tender
5 - Add the chestnut mushroom, vegetable cubes and spring onion and stir for about 5 minutes
6 - Add the wild mushrooms and the sesame oil and stir for another 5 minutes
7 - Turn the fire off and add the tofu
8 - Pour the filling on the baking try and fold the pasta that is left
9 - Bake it at 180c for 30 minutes

Enjoy!!!

"Ricotta" and Spinach Lasagne

This lasagne is insanely delicious. It's quick and easy to prepare. There is no need to cook the lasagne sheets before you take it to the oven and the tofu mixutre taste just like ricotta, hence the name. Give it a go, I can guarantee you will love it! :)

Ingredients:
9 lasagne sheets
250ml tomato sauce
500g tofu
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic smashed
1/2 onions chopped
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
120g baby spinach leafs
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method:
1 - Fry the onions and 2 cloves of garlic on the vegetable oil until tender
2 - Add the tomato sauce, sugar, mustard and a small amount of water and bring it to boil
3 - In a food processor beat the tofu, almond milk, olive oil, 1 cloves of garlic, lemon juice and salt
4 - Add the spinach leafs to the tofu "ricotta" mixture
5 - Spoon a bit of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and place pasta sheets on top, then spread hald of the ricotta/spinach mixture evenly using a spatula and pour more of the tomato sauce.
6 - Repeat the process until final layer of pasta and tomato sauce
7 - Bake it on a pre-heated oven at 180c for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Shiitake Tofu Stir-fry

That's a easy, quick an yet a delicious recipe. Perfect with rice and salad. It's one of those things that anyone can do in less than 30 minutes, it's light, meaty and nutritious.

Ingredients:
1/2 red onions chopped
4 cloves garlic smashed
250g Shiitake mushroom sliced
250g Tofu cut in small cubes
2 tbsp Sesame oil
1 tbsp lime and parsley seasoning
Juice of one lime
Sea salt
Black pepper

Method:
1 - Fry the onions and garlic on vegetable oil until tender
2 - Add the tofu and seasoning and fry for 10 minutes stirring from time to time
3 - Set the tofu aside and add the lime juice and salt
4 - Fry the shiitake on the sesame oil and add the tofu when most of the water of the mushroom is gone

Easy right?!! Enjoy!!

Mushroom Spaghetti

This is my post number 100 and to celebrate it I came up with this deliciously rich and yummy pasta!!!
It has been a real pleasure to create new recipes and share them with you. I hope my journey through veganism and vegan food has helped some of you out there.
To the ones who don't know me, I'm a Brazilian who live and love London and my journey to the light (lol) begun 16 years ago when I became a vegetarian and that I stayed until the beginning of 2012. Through the past 5 years I started cutting animal products from my life bit by bit and at some point it felt as if I was crossing a bridge and stopped halfway through where I felt comfortable. One day after watching the "I'm vegan" video with Dr Gary Francione, I felt like a complete fake and realised that if I was really true with everything I wanted for animals and the planet that becoming a vegan was the only way forward and that was liberating. I am healthier than I ever been and really happy with my decision. It really helped the fact that Neni (my husband) decided to go vegan with me.
Since then I started a with this blog, I am doing a Vegetarian & Vegan Nutrition Consultant Course and have just started giving cookery classes. It is just the beginning but for me a better one!
I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you fell like it, share your story with me! :)

Ingredients:
200g dried spaghetti
150g buna shimeji
250g chestnut mushroom sliced
1/2 red onions chopped
4 cloves garlic smashed
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup cashew nuts
1 tsp sesame seed
1 vegetable cubes
60g baby leaf spinach

Method:
1 - Fry the onions and garlic on the vegetable oil until tender
2 - Add the chestnut mushroom and stir for about 5 minutes
3 - Add the shimeji, cashew, vegetable cube and sesame seed and cook for about 10 minutes stiring from time to time
4 - Turn the fire off and pour the sesame oil stir together
5 - Sprinkle the spinach on top and set it aside
6 - Cook the pasta on a salted water and mix together with the mushroom and spinach mixture when ready.

Sprinkle some Vegusto cheese on top if want and enjoy!!

Revisited Baked Cauliflower

Baked cauliflower is something that I do almost every week, it is a must at my house and I constantly change things, I add new seasoning and it's always good. But this one I have been doing for a little while and as it's perfect I have decided to post another baked cauliflower recipe. I hope you like it! :)

Ingredients:

One whole cauliflower

20g Vegutso No-Moo Mild-Aromatic (Cheddar Alternative)

2 tbsp Olive oil

Salt

 

 

Method:

1 - Separate the cauliflower florets and boil it in salted water for 10 minutes

2 - Drain the water and place the florets in a baking tray

3 - Spread the olive oil and the "cheese"

4 - Bake it for 20 minutes at 180c.

Enjoy!!

Courgettes and Tofu Pasta

This pasta is absolutely delicious and it doesn't take long to prepare. It's a bless after a long day. The courgettes becomes like a angel hair pasta and it combined with the tofu and smoked sea salt is to die for. You can sprinkle any vegetable cheese you like on top but I actually prefer without as the combination of flavours in this recipe is perfect. I hope you like it!

Ingredients:
250g dried pasta
1/2 red onion chopped
250g tofu cut in small cubes
2 small courgettes
3tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp pine nuts
Zest of one lime
Smoked sea salt
Black pepper
 

Method:
1 - Fry the onion until tender
2 - Add the tofu and cook for 10 minutes stirring from time to time until light brown
3 - In the meantime cut the courgettes into small slices using a food processor
4 - Add the courgettes, lime zest, salt, 2 tbsp olive oil and pine nut and cook for 10-15 minutes stirring from time to time
5 - Cook the pasta as per package instruction until al dente
6 - When the pasta is ready combine all the ingredients together and pour the last tbsp of olive oil



Enjoy!!

Stroganoff Revisited

This is a remake of an old stroganoff recipe which are already good but I thought that needed a little quick. So I added balsamic vinegar and lime juice to the crunchy tofu and that combined with the sweetness of the ketchup and the single cream makes a perfect combination.

As you might already know, tofu is perfect for absorbing the taste of any kind of seasoning, that's what makes it so versatile and a powerful ally in the kitchen for vegans and non vegans.



 

 

Ingredients:
200g tofu cut in small cubes
250g closed chestnut mushroom sliced
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic smashed
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 lime juice
250ml single cream
Vegetable cube
3 sticks spring onions chopped
Sea salt
1/2 cup ketchup
Black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil

Method:
1 - Fry the garlic and half the onions with two spoons of the olive oil until tender
2 - Add the tofu and fry it for around 5 minutes or until it gets light brown
3 - Pour it on a bowl and add the balsamic vinegar and the lime juice and set aside
4 - Fry the rest of the onions with the remaining olive oil until tender
5 - Add the mushrooms, vegetable cube, spring onions and black pepper and cook for 7 minutes stirring from time to time
6 - When ready add the tofu, single cream and the ketchup and mix it all together

It's delicious with white rice and homemade French fries, check the recipe on a previous post. Enjoy!!

"Cheesy" Quiche

That was the conversation at my house the day I came up with this recipe:
Neni (my husband) - surely there is cheese in this
Me - yes, tofu and Vegusto
Neni - It taste as if there was dairy cheese in it
Well, that is exactly how it taste like. I absolutely love a challenge and like to veganise every recipe I used to prepare before I became a vegan. It's not that I miss cheese, because I don't, but it's good to know that if you want to, you have prepare your old recipes and they will taste as good, if not better, as they used to taste.
This quiche is lovely and perfect for an evening meal. Give it a go, you will love it!

Ingredients
200g flour
110g spread (I used Pure Sunflower)
215g tofu
1tsp balsamic vinegar
1 red onion chopped
250ml single cream (I used Provamel)
20g No-Moo Mild-Aromatic (Cheddar Alternative) Vegusto cheese grated
1 tbsp lemon parsley seasoning
1 vegetable cube
1 tbsp olive oil

Method:
1 - Using your fingers bring the flour and spread together to form a dough
2 - Open the dough on a 7 or 8 inches round spring form baking tray, depending on how high you want the sides of the quiche or devide it into four individuals quiche baking tray
3 - Fry the red onion on the olive oil on low fire for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time
4 - Squeeze the tofu block between your hand to get some of the liquid out and than to break it into crumbs
5 - Add the tofu, seasoning, balsamic vinegar and vegetable cube and stir for about 5 minutes
6 - Pour the single cream and the Vegusto cheese and stir for another 2 minutes
7 - Pour the mixture into the baking tray and cook it for 30 minutes at 180c pre-heated oven.

It is perfect with rice and salad. Enjoy!!

Tomato Spinach Pesto

I guess is pretty obvious that I don't like complicated recipes, off course as everybody else I like when I can make something that looks difficult but on the other hand I prefer to spend time with my family and friend instead of hours in the kitchen and believe me I love to prepare good food for the people I like.
Now back to the recipe, you will never believe how easy and quick is to prepare this sauce, you will actually have to wait for the pasta to be ready as the sauce will take less the five minutes.

Ingredients:
300g linguine dried pasta
500g cherry tomatoes
100g pine nuts
65g spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
50g Vegusto No-Moo Mild Aromatic "cheese"
Sea salt
Black pepper

Method:
1 - Cook the linguine on salted water as per package instruction
2 - In a food processor mix all the ingredients for about 5 minutes or until it's very well blended
3 - When the pasta is ready pour the sauce and serve while hot

Enjoy!!

Penne Rigate with Vegetable and Smoked Tofu

I know I said that before but pasta is the ultimate comfort food. This recipe is delish, rich and yet light, just what you need when it's cold and raining outside!

The smoked tofu and the sundried tomato somehow make it all taste better and the Vegusto cheese on top is heaven.

 

 

Ingredients:
170g penne rigati
250g closed cup chestnut mushroom sliced
3 sticks spring onions chopped
1/2 onions chopped
100g smoked tofu cut in small cubes
100g broccoli florets
10 slices sundried tomato
100ml single cream
1 vegetable cube
Olive oil
Black pepper
Vegusto No-Moo Mild Aromatic "cheese" to sprinkle

Method:
1 - Cook the pasta on a boiling salted water
2 - Fry the onions on the olive oil until tender
3 - Add the mushroom and broccoli and stir from time to time for 7 minutes
4 - Add the vegetable cube, smoked tofu and tomato and stir for another 7 minutes
5 - When ready turn off the fire and add the single cream and black pepper
6 - Mix it all together and pour the cooked pasta
7 - Sprinkle the vegusto "cheese" on top

 

 

Now just relax and enjoy!

Basmati Rice with Scrambled Tofu

This recipe is so simple and easy that you won't believe you never tried it before. It's something a cook all the time, either as to use the leftover of rice or tofu or from scratch. Anyway, if you haven't tried this before give it a go, I can guarantee it will become one of your regular dishes.

Ingredients:
1 cup of basmati rice
1 onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic smashed
2 cups of water
300g tofu
Parsley and lemon seasoning
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

Method:
1 - Wash the basmati rice and drain all the water
2 - While the water is boiling on a medium size pan fry half of the onion and the garlic on 2 tbsp of olive oil until tender. Add the rice and stir for a few minutes.
3 - Pour the boiling water and the salt and close the lid.
4 - It will take 10 minutes for the rice to be cooked and during this time if needed pour a bit more of water
5 - On a small pan fry the rest of the onions on the remaining olive oil until tender
6 - Crumble the tofu and add to the pan.
7 - Add the seasoning and stir for about 7 to 10 minutes
8 - When the rice is ready mix it with the tofu and serve while still hot


Enjoy!

Chestnut Mushroom and Pine Nuts

Want a recipe that is quick and delicious? Then this one is for you, it's not complicated and it takes no time to prepare at all, but it's comfort food all the way!
I absolutely love mushrooms (of any kind) and pine nuts, you can always find them in my kitchen. On this particular recipe, the sesame oil brings the flavours together in a way that is just perfect!!!
Give it a go, it is perfect with rice and salad.

Ingredients:
250g closed chestnut mushrooms sliced
1/2 onions chopped
1 cloves of garlic smashed
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
Black pepper
Salt
 

 Method:
1 - Fry the onion and garlic on the olive oil until tender
2 - Add the mushrooms and stir for about 7-10 minutes or until it loses most of its water
3 - Add the pine nuts, salt, back pepper and the sesame oil
4 - Stir for another 2 minutes and it's done

Enjoy!!! :)

Aubergines Wrap

I got the idea of this recipe from a website where they used meat on the ingredients so like I do with everything, I decided to veganise it. It was quite simple as the rice is a perfect substitute. I absolutely love aubergines, there is so much you can do with it and it is almost a guarantee of success, and this one is no exception. Give it a go, you'll love it.

 

Ingredients:
2 Aubergines
1 cup of cooked rice
10 cherry tomatoes cut in 4
1 purple onions chopped
50g spinach leafs
1 vegetable cube
Black pepper

Method:
1 - Cut the aubergine lengthways into thin slices, 6 per aubergines, and fry each slice in a non-stick pan until it's browns on both sides and lost most of its water. Remove and allow to cool before stuffing
2 - Cook the rice as per package instructions.
3 - In a separate pan fry the onions until tender
4 - Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock and stir for 7 minutes
5 - Add the spinach and stir for another 2 minutes
6 - Turn the fire off and add the rice.
7 - Put one tbsp of the rice mixture in the middle of each aubergine slice, bring both ends together and put a toothpick to hold them together
8 - Cook on a pre-heated oven at 200c for 15 minutes

Enjoy!