Vegan Quinoa Falafels with Avocado Dipping Sauce

The Vegan's wife is giving her man food! lol
These are yum yum and something different to your everyday falafel balls. Serve them in pita bread with tablouli, tomato and tahini or just eat them on there own .. Good either way!


Ingredients for Falafels

• 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 Tbs of ground coriander
• 4 Tbs of fresh parsley chopped finely
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp Cardamom
• salt and pepper
• 3 Tbs plain flour
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

Ingredients for Dressing

• 1 Avocado
• 1/4 cup Tahini
• 1 tbs lime juice
• 2 Tbs coriander
• 2 tbs crushed garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• Salt and pepper

Method

For the dressing blend all the ingredients together in a blender until smooth - set aside.

Blend chickpeas, garlic, onion and spices in a blender until smooth - add to a large mixing bowl. Add the quinoa and combine well. Season.

Form into walnut sized balls and flatten slightly.

Deep Fry in batches for around 3 minutes each. Serve with the dressing ... 

Vegan Bobotie

This is a traditional South African dish that I have heavily altered to make into a Vegan version.  Traditional Bobotie is meant to have raisins and fruit through it. My Vegan man hates raisins and doesn't really like fruit put into main dishes - so I omitted those ingredients. Feel free to add sliced apple, apricots and raisins in this dish if you prefer.


Vegan Bobotie ( bar -boo - tee) 

Ingredients

• 1 Large red onion diced
• 1 Green capsicum diced
• 2 tsp ginger minced
• 2 tsp garlic minced
• 1 tsp ground tumeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cardamon
• 1 tsp ground sage
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbs Balti paste (medium)
• 2 cups of red lentils
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 6 slices of white bread, cut into cubes
• 2  cups of soy milk
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 1 packet of soft tofu
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 6 Bayleaves
• Salt / Pepper

Method

1. Soak soy milk and bread together while cooking the lentils.
2. Put a Medium sized pot on medium heat and add a bit of olive oil - when hot add onion, garlic, ginger, capsicum and some seasoning. Sweat until soft.
3. Add the lentils and all the spices except the nutmeg,  tumeric and mustard.
4. Give a good stir and then add half a cup of stock and cook the lentils how you would risotto. Adding half a cup of stock to the lentils once the lentils have soaked up the liquid. Cook until the lentils are al-dente 
5. Add the bread mixture and almonds - stir through. Season
6. Pour your lentil mixture into a baking dish. Put the oven on 180 C
7. Meanwhile, while your oven is heating - in a blender, add  nutmeg, tumeric, mustard, tofu, soy sauce and 2 tbs soy milk. Blend until smooth.
8. Spread on top of your lentil mix - spread out the bay leaves on top.
9. Bake for around 30 minutes.

Vegan Beetroot Curry

This is one of my Vegan man's favourites. When he knows I am making it, he gets all excited like a little kid.

You can make it as spicy or as non spicy as you like, I like to make mine with quite a punch. I usually serve it with steamed rice or dhal.


Vegan Beetroot Curry 

Ingredients

500 grams of raw beetroots
2 tbs of olive oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 large brown onion chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 cinnamon stick
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
1 lime juiced
2 garlic cloves minced
3 green chillies chopped
2 red chillies chopped
150 ml of coconut milk

Method

Peel beetroot and cut into match sticks

Heat oil in a large saucepan - when hot, add the mustard seeds until they pop, then add the tomato, garlic, onion and chillies.

Once sweated, add the beetroot, tomatoes, seasoning, one cup of water.

Simmer for around 35 - 40 minutes, or until beetroot is soft.

Add the coconut milk, simmer until thick - add seasoning.

Serve with steamed rice, pilaf rice or Dhal.