Monday, October 22, 2012

Vegan protein sources

How much protein do you need per day?

This is a commonly asked question and there is a simple answer. A normal healthy human needs 1gm protein per 1kg of body weight. This is easily obtainable on a vegan diet, especially if you are making high quality nutritious food choices. To figure out how many kilograms you weigh if you are used to measuring in pounds, just divide your pounds by 2.2. I hope you have immense fun discovering all the wonderful protein sources the earth has to offer. Avoid dry and oil roasted nuts and seeds and those with added salt and sugar, the raw variety are delicious!

Legumes and Grains

Lentils 1 cup Protein 17g
Chick Pea ( Garbanzo Bean ) 1 cup Protein 16g
Black bean 1 cup Protein 15g
Kidney bean 1 cup 15g
Soybean 1 cup Protein 30g
Soy milk 1 cup Protein 7g
Tofu 1/2 cup Protein 20g
TVP 1/2 cup Protein 16g
Brown rice 1 cup Protein 5g
Couscous 1 cup Protein 6g
Oats cooked 1 cup Protein 5 g
Quinoa cooked 1 cup Protein 5 g
Pasta, wheat cooked 1 cup Protein 8 g
White rice cooked 1 cup Protein 3 g
Whole wheat bread 1 slice Protein 4g
Wild rice cooked 1 cup Protein 4g


Nuts and Seeds (raw)

Almonds 1/2 oz Protein 3g
Cashews 1oz (28g/1/4cup) Protein 2.5g
Peanut butter 1 Tbsp Protein 4g
Pecan 1oz (28gm/1/4 cup) Protein 3g
Macadamia 1/4 cup Protein 2g
Walnut 1oz (28g/1/4cup) Protein 5g
Pine nuts 3 Tbsp Protein 4gm
Flax seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 1.5g
Hemp seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2.5g
Chia seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 3g
Pumpkin seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2g
Sesame seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2 g
Sunflower seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2g
Tahini (sesame seed paste) 1 Tbsp Protein





Vegetables with a high protein content

(Cooked unless otherwise noted)
Asparagus 1/2 cup 10g
Beet greens 1/2 cup 20g
Broccoli 1/2 cup 25 1/2 cup 17g
Corn on the cob 1 ear 48g
Edamame 1/2 cup 65g
Green peas 1/2 cup 61g
Hubbard squash 1/2 cup 51g
Kale 1/2 cup 18g
Mung Bean Sprouts 1/2 cup 11.5
Mushroom Portabella (grilled) 1/2 cup 21g
Spinach 1/2 cup 21gSpirolina 1Tbsp 20g
Sugar snap peas 1/2 cup 33.5g
Chard

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Enticing Entrees




Chickpea Tofu Curry

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1-1.5 Tbsp Mixed Indian curry, mild, medium or strong according to you palate (I used medium Durban Indian curry masala)
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cubed firm tofu
1/4 cup water
salt, pinch
ground black pepper to taste
Fresh chopped basil, parsley and oregano for garnish and sliced cherry tomatoes
fresh organic spinach leaves

Heat oil in a frying pan and add the curry powder, mixing it in well.
Add onion and garlic, stir frying continually as you add each ingredient
Add sun dried tomatoes
Add Chick Peas
Add broccoli and yellow pepper
add 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper
Add tofu cubes and simmer

Serve on a fresh bed of spinach leaves with mango chutney as a sambal and basmati rice.
Garnish with herbs and tomatoes

serves four




Seared Eggplant Tofu Sandwich


Rosemary garlic bread
Red leaf lettuce
Veganaise (I used the grape seed variety)
Eggplant
Onions
Roma tomatoes
Avocado
Red Pepper
Extra firm tofu cut into thin strips
Fresh parsley, basil and oregano
Balsamic vinegar

Lightly sear the onion, eggplant, red pepper and tomatoes in a frying pan with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I cook each item separately and layer them on the bread as they are cooked.
Cut bread into thin slices and spread the veganaise on each side.
Place the lettuce next as a foundation and layer the ingredients: eggplant, tomato, avocado, red pepper, tofu and herbs
This is a killer sandwich and extremely satisfying! Enjoy :)


Vegan Babotie

Babotie is a traditional South African dish with Malaysian influences. It is an extremely flavorful curry dish usually using ground meat, which I have substituted with TVP (textured vegetable protein or Boca ground bits, which is a pre-made soy protein option) This dish is high in protein and high in taste!

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions
180g veggie mince
1 clove garlic
1 slice bread (I use Ezekial sprouted grain bread)
1 cup soy milk (or any other milk substitute)
1 tbsp medium hot curry
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tbs raw sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp mango chutney (medium or hot, depending on your taste)
1 tsp apricot jam
1/2 cup raisins
1 bay leaf
splash of Braggs amino acids or soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp egg replacer
1 tsp dried coriander
1 tsp oregano
1 vacuum tub of silken tofu for topping
shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C)
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat, cook onions and garlic and add curry powder, then add veggie mince and bay leaf.
Place the milk in a shallow dish and soak the bread. Squeeze excess milk from bread and set milk aside. add the bread to the veggie mince mixture
Stir in the raisins, apricot jam, chutney, salt ,pepper, other curry powder ingredients.
Pour mixture into a prepared baking dish and remove bay leaf
Bake in oven for 30 minutes
While babotie bakes, whisk together the tub of silken tofu and 2 tbsp egg replacer and add a teaspoon of medium curry powder, salt and pepper and remainder of milk.
Pour over dish and bake for another 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Garnish with shredded coconut and serve with rice, couscous or quinoa.
Guaranteed to be a hit at dinner parties!
Serves 4-8


Vegan Kebabs

Astoundingly yummy and incredibly quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

"Blissful Bits" (made by Eco Vegan) or another vegan alternative

Mushrooms
Polenta sliced and halved or quartered
Red and orange peppers
Zucchini (baby marrow) sliced

Bake all of the above on a baking sheet or tray in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, turn veggies over and bake for another 10 minutes, with a sprinkle of sea salt, black pepper, and drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup olive oil infused with finely chopped fresh organic herbs such as oregano, basil, rosemary, parsley and garlic chives, and add a drizzle of Braggs aminos (or soy sauce).

Serve on a bed of Couscous

Side salad:
Lettuce, tomatoes, radish sprouts, calamata olives and avocado


Bon appetit!

 

Sweet Potato Cottage Pie:

1 package of ground vegetable protein or one cup of prepared TVP (textured vegetable protein
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1/2 tub of mushrooms
1 corn on the cob (slice kernels off it)
2 carrots, sliced in small circles
2 Roma tomatoes (or any type that is available)
3 cups of fresh spinach
1/2 bunch of spring onions, chopped
handful of basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley
salt, pepper and Braggs Amino sauce to taste (small amount of soy sauce can be substituted)
3 sweet potatoes (boiled and mashed with soy milk and sea salt)
Italian parsley garnish

Stir fry all the above ingredients except the sweet potatoes, starting with sauteing the onions and garlic in a small amount of olive oil, then adding the fresh herbs followed by the mushrooms, corn, carrots, tomatoes and very last the corn and spring onions with a dash of Braggs Aminos for flavor.

 
Place the stir fry in a Pyrex dish and add the mashed sweet potato topping. Place in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes to heat if desired and garnish with parsley.
 
Guaranteed to satisfy anyone fortunate enough to be served this tasty dish!
 
 
 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Sweet Cakes and Delectable Treats

Raw Vegan Chocolate Cake

Oh so yummy but has more of a sticky brownie consistency

2 cups raw walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates
3/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp coconut oil
berries for garnish

In food processor chop walnuts for 20 seconds until they have a sandy consistency. Add dates, coconut oil, agave, vanilla and salt.Process until mixtures forms a ball. Firm into a cake and ice with cashew macadamia nut frosting.
Optional: you may dehydrate the cake for 30 minutes at 118 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the texture slightly firmer.

Cashew Macadamia nut frosting:
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup agave
1 tsp water

Blend together and place in fridge to cool and thicken. Cover chocolate cake with this mind blowingly delicious frosting and decorate with fresh berries.

This "cake" is extremely rich and you will feel satisfied with just a very small wedge. Place in freezer.

Someone once said "Let them eat cake", I say " Eat nutritious cake"

Raw vegan Pecan Pie

Crust:
2 cups raw pecans
1/2 cup dates pitted and soaked
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp vanilla

Filling:
1 1/2 cups dates pitted and soaked
1/2 cup raw pecans
1/3 cup raw honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup water

Topping:
1 cup pecans

For Crust:
Blend pecans in food processor (or blender or vitamix) until fine. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Remove from food processor and pat into pie dish.

Filling:
 Place pecans in food processor and blend until smooth. Add other ingredients and blend until creamy. Pour filling into pie crust.

Topping:
Decoratively place pecans on top of pie and garnish with fresh organic berries.

This pie will knock your guests socks off! It is best if you place in freezer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour and then store in refrigerator.







Papaya Banana Pudding:

1 ripe papaya
1 banana
2 Tbsp agave (or raw honey which is not considered vegan)

Place in blender or vitamix and blend until smooth
Eat immediately or refrigerate to set and thicken.

The simplest, healthiest and tastiest pudding in the world!Garnish with a blackberry.

serves one-two


Insanely delicious Carob Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance which is made from palm, flax and olive oil)
1/2 cup sugar
2Tbsp Egg Replacer (reconstituted with water to form a stiff egg white consistency)
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup carob chips

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
~blend flour, oats, salt and baking soda
~ In another bowl combine vegan butter, sugar, vanilla, egg replacer
~Add dry ingredients
~Add carob chips
~Drop teaspoons full onto a greased baking sheet
~Bake for 8-10 minutes (chewier if you bake for 8 minutes)
~decorate with more carob chips just when you remove the cookies from the oven and they're still hot
~Allow to cool

Makes about a dozen
Enjoy!

 Cherry Pie: (raw)


Ingredients:

CRUST:
2 cups almonds
1/2 cup dates, pitted and soaked

FILLING:
5 cups cherries (I used frozen and thawed)
2 bananas
3 Tablespoons raw honey

Directions:

FOR CRUST:
~ Grind the almonds until fine in a food processor/vitamix/blender
~ Add dates and blend until smooth
~ Pat mixture into a pie plate

FOR FILLING:
~Combine 4 cups of cherries, 2 bananas and 3 tablespoons of honey and blend until smooth.
~ Remove from vitamix/blender and add 1 cup whole cherries
~ Pour into crust
~ refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow it to solidify

Serve garnished with whole cherries and mint leaves.
Guaranteed to provide a taste bud frenzy of delight!

 
 
 
 

Monday, October 8, 2012

Just Juice : cell vibrating goodness

Go Green

Dis-ease occurs in your body as a result of an imbalance and thrives in many forms in an acidic PH. Green vegetables make your PH more alkaline and provides an abundance of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and phytonutrients which enhance your well being and make you feel more vibrant. So power up your life with green.

For this Green Power I used the following in my home juicer:
Spinach, celery, pear, green bell pepper,kiwi, apple, broccoli, cucumber, homegrown mint and chives.



Here's to your health! Salute!


Very Vibrant Variety

There have been volumes written about the benefits of juicing. Not many shop bought juices can compare in taste and nutritive value to freshly juiced fruits and vegetables done in your home. Whenever we drink these juices at my home my entire family ooh's and aah's at the amazing flavor they are experiencing and we always feels as though every cell in our bodies start to vibrate from the life enhancing nutrients they receive.

Juicing helps you to absorb the nutrients from the raw foods you are juicing more readily and it's an easy and delicious way for you to add a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. Try to use pesticide free fruits and veggies and drink it straight away or store in the refrigerator in a clean glass bottle for a short period of time only.
For this vibrant variety juice I used the following in my home juicer:
Watermelon, apples,kiwis, grapes, pears, strawberries and oranges.

I have never tasted anything better! Cheers!

Apples, pears and grapes:

Here's a delicious way to enjoy the nutrients found in apples, pears and grapes. Juice them together to create an extraordinary taste sensation. Juice them in their skins to enhance nutritive value. It couldn't be more simple!

Apples give you vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, potassium, carbohydrates in the form of natural fructose, fiber and a small amount of protein (1g per fruit).
Pears give you vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6,  copper, magnesium, iron, fiber and carbohydrates in the form of fructose and a small amount of protein (1g per fruit).
Red grapes give you vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, a small amount of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, antioxidants called polyphenols including resveratrol and flavonoids. Salute!






Sensational Sides

Heavenly Hummus

Garbanzo beans (1 can/15oz/425g)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 cup tahini
1 lemon freshly squeezed
4 tbps olive oil
1/4 cup water
sea salt 1 pinch
black pepper
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
Parsley and basil leaves for garnish

Place garbanzo beans, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt and pepper into a blender (I used a vitamix) and blend until creamy. Separate half and place into a serving bowl, the other half place back into the blender with the sundried tomatoes and blend. Garnish with parsley and/or basil leaves.

This homemade hummus is an absolute winner and goes well with vegetables such as baby carrots and celery/cucumber sticks, crackers and pita bread.


Avocado Salsa

3 large tomatoes
1 large red pepper
2 small red chillies
1 red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 ripe avocado's
salt and black pepper

Place together in food processor or on variable 3 in vitamix for 20 seconds
or manually finely chop ingredients and toss together.
Delicious on veggie chips or pita bread

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Light on lesser known ingredients

Hemp seed

No, it's not marijuana and you won't test positive on a drug test. Hemp is a completely different plant and highly nutritious.It has an earthy, nutty flavor and is very versatile and can be added to any of the recipes mentioned on this blog. It can be purchased at health food shops or online

Nutrition facts:
7.5g Omega-6LA
3.0g Omega-3ALA
0.6g Super Omega-6GLA
0.3g Super Omega-3 SDA
Protein 11g (per 30g serving)
Iron 16%, Vit E 21%, Zinc 23%, Magnesium 48%, Phosphorus 48%


Bragg Liquid Aminos

This is an all purpose seasoning made from soy protein derived from certified non-GMO soybeans and  is a natural more healthy soy source alternative. It is gluten free and contains no preservatives, no alcohol and it is not fermented.I cook with this all the time and add it espescially to my stir fry and baked vegetable and tofu dishes.Other suggested uses are for salad dressings, soups, casseroles, popcorn, gravies and sauces and broth. Can be purchased from health food shops or some grocery stores in the organic section. I'm not sure whether it is available outside of the USA.

Nutritional facts:
Contains 16 amino acids (essential and non-essential)
alanine,arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine, valine
Also contains naturally occurring sodium, so if you use Braggs there is no need to add salt.

Egg Replacer

This is a great substitute for cooking a dish which requires eggs for binding which contains no eggs or animal protein. It is gluten free, wheat free, has no preservatives, no artificial flavorings, no sugar and no cholestrol. So also an excellent egg replacement for those suffering from high cholestrol.

It is made from potato starch and tapioca flour.

Nutrition facts:
Contains small amounts of 16 amino acids
Calcium 10% per serving and a small amount of sodium

How to constitute the mixture:
2 Tbps egg replacer to 3 Tbps water
Mix briskly until it looks like whipped egg whitesand add to the mixture.

TVP aka Texured Vegetable Protein

This is a highly nutritious soy product which contains complete protein and no fat.
It is an excellent source of fibre, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.
TVP has no flavor of it's own, so it takes on the flavor of the food you add to it, so seasoning is important.
The first step in using this product is to rehydrate it:
7/8 cup boiling water or vegetable broth to 1 cup of TVP, pour the boiling water over the granules, stir and let it stand for 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition facts:
per 1/4 cup
calories 80
fat 0gsodium 2g potassium 594g
carbohydrate 7g
fibre 4g protein 12g
Calcium 8%, Iron 15%, Magnesium 18%, phosphorus 17%

This is espescially useful to use in recipes as a ground meat (minced meat) substitute. I make veggie balls, shepherd's pie, stirfry toppings, lasagne fillings and curry dishes with TVP to name a few.

Organic Spelt Flour

Spelt is an ancient grain farmed as far back as 5000 BC

I like using this wheat in baking and preparing dishes as it is organic (no pesticides) and has a great nutty favor.
 Try to avoid white bleached flour which is grown using pesticides, just that sentence alone explains why!
I find this at a variety of grocery stores and always at health food shops.

Nutrition facts:
per 1/4 cup
Calories 130
Fat 1g
Carbohydrate 25g
Fibre 4g
Protein 4g
Potassium 150g
Iron 6%, thiamin 4%, Riboflavin 2%, Niacin 6%

Veggie Balls

Falafel

This is by far my favorite veggie ball dish and very easy to make

Garbanzo beans (1 can/15oz/425g)
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
Broccoli 1 cup finely chopped
Zucchini 1 large finely chopped
Carrot 1 medium finely chopped
Italian herbs (generous sprinkling)
Fist full of fresh herbs: spring onions, garlic parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary
Braggs amino acids or salt
Black pepper
olive oil
Egg replacer 2 Tbsp
Spelt flour ( 2 heaped Tbsp for falafel mix and 1 cup to roll balls into)

Mash previously cooked garbanzo beans or place in food processor
Stir fry the onions, garlic, broccoli, zucchini, carrot and herbs in olive oil, adding the herbs, 1 tsp Braggs aminos or pinch of salt, pepper. Then add the mashed garbanzo beans to the mixture, stirring and blending with the rest of the vegetables.
Place mixture into a bowl and add 2 heaped tbsp of spelt flour and egg replacer mixture.
Roll into balls and coat with a layer of spelt flour on the outside (by dipping the balls in a cup of flour)
Deep fry until golden brown and place on a paper towel to drain oil off.

In this photograph, I served the Falafel with a side of Gnocchi and a salad bed of dark green leaves such as Romaine or Red leaf lettuce, papaya and red pepper. Place the Falafel balls on a bed of leaves.

Garnish with a Strawberry and parsley.
Serves four

Enjoy the taste bud delight!




Nutty Butternut Balls

Just tried out my brand new recipe and it was a sensational success!

Butternut squash 1 cup finely chopped
TVP (textured vegetable protein) 1 1/2 cups dry (rehydrate with 2 cups boiling water)
onion 1 finely chopped
garlic 2 cloves finely chopped
yellow pepper 1 finely chopped
red hot chili pepper 1 finely chopped
Fist full of fresh organic herbs ( spring onions, oregano, basil, parsley, chives, rosemary)
olive oil
pumpkin seeds (dried) 3 tbsp
hemp seeds 3 tbsp
walnuts (finely chopped) 3 tbsp
Bragg amino acids (or soy sauce)
Black pepper
spelt flour
Egg replacer

Stir fry onion, garlic, butternut, yellow pepper, red chili pepper and herbs in olive oil adding Bragg aminos and black pepper. Once the mixture becomes a little dry, add 1/4 cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes or until water evaporates. Place in blender or food processor to coarsely mash it all together. Remove from blender and add back to frying pan with the TVP. Place on medium heat and add in pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and walnuts. Once mixture is fairly dry, remove from pan and place into a bowl. Add 3 heaped Tbsp spelt flour and 2 Tbsp egg replacer (mixed to a stiff egg white consistency by adding 3 tbsp water and whisking in a separate cup). Roll this mixture into golf size balls and dip them into spelt flour to coat them.
Deep fry quickly until golden brown, remove and place on paper towels to drain the oil.

Serve on a bed of couscous with a spinach, red pepper, cucumber and walnut side salad served with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Garnish with thin slices of organic avocado.

You've never tasted balls this good!
Have fun making them and enjoy this mega protein rich meal.