Dragon Bowls.

Okay so my house mate made this for me after I'd come home raving about the Yong dragon bowls.

I was all "oh my god you can not top it, it was so good! Need it in my daily life!"

She was like "eat this" *presents home-made dragon bowl*

I eat it, along with my words.

NOTHING TOPS THESE BOWLS!

They are that rare combination of epic deliciousness AND healthiness...

They own me.
The soft rice, the crisp salty garlic tofu, the fresh salad, the warm citrusy miso dressing... perfection.

Ingredients - serves 4;

Bowl

 • Grain of choice (I use brown rice but quinoa or even noodles would work well also)

• 1 block of firm tofu, diced

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• Shredded greens of your choice (I used iceberg lettuce this time for some crunch but spinach, cabbage, rocket would all work)

• 1 large or 2 small carrots, grated

• 1 large beetroot, grated

• 1 packet of alfalfa
• Sesame seeds, for serving

Dressing

• 1 orange, juiced

• 2 tbs lemon juice

• 1/2 cup miso soup

• 1/2 cup oil of choice (I used peanut)

• 2" piece of ginger, minced

Method

• Cook your grain, set aside.
• Fry tofu in soy sauce until golden (about 15mins on a medium heat).

• Add garlic and fry for a further 5mins. I am known to continually add more dashes of soy sauce to keep the pan from being too burny/dry (also I am addicted to salt). Once sufficiently browned, set aside. 
• Blend all dressing ingredients together and set aside.
• Assemblage time! Layer grain, then greens, tofu then veggies. Pour over dressing and top with sesame seeds.
• NOM TIME! 

This is creepy good you guys, like, almost my favorite thing to eat in the entire world and we ALL know how much I love eating... :D

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Gurkhas.

We tried out Gurkhas Nepalese the other night in Brunswick.

It was tasty but the servings were quite small which was a bummer (don't let the tiny plates fool you!)

We had the smokey BBQ tofu skewers (with magical sauce) but the Asian greens never turned up on the plate.

We also had wok flashed mushrooms, cauliflower and potatoes and a side of saffron rice.

So glad we over-ordered (3 mains for two people) cause we polished the plates off.

The food was delicious and I really enjoyed adding Nepalese to my cravings list.

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Epic food times.

So, there has been a lot of eating of tasty things lately...

The food pics in my phone are getting a little out of control (and I've been consciously trying to NOT photograph everything I eat) so it's time to offload them all here.

Being vegan in Melbourne is too easy, I kind of miss Brisbane's lack of dining out options.

I'm getting poorer and rounder but as of this week, more home-cooked meals and I actually have to use my gym membership!

Amazingly cheap and tasty potato and leek curries with biryani rice from my new local, Madino. The dry-style leek curry with coconut and chilli is life changing.

Miso and bento from Tomoshibi. They even made me a special batch of vegetarian miso (no fish flakes!)

Tasty birthday treats.

One of (too) many trips to Casa Del Gelato - home of hazelnut and chocolate flavoured soy gelato! Hazelnut FTW.

Birthday treats baked by the boy.

Went to see LORD for the best "chicken" nuggets of all time.

Finally got around to seeing what all the fuss was about at Laksa King. BELIEVE THE HYPE! (and make a booking) Best laksa of my life and the melting chunks of eggplant were pretty unbelievable.

 Many visits to Lentil As Anything at Abbortsford lately, always tasty (but not always pretty) curries to be devoured!

Actually cooked at home last night, dad's AMAZING Thai green curry recipe. Kind of a big deal. Seriously looking forward to leftovers tonight.

This other time I cooked at home too, a basic tofu/Chinese broccoli/chilli sttir-fry with brown rice and sesame seeds. Drowned in so much soy there is no taste of tofu in sight (WIN).

Okay so this photo does not do Mankoushe any favors but OH MY EFFING GOD their felafel wraps are a new level of awesome. I actually had a moment when eating this. Bread BAKED TO ORDER with moist felafel and magical tahini... hands down NO CONTEST the best felafel in Melbourne. Go there, got there now.

It was a freezing winter night and I baked Linda McCartney country pies along with steamed greens, garlic sauteed sprouts, creamy mash and onion pepper gravy - like eating pure happiness.

After eating Mankoushe, my idea of the humble felafel wrap changed forever. I had to up my game with home-made wraps. Here I made felafel balls with cos lettuce, tomato, Spanish onion and sweet chilli but the secret was the fresh baked wraps and hommus that I bought from a Lebanese bakery (goodbye Coles/Woolies wraps/hommus forever). It was no Mankoushe but was by far the tastiest home-made wraps I'd made.

White Bean and Roasted Mushroom Soup.

Made this soup for dinner tonight... WIIIIIIIIIIIN!!

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Tom Yum.

Remember the laksa recipe I posted not too long ago?

This is it's delicious spicy/sour (healthier) brother, tom yum.

It's basically the same recipe with a different paste base.

Take out the coconut milk, fried onion and nuts from the laksa recipe and you have this one.

It's hot, spicy, sour, healthy and delicious - perfect for winter nights.

Ingredients;

• Noodles, prepared as per packet instructions and set aside (I like chow mein)

• Tom Yum paste

• Tofu puffs (available in Asian grocers)

• Handful of snow peas

• 2 shallot stalks, sliced

• 2 cups button mushrooms, quartered

• A few handfuls of Asian greens (I used baby Chinese broccoli)

• 1 long red chilli

• 1 lime

• A handful of bean sprouts

• Bunch of coriander, chopped

• Handful of nuts (I used cashews)

Method;

1.) Cook the jar of paste about 1L of water for a few minutes (back of paste jar will be more specific with liquid quantities).

2.) Prepare noodles then set them aside.

3.) Add mushrooms and tofu puffs to the soup and simmer for about 10 mins.

4.) Add snow peas to the soup and some coriander stalks. Cook for another 5 mins to soften the peas then turn off heat.

Now for the assembling;

1.) Add noodles to bowl

2.) Add raw Asian greens, the hot soup will cook these

3.) Add soup

4.) Top with lime juice, bean sprouts, fresh sliced shallots, fresh sliced chilli, and coriander

5.) FACEPLANT

French lentil bolognese.

I've been making this bolognese for a long time and it's a proven winner.

It's hearty, rich and wonderful, PERFECT for an icy winter night.

I use this Veggie Num Num recipe but change the tin of condensed soup for a tin of diced tomatoes as I find the soup way too sweet.
It's GOOD.

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DUMPLINGS!

 Pre-steamed beauties

 Post-steamed tasties

Yes the title gets capitals, that is because THESE ARE THE TASTIEST THINGS YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR FACEHOLE!

Seriously, these are crack dumplings and I've been known to trade them for goods and services :)

About 18 months ago when friends and I got home from a Melbourne trip, we were bummed about not being able to access dumplings easily in Brisbane.

We decided to make some and I took a few different recipes I found online and combined the best parts to make this recipe.

Surprisingly, it worked.

Not only worked but was like, wow.

SO this is another dish that is for weekends only as it takes me 45mins to finely chop all the filling ingredients and another hour or so to fold 60 dumplings and steam.

DUMPLINGS

Ingredients;

• Approx 60 dumpling wrappers (Gow Gee)

• 3 cups shitake mushrooms, chopped finely (I use button mushrooms when I'm not as cashed up, shitake are expensive but taste better)

• 1 cup pak choy or Chinese broccoli leaves, finely shredded

• 1 cup firm tofu, finely chopped

• Thumb size piece of ginger, finely grated

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 shallot stalks, finely sliced

• 1 cup coriander, finely chopped

• 1/4 tsp white pepper

• 3 tbs soy sauce

• 2 tbs sesame oil

• 1 tsp chilli sauce/sambal oelek/chilli powder

• 1/2 tsp veggie stock powder

Method;

• Mix in a large bowl

• Spoon into wrappers, fold (Youtube dumpling folding videos! It takes practice)

• Steam

• Faceplant

Serving suggestions;

• Dipping sauce - most part soy sauce, dash of white wine vinegar, few drops of sesame oil

• Chilli sauce/sambal oelek

• Wok tossed Chinese greens with garlic

• Steamed rice

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Dal Kofta.

This dal kofta is one of my faaaavourite dishes to make (if you haven't already noticed, Veggie Num Num is my go to guide for delicious winners!).

It's SO tasty and makes about six serves.

The catch?

It takes a long time to make.

I make it my Sunday dinner so I have two hours prep time.

It's SO worth the wait, seriously.

The kofta balls are crunchy and packed full of flavour and the curry they float in is really rich and creamy.

I forgot to take a picture of it plated up as I faceplanted very quickly.

I serve it on brown rice and top with LOT'S of fresh lime juice, chopped cucumber and a huge handful of fresh coriander leaves.

P.S This pic was taken just before I added the coconut milk, it gets a LOT creamier :)

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Laksa.

Even though I've been dining out a looooooot since I moved to Melbourne, I have still been cooking (this is proof right!)

It's REALLY hard to find a vegan laksa paste by the way, most have shrimp in them.

This Osha brand is the only one I've ever found/used and it's delicious (luckily).

Here is the recipe but I kind of make it by feel so nothing is exact...

Ingredients; (See pic)

• Noodles, prepared as per packet instructions and set aside (I like chow mein)

• Laksa paste

• Tofu puffs (available in Asian grocers)

• 400ml coconut milk

• Fried onion/shallots (available in Asian grocers)

• Handful of snow peas

• 2 shallot stalks, sliced

• 2 cups button mushrooms, quartered

• A few handfuls of Asian greens (I used baby bok choy)

• 1 long red chilli

• 1 lime

• A handful of bean sprouts

• Bunch of coriander, chopped

• Handful of nuts (I used cashews)

Method;

1.) Cook the jar of paste with a tin of coconut milk and about 1L of water for a few minutes (back of laksa paste jar will be more specific with liquid quantities).

2.) Prepare noodles then set them aside.

3.) Add mushrooms and tofu puffs to the soup and simmer for about 10 mins.

4.) Add snow peas to the soup and some coriander stalks. Cook for another 5 mins to soften the peas then turn off heat.

Now for the assembling;

1.) Add noodles to bowl

2.) Add raw Asian greens, the hot soup will cook these

3.) Add soup

4.) Top with lime juice, bean sprouts, fresh sliced shallots, fresh sliced chilli, coriander, fried onions and nuts

5.) FACEPLANT

T is for Tasty and for Tempeh :)

Hey friends

Tempeh is the less popular but way more attractive brother of Tofu. It’s less processed, has more protein and fiber and actually has a delicious taste. You can buy is from health food stores and also now at Coles, at least the one in Toowong has it. I’ve used it for a while, as a meat substitute for Spag Bowl but last night I tried searing it instead and it is INSANELY good and crazy simply. I got this recipe here.

Ingredients:

1 pkg Tempeh

2/3 cups water

1/3 cup soy sauce

1-2 cloves of garlic

1” grated fresh ginger

Method:

Mix all the ingredients aside from the tempeh in a bowl. This is the marinade.

Cut tempeh into triangles, or any shape you like really. Then in a med/hot pan, brown the pieces on both sides, so that they’re nice and crispy. At this stage it’s up to you how much oil you want to use, I’m a believer in more is always tastier.

Add the marinade to the pan and let boil for 3-5 mins, then reduce and let simmer uncovered for about 25 mins. By this time all the marinade should be soaked into the tempeh but I did find my marinade absorbed quickly so just add extra water as needed.

It’s done!

I cut this up into stripes and we had it the next day on wraps for lunch. It was soooo tasty and filling. The flavour does remind me of my favourite meal as a kid, honey and soy chicken. My mum used to serve it with fried rice so next time I’m going to try adding a little rice syrup and serving it the same way as a main meal!

Black pepper tofu.

Ok so I've had this on my 'to cook' list for months but somehow put it off.

Tried it last week and OMFG!

I need it in my life every single day now.

It's called black pepper tofu but I like to call it ginger/garlic/chilli/soy/pepper PERFECTION.

The tofu was crispy, the sauce glazey and rich and I served it on a bed of sesame oiled, wok tossed, Chinese brocolli and snow peas.

Dudes, do this.

Asparagus and White Bean Pesto Tart.

My tart may not look as exciting as the one here but oh it was a tasty treat!

I bought a food processor just for the occasion and it was worth it.

The bean/pesto paste was delicious and once covered in fresh asparagus and baked - win.

I served it with steamed veggies (kind of over salad at the moment).

Tossed a tasty vinegarette over the veggies;

• Olive oil
• White vinegar
• Fresh lemon juice
• Fresh minced garlic
• A big dollop of wholegrain mustard
• S&P and;
• A pinch of raw sugar

 

Total win again Vegan Yum Yum - you delicious genius! 

Broccoli Dal.

 

Another Vegan Yum Yum win tonight!

This dal was really a soup so I served it accompanied with my favourite cheats pan bread.

Throw a slice of Pampas reduced fat pastry into a pan then wash with oil and sprinkle with fresh garlic and salt.

Once if puffs flip it over then when that side puffs, press it until the under side is golden.

That's it, it takes a few minutes and is great/cheap and sooooo stupidly tasty.

Chilli Lime Tofu.

 

I bought Vegan Yum Yum when I did the Vegan Easy Challenge in March.

Although I have stayed vegan since, I have only made one dish from the book!

So this week I am trying some newbies to add to my ever-expanding dinner favourites.

Tonight I made chilli lime tofu with steamed Chinese broccoli and snow peas on quinoa.

It was, AMAZING.

The sauce was all chilli/lime/soy/garlicy perfection and super tasty.

You can find the recipe here.

You'll love it, trust me!