Happy Vegan Month! Did you know that November 1 is officially labelled as World Vegan Day and many non-vegans around the world are encouraged to go vegan this month.
A vegan lifestyle is when your diet consists of eating plant-based foods and omitting any foods derived from animal or animal by-products.
This means no meat products, eggs or dairy, including cheese and yoghurt, but you can enjoy the most delicious meals using plant-based substitutes in your cooking.
Vegan meals and recipes are currently so advanced that there is a healthier alternative available for almost all foods, allowing vegans to enjoy their dite to the max.
If you are not vegan, this month could be a great way to experiment with vegan dishes and up your veg and plant-based foods.
In our home we encourage meat-free Mondays, and I look forward to cooking different vegan and veg meals at least once a week.
Mushrooms are one of my favourite veggies to use and it is so versatile you can enjoy them in breakfast, in any savoury dish like a curry, or even in a salad.
Mushrooms come with immense health benefits, and they taste great too!
I find that once grilled, the big mushrooms have a very chewy texture, similar to meat protein.
You can grill a large mushroom to substitute steak, add chunks of mushroom in curry to substitute chicken and even crumbed mushroom tops as a substitute for chicken nuggets.
This week I am sharing some vegan recipes courtesy of the South African Mushrooms Farmers for you to enjoy.
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms on Instagram @sprinklesandspicect or Facebook Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.
Love, your Cooksister
Cauliflower and mushroom fried rice
Ingredients
500g baby button mushrooms, sliced in half
2 tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1-2 fresh chillies, sliced
1 large head of cauliflower
1 large yellow pepper, diced
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Cut out the cauliflower core and discard. Cut the rest into florets.
Pulse florets in a food processor until small rice like grains.
(If you do not have a food processor you can finely dice the cauliflower or grate it)
Heat the oil in a large wok or deep sided frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly golden brown. Season and add the garlic, ginger, chilli and stir fry until fragrant. Add the cauliflower bell pepper.
Stir fry quickly to cook the veg until just tender.
Season with soy sauce and black pepper. Garnish with sliced spring onions and squeeze over some fresh lime juice.
Beans and Mushrooms on Toast
Ingredients
1 large white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed
6 sprigs fresh thyme
250ml chicken or vegetable stock
Juice of ½ lemon
250g white button mushrooms, sliced
4 thick cut slices of bread
Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook until tender.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the drained beans, fresh thyme and stock.
Bring to a simmer, until the beans are very tender, and the liquid has reduced.
Crush a few beans as you stir to add more body to the sauce.
Switch the heat off, add the lemon juice, and stir.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook on high heat until just golden brown and still juicy and tender. Season well with salt and pepper.
Brush the slices of bread with oil and season with salt.
Pan fry until golden brown and crisp on both sides.
Stir the mushrooms into the beans just before plating up.
Serve generous spoonfuls of mushrooms and beans over the bread and enjoy.
Lentil and Mushroom Stew on Mash
Ingredients
1 ½ cups brown lentils
5 cups veg stock
1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
1 onion, diced
500g brown mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Rinse lentils well. Place in a large pot and add the stock and thyme.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook with lid ajar for about 25 minutes until tender.
If you need to give them a little liquid top up add some boiling water from the kettle.
Discard the thyme sprigs.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a large sauté pan.
Add onion and mushrooms. Season lightly and cook until the onion softens, and mushrooms are golden.
Add garlic, tomato paste and chilli flakes.
Cook until tomato paste turns a deep dark red colour and smells sweet.
Pour in the tinned tomato and deglaze the bottom of the pan.
Add the cooked lentils and all their liquid. Mix everything well together.
Taste to adjust seasoning. Serve stew on warm mash.
Tomato and Mushroom Quiche
Ingredients
For the crust:
190g flour
Pinch sea salt
115g plant based / vegan *butter, fridge cold
60-90ml ice cold water
For the filling:
500g brown mushrooms, sliced
½ white onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
100g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
125ml plant-based milk
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp turmeric, for the eggy colour
½ tsp baking powder
4 tbsp vegan cheese, grated
Method
For the crust:
Place the flour, salt, and plant-based butter in a food processor.
Pulse until roughly combined. Slowly drizzle in enough ice-cold water until the dough just comes together.
Place the dough on a clean work surface and bring it together into a ball.
Flatten into a disk and wrap well in cling film.
Place in the fridge and leave to rest while you prepare the filling.
When ready to bake; preheat oven to 180°C with the fan on.
Roll out the crust on a lightly floured surface.
Fill a ± 24cm pie/quiche baking dish.
Trim the edges and prick the base well with a fork.
Place a piece of baking paper in the crust and fill with baking beans/rice.
Pre-bake crust for up to 15 minutes.
Remove the baking beans and bake again for another five to seven minutes.
Set aside.
For the filling:
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat until golden brown. Add the onion and cook until tender.
Add the garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant. Season everything well with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
In a blender, add 500g pressed tofu, oat milk, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, turmeric, baking powder and vegan cheese. Blend on high until completely smooth.
Add the cooked mushroom filling to the pre-baked pie crust. Keep aside some mushrooms for the top. Add the cherry tomatoes and chives.
Pour the tofu mixture over and lightly stir to combine.
Scatter the remaining mushrooms and a few cherry tomatoes on top.
Bake the filling at 180˚C for ± 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the quiche is cooked through and set. Cover with tinfoil if browning too much.
Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then slice into portions and serve.
Spicy Mushroom and Lentil Cakes
Ingredients
1 tbsp curry powder
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
400g brown mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 cup brown lentils
2 cups cooked sweet potato (from ±6 baby sweet potatoes)
1 large egg
½ cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1-2 fresh chillies, deseeded and diced
1 cup chickpea flour (or wheat flour)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Neutral vegetable oil, for frying
Method
Rub sweet potatoes with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Make a few steam holes with a fork and roast them whole on a rack at 180˚C until tender. Allow to cool and scoop out two cups of flesh.
Cook lentils in three cups of boiling salted water until very tender. Strain off all excess water and allow to cool.
In a large frying pan heat a drizzle of olive oil and fry the onion in the curry powder. Once tender add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the diced mushrooms and cook until they have released all their liquid and are beginning to brown. Remove from the heat.
Place the lentils, sweet potatoes, egg, coriander and chilli in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Add the flour and mix again. Finally, add the cooked mushroom mixture and pulse to bring everything together.
For a healthier lentil cake: Preheat oven to 180˚C. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15 minutes, flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown.
For a crispy lentil cake: Heat a few cms of neutral oil in a casserole. Dust lentil cakes in chickpea or wheat flour. Fry lentil cakes until golden brown and crispy all over. Drain on paper towel and enjoy!
dailyvoice@inl.co.za