Why this blog is temporarily on stand-by...

So big exciting changes in my life: i'm expecting this year and due to all the sickness experienced so far I slowed down on all the cooking adventures.

I also have retired and distanced myself from all the Vegan Groups and Communities. Not that I do not agree but after almost 2 years I feel more and more the vegan police checking every word and every step taken.

For example: I got the flu last week, sore throat in a way I woke up 2 days almost not able to speak. I mentioned in a vegan group that I took Manuka Honey for 2 days, that's about 6 teaspoons altogether. [Pregnant women cannot take paracetamol or ibuprofen to fight a cold or an infection.] Of course I was bashed till no more because I dared to admit I had consumed something unvegan (I heard that I "tried to convert vegan people away from the vegan way"). 

I explained it works well in my case of sore throats, that I do not consume honey otherwise (hell I never liked honey!) but it is a natural way of healing my throat given the fact that I cannot consume man-made anti inflammatory. For me I consume Manuka-Honey in the same way I decide to vaccinate myself and my family, 

"Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable" ... 

still I was bashed as asked why don't i just advertise for eggs and dairy consumption because those are 'good for you' too.

Vegans are so compassionate towards animals. Vegan want to make the word better. Vegans are the worse people to have around if you are not a perfect vegan person. Perfect, in which light? Perfect, what does that mean?

Also I am tired of fundamentalists of anti vaccination. I'm sorry I cannot agree with any of you. When someone speaks up against vaccination the only thing I hear is "the earth is not round". Read up and please, for the health of everyone around you, vaccinate yourself and your family.

Anyway, so I'm closing this blog down and I hope everyone will still enjoy all the nice tested recipes and ideas I've shared over the last 2 years. I hope that by reading this you might be a bit more compassionate with everyone around you, especially with other vegans. 

Let there be love and tolerance and not hate and fighting.

Recipe #129 Potato and onion Tortilla

You'll need:

• 1 medium onion
• 3-4 medium white potatoes
• 100gr gram flour
• 150ml water
• 1/4 cup oil oil
• Smoked paprika, salt, pepper, turmeric.

Start by chopping your onion very finely or using an electrical chopper for this.

Then grate the potatoes or use a food processor to grate them.

Press the potatoes firmly between two kitchen (papel) towels so that the most of the moisture is lost.

Then heat the olive oil and fry the onions until golden. Cover with the grated potatoes and season to taste.

The potatoes require around 20min (10min on each side) to cook properly. During this time mix 100gr of gram flour with 150ml water and a pinch of salt and turmeric.

When the potatoes are cooked are lightly brown press everything down with a wooden spoon into a tortilla firm shape, now cover this with the gram flour mixture. Allow this to cook around 10min (see if it's still liquid on the top) before flipping it, and before burning it... keep the pan moving so it won't stick or burn.

Recipe #128 Oat And Soy Burger (in a bowl)

So all you need for this recipe is a bowl!

Measure into a bowl:

• 1 cup of dry mince soy
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup ground dry chickpeas (you can also use gram flour but the texture will be chewier)
• Season with salt, black pepper, paprika or cayenne pepper and garlic powder.

Then pour 1 cup and 1/4 of hot water into the bowl and stir gently everything with a fork.

Shape this paste into medium balls (around 1 - 2 tablespoons) and finish by flattening them slightly between your hands. Fry in some olive oil for about 3-4 min on each side.

"My Life as an Undercover Investigator"

Mainly, I witnessed horrific scenes like mother pigs getting beaten with metal rods to force them back into farrowing crates after getting their first chance to walk in months. I watched them roar in helpless despair as their piglets were violently yanked from their teats and castrated in front of their faces. I watched countless egg-laying hens die of thirst, starvation, or trampling after their broken legs or wings became trapped in their cages. And I watched mother cows spend days bellowing for their stolen calves as if this was the first time it had happened. For me, these memories illustrate the tragedy of the modern animal farm. You need only look to see that these intelligent animals are paying an unfathomable cost to satisfy our habit for cheap meat, eggs and dairy. 

My Life as an Undercover Investigator - by Cody Carlson
Full article - http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?catId=5&pageId=4676

(this is what a baby pig and his mommy should be like)

(not 'mass' produced ...)

See LUCENT here

Lucent is a feature-length documentary about the vast yet largely unseen suffering inherent to Australia's pig farming industry.

Vegan Survival Guide for Christmas Dinner

Christmas time... everyone talking about food, most of which unethical meat and eggs covered in cream or cheese. But there is hope and we don't even need obi wan kenobi to rescue us ;) Christmas can be compassionate full of food for vegans too! Rejoice and eat to your heart's content. 

If you are invited to a family gathering start by:

- asking your host to kindly cook side dished with no butter or cream. Suggest for them to replace this with olive oil or soya cream (healthier and everyone can eat from this)
Same goes for your mash potatoes.

- Suggest having at least one vegan dessert or ice cream and help them by choosing an easy recipe of a cake or sweets that is easy to prepare.

- as starter soup remind them not to add butter or cream (or parmesan cheese). Soups are naturally vegan and very tasty even without all the saturated fats and cholesterol.

You can bring:

- your own nut roast (see recipe here)
- buy a ready made nut roast or tofurkey roast
- bring an assortment of dairy free cheeses for people to taste
- buy or make Hummus and cut fresh carrots/celery and get breadstick to dip into the Hummus
- Prepare a nice Olive Tapenade for starter (see recipe here)
- Bake a dessert (such as a spiced banana bread)
- Bring loads of fresh fruit and make a Fruit Salad for everyone (you can top this with a little bit of brandy or port wine for an extra touch of sweetness)
- Bring your own garlic Butter (blend fresh or dry garlic, salt, black pepper and herbs into dairy free butter)
- You can prepare in advance and bring along cold mini-Falafels (Baked falafel recipe here)

At any big dinner the main course is usually centered on a big main centerpiece, such as a turkey for non-vegans at Christmas or Thanksgiving. You can easily replace this by:

- nut roast
- tofurkey roast
- VegDucken (see recipe here)
- Make individual portions of food (such as lasanha, gratins, etc) such as this

Have plenty of sides! 

Remember: protein doesn't make you feel full, it's the carbs that do that. 

Get a load of sides such as: roasted squash and carrots with cinnamon, sauteed greens with pine-nuts, stuffed peppers, roasted pepper salad, mash potatoes, sauteed Brussels-sprouts, cooked shredded cabbage... 

Have a Merry Compassionate Christmas!

Face Reality; Face Morality

Recipe #127 Vegan Roast

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 300 gr fresh white mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 medium/big onion
• 2 carrots 
• 1 can of green lentils
• salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (or hot paprika)
• 2 garlic gloves
• Herbs (I use 3 tablespoons of frozen coriander)
• 200 gr walnuts (chopped)

You'll need a food processor.

1. Grate the carrots (reserve)
2. Chop the onion and the garlic cloves (reserve)
3. Chop the walnuts (reserve)
4. Process the lentils into a smooth paste (reserve)
5. Chop the mushrooms into tiny pieces (reserve)

In a big saucepan or wok sautee the mushrooms, onion, garlic cloves and carrots in the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (or hot paprika).

Then add the lentils and the walnuts and stir together. Add the coriander and allow everything to thicken up a bit into a paste. Add the flour (up to 1 + 1/4 of cup) until it is really thick.

Take a 2 lb bread tin (butter the inside or use baking paper) and press the mixture into the tin. It might look like too much but if you press it down firmly it should fill it up to the edge.

Cook for 25 min on 200 oC; after this cover with some aluminum foil and cook for another 25min.

ALLOW TO COOL before cutting; or else it won't be firm enough to get slices off it.
It will make for 10 slices, average for 5 people.

Estimated cost: under 4,50 €

This is a naturally Gluten free Recipe (but check for cross contamination alerts on the packaging of the walnuts and flour). For gluten free result use oat flour or ground almond.

(before cooking)

(cooked and sliced)