Inspiration

Sometimes..it’s hard, lets just all admit that. You’ve been gung-ho about your new lifestyle, you’ve started to tell everyone how much better you feel and you’re feeling a little smug (lets say it you are) but sometimes…you really miss rashers! Or a hot chicken roll (that was always mine). That’s fine, its toootally fine. You’re not just going to just easily shed a lifetime of habits after one deadly lentil bake. It’s small steps, doing Meatless Monday or swapping out cows milk for soya milk. So with that in mind here is a little inspiration to help you!

@kalejunkie   This lady’s name is Nicole, she in her own words “eat foods that make me feel good. My idea of a fun Friday night is perusing the aisles of Whole Foods for culinary treasures and planning healthy meals for my friends and family. Heck, if only Whole Foods had a full bar – I’d shop with a clean vodka martini in hand!”

Note the reference to drinking Vodka Martinis..a girl after our own heart that doesnt take it all too seriously.

 

 

@Le Botaniste This NY based eatery is the stuff of clean eating dreams. I made sure to go there the last time I was there and it did’nt disappoint. Plus the interiors are dreamy.

The Irish Poster Boys for a Healthy Lifestyle, they made this TED X talk nearly eight years ago, before they are as well known as they are now but its heartening to see their enthusiasm shines as bright as ever! We love the Happy Pear boys here at whenfoodisgoneyouaremydailyneed and a purchase of one of their cookbooks is definitely worth it. Have a peek here

 

How do you get your protein though?

Everyone turns into a freakin nutritionist when they hear you’re a vegetarian/vegan. How do you get your protein they ask? I think you’re limiting yourself they say, you’re have to deficient in Iron..yada yada yada..on it goes. From those who suddenly are dieticians and personal trainers. Well firstly if people can be Vegan bodybuilders then little ‘ol vegetarian me who works out on the reg (insert angel emoji here) can sure do it too.

My main sources of protein are as follows…

Beans

Lentils, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans..There are many different varieties but one thing they all have in common is their high amounts of protein. Two cups of kidney beans, for example, contain about 26 grams (almost the same as a Big Mac, which has 25 grams!)

Quinoa

Easy to cook, easy to add flavor to, eat hot or cold, quinoa is my go to for a quick protein fix. Here is one I prepared earlier…Cous cous!

Nuts & Nut Butter

Great for on the go. I like to have a handful of nuts or some nut butter spread on rice cakes. Two things though, make sure you get nut butter that is just that. Processed peanut butter or products like Nutella are not good! No matter what they say. I recommend this Meridian one but thankfully it is a growing market. Or you can make it yourself!

Also when eating nuts be careful to portion them (a handful is more than enough) because besides being high in protein, they are also quite high in fats, the good kind, but still.

Tempeh & Tofu

Foods made from soybeans are some of the highest vegetarian sources of protein: Tempeh and tofu, for example, contain about 15 and 20 grams per half cup, respectively.  These are great when making meat typical dishes. They have a bland texture but will take on the flavor of whatever you are cooking them with.

 

 

 

 

Quinoa!

Need: 1 medium courgete, 1 medium carrot cut into small chunks, 1 medium red onion, cut into wedges, 85g mushroom quartered, handful cherry tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, peeled, 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp dried chilli flakes, 50g couscous½ small pack parsley, or mint, roughly chopped. Add feta if not vegan!

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Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the vegetables and garlic on a baking tray. Season well, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and mix until everything is coated. About 10 mins before the vegetables are done, put the couscous in a bowl and just cover with boiling water, cover with cling film and set aside for 5 mins.Fork through the couscous to separate the grains. Toss the vegetables and parsley or mint through the couscous, season, then transfer to a serving plate

One Pot Lasagne

Need:

White Sauce:150ml veg stock, 250g raw cashew nuts, cashew cream, 50ml oil (olive/sunflower), 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar/lime juice, 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional), pinch salt & black pepper.

Tomato Sauce: 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, ½ red chilli, 200g mushrooms, 1 courgette, 100ml red win, 5 sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tins of chopped tomatoes, 100g tomato puree 1 tbsp maple syrup,½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper250g lasagne sheets (½ pack)Oil for brushing the lasagne sheets (2 tablespoons).

First step, soak the cashew nuts for the cream in 300 ml water for 30 mins (not essential at all but recommended particularly if you don’t have a high speed blender such as a nutribullet).  Boil a full kettle. Pour the boiling water into a large bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush each side of each of the lasagna sheet with oil so they are properly coated and add them to the boiling water (oiling them will stop them sticking together while cooking in the boiling water)   Tomato sauce Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion, finely slice the mushrooms and slice the courgettes into thin half wheels. Chop the chilli finely removing the seeds if you prefer less heat, but include the seeds if you like a little spice. Lastly chop the sundried tomatoes very finely (easiest if you use a scissors).   Get a wide oven proof pot (no plastic/wooden handle and ideally similar height/depth as a casserole dish) and put the heat on your hob to high. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and leave to heat up, once hot add the onion, garlic and the chilli and fry for 2 mins, stirring regularly until the garlic is going golden and the onions are going transparent. Now add the mushrooms and the courgettes and continue to fry for about 3 minutes stirring regularly.   Next add the 100ml of red wine and allow to reduce/absorb for 2 mins. Then add the 2 tins of chopped tomatoes in together with the sun dried tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, maple syrup, black pepper and the tomato puree, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and leave simmer for 10 minutes then turn off heat.   Cashew cream (make while tomato sauce is simmering) Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Add in all of the ingredients for the cashew cream in a blender and blend until really smooth.   Layering up Remove half the tomato and veg mixture and put aside. Remove the lasagne sheets from the bowl of water and use them to form a layer of lasagne sheets on top of the base tomato and veg mix, cut the sheets with a scissors so that they properly fit the pot, (don’t overlap and cover the pot), spoon on half of the cashew cheese and spread it to the edges so that it is nice and even. Add back in the remaining tomato and veg mix and spread out evenly. Top with a layer of lasagna sheets as you did above (cutting sheets so that there are no sheets overlapping) and then spoon on the remaining cashew cheese on top and spread smooth and evenly.   Once layered up put a lid on top  of the pot and cook on hob for further 5-10 minutes. If you have time and do have a grill, remove the lid and place in the grill for 5-10 minutes until it starts to golden (nice to do but not essential at all). Remove and enjoy!

No Meat Kebab

Need : 6 whole chillies, 1 can chopped tomatoes, 1 red onion, 100ml apple juice, 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp salt, Pinch of black pepper. For the Garlic Sauce: 1 head of roasted garlic, 300ml soy milk, 1 tbsp smooth mustard, pinch of black pepper, the juice of half a lime, 300ml of sunflower oil. Tofu (for meat), 2 tbsp tamari, 2 tsp maple syrup, Wholemeal pitta, naan bread or wrap to serve, Spinach,onions, pickled chillies and tomatoes to serve.

 

Blend together all the ingredients for the chilli sauce. Put in a saucepan to reduce. Bring to the boil and then leave to reduce at a low heat Add the garlic sauce ingredients to a blender bar the oil. Blend together and once mixed, put on a low speed. While the blender is on a low speed, slowly pour in the oil to create an emulsion. With your sauces done, it’s time for the ‘meat’!. Drain and rinse your jackfruit and finely slice. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in the pan and add your chopped jackfruit Cook to 4-5 minutes on a high heat Add two tablespoons of tamari, two teaspoons of maple syrup and 5 tbsp of the chilli sauce and coat the jackfruitOnce it’s nice and grizzly and caramelising it’s ready to go! Serve in a pitta or something else of your choice with the sauces and some toppings!

Coconut Curry

• 1 small white onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger
• 2 red chillies
• Head of broccoli
• 2 handfuls chestnut mushrooms
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 1 red pepper
• 20 cherry tomatoes
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 2 tsp medium curry powder
• Handful cooked potatoes/bean
• 1 head pak choi
• 25g coriander
• Juice from one lime
• Put your pan on a high heat and add 1 tbsp oil. Add in your onion, ginger, chillies and garlic. Rip (or chop) your mushrooms into the pan along with the tamari. Chop your pepper into bite sized pieces and add. Chop your cherry tomatoes in half and add them in. Pour in your coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes. Add in the curry powder. Roughly chop the potatoes and pak choi and add them in. To garnish, add the roughly chopped coriander. Squeeze in the lime and you’re ready to go. Serve with rice or noodles!

Ultimate Chilli

• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 red onion
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1 courgette
• 1 red chili pepper
• oil of your choice
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp salt
• 1x400g tin kidney beans
• 2x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 100g tomato puree
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp liquid sweetener (maple syrup, agave, honey)
• 20g fresh coriander, juice of 1/2 a lime

Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. De-seed the peppers, and the fresh chili pepper, and slice them with the courgette Heat 2 tbsp oil in a big pan and fry the onion and garlic on a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure they don’t get burnt. Add the courgette and peppers along with the chili, cumin seed and salt and fry for a further 5 minutes. Drain the kidney beans and rinse thoroughly. Add to pan with the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika, black pepper and honey. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for a further 10 minutes. Finely chop the fresh coriander and stir through with the lime juice. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!

Flourless B&B Pancakes

Need: Two large bananas, two egg, blueberries, coconut oil, vanilla essence.

Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork.
Add eggs, and vanilla essence and whisk altogether.
Add blueberries.
Melt a heaped spoon of coconut oil in a pan over a high heat.
Add this to the mixture.
With the same pan, as it will be sufficiently hot, ladle in a small amount of the mix (as it will spread).
Leave for 2-3 minute so it will be solid enough to flip. Repeat.

Buddha Bowl

Need: Avocado,Lime, Coriander, Tinned tomatoes, Cajun spices Black beans, Brown Rice, Spianch, Peppers, Onion & garlic.

This is great for post gym fuel.It contains your fats, carbs & proteins. And its all in a bowl so easier to munch it all down like the hungry wheure you are!

For the black beans (and this is how I usually prepare them), I finely chop peppers/garlic/onions and fry them off for about five minutes then add the spinach.
When the spinach shrinks down I add the black beans and lower the heat. I stir in some cajun spices or harrisa paste as the beans don’t have a lot of flavour on their own.
For the rice (for two people) I would half fill a cup of rice and fully fill a cup of hot water, add these to a pan and the trick to rice is to add a cube of vegetable stock.
While these are cooking, make your salsa.(<-link)
For the guacamole, peel your avocado, remove the pit (but dont throw it away) and start mashing with a fork. Squeeze some lime over it, add some salt and finely diced coriander. You can also add finely chopped onion and pepper if you want to be faaahncee.

Shaq & Eggs

Ingredients: Eggs,  Tomato Sauce, Potatoes, Spinach, Pine-nuts,

Using the tomato sauce recipe, adding spinach and chilli flakes,

Poach eggs, the key to poaching eggs is adding a drop of vinegar to the water and timing them from 4-5 minute, soft-hard.

Fry off your potatoes on a hot pan with some Cajun spices. The smaller you have cut the potatoes the faster they will cook and vice versa

In a bowl place your tomato sauce, then your potatoes, then your poached eggs. I add some pine-nuts on top to create a bit of texture and a little Parmesan  because, cheese, always.

If you want to make this vegan, lose the eggs & cheese, add some lentils/chickpeas into the sauce for a protein substitute and boom, Shaq’s your Uncle.