cooking

Vegan Hazelnut-Vanilla Pancake

March 8, 2011 by Zizi

I love pancakes! Hungarian pancakes are larger and thinner than the American ones. We serve it with cocoa or jam and roll up. I have never done vegan pancakes before, so it was high time for that. 🙂 Even if I did change the milk to coconut milk or oat milk, I always used eggs. Then I found a vegan pancake recipe on Alkaline Sisters blog and I fell in love with the concept. I wrote a comment for them because I really liked what they wrote about (Why We Wait to Improve Our Lifestyle when Cancer Lurks). Then we continued “talking” in emails… I have found out that Julie’s and Yvonne’s dad was Hungarian and he came from Szeged, my hometown! OMG, it is a small world, again!!! Unfortunately they lost contact with their relatives but I promised to help as much as I can to find them.

I did a few changes in the recipe. E.G. I used oat milk instead of almond milk and I added some ground hazelnut to the batter. And it turned out great.

Vegan Hazelnut-Vanilla Pancake

Ingredients (makes 8 pancakes)

– 1 and 1/4 cup white spelt flour
– 1/4 cup ground hazelnut
– 2 tablespoons aluminium free baking powder
– 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeded
– 1 cup oat milk
– 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
– 1 tablespoon agave syrup
– pinch of salt
– coconut oil for the pan

Method

In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, hazelnut, baking powder, salt. In another one mix together the wet ingredients: oat milk, oil, agave syrup and vanilla. Give each mixture a stir then add the wet to the dry combining just until mixed. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow batter to rise.

Prepare a non-stick pan with 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil on medium heat. Spoon batter into pan, forming 2 small pancakes. Cook until lightly brown on the bottom. Turn and brown the other side.

I served it with more agave syrup and tangerines.

Vegan Pho Soup

January 18, 2011 by Zizi

I have been the fan of oriental noodles for a while. Then I saw a short video about Vietnamese Pho soup. I knew I had to try it. After learning it what I should put into the vegan pho soup base I started cooking.

The first tasting was a bit different but from the fresh ingredients and the herbs it turned out better than I had expected. I will definitely cook it again.

Vegan Pho Soup

Ingredients

For the broth
– 3 carrots, sliced
– 1 celery (tuber), sliced
– 1 onion (leave the skin on), chopped into half
– a piece of ginger (leave the skin on), chopped into half
– 3 teaspoons soy sauce
– 1-2 teaspoons salt
– half lime’s juice
– 1 lemongrass stalks, thinly sliced
– 3 liters water

For the soup
– 200 g rice noodles, cooked according to the instructions on the bag
– 8 pieces of dried shiitake, stemmed, soaked in water for about 30 minutes, caps quartered
– 3 spring onions, chopped
– 200 g bok choy/spinach, chopped
– 200 g tofu, diced
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1 small piece of chilli, chopped
– fresh coriander, chopped
– salt, pepper
– soy sauce
– lime
– coconut/olive oil

Heat a dry pan and lightly brown onion and ginger (cut-side down). Place the onion and ginger in a pot, then add carrot, celery, lemongrass and water. Bring it to boil then simmer it for about 30 minutes. While making the broth, cook the rice noodles. Heat coconut oil in a pan, add garlic, then tofu, season with pepper and soy sauce and fry it. Set aside.

Check the flavour of the broth, add soy sauce, salt, pepper, lime juice, continue to simmer for about 5 minutes then strain the broth. In a soup bowl place some noodles, bok choy, shiitake, tofu, spring onion and pour the soup onto the toppings. Sprinkle with coriander and chilli and season it with soy sauce, lime juice if it’s necessary.

Quinoa Falafel Hamburger

January 11, 2011 by Zizi

Even if I’m vegetarian I sometimes feel like eating a good hamburger with fries. That’s why I decided to make it at home because finding a tasty vegetarian hamburger in Hungary is a big deal. Restaurants only think of the meat eathers. 🙁 I realized that vegetarians, particularly vegans, often have to find creative solutions to meal dilemmas.

Be creative in your kitchen!

I adapted the recipe from Sara, I only changed a few things.

Quinoa Falafel Hamburger

Ingredients (serves 8-10)

For the quinoa-bean falafel (18-20 pieces)
– 1/2 cup quinoa
– 240 g (1 can) kidney beans, drained and mashed with a fork
– 3 spring onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 2 carrots, finely grated
– 1 bunch of parsley, chopped
– 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, roasted
– 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
– 1 teaspoon cumin
– 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
– 6 tablespoons breadcrumbs + more
– 1 egg
– salt, pepper
– coconut or olive oil

For the sour cream tahini sauce
– 1 cup sour cream
– 2 teaspoon tahini
– 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
– salt, pepper

For the hamburger
– 8-10 hamburger buns
– mustard
– salad leaves
– sprouts
– anything you would like 🙂

Method

Cook the 1/2 cup quinoa in 1 cup salted water. Let it cool and set aside.

In a dry non-stick pan roast the sesame seeds for 5-6 minutes then set aside.

In a big bowl mix together quinoa, beans, spring onions, garlic, carrots, parsley, sesame seeds, cumin, coriander seeds, lemon juice, egg and breadcrumbs. Season generously with salt and pepper. With a wooden spoon mix everything together (if you find the mixture too soft and a bit more breadcrumbs). Allow to set in the fridge for at least an hour.

Scoop the mixture out in about 2 tablespoons size portions, roll and flatten into patties. Place them on a tray.

Heat 2-3 tablepsoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Roast (or sear) the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side.

In a small bowl mix together sour cream with tahini, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 170C (338F). Cut the hamburger buns in half (horizontally) and on a baking tray toast them for 5 minutes.

Assemble the hamburger: spread each buns with the sour cream tahini sauce, then add fillings: salad leaves, quinoa falafels (sauce again on the top), sprouts and the top of the bun.

Serve with French fries and enjoy!

Red Lentil Soup for Good Luck in the New Year

January 4, 2011 by Zizi

On the first day of January we were so lazy. We watched movies on a continuous basis and I must admit we wore pajamas all day. I think we have never done this before but it felt so good doing nothing. Finally in the afternoon I “ran” into the kitchen to cook an easy Italian style lentil soup. We had to base our millions for the New Year. 🙂

Many Europeans eat lentils or lentil soup on New Year’s Day because the lentil resembles a little coin. The idea is that the New Year will bring you as much in riches as the number of little lentils.

What is your traditional dish in your country on New Year’s Day?

Ingredients

– 2 carrots, finely chopped
– 1 celery (tuber), finely chopped
– 200 g red lentil
– 1 onion, chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1 can tomato, peeled
– fresh thyme, chopped
– fresh sage, chopped
– salt, pepper
– olive oil
– parmesan (optional)
– balsamic vinegar (optional)

Method

Heat olive oil in a pan and saute the chopped onion and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add carrots, celery and simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Then add tomatoes, thyme, sage, season with salt and pepper. Pour water (half liter) into the pan and cook the soup for 5-8 minutes. Add red lentil, bring it to boil and simmer it for 10 minutes until the lentil is cooked. Serve it with grated parmesan and a few drops of balsamic vinegar on top.

Butternut Squash-Beans-Coconut Milk Rice

December 22, 2010 by Zizi

Újabb sütőtökös recept. Tagadhatatlan mostmár, hogy szerelembe estem ezzel a csodaszép narancssárga zöldséggel. Nem is tudom hanyadik sütőtökös recept ez már a blogon. Amikor először megkóstoltam ezt az ételt, a karibi szigetvilág jutott eszembe. Ki is találtam, hogy ez a két ünnep közötti lazító karibi fogás. A kókusz és a lime együtt zseniális ízt ad, rájöttem, hogy imádom. Tervbe is vettem egy ilyen kombinációjú keksz megsütését. Recept Helen-től.

Ja, még gyorsan hírt adok egy számomra nagy eseményről mielőtt belevágok a receptbe. Nem húzom egyesek (Bori, Évi, Puffin) idegeit, akik már a Facebook-on tobzódtak, hogy osszam meg velük a hírt! 🙂 Szóval a mai napon jelent meg az első angol nyelvű cikkem, írásom a Travel Belles nevű weblapon. A Travel Belles, ahogy a neve is utal rá, egy utazásokról szóló portál. Érdekessége, hogy csak nők publikálnak, viszont a cikkek mindenkinek szólnak (természetesen női szemszögből megközelítve a témákat). Az első cikkem a bécsi karácsonyi vásárokról szól. Úgy néz ki, hogy a jövőben többször fogtok majd találkozni az írásaimmal itt. Szóval most Happy Zizi vagyok. Akkor jöjjön végre a recept.

Hozzávalók:
– 1/4 sütőtök, meghámozva, felkockázva
– 1 konzerv bab (kb. 200-250 g), lecsöpögtetve, átmosva
– 1 fej vöröshagyma, meghámozva, felaprítva
– 1 bögre basmati rizs
– 1,5 bögre kókusztej + 1,5 bögre víz
– 4 ág kakukkfű
– só, bors
– 1 lime reszelt héja és leve
– kókuszzsír

Egy serpenyőben olvasszuk fel a kókuszzsírt, dinszteljük meg rajta a vöröshagymát néhány perc alatt. Vegyük takarékra a gázt, adjuk hozzá a sütőtököt és pirítsuk, pároljuk 10-15 percig. Közben tegyük fel a kókusztejet a vízzel forrni, ekkor öntsük bele a rizst és takarékon fedő alatt főzzük, amíg megpuhul. Ha a sütőtök megpuhult (vigyázzunk, ne főzzük teljesen pépesre!), sózzuk, borsozzuk, adjuk hozzá a kakukkfüvet, a lime héját és levét. Néhány percig főzzük össze, majd keverjük össze a megfőtt rizzsel. Különleges ízvilág, könnyű, de egyben tartalmas étel.