Meatless Monday - Heart of Palm

Today's Meatless Monday food is heart of palm.

 There's only one problem with me doing a post about heart of palm..........

I have NO idea what it is! I was reading all about it, and I still have no idea what it is and I don't think I've ever seen it in any of our grocery stores either!

But thanks to google images I can say that when they are sliced they look pretty similar to Water Chestnuts! So a recipe with water chestnuts is what you get instead this week ;-)

It seems that most people instantly think of stir-fry or spring rolls when you say 'water chestnut', and I must admit that to date I have only ever used them in a stir-fry, but I wanted to try something a little bit different this time.

Water Chestnut Falafels

1 packet falafel mix
1 small tin water chestnuts
2 Tablespoon tamari

Drain the water chestnuts and chop into very fine pieces.
Prepare the falafel mix as per packet directions and include the soy sauce in the mix.
Roll into balls and bake at 180C for 15 minutes.

I love this packet of falafel mix because it is very basic - just contains chickpeas, faba beans, spices & baking soda - no added nasties. It's also very easy to make. Just add water :-)

A tip for baking falafels instead of frying - don't have them in the oven for too long. They dry out really easily.

And for those of you who know where to find "heart of palm" - I 'think' they would work in this recipe too!!!!!

I loved the flavour of these, slightly exotic but very tasty. The texture was great too - having something a bit crunchy in the middle of each bite!

Mexican Meets Italian

Another recipe that eventuated when my hubby felt like something different than me! 
He wanted pasta, I wanted Mexican.............. so we decided to merge them!

One word.....
       YUM

Oh, and another few words too.....
       TRY IT!

To serve 2 you'll need:
200g spaghetti
1 cup black beans
1 red capsicum, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup cashews
1 teaspoon chili
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 avocado, chopped into pieces

Cook spaghetti per packet directions.
In a large frying pan combine the black beans along with the chopped vegetables, corn kernels and cumin. Dry fry til veggies have softened, approx ten minutes.
While the spaghetti and bean mixture is cooking make the sauce.
In a blender combine the cashews, chili, garlic, lime juice, nutritional yeast, and water. Blend until smooth.
When the spaghetti is cooked, drain & return to the pot. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti and stir until all the strands are lightly coated, warm over gentle heat just so the sauce is warmed through.
Serve the spaghetti in a bowl with the bean/veggie mix spooned over, a large spoonful of salsa and some chopped avocado pieces.

What do you think.....?
Can Mexican and Italian be mixed?!?!?!?!?

Submitted for Healthy Vegan Friday. You can add your recipe at these blogs: 

carrie on vegan                    veggie nook                    greenthickies  

Fruit & Veg Cake

  I couldn't decide between making a carrot cake or a banana cake.

So fruit & veg cake was made!

Surprisingly they actually taste really good together.

You'll need:

2 over-ripe bananas

1 carrot

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/2 cup oat milk (or other plant milk of choice)

1/2 cup oat bran

1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 Tablespoons water

Whisk the flax into the water & put into the fridge while preparing other ingredients.

Mash the bananas well & then grate the carrot over the bananas. Stir together with the vanilla, agave nectar & oat milk.

In another mixing bowl combine the oat bran, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg & allspice. Stir until well combined.

Pour in the wet ingredients along with the flax seed mix. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient until well combined.

Pour the mixture into a loaf pan & put into a preheated 180C oven for approx 50 minutes until lightly browned & a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool before slicing.

 

Submitted for Healthy Vegan Friday. You can add your recipe at these blogs: carrie on vegan                    veggie nook                    greenthickies  

 

Chickpea, rice & sweet potato stew

My husband doesn't like eating rice. 
I missed eating rice.
So this dish came about.
He likes rice when its served actually "in" part of the meal - just not separately.

I have my rice fix. He doesn't eat plain rice. Everyone happy :-)

I love how simple this meal is & yet its wonderfully satisfying. It is also quick to make which means I can get it done no matter what the day has delivered.
It reheats well & since we're a home of leftover lovers it suits us quite nicely.
It could easily be doubled if you need extra.

In a large stock pot combine:

1 chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic (or 2 squashed garlic cloves)
1 chopped green capsicum
1 chopped carrot
1 corn cob, kernels removed
1 tin drained chickpeas
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 chopped medium size sweet potato
800g tin diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon each: thyme, paprika, marjoram, sage

Cover, bring to the boil & then simmer for 15 minutes until the sweet potato is tender but not fallen apart.

Yep, its really that easy!

Serves 6

Meatless Monday - Garlic

Welcome to another edition of Meatless Monday. Today we're using garlic.

I love garlic. I add it to most of our main meals. Here's a great example!

Beat-the-flu Pasta

Winter has really hit here. I hate the cold. I'm lucky that I rarely get sick, but I sure hear lots of people around constantly sniffling & coughing.

Lets fight off that cold & flu season with some good food! Yet when we're feeling down we also feel like comfort food too. This recipe both comforts and provides flu-beating goodness!

To serve 2 you'll need:

200g corn pasta (or other pasta of choice)

1/2 cup chickpeas

small bunch broccolini

1/2 lemon

4 cloves garlic

2 Tablespoons tahini

Bring a pot of water to the boil & add the pasta. Cook for recommended time frame, adding the broccolini and chickpeas with 3 minutes to spare.

Drain the pasta and the veggies.

Return the pot to the heat and add the juice of the lemon, tahini and crushed garlic along with a tablespoon of boiling water. Stir well. Pour the pasta/veggie mix over the sauce & combine to make sure all the pasta pieces have a light coating of the sauce over them.

Serve with freshly cracked black pepper.

Meatless Monday - Flax seeds

Today's Meatless Monday food is flax seeds.

I'm a big flax seed fan. I eat them most mornings & regularly add them to cakes & cookies.
Today however I'm doing something different. Instead of just adding flax seeds into other ingredients in a way that they sometimes get lost, I made them the main ingredient!
I wasn't sure how these cookies would turn out but I must admit that I'm very pleased with how they worked out. They taste amazing!!!!

Flax seed & Coconut Cookies

You'll need:
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 large banana
2 Tablespoons brown rice syrup
2 Tablespoons soymilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grind the flax seeds til very fine. (Note if using already ground flax seeds you'll need about a cup.) Stir the coconut into the ground flax seeds. Mash the banana well. Add to the flax/coconut mixture along with the remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined. The mixture will be slightly sticky and will hold together well.
Shape into small balls and flatten onto a lined baking sheet
Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Wonderfully chewy and lightly sweetened - what a great healthy treat!

 

Submitted for Healthy Vegan Friday.
You can add your recipe at these blogs:
carrie on vegan                    veggie nook                    greenthickies