Potato Pockets

This is a little something I made up on the spot the other day when I wanted jacket potatoes, but didn't have any big enough. I call these - Potato Pockets. 

To start you will need to scoop out the insides of the desired quantity of potatoes. I found microwaving them for a few minutes to soften them helps!

You want your potatoes to look like this:

For the filling - well this is up to you!! What's in the fridge?

I made up a mix of mushroom, tomato, red onion & red kidney beans with some salsa and herbs (oregano and peri-peri). I was spewing I didn't have any spring onion at the time.

Once you have your mix made, scoop into the pockets until level or just over the top of the potato. If you have a soy melting cheese, now is a good time to grate some onto the top! 

Pop into the oven until the potato is cooked.

To serve add a dollop of extra salsa and soy sour cream on top.

This makes a great lunch, or afternoon snack, or if you have big enough potatoes - a lazy dinner!

Coconut Bread

This has got to be the easiest and tastiest slice recipe I have. 4 ingredients, 30mins. Easy!!

What you will need: 

1 cup self raising flour

1 cup coconut

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup soy milk

How to create:

Mix the ingredients (start with dry, finish with the milk) and cook on 180 degrees for 30mins.

I cook this in a small loaf tin. Once out of the oven let stand for a few minutes before letting it cool on a rack. 

Slice and serve with your favourite jam and butter, or cream if you have any handy (all vegan of course!)

Home rolled Sushi

So tonight I was having a lazy night and had hankering for Sushi!

A lot of omnis always look at me sideways when I announce "I'm having sushi". Everyone is of the belief that sushi is raw fish, when that's actually called sashimi. Sushi is a Japanese dish consisting of cooked vinegared rice which is commonly topped with other ingredients or put into rolls as most commonly seen. Then there is my other fav - inari!! If you have never had inari - you my friend are missing out! It's basically a small pouch of fried tofu with rice tucked up inside. I am yet to find the tofu pockets, but I am on the hunt. 

 











Anyway - back to my sushi. Tonight I was feeling really lazy so I only had cucumber and alfalfa on top of the rice with a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce inside, all rolled up tight and of course dunked in soy sauce before devouring them!


What I love about home rolled sushi is that you can put whatever you want in it. Avocado, fried tofu, carrot, capsicum, mock meats, etc etc. Open your fridge and see what's in there.

The how to:

1) Buy rice vinegar. You can pick it up for a few bucks at your local Asian mart. 
2) Once you have cooked the rice (make sure it's the correct Sushi rice! Yes, there is a difference! I use Sun Rice Japanese Style rice) drain the rice and let it cool in a bowl. Once room temp give it a good splash of rice vinegar and stir through. Some people like to put mayo through the rice, I personally don't. 
3) On a flat surface, lay out your seaweed sheet and lay down a thin layer of rice to cover approx two thirds of the surface.
4) Place your fillings towards the center of the rice layer.
5) With your fingers, dab some water along the exposed edge of the seaweed - this will help it stick once you have rolled it.
6) Start rolling. If you are new to this I suggest getting a rolling mat (not that it makes it any easier the first time!).
7) I like to dab some more water along the join edge just to make sure it's stuck down good.
8) With a wet sharp knife slice the roll into the desired sizes. Make sure the knife is wet - this helps it cut through the roll easily.


Don't fret - the rolling does get easier, and you will even get to the point you can roll without one :)

Pesto Pasta Salad

Now before you say anything... I know how long it's been! I just haven't been making anything new or exciting... I'm hanging out for my new kitchen in my new house! Not long now!!! 

In the meantime I have made this...... 

What you will need:

2 cups fresh basil

2 cups spinach leaves
3 or 4 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
1 tub silken tofu 

2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Handful of sundried tomatoes

Pasta, cooked
1-2 large tomatoes, chopped

How to put it all together:

In a food processor, chop the garlic and walnuts until fine. 

Throw in the basil and spinach and chop until fine.

Add in the remainder of the ingredients and process until smooth.

Once the pasta is cooked, mix in the sauce and the chopped tomatoes. 

Add some salt to taste.

Serve at room temp or slightly warmed, with some soy Parmesan on top!

Tip - if you don't prefer basil, or spinach, play with the ratio. 3 cups to 1cup.

In the kitchen...

Hello followers!

Sorry I have been sooooo slack. BUT it's not because I haven't been cooking, I just haven't been making anything out of the ordinary lately. 

There will be 2 new recipes in the coming days. One is for Potato & Corn Rosti's and the other is all depending on what the outcome of my raw slice is tonight... but keep posted!

Recently I have been trying to make up my own curry sauce. I seem to be failing. Miserably. I'm getting ready to throw in the towel and just stick to store bought sauces & adding more flavours to them. I am getting the taste down pat, but not the texture. Or it's the other way around. I just can't win. But I will not give up!

So this Sunday is my birthday! Yay! The raw slice I currently have setting in my freezer is for Kanyana crew on Saturday as my birthday cake offering. Depending on how this goes down is depending if I will post it here. I tried some of the "batter" and it was strong. I'm hoping once it settles it'll be good.

I got my first vegetarian cook book a few weeks ago. It has vegan and gluten free recipes also. Most of the non-vegan recipes are easy to veganise, and the rest the b/f can learn to cook for himself! Hehehe.

That is about it for now. Sorry there are no yummy things to be shared right now, I just have a lot on (changing jobs, building a house, the list goes on) but I promise I will post something soon.

Peace & Love

~Cass

Chickpea & Spinach Satay

I was never a big fan of satay until I tried this recipe - now I love it!! 

This recipe allows you to mix it up in a few ways, below in the ingredients I have given you 2 examples of variations.

What you will need:

1 onion - chopped

2 garlic cloves - finely diced

1 chili - finely diced

1 tin coconut milk

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tin chickpeas - drained

Big handful of spinach

Boiled rice to serve

Variations - 700g pumpkin - pealed & chopped into chunks

                - 1/2 cauliflower - chopped into chunks (as shown in above photo)

How to:

(1) Heat some oil in a large saucepan & cook onion for 4-5mins, or until soft.

(2) Add garlic & chili & cook for another minute, stiring to combine.

(3) Pick a variation, and add vegetable. Pour in coconut milk, bring to boil, cover & simmer for 10mins, or until cooked.

(4) Add peanut butter, soy sauce & chickpeas. Stir to combine & heat through. Add spinach in the last minute.

(5) Once all cooked, remove from heat and serve on a bed of rice.

Note: You can add things like asparagus to add more to the dish. Experiment! 

Also if you're not keen on an over powering peanut flavour, only use 1/4 cup of peanut butter - it works just as well.

Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto

I love risotto. It is easily my favourite rice meal. A lot of people don't like preparing it as it takes a little while and sometimes never works out just right. It is a meal you need to keep an eye on and can't walk away from - even if only for a moment. But if done right - it's one hell of a tasty meal!

What you will need:

1.25L vegetable stock

Generous helping of mushrooms - sliced

Several sticks of asparagus - cut into inch long pieces 

Pinch of nutmeg

2 garlic cloves - crushed

20g vegan butter

1 onion - finely chopped

1 3/4 cup rice (Arborio is the preferred risotto rice)

1 3/4 cup dry white wine

3 tbs vegan sour cream

Vegan Parmesan cheese

3 tbs parsley

How to:

1) Bring stock to boil over high heat, reduce the heat and keep at low simmer
2) Over low heat, cook the mushrooms and asparagus for 1-2mins. Stir in nutmeg and garlic, season with salt and paper and cook for another minute. Remove from the pan.
3) Melt the butter in the same saucepan and cook the onion over low heat for 5mins.
4) Add the rice, stir to coat, then stir in the wine. Once the wine is absorbed stir in a ladle full of stock and cook over moderate heat, stirring continuously.
5) When the stock has been absorbed, stir in another ladle of stock. Continue like this until all the stock has been added or the rice is cooked and creamy and al dente.
6) Stir in the mushrooms and asparagus with the last of the stock.
7) Remove the pan from the heat and stir in sour cream Parmesan and parsley.

Enjoy :)