Summer salads

Some of my favourite veganized salads that are perfect for summer barbecues.

Southern Style Coleslaw 

What you need:

1/2 cup vegan mayo

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp celery seeds

1 200g bag of shredded white cabbage or mixed cabbage

1/2 150g bag of carrot julienne

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Add the vegan mayo, dijon mustard, Apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder and celery seeds to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add cabbage, carrot and raisins (optional) and mix well.

Refrigerate for an hour before serving, mix again right before serving. 

Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Original recipe

Ensalada Rusa

What you need:

450g waxy potatoes

2 large carrots

1 tsp salt

1 apple (any variety)

1 small red onion, minced

2 tbsp vinegar

1/2 cup green peas, blanched or canned (optional)

1/4 cup chopped gherkins (optional)

1/2 cup vegan mayo

Salt to taste, to season

Peel the potatoes and carrots, place them in a pan and cover with water. Add 1 tsp of salt, bring the water to a boil and boil the potatoes and carrots for approx. 20 mins.

Drain the water and let the potatoes and carrots cool to room temperature.

Cut the potatoes, carrots and apple into small dice and set aside.

Put the minced onion in a small bowl and add the vinegar. Let it rest until it's time to mix with the rest of the ingredients (at least 10 minutes). Discard the vinegar. This will make the onion less pungent.

Mix potatoes, carrots, apple, onion, gherkins and peas in a large bowl Add vegan mayo and gently mix to combine. Season with salt to taste.

Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Original recipe

Easy peasy chocolate-date truffles

These chocolate truffles are delicious and super easy to make!



What you need:
- 10-12 Medjool dates
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp rum flavouring
- dessicated coconut (to roll the truffles in)

De-seed the dates and put them in a food processor with the cocoa powder and rum flavouring. Process into a smooth paste (depending on how soft your dates are this can take anywhere from seconds to a couple of minutes). Once done, take a piece of the paste and roll it between your (wet) palms to make truffles. Roll them through some dessicated coconut and store in an air-tight container. Serve at room temperature.


Based on this recipe.

Peanut butter stirfry

Very quick and tasty stirfry!

What you need (2 servings):
400g bag of pre-cut Asian-style veggies (or use your choice of cabbage, onion, leek, red pepper, sugar snaps, bean sprouts etc)
200g button mushrooms, sliced
100-120g rice noodles (I like Terrasana black rice noodles)
1tsp sambal oelek
1tsp garlic paste (or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced)
1tbsp peanut butter
1tbsp sweet red chili sauce
2tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2tbsp warm water
1/4tsp ground ginger
Oil
Roasted peanuts, cashews or fried onions, for serving (optional)

Cook the noodles al dente in a pot. Drain and set aside.
In a microwave-safe cup, mix together peanut butter, chili sauce, soy sauce, water and ginger (this will go easier if you heat the ingredients for a few seconds first). Set aside.
Heat a drop of oil in a wok and add sambal and garlic. Add the mushrooms and stirfry a few minutes. Add the other vegetables and cook until done to your liking. Stir in the peanut sauce and cooked noodles until everthing is coated in sauce. Serve warm, with some roasted nuts or fried onions sprinkled on top.


Based on this recipe

Easy vegan granola

Most granola available in stores contains honey (at least it does in my neck of the woods), so when my local supermarket decided to discontinue my preferred honey-free option, I thought: "Why not make my own granola?"
This recipe is so easy that I wonder why I never tried it before!

Makes 8-10 servings:
2c oats
1/2c almond flakes
1/2c maple syrup

Add-ins of choice, such as:
Sultanas or raisins
Dried cranberries
Freeze-dried strawberries
Shredded coconut or coconut flakes
Dried banana chips (not salted, obviously...)
Crumbled apple chips
Flax seeds
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 200°C. Prepare a baking sheet with baking parchment.

In a bowl, mix oats, almonds and maple syrup. Spread mixture out thinly on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15mins until the oatmeal is lightly browned. Let the granola cool completely (it will crisp up), crumble and mix in add-ins of choice (I used raisins and shredded coconut). Store in an airtight container.
Enjoy with (non-dairy) yogurt for breakfast.


Based on a Happy Herbivore Mealplan recipe.

Kung Pao Chicken

The 3rd dish we were taught to cook during our cooking class in China was Kung Pao Chicken.

What you need (2 servings):
200g chicken breast, cut in small cubes*
50g carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
5cm cucumber, quartered, deseeded and chopped
(note: the vegetables and chicken should be cut roughly the same size)
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed (or less if you prefer)
2 star aniseed
2tsp soy sauce
2tsp oyster sauce*
50g unsalted peanuts (optional)
salt and plenty of black pepper to taste

Heat up some oil in a wok. If using, add the peanuts and turn the heat down low. Cook for 3 mins until the skin of the peanuts starts to 'blow up'. Remove the peanuts from the pan and set aside.
Add oil to the pan if necessary, then add the chicken. Cook for 30 secs, then add garlic, ginger, black pepper, star aniseed and soy sauce. Stir fry for 1 min, then move the chicken mixture to one side of the wok.
Add onion, carrot and diced peppers to the other side of the wok and cook for a few mins. Add the cucumber and oyster sauce and mix everything together. Cook for another minute or so and season to taste with a pinch of salt.
Remove the star aniseed and serve sprinkled with the spring onion and peanuts on a plate with some rice.

* Veganize it!
Use diced faux chicken pieces and vegan oyster sauce.

Stir-fried noodles and vegetables

The 2nd dish we were taught how to cook during our cooking class in China, was a very simple noodle & veggie stir-fry.

What you need (2 servings):
200g dried noodles*
50g carrot, julienne sliced
50g baby bok choy, sliced in strips
3 spring onions, chopped
2tsp soy sauce
1tsp oyster sauce*
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
salt to taste
oil

Soak the noodles for approx. 15 mins. in warm water. Heat some oil in a wok and sautée the carrot, ginger and garlic for a few minutes before adding the bok choy. Drain the noodles and add them to the wok, along with the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Season to taste with salt. Stir in the spring onions and serve.

* Veganize it!
Use eggfree noodles and vegan oyster sauce.

Chop Suey à la minute

A home-made version of a take-out classic, which only takes 15 minutes (at most) to cook.

What you need (1 serving):
- A selection of your favourite veggies such as sliced mushrooms; sliced bell pepper (whichever colour you prefer); piece of cucumber, sliced in half lengthways and deseeded, then finely sliced; sliced onion / leek / spring onion (whatever you have on hand); bean sprouts; canned bamboo strips, drained; chopped and rinsed bok choi; sliced courgette; sliced carrot; canned minicorn, drained etc etc. About 250g in total.
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped (or 1 tsp garlic paste)
- 1 tsp sambal oelek
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (I prefer ketchap manis, which is sweet instead of salty)
- approx. 75g faux chicken pieces (optional)
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp corn starch
- vegetable oil
- boiled rice, to serve (I used a package of 1-minute microwave brown rice - superfast and easy!)

Heat some vegetable oil in a wok and sauté garlic, sambal and the veggies that need to cook a bit longer than the rest such as onion, carrot, pepper etc.
Once the onion has softened, scoop the veggies to the side of the pan and add the 'chicken'. Cook the 'chicken' till it's browned and crispy. Season with some salt and pepper.
Add the soy sauce and veggies that need little cooking such as bok choi and bean sprouts. Cook briefly, move everything to the side of the pan and add a splash of water to the pan. Mix the corn starch with a bit of water in a small bowl and add to the pan. Stir the corn starch mixture through the rest of the sauce and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 1 more minute and serve hot with rice.

Toasti's

Whether you call it a tosti, toasti, panini, provencette or toasted sandwich, they're all sandwiches that are grilled and eaten warm. Here are a few classic as well as not-so-classic combinations:

Savory:
- pesto, pine nuts, tomato and slices of vegan mozarella.
- horseradish (or wasabi), shredded faux chicken, tomato slices and vegan cheese.
- pesto, grilled pepper strips, fresh basil and vegan mozarella.
- mango chutney and shredded faux chicken (use naan instead of regular bread for an Indian touch)
- tomato ketchup, sliced mushrooms and vegan cheese.
- sundried tomatoes, thinly sliced avocado and vegan cheese.
- ragout and vegan cheese.
- pesto, grilled zucchini, grilled eggplant and pine nuts.
- grilled eggplant, artichoke hearts (quartered) and sundried tomatoes.

Sweet:
- chocolate spread and thinly sliced banana.
- raisin bread (instead of regular bread), vegan cream cheese, maple syrup and banana.
- peanut butter and banana (Elvis's favorite!)
- peanut butter and chocolate spread.
- jam and thinly sliced apple.
- chocolate spread and thinly sliced pear.

Beef & veggie stir fry with honey sauce

What you need (1 serving):
1 tbsp sesame seeds
100g sliced beef
1 tsp garlic paste or 1 clove of garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp chili paste (sambal oelek)
1/2 onion, sliced
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
approx. 50g mushrooms, sliced.
approx. 50g green beans, blanched
approx. 50g zucchini, in thin strips
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp soy sauce (I used Kikkoman)
1 tsp oyster sauce
oil
salt, pepper


Heat a wok and toast the sesame seeds. Empty the pan and set the seeds aside.
Add some oil to the wok and quickly stir fry the beef until it's browned. Season with some salt and pepper. Take out of the pan and set aside.
Add some more oil if necessary, and stir fry the garlic, chili paste, onion, carrot, green beans and zucchini until the onion has softened.
Add the beef, then add the honey, soy sauce and oyster sauce and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the sesame seeds and serve with noodles or rice.

Spicy bean stir fry

What you need (4 servings):
250g chicken or turkey breast, in cubes
150g leek, in rings
150g finely sliced white cabbage
100g onion, in half rings
25g bean sprouts
1 red chili, finely chopped (or less if you prefer)
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 large can of kidney beans (ca. 700g nett weight), drained and rinsed
Oil
Salt, pepper

Heat some oil in a wok. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the wok until golden brown. Take the chicken out of the pan and put aside.
Heat some more oil en stir fry the onion, garlic, white cabbage, leek and chili in the wok. When the onion has softened, add the beans, bean sprouts and chicken and cook for a few minutes until everything is piping hot but the bean sprouts are still crispy. Serve immediately on its own or with rice.

Try this:
- use a mix of beans such as kidney beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas etc
- replace the chicken with tofu for a vegetarian dish

[adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe]

Chicken and Bok Choi stir fry

What you need (2 servings):
1 Bok Choi, leaves and stalks cut into strips and rinsed
1 onion in half rings
200g chicken breast in strips
250g button mushrooms, sliced
1 clove of garlic, pressed
sambal oelek (chili paste) to taste
1 tbsp oil
15 ml sesame seed oil
2 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce
1 tbsp cream sherry

Heat half of the the oil in a wok and sauté the onion, garlic, sambal oelek and mushrooms. In a separate pan, fry the chicken strips in the rest of the oil until golden brown. Add the bok choi and stir fry for approx 30secs on high heat. Add soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil and stir fry for a few mins. Add the chicken strips and serve with rice or noodles.

Try this:
- use sliced leeks, bamboo strips (canned and drained), mini corn cobs (canned and drained) etc.
- use tofu or faux chicken pieces for a vegan dish.