Plant Based Corner

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Sat May 13, 2023 1:56 pm

So, since I'm trying to get back into cooking again and love sharing and exchanging recipe ideas, I thought I'd make a little plant-based topic.

I've been living fully vegan for 2.5 years now. I initially started with a 2-week challenge, together with my sister, which we did simply for fun - and to be honest, I doubted that I could even do two weeks. After that, my sister went back to an omnivore diet, but I (unexpectedly) stuck with it and have not looked back ever since.

Why? Because it turned out to be much, much easier than I had expected and much more versatile than my former diet. There is this misconception that a plant-based diet is restrictive because it cuts out all animal products and that there is "almost nothing vegans can even eat." But I have come to realise that actually quite the opposite is the case.

When we grow up on an omnivore diet (which most of us do), we have about two handfuls of recipes that we "inherit" from our parents. They tend to be very focused on meats and dairy products (especially cheese

) as the main source of protein and often fail to take alternative protein sources into consideration. Therefore, the idea of leaving out meat and dairy seems daunting to many as that often rules out up to 100% of our known recipes.

Some things we have learned about cooking don't work with a plant-based diet, however, that doesn't mean that it's more difficult, it is just taking a bit of a different approach, and once you learn some ground rules and get the hang of it, your cooking may actually become much more varied and versatile. I discovered countless new foods I had not tried before and interesting food combinations that I had never considered. There is so much more to cooking than I though and going vegan opened my eyes to the infinite possibilites.

Disclaimer: I'm not trying to turn anyone vegan here.

This is just me sharing some fun and interesting ideas that could maybe spice up your meal plan and make you try out new stuff. Eating more plant-based even if you're not vegan has a lot of benefits. Firstly, it is healthy, because a whole-foods plant-based diet is very low in cholesterol and unhealthy fats, which are the leading cause of coronary heart disease. Secondly, it is a more ethical choice in terms of animal suffering and thirdly it is really good for the environment. (Did you know that every day that you eat plant based for a whole day saves approximately 40lbs of grain, 1100 gallons of water (the equivalent of showering for almost 4 months!!) and 30 square feet of forest?)

I'm going to mainly share quick and easy recipes without too many fancy ingredients. (I like to cook with what I have in my pantry). The kind of stuff that anyone can easily do. If you have any plant-based recipes, do drop them here, because I am always looking for new inspiration.

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Sat May 13, 2023 2:07 pm

For Breakfast: Baked Oats

Ingredients
120 gr Oats
250 ml Oat milk
50 ml Agave Syrup or Maple Syrup
1 cup raspberries (or any berries you like, you can also use other fruit like apples or bananas)
2 tbsp Coconut Oil (or other plant oil for the casserole dish)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger (if you fancy that, or any other spices you like. Maybe gingerbread or pumpkin spice?)

Instructions
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Then add the oat milk and syrup. Mix it well and add berries/fruit.
Spread your oat mixture in a casserole dish.
Bake oatmeal in the oven for about 20 minutes (until golden brown).

Here's the full recipe with pictures.

https://plantifulheart.com/en/raspberry-baked-oatmeal-recipe/

I rarely ever stick to a recipe 100%. I sometimes reduce the sugar (in this case syrup) or get creative with the seasoning.

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Sat May 13, 2023 2:13 pm

For Breakfast: Fluffy vegan Pancakes:

Ingredients
for 4 servings

1 cup flour(125 g)
2 tablespoons organic sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup non-dairy milk (240 ml)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
maple syrup, to serve

Instructions
In a medium bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and stir to combine.
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, add almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla, and stir to combine
Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until smooth.
Let batter rest for 5 minutes.
Pour about ½ cup (65 grams) of batter onto a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat.
When the top begins to bubble, flip the pancake and cook until golden.
Serve warm with maple syrup.

I've heard that you can use the same batter for waffles too. Haven't tried it yet, but I would love to.

mimosa · Post by **mimosa** » Sat May 13, 2023 5:32 pm

Mesir Wot -- Ethiopian Lentil Stew

1 c onion paste (I finely chop them, but now I process them)
1/4 c oil
1/4 c berbere (special Ethiopian spice mix)
1 large ripe fresh tomato (I do not do this)
1 Tbsp tomato paste (I use a five oz can)
1 Tbsp garlic paste
1 Tbsp ginger paste
4 c water, divided
1 c split red lentils, rinsed (I don't rinse, but I'm lazy)
1 tsp salt, or to your taste

In a medium pot, add the onions, cover and heat over mediums heat for about 2 minutes. Add the oil, and stir to coat, Saute another five minutes.
Add the berbere, tomato, tomato paste, garlic and ginger. Lower the heat and stir to coat, adding water as needed, making sure it doesn't burn. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the lentils and salt. Stir well to coat. Add up to 3 tbsp. water at a time, simmering over medium low heat, as it is absorbed. Continue to simmer, stir and add 3 Tbsp water as needed for 10 minutes.
Add the reminding water and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
(I do not do this...can't babysit it that much...in fact, I burned it the first time I made it! So I put all the water in and simmer until it looks right (ha! whatever that means!))
Serve with injera. (I buy this.)

ME

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Sat May 13, 2023 5:37 pm

mimosa wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 5:32 pm Mesir Wot -- Ethiopian Lentil Stew

1 c onion paste (I finely chop them, but now I process them)
1/4 c oil
1/4 c berbere (special Ethiopian spice mix)
1 large ripe fresh tomato (I do not do this)
1 Tbsp tomato paste (I use a five oz can)
1 Tbsp garlic paste
1 Tbsp ginger paste
4 c water, divided
1 c split red lentils, rinsed (I don't rinse, but I'm lazy)
1 tsp salt, or to your taste

In a medium pot, add the onions, cover and heat over mediums heat for about 2 minutes. Add the oil, and stir to coat, Saute another five minutes.
Add the berbere, tomato, tomato paste, garlic and ginger. Lower the heat and stir to coat, adding water as needed, making sure it doesn't burn. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the lentils and salt. Stir well to coat. Add up to 3 tbsp. water at a time, simmering over medium low heat, as it is absorbed. Continue to simmer, stir and add 3 Tbsp water as needed for 10 minutes.
Add the reminding water and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
(I do not do this...can't babysit it that much...in fact, I burned it the first time I made it! So I put all the water in and simmer until it looks right (ha! whatever that means!))
Serve with injera. (I buy this.)

ME

Oh that is lovely, Mim, thank you so much for sharing. I shall try this asap and let you know how it went.

mimosa · Post by **mimosa** » Sat May 13, 2023 5:42 pm

I don't even remember using 4 cups of water...do I? Dang, and I even make it every time? I even checked to see if it is a typo.

ME

Post by **merry** » Sat May 13, 2023 10:15 pm

Tom has got me hooked on Hummus. I could eat it by the bowl!

I'm not going to be one of those skinny plant-eaters, am I

Lovely idea for a topic!

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Sun May 14, 2023 1:48 pm

So, today I made cauilflower wings for lunch. I've made this a couple of times now and it's super delicious.

Ingredients
1 pound (about ½ of a large head) cauliflower, cut into “two bite”-sized pieces

For the batter:
½ cup (45 g) chickpea flour (the cool thing about chickpea flour is that it's pure protein and adds a nice crunch)
1 tablespoon (5 g) nutritional yeast (flakes)
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ cup 2 ounces water
2 to 3 tablespoons bread crumbs of choice

For the Buffalo sauce:
¼ cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce or cayenne pepper sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon black pepper

(I didn't make the buffalo sauce, I just used a bit of plant oil mixed with soy sauce, maple syrup and some more smoked paprika because I love smoked paprika).

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 F (or 200 C)
Prepare the cauliflower by cutting it into “two bite”-sized pieces. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt.
Stir in ¼ cup of water to form a paste. If the mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon of water. If it’s too thin, add a bit more chickpea flour.

With a rubber spatula, stir the cauliflower into the seasoned chickpea flour paste. Continue to stir for a minute or two, trying to get the cauliflower completely coated. Sprinkle on bread crumbs, and gently stir to coat.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and distribute the cauliflower evenly, making sure none of the "wings" are touching.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 F (200 C). Turn over each “wing” and bake for another 15 minutes.
While the cauliflower bakes, prepare the buffalo sauce by combining the sauce ingredients in the large bowl.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven, and gently toss the cauliflower in the sauce, being careful not to break off the breading.

Return the cauliflower to the baking sheet, and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the “wings” are crispy again, and starting to darken.

Serve immediately.

For the dressing
I used a bit of plant-based yoghurt (I used soy, because it's rich in protein and creamy, but you can use any plant-based yoghurt of your preference).
I put in a bit of salt, garlic and a little bit of date syrup for the sweetening (you can use maple syrup too). You can also use any kind of herbs and spices of your personal preference.

The outcome was deliciously crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Post by **merry** » Sun May 14, 2023 9:18 pm

That does look really, really super scrummy, Tom.

I wonder if STPD would make it.

Philipaholt · Post by **Philipaholt** » Tue May 16, 2023 11:08 pm

TRavine wrote: ↑Sun May 14, 2023 1:48 pm So, today I made cauilflower wings for lunch. I've made this a couple of times now and it's super delicious.

Ingredients
1 pound (about ½ of a large head) cauliflower, cut into “two bite”-sized pieces

For the batter:
½ cup (45 g) chickpea flour (the cool thing about chickpea flour is that it's pure protein and adds a nice crunch)
1 tablespoon (5 g) nutritional yeast (flakes)
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ cup 2 ounces water
2 to 3 tablespoons bread crumbs of choice

For the Buffalo sauce:
¼ cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce or cayenne pepper sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon black pepper

(I didn't make the buffalo sauce, I just used a bit of plant oil mixed with soy sauce, maple syrup and some more smoked paprika because I love smoked paprika).

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 F (or 200 C)
Prepare the cauliflower by cutting it into “two bite”-sized pieces. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt.
Stir in ¼ cup of water to form a paste. If the mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon of water. If it’s too thin, add a bit more chickpea flour.

With a rubber spatula, stir the cauliflower into the seasoned chickpea flour paste. Continue to stir for a minute or two, trying to get the cauliflower completely coated. Sprinkle on bread crumbs, and gently stir to coat.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and distribute the cauliflower evenly, making sure none of the "wings" are touching.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 F (200 C). Turn over each “wing” and bake for another 15 minutes.
While the cauliflower bakes, prepare the buffalo sauce by combining the sauce ingredients in the large bowl.
Remove the cauliflower from the oven, and gently toss the cauliflower in the sauce, being careful not to break off the breading.

Return the cauliflower to the baking sheet, and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the “wings” are crispy again, and starting to darken.

Serve immediately.

For the dressing
I used a bit of plant-based yoghurt (I used soy, because it's rich in protein and creamy, but you can use any plant-based yoghurt of your preference).
I put in a bit of salt, garlic and a little bit of date syrup for the sweetening (you can use maple syrup too). You can also use any kind of herbs and spices of your personal preference.

The outcome was deliciously crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.

20230514_123741.jpg20230514_123813.jpg

These. Look. SO. Damn Good

Furby · Post by **Furby** » Wed May 17, 2023 7:12 am

Many people these days - including me which is how I know - don't want to be doing difficult messy cooking. We want something quick that just needs heating up. I think this is why vegan is seen as something for well off people. Pre prepared vegan foods are very expensive compared to meat and dairy based options. Even the pretend milks are much dearer although recently real milk has shot up in price so not as much difference. Milk of some sort is essential for civilised life with tea and coffee and baby powdered milk and there aren't enough almonds and soyas for everyone anyway and cows can be grown on green grass in England. I don't eat much meat now usually chickens at Christmas or special occasions but couldn't cope without dairy. A boiled egg is a nice easy meal there's no alternative for anc butter and butter tasting spreads are another thing the vegan ones don't melt properly. Plant foods don't go off as much as meats and less likely to poislon you when they do so there is that advantage.

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Wed May 17, 2023 7:55 am

Furby wrote: ↑Wed May 17, 2023 7:12 am Many people these days - including me which is how I know - don't want to be doing difficult messy cooking. We want something quick that just needs heating up. I think this is why vegan is seen as something for well off people. Pre prepared vegan foods are very expensive compared to meat and dairy based options. Even the pretend milks are much dearer although recently real milk has shot up in price so not as much difference. Milk of some sort is essential for civilised life with tea and coffee and baby powdered milk and there aren't enough almonds and soyas for everyone anyway and cows can be grown on green grass in England. I don't eat much meat now usually chickens at Christmas or special occasions but couldn't cope without dairy. A boiled egg is a nice easy meal there's no alternative for anc butter and butter tasting spreads are another thing the vegan ones don't melt properly. Plant foods don't go off as much as meats and less likely to poislon you when they do so there is that advantage.

I know what you mean about vegan ready meals still not being very common and varied and some vegan foods being more expensive than dairy (mainly due to the fact that dairy is subsidized through taxes while plant alternatives are not).

We would, in fact, have enough soyas and other dairy alternatives for everyone if there was less dairy, because more than 90% of the world's soya is fed to cattle in the dairy industry.

But I think everyone should make their own decisions on this and I can understand why many would still prefer animal products.

Furby · Post by **Furby** » Fri May 19, 2023 1:23 pm

If all vegans were as nice about it as tom all would be well.

In England we get protestors throwing away milk in supermarkets to threaten the shops into going vegan. They did this in more expenisve supermarkets at christmas including the big marks and spencers in Manchester and also waitrose. There's been pressure on schools and government buildings to go entirely vegan where there is a captive audience needing to eat. We have already seen this work effectively in schools going religious meats only so its likely to be successful.

I eat vegetarian foods but even that's being chipped away at. Rarely eat out now but last few times its been the vegan option to cover vegetarians and its really not the same thing at all. I don't trust restaurants to cook meat properly so choose vegetarian. With sausages i always buy the veggie ones because I don' like grisly bits in real sausages. The casualty of vegan campaigning seems to be anything vegetarian.

Dairy does seem to be harder to find alternatives for than meat. Milk butter eggs none of these things have anything even close. Meats as long as you have sausages and burgers food rather than meat pieces like steaks can make fake things closer to a proper meal. Or put lentils in stews its almost mince. But can't replace a cup of tea and toast. Fake milk doesn't taste nice and fake spreads don't melt properly.

eccles · Post by **eccles** » Fri May 19, 2023 5:23 pm

I don' like grisly bits in real sausages.

Me neither. I won't buy cheap sausages for that reason. These are my usual go-to ones which are 90% pork.
https://groceries.asda.com/product/saus ... 0001308704
The "Heck" brand are good too.

Post by **merry** » Tue May 23, 2023 6:34 pm

I found this recipe for Vegan Chocolate Cake which looks really nice. In fact, I have made one very like it in the past and it turned out super as both we and Austrians say alike

except theirs comes out more as Zoooper, which I think is very cool.

Yummy Vegan Chocolate cake
Makes: 36 cupcakes or 1 x 23cm (9in) cake

420g plain flour
400g muscovado/ dark brown sugar
6Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
500ml water
200ml sunflower oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180°C
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and stir together
Make a well in the centre and add the remaining ingredients.
Mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into cupcake cakes or a greased and lined tin
Bake – 20 mins for cupcakes or 1 hour for cake
As you can see the cake is very easy to bake – it’s also moist and delicious so why not give it a try! No one will even know it contains no eggs.

In case you are wondering, this tried and tested recipe also appears in my ‘Mini cakes academy‘ book, along with a chart for different mini cake sizes.

Happy Baking

Lindy Smith

This recipe is from Lindy's Cakes .

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Tue May 23, 2023 6:42 pm

merry wrote: ↑Tue May 23, 2023 6:34 pm I found this recipe for Vegan Chocolate Cake which looks really nice. In fact, I have made one very like it in the past and it turned out super as both we and Austrians say alike except theirs comes out more as Zoooper, which I think is very cool.

Yummy Vegan Chocolate cake
Makes: 36 cupcakes or 1 x 23cm (9in) cake

420g plain flour
400g muscovado/ dark brown sugar
6Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
500ml water
200ml sunflower oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180°C
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and stir together
Make a well in the centre and add the remaining ingredients.
Mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into cupcake cakes or a greased and lined tin
Bake – 20 mins for cupcakes or 1 hour for cake
As you can see the cake is very easy to bake – it’s also moist and delicious so why not give it a try! No one will even know it contains no eggs.

In case you are wondering, this tried and tested recipe also appears in my ‘Mini cakes academy‘ book, along with a chart for different mini cake sizes.

Happy Baking

Lindy Smith
This recipe is from Lindy's Cakes .

Oh Merry that sounds delicious!!

I love chocolate cake, I need to try this!!!

Vandraren · Post by **Vandraren** » Mon May 29, 2023 8:47 pm

When we eat tacos/tortillas we usually try different vegan fillings, this time we used a jackfruit recipe. I really like pulled jackfruit! This one is from BBC GoodFood: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/veg ... -jackfruit

I added black beans in the jackfruit filling for more protein and coz I love them. Also made a coleslaw with it to also go into the tacos and then the other usual stuff like diced cucumber and salad leaves. Didn't have any avocado, but I am sure that would have been nice as well.

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp chipotle hot sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp BBQ sauce
200g can chopped tomato
2 x 400g cans young jackfruit in salted water

STEP 1
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until very soft, for around 10-12 mins. Add the cinnamon, cumin and paprika to the onions and cook for a further 2-3 mins. Next add the hot sauce, vinegar and bbq sauce and mix well before adding in the tomato, the drained jackfruit and 200ml water. Leave to simmer gently, covered, for 30 mins stirring every 5-10 mins to help break down the jackfruit, then take the lid off and cook a further 10 minutes.

STEP 2
Once cooked, use a fork to make sure all of the jackfruit is well shredded. Check seasoning and add another tbsp of bbq sauce if necessary for extra stickiness.

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Tue May 30, 2023 12:41 pm

Vandraren wrote: ↑Mon May 29, 2023 8:47 pm When we eat tacos/tortillas we usually try different vegan fillings, this time we used a jackfruit recipe. I really like pulled jackfruit! This one is from BBC GoodFood: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/veg ... -jackfruit

I added black beans in the jackfruit filling for more protein and coz I love them. Also made a coleslaw with it to also go into the tacos and then the other usual stuff like diced cucumber and salad leaves. Didn't have any avocado, but I am sure that would have been nice as well.

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp chipotle hot sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp BBQ sauce
200g can chopped tomato
2 x 400g cans young jackfruit in salted water

STEP 1
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until very soft, for around 10-12 mins. Add the cinnamon, cumin and paprika to the onions and cook for a further 2-3 mins. Next add the hot sauce, vinegar and bbq sauce and mix well before adding in the tomato, the drained jackfruit and 200ml water. Leave to simmer gently, covered, for 30 mins stirring every 5-10 mins to help break down the jackfruit, then take the lid off and cook a further 10 minutes.

STEP 2
Once cooked, use a fork to make sure all of the jackfruit is well shredded. Check seasoning and add another tbsp of bbq sauce if necessary for extra stickiness.

Oooh Van, that sounds delicious!!!

Thank you for sharing!!!

I'll make sure to try it.

Vandraren · Post by **Vandraren** » Tue May 30, 2023 4:59 pm

TRavine wrote: ↑Tue May 30, 2023 12:41 pm
Oooh Van, that sounds delicious!!! Thank you for sharing!!! I'll make sure to try it.

Have you cooked jackfruit before? If not, be sure to cut off the little corners after taking them from the can. They are a bit like ananas in that way, you can't eat the middle coz it's too hard. So you have to throw half of every bit. But maybe in your country you might be able to find cans with pre-cut bits without the middle bit.

You can of course also throw in some taco seasoning into this filling, on top of the other spices and sauces.

TRavine · Post by **TRavine** » Tue May 30, 2023 5:32 pm

Vandraren wrote: ↑Tue May 30, 2023 4:59 pm
TRavine wrote: ↑Tue May 30, 2023 12:41 pm
Oooh Van, that sounds delicious!!! Thank you for sharing!!! I'll make sure to try it.
Have you cooked jackfruit before? If not, be sure to cut off the little corners after taking them from the can. They are a bit like ananas in that way, you can't eat the middle coz it's too hard. So you have to throw half of every bit. But maybe in your country you might be able to find cans with pre-cut bits without the middle bit. You can of course also throw in some taco seasoning into this filling, on top of the other spices and sauces.

I've done jackfruit before. We get them canned in pre-cut pieces. I usually drain them really well and them squeeze them thoroughly in a cotton tower to get rid of any liquid because otherwise they have a very specific taste that sticks. After that they can be seasoned rather well, I found.