I invented a fooding!

I am such a recipe rules girl. I can't veer from a recipe unless I have to and even then it pains me. I just can't do it. For the first time ever today, I put together my own recipe. So pleased with myself because it turned out SO nommy and would happily be nommed by carnis, omnis and vegans alike. TASTY! Would be the BEST comfort food!

I don't have a clever name for it, just going with Mash and Mushy Pie for now. Here tis!

Ingredients:
5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Soy milk
Dairy free butter (I use nuttelex).
Salt
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp (ish) porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in boiling water and chopped
1 portobello mushroom, chopped
4 button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh chives, chopped
1/2c vegetable stock
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 sheet shortcrust pastry (vegan)
1 sheet puff pastry (vegan)
sesame seeds to sprinkle.

Boil spuds, drain, mash, mix with soy milk, dairy free butter and salt to taste. While they are boiling, saute onion, garlic and mushrooms til mushrooms have released their juices and all are starting to brown. Add herbs and stock and cook until liquid evaporates. While this is happening, blind bake your shortcrust by putting it in a dish, with baking paper on top and rice to weigh it down. About 10 mins.
Add your mash to your onion and mushroom mix and combine. Spoon into pastry shell. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast. Top with sheet of puff, trim to fit. Brush with soy milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cook until brown and nommy!

Vegan FAQ!

What exactly IS a vegan?
Okay so a vegetarian does not eat animal flesh. This includes beef, pork, chicken, veal, lamb, duck, fish... Anything that once lived and breathed or had a pulse etc. A vegan is someone that in addition to this, also does not eat, wear or use any animal derived products so dairy, eggs, honey and so on, leather, animal tested products... Anything that uses an animal for profit or human gain is out. We believe that animals are not ours to use, simply because they are voiceless and unable to defend themselves against us. People ask me what about squishing bugs or eating plants since they are alive too. Let me try to make it simple - firstly, I try not to squish bugs and relocate them instead, but if I slap a mozzie and it dies, I don't beat myself up. It's self defence! Seriously though, killing bacteria is also self defence. Additionally, whilst plants live, they are not sentient beings that can think and feel, and as such, there is not a valid reason not to eat them.

Aren't you guys all hardcore, militant, omni bashing, guilt trippers?
Ha! Well, some can be sure. But so can some omnivores. Or some religious people, or anyone with a cause they believe in. I've certainly seen some around, but I was lucky enough to be unofficially mentored by two vegan friends who never judged me, always gave me ideas and alternatives and encouragement, but never forced their beliefs or reasons and only offered when I asked for them. There are some great videos and information on the web. Take the good with the bad and don't let it put you off. Everyone is on their own path and pace.

So I have to give up cheese altogether? I don't think I can...
You know why? Because cheese is literally addictive. Those naughty casomorphins! They have an opioid effect. Yes that's right. Cheese is opiate like, morphins. Morphine. In your cheese. No wonder you love that stuff, right? So once you can break that addiction, you won't miss cheese. The vegan cheeses available commercially are continually improving. There is parmazano, a vegan parmesan, and my current favorite is Vegusto. That stuff is awesome and soy free (soy cheeses can sometimes leave an aftertaste). I am also very partial to tofutti and kingland cream cheeses! As for your cheese sauces for pasta and so on, never fear, nutritional yeast (read further down) is a vegans bestie.

Some of my best comfort foods are vegan, won't I miss them?
Okay so we are talking what here? Chocolate, ice cream, pizza... all that crap that firstly isn't good for you but we all want anyway. Let me let you in on a secret - you can still have all of that as a vegan. ALL. Of. It. Vegan chocolate includes most dark chocolates, and there are brands such as sweet william that have milk and white varieties and can be found in Coles. Venture further afield to a specialist vegan store and you'll be inundated with vegan chocolate varieties in every flavour imaginable. Including tasties such as champagne truffles. To die for.
Ice cream is another one we can sort you out on easily. Coconut based ice cream is delish. I've even made my own in the ice cream maker (with a salted caramel sauce over the top - decadence!) but its available to buy as well. And if you want to go a healthier route, there's always (egg free) gelati!
Let me talk about pizza. I've been working on a good vegan pizza over time. How can you do pizza without cheese man?! Easy!!! I've used a cashew cheese that I home made, and I've used vegusto. Both were yum. I am hanging to get my hands on some Notzarella which I have heard amazing things about, but also Cheezly do a vegan mozzarella and a vegan nacho melty cheese. Drooooool.
There are a huge range of vegan burgers and bacons and so on if you know where to look. You don't miss out, and it's worth hunting for it for the lives you are saving.

Doesn't vegan mean all healthy and raw and grainy?
Well, it can. Unless you are like me and love your creamy, cheesey, carby, 'bad for you' food too much... I've made or bought vegan schnitzels with mash and gravy, cheesy potato bakes, lasagnes, pizzas, chocolate peanut butter pies, cupcakes, yum cha... All 100% vegan. I have always loved food, too much mostly. But I am not someone who could easily go without. I am a foodie, I love to cook, I love to eat, I love to taste. Being vegan doesn't cost me any of that, and indeed with it the satisfaction and kick I get from eating cruelty free and knowing no animal was hurt for the sake of my taste buds, it just gives me a pretty cool high. As a bit of a teaser, check out these vegan cookie dough truffles from my favorite vegan chef... drool!

What are all these things that are new to me? Agave? Nutritional yeast? Gluten flour?
This was a minefield for me when I first started eating vegan. I'd say it took me a good year to get my head around all the substitutes and their uses. When I first got nutritional yeast, I used it as a sprinkle on chips. Which is great, but it's nothing on using it to make a cheese sauce for a lasagna or alfredo. It's not yeast like baking or brewers yeast. A friend told me it looks like fish food. lol. It kinda does! But it really emulates a cheese flavour perfectly.
Agave syrup is a great alternative to honey. It's sweeter than honey and has a kind of toffee taste to it. Brilliant sweetener.
Gluten flour can make a product called seitan, that's kind of a wheat meat thing. It also makes killer schnitzels.
There are various egg replacers, a ton of milks and techniques for baking that make cupcakes nicer than any dairy based cake I have ever had in my life. Vegan baking always comes out lighter and fluffier for me!

What is the hardest part?
For me, it was cheese. Once I got rid of cheese, I was fine. I find meat and eggs kinda gross anyway, they're all veiny or mucousy and just... ew. lol. So I didn't find it hard to dump those. Milk was also easy to switch (my favourite alternatives are bonsoy, almond and hazelnut milks). But cheese was tough. I tried I guess 4 or 5 different cheese alternatives but none were as good as dairy cheese until I found mild vegusto. I'd not know the difference between it and a dairy gouda. Whilst it doesn't melt well, it still tastes good on pizza, and they also do a more piquant flavour that I am told is sharp and bitey like a parmesan though I am yet to try that one myself. That and just learning what substitutes are out there and getting familiar with them took time. Oh, and reading labels on things I assume are vegan but turn out not to be is frustrating at times (eg lime and pepper crisps, you'd think oh vegan easy. Hello milk solids. FOILED AGAIN!)

What is the best part?
I said it earlier, I really get a kick out of eating cruelty free. I think that before I always ate with a subconscious feeling of unease and guilt without ever really being aware of it. now that I avoid all those products, I just feel so happy and amazing. So true to myself. I've never experienced anything quite like that before! Knowing my health is better, and losing weight more easily are added bonuses.

Got any other questions? Ask away. I'm here to help!

Vegan Parenting

Am finding this a super interesting though and topic lately. Having again cut dairy as well as eggs and meat, I find it strange that I still provide all these items to my children. Why? Well, I also provide chocolate and treats sometimes whilst knowing they aren't good for them. All in moderation, so forget that - but having omnivore children means I am buying and cooking meat. As a vegan, that is confronting and challenging, but the alternative is demanding my children be vegan, despite having allowed them to develop a taste for meat whilst I was eating it as well. Just because I have change my mind and beliefs, doesn't mean I force them to, right?

Or does it? It's really a grey area, I think. I guess where I sit on it, is that my role is to provide options and information. I don't sugar coat what the are eating. It's dead animal flesh. They know that. I have had a few talks with my 9 year old about it, and he asked why dairy if it doesn't kill the animal and I explained veal and separation of mother and baby etc. He was horrified, but struggles because he enjoys the taste of these things. I reassure him that is okay, after all, it took me 34 years to reach that place. He is 9, in time, maybe. I want my kids to make their own informed choices, but I don't want to force it on them anymore than I'd force a religion or even atheism on them. It's their choice to make.

Is that controversial? Maybe, but it works for us.

Vegan is not a dirty word

What's going on, friends? What have we done to the word 'vegan' to create a stereotype that sees people shut down before we can even begin to speak about it?

From what I can gather in my interactions, vegans appear to have a reputation as militant and judgemental. And that our food is boring and raw and healthy and not at all tasty.

I AM HERE TO CHALLENGE YOU! On all counts! Last night I went out to dinner with friends. I ordered fries, one ordered pizza and the other a big steak. As our meals arrived, the steak eating friend said she felt bad eating it next to me. I said 'it's fine, don't worry." The pizza eater said "it's okay, Kelly's a good vegan." A good vegan. I laughed and asked what that meant - "you don't beat us with statistics and examples of why it's bad all the time."

Interesting. I can't see it appropriate at all for anyone, to sit down to a meal with friends and lecture them on their food choices. I post links on facebook, I talk about ethics and health on my blog, I put the information out there, but I try not to lecture. Sometimes I border on it, but I try hard not to. I feel like I have to try extra hard because of the vegan stereotype.

What is interesting is that for me, the two major influences on my adopting a vegan lifestyle, two close friends who are both vegan, were not at all stereotypical in this sense. I have had no experience of such vegans. I've met only kindness, understanding, patience and helpfulness. I guess the old adage you win more flies with honey than vinegar (or whatever the fuck that saying is) is apt here.

I'll happily challenge the food stereotypes too, my goal is to show you can be vegan and not miss out on anything. The fact that I've managed vegan peanut butter and chocolate pie, schnitzels mash and gravy, and a number of other indulgent dishes shows that you can have comfort foods, junky foods, tasty foods and live a life of kindness and compassion to all species - it's not all quinoa and flaxseed. Promise!

A very vegan Christmas?

This year will be my first meatless Christmas. I'm determined to make it 100% vegan but that becomes increasingly difficult when you're planning a family lunch with all omnivores. So what do I do? I mean, it's their Christmas too and they're looking forward to a great Christmas feast. Including dead animal flesh.

So do I make my own food and let them prepare what they want, knowing only I will eat the vegan stuff? Do I insist on making at least some parts vegan only - surely they can accept vegan plum pudding? Do I skip traditional food and aim for lots of salads and appetizers instead of a great nut roast and hope that pleases?

I don't really know how to handle this. And it's the first of many. Anyone got ideas or experiences with this?

World Vegan Day P2 - FOOD!!

Oh my aching belly! So much deliciousness. I didn't get anywhere near trying all I wanted to, but here is a selection of what was there that I *did* get to!

Mister Nice Guy cupcakes. These were amazing. So light and fluffy and delicious. From the rear L-R there is Champagne Strawberry, Key West Lime, Red Velvet, Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Vanilla.

The Champagne Strawberry cupcake was my favorite. Champagne buttercream icing, dense strawberry and light vanilla cake. OMG. SOoooo good.

My kittehs enjoyed the vegan petfood sample from the showbag. Devoured! 

Funky Pies! 

Fritz Sorbet - oh how I wanted to try all the flavors but limited myself to two. Lemon (my all time fave) and this one which was apple raspberry and one of the best things I have tasted in my life.

This was a mini dim sim vegan style. Dense and heavy but not bad.

Vegan spring roll, light, flaky pastry and delish insides. 

A chilli-non-carne Funky pie. SO tasty!

The Satay Funky Pie. My fave. DIVINE.

How good a bargain was this? 50% off Booja Booja truffles, SO potent and yum.

My Vegusto stuff in action. A meat and cheese sambo yet vegan! The cheese on its own has a hint of sweetness I am not keen on, adjusting the tastebuds... it's great with other flavors though. The deli slices are SO tasty and good.

World Vegan Day

On Sunday I attended World Vegan Day in Melbourne. I was a bit nervous, felt like a n00b, despite having done some interviews and writing for their blog. Anyway, I wanted to be early to make sure I was able to secure all the loot I wanted to get so I got there right as it began at 10am, before the crowds! It was a beautiful warm day which was great. The atmosphere was fantastic, very relaxed and united. It felt great to be at something that I believed in, with so many other people who agreed with me! It was weird and a bit difficult being on my own. I felt self conscious for a good hour before I relaxed, and beyond that, it was sort of depressing not to have anyone to share it with or talk to or say "hey look at this..." That aside though, I really loved it. I left feeling inspired and excited about veganism, feeling again that real deep emotional joy that nothing but veganism brings out in me. I also spent a fortune, but FINALLY got my hands on vital wheat gluten to make seitan and cutlets with, as well as a haul of other things. See the pics below for details, and my next post for the food alone! I already can't wait for next year!

This is Vegie Head doing her cooking demo. She made yum choc butter and jam. Adele is absolutely gorgeous and so friendly. love her stuff.

This is a lovely goat, part of Edgars Mission! 

My good friends over at Turning Veganese have rescue bunnies. I saw this sticker and had to get it for them! 

Yummy World Vegan Day birthday cake!

Me! MEAT FREE ZONE baby!

This is my shopping haul. I have savoury yeast flakes, gluten flour, guar guam, Mister Nice Guy Cupcakes, Funky pies, Natures Quest skin and beauty products, truffles, vegusto cheese, vegusto deli slices, vegan jerky, tiramisu sauce, bunny sticker and my showbag. Phew!

This was at noon, only 2 hours in and it was buzzing!

Showbag contents - lots of literature, dish liquid, 2 soaps, vegan pet food, body wash and serum, a towel, a laundry bag and lots of discount vouchers!

Come back tomorrow for the foodie pic post!

My darling sister

On Friday, I went to my sisters for lunch. She is a meat eater, yet she goes to SO much trouble to make a vegan meal for me that it just makes me emotional. It's so caring and so supportive of my choice. She says that she feels bad for eating meat and doesn't blame me for judging her. I said I don't - not really. I have moments but I realise everyone is on their own path and that you accept and go to such effort for me is a show of support in itself.

She really laid on a feast, too. We had fruit in dark chocolate sauce, stuffed olives, cannellini bean and vegetable soup, a yummy salad and chickpea burgers and sausages. Then she showed me that whilst passing a bakery, she had seen vegan cupcakes for sale so had brought me two red velvet vegan cuppies. Bless her! How kind is that?!

I got she and my mum to taste the cuppies, both were floored when I explained the cuppie had beetroot in it, and the icing was tofu and lemon zest. You'd never guess it!!! DIVINE. My sister is awesome. My birthday is Friday so she even stuck a candle in the cuppie and they sang to me.

This is my beautiful sister with her lovely 'Squeak' who she has raised from an egg!

Red velvet vegan cupcake!

How good does this soup look? Tasted amazing.

BBQ - Vegan style!!!

Retrospective guest blog!

Nothing like missing ones own guest blogging post. Oops! Back in September would you believe, I guest blogged for the fabulous Veggie Mama! http://www.theveggiemama.com/2012/09/guest-post-veggie-mama-vs-omnivore.html I love Stacey's recipes. They are vego without being tasteless or - god help me - all insanely healthy and raw. Taste, not missing out on yums, that's what I am all about. She has the lot. Love her stuff.

Risotto anyone?

I am a risotto fan, very much so. I really hate the stirring though, and I am too poor for a thermomix, so stir I do. It's always worth it.

I wanted to share this recipe from Veggie Mama along with my slight tweaks because it is one of the best risotto's I have had. In the history of ever. It was divine!

So I didn't know what or where to find these Heirloom tomatoes, so I just got the vine ripened tomatoes from Coles and they did the job nicely. Stuck them in a lightly sprayed with olive oil pan in a hot oven for an hour. Just kept an eye on them until they were slightly bursting, on the verge of collapse. Perfecto.

Meanwhile, I chopped an onion and minced 2 cloves of garlic and cooked them to soft in a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of nuttelex. Marg or butter is fine, I use nuttelex as standard so it's my usual. Then I added a cup of arborio rice and stirred, and thus began the stirring. 6 cups of veggie stock (you could do some wine some stock of course), and stir, add, stir, add, stir, add. You know the drill. Until all your stock is absorbed.

I was goats cheeseless, but feta isn't far off the salty cheese mark so I whacked about 100g of that in, and stirred through until melted, along with 1/4c of parmesan and some pepper. I didn't add salt, because the stock is already salty, as is the feta. You could mess around with taste here. I also instead of adding another knob of butter, added a generous splash of cream. Super creamy cheesy risotto. Then I topped it with my roasted tomato and some fresh continental parsley leaves.

Then I put it in my face. And oh my goodness. It's one of those eyes closed, savouring the taste moments. The roasted tomato just gives such a perfect compliment to the risotto, and the flavours are amazing. Drrrooool. Eat up!

Deliciousness

Before I move on, in reference to my last post - obviously we lost hope and the worst outcome became reality. Everyone has been affected by the story, and it's certainly left me feeling less safe on a night out. I hope her killer is brought to justice, swiftly.

Moving on, I'm back to another food post.

My wonton soup was ahhhhmayyyzing. I'll be making that again for sure. So delicious. And vegan! Less successful was my made from scratch Rogan Josh curry, which was just slightly bitter, and I can't pinpoint which ingredient was the culprit for it. The satay was quite good though, I also made the curry paste for that from scratch too. My Chickpea, feta and marinated vegetable salad - looked divine, tasted too vinegary. The marinade (bought) was too strong for my liking. Asparagus, broccoli and cheese pasta and Italian Suppli were winners (vego not vegan, had cheese). The most surprising win was the tofu kebabs. I don't really do tofu, but in the homemade BBQ sauce, caramelised up... so tasty! Would absolutely eat again and a great protein source to boot.

My rogan josh curry paste. home made! Toasted my own spices and all!

The rogan josh curry

chickpea, feta and marinated vegetable salad. looks better than it tasted.

Wonton Soup 

Italian suppli

BBQ Tofu and fried rice 

I also had great success with my vegan cheese experiment. It was s tasty and so cheeselike, I may be able to give it up and go full vegan yet. I have hope, finally!

My 9 year old wanted to cook dinner one night this week, so I let him choose what he wanted to make. He chose pizzas so we got some passes, some pizza sauce, and various toppings. He made ham and cheese for himself and his sister, and he made me a delish onion and mushroom one. So tasty, he did such a good job of doing all the cutting and using the hot oven and so on. I reckon we'll keep this up...

A good friend (Megan over at Living a Truly Blessed Life) sent me a recipe for vego sausage rolls. I was curious, because they really looked the part, so I gave them a go. They had a slight hint of oatiness to them (rolled oats was a big ingredient) but omg they were yummy and the texture was absolutely sausage rolly. But not scary meat! Even the 9yo gave them the thumbs up and declared them better than the ones from the shop (ie meat ones) he didnt even realise they were vego. WINNING.

I went to my sisters for lunch this week. She put on the BEST vegetarian lunch spread. I wanted to eat ALL THE THINGS. She had lentil burgers, chickpea and spinach sausages, falafel, salads, wraps, cheeses, antipasto... it was amazing. She sent me home with leftovers which went down a freakin treat. I really loved how much of an effort she made to make me something so delicious and so vegetarian. It was really special.

I seem to be getting a few repeat meals in rotation now which is good, means I've found meals I am seriously enjoying. Added in as new experiments this week are a tomato and cheese risotto, vego fajitas and for Grand Final day BBQ I did the most delicious mushroom and halloumi kebabs, corn on the cob with herb butter, and fried ravioli with fresh hommus. Far out it was good. I love food!