Okara burgers

Another recipe created to use up okara after making soymilk!

These burgers are really tasty & very nutritious!
The vegetables can be changed to suit any leftovers you might have hanging around.

You'll need:
1 cup okara
egg replacer to the value of 2 eggs
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 grated zucchini
1/2 tin corn, drained
3 tablespoons sunflower kernels
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons wholemeal flour

Prepare the egg replacer first. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl til well combined. Add the egg replacer and stir.
The mixture is quite sticky but this helps the burgers stay moist & not fall apart.
Press the mixture into pattie shapes, even by hand (wet hands with water so mixture does not stick) or alternatively use a burger press.
Place patties onto a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper & bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 minutes turning once during cooking.

Okara muffins

After making my own soymilk on the weekend I was left with quite a lot of okara (the mushy leftover soybeans!) and i was debating what to do with it.
Okara is very nutrient dense so I decided to have some fun & make sure that it got used up!

Chocolate Okara Muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup okara
1/4 cup vegetable oil (your choice which one)
1/2 cup soymilk
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Stir the wet ingredients into a large bowl with the okara. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients - be careful not to overmix as this can make the muffins too dense.
Lightly spray a muffin tin. (makes 10-12 muffins depending on how much of a muffin top you want!!!!)
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
If desired, sprinkle with coconut shreds for decoration.
Bake for 20 minutes in a moderate oven.

Nut/Seed "Milo"

I simply missed having a glass of milo too much! Yes, a cadbury hot chocolate is nice - but its not the same! I need some ~crunch~. So I was on a quest to enjoy my crunchy chocolately goodness without any badness in it!!!
This is the best I could do - and might I add, I think its better than milo!


3/4 cup mixed seeds (I use whatever I have on hand - try linseeds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds)
1 cup mixed nuts (your choice - try cashews, almonds, macadamias, pecans, walnuts)
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Optional: 1/4 cup sugar (I use raw sugar) Depends how sweet you like it. I find it really tasty even without any sugar at all

Mix the seeds & nuts in a small bowl.
Grind them in a coffee grinder, in small batches.
Once ground put into a jar & add the cocoa & sugar & shake until well combined.

Put a heaped tablespoon into a glass with soymillk, rice milk or nut milk! Stir well so that the nuts don't sink to the bottom.
Warm or cold!

~D~E~L~I~C~I~O~U~S~

Store in a glass jar with an air-tight seal. Will keep for several months.

Tofu nuggets

These are totally delicious :-)
Take a little bit of time & preparation but well worth it.

Mix in a small bowl:  (I like to use ramekins!)
1/2 cup soymilk or other non-dairy milk
2 Tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast.

Mix in another small bowl:
2 teaspoons of dried herbs of your choice (I like the italian mix ones
3/4 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs
Pepper to taste

Cut a block of hard tofu into cubes.
Using a fork pick up each piece tofu cube and dip it first into the milk mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture. 
Place crumbed cubes onto a baking sheet.
Bake in 180C oven for 25-30 mins until golden brown.

Raw almond & date balls

These are so easy to make that they can be quickly whizzed up at any time!
They often are a nice afternoon treat for us!

In a food processor combine 1 cup pitted fresh dates with 1 cup almonds & 1 tablespoon agave nectar.
Process until nearly smooth.
Roll into balls with wet hands.
Place on a plate & let set in the fridge for 20 mins before eating.
(It is not necessary to place them in the fridge but they are better after being cooled)

Leftover Stew!!!

Let's face it! There comes a time when we look into the fridge and think "there's nothing here". I made this stew one day upon facing exactly that dilemma! Now I love looking in the fridge and piecing a stew together - this one was particularly good & it can be varied with different veggies as needed (to use up all the leftovers!). So long as you have some risoni & some creamed corn, then you're set!
I loved this stew so much that I make it regularly now!
Its quite involved but its easy & makes for a delicious meal without needing anything flash!
ENJOY!

Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add 1 cup risoni & return to the boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes until soft.
While the risoni is cooking. Chop pieces of cabbage (about 1 cup) & lightly saute in a tablespoon vegetable oil until cooked but still slightly crisp.
Place 2 cups of edamame in a pot of boiling water & simmer for 5 minutes.

You will find that everything is ready at once if you time it right!!! :-)

Simple drain the risoni and return to the pot.
Add the tin of creamed corn and the cabbage.
Drain the edamame and remove the peas from the pod - add the peas to your risoni.
Stir to combine.

Add some flavouring!
My favourites are pictured here & I always have them readily available.
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chili
2 tablespoons of tahini

Once all ingredients are added - return to heat & warm thoroughly. Stir continuously.
Spoon into pasta bowls. And serve with cracked black pepper.

Eggplant Lasagne

Ok, the real truth is that I'm just too plain lazy somedays to make a real lasagne! But this works perfectly and is really quick for the days when I just don't have the time in the kitchen that I'd like.

You'll need:
1 large eggplant
2 lasagne sheets (or more depending on the size of the dish you use)
1 jar pasta sauce
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon corn flour
1/2 cup soymilk

Slice the eggplant and layer it on the bottom of a roasting dish. (I just happen to have a roasting dish that is the same size as a large lasagne sheet.)
Spread a generous amount of pasta sauce over the eggplant.
Top with a lasagne sheet.
Repeat with 2 layers, or as many as your dish will hold.
In a little bowl combine the nutritional yeast, corn flour & soymilk. Whisk until well combined. (You can precook this bit if you want to thicken it more. This can be done in the microwave to save time.)

Pour the milk mixture on the top of your lasagne.
Cover the lasagne with foil & bake in a hot oven for 20 mins.
Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until lasagne sheets are soft.