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!!

Brazilian "Cheese" Bread

These Brazilian "cheese" breads are heavenly and exactly like the real ones. Pao-de-queijo as we called them in Portuguese is very popular in Brazil and one thing I thought I was never going to eat again but luckely for me and you, we now have the perfect vegan recipe.
You can keep the dough in the fridge for 2 days or freeze dough balls before baking for up to 3 months.

Ingredients:
455g potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/3 cups water plus water to boil the potatoes
2 cups tapioca flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup Vegusto No-Moo Piquant (you can use any vegan cheese you like)
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Method:
1 - In a small saucepan boil the water and cook the potatoes until tender, drain and mash.
2 - Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
3 - In a small bowl mix the tapioca flour, nutritional yeast, salt and baking powder.
4 - In a large bowl mix the cheese, 1/3 cup water and oil. Add mashed potatoes, mix together.
5 - Combine wet and dry ingredients to make a soft, smooth dough.
6 - Make small balls using your hands and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake the balls for 20 minutes or until puffed up and lightly golden.

Serve while hot! Enjoy!!


Source - Veg News

"Cheese" Crackers

This recipe was inspired by a non vegan one that my sister-in-law does it for years and I decided to veganise. The crackers are light, tasty and perfect as snack or for a party. The only problem is to stop eating them! Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
300g flour
200g spread (I used Pure Sunflower spread)
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 tbsp water
1 tsp salt
100g Vegusto No-Moo Mild Aromatic
50g Vegusto No-Moo Classic
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Method:
1 - In a small pot mix the flaxseed and the water and let it rest a bit until it gets gooey.
2 - In a big bowl mix all the ingredients together. You'll need to use your hands at some point.
3 - Let it rest in the fridge for 30-40 minutes.
4 - Using a dough roller open the dough and cut it using a small round cookie cutter.
5 - Bake it at 180C for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Kale Chips

Kale is an excellent source of calcium, vitamins A and C, iron and chlorophyll. Is that it? Nooooooooo, kale is also delish!!! This chips are perfect as a snack or you can also mix it with rice or sprinkle in your soup or salad.

Ingredients:
200g kale chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 onions chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

Method:
1 - Squeeze the kale with your hands.
2 - Spread them in a baking tray covered with baking sheet.
3 - In a food processor beat the rest of the ingredients.
4 - Using your hands mix the kale leafs with the seasoning.
5 - Bake it for 7 minutes.


Yes that is really it! Enjoy!

Homemade Focaccia

This bread is so good that Neni (my husband) eat more than half of one big loaf in less than a hour. When I thought he was about to get sic he went to the kitchen and came back with a slice of chocolate cheesecake. Don't you just hate how much man can eat and never get fat? Life is so not fair!!
Now back to the bread, this might seem difficult but it's just time consuming, most of the time you are not doing anything just waiting it to rise. But the wait is totally worth it, this bread is divine!!

Ingredients:
1 package dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
2 1/4 cups cold water
5 tbsp olive oil
3 cups bread flour
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp salt
Sea salt
2 sticks of rosemary

Method:
1 – Stir the yeast into the 1/3 cup of warm water and let it rest for 10 minutes.
2 – In a large bowl, pour in 2 1/4 cups of cold water and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
3 – When the yeast has rested pour it into the water-oil mixture.
4 – Whisk in 2 cups of flour and salt and mix well.
5 – Then, cup by cup, whisk in the rest of the flour.
6 – By the time you get to the last cup of flour, you will be able to work the dough with your hands.
7 – On a floured surface, knead the dough for 8 minutes.
8 – Transfer it to a large clean bowl, spread 1 tbsp olive oil on the dough. Cover the bowl with cling film and let it rest for 1 1/2 hours.
9 – Divide the dough in two greased baking trays, cover it with cling film and let it rest for another 30 minutes.
10 – Dimple the breads with you thumb and stick the rosemary leafs on a few of the holes and set it to rest for two hours.
11 – When there is 30 minutes to go turn the oven on at 200C.
12 – Before taking the breads to the oven spread a tablespoon of olive oil into each and sprinkle sea salt on it.
13 – Bake each bread for 15 minutes until golden brown.
14 – Turn the bread onto a rack to cool down.

If you are not going to eat it all on the same day, cover it with cling film.

Coconut Sequilho Biscuit

Sequilho is a typical Brazilian biscuit that as a vegan I though I would never eat again but with the help of flaxseed that when mixed with water can be used as a egg replacer, I managed to veganised this recipe the other day and the results was better than expected. This biscuit is light, sweet and totally addictive. It's a perfect combination with tea or coffee.

Ingredients:
150g grated coconut
3 1/2 cups cornflour
3 tbsp flaxseed
9 tbsp water
1 cup spread (vegan margarine)
1 3/4 cups light brown sugar

Method:
1 - Mix the flaxseed and the water until it gets a bit gooey.
2 - Mix the flaxseed/water mixture together with the rest of the ingredients and knead until dough forms a ball. If it gest to sticky add a bit more of cornflour.
3 - On a floured surface shape small portions of the dough into long "snakes". Cut the snakes into 1.5cm pieces
4 - Bake it on a pre-heated oven at 180C for 15 minutes

Enjoy!!

Pine Nuts Cream Cheese

This cream "cheese" is tasty and nutty with a touch of sweet from the pine nuts. You can use it as an ingredient in another recipe, on wraps or a simple crackers. It doesn't taste like a regular cream cheese so it can also be used for canapes in dinner parties. It lasts for one week in the fridge. Mouthwatering good, you will certainly impress all your friends with this beauty! Enjoy!!! :)

Ingredients:
1 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup cashew
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp white miso
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tbsp cornstarch

Method:
1 - Oil a 240ml ramekin
2 - In a food processor, finely grind the pine nuts and cashew
3 - Add the lemon juice, miso and salt and process until very smooth
4 - In a small saucepan, whisk together the milk and cornstarch
5 - Put the pan over medium heat and whisking constantly bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as it boils, it will be very thick
6 - Cook for a few seconds, then quickly scrape the mixture into the processor with the nuts and process until the mixture is very smooth. You will process it for at least 5 minutes
7 - Transfer the cream "cheese" to the oiled ramekin and cover
8 - Refrigerate for about 4 hours before serve




Source - Big Vegan cookbook by Robin Asbell

Lavash Bread

These breads are so light and tasty, you won't believe it. This recipe gives you four breads but if you want more just double the ingredients. These are good to eat fresh and warm so try to do them on the day you intend to eat it. You can basically use any kind of seasoning you want, with this anything goes! :)

Ingredients:
75g flour
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp melted spread
88 ml warm water
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp lime seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt

Method:
1 - In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt, sesame seeds and lime seasoning
2 - Pour the melted spread and warm water
3 - Using your hand mix to a soft-ball consistency.
4 - Turn on to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic
5 - Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll them into smooth balls
6 - Using a rolling pin open the dough into circles about 2 mm tick
7 - Bake it at 250C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown
8 - Brush the baked bread with the olive oil sea salt mixute

Enjoy!!!



Source - Magazine Vegetarian Living

Brazilian Vegan Queijadinha

This is my version of the Brazilian Queijadinha. Queijadinha is just lovely, the saltiness of the "cheese" together with the sweetness of the coconut and sugar it's just delicious, put that together with the lightness of the puff pastry and you get a combination to die for.
I used Vegusto cheese because it's easy to find in London, but you can used any king of mild fake cheese you like. Indulge yourself and trust me you will make this one over and over again!! :)

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry
65g desiccated coconut
4 tbsp light brown sugar
80g No-Muh Resent Piquant Vegusto Cheese
100g single cream

Method:
1 - Defrost the puff pastry
2 - Using a upside down glass make circle cut on the pastry. Group the remaining pastry and roll so you don't waste pastry
3 - Combine together the coconut, sugar, single cream and cheese.
4 - Put two tablespoon of the mixture in the middle of the round pastry cuts and press the edges of the pastry together in four or six places to hold the mixture in the middle
5 - Bake it for 25 minutes on a pre-heated oven at 180c.

If you are not going to eat it all on the same day, re-heat it on the oven as it's a lot better. Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Almond Biscuits

These biscuits are so easy to prepare and a real treat. Sweet on the right amount, they are perfect with tea or coffee! Almonds, oats and chocolate what else can I say, it's a flawless combination!! Give it a go, you'll love it!

Ingredients:
25g chopped almonds
3 tbsp golden syrup
50g melted spread
25g oats
1 1/2 tbsp chocolate powder
1 tbsp light brown sugar
75g flour
40g mashed banana

Method:
1 - Mix together the almonds, oats, chocolate powder, sugar and flour
2 - Melt the spread, add the golden syrup and mix well
3 - Pour the spread/syrup and the mashed banana to the rest of the ingredients and mix together
4 - Leave it the fridge for 20 minutes to rest
5 - Using your hands divided the mixture into small circles and place it on a baking tray covered with baking sheet
6 - Cook it on a pre-heated oven at 180c for 12-14 minutes

Enjoy!

Strawberry Delight Cookie

These cookies are a little bit of heaven, simply perfect. The light brown sugar enhances the flavour of strawberries and the cookie is sweet on the correct amount. You have to try it, that's all I have to say. :)

Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
70g spread
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
80g strawberries cut in small cubes
2 tbsp icing sugar to sprinkle

Method:
1 - Combine the flour, salt and two tbsp of sugar on a food processor
2 - Add the spread and pulse until crumbs begin to form
3 - Pour the water and vanilla and pulse a bit more to bring the dough together and let it rest for 15 minutes
4 - Mix the strawberries with the rest of the sugar and set aside
5 - On a floured surface roll the dough out to a very thin 1/16th inch thickness and cut into small squares. I used a small plastic food container upside down.
6 - Lay a tsp of the strawberry mixture in the middle of each square the fold two corners of the pastry together and press using your finger
7 - Bake it in a preheated over at 180c for 15 minutes
8 - Sprinkle the icing sugar on top of the cookies while still hot.

It is perfect with tea or coffee!!

Enjoy!!

Strawberry Chocolate Muffins

This muffin is so fluffy you won't believe it. The combination of the strawberries with the chocolate is perfect. One tip, when eating the next day heat the muffin on the microwave for 30 seconds before serve. It goes extremely well with chocolate sauce and ice cream.

Muffins ingredients:
2 cups of flour
1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup of light brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1 ¾ cups of almond milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of fresh strawberries cut in small cubes (it has to be really small)

Method:
1 – In a large bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and sugar
2 – Add the almond milk, oil, vanilla and the strawberries cubes
3 – Spoon the mixture evenly into a greased muffin tins and bake it for 20-25 minutes at 200c or until a fork comes out clean

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Croissant

Want to impress your family and friends with the minimum effort possible? If yes, that is the recipe for you. It takes literary 5 minutes to prepare the croissants (if don’t count the baking off course) and they are simply delicious. So go on indulge yourself.

Ingredients:
80g dark chocolate cut in small bits
2 sheets of puff pastry (I use Jus-roll as it is vegan)

Method:
1 - Cut the each sheet in half. You should have 4 at the end.

2 - Using a pizza knife, cut each sheet into small triangles. Each sheet should give you 4 triangles. I also put the sides together to make extra triangles.

3 - Put the pieces of chocolate on the base of the triangle and roll it.
4 - Using a fork close any open holes to prevent the chocolate from leaking when melted
5 - Bake it at 180c for 40 minutes or until brown.

Chocolate Mint Biscuits

I can stress enough how delicious these biscuits are. Let's put it this way, I've done it yesterday and there was not that much left at the end of the day. The mint is not strong, it only leaves a subtle after taste. I've done it a bit flat as I wanted it to be crunchy but you can do it a bit thicker if you prefer. Either way you have to try it! I promise you will love it!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup spread
3 tbsp almond milk (you can use the one you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Method:
1 - In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients well
2 - Add the remaining ingredients and knead it with your hands until it comes together and all the flour is incorporated. Add a bit more of flour if needed
3 - Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour
4 - Pre-heat the oven at 180c
5 - Roll a heaping teaspoon of cookie dough into a ball and place onto prepared baking sheets.
6 - Evenly flatten the dough with your fingertips so that it is about ¼ inch thick and bake for 12-14 minutes.

Enjoy!

Shortbread

I always liked shortbread so I tried to veganize a recipe I came across the other day. To be honest I wasn't expecting it to be this good as I always thought that shortbread was all about butter, but it turn out that I ended up liking this one more than the old regular ones. So if you like to have a cuppa every now and then you have to try this recipe. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:
230g spread Pure Sunflour
125g light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour

Method:
1 - Cream the spread and the sugar together in a bowl till light and fluffy
2 - Add the vanilla extract and then 250g of the flour, little at a time, and incorporate until the dough is smooth
3 - Using the rest of the flour, knead the dough on a flat surface and then roll out to a thickness of just under 1cm
4 - Cut the biscuits out with cookies cutters and place them on the baking sheet on top of a up side down baking tray.
5 - Cling film the tray and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes
6 - Preheat the oven at 180c
7 - Take the tray our of the fridge and bake it for 20 minutes or till the biscuits are golden

Source Vegetarian Living magazine. Enjoy!!

Pitta Bread Crackers

Don't know what to do with those pitta breads you bought and don't feel like eating, worry no more, these crackers taste great and goes really well with drinks. It also makes you feel good for not wasting your food and money.
You can eat it on its own or with any kind of dip you prefer. I recommend a sweet chili or caramelized onion hummus.

Ingredients:
4 pitta breads
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Italian herbs
2 tsp salt
1/2 lime juice

Method:
1 - Put the pitta breads on the toaster for about 15 seconds so it gets easier to open the pockets
2 - Open the pitta bread and cut them in 4 which will give you 8 slices per bread and spread them in a baking tray
3 - In a small bowl mix the olive oil, herbs and salt
4 - Using a cooking brush spread the mixture onto the pitta bread slices
5 - Cook at 180c for about 15 minutes or until it gets a bit brown
6 - Remove from the baking tray and sprinkle the lime juice

Enjoy!!!

Cookies

You won’t believe how easy and good these cookies are. I’ve done it a few times and since I’ve done it for the first time I haven’t done any other cookie as this is soooooooooooo good!!! Try it I can guarantee you’ll love it.

Ingredients:

150g vegetable spread (I use Pure sunflower)

100g soft light brown sugar

40g mashed banana

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp golden syrup

300g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

Method:

1 – Beat together the sugar and the spread until pale and creamy.

2 – Add the banana, vanilla extract and the golden syrup.

3 – Mix well then sift in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon.

4 – Use your hands to bring together into a dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes

5 – Roll out on to a lightly floured surface to 3-4 mm thick.

6 – Cut out festive shapes and transfer carefully to a lined baking sheet and bake for about 12-18 minutes at 160c.

Cooking time might vary according to the size of your cooking shapes so check it halfway through.

It goes really well with tea or coffee or by itself whenever you feel like snacking. Enjoy!!


Source: Vegetarian Living Magazine