“Beef” & Green Bean Stir Fry

Original recipe from Cooking Made Healthy.

“Beef” & Green Bean Stir Fry

Ingredients

 

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 Tbls mirin

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 tablespoons canola oil

3/4 lb textured vegetable protein chunks/soy curls (I used Just Like Beef)

1 lb green beans trimmed

2 teaspoon ginger minced

2 cloves garlic minced

1 teaspoon of sesame seeds optional

Method

In a small bowl or measuring cup mix the soy sauce, mirin, cornstarch and sugar.

Add the canola oil to your skillet on medium high heat.

Cook the faux beef in batches in the skillet for 1-2 minutes on each side before removing from the pan.

Add in the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds while stirring.

Add the stir fry sauce into the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, then add the beef back in and toss to coat.

Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.

Graveyard Cupcakes

These were a big hit last Halloween, I made something different this but kept getting ask about last years so here they are :) I've made choc mint ones by adding a couple drops of DoTERRA peppermint to both the cake mix and frosting mix. 

Another version I’ve done is with chocolate ganache or butter icing and ground cookies to resemble dirt. (recipe below)

Graveyard Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cake;

175 g all-purpose gluten-free flour

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

A pinch of salt

50 g cocoa powder

225 g coconut sugar (vegan brown or regular sugar will work too)

275 ml hot water

60 ml sunflower oil or other mild-tasting vegetable oil

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Butter Icing;

225g vegan butter 

350g icing sugar

1 Tbls non-dairy milk (optional)

Any food colouring (add one drop at a time as you don't need much)

If wanting chocolate butter icing add in 30g cocoa powder.

Decoration;

Vegan chocolate bits

Graveyard mold

Green vegan food dye (I used yellow too for a more Fall look)

Shredded unsweetened coconut

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c. / 350f. and line a muffin tray with 12 cases.

Mix the dry cake ingredients together until well combined.

Stir in the remaining wet ingredients until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.

While cake is cooking you can double broil your chocolate pieces until melted, pour into mold and then refrigerate until needed. You can also prep the coconut but mixing a few drops of food color in a bowl with the coconut until the desired color has formed and then set aside.

Divide the mixture equally between the 12 muffin cases/or greased tin and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Use a cake tester or skewer to test the middle of the cupcakes come out clean.

If not, bake for a further 5 minutes.

Once cupcakes have cooled to room temperature make the icing.

In a large mixing bowl add the vegan butter (at room temperature) and sifted icing sugar and beat until mixed.

Add any food colouring you like and beat until mixed.

If too thick add the milk slowly. Either spread onto cupcake with a spoon or knife or pipe.

Pipe onto cupcakes, place upside down in the bowl of coconut and gently shake excess.

Once all cupcakes have icing and coconut then remove the chocolate gravestones from the fridge and place one in each cupcake.

Refrigerate until eating as the butter icing can easily melt.

Version 2

Replace the butter icing with chocolate ganache

1/3 cup non-dairy milk

2/3 cup vegan chocolate bits 

2 Tbls maple syrup/agave/date syrup

Vegan GF chocolate cookies or crackers (I used about half a box of the ones below)

Method

Blitz crackers in a food processor until resembling breadcrumbs, then set aside.

In a small sauce pan heat the milk until hot but not boiling. Add chocolate bits and syrup and stir continuously until completely melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature before using. 

Once ganache is cooled place cookie crumbs in a bowl and spread a small amount of chocolate on a cupcake and push down in the cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate before serving and when ready to serve push the gravestones in. 

*the fondant version is just the butter icing version with a small disc of fondant on top - I had a spider press mold.

Aloo Gobi (Potato & Cauliflower Curry)

Original recipe from Cook with Manali a great source of vegan and vegetarian Indian dishes! I served with Saffron Rice.

Aloo Gobi (Potato & Cauliflower Curry) 

Ingredients

2 potatoes medium, sliced or cubed

1 cauliflower medium, cut into small florets

1 onion medium, chopped

2 tomatoes medium, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon dry mango powder amchur

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste

1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

3-4 teaspoons oil

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

salt to taste

Method 

Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cauliflower florets and fry for 2-3 minutes and then add the sliced potatoes.

Fry on medium-low flame for 7-8 minutes till potatoes and cauliflower have some brown spots on them.

Drain on a tissue paper and set aside.

In the same pan heat 1.5 teaspoon of oil on medium heat and add cumin seeds and let them crackle.

Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes till translucent.

Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes or till the raw smell goes away.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes till they are little soft.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and amchur (mango powder).

Cover the pan and let the masala cook for 2-3 minutes and then add the potatoes and cauliflower to it and mix.

Add chopped coriander leaves and give a good mix.

Add garam masala and cook the potato and cauliflower on medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes.

Add salt and cover the pan and cook more additional 6-7 minutes on low flame or till the potato and cauliflower are tender but not soggy. If you feel the masala is sticking, you may add some water. Add 1 tablespoon at a time and only add enough to cook the veggies. I did not add any water in mine. 

Garnish with some more coriander leaves.

Vegan Honey Prawns

I had been craving Honey Prawns lately, they were one of my favourites to get as a kid at the local Chinese restaurant. I found a recipe online that was easy enough to make GF and vegan! Original recipe from Recipe Tin Eats. I made the recipe with vegan prawns and with tofu and they both came out great!

Vegan Honey Prawns

Ingredients

300g vegan prawns or tofu (frozen and then thawed works best)

1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt (halve for table salt)

Dredging:

1/2 cup corn flour/cornstarch

Ultra-crispy fry batter:

9 Tbsp corn flour/cornstarch 

6 Tbsp GF flour (I used rice flour)

1/2 tsp baking powder (NOT baking soda)

1/2 tsp salt , kosher/cooking (h1/4 tsp table salt)

2/3 cup + COLD soda water, club soda or seltzer water 

Oil, for frying:

3 - 4 cups vegetable or canola oil (1.5" depth in a pot)

Honey Sauce (Note 8 on sweetness):

1/3 cup vegan honey (or just use thicker corn syrup/golden syrup)

1.5 Tbsp agave or corn syrup (light) 

1 Tbsp GF soy sauce 

2 tsp Chinese cooking wine (or mirin)

Garnish / serving:

Cooked rice 

Sesame seeds, finely sliced green onions

Method 

Place 1/2 cup cornstarch in a bowl. 

Dip prawn/tofu chunks in, shake off excess then put on a plate. Repeat with all prawns/tofu.

For Batter: Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a bowl. 

Place in fridge while oil heats up. 

Heat oil: Fill small pot or large saucepan with 4cm / 1.7" oil. 

Heat to 160°C/320°F on medium high stove.

Make cold batter: When the oil is near target temp, add soda water into the dry ingredients. 

Then do the minimum whisks to just combine (10 or so) - a few lumps ok, better than whisking too much (changes coating texture).

Batter thickness: Should fully coat prawns easily, not be see-through, but not thick and heavy.  

Use extra soda water 1 teaspoon at a time to achieve right thickness.

Dredge: Holding a prawn by the tail, dip into the batter then hold up for a 2 seconds to let the excess batter drip off. Then carefully place in oil. Repeat with another 5 prawns/tofu chunks (6 per batch).

Cook for 3 minutes until light golden and crispy. When you pick them up, you can tell it's very crispy.

Drain and repeat: Place prawns/tofu chunks on a tray with paper towels. 

Repeat with remaining prawns/tofu chunks. 

Don't crowd the pot as it brings oil temperature down too much.

Cool prawns.

Honey Sauce: Place ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. 

Bring to simmer, turn down stove to medium low then leave to simmer for 3 minutes.

The consistency should be like maple syrup. 

Turn off stove, place lid on to keep warm (when cool, it gets too thick to toss prawns in it).

Transfer prawns to a metal bowl then pour over Honey Sauce. Quickly toss with rubber spatula to coat prawns in sauce. (Sauce starts thickening if you take too long, so be quick!)

Pile prawns over rice, scatter with sesame seeds, green onion and serve!

With cornstarch fried tofu;

Mango Curry with Chickpea Flour Dumplings

This is a copy cat recipe I had been sent in a meal prep bundle. It was so good I knew I'd be making it over and over again.

Mango Curry with Chickpea Flour Dumplings

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and diced (divided) 

2 tsp curry powder  

½ tsp garam masala

2 tsp tomato paste 

5.5 oz coconut milk

1 Veg Bouillon Cube (around 1 tsp powdered)

2/3 cup garbanzo bean flour (besan/chickpea flour)

¼ cup Cashew milk or dairy free yogurt

¼ tsp baking powder 

1 mango, peeled and diced

4 oz baby spinach 

8.8 oz precooked brown rice

3Tbls vegetable oil

Salt

Method

Make the curry sauce - Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 

Add just half the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Add curry powder, garam masala, and tomato powder, and cook for 1 minute. 

Add coconut milk, bouillon cube, and 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. 

Cook curry sauce until slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Prepare the chickpea dumpling batter - Add just 2 tbsp of the remaining diced onion, garbanzo bean flour, yogurt, baking powder, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, and ½ tsp salt to a medium bowl. 

Mix the dumpling batter.

Cook the chickpea dumplings - Add mango and ½ tsp salt to the curry sauce, and stir. 

Drop heaping tablespoons of dumpling batter into the sauce. 

Reduce heat to low, cover, and gently simmer dumplings until tender and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. 

Rotate the dumplings halfway through cooking to ensure they cook evenly. 

Sauté the spinach - Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add baby spinach and cook until just wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. 

Make a small tear at the top of the brown rice bag and microwave bag for 60 seconds.

Divide the brown rice between large bowls. Top with sautéed spinach and mango curry with chickpea dumplings.