In My Kitchen December - Vegan Eating in New Zealand

I have been meaning to post this for several months now, but this year has just escaped me wayyyyyyyyyy too quickly!
So I thought what better inspiration than to link this post up to the last In My Kitchen for this year!
Thank-you to Celia for being a wonderful host, as always. 
Link your post with bits and pieces from your kitchen at Celia's blog Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

VEGAN EATING IN NEW ZEALAND

We spent 3 weeks overseas earlier this year during winter. What a cold time of year to be exploring New Zealand!
My husband and I went to New Zealand 4 years ago and loved it. We were always busting to take our daughter back, and also to re-explore ourselves. 
So this year when the opportunity arose for us to do that, off we went.
Though traveling as a vegan isn't always easy. Thankfully we found it quite ok in New Zealand, I'm sure not all travel destinations would be quite so easy! Most places had vegan options, even written on the menu without special requests.
And although we did have kitchens in each place where we stayed, we also enjoyed several meals out. 

Here's our vegan kitchen adventures in New Zealand:

When traveling our breakfast is always quite simple. We rarely ate breakfast out. Overnight soaked oats featured frequently, sometimes with the addition of cocoa powder. We bought a bag of ground flax seeds on our first day & that lasted us throughout the trip. Breakfast also was the time when we got to experiment with various non-dairy milk options that were available. I can't say I'm a fan of any of the new ones we tried in particular, and definitely still find Vitasoy to be my favourite. Mine you, we didn't really try too many as we usually soak our oats in water anyway. Other breakfast options were yogurt & various fruit bowls that were available. I noticed that most of their produce was imported from overseas. I can't imagine they can grow too much in the colder months there.

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE cooking in various traveling kitchens! It's always so much fun for me to see what supplies are provided.
Here's a few meals that we had that were easy to make & also comforting favourites.

Red lentil sauce (now made with the addition of corn)- affectionately known as "gloop" in our home. 

We have this every week without fail at home, and on holidays was no different. 

Often featured over bread or baked potatoes if an oven is available. 

This is a great stove top meal that can be made with one pan & all the ingredients are items that can be bought with no leftovers needed to be stored, so great for traveling.

 Another favourite at home is a Mexican meal, and that also featured on holidays.

I made the most of having an oven in this location and chopped and roasted potatoes with mexican spice mix. The addition of microwave rice with frozen corn & salsa meant we were well and truly satisfied with this meal. A basic red kidney bean & veggie mix was served in wraps, with a very handy sealed pack of mashed avocado that we found in the grocery store. 

A truly satisfying meal that didn't take too long to create...
And thankfully we not only had a oven but also a dishwasher in this hotel ;-)

We made these cheeseless pizzas (minus the nutritional yeast but they still worked out awesome) when we had a 'microwave oven'. 

I don't know how to explain this machine - it looked like a microwave but it cooked like an oven! It was awesome! 

We had this one evening when we had a late lunch & weren't particularly hungry by dinner time. A small jar of Italian herbs was another of the basic items we purchased on our first grocery shop and it traveled with us for the duration of the trip.

We used wholemeal pita breads to create this quick & easy dinner that was so warm & comforting on a freezing cold winter night!

And now for dessert! We aren't big dessert eaters and if we have dessert at home it's usually just blended frozen fruit. However, since we also celebrated my birthday overseas that meant it was hugely important to make cake! 

Thankfully, vegan versions of cake mix are fairly easy to find - and with the addition of our 'breakfast' flax seeds turned into an egg replacer we made a marvellous birthday cake. Complete by being topped with coconut cream that was set in the fridge overnight!

Another dessert was simply a can of pie apples topped with oats, flax and cinnamon (another item that traveled with us), baked in the oven to mimic apple pie.

And now for the eating out part:

Mad Mex is a favourite of ours at home, and on holidays it was no different! Unfortunately we only found it in Auckland though, but it was our go-to lunch option for the few days we were there.

We found a fantastic health food store in Devonport where we enjoyed a treat of date balls and vegan smoothies.

Last time we travelled to New Zealand we were delighted when we found Burger Fuel. We had only come across it on the last few days of our trip. So this time, we made the most of this with their 2 vegan options for burgers. These burgers are totally delicious. It was both the first & last meal of our holiday! 

We prefer the  V-Dub burger (vegan option available), however the Tofu Combustion burger is also vegan. I remember enjoying the Tofu burger tremendously last time however this time I definitely preferred the V-Dub burger.

When we came home last time we raced out to Newtown to enjoy the only Burgerfuel restaurant in Australia. Sadly it hasn't spread too far and now there are only 2 stores in Australia. I sure hope this chain will grow in Australia in the coming years.  

If for no other reason than to again see this sign that gave me a great chuckle ;-) 

I was looking forward to our time in Wanaka, as I have very fond memories from our first trip of Red Star Burger shop.

This place honestly has the BEST VEGAN BURGERS I have EVER eaten.
Thankfully they didn't fail to impress again this time.

Firstly - they have vegan options on the menu - TICK.

Secondly - they actually taste good - TICK.

Thirdly - you aren't looked at like a freak when you actually request those items - TICK.

And the people who serve you are polite and helpful. 

Honestly I cannot speak highly enough of this place!

I thought I was in paradise when I got the lentil pattie burger, but then when we returned the next day to again indulge in a burger for lunch I ordered the felafel burger and my taste buds simply did not know what to do with themselves!!! Bliss in a burger for sure!

BEST BURGER I'VE EVER EATEN!!!!
If you head to Queenstown - take a drive out of your way and get a burger here! You won't be disappointed.

Also in Queenstown we found a fantastic Mexican restaurant Sombreros - again with vegan options stated on their menu.

They were more than willing to cater to our dietary requirements and we enjoyed our first evening meal there so much that we returned again the next day!

 Other eating out options were Italian restaurants - cheeseless pizza with extra sauce is great, and there's always a pasta dish with a side salad with balsamic as a dressing, no oil!!! ;-) We found a range of both good and average Italian restaurants throughout both islands.

And now to mention some products that are vegan friendly that we found there, that we don't have here in Australia:

Yes we have Whittakers here in Australia. But nothing like the range they have over there. Of course with a few vegan options to choose from we had to have a treat of dark chocolate a few times.

I have never seen this 'custard' or anything like it in Australia! I thought it was so smooth & delicious. And although I wouldn't usually purchase products like this at home anyway, it was a nice treat while travelling.

A few tasty goodies that I picked up from a health food shop, again in Wanaka. 

The hazelnut and orange cookies were absolutely delicious. The chocolate cookie.... neither me nor my hubby were particularly a fan. My daughter was delighted that she got the remainder!!!

And OH MY OH MY OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I MUST share with you about Nice Cream. 

We were walking in Wellington when I saw a health food shop and said I wanted to pop in for a look. We each came out with a different flavour of this coconut ice-cream...... and from then on each time we saw it we bought some. Also available in large tubs in regular grocery store!!!

It is so so delicious.

 

And last but not least on my product list is a magazine that I enjoyed reading and some cruelty free laundry liquid that travelled with us, nice to see cruelty free household liquids like these available and easy to find in other countries.

It's funny to me to look back on my pictures from our holiday. I have a coffee in my hand in many of the photos and I happy snapped these pictures because I find jokes about coffee quite funny. I have since given up coffee, so now these provide double the laugh for me! 

 

So there you have it!
I finally got around to doing my travelling in New Zealand post! I hope you enjoyed this "out of my kitchen" post.
When you travel do you prefer to make your own meals, or use that time to treat yourself to meals out?

Kids Lunchbox Club - Salted Bean Snack

My daughter's latest obsession for morning tea break:

SALTED BEAN SNACK

It seems that she just can't get enough of these lately! 

I'm just glad that she is enjoying healthy food so much!
She calls these "green chips" - far better option than 'chips' if you ask me!

Simply top and tail a large handful of beans, place them in a microwave safe dish with just enough water to cover them. 1-2 minutes in the microwave depending on how crisp you like them to be.
Drain, place in a cool coffee mug (the kids will love that!) and crack some sea salt over the top!


Sometimes simple things really are the most satisfying!

What's something really simple that you enjoy eating?

Broccoli Bolognese

The inspiration for this recipe came when out for dinner in an Italian restaurant one time my husband was eating his veggie spaghetti and I looked over and couldn't get over how much the head of the broccoli sitting there looked like ground mince! I wondered if I could turn broccoli into bolognese!
I am pleased to say that yes, indeed it really does work out, and it strangely does look similar to mince bolognese! Add some familiar flavours and you'll definitely have a very satisfying bolognese even without mince! We love this meal & have it frequently - especially when broccoli is $1.99/kg!

BROCCOLI BOLOGNESE

Serves 6

You'll need:
2 medium onions
4 garlic cloves
1 kg broccoli
1 teaspoon "beef" style stock powder (I use Massel)
1 Tablespoon mixed Italian herbs
700g jar tomato passata
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Optional to serve:
Nutritional yeast
basil leaves

Chop the onion and crush the garlic.
Dry fry together on a heated frying pan. Sprinkle over the stock powder. Cook until onion is translucent. 
Chop the broccoli as finely as possible, creating little crumbs with the broccoli head. You can add the stems if you would like to, or omit them.
Add the broccoli to the pan along with 1(ish) cup of water and cook until the broccoli is tender and most of the water is absorbed.
Stir through the passata and herbs. Tear the basil leaves and add them too. 
Bring the heat down to low and continue to cook - stirring frequently until the passata is warmed through.
Serve over pasta or potatoes, and with nutritional yeast and extra basil leaves if desired. 

Submitted for Healthy Vegan Fridays.

Add your recipe at:
Rock My Vegan Socks 
Vegan Dollhouse

Chocolate Berry "Cheesecake"

Does a recipe like this really need an introduction?!?
I think not, just try it - you'll want it every night.
It's quick, easy, healthy & delicious.

 

CHOCOLATE BERRY CHEESECAKE

Crust:
1 cup oats
1 cup dates
1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

Filling:
300g frozen berries of choice
200g medium firm tofu
1/4 cup soymilk (or other motherless milk of choice)
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

Soak the dates in boiling water til softened. 
Drain and combine the dates, oats and cocoa powder in a blender or food processor.
Blend until well combined but not completely crumbed.
Press into a 20cm pie dish.

Blend the ingredients of the pie filling.
Pour into the pie dish on top of the crust. 

Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours.

Defrost 15-20 minutes prior to serving.

Serve for dessert,    no wait,    actually I think this is healthy enough to be BREAKFAST!  

Or turn it into "Birthday Cake".

 

Submitted for Healthy Vegan Fridays.

Add your recipe at:
Rock My Vegan Socks 
Vegan Dollhouse

In My Kitchen November: Polenta Crusted Adzuki bean & Vegetable Loaf

This month In My Kitchen I'm sharing a few newish gadgets that bring me much delight, and a recipe I've created using them. 

Let me introduce to you my new Tupperware gadget - 

Extra Chef

I debated long & hard about if I should get one of these as they are a little pricey. In the end, I have decided it has been so so worth the money! It is incredibly versatile, works just as well as my electric food processor and yet runs just on my arm strength!!!! ;-) Gotta love anything that is environmentally friendly and helps with jiggly arm syndrome!
It has a great capacity, but at the same time doesn't take up much cupboard space (considerable less space than a traditional food processor). It is incredibly easy to clean and all the attachments store inside the compartment itself.
I use it for so many things, but it especially comes in handy for when I want to add vegetables to dishes where I don't want them to be chunky.

Let me also introduce to you my new electrical gadget - 

Digital Pressure cooker

I never had much luck with the stove top pressure cooker that I had - so I offloaded it and waited for a good special on an electric one. I was over the moon when Target had a massive homewares clearance and this was less than half price. I quickly informed my husband that it was to be part of my birthday present! Thankfully, he took the hint!!!!

I am REALLY REALLY happy with it's pressure cooking ability. Not only for making legumes from dried instead of relying on canned ones, but also for making soups, stews, as well as cooking rice and other grains.
I LOVE the saute function, as it means I can toss in my onions and garlic and saute them in the same pot before adding other ingredients, saying on washing up. 
The non-stick coating is fantastic meaning I can saute without using oil, and also the insert goes into the dishwasher - a MUST for all our cooking gadgets as I hate washing up!!!!
It is *meant* to be multi-function meaning it can slow cook also, however after several trys with the slow cook feature on maximum length I have been disappointed to find the meal virtually uncooked. So, alas I haven't as yet been able to offload my other slow cooker as I was hoping to with a multi-purpose machine. Though, I find that with this machine I have no real use for a slow cooker as I can pop this on anytime and the keep warm function works amazing. Also everything that I previously would of done in the slow cooker has worked fantastically well being pressure cooked.


And now let me show you a recipe I made using both of these new gadgets:

POLENTA CRUSTED ADZUKI BEAN 
AND VEGETABLE LOAF 

Loaf:
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 carrot
1/2 head broccoli
2 celery stalks
1/2 capsicum
2 cups cooked adzuki beans
1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, cumin, turmeric, paprika
1/2 cup tomato paste
Topping:
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/3 cup polenta
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (regular breadcrumbs work fine however I particularly like the added crispiness that panko crumbs provide)


Place all the vegetables roughly chopped into a chopper, or food processor.

Process until all ingredients are finely chopped. (You can do this by hand if you would rather, for the best outcome you need all ingredients very finely chopped.)

In a large bowl, lightly mash the adzuki beans (I used the back of a spoon, depending on how soft your beans are you may need a proper masher) and stir in all the herbs and the tomato paste. 

Add the vegetables to the bowl and stir until well combined.
Press the mixture into a large baking dish (I used a 30cm x 20cm). Press down well.

In a smaller bowl combine the ingredients for the topping/crust. Press the crust over the bean mixture and gently press down. (For a gluten free version replace the breadcrumbs with more polenta.)

Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40minutes until golden brown on top.

Slice and serve.

Delicious with roasted potatoes (as I had but somehow managed to delete the picture)!
My hubby and daughter love this in a burger!

(Note: I have made this several times and I usually include frozen spinach that has been defrosted prior to adding it to the vegetable mix - however on the occasion I was taking pictures I defrosted the spinach and then forgot to stir it in!)


Share what's in your kitchen at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

Question of the day:
Have you ever debated about purchasing a kitchen gadget and had it work out more valuable than you initially thought?