Dinner: Saibhaji (Indian Dilled Vegetables)

Ingredients:
1/2 tbspn cumin seed
1 tbspn grated ginger
1 clove garic
Handful fresh chopped dill
1/2 tspn chilli powder
1/2 tspn turmic powder
8 tblspn red split lentils
600g spinach leaves, chopped.
1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 courgettes chopped
2 tbspn oil
Small tin chickpeas
300ml water
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil, add the cumin seeds. Brown for one minute and then add the ginger and the garlic.
2. Add the lentils, dill, vegetables, chickpeas, chilli, tumeric, salt and water. Simmer gently for 35 mins and serve hot.

The Good News:
Lentils have similar nutritional and health benefits of common beans. They are a good source of protein, fiber, and folic acid. They also contain many trace minerals. Since lentils contain a large amount of fiber, they are effective in lowering cholesterol and managing blood sugar disorders. Like common beans, the high fiber in lentils prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. Studies have shown that eating beans or lentils two or more times per week was linked with a 24 percent reduced risk of breast cancer.

Lunch: Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup:


Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, washed and cubed.
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1 teaspn ground coriander
1 teaspn concentrated vegetable stock
1 tblspn oil
1 litre water, on the boil
Handful baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper


Method
1. Heat the oil in the pan and cook the onions and garlic until browned.
2. Add the coriander and sweet potato, and mix well.
3. Add the water, dessicated coconut and stock and bring to the boil and simmer until the sweet potato is soft.
4. Blend to the desired consistency, adding more water as desired.
5. Serve hot with baby spinach leaves mixed in.



The Good News:
Sweet potato is often used as a lower GI alternative to the humble spud. In this soup it provides a lovely creamy texture, complimented by the sweetness of the dried coconut. Nutritionally, the sweet potato is low in Sodium, and very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fibre, Vitamin B6 and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Manganese. It also provides satiety i.e. it makes you feel full for longer.

Dessert: Strawberry Tofu Cheesecake

Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 packet soft tofu
1/4 cup of soya milk
1 strained tin of strawberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tblspn vanilla essence
1/4 cup golden syrup
12 vegan-friendly digestive biscuits
2 tblspn vegan spread such as Pure

Method:
1. Preheat oven to gas mark 4.
2. Blend tofu, strawberries, soya milk, sugar, vanilla essence and syrup until smooth.
3. Break the biscuits into crumbs and melt the spread gently in a pan. Mix the spread and the biscuits to form base.
4. Pour topping over base and bake for 40-45 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate until set.

The good news:
Tofu is well-known for providing a good vegetarian source of protein, but that's just the beginning. Studies have shown that a regular intake of soy protein can help lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood stream, as well as being beneficial to women of menopausal age as it helps relieve the symptoms associated with this period. As well as this, for your regular vegan-about-town nutritional needs, it contains 11-22% of your Calcium RDA per half cup serving(depending on the brand and how it is cooked), and 10% of your RDA of Iron.
I know it's not the most personable of foodtypes but it is adaptable and there is so much you can do with it, so check back for future posts on how to please your palate with tofu.

Breakfast: Coconut Porriage

My friend Bronwyn took this recipe back with her from India. Over there they use coconut cream to make the porriage, in a squeeze dessicated coconut does the job and it keeps well in the cupboard. I like to make it ahead of time and steep it overnight.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup porriage oats

2 tspn dessicated coconut

1 cup water

Method:

Put all the ingredients in a cereal bowl and mix. If you can, let it stand overnight. Put it in the microwave for approximately 2 mins. Remember to allow one minute standing time after you take it out of the microwave.

The Good News:

Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein.

Introduction

Hi 

I'm Lisa, I've been a vegan for about three and a half years and this blog is about delicious good food and what it does for your health...