Cashew Nut Stir Fry

Stir fries are one of the simplest vegan recipes to make. Just throwing whatever veggies you have left into a pan with a delicious sauce. Here is one of my favourite recipes for a stir fry.

Ingredients
1/2 cup raw cashews
4 servings rice, cooked
1 block tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced into half-moons
1 capsicum, sliced
1 broccoli, cut into small florets

Sauce
4 tbsp soy
4 tsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
Pinch ground pepper
2 tsp cornflour
1/3 cup water

Method

Toast cashews lightly in a large fry pan. Set aside then use the same fry pan to fry veggies and tofu until softened and browned.

Mix together sauce ingredients in a bowl then add to softened veggies. Add cashews then serve with cooked rice.

Lentil Greek Salad

This is a filling, fresh and tasty version of Greek Salad. Perfect for a quick lunch. I topped it with some vegan feta. My two favourite brands of vegan feta in NZ are Angel Food Cheese and Zenzo.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 cans lentils, drained and rinsed
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 block vegan feta
Optional: 1/2 cup olives, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon juice
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt & pepper to taste
Pinch oregano (optional)

Method:

Mix all salad ingredients together in a bowl. In a jar, mix dressing ingredients and shake to combine. Pour over salad and mix then serve.

Vegan Thai Peanut Curry

Anything peanut flavoured is always a winner and this curry is no different! A tasty meal for the whole family with wok fried vegetables and tofu to top the delicious coconut, peanut sauce.

Ingredients:

4 portions rice, cooked

Marinated tofu:
600g tofu, chopped into bite-sized cubes
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp sesame oil

Vegetables:
1 carrot, sliced
1 broccoli, cut into florets
1 can baby corn, drained

Thai Peanut Curry:
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, diced
1 chilli, chopped
1 inch ginger, grated
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
500ml veg stock
3 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp coconut sugar (sub brown sugar)
1 tbsp soy sauce
Optional: 1-2 tbsp vegan fish sauce (I used Culley’s )
400ml coconut milk
Salt to taste

Method:

First marinate your tofu by placing marinade ingredients in a container, adding the tofu and shaking until tofu is coated. Set aside.

Add onion, garlic, chilli and ginger to a large fry pan and fry until soft. Add spices and fry for a minute or two. Add stock, peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce, vegan fish sauce (if using) and coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt.

Meanwhile cook rice and fry veggies and tofu in a separate pan until golden. Once golden add any remaining marinade to the veg/tofu.

Serve curry, rice and veggies together topped with sesame seeds and coriander.

Vegan French Toast

My favourite recipe for vegan french toast!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plant milk
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch salt

6-8 slices bread
Vegan butter or marg for frying

Method

Whisk all the French toast ingredients together in a shallow large dish until well combined.

Start heating a fry pan and add about a tbsp of margarine to the pan. While this is heating up add two slices of the bread to the wet mixture flipping after 30 seconds.

Once butter is hot add the two slices of bread to the fry pan and fry for about 1 minute of each side until golden brown. Repeat this process until the bread and mixture has run out.

Serve with your choice of topping. I had berries, yoghurt & maple syrup.