A Vegan Obsession

Breakfast Tacos To Be Enjoyed Anytime - Recipe. Gluten Free. Vegan. Delicious.

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Breakfast Tacos To Be Enjoyed Anytime - Recipe. Gluten Free. Vegan. Delicious.

Breakfast Tacos To Be Enjoyed Anytime - Recipe. Gluten Free. Vegan. Delicious.


The rain has fallen today in San Francisco after a long hiatus. As a British woman far too used to rain, it is not pleasing me as much as it is my American friends. However, the great thing is, when you are in California the sun is never too far away. So, today I will enjoy the novelty value.

I thought I’d share this easy breakfast, brunch or ‘whenever’ recipe. It was actually inspired by my recent trip to Austin, Texas, where breakfast tacos are ‘the thing’.

It is very simple to create but bursting with flavour.

Texas Breakfast Tacos
Ingredients

1 package firm Tofu
1 medium red onion - sliced
1 or 2 cloves of garlic - minced
2 large carrots - julienned
1 cup sliced portabello or crimini mushrooms
1 bell pepper - sliced and deseeded
1 mild-medium heat chili - chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cumin powder
2 pinches of black salt (kala namak..gives a sulfurous ‘eggy’ flavour) or use Himalayan pink salt.
Freshly cracked black pepper - to taste
1 vegetable stock cube mixed in 2 tbsp water (use a good stock..some use unnecessary ingredients like sugar, maltodextrin..you can purchase low sodium, yeast free).
Fresh chopped cilantro to garnish.
Limes to enliven - squeeze as you please.

Spicy tempeh or Soyrizo to make spicy crumbles.
Method


This recipe does not use any oil. I grated the onions first and cooked them in vegetable stock so it was oil free. You’d never guess.
Add the garlic, spices and seasonings along with the drained tofu and mash into crumbles with a wooden spoon or fork. Cook until most of the water from the tofu has evaporated.

Add the mushrooms and carrots. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes.
In another pan, cook the spicy tempeh. If you are making from scratch then crumble the tempeh into a skillet sprayed with oil, season and add 1/2 paprika powder, 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp gluten free mustard. Quick fry until crispy. Alternatively, if you are using soy chorizo just fry without oil in a pan until crispy.
Warm your corn or gluten free tortillas for a minute or two. Then fill up with the tofu scramble and a generous topping of your spicy crumbles.
Top with vegan queso, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. An avocado side would be good as would my/your favourite vegan cheese. It’s your brunch day…get creative.
What is your favourite vegan breakfast/brunch/lazy raining day, recipe?


Breakfast Tacos To Be Enjoyed Anytime - Recipe. Gluten Free. Vegan. Delicious.
 
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Texas Breakfast Tacos
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Vegan, gluten free, tacos.
Ingredients
  • 1 package firm Tofu
  • 1 medium red onion - sliced
  • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic - minced
  • 2 large carrots - julienned
  • 1 cup sliced portabelo or crimini mushrooms
  • 1 bell pepper - sliced and deseeded
  • 1 mild-medium heat chilli - chopped
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp cumin powder
  • 2 pinches of black salt (kala namak..gives a sulphurous 'eggy' flavour) or use Himalayan pink salt.
  • Freshly cracked black pepper - to taste
  • 1 vegetable stock cube mixed in 2 tbsp water (use a good stock..some use unnecessary ingredients like sugar, maltodextrin..you can purchase low sodium, yeast free).
  • Fresh chopped cilantro to garnish.
  • Limes to enliven - squeeze as you please.
  • Spicy tempeh
  • or
  • Soyrizo
  • to make spicy crumbles.
Instructions
  1. This recipes does not use any oil. I grated the onions first and cooked them in vegetable stock so it was oil free. You'd never guess.
  2. Add the garlic, spices and seasonings along with the drained tofu and mash into crumbles with a wooden spoon or fork. Cook until most of the water from the tofu has evaporated.
  3. Add the mushrooms and carrots. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes.
  4. In another pan, cook the spicy tempeh. If you are making from scratch then crumble the tempeh into a skillet sprayed with oil, season and add ½ paprika powder, 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp
  5. gluten free mustard
  6. Quick fry until crispy. Alternatively if you are using soy chorizo just fry without oil in a pan until crispy.
  7. Warm your corn or gluten free tortillas for a minute or two. Then fill up with the tofu scramble and a generous topping of your spicy crumbles.
  8. Top with
  9. vegan queso
  10. , fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. An avocado side would be good as would
  11. my/your favourite vegan cheese
  12. It's your brunch day…get creative.
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Fancy Porridge For Dessert…Or Dinner. Or Breakfast.

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Whilst I have been tinkering with so many recipes for Vegan MoFo lately.  There have been a few times when I just didn’t have time to make dinner (crazy eh!) or could be bothered with even more washing up. My hands are like prunes!  It has been unseasonably cold here the last week or so and I was needing some internal fire in my belly.  What did I crave?  Something fast, something filling. Bring on the porridge.  As it was dinner, I couldn’t just eat warm oats with almond milk.  So I took it up a wee notch and made Porridge Dessert..for dinner.    A post today by a fellow Vegan MoFo’er for peanut butter and jelly porridge, reminded me to share this with you.

One day I made Black Forrest Gateau Porridge.  I warmed almond milk in a pan with a cup of oats, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla powder as a base. And, so I could eat it without having to wait for it to cool a little, I added a handful of mixed frozen berries and stirred through some carob chips.  A few flaked almonds on top and a swirl of maple syrup.  Happy!


Add caption
The next day, for lunch I ate porridge again.  This time I yearned for warming Carrot Cake Porridge.  I made the base of the porridge in the same way as the day before, but I added 1 tsp of cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg for spice.  I then grated a carrot and lightly toasted some walnuts until they were fragrant and stirred them through. I topped with a walnut cream, I made by whizzing up some coconut yogurt and walnuts with a little spoon of xylitol (healthy sugar alternative), in a blender. Swirl maple syrup in a figure of eight, and a pinch of salt on top and one over my shoulder for luck. Happy!



If you are gluten free, make sure you use gluten free oats.  Oats are not by nature a gluten food but they are usually processed in mills that process wheat.  I stayed away from my beloved porridge for so long as they really affected me, not just in my stomach but also making me feel a bit weird and fuzzy headed.  I also think sticking to my green smoothies for breakfast, and not eating the oats in the morning helps.  Not sure why.  My favourite are Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats.  



See you tomorrow!  x

Hand Held Vegan Brunch To Go - Gluten Free

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Vegan MoFo Day 10. Hello!
After far too long away from pottering in the kitchen (travel, moving) I’m loving welcoming back my cooking mojo. It’s not totally back in technicolour yet, but it’s getting there. It feels like the pressure has been released from weeks/months of ideas/inspirations, backing up, waiting to be manifest in my kitchen.
Being gluten free and being in the UK, finding tortillas suitable for me can be a challenge. Do they have to add wheat to everything!! Grr. So, because of this predicament, I usually only eat tortillas when I am in Mexico or California (made of either 100% corn or brown rice). So, I was really excited to have these sent to me to try from BFree. Excited! So, I wanted to share my good fortune and invite a friend over for brunch so I could serve up some tofu scramble wraps with a side of hot and smokey black beans.
These wraps are made from a whole motley of gluten free grain and bean flours, including amaranth and quinoa. They are low fat and high in fibre compared to the wheat free varieties out there. Although thin, they held together surprisingly well. The slight hint of sourdough flavour (they are fermented) married so well with the scramble. If you want to try them you can purchase them in Asda in the UK.
Tofu, red onion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, yellow bell pepper, chilli, black salt, turmeric, thyme, cracked black pepper. I grated the onions first and cooked them in vegetable stock so it was oil free. You’d never guess.
I’ve always wanted to make tofu pockets wrap them in foil a la food truck.
The smokey black beans are a five minute side dish. Smoked paprika, squeeze of tomato paste, chilli powder, chilli flakes, sea salt, cracked black pepper. Cook to a boil, take off heat. Cool a little then reheat before serving. This way the flavours are absorbed into the warm beans and create a thick sauce for the beans. Add some water and you’ve got soup!

Tofu Scramble Wraps

Ingredients

1 package firm Tofu - drained
1 medium red onion – sliced
1 or 2 cloves of garlic – minced
1 large carrots – julienned

1/2 yellow bell pepper - sliced and deseeded

1 mild-medium heat chilli – finely chopped

1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cumin powder
2 pinches of black salt (kala namak..gives a sulphurous ‘eggy’ flavour) or use Himalayan pink salt.
Freshly cracked black pepper – to taste
1 vegetable stock cube mixed in 2 tbsp water (use a good stock..some use unnecessary ingredients like sugar, maltodextrin..you can purchase low sodium, yeast free, vegan stock cubes).
Fresh chopped chives or your favourite herb to garnish.

Method

sauté the onion in a fry pan lightly coated with oil until soft and caramelised.

add the garlic and cook for 2 mins, careful not to allow to burn.

add the tofu and peppers, stock and herbs, spices, salt and pepper. cook for a further 7-10 mins, stirring to keep it all cooking through. Use your spatula to break down the tofu to a scramble like consistency. Cook until the excess moisture has cooked off.

Remove from the heat. Check for seasoning. Sprinkle over your chopped herbs, and perhaps a tsp of fresh chopped chilli. Spoon onto your wraps. Roll up. Serve.

Hand Held Vegan Brunch To Go - Scramble Wraps
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Delicious, simple and quick to make. Lunch or brunch is a breeze. Full of flavour, low fat and vegan. If you use a gluten free wrap it will be gluten free, too! Lovely.
Author:
Recipe type: Lunch
Cuisine: Tofu Scramble Wraps
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 package firm Tofu - drained
  • 1 medium red onion – sliced
  • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic – minced
  • 1 large carrots – julienned
  • ½ yellow bell pepper - sliced and deseeded
  • 1 mild-medium heat chilli – finely chopped
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp cumin powder
  • 2 pinches of black salt (kala namak..gives a sulphurous ‘eggy’ flavour) or use Himalayan pink salt.
  • Freshly cracked black pepper – to taste
  • 1 vegetable stock cube mixed in 2 tbsp water (use a good stock..some use unnecessary ingredients like sugar, maltodextrin..you can purchase low sodium, yeast free, vegan stock cubes).
  • Fresh chopped chives or your favourite herb to garnish.
Instructions
  1. sauté the onion in a fry pan lightly coated with oil until soft and caramelised.
  2. add the garlic and cook for 2 mins, careful not to allow to burn.
  3. add the tofu and peppers, stock and herbs, spices, salt and pepper. cook for a further 7-10 mins, stirring to keep it all cooking through. Use your spatula to break down the tofu to a scramble like consistency. Cook until the excess moisture has cooked off.
  4. Remove from the heat. Check for seasoning. Sprinkle over your chopped herbs, and perhaps a tsp of fresh chopped chilli. Spoon onto your wraps. Roll up. Serve.
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The brunch was so good. My brunch date nearly licked their plate (or was that me?!) These would be perfect as for a packed lunch, you could nestle the beans in with the scramble. Pop in a few cheeky slices of avocado. Wow. Happy, hand held food.


See you tomorrow. x








UPDATE
I was curious about the folks at BFree so I asked a few ?’s.

Freya Ivory, Head Marketing Executive at BFree was happy to respond.

Tell me of the story of BFree
BFree was set up by Ronan McNamee who was the original founder of Cuisine De France. It came about after a lot of research into the gluten and wheat free industry.
Who are you?
BFree are a team of 10 consisting of sales reps, marketing, finance, logistics and R&D. We are all really passionate about BFree and our consumers.
Why are you?
BFree was set up because the founder had an interest in the Gluten Free industry and after a lot of research he established that there was a clear gap for a tasty, good for you bread.
When was the company founded?
BFree started trading in the latter half of 2011. Within a year we had secured nationwide listings with 3 Irish supermarket chains; Dunnes Stores, Tesco Ireland and SuperValu. At the end of 2012 / start of 2013 we got a listing with ASDA for the UK.
Also, have you considered making your range entirely vegan? Replacing the egg with http://hamptoncreekfoods.com Beyond Eggs. Bill Gates is raving about this company. Their egg substitute is AMAZING (I’ve reviewed it) and is way cheaper than eggs. Also, making the wraps sugar free (is your sugar certified vegan?)
We are certainly looking at making all our range vegan and possible products that we launch in the future would be vegan too.

HOMEMADE SAUSAGES - Woo hoo! vegan BANGERS - gluten free and beyond GOOD

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Seriously, I am SHOCKED at how good these herby, robust, dense, intensely flavoured, sausages are.  Really..SHOCKED..first time at making them…adapted from this recipe and they are rocking my world.  Full kudos to Destiny Stone writer for Celiac.com I used the basic recipe and then tweaked it.  The world is a brighter place today…I can actually now live my life happily, knowing I’ve the power of vegan, gluten free sausage alchemy.

I cannot wait to hear what you think of them….we’ve only just begun (background musak of the Carpenters)

Vegan SAUSAGES

1 can black eyed beans- drained and rinsed well
1/4 cup ground oats (oat flour)
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup dried mushrooms - 1/8 soaked in hot water and then drained & 1/8 ground dry in a coffee grinder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs grated vegan Parmesan
1 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs ground fennel seeds (grind in coffee grinder)
1 pinch chili flakes or to taste
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp  dried mixed herbs
1/2 tsp salt (to taste..the mushrooms will be salty)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp xantham gum (I’ve not tried without but I considered it a good idea to help the bind and density)

Preheat oven to 190c / 375f

1.with a hand blender, blend all the ingredients. the mix will be seriously firm - this is good.
2.form sausages - makes about 10
3.line pan with parchment paper
4.wet hands to smooth the surface of the sausages (so they look a bit ‘bagel buffed’ like) you don’t have to do this but presentation is good
5.bake for approx 15-20 mins or fry until golden.  I baked them to intensify the flavour and then fried them for a couple of minutes to brown and make them all glisteny….  AWESOME

AWESOME!

Hola! Herby Spanish Tortilla.

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MUSHROOM, RED PEPPER & HERB…Spanish Tortilla. 
I have an ongoing ‘to try’ list. A crystal ball of flavours I am destined to devour.  One recipe that’s been hounding me is frittata.  I had recently discovered a great recipe by Fat Free Vegan for vegan-zucchini-frittata that looked drool worthy.  But I had a problem….visions of my mum’s Spanish omelet (not vegan) kept flashing in my mind and, though it was a a memory from when I was a wee 15yr old lassie, I could taste it.  But I decided to ignore it and follow the recipe in front of me from FF Vegan.  WRONG!  I found myself hunting for VEGAN SPANISH TORTILLA with my trusty friend Google.  I could veganize this old family favourite….right?!  I watched a movie online of a woman and a little girl whipping up a vegan mayo & a Spanish tortilla on YouTube, but she was using BUCKETS of oil and it totally freaked me out. DILEMMA!   I wanted it to be light and clean, and chickpea flour can taste a bit ‘powdery’, so I didn’t want to use the frittata recipe.  So, I did what I usually do…I winged it.  I took elements of Fat Free Vegan & Carol & Wenshu and of course my dear ‘ole ma and created my own.
I am going to be a bit un-English and blow my own trumpet and announce…’it was really ruddy good’.

At the time, it seemed a bit complicated but I am sure it will be breezy next time, now I know what I am doing.  I even wrote it down, just so I could share it with you.  Aren’t I studious?!
This recipe will SERVE 2. 
INGREDIENTS
175g firm silken tofu
5 tbs besan (chickpea) flour
3/4 - 1 cup water (aim for a consistency like thick pancake batter)
1 large potato (didn’t weigh it but think size of an adult fist)
1 med onion
1 red pepper
5 chestnut mushrooms (or any full flavoured type)
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbs vegan cheese *optional* I used Parmesan
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp oregano
3 sprigs of rosemary
1 tsp of tumeric (for colour)
salt & pepper
You could make all this in a fry pan but I wanted EASY and low fat.
Chop potatoes and onions 1 inch sq and put into a roasting roasting tray.  Cover with 2 tbs a good olive oil and mix in.  Drop in the rosemary too.   Roast for 20-25mins or until golden.  At the same time, in another tray, pop the red pepper in whole..it doesn’t need oiling.  Remove from oven when blackened slightly.  Leave to cool then remove the skin and carefully pull out the centre.  Chop and leave aside.
Whilst you’ve got that all going on you can fry the mushrooms in a little oil.  Leave in the pan.
For the batter;
In a mixing bowl add the flour and water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, & herbs and seasonings (salt & pepper 1 tsp of each…I added more pepper as I like it with a kick) give it a whisk until all lumps are removed.  Add in the tofu and whisk again.
Spray your fry pan with oil.  Add your roasted vegetables along with the rosemary.  Arrange them evenly in the pan and then pour over the batter.  Have the heat on med to high and use a spatula to form the tortilla and lift from the edges of the pan.  Keep jiggling the pan to free the tortilla.  Use a plate to turn the tortilla and slip it back in to the pan.  I had to do this twice to ensure it was cooked through.  A frying slice used to gently push down the tortilla and bring any raw batter to the surface.  It took about 15 minutes to cook through.  Wiggle it onto a serving dish, click your castanets and stamp a triumphant foot. 
 ahi va!   ¡buen provecho

*next time I am going to try just pouring the batter into the roasting try and finishing it off in the oven for 30 mins*




It was so tasty…the herbs boogie with the potatoes and and the textures and little pockets of flavour are wonderfully distinctive.  Its a bit like foodie pass the parcel, a little gift present in every chomp!  I just wish my photography could do it justice.

Delicious dessert fruit bowl - a bounty of flavours in five minutes flat!

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I had a bowl full of fruit and a hungry tum and needed something sweet and gooood.  This dessert was super quick to prepare.  Chopped ripe pear,  juicy, sweet persimmon…so full of vits and mins to make you zing…I tore some figs and threw them in to the mix.  I wanted the whole bitter/sweet thing going on so I added lightly crushed walnuts and then made a tahini cream (1 tsp tahini to 4 tbs soya cream) and with a flourish released a pinch of pink salt…  Jesus, the food DJ was mixing tunes in my mouth!  
I had it for breakfast the next day too…with a spelt cracker smothered with tahini and marmalade.   Better than ‘cardboard’ cereal any day of the week.

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