Search Results for: seed

Seed + Salt New Vegan Cafe Opens in San Francisco

December 1, 2014 by India Leigh

A long anticipated, now it is here. Seed + Salt New Vegan Cafe Opens in San Francisco.

I was fortunate to be invited to the preview party on Friday. I honestly did not know what to expect but from my research on the owner, I believed it would be something special.

Located on Chestnut Street, Marina District, a rather sophisticated, trendy shopping street a mere stones throw from a magnificent view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Seed+Salt has a crisp, clean, beechwood and white interior. If it is possible to effuse an atmosphere of health then this place does. It was packed with friends and family, gathered to do a trial run before opening proper.

The owner, Mo came and greeted me warmly. I have to say everything about this woman is beautiful. No flapping, ‘rabbit in the headlights’ , opening day panic was evident as she talked me through the menu. I was fascinated by her zen like air. I discovered that Mo was born with entrepreneurial DNA. At 8 she was making greeting cards and selling them in her neighbourhood in Michigan. She had balance sheets and plotted every sale and every cent. She said it just was the most natural thing for her. She then grew up and founded a marketing company. Sold it years later with a substantial book of large corporate clients. Mo then sidestepped into making designer jewellery. She told me that opening a restaurant was never part of her vision but she got a sense a couple of years ago that she wanted to build a place that served the type of food she wanted to eat. Plant based (vegan), gluten free and processed sugar free. She hired a chef from Brooklyn and over 1.5 years they developed a menu that she is really proud of. This was all whilst bringing up a small child and running several of her other businesses. ‘How do you juggle it all and look so calm?’ I asked. Meditation, came the answer.

Mo wanted to create the cleanest food that could be delivered quickly. It’s a walk up to the counter place. The menu has soup, bowls, breakfast items, sandwiches - her eggplant bacon BLT was a hit with the customers (friends/family) I chatted with. Over 90% of the menu items are made in house from scratch, from cheeses to all the delicious spreads (she plans to sell on her product line one day) and her (one day sure to be famous) nut bread and baguettes (gluten free!!). Her ‘clean’ ethos extends to all the cutlery, takeout boxes, napkins etc. All green as can be and compostable.

So, what was it like you ask?

Incredible Chef Ariel Nadelberg.

Mo Clancy. Owner of Seed+Salt.

I began with cookies. They just called to me from the stand. Chocolate chip and ginger molasses. Soft, chewy, crumbly, perfectly sweetened and very morish. One of the best cookies I’ve ever had! And healthy to boot! Just how all food should and, as inventive vegans are discovering, can be.

Next I sampled a selection of the spreads suggested by Mo. I tried the nut bread topped with wild mushroom and walnut spread, house made cheese, and a chimichurri sauce. The tri-combo of spreads were incredible. Their cream cheese is exceptional, and I can say that as I have tried many on the market. The whipped mushroom spread was flavoursome and light. The vibrant chimichurri was perfect and added an acidity that made for a reverential mix of flavours and a great acidity/creamy/umami balance.

Warm from the oven, the flourless nut bread is packed with nuts and seeds but it somehow manages to be light. Mo suggested I tried the chia seed jam coupled with the raw lemon curd. The cool sweet but slightly tart curd on top of the warm bread and the thick chia seed jam were so very, very good. The curd is like a smooth citrus butter cream and it is spoonable, sweet loveliness.

This is the eggplant bacon sandwich. Most of the people in the party I spoke with were carnivores. Each and everyone declared the eggplant bacon had a great flavour and closely matched the flavour of bacon and was worthy of much respect.

Everyone I spoke to declared the food to be full of flavour and satisfying. The cookies and nut bread and spreads were very filling. I had no room for anything else. I will be returning for sure. I have to try that eggplant bacon, and the soup, and the blackbean tempeh.

Seed + Salt is a great concept, set to flourish in San Francisco and no doubt, from what I know of the beautiful Mo Clancy, in every city another Seed+Salt appears. The staff are super friendly and passionate about their fayre. The food will speak for itself. Seed+Salt is a sure fire hit.

Seed + Salt New Vegan Cafe Opens in San Francisco. December 2nd 2014. 2240 Chestnut Street, San Francisco.

Hours 7am - 8pm.

Jackfruit Seed Curry

April 30, 2012 by India Leigh

A couple of weeks ago I was cat sitting for a friend, in a city just North of London. It is quite unlike where I live, there cultural diversity is not exactly thriving. So I get excited to wander in and out of a long stretch of enticing Asian food stores. I shake boxes, peer into tubs, gingerly sniff at strange vegetables. I squint at minuscule text on colourful packages to uncover what the contents are. These stores don’t just look different. No sleek expensive displays just shelves with bulk bags of rice and bean flour, they smell different too. I revel in the foreignness of it all!

After a lengthy Q & A with a patient store owner, who matched my excitement at times (or humoured me at least), I went home with a bag of spirally fingers of green veg, a huge root vegetable called a mooli or daikon, and a last minute grab of a handful of large seeds, the colour of many a wall in British homes in the 90’s…magnolia. The jolly man at the till told me what they were, but a Google search was on the cards to find out what to do with them. This giant seed that was giving nothing away!

A few of Asian websites offered their take on the preparation. In Thailand they boil them. Their wedding ceremonies use mung bean flour and coconut flour make make a dough, to shape into balls to resemble the seed (I failed to discover why) and call it Met Khannon. The sweet bake is said to symbolise that whatever fate has for the bride and groom and ensure they will have support of others, and never loose sight of their dreams. i was feeling far too single to think about weddings and confetti ….and perhaps my recent (and ongoing) green smoothie-juicing-salad munching health kick made the thought of pungent, colourful spices all the more exotic and enticing.

So I opted to transform the seed, Indian style, and prepare Palakottal.

Mine is a slightly adjusted version of a dish hailing from Tamil Nadu.

To create this dish for two you will need…

1 tsp turmeric powder
1 medium onion diced small
1 green chili with most of ribs and all seed removed unless you like some fire
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
3 fresh tomatoes roughly chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds

oil for frying

Measure all your Indian spices and decant them onto a plate to sit beside your cooker top, waiting for you to enlist their beguiling flavours. Use a knife to score the thin skin of the jackfruit seed, the use thumb and forefinger to prise the seed free. Gently drop into a pan of nicely bubbling water, coloured with the turmeric powder. Lower the heat to a simmer and let the seeds jiggle in the hot broth for 25-30mins.
Drain the liquid and shake the seeds onto a chopping board. Take your knife and carefully split the seeds in half. You can use the same pan, emptied of water, to toast the spices. Toasting releases the spices natural oils and their flavour deepens as the mingling fragrance blooms into the kitchen.
But first, add oil, about a table spoon, to the hot pan and fry the onion, chili and chopped garlic and ginger for a minute or so. I love how they begin to glisten. It is a glorious union! When they are sizzling and taking on a touch of golden hue, it’s time to push the spices into the pan. Stir the mix so it doesn’t burn, when each fragrant spice has unfolded put the juicy tomatoes in the pan, with the seeds and gently combine it all together.
Only a few minutes is needed to coat the seeds and for the tomatoes to break down to a sauce.

Serve simply with fresh Indian bread or brittle, roasted, poppadoms and a scattering of fresh green cilantro (coriander leaves or to give it its Indian name dhania).

The seed are soft and waxy as freshly dug new potatoes. They absorb the spices and slightly acidic tomatoes so well but still layers of flavour pop intermittently.

Crispy Kale & Pine Nut Pizza - Cauliflower Crust.

March 19, 2018 by India Leigh

Crispy Kale & Pine Nut Pizza - Cauliflower Crust

With the new website/blog now unwrapped and finally a more user friendly platform, I can once again concentrate on the business of recipes. I feel like I’ve been lagging behind with trying out my new recipe ideas and bringing you great vegan and gluten free foodie finds from the interweb. So I need to play catch up before I can thrust on and get up to speed. I need to tick off some of the items on the ‘recipes to try’ list. So, here is a recipe that has been knocking around for a few years among some vegan, and gluten free blogs - Cauliflower Pizza Crust. Yes, pizza crust made from cauliflower. My take on it is Crispy Kale & Pine Nut Pizza - Cauliflower Crust. Gluten free, grain free and vegan. Skeptical? So was I. But, trusted sources espoused its merits so give it a go I must. Many peoples favourite things are pizza, many people love kale. So I decided to marry the two. Here for your delectation is..

no images were found

Crispy Kale & Pine Nut Pizza - Gluten Free Cauliflower Crust

Ingredients

1/2 cauliflower

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)

1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)

3 tbs ground chia seed (or flax meal) to make a chia egg

4 tbs nutritional yeast

1/4 cup reduced fat almond flour (sorghum works well too if you do not care if it is not grain free. Quinoa would probably work also.)

1/4 cup chickpea flour

pinch of pink Himalayan or sea salt

pinch of black pepper

1 tbs olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 450f or as high as your oven allows. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Mix the non-dairy milk and the ground chia or flax seeds and leave to congeal. Just 5 or so mins should do the trick.
Roughly chop cauliflower and pop into a food processor or high-speed blender until it breaks down to crumbs. Pop into a suitable container and microwave for 4 mins or to be healthier steam for 10 mins. Allow to cool then put the crumbs into cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as you can.
Combine the drained cauliflower, chia ‘egg’, flours, nutritional yeast, and seasonings. Mix to a dough. If too wet add more flour.
Halve the mixture and then pour the oil into your hands and form two balls. This ensures that the oil is coating the outside of the ‘dough’. Place onto a tray leaving room for each to be flattened and shaped into a 1/4 inch thick and roughly 7 inch circles. You may get more depending on size of your cauliflower (Did you know that in France it is called ‘chou-fleur’?…that’s so pretty!)
Bake for about 20 mins until turning golden brown, and crispy at the edges. Be beady-eyed about it though as each oven is different and depending on the tides/moon phase/shoe size and your mood it could burn. Don’t let it burn.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Not sure of the science but like baking a cake, with gluten free stuff the resting makes for good bonding time. I’ve seen many recipes that say the pizza will not stand up to holding aloft but this one does.
Whilst your pizza crust is cooling, slice up some vegan cheese (or use slices..Violife are the best IMHO), bust out a can of condensed tomato paste, chop up your curly kale, and mince some garlic.
Now it is time to decorate those wonderful, gluten free, vegan pizza crusts! Take crust numero uno and spoon and spread over 2-3 tbs of tomato paste. Top with the sliced cheese and the garlic. Pop into the oven until cheese has melted. Grab out of oven and top with a sprinkling of pine nuts and the chopped kale, grind over some black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Then carefully drizzle olive oil over the kale. Grab your oven mitts and pop the pizzas back under a medium grill until the kale turns crispy but not burnt. Burnt is not good.
Remove from the grill (or, if you are American the broiler..still cannot get my head around that though it is more obvious to call it that..darn my English upbringing!) and EAT.
Now, I have to be honest, I did not expect the crust to be that great once I’d tasted the raw mix but me-oh-my, once cooked and adorned it is a thing of sheer delight. Delizioso!

*tip. Gently remove the crusts from the baking parchment BEFORE you add your toppings so that your final product is not stuck to the baking parchment. If it sticks then wet the parchment with a little water and it will peel off, like those transfer tattoos we had as kids, leaving the crust liberated and intact).

Healthy Vegan Fast Food In San Francisco

August 26, 2015 by India Leigh

Healthy Vegan Fast Food In San Francisco.

Where to Eat Now

I was on a road trip recently with my new husband. Yes, for those of you that follow my blog.I got married in July to a wonderful American man!! We had a blissful wedding day in Ojai, California. Magical!

We were road tripping up to Oregon to my first nerve wracking meeting with some of his siblings and their children, and for my husband to enter a 13 mile uphill race. (Swoon). We stopped off in my much loved city, San Francisco in order to track down some healthy vegan fast food in San Francisco. Time pushed and road weary (7 hours driving…just to here) I was pulling him around the Mission excitedly showing him cafes where I had spent many hours writing..dragging him up Bernal Heights for a night view of the city and picking up morsels of vegan food along the way.

Project Juice has been raved about by me in the past. Situated midway up Valencia Street it is a filling and stop for healthy fast food and the antithesis of our unregulated in car crunchy snacking! We ordered the Macro Bowl, with ginger, sesame kale and roasted butternut squash, and the Spiced Lentil Wrap with a cashew-turmeric aioli which honestly was so incredible I could have eaten a bowl of the stuff with a spoon! Our food was incredible. Happy making. I like it when my intense love of food is shared! We washed it all down (so incredibly full now) with an Espresso smoothie, with super foods and fresh young coconut. It was good. Husband enjoyed it. But not being a coffee girl I must say my heart is still true to the Chocoholic smoothie! Project juice are in several Northern and SoCal locations. Recommended.

790 Valencia Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

Though I’ve spent many months of my life in San Francisco in recent years..I felt like a tourist with my husband by my side! We had to take photo’s with murals..it just wouldn’t be right not to!

It was not easy to pick only two vegan restaurants to feast in San Francisco. We only had a few hours and I had to narrow it down. My second pick was Seed & Salt. A personal favourite. I had attended their opening in winter 2014. Their menu is original, organic, vegan and totally gluten free and even processed sugar free. A dream!

We deliberated a while then settled for the chopped cobb salad with chickpea frittata and the beet burger. ONE of the wonderful benefits to having a husband is that you do not have to decide on one item from the menu. You can order two and SHARE. I know. Such a bonus. So we also plumped for the beet burger, made with beets, walnuts and mushrooms. Both came with a cashew ranch dressing. Both were good and filling.

2240 Chestnut Street

San Francisco, 94123

Despite our stomachs feeling fit to burst after our eating spree, and to sort of balance out all the healthy (though very delicious) food. We also devoured a bag of Wholesome Bakery spiced oat, cream filled whoopee pies. They are soft, chewy, cinnamony, creamy and jump and and down good. I once walked past their little catering kitchen in the Mission and stood at the closed door just inhaling. Yes, I did that.

Sorry. No pics!

I am hoping another trip up to San Francisco will not be too far away. I have many, many more restaurants for my new (and oh so lovely) husband to try with me.

Which is your favourite vegan place to eat in San Francisco?

Epic Protein Powder Review & GIVEAWAY

June 12, 2015 by India Leigh

Epic Protein Powder Review. A Giveaway from Sprout Living.

Vegan, gluten free and processed sugar free protein powders. Truly healthy. No wolves in sheep’s clothing here!

Epic Protein Powder : With a pea protein base, these vegan, gluten free protein powders are a quite unique. They have a complete amino acid profiled (branch-chain amino acids) and are real food so they are easy to digest. There are lots of protein powders on the market and some of the cleanest seeming ones still have ingredients in them that I think unnecessary or are not actually very healthy. What I love about Epic Protein is the inclusion of nutrient rich and quite ‘new to the market’ unique ingredients. Each flavour in the range contains different ingredients.

The Chocolate Maca - has maca, an adoptoneginic herb that provides energy and hormone balance. Ceylon Cinnamon which has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels. Chocolate of course solves all problems (a view not yet backed by the FDA, but known by millions of us..right?!).

The Original - and it is original. It delivers phyto-chemicals and pre-biotics from Jerusalem Artichoke and Cranberry Seed. Sacha Inchi a superfood (mountain peanut) from South America known for it’s high Omega oils content. I’ve eaten these whole and they are good. A mix of powdery, crunchy and nutty. These new foods are being promoted in the West now and helping bring money to rural areas where the crop is grown. Let’s hope they stay fairly traded!

Vanilla Lucuma - as with all of the other organic protein flavours from Epic Protein, each serving has at least 19 grams of protein from all-plant sources. Totally vegan. Gluten free. Sweetened here by lucuma ‘Gold of the Incas’ a naturally sweet plant packed with beta carotene. The Vanilla bean sweetens it too. Also added is Baobab. A dry powder from the inside of a fruit of a tree native to Africa. High in Vitamin C.

Green Kingdom - as described by Epic a ‘potent blend of land and sea plant life’. Spirulina (a nutritional champion) Kale..we all know about kale now..right?! and Indian Moringa. Another superfood that is gaining in popularity. It is known as the ‘clarifier Tree’ Webmb.com says, “Moringa is used for “tired blood” (anemia); arthritis and other joint pain (rheumatism); asthma; cancer; constipation; diabetes; diarrhea; epilepsy; stomach pain; stomach and intestinal ulcers; intestinal spasms; headache; heart problems; high blood pressure; kidney stones; fluid retention; thyroid disorders; and bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections”. Impressive. It is a cheap and easy plant to grow and a dense and important source of nutrients. All the ingredients are listed on the front, nice and clearly.

Initially, I found them a little sweet for my palate at first but this is only because I do not usually eat protein powder. All contain a touch of Himalayan Pink Salt to balance out the sweet and salty elements of our taste buds. I made a couple of smoothie with both the Chocolate Maca and the Vanilla Lucuma for a friend who is not usually the smoothie type and she loved them both. The powder is slightly gritty, a characteristic of all protein powders, but I think this one is silkier then most. You can purchase them in servings of between 1 - 69 so they are fantastic to take as sachets if you are going on a road trip and have little space in your bag. Or for taking to the gym or out for a run in your water bottle.

I think you will love them too. Which is why I wanted to give you a chance to try them for free. The lovely people at Sprout Living want that too. So together we are hosting a giveaway!

The are generously giving to one winner a 16 oz Chocolate Maca and samples of the Original, Vanilla Lucuma and the Green Kingdom. Together with a Sprout Living Blender Bottle shaker. The prize is worth over $40!

Entrants in the USA only. You have 14 days to enter beginning today. Scroll down to enter below. Good luck!!

Enter the giveaway here..

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bbq jackfruit tacos - pulled-pork vegan style

March 24, 2015 by India Leigh

I have been on a jackfruit binge lately, well not a binge exactly but every time my friend visits we always end up going to a certain deli for bbq’d jackfruit. Out of all the plethora of vegan joints in LA, we just cut to the chase and head to Organix in Eagle Rock for their Puerco Sandwich, with coleslaw and veganaise on gluten free bread. We are powerless to do anything else because, Sweet Jesus, it is insanely good. In an effort to both impress my friend and try to recreate pulled pork vegan style heaven, I made my own version of it this weekend. It is close..so, so close. And in this instance close is good enough because nothing could top the Organix version.

Jackfruit is a food champion. It is drought resistant (barely needing any water to develop into a hardy, bulbous, giant). The ripe jackfruit is made into sweet snack chips, ice cream and dulce desserts. The unripe, young jackfruit has a fibrous, meat-like texture and can be boiled, baked and roasted. The flesh is said to be high in protein and fibre, and easily digestible. According to UNESCO animal agriculture makes up for 70% of water consumption in the US. Half of America is currently experiencing some form of drought and California is in an emergency drought situation with only 1 year estimated of water left in it’s reservoirs. Those are alarming statistics. Those facts are too much for my head to deal with but I can choose to eat vegan and enjoy copious amounts of planet friendly jackfruit, pulled-pork vegan style in my bid to save the planet.

I did some research for a bbq jackfruit recipe online. All of the recipes I discovered called for bbq sauce. I did not have any, was too tight to go and buy any, and for sure did not want a whole raft of ingredients I did not care for in my pulled pork tacos. So I just added to the mix what I believed would be in BBQ sauce (minus the scary ingredients…high fructose corn syrup and ‘natural’ flavourings). Easy really and feels good because it really is then a ‘from scratch’ recipe. This recipe is also great stuffed inside toasted, Veganise smothered gluten free bread.

Putting the tacos together is easy. Warm the taco, spread over some Veganaise or Beyond Mayo, spoon on generous amounts of the bbq jackfruit, layer over the coleslaw and finish with fresh cilantro and, if desired, a squeeze of lime. Bite into it and prepare for happiness.

bbq jackfruit tacos - pulled pork vegan style

Gluten Free

ingredients

I can (565g) of young green jackfruit in water (or fresh young jackfruit)

I can fire roasted tomatoes (Trader Joes) + 1/4 can of water (if you cannot get TJ’s then any tinned toms)

1/2 large onion diced

3 garlic cloves crushed

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cayenne powder

3 tbs liquid smoke (I used a mix of Wrights Hickory & Mesquite)

3 tbs coconut sugar

2 tbs agave

1 tbs liquid aminos or tamari sauce

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp salt (Himalyan pink is a personal favourite)

For the coleslaw

1/2 head Red or white cabbage finely sliced

2 tbs Veganaise

2 tsp gluten free mustard

Cilantro for garnish

Extra Veganaise ..just because. Totally optional.

method

preheat your oven to 450 degrees (if appropriate…see below)

drain the jackfruit. chop off the hard core and remove the seeds. cut sections in half

sauté the onion in a little splash of oil until translucent, add the crushed garlic and sauté for a further 2-3 mins careful not to allow to it burn.

add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 25-30 mins. You could just serve now as it will already be delicious, but for a more intense flavour and a dryer consistency then place onto a baking sheet and pop into a hot oven 450 degrees for 20-30 mins.

BBQ Jackfruit Tacos. yum!

bbq jackfruit tacos - pulled pork done vegan

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

bbq jackfruit tacos - pulled pork vegan style

Author: India Leigh

Recipe type: Vegan, gluten free tacos

Cuisine: Entree, Lunch, Mexican, Texas

Serves: 6

Ingredients

I can (565g) of young green jackfruit in water (or fresh young jackfruit)
I can fire roasted tomatoes (Trader Joes) + ¼ can of water (if you cannot get TJ's then any tinned toms)
½ large onion diced
3 garlic cloves crushed
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
3 tbs liquid smoke (I used a mix of Wrights Hickory & Mesquite)
3 tbs coconut sugar
2 tbs agave
1 tbs liquid aminos or tamari sauce
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1½ tsp salt (Himalyan pink is a personal favourite)
For the coleslaw
½ head Red or white cabbage finely sliced
2 tbs Veganaise
2 tsp gluten free mustard
Cilantro for garnish
Extra Veganaise ..just because. Totally optional.

Instructions

preheat your oven to 450 degrees (if appropriate...see below)
drain the jackfruit. chop off the hard core and remove the seeds. cut sections in half
sauté the onion in a little splash of oil until translucent, add the crushed garlic and sauté for a further 2-3 mins careful not to allow to it burn.
add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 25-30 mins. You could just serve now as it will already be delicious, but for a more intense flavour and a dryer consistency then place onto a baking sheet and pop into a hot oven 450 degrees for 20-30 mins.

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Active Natural Skin Care Giveaway from The Mad Hippie

February 13, 2015 by India Leigh

Vegan Skin Care

It is so important to not overload our skins with harmful chemicals to allow our skin to be at its optimal state. I’ve been showing my skin some serious love lately with Mad Hippie luxury lotions, creams and serums which are totally free of paraben and synthetic ingredients. All their products are cruelty free and 100% natural. We just had to get this Portland, Oregon company to your attention. Their products have a list of incredibly clean and beneficial ingredients;

Coenzyme Q10
Reservatrol
Green Tea
Vitamin B3
Polyphenols
Vitamin E
Aloe Vera
Coconut Oil
Argan Oil
Grape Seed Extract
Acai Berry
Pomegranate

Using their products feels like the most luxurious and kindest thing you could be putting on your face. Read here why the active natural ingredients and peptides their products contain are so good for your skin. The before and after photos of actual customers skin improvements on their website are really impressive. I’m am totally hooked on them. I know you will love them too! Mad Hippie have one set of their skin care Exfoliating Serum and Face Cream to giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kale and Pine Nut Pizza with GF Cauliflower crust

October 27, 2014 by India Leigh

With the new website/blog now unwrapped and finally a more user friendly platform, I can once again concentrate on the business of recipes. I feel like I’ve been lagging behind with trying out my new recipe ideas and bringing you great vegan and gluten free foodie finds from the interweb. So I need to play catch up before I can thrust on and get up to speed. I need to tick off some of items on the ‘recipes to try’ list. So, here is a recipe that has been knocking around for a few years among some vegan, and gluten free blogs - Cauliflower Pizza Crust. Yes, pizza crust made from cauliflower. Gluten free, grain free and vegan. Sceptical? So was I. But, trusted sources espoused it’s merits so give it a go I must. Many peoples favourite things are pizza, many people love kale. So I decided to marry the two. Here for your delectation is kale and pine nut pizza with a gluten free cauliflower crust. Trust me on this one.

Crispy Kale & Pine Nut Pizza - Gluten Free Cauliflower Crust

Ingredients

1/2 cauliflower

1/2 cup non-sweetened coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)

1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)

3 tbs ground chia seed (or flax meal) to make chia egg

4 tbs nutritional yeast

1/4 cup reduced fat almond flour (sorghum works well too if you do not care if it is not grain free. Quinoa would probably work also.)

1/4 cup chickpea flour

a good pinch of pink Himalayan or sea salt

a good pinch of black pepper

1 tbs olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 450f or as high as your oven allows. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Mix the non-dairy milk and the ground chia or flax seeds and leave to congeal. Just 5 or so mins should do the trick.
Roughly chop cauliflower and pop into a food processor or high speed blender until it breaks down to crumbs. Pop into a suitable container and microwave for 4 mins or to be healthier steam for 10 mins. Allow to cool then put the crumbs into cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as you can.
Combine the drained cauliflower, chia ‘egg’, flours, nutritional yeast and seasonings. Mix to a dough. If the dough is too wet add more flour.
Halve the mixture and then pour the oil into your hands and form two balls. This ensures that the oil is coating the outside of the ‘dough’. Place onto a tray leaving room for each to be flattened and shaped into a 1/4 inch thick and roughly 7 inch circles. You may get more depending on size of your cauliflower (Did you know that in France it is called ‘chou-fleur’?…that’s so pretty!)
Bake for about 20 mins until turning golden brown, and crispy at the edges. Be beady eyed about it though as each oven is different and depending on the tides/moon phase/shoe size and your mood it could burn. Don’t let it burn.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Not sure of the science but like baking a cake, with gluten free stuff the resting makes for good bonding time. I’ve seen many recipes that say the pizza will not stand up to holding aloft but this one does.
Whilst your pizza crust is cooling, slice up some vegan cheese (or use slices..Violife are the best IMHO), bust out a can of condensed tomato paste, chop up your curly kale, and mince some garlic.
Now it is time to decorate those wonderful, gluten free, vegan pizza crusts! Take crust numero uno and spoon and spread over 2-3 tbs of tomato paste. Top with the sliced cheese and the garlic. Pop into the oven until cheese has melted. Grab out of oven and top with a sprinkling of pine nuts and the chopped kale, grind over some black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Then carefully drizzle olive oil over the kale. Grab your oven mitts and pop the pizzas back under a medium grill until the kale turns crispy but not burnt. Burnt is not good.
Remove from the grill (or, if you are American the broiler..still cannot get my head around that though it is more obvious to call it that..darn my English upbringing!) and EAT.
Now, I have to be honest, I did not expect the crust to be that great once I’d tasted the raw mix but me-oh-my, once cooked and adorned it is a thing of sheer delight. Delizioso!

What will you top your pizza crust with?

Kale and Pine Nut Pizza with GF Cauliflower crust

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

Crispy Kale & Pine Nut Pizza - Gluten Free Cauliflower Crust

Author: India Leigh

Recipe type: Pizza

Cuisine: Pizza

Serves: 2

Ingredients

½ cauliflower
½ cup non-sweetened coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)
½ cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
3 tbs ground chia seed (or flax meal) to make chia egg
4 tbs nutritional yeast
¼ cup reduced fat almond flour (sorghum works well too if you do not care if it is not grain free. Quinoa would probably work also.)
¼ cup chickpea flour
a good pinch of pink Himalayan or sea salt
a good pinch of black pepper
1 tbs olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450f or as high as your oven allows. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Mix the non-dairy milk and the ground chia or flax seeds and leave to congeal. Just 5 or so mins should do the trick.
Roughly chop cauliflower and pop into a food processor or high speed blender until it breaks down to crumbs. Pop into a suitable container and microwave for 4 mins or to be healthier steam for 10 mins. Allow to cool then put the crumbs into cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as you can.
Combine the drained cauliflower, chia 'egg', flours, nutritional yeast and seasonings. Mix to a dough. If the dough is too wet add more flour.
Halve the mixture and then pour the oil into your hands and form two balls. This ensures that the oil is coating the outside of the 'dough'. Place onto a tray leaving room for each to be flattened and shaped into a ¼ inch thick and roughly 7 inch circles. You may get more depending on size of your cauliflower (Did you know that in France it is called 'chou-fleur'?...that's so pretty!)
Bake for about 20 mins until turning golden brown, and crispy at the edges. Be beady eyed about it though as each oven is different and depending on the tides/moon phase/shoe size and your mood it could burn. Don't let it burn.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Not sure of the science but like baking a cake, with gluten free stuff the resting makes for good bonding time. I've seen many recipes that say the pizza will not stand up to holding aloft but this one does.
Whilst your pizza crust is cooling, slice up some vegan cheese (or use slices..Violife are the best IMHO), bust out a can of condensed tomato paste, chop up your curly kale, and mince some garlic.
Now it is time to decorate those wonderful, gluten free, vegan pizza crusts! Take crust numero uno and spoon and spread over 2-3 tbs of tomato paste. Top with the sliced cheese and the garlic. Pop into the oven until cheese has melted. Grab out of oven and top with a sprinkling of pine nuts and the chopped kale, grind over some black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Then carefully drizzle olive oil over the kale. Grab your oven mitts and pop the pizzas back under a medium grill until the kale turns crispy but not burnt. Burnt is not good.
Remove from the grill (or, if you are American the broiler..still cannot get my head around that though it is more obvious to call it that..darn my English upbringing!) and EAT.
Now, I have to be honest, I did not expect the crust to be that great once I'd tasted the raw mix but me-oh-my, once cooked and adorned it is a thing of sheer delight. Delizioso!
*tip. Gently remove the crusts from the baking parchment BEFORE you add your toppings so that your final product is not stuck to the baking parchment. If it sticks then wet the parchment with a little water and it will peel off, like those transfer tattoos we had as kids, leaving the crust liberated and intact).

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Win A Vegan Food Box

October 3, 2014 by India Leigh

2 prizes of a selection box of vegan products to win.

Boutique Vegan opened their online store to a bit of a fan fare last year. I recently checked in with them to see how it is all going, and we decided it would be a rather good idea to showcase a selection of new, and much loved vegan products for 2 lucky readers to try. Vegan food for free!

The winners boxes contain the following:

miigan soy protein - low carbohydrates and zero cholesterol, which makes them a perfect base for any low-carb diet.
Vego chocolate bar - you just have to mention the name of this hazelnut packed chocolate bar to a vegan to get them salivating.
Hurraw lip balm - infused with ayurvedic herbs to keep your lips at their kissing best
Violife vegan cheeses - One of my favourite soy free, melty vegan cheese slices made with coconut.
Chimpanzee energy bars - all natural protein bars made with brown rice protein and dates.
HanFu hemp seed paté - a delicious healthy nut free, lactose free pate made from hemp seeds.
Vantastic Foods Veggie Carpaccio - organic vegan parma ham style slices. NOT GLUTEN FREE - made with wheat protein.

Entrants in Europe only with some area exceptions - see here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

good luck!

Low Fat Gluten Free Flours - Giveaway

September 24, 2014 by India Leigh

I am excited to tell you about a recent discovery. Set to revolutionise your baking, and more. Low Fat Gluten Free Flours. Paleo, too, if that’s your bag. And 0% calorie brown sugar and icing sugar.

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Search Results for: seed

A long anticipated, now it is here. Seed + Salt New Vegan Cafe Opens in San Francisco.

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Crispy Kale & Pine Nut Pizza - Gluten Free Cauliflower Crust

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2 prizes of a selection box of vegan products to win.

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