Vegan Mofo Day 12 Spicy without heat! - Mexican Baked Mushrooms

Today's mofo prompt is "Spicy without chilies".

Mexican food is often made with chilies and yet for those who don't like heat 

Mexican food also had a lot of flavour.

Here I show you how to enjoy some Mexican flavours without adding any chili..... 

and for those of you who do like heat you can always add some chili in!

This is a meal idea without exact quantities stated. The reason I do this is because I always like to encourage people to get experimental in their kitchen and enjoy the cooking process. It a wonderful way to realise that creative meals don't have to be time consuming or difficult to make. Whenever I make meals like this I make a comment to my husband "It's not that hard to make quick, easy yet enjoyable vegan meals! Why do some restaurants find it so difficult!"


MEXICAN BAKED PORTOBELLO'S

                            You'll need:

                                   Large portobello mushrooms

                                   Cooked black beans

                                   Can or tub of diced tomatoes

                                   Mexican spice mix/taco mix or

                                       - paprika, cumin, coriander & oregano

                                   Avocado

                                   And a batch of my basic cheese sauce

Remove the stems from the mushrooms.
Place them in a microwave proof container with 1cm of water and heat for 2 mins. This helps to soften them and significantly reducing oven cooking time.

In a mixing bowl combine the black beans, tomatoes and spices.
Drain the water from the mushrooms and place them in an oven proof dish.
Fill the mushrooms generously with the black bean/tomato mixture and bake in a preheated 200°C oven for 15-20 minutes until mushrooms have cooked through and the black bean mixture is hot. 

Pour a freshly made batch of cheese sauce over the top of the mushrooms 

and serve with slices of fresh avocado.

I feel like this meal looks a little fancy and if I got served this 

at a restaurant I'd be more than happy! 

What do you reckon!!! Does it look fancy enough to be a restaurant meal?

Question of the day: 

What meals do you make at home that are a little bit fancy?

Vegan Mofo Day 9 Creamy without Nuts - Basic Cheese Sauce

Week 2 of Vegan Mofo already!

This week's theme is "Dietary and Lifestyle Restrictions".

Personally I don't consider 'vegan' to be a dietary restriction. In fact I have found it so freeing to be vegan and since going vegan I have definitely broadened my food intake by consuming a much bigger variety of foods than I ever previously tried. Sadly, lots of people do consider being vegan a restriction. Yet within the vegan community there are so many other restrictions as well. Not only are their people who are genuinely celiac, or have anaphylactic allergies there are also those who choose to abstain from various categories of food for other reasons.
Nuts in a popular one that is restricted by those choosing to avoid high fat foods or hoping to lose weight. 

Today's prompt is "Creamy without Nuts". Many creamy recipes and dishes require nuts, and copious amounts of them.
Today I bring you a nut free cheese sauce that is low fat and super easy to make. 

BASIC CHEESE SAUCE

                           You'll need:
                               1/4 teaspoon each:
                                   paprika, turmeric, mustard powder, onion powder
                               1 Tablespoon each:
                                   cornflour, nutritional yeast
                               1 cup reduced fat soymilk

Combine all the dry ingredients in a microwavable glass jug with at least double the capacity. Whisk together and gradually add the milk making sure all the powders dissolve completely.
Microwave on high for 1 minute. It will begin to thicken and you will see a skin forming over the top. Whisk together the thick parts with the runny parts.
Return to the microwave for another minute. Whisk together again as the top is always more thick than the bottom. It will thicken further on standing. 

This is quite thick so it makes a great topping over recipes.

Serve it straight away if you want to be able to pour it or if you want to use it as a 'cheese slice' type substitute, you can allow it to cool more and it will go thicker and then you can gently spread it over your dish. 

If you want it much thinner, you can add another 1/2 cup soymilk or water.

This can also be made over a stove top by stirring constantly over low heat until thickened.

This makes enough sauce to serve 4 people a rather generous amount.....unless, like my family, they totally love it and then you might want to make a bit more ;-)

Shown here over baked mushrooms:

Mexican Lunch Muffins

With Term 3 starting back this week, my daughter is missing her warm lunches that she got on holidays. She asked me to share this recipe.
Created by herself, it's a simple meal that she can easily make while Mummy is working from home.
So here you have it, Miss Vegans favourite school holiday lunch.

MEXICAN LUNCH MUFFINS

What you need:
Wholemeal English Muffin
Mild Salsa
Avocado
Refried beans from a can
Tofutti "Cheese" Slices

Split the muffin in half and toast it in a toaster.
Spread the muffin with the salsa, avocado and refried beans.
Put a slice of tofutti on top and then bake it in the oven until the cheese is melted.
Serve warm.

Question of the day:
Are there any simple little meals that your school age children can make themselves without needing your help?

Meatless Monday - Queso

Welcome to another Meatless Monday.

I must admit I felt a little overwhelmed by the idea of the letter "Q" coming up..... and that feeling intensified when I discovered that I had no idea what Queso was!!! When I found out that it simply is Spanish for "cheese" I didn't feel quite so overwhelmed!

So here I give you a Vegan Mexican version of 'cheese':

Cheesey-Salsa Sauce

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons cornflour

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup plant milk of choice

 
Blend til smooth.
Pour into a jug and put in microwave for 1 minute til warm and thickened.

This is delicious poured over roasted or mashed potatoes, on nacho's, tacos or wraps.



Want to see how I host a Mexican Dinner Party??
Then head over to the Pink Vegan blog to see my guest post.

Pasta Bake with Cauli-'Cheese' Sauce

 

I love pasta! And I love a good pasta bake. Here's a way of adding some veggies to the mix!

Pasta Bake with Cauli-Cheese Sauce

Serves 4-6

250g wholemeal pasta (shape of choice)

1/2 head cauliflower

Cook the pasta per packet directions. Drain and then place in a large baking dish.

Break the cauliflower into pieces and place in a bowl of water & microwave on high for 10 minutes until softened.

In a blender combine:

1 small onion, quartered
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup tahini
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons cornflour
1 teaspoon sage
And the cooked cauliflower

Blend til smooth and thick.

Pour the cauli-cheese mixture over the pasta & gentle turn the pasta til the cheese sauce has been spread evenly over all the baking dish and all pasta is moistened.

Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, chives and black pepper.

Bake in a preheated 200C oven for 20 minutes until lightly browned on top & warmed through.

Slice and serve.

Baked Eggplant Parmigiana

 

I know tradition Parmigiana calls for deep frying but I have made my version healthier by baking it! And served in single slices they can become a finger food.

BAKED EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Cut a large eggplant into 1.5cm thick slices.

½ fill a shallow tray with veggie stock. Sit the eggplant slices into the veggie stock, turn after 2 mins and allow the other side to absorb stock for 2 minutes.

Place the soaked eggplant slices on a baking tray & bake in a hot oven for 20-30 minutes until softened.
Spread the tops of the eggplant slices with tomato paste and a sprinkling of Italian herbs.

 

Combine in a microwave safe measuring jug:

1 cup plant milk of choice
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 Tablespoon cornflour

Whisk until cornflour has dissolved and then microwave on high for 2 mins until thickened.

Spread cheese sauce over the top of the tomato paste.

Return the eggplant slices to the oven & bake for a further 20 mins.

Serve while still warm.

"Cheese"less pizza bites

 

I can't resist the urge to continue with the finger food recipes!!

I just love how easy & tasty vegan finger food is!

"CHEESE"-LESS PIZZA BITES

You'll need:

Mini pizza bases
Tomato paste
Italian herbs
Creamed corn
Nutritional yeast

You can use store bought pizza bases or make your own.
Lay the pizza bases on a lined baking tray & spread with tomato paste. Top with Italian herbs (you can use just oregano if you'd rather).

Pour a thin layer of creamed corn over the top of the tomato paste, followed by a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.

Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Slice and serve :-)

 

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

veggie nook

greenthickies 

Kids Lunchbox Club - Mighty Pillows

My inner health freak was cringing at the thought of sending this to school for my daughter. But then the mother side of me who wants her to grow up enjoying vegan food said that it was ok for a special treat! I don't want her to grow up feeling like vegan food is boring & plain or that she's not allowed a treat. 
With that thought in mind I proceeded to make her day by allowing this to sneak into her lunchbox!
This is easy enough to make in the mornings (well not those rushed mornings!!).

Lay a sheet of puff pastry out. Cut it into 4 strips lengthways.
Spread each strip with vegemite or other yeast spread of choice.
Cut a slice of tofutti cheese into 4 long pieces.
Layer 2 pieces of the cheese on each strip of pastry.

Fold the pastry over and over until it reaches the edge. Press the sides down well til they are mashed together. 
The pastry treat will look like a little 'pillow'.

Place on a lined baking tray and bake at 200C for 15-20mins until golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly before putting into your kiddies (or your own) lunchbox! ;-)

Don't like vegemite?
You can make these pillows with corn relish instead! Equally delicious I promise!

Pizza Cheeze Sauce

Miss cheese on a pizza?
Don't like non-dairy cheeses?

Here is the ultimate pizza topping!

In a food processor combine:

1/2 cup chickpeas

3 Tablespoons soymilk

1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Drizzle over your pizza and cook!

This makes enough to lightly cover one pizza. 

YUMMO!

Prior to cooking

Baked :-)

Also great in toasted sandwiches, or "fold-over pizzas".

NB: You can also use white beans in place of the chickpeas in this recipe. The 'cheeze' will be whiter in colour and will have a smoother consistency. But I promise you its equally as delicious.