Saturday 26 October 2013

Come and have a chat

  Bring out your bloggers:
Thursday 31 October from 7-8pm at Woodcroft Library

Who blogs? Who reads blogs? Come together to share your favourite blogs and to meet three of Adelaide’s bloggers. Check them out!

Clare Coulter-A New Hope http://foodsnewhope.blogspot.com.au/

Alicia Parsons-Atypical Type A http://www.atypicaltypea.com/

Amanda McInerney-Lambs’ Ears and Honey http://www.lambsearsandhoney.com/

To book please phone 8384 0050 or book online http://tinyurl.com/bloggingevent See More


 

Raw Strawberry Chia Jam

I love jam but I don't love eating jam that is 60% sugar and 40% fruit. I have started playing around with making "quick" jams or things which can be used in the place of jam but have a much shorter lifespan. This is one variety which I made to have with some rye scones- which were a bit of a flop but the jam was delicious. It takes about two minutes to make and has only three ingredients, it will keep in the fridge for about 3-4 days, but you could freeze it to make it last longer.



Ingredients

1 punnet of strawberries (or frozen and defrosted would work too)
1 tbsp honey or brown rice syrup
1 tbsp chia seeds 

Process

Rinse and remove the stems of the strawberries and place in a small bowl. Mash the fruit roughly with a fork until your desired consistency is reached (you could use a blender but I like a few fruity lumps). Stir in the chia seeds and honey and pour into a glass container. Place in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the chia seeds to thicken the "jam". Enjoy as you would any other jam- on toast, on scones, dolloped onto porridge, let your imagination go wild!



Friday 25 October 2013

Corn bread muffins



It has been quiet around here... that is on the blog because things in life have been anything but quiet. So I'm sorry for the lack of recipes popping up, I promise I am getting back on the cooking/ blogging horse. So although I haven't been cooking much in the last month I have.... been to first birthday parties of my special nephew, had my kitchen tea for my upcoming wedding, got MARRIED and been on a honeymoon.... so a little busy. So it has been a crazy busy but very fun few weeks.

These cornbread muffin were something I made to go with a big pot of vegan chilli to see us through the crazy weeks and trust me it went down a treat. The muffins taste a little cheesy that's to the nutritional yeast and are also very high in B12 for the same reason. They can be entirely gluten free if you don't use any plain flour. The best things is these guys freeze really week and can be chucked in the oven while you warm up a bowl of chilli and then you have "fresh" corn bread and a hot comforting bowl of beans in no time.


Ingredients 
2 cups polenta
1/2 cup plain flour 
1/2 chickpea flour (or another 1/2 cup of plain flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder or smoked paprika
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes (really worth it)

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Oil a muffin tin and set aside. Throw all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Spoon mix into prepared muffin tin and place in the oven for approximately 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them, you don't want to dry them out. Serve warm with coconut oil or vegan butter. Yum. 


Sunday 8 September 2013

Happy first birthday!





I somehow completely forgot that my little blog has just turned one! If I had time (and wasn't planning a wedding that was only SIX WEEKS away) I would make this cake to celebrate. Thank you to everyone who reads and most importantly try my recipes. A huge thank you to those who have written to me to let me know how they have turned out, I love to hear from you. 
Here is to another year of wonderful healthy vegan food. 
Clare x
p.s picture is of an amazing cake from My New Roots. Check it out here

Spring clean detox: green smoothie




Spring has sprung! What better way to welcome the change in season than with a gentle cleanse. Cleansing can seem like a lot of hard work but really it can be as simple as eating lots of fresh fruit and veg and doing some extra exercise. When I cleanse I like to cut out all caffeine, sugar, alcohol and limit grains. I increase my vegetables and exercise and try to remember to dry brush in the morning and that's about it. I find that how I start the day sets the tone for the rest of the day and sets me up for success. There are lots of little changes you can try to add into your morning routine to promote detoxification and get your energy levels going. Some of my favorite things to do include:
  • Start the day by drinking a big glass of room temperature water with the juice of half a lemon in it.   
  • Dry brush with a few drops of rosemary oil. 
  • Take some probiotics.
  •  Do some yoga. 
  • Get outside in the fresh air for a jog or a walk. 
  • Scrape your tongue. 
  • Have something super clean for breakfast.
  • Drink smoothies and green juice. 
Other detox ideas include:
  • hot yoga. 
  • Detox baths with ginger and essential oils. 
  • Herbal teas including fennel, ginger, peppermint, lemon balm. 
  • Eat lots of soups and salads. 
  • Get some sunshine.
When I am doing a gentle cleanse I like to start the day with a big green smoothie. There are HEAPS of recipes out there for green smoothies but I find this one is a winner every time and it is packed full of veggies to keep you full until morning.  

I love green juices but I tend to make more smoothies as the clean up is so much easier. If you are trying not have sugar replace the banana with a tablespoon of chia seeds and use coconut water instead of water.
 
Ingredients

1 banana
1/2 a cucumber

1 handful kale or spinach
1/2 avocado
juice of half a lemon
Big handful of fresh mint
1/4 cup of chopped fresh fennel

optional extras
1 tbsp almond butter
vegan protien powder
bee pollen
chia seeds

Directions: Combine all the ingredients in a blender with 11/2- 2 cups of water. Blend until smooth. Enjoy. 
So tomorrow I am starting a cleanse for a little while. I am going to aim for at least a week but maybe longer depending on how things are going. I'll keep you posted!

Clare x



Monday 5 August 2013

Super calcium and protien smoothie



This smoothie is packed with natural protien and calcium (no powders required!) and tastes far more indulgent than it is.  You can use any berries that take your fancy, it is great with raspberries, blueberries and even strawberries or a combination of them all. I'm not going to try and be an expert of proteins and minerals and all that but I have put a few links to some interesting articles about vegan sources of protien and calcium. If I could recommend one source of information in would be the book Vegan For Life. It has so much wonderful information for creating and maintaining a healthy vegan diet across all parts of the lifespan. 
But on to the good stuff! Not only is this smoothie full of protien, calcium and antioxidants (from all those berries) it tastes more delicious than healthy. Try it with coconut milk for a an extra creamy treat. 

Ingredients
1 cup berries
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp seeds (hemp, sunflower, flax)
1 cup water or milk of choice
1 tsp bee pollen
1 banana
1 tbsp almond butter 

Protein sources: (see here for more information)
Seeds
Bee pollen


Calcium sources: (see here for some interesting information)
Tahini 
Almond butter

Optional but delicious:
dates for extra sweetness
raw honey
coconut yogurt
pro-biotic powder
dash of pure vanilla

All you have to do is pop all the ingredients in your blender and mix until well combined and then Enjoy.



Saturday 3 August 2013

Summer cooking inspiration: Vegetable sushi


It is a long way off summer here in South Australia but if it was warm this is what i would be trying to recreate. While we were in Japan we went to an amazing Vegetarian sushi place in Ginza. Here are some photos to help share the experience. Seriously amazing food, handmade in front of you. I wish i could remember the name of the place so I could recommend it to you!



Sunday 21 July 2013

Banana and hemp seed bread




It is cold! Bone freezing, toes going numb kind of cold. And on cold days nothing makes a better Sunday afternoon treat than something cozy from the oven. This recipe is adapted from one of my all time favorite cookbooks "Wholefood" which has a wonderful range of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free recipes and the occasional meat based recipe. One of the things I love about this book and in fact all books by Jude Blereau is that the recipes are easily modified to suit different dietary needs or if not she will let you know not to bother trying. I have pretty much cooked my way from one end of Wholefood to the other and everything has come out perfectly and deliciously. I cant recommend this book more. 
This version of Jude's banana bread came about in two ways. Firstly I wanted to try making a vegan version of her cake and also I had run out of walnuts but had a fresh bag of delicious hemp seeds sitting on my bench. 
Apart from tasting great this cake/ bread will make your house smell incredible. Defiantly one to make if you want to get your family or guests excited before it even leaves the oven.


Banana and hemp bread- based on the banana cake recipe from "Whole food" by Jude Blereau 

1 cup white spelt flour
1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried ginger 
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup dates chopped
1/2 cup hemp seeds
3 very ripe bananas mashed
1 banana sliced
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
6 tbsp coconut oil + a little extra to grease your tin
1/2 cup non dairy yogurt (I used coconut)
1 cup non dairy milk (I used almond) 


Lightly grease a loaf pan and set aside, preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Mix the flours, baking powder and spices together. Add the chopped dates and hemp seeds and make sure they are well combined. Add the mashed bananas, molasses, coconut oil, yogurt and milk and milk gently until just combined. Carefully fold through the sliced bananas.
Pop in the oven and bake for about 50 minutes. Carefully check, and if it requires it pop it back in for another 10 minutes of so. Allow to cool for about 10 before you tuck in. It is perfect still warm from the oven and freezes really well.

Friday 5 July 2013

Spiced cauliflower soup

A quick wintery soup for a cold and wet weekend. This soup is mildly spiced and creamy. The kind of soup that is perfect on its own but also great with some fresh crunchy bread. If you are a plan ahead kind of person I recommend making this soup the day before you serve it and let it sit over night the spices will come together more and the soup will thicken a little.

Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower chopped
1 onion diced
1 carrot diced
2 sticks of celery diced
1-2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1-2 tsp sea salt
1 can coconut milk
1 cup yellow split peas

To finish
olive oil
spring onions
chilli flakes

Process
Put split peas in a large saucepan with 4 cups of water. Bring to the boil and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes or until soft and set aside. In another saucepan heat some olive oil. Add the onions and cook over low heat until soft. Add the carrot, celery and spices and cook on low for another 5 minutes. If begins to stick add a little water. Add the chopped cauliflower and salt and 2 cups of water. Cook until cauliflower is tender. Add the cooked split peas and coconut milk and blend with a stick blender adding a little extra water if required. Finish with olive oil, diced spring onions and chilli flakes.


**Please excuse the poor photos, running out of light is becoming an issue in taking photos for this blog- come back summer!!

Saturday 22 June 2013

Winter juice


It is official flu season has officially hit our house, which hopefully explains the lack of recipes on the blog lately as we have both been curled up on the couch with a box of tissues for the past two weeks. One thing I have been doing to build my immune system and to try and fight off this bug is drinking super spicy and warm juice. As soon as the cold weather hits my love for juices and smoothies starts to fade, but with a bit of tweaking this is a super comforting, super nutritious, cold fighting juice which will only take seconds to make. 

What you need: 
1 apple (I like golden delicious)
2 - 4 carrots (depending on how big they are)
a 1/2 thumb size piece of ginger 
warm water
cinnamon sticks to serve

Put the carrots, apple and ginger through a juicer as per normal. Pour into a large glass or mug and top up with warm-hot water. If you like you can serve with a cinnamon stick or some whole cloves for some extra body warming spice. Sip slowly while under a blanket on the couch and feel better (makes one juice).



Saturday 1 June 2013

Acai bowl

This one is for my friends in the Northern Hemisphere where the sun is shining. I made this a while back when the weather here was still warm. This acai bowl is basically a thick berry smoothie which you eat with a spoon with any yummy toppings you like. Perfect for a hot morning for breakfast or a sunny afternoon snack. It wont be featuring on my menu here anytime soon as the winter weather has arrived, but looking at the sunny colours makes me dream about summer coming back.


Friday 24 May 2013

Buckwheat granola (Gluten free)



I'm a big breakfast person. I love making my own muesli and porridge mixes to have on hand ready to throw together for quick and delicious weekday breakfast. I have been wanting to try to make my own raw granola for ages BUT I don't own a dehydrator and our oven in a furnace. It doesn't matter how low I put it, everything still burns if I'm not super careful. This started as a attempt to make raw granola using the "keep warm" setting on the oven but unfortunately it got a bit toasted but it still tasted amazing. If you own a dehydrator or a oven that will work you can make this raw for sure. But otherwise makes a delicious crunchy granola which keeps really well in a sealed glass jar.
I've been enjoying the granola on top of green smoothies along with bee pollen and hemp seeds. Kev likes it in a more traditional style with nondairy milk and some fruit. However you like your morning cereal this granola is a crunchy, slightly sweet and super healthy way to start you day. It makes a small amount as I've been making a fresh batch each week but I have made double and triple batches as well and they turn out great.

Sunday 19 May 2013

Malyasian cooking


I promised a recipe from our time away. While in Penang we did a cooking class with a local home cook called Pearly. During the class we went on a tour of a amazing local market and then went to Pearly's home to learn how to cook three dishes and then share for lunch. Although none of the dishes on the menu were vegetarian Pearly happily adapted them for me so I could still be a part of the class. If you go to Penang you must find time to go to one of Pearly's classes (see here for details). I asked Pearly if I could share one of the dishes here with you all. This is the vegetarian version of the Sambal Goreng which traditionally uses prawns instead of the eggplant. This was my favorite dish we made, I love the cashew coconut sauce and the fried chillies. So good! Although there is a bit of cutting involved it comes together really quickly. Serve with rice and some greens for a lovely meal. 

Sambal Goreng
In Pearly's book she writes that she doesn't know why this dish is called Sambal Goreng as it doesn't contain any sambal!

1/4 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup of water
4-5 tbsp of vegetable oil
4-6 shallots sliced
4-6 gloves of garlic sliced
4 large fresh chillies (2 red and 2 green) seeds removed and sliced
4 small purple eggplants
20 cashews toasted and chopped to garnish

Spice paste
15g tamarind
1/3 cup of water
2 stalks of lemongrass finely sliced
20-24 cashews
1/4 tsp of salt
** if you don't mind shrimp paste add 1 flat tsp of shrimp paste but works fine without it.

Squeeze the tamarind repeatedly in water. Rest for 15 minutes and then squeeze again. Strain the water off using your fingers (not a sieve) and place in a blender. Put all the other spice paste ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth and set aside.
In a small bowl mix the coconut cream and water. Heat wok with the vegetable oil. Fry the shallots until crisp and set aside. Keeping the same oil, fry the garlic until crisp and set aside. Remove all the oil (and set to one side) except 1 tsp and fry the chillies for about 10 seconds and set aside.
Add the oil back to the wok and fry the eggplants until soft and golden. Remove from the wok and set aide. Fry the spice paste and coconut milk over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes.
Pour the white sauce into a serving dish. Place the eggplant and chillies on top of the sauce. Add the toasted cashews and garnish with the fried shallots and garlic. Serve immediately.






Saturday 4 May 2013

We are back!


After having an amazing time, we are home and getting back into things. I will be back shortly with a delicious Malaysian recipe we picked up while we were away but in the mean time here are a few pictures to get you started. The photos are all taken in and around Penang. We ate some of the most incredible food in this city. If you have ever been to Penang you would know that the people there take their food VERY seriously. I will be back to share more soon and a recipe or two. Until then enjoy a few sneak peeks from around George Town, Penang. 





Sunday 21 April 2013

Weekday breakfast: Steel cut oats with roasted rhubard and apple

As the weather gets cooler my mornings change from fruity smoothies to something warming. Like most people I have to be up and out the door fairly early five days a week. To be able to do this (with out skipping other parts of the morning routine like showering) I need breakfast options that are fast. I also need my breakfasts to be filling. The last few winters I have taken to making big batches of oats that I can warm and top with fruit to make a fast, filling and nutritious breakfast porridge without an instant sachet in sight. 
I love steel cut oats. But one thing that always puts people off them is the cooking time. I tend to cook a big batch on a Sunday night and then keep them in the fridge for week day breakfasts. I have tried multiple methods of cooking steel cut oats including baking them in the oven, slow cookers and soaking. This recipe is by far the more simple but I think produces the best result.

Saturday 13 April 2013

The Vegan bowl


When I first started eating vegan food I had no idea what I would eat when I wanted a quick throw together meal. Sure you can have salad or a stir fry or something like that but what can you make that is 100% wholefoods, super fast and covers all the major food groups? and then I heard about the bowl concept. It gets called lots of different things a "macrobiotic bowl" or just "a bowl" and it is pretty much what is sounds like but tastes a million times better. This is what we eat at least a couple of times a week but that doesn't mean it is boring because every time it is a little bit different. Confused yet? or just interested?

So this isn't really a recipe it is more of a concept. A concept which with a little bit of preparation means you can have a wholesome, filling and delicious dinner on the table within 20 minutes of coming home from work without having to run around like a crazy person.

Monday 1 April 2013

Holidays

We are off! We are heading off on a much needed holiday for the next four weeks. I have planned a couple of recipes for while we are away but things will be a little quieter around here. I will be back in May with regular recipes inspired by our travels.

Take care,
Clare x

Saturday 30 March 2013

Sugar headache cure: green juice


Happy Easter weekend! Hope you are all having an amazing long weekend. It the madness of Easter egg hunts and hot cross buns I thought I would give you something quick and easy. Maybe something to provide a little balance in an otherwise sugar heavy weekend. If you are like me after an afternoon of too much chocolate (we have all been there) you will be feeling fairly crappy. I have had a splitting headache all afternoon purely due to my sugar consumption. But the body has an amazing way of directing us to what it needs. With a few quick ingredients you can be back on the way up and not in the form of another sugar high.
When I have overloaded on sugar or other not so good for you foods my body sends me a very clear and strong message. Greens. Water. Now! Today, while crashing off a chocolate induced sugar high I reached for a green juice and a tall glass of water and it hit the spot. 
So in case you have found yourself in my position (it happens to the best of us) here is my go to pick-me-up to help you come back to balance.


Sugar headache cure: Green juice (serves 1)

2 stalks celery 
1/2 green apple
1/2 lemon (peeled)
1 cucumber
handful of kale 
1/2 tsp spirualina (optional)

Serve with a BIG glass of water. Try and find somewhere quiet to sit until you feel better.

Have a great long weekend!

Thursday 21 March 2013

sweet potato and apple bruschetta


We are heading towards cooler days here in Australia. When I wake in the morning to is still dark and today it was cold and wet. I'm not really a fan of cold weather but I do get excited about the change of season and the change in food at the farmers markets. As the weather cools down my mind goes to crisp apples, warm soups and homemade bread. I'm loving apples at the moment. I have been having apple slices with almond butter for breakfast, apple and kale salads for lunch and drinking warm spicy apple juice in the evenings. One morning I made this bruschetta for breakfast, it was fast, tasty and like Autumn on a plate.
The key to this is really good apples and good quality bread. Other than that you really can't go wrong. So if you give this a go make sure you get fresh new season apples not the kind that have sat in a fridge for nearly a year.

Friday 15 March 2013

waste not, want not carrot cake

After years of waiting and procrastinating I finally bought myself a juicer.  After much research and tossing up the different options (and hugely different price tags) I finally got a Hurom Slow juicer which I found second hand on gumtree. The review that finally sold me was this one and I have to say I agree with everything they have said, it really is a pretty awesome juicer... and SO easy to clean. If you are in the market for a new kitchen appliance I really recommend keeping an eye on gumtree, although it may not be there exactly when you want it if you keep checking really good stuff gets posted, often at really good prices and it is a great way to get something often only lightly used.
One thing that has put me off buying a juicer is what to do with all the left over pulp. It seems very wasteful to throw it away but we don't currently have a compost system (this one is on the wish list!). So I have been brainstorming and researching ways to reuse the pulp from making juice.  This carrot cake was my first attempt to do some pulp recycling.  It was based on a carrot and oat cookie recipe I tried from another blog (which was a total flop, way to dry and hard... yuck) but it got me thinking about how to use the same idea to make something with my left over pulp. This cake is super moist and sweet but not sickly. It keeps well in the fridge but is really delicious either at room temperature or slightly warmed. I didn't ice it but if you like icing on cakes go ahead a have a go, I think it is pretty darn good the way it is. I made some very willing taste testers try it for me as well and we were all in agreement, it is a super delicious carrot cake. 

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Adelaide Fringe 2013

 

Kev and I helped out making a video for the Adelaide Fringe a couple of weeks ago. Check it out!

Sunday 10 March 2013

amaranth, banana & coconut muffins



I have been experimenting with grinding my own flour in the blender. So far I'm finding that it is cheaper and the flours have a cleaner "fresher" taste to them but they will be a rough flour with some whole pieces of grain left. These muffins are a recent experiment using some of my home ground flour. They are gluten free and of course vegan and full of flavor. They are sweet but not super sweet. If you don't eat sugar you could leave it out but you may want to consider adding some chopped dried fruit to add some extra natural sweetness. Feel free to experiment with different types of flour and see how you go!

Friday 1 March 2013

super green smoothies



If you have looked through many healthy living magazines, blogs or books lately you would have most likely heard about green smoothies. The basic idea is you blend a combo of leafy greens and fruit together to make a smoothie. Sounds gross? well yeah it can be. Green smoothies have become a bit of a fad with lots of people claiming all sorts of things about what they will do for your health. They have become so popular there are now whole websites dedicated to them, crazy! 
I started drinking them a while ago when I did a bit of a detox and they were part of the menu, and at first I thought it was like drinking pond slime for breakfast... yum. Then I worked out what I liked in them and what my poor cheap blender could manage (not whole apples!). Now I have one for breakfast most days and I not only love the taste but I feel amazing for the whole morning after. Who needs coffee in the morning when you can have a fruit sugar high instead? Not convinced? you need to give one a try. I have written out my favorite combos for you and then you can see for yourself. 

Monday 25 February 2013

millet and buckwheat bread (gluten free)




This is my absolute favorite homemade bread. I love it  for a few reasons mainly because it is has a lovely nutty flavor and it is dense and filling. It is a great bread to make because it comes together in under ten minutes and then bakes for twenty and there you have it, delicious home made bread. Like a lot of homemade bread it doesn't keep without being put in the fridge/ freezer as soon as it is cool but it does freeze really well. I have been enjoying big slices with avocado with tahini miso spread or sun dried tomato pate (recipes to follow!). Feel free to play around with the spices/ herbs to see what you like. I like it a little bit spicy but feel free to leave out all the herbs if you want to put something sweet on it like almond butter and honey....

Wednesday 13 February 2013

raw blondies


I've been thinking lately about how to create delicious, healthy desserts that are vegan but also nut free. I have a couple of good friends with really serious allergies to nuts but who still want healthy sweet treats to enjoy. This one is for them. Since making this I have been thinking about how this could be used as a base for raw cakes as well. You could easily add raw cacao to make this extra chocolatey or swap the banana for another fruit of your choice (I'm thinking mango or berries).

This is a vegan, raw, gluten free, nut free, sugar free treat. And yes, it still tastes delicious I promise. 

Thursday 7 February 2013

scrambled lemon tofu



I love going out for breakfast. I can list a handful of places we go on a semi regular basis but I tend to get stuck ordering the same things over and over without getting bored.
This dish is an attempt at recreating a meal I used to get at a local place called Rosey's a while ago. But the menu has changed multiple times since and although it still has lots of delicious options (still served with the amazing Mylor Bakery bread) I still crave their scrambled tofu.
Since I can't get someone to make it for me anymore I have been playing around making it at home. The main aspect I really like about this is the lemon, don't be shy with the juice, it should be tangy. 

Thursday 31 January 2013

coconut pancakes with tahini cream



Lately we have been having sleepy weekends with coffee in bed and late breakfasts that turn into lunches. On one of these weekends I got inspired to make pancakes. Since we were lounging around flicking through travel books, planning and daydreaming about future holidays I decided to make tropical inspired pancakes.
I used a mix of fruit that was just what we had in the house (who would leave to get any before they have had coffee or breakfast? not me). We used a mix of strawberries, bananas, red papaya and mango. Feel free to use any fruit you have for these pancakes. I can imagine them with cooked apple pieces or lots of berries play around with whatever you have.


Tuesday 29 January 2013

berry cashew "cheese cake" (raw)



This is just a quick one today. We had a family BBQ for the Australia Day long weekend and I made this cake to take along. It comes together in about fifteen minutes with another hour in the freezer to set. Perfect for times when you want a no fuss treat that will please a crowd including many non vegans. 

Friday 25 January 2013

white chocolate crumble (raw)



Ok so this doesn't actually contain any white chocolate but when you taste the crumble mix close your eyes and think of white chocolate. Amazing. White chocolate and berries isn't a new combination and I am not the first person to make a raw crumble but they are both things that have been on my mind for some time and they come together to make a lighter and healthy take on the much loved fruit crumble.

Friday 18 January 2013

Australia Day (vego style)



 Australia day (January 26th) means so many things to different people. Some people don't see it as anything other than a day off work. Some people find the idea of the day (also known as "invasion day" in Australia) really offensive. For me it has always been about listening to the Hottest 100 on Triple J and catching up with friends for a BBQ and a swim. This year I want to have a quiet BBQ and head down to the beach in the afternoon. I'm thinking of cooking up a tasty vego spread for some lucky people, whoever they may be, I haven't worked that bit out yet! 
For those of you who celebrate (or commiserate) Australia Day with a BBQ I have put together a few ideas for you to get your taste buds going... 

thai style green papaya salad


Have you ever tried a green papaya or green mango salad? it is one of my favorite things to order from a Thai restaurant but I had never thought to make my own. Since we are planning a trip to Thailand in a couple of months I am getting exciting about all the delicious food that awaits us. This dish was made on a hot night a few weeks ago while we were day dreaming of lying on a tropical beach.... not long now and we can't wait! For those of you who don't have a tropical holiday in your near future, make yourself a green papaya salad, sip on coconut water, maybe head to your local beach and pretend for an evening.
You most likely wont find a green papaya in your local supermarket so you will need to head to Chinatown or somewhere like that. You want one that is nice and firm and bright in colour. Serve as a main meal or a side to cold rolls. Relax and close your eyes and pretend you are on an amazing holiday. Enjoy. 

Wednesday 9 January 2013

BBQ tofu and mango cold rolls

This last week has been hot. The cool change has now hit but it the temperatures were really up there for a while. It was really hot last Friday and I decided to go to the central markets and stock up on Asian inspired food for the week. Something I love about Australia is the multicultural food. I love walking around the markets and going to the Chinese supermarket, the Middle Eastern grocer and so many more. This week I was craving cold dinners which were quick to make, the logical conclusion? cold rolls! 
Every summer we go through a cold roll phase. They are delicious and so easy and you can take them in so many (non traditional) directions. This week I bought a big mango, some raw peanuts and tofu to put in along with the rice noodles and herbs. And they were delicious. Give them a try, even if you don't normally like cold rolls, there is nothing like freshly made cold rolls on a hot night. Perfect.