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?

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?

Scrolls

 

SCROLLS

A family favourite in our home! Who doesn’t love a delicious scroll??

 

These are not difficult to make, but they are time-consuming. Definitely a weekend job! They don’t keep well, but then again, they won’t need to either ;-)

The fillings here are just suggestions – you can fill them as you desire.

 

You'll need:

3 cups wholemeal flour

¼ cup raw sugar
2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 Tablespoons boiling water
7g yeast (one sachet)
1 cup soymilk

For the filling:

¾ applesauce

2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ cup raisins
Soymilk

Mix the ground flax seeds with the boiling water, whisk until fluffy & thickened.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and yeast.  Stir in the flax-seed mixture.
Warm the milk in the microwave, but don’t boil (approx. 40 seconds). Stir the warmed milk into the flour mixture. Stir well. The dough will hold together and be slightly sticky to touch.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead til elastic, approx 5 minutes.

Place in a warm spot and allow to rise for 1 hour.

The dough will double in size.

Once it has been left to rise, punch the air out of the dough.

Roll the dough out to form a large rectangle the size of a mixing board. (Be sure to flour your rolling pin.)

Spread the applesauce over the dough, then sprinkle with the cinnamon and raisins.

Roll the dough up into a log lengthwise. Be sure to press gently on the seal so it won’t undo.

Slice into 12 pieces.

Lightly spray a muffin tray & place each of the slices of dough in the muffin tray. Brush each scroll with soymilk.

Bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown and cooked through.

 

NB: I used home-made soymilk which was vanilla flavoured, which added a lovely taste. You can add a teaspoon of vanilla to the milk if you wish.

Tip:

You could make these a quick way by using self raising flour in place of the yeast! You won’t need time for kneading or raising then! They won’t work out quite as ‘bread’ like, more cake-like, but that’s not always a bad thing!

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

veggie nook

greenthickies 

Quick baked apples

 

Everyone loves dessert!!! However, sometimes I don't have the time to make it during the day & on those days I love a quick dessert. Here's a child-hood favourite, turned quick, instead of having to wait an hour it to cook!

QUICK BAKED APPLES

Core apples and cut several slits into the skin about 5mm deep around the entire apple. Place in an oven & microwave safe dish.

Microwave on high for 3 minutes.

Fill with raisins and cinnamon then drizzle a generous amount of maple syrup into the core hole.

Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 200C oven.

Serve in a bowl and use the sauce that has spread in the baking dish to drizzle over the top of the apples.

After microwaving they will be soft on the inside but the oven time just give them enough crisp so they aren't soggy! The texture will be slightly more chewy than apples that are completely cooked in the oven, but equally as delicious.

WIAW - Choc-Hazel-Goji Granola

Welcome to WIAW

I haven't done a Wednesday post for some time, so enjoy today's one!
It comes with a super yummy breakfast recipe.

Today's eats:

Breakfast was the totally delicious granola recipe below - sure beats nutella on toast!

Lunch I made a quick salad with cooked wholemeal pasta, salad leaf mix, grated carrot, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped capsicum and spring onions - topped off with a big dollop of hummus. Quick, easy, delicious :-)
Dinner was roasted sweet potato with a mexican bean mix with capsicum, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, borolotti beans and mushrooms.

Now for the promised recipe:

Chocolate Hazelnut Goji-berry Granola

You'll need:
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup goji berries
1/4 cup raisins

Smash the hazelnuts by placing them in a zip-lock bag and beating with a meat-mallet until broken into little pieces.
In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, smashed hazelnuts, pepitas, cocoa powder & coconut. Stir well.
Pour in the apple sauce and brown rice syrup.
Stir until well combined & all the oats have been coated with the moist ingredients. It will look like it won't all combine but keep stirring and it eventually does.
Pour mixture onto a lined baking tray and spread evenly and as thin as possible.
Place in a preheated 160C oven.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
Remove tray from the oven & allow to cool.
Stir in the goji berries & raisins until evenly distributed.
Pour into an airtight container for storage.

Here's a picture-tip for how to easily transfer the granola into the storage container:

Because sometimes in life we need all the tips we can get right!!! ;-)


Here's another one then...... don't start nibbling on this before putting it in the container - its soooo good that you won't have much left to transfer otherwise!!!

Orange Pulp Layer Cake

You'll need:

2 cups wholemeal flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon bi-carb soda

2 Tablespoons raw sugar

Combine in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add:

1/4 cup apple sauce

2 teaspoons orange flower water

1 cup almond milk

Stir all ingredients until well combined.

Pour 1/2-2/3 mixtures into a lined rectangular baking pan.

Scatter raisins over the mixture.

Top with orange juice pulp (as much or little as you desire - I used about 1 cup).

Pour the rest of the cake mixture over the top and spread over the cake til the pulp is completely covered.

Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool before slicing. For best results use a serrated knife.

I just love how the layer is visible!

Is it just me or is the layer just sooo pretty???? lol

I had to take so many pictures!!!

Delicious plain, however if you'd like to add an 'icing' - I recommend blending almonds & orange juice together and spreading over the top.

Tips:

- Don't have a juicer - you could always use grated carrots in place of the orange juice pulp, or alter the flavour by using other pulp.

- Orange flower water can be found in MiddleEastern-type shops - alternatively just use 2 Tablespoons orange juice.

Apple Raisin Oat Slice

This slice suits EVERYONE!
Nut allergies - no worries

Gluten intolerant - no worries

Allergic to soy - no worries

Dairy intolerant - no worries

Egg allergy - no worries

And would you believe that is still tastes soooooo good!!!

You'll need:

1 1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup flax seeds

3 apples

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

egg replace, to equivalent of 2 eggs

1 1/2 cups rice milk

Grind the flax seeds and combine with the oats and raisins. Core the apples & grate them into the dry ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients and combine well.

The mixture will be quite wet.

Pour into a lined 25cm square baking dish and press mixture down well.

Bake at 160C for one hour until lightly golden brown on top.

Cool in the tin - then remove and cut into bite size squares with a serrated knife.