quick – Nat's Ladle

Tofu Stir Fry with Black Bean Noodles {vg, gf}

Published on February 5, 2017 by nathaliejasmin2019Leave a comment

Stirfry for me is the ultimate comfort food. It is vibrant, full of flavour, satisfying and warming, and I love how versatile it is. Stirfrying means cooking more quickly. Vegetables therefore retain more nutrients. And because stirfrying is so quick, it means less time standing in front of the stove and more time eating! Stirfrying for the win! Here goes my vegan tofu stir fry with black bean noodles. It is ultra quick (about 15-20 minutes) so there are absolutely no excuses for not dishing up a delicious and healthy meal on a week night! (Or any night, for that matter.)

Now, this does not need to be a tofu stir fry and you don’t need to use black bean noodles. I just used them as I think they work well together. I have come to really appreciate bean noodles. They are quite a bit lower in calories and higher in fibre than regular or processed gluten-free noodles/pasta, and they cook in a fraction of the time. If you can’t get your hands on black bean noodles, not to worry! Just use your favourite noodles or zoodles instead. This dish will still be delicious. If you don’t like tofu you could use tempeh (also have a look at my tempeh curry recipe here) or if you avoid soy simply use more veggies or try something new by making chickpea “tofu”. The options are endless.

That’s what I like about these kind of meals. No-one nowadays has the time or desire to go shopping every day so it’s imperative to have a handfull of standby recipes in which you can use whatever you have on hand.

Tofu Stir Fry with Black Bean Noodles

Serves 2

1 pack (300g) tofu, cubed
4 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp maple syrup
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp ground ginger
half a tbsp sesame oil
dash of fresh lime juice
salt, pepper and chilli to taste

black bean noodles or other noodles (amount to taste)
dash of water or vegetable stock
about a pound (approx. 450-500 grams) mixed vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, sweetcorn, green peas, capsicum, carrots…
cashew nuts, fresh coriander, fresh chilli to serve (optional)

Mix the tamari, maple syrup, garlic, oil, vinegar, ginger, lime juice and spices in a medium bowl, then add the tofu and let sit for 5-10 minutes to soak up the marinade. Prepare the noodles according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Heat water or stock in a large frying pan or, better, a wok, and blanch the vegetables for a couple of minutes. Take out the veggies, then add the tofu with all of the marinade, cover and let cook for 5-10 minutes. Add the veggies, mix in thoroughly and cook for another two minutes. Turn off the heat, toss in the noodles and mix everything through. Adjust the spices and let sit for a minute. Serve with cashews, coriander and chilli according to your liking and…

Enjoy!

10-minute Lowfat Vegan Mushroom Alfredo gf, df, soyfree, nutfree)

Published on December 11, 2016 by nathaliejasmin20191 Comment

As promised on my Instagram account, here comes the easiest, healthiest and best 10-minute lowfat vegan mushroom alfredo you’ll ever make.

I don’t say this lightly. This is serious stuff. I am aware that there is no lack of vegan Alfredo recipes, a lot of which involve tofu (which can be an issue for some) or cashew nuts and/or coconut cream, therefore being very heavy. In short, alfredos, whether vegan or not, are not exactly lowfat. I have made alfredo sauces using cauliflower which is a better option to achieve that creamy consistency that we crave but the flavour of the cauliflower (and the smell of your kitchen when cooking it) can be a bit overwhelming when all you are after is mushrooms, creams and garlic. What I wanted was an Alfredo sauce which fulfilled the following criteria:

-relatively low in fat
-takes 10 minutes to make from start to finish
-requires about 5 ingredients
-is economical
-tastes divine

I’m so excited because my mushroom Alfredo does all that! With only coconut oil, garlic, plant milk, mushrooms (duh!), cornstarch and plenty of herbs and spices, there are no obscure or hard-to-get ingredients, no nasties and you don’t need to set aside your precious weekend for meal prepping – all you need is the commercial TV break on a weeknight. Sounds good? Sure does!

You can use any plant milk you like or have on hand. If you are not worried about the soy/nut issue, then soy or nut milk is perfectly fine to use. I like oat milk as it makes the sauce really unctuous, however, it is quite a bit higher in carbs than other non.dairy mylks and also sweeter, so you might want to keep that in mind. I have tried this recipe with both almond and oat milk and love them both! So it’s completely up to you. What’s not up to you is the spice part. There is garlic, sea salt, fresh black pepper and fresh parsley, which is not a lot of spices. They are therefore not negotiable. If you don’t like or can’t have garlic, pepper and/or parsley (seriously???), then you can try to omit them, but it really won’t be the same.

Serves 2

1/2 to 1 tbsp refined coconut oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
250 g button/cup mushrooms
250-350 ml unsweetened plant milk (depending how much water is sweat out by your mushrooms)
1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with equal amounts water to form a paste
sea salt and fresh black pepper
parsley
any other herbs of choice

Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan and fry the garlic until aromatic. Add the mushrooms and fry until they start to wither. Add the plant milk, starting with a cup (ca. 250 ml). Whisk in the dissolved cornstarch and keep whisking until no lumps are left and the sauce starts to thicken. Add salt, pepper and spices and some more plant milk until the sauce has your desired consistency. Serve with pasta of choice.

Enjoy!

Healthy Madras Curry with Chickpea Tofu

Published on December 4, 2016 by nathaliejasmin2019Leave a comment

Please, can you please all make this curry? Seriously, it’s soooo good! Like, I-want-to-eat-all-servings-by-myself type good. And guess what? Because this curry is really light and healthy, you can! If you are organised and disciplined (I am neither), you double or triple this recipe and freeze leftovers as it freezes really well and makes for a great stand-by on busy weeknights (I already see you dialling that takeaway number, but you will never again after you have tried this recipe). If you are looking for an alternative to Indian takeaway, enter my healthy Madras curry with chickpea tofu!

What I love about our local Indian takeaway is how you can customise the protein and the degree of spiciness in the dishes. What I am less keen on is the amount of cheap oils, butter and cream in Indian takeaway curries and the feeling that you have swallowed a whale (or turned into one). So I’ve been looking to come up with a good alternative that is healthy, easy, quick, inexpensive and, most of all, tasty. It seems like I nailed all these briefs at the first time! This stuff is hearty, satisfying, exotic, just the right amount of spicy, filling without sitting like a rock in your stomach, nourishing and comforting!

Using light coconut/almond milk, this dish is a lot less heavy than traditional Indian dishes and very low in fat, with the fat mainly coming from healthy coconut oil. If you like things extra creamy, you could use full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream although I really prefer the lightness of my recipe. I love my carbs so I tend to serve brown rice on the side with also lends this meal a nice crunch, but if you limit your carbs, you could try cauliflower rice. As a protein, I used Burmese chickpea tofu to create a soy-free vegan meal. I don’t mind soy anymore but I try to not go overboard with it. You can of course use “normal” tofu, tempeh, paneer or whatever protein suits your taste buds and dietary requirements.

If you aren’t familiar with chickpea tofu though, I’d definitely recommend trying it. I made mine using the recipe by the incredibly talented vegan Richa. I looked at several recipes for no-soy tofu, and hers was by far the most straightforward one. It literally comes together in ten minutes and is set in the fridge in under an hour. I was so pleased to have found a cheap, easy, healthy and lowfat alternative to regular tofu! The texture is almost the same as tofu and it has a subtle, not overwhelming earthy chickpea flavour which I love. I actually make a big batch and munch on it as a snack. With its gooey, slightly rubbery consistency, it feels like having naughty cheese, only that due to the chickpea flour, chickpea tofu is low in fat while boasting fiber, iron, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, folate, vitamin B-6 and thiamine!

Sounds too good to be true? Then get cooking!

Healthy Madras Curry with Chickpea Tofu

Makes 3 servings

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped (optional, leave out for low FODMAP)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tbsp ginger powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp dried coriander
1 tsp curry powder or garam masala
a pinch of turmeric
chili powder or fresh chilis, to taste
1 recipe chickpea tofu, chopped
1 tin (400g) tinned tomatoes
sea salt and pepper to taste
dash of lemon juice
dash of light coconut milk or almond milk
500 g steamed vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, peas
brown rice or cauliflower rice, to serve

Heat the coconut oil in a deep saucepan and add garlic, onion if using, ginger, cumin, coriander, curry powder, turmeric and chili powder. Fry the spices until they are aromatic. Add the chopped chickpea tofu and fry until lightly browned, then add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes, adding a little bit of water as necessary. Stir in lemon juice, coconut milk and vegetables and serve immediately with rice.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Vegan Crusty Soda Bread (yeast free, gum free)

Published on November 28, 2013 by nathaliejasmin20193 Comments

Gluten free bread sucks. Do you agree to this statement? I used to. No matter where in the world, and no matter whether from a breadmix, or a bakery – gluten free bread just sucked. And even if it tasted anywhere near something you would serve a human being, it was filled with crap. I know, I know what you are going to say – one doesn’t need bread, or any carbohydrates for that matter. There is absolutely nothing wrong with low-carb or paleo, ans, in fact, I believe many of the western world’s problems could be solved if people ate low(er) carb!

But, heck, I am German and married to an Italian – there is just no way I’m gonna give up bread forever, and even though I am gluten intolerant, there must be a way to make gluten free bread that doesn’t suck! Gluten free bread that doesn’t have a whole shelf of creepy ingredients in it. Gluten free bread that doesn’t have a dozen eggs in it (that’s not bread, that’s cake! And If I crave bread, I don’t want cake – sorry, Marie Antoinette!).

This was an experiment. One that turned out well. One that my (gluten eating) hubs couldn’t get enough of. One that reminded me very much of the texture of a good ol’ German sourdough – even though the taste is more in the tradition of the Irish soda bread. I didn’t have any dried yeast, so had to resort to soda. With an old trick I knew (putting a bowl of water in the oven), my bread got a lovely crust. And thanks to all-time favourite flax, this is egg free, but you won’t miss any eggs – the trick with the flax eggs worked! So this is not only gluten free, it is yeast free, gum free, egg free, and dairy free. And it doesn’t suck.

Gluten free? Check. Dairy free? Check. Yeast free? Check. Egg free? Check. Vegan? Check. Gum Free? Check. Soy free? Most naturally. Full of fibre and omega 3? Check. Sugar free? You have the option. Yummy? Check. Easy and quick to make? Check.

You can start now. You should have the ingredients. And it is really really easy. You don’t even need to preheat the oven – you really don’t!

Makes one loaf

150 g potato starch
100 g sorghum flour
50 g arrowroot
2 tbsp baking soda
2 tsp celtic sea salt
2 tsp sugar or honey
250 ml hot water (ca. 40 ° C)
3 tbsp ground flax seed, dissolved in 9 tbsp water (equals 3 flax eggs)
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil

Mix the dry ingredients (potato starch, sorghum, arrowroot, soda, salt, sugar if using) in food processor with dough blade until one colour. Slowly add oil, flax eggs and honey, if using, with the blender running. Add vinegar and hot water and mix until you get a supple, uniform dough. There should not be any lumps in it whatsoever – it should be the smoothest thing ever. Turn off the processor, and with a silicon spatula, scoop dough into loaf pan. Sprinkle the loaf with sorghum or any other gluten free flour and notch several times with a sharp knife. Place on middle rack in an oven, and place another tray filled with water below the loaf pan. Turn the oven to 230 ° C and let bake for 35 minutes. Turn off the oven, and let the loaf cool on a wire rack.

Delicious Gluten Free bread with Olive Oil and Sea Salt or... — Delicious Gluten Free bread with Olive Oil and Sea Salt or…

Enjoy!