VEGAN CHILI

Its definitely fall time in Victoria now

Everything looks beautiful. I love all the colors of fall time! It was actually the first cold day out here so I thought I'd make my first chili of the season. It was a good call because my house smells amazing now. I had half a loaf of portofino roasted garlic and cracked pepper bread too! Its made by a local bakery here and it is THE BEST. (I attached their website on local bakery) I wish I could share it with the world because its sooo good. Here's my recipe:) I hope this warms you up in the coolldd season wherever you are. Cheers! 

Recipe

makes 4-6 servings

1 white onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons chili spice

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Half a red pepper, diced

1 1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans, drained, rinsed

1 can chick peas, drained, rinsed

1 can bean medley, drained, rinsed

1 can tomato paste

4 drops liquid smoke

7 tablespoons chili spice

1 1/2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 handful of fresh thyme

4 basil leaves, diced

Steps

Saute your onion, garlic, chili spice, salt and pepper in a frying pan for 5 minutes. 

 I add some chili spice on mine for extra flavour!

In a large pot on medium heat, combine your vegetable broth, all your vegetables and beans, spices (except chili powder), liquid smoke and tomato paste. Stir together well. Cook for 5 minutes. Add your chili powder and stir well again. Bring to a low boil and reduce to low-med heat with a lid slightly opened. Cook for 1 hour. 

Sprinkle nutritional yeast on top and you're done. Easy right?

CARROT CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

CARROT CAKE

WITH STRAWBERRY

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Hello again! Vegan Mofo day 15 and I thought I'd post my carrot cake. I loved carrot cake as a kid and this recipe is just like the non vegan kind I used to have. I did originally just get regular white frosting mix to put on the first cake that you'll see but then I decided to get creative and make my own icing recipe! This recipe is good for making double layered carrot cakes or just two if you have tons of mouths to feed! I tried it both ways because I was decorating my cakes for fun. This is also the most sugar I have used in any of my recipes. If you don't like using alot of sugar in your recipes like me substitute 1/4 cup of your sugar for 2 tablespoons of agave syrup. Its more natural and healthy for you than regular sugar. Its also raw! I hope you like this healthy recipe:) See you mofos later.

CAKE RECIPE

2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons flax seed, ground

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup organic white sugar (there's a link to the sugar I use)

1/4 cup of earth balance buttery spread, melted (theres a link to the butter)

1/4 cup of almond milk(theres a link to the milk)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups carrot, shredded

1 cup walnuts, chopped

FROSTING RECIPE

1/2 container of daiya strawberry cream cheese

1 cup of powdered sugar (wholesome sweeteners of course)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 cup earth balance buttery spread

*add cornstarch if your mixture is too runny

STEPS

Preheat your oven to 350. Grease two 8x8 pans with vegan margarine. Shred two cups of carrots. In a small bowl sift together all your dry ingredients (flour to salt). In a larger bowl whisk together your flax seed and warm water. Whisk until its completely mixed in. Add your sugar and oil and beat together well. Next add your shredded carrots and vanilla. Once everything is stirred together you can slowly start to add your dry ingredients. Stir it occasionally while adding. Whisk together until mixture turns into a batter. The consistency should be thin enough so you can pour it off into your pans so if its not runny enough add some more milk! Stir in your walnuts and pour the batter into two equal parts in your prepared pans. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Now while thats baking you have time to make your frosting. Combine the cream cheese and melted butter with a fork. Stir together well then add the cinnamon, vanilla and almond milk. Beat together until completely mixed together then begin to add your sugar slowly while mixing. Stir together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. You'll be able to tell when its ready haha. Pop it in the fridge until your cake is ready. Once your cake is ready take its out and test it with a toothpick. Make sure it comes off clean. Let it cool for ten minutes then have fun decorating!

I decorated my cakes with cut almonds, walnuts, strawberries and shredded carrot. Coconut or raisins would be amazing too. Get creative and make them look pretty thats the best part:)

  

CURRY POCKETS

These curry pockets are just a fun, healthy spin on a simple pizza dough recipe. 

Its a little bit time consuming but sooo worth it because they are amazing! I'm fijian so I grew up eating the spiciest curry from a really young age so if my recipes are too spicy for you just change it up a bit! Either way they will be delicious and good for you. They are great to bake a bunch and store in the fridge for lunches or even to freeze for another dinner! The recipe would work with a gluten free pizza dough recipe as well! I just add different spices and flours to the dough to make it less like pizza and more like samosa dough. So here we are......

CURRY POCKETS

Makes 9

Dough recipe:

1 cup warm water

1 packet of instant yeast

pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups organic white or whole wheat flour (I used whole wheat this time)

1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour

1 1/2 teaspoon curry 

1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon of marjoram

handful of fresh thyme

Filling recipe: 

4 small yellow potatoes, boiled, mashed

half of a yellow pepper, diced

3 mushrooms, diced

4 gloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup purple onion, diced

1 can of chickpeas

4 tablespoons coconut cream/milk

1/2-1 tablespoon earth balance butter

2 teaspoons curry

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons cumin

pinch of salt and pepper

STEPS

Preheat your oven to 350C. Prepare 1 cup warm water ( not too warm or you will kill the yeast ). Add a pinch of salt. Sprinkle yeast packet over top and let stand for 10 minutes. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add less spices if you want. Prepare a pot with water for the potatoes on your stove. Place a lid over it, set to med-high heat and wait for it to boil. Cut all your veggies for your filling. Add your potatoes to the pot once it has boiled. Boil for 10 mintues or until potatoes are soft. Drain the water then mash your potatoes. *You don't have to add the same veggies I'm sure it would be good with other things! By this time your yeast is probably ready and you can add it to your dry ingredients. Create a well in the middle and pour the yeast and water in. Mix them together well until a dough begins to form. Knead for 5-10 minutes. *The longer you knead it the less chance of air bubbles in your dough. Lightly flour your area to roll your dough out. Roll your dough out into a square, roughly 12" - 14" inches wide and 1/4" inch thick. Cut into 3 even rectangles. Then cut those into 3 even squares. Take one square and roll it out a little bit thinner. Mix all your cut up veggies in with your mashed potatoes and add spices according to your taste. *saute the garlic and onion for extra flavour Make sure they are stirred together good. Take about an ice cream scoop full of your filling and put it in the middle of your dough.

 

    

Roll the dough from in half and press the sides with forks. Make sure the dough it is stuck together really well so its doesn't open while you bake them. Repeat this until all of them are ready. Oil a baking pan and place curry pockets on top. Brush the tops with oil and bake for 15-20 mins!