Creamy Curry

This makes a large pan full of delicious, creamy curry.
Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 heaped tsp each of turmeric, coriander, ground cinnamon, and cumin
2 tsp of garam masala curry powder
1 small turnip, diced
1 large parsnip, diced
1 sweet potato, diced
8 new potatoes, quartered
a handful of French beans, chopped
1 courgette, diced
½ red pepper, diced
1 red chilli (to taste), chopped
½ small cauliflower, diced
2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
80g sultanas
80g ground almonds
Method

Fry the onion garlic in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, coriander, ground cinnamon, cumin, and garam masala curry powder. Stir well and add more oil if required.

Now add the vegetables. Stir well and cook covered for 5 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Finally add the sultanas and ground almonds, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Carry on simmering for another 15 minutes.

Notes

Serve with basmati rice or chips! Delicious!

Zoë's Vegetarian Chili, Slow Cooker or Crockpot Recipe

 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked kidney beans, with 6 cups cooking liquid
• OR: 3 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed, plus 6 cups water or stock
• 1 cup bulgar or cracked wheat
• One 6 oz can unsalted tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Optional: 1 can crushed or chopped tomatoes
• Optional: Hot sauce to taste
• Optional: 1 medium red onion, peeled, quartered and diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup brown lentils

• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced small
• 1 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded, and minced - approx. 1 Tbsp ((add another for more heat)
• 1 - 2 Tbsp fresh ginger (2 - 4 thin slices) peeled & minced, OR 1 tsp dried
• 2 - 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (approx. 1 Tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder to make it mild, 1 tsp to make it hot, more to make it fiery
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 2 tsp each: paprika, gr. cumin, coriander

• 1 tsp each: dried thyme, basil, oregano
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 c. minced parsley or cilantro
• 2 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos, or low sodium soy sauce
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Kidney beans:

1. 1 cup dried dark red kidney beans
2. Soak 4 hours in hot water, or overnight
3. Drain, rinse, add 6 cups unsalted water
4. Bring to a boil, skim foam, cover and simmer 2 hours

Chili Directions:

1. Add bulgar & tomato paste to lentils and kidney beans + cooking liquid or water
2. Add bay leaf and cinnamon stick
3. Return to boil, cover and simmer
4. Preheat sauté pan or frying pan on medium-low and add oil
5. Prep veggies
6. Sauté minced garlic, ginger and jalapeno on medium heat for 5 minutes
7. Add remaining veggies and sauté 5 more minutes
8. Add remaining spices, sauté another five minutes
9. Transfer the veggies to the bean + bulgar mix, cook another 30 minutes
10. Add corn, parsley or cilantro, and braggs or soy sauce to taste
11. Cook for a few more minutes and serve

Slow Cooker or Crockpot Chili Directions:

1. Turn an 8 - 10 qt crockpot on high
2. Add cooked beans, cooking liquid or water, bulgar or cracked wheat, lentils, tomato paste, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to the crockpot
3. After sautéing the veggies & spices, transfer them to the slow cooker
4. Reduce crockpot heat to low, cover and cook 4 - 6 hrs
5. Add corn, minced parsley or cilantro, Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce to taste. Cover and cook for another 1/2 hr on high heat.

Cooking Tips

Vegetarian chili is a great vegan meal by itself, or with salad and cornbread. Good with sour cream or parmesan cheese - non-dairy or dairy. You can also use black beans in this recipe, or a mixture of red chili beans & black beans, as pictured.

Note: If you're going to soak and cook beans, it's worth making extra, to freeze in small amounts for future meals (think soup).

Yummy Vegan Chocolate cake

ingredients

Makes: 36 cupcakes or 1 x 23cm (9in) cake

420g plain flour

400g muscovado/ dark brown sugar

6Tbsp cocoa powder

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

500ml water

200ml sunflower oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180°C

method

Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and stir together

Make a well in the centre and add the remaining  ingredients.

Mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into cupcake cakes or a greased and lined tin

Bake – 20 mins for cupcakes or 1 hour for cake

As you can see the cake is very easy to bake – it’s also moist and delicious so why not give it a try!

Happy Baking

Fantastic (very rich) Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
1 and a half cups unbleached white flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
half a cup of mixed, chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
half a cup cold water or soy milk
half a cup of orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons vinegar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift dry ingredients into 8" square or 9" round baking pan. Mix liquids (except vinegar) and whisk into dry. When batter is smooth, add vinegar and stir quickly, until it is evenly distributed. Put it in the oven, don't let it stand around (that has something to do with the vinegar) Bake for 25-30 minutes...or longer until done. This cake is great served with Provamel's soya dream (cream like).

Bramley Apple Bread

A sort of cross between a hearty wholegrain loaf and a cake. It’s absolutely brilliant warm with butter and honey for breakfast, or with a slab of cheese and a bowl of soup for lunch or tea.

10 mins (prep) | 30 mins (cooking)

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

• 150g plain flour
• 200g wholewheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 large Bramley apple, peeled and coarsley grated
• 50g butter, melted
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 egg, whisked
• 250ml apple juice
• A few handfuls of chopped nuts and/or dried fruit (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
2. Brush a loaf tin with oil or butter. Coat with a dusting of flour – the old fashioned way to prevent it from sticking.
3. Combine dry ingredients. Fold in the grated apples. Top with the wet ingredients and nuts and/or dried fruit, if using, save some nuts to scatter on top.
4. Gently fold all the ingredients together, careful not to overmix.
5. Tip into the tin. Dot any reserved nuts over the top.
6. Bake for 30 mins, or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Let it cool for 10-15 mins before serving or trying to remove from the pan.