Saturday 15 March 2014

Apfelstrudel (German Apple Strudel)

By Lucia Lukas

This is a recipe Luci taught me on my first visit to meet Dieter's parents in 2011 (and then taught me even more details in April 2014). This traditional German dish is super yummy!

Dough
200g White flour
5-7 T Warm (to the touch) water
50g Sunflower oil or melted margarine
  • Mix the dough ingredients with your hand until you can roll it into a ball that is pliable and sticky and a uniform color
  • Oil the ball and place it in the pan that you warmed the water in (which is still warm) and let it sit for at least 30 min (can sit as long as you want)
  • When the ball has been warmed, put a dish cloth on the counter and sprinkle with flour. Roll the dough out so that it is so thin that you can read a newspaper through it ;) Brush melted margarine on top to keep it elastic (especially on the parts that are broken
  • Grate hard white bread (can make it hard by toasting it) over the rolled out dough to soak up the water from the apples (can use flour instead of bread)
Filling
4 Apples (really good ones), cut in large chunks or small slices
100g Sugar
1/4 C Raisins (optional)
1 T Cinnamon (optional)
  • Mix all of the filling ingredients in a bowl
  • Place the filling on the rolled out dough, avoiding the edges and not making it too tall
  • Make it into a roll by lifting up the edge of the towel (nearest you) and letting gravity make it into a roll
  • Put the roll on a baking sheet and brush with oil (this makes the outer crust crispy)
  • Bake for 30-40 min

Nussecken (German nut cookies)

By Lucia Lukas

This is another popular German Christmas cookie :)

Dough
150g / 5.3oz flour
1/2T baking powder
65g / 2.3oz sugar
vanilla sugar
65g / 2.3oz Earth Balance salt-free butter
  • put on baking tray, spread apricot jam on top, then add Topping...

Topping
100g / 3.5oz Earth Balance salt-free butter
vanilla sugar
2T water
  • melt together and add:
100g / 3.5oz ground hazelnuts
100g / 3.5oz cut hazelnuts
  • bake for 20-30 mins at 180C
  • cut in triangles
  • add melted chocolate to the corners

Vanillekipferl (German vanilla moon cookies)

By Lucia Lukas

When we lived in the UK, Luci used to make these and send them to us for Christmas. Now that we live in the US, we don't think they would get past customs so we learned how to make them ourselves!

150g Earth Balance salt-free vegan butter
50g Sugar
210g Flour
75g Ground almonds or hazelnuts
Powdered sugar
Vanilla
  • mix butter, sugar, flour, and nuts
  • put dough in fridge for 10 minutes
  • make a roll, cut pieces, form them into crescent moons
  • bake at 180 celsius for 8 minutes (check colour)
  • coat in mixture of powdered sugar and vanilla (vanilla flavored sugar is better because the vanilla is already mixed in, but you can also pour vanilla into powdered sugar and mix it together)

Saturday 1 March 2014

Red Dal / Lentils

By Dieter

1C Lentils
1 block extra-firm Tofu
2 table spoons sunflower oil
1 table spoon ginger
1 tea spoon dried chili flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
Vegetable stock cube
- depending on the stock cube brand might have to add more salt
1 table spoon coriander powder
2 table spoon yeast flakes

  • Optional: cut the tofu into cubes and fry it the sunflower oil at medium heat, alternatively add tofu at the end
  • Add the ginger to the sunflower oil, fry briefly for 1 minute (you should be able to smell it); add the chili flakes for 30 secs (the oil will change colour if you stir)
  • Add lentils to the oil, briefly fry for 1 minute
  • Add boiling water (twice the amount of lentils) and a vegetable cube for flavour
  • Let boil for 30 minutes at medium heat without a lid
  • It might need more water, keep pouring it in until the lentils are soft and don't stick to the bottom
  • Stir at the end to break up the lentils and make it creamy
  • Add coriander powder and more salt if needed
  • Add yeast flakes if you like - they will also help to bind any remaining water
  • Optional: add cubed tofu

Sag Paneer

From the World Cafe cookbook, modified by Dieter (http://www.amazon.com/World-Food-Cafe-Chris-Caldicott/dp/0711217513/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393735101&sr=8-1&keywords=world+food+cafe)

1 block tofu
Ginger
Garlic
Dried chili flakes
1-2 large bunches of spinach, crushed with hands (can also use frozen spinach)
1 can coconut milk (for the cream)
Salt
Nutmeg

  • Fry tofu with a bit of salt until crispy (this is one of the recipes where the tofu can be oily after frying)
  • Take tofu out of pan, and add more oil if needed, and chopped ginger, garlic, and chilli
  • Add a bag of spinach (fresh and washed, but if it is easier this will also work with frozen soft spinach)
  • Fry for a bit until spinach is soft and well coated with the spices
  • Add coconut cream, salt, and nutmeg
  • Add tofu

Fresh rolls


By Corina

Rice paper
Vermicelli noodles (thin rice noodles)
Tofu, cut in strips
Cilantro
Mint leaves
Carrots, sliced
Lettuce (wide, short leaves)
Toasted sesame oil
Tamari


  • Rice paper prep: heat 1 inch of water in a frying pan on medium heat, put the rice paper flat in the water and move it around with a fork until it is soft (but not too soft or it will fall apart), remove from the water and let the water drip off of it, lay it flat on a plate.

  • Rice noodle prep: Boil the rice noodles until soft (but not too soft), strain, pour cold water over them, put back in the pan and mix in toasted sesame oil and tamari.

  • Put 1 piece of lettuce on the lower half of the rice paper so that it is concave making a cup, put the toppings inside the cup (ALWAYS put rice noodles and mint in), roll it up like sushi, but tuck in the sides as you go.


Use the Thai peanut sauce for dipping

I fought the Phad Thai for 20 yrs and I finally won!

By Corina (December 2012)

1/2 package Phad Thai noodles
1 block flavoured tofu
1 carrot
1 handful cabbage

Cook the noodles, run cold water over them, strain, and put back in pan.

Sauce (modified from Brooklyn Pad Thai http://dingoscook.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/brooklyn-pad-thai-from-vegan-with-a-vengeance/)
6T tamari
6T sugar
1T tomato paste
2T Sriracha hot chili sauce
2T rice vinegar
1T Meyer lemon juice (or orange juice in a pinch)

Mix and shake in sealed tupperware. Pour over noodles. Yay!

Garnish with the grated carrot, thinly-sliced cabbage, lime wedges (make sure to squeeze out the juice onto your Phad Thai!), peanuts, sesame seeds, or avocado (cubed).

Soy-free, gluten-free version: instead of tamari, use Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Aminos

Santa Barbara Guacamole

By Corina

2 avocados
1 heirloom tomato
1/2 meyer lemon
Salt
Olive oil (when using Hass avocados, if they are dry)

Chop and mix together.

Additions suggested by Margaret: grapes, pears

Additions suggested by Charissa: black pepper, onion, jalapeño, lime

Nachos

By Corina

Red Hot Blues blue corn chips
Refried beans spicy (Bearitos are the best)
Mexican rice (by Margaret, see below)
Black olives
Pepperoncinis
Daiya Mozzarella

Layer on a baking tray in the above order and cook until the beans are hot and the cheese is melted (yes, this vegan cheese melts).

Spread Santa Barbara guacamole (pictured above) over the top of the cooked nachos. Done.

(Thanks Margaret for the pear/grape guacamole inspiration!)

Burrito option:
Instead of chips, put all of these toppings inside a tortilla.

Mexican Rice by Margaret

2 T oil
1/4 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 C rice
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 1/2 C broth (hot water poured over a vegan vegetable stock cube)
1 C diced tomatoes (including the juice)
Cilantro

  • In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add in the fresh onion. Saute for 1-2 minutes until softened. 
  • Add dry rice and cook with the onions for about 5 minutes or until rice becomes a golden brown color. Add in the garlic to the rice and saute for one more minute.
  • Add in broth and diced tomato sauce (add slowly into the rice, not directly onto hot pan!) And then add in the cilantro if you're using it. 
  • Stir it up and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for 20 minutes and fluff with a fork.

Kale salad

By Corina

1 bunch of kale, chopped
1 block extra-firm tofu, cut in cubes
mushrooms, chopped
sweet potato
toasted sesame oil
tamari
Sriracha sauce

Fry the potato in oil until soft, put in mushrooms and cook until they change color, add the kale, tamari and Sriracha sauce, mix and cook until the kale is steamed.

Laksa curry


Based on Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe at http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/13/curry-laksa-recipe-yotam-ottolenghi

Dieter’s modifications:
  • Use less garlic and onion, more lemongrass and coconut milk
  • Make the broth separately from the noodles, then add the noodles at the end so they take on the flavor
  • Fry tofu, mushroom, broccoli, and sugar snap peas in a bit of sunflower and peanut oil
  • Combine the sauce/noodles with the veggies in the bowl and add garnish (lime, cilantro)

Thingys

By Corina

¼C Soy Margarine (Willow Run or Earth Balance are the best)
1C Maple Syrup
¼C Cocoa powder (or melted Trader Joe's chocolate chips)
1C Peanut butter (and/or Almond butter)
1t Vanilla
1T Cinnamon
1C Shredded Wheat (crushed)
  • Melt the soy margarine and add maple syrup (burner on high). Boil while stirring for about 5 minutes until goo drips from spoon in a solid line.
  • Turn burner down or off; stir in cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, and peanut butter. Mix until smooth.
  • Crush shredded wheat and stir into mixture until evenly distributed.
  • Drop by spoonfuls onto plates and put in refrigerator (this will harden them and keep from melting again).

Soy-free, gluten-free version: instead of shredded wheat, use Nature's Path Organic Corn Flakes (fruit juice sweetened); instead of soy margarine, use Earth Balance Soy-Free buttery spread.

Chili

By Dieter

1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
1 can red kidney beans
1 small can corn
2 bell peppers
1 tomato
1 can of tomatoes
1 pack of extra-firm tofu
to taste: salt/sugar/paprika powder
optional: eat with avocado, basil, and baguette

Fry onion and garlic in some oil, together with crushed chillies (have stove at medium heat), add tofu till brown, add all other ingredients (bell peppers last if you want them crunchy). Goes well with French bread.

Chocolate Chip Cookies


From http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegancookierecipes/r/chocchipcookies.htm, modified by Corina

A smaller batch (makes about 24 cookies)
1 1/3C / 130g flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
3/4C / 75g sugar 
1t vanilla
enough vegan milk to make a thick dough (maybe 1/4C, but mix in a little bit at a time until you get the right consistency)
1/2C / 112ml vegan margarine
12 oz / 400g vegan chocolate chips

A massive batch
2 3/4 C / 260g flour (use 130g Vital Wheat Gluten flour [Veganz seitan basis] to increase protein)
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 1/4 C / 250g maple syrup (+670kcal) or sugar (+850kcal)
1 t vanilla
~250ml milk (but probably much less): coconut (80kcal) or oat (chocolate: 130kcal + 2.3g protein) (enough to make it the right consistency - it sticks together and is not runny)
1 C / 225ml margarine (+1590kcal) or coconut butter (+1800kcal) (melted if not using a mixer)
12 oz / 400g vegan chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s, Sarotti Fondue Schokolade [+2188kcal, 20g protein])

(To reduce calories, replace margarine with milk)

Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder with a mixer. Add margarine and vanilla. Add enough coconut milk to get it to the right consistency. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for ~10 minutes, until edges just start to brown.

Total (130g wheat gluten / 130g flour) = 117g protein, 880kcal from flour & seitan only
Per cookie (total / 25 cookies) =
5g protein
35kcal + 34kcal from sugar - or - 27kcal from maple syrup
+ kcal from chocolate chips, milk, and margarine

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Do you miss cordial cherries? Do you prefer non-alcoholic cordial cherries? Well make these and satisfy your craving! Recipe at http://candy.about.com/od/fruitnutcandy/r/choccherry.htm

Spicy Chocolate Mousse

Yummy and great for bringing to dinner with friends. Recipe by Mark Bittman at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/201mrex.html

Dieter's modified version
1 pack of silken tofu (300-400g). Brands that work: Germany - Terra Bio-Seiden from Alnatura; UK - Satono yuki from Sainsbury (best), Taifun from ReVital (tied for 2nd best), Blue Dragon from ReVital (ends up with an airy cherry tinge; tied for 2nd best), Mori-Nu from ReVital (ends up with a dried cherry kind of tinge).
20ml vanilla extract
150g sugar
1T chili flakes
1/2t cinnamon

Put everything in a blender, blend until well mixed.

180g chocolate (Cadbury Bournville classic dark chocolate in the UK)

Melt chocolate in a double boiler (e.g., put chocolate in a stainless steel bowl, put the bowl in a pan of hot water on a burner). Stir well to fully melt all pieces.
Pour the melted chocolate into the mixture in the blender.
Blend.
Done.

Thai Peanut Sauce

 A great recipe at http://vegetarian.about.com/od/saucesdipsspreads/r/ThaiPeanutSauce.htm that is wonderful for Fresh Rolls

Sweet and Sour Sauce

From http://www.foodforfriendsyeah.co.uk/2009/11/11/sweet-sour-chicken-cantonese-style/ modified by Corina trying to mimic Bamboo Garden sweet and sour chicken

1 C pineapple juice
2 T sugar
2 t tomato paste
2 t ketchup - Heinz
2 T white wine vinegar - or apple cider vinegar
2 T port
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can pineapple chunks
2 T cornstarch
  • Place a large saucepan on medium heat and add all the sauce ingredients, apart from the cornflour. Let the sauce boil for five minutes.
  • Mix the cornflour with a little cold water in a cup. Slowly pour the cornflour into the sauce, a little at a time, until you have the desired consistency. I like the sauce to be quite thick as it clings to the chicken better.
  • Dip Fry’s chicken nuggets (UK) or 365 Chickenless Nuggets (US; Boca Chickn Nuggets are alright) and enjoy!

Teriyaki Sauce

From http://www.food.com/recipe/restaurant-teriyaki-sauce-133751, modified by Corina

1/4 C soy sauce
1/2 t ground ginger (or powdered ginger)
4T sugar
2T agave
2T cornstarch in 1/4 C cold water

Mix all but the cornstarch mixture in a pan on the stove, mix in the cornstarch mixture, heat until it reaches desired thickness.

Tofu Hot Pot Soup

From http://www.merechina.com/cuisine/onerecipe.asp?PageID=523 (no longer an active link), modified by Corina


2 t olive oil (or peanut oil)

2 T grated fresh ginger

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 T brown sugar

4 C broth (warm water)

1/4 C Bragg’s (or soy sauce)

2 t cayenne pepper (or Chinese chile paste to taste)

1 lb. firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 lb. fresh Chinese style noodles (lo mein)
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 


  • Heat oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook about 4 minutes.
  • Add tofu and fry about 4 minutes.
  • Stir in sugar, broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, and chile paste; cover and bring to a boil.
  • Turn heat to high and add noodles, pushing them down into broth. Cook, covered, until noodles are tender, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and serve.

Parsnip Soup

By Lucia Lukas, modified by Dieter

400g parsnip
2 onion
1 clove garlic
2T oil
salt
pepper
1 litre broth
100 ml cream (Oatley cream)

  • Fry onions and garlic
  • Add chopped parsnip
  • Fry until soft
  • Add cream, salt and black pepper
  • Blend and serve

Broccoli Soup

By Dieter

Enough for 4 people, at least as a starter

4 small or 2 large stems of broccoli
1 can coconut milk
Salt
Pepper
Curry powder
Nutmeg

  • Boil broccoli with ~1 cup of water till soft - I have been using the liquid part from 1 can of coconut cream, plus added a bit of extra water if necessary
  • Put broccoli and remaining water into blender
  • Add the remaining coconut cream (mainly the solid part)
  • Add salt, pepper, curry powder and a pinch of nutmeg
  • Blend and serve

Pea Soup

By Dieter

~400g frozen peas
3 carrots
1/4 of a small onion
2 potatoes (cubed)
pepper
2 cubes vegetable stock
2 T tomato paste
1 packet of Tofurky hickory smoked, cut into cubes
Olive oil

Fry the potato, onion and Tofurky in oil, add peas, then add boiling water and vegetable stock, add the rest and cook for 10 min.

Why Buy Ice Cream?

...when you can make it yourself! This is Corina and Dieter’s personal brand of ice cream

(Great recipe measurement converter at The Guardian)

Bouncing Bunny Surprise

50 g     Cocoa powder
200 g     Castor sugar
500 ml Oatley/Coconut cream
1t    Vanilla
1t    Salt

Boil, cool, blend, freeze.

Comango

125 ml Coconut milk
100 g    Castor sugar
1     Mango
1/2    Juice from fresh lemon

Boil, cool, blend, freeze.

Citrus

125 ml Water
100 g    Castor sugar
1     Mango
1    Juice from fresh lemon
1/2    Juice from fresh orange

Boil, cool, blend, freeze.

Vanilla

Vanilla bean pod
50ml coconut milk
1 can coconut cream - OR - replace this and the coconut milk with 750ml Oatly cream
200g sugar
2 T maple syrup

Cut open vanilla bean pod, scrape seeds out, put seeds and shell into coconut milk, boil at low heat, add sugar and coconut cream, boil, cool, take bean pod out, blend, freeze.

Cookies and Cream 

(suggested by Arne - what a great idea!!!)
Make vanilla ice cream
Crush 1 pack (or 1 row) of Oreos and mix in just before putting it in the freezer

Non-alcoholic mojito ice cream

Make vanilla ice cream (using Oatley cream), but exclude the vanilla and include 2/3 C lime juice (7 limes) and zest of 1 lime in the boiling.
Mix in 1/4 C finely chopped mint leaves while it is cooling. 

The ice cream will turn out layered with the lime more like a sorbet on the bottom and the mint in the ice cream on top.

Blackberry ice cream

200g blackberries / brombeeren
2 bananas / bananen
1/3 lime juice / saft von limette
50g sugar / zucker

Mix in blender, put in tupperware and place in freezer.

Salted Caramel

1 pack of Oatley cream (or coconut cream)
100gr of sugar
1 vanilla bean
salt

Salted Caramel sauce

Pour the cream into a pot, add the sugar and a bit of salt. Cut the vanilla bean ope, and scrape out the pods into the cream, before adding the whole bean. Heat up the cream to let it come to a small simmer, while stirring repeatedly. Turn off the heat, remove the vanilla bean, and pour into a container. Add about 2/3 of the Salted Caramel sauce, pouring it into all parts to get it well mixed. Put the container into a freezer till the ice-cream is ready. Add the remaining sauce while eating.

Sushi

In the photo: tofu, avocado, mayo (lower left); tofu & avocado (lower right); tofu, avocado, cream cheese (top)

Add rice vinegar to the rice when it is done cooking

Toppings

Sesame seeds
Chili oil
Sesame oil
Olive oil
Soy sauce (dissolve wasabi into soy sauce)
Pickled ginger
Vegannaise
Tofu

Indian

Cream cheese
Sambal
Spring onion
Red pepper

Corina's Traditional

Avocado
Carrot
(Tofutti vegan cream cheese)

Josh’s Traditional

Avocado
Cream cheese
Cucumber
Carrot

Raff’s

Peanut butter
Avocado
(Carrot)

Yam

Corina’s favorite

Avocado & mayo

Pizza! Calzone!


Pizza Dough by Dieter

1 packet yeast
1/4C Water
1T Soy/almond milk
Flour
2T Olive oil

Simpler dough

1 packet yeast
1/4C Water
Flour
  • Start the yeast with a bit of lukewarm (handwarm) water (1/4C) and maybe a bit of soy/almond milk (1T, I put this in to not add any sugar which I used to start the yeast). Let this sit in a warm place for about 10-20 minutes, until a foam starts to develop on top.
  • Then start to add flour and start mixing. Add more water (about 1 cup of water per pizza) and mix. I also add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. The dough will take up quite a lot of flour; the consistency is right when the dough comes off easily (does not stick to your hands or the metal pans). You might need to mix and knead it with your hands at the end, as the electrical mixer did not seem powerful enough.
  • Let this sit for about an hour (or longer). The dough will increase about 2-3 fold in size.
  • Once you want to bake the pizza, knead the dough again down to size, adding salt (I tend to add it at this stage because salt might inhibit the yeast). Put a bit of olive oil on the pan, take the dough to spread the olive oil across the pan and also have oil on the dough (which seems to make it easier to spread it as it lowers any remaining risk of it sticking to your fingers). It takes some time spreading the dough. It will now rise a bit more while you put on the sauce and topping so that it gets a bit fluffy.

Pizza Sauce by Dieter and Corina

Tomato paste, herbes de province, olive oil, sugar, salt, chili flakes, water, chopped basil (optional)
Mix and put on dough.

Favourite Pizza Sauces to buy:

Germany: Zwergenwiese Papaya Chili, Rewe Basic Basilikum

Try sweet potato pizza https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-baked-stuffed/brussels-sprouts-sweet-potato-balsamic-pizza-plant-based/

White garlic pizza sauce by Corina and Dieter (trying to recreate the Pizza Pi sauce)

2T White flour
2T Soy margarine
1C Soy cream
2T Water
Sugar
Salt
1 clove garlic (chopped or crushed)

Melt the margarine, add flour and stir on low heat. Add soy cream and stir on medium heat. Add garlic, sugar, and salt, then water while stirring. Makes enough for one large rectangle pizza. Put sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and pineapple on the pizza to recreate the Pizza Pi Summer Favorite of the old days.

Pizza Margarita by Corina

Basil leaves, sliced heirloom tomatoes, Daiya mozzarella

Corina and Josh’s Favorite Pizza

Black olives, pineapple, Daiya mozzarella 

Multiple Cheeses Pizza

Thin dough, only a thin spreading of tomato sauce, black pepper, and multiple cheeses (in Germany combine SimplyV Natur, Rewe Bio Mozzarisella, SimplyV Hirtenguss, plus potentially our cheese sauce)

Potato Pizza

Sauce = bechamel (melt butter, add cornstarch, stir, add veganaise, paprika, turmeric, salt) 
Toppings = potatoes (boiled and thinly sliced, sprinkle black pepper on top), green olives with pimento, marinated tofu pieces (Cauldron in the UK), Daiya mozzarella (VioLife mozzerella in the UK)


Buffalo Pizza



Follow the recipe at The First Mess. Corina likes the following modifications:

Buffalo Pizza
  • Instead of roasted onion cream, use our cheese sauce
  • Instead of arugula, use peas. Omit the green onions
  • For the ranch dressing, use Veganz sandwiche crem Dänischer art
  • Mix the hot sauce in the buffalo cauliflower batter all at once and bake for 35 min in one step rather than in 2 steps

Apricot pizza

Lady Zaza vegan

Calzone

We use this great recipe by plant based on a budget https://plantbasedonabudget.com/easy-homemade-pizza-dough-calzones/#wprm-recipe-container-17319   Calzones are handy for saving for later because the cheese stays melted for much longer than pizza and you can just pick them up and eat them like a pocket.