Being vegan is expensive #2

Falafel wrap dinner for 4 people

• wrap x4 = 60 cents (8 wraps for under 1,29 euros in Lidl/Tesco)
• 1 can chickpeas = 60 cents 
• Plain flour (aprox) 10 cents
• Olive oil (aprox) 15 cents
• 1x onion (aprox) 15 cents
• 1 liter vegetable oil 99 cents (I re use this for up to 3 batches)
• Ready made hummus 1,29 euros (tesco)
• 3 bell peppers 1,50 euros (tesco)
• Various seasonings (aprox) 1 euro 

Total: +/- 5,75 € [dinner for 4]

Recipe #97 Lentil Lasagna

Shopping list (6 portions)

• 500 gr lasagna sheets
• 1 medium onion
• 2x can plum tomatoes
• 2 medium carrots
• salt & pepper & dry parsley & cayenne pepper
• 175g dry red lentils
• 500 ml water + 1 stock cube
• 2 1/2 cups of soy milk
• 100 gr grated dairy free cheese (e.g. violife)
• 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons of plain flour

You'll need a food processor

Method 

Use the food processor with the chopping blade. Chop the carrots, and onion. Then add 1 can of tomatoes and blend. Transfer this into a medium sized saucepan and add the second can of tomatoes (either buy the tomatoes chopped already or roughly chop the plum tomatoes into big chunks).
Instead of 2 cans of tomatoes you can choose to buy Bolognese tomato sauce in a jar (700gr)

Add the lentils, the stock cube (usually I find the best to be Knorr Veg Stock Pot), the water (you can use the empty tomato can as a measuring cup), generous dash of salt, pepper, parsley and cayenne pepper.

Let this cook for around 20 minutes, some of the liquid should evaporate but not all as the liquid will be necessary for the lasagna sheets to cook.

Next: get an oven proof dish and layer first the lentil sauce, then 1 layer of pasta, then again lentil sauce and a pasta layer (repeat another set of layers if you still have sauce). Finish with a layer of pasta [in the picture below it's not the case so the tomato and the cheese blended]

Now for the bechamel: Heat the soy milk with the flour and nutritional yeast. Keep stirring ALL the time. Season with salt and pepper. When it is boiling add the cheese and keep stirring until the cheese is melted (at this point it will be a thick sauce so act quickly).

Pour this over the lasagna top layer of pasta and sprinkle with parsley.

Cook in the oven at 180-200 oC for around 30-40 minutes, when the pasta should be cooked.

Citrus Infused water

My orange, lemon and ginger infused water:

Infused waters are a great way to make you drink more water. Drinking more water is known to help reduce headaches, help kidneys to function properly, aid in weight loss and detox your body. By adding these fruits you are boosting the water with vitamins. The most common flavors are cucumber, mint, ginger, orange, lime, lemon...

I used to drink a lot of fizzy water, and now i drink around 2 liters of this orange, lemon and ginger water. Plus my usual juice in the morning and several teas throughout the day. 

Japan, please stop the killing ! (Japanese subtitles)

Last night, again, an entire family of 40 dolphins, big and small, were slaughtered in Taiji.

Friday, 13th February, is World Love for Dolphins day, please join Sea Shepherd

Meatless mondays

1. Watermelon and ginger Juice for breakfast
2. Avocado and carrot pasta for Lunch
3. Stir Fry vegetables with teriyaki and sweet chili sauce

The dark side of Fishing

Found at http://inhabitat.com/35-facts-that-will-make-you-never-want-to-eat-fish-again/

Recipe #96 Watermelon Juice (100 calories)

• 1 cup of watermelon (pref. without seeds)

• 1 kiwi

• 6 frozen strawberries

• small slice of Ginger (add more to taste)

Peel the kiwi and place everything in a blender with around 3/4 cup of water, and blend.
Fresh, nutritious and low on calories (only 100 calories) 

The Benefits of Ginger

• Maintains Normal Blood Circulation. 
• Remedies Motion Sickness.
• Improves absorption. 
• Cold and Flu Prevention. 
• Combats Stomach Discomfort.
• Colon Cancer Prevention
• Reduce Pain and Inflammation.
• Fights Common Respiratory Problems. 
• Ovarian Cancer Treatment. 
• Strengthens Immunity. 
• Combats Morning Sickness. 

Being vegan is expensive #1

1. Starter

Carrot cream soup

• 4 potatoes (1 kg costs 0,99 €)
• 3 carrots (1 kg costs 0,89€)
• 1 onion (1 kg costs 0,69€)
• 2 cups of baby spinach leaves (organic 200gr at 2,80€)
• salt
• Water
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil (0,75 lt at 3,99€)

Total ingredients cost: 2,15 €

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2. Main Course

Lentil Bolognese

• 2 carrots (1 kg costs 0,89€)
• 125gr dry red lentils (500gr costs 1,19€)
• 1 onion (1 kg costs 0,69€)
• 1 Vegetable Stock (Knorr 8x at 1,99€)
• 1 can of plum tomatoes (Lidl at 0,39€)
• Fine salt
• pepper
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil (0,75 lt at 3,99€)
• 450 gr pasta Penne (Tesco at 0,49€)
• water

Total ingredients cost: 1,90 euros

===========================================

3. Dessert

Chocolate brownie

• 2 cups of flour (2kg at 1,29€)
• 2 cups of brown sugar (500gr at 1,49€)
• 1 cup of sunflower oil (1lt at 1,59€)
• 3/4 of cocoa powder (250gr at 3,39€)
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• water
• 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (25ml at 3,19€)

Total ingredients cost: 3,40 euros

===========================================

Complete 3 course dinner for 4 people

=Estimate Total Dinner cost 7,45 euros=

Recipe #95 Potato and white cabbage

Ingredients

- 4 medium potatoes

- 3 carrots

- 1/2 head of white cabbage

- 1 courgette 

- 2 small onions

- 1/4 cup of olive oil

- 3 teaspoons of sea salt

Prepare all the vegetables: peel and chops the potatoes, carrots, courgette, onions and take the stem out of the cabbage and shred it roughly with a knife.

Add the salt and olive oil. Pour 1 litre and 250 ml -500ml water over everything (just enough to cover all the vegetables)

Method to cook:
1. Regular saucepan: Cook for 25-35 minutes. Pure everything till it's smooth.

or

2. To prepare this in a Thermomix Food processor: set time to 35minutes, Speed 1 at 100oC. At the end: Pure at speed 4 or 5 for 50 seconds. 

Recipe #94 Ginger and Strawberry juice

Great alternative for a breakfast

- Small piece of ginger

- 2 peeled kiwis

- 6 frozen strawberries

- juice of 2 oranges

- 1/2 cup of water

Just blend everything together. It's very good 😍

Recipe #93 Green Cabbage Soup and cauliflower

Ingredients

• 1 big potato
• 400 gr diced butternut squash
• 250 gr -350 gr steamed green cabbaged shreds
• 2 medium onions
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small courgette
• 1/4 of a cauliflower head
• 1,200 lt water
• 3 teaspoons of sea salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Shredded the cabbage and steamed it for 35 minutes the night before; alternatively you can cook it for 20min in boiling salt water.

Cut the vegetables into chunks: courgette, onions, butternut squash, cauliflower.

Place everything in a saucepan with one garlic clove, olive oil and salt. Pour between 1-1,5 litres of water to get all the vegetables covered.
Method to cook:
1. Regular saucepan: Cook for 25-35 minutes. Pure around 75% so you still have some chunks floating in the liquid.
2. To make this in the Thermomix Food processor: set time to 35minutes, Speed 1 at 100oC. At the end: Pure at speed 4 or 5 for 50 seconds.

Recipe #92 Breakfast Mango Juices

• 1 can of mango slices
• 2 kiwis (peeled)
• Juice of 3 oranges
• 4 frozen strawberries 
• 2 cups of water

Blend everything together.

Makes around 600ml of juice.

• 1 can of mango slices
• 2 kiwis (peeled)
• Juice of 4 oranges
• 1 cup of water
• small piece of ginger
• juice of 1 lemon

Blend everything together.

Makes around 600ml of juice.

Recipe #91 Vegan Nutella Spread

Ingredients

• 1 cup of hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil (optional)
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla 
• 5-7 tablespoons of Hazelnut milk (or soy or almond milk)

Roast the hazelnuts in the oven at 250oC for 15-20 minutes. 

Take them out and rub them in a towel to take most of the skin off.

Place them in a food processor and pure the hazelnuts. Add the remaining ingredients and blend till its smooth. 

If using coconut oil transfer as soon as possible to your jar or plastic box and let it harden in the container.

Veganuary wrap up

After 34 days vegan I can definitely see health benefits from a vegan diet (and life style)

• lost almost 2 kg with no effort (a little over 3 pounds); i still eat chocolate and desserts when i feel like it but of course most of the desserts at restaurants have dairy. I like Alpro chocolate desserts and snack on a lot of almonds and unsalted cashews both for the taste and the protein.
• my skin is brighter - I feel so clean inside out
• my nails are stronger !
• I sleep better
• I've replaced my breakfast toast or croissant for a breakfast smoothie (this was the biggest change in my eating habits). I make a smoothie to go usually with fresh fruit and vegetables and either tea, water or soy milk and add some superfruits like chia seeds. They keep me fed for the morning and are quick and easy to prepare at home, nothing processed and especially no animal products !
• Weaning yourself off cheese is a habit ! Cheese is addictive... and you can live without it. To be honest the first 10-15 days were bad because you are used to grab for cheese. But now I've found that Vegan cheeses are booming at the supermarket which is a great sign. I prepare all of the dishes i used to make but use vegan cheese.
• Right now we are in the process of transitioning all our home cleaning products and my make up for vegan products. Also, not that difficult once you know where to get them. I've found vegan body moisturizer, shower gel, deodorant, toilet cleaner, fabric softener ... !

I know my diet has much more variety then it used to have, for e.g. 1 year ago. I am addicted to greens and need to have some everyday. I am not taking any food supplements and i am curious to make some blood tests in some weeks to check out my cholesterol.

Bye bye Veganuary, Hello Vegan Life. 

Recipe #90 Green Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients (one breakfast drink)

• 1 kiwi

• 1/2 banana

• 1 cup spinach

• 2 slices canned pineapple // or you can substitute this for 1/3 of a peeled cucumber

• 3 peppermint leaves

• 1 - 1+1/2 cups soy milk

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Blend everything together. If you like your smoothie cold, add 1-2 cubes of ice. Around 285 calories per portion.

Standing up for all Mothers

The new "me"