Vegan Archives - Page 4 of 47 - Coconut and Berries

Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Puy Lentil Salad with Almond Feta & Mint

Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Puy Lentil Salad w/Almond Feta & Mint

Most people, including me, would probably name asparagus when asked to think of their favourite spring vegetable. But, while Spring has officially started (I think…), it will most likely be a few weeks until British asparagus appears.

I’m definitely looking forward to then but in the meantime was very happy to spot another of my seasonal favourites at the farmers’ market a couple of Sundays ago – purple sprouting broccoli! It was a rainy day and I had a hood up but the bright violet florets caught my attention and a bagful made its way home with me and into lunch!

If you haven’t had PSB before, it’s a little sweeter than regular Calabrese broccoli and you can eat the whole lot, leaves and all. Just trim off any tougher ones and woody stems.

Lentils are always reliable and cook nice and quickly so this meal came together in a flash. I mixed the lentils with a simple, lemony vinaigrette and plenty of herbs to keep things fresh and then topped them with steamed broccoli and salty crumbled almond feta.

For the feta, I used my Baked Cashew Cheese recipe but substituted blanched almonds for the cashews – both work nicely.

This is one of those great salads which holds up really well for a couple of days in the fridge and is perfect for lunchboxes too.

If you haven’t made any nut cheese in advance, another tasty option is to sprinkle some capers over the salad instead. They’ve got a salty kick to them so have a similar effect to the nut cheese.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Puy Lentil Salad w/Almond Feta & Mint

Serving Size: 2-3 Servings

Ingredients

Salad:

3/4 C Puy lentils
1 Bay leaf
Approx 150g Purple sprouting broccoli OR Asparagus, woody ends removed
1/3 C finely chopped red onion
½ C roughly chopped herbs (mint+ parsley)
Almond Feta, crumbled

Dressing:

1 ½ Tbsp lemon
1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

Rinse the lentils and place in a medium pan with the bay leaf and plenty of water. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain and leave to cool.
Steam the purple sprouting broccoli or asparagus for a couple of minutes. It should be bright green and still quite firm. Rinse in cold water to stop further cooking.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the lentils, red onion and herbs.
Top the lentil salad with the steamed broccoli and almond feta.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/03/27/purple-sprouting-broccoli-puy-lentil-salad-almond-feta-mint/

P.S. You can definitely swap out the PSB for asparagus when it arrives!

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White Chocolate Coated Lemon-Cashew Bites (Raw, Vegan)

Remember me? It’s been such a long time since I was regularly posting…I mentioned last time that I was working full-time and the crazy long hours were why I hadn’t been blogging. Well, the long and short of it is that that job was definitely not right for me. I won’t go into details but I’m moving onto better and brighter things and am determined to make the time for blogging while doing so.

I missed everything about it, and especially all of you (!) too much to not keep it up so I hope you’ll have me back!

Lemony foods make me think of spring. Maybe it’s because daffodils and fluffy ducklings are yellow…or perhaps just because I tend to be drawn to lighter, fresher flavours at this time of year. Whatever it is, we’re kicking things back off around these parts with a healthy lemony snack/dessert.

Whiz up your cashews in the food processor until flour-like

These White Chocolate Coated Lemon-Cashew bites are mighty tasty and just so happen to be raw, vegan, paleo and candida-diet friendly! Nice to have something everyone can enjoy…not that I did a lot of sharing!

They take just a few minutes and a few ingredients to put together. You *could* stop after the first couple of steps I suppose for plain ole Lemon-Cashew bites but I highly recommend making that little extra effort and going for the white chocolate coating too. The sweet creamy chocolate balances out the zingy interior perfectly and takes these into treat territory.

I’ve talked before about my past fondness for white chocolate and last year came up with a recipe for raw, vegan white chocolate chips which I’m pretty happy with.

I recycled that recipe here for the white chocolate coating with just a teeny tweak to use coconut instead of cashew butter (along with cacao butter). If you don’t have cacao butter then feel free to replace it with an equal amount of coconut butter + 1 tsp coconut oil. Still delicious!

I made the bites from cashew flour - just whole cashews ground into flour using my Froothie Optimum 9400 Blender - works great!

White Chocolate Coated Lemon-Cashew Bites (Raw, Vegan)

Yield: 15 Bites

Ingredients

Lemon Cashew Bites:
1 ¾ C Cashew flour*
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp Lemon zest (zest of 1 large lemon)
Pinch of Vanilla powder
1 Tbsp Coconut oil, melted
1 Tbsp Coconut nectar(or liquid sweetener of choice)
Pinch of salt
White Chocolate Coating:
4 Tbsp Melted cacao butter (Approx 55 g)*
3 Tbsp Raw coconut butter
1 Tbsp Coconut nectar + 5 drops stevia (or an extra 1 Tbsp coconut nectar)
Pinch of vanilla powder

Instructions

For the Lemon-Cashew Bites:

Add all ingredients for the lemon-cashew bites to a food processor and pulse until combined. You should have a thick dough-like consistency but it shouldn't be too sticky or wet.
Roll the mixture into small balls and place on a plate covered in parchment paper in the freezer to firm up.

For the White chocolate coating:

Gently melt the cacao butter and coconut butter together over a double boiler (glass bowl over a pot of boiling water), remove from heat and add the vanilla powder, coconut nectar and stevia, if using.
Set aside to thicken up slightly for 5-10 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Dip each bite in the chocolate coating until it is completely covered. Scoop out carefully with a fork, and tap the fork handle on the edge of the bowl so that excess coating drips back into the bowl. Place back on the parchment lined plate and return to the freezer until coating is solid (about 5 minutes); then repeat the coating process once more.

Notes

*To make cashew flour grind raw cashews in a food processor until a flour (see image)

*Cacao butter may be replaced with more coconut butter. In this case, the mixture will be less liquid and so should be kept over a pot of hot water to prevent it seizing up whilst coating the bites.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/03/18/white-chocolate-coated-lemon-cashew-bites-raw-vegan/

Thanks for all your kind messages asking after me while I was away. It meant a lot to me.

Greens 24/7 Review, Recipe & Giveaway

Hi folks, long time no speak! I started a new job this month with pretty crazy hours and unfortunately blogging has had to go on the backburner…

I’ve been trying to be ultra organised and do a lot of food prep at the weekends as I get home after 8pm most evenings during the week and am usually too tired and hungry to cook a meal entirely from scratch, let alone come up with creative recipes to share with my readers.

I’m making good use of my cookbook collection though and have been making a few new recipes a week.

Greens 24/7 is one of the latest additions to my collection and has been proving perfect for healthy, satisfying meals during these busy times. We all know that greens are incredibly good for us but despite knowing that it can still be hard to eat them as much as we should.

Luckily I love green vegetables so chowing down on a ginormous leafy salad isn’t a hardship for me but I know not everyone feels the same way. Author, Jessica Nadel of Cupcakes and Kale makes it easy for everyone to eat (and enjoy!) more greens and shows us how to incorporate them into all our meals – breakfast, lunch & dinner, as well as snacks and special occasion treats.

Hello Sunshine Smoothie

Though I eat a good quantity of green vegetables, what I struggle with is reaching for my old green favourites over and over again – broccoli (my no.1!), kale, avocado, etc. But variety is key when it comes to a healthy diet and Greens 24/7 has been pushing me to go beyond the familiar and cook with vegetables I don’t use often enough.

The “Green fact files” give us the lowdown on the most frequently used greens in the book, including what makes them so good for us, as well as top tips for preparation. You’ll also find a brief introduction to “The other greens” and “The other ingredients”, and a few “Typical day greens meal plans” in the front pages before the 100 recipes.

Chard, Coriander and Cashew “Cheese” Pizza

The recipes themselves are fantastic. I love that they manage to be fairly simple and not too time-consuming while still being creative and tasty. I’ve made quite a few already but have many more near the top of my “must try “list. The Chocolate Superfood Shake and Hello Sunshine Smoothie are both delicious. They’re supposed to serve 2 but I like a bigger breakfast so I drink both servings or have them as a snack or dessert. Next recipe to try from the Breakfast chapter is the Cinnamon-Courgette Waffles!

Shredded Rainbow Salad with Lemony Avocado Dressing

From the Soups and Salads chapter I made the Shredded Rainbow Salad which is filled with some of my favourite things – red cabbage, kale, edamame, avocado and carrots but the dressing fell a little short for me. I’ve got my eye on the White Bean and Three Green Soup and the Beetroot Greens, Pear and Maple Walnut Salad.

Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli, Swiss Chard and Hummus

The Green Main Meals chapter is probably my favourite – I want to make every single one of the recipes! These stuffed potatoes were a super filling and tasty meal. Broccoli & Swiss chard get a zingy gingery makeover which works wonderfully with the sweet potato and creamy homemade hummus – don’t forget the hot sauce!

My favourite recipe so far has been the Chard, Coriander and Cashew “Cheese” Pizza. I love making my own pizza at home and pesto-topped ones are a really nice change from the usual tomato-based versions. There are a few components here – the pesto, cashew cheese and vegetable toppings so it’s better for a weekend, especially if you like to make your own pizza dough like me. Definitely worth the effort.

Next to try from this chapter are the Ginger Bok Choy and Sweet Peas with Miso-Glazed Tofu and the Spinach and Mushroom Galette.

I’m yet to delve into the Green Sides and Small Bites and Green Cakes and Desserts chapters but it’s only a matter of time. Pesto Polenta Fries and Vanilla-Mint Cheesecake are calling to me.

The publishers have generously allowed me to share a recipe from the book with you all and give one copy away! Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.

Hello Sunshine Smoothie

Ingredients

1 sweet apple (e.g. Gala, Fuji)
1 kiwi
½ English cucumber
½ banana
1 cup (35 g) Swiss chard leaves
1 cup (250 ml) coconut water
3–4 ice cubes

Instructions

1. Peel, core, and quarter the apple. Peel the kiwi.
2. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately with a slice of kiwi to garnish.

Notes

Calories (per serving ) 103 Protein 1.1 g Total fat 0.4 g Saturated fat 0 g Carbohydrates 21.6 g Dietary fiber 4.1 g Sugars 17.6 g Vitamins A, B6, C

Greens 24/7 by Jessica Nadel, with photography by Jackie Sobon. Published by Apple Press.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2015/01/31/greens-247-review-recipe-giveaway/

Other things to note:

- All recipes are vegan, many gluten-free and most with an easy gluten-free option.

- There are 2 versions of the book – UK and US. The UK version helpfully includes gram and millilitre measurements for those who aren’t used to cup measurements.

- Nutritional information is included for each recipe.

- In most recipes greens can be mixed and matched to adapt for availability and seasonality.

- About 50% of the recipes are accompanied by pictures.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What’s your favourite green vegetable and way to prepare it?

If you’re new to Coconut and Berries, please sign up for email updates and join me elsewhere! I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram (@coconutandberries), Google+ and Twitter! You can also follow Coconut and Berries with Bloglovin or Feedly.

Vegan Baked Custard Tarts

Baked custard tarts were one of my family’s favourite sweet treats growing up and my brothers and I must have eaten hundreds between us! Unfortunately they’re very far from being vegan since the main ingredients include eggs, butter and milk/cream.

For a long while it didn’t even cross my mind to try a vegan version, thinking it would be impossible to come anywhere close to the original, but curiosity got the better of me and a couple of tries later I had a vegan (and gluten-free!) version cracked!

These taste very similar to the custard tarts of my youth. The pastry is a little thick and the custard a little scarce in the ones pictured but I’ve since made them again with a more typical ratio and they were even better.

For the recipe, head on over to Vegan Miam where I’m guest-posting today. I’m sure most of you are familiar with this beautiful vegan food and travel blog already but if not, make sure you have a good browse while you’re there!

If you’re new to Coconut and Berries, please sign up for email updates and join me elsewhere! I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram (@coconutandberries), Google+ and Twitter! You can also follow Coconut and Berries with Bloglovin or Feedly.

Moroccan Meat-less Balls with Pear & Tomato Sauce

Hi folks! Long time no speak! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are feeling rested and ready for the new year.

I was busy busy busy working up until Christmas Eve so I definitely appreciated some time off. I didn’t actually do any cooking on Christmas Day as my brother & family hosted again this year and insisted on making a dish for me. They actually chose one of the recipes on my blog! That one’s good for any occasion so definitely give it a try if you haven’t already.

Today’s recipe is a nice change of pace from holiday fare and the endless desserts that seem to come at this time of year. It will ease you back into healthy eating nicely as well since it’s one of those meals that’s so rich and delicious you’d never guess it was good for you.

I adapted the meat-less balls from the lovely Dreena Burton’s recipe which I’ve made a few times as written and loved. They’re made from a combination of nuts, oats and vegetables and have a pretty darn authentic taste and texture, wonderful served in the traditional way with pasta and marinara sauce.

I decided to leave Italy behind with my variation and headed to the Middle East (yep, I’m predictable!)! With this chilly weather I’m unsurprisingly craving warming meals and the dose of fiery harissa does the job nicely. The rich sauce with chunks of melt-in-the-mouth pear, along with the fragrant spices, bring that sweet meets savoury quality I’m so fond of.

I loved this dish served over quinoa or couscous but any leftovers are also great stuffed in a pita with some salad and a dollop of herby non-dairy yogurt.

Moroccan Meat-less Balls with Pear & Tomato Sauce

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Moroccan Meat-less Balls with Pear & Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Meat-less Balls:

2 Tbsp Oil, divided
1 Medium onion, diced
1 Stalk of celery, diced
3/4 tsp Salt
1 Clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Harissa
1-1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
1/2 tsp Chili flakes
Pinch of cinnamon
1/2 tsp Molasses
1/2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1-1/2 C Walnuts
1 C Rolled Oats

Pear & Tomato Sauce:

1 Tbsp Oil
2 Cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Harissa paste
1 tsp Smoked paprika
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Bay leaf
1 Tbsp Coconut sugar
1 x 400g/14oz Can of chopped tomatoes
1 C Water
2 Firm pears, peeled and cut into large wedges/chunks
1 Tbsp Lemon juice

Instructions

For the meat-less balls:

Ina large pan, sauté the onion and celery in 1 Tbsp oil for 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and cook, stirring, for a further minute. Add the harissa, smoked paprika, chili flakes and cinnamon and cook for a further minute.
Transfer mixture to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients and process until the mixture becomes crumbly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and process again, just until the mixture becomes sticky.
Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour and up to overnight. Take small spoonfuls of the mixture, and roll into compact balls (N.b. if the mixture is crumbly, add a dash of water).
Heat the remaining Tbsp of oil in a large pan, add the balls and fry for 5-7 minutes, turning to brown all sides.

For the sauce:

In a medium pot, sauté the garlic over low heat for 2 minutes. Add the salt, harissa and smoked paprika and stir well. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, coconut sugar, tomatoes and water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for approx 30 minutes, or until sauce has thickened nicely. Add the pears and cook for a further 10 minutes, until just tender.
Add the lemon and check for seasoning.
Serve the meat-less balls in the sauce or topped with the sauce.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/12/28/moroccan-meat-less-balls-pear-tomato-sauce/

If you haven’t tried harissa yet I recommend picking up a jar – or making your own! It’s wonderful in soups and stews, spread on flatbread, stirred into hummus and more.

What foods and flavours are you craving right now?