Parsley Pesto Again!

This pesto is slightly tart, fruity and tastes like summer. It's basically the Parsley Cashew Pesto  but with only a third of the cashews and additional dried cranberries.The dried cranberries give this pesto not only a tart taste but also a very light texture.

No Egg Salad w/ Chickpeas And Raw Zucchini

There are lots of vegan "Egg"-salad or No-egg-salad recipes out there. As I can't follow recipes anyway I just made a version of my own, vaguely remembering what other people use and what I used the last time when I made one (I think I used a recipe back then). I added raw zucchini to have a more fresh taste.

- small can chickpeas
- 100g pasta
- one small finely grated zucchini (or half a medium one)
- a few spoons vegan mayo
- salt (if you have use kala namak but be careful)
- parsley


Cook pasta al dente and let cool a bit. Drain chickpeas and smash with a potato smasher or a fork. You can smash the pasta too if you want to, to have this egg-salad consistency. I had small mezzo pennones so I didn't want to smash those beauties.

Mix chickpeas with mayo and parsley, salt slightly. 

Then add the finely grated zucchini and pasta. Mix thoroughly and season to your taste. Cool the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes

 

Parsley Cashew Pesto.

Pesto is not used very often in my kitchen and if so it's store bought. Now and then I try a version of my own and this time I had parsley, cashews and a very good, mild and fruity olive oil. Look at the bright green colour of the olive oil!
Turned out really well. I totally love parsley.

- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup cashews (unsalted)
- bunch parsley

Pull apart the leaves and stems of the parsley. I also use the thin stems and discard only what's really to bad. Roast 3/4 cup of unsalted cashews in pan on medium heat, stir very often and watch carefully. After a few minutes it begins to smell adorable and the cashews get golden-brown spots. Turn down the heat and replace the cashews in a bowl where they can cool.

Then mix parsley, roasted cashew nuts and olive oil in a food processor or with a handheld blender until you have smooth and creamy pesto.
You can use it to for pasta (mix with a little hot cooking water from your pasta pot) or use a little for sandwiches. 

Pasta with king oyster mushrooms and parsley cashew pesto.

Kale-Coconut-Stew

- potatoes
- root parsley
- root celery
- 1-2 carrots
- small can coconut milk
- small can chickpeas
- onion, garlic, ginger
- few leaves kale (curly kale)
- oil
- tofu, cut in stripes and fried in oil with some added soy sauce


This was a stew made out of a lot of different things which had to be used and this fresh green kale. As I made this a few weeks ago I'm not quite sure if I remember everything correctly, but it's a stew. You can't go wrong.

Cut onions, smash garlic, grate ginger and dice both the root parsley and the root celery. Oh and the carrots, too. I think I had one small carrot.
Fry in a teaspoon of oil, until onions get translucent.

Then add one litre water and salt, pepper, veggie broth,  a dash of paprika.

Let cook for 5-8 minutes and then add the potatoes and the kale.

Cook for another 8-10 minutes, then add the drained chickpeas and some coconut milk. I did use probably 3/4 of a small can. But these are just details and you can adjust this to your taste.
Let cook for a few minutes more until the potatoes are done or even a little longer, then taste if you need more salt and pepper. Serve hot with tofu stripes on top.

I love to make a big pot of soup or stew and have lots of leftovers the next day. Then I usually take some for work. You know, these stews taste better the next day anyway and so it's the perfect lunch at work.

Bento.

My bento box is rarely used. Poor thing. 
So I decided to give it some attention and made for tomorrow: fried zucchini with rosemary, a beetroot salad (with soy sauce, lime juice and fresh tarragon as dressing) and cooked millet with lots of fresh parsley and mint. Hope my co-workers don't mind that my vegan stuff is way more pretty and tasty than their boring microwave crap.

Potato-Chickpea-Stew w/ Tofu.

-onions

-garlic

-carrots

-potatoes

-salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, veg broth, dried or fresh sage, curry powder

-tomato paste

-tofu

-soy cream

-fresh parsley

Fry finely diced onions and mashed garlic in a little oil until translucent. Add diced carrots and stir for 3 minutes. Fill up with 1 litre cold water and add diced potatoes. Season to taste with paprika, salt, pepper, cumin, veg broth, sage. In the meanwhile dice tofu and fry until golden, season with salt and a hint of curry powder. 

When potatoes are almos done add canned chickpeas and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Just before serving add the fried tofu and a little soy (or oat) cream and lots of fresh parsley.

This is the perfect food when you just caught a cold like me at the moment. It's full of flavour and healthy things, it warms you and it's not too heavy.

Peanut-Miso-Tofu With Cauliflower

Tofu marinated with a peanutbutter-miso-mix, cauliflower and cream sauce with fried parsley.

200g tofu

2 tblsp barley miso

2 tblsp peanut butter

1 big piece of ginger

1 small head cauliflower

2 bay leaves

200ml soy cream

handful of fresh parsley

margarine

Mix miso and peanutbutter with about 2-3 tblsp hot water to a thick paste. Cut tofu into thin slices and brush with the paste, let sit for about 30-60 minutes.

Cook cauliflower in water with salt and the bay leaves til tender, about 20 minutes. Be sure to remove the bay leaves before serving, they just add flavour but are not edible.

Melt a piece of margarine in a pan and cut ginger into thick stripes, fry ginger and add the marinated tofu slices. Fry on medium heat til the tofu is dark golden brown. For the sauce: just melt a small piece of margarine, cut the parsley and fry for about 3 minutes. 

Add soy cream and season with salt, pepper and a hint of cumin. 

Just another scrambled tofu.

This time with onions, a little chicory and parsley. Ate it with a sesame bagel with mango-chili-spread, a big cappuccino and cold orange juice. Saturdays can be so great.

Parpadelle With Oyster Mushroom Sauce

200g parpadelle

200g oyster mushrooms

250 ml Soycream

1 small onion 

3 cloves garlic

fresh parsley

salt, pepper,

1 teaspoon vegan red pesto (optional)

1 teaspoon olive oil

A creamy sauce with the distinguish flavour of oyster mushrooms and garlic:

Cut mushrooms into stripes and fry in olive oil. Add onion and garlic and fry for about 5 minutes, stir from time to time. Cook pasta while preparing the sauce.

Add soycream to mushrooms and season with salt and pepper and the red pesto and add maybe a little from the pasta water and stir well. Let simmer on low heat til the pasta's done.

Serve pasta with the sauce and add a lot of fresh cut parsley. It's quite quick, the sauce takes only a few minutes and will be done if the pasta is!