Meatless Monday A to Z

This is my final edition of Meatless Monday!
It's a wrap-up of all the weeks from A through to Z.
What fun I've had being creative with the alphabet. It's also been interesting to hear what various food items are called around the world.
Don't forget to check out "Better with Veggies" to see other wonderful recipes & great fitness tips! 

A - Avocado Avocado & Orange Salad



B - Blueberries Blueberry Lemon Muffins



C - Cabbage Cabbage Shiitake Stirfry

D - Dark Chocolate Dark Chocolate Date Cookies

E - Eggplant Eggplant & Sweet Potato Stack

F - Flax Flax seed & Coconut Cookies
 


G - Garlic Beat-the-flu Pasta

H - Heart of Palm Water Chestnut Falafels

I - Instant Coffee Mocha Mousse for One
 
J - Jelly Chewy Walnut Jam Cookies

K - Kabocha Baked Pumpkin Pudding

L - Lime Sweet & Sour Carrot Salad

M - Mustard Tofu Chippees
 

N - Nuts Fruit & Nut Muffins

O - Oats PB Carrot Crackers

 

P - Potato Layered 2 Potato Bake

Q - Queso Cheesey-Salsa Sauce
 


R - Raisins Rum & Raisin Rice Porridge

S - Squash Simple Squash Stir-fry

T - Tofu Gnocchi with Basil

 

U - Unbleached Flour Walnut Blondies

V - Vanilla Vanilla Banana Custard

W - Watercress Kale Attacked Minestrone Stew
 
X - Xocolato Melting Mocha Pudding 

Y - Yams Orange Soup
 
Z - Zest Choc-orange Pancakes

Have you tried any of these recipes? 
Do you have a favourite?
Moreover, do you follow Meatless Monday? 
I think it's a FANTASTIC movement to encourage people to forgo meat from their plates at least once a week to promote health for themselves and our planet! If you don't already do this, then why not give a go??!!! :-)

Choc-Orange Pancakes

Welcome to the final edition of Meatless Monday A-Z.

Today's ingredient is Zest.

Although I have been eyeing off our neighbours overflowing lemon tree for the past couple of weeks, I decided not to pinch any without seeing them & asking them first!!!
So today, although I had high hopes of bringing you a lemon zest recipe, you instead have an orange zest recipe. But don't worry, I'm sure it won't disappoint!

Choc-Orange Pancakes

You'll need:

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 Tablespoons boiling water

1/2 cup motherless milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)

1 Tablespoon orange zest

1 Tablespoon dairy-free chocolate chips

Make a "flax egg" by combing the ground flax with the boiling water & whisking together with a fork. Set aside to thicken.

In a measuring jug combine the milk and apple cider vinegar and whisk til milk starts to separate and thicken slightly.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour & baking powder. 
Add the zest & choc chips. Stir through til evenly distributed. 
Make a well in the centre and combine all the wet ingredients. Mix well.
Pour spoonfuls of mixture onto a preheated frying pan & turn when bubbling. Give the final side a minute or so before removing and serving. Repeat until all the batter is used.

This will make about 12 small or 6 large pancakes and "should" serve 2.

Though they are reallllllllllllly good, so perhaps you're not willing to share ;-)

Question of the day?
What's your favourite chocolate combination flavour? 
I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that mine is choc-orange, though I do also really like choc-mint!

Melting Mocha Pudding

I have been having a bit of a pudding fettish lately! I guess it's just the weather for it - and let's face it, pudding is really comforting both to make & to eat!

MELTING MOCHA PUDDING

You'll need:

1 cup wholemeal self raising flour
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
2 Tablespoons dairy free chocolate chips (optional)
3/4 cup plant milk of choice (I used vanilla soy)
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 Tablespoons boiling water

1 Tablespoon instant coffee
2 Tablespoons muscavado or brown sugar
3/4 cup boiling water

In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa and chocolate chips (if using). Stir until well combined and no clumps left in the cocoa. 
Gently stir in the milk, applesauce and flax mixture. Stir until the dry ingredients are just wet - do not over stir. 
Lightly spray a pudding dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the pudding mixture into the dish and tap til evenly distributed.
In a measuring jug combine the coffee and sugar and pour over the boiling water & stir until coffee and sugar have dissolved.
Then pour the coffee mixture over the pudding.


Bake in a preheated 160C oven for 40 minutes until pudding is cooked through & coffee mixture has soaked through to the bottom creating a 'sauce'. You will see it bubbling out the sides when the pudding is cooked.

 It may appear 'uncooked' but that is just the sauce. A skewer poked into the center will still come out clean.

Now admittingly these are not the greatest pictures! This is definitely not a 'pretty' pudding - but then again not too many are! None the less, it is still delicious! 
In the picture below I wanted to show the 'sauce' that is on the bottom of the pudding.

You can substitute coffee essence in place of the coffee if you are willing to share this with your children ;-)

 
Submitted for Meatless Monday - Xocolato: 
which is the Aztec word for Chocolate.

Meatless Monday: Vanilla Banana Custard

Today's Meatless Monday food is Vanilla.

I decided to go with Vanilla custard.
I have always enjoyed custard & I have fond memories of my mother making a banana custard for us when we were children which I really liked.

I have used that as inspiration but have made my own custard instead of using a powder for a base.

This is a really simple recipe that is quick to make and doesn't need a huge amount of ingredients. It can be served either hot or cold.

It makes it a perfect mid-week treat when desserts are sometimes overlooked!

VANILLA BANANA CUSTARD

(Serves 4)

You'll need:

300ml soymilk (or other plant milk of choice)

1/4 cup sugar (I used unrefined cane sugar)

2 Tablespoons cornflour

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 banana

Combine the sugar, cornflour and vanilla in a saucepan. Add a few tablespoons of milk and whisk until a paste is formed and the cornflour has completely dissolved. 

Add the remaining milk and stir until well combined. Place over a medium low heat & stir constantly until the custard thickens.

Chop the banana into thin slices and place in the bottom of little serving containers of choice.

Pour the custard over the banana.

Can be served warm, or alternatively store in the fridge until ready to eat. 

The custard will thicken more if kept in the fridge.

Question of the day:
Do you have any childhood dessert memories that you still enjoy eating today?

Walnut Blondies

Brownies - turned blonde.... and healthy ;-)

You'll need:
2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup walnuts

1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 Tablespoons boiling water
1 banana
1 cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
100g dairy free white chocolate (I used Sweet William)
1/4 cup boiling water



Smash the walnuts into crumbly pieces. I do this by putting them in a zip-lock bag & hitting with a 'meat' mallet. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined and walnuts are evenly distributed.


 
Prepare the flax seeds - combine them with the water and whisk well. Leave aside for 5 minutes until thickened.
Mash the banana.
Melt the chocolate. I do this in a microwave on 50% power, checking every minute and stirring til nearly melted. The residual heat will do the rest. I find it best not to wait until it's completely melted or some parts tend to be hard and overdone.

Pour all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until folded through.
Pour mixture into a lined 18cm square baking tray and spread until evenly distributed.
Place in a preheated 180C oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Cool before slicing.

School Tip:
For nut-free schools make this with sunflower seeds instead.  

Submitted to Meatless Monday A-Z:
Unbleached Flour

Meatless Monday: Tofu -- Gnocchi with Basil & Broccoli

Today's Meatless Monday ingredient is Tofu.

Tofu is often an ingredient that people look upon with frowns! I have to admit that I their have been times when I'm had tofu dishes that are just not that tasty! It's important to remember that tofu will take on flavours from what it is cooked with and by itself it quite bland.
Here's a great way to use tofu and make it really tasty!

Gnocchi with Basil & Broccoli

500g gnocchi (either store bought or home-made)
1/2 head broccoli
3 cups fresh basil leaves
300g soft silken tofu
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and the broccoli cut into small florets.
While the gnocchi is cooking prepare the sauce. Place the basil, drained tofu, nutritional yeast & garlic in a blender or food processor and blend til smooth.
You will be able to see when the gnocchi is cooked because it will start to float. When it is cooked, drain. 
Return gnocchi and broccoli to the pot and stir the sauce through til evenly distributed. Heat for 2 minutes until warmed through.

Serve with freshly cracker black pepper.

Serves 3-4

Question of the day:
Do you enjoy eating tofu? 
If so, what is your favourite flavour to combine with it?

Meatless Monday - Squash

 Today's Meatless Monday ingredient is

Squash

In America the word "squash" would  be the equivalent to our "pumpkin" here in Australia, but since I already did a pumpkin post for Meatless Monday, I decided to do a true Squash post.
Here's Australian squash:

(Any of my American readers like to inform me what you call this vegetable over there???)

Simple Squash Stir-fry

Finely slice a large zucchini and 250g yellow squash

Saute over high heat with a splash of veggie stock to stop from sticking.

Sprinkle with a teaspoon of each: granulated garlic, dried chives and dried parsley.

Serve as a side dish to any main.

I must admit that squash is not an ingredient that I buy regularly. However I do enjoy eating it - especially when it's not overdone. I like it to still have a bit of crispness left in it.

Do you enjoy eating squash?

Meatless Monday - Raisins

Welcome to another edition of Meatless Monday!

Today we're cooking with raisins.

I resisted the urge to do yet another cookie - as much as I love raisins in cookies I decided to get a bit more adventurous than that!

You see, all this hot weather reminds me of the need for ice-cream! And well, obviously there isn't much range in a regular ice-cream store that appeals to me. So when I need that creamy rum and raisin flavour that I'm so fond of, this does the trick instead! Afterall, I'm not really a big ice-cream eater!

So, today I bring you:

Rum & Raisin Rice Porridge

To serve one you'll need:

1 cup pre-cooked brown rice
3/4 cup plant milk (or half water, depending how creamy you like it)
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon rum essence (or vanilla essence)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until heated through.
Using a stick blender, blend til porridge is desired consistency.
Serve :-)



Option: Make a big batch and store leftovers in the fridge if you'd rather this cold. 

Question of the day?
Is there any particular flavour combo that you enjoy..... but eat it in a different way than how it is usually prepared?

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.

Layered 2 Potato Bake

Today's Meatless Monday food is Potato.

I was a little undecided about what 'type' of potato I would use, then I decided to use two.
I'm a BIG sweet potato fan, and my husband is a big regular potato fan. So this kept us both happy. And it looks pretty too :-)
Super easy to make, its a great dish to serve when guests come over.

LAYERED 2 POTATO BAKE

Peel your sweet potatoes. Slice white potatoes and sweet potatoes into 1cm thick pieces.
In a large roasting dish pour enough stock on the bottom to cover the base with a thin layer.
Arrange the potatoes in rows of each type. 
Sprinkle with rosemary and bake covered with foil in a 200C oven for 45 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.

Question of the day:
DO you prefer regular white potatoes or sweet potatoes?

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?