Eggplant Stacks with hot sauce

Good day monday is over. I really had a heavy and hard working day. When I came home I just throw myself on the sofa with a drink in one hand and just relaxing before doing some cooking.
And today work is much better, luckely cause I'm pretty tired.

On Sunday I made these good looking eggplants stalk as a light lunch. I have to say I'm not really an eggplant lover, but when I got a good recipe, yes I eat and like the eggplants. I just cooked them, set them aside while doing the sauce and ate them with the hot sauce. Of course any sauce you like will do it, but as spring is coming closer I made a fresh one.

Eggplant Stacks with Hot Sauce

Ingredients (2 large serves)

Eggplant
1 medium eggplant

Pea, Coriander, Lime & Mint Sauce
2 cups peas (frozen)
1 cup stock
1 cup chopped fresh coriander
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lime

  

Direction

Eggplant

Slice eggplants in 0.5-1 cm rounds
dry fry on a good non stick pan (or griddle if you want the nice lines) until tender and golden
be patient, undercooked eggplant isn't so yummy
when done keep covered to retain heat & cook another batch
whilst frying in batches make sauces

Pea, Coriander, Lime & Mint Sauce
defrost peas (leave out or pour boiling water over them)
chop herbs
zest & juice lime
combine all ingredients
blend to a smooth consistency

Back to the Eggplant Stacks
Assemble cooked eggplant
layering with sauce

chop & sprinkle with fresh coriander
enjoy!

Savory Orange-roasted Tofu and Aspargus

Oh yes finaly getting into aspargus-season. I've got an old cookbook about aspargus, though not vegan, but hey you can veganize every single recipe. And so did I with the one below. Originally the recipe is made with veal and I just changed it into Tofu. Not only the look was great also it's taste. If you prefer the white aspargus, use them, but I would say the green ones look much better, cause they are sprinkled with balsamic vinegar and so lightly dark.

It could easly be eaten for lunch or served together with plain rice for a healthy dinner.

Savory Orange-Roasted Tofu & Asparagus

Toss tofu and asparagus in a tangy orange- and basil-scented sauce, made rich and savory with miso. Serve with brown rice or couscous and an orange-and-fennel salad.

4 servings
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 big package extra-firm water-packed tofu, rinsed
2 tablespoons red miso
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 cm pieces
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 230 °C. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Pat tofu dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Whisk 1 tablespoon miso, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add the tofu; gently toss to coat. Spread the tofu in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Gently toss asparagus with the tofu. Return to the oven and roast until the tofu is golden brown and the asparagus is tender, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon miso, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 teaspoons oil, basil, orange zest and juice, and salt in the large bowl until smooth. Toss the roasted tofu and asparagus with the sauce and serve.

Chipotle Rhubarb Salsa

While drinking my afternoon coffey I was thinking what to do with the leftover rhubard I got from my breakfast porridge. Most time I eat rhubard as a sweet dish like a cake or as yesterday again for breakfast. But making a cake for myself - not really. I'm no sweet girl.

I was going trough my recipe stock to get an idea and then suddenly I knew what I wanted to try. A salsa. I found a similar recipe and just changed some ingredients and voila the rhubard salsa was born. It's tart, sweet and a little bit spicy (guess I added a little bit too much chipotle). I really just loved it and hardly couldn't stopp myself from eating.

It will stay good for about one week in the refrigerator.

Chipotle Rhubarb Salsa

 

Prep time 10 mins

Cook time 30 mins

Total time 40 mins

 

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ medium onion

4 cups diced rhubarb

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup golden raisins

½-1 teaspoon chipotle powder

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

 

Instructions

In a larger pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add in onions and saute until the onions become translucent, 4-5 minutes. Stir in rhubarb and continue to cook until rhubarb softens , time varies depending on if you are using fresh or frozen.

 

Next, add remaining ingredients. I start with ½ teaspoon of chipotle and taste at the end to see if I want more heat. Stir and bring salsa to a boil, the reduce to a simmer. Let cook for 15-20 minutes. If you want smoother salsa, use an immersion blender (or a regular one) to puree.

 

Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve warm or store in refrigerator for up to a week.

 

Steamed green bean salad and tortilla spirals

The day before yesterday I had to bring my cat to the doctor. She broke off one of her theeth, in fact the big one in front the canine tooth and she needed a endodontic therapie. In the evening when I picked up and went home she was still a little bit dizzy and was walking around like a drunken. She was very tired was just laying on the floor. I was a little bit nervous cause she really needed a long time to get back to normal. Sometimes she really chills with the whole body.

Luckely everything went good and she's doing fine.
Sometimes it's really getting on my nerve when I'm doing some cooking and both cats are always around wanting something, even they had just eaten. So this day was perfect for doing something in the kitchen.
First I made the green bean salad. I love beans and mostly I buy already cooked ones but I had this very good bean salad in mind my mother used to do when I was a kid and I wanted to make it. While the beand were cooking I made the veggie spirals  and both the salad and the spirals were so good, defently worth making it again and again.



Steamed green bean salad

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. oil
500 g fresh green beans
1 onion, minced
1 head garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
fresh herbs such as parsely or chives

Dressing:
pinch of pepper, salt, onion or garlicpowder
pinch of capsicumpowder
Juice from one lemon
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. oil
fresh herbs

Directions:
Clean and cut fresh green beans and drain.

Preheat a pan with oil and then add the onion and stirr till they are translucent. Add the garlic and the beans, stirr well and roast for a few minutes. Add the broth and steam on medium hight for about 40 min or until "al dente". Stirring frequently.

Meanwhile prepare the dressing from the ingredients above.
After the beans are done pour the dressing over the beans while they are still warm.

Serve immediately on a bed of lettuce.

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 I really do like very much just rolled up sandwiches. They are fast done and a lot easier to eat than other sandwiches. For those rolls I used tortilla bread, but you can use also another flat bread or even selfmade ones. Just put everything you like on the bread and roll up. For mine I love any kind of sprouds, they are so healthy and full of vitamins.

Veggie tortilla spirals

                  

Ingredients

 

150g hummus or any vegan cheese dip

2 pieces wholemeal tortilla bread

1 carrot, peeled, coarsely grated

60g alfalfa and broccoli sprouts

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Direction:

Spread dip over bread.

 

Sprinkle carrot, alfalfa and broccoli sprouts.

Starting from one narrow end, roll up firmly to form a log.

 

Cut each roll crossways into 4 portions and serve.

 

Tofu Popcorn Chick'n and some Herb Patties

I really love different made and cooked Tofu. The taste is everytime a different and it's varities of making as well.

I mostly buy a bunch of Tofu not sure what I will do with it, sometimes I'm just trying things out, some are good some not that much, but that's the challenge.
And this recipe is pretty easy. You can taste with whatever spices you like. I made mine like the chicken wings or at least I tried so and I'm pretty proud of the result. You can eather serve them as a appetizer with some ketchup or any other dip and a Lettuce leaf (all rolled up or just with a wood stick picking up) or as a main dish with rice and vegetables.

If you don't have chickpeaflower at your home you can take pancho breadcrumbs as well. Just have a look at the packing instruction on how to use.

Tofu Popcorn Chick’n

 

Ingredients:

350g / 13oz block firm or extra firm tofu

⅓ cup chickpea/garbanzo flour

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp wet mustard

1 tsp salt

1 tsp all season salt (try cajun or lemon pepper for different flavors)

½ tsp pepper

⅓ – ½ cup water

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

Method:

Press tofu for about 10 minutes. Drain tofu, wrap in paper towels or clean tea towel, and place heavy items on top to press. I use a heavy chopping board with some weights on top.

Meanwhile, prepare the coating.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Slowly add the water, whisking as you go. The coating should be the consistency of pancake batter.

Add mustard and mix.

Break the tofu into big crumbles into the coating. You can also chop into ‘sticks’ or into nugget sized pieces. I prefer to do crumbles as its less fussy to cook and comes out just as good.

Combine tofu and coating.

Heat oil in a non stick pan.

Pour the tofu mix into the pan and spread so the tofu is on a single layer.

Cook on both sides until golden brown, adding oil as needed.

After cooking take they out of the pan and put them on a paper towel for soaking up the leftover oil. Serve them as you desire.

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HERB PATTIES

Ingredients (for 4 people):

2 tbsp. Mustard,

1 handful of fresh fine chopped herbs

1 onion,

100 g light bread 

250 g Veggie mince,

salt, pepper

 

Preparation:

Soak bread in water for 5 minutes, press out and mix with the veggi minced, finely cut onion, the mustard and the fresh spring herbs. Season as desired with salt and pepper. Knead the mass well and shape with moistened hand in mini patties. FRY in good olive oil in a frying pan golden-brown on both sides.

 

Serving suggestions:

• Cold with a delicious dipping sauce • as hot a delicious, colourful salad • hot with a dark side dish sauce to vegetables and rice or potatoes