Vegan Döner Kebap

Döner Kebap is a turkish sandwich and most people think it's a traditional food from Turkey - yes but served different than we see here.

They cut down the overlapping and roasting meat and serves it on a plate, topping with tomato sauce, tomatoes and some vegetable arranged with a lot of (spiced) joghurtsauce. 

The Döner Kebap we use to see selled around here does not look the same. A turkish flatbread filled with lamb meat, tomatoes, salad, onions, spices, joghurtsauce and what ever you want in it. Turkish snack-bars sells "vegetarian kebab" but they are usually a salad bag with cheese and sauce . And often costs the vegetarian kebab then as much as the doner bag with meat. 

Now how about the vegan?? As I never saw or heard where to buy one, there is only one thing to do: Create Your Own. Still better than buyed ones. 

The preparation is very simple and does not need a lot of ingredients.

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Vegan Döner Kebap

2 Persons

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes
½ - 1 green cucumber
Soy sour cream or yoghurt
150 g Wheat gluten, or prepared "Veggi Döner"
garlic
red cabbage
fresh salad (up to your amount)
1 fresh onion
grounded red pepper
oregano
basil
majoram
pepper
1 Turkish flatbread or pita
oil

Direction:
Before we begin, mix the kebab spice together. Alternatively, you can also buy kebab spice in a Supermarket that is however provided with flavorings. 
Take pepper powder, oregano, basil, marjoram and pepper and mix everything together . If necessary, you can also sprinkle a pinch of iodized salt to it. Thereafter, squeeze a clove of garlic with a garlic press. Now mix the spices with the Soy sour cream. Season to taste and finished is the sauce for the vegan kebab !

Preheat oven up to 50-80°C. 

Wash all fresh ingredients. Now cut the cucumber into thin slices, cut the cabbage very finely into strips. The 2 tomatoes into small pieces. The onion into onion rings.

If you use wheat gluten, then cut these into elongated slices and season it also with pepper, paprika, salt, oregano and majoram. If you use the " Veggi kebab " from the health food store , then you DO NOT need to spice it up. (it is already)
Now fry with the onion rings at a high level for about 5-8 min.

In the meantime, cut the Turkish pita bread into 2 oblong parts, so small pockets arise. Shortly warm the bags up for about 5-10 min (not too long, otherwise the Flat bread is too hard!)

Now brush the insides with the kebab sauce, fill the bag with the kebab "meat", add the tomatoes, cucumber, red cabbage and salad. Finish is the vegetarian kebab pocket. Top again with some sauce if you desire. 

Yellow Virgin Mary with Ginger; Cantaloup-Ginger-Spritzer

Nice together with friends, family and a vegan non-alcoholic drink in your hand - the evening can begin. Usually your knowing the Bloddy Mary, but if you want to surprise your guests, husband a.s.o, serve them one made from yellow tomatoes - renamed and everyone will be surprised. 

I defently like much more than the Bloody Mary - this one -as for me - tastes fresher, lighter.
Now it's up to you to decide if you like it or not ;)

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Yellow Virgin Mary with Ginger

4 Persons
20 min

Ingredients:
600 g of yellow tomatoes 
7 sticks of celery 
3-4 stalks of chervil 
10-15g ginger 
Salt and pepper 
lime juice 
ice cubes

Preparation: 
Wash and clean tomatoes and celery. Wash parsley, pluck off the leaves. 
Peel Ginger root cut into pieces. Do the same with tomatoes and 3 sticks of celery. 

Puree in a blender or with a hand blender, till smooth. Strain through a fine sieve to get out the fibers.


Season with salt, pepper and lime juice. Distribute ice cubes into 4 glasses, pour in Virgin Mary and serve with the remaining celery sticks.

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I love Cantaloupe Melons, especially when cut it in half, deseed it and the center bowl you pour some portwine. Delicious. Or you serve a shotglass with portwine with your slices. Yamm, but not for always, just on special occasions. 

This time I made drink, spiced up with ginger - again a perfect, fresh drink for your summer evening.


Cantaloupe-Ginger-Spritzer

Makes four drinks. 

Ingredients:
1/2 fresh cantaloupe, seeded, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
a 5cm piece fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into thick coins
2 tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice
club soda, for mixing
thin cantaloupe wedges and (Optional) candied ginger pieces, for garnish

Directions:Put the cantaloupe pieces in the bowl of a food processor and puree until very smooth, two to three minutes. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer set over a pitcher; let stand until liquid is drained and solids remain. Discard the solids and reserve the cantaloupe juice.

In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, water and sliced ginger to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until completely cool. Remove the ginger pieces and discard.

Stir the cooled sugar syrup into the cantaloupe juice. Fill four 8-ounce rocks glasses with ice; fill each glass half full with the cantaloupe syrup and top off with seltzer. Stir each glass and garnish with cantaloupe slices and candied ginger, if desired.

Sprouts-Avocado-Wraps

A few days ago, late at ten in the night, I bought a Falafel "dürüm"-wrap at a Fast-Food-Corner. 
I already haddinner at a further education with my boss. But somehow I felt like a little hungry on my way back home. I stood there a while hesitating of taking the falafel wrap - probably not completly vegan, then I gave myself a nudge and bought one (guess the sauce is not vegan). And as I asked for not too much sauce, I did not felt ashamed eating unvegan. It was astonishing good - well too big and too much at this time, but it stilled my hunger. Defently going to be eaten again - even in the city AND at home. 

And so it came, but with another ingredients (for this time). 

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It's always fun to eat with your hands - especially when it's summer and hot outside -  right? Today's such a day - sometimes you only sweat by doing nothing special, just sitting on the balcony - in the shadow of course.

But, still my stomach called for something and sandwich or alike would do it right away.

Well, only one thing missed in my cupboard - sandwichbread.. But sandwichbread I eat often enought, so switched to wraps - bigger but not so "bready".

Well, it was As I hadn't plant this wrap I used what I had on hand - and sprouts and fresh herbs, salad I always got on hand, I also got a avocado which I bought originally for filling and roasting, but would be perfect for this wrap.

If I would have had some fresh tomatoes leftover, I would have cut them into pieces and wrap in it as well, but I already used them for precooking dinner. 

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Sprouts-Avocado-Wraps

4 Persons
30 min

Ingredients:
1 chilli pepper
½ lemon
½ bunch of coriander
2 soft avocados
Salt and pepper
100 g Lettuce
1 red onion
400 g of flour
6 dl mineral water
2 tablespoons oil
100 g vegan creme fraîche
50 g of alfalfa sprouts
4 tablespoons sprouts Power-Mix

Preparation
Cut chili lengthwise in half, remove seeds and chop. Squeez a lemon. Chop the coriander. Cut Avocados in half, remove the stone. Solve flesh from the shell. Mix well into a cream with lemon juice, chilli and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. 

Cut the Lettuce into thin strips, the onion into rings.

For the tortillas give flour in a bowl. Pour in mineral water, stir everything with a whisk to a smooth batter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

In a hot nonsticking pan add the oil. With a little ladle give in some dough. Swirl the pan to leak the dought thin in the whole pan. Bake Tortilla until golden brown on both sides over medium heat. 

This way bake 8 tortillas. 
Take one tortilla, spread some cream and avocado cream on the bottom. Layer with the lettuce, onion and sprinkle with sprouts. 

Roll the tortilla tidily together - closing the lower end (to beware from dripping out filling).

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Asparagus-Potato-Pan

Yesterday I hashed the last green asparagus at the store, well defently the last ones for this year. They were close to not good anymore but for my planned meal it would do.

One good things about green asparagus they don't need as much work as the white ones. 

This dish is not really special at itself, but does a meal/lunch always be special?? No, just looking and tasting good. 

This dish is defently a no-long-time-standing-in- the-kitchen. Fast prepared, perfect if you are in a hurry or just lazy and tired and just want to eat good but fast and selfmade food. 

Even really appreciate those dishes, especially when coming home after work at 7 p.m., feeding the cats and then getting ready to prepare my dish. 

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Asparagus-Potato-Pan

Persons
40 min incl. frying

Ingredients:
500 g green asparagus 
80 g Greek olives 
1 onion 
600 g small potatoes 
4 tablespoons peanut oil 
Salt and pepper 

Preparation 
Peel the asparagus in the bottom third, cut ends fresh. Depending on the thickness halve asparagus and cut into 5 cm long pieces. Rinse olives under cold water, drain, cut in half and destone. Cut onion into thin rings. 

Cut Potatoes into thin slices about 2 mm. 

Heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan. Fry the potatoes over medium heat about 10 minutes. Add the onion, asparagus and olives and fry for a further 10 minutes until the asparagus is tender but still have bite. Season with salt and pepper.

Pentecost vegan grill-dinner

Well, pentecost is over and I saw I hadn't posted my prepared the post I actually wanted to. Guess, something went wrong - anyway here it is. 
Pretty simple but so good! 

For cooking or even eating it was just too hot - the hotest pentecost since 1950. 

All you can do is staying in the shadow, keeping your apartement as cool as possible - hard when aircondition is usual in Switzerland. Well Fan's would do, but I hadn't one. 

I had about 28°C inside - won't even tell you how good you could sleep....

Anyway, perfect for grilling.Grilling just loves eveyone.

I kept the menu quite simple but perfect for not long standing in the kitchen.

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Stratified Ratatouille

Ingredients:
2 Tomatoes
1 green and yellow Zucchini
1 small onion (or half a big one)
1 clove garlic
150-200 ml vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
salt
pepper
olive oil

Optional: vegan parmesan

Preparation:
Cut the zucchinis and tomatoes into thin slices. Not too thick or thin - about 2-3 mm would be good. Now stratify the vegetable alternately in a casserole dish.

Dice the onion and garlic and roast them in a oiled saucepan until translucent. Give in the vegetable stock and place a bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer for a about 5 minutes to allow the bay leaf can deliver its great flavor to the broth. 

Pass the broth through a sieve over the vegetable (till half in broth). Sprinkle the vegetables with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover the baking dish with either a lid or with aluminum foil and put into the preheated oven at 150 ° C.


After 45 minutes get the Ratatouille from the oven and pour the broth carefully out. 
Sprinkle the vegetables again with a little olive oil and push for a further 15 minutes at 180 ° C in the oven. But this time without the lid! 

(Optional: dizzle over some parmesan for a cheesy crust).

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Garlic-Herb-Bread

Ingredients:

1 bread-dought (bought or buyed)

2 clove garlic

1 shallot

1 bunch of parsely

1 bunch chives

1 bunch basilicum

(any other herbs you like)

salt, pepper

1-2 tsp. olive oil

herb oil for dizzling

Preparation:

Chop the garlic and shallot very finely, give in a bowl. Wash and pat dry the herbs, then chop finely and give into the bowl. Add oil and season with salt, pepper.

Maybe pulse shortly trough to get it smoother - as you like.

On a floured board, roll out the dought about 1 cm thin and spread the herbmixtur on the top. Roll up from the longer side till you got a "roulade-like" bread. Either bake it as it is as whole bread or like I cut into 2-3 cm think rolls.

Arrange in a big baking dish - with some little space between the each and bake at 180-200 °C for about 20 min (or till well). Frequently- during baking - dizzle with herboil.

When done, take out, let cook or eat hot. Then just enjoy ;)

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Grilled Soysteaks in BBQ-Sauce

Well, for mine today's soysteaks I used another BBQ Marinade, but after eating I did not really found it well, way to salty and not really BBQ-like. So I tried it again the other day with another sauce and it was perfect. (not this picture)!

But it won't withhold you my used marinade for those who wanna try it and try it.

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My used BBQ-Marinade

Ingredients:

100 ml soysauce

2 Tbsp. ketchup

4 Tbsp. oil

1 bunch of spring onion, chopped

pepper

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, let stand for 1 hour the marinade your meat-replace for several hours.

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Here's the BBQ-Marinade I used the next day and profound better...

This easy, no-cook vegan barbecue sauce recipe takes nearly no time to make. It’s especially delicious with plant-based protein foods—tofu, tempeh, and seitan—prepared on the grill. 

Makes: about 2 cups

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, or to taste
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix/ blend well. Cover and let stand for an hour or so to allow the flavors to combine more fully. But don’t worry if you need to use it right away, it will still be quite good.

Yummy Tofuballs

Pentecost and we're having hot weather like we never had at pentacost since about 1950. Most times it rains. 

Great, but sweating! That doesn't stop myself from the kitchen- sweating......

Today's produce are if hot or cold, as snack, for a party or for kids. Maybe even to pasta, you see very vesitable using 
(but for pasta I would recommend to use 3 Tbsp. breadcrumbs in the "dought", otherwise they will fall apart!!!)

Crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside - great! (Though I don't really like breaded stuff, but those...)

Everyone I let try found it great! Even Omnivores and that will mean something. AND again I could give a giveaway for the owner of the Bakery-Snack-shop at my working village, trying and see if they will offer for lunch (how ever he will serve with).

It's been the third times I got the change, though a time ago, he almost stop myself from bringing by new vegan to try. I was overwellming him.

A few days ago he asked what I got new on hand, I a proposed the balls and all he said "sounds good - will try"

NOW it's up to you to decide how you like them ;)

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Yummy Tofuballs

Ingredients:

Tofu balls:
1 clove of garlic 
200 grams tofu nature | corresponding to the small standard pack  see NOTE
2 tbsp chickpea flour 
1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast 
1 heaped tablespoons of breadcrumbs 
1 heaped tsp spicy mustard 
2 heaped tbsp. of tomato paste 
1 tsp sweet paprika 
1 tsp carob powder 
1-2 tbsp water 
Dried marjoram, finely chopped
Some fresh, chopped parsley 

Salt and mixed pepper from the mill

Preparation:
Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Open the tofu and in a bowl and crush it with fork. Add garlic, parsely and the left ingredients and crush all well together into a smooth paste. Season pretty well with salt and pepper from the mill. Mash well.

Pour 3-4 Tbsp. breadcrumbs in bowl, from the tofu form little balls and turn it in the breadcrumbs till all is well covered with a crust. 

In a frying pan with oil, roast the tofuballs at medium to low heat golden and crunchy. (If you roast them at high heat they will turn too fast brown and the inside won't be enough cooked). 

Note: The balls goes also good with Gingertofu (as my first made ones, softer).

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Pepper-Ketchup

Ingredients:
2 red peppers 
1 onion 
1 clove of garlic 
Thyme, salt, pepper 
some chili (if you like) 
1 tablespoon sugar (if you like) 

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preparation:
Wash, half and deseed peppers. Place on a bakingtray and roast in the preheated oven till the skins turn black. Take out and let cool, then peel off the skins. 

Chop the peppers and onion.

Heat oil in a frying pan and fry peppers with onion in the pan until the onion is translucent. Now press the garlic and add to it and pour everything with a little water (or vegetable stock) - but only that much that the vegetables are just covered with water. Add a pinch of thyme (about 1 tsp). 

Simmer all until all the water has evaporated. The best time to try whether the peppers are already nice and soft, if not let simmer with a little bit of water or broth a few more minutes. 

Decant everything into a tall mug and puree with an immersion blender. Wisk 1 Tbsp. tomato paste with 1 - 2 Tbsp. of water, add to the peppers and puree under, stir everything well and season with salt and pepper. 


Fill in small bottles and serve the next barbecue party ... or like I with the tofuballs ;)

Spinach-filled Tomatoes with fried vegetable rice

I just love colorful dishes. It just look so great and your mouth starts watering. Well that's what's happening with me. 

And while passing trough the market looking for a inspiration on what to cook I saw big and decent-looking and I decided to fill them served with fried rice. 

The various about filling vegetables are big but for the color I ended up to use spinach with other vegetables. 

We loved this dish and I could hardly stop my friend from starting to eat before picturing......

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Spinach-filled Tomatoes with fried vegetable rice

30 min
2 Persons

Ingredients:
4 beef tomatoes
125g spinach
1 onion
1 Jalapeño
2 cloves of garlic
1-2 Spring onion (s)
100ml soya cream
100ml soy or rice milk (unsweetened)
1-2 tsp herbmustard 
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
salt
pepper
1 (red ) pepper
1 zucchini
1 small cup of rice
Barbecue seasoning or chili flakes , allspice , paprika ...
some olive oil

Direction:
Cut the zucchini into strips and sprinkle with a little salt. 

Cook the rice as usual, preheat the oven to 200 ° C .

Heat some oil in a pan . Chop the onion and jalapeno finely and place in the hot oil. Shortly thereafter ( to be when the onion pieces begin glassy ) press the garlic into the pan. Cut the spring onions into thin slices and also add . Add the spinach to the pan and wait until it falls apart. Add soy cream, milk , mustard and bread crumbs stir and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Erode the tomatoes and fill with the spinach mixture. Place on baking paper and put in the middle section of the oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, you have enough time to prepare the fried rice :

Pat dry the zucchini slices, cut the peppers into strips.

Rub zucchini and bell pepper with a mixture of barbecue seasoning (or other spices / herbs to taste) and olive oil. Heat up a grill pan, add zucchini and peppers and roast for a short time (goes very quickly if the pan is nice hot) . Allow to cool briefly (until they are no longer too hot to touch ), cut into small pieces and fry for a few minutes along with the rice in a pan.

Serve the filled tomatoes placed on the fried vegetable rice and enjoy a great dinner!