Vegan Mofo Day 8 Epic Fail Turned Inspiration - Carrot bread rolls

Today's mofo prompt is to use our own flops from the past to improve! 
Well that could be a general life lesson really and not just applicable to cooking!!!!

I have always wanted to be able to bake bread well but never really known how and so I have been on a mission the last few years to work out how to make nice homemade bread that is 100% wholemeal and oil free, of course. I am noticing that more oil free options are slowly becoming available when it comes to bread and bread products in the stores, but sadly even when they are 'wholemeal' the % of wholemeal flour used is usually pitifully low. So I have experimented quite a bit the last few years and feel reasonably confident in my bread-making abilities now after many ~many~ flops!!!
And whilst I don't eat flour myself anymore, my family love it when they get fresh homemade bread. 

100% Wholemeal Carrot Bread Rolls

Makes 8 rolls

                              You'll need:
                                      600g wholemeal bakers flour
                                      2 teaspoons yeast
                                      1 teaspoon bread improver
                                      450ml warm water
                                      2 medium carrots

Directions:

Shred the carrots using either a grater or food processor. In a large mixing bowl place all the ingredients together and mix until well combined. Once everyting is mixed in, transfer the dough to a lightly floured tray and knead for 10 mins til elastic. Return the dough to your mixing bowl and let dough rise for an hour in a warm place. I recommend heating your oven on low while you are kneading, and then turning it off and putting the dough in there.
Once risen, split into 8 portions and roll each portion into a bun shape.
Evenly space your rolls on a baking tray and bake at 180°C for about 25 mins until golden brown and cooked through. 

Super light and fluffy rolls with a bit of crunch from the carrot 

and no unnecessary ingredients!

Question of the day:

What kitchen flops have you had in the past? 

Is there anything you want to learn how to cook better?

Mung Bean Curry

I love a curry, and I also love mung beans. So why not put the 2 together!
This meal takes a bit of time to prep with all the chopping, and also to cook the beans, but it's not difficult so don't let that deter you!
If you want to shorten the cooking time, you can pre-soak the mung beans for a minimum of 6 hours & reduce the cooking time by about half. You will only need about 1 litre of stock then too.
I love that mung beans don't NEED to be presoaked, and I don't mind the cooking time because this curry has the most enticing aroma as it simmers away on the stove! 

MUNG BEAN CURRY
(Serves 4)

 
               You'll need:
               250g dried mung beans - rinsed
               1 large brown onion
               1 zucchini
               2 celery stalks
               1 large carrot
               1/2 head cauliflower
               200g green beans
               2 garlic cloves, crushed
               1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
               1 Tablespoon turmeric powder
               1 heaped teaspoon each: cumin, coriander
               1/2 teaspoon cardamon
               1 long green chili
               100g baby spinach leaves
               1.5 litres salt free veggie stock

In a large saucepan or pot that has a lid, put the mung beans. Add 1 litre of the stock, cover, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. While the mung beans are cooking, chop all the veggies into bite sized pieces.
Add the veggies (except for the spinach) to the pot, along with all the spices and the remainder of the stock. Return the lid to the pot and again bring to the boil then simmer. Allow to simmer for approx 15 mins or until the stock is absorbed and the veggies are tender.
Stir through the spinach leaves until lightly wilted, then serve. 

Pumpkin, Tomato and Mixed Bean Soup

Although I usually think of November as weather that is starting to warm up, we are sure still having plenty of cold and rainy days here at the moment. So I figured that's a good enough reason to have soup! I'm sure many of you on the other side of the world appreciate soup for this time of year anyway as you're heading into the cooler months!
Pumpkin soup is always delicious, but this one is made even tastier with the addition of some beans and a hint of curry.

Pumpkin, Tomato and Mixed Bean Soup 

You'll need:

1 large onion
4 garlic cloves
500g pumpkin
1 carrot
1 small sweet potato
2 cups veggie stock
2 tins 400g diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 generous Tablespoon curry powder
2 tins mixed beans



Chop and saute the onion and garlic in a large pot using a little amount of stock.
Chop the veggies (peeling the pumpkin), place into the pot and bring to the boil with the remaining stock. Once boiling, simmer until veggies are soft.
Add tomatoes and use a stick blender to blend til desired consistency, either with a few chunky pieces remaining or til completely smooth - whatever is your preference.
Add the drained beans and spices. Return to heat and simmer til warmed through.
Serve with fresh herbs or croutons.

Question of the day:
Do you only eat soup during the cooler months, or also during the warmer months?

Lentil & 3 C's Stew

Here's a nice easy meal that is great in winter because it's so warm and soothing and full of veggies. It is great by itself, but also pairs well with brown rice or couscous or baked potatoes or even freshly baked bread.
We make it in a pressure cooker, as it's super quick & easy. We have the ability to saute first in our pressure cooker which is a feature I love, as I really prefer the taste of sauteed onions over just having them cooked in the stew without being sauteed first. However, if you don't have a pressure cooker you can make it over a stove top -  it will just take longer and may require more water.
This has become a favourite in our home, especially at the end of the week when we have quite a few bits and pieces of veggies leftover and want to use them all up before we buy our fresh lot for the next week. My husband refers to this meal as "pressure cooker lentils" - just stating things like they are ;-)
It works with any different herbs you wish to use, depending on what flavours you'd like to add to your stew. We also occasionally use a drop of liquid smoke which adds a lovely depth to the stew. The options are truly endless. :-) 

LENTIL & 3 C's STEW

(Makes 6-8 servings)

You'll need:
2 cups dried green lentils
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 head cabbage 
2 carrots

2 stalks celery
1 zucchini
1/2 bunch silverbeet 
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 Tablespoon lemon juice 
1 litre veggie stock
1/2 litre water
1 teaspoon fresh rosemany

Chop all the veggies. 
Saute the onion and garlic. Add the remaining veggies to either a pressure cooker or stove top. 
If using a pressure cooker, add remaining ingredients and cook under pressure for 18 minutes. Release steam and serve. (You can use baby spinach in place of the silverbeet, add after steam has been released and stir through until wilted.)
For stove top, add the stock, water and lemon juice and cook for 30-35 minutes until lentils are cooked through and veggies are tender, adding more liquid if required. Then stir through the nutritional yeast, tomato paste, and rosemary.

Question of the day:
Do you have a winter comfort food? If so, what is it?

4th July Celebrations and Basic Vanilla Cake

For this month's In My Kitchen I decided to share with you our 4th of July celebrations.
We aren't American but my husband is a *tad* obsessed with all things American so I thought I'm make it a special night for him!

Here's how it turned out:

I had debating making veggie burgers but my husband isn't usually a fan, so I decided we would try carrot dogs instead! For those who haven't heard of this idea, it's where you use a carrot in place of a meat hot dog. I boiled the carrots first and then marinated them for a few hours before dry-frying them! They were quite tasty :-) 

The addition of liquid smoke meant that they definitely didn't taste like plain boiled carrots! I topped them with water sauteed onion and capsicum, along with sauerkraut and sauce. Served with corn cobs and baked home fries.
I was SO SO excited with the fries because I had purchased a new kitchen gadget to make crinkle cut chips! I was so pleased that it worked out so well for just a few dollars :-) 

All celebrations need a cake!!!
I made a basic vanilla cake (recipe to follow) and spread with jam and decorated with fruit to 'mimic' the US flag (yes I do realise there is not enough stripes or stars!).

 Now for the cake recipe!

BASIC VANILLA CAKE 

1 1/2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar (or other unrefined sweetner)

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup motherless milk (I used soymilk)

1 Tablespoon vanilla essense

1/2 cup applesauce

Whisk the apple cider vinegar into the milk and set aside to thicken.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour and sugar. Make a well in the centre and stir in the vanilla, applesauce & milk mixture. 

Stir until just combined.

Pour into a lined 18cm square baking dish and tap to even the surface.

Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

 

 So moist and delicious!

Definitely worth celebrating - but then again, 

I don't need a special day to make cake ;-)

Question of the day:
Do you celebrate the 4th of July even if you aren't in America?

Kale Attacked Minestrone Stew

The reason for the name of this stew:
My husband came home from work, walked into the kitchen to see what I was cooking and commented: "What happened to the dinner? Did it get attacked by kale or something?"
I chuckled!
Kale doesn't tend to wilt down quite as much as other greens in cooking. Though thankfully for the sake of my husband, it does a little.... so when you throw a whole bunch into your stew although it takes over at the start, by the time it's cooked down a little bit, it seems like a much more reasonable amount!!!!! lol
Then again, I think being attacked by the "super hero" power of kale isn't such a bad thing after all ;-)
And so I bring you....

KALE ATTACKED MINESTRONE STEW

You'll need:
1 large onion
1 large zucchini
1 large carrot
2 cloves of garlic
1 can cannelliini beans (drained)
1 can tomatoes
1 bunch kale
3 stalks of both basil and parsley (fresh)
4 bay leaves
1 litre vegetable stock (I used home made)
1/2 cup soup pasta

Chop all the vegetables and herbs. In a large pot brown the onion using a bit of water to prevent from sticking. Add all ingredients to the pot and bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft (and the kale has wilted down lol).

Most of the stock will be absorbed by the pasta - making it more the consistency of a 'stew' and not a 'soup'. If you prefer this more 'soup-like' just add more stock (or water).
Remove the bay leaves prior to serving.

 
I am linking this to Meatless Monday: Watercress.
I have to confess that I can't find watercress in our regular store and I didn't have the time to look for it in other places! Any greens can be substituted for the kale in this recipe.

Agave Mustard Baked Veggies

I love the simplicity of these veggies! They can be prepared in advance and they aren't hard work - a little bit of chopping and coating and then the oven will do the rest of the work for you.

The idea comes from the much loved flavour of honey & mustard, yet obviously excluding the honey.
They make a great side dish with roasts, or BBQ's, or simply to add veggies to your regular meals. 

Agave Mustard Baked Veggies

One large of each of these:
Zucchini
Carrot
Eggplant

Chop all the veggies into desired size.
Place them in a veggie bag along with 2 teaspoons dijon mustard & 2 teaspoons agave nectar. Toss until all veggies are lightly coated. (I save the bags that I buy our produce in to use for occasions such as this.)
Pour into a big roasting dish.

Pour veggie stock over the veggies until 1cm deep in the dish.
Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves.
Cover with foil.
Bake at 200C for 45-50 minutes til softened. (Time will vary depending on size of chopped veggies).

Do you enjoy the flavour of sweet & sour together?

Simple Green Split Pea Stew

For those nights when we need instant meals and we have the morning to prepare, I find the slow cooker is just so handy! 
This meal is so tasty and yet it's as simple as chopping and letting the slow cooker do the rest of the job for you.
 
Don't own a slow cooker - you can also make it over a stove top if you prefer - just bring all the ingredients to a boil and then simmer for 40 minutes.

SIMPLE GREEN SPLIT PEA STEW

Serves 4

1 cup green split peas - (if you have time soak overnight in 2 cups boiling water)
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili (optional- adjust as desired)
1 zucchini
1 carrot
1/2 large green capsicum
1 can tomatoes
1 can baby potatoes
2 cups veggie stock (either store bought or home-made) 

Chop all the vegetables to your desired size.
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and leave for 6-8 hours until everything has softened.
Remove bay leaves prior to serving.

Serve with warm bread of choice.

Question of the day?
Do you enjoy using a slow cooker?

PB Carrot Crackers

Meatless Monday has returned! :-) 

Today we're cooking with oats.

Peanut Butter Carrot Crackers

You'll need:

4 medium carrots

1 cup oats

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each: nutmeg, cardamom, allspice

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup raisins

Using a food processor, shred the carrots. Add the oats, flax, and spices. Blend til oats are broken down and not chunky pieces remain.

Add the peanut butter and water. Blend til a thick paste is formed. The mixture will be very sticky.

Add the raisins and blend for a few seconds until they are distributed evenly but not broken into pieces.

Use a spatula to spread the mixture onto lined dehydrator sheets. Number of sheets will depend on the size of your dehydrator, I used three sheets.

Dehydrate for 10-12 hours.

Slice with a pizza cutter! 

 Store in a cookie jar. Will keep for a week. They will get crispier the longer they are stored.

I am also submitting this recipe to I am Vegetarian - Hear me Raw.

Question of the day:
Do you own a dehydrator?
Do you use it for more than just fruit and vegetables?

Veggie & Rice Bake with Cauli-Sauce Topping

This bake has a lot of layers & takes a bit of time, but its not at all hard.
In fact once the layers are put together it simply bakes in the oven.
We have had this many times and its always a winner. I love how big the meal is so that makes plenty of leftovers!
Its incredibly tasty & although it's just 'one' dish, it really is a complete meal by itself.
I especially love the cauli-sauce topping because I can't get my husband to eat cauliflower unless its hidden like this!!!! ;-)

VEGGIE & RICE BAKE WITH CAULI-SAUCE TOPPING

Makes one large baking tray - Serves 6-8
You'll need:
Bottom layer: 
2-3 cups cooked brown rice
1 can lentils, salt free
1 onion
1 cup mushrooms
1 can tomatoes

1/2 green capsicum
1 can corn
1 carrot

Cauli sauce:
1/2 head of cauliflower
2 Tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoons minced garlic

Black pepper

Spread the pre-cooked brown rice into the bottom of a large baking dish.
Drain the lentils and spread the evenly over the rice, followed by the chopped onion & the chopped mushrooms. (Mushrooms shown only on one side of the bake here to keep hubby happy!)
Pour the canned tomatoes over the onions and mushrooms. Spread so evenly distributed.
 

I find the putting the tomato in the middle helps to keep the bake moist while its cooking instead of just on the top.







Chop the carrot & capsicum. Spread them over the tomatoes along with the drained corn.

To make the cauli-sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend til smooth and thick.

 












Pour the sauce over the bake and spread til all the veggies are completely covered.

 Sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper.

Bake in a preheated 200C oven for  45-60 minutes. The vegetables will be tender but not completely soft after 45 minutes, they will be soft by 60 minutes - so the choice is yours! Please note, these times are for my oven and ovens can vary! Baking for 60 minutes will definitely brown your cauli-sauce but not to the point of being burnt. If you are worried about the browning you can cover the dish with foil.

Shown here baked for 1 hour.

So I must admit that this is not the 'prettiest' food to photograph! The pictures don't do it justice of how yummy it is! 
Definitely a home-style meal & not for photographic purposes!!!!

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

veggie nook

greenthickies 

Meatless Monday - LIME

This is my Meatless Monday posts for Lime.

Better late than never right???!!!

SWEET & SOUR CARROT SALAD

You'll need:
2 carrots
1/4 cup sultanas
1 spring onion
juice & zest of 1/2 lime
1 Tablespoon agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Julienne slice the carrot and finely chop the spring onion. 
Combine all the ingredients, except the zest, in  a bowl. Mix well.
Serve with the zest sprinkled over the top.

This makes a great side for parties and BBQ's.

Kids Lunchbox Club - Carrot Cookies

Here's a quick & easy recipe that is great for adding to lunchboxes :-)
I guess since it's Vegan Mofo then grown-ups can be allowed this little treat too ;-)

Bite-sized Carrot Cookies

To make 20 cookies you'll need:
1 cup oat bran
1 cup grated carrot (approx 2 small carrots)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla 

In a large mixing bowl combine the oat bran, grated carrot, raisins, flax seeds and cinnamon. Stir until well combined.
Fold through the applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla.
Stir well until mixture starts to clump together.

Shape into little bite size pieces & place on a lined baking tray, flatten each cookie with a fork.
Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden brown.