Thai Vegan Pho with a Spicy Lemongrass Broth

I am cooking more and more vegan meals, not only are they healthy but they taste damn good too. Husband has a full belly and is pleased and I am happy that my vegan man is happy ..

Ingredients for broth

Grab 2 or 3 red chillies depending on your personal heat preference, seed them, de-vain and chop coarsely.
1 Brown onion, chopped coarsely
Little bit of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped coarsely
3 stalks of lemongrass, chopped coarsely
Juice of one lime
1 Kaffir lime leaf
1 vegetable stock cube
9 cups of water
seasoning

Grab a big pot and add all ingredients, bring to the boil for around 30 minutes, then turn down to a low simmer and simmer for around an hour and a half to two hours. Keep an eye on your broth to make sure it doesn't reduce too much.

Once that is done, grab another pot either the same size or bigger and strain the broth into it. Put back onto a low simmer.

This is where the Vegetables come in .. 

A handful of each shall do ..

Broccoli
Chopped cabbage
Washed Bok choy
Shittake mushrooms
1 Zucchini sliced thinly
Packet of thin noodles of your choice

You can add more vegetables of your choice also if you wish.

Don't forget the Garnish ..

Chopped Basil
Chopped Corriander
1 Spring onion, thinly sliced
Bean shoots.


The Ending ...

Add your veg and noodles to the simmering broth and continue to simmer just until the broccoli has softened but not overcooked ..

Grab a nice big bowl, add some broth first, then the noodles and veg and lastly - garnish =)

Vegan Chocolate Ravioli

I could not find a recipe for this anywhere - not a vegan one anyway ... So I made up my own and I must say it tasted fricken good!
Chocolate and raspberry = for the win lol
I made this in a class room and lots of people asked for the recipe, since I made it up I thought I ought to write it down for others who would like to make it..

First you need to start off making your own pasta dough ..

Chocolate vegan pasta dough

2 cups of plain flour
1 cup of soda water
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch of salt

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache

2 cups of dark chocolate buttons
1/2 cup So Good Soy milk
2 Tbls Nuttelex (dairy free margarine)
1 cup of crushed raspberries

Raspberry Sauce

1 pint of fresh raspberries (you can use frozen)
2 Tbls of cornflour
1 cup of cold water
1/4 cup of sugar
2 Tbls of orange juice


Method

In a large bowl add the plain flour, cocoa and salt.
Make a well in the middle and add the soda water.
Work into a nice dough - cover in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for only 10 minutes.

Once your dough is ready - cut into 4's and put through the pasta machine. I go until number 5 - nice long and thin.

Meanwhile in a double boiler, melt the chocolate and once that is melted take off the heat and stir through the nuttelex and soy milk and raspberries until you have a nice glossy ganache. (set aside)

In a medium pot combine raspberries, sugar and orange juice. Whisk in cornflour slurry and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool and once completely cool, puree in blender.

Lay your chocolate lasagne sheet flat and add a tablespoon of ganache every couple of centermetres .. Lay another chocolate sheet on top and with a small round jar cut around your ravioli.

Put your ravioli into a large salted pot of boiling water and when it floats to the top (couple of minutes), take out and pat dry.

Ensemble together ..

Vegan Chocolate Cake with a Salted Peanut Butter Cream Filling and Chocolate, Peanut Butter Ganache.

My husband (the vegan) loves this cake I make for him - anyone else who eats it loves it too and it gets demolished in less than a day!
It is rich, so I can't eat a lot of it - but it certainly hits the spot if you are craving some chocolate.
I made this for my husbands 40th last year and got a lot of positive feed back and even a few orders.

With the ingredients - instead of doubling the quantity, I usually just get two large bowls out and make both cakes at the same time. (Yes, you need two cakes for this recipe)


Ingredients for cake

• 1 1/2 cups of plain flour (sifted)
• 1/4 cup sifted cocoa
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup of soy milk
• 1/4 tsp white vinegar
• 1/2 cup of good quality dark chocolate (melted) I use Lindt Excellence 70% cocoa.
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla paste.

Ingredients for Salted Peanut Butter Cream Filling

• 1/3 cup of smooth salted peanut butter
• 2 Tbls of Nuttelex Margarine
• 1 cup of sifted icing sugar
• 2 tsp of soy milk

Ingredients for chocolate Peanut butter ganache

• 1/3 cup of good quality dark chocolate 
• 1 tbls Nuttelex Margarine
• 2 tbls of Maple Syrup
• 3 tbls of smooth salted peanut butter
• 3 tbs of Soy milk
• 2 tbls of sifted icing sugar

Method for cake (make two seperate batters)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C 
2. Grease and flour two round cake tins 
3. In a small bowl combine the vinegar and milk and just let it sit for a while
4. In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk well
5. In two batches add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk well. 
6. Put each of the batters into the cake tins 
7. Bake for 35 minutes
8. Take out of oven and place on wire racks and let cake cool completely

Method for Filling

In a medium bowl using your electric mixer - combine the peanut butter and Margarine and beat until nice and glossy. Add the sifted icing sugar and continue to beat, add the milk. Beat until smooth and not grainy. 

Method for Ganache

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, whisk until smooth. Take off heat and let cool .. 

Time to Assemble 

Place bottom layer of cake on a spinning cake stand. Spread the Peanut Butter filling onto the first cake - try to make it even. Then lay the second cake on top of the spread and squish it down but don't break the cake.

With a Flat headed knife - spread your ganache on top of the cake, then fill in the sides of the cake with the ganache. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to let the ganache set.

Top with crushed peanuts and grated chocolate.

Pita Bread

Love me some pita bread freshly done - yum yum .. This is easy and tastes delicious. Whenever I make these, they go in 5 minutes - I am lucky if I am left one!!!!


Ingredients
1 cup of warm water
1 pk dry yeast
2 1/2 cups of plain flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp veg oil
1 tsp dry mixed herbs

Method

• Add your dry yeast to the warm water and let stand for about 5 minutes, or until it's 'frothy'
• In a large mixer, add the flour, salt, oil, herbs. Mix. Then add your yeast mixture and knead into a dough. 
• Place dough in an oiled bowl and place some cling wrap directly onto the dough - leave in a warm place for around an hour and let rise.
• Roll out into flat mounds and add a bit of butter to a hot pan - pan fry your bread.
• When it starts to bubble a little, flip over and repeat.

Mocha cupcakes with chocolate buttercream and mocha sauce

I needed something sweet - so I combined 2 of my favourite things .. Chocolate and Coffee ..
Once these were made and ready, they didn't last the hour! At least I got one in before I had to leave for work!

Ingredients .. (Cupcakes) 

• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup of butter - melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla paste
• 3 tbl instant coffee
• 1/2 cup strong hot coffee

Mocha Sauce

• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/3 cup good quality dark chocolate
• 4 tbs heavy thick cream
• 6 tbs icing sugar
• 2 tbs water .. 
• 2 tsp instant coffee

Chocolate Buttercream

• 1 cup of butter at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 2/3 cup of melted and cooled milk chocolate

Method ..

Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, salt.

In a seperate bowl, combine eggs, vanilla and butter.

Add to dry ingredients and beat on medium for a couple of minutes

Add instant coffee and the made up 1/2 cup coffee

Pour batter into cupcake cases in a muffin tin.

Bake at 180 for 18 minutes

Cool completely on wire racks 

Meanwhile make the buttercream.

Whip the butter on medium for around 5 minutes

Reduce the speed to low and add the icing sugar

Back to medium speed, add the chocolate and coffee and vanilla - beat for about 2 minutes.

decorate your cupcakes with the buttercream and store in the freezer for around 10 minutes.

Meanwhile make the mocha sauce.

Heat cream in a medium pot, do not boil.
Once warmed, take off heat and stir through your chocolate, coffee, cocoa and icing sugar .. stir until it has a pouring consistancy. =) 

Pasta Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara

Here's the question .. Cream or no Cream? 

Traditionally carbonara requires NO cream, however, I think it tastes better with cream - so I do add it.

It's totally up to the individual whether they want to add it or not, so if you aren't for cream just omit it from the recipe. 

Ingredients

1 pack of spaghetti (follow instructions on packet) 

50g butter

2 Tbs of Olive oil

2 garlic cloves - crushed

150g bacon or panchetta, cut into small chunks

1/4 cup good white wine

5 eggs

150g Parmesan cheese or Pecorino, grated.

150ml thickened cream

Small bunch of fresh parsley chopped finely

salt/pepper

Method

Cook the spaghetti according to instructions (pot of salted water and oil) 

In a large pan, melt the butter and cook the bacon or panchetta and garlic until crispy (drain on paper towel) 

Add the wine to the same pan and let it evaporate a bit. Put aside.

Lightly beat the eggs with the cream, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside

When the pasta is ready - drain - then add the cream mixture, mix through. Put into the pan with the wine and add the bacon - stir through until warm. 

Serve

Aussie Style - Pumpkin Pie

It's nearing that time of year again .. Christmas ...
Every year my eldest son asks me to make him a pumpkin pie, so of course I do, then once it's on the table, it's by pure luck anyone but my eldest  gets a slice!

I know pumpkin pie isn't traditional down here in Aus - but neither is Halloween, and we love Halloween! We can 'borrow' the American's pumpkin pie and they can 'borrow' the good old Aussie Lamington! =)

I always make my own pastry unless it's puff (that's just easier to buy) so in this recipe, I make a cinnamon sweet shortcrust. Have a go at making your own, I think it's well worth the effort and the end result tastes better!

If you aren't confident in making your own pastry just grab some store bought shortcrust pastry.

PASTRY

• 3 cups of plain flour
• 190g unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 tbls cinnamon
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbls chilled water

METHOD

In a food processor, process the flour, cinnamon, butter and sugar until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolks and the water and process until a dough.

Take out the dough on knead on a lightly floured surface.

Roll into a ball, wrap in cling wrap and put in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

Take out your dough from the fridge and put between two sheets of baking paper and with a rolling pin roll out until even and smooth. 

Grab a flan tin and grease and line with baking paper - gently put your pastry in until it fits snug in the flan tin. 

Put some baking paper on top, and fill with baking weights. Bake for 15 minutes at 180C  - once done, take out, take away the weights and baking paper and further bake for another 5 minutes. 

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PUMPKIN PIE INGREDIENTS

2 cups of chopped roasted pumpkin pureed in the food processor.
1 1/2 cups thickened cream

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup caster sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs plus the yolk from a third egg

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp cardamom 

1/2 tsp of lemon juice

METHOD

Pre-heat your oven to 220C

Mix sugars, salt, spices  - whisk the eggs and add

Stir in the pumpkin puree

Stir in the cream and the lemon juice

Whisk together until well combined.

Pour into your prepared pastry shell

Bake at 220C for 20 minutes

Turn the oven down to 180C and bake for a further 40 minutes. 

Stick a skewer in the middle of the pie and if it comes out clean, then it's ready.

Serve with some whipped cream.