Sauteed Broccolini and ‘Chicken’ with Brown Rice and Corn topped with Avocado Mousse

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Vanessa Gregoria

Hi all, hope you had a good week. I’ve gotten over my cold and nearly finished university. Today was my last day with my little mentees, who I have been helping get through the perils of first semester of university. But I still have my last Italian exam next Tuesday and my last assignment, which I will hopefully hand in next week. My lecturer is pretty cruisey about due dates, but I just want this to be over. Its been 5 years, so I’ve had enough of studying. I need at least 6 months off, in case I decide to do honors, but at this point I’m just looking forward to freedom. I also want my freedom back to cook.

This is the first meal I have prepared worth documenting this past week. It was more out of necessity of cooking all the vegetables in our fridge. My mother and I have a bad habit of doing food shopping on the same day without realizing, then we end up with too much food. Me and Marco can only eat so much of it, since she has more of a social life then us these days. I don’t know why but it stresses me out knowing that the vegetables are running out of nutrients everyday that goes by. I’ve especially become crazy when it comes to juicing. If Marco and mum don’t finish their juice within the first 10 mins after I’ve made them, I start yelling about the nutrients dying lol. I really need a break…

This dish was inspired by Natalie the Naturopath’s Pan Fried Buckwheat & Silverbeet with Spiced Tempeh. Unfortunately I didn’t have any tempeh and Marco negotiated brown rice instead of buckwheat. I didn’t add any spices like hers, instead I made an avocado mouse to give the rest of the dish a lift. It was very simple, but delicious. Marco is looking forward to taking the rest of the leftovers tomorrow.

By the way, this little pink piggy was a surprise that Marco brought for me after work from the Cupcake Parlour. Unfortunately part of the surprise was that I had to share it with him. I guess it’s the thought that counts.

Sauteed Broccolini and ‘Chicken’ with Brown Rice and Corn topped with Avocado Mousse (gfo, nf)

Sauteed Broccolini and ‘Chicken’ (vegan, nut free)

Ingredients:

1 brown onion

1 red capsicum

2 garlic cloves

2 bunches of broccolini

1 tablespoon coconut oil

200g Fry’s Chicken-style Strips/Tempeh, sea salt to taste

Method:

1. Slice onion and capsicum into thin strips and dice garlic cloves.

2. Cut off ends of broccolini, then cut them in half.

3. In a large pan heat coconut oil, then add onion, capsicum and garlic. Cook for 4-5 mins, depending if you prefer them more crunchy.

4. Add broccolini and ‘chicken’ or tempeh. Saute for 7-8 mins, or until both are cooked. Season with sea salt, then serve.

Brown Rice and Corn

Ingredients:

1 cup short grain brown rice

2 ears of corn

1 tablespoon coconut oil

sea salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook brown rice in a rice cooker or on the stove if you prefer.

2. Meanwhile cut the corn kernels from the corn cobs.

3. Once the rice is just about ready, heat coconut oil in a large pan, then add corn kernels. Cook for 5 mins or until corn kernels are cooked. Season with salt.

4. Combine brown rice with corn kernels. Add more sea salt if you need, then serve.

Avocado Mousse

Ingredients:

2 small avocados

1.5-2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 small lemon)

1 tablespoon coconut oil

3 tablespoons filtered water

sea salt to taste.

Method:

1. Place avocado and coconut oil into a processor.

2. As its whizzing add the lemon, water and sea salt.

*Serves 4

Risoni with ‘Chicken’ and Mushrooms in Creamy Pistachio Pesto Sauce

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Vanessa Gregoria

I made this dish a couple of nights ago, before we flew to Sydney. Creamy Risoni pasta with Chicken and Pesto is one of my favorite dish that I use to often get at my fathers restaurant when I was a teenager. I haven’t thought about it in years, but I was really craving it. I tried to make it with a Pistachio Pesto, which I have never tried to make before. I used italian parsley instead of basil and less oil. The pistachios didn’t break down as quickly as pine nuts usually do, but the end result was still delicious. To make the cream sauce I used Aldi’s Organic Soy Milk, which becomes so thick, if its been sitting in the fridge before opening, that its great for creamy sauces.

Risoni with ‘Chicken’ and Mushrooms in Creamy Pistachio Pesto Sauce (vegan)

Ingredients for Pistachio Pesto:

2 garlic cloves

40g shelled pistachios

1 cup italian parsley

2.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons water

sea salt & black pepper to taste

Remaining ingredients:

2 serves of risoni pasta

olive oil

1 small onion, diced

6-8 mushrooms, sliced

1 cup Fry’s Chicken-style Strips, chopped

1 cup thick organic whole soy milk

sea salt & black pepper to taste

Method:

1. First make the pesto by first adding the garlic and pistachio to processor. Process until mostly broken down, then add italian parsley, olive oil, water and season with salt and pepper. Keep scraping the sides and continue to process until it becomes a pesto. May take up to 10 mins.

2. In the mean time heat the water to boil for the pasta, dice the onion and mushrooms. Roughly chop the Chicken-style strips.

3. Cook the risoni pasta according to packet directions, then strain.

4. In a pan add about a tablespoon of olive oil, then cook mushrooms until they have browned. Remove from pan.

5. In the same pan, add some more oil, then saute onion for 2 mins. The add the Chicken-style strips. Cook for about 6-8 minutes or until golden.

6. Add the mushrooms, thick soy milk and pesto and heat through, until it comes to a light boil. Place on simmer then season with salt and pepper.

7. Lastly, add the risoni pasta to the pan and heat through, then serve.

*Serves 2

*Ingredients for Pistachio Pesto makes about 1/2 cup

As I mentioned, we flew to Sydney yesterday to pick up a car. It was a really, really early 4 in the morning that we had to get up to get a 6 am flight. We left from International airport, which ended up being a lot more daunting then a domestic flight. Luckily we didn’t need our passports, but there were lots of checks done and waiting in lines. Anyway after we got the car we made our way back to Brisbane. On the way we stopped at a place we have stopped before and I really loved, Oliver’s Real Food. This is a natural, organic fast food stop that has 3 locations through New South Wales, outside of Sydney. They have heaps of vegan options for breakfast, lunch, sides, snacks and drinks. Some include Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad, Organic Wholemeal Toast, Vege Patch Pita Pocket, Vegetarian Suishi, Organic Pumpkin Soup, Steamed Edamame Beans, Raw Organic Nut Mix, a range of fresh juices, coffees and bottled drinks. They also have a large range of Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Lacto-ovo Vegetarian options, as well as meat dishes.

Last time we picked up a car I had the Vege Patch Pita Pocket. Unfortunately this time I wasn’t quite ready for lunch just yet. So I got the best and most expensive fresh juice I’ve ever bought. After seeing the ingredients of this juice I really didn’t mind paying $9.90. It included raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, pomegranate, goji, carrot, beetroot, tomato, rosehips’s echinacea, cranberry, blackcurrent, passionfruit, blackberry, coconut water, orange juice and banana. I can’t believe they managed to cram that much goodness in one serve of juice. It really woke me up and kept me alert for most of the trip. Marco really regretted getting the MacDonalds after I told him off, but I still shared my juice so he could get some nutrients in his body. So lucky me didn’t miss out on a juice day.

Antioxidant Red Miracle

Today I tried something different. I added pumpkin to my morning juice. It was quite nice and didn’t have an overpowering taste. I also added orange, apple, ginger, cucumber, celery and carrot.

The last thing I wanted to share is an Ice cream shop that I went to with the kids today, that serve vegan ice cream at Southbank! Geláre is a quality ice cream cafe, that is along the main drag in Southbank on Grey Street. They have dairy free vegan Sorbets, such as Mango, Raspberry and Lemon. The kids both had Mango Sorbet and the really loved it. I had the Naked Coconut Ice cream, which is organic, dairy free, vegan and naturally Sweetened with Organic Agave. This was the best Ice cream I have had in Australia. I was really impressed. They also have Vegan Dark Chocolate and Cappuccino Bliss (soon), which are also vegan, organic and naturally sweetened with organic agave. I am looking forward to meeting friends here and actually getting to have Ice cream out again.

Mango Sorbet

Naked Coconut

‘Chicken’ Enchiladas

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Vanessa Gregoria

I was nearly not going to make dinner tonight. I have eaten far to much today. First I had left over curry and rice from last night. Then I had Govinda’s vegan buffet for lunch, since we had to use our coupon this week. Then I made a Hazelnut Mocha with Oats milk and had the lasted of the Salted Caramel Nuts for afternoon tea. So I wasn’t hungry, but by 8ish I was getting a bit peckish.

Vegan Buffet at Govinda’s

I had made the Vegan Sour Cream this afternoon with the extra silken tofu that the students left the other night. I had so much I even made a double batch of Marinated Buffalo Style Tofu Mozzarella. I knew I also had to use the packet of wholemeal wraps. Unfortunately then need to be used in 3 days after opening. So I came up with Enchiladas. I have never made them before, but then turned out pretty good.

I adapted the recipe for Homemade Enchilada Sauce from Recipe Girl. I added some cocoa powder, as I saw another recipe that said it was more authentic with that. For the Enchiladas I noted that many recipes used either a tomato based sauce inside with meat or beans; or just sour cream and cheese with meat. So I did both and made a creamy tomato sauce. I topped it with Tofutti Cheddar Slices, that I diced. I would of preferred to use a better quality grated vegan cheese, but I didn’t have any. I served it with last nights leftover Yellow Split Peas and Brown Rice and just added vegan butter and lime juice.

All the ingredients are gluten free, except for the wraps I used. But you can definitely use gluten free wraps. If you don’t want to or don’t have any vegan chicken strips then use another can of kidney beans.

Sorry about the photos. My camera ran out of batteries before I got a chance to take a picture after it cooked. I used my mothers camera and I was also very sloppy when I served it. I promise you that it did taste really good, even though it doesn’t look that appealing.

‘Chicken’ Enchiladas (vegan, jut free)

Ingredients for Enchilada Sauce:

1/4 cup sunflower oil

2 tablespoons arrowroot flour

2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cups vegan chicken liquid stock

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion flakes

sea salt to taste

Ingredients for Vegan Sour Cream: (makes 1.5 cups, only need 1 cup)

240g silken tofu

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sea salt

Ingredients for Enchilades:

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 onion, diced

1 small red capsicum, chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground sweet paprika

1 cup passata sauce

2 tablespoons chili sauce

1 can kidney beans

380 g Fry’s Chicken-Style Strips or other vegan chicken strips (or another can of beans)

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

sea salt to taste, 6-8 wholemeal wraps or enchilada wraps

vegan cheese (optional, I diced up vegan cheddar slices)

Ingredients for Rice:

leftover rice

1-2 tablespoons vegan butter

2-4 tablespoons lime juice

sea salt to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Make the Vegan Sour Cream. Blend all the ingredients in a processor. Leave in the fridge till ready to use.

Enchilada Sauce

3. Next make the Enchilada Sauce. First take a large pot and heat oil on medium heat. Then add the arrowroot flour and cayenne and whisk it. Cook for 1 minute or until lightly browned.

4.Then slowly add the rest of the ingredients and whisk it all so it is consistent. Cook for 10 mins or until it has thickened, while stirring often. Turn of the heat and leave to the side.

5. Meanwhile make the Enchilada filling. Heat another large pot with oil on medium heat. Then add onion, garlic, capsicum, cumin and paprika. Saute for 4 minutes. Add a bit of water if its too dry.

6. Then add the passata sauce, chili sauce and kidney beans. Cook for another 5 mins and adjust seasoning.

7. Then add vegan chicken strips. Cook for 6-8 mins or until the packet says they should cook for.

8. Take of the heat and add the 1 cup of Vegan Sour Cream, nutritional yeast and lime juice. Stir through so it is consistently creamy.

9. Take a large baking dish and spoon 1/4 of the Enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish.

10. Lay the first wrap on the chopping board. Fill the Enchilada filling in the center then roll an place in the baking dish. Continue till all 6 -8 wraps are placed in the dish.

11. Top the wraps with the rest of the Enchilada Sauce and vegan cheese. Bake for 25 mins or until cheese has melted.

12. Just before serving, prepare the rice. Take a pan and melt the vegan butter then add the rice and lime juice. Saute till heated through.

*I made 6, but there should be enough filling to make 8 Enchiladas

*The Ingredients for the Sour Cream makes 1.5 cups however this recipe only calls for 1 cup

Bean Thread Noodle & Vegetable Stirfry

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Vanessa Gregoria

Bean Thread Noodles are my favourite noodles. They are gluten free, quick to prepare and not heavy, so you feel great after you eat them. When I have a busy study day and I want a quick lunch I usually make this dish. Its very quick, healthy and satisfying. Even though the individual packed noodles look small, after you cook them they look like a lot more then what you started with. But never fear they are not fattening, so don’t feel guilty eating them all. They are also extremely cheap here in Australia. You can buy them from Asian supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths. I know they are usually about $0.97 for a 5 pack from the big supermarkets. At the Asian supermarkets you can also find other starch noodles made of potato, peas and mung bean starch. They all taste great, well rather they don’t have much taste at all, but they soak up what every else you are cooking with it.

I also discovered a great chicken substitute that is vegan. You can buy it from the big supermarkets or health food shops in the frozen section. It is Fry’s Chicken Style Stripes. My boyfriend and his little nieces and nephew didn’t even realise they weren’t eating chicken, when I made it a couple of weeks back. According to his niece ‘this is what chicken taste like when chickens eats lots of vegetables’. I doesn’t taste exactly the same, but its closer then tofu. Of course its not an every day thing to eat, but its a nice comfort when you are craving chicken.

The ingredients for this recipe can be altered. The vegetables are all optional, depending on what you have in the fridge. For me onion, garlic and ginger are a must and the rest doesn’t matter, so long as you have some leafy greens in there as well. As for the soy sauce, sweet chilli and oyster sauce (vegan), add as much as you like. I usually start with a little bit then add more depending on the taste. Basically more soy sauce for salt, more sweet chilli or sugar (if you don’t have for sweet chilli for more sweet or to balance the salt and more oyster sauce for more flavour. To make this perfect you need to be quick and not let anything cook for too long, otherwise the vegetables will go limp and the noodles will all break up.