Category: Recipes
Pickled Eggs, Beetroot, and Onions
There is nothing quite like a group of women gathered around the kitchen bench for a day of fermenting vegetables mixed with lots of laughter and stories. Last year we did this in one of my cooking workshops; it was a cool winter day and we preceded to wash, cook, chop, slice, press, mash, and stuff jars with all sorts of edibles.
These quick-pickled eggs with onion and beetroot were pickled in apple cider vinegar which is high in acetic acid. Like other acids, acetic acid can increase your body’s absorption of important minerals from the foods you eat.
Fermented Dosa
Dosa is a thin gluten-free fermented pancake similar to a crepe. The fermentation process increases vitamin B and vitamin C and is a popular south Indian snack, breakfast, or meal that can be eaten with various fillings such as coconut chutney and dahl. Continue reading “Fermented Dosa”
Fermented Miso Eggplant
Vegan Apple Pizza
Fermented Plant-based Kimchi
Fermented Sourdough Sweet or Savoury Crepes
Shelley and I shared these crepes first having some savour with beans and vegetables and then onto the yummy sweet ones with berries, mandarins and coconut yoghurt. The uncooked batter can be stored in the fridge for 5 days if it lasts that long before using it up. Just stir every few days to keep it fresh. It keeps fermenting just like a sourdough starter so if you don’t use it for 7 days remove it from the fridge, add some flour, water, stir and return it to the fridge where it should last another few days.
Ingredients
- ½ cup oat flour
- 2 cups sorghum or besan (chickpea) flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using Miso)
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons flax egg*
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 4 Tbsp sauerkraut juice or 1 Tbsp miso (this will help the batter ferment faster) optional
Method
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the water and juice or miso and flax egg* stirring to make a batter.
- Cover tightly. If you fail to wrap it tightly it will partially dry and will not work as well.
- Set aside in a warm place. Stir daily until bubbles appear. Usually ready after sitting aside overnight unless it very cold outside, then plan for another day.
- Place a small frying pan or skillet (for which you have a lid) on medium-high heat until it is warm. Oil pan.
- Using a measuring cup, pour ½ – ⅔ cup of batter into the centre of the pan. Quickly pick the pan up and move it to distribute the batter. Cover with lid and cook until bubbles appear then turn over and cook a few minutes longer. Repeat.
- Fill with your favourite filling- fruit, mandarins, apples, pears, dried fruit, coconut yoghurt, or leftover veg, tofu, beans, potatoes, hummus, and of course some ferments.
Flax Egg*
2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal (ground raw flaxseed) and 3-4 Tbsp. water
Add flaxseed meal and water to a dish and stir. Let rest for 5 minutes to thicken. Add to recipes in place of 1-2 eggs
It’s not an exact 1:1 substitution in every recipe because it doesn’t bind and stiffen during baking quite like an egg does
Fermented Lemon Glazed Tempeh
Melbourne has the best selection of local fermented foods ever. While visiting Melbourne I found one that I played around with and thoroughly enjoyed. Tempeh an Indonesian fermented food is great for enriching a plant-based diet, also for vegans, vegetarians alike, and anyone who would like to incorporate more plant-based proteins into their diet. Because Tempeh is also fermented it can increase the friendly microbes in your gut, and boost your immune system and general well-being as well!
Ingredients
Sauce
½ cup fresh lemon juice
finely grated rind of ½ lemon
1 T. finely grated fresh ginger
1 T tamari or 1 1/2 T. Shiro miso
11/2 T mirin
2 teaspoons maple or rice syrup
1teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
150 gm. organic tempeh
1/2 cup tapioca or arrowroot flour as needed
2 – 3 tablespoons sesame or olive oil
½ cup finely chopped spring onions
a handful of coriander leaves
½ cup pomegranate seeds or Goji berries
Method
1. Combine the juice, rind, ginger tamari, mirin, maple or rice syrup, turmeric, and ground pepper in a small bowl or jar. Mix together, taste, and adjust if necessary. Set aside.
2. Cut the tempeh in half diagonally, then cut each half again. Pat dry with a paper towel. If very thick, cut it in half horizontally as well, but you may need to increase the amount of other ingredients. Dip into tapioca or arrowroot flour.
3. Heat the skillet or fry pan. Add the oil. When the oil is hot add the tempeh and fry until crispy. Turn the heat down and turn over and cook on the other side.
4. Pour the lemon juice mixture into the pan and simmer for 5- 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced down to a thick glaze.
Turn the tempeh over once or twice during this time and spoon the sauce over the tempeh from time to time.
5. Sprinkle with spring onions, fresh coriander, and pomegranate seeds or Goji berries just before serving.
Zucchini Cashew Cream Rolls
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted cashews soaked for 30 minutes in warm water
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons Shiro Miso
1 large egg or Flaxseed egg *
a little leftover cooked veg.(optional)
1-2 cups pasta sauce
1-2 large zucchini or a few slices of Chinese cabbage
Method
- Soak cashews in warm water and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 200 C. Oil a sheet of natural baking paper with oil and set aside.
- Slice the zucchini into 3 mm thin slices. Lay zucchini onto an oiled sheet and roast in the oven 10 minutes. Remove and set aside for 5 minutes before moving.
- If using cabbage, drop into boiling water for 1 minute and drain and cool.
- Meanwhile, drain cashews, and put in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients Blend till lightly cracked.
- Spread some of the pasta sauce into an oiled casserole dish.
- Lay a strip of zucchini or cabbage and spread about 1-2 tablespoons of the cashew mixture over each individual strip.
- Roll up and top with a teaspoon of the pasta sauce.
- Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes or until set. Serve topped with any ferment of your choice.
- To make a flax egg, mix one tablespoon ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water. Mix together, and set aside for 15 minutes to set up and thicken.
Beatrix’s Blissful Summer Breeze
Shelley brought her delightful 11-week old daughter Beatrix over for lunch. She had mama’s milk and we had a lovely summer lunch followed by a dessert to honour her delightful presence.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Served with coconut yoghurt it really hit the spot.
Ingredients
- 1 punnet organic strawberries
- 4 Tablespoons agar- agar flakes
- ½ cup organic apple juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coconut Layer
- 2 Tablespoons agar- agar flakes
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ cup apple juice
- 2 cups coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot or kudzu
- 1 tablespoon water
- Berry Topping
- 1 punnet organic blueberries
- a few leftover strawberries
- 1 tablespoon kudzu or arrowroot
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Chopped dates and almonds
- Coconut yoghurt (optional)
Method
- Puree all but 4 strawberries till creamy.
- Agar, juice water maple syrup into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower heat till agar has dissolved. Add the strawberry puree and vanilla. Remove from the heat and put into a mold.
- Combine agar-agar, maple syrup, juice together. Cook till the agar dissolves. Add the coconut cream.
- Dissolve the kudzu in the water and stir into the coconut mixture and cook till thickened.
- Cool for a few minutes until both mixtures are the same temperature. Add the coconut mixture slowly to the strawberry layer. Set aside at room temperature or for a quick result refrigerate.
6. Put the blueberries and the reserved strawberries in a saucepan and warm. Dissolve the kudzu in the water and maple syrup, add it to the blueberry-strawberry mixture and bring to the boil. Remove from heat.
- Serve with the blueberry and strawberry topping, yoghurt, dates and almonds,
