Scrambled tofu recipe

This is a very simple, yummy and filling recipe for a delicious brunch with scrambled tofu instead of scrambled eggs.

Ingredients:

• Firm tofu (about 250 g)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 tbs Shoyu or Tamari sauce
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp salt
• Cayenne pepper (to your taste)
• Fresly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• Optional: 1 tsp dried basil and/ or asafetida (or garlic powder)
• Optional: kala namak or black salt (a pinch or half teaspoon as it’s very strong)
• Optional: cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and/ or pesto

Preparation:

1. Press the excess water out of the tofu (by pressing the tofu above the sink with both hands or by putting it between 2 plates and adding weight – like a heavy cookbook – on the top plate).
2. Crumble the tofu using a fork or other kitchen utensil.
3. Add all the salt, pepper & spices, the soya sauce as well as the nutritional yeast. Mix everything until the all the spices and seasoning are well blended together.
4. Leave the mixture for about 20 minutes to allow the tofu to soak up the flavours.
5. Heat up the oil in a skillet and fry up the crumbled tofu until it turns a bit brown (or however you like it).

Serve on toasted (sourdough) bread with your choice of pesto or veganaise (ideas: kale, parsley) and with stir-fried mushrooms and/ or cherry tomatoes.

It’s great to use as an ingredient to make fried rice as well (instead of eggs).

Tip: the nutritional yeast gives the scrambled tofu a nice nutty flavour. You can vary the amount of spices and soya sauce according to your own preference, just experiment until you are happy with the taste.

Vegan Xmas menu 2023

I see so many nice vegan menus online, which gave me the idea to make a menu of all the recipes I’ve shared over the years on my blog. So here it goes:

Starter: Creamy cauliflower soup or sweet potato, lentil & ginger soup.

Main course: hachis parmentier with a side of roasted cauliflower or mushroom risotto or eggplant lasagne.

Dessert: chocolate mousse (It’s surprisingly light & easy to make, using chocolate, aquafaba (cooking liquid of chickpeas) & some plantbased milk, sugar to your taste.

Happy Holidays. Please let me know if you cooked something from my recipes.

Om shanti -ॐशान्ति

Oven baked gnocchi recipe Ⓥ

This recipe is total comfort food!

Oven baked gnocchi

Ingredients (3/4 portions)

• 1 package of gnocchi (check the ingredients or label to make sure it’s vegan)
• 1 package of vegan chik’n pieces, cut in equal bits
• 250g mushrooms, cleane, sliced & halved
• 250/ 500g (package of frozen/ fresh) spinach or kale (if fresh: washed & roughly chopped)
• 1 medium sized onion, peeled & chopped
• 2 (or more) garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
• 250 ml of plant-based cream (I used oat)
• Optional: cut up capres
• Olive oil
• Nutritional yeast
• Salt & pepper
• Seasoning to your liking: paprika powder, wild garlic herbs, dried basil, Cayenne pepper

Preparation

• Stir fry the gnocchi in olive oil until crispy or browned, set aside
• Stir fry the chik’n pieces in olive oil until crispy or browned, set aside
• Stir fry the onions until golden
• Add the mushrooms, stir fry until well done, add garlic, stir fry until well done
• Add the fresh or frozen vegetables and stir until well mixed
• Prepare the sauce: but the plant-based cream, the seasoning to your liking, the capers, the nutritional yeast & some olive oil in a bowl & mix, add some plant-based milk in case there’s not enough sauce
• Heat the oven until 180°
• Mix the gnocchi with the chik’n, the vegetable mix in an oven dish, add the sauce, mix well until the gnocchi are all covered by the sauce
• Season with salt & pepper
• Put the oven dish in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes

Serve as is, or with a simple green (and tomato) salad.

Nasi goreng/ fried rice recipe Ⓥ

This recipe is great for any day, breakfast, lunch & dinner! Tip from my Asian friends, it works best with COLD rice. In this case I had even frozen leftover jasmine rice and thawed it during the day before using it in the fried rice recipe. The same for the tofu scramble, I had had it for lunch and the leftovers are perfect for the evening menu.

Ingredients (3/4 portions)

• 2 cups* jasmine rice (*cups measured of uncooked rice), cold
• 1 big carrot, diced
• 1 leek, sliced & halved
• 200g mushrooms, sliced & halved
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp tamari sauce
• 2 tbsp black bean & garlic sauce (from Asian supermarket)
• 1 tbsp chili paste (from Asian supermarket)
• Salt & pepper
• Peanut, sesame or olive oil (or any other vegetable oil you like)
• Optional: spring onions.

Preparation

• Stir fry the mushrooms until well done, add garlic, stir fry until the garlic is well done.
• Add carrots & stir fry, after a few minutes add a dash or 2 of (hot) water to quickly cook the carrots.
• Add the leek.
• Add the chili paste & black bean paste, mix well. Add a bit more water if it’s too sticky.
• Add the rice, mix well.
• Add the tamari, mix well.
• Add the tofu scramble, mix well.
• Season with salt & pepper.
• Optional: add spring onions.
• Serve as is, or with a cucumber salad.

Any leftovers are great the next day, just fry it up in your wok.

Bon appétit!

Brussels sprouts, potatoes & bacon recipe Ⓥ

This recipe is great for this season, it’s warming & filling and simply delicious in my opinion.

For the first time I used my InstantPot to steam the potatoes & it worked super well! I can even reduce the steam time from 3 to 2 minutes to make them a bit more crunchy.

Ingredients (3/4 portions)

• 500g Brussels sprouts (the smaller the better)
• 500g potatoes (the ones you prefer)
• 150g vegan bacon
• 2 onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• Chimichurri (optional)
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil (or any vegetable oil you like)

Preparation

• Clean the Brussels sprouts (take of the bottom part) & cut in half & rinse.
• Peal (if not using organic) the potatoes, cut out ugly spots or sprouts, cut in equal parts & rinse.
• Peal & cut the onions (small pieces).
• Peal & cut the garlic (small).
• InstantPot: I used the steamer basket, 1 cup of water, some salt & the potatoes spread out in the basket. Close the lid, select steam & 2 minutes (if you use small potatoes or small parts). After the program is done, allow natural release for 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, boil water (I used my kettle to save time), poor over the Brussels sprouts in your wok frying pan, add some salt to your liking, boil for about 5-8 minutes until tender (but not overcooked), al dente. Throw out the boiling water and set aside the Brussels sprouts in a strainer, you can rinse with some cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Warm the olive oil in your wok, stir fry the bacon, set aside.
• Use any remaining oil or add some fresh, then stir fry the onion until golden, add the chopped garlic, stir fry for 1 or 2 minutes more. Add the steamed potatoes and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and mix for a few minutes. Lastly add the bacon, season with salt & pepper to your taste.

I served it with (store bought) chimichurri salsa & some vegan mayo.

Any leftovers are great the next day, just fry it up in your wok with some olive oil and let it get crunchy.

Bon appétit!

Instant Pot discovery and recipes Ⓥ

I gave myself the gift of the Instant Pot. Initially I wanted to get a rice/ quinoa cooker but was advised to get an Instant Pot as it’s not much more expensive and very versatile and useful.

My first experiences have been very positive. Obviously I’ve made rice (1 cup of rice, 1 cup of water & some salt if wished), done in 3 minutes on high pressure manual mode (with 10 extra minutes to release the steam naturally) ! Incredible.

Furthermore, I’ve made this spicy eggplant dish (one of my all time favourite veggies), I ate it with pasta. It turned out super soft and perfect to season, stir fry or roast with very little to no oil after.

Then I prepared kale. All done in 3 minutes on high manual pressure mode (need time to release naturally or quick release).

Last week I’ve been making soup using the soup program on the cooker. It’s super simple. Just use the sauté mode to fry onion, garlic, garlic (if used) and then cancel, add the vegetable stock (most of the times I use 5 cups boiled water with stock powder), add the cut & washed vegetables of choice (ideally stick to 1 color: all green or all orange/ red to avoid a disgustingly colored soup), mix & close the pot. Choose the soup mode & come back 30 minutes later, let the steam release naturally or with quick release, mix with your immersion blender and voilà. My discoveries: broccoli, fennel & potato soup; leek, rocket salad & potato soup; endives & potato soup. All my soups include 1 or 2 onions, 1 or 2 cloves of garlic and 2 medium sized potatoes. I often add a dash of tamari & salt & black pepper when serving the soup. It’s nice to add nutritional yeast when you drink your soup.

Next up: making a stew. So I looked up lots of Instant Pot recipes, there is so much out there, it’s amazing. I make this lentil stew with kale & sweet potato, again delicious & so simpel! It was utterly delicious.

Some great sources of inspiration: Vegan Richa, Edgy Veg, there’s a Facebook group, Stingy Vegan.

Lentil salad with rainbow veggies Ⓥ

Some say lentils are the world’s healthiest food! They are an excellent source of folate, as well as a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, phosphorus and manganese. Additionally they are a good source of iron, protein, vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, zinc, potassium and vitamin B6. In short, lentils should be considered a super food! And they are cheap, even if you buy organic. I buy my lentils and beans in bulk, dry, as that’s the cheapest, and without any unnecessary packaging.  If you have trouble digesting lentils, then try adding some savory while cooking your lentils or beans. This salad is excellent for a hot summer day or as a side dish to your vegan BBQ.

Ingredients (about 4 servings)

• 1,5 cup of brown and blond lentils, 300g (or green or Du Puy, or Beluga,  ..)
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red Bell pepper
• 1 yellow Bell pepper
• 4 carrots
• Greens (lettuce, purslane, rocket, …)
• Fresh herbs (basil, parsley, coriander, …)
• Capers (optional)
• Olive oil (at least 3 tbsp)
• Lemon or lime juice (1 lemon)
• 0.5 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
• Some sunflower and / or pumpkin seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp mustard (Dijon)
• 1 tsp savory
• Cayenne pepper
• Salt & pepper

Preparation

1. Rinse the lentils.
2. Put the lentils in a cooking pot with plenty of cold water, bring to boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until perfectly cooked (taste). Add some savory if you have trouble digesting lentils.
   Don’t add salt while cooking (this prolongs the cooking time).
3. Wash (scrub) the veggies. Cut in small same size bits (except the carrots) & grate the carrots.
4. Make the salad dressing: mix the tablespoons olive oil with mustard, lemon juice, some black pepper and Cayenne pepper (optional: add the pomegranate molasses).
5. When cooked: directly rinse the lentils with cold water in a sieve.
6. Put the lentils in a large bowl, add the veggies and the salad dressing. Mix well.
7. Optional: add capers and roasted sunflower and/ or pumpkin seeds.
8. Add salt & pepper to taste.

This salad is delicious warm, lukewarm & cold. Enjoy!

TIP: you can add some lettuce,  purslane or rocket as well as fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, basil, …).

Sources: WH Food, Healthalicousness, Lentils.org

Brown lentils & roasted veggies Ⓥ

Some say lentils are the world’s healthiest food! They are an excellent source of folate, as well as a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, phosphorus and manganese. Additionally they are a good source of iron, protein, vitamin B1, pantothenic acid, zinc, potassium and vitamin B6. In short, lentils should be considered a super food! And they are cheap, even if you buy organic. I buy my lentils and beans in bulk, dry, as that’s the cheapest, and without any unnecessary packaging. Some people have trouble digesting lentils, then try adding some savory while cooking your lentils or beans. If you are looking for a quick and filling meal, make a lentil with roasted veggies combo.

Ingredients (about 4 servings)

• 1,5 cup of brown lentils, 300g (or green or Du Puy, or Beluga,  ..)
• 800g (or more) different vegetables to roast (carrots, sweet potato, red beet, turnip, zucchini, onion, …)
• Greens (lettuce, purslane, rocket, …)
• Fresh herbs (basil, parsley, coriander, …)
• Capers (optional)
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 1 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp savory
• Cayenne pepper
• Salt & pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Rinse the lentils.
3. Put the lentils in a cooking pot with plenty of cold water, bring to boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until perfectly cooked (taste). Add some savory if you have trouble digesting lentils.
   Don’t add salt while cooking (this prolongs the cooking time).
4. Wash (scrub) the veggies, peel if necessary. Cut in same size chunks (not too small, not too big).
5. Prepare a large bowl with some olive oil, salt & pepper and mix all the veggies in there until they’re evenly coated.
6. Spread the veggies on greaseproof paper covering a large oven grid and roast for about 30 minutes (turn them after about 15 minutes), or until nicely roasted but with still crispy bite.
7. Make the dressing: mix some tablespoons olive oil with mustard, lemon juice, some black pepper and Cayenne pepper (optional: add the pomegranate molasses).
8. Rinse the lentils with cold water in a sieve when perfectly cooked.
9. Put in a large bowl, add the roasted veggies and then the dressing. Mix well.
10. Add the capers.
11. Add salt & pepper to taste.

This salad is delicious warm, lukewarm & cold. Enjoy!

TIP: you can add some lettuce,  purslane or rocket as well as fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, basil, …).

Sources: WH Food, Healthalicousness, Lentils.org

Ginger infused, stir fried buckwheat noodles, broccoli & Swiss chard Ⓥ

Last night I wanted to eat something healthy & light, but warm, as it’s still cold & rainy weather. I made a quick & dirty noodles dish that was simply delicious.

Ingredients (3 servings)

• +/- 160g King Soba organic sweet potato & buckwheat noodles
• 1 medium sized broccoli
• 6 leaves of Swiss chard
• 2 cm fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove
• Lima tamari sauce, less salt
• Sesame oil
• salt & black pepper
• Kimchi (vegan, store bought), optional

Preparation

1. Boil a pan with water for the noodles. Cook following the instructions (not too long!).
2. Cut the broccoli in florets, wash. Put in a pan with just enough cold water to not cover the florets, add a pinch of salt & put on the stove to boil. Once boiling, let them simmer for a few minutes (max. 5), drain & rinse with cold water.
3. Cut the stem & leaves of the Swiss chard, wash and set aside.
4. Peel & slice the garlic and ginger.
5. Heat sesame oil in a skillet or wok, add the ginger, stir fry for 2 minutes; add the Swiss chard, stir fry for 3-5 minutes; add the garlic, stir fry for 1 minute; add the broccoli & mix it all together. Add a few tablespoons of the tamari, some salt & black pepper to taste; add the noodles and mix it all together. Add more tamari & sesame oil if necessary.
6. Serve in a bowl with some kimchi on top.

Use any vegetable you like according to the season or what you have in your fridge or freezer. Alway lightly blanching the hard vegetables before stir frying them. 

You can add a source of protein such a mock meat, TVP or tofu. Season & stir fry it separately before adding it to the noodles.

Om shanti -ॐ शान्ति

Hachis parmentier Ⓥ

Hachis Parmentier* is a typical French cuisine dish, that I’ve never tasted in it’s original form (with meat). I discovered it while working on a project for the vegan/ vegetarian organisation EVA vzw in Belgium. It’s a perfect recipe for winter evenings, very comforting food actually. By the way, it’s great for kids! And as often with oven meals, it’s even better when you reheat it (in the oven) the day after.

Ingredients (4P)

• 800 g potatoes
• 300 g lentils (brown or yellow (blond))
• Vegetable stock
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 small (red) onions
• 250 g mushrooms
• Optional: 2 x leek
• 250 ml soy cream
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp savory (in French: sarriette; in Dutch: bonenkruid)
• 1 tsp thyme
• Tamari or soy sauce
• Olive oil
• Nutmeg
• A pinch of chili flakes
• Salt & pepper
• A small piece of black chocolate
• Optional: 1 handful ground walnuts, or other nuts

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas oven: 5).
2. Peel and wash the potatoes and cut in quarters. Boil for about 15 minutes with a pinch of salt (until tender), drain and set aside.
3. Rinse the lentils thoroughly and boil in a pot with at least double the amount of vegetable stock and the savory for about 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Then rinse directly with cold water and set aside.
4. Cut and wash the onions, garlic and leek.
5. Trim and clean (with paper towels) the mushrooms.
6. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher and mix with olive oil and soy cream until you have a nice cream texture, add a few pinches of ground nutmeg. Set aside.
7. Heat some olive or coconut oil in a skillet; fry the onions until golden; add the mushrooms, stir fry for a few minutes; add garlic and lentils, stir fry for a few minutes; add tomato paste, chocolate, thyme, tamari/ soy sauce & chill flakes and crushed nuts (optional). Mix everything, turn of the heat and set aside.
8. Optional: stir fry the leek for a few minutes, add the remainder of the soy cream, season lightly with some salt & pepper. Turn of the heat and set aside.
9. Take a large oven dish; add a thin layer of mashed potatoes; all the lentils; the leek & cream mixture (optional); end with a thick layer of mashed potatoes; spread evenly.
10. Optional: add some vegan cheese on top if you like (this version had some mozzarisella).
11. Put the oven dish for about 20 minutes in the oven.
12. Serve with some seasonable vegetables or salad, in my photo version I stir fried some endives until lightly roasted and then added a tbsp of sugar and a dash of balsamic vinegar.

*Inspired by @evavzw & @picnikcatering

 

Om shanti -ॐ शान्ति

Quick pasta dish with leek, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and garlic Ⓥ

So one night I got home late & was hungry but hadn’t done groceries that day. Luckily I still had some fresh vegetables in my fridge and made up this quick dish. It’s great warm for dinner, but equally yummy as a (cold) lunch.

Ingredients (4P)

• Pasta (for 4 people), I used 300g whole wheat penne.
• 1 leek (medium)
• 10 mushrooms (medium)
• 10-15 cherry tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove (or 1 tsp asafetida powder)
• Handful of fresh basil leaves
• Good quality olive oil
• Salt & black pepper

Preparation

1. Boil water for pasta.
2. Wash and cut the vegetables (leek: sliced; tomatoes: halves; mushrooms: quarts).
3. Slice and dice the garlic clove.
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet or wok and add leek, fry for 2 minutes, add mushrooms, fry until golden. Add garlic, stir for about 2 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes and let simmer.
5. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to instructions on packaging.
6. Before draining the cooking water of the pasta, take out a small amount in a cup and set aside.
7. Drain the pasta & splash with cold water.
8. Add the pasta to the vegetables, add olive oil, salt, pepper & fresh basil and stir well.
9. Add a bit of the cooking liquid if the mixture is too dry.
10. Serve with a side salad (in picture: lettuce, tomato, nutritional yeast, roasted pumpkin & sunflower seeds with ume su vinegar) with a mustard dressing.

TIP: You can also add fresh spinach or endives or whatever you have in your fridge at that moment and you feel like adding. The tomatoes and cooking liquid give you a simply but deliciously light sauce.

Om shanti -ॐ शान्ति

Tofu, spinach & green peas sauce w/ pasta Ⓥ

Sometimes you come home to a nearly empty fridge or fresh produce, but to lots of ingredients in your freezer/ pantry. Then this dish is easy to whip up in about 30 minutes.

Ingredients (4P)

• A block of firm tofu, about 400 grams
• 200 ml of soy cream
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (I used organic tamari)
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp asafetida powder
• Black pepper
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 0,5 tsp chili powder
• 250g frozen spinach
• 150g frozen green peas
• Pasta of your choice (about 75g pp)
• Coconut oil

Preparation

1. Squeeze the excess water from the tofu above the sink.
2. Cut the tofu into bite size cubes.
3. Season the tofu cubes with the soy sauce, turmeric, asafetida, black pepper & chili powder coating all cubes evenly. Set aside.
4. Heat up water for the pasta.
5. Heat up oil in a frying pan or wok and add the seasoned tofu cubes. Stir fry for about 8-10 until golden.
6. Cook the pasta according to directions.
7. Add spinach until cooked.
8. Add green peas.
9. Add soy cream and stir well.
10. Stir in nutritional yeast.
11. Drain the pasta and quickly add some cold water to stop cooking process.
12. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well.
13. Season with salt & black pepper to taste.

Om shanti -ॐ शान्ति