Vegan Heaven

Happy all year round Veganuary

Here we are going to create the PASA cook book of some of the most delicious and satisfying dishes you can imagine. They have huge beneficial side effects. The arguments for behaviour changes to save our planet come in two varieties, the carrot and the stick.

This is most definitely the carrot department.

This is a planet saving website so let's start with the environment. There is not enough land on our planet for meat based agriculture to feed 8+billion human beings and the biodiversity we need to regulate our greenhouse gasses. Current meat-eating is a global scorched earth policy, and the damage is clearly visible in many parts of the world. Becoming vegan, or plant based could be the easiest and the most effective thing you can do to prevent a future horror show for our children and grand children.

Secondly our attitude to other creatures needs a shift. Having regard for the interior life, the happiness and family affections of animals may also have a positive effect on the way we treat each other.

Also veganism is very healthy choice. (See the documentary The Game Changers for the health and athletic benefits of getting your protein first hand from plants rather than via slaughtered animals.)

If you have a very special vegan treat you would like to share here, email a high resolution JPEG and a word file of the recipe.to paul.miskin@sa4tp.cp.uk

Here follow a few good Vegan links

some great info on vegan Restaurants in Newcastle can be found here on the Climate Action Newcastle web site

https://www.climateactionnewcastle.com/post/veganuary-highlights-lots-more-to-come

Stir Fried Spicy Carrots

Stir Fried Spicy Carrots – Gluten Free

Ingredients

400g carrots

2 teaspoon crushed garlic

2 teaspoon grated ginger

I small dried chilli deseeded and finely chopped/or 1 teaspoon chilli oil

1.5 tablespoon black beans rinsed and chopped

1 teaspoon tamari/gluten free soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon sweetener – rice syrup/sugar

1 tablespoon oil – peanut/sunflower

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Method

Peel and cut roll cut the carrots (this gives them a pleasing shape) or coarsely chop. Blanch 4 -5 minutes just covered in boiling water 4 -m 5 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid and immerse in cold water

Heat a wok or large frying pan, add the veg oil followed by the garlic, ginger, chilli, black beans. Stir fry 1minute

Add the carrots, tamari, rice wine, sweetener and stir fry 1 minute then add 2 – 4 tablespoons reserved cooking water. Heat 1 -2 minutes more before adding the sesame oil for another 30 seconds.

Notes

The amount of chilli required depends on the heat of the chillies you use, one chopped jalapeno will be far milder than one scotch bonnet or habanero!

If you use organic carrots keep the peel for making stock. Easiest way is to have a bag of organic veg trimmings in the freezer to utilise once you have enough. Any remaining water from the carrots is good to use in soups, stir fries etc.

Adapted from a recipe by Ken Hom

This is a Maysie Sharp adaption of a classical recipe

Sephardic Orange Cake

Sephardic Vegan Orange and Almond Cake (Gluten Free)

Makes: 1 x 20cm cake

Ingredients 1 large orange

1 stick cinnamon

1 star anise (optional)

150g soya or other plant-based yoghurt (don’t use coconut)

250g caster sugar

50g fine cornmeal (or gluten free flour)

2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

200g ground almonds

Icing sugar to dust

Toasted flaked almonds and orange slices to serve

Method:

Grease and line 8"/20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
Place the unpeeled orange in a saucepan, with the cinnamon stick and star anise, just cover with water.
Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, 1 hour, checking the water doesn't dry out and adding more if necessary.
Leave the orange to cool then cut it in half. Remove any pips and then puree the entire unpeeled orange in a food processor.
In a large bowl beat the soya yoghurt and sugar until creamy and thick, then fold in the cornmeal or flour, baking powder, ground almonds and orange puree.
Pour into the cake tin and bake at 180c for about 20 minutes.
Then turn the oven down to 170/160c cover loosely with foil. and cook for a further 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean(ish) when pushed into the cake (This is a rather sticky cake and if over baked will be too dry)
Cool on a cake rack, then serve with a dust of icing sugar, a sprinkling of toasted flaked almond and orange slices (Alternatively very good with your favourite chocolate ganache on top!).

This is a Maysie Sharp adaption of a classical recipe

Chocolat Cake

CHOCOLATE & ALMOND CAKE – Gluten Free

Ingredients

Dry
95 g finely ground almond
185 g buckwheat flour
20 g cacao powder
1 tbsp arrowroot (or potato starch)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine salt

Wet
60 ml sunflower oil
50 g 70% vegan chocolate chopped
2 tsp vanilla extract
375 ml. almond or oat milk
150 g dark brown sugar/coconut sugar
2 flax eggs (combine 2 tbsp ground flax seeds with 6 tbsp water and allow to rest for 5 minutes)

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 180ºC/GM 5/350ºF |
Grease and line the bottom and the sides of a 20 cm spring-form pan with parchment/greaseproof paper
Sift together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Combine the sunflower oil and the chopped chocolate in a double-boiler on medium heat and stir until molten and combined.
Add the vanilla extract and the sugar to the double boiler and mix thoroughly.
Remove from heat and stir in the almond milk and the flax eggs.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and fold until perfectly combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
After the 35 minutes, place a sheet of aluminium foil over the pan and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before sprinkling with toasted almond flakes or coating with chocolate icing

Chocolate Icing

100 ml almond or other plant milk.

75 g dark vegan chocolate broken into small pieces

1 – 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or agave nectar (to taste)

In a small pan heat the milk until almost boiling. Remove from the heat. Stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Add sweetener to taste. Allow to cool and thicken before pouring over the cake.

This is a Maysie Sharp adaption

Green and White Jade Salad - Gluten Free

Green and White Jade Salad - Gluten Free

250g broccoli – broken into florets and stems chopped

250g cauliflower – broken into florets and stems chopped

Blanch the cauliflower and broccoli in a pan of boiling water, drain, plunge into cold water to cool then drain again. Leave in a colander to finish draining.

Sauce

3 tablespoons white sesame paste

1.5 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon chilli oil

1 tablespoon tamari or gluten free soy sauce

1 – 2 teaspoons sweetener (optional)

Toasted sesame seeds – a mix of whole brown and black is good

Mix all the ingredients together, poor over the vegetables, chill before sprinkling with the sesame seeds and serving.

Note. Darker sesame paste can be used but this gives a much stronger flavour so I would recommend using a light, preferably organic variety. Play around with the dressing ingredients to get exactly the consistency and balance of salty/vinegary sweet that suits you. Adapted from a Ken Hom recipe

This is a Maysie Sharp adaption

Minted Field Beans

serving suggestion with a potato and celeriac mash and steamed broccoli

Minted Field Beans – Gluten Free

Ingredients

500g cooked field/small fava beans (See note) Reserve cooking liquid

2 medium onions chopped

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 stick celery chopped (optional)

3 large carrots diced

2 small ball turnips diced or equivalent diced swede or a mix of both

2 large tomatoes skinned and chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1.5 teaspoon dried mint

2 tablespoons tamari or gluten free soy sauce

500 ml vegetable stock or 500ml bean stock + 1 teaspoon stock powder

1 tablespoon dark miso

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Method

Sauté onions, garlic, celery in a large saucepan (if ovenproof all the better) to soften, add carrots and turnips and cook a few minutes more. Add tomatoes, mint, tamari, beans and vegetable stock, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Take of the heat. Transfer contents to an oven proof dish. Dissolve the miso some of the cooking juice and stir through. Bake covered 1hour 200C/400F/GM6

Notes

Fava/field beans are a small variety from the Broadbean or Ful family. They are not the same as dried broad beans which are much larger and would require far more cooking. I grow mine, use fresh and then dry for this dish in particular. Dried Fava beans can sometimes be found in Asian supermarkets and are also available online (Try the Asian Cookshop or Hodmedod)

Soak the beans overnight, rinse, cover generously with water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Alternatively use a pressure cooker.

Miso Any dark/red miso will do. White miso is too sweet and not robust enough for this recipe.

This is a Maysie Sharp adaption of a classic

and Paul Miskin' s Favourite bean dish

Pumpkin & Ginger Soup

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

450 grams Pumpkin – peeled, deseeded and chopped

25 grams fresh Ginger – Chopped finely or grated

3 Cloves Garlic – crushed

1.5litres Vegetable stock home-made or bought (I use Marigold)

Black pepper

Sauté the ginger & garlic in the Olive oil for a few minutes.

Add the pumpkin and continue to sauté for a couple more minutes.

Add stock and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to boil the reduce heat (add salt if necessary) and simmer for 15+ minutes until pumpkin is cooked.

Allow to cool slightly then blend.

All quantities can be multiplied but you might need to decrease the ratio of stock to pumpkin.

If you prefer a chunky soup remove half to blender then pour back into pan and reheat.

Freezes well.

another Maysie classic (no image necessary make it and see it for your self)

3 Pepper Stir Fry

3 Pepper(Capsicum) Stir Fry – Vegan and Gluten free

3 peppers/capsicums, red green and yellow – or all one colour

5cm fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

Salt

White pepper

1 tablespoon rice or other vegetable oil

Deseed the pepper/capsicum and cut into triangles.

Heat the oil in a wok or heavy-duty frying pan. Add sliced ginger. Stir fry one minute. Add peppers and a pinch of salt. Stir fry 2 minutes more. Add a splash of water and continue to stir fry until just done. Sprinkle with ground white pepper and serve.

Add some chopped fresh chili with the ginger if you like things spicier. Maysie