Strawberries and "Sour Cream"

Strawberries mixed with sour cream and sugar is a dessert my dad used to make when I was growing up. I always assumed it was a Ukrainian dish, but I think that it is just a dad specialty. I loved it because my dad was always so excited to make and eat it. And it tasted yum, too!

I decided to use some leftover cashew sour cream I had made for nachos on New Year's Eve to make a vegan version. 

The nostalgia probably made me enjoy this even more, but I really liked it in its own right. I mean, anything sweet and creamy combined with strawberries, how can it not taste nice? It was lovely and refreshing during Sydney's hot weather. 

It tasted quite different to my childhood memories of the dish, but in a good way. The sour cream tasted a lot like sweet ricotta. I'd like to try this sweetened sour cream for other desserts too.

Nostalgia aside, I recommend this for a simple and healthy dessert!

Strawberries and "Sour Cream"

1 punnet of strawberries, sliced
Approx half recipe of cashew sour cream
2 tbsp castor sugar, or to taste 

Make the cashew sour cream and refrigerate for at least half an hour, or use leftover sour cream.

Gently mix all ingredients together and eat!

Top 10 Posts for 2012

I am enjoying reading all the new year blog posts featuring top posts for the year, so I thought I'd do the same for our humble little blog.

I don't really do new year resolutions - with a new baby and a toddler in the house, my goal is just to enjoy my children and cook some nice food! But I will say that Susi and I have had a lot of fun writing this blog over the past year and hope to continue to do so in 2013.

For me, it has been quite a thrill to have other bloggers that I really admire and have followed for years (their blogs, not them!) make comments on our posts. It has also been great to 'meet' other bloggers and readers via their comments and discover new blogs. 

Here are the ten most popular posts for 2012. Thanks everyone for reading!

10. Vegan Bounty Balls 

 

 

9. Sylvia Says #7: Vegan Borscht and Popcorn Tofu 

 

8. Sylvia Says #6: Vegan Sweet and Sour "Chicken" 

 

7. Vegan Shepherd's Pie 

 

6. Sylvia Says #2: Vegan Sausage Rolls 

 

 

5. Hungarian Chocolate Chestnut Cake - no bake! 

 

4. Almond-jam muffins using leftover almond pulp 

 

3. Golden Syrup Dumplings 

 

 

2. Vegan Goodies

 

1. Addictive Vegan Chocolate "Cheesecake"

Savoury muffins

A while ago, Sylvia and I made rice paper rolls after seeing them made on Play School and they were a great success. Recently, Sylvia decided that she wanted to make savoury muffins after seeing them on the show.  

Sylvia is quite picky about the foods she will try at the moment, so I seized the opportunity to make something she was enthusiastic about. New baby Lexie (he's four weeks now, explaining the lack of posts lately!) was put into his hug a bub wrap and we made all them together. 

Sylvia was very specific about what she wanted in the muffins - zucchini, corn and carrot. She loved making and eating these. I enjoyed them too, although I am so accustomed to sweet muffins that the first bite was a little confusing for my taste buds. I got over it, though.

These muffins are tasty and moist. The basil and parsley make them taste really fresh and the corn adds some nice sweetness. They would be great for school lunches and snacks on the go.

Savoury muffins (based on this recipe) 

1/2 tsp salt
1 cup wholemeal flour
7/8 cup plain flour 
1/4 cup nutritional/savoury yeast
2 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp baking soda 
200ml soy milk 
2 tsp apple cider vinegar 
100ml sunflower oil 
1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
corn from 1 cob of corn 
handful of basil and parsley leaves, chopped 
2 tbsp water, or as needed

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the wet ingredient in a small bowl. 

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until partly combined. Add the water if it's too dry.

Add the zucchini, carrot, corn, parsley and basil and fold through until just combined.

Spoon into greased muffin tray and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. 

Makes 12 muffins.

Vegan Bounty Balls

I was a big fan of Bounty chocolate bars as a child, so as soon as I saw this recipe on Veggieful I knew I had to make them.

The coconut filling is so similar to the original in flavour and texture. These are really, really yummy! They are simple to make and would make great gifts for Christmas.

Make them now!

Best salad ever: Kale salad with sunflower seed dressing

The cliche is that vegans live on salads. Although I like most salads, I don't make them very often. When I do, I usually use brown rice or quinoa to make a more substantial and interesting salad.

However, in the last few months of this pregnancy I have craved the freshness of salads. I created this one completely guided by my cravings. I have made it a few times a week for the last month or two and I am still not sick of it! 

The salad contains kale. I have made kale chips, which I enjoy, but I much prefer the taste of raw kale. I have come across a few types of kale - curly, flat and purple. They all work in this salad. The sunflower dressing is very creamy, almost like mayonnaise, and the apples and sultanas add a bit of sweetness. It is not fancy or pretty, but it is delicious!

Kale salad with sunflower seed dressing (serves 2, or 1 pregnant woman)

2 ribs of celery, chopped

1 granny smith apple, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 cups of kale leaves, ripped up

1/4 cup sultanas

Dressing (based on sunflower thyme marinade from Ani's Raw Food Kitchen)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

dash of water to thin it out (but it should be fairly thick, not runny)

Put the celery, carrot, apple, kale and sultanas in a bowl.

Blend all dressing ingredients together until smooth and desired consistency.

Add the dressing to the bowl and coat all ingredients well. I usually do this with my hands, it works best!

Hungarian Chocolate Chestnut Cake - no bake!

As I mentioned in a previous post, this is a cake that my mum veganised from my great grandmother's recipe.

This delicious combination of chocolate and chestnut is indulgent and rich - a family favourite for a very good reason! It is often that final piece of food that sends us into a food coma at family gatherings and parties...

It consists of two layers sandwiched with jam and coated in chocolate. No baking required, just freezing overnight.

Here is the recipe, courtesy of my very talented mum. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Hungarian Chocolate Chestnut Cake

1 15 Oz/450 gm tin of unsweetened chestnut puree (French the best)

7-9 vegan biscuits crushed, such as Arnott's 'Nice' biscuits or vegan arrowroot biscuits

120 gm caster sugar + a few more tbsp for the topping

120 gm Nuttelex or another unsalted/low salt vegan margarine

120 gm vegan dark cooking chocolate + about 80 gm for the topping

1-2 tbsp of rum (or brandy)

1 tbsp vanilla extract

5 tbsp apricot, strawberry or cherry jam

Melt/soften the margarine and blend with the chestnuts, biscuits and sugar until it forms a creamy paste like consistency.

Halve the mixture into 2 bowls.

In one bowl, add melted chocolate together with a dash of coffee if available.

In the other, add vanilla and rum and mix well.

Line a sandwich tin with greased baking paper, leaving enough to cover the cake on top.

Spread the vanilla half into the tin.

Spread the jam gently over the mixture. You may need to warm the jam for easy spreading. 

Then spread the chocolate half of the mixture evenly on top.

Fold the paper over the top and push gently down.

Freeze the cake overnight or until needed. Before serving, take out the cake, tip upside down onto a plate and remove the paper. 

Cover with a thick sauce made with the 80 gm chocolate, and about 4 -6 tbsp caster sugar, and a splash of water or coffee. The topping needs to be smooth and very hot (remove when it starts to bubble). 

Cool slightly and pour over the frozen cake. Allow to defrost further, but keep cool and serve with vegan cream or ice cream.

Mountain High Pies

Mountain High Pies

293 Great Western Highway Wentworth Falls

Blue Mountains

Phone (02) 4757 3737.

I was nearing a large pie shop that I regularly go past on my way to work, on the Great Western Highway in Wentworth Falls (a couple of towns before Katoomba), for some reason I decided to go in. To my suprise, they had a great range of vegan pies - they even had vegan cake! One of the chefs is vegan and she is passionate about creating them.

If you come up to the mountains for the weekend, it's worth a drop in. Also, remember Rubyfruit (vegan bakery in Leura with to die for cakes) and Papadinos Pizza in Katoomba.