Australia Trip 2025!

 I got to go home and visit friends and family in December and wanted to share the vegan products, foods and restaurants I visited! So unfortunately I didn't get to venture out to the actual vegan restaurants which tend to be a little further away from where I was staying but I did find some great options places (mostly on the North Shore).

I was very blessed with the spot I was staying where I could go on lovely walks every morning.

Sushi Train - Neutral Bay (really in Cremorne)

Just near where we were staying was a Sushi Train which my 9-year old who loves sushi had never experiences so we ate there around 10 times during our stay LOL! Luckily the vegan options were plenty - you can order from the menu any plates that aren't coming around and they have an entirely vegan sushi tray for order!

The Oaks Hotel

The Oaks Hotel, Neutral Bay is a pub with a large beer garden with a stunning oak tree in the middle providing much needed shade. They had two very delicious vegan/gluten free items on the menu at Alala's Bar.

Roasted pumpkin pizza, mushroom, eggplant & coconut feta (gluten free base was vegan too)

-sorry no pic!!-

Dukkah spiced Cauliflower steak pistachio, chilli, dried currant & cauliflower purée.

I Love Pho at Crows Nest had a couple of vegan choices, I got the Vegan Hotpot

Squires Landing Brewhouse - Circular Quay

Upstairs in the restaurant they kindly make me vegan gluten free options! Friend Zucchini Flowers and Vegetable Pasta :)

Gorgeous views!

Green Gourmet

Although the St Leonard's location has moved to Lane Cove and is only doing catering and grocery pick up I was so happy to still be able to find their homemade vegan vegan sauce. It's better than anything else I've tried and perfect for so many Asian dishes! If you're in Newtown, Sydney they have a vegan yum cha (dim sum) restaurant!

The Belrose Hotel

They had a great vegan and gluten free mushroom, roast pumpkin and feta pizza. They also had an excellent indoor kid's play area so the kids were well occupied! 

Mona Vale Hotel

Sorry I forgot a pic but they have a vegan GF pizza that was great!!

The Zest's Garden

I met one of my close friends up on the Northern Beaches, I got on the B1 bus and walked from the Narrabeen stop about 10mins along Narrabeen Lagoon to a Thai place called The Zest's Garden. It was so cute and although not specifically on the menu they were able to make most menu items vegan and gluten free. I had the salt and pepper tofu and chilli basil stir fry with tofu. 

Tarboosh Lebanese Kitchen

My dad took me to a Lebanese place in Crows Nest called Tarboosh and they had some vegan/GF men items. I had the Maghmour Tagine (Eggplant, chickpea, cooked in garlic, onion & capsicum spiced tomato sauce served with basmati rice).

Went to Manly Beach on my birthday and we had takeout avocado sushi rolls, then vegan ice-cream from Ben & Jerry's.

Groceries

The first place I have to point out is the Vegan Grocery Store located under Town Hall, Sydney. Even though I didn't get there myself (ironically I was right in the area an didn't know it existed) my amazing brother and sister-in-law got me all manner of delicious goodies from there! They got the cheeses, rocky road chocolate and fruit mince pies from there. I brought the Maggie Beer quince paste from IGA.

Gorgeous starters with vegan cheese from Delectio Brie, Artisa Freycinet (both from the Vegan Grocery Store) and The Vegan Dairy Red Bell Pepper, Maggie Beer Quice Paste and some great vegan GF crackers (all from IGA)

Damona vegan bocconcini bought from the Vegan Grocery Store!!

Vegan GF Rocky Road from the Vegan Grocery Store

GF Vegan Fruit Mince Pies by Foods of Athenry bought from the Vegan Grocery Store

This AMAZING GF vegan Black Forest Trifle was purchased from The Green Bakery!

I was a short walk from where I was staying was an IGA, Woolworths and Coles supermarket. All of them have upped their vegan game since my last stay!

I was a bit in love with this Meliora vegan ham and salami found at Woolworths!

I love Fry's vegan nuggets and these Rice Protein & Chia ones are the only gluten free offering - luckily I found them in Coles!

Unreal Co vegan sausages from Woolworths

These Wallaby original bites were vegan & GF and so good! From Woolworths. Some of the brands items were not vegan or GF but this one was both!

A friend bought me these Gingerbread Folk vegan GF chocolate gingerbread mini bunnies! Yes the packet is empty lol

These vegan Lindt & Bennetto chocolate bars were a gift and were divine!

Woolworths is a must for their own branded vegan gluten free Mint Slice Biscuits and 

Vegan Wine - of course super important subject. Every time I go back I discover something new and amazing and this time my favorites were the Chapel Hill Verdelho and Pikes Clare Valley Riesling. Other vegan wine brand I totally forgot about were Temple Breuer and Annie's Lane!

Pikes which runs AUS$31.99 in Australia I found on a couple of different websites in the US that ship to me in Florida. The best deal was Saratoga Wine which had it on sale for US$16/bottle and had free shipping with 12 bottles :)

Gary's Wine also carried it.

Christmas Day 2025 (Australian Edition!)

 I had a wonderful time being home for the holidays in Sydney, Australia. It was the first Christmas I had spent there in 12 years so it was extra special! 

My wonderful brother and his wife hosted the most amazing Christmas day! They went all out with the vegan offerings and I was truly overwhelmed with how much effort they went to for me! Most of the items were purchased from the Vegan Grocery Store under Town Hall, Sydney.

Gorgeous starters with vegan cheese from Delectio Brie, Artisa Freycinet and The Vegan Dairy Red Bell Pepper

Served with vegan GF crackers and Maggie Beer Quince Paste.

Dolmades, Guacamole and Olives

Vegan Rocky Road

This delicious Caprese salad was made with Damona vegan bocconcini!!

Bean Salad

Mushroom Gravy (see I contributed a little!) in a gorgeous jug made by my talented cousin. I also made the stuffing tray from the Tofu log recipe!

This AMAZING GF vegan Black Forest Trifle was purchased from The Green Bakery!

GF Vegan Fruit Mince Pies by Foods of Athenry

Vegan GF "ham" slices were from Meliora found at Woolworths

Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

These are modeled on the Dan Dan Noodles from Planta Queen's owner Chef David Lee. My favorite restaurant on the planet but this dish is not gluten free in the restaurant. I made it without the coconut milk since I was sure on the measurements and I think it would be good with maybe 1/4 can of coconut milk. I also felt like it needed to be a bit sweeter so I added a bit of hoisin to each serving. Made 4 decent servings.

Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

Ingredients

For "Meat"

3 Tbsp oil

2.5 cups faux beef/pork crumbles (I used Trader Joes vegan beef crumbles)

2 Tbsp hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine

1/2 Tbsp dark tamari soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp Chinese 5 spice

1 pack of Sui Mi Ya Cai (fermented mustard greens)

For the Sauce

1/4 cups tahini paste

1/4 cups tamari soy sauce

1/4 cups sugar

1/2 Tbsp Chinese 5 spice

1/2 Tbsp ground Sichuan peppercorn, red

2 Tbls chili oil

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

Coconut milk (optional)

Noodles of choice

Cilantro for serving.

Method

For "Meat";

In a pan over medium heat, sweat out the Sui Mi Ya Cai in oil.

Add the faux meat to your Sui Mi Ya Cai.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook until well-coated.

Remove from the heat and cool.

For the Sauce;

Mix all ingredients until well incorporated.

Boil your favorite noodle, ramen works best.

Add coconut milk to loosen your sauce and adjust to your preferred spice level, you can also add Asian broccoli, bok choy, or any of your favorite greens.

Once your noodles are cooked, you can toss them in a little bit of garlic oil and pour your dan dan sauce over top, mix through. 

Add sauced noodles to a bowl and top with "meat" mix.

Serve with some fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

You can store your leftover dan dan "meat" in a tightly sealed container and freeze it for a later time.

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

 Recipe from Purely Kaylie. Full disclosure I used an Italian 00 flour which I can tolerate so I'm not sure how they turn out using GF flour but I'm guessing good.

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegan butter, slightly softened

3/4 cup vegan light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup vegan cane sugar

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or GF flour)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup vegan white chocolate chips

1 cup roasted salted macadamia nuts, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (I use silicon mats) to prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan. I needed more like 4 trays truth be told - the cookies spread out A LOT and to get lovely round cookies they need space. Mine were a bit misshapen because they ran into the others.

In a large bowl, add vegan butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Using a handheld mixer or an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes). Add almond milk and vanilla extract, then beat together once more to combine.

Add all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt to the bowl. Mix together until the flour is evenly incorporated. Then, add chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. Mix together.

Scoop the cookie dough into balls. Transfer to the baking sheets.

Bake cookies for 12 minutes or until the edges are light golden and the center is still gooey. You should remove them from the oven while the center still appears underbaked. They will de-puff and firm up while cooling on the baking sheet. Leave to cool for around 20 mins.

Simple Candle Making

 I recently got into simple candle making - there's a lot of variety if you want to get into the way the candle burns or colorings etc but I just wanted natural candles that smell great and make great gifts.

I was shocked to discover that essential oils are not recommended for candle making because of toxicity when burned and smoke points but I found a couple of great stores that make quality vegan fragrance oil, just for candle making! Brambleberry and Candle Science. Brambleberry let's you buy 10x 1oz fragrances for $20 so you can try them out! 1oz of fragrance let's you make 3x 8oz jar candles or 1.5x 14oz candles as I discovered! I got a cheap starter kit from Amazon that had the wax melter and  jug, soy wax, stirring spoon, thermometer, wicks with wick stickers and 2 wick holders. Then I purchased a scent I wanted to start with and the first batch turn out great! I used a Smiths inspired picture for my label. 

So here's simple candle making!

Simple Candle Making;

You will need;

• 1lb wax (I used soy)
• 1oz of fragrance oil (weighted, not volume)
• clean dry heat proof ceramic or glass jars (3x 8oz jars is the perfect amount)
• wicks and wick stickers
• wick holder or popsicle sticks to hold the wick upright
• candy/meat thermometer
• kitchen scale (for wax and fragrance oil prep)
• heat proof pad or trivet (optional but i like to take it off the hot plate to cool down faster)

Method

Have all your items ready to go!

Your jars should be clean and dry. Stick the wick sticker to the bottom of the wick and press the other side down well in the middle of the jar. Position the popsicle sticks in a cross hatch or use the wick holder to ensure the wick stays upright and centered when you pour your wax in.

I can't fit all of the 1lb wax in my jug right away but it will all fit once it's melted so I add half an then wait for it to melt on a medium setting and then add the rest.

Once all the wax is melted insert the thermometer and wait until it gets to 190F (this is where you would add any color or additives if using)

Take off heat (or turn heat off) and let the temperature come down to 185F before adding in the fragrance.

Stir through gently but thoroughly.

Let the wax cool to 135-140F before pouring.

Gently pour the wax into the jar until around 1/2" from the top without disturbing the wick. 

Candles will take about half a day to set properly, overnight is best.

Kale Basil Pesto

Adapted to vegan from original recipe from Plays Well with Butter. I've used a couple if different varieties and it always turns out well. great way to use up your greens!

Kale Basil Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups firmly packed chopped kale/spinach (roughly 3.25 ounces)

2 cups firmly packed basil leaves & tender stems (roughly 3 ounces)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, zested & juiced

3 cloves garlic

⅓ cup walnuts, toasted (I didn't toast mine)

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (I didn't toast mine)

⅓ cup finely grated vegan parmesan (I've used vegan gruyere as well)

kosher salt & ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Add the olive oil, lemon zest & juice, garlic, walnuts, & pine nuts to the jar of a high-speed blender.

Blend 5-10 seconds, roughly breaking down the nuts. 

Add the parmesan, kale, & basil to the blender, & blend until combined. 

Taste and season with additional salt, ground black pepper as desired. 

Mango Sticky Rice

This mango sticky rice recipe is from my favourite Thai chef Rin S. I just changed it to vegan easily. 2 cans of coconut milk is enough for the rice and the sauce.

Mango Sticky Rice

Ingredients

Coconut Sticky Rice

1lb sticky rice (hot) (I used a frozen microwavable sticky rice and it was fabulous)

2/2/3 cup coconut milk

1 1/4 cup vegan sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

5-6 Pandon leaves (I used some vanilla extract instead)

1 Tbls yellow mung beans (optional)

Coconut Sauce

1/2 cup coconut milk

Tbls veganb sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Serving

Ripe mango, sliced (mangoes are not in season now so I used frozen)

Method

Add roasted yellow mung bean in saucepan on medium for 3-4 minutes until golden brown then take off heat and keep to the side for serving.

Into the saucepan add coconut milk, sugar, salt, pandon leaves on a medium heat until hot but not boiling. 

Rice needs to be hot so heat in container if been prepared prior and has cooled.

Add rice to the mix and cover for 15mins. Consistency should be not too runny not too thick. It will thicken as it cools.

For the sauce add all ingredients to a microwavable jug and heat for 1-2 mins, whisk together.

To serve add rice to a serving bowl, add sliced mango, pour over sauce and top with roasted mung beans.

Ratatouille

This recipe is from The Kitchn and turned out really nicely. Was great the next day when the flavors had mixed.

Ratatouille 

Ingredients

1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces)

1 medium yellow summer squash (about 8 ounces)

2 medium Chinese or Japanese eggplant (about 8 ounces)

2 medium Roma tomatoes (about 8 ounces total)

1 small yellow onion

1 small red, orange, or yellow bell pepper

3 cloves garlic

1/2 small bunch fresh thyme

1/2 small bunch fresh basil

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup tomato purée

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Method 

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375ºF.

Trim and cut the following with a mandolin or sharp knife crosswise into 1/16-inch-thick rounds: 1 medium yellow summer squash (about 2 cups), 1 medium zucchini (about 2 cups), 2 medium Chinese or Japanese eggplants (about 2 3/4 cups), and 2 medium Roma tomatoes (about 1 1/4 cups).

Dice 1 small yellow onion (about 1 cup). Trim and dice 1 small bell pepper (about 1 cup). Mince 3 garlic cloves. Pick the leaves from 1/2 small bunch fresh thyme until you have 4 teaspoons. Pick the leaves from 1/2 small bunch fresh basil and finely chop until you have 1/4 cup.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-inch oven-safe or cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, 2 teaspoons of the thyme, and basil, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup tomato purée and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Add 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and stir to combine. Spread the sauce into an even layer.

Arrange the zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, and Roma tomatoes on top of the sauce in a concentric circle: Start at the outer edge of the skillet and work inward, alternating the vegetables and overlapping the slices so that just a little bit of each slice is visible.

Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons thyme and remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt over the top.

Cover with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil. Bake until the vegetables are softened and have released their liquid, but are not browned around the edges, 45 to 50 minutes. Uncover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with torn basil leaves.

Vegan Salmon Crispy Rice

I saw this on an episode of Queer Eye and wondered how it would turn out so I found a non-vegan version on TikTok and tried to replicate it :)
It was actually very delicious!

Vegan Salmon Crispy Rice

Ingredients

2cups cooked sushi or short grain sticky rice

2Tbls rice vinegar

6oz faux salmon (I used store bought but you could use the watermelon salmon sashimi recipe!)

2Tbls vegan mayo (I used Veganaise)

2 tsp soy sauce (I used tamari)

1 tsp sriracha 

1 Tbls sesame oil

1 green onion chopped 

Sprinkle of sesame seeds

1x Avocado, sliced

Method

Cook sushi rice ahead of time, mix in rice vinegar. (You can prepare as you would sushi rice if you prefer, the aim is for it to not fall apart when you fry it.) Line a 8" x 8" pan/tray and add the rice smoothing it down flat with the rice spatula, covering the top with cling film. Refrigerate for at lest 2 hours.

Meanwhile get the vegan salmon ready by chopping into small cubes and adding in the vegan mayo, soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, green onions and sesame seeds.

Slice the avocado thinly and set aside.

Once rice is ready slice into squares and heat some oil in a non-stick pan on a med-high heat. 

Sear both sides of the rice squares until golden brown and place aside on some paper towels. You may need to do a couple of batches.

Once the fried rice squares are cool enough to touch arrange them on the serving plate, top them with a spoon of the vegan salmon mix following by the avocado slices.

This was so delicious! My first batch of rice fell apart because I forgot the vinegar so I turned it into a poke bowl.

Fermented Cabbage (Sauerkraut)

This is a simple recipe from Hilda's Kitchen. I kept it in the fridge for weeks before I ate some and so far it's been in there a few months and still delicious! 

Fermented Cabbage (Sauerkraut)

Ingredients

1 large cabbage (2 lbs)

2 cloves garlic (slivered)

2 tablespoon sea salt (divided)

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

3 cups filtered water

Method

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage then wash thoroughly then chop the cabbage and add it to a large non-metallic bowl. Add slivered garlic, spices, and 1 tablespoon salt. Stir to combine.

Let the cabbage sit for at least 15 minutes then stir once more.

Pack the shredded cabbage mix into 2 sterilized, wide-mouthed 1-quart mason jars (or 4 half-pint jars) using a rubber spatula or non-metallic spoon.

Combine 3 cups of water and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt and stir to dissolve. Pour over the cabbage until it reaches the rim of the jar. Loosely cap the jar with a sterilized lid.

The cabbage will begin to bubble as it ferments, so place jars on a rimmed tray or glass dish to catch the juices. Store somewhere cool (between 65 and 72 degrees F).

Every few days, look inside the jar to see if the water level has fallen below the rim. If so, top it off with more salt water, using 1 ½ teaspoon of salt for every cup of water. If the cabbage is floating to the surface, push it back down until the cabbage is submerged.

You can ferment your sauerkraut for 1 to 3 weeks, tasting it every few days, until the desired flavor and texture is achieved.