Spiced pumpkin muffins (vegan & glutenfree)

fitting with the season, I decided to make muffins with speculaas spices - enough to fill a tray of 12 muffin forms.

ingredients

175g self raising gluten free flour

1 tablespoon speculaas spices (see below for the contents)

75g brown sugar (I used gula merah /gula melaka / jaggery - which is a palm sugar)

pinch of salt

1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh is the best, but you could use a can too)

100ml almond milk (unsweetened) - or use soy milk or other vegan milk

50ml coconut oil

walnuts (optional)

preparation

Preheat the oven to 205C.

Mix the flour with the spices and sugar, and taste the mixture to check if the balance is right (the above ingredients are estimates, I use my feeling and taste). 

In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin with the coconut oil and half of the almond milk till you get a smooth mixture. 

Slowly fold in the wet mixture to the flour mixture and mix it well together. 

After the wet mixture is folded into the flour mixture, slowly add more almond milk and keep mixing till you have a nice smooth batter. It should not be runny, but the flour should be mixed well. 

Add chopped up walnuts to the batter if you like. 

Scoop the batter into the muffin tray and fill the muffin cups till 2/3.

Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. 

Let it rest for a few minutes and take it out. 

recipe inspired by http://www.isachandra.com/2009/11/the-best-pumpkin-muffins/

serving suggestion

serve with whipped vegan coconut cream. Recipe here: http://petiteallergytreats.com/homemade-coconut-whipped-cream-dairy/

speculaas spice mix

8 parts cinnamon

2 parts nutmeg

2 parts clove (ground)

1 part ginger powder

1 part cardamom

1 part white pepper

1 part anise seed

1 part coriander seed

mix the spices till you have a fine powder mixture. 

Vegan jambalaya

Jambalaya is a tasty cajun / creole dish, that makes for a hearty meal.
This recipe caters for about 12 persons, but you can reduce the amounts for less people.

jambalaya on the bottom left, other pictures the ingredients and start of cooking

Ingredients

olive oil (for cooking)

smoked paprika

bay leaves

cajun spice mix

freshly ground black pepper

freshly ground seasalt

1 vegetable stock cube (optional)

garlic (4 cloves)

onion (4 red onions, but you can use yellow onions too)

2 (yellow) zucchinis

8 large stalks of celery

6 big tomatoes

beans (I used a packet of mixed dried beans - see picture - that I soaked for 2 hours prior to adding them, but you could use a can of pinto beans or kidney beans too if you like)

450g long grain brown rice (or other rice, but long grain)

fresh cilantro

vegan worcestershire sauce (I didn't have this, but used another vegan seasoning)

in terms of vegetables, you can do a lot of variations, whatever you have in the fridge! goes well with capsicum, eggplant, etc. too and I'm sure mushrooms will be nice too.

Preparation

Cut the garlic and onions finely. Cut the other vegetables into small cubes (see photo).
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot, add the garlic and onions to saute. Once done, add the other vegetables (zucchini & celery) and saute till tender. Add the tomatoes and the seasonings, use your feeling and taste to get the quantity right.
Add the rice and water with a vegetable stock cube.

Stir for a few minutes till everything is nicely blended. 

Once it is at a boil, put it to low heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Occasionally check that the water is sufficient (follow the instructions on your rice pack as to how much water to add) and have a taste to see that the flavours are working. After 45 minutes the rice should be done, and the water will have been absorbed. 

Finally add the cilantro and stir through and save a few leaves to put on top for serving.

Serving suggestions

Serve with jalapeno peppers (I don't get fresh ones here, so served it with pickled jalapenos from the shop) and hot sauce or tabasco for those who want to have it spicier.

To balance out the heavy flavours, I served it with a rainbow salad. 

Credits

I create my own recipes, but get ideas from others. My recipe is inspired by this recipe: http://www.lifeasastrawberry.com/spicy-vegan-jambalaya/

and this recipe: http://www.gumbopages.com/food/veg/veg-jambalaya.html

Cashew garlic sauce (vegan)

I made this cashew garlic sauce recently for dipping the falafels in that I made for a BBQ and it was really nice! Used it the next day as a salad dressing, so it works multi-purpose. Sorry, lack of picture but I will make it again in the future and add one!

the sauce

serving suggestion

ingredients:

raw cashews (soaked overnight)
lemon juice (just a dash of it)
garlic (2 or 3 cloves, depending on how garlicky you want it to get - i use pink garlic)
herbs (I had some parsley leftover that i added - but be creative and add what you like or have)
seasalt (a pinch)

preparation

drain the raw cashews and put in the blender
Add lemon juice and a bit of water (you can add more later, depending on how liquid you want the sauce to be)
Blend this first till it's nice and smooth.
Roughly chop the garlic and herbs, add to the mixture in the blender.
Blend it again, till you have a nice consistency and add more water if you need.

lastly add the salt and ready to serve!

Vegan tomyam soup

vegan tomyam soup

ingredients

Shallots
green birdseye chillies
galangal
lemongrass
kaffir lime leaves
lime
oyster mushrooms
chokos
bambooshoots
cherry tomatoes
cilantro
seasalt
coconut cream

preparation 

Cut shallots and chillies fine. Galangal in chunks, lemongrass crushed, lime leaves roughly cut.
Sauté shallots & chillies in a bit of coconut oil till shallots are glazed. Add water and the lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer.

Prepare the vegetables while the stock is simmering. I used oyster mushrooms, chokos & bambooshoots, but you can do your own mix of veggies.
Add the vegetables to the stock, bring to boil again and let it simmer. Taste once in a while.

When it is about done, add the juice of the lime and I also added some halved cherry tomatoes to give it some colour and flavour.

Add sea salt and coconut cream at the end, heat and stir and it's ready to eat!
Serve with some cilantro.

You can serve this with rice and have it for lunch or serve it as an appetizer. 

Vegetables can be varied - depending on what you have in the fridge! But make sure you use veggies that are quite firm and don't get mushy. The bambooshoots give the dish texture and crunch, the mushrooms I left them whole as it has a nice meaty texture and looks pretty! The chokos is good as it stays firm and absorbs the flavours of the spices and herbs. 

Mediterranean style couscous

 

This is a healthy kind of fast food. 

Ingredients:

Couscous

vegetables: Capsicum, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, mushrooms ( or whatever you have in the fridge that goes well together)

olive oil

sea salt

black pepper

(fresh) herbs: e.g. rosemary & basil

nuts (up to your preference)

seeds (up to your preference)

blue berries 

Preparation:

Prepare the couscous as per the packaging (soak in boiled water for 5 minutes and fluff up with fork). Capsicum, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, mushrooms, or whatever you have in the fridge that goes well together. Clean and cut the vegetables, fry in the frying pan with a bit of olive oil, add a dash of sea salt, some ground black pepper, add some Italian herbs for flavour (I love rosemary and basil) and stir fry till the veggies are cooked but not mushy. 

Serving:

Serve on a plate with the cooked couscous. I cut up some mixed nuts, added some chia seeds, hemp seeds and fresh blueberries and fresh basil (basil & blueberries are a perfect match). Sprinkle all those over it and voila you have a healthy, tasty, fast meal! 

I make this in many varieties depending on what is in my fridge that day. Instead of couscous you can use quinoa as well.

Kale with Tahini Lemon dressing

Simple side dish of sautéed kale with a tahini lemon dressing. Very tasty and healthy! 

ingredients:
kale
tahini
lemon
seasalt
cayenne pepper
garlic
olive oil

preparation:
Clean and cut the kale and massage olive oil into it. Sauté in the frying pan for about 5 minutes, add a bit of water if you like. Can add a bit of garlic too. 

Dressing: 
mix tahini with lemon juice (taste to see how much), add a bit of water if it is too thick. A pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne pepper for flavour. 

Sprinkle the dressing over the kale. Kale goes well with potatoes or sweet potatoes. 

Rainbow Salad

My friends call this my rainbow salad as it has all the colours of the rainbow in it (more or less).

ingredients:

different types of lettuce (I used a mix of red and green coral salad in this one)
cherry tomatoes (halved)
yellow capsicum (for the colour!) sliced
avocado (sliced)
strawberries (sliced)
blueberries
walnuts (broken into smaller pieces)
fresh basil leaves (torn into smaller pieces)

of course you can vary the ingredients to your taste!

dressing:

balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil (use a good one, not the one for cooking)
drizzle of honey
finely shredded young ginger
finely shredded basil leaves
pinch of sea salt (I use pink himalayan salt from the grinder)

preparation:

arrange all the ingredients nicely in a salad bowl.
prepare the dressing, and sprinkle it evenly over the salad - so that it keeps it nice looks and the guests who will be eating all get some of the dressing when they serve themselves.

Mushroom soup (vegan)

Ingredients (serves 8-10):

2 packs of mini portobello mushrooms
1 pack of assorted mushrooms 
1 pack of raw cashew nuts
black pepper (freshly ground)
sea salt (I use freshly ground pink Himalayan salt)
2 stalks of rosemary
olive oil
1/2 cup wheat flour
(You could also add garlic and shallots)

Preparation:

Soak cashews overnight in water at room temperature (around 8-12 hours).
Drain the cashews, put in a mixing jar add a cup of fresh water and use the stick blender to blend it to a creamy liquid.
Cut the mushrooms, keep the smaller ones from the mixed mushroom pack aside. Simmer the rest of the mushrooms in a bit of water till the mushrooms shrink and you get a fragrant broth. Take off the heat.
In a stock pot, heat a bit of olive oil and slowly add the flour to make a roux. Then add the mushroom stock to it and add more water if you need to get a smooth consistency. Add the mushrooms to it and use the stick blender to mash up the mushrooms. Add the seasoning and let it simmer for a while. Finally add the cashew cream and the smaller mushrooms that were kept aside earlier. Let it simmer for a few more minutes and it's ready to serve!

Babaganoush

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants
30g tahini
1 lemon
olive oil
cumin powder
pinch of sea salt
clove of garlic (optional)

Preparation:

Half the eggplants lengthwise and coat the flesh with a bit of olive oil - and a sprinkle of salt. Put face down in an oven dish and prick in the skin with a fork to create some holes. put in the oven. Grill them in the oven for about 30 minutes.
When done take them out of the oven and turn them over. The flesh should now be soft and juicy. Scoop out the flesh and put in a bowl. Mash it up with a fork, add the tahini and juice of half a lemon and cumin powder (and minced garlic). Ready to serve! You can add parsley for garnishing if you like.

Serving suggestion:

HUMMUS Recipe

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas (or fresh ones that you soak overnight)
60g tahini
1 lemon
olive oil
cumin powder
pinch of sea salt
paprika powder
clove of garlic (optional)

Preparation:

Drain the chickpeas and remove the outer layer - it easily comes off.
Mix tahini and juice of 1 lemon in the blender, add a bit of water to make it a smooth paste.
Add the cumin powder, salt, garlic and a dash of (extra virgin) olive oil to the paste and add half of the chickpeas. Blend till smooth. Add a bit of water if it stays too firm. Add the rest of the chickpeas and again water to get it the right consistency. I like mine a bit firm, but if you like it smoother, add more water and/or olive oil to the mixture.
Serve in a bowl with some paprika power on top for garnishing.

Serving suggestion: