Grandma Liz’s NYE Lentil soup

This is a tradition in Italian culture, they eat a deliciously nutritious lentil soup on NYE. Lenticchie (lentils) are believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year to those who eat them on New Year's Eve. 

An Italian gentleman I work with gave me his mother’s recipe that has been passed down over the generations so of course I have to keep the name to honor that beautiful tradition! And I only had to change it slightly to make it vegan!

Grandma Liz’s Lentil soup 

Ingredients

1 bag lentils (1lb/450g) rinse and take out any bad ones 

48oz/1.5L of veggie broth

4 stalks of celery chopped or sliced

6-8 Carrots chopped or sliced (as many as you like really)

Pinch Paprika for color

Dash of garlic powder

Salt and pepper to your taste

Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Method

Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring to boil. 

Add more water if it becomes too thick. (Some Italians eat the soup thick, some soupy -just go with your preference)

I did mine in the slow cooker for 8 hours until lentils were soft. 

Taste and add seasoning as needed.

Turn off heat and add a drizzle of olive oil to coat top - to taste, you can add more olive oil if needed.

I used Mountain Town Olive Oil Co. California Garlic Olive Oil - so good!

Thai Basil Fried Rice

 I changed this recipe a bit from the original. Found on Seonkyoung Longest blog.

Thai Basil Fried Rice

Ingredients

5 Garlic Cloves

1-5 Thai Chilis (Depended on spice level- I used 2)

1 medium shallot, small onion or green onions, chopped

2 Tbls Vegan oyster sauce (mushroom based)

1 Tbls spoon vegan fish sauce

1 Tbls GF soy sauce

1 Tbls palm sugar

1/4 tsp white pepper

2 Tbls vegan butter

12oz extra firm tofu, textured soy curls or vegan chicken pieces

2 vegan eggs (I used the Just Egg squares) - optional

2.5 cups cold jasmine rice

Handful of Thai basil (no it can't be regular basil)

Method

Add chili and garlic to a pestle and mortar and grind to create a paste.

Chop onion and set aside with garlic/chili mixture.

Mix sauce ingredients (vegan oyster sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar, pepper, soy sauce) together in a bowl and set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet over a medium-high heat and add butter, faux chicken, garlic/chili mix and onion and mix for a couple of minutes until faux chicken is seared.

If using tofu instead of egg fry separately and set aside. I used Just Egg squares and just put them in the toaster and then chopped them up to add at the end.

Add vegan eggs with the faux chicken, garlic, chili, onion mixture to the wok and mix together well.

Pour in sauce and let simmer a moment until sugar is melted.

Add in cold rice in slowly and toss everything together until rice is covered in sauce.

Heat for around 3 minutes and then add in the basil and turn off the heat.

I like to serve with a side of steamed bok choy drizzled with vegan oyster sauce and sesame oil.

Notes:

You can sub faux egg with soft crumbled tofu, sprinkled with some Black Salt if you wanted to include the egg flavor but not the processed product.

For textured soy curls, dehydrate in some veggie stock before frying.

Stove Top Potpourri

 This was a super cute holiday gift from a colleague at work (her IG below). So simple and made the whole house smell like the holidays :) Check out @southerlyhome for other beautiful home inspiration!

Stove Top Potpourri 

Ingredients

1/2 cup cranberries

2 oranges/clementines

4 sticks cinnamon

3 Tbls all spice

2 tsp nutmeg

Mason jar

small zip bag (jewellery size)

Instructions for the receiver.

Decoration-holly sprig, butchers twine (optional)

Instructions

Place the loose spices in the small Ziploc bag.

Add oranges to the jar, followed by the cinnamon stocks and cranberries.

Add the spice bag last.

Seal jar and decorate as desired.

Print out the instructions (below), scroll and hot glue them to the lid.

Vegan Holiday Menu

What's on your vegan menu for the holidays this year? If you're answer is silence then maybe I can provide some inspiration by sharing what will actually be on our holiday table this season! Here is a link to all "Christmas" and gathering posts.

Appetizer

Warm Artichoke & Spinach Dip

The family will be fighting over this dip. It's so moreish!

Mains

Veggie Pot Pie

This will be a hit with everyone, so delicious.

Tofu Turkey

Hubby likes to slice and lightly fry them after baking.

Sides

Green Bean Casserole

Christmas vegetables

We will do mash potatoes as well but these roast veggies are so comforting.

Condiments

Cranberry sauce

Golden Gravy

This simple gravy is always a hit!

Dessert

Apple Pie

Classic dessert for Christmas (I love doing Pavlova as well!) Make sure you get your vegan vanilla ice-cream to go with it....sooo good!

Mince Pies

Fruit mince pies are something I grew up on at Christmas time, they are so good with a cup of tea in the afternoon :)

Extras

Cinnamon Cookies 

I make these before Christmas to share with my friends, family and work colleagues. Always a huge hit!

Candy Cane Fudge 

 I make this after Xmas (assuming the kids haven't eaten all the candy canes) because it's a delicious way to get rid of those last couple candy canes you may still have.

Drinks

Eggless Nog

Vegan Baileys

Hardly seems necessary now with Bailey's releasing it's almond milk variety but incase you want to control the ingredients :)

Hot Cocoa

Don't forget your mini vegan marshmallows

Vegan Chick Fil A Sauce

 Copy Cat Chick Fil A Sauce adapted from Family Fresh Meals.

Vegan Chick Fil A Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegan honey, golden syrup or agave

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

1/4 cup vegan barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

Method

Whisk until smooth and enjoy!

Veggie Pot Pie

Hubby made this vegan version of his chicken pot pie the other day and it was SOOO GOOD! We were all fighting over the leftovers LOL. I think it would work well with faux chicken too! Switch mushrooms for faux chicken and you vegan chicken pot pie ;)

Veggie Pot Pie 

Ingredients

2 thawed pie shells (I used the Wholly Wholesome GF pie crusts - they come in a 2 pack)

Filling

1/3 cup vegan butter or margarine

1 medium chopped onion

1/3 cup rice flour

2 teaspoon salt or veg seasoning

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cups vegetable broth

1 cup cashew milk (or very creamy non-dairy milk)

1 1/2 cups chopped/sliced mixed mushrooms 

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

Method

Heat oven to 425°F. and put one pie crust in to cook for 13 mins, then remove

In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. 

Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until very tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.

Stir in meat substitute and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Spoon mixture into cooked pie crust from step 1. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust. (this is where I differ, I am lazy and just like to throw the top pie crust ,tin and all, on the top and pinch the edges together. After about 15 mins of cooking you can safely pull the top pie tin off and the crust should stay in place. )

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I’ve made individual ones (when I only had one pie crust) with faux chicken pieces instead of mushrooms and halving the recipe. Took about 20-30 mins at 425F.

Mint Patties/Mint Slice Biscuits

These are very easy to make and you could make mint slice biscuits too by adding the chocolate biscuit component! Recipe from Vegan In The Freezer. I thought they could use a bit more peppermint flavour so next time I think maybe 6-8 drops.

Mint Patties

Ingredients

2 cup Powdered Sugar, vegan/organic
1/2 cup Coconut Oil (melted)
4 teaspoons Peppermint Extract (food grade)
2 cups chocolate of your choice for dipping.
2 tablespoon extra of coconut oil to mix in with the chocolate.


Method

Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl.
Add the 1/4 cup melted oil and the peppermint extract.
Mix with a hand mixer until smooth.
Get a large container or tray and line with freezer paper.
Take 1 Tbls of mixture and form a ball and then press down to form your pattie shape.
Once all mixture is used put in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes or so until it hardens a bit.
Melt the chocolate over a double broiler (I just use a stainless steel bowl that fits over a saucepan of boiling water.
Stir in the 1 Tablespoon of extra oil for thinning the chocolate a bit.
Take the mint rounds out of the freezer.
Pop one mint at a time into the melted chocolate and use a fork (or two) to coat and then using the fork place on the parchment paper.
To avoid having extra chocolate form under the pattie you can place on a cookie rack.
Place all patties into the fridge for 30 minutes or until chocolate is hard.
You can then double dip them if you like.
Once they are all hard I place them in a container in the freezer.
They take hardly any time to defrost and frankly taste pretty good straight out of the freezer!

Hilton Chocolate Chip Cookies

This original Hilton DoubleTree recipe from the Hilton Hotel stories website. I change the ingredients to make it vegan and gluten free - delicious!!

Hilton Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

½lb vegan butter, softened (2 sticks)

¾ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated vegan sugar

¾ cup packed vegan light brown sugar

2 egg replacers

1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 ¼ cups GF baking flour

• 1/2 cup rolled GF oats

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Pinch cinnamon

• 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts

• 2 2/3 cups vegan chocolate chips

Method

 

Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for

about 2 minutes.

Add egg replacers, vanilla and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then

medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl.

With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, blending for about

45 seconds. Don’t overmix.

Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with

parchment paper about 2 inches apart.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and

center is still soft.

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.

Cook’s Note

You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there’s no need to thaw. Preheat oven to 300°F and

place frozen cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.

Petit Vour - A Perfect Vegan Gift!

 I have a very thoughtful brother and sister-in-law. They really take the time to send a gift that is so personal. My recent birthday gift was a 3 month subscription to Petit Vour a company that sends you out a box each month of mini vegan beauty products to try. I was really blown away by the quality of the products in the selection! So I will go through each box I received, what was in there and review them! :)

Spinach & "Cheese" Puffs

I made this up on the spot because I had people coming for dinner and had planned to do spaghetti but then accidentally had spaghetti the night before lol. This was super simple was definitely very well received by all the guests, even the fussy ones. I was so excited I finally found vegan GF puff pastry at Native Sun that I'd been dying to do something with it.

Spinach & "Cheese" Puffs

Ingredients

1 box Vegan GF puff pastry (I used Schär)

Filling;

1lb bag frozen, chopped spinach

6-10oz vegan Feta cheese (I used Follow Your Heart)

Miyoko's liquid mozzarella (1/2 bottle)

6oz Vegan Parmesan (I used Follow Your Heart)

2 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp Garlic powder 

Olive oil for brushing

Method

Preheat oven to 400F or whatever is recommended on your puff pastry. 

Place your your ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 

Lay out your room temperature pastry on some non stick paper.

My pack only have two large sheets and GF is always tricky to work with so I put half the filling in one and folded over diagonally creating a large triangle and then pressing down the sides with a fork.

Repeat with the other sheet of pastry.

Transfer to baking tray with non-stick paper/silicone sheet etc.

I used olive oil spray but you can brush olive oil or vegan butter onto the top of the pastry to give it a golden brown finish.

Bake for 30mins then check and if browned on top and filling is spilling out a bit it should be ready!

Let cool for at least 10-15mins before carving up, I just cut in random triangles and served with salad.